Angel on my Shoulder

by TealeafCustom

What if Izuku unknowingly possessed a "sentient" Quirk like Tokoyami's Dark Shadow? Enter Midoriya Izuku, a young boy thought to be Quirkless who subconsciously controls the number one vigilante in Japan; an entity powerful enough to rival even the strongest villains. There's only one small, tiny problem: the entity thinks of him as a big brother. Good luck, Izuku-nii-chan!

4. Einherjar

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this fic except for my own OCs. BNHA belongs to Kohei Horikoshi.

Note that I'll be using the names that readers are most familiar with for easy identification instead of sticking with either their first names or surnames. Eg. 'Iida' instead of 'Tenya' or 'Shoji' instead of 'Mezo'.

Without further ado, here is chapter 4.

---

Dusky afternoon light streamed into the classroom, deep golden beams illuminating Class 1-A and signalling that school was almost over. One student in particular slouched tiredly even whilst he noted down everything the teacher said, his pen scratching against paper erratically.

Midoriya Izuku was glad it was finally ending- the panicked fiasco in the cafeteria earlier today hadn't been kind to his scant energy reserves. How did those reporters make it past the U.A barrier anyway, he wondered. Luckily Iida was there to help facilitate the evacuation smoothly; he shuddered to think what would have happened without the bespectacled boy's guidance. To say that Iida performed admirably at being the Class President was an understatement.

"-and so, we'll continue on chapter 5 tomorrow. Before we go- Iida, Yaoyorozu; the both of you are needed for a meeting later with the other Class Presidents and Vice Presidents in Room 3 - 2. It should take around an hour." Aizawa-sensei grunted, his stony gaze traversing across the room to target Izuku with the slow, deadly precision of a tank's turret. "Midoriya, see me after this. The rest of you, dismissed."

So much for finally going home to get some proper rest. Iida patted him on the back with an expression that said 'Good Luck' while Ochaco shot him an apologetic smile. The rest of the class streamed past Izuku, some giving him pitying looks at the ordeal he was about to face.

With the classroom finally empty, the exhausted boy sighed internally and marched towards his doom.

"You… wanted to see me, Sensei?" he started hesitantly.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Aizawa glared from within his sleeping bag, lips thinned in disapproval. "Do you mind explaining why you've been wearing that tired look all day? And not just in my classes either, I spoke with Midnight and Cementoss during lunch break. If you're not taking your classes seriously-"

"N-no, Sensei! It's not that, there's just a… an issue that came up yesterday so I didn't sleep much." Izuku stammered, bracing himself for the incoming query. Aizawa's gaze hardened, seeming to stare right into his brain with the intent to read his mind.

"..."

A dozen responses ran through Izuku's mind, ranging from variants of 'I miscalculated, Sensei', 'I messed up, Sensei.' to 'It won't happen again, Sensei.'. Anything to keep his newly discovered Quirk a secret- he wasn't quite ready to let anyone know of Kiri's existence. What ultimately came out of his sleep-addled brain was-

"I'm waiting very patiently for you to speak, sensei."

If Aizawa's glare grew any hotter Izuku would be leaving the classroom with a new tan. The pro hero's hair and scarf started to rise threateningly, an effect reminiscent of the Quirk apprehension test last week.

"Elaborate."

"Um, it's a… family… issue." He was already regretting his answer; despite mixing some truth into his statement, there was a high possibility that the man before him was trained in detecting lies and could see one coming from a mile away.

"Family... Issue." the teacher repeated, tasting each word as if it's some fascinating morsel. "Tell me more about this… issue of yours, Midoriya."

"Y-yes Sensei. I, uh, recently had a… new addition to my family yesterday. It was a little hectic, so I didn't really sleep much. I-it won't happen again." Izuku managed to stammer, doing his best to avoid the pro hero's gaze. If he'd just held his ground he would have witnessed Aizawa's eyes softening just a tiny bit, a look of understanding crossing his features.

