Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

1

In a world filled with superpowers, people tend to overlook the obvious. In a world filled with superheroes, people tend to ignore others. Izumi knew it. Her entire childhood, adults would ignore the obvious signs of abuse on her body. The burns and scratches on her arms and legs, sometimes even her face, her hunched form, how she tried to make herself smaller, how she barely spoke in front of others, how she shrank on herself whenever one of her bullies was around. They pretended to not see it. Sometimes because they didn't want to get involved. Most times to avoid punishing her bullies.

Izumi was used to being ignored. It meant her bullies weren't hurting her. It meant people weren't mocking her and pointing at her. It meant people weren't feeling pity for her.

And now being ignored has helped. It helped her and her young charge. Because being ignored means not paying attention to them. It means no sudden calls to the police or to a hero. It means there is a lesser chance for her pursuers to find them.

"Are you tired, imouto? Tell me if you need Sir Plushy, ok."

Her young charge looked at her and nodded. Izumi rubbed her head and kissed her forehead. She subtly checked her horn's size and made sure her beanie covered it. A woman sitting in front of them smiled at their sisterly display. Izumi smiled back and looked around. No one looked suspicious. For now, they haven't been discovered.

It had barely been five days since they had crossed paths. Izumi had been standing in an alley, confused and lost, when a small shape collided with her. The impact had been so abrupt that they had both fallen to the ground. When she saw who was above her, she froze. A little girl, no older than 7 years old, was covered in bandages and clothes that looked more like rags. She was shaking, her eyes were wide open in fear.

The only words that left her lips were: "Help me".

When a man started to yell a name, the girl froze. Two men with bird-like masks covering their faces entered the alleway, blocking the entrance with their bodies. Izumi didn't knew who they were, who the girl was, or what they wanted. She didn't even knew where she was. But she knew one thing: the girl was in danger.

She needed someone to protect her. Someone to save her.

Izumi hadn't wasted time. A good punch to the base of the stomach and a roundhouse kick to the head knocked them out before they could try anything.

She couldn't call the police. Not yet. Not until she knew exactly where she was. And she couldn't leave the girl alone. And she couldn't leave those creeps in the street; they could give her description to their friends.

So she made a quick plan. First step: tie those masked creeps and leave a note on their chest to make it look as if they were dangerous criminals (haha). Second step: convince the girl to come with her. Third step: find money and a laptop.

Fortunately, her plan went smoothly. Duck tape was amazing, and her new friend was too willing to go with her. Izumi's tears flowed when she hugged her so tightly and silently asked to be held. Finding money wasn't difficult; a simple pawn shop gave her enough to buy some clothes for little Eri, dye ink, and a new laptop.

While travelling throught the city Izumi couldn´t help but feel hope at the sight of people with strange features on their bodies and signs and letters written in her mother language.

Finding a coffee shop with wi-fi wasn´t hard. She bought a latte for herself and a muffin for Eri who stared at everything with a look of awe. Whle her new ward eat the pastry, Izumi grabbed her new latop and searched the net. A quick search online confirmed quickly her hopes.

She was in Japan.

She was home.

And that opened another can of problems.

As far as she knew, she was probably listed as dead ever since the incident. Proving who she was would be difficult at first. And she had others to protect. They could take them from her.

While Izumi tried to figure out how to best approach the authorities about their situation, Eri slept by her side. Her left hand was absentmindedly petting her white hair when she realized what the date was. An old memory came to her mind, and she opened a new search. What she found made her grin. A new plan was made. A way to make themselves known and for the government to not shuffle them under the drapes.

A hand grabbed hers and pulled her away from her thoughts. Eri stared at her. Red eyes stared at green eyes. Izumi had both of them dye their hair black and gave Eri her beanie to cover her horn. Add new clothes, and Eri didn't look like a starved orphan but like a common little girl.

Eri just hugged her and closed her eyes. Izumi checked the map of the train system and spoke:

"Two more stations, and then we will have to walk. It won't be long, imouto."

Eri just nodded.

A group of men entered their wagon. Their bird masks betrayed their identities.

'Their boss's impatience is clearly showing' she thought. Five men in broad daylight in front of a train filled with witnesses? He was done being subtle. Which was fine with Izumi.

"Eri," she whispered. "Grab Sir Plushy and get ready to run. He will protect you until it's safe."

Eri trembled. She didn't want to leave. But she knew the plan. And she trusted Izumi.

"Izu-nee… Please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt," she begged her.

Izumi looked into her eyes, projecting as much confidence as she could.

"I promise you, Eri, that after today, nobody will ever hurt you again."

She rubbed her head again and smiled. Then she went straight to the men and blocked their path. As long as she didn't show any type of aggression, they could do nothing. Because this was a game of patience and strategy. Whoever attacked first would lose the first battle.

The men were anxious; they wanted to finish their job. If they were alone, they would have already pushed her aside and grabbed Eri. But there were witnesses. Witnesses who would tell the police, the heroes, and the media how a group of grown men assaulted an innocent teenager and her little sister.

And that brings attention.

They just needed a little push to finally break.

She leaned closer to the leader—not by much, just enough so they could hear her.

"Are we going to be standing all day or are we going to fight boys?"

The last man couldn't handle it. A simple grunt with a powerful quirk, or at least useful enough to be part of this operation, but he didn't have the patience of a veteran. When he saw how Eri was running towards the next wagon, he extended his right arm, and webs sprayed from his fingertips.

Izumi didn't waste time. She grabbed the leader and shoved him towards the webs. The people around the wagon started to scream and run. In the confusion, Izumi ran at the group and kicked them so hard that they fell against each other. Only when she saw that they were all tangled between each other in a webbed mess she ran towards the exit.

There was still one more station before their destiny, but they had no more choice. She left the train and went for Eri. As long as Eri had Ser Plushy, Izumi would always find her.

She found her in the city, in front of an alley. Eri's hand was wrapped around Ser Plushy's ball, and she was staring at a man.

He was tall, with black hair, dark eyes, a fur coat covering his body, and a bird mask around his nose and mouth. Eri was frozen in front of him. She knew who he was just from her reaction.

"Eri," Izumi's voice startled her. "No matter what, he won't hurt you again. I won't let him."

"You won't let me? That's so arrogant. Like those heroes. Another soul infected with that disease," he said, putting gloves on his hands. Eri was startled at that. She started to move towards him.

"Eri," she stopped. "Remember what I told you when I went to grab our supplies?"

Eri stopped. Her hand tightened around the ball in her hands. The man's eyes narrowed.

"T-this ball has a special friend of mine called Sir Plushy. If you call him, he will protect you. No matter what," Eri pronounced Izumi's promise.

"Eri, stop wasting time. Come here. Now"

"You don't have to obey him, Eri. Men like him who threaten others into obedience are nothing more than cowards and bullies."

Eri didn't move. Her hands were still around the ball. She turned her head and looked at Izumi. Her eyes were shining with tears and fear, but they also had hope. Hope for a better life and a future filled with smiles, apple slices, and hugs. And hope brings strength even in the darkest times.

Eri pointed the ball against the man and spoke:

"Ser Plushy, please protect Izumi nee-chan and me."

A red light emerged from the ball, first as a ray and then as a humanoid shape. Finally, a figure appeared.

It was tall and masculine; its arms, head, and torso were green, while its waist and legs were white. It had no fingers, each elbow had a long blade, and there was a sharp crest on top of its head.

The man just stared in shock at the creature. Eri looked in awe. Izumi grinned.

"Gallade, take Eri and run!"

Gallade nodded, grabbed Eri, and teleported back to the old warehouse where both girls had slept their first night.

"If you're wondering where they are, then don't waste time,'' she told the man. "Gallade can teleport to anywhere he has been already. Right now, they could be anywhere. And you're going to be very busy."

"Oh? And with what I'm supposed to be busy?"

"Me"

Chapter Text

2

In a society infected with superpowers, children are groomed and trained to want to become heroes. From the day they are born, as soon as they can understand the world that surrounds them, all they see is hero this and hero that.

Sickening. Disgusting.

For Kai Chisaki, society, no, the entire planet was sick.

Sick with Hero Syndrome.

All they did involved the heroes somehow: the movies they watched, the products they bought, the schools they wanted to study at. Everything was about heroes.

Disgusting.

Unlike others, he hated his quirk. The idea of having to touch anything, even people or animals, to activate it just made him feel gross. Whenever he had to use it, he would immediately disinfect his hands, sometimes his entire body.

As a child who had been homeless and orphaned, he hadn't trusted the heroes. He had only trusted one man his entire life. The man who saved him and gave him a path, a reason to live, a family.

The Boss.

He was the only human being, possibly the only being that he would ever care about. The moment the boss saved him, the moment the Boss showed him the Yakuza Honor Code, the moment the Boss told Kai about his dream of the Yakuza rising back from the shadows, at that moment Kai swore to help him achieve that dream.

No matter what.

He didn't regret his choices. Regret was for the weak and for cowards. And he was neither. He knew what had to be done. The Yakuza had to rise again. They were the only true power in Japan. Not the government, even less the heroes. If quirks hadn't appeared, then the Yakuza would still control Japan, instead of suffering a slow death in the darkness.

When the Boss had introduced him to Eri, he hadn't thought much of the girl. She was shy and scared. Understandable considering her quirk had killed her father in front of her and her mother had abandoned her. It was when Kai started to study her blood that he understood Eri's true value. The power of rewinding time until nothing existed. The power of destroying quirks forever.

The Boss didn't like his plan. That had hurt. It had hurt worse when the man told him to leave and never return if he intended to continue with his plan. And it hurt the most when Kai used his power to modify his brain to put him in a coma.

He would never forget the look on the Boss´s face when he realized what Kai had done.

Kai never cared about hurting others. When he used his quirk on Eri for the first time to harvest more blood and tissue, and she cried and begged him to stop, he just ignored her. But when the Boss, the closest thing to a father he ever had—that he would ever have—gave him a look of betrayal, his heart hurt.

He hurt his Boss, he betrayed the most sacred part of the Yakuza Honor Code. Even if the plan succeeds, the Quirk Society dies, and the Yakuza rises again, he will still be punished as soon as he heals the Boss and his acts are revealed. That day, he became Overhaul, the leader of the Shie Hassakai.

He didn't care. Because the Boss's dream would be completed. And that's all that mattered.

And now an insect was interfering with the Boss's dream.

When his men told him that Eri had run away, he got angry. When they told him that the grunts sent to capture her were missing, he got pissed. When the missing idiots finally called, TWELVE FREAKING HOURS after Eri's disappearance, and told him that a teenager had beaten them up and left them unconscious with notes taped to their chest implying they were pedophiles, he became a roaring volcano.

The two idiots had spent hours at the hospital being checked for concussions and later at the police station being interrogated over those notes and about whoever had assaulted them. They told the police that it must have been a misunderstanding or some prank. But the damage had been done. Because they had been wearing their masks—the masks that the Shie Hassaikai wore.

And now the police would be investigating them under suspicion of child prostitution or abuse.

He had ordered them to go to an abandoned warehouse, someplace not connected to them. And when the idiots had arrived, and after making sure no cop or some hero had followed them, he took care of them.

First, he made sure they gave him a good description of the teenager who had taken Eri. He was sure that this mysterious girl wouldn't have beaten up two strangers and left a little girl alone. No. Not in this sick society infested with wannabe heroes.

A green-haired teenage girl, maybe fourteen, green eyes, tanned skin, no heteromorphic traits, and diamond-shaped freckles on both of her cheeks.

He made sure every single one of his men, from his Eight Precepts to his lowest grunt, memorized that description and then sent them to find both girls. It wasn't like he could send a missing-child report. As far as the world knew, Eri didn't even exist. And for the plan's sake, for the Boss's dream sake, it would continue that way.

After three days of searching, they hit gold. A security camera showed two black-haired girls, a teen and a middle schooler, boarding a bus towards Funabashi. Based on the station and the maps, Kai realized they were going to Tokio. Why? He didn't care. It didn't matter. He sent his men to the train and bus stations near Tokio. One of them would find them, and then they would tell him, and he would take care of it.

And it worked. They saw them boarding a train towards the capital and informed Kai. He had a group follow them inside and gave them strict orders to not show themselves until he gave the order. When he arrived at Chuo, he gave the order. Predictively, the girl went after the grunts while Eri fled towards the city. After that, it was child's play for Kai to find her.

What he didn't count on was for the mysterious girl's quirk to be the ability to summon some type of teleporting creature. That would be troublesome to deal with.

No matter, first the girl, then the creature. And then Eri. He will make sure she finally understands what happens when she behaves like a selfish brat.

He took off his gloves. It would take a single touch to finish this. The girl crouched, one hand went behind her back, a cocky grin on her face. He ran, his right hand stretched towards her head, and she jumped. It wasn't a big jump; she went to the wall on her left, and with another kick, she leapt over his head. He saw her arm throw a second ball, and a new creature was released behind him.

This one looked like a simian; red-brownish fur covered its body, and white fur covered its torso, legs, and head. Fire flowed from its head. Golden armor covered its ribs, knees, shoulders, and elbows.

"Infernape, Smokescreen!" "IINNN" Black smoke came from its mouth, covering the entire alley. Kai couldn't see anything. A shape moved beside him; he went for it, but a punch to the gut intercepted him.

"Is that all the mighty and powerful Yakuza can do? No wonder you guys are extinct. Even common thieves are faster," she taunted him from the smoke. He went towards her voice, but a kick to his back shoved him to the ground. The hits weren't hard enough to hurt him; it felt more like they were taunting and mocking him. They could hurt him, but he couldn't hit back.

"I think I understand now why the Yakuza are nearly gone. Since primarily the leader of any group is the one with the strongest quirk, you yakuzas must have the lamest and weakest quirks ever."

Quirks. Quirks. QUIRKS! He was so damn tired of that fucking word! Everybody was obsessed with quirks. With their strength and their uses. That brat wanted to see a powerful quirk. Then she will get her fucking wish!

"AHHHHHHHH!" His hands touched the filthy ground and activated his quirk.

The ground shifted, and a mass of spikes sprouted around him in the shape of an arc. After a few seconds, the smoke dissipated, and his work came into view.

The entire alley was devastated. Spikes of 6 feet in width and length covered the ground; the walls on each side of the alley were destroyed and covered in holes.

"Wow. Man, those are some anger issues," the girl said. He looked up, and there she was, hanging on the back of the ape, with the ape clinging with its claws. Far enough that his spikes hadn't even scratched them.

A flash called his attention. At the opening of what was once a dark alley, were people. People with their phones and I phones and cameras out. People taking pictures. Of him. Of his quirk.

"I don't need to defeat you, Overhaul. I just need to put your face on the news and wait for the heroes and cops to catch you. After all, using your quirk to destroy a public space is a crime. And trying to kill a teenager for no good reason is a worse crime," she and her ape smirked.

Kai stood there. For five years, ever since the Boss introduced him to Eri, ever since he discovered what entailed Eri's quirk, ever since he took control of the Shie Hassakai and became Overhaul, he had worked day and night to destroy the Quirk Society. For five years, he destroyed and recombined Eri to harvest her blood and tissues, and then spent hours and hours studying and testing how to turn her quirk into a weapon. Five years of working in the shadows. Five years of avoiding the attention of the heroes and the government. And only in the past month has he made some progress. Slow, but progress. And now it is all gone.

That girl was right. The moment those pictures went online (and they probably are right now online), some pro hoping for more ratings would start investigating him and his associates. And eventually, they would discover his hideout. Worse, if they find Eri, they will discover his plan.

When an injured animal is cornered, there are two things that can happen. The animal will resign itself to its fate. Or it will attack and destroy what is in its path.

Overhaul didn't even think of any options. He just attacked the bane of his existence. No matter what, that girl will die.

Chapter Text

3

'Your clever, astute, adaptable. Your mind is capable of developing quick and efficient strategies with the minimum data. But your body is weak. Not because of sickness or biology, but because you didn't bother to train it. How can you help others without the minimum training?. Or do you simply expect that hoping and praying will work? If that is so, then leave. But if you're willing to learn, to work hard, to push your body and mind to their limit, to their breakpoint, and to keep going, then stay and become my apprentice'.

The words of her mentor came to Izumi's mind. He had been harsh, but his words were true. Ever since she was a little girl, she had wanted to be a hero, one like All Might. Even when she had been diagnosed as quirkless, she still maintained that hope. But her mentor had been right. She had only trained her mind, not her body. She just kept hoping that if she tried her best, she could do it. Always hoping that at any point her quirk would manifest and her dreams would become true.

She had been such a fool.

Her mentor taught her. He taught her exercises to strengthen her muscles and elongate her limbs. He taught her mind games to sharpen her mind. And he taught her all he knew about Pokemon. After one year together, he let her go. After all, experience is the best teacher. Failing and trying. Those were the best teachers.

She wasn't almighty. No. She still had much to learn. She was a good trainer, and her medals and rewards proved it. But if she wanted to be one day a hero, one capable of saving others with a smile on her face, she had to be better.

When she found Eri, she knew she needed more information. Not only of where she was, but of their enemy.

Eri was traumatized; she didn't want to tell her of the men who kept her, of her life, or of her quirk. So Izumi told her of her childhood, of her mom, her mentor, and the friends she had made. She gave her Gallade's pokeball and told her that if the man who hurt her ever came close, she should hold the ball and call for Sir Plushy's help.

Their psychic link informed her how much Gallade didn't appreciate that name.

With some time and gentle coaxing, Eri told her a few things.

Her name, her captor's nickname, Overhaul, and how she came to have her wounds. Hearing how the man would disassemble and reassemble Eri's body and take her blood and tissue made her sick and furious. It took her lots of self-control to not show her fury in her face. Gallade heard it too, and he informed the rest of the team.

She spent most of that night calming them down and promising that they would get a shot at hurting that Overhaul bastard.

It was his power that worried her. A single touch, and he could kill her and her entire team. Hell, he could make it so that no evidence remained.

A very powerful quirk, wielded by a very dangerous man.

Eri told her of how one time she saw him defeat one of his men in mere seconds. That spoke of his speed and reflex. Fortunately, Izumi had a strategy for those types of opponents.

First: evade the attack; second: obstruct view; third: make them lose control of themselves. Anger is good as fuel, but too much and poor self control make it a ticking bomb waiting to explode.

And it worked. The shock of losing Eri right in front of his own nose, Infernape's smokescreen, and a nice amount of Taunt combined with some hits and mocking made him release all that rage in one very flashy way.

Because Izumi knew she couldn't defeat him. At least not without suffering serious damage to herself or her team. She needed more information about his limits, his strengths, and his weaknesses. So, she made him visible. A dangerous villain, with a powerful quirk destroying part of the city, and so close to Tokyo. Especially on that day.

And that was when it all went to shit. Overhaul's hands touched the wall, and it started to shift into a wave of concrete rolling towards her.

"Shit! Infernape, higher!" Her starter jumped towards the roof, away from the villain. When they touched the roof, she climbed off its back and released two more Pokemon.

"Lucario, Lopunny, we are against a dangerous foe. He can change the entire layout with just a touch of his hands. He can also kill us by just touching us. Avoid close combat, use Protect and Detect, and intercalate with range attacks. According to Eri, he can withstand strong hits, but don't overdo it. We aren't murderers." She quickly explained the situation to her first three Pokemon.

They all nodded. They were some of her more mobile and agile Pokemon, and they had powerful range moves.

They stood back to back, keeping a 360-degree view as much as possible. Lopunny's hearing and Lucario's sensory feelers strengthened their defense.

"RIO!" Lucario barked and pointed down.

"Jump now!" She ordered. They all jumped toward the street inmedialy.

Pokemon were sturdier than humans; their bodies could handle a big fall. Trained Pokemon even more. And Izumi was primarily a fighting-type trainer. Her body could handle hits strong enough to bend steel.

The roof caved; it turned into quicksand alongside the entire building. Izumi hoped that nobody was inside.

"Lucario, were.." "Rio," he said, shaking his head. Izumi relaxed. Nobody was at the building. Good.

She looked at the street. It was filled with people, children and adults, most of them taking pictures and filming their fight.

"Listen up! This place is dangerous! You all need to leave and call for the heroes to arrive! There is a dangerous villain here!" She tried to warn them of the danger.

Some left, mostly parents dragging their children. But the rest didn't want to leave. She sighed.

"I'm serious, you all." "Lo!" Lopunny grabbed her and jumped away. Coming from the alley was Overhaul. But he was different. His body was surrounded by concrete, bricks, metal, and whatever else he had touched. It surrounded him in the form of a golem, a very big and angry golem, with tendrils moving like whips.

But what froze her wasn't his shape. It was his aura. His killing intent. He wanted to kill her. He wasn't going to stop until she was dead. And he didn't care if others were in the way.

"Lucario Roar now!"

Lucario faced the crowd and roared. A deep, rumbling sound came from his maw. It wasn't a warning. It was a promise. A promise of harm and danger. It is a perfect way for Pokemon to scare those weaker than them, sometimes even those on their same level of strength. A group of civilians who had never been in battle and who had never faced a Pokemon? They ran so fast that they left dustprints behind.

Izumi and her team faced Overhaul. At least now they could fight without worrying about innocents getting hurt. Streets, houses, and buildings could be rebuilt. It would be expensive—yes, a pain in the pocket. But they can be rebuilt. A life can't be rebuilt. And that's what matters when fighting a villain. That's what her mentor taught her.

"Lopunny, use Ice Beam; try to immobilize his body as much as possible. Lucario, Screech, and Metal Sound, then Flash Cannon. Infernape Flamethrower, maximum power. Everybody use moves to increase your defenses, attacks, and mobility."

They obeyed. Lopunny covered Overhaul's armor with ice; she even froze his golem's feet to the ground. Lucario's scream had him screaming and flinching from the pain. Infernape's flames actually melted the villain's armor.

Izumi stood there, analyzing and giving orders to her team, but also concentrating. She was giving her Pokemon strength. She was using her aura to increase their power. And for a moment, it seemed as if they could win. Her team was fast; every time he tried to hit them with his tendrils, they jumped or used Protect to shield themselves while the other two would attack.

For one moment, Izumi thought they could win. And then Overhaul showed why he was in charge of the Shie Hassakai.

His entire armor was expelled from his body, like a meteor shower. The debris hit everything. The buildings across the street, traffic lights, and posters. She could barely see Lopunny using Protect and Lucario running and dodging, trying to reach her, when she saw a giant mass in front of her. All she could do was focus her aura on her body and push against the object.

It didn't prevent her from being tossed and crashing against a window, but it did save her life. It felt as if a Rhydon had trampled against her. She was focusing on breathing when a hand grabbed her neck.

It was him. Overhaul. His eyes showed his intentions. A malicious glint filled them. He was going to kill her. But not fast. No, he was going to torture her slowly. She could feel it. His emotions were screaming at the pleasure he was feeling at the idea of killing her.

"What were you expecting? In what world does a teenager defeat a Yakusa Boss?" He smirked, so confident of his victory, so confident of his power.

Izumi coughed and then grinned, "I didn't have to defeat you. Just slow you down." Her eyes slid towards her left, and a smile crept over her face.

Overhaul's eyes narrowed, and then he looked over his shoulder.

There, in the front of the restaurant where they crashed, was a washing machine standing in a heroic posture.

"WAAAASHHHHHH, VILLAIN!" from its hands erupted a stream of bubbles, straight at them. The stream from the left hand enveloped Izumi in a giant bubble, while the stream from the right hand tore Overhaul away and had him crash through the walls.

"Young lady, don't worry, the heroes are here. Please point out any injuries you may have. My bubbles work as disinfectants." The hero helped her out of the bubble.

Izumi stared at him in wonder. As a young, quirkless, and lonely girl, she didn't have many friends. To be honest, she had no friends. Either they saw her as a freak, used her as a punching bag, or didn't want to risk befriending her in fear of becoming a bully target. She didn't join any sports team or any other club. All she focused on was the hero world and quirk analysis.

So, she studied all she could about heroes and villains. She theorized about how their quirks worked, their limits, possible interactions between quirks, ways to increase or nullify a quirk, etc.

By the time she met her mentor and became a Pokemon trainer, she had nine notebooks filled with information about heroes and villains.

And she recalled a hero whose quirk formed bubbles that could be used to defeat, encapsulate, and clean.

"Y-you are, are, the Washing Hero: Wash!" Izumi couldn't help but stutter at seeing a hero in the flesh. For all her achievements at the League Circuit and Battle Frontier, Midoriya Izumi was a hero fan at heart.

"Oh, my Arceus, I have so many questions. How did you control the output from each hand? Does each hand only control a certain amount? No, that doesn't make any sense; that type of limit would be obvious to see. That means that you need an incredible level of control to release a stream from one hand and a single bubble from the other at the same time. Mumble, mumble, mumble…"

"Young lady, your questions are interesting; however, this may not be the best place to answer them." Wash placed a hand on her shoulder. Izumi's face went completely red. It had been a while since this happened.

"Ah, yes, right, your right, Mr Wash. Sorry. I, I tend to overanalyze quirks, sorry." Her whole face was red as a tomato.

Wash smiled. "It's no problem. It's nice to see a kid show a bright mind."

Izumi smiled back. She was going to open her mouth when a noise startled her. Both of them faced towards the hole where Overhaul had fallen.

"Mr Wash, that villain's name is Overhaul. He is the leader of the Shie Hassakai, a Yakuza organization. Overhaul's quirk allows him to disassemble and reassemble anything, organic and inorganic. His body is strong enough to handle hits that could break rock and bend metal, and his speed and agility are impressive. A witness told me he is capable of killing a person just by touching them. My team and I tried to weaken his defenses and used long-range attacks. We only managed to hold him in place until you arrived." She quickly summarized the most important details for the pro hero.

Wash stared at her. "Young lady, that analysis is impressive. How old are you?"

"Fifteen, just turned fifteen." Another birthday away from her mother, another milestone missed with her only biological family.

"And what school do you plan to attend?" The knowing smile on his face spoke of his thoughts. Wash already had an idea of what career Izumi wanted. A civilian who only wanted a simple life wouldn't risk their lives against a powerful villain. Izumi smiled. After five years away, after five years of training and adventures, she could finally answer that question with confidence.

"You think that would stop me?" Overhaul´s voice interrupted them. There were only a few scratches on his face and body. His clothes were torn, but he didn't stumble or show any other sign of damage.

"You really think that a fucking washing machine would stop ME!" His hands touched the rubble; a tendril went right towards Izumi's face, but Wash's bubbles tore right through it.

"I AM OVERHAUL! I LEAD THE YAKUZA! I AM THE BANE OF THE HERO SOCIETY! I WILL DESTROY THIS SICK SOCIETY OBSESSED WITH QUIRKS! A FUCKING TEENAGER, HER PET MONSTERS, AND A FUCKING WASHING MACHINE WON'T STOP ME!"

When he tried to move one of his legs, he stiffened. He twitched but couldn't move. Izumi's eyes squinted. There. A glint. A thread. No, fibers. There were fibers surrounding his arms, legs, torso, and neck. She quickly went through her memories and remembered only one hero whose quirk allowed him to apprehend villains that way.

"That foul language has no place in front of our youth. No wonder a criminal capable of this destruction only knows how to speak this way. It's a shame how courtesies have been disappearing these days," a man said behind them.

He was tall. His blond hair was perfectly combed. His telltale jean mask and costume revealed his identity: The Fiber Hero, Best Jeanist, the number three hero.

Best Jeanist arms were in cross position; thin, barely visible fibers were enveloped between each of his fingers. Those fibers were the ones immobilizing Overhaul.

"Mr Best Jeanist! Overhaul's hands.." "Must not touch anything. I know. I was able to overhear your words to Wash. I concur with my fellow hero; your information is extremely important. Good work at gathering it."

Best Jeanist, the number-three hero of Japan, said she had done a good job.

Oh, my Arceus. Izumi had to use all her self-control to avoid cheering like a little girl.

"Hahaha! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!" Overhaul started to laugh like a maniac. Tears flowed from his eyes. His body shook as much as it could under its immobilization.

Wash put himself in front of Izumi. She too sensed something wrong. Her hand went to her back, towards one of her balls, one she had kept as a last option.

"What's so funny, villain?" asked Best Jeanist. He, too, had sensed something was wrong. His fingers tightened; he was putting more strength into his hold.

"I thought that torturing and killing that brat would make my day better after this disappointing week. Making sure she watches how these heroes die by my hand because she wanted to stick her nose where it doesn't belong makes it much better."

Even though his lower face was hidden by his beak-like mask, Izumi could easily imagine his malicious smile. His eyes already showed his madness.

"And how do you plan to do that?" The number three hero asked.

Izumi saw it before the others. His hands were away from the rest of his body and from his surroundings. But his fingers could touch his palm and each other. She didn't know whether it was his fingertips, his palm, or the entire hand that needed to touch to activate his quirk. And she didn't want to find out. The next few seconds would be paramount. Fortunately, she still had an ace. She had sensed him after Wash had saved her.

"Infernape, Mach Punch! Now!" Izumi screamed with all her strength.

The ground to the left of Overhaul started to tremble. It caved in and formed a hole. And from that hole, a blur jumped and aimed a punch at Overhaul's face.

Infernape's punch connected solidly. The punch had been so strong that it tore the villain from the fibers and had him collide against a wall.

"Continue with Match Punch! Don't let him touch you or anything else!" "INNN," he nodded and went after his opponent.

"I'm sorry, Best Jeanist. I saw how his fingers could still touch each other and his palm, and for all we know, that could be enough to reassemble his entire arm and escape from your quirk."

Best Jeanist frowned.

"A good analysis, young lady. You're right. Without knowing the exact workings of his quirk, it is best to assume the worst."

"We must reassemble outside; with his quirk, this small space only benefits him. Call back your... Infernape?"

"Infernape, Dig back outside. We need more space."

The three ran outside. She saw Lucario on the ground with Lopunny's hand glowing pink around his chest.

"What happened?" "Lo, lo, pun," Lopunny indicated to a giant rock broken in the middle and to Lucario. Izumi facepalmed.

"Is this another of your creatures?" Wash asked her. She nodded. "If you need it, I can use my bubbles to administer medical assistance."

"Thanks, but it's not necessary. Lopunny can use Heal Pulse on this idiot." "Cario," her best friend pouted at her tone. "If you are stupid enough to use Arm Break against a giant boulder of who knows what coming at you at maximum speed, then you're an idiot."

Wash and Best Jeanist chuckled at her side.

"We need to form a plan quickly. With his quirk and abilities, he will be extremely difficult to apprehend. Our only advantage is that he didn't bring any of his followers. But every second increases the risk of his henchmen coming, and that would make our situation even more difficult. What should we do? Mumble, mumble, mumble."

A hand on her shoulder made her stop her mumbling. The voice that spoke made her freeze.

"Don't worry, young lady. Because We Are Here"

She turned and remembered why she had chosen to go to Tokyo. She remembered how that first night, when she was trying to figure out how to protect Eri, she noticed that they were in August. She remembered how she had checked the Hero Public Safety Commission website to see if the ranks had been updated yet, and to her delight, it was going to be one week from that exact day. That meant that in one week, Tokyo would be filled with hundreds of heroes. And more importantly, with the current top ten.

Izumi ignored the sound of Overhaul screaming about killing her and the rest. She ignored how her Pokemon went in front of her to protect her from the deranged villain. She ignored her exhaustion.

Her plan had been easy. Go to Tokyo, have Overhaul confront her, have Gallade protect Eri, and take the rest of her Pokemon (just in case). Make sure that whatever fight she had with Overhaul grabs the attention of the heroes and informs them of the situation.

Best scenery: Overhaul is arrested, and Eri lives happily ever after. Worst scenery: Izumi dies, Overhaul runs, and Gallade will do all he can to get Eri out of the country and away from Overhaul's influence.

She honestly never thought that most of the top ten heroes would be in front of her. Including her personal hero. Her reason for wanting to be a hero since she was a toddler would be there.

The Number One Hero in all of Japan. The Symbol of Peace. The Hero who saved others with a smile on his face.

All Might.

Chapter Text

4

When men grow, old dreams are forgotten. Because in the end, old dreams are old memories, and the human brain is incapable of remembering too far in the past with perfect accuracy. So the brain remembers the important, the essential, and what matters most. And what leaves the biggest impact.

Midoriya Izumi can't remember how her life was when she was a baby or a toddler, but she will never forget the day she was declared quirkless. She will never forget the callous words of the doctor, his remarks about how she should just give up, and her mother's tears and guilt over something only nature could control. And later, the scorn, mocking, and bullying that started when her diagnosis was made public.

The next six years of her life were a mixture of sadness, pain, and solitude. Only two things kept her sane: her mother's love and her dream.

Izumi didn't want to quit. She wanted to be a hero. She was going to be a hero. Not all heroes had flashy, strong quirks like All Might and Endeavor. Some fought basically quirkless and complemented their fighting with their quirks. Oh, it wasn't something very well known. It had taken her years of web searching, but thankfully, the internet was a universe of information.

Every time a new hero appeared, someone would take pictures, videos, and interviews; their quirks would be shown, and Izumi would analyze them. Of course, most of the heroes had strong, flashy quirks, perfect for a hero. But not all.

It was the Pussycats that proved her theory. Mandalay and Ragdoll. Both had great quirks, perfect for rescue missions. But next to useless in battle. And despite how they tried to play it, Izumi knew that their physical and fighting prowess had nothing to do with quirks but with training. Old pre quirk videos proved it. Videos of people with no type of superpower, of all ages and races, capable of acrobatic stunts, or able to defeat someone stronger by virtue of martial arts.

Of course, by the time Izumi had found that information and was preparing to convince her sweet mother why joining a martial arts school would be good for her, the incident happened, and she never saw her mom again. Or anybody that she knew.

In the last five years, Izumi has fought for two dreams—well, three, actually. Going home with her mom, being the best trainer possible towards her loyal team, and becoming a hero that could save others with a smile on their face. Just like All Might.

Because that had been her oldest memory. Not hugging her parents, not playing with her best friend. It was All Might's debut video. It was the video where an unknown hero saved hundreds of lives from a horrible accident, never losing the smile on his face. A smile that gave hope. A smile that told the victims to not give up, that a hero was there, that help was there.

That All Might was here to save you.

And now All Might was really here, in front of Izumi, ready to save her.

Izumi's brain failed to upload. She just stared at her role model, her favorite hero, the reason for her existence, and why the hell was the back of her head hurting and why was her face facing the floor?

"Lop, lop, Lopunny!" Ahh, Lopunny slapped her to knock her out of her internal reverence.

Izumi closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she was sure she could keep her fangirl locked down (until the fight ended, then she would probably squeal like a five-year-old), she straightened out and looked, and for fucking Arceus and Mew's sake, how many pros had been gathered? How had they arrived so quickly?

Another slap came. This time, it was harder. It actually threw her head first to the ground.

"Thanks, Lucario; I think I got it."

Someone chuckled above her. Well, she was embarrassed forever. Best to get up and continue on.

"Are you alright, young lady?" All Might was talking to her. ALL MIGHT WAS TALKING TO HER. From the corner of her eye, she saw Infernape grinning and cracking his knuckles. She shook her head and focused.

Before she could try and speak a noise interrupted them. An enraged voice coming from the wrecked restaurant they had ran from.

"I WILL KILL YOU! ALL OF YOU! YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! I AM OVERHAUL! I AM THE END OF THIS SICK AND DISGUSTING SOCIETY!"

A bright light enveloped the restaurant. It shined so much that everyone was forced to close their eyes. When they finally opened them again, they were shocked at Overhaul´s new appearence.

What was once a family restaurant, without much of its front because of the current fighting, of course, now was a giant towering golem.

The villain had merged himself with the entire structure. A creature of 20 meters tall and wide enough to push against the other buildings. A giant golem with Overhaul´s shape was made from an amalgamation of all the different elements that made up the former restaurant. Metal, concrete, brick, wood, plastic, glass. And those were the easy ones to identify.

"What the hell's this? Some type of anime fight?" Endeavor grumbled. The man's flames covered his face and part of his shoulders. Despite their brightness, they didn't feel hot, but warm.

Izumi was used to heat; she had trained Infernape since he was a Chimchar. All those years together, fighting side by side, perfecting all his moves had given her an insight into the characteristics and qualities of fire. Just by their color, Izumi knew that Endeavor kept his distinct flames warm and that at any second he could turn the heat up.

"He already did this before," Wash informed the gathered heroes. "When I first arrived at the scene, a witness told me of how he took on some type of golem form and then exploded. He may be targeting to do the same type of damage, but on a larger scale."

The heroes frowned at that statement. Endeavor's flames grew in size and intensity; All Might's fist tightened, and Best Jeanist frowned. Izumi had been away for many years, so she didn't recognize most of the other heroes gathered. She could recognize the Dragon Heroine: Ryukyu, the Whale Hero: Gang Orca, the Lion Hero: Shishido, and even the veteran Equipped Hero: Yoroi Musha. But there were others there. Many. Heroes that came to Tokyo for the Billboard announcements, heroes that most likely followed the top ten to an unknown but dangerous situation. Heroes that could easily imagine the disaster that Overhaul was capable of unleashing.

Izumi frowned. Overhaul was a corned animal, the most dangerous type of creature, one who had nothing to lose. One who would either surrender or fight to the death. And the villain had chosen the latter.

Izumi closed her eyes and relaxed. She had to concentrate. She had to focus. She had to see beyond Overhaul's armor. Beyond his quirk. She had to see him.

She felt Lucario at her side. Her companion, too, was focused. He, too, was using his Aura to see beyond Overhaul's physical appearance.

Pokemon and trainer opened their eyes and saw it. Before, when Overhaul had created the first golem, his aura had been in the center, in the shape of his body. The armor had been just that—an armor. Only small tendrils had connected it to Overhaul's body.

Now it was different. Overhaul's aura, a dark, angry red filled with anger, rage, and hate, wasn't in the shape of a human body. It was intermingled with the materials that once made the restaurant. And that changed things.

"It's not like before," Izumi told them. The heroes stared at her. She focused and kept talking: "Before, it was just armor, a cover that he could destroy with no problem. Now, he is the armor. He fused himself with the entire building. It means he can't use himself as a bomb without killing himself. His body, his mind, his soul—all that makes him is completely fused with the restaurant."

"Then defeating him will be harder," said Ryukyu. "Without a real physical body, we can't know which quirks will hurt him and in which parts. And with that size and power, I fear that many will be hurt before we find out."

"Then we will defeat him before that happens," All Might proclaimed. The heroes stared at him. Some were in awe, others frowned, and the rest made sure to pay attention.

"Ryukyu, Mt. Lady, your quirks allow you two to match his size. Please do your best to hold him. Endeavor, I need your help." The number two hero stared at the number one. "With our quirks combined, we can defeat him with one move and save this entire city."

Endeavor's fist tightened. His face was unreadable. But he nodded.

Izumi stared at Overhaul. The villain hadn't yet made any movement. He was stalling, waiting. Waiting for the heroes to make a move. Why? Why not attack at that moment? Why not destroy everything? She doubted he could kill All Might, Endeavor, or any of the top ten gathered there. But the golden rookies and the ones in the hundreds that probably came because the top heroes came? She feared for them. The fact that All Might had only called for three heroes in total meant that he feared the same.

And then she realized it. The reason why Overhaul didn´t move. Because he still had an ace. His quirk. The most powerful aspect of his quirk.

"WAIT!" she yelled. "Young Lady, don't wo-" "Overhaul's quirk allows him to reshape anything he touches. Anything. He can kill with one touch. What is it to say that that aspect is gone just because his physical form changed? He has been there, waiting for you to attack. Why? It makes no sense. Any other villain would have already tried to destroy and kill as many as he could. I think he is waiting to kill all the heroes that use physical confrontation."

"Huh, it does make sense," a flying hero said. Two huge red wings sprouted from his back. His eyes were hidden by goggles, but she could feel them staring at her. His posture seemed relaxed, but it was fake. He was ready to move at a moment's notice, like an Arbok ambushing its prey. Or, in this case, a Staraptor more likely.

"Use me as bait." Izumi proposed, "He wants me dead. He wants to kill me slowly, torture me, and destroy me. If he sees me, his self-control will explode." She was serious. She had to protect Eri; she had promised Eri that after today she would be free. That she would have a childhood; a life. If Izumi had to risk her own life, if she had to die for that to happen, then so be it.

"Lopu" "Cario" "Ape" her team tried to follow her.

"No, I can't let anything happen to you guys," she said, shaking her head. They stared stubbornly at her. Neither side willing to give in.

"I appreciate your warning, Young Lady, but don't worry. Nobody will die today." All Might smiled. It was his confident smile. The one he wore when a disaster struck. The one he wore when villains attacked. The one that said, Everything will be fine.

Wash's hand touched her shoulder. The pro smiled with his eyes at her, trying to calm her. She wanted to believe in them. She wanted to believe that everything would be fine, that the villain would be defeated, and that there would be a happy ending. She wanted that.

So she waited.

And she saw the heroes that she had admired since childhood save the day.

The Dragoon Heroine, Ryukyu transformed into her dragon form while Mt. Lady, a young heroine no older than mid-twenties, gave a cheery wave to the few spectators that were watching from the sidelines, and then her body grew until she matched Overhaul's new form. Both heroines struck at Overhaul. Overhaul streched his arms, aiming towards their heads, killer intent visible on the air.

But he missed.

Because they weren't alone. The flying hero sent a wave of feathers at Overhaul's eyes; the impact made the villain bellow in pain and clutch at his face. Using that advantage, Mt. Lady tackled him and jumped on top of him. She grabbed his arms and kept them in the air. That's when Ryukyu attacked. Her mouth opened, and then the yakuza lord screamed. Ryukyu bit both arms, causing great damage and pain to the villain.

That's when All Might and Endeavor struck. All Might pulled his right arm behind his body as much as he could. With her aura sight Izumi saw a golden light enveloping the Number One Hero. And in the center of his body, seven lights, each of different colors, pulsing. All Might's quirk started to work. The air on his arm shifted, as if some strange force was calling for it, forcing it to bend to his will. All Might was creating a force of nature, all in one arm.

"Mt. Lady, Ryukyu, NOW!" Endeavor yelled. Mt. Lady grabbed Overhaul's body and threw him to the sky. Ryukyu grabbed him by his torso and pulled him higher.

Then All Might moved.

With a mighty yell, he attacked.

"TEXAS SMAAAAAASHHHHH!" A shockwave was released from his arm up to the sky, directly at the villain. When Ryukyu heard All Might's scream, she dropped him and evaded the attack.

Endeavor also moved. His flames flashed, and the heat increased. At her side, Infernape stared in wonder. As a fire type, he was amazed that a human could produce such powerful flames—more powerful than his own—even from some of his rivals.

"PROMINENCE BURN! Endeavor's flames met All Might's shockwave, and a fiery explosion crashed into Overhaul.

The villains' screams were lost in the explosion. All that was left was an falling flaming wreckage in the sky, ready to crash against the city.

But the heroes weren´t idle at that.

In mere seconds, the flaming debris was destroyed and reduced to ashes or simply vanished. Every hero gathered in that point aimed their quirk at the threat . By using different types of elemental quirks, kinetik quirks, and even a blackhole, the threat was reduced.

"How?" She asked. "It's what makes us pros, young lady." Best Jeanist answered her, "If we couldn't form a plan with the very minimum information, then we couldn't save the lives we save. Our instincts, our experience—that's what makes us pros."

Izumi and her team looked at the heroes. In that moment, she remembered what the heroes were supposed to represent. Not glory or power. Something else. Something more important.

Hope. Heroes mean hope. And Midoriya Izumi smiled because she felt hope for herself, for Eri, and for her team.

And for their future.

Chapter Text

5

"Today is Wednesday, August 6th, the time is 14:15. This is Detective Tsukauchi conducting an interview about the circumstances of Tuesday, August 5th. During this interview, I will use my quirk Lie Detector; any falsehoods will be detected.

In front of me is the person most involved in the past events. Please state your name and date of birth."

"Midoriya Izumi, July 15th" TRUE "State your place of birth and family members." "Musutafu City. My mother's name is Midoriya Inko, and my father's is Midoriya Hisashi." TRUE "Name your quirk." "I am quirkless." TRUE "Many heroes and civilians watched you command strange creatures, and you told them that you could see the villain named Overhaul's soul." "All of that is true. However, the creatures that I commanded are not my creation or summoned by any type of quirk. My ability to sense Aura and use it to strengthen myself isn't a quirk. It's a power that only a few are capable of manifesting." TRUE

"I will be completely honest; to understand what happened with Overhaul, I have to explain how I met my team and how I learned to control Aura. It's a long story, but it is a good thing your quirk is called Lie Detect. That way, no one can accuse me of being crazy." TRUE

"Very well, tell your story, Midoriya-san."

"When I was four years old, I was diagnosed as quirkless. I won´t lie, it hurt; it nearly destroyed me. Up until that day, my dream was to go to UA and become a great hero, one like All Might, one that saves others and brings hope along. And that day, I was told that I was useless and that I should just give up on my dreams and be realistic.

But I still wanted to be a hero. I still dreamed of being a hero. No matter what the rest of the world told me—my family, schoolmates, teachers, and strangers—no one believed in me. I was a pariah at school. I don't blame the other children for how they treated me. They just behaved in the way they were taught. I was the freak; they were normals.

I didn't have any friends. I was a single child born from single children. So there were no uncles, aunts, or cousins around. Both grandparents died, and my father worked overseas. My best friend—my ex-best friend—wouldn't talk to me. His family didn't know we drifted apart; I never told them. I didn't want to get him in trouble, and I still don't. All I had was my mom. And even she didn't believe in me. She was worried that I would get hurt or worse. I was a weak, quirkless girl after all. I never blamed her for thinking that. She was just worried.

On my tenth birthday, my mom took me to the movies. A new All Might film had just premiered, and she had gotten tickets for both of us. And after that, we were supposed to go to a sign-and-greet event with some of the newest top 20. I was so excited. I could meet heroes in person.

I didn't know how much my life was going to change.

We never made it to the event; we didn't even make it to the movie. We were just walking towards the bus stop when it all went to hell.

Villains attacked. They were trying to steal a truck, and it crashed into a traffic sign. Then the heroes intervened, and they all started to fight. The people wanted to either run away or see the fight more closely. I just wanted to find my mom. During the chaos, we go split. I couldn't see or hear her. So I just moved. I moved and moved until I was free from the mass of people running and panicking.

That´s when I heard him.

A child. A child screaming. Right in front of me.

On the other side of the street, a toddler, no older than four, was crying in front of his mother. She was lying on the ground; her head was bleeding, and he was tugging her. She didn't respond.

I was staring at the scene, my eyes glued there when a flash of light called my attention.

One of the villains was waving around some type of gun; it looked like a minigun but was more sleek and lighter. And instead of shooting bullets, it fired beams of light. Beams that disappeared anything they touched. To be honest, it was a miracle that nobody got hit by those lights. The heroes were trying to take the gun from his hands. But he just waved it around threateningly. And when they surrounded him, he pointed toward the boy and his mother. That made the heroes stop cold.

I don't remember thinking. I don't remember moving. All I know is that one moment I was watching, and the next I was running with all my strength towards the boy and his mother. I put my body in front of them. And then I felt it. The shot.

It didn't hurt. I saw how my body was being enveloped in a bright light. I was sure that I was going to die. I just wanted to find my mom. To see her one last time. But before I could scream or turn my head, all became darkness. The only thing I regret is that I couldn't tell my mom how much I loved her before I died.

After a while, light enveloped me again. When I opened my eyes, I wasn't on the street. I wasn't even in the city. I was in a valley, staring at the biggest mountain I have ever seen. That thing's crest wasn't visible; it was hidden deep in the clouds. And it was cold. Not enough to freeze, but enough to feel it.

That's when a small creature smashed into me. The crash made both of us fall to the ground on our butts. Imagine my surprise when my assailant was a bipedal blue dog with spikes on his knuckles and the size of a middle schooler. When he looked at me, he flinched and put his fists up, like a boxer. He was hurt; his fur was matted with dirt and blood, and he had scratches on his body. And he was exhausted.

Voices shouted near us. When he heard them, he went still, his breathing increased, and his pupils contracted. Whoever those men were, they were hunting him. I grabbed his front paw and led him behind some rocks, hoping they would pass by and not see us.

It didn't work. They found us inmediatly. We were scared, trembling in fear. I didn't know where I was or what was going on. The men that surrounded us were followed by other creatures. All of them looked big and scary for my ten-year-old self. One looked like a rhino made of rock; there were snarling hounds with horns; and even giant metallic insects.

That's when he saved us. Riley. My mentor. He just jumped in with his partner, Lucario, and beat them up.

After he put the creatures in some strange balls and tied the men, he went towards us. It took a few questions before we both understood what was happening. I wasn't in Japan. Japan didn't even exist there. I was on another world, a version of Earth where humans never developed quirks but instead shared a bond of trust and companionship with creatures called Pokemon." TRUE

"Wait, wait. Pokemon? Another world? How?"

"My guess is that the gun wasn't a disintegration weapon but a teleporting device. One that could transport people to another dimension. I'm guessing that the gun was destroyed or something like that after I went missing."

"After the villain shot you, actually. One of the heroes took him down, and unfortunately, the gun got destroyed. During the investigation, it was found that the truck was delivering experimental technology for the black market. Since all the information was false and the case became public knowledge in the news…"

"The ones in charge behind the technology destroyed all evidence and covered their tracks."

"Exactly, Midoriya-san. Well, my quirk says that you're being truthful; however, we will need blood tests to prove your real identity."

"I know. My story sounds like something out of a fantasy novel. I knew it would be difficult to believe. Well, I will continue on.

When Riley realized that I wasn't from that world, that I was an alien, he contacted an old friend. An agent from the International Police. One that could be trusted to hide my real identity. He offered to teach me about their world, how to live there, and how to become a Pokemon trainer." TRUE

"Pokemon trainer?" "Someone that trains Pokemon, someone who helps them learn new moves or attacks and grow stronger and evolve. Of course, if that's what the Pokemon wishes. The trainer license allows people to participate in the Pokemon League, the Battle Frontier, Contests, etc. Of course, a person can have Pokemon and not be a trainer. Being a trainer is a hard profession. To earn money, one must win. Many leave after one year and follow other careers." TRUE

"And why did you choose to become a trainer?"

"Because it was my best chance at going home. The concept of alternate dimensions was still that: a concept, a theory. There was little evidence of alternate dimensions and zero of alternate Earths. And all that information was kept locked on harder than Tartarus and Fort Knox together. High-level trainers could enter zones prohibited for common civilians. And it was those types of places where the investigations about alternate dimensions took place." TRUE

"So Riley taught you the past five years? Was he the one who gave you the 'Pokemon' that were with you?"

"Not exactly. Wild Pokemon are captured through combat. If I tried to use a Pokemon that Riley or any other trainer captured, it would disobey me. Most Pokemon, especially the ones that wish to become strong, only obey trainers who have already proved their strength." TRUE

"And you proved it by capturing them."

"Exactly. The only exception are the starters, Pokemon gifted by the Regional Professor, who are bred to obey their rookie trainer. Of course, they can still disobey if they don't consider the trainer to be good or worth their time, but that's rare.

My first Pokemon were actually two. The little Riolu that I had met and the Chimchar that Professor Rowan gave me. After that, we spent a year together traveling all over Sinnoh, training, learning, and winning medals for the Pokemon League." TRUE

"What is that? The Pokemon League?"

"A high level competition. Trainers compete against each other in battles. The winner and the second-best can challenge the Elite Four, and if they win, they earn the right to challenge the Champion. The Champion is the strongest trainer of the region, the one who protects it in case of danger."

"And you wanted to be the Champion?"

"What? No! I mean, fighting the Elite Four and the Champion would be great—a real honor. No, my goal was to help my team get stronger and earn the right to enter the forbidden areas. The areas with clues about how to come home. I barely made it to the best eight in my first league. After that, Riley told me to keep traveling. To visit the other Regions and get stronger. And it's what I did. Johto. Kalos. Alola. I traveled there. Participated in competitions to earn money, get stronger, capture more partners, and make new friends." TRUE

"Until you finally returned."

"Alola was the key. They made a breakthrough in dimensional travel, and the agent told me about it. Most of my last year was spent there, waiting for the scientists to make a good Earth-Earth connection. They just finished it last week, and well, that's when I crossed it and met Eri." TRUE

"That means we are moving on to recent events?"

"Yep. Thanks for the water; my throat is getting parched." "No problem; these interviews can be mentally taxing."

"When I came back, Eri crashed into me. Kind of like Riolu. Ha. Some guys wearing bird-like masks were following her, and well, I beat them up. Left them tied up and with signs implicating them as perverts so the police would keep them more time on the station and under vigilance. That way, their boss would have to be more cautious about his actions." TRUE

"That explains that strange report. Well, for this part, I will ask some questions. I already know the ending of this story. What interests me is why. Why lure the villain to Tokyo? Why not just go to the police or to a Hero Agency? Why did you have one of your Pokemon hide the rest after Overhaul was arrested?"

"Because I didn't know who to trust. Eri was tortured for four years by a villainous organization that shouldn't exist. My Pokemon are alien creatures. And Eri has a powerful quirk. As far as I knew, if the heroes and the police didn't believe my story, then Overhaul would find us easier, kill me and my team, and keep Eri as his prisoner forever. And if they believed me and decided to take my Pokemon, or that Eri had to be watched for the risk her quirk entitled?

I made a choice. The Heroes Billboard started in less than a week. That meant that Tokyo would be swarming with heroes. It would be the safest moment to move. So we went to Tokyo. I knew that Overhaul would follow us. My plan was to distract and stall him until the heroes arrived and scared him away. I never thought that most of the top ten would arrive with an army to arrest him. My goal was to make us visible. Me and Eri. So that we couldn´t be covered up. I had Gallade hide the rest of my team until I could be sure that they wouldn´t be taken and experimented on." TRUE

"Ms Midoriya. I just have one question. What do you want?"

"I want to reunite with my mom. To hug her. I want Eri to have the childhood she should have had. I want my team by my side. I want to go to UA. You want to know what I want, Detective Tsukauchi? I want to be a hero."

"An impressive speech, don´t you think True Man?" A young redhead asked Naomasa.

The human lie detector nodded. The girl reminded him so much of his best friend. He felt the same conviction in Midoriya Izumi that he felt in Toshinori.

"So, we agree on what to do?" "We do Hawks."

"Let's call Nezu." The detective smirked. He knew the little chimera would be thrilled with the entire situation.

Chapter Text

6

The best day of her life?

When her sweet Izu was born. The joy of seeing her little girl and finally meeting that little bundle of joy. Of finally hugging her and feeling her in her arms. That was the best day of her life.

The worst day of her life?

For six years, she had thought it had been the day her little girl's world had been shattered. The day she had been diagnosed as quirkless. That night, seeing her daughter watch All Might's debut video over and over again, all the while struggling to not cry and trying to smile like her hero—seeing the pain in her daughter's face when she didn't tell her that she still could be a hero—it had been heartbreaking.

Six years later, her daughter died, proving everybody wrong. She died saving a little boy and his mother. Her daughter died a hero.

For the past five years, that has been the worst day of her life.

When Izumi died, Inko couldn't leave the house. She couldn't work, eat, or bath. All she did was lay on her bed, hugging her daughter's favorite All Might cape, the one she used as a toddler. For an entire week, all she did was lay in bed, wanting to die and meet her baby girl again. If it hadn't been for Mitsu, she might have.

Her best friend since college, Bakugou Mitsuki, a brash woman who broke into Inko's department upon seeing her state, went into action. Mitsuki bathed her, force-fed her, and signed her into a mental hospital. It took months of treatment for Inko to start moving and responding to the world. Every week her friends would come to visit; even little Katsuki held her hand and cried while he thought she was asleep. His confession of missing Izumi and of hating himself for being the shittiest friend ever began to wake her up.

It took months of treatment—individual, groupal, with her friends, even Hisashi, who came from the USA—to comfort her. Seeing her estranged husband so hurt and so heartbroken shook her. All he did was apologize. For not being there, for not being a good husband and father, for not protecting them.

That night, four months after her daughter's death and four months after her world was destroyed, Inko stood in front of her mirror and forced herself to look. To stare into her own eyes. The same green eyes as her dear baby girl.

She cried. She bawled like a baby and cried and cried. She fell asleep there, on the bathroom floor of her room in the psych ward.

The next morning, she woke up fresh. Not good, but better. Her daughter was still dead; her world was still broken, but she was alive. She was there.

When Izumi was diagnosed as quirkless, her daughter didn't break. She suffered, she cried, but she didn't break. Izumi kept on. She kept saying that she would be a hero. One like All Might. And she did. She saved a life. Two lives.

Her daughter died as a hero.

Six months after her daughter died, Midoriya Inko went home. She and Hisashi talked and talked. In the end, they chose to finalize their divorce. The only reason they hadn't done it before was because Izumi was so young; both had decided to finalize it when she was older and ready to understand it. Now, it didn't matter.

For a while, she didn't know what to do. For years, she had been just a stay-at-home mom. Hisashi wired her money, and she took care of the household. Now she wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

One day, she was buying groceries. While browsing, she heard some yelling. Curious, she followed the voices to the back of the owner was screaming at a young man, calling him a thief. Inko crept closer and saw that the thief was just a teenager, a kid. His pink eyes were wide open, and he was trembling in fear. His lip was split open. The teller had a bat on his hands; obviously, he had hit the boy.

"Wait! What's happening?" She didn't know why she intervened. Something on the boy's scared face pushed her to it.

"This freaking monster tried to rob me! That's what happened! Move lady, I'm giving this punk a lesson." The owner gripped his bat tighter with both hands, his eyes never leaving the kid shaking form.

The boy looked at Inko, his eyes filled with fear. Inko saw that his hands were holding a candy bar.

"Wait, he stole that bar? You want to punish him for that? What if he works for you to pay for the candy?" Inko tried to intercede. It wasn't like the boy had a knife or tried to use a quirk to rob him. The man didn't have a single injury, while the supposed thief had blood coming from his lip.

"Why? So he can keep stealing? No, these monsters only know one language. He wants to be a delinquent. Then let him know what awaits him," the man kept screaming. Inko looked into his eyes. Whenever he saw the boy, he would look disgusted.

That's when she understood. It wasn't about robbery; it was about quirks. Because the boy had a mutant-type quirk. He resembled an anthropomorphic lizard, with pink hair and pupils.

Inko's fists clenched. Quirkish asshole. She forced herself to calm down. Anger won't help anybody.

"Very well. What's your name, sweety?" She asked the young mutant. The boy flinched and stared at her. She smiled, trying to look friendly.

"I-Iguchi, Iguchi Shuichi, ma´am." "Can you give me the candy?" He hesitated- His fingers twitched over the packet but in the end gave her the bar. Inko smiled and went to the teller.

"I would like to buy this candy bar, please."

Both men blinked. Iguchi stared at her with his mouth wide open, while the owner went red faced.

"What the hell are you doing? Is this some type of joke?" He asked angrily.

"Of course not. Legally speaking, for young Iguchi to steal from you, he must leave this store with an unpaid item. Or made an intent of taking something with or without violence from your person with the intent of running. Young Iguchi made none. He grabbed a candy bar, and you stopped him before he could leave. Actually, considering we are still in the candy aisles, you intercepted him before he could even leave the store. Do you have a quirk that allows you to know when someone wants to steal? If so, then it must be in the quirk registry. Right? If not, then you have been following this young man here just because of his mutant-type quirk, and that constitutes cause for quirk discrimination."

Inko stared at the racist store owner with a smirk on her face. "So, mister teller, which option is it?"

The man was so mad that his forehead veins were all bulged out. It was obvious what his intentions were. And he knew that she knew it.

"Or, you let me buy this candy bar and let young Iguchi leave. There is no need to call the police or the heroes. Deal?"

He stared at her. His face got angrier and angrier. Finally, he nodded toward the front, and he left. Inko grabbed her groceries and motioned for Iguchi to follow her.

After paying for their things, they left. When they got to the street, Inko put her hand on the young mutant's shoulder.

"Here, your candy." Iguchi stared at her in wonder.

"Thank you," he said, grabbing the bar and gulping it down in a few seconds.

"Why?" "Uhmm?" "Why did you help me? Nobody does." Iguchi stared at the ground with a bitter look.

"If you wanted to hurt him or make money, you would have used a gun or your quirk. You just wanted something to eat."

"How-" "My daughter—my late daughter loved heroes. She would analyze their quirks and their cases. She would analyze why people would commit certain types of crimes. Stealing a candy bar is something a daring child or a hungry person would do."

"I'm sorry for your loss." "Thank you. She, she would have helped you. She tended to put herself in front of children who were bullied and let them hit her instead. I guess I wanted to do something that would make her feel proud of me."

"I bet she is. I would." Iguchi smiled at her.

