Chapter Text
In a private room in Hosu General Hospital, Izuku turned his nose up a bit at the smell of his surroundings. Hospital rooms, of course, were supposed to be sterile as to prevent any complications during someone’s recovery period, but he really did wish the smell wasn't as noticeable. A combination of rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and bleach hung in the scent of the air.
It really is a good thing he was able to get a handle on One For All so quickly, even outside of it helping increase his capabilities as an Apprentice. Izuku is pretty sure he would have grown to despise even being in a hospital with how many broken bones he’d get otherwise.
Sighing, he looked around at the faces both familiar and not that had been gathered for the meeting after the events that had occurred in Hosu City last night. His mentors, Toshinori, Torino and Sasaki, two of his former classmates, Iida and Todoroki, and the Number Two Hero himself, Endeavor.
Everyone in the room had bandages on their bodies, covered to varying extents based on how much of their bodies had been injured. Those who had gotten lighter workloads and or evasive fighters like Sasaki and Torino had the occasional bandage hidden underneath their clothes. The former's work-study student, Togata, hadn't needed to go to the hospital, so he was missing from the meeting, no doubt in part to his advancements in Quirk control. It was a similar case for Iida's mentor, Manual, whose injuries were light enough to return to his agency, not that he would have been invited to this meeting anyway.
The rest of the room was not so lucky.
Endeavor had his arm in a sling and cast, alongside bandages across his entire face and several on his body. Todoroki had bandages under his shirt, covering the bruised ribs he got when his father pushed him out of the way from a lethal blow. There was a temperature-regulating blanket beside him, unused now that he had mostly recovered from his Quirk exhaustion. Iida had a bandage along his cheek where he had been cut, and both of his shoulders were wrapped up, thankfully in much better condition than when he had come in.
Izuku’s injuries required a similar number of bandages. He had a patch of bandages on his left cheek and below his right eye, covering cuts he had gotten from the various sharp weapons of the Hero Killer. The rest of his body wasn’t much better, with bandages covering his bruised and cut-up torso, a cut on his left arm, and the exit wound of that Quirk on his right. His first fight with a higher class villain, and he’s already likely gotten more scars than most would have.
A dull throb made itself known to Izuku, his expression shifting into a wince and his fingers clenching once again as he held his right arm. Due to how sudden the attack was and how many people were injured, Recovery Girl had only just arrived this morning and was prioritizing civilian injuries and Heroes whose injuries were life-threatening.. Whether through fortune or misfortune, no one in this room had either, and as such, they wouldn’t be getting a check-up for at least another hour.
Still, none of them were willing to complain. After all, given the Heroine’s age, it was a blessing that she was still working. That level of dedication to her career was just behind All Might’s, and it was something Izuku admired about the ironically titled Youthful Heroine, aside from how many people she saved with her Quirk.
Speaking of All Might, he sat in front of the group in his shrunken form that was better known as the Hero's secretary, his thin and frail body a far cry from the sight the newcomers to their meetings were used to, much less the sight of him covered in bandages. The shock had settled into their bodies, tenseness radiating from them as they stared wide-eyed at the Number One Hero, as they had been for the last three minutes since he had released his muscle form in front of them. Endeavor was the first to speak. “How… How long have you been like… this… for?” The words were strained, a sign of the wildly conflicting emotions peeking from under the surface of the Number Two Hero.
“Six years. All For One and I were fighting each other with every ounce of strength we had, as far away from civilization as I could take us.” Toshinori pulled out a folder of pictures, showing the aftermath of their fight and the present state of his injury, given that he couldn't show them through his bandages.
“All that destruction six years ago, the incident that never aired but was still reported to the top twenty-five Heroes and the Hero Public Safety Commission… That was you two?” Endeavor asked in a stupefied tone.
Toshinori nodded, and the blood in the Flame Hero's veins seemed to start running cold as he paled at the thought. “As you can see, neither of us were willing to show mercy to the other. We both fought under we were well beyond bloodied, bruised, and exhausted. Even with my lung destroyed along with a great deal of my stomach, I managed one last punch that destroyed the upper half of his skull.”
“The expert opinions of Recovery Girl and an onslaught of doctors employed by the hospital confirmed that All For One should have died of his injuries,” Sasaki revealed, prompting everyone to look at him. An impossibly exhausted expression was plain to see on his face, a whirlwind of emotions from the events surely resurfacing. “I had watched his body get brought down to the morgue and went down with Gran Torino to watch it be cremated. But there was around a twenty-minute interval between his body being received for cremation, and us heading down.”
“You wouldn't think that someone could swap out a body in that amount of time. But we underestimated that monster,” Torino muttered through clenched teeth. The wood of his cane surely would have been creaking under his grip if not for the strong wood it had been made of. “The hospital staff had its rats cleaned out over time, either from them resigning from their positions over the recent interrogations that have had the police swamped for a while. But the fact of the matter is that we were still too late to do anything. And now…”
“Now he's back,” Toshinori finished, confirming everyone’s fears in a grave tone as a pressure settled in over the room like a concrete-filled blanket. Izuku watched as the information caused Endeavor, Todoroki and Iida to tense up and lean back, their expressions somehow becoming filled with even more shock than before.
Iida was the first to recover, and promptly cleared his throat. “This villain… All For One, you said his name was?” Those already in the know nodded as one at the question. “Surely, even if they had swapped out the body, he should have died! No one can survive a blow like that.”
“No human should be able to survive as long as he has either, but he has. He’s been alive since shortly after the birth of the glowing baby, the first appearance of a Quirk.” The explanation was met with furrowed brows and contemplative hums.
“So… some kind of survivalist Quirk? One that slows his aging and helps him survive attacks that would be lethal otherwise?” Todoroki frowned at his own suggestion. “That still doesn't explain how he was powerful enough to contend with you, All Might. You have a Quirk more powerful than any other that has ever been registered.”
Endeavor's eyes widened as realization struck him. “That creature from last night that we faced together… A Nomu, I believe it was called?” At his son's nod, he continued. “You said it had multiple Quirks. Shock absorption, enhanced regeneration, body enhancement, and temperature resistance. All For One… That's not just a fun little name the man chose for himself, is it?”
“It is not,” Toshinori confirmed, clenching the sides of his chair absentmindedly. Even despite his shrunken form's frailness and his injuries, he still had an impressive grip on the object, nearly denting it. “All For One is the name of both the villain and his Quirk. It allows him to take and store Quirks, either to bestow onto others such as his followers, or to use them for himself.”
The three newcomers sat in silence, brow furrowed and limbs shaky as the implications settled into their minds. A man alive for centuries, with Quirks from every single era at his fingertips…
It’s no wonder All Might nearly died attempting to kill him.
“This is… Well, it’s a lot to take in. But you clearly have told us all this for a reason, All Might? I can’t imagine this information would have been available to Endeavor, much less myself or Todoroki-kun, if you didn’t have some plan in place,” Iida reasoned, bringing a mildly impressed grin to Torino’s face. Even if it was a little obvious, noticing and pointing something out was a good habit to enforce for meetings like this.
“I do. I've been discussing this option with Mirai in private for a little over a week now, and I think it's time I put the idea forward,” Toshinori stated, standing up just the tiniest bit straighter despite his injuries. “Apprenticeship, and an agency partnership between Might Tower, Endeavor Agency and Nighteye Agency. Perhaps some others as well.”
“Apprenticeship? Like what you did with the Midoriya boy here?” Endeavor questioned, gesturing to the green-haired teen with his hand. At Toshinori’s nod, the Flame Hero hummed, stroking his chin. “I see. I suppose there is a reason those old laws haven’t been snuffed out yet, then. After all, with what Shoto told me of the circumstances regarding your expulsion, your skills and Quirk had to have improved greatly… aside from the unforeseen circumstances from last night.”
Sasaki chose that moment to cut in. “Speaking of those unforeseen circumstances… Midoriya. Todoroki.” Both teens sat a bit straighter at their names being called. “Do you happen to have any explanation yet for what occurred last night? The descriptions and video of what happened… They should not have been able to occur, given what your Quirks are.”
Izuku sat in quiet contemplation while Todoroki jumped in. “Actually sir, I believe I finally do have an answer. When Father was in danger, it felt like my…” He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. “It felt like the fire and ice in my body was flowing through my blood and to my heart, before it burst out of my chest and… I have no other way to explain what the result was than a fire that froze and burned all at once.”
