Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"My quirk is… Green Hair?" Izuku Midoriya sat on the cold metal examination table, surrounded by various medical equipment and colourful posters displaying different types of quirks and their uses. He’d been waiting for this appointment for a long time, ever since the other kids in his class started manifesting their new abilities, around the age of 4. He was already 5, and still nothing. No sign of a quirk. To try and help her son out, his mother had taken him to a Quirk specialist to get some answers.

"That’s right, kiddo! Pretty cool, huh? That’s an exceedingly rare quirk and you’re one of the lucky few! Just think how much money you’ll save on hair dye!" The doctor exclaimed, giving Izuku a hearty thumbs up and a big grin. This wasn’t Izuku’s usual physician, Dr Tsubasa, who had known him since he was born, so he was trying to endear himself to the boy. He noticed his gaze seemed to be fixed on the small spot of light reflecting across the stethoscope around his neck.

"Are you sure that’s what my son’s quirk is, Doctor? It’s just, I thought he got the green hair from my side of the family?" Inko asked, confused about the situation. She sat next to Izuku holding his hand, looking down slightly at the child wondering what could be going through his head after hearing the news. She’d hoped the doctor could shed some light on why her son’s quirk hadn’t manifested yet - but this wasn’t at all what she expected.

"There are two other kids at school with green hair…"

"We’ve run all the tests, and that’s what came up! I was quite surprised as well. Honestly, it’s rare that a child’s quirk is entirely based around an aspect of the parent’s appearance, but that’s what I find so fascinating about this job!" The doctor kept up his chipper attitude, for Izuku’s benefit. "Here Izuku, have a lollipop for being so brave!"

He handed Izuku a wrapped candy and smiled warmly. He accepted the lollipop, but let it slip out of his fingers and fall onto the side of the table, completely dazed by the news. "I can’t even change what shade of green it is…" he said softly with a blank expression.

Inko swallowed, feeling a pang of sadness for her son. This was the worst possible news he could have heard, she knew how much he wanted to have a powerful quirk like the many heroes he admired. He was always watching hero shows on TV, reading hero magazines and comics, and collecting hero figurines and posters. He had even made his own hero costume out of cardboard and tape. Wishing she knew what to say to comfort him, or cheer him up, she instead stood up from her chair and bowed.

"Thank you for taking time to see us today, Doctor," She picked up her still frozen son, and the lollipop, and headed for the door.

The doctor waited until he heard his office door click before rubbing the bridge of his nose and sinking into his chair. He really wished he could have given Izuku some better news.

"Poor kid…"

Inko and Izuku left the doctor’s office and walked along the busy streets of the city, passing the tall buildings, billboards advertising all sorts of quirk specific items, and the various shops and restaurants. Despite the relative serenity of the day, she kept a tight grip on her son’s hand, feeling particularly anxious and protective. She’d been a worried mother before, but things seemed so much worse now. Quirks, regardless of all the good they’d done, had made the world a dangerously frightening place. With Izuku being such a fragile boy she wasn’t sure how he’d cope without a power of his own. She tried her best to not let this show through to her son, right now he just needed to be a kid for a while.

"Hey Izuku, how about we stop by the toy store? I heard there’s a new All Might figure with a new hat!" She suggested to her son, hoping to cheer him up.

"Oh, yeah…" Izuku said in a low voice. "Probably from when All Might rescued that farmer and they took a picture of him wearing his hat… I saw it in issue 26 of All Might Monthly…" He sighed.

Inko smiled to herself; even when he was down like this, he was still the hero-obsessed kid she’d raised. She loved her son more than anything, and knew he had a big heart and a strong spirit. If he kept it, she knew that someday he’d find his place.

Suddenly, Inko felt a surge of panic as she saw a massive ball of jagged metal spikes burst out of a shop window on the opposite side of the street. The ball unfurled itself into a man covered in sharp quills, like an echidna, holding two bags full of stolen loot in his hands.

"That’s Quiller Killer!" Izuku exclaimed, pointing at the menace. "H-he’s a villain!"

Quiller Killer heard the boy’s voice and spun around, spotting them over the road. Snarling, he charged at them. Inko wrapped herself around her son protectively, fearing for their lives, but fully prepared to accept the full force of the attack to keep Izuku safe.

But the attack never came. Before the villain could reach them, a metallic whizzing sound cut through the air, followed by a loud clang. Izuku wriggled out of his mother’s embrace and looked up, his eyes wide with wonder. "Power Loader!" He shouted.

Inko turned around and saw a muscular man with no shirt on, who looked around her age. He had a peculiar helmet on his head, and long digger-like claws on the tips of his fingers. Nearby, Quiller Killer was ensnared in a web of steel cables tying him to a lamppost. "You two okay?" Power Loader asked, walking over to them. He seemed calm and confident, as if he had done this a thousand times before. Noticing Izuku’s starstruck expression, like the kid’s eyes were about to pop out, he said, "Uh, hey kid. Stay in school." Then dashed off to secure Quiller Killer and call for backup.

Izuku was speechless with awe as he replayed the scene in his mind, eventually snapping out of it to bombard his mother with facts about Power Loader’s quirk, his gadgets, his hero ranking, and his shoe size. Inko listened patiently and smiled; seeing the passion and inspiration from Izuku’s every word.

Back at the Midoriya household, Inko busied herself with dinner preparation as her son watched hero videos on her computer. She was making his favourite dish, katsudon, hoping to cheer him up after a long and stressful day. From the kitchen she could hear All Might’s recognisable laugh bellowing from the tiny speakers. It was comforting, knowing that Izuku still has his love of heroes despite the bad news he received earlier that day. It was somewhat less comforting when she heard the same clip being played again, and again, and again.

Venturing out of the kitchen, she approached Izuku’s shaking body, his face lit up by the scenes of All Might’s debut. "Izuku?" She asked tentatively.

Izuku turned in his seat, his face covered with tears, and he tried to articulate his feelings. "Mom…Do you think someone like me…Could ever be a hero?"

Inko froze in her tracks, seeing this poor boy on the chair in front of her. Could he be a hero? Any other time she would have said no, she probably would have said nothing. Hell, she’d probably apologise. But the events of that day, after seeing Power Loader take down that villain without even needing to use his quirk… She knew what to say.

"Yes Izuku, yes you can!" She wept, hugging her son.

"You…r-really think so?" Izuku asked, sniffling.

Inspiration struck Inko and she released the hug but kept her hands on his shoulders. "Wait here, I’ll be right back." She rushed to her closet in her bedroom, and began rummaging through the cardboard boxes sitting at the bottom. "I know they’re here somewhere…"

Moments later she reappeared in the living room with a pile of dusty items in her arms, carrying a collection of books, magazines, papers, graphs and sketches, and laid them out on the floor for Izuku to see. He looked at them in confusion and curiosity, and tried to read the words.

"Engi…engine..?" He struggled.

"Engineering manuals, Izuku. These were your grandfathers’ on your father’s side. He died a  few years before you were born." Izuku looked up at her. "He was a support inventor many years ago, but he was never… He never really got his business off the ground. But he had so many ideas." She began to show Izuku the notes and half finished blueprints of various inventions with enthusiasm and nostalgia: magnetic locking handcuffs to restrain villains, extendable grabbing implements to reach high places or far objects, springloaded boots to enhance jumping ability. There were at least a dozen more. "There are heroes out there who use support items like this even more than their quirks."

"There are...?" Izuku looked at his mother with interest and awe, still with tears streaming down his face.

"There are, and I think you could be one of those heroes."

Earlier that day:

"Poor kid…" The doctor sighed to himself, and called Inko back into his room. "Excuse me, Mrs Midoriya? There are a few things I wanted to clear up." He gestured for Inko to follow him into his office, closing the door behind him and leaving Izuku in the nurse’s capable hands (with a juice box and a heroics magazine to keep him occupied.)

Inko followed him inside and sat down in the chair across from the doctor’s desk, now paying more attention to the files and papers cluttering it. She noticed some of them had Izuku’s name on them, along with some charts and graphs she didn’t understand. "Shouldn't Izuku be here for this?" she asked nervously, unsure what he had called her back for.

"This is somewhat of a sensitive matter and I feel that, for the time being, it would be best if we kept it between the two of us." The doctor said, lowering his voice. Inko could see the concern in his eyes. He took off his glasses for a moment and rubbed his temples, showcasing his tiredness.

"Oh I, I see… What's the issue, doctor? Is there something wrong with his quirk?" she asked, clutching her purse tightly, hoping it wasn’t anything serious or dangerous.

Bluntly, he responded, "Mrs Midoriya, your son is essentially quirkless."

"Well yes, green hair is not a particularly powerful-"

"Your son's quirk isn't having green hair, Mrs Midoriya." He cut her off. "It can be difficult for a quirkless child in today's society. I wrote that on the forms to, at least slightly, give him a better chance. Even a useless quirk is better than none at all. I know from experience." He breathed deeply. Inko could tell there was more to this story, but felt it best not to pry into his affairs.

"Oh I, thank you doctor, but, is that allowed?" Inko asked, feeling confused.

"As far as anyone is concerned, it's entirely legitimate. But that's not what I wanted to speak with you about. Your son does possess the quirk gene, he has a quirk. The issue is we have no idea what it is, or how to activate it." He opened one of the folders on his desk and showed her the results of their tests with a pen. There, plain to see, was the dormant gene.

With a sliver of hope in her voice, she asked, "So he could still get a quirk, some day?"

"Yes. It could be activated by a certain trigger word like ‘Release’, surpassing a certain necessary level of fitness, wearing a particularly tight pair of trousers. There is no end to the possibilities. Or…" He trailed off, hesitating.

With anxiety in her voice, Inko had to ask and find out more."What is it, doctor?"

Softly, he responded, "There are some quirks that activate due to… Traumatic events." He looked at her with seriousness in his eyes.

Inko immediately realised the implications and felt a chill run down her spine."…This is why you didn't want Izuku in the room."

"Yes. Some children, when they learn about this, try to," He breathed deeply again, and shook his head, trying to think of the best way to put this without scaring her too much, "They try to 'fast track' the traumatic event."

"That's awful!" Inko exclaimed, and covered her mouth with her hand. It had been an issue in the quirkless community for some time and she had heard some horror stories, but it tended to be swept under the rug. The most recent case had been a boy who tried to activate his quirk by leaping from a 4th storey window.

"My advice to you is to keep Izuku in the dark as long as possible. Your son loves heroes with all his heart, doesn't he?" The doctor asked.

"Yes he does, very much. Especially All Might."

"Hah, I don’t blame him, what child doesn't? Help him to keep that love of heroes alive, it's good for a young boy to have role models." The doctor nodded and smiled warmly. "But try to…manage his expectations realistically. With the quirk we have on his documentation there was never a chance of him becoming a hero, and if a power of his does eventually manifest there's no telling it'll be a strong quirk." He looked at Inko with a stern expression and leaned forward on his desk. "But there are so many other ways to help people." Suddenly his expression turned cheerful again, "such as being a doctor, for instance!"

"Thank you, Doctor, for telling me," Inko said gratefully. There was a mix of emotions rushing through her head: relief, fear, anger. But also hope. Hope that Izuku can find happiness and fulfilment in life.

The doctor smiled and stood up from his chair, before escorting her back to the waiting room where her son sat. Watching the two of them leave his clinic hand in hand, he could feel there was something special about Izuku Midoriya.

Chapter Text

Izuku Midoriya: Age 7

The 15th Annual Junior Gadgeteer Convention was taking place in Hosu this year, inside a local school gymnasium. The venue was buzzing with excitement and curiosity, as engineers and fans of engines and gears admired the inventions and experiments filling the rows of tables. There were robots, rockets, radios and radars, lasers, lightbulbs, locomotives and lithographs, and even some things that started with different letters.  

It was Izuku’s second year here as a contestant in the under 10s category. His entry had been confirmed following a glowing recommendation from his engineering tutor. After being gifted his grandfather’s manuals two years before, he had fallen head over heels for learning new things and making his own inventions. But his mother had eventually given him an ultimatum: Either he got all the scrap metal out of the living room, or he found a better place to work on his projects. That better place ended up being a nearby community college. Izuku would have been the only person under 16 on the course, if not for a young girl who showed just as much promise.

"Hi Ithuku!" shouted Mei Hatsume from among the crowd. She was dressed for the occasion in a slightly oversized white lab coat and a pair of goggles which looked enormous on her pink-haired head. She was carrying a canvas bag that seemed to be filled with tools and spare parts, and she smiled at him with a gap toothed grin.

"Oh hi Mei!" Izuku replied happily. Mei’s friendship had done a lot for Izuku’s confidence as a person. His weak quirk had made it hard for him to make friends at elementary school, but Mei was more interested in machines than quirks. Come to think of it, Izuku couldn’t even remember if Mei had ever actually asked what his quirk was.

"Where’th your thubmithon to the thienth fair?!" Mei lisped, still grinning with excitement. She bounced up and down on her toes, eager to see what Izuku had come up with this year.

"Aw Mei, did you lose a tooth?" Inko laughed and covered her mouth. She couldn’t help liking Mei, Izuku always had funny stories to tell her after their classes about Mei accidentally blowing something up or creating skynet. She liked her, but she was incredibly glad she was someone else’s daughter. She wouldn’t be able to take the pressure.

"Uh huh! It’th okay though, I can ththill thpeak."

"I can see that," Inko chuckled.

"She was building a drone that flies back to you when you call it. I told her to make sure there was a 5ft perimeter around the user but nooo, ‘I know better’ she said." Mei’s mother sighed, looking at her daughter with exasperation and affection.

"Thometimeth a lotht tooth ith the prith to pay for greatneth." Mei said stoically, holding a hand over her heart and looking skyward.

Izuku held up the large cardboard box he was carrying that contained this year's project. He'd spent weeks working on it and he couldn’t wait to show everyone. Of course he hoped it would impress the judges, maybe even win a prize, but truth be told the only person he was trying to make proud this year was his mom. Ever since his quirk diagnosis she’d been nothing but supportive of his dreams, urging him forward at every step, even when they seemed impossible or dangerous."I’ve got my project right here!" Izuku excitedly told Mei. "It’s a secret though, you have to wait for the presentation."

"Oh come on, Ithuku! You can’t keep me in thuthpenth like that!" Mei whined, trying to peek inside the box. "Jutht give me a hint! Ith it a jetpack? A lather cannon?!?"

"Nope and nope!" Izuku teased, holding the box away from her. "You’ll have to be patient and find out later!"

"Fine," Mei pouted, crossing her arms. "It’th not another robot doggy though ith it? All the latht one did wath bark and do a backflip…" she complained, remembering how disappointed she’d been with Izuku’s previous project. 

Izuku tried his best to convince his friend how awesome Robopup was. Despite the fact almost the second he brought it home after the fair it’s head sprang off and it leaked oil all over the living room couch. His mom had said it was worse than having an actual dog. "N-no! And my robot doggy was great, he could fetch a bone!" He nervously defended his invention.

"Only becauth the bone had a magnet attathed!" Mei pointed out, making a face.

"Y-yeah well my project this year is super awesome… What did you bring? Come on lemme see!" He tried to see inside the bag Mei was carrying but she kept spinning to prevent him from seeing inside.

"O-hohoho! Thith year Hatthume induthtries hath a thpectacular-" She started, before her mother cut her off.

"Mei if you say anymore S words I might have a hernia. She’s built a pair of shoes that can walk up walls." Her mother unceremoniously revealed. She had a mix of pride and complete exasperation in her voice.

"Aw I wanted to introduth it…" She pouted.

Izuku was just as excited as Mei hoped he would be, balling up his fists and widening his eyes with excitement "Like Wallace and Gromit?!" he shouted.

"I knew you’d get it!!" The two kids jumped up and down with glee.

The two of them calmed down as quickly as they’d gotten all amped up, but Izuku couldn’t help wondering what sort of competition they’d have this year. "Have you gone to see any of the other entries yet Mei?"

"Um, yeah…there are a lot of volcanoth… And one kid brought in a wooden toy aeroplane…" she rolled her eyes, completely unimpressed by the lack of creativity. At least this year there was an aeroplane. Last year the most exciting project another kid brought along was titled ‘The Wonders of Mud’. He had just sprayed a hose on some dirt and brought that in a plastic tub. It looked especially stupid next to the universal translator Mei had designed.

"Oh. Hah! Same as last year. It’ll be between the two of us, Mei Hatsume! May the best gadgeteer win!" Izuku declared enthusiastically.

"You’re on, Ithuku Midoriya!" She accepted the challenge gladly, smiling brightly.

Izuku Midoriya, age 11.

Izuku sat hunched over the workbench he’d eventually convinced his mom to let him have in his cosy bedroom, following a lengthy negotiation over what kind of experiments were acceptable in the house. They had agreed on three fundamental rules: Nothing that explodes, nothing that leaks and nothing that smells. That suited Izuku fine, since most of his homemade gadgets were intended for cleaning purposes - he didn’t want his ingenious window-washer to leave oil stains everywhere after all.

Around him on the walls and shelves were various snapshots of him and his mom, smiling and hugging at various science fairs throughout the years. They were next to photos of him and his best friend Mei, rejoicing over their triumphs, or laughing at  Mei’s soot-covered face, or running away from one of her unpredictable inventions.

Scattered among them were his trophies and medals he had earned, most of them were gold or silver, but he didn’t care much about the rank. He just loved making things that could help people. Next to him lay a pile of manuals and engineering magazines, along with the sketches and blueprints of his ideas. In a prominent place, hanging framed on his bedroom wall, was the first of his Grandfather’s unfinished blueprints that he had completed - a handheld weapon that could draw in moisture from the air, crystallise it, and fire it as a tiny projectile. It remained his proudest achievement and a tribute to his Grandfather’s legacy.

He gave the screwdriver one last twist and admired his creation with satisfaction. It was a modest idea he was working on, but he hoped it’d make his mother feel more confident. It was a small scanner that could automatically display the mass and weight of whichever object it was pointed at, so she could know if her attraction quirk was compatible with it without straining her abilities. Mostly Izuku worked on "real" problems for his neighbours, fixing television signals or boosting WiFi. It was usually quite boring and didn’t challenge his talents very much, but it gave him a nice bit of pocket money to work on personal projects.

Just then Izuku’s phone buzzed, he looked down to see a news alert on the lockscreen "Breaking: Villain attack in Downtown Musutafu. Heroes on the scene." Feeling a rush of excitement, he grabbed his backpack and notebook and ran out of his room, passing by the various household gadgets he’d built in the past. They were, in his mind, relatively simple ideas, such as his dirt-seeking vacuum cleaner and the mop that could adjust its wetness depending on the floor type. But they made his mom happy and that was good enough for him.

"Mom, I’m going out for a while!" he shouted as he reached the door to the apartment.

"Okay, honey, be safe and don’t go too far!" Inko replied from the kitchen. She’d gotten used to Izuku’s excursions in recent years and had stopped being so frightened about him being out in the world. She still worried about him, but had convinced herself that even if he did have a strong quirk he wouldn’t be able to use it properly at this age anyway, so really what difference did it make? Not to mention every time he went out he was always near pro heroes, who weren’t going to let anything bad happen to an eleven year old.

"Thanks, mom! Love you!" Izuku shouted behind him as he opened the door and ran down the stairs, he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

Sprinting through the streets and weaving his way through crowds of people who were either fleeing or gawking at the scene, he dodged cars and bikes ignoring the honks and curses that followed him. Eventually he reached the cordoned off area where the police had set up a perimeter, just in time to see a man dressed as a crocodile get punched in the face by a man in a red and gold suit.

The crocodile man roared unimpressively and flexed his body, causing two 1ft long spikes to emerge from his shoulders and pierce through his costume. Izuku rolled his eyes and started writing in his notebook, "Oh, it’s just Spiky. E grade villain at best." He titled the page ‘Support Item Ideas for Pros’ and looked up to check which hero was here

"You’ll never succeed, vile fiend!" the hero dramatically said in a faux-british accent. He charged up another punch and his fist transformed into the shape of a lion’s roaring head, driving its way into the villain’s face once more.

"Oh cool, Kingsguard!" Izuku exclaimed as he began filling in notes. "Small scale transformation quirk, seems to only affect his hands. Punching is his primary form of combat, meaning he neglects his legs and feet. If he can’t use his hands he’s pretty much screwed, maybe some kind of leg braces or steel boots, looks like energy glows around his fist when he transforms them, could energy be redistributed…" he mumbled to himself as he scribbled as quickly as he could before the fight was over. Soon enough, Spiky lay dazed in a heap and Kingsguard was monologuing over his beaten foe.

"Let this act stand as a lesson to all ne'er do wells! Crime doesn’t pay!" Kingsguard stood as dramatically as he spoke, with one hand on his hip and the other on his heart. The media lost their minds at this, photographing and documenting his every movement. He was a new hero on the scene, barely two months out of a sidekick role, and he was lapping it up. Absolutely perfect for what Izuku needed.

"Mr Kingsguard! Mr Kingsguard!" Izuku waved his arm at him eagerly, pushing his way through the crowd of civilians to the police barricade. He hoped the hero would notice him among the sea of faces and cameras.

Kingsguard was well aware that it looked great in newspapers when a hero was nice to kids, so Izuku was the first face he approached. He flashed a dazzling smile and said in a booming voice, "Ah my young ward, did thee enjoy the bout? Perhaps an autograph is in order-"

Izuku scribbled down one last thing, tore the page out of his notebook and handed it to Kingsguard, "Actually I have something for you." He smiled up at the hero, who looked quizzically at the note that had been thrust into his hand. It was a list of ideas of improving his support gear and fighting style, based on Izuku’s observations, alongside a rough sketch of some new gear.

His expression changed ever so slightly from confused to intrigued. He scanned the paper with interest, despite the clicking of cameras and reporters calling him for statements. Realising in time that this young boy had an astute eye for detail and a brilliant mind for design, he dropped the persona he’d been cultivating and turned to Izuku with genuine curiosity.

"You just came up with all this just now?" he asked, still looking at the paper. "I mean, obviously I’ve tried the steel boots thing, just didn’t fit with my fighting style, but this idea you’ve had for redistributing the energy from my lion hand technique… This actually looks like it could work." He leant down on one knee to be more on Izuku’s level. "You sure I can take this, kid?"

Izuku beamed at the hero with excitement and admiration, he’d always dreamed of meeting his idols and helping them with support gear ideas and he’d finally managed to get face to face with one. "Of course! Just let everyone know the name Izuku Midoriya, future number one support gear supplier!"

Izuku Midoriya: Age 14

"And if you press this button here…" Izuku announced proudly as he held up a small device in his hand. With a click, a thin tether shot across the classroom like a bullet, flying directly down the middle aisle. The wire had a deceptively strong claw at the end, which embedded itself into the brick wall at the opposite end with a loud thud. The students gasped and ducked as the tether whizzed past their heads. "Now if I press this button…" Izuku continued, oblivious to the commotion. With another click, a small chunk of wall came loose as the wire retracted its way back to Izuku. He caught the claw and the brick in his hand, which would have looked impressive if he hadn’t just caused minor property damage. He looked apologetic at the teacher, who was staring at him with a frown "Oh s-sorry I didn’t think it would, I-I thought the wall would be stronger!"

The teacher tutted from his seat at the front of the class. "Yes Midoriya, another interesting display…" He said in a monotone voice, clearly bored with the entire affair. "You can go back to your desk now, but I’ll remind you that the assignment was to show us something you discovered about your quirk, not…Whatever that was." He waved his hand dismissively.

"Oh actually I have my extra classes at Aldera College today so I have to…" He pointed to the door as he started to clear his desk and pack his bag. The teacher wordlessly gestured to him to leave, not particularly caring about his explanation. On his way out, Izuku tripped over another student’s bag that was left in the centre of the aisle, and stumbled dropping his device, which made a loud beep. He quickly picked it up hoping nothing had broken and rushed to the exit. As he left, he heard some whispers from his classmates.

"I heard his dad is Nezu, you know the little hamster guy?" One said.

As one person exclaimed "He’s not a hamster, he’s a bear! Besides I heard his dad is Power Loader." Izuku felt perplexed about how such a rumour could have started. Shaking his head, he hurried down the corridor to leave the school, hearing the loud explosions caused by one of his fellow classmates. Catboy or something, they’d never spoken.

Izuku quickly got his phone out and sent a brief text to Mei saying he’d be there soon and was on the way to get the bus, but panicked when he saw the time and realised the next bus was only 10 minutes away. He’d have to take a shortcut through one of the back-alleys, a dark and dingy place that he ordinarily hated going down because of the shady characters and potential dangers that lurked there, but needs must.

Around five minutes later Izuku decided to himself that needs did not must, as the gelatinous form of a sludgy villain tried to pour himself down Izuku’s throat. Gasping for breath and thinking to himself what a disgusting way this was to die, he tried to press the button on his tether device to attempt an escape. The wire shot out through the villain’s goopy interiors and wrapped itself around a lamppost. With another click of the button, Izuku would be free! Or he would be, if the retract function would work. He clicked it again, and again, and nothing. "Great," he thought to himself. "I never got to…build a jetpack…" He felt a wave of nausea and despair as he struggled in vain.

"FEAR NOT YOUNG ONE, FOR I AM HERE!" The enormous frame of a beloved media mascot burst from a sewer grate to Izuku’s great shock and delight. "TEXAS SMAAAAAAASH!" With one mighty punch, the sludge villain was obliterated. Green gunky chunks rained from the sky as Izuku hyperventilated.

"A-all…All Muhmuhmuh" He attempted, before passing out from the shock and exhaustion.

Several moments later, Izuku regained consciousness to find All Muhmuhmuh still there in his heroic glory, shining like a beacon of hope, collecting what remained of the monster into soda bottles. "All Might! Wow, I can’t believe you’re here!" Izuku shouted with awe and admiration, feeling a surge of excitement in his chest.

"Hahaha!" All Might chortled, "I am always here!" he said, posing with his winning smile and trademark confidence.

"Will you sign my-" Suddenly Izuku found one of his support gear notebooks in his hands, the words ALL MIGHT scrawled across two pages, and a little smiley face with a question mark next to an idea for a backpack hang glider. "Thank you so much!!" Izuku emphatically bowed to his hero as All Might bid him farewell and leapt into the air with a powerful jump that shook the ground.

At the low point of a bow Izuku noticed the tether he had fired to try and escape the sludge villain, unravelling at a rapid pace. He then noticed the other end wrapped firmly around his ankle.

"Oh. That isn’t good." was his last thought before being lifted off the ground and carried through the air behind All Might like a kite in the wind, screaming and flailing as he flew over the city.

"I know it’s hard, kid, but you need to calm down and breathe slowly." All Might said in a soothing voice as he watched Izuku grip the railing of the building with trembling hands, his skin losing its colour. "You just went through a terrifying ordeal." All Might turned his head away and coughed up a mouthful of blood on the concrete floor.

"I-I appreciate it… All Might…" Izuku stammered,  feeling awkward to address this frail man by his hero name, but he had no doubt it was him. He’d witnessed the shocking change with his own eyes. Izuku’s mind was split with two conflicting thoughts: one was trying to process the unbelievable truth about the hero’s condition, the other half was buzzing with ideas for something he could build to help the symbol of peace stay in one symbol of piece. Realistically he knew that All Might must have access to the best medical care and support available, but he still felt a strong urge to contribute in some way.

"Can you manage to go down the stairs by yourself? I really need to hurry up before this food defrosts." He pointed to the shopping bags he was carrying, which Izuku had somehow failed to notice until now.

"I think I’ll be okay… Thank you so much, All Might. Oh and don’t worry! I won’t tell anyone about this, you have my word!"

"Thanks kid." All Might turned to head down the fire escape, but Izuku still had something to ask him

"All Might…can I ask you one last thing?"

All Might stopped, and sighed. "What is it kid?"

"Do you… Do you think someone like me… Could ever help heroes in any way?"

All Might looked at him with pity. "Kid… This is a dangerous job. I’m sorry to say that without a strong quirk, there’s no chance you could be a he-"

"No! No, that’s not what I meant at all!" Izuku interrupted him as All Might spat out some more blood. "I don’t want to be a hero who fights! Today was the most terrifying experience of my whole life, I never want to repeat that ever again!" He flailed his arms wildly trying to clarify his point, "I mean, do you think I could be a good support for the other heroes? You saw my notebook…"

All Might’s brow furrowed and he grunted slightly. "I don’t see why not."

Izuku’s face lit up with a huge smile as All Might left the rooftop, and he took out his phone to call Mei. "Mei, it’s me. I’ve made up my mind! I’m going to apply to UA! …What? …Oh, you were going to force me to apply anyway? Okay, cool."

Chapter Text

Izuku and his mother were enjoying a moment of tranquillity in their living room, sipping tea together and bonding over their shared love of crime procedurals. The television was tuned to Inko’s favourite show, a series about a pair of detectives whose will-they-won’t-they relationship was as suspenseful as the many dozens of murder cases they’d managed to solve. Izuku always wondered why the main detective only ever seemed to use his telepathy quirk in the final act, but he’d been told to stop being such a smartass and to just enjoy the show for what it was. For the moment, he was dividing his attention between the TV and mindlessly scrolling his social media feeds.

Inko momentarily dismissed the episode, her brow furrowing in confusion as though she could sense a disturbance in the force. "Do you hear that?" She asked him, tilting her head and listening intently. The tea in their cups began to vibrate, creating tiny ripples on the surface, as a thunderous thumping noise grew louder and more insistent, drawing nearer and nearer.

The apartment door suddenly burst open with an ear-splitting bang, revealing Mei standing in the doorway, one leg dramatically raised in the air and a wild, manic expression plastered across her face. "IZUKU! THEY’RE HERE!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice reaching an almost inhuman pitch.

Izuku sprang from his chair in a panic, spilling tea all over his clothes and the floor in the process, and assumed a defensive battle stance. "WHO’S HERE?!" He yelled back, his eyes wide with terror.

"THE UA APPLICATION FORMS CAME BACK!!" Mei shouted back, triumphantly waving a letter in her hand.

"WHAT?!" Izuku gasped, his heart racing even faster. Without a moment’s hesitation, he bolted out of the apartment alongside Mei, leaving a stunned Inko sitting on the couch, her hair windswept from the sudden gust created by their hasty exit.

The two of them sprinted downstairs to the mail slots with fervent anticipation, Izuku clumsily fumbling with the key to unlock the box adorned with his house number, as Mei bounced excitedly like a kangaroo. As soon as he’d managed to wrestle the letter out, they slammed the envelopes down on a nearby bench and stared at them with wide eyes as if they were both holding bombs.

"...You open it first." Izuku said, looking at Mei with a hint of fear, as if the letter might spring to life and bite him in the face.

"I’m not opening it first! It’s your apartment building, you open it!" She fired back.

"Ok…We’ll both open them together. On three."

At the count of three, they tore the letters open and began to read, simultaneously. "Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have successfully passed the written portion of the test for the UA Support Course at the highest possible standard!" They read aloud in unison, their voices rising in pitch and volume. The two of them cheered for themselves and exchanged a triumphant high five, feeling a surge of relief and joy. Mei did an impromptu victory lap around the table and clapped her hands, before urging him to continue reading solo.

"Your performance was truly exemplary, and we commend your dedication and hard work. However," Izuku was abruptly cut off by Mei’s yell in his ear.

"However?! What however?! There’s no however!" She panicked, her arms flailing about in distress.

"However, the journey does not end here. In order to secure your place in the UA Support Course, you must now pass the practical portion of the submission process. We challenge you to create something Plus Ultra that showcases your skills, creativity, and passion for support!" Izuku’s voice got more and more excited as he read, his enthusiasm bubbling over. "We have to build gear!!" he shouted with glee.

"We have to build babies!!" Mei shouted with excitement at the same time.

"Your creation will be presented in front of a committee of experts who will evaluate it based on its ingenuity, practicality, and potential impact on the world of heroes. We encourage you to think outside the box and push the boundaries of what is possible."

"Oh I am going to push so many boundaries they’re going to have to hire a cartographer!" Mei declared, pumping her fist with insane determination.

"Once again, congratulations on your outstanding performance so far, and we look forward to witnessing your Plus Ultra creation. Best of luck… Power Loader, UA Support Course Admissions Committee." Reading that last part completely broke Izuku’s emotional dams and he felt a tear roll down his cheek, followed by another one. And another one. Bawling uncontrollably he clutched the letter to his chest. This in turn set Mei off, who joined him in his tears, wrapping her arms around him as they both cried their hearts out. The two of them did a little jig together as they flooded the courtyard, inadvertently startling a little old lady who was walking her dog nearby.

After they’d calmed down and rehydrated - and gave Inko the good news, which also flooded their living room - they looked over the letters again for any important information they might have missed in their initial excitement. It was then that Mei made a discovery that sent her spiralling into a panic.

"It says the deadline for submission is in two months!" Mei exclaimed in shock, pointing at the section of the letter and holding it too close to Izuku’s face. "That’s not enough time to build a 40ft mech!! That’s barely enough time to form the head!!" She shook Izuku by the shoulders like a ragdoll, making his head bob up and down. "I HAVE TO FORM MORE THAN THE HEAD, IZUKU!"

"Mei! Mei It’s alright, calm down!!" He was starting to worry she would have a meltdown, "How many ideas do you have for inventions-"

"Babies" she quietly corrected.

"How many ideas do you have for babies right now?"

"About six." Mei answered, counting on her fingers.

"I expected more?" Izuku responded, somewhat surprised.

"No I meant, I just had six ideas just now. Now it’s fifteen." She clarified, holding up her other hand and wiggling her fingers.

"I have at least thirty-five in my notebooks, if we spend some time looking through everything we have we should be able to design and complete something with plenty of time for testing." Izuku said optimistically, grabbing his notebook and flipping to a blank page. Determined, he wrote down ‘Plus Ultra’ at the top of the page in huge letters and underlined it.

Mei put a hand on his shoulder, smiled at her friend, gave a thumbs up and said "Now it’s twenty-seven."

The friends looked at each other and nodded, they had plenty of ideas and plenty of time.

They just had to make them happen.

The weary head of the UA Support Course department, Higari Majima - otherwise known as the diligent Power Loader - rubbed his tired eyes and tried to refocus after an exhausting all-nighter. 

The highly anticipated Hero Course student’s trials would be commencing soon, and he had the crucial responsibility of getting these sophisticated combat robots fixed and ready for action. In particular, he had to address the issue the zero pointer was having with detecting students in its immediate vicinity. The very last thing he needed was a disastrous scenario where someone got injured, or worse, crushed. Taking a much needed swig of his now cold coffee, he rotated the intricate schematics on his cluttered desk by 180 degrees. Sometimes, changing his perspective on things helped him uncover overlooked solutions. However, his train of thought was interrupted by the sudden ringing of a phone call.

"Nezu," He answered without hesitation. He didn’t need to check the caller ID, as he knew Nezu would be the only other person awake at the ungodly hour of 5am.

With an enthusiastic tone, Nezu replied,"Quick housekeeping call!" He was a morning hamsterbear who took great delight in bothering the humans during their early hours. "I see the application forms have been returned to our dear students!"

"Mhm, yep, all sent out. We’ve got some impressive applications this year. A couple of them really stand out," Power Loader said, thinking of two names in particular.

"Mei Hatsume and Izuku Midoriya," Nezu finished for him, having the same two students in mind.

"Right, yeah, their work is exemplary, that’s why you’re calling, right? I did some digging and discovered that they were both regular fixtures at about a dozen different young inventor fairs."

"Indeed! It appears Mr Midoriya and Miss Hatsume have been making quite a name for themselves for some time now. Do you remember the pro hero Kingsguard?" Nezu inquired.

"Sure, he rose up the ranks about three years ago. Around that time we helped him with the energy distribution gear. Guess it really worked out well for him."

"Quite! That revolutionary gear was designed by young Midoriya himself. Kingsguard wasn’t the only one to benefit from his genius, either. He also designed innovative gear for Optigirl, Punchgate, Heartbreaker, and possibly even more! All of them were working as sidekicks in low crime areas and have now advanced to high-profile agencies!"

"Hold on, hold on a second," Power Loader said, trying to shake the light drowsiness from his head, convinced he must have misheard. "Midoriya designed that gear? This was years ago! How old is this kid?"

"I believe he had just turned eleven when he offered the designs to Kingsguard. The boy is exceptionally talented. Exceptionally talented, if you’re picking up on the italics in my voice." Nezu said with a hint of intrigue

"You think it’s quirk related?"

"I do! On the application form he had written his quirk down as green hair. Rather absurd!" Nezu laughed down the phone.

"So, you think he has something unregistered, like an intelligence quirk?"

"I’d like you to contact his mother for an interview, see if you can find anything else out about him. It may be prudent to contact Hatsume’s parents as well, the two families seem well acquainted with one another."

"Sure, I’ll get right on that." Power Loader agreed, unceremoniously ending the phone call. Feeling the need to stretch, he stood up, put a shirt on, and evaluated his appearance in the mirror. Deciding against the shirt, he took it off again and headed for the door. With the key in the lock, he suddenly remembered it was only 5am. Reluctantly, he returned to his desk and got back to work.

Mei stared at the piles of notebook paper littering her family’s garage, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper with frustration. It felt like she was drowning in a sea of scribbled sketches, none of which seemed to make sense or inspire her. Every idea she was coming up with for the entry submission didn’t seem good enough for her high standards, she and Izuku wanted to create something that would impress everyone. Something that would embody the spirit of Plus Ultra! She slammed both her palms on the table with a loud bang, startling Izuku from the nap he didn’t realise he was taking on a nearby couch.

"What does Plus Ultra even mean?!" She shouted, venting her anger and frustration.

Izuku grunted involuntarily and wiped his nose, feeling a droplet of saliva on his chin. He panicked for a moment thinking he was going blind before remembering he was wearing a pair of goggles, and looked around the messy garage. It was filled with tools, wires, spare parts and gadgets that Mei had collected or invented over the years. Izuku couldn’t help admiring her creativity and passion, but was well aware how hard she could be on herself. It made him want to help her with finding a great idea even more, something that they could both be happy and proud of. Thinking about what Plus Ultra meant to him, he tried to answer her question. "I think it means like, going beyond. Going further than other people."

"Going further going further going further…" Mei repeated to herself as she paced around the garage, rubbing her chin, and scanning the walls for inspiration but finding none. What did it mean to go further than other people? Being smarter, faster, stronger? More innovative, heroic? She could understand and appreciate all of these qualities, but how did they translate into a concrete project? She needed to think of something that would stand out, something that would show the world what they were capable of. 

Suddenly, she stopped and spun around on the spot, snapping her fingers and pointing one in Izuku’s face. "Going FURTHER!!" She said triumphantly, as though she’d just solved a difficult puzzle.

Izuku looked at her confused, but interested in where she was going with it. The excitement in her eyes was palpable. "...Y-yeah, going further?" He smiled encouragingly.

"Izuku! What do heroes do?!" Mei asked quickly, as if they were on the verge of a breakthrough.

"They help people?" he asked unsurely, not sure where she was leading him with this question. But then he repeated it with confidence. "They help people!"

"What’s the most important thing for people?!" she asked him again, as though she wasn’t a person herself.

"Uh, their families? Their families!" Izuku answered, thinking that was a reasonable response.

"And where do their families live?!" she yelled. Izuku really wondered where she was going with this.

"...Houses?" he replied in a higher pitch than usual.

Mei proclaimed loudly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Earth!! They live on Planet Earth!!"

Izuku jumped to his feet, suddenly completely understanding what Mei was getting at. Inspiration surged within him as he realised she had found a way to connect the project to something bigger than themselves, something that would benefit everyone. "Oh my God! The environment! That’s going further, that’s heroic!!"

"Izuku, you and me, we’re going to heal the planet!!" she did a victory pose, happy to have come up with an idea at last.

"Yes, absolutely!" Izuku shared her posing, then looked slightly confused. "...How are we going to heal the planet?"

"...Mm yeah that might be a bit tricky." Mei admitted sheepishly, scratching her head. "We could start small, and build up?"

"What about Takoba Beach? The place is a dump, it used to be beautiful there but people kept dumping all their trash." Suggested Izuku, remembering a place he used to visit as a child. He had fond memories of playing in the sand, but had been shocked and saddened by how much the beach had deteriorated over the years due to pollution and neglect. Cleaning up the beach would be a good way to start their project, it was something they could do locally for one. "What if we made gear to help tidy it up?" He proposed.

Mei’s eye’s sparkled, and Izuku was sure he could see a lightbulb flash over her head. "What if we used the trash as the raw material?!"

"That’s fantastic, Mei! If we document the entire process, we can submit that as part of our project too! We’ll recycle the trash, create gear, and clean the beach - all at the same time!"

With a clear goal in mind, Mei and Izuku decided to set off to the beach as soon as possible, excitement and motivation surged within them as they made checklists of everything they would need to make the process go smoothly.

Their bags were carefully packed to include everything they felt would come in useful. Basic tools like hammers, nails and screwdrivers, as well as more specialised equipment like Mei’s trusty goggles, which she had been tinkering with for years and were now capable of far more than simple eye protection. They also packed a camera to document their progress, and a laptop to keep track of their plans and ideas. In addition to the tools, they also brought a foldable workbench that they’d built themselves some years prior. It was lightweight and easy to set up, making it the perfect addition to their kit. Naturally, Izuku brought along his notebooks.

With everything packed and their bikes ready, Mei and Izuku set off toward the beach, talking excitedly about their plans and what they hoped to achieve as they rode. They were both determined to make a difference with their projects, and were sure they were well-equipped to do so.

Finally, they arrived at the beach, ready to start. They set up their workbench and began unpacking their tools on the small space of sand that wasn’t taken up by decaying machinery and trash. Together, they were ready to tackle this challenge and to make their mark.

On that very same day, as Izuku and Mei collaborated diligently in the garage on their latest project, Higari Maijima, also known as Power Loader, ascended the staircase to the Midoriya family's apartment building. He was there to discuss Izuku's application to UA High School with his mother, Inko. Wanting to appear professional and respectable, Maijima had begrudgingly donned a shirt, despite his disdain for the way it clung to his arms. Although it had been quite some time since he could genuinely consider himself in peak physical condition, the height of his crime-fighting days having long since passed, Maijima couldn't help but feel that he still cut an impressive figure when shirtless. As he reached the door to the Midoriya residence, he gave it a firm knock.

Upon hearing the knock, Inko's voice responded from within the apartment, "Hello?"

"Good afternoon, ma'am," Maijima replied respectfully, introducing himself. "I'm Higari Maijima, a teacher at UA High School. I was hoping to discuss some matters regarding Izuku's application with you, if that's alright?"

"Oh, please come in!" Inko warmly welcomed him, opening the door and inviting Maijima into their living room. Upon entering, Power Loader couldn't help but notice the array of homemade gadgets and devices scattered throughout the room. Each one bore the unmistakable mark of being crafted by an amateur, with slightly dented exteriors and exposed circuitry. Despite their rough appearance, the majority of the items seemed to have been 3D printed, and their overall craftsmanship was quite impressive. Maijima's curiosity was piqued by a small, beetle-shaped contraption perched on a windowsill, which he picked up for a closer examination.

Inko observed his interest, and with a proud smile, she explained, "My Izuku made that about two years ago. It can clean windows and even spray out a little perfume once it's done." She relished the opportunity to boast about her son's accomplishments, particularly to one of his potential future teachers. In years past, the prospect of discussing her son's future with someone who could have such a profound impact on his life may have filled her with anxiety. However, Izuku had consistently proven himself to be a genuinely gifted and talented young man, easing her concerns over time. "Would you like something to drink, Mr. Maijima?" she offered.

"Coffee, please," he replied appreciatively. "These machines are quite impressive. Did Izuku create all of these himself?"

"Well, he sometimes gets help from his friend Mei," Inko admitted, receiving a nod from Maijima, who was already familiar with Mei Hatsume. "But most of these inventions came straight from that brilliant mind of his!" She beamed as she prepared the coffee. "Izuku has always had a passion for inventing and experimenting with new ideas. Is there anything specific you'd like to know about him?"

Maijima considered her question before responding, "I don't want to take up too much of your time. I just wanted to get a better understanding of some of my potential future students. Has Izuku ever created anything else, like weapons, armour, or similar devices?" His curiosity was evident in his tone.

Inko hesitated momentarily before replying, "Well, he's certainly tried... But he's never really had the resources or opportunities to fully develop those types of projects. He's crafted some very impressive gadgets for various fairs, and he never goes anywhere without some of them. However, I can only imagine what he could accomplish with access to a proper lab." She paused, reflecting on her son's aspirations. "Izuku wanted to be a hero when he was little, but his quirk diagnosis changed that. Even so, he never lost his desire to help others. He threw himself wholeheartedly into support work..." A sudden memory brought a chuckle to her lips. "Actually, we have you to thank for that!"

Power Loader looked at her with a puzzled expression, prompting her to explain further. "You probably don't remember, as it was so long ago, but you saved my son and me from a villain. In a way, that experience set him on this path!"

Maijima's eyes widened with realisation as he recalled the incident. "Ah, Quiller Killer! That must have been, what, ten years ago?" He shook his head, marvelling at the passage of time. "You hardly look a day older, Mrs. Midoriya."

Inko blushed slightly, correcting him, "Ah, it's Ms., actually..." She handed him his cup of coffee.

Majima coughed, attempting to recover. "Ah, right... Speaking of Izuku's quirk diagnosis, what exactly is his quirk?"

She paused for a moment, weighing her words carefully before answering. "In truth, his quirk is simply green hair," Inko began, but Maijima could sense that there was more to the story. He raised an eyebrow, urging her to elaborate.

After a moment of hesitation, Inko opened up further. "There's actually more to it than that. It's something I haven't even told Izuku yet." She spoke quietly, almost as if she were afraid of being overheard. "When he was five years old, we took him to a doctor to have his quirk factor checked. The doctor told me that Izuku has a dormant gene that hasn't awakened yet. It's rare and unpredictable, and it could manifest at any time, or never at all." Inko's voice faltered slightly, and Maijima could see that she was tearing up. It was clear that this was the first time she had spoken these words aloud.

Maijima was stunned. He had never heard of a quirk gene remaining dormant for so long. If Izuku truly had this gene, then he must have a quirk, but the fact that it had yet to manifest was unprecedented. "You've never told Izuku about this?" he asked gently.

Inko shook her head, looking up at him with a mix of fear and hope. "No, I haven't... I didn't want to give him false hope. I just wanted him to be happy. If he didn't have his support gear or his friend Mei, I don't know how he would have turned out..." Her voice trailed off as she wiped away a tear. "I'm sorry for burdening you with all of this, Mr. Maijima."

Maijima felt a surge of sympathy for Inko, and a newfound admiration for Izuku. This brief conversation had only strengthened his resolve to have the young man in his class. While he couldn't be certain that Izuku didn’t have some sort of intelligence-enhancing quirk, the fact that he had accomplished so much with such limited resources was a testament to his ingenuity and determination. As he finished his coffee, he placed the cup down on a coaster and stood up, surprising Inko with a deep bow.

"I have good news for you, ma’am." He paused for a moment, as if to let the gravity of his words sink in, before continuing, "Izuku is definitely getting into UA. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind."

Inko's eyes widened in disbelief, and she gasped before clasping her hands tightly over her mouth. "Really?" she stammered, her voice shaking with emotion, "Are you absolutely certain about this?"

Power Loader nodded, his expression serious. "I'm not technically supposed to tell you this yet, but I believe you deserve to know. Izuku scored so exceptionally high on the written exam that he could honestly submit any of the machines and gadgets I've seen in the past ten minutes, and he'd still score higher than 70% of applicants we've seen in the past. In fact, only one person this year scored higher than him." Inko didn't even need to ask; she instinctively knew it was Mei.

"But I have one last favour to ask you," Power Loader added, his voice taking on a more solemn tone.

Inko's eyes, still brimming with tears of joy, met his gaze. "What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I would like to request your permission to keep a personal watch on Izuku," Power Loader began with determination. "I'd like to closely monitor his progress and development as a student. If his quirk ever awakens, I want to be there to help guide him through it."

Inko looked at the veteran hero, slightly taken aback by his humble and sincere request.

Power Loader continued, "I can see something truly special in Izuku, and I believe he has the potential to become something extraordinary." Inko looked deep into his eyes and saw the sincerity behind his words, feeling a peculiar connection to the man before her. She took a deep breath, and after a moment of contemplation, she made her decision.

"Yes, of course, I will allow you to do so, on one condition," she said, firm yet gentle.

"I will help him in any way I can," Power Loader assured her, "What is your condition?"

Inko's expression grew serious as she spoke, "Please, don't tell Izuku about his dormant quirk until he's truly ready to know. Don't pressure him or make any pushes to awaken it; let him discover it on his own, at his own pace. And above all, just... protect him."

Power Loader nodded solemnly and agreed, "Deal. I promise to respect your wishes, to protect your son, and I thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility." He bowed once more, then extended his hand to Inko.

With a warm and grateful smile, Inko shook his hand. "Thank you for caring."

Chapter Text

Mei gazed out at the vast expanse of broken appliances, dismantled cars, and discarded metal that was once the picturesque Takoba Beach. Wrinkling her nose at the sight of the once pristine shoreline now transformed into a dumping ground, she turned to Izuku, and remarked matter-of-factly, "This place is a dump."

Izuku glanced at her with a sidelong look, responding hesitantly, "Uh, yeah-"

"It's perfect!" Mei's expression suddenly shifted to one of excitement as she exclaimed, grabbing Izuku by the shoulder and shaking him in her enthusiasm. Pointing at various objects in the junkyard, her voice rose with each discovery. "Just imagine all the copper we could salvage from that refrigerator! And is that a GameCube?! We could repurpose its components for our projects! And that car seat over there – it could be useful for so many babies!"

Mei dashed off, and began sorting through the piles of trash, beaming at the potential she saw in the discarded items. Izuku watched her with an amused smile, appreciating her passion for finding value in the seemingly worthless. After a moment, he felt a touch of inadequacy and wondered if he’d be able to keep up with her pace, before joining her in the fray. "Mei! Gloves! Don't get tetanus!"

After a while, the two of them settled cross-legged on their own spot of sand, admiring the junk they’d scavenged. Izuku was more selective with his choices, preferring smaller pieces that were easier to carry. A dishwasher had got him a good selection of parts, and he was happy to find some random sheets of corrugated metal that he guessed had once been part of a fence. Mei, on the other hand, decided ‘go big or go home’, headed for the biggest and most impressive items she could find and almost completely dismantled a rusty jeep. She had dragged two car seats to their spot (the other two were too damaged to be useful), removed the tires from the wheels, and gathered a tangle of wires and circuitry attached to the detached steering column. Disappointingly, the engine was missing, but Izuku was quietly relieved to avoid that extra threat of an explosion.

Izuku wiped his brow, beads of sweat forming from the day’s exercise. He hadn't moved a huge amount to gather his materials, but even the slightest physical exertion seemed to be taking its toll on him. Turning to Mei, he could see the gears forming in her head. Her zoom-enhanced eyes darted back and forth as she scanned across the various pieces she had collected, mentally constructing her next invention. Izuku couldn't help but ask, "You already know what you’re building, don’t you?"

A wide grin spread across Mei's face as she leapt to a standing position. It was evident that she was well-rested and eager to dive back into her work. In a flash, she darted back to the area they had designated for their workbench and began furiously scribbling notes. Taking her cue, Izuku smiled and jumped to his feet, pulling a notebook from his back pocket and matching her enthusiasm as he began writing.

"Pass me that screwdriver - no, the other one."

"Have you managed to find any light bulbs? I’ll check in that corner"

"Izuku! My hand is trapped!"

"Let go of it then!"

"But I wanted it…"

"Help me move this washing machine."

"I need some more rubber tubing."

Together, the two of them worked fervently, their shared passion driving them forward. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the waters of Takoba Beach shimmered in the fading light, the stars began to emerge in the night sky. They were both so engrossed in their projects that they barely noticed the passage of time.

In the spacious and formal office of the UA principal, two vastly different figures were engrossed in a weighty discussion regarding the future of the nation. One of them, a diminutive yet dignified creature with soft cream-coloured fur, was dressed in a finely tailored suit and held a delicate teacup in one paw. His expression was grave and contemplative, and his name was Nezu, the esteemed headmaster of the most prestigious hero academy in the country. The other figure was an imposing man of impressive stature, instantly recognisable as All Might, the undisputed number one hero and the iconic symbol of peace.

Nezu leaned forward slightly, his tone politely but firmly questioning as he spoke. "Has any progress been made in the search for a worthy successor for One for All?"

All Might boomed dramatically, his voice filling the room as he responded. "Well, not exactly…"

Regarding All Might with a quizzical expression, Nezu’s sharp mind worked overtime analysing the hero’s every movement and gesture. Despite All Might’s penchant for theatrics, Nezu could sense the weight of responsibility and burden that hung over his huge shoulders, and encouraged him to continue.

"I’ve been searching for a suitable candidate for a considerable period of time, but it hasn’t been as easy as I initially imagined. It’s rare to find someone with the heart of a true hero and the strength of will required to bear the legacy that accompanies my Quirk," All Might declared resolutely.

Nezu nodded at him sympathetically, their frequent meetings in recent months had revealed much about All Might’s struggles."I understand the challenge you’re facing, but you also know that your time is running out." He interjected, hopping up on the desk and placing a reassuring paw on All Might’s hand. "You can’t keep using your power like this, it’s taking a toll on your spirit as well as your body."

As if prompted by Nezu’s words, All Might reverted to his smaller form, shrinking his muscles, deflating his hair, and causing his face to take on a tired and gaunt expression. He coughed up some blood and wiped his mouth with a tissue. "I know, but I can’t abandon my duty. The world still needs a symbol of peace and justice. Until I can find someone who can inspire hope and courage in others, it still has to be me filling that role." he said in a weaker voice.

"I have a proposition that may be beneficial to both of us." Nezu replied in a friendly tone. "We currently have a teaching position available at UA."

All Might blinked at the furry man in surprise, he tilted his head and responded with confusion."I’m not a teacher, Nezu. Don’t you need a licence or something for that?"

"Pishposh!" He waved away All Might’s concern with his paw, "Do not worry about such trifles. I can easily arrange for you to obtain a provisional licence. With your vast experience and knowledge, you could teach our students a great deal about heroism and our hero society."

Doubt plagued All Might, he’d never taught anyone anything before, and how would this affect his other priorities? "I’m…flattered by your offer." He said hesitantly, "Do you think it will help with finding a successor?"

"I am confident that it will." Nezu replied firmly. "However, that isn’t my only reason for extending the offer. You have more than your legacy to offer my students. You’re a powerful and skilled hero, yes, but it’s your strong sense of justice and morality that I’m most interested in. You’re a role model for a great many people, All Might."

All Might looked down at the table in front of him, at the slowly cooling cup of tea he’d been offered earlier but had neglected to take a drink of. Since his injury he didn’t often feel like a role model, particularly in his depowered form. "Thank you for the praise, Principal. But I have plenty of flaws and weaknesses, as well you know."

"That is precisely why I’d like you to teach here," Nezu said softly. "You are humble, and honest with yourself. Perhaps too much so at times. I trust I’m not being too forward when I say this, but you need a stronger support structure, one that I hope the UA staff will be able to provide. You’re much like our students in that way."

Looking at Nezu with a curious expression, All Might contemplated the turmoil of his life and what might have been if he didn’t have the spectre of One for All hanging over him. "I think I understand." He replied slowly.

Nezu gave a nod of agreement to the hero, his keen intellect and experience guiding him towards the decision he hoped All Might would make. "Our students are talented and ambitious, but with that talent comes challenges, pressures and high expectations," he said. All Might listened attentively to the principal, and his own sense of responsibility grew as he considered the gravity of the situation.

Hopping back down into his chair and taking a sip of tea, Nezu smiled warmly and continued, "So who better than the man with the biggest expectations of all to help them?" The weight of Nezu’s words hung in the air, and All Might felt a surge of emotion well up in his chest. He knew he had to step up to the plate and help these students, even if he wasn’t sure he was suited for the task.

"I’m still not sure I’m qualified or ready, but… I care about the future of the heroes of this country," All Might said thoughtfully, his mind racing with the enormity of the task ahead. Nezu didn’t interrupt his contemplations, allowing him the time he needed to think. Eventually, All Might looked back at him with a resolute expression and temporarily reverted back to his heroic form. "I’ll do it!" he declared, determination filling the room.

"Wonderful!" Nezu exclaimed, clapping his paws together in delight. Immediately, he pulled out a roll of forms from a desk drawer and laid them out on the desk, a pen already clicked and ready in his hands. "Welcome to the UA Faculty." He smiled as he watched All Might fill out the employment papers.

The Beach, Day 15

"Let me just check the focus real quick," As Izuku adjusted the camera, his hand came into view, delicately twisting the lens until the image of Mei became clear and crisp on the screen. She was standing next to a towering metal skeleton that dwarfed her by at least a foot. The makeshift contraption had been fashioned from the chassis and seat of the old jeep, with appendages constructed from metal bars. An old umpire’s mask sat where the head of the skeleton should have been, which added an eerie and unsettling element to the already peculiar creation.

The intricate design of the exoskeleton was something to behold, with raw and exposed circuitry snaking its way through its construction. A tangled web of wires lead to a car battery that lay at Mei’s feet. Izuku gave a thumbs up, signalling that the camera was ready to roll, and Mei began to fiddle with a control stick she’d built from the jeep’s steering wheel.

"This is the Hatsume Exoskeleton MK1, test number 18." Mei announced, her voice tinged with excitement. With a press of two buttons and the flick of a lever, the arms slowly rose to waist height. Carefully, Izuku placed a watermelon between the mechanical hands, while Mei adjusted the positioning of the arms until they were just right.

"Three, two, one," Mei counted down, anticipation palpable in her voice. She pushed a button, and the Exoskeleton suddenly came to life, crushing the unsuspecting watermelon into a messy pulp. Chunks of red goo rained down on Izuku and Mei, who remained motionless for a moment taking in the spectacle.

Then, simultaneously, they both erupted into ecstatic celebration, shouting and laughing in equal measure. "Hahaha! YES!" Mei shouted, giving Izuku a high five, more watermelon spraying off their hands. She wiped the remnants of the fruit off her face before leaning in close the camera, "UA support course motherf-"

The Beach, Day 20

Mei positioned herself behind the camera and adjusted the lens, making sure everything was in focus before turning to Izuku. "Okay Izuku, we're rolling," she informed him, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Izuku nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly not as comfortable in front of the camera as Mei was. He took a deep breath and asked, "Is the cap off?"

After a few moments of unscrewing and readjusting, Mei replied, "Okay, now we're rolling." Izuku swallowed hard and cleared his throat before starting his demonstration.

"Izuku Midoriya, Dynamic Exploration Kinetic Unit test number 11," he announced, his voice still a bit shaky. With a slight grin, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a small robot that he had been working on. The robot had a barrel-shaped body and head, and its arms were made from metal tubing. Its eyes were made from bright LEDs, and it had claw-like hands similar to Izuku's previous tether device, as well as rectangular feet.

"I call him Deku," Izuku said with a smile, holding up the robot for the camera to see.

"Hey, Deku, can you hear me?" Izuku asked the little robot.

"Loud and clear, baby!" came the garbled metallic voice. "What gives, dog? I can't see shit!" Izuku bent down and fiddled with a few screws near the robot's neck, and the LEDs in its eyes flashed to life. "Oh, there you are!" Deku said, sounding much clearer now.

"Test number 11, commencing now," Izuku declared. He then threw a frisbee into the mountain of garbage on the beach and commanded, "Deku, fetch."

Deku. took one step forward, but as he did, his head popped off his shoulders and rolled to a stop at Izuku's feet."...More testing required."

Mei gave herself a stomach ache laughing so much.

The Beach, Day 55.

"Fire!" Izuku exclaimed as he severed the rope on a homemade catapult, propelling a watermelon high into the sky. A metallic figure swiftly leapt upward to intercept the airborne fruit, effortlessly seizing it before executing a flawless superhero landing in the centre of a cleared-out patch of sand. Spinning the watermelon like a basketball, the sunlight gleamed off the metal.

This updated exoskeleton bore a resemblance to its predecessor, but with notable improvements. The sleeker design featured polished metal arms and legs, devoid of any rust. The previous umpire’s mask had been replaced with a fully enclosed helmet, and an intricate array of shaped panels contributed to a more humanoid appearance. A striking black and gold colour palette completed the look.

With a hydraulic hiss, the front chest of the suit opened up, revealing Mei as she stepped out from the cushioned interior. Izuku came sprinting toward, camera in hand, his voice filled with excitement.

"Mei, that was incredible! How much air was that?!" The footage on the camera trembled violently as he dashed toward her, barely able to contain himself. "How are the exteriors? Any impact damage on the landing?" He inquired, inspecting the suit’s appendages.

Mei winced as she lowered herself onto the sandy ground, her hands brushing off the grit and pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Hurt my ass a bit, but nothing that can't be fixed," she muttered, before a sudden realisation hit her.

"...Holy shit," she gasped, her eyes widening in amazement.

Izuku's concern was evident as he asked, "What's wrong? Vertigo?"

But Mei was too stunned to answer. She stared blankly at the horizon, now visible thanks to the space they had cleared on the beach during their building and salvaging efforts.

"Izuku, dude..." she finally spoke, her voice filled with awe. "I built a goddamn mech suit!" She threw her arms up and fell backwards into the sand. "A freaking mech suit!"

Izuku chuckled. "Sorry it wasn't 40ft tall. Do you think it's enough for the assignment?"

"They're going to name a section of the building after me," Mei declared.

Izuku knew she wasn't joking or even bragging. Mei had poured her heart and soul into this project, she was making a promise. As she sat up again and locked eyes with him, Izuku could see her crosshairs dilate, indicating she was zooming in for a closer look.

"Your turn, greeny," she said, a challenge in her voice.

Amidst his nervous excitement, Izuku carefully took out the recently redesigned Deku robot from the briefcase it had been upgraded to. The revamped machine now showcased a sleeker and more robust appearance, with a wider range of rotation for both their head and eyes, as well as an improved level of balance and coordination.

Izuku gently placed the robot on the sandy surface, laying them flat before addressing them, "Deku, wakey wakey." In response, their eyes illuminated instantly, their feet firmly planting into the ground as they rolled their entire body into an upright stance. The head and torso rotated to face izuku, followed by a respectful salute

"Howdy boss!" Deku said cheerfully.

"Ready for another test?" Izuku asked, brandishing a foam ball he removed from a small basket.

"As I’ll ever be, dog!"

Izuku strolled several metres along the shoreline, gathering momentum before hurling the ball with all his might across the sandy beach. In response, Deku extended an arm, which elongated impressively, intercepting the ball without needing to budge from their position. "Gimme something harder!" they challenged.

Chuckling, Izuku beckoned Mei to join him in the test. He handed her the basket brimming with balls, and together, they unleashed a volley at Deku, ensuring they varied the heights and trajectories with each throw.

Agilely stretching, spinning, and dancing upon the sand, Deku successfully caught every ball. In a blur of motion, they swiftly tossed each one back into the basket, producing a satisfying sound. Following this display of skill, they began to floss.

Overjoyed, Izuku and Mei embraced each other in celebration. "Night night, Deku," Izuku declared, prompting the robot to shut down and collapse onto the sandy beach.

Gazing at Mei with a solemn expression, Izuku confidently stated, "I think we're getting into UA."

Chapter Text

"Good luck, Izuku, my precious little genius baby!" Inko exclaimed with overwhelming joy, emanating pride and love as she looked at her son. She couldn’t help but wrap her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace, and planting a few dozen kisses all over his face.

"Mom! Mom, please, there might be pro heroes around…" Izuku protested, trying to maintain his composure. When he eventually managed to pry himself from his mother’s loving embrace he scanned the area around the train station with a wary eye, making sure nobody had witnessed any of that. His cheeks flushed as he wiped his face with his sleeve, trying to erase the evidence.

With tears blossoming, Inko couldn’t help but gush, "I’m just so incredibly proud of you and Mei!" She turned her attention, and her eyes started to fill. "Oh, Mei!!"

"Hey, w-wait! What are you looking at me like that f-" Mei stammered, suddenly feeling the spotlight on her. But there was no escape. Feeling the full force of Mama Midoriya’s affections, she was wrapped up in a suffocating hug.

"Thank…You… Ms…Midoriya…" Mei managed to choke out, her face turning a shade of red similar to Izuku’s. Inko finally released her, allowing the young girl to catch her breath and regain her composure.

Scanning between the two of them, Inko’s motherly instincts kicked into overdrive as she made her final checks. "Do you both have all your equipment? Did you remember to charge your phones? Did you eat breakfast?" She reached out and started adjusting Izuku’s collar and making sure Mei’s goggles were on straight, fussing over them like a mother hen.

"Mom! We’re fine!" Izuku laughed, trying to reassure her. He gave her one last gentle hug and said "I promise, I’ll call you after to let you know how everything went, okay? But we’ve really got to get going now! We don’t want to be late for the presentation."

The two young hopefuls gathered their belongings and set off toward the UA campus, actually feeling more excited than nervous. They’d spent the last two months working diligently on their support gear projects, and neither really felt like they had anything to worry about. They both gave Izuku’s mom one final wave as they exited the station.

Inko waved back and yelled one final thing, "Give my love to Mr Power Loader!" She smiled proudly as she watched them disappear out of the gates.

"Izuku, how does your mom know Power Loader?"

"I have absolutely no idea!" he replied, incredibly confused.

Every year, the Support Course Admissions Panel is comprised of a diverse group of four top rescue and support heroes. As always, the panel was led by Power Loader, who this time was accompanied by Cementoss and Thirteen. Initially, Ragdoll from the Wild Wild Pussycats was supposed to be part of the panel; however, she agreed to swap places with Present Mic, who wanted to join the panel because he thought "it sounded fun."

Each applicant for the Support Course had a total of fifteen minutes to present their project and elaborate on its virtues and potential applications. Following the presentation, the panel would evaluate and provide feedback. Power Loader, who was not an overly strict judge, believed that reaching this stage and having a completed project were significant achievements in themselves. So he focused more on understanding the students’ personalities and determining the additional work required for them to successfully deliver sales pitches in the future. Cementoss naturally assumed the role of the hard-to-please judge, while Thirteen was more skilled at making the students feel comfortable. Present Mic, on the other hand, simply wanted to see something cool.

Inside Gym Gamma, the four panellists were seated behind a long table facing a stage Cementoss had made, decorated in the style of a talent competition, complete with red velvet curtains and bright spotlights. Currently, a nervous-looking boy with a head shaped like a chestnut stood on the stage holding a gun with a boxing glove attached to the barrel. Cementoss appeared grumpy, while Thirteen tried to encourage the boy with a "go ahead" gesture.

With sweat dripping down his face, the boy placed a glass bottle atop a small table, shielded his eyes with his elbow, and pulled the trigger. The boxing glove shot out at a decent speed on a concertina, gently pushing the bottle onto the floor. The impact was not particularly strong, and the bottle remained intact upon landing. Power Loader observed carefully and jotted down some notes, while Present Mic stood up and applauded enthusiastically. From the back of the room, Izuku and Mei exchanged glances, wondering if their inventions were a bit too extravagant.

As the chestnut-headed boy hurried off stage, Present Mic stood up and shouted, "IZUKU MIDORIYA IS NEXT! OH YEAHHH!"

Izuku and Mei approached the front of the room, where Mei whispered something to Power Loader. After considering her request, Power Loader announced, "Izuku Midoriya and Mei Hatsume will be presenting their projects together. They have fifteen minutes in total."

Suddenly, the lights in the building flickered and went out, plunging the room into darkness. Moments later, a large, projected video began playing on the back wall of the stage. The image displayed a stunning, high-resolution view of Earth slowly spinning in space. A deep, resonant voice narrated, capturing everyone’s attention. "Our Earth is in turmoil, struggling under the weight of our actions."

The voice continued, growing more sombre. "In our world of incredible power and technological advancements, the environment suffers the consequences of our negligence."

Cementoss, puzzled by the sudden change in atmosphere, turned to Present Mic and quietly asked, "When did they set up that projector?" Present Mic shushed him gently, saying, "Quiet, the movie’s starting!" He then eagerly returned to munching on some popcorn, eyes glued to the screen.

The video shifted, revealing a growing problem at Takoba Beach. The screen displayed black and white footage of the once-pristine beach, now marred by mountains of trash and debris littering the shoreline. Solemnly, the voiceover explained, "The once crystal clear waters and sandy shores are now tarnished, pollution has taken its toll on this beautiful natural wonder, transforming it into a sad reflection of its former glory."

Power Loader, intrigued, tilted his head thoughtfully and tapped the nib of his pen on his notebook. Present Mic, visibly moved, wiped away a tear that had formed in the corner of his eye.

The video continued, transitioning to an interview with Inko, filmed in her living room. "Takoba Beach used to be one of my favourite spots in the city," she reminisced, sadly. "But it’s changed so much over the years." As she spoke, the footage cut to a heart-wrenching scene of a seagull, its leg trapped in a tangled mess of plastic. "Honestly, it just makes me feel really sad."

Mei’s parents appeared on screen next, standing together outside the family garage. Her mother adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat before speaking. "Do I think anything can be done to fix the problem?" She said, looking directly into the camera. "Absolutely. We just need to take responsibility for our actions, and all do our part. It’s important to remember that we’re all in this together."

Mei’s father nodded in agreement. "The biggest differences can be made with the smallest actions," he added. "Each and every one of us can do our part, no matter how small."

The video’s image suddenly star-wiped into bright colour with happy music, showing stock footage of smiling people picking up litter, being kind to animals, and gardening. "And that’s exactly what we did!" Mei shouted as she walked onto stage waving and wearing a studio headset.

"Hi, I’m Mei Hatsume!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "And I’m so excited to be here today!"

More timidly, Izuku joined her on stage. "And I’m um, Izuku," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The mic wailed in feedback, causing him to wince. "Izuku Midoriya…" he trailed off, feeling embarrassed.

Present Mic applauded them. "Great job! Incredible! Bravo!"

"That’s right folks," Mei looked down solemnly, the mood in the room shifting. "Takoba Beach was in trouble. The water was polluted, the sand was littered with trash, and the wildlife was suffering."

She had natural showmanship, but Izuku needed to work more on that aspect of the career. He looked down at his cue cards nervously. "Yes. Takoba Beach was in trouble," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "So my friend Mei," he gestured to Mei robotically, "my friend Mei and I, decided to do something about it."

Pulling out her phone and pressing the screen, Mei enthusiastically proclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the latest breakthrough in rescue technology: the one-of-a-kind, direct from Hatsume Industries, Hatsume Exo-Suit Mark V!" As she spoke, the gym's skylight slowly opened, and the exo-suit gracefully descended, landing directly between Mei and Izuku. With a flourish, Mei added, "The Hatsume Exo-Suit! A game-changer for heavy lifting and rescue operations!"

She pressed her phone screen again, and the front of the suit opened up to reveal its sophisticated interiors. Mei confidently climbed inside and closed herself in.

"This state-of-the-art technology offers a wide range of benefits," Mei continued, "such as Enhanced Strength!" She flexed her arms, and the video playing behind her displayed the suit effortlessly lifting a rusted-out car.

Izuku, clutching his cue card, nervously chimed in, "Agility and Precision. The exo-suit is designed with advanced servos, allowing for precise movements that are ideal for navigating difficult terrain." The video showcased the suit in several dynamic action poses, expertly dodging projectiles and looking incredibly cool. Present Mic's mouth formed a progressively larger 'O' shape as they continued.

"And let's not forget its applications in disaster relief!" Mei beamed. "Need some debris lifted? I'm your gal!"

"But Mei," Izuku interjected, reading his cards in a somewhat robotic voice. "What about people trapped inside buildings? The exo-suit can't fit into small gaps, can it?" He overemphasised the question and gave a mistimed shrug as he asked.

"Unfortunately, it can’t… However, we have an amazing solution for you! We recommend teaming up the Hatsume Exosuit with the Midoriya Corp Dynamic Exploration Kinetic Unit!"

Izuku nervously pressed the strap of his backpack, and suddenly, his little robot companion DEKU leapt out with enthusiasm. They landed gracefully in front of the audience, striking an impressive pose. Thirteen couldn't help but let out an "aww," Power Loader's eyes widened in surprise, Cementoss displayed a rare moment of emotion, and Present Mic leapt to his feet, exclaiming, "A FREAKING ROBOT!"

Grinning with pride, Izuku introduced his creation to the panel, "Everyone, meet Deku! Say hello, Deku!"

"Hello Deku!" The witty robot replied, giving a playful wink to the captivated panel.

"Haha, oh you," Izuku said, as if they'd rehearsed this exchange a hundred times. "So, Deku, what kind of things can you do?"

Deku's voice filled with excitement as they responded, "What can't I do! I can crawl into small spaces!" The robot wiggled their body, mimicking a swimming motion, while the video showcased Deku expertly squeezing through debris at the beach. "I can deliver supplies!" They continued, pantomiming, handing something over with their robotic arms. "And I can make you laugh!" They added, spinning their arms like a helicopter. Present Mic was absolutely loving it, his laughter filling the room.

"The Dynamic Exploration Kinetic Unit, or DEKU, is the perfect addition to any rescue squad." As Izuku finished speaking, Deku hopped up onto the exo-suit's shoulders, and the three of them bowed gracefully to the judges. "Thank you for listening!" They said in unison, as the on-screen video displayed the vast area of the beach that the two inventors had managed to clear together.

The video's narration gradually came to an end, with a final announcement: "This has been a Hatsume Industries & Midoriya Corp presentation." Two animated versions of Hatsume and Midoriya's faces appeared on the screen, giving a playful wink before the lights in the room slowly returned to their normal brightness.

Cementoss scratched his head, clearly puzzled by the presentation. "I still don't understand how they managed to manipulate the lights like that," he admitted.

After turning off the exo-suit's systems and carefully climbing out, Mei flashed a bright grin at the panel of judges. "So, any questions for us?" she eagerly inquired.

Power Loader glanced at his watch, then wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. "Well, uh, it was certainly an impressive display," he began, clearly struggling to find the right words.

"IMPRESSIVE?!" Present Mic suddenly shouted, leaping to his feet with excitement. "THEY BUILT A FREAKING ROBOT!" Thirteen quickly stood up, placed a calming hand on Present Mic's shoulder, and gently guided him back into his seat.

Power Loader tried to continue his thoughts, stammering, "This was, well..." before placing his pen down on the desk and shaking his head slightly. "Did you really build these in just two months? Only two months?"

"That's right!" Mei confirmed with enthusiasm.

"Um, well, that's not... Not entirely accurate..." Izuku interjected nervously, fidgeting with his hands.

Clearly alarmed, Mei’s eyes widened as she maintained focus on the judges, and she hissed out of the side of her mouth "Izuku, what are you saying?!"

"I don't want to give them the wrong impression! We both know we didn't actually do this in two months!" Izuku insisted, feeling compelled to set the record straight.

Power Loader relaxed a bit in his chair, relieved by the clarification. "Ah, okay, that makes more sense. I didn't think anyone would be able to build something like this in such a short timeframe. So, how long did it really take?"

"Well, technically, we didn't start actually working on the builds until about two or three weeks in... So it was more like a month and a half," Izuku explained, mentally calculating the timeline.

Upon hearing this, Cementoss rose from his chair and began walking away from the table toward the exit. "Just tell them they're in the class and we can take a break," he grumbled as he left.

Thirteen followed suit, patting Power Loader on the shoulder and saying, "Good luck, Higari," before also making their exit.

Power Loader looked at the students on stage, who eagerly awaited his decision. After a few agonising seconds, he threw his hands up in resignation and declared, "Alright! Yes, you're in the class! Of course, you're in the class! You built a-"

"FREAKING. ROBOT!" Present Mic interjected, finishing the sentence with his signature enthusiasm. The sheer volume of his voice caused one of the arms on Mei's exo-suit to fall to the floor. She gingerly picked it up and commented, "Still some kinks to iron out, I suppose."

Without warning, Deku jerked upright, their normally calm green LED eyes flashing to a bright red hue. Power Loader, sensing the abrupt change in behaviour, quickly stood up from his chair with concern etched across his face. Present Mic helpfully asked, "They haven’t turned evil, have they?!"

Izuku hesitated, then replied, "N-no, no, this is only supposed to happen when Deku is in search and rescue mode, but we’re not near any disaster zones! I don’t know what triggered this!" Turning to the robot, he commanded, "Deku, initiate shutdown sequence, night night."

Deku ignored the order, and spoke in an urgent voice. "Low life signs detected," they announced suddenly. The robot extended an arm and rotated it precisely thirty degrees. Pointing in a specific direction, they said, "350 metres in that direction."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Power loader explained calmly, "Oh, that’s just the hero course test. Don’t worry about it. Pretty much the entire faculty is out that way, so whoever it is, they’ll be well taken care of. Recovery Girl will see to them."

"Life signs continue to deplete," Deku added, causing a stir in the room.

"Oh, thank goodness there are heroes down there, huh, Mei?" Izuku asked, looking to her for reassurance. Instead, he saw her expression changing rapidly. Her eyes widened and her brow furrowed. Her mouth tightened into a thin line. This was a look that was very unlike Mei. He had seen her determined before, but this expression was something new altogether.

Without saying a word, Mei forcefully jammed the broken arm back onto the exo-suit with a loud click and a whirr. She climbed inside the metal contraption, activated it, and started moving swiftly toward the door, heading in the direction of the potential danger.

"Mei! Where are you going?!" Izuku shouted after her, Power Loader and Present Mic echoing similar words of concern. Quickly turning to Deku, Izuku implored the little robot, "Go with her, Deku!" Diligently, Deku stretched their arms and legs to catch up, wrapping themselves onto the back of the exo-suit like a backpack.

Power Loader and Present Mic chased after them, leaving Izuku behind. He slunk down onto the stage and opened the Deku video feed on his phone, his heart pounding as he wondered what the hell Mei was thinking.

Chapter Text

Using the Mark V exo-suit, Mei was shot forwards at a high speed. There was a determination in her movements propelling her towards the life signs that Deku had detected, and she could tell that adrenaline was guiding her more than her own thoughts.

Bursting through the doors of Gym Gamma, a minor piece of property damage she was sure she would hear more about later, there was a feeling of something latching on to the back of her armour, like metal cables wrapping around the torso. It was joined by the reassuring sound of the robot Deku yelling "Hooowee!" Mei wasn't sure how much help the little bot would be in this instance, but she was more than glad for them to attend.

In short time, thanks to Mark V's impressive speed, Mei stood at the entrance to the hero tryouts training ground, her path blocked by an imposing steel gate. Bending her knees a few times to test the hydraulics and after mentally calculating the necessary distance, she shot upwards and over the gate, landing square in the middle of a simulated urban environment. The scene was one of utter chaos and destruction.

Heart racing, unsure of what dangers lay ahead, she took a mental stock of what was around her. Buildings were crumbling, and damaged cars were littering the streets. It was difficult to ascertain what was set dressing or not, this damage could easily have been caused by some of the hero students. A loud sound like metal scraping against metal shook her out of her thoughts, pulling her focus toward the enormous spherical robot clambering its way down a street. Odds are, that was the culprit.

With her goal set, she took a starting line position and prepared to make a pursuit, when she started to hear Izuku's voice.

"-ei! Mei can y- fzzt - hear me?! Can you hear me?!"

Surprised by the sudden communication, she paused and answered. "Izuku?! I can hear you, but how?! I didn't think the suit had Comms?"

"Deku was designed to act as a transceiver, to help trapped injured make contact!" He explained, before his voice became a mixture of frustration and concern in equal measure, "What the hell were you thinking, Mei?!" 

 "You can be mad at me later!" She brushed aside the concern and got back to business, "Do you have visuals?!"

Slight panic surged through him as Izuku grasped how serious the situation must be for Mei to be so short with him, so he figured it would be best to dive into the role of guy-in-the-chair. "Yeah, I'm tapped into Deku's optics." Remotely navigating the robots cameras, he facepalmed at his next realisation. "Please don't tell me you're going toward the giant robot."

"Izuku, I’m going toward the giant robot," Mei deadpanned. After taking a corner at high-speed, Mei was almost attacked by a hero student with a strong muscular tail, who to his credit looked very apologetic. Izuku suggested asking him to assist, but before she could ask the boy had ducked away, presumably toward the clustered fighting that could be heard nearby.

"It looks like the lifesign is about 80 metres due west, you're almost there." Izuku informed, before his voice took on a decidedly dour tone, "I think you need to hurry, it's not looking great."

That was all the encouragement Mei needed. Running towards the street she assumed the tail boy had taken, she had to abruptly stop due to the sheer amount of action taking place down this road. This wasn't good, she had to get past all of this and she didn't have time. Looking around for clues on how to proceed, she did a few more mental calculations. "Alright, this should work."

"What should work?! Mei?! What should work?!"

Heading toward a building in the corner, she slid beneath the flailing arm of one robot, leapfrogged over another and sent it backwards into its brother, causing them to fall to the ground in a heap. Using the momentum, she tucked her legs in and smashed through a window.

"Stairs, I need stairs…" she said under her breath, managing to find some slightly dilapidated staircases that took her higher into the building. They led her to what she hoped was the top floor. Crouching, she relayed another message to Izuku. "If this roof ends up being made of steel, I'm going to end up looking like a slinky. Please don't make fun of my mangled body, okay Izuku?"

"Mei think about this for a second!"

"Already have." As Deku instinctively clambered down away from the blast zone, Mei rocketed skyward blasting through the concrete roof of the building. Now on the high rooftops, it was just a matter of running across them.

Eventually reaching the end of the row of buildings she skidded to a stop, feeling a brick dislodge and plummet to the ground below. Even with the suit's ability to heighten her athletics skill, the exercise she was doing caused blood to thunder in her ears, almost drowning out Izuku's words. "You're right near them now, Mei, see if you can spot anything."

Utilising her quirk, she scanned the surrounding scenery, eventually managing to spot an arm jutting out from amidst an array of rubble and debris. "Izuku, I found them. It looks like whoever it is got hit by a wall coming down."

"Oof," Izuku cringed, "Can you get down there? Remember the suit isn't designed to handle falls of that dist- and you're already in the air."

Mei had performed a beautiful swan dive off of the building, or she at least assumed it must look beautiful, it wasn't like she had ever tried to do a swan dive before. With an awkward front flip just before landing, which was absolutely intentional, she heard a concerning crack from the exo-suit's legs. A warning siren blared, indicating a critical failure.

Sluggishly trying to move the suit, as though their roles had been reversed, Mei kept an eye out for the giant robot and made her way towards the victim. Thankful that the arms still seemed to be working fine, she began lifting a particularly large piece of wall. She would just have to ignore the warning sirens.

Izuku's voice was harder to ignore. "Mei, your power is running dangerously low!"

"Yeah Izuku! I noticed!" She replied sarcastically, but still trying to heft the enormous piece of debris. As one side lifted, a large chunk split from the middle and smashed down upon the pile of rubble under which the victim lay.

"Izuku…" she said with fear in her voice, "I don't know what to do. I can't, I can't move all of this…"

Also feeling the panic and direness of the situation, Izuku tried his best to help "can you… can you send Deku in?"

Hearing their master's voice, Deku slithered off of the exosuit and managed to wriggle through a small opening in the rubble. Spreading their arms and legs out far and clamping them down in all four directions, Deku lifted the rubble ever so slightly, just enough to lift the wreckage off the victim and give them more room to breathe.

Thanking the Mark V for its valiant efforts, Mei initiated the eject sequence and left the armour to the side. On her hands and knees, she started to scoop out dust and gravel, trying to clear a path to remove whoever this was from their fate. With aching hands and knees and the worry of the still roaming robots hanging over her head, she felt a reassuring arm on her shoulder.

Power Loader had finally managed to catch up to her, panting slightly, he said "Hatsume, don't worry, we've all got your back. Sorry we took so long." Mei looked behind him to see an array of UA faculty members ready to lend some support.

Present Mic had joined Power Loader, along with Cementoss and Thirteen. Eraserhead glumly stood nearby with a difficult to read expression, and Recovery Girl was ready to offer her healing powers to whoever needed it.

"The giant robot," Mei began, before Power Loader alleviated her concerns.

"It's been disabled, don't worry. That robot was a stupid idea to begin with…" he muttered.

With the combined teamwork of the UA faculty, the victim - a brown haired girl with rosy cheeks - was rescued. Most of the success was the result of the staff, dab hands at missions of this calibre. Mei had been forced to sit out, Recovery Girl being concerned for her wellbeing. Despite Mei's initial protests that she felt fine, she eventually agreed to travel to the infirmary for treatment. On the condition they picked Izuku up on the way there.

The walls of the infirmary shook as Shoto Aizawa argued, "She flagrantly violated the rules, expulsion is warranted for such reckless behaviour."

Maijima, his foe in this war of words, retorted angrily, "That reckless behaviour just saved a life! Expelled?! We should be thanking her for acting so quickly!"

"Quick thinking isn’t enough if there's no thought behind it." Aizawa glibly responded, his expression barely changing. That was the most irritating part of this for Power Loader. "She rushed in without considering the consequences, it was nothing but an act of poor judgement that this time happened to have a happy ending."