"Here, this is my number. If you need to talk or something," she handed him a card. He blinks at the information.

"You're a lawyer? It's that how you knew so much about laws?" "I mostly worked from home, with a few consultations and things like that. But yes, I studied law."

"Thanks again, Midoriya-san." "Your welcome, Iguchi-kun."

While watching Iguchi leave, Inko knew what she wanted to do. What she had to do.

A few weeks after their first encounter, Iguchi called her one morning.

"Hey, it's Iguchi. You know, the kid you saved from that jerk."

"Hi Iguchi-kun, I know; I remember you. How are you?" "Fine, I mean, I'm fine. I don't mean to look like a creep, but I was reading the job section, and well, I read you were looking for assistance, and andIwantedtoknowifyouwouldhireme?"

"What?" "Would you hire me? As your assistance, I mean?" He asked hesitantly.

"Iguchi, how old are you?" "Eighteen" "Iguchi-kun" "Ok, ok. Fifteen. But I can work! I swear! I'm not a bum. It's just. People see me and don't see a person; they see a freak. I don't remember the last time someone talked to me like a person."

Inko's heart clenched. It was because of those like Iguchi, Izumi, and even herself that she chose to restart her law career.

"Iguchi, I can't hire a minor who doesn't have the qualifications to be my assistant. But I can offer a minor who has his GED to be an intern."

After that, Inko introduced Iguchi to her friends. The poor boy's face at seeing Mitsuki argue with Katsuki was a little funny. Especially when explaining that no, Katsuki wasn't being abused by his mother; it's just that both Bakugou´s were too hardheaded and only knew how to communicate that way.

Eight months after her daughter's death, Inko opened her own law firm. An office specializing in quirk discrimination. By that time, Iguchi had been working hard to get his GED. He lived with other homeless teenagers who were working on getting their own GEDs and legal emancipation.

When Inko started the paperwork to open her own firm, she knew that she would be battling against big opponents. No matter how much humans evolved, they would still find a reason to discriminate against each other. In the golden age of quirks, where men and women, young and old, had powers, it was the nature of the quirks that caused a rift.

Her research showed her that those born with mutant-type quirks were discriminated against because of their physical appearance. The more inhuman the looks, the worse the treatment. It didn't matter that heroes like Cementoss or Gang Orca were mutant types and had saved hundreds of lives. Mutant types were seen as monsters, as mistakes that had to be wiped out. In the cities, it only happened in the poorest sections; however, there were reports of children being killed or tortured by their own parents just for their quirk.

It made her sick. Children were innocent; they didn't ask to be born, much less what they would look like.

Five years after her daughter´s death, Midoriya Inko´s life was good.

It was not great; the hole in her heart would never allow it. It wasn´t the giant rift that ripped her heart in two and nearly killed her. It was a scar, a constant reminder that something important, someone irreplaceable, was missing. Before, just thinking about Izumi tore her apart, the pain was all-consuming. Now, the pain was still there, but Inko focused on the good memories. Birthdays, holidays, playing together, studying together. A tint of sadness was ever present, but it didn't destroy her.

"Inko-san, this is the report of the Wild Cat Case. Are you sure you want to take care of this one? It involves a homicide." Kuroto Nagisa, one of her top investigators, handed her the file. The man was a private detective, a 30-ish-year-old man who made a living working for private attorney firms like Inko´s. Of course, Inko was only able to afford him when her numbers went up.

Kuroto was a good, solid investigator. He didn´t betray a contract unless the other person tried to screw him over. The two had a good working partnership.

"I'm sure. My informant told me to look beyond the crime scene. They have reason to believe that the murderer was pushed towards its limits by long-term quirk discrimination."

"I will admit there are some shady things when it comes to the family, but it will still be a hard case. It may put some people against you."

"I already have the entire Creature Rejection Clan and the old followers of Destro against me." "Yeah, and some heroes that only care about their paycheck, and probably the heads of the Hero Commission," Souchi added cheekily. The mutant, now in his twenties, had changed a lot in the last five years. He was no longer a shy, distrustful boy, but a confident young man. As Inko had promised, the moment Shouchi presented a GED, she offered him a position as her intern and, later on, as her personal assistant.

At first, Shouchi feared that Inko was trying to replace her late daughter with him and that, when Inko realized that, she would cut ties with him. She had quickly shut down that idea. Izumi was Izumi, and Shouchi was Shouchi. Neither one was replaceable. They weren't a computer or a coffee machine. They were people. Shouchi had cried so hard when she explained that.

"I guess I better contact Kaede and her friends to shadow you for a while," he joked. Inko rolled her eyes. She was about to respond when her personal phone rang. An unknown number.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Hello, this is Tamakawa Sansa from Mustufasu Police. Is this Midoriya Inko´s phone number?"

"Yes, I am her. How can I help you?"

"Ah, good. Midoriya-san, I don't mean to alarm you, but we need you to come to Tokyo Grand Hospital as soon as possible."

"Wh-what? Is somebody I know hurt? Hisashi? One of my coworkers or clients?" She didn't know anyone from Tokyo. Most of her clients and friends were from Musutafu and its surrounding prefectures. The best she could think of was that one of her clients was staying in Tokyo for some reason, and she was their only contact.

"I´m sorry, but at this time I can't say much. Nobody is in danger, but a situation has happened that involves your name. Please come as soon as possible. When you arrive, ask for Detective Tsukauchi. He will explain better. Good day"

"Ok, thanks. I will take the next train," Inko said. Something was happening—something strange. She turned towards Shouchi. "Give the Wild Cat Case to Omaeda; tell him to analyze it and to look for any points in our favor. If there is an emergency, then call Utsamoto; she is the next in command. Nagisa-san, your check will be deposited in your account in a few minutes; I already made the transfer." With that said, she took her purse and left. Whatever was going on was important. She knew it. And Tokyo had the answers.

Even with the fastest train, the trip from Musutafu to Tokyo lasted around three hours. That, plus the traffic, made it so that Inko arrived at Tokyo Grand Hospital by late afternoon. She was tired and hungry. Her plan for that hour was to be at the Bakugous, watching Mitsuki and Katsuki destroy their taste buds with their spicy foods. But she had to be there. She knew it. Some primal, instinctual part of herself knew it.

When she arrived, she saw some police cars around the block. That and the undercover cops placed around the perimeter had her internal alarms on. She gave her name to the officers in front of the hospital and the name of Detective Tsukauchi. After that, they made some calls, and a tall, black-haired man came.

"Midoriya-san, a pleasure. I´m Detective Tsukauchi. I know you have some questions, and I will do my best to answer them. However, it's best if this conversation happens inside, away from the public's ears." The detective motioned with a subtle nudge of his head towards the hospital.

"Very well, but I expect honesty. I want to know what is so important that I had to come to the capital immediately."

Inko followed the officer. The further they went, the heavier the police detail. Was this about her latest case? Did they find the murderer and know she was investigating the case?

Finally, they entered a room. It seemed like a normal office—a couple of chairs, computers, a water cooler, and some snacks. The detective sat down and made a gesture toward Inko. Silence filled the room.

"Midoriya-san, this type of situation is never easy to explain. More when it sounds as fantastical as it is. I will start by saying that we did every test known to man, and they all came back positive. So all I will tell you, no matter how strange, is true."

"I don't understand. Tests? What's happening?" Inko was confused.

"A few days ago, a villain attack happened near Tokyo; the villain nearly destroyed the city and actually banished two buildings before the heroes stopped him."

"I remember reading something like that. Many pro-heroes gathered together and stopped him. Including some of the top 10, right?"

"Indeed. Two heroes heard of the original attack and went to intervene. All Might heard about it, and well, the man never liked the idea of standing still when he could help. The other heroes decided to follow. Mostly to see All Might in action, but also to help."

"And how does that involve me?"

Detective Tsukauchi sighed. He drank his tea and then answered, "Because a teenager of fifteen years old claiming to be Midoriya Izumi was involved."

CRASH

Her cup fell to the ground. No. It wasn't possible. Her daughter was dead. She was disintegrated by some strange weapon wielded by a monster.

"My daughter is dead. I saw for myself how her body disappeared. I didn't even have ashes to bury. All I have to remember her are pictures. The closest thing to a resting place are the flowers and the mural some kids painted on that street."

"I know Midoriya-san. I asked the detectives assigned to your daughter´s case. I interrogated this girl myself. I was even present when she gave her blood to be analyzed and received the results a few hours later. All came back positive. Your daughter wasn´t disintegrated or vaporized like we thought at first. She was teleported to another place. And by her own admission, it took her five years to return."

The detective kept talking. He recounted part of the story this girl told him: her past, so familiar and haunting; her arrival on another Earth; another Earth! How she survived there with the help of others and how she even captured some strange creatures. She talked of these creatures as friends.

Inko felt as if in a daze. Part of her wanted to denounce this girl as a fraud; she didn't want to believe or hope. When Izumi had died, she had kept some hope. There was no body, so maybe she wasn't dead; maybe she was kidnapped. But the more the days passed, the more reality overcame hope.

"I want to see her. This girl. I don´t care what your tests say. I need to see her for myself. A mother knows. If she is a fraud, I will know it."

Detective Tsukauchi nodded and got up. He led her towards another room, one in the private section. Whatever that girl had done, it was obvious that they wanted to keep her safe. The police officers didn't even hide their guns in this part of the hospital. Only a couple of doctors and nurses walked across the hallways, all with their name tags visible on their chests.

Two officers custodied the room; Tsukauchi showed his badge, and they nodded. He entered first. Inko stood there. She breathed in and then exhaled. Whatever comes, she had to be ready. Inko crossed the doorway, telling herself to not feel hope.

The room was a common hospital room. A large window showing the street view, a TV screen hanging from the wall, a second door leading towards a private bathroom, a nice couch for visitors, and the bed. And a ghost was on the bed. A ghost from the past.

Her hair was a dark green, her eyes a brilliant emerald, and diamond-shaped freckles covered her cheeks. Except for her tanned skin, she looked exactly how she imagined Izumi would look as a teenager.

A smaller girl was with her. She was younger; her hair was white, and her eyes were red. A small horn stood on her forehead. There were bandages covering her arms. The girl looked at Tsukauchi and Inko with distrust. She was hugging the older girl and trying to hide. Inko had seen that behavior in some of the children that she represented.

"What hurt you most that day?" she asked her. If she really was her daughter, if she really was Izumi, then she would understand that question.

Green stared at green. The girl's lips twitched, and a sad smile formed on her face.

"That you just apologized over and over for something you couldn't control. And that you couldn't muster the strength to lie to me."

Inko´s eyes started to dampen, and her tears flowed without control. Her hands started to shake, and she covered her mouth. Izumi too started to cry, and her tears too flowed uncontrollably. The so-called baby bawling of the Midoriya's. Crying like babies whenever they were too emotional.

Before they knew it, mother and daughter were hugging with all their strength. Inko would hold her daughter's face in her hands, staring at the young woman that was emerging and at all the changes she had missed in the last five years. Izumi, too, stared at her. Both of their visions were blurry, but they were happy.

At that moment, the hole that existed on both of their hearts—the hole that formed five years ago and remained as a scar—finally healed.

Chapter Text

7

Eri didn't remember what her life was like before the bad men and the surgery room.

She didn't remember her parents. Their faces, their voices... Sometimes, at night, when she was alone in her bedroom, if she concentrated hard enough, she could remember some voices. Two men, kind and loving, and a woman, at first kind too, but then her voice was filled with rage and disgust.

All she knew was pain. Pain and solitude. The men that followed Overhaul weren't her friends; they didn't care for her. Eri was just a tool for Overhaul´s plans. Her happiness wasn't important. All they cared about was her curse. It was all she was good for, after all. Her curse.

She hated it. Her curse. Because of it, she didn´t have a daddy or a mommy. Because of it, she was cut open and disfigured. No matter how much she cried or begged, they just kept cutting. And her curse wouldn't even help her.

At first, when Overhaul started his experiments, her curse would react and explode like a bomb. But it never worked against him. He knew how to protect himself. With time, her curse stopped acting. That made him angry. He wanted her curse to act. So he made her feel more pain—much more pain until she passed out.

For a long time, all she knew was pain and misery.

Until one day.

One day, she overheard some of her guards talking; apparently the Young Master wasn´t in Japan; he was in another country, managing a business deal with some cartel? But he would return in one week. At that moment, Eri felt something she had never felt before.

Hope. She felt hope. At least that's what her few books described hope felt like.

Her guards weren´t hard to fool. All she did was pretend to feel sick. Very sick. Their fear of something bad happening to her overcame their fear of exposing her to the authorities. Using the secret tunnels, they took her from her cell and to a car. The moment Eri saw the car, she faked barfing. When they put her on the ground she bolted as fast as she could.

She ran and ran and ran. In her mind, if she ran forever, then they would never find her.

And then, when her body was getting weaker, when her legs burned from the strain and her heart was bursting, Izumi found her. The older girl protected her and saved her. When the men came for her, Izumi beat them up and then found them a safe place to hide. Izumi got her new clothes and even some paint so her white hair wouldn't be so noticeable.

That night was the best of her life. She was away from the compound, and someone was hugging her and humming a lullaby until she fell asleep.

When she awoke, Eri was sure it was all a dream. She had been so happy to see Izumi sitting in front of her, eating some strange pink and curvy fruit.

"Hey sleepyhead, how are you? Want some? It's really sweet. If not, I have some other things. Other berries and a few cookies" She put other fruits on a blanket. They were of different colors and shapes. Eri had never seen anything like that.

"Do- do you have apples?" She asked timidly. She didn't want to sound spoiled, but she really liked apples. It was one of the few nice things that they gave her after the experiments.

"Uhhmm, let me look. Maybe here? No. Noo. Ahh, no. Finally! One tasty, sweet apple coming up!"

Eri wanted to smile when Izumi gave her her favorite food. But she couldn´t. She didn't know how to smile. Izumi smiled for her. Both girls ate quietly. When Eri finished her apple, a water bottle was placed in front of her. She drank it and thanked her savior.

"Eri, we can't stay here. I have an idea, but I will need your help. And for that, I need to know who the men that were after you are and if you know what they want." Izumi asked her with a calm look.

Eri started to shake. Thinking of them and of the room filled her with fear. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She froze. Her horn started to itch. No, no, please. She had to control it. But she didn't know how. Her breath became more labored. She had to warn her, warn Izumi. She needed to get away before it was too late. But her voice wouldn't come.

Izumi tried to get closer, but Eri didn´t let her. She ran towards the other side of the room and yelled:

"NOO, STAY AWAY. PLEASE I CAN'T CONTROL IT!" Eri´s tears blurred her vision. A light shone from her horn; pain came, and then it went away.

Eri cried. She was sure her curse had taken Izumi away from her. Just like with her parents.

Strong arms hugged her. Her head was pulled against a soft and warm chest.

"Shhh, it´s ok, Eri. Focus on my breathing. Can you feel it? In. Out. In. Out. Just like that. Don´t worry. We have all the time in the world." Izumi´s voice was calm and soothing, there was no rage or disdain. Only care.

Eri followed her breathing. In. Out. In. Out. A wave of exhaustion crept over her. Before she knew it, her eyes closed.

When she regained conciousness, her head was laying on Izumi´s lap. The greenete was brushing her hair and smiling at her. Eri wanted to cry. She couldn´t remember the last time someone had been so nice to her.

"Eri, I know this is hard. All I want to do is snap my fingers and make everything good. But I can't. I don't think anybody can. A quirk like that would be so OP, don't you think?"

"What is a quirk?" "Nobody told you?" Eri shook her head. "A quirk is a gift, a power that most of the world has. Some quirks are similar, but each one is different."

"A gift? But I don't have a gift. I'm cursed. Everything that I touch is destroyed." She said what everyone had told her her entire life.

"Eri, I want you to listen to me closely." They stared at each other eyes. "Whoever told you that you were cursed is an idiot."

Izumi's bluntness shook her. There was no hesitation in her eyes. She truly believed in what she said.

Izumi suddenly grinned, "I have an idea. How about you say that the person who told you that is really stupid? I bet that would make you feel better."

Could she do it? She wasn´t sure. She wanted to try.

"O-o," she couldn't do it. She wasn't strong. She was weak. Izumi's hand gripped hers. She grabbed hers too.

"Overhaul is really stupid," she whispered. Izumi's eyes encouraged her.

"Overhaul is really stupid," she said, wanting to be confident.

"Overhaul is really stupid!" She wanted to be brave!

"OVERHAUL IS REALLY STUPID!" She wanted to be like Izumi.

"HE IS THE STUPIDEST! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!"

Somehow, she felt better. As if saying what she felt lightened her.

Izumi smiled and hugged her.

"You did great, Eri. Now I'm going to explain my plan. "But don't you need what I know?" "Not right now. I shouldn't have pressured you. It was my mistake. I won't deny that knowing about Overhaul won't help, but I won't force you to speak about it until you're ready, Eri."

She nodded. Izumi was so kind and nice. She wanted to help her. But she was right. Eri wasn't ready. Her throat tightened whenever she thought about it.

"In a few days, many heroes will be in Tokyo and its surrounding areas. We need to be there at that time. So we will stall. Take different buses and trains with no destination in mind. We will hide in cheap motels with different names and identities. I will dye my hair black so we can pretend to be sisters. That means that I will call you imouto and you will call me nee-chan"

"Nee-chan?" "Do you prefer nee-san? Or aneue?"

"Izumi-nee?" She asked the older girl. Izumi's face went red. "Ah, well, ahh. It's best if we don't say our names. That way, it would be harder for them to find us. But, if you want, you can call me that too. Ok?"

Eri nodded. She liked that. Calling Izumi her sister felt good. It felt right.

Izumi reached into her bag. She pulled a ball; it was small; the top half was blue with red stripes, and the bottom half was white. A button marked the middle.

"This ball here is special, Eri. With this, you can summon a powerful knight named Sir Plushy. If Overhaul or anyone else who wants to hurt you comes near you, then all you have to do is push this button twice and point forward. And he will protect you, Eri. Because he is a really powerful knight."

And she was right. Sir Plushy protected her. When Overhaul found them, when he threatened to kill Izumi to punish her, Eri was afraid. No, she was terrified. But Izumi-nee wasn't scared. She was there. And Eri had to be brave.

Sir Plushy was amazing. He hadn't flinched at the sight of Overhaul. He put himself in front of both of them, like the knight Izumi-nee proclaimed him to be.

Then Sir Plushy grabbed her, and then he did something that made the world twist. One second they were on the alleway, in front of Overhaul, and the next they were back again in the same warehouse she and nee-chan had first hidden in.

"Eri, don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you," a man´s voice spoke in her head. She turned. There was no one there. Just her… and Sir Plushy.

"Sir Plushy?"

He nodded.

"My real name is Gallade; Sir Plushy is a nickname Izumi gave me so that you could call me that."

"Oh, so I can't call you Sir Plushy?"

Gallade sigued.

"No, you can. But only you. And please don't tell Izumi. She sucks at giving nicknames. When she finally becomes a hero, somebody will have to help her come up with a good hero name."

"Ok, thank you, Sir Plushy" "Your welcome, Eri."

"Why can I hear your voice in my head? Is, is it your quirk?" Even after talking with nee-chan about quirks, she still wasn't sure about them. Nee-chan promised her that after Overhaul was arrested, she would get someone to teach Eri how to control her quirk so she wouldn't be afraid of it.

"Humans have quirks; I'm not a human. I'm a Pokemon. My species has psychic abilities, and one of them allows me to communicate with my mind. Don't worry, I'm not reading your mind. I´m just projecting my thoughts toward your mind. All your thoughts are safe."

That made her breathe again. Her mind was the only thing that neither Overhaul nor his men had broken. Oh, she was scared of them. She was terrified. But she had escaped. She had confronted him. Nee-chan would be proud.

Wait. Nee-chan. She wasn't here.

"Where is Izumi-nee? Why isn't she here?"

"Izumi is stalling Overhaul with her other Pokemon. Remember, it's part of her plan. They will show the world his real face, and the heroes will capture him. As soon as it's safe, she will call me, and we will teleport back."

"Nee-chan can call you with her mind?"

He nodded, pleased.

"Izumi caught me when I was still a Ralts. Part of our bonding involved forming a mental link. Even if we were in different parts of the world, our link is strong enough to communicate with each other."

Wow. Sir Plushy must be really powerful to be able to do that.

Neither talked. Eri was nervous; she wanted to believe in her nee-chan. Wanted to believe that Overhaul would be defeated and that she and Izumi would live happily forever after. Like in her books.

It felt like forever before Gallade spoke.

"It's done. Overhaul was defeated. Izumi is okay. A little banged up, but fine."

It was done. He was gone. She was free.

She couldn't believe it. She had to see it. She needed to see it.

"I want to go. I want to see nee-chan."

Sir Plushy nodded. He kneeled and spread his arms. She went and let him grab her. It was comfy. Not like when Overhaul grabbed her. With him, it felt as if she was a thing, a possession. With Sir Plushy, it felt like having an older brother.

"Hang on," he warned her. She clung tighter and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they weren't at the warehouse.

They were in the street. It was filled with so many people. With heroes. She didn't know their names, she only knew they were heroes based on Izumi's descriptions. Her nee-chan liked to talk about the heroes a lot.

There were flashes and yelling. The policemen formed a barrier against people with cameras who, for some reason, were screaming. Nee-chan was next to some heroes. Two of them were really tall and muscly; one was blond, and he had a smile on his face; the other had fire covering parts of his face. He wasn't smiling. Maybe because of the fire?

Another hero had big red wings; he looked younger than the first two. There was also a blond man wearing jeans on his face, and a washing machine?

Nobody had noticed that they were there. Eri wanted to run towards her nee-chan, hug her, and never let go again. Before she could, a man yelled.

"You! This is all your fault Eri! You think you will get to live a happy life now?! You're a cursed being, Eri! All you touch dies! Just like your father! You think these heroes will protect a cursed child like you?! Ha! You-" Overhaul was being held by two policemen. There were bruises and gashes on his face. His mask was gone, and his hands bound. The moment he saw he started to yell and struggle. Nee-chan's fist shouted him up.

Her fist was so strong that it made him fall to the ground.

"Eri is not cursed. She is kind and smart. She is good. She is innocent. The only cursed being here is you. If you say anything bad about her again, then you will never speak again. I don't care if that makes me a criminal." Nee-chan's speech had everybody staring at her. She just went to Eri and knelt down.

"Eri, it's done. No matter what, I promise you will be free. No matter what."

Eri didn't wait. She jumped into Izumi-nee's arms and hugged her with all her strength. She cried. She felt nee-chan's tears on top of her head. She never wanted this to stop. But, of course, it had to stop.

"Hehem. Excuse me, young lady, but we need to ask you some questions." An officer interrupted them. Izumi-nee smiled at her and rubbed her head. She took Sir Plushy´s ball from her hand and gave it to Sir Plushy alongside her belt and bag.

"Hide until I call you. Trust no one, but don't hurt anybody unless you're in danger," she ordered him. He nodded and disappeared.

The officer flinched and stared at nee-chan. She stared back.

"I will answer any questions about myself and about Eri, but I won't risk my team's safety. Until I can get an official, written, and signed assurance that no member of my team will be taken from me, experimented with, or do anything else that I don't like, then they will stay hidden. Also, I want an official statement that Eri will have a good family, one that loves her and treats her like one of their own."

"Kids these days, huh?" The winged man came closer. He was smiling. "Don't worry, officer, I will take responsibility for these two."

"Are, are you sure, Hawks?" The officer asked the hero.

"Yep. This girl here reminds me of me, you know. Except for the lack of feathers, of course."

He was grinning. Eri was used to fake smiles. She had seen them her entire life. Hawks' smile wasn't fake. It was real.

She turned towards nee-chan and nodded. She frowned but nodded back.

After that, they were taken to a hospital. When the doctors and nurses wanted to examine her, she became so scared that nee-chan held her against her chest and started to hum. After some arguing, they left.

A few hours later, a small woman came. She was closer to Eri's size than to nee-chan, but she was really old. She even had a weird cane. For some reason, nee-chan started to stutter when she saw the old lady.

"Y-y-you a-ar-are the Juvenile Heroine? Recovery Girl? The renewed Hero Healer?!" Eri was sure that Nee-chan's scream could be heard to the moon.

"Ahhh! Why did I leave my notebook with Gallade?! I could have the best healer in the world signature. Wait, does Recovery Girl do signings? I don't remember hearing about it, but I also don't remember reading about her refusing to sign for a fan."

"Young lady, if you keep mumbling, then I will just be bones and ashes," Recovery Girl told her. Nee-chan blushed and apologized.

Recovery Girl just chuckled and smiled.

"Now, what is your name, young one? My name is Chiyo, but everybody calls me by my hero name."

"E-eri madame." "What a cute name for a cute girl. Tell me, do you like lollipops?"

"What are lollipops?" "They are a type of candy. They come in different flavors. Even apple," nee-chan explained. Eri's eyes widened. Apple candies.

"Apple candies?" Her mouth watered at that thought.

"Here, one red and one green."

Eri put the red one in her mouth. It truly tasted like apples!

"So tasty! Thank you, Chiyo-san!"

"No problem. Now, I need to examine you to make sure you are healthy. I will explain each procedure before we start, ok?"

"Can Izumi-nee be with me the whole time?" She didn't want to leave nee-chan.

"Of course, she needs an exam too. Here is an idea: How about Izumi goes first and then you?"

Chiyo-san was really kind and nice. First, she showed them the medical equipment she would use and then explained while examining nee-chan. When she saw the needles, she was afraid, but nee-chan just smiled and relaxed.

When it came to Eri's turn, she was nervous. Except for the needles, nothing looked like the tools Overhaul used in the surgery room. And Chiyo-san never stopped smiling. Overhaul never smiled at her. He never spoke to her with care. Only with disgust and indifference.

But she was brave. Like Nee-chan showed her.

In the coming days, officers and other people came to speak with both of them. At first, they wanted to interrogate them separately. Nee-chan went first, alone, while Chiyo and a kind officer named Sansa played with her old board games. When it was her turn to speak with the officers, Izumi-nee stood by her side. When she cried, she hugged her.

During the night, they put their beds together and cuddled.

A few days later, a woman showed up. One of the detectives who had interrogated them, Detective Tsukauchi, came with her. Eri liked the detective. He hadn't yelled or glared at her. When Eri couldn't keep talking about her past and the bad men, he would just sit and wait. Even Izumi-nee liked him; she said he was smart and that he didn't seem like a bootlicker who only knew how to parrot back.

Whatever that meant.

The woman's hair and eyes were the same shade as her nee-chan. She kind of looked like nee-chan.

"What hurt you the most that day?" she asked. Her eyes wouldn't leave Izumi-nee's eyes. Eri didn't understand that question, but Izumi-nee did.

"That you just apologized over and over for something you couldn't control. And that you couldn't muster the strength to lie to me."

The woman started to cry. Nee-chan too. Then they were both hugging in the middle of the room. They would stare at each other, then hug, all the while crying.

Eri had never seen so many tears in her life. Was that Izumi-nee's quirk? Producing so many tears?

"Nee-chan?" She asked timidly. She didn't want to interrupt, but she was curious. Who was that woman? Why were both of them crying so much?

Nee-chan looked at her. Tears still flowed down her face, but she was smiling. She broke from the hug and held her hand.

"Eri, this lady here is one of the most important people in my life. Just like you. She is my mother, Midoriya Inko. She gives amazing hugs, makes the best katsudon in the world, and does her best to cheer you up. She is the best mother ever," the woman, nee-chan's mother, cried while listening.

"Mom," she said, turning towards her. "This little girl here is Eri. She is the sweetest and kindest kid ever. And she is my imouto. I don't care what other people say or do. Eri will always be my imouto."

Eri's eyesight was blurry. She was crying. Nee-chan wasn't going to abandon her. She wasn't going to leave her.

Izumi-nee's mother kneeled in front of Eri. She smiled at her and offered her hand. Eri tentatively grabbed it and shook it.

"Hi Eri. You can call me Inko or Inko-san if you wish. It's your special privilege for being my daughter's little sister," she winked. Eri's lips tried to twitch, to move, to smile. But it wouldn't come.

"Detective, how do we proceed? What do I have to sign to take both of them with me? I have an emergency foster license for cases like these."

"Both? You want me too?" She was confused; somebody wanted her? Someone who had never met her and who never even spoke to her? Inko-san was definitely like Izumi-nee. Both were kind and good.

"Of course I do. You're Izumi's imouto. That means you're part of my family."

Family. She never had that. Maybe, then, if Inko-san was nee-chan's mother, then she could be...

"The situation is a little more complicated, Midoriya-san. Eri doesn't have a birth certificate or any type of documentation. We know she is not related to Overhaul; blood tests proved that. However, there is no match for missing children or missing adults. Documentation is still being made for her. And your daughter was declared dead during the trial. We are still dealing with that. Also, despite her collaboration, she still refuses to provide her 'Pokemon' or any evidence of the supposed alternative Earth she claims to have lived in the past five years"

"Like I said, I want it on paper and signed by the necessary authorities that none of my Pokemon will be experimented on, taken away from me, or killed. I'm not asking for them to be recognized as citizens, not even as the cognitive creatures they are. I just want an assurance that they will be safe. That's all"

"A very respectable request, if I say so myself!" A voice said. She didn't recognize it. It was male, but more squeaky. She couldn´t see the owner.

"Down here, young lady," the voice said. It was right in front of the door. It was small—smaller than her, covered in white fur, with a scar across its right eye. It looked like a mix between a mouse and a bear. And it was wearing clothes.

"What am I? A mouse? A dog? A bear? Who knows?!"

"Principal Nezu, punctual as ever," the detective said. "Midoriya-san, Izumi-san, Eri-san—this one here is Nezu, a Pro Hero. He is the principal of UA."

"Why does the principal of UA want to speak with us?" Inko-san asked. Eri, too, was confused. Nee-chan told her UA was the best hero school in Japan. Maybe of the world. Why would the principal want to talk to them? Shouldn't he be very busy?

"For two simple reasons. First, Eri-chan's quirk. Her blood tests, the information that your daughter was able to gather, and the few things that Overhaul revealed imply that Young Eri here has a very powerful and possibly dangerous quirk if not controlled. As a teacher, it's my most important duty to help the young control their quirks to their best. Young Eri will need not only the best teachers but also the facilities and ways to experiment without fear. I offer that."

"Why?" Izumi-nee asked.

"I respect your mother a great deal. She is a spokeswoman for anti-quirk discrimination. I still remember her speech about how society unintentionally creates villains out of nowhere by creating the concept of 'villain quirks'. Eri's quirk is dangerous. You know it, Young Midoriya. It's why you chose this route, the public one. You wanted the world to know Eri existed so that no one could use her or hurt her without there being serious public repercussions. A smart move," he started to grin. "Your mother has a foster license. If we imply that Eri will be tutored by UA's best teachers, then nobody can deny Inko-san´s petition to foster. And then, when six months pass, who would deny an adoption by a respected lawyer and mother of a hero student?"

"Wait, what?" Izumi-nee blinked. Eri was confused too. Nezu-san spoke a lot. "Me, a hero student? But, how?"

Nezu's grin widened.

"And here comes my second reason. Midoriya-san, how would you like to become a hero alongside your Pokemon?"

Chapter Text

8

"Are you ready, Miss Midoriya?" "Yes" "Good. Remember, this test is just to prove your current academic skills. As soon as you finish one segment, we will move on to the next. There will be a lunch break, and you can ask for a rest whenever you need."

Izumi nodded. One of the stipulations was that she had to prove her academic abilities to prove she could handle UA's regular classes. She wasn't worried. One of the things Riley had insisted on during his mentorship was that Izumi keep studying. Even after their year together ended, Izumi made sure to keep learning. Math, biology, science, history, and geography. She downloaded self-learning packets and made sure to complete them. She knew history and geography would be her worst subjects; after all, she wasn't able to keep up with Japanese history and its topography while living on another planet.

Nezu's plan had been meticulous. Proving that Izumi was still alive was actually easy. The only reason they declared her dead was because her body never showed up. The blood test, the testimony of a doctor whose quirk allowed him to detect family relations, and Detective Tsukauchi's testimony verified that she was Midoriya Izumi, the only daughter of Midoriya Hisashi and Midoriya Inko.

Her mom just had to sign some paperwork and show that her department was a suitable home for a minor to regain her custody.

Eri's case had been trickier. The fact that there were no documents for her actually helped their case. Both principal Nezu and her mother made a united front against Child Protective Services and didn't leave their offices until her mom got emergency custody of Eri. She didn't know what type of trick the quimera had pulled, but part of the deal was that Eri had to be schooled at UA by their teachers, not only in how to control her quirk but also in regular classes.

Eri's academic tests proved that she could read, write, and sum, but that was it. Apparently one of Overhaul's underlings took pity on her once and gave her some lessons on how to read and write and gave her some books so she wouldn't be too bored. By sheer luck, one was about math.

Eri's clingliness to Izumi helped a lot in getting custody. All the doctors and psychologists that both girls saw agreed that splitting both girls abruptly could cause severe psychological trauma on Eri, which could lead to behavourial issues and outboursts. In fact, considering her lack of control over her quirk, the fact that it activated when she was under extreme stress and it´s dangerous effects, taking her away from a familiar and comfortable presence was contraproducent.

The previous week, Izumi, her mother, a lawyer named Daisuke, who was hired to represent her, and Nezu reunited with a man and a woman who worked for the government and the Hero Commission, respectively. The meeting was held in a conference room selected by Nezu.

"Koabashi-san, Kurosube-san, nice to see you again. Would you like some tea? I have brought a nice box filled with many different blends." Nezu was already sipping his own cup. Her mom too. Both acted like they were on a tea party instead of talking with members of the government.

"No, thank you, Nezu-san. We will proceed with this conversation. Miss Midoriya, according to our tests, your creatures barely resemble any animal from this planet. Genetically speaking, there is more resemblance between cats and dogs than between your Infernape and any primate species living on this planet. The berries that we examined also have no match for any vegetable or fruit. The government of Japan is willing to accept that it's possible that you were sent to another dimension where you resided for the past five years until you managed to return."

Koabashi-san gave a document to Daisuke-san, who read it for a few minutes. The lawyer nodded and gave it to her mother, who, after reading it, showed it to Nezu. When the chimera finished, he gave it to Daisuke-san again, who slid it into a folder.

Koabashi-san put another document on the table.

"This one here is a document that states that Midoriya Izumi is still alive. Since you're a minor, you don't need to sign anything. Midoriya-san, you need to sign here." Her mother read it alongside Daisuke-san. She signed it and gave it back to Koabashi-san, who put it in a folder.

"These papers restate your custody over your daughter. According to your ex-husband's wishes, he has visitation rights and will pay child maintenance.

These ones give you emergency custody of the child known as Eri. There will be surprise visits to your house and to the school. There will be a social worker present in those lessons. That is non-negotiable. In six months, there will be a review. Pending the results, you could apply for adoption."

Once again, the three adults read the papers, and after a few minutes, her mother signed them both.

"Very well, this part of the documentation is done. Now comes the part that most interests the Hero Commission." Kurosube-san turned toward Izumi. "Midoriya-san, why should we allow your Pokemon to be a part of your possible hero career? By your own statement, you don't control them. They just follow you around like some pet that could leave at any time if they wanted to. What assurances does the Japanese government have that they won't turn against the heroes or abandon their duties if you die? Or that they would disobey you?"

"The worst mistake that rookie trainers commit? Capturing all the Pokemon they see and just bonding with a few while the rest are being cared for by others or are left in their pokeballs.

Pokemon are more complex than you think. The ones that respect strength are the wild ones that want to evolve and become stronger. The best trainers are the ones who understand the wishes of their team. Whether it's to battle, to participate in contests, or just to be a companion, a good trainer would respect their choices.

When I first became a trainer, when Riolu chose me as his trainer, and later on, when I met Chimchar, I told them about my dream. I told them about my goals. How I wanted to come back home with my mom. How I wanted to become a hero and help others. They understood that, and they encouraged my dreams. And I encouraged theirs." Izumi stared at Kurosube-san.

"If I were to die today, tomorrow, or in ten years, I know exactly what my team would do. Mourn me. And protect my loved ones. Because it's the same thing I would do for them."

Both Nezu-san and Daisuke-san smiled proudly at her. She hadn't lost her temper and showed herself confident, just like they practiced. And it worked. Before, both officials looked at her dismissively, as if she were just a child playing to be a grownup. Now they began to see her for what she was: a future hero.

Her mom was wiping tears from her cheeks. She smiled at her daughter, showing that they were tears of pride. Izumi felt her eyes dampen in response. Seeing her mother proud of her just made her emotional.

"If I may, I have a proposal." Just as they planned, Daisuke-san spoke.

"My client has expressed a deep wish to become a hero since she was a toddler. That has never changed in the past decade. She is planning on attending UA next year and is already looking for online classes to prepare for the written exam."

"So?" "If all goes to plan, the next school year, Midoriya Izumi will be a student in the hero course. That means that the pro-heroes will be there to teach her and evaluate her.

Even if my client, for some reason, doesn't make it to UA, she could still apply to another hero school. The same principle applies. I propose that her future teachers be the ones to evaluate if her Pokemon are safe or not to participate in hero work."

"And if they say they aren't?" asked Kurosube-san.

"Then we will accept that ruling, and only I will continue with my hero education," Izumi answered.

"Just like that?" Koabashi-san sounded confused.

She nodded. "Just because they can't participate in hero work doesn't mean they are useless or that they can't do anything. I'm sure we will figure out something else." She was sure of it. Maybe they could make some shows or something like that.

"And UA agrees to this proposal? What about the other schools? Shiketsu? Ketsubutsu? All hero schools in Japan will agree to this deal?" Kurosube asked incredulously.

"They do already. As soon as my client agreed with my proposal, I sent emails to all the hero schools in Japan with the details. UA and Shiketsu actually responded on the same day. Most of the rest of the schools have already given green light; I think only a few are still debating whether to say yes or no."

After that, negotiations went smoothly. A draft was made that both she and her mother had to sign. It stated that her Pokemon would only be allowed to participate in Hero Work as long as she managed to enter one Hero School, and both her teachers and any hero she was interned with said they could. If any of them tried to do hero work by themselves and with no license, they would be labeled as vigilants. The only instances in which they could legally use their power were for training and self-defense, just like Izumi and the rest of the population of Japan.

After some handshakes and goodbyes, the Midoriya party left the building.

"Thank you so much for your help, Nezu-san, Daisuke-san. I promise I will put all my efforts into not disappointing any of you," she said, bowing her head to both men.

"Don't worry, Midoriya-san. I was only doing my job. Inko-san, thank you for this opportunity. My firm is looking forward to working with yours again. My superiors are really interested in possible partner shifts."

"I will take it into account. Tell them they can send a proposal, and my team and I will review it."

Both lawyers nodded to each other, and then he left for his car. Only Nezu stood with them. Before he left, Izumi gave him a pendrive.

"It has all the information in my pokedex about the Pokemon world. Pokemon, their environment, berries, items, and legends."

"Ohh, and you're giving it to me?" "Yes, because by March I will be one of your students. It will help my team better if my future teachers know them better. To avoid mistakes. Also, because I know you probably wanted to learn more about another Earth where animals evolved so differently."

Nezu's grin widened. He nodded to both and entered his own car.

"We better go back to tell Eri the good news. I don't know how much she can handle being in that hospital room. Besides, I think that Gallade and Mienfoo are ready for a break." Izumi reminded herself to prepare some of their favorite pokepuffs. Thank Arceus that berries sprouted so fast and easily.

"Izumi," her mother stopped her. "I am proud of you. I should have told you this ten years ago. It doesn't go a day when I don't regret that night."

Both of their eyes started to dampen. Damn Midoriya genes!

"Mom" "Izumi. You will be a great hero. Better than All Might. I know it."

The dam broke. Mother and daughter cried and hugged. That old wound, that unspoken hurt, finally closed.

"That doesn't mean I won't worry! I'm your mother! Worrying is a big part of my job!"

"Ok, I get it. I will apologize in advance for your gray hair," she joked.

Both laughed and smiled.

When they arrived at the hospital, they expected to find two bored and exasperated Pokemon and one anxious little girl.

What they found was the three of them sitting cross-legged in clear meditation. Mother and daughter blinked in surprise.

"Gallade, Mienfoo, what's going on?" Izumi used her telepathic link with Gallade to communicate with both of them. One of the perks of having a psychic-type Pokemon was the ability to speak telepathically with her team.

"It was either teaching her how to meditate or letting her put accessories and make-up on us." Mienfoo's dislike of the second idea was very clear.

"Where did that idea come from?" She asked, confused. She didn't remember leaving makeup around. She didn't think Eri knew about make-up.

"It was the nurse´s idea," Gallade informed her. "She came and gave Eri a doll and a kit for dressing up your own doll."

"And she told Eri to use the two of you as models?" "No. When she saw us, she thought Mienfoo was a quirked animal and that my quirk was a mutant type. Recovery Girl was here and gave an abridged version of our story. While Eri was playing with the doll, the nurse told Recovery Girl how her kids used those accesories to play with their dog. And how she would come home to find the poor thing covered in sprinkles and wearing dresses." The expressions of dread on both Pokemon were so hilarious that she couldn't help but laugh.

"Eh? Izumi? Is everything alright?" Her mother was confused. She didn't know of Gallade´s telepathy.

"Izumi-nee! Your back!" Eri jumped from her bed and into Izumi´s arms. Both hugged happily.

"I heard that Gallade and Mienfoo were teaching you about meditation. Did you like it?"

"Yes! Sir Plushy said it could be useful to help me control my quirk. And Mienchan showed me how to do it." Even without smiling, Eri´s happiness was detectable.

Since her mother was still confused, Izumi quickly informed her of what happened while they were away. Her eyes widened when Izumi explained Gallade´s abilities.

"Don´t worry, Gallade only uses his telepathy to communicate. To read your mind, he would need to concentrate more, and you would feel it. His line is best at using his psychic power to enhance his power."

Her mother seemed deep in thought. She closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened again, she stared at her.

"Izumi," she said seriously, "when we arrive at home, I would like to speak to all your Pokemon." "Eh?" "I want to thank them," she smiled at her. "They were there for you when I wasn't."

"My team; they aren't just my friends and partners, mom. They are my family," she told her the truth. She owed her mother that much.

Her mother just smiled and hugged her.

"Then they are my family too, Izumi."

Mother and daughter hugged for a few moments. When they stopped, they smiled at each other and at the rest of their family.

"Very well, I will go and sign your discharge papers. I'm sure you're both sick of this place," her mom waved and left the room. Izumi rubbed Eri´s hair and grabbed Mienfoo´s and Gallade´s pokeballs.

"Ok, you two. Say bye to Eri for awhile. I will let you out at home."

"Lade" "Mien," they waved at her little sister. After getting them back on their pokeballs, she put them on her belt and started to put her clothes and the rest of her stuff in her bag. She was glad that she could keep it. It wasn't like they could replicate it, not without apricorns to study. At least she thought that apricorns were the key ingredient in the prodution of trainers bags.

"Izumi-nee" Eri sounded cautious for some reason. Izumi stopped and turned.

"What´s wrong, Eri-chan?"

Eri didn't answer. She fidgeted with her fingers and wouldn't look at her face.

"Eri?"

"Will I still see you, Izumi-nee?" "Eh?" "When you go home, can I still see you?"

Izumi kneeled in front of Eri. She needed her little sister to understand.

"Eri. You´re coming home with me. With me, Sir Plushy, Mienchan, and mom. And the rest of my team." Izumi made sure Eri saw her eyes. She needed her to see that she was serious.

"You're all my family, Eri. And family sticks together."

Eri´s eyes watered. She started to sniffle, and Izumi hugged her. When her mother returned, she found Izumi holding Eri and calming her.

"Izumi? Eri? Is everything alright?" Izumi nodded. "I was telling Eri that families stick together. Always"

Her mom smiled and came closer. She rubbed Eri´s back until the little girl turned.

"Eri, Izumi said that you were her imouto, her little sister. Of course you´re coming home with us."

Eri frowned. She opened her mouth and closed it. It seemed as if she wanted to say something.

"Eri?"

"If Izumi-nee is my nee-chan and Inko-san is her mom, and we are family, then... Can I call you mommy too?"

Both Midoriyas froze. Eri looked at them with her big, pleading eyes. Izumi didn't know what to say. A glance at her mother told her that she didn't have to say anything. It wasn't for her to say anything.

"Eri-chan," her mom already had tears flowing down her cheeks "If you want to think of me as your mom, if you want to call me your mom, then I will be honored. The idea of having the sweetest and kindest little girl in the world as my daughter makes my heart burst."

"M-mo-mommy!" Eri jumped from her arms to her mother. No, their mother. The three hugged and cried. Happy tears. Even if only two of the three were able to smile.

"Very well, Midoriya-san. We are done." Finally. She had spent most of the day doing these exams. She didn't want to write again for a loooong time.

"Thank you. When can I get the results?" "They should be between tomorrow and the day after. A letter with the results will be sent to your home address. Pending your results, you will need to follow specific booklets in order to catch up."

She nodded. She expected that. She had already made a schedule for the next few months. She had less than half a year to prepare for UA's entrance exam. She had to be ready. She will be ready.

She walked home. Her mother had wanted to drive her home, but Izumi insisted on not doing so. She wanted to walk. To think. She wanted to see her childhood city. To compare it to what it was before.

It hadn't changed. Not much. Some stores closed, and others opened. But the people hadn't. The way they moved, the way they acted. She didn't recognize any of them, but it didn't matter. The feelings in the city were the same as five years ago.

A foul smell tore her from her thoughts. It was disgusting. It reminded her of a horde of Grimers and Muks hanging out.

The stench came from a beach. Or what was supposed to be a beach. It resembled more of a dumping site. An illegal dumping site.

There were no fences or signs. And she could hear the waves crashing on the shore. How did so much garbage make it to a public site with nobody doing anything?

"Disgusting, isn't it?" a man said behind her.

He was thin—sickly thin. The stranger was blond, with spiky hair that reminded her of her former best friend; his eyes were sunken into their orbits, but they had a force that showed its owner was a strong man.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," the stranger said, showing his hands. She wasn't afraid. That man may look sick, maybe homeless, but he wasn't dangerous. She could sense it. There was something familiar about him.

"It's ok. I was just passing through. Do you know what happened here?"

The man didn't answer. He stared at the beach.

"It hadn't always been like this," he remembered. "When I was young, it was a beautiful place. The sand, the water. It was alive. And then trash began to appear. This beach has the downside that the marine currents bring trash from the ocean.

At first, people would come and clean. But with time, they stopped. To them, it was an uphill battle. No matter how much they cleaned, trash would still appear. Less people would help, until finally they all gave up."

It was sad. If only they had kept going. But she couldn't judge them. Not everybody could keep fighting forever. The mind had limits. That's why strength in groups was important. If one wavered, the others reinforced it. Of course, if the individuals in the group didn't have a good bond, then the result would still be the same.

Izumi frowned. One of the things she had learned during her travels was to respect nature. Back in the Pokemon world, a strong movement towards eco-friendliness had been growing for the past twenty years.

Izumi bent down and started grabbing some bottles.

"Hmm. What are you doing?" "Cleaning." "Cleaning?" "Cleaning."

"Why?" Why? That's easy. She turned toward the stranger. His eyes were looking at her, seizing her, analyzing her.

"Because it's the right thing to do," and she turned back to grabbing things. There had to be a bag somewhere to at least put some of the trash. Later, she would worry about reciclyng.

"Won't it hurt your chances of passing UA's entrance exam if you spend all your time here?"

She froze. How did he know that?

She frowned at the stranger. Her aura enveloped her body. A blue shimmer surrounded her body. She went into a defensive position when she saw it.

The lights. The same lights that she had seen during the fight against Overhaul. But no. It was impossible. Those lights were in...

"Who are you?" She asked. That stranger. His eyes. They were so familiar.

The stranger grinned. His body bulked and grew until a familiar and comforting presence appeared in front of her.

"Don't worry, Midoriya-shoujo, FOR I AM HERE"

All Might.

The skeleton man... Was All Might?

What?

"What?!" She shouted, "But, how? What? Ehhhh?!"

"HAHAHHAHAHA! I understand your confusion, Midoriya-shoujo. That form, you could say, is my weak form. This is my muscled form," he grinned at her.

"Two forms? Like in Mega Evolution? Wait, was that how All Might managed to hide his real identity all these years? It does make sense. Nobody would think that such a sick man was the Symbol of Peace. Mumble, mumble, mumble."

"Hehem. Sorry to interrupt, but I'm having trouble hearing you, Midoriya-shoujo." She blushed and apologized.

"All Might, how, well. That form seems too extreme to be a simple decoy."

"It's not a decoy. It's the consequence of being a pro. Eight years ago, I faced a dangerous villain. The most dangerous fight I have ever fought. I won, but not before losing half of my digestive track and part of my lungs." Her idol went back to his weak form and pulled his shirt up. Horrible scars littered most of his torso and abdomen. His eyes spoke of his pain and of how awful that fight had been. "Ever since then, I haven't been able to do much hero work. I can only use my quirk for a period of time. First, it was weeks, then days. Now, it's just three hours a day. Three hours. I try to do as much hero work as I can during that window of time. And it kills me."

Izumi was silent. All Might's story was horrible. The part that the news never talked about. The part that society pretended didn't exist.

"That fight—was it against Toxic Chainsaw? It was the only major fight you had that year."

"You remember that little fish? No. Because of the villain, the Hero Commission and the government pulled rank and erased any information. There was no record. All the deaths were classified under other categories. Japan, the world, couldn't know that Symbol of Peace almost died."

"It would have been chaos. If villains thought you were dead, then more heroes and civilians would have died during your recovery. And if they knew you had a time limit... I don't want to think about what could happen."

"You really are a smart girl. Indeed. Chaos would still reign if the villains knew about my time limit. That's why the Symbol of Peace needs to be passed on before it's too late."

"Huh?"

"You risked your life twice. Once as a child, and now as a teenager. Why? Why would a quirkless girl risk her life for strangers? Why would she spend five years training and finding a way back to a world that treated her as garbage? Why?" All Might asked her. She felt a need from him—a need to understand why she took those actions.

Why? It was easy.

"Because all I ever wanted was to be a hero. A hero who would save others with a smile on her face. I don't care about fame or having a flashy quirk. I just want to help others. To bring them hope. Like you do."

He smiled. He grinned. He went back into his muscled form and grinned broadly at her.

"GOOD ANSWER! Midoriya Izumi-kun, I declare you worthy of inheriting my quirk!"

Wait. What?!

Chapter Text

9

Human perception was so flicky. It varied so much between individuals. Some wouldn't notice a rocket coming their way, so self-absorbed about their own lives. Others were so perceptive that if they saw the same stranger twice, they would be able to remember their face.

Most simply lived their lives. Most just noticed the things that affected them. Or the changes that were so big and obvious that stared at your face.

Musutafu may be filled with quirked people, but they were still humans. They were still susceptible to social blindness.

That's why they didn't realize that the local beach was being cleaned by an aspiring hero student and her team under her new mentor's guidance. They didn't realize that the awful-smelling eyesore of the city was gone until they saw for themselves the beautiful beach again.

A couple was the first to realize the beautiful gem that had been hidden for many years. When they saw a can of coke floating in the waves, they saw a choice in their heads. Do nothing and let the beach be a dumpster again, or make the first move and work to keep the beach clean.

A young greenete watched with a smile on her face as the man grabbed the can and threw it into one of the new recycle bins.

She kept smiling as more people started to arrive at the beach. Not just couples, but also families, groups of friends, loners.

"Ready to leave? You're going to be late," her friend told her. It was a tall creature mostly green, with sharp blades on his elbows and a sharp crest over his head. His trainer just smiled and answered back with their link.

"I wanted to see it one last time. The fruits of our labor." It had been five hard months after all.

"It has been a week since we finished. I know you're proud; all of us are, but we really need to go," her partner insisted. In their pokeballs, she could sense the rest of her team agreeing.

Izumi nodded and placed a hand on Gallade's arm. The psychic pokemon concentrated and teleported them to the train station.

Izumi grabbed her belt and gave it to Gallade. She couldn't bring any members of her team to this. Not yet.

"Good luck, Izumi. Just remember what you learned, and you will be okay."

She nodded and thanked him. After sharing another smile, Gallade teleported back home.

Izumi heard her train coming and took it. During her journey, she couldn't help but remember how it all started five months ago.

"Wait, what?!" She couldn't help her yelling. What All Might just said didn't make any sense. A quirk that can be inherited? How can a quirk like that work?

"It's true that All Might's quirk has always been a mystery. Most theories involve some type of strength quirk that amplifies his strength, but there were examples of his quirk changing the weather and putting out fires, so it was also theorized that it could be a shockwave-type quirk. Mumble, mumble, mumble."

All Might sweatdropped. On one hand, he greatly admired young Izumi's ability to analyze any type of situation quickly. She reminded him a little of Mirai. That same sharp mind. On the other hand, the way she slipped into it and stopped paying attention to her surroundings could be dangerous.

"He hem. Your mind really is outstanding, Midoriya-shoujo. The truth of my quirk is a really long story. For now, I will tell you the most important parts."

Izumi frowned but nodded. It made sense. Pro heroes never explained all the details of their quirks. They just gave an abridged version so that the public would know what to expect.

Ryukyu turned into a dragon. Best Jeanist controlled fibers. Endeavor generated fire. But the specifics? Their limits? Their particularities? Never. If villains found them, it was because of their experiences fighting the heroes and analyzing them. Just like the heroes did to the villains.

"My quirk is called One For All. It's a strength stockpiled quirk. One person grows and cultivates the power. Then they pass it on to another, who also cultivates the power, until it's their time to pass it down. With each iteration, the power grows stronger and stronger. It's a quirk born to be shared. And now, it's my turn to pass it down to the next generation."

"Because of your time limit," he nodded solemnly.

"The past few years, I have been looking for a worthy successor. I have considered a few, but... I guess that my instincts tell me not to."

"And I'm the first your instincts approve of?" She asked incredulously. All Might flustered a bit. It was kind of funny seeing the Number 1 Hero in Japan behaving like a scolded child.

"I-I. Ahh. In all fairness, I did offer it to another person. Someone I have known for many years. Someone I truly believe could be a great hero." She could hear the affection and pride in his voice. Whoever that person was, it must be very important for him.

"And, what happened?"

"They declined" "Wh-what?" "Yes. That's what I said. But they were adamant that they didn't want a quirk. That they could help the heroes without using a power. That just made me feel more proud of them. So I accepted their decision. They gave me one last piece of advice: Trust my instincts, just like the last holder of One For All had done."

So, if that person hadn't declined, then All Might wouldn't be talking with her. All Might saw her frown and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Young Midoriya. I saw you willing to face an enemy much stronger than yourself without hesitation. I can tell you with no doubt that you will be a great heroine one day. Even if you choose not to take One For All."

His words made her chest feel warm. It wasn't every day that the best hero in the world told her that he believed in her. She felt her face turn red like a Cherrim.

Both stood in silence. Only the sound of the waves broke it.

Izumi looked All Might in the eye. Green to blue. All she saw was trust. On her.

"I will do it. I will take upon your mantle All Might. I will be the next Symbol of Peace. I promise"

All Might grinned.

"Then buckle up. We have less than five months to prepare for UA's Entrance Exam. We have much to do."

"Next stop is Skywalk´s station. Next stop is Skywalk´s station." The train´s speakers rang across the wagon, informing the passagers of the next stop.

When the train stopped, Izumi climbed down and started walking to the school. A couple of minutes later, she saw it.

UA.

It was amazing. Four giant buildings, two at the front, two at the back, interconnected by bridges. All leaving an H shape. Not only that, the glass that covered the windows was tinted in a way that it reflected the sky, making it more grandiose.

Izumi breathed deeply and then exhaled. She was here. Finally, she was here. And now, it was time to take the first step.

A blond, spiky head appeared in her peripheral vision, and she tripped.

'Great, neither Infernape nor Lopunny will ever let me live this down'

She could picture those two mocking her and fake tripping. Sometimes she wondered if those two shared a parent. They were too alike.

Before her face could kiss the ground, she stopped. She blinked. She felt lighter, weightless. Someone pulled her upright, and she found herself face-to-face with another girl.

She was a brunette; her hair was shoulder-length; she had brown eyes and dimples on her cheeks. As soon as Izumi was upright, the girl touched her fingers against each other. The fingertips reminded her of a Glameow´s paw.

"Release!" As soon as her fingers touched, Izumi felt her weight return.

"I'm sorry for using my quirk on you. But, I think it's bad luck to fall on your face before an exam," the girl smiled at Izumi. Izumi couldn't help but smile back.

"Thanks; you really saved me from endless teasing by my friends. I'm Midoriya Izumi."

"I'm Uraraka Ochako. You're welcome. I hope you do well." "You too!"

Uraraka smiled at her and went inside. Izumi looked around but didn't see him.

'He must be inside'.

All the prospective students were guided to an enormous amphitheater. Izumi sat next to a girl with dark purple hair. Her quirk was a visible one; hanging from her earlobes were earphone jacks. She wondered what they could do. Maybe augment her hearing? Possibly. But she doubted that would be all. In a quirkish society like this one, someone with a quirk like that would be discouraged from pursuing a hero career. No. This girl´s quirk probably had more tricks under its sleeve.

The girl just nodded at her. Izumi did the same. The room was filled. But almost nobody spoke. Only a few murmurs here and there.

Then a light shone. Right at the center of the amphitheater, a platform started to rise with a man on. The man's blond hair was long and spiked upward; it reminded her of a Simisage, except that it was blonde instead of green. The parlants on his neck, the headphones, and his orange glasses identified him easily.

"ARE YOU ALL READY, LISTENERS!?" Present Mic yelled. No one responded. Well, except one enthusiasted fan.

"YEEESSSSS!" Izumi yelled back. Everybody stared at her. Some mumbled about her, but she didn't care. Present Mic was a great hero. She always loved listening to his radio shows with her mom, and she even introduced Eri to them. Besides, she was used to this type of showmanship. The Gym Leaders would do great entrances before any battle. And the one time she went to a Contest, it was all about the introduction. So she was used to it.

Present Mic grinned wildly.

"YEAAAHH! I LIKE THAT ATTITUDE! Now, you will have two tests. The first is the boring, yet important, one. THE WRITTEN PART! You will be divided into rooms, so don't try to cheat! Any cheaters will be immediately expelled and won't be eligible for re-inscription. In any course! You will have two hours!

For the second part, you will go to different gyms and battle this!"

Present Mic lit up a giant screen. Cartoons of robots showed up. Three types were on screen. Each one seemed more dangerous than the last.

"These are the three types of robots you will face. Just like in the rpg videogames. These ones are 1 Pointer, these are 2 Pointer and finally, these guys are 3 Pointer. The more points, the better! However! It's forbidden to hurt or use your quirks with malevolent intent on your fellow competitors!"

Izumi relaxed. Fighting robots. Fiuhhh.

"Excuse me one second!" A voice shouted out. A tall black-haired boy was standing. He looked really rigid and had a paper on his right hand.

"I must report a mistake in these pamphlets! Here it states that there are four types of robots. However, in your presentation, it states that there are three. What kind of mistake is this?! I trusted that an institution such as UA wouldn't make a mistake like this one!"

Almost everybody sweatdropped at the boy.

"Huh, he isn't wrong at that," the purple-haired girl next to her said. She was reading her own pamphlet. Izumi opened her own and saw that indeed, there were supposed to be four types of robots.

"Don't worry, listener! I was about to get to that point. The fourth type is the boss robot! However, unlike the other bots, there will be only one boss for each ground, and they also have no points! So, if you want to get more points, just run in the other direction! And one last thing, the practical exam will only last ten minutes!"

"Understood! I apologize for the interruption!" The boy bowed and sat down.

Izumi frowned. The zero-pointer made no sense. Present Mic said that the robots were stylized like in video games. And in video games, the Boss always gives the best rewards. Also, Present Mic encouraged them to avoid fighting the Zero pointer. There was a catch. But, what?

"The great hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life. Plus Ultra! Break a leg, everyone!"

After that, Izumi searched for her group room. The written exam wasn't as hard as she feared. Actually, some of the questions seemed familiar. Like the ones on her aptitude test—oohhhh. Clever rat.

After the two-hour mark and everybody finished the written exam, they were led to another room and told to wait there. Everybody was tense and nervous. Izumi could see Uraraka crossing her fingers and whispering to herself. A part of her wanted to go and help her, like the other girl had done, but she knew that everyone had their own ways to deal with their stress.

Izumi went to a wall and sat against it. She closed her eyes and started to meditate. She needed to focus. The test could start at any moment, and she would need to be ready. Even after two months of training with it, One For All still gave her trouble if she charged it too fast.