Endeavor looked intrigued and conflicted as he turned to his son. “Do you believe you would be able to draw on that power again?” There was a slight hesitation from Todoroki before he shook his head, prompting his father’s expression to shift from his prior warring emotions to one of mild disappointment. “I see. We’ll have to introduce a new training regiment, one that includes sparring with Midoriya, as well as one-on-ones with the other Heroes in this room. Perhaps some of my sidekicks as well.”
Toshinori’s eyes widened. “So, that means you accept the partnership proposal then? I honestly thought you hated me, Endeavor.”
“After everything you just told us? I’d be a suicidal fool not to accept a partnership,” the man scoffed, his flaming beard flaring slightly. “While he would make the final choice, I am also willing to bring my son on as my Apprentice, or the Apprentice of one of the Heroes at my agency.”
Todoroki’s face betrayed his shock for a moment before he cooled his expression. “I… I’d like to talk to Mother first, but… I think I will at least leave enrollment at U.A. I… I may urge my classmates to do the same as well. Iida, to be blunt, the school staff were idiots for allowing you anywhere near Hosu, and I don't trust the fools on the board to be responsible for our class anymore,” he informed the blue-haired teen, who seemed caught off guard by his classmate’s choice in language, but otherwise didn’t call it out.
Instead, Iida nodded in agreement, a slight wince to his face. “I will admit… My intentions for coming to Hosu were not pure. In fact, I would dare say Stain was right, despite his ravings being that of a lunatic. I was no Hero in that situation, and a Hero even died because he had been trying to keep watch for me… Which is why I will also be dropping out of enrollment from U.A.”
Before anyone could react, Iida stood, turning to Torino and bowing as far as he could with his injuries while still looking the man in the eyes. “Gran Torino, sir! I ask that you take me on as an Apprentice so that I may learn more from you all! I know you can train me so I won’t stray from my path again, so that I won't be a liability to others! ”
“All right, all right, fine. But knock it down a few, will you? We’re in a hospital, you know!” Torino remarked, shaking his cane as Iida stiffly apologized and sat back down. The elderly Hero looked the two unfamiliar teens over, an analytical expression on his face. “Besides, I think you two got less work in that regard than you may think.”
Toshinori smiled fondly at his mentor’s words, even as both Iida and Todoroki grew confused. “I think you’re right, sir. These young men have already shown the same trait I saw in my own Apprentice, after all.”
“What do you mean, All Might?” Todoroki asked, Iida nodding along to the question with a furrowed brow.
“Well, think back to last night. Young Todoroki, when your father was about to be attacked by the Nomu... Young Iida, when Midoriya was in danger of being kidnapped… They say that in the early days of every great Hero, they all shared one trait, one story, in common… They saw someone in danger, and their bodies moved on their own to save them. That happened to you, did it not?”
“Well… Perhaps a little? I saw that no one else could move, and I knew I was the only one who could help Midoriya… Perhaps Stain could have, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have taken over the kidnapping himself…” Iida tried to argue to remain at least somewhat humble.
Todoroki nodded in agreement. “I believe it was the same case with myself. I did act, but I knew that no one else could at that moment, and part of the reason we were in the situation in the first place was because of me…”
“Perhaps you didn’t experience the same hyper focus as Young Midoriya, but you did still feel it! That overwhelming feeling of ‘I need to save them’ as your body moves to protect someone in danger… Young Iida, the fact you are willing to admit and grow from your own faults to better help people, and Young Todoroki, that immense care for others that makes you step in even when your meddling isn't necessary … Those are all part of what makes a great Hero, you two.”
Toshinori stood from his seat, smiling at the two teens across from him. “You may have stumbled just after your starting line… But you can get right back up, and we can help you become the best Heroes you can possibly be. So, there's no more room for doubt, because you two can be Heroes!” he declared, pointing his finger at the two.
Izuku felt a fond smile trace his lips as his mentor gave the same speech as the one given to him over a year ago. He saw embarrassed grins appear on the faces of his former classmates and even could swear he saw Shoto try to discreetly wipe away a tear. Endeavor gave an amused huff to the words, Torino pretended he wasn’t smiling and Sasaki shamelessly smirked at witnessing a certified All Might pep-talk once more.
Eventually, Sasaki seemed to catch himself and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. “As riveting as this conversation has been, I must remind you all that we will need to continue this meeting at a later point. Each of us has medical exams coming up, and most of you have more rounds with healing Quirks later.”
Torino let out a sigh. “Right, right… We'll need to meet at Might Tower once we get out of here then. Finalize the partnership details, deal with the press frenzy that's gonna follow… and get these boys a better training regiment.”
The grin on Torino’s face sent a chill up the spines of the aforementioned boys.
“Ah yes, the press… That raises a good point in my mind, actually.” Toshinori turned to face his Apprentice, and Izuku blinked at the sudden singling out. “I know it's rushing you… But I think it's finally time for you to pick your Hero Name. Take the day to think about it, and when we reconvene at Might Tower tomorrow, you should have your answer.”
“But I… I really don't think I have an answer for that yet…” Izuku muttered, clenching his hands as the wounds on his forearms ached again.
“Midoriya, my boy… I think you do have the answer. Reflect on what happened, and it'll become clear, I'm sure.” With a reassuring pat on his shoulder, Toshinori turned to face the other two. “The same goes for you two as well. You may already have names chosen, but a lot happened last night. Once we go before the press, the announcement will be high profile enough that I wouldn't be surprised if all of Japan knows your names. Take care to consider who you want to be known as.”
Both Iida and Todoroki nodded, the former actually speaking up. “I will be speaking with my brother about me taking on his name, and coming clean about my intentions last night. If he wants to change it, I shall, but if he wants me to carry on the Ingenium name… Then I shall do my best not to tarnish his legacy!” he shouted, chopping his good hand in the air to punctuate his sentence.
“Ah, right!” Izuku exclaimed, suddenly standing up. “Iida, can you remind me to visit your brother and family once my exams are done? There's some tech developments happening on I-Island, and they're interested in speaking to him.”
Confusion crossed the boy's features before a twinkle of hope sparked in his eyes. “I… Of course! I'll be sure to ask when they're available this afternoon!” Iida assured him with rapid nods.
“Ah right, thanks for reminding me as well… Toshinori!” Torino shouted, causing the man to yell as he suddenly had a cane pointed threateningly at him. “Get those I-Island engineers to bring some of their fancy training tech over to the tower. I want the best of the line from them!”
With a sigh, Toshinori slumped in defeat. “I’ll make the call after the exams.”
A short time later, the door was knocked on and opened by a nurse. “O-oh! I wasn't expecting so many people in one room…” she muttered, nervously looking over the crowd, noticing the Heroes and teens. “Endeavor and Yagi, your exams are set to happen soon, so please follow me back to your rooms.”
“If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to attend this exam as well,” Sasaki interjected, leveling the nurse a look that was intimidating, despite probably not intended to be.
It was apparently effective though, given the small squeak of surprise the nurse released. “O-of course you can go with them! You may get an exam too, but it's likely just a formality anyway… Torino, would you like to watch over these young men here, or would you like to go with the others?”
Torino rolled his eyes. “Better stay with the boys here. Make sure they don't break anything.”
The sarcastic comment seemed to release a lot of tension and nervousness from her, because the nurse nodded with a soft, relaxed smile. “Right then. If you would please follow me, sirs.”
Soon enough, they had all left, leaving the three boys alone with Torino, who almost immediately went on his phone. “Hopefully this doesn't take too long. I'd like to visit my brother soon,” Iida remarked.
“I want to be cleared today as well. Visiting my mother… It's something I should have done some time ago. I've put it off for too long.”
“Todoroki…” Izuku muttered, before looking the boy in the eyes. “I'm sure they'll let you out today. Of the three of us, your injuries are the least severe… Well, okay, the amount of bruising was bad, but you didn't burst your skin!”
“It seems this conversation has been a series of reminders, but I've been meaning to ask you about what you said when those tendrils were released from your arms.” Izuku felt confusion fill his body for a brief moment, before the following question made his blood run cold.
“What is One For All?”