"Poor judgement?!" Maijima shouted incredulously. "Her split-second decision saved a life! Hatsume demonstrated better judgement than all of  the pro-heroes here! Why did none of us even recognise there was an issue to begin with?!"

The argument was halted abruptly when Recovery Girl's commanding authority joined the collection of voices, "This is a hospital! Take this outside!" She demanded. She may be small, but her tone didn't leave them any room to defy her wishes. Maijima threw his arms up in annoyance at Aizawa's attitude and he stormed out of the building. Aizawa took off in the opposite direction.

The volume of the argument has bled through the thin walls of the infirmary, into the room in which Mei and Izuku sat perched on the edge of the bed that had been assigned to Mei. She didn't have many injuries for Recovery Girl to mend, some abrasions on her hands and she'd injured her knees somewhat. All in all, not bad considering the fact she'd just leapt off a building.

Emotionally, however, she wasn't really sure how she felt. Without knowing how they ended up that way, Izuku had a comforting grip on her hand.

Mei had been silent while the teachers debated, not wanting to listen but not being able to ignore it either. Now they were gone she finally felt able to say what was on her mind. "I don’t regret what I did, Izuku."

On hearing this, Izuku didn't respond straight away. Rather, he let the comment linger for nearly thirty seconds before finally posing the question he'd been wanting to ask for some time.

"But why did you do it?" He looked her close in her crosshaired eyes, flicking between the two of them. Izuku ordinarily kept deep eye contact like this to a minimum. "You didn’t need to do it, run off like that. There were so many heroes here who could have saved her instead.'' After a pause, he continued. "It didn’t have to be you."

"It’s difficult for me to explain,"

Izuku couldn’t help laughing at this answer, even amidst the tired frustration he felt towards his friend. "Really, Mei? You’re having trouble explaining something? Do you remember when we were 9 years old, you explained to me how to take apart and reassemble a jet engine? You did it using LEGO!"

Mei threw up her hands  "Machines are completely different! I can understand those because everything fits together as it's supposed to, there's order to it. I can't explain my own brain, it's… it's something else entirely!"

"Come on, please just try," Izuku gently pressed.

Mei sighed and began, "Well, it was like… I didn’t think at all. I just… Ran."

This seemed to remind Izuku of something he'd read before in the past. With a slightly raised eyebrow, he asked her "Like your body moved on its own?"

"Yes, exactly!" Mei exclaimed. "I’d never been in a situation like this before, so I had no idea what I’d do or how I’d react!"

He thought about this answer for a moment, but something about it seemed off. He had to pry just a little further to really understand Mei's train of thought. "But you’d been with me lots of times when I was hunting heroes."

She quickly interjected with a little smile "Izuku, choice of words, we’re in a hero school, remember."

"Ah r-right," Izuku corrected himself. "I meant when I was tracking heroes down to give them what they deserve. Anyway, you’d never rush in to help anyone those times."

"That’s because every time we were near pro heroes, they were already helping people or fighting the bad guys." Mei explained. "But here, everyone was hesitating."

"They would have gotten to her."

Mei looked at him seriously, "But when would they have gotten to her? I don't know how much time we had to get there before something really bad happened. She wasn't moving when we pulled her out of that rubble. Recovery Girl wouldn't tell me anything, but she didn't look good. What if I'd been just a little slower? What if nobody had gone to find her?"

"Mei, no, I'm not letting you think that way." Izuku interjected firmly. "If you had been a little slower, do you know what would have happened? You’d just have been a little slower. That’s all. The girl would still have been saved, and you would still have played a crucial role in their rescue."

Determined, Mei declared, "Next time, I’ll be even faster. I’ve been brainstorming all these new babies I can incorporate into the Mark V’s systems!" Her tone shifted to one of excitement as she saw herself working on the new tech. "Okay, picture this," she said, waving her arm in front of her face as if visualising the words written across a banner, "Rocket boots."

Izuku couldn’t help laughing at the suggestion, "Rocket boots? Don’t you think that’s a bit… I don’t know, cliche?"

"Cliche?!" She retorted in a mock outrage, dramatically covering her mouth with her hand before rolling her eyes. "Well… yeah, probably! Fine, what about… um, boost boots?"

"Boost boots sounds good." Izuku agreed, smiling

"Izuku, can I tell you something?"

"Of course, what’s up?"

"Your hand is absolutely freezing. It’s like I’m holding an ice pack, it’s super weird."

"Oh gosh, I’m so sorry!" Izuku loosened his grip on her hand and started flexing his fingers trying to get some blood into his fingertips, "My arm has been feeling really weird all day, I think my backpack might be cutting off the circulation."

"Huh, weird"

"Yeah it sort of feels like I’ve been holding it under cold water for a while."

"That doesn’t sound good, Izuku. Do you want to ask Recovery Girl about it? I mean, we are in a hospital." Mei suggested.

He shook his hands frantically trying to get the idea out of her head, "No, no! I don’t want to bother her with this! She’s probably really busy!"

"Yeah you’re probably right, I shouldn’t press the call button on the bed or anythi- oops I pressed it."

"Mei!"  

With a gentle and caring "Mmmmmmmwah!" Recovery Girl completed her examination of Izuku’s arm. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't find any glaring issues that explain the problem he was having. She'd used her quirk as a last ditch effort to help him feel a little better, but it seemed to just make Izuku feel much sleepier than he was before.

Recovery Girl, with a hint of disappointment in her voice, admitted, "Well dear, I’ve tried my best. But I couldn’t find anything specific causing your discomfort. What sort of an exercise routine do you have?" She asked, rummaging through her belongings to find a piece of chocolate to hand over to him.

"Oh, thank you." He said gratefully, holding the chocolate in his hand rather than eating it while talking to her. "Um, I guess most of my exercise is just heavy lifting? You know, lab work and all…" he was a little embarrassed about his lack of physical training, it always felt less important to him than building gadgets.

"You might want to think about it, we don't want you coming last at the sports festival!" She teased. "For starters try some stretching exercises in the mornings and evenings. And get that chocolate eaten!" She demanded, also handing a piece to Mei.

"Oh, right! Sorry!" He popped the chocolate in his mouth and ate it like she'd given it to him as a homework assignment. Izuku always aced his homework assignments.

"If you have any more issues I’m always somewhere on campus dearie, don’t be afraid to come and see me."

At that very moment, there was a distinct ratatat-tat coming from the lowest part of the door. Swung open wide, the sight of the petite, rodent-like principal Nezu greeted them. Cheerfully, he said, "Am I a hamster? Am I a bear? Perhaps both, perhaps neither! All I can say is I'm your adorable principal!" and he flashed a peace sign with one of his cutesy paws.

"Ah, principal!" Recovery Girl said, "I wondered when you’d be coming around. Well kiddies, have fun" she said, chortling as she left.

Izuku, alarmed at the presence of this authority figure, leapt to his feet in a completely straight position looking dead ahead. "Good afternoon sir! I'm Izuku Midoriya!"

From her seat on the bed, Mei gave a little half wave, "What's up? I'm Mei!" She knew she could probably do with being a little more polite, but she figured what else could she really do today to make things worse on herself?

"M-Mei, you can't! I'm sorry principal Nezu, please don't expel her!"

The principal did a little giggle. "I can see the stories I heard about you too were quite accurate! There's no need to fret, however, nobody is getting expelled. Today, anyway!"

Mei looked Nezu in the eyes, perplexed . "You’re not going to kick me out?"

He let out a hearty chuckle, "Hohoho! How could I possibly expel someone who hasn’t even had the chance to truly begin? That would be utterly illogical! It would be so much extra paperwork!"

"But, Mr Aizawa..?"

With a sly grin, he explained, "Mr Aizawa is indeed a highly passionate educator! However, there are times when he can be a little too passionate." He whispered this last part from behind the cover of his paw, as if sharing a secret. "I'm sure once you get to know him you'll become fast friends!"

A sense of relief washed over the two of them, but Mei still felt like something was going unsaid. Despite her best interests, she admitted, "But I used unregistered support gear in public, I broke the law…" 

Izuku couldn’t understand why she would choose to incriminate herself, but he felt it was a brilliant display of honesty and integrity that the principal would likely admire.

Nezu responded with a smile, "On the contrary! Since your gear was employed during a UA sanctioned event, it was, in fact, entirely registered! Not to mention, the area where you utilised it had been designated as a teaching zone, so your usage of the gear was completely legal!" His smile loosened slightly as he continued, "This brings me to my next point quite well. You did, for lack of a better term, infiltrate the hero students’ tryouts."

Appearing apologetic, Mei conceded, "Oh, yes, I did do that…"

"Indeed you did!" Nezu confirmed with a nod. "Regrettably, I must inform you of some unfortunate news."

"Whatever it is, I’ll accept the punishment." Mei bravely asserted.

Nezu revealed, "During your trial, you only managed to defeat a mere two robots, although you did earn some rescue points. Nonetheless, your overall score was insufficient to secure a spot in the hero course."

Mei was stunned, "I…What? But I wasn’t trying to-"

"You weren’t trying to fail! Yes I’m well aware." Nezu interrupted. "But, my dear students, such is life." He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in. "Take pride in the fact you gave it everything you had, and remember that this experience does not define your future! You still have a promising path ahead of you in the support department!" He bounced over closer to Mei and Izuku and gave them both hearty handshakes, lingering slightly at Izuku's cold hand. "Well, that wraps up our discussion for today. Rest assured, I shall be observing both of you with tremendous interest!" With that, Nezu executed a graceful pivot on his heel and started to make his exit, before turning back at the last second. "Oh yes, I almost forgot! Your remarkable support gear is currently being kept in our workshop, a much better place for it than that beach, hm?"

Izuku’s mouth began to open as if to say something. However, he was interrupted by Mei, who had a pressing question for the principal before he left.

"Sir, the injured student… Can we go see her, please?" she inquired with genuine concern.

"Perhaps soon! Though for the time being, I imagine your parents would be quite concerned for your whereabouts!"

"Huh?" Izuku said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "But it’s only- Jumpin Best Jeanist! Mei it’s nearly six!" He grabbed her by her wrist and began guiding her hurriedly out the door "Thank you so much, principal!"

"Yes, thank you so much!" Mei agreed, being pulled along.

On the chilly evening outside the infirmary, Mei found herself scrolling through the train timetables on her phone, trying to figure out if they'd be able to make it home soon. "It looks like the last train is in half an hour. If we hurry, we should be able to catch it."

Izuku hesitated before speaking, he seemed cautious, like this had been pressing on his mind for a while. "Mei, earlier on, what you said..."

But before he could finish, Mei interrupted him, her attention still on her phone. "Ah, crap! But if we get that one, I won't be able to get a bus from your place." She absentmindedly continued scrolling, looking for a better option.

"Mei, what you said earlier," Izuku tried again, his voice more insistent this time.

Mei looked up, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What did I say earlier? About the boost boots? We could definitely use those to get home faster, but I've barely even started work on those babies."

Izuku swallowed, and he decided to just say what was on his mind before he lost the opportunity. "No, not that... You said 'next time I'll be even faster.'"

"Oh, right," Mei replied quietly.

"What did you mean by 'next time'? Why would there be a NEXT time?" Izuku questioned, his eyes searching Mei's face for an answer.

"Obviously just a slip of the tongue!" She blurted out, trying to sweep the question under the rug.

"Mei..." Izuku pressed, but she cut him off.

"Izuku, can we, can we not right now? It's been a long day, and I'd really like to get home."

Before the atmosphere could get any more awkward, the two of them were approached by a figure emerging from the darkness. It was Power Loader, out of his hero costume, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "If you two need a lift, I'd be more than happy to drive you home."

Chapter Text

Inko had been waiting anxiously for her son’s return home, quietly annoyed that he had completely forgotten to call. It was getting late now, so she was preparing to give him a piece of her mind when she heard a knock. Opening expecting to see Izuku in the doorway with an apologetic look on his face, she was surprised however to be greeted by Power Loader.

"Oh, Higari? Did I forget about our d-" her words shifted track when Izuku and Mei came into view climbing up the stairs to the apartment. "D-darling son! My darling son Izuku has returned home!" she said awkwardly, bringing him into a hug and looking at Power Loader from the side of her eyes. That was a close one.

"Ah, hrm," Maijima coughed. "Your son and his friend missed their train home, so uh, yeah…"

"Oh then come in, come in! I’ll make us all some drinks! Have you all eaten?"

"Hi Ms Midoriya!" Mei happily added, "Is it okay if I stop over? I texted my dad on the way over and he’s okay with it if you are."

"Mei dear you know you’re welcome in this house any time." Inko reassured her as she filled the electric kettle with water.

"Thanks! I’m just going to go use the bathroom."

During the course of this interaction, Izuku couldn’t stop staring at the support hero standing before him. He was transfixed, something that Maijima was becoming acutely aware of. Although he knew it was Mei who had the zoom quirk, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Izuku’s gaze was locked on to the lone bead of sweat threatening to roll down his face.

Attempting to shift focus, Maijima tried to start a dialogue with the boy. "So," he started, trying to sound casual, "Good job with your presentation today. Really fine work you put in."

However, Izuku’s eyes remained fixed, growing steadily wider by the second.

"Yeah sorry we couldn’t let you take Deku home, it was Nezu’s decision you see." is what Maijima said out loud. Inwardly, he was yelling "WHAT!? WHAT IS IT?!"

The stare persisted.

"..." Maijima implied.

At long last, in a voice so quiet it was barely perceptible, Izuku managed to speak. "There’s a hero in my house."

At that precise moment, Mei emerged from the bathroom, her entrance coinciding with Inko’s appearance carrying a tray of drinks. Izuku felt somewhat surprised to see she had intuitively made Power Loader a cup of coffee, even though she hadn’t asked what he wanted. Some mothers possess such a keen sense of perception!

Inko, fully embracing her role as host, asked, "Will you be joining us for dinner Mr Maijima? I’ve made enough for everyone!"

Caught off guard by the request, he hesitated in response "Oh, I, I really shouldn’t, I wouldn’t want to impose…"

Unable to contain her excitement at the prospect, Mei swiftly closed the gap between her and Power Loader, a massive grin plastered on her face. "Yeah, join us for dinner, teach! You can tell us all the juicy gossip about the other heroes! Right, Izuku?" She gazed over to find a completely petrified Izuku, looking more robotic than the actual robot he had built.

"Yes! That sound good! More merrier!" He beeped and booped.

With a resigned sigh, Power Loader relented. "Well, I guess I could stay for a little while, just to fill the old gas tank." He shot a discrete glance at Inko, who bashfully turned away.

While dinner is prepared, let’s take a trip back in time by a few weeks! We’ll land exactly one week after All Might agreed to join UA as a teacher, in the first-ever episode of The New Adventures of All Might!!

All Might, the legendary hero, was wearing a cowboy hat accompanied by a bushy, yet undeniably fake, moustache, all while maintaining his bulging muscular form. With much effort, he squeezed himself into a small seat behind a modest desk. As his fellow students shuffled into the room, he nervously yet eagerly held his pencil over the paper. All Might was ready to absorb some knowledge.

A rather tired looking lady with lightbulbs instead of ears walked up to the front of the class. Placing a bag down on the teacher’s desk and picking up a piece of chalk, she steadily wrote the words ‘Lesson One’ on the blackboard. Facing the class, her face abruptly changed to a glowing smile as the lightbulbs on her head mimicked the gesture. "Welcome to Childminding 101!" she announced.

The heroic All Might - or as he cleverly disguised himself for this class, Toshi Yaginori (flawless) - began to write the word ‘children’ on his paper, focusing intently on the letters. But before he could finish, his pencil snapped in his powerful grip. He couldn’t help but wish he’d remembered to revert to his true form before applying for the course in person.

So this was how Izuku found himself eating dinner in his own home, seated across from a pro hero who was soon to become his mentor. The word odd barely scratched the surface. Mei was energetically recounting the day’s adventures, while Inko listened slightly terrified, a piece of food suspended near her mouth. Power Loader tried to provide context to Mei’s stories, making them sound less horrendous. Izuku, however, was pretty much frozen in his seat, unable to process the scene.

As Mei finished her tales, she turned to Izuku and said, "Hell of a day, huh Izuku?" No response. She tried again, "Huh, Izuku?" This time she punctuated the question by prodding him in the face with her finger. Startled, Izuku jumped in his seat, causing his cutlery to clatter onto his plate.

"Are you okay, honey?" Inko asked her son.

"Oh he’s just nervous about Power Loader being in your house." Mei, never one to mince her words, candidly revealed the issue. She then turned to the boy and asked, "Isn’t that right?"

A blush creeping across his face, Izuku confirmed. "I’m… just not used to situations like this. It’s difficult when I don’t have the chance to mentally prepare myself."

Power Loader looked somewhat taken aback by Izuku’s nerves. After all, he’d just spent an entire day surrounded by pro heroes and seemed mostly fine. He’d been a little skittish during his presentation, but overall, he had been grounded and approachable. "Haven’t you met lots of pro heroes before me?" He asked. "I believe your name got passed around quite a bit."

"Well s-sure, but all those times I’d mentally prepared myself, I knew what I was getting into. I’m uh, not so good at spontaneity."

Mei decided to chime in, "It’s true." She said between mouthfuls, "One time we visited a different cafe than our usual spot, and he struggled placing an order because it was a different server."

"I did it eventually though, I just need a little time to get my confidence up…" Izuku admitted, pushing a bit of food around absentmindedly.

In an attempt to ease Izuku’s nerves, Power Loader responded calmly, "Yeah, I get it kid. I understand it’s easier said than done, but you don’t have to feel nervous around me." He offered a reassuring smile, "After all, we’re all human."

Taking a deep breath, Izuku relaxed himself. He recognised the truth in Maijima’s words - he didn’t need to feel nervous around anyone - but breaking that habit wasn’t easy. Despite the lingering anxiety, he managed to muster a small smile and a nod of agreement. Once again, he felt his arm turn unnaturally cold.

Over the course of the evening Izuku managed to acclimate himself to the situation, and even managed to ask Power Loader to tell him a few stories about his early adventures. He briefly considered asking to get his autograph, but decided that was a little too awkward to ask his teacher.

Mei had fallen asleep on the couch by the time Maijima was leaving, thanking Inko for the meal, and Izuku wasn’t far from sleeping himself. The two of them missed Maijima asking Inko if they were still on for next saturday.

Several weeks passed, and the much anticipated moment was finally here. It was the first day for Izuku and Mei as support students at the prestigious UA. Inko could hardly contain her excitement, insisting that he pose for a photograph in his brand new school uniform. Unsatisfied with just one picture, she insisted they take five more. Then, as if that weren’t enough, she made him facetime his Grandma so she could see him in it as well.

By the time he was ready to set off for his first day, he couldn’t help feeling as though he’d already completed a day’s worth of work. He chose not to mention the pain in his arm to his mother, chalking it up to first day jitters.

"Bye mom, I’ll see you this afternoon and tell you everything about i-Agh!" Izuku screamed as he opened the door, only to be greeted by Mei - clad in her own school uniform - standing just a few inches away from the entrance.

"Hi Izuku! You’re late!" She chirped.

"But class doesn’t start for another 90 minutes"

"Exactly! If we don’t get there early we won’t get the good seats! The ones away from the windows, none of that natural light crap!" Without giving him a chance to respond, Mei swiftly grabbed Izuku's arm and led him towards the train station.

On the way there, Mei decided to start up a conversation that had been on her mind. With genuine concern, she asked, "How has your arm been lately? Still having any trouble?"

Izuku answered, albeit a little hesitantly, "Well, yeah, to be honest. Every now and then I get these nagging pains in my forearm, but I can’t tell what’s causing it. It seems to mostly happen when I’m anxious about something."

She empathised with Izuku’s situation and continued, "So I guess it’s pretty bad right now, huh?"

"Yeah, it is," Izuku admitted.

Determined to help him feel better, Mei declared, "In that case, I’ll just have to find a way to distract you from the pain!" Hearing her cheerful proclamation, Izuku laughed, already feeling the pain start to subside.

It had been a bad day for Ochaco Uraraka. The entrance exam for the hero school initially seemed to be going well for her. She’d taken out nearly a dozen robots using her anti-gravity quirk by floating them upwards and then abruptly causing them to plummet toward the ground.

Her most memorable and standout moment was when she managed to float a frog-like girl to safety, away from a menacing robot that was about to attack from behind. Another student stepped in to destroy the robot, and Ochaco felt a deep sense of satisfaction for acting so heroically. She’d willingly sacrificed her own points to save someone else.

Upon hearing some loud explosions in the distance, she instinctively thought the heroic thing to do would be investigate the source. After all, it could very well be part of the exam. So she sprinted towards the noise as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a fellow student with an explosion quirk, attempting to take a shortcut by blasting through a wall. Coincidentally, Ochaco happened to be standing directly behind that wall.

That was the last thing she remembered from that day. She later awoke in the infirmary, her head wrapped in a bandage and her right arm secured in a cast. And her heart sinking at the implication of the situation. Surely, she had failed the exam. Her first ever attempt at heroics had landed her in the infirmary, she must be the first person to ever fail the exam this badly.

Throughout the car ride home she remained quiet, barely acknowledging her parents’ supportive words. They assured her they were proud, and reminded her there were plenty of other hero schools she could consider. However, their encouragement fell on deaf ears. A few days later, when she received a letter from UA, she wondered what it could be. Probably a bill for damages.

With her hair falling into her eyes, she used her one functional hand to brush it aside, and looked at the video disc that accompanied the letter. Hesitantly, she pressed play on the disc, mentally preparing herself to only half-listen to the message.

Suddenly, the impressive form of All Might appeared on the screen, booming, "Ochaco Uraraka! I am here!" Her mouth dropped in shock, hardly able to believe it. All Might continued, pausing for dramatic effect, "Your actions at the entrance exam were…"

"Oh great, here it comes…" Thought Ochaco, bracing herself for the worst.

"EXEMPLARY!" All Might exclaimed, much to her surprise. "Your admirable actions showed the true spirit, grit, and determination of a true hero! It takes a special kind of person to run towards danger, someone willing to put their life on the line for the safety of others, and you are that kind of person!" The camera spun around All Might as he struck a dramatic pose, flashing a dazzling smile and giving a thumbs up.

"Welcome, Ochaco Uraraka, to your Hero Academia!"

With a look of absolute glee on her face, Ochaco’s excitement inadvertently triggered her quirk, causing her to float towards the ceiling. "Mom! Dad! I got in!" She yelled excitedly, her voice echoing throughout the house. "Uh, also I’m stuck on the ceiling again…"

As the train sped along the tracks, Mei and Izuku excitedly detailed all their ambitious plans for new inventions they could create, now that they had access to UA’s cutting edge facilities. Mei excitedly told Izuku her plans for the rocket chair she’d been dreaming about for years! Izuku couldn’t wait to get his hands on a metal fabricator, he hadn’t figured out what he wanted to make on it, but he was sure it would be cool!

"I’ve got some big plans for the sport’s festival!" Mei announced enthusiastically, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. "I’m going to build something to really catch the investors’ interests!" She paused for a moment, and gasped. "I could build a super toaster." She said with wide eyes.

Izuku laughed at the idea. "No Mei, you can’t play god!" he joked. His laughter subsided as he added, "But seriously, this is going to be so much fun. I can’t wait to see what kinds of quirks the hero students have this year. I heard a rumour online that…" He glanced around conspiratorially, making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, and lowered his voice. "I heard that All Might’s illegitimate son is enrolled as a student this year…"

Mei giggled at the wild theory, "Where did you hear that?"

"Around!" he replied evasively, both of them collapsing into fits of laughter once more.

Just then, the train’s announcement system came to life. "Now approaching UA Station," it informed the passengers in an automated voice. "Please collect any belongings and exit the train in an orderly fashion. Thank you." This was accompanied by a cheerful ~ Bing Bong ~

Izuku and Mei both sat up straighter than normal, looked at each-other, nodded, and simultaneously said, "Let’s do this."

Later, Mei and Izuku found themselves standing in front of the grand and impressive golden gates to UA, feeling the aura of anticipation surrounding them. They were so entranced by the sight that they inadvertently irritated a few second year students who were trying to get past them. The older students hurriedly moved around the two friends, muttering under their breath and casting annoyed glances in their direction, "Frickin’ first years…"

Inhaling deeply and dramatically, Mei said, "Smell that, Izuku? That’s the scent of opportunity! That’s the smell of our future unfolding before us!"

"Smells, um, delicious?" Izuku attempted to match her enthusiasm. "Come on, let’s get inside and see what our class is like." He took a single step forward, but failed to notice the unravelled shoelace he was standing on. Feeling his leg come to an abrupt halt, he realised he was plummeting towards the ground face first…

And hit it.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright?!" A brown haired girl with rosy cheeks immediately ran over to the two friends as Mei hurriedly peeled him off the floor.

"Neber bedder!" Izuku said, giving a thumbs up and looking in the wrong direction. Shaking his head rapidly to clear his face of the injury and regain his bearings.

"IT’S YOU!" Mei suddenly yelled in surprise, pointing a finger directly in the face of the girl who had come to their aid. "The girl! The rubble girl!" She started hopping around the confused hero student, inspecting every inch of her face to be absolutely certain. "Izuku, it’s her!"

With a look of realisation dawning on his face, Izuku responded, "Are you sure?!"

"Yes! It’s the girl!" Mei confirmed.

Ochaco, the brown haired girl, stood there awkwardly, eventually offering, "Um… Have we met? Sorry if I don’t remember!"

"O-oh that’s right, you wouldn’t have seen her, you were unconscious at the time…" Izuku suddenly remembered, trying to clarify the situation.

Upon hearing this, Ochaco’s mouth went wide, and she also pointed a finger, this time directly at Mei. "You’re the girl who rescued me! They wouldn’t give me any details about it! My name’s Ochaco Uraraka, thank you so much!"

"You can express all your gratitude to me, Mei Hatsume, and my astoundingly cute baby, ‘the Hatsume Industries Mark V Exo-Suit’, for orchestrating your awe-inspiring rescue!" Mei proudly proclaimed, her hard raised high into the air, feeling the warm glow of admiration radiating down upon her.

"Well, you and a group of pro hero faculty members." Izuku added, causing the glow of admiration to slightly diminish.

"Thank you for the input Izuku '' she responded, narrowing her eyes at her friend, who merely grinned in response. "But how are you?! Any injuries? Maybe we could make some cute new babies to help you out!"

"B-babies?!" Ochaco asked, terrified.

"She means inventions," Izuku clarified, attempting to alleviate Ochaco’s fears. "She calls them her babies. I’m Izuku Midoriya by the way. Are you okay, though? I noticed the cast, I hope that isn’t going to affect your hero work. What is your quirk by the way? It must be something really impressive for you to have gotten into the hero course, I bet we could make you a few gadgets to help out if you need it, do you have a costume designed ready yet? We could brainstorm a few ideas and-" Izuku’s rapid-fire mumbling was abruptly interrupted as Mei smacked him around the head with her bag.

Ochaco couldn’t help letting out a delighted giggle at their display. "Well to tell the truth, I wanted to try and help you when you fell just now but I couldn’t!" She explained, "My quirk is zero gravity, I can basically make things float, but I need both hands to turn it off!"

Izuku’s eyes widened at the explanation "So I would have just kept floating into space?!"

"Kinda yeah, heh." She replied, rubbing the back of her head. "That’s why they’re making me wear this glove on my free hand, in case I accidentally trigger it. I think I should be okay today though if it’s just orientation…" She trailed off, her voice filled with uncertainty.

With her classic disregard for personal space, Mei suddenly grabbed Ochaco’s gloved hand and began closely inspecting it. "Hmmmm, I’m assuming it’s a pressure released deactivation, you need to press your fingertips together to turn it off?"

Ochaco nodded, impressed. "That’s right! You’re very perceptive!"

Izuku chimed in, sharing Mei’s enthusiasm as he too examined the girl’s hands, causing her to feel a tad embarrassed. "Ohhh, I see what you’re thinking, Mei! The deactivation system must function through the electrical current on her fingertips."

Mei’s eyes sparkled as they exchanged ideas. "So if we-"

"-made a special glove with conductive material on the palm-"

"-She could deactivate her quirk one-handed!"

Both Izuku and Mei shouted in unison, "We have to get to the workshop right now!!"

In the blink of an eye, the duo rocketed away towards their class, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. A bewildered Ochaco was left standing alone, calling out after them, "So I, guess I’ll catch up with you guys later?"

Chapter Text

Mei and Izuku, excited to start their first day of studies, entered the doors leading to class 1-H. These doors were noticeably larger than those for many other rooms in the school, featuring a double design as opposed to the single entrances familiar to non-support students. This choice was for two main reasons: to accommodate the taller students who may be enrolled in this particular class; and to allow for the easy transportation of larger types of gear that might need to be brought in and out of the room. Although the homeroom class didn’t include the more specialised facilities found in workshops, there could still be the occasional demonstration using more substantially sized items.

The classroom featured a well-organised setup consisting of ten double-wide tables, for the time being the pair decided to share a table between them, Mei arguing they will just be able to move if they’re asked. Each desk included integrated toolboxes providing ample storage for various tools and materials. Additionally, they were equipped with electrical outlets, allowing students to easily plug in and use electronic devices during their lessons.

To ensure a clean and safe environment, sanitation stations were strategically placed around the edges of the room. Surrounding them were various safety instructions plastered on the walls, providing clear guidelines for students to follow in case of emergencies or the handling of hazardous materials.

Spanning across the back wall of the classroom was a rack filled with essential safety equipment such as goggles and lab coats. This equipment was readily available for any students running experiments, or demonstrations that required additional protection. Next to this rack was a smaller door leading to Power Loader’s personal office, which was locked.

Steadily, an increasing number of students started to enter the room, but it was a smaller turnout than what both Izuku and Mei had anticipated. Soon after, Power Loader made his entrance, wearing his hero costume. Izuku assumed that the costume was worn for today’s occasion as a form of formal attire, highlighting his status as a pro hero. But he also wondered if this was a one time thing or if all the teachers regularly attended class in their costumes? It must be very cumbersome to teach like that. Just as he was about to get Mei’s opinion on the matter, Power Loader began to address the class.

"Well, looks like you all made it." he declared. The students began to survey the room, realising their class was composed of only six people. "Yeah, I know, a small group this year. But I can tell you this for a fact, each one of you represents the best and brightest applicants we received this year out of a large pool of candidates. Securing a spot here is highly competitive, so you should be proud of your accomplishment." Mei and Izuku exchanged a celebratory fist bump, while they overheard a satisfied "hmph" from a taller boy sitting behind them. Power loader then proceeded to distribute a stack of documents among the students. He didn’t comment on the two friends sharing a desk, implying it was fine for the time being.

"Before we get started on introductions and letting you loose on some equipment, we have to go through the standard safety material." He said in a resigned tone.

"NO!" Mei protested, slamming her head on the desk and groaning.

"Afraid so." Power Loader responded, starting to read in a monotone voice as the students followed along. "As aspiring support professionals, it is essential to prioritise safety when developing hero gear and gadgets. This document aims to provide you with the necessary guidelines to ensure a safe and efficient testing environment for all staff and students involved." He let out a sigh, considering the extensive length of the document, but pressed on.

"Number one, plan and prepare. Create a detailed plan outlining the objectives, procedures and potential hazards. Review the plan with your instructor and receive approval. Yada yada yada, ensure you have all necessary safety equipment such as gloves, goggles and protective clothing…" He discretely checked the number of pages remaining and rolled his eyes slightly. "Number two, the testing environment…"

"Psst, Izuku," Mei whispered, trying to make the most of the time. "Any ideas on Uraraka’s gloves?"

Without uttering a word, the young inventor revealed a page in his open notebook that showcased an early design for a glove featuring conductive materials on the palms. Mei eagerly took the notebook from him, adding more technical notes to guarantee the design wouldn’t interfere with quirk activation. She then handed it back, all the while maintaining the facade of paying close attention to Power Loader’s ongoing safety lecture.

"...’By adhering to these guidelines, you will create a safe and efficient testing environment for you and your fellow students. Prioritising safety will ensure the success of future endeavours. Plus Ultra.’ Did they really need to put Plus Ultra at the end of all that?" Maijima questioned as he finally reached the end of the safety material. "Now then, how about we do some introductions?"

Izuku’s interest was immediately piqued by the announcement, as he’d been trying to figure out his classmates' quirks since they sat down. Most of them were difficult to work out just from going by appearances. Though he was certain he’d find all their quirks very cool, he also hoped they wouldn’t poke fun at his weaker green hair quirk.

"Alright, Hatsume, time for you to introduce yourself." Power loader called out to the young student.

Mei confidently strutted to the front of the room, ready to announce her presence with her usual flair for the dramatic. "I am Mei Hatsume, a name you are sure to remember! Future and current CEO of Hatsume Industries, purveyor of the finest-"

"Hatsume, this isn't a sales pitch." Power Loader interrupted.

Mei let out a playful sigh, "Spoilsport." She continued in a more casual tone, "Hi, I'm Hatsume. You can call me Mei, I don't mind really. My quirk is zoom, it lets me see up to five kilometres away… and it gives me laser vision."

Power Loader quickly interjected, "It does not give her laser vision. Thank you, Hatsume, you can return to your seat. Hana, you next."

A petite girl with blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and a sunflower-shaped backpack excitedly skipped to the front of the room. As she turned to face her classmates, they could see the sunflower badge pinned to her lapel. She smiled brightly and began her introduction, "Hi! I'm Akari Ha...haa- haaaaa"

"Everybody hit the deck!!" Power Loader ordered, quickly diving behind his desk as the other students followed suit.

"CHOOOOO!!" Akari sneezed violently, and a plume of flames burst from her nose and mouth. "Oops, hehe. Sorry, Mr Power Loader, allergies!"

Power Loader peeked out from behind his desk, concerned, "Have you had any water today, Hana?" He asked.

Sheepishly admitting, Hana replied, "Guess I forgot! So ummm yeah! I’m Akari Hana. If you couldn’t tell, my quirk is nasal flames. I’m supposed to drink lots of water to keep the fire doused, but I forget sometimes." She grinned impishly, "Also, if anyone has any gossip, you gotta fill me in! We’ve been here nearly a half hour, and I haven’t heard anything juicy yet! Okay, I’m done." With that, she happily bounced back to her seat.

"Kazutani, you're up." Power Loader called out.

A tall boy with an air of confidence was sitting behind Mei and Izuku. He walked to the front of the room, striking a pose with one hand casually in his pocket. His serious expression contrasted with his undeniable good looks, featuring dark hair and piercing dark eyes. With a snap of his fingers, he began his introduction.

"Hiro Kazutani. Quirk: statistics. I instinctively know a person's height, weight and blood type."

Mei scowled at him and asked in an accusatory tone "Those had better be the only things you instinctively know."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he replied with a teasing grin. "I'm here for the hero costume design course, so you're going to have to help me with the engineering." He said casually pointing at Izuku, who was taken aback by the sudden interaction.

"Uh, s-sure."

Without saying another word, Kazutani returned to his seat, leaving the room buzzing with curiosity.

"Kuri, you ready?" Power Loader inquired, addressing the next student in line.

Izuku had only managed to decipher the quirk of a single student so far, and that person was now making their way to the front of the classroom. They appeared rather ordinary, with a typical build and height for his age. There was one strikingly unique feature about him, however. His head bore a striking resemblance to a large chestnut.

"Um, hey there everyone, I'm Kuri Kuri…"

"Oh!" Mei suddenly interjected, "I remember you! You were before us in the applications! You’re the one who made that boxing glove baby!"

Kuri’s cheeks flushed, and in an instant, a green chestnut shell casing enveloped his head. Speaking through the muffled shell, he stammered, "Y-yeah… That was me, I did make that…"

Leaping to Kuri’s aid, Power Loader stepped in to provide some context for the class. "You guys only saw the tail end of Kuri’s presentation. He actually demonstrated a whopping nineteen different inventions for us."

"Wow, that’s incredible!" Izuku couldn’t help but exclaim, "You must have a ton of creative energy! Does your quirk help with that at all?" Eager to learn more, he had his notebook and pen at the ready, prepared to jot down any new insights.

Kuri, stunned, continued speaking, as he wasn’t accustomed to people showing a genuine interest in him. "Well, not really, to be honest. My quirk is chestnut, in case you couldn’t already tell," he laughed a little. "It lets me create this protective shell around my head." To emphasise his point, he made the shell disappear. "It’s pretty tough, but not sturdy enough for me to cause any serious damage or anything like that, so please don’t be frightened or anything."

Izuku, with a friendly smile, responded, "I actually think that’s pretty awesome. A hero with a quirk like that could come up with some seriously creative strategies." He gave a casual shrug, jotting down some notes in his book.

"Thanks for sharing, Kuri. Good job. Midoriya, you’re up." Their instructor prompted.

Taking a deep breath, Izuku felt prepared for what he was about to say. He knew he’d be meeting new people today, so he’d given himself plenty of time to think about his introduction. With as much confidence as he could, he walked to the head of the room.

"Hi everyone, my name is Izuku Midoriya," he began. "I’m here because I want to learn how to create amazing support gear that’ll help the next generation of heroes. As for my quirk," he hesitated for a brief moment, contemplating the possible reactions, but ultimately decided to continue.. "Well, my quirk is green hair," he said with a chuckle. "I think that’s fairly self-explanatory, don’t you?" He smiled, running a hand through his vibrant locks.

Hana, with a curious expression, asked, "So, what exactly does it let you do?"

Slightly hesitantly, Izuku replied, "Oh! Um, it doesn’t really let me do anything, you know? It’s just green hair."

She seemed unconvinced and pressed further, "It doesn’t let you do ANYTHING?" Before Izuku could even think of a response, Kazutani stepped in and interrupted.

"It makes him look unique," he defended, "isn’t that enough?"

"Th-thank you Kazutani." Izuku replied, grateful for the save.

Throughout the conversation, Power Loader remained silent. He harboured a secret about Izuku that even the young man himself didn’t know. He had made a promise to Inko to keep it hidden, so he simply stayed quiet. Once Izuku finished speaking, the support hero finally said, "Thank you, Midoriya. Now, last up, Yamashita. …Yamashita?"

From the farthest corner of the room, a young girl sporting dishevelled brown hair and round glasses suddenly snorted herself awake with a loud, "Hwuh!?"

Power Loader, rubbing his forehead in slight annoyance, asked. "Yamashita, were you sleeping just now?"

Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she stood up and offered a smile. "Yes, but I swear it’ll make sense in a moment." she exclaimed as she walked to the front.

"Hi everyone. My name is Miki Yamashita, and just so you know, one day I’m going to be the CEO of Yamashita Industries!" she declared, pointing an enthusiastic finger in Mei’s direction, who grinned at the prospect of a real business competitor. "My quirk is called inventory, and it allows me to…" She held out her hand, and with a quick motion, a pencil from her desk vanished, only to reappear in her grasp. "Do this. I can summon any item within a 10ft radius of the last place I slept." 

Turning to Power Loader, she explained, "That’s why I dozed off. I wanted to show off my quirk and thought it’d be easier to demonstrate this way."

Power Loader simply shrugged in response. "Sure, I’ll allow it, but try not to make it a regular habit."

Izuku had questions! "Woah woah woah hold up, you can summon anything within 10ft!? Is there a size limit? What about living things? Does your quirk make you more prone to tiredness for it to operate? Is that how you could fall asleep so easily?"

"Eep! That’s a lot! I don’t really want to take up any more class time so could we go through it later?" She requested with a shy smile. Izuku gave a smile and a nod to confirm.

Power Loader continued with a friendly tone, "Now that we've got that out of the way, let's wrap up some housekeeping stuff and then move on to the orientation ceremonies. This year, you'll be working on three mandatory support course modules. First up is design and engineering, which I'll be teaching. Next, we have costume design and application, and that's going to be headed by Midnight. Last but not least, we've got the hero system & copyright law, and that's going to be taught by a new faculty member named Yagi Toshinori. Now, he's not a pro hero himself, so don't be too shocked if you don't recognize the name. He's actually coming to us from an assistance role over at Might Tower, so let's all be on our best behaviour around him, okay? You don't want All Might hearing that you made his PA cry. And of course, you'll be taking the regular general studies courses like Math, English, History, Art, and Citizenship."

Upon hearing this, various students couldn't help but let out an anguished groan.

"I know, I know," Power Loader sympathised, "but trust me, these courses are going to be useful for you in the long run. Especially learning English – that'll open up a whole new world of opportunities for you. At the end of this first year, you'll get to pick a study focus from the three support modules. I know it's still a ways off, but it's always good to think about these things in advance. Umm, let's see, what else... Oh yeah, the sports festival is happening two months from now. The hero classes usually steal the spotlight, but support students can enter with their own gear if they want. Just remember, it all has to be designed and completed within this timeframe, so nobody can enter any super-suits they may have built for their applications."

At this, Mei's ears perked up. "Hey, speaking of which! Where IS my super suit?!"

"Don't worry," Power Loader reassured her, "it's safely stored in the workshop. You'll have it back soon enough. But let me tell you, the effort it took to move it there… damn thing kept shocking us..."

Mei grinned to herself, pleased to hear that the suit's anti-tamper mechanic was working perfectly.

"Alright, last thing," Power Loader continued, "there'll be occasions this year when you'll get the chance to sit in on some hero training exercises, so you can see if you have any suggestions for improving their gear. And I think that covers everything." He checked his watch. "Okay, let's get going for the ceremony. You can leave your belongings here, I’ll be locking up behind us."

Diligently, the new students of class 1-H followed their homeroom teacher to the UA courtyards, where a teacher would be making their welcome back address.

In the vast courtyard of the esteemed academy, groups of students assembled according to their respective classes and areas of expertise. For many here, this was their first day at the prestigious academy, with all the nerve and excitement of what the next few years would bring. No classes would feel this as greatly as classes 1-A and 1-B, whose homeroom teachers would traditionally deliver a plus ultra-laden speech to welcome new and returning students alike.

This year, only one of those teachers stood next to principal Nezu on the stage. Sekijiro Kan, otherwise known as the blood hero Vlad King, homeroom teacher for Class 1-B. From within their class group, Izuku wondered where the other first year homeroom teacher was, and hoped nothing urgent had happened. Neither he nor Mei knew which class Uraraka was in, but Mei had informed him she couldn’t see her anywhere with her impressive eyesight.

With great enthusiasm, Vlad King initiated his address, "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed faculty members, and most importantly, our newest students, I extend my warmest welcome to you all at UA High School!" His words elicited a spirited cheer from the assembled crowd. "Today signifies the commencement of an extraordinary journey for each one of you, as you set forth on the path to becoming remarkable heroes or providing indispensable support to those heroes."

Many hearts swelled with pride upon hearing this.

"Here at UA," Sekijiro continued, "we take immense pride in nurturing the talents of the next generation. Our esteemed faculty, comprising renowned heroes and experts in a diverse range of fields, are committed to guiding you through a comprehensive curriculum tailored to refine your skills and develop your unique abilities." With these words, Sekijiro detached the microphone from its stand and proceeded to traverse the stage.

"As you settle into our esteemed institution, remember that you have been chosen for your exceptional potential. We expect great things ahead from each one of you, and we are confident that you will rise to the challenges that lie ahead." More applause came from the crowd. "Throughout your time here you will forge lasting friendships, learn from one another and grow together. You will be pushed to your limits, but you will also find inspiration in yourself and others, as we all strive for greatness in our own right."

Returning to the stand to place the mic back in its place, he began to wrap up his welcome. "We extend our warmest welcome to each of you, as you embark on this new chapter in your lives. We teachers and pro heroes look forward to witnessing your growth, your triumph, and your unwavering dedication in becoming the heroes and support personnel of tomorrow. Thank you, and once again, welcome to UA High School! PLUS ULTRA!"

"PLUS ULTRA!"

Sekijiro didn’t think anyone would hear him mutter, "Damn Eraser, making me do that on my own…" as he returned to his seat.

An atmospheric buzz swept over the crowd as the podium remained empty for a brief moment. Then, out of nowhere, the adorable little face of the UA principal appeared from behind it. "Hello students! You might be wondering, am I a dog? Am I a bear? Well, I can’t say for sure, but what I do know is that I’m your principal!" The audience erupted into applause and cheers, with many thrilled to see the legendary Nezu in person. His presence seemed to make the entire day feel even more significant.

"Thank you to 1-B homeroom teacher Vlad King for giving that heartfelt speech for us, while Eraserhead was otherwise unavailable at a quirk assessment training exercise." Izuku and Mei both rolled their eyes, they should have known he’d be the issue.

Nezu continued. "I have one more important announcement to make! We’re welcoming a brand new pro-hero to our fantastic staff!"

Whispers and murmurs of speculation spread through the crowd, as everyone wondered and debated who this new teacher could be. Was it a top 10 hero? Did Gang Orca finally accept the position after months of rumours? The chatter was suddenly silenced by a familiar, hearty laugh that echoed over the crowd.

"HA HA HA HA HA! GUESS WHAT, STUDENTS? THAT’S RIGHT!" The unmistakable symbol of peace, the inimitable All Might himself, landed on the stage with a thunderous slam right next to Nezu.

"I AM HERE!"

The crowd went absolutely wild.

All Might took the microphone off its stand with Nezu climbing up to sit on his head. Nezu held onto his hair like handlebars as if he was riding a bike. All Might began to speak, and everyone could feel the excitement in his voice. "I stand before you today with immense pride and joy as I announce my new role as teacher! I am All Might, and I am truly honoured to be a part of the UA family!"

Izuku smiled as he looked up towards the hero, the very same man who had saved him from that nasty sludge villain all those months ago and, in a way, set him on this journey. "I’m glad he’s looking so healthy." He said, not realising he’d spoken a bit too loudly.

"Looking so healthy?" Mei asked, clearly confused. "Dude, it’s All Might! when has he ever not looked healthy?"

"Oh I just meant his… His hair! His hair looks healthy, that’s all!"

"Alright, weirdo." She relented, though she still gave him a bit of a side-eye.

Meanwhile, All Might was wrapping up the second impassioned speech of the day. "Let us forge a path towards a brighter future! Thank you for welcoming me, and I look forward to standing alongside each and every one of you as we create a world built by the hearts and minds of the next generation! As we embark on this journey together, always remember: Go Beyond…"

"PLUS ULTRA!" The crowd shouted.

"AND TRY YOUR BEST!" All Might shouted at the same time, to the confusion of the students.

After hopping down from his perch, Nezu took the mic and thanked All Might for his inspiring words before announcing the last speaker of the day. "Please welcome General Education class 1-D’s Homeroom Teacher, Wash!"

A man dressed as a washing machine hobbled out onto the stage and grabbed the microphone. "Washa! Washawashawasha… Washa." He looked sad for a moment, then made a fist. "Washa washa! Washa…WASHA WASHA!"

"PL…PLUS ULTRA?"

With six eager and curious students gathered behind him, Power Loader flipped through his keys, prepared to unlock the doors to the 1-H workshop. This specialised space was designated specifically for the development of new technology and for students to conduct experiments. The workshop’s layout was similar to their homeroom, but with a few key differences that made it especially suited for the creative work that would take place inside.

As Power Loader opened the doors, the students were greeted with a large, open room filled with multiple workstations. Each one was evenly spaced across the room, but positioned at greater distance from one another compared to the homeroom, to allow for more individual space. They were also larger in size, providing ample space for students to work on their projects.

Each station was equipped with a variety of tools and equipment, including 3D printers, soldering stations, and shelves and cabinets for storage. Similar to their homeroom, sanitation stations and equipment storage areas were also available. Safety was a priority, and the room was also equipped with fire extinguishers and first aid kits.

Towards one end of the workshop was a collaboration space, featuring a large circular table surrounded by comfortable seats. This area was designed to encourage students to gather, brainstorm, and discuss their ideas with one another in a relaxed and open environment. Nearby was the showcase and display area, a designated section reserved for housing the support gear and costumes crafted by students from previous years, hopefully serving as a source of inspiration to the new first year students.

The students were particularly excited to discover the metal fabricator situated at the back of the room. This incredible machine functioned essentially as a high-scale 3D printer, capable of creating intricate and detailed metal objects. Seeing it in person was awe-inspiring, appearing even more impressive than it had in the prospectus.

"Okay, feel free to look around and acclimate yourself to the area, but for the love of god don’t burn the place down."

Mei tapped her foot and gestured to Maijima, "Ahem?" She inferred, before making a ‘well?!’ gesture towards him expectantly.

"Oh right, the super suit. It’s over in the display zone."

Rushing over gleefully, Mei put her face up against the glass casing the Mark V was sitting in, "There you are, my precious baby!"

As Mei was mothering over her creation, Izuku handed Power Loader a piece of paper ripped from his notebook, containing a list of items they needed. "Could you get us some materials? Everything we need is listed here."

Power Loader took a moment to look over the list and then asked,"You guys have only been here for half a day and you’re already getting gear requests?"

Hesitating slightly, Izuku explained, "Well, uh, it’s not exactly a request, more like a gift, you know? There’s a girl in the hero course who’s got her hand in a cast, and we’re just trying to help her use your quirk one-handed."

The support hero nodded in understanding, "Oh, I see what you’re saying now. You’re talking about Uraraka, right?"

Izuku couldn’t help but mentally facepalm at that moment. Of course, Power Loader would know about Uraraka’s situation - he had been there during the rescue! After guiding them over to a storage cabinet, Power Loader began gathering materials from the list. He put everything into a box and set it down on a nearby workstation. "Here you go, have fun." he said cheerfully before heading back to his desk to read the paper.

With ravenous enthusiasm, the duo dove headfirst into their project. They were both in their element once more, meticulously organising and sorting the materials, soldering wires, and precisely measuring fabrics. They were so deeply engrossed in their work, they didn’t notice Hana approaching.

They both jumped when she slammed both her hands on the table with a loud "So!"

Totally caught off guard, Izuku blinked. "Uh…so?"

Mei, completely focused on her work, looked at Izuku curiously before spotting their classmate. "Oh, hey Hana! What’s up?" she asked, not missing a beat as she continued to cut a piece of aluminium to the perfect size.

Not one to beat around the bush, Hana bluntly asked, "So are you two dating or what?"

Taken aback, Mei and Izuku exchanged a glance. Izuku’s face turned deep red, while Mei couldn’t hold back her laughter. "What? No way! We’re not dating, like, at all! I could never even imagine that happening!"

"Wow, ouch." Izuku said, feigning hurt. "You wound me."

Hana, feeling a little sheepish, tried to explain her assumption. "Oh! I thought you might be, because you’re always hanging out and you seem super close and all!"

Still grinning, Mei was quick to clarify the situation. "Izuku’s my best friend in the world, but we’ve never thought of each other that way, you know? Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever thought of anyone in that way."

Now curious, Hana asked,"Oh, so you’re ace?"

"Thanks, you’re not too bad yourself." Mei answered, giving a cheeky smile at her own response, while Izuku looked into the camera.

"Okay I’ll let you guys get back to it! Kuri and Yamashita are going to show me how to hotwire a toaster!" Hana said, excusing herself.

Mei’s face suddenly turned frantic, and she quickly spun around to face Izuku. "They’re stealing my supertoaster idea!"

"I think you’ll be okay, nobody other than you even knows what the supertoaster is." he reassured her. "Okay, how does this look?" Izuku inquired, holding up the glove for inspection. It was sleek and black, adorned with a flexible metallic plate positioned on the lower half of the palm. Additionally, there were small holes strategically placed at the tips of each finger.

Taking a closer look, Mei brought her goggles down over her eyes and carefully examined the glove. She held it to the light to get a better view of the details, and after a thorough assessment, she finally declared, "I gotta say, looks like a pretty good baby to me."

"Awesome! Should we get this over to Uraraka right away?"

Mei’s enthusiasm returned quickly, and she replied happily. "Heck yeah! You know, Mr Midoriya, you have been a most helpful assistant. Couldn’t have done it without ya." As a playful gesture, she gave a little curtsey while seated in her chair.

Izuku grinned right back at her, responding, "Well, Miss Hatsume, you have been a daring and fearless assistant yourself." He then mimicked her earlier gesture with a mock bow of his own. Together, the pair got up from their seats and eagerly made their way over to Maijima’s desk, ready to present their newly crafted invention and seek his approval.

"Hey, teach!" Mei said with a smile on her face, handing the glove over to Power Loader. "How’s this baby look?"

Intrigued by the device, he flipped it around in his hands a few times, carefully examining the stitching and overall craftsmanship. He then turned the glove inside out to get a complete view, making sure to inspect it thoroughly. "Looks pretty solid," he commented. "Have you checked the functionality?"

"Theoretically it’ll work," Izuku chimed in. "But we can’t really test it out properly without Uraraka’s quirk."

Power Loader nodded, understanding the situation. "Alright, that makes sense. Go ahead and bring it over to Uraraka then. Oh, and take these with you," he added, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out a couple of passes. "These will allow you to roam around the school grounds for support work purposes. If Eraser tries to expel you, just show him those and you should be good to go."

Gratefully accepting the passes, Izuku and Mei embarked on their quest to find Class 1-A. The layout of UA was a perplexing maze of hallways and staircases, which seemed to shift and rearrange themselves at will. Despite their expertise in navigating complex circuit boards and gadgetry, both Mei and Izuku were utterly hopeless when it came to directions.

They wandered down one corridor after another, their heads tilted at a map Mei had pulled up on her phone which seemed to do very little to help. Both of them were trying to make sense of the confusing layout, occasionally stopping to squint and rotate the screen in some other direction. The atmosphere was mildly tense, as neither wanted to admit they were lost.

Finally, Mei decided to break the silence and turned to Izuku, posing a question to distract from the current predicament they found themselves in. "So, how’s your first day at UA been?" she asked in a curious and friendly tone.

Izuku hesitated for a moment, slightly taken aback by his own unwaveringly positive attitude. He thought back on the day’s events, the new experiences, and the new friends he had made. "Honestly... it's been pretty... great?" he replied, his voice filled with surprise and disbelief.

Mei smiled warmly at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Totally agreed," she said, clearly pleased by his positive response. "But, I gotta know, how is your arm doing? Still any pain? We can go see Recovery Girl if you need to."

"The pain I had this morning just gradually got less and less, and right now I can barely feel anything at all! In fact, it’s as if-" Izuku excitedly lifted up his arm to emphasise his point, only to feel his stomach plummet into his shoes and his face turn ghostly pale.

"Uh...Izuku, why do you have a screwdriver?" Mei asked, clearly puzzled.

Swallowing hard, Izuku tried to find the words to explain. "Mei… That’s…That’s not a screwdriver." He said slowly, his voice shaking.

"Um, what is it then?"

Izuku's face grew even paler, and his voice strained as he attempted to speak, "That's... That's my finger. My finger... is a screwdriver."

Completely dumbstruck, Mei’s eyes widened in shock, and she suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders. "IZUKU! DUDE, YOU HAVE A QUIRK!"

Chapter Text

"Izuku, dude! You have a quirk!"

Visibly flustered, Izuku shook his head vigorously, as if trying to dispel the idea from his mind. "Uh uh, no, no way. I already have a quirk. The doctor said so. My quirk is green hair, okay?" He grabbed a tuft of his locks and shook them at Mei. "It’s always been green hair. This thing on my hand is not green hair." He adamantly turned away from his friend and began walking in the opposite direction, hastily stuffing his hand into his pocket. He ignored the hole he had just punctured in the fabric.

"Izuku, wait!" Mei sprinted after him and grabbed his shoulder to stop him. "Your hand has a freaking screwdriver growing out of it, how can you deny that?"

Spinning around to face her, Izuku’s glare intensified as he lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. "Just because it’s strange doesn’t mean it’s a quirk, Mei. It doesn’t prove anything." He stared into her eyes, noticing that the previous excitement they held had vanished, replaced by a look of concern.

"Maybe someone else did this to me… Yeah, yeah that must be it. Someone at the assembly this morning must have used their quirk on me and messed up my hand!"

"Izuku, come on, you're being ridiculous," She implored, attempting to persuade her friend. She couldn’t understand his reluctance to accept this; Izuku was normally fascinated by anything quirk-related. He should be over the moon, especially with a quirk this cool! So, what was holding him back?

"No, Mei. This isn't my quirk. alright? This is just some weird freak accident that’s going to go away soon and never happen again." He pulled away from her grasp and continued walking away from her.

"Izuku, dude! Don't just walk off!" Mei shouted after him.

He retorted sharply, "We have to bring that glove to Uraraka." Before resuming his march onward, not bothering to look back.

"The tests you would have done in Middle School weren’t enough to gauge your true potential. So now I want you to throw the baseball, but this time I want you to use your quirk." 

The new Class 1-A, fresh on their journey towards becoming heroes, gathered together on the outskirts of a vast sports field. Their homeroom teacher, the enigmatic Shota Aizawa - also known as the underground hero Eraserhead, had led them to this location instead of the customary welcoming ceremony. Earlier, he had reprimanded them for daring to talk to one another on their very first day of school, so the students were hesitating. None of them wanted to be the first to throw the ball, and almost in unison, the class members retreated by one step. Uraraka was left isolated, having seemingly missed the memo.

Uraraka glanced around at her classmates, who had abandoned her so cruelly. With a start, she tried to clarify her problem. "Oh! Um, well, my arm is in a cast, so can I… skip the throwing stage?" She uttered the words feebly, almost certain they would have no impact on their stoic and unyielding instructor.

Aizawa’s facial expression hardly shifted, but his gaze seemed to grow even icier. "There might be occasions when you need to use your left hand for hero work, and I won’t accept a cast as an excuse. You’ll throw the baseball like everyone else."

Panicking, Uraraka pressed on. This type of confrontation was exactly why she was striving to become a rescue hero rather than focusing on combat. Then again, she doubted there were many villains more intimidating than Eraserhead. "I’m sorry, but I meant that, with my arm like this, I can’t turn my quirk off after I use it!"

"If you can't use your quirk one handed, you're essentially useless to me and should pack up and go home now before you waste any more time."

"Wow, ableist much?" Jiro, a student with headphone cables dangling from her earlobes, whispered quietly to the girl standing beside her, who refrained from responding. Aizawa’s eyes ever so subtly shifted positions, glaring daggers at the pair.

Uraraka, having overheard, resolved to stand her ground and demonstrate her capabilities. "F-fine, I’ll show you what I can do!"

Positioning herself on the circle, she gripped the baseball in her left hand. "Okay, here goes nothing," she declared, before gently tossing the ball into the air. The ball floated higher and higher, continuing its upward trajectory, until it vanished completely from sight.

Aizawa showed the results on his handheld monitor for the rest of the class to see.

"AN INFINITY?!"

"I'm glad you're excited," Aizawa said nonchalantly, a hint of amusement in his voice, "Because whoever gets the lowest score in the upcoming exercise will be expelled immediately."

"I don't think you're allowed to do that, ribbit," Tsuyu Asui, a girl with a frog-like mutation said (who Uraraka was delighted to see in the same class as her, after their brief encounter during the entrance exams). She placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully as she contemplated Aizawa's statement.

A smirk appeared on the teacher’s face as he responded, "We'll see about that, won't we?"

"No, I mean legally," Tsuyu insisted, "We signed contracts before joining the school. My mother is a lawyer, and she went through the entire document with me. The only way you can expel a student is after a meeting with the principal and a course counsellor, ribbit."

"Wait, is that true? I never read any of the papers..." Another girl with an American accent and large horns protruding from her head inquired.

Tsuyu nodded confidently, "Yeah, and it has to be co-signed by Recovery Girl in case the expulsion is health-related, ribbit. Immediate expulsion would just be asking for legal ramifications." She explained. "Ribbit." She added.

Aizawa sighed heavily, visibly annoyed that he had to deal with this situation. This tactic usually worked straight away with new students, and he despised it when people actually read the contracts. He didn't know how, but he felt like TikTok was somehow responsible. "Fine, it was a logical ruse. But don't take this as an excuse to slack off."

"Sir! That is a highly unorthodox procedure!" a boy with rectangular glasses and engine-like legs chimed in, indignation clear in his voice. "Your method of motivation was to pit students against one another as rivals, rather than appeal to our no doubt mutual love of contest? I am sure I speak for each one of us here when I say that was an unnecessary tactic. As hero students, we-"

"Uh, engine leg bro?" A student with sharp teeth and even sharper red hair interrupted, placing a hand on his classmate's shoulder.

"Iida."

"He's not listening, Iida." the red-haired boy pointed out.

Indeed, Aizawa had already retreated into a sleeping bag propped up against a tree, fast asleep, ignoring the students' chatter.

"Ah. I see. Then we shall test ourselves! Everyone, please be so kind as to line up in an orderly fashion!" Iida requested, chopping the air.

Much later, after an emotional day of exercise, Ochaco Uraraka sat in the grass and leant against a tall tree, a position which offered her a clear view of the gym area of UA. From here, she could see students filing in and out of buildings, and she watched with a sense of detachment. Lost in thought, her mind wandered as she gazed at the scene below.

After some time, she sighed and reached out to remove the glove preventing her from using her quirk. Running her fingers through the grass, she felt the soft blades tickle her skin, and made a few loose pieces of soil float listlessly.

Suddenly, she felt two other bodies leaning against the tree on either side of her. Turning her head, she saw Mei and Izuku, one of whom smiled back, the other looking distracted.

"We finally found you," Mei said.

Uraraka smiled back, grateful for their company. Their presence was a welcome distraction. Seeing Mei was holding out a glove, Uraraka gratefully accepted it and inspected it closely.

"Oh, is this..?" she began, trailing off.

Izuku answered her question. "Yeah, it’s all done. Theoretically, you should be able to use your quirk one-handed with this." He took a deep breath, trying to sound confident and enthusiastic, but Uraraka could tell something was wrong.

"Are you okay, Midoriya?" she asked, concerned.

Mei was the one who answered when Izuku just let out a tiny sigh. "You know," she began, her voice carrying a hint of empathy, "It’s been a really strange day for us." Mei’s choice of words didn’t go unnoticed by Izuku; she had said ‘us’ instead of ‘him’. Despite any lingering frustration he might have had with her, he couldn’t deny the fact that she was his friend and they were in this together.

Uraraka, on the other hand, didn't seem to catch the subtle nuance in Mei's statement. She let out a light chuckle and agreed, "Oh yeah, you can say that again!" As she ran her hand through her hair, she was careful not to accidentally activate her quirk and make herself float. "Honestly, this day turned out to be nothing like I had imagined it would."

"...how so?" Izuku asked in a soft voice.

"Well, for starters," Uraraka rolled her eyes, "our homeroom teacher doesn't seem to want anything to do with us. He's this underground hero, named-"

"Aizawa," both Mei and Izuku chimed in simultaneously. A small smile appeared on each of their faces.

"Y-yeah! How did you know?" Uraraka asked, caught off guard by the fact they were already aware of the teacher.

Leaning around the tree to look Uraraka directly in the eye, Mei stated matter-of-factly, "He tried to expel me."

Uraraka's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Me too! He told me that if I couldn't use my quirk one-handed, I might as well just leave." She paused for a moment, "I don't know, maybe he's right? I haven't had much luck lately."

Hearing her words, Izuku’s demeanour changed, and he scooted around to sit next to her. "I’m sorry," he said with conviction, "but that’s bullshit."

"W-what?"

"You got crushed by a wall! That was completely out of your control. What does he expect you to do, heal faster?"

Mei gracefully moved around the tree and took a seat on Uraraka's other side. She was curious and had something to ask, not only for Uraraka's benefit but also for Izuku's. With a thoughtful expression, she asked, "I've never had much of a physical quirk. What was it like when yours manifested?"

She took a moment to ponder on Mei's question, recalling her own experiences. "Scared," she started. "Confused, I guess. My parents don't really have anything similar to what I can do. My dad can decrease his own gravity, so it's sort of like he's on the moon, and my mom has a weak telekinesis quirk. I'm the only one who can affect the gravity of other items."

"When mine came in, I thought I'd gone blind." Mei said, "Turned out I was just zoomed in really far. Scared the hell out of my dad!" She laughed as she reminisced about the incident.

This exchange helped to lighten the mood, and even Izuku managed to let out a small chuckle despite his sour mood.

"Wow, scary!" Uraraka giggled, and then shared her own tale. "The first time I made my bed float, it took us all day to figure out how to get it down. Apparently, voice activation in a quirk is rare."

Izuku's curiosity piqued, and he asked, "If it was so scary, when did you decide to be a hero?"

Uraraka smiled as she thought back to her childhood. "When I was really young. I thought it would help my parents," she said, recalling their constant encouragement to follow her dreams. "Even though it was a little frightening, I decided, this is my quirk, and I'm going to do my best with it. No matter what."

Mei grinned at her, "No matter what?"

Laughing and wiping her eyes, Uraraka understood the intent of her words. "Hah, yeah no matter what. Not even a scary homeroom teacher is going to stop me."

Thinking on those words, Izuku finally removed his hand from his pocket. Seeing his hand was now back to normal.

"So, try the glove on!" Mei urged.

"Oh, right!" Excitedly, Uraraka slipped the glove onto her hand and admired it. "Okay, how does it work?"

"You should be able to just make a fist and deactivate the quirk like you usually do!" Answered Mei.

Following the instructions, Uraraka made a fist and said "Release!" As if by magic, the floating soil around her glowed brightly for a moment and sprinkled back down on the ground. "It worked! Thank you both so much!"

In a parking lot not too far away, Shota Aizawa found himself struggling with a cumbersome bag as he attempted to retrieve his car keys from his pocket. Earlier in the day, Uraraka had sent a baseball high into the upper atmosphere. As gravity once again took hold, the baseball began its rapid descent back towards the Earth's surface. The ball's friction with the atmosphere caused it to ignite, enveloping it in a blazing fireball. Hurtling towards the ground like a meteor, imbuing it with an immense speed and an almost otherworldly sense of righteous fury.

In a spectacular display of destruction, the incandescent baseball collided with Aizawa's car, instantly reducing the once-pristine vehicle to a smouldering wreck. 

Sunlight poured through the large windows, casting a warm glow across principal Nezu's impressively expansive office. Rumours circulated among the staff that Nezu had intentionally designed the office to be much larger than necessary, as if to assert his dominance and remind the humans that this space was exclusively his. The towering bookcases, filled to the brim with scholarly journals and academic texts, further emphasised the small hero's intellectual nature.

In the centre of the room, Nezu perched on a luxurious leather chair, his diminutive frame sinking slightly into the plush material. He glanced at a pocket watch, custom-made to suit his size, and began counting down the seconds on his fingers.

As if on cue, there came a knock at the door. "Right on time," Nezu thought to himself, smiling. "Please, come in!"

The door opened, revealing Toshinori Yagi, the recently appointed hero copyright law tutor. "You wanted to see me, Nezu, sir?" he inquired.

With a warm and welcoming demeanour, Nezu gestured toward another chair, albeit a noticeably less comfortable one. "Please, have a seat, Yagi. It's a pleasure to see you in such high spirits. How are you finding the school?"

Yagi accepted the seat and hunched his shoulders to better align his posture with Nezu's gaze. "It's an adjustment," he confessed. "I'm used to working with seasoned heroes at Might Tower. Teenagers are an entirely different story."

Nezu let out a soft chuckle, amused. "Yes I can imagine it is quite the change of pace! But hopefully you will find our students to be just as capable in their own ways." He steepled his fingers, as a small cylindrical robot set a tray of tea on a small side table between them.

"I can already tell there’s a vast pool of talent here." Yagi remarked. He hadn’t initially intended to bring it up, but then felt it would be even stranger not to. "I’m sorry, but is that a robot?"

"Oh, yes indeed! This little fellow is Deku, a Dynamic Exploration Kinetic Unit built by a student in our support course. They have been helping me with some tasks around the office." Nezu explained.

"Howdy!" Deku chirped happily, and waved an arm. Which Yagi reciprocated.

With a more serious expression, Nezu decided to delve into the heart of the matter. "So, my friend, might there be any chance that I could engage in a frank and candid discussion with Mr. All Might?" He inquired, lifting his teacup to his lips.

"Ah, is it safe for him to… answer your call?" Yagi asked hesitantly, glancing around the room. He wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for. Upon receiving a reassuring nod of confirmation from his superior, a sudden blast of smoke exploded around Yagi, and in an instant, the powerful All Might stood in his place.

Nezu immediately sprayed tea out of his mouth in surprise, exclaiming, "All Might! When did you get here?" He then proceeded to break down into laughter, clearly entertained by his own joke.

"I take it this is about the hero training exercises I shall be teaching tomorrow!" All Might proudly exclaimed. "I’ve been reading up on all sorts of fun combat exercises, these students are going to have a fantastic time!" He grinned, showing his perfect pearly white teeth framed by a chiselled jaw and dynamite chin. There was a reason the words ‘handsome devil’ were mentioned so often in All Might’s Hero-Wiki entry.

"Combat exercise, you say?" Nezu inquired, as he scratched himself behind the ear thoughtfully. "Hmm."

All Might’s broad smile faded, and he appeared almost as contemplative as he did during his third ever interview, after being asked about his perfect Sunday. "Concerns?"

"Well, far be it from me to tell the number one symbol of peace how to train heroes." Nezu began, "But I was quite hoping your first class would have more of an inspirational slant to it. We have plenty of teachers here who can show a class how to throw a punch, but few who can truly describe and convey the joy of heroics the way you can."

After a moment of deep pondering and reflection, All Might's dazzling smile returned in full force. "Then inspire and motivate them I shall!"

Later that day, Izuku found himself in the quiet sanctuary of his room, sitting at the workbench that was cluttered with various gadgets and tools. His attention was focused on an errant gadget that had been giving him trouble for the past few days. As he held the screwdriver in his hand, he couldn't help but pause for a moment to reflect on the events that had transpired earlier in the afternoon.

Taking a nice, deep breath to steady himself and clear his thoughts, he grabbed his phone from the edge of the workbench and began composing a text message to Mei.

"I'm still not sure what was up with my hand, but I want to find out," he wrote, his fingers hesitating just a moment above the screen before finally pressing the send button.

To his surprise, it only took a few seconds for Mei to reply. Her message popped up on his screen, reading, "GOOD. I WILL HELP."

A smile spread across Izuku's face as he quickly typed out a response. "You've got caps on," he pointed out.

"Good. I'll help. We'll figure it out together."

Feeling a sense of relief and gratitude, Izuku replied, "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Mei."

"No problem, dipshit."

That same afternoon, while school was still in session…

"Mei seriously needs to sort out this garage, it’s an absolute mess!" Exclaimed Misaki Hatsume, Mei’s mother, as she surveyed the chaos of the family inventing space. The floor was covered in heaps of wires tangled like spaghetti, while tables were strewn with an assortment of nuts and bolts and half finished notes. Some serious tidying up was in order.

Her husband, sensing the need to assist, started picking up a few stray items here and there. "Hey now, Saki, don’t be too hard on her." he chided playfully, tossing a handful of nuts into the nearest available box. "I’m sure there’s some method to the madness!"

She shook her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You go too easy on her, Takumi," she teased.

Takumi flashed a mischievous grin in response, "What can I say?" he replied, giving a cheeky wink. "She reminds me too much of you."

The two of them had been together for years, yet their playful banter never seemed to grow old, still having the same effect on her as it did when they first met. With a smirk, Misaki said, "Pfft, shut up, you big softie." She tried to hold back a laugh, but smiled brightly regardless. "Now, help me find that voltmeter I need, will you?"

Always eager to help, though not exactly skilled in the electronics department, he picked up the first thing he saw. "Is this it?"

Takumi was lucky his cluelessness was endearing, thought Misaki. "Honey, that’s a continuity tester, not a voltmeter," she corrected nicely.

"Hey, you two are the geniuses around here, not me!" Takumi responded with a self-deprecating laugh. He raised his arms in a mock surrender, admitting defeat.

"You must be some kind of genius to be able to put up with the both of us." With that, she got down on her hands and knees and began rummaging through a messy pile of electronic devices that had been haphazardly tossed under a workbench.

"Yeah I guess that’s true," he replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "I have street smarts!"

"Sure sweetie." Misaki answered, a smile in her voice. "Ahh, there you are, you little bastard!" With the voltmeter finally in hand, Misaki went to stand up, accidentally bashing her head on the desk.  "Ah, shit!"

"You okay?" her husband asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just banged my head." she said, wincing slightly.

"I’ll take a look at it inside," Said the devoted husband in a warm and caring tone, as he guided his beloved wife through the garage door back inside their home. With a flick of his wrist, he turned off the light, enveloping the room in darkness. The door closed behind them with a soft click.

Little did they know, that gentle click of the door and the seeming inconsequential thud on the table had set in motion a bizarre series of events. The built-in shelf of the desk trembled ever so slightly, just enough to send a spool of wire on a slow but steady journey across its surface. Gradually gathering momentum, the spool finally tumbled off the edge and landed.

Its impact upon a ruler, resting atop an eraser, caused the accidental catapult to launch a set of keys that had been haphazardly left behind on the table. They soared, gracefully through the air, before landing with uncanny precision on an unassuming coat hook.

With a gentle motion, almost imperceptible, the coat hook tilted downward, functioning like a hidden switch. A nearby tool rack rotated with surprising speed, unveiling an array of weapons and gadgets that would make any spy envious. Among the assortment was a utility belt, a grappling gun, electric bolas, homemade stun guns, and a spool of capture tape.

And a mask.

Mei Hatsume was keeping secrets.

Chapter Text

With the sun beginning to rise on the horizon, Mei was already on the sandy shores of Takoba Beach, waiting for Izuku to appear. It was 6am, and she was cross-legged in the empty space of land they had cleared together a few months before. Her anticipation for the day ahead only grew stronger as the minutes ticked by.

When Izuku finally appeared, he found Mei with her eyes fixed on the ocean. "You’re here already?" Izuku called out from the path. "How long have you been awake?"

Mei’s eyes sparkled as she turned to face him, a grin spreading across her face. "Who said I slept?!" she said excitedly. "I was way too GIDDY! Today’s the day we get to do our own quirk assessment test!" She sprinted towards her friend and, without skipping a beat, began to pull him towards the beach. "We should get started right away, before school starts."

Izuku, taken aback by Mei's infectious enthusiasm, stammered out a slightly nervous response. "R-right, I guess we should, yeah. What's um... What's first?"

His question caused Mei to pause, her enthusiasm momentarily replaced by contemplation. She tilted her head, her eyes staring into the distance as she pondered their options. "Well, we could begin with some endurance tests, or I could take some blood samples, or maybe we should see how conductive you can get, or perhaps-"

"Mei! Mei! You’re doing a me!" Izuku interjected, laughing nervously. "You’re getting ahead of yourself again."

"-Oh! Right, sorry!" Mei exclaimed, snapping back to reality. "First things first, have you managed to turn your finger into a screwdriver again since the last time we spoke?"

"I, uh, haven’t actually tried," Izuku admitted sheepishly.

"Izuku!" Mei replied, her tone a mixture of frustration and disbelief.

"I was worried people might see me doing it! Or it might not turn back to normal and I’d get stuck like that. Or, you know, it might have been a one-time thing, a fluke…"

Mei slapped herself on the forehead, exasperated by Izuku's hesitance. "Just try it now, while we're alone!" she urged him.

Inhaling deeply, Izuku steadied himself and raised his right hand, focusing all his attention on his index finger. His mind honed in on the image of a screwdriver, visualising every minute detail of the common tool. He thought of the specific shade of its colour, the precise shape of the handle and the metal shaft, and the texture of the plastic grip. Izuku considered the various applications of the tool, recalling the countless times he had tightened a screw or disassembled an object. With a vivid image etched in his mind, he gradually closed his other fingers into a tight fist and watched intently.

Eyes widening in amazement, he observed as his finger shifted and transformed into the shape of the screwdriver. A wave of immense relief washed over him as he realised he’d successfully replicated the quirk’s initial manifestation.

"I did it!" He exclaimed, looking to Mei for her input

She hummed curiously, leaning closer and gently tapping the metal tip with her pen. "Can you feel that?"

"Sort of?" he replied, "It’s like I can tell something is touching it, but I can’t really feel it. It’s like tapping on the tip of a fingernail, or someone touching your hair." He tried to explain.

"Interesting. Can you bend it, like a regular finger?" she inquired further.

Concentrating again, he tried to bend the screwdriver, to no avail. "No, I can't do it. It’s a weird feeling, like I can feel my finger bending in my mind, like it’s still there hidden behind the screwdriver."

"Oh, so it's like how people with limb differences can sometimes feel phantom movements?" she suggested.

"Yeah, exactly. Or at least, I think so, anyway." he agreed, still marvelling at the unusual transformation.

As Izuku held out his transformed hand, Mei reached out and carefully took hold of it, her fingers curling around his palm beneath the screwdriver. With a gentle touch, she began to press her thumb into various spots on his hand. "Can you feel all of that?" she asked.

Izuku nodded. "Yeah, the rest of my hand feels exactly as normal," he confirmed. He paused for a moment, the full weight of the situation suddenly dawning on him, before continuing, "Hah, wow. This is so bizarre." He shook his head, "I have a quirk. I actually have a quirk."

Mei’s face lit up with delight for her friend, "Have you thought of a name for it?" she asked.

Furrowing his brow, Izuku considered the question. "I guess it would have to be something like ‘screwdriver’, right?" he suggested, finding the name appropriate for what it was capable of.

However, Mei looked back at him, her expression a mix of confusion and amusement. "Wait, hold on, hold on a second…" she said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Izuku, did it not occur to you at any point that it might not be limited to screwdrivers?"

The sudden realisation hit him like a brick, and Izuku's face flushed with embarrassment. Why hadn't he considered that? It must have just been the shock of it all, but there really wasn't anything to suggest he only had the one transformation. "I… Didn't think about it," he admitted sheepishly.

"Well, think about it now, doofus!"

Relaxing his hand, Izuku willed the screwdriver to revert back to a regular finger (though he was surprised to find his nails looking cleaner now), and concentrated intensely on manifesting something new. With his eyes narrowing in determination and his jaw clenched, he eventually relented and looked back at Mei, a hint of frustration evident in his gaze. "…I can't think of any other tools."

"I'm going to go walk into the ocean, be right back," Mei declared dramatically, feigning exasperation.

"Wait, Mei! Come on, help me out here! It's like performance anxiety or something!" Izuku laughed, reaching out to grab her hand and prevent her from walking away.

"Fine, fine! Try something bigger then, I want to see what you can do. How about a hammer? But a huge one!"

Izuku hesitated, but nodded. "I’ll give it a shot, but don’t get your hopes up."

He took another deep breath and concentrated again, envisioning a hammer in his mind. The smooth red handle, the heavy black head, he thought of how it would feel in his hand, the weight of it as he swung it through the air… Then he felt a strange sensation pulling down his arm. He glanced down and saw that, this time, his whole hand had transformed.

His quirk was not only more versatile than screwdrivers, but also more expansive than his fingers.

"Woah." He exclaimed, twisting the hammer to view it at different angles. The handle blended perfectly into the skin on his wrist, as though it was a natural part of his body.

"Izuku." Mei said, looking between the hammer and his eyes, "This is really fucking cool."

"...Let’s see what else I can do."

7am.

The students of Class 1-A buzzed with anticipation, unsure of what their first training exercise with All Might would entail. The unmistakable aura of excitement radiated through their tight-knit group as they gathered near the front gates of the school. Assembling at this location and awaiting further details was the only instruction they had received.

Denki Kaminari, a student blessed with an electrifying quirk and a hairstyle that reflected his ability, couldn’t contain his curiosity. Turning to the beast-like boy standing next to him, he asked, "Do you think we’re going off school grounds for our training?"

His hair puffing out even more than usual, likely due to his close proximity to Kaminari’s static, Jurota Shishida pondered the question before responding. "Hm, perhaps that is the case." As he pushed his glasses up his nose, he added, "I have heard from my elder brother that UA has many off-campus facilities."

At that moment, Mina Ashido, an energetic girl with an acid-producing quirk, cut in excitedly, "I kinda figured we’d be doing some fighting!" She began shadowboxing the air in preparation for the potential battle, enthusiastically declaring, "Let’s get into some action!"

Uraraka, still feeling motivated from her chat with the support students yesterday, flexed the hand that was finally free of its cast as of that morning and joined Ashido in practising her fighting stances. The sight of their spirited display caught Kirishima’s attention, who couldn’t help getting caught up in the excitement. "Yeah!! Whatever the training is, we’re gonna smash it!!" he yelled, as the three of them continued to make animated punching noises.

The ever responsible Tenya Iida tried his best to calm down his overzealous classmates. But even he couldn’t deny the infectious energy that filled the air as they awaited the arrival of their teacher.

"Listen up, young heroes!" All Might’s voice thundered across the meeting spot, instantly capturing the attention of the gathered students. Anticipation raised once more, as the class hastily lined up to await the arrival of the icon.

On cue, All Might descended from the sky and landed with an earth-shaking slam, sending dust particles flying through the air and a blast of wind at the students. "I am here! To teach you to be heroes!" he proclaimed, his frame casting an impressive shadow.

Every member of the class felt an involuntary urge to straighten their backs and stand tall, attempting to match the greatness before them. Indeed, All Might’s mere presence radiated an aura of strength and confidence among the students.

As the dust settled, he reached behind his back and, as if by magic, produced a box. With a flourish, All Might revealed 19 gleaming bracelets nestled within.

"For today’s exercise, you are to wear these stylish accessories!" All Might announced, as he began to distribute the bracelets to each student. Doing as they were instructed, they donned them under the watchful eye of the world’s greatest hero.

One of the students, the resourceful Yaoyorozu, asked, "These bracelets are designed to nullify our quirks, correct?"

"Astute observation, young Yaoyorozu." All Might praised her with a beaming smile.

Pony Tsunotori chimed in with a curious tone, "So we can’t use our quirks?!"

"All in good time, my young friends!" The hero responded with a hearty laugh. "Your training is nearly ready to commence!" 

On cue, the previously hidden Cementoss used his extraordinary power to manipulate the nearby ground, causing a massive tower to rise approximately 100 feet from the student’s positions. The building wasn't overly designed by any means, but had been given protrusions on the sides to give the illusion of window sills, and reached 22 storeys tall. The tip of the structure had large letters U A, as a sort of sign. The sudden appearance of the towering structure and the accompanying shadow it cast left the students awestruck, jaws hanging wide.

"Your challenge for today," All Might declared, "is to scale this skyscraper and meet me at the very summit!"

Determination ignited in the eyes of the aspiring heroes. This challenge seemed like another opportunity to showcase their abilities. Uraraka, brimming with confidence, exclaimed "Piece of cake! I can float all the way to the top, no problem!"

All Might looked at her with an approving smile, clearly pleased with her enthusiasm. "That's the spirit, young Uraraka! However..." He paused for a moment, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a small, circular disk. With a swift and powerful throw, he launched the disk towards the towering structure. It struck the centre point of the tower with a loud thud, adhering itself to the surface. "That device is a quirk nullifier that is linked to your bracelets! It will activate every six minutes, rendering your quirks temporarily unusable!"

A collective gasp and a murmur rippled through the group of students as they processed this unexpected twist. The challenge that had initially seemed manageable had just become exponentially more difficult.

"Your task, my young heroes," All Might continued, his voice booming with authority, "Is to reach the top before the nullifier activates. Speed will be crucial. Those of you whose quirks are not suitable for vertical traversal will need to rely on your cunning or work together as a team."

The frog-like Tsuyu raised a hand to ask, "Can't we have someone go down to grab a student if they get left behind?"

Shaking his head, All Might answered. "I am afraid not! This challenge must be tackled head-on. Once you begin your climb, there is no turning back! The path ahead lies forwards!"

The usually silent Shoto Todoroki, his expression stoic, nodded in understanding. "What is our time limit?"

"You have the entire day! Show me what you are capable of, and I shall meet you at the top!" With those words, All Might performed a swift and awe-inspiring movement, rocketing from his position on the ground and landing effortlessly at the top of the towering structure.

Somewhat reluctantly, Mei and Izuku had no choice but to set aside their morning training in order to attend their costume design and applications class, which was now gradually nearing its conclusion.

"And that, my dearest darlings, marks the pivotal distinction between the realms of DRAB and GLAM!" Midnight's lecture crescendoed to a climax with an extravagant and theatrical gesture, leaving her audience of students in complete silence.

Costume design was far from Izuku's strong suit. In his younger years, he had dabbled with the concept while still attempting to pinpoint the specific area of support that truly resonated with him. However, all his sketches ultimately ended up being mere variations on All Might’s costume. The most ludicrous of these ideas was likely the concept for an inflatable "Ball Might" suit, which he thought would be great for buoyancy. Despite his lack of affinity for the subject, Izuku diligently took notes in preparation for the inevitable exams, all the while knowing that he would not be selecting this particular class as his elective.

Casting a glance to the friend sitting beside him, Izuku found himself captivated by the fervent determination with which Mei took notes. Her pencil was moving so swiftly as she scribbled page after page it seemed as though it might burst into flames. Due to the incredible speed with which she wrote, her handwriting was a chaotic mess of indecipherable squiggles, something she had always defended as a precautionary measure against idea thieves. As a result, Izuku was left in a constant state of confusion, ever unable to fathom the contents of her notes.