'If I do it slowly, it won't hurt, but it will take at least five minutes. That's too much time. If I do it fast, it won't break my bones, but it will strain my muscles, which could be dangerous. Unless…'

"Hey, could you quit with your mumbling!? It's distracting everybody here! Or is that your only goal?" Izumi opened her eyes. The rigid boy was glaring at her. She frowned. What the heck was wrong with this guy? As far as she could tell, most of the room was glaring at the boy instead of her. Before she could say anything, Present Mic´s voice was heard over the speakers:

"AAANDD, STAAAART!"

Izumi didn't think. She bolted. She would have to test her theory on the robots. The rest of the candidates stood there.

"Eh, what are you waiting for? GO, GO, GOOOOO!"

She could hear them right behind them. A rumbling like a stomping herd of Tauros. The boy who scolded her went past her quickly; some type of engine on his legs propelled him at top speed.

She controlled her urge to squeal and analyze his quirk in favor of focusing. Since plan A was busted, she went to plan B. Thank Arceus for All Might´s training camp. It made it so much easier to call her Aura onto her entire body. A blue cloak enveloped her body. When she saw her first robot, a two-pointer, she jumped and kicked its head off.

Two points. Let´s get more.

In the viewing room, Principal Nezu and his faculty saw through the cameras how the prospective students were doing. They had to see which students had the right spirit for the hero course and which could need more time and training. Most of the candidates would not make it to the Hero Course, but they probably applied to the General Course as an alternative. After all, many times, students from the General Course were able to transfer to the Hero Course by proving themselves in the School Festival.

"This year they are really feisty," Midnight remarked while watching a blonde boy explode all the robots in his path.

"My speech really inspired them," Present Mic gloated. "Although most of them did take their sweet time to react."

"The blond at ground B and the greenete at Ground C were the only ones to run the moment you said," Vlad Hound pointed at both candidates.

"Well, it's not strange for Midoriya-san. She did participate in a villain fight last year. And in many battles for five years," the rest of the teachers nodded at Nezu´s words. Midnight had been in Tokyo during the fight, so she knew very well what happened with Overhaul, and Nezu was confident that Midoriya would pass the Entrance Exam, so he told his colleagues about the girl´s story.

Vlad King pulled her file. "A strength-enhancing quirk and a team of creatures with their own myriad of powers. That one will be interesting to teach."

"You saw her in action yourself, right, All Might? What can you tell us about Midoriya-san?" Snipe asked their new colleague.

All Might was in his weak form, watching only Ground C cameras. When Nezu learned of the truth of One For All and that All Might was looking for a successor, the quimera offered him a teaching position to help him.

At first, he had been hesitant. Nezu pointed out that if he wanted a successor from the next generation, what better place to find them than in a hero school? And since he was a UA graduate, why not come back to his alma mater?

After meeting Izumi, he accepted Nezu's offer. The first two months together, they mostly worked on preparing her body for One For All. She had already been in great physical condition, thanks to her own years of training and traveling in the Pokemon World. She just needed a little push.

"You are ready," All Might told his successor. The girl was panting. She had just used her base strength to lift an entire refrigerator above her head, with both Machoke and All Might on top of it, and took it to the van that All Might rented to take all the trash to a real and legal recycling center. It just took her under five minutes to do it.

The day before, they did the same thing, but with Izumi using her aura to strengthen her body. With her aura, she did it in two minutes.

When they first started training at the beach, All Might tested her strength by lifting the heaviest things and then holding them. Without using aura, she could manage only a few minutes. With her aura, she barely made it close to ten, but it was obvious that she was in serious pain.

And now, she was ready.

Mienfoo gave his trainer a bottle of water. She grabbed it and drowned it in a few seconds. All Might just smiled. He was so proud of how fast she had progressed. Not just in her physical training, but in her studies.

"So, what's next?" Izumi asked her mentor.

"Now, you eat this!" All Might pulled one of his hairs and gave it to her.

"What!?" Izumi wanted to puke. That sounded so gross.

"One For All is passed on by consuming part of the holder's body. It can be saliva, blood, or hair. I think that hair is the least disgusting option."

Ok, now she definitely wanted to puke. She nodded and grabbed the hair with a look of disgust on her face.

"Ape. Infer," Infernape interrupted her. At first, she thought that her starter wanted to support her and encourage her. Then she saw that he had her phone and was giving it to All Might and pointing at her. His wide grin told her his real idea.

"Infernape, you are Eri's babysitter for the next month," and she swallowed the hair. Mienfoo, her loyal lynx, offered her another bottle of water. She drank it, hoping to get rid of the taste.

"How long will it take?" "Hmm, a few hours. I suggest we take that time to relax," she nodded.

The next few hours were spent quietly. Izumi told her about some of her adventures. Of fighting trainers on Victory Road, the quietness at the top of Mount Corona, the castles in Kalos, the Twin Towers, and more. It was nice to talk about her adventures with someone else. She told her mom and Eri a few things, mostly the kid-safe parts for Eri. But it was nice to share with others.

Izumi stood up. There was something. Something strange, something different. She felt a presence, a link, a link to All Might.

In front of her were the remains of an old, rusted truck. She closed her eyes and concentrated. First she felt her aura—so familiar, so comforting. She went deeper, looking for this new presence. There. The lights. Seven bright lights of different colors and the contours of a smaller and paler one.

All Might stood behind her.

"When my master gave me One For All, I was overwhelmed by its power. And humbled. So much power, and she chose me. And now I chose you. Now, clench your buttcheeks and yell from the bottom of your heart!"

Izumi focused on this new power. If her aura was like a comfortable cloak that embraced her, then One For All was a hurricane that wanted to burst and show its full power.

She pulled her fist back, gritted her buttcheeks, and yelled with all her strength.

"SMAAAAAAAASHHHHHHH!"

Her fist struck, and a storm destroyed the truck. For one moment, she felt great. Then she felt pain. She looked at her arm and screamed.

"AHHHHHHH!"

Her arm was broken. It was swollen and purple, and blood was pouring from its pores, and it hurt so much!

"Ahhhh! Wh-what?! D-don't worry, Midoriya-shoujo! I will take you with Chiyo-san. She will heal you in one second!"

The scolding Chiyo gave him still made him tremble. The old heroine hadn't been happy to be called and then dragged at All Might's top speed to heal her broken arm. Fortunately, Izumi's aura had already started to heal her multiple fractures.

After healing her, Chiyo scolded both of them for being idiots and said that she wouldn't heal Izumi again if she did something so reckless. The old heroine remarked that even if Izumi's body was capable of hosting One For All, using it at 100% at once and so soon was the stupidest thing she could have done.

All Might hadn't wanted to risk Izumi's life and made her promise to not use One For All until they could figure out a new plan. When two weeks passed and he still had no ideas, he did it.

He called him.

Nana-sensei gave him the chance to be a great hero. He wouldn't insult her memory and legacy by being a bad teacher.

Thankfully, Izumi-shoujo was able to withstand him much better than he did, and with his help, she managed to make a breakthrough.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see Young Midoriya in action. However, I was witness to her spirit and convictions. I truly believe that she has the capacity to become a true hero."

He so wanted to tell them of her abilities, of her intelligence, and of her team. But he couldn't. His new colleagues might know that he has a time limit and that he wishes to help the new generation of heroes in their training before his imminent retirement. But they couldn't know the truth about his relationship with Young Izumi. Not yet. Not until she was ready to tackle all the enemies that would challenge her.

Snipe nodded and went back to seeing the screens.

"Well, it has been about eight minutes. I guess it's time to see what type of heroes these children are." Everybody sweat dropped at Nezu's glee while pressing the Yakuri Switch.

Back on Ground Test C, Izumi was having a blast. During their five-month training, All Might never spoke of what consisted the practical exam. First, he focused on getting her body ready to withstand One For All´s power and then on how to control it. While they did that, her team would continue to train by themselves. If she made it as a hero, then her Pokemon would have to prove that they could follow her orders but that they could also work by themselves.

Her original six were capable of fighting without her input and still retained their loyalty. Her newest partners were the tricky ones. Between their battle-lust nature and their short time together, Izumi herself had to step in and prove her own strength.

It was a good thing that Hakamo-o and Bewear were really tough. Although both still insisted on wanting to fight All Might.

A roundhouse kick to a three-pointer head, a punch to a two-pointer torso. By her count, she must be above forty points. A robot shot a laser beam towards her. She sidestepped and ran towards it. At the last moment she jumped and fell on top of its head with her feet, crushing it. Forty one.

The other candidates were shouting their own points. Some, like Uraraka, were close to thirty, while the rude boy was closer to Izumi's score. She saw that Uraraka had some type of tactile telekinetic or gravity quirk. Considering that she only had the robots levitate a few meters before making them fall, she believed it was the second option.

The rude boy used his legs to crush the bots. The engines on his legs gave him great bursts of speed that had him wrecking entire lines of robots in seconds.

There was another boy shooting a laser from his stomach. She saw that he tried to shoot at multiple robots at the same time in short bursts. By the way he held his stomach after a particularly large burst, she guessed that his quirk must hurt him the longest he used it.

Suddenly, they all felt a tremor. Another one. And another. Something was walking. Something big. And it was getting closer.

Then they saw it. A gigantic robot. Bigger than Overhaul on his Ultimate Golem Form.

"That's the Zero Pointer?!" one candidate shouted.

"What the hell?! That's way overkill!"

"Run! That thing is worth nothing! We need to focus on the points!"

They all ran. Izumi stood there. The way the rest of the candidates ran made it dangerous to escape. Most weren't paying attention to their surroundings and were shoveling at each other. She decided to scale some of the buildings to have a better view when she saw her.

Uraraka.

She was trapped. Part of a building had fallen on top of her, and she couldn't move. She wasn't using her quirk. Why? One of her hands was free. Maybe she needed both hands? Or was it too heavy?

Izumi ran straight to Uraraka. She wasn't going to leave someone in danger just to win some meager points. The ones she had would have to be enough.

"Uraraka-san, hang in there." The brunette stared at her in fear.

Izumi concentrated just like she was taught and reached.

On top of her blue cloaking, green lighting sparkled. First furiously and then calmly. She was still having trouble lowering down One For All´s inpout. Fortunately, her aura helped her spread it throughout her entire body instead of just in one of her limbs like on her first try. By covering her entire body, the quirk was easier to calibrate. The most difficult part was to adjust its potency.

Right now, she could only manage 5% of full capacity.

She knelt and pulled the fallen debris off Uraraka. The girl crawled out. Once she was out of danger, Izumi dropped it.

Uraraka had some scratches on her face and clothes. She favored her left leg. Her eyes widened at the sight of the Zero-Pointer. The robot was much closer to both girls. Uraraka whimpered in fear. The way she touched her left leg made it clear she wasn't able to run.

"Sorry for this." "Uhh?" Izumi pulled her over her left shoulder and jumped.

"Ahhhhh!" Uraraka screamed in fear. She hadn't expected Izumi's jump to be that high. Izumi grabbed onto the rooftop of a building with her right hand.

"Now, climb there, Uraraka-san." The brunette nodded and climbed to the rooftop. Once she felt lighter, Izumi climbed too.

"Thank you, Midoriya-san. You saved me." "It's ok, Uraraka-san."

The Zero-Pointer kept walking forward toward the rest of the candidates. Izumi frowned. She doubted that Nezu-san would allow the robot to hurt the candidates, but... she couldn't just sit there and do nothing.

The Zero Pointer wasn't that far; a few jumps could get her closer. She just needed to entertain it for a few seconds, enough time for the exam to finish. It should power down the second the exam ends. Hopefully.

"Uraraka-san, stay here. The test should end in a few minutes. As soon as it's over, the teachers should send someone to bring you down."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to distract that thing. Just enough until the exam ends."

"But what about your points? Aren't you afraid they won't be enough?"

"I have at least forty-one villain points. I think it should be enough. Besides, there is a good chance that the Zero Pointer is keeping us away from more robots as a way to prevent us from getting more points."

Izumi prepared to jump when Uraraka stopped her.

"Wait! I- I can help you!" "Uraraka-san, your leg is hurt. You can't walk there."

"I know, but I can use my quirk on you," she said, showing her hands. Like Izumi thought, they looked like a cat's paws.

"I can take away the gravity of anything I touch. To reinstate it.." "You press the digits of both your hands together," Izumi finished. Uraraka blinked at her in surprise.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Back when we first met, after you helped me, I didn't feel my weight back until you touched your fingertips again." Izumi rubbed her neck. She hoped she didn't seem weird for remembering that.

"Wow. Most never pay attention to that. Anyway, I can use my quirk to negate your gravity. With it, you will reach the Zero-Pointer faster."

Izumi rubbed her chin. Without gravity and with her maximum strength at the moment… her eyes widened at her idea.

"Do it. When you hear me scream, activate my gravity."

"Are you sure you will be okay?"

Izumi smiled confidently.

"Don't worry. I will be fine."

Izumi took the runner's position. She felt Uraraka's hand on her back, and her weight disappeared. She activated her Aura and then One For All. This time it was faster, easier. Her body was adapting more easily to adjusting the strength. Her leg kicked, and she flew up.

Her arms and legs were slightly parted, she maneuvered until she was above the Zero-Pointer. Then she yelled.

"NOW URARAKA-SAN!" The moment she felt her gravity return, she rolled over until her head pointed towards the giant robot. Her arms were pointed towards her target, her fist clenched. She looked like a human missile.

"MISSILE SMASH!"

Izumi collided with the Zero Pointer's head. The impact was hard enough that the robot stumbled forward, and a hole was made in its head.

Everybody stared at the smoke coming from the top of its head. A figure leapt from the smoke and fell on a rooftop.

It was Izumi. Scratches and bruises littered her entire body. She was panting, and a line of blood fell from her mouth. But she was smiling. Her plan worked. The Zero Pointer stopped its movements and went towards her. Before she could prepare for a game of Purugly and Rattata, a bell chimed.

"AAAAAND TIMEEEEEEE! The practical exam is oveeer! Medical bots will be arriving shortly; anybody injured wait for them. Our medical team is the best!"

Izumi relaxed. It was over. Her body hurt, but nothing was broken. Just like she thought. As long as her body was protected by her Aura for a while, she could activate One For All faster and regulate its power more easily.

"Midoriya-san!" Uraraka´s voice sounded closer. She was floating in front of her. Her face looked sick. As soon as she hovered on top of the rooftop, she released her quirk and started to fall. Izumi grabbed her, but the other girl shoved her aside and barfed.

When the gravity girl stopped, she blushed and apologized.

"I guess it's a side effect of your quirk?" "Yeah, not pretty." "Mine is that if I use too much power, I break my bones." "Really?!" Izumi nodded.

She was thinking about how to climb down both of them when a group of bots appeared over the edge. They were carrying a stretcher big enough to hold both girls.

Both girls were sent to Recovery Girl. The old heroine didn't make any comments towards Izumi. She just kissed both girls on their arms. Tiredness filled their bodies, but the pain disappeared. After declaring that both girls were healthy, they left.

After exchanging their numbers and wishing each other luck, they went their own ways. Izumi went to her home, and Uraraka went to her hotel room to rest before returning home the next day.

The next few days were silent. Calm filled her body. Neither she nor her team trained. She mostly helped Eri with her homework and her mom with the house chores. All Might never called her.

A week after the exam, her mom came running into her room.

"Izumi! It's here," the older Midoriya said, showing her UA´s letter. Izumi gulped and grabbed it. Eri started to get up when Izumi interrupted her.

"I want both of you here. I want my family with me," her mother smiled and stayed. Izumi called all her Pokemon. A few had to wait in the hallway because of their size. All of them encouraged her to open the letter. She did it.

A disk fell from the envelope. After touching it, a hologram appeared. It was All Might.

"Greetings, I am here as a hologram!" Izumi blinked. Why was All Might in UA´s results letter?

"First of all, Midoriya-shoujo I bet you are confused by this situation. The answer is simple: this coming year I will be UA´s new Hero Teacher! Because of all the paperwork, I wasn't able to speak with you, my girl."

All Might as a teacher? That certainly was unexpected. He did train her for five months, but... a school teacher? That was way different.

"Now, I don't really have much time. Apparently, I have to make a lot of these things. You passed the written exam with top notes, which is not surprising. And you managed to score 41 villain points during the practical exam. A great job! However, that's not all! As a hero school, UA doesn´t evaluate just the students ability to destroy robots. NO! We also evaluate their capacity to rescue others. Not only did you help a young girl and make sure to evacuate her in a safe place, but you also worked together to slow down the Zero Pointer and gave your fellow candidates a better chance to escape! Because of that, Midoriya Izumi, we give you 65 Rescue Points! Your total score is 106 points! You made first place! And with that, I can say it. Welcome to UA. Welcome to Your Hero Academia."

Izumi couldn't contain her tears, even if she wanted to. She made it. She was accepted into UA. Her mom, too, was crying and hugging her. Eri also joined the group hug. Her Pokemon made cries of happiness and congratulations.

That night, she went for a walk. Infernape, Lopunny, and Lucario were in their pokeballs on her belt. It felt right to take them with her. They were her first Pokemon—the one that chose her, the one that she chose, and the first one she caught. Not that she valued the rest of her Pokemon less, no. The bonds that she had with each member of her team were unique.

She had been just walking when a figure stood in front of her. He hadn´t changed much. The same red, angry eyes and blond, spiky hair scowl on his lips. He was older, of course, and taller. He recognized her too.

"Deku" "Kacchan"

And now comes a small omake that was born from a comment on the ff post by ultima-owner:

As a young Chimchar, he loved playing pranks. Professor Rowan´s aides had been his victims. It was a good way to spend time until a trainer came to choose him. When he played pranks on Izumi, she didn´t get angry—annoyed, sure, but not angry. Sometimes she even laughed. After a while, she started to get even. Infernape was so proud of her for that—for standing up for herself. He just wished she hadn´t thought of this method of torture.

He was an Elite Four-Level Pokemon. A winner of great competitions. And now he was sipping imaginary tea in front of his trainer's new little sister.

Little Eri was wearing a beautiful pink dress with green flowers and a red headband. When Izumi told her that Infernape wanted to spend lots of time with her and play her games, the little girl introduced him to the hell that was tea parties. Hours and hours just sitting there, pretending to drink tea and nibbling biscuits. Talking with plushies about nonsense. And that wasn´t the worst part. No. He had to wear a bowtie, a jacket, and a fake mustache.

When Lopunny saw him, she laughed so much that she fell to the floor, and tears flowed from her face.

Traitor.

Chapter Text

10

Rays of sunlight entered the bedroom. Birds chirped outside the window. It was a beautiful morning. All quiet. The person laying on the bed sighed contently, deep in her sleep.

An alarm interrupted her dreams. She groaned and lifted her right arm, reaching blindly for her phone to cancel the alarm. After a few tries, silence enveloped her room again. The girl sighed and went back to sleep. She was dozing when her door was opened and two small missiles jumped on her bed.

"Wake up, Nee-chan!" "Ty!"

Izumi grumbled and covered her head with her pillow. After five months of harsh training, from dawn to dusk, she had enjoyed sleeping for the last couple of weeks. Even when she traveled all over the Regions she wasn't so tired. Unlike other rookies who tried to conquer the gyms as fast as they could, Izumi took her time. She didn't rush in. Not even when she had the type advantage.

"Nee-chan, mama says you are going to be late for your first day of school! Wake uuup! Ty-chan help me!" "Ty! Ro!"

Izumi smiled under her sheets. It amazed her to see how much her little sister had changed in the last five months.

When Eri first stepped into their new home, she was frightened and shy. At night, she refused to sleep alone, clinging either to Izumi or to Inko. If Izumi was home, then the little girl would remain glued to her side. For the first two months, her mom worked at home so that Eri wouldn't feel alone when Izumi went to train during the afternoons. In the morning, both girls studied with the tutors that Nezu assigned them.

Saotome-san, a middle-aged man with a mutant type quirk called Elephant that turned him into an anthropomorphic elephant. The man was assigned to Izumi to help her with her weakest subjects and to reinforce the others. The man was strict with his lessons, but it was worth it; the results of her exams were proof of it.

Kayama-san was Eri's tutor. A beautiful purple haired woman who showed great patience and kindness with her little sister. After a few weeks of teaching, Eri began to take her lessons alone. By the time Izumi was learning how to tone down OFA strength, Eri was willing to leave the house to take her quirk lessons with her second tutor. Izumi suspected that the woman was actually a hero, but she couldn't pin down who exactly. After five years living in the Pokemon World, she was out of the loop about heroes. It wasn´t until after the Exam Entrance that she began to really investigate the current hero rooster in Japan, the most dangerous villains, and the ones that still avoided custody.

Both Midoriyas made it their mission to get Eri as many toys, plushies, clothes, and books as her new room could handle. The first time they took Eri shopping, they nearly cried. First, they took her to different stores in order to get her new clothes and accessories. Eri was overwhelmed by all the different styles available. The little girl would look at the dresses, skirts, t-shirts, and shoes with wide eyes, barely comprehending that a single place could have so many things. Buying her clothes was a battle. Eri was used to having the bare minimum of plain clothes, aka a couple of white dresses that belonged in a hospital and underwear. That's it.

It took them more than a few trips to convince their newest family member that she deserved to have nice things. Eri was raised to believe she was a burden and that she should be grateful to have the scraps of society. Inko vowed to use her quirk on Overhaul if she ever got a chance.

Little by little, with patience and time, they started to convince Eri that she deserved to have not only a good life but a great one. That things like clothes, food, a bedroom, a bed, etc. weren't a reward, but a right. Seeing Eri sleeping at night in her own bed, cuddling both Mienfoo and her new princess doll, had both Midoriya´s crying. After that, slowly but steadily, Eri´s room began to fill.

Izumi´s newborn Tyrogue had a huge impact on Eri´s recovery. All three women had been present when Izumi´s Pokemon egg started to tremble and cracks formed on its shell. Of course, Izumi made sure that she was the first person the baby saw when it opened its eyes. Imprinting was a crucial part of raising Pokemon babies. If the baby, for some reason, imprinted on her mother or, worse, on Eri, then Izumi would have to wait up to at least a year (unless it was a bug type, then it would take a few months tops) before trying to capture it and bond with it.

Fortunately, when Tyrogue opened his little eyes, the first thing he saw was his new trainer´s warm smile. The baby-fighting type had looked at his mother figure and leapt at her arms. Thank Arceus that Izumi had already raised a baby Pokemon once. At least this time she would have more help. The first time, she only had some books and advice from Nurse Joy and other doctors. Her team helped, sure, but it was a rough challenge.

Both her mom and Eri fell in love with the baby. Her mom cooed over it and cried while saying she was too young to be a grandmother. She could still feel the blush on her face when she said that. Eri and Tyrogue had both looked confused at the scene.

Eri and Tyrogue became best friends in just one moment. Eri had been in her room having a tea party with Lopunny, Bewear, and a reluctant Lucario when Tyrogue entered the room and sat with them. By the end of the day, both were tied by the hip.

Tyrogue was her youngest Pokemon; the rest were already adults or close to adulthood; for him, they were more like big siblings/rode models. Eri was the only one close to his age range.

Seeing both of them jump on top of her bed, smiling wildly at it, made her so happy.

Izumi grinned and struck fast. She pulled both of them in a hug and began to tickle them. Her mother interrupted the laughter with her own.

"If you three keep playing around, then you will definitely be late for your first day."

"Sorry mom," "Ha ha, sorry mommy, haha," "Ty ty."

Izumi let her little sister go and went to change into her new uniform. Wearing UA's uniform and colors filled her with pride. She couldn't help but stand straighter and smile wildly in the mirror.

Breakfast was a happy affair. Her mother made their favorite foods and gave them bento boxes for both girls and another box with snacks for her team.

Izumi had received a letter telling her to bring six of her Pokemon on her first day. Her homeroom teacher would evaluate them at the end of the day in order to accommodate her schedule to include hero work for her Pokemon.

Eri was also going with her. Apparently, her second tutor, the one that Izumi never met, worked at UA. Eri didn't tell her who it was; she had pinky swear not to reveal his identity. Their mother knew, since she was her legal tutor, but she also promised not to tell.

Izumi accepted it. Pinky swears were sacred.

A message came to her new phone.

'Hi Izumi-chan! I'm going to the train station. See you at UA! 😄😄'

'Hi Ochako-chan! Ok, I will see you at UA. Let's hope we are in the same class!'

'Same! '

She and Ochako sent a few other messages. Both girls had exchanged numbers after the Entrance Exam and quickly became friends.

Ochako was a nice girl, smart, and caring. She wanted to be a Rescue Hero, like Thirteen the Space Hero, her personal hero. Her quirk, Zero Gravity was perfect for that line of heroics. Ochako also showed ability to fight against villains and criminals. The way she used her quirk against the robots proved it.

Her mom had been glad that she had made a new friend. Well, a human friend. During the six years that she had been living as quirkless, she had been a pariah. To the children, she was a freak; to the adults, she was useless. Her social skills had been severely damaged by the bullying and isolation. Living in the Pokemon World, a place where no quirks existed and discrimination and hazing were more frowned upon, helped her a lot to heal. Her interactions with people of her age were mostly about battling, so it was easier to have conversations.

After breakfast, Izumi grabbed six of her pokeballs, her first and oldest members, and put them on her special belt. Riley had gifted it to her after they parted ways. The belt had a magnetic lock tied to her aura, a special feature against thieves.

Before leaving, she grabbed Tyrogue's pokeball. The little one still wasn't ready for battling or heavy training, but she couldn't leave him alone. He was still too young.

Both girls waved to Inko and left for the train station. Unlike the past year, where they traveled disguised and fast, hiding in alleys and abandoned buildings, trying not to draw attention to themselves, now Izumi and Eri just walked through the streets. No longer hiding, no longer afraid. They just walked like normal girls.

The trip to UA was uneventful. A woman recognized her uniform and smiled at her encouragingly. It was kind of embarrassing that people could tell that she was a UA student just by her uniform. But it was sad that the woman only acted that way because she thought that Izumi was studying to be a hero. If she had thought that she was in the General Course, the Support Department, or the Administrative Department, then she probably wouldn't even notice she existed.

Izumi banished those thoughts. One day, things will change. She will make sure of it.

Entering UA as a Hero Course student felt different than entering as a candidate. She could see how many of the students, both of her same grade and her senpais, crowded around a large screen. Her face blushed when she saw her name in the first place. It went crimson when she overheard talking about her fight with the Zero Pointer. Izumi held Eri's hand tighter and led her to her homeroom.

Kayama-san told both Midoriyas to bring Eri to her homeroom, and then her teacher would send the little girl to her own classes.

When she saw Class 1-A's door, she stopped. Suddenly, she felt nervous. Her heartbeat and breathing increased, her palms became sweaty, and a fog was clouding her mind.

"Izumi-nee?" Eri's voice brought her back. Her little sister stared at her nervously. Eri hugged her as tightly as she could. Izumi smiled and kissed the top of her head, grateful for her intervention.

She wasn't a shy, quirkless, weak, useless girl anymore. She was a professional Pokemon Trainer. An Aura user. A hero student. The ninth holder of One For All. All Might's successor. Izumi took a deep breath and then exhaled. She opened the door.

"How dare you put your feet on top of the desk?! Don't you have any respect for our senpais that sat in this same place?!" The weird, rigid, bespectacled guy who accused her of trying to disrupt the other candidates was yelling at a familiar blond.

"I give a crap about some Extras, Extra!" Bakugou yelled back. Her former childhood friend was lying on his chair with his legs on the desk. He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

The guy with the glasses inhaled deeply, trying to calm down.

"It's obvious we started on the wrong terms. I am Iida Tenya; I'm from Soumei."

"An extra from the Elite? I will crush you!" Bakugou made a shark-eating grin. Iida looked shocked at his statement.

"Threatening a classmate? What kind of hero do you think you are?!" "The Number One!"

Bakugou saw her. Neither said anything. They just nodded to each other. Bakugou arched an eyebrow when he saw Eri but didn't say anything.

When Iida saw that Bakugou's attention was on someone behind him, he turned, and his eyes widened when he recognized Izumi. Immediately, he bowed.

"I am sorry for my behavior during the Entrance Exam! I thought you were just a troublemaker, but I misjudged you! You were able to see better than me."

Both Izumi and Eri were weirded out by Iida. They had no idea what the taller boy was talking about.

"Eh? I don't know what you are talking about."

"The hidden test. You were able to see that there was a hidden test during the practical exam. That's why you went after the Zero-Pointer while the rest ran away."

"Eh, not really. I just did what was right. Ochako-chan needed help, and I was there."

Iida frowned and then bowed again.

"Then you are definitely better than me!"

"Wow, this guy really needs to chill out," a blonde boy muttered. He was sitting on top of his desk. Iida must have not noticed him before seeing Bakugou.

"Izumi-chan! We are both in Class A! Yeahhh!" Ochako cheered behind her. Izumi smiled and hugged her friend. When they let go, she put her hand on Eri's shoulder.

"Eri, this is Ochako-chan. She is the friend I made back in the Entrance Exam, remember? Ochako-chan, this is my little sister, Eri." Izumi was nervous. Eri was getting better at meeting new people, but she was still shy. A part of Izumi, a big one, wanted her baby sister to get along with Ochako. She also hoped that Ochako would accept her weird history and the rest of her family. Ochako was her first friend in a long ttime, and she really wanted the people that she cared about to get along.

Ochako could see that not only her new friend was nervous, but also Eri. She kneeled in front of her and offered her hand. Eri tentatively shook it.

"Hi Eri-chan. Izumi told me that you like tea parties." She nodded. "Well, I too like tea parties. Unfortunately, my parents don't, and my friends back home think they are too boring. Soo, maybe I could join yours? I can bring my own set."

Eri frowned. She thought deeply. She looked at her nee-chan, who smiled warmly at her. She turned toward Ochako and nodded hesitantly. Ochako smiled brightly and gave her a little pat on the head.

"You are too loud," a man interrupted them. The entire class, including Eri, turned towards the doorway.

A caterpillar was in the doorway. A yellow, human-sized caterpillar. Nobody spoke.

"Sensei!" Eri yelled happily at the caterpillar.

"Sensei?" "Sensei?!"

The caterpillar seemed to move strangely. It was as if something wanted to burst. A human hand pulled through and moved a zipper. It wasn't a caterpillar; it was a sleeping bag. The man who appeared before them looked more like a hobo than a teacher. Long black unkempt hair that partially covered his face and fell to his shoulders, deep dark bags under his eyes, and a feeling of severe tiredness.

"You all need to be more quick and pay more attention to your surroundings. This is a hero school, not kindergarten," the man sighed tiredly. "My name is Aizawa Shouta, and I will be your homeroom teacher. Put on your gym uniforms and go to the Physical Exercise Grounds. Eri, while they do that, I will take you to Kayama-san. Midoriya, why did you bring seven with you?"

"One of them was born two months ago; he is too young to be left at home. His instincts make me his mother figure."

Except for Eri and Aizawa-sensei, the rest of the class seemed confused. Aizawa frowned.

"Will that interfere in your responsibilities?" She shook her head. "I have experience already, and the worst part has already passed. He can handle being in his Pokeball; he just doesn't like being away from me."

Aizawa nodded. He would trust her word for now. He looked at the rest of his students and saw that they weren't moving from their places.

"Why are you still here? I have already given my instructions. Go," and with that, they all began to move. All except Izumi. The Aura trainer stepped aside from the door so her classmates could leave and moved closer to Aizawa-sensei. Some of the students just left without giving her a glance back. A few whispered. A pink-skinned girl with small horns on her head smiled cheerily at her little sister and waved. Eri waved hesitantly back. Ochako lingered at the door frame, but Izumi gave her a confident smile. Her friend chewed her lip and left.

"Aizawa-sensei" "What Midoriya?" "Thank you." "Hmm?" Izumi bowed her head. Not like Iida, who bent his entire torso and made it look rigid. She bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you for helping Eri these past few months. Eri is my little sister. She is someone precious to my family. When you began to teach her how to control her quirk, you did something I wasn't able to do. Give her peace about her quirk. Ever since Eri met you, she has been more relaxed and happy. So, in the name of my family, thank you."

Aizawa said nothing. He stared at Midoriya unperturbed. His lips twitched a little. Barely.

"I am a teacher; it's my job to help troublesome children control their quirks and use them to their maximum ability. It's only logical."

Izumi turned towards her sister. "Have a good day, Eri. Remember, if you need me, just send me a text, and I will be there. It doesn't matter when. Ok?" "Yes nee-chan."

Izumi nodded and left to change. Eri turned towards her sensei.

"Let´s go, Eri. Are you ready for your test?" "Yes, Izumi-nee helped me study. Mien-chan, Sir Plushy, and Ty-chan helped too. And mama said that I would do great."

After a while, Class 1-A found themselves on the P.E grounds. It didn't look that different from the ones at their previous schools. A pitching circle, a track, a sandpit, a long table with different types and sizes of weights, etc. All the necessary items for a normal P.E class.

"Sensei, what is our purpose here?" Iida was the first to ask Aizawa when he appeared.

"We will be doing a Quirk Apprehension Test" "A Quirk Apprehension Test? What about the entrance ceremony and orientation?" Ochako asked.

"UA is known for giving the teachers freedom to conduct their classes however they see fit. This is a hero school; things like orientation can be read by oneself in a pamphlet. It's illogical to lose time on random things like that."

Aizawa grabbed a softball and moved toward the pitching circle.

"50-meter dash, grip strength, standing long jump, ball throw, long distance run, seated toe touch, repeated side steps, sit-ups—eight tests you all had in middle school. The government prohibits the use of quirks in physical activities. It's illogical. There are many quirks that can´t be turned down when it comes to physical abilities. This is a hero school. We need to know your real abilities to train you. Midoriya, you scored the highest on the Practical Test. Use your quirk to throw this ball."

Izumi went to the circle. She saw how her classmates reacted to the news that she was the student with the highest score. Bakugo was scowling, angry that he hadn't been the number one since day 1. Ochako was smiling proudly at her, beaming. Iida and the boy with the naval laser just nodded; both had been with her on Ground C when they saw her fight with the Zero Pointer. A two-toned-haired boy stared at her as if he were dissecting her. A dark-haired girl also stared at her, as if analyzing her.

The stares didn't make her nervous or anxious. It felt like back in the Pokemon League. But with twenty people staring at her instead of thousands.

First, she drew on her aura, its bluish tint enveloping her body. Next, she activated OFA. The strength quirk followed her aura´s path in the way of green lighting. She gritted her teeth at the strength of the quirk and then focused on dialing it to 5%. The whole process took her at least two minutes. By the look on Aizawa-sensei´s face, he too realized that she needed to be faster.

Izumi grabbed the ball and threw it with all her strength.

"SMAAAAAAAASHHHHHHHHHH!"

The ball flew and flew. Aizawa-sensei held a sensor in his hand and showed the class the final result. 700 meters. Her classmates were shocked by her score. Murmurs erupted between them.

"So we can use our quirks for this?" "This looks really fun!"

"Fun?" Aizawa-sensei sounded amused. "You think this is about having fun? Then, new rule: the student with the lowest total score will be considered hopeless and therefore expelled."

"WHAAAT?!" "We passed the Entrance Exam!" "You can't do this, sensei!"

"Three years is the time you have to become heroes. Will you spend the next three years goofing around or overcoming your limits? Plus Ultra is the spirit of this school. Those that play at being heroes have no hope and don't belong here."

The next few hours, Aizawa saw how his students overcame their tests. Most of the students that passed the practical exam had quirks suited for combat and often overlooked any other capacity. With these tests, he was able to see how they adapted to different situations.

Students like Hagakure, Kaminari, and Jirou were unable to use their quirks for any event, so they had to rely on their physical condition. Others, like Minoru, saved their quirks for the only parts that could actually help. Even the quiet Koda was only able to use his augmented strength given by his heteromorphic quirk.

Uraraka surprised him. The brunette removed the gravity of her clothes when it came to running, hoping to minimize the weight on her body. Her mind was quick.

Yaoyoruzu was the one who showed the most creativity. Yaoyoruzu's quirk Creation allowed her to create a motorcycle, jumping boots, and even a bazooka. The only events where she was unable to use her quirk were the repeated side steps, sit-ups, and toe touches. And even in those, she got good results because of her physical skills.

Bakugou and Midoriya were like fish in the water. Both were in good physical condition and maximized their quirks in the events that required them. Bakugou just needed to tone down his explosive outburst, and Midoriya needed to be faster at activating both her aura and her quirk. According to her file, the girl was a late bloomer. Her quirk only activated after she spent years of physical training and after she learned how to use her "aura," some type of ability that only a handful of people were able to use in the world she had lived in. Her quirk, Augmented Strength, was capable of making her stronger, but her body wasn't capable of withstanding its maximum output. So, she used her aura as a protective suit, then activated her quirk and calibrated it to a force she could handle. Right now, the progress was taking her two minutes. However, it seemed that the more she used it, the more her body acclimatized to it. Right now, all he saw were the green sparks dancing alongside her body, but not the blue shin of her aura. The girl was taking the opportunity to experiment and improve. A small grin came to his face. Good.

Todoroki, however, made him frown. The boy was only using half of his quirk. Logically, his fire would be more useful for the long jump and the 50 meter dash; however, the boy used only his ice for all the events except the last three. A part of him wanted to expel the boy. A hero who refused to use all their power was no hero. Even heroes like Uwabami and Mount Lady, who were obsessed with their ratings and popularity, didn't hesitate when they were on patrol. He would have to keep a closer eye on the younger Todoroki. He would not have a dead hero in four years just because the boy was too stubborn or prideful.

By the end of the tests, his students were waiting for his decision. Todoroki and Yaoyoruzu were the only ones who were nonplussed. Bakugou seemed confident. Midoriya, Kirishima, Shoji, and Tokoyami seemed neutral. The rest were nervous or afraid. Especially Hagakure and Minoru.

"These are the results."

A screen showed up. Yaoyoruzu was at the top, followed by Todoroki, Midoriya, and then Bakugou. At the bottom, however, was Hagakure. The invisible girl dropped to the ground and began to weep. Ashido hugged her, and the rest of the girls followed her example. The boys, too, showed empathy in their eyes. They balled their fists and narrowed their eyes. Even Bakugou's eyes softened a little.

"Hagakure" "Sniff, sniff. I, I get it. I-I won't make a scandal, sensei." "You are not expelled."

Hagakure stood there. Since she was invisible, they couldn't see the expression on her face. The incredulity on her face.

"Wh-wha-WHAAAAAT?!"

"I lied. Nobody is getting expelled."

His students stared at him open-mouthed. All except for two.

"Being a hero is no game. The importance of these tests is to know your limits. By having you think that expulsion is possible, you would give it your all." Aizawa would never tell them that his expulsion threat was real.

Hagakure didn't earn her spot in Class 1-A by having a flashy, strong quirk, she earned it by using her brain and not giving up. The girl had stripped her clothes off (note: make sure she talks to Hound Dog and Midnight about not streaking even if she is invisible) and found the hidden switches on the bot's back. Not only that, she also helped other competitors or got them away from danger. The girl might not be the next Mirko or All Might, but she had good instincts for hero work.

"Change back into your uniforms and go back to your classroom. Your curriculum sheets are there. Midoriya, after that, go to Ground C. The rest can go home."

"Eh? Why does Izumi-chan have to stay?" Ochako asked, concerned. Before the others could inquire, Izumi answered.

"Ochako-chan, it's okay. It's kind of a long story, but I promise to explain everything tomorrow. I swear." Ochako hesitated but accepted it. The rest of her classmates, too, seemed to want to know more but chose to wait until the next day.

A few minutes later, Izumi found herself again in Ground C alongside Aizawa-sensei. Her teacher made a motion, and Izumi released her team.

Aizawa could recognize Lucario, Infernape, Lopunny, and Gallade from the footage and information that Midoriya gave to Nezu. The other two were new. A violet monkey with two tails that seemed to have giant hands on their ends and an upright blue toad with an enlarged red bulb on its throat.

"My first team. Lucario was my first partner. Infernape is my starter. Lopunny, Gallade, Ambipom, and Toxicroak. All have been with me since the beginning. Guys, this is Aizawa-sensei. He is going to evaluate us today." Her Pokemon nodded and faced their trainer's teacher.

Aizawa observed them. All six Pokemon resembled different animal species; they all looked fit and were alert. At first glance, they seemed relaxed, but any pro would see that they were ready to strike the moment their trainer told them to.

"The goal today is simple. Something you are familiar with, according to your interviews. A fight. Your team against me."

"What's the catch?" "None. Losing or winning doesn't matter. I want to have an idea of your Pokemon skills and your training abilities."

Izumi nodded. One thing was to teach her how to be a hero. Another was to teach her team.

"What about their strength? All six are full-grown members of their species. All their attacks are capable of causing great damage to a human body."

"I am a pro. Broken bones are a normal occurrence. Besides, Recovery Girl is there," he pointed behind him to a small picnic where indeed the Youthful Heroine and the Principal were sharing a cup of tea with her little sister.

"Hi nee-chan!" Eri waved cheerfully. Izumi waved back.

"Don't break your necks or heads! Those are hard to heal!" Recovery Girl warned them offhandedly.

Izumi didn't know Aizawa-sensei's quirk. Eri never told her how her lessons were or anything about her teacher. Whatever his quirk was, it had to be able to contravene Eri's. The fact that he mentioned broken bones meant that his durability was human. For now, she would have to play it safe. Before the fight could start, she had to do something.

"Tyrogue, come out," the baby Pokemon was released, and he seemed confused at the new place.

"Tyrogue, we are going to fight against Aizawa-sensei. I want you to watch and pay attention. One day, you will be in there too." Tyrogue nodded enthusiastically and pointed at Eri. She nodded, and he ran towards her little sister. Eri hugged him and then gave him a cup of tea. Tyrogue accepted it and made sure to watch the fight.

When she saw Aizawa-sensei's crouching to leap forward, she went into action.

"Lucario Metal Sound, Infernape Dig."

Lucario produced a painful metallic sound from his maw that made Aizawa flinch and cover his ears. Infernape buried himself and stalked his prey, waiting for the right time to strike.

"Gallade, Lopunny, focus on increasing your speed and strength. Gallade I want you to spam your Teleport. Lopunny, Helping Hand whenever you are not attacking. Toxicroak, Poison Jab, Ambipom Double Hit and Fury Swipes. Test his defenses."

Gallade began to teleport all around her teacher, trying to distract him. The pro didn't fall for it. Instead, he grabbed his goggles and covered his eyes. Now they couldn't tell what his eyes were focusing on. Lopunny increased Toxicroak stats, and the toxic toad went first.

A dance formed between Pokemon and human. Toxicroak would try to hit him with his poisonous fist, and Aizawa would evade it at the last second. He didn't attack. He just jumped and moved aside. Ambipom jumped towards Aizawa, his tail hands ready to strike. That´s when Aizawa made his move.

He grabbed his scarf and threw it at Toxicroak, lassoing his arm and spinning him towards Ambipom. Both Pokemon´s eyes widened. Toxicroak´s Poison Jab intercepted Ambipom´s first tail. Unfortunately, he got swatted by his second tail.

"Toxicroak! Ambipom! Are you two okay?" Ambipom grimaced at the poison trying to enter his system. By sheer luck, he wasn't poisoned. Toxicroak was as stoic as ever. It would take a much stronger attack to disturb him.

This time, Aizawa-sensei went on the offensive. He used his scarf to grab their limbs and maneuver them against each other. His physical abilities were at the same level as the other Fighting Type Gym Leaders—no, higher. Even with Lopunny boosting their speed and agility, he was still able to keep up. Time to increase the difficulty.

"Gallade Future Sight, Lopunny, distract him with your special punches."

Lopunny rushed towards Aizawa-sensei. One of the fists was covered in lighting and the other in frost. Even with three Pokemon after him, Aizawa-sensei was showing why he was a pro.

"Mach Punch and the Fire Spin Infernape"

Infernape jumped from behind Aizawa and hit him in the back. The force of the attack sent him forward a few meters to the ground. He had barely risen up when Infernape spat a fire ring around him. Flames circled him and burned him. A second ring of six Pokemon was formed outside the fire ring. No matter where he tried to jump, he would receive a hit.

Aizawa was debating where to try against Gallade or Ambipom when a violet aura enveloped him. When it touched him, all he felt was pain. It felt like he was being punched by all six of them.

Izumi saw how her sensei was panting. Half her team wasn't in the best shape. Not only had Aizawa-sensei managed to land his own punches and kicks, but he had also used his scarf to make sure that Toxicroak´s poisonous attacks would strike at Ambipom and Lopunny. The cheerful monkey was already showing signs of poisoning, and Lopunny was holding her side from a nasty Brick Break. Toxicroak´s nonplussed visage was broken. One of his arms twitched from Lopunny´s Thunder Fist.

She was thinking about what to do next when a flash blinded them. The next thing she knew, an arm was around her neck, and her sensei was speaking.

"Not a bad strategy, but you made two big mistakes. Think you can deduce them?"

Her team was ready to rush at her, but they froze when she made a cutting motion.

"Well, Midoriya?" There was no mocking in his voice. He was a teacher giving his students a lesson.

"I should have made them grab you when you were down instead of mulling it over. I spent too much time overthinking it because I didn´t know what your quirk was."

"You sound like you know it now." "I do. There's only one hero in Japan who covers his eyes with goggles and uses a scarf as a weapon. Moreover, Nezu-san asked you to teach Eri how to control her quirk. That means that your quirk can either counter hers or, more likely, prevent her quirk from acting out whenever she loses control. That only leaves one possible hero, the Erasure Hero: Eraserhead," she announced proudly from her conclusion.

Aizawa smirked; this kid was certainly smart. However.

"Heh, not bad. Since I am an underground hero, most people don´t know I exist. Eri did say that you were a big hero fan." "I like to investigate the heroes and villains; it helps me to strategize better."

"Still, there is one mistake left. You were left wide open. Your team's biggest weakness is you. The same thing happened with Overhaul. He grabbed you because you were still, and if the heroes had not intervened, you would be dead and Eri would still be in danger. Your mother would have had to bury her daughter for the second time, assuming he left anything to recover." His words, while harsh, were true. If the heroes hadn´t been there, then Izumi would be dead. She knew it.

"You are right. With Overhaul, my plan was to be bait, to expose him as a villain so that he could be arrested and then judged for what he did to Eri. But now it is not the same." Izumi grabbed her sensei´s arm. She didn't activate OFA or her aura. Aizawa-sensei was strong and agile, yes, but she was a fighting-type trainer. Her base strength was enough to bend steel.

She bent forward and threw her sensei away from her. This time, Aizawa-sensei was able to twist in the air and fall on his feet. Izumi went into a fighting stand, similar to Lucario´s.

"I´m not defenseless, sensei. If someone comes after me, I will defend myself. But I still can't order my entire team to fight and fight alongside them at the same time." Izumi left her stance and bowed her head. Her Pokemon also bowed their heads. Even little Tyrogue repeated his comrades' actions. "Please, sensei, teach us how to be the best heroes ever!"

"Haaa, troublesome kids. You all better be ready to suffer. We only have three years after all, Midoriya." "Yes sensei!" Her Pokemon also gave cries of agreement.

"Very well done, Midoriya-san; you definitely trained your Pokemon very well. I'm looking forward to seeing your growth. All of yours." Nezu-san informed his student and her team.

"Chiyo-san, Eri-chan, this was a delicious tea. Aizawa-kun, remember to come to the meeting after finishing here," the quimera left after that.

After Chiyo-san healed Lopunny, Toxicroak, and Ambipom and insisted on healing Aizawa-sensei (all the while scolding them for being too reckless), she left with Eri. When both girls left the school, a surprise waited for them. There, waiting on the steps, were Ochako and Iida.

"Ochako-chan? Iida-san? What are you two doing here?" "Izumi-chan! And Eri-chan!" "Midoriya, oh, and Eri, right? We were concerned about why Aizawa-sensei had asked you to stay behind, so we decided to wait."

Izumi´s chest tightened. It was strange to have people caring for her after so long. For a long time, all she had was her mom, Riley, and her Pokemon.

"Guys, I, thanks. Don´t worry; it was nothing bad or too serious. I will explain everything tomorrow. Remember?"

"We know Izumi-chan; we just wanted to see you for ourselves." "Indeed, Midoriya. I would not be able to go home calmly if one of my classmates was in trouble."

Izumi chuckled. Tomorrow, she will tell her entire class the truth about her team. But for now, she would enjoy walking home with her little sister and her new friends.

Originally, this chapter was posted after the holidays, so I made another canon omake that was so sweet it gave me cavities. Enjoy!

Today was an important day. Probably the most important one. Inko and Izumi were both in complete agreement about it. Everything has to be perfect. Because today was Christmas Eve. Eri´s first Christmas Eve away from the Yakuza.

It has to be perfect.

For weeks, both Midoriyas had worked tiredly to make it impressive. Decorations, food, trees, and presents. The entire day was going to be filled with Christmas-themed activities. They were going to make sure that Eri never forgot this day.

When December had started and Izumi had asked her little sister what she wanted to ask Santa, the little girl had been confused. Eri didn´t know what Christmas was. She didn´t know who Santa was.

All members of the Midoriya house felt a deep and murderous feeling towards not only Overhaul but also the entire Shie Hassakai.

So, they explained how Christmas was a day of joy, how once a man named Nicholas, later Saint Nicholas, would give toys to children so that they would feel happy, and how that tradition grew over the years until it became a great festivity. And how Santa Claus brings presents to the children.

Eri had been confused and sad about that part. She thought that she must have been a bad kid, since Santa never brought her anything. Inko told her youngest daughter that Santa hadn´t been able to bring her gifts because Overhaul had hid her and prevented him from doing it.

The entire 24th of December was filled with joy. They took Eri ice skating, gingerbread house cooking, to pet real reindeers, and to a Christmas movie marathon. An entire day filled with nothing but Christmas joy. Eri spent the entire day with an awed look on her face. Not a smile, but close. The only thing they didn´t do was take their picture with Santa. Eri had declined because she was too shy.

The next morning, December 25, Eri awoke to the smell of gingerbread, chocolate, and cookies. When she went to the living room where the tree was, she was shocked at the number of presents to her name. Most were from her new mama and her nee-chan, mostly toys and plushies that she had wanted but didn´t let them buy them. Kayama-sensei had gifted her a cute purple dress with her hero logo, and Aizawa-sensei had gifted her a cat-shaped pillow. Even Nezu-san and Chiyo-chan had given her a DVD case with all the seasons of her favorite cartoon, even the newest unreleased season!

But the biggest pile was in one corner: seven presents, all from Santa. A note was taped to one of them, explaining how Santa was sorry that he hadn´t been able to overcome Overhaul´s defenses and security. And how he was glad that she had found a good and happy family with the Midoriyas.

While they were exchanging presents, Inko found one for her and Izumi, from Eri. The little girl was showing an excited Lopunny her newest tea set, while Izumi´s male Pokemon looked at it in dread. Mother and daughter opened their presents, and tears began to flow.

It was a picture. A framed picture of all three having fun on the ice rink. A small message was taped to it.

Me, Mommy, and Izumi-nee

Both Midoriyas grabbed Eri and hugged her. When she saw that they were holding her present, she asked them if they liked it. They loved it.

That day, the day of joy and miracles, something beautiful happened. While the family celebrated, they were witnesses to Eri´s first smile. The first of many to come.

Chapter Text

11

The tension was palpable in the classroom. The 20 students stared at their homeroom teacher. They remembered the previous day, how their teacher threatened them with expulsion to the person who came in last. Even if he claimed that it was a lie afterwards, most of the students still feared that the next three years would be filled with that type of threat. The others were anxious about what kind of lessons they would have. UA was considered the best hero school in the East of Japan; the only hero school that rivaled it was Shiketsu, and even then, many still thought that UA was better because it was All Might's alma mater.

UA prided itself on being one of the hardest schools, not just in the hero course but in all subjects. The so-called 'common classes' were more akin to pre-college courses. The General Course was filled with two types of students: those that still wish to become heroes and are waiting for their chance to shine and be sent to the Hero Course, and those that want better schooling for their curriculum. Students of UA who graduated had a shoe in their preferred school.

Aizawa entered the classroom. All talk ceased. What would their teacher say? Maybe another surprise test?

"Introduce yourself and some basic things about your quirk."

"Eh?"

Aizawa sighed. He dragged his palm against his face. He was so tired. Unlike his coworkers, most of his hero's work was done at night. Between that and his teaching position, he only got a few hours of sleep during the day. Days like today made him curse his past self for accepting Nezu's offer. Stupid quimera.

"For the next three years, all of you will be classmates. You will be spending hours training and learning together. I'm not saying you have to be best friends, but one day you will surely be allies and coworkers. Pros exchange basic information about their quirks to avoid bad interactions between quirks. It's stupid to not do it sooner. Now, I'm going to take a nap."

With that said, he burrowed inside his sleeping bag.

Nobody spoke. They weren't sure how to proceed.

"Well, I guess we can go to the front and do what Aizawa-sensei said." The black haired girl with the ponytail was the first to break the silence.

"We just walk there like we are in kindergarten?," the girl with the earjacks asked.

"Maybe we can go from the front seat to the back seat," Izumi hesitantly proposed.

"Well, that means I go first, mon amis!" A blond-haired boy spoke. He moved gracefully to the front of the classroom and made a pose.

"Aoyama Yuga! My quirk is Naval Laser! I can shoot a beautiful laser from my belly, but if I hold it too long, I get a tummy ache! I'm also of french ancestry." Somehow he managed to winkle a spark.

"Next! Next! I am Ashido Mina, and my quirk is called Acid. I can produce an acid from my skin that can melt anything, but if I touch it too long, it starts to sting my hands. Also, I love gymnastics."

"My name is Asui Tsuyu; please call me Tsu. My quirk is Frog; I have the abilities of a frog. My whole family has it. I like playing with my siblings. Kero"

"Greetings, my name is Iida Tenya. My quirk name is Engine. I have an engine in each leg that lets me run at incredible speeds. I wish to become a great hero like our senpais before us!"

"Hi, my name is Uraraka Ochako. My quirk is Zero Gravity. I can cancel the gravity on anything I touch, though it kind of gives me nausea if I use it too much. Also, I really like mochi."

"Hello, I am Ojiro Mashirao, and my quirk is called Tail. I have a strong tail that works as an extra limb. I am a black belt in karate."

"Hey! My name is Kaminari Denki. My quirk is Electrification. I can produce enormous amounts of electricity from my body. I like having fun with my friends."

"I am Kirishima Eijiro. My quirk is Hardening. My skin changes into a rock-like structure that is really strong and rough. I want to be a great hero like Crimson Riot; he is so manly!"

The next boy was so shy that he grabbed his notebook and wrote in it:

'H-hi, I'm Koda Koji. My quirk is Anivoice, I can talk to animals. But I don't like bugs!'

"Hello, my name is Sado Rikito. My quirk is called Sugar Rush. The more sugar I eat, the stronger I get. However, it also affects my mental capacity. I enjoy making desserts and cakes."

"Shoji Mezo. My quirk is Dupli-arms; the tentacles in my arms can shape into parts of my body like eyeballs and mouths."

"Jiro Kyouka, my quirk's name is Earphone Jack. I can use it to hear things from long distances and to amplify my heartbeat into sound attacks. I like hearing rock music."

"Oy, I´m Sero Hanta! My quirk is Tape, I can shoot adhesive tape from my elbows that can wrap people up. Also, I can use it to do parkour."

"Tokoyami Fumikage. My quirk is Dark Shadow" "Hey everybody!" "He is a sentient quirk that gets stronger the more darkness there is. Darkness is our ally."

"Todoroki Shoto, my quirk is called Half Cold Half Hot. My right side produces ice, and my left side uses fire. I only use my right side."

"Hii. I am Hagakure Toru! Well, my quirk is Invisibility and it's pretty obvious. I enjoy dokkiri shows''

"I am Bakugou Katsuki, the next Number 1 Hero! My quirk is Explosion! My sweet is like nitroglycerin, and I can activate it to produce great explosions."

"Hi, my name is Midoriya Izumi. My quirk is called Augmented Strength. It allows me to increase my base-body strength. However, I can only use it at 5% for now. I- I like to analyze hero fights''

"My name is Mineta Minoru. My quirk is Pop Off; it produces purple slime blobs on my head that get stuck to anything they touch. What I like is..." Mineta stared lecherously at the girls of the class. A chill crept on their backs.

"Hello, my name is Yaoyoruzu Momo. My quirk is called Creation. As long as I know its molecular components, I can recreate any object with my lipids. I enjoy reading."

A yawn was heard from their teacher. Aizawa-sensei was leaving his cocoon. His sleep-deprived eyes went right at Izumi.

"Well, now that that's done, Midoriya, are you sure you want to do it?" "Yes sensei."

Izumi got up and went to the front of the classroom for a second time. Her classmates stared at her in a mix of confusion and interest.

The aura user inhaled deeply and then exhaled. This wasn't like when she was interrogated by the police or the heroes. Adults could be convinced with hard,cold evidence. They believed in solid proofs. Her Pokemon, the berries and apricorns on her bag, her Pokedex, and other electronics—hell, her own backpack—were proof of the Pokemon world. All of them had elements not found on this Earth.

Convincing her mother and Eri had been much easier. Her mom had been so happy that her only daughter was not only alive but safe and healthy that she didn't give too much thought to the concept of multiple dimensions and god-like creatures capable of trespassing in time and space. Eri was a young child. One that suffered abuse and pain, yes, but also one that wanted to believe in magic and miracles. The fact that Izumi appeared at the right moment at the right time seemed like magic to her.

But her classmates were different. They weren't related to her; they weren't professionals who had seen so many crazy and weird things that anything was possible. They were kids. Like her. And like her bullies.

Izumi feared that they would treat her as if she were crazy, a liar, or an attention seeker. She just wanted to be treated like a normal student. She didn't want to be a pariah. Not again.

Ochako and Iida were looking at her. They looked worried, just like yesterday when they waited until she finished Aizawa-sensei's test for her team. She didn't want to lose their trust. But they deserved to know the truth. At least about her team.

"What I'm going to tell you may seem like something out of a manga, but I swear for everything that I hold dear, that is the truth. It's kind of a long story, so please hold your questions until the end."

She didn't tell them about her childhood. Nor her previous quirkless status or her bullying. She explained how, almost six years ago, she had been in the middle of a villain fight and was shot with an experimental weapon that at first seemed to be able to disintegrate anything it touched. But that wasn't its true power. It was an experimental teleportation device. One capable of sending people to another dimension.

Izumi told them of how the last thing she saw was a bright white light enveloping her entire body and that the next thing she knew, she wasn't on the street; she wasn't even in a city. She was in a valley at the bottom of a mountain.

How she was lucky to find authorities quickly enough and that they believed her story. The members of the International Police had been the ones to realize that Izumi came from another dimension. Instead of treating her like a lab rat or a freak, they helped her settle in and explained how their world worked.

There were no quirks; their countries were called Regions and were more like giant islands than continents, maybe the size of Australia. There weren't many Regions—at least 20, some were more like natural resorts, others were tourist spots, with barely half being considered big countries like Japan, the USA, Great Britain, etc.

But the most important part wasn't that. It was the amazing creatures that lived on that world.

Pokemon.

They lived on the seas, in the forests, in deserts, mountains, and cities. In the wild and with humans. Humans and Pokemon lived together and worked together. They were friends and partners.

Izumi briefly explained that she was a Pokemon Trainer, a person who captured Pokemon and trained them to grow stronger and battle each other. She made sure to explain that no, it wasn't some barbaric sport; most Pokemon liked to fight, and they needed to fight in order to evolve.

She briefly explained that while she lived in that other world, she traveled through the Regions trying to find clues on how to travel back towards her home dimension. Until finally, a group of scientists made a breakthrough. They found a way to open portals to other dimensions. After months of prodding and testing, they had found a possible way home.

So she took it. She went home. And after some misadventures, interviews, testing, and so on, she was declared legally alive and reunited with her family. And that she was allowed to bring her Pokemon to UA to train alongside her in the hero course.

When she finished her story, the entire classroom went silent. She had been right about one thing: her story seemed more like an isekai shonen manga than real life. There were so many questions that the students didn't know where to start.

"What kind of proof do you have?" Asui was the first to break the silence. "If Midoriya is telling us this story, it means that she must have a way to prove it." The frog-like girl showed no emotion on her face; it reminded Izumi of her Toxicroak. It seems like no matter the planet, toads and frogs were stoic by nature.

Before Izumi could answer, another person joined in.

"That would be me!" The cheery voice of Principal Nezu announced. The quimera hero jumped down from a ventilation shaft. He landed on his feet on top of Aizawa-sensei's desk. The underground hero didn't even blink. He just tried to rest as much as he could. He still had lots of paperwork to finish.