"I see. Very well, off you go." Aizawa said after a short silence, chin nodding towards the door casually.

"E-eh? Um… just like that?" Izuku blinked, surprised.

"I've taken care of kids before. I know what they can be like." the disheveled man explained simply, grunting. "Congratulations, I guess."

"Ah…" Izuku began, then latched his mouth shut in favor of playing along with the misunderstanding. Aizawa thought that he just got a new younger sibling- he was on the right track, at least.

The classroom door burst open with a deafening bang before either of them could continue, a thin and blonde man barging into the classroom with the excited fervor of a party-goer.

"Hey hey hey!" Present Mic laughed, doing a little flourish to announce his glorious arrival. "Work is over, it's time to PARRRR-TAAAAY! Woooooo! Come on Shota, let's Rock N' Roll! Oh, sup Midoriya."

Izuku just stared while his homeroom teacher blinked wearily, clearly having been subject to situations like this on a regular basis.

"Hizashi, I'm busy now—" Aizawa began, only to be cut off by hand thrust in his direction. The other pro hero was having none of that, a great big grin on his features.

"Not anymore! C'mon, we've got to get ready for the mixer later with Midnight!" He grabbed Aizawa by the sleeping bag, clearly full of energy in contrast to his friend's lethargic demeanor. "Who knows, you might even meet a nice gal there!"

"Why did I agree to this again?"

"Because you're such a good friend!" Present Mic answered without missing a beat. "Don't worry- I'm gonna personally make sure you have a good time, you old sourpuss!"

"I highly doubt that." Aizawa said sarcastically, having completely given up on resisting. "We'll be having an important event tomorrow so make sure you get enough sleep, Midoriya. Dismissed."

"Parrrrtay! WOOOO!" Present Mic's voice jubilant voice echoed down the hallway. "YEEEAAH!"

"Um... Okay. See you then, senseis." Izuku watched the odd scene play out, Present Mic dragging Aizawa down the corridors like an oversized sack. The teachers had their own lives too, he supposed. With a shrug, the boy began making his way to the main gate. Offhandedly, he wondered what Kiri was doing now… hopefully she was okay.

[x]

Uraraka Ochaco rocked back and forth on her heels lazily, occasionally glancing at her smartphone. She was currently standing a little outside the school gates, a bored expression on her girlish features while she waited for a certain plain-looking boy. Taking a quick look around Ochaco noted that she wasn't alone; another girl in a U.A uniform was waiting nearer to the gate patiently.

This other girl was more cute than beautiful though she stood worryingly still, almost like a soldier at attention. Ochaco could have sworn the girl wasn't breathing at all until she exhaled a little, her ample chest rising and falling slightly. She seemed to notice Ochaco looking at her, a stoic face and piercing blue eyes locking onto her for a fleeting moment before turning back to stare at empty air, having decided that her onlooker was irrelevant.

Ochaco had shuddered a little under that frosty gaze, briefly wondering if the strange girl had been glaring at her. Hopefully not, that would be a little awkward. Maybe she was waiting for her boyfriend. Ochaco briefly wondered what kind of guy an Ice Queen like that would like. Wait… waiting? Wasn't she doing something similar?

The brunette shook her head to clear those thoughts out of her mind, a faint tinge of red dusting her cheeks. She was just a friend to Deku, that's all! Still, she did owe him for saving her life back at the entrance exam… and he was kinda cute…

"Hi, Uraraka-san! Whatcha doing~?"

There was a flurry of surprised movement as the girl in question let out a little squeak, turning to face the source. Ashido Mina laughed musically, a cheeky smile on her face. The pink-skinned girl was extremely carefree and friendly, having become fast friends with Ochaco only hours after the two meeting.

"Hi, Ashido-san." Ochaco breathed, having calmed down. "I'm just waiting for someone, that's all. I thought everyone already left?"

"I was catching up with an old friend of mine who also got into U.A." Mina explained, her happy-go-lucky attitude already starting to affect the other girl. As they launched into some small talk more students began to stream out from the school, making their way home.