Izuku shrank in on himself under the questioning gaze of Iida, the confused glance from Todoroki and the absolutely deadpan, unimpressed look from Torino. No one made any noise, and Izuku dared not even breathe. How could he have shouted that last night!?
Oh right. Painful, agonizing Quirk emergence.
It seemed Torino came to that conclusion as well, a frustrated sigh escaping him as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You're lucky I already got my hit on you yesterday and that you're injured, otherwise you'd be flat on your ass faster than you could blink for doing something that careless, kid.”
As Izuku absentmindedly rubbed his slightly sore nose, Torino turned to the now pale Todoroki and Iida. “You're not gonna repeat that name to anyone, and you're not going to get an answer. Not until tomorrow at least, and that's if Midoriya wants to tell you. You're not gonna complain, and you're going to accept whatever choice he makes. Understood?”
The two teens nodded, and Torino took a deep breath. “Okay. You three, don't bother me.” And with that, he went right back to playing on his phone as if he hadn't just scared the crap out of the three teens in the room.
Conversation trailed off at that point, so Izuku finally pulled out his own phone for the first time today. “Time to see what the news is saying about Hosu…”
“We're coming to you live above Hosu as a group of villains have begun to wreak havoc on the city!” the news anchor began, the camera panning from a hole in the side of a train car to the city at large. Fires littered the streets and buildings closest to the center, and roars from the villains could be heard even from inside the helicopter. In the distance, a spark of green shot into the air before hurtling down at an impressive speed into one of the creatures, stopping it in its tracks. “Who is that? Are we seeing a new Hero’s debut?” she remarked, trying to get the helicopter to move in closer.
Before they could get a good shot, the mysterious figure darted away, dashing across the rooftops at a remarkable speed, the green light coming from him fading away. Instead, they shifted focus onto the chaotic scene below, capturing the footage of the recovering Heroes as an eyeless villain got ready to charge at them. On the ground was a sprawled out villain with scythe hands, its exposed brain slightly indented and the pavement cracked beneath it. “It seems these villains are of a similar appearance to the eyewitness reports from the Unforeseen Simulation Joint attack on U.A. students! Could this be yet another attack from the League of Villains?” the news anchor pondered aloud.
The scythe villain began to recover, its body twitching before it stood, letting loose an unholy screech. It attempted to slash at another Hero, but a yellow and white blur zoomed in, kicking it in the face and knocking it off balance. “Another newcomer!? It seems that many new faces are making themselves known tonight. Though this Hero does appear to be an older man, it is clear his age hasn’t made him lose his touch!” the woman said into her microphone.
The camera caught the elderly Hero blasting forward, flipping around to land a double kick to the villain’s chest, sending them sprawling to the ground once again. He looked around briefly before he flew over the head of another Hero to pass a broken telephone pole to the Hero, Asterion. Seriously, old, skilled and resourceful? Just who was this man?
Just after the Hero helped the Minotaur-themed Hero apprehend the villain, the man got an alert of some kind. His eyes widened calling to the Heroes to handle the situation on their own before began to jet away using his Quirk. “It seems the situation in other parts of the city is starting to escalate… We need to get a closer look,” the news anchor directed. Nodding, the pilot moved away from the carnage below them, heading up in the air
As the helicopter flew around the city, a familiar voice was heard, even over the helicopter blades. “New Hampshire… SMASH!” In an instant, a blur of red, white and blue rushed past them. “No way… Pilot, get us closer!” The camera zoomed in more on the direction the blur had been heading in, and down on the street, knocking a huge hulking villain out of the way was…
“All Might is on the scene! And he’s protecting a group of injured Heroes from a villain, and even-! Endeavor and his intern as well!” The mood inside the helicopter had audibly shifted to a more positive one. “The top two Heroes, and the son of the Number Two Hero, all up against this villain!” Though she didn’t say it, there was an assumption made. Surely, this villain would be going down in no time?
However, as more time passed, even with an impressive combo move from All Might and Endeavor, a never before seen Vanishing Fist Detroit Smash, they were taking more damage than they were leaving… No, it wasn’t that. The villain was healing against anything they threw at it! It wasn’t looking good, even worse when a group of fleeing civilians were seen at the end of the street. But then…
“POWERRRRRR!”
Sir Nighteye and his intern arrived, taking out the dog-like villain and causing the bigger villain to stumble through the wall of a building, calling out to the other Heroes locked in combat before retreating, civilians in tow. The camera zoomed in on All Might, catching his coughing as he caught his breath before they began again in earnest.
Another combo attack, with All Might throwing the villain into the air and Endeavor nailing them with an Ignited Arrow. The attack looked to be a sure thing, until the villain shifted in midair and stomped the ground hard as it landed, causing Endeavor’s son to stumble. The villain rushed forward, seizing the opportunity to crush a weakened opponent, only for Endeavor to take the blow, his arm broken and a face wound that ran from the left side of his forehead to the right of his jaw. The helicopter hovered to the other side to get a better view.
When All Might ran in to assist, he was backhanded, and the news crew watched with hitched breaths as they thought they were about to witness the death of the Number Two Hero. That was, until his son shouted out for him, and sent forward a blast of brilliant white flames that seemed to give off both steam and frost as it hit the villain’s body, overloading whatever Quirk was protecting them so well..
As they eventually began to flicker out from pure exhaustion, All Might recovered from the previous hit and saved the father-son duo. The villain went to throw another punch at the Heroes, but the Symbol of Peace caught it, before he began to throw a flurry of punches at him, breaking through the villain's guard and landing several punches on them. With a bloodstained grin and a shout of “Plus Ultra Detroit Smash!”, the villain was sent flying…
Right in the general direction of the helicopter.
“Left, left, left!” The news anchor called as they veered out of the way of the blasted away villain, the camera just barely catching as it went out of sight.
As the camera panned back over, it caught sight of All Might checking in on Endeavor and his son, making sure they were okay. It seemed as though the situation had calmed until their gazes shot towards the same direction. Having not heard anything inside the helicopter, they were confused for a brief moment before huge tendrils shot up from the distance, whipping the edges of the buildings nearby.
“What… is that…?” That sentence rested over the crew like a weighted blanket, their bodies tensing in fear as the out of control Quirk continued its rampage. It took a few moments for the news anchor to shake herself from her stupor. “Pilot, get us over there ASAP!”
The pilot nodded, flying the helicopter as fast as it could go over to the danger zone, the cameraman just barely able to zoom in on the action as they approached. He was just able to catch the tail end of the Quirk retracting back into a familiar face. “Ma’am, it’s the new Hero from earlier! The one who landed that falling axe kick!” he yelled into his headset.
The words certainly got her attention, as they were able to catch the end of the interaction. Another villain attempting to kidnap the newcomer, both an Ingenium-lookalike and the Hero Killer coming to his rescue where the injured All Might and Endeavor couldn’t, and Stain’s taunting speech. But some of the words they managed to pick up.
“Heal your wounds and grow ever stronger, Izuku! We’ll surely meet again, and settle this for good!”
The camera trailed away from Stain’s retreating form, instead focusing on the now-named Izuku, who said something and held up an object that caused All Might to grin fondly, even despite the obvious pain he was in. “We have a name for this mysterious new Hero that seems to know All Might! I wonder what their relationship is… Oh, it’s the elderly Hero from earlier!” the news anchor remarked as a familiar white and yellow blur came into view. “It seems he also responded to the–Oh my goodness, his face! He just kicked Izuku in the–”
Giran finally turned off the burner smartphone he was watching the news stream on, laughing quietly to himself on his rooftop chair as the image of that green-haired little shit getting kicked in the face played on loop over and over in his mind. Everything was falling into place, in ways that all worked out quite well for him.
The League showed off even more to the Heroes, ensuring they were priority number one on their list of takedowns, which meant they would need even better gear. Stain's popularity was growing even more thanks to his declaration to that Hero brat, which meant his priority for capture was also increasing. The aforementioned maniac helped him get Shigaraki riled up and tested that little wonder drug he had ordered…
And of course, one of his clients’ Quirk dampening darts got a sample of data to improve the effectivity, thanks to the recording drones he ordered, and whatever testimony he could rip from Stain.
Speaking of which, he needed to contact that inventor again, as well as send the results of the dart tests to the yakuza…
Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, and that impending sense of danger he had been feeling suddenly made a lot more sense. As Giran heard the whistling of a knife cutting through air, he held his burner phone in front of his face, barely flinching as he suddenly found a knife embedded to the hilt through the device.