"Midoriya-san has provided ample evidence of her claims. She and her team have been tested with both medical methods and quirks. She has given samples of fruits that only grow in those Regions. Their genetic makeup revealed elements not from this planet nor this solar system."

Nezu's word held much power. He was the principal of UA, a well-known and respected hero. One of the smartest beings in this world. Izumi´s classmates had no choice but to believe him.

After that, the rest of the day's classes began. However, despite being taught by real professional heroes, they were no different than their previous normal school classes. For the students in the Hero Course, it was just too normal. Also, they were still curious about Midoriya and her 'Pokemon'. During classes, they were unable to ask her anything; their teacher would quickly scold them and had no problem using their quirks to do it. Jirou's ears still rang from Present Mic's scolding. And she hadn't even been the one being scolded!

During the lunch break, all of Class 1-A sat together. They crowded Izumi and asked all kinds of questions. Mostly about Pokemon. They were still confused about them and about what they really were. Izumi answered the best she could. She may like to read and learn about different and varied topics, but she wasn't exactly Professor Oak.

Ashido, Hagakure, and Aoyama fell practically in love with the idea of Pokemon Contest. Their eyes sparkled when Izumi described what it entailed. How coordinators would create choreographies for their Pokemon showcasing their moves, and that when trainers fought against each other, it was more like a battle dance than a traditional battle. Performers were similar, except that they participated in the choreography and had a number of themes to perform in order to win.

Most of the boys were interested in the battling career. Not surprising. Contests and Performances sounded boring until you saw them for yourself. The first contest that she saw left her awed. She never thought that a Stunky could look so graceful until that moment. His trainer had clearly shown that physical appearance isn't everything, easily beating other trainers that preferred to only use "cute" Pokemon.

Yaoyorozu was more interested in the technology. Pokeballs, potions, backpacks, berries, items. The black-haired girl revealed that her family was the head of the Yaoyorozu Group, a multinational corporation with ties to different enterprises. Izumi remembered that she had a contract with the Yaoyorozus about the berries and apricorns that she had brought. Both had immeasurable value. Yaoyorozu had admitted to attempting to recreate them in order to create them faster while on the field. Unfortunately, several key components were still unknown, and they were unable to identify them.

Not everyone asked her questions. Todoroki was silent and didn't talk with anybody, but by the way his eyes twitched and his expression changed, he was listening to everything she said. Bakugou was next to Kirishima; he didn't say a word to Izumi, but he did talk to the others. Well, more like yelled and screamed. Although she noted that he cursed a little less than when they were children.

When they returned for the afternoon classes, all of them were excited. After all, it was time for their hero class. What none of them expected was the teacher.

"I AAAAAAAMMM…..!" A familiar voice, a world-known voice, came from the hallway. The students of Class 1-A froze. They couldn't believe it. It couldn´t be.

"COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!" All Might entered the classroom running. The number-one hero was dressed in his Silver Age costume. His classic red bodysuit with white symbols, yellow arm bracers, boots and belt, blue trousers and a blue cape.

"No way!" "All Might is going to teach us personally?" "He is using his Silver Age costume, I'm getting goosebumps" the students couldn't contain their excitement at the fact that the Symbol of Peace would be teaching them himself. All Might was the strongest hero of Japan, and most considered him the strongest hero in the world, even stronger than Star and Stripes.

"The Hero Course is designed to prepare you for your Hero career! So, we will start with the most basic lesson! A BATTLE LESSON!"

A rush of adrenaline flew through Izumi's veins. As a Pokemon trainer and a fighting-type specialist, she had a profound love for fights. She didn't suffer from battle lust like Hakamo-o or Bewear, but she wouldn't say no either.

Fighting was like a dance, a language. During a fight, the opponents spoke to each other. Their goals, their dreams, their strengths, and their fears. Respect and dislike were won during a fight.

Izumi heard Bakugou murmuring excitedly beside her. It was no wonder. Even before his quirk awoke, he had liked the more physical part of heroics. While Izumi admired All Might for being able to save everybody, Bakugou admired him for being able to defeat everyone. Both former childhood friends idolized the same hero, but for different reasons.

One of the walls began to shift. A few panels separated and moved to the center of the room. Inside the panels were suitcases, one for each student.

"To start with the battle lesson, you will need these! The battle costumes that each one of you designed! Change into these and meet in Ground Beta!"

The students rushed forward and went to the locker rooms in order to change. Not a word was said. All were too nervous to do it. When they entered Ground Beta, they found All Might grinning and waiting for them.

All Might smiled proudly at his new students. UA encouraged its hero students to design their own costumes according to their quirks. The teachers and the Support Department would recommend additional changes.

A few wore simple body suits or combinations of jackets and trousers with complementary gear, like Kaminari, Jirou, and Yaoyoruzu. Others were more flashy, like Ashido and Yugao. Iida was showing his family pride by wearing a costume similar to the ones that his family used. All Might's grin diminished a little at seeing Young Todoroki. He was sure that the youngest son of Endeavor would have a better suit, but for some reason the boy was wearing common clothes and covering half his body with ice.

Then he saw his successor. At first, he feared that Izumi would emulate him. Stars and Stripes already did that. He spluttered and blushed when his former protegee appeared wearing a hero suit that resembled his.

Toshinori wanted Izumi to be the next Symbol of Peace, yes. But he wanted her to be her own hero. All the previous users of OFA had been unique. They only kept one thing similar, and the rest was their own. If Izumi was going to be the next Number One Hero in Japan, then it would have to be on her own way. Not copying him. Fortunately, it seems he was worried for nothing.

The ninth user of OFA had a green vest covering her torso, steel bracers, black pants with blue and white accents, and steel-plated boots. Around her neck was a breath mask shaped like a smile. The most interesting part was the symbols on her vest. For what he remembered from her stories and anecdotes, the aura symbol was in the middle and circled by the symbols of the types of all her Pokemon. The young girl was honoring her identity as a Pokemon trainer.

"Izumi-chan, that suit looks great!" "Thanks Ochako-chan! Yours to-" Izumi couldn't keep her blush out of her face. Ochako's bodysuit was skintight. Ochako's curves were practically there to be seen. For some reason, Izumi felt her mouth dry and her palms sweaty.

"Ah, yes, the support department made it too tight. Maybe I should have made better drawings?" Ochako had taken her astronaut helmet off and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

Behind them, Mineta and Kaminari fist bumped.

"The hero course is the best." "Yeah," both teens' eyes darted between Ochako and Yaoyorozu. The black-haired girl's costume was more revealing since she needed to show more skin to use her quirk better.

"You are all looking great there!"

"Sensei, will we be doing the same as in the Entrance Exam?" Iida was the first to ask.

"Not this time. In this case, we will conduct team fights. Two on two, to be more clear. One group will be the hero team, and the other will be the villain team. The media mostly shows hero fights that occur outdoors or heroes saving civilians from accidents or natural disasters. However, most criminal activity is actually indoors! With this scenery, you will learn teamwork and how to fight in crowded spaces!"

"How will teams be selected?" "Can I blow everyone up?" "Isn't my cape spectacular?" "Will the losing team be expelled?!"

"One question at the time!" All Might exclaimed.

"Teams will be selected by pulling names! You certainly can't blow anyone up! Your cape is amazing! And no one will be expelled!"

"Is it prudent to use a box to choose teams?" Iida was skeptical of the idea.

"Pros team up by coincidence most of the time. The only difference here would be that we can prepare beforehand." Izumi gave her own opinion.

"I see. My apologies!"

"Anyway. This simulacrum is simple. The villains have a nuclear weapon hidden somewhere in the building and are threatening to launch it. The heroes must stop the villains before the missile is launched. The heroes have to either touch the missile or capture, with these capture tapes, the villains. The villains win by either capturing the heroes with the same tapes or the time expires. Now let's start making the teams."

All Might began to pull names from the box. Quickly, the ten teams were formed.

Team A: Majirao Oshiro & Uraraka Ochako.

Team B: Todoroki Shoto & Shoji Mezo

Team C: Yaoyoruzu Momo & Mineta Minoru

Team D: Bakugou Katsuki & Tenya Iida

Team E: Aoyama Yuga & Ashido Mina

Team F: Sato Rikido & Koda Koji

Team G: Kaminari Denki & Jiro Kyouka

Team H: Tokoyami Fumikage & Asui Tsuyu

Team I: Midoriya Izumi & Hagakure Toru

Team J: Kirishima Eijiro & Sero Hanta

"The first fight will be Team A as the heroes vs Team D as the villains. Second Team B as heroes vs Team I as villains. Third Team H as heroes vs Team J as villains. Fourth Team G as heroes vs Team C as villains. And last, Team E as heroes vs Team F as villains."

Izumi was both relieved and worried. She was relieved that she wouldn't have to fight against Bakugou so soon and worried that Ochako would have to. She had seen her friend in action and knew that the gravity girl was capable of holding her own. But she knew Bakugou. Even if she hadn't seen him for five years, she knew that the blond hadn't slacked off on his training.

Izumi was too tempted to speak to Ochako to give her some advice. But she didn't. If she did it, it would seem like she didn't believe that her friend could beat him on her own. It would seem like she didn't believe in her. And she wasn't going to do that.

"Midoriya-shoujo," All Might called her, "you can use only one Pokemon for your battle trial."

"Wait, doesn't that give her team more advantage?" Jirou pointed out. Murmurs broke out between her classmates.

"Not necessarily," but surprisingly, it was Tokoyami who defended her. The quiet mutant didn't seem perturbed. "Midoriya will have to focus on two fronts: her own and her Pokemon. Depending on how well trained her chosen Pokemon is, it will depend on how much she will have to interfere."

"That's true," her admission shocked them. "My first team, my first six Pokemon, are my strongest simply because we have been together the longest. They know my strategies very well and are capable of fighting without my input. However, there is another important part of being a Pokemon trainer. Obedience and loyalty. If a Pokemon starts fighting on their own, or worse, winning, they lose respect for their trainer. I had to focus hard on strengthening my bond with most of my Pokemon before starting to let them fight on their own."

"So, you will be using one of your original six?" Kirishima rubbed his nape.

"No." "Eh?" "Aizawa-sensei tested them yesterday, so they are resting. Today I will be using another guy. One I raised myself" Izumi grabbed one of her pokeballs, a white one with a red button, and threw it.

Not even Todoroki, with his aloofness, or Bakugou, with his stubbornness, could prevent their jaws from dropping. To be fair, Machoke was certainly an intimidating Pokemon.

"Machoke is the seventh Pokemon that I have ever catched. I raised him from birth, since he was a baby Machop. Don't worry, Shoji, he knows how to hold his punches." She couldn't keep her grin even if she wanted to. Machoke and Shoji exchanged looks. Machoke grinned; he was looking forward to the fight. Shoji didn't react; he just nodded.

"With that out of the way, let's continue. Both teams have five minutes to prepare a strategy. After that, the timer will be set for ten minutes. Team A vs Team D will be the first. And remember each one of you, PLUS ULTRA!"

"PLUS ULTRA!"

Chapter Text

12

Ochako was both nervous and pumped with excitement. On one hand, she was about to have her first real hero lesson, and with All Might, no less, the Number 1 Hero. Ochako always admired the rescue heroes, like Thirteen and the Wild Wild Pussycats, but even she thought that All Might was the greatest hero ever.

And now he was going to evaluate her fighting skills. Her fighting skills.

In a way, it was comforting to see that Mashirao, too, was nervous about their match. The blond had more training in combat than Ochako, and he was still worried about their opponents.

The more difficult thing would be the time limit. Iida and Bakugou just have to entertain them for ten minutes, and they wouldl automatically win. As long as they didn't capture them or touch the missile, the villain team could win by stalling.

"We can't waste too much time fighting. Especially since we don't know their real fighting abilities," Mashirao told her. Ochako nodded. All she knew about Iida's style was that he liked to use his speed to rush his enemies and deliver powerful kicks. Bakugou was a complete mystery. All they knew was that the spiky blond could produce powerful explosions and that he had won the most villain points.

"Uraraka-san, can you use your quirk on yourself?" "Yes, it causes me nausea, but I can handle it if it's not for long."

"We can use your quirk to float towards the windows closest to the top floors; that way we can cut the distance. Once we are inside the building, we just need to move as fast as we can to the missile room. If I use my tail as a shield, I think I can handle Bakugou´s explosions. Do you think you can manage to handle Iida?" Mashirao asked her.

"I don't have much experience fighting. During the Entrance Exam I was concerned about what exactly would entail the practical part. When Present Mic said that we just had to defeat robots, I was relieved. I was afraid that we would be evaluated by fighting against each other or against the teachers." Ochako didn't like fighting; she wanted to be a rescue hero. But she knew that as a hero, she would have to face villains, and that when the time came and a villain was threatening lives, she would have to step up.

"I will do my best, Mashirao-kun," she promised earnestly. Her partner smiled at her. "If you have an opening to touch the missile, then go for it. I will do the same." She nodded.

Back in the viewing room, All Might listened to his students' conversations. It was important that they made plans by themselves, without his input. The ability to plan and improvise with little information in mere minutes or even seconds was an ability that all heroes needed. Criticism and reviewing will come after the exercise. Team D was already making a strategy; it wasn't a great one, but it wasn't bad. Not that he expected them to create a plan worthy of Sir Nighteye; they were new students after all, zygotes. Experience and practice will be their best teachers.

On the other hand, Team A hadn't really developed any type of strategy. Bakugou-shonen just told Iida-shonen to guard the missile and that he would take care of Tail and Round Cheeks. All Might frowned at that. He could see that Bakugou-shonen was a proud young man with a powerful quirk to back him and a short temper. He also knew that the blonde was a childhood friend of his successor, even though she never once uttered his name or implied that she had spoken with him since returning to Japan. Toshinori chose to respect her privacy and not inquire further. She never asked him about his past, his family, or friends, not even the previous users, even after meeting him.

Bakugou-shonen was still a child, his student; this was just his first class. He had three years of school ahead of him. There was plenty of time to smooth over his rough edges and rough center.

"Make sure to pay attention to these matches! After they're done, we will analyze each one of them and determine what each team did wrong and what they did good!" "Yes, Sensei!"

Izumi lifted her hand. "All Might sensei, is it alright if some of my Pokemon watch the matches? I want them to see what kind of training we will be doing."

"Of course you can! A splendid idea, Midoriya-shoujo!" All the students immediately turned toward the trainer. After seeing Machoke, they wanted to see more of these mysterious Pokemon. Izumi grabbed three Pokeballs and released her teammates.

For the second time, the students of Class 1-A were awed at the sight of Pokemon appearing in front of them. Izumi grinned while introducing her Pokemon.

"Everybody, these are Hawlucha, Hakamo-o, and Tyrogue. Guys, these are my new schoolmates. We will be studying how to be heroes with them." Pokemon and humans studied each other. The girls cooed at how cute Tyrogue looked, while Hakamo-o sneered at the boys. Especially Todoroki. Her dragon seemed to be able to detect the two-toned boy's inner ice and didn't like it. Hawlucha stood next to Machoke, both of them glued to the screen, evaluating the incoming fight.

"Tyrogue, I want you to pay special attention to these matches. Seeing other people and Pokemon fight can give us new ideas and strategies. It's a very important form of training. Got it?" The baby Pokemon nodded and joined his older brother in front of the screens. Izumi wanted to coo at his focused face. It reminded her of how Machop would stare and imitate her older Pokemon while they trained. The poor bodybuilder didn't have the elasticity or agility that her other Pokemon had, and he grew frustrated at not being able to imitate Infernape's flying kicks or Lucario's Bullet Punch. Izumi had shown him videos of evolved Machokes and Machamps. Machop's eyes shone at seeing his evolutionary forms being able to destroy rocks and even cars with just one punch.

"Hakamo-o," her tone changed from warm and jovial to a more serious tone. The dragon type glanced at her. "Machoke will be the one fighting today. If you can prove that you can control your temper, then I will let you fight the next chance we have." Hakamo-o stared right at her eyes, looking for any weakness or disappointment. When he saw that his trainer was truthful, he nodded and moved next to his other teammates.

Izumi let out a little sigh. When she first caught him as a Jangmo-o, he always tested his boundaries and butted heads with her and the rest of the team. Dragon types were known for pushing boundaries and not obeying their trainers if they thought they were weak. Izumi learned quickly that the best way to earn his respect was to fight him herself. Nothing brutal, just friendly spars. His evolution to Hakamo-o made him a little rebellious, but nothing she couldn't handle. He had mellowed out a lot in the past few months. The last time he disobeyed her was when she introduced him to All Might and he challenged the Number One Hero to a fight. All Might just laughed at his enthusiast and accepted it. She had never seen Hakamo-o so happy at losing a fight.

"Very well, five minutes have passed. Team A vs Team D, begin!"

Using the monitors, they saw Bakugou stalking through the hallways while Iida began to move all the boxes in the room.

"Why is Iida moving those boxes?" Ashido asked out loud. "Uraraka's quirk lets her cancel the gravity of anything she touches; the fewer objects she can get her hands on, the less dangerous she can be." Yaoyomo quickly deduced Iida's plan.

Ochako touched Mashirao and herself, and both began to float towards the upper levels of the building. Once they were at their agreed-upon point, Mashirao opened the window, and Ochako released her quirk.

Once inside, both began to move as fast as they could towards the stairs. They barely made it to two levels when they met with Bakugou.

"Shit. Uraraka-san, I will distract him as much as I can. Just keep going. You just need to touch the missile once." Ochako nodded. Using her quirk on Bakugou would be a very foolish thing to do. Between his explosion quirk and the enclosed space, if she canceled Bakugou's gravity, then he would be a high-powered rocket playing pinball.

Ochako ignored Bakugou's right hook and kept running while Mashirao intercepted the spiky blonde. She ignored the sounds of explosions and hits. She just focused on reaching the missile room.

"Wow, Bakugou and Mashirao really know how to fight." Hagakure was impressed by the skill both boys displayed.

"They are so manly!" Kirishima grinned sharkily at the sight. The redhead was shaking from the excitement of the fight. And he wasn't the only one. Both Tyrogue and Hakamo-o were glued to the screen, not even blinking. Neither wanted to miss a second of the fight.

Bakugou had started the fight with a right hook, which Mashirao blocked with his left elbow and then countered with his own fist. Bakugou seemed shocked at being not only blocked but also punched. Of course, the shock quickly morphed into anger and made him more aggressive. The tailed boy was assaulted by a wave of explosions that knocked him backwards while he used his arms and tail to protect himself from the burns. A knee to the gut came from the smoke, followed by a spinning kick.

Mashirao, however, wasn't defenseless. He showed his martial skills by catching Bakugou's leg and throwing him against a wall. After that, they began to exchange punches and kicks, with the occasional explosion breaking them apart.

While both boys battled, Ochako was dealing with Iida. As soon as she entered the room, she found that Iida had moved all the boxes behind him. If Ochako wanted to use them as weapons, then she would have to somehow go past him.

"Muahahaha! You should surrender now, hero! You have no way to stop our malevolent plans!" For some reason, Iida began to speak as if he were the villain of an incredibly old prequirk movie. A really, really old movie.

"Pffff," she had to hold her laughter. She wanted to laugh. Seeing the usual serious, rule-abiding boy try to act like what he thought villains acted was just too funny.

"Be ready to lose, hero!" Iida rushed right at Ochako. The brunette barely managed to jump away from the speedster. Immediately, she ran straight for her target, hoping to finish the match quickly. However, Iida wasn't going to let her win so easily. He rushed right at her, and she was forced to jump sideways again. And again. And again.

Ochako tried to counterattack and grab Iida, but the taller boy would skip ahead of her. Unlike Bakugou, who could theoretically use his explosions to change directions and maneuver if he was tagged, Iida didn´t have that advantage. The previous day, while waiting for Izumi to finish her meeting with Aizawa-sensei, both students had talked a little about their quirks. She mentioned how she had to be careful when touching others to avoid activating her quirk by mistake, and he said that he could only keep his speed for ten seconds. If she was correct and, by the way he was avoiding her grasp, then his Recipro wouldn't work well without touching a solid surface.

"Three minutes remaining!" All Might´s voice sounded over their communicators, a reminder that she was on a time limit.

"Come on Ochako, think, think! What would Izumi-chan do?" Since they exchanged numbers and began to chat with each other, Ochako had realized that Izumi was really smart. While exchanging some stories about their families and childhood (and now she understands why Izumi never talked much after her tenth birthday), they also talked about heroes, and Ochako realized something. Izumi was a genius when it came to analyzing quirks. They had been talking about a video of Kamui Woods, a pro who debuted last year and quickly climbed the ranks. Izumi pointed out how his quirk was great for all areas of hero work. He could use it to attack villains, capture them, and rescue civilians from dangerous areas. Besides fire and ice, his only weakness was his imagination.

Imagination. Mind. According to Izumi, that was a hero´s most powerful tool. What good would it be to have the most powerful quirk ever if you just used it for one thing?

All Might didn't make it to Number 1 just because of his quirk, but because he learned how to adapt it to every scene he could be involved in. Same with Endeavor. Hawks. Mirko. Their senseis. The heroes that made it to the top were the ones who saw an obstacle and, instead of stopping, kept going until they leaped over it.

Ochako thought quickly. She couldn't catch Iida; he was too fast. Mashirao was still dealing with Bakugou; otherwise, he would have told her that he was coming. She wasn't a brawler like her friends. But she knew her quirk. She experimented with it. She knew her limits. It was time for her to prove that she could surpass them.

Iida ran at her. She touched her chest with her hand and jumped. Her lack of weight made her soar high away from Iida, and when she thought that her distance was good enough, she released her quirk. She fell quickly and rolled over to soften her fall. As soon as she was crouching, she ran again towards the missile. Behind her, she heard Iida's engine roaring, so she activated her quirk again and jumped, this time up, to the ceiling. She pulled her arms up, and when she felt the ceiling, she began to push against it to move.

Slowly, she began to move towards her target. Below her, Iida was already in front of the missile, like a goalie protecting his post.

The nausea from using Zero Gravity on herself was getting worse. Bile was beginning to climb up her throat. But she still kept on. Iida began to ignite his engine, getting ready to intercept her. He moved first. He jumped, his engine giving him more force behind his jump, but Ochako was ready for it. She made a stronger push, twisting her body so that Iida couldn´t touch her, and then deactivated her quirk. Her body began to fall; she was going to fall on top of the missile. They were going to win!

"Time is uuuuupppp! The heroes were unable to capture the villains or secure the missile! Team D wins!" All Might declared her loss just before she could win.

Ochako fell on top of the missile. She couldn't believe it. She had been so close. So damn close.

"Uraraka-san." Iida approached her. She didn't respond; she was too disappointed in herself. "That was a great strategy, Uraraka-san. If we hadn't had a time limit, you surely would have won," the taller boy tried to cheer his friend. He was glad that he had won, but it felt bittersweet in a way. He had wanted to win by defeating his enemy, not by a time limit. It was humbling that if it weren't for the time limit, then he would have lost.

Ochako smiled slightly at that. But then her smile dropped. She grabbed her helmet and threw it to the ground. And then she vomited all over the floor. It seems she hadn't managed to surpass her limits yet.

"Uraraka-san! Are you okay? All Might-sensei, we need a medic here!"

After puking guts and reassuring both Iida and All Might, the two teams made it back to the rest of the class.

"That was amazing!" "All of you were so manly!" "Great job guys." The four students were crowded by their classmates. Ochako smiled shyly at their compliments. She was still bummed that she had lost, but nobody treated it like it was a bad thing. At her side, Majirao rubbed the back of his head while Sato and Kirishima grilled him about his fight. Her partner was covered in bruises and burn marks.

Bakugou, too, was covered in bruises. The spiky blond didn't talk to anyone; his fists were balled, and he had a frown on his face. Izumi recognized that look from when they were children. He was frustrated—frustrated that he hadn't won by beating his opponents, but by a technicality.

"Very well done, Team A and Team D! Now we are going to take a few minutes to analyze a few points of the fight. Who wants to start!?"

"Mashirao and Uraraka did a good job infiltrating the building using Uraraka's quirk. Iida and Bakugou, on the other hand, had no plan or strategy. Iida should have been the one roaming the hallways, not Bakugou. If they somehow managed to bypass him, then he could have returned to the main room quickly with his speed. Not letting Uraraka have access to objects was a good idea; it stripped her of many potential weapons. Uraraka made good work getting to the ceiling and away from Iida's range, but falling on top of the missile would have been an extremely dangerous move if it had been real." All were surprised at the deep analysis that Yaoyorozu made. Even All Might was shocked. He didn't remember being that insightful when he was fifteen.

"Ehem, very good, Yaoyorozu-shoujo! Indeed, thinking on the spot is a very important part of heroics. On many occasions, well-thought-out plans fail simply because of bad luck or a lack of crucial information. That's why heroes must be able to improvise! That doesn't mean that one shouldn't make a plan! A good strategy, well executed, works better than a hundred improvised schemes. Even if something changes, it's important to always have the objective well in mind."

All of them nodded at his words, understanding the importance of All Might´s advice.

"Now, it's time for the second match! Team B vs Team I! Remember, both teams only have five minutes to strategize before the match begins."

Izumi waved at her friends and Pokemon. She and Machoke walked next to Hagaruke towards the mock building.

The invisible girl was quiet; the only parts that she could see of her were her gloves and boots. She didn't know why she had chosen to have only those parts of her costume visible. Maybe the suit became invisible the moment it touched her skin? She wondered what type of technology had been used to make her suit react perfectly with her quirk.

When they reached the missile room, Izumi began to talk.

"Ok, I have a few ideas, but I want to know what you think." "..." "Hagakure-san?"

"Eh? I, whatever you think is fine, Midoriya."

"Hagakure-san, are you okay?" "What? Of course I'm fine! We have this one in the bag! You and Machoke are really strong!" You and Machoke? Oh.

"Hagakure-san, every single idea I have to win this fight involves you." "Eh?" Izumi nodded. She knew what the other girl was thinking. Especially after Aizawa sensei´s test. That her quirk was useless. That she was useless. Izumi knew very well how that felt.

"Hagakure-san, how did you pass the Entrance Exam?" "Well, the pamphlet showed that the robots had some type of switch on their backs, so I took off my clothes and went behind them to deactivate them. I also pushed people when they were frozen in fear." "So you found a way around your quirk, right?" "Yes, yes I did!"

"Hagakure-san, I made my plan the moment All Might said we were partners. The moment he said we had to battle Todoroki and Mezo. It's because you´re my partner and they are our opponents that I chose Machoke." Hagakure began to sniffle at her words.

"Okay, what, what is your, our plan?" Izumi smiled at the invisible girl and explained her strategy. Hagakure hummed in agreement, paying attention to all the details. Izumi had a promise to keep. And she intended to keep it.

Outside the mock building, Mezo got ready with Todoroki. The two-toned boy didn't speak to him, only telling him to inform him where Midoriya and Hagakure were as soon as possible and that he would take care of them. Mezo had frowned at Todoroki's tone. All Might had warned them against making plans or acting without thought.

Yet he said nothing. Todoroki didn't seem like the type of boy who liked to socialize. In the last two days, he had never seen him talk to anybody, not even during breaks or lunch. Even Tokoyami, who seemed like a loner, or Bakugou, who was brash, talked with the others.

When All Might gave the order, Shoji transformed some limbs into ears and listened.

"They are both on the sixth floor. They aren't talking; they are just walking. Midoriya's Pokemon is there too," he informed him.

Todoroki nodded and concentrated. Cold began to emerge from his right side. What he did next shocked him.

He had seen Todoroki's quirk. They all had. The two-toned boy had created huge amounts of ice every chance he had. A passive way to show his power. He thought he had a good idea of his quirk strength. He was wrong.

Todoroki froze the entire building. The floors, the walls, the windows. Everything. He heard the ice covering every inch of the building; all the doors except the main one were frozen shut.

"Let's go." Todoroki began to walk towards the entrance. Mezo was about to follow him when he heard something.

"Midoriya-chan, are you okay?" "Don't worry, don't worry. I didn't think that Todoroki would have this much range or control. Let's see how hard it is." The next sounds were of ice breaking and a door opening.

"Midoriya broke the ice." "What?" "The ice covering the door. She broke it. Either she or Machoke did it. I think it was her based on the footsteps".

The ice user frowned, almost worried, but went back to his nonchalant look.

"Doesn't matter. Once we are near them, I will just freeze their entire bodies."

Shoji just shook his head. It seems that Todoroki was overconfident about his quirk. At least Bakugou had warned Iida that Uraraka was going toward his position.

While they were walking the first floors, he heard clearly Midoriya and Machoke walking down the stairs and hallways, going right towards them. When he told Todoroki that, he frowned but said nothing. Mezo was getting frustrated at his so-called partner's indifference.

They had just entered the third floor when both groups found each other.

Midoriya and her Pokemon were walking down the stairs calmly, without a care in the world.

"That ice trick was impressive. Todoroki-kun. Can you do one similar with your fire? If so, thanks for not using it."

"I don't use fire, just my ice."

"Mhm. Too bad; it would have made this fight more interesting if you used your fire."

Todoroki's eyebrow twitched. He was getting annoyed with the conversation. He lifted his right hand, and a wall of ice rushed at them.

Neither seemed perturbed. A blue glow enveloped Midoriya's body, while Machoke's arm glowed red. Both trainer and Pokemon struck at the ice at the same time.

Mezo and Todoroki watched in shock how the ice was shattered by the impact; ice crystals flying all over the hallway. Mezo couldn't help thinking that it made a beautiful picture.

"Shit, that ice was much harder than the first. Probably the first wave was thinner because it was made to envelope the building. Considering the size and the fact that too much ice could harm the structure, mumble, mumble, mumble."

Machoke rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead, bringing her back to the important part.

"Ouch, right, right. Tock ticking. Match to win," her eyes got serious.

Machoke grinned at Mezo; the Pokemon was eager for a fight. Well, if he wanted one, then he would give it to him.

Midoriya gave her Pokemon a nod... and he ran right at Todoroki. The ice user quickly formed an ice barrier, thicker and much colder than the last, but Machoke just broke it in half with a karate chop.

Mezo tried to step in, but Midoriya leapt at him with a leg strike. He used his forearms to block the attack; his 'wings' fully spread to lessen the damage. Despite that, he still grunted in pain and took a step back. Midoriya's quirk was really strong.

"Sorry, Shoji-kun, but unfortunately we are on a time limit, and Machoke can handle Todoroki's ice and fire better than I do."

Mezo extended his arms, and Midoriya was fast and strong. He was strong too—really strong. He didn't know if her quirk gave her tough skin like his, so he would rather just capture her than risk harming one of his fellow students.

Midoriya smiled at him, as if knowing what he was thinking.

"Shoji-kun, I train fighting-type Pokemon. I can assure you that unless your strength is on the level of All Might, you won't be able to break my bones. Bruise them? Sure. But not break. So please, for both of our sakes, don't hold back."

He wanted to. He wanted to believe in her words. In her confidence. But a part of him, the scared little boy who had seen the worst of human hate, hesitated.

Midoriya frowned and leapt at him. She began to launch kicks at him, twisting like a ballerina. He managed to grab one of her legs, and she counteracted with another kick. When he grabbed that leg too, she grinned and headbutted him.

Dazed by the impact, he let go of her legs, and she landed on a crouch. Immediately, Midoriya kept attacking him, driving him away from Todoroki and Machoke. He was being led to the lower staircase, as if he were a child.

The force of her attacks wasn't even that strong, like the first. As if she wasn't taking him seriously. If Midoriya wanted to see his real monstrous strength, then she would have it.

Mezo pulled two of his arms and punched her gut. The girl gasped from the pain, her body curling, and then she was sent against a wall. Mezo froze, afraid that he had seriously hurt her.

"Hahaha! That's much better, Shoji-kun! Keep it going like that!"

"What? You-" "I'm a Pokemon trainer, Shoji-kun. If I win a battle, it will be because I and my team are stronger than our opponents, not because they are afraid of their own strength. So please, don't hold back and come with everything. You will need it if you want to beat both Machoke and me."

Mezo looked at Machoke. The fighting type was smashing Todoroki's ice like it was a funny game. The other boy was practically snarling; ice covered his right side, frost leaving his mouth. He didn't know why the other boy refused to use his fire. Both Pokemon and trainer had proved that they could destroy his ice easily. If he wanted to win, fire would be a better choice. Fire was intangible after all.

Machoke was having fun. He would have preferred to fight the taller boy, the one with four arms that looked physically strong. He loved to test his base strength against others. His wrestling matches with All Might had been great, and he was sure that once he evolved into his final form, he would be able to force All Might into using more strength the next time they trained.

Izumi had been clear on her plan. She had planted the idea that he would be fighting Shoji so that he could take Todoroki by surprise. The two-toned boy could produce ice and fire; his skin was much tougher than Izumi's against fire, and she was certain that she could match Shoji´s brutal strength. The most important part of the plan was to distract them and split them. So that the invisible girl could tie their hands with that special rope.

At least this was a good work-up. He was getting good exercise by breaking the ice and controlling his strength against humans. Todoroki was getting more and more frantic, letting wave after wave of ice against him. He actually managed to scratch him deep enough to bleed! The last time he had been severely damaged by an ice type was that old Kahuna´s Crabominable. That thing actually managed to freeze him solid.

Every time he shattered Todoroki´s ice, he would grin smugly at the teen, making him angrier and more reckless. Infernape taught him that. Angry opponents are more likely to commit mistakes. And for the plan to work, Todoroki needed to be angry.

The boy launched another wave, one from the floor that he shattered with a stomp, grunting in pain from the sharp edges that cut his feet soles. What he did not expect was for the ice to rise up and cover his entire body.

"Finally," Todoroki muttered. "I will unfroze you after I deal with Midoriya," the ice user started to move to where Shoji and Midoriya were still fighting. A crack stopped him cold. He looked over his shoulder and gaped.

The ice covering Machoke was covered in cracks. The Pokemon was somehow breaking the ice without moving his body. There was some type of energy enveloping his body under the ice. With a look of absolute shock, Todoroki stood there, watching the fighting type break free from the ice.

Machoke grunted from the effort and rolled his shoulders. Good thing that Todoroki didn't freeze his head. Although he was going to drink lots of hot chocolate after this, Todoroki´s ice was as cold as an Elite-level Pokemon!

Well, it was time to finish this. After all, Izumi said she wanted a full win for her first battle exercise. And he agreed with her. There was nothing better than beating your opponent's team without a single loss.

Before Todoroki could react, Machoke grabbed him and threw him at the staircase. Just like they planned.

Todoroki managed to recover from the fall and began to create another wall of ice when something hit him from behind.

"What the-" "Got you!" Hagakure had jumped on the boy´s back and sent him back to the ground. While he was struggling to move against his invisible opponent (without hurting her severely), Machoke helped her grab his wrists behind his back and tie them with the capture rope.

"Todoroki Shouto has been captured! Oh, and only two minutes remain until the match is done!"

Shit, they needed to move faster. After capturing Todoroki, they still had to capture Shoji. Human and Pokemon went towards Izumi to help her.

Mezo heard All Might announcement and grimaced. There was no way he could win now. He could already see Machoke running towards him, and he was certain that Hagakure was prowling somewhere.

Still, he was having fun. Midoriya could handle his force. How long had it been since he had fun, real fun, using his quirk? Fighting somebody? He doubted he ever had. Not even during the entrance exam. There, he had focused more on beating as many robots as possible and passing the exam.

But now? Now he was enjoying letting go of his monstrous strength. And Midoriya too. The smile on her face showed it. She was enjoying using her full strength without fearing hurting anybody too.

"I think it's time to finish this, Shoji-kun." "I agree, Midoriya-san."

Mezo created as many tentacles as he could, forming multiple strong limbs ready to strike. If he was going to lose, then he would do it like a hero, without giving up. Midoriya focused, and the green lightning running through her body brightened sharply and became more frantic.

"AHHHHHHHHHH" "HAAAAAAAAAAH" Both opponents leapt at each other. Mezo rained a storm of punches on Midoriya´s body. The girl didn't even try to protect herself; she just kept going and punched him right into his abdomen. He felt as if a cannon had just struck him. He couldn't breathe; spots appeared on his vision; he had never been hit like that.

He fell on his knees, and two of his arms barely managed to keep his upper body standing.

Izumi was barely standing; blood was pouring from her mouth and nose. Shoji-kun truly was a beast when he stopped holding back. She grinned. If he kept training, then one day he would be able to give Bruno's Pokemon a nice fight.

"I give up. It kills me to say it, but I have nothing else," Mezo said to his communicator.

"Shoji Mezo has forfeited! Team I wins!"

"YEAAAAAAAHHHH! We did it, Midoriya-chan! We did it!" Hagakure screamed in complete joy. She hugged her partner happily, overjoyed that she had managed to help capture Todoroki. Izumi hugged her back. Then she frowned. Why could she feel Hagakure´s skin?

A sudden thought came to her mind. No. It couldn´t be. Right?

"Hagakure-san?" "Yep" "Why am I feeling your bare back?" "Because I'm naked. I thought you knew."

Izumi didn´t respond.

"Midoriya-chan?"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT?!

Chapter Text

13

"Why is Midoriya covering her face?"

"I wonder what happened back there. One second they were celebrating, and the next Midoriya started to freak out."

"Sensei, do you know what is happening?"

All Might didn't answer. The number one Hero was doing all he could to contain his anger and maintain his trademark smile in place. He grabbed his new phone and marked a number.

"Aizawa hello there. It´s All Might. Eh? You know? Oh, right, Nezu-san gave you this number. Anyway, we have a Code-R-rated situation. Yes. Hagakure-shoujo. Someone from the Hero Costume Department. Yes, Nezu-san would probably enjoy taking care of this conversation."

That being taken care of, he opened his communicator so that both teams could hear him.

"Ok, both teams return to the viewing room! We still have more matches to do!" One switch, and he spoke only to Young Midoriya and Hagakure.

"Midoriya-shoujo, I understand that you are, well, embarrassed, but we still have to continue with the class. Hagakure-shoujo, before joining us, please put on your gym uniform."

When they reunited, Midoriya´s Pokemon surrounded Shoji immediately. Hawlucha and Hakamo-o puffed out their chests while Tyrogue mimicked shadow boxing. Shoji looked at Midoriya in confusion. The trainer smiled at her team´s behavior.

"They want to fight against you, Shoji-kun. I think you impressed them."

"I see. I don't have any problem with that, but maybe on another date?" "Of course, Shoji-kun! Tyrogue, you can watch, but you´re still not fighting real opponents."

Tyrogue deflated at her order. Machoke rubbed the younger Pokemon's head. He still remembered how overprotective Izumi had been when he was a baby. She had been so afraid of accidentally hurting him that she spent weeks researching all she could on Machop raising and similar topics. Even after passing the three-month mark, she was still hesitant about letting him train, so Infernape chose to give him some older brotherly advice:

"When Izumi gets too stubborn or too focused on her thoughts, then the best way to wake her up is a good smack! And the best way to prove to her that you´re ready for training is to do it!"

And so the next morning, Machoke, then a young Machop, approached his trainer, his motherly figure, and punched her in the stomach. As she was recovering, he went into a fighting stance, just like he had seen Infernape and Lucario do. When Izumi saw that he was serious and that the others backed him, she sighed and smiled. After that, he began to train with the rest of his family.

Izumi smiled at her Pokemon. She knew very well that Tyrogue was impatient about battling. It wasn't that she didn't want him to do it. It was more like she had no good partner for him to start practicing. Most of her Pokemon were older or fully evolved; she herself was stronger than she had been when Machop had been born. With Machop, she had been his sparring partner until he evolved, and he had battled Pokemon of his own level. As soon as he evolved, he began to train against his older siblings.

"Great job, both teams! Midoriya-shoujo, Hagakure-shoujo great teamwork. And Machoke too! Todoroki-shonen, great show of control over your quirk. However, remember to make multiple plans next time. Many times, heroes had to face villains whose quirks were their perfect match. That's why it's important to not be overconfident!"

"Yes, sensei!"

"Hagakure-shoujo, after classes, Aizawa-sensei will take you to the Support Department. There, they will develop a real suit for you."

"Eh? A real suit? But when I sent my costume drawings, they told me that it would be extremely expensive and difficult to develop. And that a normal costume would be useless, so it would be best to just use gloves and boots."

All Might really had to work hard to not show his rage in front of his students.

"Hagakure-shoujo, I can assure you that UA has more than enough money to cover its students' necessities. The person who told you is someone who can't be trusted and will be dealt with."

All Might gave a long sigh. He definitely wasn't the right person for this type of talk. Midnight was supposed to give them the talk. And it wasn't supposed to happen until at least their second year!

Mental point to himself: talk with Nezu and Midnight about giving the First Years an early talk about proper costumes and at least the no means no talk. Considering the leering look that Mineta-shonen gave to Yaoyorozu-shoujo, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Very well! Let's continue! Any more thoughts on the last match?!"

The rest of the class seemed to pass quickly. The students acted like a fire had been lit inside of them. They wanted to show All Might that they, too, had what was necessary to be great heroes.

During the third match, Yaoyorozu reinforced the door and windows, showing the diversity of objects she could create with her quirk, and had Mineta use his sticky balls to help. Jirou and Kaminari tried to find a way to overcome her defenses; at the end, Kaminari chose to discharge all his electricity and ripped the door out of its frame. However, that left him out of commission, with Jirou having to face both Yaoyoruzu and Mineta.

The punk girl managed to defeat Mineta easily. Unlike his partner, he didn't leap away in time from her sound waves. His little body was sent flying to another walk, and he fell unconscious quickly.

For the next few minutes, they witnessed both girls' skills. Yaoyoruzu used mostly a bo staff against Jirou, keeping her at bay and away from the missile. Jirou would skip away from her range and counterattack with her sound blasts. Yaoyoruzu panicked at first, but quickly formed earplugs and a small shield to protect herself. After that, she formed a blunted foil and pointed it at Jirou.

Before the fight could get more interesting, Kaminari's confused body face slammed into the missile.

Nobody knew how to react. Jirou and Yaoyorozu just glanced at each other and at Kaminari, disbelieving. Both had completely forgotten about the blonde after he had fried his brain with his quirk.

Even the Pokemon were baffled at what they knew was simply a lucky win.

A silent agreement about not discussing it was made by everybody in the room. They just praised both teams' strategies, mostly Team C, and their adaptability. All Might also cautioned about using moves that could harm the user. After all, a hero who was incapacitated was another civilian that had to be protected. Moves that could severely harm a hero, even potentially kill them, were frowned upon and to be used only in the most extreme circumstances.

The fourth match began with Asui using her tongue to throw Tokoyami as high as she could and him using Dark Shadow to destroy the windows and enter the building. Asui followed him with a giant leap. As soon as they were inside, they began to run straight for the top.

When they reached the missile room, Tokoyami found himself bound by Sero's tape, while Kirishima ran straight for Asui. The frog girl managed to jump away from the red head and aim for the missile. However, Sero used his other arm to trap her leg with his tape and slam her to the ground.

Before Kirishima or Sero could use the restraining rope, Dark Shadow attacked Kirishima, keeping him busy, while Asui hit Sero with her tongue. Then she pulled hard with her leg and launched him forward, a spinning kick meeting his face and knocking him away.

Kirishima kept his arms up, protecting him from Dark Shadow´s strikes. He slowly walked towards Tokoyami, withstanding the sentient quirk attacks. Despite their strength, Kirishima Hardening was able to handle them easily, even if he was unable to hit the quirk.

Sero kept chasing after Asui. The frog girl was both agile and fast, so Sero focused on leading her away from the missile.

Asui made a motion to Tokoyami, who nodded. The frog girl jumped away from her opponent and instead used her tongue to wrap around the redhead. Kirishima was startled by the move, and more so when she threw him at Sero. The other boy barely managed to jump away, so he was unable to stop Dark Shadow from touching the missile.

Despite losing, neither Kirishima nor Sero lost their grins. In fact, the redhead was praising his opponents, calling them so manly for their skills and teamwork, with his partner agreeing besides him.

Asui and Tokoyami had taken inspiration from the first two matches. First entering the building from the highest window they could reach and then remaining together and not splitting up, even if the enemy was alone. The hallways were large enough to allow them enough mobility, especially since Tokoyami used Dark Shadow and barely moved himself, and Asui was both agile and flexible.

They were lucky that both Sero and Kirishima chose to stay in the missile room, giving them more room to move. While they were preparing, they remembered everything they could about both boys.

Kirishima was strong; there was no doubt about that, and Sero had shown his speed using his tapes. Tokoyami had been sure that Dark Shadow could distract Kirishima long enough for Asui to handle Sero. Even though Asui had powerful legs because of her frog quirk, she wasn't built to handle the redhead's strength. Sero, however, didn't have superhuman strength or the ability to withstand extremely strong kicks.

Sero and Kirishima, on the other hand, had planned on waiting until both mutants arrived and wrapping them with Sero's tape. That part worked. What they didn't count on was Dark Shadow showing up so quickly and keeping the redhead busy, or Asui using her tongue as a weapon.

The final match between teams E and F had everybody win a newfound respect for Koda. After all, seeing dozens of mice and rats harassing Ashido and Aoyama was both amazing and terrifying.

Aoyama grabbed Ashido and used his naval laser to get them away from the rodents. When they fell, Ashido twisted backwards, landed on her hands, and began to melt the floor. Her acid melted the concrete easily, creating a giant hole where the animals fell.

Koda's quirk allowed him to communicate with animals of all shapes and sizes, even insects and arachnids. However, they were still animals. They obeyed his commands, but if he wasn't giving specific orders, then they acted on instinct.

As soon as all the rats and mice fell through the hole, Aoyama used his naval laser to make them cross again. Both teens tried to recover the time lost dealing with Koda's little friends.

When they reached the final floor, they found Sato waiting for them, eating sugar and buffed up. He leapt at them, hands stretched to capture both, and Ashido responded with a wave of acid. It wasn't strong enough to harm him severely, but it did sting his arms, making him flinch away from them.

Aoyama released another ray after him, but Sato evaded it, so the beam impacted the steel doors, tearing them and throwing them into the room.

The three teens looked inside the room and saw poor Koda glancing at the remains of the fake missile.

All Might choose to call it a draw. He pointed out that such maneuvers were to be avoided as much as possible in the case of hostages or explosive devices. Team F had done well getting rid of the rodents without hurting them, showing that even with dangerous quirks, it was possible to reduce your enemies without causing fatal injuries.

"Ahh, what a day! Shame my match ended that way. I wanted to show my moves!" Mina grumbled at how her fight ended so quickly. She understood why, in real circumstances, Aoyama's attack would have produced an explosion big enough to destroy more than a few blocks.

"I am sure there will be more opportunities to show off, Ashido-san."

"Easy for you to say Yaomomo."

"Yaomomo?" The heiress was confused by the sudden nickname.

"Yeah! Yaoyorozu is such a mouthful! So Yaomomo! Don't you like it?"

"I do. It feels nice, Ashido-san."

"No, no, you guys can call me Mina." Yaoyorozu smiled at Mina.

The rest of the girls smiled at the little display. They continued to change out of their costumes and into their uniforms while making small chat.

Kyouka paused. She could hear voices from the boys changing room. Mineta's voice. The grape boy was talking about... oh, fucking pervert.

Kyouka walked to the wall separating both changing rooms; she looked closely and found it.

"Jirou-san?" Momo glanced at the punk girl. The other girls glanced their way. Kyouka just shushed them and showed them her discovery.

A feeling of disgust enveloped the entire room. Izumi's hands twitched at the pokeballs in her belt. Her left hand was eager to release Hakamo-o.

Kyouka took care of the problem. She lifted one of her ear jacks and jammed it in the peeping hole that connected both rooms. Mineta's painful screams were heard from the other side.

"Fucking idiot." "What a perv."

While the students were changing and chatting with each other, the teachers were holding an important meeting.

"So, a human chose to be naughty? Such a shame. I wonder why humans never learn from their mistakes. It is almost like they want to be punished. Hihihihi." Principal Nezu laughed sinisterly at the thought of causing pain to humans.

"He really enjoys this type of situation," Aizawa, All Might, and Midnight thought.

After sending Class 1A to change, All Might joined Aizawa and Midnight for a quick meeting about Hagakure's costume problem.

All Might had been the one to report the incident; Aizawa was her homeroom teacher; and Midnight was in charge of teaching the students all about PR, hero perception, and the talk.

For the first years she would only talk about costume changes and proper hero names before their internships, leaving the more heavy topics for the second and third years.

However, in this case, maybe she would have to give an introductive talk, at least to the girls, to prevent any more incidents.

"Very well, first of all. Aizawa-kun, make sure to bring Hagakure-san to Majima-san. Majima will make her costume himself if it's necessary." Nezu folded his paws and acquired a serious tone. The three teachers in front of him, two of them his former students, straightened out.

"Nemuri, prepare a small talk for all the first years and do a review of their costumes. We need to get ahead of this problem before it gets worse. I will find out who is the naughty human that misbehaved."

The three pros sweatdropped at their superior´s cheerful tone.

After leaving Nezu's office, Toshinori activated OFA and ran towards the entrance. During the meeting, he had turned to his skinny form in order to save energy. He only had enough energy for maybe half an hour. There will be no heroics for him today.

He found his target easily. The boy was walking fast, trying to leave as soon as possible. He was alone, which was good. It would be better to avoid a spectacle.

"I AM COMING TODOROKI-SHONEN!" the Number 1 stopped right in front of Endeavor's son. The boy just stared blankly at his sensei.

"Sensei, what can I do for you?" He asked respectfully.

"Hahaha, do not worry, Todoroki-shonen. I just wanted to give one last piece of advice before you leave. Something to consider"

Todoroki nodded and waited.

"A hero's life is one of unknowns and dangers. Every hero, when they are on the field, puts in their 100%, no, their 200%. Hero life is no place to hold oneself back."

Todoroki frowned.

"What are you saying, sensei?"

"I don't know why you chose to only use your ice, not only in the past two days but also on the Entrance Exam. If it's out of a sense of superiority, then it stops now. If it's for personal reasons, then all I can do is urge you to speak with someone who can help you. Hound Dog's office is open all day."

There. He gave his advice and made an offer. If Todoroki took it or not, then it was up to him. He surely hoped that the boy wasn't only using half his quirk out of arrogance. Aizawa was already considering threatening to expel him if he didn't get his act together.

"Only five students passed the Recommendation Exam. Todoroki was the one with the highest note. However, in no instance did he use his fire. At the time, I just made a note out of it, and that's it. However, during the Quirk Apprehension Test he refused to use his fire again. When he introduced himself to his classmates, he stated that he didn't use his fire." He had started the morning meeting with that.

"There are a couple of possible explanations. Number 1: he suffered some type of trauma related to fire; considering his burn marks, that option is extremely plausible. Number 2: he lacks control over his fire for some reason and is too proud to admit it. Number 3: he believes himself to be more powerful than the rest and that he only needs one half of his quirk to pass the Hero Course."

After explaining his theory, Aizawa turned deadly serious.

"If it's the third option, then I will have him expelled immediately. There are too many arrogant heroes already in the world. But if the new generations believe they can hold back in the field, then we will be slummed with dead heroes and civilians. I don't care if his father is the Number 2. I won't teach a boy who believes himself superior to the rest by only doing the bare minimum. I already have an arrogant, explosive blond to deal with. At least that one doesn't pull his punches back."

Todoroki frowned harder at All Might's words. His fists were balled tightly. His eyes sparkled in fury. But he didn't say anything. Only nodded and bowed respectfully.

Then he left.

Toshinori sighed. Based on his actions, it seemed that at least option three wasn't the case. If it had been that one, then the two-toned boy would have been flustered and angry.

But Todoroki had only been angry. Angry and offended. Like someone who was accused of doing something bad on purpose when it wasn't their true goal.

While All Might mused about his students and went back to the teacher's lounge, in another city, others made their own preparations.

After all, it isn't every day that one learns that the Symbol of Peace has an exploitable weakness.

Chapter Text

14

During their first year as master and student, Riley made sure to teach all he knew: map reading, martial arts, cooking, strategy, how to focus on her aura, camping lessons, first aid, etc. When it came to Pokemon lessons, he focused on the basics: typing, nature, abilities. According to him, every trainer had their own training style. Whether it was for battles or contests, it didn't matter.

Most of what entailed the practical part of being a trainer was learned from practice and error and then improvised upon. Experience was the greatest teacher. Experience and loss. Improvisation and imagination. The journey itself was the best way to learn. By fighting other trainers and Pokemon, one saw different styles and strategies; they realized their weak points and created new strategies.

Riley had not held her hand during the journey. He advised her when it was needed and helped her get the hang of things. By the time she won the Relic Badge, he had become more like a traveling partner than a mentor. She took care of her own bank account and bought her own supplies.

Before she presented her badges to participate in the Lily of the Valley Conference, or as it was more known, the Pokemon Sinnoh League, he gave her one last bit of advice. Probably the most important advice he could have given her. One that would help her for the rest of her life, whether as a professional trainer or as a hero.

How to deal with the press.

Right now, staring at the horde of reporters, cameramen, and journalists shouting and screaming questions at her schoolmates, she was so glad that Riley chose to impart this bit of wisdom.

"When it comes to the press, the most crucial part is to figure out what kind of reporter you are dealing with. Some only care about making a name for themselves or getting more ratings for their channel. If they have to create a scandal, they will. If they have to slander your name, they will. The best way to deal with them is to be polite and to make sure there are other witnesses in place to back you up. Keep your emotions in check. Also, make sure to imply that you´re also recording the conversation and that you have no problem uploading it if they try to edit their own version just to make you sound bad.

The more dangerous are the next two types: greedy and fanatics. Both will twist the news to accommodate whatever their patron tells them to. It doesn't matter if it's a complete lie. They will do it.

Now, not all the press is like that. Many care about showing the truth of the story; some even care about getting justice done. Those are the ones you keep in your saved list in case of emergency.

As a trainer, and if you make it back home, as a hero, you will have to deal with the most annoying kind.

Paparazzi.

All they care about are ratings and scandals. They don't take no for an answer and respect no boundaries. As far as they are concerned, if you´re famous, then you don't deserve to have privacy, and everybody is entitled to know every single aspect of your life.

The best thing to do is to ignore them, give them nothing, and get a good lawyer to serve them with restraining orders and lawsuits whenever they sell lies about you or your family."

"Izumi-nee." Eri grabbed her skirt tightly. Her little sister was staring, frightened, at the reporters. Izumi patted her head comfortably. She wasn't surprised at Eri´s fear; her little sister had grown up in a hostile environment, sheltered from the rest of the world. Even Izumi, who had experience with crowds and was interviewed a few times, got intimidated by the sight.

"Don´t worry, Eri; me and Mien-chan will protect you," she winked at her. Eri smiled shakily but hid behind her older sister.

"It seems that the press found out that All Might is teaching in UA, kero." Asui´s voice made both girls jump in surprise. They never heard the frog girl approach.

"Oh, I´m sorry if I frightened you, kero." Asui apologized to both of them, remorse visible on her face.

"Asui-san! Ah, no, it´s ok. It was mostly a surprise. You were really sneaky," Izumi tried to reassure her new schoolmate.

Asui glanced at Eri´s hidden form. Her face had her common nonplussed look. She kneeled down and peered at the younger girl.

"Hi, I´m Tsu. You're Midoriya´s sister, Eri, right? I have two younger siblings too." Eri peeked from behind Izumi curiously.

"You do?" Asui nodded. "Their names are Samidare and Satsuki. Samidare is ten; Satsuki is six." "I am six too!" Eri blurted it out. She blinked at her own boldness.

"Maybe we can figure out a playdate with Satsuki-chan. What do you think, Eri?" Ever since they had first met, Izumi only wanted for Eri to have the childhood she deserved, to have a great life, and to replace all her horrible memories with joyful ones. After months of therapy and safe and normal human interaction, Eri was capable of talking to others, but she still tended to shy away.

Asui-san seemed like a nice girl. From what she recalled from the past two days, she enjoyed spending time with her siblings. The way she spoke to Eri, so calmly and patiently, reassured her.

Eri looked at her and at Asui. She fidgeted with her hands and gave the frog girl a pleading look.

Asui smiled warmly. "I´m sure Satsuki-chan would love to meet Eri-chan. By the way, Midoriya-chan, please call me Tsu."

"Then call me Izumi, Tsu-san. It feels weird to call you by your name and that you call me by my surname."

"Ok, Izumi-chan."

With that settled down, the three girls looked again at the school´s entrance, completely surrounded by the reporters.

Tsu saw the frightened look on Eri´s face and the concern on Izumi´s. It didn't take her too long to figure out the problem.

"Izumi-chan," she whispered to her fellow greenete. "Is Eri-chan scared of the press?" Izumi nodded solemnly. "Eri has a rough past; she has come a long way since she came with us, but certain situations still trigger her. All that shouting is too much for her." She gave a side hug to her little sister.

Lying about Eri´s past was stupid. Anyone who interacted with the girl could see that she was too shy and curious about the world around her. She still tended to flinch whenever young black-haired men came close to her, and she had a deep, integrated fear of needles and scalpels. Recovery Girl was the only doctor she allowed to examine her, and either Izumi, one of her Pokemon, or their mother had to be with her. At least Recovery Girl didn't have to sedate her anymore.

Tsu tapped her lips with her finger, a pensive look on her face.

"I could lure them away while you two enter quickly," she proposed. "Really? You would do that?" Tsu nodded. "The press most likely won´t leave until they are satisfied. They are crowding all the students that try to enter, even if they have no idea which students are from the Hero Course and which aren't."

Izumi saw that Tsu was right; whenever someone tried to enter the gate, the reporters would swarm them and not let them pass. She could make out Iida answering a group of them and Bakugou mouthing off next to Kirishima and Ashido.

"Ok. Eri, we are going to play Fast Kangaskhan." Eri´s eyes lit up at that old strategy that Izumi had created while the two avoided the Shie Hassakai. During that time, Izumi created a few strategies and named them after Pokemon in order to confuse their pursuers. Fast Kangashkan was simply Izumi carrying Eri in her arms and running at top speed.

Tsu walked forward and let herself be crowded by a group of reporters. She made sure to keep the attention on herself. Like she had thought, the reporters only asked about All Might. Everything from how he was as a teacher to whether he was dating someone. Why would they think that a pro hero would talk about his personal life with his new students was a complete mystery to her.

While Tsu distracted them, Izumi grabbed Eri in a koala hug and had her cover her face in her chest. Once her little sister was secure, she ran as fast as she could, right for the gates.

In a few seconds, they managed to cross the school entrance and successfully avoid the press.

A small giggle had her looking at her charge. Eri was giggling. Izumi couldn´t stop the wide smile on her face, even if she wanted to. Every time Eri acted like a little girl, she felt her heart burst with happiness.

"Midoriya," Aizawa-sensei said behind her. Her homeroom teacher looked as tired and gloomy as ever.

"Aizawa-sensei!" Eri hopped down and hugged the older man. The sleep-deprived hero sighed and patted her head. At his side, Present Mic was chortling in laughter, tears flowing in mirth. Izumi had to bite her tongue to avoid laughing or cooing at the scene. Both options would end up with detention, surely. Or worse.

"Midoriya, remember to not use your quirk outside of hero classes." "I didn't sensei. I'm just fast." Aizawa nodded, one of his eyebrows lifted up at that tidbit.

"Go to class, you two," he waved the two off. Both girls nodded and walked to the building.

"Quit laughing, Mic, we still have to deal with these troublesome vultures." Mic wiped out his tears and followed his best friend.

While both heroes went to deal with the press and help their students actually enter the school grounds, and Eri bravely walked by herself to the classroom where she had her private lessons (with Mienfoo's pokeball safely tucked in her satsatchel), a figure stared at UA.

No one saw him.

No one wanted to see him.

The people on the street ignored him, like one would ignore the homeless or a dead animal on the street.

And the figure knew it. He used it. He took advantage of it.

The figure didn't give a glance at the hero worshiping scum that loitered the streets. He knew that if he did it, he wouldn't be able to control himself. The itchiness on his neck was already beginning to become unbearable.

He wasn't supposed to be there. Sensei said that the plan would start later. They had to stay low and not bring attention to themselves.

But he was bored. And he wanted to see him.

All Might.

The Symbol of Peace.

The symbol that he will destroy.

After seeing the stupid reporters trigger UA's security system, he gave one last dark glance at the building.

Soon.

Soon, they will learn the truth.

Soon.

On the third floor, the students of Class 1-A saw how the gates closed when one reporter tried to enter the school grounds.

"Man, UA really doesn't pull its punches, right?" Sero whistled, amazed.

"UA is the premier hero school in Japan. Only Shiketsu is considered its equal. Of course, they take the security of their students and faculty seriously."

"Aizawa-sensei looks really annoyed." "Can you blame him? It took forever to pass through that crowd."