As the classroom bell’s chimes marked the conclusion of another lesson, Mei abruptly slammed her notebook shut and flung it into her backpack, eager to continue that morning’s endeavours. "Come on, screwdriver boy," she said to Izuku. "We’ve got work to do."

"Screwdriver boy?" Hana interjected, overhearing. Her raised eyebrow mirrored the inquisitiveness of her tone.

Even though he wasn't sure if that was a euphemism or not, Izuku’s face flushed, his embarrassment evident. "Oh, well, you see," he stammered, finding the right explanation to throw her off the scent. "She calls me that because… Because I’m always borrowing screwdrivers! Yeah, that’s me! I’m just the guy always in need of a darn screwdriver! Screwdriver boy, that’s me!" He chuckled nervously.

Hana’s gaze intensified, her narrowed eyes seeming to delve into the depths of Izuku’s mind, searching for hidden truths. Yet, almost instantly, her expression softened and she smiled brightly. "Okay!" she cheerfully replied, apparently satisfied with the response. She then followed a yawning Yamashita out of the door.

As they made their way outside the school, Mei utilised the video camera on her phone, ensuring it recorded their surroundings. She intended to use the footage to develop a mapping software that would help in navigating the labyrinth that was UA. They were already both tired of getting lost, and were determined to find a way to prevent it.

Thoughtfully, Izuku turned to mei and offered, "I could let you borrow the scanning software I uploaded to Deku, if you want. It won’t provide anything detailed like room numbers, but it might be a good starting off point?"

Suddenly, a question tugged at Mei's mind, diverting her attention. "Hey, wait a second, where is Deku anyway? I haven't seen the little guy since the entrance exam!"

"Oh gosh, I completely forgot to tell you! I’ve been following them on their gps tracker, They’re always in principal Nezu’s office." his expression softened, a touch of pride in his voice. "I was going to go and get them later, but, I don’t know, they seem happy there."

Perplexed, Mei asked, "How can you tell they’re happy?"

"A father knows, Mei." he answered with a proud expression.

As they finally neared the front entrance of the school, Mei abruptly extended her arm across Izuku's path, halting him in his tracks. Her gaze was fixed intently on the scene unfolding outside the doors. Izuku recognized this expression all too well, and he inquired, "What is it? What do your elf eyes see?"

Mei posed a question, already aware of the answer. "How many towers are there at this school?"

"Four, why?" Izuku responded, curiosity piqued.

"Well now there are five. Come on! Let's go see!" Mei exclaimed, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling him out of the school gates. They joined a throng of students who had congregated to witness the ongoing hero training exercise.

Utilising her quirk tailored for this exact purpose, Mei zoomed in on the newly erected tower, providing a play-by-play commentary. "There are some people at the top, I guess they passed?"

Standing on the roof of the building were an assortment of Class 1-A students, including Shoto Todoroki, Kojiro Bondo, Jurota Shishida, Mezo Shoji and more.

Izuku marvelled at the sight, musing aloud, "Oh wow, do you think it's a race, or there's some sort of penalty?"

Just then, Mei's attention shifted. "Oh! That black-haired girl in the Ultraman costume is almost at the top!"

Even without the benefit of Mei's enhanced vision, Izuku could discern the colossal bolt that the hero-in-training was enlarging to propel herself upward. However, before she could reach the summit, a red flash emanated from the side of the tower, and she started to plummet.

"Woah! Is she okay?!" Izuku cried out, concern etched on his face. He observed Mei, who seemed poised to sprint into action, suddenly halt herself.

Relief washed over Mei's features as she reassured her friend, "Yeah, yeah, she's okay. There are safety nets to catch her."

Frustration permeated the air as the students continued their relentless attempts to conquer the towering challenge before them.

Kirishima, his frustration boiling over, once again assumed his formidable rock form, his claw-like fingers digging into the side of the building. Emitting a primal scream of determination, he began his ascent, edging ever closer to the pinnacle. Six intense minutes passed until, just as he was about to carve out another groove in the concrete, the quirk nullifier activated, leaving him defenceless. Inadvertently striking the solid wall with his bare hand, pain surged through him, forcing him to plummet. "Aggh! So clooooose!" he exclaimed in anguish as he plummeted to the floor.

Undeterred, the next student to seize the challenge was Manga Fukidashi, his mind seemingly brimming with the perfect plan. With a running start, he leaped into the air, directing his mouth toward the ground, and bellowed, "BOING!!" Instantaneously, the words materialised before him, imbued with a trampoline-like texture. Hurtling into the vibrant letters, he was propelled skyward, arms and legs flailing as he ascended. However, a near-miss with the top of the tower seemed inevitable, until Todoroki swiftly reached out, seized Fukidashi's arm, and swung him back onto the roof's surface. Exhausted yet triumphant, another student had conquered the daunting tower.

"Oh, I get it," Izuku mused, his mind actively dissecting the situation. "They have to reach the top before the nullifier activates. But why is that group having such a difficult time? There must be something we’re missing."

Mei smirked mischievously "Because, Izuku my friend," she chimed in, playfully sarcastic, "These hero students are so used to relying on their quirks that they’ve become complacent!"

Izuku nodded. "They should be trying to team up. They’re all attempting this individually, but if they combined their strengths they could be up there in no time."

"Would probably be really easy if they used your tether gun, huh?"

Meanwhile, in the midst of the trial, Jiro had her earphone jack firmly embedded in the ground, and found herself growing increasingly frustrated. Her concentration faltered, replaced by a mixture of disappointment and realisation. "Wow, for a group of hero students, we sure are being dumb."

 "Guys!" she shouted, with a sense of urgency. The group turned their attention towards her. Among them were Kodai, Uraraka, Ashido, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Iida, who had chosen to stay behind to provide support, not yet attempting his own ascent.

"We're going about this the wrong way," Jiro declared, her voice gaining confidence with each passing word. "Instead of struggling to get up there one by one, we need to come together and work as a team! Find a way to get us all up there at once!"

Kaminari scratched his head, a perplexed expression crossing his face. "I don't know about that," he confessed, uncertain. "If we can't make it on our own, how are we supposed to all do it at once?"

"Well, I could make everyone float up there," Uraraka suggested, "But even with that, we won't reach the top within the six-minute time limit."

"Indeed," Iida interjected, his voice resonating with logic. "And even with my enhanced speed, carrying eight other students up the wall would be a formidable challenge."

The group fell silent, their minds whirring with possibilities. However, it was Uraraka who broke the silence, her eyes lighting up with a spark of inspiration. "I have an idea!" she exclaimed.

The bewildered group of bystanders watched with confusion as the remaining students dismantled a safety net to build a rope. The remaining class A students huddled themselves together, each one clutching the rope as though their life depended on it. Yui Kodai meticulously placed an object on the ground, and Iida lay down on top of whatever it was with a long stretch of the rope secured around him.

Uraraka, determined, tapped each of her classmates in turn, imbuing them with weightlessness. The students held their breaths, waiting for the 6 minute mark nullifier to go off, fully aware that they had the exact same amount of time to make their ambitious ascent in one swift, coordinated motion.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Izuku turned to Mei and asked, "What do you think they're trying?"

Before Mei could even attempt an answer, the students' plan unfolded before their eyes like a well-rehearsed performance. Kodai, using her quirk, enlarged a bolt she had placed on the ground earlier. The bolt expanded and pushed the group of students, with Iida at the centre, upwards with an unbelievable force. The crowd could hear one of the students yell "NOW!" at the top of their lungs, as if signalling the climax of their daring act.

Iida's engine legs roared to life, carrying the entire group into the air with a speed that rivalled a rocket taking off. At the apex of their ascent, Uraraka, eternally grateful for the glove that allowed her to deactivate her quirk with one hand while holding on to the rope, shouted, "Brace yourselves, everyone!" With a clenched fist and a resolute expression, she uttered the word "Release!"

The group, now united in their goal, fell as one onto the roof of the building. Lying back breathlessly, they caught sight of the smiling face of All Might.

"Excellent work, young heroes."

Gasping for breath, the group of hero students gradually rose to their feet, their bodies still reeling with the adrenaline of their actions. With every passing moment, the exhilaration subsided, but Uraraka could not suppress the wave of nausea that washed over her, a weakness she hoped training would eventually rectify. Clutching the concrete barrier around the edge of the roof, she sought a stable place to lean and regain her composure.

"...Woah." She managed to utter, her eyes widening in awe as she gazed out across the vast expanse of the city spread before them. The urban landscape was a magnificent sight, with the city's labyrinth of buildings reaching towards the sky, mirroring the hero students' towering aspirations. As more students gravitated towards the breathtaking view, they came to realise that this was the very essence of what All Might had intended for them to experience.

"This is our city," The hero began, emphasising the importance of their surroundings, "Not just the buildings and streets, but the lives of countless individuals who depend on our actions. Ours is a difficult task, and the weight of responsibility can be too much for some to bear."

Class 1-A could feel the gravity of his words, sinking into their hearts and minds.

"Take a moment to observe the vibrant city beneath our feet. Each life we touch, each smile we bring, serves as a testament to the impact we can have on this world." His voice became increasingly enthusiastic and filled with vigour, "Embrace the view before you, let it ignite the fire within your hearts and reaffirm your purpose! This city, this world, needs heroes who understand it’s not just about fighting villains, it’s about being a beacon of hope. It’s about inspiring those around you, and to never give up."

"Plus ultra." Yui Kodai whispered softly, her voice becoming an invitation for the other students. One by one, they echoed her words, their voices blending together in a powerful affirmation that resonated throughout the rooftop.

"PLUS ULTRA"

CLANG!! 

CLANG!!

The sounds of metal striking metal echoed through the air as Izuku Midoriya stood, panting heavily, over the mangled remains of a car. The vehicle now sported enormous dents on the hood, a testament to the power of his quirk. He glanced at the sledgehammer where his hand used to be, a strange sight that was becoming more familiar as the day progressed. With a deep breath, he willed his fingers to stretch and reform, feeling the sensation of his hand rematerializing before his very eyes. The more he practised, the more adept he became at reverting his arm back to normal and managing faster transformations.

"Absolutely brilliant work, Izuku!" Mei Hatsume praised him enthusiastically. "So, you still don't feel anything from the impacts once you revert back, right?"

"No, not a thing," he assured her, wiping sweat from his brow. "But I have to admit, I'm getting kinda dizzy."

Mei tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I have a theory for that. I think your transformations are using up a lot of your energy. Remember that creation girl from the hero class earlier? Her quirk is somewhat similar to yours, and it uses up her lipid reserves. So there's a chance something like that is happening for you too." She rummaged in her bag and tossed him a banana, adding, "Eat this and you'll feel better."

Grateful for the sustenance, Izuku began to eat. "You know, I think I'm getting used to the feeling of my arm being transformed now. It's an odd sensation, but it's kind of like knowing where your feet are even when you can't see them. You know what I mean?"

Mei nodded in understanding, settling down next to him in the sand. "Any success in manifesting something on both hands at once?"

He shook his head, disappointment evident in his expression. "No, no luck. I think it's just one thing at a time."

"That's a shame," Mei mused. "If you could dual wield, you could be an incredible hero."

Izuku's brow furrowed, and he looked at her seriously. "No, I can't. Don't say things like that."

Mei raised her hands defensively. "What's the matter? I'm just saying–"

"I don't want to be a hero, Mei. I'm happy where I am. I like doing support work, being a hero looks… way too stressful."

"Well, I'm just saying, if one of the hero students catches wind of this, they're probably going to try to get you in that class."

Izuku's face turned pale. "You don't… really think they'd do that, do you?"

"Pfft, probably! Your quirk is more versatile than half the people in those classes."

They sat in silence for a few moments, both watching the waves on the beach, lost in thought. Eventually, Izuku spoke up. "I, um, I have to get home."

"One more thing before you go?"

Izuku smiled slightly. "Sure, what do you want to see?"

"A lighter."

Holding out his thumb, Izuku focused intently, and transformed it into the shape of a lighter. "I can't seem to make the fuel, and the parts don’t move, but there you go."

The sight of it sent Mei into fits of laughter, barely able to contain herself.

"What?! What is it?" Izuku said, also starting to laugh.

"You're like Inspector Gadget!"

Chapter Text

“Okay, ground rules for discussing my quirk in public settings.” Izuku declared, standing in front of the whiteboard they had set up in Mei’s garage. She herself was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, watching curiously. 

Izuku uncapped his marker pen and began to write in bold, clear letters on the whiteboard.

Rule 1: Secrecy.

He turned to face her and said “Under no circumstances are we to reveal or discuss my quirk with anyone else unless I give clear and explicit consent.” He emphasised each word of ‘clear and explicit consent’ by tapping the board with his pen. “Any questions?”

Mei raised her hand.

“You don’t have to put your-, yes, Mei?”

“What if I think telling someone would be funny?” she asked in a playful tone.

Izuku made an exasperated expression at his friend, “Still don’t tell anyone, please.”

Ever loyal, she gave a mock salute and responded. “You got it boss.” 

With a nod of approval, Izuku returned his attention to the whiteboard, continuing to write and further elaborate on the rules they needed to follow.

Rule 2: Limited Discussions.

Izuku articulated the rule, saying, “If the topic of quirks comes up in conversation, we must refrain from mentioning or hinting at my quirk in any manner, even if others are discussing their own quirks. Agreed?”

Mei took a moment to contemplate the rule before standing up and proposing, “Can I add an addendum?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Izuku responded, handing her the pen and observing as she wrote down her thoughts.

Rule 2.1: Code Words.

After replacing the cap on the marker, Mei explained her idea, “In case we need to discuss your quirk in a public setting, we should come up with a set of code words or phrases that only we can understand.”

Izuku nodded, rubbing his chin in agreement, “Oh, yeah that makes sense. We can communicate discreetly without revealing sensitive information…”

Mei illustrated her point with an example, adopting a peculiar accent, “Yeah, like I could say ‘Nice weather today,’ but what I'm actually saying is ‘Izuku, your arm just transformed into a fire extinguisher’.”

“I think if my arm turns into a fire extinguisher the cat’s out of the bag anyway, but I get what you mean. How about we use gardening terms to refer to my quirk? We can call it the garden, and use words like plants, seeds, flowers, etc.”

Mei pondered for a moment before raising a concern, “But what if I really am talking about gardening?”

“When have you ever done any gardening?”

“Fair point.” She conceded. “How is your allotment? Grow any new veggies? Yeah that works!”

“I might have to actually start a garden but for now it’ll keep people off the scent at least…”

Retrieving the marker pen, he began to write the last rule on the whiteboard.

Rule 3: Allies.

“If there is ever a need to involve someone else in discussing my quirk, we should exercise extreme caution and ensure they are trustworthy and will respect the secrecy.” He clarified, “I can’t predict that nobody will ever find out about this, but if they do, we need to be careful.”

Mei held out her hand for the pen expectantly, which Izuku handed over, and watched her write.

Rule 4: Emergency Protocol.

She pointed at the board and said, “In case of a serious emergency,” she raised her finger for emphasis, “One of us will signal to the other that it is necessary to use your quirk temporarily for the greater good.” She looked at him with a serious expression, “Got it?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Izuku replied “I don’t, I really don’t want to…”

Mei interrupted him and said firmly, “Izuku. Listen to me. I know you don’t want to be a hero, but if we ever face a situation where your quirk can save someone, I’m not going to let you stand by and do nothing. Do we have a deal?”

He sighed and nodded. “…Fine, deal.”

“Awesome! Now stop being boring and help me out with some schematics.” she demanded, picking up and dropping a pile of blueprints on to a workbench.

Over their first week of school, Mei and Izuku settled into a routine of working on assignments and coursework, and testing the limits and capabilities of Izuku’s burgeoning quirk. Together, they discovered that he was indeed capable of manifesting movable parts, but it took a great deal more concentration and energy than solid objects. With practice he’d become able to transform his hand into a working pair of pliers with less effort than before, but struggled with other tools. Mei had likened it to training a muscle.

“Alright, everyone here? Great.” Having such a small class had made morning registration an absolute breeze for Power Loader, “Orders of business for the day, first off you need to pick a class representative-”

“I’ll do it!” Shouted Yamashita, uncharacteristically chipper for the morning. It was likely she’d snuck into the workshops early to take a nap, so she could summon some tools later. “I was class rep my last 2 years of middle school.”

“Anybody want to run against Yamashita?” Power Loader asked.

Mei stood up from her chair, noisily scooting it back “I, Mei Hatsume, deserve the title of class whatever it is!”

Glaring, Yamashita gruffly suggested, “We will settle this like adults! I’ll rock paper scissors you for it.”

“Deal!”

The stage was set, and the battlefield chosen - Class 1-H’s homeroom became the arena for the hotly contested clash. The prize: The coveted role of class representative. With dramatic flair, the two combatants took their positions, their eyes locked and their determination palpable. The air charged with the electricity of competition, as if an invisible storm was brewing around them. Every eye in the room was on Mei Hatsume and Miki Yamashita. Kuri’s quirk involuntarily activated, covering his head with his chestnut shell.

“1 2 3 GO!”

And so the epic battle commenced. In a flurry of lightning fast movements, the clash of rock vs paper vs scissors echoed throughout UA. The outcome was swift… The dust settled… And the war came to an end…

“It’s alright Mei, maybe next year.” Izuku consoled his friend, patting her on the shoulder as she hid her head in her hands.

“Great,” Power Loader said, “Yamashita, you’re class rep. Hatsume, you're the vice rep.”

"Oh, cool," Mei responded, her spirits quickly lifting. She picked up her chair, returned it to its place, and sat down at her desk. With a friendly smile and a thumbs-up, she congratulated her opponent, "Nice job, class rep!" Yamashita gratefully accepted her praise, beaming with pride over their newfound roles.

“Next up on the agenda,” Power Loader continued in his morning notes, “Sports festival.”

Izuku subconsciously stopped listening, since his quirk had manifested he’d quietly decided he wouldn’t be participating. It was too much of a risk, in front of a crowd that size. Not to mention all the tv cameras.

“Everyone is going to be participating this year, so we’ll be having more workshop time added on to your timetables, and any gear you build for the event will go towards your final grade.”

As Izuku drummed his fingers on the desk, he suddenly stopped and looked up at Power Loader with wide eyes. "Did you say everyone?" trying and failing quite spectacularly to not sound terrified at the prospect.

“That’s right, it was decided that it would be unfair to single out the hero students. So students from hero, support, and general studies will all be participating, as long as they are physically capable," Power Loader explained. "The events have been revamped this year to accommodate the change, but they wouldn't tell me the specifics."

Izuku, now visibly panicked, abruptly stood up and announced, "IHAVETOGOTOTHEBATHROOM." He rushed out of the room, desperately hoping that no one would notice his hand had transformed into a chisel.

“He um…Ate some bad fish.” Mei explained, helpfully.

Inko Midoriya stood behind the counter of the grocery store where she worked, staring out at the empty aisles. It had been a relatively slow day, with few customers and less money changing hands. In fact, the first day of the week was usually this way. As a result, she was very bored, praying something would happen to distract her from rearranging the produce for the ninth time that day.

Her boredom had reached such an extreme level that when her phone began to ring, she eagerly answered it before the second ring could even finish.

"Aldera General!" Inko greeted the caller with a cheerful tone, "Midoriya speaking, how may I assist you today?"

"Inko? It's Higari," the voice of Power Loader came through the receiver, sounding noticeably concerned. "You mentioned that I should reach out to you if there was ever anything I needed to discuss about your son, right?"

The sudden concern for her son was not the type of distraction Inko had been hoping for. With a cautious tone, she inquired, "What happened? Is Izuku alright?"

"He's okay, don't worry," Higari reassured her. "It's just that he received some news about the upcoming sports festival, and he didn't take it very well. Honestly, he seemed incredibly scared."

Inko let out a sigh of relief, her level of worry diminishing slightly. "I appreciate you informing me about this," she said with a warm smile that could be heard through the phone. "I'll make sure to have a talk with him later, it's likely an anxiety issue. You know, Higari, you're always welcome to call me more frequently. I promise I won't mind."

Power Loader stammered nervously in response, "Oh, um, uh, yes, of course. Thank you, Inko. I, uh, I have to get back to my duties now. Duty calls, you know. Um... I'll send you a text later. Goodbye for now." With that, he hung up the phone.

Inko continued to smile to herself, and turned her attention back to her work, lifted by the brief conversation with Higari.

In the bustling hallways of UA, students scurried about, trying to find their next classes or seeking guidance from older, more experienced peers. A tall boy, overwhelmed with panic when a first-year student asked him for directions to class 2-D, suddenly disappeared into the floorboards, evading the question altogether. Mei, however, had no such trouble navigating the school. Having recently integrated a navigation console into her goggles, she now enjoyed a full augmented reality map that not only showed her where to go but also estimated her arrival time. Confident in her newfound ability, Mei knew she had ample time to wait for Izuku.

Mei stood outside the boy's bathroom, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. "Izuku, are you okay?" she asked, concerned. "I'm not too beholden to arbitrary gender norms to not come in there, you know."

A soft, barely audible voice belonging to the green-haired inventor seeped through the wall. "Mei, I can't, um... Re-pot the flower."

"Re-pot the flower?" Mei furrowed her brow, trying to decipher his cryptic message. "The hell is he talking abou- Oh! You can't re-pot the flower!" The realisation struck her like a bolt of lightning. "…Oh. That is a problem." Mei's gaze wandered blankly down the hallway as she racked her brain for a solution.

Just then, Izuku emerged from the bathroom, his arm pulled through his sleeve and concealed inside his jacket. "I can't stop it being a chisel," he whispered, trying to be as discreet as possible. "I don't know what to do."

"Have you tried thinking about baseball?"

"Mei, this is serious," Izuku replied, worried. “I might have to tell someone about this.”

Mei stroked her chin thoughtfully for a moment, deep in contemplation, as she considered the problem at hand. Her eyes narrowed, and then suddenly widened as a flash of inspiration hit her like a lightning bolt. Excitedly, she held up a finger and asked her friend, "How big is the chisel? Is it longer than your fingers?"

"No, I don't think so, anyway?" He replied, a hint of confusion evident in his voice.

Determined to find a solution, Mei began rummaging through her backpack. She pulled out various scrap pieces of metal, a wheel for some reason, a concerning number of caltrops, and a taser. After a few moments, she finally pulled out a glove that was similar to the one they had designed for Uraraka earlier in the semester.

"Here! Put this on," Mei instructed. "The chisel should fit inside one of the fingers, and nobody will be able to tell the difference!"

Cautiously, Izuku slid his arm back through the sleeve of his jacket, and with a small amount of difficulty, he managed to put the glove on, effectively concealing his transformation. To test the functionality of the glove, he gave his hand a little wave, “It looks like I broke all of my fingers.”

"Then don't wave your hand!" Mei scolded playfully. "It's better than nothing, though, right? Besides, this does give me an idea for another baby…"

Staring at his odd, floppy hand, Izuku suggested, "Maybe a kevlar weave glove that prevents transformations by not giving the new shape enough room to form…"

"See, Izuku, this is why I hang around with you," Mei said, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. "Anyway, we have less than 2 minutes to get to our first class with Mr. Yagi, so we should probably get going. I don't want to make All Might upset with us by annoying his assistant." She pointed in the direction of their hero copyright law classroom, and pulled her goggles over her eyes. "Let's roll."

As they walked as briskly as they could without being called out for running in the halls, Izuku turned to his friend and said, "You need to make me a pair of those."

Class 1-H, for their first hero copyright law lecture of the semester, was sharing the space with a handful of students from classes A and B who had opted to take this course as an elective. Unfortunately, Uraraka was notably absent, to the disappointment of Mei and Izuku. The pair found themselves seated on either side of Tsuyu Asui.

As the students settled in, they eagerly awaited the arrival of Mr. Yagi, but he was nowhere to be found. In the meantime, the classroom buzzed with random conversations that spanned various topics, including their academic workload, their overall experience at UA, and, much to Izuku's concern, their quirks.

"J-just green hair! That's all I have, ahaha... Boy, I sure wish I had a different quirk, but nope, that's all I have!!" Izuku’s words tumbled out, tinged with a hint of mania.

Tsuyu, with her characteristic croak, interjected, "I actually asked if you had a pen I could borrow, ribbit." Mei, quick to come to Izuku's aid, swiftly intervened, rescuing him from potential embarrassment.

"Here you go," Mei said, extending a pen towards Tsuyu. "He gets nervous in new classes, don't worry! By the way, I'm Mei Hatsume. You're the frog girl, right? I've actually had a few ideas for ways we could improve your costume! Come by the workshop later today, and we'll discuss building some new babies!" Mei, always a salesperson, handed Tsuyu an intricately designed business card, boldly displaying her name as 'Mei Hatsume, Inventions, Devices, Gadgets and More, Workshop 1-H.' Izuku couldn't help but wonder when Mei had managed to have those cards printed, probably before she was even accepted to the school.

With a smile, Tsuyu accepted the pen and introduced herself, saying, "You can call me Tsu. And I was thinking of some ways I could improve my footwear..." Her words trailed off as their conversation was abruptly halted by the unexpected entrance of an exhausted-looking Toshinori Yagi, struggling to balance a stack of books and papers. “Apologies, got a little lost.”

The majority of the class sat politely at their teacher’s entrance, Izuku on the other hand looked incredibly shocked and shouted “All Mi-?! M-my stars and garters!” Realising the gravity of the situation and the danger of revealing one of the biggest secrets in all of Japan, Izuku quickly caught himself, cutting off his sentence just in time.

His outburst had caught the attention of the entire class, and he felt a mix of anxiety and worry wash over him. In an effort to regain control and make amends, he rushed to the front of the room.“Are you okay Mr Yagi? Please, let me help you carry those books!” 

Yagi, for his part, looked like a deer in headlights. The only person to accidentally discover his secret, and they happened to be one of his students? Hopefully Izuku was reliable and faithful, but he also dreaded the worst. This could potentially be a catastrophe for him and his hero work! He tried to act normal and thanked Izuku for the books, and was about to whisper “Maybe we should talk later”, when he felt something hard and sharp in Izuku’s glove as their hands briefly touched.

"My god!" Yagi thought to himself. "This boy's fingers are rock solid! His grip strength must be unbelievable!" As he imagined Izuku crushing a grip tester in his bare hands.

Izuku chuckled nervously and said “Always happy to help a friend of All Might!!” a bit too loudly, placed the books on the teacher’s desk and dashed back to his seat, every eye in the room staring at him with a puzzled expression. 

Chapter Text

The Grand Musutafu Mansion was ablaze with excitement and anticipation as the annual celebration hosted by the esteemed owner, Mr Dakamoto, unfolded. It was to be a night of opulence and extravagance, the chandeliers casting a warm glow over the scene, reflecting upon the marble floors and the glittering masks concealing the identity of the guests. Each mask was as elegant and elaborate as those who wore them, resembling various animals in a menagerie of colours and decoration. Though their faces were concealed, their voices were loud and lively. The entire room was filled with the sounds of laughter and conversation, not a single stomach or wine glass was left empty.

From atop a high balcony that overlooked his guests like a king addressing his loyal subjects, Mr Dakamoto welcomed everyone with a sharp smile and a toast. He raised his glass of champagne and said, "Eat and drink, my friends! Delight in the company of one another!" His slicked back hair created a striking contrast with his tailored bone white suit, a lavish golden wolf mask covering half his face, leaving his mouth and chin exposed.

Among the celebration stood a tall and slender woman, her beautiful shoulder-length red hair cascading in waves, framing her face. The blue and black fox mask she wore was as captivating as the elegant black cocktail dress. She moved gracefully through the hall, mingling with others and making inane small talk. Unbeknownst to them, she had meticulously identified and determined the patrol patterns of every undercover bodyguard and hired muscle scattered throughout the venue, all in the employ of Mr Dakamoto. To her, uncovering their identities was child’s play. Genuine guests wouldn’t be carrying concealed weapons under their clothes or scanning the room for threats

She engaged in seemingly casual conversation with a fellow guest, one too drunk to notice her subtly manipulating and guiding him towards the entrance to the kitchens. He was slurring his words, as she pretended to be dreadfully interested in what he had to say. With the amount of alcohol he had in his system, the untraceable drug she had slipped into his latest glass of wine seemed almost unnecessary. The man stumbled as he tried to stand up straight and she caught him under the arm. 

"Oh dear," she said with a fake tone of concern. "I’m so sorry you’re feeling unwell, this event can be quite overwhelming for some people. Let me help you find a place to rest." With her unsuspecting accomplice now successfully guided to just outside the kitchens, she loosened her grip under the arm just enough for the man to tumble to the marble floor. "Could I have some assistance please?" She called. As a group gathered to find the man a seat, she deftly disappeared through the kitchen doors.

A busy kitchen was a treasure trove of opportunity for someone who had chosen this unique career path. It was a veritable hive, teeming with movement and noise, the air filled with the aroma of expertly cooked food. Each scent that wafted through the air could serve as a mask, utilised by someone who knows how to time it correctly. Focused, the mysterious woman casually moved through the kitchen navigating her way through the crowd of waiters. She had learned long ago that the concept of "it's someone else's problem" could be a powerful tool of camouflage, allowing her to blend seamlessly into the fabric of the culinary chaos.

Her keen eyes caught a glimpse of a discreet doorway tucked away to the side of the kitchen, an entrance that, if her intel was accurate, would lead to the hallway concealing the kitchen staff locker room. Careful not to arouse any suspicion, she slipped around the corner, her movements swift and silent as she made her way toward the lockers. In a matter of moments, she shed her previous identity and donned the uniform of a staff member, becoming indistinguishable from the busy workers who buzzed around the kitchen. The fact that they too wore masks almost made this job too easy. Now armed with a tray of meticulously arranged appetisers and a bottle of wine, she was poised to carry out the task at hand.

After approaching the gentleman stationed at the bottom of the grand staircase, she uttered, "For Mr. Dakamoto," her words accompanied by a subtle nod of her head, drawing attention to the 2270 bottle of Hosun preserve. A vintage renowned as Dakamoto's personal favourite according to the numerous articles written about his lavish lifestyle. The man nodded in silent acknowledgment, granting her passage to the upper floors. 

Ascending the staircase and leaving behind the bustling commotion of the party below, she felt the air grow quieter, the sounds of her footsteps echoing in the hallway. She felt free to drop the prim posture she’d maintained as both a guest and a member of the waitstaff. It was here, amidst the hushed upper corridors, that she could afford herself the luxury of speed, breaking into a nimble sprint down one hallway before effortlessly transitioning back into a composed stride as she turned a corner. 

Two formidable looking men stood guard outside a pair of imposing oak doors, their presence clearly meant to be a deterrent. However, their attempts at blending into their surroundings were non-existent.

As the enigmatic woman approached the doors, one of the guards raised his hand to halt her. The other man remained vigilant, ready to step in at the slightest hint of trouble. "Wine, for Mr. Dakamoto."

"Nobody’s getting in to see Mr Daka- hrgh "

The two men’s eyes widened in disbelief as they gasped for air, hands clutching towards the pair of forks that had found their way into their necks, leaving them crumpled and lifeless on the floor. With the path now clear, she pushed open the impressive oak doors, revealing Dakamoto’s opulent and spacious personal office. With the wine bottle and appetisers in hand, she said "Your wine, sir."

Startled by the intrusion, Dakamoto quickly ended his phone call and looked up, confused. His gaze immediately dropped on to the lifeless guard slumping into full view of the doorway. As he quickly rose from his chair, the woman followed his line of sight and tsked softly to herself, regretting the mistake that had jeopardised this carefully crafted mission.

With fast reactions, Dakamoto aimed his wrist toward the intruder, and from it shot three bone-like spears, the size and shape of toothpicks, hurtling toward her with alarming speed. Reflexively, she deftly used the wine tray as a makeshift shield, intercepting the projectiles in mid air and flinging the wine and cutlery to the ground.

"Who the hell sent you?!" Dakamoto’s voice thundered, as he reached for the gun hidden within his desk drawer, a final attempt at controlling the situation.

The woman maintained an expressionless face as she calmly replied, "You’ve lived a fortunate life Mr. Dakamoto, but your luck has come to an end." With a swift flick of her hand, the pile of cutlery strewn across the floor sprang to life. With pinpoint accuracy, forks whizzed through the air with unbelievable speed, finding their mark. Dakamoto was dead before his mind could even process the danger.

Slipping out of the office window and landing gracefully in the mansion’s front courtyard, escape was effortless.

"It's done," she murmured, pressing a finger to the small earpiece nestled discreetly in her ear.

"Excellent work, Diner. Return to The Market for debriefing." the slightly garbled voice of an older gentleman requested.

"Understood." With those simple words, she vanished into the shadows.

Codename: Diner.

Quirk: Tablesetter.

Diner has limited psychic control over all forms of tableware, including cutlery, drinking vessels, plates and bowls. Her abilities are limited by the functionality of the item, so she can’t control knives intended for combat. She also can’t control decorative or unusable items, and once an item is in motion she can’t affect the trajectory. 

Inko Midoriya returned to the Aldera General Store after enjoying a well-deserved lunch break. She quickly grabbed her apron from the coat hook, ready to tackle the afternoon. Meanwhile, the young store assistant Yuki Haro bid farewell to the latest customer, expressing gratitude for their patronage. As the sliding doors slid closed the store was left momentarily empty, only Inko and Haro remaining.

Nestled in the heart of a suburban area near Izuku Midoriya’s former school, Aldera General stood as a quaint shop, a stone’s throw from Takoba Beach. Embracing its local roots, the workers sought to give it an atmosphere of warmth and familiarity, the air infused with the subtle scents of fresh cut flowers and brewing coffee. Inko prided herself in the welcoming aura of the store she supervised. 

However, on this particular afternoon, Inko’s attentive gaze had detected a slight emotional distance in her young coworker. A gentle sigh escaping Haro’s lips as the store lay empty triggered Inko’s motherly concern.

She approached Haro with a warmth in her voice. "Is everything alright, dear?"

Haro snapped out of her thoughts, startled slightly by the question. "Hm? Oh, yes, thank you ma’am." she replied, her mind elsewhere. Haro’s distracted look intrigued Inko, prompting her to dig a little deeper.

"You don't have to call me ma'am, dear," Inko responded, her tone laced with affection. "But are you sure you're okay? You've seemed a little preoccupied today."

"Oh gosh, I apologise. I'll make an effort to concentrate more. I just had quite a late night," Haro confessed, her polite demeanour shining through. Inko and Haro had been working side by side for several weeks now, and the older woman couldn't help but wonder if her young colleague would ever drop the formalities. Nevertheless, she found it endearing how she maintained her politeness at all times.

"A late night, hmm?" Inko teased playfully, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "A gentleman friend?"

Caught off guard, Haro's cheeks flushed, and she stumbled over her words. "Well, he wasn't exactly a friend..." Quickly realising the implications of her statement, she blurted out, "Oh! Oh no, nothing like that!"

Inko chuckled at the expected reaction, "I’m sorry Haro, I’m just teasing you."

"Oh, I-I see." Haro’s mouth snuck out a smile. "I was actually up late, working on an assignment."

"For college, yes? My son Izuku has just started high-school, I don’t envy the workload the two of you must have now." Inko replied with a shake of the head.

Haro looked at her with recognition. "He's a UA student, isn't he?"

A warm pride glimmered in Inko's gaze as she confirmed, "Yes, he's in the support course at UA. I'm very proud of him."

Haro sighed softly, her voice tinged with a hint of fatigue. "I don't think I'd be able to handle a school of that renown. My courses have been difficult enough. It can be a little overwhelming, especially when it's an important mission-  I mean, assignment."

"How does your quirk work again, dear?"

"Oh, it’s a weak lie detector quirk. If I’m feeling a person’s pulse I can tell when they’re lying."

Inko extended her hand, her wrist upturned invitingly. "Try it on me, please."

Hesitant, Haro contemplated for a moment before carefully placing two fingers on Inko's wrist, attuning herself to the rhythmic beat of her mentor's pulse. A moment of silence passed.

Inko's voice conveyed genuine support. "You are a hard worker, a capable student, and you can do anything you put your mind to," 

Haro accepted the compliment with gratitude. "Oh, th-thank you, ma'am..."

Inko's kind smile deepened, radiating warmth. "Was I lying?"

A bashful smile graced Haro's lips as she confirmed, "No, it was the truth."

"Then you have nothing to worry about!" Inko declared, her voice brimming with confidence, as their heartfelt bonding moment began to fade. However, their connection was abruptly interrupted by the shrill ring of Haro's mobile phone. Inko, ever understanding, gestured for Haro to answer the call, granting her a brief reprieve from their duties at the store. "You go ahead and take that, dear. The store can do without you for a few moments."

Haro bowed politely, expressing her thanks, before hastily making her way outside to answer the call. Standing in the secluded loading area, shielded from prying eyes, her demeanour and personality underwent a striking transformation as she answered the call with a short "Yes?"

"Diner," The digitally distorted voice on the other end of the line began. "You have a new assignment."

"I am ready." She said, voice devoid of any hesitation.

A cryptic silence enveloped the conversation for a fleeting moment, before the voice continued. "Main Street has predicted a future in which the underground hero Eraserhead plays no part."

Diner affirmed, "Understood." And with a decisive click, she ended the call. As the weight of her new mission settled upon her, Diner effortlessly shed her alternate persona, slipping back into the familiar guise of Yuki Haro, the diligent store assistant. She took a deep breath, anchoring herself in the present moment.

With composed grace, Haro reentered the bustling store, her true identity concealed.

Dinner at the Midoriya’s that evening started off poorly. Inko could sense that something was bothering her son. He seemed oddly distracted and kept rubbing the back of his hand as if he was making sure it was still there. Inko had no idea what was going on, but after her phone call with Maijima, she could sense his unease and decided to address the issue as delicately as she could.

She placed a hand on the table between them in an affectionate manner as Izuku poked at his dinner, and said with a concerned voice "Izuku, Mr. Maijima called me today and said that you left class in a hurry. Is everything alright, sweetheart?" She hoped that he would open up to her, but the boy seemed hesitant to share.

The grip on his fork seemed to tighten and his gaze stayed fixed on his plate. He didn’t really know how he could breach this subject with his mom. She only knew half the story after all. True, he had abruptly left class after hearing he’d have to enter the sports festival. But she didn’t know his hand had turned into a chisel for a few hours afterward! She didn’t know about the lies he’d have to start telling about the secret All Might left him with!

He took a deep breath, and contemplated his response. "I’m sorry, Mom. I just… had something on my mind, it’s nothing to worry about, really." He looked up at his mother and feigned being fine. 

Inko searched his face, looking for more than the dismissive reply he gave her. He was responsible and thoughtful, and she trusted him implicitly, but there was an awful nagging feeling that he was keeping something important from her. "Izuku… I know you well enough to know when there’s something bothering you. You know you can come to me, no matter what it is. I’m here to support you, always."

Izuku’s heart ached at the genuine concern etched on his mothers face. It was a stark reminder of the dilemma he faced. If it wasn’t for his mom helping him pursue a new goal and cultivating his intelligence he would never have met Mei, or applied to the UA support course. If his quirk became public knowledge and they forced him into the hero course, would he be letting his mom down?

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Izuku mustered the strength to respond, "It's okay, Mom. I promise, it's nothing serious. Just a little anxiety about the sports festival."

His mother's expression softened, but the lingering worry in her eyes remained. She understood the importance of giving Izuku the space he needed to open up at his own pace, yet there was a hint of sorrow that he felt compelled to bear his burdens alone. "When you’re ready to talk about what’s worrying you, I’ll be right here, ready to listen." She reassured him, her smile brimming with genuine warmth

Grateful for her unwavering support and burdened by a twinge of guilt, Izuku could sense the sincerity behind her words. He could almost not stand to deceive her any longer. But the weight of the secret held him back. With a nod of appreciation and a faint smile, he retreated to the solace of his room, leaving his mother perplexed and pondering how best to help him.

Chapter Text

Perched atop an empty rooftop, overlooking the back streets of Musutafu City, a figure cloaked in darkness resides in the shadows. She bled into the surroundings, clad in dark purple combat gear, her flak jacket zipped up to meet the black and lavender mask concealing her identity. A utility belt, snugly wrapped around her waist, containing a multitude of useful gadgets completed the look. Every inch of the costume screamed ‘online shopping’, particularly the knee and elbow pads.

The night sky was surrendering to the creeping darkness, the woman remaining vigilant, her watchful eyes fixed upon members of the public exiting a nearby bar. Although the evening so far had been peaceful, she refused to let her guard down, sensing the usual tension of city life in the air. Flexing her fingers within her thick gloves, there was a surge of anticipation coursing through her, a thick feeling that something was about to happen.

"Help! HEEEELP!"

Instinctively, the woman scanned her surroundings, keen eyes darting from one alleyway to another in search of the scream’s origin. Leaping into action, she bounded along the edge of the rooftop, and in a seamless display of acrobatics leaped off the side. Swiftly, she fired a wire from a compact device mounted onto her forearm. The wire tautened, effortlessly pulling her towards the neighbouring building and she came to a halt, both feet affixed to the side of the wall. A new vantage point that gave her a better view of the scene unfolding.

In the alley, a woman with small rabbit ears found herself locked in a struggle with a figure covered in gleaming silver spikes. The metallic quills protruding from his body reflected the glow of a nearby streetlight. With a menacing snarl, the would-be mugger insisted “Gimme the friggin purse, ya damn carrot muncher!”

With her voice digitally altered through her mask, the vigilante said “What’s with the spiky attitude, quillhead?”

Confusion flickered across the villain's face, momentarily diverting his attention from the crime he was attempting to commit. “Who said that?! Where you at?!”

“Up here, dickhead!” She teased. Maybe the witty banter needed some work, but at least she got a response. “Yoohoo!”

As soon as ‘quillhead’ glanced up, his eyes widening in anger at the interruption, the vigilante seized the opportunity. Quickly unclipping the grapple from the wall, she descended towards her foe, heart pounding with adrenaline. With a thunk, she unleashed a powerful double-fisted strike to his head. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough, merely dazing him.

"Hah!" he barked defiantly, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Gonna need more than that to beat Quiller Killer 2!"

Maintaining her distance, she nonchalantly placed a hand on her hip. "Is that like Quiller Killer also, or Quiller Killer the second? Because buddy, that name sucks. That name really sucks, right?" With an anxious nod, the terrified rabbit girl confirmed the sentiment, clutching her purse tightly against her chest.

Unfazed by the mockery, Quiller Killer 2 spoke with conviction. "My daddy was the original Quiller Killer, and I'm here to carry on his legacy!" Determined, he braced himself for the impending clash. "Now you're gonna feel the sting of my quills!"

Without warning, he swiftly withdrew two sharp quills from his back, wielding one like a deadly sword while hurling the other towards the defiant hero. Reacting with lightning-fast reflexes, she instinctively fired a grapple line at a nearby wall, deftly propelling herself out of harm's way. The lethal quill grazed her shin, leaving a faint trail of pain, but her agility had saved her from a potentially devastating strike.

Ascending to a higher vantage point once more, the courageous vigilante taunted her relentless foe once more. “I think you made your point, Quillhead! Get it, your point?” Her momentary satisfaction was cut short as another barrage of razor-sharp quills embedded themselves in the wall, narrowly missing her. Forced to zip to the opposite side of the alley, she gritted her teeth.

With an indignant roar, Quiller Killer 2's fury erupted. "You can't get away, hero! I'm the master of pricks!"

“Dude, come on.”

Fuelled by rage, Quiller Killer 2 began relentlessly pulling more and more quills off his body, launching them with reckless abandon. Each onslaught intensified, accumulating slight injuries on the valiant hero, testing her endurance.

In a moment of resourcefulness, she swiftly retrieved a small disk from her utility belt, clicking it with her thumb. The disk buzzed with potent electricity as she gracefully dodged another flurry of quills, strategically hurling it like a deadly throwing star toward the villain

Missing completely, the disk colliding with the nearby streetlight instead. The impact created a deafening clang, accompanied by vibrant arcs of blue electricity, causing the light to flicker. Miraculously, the wayward throw spared the terrified rabbit girl, who stood rooted to the spot.

The vigilante desperately tried to save face. "Uh, I meant to do that! I was pretending to be as bad at aiming as you!"

"I'll show you who's bad at aiming!" Another quill soared through the air, aimed at the agile hero.

“Okay…last chance.” The vigilante hero took a deep breath, centering herself. Activating her quirk, she felt her vision zoom in, honing in on the exposed flesh of Quiller Killer 2’s cheek. With unwavering focus, she summoned every strength of accuracy she possessed, hurling another electrically charged disk with precision and grace. 

The disk arced through the air, trailing mesmerising blue sparks, until it struck its intended target with pinpoint accuracy. “Everyone will remember the name Quiller KillAGAGAGAGA-” His words turned into garbled cries as he collapsed to the ground with a thud. Within moments, the tenacious vigilante had him immobilised, tightly bound against the flickering streetlight.

Brushing herself down, she gingerly approached the rabbit girl, mindful of her own injuries and not putting too much pressure on her leg. "You good? Sorry that it took me so long."

The rabbit girl, her voice trembling with gratitude, managed to squeak out a response, "Th-thank you, I'm f-fine. Who are you?"

"You can call me Mei Haaa… Mayhem! Call me Mayhem!" The distant wails of approaching police sirens snapped Mayhem's attention back to the present. "Well, better go!" With a swift flick of her wrist, she fired a grapple towards the rooftop of a nearby building, gracefully ascending into the night, leaving behind a scene of justice and a grateful rabbit girl.

The next morning, Toshinori Yagi found himself seated at a table surrounded by his colleagues at UA. The gathering consisted of Principal Nezu, Recovery Girl, Midnight (who had unintentionally stumbled upon All Might’s secret after accidentally knocking him unconscious), and Sir Nighteye, once All Might’s dedicated sidekick.

Each member of this exclusive group knew of All Might’s real identity, and the truth behind his powerful quirk. These regular meetings served the dual purpose of discussing the future of One for All and identifying potential successors, while also monitoring Yagi’s physical condition.

As the gathering settled in, Principal Nezu evoked his authority with the staff and took charge of the room. “Well, I believe it is the perfect moment to commence our weekly meeting,” he announced. “Before we delve into the main agenda, we should take a moment to celebrate some good news! Heartfelt congratulations to Recovery Girl on the birth of her granddaughter!”

Yagi and Midnight showered Recovery Girl with well wishes and kind words, while Sir Nighteye maintained a stoic expression. The medical hero’s face radiated with pride as she graciously accepted the congratulations. “Thank you all so much,” she said. “We’re all very excited about this as-yet-unnamed bundle of joy! Rest assured, you can expect plenty of photos in your email inboxes!”

The heroes exchanged uneasy glances, knowing that Recovery Girl’s idea of plenty was more like an avalanche.

Returning to the main purpose of the meeting, Nezu refocused their attention. “Now, let us turn our focus to the matter of One for All. Have there been any noteworthy developments since our last gathering?”

Yagi fidgeted slightly in his seat, his discomfort evident in his body language. His sheepish expression betrayed a sense of guilt as he mustered the courage to speak up. "Well, there was a slight incident," he confessed.. "To be honest, it happened about a year ago, but back then, it didn't seem significant enough to warrant bringing it up. I was also trying to find a successor on my own, so..."

Sir Nighteye sighed heavily, rubbing his temples in frustration. "You were careless with your time again," he admonished, his tone laced with exasperation.

"Yes, I admit I was careless, but I had a good reason. There was a villain attack, and..."

Interrupting him, Sir Nighteye's voice was stern. "There is always a villain attack," he retorted, the atmosphere in the room growing noticeably colder.

Principal Nezu intervened, urging Yagi to provide further details about the incident. "Please, enlighten us about this 'incident,'" he requested, his voice measured and composed.

With a heavy sigh, Yagi began to recount the day of the slime villain attack, during which a young Izuku Midoriya inadvertently discovered his secret. "He approached me and asked if he could become a support hero, even without a strong quirk. Naturally, I assured him that it was possible," Yagi explained. "He was a smart and determined kid, but I completely forgot about the encounter until he showed up in my class."

Principal Nezu scratched his chin thoughtfully, mulling over the information. "Is there any cause for concern?" he inquired, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Yagi pondered for a moment. "I don't believe so," he responded earnestly. "I spoke to him after class, and he assured me that my secret was safe with him. In fact, he even suggested creating a thermal undershirt for me, without any prompting. I believe he genuinely wants to help."

A warm smile spread across Principal Nezu's face. "Ah, that sounds like Midoriya,"

The mention of Midoriya piqued Midnight's interest, causing her to perk up in her seat. "Midoriya? The boy with the delightful green hair?" she exclaimed. "Oh my, how delicious! He's quite a talented student, but his sense of costume design is truly atrocious!"

Recovery Girl chimed in, adding her own perspective. "I haven't interacted with the young lad much," she interjected, "but from what I've seen of his unwavering dedication to protecting his friends, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

Yagi looked around the table, a mixture of surprise and curiosity evident on his face. "Has everyone here had some run in with young Midoriya?" he questioned, genuinely intrigued.

Everyone around the table looked at Sir Nighteye expectantly.

After a moment of hesitation, he replied. “...He actually emailed me a schematic for sturdier handles on my spectacles, to prevent them from falling off during fights,"

They continued to look at him.

“...They worked perfectly.”

The group exchanged looks of mild astonishment, their attention returning to Principal Nezu, who clapped his paws together in satisfaction. "Well then," he declared, "it seems we have nothing to worry about when it comes to Midoriya. But regarding the matter of finding a worthy successor for One for All, have any promising candidates emerged?"

Yagi's expression turned thoughtful as he responded, "Not yet, but I'm hoping that through further training exercises, the answer will reveal itself. I don't want to rush into anything without careful consideration."

“Quite understandable!” Nezu affirmed, acknowledging the weight of the decision at hand. "Well, I believe we have covered everything for today's meeting. However, if anyone has any other pressing matters to discuss, please feel free to bring them up now."

“If you could all give me your thoughts on my novelette before the next meeting it would mean the world to me!” Midnight requested, hugging herself. “It’s a very steamy story!”

“You shall have my review in the usual format.” Nighteye answered, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Meanwhile, on the train ride into school, Izuku sneezed about 15 times in a row.

Chapter Text

The UA cafeteria was abuzz with lively conversations and the tantalising aromas of various dishes wafting through the air, courtesy of Lunch Rush, creating an inviting atmosphere for the students. Mei and Izuku found themselves seated across from each other at their usual table, their plates quickly cleared and pushed aside to make space for their ongoing schoolwork. Izuku was racking his brains, striving to refine his costume design to meet the specific feedback set by Midnight ("Fewer tassels"). Meanwhile, Mei was securing the last few screws onto what looked like a championship WWE belt.

In the midst of their focus, their fellow support classmate, Kazutani, suddenly approached their table and dropped a pile of arranged notes and papers in front of Izuku. Glancing down at the pages, he saw an array of intricately sketched costume designs, each featuring a model with a striking resemblance to Izuku himself. Perplexed, he asked, "What’s all this, Kazutani?"

"A thank you," The taller student responded. "The engineering tutoring you provided was remarkably helpful. To show my appreciation, I've taken the liberty of designing a series of costumes exclusively for you."

"Wow," he exclaimed, his words filled with genuine appreciation. "But, why? I mean, I don't see myself actually wearing a costume anytime soon..."

"Consider it a thought experiment. Perhaps you can incorporate some of these ideas into our class assignments. After all, I've noticed that your current costume designs, well..." His voice trailed off, accompanied by a raised eyebrow as he glanced at the less-than-impressive sketch Izuku had been working on. "They're lacking a certain flair, wouldn't you agree, Midoriya? An Elizabethan ruff, really?"

"I thought it would look regal…"

Interjecting with mock indignation, Mei lamented, "Sure wish someone would design me some cool costumes. Alas, there doesn’t seem to be anyone around here with whom I shared all my notes from Power Loader’s structural integrity lecture…" She blinked innocently.

"Maybe we could collaborate some time," he answered thoughtfully. "You’d look wonderful in something purple."

Mei choked on her water for a moment, "Y-yes, maybe!"

"Thank you for these, Kazutani! I’ll put them to good use, I promise." Izuku said to his friend, gratefully, tapping the pile of papers onto the table to line them up better, and depositing them into his backpack, as Kazutani bid them farewell and returned to his table with Kuri and Hana.

"So, speaking of hero costumes," Mei said conspiratorially, leaning forward to lower her voice, "Have you managed to… Grow your crops lately?"

Snorting with laughter, Izuku answered "It sounds really dirty when you say it like that! We’ve talked about these accidental innuendos before, Mei, remember?"

"Is this about that memory foam mattress again?"

"You asked the client if she wanted something nice and firm in her bed tonight!" Izuku said, laughing at Mei’s innocence.

"Yeah, well! I don’t notice things like that, I’m too busy working on making babies."

Izuku raised an eyebrow, "Was that one on purpose? You know, never mind." he shook his head and changed the subject. "I did figure out something pretty cool I can show you later, if I-"

His words were abruptly cut off by Uraraka, who excitedly waved and shouted from a few tables over, "Hey! Midoriya! Hatsume! Come join us!" Standing up, she pointed towards the two vacant seats at her table, a warm smile adorning her face. Mei couldn't help but notice that Uraraka had incorporated the quirk activator glove into her daily attire, which made her even happier. With a beaming smile, Mei enthusiastically waved back at her friend. Gathering their belongings, Izuku and Mei made their way over to Uraraka's table, joining a group of other 1-A students.

As they approached, a student with a head as rectangular as his glasses suddenly stood up, his movements precise and formal. Izuku couldn't help but marvel at how mature and composed he appeared for someone their age. The student introduced himself with a deep bow, exclaiming, "Hello, I am Iida Tenya." He then turned his attention to Mei, bowing so deeply that his head nearly touched the table. "Your actions during the entrance exams were instrumental in saving Uraraka’s life, and I am truly grateful. If only I had been more attentive that day..."

Uraraka gently pulled Iida back down into his seat, a hint of embarrassment visible on her face, while Mei's expression beamed with pride and gratitude. It felt wonderful to be acknowledged and thanked. With a hint of modesty, she responded, "Aw it was nothing! All in a day’s work!"

Tsuyu Asui greeted Izuku and Mei in her customary manner. "Hi Midoriya, Hatsume, ribbit. Have you met Kodai?"

Izuku and Mei turned their attention towards a quiet-looking girl with black hair, who subtly acknowledged their presence before continuing to eat her lunch.

Excitedly, Mei exclaimed, "Oh! You're the size girl!" Instantly, Kodai's face flushed with embarrassment, while Izuku discreetly tried to hide his own unease. Nonetheless, Kodai nodded silently, confirming Mei's observation.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I'm Izuku Midoriya," Izuku greeted everyone politely, feeling a slight tinge of anxiety that often accompanied meeting friends of friends. However, Mei's outspoken nature served as a fantastic buffer for any discomfort he might have felt.

Interrupting their introductions, Iida interjected, his curiosity piqued. "May I ask what your quirk is, Midoriya? As someone who finds quirk theory fascinating, I'm always eager to learn more-" His words were abruptly drowned out by an increasingly loud noise emanating from the belt that Mei was currently tinkering with. Iida's eyes widened in surprise. "Should it be making that sound?"

With a remarkably serene tone, she calmly replied, "I do not believe so, no." Izuku knew all too well that this composed demeanour signalled the impending arrival of disaster. Whenever a baby Mei worked on had the potential to explode and/or implode, she would transform into a zen monk. Bracing himself, Izuku instinctively covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut.

VWEEEEEEEESVWOOSH!!!

A brilliant blue laser beam erupted from the belt, obliterating a section of the cafeteria ceiling. In the aftermath, a bewildered student peered down through the gaping hole from the classroom above, their face a mask of confusion. However, within moments, their presence was replaced by the stern countenance of Shota Aizawa. The tired-looking teacher cast a heavy gaze upon Mei, "Detention. Both of you." With that, he retreated.

Quietly, Mei tightened the last screw. Just as she finished, a boy with an air of theatrical flair approached their table, exclaiming dramatically, "Ah! Mademoiselle! You have completed my support belt! Merci!" Snatching the belt from the table, he pranced away swiftly, leaving Izuku and Mei momentarily speechless.

Izuku finally managed to recover from the shock, turning to Mei. "What just happened?"

Mei shrugged. "There must have been some residual energy left inside the belt. Just another day in the life of Hatsume Industries, I guess."

Uraraka couldn’t contain her laughter any longer and erupted into giggles, "Everything is so interesting with you guys around!"

Amidst the laughter and lingering chaos, Iida's scandalised expression stood out amidst the sea of amused onlookers. Tsuyu chuckled softly to herself, while Kodai remained quietly engrossed in her lunch, seemingly unfazed by the spectacle.

Izuku rubbed his eyes. "Oh, you have no idea…"

The two friends were unsurprised as they entered the room to see they weren’t the only ones with detention that afternoon. It appeared Aizawa was quite trigger happy when it came to doling out punishments. Of course, it wasn’t entirely unjustified this time, considering Mei had managed to blast a hole in the ceiling. And as for Izuku, well… Izuku had uh… Izuku was there for moral support. He hadn’t actually done anything to warrant being here, but he didn’t really think about it.

Alongside Mei and Izuku, there were two other students serving their time. One was a boy from the hero course with tape dispensers growing from his elbows. The other was a student from general education, with an enormous chin that bordered on the absurd. Izuku was very glad to have gotten his muttering mostly under control in quiet situations, otherwise he could have talked up a storm speculating if the boy’s chin was connected to his quirk.

The room itself appeared to have been abandoned at some point in the early 19th century, or at least felt that way. There were faded posters depicting long-forgotten heroes on the walls and one of the two fluorescent lights above flickered - threatening to dim at any moment yet soldiering on. In one corner of the room, a substantial cobweb stretched across, hinting at a lack of regular upkeep. Given the numerous occasions when support students had caused fire damage in the past, only to find it mysteriously cleaned up the next day, it was evident that someone was responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the school. So it seemed intentional that it was left in its current state. 

Rather than the usual array of neatly arranged tables found in typical classrooms, this room boasted just four tables strategically placed at each corner. Izuku speculated that the number of tables fluctuate depending on the number of students assigned to detention.

The detentioneers weren’t allowed to use this time for any personal or school related work, which Mei immediately baulked at. The entire idea of punishing a student by having them do nothing for an hour seemed completely ridiculous to her. Izuku was feeling incredibly restless too, even after just fifteen minutes. One of the other students kept rhythmically drumming his fingers on the table. They were in one of the seats at the back of the class and neither of them could turn to see who was doing it. The inability to uncover the source of the sound felt like an additional form of punishment, Izuku thought maybe there was no one drumming their fingers, and the noise was purposefully pumped into the room to drive them insane.

This was one of those moments Mei was happy she could use her quirk without anyone noticing. It granted her the freedom to drift into daydreams and observe people from a considerable distance. This was a skill she often employed during tedious lectures that repeated information she had mastered back when she was five. In the present moment, her attention was fixated on a playful squirrel frolicking amidst the forests surrounding UA High School. However, her reverie took an unexpected turn when she spotted a woman emerging from the dense foliage. The stranger possessed vibrant red hair and appeared to be dressed in athletic wear. Mei couldn't recognize her, but she assumed the woman must work for the school in some way. She continued observing as the woman retrieved her phone and proceeded to dial a number. To her astonishment, Aizawa answered the call.

"What is it?" came Aizawa's sigh-laden voice, accompanied by a weary gesture of rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Send someone else, I'm busy... Fine, I'll be right there." Without even saying goodbye, he abruptly ended the call, rose from his chair, and addressed the remaining students in the room. "Something unexpected has come up. I'll be away for a few minutes. Remember, no one leaves until I give the order." With that, he exited the room, leaving the students on their own.

Mei returned her attention to the forest, but the woman had disappeared.

Time dragged on. With each passing moment, the absence of Aizawa became increasingly concerning. After ten minutes had stretched into twenty, and twenty had escalated to a nerve-wracking thirty-five, the student with the, genuinely, ridiculous chin from the general education department abruptly rose from his seat and exited the room. Then, ten minutes later, the hero course student offered an apology and declared that he, too, needed to get going.

Izuku, feeling a surge of unease, turned to Mei and voiced his apprehension. "Do you think we should leave too? Aizawa did tell us to stay until he came back, right?"

Mei, her face adopting a solemn expression, responded with a hint of urgency in her voice. "Izuku, you know that feeling I get in my knees right before one of my babies explodes?"

Concerned, Izuku nodded in understanding. Over time, he had learned to trust Mei's instincts. Maybe it was a side effect of her sight-based quirk, a unique attribute that enhanced her perception of imminent danger? Izuku made a mental note to ask about it later. "I feel it too, Mei," he admitted. "Something seems off."

Mei's mind quickly raced, contemplating the best course of action. "Nezu's office isn't too far from here," she suggested, to which Izuku nodded in agreement.

Principal Nezu beamed with delight as the dynamic duo entered his office, exclaiming, "Well, well, well, if it isn't our two shining stars from the support course! It's always a pleasure to see you both!" With a flourish, he placed his pen on top of a towering stack of papers, giving them his undivided attention. "Now, tell me, how can I be of assistance to the two of you?"

"Sir!" Izuku started, urgently. "It's about Eraser... I mean, Mr. Aizawa," he stumbled, his concern evident.

"We don’t know where he’s gone." Mei finished for him, confusion and mild panic evident on both of their faces. They weren’t frantic, by any means, but Nezu could sense that deep pit of worry forming from their words alone. 

Nezu nodded sympathetically, "That does seem a cause for concern." He walked over to his computer, preparing to investigate the matter. Although the circumstances were dire, a fleeting thought crossed the students' minds - how could the principal use a keyboard with paws?

After a moment of silence, Nezu spoke again. "According to our security systems, Mr. Aizawa was last seen in the teacher's lounge. Perhaps he simply forgot to sign out!"

"Could you check for us, please?" Mei requested, hoping for some resolution before they left for the day.

"Indeed, I can!" With a decisive click of the mouse, a live security feed displaying the UA faculty lounge appeared on the screen. Present Mic was sprawled across a couch, snoring with his mouth wide open, while Ectoplasm played a losing game of solitaire on his computer. However, there was no sign of Aizawa. "Curious," Nezu mused aloud. Furiously clicking and typing, he confirmed, "It seems Aizawa's faculty badge has been tampered with, preventing me from tracking his current location."

The principal scratched himself thoughtfully behind the ear, contemplating their next course of action. Then he proposed, "Miss Hatsume, if I were to grant you access to the rooftop, could you utilize your quirk to scan the area in search of our missing teacher?"

"Absolutely!" Mei replied, eager to assist in any way she could.

Izuku chimed in, offering his own assistance. "I might be able to help too, or rather, Deku can help." He gestured toward the small robot residing in Nezu's office. "If we connect their systems to UA's security feed, Deku may be able to simultaneously search every camera for a specific parameter."

"Excellent ideas, students. Please, do as you see fit." Nezu commended, his admiration for their resourcefulness shining through. Handing Mei the keys to the rooftop, he said, "Please proceed as you see fit, Miss Hatsume." Meanwhile, Izuku swiftly retrieved a USB cable from his backpack, plugging Deku into the computer for seamless integration.

Perched high above on the rooftop, Mei activated her quirk, unleashing its power to survey the sprawling perimeter of UA. From this elevated vantage point, she possessed a commanding birds-eye view, offering a panoramic 360-degree perspective. With utmost precision, she zoomed in and enhanced her vision at any flicker of movement that caught her eye. Amid her vigilant surveillance, Mei's phone vibrated with a text from Izuku, asking if she’d seen anything. Typing with a single hand, she hastily responded, "mp mpyjomh ury."

When the reply of "???" came back, Mei finally spared a moment to actually look at her phone as she typed. She swiftly texted again, this time sending the message, "No, nothing yet."

"Ok, got deku plugged into the cameras now but we’ve got nothing either"

In that very instant, far off in the distance, Mei's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a faint glimmer of light. Employing a rapid zoom, she successfully found Aizawa's presence in a small clearing, barely visible amidst the thick canopy of trees. She could see his levitating hair and the intense red glow emanating from his eyes, which likely meant that he was in a fight. Fixed on the scene, Mei witnessed a silver object hurtling towards the back of Aizawa's head, only for him to skillfully spin around and deflect it effortlessly from mid-air. It seemed that Aizawa's foe was adept at utilising the trees for cover, rendering them virtually invisible even to her enhanced vision.

With time of the essence, Mei swiftly dialled Izuku's phone, which he answered promptly. Urgently, she relayed the crucial information, "I found him! Forest! He’s fighting someone, can’t see who!"

Nezu’s voice unexpectedly crackled through the phone, "Miss Hatsume, it's me, your esteemed principal! It seems Aizawa has fallen within a communication dead zone. Is there any way you can pinpoint his precise location?"

"Yeah, but I gotta get closer. I can bounce the signal to my phone, but it's useless from up here. They're both bouncing around the trees like crazy, so giving you vague directions won’t be useful!" Mei explained, determined to find a way.

In hushed tones, Mei overheard Nezu advising Izuku to escort Deku outside while Nezu himself contacted the remaining UA staff on campus to provide assistance to Aizawa. "We appreciate your help in this matter, you’re showing the spirit of character we admire greatly in this school. If you manage to get within a practical distance, please do so, but ensure you do not expose yourself to unnecessary danger."

"Understood!" Mei affirmed resolutely before ending the call. Casting a thoughtful gaze across the rooftop, she took a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what lay ahead. "Well, I suppose this is the ultimate test of my longfall boots..." Balancing on the precipice, she tentatively extended her leg over the ledge, momentarily suspending it in mid-air. However, after a moment, she stopped herself. "On second thought, I’ll take the stairs."

Mei hurriedly caught up with Izuku and Deku, who was piggybacking on Izuku, outside the main UA building. Together, they embarked on their mission to locate the teacher. Izuku filled Mei in on what he’d managed to accomplish, with assistance from the principal, he had boosted Deku's network strength, equipping him with the ability to override the communication dampeners that the villain seemed to be utilising.

As they traversed the path towards Aizawa's last known location, their senses heightened, Mei and Izuku heard the hero’s voice echoing in the distance. "Who are you? What do you want with this school?!" The intensity and volume of his voice were far greater than they had ever heard before. It was clear that he was intentionally raising his voice, aiming to attract attention and draw people towards their position. Mei exchanged a glance with Izuku, realising that they must be getting closer when her sight quirk had stopped working, indicating they were in his line of sight - however briefly. They would now be able to activate the GPS tracker to pinpoint their exact location for the others.

Caught off guard by an attack from one side, Aizawa swiftly pivoted to deflect a projectile hurtling towards him. Yet, in his momentary distraction, he failed to perceive the impending attack from behind. The villain seemed to possess the ability to strike from multiple angles at once.

As Aizawa executed his nimble spin, turning his back to the students, her exceptional vision snapped back into action. In that critical instant, she detected a glimmer of silver as an object was set into motion, hurtling towards the teacher. Time appeared to slow down within Mei's heightened sight. Reacting swiftly, she grabbed a small stone off the ground, ready to act.

In a breathtaking display of accuracy and precision, Mei unleashed the stone with incredible force. It soared through the air, closing the gap between itself and the spoon with impeccable aim. In a hair-raising moment, the stone collided with the utensil in mid-air, grazing it mere inches away from the back of Aizawa's head. The offending weapon careened off course, embedding itself into the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Holy shit, Mei! What the hell was that?!" Izuku couldn't contain his amazement, his admiration for Mei's astonishing display of skill.

The sound of Izuku's astonished exclamation caught Aizawa's attention, momentarily breaking his concentration. It was a brief lapse that proved costly. In that fleeting moment, the dangerous assassin known as Diner seized the opportunity. With a swift, forceful kick to the back of Aizawa's head, Diner sent him sprawling to the ground, defenseless and vulnerable.

Standing over Aizawa, Diner clenched her fist tightly, filled with a deadly arsenal of forks, ready to deliver a finishing blow. However, before she could carry out her nefarious plan, a sudden impact to the side of her head disrupted her focus. It was none other than Izuku Midoriya, one hand transformed into a hammer, the other a length of rope and a grappling hook affixed to a nearby tree, which he used to close the distance between them in an instant.

Izuku stood breathless, his heart racing from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He stared down at the unconscious form of the enemy, a mix of relief and terror on his face. "Oh, jeez, oh jeez..." he panted, struggling to catch his breath and process the intensity of the moment.

Mei swiftly rushed over to the scene, her concern for the well-being of both Aizawa and the defeated villain apparent. She knelt down beside the fallen assassin, her fingers instinctively reaching for her pulse. "Izuku! Izuku, it's okay. She's alive, she's not dead," Mei reassured her friend, relieved. The impact from the boot to the back of Aizawa's head had inadvertently rendered him unconscious, his body awkwardly sprawled near a gnarled tree root protruding from the ground.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Mei and Izuku swiftly shifted their focus towards securing the incapacitated Diner. With a collective effort, they carefully employed Aizawa's capture scarf, deftly wrapping it around the villain and securing her to a sturdy tree.

As if on cue, the figures of Ectoplasm and Present Mic emerged on the scene. "You got here just in time!" She lied, speaking on behalf of Izuku, who still appeared to be in a state of shock from his first fight with a villain. "Aizawa managed to capture her, but she knocked him out somehow! It was insane, like POW! NGH!" Mei embellished her account slightly, hoping to downplay their own involvement and elevate Aizawa's heroic stature.

Izuku, still catching his breath, chimed in, trying to regain his composure. "Um, y-yeah! It was a crazy fight, but he managed to prevail in the end. He got her all tied up and ready for prison!"

Present Mic regarded the two students with a puzzled expression, trying to make sense of their account. "Got who tied up, little listener?" he questioned.

"Huh? That woman over… there…" Confusion briefly flickered across Mei's face as she turned around to point out the captive, only to be greeted by an empty pile of loosely wrapped capture tape haphazardly adorning a tree.

Chapter Text

Later the day of the incident, Mei and Izuku found themselves drinking hot cups of tea inside Principal Nezu’s office, who had graciously allowed them the space to conduct their interview. Nezu himself was sitting behind his large desk, sipping a tea of his own. 

They were joined by Izuku’s mother, who looked worried sick; and Mei’s father, Takumi Hatsume, who had a stern expression and a protective arm around his daughter. A young woman with a scruffy appearance and gentle eyes was also in the room, sitting on a chair next to a small desk, taking notes on a flip pad. The badge clipped to her shirt identified her as Detective Omasuba. She had long hair that kept getting in the way of her mouth, and she had to stop every few seconds to spit out a strand or tuck it behind her ear.

"Thank you for your cooperation, children." Principal Nezu said in a calm voice. "I know this has been a stressful afternoon for you, but we need your help on just one more thing. Detective Omasuba here has been assigned to the investigation on who attacked Mr Aizawa, and she has some questions for you. Please answer them as honestly and clearly as possible."

Omasuba nodded and smiled at them. "Hi there, I’m Detective Omasuba." She said in a friendly tone. "I’m sorry to bother you after such a scary experience, but I need your help to catch the baddies!" Flipping her pad to a new page she looked at them both with curiosity. "Is there anything, ptoo" she spat out another hair, "anything at all unique about the woman’s appearance? Extra limbs, mutations, anything like that?"

Mei instinctively looked to her father for comfort, who squeezed her shoulder reassuringly."I’m sorry but we couldn’t get a really good view of her face, but she had red hair. But, I think it might have been a wig, I’m not sure."

Izuku nodded in agreement and added, "She also wore plain black clothes, like she was going to the gym or something. It was hard to notice anything that stood out about her." He pondered this for a moment, "Do you think she did that on purpose, so she could blend in and avoid being recognised?"

The detective nodded her head, "Safe bet! You kids must have been super excited though, to see a real life villain fight." She said with a grin. "I mean, I know I would be. It’s not every day you get to witness something like that." She leaned forward and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Did you see any cool quirks in action? Any explosions or lasers?" It was at this point the two parents realised how young the detective assigned to this case was. Inko had watched enough cop shows to know that either meant she was the inexperienced newbie or the wise beyond her years prodigy.

"Detective, could we hurry this along?" Mei’s father asked, "My daughter has been through a lot today."

Apologetically, Detective Omasuba carried on with her line of questioning. "You’re right, you’re right, I shouldn’t keep you too long." She said quickly. "I just have a few more questions for you." She bit the back of her pen thoughtfully, then said "Was she carrying anything that stood out to you? Any weapons or gadgets?"

"She had a lot of forks." Izuku answered.

The kindness of Omasuba’s eyes seemed to falter momentarily, and she bit the inside of her lower lip, before asking for confirmation. "Forks? Like, a trident?"

"No," Mei interjected. "Forks like the kind you eat with, it was like she had robbed a cafe."

"She had spoons, too." Izuku added.

Omasuba’s face fell as she wrote down their answers. Forks and spoons. Great. Awesome. Her first proper case, and it was forks and spoons. This was just her luck. How was she going to explain this one to her boss? She’d worked so hard to get a good assignment, one at UA no less! And now she had to deal with this ridiculous case. She sighed and closed her pad. "Well, I think that’s everything we need from you." Omasuba said, smiling weakly. "I’ll let you get home, thank you for your cooperation."

The members of the room thanked Omasuba for her time, before Izuku directed a question at Principal Nezu. "Is Mr Aizawa alright?" he asked with concern.

"Oh yes he’s quite fine!" Nezu confirmed happily, "He was assigned to a bed in the infirmary, but knowing him he’s probably out leaping off buildings and taking down crime lords as we speak, regardless of the concussion. Recovery Girl will be absolutely furious!" he said with a laugh.

The news that Mr Aizawa hadn’t been seriously injured was comforting, and it was as if large weights had been taken off the shoulders of the two support students. Hopefully with this adventure behind them, they could get back to what was really important. Building babies.

"Alright, Izuku. Time is ticking. We only have one month left to prepare for the sports festival. What’s our strategy?!" Mei asked her friend impatiently, slamming her fist down on the metal workbench with a loud clang. They were inside the workshop of Class 1-H and It was a Sunday, so the students were not allowed to operate any of the heavy machinery. However, Power Loader had given them permission to use the space for brainstorming and small-scale crafting. Mei was the type of person who would find a way to sneak in on a weekend anyway, so it was better for the school to know that someone was there in case of an emergency or an accident.

"Simple. I’m going to build awesome support gear, showcase our skills to potential investors, and avoid drawing too much attention to myself!" Izuku replied with a bright smile. "I’m going to make a good impression, not transform into anything weird, and get knocked out in the second round!" He said, raising his thumb up.

"And I’ll be building super cute babies, dazzling the investors with my genius, defeating all the competitors, win a medal, and a cheque for 100 million yen, become super famous and have the school renamed after me!" Mei proclaimed.

"That sounds great, but I don’t think there’s a cash prize…"

"They’ll be so impressed that they’ll give me the money anyway!"

Arrayed across the surface of the desk were numerous notebooks, their covers bearing the titles "Support Notebook for the Future", followed by numbers ranging from one to sixteen. Each notebook contained a wealth of ideas the two of them had collaborated on since the start of the school year. Today, their goal was to finalise their decisions regarding the gear they were bringing to the sports festival, and to decide whether to improve their existing inventions or build something entirely new altogether.

If they were going to bring items they had already built, Mei had a lot more choice in that regard. But to Izuku’s surprise she seemed to be employing a very discerning eye, already having crossed out several items. The wrist mounted grapplers and the electric capture disks, in particular, caught his attention. He couldn’t figure out the rationale behind excluding them, but trusted she had a good reason. Either way, she was left with around three dozen options. It seemed, however, that she was leaning toward crafting something entirely new.

Izuku wasn’t short on ideas either, but there was one concept that was prominent in his thoughts. Opening notebook number sixteen, he turned to the page titled "Quirk Suppressant Gloves." As he looked over the sketches and specifications, Mei leaned in scanning the page over his shoulder.

"Are you completely sure you wanna do that?" Mei asked, with concern for her friend. "With a quirk like yours, you could easily win this entire thing."

His response was firm and unyielding. "Yeah, I’m sure, I want to make these," he asserted. "All through my life, I essentially grew up without a quirk. Sure, my ID says ‘Green Hair’, but deep down, I’ve always felt quirkless. But it never really bothered me, I never felt inferior to anyone else… But now that I have a real quirk, it feels like I’ll be expected to conform to some certain image for the sake of others." He locked eyes with Mei, who looked at him with understanding.

Earnestly, Izuku continued. "I know my quirk is strong, maybe even heroic , but… I’m not a hero! I’m just not, I’m an inventor! Being a hero takes so much more than having a strong quirk, there are so many other qualities you need. But building? Engineering? That, I know I’m good at. If I use my quirk at the festival and everyone sees it, I’m going to be that support kid with the powerful quirk, and not the support kid with the great inventions."

Mei, to her credit, listened attentively while the thoughts rattling around in Izuku’s mind finally poured forth. There was a brief pause, filled with understanding, before Mei finally broke the silence.

"...You seemed pretty heroic when you cold clocked that assassin lady with a hammer." she reminded him with admiration.

A half-smile tugged at the corners of Izuku's lips. "Heh... Speak for yourself," he replied, "You saved Aizawa's life with a pebble. How did you even do that, anyway?"

"I’ll tell you if you tell me how you turned one hand into a hammer and the other into a freaking grappling hook !"

Izuku thought for a moment, retracing the memory, then answered. "Well it was like… I had this feeling in my head that I needed to get over there really fast. Like it was all that was on my mind, I had to be fast . I was going to run over there, but next thing I know, my left hand is made of rope and there’s a claw at the end of it!" His voice was filled with a sense of awe and bewilderment, still trying to make sense of it all.

Mei's expression morphed into one of astonishment, her eyes widening with excitement. She couldn't contain her enthusiasm as she shook Izuku by the shoulders, a burst of energy propelling her forward. "A subconscious activation?! Izuku, this is an incredible breakthrough!" she exclaimed, her words tumbling forth in a rush of exhilaration. "Were you even thinking of anything related to grappling hooks?! What if your quirk allows you to manifest items you've never even seen before, solely because they fulfil a specific need or purpose?! The implications of this discovery are absolutely astounding!""

Izuku nodded, his mind racing with the same possibilities that consumed Mei's thoughts. "I've been thinking the same thing," he admitted. "But I believe it might be stress-related... Whenever my quirk, um... evolves, I guess? There's always been a degree of stress or a problem I needed to overcome."

A mischievous grin curved Mei's lips as a playful idea sparked in her mind. "So, all I need to do is stress you out, and your quirk will grow stronger?" she teased.

"Please don’t."

A theatrical gasp escaped Mei's lips as she dramatically pressed the back of her hand against her forehead. "It's too late, Izuku!" she exclaimed, pretending to be overwhelmed. "I'm pregnant! And it's yoooours!!"

Izuku looked down at his hands, which remained normal and untransformed. "Nah, nothing."

"Poo," Mei pouted.

"Anyway!" Izuku diverted the topic of conversation expertly, "Now it’s your turn. What was up with your aim?! That throw you did wasn’t just incredible it was… Improbable!"

A grin of pride adorned Mei's face as she basked in the admiration of her friend. "You're not the only one who can find out new things their quirk can do!!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Izuku's curiosity ignited. "That was part of Zoom? Mei, that's so cool! So, how does it work? How did you figure it out?" It was difficult to contain the barrage of questions he had.

Enthusiastically, Mei started to delve into her quirk. "I actually found it out it not too long ago!" she began. "When I zoom in, I realised that there's a whole bunch of external information and noise within a 5km radius. So when I want to focus on what I want, I can just filtering out all the unnecessary clutter and distractions."

Izuku nodded, "So, being able to aim for a specific spot is just like, a single aspect of the quirk?"

Mei confirmed his assumption. "Exactly! Like, anyone with normal sight can look at a target and say, 'I'm gonna hit that,' and end up missing, but my when I really focus I can better align my aim. It's like my brain has become attuned to pinpointing targets! It makes it way easier for me to hit them accurately, especially if they're not too far away." Her smile was radiant as she continued, "I've been practising at home. I still have to concentrate really hard, but I've gotten pretty good at it."

A mischievous glint danced in Izuku's eyes as a challenge presented itself. "...How good, exactly?" he asked.

Moments later, the workshop buzzed with anticipation as Izuku stood at one end, holding two partially opened pairs of pliers, one in each hand, extended before him. Mei positioned herself at the opposite end, clutching two coins tightly. "Are you ready?" she shouted across the expanse of the workshop. "Try not to move too much. But don't make it too easy for me!"

"Ready!" Izuku shouted back.

With a swift flick of her wrist, reminiscent of throwing a throwing star, Mei launched the first coin across the workshop with remarkable force. It sailed through the air, exhibiting minimal rotation. At the halfway mark, she released the second coin.

Time seemed to stand still as the two coins arced through the air, hurtling toward their respective targets. In a moment of awe-inspiring precision, the two coins found their mark, landing flawlessly inside the partially opened pliers. The workshop reverberated with the satisfying sound of a resounding "CLINK CLINK." Izuku's mouth formed a perfect "O" shape as he erupted in joyous cheers, and swore loudly.

Chapter Text

Amidst the labyrinthine alleyways at the heart of the city, a hidden switch had been cleverly concealed between the bricks of ancient masonry, waiting for someone to press it and reveal the secret passage. Once pressed, a door would swing open with a creak, inviting the person to descend a metal staircase spiralling down into the dark depths. Those who dared to follow it would find themselves in a long and narrow corridor, illuminated by an eerie glow, leading them to the heart of 'The Market'. This place was known only to a select few, a hidden sanctuary for the assassins who worked in the shadows of Musutafu. It used to be one of many such places, but now it was the last one standing - and barely so.

The wear and tear inside the building was evidence of the years of neglect suffered by both the building and the clandestine organisation. The lights flickered and buzzed, barely illuminating the darkness. The walls were cracked and crumbling, revealing the bare concrete underneath, and the murals that once adorned them were faded and chipped, losing their colour and detail. Diner walked into this forsaken underworld, feeling a mixture of shame, rage, and pain. Her face was pink from the blood dripping from her head wound, as well as from the humiliation she had just experienced.

With fiery indignation, Diner tore off the red wig she was wearing for her assignments, revealing the raven-black hair beneath, and hurled the wig onto a makeshift wooden crate that doubled as a table. Her intention was to retreat to the private quarters where the meagre furnishings offered little comfort but privacy, allowing her to tend to both her physical and emotional wounds. However, before she could make her escape, the air was filled with the distinct sound of harsh, rhythmic clapping.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Well, well, well, look who has decided to grace us with her presence once again," a woman with long, pink hair extending in a gradual curve from the back of her head spoke, perched atop a towering metal storage unit. Her voice dripped with equal parts sarcasm and arrogance, relishing in the opportunity to belittle Diner. "Seems like our newbie has returned from yet another 'phenomenal' mission!"

With a graceful leap, the woman descended from her perch, landing in front of Diner with eerie silence. Her piercing gaze locked onto Diner's face as she lifted the wounded assassin's chin with a single, gloved finger, examining the injuries with an air of dismissiveness. She tsked in disapproval before flicking Diner's head away, casting off any concern. Diner spoke no words, but her expression said everything.

The long-haired woman ran her tongue over her teeth, a gesture brimming with subtle malice. "You should clean up that mess before you become an even bigger disappointment," she taunted, turning on her heel and striking an exaggerated pose with both hands behind her head. "If you're lucky, you might find Barbershop around here somewhere. He probably has some first aid supplies for you! Or maybe you'd prefer to bleed out right here. Your choice, really."

"That's enough, Museum," a commanding voice, weathered by age and experience, resounded from the background of the chamber, instantly asserting its authority over the situation.

Museum's tone transformed in an instant, where derision and vitriol once resided, sweetness and rainbows took their place. She adopted an innocent demeanour, her voice tinged with a saccharine quality. "Oh, High Street, I was just kindly telling little Diner here about the best place to tend to that nasty injury of hers!" Her words carried a distinct air of insincerity.

"I said, that's enough now." The elderly gentleman, towering over Diner with an imposing presence, interrupted with a voice that demanded attention. His casual attire belied the strength and wisdom that emanated from him. His bushy moustache and balding head added character to his weathered face, which told tales of a hard upbringing and a life filled with harder experiences. Despite his imposing appearance, his smile exuded a surprising comfort. "Go help Barbershop plan for the next assignment, go on."

Museum, with a short and seemingly sincere bow, hurriedly scurried away into the depths of The Market, vanishing. Diner acknowledged the older man with a nod of gratitude. "Thank you, Master High Street," she offered politely.

High Street laughed once, a sound that held both a hint of harshness and a touch of affection. "I am no one's master, Diner. We don't believe in those titles anymore. We're all working towards the same goal, as equals." His voice carried a wisdom that seemed to transcend his physical appearance. With a gentle inclination, he leaned down, his weathered hands carefully moving Diner's hair away from the cut on the side of her head. The wound looked painful and angry, but she remained stoic, refusing to show any signs of discomfort. Except, perhaps, the pain that gnawed at her wounded ego.

"We should get this cleaned," High Street remarked.