He scoffed as he tossed the now useless thing to the ground. He had already taken out the battery and sim card anyway. “What's with the pointed greeting, Stain? I thought we were on decent terms.”
Stain landed in front of Giran, the sarcastic remark not doing anything to curb the glare he was leveling at the information broker. “You tricked me.”
Giran had to fight the smirk that threatened to appear on his face. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Don't play coy with me!” Stain shouted, whipping another knife at Giran that whipped past the broker's cheek. “During that fight with Izuku, despite the level of power he was using, I kept up with it. Realistically, I should have been knocked out from his first blow to the head, and I took several.”
Stain flexed his hands, which still had the spiked knuckle gloves on. “Despite all of that, I stand here, my injuries having mostly healed overnight, and feeling stronger than ever.” He certainly wasn't lying. There wasn't a single wound on him, no sign of a concussion, and he looked like he had a bit more muscle than before. “So tell me the truth, Giran, and I may just let you live.”
An old, battered katana was drawn and pointed at the broker's throat. “What did you do to me?”
Well, there certainly wasn't a harm in revealing what he had done now that the testing was over.
“You see, Stain, I was testing a new product I've ordered. Frankly, you don't look like you eat much, so I figured that even if it did nothing, you'd at least appreciate having something.” The blade was moved slightly closer. “Right, well, what it did was alter how your body functions a bit.”
“It… What?” Hoo boy, if looks could kill, Stain would have likely killed the subject of every Hero poster he's ever leveled that glare at.
He kept talking, not eager to have his life ended so soon. “I don't know if it was some Quirk produced thing, or some kind of technology, but it causes your body to become… enhanced, in a sense, almost like you have a minor enhancement Quirk. Stronger, denser muscles. Increased durability. Enhanced reflexes. Completely increased biological efficiency, as they described it. Only downside is an increased caloric intake to fuel it.”
“I should kill you for tricking me into being your test subject,” Stain stated, pushing the blade forward just enough that it was about to touch Giran’s throat, before ultimately relenting. “But I'd be arrogant to admit that it didn't help. Your darts, as well, functioned as advertised. It damped the power of Izuku's Quirk when it increased beyond a level he could control.”
“Oh, so you did use one? I thought the kid was just trying to use overwhelming power to take you down and failed.” Giran's lips shifted into a smug smirk that didn't fade under Stain's glare.
“Let's make something very clear, Giran. I am letting you live only because your wares were actually beneficial to me. If they hadn't been, you'd be dead where you stand several times over. I do not like you, but I won’t kill you yet. Should my opinion of you ever falter, however…”
“Let me guess: I'll never see you coming?”
Stain nodded. “Good to see you catch on quickly. A necessary skill of someone in your field. Now, I'll be leaving. Midoriya Izuku was a skilled combatant, and I'm afraid he left me with little in terms of weaponry to work with at the moment.”
As Stain turned to walk away, the broker decided to speak up once more “Should I expect you'll be a repeat customer then?” Giran chuckled.
He only grew more smug as the Hero Killer glanced at him over his shoulder. “Don't count on it. I've killed for lesser foolishness.” And with that, he jumped away across the rooftops, leaving Giran by himself.
“Oh yeah, he'll be back.” Using a different burner phone, he sent a quick series of messages to his yakuza contact, informing him of the successful test and that there were no leftover darts to be retrieved.
He, of course, knew Stain only used one and that the fact he had none when he got here likely meant the Heroes had swiped them. But the Shie Hassaikai didn't need to know that.
He took the battery out of that phone and slipped it into another model. Call him paranoid, but he didn't like leaving any tracking method on for too long. He punched in the required phone number and put the phone to his ear. He didn't like splurging on foreign prepaid plans, but this was an exception to the norm.
After a couple rings, he heard a familiar voice. “Starline Robotics Lab, Doctor Ivo speaking.”
“Such an impersonal greeting? I thought you I-Island brainiacs would be closer to each other than that,” Giran quipped, grinning as he heard the gasp of shock on the other end.
“Y-you!?” Ivo shouted in alarm, before he heard the sound of the phone shuffling and a door being shut. “I thought we were only doing that one transaction! And after all the work I did, this better not be about either creation not working well enough! I take a lot of pride in my work, and I know they should have–”
“Calm down, Hoshito. They worked great. Really showing your three-hundred IQ there,” Giran informed him. Still, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
While the man was brilliant, and his Quirk put him on a level above even a Hero like Nedzu, he was also a prideful person and somewhat annoying to deal with. Much like he assumed Nedzu would be if he ever had the chance to talk to the esteemed UA Principal.
Smart people could be really irritating if there was no one to keep them in check, after all.
“Of course they did! But you're calling me, so you still need something.” It wasn't a question. Good. It meant he was getting the hang of this ‘under the table dealings’ thing.
“Right you are, Doctor. I'm going to need an improved formula on those bars you sent. They worked well for someone who has already trained heavily in life-or-death fights, but for someone lower level? They could still get floored with a few good hits by the right Hero.”
Give him some credit, Giran was willing to admit his own faults… when he wasn't being upfront about the fact he was doing so.
The broker snapped his fingers. “Oh, and I'll need some more surveillance drones… Oh, and some information about the island's current research focuses. A bit of weaponry too, if you can sneak it in.”
“Are you insane!? Even with the amount you pay, sending weapons or information is out of the question! The Japanese government would have my head if the border guard and heads of I-Island didn't first! I'm risking enough with the drones and ability enhancers.” Ivo could certainly shout when he didn't like an idea. Well, Giran wasn't one to shy away from a challenge.
Time for a mix of blackmail and the fine art of kissing ass.
“Ivo, let me tell you something. I know you've got quite the catalogue of achievements under your belt,” he started, rolling his eyes as he could hear the hum of agreement on the other end of the line. “You work hard, you develop new innovations in the robotics field consistently, but people still don’t acknowledge your full list of talents, do they?”
“Well… They haven’t exactly been open to some of my ideas… ‘Ethics standards and practices,’ they said.” Ivo let out a sigh, and Giran knew he had chosen the right words.
Giran smirked, holding back the chuckle that threatened to escape him. “Right, right… Those proposals of creating robot replacements of Heroes, right?”
It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop on the other end of the line. “You… How do you know about that?”
“I have my ways,” Giran replied smoothly. The method in this case was Gentle Criminal's partner in crime, La Brava, tracing his emails. Those two attention-seeking clowns had their purposes, after all, even if they were certainly going to get caught by the Heroes sooner or later if they didn't vet their clients beyond a surface level.
But his thoughts were getting sidetracked from the main point.
“So, here's the deal: I have a chance to get some valuable information, and you have the chance to make some money and get your own discreet transfer of the data on the first of these little bots of yours, even before I sell it off to the news. All you need to do… is tell me what the eggheads over there are working on and maybe throw in some weapon production on the side. Not necessarily for me, mind you…”
“Not for you? What do you mean?” Ivo questioned. Giran smirked at the lack of refusal.
“You, my robot tinkering friend, are going to start production on some of your imaginative designs…” Giran could feel the anticipation increasing on the other end of the line.
“A project like that is going to take a lot of money, both for storage and materials, something I'd never have the chance for… But this partnership…” Ivo cackled, and Giran couldn't help but make the comparison to Santa giving an evil laugh with how it sounded. “Oh, how I've waited for an opportunity like this! Send over the video data right away. I'll have to leave that Metal Hero Project on the back burner for now, but I'll be sending a message to the phone you're using.”
“It'll delete itself from records after a short period?” Giran asked, receiving confirmation from Ivo. “Good, good. I'll be in touch soon after.”
He hung up, leaving the phone on so that he could receive and view the message once it arrived. He headed down the stairs at the back of the building, walking back down the street to blend into the crowd. Sometime later, the phone buzzed, and he checked the message in a discreet area.
His eyes scanned the document, and his grin only grew as he saw the potential of cybernetics research and innovation. He sent a message back, adding another part to his request with the offer of a healthy bonus on top should he be able to complete it.
Ivo didn't know it yet, but he just helped push Giran's own plans forward quite a bit, a fact that the broker certainly wouldn't complain about.