There were grumbles of agreement between the students. None had enjoyed their first taste of the overwhelming beast that was the press.

"Fucking bastards. Making us waste our time," Bakugou was cursing while he entered the classroom. At his side, Ashido and Kirishima were bemused at the blonde´s behavior.

"It´s a good thing that the hero course is three years long. Can you guys imagine Bakugou answering questions to the paparazzi?" Sero laughed alongside Kaminari at that. They could easily picture in their heads Bakugou cursing at a reporter just for asking him some questions.

"Fuck off extras!"

"I wonder if three years will be enough time," Jirou said doubtfully.

"Shut it!"

Ochako giggled at the scene. She turned towards Izumi and saw that she was frowning.

"He changed a lot, huh?" Izumi whispered to herself.

"Izumi-chan?" Izumi blinked in confusion before she focused on Ochako. The greenete just smiled at the brunette.

"Sorry, were you saying something, Ochako-chan?" Ochako gave her a long look. Since they became friends, they have chatted and talked a lot with each other. Mostly, it was about their favorite heroes, hobbies, movies and books, a few childhood anecdotes, and things like that. After Izumi came clean about her five-year disappearance, she began to share some tidbits about her travels in the Regions. However, there was one thing that Izumi never talked about.

Her former friends in this world. From before she ended up in the Pokemon World.

Izumi only shared little stories of her childhood, mostly about her mom, some about her dad. She had shared more stories about Eri, and Eri had only been living with her for almost six months.

In the past few days, she has observed how both she and Bakugou would glance at each other when the other wasn't paying attention. It didn't feel like they liked each other; she had seen those looks in her previous school between some of her schoolmates. These ones were different. She wondered what type of connection they had.

"Just that if you had any problem with the press, Izumi-chan." Whatever her story with Bakugou was, it was up to her to share it when she was comfortable.

"Just a little. Tsu helped me; she distracted them so that I could pass quickly with Eri."

"Eri-chan doesn't like crowds?" "More like she gets overwhelmed if there is too much yelling and crowding."

Ochako grimaced in sympathy. Poor Eri.

When Aizawa reached his classroom, he was pleased to see that his students were sitting at their desks and waiting patiently for him.

They learned quickly to not waste time. Good.

Learning to manage time was a crucial skill to master. Not only for heroics but for life itself.

If it weren't for his time management, he would have died years ago just from sleep deprivation.

"Before we start, we need to take care of something important." Tension began to fill the classroom. What was Aizawa-sensei planning?

"You all need to decide who will be Class President and Vice President."

And the tension deflated.

"Class President? UA does that?" "I know it feels too normal." "After the last two days, I was expecting something more weird." Humms of agreement rang throughout the class.

"Just because this is the Hero Course, it doesn't mean that we won't have normal school activities. However, those positions aren't children's play. Class President and Vice President are the representatives of their classroom, their leaders, and their spokesmen. They are responsible for the behavior of their classmates; they have to coordinate with their fellow representatives and report to the principal and faculty whenever there is an emergency or a situation."

Their sensei´s words gave the entire class pause to think. He was right. This wasn't an easy job or a way to make themselves look cool. Many of them thought back to middle school, remembering how in their previous schools their class representatives had to work hard for every school ceremony, festival, and outing. How they had to keep their grades up alongside their club activities and personal hobbies.

Aizawa nodded when he saw the pensive looks on his students' faces. Good.

"You guys choose who you think should be Class President and Vice President. I´m going to take a nap. Wake me up when the decision is made." With that said, he zipped up his sleeping bag and began to softly snore.

"Soo," Kaminari tentatively began, "How do we do this?"

"Isn´t it obvious? We must vote for whoever we believe is the best choice for the charge," Iida answered.

"But we barely know each other," Jirou pointed out. "Wouldn´t that mean that most of us would just vote for whoever they befriended or for themselves?"

"That means that we have to look beyond friendship and popularity. We need to think deeply about who we think would be best suited for Class President." Izumi started, "This type of exercise is extremely common in the hero field. Whenever two or more heroes pair up, they have to quickly decide who will be in charge of the operation. The same is true when heroes and police officers work together. The ops that are successful are the ones where egos are put behind when it comes to making the right decisions."

"Midoriya-san is right." Yaoyorozu added, "This type of exercise will work best because we barely know each other. We will have to use our instincts and the few pieces of information we have glimpsed about each other to make a final decision."

"I say we take a vote. Everybody will write the name of whoever they believe should be Class President. The person with the most votes will be considered the most trusted person and, therefore, Class President. If there is a tie, then we will vote again only for those that are tied. The person with the second most votes will be Vice President. If there is a tie for second place, then we'll vote again between the tied."

"Wait, I want to add one last thing." Iida nodded at Izumi. "If, for some reason, anyone has two candidates in mind, then they should write them in the charge that they think will be best suited for them." Everybody nodded in agreement to Izumi, Iida, and Yaoyorozu´s plan.

"Very well. Sensei, we have decided how to vote for the positions of Class President and Vice President!" "Then do it and let me sleep." "Yes sensei!"

While the rest of her classmates carefully chose who to vote for, Izumi pondered her two choices. Neither of them herself. As if she were a good choice. Yes, she had experience as a leader, a virtue of her trainer career, but training powerful creatures to obey her commands and not follow their basic instincts was much easier than dealing with teenagers with superpowers. By large.

Besides, she had technically been homeschooled for the past five years. She had only vague ideas of what a class representative was supposed to do.

No, a better candidate would be someone who actually had been in school this whole time and who showed maturity and leadership traits. Like Yaoyomo and Iida.

Both were smart, responsible, and mature (at least when it came to teenagers, herself included); both had budding leader instincts and were capable of coming up with plans on their own. Yaomomo had kept her team working by herself during the Battle Trials, and Iida made a quick plan that worked well enough against Ochako.

From what she had briefly seen, Iida´s worst weakness was his rigidity. He was a good guy, honest, and loyal. But he tended to act too rash when a situation wasn't to his liking. Yaomomo didn't seem to be that way. She had handled Mineta´s perving with the utmost professionalism. Hell, she would have punted the pervy grape in his nuts just for ogling her that way.

Most of her classmates didn't seem to have those instincts yet. They seemed too green.

From the girls, only Jirou and Tsu gave off vibes of maturity and responsibility. Or maybe it was not caring. Their lackluster nature made them hard to read.

Ochako, Hagakure, and Ashi-Mina were all nice, kind, and funny. And completely green when it came to such a position.

The boys she didn't know really well.

Shoji and Tokoyami were too silent and warded. From what she had seen, Dark Shadow was the extrovert, while Tokoyami was an introvert.

Koda was really shy; he could barely speak to them.

Aoyama and Kaminari didn't exactly look like the responsible type. More like the party type.

Sero, Sato, and Ojiro seemed like good guys, but they too lacked the leadership skills necessary.

Kirishima was too exuberant.

Bakugou was... Bakugou.

Mineta. No. Just no.

Todoroki… She had no idea what the other boy was thinking. In the past three days, she has never seen him interact with anyone. Even Koda tried to communicate with Shoji and Tokoyami. And Bakugou was hanging out with Kirishima.

But Todoroki, Todoroki not only didn't talk to anyone; he never looked at them as if they were there. The way he looked at them, it was like they just didn't matter to him. Like they didn't exist until he chose that they existed.

Bakugou wasn't like that. Even as children, even with his massive ego, he always acknowledged that there were other people around him. Just that they were beneath him unless they were All Might.

After writing her vote, she passed it to Iida and waited for the counting.

She never expected the results.

"WHAT IN GIRATINA'S NAME!?" Izumi couldn't contain the shock she was feeling, even if she tried. How in the Distorsion World had she won?!

"Why did none of you damn extras vote for me?!"

"Your question answers itself, kero."

"I will explode you, Froggy!"

"Come on, guys! I would have made it so that the girls would have to wear shorter skirts!"

"Class President, Class Vice President, can you put Mineta in permanent detention?" "We agree with Jirou-san's petition." "The boys agree too."

"I guess the people have spoken. Midoriya and Yaoyorozu are Class President and Vice President by popular vote!" Iida proclaimed gloomly. All of them could see that he wanted the position.

"Wait, wait, WAIT!" Izumi shook her hands in the air. "I'm like, the worst possible option. This is the first week I have been in a classroom in almost six years. I have no idea what a Class President is supposed to do." She protested vehemently.

"But you have the one none of us do: real-life experience." "Uh?" "Midoriya-san, according to your stories, of all of us, you´re the only one who has experience leading others and making important decisions." Yaoyorozu said.

"There is a big difference between training Pokemon and being Class President," she protested.

"And they are?" asked Yaoyorozu with a smug grin.

"..." "..."

"It's not the same!" she pouted at her laughing classmates.

"Midoriya-chan." Hagakure interrupted her, "When we were on the Battle Trials, you didn't simply take charge right at the beginning; you asked for my opinion. You didn't brush me aside or treat me like I was deadweight." All of them could hear the happiness in Hagakure´s voice.

"Hagakure-san." She murmured. Izumi knew that the invisible girl was self-conscious about her quirk, about the fact that it wasn´t flashy or powerful like some of their classmates, and that she was the weakest in their class.

She hated it. Izumi didn't believe in weak quirks or useless quirks. She hated how current society is so obsessed with classifying people based on their quirks. How they normalized discrimination and segregation over something people couldn't control.

It was as if humans were either incapable or didn't want to learn from their past. Like they needed to always subjugate others and create enemies to push down.

She wasn't an idiot; she knew that that type of mentality wouldn´t be eliminated in one generation. It would take years, maybe decades, to stop quirk discrimination. It would be a long fight, but a worthy one. One she would fight for the rest of her life.

Izumi glanced at her classmates. Most of her classmates voted for her and Yaoyorozu because they trusted them and thought that they were the best choices for the post. They put their trust in them.

Just like her team did on her.

"Fine, but I will need your help, Yaoyorozu-san," she said, giving a pointed glance to the black-haired girl. Yaoyorozu nodded in agreement.

"Of course, I´m your Vice President after all."

"Very well, if all of you are done discussing it, then Midoriya Izumi is Class President and Yaoyorozu Momo is Vice President." Aizawa-sensei said from his sleeping bag. "Now, let's continue with class."

During the lunch break, Izumi went to look for Eri. Ochako chose to accompany her, while Iida went to save a table for them. It didn't take them long to find her. Eri was running straight for them, Mienfoo at her side. Her little sister, too, wanted to eat lunch with her and went looking for her as soon as the bell rang. Nezu-san taught her the layout of the school and a copy of Izumi´s schedule so that she could find her nee-chan easily.

Izumi grinned when Eri told her that. She was liking the principal more and more.

The lunchroom was packed with students, but since they were mostly talking to each other and not screaming or paying attention to her, Eri was able to ignore them. Like she did when Izumi-nee and Mama took her shopping or to the movies.

"Thanks for inviting me to your table, Midoriya-san." A black-haired girl said to her nee-chan.

"It's no problem, Yaoyorozu-san," nee-chan rubbed the back of her head. "I just thought that since we are going to be working together, we should probably get to know each other better. Professionally, I mean!" For some reason, both nee-chan and Yaoyorozu-san blushed.

"Yeah, right. Your right. It wouldn´t do well for our classmates if their representatives couldn´t get along." "Exactly! Yes." Both continued to eat without looking at each other, their faces still colored.

Eri shrugged. Grown-ups could be weird sometimes.

Yaoyorozu-san glanced at Eri. "So, Eri-chan. You´re taking classes with Aizawa-sensei?" "Hmm." Eri nodded while she swallowed a bit of her sandwich.

"Sensei is teaching me how to use my quirk safely."

"That's good." Eri was glad that Yaoyorozu-san didn´t ask her why she was taking classes with Aizawa-sensei. She smiled tentatively at the older girl. It felt nice to smile at other people.

"Ah! Midori! Yaomomo!" A pink-skinned girl shouted and waved at them. At her side were a floating girl´s uniform and Tsu-san.

"Ashido-san, Hagakure-san, Tsu-san." Nee-chan greeted them. The trio joined them at the table.

"I told you guys, call me Mina," replied the pink skinned girl. Eri remembered that she had smiled at her previously.

"Hi there, horn buddy, I'm Mina!" Eri was shocked at the other girl´s cheerful nature. Izumi-nee was smiling at her.

"Horn buddy?" "Yeah, because we both have horns. See?" Mina-san pointed at the horns on her forehead. Eri touched hers. For a long time, she saw her horn as a symbol of her curse, as something to loathe. Since meeting Nee-chan, Mama, and her senseis, she has learned that it is just a part of herself, not something bad or to be hated.

"Horn buddy." She mumbled aimlessly. Mina-san nodded, satisfied, and continued to eat and chat with Nee-chan and her friends.

Eri didn't pay much attention to what they talked about. She busied herself with her lunch and talked with both Mien-chan and Ty-chan, whom nee-chan released so he could keep her company during lunch.

She was just enjoying her meal when an alarm began to scream.

"LEVEL THREE OF SECURITY BREACHED. STUDENTS EVACUATE"

"Level three? Which one is that?" Hagakure-san asked afraid.

"It means that the school has been breached. We must leave quickly for the safety spots. Midoriya-san." "I know, everybody follow me or Yaoyorozu-san. Eri, don´t leave my side." Izumi-nee recalled both Mien-chan and Ty-chan and tucked Eri at her side.

Eri grasped her sister's skirt with all her strength. She was afraid. She was terrified. In her mind, she was imagining monsters like Overhaul and his yakuza breaking in and killing nee-chan, Mien-chan, Ty-chan, Mama, Aizawa-sensei, Kayama-sensei, and, and…

"Eri, Eri, ERI!" Nee-chan was kneeling in front of her, her hands gripping her shoulders.

"Eri, it's going to be okay. I´m not going to let anybody hurt you." Eri gave a shaky breath and nodded.

"Ok, everybody, lets-Ouch!" A wave of students rushed in and began to push against the group. Eri couldn't see her sister anywhere; bodies were surrounding her, they weren't letting her escape. She wanted Izumi-nee. She wanted her friends. She wanted her mama!

"MAMAAAA!" she cried out in desperation.

"METALLIC SOUND!" "RIOOOO" The crowd of students flinched and covered their ears at the sudden, horrible sound that rang over the cafeteria.

"ERII!" Nee-chan ran straight for her, shoving students aside, Lucario-chan growling at them. When she found her, she hugged her. Eri began to cry and bawl like a baby. She had been so scared.

"I have you, Eri. I´m here. I´m here." Izumi was enraged. At the idiots that rushed in without thought. At the stupid reporters that triggered UA´s security system. At herself for not protecting Eri. She was boiling in a pit of anger that was begging to be released.

"The hell is wrong with you, first year!" A male student shouted at her. . "We are in the middle of an attack, and you have your pet attack us! What are you? A spy?!" Lucario snarled in her defense. Izumi lifted a hand to stop her first partner. This idiot was hers.

She got up with Eri still cradled in her arms. She gave the boy who shouted at her a stern glare. The boy flinched at the rage in her eyes.

"In the case of a level three security breach, relocate calmly and quickly to a safety room. Avoid causing damage to your fellow students. That is in the manual that students are given in their first year." She spat out furiously at the upper years that led the crowd, like a herd of scared Tauros, so scared that they stomped on anything on their path. "Your behavior, senpais, nearly hurt not only my friends and fellow classmates but also my little sister!" The force of her yell had them flinch back and tremble in fear.

"W-w-we were just following what the intercommunicator said! There is someone attacking the school! We have to save ourselves!" Yells of agreement followed the idiot who tried to look brave.

"There is no attack." Iida stepped in. Next to him, her classmates followed him. Iida pointed at a window. "The only intruders are members of the press that somehow bypassed the barrier. If any of you would have just simply looked through the window instead of running off like headless chickens you would have realized it."

"Moreover, if this had been a real attack, then your actions would have led to dozens of injured." Yaoyorozu added in.

Some of the students looked shamefully at the ground, realizing that their behavior could have ended up with their friends getting hurt. Others, however, felt their pride take a blow.

"Easy for you to say! Right, the students of the Hero Course are obviously impervious to fear! Sorry for not reacting like the chosen ones of UA!"

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Midnight cracked her whip into the air.

The heroine was fuming in rage. First, the barrier was somehow destroyed. Then, the press rushed in like the news-rushing idiots they were. Next, her students forgot all the emergency procedures they had learned during their entire education. And finally, Eri-chan, her sweet, little pupil that reminded her of a little kitten and that just triggered her motherly instincts, was nearly trampled and traumatized.

And now, those infractors, instead of accepting their chastising and learning from their mistakes, chose to lay the blame on their kouhais?

Like hell.

"I will make this clear. This is not a behavior befitting students at UA. No matter what Course they belong to, UA is the premier institution of learning in the West of Japan. Do you think that Shiketsu allows their students to behave in this undecorated way? They would kick their asses to the curb and blacklist them on the entire continent just for doing half of what happened here!"

"Everybody back to classes! If I hear any more complaints or badmouthing, then I will punish them myself!" With another sharp crack of her whip, the students obeyed her orders.

Only Class 1-A remained in the cafeteria. Their bodies surrounded Midoriya and Eri. Nemuri relaxed a little.

"Midoriya, take Eri-chan to Recovery Girl. I will write you a letter to go home early." The greenete nodded gratefully and turned to her classmates.

"Thanks for having my back, guys."

"It's no problem, Midoriya-san." "Of course we will stand with you, Izumi-chan." "You're our Class President after all."

Izumi bowed in gratitude and left with Eri still cuddling like a baby koala.

"Well, what are you waiting for? To class with the lot of you!"

With that said, the remaining members of Class 1-A returned to their classroom. Most of them were concerned about Izumi and Eri. Some showed it openly, while others tried to look aloof.

What no one knew was that the next day, the students of Class 1-A would face their first taste of real fear.

Their first taste of evil.

Special Omake

In the vast enormity of the multiverse, a beloved man was laid to rest. He had created a world beyond wonders, gave greate joy to generations and opened the doors to incountable worlds.

It wasn´t just humans that paid their respects in front of the man´s grave. His creations too. Not just those that he gave life to. But the creations of those he inspired. And of the ones that were inspired by them.

A tree of inspiration so to speak. All the branches connected, wanting to pay respect to a great mind that continued to work to his final day.

Rest in peace Toriyama Akira sensei.

To me, he was the man that opened the doors of anime to the rest of the world.

He was the man that made it so that billions could feel joy and hope.

If there is a heaven or something similar, then I truly hope he is enjoying it.

Chapter Text

15

Ochako stared at the screen. Next, she looked at the door. Back to the screen. Door. Screen. Door. Screen.

Still nothing.

"She hasn't texted you either, Uraraka-san?" Iida asked her. Ochako just shook her head. Iida frowned, he too was worried about their friend's absence.

"Is it about Izumi-san?" Yaoyorozu asked them.

"I sent her a few texts after I got home, but she never answered back." "I did the same. Midoriya-san must be really upset about what happened back at the cafeteria."

"Well, we can't exactly blame her. I'm an only child, but I'm sure I would have responded the same way if it had been my younger sibling in that situation." Yaoyoruzu said.

"If it had been Satsuki or Samidare the ones trembling in fear while a bunch of people just trampled all over each other and potentially hurt them, then I would not have been responsible for my actions, kero." Tsu-san admitted. "Izumi-san is overprotective of Eri-chan. We shouldn't be surprised if she decides not to attend classes today. She probably would prefer to stay home and comfort her imouto, kero."

Ochako nodded solemnly at that. She, too, knew how much Izumi-chan cared for Eri. Even a blind person would see it.

Most of her former classmates and childhood friends who have younger siblings tended to complain about how annoying they were and didn´t like presenting them to their friends. They always moaned about having to babysit their younger siblings and having to share their room and things.

Izumi never did one of those things.

When they first began to chat and talk with each other, Izumi would always mention Eri. Little stories like Eri tasting her first ice cream, or watching a children's movie, or petting a dog on the street. She even showed her some photos of both of them during their tea parties!

Izumi loved and considered Eri to be her imouto. The fact that they didn't share didn't matter to her. They were sisters, and that was it.

"Iida-san, Uraraka-san, how about we share our notes with Izumi-san so she doesn´t get behind on our classes?" proposed Yaoyorozu.

"That sounds like a great idea, Yaoyorozu-san." "I agree. As Midoriya-san´s friends and classmates, it is our duty to help her keep up with her studies!"

"Who are we helping?" "You Midoriya! Midoriya?!" Iida's head snapped to the doorway, where a confused Izumi stood.

"Izumi-chan! You came!" Ochako exclaimed.

"Of course I came. Why wouldn't I come?" Izumi scratched the back of her head, confused at her friend's behavior.

"We thought that you would stay at home with Eri-chan, kero." Tsu-san explained the greenete. When Izumi heard that, her shoulders sagged and a depressed look overcame her face.

"Izumi-chan! What's wrong? Is Eri-chan ok?" Ochako asked afraid.

"Eri," Izumi mumbled. "Eri told me to not miss my classes." "Eh?"

Izumi sighed depodently. "She said that I can't miss any classes if I want to be a strong hero like All Might." Her lips twitched upwards while she spoke, "And that she didn't want to waste time cowering in her room, frightened." Izumi had been so proud when Eri told her and their mother that. Even though her little sister was still shaken by what happened, she refused to be cowed down. She refused to be afraid anymore.

Izumi had never felt more proud of Eri than that morning when she announced loudly that she wasn't going to hide away anymore.

"So, Eri-chan came to the school too?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"Nah. My mom said that today is 'Take your youngest daughter to work day'." She grumbled.

After Eri had made her little speech, her mother had hugged her and told her how proud she was of her. And then proclaimed that it was a perfect day for them to have a mother-daughter bonding day.

When Izumi tried to chim in by reminding her that she too was her daughter, she said that as Eri's aneue it was Izumi's duty to set up a good example. And playing hooky was definitely not a good example.

"Soo, you're jealous that Eri didn't come to school with you, kero" Tsu summarized bluntly.

Izumi's blushing face made it clear that the frog girl was absolutely right.

"Isn't it a good thing, though?" Sero asked. "That Eri is bouncing back from that mess."

"It's not that, Sero-kun. It's that our Class President is having a hard time letting her adorable imouto out of her protective watch." Ashido explained to the other boy.

"It's not like I'm a mother hen." She protested weakly.

"Yes, you are Midoriya. Now sit down. You're wasting time." Aizawa-sensei grumbled behind her.

"Sensei!" Izumi paled at his annoyed face.

"Sit down." "Yes sensei."

Izumi quickly sat down on her seat before her sensei could get more annoyed.

Aizawa eyed his students.

"Midoriya, since no one was hurt, I won't punish you for your actions yesterday. However, remember: you're a student of UA's Hero Course and Class President. You can't go around picking fights with your classmates just because they behave like a bunch of morons. That goes for the rest of you." All Class 1-A straightened out.

"You are the future generation of heroes in Japan. There will be lots of pressure on your shoulders. Losing your cool against civilians is not a good precedent. No matter the circumstances." He gave Izumi a pointed glance. The trainer nodded mutedly; she was aware that she had almost screwed up yesterday.

If her classmates hadn't been there to back her up and Eri hadn't needed her to calm down, then she would have left Hakamo-o have his way with the idiots that almost traumatized Eri.

The only reason she didn't go after the press was that they were already gone. And that her mother, All Might, Nezu-san, Aizawa-sensei, and everybody else would be sorely disappointed in her.

"In other business, this afternoon's heroic class will be in an off-premises facility. You will only need your hero uniform. The rest of your stuff can be held here. We will be returning to the school after class ends. Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, you are responsible for making sure that your fellow classmates get on the bus in time and form."

"Yes, Sensei," both girls nodded.

"Sensei, is there a particular reason for this class to be outside the school?" asked Yaoyorozu.

Aizawa nodded. "It will be a Rescue Class. We will be focusing on different scenarios that you will face as heroes. All Might, myself, and a third teacher will be participating in these exercises."

Excited whispers broke around the room. They would get to see more heroes up close, showing off their best moves.

"The other day, you showed your battle abilities. Today, you will see a different side of heroism. Don't take it lightly."

After that, the regular classes started. During the rest of the morning classes and while enjoying another delicious meal made by Lunch Rush, the students of Class 1-A kept thinking and wondering about their upcoming afternoon class.

Some, like Ochako, were bursting with excitement. The gravity user was practically hopping in her seat the moment she entered the bus.

"You really look excited, Uraraka," commented Jirou.

Ochako rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Yeah; thing is, I have always admired rescue heroes. I always wanted to be like them. Especially Thirteen! She is my personal heroine. I actually based my hero costume on hers!" she admitted proudly.

"That explains that astronauts look!" laughed Sero. "I thought that it was because of your quirk. Talk about coincidences, huh?"

"Well, the theme similarity between our quirks was what first caught my attention. But then I just became her fan because of how great she is!"

"I get it, Uraraka-san! I feel the same for Crimson Riot! He is the manliest hero ever!" Kirishima joined the conversation with his common exuberance.

"Shouldn't All Might be the manliest then? Since he is then Number 1," pointed out Sato. Kirishima shook his head vigorously. "All Might is an entire category of manliest of his own! No one can compare to him. But Crimson Riot was the one who taught me what a hero is supposed to be!"

"Kirishima isn't wrong about that," said Izumi. "All Might is really a category of his own when it comes to heroics. He is really amazing. No, more than amazing. He is unique. He is the reason I always wanted to be a hero."

Years ago, before having a quirk, before meeting Riley and becoming a trainer, she would have been unable to admit it. Now, she could say it proudly out loud with a smile on her face.

"All Might inspired you to become a hero, Midoriya?" asked Iida. She nodded. "The video of his debut when he saved hundreds of people. When I first saw it, I was completely hooked. I must have watched it hundreds of times as a kid."

"Who hasn´t? I heard that thing is still ranking among the most viewed videos ever." Kaminari mentioned.

"Really!? Man, I know it was a popular video, having All Might´s debut and all, but still." Ashido was awed by it. "I hope one day I can get half as famous!"

"With my quirk, I will certainly be popular, mon ami. After all, it's extremely flashy!" "As long as you don´t get a belly ache." Ashido´s comment made Aoyama deflunk on his seat.

"If we are talking about flashy quirks, then Midoriya, Bakugou, and Todoroki are at the top of the list." Jirou commented.

"Me?" "Yep." "My quirk only increases my strength and speed. It's not that flashy." She protested.

"You have never looked at yourself while using your quirk?" Jirou sounded confused. "Those green sparks and the blueish field are very eye-catching."

"I guess I forgot about it. Haha." She honestly didn't like to think about it. Not that she didn't like how both her aura and OFA looked when she used them.

She had to admit that she did look cool with the blue sheen covering her body and the green lightning dancing around her. The way her eyes sparkled was awesome.

What she didn't enjoy was that people would just think that it was a cool quirk because of how it looked.

Izumi hated it.

The quirk obsessive behavior that the world had about quirks. The way some loved to look for a way to label and harass others for any possible reason.

She hated it.

Izumi felt a hand grazing her own.

Ochako.

Her best friend was holding her hand, giving her a small squeeze. Izumi looked up at her face. Ochako just smiled at her. Izumi smiled back and relaxed.

The rest of the trip, Izumi just chatted with her friends and classmates. She left all her gloomy and dark thoughts behind.

She was no longer the same shy and bullied little girl that she was five years ago.

It was amazing how five years of traveling all over the world, meeting new people, and winning competitions could raise her self-esteem so much.

By the time the bus reached their destination, Izumi was laughing at some jokes made by Kaminari and Sero.

When they entered the training facility, they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"What the hell is this?! Are we even still in Japan!?"

All across the landscape, there were multiple environments scattered over the terrain. Two giant domes with tinted glass; one looked red and the other a stormy blue. They could also see a ship in the middle of a lake, a landslide with destroyed buildings, even a mountain, and a giant water slide!

"Wow, it kind of reminds me of the gyms." Muttered Izumi. She idly wondered if there were puzzles involved too.

"Greetings students!" A woman greeted them.

The woman was wearing a full astronaut spacesuit; her voice was warped by the helmet, but they could still hear her cheeriness clearly.

"I am Thirteen! The Space Heroine! I will be in charge of the Rescue Lesson today. Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint," Thirteen announced to her stunned class.

"Th-thir-teen! Izumi-chan! It's Thirteen! It's her!" Ochako was rambling excitedly.

Izumi grinned at her side. She understood 100% what her friend was feeling. After all, when she first met All Might, she had been so shocked that she could barely think.

She still remembered the slaps from Lucario and Lopunny.

Thank Arceus, she managed to shake herself out of it before Infernape got his turn.

Behind her helmet, Thirteen frowned. All Might should have come with Aizawa and the students.

The Space Hero made a motion to her fellow teacher, who just showed three fingers.

"Ah. All Might blew out his time." She deduced.

It had been a shock to her to learn that the strongest hero ever had been reduced to such a state.

Heroes dying or sustaining ending career injuries weren't common these days. Most of the time, it was rookies who were well over their heads or pros who were faced with villains stronger than them.

Of course, in the past few months, there have been more heroes killed and maimed than in the last decade.

Thirteen forced herself to not think about that. Right now, her responsibility was to teach the new generation how to save lives.

Not think about how to end one.

"Sensei, wasn't All Might supposed to be here?" Iida asked.

The underground hero didn't hesitate on his lie. "All Might got busy with a case. He said he would try to get here but not wait on him."

"Really?" "What a shame." "I wanted to see All Might showing off his moves."

"Now, now. I can understand your disappointment, but we still have a lesson ahead." Thirteen politely reminded them.

"As all of you can see, this place is an all-disaster simulator area designed by myself for teaching purposes. Here we will practice different rescue maneuvers and strategies that will be helpful in the future." She explained.

"Now, to start-" Thirteen cut mid-sentence. The heroine stared, shocked, at the unexpected sight in front of her.

A dark purple portal appeared in the courtyard of the central plaza.

"Midoriya-" Aizawa didn't even turn to the trainer, who understood his question before it even formed.

"It's not an Ultra Umbral sensei." She answered immediately. "Ultra Umbrals have rings of different shades of purple around a black central ring. They also pulse with more intensity to warn that a traveler is emerging."

Aizawa wanted to swear. He would rather face one of those Ultra Beasts that Midoriya described to Nezu, or even better, an emissary from the Pokemon World to the only alternative left.

A hand emerged from the portal. And then a body. Finally, a man walked out of the portal.

He was thin, with blue-gray shaggy hair, wearing simple black clothes. His most distinctive features were the human hands gripping his sides, shoulders, arms, the top of his head, and his face.

And the dead look that his uncovered eye gave off.

Following the man, other figures emerged from the portal. Men and women with threatening looks and sporting menacing grins. More and more poured from the portal, until a small army was standing in the middle of the square.

"Thirteen! Protect the students!" Aizawa pulled his goggles over his eyes and stepped in front of them.

"Sensei, what´s-" Kirishima tried to ask. "This is not a simulacrum. These guys are villains."

Villains.

How could villains infiltrate the USJ?

"Kurogiri." The scrawny man with the hands began to speak. "Where is All Might?"

The portal shifted to a smaller form, a pair of slanted yellow eyes glinting inside it.

"Mhh. Thirteen and Eraserhead are here, like the schedule we stole indicated. But it seems like the Number 1 isn't here."

"Whaaat? We gathered all this crew just to greet him, and he isn't here. Maybe he will show his face if we kill all these kids?" The man asked sadistically to the fear and shock of the teens.

"All of you! Follow Thirteen out of here! Try to contact the school as soon as you can." Eraserhead ordered.

"Shouldn´t the alarms be warning everyone back at the school about what's going on?" Ashido asked fearfully.

"They probably have a villain with a quirk that allows him to disrupt our security sensors. Kaminari, see if you can counter the electromagnetic waves." "Wh-at? Me?" The blonde was shaking in fear and dread.

Eraserhead hated himself for putting that much pressure on the boy. But he had no other option. They were alone until All Might managed to get himself recovered or they defeated the villain jamming their alarm system.

"Sensei, you can´t handle all those villains on your own! Let us help you!" Kirishima offered immediately.

"I am a pro. If I can't deal with a group of villains to protect my students, then I am no hero."

With that said, he jumped to face the villains.

The villains laughed when they saw the lone hero running right at them, willing to face them. One hero against an army gathered to kill All Might? Idiot.

Or so they thought.

Eraserhead quickly took down three villains after shutting down their quirks. In his experience, most of them were overconfident about their quirks. As soon as they realized that their quirk wasn´t working, they panicked and made mistakes.

When it came to mutant types, their overconfidence usually came from their superhuman strength and other physical attributes. Because of it, they tended to simply smash their way and thought themselves as unbeatable against quirks like his.

Eraserhead quickly showed why he was a pro-hero despite not having a so-called "flashy quirk."

The underground hero erased the quirks of the emitters and transformation users. While they were confused by their quirk not working, he would either grab them with his rope and use them as a weapon against their comrades, pull them in to knock them out himself, or run at them and beat them up.

Against the mutant types, he used his own strength or his rope to lasso them down and turn them into giant projectiles.

Despite the number disadvantage, Eraserhead was holding his own.

While her coworker fought, Thirteen led Class 1-A towards the exit. They just covered a few meters when the portal villain, Kurogiri, appeared in front of them.

"I apologize for interrupting your escape attempt, but unfortunately, I can't allow it." Kurogiri began to talk. "We are the League of Villains; we have come here today in order to kill the Symbol of Peace, All Might. He was supposed to be here, wasn´t he?"

Izumi froze at his words.

Kill All Might?

Before any of them could say anything, two figures jumped straight at Kurogiri without a second thought.

"EAT THIS BASTARD EXTRA!" Bakugou yelled furiously while throwing one explosion against the villain´s smoky form. At his side, Kirishima was covered entirely in his hardening, aiming recklessly.

Kurogiri didn´t show any signs of damage; the smoke simply reshaping into a humanlike appearance.

"Stop it, you two! Run!" Thirteen tried to warn both boys.

"I forgot that, despite being children, you all are UA´s hero students. Let this be a lesson for the future, heroes." Kurogiri´s smoke covered the whole group, his voice still heard despite his shapeless form.

"Prepare to be split, tortured, and killed. Heroes!"

Izumi realized what he was intending to do and acted as fast as she could.

"Bewear, Machoke! Help Aizawa-sensei and Thirteen-sensei." She threw both pokeballs far away from the smoke, praying to all the Legendaries that they made it away from Kurogiri´s reach.

The trainer felt a strange sensation and closed her eyes. She felt air rush against her, and when she opened them again, she saw that she was in the middle of a wrecked building.

"What the-" she mumbled out.

"Fucking bastard!" A familiar furious voice yelled next to her.

"Bakugou?!" "Midoriya?!" "Bakubro! Midorisis!" "Eh?"

Kirishima ran with a wide smile at Izumi and Bakugou. If he could see the tension between both teens, he said nothing.

"Man, I´m glad the three of us are together," the redhead said.

"You are?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, you two are really strong and reliable."

"Midoriya, Shitty Hair, get ready." Bakugou interrupted him.

"Shitty Hair?" Kirishima poked his hair.

"Shit." She saw what Bakugou noticed.

Villains were entering the room.

Soon, all exits and points were covered. The three teens went into a triangle formation, back against back.

Despite the danger they were facing, the fact that there were villains aiming to kill All Might, that she was once again with her childhood bully, Izumi wasn´t afraid.

She had faced criminals while doing her Pokemon Journey. She had faced the Hie Hassakai. She had faced Overhaul.

The villains were laughing and grinning at what they thought were easy pickings.

Fools.

"Come out, Hakamo-o, Ambipom!" Her dragon and monkey went into a fighting stance the moment they appeared.

"Hakamo-o." The fighting dragon turned towards her. "These guys are villains willing to kill us. Just don´t maim them or kill them, ok?" He nodded with a wide grin. He had been itching for a good fight for weeks now.

"Ambipom, the same." He began to jump in place. He was so going to enjoy beating them up and pranking them at the same time.

Most of the villains shifted their stance towards her. They probably thought that her quirk was simply controlling Hakamo-o and Ambipom, and that if they killed her, then both would disappear.

"Bakugou, Kirishima."

She let her aura envelope her entire body, and then OFA showed up with its usual green sparks.

"Let's show them what UA students can do."

Chapter Text

16

"DIEEEE!" "HAKAAAA!" Twin shouts rang inside a wrecked-up building.

Explosions were heard, quickly followed by screams of pain.

"Wow, Bakubro and Hakamo-o are really strong." Kirishima said, amazed at how both the explosive teen and the dragon were effortlessly taking down villain after villain.

"They are natural brawlers. This is their natural element." Izumi explained while punching a woman who used her hair as a mace in the abdomen. The villain was unconscious before even falling to the ground.

Next to her, Kirishima was dealing with a villain whose quirk gave him sharp, steel-like spikes on his arms and chest. The redhead's hardening proved to be tougher than it looked when his fist actually dented one of the spikes.

The villain tried to backtrack, but Kirishima didn't allow it. He went after the villain, throwing punch after punch. Even when his foe tried to use his arms as coverage, Kirishima didn't relent; he just kept punching and punching. Finally, his fist connected with his foe's chin with an uppercut, throwing him to the ground and defeating him.

On the other corner of the room, Ambipom was dealing with his own opponents, a pair of twins with a transformation type of quirk. From what she could see, one twin transformed his arms into swords and the other into axes.

The monkey-like Pokemon was giggling and jumping side to side, easily evading their attacks. Ambipom trained every day with Lucario and Infernape; as far as he was concerned, these villains were as slow as a Slowpoke.

Ambipom gave both men a mocking smile, one of his tails making a "come here" motion. His actions made both men snarl in anger, rushing at the monkey while waving their weaponized arms recklessly.

Once they were close enough, Ambipom released a lightning bolt that connected with both brothers, making them cry out in pain and fall to their knees, electrical burns visible on their skin.

Bakugou and Hakamo-o were finishing off with their opponents/victims. Izumi was surprised at how well Hakamo-o cooperated with Bakugou. Usually, the dragon only worked alongside those he respected, a.k.a, those who were stronger than him, at his level or close enough.

Now that she thought about it, that would describe the Bakugou she knew.

When the fight started, those two were the first to leapt at the villains: Bakugou throwing a powerful explosion and Hakamo-o running straight to it while releasing a powerful Screech that made them flinch back from the pain, leaving the ones closest to him defenseless against his Body Slam.

The two of them had quickly begun to beat up as many villains as they could. When Bakugou realized that his quirk didn´t harm the dragon Pokemon, he threw caution to the wind and used more powerful explosions. Hakamo-o, for his part, willingly used the explosions as coverage, and sometimes as a propeller, to strike at their enemies.

Izumi sighed. Hakamo-o´s scales were naturally fire-resistant, almost fireproof depending on the intensity of the flames. That, coupled with his dragon typing, made it so that fire attacks were weaker against him. Because of it, he tended to take fire-type attacks to the face, no protection whatsoever.

Trying to get him out of that habit was pointless. His entire species was reckless when it came to battling. Especially when they fought on their own. No. Only experience and defeat would teach him how to avoid certain attacks and to be less reckless.

Whenever Hakamo-o got too restless or cockly, Izumi would let him fight on his own, either against another trainer, her own Pokemon, or a wild Pokemon. The only condition was that his opponent had to be stronger. Way stronger.

Losing those fights and then seeing his other teammates win gave him a good kick in the ego and made him more willing to listen to their advice.

Izumi never enjoyed doing that. She hated it. But she knew it was the best way to help Hakamo-o and not damage their bond. Her dragon was simply different from the rest of her team. Her other Pokemon were more calm; even Bewear obeyed her with no problem, only asking for a good fight once in a while. Hell, Hawlucha´s only defect was how much he liked to showcase in battle, but that was integrated into his DNA.

Oh, yes, Infernape, Lopunny and Ambipom were three little pranksters that would never let an opportunity pass to play her a joke. She was already dreading April's Fools. Why did her mom tell them about it? Her smile had been too wide to be a coincidence.

Gallade, Lucario and Mienfoo had the mindset of samurais, always calm, controlled, vigilant. It's why she kept Gallade so close to Eri, to protect her. Even though Overhaul was arrested, many of his followers escaped; some of the rumors said that they had fled the country.

Still, Izumi was cautious. Eri´s quirk was powerful—too powerful. And they still didn´t know what exactly Overhaul tried to do with it.

For now, the yakuza was in prison, monitored twenty-four seven, and in quirk suppression cuffs. But she wouldn´t breathe relieved until the trial ended and he and his men were sent to Tartarus, where they belonged with all those other monsters and psychopaths.

"STAY FUCKING DEAD FUCKING EXTRAS!" Bakugou yelled while blasting the last villain in the chest. The man didn't even twitch when he fell to the ground.

All the villains lay on the ground, covered in bruises, burns and scratches. Izumi rolled her shoulders, feeling OFA deactivate. Ambipom and Hakamo-o approached her, waiting for further instructions.

The greenete took a moment to examine both of her Pokemon. For being their first villain fight, none showed signs of major injuries. Ambipom had some light bruises, while Hakamo-o was picking at a loose scale.

Izumi frowned. While she was glad that none of her Pokemon were injured, she found the whole situation strange. When she, Infernape, Lucario and Lopunny fought against Overhaul, all of them walked off with wounds. And that has just been one villain. A powerful villain, sure. But one.

Right now, they had faced at least twenty villains in a close space, with Bakugou and Kirishima as reinforcements. A quick glance at them showed that both boys also had no injuries; they were only tired from fighting all those enemies.

"It doesn´t make sense." She said out loud.

"Eh? What do you mean, Midorisis?" Kirishima asked her.

"These villains. They came here with the intention of killing All Might, and yet a group of first-year students were able to defeat them? And without suffering major injuries?"

"You think we shouldn't have won?" He asked, confused.

"Idiot. She is saying that these bastards are too fucking weak to even bother All Might. No way they could kill him even if all of them attacked him at the same time." Bakugou scoffed.

Izumi nodded. "Bakugou is right; these guys are more likely thugs and common criminals recruited just to cause mayhem and distract All Might. Like a horde of Rattatas distracting a Dragonite while the alpha Raticate waits for its chance to sink an Ice Fang."

"I´m not sure what a Rattata or Raticate is supposed to be, but I got the rest! You think these villains were brought just to tire All Might out!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"Worse, I think they actually have someone that could hurt All Might." Her words made both boys blink in surprise.

"WHAT!?" Both yelled.

"Think about it." She explained. "Whoever the ringleader is, there is a good chance they were the ones behind yesterday´s break-in and got a hold on UA´s teaching schedule. If they were smart enough to do it without being captured or leaving a trace, then why attack so suddenly? They must be confident that one of their own has a quirk strong enough to counter or even harm All Might."

"That means we have to return right now with the others! They could be in danger!" Kirishima was ready to bolt to the door.

"Rushing in without a plan will just get us all killed. First, we need to warn the senseis what´s going on."

"But how? Communications are down."

"Only the electronic ones." She smirked. "One of my Pokemon can talk with me telepathically. Distance doesn't matter. Not in a country the size of Japan, and not with how strong our bond is."

After being teleported to this area alongside Kirishima and Bakugou, Izumi realized one thing.

The villains didn't know what their quirks entailed. And they certainly didn't know about her Pokemon.

If they had known the basic thing about them, they would have sent Bakugou to the Downpour Zone or Kirishima to the Shipwreck Zone.

But they didn't. They were split randomly.

And that was their advantage.

"Tch. Do whatever you want. I will put down that fucking purple bastard." Bakugou scoffed.

"Come on, man, now it's not the time for grudges. We have to protect our classmates and senseis. It's our duty as future heroes!" Kirishima stated.

"Idiot. That fucking bastard is the only reason those fuckers were able to infiltrate. Even if the senseis come and beat up their asses, they can still run away thanks to him." The blonde punched his palm. "That's why I´m going to pummel that bastard to the ground and make him regret the day he was born."

Kirishima glanced between both teens. It was obvious that he wanted to help both of them but couldn´t decide who to follow.

"Kirishima, go with Bakugou." Izumi told him.

"But what about you? I can't leave you alone with all these villains. That's not manly!" He protested vehemently.

Izumi smirked. "I'm never alone, Kirishima." She pointed at Hakamo-o and Ambipom, who were standing behind her, ready to attack at any moment. "And I still have two other guys ready to help me if needed." She patted her last two pokeballs on her belt.

"Well, three, actually." She thought to herself, the weight of that ball heavy on her hidden pocket.

She shook that thought away. Now wasn't the best moment to use him. Their bond was still shaky, still uncertain. There were days where he obeyed her with no hesitation, and others where he tried to kill her.

After some more reassurances from her part, Kirishima agreed to follow Bakugou and help him take down the teleporting villain. Of course, the explosive user yelled that he didn't need anybody's help, to fuck off, and other curses Izumi had no idea existed.

Still, the redhead wasn´t perturbed by his behavior and followed him with a Sharpedo-like grin.

"Amb?" The simian Pokemon asked her.

"Bakugou may have the manners of a Primeape, but he is undoubtedly one of the strongest of our class. More so, if someone pisses him off, then there is no force in the universe that would stop him from unleashing a barrage of explosions on that poor soul.

She knew it very well.

Too well.

"Inner peace. Inner peace. In-" "Sir Plushy?" A little girl's voice interrupted his meditation. Seems his meditation time is over.

"Yes, Eri?" The gallant Pokemon asked his trainer´s little sister. The little girl smiled at him and offered him a cookie. Gallade smiled and accepted it.

"Thank you, Eri; it was very yummy." His compliment made her smile. "Are you having fun with your mother?" He asked her.

The young girl nodded frantically, "I'm helping Mama with her work! I'm her new special secretary!" She exclaimed happily. While Eri began to explain all the special duties that Inko had given her, Gallade listened and nodded, glad that she was acting like a child her age should. It was refreshing to see how far Eri had come after suffering so much for most of her life.

Not for the first time, and most likely not the last, Gallade envied his alternate evolution. Oh, he loved being a Gallade; it was one of the reasons he had chosen to challenge Izumi back when he was a Ralts. When he saw that Izumi, back then a kid, had a fighting-type team, he thought that she was his best shot at evolving as a Gallade.

Back then, he never thought that he would meet his best friends. His brothers and sisters. His family.

The only regret he could have was that he lacked the telepathic prowess that the Gardevoir line had. If he had it, he would have left that monster of Overhaul as a vegetable, and no one would have been able to stop him.

Well, everyone had dreams that they knew would never come true.

Eri was telling him that everyone was amazed at how fast she had completed her math homework, and so fast, when he felt a familiar mind connecting with his.

"Gallade! Go to UA and find Headmaster Nezu and All Might! Villains have invaded the USJ; their goal is to kill All Might." Izumi´s warning froze him. His trainer was in danger? "I am safe! One of the villains has some type of teleporting quirk. His body resembles purple smoke and can teleport people to other places. I was sent to one of the simulation zones with two other students. I believe that at least half the class was dispersed to the other zones, and the rest must be still with Aizawa-sensei and Thirteen-sensei back at the entrance. We managed to defeat a group of villains without suffering any injuries." Thanks to their mind link and their bond, Gallade could sense that Izumi wasn't lying or hurt. She was worried, but not for herself.

"Machoke and Bewear are with sensei. Ambipom and Hakamo-o are out of their pokeballs, and I still have Lucario and Toxicroak if needed." And the other guy, he thought to himself.

"What should I tell our mother and Eri? If I just leave, they will worry."

"... Tell Eri that you have a super important mission that only you can do. Tell mom that something happened, but do not tell Eri. I will explain everything when I get home."

"Very well. Izumi, please be careful."

"Heh, you know me."

He did. He knew that his trainer was a true hero. And well willing to risk her life if it means saving her loved ones.

Aizawa had to hand it to Midoriya. The girl certainly knew how to train her Pokemon. If it weren't for them, he would already be dead or severely injured.

When the fight started, he had the advantage. He was fresh; the villains were overconfident of their numbers and quirks, and they had no idea how his quirk worked.

But now he was tired, bruised, he could feel his head pounding from the incoming dry eye that always came after overusing his quirk.

After the teleporting villain Kurogiri attacked his students and Thirteen, he tried to rush and take him down to force him to return the kids from wherever he had taken them. Unfortunately, the other villains capitalized on his desperation and struck back. He was faced with villain after villain until they surrounded him in a circle.

It was at that point, when he was trying to decide who to "erase" that a massive plushie fell in front of him, forming a cloud of dust from the impact.

After the dust settled, Aizawa recognized her.

Bewear, one of Midoriya´s Pokemon. And if his memory recalled right, one of her strongest Pokemon.

The Pokemon gave him a nod and lifted her arms. To everyone's surprise, multiple rocks began to form in front of Bewear. Once they were fully formed, the plushie Pokemon threw her arms at the villains, and the rocks flew against them.

While the villains either destroyed the boulders or evaded them, Bewear moved. The panda-like Pokemon jumped right at the villains. Once she was close to them, she twisted her body; a black, reddish energy circled around her body, and then she threw at them. When the strange energy collided, it threw them to the ground, moaning in pain and clutching at their bodies.

Bewear didn´t relent on her attack; her arms chopped at anyone that came close to her with astounding strength.

Aizawa glanced at the entrance. Thirteen was fine, as were the students that Kurogiri hadn't taken. In front of Kurogiri, shielding his coworkers and students, was another one of Midoriya´s Pokemon. The one called Machoke.

Thirteen glanced towards Eraserhead; the heroine shook her head, her helmet pointed slightly towards the ringleader, the young man whose face and body were covered in severed hands.

Eraserhead nodded. He understood her message. If they wanted to end this quickly and save their students, then they had to take the head down.

"Bewear." Midoriya´s Pokemon looked at him; one of her paws was clutching at a woman who was desperately punching it. "Think you can handle these guys?" Bewear nodded and slammed the villainess to the ground. Once the woman was unconscious, she threw her against the other villains and jumped straight at them, her fists glowing with reddish energy.

From her viewpoint, Thirteen saw Bewear attack savagely at the majority of the villains while Aizawa darted from the rest, his goal being the leader.

The rescue heroine faced Kurogiri, both she and Machoke standing protectively in front of the remaining students.

Thirteen was thinking a mile an hour. Her first instinct was to use Black Hole against Kurogiri, hoping that the gravity pull of her quirk would stop him from activating his portals. However, she bit it back.

Fights weren't her forte. Black Hole was too dangerous to be used in a fight; too unstable and powerful. And she had no idea what the limits of her opponent´s quirk were.

What if he somehow redirected her quirk towards her students? She wouldn't be able to live if innocent's lives were harmed by her recklessness. Hell, even if they were criminals, she wouldn't be able to take it.

Thirteen looked at Machoke. Unlike her, the Pokemon didn't seem to waver at all. His posture was firm, confident, alert. She recognized that look. It was the same that many pros had during a fight. The same many of her coworkers had.

Despite not being human, Machoke had the same level of discipline that only the true pros showed.

Thirteen glanced at her students. They were afraid, all of them. Some, like Mezo-kun, tried to hide it, but she could tell. She quickly began to recall all their names and quirks, trying to find a possible answer to their problem.

The main priority was to escape and call for help. Escape will be tricky with Kurogiri warding the only door. Not impossible, but tricky.

But warning the school and the heroes was another thing.

"Machoke-san, our enemy´s quirk allows him to open portals with his own body and then transport people to other locations. I am uncertain whether or not he has a physical form. I doubt that physical attacks could hurt him, at least not while he is in his shadow form. If you have any move or attack that could hurt him, then use it at my signal." Machoke nodded at her words. The bodybuilder Pokemon moved forward and took a fighting stance. His hands formed a circle, which he pointed at the villain.

Thirteen turned slightly toward the rest of her class. "Iida-kun. Both Machoke and I will take care of Kurogiri. Once you have an opportunity, run as fast as you can towards UA." She ordered.

The tall boy turned towards her, confusion in his voice. "Sensei, I can't leave my fellow classmates behind!" He protested vehemently.

"I can understand your hesitation, Iida-kun, but you are perhaps the only person here who can actually escape successfully and warn the heroes of what's happening. The villain responsible for hijacking our communications and alarms is most likely hiding in one of the zones, away from Eraserhead´s line of sight." Thirteen pointed towards Kurogiri. "His mission is to stop us from leaving, but he is also the villain's only means of escape. Once outside those doors, he won't pursue you. Not without risking his comrades' safety." 'Especially his boss' She thought to herself.

"But.." "Iida, just go." Sato interrupted him. Iida stared at him in shock.

"Sense is right, Iida. With your speed, you´re the only one with a shot to evade that purple bastard."

"Iida-kun." Uraraka spoke. "Don´t worry, we can handle it. Trust us."

Iida scrunched his eyebrows deep in thought. After a moment, he nodded.

"Very well, sensei. I will do it. I will warn All Might and our other teachers about the attack!" He exclaimed.

"Fools. What makes you think that your plan will work now that I have heard it?" Kurogiri asked amused, his shadow shape larger than before, casting a threatening image against the students.

"Isn't it obvious? It's because no matter what you do, you won't be able to stop us! Now!" Thirteen yelled at Machoke, hoping that she had read the Pokemon right.

"MACH!" The bodybuilder Pokemon was the first to move; his large form lurched forward, one arm pulled back, ready to deliver what was surely to be a devastating blow.

Kurogiri laughed at the sight of the strange creature trying to punch him. What a fool.

He had already proven that such attacks couldn´t harm him.

"Stupid creature. My form is literally smoke and shadows. How do yo-" The creature´s forearm slammed right into his neck bracer.

"MAAAAAACHHHH! Machoke pulled with all his strength and threw the villain against the ground. Kurogiri stood there, shocked that somehow this creature had been able to not only grab him but also inflict pain on him.

"IIDA-KUN NOW!" Thirteen yelled. Iida didn't waste a second. His leg engines turned at max power, and he ran faster than he had ever done.

Kurogiri tried to get up, but a foot slammed right onto his bracer. The creature, Machoke, pressed its foot harder against his neck.

The villain was about to activate his quirk when a gloved hand pointed right at his face.

"Don't even think about it, villain. Your reflexes and speed may be sharp, but they won't save you if Black Hole sucks you." One of Thirteen's fingers began to release a threatening black mist. Not strong or far enough to damage him, but enough that his body could feel the dangerous pull of the gravity.

Villain and hero stared at each other. Thirteen's helmet obscured her face, and Kurogi lacked any facial features.

However, he could see that she was serious. And she could see that he was nervous.

"Woohooo!" "Great job, Machoke!" "Go Iida! Thirteen-sensei and Machoke cleared the path!" The students cheered, happy that the dangerous villain had been defeated.

"Fools. It's too early to celebrate. After all, they will all die once Shigaraki gives the order," Kurogiri maliciously thought.

"I'm going to die. I´m going to die. I´M GOING TO DIE!" Minoru desperately thought. The reason for his desperation was the shark-headed villain; with his jaw wide open and aiming for his head, he had been certain that he would die.

He started to relive memories from his early childhood when a tongue grabbed him from his torso and pulled him towards a green body.

At the moment, he had no idea what was going on. His savior moved so fast that all he saw was a blurry mess. When they finally left the water and fell on the deck of a lone ship, he just heaved all the water he had swallowed.

After what felt like forever but was more likely a few minutes, he began to breathe more normally and started to look around.

He was on a ship, with Asui (or Tsu, as she later asked to be called) and Kaminari next to him. Kaminari looked ragged like him, while Tsu kept glancing at the water below them.

One hesitant peak almost made him wish he was wearing a real diaper and not shorts that looked like one.

Surrounding the ship were dozens of villains. Dozens of dangerous criminals grinning maliciously at them. Planning on torturing and killing them.

The sight made Minoru lose his cool. He began to hyperventilate and shiver, panic clouding his mind. He cried, afraid of dying and desperate.

His classmates calmed him down. Well, more like Tsu asked him why he wanted to be a hero if he was shaking like a leaf at the first sight of danger, while Kaminari just patted him on the back.

Minoru was shocked at the frog girl´s bluntness and more at how calm and stoic she was. He asked her how she wasn't afraid, and she just replied that she was afraid, but if she just stood there, frightened and hiding, then she would most certainly die.

Their one chance of survival was to fight back and regroup with their senseis and fellow classmates.

"It's easy for you two to say that. Your quirks are cool and useful. Mine isn't." He muttered.

"What? No way, man, you passed the Practical Test!" Kaminari protested. "There were hundreds of kids there, and you beat lots of them. Hell, in my sector, there was this chick that could summon some big flaming wings from her back. She barely won any points! Every time a robot got close, she chickened out and flew away. Besides, my quirk isn't that great. I can only release so much electricity. If I go overboard, then my brain gets zapped, and I'm left a blubbering useless mess." Kaminari shared his quirk´s greatest weakness.

Minoru was left speechless at that. He could vaguely remember the blonde saying something like that before, after their teams fought each other and both of them were rendered useless while Yaoyomo and Kyouka shined.

"No quirk is perfect, Mineta-kun. They all have backwards. Besides, there are plenty of heroes with quirks that at first glance don´t seem like much. Like Aizawa-sensei or Midnight-sensei. Neither would have passed the Practical Exam easily, at least not if it was against robots. Their quirks are useless against them. Kero" Tsu reminded him calmly.

Minoru frowned. His classmates were right. He knew very well that there were plenty of heroes with so-called 'weak quirks'. Well, to be honest, he mostly knew that there were heroines with 'weak quirks'.

He was a teenager, and they wore sexy costumes; sue him!

"Kaminari-kun, do you have any ranged attacks?" "Eh?" "Can you release a bolt of lightning? Like in video games." Tsu asked the blonde boy.

"Kinda, but it's not really accurate. Like at all." He rubbed the back of his head.

"It´s ok. Do you think you can aim it just at the water?" Eh?" Both boys said confused.

"Water conducts electricity. If we electrocute the water, then the villains will be disabled. After that, I can carry all of us and jump far enough that the lingering static won't harm us. Kero" Tsu explained her plan.

"I-It could work. But you two need to stay on the other side of the ship, just in case. My control isn't the best." Both Minoru and Tsu agreed with his petition.

The two began to walk as far as they could from Kaminari when the ship rocked violently, sending them to the ground.

"Shit! They ripped a hole in the side!" Minoru pointed down at the wide, smoking gap.

"No time! Kaminari, do it!" The blonde nodded nervously and pointed his hands at the water. His brow was covered in sweat, and he was mumbling incoherently at himself.

"Kaminari." Minoru didn´t know why he was talking; he just let his mouth run. "You can do it. We can do it. We are students of Class 1-A, remember?" Minoru gave his fellow pervert a shaky thumbs-up. He was just as scared as him, after all.

Kaminari shook himself and nodded.

"Eat this, assholes! Shocking Water!" Denki pointed his hands directly at the water, releasing a strong current, one that he was confident enough that he could control. Or at least not hurt his friends.

To Denki´s surprise, his attack, while dispersed, didn't hurt any of his friends but collided directly with the water. And to the villains despair, it electrocuted every single one of them.

The three students stared at the sight of the spasming and even unconscious villains, surprised that their plan actually worked.

Tsu didn't waste any time. She grabbed Mineta with one arm, thankful that the boy was so small, and pulled Kaminari with the other. She focused all her strength on her legs and jumped as far as she could.

The three flew over the sky, anxious and glad that they had escaped from that death trap. When they began to fall, Tsu motioned for the boys to try to fall on their feet. Based on her experience, they were high enough that the impact would hurt but not seriously injure them.

True to her prediction, when the three of them crashed against the water, their muscles and bones strained, but not dangerously. Tsu, of course, was the one with the least damage; her body was made to withstand high-altitude dives, and she had spent lots of time practicing and researching how much regular humans could stand in similar situations.

After all, she planned on being a marine-type heroine. It was important to know the limits of normal humans in case she had to make a decision to save a victim that could inadvertently harm them.

After some swearing, panting, and more swearing, the three students reached the shore near the Central Plaza. From their distance and viewpoint, they could barely see some figures standing in the middle of the square.

"I still can't believe that worked." Minoru whispered.

"Heh. I bet they had a shocking experience. Right?" Kaminari joked. Minoru barked a short laugh at such a bad joke, grateful for his attempt to lighten up the mood.

Tsu didn't laugh; she just gave him one of her nonplussed looks. When she looked again at the front, she froze.

The other boys froze too. What they saw on the square froze them.

There, laying on the floor, one of his legs broken and his left arm holding his right shoulder, blood pouring from his forehead, was Aizawa-sensei.

Next to him was a figure that they barely recognized as one of Midoriya´s Pokemon. One that resembled a stuffed bear. No, a panda. Bewear. Midoriya did say that the name could confuse those not raised on Alola.

The three hero students stared in disbelief at the sight of Bewear´s bruised and bloodied body. Her fur was matted in knots, with blood dripping from her mouth and some of her claws missing.

In front of them was something that could only be described as a monster.