Before long, he had procured a damp towel and began to dab at the injury with meticulous care and attention. "Now, Diner, I would like to hear your post-mission report, if you don't mind."

"The target was located at the high school. I lured him to an unpopulated area and disabled the communication networks to minimise interference. The confrontation proved to be more challenging than anticipated. His quirk nullified my own, forcing me to retreat into the cover of the trees. He was fast, and a formidable hand-to-hand combatant."

"Diner," High Street interjected, his voice assuming a stern, almost parental tone. "Did you conduct any research on Shota Aizawa before embarking on this mission?"

The rookie assassin hesitated for a moment. "I... Time was of the essence, and I believed it was better to strike early and swiftly, without delving into extensive research."

High Street's expression turned grave, a mixture of concern and disappointment etched across his face. "Knowledge is power. A thorough understanding of your target's capabilities is crucial for your success and safety. You must remember that haste can sometimes lead to costly mistakes."

Diner, feeling a pang of regret for her impulsive actions, replied with a sombre tone, "Yes, Master High Street." She couldn't help but notice a fleeting sigh escaping High Street's lips, hinting at an unspoken disdain for the title she had attributed to him.

As High Street prepared to stitch the wound on Diner's head, he glanced at the injury, his eyes lingering for a moment before he spoke again. "Was Aizawa the one responsible for this?" His eyes shifted to the gash, now being tended to with a steady hand.

"No," Diner responded, a trace of bitterness lacing her words. "There were students... heroics students, I believe. One with a precision aiming ability, while the other had a transformative quirk. They seemed inexperienced and unsure, which made them reckless."

High Street nodded, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. "These heroics schools often prioritise the 'might makes right' philosophy, neglecting the importance of restraint and control. It's no wonder they struggled to dial back their power." Focusing intently on his task, he skillfully completed the stitches, his movements precise and practised. "Diner, if you were to come face-to-face with either of these students again, would you recognize them?"

Diner's response was uncertain. "Perhaps."

"I'll inform Barbershop," High Street replied with a determined tone. "We'll gather a comprehensive list of the current hero students at UA to keep an eye on things. But for now, I don't see the need to escalate any further."

“And Aizawa?” Diner asked.

High Street's countenance remained serious as he contemplated the question. "The vision involving Aizawa is still pending, yet to be realised. But for the time being, I want you to rest and recuperate. The others can handle things." With a gentle touch, he moved a lock of hair away from behind Diner's ear, covering the stitched wound with care.

“Thank you, Master.”

With a mixture of affection and insistence, he gently corrected her once more, "Diner, my dear, I am not your master. We are comrades, equals on this treacherous journey we undertake together."

The sun-drenched playing field at UA High, situated in the centre of a number of buildings designed for specific combat purposes, buzzed with anticipation. The class of 1-A was awaiting the arrival of their regular combat instructor, Eraserhead. Just then, a figure appeared on the scene with a burst of shocking energy, it was All Might, exuding his trademark gusto! 

“Hello students! I am here… To teach you how to fight!”

Reiko Yanagi, her delicate features showing concern for her teacher, hesitantly brushed her hair out of her eyes and voiced her apprehensions softly, “I thought this class was with Eraserhead? Has a dark fate befallen our tutor..?”

“A dark fate?!” The symbol of peace widened his eyes in shock before quickly regaining his composure. From behind the back of his hand, he said in an enigmatic tone “Your usual teacher is taking the week off, for secret hero business. ”

Kirishima, a beacon of unwavering enthusiasm, couldn't contain his excitement. His fist shot up into the air as he exclaimed, "Woah, super manly!

With a theatrical flourish, All Might gestured towards an electronic board next to him. "Behold, my young heroes! On this super special electronic board, you shall find your name alongside your training partner for today's exercise!" he announced. "If any issues arise, please..." All Might struck another incredible pose, as if channelling the very essence of heroism, "Don't hesitate to bring them to my attention!"

The board shimmered to life, displaying a list of combat team-ups for the morning's exercise. All Might proceeded to provide a detailed explanation for each combination of students.

"Ashido versus Todoroki!" All Might's voice rang out, catching the attention of the two students. "Your mission, young Ashido, is to acclimate your acid to colder temperatures! And young Todoroki, I'd like you to focus on practising your dodging and evasion techniques against a long-range fighter!" The students exchanged glances, a mix of focus and curiosity shining in their eyes as they absorbed their unique objectives.

Next, All Might's booming voice announced, "Jiro versus Kaminari!" Jiro and Kaminari turned their attention towards their instructor, eager to hear the challenge that awaited them. 

"The aim of the game this time is stealth!" All Might continued, "Young Kaminari, I would like you to work on lowering the output of your electricity to prevent Jiro here from detecting you with her earphone jacks! Jiro, your goal is to find and incapacitate him without suffering any shocks!" The two students nodded, eager to begin. All Might added, "You'll both be using Stealth Building B for this task, so make the most of it!"

All Might's voice boomed again. "Iida versus Sero!" he announced, directing the attention of the two students towards him. "Young Iida, your speed and reflexes are becoming remarkable, but you still need to work on ground-to-air combat. Young Sero, the opposite applies to you! I'd like you both to practise your agility and versatility! Remember, the goal of today's class is to learn from your classmates and grow stronger together!" The students exchanged a glance, a shared drive to push their limits evident in their expressions.

"Asui versus Shoji!" he exclaimed, focusing his attention on the two individuals. "Young Shoji, your ability to attack from multiple angles at once is the perfect training exercise for young Asui! Practise your dodging and countering, and strive to improve your reaction times and combat adaptability!" 

Moving on to the next pair, All Might announced. "Uraraka versus Kodai!" directing his attention to the two students. "Young Kodai, the effects of zero gravity should present a unique challenge for you! Develop new techniques to counteract its influence and improve your control over your quirk. Uraraka, this training will help you learn how to deal with opponents who utilise a multitude of projectiles. Let's see you increase the limit of how many objects your quirk can affect at once!" Uraraka and Kodai shared determined looks, eager to rise above the challenges that awaited them.

"All right, Kirishima versus Fukidashi!" All Might declared, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Young Kirishima, I want you to train your ability to adapt to unpredictable situations and continue fighting even when faced with unconventional attacks!" All Might continued, "Young Fukidashi, your greatest weapon is your imagination and your ability to improvise! Take this training opportunity to push the boundaries of your creativity and let your quirks shine!" With their spirits fueled by their mentor's encouragement, Kirishima and Fukidashi were fully prepared to engage in a battle that would test their resilience and resourcefulness.

As the list of combat pairings continued, All Might's attention turned to Yanagi and Komori. "Yanagi versus Komori!" he announced with a grin. "I'd like the two of you to train your abilities to maintain focus! Both of you possess a wonderful knack for distraction, but I'd like to see how you fare when placed on the opposite side of the table!" All Might's words intrigued Yanagi and Komori. "You'll both be fighting in Apartment Building A," he added, with some excitement. "It's fully furnished, providing ample opportunities for you to utilise your quirks strategically!"

"Bondo versus Tsunotori!" he proclaimed next. "Young Bondo, I want you to help young Tsunotori learn how to deal with limited mobility. Additionally, this training will be excellent for you to learn how to counter a long-range attacker!" All Might turned his attention to Tsunotori. "I'm aware that you're currently capable of controlling six of your horns at a time, let's see you pump those numbers up and unlock your full potential!"

“Shishida versus Yaoyorozu!" All Might announced, turning his attention to the two students. Shishida's muscles tensed in anticipation, while Yaoyorozu's analytical mind raced with strategies. "Young Shishida, your strength is undoubtedly a great boon," All Might began. "However, you need training in knowing when not to rush in blindly." Shishida nodded, recognizing the importance of control and strategy in battle. 

All Might's eyes then shifted to Yaoyorozu. "Young Yaoyorozu, I challenge you not to defeat your opponent, but to capture him! Build traps and tricks to ensnare your foe!" All Might declared. "Also, your training will be a little different to the others, I expect to see no physical injuries!" He held up a small sheet of glitter stickers, each one representing a marker of success. "Young Shishida, your task is to learn to control the beast within. Attach each of these small glitter stickers to Yaoyorozu, without causing any harm to her person, and you shall emerge victorious!" A combination of commitment and creativity filled them, as Shishida and Yaoyorozu prepared to face each other in a test of strength, strategy, and control.

Finally, All Might's gaze settled upon Shoda, the last student on the list. "Last but not least, young Shoda," he exclaimed, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "Your combat opponent is... ME! Use the full extent of twin impact against me, trust me, I CAN TAKE IT!” The words hung in the air, causing a stir of surprise and anticipation among the students. All Might's daring challenge to face him head-on invigorated Shoda, who took a deep breath, ready to unleash the full extent of his quirk against the symbol of peace himself. 

“You all have fifteen minutes of preparation, and I have one last announcement to make! Today we’ll be joined by the members of support class 1-H. They'll be watching your fights to see what improvements or additions can be made to your costumes, so give them a good show!”

The support students of 1-H found themselves taking a well-deserved break on a cosy hill nearby the training ground as All Might explained the training to his class. They were sprawled out, basking in the warm rays of the sun and relishing a few precious moments of relaxation. 

Akari Hana was spilling the beans on the latest rumours and gossip she’d picked up about the upcoming sports festival. Animatedly, she said, “I heard, in the first round, they’re giving everyone swords ! Then everyone fights until there’s only one person left, Battle Royale style!”

Miki Yamashita raised an eyebrow sceptically, and interjected, “Hold on a sec, Hana. How would they even score that?” Yawning and struggling to stifle it, she added, “I mean, it sounds a bit far-fetched, don’t you think?”

“Maybe they could use fake swords with sensors, so they can detect who got hit and how hard,” Izuku suggested. “Or maybe they could use paint swords, so they can see who got stained the most.”

“That sounds boring!” Mei said, rolling her eyes. “It would be more fun if the swords were real and had engines! You could rev them up like a chainsaw and cut through anything!” She made a slashing motion with her hands, making a loud vroom sound.

Kuri joined the conversation with his own rumour. “I've been working on some cool stuff for the festival. One of the seniors told me there’s going to be a cavalry battle in the second round. You have to form teams of four and ride on someone’s back. And then you have to collect bandanas from other teams that have different point values.”

The rest of the students laughed, dismissing the idea as too ridiculous, but were abruptly halted as Mei eagerly called their attention back to reality. “Hey, look alive everyone, the heroes are back.” With renewed energy, the support class quickly scrambled off the ground. Amidst the commotion, Hana let out an unexpected fiery sneeze, narrowly missing Kazutani with a sizzling fireball. After a slight pause, they all started laughing again. 

The hero students of Class 1-A were now in full costume, had discussed training strategies with their partners and were ready to battle.

The support students of Class 1-H were now fully caffeinated, notebooks and tablet computers on hand, and ready to criticise some children’s costume design choices.

Plus Ultra.

Chapter Text

The two classes stood at the edge of Training Arena C, a specially designed battleground for ground-to-air combat. The arena was flanked by eight towering columns strategically placed along the edges, designed to provide height, cover and obstacles.

As the students waited with fervent anticipation, All Might bellowed out the first combatants. “Our first match will be between Tenya Iida and Hanta Sero!" The two students stepped forward, taking their positions on opposite sides of the vast battleground. With a powerful swing of his arm, All Might signalled the commencement of the fight. "BEGIN!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Iida quickly activated his engines, unleashing an explosive burst of power that sent him hurtling forward with the ferocity of a speeding bullet. His body became a blur of motion as he closed the distance between himself and Sero in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a dazzling trail of sparks that illuminated the arena with a display of his incredible speed.

Sero wasn’t one to be caught off guard so easily! With a keen eye and sharp reflexes, he managed to anticipate Iida’s attack and narrowly evaded a powerful right hook that had been aimed at his jaw. Using his quirk, Sero fired tape from his elbows pulling him out of harm’s way, barely escaping the blow by a mere hair’s breadth.

Recognising the effectiveness of maintaining a higher position, Sero formulated a plan to capitalise on that advantage. By staying above Iida, he could force his opponent to come to him! Although Iida possessed incredible speed and mobility on the ground, aerial combat was a considerable challenge. His quirk wasn’t designed for the air, leaving him at a huge disadvantage when it came to bridging the gap between himself and Sero.

Undeterred, Iida’s mind raced, searching for a solution to overcome these evasive tactics. There had to be some way to turn the tables! But the absence of anything like a ramp meant launching himself skyward would be no easy task… Without a suitable vantage point, his jumps alone fell short of what he needed.

Sero felt a surge of confidence coursing through his veins. Seizing the opportunity to press his advantage, he extended two elongated strands of his tape from his elbows, anchoring them to the ground on either side of his agile classmate. Pulling on the taut strands, he propelled himself forward with his legs fully extended, generating a tremendous surge of momentum that rocketed him towards Iida.

With his target in sight, Sero unleashed a forceful kick directly at his opponent! Unluckily for the tape hero, Iida knew the attack was coming. At the precise moment Sero's foot was about to connect, Iida executed a precise turn, spinning on a dime and evading the strike with impeccable timing. In a display of remarkable precision and agility, Iida jumped, extending his own leg outward.

With a battle cry of "ENGINE KICK!", Iida's leg connected with unyielding force, striking Sero squarely in the face. The impact was nothing short of devastating, propelling Sero across the arena like a ragdoll. His body crashed into one of the towering columns with a thunderous impact that reverberated through the arena. Clouds of dust and debris billowed into the air.

“Tenya Iida is the winner!” All Might announced with his trademark enthusiasm. “Young Sero!” he yelled across the arena to the crumpled body on the opposite side, “Should we get Recovery Girl?”

After a moment, Sero gave a little wave from amidst the rubble and shouted back, “Nah, I’m good…”. Meanwhile, Iida couldn't help but feel remorseful for his victory, apologetically bowing to his opponent again and again.

With the battle concluded, All Might turned his attention to the rest of the class, their eyes fixed on the explosive bout they had just witnessed. "Wonderful!" He exclaimed, "Would anyone like to share their insights on how our young friends can strive to make improvements?"

Momo Yaoyorozu, respectfully, raised her hand and wasted no time in sharing her thoughts. "There seemed to be an issue with confidence levels on both sides of the fight," she observed. "Iida appeared to stumble when Sero took to the air, as if he had resigned himself to being incapable of aerial combat. It's a noticeable flaw in his quirk, and his opponent quickly recognised and took advantage of that."

Iida nodded in acknowledgement, a bashful tone to his voice. "Yes, it is quite an embarrassing flaw," he admitted humbly. "But it's one that I hope to remedy, to become a more well-rounded hero."

All Might turned to the class, seeking their input for Iida's training focus. "Astute observations, young Yaoyorozu!" He commended. "Any suggestions for an area where young Iida could concentrate his efforts?"

Without missing a beat, Yamashita from the support course shared her ideas on the matter. "We could design a support item that redirects the engines to a different angle, specifically aimed towards the ground. That way, he might be able to gain some height." She proposed, casually activating her quirk and summoning a banana, which she nonchalantly started to eat.

"Yo, this chick has banana powers?!" Kaminari blurted out in amazement.

All Might nodded, acknowledging the value of Yamashita's suggestion. "A support item could indeed prove to be a valuable resource!" He affirmed. "Additionally, I would suggest focusing on honing your acrobatics and climbing skills. I can see at least six different ways you could have climbed the pillars surrounding the arena."

Eager to keep the conversation flowing, All Might turned the attention towards Sero's performance. "And what of young Sero? Any insights on areas where he can make improvements?"

"He got too cocky, ribbit. Sorry Sero," Asui remarked, a hint of empathy in her tone.

Sero, taking responsibility for his actions, didn't shy away from admitting his mistakes. "No, you're totally right!" He confessed. "I saw what I thought was a perfect opening so I went for it without really thinking. It was a stupid move, thinking I could go for close combat. I should have strategized and attacked from a distance." 

"I can only apologise for the force of my kick, the momentum of both our speeds may have made me a tad overzealous." Iida said.

Still nursing the giant lump on his head, Sero brushed off the apology with a casual response. "Nah, don't sweat it, dude! I wish I could say it's the first time I've been kicked across a room…"

Turning his attention to the support students, All Might struck a dramatic pose and boomed "Alright folks, let's hear some genius ideas to enhance young Sero's combat skills!"

Izuku pondered the question, and thoughtfully answered. "Hmm, maybe we could come up with a way for Sero to gather a ball of tape in a container, then he could shoot it out as a projectile."

"Like a tape bomb!" Mei helpfully added.

Kazutani also added his perspective, "We also have to do something about those dreadful shoulderpads, they make you look like a Digimon. Do they serve any practical purpose, other than hindering your arm movements?"

Slightly embarrassed, Sero sheepishly admitted, "uh… no not really. I just thought that they looked kind of cool…"

“Buh,” All Might stuttered, “LET’S MOVE ON! Our next fighters, Ashido and Todoroki if you please!”

While the training session moves along, it’s time to check in on everybody’s favourite teacher! No, not Snipe… Eraserhead!

Perched on the edge of a building in Musutafu City, Eraserhead sat cross-legged, phone in hand. "You haven't heard anything at all?" 

The bright sun was at his back, but even so, the intensity of the day was causing some discomfort to his sensitive eyes. It had been a gruelling 36 hours since he last slept, but at least the migraine he had been nursing was starting to ease. Or maybe he was just ignoring the pain.

On the other end of the line, Mt Lady's voice chimed in, "Naw, nobody using any forks that I've seen. Super weird question though, how did you even get this number-" Eraserhead abruptly ended the call, and rubbed his tired eyes with his palms.

"This is getting me nowhere." He muttered to himself, standing up and stretching. For the past day and a half, he had been scouring every seedy nook and cranny for any clues or hints of crimes involving cutlery.

The closest lead he had stumbled upon was a wealthy investor named Dakamoto, who had been discovered dead in his office with four puncture wounds on his neck, like they came from a fork. However, a DNA analysis had indicated that he had been alone in the room. The police were close to ruling it an accidental death, due to the wounds being similar in size to the needles the deceased could fire from his wrists.

Eraserhead couldn't help considering the possibility someone else had removed any traces of another person's presence. Sometimes a room could be too clean. There was another peculiar aspect to the case: Dakamoto's two top security officers, who were supposed to be present at the party he had hosted, had mysteriously vanished. According to records, they had taken an impromptu trip to Europe together on the day following the event. Nobody had heard from either of them since.

Other heroes operating in Musutafu had been little assistance. Along with Mt Lady's lack of help, he'd gotten nothing from Death Arms, Kamui Woods, or Edgeshot. He'd even succumbed to asking the skateboard hero 900 if he'd seen anything, but the kid just called Eraserhead a dweeb and did a 540 heelflip away from him. If the heroic community wasn't getting him answers, it was time to get into the underbelly.

"No freaking way, man! Seriously, I swear, that's everything I know!" The skull faced man screamed, suspended like a bat from the rafters of the dimly lit warehouse. His body was tightly bound in bandages, twisted around a sturdy beam. It was Eraserhead, with an impressive grip, who held him in that precarious position. While he swung back and forth with a slow, ominous rhythm, Eraserhead fixed his eyes on the desperate man, wearing his typical deadpan expression.

"This is all small time information you've given me, Skullcap. I'm aiming higher than petty crime. You always know something. Or would you prefer I tell your parole officer about your little side gig? Counterfeit wristwatches could put you in Tartarus…" Eraserhead taunted, a faint smirk dancing on the edge of his lips.

"H-hey man, we're friends, right?! You wouldn't do something reckless like that to me, would ya? But seriously, I'm telling you the god's honest truth! I'm as clueless as a newborn baby when it comes to cutlery! Now can ya do me a solid and LET ME DOWN?! My head feels like a tilt a whirl!" Skullcap pleaded, equal parts desperate and confused.

Without a word, Eraserhead slowly released his grip on the bandage he held, the tension abruptly vanishing, causing Skullcap to plummet to the floor with a thud. To add insult to injury, the impact of the fall caused his head to detach from his body, bouncing off and rolling up to Aizawa's feet. The head looked up at him with an annoyed expression.

"For crying out loud, couldn't you have been a little more delicate with the landing?!" Skullcap's headless body scrambled awkwardly out of the tangled mess of bandages, stumbling around aimlessly with outstretched arms. Eraserhead, unfazed, casually nudged the detached head with his foot, sending it rolling back towards the disoriented corpse, who promptly picked it up and placed it back on his shoulders. "Real nice of ya, Eraser…"

"Listen up, Skullcap, tread carefully. If I catch you breaking parole again, that head of yours is mine to keep." He left no room for doubt or negotiation.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever, man. Oh, by the way, next time you find yourself in the company of your hero pals, give that Mayhem chick a heads up, will ya? She's been the bane of my existence lately! Eight of my uh... buddies, are currently behind bars thanks to her meddling!" Skullcap blurted out.

Eraserhead, intrigued by the mention of this Mayhem character, raised an eyebrow. He had no previous knowledge of anyone of that name, but perhaps this little tidbit could lead him down an unexpected path. Without uttering another word, he skillfully deployed his capture scarf, propelling himself upwards and effortlessly making his exit through the open skylight above. Maybe this Mayhem could hold the key to unravelling a deeper mystery. 

“Mayhem? Yeah, that rings a bell!” Detective Omasuba exclaimed, leaning back in her chair. She rummaged through the chaotic mess of papers on her desk, swiping a stack and sending them flying into a nearby wastepaper basket. Omasuba moved her attention to the keyboard that was hidden beneath the paper, and with a few keystrokes the printer hummed to life and churned out three crisp pages. Each one containing valuable nuggets of information about the vigilante known as Mayhem.

“Hope you don’t mind, Eraserhead. I’m an old-school kinda detective,” Omasuba explained with a playful grin, tearing open a chocolate bar and taking a bite. “I like to work analog, you know? Makes it easier to digest. And man, this case is starting to sound pretty cool! Vigilantes roaming the streets, kickin’ bad guys’ butts left and right! You must get to see some wild stuff, huh?”

Eraserhead opted to tune out Omasuba’s enthusiastic rambling. He wasn’t exactly thrilled that she had been assigned to the case, but he knew he had to stay focused. His eyes scanned the freshly printed documents, searching for anything that might stand out to him.

The reports on Mayhem painted a picture of a vigilante who had left behind a trail of minor skirmishes and encounters with low-level criminals. These incidents were all concentrated within the boundaries of Musutafu. While they weren't earth-shattering in nature, they had managed to create a reputation for Mayhem in the city. The reports mentioned incidents such as busting drug deals, interrupting a mugging or two, and even some instances of scaring off a few playground bullies.

According to eyewitnesses, Mayhem was most likely a female, donning a mask with a built-in voice synthesiser. The reports consistently described her as around 5 feet 2 inches in height. But what intrigued Eraserhead the most was the constant chatter attributed to Mayhem. She talked. A lot. Every civilian interview mentioned her penchant for relentless banter, constantly delivering jabs and insults to the criminals she encountered. Could it be a taunt-activated quirk? It was a possibility.

Eraserhead turned the page, his attention piqued by a particular mention in the document. "Omasuba," he interrupted, pointing to a specific section. "I need to see the crime scene photos for this case right here." It was the only recorded instance where Mayhem had managed to take down not one, but three criminals simultaneously. The circumstances surrounding that encounter could shed some light on Mayhem's true capabilities.

Omasuba, her mouth still partially stuffed with chocolate, arched an eyebrow in response to Eraserhead's request. "Sure thing, boss." she mumbled, hastily wiping the remnants of chocolate from her lips. With a few quick keystrokes, she manoeuvred her way around the computer, eventually turning the monitor to face Eraserhead. "Got the pics right here."

The screen displayed a trio of imposing figures, two of them with their legs entangled in bolas. The images hinted at the presence of some electrifying force in the bolas, as evidenced by the scorch marks and smoky wisps surrounding the immobilised men. But it was the third man that captured Eraserhead's attention, leaving him very intrigued. The man was suspended against a wall, his wrists and ankles firmly bound by strips of wire adorned with sharp claws that were embedded in the solid surface, holding him aloft. The frozen image depicted him in a mid-run position, as if caught in the midst of a desperate motion. It was a sight that completely defied logic. If Mayhem had acted alone, the level of accuracy and precision required to execute such a capture was nothing short of astounding.

The only recent encounter that had showcased a similar level of precision had been the failed assassination attempt on his own life. If there was a connection between Mayhem and the assailant who had targeted him, he needed to uncover it. 

But if there was a connection between them, why would Mayhem be trying to kill him?

The training session with All Might had drawn to a close, leaving the support students armed with a laundry list of new gear to build. Given the small size of the support class, the aspiring inventors were each assigned a number of students to assist. To their modest relief, this time the second-year support class would be helping class 1-B. 

Izuku glanced down at the list of assignments he had been tasked with and let out a sigh of frustration. "Alright, let's see... I'll be working on Sero's new projectiles, designing an ammo belt for Kodai, crafting new speakers for Jiro, and... uh, I guess I signed up for something related to Komori, but I'm drawing a complete blank on ideas for that one, not sure why I volunteered for that…" he muttered. In hindsight, he questioned his past self's decision-making skills.

Mei smirked at her friend's predicament, tilting her head and fixing her gaze on him. "Oh, come on, Izuku. It's pretty obvious why you volunteered for Komori's project. The moment you saw her in that dress you were practically tongue-tied," she teased.

Izuku's face instantly flushed a deep shade of crimson as he stuttered, desperately trying to deny Mei's claims. “W-what!? N-no I didn’t, that’s not what, I’m not, she’s not,” His eyes darted from side to side as he waved his arms in protest, “She’s not my type, honest!“

Laughing at his reaction, enjoying his embarrassment, Mei decided to push him a little further. “Not your type, huh? What is your type, anyway?” She prodded.

Izuku could feel his face growing hotter by the second as he struggled to answer. Admitting that he had a crush on someone was the last thing he wanted to do. Every word that escaped his lips only served to reveal his secret. "I-I don't know, I mean, I guess I like um... shorter girls, brunettes, I guess..." He trailed off, the realisation hitting him that he was describing Komori.

His expression spoke volumes. With a laugh, she patted her friend’s shoulder. "People who can grow mushrooms all over your body and make you sneeze spores?" she teased. "Good luck, buddy."

Izuku buried his face into his hands and groaned.

Chapter Text

Diner hesitated, feeling that often present twinge of reluctance about going back to work, but now she’d fully exhausted all of her vacation time, plus the grocery store still served its purpose as a convenient cover for her ‘extra-curricular activities’. Although renowned as a fearsome assassin, with an impressive number of successful kills under her belt, she couldn’t help feeling bad about lying to Inko Midoriya. Leading a double life could be complicated.

The woman had been exceedingly kind to her during the past few months since she had secured the job, making the prospect of calling her once again with another excuse all the more disheartening.

So, taking a moment to fully compose herself, Diner carefully arranged her jet-black hair to partially conceal the gradually healing scar on her head. As she looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, a bittersweet smile graced her lips, signifying her seamless transformation into the persona of Yuki Haro once more.

“Haro?! What happened?!” Inko practically bolted across the shop floor, her eyes widening with concern, her maternal instincts kicking into overdrive the exact second Yuki stepped foot into Aldera General. Apparently, Yuki hadn’t quite mastered the art of hiding that scar as well as she thought. To Midoriya, it may as well have been a neon sign flashing. Inko’s heart skipped a beat as her gaze locked onto the visible injury.

Yuki mustered up a reassuring smile and said, “It’s nothing, really, I’m fine.” But deep down, she knew that her attempts were futile in the face of the older woman’s piercing eyes.

Inko’s face transformed before her, a storm brewing beneath the surface. The concern melted away, only to be replaced by the fire of a protective mother. It was like a switch had been flipped. In that moment, she became a force of nature.

“ Who did this to you?” Inko’s words hung in the air. When Ms Midoriya put her mind to it, she could look downright terrifying. Yuki was sure she could hear ominous drum beats playing in the background. If Yuki wasn’t careful about her answer she might wake up the next day to find half of Musutafu in rubble.

“I’ve been taking a self-defence class, for my own personal betterment.” The lie tumbled from her mouth as quickly as she thought of it. “It was a quirk related accident, a fellow student panicked and hit harder than they were intending.” Yuki mustered a reassuring smile, but try as she might, she couldn't completely conceal the weariness that lingered in her eyes.“Everything's under control now. No need to worry."

Inko furrowed her brows, sensing a hint of something amiss in Yuki's explanation. But as long as it wasn't anything malicious, she decided to let it slide. "Well, okay then," Inko conceded, her voice laced with a touch of concern. "But please, Yuki, be careful out there. You know I'm a worrier, through and through!"

Yuki smiled and nodded, “I’ll be more careful in the future, I promise.”

But Inko wasn’t about to let the matter rest, and made an announcement with sudden enthusiasm as if struck by a brilliant idea. “In that case, here’s the plan!” she exclaimed. “You’re coming over for dinner tonight, no ifs or buts. If I can’t help you get bloody revenge, I’ll make sure to help you with homemade cooking.”

Caught off guard by Inko’s unwavering insistence, she tried to wave off the invitation. In this line of work it was best not to make attachments. “Oh, no really, Ms Midoriya, you don’t have to go through all that trouble. I appreciate the offer, but it’s not necessary.”

Inko simply shrugged. “Nope, I insist.” she replied.

Arguing was a futile endeavour and Yuki knew it, “...Alright, I give in. I accept your invitation.” she finally relented, nodding her head with a slight smile. Maybe it would be nice to act ‘normal’ for a change. 

“Wonderful! I’ll text my son and let him know we’ll have company.” Inko replied, heading away to grab her phone from her purse.

Toshinori Yagi, or as his students know him, Mr Yagi, was in the midst of his Hero Law seminar for the UA first-years. Today’s lesson was on a topic close to his heart, and he couldn’t help but get a little excited about teaching it. He grabbed a marker and underlined the final point on the whiteboard, to make sure his students would really grasp its importance.

"The Secret Identity Protection Act came into existence relatively late in the hero commission's lifespan, but its purpose is exactly what the name suggests. It grants every licensed hero the right to maintain their anonymity, whether it's their name, location, appearance, or anything else that could reveal their true identity." 

Yagi smiled to himself, feeling pretty good about his lecture. A lot of people seemed to think All Might was all brawn and no brains, but they clearly had it wrong. Toshinori Yagi had a degree ! It was nice to show off his intelligent side without having to put on the superhero act.

“Alright, any questions?”

Tsuyu Asui, one of his favourite students, eagerly raised her hand. Toshinori felt a sense of pride in her growth, perhaps influenced by her mother's legal career. In his mind, he could already envision her excelling as a quirk rights lawyer if her pro hero aspirations didn't work out.

“Is this why nobody has ever seen All Might out of costume? Ribbit. Or, at least, pictures of him out of costume have never been published.” She asked, with a finger to her chin.

Toshinori chuckled softly, genuinely pleased by Tsuyu's keen observation. "I'm glad you brought that up. If you've never come across a published image of All Might out of costume, then I must be doing my job right. A significant portion of the work at Might Tower involves damage control to protect our heroes' privacy. Fortunately, most people these days understand the necessity of heroes keeping their secrets. A few decades ago, there was an entire industry built around capturing and publishing photos of individuals without their consent."

As he spoke, his mind wandered back to the early days of his illustrious career, reminiscing about the time when he first burst onto the hero scene. Those were the days, filled with thrilling adventures and constant challenges. But maintaining his secret identity was an ongoing battle, a never-ending tightrope act.

With a more serious undertone, Yagi turned his attention towards the eager students. "You see, it's imperative that we respect and safeguard each other's secret identities. It goes beyond self-preservation, it's about fostering trust. The Secret Identity Protection Act might not be at the forefront of everyone's minds, but it stands as one of the cornerstones that ensure our brave heroes can continue their work undisturbed. And when implemented effectively, the majority of people remain blissfully unaware of its existence."

A big ? crept across Fukidashi's face, his curiosity piqued. Raising his hand, he interjected with a hint of bewilderment, "But wait a minute, Mr Yagi! We know the real names of the top ten heroes, don't we? Well, except for All Might, of course."

"Ah, an excellent point, Fukidashi," he began. "Indeed, the Secret Identity Act is not compulsory for all heroes. It grants them the freedom to choose whether certain aspects of their identity should be exposed to the public eye. Some heroes opt for this transparency to foster a more approachable image. However," he continued, his tone becoming more enigmatic, “Do you really know their real names?” 

Arching an eyebrow and wearing a faint smile, Yagi posed the thought-provoking question that hung in the air. The exclamation marks that materialised on Fukidashi's face were precisely the reaction he had hoped for.

Before any further inquiries could be made or additional observations could be shared, a jarring clang from the school bell echoed throughout the classroom, signalling the conclusion of the day's lesson. With that familiar sound, the students swiftly sprang into action, gathering their belongings and preparing to depart.

"Hey, don't forget, your assignments are due soon. If you need any assistance, you can find my email in your lesson planners," he reminded them. Then, as the bustling activity ensued, Mr. Yagi directed his attention to a specific student. "Oh, Midoriya, could I have a quick chat with you? It won't take long."

Izuku acknowledged his teacher with a nod, assuring him, “Yes, no problem Mr Yagi.” He silently motioned to Mei, indicating that he would catch up with her in their next class. Izuku made his way towards the front of the room, as it continued to empty of students.

"Is this about the support gear for 1A? I promise I'll have everything prepared for their next lesson. It's just-" Izuku's words were abruptly halted by Mr. Yagi, who raised a finger.

"No, it's not quite about that. Well, mostly not about that..." The seasoned hero's gaze darted from side to side before cautiously glancing outside the classroom door, ensuring that no one lingered nearby. "This is about our... shared secret."

Recognition flickered in Izuku's eyes as he comprehended the implication. "Ah, right," he responded, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. "You don't have to worry, I haven't breathed a word of it to anyone."

A warm smile spread across Mr. Yagi's face, radiating a sense of trust. "I know you wouldn't, my boy. In fact, you would probably blame yourself relentlessly if you did. And that's precisely why I believe you deserve to know the whole story, because I think you might be able to help."

“The…whole story?”

Over the next 40 minutes, (Yagi called ahead to let Power Loader know his student was helping him with some work), Izuku was privy to the most remarkable and classified information about All Might's true power. The details of One For All, its history, the danger of All For One, the purpose of seeking a worthy successor, and the true motivation behind All Might's role as a teacher at UA.

As each revelation hit him, Izuku's expression transformed into one of sheer astonishment. It was as if Pandora's box had been flung open, unleashing a whirlwind of mind-boggling conspiracy theories.

"So, it's a stockpiling quirk that gains power with each passing generation it's bestowed upon... But that means the current power residing within you would exponentially multiply in strength when passed on to the next recipient... If they become the ninth bearer of One For All, your 100% could potentially translate to just 40-60% of their overall strength... And for anyone lacking the necessary physical conditioning..." Izuku's voice trailed off, his eyes fixed upon Mr. Yagi, who admirably managed to keep pace with Izuku's rapid thought process. In response to Izuku's deduction, the veteran hero nodded slowly, affirming the young student's understanding. “...Their limbs could shoot off their body.”

"Exactly," Mr. Yagi confirmed. "This is precisely why I need your assistance, young Midoriya. You've showcased the exact kind of analytical thinking I require. I want you to aid me in locating a worthy successor."

“M-me?! You’d trust me with something this important?!”

Mr. Yagi's eyes looked down with an air of confidence in his student. "No doubt about it, my young friend. I've witnessed your work firsthand, and I’m not the only one. Almost every hero in this city knows about your talents. When Nezu reached out to them about your support gear ideas, they all had the same thing to say. You have a knack for spotting weaknesses and finding innovative solutions. What's more, none of those weaknesses you identified have ever become public knowledge. You're trustworthy, and you've got a gift for this kind of thing, kid." Mr. Yagi's hand landed gently on Izuku's shoulder, encouragingly.

"In fact, the only people at the school who are in on this secret are you, Nezu, Midnight, and Recovery Girl. They all gave the green light to bring you into the fold," Mr. Yagi divulged.

Izuku's gaze dropped to the floor, his expression contemplative. Finally, it all clicked into place. "Oh, I get it now. That's why today's lesson focused on the Secret Identity Act, even though it wasn't on the schedule for another few weeks..."

Mr. Yagi's grin widened. "You catch on fast, young Midoriya. You've hit the nail on the head. I'm placing an immense amount of trust in you, but it's absolutely crucial that no one else discovers our little secret. However, by joining forces with me in this endeavour, you have the opportunity to render a great service."

Izuku met his teacher’s eyes, filled with resolve. “I’ll help you, Mr Yagi. You can count on me.”

Izuku Midoriya felt like he was collecting secrets like they were pokemon cards.

Later that evening, Izuku found himself at his desk, hunched over his schoolwork and deep in thought. He was racking his brains, desperately searching for an idea that could benefit Kinoko Komori. The truth was, he could have taken the easy way out by jotting down a note that read, “Sorry, but there aren’t any support gear items that could improve your quirk.” But deep down… He really wanted to impress her.

Frustration was gnawing at him, and he let out an exasperated groan. With each thud of his head hitting the desk, he cursed the universe for not giving Komori a simpler quirk for him to work with. Super strength, maybe! He could make something amazing with that! The sound of the bedroom door opening abruptly broke his train of thought, and he sat up turning his attention to the doorway. There stood his mother, wearing a warm smile on her face.

"Sorry to disturb you, my hardworking kiddo, but we're having a guest over for dinner tonight," she announced. "So, clean yourself up! I don't want you sitting at the table covered in grease like last time!"

“Mom, that was one time!” Izuku protested, “Who’s coming over? Anyone I know?”

“Haro, you remember the girl I work with, right?” his mother replied. “I had a feeling she could use some company, so I invited her to join us.”

Izuku had heard his mom mention Haro before, but they had never actually met. It wasn't often that his mom invited someone over for dinner, so they must be pretty close. Izuku decided he would put on his best behaviour and play the social butterfly.

"Alright, Mom. I'll be ready in a sec," Izuku responded. He closed his notebooks, temporarily putting his search for a solution to the Komori problem on hold. It was time to focus on the here and now! And maybe starting with his hands, which were stained with ink, would be a good idea.

After freshening up, Izuku hurriedly made his way to his room and swiftly changed into a clean outfit. He wanted to look casual yet presentable, so he picked out something comfortable but not too shabby. Glancing at himself in the mirror, he noticed a rebellious lock of hair sticking out. Without thinking twice, he reached out and pulled on it, only to watch in amazement as it sprang right back into place, defying his efforts. He pouted and stared at his hand, deep in thought, before confirming that the bathroom door was closed.

"...Ah, what the heck," he muttered to himself, deciding to give it a shot. He transformed his hand into a hairbrush and attempted to tame his unruly mop. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tugged, it made absolutely no difference. This was exactly why he had spent ten years of his life convinced that having green hair was a quirk. Oh well, he figured it was worth a try.

The delightful scent of his mother's cooking wafted through the air as he entered the cosy sitting room. Inko's homemade dishes always had a magical way of making Izuku feel at ease. Spotting his mother bustling around the kitchen, he offered his assistance in setting the table, although he couldn't quite recall which side the fork was supposed to go on. He tried his best, anyway.

Just when everything was finally prepared, the doorbell rang, and Inko hurriedly went to answer it, leaving Izuku to straighten himself out. Inko's warm greeting echoed through the house as she opened the door, inviting the guest inside

"Haro, it's so nice to see you!" Inko exclaimed. "Izuku, come say hello. This is my son, Izuku."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Haro. My mom has told me a lot about... about..." His gaze locked with the woman in the living room, and a rush of worry washed over him. He was certain they had crossed paths before, but where? When? Why did he feel this sudden surge of fear ?

Returning Izuku's greeting with a practised smile, Haro responded, "It's nice to meet you too." As she spoke, her hair shifted ever so slightly, revealing a scar that had been hidden from view. And in that moment, all the pieces started to fall into place.

Oh, crap.

Chapter Text

“Welcome to our home, Yuki! Please make yourself comfortable and join us at the table. We’ll be having tempura!" Inko Midoriya said warmly, as she ushered Yuki Haro, ( secretly the infamous assassin Diner ), into her living room. She smiled kindly and gestured towards the dining table, where plates and cutlery were already set.

Yuki bowed her head slightly and responded with a polite tone, “Thank you very much for your hospitality, Ms Midoriya. You are very kind.” She smoothed out her skirt and took a seat at the table.

As Izuku observed the interaction, autopilot bringing him to a seat across from Haro, his mind began to race. “Okay, Izuku, let's not jump to any conclusions. There’s just no way,” he thought to himself. “She doesn’t look anything like the woman who attacked Aizawa. That woman had red hair, and Haro’s hair is black. Besides, why would a villain be at our house for dinner? It doesn’t make any sense!” 

“Izuku?” Inko’s voice snapped him out of it. She had placed a hand gently on his shoulder and looked at him with concern. “Are you alright, dear? You seem distracted.”

“GAH! Oh uh sorry mom,” Izuku said, trying to regain his composure. “I was just lost in my own head for a moment.”

His mother laughed sweetly, giving him an affectionate look "We might lose you in there for good one of these days,” she teased.

Meanwhile, Yuki’s mind was also busy with perplexing thoughts. But unlike Izuku, she had been trained to separate her thoughts and actions to maintain a facade of normalcy. As ‘Yuki’, she outwardly thanked Inko for inviting her into her home and complimented her on the food. As ‘Diner’, her thoughts raced with questions and doubts.

“ Why does Ms. Midoriya’s son look so familiar to me? Where have I seen him before? ” she wondered silently. “He couldn’t have been at the boardwalk when I eliminated Captain Daesha. That was an exclusive event for adults, and he doesn’t strike me as the kind who would sneak in. Could he have been at the gala event? Or, the UA incident? But that’s impossible, he’s in the support course, not heroics.”

As Inko served their meals, Yuki said with a polite smile, “This all smells wonderful, thank you Ms Midoriya.”

Inko smiled warmly back at her, feeling a maternal bond with the young girl. “Yuki, you’re in my home, you can call me Inko, remember?” she reminded her gently. For some reason that the ruthless assassin could not fathom, it seemed that this kind grocery store worker had decided to take her under her wing.

As the food was served, Yuki casually reached for the cutlery that Izuku had previously set on the table, and switched the positions of the fork and knife, placing them in their proper order according to etiquette. As she did so, a flash of recognition sparked in Izuku’s mind and he frowned to himself. He felt a surge of dread as he realised that his initial suspicions about Yuki might have been correct…

He quickly shook his head and tried to rationalise his thoughts. “No, no, no! That’s ridiculous! She just knows how to set the table properly, that doesn’t mean she attacks people with forks! That’s absurd, Izuku! Don’t jump to conclusions based on such flimsy evidence! If only I could find out where she got that head injury…”

Over dinner the three of them enjoyed their meal, with Inko and Yuki engaging in light conversation with Izuku occasionally being made to participate by his mother. 

Later, Izuku bit his lips nervously, feeling a knot in his stomach. He decided to take a risk and screwed his courage to the sticking place. “H-Haro, I’m sorry to pry, but… are you alright? Your head, I mean.”

His mother looked at him with a disapproving expression. “Izuku, that’s not a very polite thing to ask at the dinner table. You shouldn’t make our guest feel uncomfortable.”

“It’s quite alright,” Yuki said with a soft smile. “I appreciate your concern. I’m fine, really. It was just a minor injury from a self defence class I took recently.”

“Yuki doesn’t have a combat quirk either, dear. She’s just like you in that regard. Oh! Maybe she could teach you some techniques for the sports festival! You could use some extra training, don’t you think?”

“Oh m-maybe. That would be nice. But I don’t think I’m getting very far in the festival anyway. I’m not very good at fighting.”

Yuki politely asked Izuku, feigning an interest but with an ulterior motive. “May I ask what your quirk is? If you don’t mind sharing, of course.” “ This could be the student who deflected my kill shot against Aizawa.”

“My quirk is called Green Hair. It’s… well, it’s exactly what it sounds like.” Izuku said sheepishly. “What’s yours?”

“Tactile Polygraph. It’s a very weak lie detector quirk. It only works if I can touch someone’s pulse.” Ironically, this was a lie in itself that Diner had used many times in her civilian life. She rarely had to demonstrate it, unless someone was very suspicious of her. And even if she did, she had learned to read the subtle signs of deception in people’s body language. A faster heartbeat, a flaring nostril, a blink too many. Even for harmless lies, there was always a tell.

She smiled innocently and reached for his hand. “Do you mind if I try it on you? It’s harmless. I promise.”

“Yo, Eraser, you gonna get me down from here or you just gonna stand around suckin’ ya thumb?”

"Shut your trap, Skullcap. I explicitly warned you to stay away from this business. Frankly, you should count yourself lucky that it was Mayhem who caught you dealing. If it had been me, you wouldn't even be conscious right now."

Skullcap found himself entangled in a makeshift contraption resembling Eraserhead's capture device, though lacking the same tensile strength. If he had a nickel every time he ended up in this situation with the underground hero, he'd have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it had happened twice. Just as Skullcap began to spin away from him, Aizawa seized his bony skull and forcefully turned it to face him.

"Where did she go?" Aizawa asked with an emotionless expression on his face.

"We didn't exactly have a friggin heart-to-heart, Eraser!" Skullcap protested.“She just called me Sans Undertale, whatever the hell that means, strung me up like a pinata, called the cops and left!”

Aizawa narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on Skullcap's head. "Are you sure you didn't catch a glimpse of which direction she went?" he asked icily. “I did promise I was taking the head next time.”

"Alright, alright! Geez, you heroes have no chill," Skullcap relented. "She was heading towards Toshei Street."

"Thanks for the cooperation," Aizawa smirked slightly and released his grip, swiftly deploying his capture scarf to propel himself onto the rooftop, leaving Skullcap dangling in mid-air.

“Hey! You just gonna leave me up here?!” Skullcap shouted after him. “Heeeey!!”

Eraserhead scanned the night sky as he leaped from one rooftop to another, heading towards Toshei. He had seen her handiwork all over the city. Three villains were captured and left for the authorities in a matter of hours, and try as he might he couldn’t deny her skill and speed. She was a formidable fighter, even if she was working outside the law.

In mid swing he spotted two thugs trying to rob a woman in a dark alley below, and quickly descended and immobilised them effortlessly. It was as though he was subconsciously trying to one-up Mayhem. He didn’t bother to say anything as he left them hanging from a lamppost, there were bigger fish to fry.

Why was she doing this? Was she the same person who had attacked him at UA? He had to find out the truth and stop her regardless.

Eraserhead came to a stop on the edge of a small building and looked over at the sign reading Toshei Street, a street lined with small shops and cafes, likely frequented by the denizens of the suburban buildings a short walk away. It was unassuming, but he knew better than to let his guard down.

Quietly, he muttered to himself, “I don’t care who you are or what you want. You’re not getting away from me. I don’t let vigilantes run wild in my city.”

“Well you’re doing a great job so far!”

His body reacted on instinct, lightning-fast reflexes honed by years of experience. Aizawa swiftly spun around, his capture scarf whirling through the air, ready to ensnare the intruder. But instead of finding his target within his grasp, his eyes locked onto the sight of Mayhem gracefully leaping a dozen feet into the air, defying gravity with ease. She embodied the description provided by eyewitnesses, although he felt they may have exaggerated her short stature.

Recoiling his capture scarf, Eraserhead poised himself for a second attempt. Yet, before he could make a move, Mayhem's voice, modulated and digitised, broke the tense silence once more.

"Hey, cool it, dude!" Her hands were held out in a gesture of peace, as though she was trying to calm a wild beast. "I just want to talk! I know you've been looking for me." There was an undeniable confidence in her demeanour. “Figured this would be easier than you breaking into my house.”

"So you live in a house," he replied, his posture gradually relaxing, although his guard remained up. Things seemed safe, but he knew better than to let his defences drop completely.

"No, dude, I live in a big cave under a mansion." Although her eyes were hidden behind the mask, Eraserhead caught a glimpse of an eye roll. The mask itself appeared different from what had been described to him - a full helmet instead of the partial covering. Was this an updated costume?

Mayhem pressed on, "I've been doing your job for you, Mummymon. The woman who attacked you - I managed to find a lead."

Intrigue flashed in Eraserhead's eyes. How had Mayhem accomplished what he couldn’t? "How? The trail went cold for me almost immediately."

"Trade secret! I have eyes in a lot of places." Her response carried a hint of suspicion. "But truth be told, I've hit a dead end. Over the past four months, there have been four murders in and around Musutafu. The furthest one was about a kilometre outside the city limits, but the cases were assigned to this precinct."

Eraserhead's brow furrowed, waiting for the next part. "And here's the kicker," Mayhem continued. "Each victim had very similar wounds."

"Forks." Eraserhead stated matter-of-factly.

Mayhem tilted her head, her masked gaze meeting his. "No need for the language, but yeah," she replied. "The cops don't seem to connect the dots. Each murder has been attributed to some other crazy explanation!” She said, gesticulating wildly as she paced the rooftop. “But come on, how many times can four uniform holes in a person's throat be a coincidence?"

"How did you find all this out?"

A sly smirk played on Mayhem's lips, a testament to her resourcefulness. "Let's just say the police aren't exactly experts in cyber security." She deliberately withheld the fact that she had peered through a window, from six blocks away, to catch a glimpse of their computer screen. "But there's something deeper at play here, something more to the police’s involvement."

Eraserhead found himself completely at ease now, a sense of trust slowly building within him. "Tsukauchi," he muttered, realisation dawning on him. "He's been called away to a conference at the start of each of the past four months."

Mayhem nodded in agreement. "I think they're deliberately diverting his attention, ensuring that these cases are assigned to someone else - someone who isn't actively investigating these murders. This is where I need your help. I don't have an insider connection with the police. Buuuut… You do."

"You want me to find out who these cases are assigned to, or who has been tampering with the reports."

“Bingo bongo.” Mayhem replied.

Aizawa nodded solemnly, accepting the gravity of the task at hand. "I'll help," he stated, his voice firm. "But let me offer a word of warning. If this investigation leads us to crooked cops, remember that you're already known to them. If they catch wind of your presence, they won't be as lenient as I am. You should consider turning yourself in before this escalates."

“Ahh yeah sorry, no can do. Thing is, I’m pretty damn good at this.” With that, she gracefully leaped backward off the edge of the roof, narrowly evading Eraserhead's capture scarf once again. As she descended toward ground level, Mei Hatsume silently offered her gratitude to the science gods for the functionality of her longfall boots.

"I'll start with a simple question to acclimatise my quirk to your pulse's rhythm, is that alright?" Yuki inquired, her eyes scanning Izuku's face for any flicker of deceit.  He had claimed to possess a quirk related to green hair, and this initial test would help alleviate her lingering suspicions. However, even with her keen perception, deciphering this boy's true nature seemed like a challenging puzzle. Yuki could recognise that base level of anxiety in a person, which had an unfortunate side effect of making everything they do seem slightly suspicious.

With a gentle yet firm touch, Yuki placed two of her fingers on Izuku's upturned wrist, "Is your name Izuku Midoriya?" she asked.

"Yes," Izuku responded without hesitation, his pulse quickening momentarily before settling into a steady and rhythmic beat.

“True.” Yuki continued her line of questioning, "Is your quirk called Green Hair?"

For a fraction of a second, Izuku hesitated, his eyes reflecting a momentary internal struggle. Yet, he answered, "Yes."

Yuki observed his pulse carefully, her senses attuned to the subtle shifts beneath her fingertips. His heartbeat remained steady and unwavering. It appeared that Izuku was indeed speaking the truth. Maybe he wasn't involved in the incident concerning Aizawa, after all. Despite her best efforts to maintain a neutral composure, a faint frown tugged at the centre of Yuki’s eyebrows, betraying the nagging doubts that still lingered within her. “True.”

Sensing the change in Yuki's demeanour, Izuku couldn't help but voice his concern. "Is everything okay?"

Yuki swiftly composed herself, regaining her neutral facade. "Yes," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of forced reassurance. "Apologies, I was just ensuring the compatibility of my quirk. Sometimes, it can give false readings shortly after a person has eaten."

“Oh, I didn’t know that!” Inko said with interest, “Isn’t that fascinating Izuku? Izuku is a little of an expert on quirks.”

A tinge of embarrassment clouded Izuku as he responded, "Oh, yeah, I've always found quirks kind of cool." He quickly shifted the focus back to Yuki. "Your quirk could be really useful for police investigations, Haro."

Yuki nodded appreciatively. "Perhaps," she mused, "It's not a line of work I've ever pursued, though." She then turned her attention back to Izuku, her voice gentle yet insistent. "May I use my quirk one final time?"

Izuku hesitated for a moment, his mind racing to find the best response. "Oh, I guess so," he replied, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance. "I don't mind."

Yuki's eyes locked onto his, her gaze piercing yet calm. "Did you enjoy the tempura?" she inquired, her voice steady and measured.

Izuku's heartbeat quickened imperceptibly, a subtle sign of his unease. "Yes," he answered, voice wavering ever so slightly.

"Lie," Yuki stated matter-of-factly, her words cutting through the air like a surgeon's scalpel.

Inko's eyes widened in shock. "Izuku!"

"I'm sorry, Mom!" Izuku stammered, his words rushing out in a flurry. "I just thought the vegetables were a little overcooked!" He desperately attempted to backtrack his criticism, hoping to salvage his mother's feelings. To his relief, Inko laughed away the minor critique.

"Oh, Izuku, how could you!" she playfully exclaimed, placing the back of her hand against her forehead in an exaggerated display.

Yuki's laughter mingled with the others, a rare and genuine expression of amusement from the typically composed assassin. In that moment, she felt a swell of happiness that this family was innocent and untouched by the dark web of her clandestine activities.

Amidst the laughter and lighthearted banter, a silent battle raged within Izuku's mind. He couldn't shake the nagging thought that he had lied about his quirk, wondering why Yuki hadn't detected his deception. Unbeknownst to him, the answer lay within the intricate workings of his own quirk.

As Yuki delicately placed her fingers on Izuku's wrist, a remarkable transformation unfolded beneath her touch. The musculature and bone of his wrist shifted and transformed, into an intricate piece of clockwork machinery. A delicate, pulsating mechanism, subconsciously synchronising itself to mimic a normal heartbeat rhythm, all entirely hidden beneath the skin.

But as far as Izuku knew, it was just a fluke - a fleeting moment when his secret was almost exposed to a stranger. The thought of anyone, even his own mother, discovering his hidden quirk sent a surge of unease through him. Yet, he couldn't help but question his own apprehensions now his secret came so close to being revealed. Why was he hesitating to tell his ever-supportive mother? She had always praised his interests, celebrated his achievements, and guided him towards his dreams. So why the lingering fear of her knowing?

With dinner coming to a close, Izuku and Inko bid farewell to their newfound friend, though a trace of suspicion still lingered in Izuku's mind. But something about Yuki seemed trustworthy, her intentions genuine. As she departed their apartment, Izuku's thoughts swirled, contemplating the complexities of his own fears.

At that moment, Izuku came to a decision.

Eraserhead could easily pursue Mayhem as she leaped from that rooftop. She knew that, so the fact he hadn’t followed her seemed like a good indicator he was on her side. Actually, It could be pretty fun to have some crime fighting partners. Someone to share this with. And if those crooked cops do try to come after her, some backup would come in useful.

At that moment, Mei came to a decision.

“I’m going to tell my mom about my quirk.”

“I’m going to tell Izuku I’m a vigilante.”

Chapter Text

“So um…yeah, that’s pretty much what I’m capable of at the moment. I-I’ve been practising with it, you know, just a little, but I’ve only had the quirk for about 6 weeks so, there’s still a lot I don’t know…” Izuku, feeling a bit self-conscious, nervously scratched the back of his head with one hand while seamlessly transforming the cordless drill protruding from his other wrist back into a normal hand. This was only the second time he had revealed this ability to someone else, so it still felt very alien to him.

His mother remained silent for what felt like an eternity, her eyes fixed on his hand. Izuku felt a surge of fear in his chest. What if she was horrified by his quirk?! What if she thought he was a monster and kicked him out of the house?! What if quirks were actually a hoax and everyone else was just pretending?! He couldn’t afford to be exiled, he had too much homework to do!

But then she screamed, and it was a scream of joy rather than horror. “IZUKU!!” she shouted as she jumped up from the chair he had asked her to sit on, hugging him tightly and making him jump up and down with her. “You have a quirk! I’m so happy for you!!” This, of course, was when the both of them started bawling tears.

Inko gently pulled back and looked at him with a teary smile, “So, tell me everything! Has anyone else seen what you can do?”

Izuku chuckled, feeling a mix of excitement and relief. “Mei knows, she was there when it manifested. She’s been helping me out with tests to see what I can do. It’s been um, really fun actually.” He answered with a nervous laugh. He paused, gathering his concentration, and transformed one hand into a hammer while the other morphed into a trowel. "Still a bit tougher to make multiple things at once, but I'm getting the hang of it."

Proud of her son's progress, Inko reached out and gently felt the tool-hands. “You are going to be so useful around the house,” she said, a cheeky smile on her face. Then she quizzed him, "So, what's the coolest thing you've turned them into?"

Izuku grinned. “A grappling hook with a rope. We were trying things out in Mei’s garage,” He definitely wasn’t going to mention the grappling hook was from a fight with a villain, “When it shot out of my hand and stuck into the wall. It was kinda freaky, but also really cool.”

“Izuku, that's amazing! Imagine all the awesome things you could do with a quirk like this, you could be a hero!”

Ah, now came the part Izuku had been dreading. He scratched his cheek with the tip of the trowel, sheepishly admitting, "Yeah, Mom, here's the thing... I don't really have my heart set on being a hero."

Inko's expression softened, and she squeezed Izuku's shoulder reassuringly. "Sweetie, you don't have to follow the crowd if it doesn't feel right for you," she said with understanding. "Being a hero isn't the only way to make a difference.”

Oh, that… wasn’t really what he was expecting. He’d braced himself for a lecture or a nudge to pursue the hero path. He thought his mother would insist that he owed it to himself to at least give it a try, to see if being a hero was his true calling…

Izuku’s eyes welled up once again, “You’re not disappointed?” he asked, uncertain.

Shaking her head, she answered “Oh, sweetheart, of course I’m not disappointed. I’ve always known you were destined for incredible things, but your happiness and fulfilment is so much more important!”

Now feeling a sense of relief, he confided, “It’s why I was keeping it a secret, I was worried that if people found out about my quirk they’d pull me out of the support department and force me into heroics.”

Inko's expression turned stern as she held her son's shoulders firmly, making him squat slightly to meet her eye level. "Izuku, if anyone tries to take you out of support, they'll have to go through me and Higari."

Confusion washed over Izuku as he sputtered, "Hi-Higari?! You mean Mr. Maijima?"

A hint of amusement danced in Inko's eyes as she rolled them slightly. "Oh, Izuku, sweetie, I've been dating him for three months now. I think I'm past formalities at this point."

“THREE MONTHS?!”

“We weren’t even keeping it a secret! You saw us kiss!”

“I just thought you were being European!” Izuku responded wide eyed. “So, he wasn’t holding your hand because he’s afraid of staircases after all…” Realisation hit him like a freight train.

“Pfft, no, honey.” His mother said stifling a laugh. “So this is why you were so afraid when you heard about the sports festival, isn’t it?”

Izuku nodded, his worries laid bare. "Yeah, I'm still worried. I don't want people to see my quirk and think that's all I am. I want them to see my inventions, my support gear. I don't want to be known as the kid with a cool quirk instead of the future CEO of Midori-Corp... That's what I've been calling my company..."

Inko pondered his words for a moment, a contemplative look crossing her face. "Hm... Well, when you think of All Might, what do you think of?"

Pausing, he considered the question. "Um, his costume and his hair. Oh, his personality and his big smile."

A gentle smile graced Inko's lips as she pressed further. "Was any of that about his quirk?"

Izuku furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "Well, not directly, no, but-"

"Exactly," Inko interrupted, a glimmer in her eyes. "So when you think of the literal most famous person in the entire world..." She urged him to finish her sentence.

His voice gaining confidence, Izuku replied, "...his quirk wasn't the important part."

"That's right," Inko affirmed. "When people see the incredible things you can build, that's what everyone will be talking about, even if you were turning your hands into all sorts of crazy things. That's what I think, anyway."

Still a little hesitant, but warming up to the idea, Izuku considered his mother's words. The weight of the world seemed to lift from his shoulders as he began to grasp the potential of his own abilities. "I guess you're right, yeah," he admitted. "But for now, I'd like to keep it just between us…"

A spark of excitement ignited in Inko as a realisation dawned upon her. "Oh! We should call Mei and have our own miniature sports festival!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

“W-what?”

"Now you don't have to sneak around me, you can be more open with testing your quirk! And besides, I want to see what you can do! Call her right now!" Inko exclaimed, her excitement contagious.

"Mom, it's eleven at night. She's probably asleep!" Izuku protested, aware of the late hour. (Unbeknownst to him, at that very moment, Mei was clambering through her bedroom window, replacing the mannequin tucked in her bed.)

Inko's enthusiasm faltered slightly, “Oh right, haha. I was getting a little ahead of myself. Tomorrow, then!”

“I have school tomorrow," Izuku reminded her.

“Tomorrow afternoon! Come on work with me here, kid.”

As soon as he stepped into the station, Izuku was greeted by the typical symphony of sounds and the vibrant atmosphere of the morning rush. The train station was bustling with people of all shapes and sizes, some rushing to catch their rides, others leisurely enjoying their morning coffee. Izuku scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face. He spotted Mei standing by the platform, wearing her usual goggles. She was always an early bird, no matter how late she had stayed up the night before. She claimed that she could survive on three hours of sleep, but Izuku suspected her blood was caffeinated.

“Mei!” Izuku called out, waving his hand as he made his way towards her. “I did something.”

“That sounds ominous,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “But cool, hope they deserved it!” she added, giving him a thumbs up and a grin.

“No, no, nothing like that!” Izuku said quickly, shaking his head. He lowered his voice to a whisper, glancing around nervously so nobody would overhear their conversation. “I told my mom about my quirk.” 

“YOU DID?!” Mei exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock and excitement. Her loud voice echoed through the train station, attracting some curious stares. She noticed them and cleared her throat, trying to act casual. “You did?” she repeated in a quieter tone, leaning closer to Izuku.

Izuku smiled brighter, feeling a surge of happiness. Ever since telling his mom about his quirk (maybe now that he was more accepting of his quirk, he could come up with an actual name for it) it felt more and more like he had made the right decision. “I was kind of nervous at first,” he admitted. “I mean, I’d been hiding it for so long and I didn’t know how she’d take it. But she was really understanding and supportive-OW!” He was interrupted by Mei jabbing him in the bicep with her knuckle.

“I told you she would be, idiot!” Mei snapped at him, frowning but relieved her friend had finally ripped off that bandaid.

Rubbing his arm, Izuku relented, “Yeah I probably should have listened to you.”

“What was that?” Mei said, putting a hand to her ear dramatically. “I couldn’t hear you over your mumbling.”

“I should have listened to you! Mei Hatsume! The smartest girl in the entire world!” Izuku repeated louder, playing along with her teasing.

“Oh, only the world?” she said, pouting.

“My mom wants us to have a um, ‘miniature sports festival’ she called it, so I can practise using my quirk,” Izuku said, changing the subject.

“That sounds like so much fun!” Mei said, clapping her hands excitedly. “I could try out the new babies I finished building! Are we going to train on the beach like usual or does your mom have somewhere else in mind? Oh! We could ask Power Loader if we could use one of the gyms.”

Izuku’s face suddenly flushed at the mention of Power Loader’s name. “That’s another thing I needed to tell you!” he said, leaning closer. “Power Loader and my mom have been dating for the past three months.”

“WHAT?!” Mei shouted, her eyes widening in surprise and disbelief. “I thought they were just-”

“Being European, exactly!”

“Wow…” Mei said, looking wistfully into the distance. “I guess that means Power Loader isn’t afraid of staircases after all…” The thought hung in the air as Mei and Izuku boarded the train to UA. 

Mei wanted to hurry up and tell Izuku her own secret, but right now there were just too many people around… That was the excuse she was telling herself, anyway.

“She is a liability, High Street. We’ve all witnessed how careless and incompetent her work is. First the incident with Dakamoto’s security, then the complete failure at UA-”

“Museum,” High Street interrupted sharply, “I have listened to and considered your critique, but Diner still has a vital role to play in our mission.”

“Barbershop and I are more than qualified and ready to take over that role!” Museum protested, before forcing a calm tone as the door to the living quarters slid open, revealing Diner standing in the doorway.

“Please, don’t let me interrupt.” Diner said coldly, taking off her jacket and placing it neatly folded on the dressing table.

High Street addressed Diner, while shooting a warning glare in Museum’s direction. “Museum was just updating me on some combat reports, we think it could be beneficial to increase our frequency of weekly training sessions.”

Diner simply nodded. “Yes, Master High Street.” and took a seat in the far corner of the room. She sat rigid and upright, with her eyes closed in silent meditation. She tried to block out the noise and tension in the room, and focus on her breathing.

Museum, overcome with frustration, abruptly rose from her chair and stormed out of the room, casting a scornful look at Diner on her way out. Diner, unruffled and unfazed, maintained her composure, refusing to let Museum's actions affect her.

Diner, enveloped in the echoes of her mentor's approaching footsteps and laboured breaths, sensed his deliberate presence as he settled on the edge of her bed, making no effort to conceal his sounds. “Diner,” he said softly, “I know you are angry with Museum, but you must understand. She is under tremendous pressure, as are we all. We’re on the verge of achieving something extraordinary, something that will change the world. But it has not been easy, it has required many sacrifices.”

Blinking open one eye, the young assassin peered at her mentor. "But what exactly is our goal, master?" she inquired, her curiosity tempered with a tinge of impatience.

“Not quite yet, my dear. In due time.” High Street replied, dismissing her question with a slow, measured shake of his head.

“But I am ready. I have proven myself time and time again. I have done everything you asked of me.” Diner protested, feeling a surge of frustration.

“Not yet,” he repeated firmly, cutting her off. “You must be patient. We must wait for my visions to guide me.” He stood up and extended his hand to her. “Come, my dear. Let’s not waste any more time. There’s work to be done.”

Reluctantly, Diner rose to her feet, positioning herself beside him in sync with her mentor’s measured strides. “Am I being assigned a new mission?” she ventured to ask. The duo veered around a corner, traversing a dimly lit hallway, its dilapidation mirroring the state of the compound as a whole, with peeling paint adorning its surfaces. Cables and wiring on the walls and floor of the hallway increased in quantity further down.

"In a sense, yes, it is a mission. I believe you will find it rather intriguing," he responded, knocking on a door three times in quick succession, then two more times slowly. “Barbershop, I’m here with Diner.”

Seconds ticked by, before a cacophony of sound reverberated through the thin hallway, sliding locks and keys clicking echoing from the other side of the door. With a creak, the door finally swung open, revealing the entrance to the central information gathering hub of The Market.

This sanctum belonged to Barbershop, an imposing figure who stood tall and gaunt, his head clean shaven. Dressed in a pristine, white lab coat that served as stark contrast to the chaos that engulfed the room, he seemed an anomaly amidst the piles of tangled cables, flickering lights, and scattered remnants of debris. Dominating the heart of the chamber was a large circular table, its surface weathered and worn. Twelve chairs surrounded it, nine of which found their faded upholstery home to a lacework of cobwebs - a testament to their disuse over the years. Along the perimeter, tables hosted an assortment of ageing computers and obsolete laptops, relics from bygone eras.

With his arms firmly crossed and a hand upon his chin, Barbershop stood before a colossal monitor that displayed an aerial view of UA. His face was etched with an intense concentration, the flickering lights of the screen dancing across his stern visage.

High Street extended a hand, placing it firmly on Barbershop's shoulder. Despite being slightly shorter than the bald man, High Street exuded an aura that seemed to elevate his stature to towering heights. “Barbershop, my friend. Enlighten young Diner here with our latest discoveries, if you would be so kind?” High Street had a knack for giving orders while making it seem like it was your idea.

Barbershop maintained his concentrated gaze, gradually revealing a concealed remote control nestled within the cradle of his crossed arms. Without so much as a fleeting glance in Diner's direction, he pressed a button, causing the computer display to unveil an image of a girl donned in a UA uniform, accompanied by a dossier brimming with biographical information.

Diner's brows furrowed as she absorbed the sight. "Yaoyorozu?" she inquired.

“The heir to the Yaoyorozu fortune?” Barbershop replied, his tone laced with sarcasm, as if bewildered that anyone would be unfamiliar with the name. “She is a first-year hero student, and the sole individual at the academy boasting a quirk resembling the one you described. When you… Were unsuccessful in killing Eraserhead.” He sneered.

Diner shook her head, resolute in her conviction. "No, the student who attacked me was a boy."

"You must be mistaken, clearly your attention was not sharp enough," Barbershop retorted bluntly, dismissing her claim without hesitation.

"Ah, in the heat of the moment, you can easily misidentify individuals," High Street intervened, attempting to diffuse the escalating argument. “Tell us some more about this girl, Barbershop.”

The bald man's gaze shifted back to the screen, his tone now matter-of-fact. "She possesses a quirk known as Creation, which allows her to generate objects by rearranging the molecular structure of her lipids. If you witnessed the sudden appearance of items where none existed before, it was her doing. It's as simple as that."

Diner remained unconvinced, her scepticism lingering beneath her composed facade, yet she acquiesced to the authority of her superiors, and remained silent.

High Street redirected his attention toward Diner, and issued his orders. “I was very intrigued when you first told me about your encounter with those students that day and I’d like to learn more. Your mission is to infiltrate the Yaoyorozu residence under the guise of a new hire in their serving staff. Gather as much intelligence as possible. We need to closely monitor her to determine if she poses a threat when we launch our renewed assault on Aizawa. Also, to determine if the girl could be useful to us. Remember, my dear, this is purely an information-gathering expedition, so violence is strictly prohibited."

"Yes, High Street," Diner acknowledged with a respectful bow of her head.

"All the details pertaining to your new persona are contained within the dresser drawer in your room. Make sure you thoroughly comprehend them all. You’ll be retiring the persona of Yuki Haro indefinitely," High Street added.

“I… Yes, master.” Diner hesitantly agreed.

"Behold! Witness the epitome of innovation from Hatsume Industries!" Mei's voice reverberated through the workshop, her hand confidently resting on her hip with her other hand in the air, clenched in a victorious fist. With a twirl, she pivoted on the spot, swiftly bringing her elevated arm down and securing it horizontally with her other hand. A subtle click resonated as crossbow limbs gracefully extended from the sides of her wrist.

With a flurry of rapid movements, Mei clenched her fist repeatedly, unleashing a barrage of crossbow bolts that streaked towards the rear of the workshop. Power Loader observed with intense curiosity.

"These, my friends, are my magnificent Blunt Impact babies! But fret not, for the wonders of Hatsume Industries are far from over!" Mei proclaimed, twisting her fist to the right, each motion accompanied by a satisfying click. Dart after dart was propelled forward, while she elaborated on their unique qualities.

"Prepare to be electrified by the Stun Effect!" Mei twisted, clicked, and fired. A bolt enveloped in a shimmering blue aura shot forth, crackling with electrifying energy. As it collided with a sturdy pillar, a dazzling cascade of sparks filled the air.

"Watch as I ensnare with the Capture Effect!" Another twist, click, and fire. This time, the bolt detonated upon impact, transforming into a sprawling net that ensnared its target in an instant.

Mei seamlessly transitioned to new positions, directing her aim towards different areas of the workshop with each display.

"Experience the potency of the Chemical Irritant!" Twist, click, fire.

"Leave your mark with the vivid Dye Marker!" Twist, click, fire.

"Find tranquillity in the embrace of the Tranquilizer!" Twist, click, fire.

Her momentum escalating, Mei saved her personal favourite for last. With a final twist, click, and fire, a bolt struck the wall, unleashing a piercing noise that reverberated through the room, accompanied by an intense, blinding flash of light.

"Prepare to be utterly distracted by the sensational Distraction!"

Power Loader lowered the arm that shielded his eyes, blinking repeatedly to clear away the lingering brilliance. “Pretty good, nice work. Yeah, you can use that at the sports festival.”

"Is that it?!" she exclaimed, aghast at his underwhelming reaction.

Power Loader shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, projectiles aren't really my thing. You should talk to Snipe about it," he suggested. Mei tilted her head, considering this and storing it away for future reference.

"Alright, Midoriya, it's your turn to show us what you've got," Power Loader redirected his attention to the next participant, Izuku. Rising from his seat, Izuku slipped on a pair of sleek, black gloves reaching just past the elbows and confidently approached Power Loader from the side of the room, where the other support students eagerly awaited their chances to unveil their inventions.

“These are the Midori-Corp STRIKE Gauntlets.” Izuku announced, extending his arms before him in a commanding cross. The gauntlets boasted a smooth, matte finish, emanating a dark metallic allure. Along the backside, a reinforced composite material was seamlessly integrated, providing heightened durability. Strategically positioned additional plating safeguarded the wearer's arms, prioritising the areas most susceptible to impacts and attacks.

“Strike?” Power Loader asked, curious about the name's significance.

"Strength-based Tactical Resistance and Impact Kinetics! I know it's STRIK, but I couldn't come up with anything for the 'E'..." Izuku explained.

"But, um," Izuku mentally found his place in his demonstration, "The STRIKE Gauntlets are the latest and greatest in strength enhancement and durability! The kevlar weave and shock absorption technology results in the user’s base strength being elevated ten fold! Um, can I use one of the metal poles?” Izuku asked, gesturing to the stack of bars in a crate to the side of the workshop.

With a nod of approval, Power Loader granted him access, and Izuku swiftly procured one of the solid metal poles, firmly clutching it within his hand. Focusing his concentration, a faint hint of discomfort crossing his features, he exerted his newfound strength, effortlessly contorting and twisting the bar into an unusual shape. "Behold, the STRIKE Gauntlets unlock a realm of unparalleled possibilities!" Izuku proclaimed, reciting the well-rehearsed sales pitch in his head.

“Could I please get a volunteer?” he asked, gesturing toward the assembled students. Akari Hana, bubbling with enthusiasm, energetically waved her arms to catch his attention.

“Oh um, Hana, okay, come up here please.” Izuku had sort of expected it to be Mei, but this was fine. Pulling out a baseball bat he had prepared precisely for this moment, Izuku placed it in Hana's hands. "When I give the signal, try to strike me with the bat," he instructed.

A wide grin graced Hana's face as she tightly gripped the baseball bat, ready to swing.

“Okay, go!”

"Batter up!" Hana exclaimed joyfully, relishing the experience. She swung the bat in a graceful arc, aimed squarely at Izuku, who instinctively raised his arms, positioning the STRIKE Gauntlets in front of his face and chest. As the bat connected with the reinforced gloves, a powerful rebound ensued, propelling it out of Hana's grasp and sending it hurtling toward the back of the room.

“As you can see, I am entirely unharmed!” Izuku proclaimed triumphantly, bowing theatrically to the students, who showed their respect through their applause.

“Pretty good Midoriya, Pret-ty good.” Power Loader complimented, diligently jotting down notes in his notebook. "All approved. Good luck in the festival."

"Thank you," Izuku replied gratefully.

"Alright, that concludes everyone's presentation. You've all created remarkable inventions, and I eagerly anticipate seeing how far each of you will go. If any of you make it to the tournament rounds, I win a coke. So don't hold back, understand?" Power Loader's statement elicited laughter from his students. "Now, all of you, get outta here. With just one week left before the festival, make the most of your time, familiarise yourselves with your new equipment, and, y’know... have fun out there."

Later, during their walk back to the train station, a quiet moment presented itself, and Mei gathered her courage to share something with Izuku.

"Um, Izuku, remember when you opened up to your mom about your quirk, and how much better you felt after unburdening yourself? Well, I have a little secret of my own that I wanted to tell you," Mei confessed hesitantly.

"You're Mayhem, right?"

"How did you...? Aw, man, what gave it away?!"

"Well, first, when you saved Uraraka during the entrance exams, I've never seen anyone have so much fun. Second, all the weapons Mayhem uses happen to be the ones you chose not to use for the sports festival, presumably to avoid any connections being made. Third, you became really engrossed in costume design right before Mayhem's debut. Fourth, purple is your favourite colour. And fifth, this is the clincher... Mei Hem, Mei? Really?"

“I freaked out, okay? It was a split-second decision!” Mei admitted, flailing her arms wildly. “You won’t tell anyone, right?”

“Mei, I swear I won’t breathe a word. You’re my best friend, I’m not gonna let you get in any trouble.”

“Oh speaking of trouble, there’s a slight possibility that some dirty cops are on my tail, and also I’m teaming up with Eraserhead to take out a hitman. Oh, we better hurry, the train’s leaving soon!” Without waiting for a reply, Mei dashed off down the street, leaving Izuku momentarily stunned.

“Mei?! What do you mean a hitman!? MEI?!”

Chapter Text

In a dimly lit townhouse on the outskirts of the bustling city, High Street cherished the tranquillity currently offered to him. It was a secret haven, hidden from the prying eyes of other members of The Market, who had no idea of its existence. This place was in fact just one element of a constructed persona he’d crafted for himself. High Street was a part of two worlds, his real self: The figurehead of a secret league of killers. And his fake self: A globe-trotting businessman who rarely found the time to be at home. 

For the most part, these two aspects of his life remained separate, a necessary precaution in case The Market’s activities ever came to light. But there was one connection between them. High Street slid his hand beneath the smooth surface of his mahogany desk, searching for a hidden mechanism. After a moment, he found it - a hidden disk integrated into the desk’s woodwork. With a soft click, a concealed drawer emerged, revealing the worn notebook resting inside. He flipped to the first page, as memories and secrets flooded his mind.

Asuji Nikita was four years and two weeks old when his quirk first revealed itself. It was also at this age that his mother’s feelings toward him began to change.

It all started with just a simple touch of a son’s hand on his mothers arm. "Mommy, it was you! I saw you, and you were so happy! You were wearing a fancy suit and had a big smile on your face. There were all these other people in suits too, and there was a man sitting on a big chair at the front!"

Perplexed, his mother tried to keep up with the excited stream of words. “Asuji, Asuji slow down, what are you talking about?”

"When I touched your arm, I saw it! I saw you in this big special building!" he exclaimed, his tiny hand mimicking the size of the structure. “You were talking to this man sat next to the other man in the big chair, then he got really mad and you smiled, then he got taken away and everyone was saying ‘congradoolations’ to you!”

His mother’s expression shifted, Asuji couldn’t quite work out the emotion she was showing. It wasn’t something he had seen before. She struggled to process what her young son had told her. “You saw me, but I was a lawyer?”

Confusion filled Asuji’s eyes as he looked up at his mother, “Mommy? What’s wrong?” he asked.

She was wordless as she packed her son into his car seat and drove.

A short trip to a quirk specialist revealed that Asuji Nikita’s quirk, entirely unique and entirely baffling, had manifested itself. After a series of tests, willing subjects and hypotheses, it was given a name.

Asuji Nikita. Quirk: Potential.

It was unprecedented. An ability to see into the deepest recesses of a person’s capabilities, their untapped potentials, the person they could be - or the person they should have been.

It was a quirk that acted as a revealer of truths, exposing a reality that Asuji’s mother had tried to evade. A truth that she had desperately avoided confronting. If she had never made that decision to leave college to have her son, she would have achieved great success in her dream job. It was a revelation that weighed heavily upon her, leaving her heartbroken and regretful. Now whenever she looked at her son, she saw the career she dreamed of but never pursued. She saw the happiness she lost out on. Seeking solace, she found herself drowning at the bottom of a bottle, attempting to numb the pain of a lost life that should have been.

Asuji and his mother became distant after that day, becoming family in name only. School wasn't any better for the young boy, mainly because his quirk made him a social outcast. Asuji soon realised that people didn't really want to hear about their greatest potential, because it rarely aligned with their own dreams and aspirations.

At first, his classmates were intrigued to learn what Asuji saw in their futures. But after the fifth aspiring hero was advised to consider a life as a baker, veterinarian, homemaker, politician, or skydiving instructor, their initial excitement turned into anger. They began to resent him like his mother did, for shattering their lofty ambitions. The teachers shared in their frustration as Asuji unintentionally exposed their deep-seated regrets and unfulfilled desires.

To defend himself against the mounting hostility, Asuji got involved in frequent fights at school. As he honed his fighting skills and hit back with enough force, people eventually learned to leave him alone. Over the years, his quirk remained dormant, unmentioned, and unused.

He was eleven years old when he found his mother in the apartment, surrounded by bottles and lost in her own world. It was a sight that stuck him with an easy decision. He gathered some food, packed his belongings, and quietly left, leaving the locked door behind him.

Alone and facing the harsh realities of life, Asuji roamed the streets of Musutafu City. Living here was tough, but Asuji was used to tough. He started with small acts of survival, resorting to petty theft and mugging children around his own age, using his towering build as an intimidation tactic. Whenever someone bigger demanded his meagre rations, he reluctantly shared, but he never hesitated to fight back when they pushed their demands too far.

News of this audacious young boy quickly spread like wildfire within the city's underbelly, eventually catching the attention of a notorious gang composed of ruthless teenagers. The allure of a life filled with power and belonging drew Asuji into their tight-knit circle, cementing his position as a member of this fierce crew. They became his constant companions, navigating the gritty streets together.

As time went on, their crimes escalated. The group of six delved deeper into a life of thievery and confrontation, over time evolving into a far more menacing force. With each passing day, their acts of violence grew bolder and their targets more high-stakes. By the time Asuji reached the age of fifteen, he’d settled into the role of the group’s muscle. His imposing build, fueled by the extra food on his plate and the relentless brawling, earned him a reputation as a fierce enforcer. It got to the stage where people speculated that he had a strength-enhancement quirk.

At that pivotal age, tragedy struck once again in the life of Asuji Nikita. It was supposed to be a straightforward heist. An easy score on three unsuspecting salarymen returning from a business trip, flaunting their Rolexes and bulging wallets. The plan seemed simple enough: intimidate them, knock out a few teeth, and make off with their valuables…

…Amidst the chaos and violence, blood dripping from his mouth, Asuji refused to flinch. He stared defiantly at his assailants, paying no mind to the battered bodies of his comrades strewn across the floor. The steel-toed boot of one of the "salarymen" crushed his fingers, while another delivered a blow to his jaw.

"Just kill him already! What are you waiting for?" The one crushing his hand demanded.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" the other sneered, leaning in close to Asuji's battered face. "You're a tough son of a bitch, aren't you?"

Asuji spat in his tormentor's face, a defiant smile creeping onto his blood-stained lips. "Is that the best you've got?"

"Alright, kid. You asked for it," the man responded, relishing the moment. He took a few steps back, unholstered a gun, and aimed for Asuji’s head.

But before he could make a move, a commanding voice boomed, "STOP!" The words echoed through the air, freezing the assailant in his tracks. Asuji heard the deliberate footsteps of another person approaching, and a new face leaned down towards him.

“Don’t often see someone still standing after going a few rounds with these guys, you must have something real strong inside you.” the newcomer observed, scrutinising the teenager with discerning eyes. Rising to his feet, he retrieved a gun from his jacket pocket, and without a hint of remorse or hesitation, shot the three men dead right before Asuji's eyes.

Heart pounding in his chest, Asuji struggled to hear the man's voice over the ringing in his ears and his own heavy breaths. "You weren't part of the contract, and I don't work with people who break contracts," he explained. Extending a hand towards Asuji, he introduced himself. "Come with me, kid. The name's High Street."

High Street ushered Asuji into a hidden facility known as The Market, a clandestine underground hub teeming with activity. Dozens of individuals operated under the command of one leader and eleven formidable head assassins. For the next three years, Asuji found himself immersed in an intensive training regime, eagerly absorbing the abilities and skills of each mentor like a sponge.

There was Museum, the expert in infiltration. Barbershop, the master of close-quarters combat. Library, the genius in research and intelligence analysis. Bakery, the specialist in covert stealth operations. Blacksmith, the go-to person for weapons and equipment. Hospital, the skilled medical practitioner and poison expert. Observatory, the master of long-range reconnaissance and sniper operations. Tailor, the master of disguise. Bank, the financial wizard. Garage, the expert in all things vehicular, and lastly, Theater, the cunning manipulator and deception specialist.

Asuji surpassed the expectations of each mentor, his skills advancing at an astounding pace over the years. On his eighteenth birthday, as a token of recognition for his unwavering commitment and tireless efforts within The Market, as well as the fatherly bond he had developed with High Street, Asuji received his own codename - Bistro. From that moment forward, Asuji Nikita was no more.

Throughout his training, Bistro delved into the intricate workings of The Market. They were a group of assassins available for hire, catering to the ultra-wealthy clientele. Known for their speed, stealth, and ability to leave no trace, they operated in the shadows, their actions ranging from toppling governments to igniting wars and manipulating stock markets. Strangely enough, their interventions always seemed to yield positive outcomes for the affected regions.

Growing up in such an environment was undeniably captivating, and Bistro internalised the principles of being a merchant of death. However, despite his accomplishments and stellar performance - breaking training course records, surpassing his instructors, and showcasing his readiness for more significant missions - High Street adamantly refused his requests.