Katsuki closed the video on his phone, pocketing the device as he stepped out of the car with his boss for the week. Even with the evidence right in front of him, he still found it hard to believe that Izuku was working with All Might.
All Might! Their mutual favourite Hero! And he didn't even tell him!
Well, not that that was surprising. Quite frankly, Katsuki was astonished that Izuku was even willing to give him the time of day, after everything he had done. He tormented someone who was supposed to be his friend for a decade, and treated him like he was worth less than nothing.
And sure, maybe Katsuki didn't tell him to jump off a roof, but he certainly didn't say anything to the extra that did. That stupid fuck really thought that was gonna win him some brownie points.
Still, he wanted to try and be his friend again. At bare minimum, he was going to put all this behind both of them, even if nothing else came of it…
A loud thump that cracked the pavement in front of him shook him from his thoughts. “Oi, blondie! Quit getting caught up in your head, or I'll be leaving you here when we're done.”
Katsuki growled as he looked up from the ground to see Miruko thumping her foot impatiently with her arms crossed, a gym bag slung over her shoulder, similar to the blonde’s own bag. Katsuki, from the first week of school, would have expected an internship like this to be handed to him as if it were a requirement on his path to glory in Heroism.
Right now, Katsuki was just surprised how the Rabbit Heroine was both everything he expected when it came to learning to fight and yet way more helpful in helping break him of the mindset he developed recently.
“Kid! You hear me?” Miruko snapped, suddenly in his face.
“Gah! I'm coming! Fucking hell…” Miruko started walking towards U.A., and Katsuki fell into step beside her, costume case in hand. As he did so, he couldn't help but think back to the first day of his internship with her.
Katsuki landed on his back, coughing as he tried to gasp for air. Almost immediately after he had shown up to the gym, he was instructed to head to the gym. Miruko told him to get dressed, head up to the empty second floor, and be ready for a spar.
And in less than a minute, she had utterly decimated him, hitting a devastating kick that had launched him halfway across the room. It was utterly humiliating, and he wanted to be angry and yell at her for mocking him like this. But he couldn't.
Ever since the USJ, he had been doing his best to stop being so angry. Hell, he was pretty sure his mom was actually growing concerned with his sudden shift in behavior. But he needed to be better. His actions caused–
“You done with your mental self-pity party yet?”
In an instant, the effort Katsuki had put into not blowing up disappeared, and he snapped his gaze up to meet her unimpressed look. “The fuck are you talking about, Bugs Bunny!? I'm not–not…”
He stopped himself, the wind being taken from his sails as quickly as it had arrived. Miruko rolled her eyes and grabbed the blonde by his shoulder, pulling him to his feet effortlessly despite her being a full thirteen centimeters shorter. “You say you aren't, but you cut yourself off pretty quick. You don't seem entirely convinced of that.”
Katsuki grumbled to himself, slipping his hands into his pockets. “What do you care for? I spent the whole first week being… I was being a damn violent piece of shit, and it got a bunch of people killed! Are you saying I should just go back to that!? Huh!?”
Miruko snorted, flicking the blonde's forehead hard enough to leave a mark. “Of course not, you dumbass.” As Katsuki yelled indignantly at her, she pulled out her phone and showed him a video of his training. “Wanna know what I see here?”
Katsuki narrowed his eyes at her, unsure of what she was saying. “A video of me training?”
“I see a smug, arrogant little shit who hasn't had anyone to show him he isn't the top dog. Not yet, anyway,” Miruko explained before she put her phone away and pointed at him. “What I have in front of me is a coward, someone who got a little too burned by something that ultimately can't have the blame put on him and is reevaluating his whole life to drown himself in the guilt of every shittychoice he's made.”
“Can you get to the fucking point already!? I didn't take your internship offer for a goddamn therapy session!” Katsuki snapped. He felt his hands heating up in his pockets from the Heroine pushing his buttons.
Miruko smirked at his expression. “Well, too bad because you fucking need it to be pointed out for you. You've hit the other end of the extreme. You've gone from thinking you're hot shit who’s better than everyone to being meek as hell, second-guessing yourself, and getting upset with anyone who points that out.”
“And how the hell would you know that, huh!?”
“I was the opposite, kid.” At Katsuki's confused look, the Heroine chose to elaborate. “When I was young, I was probably closer to what that Midoriya kid was like–”
Katsuki’s attention was immediately grabbed. “You know Izuku!? Tell me how, now!”
His outburst was met with another forehead flick. “Don't interrupt me when I'm talking, punk! I know him because I helped another Hero with a favour, and I got to fight him in exchange! And let me just say, that kid is so much better at dodging my kicks than you!”
“You wanna say that again, you goddamn–”
“Anyway, as I was saying before, I was interrupted… As a little kid, I was meek as hell, the very stereotype of a bunny. Meek, weak-hearted, whatever you wanna call it.”
At Katsuki's look of disbelief, Miruko laughed. “Believe it, kid. Sure, once I got older, I grew out of it and was more social, but that assumption always remained. And over time, I grew to hate the comments people made, especially as I got to high school. I was more than that, you know! So, I started showing why they shouldn't laugh at me. I was more actively aggressive and even did quite a few debatably illegal things.”
Katsuki blinked. “You what?”
“Oh yeah, it was wild. I'd constantly infiltrate fight clubs in middle school and even got expelled after I got caught a couple of times. In high school, I even got roped into some serious shit at the Underground Masquerade. Took on all challengers and kicked every single one's ass, and even helped out O'Clock back when he was still around! First time I met All Might, actually.”
He vaguely remembered Izuku talking about the Underground Masquerade almost seven years ago, when he had been on his borderline obsessed spree of investigating any and all cases involving All Might, even if his involvement had only been surface level. Izuku didn't make it through every case, of course, but that was one of the more notable ones. He knew about that Hero she mentioned that drifted into obscurity, but there was another person there too he had talked about… Wait.
“You're freaking Tiger Bunny!?”
Miruko grinned at his exclamation. “Hah! Didn't expect you to actually know about that! What level of deep digging did you have to do to find that out?”
“I didn't do shit, that was Izuku!” Huh. He had gotten pretty good at referring to Izuku by his name without slipping back into his old habits. He had practiced for over an hour in the mirror, after all.
Not that he'd ever admit that to anyone.
“Midoriya did, huh? He certainly knows his stuff, then. Must have found one of the few sources that tried to label” Miruko hummed in thought, a shit-eating grin gracing her lips. “Smart and strong as hell… Shit, he'd be the perfect guy to chase after if he was closer to my age.”
Katsuki sputtered, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment at that thought. “What the fuck are you saying, you damn freak!?”
“Hey, don't call me a freak, punk! I'm allowed to comment on missed opportunities!” Miruko huffed, flicking Katsuki's forehead a third time. It was really starting to tick him off. “Besides, the kid would be way too shy for that, even if he was older.”
Katsuki stayed silent for several moments before a sigh escaped him. “... Well, we can agree on that, at least.”
“Ha! Good. Otherwise, I'd be giving you a concussion,” Miruko laughed, clapping the blonde on the shoulder. “Now, where was I…? Oh, right. I was meek and quickly grew into someone arrogant about my strength. But arrogance about your strength can only exist if you can't back it up! And I made sure I could back it up as fast as I could. So now I'm not arrogant. I'm confident in my abilities.
“You did the opposite, so I'm building you back up here. You're going to grow some natural confidence and see just exactly how strong you are, and then we'll get you to the point where you stop acting like a piece of shit and start acting like an asshole.”
Despite the wording being horrendous for a professional setting, Katsuki's eyes widened at the words as the message lifted his spirits, just a bit. “You… are surprisingly good at this therapy shit. Did you study for it?”
Miruko doubled over in laughter, and Katsuki blinked in surprise. “Ha! Me, studying emotional shit… Nope. I just see someone who has the potential to keep up with me in a fight, and I want to make sure they can reach that potential. Call me selfish, but I just can't help myself back from a proper rival! Why do you think I bothered training Izuku?”
Katsuki looked at her in disbelief. “I thought you said it was because you owed a favor?”
“Well, yeah, I did owe All Might a favor for not arresting me in high school. But I only kept training him because he impressed me. Hell, he even stole my Luna Arc!” Her grin grew even more intense as she reminisced about the spar. “Midoriya's got some balls, I'll tell you that! Stealing my move right in front of me and using it to counter my air grapple on top of that! I made sure he earned those bruises; I'll tell you that much.”