Once the two girls started chatting amongst themselves, Kiri, who was currently disguised as a U.A student turned her attention to the other individuals in the area. She had recognized Ochaco and Mina though, keeping in mind that the were her brother's classmates.

Among those individuals was a particular pink-haired girl, her hands clutching a large box full of futuristic-looking gadgets and tech. Behind her stood a disgruntled teacher, arms folded in disapproval.

"Awww… Power Loader-sensei, do I have to take all of them home?" the girl complained, pouting. She took out one of her gadgets and started to wave it around in his face excitedly. "Don't you at least think some of these babies are super-cute?"

"That's the rules, Hatsume. No unauthorized tech on school grounds." Power Loader grunted. "I can't believe you managed to smuggle so many of them right under my nose... Look, if you wanna make gadgets in school that's fine by me, but just don't bring the stuff you made at home."

"Ehhhh~ Why not~?"

"You bringing any one of those devices into U.A has the potential to cause a serious security breach that Villains might exploit. Sorry kid, I don't make the rules- I just follow them."

"Phooey." Hatsume pouted again, then produced a mercurial orb roughly the size of an apple that floated into the space between them. "What about this cutie then- He's my little Guardian Angel~ Isn't he just adorable? C'mon, pleeeeeeease?"

Power Loader scrutinized the harmless-looking floating orb with a careful eye and a raised eyebrow, hidden under his huge yellow helmet. It let out a very underwhelming squeak, sounding like a strangled mouse. Hatsume was still looking at him with those pleading eyes, trying to win him over.

"Pretty pleeeease? With a cherry on top~"

"Fine." he grumbled, finally surrendering to her puppy-dog eyes. "But if you want to bring any of your tech into the school it'll have to come under review… which I will be conducting personally in the near future. For now, just bring 'em home."

"Yes!" the girl cheered delightfully, turning to her little companion. "Y'hear that buddy? You'll get to go to school with me!"

The orb let out a small beep of acknowledgement as Hatsume hugged it lovingly against her ample bosom, giggling.

"That's if that thing actually passes the regulation standards." Power Loader grunted, rolling his eyes. "See you tomorrow, Hatsume."

"Thanks, sensei! Bye-bye!" A trio of silver tentacles sprouted from the orb to help carry the box for its master, trailing behind Hatsume while she waved happily.

"Really, that girl…" Power Loader shook his head before marching back into the school. A pair of female students walked past him, saying goodbye to him as they passed.

"So Vlad-sensei was saying the life of a hero is not just honor and glory, right? I mean, that's to be expected in this day and age…" the orange-haired girl said while her brunette companion listened expressionlessly, the only indication she was listening being a curt nod whenever appropriate.

"Yeah so I was thinking what he said was the truth, even if it's brutally honest-" The girl stopped mid-sentence upon passing the main gate, having spotted something rather interesting. "Hey Yui, look at that girl."

"Nn?" Yui mumbled.

"Don't you think she looks a lot like you?" She nodded towards the stoic-looking girl waiting at the gate. The pair walked up to her, curious. "Um, hey! Excuse me!"

Kiri's attention switched to the pair approaching her, mentally reminding herself that she was not to blow her cover under any circumstances. She even had a little schoolbag that she'd created as part of her disguise. The two girls gazed at her in apprehension, one of them clearly amazed by the resemblance Kiri had to her friend.

"Hi, I'm Itsuka Kendo, and this is Yui Kodai. We're from class 1-B!" the orange-haired girl introduced herself, then gestured to her companion. "Sorry to bother you, but I just couldn't help but notice how you look almost identical to Yui here!"

Kiri made no response except to tilt her head very, very slowly, resembling an Owl examining something interesting. Yui mimicked the action at the same rate, the pair looking like mirror images. Their height, hair color, hairstyle and skin tone were identical, the two girls practically indistinguishable save for their eye color- Kiri's pupils were light blue while Yui's were dark blue. Neither girl made a sound as they righted themselves, both of them staring stoically at each other in silence. Kendo smiled, her head swiveling back and forth to alternate between the two girls… though she started to get rather nervous when the silence stretched on indefinitely.