"You're still not ready," were the words he had to endure time and time again. Even as he proved himself time and time again, demonstrating his capability and determination to make a greater impact, the answer remained a resolute "No."

Denied the opportunity to embark on missions of his own, Bistro begrudgingly accepted his assignment to The Market's cleanup crew. It was an essential role, erasing any traces of their activities from crime scenes involving murder, robbery, and kidnapping. Though he executed his duties with efficiency and discretion, the work left him bored and restless. The mundane nature of the job, despite the substantial paycheck, gnawed at his spirit, fueling his desire to prove himself.

Driven by his desperation, Bistro tapped into the skills instilled in him by his mentors. Drawing upon his knowledge of The Market's operations, he managed to obtain a confidential list of names that were currently targeted by the organisation. His plan was to carry out a hit on his own, thereby showcasing his worth beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Bistro was meticulous in his decision, reading and rereading every name as he weighed the potential targets. It was important he chose someone who possessed the right blend of significance and vulnerability - someone whose death would send a message while ensuring his own success.

After careful consideration, he managed to narrow down his options to three targets, each with their own allures and risks. The first was a corrupt politician, entangled in a web of illicit activities, who had failed to fulfil his financial obligations after ordering a hit on a rival. Taking him out would not only serve justice but also send a powerful message to others who dared cross paths with The Market.

The second option was a notorious crime boss, a shadowy figure who had been encroaching on the territories protected by The Market. Removing him would reinforce their reputation as protectors of their domain. However, this would be a formidable opponent.

Lastly, there was the wealthy businessman who had been threatening to expose the inner workings of The Market. Eliminating him would not only safeguard their secrets but also serve as a reminder to anyone who considered betraying them.

Bistro decided on the wealthy businessman as his target, seeing an opportunity to make a bold statement. The man’s lifestyle and predictable routines made him a good option for a high profile hit, one that would make headlines.

The body, slumped back in its office chair with a single bullet wound in the centre of the head, zero trace of any intruders, did indeed send a message. The police never found the handwritten note clutched in the corpse’s hand, but High Street did.

“A gift,

- Bistro ”

"No, you were reckless and arrogant! That kill was not yours to make, Bistro! I told you that you weren't ready, and it looks like I was right!" High Street's furious words reverberated through his office, the force of his hand slamming on the desk doing little to shake the imposing figure before him.

Bistro's voice rose in defiance, matching High Street's intensity. "I did a better job than most of your top killers! Why can't you see that?!" 

Gripping the edges of the desk with both hands, High Street's anger burned brightly, but he fought to regain control. "Because I'm protecting you!" he roared. "I'm protecting you from all of this. This life! It was never meant for you. I never intended for you to become a killer!"

Bistro stood before him, flabbergasted as he paced back and forth, running a hand through his hair. "Then why go through all this? Why train me?!"

"If I hadn't trained you, you would be dead on the streets by now, you stupid child! I was giving you a chance to survive. I never expected you to... I never expected this."

"You never expected me to be good ," he said bitterly. With those words hanging in the air, Bistro stormed out of High Street's office, slamming the door shut behind him.

Returning to his quarters, Bistro seethed with anger, reverting back to the ruthless enforcer he had once been. He unleashed his frustration by mercilessly pounding his fist against the wall, the pain of his bloodied knuckles and chipped paint serving as a twisted release. Standing there, breathing heavily, he muttered to himself, "He never believed in what I could do, what I was capable of. It was all lies! He never saw my potential!"

As he rubbed the back of his bloodied knuckles, the touch of his own blood triggered something. His vision blurred momentarily before gradually coming into focus. He found himself seeing through his own eyes, observing an office with a mahogany desk. In his hand, he held a piece of paper.

Focusing on the paper, he saw a list of names. Bakery, Blacksmith, Tailor, Bank, and more. All of them crossed out. Blood stained his hands, and he picked up a pen, crossing out the last name on the list.

High Street.

At that moment, Bistro saw his own potential for the first time.

Over many years, Bistro never held back, working tirelessly to reach the potential he saw in his own vision. Ruthlessly hunting down and murdering his former colleagues in the market, using the very skills they had taught him to exploit their weaknesses and lead them into traps and ambushes. His approach was methodical, brutal, and deadly.

The market was thrown into chaos and panic by Bistro’s killings. Many of the lower-ranked members fled into hiding. He thought of these as the smart ones, but he always kept tabs on their movements. No matter what the leading members of The Market tried, Bistro was always one step ahead, and in time they found themselves with a bullet in the head or a knife to the throat.

Decades of tireless work and sacrifice went into Bistro's unwavering pursuit of his goal. He never truly lived, as his entire existence revolved around this singular purpose. Every now and then, he would activate his quirk, adding a new name to his list. One page turned into two, then ten, as he swiftly and violently brought justice upon each name.

Eventually, he finally managed to find him. High Street, aged and weary, living in isolation in the mountains in a simple cabin. 

He never put up a fight.

“What have you done, Asuji?” High Street said softly, sitting in a wooden chair out in the snow, as though he was expecting this arrival. “You’ve destroyed The Market, there’s nothing left for you to claim.”

Bistro stood before him, colder than the snow piled around them. “I did it because it was my potential . The potential that you never saw.” he replied. “You were all just a means to an end. Nothing but stepping stones.”

The beaten man in front of him shook his head in disbelief. “You’re lost, deluded,” he said, his voice cracking. “Potential isn’t fixed. It’s meant to be challenged, not blindly pursued.” His voice began to rise in anger at the stupidity of the man he once thought of as a son, rising from the chair. “You speak to me about potential?! You squandered your potential and became a monster!”

It took three shots to kill High Street.

Bistro turned to leave, ready to finally move on to the next stage of his rise to the top, when a piercing scream tore through the air.

A little girl, no older than 4 or 5, tears streaming down her face, ran towards Bistro with a mixture of anguish and fury in her eyes. “Grandpa!!” She cried out, her voice filled with raw pain. “You killed him!”

Taken aback, Bistro faced the little girl with uncertainty. “Stay back!” he warned, raising a hand in a matching gesture.

The forks the little girl embedded in the palm of his hand hurt like hell.

The second man to claim the title of High Street wrote another two names down on his pad of paper, weathered and beaten over the many years of use. Two more targets given to him by his quirk, and two more names that would drive him closer to reaching his full potential.

Meanwhile, in the Midoriya household:

“Now try a marker pen! No, a vacuum cleaner! No wait! A lamp!”

“Mom, seriously! You’re worse than Mei! I can’t turn into electronics anyway, it doesn’t work that- …huh.”

“You were saying?”

Turns out it did work that way. 

Chapter Text

It took some serious persuasion, but eventually, Izuku reluctantly agreed to let Maijima in on the secret of his quirk. Inko had suggested the idea because Maijima was a pro hero close to the family, and he had the most expertise when it came to both machinery and quirk analysis. So, that Friday afternoon, Mei and Izuku wrapped up their costume design class with Midnight, discussing the somewhat awkward topic of chafing , then they headed to the training field where Inko and Power Loader were already waiting for them.

"Hey guys!" Mei shouted enthusiastically, waving her arm in the air. She’d been looking forward to this all day. "Hey, now that we’re out of school hours, can I call you Higari? What about ‘PL’? No! I have it! … The Load ." She said with a goofy expression.

"You can just stick with Power Loader, Hatsume. I’m still on hero duty, after all," he replied curtly. Turning to Izuku, he asked, "How are you feeling today, Midoriya?"

"You don’t have to be so formal with my son, Higari," Inko chimed in, smiling. She was holding hands with the hero, a detail that Izuku had picked up on but tried not to dwell on too much.

Feeling a little guilty, Izuku answered his teacher. "I'm, uh, doing okay. Thanks for helping out with this," He replied. He may feel guilty about keeping secrets, but If Power Loader wasn't going to bring it up, then Izuku definitely wasn't going to be the one to bring it up either.

Izuku also had some concerns, and thought now was a good time to raise them, "Are we really safe doing quirk training out here? I mean, what if someone sees us?"

Power Loader shook his head in an attempt to reassure him. "Don't worry about it, I have a little inside help. Nobody will catch sight of anything."

Meanwhile, in Principal Nezu's office, the little robot Deku squinted their LED eyes, scanning the surroundings. Making sure the coast was clear, they plugged a USB drive Power Loader had given them into the school's surveillance system. The video feed of the training ground shifted, cleverly removing any trace of the quirk test crew from the footage. Deku whispered into their comms unit, "The ink has been erased."

"Copy that," Power Loader responded mysteriously into his wrist. Izuku and Mei exchanged puzzled glances, but they decided not to probe further. "You don't have to worry about anyone stumbling across us either. I've taken every precaution. This entire area is a visual dead zone from a certain point. Originally, it was designed to prevent anyone from spying on the hero students, but it works well for us too."

Suddenly, Mei clenched her fists and shouted excitedly, "Alright, enough talk! Let's get down to business! What's first?! Combat?!"

"This." Power Loader said, holding up a baseball.

Test One: The Ball Throw

"Alright, Izuku," Power Loader looked at Inko, who acknowledged the use of her son’s first name. "First up is the ball throw. Fairly standard test, just throw the ball as far as you can using your quirk without leaving the circle. Do you remember your quirkless record from middle school?"

"I think it was around 35 metres?"

"Not too bad," Power Loader replied. "Let's see how far you've come since then. But hey, no need to push yourself too hard. After all, you've got fourteen years of practice to catch up on."

Izuku stepped into the circle and felt the weight of the ball in his hand. He didn’t really know why he was feeling the weight of the ball, but he was pretty sure he’d seen baseball players do that before. What should he try first? Maybe he could try a cannon? No, the recoil might be too intense, and besides, how would he even ignite it? He could transform his forearms into spinning wheels, and fire the ball with that. But deep down, he knew he wasn't quite confident enough in his abilities to attempt anything that advanced just yet.

Lost in his thoughts, Izuku decided that sometimes, the oldest methods were often the best. Determined, he lowered himself and rested his forearm on the soft grass. Concentrating his quirk, he transformed his arm into a miniature siege catapult, envisioning the perfect trajectory for his throw. To his absolute delight, he found that the strength and initial tension of the catapult was entirely within his control, and it built itself ready to launch. With everything set up, he carefully placed the ball into the catapult's cradle, and… Fired!

Mei's excitement was palpable as she cheered, and Inko joined in, clapping her hands in admiration as the ball soared through the air, propelled by Izuku's quirk, landing farther than anyone had ever thought possible.

"Holy shit!" Izuku exclaimed, before quickly realising his choice of words and glancing at his mother. "Uh, I mean, holy cow?" he corrected, but Inko simply shot him one of her trademark looks.

Power Loader held up his handheld device, displaying the impressive distance for everyone to see. "175 metres. Great job, Izuku," he said, praising his student.

"Thanks!" Izuku replied, with pride evident in his voice. "I didn't think I'd be able to make it go that far. I was struggling to come up with a good transformation. Do you think a stronger projectile weapon could have worked?" he asked, turning to his teacher for guidance.

Power Loader pondered the question for a moment, his eyes scanning Izuku thoughtfully. "It's possible. There was one aspect of your quirk that caught my attention. It seemed like-"

"Oh, let me explain!" Mei interjected with enthusiasm, unable to contain herself. "The kickback from the catapult should have potentially injured your shoulder, but if you're feeling alright, it suggests that your quirk takes your entire body into consideration!"

Izuku's eyes widened in shock as this new piece of information sank in. The idea that his transformed body parts could be safeguarded by his quirk had never occurred to him before. "So, anything I transform into is safe for me?" This was going to open so many new avenues of exploration!

Power Loader's reply was cautious yet optimistic. "It's still just a possibility at this point, so don't push yourself too far just yet. But, yeah, there's a chance that your body subconsciously adapts to your transformations," he explained. “Ready to move on? This is only the beginning.”

Test Two: Push Ups

"Ugh, push ups? Seriously? Those always kill my shoulders, I suck at them…" Izuku whined.

"Push ups are a breeze if you have proper form," Mei said, rolling her eyes at his moaning. "Watch and learn." She then stunned everyone by dropping to the floor and pumping out two dozen push ups like it was nothing, even adding some claps and twists for extra flair. "See? No sweat! Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"Holy shit." Inko said, quietly.

"Uh…Anyway. Show us what you’ve got, kid. I'll start the three minute timer on the first push up." Power Loader said, ready to take some notes.

Izuku gingerly got down on the ground, his arms ramrod straight as he considered his options once more. Well, since his body is apparently adapting to his transformations to keep everything safe for him, he might as well try some experimentation…

He closed his eyes in concentration as both his arms began to twist into a new shape, shifting into two hydraulic pistons. He’d never thought to try anything like this before! That’s if he can actually operate them, of course.

With a faint hissing sound, the pistons emerged from the cylinder-like structures that now formed his forearms, effortlessly lifting Izuku's body as if simulating a push-up. His eyes widened with disbelief and pure joy. "Oh my god, I can't believe it actually worked!"

Mei looked at him with a slightly concerned expression. "Does it hurt at all?"

Izuku shook his head, grinning from ear to ear. "Nope! Can’t feel anything at all, to be honest."

"This is absolutely unprecedented, I've never seen a quirk operate in this way before." Power Loader said, chewing on his pencil. "Do you have much experience working with hydraulics?" It didn't seem likely to him, even for someone like Izuku.

"I've read up on how they operate before, but Mei is the expert really. I remembered she used hydraulics in her suit for the entrance exam, for some reason it was the first thing that came to mind." Izuku answered, continuing his 'push ups'.

"The ones in the Mark V were totally different to this though! This is just like when you made that grappling hook at the um…Beach."

"The beach?" Inko said with a raised brow. "I thought you said that happened in the workshop?"

"Oh right, yeah!" Mei quickly tried to cover her tracks, "My mistake. But what I mean is, Izuku doesn't seem to need complete knowledge or understanding of what he wants to transform into, just a general need and a rough idea!"

Power Loader lowered his notebook, with a contemplative expression. "Subconscious transformations…"

"Oh! Sweetie, your arm?" Inko interrupted, pointing to Izuku's forearms.

A small trickle of liquid was beginning to slowly leak from the seams of the hydraulic pistons, upon seeing it Izuku made a disgusted face and transformed back into his regular form. In roughly the same spot on the forearm, there was a faint ring of red visible.

"Oh, what the hell?" He said, clearly grossed out by whatever had happened. Power Loader leant down for a closer look and wiped away some of the red with the back of his knuckle.

"It's blood," he said matter-of-factly. "I guess now we know how you were creating the hydraulic fluid. You must have pushed it a little too far for what you're capable of at the moment."

"Is that bad?!" Blood certainly seemed bad.

"Hard to say, you don't have any visible wounds so that's a good thing, just take it easy on anything that creates a liquid or fuel from now on." 

Izuku nodded in understanding, still a little freaked out.

"Alright then, that was 65 pushups in the three minutes before you stopped, excellent work. Shall we move on?"

Test Three: Grip Strength 

Izuku was relieved that he could avoid using anything hydraulic for this challenge, even though he thought a hydraulic press would be amazing. Instead, he decided to transform his hand into a robust metal bench clamp, similar to the ones commonly found on the edges of workbenches.

To his delight, Izuku discovered that he could twist the clamp as though it were a natural extension of his hand. The grip strength tester's numbers began to climb steadily, and as it became more challenging to turn, Izuku eventually decided to stop.

"Oh, wow," Power Loader muttered, running a hand through his hair in disbelief.

"How much?" Izuku asked eagerly.

"650 pounds of pressure."

"SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY?!"

Test Four: 50 Metre Dash

“I know what to do for this one, no problem.” Izuku said with confidence, before turning his hand into a grappling hook and feeling a length of rope pool from his elbow.

Mei cupped her hands around her mouth and started to shout “Booo! Do something new! Booooo!”

Inko joined in on the fun, laughing as she echoed, "Boooo!" Power Loader, accepting his fate, shrugged and joined the chorus of boos.

"Alright, alright!! I'll do something new!" Izuku scratched his chin, deep in thought. He pondered the countless possibilities of using his quirk, all the hours he spent researching speed, force, and kinetics. Every moment in his life seemed to converge into this very instant…

But then he shrugged and admitted defeat, "I've got nothing."

"Seriously? Nothing?" Mei was genuinely surprised. "You're usually the master of coming up with clever moves!"

"Yeah, for other people," Izuku replied with a hint of self-doubt. "I'm not so good at analysing myself like that."

Power Loader chimed in, trying to offer some wisdom, "Don't sweat it, kid. It's not easy to introspect. I was your age when I finally understood my quirk well enough to see how a helmet would help me, and you've only had your quirk for two months."

Mei looked at him with curiosity, “What does that helmet even do, anyway?”

“Trade secret.”

"Maybe you just need a little help?" Izuku's mom suggested. "We can have brainstorming sessions and get those creative gears turning!"

"Yeah, maybe," Izuku replied, feeling a bit disappointed in himself. "I just worry that this will keep happening. I can't always rely on my quirk's spontaneity for everything. What if one day it just stops working the way I want it to? It would be better if I could improve my own creativity. Hey, maybe I can ask Fukidashi for help. He's an artist, right?"

Mei looked puzzled, "Who's Fukidashi?"

"He's the guy in 1-A, you know, Manga?"

“...”

“His head is a speech bubble?”

She shrugged.

“Mei! Come on!” Izuku said in frustration, “You really have to get better at remembering people!”

“I don’t have time to learn names, Izumi, I’m a busy woman!”

“Ugh…” Izuku rolled his eyes, again transformed his arm into a grappling hook and length of rope, and effortlessly sailed past the finish line in one smooth motion.

Power Loader clicked his stopwatch, “4.4 seconds. Great work, Izuku. A little boring, though.” 

Izuku just frowned at him.

Test Five: The Long Jump

"Final test, Izuku. The standing long jump. Let's see how far you can go from a stationary position. After this, we'll have a good grasp of where you currently stand with your quirk," Power Loader explained.

Izuku rubbed his hands together, okay, last event. This time he wasn’t going to be caught off guard by his own lack of imagination! He racked his brain, recalling all the quirks he had seen at school, all the gadgets and gizmos he had built for heroes, and his own personal experiences. There had to be something he could incorporate into his abilities. And then it hit him - the training exercise he had witnessed in Class 1-A, where Iida had struggled with upward mobility.

“How did Yamashita decide to fix that again…” he muttered to himself. "Oh, right! Alternating the angle of his engines to create thrust. I can't generate fuel like that, at least not as far as I know, and I don't want to risk it. But maybe there's another way for me to generate thrust..."

Snapping his fingers, Izuku turned to the rest of the group. "Alright, I'm ready."

With a determined expression on his face, Izuku bent his knees, leaning slightly forward, and positioned his arms angled towards the ground behind him. Taking a deep breath, he swiftly transformed both his arms into thick wooden poles. The plan was to use the speed of the transformation to push himself off the ground, propelling him into the air!

It was a brilliant idea. Except for the fact that both poles snapped immediately upon contact with the ground.

Mei and Inko screamed in shock as Izuku cradled the broken poles, hanging on by their splinters, with a look of terror on his face. Power Loader rushed over, sliding into a kneeling position beside him to assess the situation.

"Izuku, look at me, alright? It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out. Can you feel any pain right now?" Power Loader asked, his voice filled with concern.

"N-No, I can't feel anything," Izuku replied, his fear still evident.

"You're going to have to be really strong for me, alright, kid? You need to transform back so we can see the extent of the damage. Can you do that?"

“Yeah, yeah I think so…” Izuku clamped his eyes shut, and reverted the transformation. He was glad he had his eyes closed for the sudden surge of pain that shot through him.

The sound of Power Loader sucking air through his teeth made Izuku reluctantly open his eyes to assess the damage, only to find both his forearms bent at angles they really had no business being.

Inko screamed again, as Izuku passed out.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the campus, Momo Yaoyorozu sat alone on a bench, lost in her own thoughts. In her hands, she absentmindedly opened and closed a little Russian nesting doll, engrossed in its intricate design. With a brief moment of concentration, she created another doll that perfectly fit inside the first one.

Just around the corner, Toshinori Yagi was preparing to leave work. He had a few hours of All Mightiness left in him and was looking forward to an evening of heroism. However, when he spotted Yaoyorozu on the bench, a tinge of concern washed over him.

"Is that young Yaoyorozu?" he pondered to himself. "Why does she seem so down? I should go and talk to her." He began to turn the corner, but then suddenly stopped, a look of realisation crossing his face. "Wait, you fool! She doesn't know Toshinori Yagi! I don't teach any of her classes!"

As Momo was contemplating the nesting dolls, she felt a subtle shift on the bench, as if a heavy weight had settled on the other side. Perplexed, she turned to find All Might, the symbol of peace, sitting beside her with his hands neatly resting in his lap.

"What a beautiful afternoon, eh, young Yaoyorozu?" All Might beamed, his radiant smile on full display.

"A-All Might, sir! To what do I owe this pleasure?!" Momo tried her best to sound polite, but her astonishment at having the number one hero sitting beside her was unmistakable. She’d been his student for two months now, but come on, it’s All Might .

"Young Yaoyorozu," All Might began, his voice filled with wisdom, "Part of being a hero is recognising when someone is in need, and it seems something is weighing heavily on your mind." He looked at her with genuine concern, though his expressions naturally gravitated towards his trademark cheesy grin. He couldn’t help it.

Momo hesitated for a moment before deciding to open up. "It's the sports festival, All Might. I don't feel ready to... to give it my all!" she exclaimed, attempting to mask her true feelings with a burst of false bravado. But All Might saw right through it.

"Another crucial aspect of being a hero is acknowledging when you need to talk through a problem, young Yaoyorozu," he gently replied.

She let out a sigh. "It's the pressure, sir. As a recommendation student and the class vice president, everyone expects so much from me. On top of that, I'm supposed to take over my family's business in the future. It's all becoming too much. It's suffocating, really..."

All Might nodded in understanding. "Remember, you are more than the expectations placed upon you."

That's what he said out loud, but in his mind, he couldn't help but acknowledge the irony of his own words. A man teetering on the edge of retirement who refused to take a day off from heroics, knowing that one more injury could shatter his career for good. Or kill him.

He continued, "It's crucial to find that balance between the pressures imposed on us as heroes and the pressures we impose on ourselves. Remember, your worth isn't solely defined by what others expect of you." He paused for a moment, realising he might be sounding a little too serious. Time to put the All Might spin on it. "And that's an All Might guarantee!" he added with a wink.

“But… What if I end up disappointing everyone? What if I can’t meet their or my own expectations?”

All Might's facade faltered for a brief moment as he pondered his response. "Yaoyorozu, my girl, I've faced similar doubts on my own journey. It's easy to lose yourself in the pursuit of meeting others' expectations. But remember, being a hero means finding the strength within yourself. Trust in your abilities and lean on the support of those who believe in you. Like yours truly! And all the other fantastic staff here at UA!" His smile returned, radiating warmth.

"You're absolutely right, thank you, sir," Momo replied, offering a polite bow of her head. "Perhaps I could speak with Midnight. Present Mic is also very approachable. Or... Lunch Rush, I suppose?"

All Might chuckled softly. "How about considering talking to your homeroom teacher, Eraserhead? He's there to support you after all."

Momo hesitated, a touch of discomfort evident on her face. "Ah, y-yes. Mr. Aizawa is not what any of us would call an approachable teacher..."

All Might listened attentively, his brows furrowing slightly. He understood the importance of having a supportive teacher, and if Mr Aizawa wasn’t fulfilling those duties he may need to investigate the matter further.

“Well remember, I’m always here! You may also want to speak with our guidance counsellor, Mr Hound Dog! He may seem intense, but between you and me, he’s just a big old puppy dog.”

Momo smiled gratefully, “Thank you, All Might. Your support means a lot to me.”

Just then, a third voice broke through, interrupting their conversation. "Miss Yaoyorozu, your car is here."

"Ah, thank you," Momo acknowledged the man before turning back to All Might. "Thank you again, sir, for listening."

“Think nothing of it! The most rewarding part of being a teacher is seeing the smiles on the students' faces!” He gave another cheesy grin, and rocketed off into the sky. A few miles into his leap, he thought to himself, “Perhaps I need to have a discussion with Aizawa about his teaching methods...Oh crap! I left my car at work!”

"Mmmwah! Mmmwah!" Recovery Girl planted big kisses on Izuku's injured arms as he sat in the infirmary bed. "There you are, dear. Now, is anyone going to explain to me how an injury like this could possibly happen to a boy without a combat quirk?"

"Um, well, it's, uh..." Izuku stammered, struggling to find the right words.

Power Loader shook his head, urging Izuku to come clean. "It's for the best if you just tell her, Midoriya."

Izuku took a deep breath. "I... My quirk manifested. We encountered a problem, and I, uh... accidentally broke both of my arms." He winced, expecting a scolding.

"How long ago did it manifest?" Recovery Girl asked, a stern tone in her voice.

"Two months ago?" Izuku answered, only to receive a smack on the head from Recovery Girl.

"Oww!" he yelped, but she quickly kissed it better.

"You should have let someone know the moment you found out!" there was that scolding he was expecting.

Mei chimed in, coming to Izuku's defence. "He did tell someone the day it happened! Me!" Another smack followed.

"And you should have told an adult as well, young lady! Mmmwah! Any ideas on what actually caused an injury of this magnitude, though?"

Power Loader stepped in, offering his theory. "It would make sense that it's because this is the longest he's used his quirk, which is called, um... Did you ever decide on a name for it?"

"I've been calling it Toolbox in my head, but since I can make more than just tools now, I'm not sure," Izuku replied, contemplating.

Power Loader nodded. "Let's call it Upper Limb Transformation for now until we know more. Izuku can turn his arms into different tools and machinery. I think we overexerted his ability today, and the transformations gradually grew weaker. The accident that led to this... I believe if that was the first thing he tried, we wouldn't be here right now."

"When we get home, you can have as much ice cream as you want, Izuku!" Inko exclaimed, tears in her eyes.

With a sigh, Power Loader addressed the Midoriyas. "I can only offer my apologies for what happened here today. I should have been more observant. My duty as a homeroom teacher is to look after my students, and I've failed you both."

"You didn't fail me. I feel great," Mei interjected.

“Thank you, Hatsume.”

"Hey, you didn't fail me either!" Izuku added. "It's not your fault I kept this a secret. There's no way you could have known!"

"I appreciate that, Izuku, but the fact remains that I need to be a better teacher, for the sake of all my students. If there's ever anything I can do to help with your studies, just let me know."

"Does that mean I can get an advance on the public safety essay?" Izuku asked eagerly.

"Not a chance."

Chapter Text

The Musutafu Police Precinct had an eerie silence hanging in the air tonight, sending shivers down Shota's spine. The absence of any criminals currently being processed could mean a few things. Either there had been no crime committed at all that day, which seemed highly unlikely. Or, the crimes committed were so intense that every available officer was still out there trying to nab the culprits, which Shota would have definitely heard about by now. Or, the more plausible explanation, Tsukauchi was once again absent and the rest of the officers were slacking off without his watchful eye.

No matter the reason, it didn't reflect well on the precinct's efficiency, which was precisely why Shota had decided to pay a visit. Coming up with a fictional "Amata case," he had approached the desk sergeant at the front entrance with the fabricated investigation in order to gauge their reaction.

Their nonchalant response of "Oh sure, go right ahead," meant one of two things: Either the desk sergeant blindly trusted the word of a hero, which was a bad sign because who knows, they could have been a shapeshifter; or they simply didn't give a damn and were oblivious to any glaring issues. That suited Shota just fine for his current task - bugging the station - but it also spoke volumes about the system. Troubling, indeed, but Aizawa wasn't exactly in the business of spearheading social change.

Shota had discovered that the young Detective Omasuba had been one of the three assigned to the Dakamoto case, as well as the attack against him at UA. The other two officers, after a lacklustre investigation, had immediately been reassigned elsewhere. As a result, she became his prime "target" for the evening. What intrigued him most about this up-and-coming detective was her involvement in a plethora of minor arrests and convictions - possibly explaining why she was the one who first put him on Mayhem’s trail. It was as if she had been slaying level 1 slimes and managed to reach the third job before leaving the starting town.

That wasn't the usual path most detectives took, and it immediately stood out to Shota. The best-case scenario was that she was a driven rookie, determined to prove herself after graduating, and had managed to impress the right people. The worst-case scenario, though, was that she had been intentionally fast-tracked, possibly for the same reason he was investigating. As much as he wanted to believe otherwise, Mayhem had a point - there was an increasing likelihood that someone connected to the killings was operating from within the police station.

As Aizawa ventured deeper into the precinct, he scanned the surroundings for the perfect opportunity to set his plan in motion. Luckily for him, the Musutafu station had separate offices for detectives working on murder investigations, rather than the open "bullpen" approach. The reason behind it was quite interesting, he thought. In the past, there were instances where criminals with eidetic memory or heightened hearing quirks intentionally got themselves arrested to eavesdrop on sensitive information. It became less common over time, but for a while, professional criminals made a lucrative business out of it. Little did they know back then that their practices would play right into his hands for this particular operation.

Approaching his target's office, he noticed a simple piece of lined paper taped to the door with the word "OMASUBA" written on it. Quite logical, he thought. With the number of cases being dropped without Tsukauchi's involvement, Omasuba would probably relocate by the end of the week. Aizawa lightly tapped the door and waited for a response before slowly pushing it open. The dimly lit room came to life as motion detector lights flickered on, revealing stacks of files scattered on the desk. It was then he recalled Omasuba mentioning her preference for working on paper during their last encounter. Upon reflection, that seemed very suspicious of her.

Shota fished the tiny bug he was planning to affix to the computer from his pocket, a curious device attached to his trousers that allowed him to carry small objects. The bug was also quite effective. It was paper-thin, difficult to detect, and could wirelessly transmit data using… Magnets, or something? It was above his pay grade and below his interests. With steady hands, he discreetly affixed the bug to the back of the computer. All that was left to do now was wait for the connection to be established.

His heart skipped a beat upon hearing footsteps approaching the office door. Momentary worry gripped him, but he swiftly regained his composure, knowing he had to act fast. In times like these, the most logical course of action was to act like you belong. Before Omasuba could enter the room, Aizawa had smoothly settled himself into the desk chair, appearing completely at ease as he perused the first case file he had picked up.

"Oh! Eraserhead, what a pleasant surprise!" Omasuba exclaimed, a hint of shock in her voice as her unruly hair threatened to obstruct her vision, as always. "Can I help you with something?"

"I'm investigating these..." Aizawa glanced down at the case file in his hand, "public indecency charges." He frowned at the concerningly graphic image on the page. …Who even took this picture? No, that didn't matter, try not to think about it too much.

Omasuba casually brushed the hair out of her eyes and leaned against the doorframe, raising both eyebrows. "Oh, hehe," she said, moving her hair behind her ear. "I see how it is. Eraserhead, it's okay, you don't have to lie to me."

"I'm sorry?" Aizawa replied, with a touch of genuine confusion.

"You're here to see me again, aren't you?" She confidently walked into the office, dropping her purse on the floor. "I won't deny that I've had similar thoughts about you a few times. But you can't hide this kind of thing from me. I am a detective, you know," she said with a mischievous expression.

Aizawa glanced at his smartwatch, noting that it was 77% connected. Not much time left, but he needed to buy himself a little more.

"Detective Omasuba, I-"

"Please, call me Kiko," Omasuba insisted, clumsily leaning over with her elbows on the desk and one leg kicked up behind her.

"...Detective Omasuba," he continued, trying to regain his composure. "I really am here for a case file. I noticed your office door was open, so I took the liberty of—"

"Oh, Eraserhead!" In one smooth motion, she cleared the desk of papers and started climbing on top of it, getting dangerously close to him. "We're both adults here. Let's act like adults!"

Aizawa slyly glanced at his watch once more... 99%... Come on, come on, come on! Why did the last percent always take the longest?!

"The, uh, the case is, uh, it’s the, uh," He was stuttering!? What is he, 13 years old?! Just then, he felt his watch subtly vibrate, indicating the file transfer had completed. "I have to go."

Omasuba had never seen someone leave a room so quickly before. "Oh, poo," she said to herself, disappointed.

Class 1-H bombarded Izuku with questions about his injury as soon as they saw him in the workshop. Thankfully, due to the swift intervention of Recovery Girl, he managed to get away with wearing wrist braces instead of having both arms in casts. It was much easier to explain two injured wrists rather than two snapped arms, and at least this way he could still move his fingers a little. The moment Hana entered the room and laid eyes on him, she let out a piercing scream, shouted, "What happened?!" in utter horror, and rushed over to him without a moment's hesitation. The other students expressed their concern in their own, more subdued ways.

Kazutani was the most composed. "Hey, what happened? How did you injure yourself?" he inquired, his serious expression softened by genuine worry. He didn't bother beating around the bush; it just wasn't his style.

Oh, crap, right, he actually needed to come up with an excuse. "Well, you see…" Izuku began, desperately racking his brains for a believable story.

"Izuku saved my life!" Mei suddenly blurted out.

"What?!" Izuku's eyes widened in concern, unsure where this story was heading. "No, I didn't. I didn't do that!"

"No need to be modest, Izuku. The people deserve to know," Mei insisted.

Kuri Kuri's small mouth opened just a little wider, his black eyes shimmering. "Wow... What happened, Hatsume?"

"There I was," Oh great, she’s in full storytelling mode, "a poor, defenceless girl on a treacherous journey to the train station." She placed one hand on her forehead and dramatically extended the other in front of her.

"I had just finished work on my latest baby, the super-duper speed shoes, and was ready to test them out. But little did I know… danger was afoot ."

Hana gasped and put a hand up to her mouth.

"A group of dastardly villains had been following me, waiting to strike!" She punctuated her words with wild gesticulations. "They wanted to steal my babies and use them for evil schemes." She paused for dramatic effect, then continued. "As I was about to board the train… They surrounded me. They had knives! Guns! One guy had a backpack flamethrower! I was done for…"

"Then what happened?" Kuri asked, wide-eyed, (or at least as wide as his eyes could get).

She sniffled and wiped a fake tear away. "That’s when Izuku appeared. He saw me in trouble and rushed in to help! He fought off the villains with nothing but his bare hands!" Mei started punching the air and miming kicks, "He was throwing them around like ragdolls! One of the villains said ‘get the girl!’ and Izuku locked eyes with him, spat out his toothpick, and said ‘not today’"

Izuku tried his best to bury himself in his collar until this was over.

"He even caught a bullet in his teeth and spat it back at the shooter! He was unstoppable!" She made a fist. "But then! One of the villains managed to grab his arm and twist it behind his back! Izuku SCREAMED IN PAIN! But he refused to give up!"

Yamashita started munching on some popcorn she’d gotten from somewhere.

"Using his free arm, he delivered a powerful elbow strike to the villain's face! But it was too late... his arm was broken." Mei took a dramatic pause. "That's when the villain with the flamethrower lunged at me!"

"Wow! Izuku, you’re a real hero!" Hana beamed.

Just then, Power Loader entered the room and casually approached the group of students. "Whatever Hatsume is telling you, it didn't happen. Midoriya was assisting me in the workshop when a metal support beam fell on his arms."

Hana's smile faded as she heard the ‘truth’. "Oh... Well, I'm sure if Mei really did get attacked by villains, you would have done all those heroic things anyway!"

"Um, thanks, Akari," Izuku responded, a bit bewildered, before turning to Mei and whispering, "I caught a bullet in my teeth?"

"What? Are you saying you wouldn't catch a bullet in your teeth if I were in danger? I thought we were friends."

To regain the attention of Class 1-H, Power Loader forcefully slammed a yardstick onto his desk, producing a sharp bang ! The entire class jumped, with Kuri even retreating into his chestnut shell.

"Alright! First order of business today," Power Loader declared, his voice commanding the room's attention. "Class 1-A will be coming in during the day to collect any support gear you've created for them. They won't be able to use it for the sports festival like you guys, but we've been asked to assist them in getting familiar with the new gear before classes resume later this week."

Mei leaned over to Izuku and whispered, "Did you manage to make something for Komori?"

He grimaced slightly, hesitating before replying, "Yeah, sort of..."

Power Loader continued, "You still have the next few days to work on your support gear for the festival. However, if you're satisfied with what you have, feel free to use these workshop sessions to focus on your other assignments." With that, he reclined in his desk chair, propping his feet up on the desk, and pulled out a newspaper from seemingly thin air.

As anticipated, the Class 1-A students gradually made their way into the workshop throughout the day to collect their eagerly awaited gadgets and gizmos. Iida couldn't contain his excitement as he received Yamashita's jump-thrust boots, while Uraraka was practically beaming with joy when Mei presented her with the grappling tethers. 

Izuku's creations, on the other hand, were a bit more understated. He had designed lightweight portable speakers for Jiro that could double as blunt weapons, and a quick-release wrist-mounted ammo belt for Kodai. The latter allowed her to rapidly fire projectiles that would graze her hand, activating her quirk. A satisfied smile and nod from Kodai indicated the success of the invention.

Izuku's heart raced more than he would have liked when Komori finally arrived to collect her new gear.

"Hi," she greeted, her hair completely obscuring her eyes. "Are you Midoriyashroom?"

Oh my God, they only just met and she gave him a nickname. "Yes! Yes, hello, that's me! I have a gift!" He struggled to lift a wooden crate onto the desk, but Komori kindly stepped in to help.

She cracked open the crate and peered inside. Izuku tried to gauge her reaction, but her hair made it difficult to see her eyes.

"...Are they shoes, shroom?" she asked.

"Um... y-yeah, I thought since your quirk is nature-related, there wasn't much tech I could incorporate that would be better than your water sprays. So, I thought maybe your costume wasn't as suited for close combat. Not that there's anything wrong with your costume! I actually love it, and you look great - I mean, it works great, and you also look great, and..."

Komori simply looked at him and then back down at the shoes.

"They're um... made of lightweight steel, and I added the spikes because, well, spikes look cool, I guess. I apologise if they're a bit big, but I wanted them to be as strong as possible in case you ever, you know, need to kick someone..."

Her expression remained inscrutable for what felt like an eternity to Izuku... until a broad smile spread across her face as she pulled the spiked steel combat boots out of the box. "They're incredible !"

"They are?!" Izuku exclaimed in surprise.

"They are?" echoed Mei, who had been eavesdropping.

"Oh my shroom, YES! How did you know I'm into industrial metal?! Just imagine these in the pit! These are the best things you could have made!" To Izuku's complete astonishment, she enveloped him in a tight hug. It crushed his arms a little, but he wasn't about to complain!

Komori released him after a few seconds, "Thank you so much, shroom! You’re the best!"

Izuku’s face started to heat up again, "I’m glad you like me–I mean like them!"

"I can’t wait to try these out," she said with a sinister giggle, seizing the box and dashing off to her own class, leaving Izuku at a loss for words.

"Wow, Izuku, you really made an impression on her," Mei teased, nudging him with her elbow. "I think she likes you."

"I-I didn't know what to say," Izuku stammered. "She's... She's nice, friendly, and... and..."

"And she hugged you!" Mei continued to tease. "Ooooh, Izuku's got a girlfriiiiend!"

As if choreographed, everyone else in the room chorused "Ooooooh!" simultaneously, including Todoroki, who was there getting a new jacket from Kazutani, even though he had no idea why he joined in.

“Well then!” Principal Nezu exclaimed, hopping onto the meeting table with a grin. “Let’s begin with a warm welcome to the newest addition to our wild bunch!”

Izuku smiled nervously at the gathering of pro heroes seated around him. It was his first-ever meeting with them since discovering the secrets of All Might’s quirk, and boy, was he feeling the pressure this time! For once, the nerves seemed completely justified.

"Thank you all for having me," he said, offering a small bow from his chair. Most of the heroes around the table returned the gesture, but Sir Nighteye remained still, with his fingers crossed in front of his mouth, while Midnight wore a look of utter concern.

"Darling! What happened?!" she yelled, eyeing the braces on Izuku's arms.

For a moment, Izuku considered going along with Mei's tale of incredible heroism, but Recovery Girl spoke up on his behalf.

"It was a mishap in the workshop. Believe me, I've given Higari quite the lecture!" She waved her cane in the air for emphasis.

"Well, we all wish you a speedy recovery, Young Midoriya," Yagi expressed. "Oh! But won't this mean you'll have to miss the sports festival? That's a real shame…"

"It's okay, really. I didn't expect to get very far anyway. Besides, there will be other opportunities to get scouted by support companies!" Izuku replied, trying to sound optimistic. Truth be told, skipping the festival would make things so much easier for him as he familiarised himself with his new quirk. And it would give him time to adjust to the idea of more people knowing about it. Revealing his quirk to the entire school all at once would be overwhelming, he thought.

"Do not fret, Mr. Midoriya! As the principal of this fine establishment, I can offer the solution!" Nezu chimed in. "Chiyo, how long until our friend is back in fighting shape?"

"Thursday at the latest, two days after the festival," Recovery Girl responded.

Gleefully, Nezu produced a large metal remote control with a big red button in the centre and pushed it with a click. A muffled explosion could be heard in the distance. The looks of shock and horror on the faces of the other heroes were delightful to him.

"Oh dear! It appears there has been a structural issue on the west wall of the stadium. Tut tut, how unfortunate; the festival will have to be postponed for at least two days," Nezu declared, leaning back in his chair while ignoring Izuku's sounds of protest. "Now, onto the matter at hand!"

Shaking away the shock of Nezu apparently having explosives ready to go at the stadium, Yagi attempted to refocus the meeting. "R-right, first things first, and we all agree on this," he gestured to the rest of the team, "Young Midoriya, would you be willing to shoulder the burdens and responsibilities of One For All and become the next symbol of peace?"

"Nah, I'm good."

"Oh…" Yagi answered, a little disappointed. Well, you win some, you lose some.

For the first time during that day's meeting, Sir Nighteye spoke up. "In that case, do you have any ideas for suitable candidates?"

Izuku lit up at the opportunity. Despite his current state, he clumsily emptied the contents of his backpack onto the table, revealing a series of notebooks.

Midnight picked up one of the books and read the title aloud, "Izuku's Weird Dream Journal?"

"Well, I didn't want anyone reading them, and there's nothing worse than hearing about other people's weird dreams," he answered seriously.

"Yes, that makes sense." The others chorused in agreement.

"The way I understand it," Izuku began, "Is that One For All needs to be given to someone who can withstand the physical strain but also exhibits the ideals of true heroism. You need somebody strong yet selfless. Right?"

"You're quite correct, Young Midoriya," Yagi remarked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "One For All does require someone with both immense strength and a heroic spirit to bear its power. You believe there are students in our midst who possess these qualities?"

Izuku nodded, "Absolutely. I first compiled a list of candidates from the first-year heroics courses based on their strength. They're in the notebook you have, Miss Midnight."

Midnight flipped to the correct page and laid it out for the others to see. "Oh my, you're quite the artist!" She said, referring to the sketches inside.

"Oh um, thank you. If we go by sheer strength, the best candidates are Mezo Shoji and Rikido Sato. They have the best chances of controlling the raw power."

"A six-armed Texas smash…" Yagi remarked thoughtfully.

"But it got me thinking…" Izuku continued, "I was considering whether strength alone is limiting us. After all, muscle can be gained. So, I think the best course of action is to look at people's personalities rather than their physical attributes. Um, that's all listed in the other notebook."

This book was closest to Nighteye, who flipped through to the right page.

"I've compiled a list of every student from classes 1A and 1B based on my observations during training exercises. There are pros and cons, anything I could determine from their personalities, and ways in which their quirks might be affected by One For All."

Nighteye pushed his glasses up his nose. "You believe their current quirks may be strengthened as well?"

"Well, it's just a theory, but it would make some sense, right? I think it's worth considering because there's a chance you could um… make someone too powerful."

Nezu nodded. "It would be rather difficult to be a hero if one punch levelled an entire city!"

"So," Izuku continued, a little surprised at himself for how well his 'pitch-meeting' persona had lasted, "On the next page, you'll find a list of four students who I think could make suitable candidates."

Nighteye turned the page and rotated the book for the others to see, and Yagi read the names aloud.

"Eijiro Kirishima, Hiryu Rin, Ochaco Ururaka, Mashirao Ojiro."

Pointing to the bottom of the page, Midnight remarked, "Is this another name that has been crossed out?"

"Oh, um, yeah, it was just a thought, but I'm not sure if she would-"

"I think I can make it out," she said, squinting. "...Mei Hatsume?"

"L-like I said, just a thought I had!"

"These are good options," Yagi said, "thank you for the work, Young Midoriya."

Sir Nighteye held up a finger. "You have forgotten one possible candidate. Why did you not include Mirio Togata? Was there an aspect of his personality you found unappealing?"

Izuku just shrugged. "I don't know who that is, sorry. I can do some research though!"

"Please do."

"Well then!" Nezu piped up, "A productive meeting indeed! Now, if that will be all, shall we adjourn for the evening?"

"Oh, actually, Principal Nezu?" Izuku asked, "Could I see Deku? I wanted to say hello."

"I'm afraid not, my dear student. Our little friend Deku is in Ectoplasm's care, I believe they are wingmanning!"

Meanwhile, across the city in a fancy nightclub, Ectoplasm downs a shot of whiskey at the bar while Deku sits across from him. "You got this, buddy! Go get 'em, tiger!"

Ectoplasm grunts in agreement and heads over to the dance floor.

Good luck, Ectoplasm!

Chapter Text

The city was alive, its bright lights and cacophony of noise setting the stage for another night of patrol for the vigilante hero known as Mayhem. Tonight, she brought with her a sleek, updated costume that incorporated newly tested technology. Inspired by the recent successful application of her long-fall boots, she had integrated the design directly into her suit, granting her the ability to survive falls of up to 75 ft! Provided she landed on her feet, of course. Some people might argue the new feature made her too reckless. One of those people happened to be her best friend Izuku, who was now privy to her escapades.

A concerned voice buzzed through Mayhem's headset, belonging to the green-haired support student. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Mayhem waved away the concern in her usual carefree manner. “Hey, don't worry about it! It'll be just fine. I'll make sure to catch up on sleep before the sports festival, no sweat.”

“I meant sitting on the edge of a 30-story skyscraper,” Izuku persisted. True enough, Mayhem was currently perched on the lookout-point guard railing at Musutafu Television Centre, surveying the city from on high. “What if someone sneaks up on you and you slip?”

“No one's going to sneak up on me, you worrywart! Nobody will even know I'm up here.” Mayhem confidently dismissed his concerns. Drawing inspiration from their recent encounter with the assassin at UA, she’d developed a short-range video disruptor embedded within her suit's lining – a device that froze any security camera she passed. “Besides, even if I fall, what's really the worst that could happen?”

Izuku shook his head in disbelief, even though Mayhem couldn't see it. “Did you ever hear about that French inventor who built a parachute? The one who jumped off the Eiffel Tower?”

“Cool! Did it work?”

“No! It didn't!”

“He should have tested it better, then.”

With those audacious words hanging in the air, Mayhem seized the moment and leaped off the edge of the towering rooftop. The rush of wind thundered in her ears, merging with Izuku's muffled cries of terror – his helpless voice echoing through the crackling headset. As she hurtled through the air, the lights from the building streaked past her, transforming into a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours.

Then she unleashed her newest baby. Mayhem extended her arms wide like a majestic bird poised to soar, and from her wrists to her waist materialised a magnificent wingsuit. It billowed and flexed, embracing the surrounding air. The surge of adrenaline pumped through her veins, igniting her senses as she deftly manoeuvred through the sky, skillfully dodging buildings that threatened to obstruct her path.

“WOOOOHOOOOO!!!” She shrieked with unabashed delight, her helmet shielding her from the full force of the wind. “I was born to flyyyyyy!!! ”

“God damn it Mei!!” Izuku's panicked voice finally broke through the commotion. He’d ended up pacing his bedroom away from the laptop, afraid he was about to see his friend get smushed. “You didn’t tell me you had a wingsuit!!”

“Didn't I? Oops.” Her response was far from what Izuku had hoped to hear. “Well, now you know!”

Izuku's heart raced as he desperately shouted into the headset, “Did you even plan how to stop?! Did you consider that part at all?!”

She let out a small nervous laugh, her excitement mixing with just the slightest tinge of crushing realisation. “Uh, well, I guess I hadn't thought that far ahead. But no worries, I'll figure something out!” She dived then pulled up to gain altitude, continuing her flight over the city. It felt exhilarating, but as thrilling as it was, she knew she had to find a way back down to earth eventually.

Meanwhile, Izuku was frantically brainstorming solutions from the safety of his bedroom. “Okay, okay, okay... Mei! Listen carefully! Do you have any emergency parachutes or something to slow down and land SAFELY?!”

“I’m working on it!” Mayhem activated her quirk, scanning the city rooftops, searching for something specific. Finally, her sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar figure with dark hair and a distinctive capture weapon. “There he is! Eraserhead!” Mayhem exclaimed with relief. Guiding herself towards him, she adjusted her trajectory to the lower rooftops and said “Izuku, I’m switching to loudspeaker!”

“Yo! Eraserhead!!” Mayhem's voice echoed through the desolate rooftop, instantly grabbing Eraserhead's attention. The moment her words reached his ears, he turned, his quirk involuntarily activating and abruptly shutting off Mayhem's Zoom. Her vision was obscured, just in time to make it harder to detect the capture scarf hurtling toward her. A split second later, the weapon sliced through the air, securely wrapping itself around her and abruptly halting her forward momentum.

Eraserhead, ever vigilant and quick to react, sprang into action. In one fluid motion, he leaped from the rooftop, his arms encircling the cocooned vigilante. Together, they landed and rolled across the opposite rooftop, Eraser skilfully manipulating their motion to ensure a safe and controlled landing.

After they came to a stop, he stared her down, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and concern, his breath laboured from the adrenaline rush.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Eraserhead's voice boomed, his frustration clear and pronounced. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You could have killed someone!”

Mayhem's face flushed under the helmet, but she couldn't resist a hint of defiance. “Sorry, Eraser, I was just testing out the new wingsuit... Pretty cool, right?”

Eraserhead ran both hands through his hair, exasperated by her recklessness. He began to pace the rooftop, his frustration palpable. “Cool? No! It's not cool, you child . It was reckless and irresponsible. You're lucky I was here to catch you; otherwise, you would have been a stain on the pavement! That's it. I'm taking you in. No more games.”

Mayhem huffed, her eyes narrowing. “You don't have to be so mean about it! Taking risks is necessary in this line of work!”

Eraserhead halted his pacing, his eyes piercing into hers. “You think I'm being mean?! Are you serious?! You can't just go around causing... causing MAYHEM for the sake of it!”

Struggling against the confines of the scarf, Mayhem retorted stubbornly. “I’m not causing trouble for the sake of it, Eraser! I’m trying to make a difference, to protect the innocent! Just like you!”

Taking a deep breath, Eraserhead crouched down in front of the wrapped-up vigilante, his eyes filled with intensity. “Listen up, kid. Being a hero isn't some game you play for fun . It demands discipline, strategy, and above all, a strong sense of responsibility. You can't just throw caution to the wind and hope for the best. People's lives are at stake here,” he declared firmly, his voice echoing with years of experience.

Mayhem, stubbornly, tried to defend herself. “Nobody got hurt! Cut me some slack, I've only been at this for two months-”

Eraserhead cut her off sharply, his words slicing through her defence. “No, don't give me that. Frankly, if you were actually good at this, I wouldn't even think twice about you being out here. But the moment something goes wrong, the moment you hurt yourself or someone else, it becomes my problem. And trust me, I don't like having problems. Do you understand?”

Feeling a pang of remorse, Mayhem lowered her gaze inside her helmet. “I... I know, Eraser. I guess I got carried away with the thrill of it all. But I genuinely want to make a difference! You have to trust me, I'm on your side!”

Eraserhead maintained his stern gaze, contemplating her words. He let out a sigh, the frustration and understanding mingling in his voice. After a brief moment of hesitation, he loosened the capture weapon and extended a hand to help Mayhem up. Still, he kept a firm grip on her hand as he spoke.

“I'm giving you one more chance. BUT, only if you're willing to learn from me. I can teach you how to make calculated decisions, how to fight smart, and most importantly, how to prioritise safety.”

Mayhem looked at him confused, and tilted her head at him. “But why bother? You could just leave me to my own devices, literally.”

Eraserhead's response was swift and resolute. “Because being a hero means protecting people, including you. This is the most logical way to keep you safe and minimise collateral damage. However, if I sense that you're not taking this seriously or your recklessness is going to get you killed, we're done . Understood?”

Mayhem nodded, “Understood.” With that, he finally released her hand.

“Meet me here, same time tomorrow. If you're late, don't ever show up in my city again.” he said curtly before swinging away from the rooftop, leaving Mayhem standing there alone.

She slowly clicked back to the communicator with Izuku, bewildered. "Uh... What just happened?"

A frown formed on Izuku's face as he replied, "I think you just got scouted.”

In two days, the sports festival was kicking off. The sports festival that was supposed to be happening today, had Nezu not gone all pyrotechnic and blown up a part of the stadium on Izuku's behalf. Sure, it was a kind gesture in a twisted way, but was it really necessary? It seemed like Nezu had a knack for causing chaos, or maybe he just needed an excuse to let loose.

Earlier today, Izuku finally got his wrist braces taken off. However, Recovery Girl insisted that he hold off on using his quirk until her final healing session, scheduled for the morning of the festival. To Izuku's surprise, he found himself missing his transformation powers a lot more than he expected. When he first discovered his quirk, he spent so much energy hiding it and relied almost exclusively on regular tools. But after sharing his secret with his mom, he started transforming into the exact thing he needed every time, making his toolbox gather dust. It was so useful , having everything he needed literally in the palm of his hand.

But now, he was back to square one, feeling essentially quirkless. Not useless, of course, because he had proven time and time again that he could achieve greatness with his inventions and blueprints. But there was something different about experiencing the power of a quirk and then being forbidden from using it. It was a confusing situation, to say the least. For ten years, he had shown everyone that he could follow his dreams without a quirk, earning the respect of numerous pro-heroes, including All Might himself! Then, out of nowhere, the rug was pulled out from under him. Surprise, asshole! You have an insanely powerful quirk!

God, maybe he should consider talking to the school counsellor about this. What harm would it do to have one more teacher know about his... what did Maijima call it again? Upper Limb Transformation ? He definitely needed to come up with a better name for it. Something cooler and more memorable. Maybe something with a Z in it, Z is a cool letter.

For the time being, since Mei had gone home for the evening, Izuku found himself occupied with the TV. He stumbled upon an anime set in an insane alternate reality where nobody in the world had a quirk, and heroes simply didn't exist. It was a bizarre concept to him, imagining a world without people wearing tights and using codenames. Absolutely ridiculous. Yet, despite his initial scepticism, he became surprisingly invested in the storyline about five friends living in New York City. One of them had just placed a whole turkey on his head (which made Izuku wonder if it was a playful jab at Turkeyboy, the turkey hero) when his mom walked into the apartment.

“Oh, Izuku, you're still up? You didn't have to wait for me,” she said.

Hey, Mom! It's alright, I got hooked on this show. How was your date?” Izuku replied, tearing his attention away from the screen.

“It was lovely,” she replied, hanging her coat on the hook. “We had a nice dinner and talked a lot. You know, Higari reminds me a lot of you," 

“He does?”

“Definitely. He's a bit reserved at first, just like you, but once you get to know him, he's the most charming man alive. Well, second most charming,” she said, affectionately ruffling Izuku's hair. “He's reserved until he's in his element, and when that happens, wow ! I saw him take down some muggers, and oh my word," She pretended to swoon a little.

“Muggers?! Are you okay?!” Izuku exclaimed, concern washing over him.

“Izuku, Izuku, I'm perfectly fine,” his mom reassured him, laughing. “Higari saw it happening outside the restaurant. He excused himself, and I watched through the window as he took down the three of them!” She placed a hand over her heart. “It was very heroic.”

Izuku smiled, feeling a sense of relief that his mom was safe and glad that she had found someone who made her feel this way. It can’t have been easy for her, raising him alone after his dad left for God knows where. She deserved this, she really did.

“Well, I'm glad you're okay and had a good time,” Izuku responded.

Inko kicked off her shoes and snuggled into the couch next to her son, her gaze absentmindedly fixed on the muted television. “I did, It was a lovely evening. Work was quite hectic today, so I really needed that break.”

“Oh? What happened at work?” Izuku inquired.

“Yuki is leaving, she told me earlier today,” Inko replied sadly. “Her mother’s sick, and she has to move back home to take care of her.”

“Oh no, that’s awful! Is there anything we can do to help her?”

“I thought about inviting her for one last dinner together, maybe going out somewhere special,” Inko explained. “But she hasn't responded to any of my texts since we finished work. I'm a little worried, to be honest.”

“Maybe she'll reply tomorrow. Hopefully, everything is alright,” Izuku reassured his mom, hoping that Yuki would get in touch soon.

“I really hope so too.”

Diner sat cross-legged on the floor of the empty living quarters at The Market. Museum and High Street had their own appointments, and Barbershop rarely ventured down this way, leaving her alone in the space. Her current objective was to mentally prepare herself for infiltrating the Yaoyorozu's estate, fully embodying the personality and mannerisms of her new identity. Playing the role of Yuki Haro had been relatively easy, without any espionage motives involved. She could simply be herself. However, this time it was different.

She was struggling. Her mind was preoccupied after bidding farewell to Inko. She could have left without saying a word, which was exactly what High Street had advised her to do. But for some unknown reason, she found it difficult to follow through. The heartfelt texts from Inko, expressing sympathy and extending invitations, only made matters worse. For the first time in her life, Diner actually felt bad about lying to somebody. 

This wouldn't do. The mission had to take precedence. Even if Diner had no clue about High Street's ultimate goal, she knew that the mission always came first . She gripped her phone tightly with both hands, prepared to break it and move forward with her life. But instead, she simply held it. The phone remained intact, finding its place in her bag, concealed beneath the clothes she had chosen for her new life.

Taking a deep breath, Diner made a conscious effort to set aside her internal turmoil for the evening. She couldn't let personal emotions interfere with her mission. With renewed focus, she turned her attention back to her preparations, fully immersing herself in the task of studying and internalising every detail about her new identity: Aya Matsuri.  

According to the fabricated information, Aya Matsuri possessed a quirk called Diligence: the ability to enhance their mental and physical abilities by focusing on a specific task or goal. It was utter nonsense, of course, but the mere mention of it on the application was enough to land her the role. 

Aya Matsuri had two brothers and had spent most of her life living by the coast. She enjoyed tennis and crafts, loved sushi, enjoyed swimming, but had a dislike for birds. Diner meticulously rehearsed the mannerisms, speech patterns, and preferences of this character she was about to become. This wasn't just acting; it was complete embodiment. To succeed, everyone had to believe that she truly was Aya Matsuri, beyond any doubt. There could be no traces leading back to The Market.

…So why was she keeping the phone?

Chapter Text

“This would go smoother if you didn’t have the helmet on.” Eraserhead remarked, his voice dry and slightly exasperated, as he helped Mayhem (AKA, plucky UA support student Mei Hatsume!) up from the ground for the fourth time that evening. “It’s obstructing your vision.”

Mei shook her head stubbornly, “Trust me ‘raser, there’s nothing wrong with my vision,” she retorted, earning a sigh from Eraserhead. Mei adjusted her stance, rolling her shoulders. “Alright, let's go again. This time, I've got you for sure!”

With his hands nonchalantly tucked inside his hoodie pockets, Eraserhead nudged her foot to correct her positioning. Mei nodded, mustering all her focus, and threw another punch. Despite his seemingly relaxed posture, Eraserhead effortlessly sidestepped her attack, then swiftly delivered a well-placed kick to the back of her knee, sending her tumbling to the floor once more.

“Alright, I've seen enough. You're relying too much on your elbows and wrists when you punch. That's a surefire way to break them. You need to engage your whole body, not just a part of it,” Eraserhead advised, this time choosing not to lend her a helping hand. Mei scrambled to her feet on her own, showing little difficulty. “What did I tell you about your stance?”

“Feet shoulder-width apart, dominant foot slightly back, knees slightly bent, weight on the balls of my feet,” Mei recited, bouncing on her heels a bit to lock herself into position.

Eraserhead circled around Mei, inspecting her posture and positioning. His experienced eyes scrutinised her every move. "We're starting with the basics of a jab," he continued, providing detailed guidance. "Keep your elbows close to your body, your dominant hand at eye level, and the other hand near your cheekbone."

Mei adjusted her hand as Eraserhead suggested, trying to find the precise alignment he wanted.

He firmly lifted her hand a fraction. “Your cheekbones are higher than you think. Try to minimise unnecessary hand movements for now. We can delve into feints another time. Just focus on maintaining the proper form.”

"Got it," Mei replied, steadying herself.

“Relax your arm and shoulder. Remember, the power behind your punch should come from your entire body, not just your arm. Rotate your hips as you extend,” Eraserhead instructed, his voice slightly drowsy from the long training session. “Start slowly. Extend your dominant hand straight out in front of you, palm facing down, with a slightly bent elbow.”

Mei absorbed his words and visualised the perfect execution of the punch. With newfound precision, she began the movement, gradually extending her arm.

"Now we're getting somewhere." It was a subtle change, but Mei was certain she just saw the faintest hint of a smile.

An hour had passed, and Mei had made significant progress. She could now deliver rapid right-handed jabs with relative ease, though Eraserhead still had some observations to share.

Sitting on the edge of the rooftop wall, Eraserhead had his capture scarf draped around his shoulders as he provided his assessment. “You're making progress, albeit modest. But it seems like you've always heavily relied on your support gear, haven't you?” he remarked.

“Hey, my babe-” She caught herself before calling them her ‘babies’. “My gadgets are an essential part of my arsenal!” she defended.

Eraserhead raised an eyebrow. “What if they break, or they’re stolen, or there’s an electromagnetic surge? Any number of possibilities.”

“Uh, they'd never break, thank you very much, but I guess that’s why you’re making me focus on close combat,” Mei acknowledged with a nod of understanding.

Eraserhead continued, “I've been trying to figure it out. Your quirk relies on sight, much like mine, doesn't it?”

A smile spread beneath Mei's helmet as she reached into her utility belt, retrieving one of her tranquilliser darts. “Do you have a pen?” she asked.

Understanding where she was going with this, Eraserhead retrieved a pen from his pocket and held it up, slightly away from his face. With a satisfying shunk , the dart embedded itself into the tip. Eraserhead nodded approvingly. "Precision aiming, just as I thought."

Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Mei stood proudly with her hands on her hips. “It works best when the target isn't moving too quickly, which is why I've been practising on low-level goons! The moment I see someone with a speed quirk, I'm outta there!”

Eraserhead didn't acknowledge her comment. Instead, he delved further into his line of questioning. “Does your quirk only work from a distance?”

Dropping her confident stance, Mei responded with a question of her own. “What do you mean?”

Eraserhead's smile grew subtly. “What do you know about pressure points?”

Izuku's fingers clenched inside his strike gauntlets, anticipation coursing through his veins as he and the rest of Class 1-H waited in the bustling tunnels of the stadium. The long-awaited day of the UA Sports Festival had finally arrived, offering the perfect stage for the support class to showcase their ingenious gear and gadgets. Nervous energy hung in the air, every student hoping to catch the attention of the esteemed support companies observing from the grand arena.

Surprisingly calm amidst the buzzing atmosphere was Yamashita, who had chosen not to bring any equipment with her. It was obvious from the look in her eyes that she had just taken a nap, likely to use her summoning quirk later. Hana, on the other hand, carried a device resembling a sunflower, securely strapped to her back. It looked a lot like the backpack she often wore to class, but this one was crafted from sturdy metal and had tubes connecting to triggers in her hands. Kazutani had gone all out with his costume, a unique design featuring pulsating strips of light running down his arms and legs. It seemed his goal for the day was to impress costume designers rather than stand on the podium. As for Kuri Kuri, he sported coils of metal winding down his limbs, occasionally opening and closing his chestnut shell as if flexing a muscle.

Noticing Mei lost in her thoughts, Izuku gently nudged her arm and whispered, “Hey, is everything okay?” He expected her to be more excited, considering how eagerly she had been looking forward to the festival.

The nudge brought Mei back to the present. “Oh! Yeah, everything's good!” She gave him a thumbs up and whispered from the side of her mouth, “Our training session ran a little late, but I'm ready to go.”

“How late is 'a little late'?” Izuku asked, concern evident in his voice.

“We finished three hours ago. I couldn't let him know I'm a student here, so I just had to go along with it. But don't worry, it's all fine.”

“Mei, I'm over here.” Izuku waved her over, and Mei realised the crowd had moved and she was talking to a green mailbox.

As the group emerged from the tunnel, they were momentarily blinded by the dazzling light outside, a stark contrast to the darkness they had just left behind. The thunderous roar of the stadium engulfed them, a symphony of cheering spectators, waving banners and flags. One bold individual even dared to blow a vuvuzela, only to have Snipe expertly shoot it out of their mouth. And, of course, Present Mic was in his element as the event's boisterous MC, broadcasting from his announcer's booth high up in the stands.

“ Brothers!! Sisters!! Non-conforming gender resisters!!” Present Mic’s voice boomed through the speakers. “Are you ready for the UA First Year’s Sports Festival!?”

The crowd exploded into a frenzy of cheers, even louder than before.

“ Give a warm welcome to classes 1-A and 1-B, our HERO STUDENTS!!” Present Mic's energetic voice echoed through the stadium, setting the crowd abuzz.

On cue, the 38 members of classes 1-A and 1-B emerged onto the open pitch, waving to the cheering spectators. Mei kept a close eye on them, hoping against hope that at least one of them would rebel and wear the equipment her support class had made. She pouted when she realised none of them had, even though she knew it would be against the rules anyway.

“Put your hands together for Classes 1-C, 1-D and 1-E, our GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS!!”

Present Mic continued, and this time, the response from the audience was slightly more subdued. However, a burst of enthusiasm erupted from the Class 1-D homeroom teacher, exclaiming a spirited “WASHAWASHA!” The general education students seemed more resigned than excited about participating in the event.

“Though not competing in the events themselves, let’s give it up for Classes 1-F and 1-G watching from the stands! Our BUSINESS STUDENTS!”

Present Mic's voice rang out, and a group of students equipped with calculators and notebooks immediately got to work, scribbling furiously or setting up high-speed photography cameras. The response from the crowd was not as exuberant, with only a handful of people cheering for them.

“Last, but not least, our resident little geniuses! Class 1-H, the SUPPORT DEPARTMENT!”

This was their moment! The spotlight finally shone on Izuku and his classmates. The six students walked to their designated position on the field, waving to the crowd. There was polite applause mixed with some confusion, as the audience wondered why the support class was so small. However, a louder cheer erupted from the section reserved for pro heroes, many of whom were specifically there to see Izuku. Cool, no pressure then. Izuku also spotted a woman with a distinctive acorn-shaped head mutation cheering enthusiastically. He heard Kuri standing beside him shout, "Hi, Mom!" up to her.

“OUR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS! 

OH YEEEEAAAAH!!!”

Present Mic exclaimed, his powerful quirk inadvertently triggering a chorus of howls from dogs within a five-mile radius. After the ringing in everyone's ears subsided, Midnight approached a small stage set up in the centre of the arena, holding a microphone.

“To kick off our event, please welcome to the stage the representative for the Hero course, Koji Koda of class 1-B!” Midnight's sultry voice filled the air, as all eyes turned towards Koda, who stood ready to make his mark.

Mei nudged Izuku and whispered, “I didn't think this guy could talk.”

“I think he's just shy,” Izuku replied.

Nervously rubbing his wrists, Koda stepped up to the microphone and leaned forward. The entire audience leaned in as well, eager to hear what he had to say.

“...T-t-t…”

Every person in the arena clenched their fists in solidarity. Come on, Koda, you can do it!

"T-t-t-today... we g-gather to..." He paused, taking a deep breath to gather his courage. "Today… we gather to celebrate the incredible talents of each and every one of us, and to recognize the significance of heroism in our society. As we, the future heroes, leaders and visionaries step onto this field, we're not competing only for glory, but for opportunity. An opportunity to showcase our abilities to the world."

Koda took the microphone off its stand and began walking around the stage, his voice growing stronger with each passing moment. "Our quirks may define and categorise us, but we are more than that. We are defined by our commitment, our courage, our ideals, and our passions! Let this day be a testament to the true Plus Ultra spirit that we embody. Let it be a day of camaraderie and sportsmanship! As we give it our all, remember that every challenge and triumph will shape our determination and the legacy we carry long after this festival ends. The UA Sports Festival is a celebration of the indomitable spirit of heroism that resides within each and every one of us !"

A moment of stunned silence hung in the air until a man in the stands shouted, “HELL YEAH, THAT PINK KID IS RIGHT!” The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

“Oh myyyyy!” Midnight exclaimed, twirling around Koda, who had returned to nervously rubbing his wrists. “Koda, my dear, you must give the closing ceremony speech!” Koda shook his head frantically, fear evident in his eyes, and quickly retreated to the safety of his classmates.

“Well, damn.” Mei exclaimed, turning to the other support students. “Guess he can talk after all.”

“So, you guys have noticed the same thing as me, right?” Izuku questioned his friends.

“Mm,” Kazutani nodded. “They’ve positioned the three departments on different opposite sides of the arena.”

Kuri scratched his head. “Do you think it has something to do with the first event?”

“I think you might be onto something,” Yamashita chimed in, before yawning a yawn that seemed to last an eternity. “Maybe they're pitting classes against each other instead of individual students.”

Hana looked outraged at the thought. “But there are only six of us! That would be so unfair!”

"Let's not jump to conclusions, guys," Izuku said, attempting to ease their growing concerns.

Meanwhile, on the stage, Midnight was preparing to unveil the details of the first event. “Get ready for one of my all-time favourite games - the Team Up Labyrinth Challenge!”

“The who what what now challenge?!” The same guy in the audience who had shouted to Koda earlier blurted out, earning a stern glare from Eraserhead.

“Now, now, hold your horses, folks!” Midnight called out. “Before we dive in, I need each and every one of you to do me a favour. Check your pockets!!”

In unison, all the first-year students reached into their pockets and pulled out a ball, each one the size of a snooker ball, with a number printed on it. “How did I not notice this before?” Izuku wondered aloud.

“I'm more concerned about how it ended up in there in the first place!” Hana replied, her eyes wide.

On stage, Midnight continued to unravel the mysteries of the event. “We have a total of 104 lovely students standing before us today, but the numbers only go up to 52! Can you guess where this is leading?” she teased, relishing in the anticipation. “That's right! It's all about speed and communication! You need to find the person holding the matching number and together, navigate through the labyrinth!”

Intrigued, Izuku checked his own number. “I've got 16. Anyone else?” His companions shook their heads, indicating they possessed different numbers. “Guess they wouldn't make it that easy for us. The remaining numbers must be spread across various classes.”

“But it’s not that easy, kiddies!” Midnight continued, mischievously. “The other numbers are all in different classes!”

“See, told ya.”

Perplexed, Mei scratched her head. “What labyrinth?! Izuku! Am I so sleep deprived I can’t see labyrinths now?!”

“But where is the labyrinth, I hear you cry?!” Midnight declared, her voice booming through the microphone. Without wasting a second, she brought her fist down forcefully on a massive red button. Suddenly, the ground trembled, and massive walls rose from the floor, transforming the arena into a colossal maze in a matter of seconds.

“Oh okay, I see it now.” Mei said, nodding.

As the students absorbed the rules of the challenge, to find your partner and make it through the maze, Midnight’s grin hinted at more surprises to come. “The first 16 pairs through will make it to the next round! But don’t get too comfortable with the layout!” Vwoosh!! Suddenly the maze shot back underground to create a blank field once more. In that short amount of time, Mei zoomed in on the crowds of students to see if she could spot her number - 22.

“Argh, so many of them aren’t holding them with the numbers facing out! What’s wrong with these numbskulls! Alright, I see 11, 17, 32, 6, 15 and 4. Does anyone have those?”

Kuri Kuri flashed a smile and replied, "I've got 11!"

“Awesome! So, you're on the lookout for the guy from 1A with the cool hair, you know, the one that does that swoopy thing,” Mei explained, her grin widening with delight at the thought of being so immensely helpful.

“Oh…ok, cool. Thank you.”

And just like that, the labyrinth re-emerged in an entirely new layout. It was a disorienting sight, especially for Izuku and Mei, who shared a mutual utter lack of direction. That was the entire reason Mei had built the GPS network into her goggles. Which she wasn’t allowed to bring with her!

As the countdown began, tension filled the air! “Three….Two… One…BRZZZZT!” The signal blared, and the UA Sports Festival was finally here!!

Chapter Text

"Three….Two… One…BRZZZZT!"

With the sound of the signal, the Team-Up Labyrinth Challenge begins! The six First Year Support Course students burst into a sprint, eagerly delving deeper into the labyrinth. Leading the way, Izuku called back to his companions, offering what he believed to be a solid strategy, "If we can find one of the exits first we might have a better shot at not getting lost as we look for our partners!"

Their initial corridor turned out to be a dead-end, prompting the team to change direction and race back. "I have an idea, give me a second!" Yamashita exclaimed before closing her eyes, focusing on her summoning quirk.

Curious, Mei asked, "What's your plan, Pres?" Just as she finished her question, Yamashita's quirk activated, conjuring six earpieces in her hands.

"I was planning to use these if I reached the tournament, but I think they'll come in handy here. Put them on and clip the ends to your uniforms."

Kazutani quickly inserted the earpiece and inquired, "Communicators?"

"Loudspeakers. With these, your body will act as a massive speaker. We should be able to call out our numbers more effectively using these!"

"That's an excellent idea!" Izuku praised as the team took another wrong turn. "Jiro from the hero course could have used something like this. Maybe we should set up a meeting with her to discuss the possibility of patenting it. It could greatly benefit her quirk if her costume - Woah!" 

Suddenly, the labyrinth's walls descended into the ground, granting the team a fleeting glimpse of their location in relation to the exit.

"Oh come on! We haven't made any progress!" Mei shouted in frustration. Other students sprinted toward the exit during the maze's brief disappearance, but none got far before the walls sprang back into place, this time in an entirely different configuration.

"It seems like some of the general education students have already found their partners!" The voice of Present Mic blasted over the speakers, "Could they have gained an early lead, could they make it to the exit?!?" he yelled.

"It all depends on whether they can effectively cooperate with their partners…"

"Eraserhead?! When did you get here?!"

"I’ve been here the entire time."

In the arena below, the Support Course students were far from pleased. "They've already found their partners?!" Mei exclaimed, appalled at the thought.

Kuri nodded in agreement. "Maybe splitting up is a good idea. It increases our chances of at least one of us making it through, right?"

"Exactly!" Hana agreed, and they bid each other farewell before dashing off in opposite directions. 

Mei twisted her wrist a few times, selecting the projectiles she wanted. "See you at the finish line, folks!" she promised before joining the race. Soon enough, the six students had scattered, going their separate ways for the time being.

"Alright," Izuku said to himself as he ran, "Time to give this speaker a try…SIXTEEN! NUMBER SIXTEEN!!" The volume was immense, causing his voice to boom through the air, causing a group of startled 1B students to collapse in shock. "Oh, wow…" From various parts of the arena, Izuku could clearly hear his friends, realising just how powerful Yamashita's speaker technology was.

"The support course students are taking a page from my book!" Present Mic exclaimed

"It's a smart strategy for locating their teammates, but let's see how far they can go," Eraserhead commented.

Down in the arena, Midnight cracked her whip and spoke into her microphone, "Oh, students are managing to find their partners are they?! Then why don’t we make this more interesting!"

"More interesting? What does she mean by that?" Izuku wondered, but before he could ponder further, the distinct sound of metal gates opening echoed throughout the maze.

"And here come the training robots! How will the contestants handle this?! Before we continue, a quick note from our sponsors: If you're currently listening to this story on a text to speech youtube channel, they did not ask me and if they did I would have said no! If you want to listen to fanfiction on text to speech, use an app! The voices they use on these videos are complete dogshit! And now back to our story...

"Training robots?!" Izuku's face paled, but he quickly shook off the fear and pressed on with his search. Just then, the walls retracted once again, granting all the students a brief moment to assess their surroundings and catch a glimpse of the dozen or so wolf-like robots that had entered the field. With swift movements, Izuku managed to manoeuvre past two walls, getting closer to the exit and finding himself on a collision course with a purple-haired general education student.

"Oof!" The two of them tumbled to the ground, their numbers falling in the process.

"I'm so sorry!" Izuku apologised, swiftly retrieving the student's ball. "Oh, you're number 16! I guess that makes us partners," he said with a grin, extending a hand to help the other boy up. However, instead of accepting the gesture, his hand was smacked away, and an irritated expression crossed the student's face.

"I don't need your help, kid. I'm here to win, not make friends. Just hurry up and follow me to the exit," the arrogant boy retorted, brushing off Izuku's attempt at camaraderie.

Izuku tilted his head, perplexed by the boy's attitude. "You know where the exit is? Thank goodness! I have no sense of direction, it's always been a real problem," he rambled, struggling to keep pace with his companion. "By the way, my name's Midoriya. What's your name?"

There was no response. Instead, the two of them charged into a corridor with a lurking robot at the other end.

"Rgh!" The purple-haired student grumbled in frustration. "I can't deal with robots! It's like the entrance exam all over again. Everything is always biased toward flashy quirks!" In a moment of panic, he turned and sprinted in the opposite direction, but his movements only attracted the robot's attention.

“Hey! Wait!” Izuku shouted after him urgently. The relentless robot was closing in on him, there was no turning back now. “I’m not a hero student, I’m not cut out for this!!” However, his words failed to reach his partner, who had already disappeared around the corner. "Well... damn," Izuku muttered under his breath. "I suppose there's no better time than now to put the Strike Gauntlets to the test."

With his heart pounding in his chest, Izuku threw caution to the wind. With one arm shielding his face from the imminent danger, he ran forwards with what to him felt like a burst of incredible speed. Launching himself forward, the distance closed between them. He unleashed a devastating right hook, empowered by the Gauntlets, aiming straight for the menacing jaws of the robotic wolf. Time seemed to stand still for a fleeting moment as he collided with the metallic beast.

A resounding CRUNCH filled the air as the robot was sent careening sideways, crashing into the labyrinth wall. It slumped to the floor and then struggled to its feet, its metal frame protesting against the injury it had sustained. In a final desperate attempt to attack, the robot emitted a feeble "bwoo-bewoooo..." sound before collapsing to the ground.

Peeking through his defensive pose, Izuku winced as he looked around for his foe “...Did I get it?”

"Wow! Support course darling Izuku Midoriya just took down his first robot! What is Power Loader feeding these kids?!" Present Mic exclaimed excitedly over the speakers, his voice intermingling with the cheers from the crowd. The robots were all being followed by camera drones to broadcast on large screens around the stadium, and everyone must have seen the fight.

The purple-haired kid, looking like a scooby-doo character, cautiously peered around the corner of the maze. His eyes widened in confusion as he laid them upon Izuku standing over the mess of metal on the floor. "How the hell did you do that? I thought you weren't in heroics?"

"Nope, support course." Izuku replied between breaths, proudly showcasing his gauntlets. "There’s a lot you can do without a flashy quirk."

The boy appeared uncertain for a moment, then mustered up the nerve to introduce himself at last. "...Shinso, my name’s Shinso."

"Nice to meet you, Shinso. But, um, can I ask you something about what you said earlier?"

"What did I say?" He asked, his expression remaining deadpan.

"It's about the entrance exam and those flashy quirks you mentioned. See, here's the thing..." Izuku paused, aware that he might be treading into uncomfortable territory. "Did you not know they had off switches?"

Shinso's face morphed into a mix of confusion and surprise, his deadpan demeanour temporarily faltering. "...Huh?"

"Well, we analysed the robot schematics in class, you know, because I'm in the support course. And, yeah, all the robots had off switches hidden underneath. They were designed for students without offensive quirks. I'm guessing a lot of hero students made it through because of that. Like, there's a guy in 1B who can just weld things together, and the invisible girl, too…"

"I didn’t… I thought they were just…"

"Oh, and there were also rescue points. My friend managed to get some of those, even though she technically wasn't supposed to be in the exam. She even blew up a few robots, but she was wearing an exosuit at the time, so I guess it’s not really the same. You probably could have-"

"Hey, Midoriya, can I ask you a question?" Shinso interrupted.

"Oh, sure, of course you caaahhh-" Izuku's voice trailed off as Shinso's quirk took control, silencing him mid-sentence.

Shinso paced around the frozen Midoriya with his hands in pockets. “I need you to shut up for a second so I can think, you don't know what you’re talking about.” He leant against the wall of the labyrinth with his eyes closed, talking through his strategy to himself. “The exit is to the northeast, but there’ll be plenty of students along the way. I can’t trust them not to attack…” He opened his eyes and pointed at Izuku, ready to give an order. “You’re going to do crowd control for me.”

Just as Shinso was strategizing, a blonde-haired girl rounded the corner and hurried over to them, her face displaying shock and disapproval. "Shinso! Did you even ask for his permission before doing that?!" she scolded him, before delivering a (rather forceful) slap across Izuku's face.

"Oww! Jeez, what was that for?!" Izuku cried, wincing as he rubbed his cheek.

"I was breaking you out of his quirk, so you're welcome. Now I've got to find this damn number 47! Shinso, no more mind control without permission, or you'll get a taste of my fists!" the girl declared before dashing off once more.

"Oh, wow." Izuku muttered, slightly taken aback. "Is she in your class?"

"Class president, always poking her nose into places it doesn't belong," Shinso grumbled, annoyance dripping from his words.

Izuku scratched his chin thoughtfully. "So was that your quirk, some kind of hypnosis? It worked when you made me answer your question earlier? The limitations make it really interesting. I wonder how it defines a question - does it depend on your interpretation or whether the other person takes it as a question? Can rhetorical questions trick it? Could you just say anything with an upward inflection? I'd love to run some tests if you're up for it-"

"Midoriya, we've only known each other for five minutes, and you're already the most annoying person I've ever met," Shinso interrupted, exasperated.

"Yeah I get that a lot…" Izuku sighed.

"What’s this?! Our first students have already crossed the finish line!!"

"Crap, we've wasted too much time. Come on," Shinso demanded, resuming his brisk pace through the maze.

"Wait up! Wait for me!" Izuku panted, desperately sprinting to keep up. After manoeuvring through countless twists and turns (avoiding the paths with two more wolf robots) he finally caught up to Shinso, just moments before the walls descended once again. For someone who seemed to put in such minimal effort at the entrance exams, Shinso was surprisingly speedy.

Gasping for air, Izuku extended his arm, blocking Shinso's path. "Hold on... I need... a moment... to catch my breath…”

Shinso looked left and right concerned, before his worst fears came true. With the walls down, two of the robotic enemies caught sight of them. Cautiously, the robots stalked closer. These ones looked bigger than the wolves from before.

"Do you wanna hurry this up?! We can't afford to waste any more time," Shinso grumbled impatiently.

Noticing the same robots, Izuku blurted out “Crap, grab hold of me!”

"Grab hold of you?" Shinso raised an eyebrow, clearly confused.

"Yes! Just get on my back, quickly!”

"...Fine" Shinso reluctantly complied, wrapping his arms around Izuku's shoulders.

"I really hope I've got this positioned correctly..." Izuku closed his eyes and raised his gauntlet-covered hands. "And I really, really hope this works."

Right at that moment the two robots charged! “What’s the plan here, Midoriya?!” Shinso said in a panic.

In the blink of an eye, the walls of the labyrinth rapidly ascended once more, but this time, Izuku latched onto the edge as they shot upward. It was just in time, as the robots charged into one another, erupting into a splinter of metal as they collided. The two students were launched into the air like a pair of human rockets, with Shinso clinging onto Izuku for dear life.

"This was your idea?! To kill us?!"

"Please work please work please work please work…" Izuku chanted under his breath, as he removed his right glove and stuck his hand in the air. "Please work please work please work" With a surge of power, his quirk ignited, transforming his hand into an enormous propeller that whirred to life.

"It's working! Hahaha! It's actually working!" Izuku's exhilarated laughter reverberated through the maze as Shinso clung to him tightly, their hair tousled by the rushing wind.

"Why didn’t you tell me you had a gadget like that?!"

"I... I was saving it for later!"

Up in the announcer's booth, Present Mic comically rubbed his eyes, staring out at the incredible sight before him. He rubbed his eyes again and yelled "What am I looking at here?!"

Next to him Eraserhead tried to explain. "Seems like the support course students have a few extra tricks up their sleeves. It would've been wise to keep some of these secrets for the tournament, but this still turned out to be a smart strategy."

In mid-air, Izuku and Shinso deftly shifted their weight, managing to descend gently and hover just above the finish line. Together, they crossed the goal in joint third place as the crowd erupted into an applause for the two unlikely finalists.