Katsuki stared at her, stunned at the realization that Izuku had fought with Miruko more than once. But then his mind processed the Heroine's full sentence, and he was full of irrational, jealous rage as the fact he hadn't been able to confirm until now finally reared its head. “He's actually studying under All Might!?”
Miruko's grin turned smug as she decided to poke at his emotional sore spot. “If by studying, you mean being his Apprentice, then yeah! And let me tell you, All Might really picked a good one! He's the perfect match for sparring.”
Katsuki, already irritated and not appreciating the attempt to provoke him, made one more snide remark. “I am so glad you're talking about fighting, the way you're attempting to groom–”
“All right, brat, I gave you enough free passes! Spar begins in three!” Miruko yelled, barely giving Katsuki a chance to react. “Three two one GO!”
That was the only warning he got before an armored rabbit foot came barreling towards his face.
Katsuki rubbed his nose, feeling a phantom pain from the hit he took. Izuku wasn't the only one who nearly had his nose broken this week. Part of why they had come here was to heal up lingering bruises with Recovery Girl. But the other part…
“You ever going to tell me the other part of why we're here?” he asked, impatience oozing from his words.
Miruko chuckled at his irritation. “You’re getting that gear of yours adjusted. In fact, I called ahead already, so it should be just about finished.”
Confusion crossed his face as he noticed the telltale signs of the support course labs. “Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“Well, the notes I got from your teacher told me you changed the design of your gauntlet. Something about sweat storage tanks…?” She didn’t notice Katsuki tense up, but instead continued to talk. “So anyway, I called in and… Let’s say ‘talked’ to the support course teacher. So, I’m getting that fixed for you–”
“What fucking right did you have to do that!? Tell me right now!”
She stopped, turning around to come face-to-face with a livid Katsuki. “Right to do what, kid? I haven’t even told you what I did.”
The blonde grit his teeth, his hands clenched as smoke began to rise from them. “You… You can’t just go over one of my decisions like that, you damn bunny! That was my choice!”
“This is about what happened at the USJ, right?” With no reply from her student, Miruko continued. “Look, I get it. You think you fucked up, pulling that pin. Some would argue you did, but I sure as hell won’t. Ignoring your original design, you wanna know what really killed those guys?
“They were weak scrubs, and they were knocked out of the fight. Would your original design have not killed your classmate? Sure. Those guys on the ground though? I feel like I could’ve held back as much as possible, and they’d still get fucked up by my moves.” She whipped into a roundhouse kick that stopped just before the blonde’s face. “You get it, yet? Those guys were sadistic little civvies who tried to punch way above their weight class. You’re a kid with a top-of-the-line Quirk who’s been training to be a Hero most of his life, even if it was the bare minimum of thinking about ways to improve your Quirk’s effectiveness.”
She patted Katsuki’s shoulder, a serious look on her face. “Your idea wasn’t bad, kid—just the execution. And even if I don’t think you did anything wrong, the important part is that you’ve learned this lesson before civilians were involved. Tragedy or not, the other kid signed up for this shit, and accidents are part of the career. Anyone who pretends like they aren’t is a fucking dumbass.
“So, if you wanna let that guilt keep holding you back? You can stay here when we’re done today. But if you want to really learn the right lessons from that accident with your classmate, if you wanna be the best damn Hero you could ever be, then you’ll force yourself to face your flaws head on. And that starts… with some equipment improvements.”
As if to punctuate her sentence, the doors to the support labs were blown off their hinges. Catching a glimpse of a figure in the smoke, Katsuki launched himself forward and caught them, pulling them out. “You! The hell happened!?”
As he took in the person’s appearance, he realized it was a girl with pink dreadlocks and crosshair-shaped irises as her most notable features, aside from the soot covering her from near head to toe. He realized he was still holding the girl, and let her go, his hands sparking in frustration. “You gonna answer my question at all, or… just… Why are you staring at me like that?”
Her crosshair-like eyes seemed to sparkle as she stared at him, a manic grin on her face. “It’s you! Explodey Boy!”
He stared at her, dumbfounded. “The hell are you calling me that for? I got a name, you know!”
“And I certainly know it, Bakugou Katsuki! I was the one who made both sets of your new gauntlets, after all!” she said, pride shining through her grin. “It’s just more fun to call you Explodey Boy. Easier to remember for project sorting, too!”
She stood, brushing herself off as Miruko watched from the sidelines, an amused grin on her face. “Nice to finally meet you face to face, Explodey Boy! The name’s Hatsume Mei, future CEO of Hatsume Industries!”
A hand was thrust out in front of Katsuki, which he shook in his stunned stupor. “You're insane, you know that?”
She shook her head, chuckling to herself. “‘You're insane’ is something said to every great mind just before they develop the next great innovation! So, thanks for the compliment!”
Katsuki released a series of dumbfounded and frustrated sputters as Power Loader finally exited the room, refilling a cup of coffee. “Hatsume! I don't know how many times I've told you to stop playing with- Oh, hey, Miruko. You and your student intern here for that gear?”
“Damn right, we are. So let's get to it!” The Heroine hopped over the two teenagers, walking into the support labs without a care in the world.
Power Loader sighed, looking Katsuki right in the eyes. “I hope you know how to take responsibility for this girl. Ever since your gear request got put on my desk, the explosions haven't stopped. Your gear gives her the perfect excuse…” he trailed off before taking a long drink of his coffee. After a few seconds, he stopped, satisfied, and turned on his heel to head back inside the lab.
Hatsume stood up, lifting Katsuki up by the collar of his blazer before dragging him into the lab as well, the support student blatantly ignoring his protests. When she finally let go, he was met with the sight of his familiar grenade gauntlets, though they did look slightly different.
Looking closer, he saw that it was slightly bulkier. Not enough to cause issues, but just enough to be noticeable on closer inspection. On the gloves, there seemed to be little buttons to adjust something.
“Ta-da! Here it is! Your new and improved gauntlets!” Hatsume shouted, a wide grin on her face.
“This… What did you do to the design?” he asked.
“I'm so glad you asked!” She held up the gauntlet, gesturing to where the storage tanks were held. “I've added a new function, and through thorough testing that may or may not have ticked off my teacher and blown through half the support budget, you can change the amount of power you have!
“Taking reference from your new revolver design, you have several storage tanks inside of here, and using the buttons in the gloves, you can fire any amount of them that have been filled up. Each vial filling up is indicated by a vibration on the back of your hand and a small blink of this light on the side of the grenade lever,” she explained, pointing to the side where there was a small LED light.
He took the other gauntlet into his hands, a contemplative expression on his face. “And what does that mean for this? Do I just have a faster-filling version of my current set now?”
“Yes and no! Sure, you could fire it off one by one and get similar results with what you have now, but that’s where my alterations come in! With just a bit of adjustment using your gloves, you can shoot any amount of the vials that have already filled up! That way, you have a range anywhere from a simple long-range blast to a building-leveling monster!
“So, what do you think!? Pretty cool, right!?” Sparkles seemed to bounce off her grin, and Katsuki couldn’t help but be stunned by her.
“I… That… Hatsume, right?” he asked, receiving a rapid nod in response. He placed a hand on her shoulder, a serious expression painted across his face. “This is the best thing to ever happen to me, aside from getting to spar with a top-ten Hero. So… Thanks, I guess.”
“Thank me by letting me work on your stuff exclusively from now on. That sound good, Explodey Boy?” she offered, holding out her hand, which Katsuki shook with no hesitation. “Oh, and getting me into contact with that green blur who was on the news.”
Before the blonde could even process that sudden addition to the request, someone cleared their throat and the two teens turned to see Miruko and Power Loader watching the two with barely hidden amusement. “As cute as this shit was, your face still has a two o’clock appointment with my foot, so can you grab your gear and get a move on?”
“I'm grabbing it! Jeez…” Katsuki muttered, turning around to swap the gauntlets that were currently in his costume case with his new ones. “Can't make you any promises about getting Izuku's contact info, but next time I need some gear adjusted… I’ll let you know.”
Katsuki left the room, waving over his shoulder to Hatsume as he followed Miruko out of the room.