It was big, slightly taller than Bewear, with a humanoid body; an old pair of trousers were his only clothes. It was well muscled and toned; its entire body was black with an almost blueish tint. But what made it so fearsome were the old scars scattered over its body, the manic smile on its face, and the visible brain on top of his head.

What made it more scary was the complete lack of fresh injuries or any signs of tiredness.

"How?" they heard Aizawa-sensei ask. "I erased that thing´s quirk." His eyes never strayed from the young man who had the hands covering his face and body.

The man laughed sadistically. "Yes, you did Eraserhead. But which quirk did you erase?"

Everyone was startled by that. The villain said quirks. As in more than one quirk?

"What?" Eraserhead asked.

"We came here today to kill All Might. That is our goal, our mission, our wish. We needed a weapon that could counter that brute´s quirk. Nomu has super increased strength, high enough to match All Might´s. And two quirks: Shock Absorption and Super Regeneration. Do you get it Eraserhead? Whatever damage he can't absorb, his body can simply heal! Nomu is the greatest weapon ever invented! He is invincible!" The villain laughed, a cruel, maniac laugh.

"Stop right now, villain! Or your partner will pay the consequences!" Thirteen-sensei yelled from the top of the stairs. At her side, Machoke was holding the portal villain that had sent them to the Flood Zone by his neck.

While Thirteen-sensei's face was hidden by her helmet, all of them could see the furious glare on Machoke´s face.

"Oy Kurogiri! How the hell did that sorry excuse of a hero capture you?!"

"My apologies, Shigaraki Tomura. I underestimated this strange creature´s abilities. Also, I regret to inform you that one of the students managed to escape. Based on what I could glimpse from his quirk, it's only a matter of time for the heroes to arrive."

"Eh? What a drag. We didn't kill All Might. We didn't kill Eraserhead or Thirteen. And the heroes are about to crash the game. What shall we do?" Shigaraki asked absenmidendly.

Before anyone could do anything, before anyone could think anything, Shigaraki Tomura turned towards where Minoru, Tsu and Kaminari were hiding.

With a manic glee in his voice, the villain spoke: "How about we leave some corpses for the Symbol of Peace to find?"

With that said, he moved. Fast. Freakishly fast.

Shigaraki held his hand wide open, his target, Tsu´s head.

Minoru didn´t even think; his body moved without his input. His hands grabbed his head, pulling quickly his sticky spheres and throwing them at Shigaraki´s eyes.

His aim proved to be true; his 'balls', as he sometimes called them, covered not only Shigaraki´s eyes but also hit his mouth, forehead, and hands. Mineta´s shot may be incredibly accurate, but it lacked the strength to actually harm the villain. All it did was make him pause abruptly.

When Minoru saw how the spheres that were adhered to Shigaraki´s hands began to melt, he felt relieved that he had managed to stop the villain before he could touch Tsu.

When he saw how his spheres had disintegrated completely and that the crazy man was melting the ones on his face, he got scared.

When Shigaraki glared at him furiously with so much killing intent, he once again almost shitted his crap.

"Nomu, kill that fucking grape."

Nomu stared directly at Minoru; there was no real emotion in its gaze, only animal instincts. The creature barely took one step before another figure intercepted him. Bewear grabbed him and began to squeeze him.

Nomu slammed his head backwards, hitting Bewear straight in the face. One. Twice. Thrice. Over and over again. And yet, after all that pain and abuse, Bewear refused to let go.

"Oy Nomu. Stop playing around with that NPC and kill the brats. They are worth more points."

Nomu gave a mighty yell and broke Bewear´s hold. The Strong Arm Pokemon fell backwards. She didn't even have time to move before Nomu´s feet kicked her in the torso.

Everyone stared helplessly at the abuse that Bewear was supporting. All to protect one of Midoriya´s classmates. And they could do nothing.

Nomu was about to kick Bewear one last time when the main door of the USJ was torn off.

The heroes and students began to feel hope at the sight of the man crossing the doorway.

"Don´t worry, everyone." All Might declared, his smile not happy but angry. "FOR I AM HERE"

"So, the final boss finally shows up." Muttered Shigaraki, glad that his plan would finally go the way he wanted.

Chapter Text

17

Toshinori felt like he was the biggest idiot in the world. No, in the universe.

He was the Symbol of Peace. The Number One Hero in Japan. The eight holder of OFA. How many times have those titles lured villains in an attempt to kill him? Dozens? Hundreds? Honestly, he had lost count.

Besides, compared to AFO assessination attempts, the rest seemed more like flies poking at a lion. Bothersome, but not threatening.

But the truth was that he had gotten too confident in his position. In his position and reputation. He had gotten lazy.

And now his students and colleagues have paid for it.

Thirteen was safe; the students behind her and Machoke too, thankfully. But most of the class was missing. Aizawa was severly harmed, blood pouring from his face, his arm bent at an unnatural angle. And Bewear, one of Midoriya's toughest Pokemon, showed signs of damage as well.

"Do you like our gift, All Might?! Shame you came so fast; I was planning on leaving you pieces of your students as a souvenir." Shigaraki taunted the Number 1 Hero, sadistically grinning at how furious the hero looked.

All Might didn't respond to his taunting; he had more important priorities than exchanging bad banter with some wackjock.

"I'm glad that Midoriya-shoujo is so overprotective of Eri-chan. Gallade was able to warn us of the situation quickly enough. I got ahead of the rest; they should be arriving in a few minutes. Iida-shonen should be about to meet them. I told him to inform them of everything that happened." The students gathered sighed, relieved that the heroes would soon arrive and save them from this nightmare.

"All Might, be careful. Those villains are more dangerous than they seem. If their leader is truthful, then the big one isn't a normal human." Thirteen intercepted him before he could move further, worry on her voice. "He claims that this, Nomu, has more than one quirk."

For just a second, All Might froze. Fear enveloped his mind. Fear and panic. The phantom of his old foe threatened to crush him.

'No. It can't be him. He is dead. I saw it myself. I felt it. It must be something else.' All Might forced himself to push all those old and painful memories to the back of his head, to lock them up tight until he could find somewhere safe to let them run wildly.

He didn't have time to dwell on the past; he had to save his students and fellow heroes.

All Might lurched forward, the few villains that were still conscious didn't even get a chance. All they felt were the hits of the strongest hero before unconsciousness claimed them.

All Might grabbed a barely conscious Aizawa, feeling guilt and rage at seeing the injuries that the underworld hero had sustained.

Despite having a smile on his face, there was no disguising his rage. His eyes were furious, his smile tense, not cheerful. All Might was using all his years of experience and self-control to not explode and show his real emotions.

With another lurge, he ran towards Bewear, placed the battered Pokemon on his back, and then quickly grabbed the three scared students, protecting them with his body.

One last jump, and he was close to the staircase, his charges gently deposited on the floor.

"Asui-san, Mineta-kun, Kaminari-kun, help Aizawa to the exit and stay there." He ordered.

"But what about Bewear? We can't let her here!" Kaminari protested, staring horrified at the bruised bear.

"Don't underestimate her. She is stronger than she looks." True to his words, Bewear was moving her arms, pushing against the ground to lift herself up.

Asui tried to help her, hugging her side in a vain attempt to assist her.

One of Bewear's paws shakily patted Asui's head. The stuffed Pokemon smiled gratefully at the frog girl, appreciating her kindness.

"Now, go. I will take care of this trash."

The group obeyed him. Kaminari and Asui lifted Aizawa's arms between them, with Mineta following closely, his hands filled with his balls in case someone tried to attack them. Bewear lagged behind them; her size and weight were too much for the kids to handle.

The three students were relieved that All Might was here and that the rest of the staff wasn't that far behind. The guy that had dispersed everyone was held tightly in Machoke's grip, leaving only two villains left: the crazy one with all the severed hands covering his body and the creepy one with the exposed brain.

Even if one of them had managed to defeat both Aizawa-sensei and Bewear, he was still All Might.

There was no way he could lose.

Machoke glared at the monster called Nomu. Machoke was a grown Pokemon and an adult, a seasoned battler who had fought against many opponents from all over the Regions.

He had seen all types of fighters: cocky, nervous, arrogant, confident, cautious—even the bloodthirsty ones that struck recklessly and savagely.

Nomu was none of them.

There was no intelligence behind its eyes, no desire, no emotion.

Its screams were too loud, trying to scare and intimidate, but that would only work on those already frightened by its appearance.

For him, it was only annoying.

Yet, just because Nomu didn't seem to be an intelligent being didn't mean that Machoke didn't want to beat it to a paste and pound it to the ground.

After all, that thing had hurt his best friend.

He stared painfully at Bewear, his training partner, his best friend, the only one with whom he could fight to the fullest without fearing hurting them.

Machoke only had a few opportunities to truly let go of his strength, to not control himself, to take off his belt, and let his monstrous strength out.

In the past year and a half that they had known each other, they had built a great friendship based on respect and having lots in common.

Ah, all of them treated each other like a team, like family, but like with any other family, some members were closer to others than to the rest.

Lucario and Gallade called themselves brothers, too similar in their values. Mienfoo orvitated them a lot, not that they minded. Lopunny, Infernape and Ambipom were a trio of pranksters; Hawlucha got along with all of them, easily fitting in each group; Toxicroak and Hakamo-o were loners; and Tyrogue was still a baby.

What hurt him most wasn't seeing his sister in all but blood hurt. No, it was the defeated look that she had. How she walked ashamed of herself, how she wouldn't lift her head to look at him.

That monster had hurt his sister's pride, and he wanted nothing more but to return the favor.

"I know that you wish to help your friend, but you can't." Thirteen told him. "We have an important duty to uphold; we must protect the students." The heroine reminded him calmly of their responsibilities.

Machoke grunted in response. He knew that the space heroine was right. They had to protect the students. These kids had probably never seen a true fight in their lives, never fought for their lives against such monsters. Maybe they got mugged once or twice, or got spooked by a creepy guy, but not this.

He had. Poachers didn't care if a Pokemon was already captured or part of a protected species. They certainly didn't care if they had to kill a kid to get their hands on a rare Pokemon.

Machoke shook his head, dispersing dark memories. This wasn't the place or the time to get lost in his head.

He had to stay on his toes.

All Might stared wordlessly at the leader of the villains. The man was bended over, grasping a severed hand with reverence. When he had grabbed young Asui, Mineta and Kaminari, he had knocked aside the hand covering the villain's face, not exactly by accident.

"Ah, Ah, Father." Shigaraki spoke to the hand, "He truly is strong father. And fast. My eyes couldn't follow him. But he wasn't as fast as on his videos. Were they right? Has your power decreased, All Might?" A malicious glint shone in his visible eyes.

"Mutter all you wish, villain. It won't change anything." All Might wasn't in the mood to barter with Shigaraki. Not after seeing the state of Aizawa and Bewear. Not after imagining how his missing students were faring. Not after imagining his successor in the place of his harmed colleague.

'My overconfidence in my title and status caused this. So I must be the one to stop it!'

All Might leaped forward, straight at Nomu, acknowledging him as the biggest threat.

His arms were crossed in an X formation across his chest, aiming for a chop cross.

"Carolina SMASH!" All Might struck Nomu in the chest. To his surprise, there was no injury visible or any sign of pain or discomfort on the creature. In fact, Nomu tried to grab him in a deadly bear hug, which he evaded by crunching and delivering a powerful punch to its abdomen.

"Unvelivable. None of my attacks do anything!" He admitted.

"Of course they don't. Nomu's Shock Absortion was made with the purpose of withstanding your brutal strength, All Might. You will have to gut him to kill him, and he won't let that happen!" Shigaraki gloated, pleased that his creature was performing as expected.

"I see! Then, I know exactly what to do!" All Might used his speed to stand behind Nomu; quickly, he grabbed him in a bear hug by the middle and performed a highly explosive backdrop.

When the dust cloud settled, All Might was standing, while Nomu's upperbody was buried in the concrete.

"Now-" CRUNCH.

All Might turned around. His eyes widened slighly in disbelief.

All stared in disbelief.

Despite having his entire upperbody buried in hard, harder than rock, concrete, despite the fact that he should be uncouncious, or even dead from the impact, Nomu was moving.

Not just moving. Nomu was using his legs to push against the floor, the concrete groaning, cracks forming.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH" With one almighty yell, Nomu pushed his body out of the floor, blood pouring from his teared skin and muscle visible to the eye.

And then, the skin began to mend. In only seconds, to everyone's horror, Nomu looked as good as new.

"Hahahahaha!" Shigaraki laughed at the scene. "See! Nomu is imparable! Shock Absorption to counter your strength and Super Regeneration to mend even missing limbs! He is the perfect counter weapon made against you! All Might!" He gloated, overconfident of Nomu's power.

All Might frowned, a hundred plans going over his head, trying to find a way to defeat both villains before OFA gave out and his secret became known.

Nomu barely took a step forward when a wall of ice covered him completely.

"Oy, Half-Bastard! I was about to pummel him!" Bakugou yelled to a calm Todoroki.

"The phrase is thank you. That thing would have ripped you in half if it had gotten hold of you."

"Why you little-!" Bakugou snarled at the two-toned boy.

"Wow, Bakubro, calm down!" Kirishima tried to calm him down.

"Todoroki, you should have used your fire. Your ice is a bad choice for this battle." Izumi pointed with her chin at Nomu's encased body. To the ice and fire user shock, his ice had cracks and fissures quickly growing.

With one mighty crash, the ice was pulverized from the inside, its former prisoner not even showing freeze burns or hypothermia symptoms.

"See, it doesn't matter what you throw at him. Nomu was made to kill All Might. That´s his sole purpose. To kill the fake Symbol of Peace and restore true peace to the world!" Shigaraki announced. "After all, what kind of Symbol of Peace acts so violently against his enemies? Come on! You want to kill me, right, All Might? Is that what you teach these kids? Look at how that boy was willing to kill Nomu with his ice! Is that how heroes are supposed to act?!"

All Might snorted. "If you are going to lie, at least learn to do it. You just want to kill me. I can see it clearly in your eyes. The eyes of a maniac that just wants to kill everyone on their path."

"Huh. So you do have a brain somewhere beneath that mass of muscles. Doesn't matter. You all will die. Nomu. Kill the kids first, then the teachers, and then All Might." Shigaraki smiled sadistically at his new idea, already imagining All Might's despair at failing to protect those he cared about.

All Might stood in front of the kids, his arms wide open, prepared to shield them from Nomu.

"All of you, run. I will deal with both of them."

"All Might, wait-" Izumi tried to interrupt him. "No, run with the others now."

"If Infernape and I use that move, we can overcome his Super Regeneration and then you would only have to deal with his Shock Absorption." She pointedly glanced at her left wrist, where a familiar silver bracelet rested, holding a stone engraved with two z interwened.

All Might hesitated. He was aware of what Midoriya-shoujo was talking about. He had seen it back when he was training the girl. On more than one occasion, the greenete had practiced certain powerful attacks with her team, with him serving as a witness to their power.

He knew that his succesor was right; he understood her worries. They were running out of time. He only had a few minutes left before he would have to return to his weak form. If he overexerted himself… who knows what would happen.

Izumi saw the hesitation in her mentor's eyes. He didn't want to risk her life or the others. But the truth was that they didn't have any other choice.

"Midoriya-shoujo, I can't order you to attack a dangerous villain just to protect myself. Do you understand?" Izumi nodded, a wry smile on her lips.

All Might nodded, and then he jumped right at Nomu, both combatants striking hard at each other.

"Infernape, come out!" "INNN"

"Midori-sis? What are you doing?" Kirishima asked her, confused.

"Helping All Might." She answered.

Huh? But he said we can't interfere!" "No. He said he can't order us to help him, not that we can't."

"And you think you can defeat that thing?" Todoroki coldly asked.

"I don't need to defeat him; just weaken his regeneration." Izumi smirked at their looks. Even Bakugou looked a little shocked at her confidence.

Izumi breathed out; she focused. Not on herself. Not on her aura or on OFA. She focused on Infernape, on their bond, on the key stone that stood on his own bracelet, and on the z ring on her wrist.

Once she felt the energy flowing among both of them, her eyes snapped open, and her body followed the moves necessary to activate the powerful fire-type attack.

With every motion her body made, fire surrounded her body until she was covered by a fiery inferno.

"Infernape! Z Move!" The fire surrounding her body flew into a shower of stars that was absorbed by Infernape. "INFERNO OVERDRIVE!"

Infernape created a giant fireball, bigger than All Might, bigger than Nomu; its size could have covered both combatants and left space for one more easily.

"AAAPEEEEE!" Infernape threw his most powerful attack towards Nomu, who was being kept in the same place by a barrage of fast punches from All Might.

When All Might had started his attack, he had made sure to keep Nomu's back against Midoriya-shoujo, making sure that the creature would only pay attention to him.

So, when he saw Infernape produce the fireball, he jumped, kneeled Nomu on the eyes, disorienting it temporarily, giving him the chance to grab him by the arm and throw him right into the path of the fire-type attack.

The resulting explosion kicked off a bigger dust cloud than the one All Might had previously made. The heat wave released from Z Move had even Bakugou and Todoroki´s eyes sting, making the explosive user blink and swear at the dryness while the two-toned boy used his ice to refresh himself a little, all the while glaring hatefully at Infernape´s panting form, seeing another hated person instead of the ape Pokemon.

"Midori-sis!" Kirishima shouted, rushing to Izumi´s side when he saw how the greenete swayed in place.

Izumi panted breathlessly, holding OFA tight to her body, feeling how the quirk wanted to lash out, to be released and explode like a hurricane.

Izumi was vaguely aware of Kirishima´s worried voice at her side, of his arms helping her to sit on the ground, right next to a crouched Infernape.

The trainer had never felt this winded before. Not even back when Riley first taught her how to access her Aura or when Overhaul beat her up, or when she first began to truly train to control OFA.

The closest she ever felt to this sensation was when she defeated Kiawe and used a Z move for the first time.

That time, Izumi had not only activated the Z move, but she had also fueled its power by giving her aura to Infernape. The resulting Inferno Overdrive didn't just wreck and scorch a good portion of Wela´s rocky hills; it also made Pokemon and trainer faint for two days.

After regaining consciousness and being berated by a pissed and worried Lilly, she quickly figured out what happened.

The Z moves, much like the Megaevolution stones and most likely the Dynamax Phenomena she had heard about, used the aura and energy of both trainer and Pokemon to activate. And since she was an aura user, a person that could control and manipulate her aura by will, the Z stone and ring focused on it without her realizing it and used it as fuel for the overpowered attack.

With that in mind, Izumi focused her training on reigning in her aura to avoid that situation ever happening again. It wasn't like she could simply not use Z moves; they were a great advantage in a battle. Also, they were a badge of pride, of success.

Unlike the Mega stones that any trainer could find if they worked their asses to the bone, the Z moves could only be won after defeating their guardians.

By the time she met All Might, she had finally managed to control the amount of aura she would use on the attack. She had only practiced a little before inheriting OFA and thus focusing on keeping a leash on its power, less it tore her apart.

This was the first time in months that she used a Z move. She had been ready to control her aura, to only let a small amount leak; she wanted to weaken Nomu, not kill it after all. What she hadn´t expected was for OFA to also activate, to actually try to somehow power the Z move, to try to strengthen Infernape.

In a way, it made sense. All Might said that OFA was a quirk that stockpiled power and passed it to a new holder; it was a quirk that got more powerful the more users it passed through.

'Wait, could OFA actually transfer to Infernape or any of my Pokemon if we used a Z Move? What if we used Mega evolution? Did my aura somehow alter how OFA worked?' She thought fearfully, panicking about the possible repercussions of the quirk mechanics changing.

"Wow, Midori-sis, Infernape, you two are really manly." Kirishima muttered awed at the state of Nomu.

The ultimate weapon was covered in third-degree burns, with patches of skin not even bleeding and others gushing blood like rivers. One of its eyes was completely destroyed; only an empty socket left. Surprisingly, the exposed brain was the only part not injured. Most likely, it was the toughest part of the body.

If All Might had any pity for the severely burned villain, he didn´t show it. He ran straight towards the injured villain and let a flurry of powerful punches collide against his chest, abdomen, head, blood pouring from the injuries.

"Thanks to Midoriya-shoujo and Infernape-kun's efforts, I only have to deal with Shock Absorption. A+ for perfectly figuring out a villain's weakness! Now, it's time for me to finish this nightmare once for all! PLUS ULTRA!" All Might´s fist collided in a beautiful uppercut against Nomu´s chin, throwing the villain not just against the dome that protected the USJ but also throught it, easily tearing through the metal and blinded glass that formed it.

Everyone stared in awe at the show of strength, not only of the Strongest Hero but also of trainer and Pokemon.

Well, almost everyone.

"Cheater." Shigaraki seethed in absolute rage, his eyes never leaving a tired Izumi.

"What kind of power-up was that? Huh? That was a cheating skill! It wasn´t fair! You, you, cheater!" Shigaraki moved faster than they expected, his right hand aimed towards Izumi's face. Even without knowing what his quirk did, she felt like death was coming for her.

"CHOOOKE!" A boulder crashed against Shigaraki, sending him tumbling to the ground, blood pouring from his mouth, and several bruises already forming on his body.

Izumi glanced back towards the entrance hall, where a pissed Machoke had just used what she recognized as Smack Down, his face glaring furiously at Shigaraki.

Unfortunately, Machoke's intervention meant that Kurogiri used his distraction to slip past his grip and teleport towards Shigaraki.

"Shigaraki Tomura, the heroes must be close by. Nomu has lost. Thirteen is in perfect health, but she is far away, and I now know the weakness of those strange creatures." Kurogiri´s eyes locked on Izumi´s form. "Its owner is weakened, as are her other two creatures. If we strike now, together, we can still have a shot at killing All Might."

Shigaraki stood in silence, considering his options. "Making it this far, finally getting face to face with the Floor Boss, and running away like a couple of moobs? No, I can't do that. You are right, Kurogiri. We will finish this now." Shigaraki moved, his fingers stretched, aiming right for Izumi.

The villain didn't make more than a few steps when a bullet pierced his arm.

Standing on the top floor, panting and exhilarated, stood a proud-looking Iida. And surrounding him were the rest of the teachers.

"Class President! Thirteen-sensei! Everyone! Sorry, it took me so long! But I brought reinforcements!"

"Stand down, villain, or the next bullet will make you need diapers for the rest of your lowly life." Snipe threatened coldly, showing bare mercy to someone who dared to attack the kids in such a cowardly way.

Shigaraki stared blankly at the gathered heroes, not caring about the blood pouring from his hand.

"Tch. This Boss can call for allies, huh? Guess we will go back to the planning board, Kurogiri." Kurogiri enveloped Shigaraki with his mist-like body, bullets passing aimlessly through it. Even Thirteen´s Black Hole couldn't slow down their attempt to escape.

"We might have failed this time, All Might, but the next time you will die! Symbol of Peace!"

With that last threat, Kurogiri and Shigaraki disappeared.

All Might let out a sigh.

None of the students were dead. Bewear would recover as soon as Recovery Girl treated her. None of the students were severely injured. Scared, maybe traumatized? Sure. But those wounds could and would heal. Thirteen was safe, and Aizawa was already grumbling about not wasting time with hospitals.

Seeing Young Midoriya being hugged by her friends, seeing her safe, and not shutting down after such an experience made him feel even prouder of his chosen successor.

All the villains, except for the leaders, were being arrested; the police would shortly take them to the station to interrogate them and jail them for the multiple charges they had managed to collect in less than an hour.

Even his secret was safe. With the intervention of his colleagues, he managed to step out of everyone's sight and release his Muscled Form.

All Might frowned. They might have won this battle, but one thing was sure.

This wasn´t the end of it.

He knew it.

Chapter Text

18

Eri chewed on her lip nervously; her eyes flickered to her mommy, who was staring intensely at her computer. Every few minutes her eyes would slide towards her phone, like she was waiting for a call. Eri suspected that it had to do with Nee-chan, which made her worry.

When Ser Plushy had left, saying that Izumi-nee needed him for something important, she hadn't thought much of it. It wasn't weird for Ser Plushy to suddenly receive a psychic message from Nee-chan and leave immediately.

They did it a loooot when Nee-chan was training for her Entrance Exam. One minute Ser Plushy was drinking tea with her or teaching her how to meditate, and the next he would have to leave the room to bring something to Nee-chan.

At least he returned quickly, and with an apple candy as an apology.

Eri loooved those candies.

But now, Ser Plushy still hasn't returned. And her mama had asked her to stay in her personal office instead of the main conference room, where she usually sat unless an important meeting was being held.

Eri felt her tummy twist in nerves.

"Mama? Is Nee-chan ok?" She asked, fear and distress visible on her face.

Inko closed her eyes, trying to figure out how to explain to her youngest what was going on without scaring her. Mostly since she wasn't sure what exactly was happening.

While Eri had grown bounds and leaps from the shy, frightened little girl she had first met in that hospital room, there were times when she could be overwhelmed if her limits were pushed enough.

Between the press and the false alarm, her little girl had hit her limit the previous day. While Inko was proud that Eri wanted to be brave and confront her fears, the greenete believed in not rushing recklessly. So, she organized a mother-daughter day at her office.

And now she was filled with anxiety, her heart bursting inside her chest, waiting to hear back from Izumi or her teachers about what the hell was happening at the school.

Gallade only told him that Izumi called him with their mind link and that she would explain everything when she was back.

Inko wanted to curse when Gallade told her that, but it didn't surprise her. Her eldest daughter spent years bottling down her feelings and problems, acting like everything was fine, like she was just like any other kid, like she could still be a hero like her idol.

After Izumi returned home, mother and daughter had a face-to-face; both Midoriyas talked thoroughly about her childhood and the mistakes both of them made. Izumi admitted that she had been bullied by her schoolmates and teachers, never reporting it since she was a useless quirkless girl; Inko explained how much it frightened her the simple thought of Izumi being harmed as the true reason why she never supported her dream of becoming a quirkless hero. In retrospect, even if Izumi had been born with a quirk, she still would have had her doubts and concerns.

Even with all of that in the air, Izumi still tended to hide things.

She was well aware that her daughter hadn't been 100% truthful with her stories, that she was only told the kiddie-safe parts. It took her months to convince her daughter that she could handle it, that she didn't need to be coddled.

Inko sighed, mentally exhausted. She would need to have another talk with Izumi about hiding important information.

"Eri," Inko crouched in front of her. "Something happened during Izumi's class. I don't know all the details, but I'm sure that your sister is safe. She is a stubborn girl, remember." Inko gave her a small hopeful smile, trying to convey confidence to her youngest.

Eri nodded, doubtful but hopeful. Her Nee-chan was the strongest person she knew. She had saved her from Overhaul after all!

Eri and Inko jumped when the older greenete's phone sounded, a message popping in.

Inko grabbed her phone, a relieved sigh leaving her lips when she read it.

The lawyer closed her files and turned off her computers. "Come on Eri, we are leaving early." Eri nodded, grabbing her Recovery Girl backpack and following her mom.

"Mama, where are we going?" She asked.

"To see Izumi. Everything got solved, so I can berate that daughter of mine about not leaving me scared half to death."

Eri nodded in complete agreement.

Nee-chan should learn to give better messages!

"Well, I have to say this is a pleasant surprise." Chiyo's patients stared in confusion. Their previous experience with the heroine involved the woman shouting and berating them for being two gigantic reckless idiots.

It was weird seeing her so calm.

"It is?" All Might showed his courage by speaking first, risking invoking her famous rage at him.

"Of course. Neither of you two fools have a single broken bone, only fatigue and strained muscles. It's a great improvement from the last time the three of us were in the same room." The short nurse gave All Might and Izumi a pointed glance; both could only flush and fidget in place, embarrassed at the reminder.

Izumi was the one to break the silence that filled the nurse's office.

"Where is Aizawa-sensei?" She asked, not having seen her teacher since the ambulance took him from the USJ, much to his annoyance and grumbling.

"With the rat. I already fixed his injuries. They were bad, but could have been worse if Bewear hadn't intervened. As long as he takes it easy, he should be fine in a few days." She already gave permission to Hisashi-kun and Kamaya-san to tie him up if he tried to patrol.

Youngsters these days. They never followed their doctor's orders.

"And Bewear?" Her eyes darted to her Pokemon, who was asleep on her bed.

"Bewear had a mild concussion, and her right arm was dislocated. Nothing that a quick kiss couldn't fix. Good thing her body is so sturdy; if it weren't, she would have had internal damage to her organs." Izumi paled at the image, glad that she had chosen to bring Bewear and Machoke. She shuddered to think what would have happened if it had been Ambipom or Lopunny or Mienfoo the ones facing Nomu.

Chiyo gave the younger girl a comforting pat on the hand. "Do not worry. Between my quirk and those potions of yours, Bewear is perfectly healthy. All her injuries are already fixed and healed." Izumi nodded, relieved that her Pokemon wasn't in any danger from the damage imparted by Nomu.

"The rest of the students?" All Might asked.

"Minor injuries, mostly scratches and light bruising. I did recommend that they see Hound Dog, but I doubt they will. Kids these days are stubborns."

"Hound Dog-sensei? Why?" Inquired Izumi. As far as she could recall, the canine quirked pro was the school guidance teacher.

"Besides being the guidance counselor, he is also the school therapist. Usually the students talk to him after the internships, not after their second hero class." The heroine sighed tiredly.

Izumi nodded in understanding. As a pro and a therapist, Hound Dog could advise the students about hero work and the struggles that may come with it.

The greenete had some experience facing criminals. More than once thieves and poachers attacked her while on the road.

But Overhaul and Nomu weren't like those thugs; they didn't care about money; they wanted to kill her and anybody around her.

Thieves and poachers didn't scare her.

The blank soulless eyes of Nomu did.

"Be." The hero student approached the waking-up Pokemon; her hands grabbed Bewear's in a tight grip.

"Bewear! Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked, concerned.

"Bee." The Strong Arm Pokemon replied, shame on her tone. It didn't take long for her trainer to figure out what was going on in her mind.

"You were great out there, Bewear. You helped Aizawa-sensei and saved Mineta-kun, Kaminari-kun, and Tsu-san from Nomu!" Izumi tried to cheer her up.

"Indeed Bewear. I shudder to think what would have happened if neither you nor Machoke had been in the USJ today. Your actions saved many lives today. You shouldnt be ashamed of losing, but proud of surviving and of saving others." All Might gave her a thumbs up, smiling proudly at the stuffed bear Pokemon.

Bewear didn't respond to All Might words. She clenched her fist, silently promising to become stronger so that the next time she faced someone like Nomu, they would be the one lying in a hospital bed.

"Ready to come home, big girl?" At her nod, Izumi recalled Bewear to her Ultra Ball. Once she was inside, Izumi let out a small pulse of her aura, letting out small waves of happiness and love. Bewears Ultra Ball wiggled in response.

"Recovery Girl, while you were examining Infernape, did you find anything strange?" She asked with an odd tone.

Recovery Girl stared at her in confusion before answering, "Not really. Mostly fatigue and muscle strain—nothing different from someone who has overstrained themselves. Why?"

"When we were using the Fire Z move, I felt One For All react." Izumi revealed, to the shock of both heroes.

"What do you mean, Midoriya-shoujo? One For All reacted to the Z move?" All Might wasnt sure what his successor meant.

"Back on the USJ, when Infernape and I used the Fire Z Move, I felt my aura try to power it up. That wasn't strange; it's a consequence of being an aura user; my aura pool is bigger than most because of my training, so whenever I use techniques like Z moves or Mega Evolution, the stones react by trying to draw more aura than usual. But I felt One For All activate on its own. Not only that, I felt One For All try to reach Infernape using the link produced by the Z ring and Z stone." Izumi's declaration had both pros shocked.

"All Might, could OFA-" began to ask Recovery Girl, a hint of trepidation in her voice. The Symbol of Peace shook his head sternly.

"No. My mentor was clear that only by ingesting a piece of DNA of the current user and that the user has to pass it along willingly can OFA be passed. She claimed that for years that monster tried to steal it from the previous users." And yet, doubt crept on his mind. After all, those rules applied to quirks, and Midoriya's aura was no quirk. And her Pokemon weren't even from this world.

"Maybe a quirk interaction?" Izumi pondered out loud. "OFA is a stockpile quirk; its true power comes from being passed from user to user. The more people it passes through, the stronger it becomes. And aura can be transferred between humans and Pokemon. Riley taught me how to do it without killing myself. Hell, I have done it a couple of times as a power-up for my team when necessary. Lucario can do it too. Maybe OFA was following my aura and simply trying to strengthen Infernape temporarily. But if that is true, then would Infernape's body be able to handle it? He is physically stronger than me, and our body structure is different, so theoretically he should be able to, mumble, mumble, mumble." Izumi lost herself in her theories, ignoring the sweatdropped looks on both pros faces at her mumbling.

"A quirk interaction could be possible." Recovery Girl interrupted her rambling. "What do you think, All Might?" She turned to the other hero.

All Might frowned. "It is a possibility. My mentor, the previous seventh holder, original quirk allowed her to hover in the air. Once she gained OFA, she could use it to propel herself at high speed. I am unsure of how it affected the previous users. She never spoke much of them."

"And what about yours?" Izumi asked him.

All Might smiled sadly. "I don't have one, Midoriya-shoujo." "Eh?" Izumi couldn't believe it. Was he actually meaning what he was implying?

"All Might, you-" "Was I quirkless before receiving OFA? Yes, Midoriya-shoujo. I was quirkless. Like you."

Izumi was astonished by All Might's admission. Despite knowing about OFA, she had never thought that All Might, the Strongest Hero, the Symbol of Peace, could have been actually quirkless.

Like her.

All Might chucked at the look of complete shock and surprise on her face.

"In any case, I suggest that you only use the Z move when we are training, and possibly away from your fellow classmates. At least until we can figure out how OFA interacts with your aura exactly."

Izumi frowned but accepted his decision. Her mentor was right; this was uncharted territory for both of them.

Izumi could easily recall the horrible pain of the bones in her right arm breaking and shattering. The blood leaking from her pores, the way her arm twisted, how her skin turned purple and black in mere seconds.

It was horrible.

She refused to let any of her Pokemon ever go through that experience. She would never forgive herself if she caused them that type of damage by being so reckless.

"Knock knock," a familiar voice came from the doorway. "Ah, Yagi-san, Midoriya-san, you are both here. Good."

"Tsukauchi? Why so form-" "Nee-chan!" A small, white-haired missile impacted against Izumi's abdomen; the greenete's arms instantly wrapped around her tiny assailant.

"Eri?! What? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with mom?"

"Izumi!" "Mom!?" The trainer was baffled by the presence of both her mother and little sister at the school.

"Wait, wait, wait! What are you two doing here?" She asked them, her mind trying to cope with all the chaos and surprises that the day had brought.

Her mother gave her a tearful smile and hugged her. Izumi was so confused by their sudden appearance that she didn't protest.

"Izumi, you are my daughter, Eri's aneue. Why wouldn't we come see you when you need us?" Tears shined in her mom's eyes. It made Izumi feel like a complete piece of crap. Once again, she was causing her poor mother anguish and stress.

Inko saw the guilt on her eldest face. She cupped both of her daughters faces, making sure they would look at her eyes.

"Izumi, Eri. You two are my daughters, my kids. I am your mother. And as your mother, I will always, always worry about whatever happens in your lives. Always. You two could end up living the most boring, peaceful lives ever, and yet I would still call and badger you both endlessly about your day and whether or not you are eating your veggies. Is part of my job. And. I. Do. Not. Mind. It. One. Bit."

Izumi and Eri didn't respond; they didn't have to. They could see that their mother was truthful; they saw her love for them in her eyes. And she could see how much they loved her in theirs.

All three girls shared a group hug, small sniffles and tears leaking.

All Might, Recovery Girl and Tsukauchi kept to the side of the room, letting the small family have their moment.

Moments like this were the ones that made them remember why they chose their career.

And why every sacrifice made was well worthy.

"So that's what we have been able to find out for now." Tsukauchi finished his presentation to Nezu and the rest of the staff. All teachers stared grimly at the detective, thinking deeply about what the police found and the possible implications.

First, the ringleaders, the so-called Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri, had no record or match in any system. Criminal nor civilian. Not even in the quirk registry was a coincidence to both men. Somehow both men managed to spend their entires lives in the dark, without leaving traces.

Next, none of the seventy-two captured villains explained how they came into contact with Shigaraki and Kurogiri. All were low-tier criminals, with prior convictions of theft, aggression, and illegal quirk use. This was the first time any of them had been caught in such a big and ambitious operation.

Most didnt know each other; a few were familiar with the others, and that was mostly for serving sentences in the same prisons. And yet none would say anything more than that they followed Shigaraki Tomura.

Only that.

But the most troubling thing that was weighing on their minds was the last villain.

Nomu.

The one that had two quirks, and that was supposedly created to kill All Might.

After Shigaraki and Kurogiri escaped, the police and heroes rounded the remaining villains, including Nomu. Surprisingly, the creature hadnt put up a fight or reacted violently, simply letting them shackle it and guide it to a special van for high-level villains.

It never spoke or reacted.

"So, we don't know who these bastards are, who created this Nomu, or how they knew that All Might was supposed to be at the USJ yesterday." Snipe summarized.

"That last one is fairly simple to deduce, actually. From Aizawa's and Thirteen's declarations," Nezu nodded towards both teachers, "we can assume that Shigaraki Tomura was most likely responsible for destroying the UA Barrier and letting the press enter the grounds. During the commotion, another villain must have slipped past our remaining security and downloaded the first year's schedule, therefore knowing when and where All Might would be." The principal pointed out.

"Wouldn't the firewalls stop them?" Asked Midnight.

"It should have. Or at least send a warning. Which means they must have a very talented hacker on call. I will review our security systems and reinforce them." Power Loader was already checking from his tablet the firewalls, looking for holes and any discrepancy on their systems.

"If they hacked our systems, then our security might be compromised and the students' information too." Thirteen said worriedly.

"I doubt it."

"Would you please elaborate, Tsukauchi-san?" Nezu asked the detective.

"When the students were split into different zones, it was done at complete random. Not only that, but several were in areas that favored their quirks. In fact, that synergy may have played a large part in saving their lives."

"They thought that the kids and that Aizawa and Thirteen weren't a threat. That they didn't need further information about them and their quirks. Boldness or foolery?" Inquired Vlad King, wondering which option was better.

"Their whole plan was strange. On one hand, they were able to infiltrate the USJ and hack the security system without triggering any alarm. At best, they would have had one, maybe two, days to plan everything. And yet they did it and recruited dozens of villains to follow them. All of that required a professional approach, a calm, calculated mind.

However, this Shigaraki Tomura doesn't seem to be that mind. When Nomu was defeated, he threw a tantrum as if he were a five-year-old. And he kept using words and terms referring to games, like he thought it was all a game. His mood swings, going from furious to deflating. Honestly, it felt like he was more of a man-child than a grown man."

"A man child? Then how was he able to control so many villains? Even if they were low-tier thugs, they wouldn't be so willing to follow a weak leader." Hound Dog grunted. "Criminals, villains in particular, always follow the strong. Much like pack animals. But that doesn't mean just physically strong. Some of the worst villains in history lured hundreds to their mist simply with words." Nods of agreement followed his statement.

Even back in the Pre-Quirk world, the most dangerous men weren't the ones that could kill a man with their bare hands, but the ones that could order hundreds of soldiers to kill their own neighbors in cold blood.

"His quirk involved some type of disintegration ability, one that required the full use of his fingers by the way he tried to grab me and Bewear." Aizawa idly scratched his bandaged arm, right on the spot where Shigaraki had grabbed him while his Erasure was deactivated. "A fearful quirk, but not the worst to exist. No, if fear was the tool he used to control his men, then it was his control over Nomu that kept them in place."

Aizawa's words were troubling. The fact that an apparently unstable man like Shigaraki could control such a powerful creature like Nomu painted a dangerous scenario.

Despite the fact that no one in the room said it out loud, they all thought it.

If Nomu truly was an artificial creature, then what was stopping this "League of Villains" from making more?

When Aizawa entered his classroom the next day, he was pleased by what he found.

After the USJ incident, the students were interrogated by the police and checked by the paramedics and Recovery Girl. After being cleared, they were sent home to rest and recover from the whole ordeal.

And now, two days later, all of Class 1-A were seated on their seats, waiting for the class to start.

Despite not showing it, Aizawa was proud of his class. Not many kids would be willing to return to the hero course after such an experience. Hell, more than once a first and sometimes a second year would quit after the internships, the real world of heroics proving too much for them to handle.

It wasn't easy when it happened, but he would rather they give up while still at school rather than freeze in the middle of a disaster.

"Good morning. Before we start, Midoriya." The greenete straightened up at her name. "Bewears teamwork can be better. Her self control is good, but must improve. We will focus on those areas for now." Izumi nodded in agreement.

"Sensei! Are you ok!? Shouldnt you be resting?!" Iida asked with a stern tone.

"I'm perfectly fine. This is just precaution." Aizawa touched the bandages around his head and arms with disdain; the only reason he hadn't teared them out was because Recovery Girl would kill him.

Never anger the healer. She may look small and kind, but she could be merciless with those she considered stubborn, brainless, moronic patients who wouldnt listen to her orders.

"Any way, you guys have more pressing concerns to deal with." Tension rose in the classroom. What was Aizawa-sensei talking about?

"The UA Sport Festival is coming. You need to be ready for it."

"The UA Sport Festival? Are we doing it?" Momo asked with a surprised tone.

"Yeah! What if villains attack again?!" Mineta said terrified, already imagining terrifying villains pouring from the stands and attacking them.

"They wont. Not only security will be tighter, but pros from all over the country will be attending, both as security and spectators. The only reason they dared to attack the USJ was because it is in a remote location and only three heroes were supposed to be there." Aizawa explained calmly. "Besides, this is a great opportunity for you guys."

Confusion spread over the classroom; no one understood what their sensei was talking about.

"The Sport Festival isn't a simple school activity. It is one of the biggest events in Japan, displacing even the Olympics in popularity! And for the students is their opportunity to show their skills in front of the pro heroes of the country. Based on your performance your chances of being recruited increases or decreases dramatically. This is one opportunity that only happens each year. That means that you guys only have three chances in total to leave a mark before graduation. The results will be visible during your internship offers. Those who leave a great impression, will receive more offers, while those that pass by will have to settle with fewer options."

Class 1-A stared at their homeroom teacher in a mix of anxiety, worry, anticipation, and determination.

All of them understood the seriousness of the upcoming festival.

"Sheesh, Im so fired up from Aizawa-senseis announcement. I cant wait for the Festival to start and show my manliness!" Kirishima chatted excitedly with some of the boys.

And he wasnt the only one.

Izumi remembered that as a kid she would watch UAs festival with her mom, how she cheered during the events and would later spend hours and hours analyzing most of the quirks displayed on the screen.

And now it was her turn to be there, her opportunity.

Years ago, before being sent to the Pokemon World and becoming a trainer, she would have been filled with anxiety and nerves.

Now? She was brimming with excitement.

"Uraraka-san, are you ok?" Iida asked the quiet brunette; her best friend had been quiet since Aizawa-sensei's announcement, not talking much and sitting on her chair with a pensive look most of the morning.

"Izumi-chan, Iida-kun." Both teens startled at the sudden intensiveness on her face. "Lets crush this Festival."

"Uraraka-san! Please calm down!"

"Wow, Uraraka is all fired up!" Mina exclaimed, shocked by the complete turn of character of the brunette.

"Let's do it guys! Let's win it!" She kept on, ignoring the looks of surprise on her classmates faces.

"Ok, ok." Izumi smiled, bemused by her behavior.

"You seem pretty excited, Uraraka-chan." Tsu bluntly said, a nochalant look on her face.

"Well, yeah! Like Aizawa-sensei said, if I do well enough I can get scouted by a big hero company fast and get a job as soon as we graduate!" Ochako exclaimed excitedly.

"That's thinking too ahead, don't ya think?" Mina commented.

"Yeah, well, I." Ochako stammered, not sure how to explain her reasons for wanting to be a hero in front of her classmates.

Izumi giggled; it was kind of funny how her friend went from pensive to brash to shy so fast.

"Ochako-chan wants to support her parents economically so they can live easier lives." Izumi revealed her best friend's desire over her protests.

"Uraraka, that has to be one of the most selfless reasons for wanting to be a hero ever." Jirou pointed over her shoulder at Mineta and Kaminari, "These two idiots just want to be popular."

"Eh?!" "How did she find out?!"

"Because you dumbasses keep talking about it loudly." She answered bluntly much to their embarrassment.

"Izumi-chan." Ochako grumbled at her friend, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Ochako-chan, we have talked about this. You of all people shouldn't be ashamed of your reason for becoming a hero." It wasn't the first time that both girls had the same talk. For some reason, Ochako thought that earning money as a hero to give her parents a better and more comfortable life was something embarrassing.

Izumi thought that it was amazing how much the brunette cared for her parents and planned on helping them.

"Uraraka-san, that's a very noble reason for wanting to become a hero!"

"Iida is right, Uraraka! So manly!"

Izumi giggled at how flustered her best friend was getting. Next to her, she saw Momo stiffling her own laughter.

"C'me on guys! What's wrong with wanting to be popular?" Mineta pouted, defending his dream.

"I think it's more important the type of hero that we will become than the reason why we want to become heroes in the first place." Izumi revealed.

"The type of hero?" Sero asked in a confused tone.

"Whether someone wants to earn money, be more popular, emulate their idol, or simply because they want to protect others, what truly matters is how will we react when we are on the field. When our lives and the lives of others are at risk, will we run or will we fight, even if it means we might die? At least, that's what I think." Izumi shared her thoughts.

"Not that I think that heroes should simply launch themselves against villains without thinking! Keeping a clear head is a very important skill."

Most of her classmates and friends nodded absenmidendly at her words, thinking about them. She saw that a few threw relieved smiles; it was obvious that they were embarrassed by their personal reasons as to why they inscribed on UA, and Izumi's speech helped them feel better.

"Izumi-chan, why do you want to be a hero?" Tsu asked her.

Izumi smiled brightly, her emerald eyes sparkling.

"I want to protect everyone, like All Might does."

Her admission stumped them. It was so childish, so fantasious, and yet it seemed to fit Midoriya to a T.

They could remember clearly the other girl's actions over the past few days. How protective she was of her little sister; how she made sure that Hagakure wasn't harmed during the Battle Simulation; how she willingly put herself in danger to help All Might defeat Nomu.

At that moment, many of them saw a small image of what Midoriya Izumi would resemble as a pro. A warm, kind, strong heroine that would never leave a victim behind.

"Oh, right! Almost forgot. Tsu, want to plan that play date between Eri and Satsuki-chan? My mom agreed to it."

The frog girl blinked at the sudden change in conversation but nodded, a smile poking at her lips.

"Sure. Satsuki will be delighted to make more friends."

"Great! Should warn you that there is a good chance that Tyrogue might be invited also; he and Eri are tied to the hip. Bewear might want to come too; she loves kids."

"No problem. Satsuki isn't shy." Tsu shrugged, not at all bothered. From what she had seen, Izumi's Pokemon were well behaved, and she wanted to thank Bewear personally for saving her life.

"Great! Well- huh?" Whatever Izumi was going to say, it disappeared when she opened the door.

Blocking the exit was a multitude of students.

"Huh? Why are they blocking the exit?"

"Can we help you?" Momo asked politely, her manners well integrated.

Nobody answered. There were some muttering and hushed whispering, but nobody would speak out loud.

Izumi chose to take a page from her former childhood friend and be blunt.

"Can you guys move? We are hungry." She spoke as nonchalantly as she could muster, evoking annoyance in her voice.

"Wow. I was curious about the famous 1-A Class so I came to see them. I didn't know they were so arrogant." A boy spoke from the back. The other students let him pass, showing a tired-looking teen with purple spiked hair.

"Its not arrogance, its annoyance. There is a big difference." She answered.

"Heh. Like the other day during lunch? Being on the hero course must really give its students big heads. I wouldn't know; I failed the Entrance Exam." The boy shrugged his shoulders, trying to act like it didn't matter, but Izumi could sense the envy behind his words, the frustation and anger hidden. "Most of us did. That's why the School Festival is so important for us. After all, if a student on the General Course can defeat a student on the Hero Course, then their places can switch."

Izumi frowned at his threat and at the scowls and eager looks of the other students.

She could understand them at some level. They were angry because they had failed the Entrance Exam and their chances of becoming heroes were drastically lowered.

"Tch, what makes you all extras think you can do it?" Bakugou smugly asked, grinning at the scowls he received.

"Who knows? The Entrance Exam was tailored to favor those with destructive quirks. There are many quirks that are useless against robots, but powerful never the less." The purple haired boy glared at Bakugou and Izumi. "Midoriya Izumi and Bakugou Katsuki. The first and second place in the Exams. This is my declaration of war. I intend to take one of your places, hero students."

With that said, the boy left, the rest following behind.

"Ahhh! What were you two doing!? Now we have so many enemies after us!" Mineta was gripping his head, terrified by the risk of being kicked out the hero course.

Izumi could sense the sudden tension and nerves of some of her classmates, those afraid of being changed to the General Course for having "weak quirks".

"It doesn't matter. No one here is getting changed from this class." Izumi proclaimed.

"Izumi, that's for the teachers to decide, not us." Momo regretfully reminded her Class President.

"I know. But I also know that most of those kids believe that the only reason they didn't pass the Entrance Exam was because they had the wrong quirk. That type of mentality will never allow them to surpass their limits, less make it to the Hero Course." Izumi made sure to look right at Hagakure and Mineta, the two students whose quirks in no way had physical capacities."Mineta, Hagakure, when you faced the robots, you guys found a way around your limits. That's why you are here in this class. Why we are all here. Nobody gave us our place here; we earned it with hard work."

Izumi could understand the resentment and frustration from the General Course students. She had been like them once. She had cursed the world and blamed her bad luck on fate.

Riley had been the one to point out the biggest mistake of her home world—the trap that many fell into. Their belief that only those born with strong, heroic quirks were useful, and the rest were either worthless or worse, villain material.

As a quirkless kid, Izumi had always considered herself worthless. Even when she protested and shouted that she could still become a hero, in the back of her mind she didn't believe in herself.

After all, she spent years waiting and hoping for a quirk, any quirk, just to prove that she wasn't a freak.

Izumi understood the General Studies students' feelings.

But that didn´t mean she was going to let them take her place or any of her friends without a fight.

Chapter Text

19

"Masaru! Did you find the fricking channel yet?!"

"Almost dear."

"Great! Inko! Get your ass here!" Mitsuki Bakugou yelled from the hallway of her house, her arms busy carrying bags of snacks before placing them on the table.

"I'm here, Mitsu; calm down. The Festival hasn't started yet." Inko laughed at her best friend's impatience, much to Mitsuki's grumbling. "And please keep the swearing down. Little ears." Inko glanced meaningfully at Eri, who was drinking her apple juice all the while listening to Masaru and Iguchi explaining what UA's Festival was and what it entailed.

Mitsuki grimaced at Inko's reprimand, her eyes darting to her youngest niece.

Eri was unfamiliar with her rudeness and swearing, unlike her best friend and her oldest niece. The white-haired girl was the model figure of politeness and sweetness. Even after whatever torments she must have survived through, she still conserved a childish wonder in her eyes, one that grew more and more ever since she started to live with Inko and Izumi.

Mitsuki had to measure her words whenever she was near Eri, well aware that Inko would kill her if the little girl started to swear like a sailor or, worse, got frightened by her brashness.

"Sorry Inko. It slipped." Inko rolled her eyes, amused by the sudden bashfulness Mitsuki showed. The brash woman had never been embarrassed about her behavior in her entire life. Motherhood hadn't changed her one bit. In fact, Katsuki's brashness only intensified Mitsuki's.

"It's okay, Oba-san. Nee-chan told me to never repeat bad words until I am thirty-six years old." Eri's seriousness should be considered a weapon of mass destruction. Only someone who lacked a heart wouldn't be melted by her sweetness.

"Did you pinky swear, Eri-chan?" Masaru asked. Eri nodded, never once losing her seriousness, much to their continued amusement.

"Wish my brat had made that pinky swear." Mitsuki whispered to Inko, earning giggles from her oldest friend.

"I doubt that would have helped much. The apple didn't fall far from the tree." Inko teased.

Mitsuki rolled her eyes but didn't argue back. She was the first to admit that her brat took more after her than after Masaru. That Katsuki was her with a bigger ego and a penis.

Not that it was always a bad thing. Her son was confident and never backed down from a challenge. He was a fighter. He had placed for himself the goal to enter UA and become the Number 1 Hero in Japan, a dream that many kids shared but that they gave up before even trying.

But not her son. Not Katsuki.

Since the first time he saw a video of All Might in action, since he learned what a hero was and that All Might was the strongest, it had been his goal to surpass him.

And while her brat had a fucking ego the size of Mount Lady, he backed it up with effort and work. He didn't just go around claiming he would be the strongest while blindly trusting all he would need was his quirk. No. The brat trained hard every chance he got. Pushed himself to his limits and kept going.

"I'm sure that Katsuki-kun will do great in the Festival." her best friend commented.

"Course he will. That f-brat has been dreaming about today since he was in diapers. Spent the whole month busting his butt training. Heh. He was so tired he barely had any energy to cuss."

Inko giggled, "Izumi did the same. Those two are two peas in a pod." Both mothers shared chuckles at that; wistful smiles rested on their lips.

Izumi and Katsuki had been tied to the hip when they were babies; however, that relationship changed when Katsuki's quirk manifested and Izumi was declared quirkless. Gradually she began to see and hear less from her niece; whenever she asked her brat about the greenete, he would scoff and mutter beneath his breath that they didn't hang out anymore. When she tried to pry closer, he would shut his walls, and what started as a normal conversation turned into a shouting match that led nowhere.

Inko had less luck. Izumi was more quiet and polite than her explosive brat, but too refused to talk about whatever caused their rift.

It wasn't until after Izumi's disappearance that Mitsuki learned the truth.

One month after she had Inko admitted to the hospital, Mitsuki was called alongside Masaru by Aldera's principal. The man was apologetic with fury, claiming that her son had broken another boy's nose.

Mitsuki couldn't recall the trip to the school. Her mind had been filled with rage and disappointment. Her best friend was lying catatonic and nearly suicidal on a hospital bed. Her niece was dead. And her fucking brat was adding to her worries by beating the crap of other kids.

She had been so ready to tear him a new one, drag him to military school, and then tan his ass so hard that he would remain standing the rest of his life, when he burst and exclaimed that they had been mocking Izumi's death and Inko's mental health. The other kids had been joking about Izumi, saying that they didn't get why her mom was so sad for losing such a useless daughter. Saying that the world was better now that the quirkless freak was gone.

At that moment, Mitsuki felt her blood freeze.

The voices of the principal yelling that Katsuki was a liar and troublemaker and of her son yelling back, saying that the teachers were bastards who knew all about Izumi's bullying and never did anything drowned in her mind. Only Masaru's sudden rage brought her back from her trance.

Masaru was the quiet one of the relationship. The level-headed one. But when he raged, he raged.

That day it wasn't Mitsuki who took charge of the conversation, but rather her husband. Masaru's seething rage had the principal frozen in fear, allowing her husband to interrogate their son calmly. Katsuki had quietly and solemnly repeated his early words, revealing to their horror and disgust the truth of Izumi's treatment at Aldera.

Mitsuki had been horrified to learn that the school not only knew that the students, her son included, bullied Izumi—Izumi!—for simply being quirkless, but they encouraged it, they approved it.

Adults approved of belittling and harming a little girl simply because she had no quirk. Because she was born different.

That day Aldera knew the wrath and rage of the Bakugou family.

"She hasn't spoken about him." Inko shared. Mitsuki nodded in agreement. Her brat too had never uttered a word about Izumi, not even after both teens were placed in the same class. The only thing both teens said to their respective parents was that they had an agreement in place, nothing else.

Whatever the agreement was about, only those two knew, and they kept it a complete secret.

"School would have said something if there was shit going on."

"Hmm." The older greenete hummed absentmindedly, lost in thought. At the spiky blonde's questioning look, she bit her lip and sighed.

"To be honest, I am surprised that you and Masaru allowed Katsuki-kun to enroll at UA. You were furious with him after all."

"I was disappointed with the brat. I was furious at myself. At Masaru. At the fucking school. At all those fucking teachers and adults that fed to his head all that quirklish crap and boosted his ego to the size of Mount Yari." Mitsuki hadn't been lenient with Katsuki those days; her son spent almost two whole years punished, going only to school (not Aldera, never that shithole) and back home. He was only allowed to use his computer for homework, and they kept a close watch on his new friends and teachers. Also, much to his grumblings and curses, Katsuki had to talk with a counselor.

"He never complained about his punishment; he cussed and was angry, but took it like a champ. You want to know why we let him enroll at UA after all the shit he did? Two years ago, he came home covered in bruises and blood. Wouldn't explain what the hell happened, no matter what we said. One of his classmates followed him home and told us what happened. My dumb brash brat fought alone against four older students that were harassing a kid simply because his uncle was quirkless." Inko's eyes widened at that. Mitsuki had never told her that. "Yeah, I was surprised too. Once the other kid left, I talked to Katsuki again. You know what he told me, Inko? He said that it was what Izumi would have done."

Inko felt tears filling her eyes; quickly she brushed them aside.

"He is brash, cocky, and arrogant. But he has the heart of a hero. He still wants to be the number one hero. Not for fame or glory; he gives a shit about that. He wants to be so strong that no villain could escape from him. He wants to be the strongest to stop all villains that may cross his path."

Since he had been a toddler, even before obtaining his quirk, her son had claimed that he would become the strongest hero in Japan, the next Number One. For a long time, Mitsuki feared that the reason behind his ambition had been simply greed or fame. Now, she could honestly say that that wasn't the case.

Her son gave a shit about money or fame. He didn't care if people admired him or hated him.

Bakugou Katsuki simply wanted to beat up the bad guys like his personal hero did.

He was truly her son.

'Deep breaths, Ochako. You got this. You passed the Entrance Exam and Aizawa-sensei's Quirk Test. This is just another test, another step towards The Plan. You will win this and get the attention of the pro's agencies, get a job with them, and finally give mom and dad the comfortable life they deserve.' Ochako told herself, recalling why it was so important today. Why she had to make it to the top during the Festival.

She had to become a great hero, one that could sustain her parents and pay them back for everything they had done for her. For all their sacrifices and hard work.

"Midoriya." Ochako opened her eyes when she heard her friend's name being called. Todoroki was in front of her best friend, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, a pokeball on her lap.

"Can I help you with something, Todoroki-kun?" Izumi asked the two-toned boy.

Todoroki didn't answer at first. His eyes flickered to her lap, where her hands played with the pokeball. For some reason, he frowned at it.

"Midoriya, do you plan on relying on someone else's strength for all your battles?" Todoroki asked bluntly, earning a sharp glance from the greenete.

Ochako froze at Izumi's cold look. The last time the greenete had that look was when the press breached the school's defenses, and Eri was nearly harmed by the other students when they panicked.

"What do you mean exactly, Todoroki-kun?" Izumi's cold tone and demeanor brought everyone's attention to their conversation. Ochako noticed that Yaomomo and Tsu-san seemed worried about her friend; not a surprise; both girls had befriended Izumi and herself during the past month.

If Todoroki was fazed by her tone, he didn't show it. The boy was as nonchalant as ever, not a hint of nervousness on his visage.

"Exactly what I said. I have noticed that for most of our hero exercises you have brought and used those Pokemon of yours, and that you brought one with you today for the Festival. I heard you want to be a strong hero to save others. How will you do that if you are relying on someone else's power?"

"Wow Todoroki! What is that with that attitude, bro?"

"That's bullshit, Todoroki! It's like saying that Koda shouldn't ask animals to help him during class!"

Mina and Kirishima argued against Todoroki's accusation, bothered that he would imply that Izumi was somehow cheating during classes.

"Koda's quirk is talking to animals; using animals to assist him is his power. Midoriya, however, has insisted since day one that her Pokemon are not a product of her quirk, that they are her teammates, and it's because of their bond that they obey her. If it's not part of her quirk, then she is asking someone to help her every time." Todoroki turned his cold judgmental eyes on Izumi's emerald eyes. "How do you plan on protecting anyone if you don't rely on your own power?"

Izumi narrowed her eyes at Todoroki. With cat-like grace, she got up from her position and faced the other boy calmly.

"And? I am a Pokemon Trainer, Todoroki-kun. Trainers and Pokemon work and fight together. Their power is mine, and mine is theirs. I never once hid the fact that I want to be a hero alongside my Pokemon. Our senseis know about it and are ok with it." Todoroki's eyes hardened at Izumi's unbothered tone.