Earlier…

"See you at the finish line, folks!" Mei waved enthusiastically to her class as she darted down a maze corridor, adjusting the projectile weapon on her wrist to select the perfect ammunition. The rules claimed the focus was on speed and communication, but Mei knew better. Things never quite worked out that way. If she had to face off against fellow students, she wanted to handle it swiftly and with style. Stun Effect should do the trick. The claws on her wrist-mounted crossbow clicked into place, ready to tackle any obstacle that came her way.

Quickly, Mei attached Yamashita's loudspeaker to her uniform, took a deep breath, and bellowed, “TWENTY-TWO! WHO IS NUMBER TWENTY-TWO!!”

Surprisingly, the ear-splitting volume didn't faze her. Instead, a mischievous grin stretched across her face as she inhaled even deeper and yelled even louder. “ TWEEEENTY-TWOOOOO!!!!!”

Around the corner, a voice shouted back, "Ow, my freakin' ears!" followed by another voice muttering, "Probably one of those goddamn hero students!"

"Oh, people!" Mei thought to herself, heading towards the commotion. For Mei, navigating a maze was like being in hell. She had no clue where she was at any given moment, and to make matters worse, they had unleashed robots on her! By the time she stumbled upon others, a small crowd of bickering heroes and general education students had gathered. Ignoring the tension in the air, Mei extended her ball and approached them. "Any 22s?"

"I'm a 22!" a boy with vibrant orange hair, whom she didn't recognize, held out his ball. "Let's make a run for the finish line!"

"Hey, wait a second!" Oh, there's Uraraka! "What was all that talk earlier about stopping other students from winning being more important than winning yourself?" she scolded with a frown. "Hi Mei!" Her expression quickly shifted to a cheerful smile before turning serious again as she faced the general education students. "You clearly have something against the hero course, don't you?"

"There's a darkness inside each of you, gnawing," Reiko Yanagi, another hero student in the cluster, spoke ominously.

"Yeah, you're all being super unmanly right now," Kirishima chimed in, matching the intensity.

Mei surveyed the group and quickly realised that each hero student was supposed to team up with a general education student. Her own partner must have been a mere tagalong. "So, how are we going to handle this? Because I really want to win this thing, but if you guys aren't going to play fair, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands," she stated, hands on her hips.

A thin boy with a pointy chin, assuming the role of ringleader, spoke up the loudest. "Don't trust the hero students, Support," he declared. Support? Well, that was rude. "They're just in this for themselves. Arrogance is their problem. You think you can win just because of your course? I don't think so!"

"Yeah!" chimed in a gen ed girl with a bowl cut. "Support and general education need to stick together!"

Mei pretended to ponder their words for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, nah." Before any of the general education students could react, all four of them were hit with stun effect ammunition.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Kirishima. "Are they going to be okay?"

"Yeah, they should be. The effect only lasts for about ten minutes," Mei reassured him.

"...Cool!"

"But what do we do about the event?" Uraraka asked with a hint of concern. "We can't win without our partners."

Mei took a moment to contemplate their predicament. Then, she swiftly bent down and pilfered the numbered balls from the incapacitated students, handing one to Kirishima to pair him with Yanagi and giving Uraraka the number 22. "Oh, wow, look at that," Mei remarked. "We all have matching numbers now. What are the odds?"

"There's a malevolent presence in your soul, Mei Hatsume," Reiko remarked, a hint of fascination in her voice. "...I like it."

"Mei Hatsume from Class 1-H just took down four students in one go!" boomed Present Mic's voice. "Is she allowed to do that?!”

Next to him, Eraserhead’s eyes narrowed at Mei’s actions.

“Well Eraserhead isn’t answering me, so let's hear from our judge!"

On a large screen broadcasting to the audience, Midnight raised her hand with the palm facing down before dramatically giving a thumbs up, indicating that it was within the rules. Mei let out a sigh of relief; she hadn't really considered whether it was allowed or not.

"I knew it would be fine!" Mei cackled with glee. "Now let's make our way to that finish line!" She declared triumphantly.

"But how are we going to do that?" Kirishima pondered, scratching the back of his head.

Uraraka contemplated their predicament for a moment before a brilliant idea struck her. "Yanagi! If I remove our weight, could you float us over the walls to reach the finish line?"

"The answer is not yet written," Yanagi cryptically replied, leaving Mei utterly perplexed.

Kirishima clarified, "That means probably."

It took no time at all for the four of them to float over the walls, netting the 5th and 6th places in the event.

Chapter Text

"What a show! We have another pair of winners, folks!" Midnight exclaimed as she announced the 16th pair to exit the labyrinth. "Give it up for Toru Hagakure of Class 1B and Ren Aoki of Class 1D!" She clapped her hands and confetti rained down behind her. Hagakure was panting heavily, her clothes and gloves the only visible signs of her presence. Aoki, on the other hand, was shining brightly. His quirk allowed him to manipulate light, which came in handy when paired with an invisible partner.

"WOO YEAH! THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!" Present Mic shouted into his microphone, making everyone’s ears ring. "THAT WAS AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE BY OUR ROUND ONE CHAMPIONS! HOW DO YOU FEEL, ERASERHEAD?" He jumped onto the announcer’s table and thrust the mic into Aizawa’s face.

Aizawa blinked slowly and pushed the mic away. "It’s too early to celebrate. The festival has just begun. The students still have a lot to prove."

"…AND ON THAT NOTE, WE’LL BE BACK AFTER A SHORT BREAK!!"

Power Loader was practically bouncing with joy as he watched his students enter the cafeteria. For the first time ever, all of his support course students had made it through the first round of the sports festival. He was so proud of them that he couldn’t contain himself.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat to get their attention. "I just wanted to say…you guys rocked!" He threw his arms up in the air in celebration. "The way you took down those robots, Midoriya! The loudspeakers, Yamashita?! Inspired! And Mei, ohh Mei! You took down those gen ed kids like it was nothing! I saw the way you navigated that labyrinth, Kazutani! Fantastic! And Hana, taking out two robots with one sneeze?!" He praised each of them individually and enthusiastically. "And Kuri Kuri! You…you were the best! Thank you, Kuri!! You made me so happy!" Power Loader then bowed deeply and stayed there for a while, making the students feel somewhat awkward. After a moment, he thanked them again and left them to their break.

"Wow, he was really happy," Yamashita said after a pause. "Especially with you, Kuri."

"Yeah!" Mei agreed. "What did you do to make him so proud?"

Kuri blushed and scratched his head. "I uh…I actually tied for first place…I was paired up with the ice user from 1A…he did most of the work, I just got lucky."

Izuku's eyes widened in astonishment, and a wide grin spread across his face. "You tied for first place? Kuri, that's absolutely incredible!" The rest of the students joined in, congratulated him. The sudden surge of attention overwhelmed Kuri, causing him to retreat into his protective chestnut shell, blushing with embarrassment.

But the spotlight quickly shifted to Izuku as Mei pointed directly at his face, her finger so close that he went a little cross-eyed. "And you, Mr. Midoriya! You were keeping secrets from us!"

Feigning confusion, Izuku stammered, "W-what do you mean?"

Kazutani clarified the situation. "She's right, Midoriya. You never mentioned that your gauntlets could actually make you fly."

"Was it the gauntlet?" Yamashita added, "Because it looked to me like you’d taken them off…"

"Oh no, no!" Izuku protested, his hands waving frantically in front of him. "It was definitely the gauntlet! Haha! I kept it a secret because I wasn't sure if it would even work!"

Mei couldn't contain her excitement. She sprang up from her chair so abruptly that it caught the attention of everyone else in the room. "Who cares about the technicalities, people? Izuku FLEW!" Her voice reverberated through the cafeteria. "HE FLEWWWW!"

In a swift motion, Izuku grabbed hold of the side of Mei's jacket and gently pulled her back down to the table, attempting to downplay his achievement. "Well, it was more of a controlled descent, really..."

"It seemed a lot like flying to me, Izuku." Hana insisted with a smile. "I hope it counted as flying, anyway. I already captioned it that way on my socials."

"Socials?! You put it online?!"

Hana nodded, "Did you forget that the entire festival is being broadcasted live? Practically everyone in the country has seen it!"

Izuku's face turned pale as he sank back into his seat. "I guess it... slipped my mind."

Mei scrolled through her phone, her expression shifting from surprise to sheer astonishment. She turned the screen toward Izuku. "Look at this, you're famous! #HelicopterBoy is trending."

"Helicopter Boy?!" Izuku groaned. "Why couldn't it have been something cooler-sounding?"

Teasingly, Yamashita chimed in. "Would you have preferred Inspector Gadget?" The room filled with infectious laughter, and soon enough, Izuku found himself laughing along with the others.

The Sports Festival was indeed a nationwide spectacle, capturing the attention of millions of viewers across the country. Among these millions was the enigmatic figure known as Barbershop, information collector for The Market. Barbershop never missed a chance to tune in to this annual event because he knew it held a treasure trove of valuable data. However, this year brought a special request from High Street.

Though Barbershop couldn’t quite fathom the motive behind the demand, he had been instructed to keep an eye out for any quirks that lead to the creation of tangible objects. Initially, he assumed this meant keeping tabs on the Yaoyorozu girl. However, it turned out that she wasn't the one stealing the spotlight and piquing Barbershop's interest.

" Izuku Midoriya of 1-H is airborne!"

The announcer’s voice echoed through the speakers, causing Barbershop to snap his head towards one of the numerous screens spread across the room. Each screen displayed a different channel, providing a unique perspective on the ongoing events. He swiftly paused the footage and rewound it, seeking the exact moment when the propeller emerged from the student’s hand.

" --is airborne!" He paused again and rewound a little further.

With a push of a button, the image materialised on the largest screen in the room. Barbershop zoomed in, meticulously examining the student's hand. As he delved deeper into his analysis, a thin smile spread across his face. It became evident to him that he had stumbled upon something far more captivating and significant than he had initially anticipated.

"Izuku Midoriya, hm? Why does that name seem so familiar?"

It didn’t take long for Barbershop to access the UA student database, using a backdoor he had hacked into a long time ago. He typed in the name Midoriya and waited for the results.

Izuku Midoriya. Age 15. Mother: Midoriya, I. Father: Midoriya, H (deceased). Quirk: Green Hair.

He blinked. Green Hair? That information was obviously wrong. The boy had just sprouted a propeller from his hand, what did that have to do with his hair colour?

Someone must have falsified his quirk registry when he was young, but who would do such a thing, and more importantly, why? Barbershop shifted to investigating the boy’s mother

Inko Midoriya, employed at the Aldera General grocery store, a small business tucked away on the outskirts of Musutafu. Barbershop’s eyes narrowed, that’s why the name Midoriya rang a bell. Aldera General had been Diner’s cover before she was reassigned. She had chosen the store herself, asserting that it provided the perfect vantage point for her mission: proximity to the city, flexible hours, and a workforce with relatively weak quirks among their families. Well, that last part was clearly a lie, or at least a cover-up.

But if Diner had picked the place herself, did she already know about the boy’s quirk? Had High Street already assigned Diner to clandestinely watch over Izuku Midoriya? If that were indeed the case, then why did they relocate her to the Yaoyorozus based on Barbershop's mistaken report? Something was undeniably fishy, and he was determined to uncover the truth.

The rest of the festival could wait until later, he had a lead to follow, a trail that would potentially lead him to the answers he sought. He opened another tab on his computer system, accessing the comprehensive archive of security footage captured from Aldera General. These cameras, installed when Diner first joined the store, had preserved hours upon hours of mundane everyday occurrences. However, within this footage could lay the extent of Diner's connection to the Midoriya family.

Each frame brought him closer to the heart of the mystery, but it also raised more questions. Had High Street concealed information from him about this case, or was Diner hiding vital details from their leader?

Meanwhile, at the Yaoyorozu estate, there was a flurry of activity as the staff hustled to clean the house and prepare for the evening ahead. Amidst the commotion, a small portable television had been set up by one of the staff members. Everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of the festival and, more importantly, witness how the young heiress would shine.

While the festival played on the TV screen, Aya Matsuri pretended to be engrossed in the lively event. However, her true focus lay on her covert mission. During her first week on the job, she had cleverly planted hidden cameras and microphones all over the estate, each one connected to Barbershop's network. The hope was to dig up any crucial information that High Street desired. Success would surely earn her his high praise and admiration.

"Wow! Did you see that?!" exclaimed one of the maids, captivated by the footage of Izuku obliterating a robot with his gauntlets. "That was amazing!"

Matsuri nodded in agreement, keeping up her charade. "Yes, he's definitely got some impressive skills!" she chimed in, a hint of genuine interest showing on her face. It seemed that all the chatter about Inko's son being an incredible inventor wasn't just empty talk. Matsuri silently hoped she would witness even more of his abilities. But alas, before the next thrilling moment could unfold, their boss stormed into the room, scolding them all.

"What are you all doing hanging around? Stop wasting time and get back to work!" he barked, abruptly switching off the TV feed just as Izuku and his partner were about to face a vicious robot attack.. Hopefully she won't miss anything important.

The festival grounds buzzed with excitement as the booming music and dazzling fireworks signalled the end of the break. The next stage of the event was about to kick off, and Midnight, as captivating as ever, stood at the centre with a microphone in hand. Eraserhead and Present Mic were also here, now that there were far less contestants they’d moved their announcers table to the ground floor.

"Everyone! Brace yourselves for an absolutely thrilling afternoon ahead!" Midnight announced, her voice carrying through the eager audience. "Let's give a warm welcome to our 32 round two contestants!"

The students waved to the cheering crowd and stepped onto the field once again. Izuku and Mei scanned the familiar faces, relieved to see their friends Tsuyu and Iida among the contenders who had advanced. Fukidashi, Yaoyorozu, and a bunch of others from Class A and B also made the cut. It appeared that aside from the six support students, most of the survivors were from these prominent classes, with a sprinkle of general education students. It wouldn't have surprised them if more students followed Mei's lead, and the numbers had exchanged hands more than once.

A giant television screen emerged from the floor, displaying the pairs of contestants. Right at the top were Kuri Kuri and Shoto Todoroki, the victors of the previous round. Midnight made a sweeping gesture towards the screen, ready to explain the rules for the upcoming event.

"As you all know from tuning into the sports festival, round two always revolves around point collection!" Midnight exclaimed. "Each student will be assigned a point total based on their ranking in the first round! The pair in 16th place is worth 10 points each! 15th place is worth 20, 14th is worth 40, and so on! But our reigning champions in first place...are worth a staggering 10 million points each!"

Kuri Kuri promptly vanished back into his chestnut shell, as the entire field's attention fixed on him and his round one partner. Todoroki appeared unfazed by the sudden scrutiny.

"But how do students collect these points?! All 32 point totals will be written on these fashionable bandanas," She held one up for the students and crowd to see. "But how will the students collect these points, you ask? Well, this year, it won't be the students wearing the bandanas!" Midnight revealed, leaving Izuku and Mei perplexed. If not the students, then who?

"Please give a round of applause to our incredible pro heroes joining us today! Ranked No. 10 on the hero charts, Gang Orca! No. 21, Punchgate! No. 7, Kamui Woods! And No. 32, Pixie-Bob!"

The crowd erupted once again as the pro heroes emerged from a stadium tunnel, their presence radiating power and authority as they joined Midnight on stage.

"The students will form teams of four and face off against our team of four pro heroes! The pros will be wearing bandanas on their arms, legs, and heads, each with a random point total!" Midnight explained, "This is a no-holds-barred battle royale! The team that collects the highest point total will advance to our third and final round: the tournament!"

A lone hand shot up amidst the sea of students. It was none other than Iida, ever the inquisitive one. "Excuse me! Which one of our challengers will be wearing the 10 million point bandanas?"

Gang Orca stepped forward, his imposing figure drawing attention. "That honour would be mine!" he boomed.

Kamui Woods followed suit, a determined expression on his face. "And mine as well."

The students collectively gulped.

"Students will have 15 minutes to form their teams and consider their strategies, starting…now!"

"Sorry, guys, but my quirk won't be much help," Yamashita apologised with a small smile. "I can only summon things from within a 10 feet radius of where I last slept, and I don't see the bandanas being kept anywhere nearby."

"I understand, Yamashita. Thank you anyway," Izuku replied, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. Their plan had hit a roadblock.

"Do you want to be on our team anyway?" Mei asked. "We can be Team Support Crew!"

"I was actually thinking of asking that Iida boy if I could join his team. I had a lot of fun designing his new costume, and I'd love to see what else I can create for him. This seems like the perfect opportunity to work alongside him," Yamashita explained, nodding with a smile. "Good luck to both of you, though," she added before making her way drowsily toward Tenya.

"Looks like we need to find someone else," Izuku said to Mei. "Most of the hero students will probably team up together, so we might have to look for someone from the general education class."

Just then, Uraraka approached them with a friendly wave. "Hey! Do you guys need a team?"

"Uraraka!" Mei shouted, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Of course, you can join us! We'll be Team Support Crew Plus One!"

"We'd love you to join us! But don't you want to team up with someone from your class?" Izuku asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"I could, but I want to help you two out!" Uraraka exclaimed, brimming with enthusiasm. "Isn't it unfair that the tournament is usually dominated by hero students? If I'm on your team, it gives another student a better chance to reach the finals, and it showcases what we can all bring to the table!" Her excitement was contagious. "Plus, I still owe you for that glove you made me," she added with a grateful smile.

"That was a gift, dummy," Mei teased with a smirk, "But welcome to the team! Your codename will be… Viper. " Uraraka suddenly looked a little afraid.

"Don't worry, the codenames never stick," Izuku reassured her. "But we still need a fourth member."

A cough interrupted their conversation, and they turned to see a certain purple-haired student from the general education class. "If you need another member, I'm available..."

"Team meeting!" Mei declared, huddling Izuku and Uraraka together. The trio whispered for a few moments, stealing glances at Shinso before breaking apart.

"Welcome to Team Support Crew Plus Two!" 

Chapter Text

The final thirty-two who survived the first round of the Sports Festival had teamed up in their groups of four, ready for the next challenge. They all found themselves standing on the edges and sides of the huge arena, facing the pro-heroes in the middle, who were all facing a different direction. Dotted around the perimeter were a number of waist-high walls, providing cover for the students once the bout began. Izuku and Uraraka felt their fingers twitch, while Mei twisted her wrist to select her ammo with a serious look on her face. Shinso didn’t have anything to fiddle with, so he just stood there trying to look cool.

“Ready, set, Go!”

Every group of students broke out into a sprint towards the pros.

A week earlier, Gang Orca, Kamui Woods, Punchgate and Pixie-Bob had been invited to Principal Nezu’s office with an urgent request. They hadn’t been given any proper information, but now sat on tiny chairs that barely fit them, while Nezu sat on a comfy leather armchair and sipped from a fancy teacup. The others had all been given teacups too, but so far only Pixie-Bob dared to drink from hers.

Nezu slurped his tea loudly and then put it down with a smile. “So, you must be wondering why I called you here today?”

Cutting to the chase, Gang Orca spoke up. “If this is about the Sports Festival, I don’t tend to do last-minute security gigs.”

Laughing, Nezu answered him, “Oh no, no, no! I have something much more fun in mind for you four!”

Punchgate raised an eyebrow and asked, “What do you have in mind, sir?”

Leaning forward and with a gleam in his eye, Nezu responded, “How would you feel about beating up some of my students?” The shocked expressions on three of the four heroes' faces amused him greatly, except for Gang Orca who seemed unconcerned. “Don’t worry, nothing too harsh. Just enough to spice things up!”

Back in the present day, the pro heroes sprang into action as soon as the signal was given. Gang Orca and Kamui woods soared into the air and landed with loud thuds on opposite sides of the arena, sending dust and debris flying. Gang Orca unleashed his strength and smashed a fist into the ground, creating a powerful shockwave that knocked a few students off their feet and sent them tumbling backwards. Kamui Woods used his quirk to stretch his wooden limbs and whipped them around the arena at a dizzying speed, pulling himself around at breakneck speed and tripping anyone who got in his way.

Meanwhile, Pixie-Bob used her Earthflow to make constructs burst out of the arena floor, forming a protective barrier around her from the sudden onslaught of student’s projectiles. Punchgate activated his own quirk and began opening glowing orange portals, darting around the arena with ease.

The students all did their best to dodge, fight back and cooperate with their teammates, but they were clearly outmatched by their opponents - especially in terms of raw power. Pixie-Bob had created what looked like golems made of soil and rocks, which occupied most of the students’ attention. The crowd cringed in unison as they saw Neito Monoma get hit by a massive gravelly fist and get hurled across the arena like a ragdoll. Some students, seeing how futile it was to fight like the combat-oriented students, decided to focus on grabbing bandanas without getting into direct conflict. Others waited for an opening to make their move.

Team Midoriya sprinted around the edge of the arena as one, dodging the flying debris and the relentless attacks of Pixie-Bob’s monsters. “I have a plan!” Izuku yelled to his friends, “We should go after Punchgate! He’s the only one who depends on support gear, we have an advantage!”

They narrowly avoided a chunk of dirt that flew past them and hid behind one of the low walls to catch their breath and plan their strategy. “Ugh!” Shinso said, annoyed, “They’re not holding anything back! Half of the students here aren’t even in hero classes! Alright Midoriya, what’s your plan, how are we handling this?”

“Okay, this is everything I know about Punchgate,” Izuku said. “His quirk is called Momentum Gate, it lets him create portals between two points, but how far they let him travel depends on how fast he’s moving when he makes them. He can open portals with any body part, but he usually makes them by running because it gives him the most control over their placement. He can also make them when he’s falling, and at different angles. He can have 10 pairs of portals at a time, but they close after 30 seconds.”

Uraraka was stunned, “How do you know so much about his quirk?! I hadn’t even heard of this guy until today!”

Cackling, Mei grinned and said “You see that bracelet he’s wearing, and the shoes?”

“I designed those.” Izuku finished.

Shinso felt a headache coming on as he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, “What kind of people have I gotten myself mixed up with…” He muttered to himself.

Not paying any attention to him, Izuku kept on explaining his plan. “The bracelet has a screen that shows him how many portals he’s opened and how much time is left for each one, it also has a speedometer that shows him how far the next portal will be based on his speed. There’s a dial too that he can turn to set the speed he needs to go for the distance he wants, and the shoes give off a small vibration when he’s reached the right speed.”

“If we can mess with the gear, he’ll be in big trouble!” Mei said, with a sinister glint in her eyes. “We might be able to make him lose control of his portals!”

“Okay, we have a plan then…” Shinso nodded, trying to sound confident. “But how are we going to pull it off?”

On the other side of the arena, Gang Orca found himself dealing with a sixteen on one situation. It was no trouble for him, really. As the number 10 hero in the country he had faced far worse odds in his career. In fact, he’d fought a bigger group of trigger dealers in the city this morning before he even came to the stadium!

The real problem he was having was remembering these were first year students who had barely started their training, and he had no idea how much they could endure. Obviously he didn’t want to injure them too badly, lawsuits were a headache and he didn’t like the idea of hurting children at the best of times, but he also didn’t want to make it too easy for them. He decided to use about 6% of his usual power, but that was still enough to crack a couple of ribs.

As a result of his going easy on them, some of the kids had managed to grab onto his body and started climbing him like a giant tree. Two of them were especially stubborn, one who could turn his body to stone and another who could turn his body to steel. They both had potential to be good sidekicks someday… No, he had to focus!

With a flex of his muscles, he threw all the students off his body like it was nothing, them all landing in a heap around him.

“Team Kirishima have rocketed into first place!” Shouted Present Mic, “Bad luck, Gang Orca!”

“What?!” Gang Orca looked to his side and saw that both the bandanas on his right arm were missing. Oh, it’s on now.

Around the same time, Tenya Iida managed to get an advantage over Pixie-Bob, using a powerful burst of speed to destroy the lion-like construct she had been riding around the arena. That extra effort paid off as his team got three bandanas from her.

Izuku waved a finger in the air as he did some mental calculations while watching Punchgate zip around the grounds, and muttered to himself. “Murmur murmur carry the two, mutter mutter divided by the square root of…”

“What’s he doing?” Uraraka asked, unable to understand what Izuku was trying to figure out. Or was he just going mad?

Mei looked just as confused, but for a different reason, “You really can’t tell? What do they even teach you in these hero courses?!”

Smiling to himself, Izuku clapped his hands as he finalised his calculations. “Alright, I got it!” He said, as he casually moved one step to the side, right in the path of an orange portal that opened directly in front of him. Punchgate emerged from the portal and immediately stumbled, not expecting to see a student in his path. He’d planned this portal perfectly to avoid this group of kids, so what the hell?! He and Izuku fell to the floor in a heap due to the momentum, only to have his wrists grabbed by the incredible strength offered by the Strike Gauntlets. There was a surge of panic as he realised he couldn’t move his arms, how was he supposed to punch open a portal if he couldn’t move his arms?!

“NOW!” Izuku shouted, as Uraraka slapped a hand on Punchgate’s back and used her quirk to remove his gravity, causing him to float aimlessly in mid-air and struggling to free himself from Izuku’s grip. He felt a wave of nausea and confusion as he lost his sense of direction, and couldn’t control the opening of his portals. 

“What the hell is this?!” He shouted, trying to kick his legs to swim through the air but failing miserably. He even tried opening a portal by moving his head quickly to the side, but even then there was no way to get through it! “Let go of me!”

Shinso calmly walked over to the scene with his hands deep in his pockets and wearing a smug expression. “Hey, how does it feel to get outsmarted by some children?”

“You just got lucky!” Punchgate snapped back.

“Gotcha.” Shinso said, smirking, as he felt the hero fall under his control.

With Punchgate incapacitated, Mei took the opportunity to fire off a few of her lower-voltage stun pellets at his bracelet and shoes, short-circuiting the gear inside them. The pellets were harmless to humans, but could fry pretty much any electronic device and had been tailor-made just for situations like this. The other three members of the team cleared their opponent of bandanas entirely, taking every single one of his points. The advantage they just gained in the competition was huge!

“WOAH!” Came the loud voice of Present Mic once more, “Team Midoriya just netted themselves an UNBELIEVABLE uh… How many points did they just get?”

Eraserhead answered, “218,450 points.”

“TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN THOUSAND ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Looks like Team Midoriya just put a huge target on their own heads!!”

Team Midoriya looked around in fear, feeling the giant red beacon that must be flashing over their heads right now. They just made themselves the biggest threat in the arena and everyone would be after them specifically!

“I didn’t know that was a part of this!” Mei yelled, “I thought we got to keep the bandanas!!” Immediately after saying this, she saw Mezo Shoji barreling towards them with Tsuyu on his back, both determined to grab some points.

Uraraka felt a wave of nausea wash over her as she struggled to keep punchgate in the air, and knew she was going to have to let him drop soon, “Ulp, I’m gonna hurl…” 

Springing into action, Izuku divided the bandanas into two halves and handed some to Uraraka. He shouted, “Don’t worry, we got this! Uraraka, you take these, do whatever you need to keep them away from the other students! Shinso, you snap Punchgate out of it! I swear I’m going to make sure you get to the finals!”

Shinso nodded and slapped Punchgate hard on the back of the head right as Uraraka released her quirk. Punchgate groaned and opened his eyes, only to see Tsuyu’s tongue headed straight toward them. Reacting on instinct, he punched open a new portal and dove through it, barely even registering the lack of bandanas he now held. With the points clutched in his hand, Izuku jumped in after him.

Out of options, Uraraka removed the gravity from her set of bandanas and decided to do something risky. Throwing them as hard as she could into the air. The bandanas floated far, far into the sky, away from the chaos on the arena floor and far enough that not even Tsuyu’s tongue could reach them.

Meanwhile, Team Todoroki, made up of Shoto Todoroki, Juzo Honenuki, Mina Ashido and Hiro Kazutani (Mina’s decision) were making some fantastic headway of their own thanks to Mudman’s quirk. Trapped up to her waist, Pixie-Bob struggled to escape even while trying to create constructs underneath her. They just kept turning to mush again and again.

“Grrr, darn it!” she relented, as the students got the points from her head and arms. Along with a lucky bandana that had fallen from Kamui Woods as he moved around the arena at high speeds, they now had an impressive 126,130 points, getting them far into second place. Only issue now was, they were the target.

Todoroki had a plan, and like most of his plans, it involved a lot of ice. Seeing the horde of students coming straight for his team’s bandanas, he knew he had to act fast, and slammed a hand on the ground. Immediately a vast sheet of ice spread out from his fingertips, covering almost the entire arena floor. Everyone who stepped on it lost their balance and began to slip and slide all over the place. This included Izuku, still trying to follow Punchgate

One of the students aiming for Todoroki’s collection of bandanas was Akari Hana of the support course! She was part of Team Hagakure, and so far they hadn’t managed to collect a single point, much to her consternation. With a wicked look on her face, she pulled the cables connecting to the sunflower backpack she had worn to the event, making the flower spin faster and faster.

With pollen releasing into the air, the allergens sprinkled down upon her, as her face got more and more crazed and her eyes got more and more bloodshot. “Don’t worry, gang! I got this!!”

Over in the teacher’s stand, Power Loader’s eyes widened as he recognised the danger of the situation. All too familiar with Hana’s quirk, he jumped from his seat and waved his arms as he tried to stop her. He shouted, “HANA!! NO!! THAT’S TOO MUCH!!”

But it was too late.

Hana felt a huge pressure in her nose and mouth, and couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“Ahhhhh….Ahhhhhhhhhh….”

Every single person in the crowd seemed to instinctively know that something was about to happen. Time slowed, as Power Loader cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled “HIT THE DECK!!”

“ AAHHHHCHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!” 

A sudden blast of hot air filled the arena, as a massive burst of fire shot out of Hana’s face. It was like a flamethrower, but bigger and stronger, and it engulfed half of the arena in flames threatening to burn everything in its path. People barely had time to react, but Todoroki was on it. He unleashed an enormous wall of ice in an attempt to block the flames, which licked around the edges of the makeshift barrier. Students on the edges dove for cover or tried to run, but most were lucky enough to be behind the ice.

As quickly as it happened, the fire stopped coming. Hana wiped her nose and giggled nervously, “Oopsie, my bad!” she said, as the crowd surveyed the devastation in the arena. Small fires were still burning in random areas and the fire suppression robots had to be called in.They worked fast and efficiently, but the damage was done, the arena was charred and smoky and more than one person was completely knocked out.

One of them was Kamui Woods, dizzy-eyed, unconscious, and bandana-less on the edge of the arena. The fire had completely destroyed all his points.

Present Mic couldn’t believe what had just happened. “I said it once, I’ll say it again! POWER LOADER, WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING THESE KIDS?! The 10 million point bandana is out of commission along with Kamui Woods! What an incredible day this is turning out to be for the Sports Festival! You don’t get this at Shiketsu, that’s for damn sure!!”

“What a splendid show!” Principal Nezu laughed to himself, pouring himself another cup.

Izuku meanwhile, was unbelievably thankful that Punchgate had good enough control over his quirk to get him on the other side of the arena away from the fire; some other students had hitched a ride through the portals too. He stood panting next to his teammates, their points still firmly clutched in his hands.

With one 10 million point bandana unavailable, every competing student’s eyes immediately locked on to Gang Orca. He sighed to himself, and tensed his muscles, causing a small shockwave to emanate from his feet. Maybe it was time to start playing for real. He began to run towards the crowd of students, pushing people out of the way, throwing some, tackling and dodging. These kids clearly weren’t as helpless as he’d first assumed!

Unfortunately, the shock of the fire and the new threat of Gang Orca had caused Uraraka to lose her control on the floating bandanas, which had begun to float back down to earth. Punchgate was the first to notice, tossing down a portal at a 45 degree angle and rocketing himself skyward. With a fistful of bandanas back in his possession, Team Midoriya’s point total shrank to 54,610, putting them in second place.

Mei was not pleased about this, they had come this far and there was no way she was leaving without giving it her all! Plus goddamn Ultra!! She stood almost imperceptibly still, but her eyes skipped back and forth, all the chaos and noise of the arena completely devoid to her.

Uraraka looked at her concerned, then at Shinso. “Did you do this?”

“Don’t look at me! This is all her!” Shinso protested.

“It’s fine,” Izuku assured them, “She’s figuring things out.”

Suddenly, Mei smiled, lifted her arm and twisted her wrist a few times. “You guys might want to cover your eyes. DISTRACTOR SHOT!” she yelled, before firing off a projectile straight toward one of Punchgate’s still open portals.

As soon as it hit the portal, blindingly bright lights flashed forth as a blaring siren played. Exiting one portal it kept travelling and entered another, expelling more light and sound. Out of one portal, into another, into another, lights and sounds blanketing the arena until the entire ground was covered in bright flashes and a cacophonous siren. Students could barely see, but Mei knew EXACTLY where Gang Orca was! Going by memory alone, she ran headlong into danger!

There was a mad dash of students heading straight for the temporarily blinded Gang Orca. The light dissipated as Mei reached up to grab the 10 million point bandana…But it was gone?!

“THE FINAL STRETCH, 10 SECONDS REMAIN!!” Shouted Present Mic. “WHERE IS THE BANDANA?! WHERE IS THE 10 MILLION POINTS?!”

Slowly, the unassuming sweetheart of the support course Kuri Kuri, opened his chestnut shell, revealing the 10 million points bandana wrapped around his head.

“KURI KURI HAS THE POINTS! TEAM KIRISHIMA WINS!!”

Chapter Text

In the festival waiting room, Izuku nervously fumbled with his phone, ready to call his mother. He’d silently promised himself he wouldn’t call her unless he really needed to, but right now he felt like he really needed to.

"Hi mom." He greeted.

The enthusiastic reply from the other end made him pull the phone away from his ear for a moment. "Helicopter boy!!"

"You saw that?!"

"I think the whole country saw that, Izuku." She laughed affectionately.

With a channel to vent his worries, his mother, Izuku’s concerns tumbled out. "I never considered it before I took the glove off, do you think people realised it was a quirk? Oh my god what if I get arrested for falsifying my quirk registry? Can they do that if I didn’t know? Maybe I can pretend it was the first time it ever happened, but then why would I have gone airborne–" 

"Izuku, slow down! None of that is going to happen, don't worry," she reassured, suppressing a chuckle, trying to calm his frantic thoughts.

"Ugh, maybe I should just forfeit the next round," Izuku sighed.

"What do you mean? You’ve done amazingly well so far."

"I know, but, I didn’t expect to get this far and the more I win the more attention I’ll get from heroics a-and if they try to recruit me they might not take no for an answer and-" 

His worries resurfaced, tangling his mind into a web of anxiety. But his mother stepped in with soothing words, "Izuku, baby, listen to me. You have a choice, and they should respect that. Your quirk is yours, and you can use it however you want."

"But what if they’re too persistent and I just say yes to them without thinking?"

"Honey, they can't force you into anything. Everything will be alright, especially with me, your teachers, and all your friends by your side," she reassured him.

"Th-thanks, mom. You're probably right…" Izuku's tense demeanour began to soften, but his mother wanted to address his final concerns.

"You're welcome, dear. But listen," she said firmly, her determination evident, "Don't forfeit your next match. You deserve to be there; you've worked hard and earned that spot. Show everyone what you're capable of."

"Do you really think I should?" Izuku hesitated.

"Izuku, I love you more than anything in the world, and I want you to be happy, fulfilled, and free to be who you are. But I also want you to be honest and proud of yourself, and that means accepting yourself for who you are, quirk and all."

Her words began to sink in, and Izuku pondered his choices. "I do want to show off the gauntlets in one-on-one combat," he admitted.

"Then go and be a show-off! Let everyone see the support genius we all know and love. But if you want to show your quirk off too, then go ahead and do it!"

"I think… I think I'll do it. I'll fight," Izuku declared with newfound resolve. Talking to his mom always seemed to make things better.

"Good luck, Izuku. Give them hell."

"Thanks, mom, I will!" Izuku declared, just as the door to the waiting room began to open. "I'll have to go, mom, Mei's here, her fight is up first, and she wants me to walk with her to the arena. Thanks again, I'll call later!" With a goodbye and a good luck wish from his mom, he hung up the phone, feeling much better about himself and his decisions.

"How's mamadoriya?" Mei asked as she greeted him.

"She's good, she wishes us luck."

"Did she tell you to be accepting of who you are and not care what anyone else thinks, and to go out there and kick everyone's ass by turning into a train?" Mei said, leading the way down the hallways with nervous excitement.

"Not in so many words, but basically yeah. ...Wait, do you think I could actually turn into a train?" Izuku called after her, trying to keep up with her brisk pace.

Mei chuckled. "Who knows? With your quirk, anything seems possible!"

"I suppose so," he replied. "Are you sure you'll be fine to fight, Mei? You didn't get much sleep, remember."

"I'll be fine, I ate some coffee," she quipped.

"You mean you drank some coffee?"

"Nope. Me and Yamashita have a plan all worked out, anyway. We're the only two support students fighting each other, so we're going to kite around for a while and show off our babies. Then when we're finished, we're playing rock-paper-scissors for the win."

"That's going to annoy so many people," Izuku laughed. "But good luck either way."

"THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE DEAL, YAMASHITA!"

With a net launcher spinning in her hand, Yamashita casually approached Mei, who was entangled in ropes. "Sorry, Hatsume, but realistically, this is the better option for me. After you took out those guys in the first round, you became a focus of the event. If I can beat you, then I'll be the focus, and I’ll get the internship offers. It’s just business."

"That’s an early lead for Yamashita!" Present Mic announced, "This is shaping up to be a quick fight!"

"Don’t count Hatsume out just yet. After her performances in the first and second rounds, she could have more up her sleeve." Eraserhead drawled in response.

"You suddenly seem invested!!"

Gritting her teeth, Mei ignored the taunt, knowing she had a plan for situations like this. She flexed her non-dominant hand, revealing a short blade similar to the crossbow on her right arm. With one fluid motion, she sliced through the net and sprung back on her feet with impressive agility. Bolts flew towards Yamashita as Mei called out, "Alright, Miki! Let's put on a real show!"

The crowd cheered in response, from how support students acted in previous festivals everyone was expecting a sales pitch, but this was much more fun!

Yamashita grinned, pushing her glasses up, and summoned an extendable shield that Mei had seen in the workshop. The shield spun around her wrist, humming as it deflected the crossbow bolts. "You're a brilliant inventor, Hatsume!" Yamashita shouted, conjuring an electric baton in her other hand and adopting a defensive stance. "So why don't you prove it?"

Returning the smile, Mei unleashed a barrage of crossbow bolts, all skillfully blocked by Yamashita. "Sonic wave technology, Miki? Impressive, but it won't stop me!"

Mei charged towards Yamashita, her wrist twisting as she searched for the perfect ammunition. Yamashita also moved forward, swinging her baton at Mei, who gracefully evaded the attack and countered with a powerful kick to Yamashita's shin, sending her to the ground. Taking advantage of the close range, Mei fired a stun-effect bolt straight at the electrified baton. The resulting surge of power overwhelmed Yamashita, forcing her to drop the weapon.

"Another impressive deployment of Hatsume’s projectile weaponry!! I gotta get me one of those!" Present Mic had a foot up on the table again he was so excited.

"I told you to prove it, Mei! You've impressed me with your inventions before, so why hold back now?! You, of all people, came to the sports festival with just ONE baby?!"

"I didn't bring just one baby," Mei replied, catching her breath. She hesitated; these gadgets could connect her to Mayhem, but she decided to risk it anyway. Hitting her heels together, a new material emerged from her shoes. A metal weave click-click-clicked around her heels and up to her ankles.

Yamashita swung her shield low, attempting to knock Mei down, but to her surprise, she effortlessly leaped several feet into the air. Mei landed with a thud, crossbow bolt pointed directly at Yamashita's face. "Boost boots, Miki. Baby number 48," she smirked. "Consider this my win."

Chuckling, Yamashita adjusted her glasses once again. "Not bad, Hatsume. But I think I need to remind you of your true potential." She kicked off the ground from her seated position, summoning new help into the fight against Mei. With a soft landing, she was encased in the plush interior of an advanced machine.

Mei's expression turned to a mix of confusion and anger. "You didn't! No, Yamashita!"

"Surprise!" Yamashita exclaimed as the doors closed around her, and she took a few steps forward. "Remember the Mark V, Mei?!"

Present Mic leapt from his chair and inadvertently activated his quirk, "IT’S THE FREAKING MECH! Ladies and gentlemen! That cool piece of tech Yamashita’s sitting inside of was built by Hatsume herself! I saw this thing in action myself, and lemme tell you, it’s a doozy!"

Mei gasped as she saw her own creation turned against her; this was supposed to be impossible! "How are you controlling it?! I programmed that baby to answer only to my commands! It's coded to my DNA!"

"I won't bore you with the details, but after modifying the code, getting it to obey me was a piece of cake. It's an incredible piece of machinery, truly exceptional work." She pointed her arm at Mei, and the hand began to spin. "So, why did you abandon it?"

Mei swiftly rolled out of harm's way as a blast of air shot out of the Mark V's hand, smashing the concrete underneath her. "I didn't abandon it! I moved on to other babies!"

Her mind raced, memories flooding back of the hours spent designing and building the Mark V. The exhilaration she felt testing its capabilities with Izuku on the beach, the ambitious plans they had envisioned for it. It was her masterpiece, and she had poured her heart and soul into its creation. But once it was completed and showcased, she couldn't resist the allure of new projects, leaving the Mark V behind.

Yamashita continued her assault from inside the confines of the exosuit, leaping into the air and landing behind Mei. "Think of how incredible this machine could have been if you'd devoted more time to it! Why jump from one baby to the next to the next?!" With a swift motion, she grabbed Mei by the collar and hurled her to the side of the arena, dangerously close to a ring-out defeat. Through the loudspeaker in the suit, she taunted, "Show me what a great inventor you are, Mei Hatsume!"

Pulling a hairband from her pocket, Mei grinned as she shouted back, undeterred. "I jump from one baby to the next BECAUSE I'm a great inventor, Miki! You want me to prove it?! Storage locker 11! Let me show you!"

Yamashita waved her hand inside the suit, and a box plummeted from the sky, landing at Mei's feet. With a swift kick, Mei opened it, revealing a spare pair of the grappling tether launchers she uses as Mayhem, which she quickly clipped onto her arms.

"When I started at UA, I reset my numbering, did you know that, Yamashita?! This is baby number three," she said, tapping the launchers. "Let's see how she fares against baby number one!" Mei fired a fast tether directly towards the Mark V, the cable firmly attaching to the centre of the chest chassis.

Yamashita attempted to remove the cable, but it clung tenaciously to the metal. Instead, she pulled Mei toward her, trying to capitalise on her proximity advantage. However, Mei was far from defenceless.

Mei reoriented herself in the air, drawing on her experience as Mayhem to execute a perfectly aimed kick at the Mark V's shoulder. Activating her boost boots, she flipped backward with impressive grace.

As anticipated, the exosuit's arm collapsed to the floor, leaving Yamashita in disbelief.

"Alright, Hatsume. You've made your point," Yamashita admitted, with respect in her voice. "You clearly know the suit better than me. But this isn't over yet!" She shouted back, charging the air cannon once more.

Mei remained vigilant, knowing that she couldn't afford to lower her guard. Taking a calculated risk, she fired another tether to the walls surrounding the arena. The timing had to be precise; otherwise, she'd be out of bounds.

As she passed at high speed, she twisted her crossbow bolts into smoke bombs and launched them into the hole caused by the fallen arm. Detaching herself from the grapple at the same time, she swiftly swung herself onto the exosuit's back. As the smoke filled the suit, Yamashita struggled to find her bearings, coughing and spluttering, forced to eject. The arm with the air cannon, still left charging as Yamashita ejected, fell downwards without a pilot to aim it. With a blast, the suit was shot upwards.

In a daring move, Mei jumped from the suit mid-air and landed on Yamashita, pinning her to the ground as the suit landed in a heap behind her, dismantling itself on impact.

Surprisingly, Yamashita let out a contented sigh as she tapped the ground three times, signalling her surrender. "You are a pretty good inventor, Mei."

"Mei Hatsume is the winner! She’ll be moving on to the next round, what an explosive start to this year's tournament!"

Breathing heavily, Mei offered Yamashita a hand up and couldn't help but ask, "Why did you goad me like that? If you hadn't let me have my grapple, you could have won!"

"Because I'm the class president, and think of how many internship offers we’re getting now."

The pair of them exited the ring together, arms around each other's shoulders, as the arena erupted in applause.

Miki and Mei strolled into their class's exclusive box with the support crew giving them a heartwarming welcome. Kazutani was cutting some carrots at the table decked out with refreshing drinks and mouthwatering sandwiches. "Our heroes return!" he exclaimed, raising a glass to salute their triumph.

Mei beamed at the sight, "Where did all this come from? I thought we weren’t allowed to bring in food or drink?" She then turned and looked at the expression on Yamashita’s face. "Oh right, summoning quirk, duh."

Pulling Miki and Mei in, Hana forced the two of them into a warm embrace before guiding them to their seats. "You guys were beyond amazing! I wish I could have fought too, but just my luck to get knocked out in the second round." She playfully threw a pretend punch. "I don’t think they would have let me fight anyway, after I nearly killed Kamui Woods and all." She shrugged.

"We could have a fight right now if you’d like?" Yamashita laughed, which turned into a yawn.

Izuku arrived, offering Yamashita a drink (it was just soda, don’t worry). He sympathised, "You can have a sleep if you need to, I don’t think anyone will mind. You really pushed yourself to your limits, summoning the Mark V. Was that the biggest thing you’ve ever summoned? I always assumed you were limited to handheld items, but that’s because they’re the only things I’ve ever seen you use your quirk on. Is there a weight limit or is it down to size? Could you summon a building if it didn’t weigh much? …Yamashita?"

"Izuku, she’s asleep already." Mei bluntly revealed.

"What?!" Hana exclaimed in dismay. "She was our designated supply runner! Now we're stuck with festival food... ugh!"

Mei scanned the room, curious about someone else. "Hey, where's Kuri? I wanted to wish him luck for his fight."

"He's in the locker room," Kazutani chimed in, pointing to the TV screen displaying the tournament bracket. "He'll be out in the arena soon. His match against Iida is scheduled in five minutes."

Worried for his friend, Izuku shared his concern, "I really hope Kuri is doing okay. I don’t think he’s used to this kind of competition. I've never even seen him get upset – it's hard to picture him in a fight..."

"Ah, our little Kuri will do just fine!" Mei reassured, putting her arm around Izuku's shoulder. "Remember what Power Loader said when we started classes? Kuri's a genius!"

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go cheer him on!" Izuku replied, feeling a surge of confidence.

The group moved to the balcony seats outside their box, enjoying a fantastic view of the entire arena floor. Down below, Kuri Kuri stood with his support gear, the metal coils on his arms and legs still untouched.

"KURI! GOOD LUCK!!" The class shouted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the arena. Kuri looked up, beaming with appreciation as he waved to his cheering classmates, trying to regain his battle-ready composure.

However, Izuku caught something amiss in the scenery. "Wait a minute, shouldn't Iida be there by now? It's not like him to be late."

"Can you see what's happening, Hatsume?" Kazutani inquired, knowing she had the sharpest eyesight among them.

"Hmm..." Hatsume pretended to squint dramatically, even though her vision was perfect. "Cementoss is whispering something to Midnight."

"What's he saying?" Izuku asked eagerly.

"It seems like he's saying ...meeple, moople… bleem…bloop."

"You can't read lips," Izuku deadpanned, seeing through her theatrics.

Their speculation was cut short as Midnight emerged into the centre of the arena, holding a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have an unexpected announcement! Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tenya Iida has withdrawn from the tournament. Therefore, by default, the winner of this match is Kuri Kuri!"

An immediate wave of boos erupted from the disappointed crowd, furious that they wouldn't get to witness an exciting fight. Kuri Kuri let out a sigh and walked towards Midnight, asking for the microphone.

"Uh, h-hi, I'm Kuri Kuri, but you probably knew that," he began hesitantly. "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry you didn't get to see a proper fight, and I'm really grateful for this opportunity. But, um, my opponent isn't here, and we don't know why. So, I want to ask that you think more about him than the fact that you don't get to see a fight. If he was hurt or if something else bad happened, I don't want him to hear that people were booing us because of it... That's all..."

A brief silence enveloped the arena, and then a voice shouted from the stands, "Hell yeah! That chestnut kid is right! We suck!"

The boos gradually transformed into heartfelt applause, and Kuri caught sight of his mom wiping away a tear, filled with pride for her son.

The support course students cheered loudest of all.

"You ready for this, Izuku?" Mei asked, rubbing his shoulders, like she’d seen Rocky’s trainer do in that old movie. His upcoming fight against Mina Ashido was starting to feel real.

Izuku rolled up the sleeves of his jacket and pulled on the Strike Gauntlets, flexed his fingers inside the material to get comfortable, and made a determined fist. His face was a picture of confidence, and with a nod, he answered, "Not a chance. I have no idea what I’m doing."

"Are you ready for the next nail-biting fight?!" Present Mic’s voice boomed from the speakers, signalling that Izuku had to go. Mei stayed behind as he walked out of the locker room and into the bright arena.

"Let’s hear it for our first contestant! She dazzled us with her acid skills in the previous rounds, and she’s always ready to melt your hearts, and your faces! The Pink Princess of Class 1-A! Miiiiiina Ashidooooooo !!" Present Mic shouted, holding the microphone with both hands and striking a pose.

Eraserhead sighed, "Why are you announcing it like a wrestling match now?"

"Colour! And in the other corner, we have the wonder of innovation! The support course superstar! The technological titan! From class 1-H, Izuku, Helicopter Boy, Midoriyaaaaaaa!! "

The crowd went wild, cheering for both contestants. They were pumped up by Mic’s energetic introduction. Izuku felt a surge of adrenaline, and his fear turned into excitement.

Across from him, Ashido gave a toothy smile and waved. "Good luck, Midoriya!"

Izuku gave a small wave of his own, "Oh, you too!" he said, before he saw her take a fighting stance - bending down and placing one hand on the arena floor in front of her.

The sound of Midnight’s whip echoed in the air, and the match began. Ashido didn’t waste any time and sprinted toward Izuku, her fists dripping with acid that sizzled on the floor. She was much faster than him when he didn’t use his quirk, and he felt the gap in their abilities right away.

She launched a barrage of punches at him, but he barely managed to block them with his strike gauntlets. Even a graze from her fist was melting away his jacket and burning his sides. Just about dodging the flurry of attacks, Izuku knew he couldn’t keep this up for long. To top it off, he wasn’t completely convinced the gauntlets were protecting him from her acid, given the stinging sensation in his hands and forearms.

"You’re! Really! Good! Ashido!" he managed to say between punches, "Have you ever! Considered using! Some kind of launcher! For your acid?!"

"Aw thanks, Midoriya!" She grinned, while still attacking. "I always thought some kind of grenade would be awesome, but I was told it’d be too dangerous." She pouted.

"Come by the workshop next week! We’ll figure something out!"

"Did you hear that?! Midoriya is offering to make support gear for his opponent! That’s the spirit of SPORTSMANSHIP!!" Present Mic shouted.

"Cool, thanks Midori!" Ashido said, before uppercutting Izuku into the air.

Izuku went flying, and rolled in a heap a few feet away. Already, Ashido was charging toward him, ready to throw him out of bounds, but he quickly smashed his hand through the arena floor. Now with a chunk of debris in his fist, he could throw it at Ashido’s feet, hoping to put her off balance. And it worked! She stumbled and fell to the floor painfully on her arm, Izuku took the advantage and grabbed her by the leg, flinging her and barely missing a ring out victory.

Ashido was confident in her skills and had more training in hand-to-hand combat than Izuku, so she wasn’t going to give up easily. With Izuku still on the defensive, she decided to target his weak spots. His gauntlets were blocking most of her frontal attacks, but his back was exposed, and she had speed on her side.

She increased her acidity and burned through her shoes, leaving them in tatters, then slid around the edge of the arena like a bullet, melting the floor behind her. Turning on a dime, she managed to catch Izuku off guard. He had no time to react as Ashido landed a powerful punch right to his back with a fist that felt like a hammer.

Right before the blow hit, he felt something cold creep its way up the backs of both his arms and linking behind his shoulder blades. The punch that should have taken him out of the fight did nothing but make him stumble slightly. Confused by what happened, he quickly turned around, ready to counterattack.

But what he saw surprised him, Ashido was holding her hand in agony, her knuckles broken and bleeding. "You should have told me your gauntlets went up that far!" she cried, "I think I broke my hand!"

"Oh jeez, Ashido are you alright!? I didn’t mean to, I shouldn’t have-'' panicking and waving his arms around he tried to get the attention of Midnight, but Ashido stopped him.

Through her pain, she clenched her teeth, "The fight’s not over yet!" and she launched forward, coating her other hand in acid. Izuku barely managed to deflect, it becoming evident she wasn’t used to fighting left-handed. Still, she was a much stronger fighter than he was, and she really shouldn’t be fighting with that injury. The sooner he ended this the better.

Izuku dodged to her left side and aimed a punch to her shoulder. The gauntlet connected with a loud thud, sending Ashido flying across the arena. She landed on the edge and barely held on with one hand.

"Ashido!" He ran to her side, worried that he’d gone too far, and reached out a hand to help her back up onto the arena. But Ashido shook her head, "Nah, you won, fair and square." she said, smiling weakly before letting go of the ledge.

The crowd cheered as Izuku was declared the winner of the match. Conflicting emotions swam inside him, pride for winning, but sad that he had hurt his friend. There was also the little matter of his quirk apparently reaching his back…

Chapter Text

Barbershop’s demeanour had lightened somewhat, now that he was no longer forced into the monotony of watching the Sports Festival. To be honest, the whole heroics ‘thing’ grated on his nerves. It was nothing more than a popularity contest, one manipulated by the fickle masses, achieving very little in terms of genuine societal change. What grated him the most about these heroes was their utterly shallow, borderline non-existent commitment to lasting solutions. The lack of real consequences for villains only fueled an endless cycle of slaps on wrists and prison stays. What they needed was an actual deterrent, something more… permanent.

In Barbershop’s childhood, when his quirk appeared, all anyone could tell him was how useful he would be to the heroes. His quirk was named Sterilisation, capable of purging any space of foreign contaminants instantly. Oh, the prospects for medicine were dazzling! What a blessing for all those reckless souls injuring themselves and draining precious resources. The medical "heroes" like Recovery Girl, they riled him the most. They should be selective in their treatment for those who truly deserved it.

His parents, with their mundane existence and meagre income, believed they deserved it. They contributed nothing and amounted to nothing, yet somehow felt entitled to reap benefits they were unworthy of. The looks on their faces when they found out the human body thrived on foreign bacteria…

Then came High Street, discovering Barbershop over the lifeless bodies of his parents. Apparently they were interesting enough to attract the attention of a covert assassin’s guild. Barbershop would later come to understand that High Street’s mission wasn’t to kill, but to retrieve. From that moment he became a part of The Market.

Inko Midoriya was proving to be as unimpressive as his parents, trapped in a vapid career, making no impact. Sifting through the surveillance archives of Aldera General, eavesdropping on her mundane exchanges with Diner, was driving him to the brink of insanity. Or maybe he had already crossed that threshold. The notion of abandoning this line of investigation for something less soul-crushing was beckoning, when suddenly, he stumbled on something interesting.

"In that case, here’s the plan: you’re coming over for dinner tonight, no ifs or buts. If I can’t help you get bloody revenge, I’ll make sure to help you with homemade cooking."

Diner had been in the Midoriya household, shared a meal with the woman and her son. If she really had doubts over the Yaoyorozu girl being her attacker at UA, she should have recognised the Midoriya boy. Why had this crucial piece of information been withheld from The Market? Even the smallest slither of information has to be provided. Clearly, Diner could no longer be trusted, and a more hands-on investigation was needed.

With a few keystrokes, Barbershop opened his communications network, and located the contact details he needed. "Museum, I have something to discuss with you regarding Diner. Meet me in the usual spot." With that, he unceremoniously ended the call.

Away from the colourful lights and vibrant music of the festival, Izuku and Mei found a quiet corner to share a private conversation. The atmosphere was outwardly relaxed, but there was a tension inside Izuku begging him to breach this subject.

"You noticed it, didn’t you?" Izuku’s voice broke the tranquillity.

Mei blinked a few times, as if showing off her eyes. "Yeah, I see a lot of things." She grinned. "Was that the first time you felt your quirk on your back?"

"As far as I know, yeah." He furrowed his brow as he considered this. "Like, it could have happened without me knowing about it. You know how my quirk works on some level of instinct, right?"

Naturally, Mei saw this as a prime opportunity to do some testing. "Of course I do! And I want to know more! Can you do it again?"

Izuku nodded, closing his eyes and focusing inward, trying to feel the energy flowing from his hand to his shoulder blade. After a moment, he opened his eyes again and asked, "What should I try thinking about? What sort of machine travels from an arm to a shoulder blade?"

She shrugged. "I think you're tackling this too literally. Don't try to think of an existing item, try to think outside the box."

Izuku took a deep breath, and held up his right arm, his fingers slightly trembling with anticipation. A sudden metallic glint caught the sunlight as a plate of metal emerged on the back of his hand. With a clunking sound, another plate emerged, sliding smoothly from beneath the first one, resembling a gleaming metal scale. The transformation continued, as more scales built themselves across his hand and began creeping up his arm like an otherworldly armour.

The green of the metal contrasted against the blue of his uniform, it was cold to the touch and impossibly beautiful. He clenched his transformed hand into a fist, and the plates gave the impression of a fearsome metallic dragon’s claw.

Mei’s eyes widened in awe. "Izuku, it looks… It’s so…" she stammered, reaching out to touch the back of the armour with her hand.

He managed a breathless smile, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Y-yeah," he replied, still holding his breath with the effort of maintaining the transformation. "This is taking a lot out of me… it's still just my hand that has transformed. I just extended the reach of the machine to cover my arm… gah." With a relieved exhale, the scales retracted, vanishing as if they were never there. "I’ve been researching Hiryu Rin’s quirk from 1-B, I guess some kind of inspiration struck me."

Just as the display concluded, Uraraka's voice interrupted their moment, "Oh, thank goodness I found you!"

Izuku instinctively slid his untransformed hand into his pocket. Hopefully someday he wouldn’t be so quick to hide it. "Oh, Uraraka! Congratulations on your win against Tetsutetsu.

"Hope you know I'll be giving you a better fight!" Mei declared with a clenched fist.

Uraraka chuckled, "Hah, I don't doubt it! But could you come up to the 1A box, please? Tsu just had her fight against that Shinso kid, and well, you spent longer with that guy than any of us, so… You'll understand when we get there."

The festive atmosphere was noticeably absent from the box where 1A was seated in the stands. While there were drinks set out in absurdly elegant glassware, Yaoyorozu’s efforts, the mood had been soured by the previous fight. Tsuyu sat on the couch, her tear-streaked face surrounded by friends who were doing their best to cheer her up. Mostly by shoving sweets in her mouth and giving encouraging words in their attempts to console her.

Izuku and Mei weren’t sure what to do. While they were definitely friendly with Tsu in their hero law classes, neither really felt they were at the ‘comforting’ stage of the friendship. Uraraka sensed their hesitation, and leaned in to explain the situation.

"Everything seemed fine until the fight. The match had just started when Tsu’s expression changed, and she left the arena," Uraraka recounted, looking over to their friend on the couch, currently being forced into a hug with Ashido. "A few seconds later, she was in tears."

Izuku’s expression reflected his empathy for the girl. "She must have really pinned her hopes on winning,"

Tsu, her tears now dry but a lingering sadness in her eyes, turned toward them. "It wasn't about winning, ribbit," she said in a low voice. "He insulted me before the match. I tried to not let him get to me, but he was saying really hurtful things, ribbit."

Yaoyorozu directed her attention toward them and asked, "You were both on the team with him in the second round, correct? Did he ever disclose the nature of his quirk to you, or do you have any insight into why he would behave in such a manner? We speculated it might be tied to emotional triggers, but you could offer a more informed perspective."

In a state of simmering anger, Mei exclaimed, "I couldn’t care less how his stupid quirk works, I’m beating the crap out of him!"

Izuku's fury boiled within him as well; he blamed himself for Shinso's advancement to this stage. "He never outright told me what his quirk does, but I guessed it was based on responding to his questions. He got me with it during the first round, someone from his class had to snap me out of it."

Nodding, Tsuyu said "That makes sense, ribbit. He was asking me questions all the time… The last thing he said was," she stopped for a second to calm down, "He asked, ‘how can they let a mutant like you out in public?’. I asked him how he could be so cruel, ribbit, he said ‘I win’, and made me walk out of bounds."

"I understand we’ll probably hear worse things from villains, ribbit, but I didn’t expect to hear it from other students, especially not at a big event like this…" her eyes began to shine with tears again.

"Tsu, you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone, the only one who did wrong here is Shinso." Izuku said quietly, hiding his anger and frustration. "Shinso said he wants to be a hero, but this is not how heroes behave."

He closed his eyes for a moment and took some breaths. "I’m going to go talk to him."

Mina threw up her bandaged arm, "Go kick his ass, Midoriya!"

"Not if I kick it first." Mei said.

"I think I have to do this on my own, Mei. Thanks, though." Izuku said to his friend, who nodded with understanding.

Izuku found Shinso standing in a quieter corner of the event, far removed from the bustling crowds, lying back on a bench with his arms propped up behind his head. His eyes were closed, but he opened them when Izuku’s shadow blocked out the light.

"Shinso." Izuku began, his voice firm but composed. "We need to talk about what happened earlier with Tsuyu."

The purple-haired student looked up at him with a cold detachment. "I figured someone would come to lecture me eventually. Go ahead, get it over with."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Izuku replied with a disappointed tone, "I’m not here to lecture you. I just want you to acknowledge that what you did was wrong. You can’t act this way with people, it’s not right!"

With an eyebrow raised, Shinso snorted and replied, "Is that so? Then please, explain. How do you expect me to act?"

Some time ago, Izuku would never have willingly placed himself in this situation. It appeared that UA was indeed boosting his self-confidence. He took a deep breath before proceeding. "You said you wanted to join the hero course, right? That's why you have no regard for how your actions affect others, as long as you win. Well, you know what? That’s complete bullshit."

Shinso’s expression remained unmoved.

"The greatest hero in the world once said, 'It's not the victory that defines the hero, but the way they reach that victory'. Heroes are meant to inspire and give hope," Izuku continued with more passion. "What you did there, intentionally hurting someone emotionally to gain an edge... That's not heroic."

"And who are you to tell me what a real hero should be?"

"I’ve spent my entire life looking up to heroes, even when I didn’t want to be one anymore." Izuku replied, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "I’ve seen so many different kinds of heroes doing good in the world, everyone has the potential inside them somewhere, no matter what their quirk is. You could be a great hero, but using your power as an excuse to manipulate and demean others…" he couldn't contain his anger anymore, and yelled at the boy on the bench, "Heroes are supposed to protect, not tear down!"

"You don't know what you're saying. In this world, sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to win. The outcomes are what count."

"You can't use a desire to win as an excuse for acting the way you did! That's a dangerous path that only leads to becoming as evil as the villains we're supposed to be fighting against!"

Shinso averted his gaze and shook his head, "You’re naive if you think it’s that easy. You didn’t have to grow up with a quirk everyone at school called villainous. If I have to act like a villain sometimes to prove them wrong, then so be it."

"That’s why you’re doing this? Spite? Shinso, who gives a shit what some kids at school thought? You don’t even GO to that school anymore!" He lifted his hands in frustration and started pacing the small area they were in, "And you call me naive? My whole life, people at my school thought I’d achieve nothing because my quirk was so weak. All they cared about was how it could be used for heroics, none of them cared even a bit about my wins at conventions, the gear I made for heroes, the top test scores. But you know what?"

"What?"

"At no point did I think, hey, here’s an idea, I’ll refocus my entire life because of what some shitty children think! If you want to be a hero, then do it for the right reasons, Shinso. Not because some kids were mean to you when you were 10."

For a moment, the air was thick with tension. Then, Shinso let out a sigh, his posture slumping slightly. "You’re really something, Midoriya. You’ve got this resolve that’s… Infuriatingly inspiring."

Izuku smiled slightly. "I’ll take that as a compliment. Just remember, Shinso, you could be an amazing hero. So, be a better person."

As he turned to leave, Shinso’s voice stopped him. "Hey, Midoriya? Thanks for… giving me something to think about."

Izuku just nodded as he turned the corner. Out of sight, he leaned up against a wall and almost started hyperventilating. "Holy crap, I just tore someone down and didn’t even stutter!" he thought to himself.

"Alright party people!!" Roared Present Mic's vibrant voice, reverberating through the stadium like a tidal wave of excitement. "The temperature is rising as the inaugural victors have surged into the quarterfinals! Hatsume, Uraraka, Todoroki, Hononuki, Kuri, Midoriya, Kirishima, and Shinso!! Who will ascend to the semifinals, and who will face elimination?!"

In response, the crowd erupted with an explosive chorus of cheers. Up in the elevated teacher’s section, Principal Nezu sipped his tea from a novelty football helmet attached to a straw, all while wearing a foam hand that boldly declared ‘UA Pride’. He turned to Yagi, who sat beside him.

"Interesting fights this year, eh Yagi? I imagine these encounters are offering you much food for thought!"

"Mm." nodded the skeletal man with an air of seriousness., "Indeed they are. Young Uraraka’s next fight is up next, I’m interested to see how she fares against the Hatsume girl. it seems that young Midoriya places considerable faith in both of them..."

In the depths of the tunnels below, Izuku extended words of encouragement to his friend. "Best of luck, Mei. Don't underestimate her, alright? Remember, she's part of the hero course - they've been training for this for months."

"I’ve been training too!"

"You know what I mean. Just… Be careful, yeah?"

Mei smiled back at him, "You know I’m always careful."

Internally wincing at memories of Mei's daredevil leaps from buildings, Izuku managed a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I know you are."

Across the arena floor, Uraraka's gaze exuded unwavering determination, an intensity that seemed to emanate an aura all its own. Recognising she’d have to take this match more seriously, Mei matched that intensity and stood ready for whatever came next.

"Begin!" Midnight's whip cracked like a gunshot, signalling the start of the duel.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Hatsume unleashed a flurry of blunted crossbow bolts, aiming for pressure points on Uraraka’s arms in an attempt to impair her dexterity. But even Mei’s precise aim paled in comparison to an opponent used to quick, evasive manoeuvres. The bolts barely grazed her uniform.

Uraraka soared gracefully through the air, employing her quirk to elongate her jumps and effortlessly narrowing the gap between them. Her training under All Might had gotten her used to aerial movement, her nausea now well under control. With a twist here and a turn there, she dodged another bolt that whizzed past her ear. Swiftly landing and propelling herself forward, Uraraka’s fist streaked toward Hatsume’s face.

Reacting with quick precision, Hatsume deflected the punch with her arm and propelled herself back using her boost boots, adopting the defensive stance Eraserhead had recently taught her. A swift jab followed, but Uraraka sidestepped with ease, responding with a leg sweep. Hatsume's landing resonated with a thud, yet she managed to fire a close-range bolt that found its mark in Uraraka's calf, eliciting a wince of pain.

"Agh! Why did that hurt so much?!" Uraraka hopped in discomfort. "It made my foot go numb!"

"Femoral nerve," Hatsume casually explained with a shrug, before skillfully rolling backward and reclaiming her fighting stance. But Uraraka was far from done. In one fluid motion, she used her quirk to spin in mid air and slammed a boot into her opponent’s face, forcing Hatsume down once more. Expertly using her legs, Uraraka pinned Hatsume and held the crossbow weapon to the ground. A triumphant smile painted Uraraka's face, convinced of her imminent victory.

Struggling against Uraraka's weight, Hatsume managed to manipulate her wrist enough to select a smoke bomb projectile from her crossbow. The projectile detonated on Uraraka's boot, shrouding the battlefield in a thick curtain of smoke. 

Coughing amidst the smoke's sting, Uraraka found herself lifted by Mei from behind, only to be slammed back to the ground. Mei's firm grip pinned her in place, poised to force a surrender just as she had with Yamashita. Yet Uraraka summoned her quirk's power, causing Hatsume to float and lose control of her movements.

Panic setting in, Hatsume twisted her wrist once more, aiming to fire the net capture projectile to ensnare her opponent. But to her dismay, she recognised the blue sparks and strained mechanisms indicating a baby in need of care. In an instant, the crossbow erupted, cocooning Mei in its own weaponry.

Frustration and screams mingled as Mei struggled against her self-inflicted entanglement, suspended mid-air in the net. Meanwhile, Uraraka, holding her side and nursing her injured leg, dragged Hatsume to the arena's edge and employed her quirk to send her out of bounds.

"Ochaco Uraraka wins!! Hell of a fight, wouldn’t you say so Eraserhead? …Eraserhead?! Where did he run off to?!"

"Mei, Oh my gosh, I’m seriously so sorry! I didn’t hurt you too much, did I?!" Uraraka was a mess of apologies, flailing her arms in distress. Mei was comfortably seated in an infirmary chair, taking it all in.

"Eh? Nah, this is nothing," Mei casually brushed off the concern, motioning to her wrapped-up right arm. "Honestly, I’m more to blame here! I’m used to my babies exploding, but usually they’re not attached to my wrists."

The infirmary had emptied out a bit by now; most of Hana's 'victims' from the second round had been dismissed (Kamui Woods was still lurking somewhere). Recovery Girl was immersed in some paperwork and munching on a burrito almost as big as her. Politely, Izuku approached her, seeking some advice.

"Excuse me, Recovery Girl? Could I ask you something about um, you know?" He asked, pointing to the back of his right arm. "Somewhere private?"

"Oh, absolutely, dearie! I've got a little side nook for these private convos. You two!" She wagged her cane at Uraraka and Hatsume, "No starting any fires! Kamui Woods is still recuperating next door!" And off she went, leading Izuku out of the room.

"So, Uraraka," Mei began, only to be interrupted with a burst of thought.

"Y'know, I've been thinking, it's cool if you wanna call me Ochaco now... I mean, we've been friends for a while, and I did just kick you in the head... Seems like a fair trade, don't you think?"

Mei's face lit up like a neon sign. "Ochaco! Love it! You've already been calling me Mei for ages anyway!"

Ochaco laughed, "Yeah, since the day we met. But you were about to mention something?"

"Oh, right! I’ve been running some simulations in my head, and it’s increasingly likely you’ll be fighting against Todoroki in the next round. If you win, you’ll probably be against Izuku in the final."

"How did you figure that all out already? We were the first match of the round… But do you really think Izuku will win against Kirishima?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

Mei grinned, "You don’t know the sorts of tricks Izuku has up his sleeves. I’m willing to give you some advice on fighting Todoroki, but my lips are sealed when it comes to Izuku! You get it, right?"

"Sure, I understand. But Mei, honestly – I'm not looking for hints. When I'm a full-fledged hero, there'll be times when intel's not a given. This is all about learning."

Mei was about to launch into a passionate defence of the importance of intel in heroics, when the shadow of a worn-out man darkened the doorway.

"Hatsume," Eraserhead said, leaning on the doorframe with an accusatory glance. "I think we have some things to discuss."

"Ohh, peanuts."

" With a spectacular flying headbutt, Kuri Kuri defeats Hitoshi Shinso in just ONE MOVE! He’s through to the Semi-Finals, folks!"  

The chants of " Helicopter Boy! Helicopter Boy! Helicopter Boy!" Reverberated through the air. Izuku stood in the arena, his heart pounding and the moment weighing very heavily upon his shoulders. With a deep breath, he steeled himself against the modicum of anxiety he felt inside - something he was finding easier and easier to do. The memory of his recent conversation with Recovery Girl fresh in his mind.

"Don’t worry about going all out my dear, that’s the whole reason I’m here! Frankly, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you whoop some butt! Ahahaha!"

As Kirishima walked up on the opposite end of the arena, confidently waving to the crowd, Izuku slowly removed his Strike Gauntlets and threw them aside. A bold declaration. 

"Izuku Midoriya has removed his support items!" Present Mic’s voice echoed through the arena in confusion, "Are we about to see some brand new gadgets?!"

In the stands, Power Loader sat watching with his arms crossed, a smile forming on his face. "Good for you, kid. Show them what you’ve got."

The battle began with an intensity that took almost everyone by surprise, when Izuku’s right arm began to transform - a heavy metal chain attached to a weight forming from his elbow, pooling to the arena floor.

There was a stunned pause in the arena, especially from Present Mic. "Wait just a minute, did I see that right!? Izuku Midoriya… HAS A TRANSFORMATION QUIRK?! TALK ABOUT A SURPRISE!!"

Kirishima was momentarily stopped in his tracks, enough time for Izuku to flick his arm, sending the weight slicing through the air with a menacing whistle. The chain missed its mark, but with another swift movement it began to retract back into his elbow, catching Kirishima in the back on its return trip.

With Kirishima smacked closer toward him, Izuku transformed his left hand into a strong mallet. His muscles tensed as he unleashed a powerful uppercut straight to the unsuspecting Kirishima’s jaw. The impact sent him hurtling through the air, a collective gasp escaped the spectators as he landed with his quirk fully activated, digging his hardened heels into the arena floor.

Determined, Kirishima pushed off the floor leaving a sizable hole in his wake. He lunged toward Izuku like a human cannonball, ready to unleash a hardened right-hook. Izuku’s instincts kicked in as he transformed his forearm into a circular shield, ready to deflect the fierce charge. Despite his best efforts, the collision wasn’t fully blocked. After a loud bang that sent shockwaves across the arena, Izuku noticed the shield’s surface bore a large dent from the impact of fist against metal.

A flicker of panic raced through Izuku’s mind, but he refused to stop now. With Kirishima about to attack again, Izuku’s right arm morphed into a butterfly net, which he gently placed over his opponent's head. He could hear pockets of laughter coming from the crowd, and Izuku managed a nervous chuckle. "Um… Gotcha?"

Kirishima delayed his attack and couldn’t help but smile. "Your quirk is super manly, dude! But if you don’t have anything else in you, that’s totally cool! No shame in throwing in the towel." he encouraged.

"Maybe later." With a burst of strength, the butterfly net transformed into a giant crane machine claw that enveloped Kirishima’s head. The crowd was a frenzy of excitement as the telescopic metal of Izuku’s forearm lifted Kirishima into the air and slammed him into the ground, denting the arena floor.

With his foe dazed, Izuku transformed his arm back into a heavy mallet, a favourite transformation, ready to deliver a finishing blow. The mallet descended, aimed precisely, but Kirishima wasn’t ready to give in. His body hardened to its maximum extent, catching the mallet with one hand and absorbing the impact with a power that sent tremors through the ground. The resulting vibration surged through Izuku’s body, his teeth clattering. The transformation wavered, and in that moment of vulnerability Kirishima seized his opportunity.

With an impressive display of strength, Kirishima grabbed a hold of Izuku’s leg, and threw him with all his might. 

Present Mic’s electrifying commentary broke through, "Hold onto your seats, folks! This is the moment of truth! Can Midoriya make a comeback?! This is like a scene out of an anime!"

As Izuku soared through the air, straight for the out of bounds area, he calculated the trajectory, the crowd’s cheers and gasps seeming to slow down as his mind raced. In an impressive display, Izuku twisted his body in mid air, transforming both arms into his tried and tested grappling hooks, pulling himself back in bounds and crashing onto the hard ground.

Kirishima’s response was fast. He lunged forward, his fist hurtling toward Izuku with ferocious power. Smoke and debris billowed as he charged, a boom like a crack of thunder exploding from the arena as the attack met its target. The crowd’s cheers reached a fever pitch.

The smoke dissipated, and Kirishima looked down with wide-eyed shock. Izuku’s arm had transformed once again, into a metallic green armour. He could hear Izuku’s heart beating rapidly, his breath shallow and exhausted. But he couldn’t budge from the grip Izuku currently had on his arm.

By this stage, Present Mic was back to standing on his announcer’s table. "Holy smokes!! Did you see that?! Midoriya is bringing out the big guns and channelling his inner dragon! He just stopped that punch right in its tracks!!"

"Dude…that's super manly." Kirishima managed to breathe out.

"Thanks…It’s…a little new…" Izuku’s words were laboured, but for a moment he dared to believe that victory was within his grasp.

But amidst the chaos and excitement, he missed the telltale signs of Kirishima’s next move. A sharp cry escaped Izuku’s mouth as Kirishima’s knee drove itself into his stomach. The impact was intense, culminating in a shockwave of pain. He staggered backward, fought to regain his footing, but fell backwards off the stage - defeated.

"Eijiro Kirishima is through to the semi-finals!"

Kirishima extended a hand toward Izuku, lifting him up from the floor. "That was super fun dude, thanks for fighting me!"

Izuku grinned and nodded, "Any time… Well, maybe not for a little while." he said, rubbing his stomach.

As the two fighters stepped out of the arena, a wave of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd.  In the teacher’s stands, Nezu chuckled loudly. "Ohohoho! I am rather glad he was finally comfortable enough to show us that! I’ve been waiting a rather long time, you know!"

Yagi did a double take and his jaw dropped, "You - you knew he was capable of that!?"

"Of course! I am the principal, after all."

Chapter Text

"Izuku! What the hell?!"

"You have a quirk?!"

"The helicopter was you?!"

"What else can you do?!"

"How long have you had it?!"

In the infirmary, the questions were flying thick and fast, and the room was bursting at the seams. Half of Class 1A had barged their way in, along with the entirety of Class 1H. It was like a chorus of voices, all jumbled up. Izuku stood in the centre of the room (a little lightheaded, thanks to Recovery Girl) and was forced to throw his hands around, gesturing for them all to slow down.

"Everyone, please! One at a time!" he urged. "But before anything else, has anyone seen Mei? I haven’t seen her since before my match."

"Mr. Aizawa said he needed to speak to her," Uraraka explained. "He seemed pretty annoyed. But, then again, he always seems pretty annoyed."

Izuku winced; every time Aizawa crossed paths with Mei, trouble seemed to follow. "Right, I'll catch up with her later... So, about those questions?"

The room erupted once more, a cacophony of overlapping inquiries that melded into a constant, bewildering buzz, making Izuku's head spin. "IS YOUR QUIRK REAL WHEN DID YOU GET IS IT CALLED A CAN YOU MAKE IT DO WHAT’S THE MOST CAN WE SEE WHY DID YOU IS IT"

Again, Izuku had to wave his arms to quieten everyone down. "Yes, I have a quirk! I’ve had it since the first day of school. No, I don’t know why it took so long to manifest. It’s called Mechanize, which I decided on, uh… Right now, actually. I can usually only transform my forearms and hands, but earlier on it worked on my back. Sorry, Ashido," he directed to the pink-haired girl.

"None taken!"

A sigh of relief escaped Izuku; a bit of weight lifted. "Anything else?"

"Why did you keep it a secret?" Yui Kodai's gentle voice said, breaking her silence up until that point.

Izuku's gaze dropped to his hands in a moment of contemplation before he could respond. Then, he raised his eyes to meet the rest of the students around him. It was high time for him to be honest with them, as well as himself. "Fear," he admitted.

"I was scared about how everyone would react and how their attitudes might change around me. I thought people would try to force me to be someone I’m not or try to dictate what I should do with my quirk… Truth be told, I’m still a little afraid that someone might try to push me into heroics." He paused, noticing some of his classmates - particularly Kirishima, Uraraka, and Hana - ready to voice their disagreement. He pressed on before they could interrupt. "But those who already knew - my mom, Power Loader, Mei - they kept telling me to be myself, no matter what others might think or do. And I think I'm finally starting to grasp that." His words culminated in a wide smile.

"Hell yeah, Bro!" Kirishima's enthusiasm exploded. "Being true to yourself kicks ass! And even if you don’t wanna be in heroics, I gotta say, I'm totally honoured to be the first person to go toe-to-toe with ya!"

"We’re your friends, ribbit, and we’ll support you no matter what you want to do," Tsuyu added with a heartwarming smile.

Uraraka chimed in, saying, "Exactly! We’ve all got your back every step of the way!"

Similar words of encouragement came from the rest of the students, even those he hadn’t spent much time with.

Izuku’s lower lip quivered as his emotions welled up within him. Despite all his best efforts to keep them bottled up, the lessening of the weight that had burdened him, coupled with the support of his friends, managed to crack the dam and unleash the flood of tears that he’d been holding back. "Thank you… Thank you all so much…" His words wavered - a mixture of embarrassment and genuine gratitude. He chuckled, using his sleeve to wipe his eyes and smiling shyly.

Kazutani placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, standing as tall as ever, and said with a confident air, "Support crew sticks together, Izuku." It was the first time Kazutani, Hiro, had used Izuku’s first name, adding weight to his words.

"Yeah!" Hana shouted with a raised fist, "We’re called the support course for a reason, you know!"

Yamashita smiled in her usual subdued fashion. "Just so you're aware, this also means your quirk is at our complete disposal in the workshop."

"Huh, what?!" Izuku blinked, scanning the faces of the support students. A nonchalant shrug followed by a confirming nod from Kuri sealed the deal. "Well, alright, but it's only because we're friends."

In that moment, Recovery Girl emerged from her office wielding her cane like a sword, pointing it at the group of students. "Alright, that’s enough everyone! Out, out, out! This was all very touching, but Midoriya still needs his rest! This is an infirmary, not a discotheque!"

Her stern orders were enough to scatter the crowd, though they left reluctantly. Secretly, Izuku appreciated the dispersal. As much as he felt better for getting all of this out in the open, it was slightly overwhelming to have it all happen at once.

When the room eventually cleared out, Akari Hana peeked around the doorframe, then darted in with a silent hug for Izuku. Her whisper, "Proud of you," brushed his ear before her lips met his cheek in a fleeting kiss. Just as quickly as she’d appeared, she vanished from the room again.

"Uh," was all Izuku could manage, his face still tingling where her lips had pressed, completely bemused by the gesture. As he absorbed the newfound stillness in the room, he could barely hear Kirishima's well-wishing for Kuri in their upcoming fight from down the hall. It was in this interlude that a new voice broke the silence within the infirmary.

"Your quirk is incredibly powerful."

Though the words were said in a flat tone, the suddenness of the noise made Izuku nearly hit the ceiling in fright. He turned to see Shoto Todoroki leaning against a wall. "Todoroki?! Uh, thank you." Their interactions had been minimal, mostly when the hero-in-training stopped by the workshop to get equipment or costume upgrades.

Todoroki seemed composed, his expression impossible to decipher. He hardly ever gave anything away. "I heard what you said before, about your relationship with your quirk. It sounded… Familiar to my own situation."

"Oh," Izuku started, not completely sure how to continue. But, he decided, if the usually quiet Todoroki was starting the conversation, there had to be a reason. He smiled nervously and asked, "Do you want to, um, share your story? We’re not very close, but maybe I can help?"

The hero student's gaze momentarily wandered before returning to meet Izuku's eyes. "My quirk has always been a source of conflict for me. I dislike using my fire side. Actually, I hate it."

"I noticed that during your training sessions," acknowledged Izuku, his brow furrowed. "Is there a reason? Only if you’re comfortable sharing, of course!" He added quickly.

The reply was sombre, "The simple answer is that it reminds me too much of someone I don’t want to be like."

Understanding suddenly dawned on Izuku. He was no slouch when it came to hero activity, and he’d formed his own opinions of certain members of the current top 10. "Endeavor."

Todoroki’s nod confirmed it. "Yes. He has been pushing me to surpass All Might my whole life, and he doesn’t care about the cost."

Inhaling deeply, Izuku contemplated his response. He knew deep down how he wanted to approach this, but... was it too upfront? "I don’t think it’s my place to say this, especially since I was scared of my own quirk for so long," he began. "But really, you shouldn’t let your father control your life like that."

The direct eye contact from Todoroki felt like it was probing Izuku’s mind. "I worry that it will always feel like his quirk, not mine."

Leaning in a bit, Izuku tried for an empathetic tone. "When my quirk first showed up, it didn't feel like mine either. I thought someone had messed with me during the opening ceremony. Me, green-haired Midoriya, suddenly having a quirk? Unbelievable."

Todoroki remained silent.

"But once I started accepting it as a part of who I am, things got easier. It got stronger, more fun! Your quirk is seriously amazing; you're selling yourself short by only using the ice." He shrugged, feeling the tension ease now that they'd been talking for a while. Probably a good time to dive into that other subject playing on his mind. "But there’s one other thing. Do you, um, mind if I swear?"

The response was a simple, "That’s fine."

Izuku continued, his words picking up steam. "Your dad is being a freaking moron. He wants you to ‘surpass’ All Might, a man who's probably pushing his mid-50s? By the time you're ready to be ranked as a hero, All Might could be nearly 70!"

If only Todoroki knew the other reason All Might won't stay at the number one spot for long.

"There could be dozens of people who are better than him by then! Your father’s plan for you won’t even matter in a few years. Don’t use your fire thinking it’s about being number one or whatever other stupid reasoning your dad comes up with. Use your fire because it kicks ass!" Izuku concluded, channelling some of Mei's energy toward the end.

Todoroki's contemplative silence lingered for a moment before he finally responded. "I… never thought of it in that way. Thank you, Midoriya. You’ve given me a lot to consider."