They walked for a while through the long hallways with only a brief stop at the locker rooms for Katsuki to change before they finally made it to Gym Alpha. But to their mutual confusion, a sparking light was coming from inside, and a muffled shout of an attack name. They exchanged a glance and opened the door to see a familiar face. What was his name again…?
Oh, yeah.
“Kaminari, what are you doing here?”
The other blonde yelped, whipping around and almost tripping over his gym shoes. “Oh, well, you know… Just Quirk practice. Before you say it, yeah, I dropped out of the Hero Course… But I just… I need to control it better. Even if I don’t come back, I…”
“You don’t want another accident. I get it,” Katsuki said, patting the other teen on the shoulder. “If you need any help with that… Just let the class know. I’m sure one of those losers will want to help you out.”
Despite his word choice, there wasn’t any of the usual bite in his words. Kaminari beamed at him. “Hey, thanks for the offer man! Though, now I am wondering… What the heck are you doing here? I thought you were on your internship with– HOLY SHIT! Is that Miruko!?”
“‘Sup, kid?” the Heroine replied, an amused huff escaping her. “As much as I can appreciate someone working to improve themselves… The intern and I are gonna be sparring. So I either need you off to the side, out of the gym or in a combat stance in about… we’ll say ten seconds.”
As the intern and boss began to stretch and prepare themselves, Kaminari buzzed with excitement as he stepped away from the duo. “Oh, there’s no way I’m missing this! Bakugou, you mind if I record this?”
“Do what you want, just don’t post it! And stay in one spot so we don’t hit you!” he shot back, getting into a combat stance. “Time to see what these bad boys can do…”
Miruko finished her countdown, and the two lunged forward, the swing of a gauntlet meeting a rushing kick once more.
Izuku stepped out of the car, turning and waving goodbye to the driver. “Thanks for the ride, Kudari! Oh, and could you say hi to your brother for me? He gave me a ride to Might Tower last time,” Izuku asked.
The white-suited driver tipped his cap to the teen, an unnervingly wide smile on his face. “I am Kudari. I will pass along your message to Nobori. Thank you for being a pleasant passenger as always,” he said in his clipped speaking pattern before Izuku shut the door and he drove off.
Izuku made his way into the tower, making a sharp turn to the elevator before he was seen as the doors closed. He pressed the button for the assigned meeting floor before leaning back against the side of the lift, tuning out the hum in the background as he thought over his Hero name again.
It took him the couple days he had been given before their follow-up meeting, but he had an idea for a name; one that he would be telling everyone there to get their thoughts.
Of course, they still had to cover the details of the partnership between the three agencies, what they were going to reveal to the press, and their new training schedules with all the extra gear those I-Island employees were supposed to be bringing… Maybe telling them the idea for his Hero Name wouldn’t be so bad in comparison.
Oh wait, he also had to tell them about One For All.
His Hero Name definitely wasn’t as bad in comparison to letting that tidbit slip…
Mentally berating his mistake again, he stepped into the meeting room, finding that he was there just after his mentors. Toshinori grinned, waving him over. “Good morning, Young Midoriya! I trust the drive from the hospital went well?”
Izuku nodded. “Yep! Iida wanted to speak to his brother before coming over though, so his family will be bringing him over. And I haven't heard from Todoroki yet, but I'm sure Endeavor wouldn't skip out on the meeting.”
“You'd be right to assume that, Midoriya.” Izuku turned around to see Endeavor walking into the room, with Iida and Todoroki following closely behind.
“We all showed up simultaneously, so we decided to come up together!” Iida explained, chopping his hand for emphasis.
“Good, saves us some time. Now, how about you all take a seat so we can get started?” Torino said, and the group nodded. Endeavor closed and locked the door and everyone made their way to a seat.
“So, the first order of business would be deciding the details of our agency partnership, would it not?” Endeavor asked. He wasn't wrong to assume that to be the most pressing matter, if not for the elephant in the room that was Izuku’s Quirk.
“We’ll cover that second. Since you're going to be partnering so closely with us… And the kid here let part of it slip… We're offering to tell you part of the reason why All For One is such a big threat, and why he's targeting both All Might and Midoriya,” Torino said, tone deathly serious as he stared down the three people not in the know.
“This is… about your Quirk, Midoriya? About One For All?” Iida asked, to which Torino and Izuku nodded.
“All For One, One For All… I've thought about it the last couple days. The names are similar, yet opposites. So, the Quirks are connected somehow. Is that right?” Todoroki asked.
“Indeed they are,” Toshinori confirmed. “I told you the basics of All For One, but I did not tell you everything. Namely, that All For One had a brother, one who was sickly, and thought to have no Quirk at all. However, it turned out he did possess a Quirk; one with the power to pass itself on.
“So, when All For One gave his brother a strength stockpiling Quirk in a bid to control him, he unknowingly created the power that has been passed down to Hero after Hero since its creation. That Quirk… is One For All. I held it as the eighth holder, and Young Midoriya…”
“I'm the ninth,” Izuku confirmed, clenching his hands nervously underneath the table.
“I see… What was your Quirk before One For All then?” Todoroki asked, and despite himself, Izuku couldn't stop himself from wincing.
“I… Well, I…” He sighed, slumping slightly. “I didn't have a Quirk. If it wasn't for One For All, I'd be Quirkless still.”
“The case is the same for me as well,” Toshinori said in an attempt to lessen any negative reaction to Izuku's confession. Even now, that fact still helped Izuku feel better about himself, and he gave a grateful nod to his mentor.
“You were both Quirkless?” Endeavor asked. To Izuku's shock, there wasn't a hint of disdain from the Number Two Hero. No, he was surprised instead.
“That does make sense when one considers the overlap in power between All Might and Midoriya,” Iida pointed out. “However, one thing does not make sense to me… What were those tendrils that came out of your arms the night of the Hosu attack, if not your original Quirk?”
Toshinori placed a notebook on the table and slid it over to the guests, who opened it to the marked page. In a moment of clarity, Izuku recognized the notebook as the one he gave to Toshinori on I-Island.
The one that contained some details on the previous holders of One For All.
“Fifth User… Blackwhip? What are you trying to say here, All Might?” Endeavor asked.
“While we originally thought One For All just stockpiled strength, it was more than that. As it turns out, the Quirk was stockpiling the Quirks of the previous holders,” Toshinori explained.
Izuku interjected, wanting to elaborate. “I don't think it's just the Quirks either. There's this… I guess the proper term would be mindscape, that is inside of One For All. The First spoke to me in a dream, during my training on I-Island. I dreamed of bits and pieces of the moments the Quirk was passed on, up to when All Might passed it on to me, before he told me that I was there too early.
“But then he said ‘we're watching over you.’ And during Hosu, just before…” He unconsciously rubbed his arm, right over where a new starburst scar was present under his sleeve. “Well, just before Blackwhip emerged, my mind retreated back into One For All again, when I was under the effects of Stain's Quirk. I saw each bearer of One For All shrouded in mist, with a glowing lock embedded inside.
“The locks of the Fourth and Fifth were already cracked, with power leaking out, and with the high stress situation I was in, with emotions running high…” Izuku imitated an explosion with his hands, which was followed by a series of understanding nods.
“The Fourth…” Endeavor flipped the page back, his gaze immediately locking to the relevant information. “The Quirk's name is listed as ‘Danger Sense.’ And the details of it…” A hum escaped him as his mind worked through the information. “So, you currently have the strength stockpile, black tendrils that could be used for capture or mobility, and a warning system that can be focused on yourself, on other people, or over an area. Impressive.”
“Is that what caused you to flinch so violently when you moved to help me up then, Midoriya?” Iida asked, and Izuku nodded in response. “I see. You were focused solely on helping us at that point, so when Danger Sense activated, you thought something was about to hit you instead.”
“Sorry again… for not stopping the knife, Iida,” Izuku said quietly.
“While I accept your apology, it is not necessary for you to do so! The Hero Killer was the one holding the blades, and it was my own fault I was in that situation to begin with. If anything, I should be thanking you for saving my life again!”
Before Izuku could retort, Sasaki tapped one of his seals against the table. “We are in a time crunch here. Let's conclude you're both apologetic and grateful for the help of each other, and leave it at that,” he said, receiving a confirmation in response.
“So, this partnership… It would involve my father helping to train the new Symbol of Peace then?” Todoroki asked, an inquisitive look on his face.