Ochako didn't get it. Why did it bother the two-toned boy so much that Izumi wanted to fight alongside her team during their heroic classes or for the school's Festival? Nobody had complained during the past month. They all had seen how hard Izumi's Pokemon worked during class, never complaining about whatever exercise Aizawa-sensei, All Might, or any other teacher told them to do, always pushing themselves to their limits much like themselves.

"Be it as it may, it doesn't change the fact that you're simply relying on someone else when things get rough. On the mock battles, against the villains. Last I remember, the only time you didn't use a Pokemon was on our first day of classes. Did you use them too for the Entrance Exam? Are you our year's representative simply because of your team?"

Angry shouting filled the locker room for his accusations. Iida in particular was incesed. Her stern and serious friend had been in the same group as her and Izumi; he had seen how Izumi bravely faced the Zero Pointer and saved her life by herself.

That Todoroki was trying to dismiss Izumi's abilities and character was awful.

Izumi stared stone cold at Todoroki. Her eyes were sharp, and her fist balled tightly. The greenete didn't take the insult well.

"Come on, man. Is this because she beat you in our first hero class?" Sero asked him, only receiving a derisive scoff in response.

"Machoke defeated me. Not Midoriya. There is a difference." "Wrong." Izumi spoke.

"Machoke and Hagakure defeated you." Ochako smiled at how Izumi reminded the boy that their weakest classmate had been the one to defeat him in their first Hero class. The sudden tightening on Todoroki's jaw made it clear that he hadn't forgotten about it and didn't enjoy the reminder.

"If it makes you feel any better, I was only authorized to use one Pokemon for only one event today. I'm not going to tell who I chose; I'm not that dumb, but I doubt we will have to fight each other in the first round."

"Eh? What do you mean, Midori?" Mina asked her.

"UA's Festival has three events; the first two are random, but it's rare that the first one involves the students fighting against each other." Izumi brought her pokeball up, a smile on her lips. "My buddy will be by my side on the first one. I already confirmed it with Aizawa-sensei. For the other two I will be on my own. But don't make any mistakes, Todoroki-kun." Izumi stared at the other boy, eye to eye. "I don't plan to lose today."

"Neither do I." Todoroki promised coldly.

Ochako stared worriedly at her best friend. Izumi was a kind and cheerful girl. Protective, smart, and confident. Those were some of her best traits. Hell, even when she was serious, she was the confident, warm, serious type instead of the cold-stone-faced serious type.

But now, after Todoroki's accusations and criticisms, Izumi wasn't her usual happy, excited self. Instead, she was cold. Cold and angry.

Ochako didn't like seeing Izumi like that. It felt...wrong.

Whatever the first challenge was, she hoped that Izumi proved Todoroki wrong.

Itsuka exhaled profoundly, fighting the urge to knock chop Monoma's neck in order to shut him up. It wouldn't do well for Class 1B image if their Class President had to drag an unconscious classmate to the stadium.

She would knock him out later.

The teenager could hear Setsuna snickering behind her; obviously her Vice President found it amusing how much Monoma's incessant nagging and complaints about their sister class annoyed her.

Ever since Class 1A had appeared on the news for surviving a villain attack and gained the media's attention, Monoma had ranted against them, calling them glory whores and attention seekers, mocking them behind their backs, fruitlessly trying to rile the rest of the class against their sister class.

Not that it worked. Few listened to his rantings, and less agreed with him. Although she wished that Kuroiro and Setsuna would stop egging him off.

There were so many times she could knock him unconscious before it started to become tedious.

The orangette personally was neutral when it came to Class 1A. She was relieved that none of them had been seriously harmed during the villain attack at the USJ, of course, but she hadn't interacted too much with them, too busy between her own studies, preparing for the Sports Festival and her responsibilities as Class President.

The only members of Class 1A she was relatively familiar with were Midoriya Izumi and Yaoyorozu Momo, and they barely exchanged some words of introduction during the first meeting between allthe first-year Class Presidents and Vice Presidents.

Neither girl struck her as arrogant or self-entitled; if anything, Midoriya had been a little tense when the meeting started, slowly loosening up the more it progressed. But what made Itsuka believe that they weren't the attention-seeking brats that Monoma insisted they were was Midoriya's proposal regarding the training grounds and the school's Sport Festival.

Midoriya had proposed that they make a schedule so that all first-year classes could have access to the training grounds; that way everyone could train and prepare for the upcoming festival.

And when she meant everyone, she meant everyone.

Midoriya wanted all eleven classes to have access to the grounds, not just the Hero students.

The representatives from the Departments of Management and Support had blinked in confusion at her proposal, surprised by her idea. It was better than the reaction from some of the students in the General Course. There was no mistaking the resentment in the eyes of the Class C President, and the Vice President of Class E stated that they weren't charity cases to alleviate the guilt of the Hero Course students over taking their spots.

Yaoyorozu said that first, none of the Hero Course students viewed the General Course students as charity cases, and that second, there was no such thing as a claimed spot. They all had to fight for their right to be accepted into the Hero Course.

Unfortunately, while her words were true, all it did was enrage the Class Vice President, who snidely asked what would know a recommended student, who didn't have to fight killer robots like they did, about.

Setsuna had taken objection to his remarks, saying that unlike the common test, where over forty students were accepted, the recommended exam only accepted less than five, and that they had to not only ace the practical and written tests but also an interview.

It didn't matter if your quirk was the second coming of Star & Stripes, one of the most powerful heroes in the entire world, if your attitude was worse than shit and your grades lower than zero.

Before insults or punches could be thrown around, Itsuka interfered. She agreed with Midoriya's idea, saying that it was a good idea to practice with their quirks in a more controlled environment, especially for those who had to practice at home or in limited spaces.

After that, things ran a little more smoothly. They made a tentative schedule for all first-year groups, which was later modified pending on how many students of each class actually wanted to use them.

Unsurprisingly, none of the three Management classes joined. Those that joined that Department had no interest in showing off in the Sports Festival, their focus was sorely on the more bureaucratic parts of the hero careers. Like their name suggested, they were in charge of "managing" the image, merchandising, and public opinion regarding heroes.

The General Course had been divided about the offer. Despite what many believed, while many of its students had failed the practical exam, a good portion had no interest in pursuing a career in heroics, and instead they had enrolled in the school to better their chances at joining a good college. Even so, of those who wanted to join the Hero Course, some still saw Midoriya's proposal as pity and therefore refused it out of spite. Others, however, chose to accept it.

While she had no plan on losing her spot in Class 1B, she hoped that those who truly wanted to one day become heroes would succeed at it.

"OYYYYYYY! FIRST YEARS! GET READY TO ROOOOOLLLLLL!" Present Mic's voice shouted with his usual exuberance over the speakers.

Itsuka nodded resolutely. She directed her classmates towards the door and towards the tunnel leading to the modified stadium, Present Mic's voice loudly introducing them to their spectators.

"EVERYONE READYYYY! UA'S SPORT FESTIVAL IS HEREEEEE!" A loud cheer came from the stands, the public responded enthusiastically to the loud hero's upbeat mood. "Now! I'm sure that many are interested in these kids in particular. The young stars that gave a hell of a beating to an army of villains! Young aspiring heroes with nerves of steel! From the Hero Department: CLASS 1A!"

A massive cheer came when their sister class was announced, even more when they entered the field.

Itsuka ignored the grumblings from her classmates. She had barely managed to get them calm.

"Following them is their sister Class: 1B! Let's see what kind of tricks Kan kids can pull!" While not as loud as the first, there was loud cheering when they entered.

"Close behind are the General Course kids! Classes C, D, AND E! Don't underestimate them! Rough diamonds pop up from nowhere! I know it; my besties both came from there!"

"Don't drag me into this and do your job, Mic." Eraserhead's tired voice came from the speakers.

"HAHAHAHA! I can do both! NEXT! From the Support Department Classes F, G, and H! And last but not least, the Management Department, with Classes I, J, and K! And as our referee for this great day, the R-rated heroine: MIDNIGHT!" If the shouting and cheering when Class 1A had been loud, then the one that followed Midnight's introduction was explosive.

"Listen well, brats; as the main referee, my final word is law! I will explain clearly the rules for every event before they start, and anyone who breaks them will be immediately disqualified! But first things first! Midoriya Izumi from Class 1A! Your turn!"

Itsuka saw the greenete take a long breath and then exhale before climbing the stairs towards the podium.

Midoriya faced all the students and spoke:

"We all have dreams and goals. We do. And it's those dreams and hopes that brought us here today. Aizawa-sensei said that for the next three years we only have three main opportunities to shine. And today is that opportunity. To shine. To go beyond. To go Plus Ultra. So let's do it! Let's show everyone—no, let's show the world what UA students are made of! Lets go PLUS ULTRA!"

It didn't matter that she was of Class 1A. It didn't matter that up until that moment many students had been bitter and resentful against the Hero Course students. When Midoriya Izumi spoke with such conviction, when her eyes sparkled in anticipation, and she said "let's do it" to the top of her lungs a fire was lit in everyone's chest. A fire that said, let's go Plus Ultra.

And so they screamed: "PLUS ULTRA!"

Midnight smiled proudly at Midoriya's actions. She liked the younger greenete, she had the right makings of a good hero. She reminded her of Shouta a little. They were both selfless idiots who just wanted to save others. Not that Shouta would admit it. He needed to keep his lonewolf image.

"Very well! Let's move on to the first event! The first part of the dreaded preliminaries is... " All eyes turned to the giant screen, waiting to see what their first challenge entailed.

"The Obstacle Race!" Midnight smiled enigmatically; she so loved this one. "Don't think this is a simple run! This beast is four kilometers long, filled with three stages of dangerous obstacles ready to slow you guys down! UA prides itself about freedom on its campus, and here isn't any different! You guys can do anything you want with your quirk as long as it is inside the track! The only rule is no fighting! Hinder or block sure! But no direct fights! There will be time for that later!"

The students poised themselves in front of the gate, waiting for the light to shift green, ready to leapt once it changed.

"STAAAART!" Midnight yelled, officially starting UA's Sport Festival.

From his place on the commentary box, Eraserhead observed and analyzed the students' actions during the race, all the while wishing that Mic would shout quieter.

"Seems like the students just found firsthand the hidden obstacle: THE DOORWAY!" Indeed, just like Present Mic reported, a bottleneck was formed just on the doorway.

The corridor that the students were forced to pass through was so stretched that they ended up jamming against each other, shoveling and pushing to get one foot free before the others could.

"AND LOOK! SOMEONE MADE IT THROUGH!" Todoroki skated effortlessly on a layer of ice formed by his feet. Not only did it make him faster, but it also hindered his opponents by freezing their feet against the floor.

Well, some of his opponents.

Eraserhead didn't outwardly show it, but he was proud to see that most of his class managed to evade Todoroki's ice. And the few that didn't were already working on breaking the ice and keeping running, not wasting time and energy by panicking like headless chickens.

Kan's kids didn't react as fast, not a surprise considering all the facts. Class 1B didn't go through a villain attack; they didn't have to face death so soon or learn to ignore their fear and doubts in the middle of a fight.

Class 1A had an advantage over the other students, one that they hadn't consciously grasped.

"But look! Here it is! The first barrier of the race! A wall of dangerous foes that many of our first years are familiar with! The Zero Pointers! ROBO INFERNO!"

Screams of incredulity and shock rang around the stadium. Many froze in fear by the size and number of the zero pointers.

But not all.

Todoroki was the first one to react, unleashing a wave of ice that froze one of the zero pointers from top to bottom. He continued to run forward, ignoring the cheers behind him and then the curses when the frozen machine began to fall behind his back.

What he didn't ignore was the sudden yell from Midoriya.

"Now, Lucario! Double Aura Sphere!" "Rio!

Cheers of enthusiasm rang across the crowds at their actions. Pokemon and trainer ran side by side, an enormous blueish ball of energy held between Lucario's right palm and Midoriya's left palm. With a yell they threw the sphere against the falling robot, not only destroying it, but also passing through it and hitting a second one.

"WOOHOOOO! Look at these kids go! Hey Eraserhead! What do you feed your students? Share it with Kan, won't ya?!" Mic joked much to the spectators' joy.

"Class B has a good teacher; they just lack the real-world experience that Class A went through. It may seem like nothing important, but those kids not only took a peak at what the real world entails, they managed to overcome it and remain standing. And the results of it are showing."

On the stadium, the spectators saw how the students of Class A led the charge against the Zero Pointers. Interesting, two groups were formed: one that fought the robots and the other that ignored the battle and instead used their quirks to catch up with the leaders.

What Shouta found interesting was that Bakugou was the first one to ignore the fight, using his explosions to leap above the zero pointers and away from their grasp. Following his lead were Sero and Tokoyami, and behind them Tsunotori from Class B.

On the ground, he could see that Hagakure, Honenuki, and Tokage were making their way through the robots. Hagakure's invisibility gave her a huge edge, and Tokage had amazing control over her dismembered pieces. Honenuki aimed his Softness towards the legs of a Zero Pointer, unbalancing it and giving Yaoyorozu a free target for her newly constructed cannon.

The defeated robot fell on top the others, causing a domino effect and opening a breach for the stragglers to leave and catch up to with the others.

While they ran towards the second block, the leaders and their pursuers reached it.

"And our leaders found it! The Second Obstacle! I hope nobody suffers vertigo because this one will test your mettle! THE FALLLLL!"

The Fall, as it was aptly named, consisted of a giant chasm where the only solid ground were rock pillars spread irregularly and connected by hanging ropes. The height was the real monster. One bad move and broken bones would be the least problem.

Not that anything would happen; there were hundreds of robots hidden among the pillars, ready to catch anyone in case of an accident.

Todoroki wasn't fazed by the challenge; he froze the rope and sliced across it, jumping to the pillar and going for the next rope. The boy moved fast, neck to neck with Midoriya and Lucario, who were jumping from pillar to pillar, completely ignoring the ropes.

The strategy those two used was proof of their teamwork. When they first approached the chasm, Lucario speeded to the edge, turned around and knelt, placing his paws over his right knee in an unmistakable position. Midoriya ran straight to him, placed her foot on his paws and was propelled to the next pillar, blue and green lightning coursing through her body. At the same time she flew, Lucario ran at max speed a top the rope, reaching the next pillar and catching his trainer before she fell. The moment her feet touched his paws, he launched her again to the other pillar, and so on and so on.

That level of coordination spoke of years of teamwork; he could honestly confirm that it was at the same level as pros teams like the Pussycats.

Shouta recalled what Midoriya had shared about her pokemon. Lucario was her first partner, her second-in-charge. Infernape and Gallade shared the burden of third in command. Mostly because if it were up to Infernape, her entire team would be a bunch of pranksters.

What he and Nezu found fascinating was that such a level of synchronization was only capable because both Midoriya and Lucario could manipulate their Aura freely, giving them such a strong connection that they could form a telephatic link without having any type of psychic affinity.

When asked how it differed from Gallade's telepathic abilities, she explained that an Aura link wasn't just about talking with their minds. It was about the souls of those involved connecting with each other.

Telepathy could happen between multiple people and Pokemon as long as one of those involved had psychic abilities, but Aura required a connection, a bond, and it could only occur between aura users.

If Midoriya and Lucario didn't have such a strong bond, then they wouldn't be able to link their auras.

Todoroki and Midoriya weren't the only ones crossing quickly over The Fall. Bakugou, Tokage, Tsunotori, and surprisingly, Hatsume Mei from the Support Department were already over half the trek. Bakugou's creativity and control over his quirk were nothing to scoff at. While arrogant and brash, the blonde was clearly talented and didn't hold back.

Tokage and Tsunotori were winning ground more easily; their quirks made the use of the suspended ropes unnecessary. However, what drew most attention was Hatsume's strategy. Instead of using a quirk or walking slowly through the rope, she launched harpoons connected to her waist towards the pillars, sailing through the air and adding impulse with propulsive boots.

Shouta idly read Hatsume's files. Mashima described her as both the smartest, most talented and creative student he had ever taught and the craziest and reckless person he had ever met. The girl didn't care if her creations exploded or failed spectacularly during the building or testing, seeing it as a way to learn from her mistakes and improve. What he found the oddest was that unlike many of her fellow classmates from the Support Department who did the bare minimum during the Festival, Hatsume filed dozens of files of paperwork that authorized her to use her own build support gear, and she was the only one of her Department that took advantage of Midoriya's proposal and used one of the Battle Grounds to practice.

When it came to the Sports Festival, the only students that took it seriously were the ones from the Heroic and General Course, and in the latter it was just the ones that truly wanted to transfer to the first.

The students who joined the Departments of Support and Management didn't care about transfers, making Hatsume's actions puzzling. More so since, according to Mashima's remarks, the girl wanted to open her own Hero Support company once she graduated.

"A good portion are advancing through The Fall, stepping on the heels of our three, four?" Mic looked at him, pointing subtly at Lucario's running form.

"Three, Lucario isn't a student; he is Midoriya's partner."

"Then three! Our three leaders' heels. But wait! They reached it! Just between them and the desired finish line and the first place: a MINEFIELD WORTHY OF RAMBOOOO! The explosives aren't deadly but they leave a nasty sting and some bruises, so be careful and get ready for a true Russian Roulette!"

The moment they reached the Minefield, any aspect of lead was gone. Signs of shifted earth, sounds, smell of explosives. None of it was found on the Minefield. Those with flying quirks would have an advantage, assuming they had the stamina or that there wasn't a time limit involving their quirk.

Based on how Tsunotory was slightly panting, she must have hit her limit. Tokage too was moving slower. Todoroki technically had the better advantage; his ice should be able to freeze the sensors without triggering.

But Shouta knew that the ice user wouldn't use that strategy. Even if it only covered a narrow path, it would grant a great opportunity to those like Asui who could take long jumps.

"Oy, ICE BASTARD!" Bakugou yelled above Todoroki, falling right next to him. "You taunted the wrong rival, bastard!"

Whatever remark or answer Todoroki might have said were forgotten when both boys saw Lucario and Midoriya running past them, both of their eyes closed, and Midoriya's hand laying against Lucario's back.

"Eh? None of the mines triggered? Oy Louder! Did your bombs fail?" Mic was dumbfounded by the lack of explosions by Midoriya and Lucario's dash. By logic, they should have triggered at least one explosive.

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH MIC! MY CREATIONS ARE PERFECT!" Majima objected. The Excavation Hero was on the monitoring room, checking all the cameras and the bots systems.

"THEN WHY AREN'T WE HEARING A SINGLE BOOM!?"

"HOW SHOULD I KNOW?! ASK ERASERHEAD! HE IS HER TEACHER!"

Shouta spoke before Mic could shout his questions again. He didn't want to ask Recovery Girl to heal his eardrum; she was already pissed that he escaped from mandatory bedrest.

"Lucario must have an ability that allows him to detect the mines. Look at Midoriya's hand. She is touching his back, following his lead." What he wasn't saying was that Midoriya wasn't just following Lucario but also augmenting his power.

UA's students might get a leg up during the internships thanks to the Sports Festival, but it also exposed their quirks to the villains and criminals. To disminuish the risks, the teachers never revealed the true scope of the students' quirks during the Sport Festival, only giving small tidbits to quench the curiosity of the masses.

Midoriya taking the lead had Bakugou and Todoroki dashing after her. Todoroki released an ice path in front of him, not caring about leaving an open path for the rest; his only concern was stopping his opponents.

His attack, however, proved fruitless. Pokemon and human reacted immediately, jumping sideways and never losing their footing. Their only goal was the finish line.

Bakugou took caution to the wind and released a powerful explosion, triggering a massive explosion behind his back and launching himself at Midoriya's left side, a hand aimed at her feet.

Lucario and Midoriya jumped before the explosion, passing through the gate and winning first place. Bakugou crossed behind them, cussing and scowling. After them came a frowning Todoroki, who ignored them and clenched his right fist.

Shouta stared at the top three of the first event. All three were powerful and talented, smart and adaptable. Yet, there was a big difference. Both Midoriya and Bakugou put it all during the race, playing to their strengths and taking chances when necessary.

Todoroki too used his ice with great precision. And there lay the problem. He only used his ice.

Again.

Eraserhead narrowed his eyes. Todoroki's actions were reckless. Neglecting part of a quirk like the teen was doing was dangerous and irresponsible. Especially for someone that aimed to become a hero.

While normally he didn't care who won or lost the Sports Festival, preferring to use the event to identify his students weaknesses and prepare a better strategy to overcome them, in this case he knew who shouldn't win.

Too many hotheaded heroes died already in the world.

He couldn't handle it if Todoroki died tomorrow simply because his ego considered that he was strong enough that he didn't need to use his fire.

I like exploring other characters that unfortunately didn't get much (at all) storyline. Expect that the canon classification of the race is not the one on this story.

And as a Halloween gift (And apology for the unexpected delay)

CANON OMAKE!

Hakammo-o scowled. He didn't get why his trainer was wasting time with this foolery instead of training.

He definitely didn't get why he had to participate.

Tyrogue and Bewear? Sure, they loved hanging out with Eri. And the trio of jokers weren't going to miss the opportunity to play a prank, especially on a night when that behavior was not only tolerable but expected.

Machoke, Gallade, Lucario and Mienfoo weren't too keen to participate, choosing to watch the house and make sure it wasn't covered in eggs or toilet paper.

Hawlucha wanted to show off his own personal hero costume, mask, and cape included.

"Hakammo-o! Are you ready?" Izumi asked, combing her hair under her pirate hat. His trainer wore a loose white shirt and brown trousers, leather boots, and for some reason had a hook clasped on her left hand—something to do with pirates.

He didn't know nor care.

Izumi placed a hand on his shoulders, smiling in understanding.

"I know you think this is dumb, but it will be fun, I promise. You need to do something else besides fighting."

Hakammo-o scoffed.

Fighting was the best thing ever.

Izumi smiled amused.

"Just keep an open mind. We are so going to get lots of candy. I can't wait to see Eri's expression after her first trick and treat."

The dragon type rolled his eyes. Izumi and her mother were not pulling any punches for the holidays. Both greenetes made it clear that they planned to make all the upcoming festivities a day of joy and fun for Eri, something she would always cherish and treasure.

Hakammo-o followed his trainer to the living, where the rest of his pack were waiting.

The two monkeys and the rabbit were holding bags with eggs, sprinkles, toilet paper and glitter. Thank Tapu Lele that Izumi had banned the whipped cream and rotten fruit. Neither wore a costume, although Lopunny did have a couple of bracers and knee pads with the symbol of a heroine that the rabbitt liked.

Bewear had a pink apron and a blue scaf wrapped around her head. Something to do with a children's tale. Tyrogue had a pair of boxing gloves and a black wig, simulating a fictional boxer from an old human movie. And Hawlucha wore a red domino mask and a black cape.

Very original costume.

Izumi's mother was dressed like a humanized Mismagius, chatting and laughing with All Might's civilian identity, YagiToshinori. From what Machoke told him that Tyrogue found out from Eri, Inko invited the man to spend Halloween with them as a thank you for helping Izumi and her team with their training.

Not that Inko knew that Yagi and All Might were the same. As far as the world knew, Yagi worked for All Might office and was in charge of monitoring and assisting Izumi with her preparations for the Entrance Exam.

Yagi was wearing a pinstripe suit, the only festive part was the skull motified tie.

Hakammo-o listened aimesly while the humans exchanged words. He was so bored. A punch to his side made him growl in annoyance. He grunted at Hawlucha who had edbowled him, only to see the brawler pointing with his head at Eri's room.

Everyone quited when they saw Eri's costume. Inko cupped her mouth, tears brimmin in her eyes. Izumi was no better. She approached her little sister- for that was what Eri was, blood didn't matter- and knelt in front of her.

Eri fidgeted nerviously, her fingers playing with one of her newly tinted green locks.

"Nee-chan, do, do you like it?" The little girl asked shyly.

Izumi couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes, a warm and happy smile plastered on her lips.

"Of course I do. I love it Eri!" Eri brightened out, she didn't smile, but she was happier.

"Mitsuki Oba-san helped me dye it." "She did? It looks great. But you know that your white hair is as beautiful, right?"

Eri nodded, "I know. But I wanted to look like Nee-chan today. Because Nee-chan is my hero, and in Halloween I can dress like my hero!"

Hakammo-o rolled his eyes when his trainer and her mother hugged tightly the little girl who was dressed in a pair of jeans and teacher, a ball cap covering her new green hair, a belt with white and red marbles on her waist and a bag on her back.

He didn't get what the whole deal with Halloween was, but he understand what familial love and bonds were.

Maybe Halloween wasn't such a dumb thing after all.

Chapter Text

20

Seeing the last first years pass through the finish line, Midnight let out an imperceptible sigh.

One event done, two to go.

While she found exciting how hard her students pushed themselves during the competition, she wouldn't deny that it was exhausting keeping an eye on all those little rascals, making sure they weren't breaking the rules or using the events to settle a score against each other.

It's why she was the ref for the first years. If they tried to do something stupid, Sonambulist will put them down before they could drool at her magnificent body. While many believed that her quirk was affected by gender, that was a deceipt that she promoted.

Her quirk wasn't affected by gender; it was affected by sexual attraction.

The more attracted her target found her, the fastest Sonambulist worked. The least attracted they were, it took longer. In simple terms, for a little pervert like Mineta-kun, who ogled every girl around him, he would fall unconscious with just a small wiff. For a straight-pious girl like Ibara-san, she would have to douse her with a large cloud of her pheromones for at least a couple of minutes.

Animals weren't affected, but humans with animal-type quirks were. Principal Nezu too was immune to her Sonambulism, because of his status as a quirked animal. And Midoriya's Pokemon were also unaffected, even the few that had more human-like bodies.

And when it came to children, she had to use a big dose just to sedate them. Fortunately, she rarely had to do it. Even when she was teaching Eri, she never had to use her quirk to calm the adorable girl. The poor girl was more comfortable among women than men, unsurprising considering that every single one of her captors and torturers was male, and her saviour was a teenager. Nezu wasn't going to risk the little girl being used by the Hero Commission's benefits; that's why he made sure that she and Shouta were assigned as her teachers. Shouta's Erasure was perfect to cancel her quirk if it went out of control, and while her hero persona was a sexy dominatrix, nobody who knew Kayama Nemuri would deny that she had a soft spot for little kids.

And little Eri had triggered all her motherly instincts.

Thinking about her pupil made her eyes wander to the greenete who was the talk of the hero community.

Midoriya Izumi.

The girl was the talk of every hero who had faced Overhaul during the week of the billboard announcements. Even with most of the details labelled as classified and top secret, many still wondered about the young greenete and her animal companions. Midnight and the rest of the staff were aware of all the details (perks of being the girl's teachers) and made sure to not discuss it with anyone not authorized.

Not that the secret would hold for much longer. Midoriya wasn't supposed to arrive alone; the plan she and her allies made was for her to return with a diplomatic entourage at her side. However, the facility where the people of the Pokemon World investigated how to travel between dimensions was the target of a villain attack, and during the confusion one of the portals was activated, sucking the greenete and, by sheer luck, transporting her back to Japan without suffering any injury.

The girl truly was lucky when it came to travelling between dimensions by unstable portals.

And now she was certain that the heroes would be talking more about her.

Midoriya was Class President of Class 1-A. She had a strong quirk, a sharp mind, and had a team of capable combatants at her side.

She had won first place on the first event.

Time to see how she handles the next one.

"Listen up! The first part of the preliminary is done! The first 42 students pass! Those that failed don't worry, the festival still has other activities to enjoy! Now for the second event!" Midnight switched on the main screen, all eyes glued to it, waiting to see what the next part will entail.

"CAVALRY BATTLE!"

Confused voices rang across the stadium, all wondering about the similitude to the childish name of the event.

"The rules are fairly simple. You brats will form teams of two to four people, one will be the jockey and the others the horses. Like in the regular Cavalry Battle unhorsing is allowed, but here is our twist. Every contestant will be given a strap with a number; that number is the amount of points earned by the position you guys gut during the first event. Last place gets 5 points, penuntilm being 10 and so on. However! For our first place, we have a special reward! The student that managed to win the Obstacle Race will be given… TEN MILLION POINTS!"

Absolute silence fell among the giant stadium; all eyes immediately darted to the greenete, who had grasped perfectly the situation she was in.

It was so quiet that nobody missed Midoriya's words.

"Fuck."

Izumi was screwed.

She was soooo screwed.

If she had known that getting first place during the race would have meant ending with the equivalent of a bath of blood in the middle of the ocean surrounded by a school of Sharpedos, then she would have let Todoroki or Bakugou have it.

No matter. What's done is done. It was useless to cry over spilled milk, she had to focus on forming a team that would be willing to to work with her with the huge bait on her head.

The rules of the game were fairly simple. Each student was given a band with their points, which was to be tied to their foreheads. Being unhorsen or losing a horse didn't cause elimination, so they could still participate until the end. However, like in the race, willingly causing serious damage to another student was ground for instant elimination for the whole team.

Izumi took a step forward and deadpanned at how every single one of her classmates took a step backwards.

'Cowards!' She cursed inwardly.

"Izumi-chan!" Ochako ran straight at her, Tsu right at her side. "Want to team up with us? Izumi-chan?" Izumi couldn't answer, her hand was busy whipping out the tears that burst at how kind great she had.

"Are you guys sure? We are going to be hunted relentless by every other team." She warned them.

"I am sure! I will always team up with my friends!" Ochako smiled cheerfully, not worried at all by the repercussions of being in a team with Izumi.

Tsu nodded in agreement. "I still owe you and your team for saving my life during the villain attack. This seems like the best opportunity. Also." The frog girl rubbed her fingers, "I too want to work with my friends."

Izumi smiled widely. For many years she had been so lonely, even while travelling through the Regions, catching and training Pokemon, learning about Aura with Riley, looking for a way home, she had barely made any friends. The scars left by the bullying were deep; it took her years to accept that not everyone was like the children and adults of Aldera, that not everyone was like Kachaan.

Trusting her Pokemon was easy, like breathing. Trusting others took her longer, but she eventually overcame her fears.

And she was so glad she did.

"Great, now we just need one last person." Her eyes darted around the area, looking for someone who wasn't already teamed up. Bakugou was surrounded by people asking to team up with him, Shouji was talking with Mineta, she couldn't see Hagakure anywhere, and Iida and Yaoyomo were...

With Todoroki. Nodding at something he was saying. Yaoyomo realized that Izumi was staring at them and looked downward, shame visible in her eyes. Iida too turned towards Izumi, his face stern, but there was no hiding the small amount of guilt he leaked.

"Iida! Yaoyomo!" She called them out. "Let's do our best!" Yaoyomo smiled gratefully at her, understanding that the greenete had no hard feelings for choosing to side with the two toned boy.

"Midoriya! Despite our friendship, I don't plan to lose today!" Iida said passionately.

"Good! I wouldn't expect less!" Izumi grinned at them.

She didn't mind that her friends sided with Todoroki for this event; part of being a Pokemon Trainer was having friendly rivalries with your friends. This was just like that. Her friends wanted to win the Festival, and so did she. She would never begrudge them for that.

"Guess we will need to find someone else." Ochako murmured.

"Three people should be enough, but having a fourth wouldn't hurt." Tsu added.

"Then can I join, Miss 10 million points?" A pink-haired girl suddenly popped up in front of Izumis face, making her flinch back and yell in surprise.

"Whaaa?! Who are you?!"

"Wait! You are the Support girl with all those machines!" Ochako pointed at the strange girl who had used all kind of gadgets during the race.

"Hatsume Mei from the Support Department! I want to use you to show off my babies!"

"Eh? EHHH?!" Ochako and Izumi shouted, bewildered by the strange girl's choice of words.

"As the first place, all eyes will be on your team; that means that if I stay by your side, all the big companies will see my super cute adorable babies in action! This is my one shot to show my great abilities as an inventor! Look! I brought a diverse bunch of my babies for the whole Festival! At least one or two of them will synchronize with your quirks!"

Izumi analyzed the devices that Hatsume brought, a plan beginning to take shape.

"Hatsume-san." She interrupted the pink-haired girl's exuberant explanations about a jetpack she had built. "I have some ideas in mind, but first I need to know your abilities."

"Righto, Miss 10 million! I may not know how to fight like you guys in the Hero Department, but I make up for it with my offensive babies! And with my Zoom, nobody can hide from my sniper eyes!"

"Sniper eyes? How far and at what quality can you see?"

"5 kilometers top! 20:20 vision!" Hatsume boasted.

Izumi pondered quickly on her team's abilities. She had One For All and her aura to power up her physical traits, not at All Might's level, but more than enough to fist fight Bewear alone. With Ochako's gravity nulification and Tsu's frog traits, they could get away from a tight spot quickly. And with Hatsume's sharp eyes and her inventions...

"Ok, we don't have much time left. This is my plan."

"I have to say, I am surprised that you wanted to see the First Years Events. Usually I have to force you to see the Second and Third Years." A blonde woman said to her friend, who simply shrugged nonchalantly.

"Nothing good on TV."

"Right. The TV setted with your favorite movies and series."

"Too repeated. Boring."

"Lethal Weapon is boring?"

"..."

"..."

"Shut up Ryuko."

Ryuko, or as many knew her, Ryukyu, the Dragoon Heroine, laughed at the scowl that her friend was giving her for calling her shit.

"C'me on Rumi. Just admit it. You wanted to check on that girl, didn't you?" Ryuko nudged her.

"Tch. Don't overthink it, Ryu. Just wanted to see if the little rabbit showed up with the big rabbit. That's it." Rumi replied, her ears twitching betrayed her mask of aloofness.

Ryuko rolled her eyes. "Every hero on the top 50 has an eye on the girl Rumi, even Endevour, and he only pays attention to fire quirk users. Is it because she fights in a team?" Ryuko knew well that her friend disliked team-ups, preferring to work on her own during patrols but willing to partner up if it was necessary. Mirko was a proud, brash, arrogant woman, but she never let her ego affect her hero work. If she had to work together with a hundred heroes to defeat a villain, then she would do it a million times without a doubt.

And afterwards, she would step up her training to get stronger.

Rumi sighed. "Team up to rescue civilians after high-level disasters? I can do it. Team up to beat the crap of some overpowered jackass I can't touch because of some bullshit bad quirk interaction? Don't like it, but I will live with it. But the fuckers that willingly hide in the middle of a team? That do the minimum on the field? That complain about never making it to the top 100 and trash talk the heroes that should be there but that nobody speaks about because they are not so flashy?" Mirko was snarling in rage the more she spoke, her animal features more wild than usual.

Ryuko didn't interrupt her; she was well aware of the animosity Mirko had for those she called coward heroes, and, unfortunately, she could understand her feelings.

Normally, Ryuko didn't care what motivated a person to become a hero. Whether it was altruism, a desire for fame, or to secure a job, it was their business. At the end of the day, the important part was that they actually did their work as heroes when it mattered.

Unfortunately, these days there seemed to be a big trend of heroes more interested in keeping to their image and sponsors than in actually acting as heroes. There had been a couple of battles or incidents where the heroes would skip by claiming that their quirks weren't compatible with the situation, only skipping punishment by later joining another pro's company, and the Hero Comission let the matter sly pass.

"But that kid. She is different. I saw it. I saw her stand off against those pencilpushers of the Comssion when they demanded that she gave up her creatures and the little girl she was protecting. When they threatened her with bringing charges for illegal quirk use and vigilantism, she didn't back down; she called their bluff and screwed them by pointing at the hundread of phones recording everything." Rumi let out a small grin. "She didn't treat them as tools. Her creatures. She didn't even treat them as pets or minions. She treated them as friends, as partners. It reminded me of how you treat your interns and sidekicks, Ryu."

Ryuko smiled at that. Ryukyo always took seriously her responsibilities as the leader of her Hero company, mentoring her sidekicks and interns, encouraging them to spread their wings and push past their limits. She never hesitated to give credit to whoever belonged.

Ever.

It didn't matter if the one to save the day had been a second-year intern, a police officer, or a civilian brave enough to step up in the face of danger.

"She is definitely not a normal first-year student." After the incident with Overhaul, the Ministry of Security had taken control of the situation, keeping any mention of the girl under red tape. Only a handful of people were allowed to know about whatever secret the girl held and that Ryuko thought involved those creatures she used.

Ryukyo had been a heroine for many years; she had met many heroes and trained more than a few. She had seen all types of quirks wielded by heroes, villains, and civilians. Quirks that involved controlling others weren't the most common; usually it entailed controlling either humans or animals, but she could certainly say that she had never seen creatures like the ones that Midoriya invoked or the strange method she used to call and recall them.

And she had never heard of a person with more than one quirk.

Because right now Midoriya had displayed another quirk, an augmentation type, certainly, with interesting visual effects. But she had also commanded one of her creatures, the blue bipedal canine, and for some reason she had used a sphere to recall it and then gave it to Midnight.

It was strange.

If invoking those creatures was her quirk, then why had she only called one of them. From what she could recall, she had used at least four or five of them during the fight against Overhaul. And she didn't seem exhausted at the time. Bruised and tired, yes, but she knew when someone had overused their quirk, and she didn't have such signs back then, and neither now.

"Course she is not. She faced off a fucking yakuza boss on her own, Ryu."

Ah. Now she understood why her friend was feeling so confused about the young girl.

Mirko disliked teaming up, something that Midoriya obviously preferred, yet the young greenete had obviously remembered Mirko of her own teenager self, back when she faced a villain organization on her own, which ended up giving her the motivation to enroll in a hero school and eventually become the Rabbit Heroine, Mirko.

That Midoriya Izumi seemed to follow on her same steps must resonate with the white-haired woman.

Ryuko let out a small giggle at the frustrated frown that Rumi had, letting out a full laugh when her friend gave her a scowl.

"I'm sure you will figure it out, Rumi."

Rumi kept scowling at her cheerful encouragement, grumbling about annoying overgrown lizards.

If one were to ask Izumi what the Cavalry Battle felt like, she would say one word.

Chaos.

The moment that Midnight finished the countdown and the thirty-minute timer started, all teams rushed towards hers, their eyes glued to the 10 million points bandana around her forehead.

"AND IT STARTED! AND LOOK! TEAMS HAGAKURE AND TETSUTESU ARE THE FIRST TO STRIKE! WHAT WILL TEAM MID- eh? Team Uraraka? I was almost certain they would use Midoriya as their horsemen."

"They must have a strategy in place to select this team configuration." Eraserhead deduced calmly.

"WELL, ANYWAY! LETS SEE WHAT OUT MILLION POINTS TEAM DOES! RUN OR FIGHT!"

Izumi narrowed her eyes at their opponents. Like she suspected all teams wanted their chance at first place, and her headband was a guaranteed way to get it.

When it came to points, without counting her, her team barely had almost 300 points. Without her band, they would need to attack most teams to get a chance to qualify. However her band itself was a giant target, like a Bounsweet's scent calling for all avian Pokemon to eat them.

Good thing that like a Bounsweet, she could defend herself.

"Tsu, NOW!" Like they planned, she and Tsu used their stronger legs to jump high, aided by Ochako's nullification of their gravity, their horse was soaring high above all their opponent's heads, out of range of most attacks.

"Second part!" She ordered. Hatsume activated the jetpack on Ochako's back, letting them fly away towards a less congested part of the arena. Before Ochako deactivated Zero Gravity, Izumi started the third and more gambling part of her plan. It would take away the attention from her team, a lot of it, but it would allow them to win more points and if things went well, maintain first place.

"Hatsume-san!" "On it! Fly, BABY!" Hatsume grabbed a small drone and sent it flying in the oppositive direction, with the 10 million point headband grabbed by one of its claws.

"The headband!"

"Grab it!"

"Go, go, gooo!"

Like Izumi expected the teams were so concentred with grabbing the band that they forgot to pay attention to each other. In mere seconds it became a campal battle, everyone striking at each other and launching attacks at the drone, trying to strike it down and get their hands on the first place.

Izumi smirked. With their attention distracted, it was time to finally make their move.

"Hatsume! Tsu!"

"On it, Boss! Twelve o'clock! 90 points on the big guy, 60 on the girl and 15 on scribble guyl! They are distracted!"

Tsu quickly stretched her tongue towards their opponents, blinding the tall boy with a mutated head and grabbing his headband. Hatsume threw a sphere at their feet which released a big BANG, disorienting them and giving Izumi the opening to grab the other bands and dash away before they could refocus.

For the next couple of minutes, Team Uraraka continued on with the strategy. With Hatsume's sniper vision they could see how many points each team had; between Tsu's and Izumi's enhanced strength and Ochako's gravity control, they could sneak away faster and put more distance between them and the rest of their competence.

While Izumi focused on getting more points for her team, Mineta's team was trying to conserve the 10 millon headband. Thanks to his aim and sticky balls he had managed to nail Hatsume's drone, giving Dark Shadow a window to grab the headband and bring it inside Shoji's protective barrier.

Their victory, however, was short lived. The moment they successfully obtained the band they were accosted by their own classmates and those that lost their points to Izumi's strategy. And leading the chase was Todoroki.

"I didn't expect that Midoriya would willingly give up first place so easily. No matter. My strategy will work no matter the enemy." The boy stated coldly. "Iida, speed up. Yaoyorozu, prepare the defenses. Kaminari-"

"I know! Be ready!" Electricity began to run across Kaminari's body. The static blonde stepped away slightly from his team, just enough to let Yaoyorozu cover the other three, herself included, in a black cloack, and then he released a powerful electrical shock.

"Indiscriminate Shock! 1.2 Million Volts!" From the blonde's body was released a large electrical current that impacted everyone around him, shocking them in place and making a path for Todoroki's ice to partially freeze them. The combination of attacks overcame Shoji's pain tolerance, making him retract the wing membrane surrounding his horsemen, who were also affected by the attack.

With all three boys disorientated and affected by the combo, it was easy for Iida and Yaoyorozu to grab all their headbands, including the much codicied 10 million.

"Great! We got it!" Kaminari cheered, happy that Todoroki's plan worked.

Yaoyorozu and Iida smiled, pleased that their team was assured first place, and inwardly wishing that their other friends managed to make it too.

Shoto didn't say anything, his eyes sorely focused on a man he had noticed standing on the VIP lounges, a man he hated with his entire being.

His father.

Enji Todoroki.

The number two hero, Endeavour.

His father was easily recognized, standing in his hero uniform, with his powerful arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Shoto glared at him, letting a small amount of smugness show on his face.

He had vowed to never use his father's fire, to achieve what his father never could only using his ice.

And he was closer to it.

Yes, he had lost first place to Midoriya and her dog during the race, but that had obviously been a fluke, since the girl had given up cowardly on first place and was scrambling to get enough points just to classify.

"Todoroki, look out!" Kaminari warned him.

Shoto's eyes widened in alarm when he saw Uraraka's extended hand aiming right for his head. He created an ice shield along his right forearm, shielding his face and then he let it crumble before she could activate her quirk.

Green eyes met with icy blue.

"Hey Todoroki. Thanks for keeping an eye on my band." Izumi cheerily said, ignoring the scowl on Todoroki's face.

Time to get first place again.

Katsuki was pissed off.

He was angry.

He was mad.

The only thing on his mind right now was beating the smug smirk on that fucking copycat that thought himself better than him just for getting a cheap shot.

When the battle started his goal was simply. Get the 10 million headband and blast anyone on his way. Shitty Hair hardening could handle his explosions and his former childhood friend punches. Pinky was pretty athletic and her acid was a nasty thing for combat types. And Tape Arms could catch him when he launched himself towards the other teams.

It was a good team.

And then IzumiMidoriya threw her band away and began to hunt other teams, slowly and steady rising in points.

When he saw that his ex childhood friend no longer held the band he froze momentarily. And it was on that moment that the fucking bastard took advantage and stole his band.

His band.

And then the smug bastard started to prattle about how Class 1A were so showoffs that they recklessly showed off their quirks during the first stage, eager to make it to first place, to proud of themselves.

The fucking extra whose name he didn't bother to remember, or know, went on to say that he and some of Class B decided to safely make it to the lower ranks, all to keep their quirks hidden and have an advantage during the rest of the event, a smarter plan than those of Class A.

Katsuki didn't really care much about most of his classmates, he just didn't know them. He could acknowledge that a couple of them were strong, strong enough to compete with him, and that others weren't useless extras. He didn't like Icy Hot, but that was because the bastard was a fucking arrogant that thought himself so strong that he could hold back and still make it to the top.

Katsuki was arrogant, he would admit it. But he never held back. Not during classes. Not during training. Not in a fight.

Holding back was just a way to ask to be killed.

And this copycat was pissing him off as much as Icy Bastard did.

"Fuck it. We are nailing this bastards and then we go for the 10 million points!" He decided before launching himself at the smug bastard.

"Bakugou!" Shitty Hair yelled.

"Tsubura! Barrier!" Tsubura expelled a burst of wind that solidified on top of them, blocking Katsuki's path.

"FUCK!" The explosive user swore at the smug sneers both blondes sported. Using his anger he launched a small explosion at the barrier, breaking part of it and stealing some of the bands that the copycat had around his neck and jumping backwards, getting caught by Tape Arms.

"The hell you were doing bro! We barely caught you!" Shitty Hair scolded him.

"Shut it! That bastard still has our points!"

"So lets get them!" The redhead shouted back. "Our points, his and all the points here! Lets win this! Together!"

Katsuki smirked when he saw that Pinky and Tape Arms held the same desire as him and Shitty Hair to win.

"Pinky! Block their way with your acid! Tape Arms catch them!"

"Got it!"

"Name is Ashido! Not Pinky!"

Pinky's acid made copycat's team stop in their tracks and with Elbows tape they caught two of the horses, using them as leverage to pull themselves right behind them and knock them down with his explosions.

"GRAB THEM!" Pinky and Tapes quickly grabbed all the bands that Monoma and his team had with them, their new score tying them with Midoriya's score in second place.

But not for long.

"Let's go! For the ten million!"

Shoto was getting frustrated. No matter how much ice he used, no matter what he created, no matter what he tried, he couldn't stop Midoriya's strength.

He made a barrier? She broke it with a kick.

He made a weapon? She shattered with a punch.

They tried to evade them? She and Asui jumped in front of them.

They had already lost Yaoyorozu and Iida's bands, Kaminari, his and the million band the only ones still in his possession. He even lost the extra ones he took from Mineta's team, making Midoriya's team (for she was the brain behind the horse, even if Uraraka was the rider) land on second place.

And she didn't have any intention of ending there.

Only one minute was left on the counter.

One minute.

They just needed to hold until then.

Midoriya and Asui were the most dangerous of the group, but their position as horses limited their movements. Uraraka's quirk was difficult to deal with, but her lack of experience fighting gave him an advantage. And the pink haired girl wasn't a threat whatsoever.

They would win.

He would-

Midoriya leaped in front of him. Both greenetes had jumped in front of him, dragging Uraraka and their fourth teammate with them. Midoriya had an arm aiming for him, for his headband, the one around his neck. She was going to grab the 10 million band and win first place.

Again.

His body reacted without his input. His left arm moved to block, flames sprouting and creating a fiery barrier that collided with the greenete arm, obscuring her view and making her miss her target at the last moment.

Shoto looked at his left arm in disbelief, not understanding how he lost control of his quirk. Ever since he swore to never use his father's fire he trained to never invoke the flames. He only used some heat to melt the ice created.

Only heat. Never ice.

Until now.

"Todoroki! Focus! Midoriya got your headband and Hatsume got Kaminari's! We only have the ten million headband left!" Iida warned him, shaking him off his confusion. His eyes widened when he realized the precarious situation they were in. If they lost that headband, then it was over.

They would lose.

Shoto clenched his teeth in concentration. He had wanted to focus all his energy for the matches, not now. But he had no choice. Midoriya's current strength was capable of smashing his ice. If he wanted to beat her, he would have to produce more ice than ever.

"TODOROKI!" Bakugou screamed while propelling himself towards him. "Don't you dare look down on me Icy Bastard!"

Shoto began to gather as much ice as he could, his right arm covered in frost, ready to launch a devastating attack when Midnight's voice cut him.

"TIMEEEEE! The Cavalry Battle is over! I will start announcing the winning teams!" Everyone stared with waited breath the final results, eager to know who made it to the matches and who would have to wait another year to shine.

"First place: Team Todoroki! Second place: Team Bakugou! Third Place: Team Uraraka. Fourth place: Team Tet- eh? Team Shinshou? What a change in place. Congratulations guys! You are now part of the final event! The Fighting Tournament! But first enjoy a one hour break filled with fun activities! This is school festival after all!"

Shoto breathed out in relief. It was over. He had qualified. Now he only had to freeze anybody that was unlucky to face him.

And yet… he stared at his left arm uncertain.

He couldn't let it happen again.

He couldn't.

Endeavour wasn't a hero known for smiling cheerily like a certain overpowered buffon.

He wasn't known for crying at the sight of dead civillians, no matter their age or the state their corpses were found.

He wasn't known for being a listener or showing up on charities, no matter how much his PR team tried to press him.

He was a hero with a no-nonsense attitude, a hero who showed results, who defeated any villain that faced his path, who pushed himself to his limits in his fruitless attempt to surpass All Might, to become the new Number 1 Hero in Japan.

Endeavour, despite his scowling attitude, was a great hero loved and admired by the public.

Todoroki Enji, on the other hand, was a sorry excuse for a human being that had a reserved place in Hell when it came the day for the shinigami to reap his soul. And while he had never been a religious man, he was certain of that fact.

Because that's what he deserved.

He destroyed his wife life, pushing her to insanity, unable to see the signs of her mental break until it was too late. All he could do was use his position as the Number 2 Hero and force the Comission to sweep it all under the rug and make sure that Rei was sent to the best psychiatrist ward in Japan.

He destroyed his children's life. His eldest, who he failed by not teaching him correctly how to harness his quirk, dead. Natsuo hated him, not that he faulted him. Fuyumi tried to keep the family together, acting as Natsuo and Shoto's mother figure, the only one of his children who still visited Rei weekly.

And Shoto.

Shoto was willing to risk his life just to spite him, his father.

He could get Shoto hating him. He accepted it. He deserved it. There was nothing in the world he could do to fix things. Nothing. The only thing he could do was make sure that his remaining children and wife lived comfortable lives and that Shoto became a stronger hero than him.

He needed Shoto to become stronger than him.

Stronger than All Might.

Otherwise, everything he made his family suffer for would have been for nothing.

All the pain, the suffering, the sacrifices.

After everything he caused, he couldn't let it end like this.

But Shoto didn't understand.

Shoto wanted to be the Number 1 Hero in Japan, but only using his ice. The ice he got from his mother's side.

Shoto didn't understand that his attempt at teenage rebellion, his way of revenge for the pain he caused to Rei and their children, would not have a happy ending.

If for some reason Eraserhead didn't expel him for refusing to use his fire (which he was amazed hadn't happened yet) then Shoto would have to face a harsh cold truth that every true pro hated.

There were enemies they couldn't win against.

In most cases, it was due to lack of experience or a bad quirk interaction. It had happened to him when he was still young. Villains with stronger quirks than his or that could negate his or their quirks gave them bodies inmune to his fire.

So he trained. He grew. He strategized. He made sure that those situations were never repeated, that the next time he faced a villain with a type of quirk that he struggled against, that he would win. That if he was called to help in a emergency, he could save any civillian in danger.

He learnt and he advanced.

But Shoto's situation will be different from his and of any other pro. Because if Shoto was incapable of dealing with a villain, if he was unable to save a civilian from harm, it wouldn't be because of lack of experience or a bad quirk interaction.

It would be because he was helding back.

And if that happened then his life will be over.

He may be the Number 2 Hero, a role model for many kids all over Japan, but he couldn't protect Shoto if a disaster happened and he was caught refusing to use all his power because of a personal grudge.

Enji was a shitty excuse of a father. He didn't deserve the title of a father. But he never wanted to harm Shoto. He didn't want to see his youngest son die or be injured because of him.

Unfortunately, Shoto refused to listen to him, his rage blindling him against reason. Endeavour wished that his son would use his full power, use his flames and conquer UA's Sport Festival. But it didn't seem that it would be that way,

Shoto didn't win the race like he obviously expected and while his team won the second event, they only did it by managing to hold to the surprize prize. He had overestimated the power of his ice and underestimated the strength of his opponents, which almost ended with his loss.

His son didn't understand that his actions today were severely harming his future as a hero. Right now, with this presentation, none of the strongest heroes would considering him for an internship. The common rabble would do it, of course, but that's because they still thought that having a shiny quirk was all what was needed to be a hero.

But not the top 10.

Not if he continued to refuse to show his true potential.

However, Endeavour wasn't discouraged. For one brief moment he had seen Shoto use his flames. It might have been totally involuntary, but he did it. And it was against the mysterious girl that he met almost one year ago.

Back then he hadn't really paid much attention to the girl, finding the powerful villain more interesting than some vigilante and the creatures she could conjure. Her fire monkey was interesting, of course. He had been internanly amused by how its eyes shined in wonder when it saw the power of his flames unleashed.

The monkey had good taste, he would give it that.

His position as the Number 2 had given him access to more files and secrets than many other heroes could; only All Might held a greater clearance. But, it was enough to let him know the truth of the teenager girl that was declared almost six years ago.

Midoriya Izumi had traveled to another dimension by mistake, she had tamed strange powerful animals from that world and then came back to Japan, planning on becoming a hero with her team, her 'Pokemon' as they were called. And from what he had seen she had become more powerful in the past year.

Good.

Endeavour had been incapable of convincing his son to use his fire for the past couple of years. No matter how much he beat him up during training his son remained stubborn. His flames never so much as flickered, even when his rage was visible.

But now his flames showed up.

Right while he was facing Midoriya.

Maybe that girl would be the key to successfully beat the stubbornness out of his son's thick head.

Chapter Text

21

"A hypnosis quirk?" She asked Ojiro, the blonde nodding grimly.

"Yes. I believe that Shinso's quirk allows him to control people after they talk back to him. The last thing I remember while I was searching for teammates was him talking, and when I answered back, my mind went blank."

Izumi frowned. One thing was using your quirk against your fellow competitors; that was allowed as long as it didn't cause any serious harm. But mentally controlling possible teammates for no reason?

Did Shinso really hate everyone in the Hero Course so much as to do something as petty as that?

"Ojiro." Izumi tentatively began to ask. "Do you think Shinso put some command in your head to make you quit the Festival?"

The blonde shook his head. "No. I was truthful when I said that I didn't feel like I deserved to pass to the next stage. All I did during the whole Cavalry Battle was move around until Shinso found a vulnerable group with enough points to steal. I did nothing that could prove that I deserve to participate in the Third Event."

Izumi didn't argue with him; she would have probably done the same thing if she had been in his shoes. No, what was eating Ojiro up was that he fell for Shinso's trap like an idiot.

"Besides, Aoyama was hypnotized just like me, and he refused to forfeit." The greenette nodded, remembering how their flamboyant classmate had been the only one of Shinso's three horses to refuse to forfeit after the Second Event finished.

"So, no matter what Shinso tells you, you must not answer back! Otherwise, you will be at his complete control!" Ojiro reminded her.

Izumi closed her eyes, analyzing the situation just like Riley taught her.

The first match would be her against the purple-haired boy. Physically speaking, he wasn't a threat. She could tell that while he had a lean body and no major body fat, he wasn't a trained combatant. Not like her or some of her classmates. But with his quirk, Shinso probably fell into the same trap that many did.

Overconfidence.

Shinso used his quirk in both events without a second thought, not caring that he was leaving clues about its weakness behind. Clues that Ojiro deduced.

First, for the quirk to take effect, he needed to speak first, and the person he was talking to needed to answer back. Second, if the person hypnotized was hit, then the quirk lost its effect.

Knowing how it was activated negated completely the quirk, but it wasn't as easy as it sounded. By now Shinso must have figured out that Ojiro told her all he could figure out about his quirk, and he would be developing a new strategy to capture her with his hypnosis.

"If I were he," she spoke aloud, "I would taunt my enemy. Insult them or somebody close to them. The human response to being insulted is to talk back, even if its to simply yell a 'How dare you?' That would be my strategy at least."

"Then, what are you going to do?"

That was the question.

Izumi wanted to laugh at her luck. Not only would she have to face Shinso in the first match, who seemed to hate her for being part of the famous Class 1A, but then she would have to face Todoroki, who gave her a final challenge after the Cavalry Battle finished.

"So, what is this about?" Izumi asked the two-toned boy, who remained quiet across from her. After the Cavalry Battle finished and the winning teams were declared, a break started and everyone went to get lunch.

Everyone but Izumi, whom Todoroki asked to speak in private.

Todoroki's mismatched eyes stared right at her green eyes, no emotion leaking from them.

"Midoriya. I will be blunt. What is your relationship with All Might?"

"Eh? All Might?" Izumi panicked. What did Todoroki know?

"Are you his bastard daughter or something like it?" he bluntly asked.

"EHHHHHHHHH!? W-WH-WHAAAAT!? Where in Giratina's Hell did you come up with that?! Of course not! My mom and my dad were married when they had me! Not that All Might is my dad! My dad is a civilian! He works for a big American company in the states! I have his freckles!" How the hell did Todoroki come up with such a crazy idea?!

"I made a vow long time ago. That I would only use my mother's ice to be a hero. Only my ice. No matter what. And yet during our fight, I felt a pressure that I have only felt once before in my life, and my flames answered. That pressure, that sensation that I was in front of something dangerous, something that I couldn't defeat, I only felt it when All Might fought Nomu."

Izumi stayed quiet. She had made him feel like he was facing All Might? Somehow, she managed to not blush like a tomato.

However, something that Todoroki said tickled her mind, and she was unable to keep it down.

"Your mother's ice?" She asked, confused by how he referred to his quirk. The boy stiffened at her question, his eyes going vacant.

"... Yes, my mother's ice. I inherited my ice from my mother; her family has always produced powerful ice quirk users. That's why my father approached her family to propose a marriage union between them."

What?

Todoroki must have seen the confusion on her face, because he began to explain.

"My father is Endeavour, the Number 2 Hero. Didn't you know? Despite being one of the strongest heroes in the country, and probably the world, that isn't enough for him. My father has always been obsessed with surpassing All Might. Always. Yet no matter what he did, no matter how many villains he defeated, how much he perfected his quirk, or how many civilians he saved, All Might continues to be the Number 1 Hero in Japan."

"At one point, my father realized that he would never surpass All Might, so he made a new plan. He would create a successor, one with a more powerful quirk, and train them to become the next Number 1 Hero."

Izumi's eyes widened in horror when she began to connect the dots. Endeavour's obsession, an arranged marriage, Todoroki's quirk…

The two-toned boy nodded his head in confirmation.

"Yes. My father married my mother solely to mix their quirks and potentially create a child who could wield both of them. Me." Todoroki frowned; his fist clenched in anger. "My entire life my father trained me to overcome All Might. From dawn to night. I wasn't allowed near my older siblings. I would see them play and be dragged away to continue preparing for my great future."

"And your mother?" The other boy gritted his teeth at her question, ire filling his mismatched eyes.

"All I can remember of my mother is that she was always crying. The last memory I have of her is when she poured scalding water over the left side of my face, all the while saying that seeing it was like seeing my father."

The greenete felt her blood freeze at the story that her classmate told her. While she knew that there were heroes that preferred to promote their image over doing their job, she would have never thought that one of them would abuse his own family to such a point!

"My father took her away after that. We were forbidden from seeing her again. And once I recovered, he continued my training. After all, he couldn't let his weapon rust."

"Todoroki." Izumi murmured, unsure of what to say after his revelation. And why he chose to tell her.

"I will do what my father couldn't. I will surpass All Might. But only using my mother's ice. Not his fire. That will be my revenge."

Todoroki walked away without another word, leaving Izumi behind with a hundred questions swimming in her head.

"Midoriya?" Ojiro's voice brought her back from her thoughts.

Izumi shook her head. She couldn't let Todoroki's words distract her, she had to focus on how to beat Shinso.

She made a promise to make it to the finals.

And she was going to keep it.

"EVERYONE READYYYYYY! NOW STARTS WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE! THE FIGHTING TOURNAMENT! TIME TO SHOW YOUR BATTLE SKILLS ON A CLASSIC ONE ON ONE!"

"AND NOW! TO START THIS EVENT! SHE IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CLASS 1A! MAKING INTERESTING CHOICES DURING THE PREVIOUS EVENT! MIDORIYA IZUMI!" The crowd lost their minds when the greenete walked in the newly formed arena, not an ounce of nervousness on her body.

"AND HERE COMES HER CHALLENGER! SOMEHOW MAKING IT DESPITE BEING FROM THE GENERAL COURSE, SHINSO HITOSHI!"

Hitoshi didn't react to the polite applause of the crowd or the veiled insult given by the hero. In a few seconds he would show them who had the best quirk, who truly deserved to be on the Hero Course.

SNAP!

Midnight flicked her whip, making both teens stare at her.