A big smile spread across Izuku's face, feeling good about how their talk had gone. "And hey, if you ever wanna work on using both sides of your quirk, come find me in the workshop. We can brainstorm some gadgets together. I've got a few ideas already."

Todoroki seemed genuinely thankful. "Thanks, that actually sounds like a good time." He said, before quietly exiting the room and walking down the corridor.

"Um, bye?" Izuku said, confused and waving to nobody.

"I wouldn’t be offended, dear. He’s like that with most people." said Recovery Girl. "A very capable student, but not exactly a social butterfly."

"Oh, Recovery Girl!" Izuku exclaimed, "Sorry, we were probably being very loud-"

"Think nothing of it, I think you said some things the young lad needed to hear. We’ve been trying to do something about his father’s training regimen for some time. But bureaucracy, you know, it's like a villain in itself!" the seasoned hero remarked with an eye roll.

"Oh is, is it okay for you to be telling me this..?"

Recovery Girl leaned in, "Well, technically? Probably not. But come on, what are they going to do, slap some cuffs on an old gal like me?" She cackled. "Anyway, I think you’ve healed up nicely! Now, off you go to join the festivities. Oh, and do remind that girlfriend of yours to pack her allergy meds. We'd rather not see the stadium turned into a bonfire thanks to her sneezes."

Izuku's face caught fire, his embarrassment blazing. "Hold on a sec! She's not - she's not my girlfriend, we're just, uh-"

Recovery Girl gave his arm an affectionate pat. "Oh, I get it, dearie, don’t worry. Now, shoo, off you go!" And with a gentle push, she sent him on his way.

Around the opposite corner, Toshinori Yagi had been eavesdropping on the entire exchange, poised to have a heart-to-heart with Izuku about his quirk. However, as he stood there, catching snippets of conversation among the young boy, his fellow classmates, and Todoroki, certain words regarding expectations struck a chord, causing him to halt in his tracks.

The seasoned hero couldn't shake an uncanny sense of mentorly pride for Izuku. Remaining true to oneself had been a monumental challenge for Yagi, given the demanding nature of his own quirk, and witnessing the younger generation at UA deftly navigate that path brought a genuine smile to his face. Yet, it was the fragment about Endeavour that truly caught his attention. Yagi had held onto a glimmer of hope that with time, Endeavour would shift his focus towards a legacy of true heroism rather than his rivalry with All Might. Sadly, it seemed old habits and obsessions died hard.

With a determined exhale, he resignedly added this new development to the ever-growing list of people he might need to have a firm talking to.

As Izuku exited the infirmary, his path abruptly intersected with Mei, resulting in a collision that almost sent them both sprawling. Regaining his footing, he couldn't contain his enthusiasm as he gripped her shoulders, exclaiming, "Mei! Where have you been?! I told everyone about my quirk!"

"No way?!" Mei practically shrieked, her excitement palpable. "What did they say? Actually, save it for later! Quick, you've gotta come with me. Kuri's match against Kirishima has been completely insane!"

Izuku's eyes widened in concern. "Is Kuri okay?!"

"More than okay! Seriously, you won't believe the stunts he's pulling off!" Mei enthused, grabbing his wrist and leading him down the hallway with urgency.

Their feet carried them outside the infirmary, and they arrived at the stands just in time to catch Present Mic's electrifying announcement: "SUPPORT COURSE STUDENT KURI KURI IS VICTORIOUS!! HE SECURES HIS SPOT IN THE FINALS!!"

The energy in the air was electrifying, the roars of the crowd and the claps of approval vibrating through their beings. "He did it!" Izuku cheered, his heart racing as he rushed to get a better view of the arena, anticipation coursing through him.

And then he saw it.

A long, snaking piece of metal was retracting up Kuri's arm, his uniform in tatters. But what truly caught Izuku's eye was the state of his opponent. Kirishima, one of Class 1-A's most formidable fighters, was lodged deep within a stadium wall, unconscious and defeated.

Amidst the escalating cheers, Kuri Kuri executed a graceful bow, his composed demeanour contrasting vividly with the chaos left in his wake. With a sense of quiet triumph, he exited the battleground.

Turning to Mei, a mixture of shock and pride on his face, Izuku shouted, "He did it, Mei! Kuri actually made it to the finals!"

Mei grinned back, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "And what a show! I can't wait to dive into all the battle data. It's given me so many new ideas!"

"Well, well, well, Izuku Midoriya, huh?" Museum drawled mockingly, arching an eyebrow as she flaunted a photograph of a visibly anxious green-haired student. Restlessly, she drummed her fingers rhythmically on the photograph's edge. "Doesn't seem like much, does he?"

"But he managed to take down Diner," Barbershop chimed in, his hands elegantly folded under his chin. The table and chairs on the other side of the room sparkled with pristine perfection, courtesy of his sterilisation quirk. This only accentuated the neglect that hung over the cobweb-draped chairs around the table they shared.

Museum swiped a finger across the top of an adjacent chair, rubbing the dirt between her thumb and finger. "Stopping Diner doesn't really feel like that much of an achievement, honestly. So, what exactly are you proposing?"

"Retaliation, a lesson." He mimicked the gesture of holding a champagne glass with his hand, a grim contrast to the topic of discussion. "Classic, righteous payback. Take your pick."

Shrugging nonchalantly, Museum remarked, "High Street won’t be pleased, you know how much he dislikes us coming up with our own plans."

"That's why we won't breathe a word to him. This stays off the official record. We slip out after sunset, take care of the boy before anyone even blinks, and we're back at The Market within an hour. And if necessary…"

"We can just pin the entire thing on Diner."

"Precisely."

"Sure, I’m game." Museum decided, leaning back in her chair. "I could do with something new to sink my teeth into. High Street has me going after some quirk specialist or other and it’s all been rather dull. Do you have a picture of the Midoriya’s house?"

"It’s an apartment building, actually. Here, satellite photography." Barbershop handed her a picture.

"This will be easier than I thought." Museum flexed her fingers, lightly tapping the picture. In response, a revolving holographic projection of the building materialised between the two assassins. With another gesture, she removed the front facade, revealing a cross-section of the apartment complex. A subsequent movement caused the image to zoom in, offering a more detailed view. "Aw, a cosy four-room apartment. Lucky for them that hero school doesn't come with a tuition fee." She rolled her eyes derisively.

Museum's quirk, Blueprint, granted her the power to generate fully manipulable cross-sectional images of any structure or object captured in photographs. What made her quirk truly exceptional was that she could exercise this ability without any proximity to, or prior interaction with, the targeted building or item. However, certain advanced security systems could hinder the effectiveness of her quirk.

Barbershop leaned in closer to inspect. "Not even a burglar alarm. When should we proceed?"

"Why wait around?" Making a fist, Museum collapsed the holographic display. "Let’s do it tonight."

On one side of the arena, Ochaco Uraraka gritted her teeth, clutching her injured side as she dashed towards her opponent on the opposing end. Shoto Todoroki maintained his blank composure, poised to launch another volley of icy projectiles at his unexpectedly resilient adversary. In a swift and nimble manoeuvre, Uraraka evaded the onslaught, closing the distance between them. Just as she was about to land a hit, Todoroki conjured a protective shield of ice, deflecting her attack.

Todoroki executed a precise body movement, utilising Uraraka's own momentum against her. He grabbed the back of her shirt and propelled her away. He poised himself for a final, definitive strike when he caught the echo of his classmate's cry: "RELEASE!"

Looking up, Todoroki saw a sky filled with his own ice, each shard pointed menacingly downward, aimed directly at him. A meteor shower of  shards hurtled toward him. Without a word, he summoned his inner fire, unleashing a swirling inferno that consumed the entire expanse of the visible sky, transforming it into a maelstrom of flame. The crowd, for the second time that day, were thankful for the flame-proof barriers covering the stands.

"...Perhaps I overdid it," he mused. Uraraka attempted another assault, but her strength wavered, and she instead, vomited and collapsed.

"...Uh…SHOTO TODOROKI WINS! WE HAVE OUR FINALISTS, FOLKS!" Present Mic announced uproariously.

"So yeah, that’s the short version." Mei concluded her narrative while lounging on the same bench where Izuku had faced off against Shinso. She stretched out, her arms behind her head in a relaxed pose.

On the opposite side of the bench, Izuku sat with his hands covering his face. Slowly, he pulled them down, cheeks contorting, until his palms hit his lap. "But how did he figure out it was you?!"

Mei shrugged. "My fight with Uraraka. When I triggered one of her pressure points, it was the same technique he taught me that morning. Putting two and two together wasn't much of a leap for him. Frankly, I'm amazed he didn't figure it out sooner. I mean, I wasn't exactly being subtle with the whole 'Mayhem' thing. Seriously, who came up with that name anyway?"

"YOU did!"

"Oh, right. Heh."

Taking a deep breath, Izuku pondered, "What's the plan now? Mei, they're not going to arrest you, right?" The worry lines on his forehead spoke volumes.

"Nah, I don't think so, at least not for now. Eraserhead isn't a fan of that whole 're-education’ thing - that's what he called it," Mei said, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. She was a tad too nonchalant, and Izuku picked up on it.

He sighed, "Okay. There's more, isn't there?"

"Ugh, spending too much time together makes you annoyingly perceptive," Mei quipped, dropping her legs back to the ground. "He doesn't want me to quit being Mayhem. That intel I handed him about the police station? He hacked into their system and found some uh… interesting details about a few officers. He didn’t tell me much, but it was enough to make him paranoid about trusting anyone even remotely tied to the police. Including other heroes."

"Wow," Izuku managed, his gaze fixed on the middle distance.

"So, yeah... Presenting the unexpected duo: Mayhem and Eraserhead," she declared with an extravagant flourish of her arm.

"Should I be…helping you?" Izuku asked, unsure of what exactly it was he was offering. "I mean, I have a quirk now, and I’m getting pretty good. I could be out there with you, y-you know, being a…vigilante or something?"

"Oh, absolutely not! No way, pal! After all that talk about avoiding the hero scene?! You can't just reverse course on that now! Sorry, Izuku, but that ship has sailed. I'll allow you to stay patched into the helmet, but that's it! Besides, I’m the one who has Eraserhead as my backup. If you stepped out in public wearing your underwear over your pants, you'd end up in jail in no time."

"Got it! Got it," he said, visibly relieved.

Leaning back on the bench, Mei turned more contemplative. "It’s been a hell of a couple months, huh Izuku?"

"You’re telling me…"

A companionable silence settled between them, the day's events hanging in the air, the distant festivities sounding as if they were light-years away. Eventually, Mei broke the quiet. "I'm not exactly sure what's waiting for us down the road, Izuku, but having you with me for the journey makes it feel a lot less daunting."

Izuku's gaze softened as he regarded her. "We'll get through it together, just like we always do. Support crew?" He raised a fist.

Mei grinned, returning the fist bump. "Support crew."

"I’m glad you’re my best friend, Mei."

"Pfft, shut up, nerd."

Chapter Text

The final match of the UA Sports Festival erupted into action with a powerful crack and a frigid explosion. Todoroki’s power surged forward in a deluge of ice, hurtling relentlessly toward Kuri Kuri, who had mere milliseconds to counter. The frozen onslaught enveloped him, capturing him within an enormous iceberg that stretched across half the battleground. In an instant, it looked like the contest had already been decided.

( “Kuri’s quirk is stupid! He just uses it to hide all the time!”

“Maybe set your sights a little lower, Mr. Kuri.”

“The support course, honey? I thought you had your heart set on…”)

Confident in his victory, Todoroki turned to walk away from the arena. Midnight poised herself to declare the fight over, “Kuri Kuri is incapacitated-”

But then, a voice interrupted the announcement, “WAIT!!” Power Loader came running down onto the field, in such a frenzy that he almost tripped over his feet, and stopped Midnight in her tracks. He aimed a finger at the massive iceberg and urged her, “Listen!”

Inside the heart of the iceberg, Kuri Kuri was refusing to give in. With split second timing, he’d managed to encase his head with his protective chestnut shell. A hushed sequence of sounds could barely be heard from within - click, snikt, click, snikt. By retracting and expanding the spikes on his shell, he created miniscule fissures and openings in the frozen prison.

The fire and ice wielder maintained his frosty composure as he watched, anxiously waiting to be declared the winner of the match. But his hopes were shattered, just like his iceberg. A resounding crack, followed by a cascade of ice shards put an end to his assumed victory. From the wreckage, Kuri Kuri stood, visibly trembling from the cold but otherwise unscathed. He drew heavy breaths, clenched his fists and took a battle ready stance. Determined and fierce, this wasn’t the timid and gentle Kuri that people knew.

“I-is th-that, all you’ve g-g-got?”

Todoroki’s brow furrowed ever so slightly, and he unleashed another blast of ice, hoping to quickly bring the battle to a close for the second time. But this time, Kuri was ready. His support devices sprang to life, metallic coils wrapped around his limbs. These transformed into extendable appendages that pierced through the forming ice, ripping it into chunks. The arena erupted with thunderous cheers, the crowd’s rallying cries behind the tenacious underdog of 1-H.

“More persistent than I thought he’d be…” Todoroki muttered under his breath. He hurled yet another wave of ice, only to find Kuri’s metal extensions intercepting with lightning speed. Todoroki deftly dodged to the side and imprisoned the arm in an iceberg that fused it to the arena floor - believing he had managed to trap his opponent.

But Kuri still had some tricks up his sleeve. With one side of his support gear frozen, he propelled the other toward the stadium wall, attaching it like a grappling hook. Propelling himself, he swung a wide arc around Todoroki, circling the dual-element hero and forcefully ramming him into the very iceberg he had just shaped. As Kuri continued his acrobatic loops around the arena, Todoroki found himself increasingly ensnared in the coils, becoming more and more constrained. The tides of the battle had shifted.

("I actually think that’s pretty awesome. A hero with a quirk like that could come up with some seriously creative strategies."

“A whopping nineteen different inventions,”

“Kuri’s a genius, remember?”)

The entire audience, now well-acquainted with Todoroki’s power in his past battles, knew this wasn’t the end for the son of Endeavour. Frustration and anger painted the hero student’s face as he activated the blazing half of his quirk. As his body surged with escalating heat, steam erupted from the arena aimed toward the iceberg to which he was pinned. The iceberg’s structural integrity succumbed to the heat, culminating in an explosion of ice and water - inadvertently releasing Kuri’s trapped arm. Fixing an intense glare at Kuri, Todoroki asked, “You planned for me to do that, didn’t you?”

Kuri simply nodded, recognising that Todoroki looked primed for an even more intense fight. Both competitors reset themselves, the extensions coiling back around Kuri’s arms, leaving a tension in the air. They both locked eyes, each assessing the other, while the crowd buzzed with anticipation.

In a heartbeat, both students moved at once. Todoroki surged forward, freezing the ground beneath him. Simultaneously, Kuri unleashed his special technique. His arm extensions began to unravel like ropes, transforming into a network of eight, intricate, thinner appendages. These sinuous constructs twisted, curved and snapped with an uncanny precision, each appearing to follow Kuri’s every command. His arms conducted a symphony of assaults, deftly manipulating the support gear’s movements. Todoroki was forced into dodging the onslaught, barely evading the flurry of metallic lashes and blades that tore through his ice.

In a surge of irritation, flames erupted, shrouding Todoroki’s entire left side. A searing torrent of flames hurtled their way toward Kuri Kuri, who anticipated the attack and sprang into action. He slammed all his extended metal appendages into the ground at once, their combined force launching him into the air while he shed his support items. This was his defining moment, all or nothing. Propelled skyward, he managed to avoid the fiery attack by a hair’s breadth.

Mid-flight, Kuri Kuri formed his green chestnut shell, covering his head with its protection. The casing around him began a gradual spin, building momentum until it reached a blistering velocity. At the same time, he retracted and extended the spikes on his shell. Taking aim at Todoroki’s position, he yelled, louder than he ever had before,

“CHESTNUT BOMBER!!”

The audience were held by an awestruck silence as Kuri descended from above, and in response, Todoroki unleashed a torrent of flames similar to the devastating attack he used during his match against Uraraka. Fire erupted from the arena floor, tendrils of flame whipping around the rapidly spinning chestnut shell. The collision of fire and centrifugal force swept both attacks into a blazing tornado inferno.

The onlookers shielded their eyes against the searing heat and brilliance of the clash, but the thunderous impact resulting from Kuri’s drill-like assault connecting with the arena reverberated through the air, carving out a huge crater. Within the maelstrom of flames and debris, nobody could see what was happening.

As the dust gradually settled, the collective breath of the crowd held itself. Amidst the aftermath, lying unconscious in the dead centre of the arena, a segment torn from his chestnut shell, was Kuri Kuri. Outside the boundaries of the arena, a smouldering and equally unconscious Todoroki lay, a trail of scorched grass in his wake.

“What an unbelievable conclusion to the sports festival!! I’ve never seen anything like it, holy moley!!”

In the arena, Midnight clambered over the wreckage and shattered concrete in an effort to reach Kuri’s side, Power Loader following close behind. At the same time, Cementoss moved to assess Todoroki’s condition. Midnight knelt beside the young support student, looked over to see a nod from Cementoss, and raised her hand.

“Both contestants are knocked out! We have a draw!!”

With Kuri Kuri and Shoto Todoroki making their way up to the grand podium, Shoto’s arm in a sling and Kuri sporting a bandaged head, the uproar from the crowd reached a crescendo. The majority of the sound emerged from the ranks of the support course students, who whooped and hollered until they were sore. When their throats needed a breather, Izuku transformed both his hands into impromptu air horns. This year, the support course had turned the entire event on its head.

“Hey, guess what?! We’re going viral again!” Hana bellowed to the rest of the crew, her voice barely cutting through the symphony of cheers. “Support Course UA, Chestnut Kid, Helicopter Boy Strikes Back, Mech Fight - we’re practically half the list!”

“Get outta here!” Mei exclaimed, snatching the phone away unceremoniously, her fingers already a blur as she scrolled through the online world. “Woah, we have a fan account!” She gleefully displayed the screen for the group to see.

Izuku’s face flushed at the image on the screen - a meme of him restraining Kirishima with his transformed metal hand, captioned ‘expectation’, next to another image of him taking a knee to the stomach, under ‘reality.’

“Are you sure they’re fans?” He asked, a little embarrassed.

Kazutani, interrupting with a wave of his hand, directed everyone's attention downwards toward the unfolding ceremony. “I think they’re starting.”

"Let's kick off this shindig with a bang! Can I get an OH YEAH!?" Present Mic thrust his microphone skyward, and the crowd responded with a resounding OH YEAH of their own.

“Alright, listeners! You’ve seen some amazing action today at the UA Sports Festival, but oh baby we ain’t done yet! Here to present the medals, the man, the myth, the legend, the symbol of peace himself! The 8ft tall chunk of hunk who has saved our hides more times than we can count! Put your hands together for the one, the only, the ALL MIGHT!!"

On cue, the sky seemed to part. "HAHAHAHA!" All Might's laughter echoed like a force of nature, surpassing even the collective roars of the crowd. With a seismic thud that rattled the very foundations of the stadium, he descended onto the centre of the arena, waving to the roaring audience. "I AM HERE… to hand out medals!"

One by one, the spotlight of honour shifted to the remarkable students who had made it this far. On her podium, Uraraka's heart raced as All Might approached, and she fought back the welling of emotions.

All Might draped the medal around Uraraka's neck with a warm smile. As he did so, he leaned down, "We can expect great things from you in the future, young Uraraka."

She nodded and straightened her posture, determined to live up to his expectations. "I won't let you down!" she declared.

“I doubt you ever could.”

Moving to Kirishima, he draped the medal around his neck and placed a sturdy hand on his shoulder. "Young Kirishima! Keep that unbreakable spirit burning bright! Your determination will be the bedrock of your success!"

Kirishima's grin grew even wider with pride. "You can count on it, All Might! I'll keep giving it my all!"

All Might's grin matched the enormity of his stature as he placed medals around both Todoroki and Kuri's necks. He’d been rehearsing what he wanted to say right now. 

"Todoroki, my young friend, remember that your journey is uniquely yours. Forge a path that melds the powers of both fire and ice, and you'll illuminate the way for everyone. And Kuri Kuri! Support course pioneer! Your boundless creativity and unshakeable spirit have etched a legacy in this tournament that will resonate for years to come. Both of you embody the very essence of true heroism!"

Todoroki's gaze flicked to Kuri Kuri and then back to All Might. "Thank you, sir," he began, his voice steady. "I'll keep learning and evolving."

Kuri nodded, his voice a gentle whisper choked with emotion. "Thank you. I'll keep striving, no matter what."

As the cheers of the crowd surged like a wave, Todoroki's gaze caught a fleeting sight in the stands. His father, Endeavour, huffing with visible displeasure. In a swift motion, Endeavour stood up and walked away, his shoulders tense.

Todoroki’s expression remained unchanged, but felt the tug of conflicting feelings within him. He understood that he had the strength to tread this path alone, and his father's reaction was only to be anticipated, but the weight of it all tugged at his heartstrings.

Breaking the momentary tension, Present Mic's electrifying voice boomed through the arena. "Let's hear it for our exceptional students, and for the one and only All Might!!"

With a thunderous roar of "PLUS ULTRA," the Sports Festival culminated, medals glinting proudly as the students shared a collective resolve to become the finest heroes they could be.

The sports festival had come to a close, and it was time for everyone to revel in their triumphs and bask in the glory of victory. And who better to lead this monumental shindig than Present Mic? He dubbed it the “Most Bumpinest, Rockinest, Plus Ultrainest party that this or any other planet had ever seen,” a hootenanny that would make the cosmos itself boogie down.

The party was poppin’ off in a massive hall that the school apparently kept tucked away for special occasions like this. (The lone banner that hadn't been taken down since the last event showed they’d thrown a bash to honour Snipe for passing his driving test.) The hall was a kaleidoscope of colours, filled with balloons, confetti, and streamers. To the side was an enormous buffet table filled to bursting with delicious treats.

The star of the show was, naturally, Present Mic. He was stationed behind a deck of turntables, facing a dance floor just begging for someone to get down there and shake a tailfeather. With his regular level of enthusiasm, he was trying to rally the troops—students and staff alike—urging them to do the twist, the dougie, or some other two-hundred-year-old dance that somehow never fell out of fashion. Anything, really. The little robot Deku had the right idea, currently breakdancing in the centre.

Being a school dance, and with most of the first years still being awkward teenagers, everyone else was standing off to the sides and talking to each other in their respective groups. Some parents of students had decided to linger around too; among them was Izuku's mother, who made the drive down to personally celebrate her son's achievements. Of course, the spread of delectable finger foods served as an added incentive to stay put.

Mei, now that the festival was over, felt the tiredness hitting her like a truck and she was barely managing to stay on her feet. Regardless, she refused to head home until she saw this entire thing through. Her parents, having been her biggest cheerleaders in the stands throughout the festival, now stood vigilant, their watchful eyes tracking her every move to ensure she didn't topple into the punch bowl. As for Izuku, he had assumed the role of her steadfast support, a human pillar for her to lean on during those moments when her eyes remained open, but her consciousness left her for a few seconds.

"Hey, Mei, you still with us?" Izuku inquired, giving her a gentle nudge. She had been caught in a daze, her gaze locked on a distant point where Kuri Kuri, a bundle of nerves, was engulfed in a sea of congratulations from the hero classes. It was impossible to hear what they were saying to him, but from their expressions it was clear they were all quite fond of the boy. 

"Huh? Oh yeah, don't worry, I'm still present and accounted for, Captain… Man, Kuri really went wild out there, huh?” Mei responded, snapping back to the moment.

Izuku nodded in agreement, “You’re telling me. I had no idea he could do things like that. Did you notice his shell's fully healed already? I'm super curious about its real strength. Do you think it was all his natural power, or did he use some support gear? He had to be using some kind of neck support to handle all that spinning…” He started to mumble to himself, diving deep into contemplation.

“Beats me,” Mei said with a nonchalant shrug, “Why not ask him? HEY! KURI KURI!! OVER HERE!!” Her voice rocketed across the hall, waving her arms like a windmill. “KURI KUUURIIIII! OVERRR HEERE!! I don’t think he can hear me. KURI KURI!!!”

“Mei I’m pretty sure he’d be able to hear you if he was in France.” And true enough, Kuri caught sight of the enthusiastic display and began making his way over, an elated grin plastered across his face.

“Hey guys, um, quite a day, huh?” Kuri mused, rubbing his arm.

“You really crushed it out there!” Izuku enthused, “That final event was like watching a tornado in action!”

“Yeah, especially that moment where you made a tornado.” Mei helpfully added.

Kuri chuckled modestly, “Thanks, both of you. Actually, a lot of it goes back to you, Midoriya.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Izuku blinked in surprise.

Kuri's smile grew warm. “It might sound silly, but on our very first day at school, you told me you thought my quirk was awesome… You were the first person who ever thought that.”

"Oh wow, heh," Izuku chuckled bashfully, "I'm glad it helped, but honestly, I just said what anyone else would have noticed. Your quirk is seriously cool."

Kuri's gratitude was palpable. "Well, after that, I began practising my quirk every single day after classes. Over time, I figured out there was more to it than I had ever imagined."

Suddenly, Mei gasped dramatically and pointed at Kuri's face, her mouth forming an 'O' of realisation. "Kuri Kuri!! You wanna be a hero, don't you?!"

Caught off guard, Kuri's eyes darted to the side before he managed a hesitant half-shrug. “Y…Yeah, yeah I do. I always have, my whole life.”

“Then go for it, man!” Mei bellowed, flinging her arms up in the air. “Eraserhead! Where's Eraserhead?!” She scanned the room frantically. “I'm dragging him here to put you in his class, pronto!”

"Hey, Mei, hold on a sec!" Kuri interjected, attempting to rein in her enthusiasm. "It's all good, I've actually been talking with Mr. Kan from 1-B. He seems nice and I think he’s pretty interested in the idea."

“That’s fantastic, Kuri!” Izuku said, smiling widely for his friend, “You’re going to be great.”

Kuri beamed at his friends. "Thanks, guys. Your support means the world to me."

“Well,” Izuku said, holding out a fist, “It’s just like Hana said. We’re the support course for a reason.”

Kuri's grin grew wider as he fist-bumped Izuku. "Corny as hell," he quipped before catching the attention of another group of students who were beckoning him over for their own round of applause. "Mind if I...?" he trailed off, indicating the group.

"Don't let us hold you back, Rockefeller," Mei chimed in with a wink, her energy clearly running on fumes. As Kuri started to head over to the group, she turned to Izuku. "Isn't he nice? I wonder who he is."

"You sure you don't want to call it a night, Mei?”

“Oh come on, I’ve still got a few sparks left! The night is young! Besides, I’ve got to be present for all the post-party analysis, you never know where the next great idea might strike.”

Izuku shook his head with a fond smile. "You're something else, Mei Hatsume."

"And you're Captain Obvious, Izuku Midoriya," she retorted, poking his side.

As they teased each other, a tall and unassuming figure approached Mei and Izuku, his presence going otherwise unnoticed amid the excitement of the party. Dressed in a smart-casual button-up shirt, Yagi Toshinori's calm voice joined the mix. "Sounds like you two are having a good time. Always a pleasure to see."

"Oh! Mr. Yagi! H-how are you?" Izuku stammered, his nerves suddenly jangling in the presence of the number one hero. Despite knowing that he was Mr Yagi right now, and not All Might, the day's extraordinary heroics had elevated him to a larger-than-life stature in Izuku's mind. Of course, to everyone else, he simply remained their law tutor.

Mei's eyebrow arched in confusion at Izuku's reaction, but she greeted the teacher with a sleepy smile. "Hey there, teach." Her words were a bit sluggish, prompting Izuku to wince at her casualness.

“M-Mei! You can’t talk to Mr Yagi like that!”

Yagi chuckled softly,  "Don't fret, Midoriya. You two have had quite an eventful day. You managed to surprise a lot of people, myself included."

Scratching the back of his head, Izuku smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess I couldn’t keep it hidden forever.”

"Secrets tend to find their way to the surface eventually, my boy…" Yagi's expression grew a touch distant as he spoke. "Using your quirk took a great deal of courage. Equal congratulations to you as well, Hatsume. You really showed what you were capable of out there today. But I won't keep you for long. I'm just here to extend my wishes to the students. Everyone performed admirably today, and All Might was equally impressed with each and every one of you."

"That's reassuring to hear, Mr. Yagi," Izuku replied, maintaining the distinction between Yagi and All Might, as if they were separate entities.

Mei, who had now been battling sleep for an impressive 36 hours, fixed Yagi with a piercing gaze. The man could only return her stare, his confusion plain on his face.

"You know…" Mei began, her voice slow and drawn-out, "You look awfully similar to All Might…"

Izuku and Yagi jumped as if they had been electrocuted. "No, no, no! Absolutely no similarity at all, ha ha ha!!" Yagi's laugh was frantic as he flailed his arms around in denial.

"Completely different people! Like night and day!!" Izuku added hurriedly,

"Mmhm…" Mei's eyelids drooped, and she leaned her head gently onto Izuku's shoulder, almost instantly succumbing to a soft snore.

Exchanging a look of mutual relief, Izuku tried to signal Mei's parents. “I guess she’s finally asleep,” he whispered.

“Let’s uh, hope she doesn’t remember that tomorrow.” Yagi said with a grimace.

Following the excitement of the party, as Mei’s parents escorted her home, a sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over Izuku. He couldn’t wait to shelve the day’s events and get himself all tucked up in bed. The journey home for the Midoriyas was hushed, Inko seemingly understanding that Izuku needed a respite after everything. So, they were happy to sit in a comfortable silence, finding solace in each other’s company

But, as they ascended the staircase and neared the entrance to the apartment, a figure materialised from the shadows, halting them in their tracks before they could enter the building

“Why, as I live and breathe.” the bald man greeted, his voice unsettlingly calm. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the young man who was on the television this evening, aren’t you?” Towering and impeccably dressed, his cleanliness felt oddly out of place. But it was his eyes that were the most unnerving - they were completely cold.

Izuku's heart hammered within his chest; an indescribable unease radiated from this man, but he fought to maintain his composure. "Thank you, sir."

The palpable tension wasn't lost on Inko, "We're grateful, but it's quite late," she hinted, her hope being that he would take the invitation to leave.

The man brushed aside her words, his gaze remaining unrelentingly on Izuku. “All I ask for is a handshake. As a congratulations, for doing so well.” His smile mirrored the emptiness in his eyes.

Looking down at the outstretched arm, something inside was screaming at Izuku to get away from this man as soon as possible. Get in the apartment. Close the door.

Nervously, he extended a hand over.

Unbeknownst to Izuku, the man readied himself to trigger his quirk. A single touch would be enough to remove the healthy bacteria, and soon enough, the boy would succumb…

“ERK~” A sudden, involuntary convulsion coursed through the man’s hand. Startled, Izuku withdrew in shock, watching while the man’s expression changed as he lunged for his arm. The terrified boy hastily took a few steps back, his mother pulling him in close, their eyes fixated on the man’s legs buckling beneath him. He fell sideways, slumped against the threshold of their home, motionless and with twin pairs of forks aligned perfectly vertically at the base of his skull.

From the darkness emerged a woman, presumably behind the attack, slowly became more visible in her black clothes as she made her way towards them - her face recognisable to both Izuku and his mother.

"We need to leave - right now," she pronounced with a matter-of-fact air, concealing another handful of utensils within her belt. "This place isn't safe."

Inko's eyes widened in disbelief. "...YUKI?!"

Chapter Text

Previously, on Mechanize…

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tenya Iida has withdrawn from the tournament."

"If he was hurt or if something else bad happened, I don't want him to hear that people were booing us because of it."

We now return to Mechanize.

Tenya’s heart was racing as he clutched hold of the phone with one hand, the other clenched so tightly his nails dug into the skin. Shock, worry and anger were all combined into one. "Mother," he said, trying to appear calm and composed. "Please tell me everything you know. Just how serious are Tensei’s injuries?"

On the other end of the line, Iida’s mother maintained her composure. She’d always raised her sons to face the world as adults, not coddled children. There was no reason to sugarcoat the realities of their chosen career paths, especially now. Speaking in a clear and concise manner, she gave her son all the facts he needed to know. Tenya listened intently, his nails continuing to dig into his palms as he absorbed every detail. He learned where Tensei had been patrolling, where he had been attacked, the devastating extent of his spinal injuries. …The grim truth that his brother would likely never walk again.

Taking a shaky breath, Tenya realised that as a hero he couldn’t afford to let his emotions cloud his judgement. He had to be strong, for Tensei. "I understand, mother," he said, his voice steadier than before. "I’ll be there as soon as I can."

After hanging up the phone, Tenya stood in silence for a few moments, his eyes tightly closed. Soon, he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, helping him regain control of his breath.

"I heard tell o’ what’s been a transpirin’, pardner." The owner of the reassuring hand spoke in a calm, understanding tone. "Rotten business, y'all have my sympathies. Reckon that brother o’ yours will appreciate your being there."

Tenya wiped his eye with the back of his hand and straightened himself up. "Thank you, Mr Snipe," he said, bowing his head. "Your words mean a lot to me."

"Heck kid, there ain’t no need for those formalities," Snipe replied, waving his hand to dismiss the gesture. "C’mon, I’ll getcha back to ya folks in no time. The Snipemobile’s all gassed up and ready to rodeo."

"Thank you sir, I… I gladly accept your assistance! It would be an honour to ride in your vehicle!"

Snipe gave him a friendly pat on the back and led the way to his car, a customised 2169 Dodge Charger with a black and white paint job and a large cow skull on the hood. "Ya like Mojo Nixon, pardner?"

"I uh, don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure."

"Oh don’t worry, you an’ I are gonna get real well-acquainted with Mr Nixon." Snipe laughed. Tenya was about to receive an impromptu lesson in music history, but anything was better than being trapped inside his own turbulent thoughts.

"Madam, there's a call for you," the young maid said, balancing a sparkling silver platter with a sleek, black rotary phone. It was the lady of the house's preferred method for receiving calls, a touch of class from a bygone era.

"Aloha!" came the exuberant response from the Yaoyorozu matriarch, who had picked up the phone with a delicate gesture. "Why Ms Iida, my dear, whatever’s the matter?" With bated breath, she absorbed her friend’s voice as it relayed the tragic tale of her son’s misfortune. The maid scurried around the room, attempting to keep pace with the lady’s movements as she paced back and forth in agitation.

"Of course, I’ll be there as soon as possible," Yaoyorozu assured Iida, her voice warm and soothing. "Please send all my love to the family. Kisses, darling."

Gently returning the telephone to its cradle, she conjured a wrapped boiled sweet from the centre of her palm and offered it to the maid. A result of her quirk, Gift Wrapped, the ability to produce small presents tailor-made to those receiving them. "Here you are, dear, you enjoy that," she said with a tender pat on the back of the girl’s hand.

"Thank you ma’am." The maid said gratefully, taking the candy with a curtsy.

"Roscoe!" she called urgently, summoning her ever-attentive butler. "Fetch the car, for I am needed in Hosu!" With that, she sashayed out of the room, leaving a cloud of perfume and elegance in her wake.

As soon as the door to the drawing room clicked shut, a maid flicked on the television and eagerly changed the channel to Hero TV, hoping to catch their coverage of the sports festival. Aya Matsuri, also known as the undercover assassin Diner, immediately fixed her attention on the screen, still anxious to see how Midoriya had fared - perhaps he had even managed to make it to the tournament?

On the TV, an antler-headed correspondent and his stunning co-anchor sat behind a long oval table, a screen between them displaying the words "Midoriya Vs Kirishima." A rolling chyron at the bottom of the screen displayed entrance exam and training records for each student still in the competition. It was clear that Hero TV took its role very seriously.

"What do you think we can expect from this afternoon's event?" the man asked, turning to his partner. "Could this be another surprise from the up-and-coming support students?"

"It certainly seems that way, Chet," the woman replied, flashing a dazzling smile at the camera. "Midoriya might have a few more tricks up his sleeve, but let's not count out Kirishima's fiery passion just yet. He's shown himself to be a tough opponent with his rock-hard quirk."

Matsuri couldn’t tear her eyes away from the screen as she watched the fight unfold, every other sound in the Yaoyorozu manor fading away into nothingness. She was captivated by the display of skill and power, but also by something else. Something that made her heart skip a beat. Realisation washed over her like a tidal wave. All that time, the person they’d been looking for had been underneath her nose the entire time.

Aya Matsuri suddenly had no reason for being, and Diner wasted no time shedding that identity and covertly exiting the Yaoyorozu grounds.

In the streets of Musutafu, Diner stared down at the mobile phone in her hand - fingers poised to craft a reply to a text from Inko. Inko, who had sent a daily stream of encouraging messages and affirmations ever since Diner had abandoned her role as Yuki Haro. They warmed Diner’s heart more than either of them realised.

Amid a sea of possible responses swimming in her mind, Diner made a snap decision. She needed advice, and her destination was clear: She would rendezvous with High Street, the unwavering pillar of support in her life.

The Market was as empty as ever when Diner arrived, the communal and sleeping areas devoid of any activity.  If anyone was around, the logical place to find them would be in Barbershop's office. With determined steps, she marched toward the closed door, where hushed voices hinted at an intense discussion within.

"Do you have a picture of the Midoriya’s house?"

"It’s an apartment building, actually. Here, satellite photography."

"This will be easier than I thought,"

Diner's blood turned to ice as she listened to the conversation on the other side of the door. They knew, and a plan was already in motion… It was unfathomable that Museum and Barbershop would dare orchestrate such an operation without High Street's approval... Their leader had to be involved.

She didn’t know what she hoped for, but suddenly the grim reality hit her like a ton of bricks. The Midoriyas were in imminent danger, and their death sentences were all but assured. She was just a rookie, prone to mistakes, but Barbershop and Museum were seasoned professionals. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead, a rare outward display of emotion and a testament to the surge of anxiety coursing through her.

Suddenly desperate for fresh air away from the bunker’s oppressive atmosphere, she bolted from the door and raced down the corridor. Her frantic movements were so consuming that she never noticed High Street’s brisk arrival from the opposite direction, until it was too late. They collided with a thud, the force sending Diner to the ground, but High Street remained standing and unmoved.

"Diner? What are you doing here, has something happened with your assignment?" High Street asked, extending a hand to help her up. Diner accepted the hand reflexively but promptly withdrew her grip.

"I... I have to go," she replied abruptly, darting away down the corridor, leaving High Street behind, calling after her in vain.

Unbeknownst to Diner, it had only taken a moment of skin to skin contact for Potential to activate. Closing his eyes and concentrating briefly, High Street reflected on what his quirk showed him. 

This could prove to be an issue.

Her mind reeling, Diner ran through every scenario in her mind. The Market didn’t make mistakes, no assassination was carried out without a reason, a purpose that aimed to bring about societal betterment. This was their fundamental creed, the very bedrock upon which their organisation was built. Diner had only known one person to ever escape their fate: Shota Aizawa, which she had always assumed to be temporary, expecting that he would be targeted again in the future.

But what could possibly justify the death of a Midoriya? They had no influence, no power, no enemies. The only thing remarkable about them was a quirk that appeared late and a spot in a prestigious school. Was UA the key? Or was it revenge for Midoriya’s heroic deed of saving Aizawa’s life? For the first time in her life, Diner couldn’t understand why somebody had to die.

Diner shook her head, baffled. She had no way of knowing her superiors' motives, and it wasn't her role to question them. However, she believed she had a right to be there, to witness the outcome. She felt a connection to the Midoriyas, a bond she couldn't explain. So, she headed across town to the Midoriyas' apartment building, where she concealed herself in the shadows, watched, and waited.

What just came over her?! With one, fateful, instinctive movement… Diner’s entire life was over. As soon as that pair of forks left her hands, sailed across the street and found their mark in Barbershop’s skull, there was no turning back. The bald man’s body slumped to the ground and within seconds Diner joined the Midoriyas at the front door of their apartment.

Inko’s face was a mask of confusion, eyes darting between the woman she knew as Yuki Haro and the dead body now laying at her feet, "Yuki?! Wh-what’s going on?!" she stammered, struggling to make sense of the chaos. Meanwhile, Izuku's heart raced, and he leaned on the doorframe for support, trying to process the whirlwind of events.

Diner spoke with determination, "We have to leave, now. I promise I will explain everything, but for now, we have to move." She extended a hand in a gesture of goodwill and safety. "Please, trust me. Both of you are in grave danger."

"Mom..." Izuku began, taking a deep breath and glancing at the lifeless stranger. "Mom, it's okay. I think she's right."

The assassin nodded appreciatively at Izuku's support, but Inko fumbled for her phone in her pockets. "I... I need to call Higari-"

Quietly, Diner interjected. "Ms Midoriya, I apologise, but it’s too risky. I… I can’t be certain how many threats might be pursuing you both. Our communication channels may have been compromised."

As far as she knew, this wasn’t a lie. To her knowledge, The Market remained a formidable presence, with her branch just one among many. Potentially, numerous operatives were scattered across the country, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

"For safety’s sake, leave your phones; they could be tracking you." She collected Izuku and Inko’s phones and tossed them inside the apartment.

"What about the...um..." Inko pointed to the body.

Diner lifted the corpse under the shoulders and said, "I'll handle it, wait here."

Leading Inko away from the house and toward the street, Diner kept a firm grasp on her hand.

"Yuki, please; I don’t understand what’s going on!" Inko protested, her son closely behind her. In a matter of seconds, Diner skillfully picked the lock of a parked car and ushered the Midoriya’s inside.

In the back seat, Izuku did his best to reassure his shaken mother after the tumultuous events they’d just endured. "It’s going to be alright," he repeated, his words a mantra for the both of them. Then, he turned his attention to the woman in the driver’s seat, their guide through this uncertain journey. "It will be alright, won’t it?"

Diner was silent for the entire drive.

She drove the Midoriya family to a nondescript safehouse nestled within a tranquil suburban neighbourhood. The house itself was unassuming and  blended seamlessly with its surroundings. Originally part of Yuki Haro’s cover identity, it had been left vacant after its previous owner’s death. She’d kept a vigilant watch on it and eventually assumed ownership, masquerading as the granddaughter of the former resident.

Though never intended as a true home, the house featured comfortable and practical furnishings designed to conceal its true nature. It was like a friendly smile masking hidden intentions. Plush couches and sturdy wooden tables adorned the main room, while artwork covered the walls, discreetly concealing hidden compartments. The kitchen cupboards held just enough provisions to sustain its occupants, but nothing extravagant. Regardless of how long they needed to lay low, the Midoriya’s would be comfortable.

Diner stood by the window, gazing through the deceptively blacked-out curtains, while the Midoriyas huddled closely on the couch, their hearts still racing.

Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "I owe you both an explanation…"

"Yuki, whatever this is, we can-"

"My name isn’t Yuki Haro." She interrupted in a measured tone. "My codename is Diner and I’m an assassin for a secret organisation known as The Market."

"So, it was you?" Izuku whispered. "The woman who attacked UA."

"Yes." Diner replied immediately, "Shota Aizawa was my target. I’d been assigned to… deal with him."

Inko’s voice suddenly rose, "You mean, you were tasked with killing him. Please, Yuki, or Diner or whatever your name is, we need to hear the full story, don’t change anything for our benefit."

The room fell silent for a moment. "Yes. I had been assigned to kill him. My master had deemed it necessary."

"Necessary?!" Izuku shouted, "When has taking a life ever been justified?!"

Inko urged him to lower his voice, "Please, Izuku."

"I’m sorry, Mom, but are you hearing this? She’s a murderer! Was that man at our apartment another of your assignments?"

"His name, as I knew it, was Barbershop. And no, he wasn’t. He was there to end your life." She said, her gaze fixed on Izuku with a grave expression. "His quirk… The moment he touched your hand, your death would have been inevitable."

Izuku’s stern expression wavered, and his eyes drifted to the floor. He hadn’t realised how close he’d come.

Inko blinked a few times, processing the shocking revelation. "This… ‘Master’ of yours, he decides who should die?"

"The Market exists to bring order and improvement," she explained. "One death can trigger a ripple effect that benefits society. High Street is the only one who can foresee the outcomes; the operatives merely carry out his wishes. That’s what I’ve been taught since childhood."

"Childhood," Inko murmured softly, then raised her eyes to meet Diner’s. "You’ve been doing this since you were a child?"

"Since I was six."

"God…"

Running a hand through his hair, Izuku struggled to comprehend what he was hearing. "But… How could our deaths possibly benefit society?"

"They couldn’t. I refuse to believe they ever could, which is why you’re both alive."

She fixed them with a determined gaze.

"And if I have to destroy The Market to keep you both safe, then I will."

Chapter Text

The students had a few days off after the UA Sports Festival, a much-needed break for the first years who had given their all in the event. But for the teachers of UA, there was no rest. They had to prepare for the next phase of their students’ education: the work placements and internships. This was a crucial task that involved all the teachers, regardless of their specialty, as they had to assess each student’s abilities and interests and match them with suitable heroes or agencies.

In a large well lit conference room inside the school, the staff members had gathered together to discuss the logistics of the upcoming placements, but another topic was on the minds of Sekijiro Kan (Vlad King) and Higari Maijima (Power Loader). Namely, what to do with Kuri Kuri?

"He’s dead set on a transfer, Kan," Power Loader began, "Are you willing to give him a chance?"

Vlad King nodded, keeping his usual serious expression, which was hard to avoid with his teeth. "The lad has something unique, he’d fit in well with my lot. But heroics is a tough road to walk, and the competition is fierce. While he did well in the festival, you and I both know a lot of that was due to lucky matchups. He’d need to put in twice the effort of my other students to keep up. Tell me, as his teacher, do you believe he possesses the qualities we look for in a hero? Have you seen any of the signs of heroism?"

"I have, Kan," Power Loader replied, "but I’ve got concerns. Kuri Kuri is, to be blunt, one of the most academically gifted students I've ever taught. He’s exceptional. The problem is his complete lack of self-confidence. The Kuri we saw during the festival is a far cry from the quiet boy in my class." Maijima stroked his chin in contemplation. "But maybe that’s what would make him a great hero. He always pushes himself to do better because he thinks what he’s done so far isn’t enough. When he applied for my course he brought in more than a dozen pieces of gear that would have guaranteed him a spot, all because he kept thinking what he had already wasn’t enough. When he found out he’d be competing in the festival, he trained non-stop for two months and mastered techniques I’ve seen pro heroes struggle with after years."

"That could be a double-edged sword. I don't want anyone in my class who lacks a sense of self-preservation," Vlad King remarked.

Power Loader reclined in his chair, reflecting on the words of the blood hero. While the conference room buzzed with other teachers discussing student placements, Kan and Maijima remained engrossed in deliberating Kuri's future.

"I get your worries, sure." Power loader said. "But we’ve been in this business for a long time. We’ve seen heroes from all kinds of backgrounds. Some of them started with too much confidence, others with too little, but I think it’s our job to help them find that balance, right?"

Vlad King sighed and ran a hand through his silver hair. "Yeah, maybe he just needs the right environment. Putting him straight into my class might not be helpful, but a trial period could be a good idea."

"Thanks, Vlad. He could go far, he just needs some help."

The two teachers shook hands, agreeing on their plan, then turned their attention back to the other student’s placements. In the short few hours since the festival there had already been a flood of heroes offering spots in their agencies or support teams. This year, the support course had impressed everyone, so the pile of papers on Power Loader’s desk was much bigger than usual. It was still nothing compared to the piles on Kan and Eraserhead’s desks, though.

The trouble was, the papers for Aizawa were unlikely to start going down any time soon, considering the underground hero still hadn’t shown up to work.

As Maijima diligently worked on sorting through various offers for each of his students, he couldn't help but steal glances at the empty table nearby, a mixture of disappointment and frustration evident on his face. He muttered under his breath, "Makes me wonder if Aizawa even cares about his students…"

Present Mic, seated nearby, swiftly came to his friend's defence, his trademark sunglasses concealing the subtle annoyance in his eyes. "Hey, man! Don't be too hard on him. Aizawa has his own way of caring."

Maijima sighed and responded, "Yeah, well, he sure has a funny way of showing it."

Across the room, Toshinori Yagi sat in relative silence, immersed in the details of potential placements for his general education and business studies students. He wished he could be there today as All Might, helping with hero agency placements, but he was preserving One for All in case it was needed later. Yagi harboured his own concerns about Aizawa, both in his role as a colleague and as a mentor to the students. He desperately wished to address the issue of his students' diminishing trust in their homeroom teacher, which had been weighing heavily on his mind.

Amid Power Loader's ongoing rant about Aizawa's perceived negligence, he added with a hint of exasperation, "The guy does even less paperwork than All Might, and that's saying something." Suddenly, violent coughing erupted from across the room, sending a wave of concern rippling through the staff.

"Whoa, Yagi! You okay over there?" Power Loader asked, worried.

Hastily, Yagi grabbed his polka-dotted handkerchief and clamped it over his mouth, wildly waving his other hand to calm the room. "Sorry, sorry, nothing to worry about, just swallowed a bug." Maybe he should pretend to go to the bathroom, then come back as All Might to do some paperwork as the big guy. Would anyone notice? It seemed to work for Clark Kent. But then again, Clark Kent was a comic book character, and this was real life. Probably best not to tempt fate.

Mei Hatsume hated sleeping in. Despised it. To her, it felt like an absolute waste of time. If she could have her way, she'd function on less than an hour of rest per day – a feat she'd attempted a few times with varying levels of success. So, when she finally stirred from her slumber and realised that she had just squandered eleven precious hours of her life, she wasn’t particularly impressed.

She rubbed her eyes and unstuck the hair from her face, and heard her joints emit faint cracks as she stretched, wincing at the discomfort in her lower back. "Arghh! Crap, what the hell?!" she yelled, rubbing her aching muscles. "What did I do to myself…?" It took her a few seconds to remember her battles in the tournament, getting tossed around the arena, fighting a mech, losing her crossbow.

"Oh, God damn it, I fell asleep in public." she muttered to herself, rubbing the bridge of her nose in embarrassment. Now everyone would know she was just a regular human! Well, that only meant she had to work even harder today to compensate for the lost time.

Mei, with her ability to change into her Mayhem suit in record time, had turned getting dressed into an art form. Within a minute, she was all set to tackle the day, her backpack loaded with various spare parts, and her mind buzzing with ideas for new babies following the sports festival. Her top priority was addressing the main weakness in her crossbow – being stepped on. But even before that, she had one essential daily ritual that she'd followed ever since her parents gave her a phone to stop her from taking apart the TV trying to make her own: texting Izuku.

Mei swiftly tapped out a message on her phone: "Morning/afternoon. Slept in. What's the plan?" She knew that Izuku was the kind of person who always responded quickly to messages, or at least, he always responded quickly to her messages. It wouldn't be long before she heard back.

Okay, there’s an S on the message, so it definitely sent. It’s usually turned into an R by now to say he read it…

She headed downstairs, passing her mother, who appeared to be tinkering with the light fixtures. Her mother stood precariously on the back of a dining chair, holding a glowing lightbulb between her teeth, occasionally poking her finger into different open sockets. "Oh mor’in ‘ei!" she greeted Mei before removing the bulb from her mouth. "Nice of you to join us in the land of the living!"

"Hi mom," Mei answered, distractedly looking at her phone. "Are you rewiring the house again?"

"Yeah, I'm trying to! I keep getting a toothache every time I walk by this lamp, so I think the voltage is off," Misaki Hatsume explained. Her quirk, Current Insight, granted her the ability to sense electrical currents and electromagnetic fields, while also rendering her immune to electrocution. It had made her a renowned electrical engineer, a talent her daughter Mei had inherited. The downside was that Misaki constantly felt disturbances in electrical systems, leading to her frequent tinkering and rewiring around the house.

Mei, still waiting for a response on her phone, suggested, "You could just use a multimeter to check the voltage, Mom."

Misaki shrugged off the idea. "Nah, that's too boring. I like to feel the current in my veins. It's exhilarating!" With that, she placed another lightbulb in her mouth and resumed her work.

Mei shook her head and walked into the kitchen, where she found her dad tinkering away on his own pet project. If Mei took after her mother when it came to gadgets, she definitely took after her dad when it came to quirks. Takumi Hatsume’s quirk, Microscope, allowed him to magnify his vision to extreme levels, but only from a distance of about 12 inches. Although he could have pursued a career in biology or medicine, he followed his true passion – creating intricate miniature woodworking and textiles. Hatsume brand dollhouse furniture had become a household name among those in the know.

"Morning sweetie," he said, carefully inserting a tiny thread into a needle. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhm," Mei replied, her mind clearly preoccupied. She leaned against the kitchen counter, her thoughts on something else entirely. "Hey, Dad, how long do you think you should wait for someone to not respond to a text before you start getting concerned?"

Takumi pondered the question for a moment, his quirk deactivating as his eyes dilated to their normal state. "That's a tricky one. How long has it been?" 

"About six minutes," Mei replied.

Takumi considered the timeframe. "Hmm, longer than that, I'd say. Izuku's probably just caught up in something, or maybe his phone's on silent," he suggested optimistically.

"Yeah, maybe... Hey, I never mentioned it was Izuku!"

Her dad chuckled, "Lucky guess. I'm sure he'll get back to you sooner or later! Now, how about some delicious pancakes to start the day?"

While the breakfast did make her feel a little better, It had now been a full thirty minutes since she'd sent her message – an unusually long time for Izuku Midoriya. Normally, he couldn't stand to be away from his phone for that long, especially leaving a text unanswered. Concerned, prompting her to open the messaging app and head for the support course group chat. Scrolling through the messages, she noted with growing anxiety that Izuku hadn't posted anything there since before the festival.

She quickly typed out, "Izuku?" into the group chat, hoping for a response. But there was no reply from the boy in question. Instead, a response from Hana popped up.

"Hi Mei!!!!!! What's up??"

"Has anyone heard from Izuku? He’s not answering texts."

"Oop! Nopee not heard anything. I hope he’s okay!!!"

Kazutani was next to answer, "Izuku please answer your texts, thank you. Kazutani."

"You don’t have to sign your messages, it says your name next to them." Yamashita responded. Kuri Kuri sent a bitmoji of himself waving hello, which everyone liked.

Realising she wasn't getting any concrete answers from the group chat, Mei decided to take matters into her own hands. She made up her mind to head over to Izuku's house and find out what was going on in person.

Mei’s heart raced with every instinctive glance at her phone, no matter how much she tried to stop checking the unread messages and unanswered phone calls. Though it hadn’t been that long, an unsettling blend of concern and unease settled within her as the silence from his end gnawed away at her. It was hard to shake that feeling that something was wrong.

Determined to find answers, Mei boarded the bus bound for Izuku’s apartment. On the journey there, she reached out to more of their mutual friends on the off chance someone else had heard from him more recently. Ochaco, along with others from the hero course, all replied disconcertingly. Nobody had heard from Izuku since yesterday. 

The sinking feeling in her chest kept deepening, but she kept telling herself he was probably just busy, or his phone was on silent, or he dropped it down a manhole, or a crow stole it. All just a simple misunderstanding! Nevertheless, the dread lingered.

Once she got to the apartment building, she sprinted up the stairs and urgently banged on the door. No response came from the other side. Tentatively testing the door, she found it unlocked and swinging open effortlessly. "Hello?" she called out, stepping hesitantly into the unlit apartment. She glanced around, desperately hoping to find some sign of Izuku or his mother, but the apartment was completely empty. No signs of life to be found anywhere.

Fitting her goggles over her eyes, Mei scanned the room for clues, spotting their phones partially hidden underneath the living room couch. It looked as though they’d been abandoned, but why would that be? Where had they vanished to? 

Five minutes later, Mei stumbled out of the apartment, gasping for breath, her body trembling with shock. She steadied herself against the wall, her mind reeling as she tried to come to terms with what she had just seen.

There was a body in Izuku’s bathtub.

She squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to regain her composure. "Okay! Okay okay okay!" She muttered frantically. "Breathe, Mei! This is not weird! There’s nothing weird happening here! Everything is totally normal! Apart from the body in Izuku’s bath!"

Opening her eyes once more, she forced herself to think rationally. "Alright, here’s what I know. Izuku and his mom are missing - check. Their phones were left behind - double check. There’s a dead guy in the bath?! Triple check!" She was not making a very successful attempt at calming down.

Panic surged within her, the questions mounting up. What happened here? Where had they gone? Were they safe? Her trembling hands reached toward her phone, but indecision was holding her back. Was calling the police really the best course of action? The recent conversation with Eraserhead about potential corruption in the police force was fresh on her mind, after all.

This was one of those moments where she wished she’d gotten her teachers’ phone numbers. There would definitely be someone at UA who could help.

Wait! There IS someone at UA who can help!

Sprinting away from the apartment, Mei rapidly scaled a nearby building and crouched behind a low wall. Her backpack contained her Mayhem helmet, which she placed in her lap, fingers expertly working on the inbuilt communications unit. She remembered that when Izuku was helping with her vigilante activities the night she tested her wingsuit, he’d used his laptop on a closed network. But it wasn’t entirely closed; there was one other piece of technology sharing that connection.

"Wow, look who’s finally decided to grace us with his presence!" Maijima jeered as his hands came together in a mocking applause as Aizawa sauntered into the room. Undeterred, the underground hero took his seat, picked up a document and indifferently flicked his eyes from one page to the next. The room bristled with tension.

"Typical." Power Loader muttered under his breath. 

Eraserhead swivelled in his chair, fixing his colleague with an icy stare. "Got something you want to say?" he inquired.

Power Loader shot back, "If I did, I doubt you'd actually listen. We all know how tough it is to get you to consider other people's opinions."

Eraserhead frowned, "Is this still about the entrance exam?"

Power Loader scoffed, "No, Aizawa, this isn't about the entrance exam anymore. It's about your whole attitude. That holier-than-thou, 'I'm-better-than-you' persona you've got going on. You stroll in here four hours late for a meeting and can't even muster a tiny apology. Frankly, it's a miracle when you show up for work at all..."

Aizawa's eyes narrowed, and he clenched his jaw. "If you've got issues with my teaching methods- "

A new voice joined them from across the room, unable to hold back any longer. "I do have a problem with your teaching methods," Mr. Yagi declared in a calm yet firm tone. "You're excessively hostile, you feed your students lies, and you threaten them with expulsion at the slightest provocation without giving them a chance to improve. Aizawa, you're not a teacher; you're a tyrant."

Aizawa's anger simmered as he locked eyes with the stick thin man before him. "You're not even a hero, Yagi. How can you claim to understand how this world works? You sit in your office all day, hiding behind All Might. You call me a tyrant, but I'd rather be that than a coward."

The room fell silent, the other teachers gazing at the two men in shock. They knew there were differences in their teaching philosophies, but nobody expected things to get this heated and personal.

Mr Yagi’s eyes flashed with anger, and smoke started to rise from his shoulders. Vigilant, Midnight saw this and slammed her hand on the table, before All Might could burst onto the scene. "Enough!" She yelled. "This is not the time or place for this kind of argument. We’re here to review internships, not to hurl insults and start fights!"

She paused, hoping for an apology or at least a sign of contrition, but both Aizawa and Mr. Yagi remained silent.

"Both of you need to calm down and act like the professionals you are," she admonished. "You're supposed to be role models for your students, not each other's enemies. If you can't work together, then you can leave right now."

The room hung in a tense silence as the two teachers begrudgingly returned to their work, the confrontation temporarily defused. It was a brief respite, broken like the glass in the door which suddenly shattered, and a small robot rolled to a stop in the centre of the room.

"Emergency! Help needed, urgent, like right now!" The little robot Deku blared, but something was definitely off.

Power Loader was the first to detect the change. "Hatsume?! Is that you?" he exclaimed, recognizing her voice.

Back near Midoriya's apartment, Mei had strapped on the Mayhem helmet and was frantically pacing the rooftop, with Deku mirroring her every move. "Yeah, it's me! There's trouble, Izuku and his mom are missing. And there's... There's more, but I don't know what's safe to tell you. But it's... It's really bad."

Power Loader leaped from his seat, vaulted over a table, and dashed for the door, only to be intercepted by another teacher.

"Hold on there, partner! We're taking the Snipemobile!" Snipe declared, brandishing a shiny set of keys. Power Loader nodded in agreement, and the two of them sprinted out of the room.

"Someone needs to inform Nezu or call the police!" Midnight urged.

"Fear not, dear teachers," Nezu's voice spoke over the intercom system, ever vigilant of his staff and students. "I have the police on the line as we speak."

Suddenly, Eraserhead barked, "Hang up the phone immediately, sir! Trust me on this!"

"Oh my! Very well, Shota," Nezu responded. "I trust you have our best interests at heart. Please come to my office at once to provide the details!"

"An compromised police force, you say?" Nezu asked, his voice calm and measured. "That’s a serious claim. Do you have any proof?"

Aizawa pulled out a small device from his pocket and set it on the table. "This is what I recorded in Detective Omasuba’s office," he said, pressing a button.

"Rosa! It’s so good to see you!"

"Hi Kiko, just checking up on you"

~~~

A few weeks prior, a woman lounged on a chair in her sister's office, feeling relaxed. "So, what kind of crazy case are you working on now?"

"You won't believe this, but someone tried to attack UA with the most ridiculous weapon ever!" Kiko Omasuba exclaimed. "Guess what it was!"

"Umm... A giant slingshot! No, a swarm of bees!"

"Cutlery!" she squealed. "They were throwing forks at the students, can you imagine?"

"Wow, these villains are really running out of ideas, huh?" Rosa Omasuba said, leaning on her sister's desk with her chin in her hands. Under the table, her foot gently tapped the side of the detective's computer.

~~~

Eraserhead stopped the playback. "Did you catch that? That tapping sound?"

"I most certainly did," Nezu nodded. "It appears they were dangerously close to discovering your surveillance device. However, I'm curious about your allegations. While the detective shouldn't be sharing classified information with family members, it doesn’t exactly point toward corruption! Where is this accusation coming from?"

"The very moment I detected that sound, an additional 70MB of files mysteriously appeared in the police system," Eraserhead explained.

"Why, Mr. Aizawa, are you suggesting that you've been delving into the police force's databases?"

"Yes."

"Capital work!" Nezu exclaimed with a grin.

"Rosa Omasuba has visited her sister three more times since I bugged their system, and every time, new files have appeared on their computers. I have reason to suspect a connection between this woman and the attack on my person. One of my field operatives has been assisting me, and based on her information, it seems likely that the new files are being used to divert Tsukauchi's attention elsewhere," Eraserhead continued. "At this point, we're in the dark about who's pulling the strings within the Musutafu police department."

"A deeply troubling thought," Nezu acknowledged. "But I believe our top priority should be locating Rosa Omasuba. Don't you agree?"

Meanwhile, Power Loader and Snipe had finally arrived at the apartment, where a restless Mei Hatsume was pacing outside. She spotted them and ran towards them, waving her arms frantically. "Took you guys long enough!" she exclaimed. "What took you so long? Did you stop for coffee or something?"

Maijima, taking charge of the situation, directed Mei to wait. He was about to enter the apartment, when Mei urgently grabbed his forearm. "Wait," she interjected, her grip firm. "There's... There's a body in the bathroom." She saw the shock and horror in his eyes, and quickly reassured her teacher, "It's not them! I don't know who it is, but I don't think Izuku had anything to do with it."

Power Loader nodded. He turned to Snipe and said, "Snipe, can you stay out here with her?"

"You got it, partner," Snipe replied with a flair, rolling the barrel of his gun dramatically.

As Power Loader entered the building, Snipe turned to Mei, attempting to shift her focus away from the grim discovery. "Saw your fights over at the festival, lil lady, you’re a damn good shot with those peashooters."

"Peashooters?! I’ll have you know those were top of the line-!"

Snipe cut her off with a hearty laugh and a friendly hit on the back. "I’m just teasin’! Shucks, kids're easy to rile up. I think you an’ me need to have a lil chat about you building me some new gear, whaddya say? O’ course, that’ll depend on whether you pick me for your internship…"

Before Mei could answer, Power Loader returned, his expression grave. In his hand, he held two forks, stained with dried blood. He showed them to Snipe and said in a low voice, "Hatsume, go home. We can handle this. Snipe, we’re going to the Yaoyorozu estate." He insisted, showing Snipe the distinctive Y sigil on the end of the cutlery.

Chapter Text

Izuku couldn't catch a wink of sleep that night when he and his mom got whisked away by Diner. Too much had gone down in the last 24 hours, and his brain was all over the place trying to process it all. It had to be one of the craziest days he'd ever had, and no matter how much he wanted to pass out, it just wasn't happening. So, instead, he decided to wander around the little building. Partly because he was curious, and partly because he wanted to figure out what on Earth was going on.

As he ventured through the dimly lit corridors, he stumbled upon a young woman seated at the kitchen table, holding a glass of water. Startled, Izuku stammered, "O-oh, Yuki, I’m sorry, I was just..."

"It's alright," Diner replied calmly, her eyes fixed on some distant, unseen horizon.

Izuku thought about making his exit, allowing her some solitude. But an overwhelming sense of concern compelled him to turn back and join her. He spoke softly, "Is everything okay? I don’t really understand everything that’s happened, but if you ever need someone to talk to…"

Diner released a quiet sigh, her emotions once again bubbling to the surface. "I suppose there’s a lot I haven’t explained properly, I’m sorry for that."

"You don’t have to apologise!" he reassured her as he took a seat at the table, "You must have been through so much!"

A faint, appreciative smile crossed Diner’s lips, which she tried to hide by taking a small sip of water. "Thank you. I suppose I am having some difficulty with the situation," she admitted, her eyes dropping to the surface of the table. "This life is all I’ve ever really known. The concept of leaving it is a lot for me to process."

Sympathy washed over Izuku. Whatever The Market was, the clandestine group to which Yuki Haro belonged, he knew it was a dark and perilous world. It had to be, for her to go to such lengths. And though she didn’t show it outwardly, he could tell that "having difficulty with the situation" was the understatement of the century.

"How did you get involved with all of this?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Diner sat silently for a moment, as though forcing herself to recollect the past. "I wish I could give you a simple answer," she began slowly. "The truth is, I’m not even sure what my real name is. I’ve been Diner for as long as I can remember, I was raised in this environment. High Street found me when I was just a child, abandoned."

"That’s… That’s unimaginable." Izuku whispered, his heart heavy with sympathy. "But do you, um, mind if I call you Yuki or Haro instead? I think I like that side of you more…" he asked quietly.

Diner nodded sadly, "I’m starting to think the same. As Diner, I’ve done things I’m not proud of. I’ve hurt people, taken lives, all in the name of some greater good."

Just then, another voice joined their conversation. Inko, who had been quietly listening at the doorway, stepped forward with a reassuring smile. "But, Yuki, there’s more to you than that. Maybe there are greater goods for you to be a part of."

"Oh, Ms Midoriya, I’m sorry if we were being too loud," Yuki began to apologise with a bowed head.

Inko walked in the room and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You’re not alone anymore. We’ll find a way out of this together. Who knows, maybe you can start fresh and discover the person you never got the chance to be." she finished with a smile. 

"You saved our lives, Yuki." Izuku nodded in agreement. "We’ll figure this out."

Yuki hesitated for a moment, "I appreciate your willingness to help, but I need you to understand, it's dangerous," she said softly, trying to dissuade them. "I don't want to put either of you in harm's way."

Smiling warmly, Inko put a hand in the middle of the table, "Well, as far as I’m concerned, you’re a Midoriya now! Which means we’re standing by you every step of the way, no matter how dangerous!"

Izuku put his own hand on his mother’s, "Yeah, absolutely!"

Tears welled up in Yuki’s eyes, her heart touched by the warmth she had long since been deprived of. In this cosy kitchen, hidden from prying eyes, with Inko and Izuku by her side, she felt like she might have found a family she never knew was missing.

"...Thank you," Yuki whispered, placing her hand on top of theirs.

Detective Kiko Omasuba had been relishing a well-deserved day off, having just cracked a very demanding case that involved a crate of fireworks, a light absorption quirk, and a disappointed crowd. With her feet kicked up on the couch and the TV remote in hand, she decided it was high time to unwind.

The television blared with non-stop coverage of the UA Sports Festival. "Alright, we get it. Go sports, sheesh." Kiko muttered, rolling her eyes.

She flipped through the channels, hoping to find something more engaging. Eventually, she stumbled on a show where a woman in a chef’s hat confidently tasted dishes and tried to guess the secret ingredient. If the chef failed, the contestant walked away with a cash prize.

"Oh come on, it’s obviously her quirk! This is so rigged!" The great detective confidently told the television through a mouth full of half-eaten sandwich. She was on the verge of settling in and committing to another twenty episodes of this stupid program, when a loud series of knocks on her door reverberated through the apartment.

With a sandwich in hand, Kiko let out a sigh, got up and glanced through the peephole on her apartment door. Expecting to see someone she could easily ignore, like an uninvited salesperson, she was surprised to find her sister Rosa standing there, dishevelled and clearly distressed. Without hesitation, she unlocked the door.

"Rosa? What’s going on? Why are you here so late?" The detective asked, ushering her sister inside.

"Kiko, I’m really sorry for showing up like this, but I…" Rosa began, her voice trembling as she wiped away tears.

Worry washed over Kiko, and she asked with concern, "What happened? Is something wrong?"

Rosa stopped for a moment. She knew she had to fabricate a believable story, even through the stress of seeing a coworker killed in the field. "It’s my boyfriend! He… He broke up with me!" Rosa said, her voice cracking as she fought back fake tears.

"What?! I had no idea you were even seeing someone!" Kiko exclaimed in surprise, before her expression shifted to anger. "That big jerk! How could he do that to you?!" She embraced her sister.

"I don’t know, he just, he just packed his bags and left! He told me he didn’t love me anymore!" Rosa said, her lies flowing smoothly.

"Who is this loser?! I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!" Kiko was already cracking her knuckles and ready to head out for a good old fashioned ass-kicking.

Rosa stopped her sister with a hand on the shoulder, "Don’t even give him the satisfaction, it’s not worth it…" She said with a shake of the head. "I had to get out of the house, everything reminds me of him!"

"Oh, Rosa! Don’t worry, you can stay with me for as long as you need."

"No!!" Rosa blurted out, shaking her hands, "Uh, I mean, I couldn’t impose! Do you remember grandma’s cabin? The one we used to visit as kids? You still have the key, right?"

"Yeah, I still have the key, but I can't really take time off work right now..."

"That's okay. I think I'd like some time alone," Rosa said, her vulnerability surprising Kiko. She had always seen her sister as the strong, independent type, but now, she seemed so lost and in need of support.

"Of course," Kiko said, her concern deepening. "The key's in the kitchen drawer. Take it, but promise me you'll call as soon as you get to the cabin, okay?"

"Thanks, sis. You're a real lifesaver," Rosa said gratefully. After one more heartfelt hug, she swiftly retrieved the cabin keys and bid her sister goodbye, hoping it wouldn't be their last encounter.

If Diner had indeed betrayed The Market, Rosa Omasuba was High Street's last remaining ally, the one person holding the organisation together. She was confident he would understand her sudden disappearance, she was doing this to help the both of them!

It certainly wasn't out of fear.

"No way, pal! If Izuku and his mom are in trouble, there's no way I'm sitting on my ass!" Mei stood defiantly outside the Midoriya's empty apartment, jabbing a finger in her teacher's face. "I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not!"

Power Loader looked at Mei with a serious expression. "It's not safe, Hatsume. This is hero work now, leave it to the professionals."

"But you've seen what I can do! I can help you, I can-"

"No, Hatsume! That's final!" Her teacher’s voice boomed, stopping her in her tracks. "You need to Go. Home . We're going to handle this."

Mei almost opened her mouth to protest again, but she knew it wouldn't help. If she was going to help Izuku, it was clear she was going to have to rely on others. "...Fine, but I'm not happy about it!"

"Good choice, Deputy," Snipe said, spinning the barrel of his revolver before clicking it back into place. "Let's roll, PL. The Snipemobile's itchin' to get a mosey on."

Power Loader nodded and then turned to Mei once more. "If you hear anything at all, you can get on the UA teacher's private network with this." He tossed her an old-fashioned flip phone. "We always keep spares on us for times like this. You can contact any member of staff through that on a secure line."

Mei opened the phone and scrolled through. It was a basic phone, not even in colour, but sure enough, it had contacts for anyone she might need. "Thanks," she said with a stern expression. "If we don't get Izuku back, I'm burning the school down."

"I'll give you the matches." And with that, Power Loader and Snipe jumped into the car and peeled off down the road.

Closing the apartment door behind her, Mei wasted no time. Flipping open the phone, she urgently found Aizawa’s number and called. "Come on, come on, pick up…" she muttered, cradling the phone between her head and shoulder as she quickly pulled herself up the fire escape of the opposite building, leading to the roof.

After a few impatient rings, Eraserhead’s voice crackled through the line. "Who is this?" he curtly asked.

"Eraser, it's me," Mei replied quickly, "Listen, I don't want to hear any crap about this being too dangerous, Izuku is missing and you're going to help me find him, got it?"

"I'm busy on another case, go hom-"

"Don't you dare tell me to go home!" She snarled down the line, "You're the only person who knows Mayhem's connection to Izuku, so like it or not, you're my partner in this! Got it, you greasy haired chump?!"

Eraserhead sighed on the other end. "Fine. I'm texting you the coordinates, meet me there in fifteen minutes. And for the record, I shampoo my hair twice a week."

With those begrudging instructions, he ended the call.

With a quick snap, Mei disassembled her phone, pulling out the SIM card and inserting it into the Mayhem helmet. She slid the helmet onto her head, her transformation into the vigilante complete in mere moments. Grapple launchers adorned her wrists, and an electrical baton rested securely on her back.

"I'm coming to get you, Izuku."

Yuki stood in the centre of her makeshift training room, previously the spacious basement of her safehouse, now decorated with wooden mannequins, targets and many racks of cutlery. Her hair was neatly pinned back, and she sported a sleek black gym outfit. Izuku, on the other hand, had been outfitted in borrowed clothes, and his heart raced with anticipation. Yuki had agreed to teach him some combat basics after his insistence.

With an air of casual confidence, Yuki began her lesson, addressing Izuku. "The first hurdle of quirked combat is recognising your limits," she said to her new pupil, who watched curiously. "Find the apex of your capabilities, the moment where your body is screaming at you to stop."

Yuki demonstrated her own quirk, Tablesetter, causing a dozen knives and forks to float gracefully in a spiralling formation around her head. She appeared as calm and composed, as though she were doing something as simple as breathing. "Then," she continued, "you tell your body to be quiet."

With a flick of her wrist, she sent all the cutlery hurtling towards a target across the room. The metal embedded itself in the wood with a satisfying series of shunk-shunk-shunk sounds that made Izuku flinch.

His nerves were obvious as he asked, with a swallow, "I... I see. But how do you get past the, uh... screaming part?"

Yuki offered a sympathetic half-shrug. "Time, resilience, and patience," she sighed. "It's hard work, but you have to remember that your quirk answers to you. You're in control of it, not the other way around."

Izuku nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. "I don’t feel in control of it that often," he admitted. "Sometimes I transform without even knowing about it."

"When I first started my training I would sometimes attract forks just by walking past them, like my quirk wanted to be used. It was… Embarrassing." Yuki shook her head at the memory of cutlery pinging against shop windows.

"So what did you do?"

"I just got there first," Yuki explained. "I told Tablesetter to be quiet before it got any other ideas."

"So, I have to anticipate when Mechanize is about to kick in, and get there first?" Izuku asked, trying to wrap his head around the concept.

"Yes," she confirmed. "And when your quirk acts on its own to save you from danger, how does it usually help you?"

Izuku looked a little sheepish for a moment before admitting, "Most often, a grappling hook."

"Oh, yes," the assassin said with a realisation, "I believe I may have seen it in action once before."

"I’m really sorry about that Yuki! But well, I mean, you were trying to kill my friend’s teacher, and all…"

Yuki gave a reassuring smile, which she wasn’t sure delivered the message she intended. Genuine emotion was still new, so hints of her undercover personas kept bleeding through instead. "You needn’t apologise, you fought well. But I admit, I have been curious as to what you’re capable of since then."

Suddenly, Yuki assumed an offensive stance on the training mat, her demeanour shifting swiftly. Alarmed, Izuku blurted out, "Wh-what are you doing?"

"I want to see your quirk do something new." Yuki challenged, her movements fluid, and without warning, she swung a powerful kick towards Izuku's head.

Izuku narrowly dodged the attack, feeling it brush against his cheek, as he instinctively fired a grappling hook to the other side of the room. His feet planted firmly against the concrete wall before he safely landed, his arm reverting to its previous state. 

To his surprise, he couldn’t help but smile.

"Again." Yuki commanded, pulling a collection of cutlery toward her, before firing them at Izuku like bullets.

Mei twirled her electrical baton between her fingers, tapping her foot impatiently. She’d reached the location Eraser had pointed out in record time, but now she was stuck playing sentry duty while he wrestled with a stubborn lock on an apartment’s maintenance access.

"I don’t get it, Eraserhead. How’s this gonna help Izuku? We should be out there, kicking ass! Taking names, cracking skulls!" She punctuated herself with a fist-to-palm punch.

Sliding a slender piece of metal into the lock, Aizawa kept up his calm attitude - which only made Mei feel more restless. "Principal Nezu is working on city-wide surveillance. All Might and Midnight are patrolling the West. Present Mic, Thirteen, and Vlad King are covering the East. Power Loader and Snipe are following their own lead. Practically every hero in the city is on standby, and most of them are on the hunt for Midoriya," he explained.

Mei scowled, still itching for action. "I should still be out there helping! I can only see so much from here. If we could just get to the TV station's tower, I could scope out the whole city."

The underground hero paused, his lock-picking still uninterrupted. "It's unlikely Midoriya and his mother are still in the city."

"What do you mean?! Then what are we doing here?!" Mei threw her arms up in frustration.

"Think about it. If you were going to kidnap a UA student, would you keep them in the heart of a city swarming with heroes, near the biggest hero academy in the nation? If Midoriya’s been taken, they’d want him out of the public eye, and fast."

Mei’s face dropped, "So he could be anywhere by now…"

Aizawa shook his head. "Not if the kidnappers were smart. A car was reported stolen near Midoriya's apartment this morning. I still have access to the police database, remember. The smart move would be to ditch the vehicle as soon as possible. I see two possibilities: either he's hiding so deep underground that not a single hero in this city knows to look there, which would be illogical to assume, or he's out in the suburbs on the city's edge." Just as he said that, the lock clicked open, revealing their entry. 

"One down, one to go. You stay out here and keep a lookout for anything suspicious." Aizawa instructed, before he stood up from his crouched position and fixed Mei with a stern look. "And don't go anywhere. If you see anything, you call me immediately. Got it?"

"Sure, sure, I get it. I won't go anywhere," Mei replied impatiently.

His expression remained the same. "Mayhem, I’m serious."

"Alright, alright! I promise I won't leave this spot for any reason!"

With a final, scrutinising look at the young vigilante, Eraserhead finally relented. "Alright. I shouldn't be long," he said before disappearing into the apartment complex.

As soon as he was out of sight, Mei wasted no time. She abandoned her post and sauntered over to the edge of the building, perching herself on the wall. Determined, she activated her quirk and began scanning the city, ready for anything that might catch her attention. This, she thought, was what they should have been doing all along - using their quirks to their fullest potential, not wasting time on what felt like nonsense, like breaking into someone's apartment. Eraserhead wouldn't even tell her how his actions were relevant to finding Izuku, and it was driving her crazy.

As Mei continued her scan of the surrounding streets, it became increasingly clear that this was what some would call the bad side of town. Trash littered the streets, the distant wail of sirens filled the air, there were a few too many broken windows, and an enormous spray-painted message on a nearby wall read 'Hereoes Go Away.'

"Hm, not exactly main street…" She thought to herself, continuing her search. Then, she spotted something that caught her attention down an alleyway - a man in a black leather jacket and sunglasses hauling a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder. If they were handing out awards for shifty looking people, this guy would probably steal the trophy from the winner. Mei didn’t think he could look any more conspicuous until he turned around, lowered the sunglasses, and darted his eyes back and forth.

Mei shook her head, "Okay, that dude is definitely a criminal." Her curiosity got the better of her as she watched him push open an inconspicuous wooden door and slip inside the building.

Without a second thought, she fired her grappling hook toward a nearby billboard, the mechanism whirring to life. With a graceful swing, she soared over to the building. It would just be a quick detour, a chance to drop a listening device, and then she'd swing back to her post. Eraserhead would barely even notice she was missing!

Mid-swing, Mei’s eyes widened in sheer horror as she realised the entire roof of this building, which turned out to be a warehouse, was completely made of glass. "Oh crap, crap, crap!!" she exclaimed as panic surged through her. Desperately, she scanned her surroundings, searching for anything to which she could fire a grapple and make a hasty escape… There were no taller buildings! And she’s not moving quick enough for the wingsuit to work! It was too late!

With a sinking feeling in her gut, Mei braced herself for the inevitable crash. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the shattering impact… but it never came. Slowly, she dared to open one eye, then the other. To her astonishment, the glass ceiling remained intact.

For a moment, she dared not move. Slowly, she exhaled the breath she’d been holding. "Phew…"

Then the glass broke.

Chapter Text

High Street

The Morning of the Sports Festival.

"~hrrk! What do you, what do you want?!"

High Street dug his heel deeper into the man's throat, crouching slightly and casting a menacing aura. "I was hoping you could answer that for me, Dr Tsubasa. Or… is it Garaki today?" He released his boot from the neck.

Gasping, the doctor took a few much needed gulps for air. He looked over to the toppled surgery cart, the body of his latest assistant nearby. Scrambling, the doctor reached for a scalpel.

Click~ there was a gun pointed at his head "Ah ah ah." High Street smiled calmly. "You took some work to find, do you know that? The name on my list just kept on changing! I'm a little embarrassed I never realised you were all the same person." Confident he had the upper hand, the killer redirected the pistol. "So let's start over. Who are you, Doctor? And what can you do for me?"

Garaki fixed his glasses with a shaky hand and tried to sit up. "What are you talking about, you mad man?! I'm just a doctor!"

Chuckling, High Street shook his head, "'Just' Doctors don't hide away in secluded basements in Hosu. Nice choice of real estate, by the way. Here's a secret; I actually killed the previous owner! I know, right? Of course, I didn't know at the time. His name was crossed out for me. In fact, most of the names my quirk gives me are crossed out, but YOURS," he pushed the gun against the doctor's temple and growled, "Yours was circled! Now why would that be, Doctor?!"

Upon hearing these words, Garaki's temperament shifted abruptly, now intrigued. "Your quirk gave you my name? Fascinating… How does it work, exactly?"

"Why, I can see potential, doctor." High Street said with a smirk, removing the gun from his head. "With just a touch of my hand I can reveal what could be, and what should’ve been. And it appears that you may prove useful."

"Potential…" The doctor said, twitching his nose in thought, before grabbing High Street’s wrist. "Then show me! Show me my great potential!"

High Street grabbed a hold of the doctor’s arm and felt his quirk activate, both their eyes turning cloudy as he allowed Garaki to view the vision. Flashes of images came to them. The doctor, younger, holding a child, tears of joy streaming down his face. He’s laughing and playing catch with a young girl, he’s posing for a family portrait, he’s surrounded by loved ones. He’s happy.

With a sharp intake of air, the two of them exited the vision and High Street leaned in close to the doctor’s shaking face. "Not what you were expecting to see?"

"That… That wasn’t…"

"Wasn’t your potential? Oh but I am quite afraid that it was. The best version of you that you could have been. But look at you now!"

Slowly, the doctor’s shock began to turn to rage, his eyebrows tilted, his face turned red and he clenched his fists, until finally he shouted out in anger "I was supposed to help bring this nation to its knees!! It was IMPORTANT WORK! Necessary work!! That thing you showed me was not my potential! It was to be my greatest weakness!"

Suddenly, High Street clutched a hand around Garaki’s head, and the visions started back up. These ones much more vivid. They showed a man in silhouette standing atop a ruined city. An image of people bowing in reverence. Money, power, worship.

"What… What was that..?"

"My potential, doctor. You want to bring this nation to its knees, so I’ll ask again. What can you do for me?"

The doctor’s breathing slowed and he began to smile, looking up at the man crouching over him. "Everything."

Mayhem & Eraserhead

Mei had everything she needed to be a hero. The suit. The gadgets. The attitude. What she might be missing however, was the grace. Her arms flailed clumsily as she smashed through the glass, not anticipating the crash landing she’d be making on the circular table below her. Wood splintered in a frenzy, sending cards and chips flying in all directions, and she thanked her past self for the extra padding she’d wisely added to her costume.

Inside her helmet, the image flickered for a second. Mei smacked the side of her head a few times, then glanced around, her eyes hidden behind her visor, and took in the garishly decorated, smoke-filled room. It was unmistakably an illegal casino, with shady characters huddled around blackjack tables and slot machines lining the walls.

Looking around at the gang surrounding her, Mei’s annoyance slowly began to rise. All around her were villains that she had helped put behind bars - and yet here they all were?! There was Bullfrog! Man-Arms! King Bad! Evil Steven! All the work she put in and all of them were back on the streets already?!