Toshinori coughed into his fist, catching everyone's attention. Thankfully, he hadn't spit up blood with it. “Not exactly, Young Todoroki. Yes, he would be assisting in the training of Young Midoriya, as well as yourselves, a Symbol of Peace wasn't what I had in mind.”
Seeing confusion cross the faces of the teens around him, he continued. “Initially, I had wanted Young Midoriya to take my place as the Symbol of Peace. But as time went on, as I've spent more and more time training him, it puts into perspective just how heavy that burden is.
“I wasn't sure what I should do to alleviate that burden… At least, I wasn't sure until I saw you both act in Hosu,” Toshinori said, gesturing to the two teens.
Their eyes widened, and Todoroki seemed to catch on. “You don't mean…?”
Toshinori nodded. “I do. I meant what I said in the hospital, after all. You both acted like real Heroes in the moment it counted, even when no one would fault you for not being able to move. And that's part of what led me to this idea.
“Despite the man's ravings not lining up with his actions, Stain is right that there are many Heroes who do this job for the wrong reasons. Selfish ones. It is commendable that, despite their selfish intent, they chose an altruistic career. However, when presented with a threat with even half the power of All For One at his peak… I'm not sure if most Heroes could hold a united front against him.
“At least… I wasn't sure. But I recognize it now… Our top Heroes, along with the next generation… They can be that united front,” Toshinori said, concluding his point.
“This partnership goes beyond just partnering the top two agencies then. You're looking to help push forward a refresh on the stagnating quality of Heroes by partnering with the best of the best, and with several agencies across the country,” Endeavor said, to which Toshinori nodded. The Number Two Hero rubbed his chin in thought, uncaring of his flaming beard. “I can't push for my son's involvement on his behalf… But I must admit, this is what Heroics needs right now. I daresay the average quality of Heroes hasn't been this low since before you debuted.”
Todoroki looked noticeably shocked at his father's words, Izuku noted. Whether that was from Endeavor setting aside his rivalry to concede a point or something else entirely, he wasn't sure.
“I suppose the biggest potential issue to worry about would be the Hero Commission. Having more powerful Heroes is a good thing, but if we partner with too many agencies too quickly, we may get pushback from the bureaucrats,” Endeavor said, pointing out a valid concern.
“If I could interject for a moment,” Sasaki said, cutting off Toshinori who had been about to speak up. “I have thought through the potential outcomes of our decision in relation to the Commission. Without my Quirk, of course. And the most reasonable conclusion I can come to… is that we'll need to argue in one irrefutable way: numbers.
“It is true that our partnerships will begin to shrink competition at the lower level, with smaller Hero teams disbanding in the face of more daunting odds of reaching higher ranks and less rivalry between the top Heroes. However, as long as we do our jobs correctly, having partnered agencies will lead to greater success for Heroes overall.”
The adults in the room all nodded in agreement, and began to discuss the points that were needed to bring up to the press, what needed to be run by PR firms, and more, leaving the teens alone with their own thoughts.
Izuku's thoughts inevitably led back to Hosu, and everything that happened that night. He had been praised for his actions that night, but the teen still felt he could have done more, could have been better, or been there sooner.
He had his own feelings about Eraser Head, but maybe if he had been there sooner, the man wouldn't have died.
He shook his head, his hands clenched into fists. Those thoughts were what he needed, as uncomfortable as they were. His resolve was firm as the adults finalized their own discussion, and turned to face the boys.
“You three will be with us during this press conference, and you'll need to be introduced by your Hero Names. This is likely the last chance you’ll have to decide, as I warned you previously,” Sasaki stated plainly, a hand pressed against the table.
“As such, we'll record the names you pick today and submit them to the HPSC. Shoto and Iida will be newly recognized as Apprentices, and Midoriya will have his record updated to replace his placeholder name,” Endeavor said, taking out a few forms.
“All right, I guess it's time.” Torino grabbed his cane, pointing it in Iida's direction. “Who are you?”
Iida raised a hand before he paused, considering the question. “After speaking with my brother, he has expressed his wish to pass his name onto me… I am the Turbo Hero: Ingenium! And I will do my best to ensure I live up to and surpass my brother's standard!”
“I'll hold you to that, kid!” Torino said. He then shifted his cane, pointing it at Todoroki. “You next. Who are you?”
Todoroki took a deep breath, looking down at his left hand. “It’s become clear to me that my first hero name won't work anymore. After discussing things with my mother, and after Hosu… It will be difficult, but I don't want to just use my ice anymore. I can't only use it. So, I intend to name myself after my new Quirk development.
“‘Thermodynamic Hero: Snowflame.’ That will be my new Hero Name.”
The reactions had been highly approving, though Torino's grin grew sharp for reasons unknown… Well, unknown to all but two.
Izuku looked over at Toshinori, who had been drinking tea during Todoroki’s speech. As he processed the words, the man started coughing, a bit of blood escaping his mouth and falling onto the table.
“All Might, are you okay!?” Iida shouted, looking ready to jump across the table to assist the Number One Hero.
“I'm–” Toshinori coughed again, clearing his throat. “I'm fine, Young Iida. Thank you for your concern.”
Mentor and Apprentice shared a look. Both of them were fans of older comics, and took the time to appreciate the more comical nature of stories from well before either of their time. But, in that moment of mutual understanding, they both knew not to bring up that particular character around anyone in this group.
The human instrument of a narcotics's will, Todoroki was not.
“Good pick, Shoto. A fine name indeed. Though, I do wonder... what made you change your mind about your old name?” Endeavor asked.
“Well... I don't intend to use only my ice anymore, and I thought it may be odd to be the only one of us to not have a unique alias. I could always use my own name though,” Todoroki suggested. No one was sure if he was joking.
“We already wrote it down anyway. It works. Now…” Torino whipped the cane in Izuku's direction, the teen leaning back in time thanks to his training. “Your turn to go, Midoriya.”
Izuku took a deep breath as he sorted through his thoughts, staring down at his clenched hands. The others had their moment, so he wouldn't mess his own up. “The last few days, I've been thinking about everything that's happened. With UA, with Hosu, with Aizawa… Everything. I know that nothing that happened was my own fault, but I still can't help but wish I had been there sooner, been able to do more.
“When I was younger, I wanted to be a Hero as strong as you, All Might. Someone who could save over a hundred people just by himself in minutes. But that's not the kind of Hero I want to be anymore.”
Izuku looked up, and a determined fire burned in his eyes. “I want to be a Hero who leads the charge to save people. To have someone look at me and think, ‘Help is on the way.’ To be a Hero brave enough to jump into any situation and help, no matter how dire.
“The Valiant Hero: Vanguard. That's who I want to be.”
The following seconds of silence felt like an eternity to Izuku, and for a brief moment, his confidence felt like it would falter. However…
“Bravo!” Iida yelled, standing from his seat as he clapped for him. “Once again, you have shown me how much I have to learn about being a Hero!”
Todoroki and Endeavor both gave their own approving nods. “It's a good name, Midoriya,” Todoroki said.
“A great name! I certainly look forward to seeing you live up to your declaration, Young Midoriya!” Toshinori said, clapping his Apprentice on the shoulder.
“It's not as individually striking as All Might… But I suppose that's not what you're going for. It's a good name.” Izuku looked at Sasaki, the surprise caused by his words plain to see on his face. However, the sharply dressed man didn't react to it.
“Whatever the case, good to see you kids finally know who you are,” Torino said, chuckling to himself. “Ingenium, Snowflame, Vanguard… I look forward to helping train you. But first…”
The three teens looked confused as Torino's grin widened. “We gotta get you ready for the press. So, to make sure your nerves are up to par, I’m putting you through a training exercise…”
“We'll do whatever we need to, Gran Torino, sir!” Iida said, chopping his hand down. Todoroki nodded in agreement, but when the two looked over to Izuku…
He suddenly didn't look valiant. No, he looked pale, afraid even, of what the elderly Hero could possibly have in store.
“Well boys… No sense wasting time! You three, get that stuff run by the PR teams. The younger three, with me! I got some calls to make, and a Might Tower karaoke bar to clear out!” he said, laughing to himself.
Izuku groaned at Torino's words, while Iida scolded the green-haired teen for reacting that way to their mentor. However, Todoroki just looked confused. “What's karaoke?”
Torino’s laughs only sounded more sinister after that question.