"Rules are simple! If your opponent leaves the ring, quits or is left unconscious, then you win! Don't be afraid of injuring each other. Recovery Girl is keeping watch right by the stadium. However! That doesn't mean you can maim or use lethal attacks! Any attempt to severely harm will lead to disqualification! Heroes aren't mercs! We only take our gloves off in extreme circumstances!"

"Quit, huh?" Hitoshi begun to talk, he needed to finish right before the match started, before Midoriya could activate her quirk. "That means that whoever holds the greatest determination will be the winner. I have a strong determination Midoriya. That's why I made it so far. Unlike that pathetic monkey who babbled about his dignity and other stupid things." He smirked at the last bit, pleased by the outrage shining on the girl's eyes.

"STAAART!"

"He would make for a good for nothing-" SPLAT

Nobody spoke.

Nobody reacted.

The entire stadium, in fact, every viewer at that exact moment, stared in disbelief and shock at what the green haired girl did.

The moment Midnight started the match, Midoriya suddenly spat blood.

"WHAAAAT THE HEEEELLLLLLL?!"

"MIDORIYA! WHAT ARE-?" Midoriya interrupted her teacher with a hand, green eyes asking for trust.

"Crazy kid." Midnight muttered. She had the same look as Shouta whenever he pulled a crazy plan.

Hitoshi didn't get a chance to figure out why Midoriya was bleeding, not with the girl running straight at him, a fierce determination in her emerald eyes. He tried to put a defense, aiming a fist at her face, only for her to suddenly crouch and sweep her leg under his, tripping him backwards. Hitoshi glared at her from his position, earning a fierce glare back. Even with her mouth shut, he understood the message.

Forfeit.

The purple-haired boy gritted his teeth in rage and barreled against his opponent, trying to push her against the ground, only to feel like he hit a column of steel. A knee to the gut broke his hold, followed by two hands gripping his arm and the next thing he knew he was flying over the ring, slamming against the ground, his spirit falling when he heard the roaring of the crowd.

"Shinso Hitoshi has crossed the line! Midoriya Izumi wins!"

It was over.

He failed.

His opportunity to leave the General Course, to prove that he could be a hero, that his quirk wasn't a villanous quirk, a useless quirk, was gone.

A hand over his face broke his thoughts.

Midoriya.

Hitoshi scowled when she saw the sympathetic look in her green eyes.

"What?" He spat, resentful. "Here to gloat?"

Midoriya shook her head but didn't speak. Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"You won; I'm not going to use my quirk now. I'm not dumb." He wasn't stupid enough to sabotage the competitors outside the arena. Forget being transferred to the Hero Course, he would probably be expelled if he used his quirk on any of them outside the events.

Midoriya made a motion with her throat, swallowing something and grimacing, and then she opened her mouth.

Hitoshi felt like an idiot for only now realizing what Midoriya did.

"You bit your own tongue, to win?" he asked incredulously.

Midoriya closed her mouth and nodded solemnly. Whatever he was about to say was lost when a cane wacked the winner on the back of her head violently.

"OUCH! THAT MUST HAVE HURT!"

"Fool girl! What did I tell you about intentionally harming yourself?!" Recovery Girl chastised the winner of the first match, much to the amusement of everyone watching.

Midoriya bowed her head in apology, accepting the healers' rage without protest. Eventually, the small heroine sighed and healed both teens injuries before leaving, all the while grumbling about "dumb kids with self-sacrificing tendencies".

Hitoshi was preparing to leave the field when the other girl finally spoke.

"Shinso." He turned towards her. "Ojiro is not a pathetic fool. He has the integrity of a true hero. And you owe him, Aoyama-kun and Nirengeki-kun an apology for how you treated them during the Cavalry Battle."

The purple-haired boy gave her a scowl. "The rules said I could use my quirk however I wanted as long as it didn't do serious harm. I did nothing wrong."

"You didn't trust them, Shinso. You picked them and then discarded them like broken toys. You want to know why Ojiro told me how your quirk works? Because he was disgusted that you asked to be his teammate and then just mind-controlled him without a second thought. If you had been honest with the three of them, you would have won this match."

She was right. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was.

"So high and mighty. As if you had any idea what it is like to have a quirk that is deemed villainous. A quirk that is useless to get past the great UA Hero's Exam. What would you know, you who have been blessed with a powerful quirk?! Hell, you even have those weird creatures!"

"The first time I used my quirk, all the bones in my right arm shattered." She revealed numbly.

What.

"My quirk gives me power, yes. A lot of power, actually, but my body can't handle it. I have to be careful with it. The only reason I can even use it is because my mentor saw me whining like a baby about how unfair the world was and decided to give a brutal lesson about reality. He taught me that a quirk is not what makes a hero. Its what they decide to do with their lives what makes a hero. There are many heroes with so called 'weak quirks' or 'villanous quirks' and they don't care. They move on, they push forward and do their jobs. Because they are true heroes."

Hitoshi didn't know how to answer. All his life he had resented his quirk. The first thing that everybody would do after learning about his Brainwashing was crack jokes about what a terrifying villain he would be. Not once did anybody say anything about his quirk being good for heroics, only how scary it was that he could control anyone.

"Still better than having a villainous quirk." He muttered darkly.

"What are you talking about? Your quirk is amazing, Shinso!" He stared incredously at the greenette, not believing her. "It is! How many people were you controlling during the second event? At least seven, right? Your teammates and I guess Tetsutetsu's team. That's how you guys got their point. I deduced it after Ojiro explained your quirk. You mind-controlled Tetsutetsu's whole team when the time was almost up and only released them at the last minute. A great strategy!"

"But you said that it was wrong that I used my quirk on others?"

"What? No! I said it was wrong that you used it on your teammates! Using it on your opponents is perfectly within the rules! I mean, if you had used it on me, I would have been pissed, but mostly at myself for being so stupid as to fall for it. Hey, how many people can you affect in total? Do they need to understand what you are saying, or does it work even if they don't speak Japanese? Does the number of people caught affect the time? How-—AUCH!" Her tirade of questions was interrupted by a new whack to the head, courtesy this time of a tall anthropomorphic hare.

"Lop, lop!"

"I know, I know. Sorry, I tend to ramble when it comes to quirks." She scratched her nape sheepishly. "Hey, Shinso. Don't give up, ok? You are the only student of the General Course who made it this far, and the senseis will see that." His eyes reflectively went to Midnight, who gave him a wink and nodded to the stands. The purple-haired boy concentrated and was surprised to hear some of the heroes discussing his quirk and its usefulness on the field.

"How?" How did they know how his quirk worked?

"Aizawa-sensei explained it after chastising Mic-sensei for not reading the students files. He explained that I must have bitten my tongue to counter your Brainwashing, since it was either nullifying my ability to speak or to hear."

Hitoshi nodded absentmindedly. He must have been so consumed by his thoughts that he didn't hear any of that.

"Hey, you two! Are you done chatting, or do I need to call more of your 'mons, Midoriya? Infernape and Ambipom looked excited at the idea of helping me referee." The R-rated heroine gave them a wicked grin, two of those balls that he had seen on Midoriya's belt on her hands.

Midoriya's eyes widened, and she began to push Hitoshi to the tunnel, all the while cursing the Headmaster for convincing her to lend some of her Pokemon to the teachers during the festival.

Hitoshi felt his lips turn up slightly.

Midoriya Izumi was not how he pictured the first place of Class 1A would be. She wasn't arrogant or stuck up. She didn't see herself as above others.

She could have hated him for treating her classmates as tools, yet she didn't.

She could have humiliated him during their match, yet she didn't.

She beat him, but she didn't gloat about it, instead, she gave him hope that his performance today hadn't been for nothing, that he could get a shot of fulfilling his dream.

While he walked under the stands, going back to the locker rooms, he overheard his fellow classmates congratulating him for making it so far, for not giving up even after his strategy failed.

At that moment, the disappointment he felt for not winning began to be pushed by another feeling.

Satisfaction.

He made it farther than anybody would have expected. All without any formal training.

Now he had to hope that it would be enough.

Ochako exhaled deeply, anxiety pouring from her body.

Izumi-chan won her match, without major injuries, well, except for biting her own tongue, which she had chided her about severely.

But, whatever relief she felt about her best friend making it through crashed and burned when Todoroki created a giant iceberg to contain Sero, engulfing half the arena.

The idea of Izumi facing Todoroki terrorized her, but she couldn't tell that to her best friend, not when Izumi didn't seem fazed at all, not even when Todoroki gave her a challenging glance after defrosting Sero and being declared the winner.

Kirishima's match against Shiozaki from Class B didn't last long. Kirishima ran straight at the taller girl, sparks flying from his hands, only to be immobilized by the vines growing from her head. Kaminari tried to break free increasing his electricity to the max, but the vines were impermeable to electricity, and he ended up frying his own brain, giving Shiozaki the win.

Iida's match… She felt so sorry for him.

Iida had been so excited by the Sports Festival. He wanted to show the world and his family how much he had grown as a hero student; he wanted to impress his older brother, the hero Ingenium.

And instead he spent his first match running around the arena, trying to catch Hatsume-san who was more interested in showing off her inventions and promoting them to the support companies attending the Festival. Only after 20 minutes of promoting her designs did she cross the bounds, and Iida was declared as the winner, not that he was happy with how it went.

Not a surprise, nobody would want to win that way.

"Ah, Uraraka. I didn't think you would be here." Iida entered the waiting room where the gravity user was mentally preparing for her upcoming match.

"Iida-kun, hi." She answered absentmindedly, still staring at her clenched hands.

"Are you ok? You look worried."

"Just thinking about my match."

"Right, Bakugou. He has a strong quirk."

"That's not what worries me." Ochako mumbled.

"Ochako-chan." Izumi suddenly entered the room.

"Midoriya." "Izumi-chan! Why aren't you watching Tsu and Yaoyorozu's fights?" Ochako knew that Izumi was good friends with both girls, she was surprised that she wasn't outside cheering for them.

"They already finished. Tsu beat Aoyama quickly; she leaped around him while he tired himself out shooting his naval laser and knocked him out with a flying kick. Yaoyomo and Ash-Mina's fight was longer. Yaomomo had some trouble with Mina's acid at first; any weapon she would make Mina would dissolve, but eventually she made a titanium shield and began to force Mina backwards until she crossed the line. Right now Kirishima is fighting the other guy from Class B, the one who has a quirk similar to his."

"Then, as soon as they finish, it will be my turn."

"Don't worry, Uraraka-san. I'm sure that Bakugou won't be too rough if his opponent is a woman." Iida tried to reassure her.

"You are wrong." Both stared at Izumi, surprised by her confidence. "Bakugo will not go easy on an enemy or opponent based on gender or age. When he goes into battle he goes all in. He wants to become the strongest hero ever, the next Number 1. With that goal in mind, he won't reign himself in. He will push himself harder, harder than anyone."

While Iida seemed scandalized that the explosive blonde would have no mercy for her, Ochako felt oddly at peace. Izumi's words, while confirming that Bakugou would not show any compassion towards her, didn't scare her. They gave her strength.

Yes, Bakugou was strong, stronger than her. When she first met him she thought that he was just an arrogant jerk, but now… Now she knew that he too had a goal, a dream.

Just like they all did.

"It ended in a draw?"

"Mhm. Midnight sensei called it after Kiri and that Tetsutetsu guy knocked each other out at the same time. They will do something else after the first round finishes."

"So after Ochako and Bakugo's match."

"I don't envy Uraraka at all." "Yeah, now I'm glad I didn't make it past the Cavalry." Kyoka agreed with Hagakure.

Izumi didn't say anything, opting to observe what her best friend would do. Izumi had offered to help her with a possible strategy for dealing with Bakugo, but the brunette had declined, quoting that she needed to do it on her own. Otherwise, she would always depend on others to protect her, like in the USJ.

While Izumi did try to dissuade her from that notion, saying that the USJ incident should have never happened and that in normal circumstances they shouldn't have faced even a petty thief so early in their education, she understood exactly what her best friend meant.

And so, she wished her the best luck possible, knowing that she would need it against Bakugou.

"HERE IT IS! THE LAST COMBAT OF THE FIRST ROUND! WITH PERFECT GRADES BOTH IN THEORY AND PRACTICE AND A RUDE ATTITUDE! BAKUGO KATSUKI OF THE HERO DEPARTMENT! VS! ALSO FROM THE HERO DEPARTMENT! URARAKA OCHAKO! SHE IS A NICE YOUNG LADY, LETS HOPE SHE DOES GREAT TODAY!" Present Mic introduced the final match of the first bout.

The second Midnight gave the go, Ochako ran like an Arcanine towards Bakugo, her right hand stretched, aiming to touch him with her pads and activate her quirk, her best hope of winning the match.

Bakugo went into a defensive posture, his body tense yet relaxed, not moving from his spot. Once Ochako was in front of him, he released a powerful explosion, stopping her advance, and producing a huge cloude of smoke that obscured the view.

Bakugo narrowed his eyes, trying to find the girl among the smoke. Finally, he recognized the blue outer shirt of their uniform and leapt at it, right hand ready to finish the battle with one last explosion.

To his surprise, what he grabbed wasn't Ochako, instead, he had been lured by the floating shirt while the girl hid inside the cloud, waiting for the moment the explosive blonde would lower his ward.

The moment Bakugo touched the shirt, Ochako released her quirk and jumped towards her opponent. However, Bakugo proved to have sharper reflexes and triggered an explosion that blew her away.

During the next couple of minutes, the whole stadium cringed whenever Ochako would launch herself against Bakugo, only to receive an explosion for her troubles. Soon, people began to boo at the boy, claiming that he was toying with the brunette and he should just finish her off if he was so powerful.

Idiots.

"Idiots." Aizawa-sensei's voice chided them from the speakers. "What kind of pros are all of you? If you can't see what's really happening in this match, then you should change professions."

"That boy is not holding back. Look at him. He is completely on the defensive. He is facing an opponent far stronger than he expected and therefore he has to be on his feet, reacting to the next attack, all the while trying to figure out what is his foe planning. All because he wants to win."

Izumi nodded in agreement to her sensei's words. Maybe in another life she would have reacted like most of the crowd, thinking that Bakugo was toying with Ochako, harming her for fun.

But in this life she knew better.

Years of experience in Pokemon Battles sharpened her analysis skill, letting her see what others ignored.

Bakugo was on the defensive. Ochako's fast attacks made him react with powerful explosions, and thus, large clouds of smoke and debris obscured his vision. And after Ochako's initial trap, he hadn't entered the clouds again, keeping all his senses sharp to react whenever he finally caught a glimpse of her.

Everyone was staring at the cloud, feeling pity that the brunette was in such an uneven match, that they forgot a major rule of any combat.

Never lose sight of your surroundings.

"Good job, Ochako." Izumi smiled proudly at the sky, where all the debris from the field that had been destroyed by Bakugo's explosions floated. Others began to follow her example, pointing and murmuring it, wondering when and how she managed to do it.

"Uraraka kept going at him time and time again without rest. She made sure to keep his attention on her, not giving him the opportunity to realize her plan, tiring him out and adding to her arsenal." Ochako's strategy made the crowd view both combatants in a different light. No longer were they seeing Bakugo like a thug and Ochako like a desperate girl. Instead, they saw them for what they truly were.

Hero students.

"Thank you for not lowering your guard, Bakugo." Ochako had her finger pads touching each other. "I WIN! ASTEROID CRASH!" With their gravity returned, all the debris began to quickly fall to the ground, right above Bakugo. Even if the blonde tried to use his quirk to defend himself, his guard would be left open, and she would be able to touch him with her quirk and win!

The explosion that followed next showed the true gap between both combatants.

All the debris was shattered until they turned either to dust or to minuscule harmless fragments, and Ochako was thrown backwards from the shockwave. She could only stare helpless and desperately at Bakugo, who had destroyed her ultimate move with a single hand.

"IMPRESSIVE! WITH ONE EXPLOSION BAKUGO CRASHED URARAKA'S STRATEGY!"

"I knew that you must have had a strategy, with all the time you spend with Midoriya. That bitch has always been smart. Now, let's really fight! Uraraka!"

Ochako began to stand up.

It didn't matter that her plan failed.

It didn't matter that her whole body hurt.

She needed to win.

She had to win.

Her parents, she had to win for them. She had to become a strong for them. To give them the lives they deserved!

She fell.

Ochako felt Midnight sensei at her side and the last thing she heard before falling unconscious made her cry.

"Uraraka cannot continue. Bakugo advances to the next round!"

It was time.

Time for his next match to start. For him to prove himself stronger than Midoriya.

To prove that his mother's ice was superior to his father's flames.

Shoto had barely paid attention to the other matches, preferring to spend his time on the waiting rooms, saving energy that he would need to defeat the greenete.

Her strength was a problem, but his match against Sero proved that he had the energy to create ice of astonishing size.

It didn't matter how strong her quirk made her, it won't be enough against his ice.

Shoto knew that using so much ice against Sero had been a waste of energy, he should have just frozen the tapes and his arms with them. But his talk with his father made his temper rise and he had lashed out.

"You will reach your limit soon."

His father's warning enraged him, seeing it as another attempt to force him to use his flames.

Since when did Endeavour cared about his wellbeing? About anyone's wellbeing? The only thing he cared was that his 'masterpiece' surpassed All Might. That his fire finally won against the beloved Symbol of Peace.

But Shoto won't let it happen. It won't be fire what will surpass All Might. It will be ice.

And for that, he needed to win the School's Festival, and secure his place as the strongest among his classmates.

And the first step, was defeating Midoriya once and for all.

Their first fight didn't count. He hadn't fought against the greenete, instead, he had to deal with one of her Pokemon, and he only lost because Hagakure managed to sneak on him while he was distracted.

But that wasn't going to happen today.

Midoriya was alone.

She didn't have her Pokemon with her. Only her quirk.

"HERE IT COMES! THE QUATERFINALS! AND TO START IT WE HAVE THESE TWO KIDS! BOTH ARE THE STRONGEST OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENTRANCE EXAMS! BOTH HAVE POWERFUL QUIRKS! TODOROKI SHOTO VS MIDORIYA IZUMI!"

Shoto stared at the green-haired girl with no emotion. Midoriya didn't seem nervous, eyes trained on him, body loose but ready to strike.

He knew she was fast, especially once she cut loose with her quirk. So he would have to be faster.

"Ready, you two?" Midnight asked them, receiving terse nods from both sides.

"Then, BEGIN!"

Shoto reacted. An ice wall directly behind him to secure him first, and then he launched an avalanche of ice to capture his opponent before she could launch her own attack.

To his annoyance, Midoriya's monstrous strength demolished his ice the moment she hit it. However, he didn't let it faze him. He immediately created another surge of ice, thicker and faster than the last one, only for it to be destroyed as easily as the last one.

His annoyance growing, he put more power behind his third strike, confident, that this time, the greenete would be stopped, only to be demolished as easily as the first two. But what made his teeth grit, was the casualness with which she rolled her shoulder, like she was stretching her limbs before doing exercise.

"You can't win." Midoriya said, interrupting his next move.

"Breaking my ice a bunch of times doesn't make you the victor Midoriya."

"I don't mean it like that. I meant that you shouldn't win this Festival. It's not right."

What was she talking about?

"Ochako. Ojiro. Shinso. Kaminari. I could spend the rest of the days saying the names of everyone who has lost so far, not just our classmates but those of the other courses. They all pushed themselves to their limits. They gave it all today. And they are sad because they lost. They shouldn't. They should be proud of how far they made it. Proud of having shown their abilities and talents. But they can't. They can't, because an arrogant asshole who thinks himself superior to the entire world made it to the quarterfinals, all the while silently gloating that he only needs to use half his quirk." Midoriya glared at him, green eyes filled with anger.

"I told you. That's not-" "LIKE CRAP IT'S NOT! Do you have any idea how insulting it feels to have someone show up and say: 'I'm so good I only need to put in half the effort while everyone else needs to go the extra mile!' Do you have any idea how arrogant you sound, Todoroki?!"

"I told you! I won't use his quirk! NEVER!" Shoto rode on an ice wave, his growing anger making him forget the danger of facing directly a foe that specialized in close combat, something that he was reminded of painfully by a fist to the gut.

"I get that you hate your dad. I do. Giratina, I can't fault you after hearing what he put you and your family through, but this is not the way to rebel against him! All you are doing is hurting yourself, Todoroki!"

"What are you talking about? I'm not hurting myself!"

"Your arm is shaking." She nodded to his right arm. When had it started to shake? "Every quirk has a physical limit. Every single one. And yours is thermoregulation. Your quirk is so powerful that you need to constantly use both elements; otherwise, you will suffer from frostbite or overheat by overusing one of them. Which is what is happening right now."

Shoto gritted his teeth in rage. He lashed out with another wave of ice, only for it to be shattered by a spinning kick. That the greenette wasn't making a move to fight him only infuriated him further.

"Todoroki. Why do you truly want to be a hero?" Her question confused him.

"What?"

"Why do you want to be a hero? It's not to make your family proud; that is obvious from what you told me. So why? If I was on your shoes, I would have flunked the exam and refused to be a hero. That would have been a far better revenge. So, why? Why do you keep wanting to be a hero?"

'Why?' He couldn't help but ask himself. 'Why do I want to be a hero?' An old memory resurfaced from his painful memories, from the few kind moments he had with his mother before the incident, before the cruelty and obsession of his father broke her.

"I don't want to be like dad! I don't want to hurt you mama!" He had wailed on his beloved mother, crying after another painful session of training. His mother had stroked his head lovingly, keeping her own pain hidden. Not that he understood it back then, being so young.

"But you want to be a hero, right? You can be the hero you wish to be. You don't have to be your father. Only you can decide your own fate. You just need to trust in yourself, my son."

"It's true that many children inherit their quirks from their parents. But the quirk they gain has a twist that makes it unique to them! Get it! Just because your father gave you his flames, it doesn't mean they are his! It's your fire! Your ice! Your quirk! Your choice! Do you truly want to be a hero!? Todoroki!"

The ice wall around his hearth began to crack. Old memories of his mother reassuring him, comforting him, apologizing to him, began to surge to the front of his mind.

Why? Why had he still chosen to be a hero despite hating his father and his obsession so much? Why?

Because he didn't want to be like his father, a man who hurt his family.

He wanted to be a hero that protected others. That saved others.

Like All Might.

Flames erupted from his left side, bringing warmth and relief to his cold body. How long had it been since he willingly used his fire? How long had it been since he used his left side for something more than melt his ice?

"I want to be a hero… THAT PROTECTS THE WEAK FROM THE STRONG!" He proclaimed loudly his true desire, born from witnessing one of the strongest heroes abusing his own family for years without anyone interfering, without anyone showing up to save them.

"Good!" Midoriya gave him a shark-like grin, green and blue sparks dancing excitedly across her body.

"Why are you so happy? You can't break fire?"

"An easy fight is boring. It is no challenge. If I want to become a strong hero, I need to train hard, to face stronger opponents, to beat hard challenges. Maybe its sounds weird, but my heart feels alive whenever I face someone that could be stronger than me!"

Shoto couldn't help but grin too. Midoriya's excitement was contagious. Before, she had been cold, dismissing. She had seen him as weaker. But now, facing his fire, facing his full power, she was acknowledging him as a rival.

"I was saving this for the final Todoroki, but I can't wait anymore!" Midoriya closed her eyes, her right hand in front of her, palm open. To everyone's amazement, a blue ball of energy with green sparks began to form on her hand. "Let's do this, Todoroki! Let's show our full power!"

His body reacted to her challenge, fire and ice erupting from his left and right sides at the same time. He couldn't contain it even if he wanted to. It felt good, right, to release all his power, all his emotions. At that moment he didn't care about his father, or his revenge, or anything. All he cared about was winning.

With unspoken agreement, both moved at the same time.

Midoriya ran at him, the blue sphere shining brightly on her palm. From his part, Shoto released the most powerful firestorm he had ever created, ice around his body to shield him from the backlash.

Fire met aura and the resounding explosion shocked the world.

"Damnit! I can't see anything!"

"Wow, my blood is pumping! Midori-sis and Todoroki are so manly!"

"Yeah, but I think they went a little overboard."

Ochako ignored her classmates and friends comments, her eyes glued to the arena, trying to glimpse a sign of Izumi underneath all the smoke.

Ochako at first had been hopeful and happy to see that her bestfriend could counter easily Todoroki's ice, confident that she would pass to the next stage easily. And then Izumi began to speak with Todoroki, enranging him to make him use his fire.

That was when Ochako grew worried.

Ice could be broken. Izumi had proven it. But fire wasn't solid. Fire couldn't be broken.

And the fire that Todoroki had made hadn't been a small bonfire exactly.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the slowly dissipating cloud, waiting to see who would emerge as the victor.

"There!" Someone shouted, breaking the silence that covered the arena.

A clasped fist could be seen among the smoke, the arm above the owner's head. When the smoke began to clear and the person was revealed, Ochako let out a sob.

"Izumi-chan."

Izumi's burned and singed form was somehow still standing, her head bowed and her right arm held up. Her best friend's clothes were in tatters, and her body was covered in reddish spots and more than one burn mark.

And she was standing right in front of Todoroki's unconscious body, the boy slumped against the remains of his ice wall.

"Todoroki Shouto has fallen unconscious! Midoriya Izumi advances to the third round!" Midnight declared.

As soon as she finished her declaration, Izumi fell to her knees and slumped over, as if she had been waiting for her victory to be declared before finally resting.

Ochako didn't wait for the assistants to move her best friend and Todoriko to the stretchers, she bolted to the infirmary, needing to see that her best friend was safe.

"Uraraka-san! Wait!" She turned her head back and saw that Iida, Yaomomo and Tsu were running after her.

"I-Izumi. She-" "We know; we are coming too."

"She is our friend too, ribbit."

"Midnight-sensei said that there will be a pause while the fix the damage, so we won't be at risk of missing our matches."

Swallowing back tears, Ochako nodded and the four walked together to the infirmary. When they reached it, the brunette didn't hesitate and ran inside, paying no heed to the strange, thin, sickly blonde man talking with Recovery Girl and…

"IZUMI-CHAN!" She cried out, relieved to see her awake, although tired.

"Ochako-chan. Iida. Yaoyomo. Tsu." She smiled at them.

"Izumi-chan." Ochako wanted to hug the greenette, but was too afraid of hurting her.

"Don't worry. Most of the damage is superficial and from exhaustion. I'm just waiting until she feels better to heal the burns." Recovery Girl informed them.

Seeing their disbelieving looks, Izumi laughed. "Good thing about training a fire type is that I gained a passive resistance to fire. Not as good as a fire-type master, but good enough to handle Todoroki. My aura helped a lot in that department as well. It creates a small protection around my body. I'm mostly tired from overusing it. I will be better after resting for a while."

Ochako let out a sigh of relief when she saw Recovery Girl nod her head in confirmation.

"Ok." She murmured. "We will let you rest, Izumi-chan." She began to leave when she felt a hand grabbing her own. Turning around, she saw that Izumi was grabbing her hand, a warm smile on her face.

"Thanks for visiting, guys." Izumi mumbled before falling asleep, her chest rising steadily, a small smile grazing her lips.

Ochako smiled down at the sleeping form of her best friend, the tightness on her chest relaxing slightly.

"Go along, dearies. She needs rest, and she won't like it if she hears her friends were disqualified because they didn't go to the arena in time." Recovery Girl reminded them that three of them were still in the competition.

The four nodded their heads in acceptance, aware that there wasn't much they could do for their friend, and that the heroine was right. Izumi wouldn't forgive herself if she learned that they lost their shot in the Sports Festival for keeping her company while she was resting.

Momo split from the group; the black-haired girl wanted to get ready for her fight against Shiozaki-san and needed to prepare her strategy against the other girl. Iida, too, decided to prepare for his own match against Tsu; obviously, he wanted to make a better presentation than his last match. Ochako expected Tsu to also want to prepare like Yaoyomo and Iida, but the frog girl said she preferred to draw inspiration from the other matches.

Whether that was true or the frog girl didn't want to leave her alone, the brunette didn't know, but she showed her appreciation with a smile.

She was sad and disappointed with herself for losing against Bakugo, but Izumi's speech and the conversation she had with her parents raised her spirits. By the time she made it back to the benches and sat with her classmates and friends, ready to see Yaoyomo and Shiozaki's match, she held her head high, pride and confidence shining on her eyes.

"Can't believe that I slept almost an hour." Izumi stretched her arms, still feeling a little tired from using an Aura Sphere (and internally she was giddy that she had actually managed to mix it with OFA's power), going over her head what her mentor told her of the results of the second round.

For her match against Shiozaki-san, Yaoyomo created two blades, a wakizaki and a katana, which she wielded at the same time like she were a samurai of old. And although it was the Class 1B girl who ultimately won their battle, Yaoyorozu's display of swordsmanship made her work for it. In the end, it was the overwhelming amount of vines that gave the green-haired girl the victory.

The third match had been Tsu vs Iida. Tsu used her strong legs to evade Iida's reach and countered with her extendable tongue, grabbing Iida by his torso and attempting to throw him away. The taller boy, however, grabbed the tongue, making Tsu let him go from the pain. While Tsu was recoiling from the pain, Iida rushed to the girl, grabbed her in a bear hug, making sure to encase her arms, and then quickly rushed to the edge of the ring, where he threw her off, winning the match.

Izumi had woken up right when the last match of the second round started.

Bakugo vs Kirishima.

Even in the tunnels below the stadium she could hear Present Mic's voice from the speakers commenting on the fight. It seemed that Kirishima's Hardening was barely handling Bakugo's volley of explosions. If she had to guess, she would say that she had a couple of minutes before her fight against Iida started.

Iida's speed was similar to an Arcanine using Extreme Speed; incredibly fast, and hard to avoid.

Fortunately, she had experience dealing with fast opponents, and Iida's strategy during his last match, added to what she knew of his character, gave her a couple of ideas on how to win.

Izumi stopped her march when she saw a familiar bandaged figure reclined against the wall in front of her.

"Todoroki." The two-toned boy had left the infirmary before her, so she hadn't seen him since their match.

"Why did you help me?" He asked her, confusion on his mismatched eyes. "You could have won far easier if I kept using ice. Instead, you risked losing by insisting I use my fire. Why?"

"Because your father asked me to beat you, to defeat you. He thought that if you lost for only using your ice, then you would finally cave in and use your fire." Endeavour had faced her shortly before she went to fight against Todoroki, asking his request. "I disagreed. Losing can be a good teacher, but only for those that can accept why they lost. In your case, Todoroki, your stubbornness would not have helped. You would have simply thrown yourself harder into your training, possibly harming your body in an attempt to overcome your quirk's natural limit." Izumi shook her head. "You didn't need to lose; you needed to accept that you're not your dad." He nodded his head, deep in thought.

"My mother once told me that only I could choose what I wanted to do with my life. I forgot it. No, I buried it. Deep in my mind. Somewhere it wouldn't hurt me. In my quest to get even with my father, I forgot why I still wanted to be a hero." He moved from the wall, ready to leave. "I'm still unsure about whether or not I should use my flames, but I won't forget why I truly want to be a hero." He declared.

"Good. As long as you don't forget it, then you will be a great hero."

Both teens exchanged nods before going their own way.

Izumi truly hoped that Todoroki would be able to make peace with himself. At least today he had made a huge leap by willingly using his fire.

Stepping in the arena, Izumi put all thoughts of the two-toned boy out of her mind.

"WELCOME TO THE SEMIFINALS, LISTENERS! ON ONE SIDE! HE IS FAST! HE IS SERIOUS! HE IS FROM A FAMOUS HERO FAMILY! IIDA TENYA! VS! SHE IS POWERFUL! SHE IS FREAKINGLY SMART! SHE IS ONE OF THE FAVORITES OF THIS FESTIVAL! MIDORIYA IZUMI!"

Both friends nodded at each other, silently agreeing on not holding back despite their friendship. The moment that Midnight yelled start, Iida activated his Recipro Burst, rushing towards Izumi very fast.

Izumi narrowed her eyes. While Iida's speed was impressive, it had an obvious weakness. Izumi twisted slightly to the side, letting Iida rush past her and then she delivered a OFA powered kick to his back, propelling him towards the opposite wall with a painful CRASH.

"Iida! Sorry!" She cringed when she saw her serious friend pummel to the ground. Maybe she should have lowered down a bit.

"WOW! HOW DID SHE DO THAT?!"

"Basic physics. Instead of attempting to block him, she opted to increase his velocity so that he would fall out of bounds. The kick was delivered at the perfect angle and moment to make sure that Iida wouldn't be able to slow down."

"Iida, I-" "It seems I underestimated your reflexes, Midoriya." Iida got up, disappointment clear on his face.

Izumi shook her head. "I barely managed to evade it. If you hadn't been aiming for my right, I would have had to either jump up or try to block it."

"You could see where I was aiming?"

"You shifted your weight right before Midnight-sensei gave the start. I didn't see your fight against Tsu, but I heard what you did, and during your battle against Hatsume-san, I noticed that you tended to try to grab her rather than to kick or punch her."

"Huh. Then, I was being too predictable?"

Izumi shook her head. "Since we know each other, I was able to piece together that of the three possible methods to win the matches, you would prefer the ring out, since it's the one with the least injuries involved. Those like Bakugo or Kirishima would prefer an absolute victory by knockout, while Todoroki and Shiozaki tended to capture their opponents and make them surrender."

Iida blinked multiple times, then he snorted. He had forgotten, like an idiot, that Midoriya wasn't just a talented fighter with a strong quirk; she had a sharp analytical mind, capable of making plans with little data.

His disappointment over losing so fast was still there, but instead of depressing him, it lit a fire inside of him, a desire to not lose again, to become stronger.

Both friends shook hands, much to the approval of the audience, and they went together to the benches, where Ochako was waving at them and pointing at the seats she had saved for them.

They didn't have to wait long for Present Mic to introduce with his usual exuberance the last match of this round, with many chuckling when Eraserhead berated him for wishing luck to Shiozaki simply because he didn't like Bakugo's explosive attitude.

Izumi kept her attention on the match in front of her, paying no heed to the comments around her. Like she figured out, Shiozaki attempted to overwhelm Bakugo with her vines much like she did in previous matches, but the explosive blonde unleashed explosions that tore out the mass of vines going his way, and then he did what he did best.

He went on the offensive.

Shiozaki's vines were strong and resilient, but they were no match for the explosive quirk user, a boy that dreamed of becoming the next Number 1 Hero in Japan since before his quirk manifested, a boy that trained his quirk, body, and mind for years to accomplish that purpose.

Say what you will about Bakugo Katsuki, but when it came to a fight, he was a natural.

It didn't take him long to tear down Shiozaki's defenses and then take her down. After checking her state, Midnight declared Bakugo as the winner and motioned for a stretcher to be brought and for Shiozaki to be sent to the infirmary.

While he was walking back from the arena, Bakugo looked up, red eyes meeting green, a nod exchanged between both teens.

At the end of the day, they both kept their word.

Now, they would finally finish the conversation they had on that beach two months ago.

Chapter Text

22

“This is weird.” Katsuki moved his head towards Izumi, who was staring at the gravel under her feet. After seeing each other again for the first time in five years, both teens had remained silent, choosing to sit on a bench near the beach, lost in their thoughts. 

Katsuki wasn’t sure what to say. Up until a few months ago, Izumi had been dead. 

And now she wasn’t.

One second she was alive, then dead, then alive again.

It was too fucking confusing.

“How the fuck are you alive, Deku?” 

“... Did Aunty Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru tell you what happened that day?”

He grunted a yes, “I looked up a video. Saw it all.”

Izumi nodded, her mind going back to that day, remembering the fear she felt at the thought of dying, her sadness over leaving her mom alone.

“I thought the heroes would save them. It's how it works, right? They save the civilians and defeat the bad guy. The heroes always win. I was certain of it when they surrounded him. Until he pointed that weapon at them and then towards the unconscious woman. That's when I realized that he was going to shoot her.” She looked up at him, her face haunted by her memory. “I saw his face. He knew he was going down so he decided that first he was going to hurt someone.” 

Katsuki stayed silent, digesting her words. It was true that it made no sense for the man to shoot at civilians right before getting caught. In fact, at the moment his only crimes had been theft, criminal use of his quirk and resisting arrest. Misuse of a quirk usually was a fine, the severity pending on the use, and the other two charges would have meant a couple of years in prison. It was Izumi’s murder that put him in prison for life.

To this day they didn’t know why he chose to fire that weapon instead of giving up.

“Honestly? I don't remember my body moving. At all. All I know is that one second I was trembling on one side of the street and the next I was shielding that kid, doing my best All Might’s smile so he wouldn’t get scared. And the next thing I knew was that I was no longer in Japan but in the middle of a mountain.”

“What?”

“Yep. That gun wasn’t a vaporizer or some vanishing weapon of mass destruction. It was more like a ‘transdimensional transporter device’. It sent me to another dimension, another Earth.”

“What the fuck.” The blonde looked at her like she had sprouted two heads.

“Weirdest thing? No quirks. Zero.”

“Fuck off.”

“No kidding. Instead of quirks popping up out of nowhere, humans form bonds with Pokemon.”

“Poke wha?”

“Pokemon. Or Pocket Monsters. They are creatures that evolved alongside humans. Think of them as quirked animals that humans keep as partners. Most live in the wild, in oceans, forests, deserts, caverns, etc. Even in cities. And the ones that live with humans do it either as partners or pets.”

“Why the fuck would they do that?”

“In most cases because humans help them become stronger. In others, because they just simply like them.”

“... It sounds like a weird isekai novel made into anime. Did you also save the world and kiss a princess?

“Nah, that was Sun. Thought Lily is more like an heiress rather than a princess.” She pondered the last part.

“...” “...”

Izumi just smiled, recalling how the first time he ever made that dumbfounded face was after she told him all the benefits of focusing on martial arts or combat techniques that required grapples more than punches, to maximize the power of his Explosion . 

Her smile fell when she also remembered the many times he would use that advice to hurt kids while “playing heroes”, herself included.

Katsuki noticed the change in mood and frowned. While he didn’t know what she was thinking about, he would bet it was about him. 

“You changed.” Izumi turned her head quizzically at him, making him shrug. “Before, you would always tremble and shake in fear, crying if I popped my palms.” 

Izumi glanced calmly at the tiny explosions popping harmlessly on his palms. Unlike five years ago, she felt no fear or apprehension. She could tell that there was no aggression leaking from Bakugo, no anger or cruelty.

“You changed too. Five years ago you would have yelled and used your quirk to hurt and intimidate me.” 

Katsuki didn’t negate her words. It was what his younger self would have done without a second thought. 

“... I was a fucking brat. Still am. But the things I did. What I said. They were wrong.” Katsuki looked at Izumi directly at her eyes, hoping that she would believe him, needing her to believe him. “I’m sorry, Izumi.”

Izumi froze, her emerald eyes staring right at his red ones, looking for any falsehoods, any tricks, finding none.

“I-I..”

“You don’t have to forgive me. I’m not going to say some shitty thing like ‘I don’t deserve it’ or some other crap like that. I bullied you. I hit you. I fucking exploded you. And you kept calling me your friend.”

“... Why now? Mom told Aunty Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru that I was alive months ago. Arceus, we sent each other Christmas family cards!”

“Because I don’t fucking deserve your forgiveness, Zumi!!” Hearing her old childhood nickname, the one that Katsuki used to call her before getting diagnosed, before being declared quirkless, stopped her cold. “I don’t. And I know you. You kept calling me your friend no matter how many times I exploded your stuff or left you covered in bruises. No matter all the bullshit I told you, you kept calling me Kacchan. So I knew that if I said sorry, you would forgive me and try to pretend that it never happened, that I never pushed you to the ground and beat you just because you never groveled like the rest of the Extras.” 

“Katsuki.”

“Or that I didn’t destroy your favourite backpack after you said that you could be a hero like All Might.”

“Katsuki.”

“Or, or, how I would use my quirk on you right in front of those useless teachers and they wouldn’t give a shift! And-”

“KACCHAN!!”

Izumi grabbed Katsuki and hugged him, ignoring the brief look of confusion that popped up during his frantic rant. She doubted the blonde realized that he had been on the verge of hyperventilating and that tears had begun to stream down his face. 

“You are right. I would have forgiven you in an instant and buried all those memories as deep as possible, letting them fester and destroying me slowly.” Izumi felt him stiffen at her admission, “But only if it had been fake.” She pulled from the hug, keeping her hands on his shoulders and looking straight into his eyes, like he did before. “I know it wasn’t fake. I know you regret bullying me. I can see it. You are fucking crying, Katsuki.” The boy touched his face, surprised by the wetness on his cheeks.

“Katsuki. I don’t think we can go back to how we were before. Partly, because I don’t want to.” At his confusion she elaborated. “Even before the bullying started, you would always call me your future sidekick. Well, I’m sorry, but that won’t be. Because the one who will surpass All Might… is me.”

“... What? WHAT THE FUCK!?! LIKE HELL YOU WILL!!”

“Sorry, but that’s my decision.” She pulled her acceptance letter from her pocket. “See, I got into the Hero Course. Top student, actually.”

“How the fuck did you get more points than me, damn nerd!!!”

“Seecrettt.”

“FUCK YOU!!!”

Izumi laughed at the indignity and fury on Katsuki’s face. With his pointy hair and explosive nature, he reminded her of an angry Typhlosion. 

“Well, fortunately there is a simple solution. UA’s Sport Festival.”

Katsuki’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What about it?”

“Three events; the first two are random but the last is a classic fighting tournament. Let's make it there and face each other. Whoever wins will be declared the strongest hero student of the year and noticed by both the heroes and the public. A leg up.”

A feral grin began to creep on Katsuki’s lips. A fight in front of everyone showing off his quirk and skill? 

Fuck yes.

He put his right hand forward, “You better explain how you got a quirk; I don’t buy that dormant story for shit.”

Izumi chuckled and shook his hand firmly, sealing their promise. “Be more worried about beating me. I know all how your quirk works, and you have no clue what I have picked up the past five years, Kacchan.”

Katsuki scowled but didn’t say anything. 

He heard from the old hag that, according to Aunt Inko, Izumi spent the past half year training like crazy to prepare for the Entrance Exam. Supposedly, Izumi had been misdiagnosed as quirkless because she possessed a quirk that went dormant because her body was too weak to handle it. Funnily, whatever she went through while she was missing fortified her body enough that she could finally use her quirk.

Personally, he thought something was amiss.

Quirks that hurt their user weren’t unheard of. Every quirk had a limit; his own explosions rattled his bones if he used too many or more powerful than his body could handle. It's why when he was a little kid he could only do firecrackers and now he could demolish an entire building if he sweated the right amount. 

But a quirk that could shatter the user’s bones without even activating it? 

He might not be a huge quirk nerd like Izumi, but a quirk like that would have made the news, right?

Doesn’t matter. 

He had waited months to speak with his former childhood friend; he could wait a few more.

“Ouch!! That’s going to leave a bruise!!” Katsuki ignored Present Mic’s comments, preferring to keep his distance from the green-haired girl and her powerful kicks, rubbing his aching ribs while his opponent shook her head, recovering from the sound of the point-blank explosion he threw at her face.

After Midnight started the match, both teens had rushed at each other, exchanging and parrying quick attacks with great skill, neither connecting nor gaining ground over the other. To the spectators’ surprise and confusion, during those first few minutes, neither one used their quirks. They fought completely quirkless, pure skill and training showing in their forms, not knowing (or possibly caring) that their little showing was getting the attention of some of the best pros in the country, who approved that both kids were more than capable in hand-to-hand combat and not utterly dependent on their quirks like most first years tended to be.

It was after Izumi managed to land a solid hit to Katsuki’s side, bruising his ribs, that the blond managed to grab her leg and immobilize her for a second, time enough for him to pull her in and deliver an explosion to her face, letting go of her leg at the same time and launching her away. However, Izumi proved to be more resilient than others and remained fully conscious, rolling backwards and falling on her feet, showing more signs of annoyance than pain. 

When both teens were ready to start again, they nodded to each other, signaling that it was time to truly start their match. Izumi closed her eyes, focusing on letting OFA cover her body, while Katsuki let a few pops from his palms, testing how much his hands could handle before reaching his limit. 

This time, Izumi rushed at the explosive blonde who had his right hand in front, an explosion set once she got close, not that it slowed her down. To the crowd’s delight, Izumi ran out of the explosive cloud, arms crossed in front of her face, not loosing her step and jumping above Katsuki when he threw a second explosion with his other hand, evading the attack and falling behind him. The moment her feet hit the ground, Izumi pivoted in place and kicked Katsuki on the back, throwing him off balance. The blonde, however, recovered fast, falling on one arm and using the other to counterattack with a more powerful explosion than the last, sending both flying on opposite sides, quickly climbing back to their feet and rushing for another clash. 

On and on it went. 

Izumi used her increased speed to rush at Katsuki, launching powerful blows at the blonde, who would counteract with his explosions, forcing Izumi to either take damage in hopes of landing her attack or dodge and be on the defensive.

Without taking his eyes from the greenette, Katsuki flexed his fingers, grinding his teeth from the pain. His hands could probably handle one more big explosion. Any more and the risk of fucking them up rises. Even he knew that.

“Katsuki!” Izumi called out, a grin on her face despite the reddening and soot marks covering her body. She lifted one finger. “One more. You?”

The explosive blonde grinned back, understanding exactly what she meant. “Same.” He crouched, his arms crossed over his chest, palms pointing behind him, ready to launch what would be his last attack on the Sports Festival. 

Izumi closed her eyes, letting OFA and her aura flow across her body, the quirk following seamlessly her aura’s path, strengthening it. Izumi had learned much about her new quirk after months of experimenting, especially after the reaction it had with the Z crystal back during the USJ invasion. 

OFA wasn’t a simple strength increase quirk. It was a stockpile increase power quirk. Its true power lingered in being passed from user to user, growing stronger with each transfer. She had foolishly focused on how it gave her more physical strength because that was how All Might used it. 

But that was only because All Might was originally quirkless.

Like her.

When she had remembered that, she realized that for OFA, her aura was just something else it could enhance. And so she used the past month to experiment with it. And thanks to it, she had the power to create an Aura Sphere.

The crowd cheered excited when she summoned her OFA powered Aura Sphere; opposite to her, Katsuki’s grin grew wilder, truly excited by facing the technique that defeated Todoroki, Izumi’s most powerful attack.

“Kacchan!!” “Zumi!!” They shouted at the same time,

“The one who will be the Number 1… IS ME!!!” 

Katsuki began to release explosions, first to launch himself, and then he began to twist in the air at the same time as he released more, creating a horizontal tornado towards the greenete who began to run towards him, right arm armed with her Aura Sphere, both combatants naming their attacks once they clashed.

“HOWITZER IMPACT!!”

“AURA SPHERE, 8% SMASH!!!!”

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

The explosion that followed showed to be more powerful than any other one created that day; the heat and wind produced affecting the spectators despite the distance and the barrier that Cementoss impulsive created when he saw that, just like with Midoriya vs Todoroki, the kids would be unleashing more power than they normally should, the competition and battle high getting to their heads.

“WHOOOHOOOO!!!! WAY TO GO PLUS ULTRAAAAA!!!!!! I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING!!!”

“Please shut up. I’m trying to sleep.” 

“OY MIDNIGHT! CAN YOU SEE ANYTHING?!?!” 

Midnight narrowed her eyes, trying to discern the forms of her students under all that smoke. She had to give it to Shouta; for being a tired, no-nonsense mummy, somehow he managed to spice his kids up to a new level. 

When the wind began to clear out all the smoke, everyone could see the fallen forms of Midoriya and Bakugo. Midnight was about to step down from her podium and check on them when both teens began to slowly move. Somehow, despite the exhaustion and injuries accumulated, they both climbed back to their feet and walked until they were right in the middle of the field, facing each other. 

“Ahhhhh, ahhhhhh.” “Ahhhh, ahhhhh.” 

Izumi was tired. Exhausted. She had never pushed herself this hard. Not when Riley got her in shape and taught her how to access her Aura, nor when All Might put her through his special training regime or his old sensei joined them to help her get a handle on OFA. But today she had pushed herself far beyond her normal limits. She truly felt like she had gone Plus Ultra. 

She was tired, but she wanted to win.

She needed to win.

She needed to prove to All Might that he had chosen a worthy successor. To her mom that she could protect herself. To the pros that she belonged among their ranks. 

She needed to prove that she wasn’t that little, weak, quirkless girl anymore.

That she could be a hero.

Her eyes met Katsuki’s, silently telling him that she wasn’t backing off, that if he wanted to win, he would have to knock her out. Katsuki showed the same fire she had. While he had his own reasons, he also wanted to win. 

They both lifted their arms in what was the most telegraphed punch ever and socked each other out. A brief power struggle started, with each teen trying to knock the other out, pushing the last of their strength past its limits.

Izumi thought she was going to black out when she felt it. 

The fist against her cheek was slipping.

The pressure against her fist leaving.

When she moved her head again, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She barely noticed Midnight kneeling, only coming back to reality once she heard the R-rated heroine announce the result.

“Bakugo Katsuki has fallen unconscious! Midoriya Izumi is the winner of the UA Sports Festival!!!”

Izumi looked up at the cheering crowd, tears falling down her face, overwhelmed by the happiness over winning her first Sports Festival, over showing her mentor that he hadn’t been wrong in choosing her to pass down One For All.

Izumi was no stranger to winning. She had participated in three Leagues, won the Battle Chatteau and Battle Frontier. She faced all four Kahunas before returning home. But this was different. In the Pokemon World, no one knew who she was. She didn’t have to face discrimination and harassment. She was just another trainer. She didn’t have to prove herself to anyone. Back there, she grew strong for herself and for her team.

But now, winning the Sports Festival, in front of all the pros of the country, in front of everyone who had once looked down on her… It felt good. 

Great. 

Amazing.

At that moment, Midoriya Izumi felt at the top of the world.

And then she fainted.

“I wonder, are you seeing this, Nana? Toshi’s zygote finally introduced herself properly to the hero community.” Sorahiko asked to the air, not expecting an answer. “Toshi’s zygote is growing strong. I wonder how long I can keep calling her a zygote?” 

Sorahiko was proud of how far and how quickly Toshinori’s successor had grown. The first time he had met the girl, she could barely activate OFA without the quirk ripping apart her bones. It had only taken him a second to realize that Izumi wasn’t letting OFA spread across her body; instead, she was foolishly compacting the whole power of the quirk on a single limb. Fortunately, he stopped her from rebreaking her arm by high-speed kicking her on the back, breaking her concentration. Then, he berated the fool of his former student for not explaining properly how to activate OFA, instead of telling her to “clench her butt cheeks and scream with all her might.”

He had to turn his back on both idiots; it wouldn’t do if they saw him fighting down his laughter at the brief flashback of Nana merrily telling him of how she had told those exact same words to Toshinori back when he received OFA and how the blonde boy cheered when he activated the quirk without issue after following those stupid instructions.

Thankfully, Izumi was smarter than the blond oaf he fondly saw as a foster son, and it didn’t take her long to figure out what she was doing wrong. In fact, she had been in the middle of explaining about her Pokemon (and been surprised by the concept of other dimensions and worlds where superpowers only existed in animals and less than 10% of the population) and how she was one of the handful that could manipulate a form of energy called aura that she froze, a lightbulb switching inside her head.

Abruptly, she was engulfed by a blue field, her aura, mumbling so quickly that it was incomprehensible. She let her aura go and then, with deep concentration, she was surrounded by green lightning, her body going stiffer under the pressure of so much power. 

By the end of the week, she learned how to successfully harness 5% of OFA power without breaking any bones.

And now, months later, she could combine both OFA and her aura and produce such a powerful attack.

He was proud of how far and quickly she had come.

While her fight against that yakuza leader had put her in the map of the Hero Commision and the USJ incident certanly called the attention of many pros, her victory today proved that she was more than a lucky girl with a strong quirk. She was a talented future heroine who worked her ass off and went beyond Plus Ultra to achieve her victory. 

He had no doubt that she would receive hundreds of letters from pros all over the country. 

But he wouldn’t be one of them. 

Right now Izumi had a good grasp on OFA. Unlike Toshi whose body had been abe to handle OFA at full power from the start, Izumi’s needed time to adapt. Much like Nana’s did. Not that the girl was weak. But because the quirk was too powerful.

One For All became stronger when it was passed from user to user, true. But the amount of time the quirk spent in each user was the true key of its power. 

Nana had called the term “cultivating the power.” The longer a user held the quirk, the more they used it, strengthening it, and harnessing it, the more powerful it would become. Nana guessed that at least one or two users before her held the quirk for many years before eventually passing it on. 

OFA was very powerful by the time Nana held it, but it truly shone under All Might’s care. 

No wonder, then, that Izumi’s body would need time to adjust to it.

Time, which was against them.

All Might’s time was coming to an end. The Symbol of Peace maybe had a year, two tops, of heroics left. And once All Might retires, then every villain, criminal and cocky idiot living in the shadows would think it's their time of fun. While he was proud of Toshinori for fulfilling his dream and bringing peace to Japan, the truth was that many of the current heroes tended to have the mentality that as long as All Might existed, then nobody could go wrong.

The day All Might retires will be the day when the true heroes will show themselves. The pros will be forced to look at themselves in the mirror and see that they must step up harder than ever. That being a hero was more than simple patrols and having a flashy quirk. 

That being a hero meant putting your life at risk to save others.

A lesson most of these youngsters have forgotten.

Sorahiko had no issue with those that joined the hero business to make money or win fame. One needed to make a living somehow; better in heroics and not something illegal. No. His judgment was for those that did the bare minimum. Those that ran when facing a “quirk incompatible” opponent/situation. 

Quitting in a friendly match/competition was one thing; it meant they were smart enough to know their limits and that they weren’t willing to harm themselves just to advance one more round, risking the possibility of suffering more serious injuries that could negatively affect their life.

There had been a situation the last year when a villain with a tricky quirk had taken civilians as hostages. The villain’s body was basically a blob of sludge, making it hard to catch, and one of the civilians had been so terrified they had tried to fight back using a telekinetic quirk without much luck. Instead of tearing the sludge from their body, all they did was wreck everything around them. Meanwhile, most of the heroes were dealing with the damage, all claiming that their quirks weren’t a good match. Fortunately for the victims trapped, eventually a hero managed to capture the villain and save them. 

While Sorahiko was glad that no one was seriously harmed, as Gran Torino he was ashamed that those types of situations have been getting more and more common in the past few years. 

“Let’s hope these kids prove my depressing thoughts wrong, eh, Nana?” He spoke to the air, hoping that wherever her soul was resting, his old friend was at peace with her husband and family.

It was the least Nana deserved, after all the shit life decided to throw at her.

He lost.

He fucking lost.

Fuck.

He paid no heed to the comments of how great his battle against Izumi had been, or how he would surely have a great career in the future and bullshit like that.

He. Fucking. Lost.

Katsuki gritted his teeth again at that. While the weaklings and losers would say that making it to second place was no small feat and that he should feel proud of himself, the truth was that he still lost. 

He gave it all he had, pushed himself harder than ever, and yet it wasn’t enough.

Katsuki was pissed over his loss. He kept reanalyzing every event, every match, his whole training routine, trying to figure out what he could have done differently to save energy and win the Festival.

“Very well!! Let’s start with the Winner’s Ceremony!!!” Midnight announced loudly, motioning to where Izumi, Katsuki and Vine Girl were standing.

“Now, due to a family emergency, Iida Tenya has forfeited his match. So, third place is for Ibara Shiozaki!!” 

Izumi frowned when she heard that. She had fallen unconscious after winning the Festival. When she woke up, she was surprised to see Ochako, Yaomomo, Tsu and Hatsume in her room, who congratulated her on winning and were relieved to see her awake. When she asked about Iida’s fight against Shiozaki, Ochako told her that Iida left the stadium due to an emergency but he didn’t elaborate. 

Izumi had a bad feeling about it. Iida’s family was one of heroes. Whatever this emergency was, it had to be a bad one.

“And now!! The one to give the medals is,” “I AM HERE-” “The great hero, ALL MIGHT!!!” “-TO PRESENT THE MEDALS!!!”

Katsuki’s face twitched when Midnight realized she just cut out All Might and the Number One glared at her. Hearing a snort, he saw that Izumi was having more trouble keeping her laughter down.

“Now! Shiozaki-shoujo! You have truly shown the versatility and sharpness of your thorns today! But remember! To only depend on one’s quirk is a double-edged sword! It’s important to strengthen the body and mind alongside the quirk.” All Might placed the bronze medal on the Class B girl and gave her a hug, earning a thanks from the religious girl and a promise to keep in mind his advice.

Next, All Might grabbed the silver medal and stood in front of a still angry Katsuki.

“Ah, Katsuki-shonen. Your battle with Midoriya-shoujo has truly been a spectacle. You two went Plus Ultra! I know you are angry over your loss, but don’t let it deter you from your dream! Loss is the best teacher after all!” Katsuki glared while All Might placed the medal on his neck and hugged him, opting to remain silent.

For now.

“Midoriya-shoujo! Congratulations!!! You have made a huge first impression on the heroes seeing the Sports Festival!!! You have truly earned your victory today!!”

Izumi choked back tears of joy when her mentor gave her the first place medal, silently thanking him for giving her the opportunity to be there and promising to not disappoint him, to become the best hero ever.

The next Symbol of Peace.

“AND-” “IZUMI!” All Might froze, surprised to hear Katsuki pointing at the greenete who blinked in confusion at the blonde.

“DON’T YOU DARE SIT TIGHT IN THAT PLACE, YOU HEAR ME! I’M THE ONE WHO WILL BECOME NUMBER ONE!!!” He yelled furiously, making Midnight, Eraserhead and all his classmates facepalm. 

Instead of being intimidated, Izumi grinned and shot her hand forward.

“If you want to be the next Number One… THEN YOU BETTER STEP UP KACCHAN!! BECAUSE THE NEXT SYMBOL OF PEACE… WILL BE ME!!!” 

Katsuki grinned savagely at the challenge, shaking her hand and solidifying their pact.

While before the spectators had muttered about how rude the explosive user was, now they were admiring the sportsmanship and competitiveness between both teens.

Many years later, they would say that on that day, one of the best rivalries among heroes was born. One not based on jealousy or spite, but based on respect.

The rivalry between the strongest heroes of Japan.

No.

The world.

Quirks were amazing creations of evolution. The power to do anything one wanted. Especially his quirk.

Anybody else would have died from the injuries he sustained from the blond oaf that inherited his foolish younger brother’s quirk. His head was caved in, causing him to lose his eyes, nose and ears, requiring him to use stolen sensory-type quirks to be aware of his surroundings. The scarring left behind by All Might’s fury was so severe that not even the most powerful healing quirks would work, forcing the creation of a special mask over his face and machines hooked to his body to survive. 

From being the strongest being in Japan, no, the world, to relying on machines to simply breathe. Oh, how low he had fallen.

His only consolation was that his enemy too had been weakened during their last clash. And unlike him, who was bidding his time and slowly regrowing his strength, the Symbol of Peace was losing power day by day. 

While the public was blind to it, due to their adoration over the Number One Hero, he was able to confirm that for the past eight years, All Might has been spending less and less time doing hero work. His assistance shifted from entire days without rest to days and ultimately sparse hours. 

His sudden appointment as a teacher in UA and his appearance at the last second during the USJ invasion were proof of it. 

All Might lost the ability to use One For All for long periods of time and is looking for a successor.

And he believed he found them.

After the USJ invasion, while young Tomura ranted about cheaters and hacks, Kurogiri informed him of what transpired between the hero students and the small army of villains they gathered. He hadn’t been surprised that the forces they gathered were sorely defeated; they were just cannon fodder, easy to replace. Truthfully, he didn’t expect any of them, not even Tomura, Kurogiri, or Nomu, to actually succeed in killing All Might.

The only reason he created the plan was to test whether or not All Might was weakening or not.

The students actually defeating many of the villains was more surprising; he didn’t expect them to bounce back so quickly and repel the attack without major injuries or losses. 

But the student that called his attention was the young lady who was declared the winner of the Sports Festival.

Midoriya Izumi.

A girl who not only was declared quirkless by Doctor Garaki himself but also was declared dead almost six years ago. 

A girl whose reappearance was crowded in darkness, her files restricted harder than Fort Knox and Area 51. Her quirk register suddenly claimed she had a quirk dubbed Strengthening that enhanced her physical attributes but, if overused, could lead to damage to her body. 

A quirk that, according to Tomura and Kurogiri’s report, felt similar to All Might’s.

However, what truly called his attention was the strange powered creatures that the girl commanded and that for some reason, weren’t registered as being part of her quirk.

Was it possible that wherever the girl ended up living all those years had more of those strange creatures and that she found a way to put them under her command?

If so, maybe he should have a chat with the young lady.

Face-to-face.