She jumped to her feet, "Alright you bozos! What did you do with Izuku Midoriya?!" she shouted, pointing an accusatory finger.

A man with two ram horns protruding from his head scowled in anger, "What the hell are you talking about?! You ruined our best table! We oughta kick your ass, whoever you are!"

"Don’t play dumb with me, Sheepy! I know you’ve got something to do with this!" Mei yelled.

Another character with a head shaped like a foot put his hand on Sheepy’s arm. "Woah there friend, let’s not be too hasty. I’m sure there’s a good explanation for- HEY WAIT A SECOND, THAT’S MAYHEM!"

"GET HER!!"

"That's right, the apartment is completely empty. No sign of anything relating to Rosa Omasuba." Eraserhead leaned on the doorframe, looking at a bare room. Not even a solitary pizza box to be found. He listened to Nezu over his earpiece for a moment, then answered. "No, it's been like this for a while, she didn't move out recently… Agreed, this place was a cover. I'll head back to UA and we can-"

His words were halted by his earpiece mysteriously switching channels. "Alright you bozos!" came Mayhem's voice.

"Mayhem?" He asked "What's going on?"

"I know you’ve got something to do with this!"

"Are you in danger?"

"That's Mayhem!! Get her!!"

Aizawa sighed. Yeah. She was in danger.

Evil Steven made the first move, and Mayhem almost got a face full of fist, but she was too fast for him. In a flash, she grappled up a chunk of wood from the ruined table and held it over her head like a makeshift shield. The villain’s punch shattered the wood, but it offered enough protection to keep her safe. Now, with the two pieces of broken wood still in her hands, she brandished them like swords. 

"Uh… En Garde?"

Behind her, another goon pulled a knife from his belt and swung. Unluckily for him, the Mayhem helmet had been upgraded to account for surprise attacks of this nature. Ducking just in time, the knife missed her by a hair’s breadth, scraping the top of the helmet and letting off a few sparks. The knife kept moving, straight into the bicep of a bigger, meaner bad guy. 

"Argh! What the hell, Gary?" the man yelled, pulling the knife out of his bicep.

Mayhem saw this distraction as a chance to fight back and prepared to activate one of her electrified projectiles. It buzzed with energy in her hand, but before she could strike, a new figure landed powerfully in front of her. With his scarf flowing, Eraserhead was like a ninja poised to strike. Stealthy enough to catch the villains off guard, but strong enough to kick up a shockwave of dust.

His unkempt hair floated in the breeze as he extended his hands, preparing to attack. His mere presence was enough to make the gaggle of criminals keep their distance. In a cold voice, he addressed his companion: "I told you to wait."

Mei lowered her hand, the projectile still crackling with energy. "Can we maybe discuss this after?" she snapped.

"Hm." Eraserhead answered gruffly, before addressing the people around them. "We can do this one of two ways, your choice. Either my partner and I walk out of here right now and nobody gets hurt. Or we’ll be the only people walking out of here."

The man who had gotten an armful of dagger cracked his neck, his knuckles, and somehow, his eyebrows. "Mayhem’s got a lot to answer for, Eraser! She ain’t walking outta here!" he shouted.

Eraserhead kept his deadpan expression as he glared through his goggles. "Well, it seems you’ve left us no choice. Mayhem, are you ready for some on-the-job training?"

"Ahh, I thought you would never ask!" she said, twirling the broken pieces of wood in her hands. The villain who had made the first attack moved to lunge at her again, this time glinting like metal. She had only had two training sessions with Eraserhead, but even after that small amount of time she could see how the attack was wide open. With a small modicum of effort, she dodged the punch and jabbed the blunt end of the wood into his abdomen. It hit him in just the right spot to make him stumble back, clutching his stomach in pain.

Meanwhile, Eraserhead used his quirk to erase those of several villains surrounding him, rendering them powerless. With precision and grace, he swung his capture scarf around them and pulled, looping them together, before flicking his weapon like a whip and slamming the whole lot of them into the corner of the bar.

The guy who had previously stabbed his friend pulled yet another blade from his belt and took another shot at fighting Mayhem.

"Where are you getting those from?" she shouted.

His attacks were a flurry of swings, and Mayhem found herself being pushed backwards. It was difficult for her to land a counterattack because of the relentless swinging of the knife, but she knew she had to create some distance between the two of them. "Eraser!" she called, "Little help?"

Eraserhead looked over to see what was happening, when someone threw a bottle at his head. He caught it easily by the base, flipped it to grab the neck, and launched it straight at Mayhem’s assailant. It caught him directly in the face, smashing against his forehead. With her foe disoriented, she grabbed her electric batons and jabbed them both in his neck. Voltage surged through him and he collapsed to the ground.

With the bad guy out for the count, she somersaulted over the bar’s countertop, looking for an opportunity to scan her surroundings for any possible advantage.

All around her, Eraserhead’s fight raged on, groups of three or four villains at a time rushing him only to find themselves wrapped up or beaten down. He wasn’t enough for all of them though, and most were beginning to pick themselves up and renew their attacks. Her heart raced with adrenaline, and she concentrated in order to access the full extent of her quirk’s abilities.

Zoom activated, and all the noise and movement of the bar began to fade into the background as she surveyed the scene. Up in the rafters, she noticed a series of hanging, dim light bulbs that illuminated the casino. Right now they were off, and she followed their wires to a series of outlets near the slot machines across the wall. A smile formed on her face. "That’s it."

Her grapple made it a cinch to access the lights. Quickly, she unscrewed each bulb and replaced them with her own electrifying projectiles. As she worked, Eraserhead continued to hold his ground.

Hanging upside down from a support beam, she called out to him, her voice filled with urgency. "Eraser! Take cover!" He nodded, and used his capture scarf to escape into the safety of the ceiling, understanding her message.

With intense concentration, she clicked the button on an electrical disk and focused. Everything slowed for her, as she released her weapon towards the outlets. It spun in mid air, before hitting its mark dead on. Blue sparks ignited, causing every slot machine in the room to sizzle and emit smoke. But the real spectacle was yet to come.

Eraserhead and Mayhem shielded their eyes as the lights erupted in a dazzling display of electrical energy. Waves of electricity surged down towards the unsuspecting casino patrons, ensnaring them in a net of stunning voltage. Helpless and unable to resist, the villains were completely outmatched and every single one of them was knocked out.

"I told you to wait on the roof." Eraserhead said simply as he stepped over another smoking body. 

Mei stopped in the centre of the crowd of knocked out criminals. "I wouldn’t have gone off on my own…" she clenched her fists, before shouting out loud "If you were actually DOING SOMETHING!"

The sudden outburst of emotion caused the underground hero to stop in his tracks. But he said nothing.

Mei glared at him. Even with the helmet modulating her voice, he could hear the tears in her eyes. "Don’t you get it? He’s my best friend! He’s missing and you haven’t done anything to help! You’re supposed to be a pro hero, but you’re acting like you don’t care at all!"

"A case like this is never as simple as it might seem, Mayhem. We’re all trying our best, doing what we can. But the fact remains, what you did was reckless and could have compromised everything." Eraserhead spoke in a calm, measured voice.

"I had to at least try!" She yelled.

Eraserhead shook his head, "Working irrationally like that will only lead to-"

"You don’t get it! You don’t… You don’t understand…" With a click and a hiss, she removed the helmet from her head, showing her eyes bloodshot with tears. "It’s my fault he’s gone! If I hadn’t pushed him to show off his quirk, he wouldn’t have used it at the festival! I’d still know where my best friend is… But instead I’m… I’m what?! Playing hero?! I don’t know…I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing…"

Eraserhead listened to Mei intently, before picking up two fallen barstools and taking a seat at the bar. He patted the stool next to him, urging her to sit.

"Hatsume," he said, more gently than usual, his normally stern expression softening just a bit, "I understand that you’re hurting, and I can’t pretend to know exactly what you’re going through. Something similar, maybe, but these feelings are rarely comparable. But, this isn’t your fault. None of us saw this coming, and there’s no way you can know how things will turn out."

The young vigilante wiped her eyes, her anger momentarily giving way to vulnerability as she took a seat. It wasn’t an emotion she was used to experiencing.

Eraserhead continued, "In this line of work we see our fair share of difficult situations, it’s most of why I’ve been doing this for you. The other students at UA have a whole faculty behind them, but not you. I could have stopped you, but I doubt I could even if I locked you up in Tartarus, you’d find a way to break out after an hour, so this was the best way to give you a chance." Mei gave an involuntary laugh at this. "Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can’t save everyone. It’s a harsh reality we face, and it’s something every one of us struggles with." he turned to face her better. "But it doesn’t mean we stop trying. It doesn’t mean we give up."

She looked into his eyes, unsure if she was finding any solace in his words. "But what am I supposed to do?"

"We keep looking. We don’t give up until we’ve found Midoriya. But you have to promise me, you’ll work with me, not against me. I’ve seen what you’re capable of, and…" he sighed, as though the next words coming out of his mouth were a struggle, "and you’re good at what you do."

Mei sniffled again, then grinned. "You think I’m good?"

"You could be better, but I suppose you’re not terrible at fighting crime."

Suddenly Mei wrapped her arms around him. He didn’t move his arms, but accepted the hug all the same.

"Yeah this is happening, Eraser, just deal with it." 

When she finally let him go, he stood up from the stool. "Come on, your friend needs us. We’re going back to UA, don’t forget your helmet."

As they moved to exit the building, a man on the floor gently whimpered "...Help me…"

Eraserhead sighed again, he probably should call someone to clean this up.

Power Loader & Snipe

The Snipemobile kept the engine running as it idled in front of the ornate golden gates, emblazoned with the same Y as the fork Power Loader found on the victim. The ever-suffering support tutor drummed his iron tipped fingers against the dashboard, his impatience growing.

"I am quite sorry, but the lady of the house shan’t be taking visitors at such short notice." An immaculately dressed and impeccably postured man, with a nose which suggested a parrot quirk, stood by the driver side window. His head tilted back so far and nose so stuck in the air it was practically impossible for him to see who he was addressing.

Snipe leaned an arm out of the window, casually spinning his revolver. "Listen here, cowpoke, we ain’t got a whole mess o’ time to be shootin’ the breeze with some oiled up cityslicker. There’s a lady an’ her boy out there needin’ our help an’ you are preventin’ us from conductin’ our business. Now either you mosey your ass back up and open up these here gates, or the next visitor the ‘lady of the house’ can be expectin’ is the town undertaker. You catch my drift?"

The unflappable footman refused to budge. "Sir, I do not take idle threats lightly-"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Power Loader spat out, leaning over from the passenger seat to grab the steering wheel and slam a foot down on Snipe’s own tailored boots. The Snipemobile burst into action, crashing through the gates and heading off down the expansive driveway at a high speed. The pristine lawn suffered as they went, along with a few stone pots in the process. Snipe hootin’ and a hollerin’ the entire way. As they neared the mansion, he yanked the steering wheel hard to the side and slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt.

With no delay, Power Loader leapt out of the car and began to loudly bang on the front doors. "If nobody comes to this door in the next five minutes, I swear to god!"

Snipe put a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, cool it partner, ain’t gonna be helpin’ nobody if ya locked up in the hoosegow."

It had some manner of the intended effect, as Power Loader stopped banging on the door. "The hoosegow?"

"Yeah, heard it in a movie once."

Finally, the door opened to reveal the matriarch of the estate, dressed up in a sequinned dress like she was headed for a ball, "What on Earth is all this noise? Can I help you gentlemen?"

Power Loader pulled the Yaoyorozu branded cutlery, safely nestled in a ziploc bag, from his pocket and held it so aggressively the woman had to take a step back. "A fork from this estate was found near a body earlier today, we need a full list of everyone to enter or leave this building in the past week, NOW."

"Aya Matsuri, Sir. Are you getting any matches at all?" On the drive away from the estate, Power Loader was engaged in a discussion with Principal Nezu on what steps could next be taken.

On the other end of the line the tapping of keys could be heard "I’m quite afraid Aya Matsuri does not exist! There are quirk registration files, a birth certificate, even some tax records, but they’re all as fake as Endeavour’s hairpiece!"

"Did that lil fuzzy fella say fake?" Snipe asked, "Why that no good Yaoyorozu…"

"Why hello Mr Snipe! Don’t take your frustrations out on the dear Mrs Yaoyorozu, she would have been wholly unaware. The forgeries are remarkably good. But either way, I can’t be certain who Miss Matsuri is."

Power Loader contemplated his options. "The estate has cameras in every room, do you think we could get footage of her? We only need one frame of her, full body, preferably facing toward the camera."

"I shall see what I can do! I’ll see you back at UA posthaste. Toodles!" The phone clicked off.

"What ya thinkin’, hoss? Ya got a plan rattlin’ around in that noggin o’ yours?"

"Beginnings of one, yeah." With that, he began to type out a message.

Power Loader: Kazutani, it’s important, does your quirk work on still images?

Hiro Kazutani: is typing…

Hiro Kazutani: Partially.

Hiro Kazutani: It might not be as accurate, but I can get close.

Hiro Kazutani: Is this to help Izuku?

Power Loader: Yes, how soon can you get to UA?

Hiro Kazutani: We’re all here already. Workshop H.

Izuku, Inko & Yuki Haro

As the fork hurtled towards him, Izuku transformed his hand into a singing Billy Bass fish and batted the projectile away, watching as it embedded in the wall. "Yuki! That one was really close!" He said, shocked, as the novelty ornament began to sing Old Man River.

She cocked her head to the side. "An interesting choice of defence."

"Huh? Oh!" Izuku replied, glancing at his transformed hand before shaking off the manifestation. "Well, you said I should try being more unpredictable, right?"

It was true, and Izuku had taken her advice to heart. Rather than relying on his usual go-to transformations, like hammers or grappling hooks, he had turned his arms into various unconventional forms, including a metal snake, a gigantic lightbulb, a big electric toothbrush, an ornamental dancing Santa Claus, a fan, neon rope, assorted farming equipment, a pen, and, much to his delight, a fully functional Gameboy. With Yuki's guidance, he had even attempted to create different types of weaponry - knives, guns, stun grenades - but no matter what he tried, some limitations to his quirk became evident. Items specifically designed to harm were a no go.

Yuki's smile remained as she levitated cutlery around her in a graceful orbit. "I did. You're making progress. Would you like to continue?"

"Absolutely!"

"Not." his mother said, appearing in the doorway. "You've both been training for hours. No more until you've had something to eat!"

Yuki savoured another bite of her hamburger and complimented, "This is all very delicious, Ms. Midoriya."

"I was surprised at how many ingredients you had in the kitchen! Of course, if I were at home I could make something even nicer." Inko hinted.

"Mom…"

Setting aside her half-eaten burger, Yuki turned to Inko with a serious expression. "I'm very sorry about this, but it is for your protection. Until we know for sure The Market isn't hunting us, this is the safest place to be."

Izuku contemplated, his gaze fixed on his now empty plate. "But... What if we could know for sure?"

"Izuku?" Inko asked, "What do you mean?"

"What if we could find out? An organisation like this, they must have some way of keeping in contact with their agents, right?"

Yuki nodded, "I was always directly given assignments by High Street, or my handler, Museum."

"I’m assuming through a closed connection earpiece?"

"Um, yes. Yes, mine was provided to me by High Street." Yuki answered with a slight shock in her voice. For someone who would never have been involved in this life, Izuku had a good grasp on it.

"Which means they have a network, means of communication presumably disconnected from any other source. Which means somewhere, there’s a server!"

"Barbershop’s room…" Yuki said quietly, "It’s the information hub for The Market, where all our research was done. If there’s anywhere that has access to that server, it’s inside that room."

"Yuki," Izuku said with determination, "If we can get inside that room, I can find a way to access the server and get every other agent to stand down! You could be free from all of this, forever!"

Unfortunately, she shook her head. "I can’t put either of you in that kind of danger-" her sentence was stopped by Inko putting a hand on hers.

"Yuki, sweetie, we’re already in danger. If Izuku’s right, this could be the best chance we have. And I know you can both do it."

It took a few moments of intense quiet and introspection before Yuki finally spoke again. "...Alright, we’ll do it."

With a stern face, Izuku nodded confidently, as Yuki continued.

"We’ll go tonight, midnight. High Street has never been there in the early hours so it would be the safest time. If Museum is a problem, I can… I can deal with her."

Izuku took a deep breath, those usual pangs of anxiety welling up. But instead of letting them overwhelm him, he reminded himself that this was the best chance he had at returning to his normal life. Returning to school, seeing his friends again, seeing Mei again.

This was his mission now, to save Yuki Haro.

He could be a hero.

Chapter Text

Workshop H, reserved for the second smallest class in the entire school (beaten out by Class 1-L, Lunch Rush’s culinary class), was today the busiest room in the entire school. It hadn't taken long for the first-year support course students to unite and take matters into their own hands, diving headfirst into the mission to find the missing Midoriyas. The workshop was buzzing with activity as Power Loader and Snipe, now accompanied by the fiercely determined Mei Hatsume, pushed open the workshop doors.

As they stepped inside, they were met with the symphony of engineering in full swing. Drills were whirring, blowtorches were ablaze, and students darted around, skillfully manoeuvring heavy machinery, hardly sparing a moment for the newcomers.

Yamashita, lifting her welding mask, spotted Mei and called out, "Mei! Get over here and give me a hand!" Mei eagerly joined the ranks, instantly becoming a part of the action, alongside her fellow support course students. Right by their side, Uraraka, Yaoyorozu, Kodai, Todoroki, and Komori were lending their helping hands, making themselves useful in any way possible. Yaoyorozu's quirk proved to be particularly invaluable, conjuring up whatever the inventors in the room required.

"What is all this?" Power Loader marvelled at the organised chaos around him, as Hana pushed a satellite dish into the centre of the room. 

Snipe chuckled, "Looks like ya younguns ain’t foolin’ around, Loader. I reckon I’ll get on outta ya’lls way, holler at me if’n ya need." With a friendly pat on Power Loader's shoulder, Snipe made his way towards the staff room.

Looking around, Power Loader noticed the multitude of screens and monitors, all connected to a central array with a tangled web of wires. "Is this a surveillance system?" he asked, fully aware of the answer but wanting to hear it from them.

Kazutani confirmed it, "Yes, we're hoping to tap into the city's CCTV grid. We know it's illegal, but..."

"We don't give a shit," Yamashita interjected, finishing the thought.

Power Loader nodded, "Neither do I." 

Just then, Deku rolled out from underneath a table. "Nezu was cool with it too! He said it was a wicked idea and laughed like crazy! It was awesome!" they exclaimed.

"Oh, little robot, did Nezu say anything about Aya Matsuri to you?" Power Loader asked.

"Sure did, dog! Hold on a sec!" Deku replied with trademark enthusiasm. They closed their eyes in concentration, and printed out a photograph of Aya Matsuri from one of Yaoyorozu's cameras, right from their mouth.

Power Loader examined the image in his hand, "How did he get access to their cameras?"

"He asked!"

"...Oh, guess I should have thought of that. Well, time to get to work." He said, before he strolled over to a laptop connected to the device. With the assistance of their knowledgeable teacher, the team quickly established a working connection.

The students gathered around with baited breath as the first screens began to flicker into life, showing crystal clear images of street corners and building interiors all across the city. Their hard work had paid off.

"We’re ready to roll, people! Everyone, take a monitor and keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious!" Mei shouted out loud, it hadn’t taken long for her to get to grips with what the class was building, and she effortlessly fell into leadership mode.

"You said you had a task for me, Sir?" Kazutani said, approaching Power Loader.

Power Loader nodded once and handed him the printout, "Can you analyse this woman? Anything and everything you can determine about her, she’s our best lead right now."

Kazutani took the picture and meticulously scrutinised it, pushing his quirk to the max. After a minute or so, he let out a deep breath. "Mmhm. I've got her height, measurements, and a solid grasp of her facial structure. Unfortunately, I can't divine her weight or blood type from just a still shot, but even if she's in disguise, I'll be able to spot the distance between her eyes, the curve of her neck, and the angle of her nostrils. I should have plenty to work with."

"Good, thank you Kazutani."

Kiko Omasuba didn't often stick to a routine, but her lunch breaks were the exception. Each afternoon, she would bring her homemade sandwiches and settle on the same bench overlooking the duck pond in the nearby park. It offered the perfect vantage point for seeing the animals, people-watching, and, on the rare occasion she needed it, catching up on some cases. She timed her breaks to be later than everyone else, ensuring that the park was usually quiet, with little chance of anyone sitting right next to her.

Today, however, brought her not one but two surprises. The first was the fact that two people decided to share her bench at once. The second was that one of them was a two-foot-tall rodent-man.

"Good afternoon, Detective!" The rodent greeted her with a broad grin. "I hope we're not intruding!"

Her other uninvited guest, a man dressed in black and grey, began speaking before Kiko could even finish swallowing her food. "We need to discuss your sister."

Omasuba swallowed, "Rosa? Why, what happened? Is this about her boyfriend?! If he did anything to her, I swear to god,"

"Are you aware of what your sister does for a living, Detective?" Nezu asked, still maintaining his friendly smile.

Kiko sighed. "Well, of course. She works in real estate. But seriously, I get that you two are heroes, but can't we skip the cloak-and-dagger routine? If something's happened to my sister, I have a right to know."

"Your sister is potentially involved with killers." Aizawa didn't beat around the bush.

It took a series of hearty back slaps for Kiko to stop choking on her sandwich. "W-what, killers? Are you out of your mind? Rosa wouldn't hurt a fly!"

Nezu offered her a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid it's true, Detective. Rosa visits you quite often, doesn't she?"

"I suppose so, what are you getting at?"

Gesturing a paw toward the scruffy man accompanying him, Nezu smiled, "I think it best if my colleague explained."

"Someone at your precinct is feeding false information into the computer systems. The new files appear every time your sister has visited, and they always result in detectives being reassigned to other parts of the city." Aizawa revealed.

Kiko shook her head in disbelief. "Come on, people get shuffled around all the time in this line of work. It's normal."

"Detective," Nezu continued, his furry face maintaining a friendly demeanour. Apparently, he was playing good cop. "When was the last time you saw Detective Tsukauchi in person?"

"Well, he’s a busy man,"

Aizawa's voice grew gruffer. "Please, just answer the question."

"I think it's been about six months, give or take."

Nezu's smile remained unchanged. "Doesn't that strike you as odd? Your precinct's lead detective has been on a never-ending rollercoaster of reassignments for half a year."

She sat in silence, a puzzled expression slowly fading. "You know, when you put it that way..."

"Not to mention," Aizawa added, "his reassignments have all happened around the same time as mysterious deaths across the city."

"Wait, every single time? That can't be right. Someone would have noticed... Hold on a sec, let me check something." She clapped her hands together abruptly, then gradually spread them apart, conjuring a light blue holographic display of files between her palms. Placing one hand flat, she deftly flicked through the images with her other hand.

"Your quirk?" Nezu asked.

"Yes, it’s called Screen Reader. I can create a display of any paper document I’ve read before." She explained.

"Ah," Said Aizawa, "That explains why you print out all of your case files. I thought you were just unorganised."

Kiko shot Eraserhead a pointed glance before diving back into the files. "Look, Tsukauchi's reassignment on this date coincides with a suicide aboard a cruise ship. They discovered a stock market broker in his cabin, and there was absolutely nothing suspicious about it. It was a new detective's first case, he was really excited to get the chance."

"Convenient." Eraserhead rolled his eyes. "Check some others."

She obliged, hoping more evidence would clear her sister's name. "Here, Mr. Dakamoto was found dead in his office, and it turned out to be a straightforward accident involving his quirk. Everything seemed above board."

"And who was the lead detective on that case?"

"Detective Kirosuba, it was his… first case." She said with a hint of realisation. Brow furrowed, she continued scrolling through the files, her heart sinking as the pattern became more apparent. Each time Tsukauchi and other head detectives were reassigned, the deceased met their end in bizarre accidents, and the assigned detective was a fresh-faced graduate. What's more, the victims were always influential figures in and around Musutafu, without any next of kin to inherit their properties.

She clapped her hands together again, and dismissed the files. "You really think my sister has something to do with this?"

Nezu put a paw on her shoulder. "I am afraid so, her appearances at the precinct coincide precisely with each death. We were also unable to find any information about your sister other than a fake address, and her whereabouts are entirely unknown."

"Well, not…entirely unknown." Kiko began.

"Detective, if you know where your sister is, it could prove to be invaluable information."

"I do, I know where she is."

At Workshop 1H, hours had dragged on, and the students were on the brink of despair. They felt like they'd scrutinised every corner of the entire city through a myriad of surveillance cameras, yet there was still no trace of the elusive Midoriyas.

"How long have we been doing this?" Uraraka asked her screen-watching partner, Kodai.

"5 hours 13 minutes." she answered immediately.

"Uugghh," Komori let out a dramatic groan from across the room, rubbing her fatigued eyes as she sat next to Kuri, who was equally weary. "We're getting nowhere, shroom! Shoto, have you found anything, shroom?"

Todoroki remained silent, his gaze fixed on the TV screen. Momo, growing concerned, waved a hand in front of his seemingly vacant eyes. "I think he might have fallen asleep with his eyes open."

"Wow," said Mei. "That guy is weird." Then, after putting the finishing touches on the electric toupee she was fiddling with while watching, she threw up her arms exasperated. "Are we completely certain we checked EVERYWHERE Izuku and his mom could have gone? Every camera around their apartment building, everything? Even just a glance through a car window could be enough!"

Power Loader drummed his fingers against his chin, deep in thought. "Did we check inside Aldera General?" The deafening silence from the rest of the team answered his question. "You mean to tell me we've combed the entire city, and not one of us thought to check where Inko works?"

"Uh... Oops?" Mei offered with an apologetic shrug.

Exhaling with frustration, Power Loader swiftly redirected the feed to the general store and began rapidly sifting through the footage. Beside him, Kazutani suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, stop right there!" The image of a black-haired woman in a store uniform flashed on the screen. "That's her. That's Aya Matsuri."

"Are you absolutely certain? Inko mentioned a co-worker, Yumi something? Inko was upset that she was leaving to care for her mother," Power Loader mused.

Kazutani nodded with conviction. "It's the same person, everything matches. That woman is Aya Matsuri."

"Yaoyorozu," Power Loader called across the room, "Do the staff at your estate live on the premises?"

"Oh, yes, they do," the girl replied. "The workers' accommodations are at the rear of the main building."

"Whoever Matsuri was pretending to be here, she would have had to leave the store to return home. Either returning to the Yaoyorozu estate, if she was pretending to be both these people at once, or somewhere else. Everyone, check the cameras around Aldera General Store, dated around 2-3 weeks ago. We should be able to track her movements."

The crew sprang into action, with Kazutani proving to be the most invaluable member of the group, using his ability to see through her disguises. They switched between multiple cameras throughout the city, sometimes fast-forwarding to later dates. After hours of tireless work, they finally hit the jackpot. The trail led them to an unremarkable alleyway which Matsuri had visited multiple times. It was the most promising lead they had uncovered all day.

"We're here." Yuki Haro pulled the car into the alleyway and switched off the engine. Izuku and his mother both remained silent, there was an apprehensive tension to the air. "Are you still certain about this?"

"Yes, it's just…" Izuku started, hesitating for a brief moment, "I've been here before, the comic shop is just down that street. I guess I never realised what sort of things are going on right under my feet."

"I’m sorry I got the two of you involved in this." Yuki answered with a sombre expression. "High Street always advised against forming personal connections. I suppose this is the reason why." 

The alleyway was almost entirely shrouded in darkness, the only light available being the dull orange of a streetside lamppost. Inko had to cup both hands around her eyes to try and peer out of the window, but even then she was only able to make out the outline of some brickwork, and some empty coffee cups that had blown into the area.

"I hate it when you mention that horrible High Street," Inko said, still peering into the darkness. "He only told you to stay away from people so he could use you for his own agenda."

Izuku nodded in agreement, "Yeah, your old boss sounds like a dickhead. Sorry, mom."

"No, I agree, he sounds like a huge dickhead."

The banter was enough to cool the air, and Yuki smiled. Something she was getting used to doing. "Alright, let’s get going. Barbershop’s room isn’t too far into the compound. Stay behind me and stick to the shadows. We don't know if we'll run into Museum, so we have to be cautious. She may not be a trained fighter, but she can still be dangerous."

"Are you going to be alright here in the car, mom?" Izuku asked.

"Oh yes, I’ll be fine. I’ll keep the lights off and my head down. I’ve got the timer set on my watch, like you asked, Yuki."

Yuki looked at the woman with thanks in her eyes, "Good, remember what we discussed,"

"Yes," Inko replied immediately, "If you’re both gone for longer than twenty minutes, drive as far as I can. But I know that it won’t come to that. I believe in both of you." She then unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to give her son a proper hug. "Good luck, Izuku, I always knew you’d do amazing things."

"Thanks, mom," he said, returning the hug. He then took a deep breath, "Okay, Yuki, I’m ready."

Meanwhile, the Midoriya's apartment was not as vacant as they had left it. The lifeless body of Barbershop still remained in their bathtub, a detail Inko and Izuku had stored away in the depths of their minds, knowing that it would eventually need to be addressed - but that was a problem for another day. It would require a significant amount of effort, but hopefully, once everything was resolved with Yuki, they would be in a better state of mind to confront that ‘particular problem’.

However, there was always the chance that someone else would handle it.

High Street had never been to this part of the city before, and he had not been given a name corresponding to this area in weeks. The last time he had assigned Diner to a location nearby was when his quirk requested the death of Shota Aizawa - a target that had never resurfaced after that day. This was very strange, as typically a name would reappear until they were dead, but not in this case. A mystery for another day.

Right now, he was following the tracker he had placed on Barbershop. The man had not responded to any calls, and during High Street’s previous visit to The Market, he had found it empty of people. Museum was at her sister's apartment, Diner was (presumably, based on the tracker's movement) training in her safehouse, but Barbershop appeared to be motionless somewhere near Aldera.

The pieces began to come together when he finally discovered the agent, lifeless and slumped over in a bathtub, with a solitary drop of water incessantly falling on him.

"Well, that's quite unfortunate," the larger man remarked, tilting his head to the side. He proceeded to place a hand on the deceased man's shoulder, lifting him forward so that his head slumped against his knees. There, clearly visible on the neck, was the unmistakable evidence of a cutlery-based homicide. "Oh dear, dear, dear, what were you thinking, Diner?" he tutted.

High street cracked the knuckles on his left hand and wiggled his fingers. "The doctor said it could take weeks, and I don’t even know if it works on the dead… But what’s the harm in trying, eh Barbershop?" 

Leaning forward, he pressed his palm against Barbershop's forehead. A sensation of pressure built up in his hand, and he felt an urge to pull away, but he resisted. After a few minutes, the sensation subsided. His hand trembled, but he managed to clench it into a fist until he regained composure.

With purpose and a goal in mind, High Street placed his hands on the edge of the bath, and watched in fascination as the body of Barbershop bubbled, contracted into itself, and eventually, vanished.

"Sterilisation…" High Street said with a smirk. "That is going to come in useful."

Inside the base, it was as empty as Yuki had predicted. The dim light made the crumbling corridors feel even more desolate than usual. Izuku had to put his inquisitive nature aside for now, but he couldn't help but have a million questions racing through his mind. The biggest one being - how on earth was this place kept a secret? The spiral staircase they descended was tall, but the compound itself was much larger than Izuku had anticipated. It seemed to stretch under a good portion of the city. But if the base really was that size - how the hell was this base run by only four people?

"Barbershop’s room is around this corner." Yuki’s voice broke Izuku out of his thoughts. As discussed, the two of them had stuck close to the shadows and moved slowly. Luckily, neither Museum or High Street were anywhere to be found. Izuku simply nodded. The secretive nature of their entry had him reluctant to speak out loud until he got in front of a computer.

In time, the two of them stood in front of the door to the office, a seemingly ordinary looking entrance but one that came with a slight hitch. 

"It’s locked." Yuki said after trying the door handle, disappointment evident in her voice. 

"Is there no other way inside?"

She shook her head. "I was afraid this would happen. Normally, I could pick the lock, but Barbershop was not a rational man. Who knows if he boobytrapped it..." Yuki knelt down and tried to peer through the keyhole. "There's something blocking it."

Izuku bit his lip, contemplating whether or not to voice his idea.

"If there's an explosive on the other side of the door, I might be able to salvage enough-"

"I can break down the wall!" Izuku suddenly blurted out, unable to contain himself. "If the boobytrap is connected to the door, then we just won't use the door. I can break through a wall instead."

His assassin companion looked taken aback for a split second, before her expression relaxed. "The walls are steel lined, are you sure you can do it?"

"Well, not like, one hundred percent sure, or anything, but I did manage to put dents in a car, that was a few weeks ago though and I’ve gotten a lot better with my quirk since then, so if I can manifest something strong enough to cut through steel I could… Y-yes, yes. I can do it."

Izuku steeled himself for the task ahead. "I can do it." he repeated, more confident than before. Taking a step back, he focused on the wall next to the door and began to concentrate. Fists clenched together, he felt the familiar sensation of his quirk surging through his arms.

Yuki watched with interest, positioning herself to the side, ready to react if needed. Izuku had been training hard with her, but this could be the biggest test he had faced so far.

Gradually, taking the transformation slowly in order to not exhaust himself, both of Izuku’s arms formed into the shapes of large drills. They began to spin, faster and faster, loudly whirring at rapid speeds. It took all his strength to keep upright, but Izuku knew he could handle it. Pushing the drills against it, the steel wall groaned under the pressure, and cracks began to spread from the point of contact.

"Keep going, Izuku," Yuki quietly encouraged, knowing her words might not reach him over the noise, but hoping the sentiment would still get through.

Izuku pushed harder, sweat forming on his forehead as he strained against the steel. With one final burst of energy, he smashed through the wall, leaving behind a jagged hole. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, and debris scattered across the floor.

Panting heavily, Izuku fell to his knees as the transformation faded away. "That... took a lot out of me," he admitted, his breath ragged.

After a moment, Yuki knelt down to his level and placed her hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "That was... well done," she said sincerely. "Are you able to stand?"

Regaining his breath, Izuku nodded a few times. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

He would have loved a few more seconds to catch his breath, but the loud crashing sound from the entrance shattered any hopes of rest.

"Someone's here, we need to hurry," Yuki said, her eyes fixed on the source of the noise. Izuku wasted no time and rushed into the office, making a beeline for the array of computer screens at the back of the room. Yuki stayed back, ready to defend their newly created entrance.

Izuku was no stranger to security systems, thanks to Mei's influence, but this was unlike anything he had ever encountered. His fingers moved at lightning speed as he tried every hacking technique he had ever heard of. Normally, breaking into a computer would take hours, not 30 seconds like in the movies!

"We don’t have much time, Izuku." Yuki whispered out, periodically checking around the corner for their uninvited guests.

Izuku’s breath began to quicken, he was sweating, and it felt like there was a weight in his legs… He clenched his eyes tight and said to himself, "No. I’m in control here. I can handle this. I’m in control of myself, I’m in control of my quirk." Suddenly, his eyes opened and he frowned. "I’m in control of my quirk… My quirk! That’s it!"

It was a risky gambit, but he had to at least try. If he can get into this system, he could get every agent in the city to stand down. Maybe even scrub any trace of the assassin Diner. It was worth the risk.

He turned his finger into a USB drive.

"This is where the cameras pointed us," Power Loader exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the tablet in his hand. "Everyone, take a look around and see if anything jumps out at you."

The UA Heroes (currently consisting of Power Loader, Snipe, Present Mic and Midnight) began to put their training to use and got to work searching for clues. Present Mic really tried to get into the spirit of detection by peering through a big magnifying glass he brought with him. It complemented the deerstalker hat precariously perched on his hair.

"A clue!" he said, pointing into a corner.

Midnight gave him an encouraging pat on the arm. "Mic, darling, that's a cat."

"It could be a witness, you never know!"

"Aw consarn it, fellas!" Snipe said in frustration, tossing his hat to the floor. "There ain’t nothin’ here! Nothin’ ‘cept for these dang coffee cups layin’ around." In a fit of exasperation, he kicked over a cup, sending rainwater flying. Amidst the mess, Power Loader noticed something peculiar.

He knelt down and squinted at a puddle. "Hold on... There's a gap at the bottom of this wall!" His companions gathered around, and sure enough, the water was seeping into the brickwork. A hidden door!

"Incredible work, Snipe! Detective work like that really gets my heart pumping." Midnight expressed, throwing the back of her hand against her forehead in a mock swoon.

"Aw shucks, t’weren’t nothin’ Miss Midnight." He replied most modestly.

Power Loader frowned, "I mean, I was the one who-"

"SO HOW WE GETTIN’ IN?!" Present Mic interrupted, far too loudly.

Tentatively, as though the entire thing might explode in his face, Power Loader put an ear up against the wall and began to rhythmically tap his knuckles against the brickwork. Midnight watched with her hands on her mouth and chin, "Power Loader dear, are you a safecracker?!"

The support hero put on a look of utter concentration and very deliberately moved his hand to another part of the wall, and tapped again. "...Evidently not." he said, with a defeated sigh.

"Well pard, ya gave it a good ol’ try. But I reckon it might be our pal Michael’s turn to give it a whirl." Suggested Snipe. The other heroes took a few steps back and let their loud friend take the stage.

Present Mic began to massage his throat in preparation. He then licked a finger and held it up to the air. "I’m thinking… B major. OH YEAHHHHHH!!!!"

The wall in front of them suddenly exploded into pieces from the sheer power of Mic’s voice, brickwork went flying and dust swirled around like a sandstorm. But when everything settled, they could plainly see a spiral staircase leading to who knows where.

"Great work. Snipe, you take point. Whoever’s down there, we’re ready for them. Let's go rescue some Midoriyas." Power Loader instructed.

In the rush of adrenaline, Snipe, Mic, and Midnight charged into the building, ready to confront whatever danger lay ahead. But just as Power Loader was about to follow, a hand gently gripped his arm. Expecting another adversary, he turned swiftly, only to be met by the tired, tearful eyes of Inko Midoriya.

"Oh my god, Inko! Thank god, thank god…" Higari enveloped her in a tight hug, as if he never intended to let her go. "I was… I was so worried…"

"I'm safe, I'm safe, I'm okay, Higari," she reassured him, her eyes welling up with emotion. Reluctantly, she broke away from his embrace, needing to explain the situation urgently. "The woman who took us, it's not what you think. You've got to call your friends back, please. She's not dangerous, she's not."

"What do you mean?" Higari asked, confused. "She kidnapped you, Inko. We found a body at your apartment. We thought… I thought you were…"

Inko's gaze pleaded with him. "She's a good kid, Higari. Please, don't hurt her."

Searching her eyes, he saw the sincerity and fear behind her words. "Don't worry. Nothing bad will happen."

He turned to continue down the staircase, a determined expression on his face. But then, driven by a sudden surge of emotion, he stopped himself, pivoted back, and pressed his lips against hers in a kiss that conveyed all the relief and love he felt.

Inside Barbershop's cluttered office, the screens presented a chaotic jumble of blue and green lights, indecipherable text, and distorted images flickering amidst the static. Izuku strained his eyes, determined to bring order to the chaos, as he gradually reorganised the pandemonium into coherent information.

"I think… I think it’s working." Izuku said breathlessly.

Despite his exhaustion, he persisted, and the screens gradually stabilised, transforming the once-incomprehensible visuals and text into a legible format. "I'll try to... find a way to... contact the agents..."

"Izuku, this is too much for you, please-" Yuki began to voice her concerns, but he interrupted her with a determined tone.

"No! Hng- I can, I can do this…" He clenched his eyes shut once more, and the images on the screens shifted. This time, they displayed a list of headshots and corresponding names. High Street stood at the top, followed by Museum, Barbershop, and Diner.

Yuki moved closer, her eyes fixed on the screen as it scrolled slowly.

"Bank, deceased. Garage, deceased. Bakery, deceased. Blacksmith, Hospital, Observatory, Tailor, Theater… They’re… They’re all dead."

"I found the varmint!" A voice called out from behind her, but she didn’t try to escape. Or even move. As Snipe pulled her arms behind her back and cuffed them, her attention was fixated on the name and image at the very bottom of the list.

High Street - Deceased. Next to an image that made her brain ache. He was something to her. He meant something to her. But what?! Yuki clenched her eyes tight as she fell to her knees.

Midnight entered the room closely behind, her eyes widening in shock as she spotted Izuku, pale as a ghost and leaning against the computer tower. "Oh my god," she exclaimed, rushing to his side. "He needs a doctor, now!" She shouted over her shoulder.

Izuku's eyes blinked rapidly, and his USB finger slipped out of the socket, causing the computers to power down. "We have to get him out of here, now!"

With a sense of urgency, Midnight picked up Izuku and prepared to make a run for the exit. However, someone unexpected stood in her path.

"Don't worry, Midnight. I shall get young Midoriya to the hospital, for I am here!" The number one hero declared. He cradled the boy in his arms, swiftly moving towards the exit. "His mother is waiting outside; please keep her abreast of the situation!"

The entire situation was so intense that Midnight couldn't even muster a joke about the word "abreast." She nodded in agreement and watched as All Might disappeared in a flash, taking Izuku with him

Izuku Midoriya awoke in a white void.

Chapter Text

Three days had passed since the events in The Market, and Izuku Midoriya still hadn’t woken up. All Might managed to push through the limits of his quirk, getting the boy into Musutafu General Hospital with little time to spare. He reverted back to his Yagi form mere minutes after passing Izuku to the doctors and making a hasty exit - mumbling something about "crime never sleeping" before vanishing into the night.

With multiple wires attached to his head and a big fat question mark surrounding the USB drive on his finger, the only sign of movement coming from Izuku was the slow, steady breathing, and the rapid eye movement. The medical team was baffled, his brain activity was off the charts, but he was completely unresponsive to external stimuli. Musutafu General’s resident quirk specialist had never come across a quirk like this before, and was equally as lost. According to Inko, he’d never kept a transformation up for this long before - and nobody could figure out how or why. There was talk floating around of using Eraserhead to cancel the quirk, but the idea was shot down for being too dangerous.

For the time being, in his hospital bed he remained, but he had rarely been alone the past couple of days.

Mei, sitting on a chair next to the bed, pulled out some papers from her bag and started chatting. "So, Power Loader had us choose our internship preferences today," she began. "You should have seen the stack of offers Miki got, it was insane! I heard she's going to join Best Jeanist's support department. Can't blame her, working with a top 5 hero... Oh, and guess what? I'm going with Snipe! He was really impressed with the ammo I created for the festival. Well, he actually said," she paused, affecting a drawl and winking one eye, "‘Reckon ya could teach this old cowpoke a few tricks, lil missy. There’s a saddle with your name on it down at mah ranch"

She laughed, "Genuinely, that’s what he wrote on the form! You got some offers too, by the way." Mei continued, holding up the papers. "I'll leave them on the table for when you wake up. There are some good names in there, like Punchgate, Yoroi-Musha, Edgeshot, Backdraft, and someone called Nighteye? Power Loader seemed really impressed by that one." Mei scratched her cheek thoughtfully.

"I'm going to stay in Musutafu for my internship, so I really hope you get to as well. It'll be great to hang out again without all this weirdness," she said, patting Izuku's hand before letting out a sigh.

Just as Mei finished speaking, a kind looking nurse entered the room, a gentle smile on her face. "I'm sorry, but we need to run some tests on our patient, so we'll have to ask you to leave for a while."

Mei looked disappointed, but understood."O-oh, I see, alright then, I’ll come back tomorrow." She said, giving Izuku’s hand a squeeze. "Take care, Izuku."

The nurse nodded appreciatively and turned to leave the room, but before doing so, she added, "Thank you for keeping him company. I’m sure it means the world to him."

With that, Mei gathered her things and said goodbye. As the door closed behind her, the room fell into silence, the only sound being Izuku’s steady breathing and the increasingly erratic beeping of the monitors.

"MEI! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

Izuku cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled as loud as he could, but it was no use, nobody could hear him from wherever he was. It was as if he was trapped in a dimension comprised of nothingness, completely disconnected from the outside world. He could hear Mei’s voice like a loudspeaker, but no matter how loud he shouted, the sound never reached her.

In his hospital bed, his eyes flicked back and forth erratically.

At the Musutafu precinct, a middle-aged man prepared to press the record button on the device in front of him. The room, a stark contrast to the lively city outside, was cold and barren, devoid of any decoration. A metal table and three chairs were the only furniture in the room. On one side of the table sat Tsukauchi, flanked by his partner, the cat-like Detective Sansa. Across from them, the woman at the centre of their investigation.

With a satisfying click, Tsukauchi began the recording. "The current time is 7:15pm. This is Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi conducting an interview with the prime suspect in the abduction of Izuku Midoriya and Inko Midoriya. Detective Sansa is also present. I understand you’re waiving your right to have a lawyer present?" He spoke in a calm, professional tone, his eyes never leaving the woman across from him.

"That’s correct." She replied, maintaining direct eye contact and unblinking. This was a woman adept at lying, and having you believe every word.

"Could you state your name for the record?"

"Diner."

"Do you wish to be referred to using a pseudonym under the Secret Identity Protection Act, or do you wish to use your legal name?" Tsukauchi asked.

She hesitated for a moment, before deciding, "My name is Yuki Haro."

Detective Sansa picked up his notepad, and asked, "Is Yuki Haro your preferred name?"

"Yes."

"Alright then," Tsukauchi said, taking a sip of his water. "The name Yuki Haro will be accepted for this interview. Miss Haro, what was the extent of your relationship with the Midoriya family?"

"I have no relationship with the Midoriya family. This was all a misunderstanding," Yuki lied, her voice smooth.

"Interesting," Detective Sansa commented, tapping his pencil on his notebook as he studied the CCTV printouts on the desk. "According to these files, it appears you had a rather close working relationship with Inko Midoriya at the general store." He gestured towards the images, his eyes flicking between them and Yuki.

Yuki cast a glance at the photos, her stoic facade straining under the weight of her secret. "...Colleagues, nothing more," she replied, her voice steady despite the internal turmoil.

Tsukauchi kept up his piercing eye contact, some said he didn’t even need to use his quirk to tell when someone was lying anymore. "Miss Haro, are you aware of my quirk? It seems to work in a similar way to the one you included on your application form for Aldera General. Unfortunately, my own lie detector doesn't work on written information so I'll have to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak. Is your quirk Tactile Polygraph?"

"Yes." She responded simply.

The detective let out the smallest sigh of breath, and blinked his eyes slowly. "Would you be willing to tell me what your quirk actually is? Now would be a good time to remind you that lying or omitting truths is not going to help you in the long run."

"My quirk is… Tablesetter. It gives me psychokinetic control of cutlery. Forks. Spoons."

"Knives?" Sansa narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. But only tableware. Not weaponry."

Tsukauchi steered the conversation down a more ominous path, now that they had established the futility of a lie. "Why did you kidnap the Midoriyas?"

"It wasn’t a kidnapping," she corrected him.

"Apologies. Why did you relocate the Midoriyas?"

"As I said, this was all a misunderstanding. The Midoriyas have nothing to do with this," she insisted, her voice wavering slightly.

"Well for their sake, I hope that’s true." Sansa interjected, "The base we found you in was filled to the brim with weapons, counterfeit IDs, falsified quirk registry information. The computers in the room were all completely wiped, following whatever it was Mr Midoriya did to them. We can only assume he was part of this and will probably be taken into custody. The mother too, most likely."

"No, please… Izuku and Inko have nothing to do with that place. They’re completely uninvolved."

"Izuku and Inko? On a first name basis." Tsukauchi said, taking note of her familiarity with the family. "It seems we’re getting somewhere, so if you’ll indulge me - What was the extent of your relationship to the family?"

Yuki paused for a moment, and relented. "We are… were, friends. I was invited to their house for a meal. I had come to work with a head injury and Ms Midoriya insisted I join them for dinner. I became closer to the family following that evening."

"A head injury?"

"I told Ms Midoriya it was from an accident at a self defence class."

"And what was the truth?"

"I… I injured myself while attempting to kill Shota Aizawa."

The room grew silent, the weight of her confession hanging heavy in the air. Tsukauchi and Sansa exchanged a glance, the tension in the room palpable.

"The forks found at UA, that was you?" Tsukauchi asked.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Well, that’s one mystery solved. Sansa, could you add that to the report? Thank you." He then circled back to their previous topic, Miss Haro seemed more willing to divulge her secrets now. "Why did you relocate the Midoriyas?"

"I was protecting them. They were being targeted by killers."

Tsukauchi’s brow furrowed, his mind piecing together the puzzle. "Killers, presumably the same ones who sent you after Aizawa?"

"No, not exactly." Yuki replied, with a soft shake of the head. "I’m not sure if he was involved. I overheard a conversation, but the man who ordered me to kill Aizawa wasn’t in attendance. Regardless, they never accomplished their goal."

"I take it you ‘put a stop to them’?" Tsukauchi asked.

The reply was a measured and firm,"Yes."

The detective’s voice turned stern. "Miss Haro, you’re aware you’ve essentially admitted to one murder and one attempted murder so far?"

"I’m aware. I need you to understand that the Midoriyas had no part in my actions." She said sincerely and calmly, leaning forward slightly in her chair to better show her eyes.

"Very well." He sighed, "Who was involved in the conversation you overheard?"

Yuki’s eyes searched the room, her words chosen carefully. "I don't know their real names, I know them as Museum and Barbershop. I killed Barbershop."

"Diner, Museum, Barbershop," Detective Sansa said, writing the names down on his notepad. "Your codenames are all businesses?"

"Yes. It’s a naming convention The Market is quite fond of."

"The Market, I see," Tsukauchi mused. "And the man who sent you to attack Aizawa, what was his name?"

"...Is his name necessary for your investigation?"

"I'm afraid it is," Tsukauchi replied. "Take all the time you need, Miss Haro. If you require protection, we can provide it."

A sense of unease settled in the room as Yuki pondered her decision. "I'm not certain you can, Detective… I know him by the name High Street."

Tsukauchi’s pencil snapped in his hand. "For the record, can you confirm that name?"

"High Street."

Tsukauchi sighed heavily and leaned over to turn off the recording device. "Detective Sansa, could you give us the room, please?"

Within the white void of his own mind, Izuku Midoriya sat cross-legged, and thought.

"Okay." He said to himself. "Five things I can see. Nothing. Nothing. …Oh! Myself! Nothing, and nothing. Alright, not off to a great start."

He stood up from the floor and began to walk. Or, he assumed he was walking, nothing seemed to be getting closer or further away. "Four things I can hear. My own voice, that's good. I can hear the doctors sometimes. I heard Mei earlier, and I heard my mom. That's not bad, actually."

"Three things I can smell? Hm, mint? I hope that isn't one of those things you smell when you're having an aneurysm…" he grabbed the bottom of his shirt and lifted it to his nose, "Mm, nothing. We'll skip smells."

"Two things I can feel. I can still feel my clothes, so that's good. Even with nobody here it would be awkward being nude. And I can feel a floor under me, another good sign." He lightly tapped his foot on the ground.

"And one thing I can taste. …My own mouth. Gross, when was the last time I brushed?" He said, rubbing his tongue across his teeth. "Alrighty, successfully grounded in the moment. Next order of business, WHERE THE HELL AM I?!" AM I AM I am I… The shout echoed across the empty space as he threw his arms into the air.

"You're inside your own mind, dummy." He heard a girl’s voice say next to him.

"Hm I thought so, it makes sense, considering what I've observed so far." He scratched his chin in thought, then did a double take. "M-Mei?!"

"Took you long enough, dude. I've been standing here for like eight minutes."

Izuku squinted at her like an interrogator, then shook his head. "Nah. You're not Mei, are you?"

"You got me," the vision put her hands up in defeat. "Thought it might be easier to appear to you as someone you know best." ‘Mei’ then abruptly shifted into a ball of light, hovering a few feet off the ground.

"So, who are you then?" Izuku put a hand out near the ball of light, and felt the aura shift near where his fingers were. "Manifestation of my subconscious? A hallucination? …Gas?"

"You can figure it out." The orb said, in a voice with a slight reverb.

Izuku frowned, then widened his eyes. "What?! Nooo, there’s no way! …Mechanize?! My quirk is sentient!? I mean I had my suspicions, with all those subconscious transformations, but to actually communicate like this with a sentient quirk is unprecedented! This could be a major breakthrough for every field of quirk science, they’ll write papers on me! Oh, God. They’re going to write papers on me."

"Woah there my boy," The orb said, morphing into another familiar form. "I’m not a sentient quirk, Young Midoriya. Or, not entirely. Uh… I think." The form of All Might scratched the back of his head and smiled.

"So not sentient, but a reasonable facsimile of sentience… Advanced artificial intelligence?"

"Now you’re getting it!" ‘All Might’ said with a thumbs up. "When you used the programs you built on that freaky-deeky thumb drive, your quirk - me - got all tangled up with the files on that computer system!"

Blinking a few times in shock, Izuku tried to take stock of everything that had been revealed. "The programs I built? Oh… Wow, it actually worked? It was just a hypothesis and I didn’t really have time to figure things out, but I really, honestly, created computer programs by THINKING ABOUT IT?!" He yelled, with an ecstatic grin on his face. "Holy SHIT! They really ARE going to write papers about me!"

"You’ll have to get out of here first, kid." A new voice, Power Loader’s. "But yeah, they’re probably gonna write a paper on you."

"But how am I supposed to do that?"

"Beats me, I only know everything you know. But from what I figure, the issue here is that all your files are out of whack." Power Loader mused.

Izuku bit the corner of his lip and thought, "Like they’re corrupted? Alright, if I’m inside my own mind there’s no reason I can’t access some of those files, right?" Concentrating, Izuku held out a hand and thought long and hard about what he needed, the same way he would when using his quirk in the real world. With a sudden slamming noise, a filing cabinet landed in front of him. "Woah!"

Scrambling on to his hands and knees, he pulled out the bottom drawer. And pulled. And pulled some more. By the end, the drawer was at least 30 feet long, filled to the brim with files, starting with one titled "Izuku: Age 4"

Curiosity getting the best of him, he pulled the folder out and opened it to find some black and white photographs. "It’s my visit to the specialist, the day they told me my quirk was green hair… it seems so long ago…"

He snapped out of his nostalgia when he heard Power Loader’s voice again. "Hey, kid, you don’t have time to stroll down memory lane, you need to find the files causing the problem and fix them. Look for anything that seems out of place."

"How am I supposed to know what’s out of place, though?" Izuku said, sitting on the floor and leaning up against the filing cabinet. "There must be thousands of files here, there’s no possible way I could do this on my own!"

"Then don’t do it on your own, I’m here, aren’t I?"

"That’s the thing though, you’re not. Not really. If I was a computer I’d just back up the files I wanted to keep, and…" He suddenly spaced out.

"And what?"

"And reboot the computer!" Izuku said, standing.

Power Loader tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, "That’s pretty risky, kid."

"I don’t really think I have much choice, but I’ll need some outside help. Okay, Mechanize, let’s see what else I can do from in here." He wiggled his fingers, then dramatically raised his hands as though he were commanding the very earth. Rising from the ground came an array of monitors and keyboards. "First I need some visuals."

In the real world, the comatose Midoriya’s eyes opened a fraction of an inch, barely noticeable outside of the rapid eye movement he’d been showcasing all this time, but enough for the Izuku in his mind to see the hospital room.

"Damn, there’s nobody here yet. No matter, gives me time to experiment." He searched around the room, at least what he could see, and his eyes fixated on the monitor following his brain patterns, barely visible from this angle.

The manifestation of his quirk, now taking the form of his classmate, Kazutani, leaned over and looked at the screen with him. "What are you planning, Izuku?"

Keeping a close eye on the monitor, Izuku tried to turn a finger into a screwdriver. There was no change, but Kazutani glowed faintly, and the monitor beeped.

Izuku smiled. "I hope I still remember how to do morse code."

"Oh, hello again, young lady." The attending nurse smiled at Mei as she stepped off the elevator. "You’re his first visitor for the day, bright and early I see. No school today?"

"Hi again, Nurse! Yeah I’ve got school, my teacher’s letting me have a half day though, so figured I’d come see Izuku. Is he doing any better?" She asked hopefully.

"I’m sure he will be when he hears your voice again, dear." The nurse replied, signing the visitor’s book for her as Mei headed down the hallway to Izuku.

Mei opened the door and immediately dumped her backpack on the far chair, and sat down next to the bed. "Hey Izuku! Me again, how’re you holding up? I’m great Mei, thanks for asking, you’re the smartest person in the world! Oh shut up, you, I know that." 

The beeping sound of the monitor seemed much worse than usual.

"Huh, should I call someone over?"

("Come on, Mei! You can do it! Figure it out!")

Be-be-be-beep-beep-beep-be-be-be

Mei pulled her goggles down over her eyes out of habit, as her brain kicked into overdrive.

Be-be-be beep-beep-beep be-be-be

"Wait a minute… That’s SOS…"

("Yes Mei! I knew you’d get it!!")

She pulled a notebook and pen out of her inside pocket and ran over to the monitor

Be-be-be beep be-be-beep…

"S…T…U…C…K"

Be-be beep-be…

"I…N"

Beep-beep be-be….

"M…I…N…D. Stuck in mind? Stuck in- STUCK IN MIND?! Izuku?!" Mei ran over to the bedside of her best friend, and stuck her face in his. "Are you in there?!"

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP

Chapter Text

"And that should just… about… do it." With a final twist of his screwdriver, Power Loader emerged from behind the hospital equipment and took a step back to check his handiwork. "Try that out, Izuku."

The equipment crackled and buzzed momentarily, before a slightly emotionless voice broke through. It sounded absolutely nothing like Izuku. "-est, test, one two three. It worked. Thank you."

Dusting his hands off, Power Loader casually stuck the screwdriver in his back pocket. "No worries, it was all Yamashita’s idea," he said, gesturing toward the student joining him in the room.

The girl in question gave a nonchalant half-shrug. "Pretty simple invention, morse code to speech translation. It should make it easier for you to communicate while you’re in there."

Izuku’s hospital room was the most crowded it had been since he was admitted. In addition to Power Loader, there was Inko, Mei, Yamashita (who Mei had invited as the "best engineer in class, after me, obviously"), and Hana, who insisted on joining them once she heard that Izuku was communicating again. Kazutani and Kuri had also wanted to come, but Kuri was finalising paperwork with Vlad King, and Kazutani was travelling to Best Jeanist’s agency for the start of his internship.

"Thank you so much for getting that set up," Inko said with a smile towards the support students. "We really appreciate it. And it’s nice to meet you properly for the first time! Izuku has told me a lot about you both,"

"He has? What did he say?!" Hana asked with a grin.

"Oh he’s always talking about how clever the both of you are. You know he has a whole page in his notebook about you, Hana,"

The robotic voice came through the monitors once more, "Mom. Please. You are embarrassing me."

Inko rolled her eyes, as Maijima placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe we should work on getting Izuku back to us, before you embarrass the poor boy to death. Where do we stand right now, Izuku? Talk us through it."

Within his mindscape, where he had successfully conjured a very fancy looking computer chair, Izuku rhythmically tried to manifest a pair of pliers on his hand. Each time he did, he formed words in morse.

"From what I understand, when I interfaced with the computer inside that base, I basically downloaded too much. The files inside my mind have gotten cluttered, so now I think I got put into a kind of safe mode." It was the best explanation he could think of, but he knew that anything he couldn’t figure out, one of his friends would definitely have an idea.

Hana scratched her nose, "Can’t you like, declutter the files? Grab all the new ones and throw them in the recycling bin?" She glanced back and forth between Izuku on the bed, and the monitor, not sure who she should be addressing. "Do you have a recycling bin in there?"

"Sort of." Izuku answered. The robotic voice didn’t properly convey just how unsure he sounded about it. "I can make the files disappear, but there are too many of them. Way too many. It would take me ages to sort them out and check everything, and I don’t know what I might lose in the process."

Despite the emotionless voice they were hearing, somehow Inko astutely picked up on how worried he was. "We’re going to figure this out for you, alright, Izuku? I may not know a lot about technology, but I do know we’ve got some of the smartest people in the world with you in this room right now."

"Hell yeah we do!" Mei shouted, a little too enthusiastically. "The Save Izuku Midoriya’s Brain Brigade is willing to break international law if we have to!"

"Some international law." Power Loader corrected. 

Taking a deep breath inside his mind, (was he actually taking a deep breath? How much of what he did inside here actually affected his body? A question for later.) Izuku decided to relay his plan to the rest of the team. "I do kind of have an idea. But it’s risky. It’s very very risky."

The crew stayed quiet for a moment, waiting for him to finish tapping out his message.

"We need to reboot the computer. You need to cut off the data flow to my brain."

Suddenly, the room exploded into noises of disagreement. 

"No way, Izuku! We don’t know what that will do to you!" 

"We’re not going to risk your life!" 

"What if you lose everything that makes you you?!" 

But Izuku didn’t give up. "I don’t think there is another option, a complete system restart will clear all the unwanted files. Right now all the new data inside me has no place to go, and if we don’t act fast it will be too hard to get rid of everything. They’re already storing themselves next to my original memories, if we’re not careful they could start overwriting them instead."

"But, what if…" Yamashita began, with a thoughtful look on her face. "What if there was a way to send all the new files, every single one, somewhere else? All at once?"

"I thought about that, but I don’t know how. It’s not like I have a search engine in here or anything. Even if I knew the file types, I can’t access everything at once."

Mei’s eyes sparkled the way they always did when she was having a brain wave. "You might not have a search engine in there, but there’s one out here! We don’t need to know all the file types, Izuku. We just need to know yours."

Power Loader, on the other hand, seemed unconvinced. "What are you thinking, Hatsume?"

"Okay, stop me if this starts sounding crazy… Like Miki said, we take Izuku’s files, and put them somewhere else."

"You sound crazy!" Hana shouted.

Mei shook her arms and tried her best to explain, "We put them somewhere else where we can properly access them! Then we get rid of all the junk, and re-upload the good stuff back into him!"

"You still sound crazy!" Hana repeated.

Yamashita pondered the idea for a moment, "No, I think Mei might have the right idea."

"SHE DOES?!" "I DO?!" Everyone else responded.

"Yeah, I think so… But we’d need something that acted enough like a human mind that the files would be able to interface correctly. It’d help if it was something personally connected to Izuku, as well. If we were still able to communicate with the parts of him that were sent across, that would be perfect… but what…?"

Mei stroked her chin and hummed. "So we need something with a lot of storage,"

"Something that can think like a human," Hana continued.

"Something that Izuku cares about," Added Power Loader.

"And something that can communicate with us…?" Inko concluded.

The group was silent for a moment, before they all pointed a finger in the air and shouted.

"THE LITTLE ROBOT DEKU!"

Principal Nezu, who had a big ‘Welcome to Heroics’ badge on his chest, happily rubbed his paws together as he watched the student in front of him complete the paperwork. "That’s all done, Mr Kuri! I’m always delighted to see a beloved student get the chance to follow their dreams."

His black eyes sparkling in the light, Kuri smiled as wide as he could. For the time being, it was only on a trial period - but as far as the chestnut boy was concerned, he had made it. On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, he was officially a hero student in class 1B. Or at least, he will be, after internships. Regardless of when it was happening, the important part was that it’s actually happening. Kuri was positively gleeful, and he had only retreated into his chestnut shell once that whole day - when he was startled by a particularly aggressive crow.

"This means the world to me, sir" Kuri choked out, wiping a tear away.

"And giving you this opportunity means the world to me. Oh ho ho, how I do love to say dramatic things when afforded the chance!" Nezu chortled, before he was cut off by the ringing of his telephone. With surprising agility, the bearmousepossum kicked the vibrating receiver into the air and caught it between his head and shoulder. Kuri couldn’t help noticing it was nowhere near his ear, but he’d seen far stranger things at this school.

"Ahoyhoy! Ah, Maijima, what fortuitous timing, we just finalised the documentation for Mr Kuri." Nezu directed his attention to the student momentarily, "Power Loader extends his regards," before returning to the call. "Hm? Why yes, Deku is all juiced up and raring to go, as the kids say. I’m sure they’ll be quite thrilled to hear they’re needed! What precisely do you intend to do?"

Nezu rubbed his chin and interjected occasionally as the teacher outlined their plans.

"I see, I see, oh my! Quite ingenious, but also one of the wackiest hare-brained schemes I’ve ever heard. Of course I’ll help! One doesn’t always get the opportunity to download a brain into a robot!"

At these words, Kuri spat tea all over the desk.

Passing the boy a handkerchief, Nezu continued. "I must confess I’ve been doing some tinkering of my own, so yes, Deku’s storage capacity has been upgraded quite a substantial amount since the staff took such a shine to them. …Around 3 petabytes." He pulled the phone away from his head as Maijima shouted down it in shock. "I trust that will be enough for your needs? Spectacular! I shall meet with you post-haste. Ah, but…before doing so, would you be so kind as to loop Recovery Girl in on this? I fear not doing so could have…disastrous consequences. For the whole of Japan."  He finished on a sombre note, before immediately perking back up again. "Toodles!"

"Absolutely not! That’s the most insane idea I’ve ever heard! It’s unethical, dangerous and potentially irreversible!" Recovery Girl, unsurprisingly, did not take kindly to the news. It didn’t take long for Maijima to see what Nezu meant by the whole of Japan being in danger of the little old woman. 

In the hospital parking lot, Power Loader rubbed his neck and moved the phone away from his ear until the screaming stopped. "Chiyo, Chiyo listen. We have no other choices right now, and the situation could get worse if we delay."

"So, you're pinning all your hopes on an idea concocted by a group of first-year students?! How long have you even been teaching them?! Three months?!" She retorted. In the background of the call, the cry of a baby could be heard. "Now you've done it, you woke up the baby!"

"Don't blame the students, Chiyo. I stand by them, and trust me, they're not stupid. The theory is solid, and they genuinely have his best interests at heart. This isn't just a reckless gamble; they're intelligent , Chiyo. More intelligent than we often give them credit for."

Recovery Girl picked up her cane, walked over to her granddaughter, and tried to soothe her as she continued the conversation. "I'm not questioning your students' capabilities, Higari. My concern lies in the uncharted territory this 'experiment' is venturing into. And before you say anything, yes, this is an experiment. There’s nothing we can even compare this to!"

"There’s a possibility this could work. Right now a possibility is the best we have. Midoriya’s quirk is far more complex than we ever accounted for, and he’s scared, Chiyo. He’s putting on a brave face, but I can tell." Power Loader sighed, "If anything starts to go wrong, we’ll stop the project immediately and try something else. But that’s why we need you here. I promise to let you have full authority over if and when we cease operations. The moment anything seems off, step in. Please, Recovery Girl."

"...I don’t like this, Higari. I don’t like this at all. But… I can see you’re all determined to see this through." The sounds of the baby crying dissipated, "I can tell how much you care for your students, and I know you wouldn’t put them in harm's way for no reason… So I’ll let you do this. However!" she ignored the impassioned thank yous on the other end of the line "However, I’ll be there every step of the way, monitoring his vital signs, brain activity and emotional state. And we’ll be performing the operation in my laboratory, I’ll have the hospital transport the patient and equipment immediately. I hope you know what you’re doing, Higari. For his sake." And with that, she hung up the phone.

Less than an hour later, Izuku lay prone on an operating table in Recovery Girl’s Laboratory. The small but well-equipped room was filled with various medical devices, monitors and machines. It was a mystery to pretty much everyone but her what most of them actually did. In a corner, a computer terminal sat, connected to the UA network. Power Loader, in surgical scrubs at Recovery Girl’s insistence, carefully plugged a usb connection cable to Izuku’s still-transformed finger.

On the other side of glass, the rest of the Save Midoriya’s Brain Brigade watched with bated breath. It was taking everything in Mei’s power not to insist she join them, but opted instead to force Power Loader to read, memorise and recite all the notes she and Yamashita concocted on the car ride over. All 15 pages worth. Yamashita would possibly have been the most nervous person in the room, since she had so much say in this crazy idea, if it weren’t for Inko and Hana.

Akari Hana looked like she was about to tremble out of her shoes, and was keeping a tight grip on Inko’s hand as they watched through the glass. Nobody was sure who initiated that hand-holding. In fact, Hana was a little surprised at herself by how much she hoped this operation was a success. Izuku had been so nice to her, ever since their first day of school, even though she’d made a complete fool of herself asking him what his green hair could ‘do’. She’d meant it as a joke, but realised much later how insensitive it sounded, and since then had struggled to find the right opportunity to apologise. It was just so hard to find the right words, too. Hana could win an olympic gold medal in talking, but sincerity was a little more difficult for her. If… When he gets out of this, she promised she’d say sorry. She promised she’d try to spend a lot more time with him, actually. Izuku was brave, smart, always willing to help others, and…oh. She liked Izuku, didn’t she?

Inko felt the hand squeeze a little tighter, and reciprocated. Though Inko gave a reassuring smile towards the girl, Hana’s eyes never strayed from the operating table.

"Okay chief, let's get this party started!" Deku relaxed on a smaller table to the right of Izuku, their antenna detached and exposing their hidden usb port. Power Loader gently inserted the other end of the cable into the port, after flipping it over twice. He always struggled with that part.

"We’ll be beginning the transfer procedures as soon as Midoriya is ready." Maijima said with a serious tone. Over by Izuku’s table, Recovery Girl reluctantly strapped the boy’s arms and legs down on the table. A necessary precaution, but not one that made her feel particularly good about herself.

Within his mindscape, Izuku steadied himself. It was now or never. "Alright," he tapped out, "I'm ready. Start the transfer."

Power Loader flicked the switch on the side of Deku's head. Instantly, the LED light in the small robot's eyes dimmed, and they slumped onto the table. Panic filled his eyes as he sought confirmation from Recovery Girl. Fortunately, she nodded.

"Monitors are stable, lifesigns are good. Midoriya, are you still able to communicate?"

For an agonising few seconds, the monitors remained silent. Then, the robotic voice returned. "Yes. Slow. Tired."

"That's okay. Don't push yourself; just relax," reassured Recovery Girl. "I believe the transfer has begun, Higari."

Power Loader took a shallow breath. "Then I suppose we just have to…wait?"

"Ohhh boy, that's a weird feeling." Izuku shut his eyes and reclined in his chair, as if he had just taken a ride on a hundred roller coasters, the sensation felt like all the blood had drained from his head. "I sure hope this works. Although, not a terrible way to go, right? Surrounded by friends and family, everyone doing their best to save you?"

"Not bad at all," Mechanize replied, now taking the form of Inko Midoriya.

Struggling to turn his head, Izuku managed to look at his 'mother.' "Thanks, by the way. For letting my mom be here. Sort of. Heh." He coughed. "Okay, something is definitely happening now..."

In the distance, white cubes emerged from the floor of his mind, diminishing and vanishing. Slowly, the white void gave way to black, encroaching closer and closer toward the pair. When it reached its closest point, Mechanize leaned over and said, "I'll keep the place warm until you get back."

And then Izuku saw nothing.

Chapter Text

The Musutafu police station lay emptier than usual that morning. With Tsukauchi’s return to the precinct also came a speedy (but no less thorough) vetting and interior investigation of all officers. It was found that, due to the lack of any proper supervision, the majority of the police force had been cutting corners, delegating to inexperienced co-workers, falsifying reports or abandoning case files for the smallest of reasons. With some explanation from Nezu and Aizawa, the bug planted on a detective’s computer seemed far less alarming, but the fact remained it should have been noticed immediately. With a heavy heart, he had no choice but to suspend a large portion of his force. For the next few days, the Musutafu Precinct would be working with a skeleton crew.

Inside a conference room, ex-market member Yuki Haro sat at a simple metal desk, to which she was handcuffed. Detective Tsukauchi slid a worn, dogeared beige folder across the table. "This is everything I've managed to gather about High Street over the years," he declared, flipping it open to reveal a paperclipped note found on a body, a handful of seemingly unrelated newspaper articles, and a red circle on a city map.

Yuki leaned over and scrutinised the details, before meeting his gaze across the desk. "There is nothing here."

Tsukauchi sighed. "It's all I could ever find. Most people refuse to believe in The Market, and given the lack of information, I'd be sceptical too."

"Then may I ask, why aren't you?"

Detective Tsukauchi leaned back, a contemplative look on his face. "I suppose there's no harm in telling you a little story. When I was younger, fresh out of the academy, I was assigned to work security detail for a visiting foreign dignitary. Some HPSC meeting with their European counterpart, it's not important. But it just so happened this took place the same day All Might was returning from America."

He casually propped a leg up over his knee, settling into the tale. "As you can imagine, the airport was in utter chaos. The crowd there for All Might was out of control, and most of my force was split between the job we were there for and calming down this growing issue. Unfortunately, others were taking advantage of the situation too... It shames me to admit, if that dying man hadn't literally fallen into my arms, I wouldn't have noticed him either."

Frowning slightly, Yuki remained silent, urging him to continue.

Tsukauchi went on, "Lie Detector isn't infallible, it only accepts as truth what people genuinely believe to be true. If I were to ask a deeply religious person for the one true faith, whatever they said would likely register as true. Over time, I've learned to recognize the signs of when someone is genuinely telling the truth or merely expressing their perception of the truth. Back then, I hadn't mastered that skill. So, when this man, a pale figure, grabbed my shoulders and claimed, ‘The Market did this. High Street did this.’ despite my quirk screaming at me… I didn't believe him."

There was silence for a beat, before Yuki asked, "What changed your mind?"

"Well, the man died shortly after that. I filed my report, including what he said to me. Initially, I assumed he was delirious. The cause of death was attributed to extreme heat stroke, after all. Maybe he was blaming his demise on the rise of the free market, I wasn’t sure. But when we found out who the victim was, things began to seem far more sinister."

"Who?"

"He was an HPSC board member, a silent partner. The foreign dignitary I mentioned before was visiting the country to discuss new proposals for the Secret Identity Protection Act. Our mysterious man was to be a deciding vote. If he had made it to the meeting, SIPA likely wouldn’t have passed. The vote was tied 50/50, and the deciding choice fell to the then-current head of the HPSC. The rest is history."

Yuki drummed her fingers on the desk rhythmically once. "The Secret Identity Act was a useful tool for The Market. Supplies that came to our headquarters could be purchased under secret identities, it was especially useful for falsifying quirk registries. The legal protections for identities made it so most people accept a name at face value, just to avoid any ramifications for challenging it."

Nodding once, Tsukauchi agreed. "It took a few months before we saw it become an issue for police work, but eventually, villains began to use the protections for their own ends. Mr. Compress vs. The City of Musutafu was national headlines. This man’s death was far, far too useful for the criminal underworld."

Barely managing with her restrained hands, Yuki flipped open the folder once again and tapped twice on the note. "The Market doesn't typically leave messages for each other, it's reckless and arrogant. But this one was from within our ranks."

Lie Detector indicated that this was indeed the truth, prompting the detective to press for more details. "How can you be so certain?"

"In the past, The Market devised a standardised handwriting system. I was trained in it as a child before Barbershop digitised our entire operation. It's intentionally generic, a blend of the most commonly used handwriting elements. However, it's easily recognizable among members of The Market."

Confirmation at long last. "Do you recognise the name? Bistro?"

"No. I've never heard that name used, not even in passing. I believe..." Yuki took a breath. "I believe they are dead."

"What makes you say that?"

"They all are, Detective. The information found by the Midoriyas and myself inside the base confirmed it. High Street, Museum, and I are the only ones left. Everyone else is gone."

Tsukauchi blinked, holding his eyes shut for a moment longer than usual. When he opened them again and planted both feet on the floor, he spoke, "High Street killed them. But for what purpose?"

"High Street taught me that The Market's work was for the betterment of society. He believed that the lives we took would pave the way for a golden age of prosperity for all," Yuki said, bitterness lacing her words. "The man has a distinct vision for the future. You have to understand, Detective. It's not a future he thinks could happen. It's one he believes he must make happen."

Tsukauchi frowned, probing further, "Do you believe in his vision of the future?"

Her scowl deepened. "Not anymore."

"Miss Haro," Tsukauchi laced his fingers together and leaned back in his chair, "Do you regret the crimes you committed?"

Looking down at the folder in front of her, and the cuffs on her hands, Yuki replied evenly, "I am… Unsure."

"Oh?"

"The deaths I caused did have positive consequences. I killed corrupt landlords, politicians. Took the lives of people who had done far worse than I ever have. Criminal empires crumbled before they ever got the chance to begin, thanks to the efforts of The Market."

Tsukauchi lifted an eyebrow, "You don’t sound unsure."

"But I committed those murders without hesitation. I never checked if what I was doing was… Was the right thing. I was told so, and obeyed without question. For nearly two decades of my life I have not been a person. I was a blunt instrument. If not for the Midoriyas I probably would have remained that way."

Looking at her with quiet sympathy, Tsukauchi asked, "If I were to release you from custody right this moment, what would you do? And remember, I’ll know if you’re lying."

Yuki breathed in and thought about her answer. "I would find High Street, and find out why he made me a killer."

"And then?"

"...I would kill him."

Tsukauchi smiled grimly. "You know I can’t allow that to happen, but I can help you seek justice. You’re as much a victim of that man as anyone, and as of this moment you’re our best hope of tracking him down. You know him."

Extending a hand across the table, Tsukauchi posed a crucial question with a serious tone. "Here's the deal. You're going to jail. That’s inevitable, no matter how noble your acts felt. But if you help me bring down High Street, it could be the most important thing you ever do. All the bad you have done in the past could help us do this one act of supreme good. Do we have a deal? Will you help us?"

Yuki raised her handcuffed hand as much as she could and shook the tips of the detective's outstretched fingers. Moments later, he unlocked her restraints.

"Welcome to the Anti-Market Task Force."

:::IZUKU MIDORIYA - - DEKU UPLOAD:::

33% COMPLETE

In a dimly lit pop-up laboratory, the elderly doctor scrutinised his patient's eyes, wielding a small torch between them and watching the pupils dilate. "How are your reflexes? Any shortness of breath?"

The heavy air hung with the scent of disinfectant, a feeble attempt to cleanse the room after High Street dismissed using his newly acquired quirk for such "trivialities." The flickering overhead light cast long shadows on the peeling linoleum floor of what was once, ironically, a barber's shop - High Street's latest acquisition following the death of one of his targets.

High Street seized the doctor's arm, diverting the probing light. "Doctor, I've never felt better."

"That's not an answer to my question. It was a wildly experimental procedure. If the quirk factor hadn't integrated correctly-"

Interrupting, High Street declared, "It integrated, Doctor. Your experiment was a grand success." He swung his legs from their reclined position, landing firmly on the floor, and rose to his full height. With an arm stretched above him, emitting a satisfying crack, he said through a grunt, "Which, ahh, brings me to my next point."

"More tests need to be run before we do anything more, particularly in regards to your taking quirks from corpses," Garaki mumbled, more to himself than to High Street, as he hurriedly packed his medical instruments into a worn leather bag. The check-up was meant to be quick—some blood work, respiratory checks, and then a swift departure. Hosu had plenty of vacant properties, but for each one, there were at least half a dozen nosy heroes in the city.

Undeterred by Garaki's hasty display, High Street continued, "Given that my personal information broker met a, hm," he examined his hand, rubbing thumb and forefinger together in thought, "...unfortunate end, I'm in dire need of new intel. I'm going to need your help to find someone."

This piqued the doctor’s interest. "Your original quirk is operating as normal? Excellent. I have contacts we can leverage to locate whoever it is you're after."

Shaking his head, High Street replied, "Not a name from my quirk, not this time. I need your help tracking down an ex-employee of mine. As much as Barbershop grated on my nerves, his death can't go unpunished."

The doctor finished packing his bag, glancing at High Street from above his circular glasses. "Don’t you think this is too personal? If Potential hasn’t ordered it-"

High Street flexed his fingers and felt the knuckles crack, "My quirk does not control my actions, doctor. I have a few leads, but I’ll need your contacts to dig a little deeper. We’re going to turn over every stone until we find her, and when we do, Diner will know the price of betrayal."

:::IZUKU MIDORIYA - - DEKU UPLOAD:::

66% COMPLETE

Meanwhile, far from home, class 1A homeroom teacher Shota Aizawa settled into hour three of his cross-country road-trip to the last known location of Rosa Omasuba. He stared silently out of the side window, watching the white lines in the centre of the road monotonously flick past, over and over and over again.

What’s that? No, don’t worry, he’s not driving. Shota Aizawa is well-known for his remarkable adherence to traffic law. This time his chauffeur was UA’s resident hero law (and secretly, heroics) teacher, fan-favourite Toshinori Yagi!

"Are you sure you don’t want the radio on? I can’t get the FM channels, but there’s always something good on HeroTalk around this time." Toshinori asked, gesturing with his head towards the radio knob. Also a stringent follower of the traffic code, he refused to remove his hands from the ten and two positions.

"No, it distracts me." Aizawa answered, resuming his riveting pastime of road watching.

"Right you are." his skinny companion nodded, before the pair resumed their awkward silence. Toshinori tapped a finger on the steering wheel rhythmically. Then did it again. "So uh… What happened to your car, anyway?"

"Meteor."

"Ah, right, I vaguely remember hearing about that…" Aizawa was proving to be an impenetrable conversational fortress. It was like trying to chat with a 33-year-old teenager. Toshinori thought hard about a topic of conversation that would pique Aizawa’s interest. "Oh, did you hear? Nezu thinks they might have figured out a way to wake Midoriya! With any luck he’ll be back in classes soon enough, isn’t that great news?"

Aizawa blinked, utterly disinterested. "Next time, he won't be so reckless."

That did it. Toshinori, frustrated beyond measure, slammed his hands against the sides of the steering wheel (a lot harder than one might expect from a man of his stature) and promptly pulled the car to the side of the road.

"What are you doing?" Eraserhead finally lifted his head to gaze at the fiery determination radiating from Toshinori. "We've got a schedule to stick to. If we don't hurry, Omasuba could slip through our fingers."

Toshinori shot him a fierce look, suddenly appearing capable of conquering entire armies in the blink of an eye. "I would have preferred to avoid this conversation, but enough is enough. Aizawa. Why are you a teacher?"

"Seriously? Now? We've got more pressing matters to—" Aizawa began.

"Why. Are you. A teacher?" Toshinori repeated.

Aizawa sighed, knowing that he wasn’t going to let this go. Averting his eyes from the probing gaze, he tried to find a suitable answer. Truth be told, for a long time now he had felt detached from his role as an educator. Once upon a time, he had real reasons. Not so much, anymore.

"I’m a teacher because it’s necessary." He finally said, hoping that would bring an end to the conversation. But Toshinori only frowned, clearly unconvinced by the vague response.

"Necessary? That’s the best you can do? There are children at that school who look to you for guidance, you have the capability to be one of the most important adult figures in their young lives, and the only reason you have this phenomenally important job is because you think it’s necessary?" The disappointment and frustration on Toshinori’s face could have burnt a hole through the car. "I've seen you with your class, Aizawa. You're an effective combat tutor, but it's like you're on autopilot. You could be a vital adult figure for these kids, but you're holding yourself back from them. Why? Why are your students afraid to come to you with their problems?"

Aizawa gritted his teeth, frustration evident in every clench. "Look, Yagi, not everyone can be the inspirational teacher type. Some of us take a different approach. These kids live in a world where villainy is around every corner, and not all of them come out unscathed. I’m preparing them for that reality, not coating it in false hopes."

"They need more than preparation for the worst." Toshinori said quietly. "They need guidance, someone to believe in."

"I’m not All Might. I’m not some symbol of peace," Aizawa retorted, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Frankly, I don’t know who you think you are talking to me like this. You’ve been a teacher for less than three months, and the only reason you got the job is because of nepotism."

Toshinori clenched his fists. "Nepotism, huh? You think I don’t know enough about the world of heroics, about the importance of our next generation of heroes?" He stared out the front window for a moment before declaring, "Get out of the car."

"Are you serious? If you’re hoping to fight me, then I wouldn’t bother. We both know how that would turn out," Aizawa warned, staying calm in his seat as Toshinori opened his door and stepped out, slamming it shut behind him.

Moments later, a much larger hand grabbed hold of the passenger side door, wrenched it off its hinges, and sent it flying into the distance.

"I’d say I know a damn sight more about heroics than you do, young man."

:::IZUKU MIDORIYA - - DEKU UPLOAD:::

99% COMPLETE

"Ms Midoriya?" Yamashita gently nudged the sleeping woman’s shoulder, "Ms Midoriya? It’s almost time." The hum of machinery filled the air, and the flickering screens displayed lines of code as the upload process neared completion.

"Oh, thank you, dear." Inko said, rubbing her eyes and sitting up straight. "Is everything still… alright?"

Yamashita looked over at Mei, her goggles on, furiously typing away on a keyboard and surrounded by a tangled mess of wires. Power Loader was meticulously lifting and twisting the robot Deku’s limbs to check for any issues, while Nezu observed from a distance.

Mei lifted the goggles and perched them on her forehead. "We’re almost there! A few more tweaks and we should be ready to activate Deku. Uh… Izuku. Dezuku?"