"Nn?" One of them began.

"Nn." Another answered.

Kendo couldn't tell who said what, glancing between the two. She had to look really close at their eyes now to tell them apart.

"U-umm. Yui, are you sure you two aren't sisters or something? She looks exactly like you!" Kendo began, trying to add some humor to the situation.

"I am not Yuu. I am Kiri." the stoic girl finally stated, breaking the silence.

Yui watched her doppelganger for a moment before stretching out her hand gingerly, attempting a handshake.

"I'm not Yuu either. I'm Yui." the schoolgirl said quietly.

Kiri stared at the outstretched hand blankly before taking it in her own. The two shook hands agonizingly slowly while Kendo observed in the background, subject to one of the most bizarre scenes she'd ever seen in her life.

"Well, uh, that certainly was… interesting." Kendo said, still slightly bewildered. The feeling was soon forgotten when she checked her wristwatch, replaced with a sudden sense of urgency. "Uwaah, we're gonna miss the train home! C'mon Yui, we gotta move!"

Grabbing the Yui by the hand, she looked back at Kiri with an apologetic smile while they rushed off.

"We'll see you around, Kiri-san! It was nice meeting you!" Kendo waved. Yui made a little goodbye wave too as she got dragged away, still expressionless as ever. Kiri responded with a wave of her own, curious. What a coincidence it was, to share such a similar appearance with a stranger. Before she contemplate further a familiar sense of exhaustion came into her range, causing her to snap back into attention.

Ah! Onii-chan's here!

[x]

Izuku's slouched form shuffled sluggishly past the school gates and looking more tired than ever, a hand coming up to his mouth as he yawned wearily. It felt like the day had been stretched to become twice as long. He was about to trudge on home when a girl collided into him, catching him with a tight hug.

"W-wha?! Who-" He focused a little, now recognizing the figure before him. She was slightly shorter than he was, her raven locks of hair brushing his chest. "Kiri? Is that you?"

"Onii-chan." she replied, nuzzling against him while simultaneously affectionate and expressionless. Izuku scanned the surroundings quickly and assumed that no one was around to see them.

Unbeknownst to him, Ochaco and Mina peeked from behind a faraway corner with their jaws open in shock. They had wanted to call out to him only to be interrupted when the frosty-looking girl from earlier had intercepted and engulfed him in her embrace. Now the two of them hid behind the corner to watch the scene play out, their curiosity reaching near-insatiable levels. They were too far away to hear what Izuku or his companion were saying, doing their best to remain unnoticed in order to observe the pair. Who was this girl?!

"Hey, Kiddo." Izuku beamed, stroking the top of her head tenderly. It was hard for him to think of her as anything other than a little sister with his innocent personality. "What are you doing here?"

Kiri separated from him slowly, blinking. "I came to fetch you because you're tired."

"Fetch me?" He asked, slightly confused before he broke out into small chuckles. "You wanna accompany me home? Alright, sure."

Without a word she calmly reached up to pull and squeeze his cheeks lightly, both girls observing their apparent closeness with great interest and bewilderment. Izuku didn't seem to mind, letting the girl do as she pleased while he took it all with a drowsy expression.

"Onii-chan, you're tired." Kiri chirped.

There was further confusion she leaned into him, tiptoeing so that she could press her forehead against his. When she pulled away Izuku felt refreshed, the exhaustion that had been plaguing him for the entire day drained away in seconds. However, he was a little worried when she stumbled back a little unsteadily and caught her in his arms.

"Hey, hey." Izuku righted her, worried for her wellbeing. "Did you just… transfer my exhaustion to yourself?"

A little nod confirmed his suspicions, though she looked perfectly fine now. Temporary disorientation from the transfer, he supposed.

"Don't do that anymore, okay?" He chided gently while he tussled her hair. "I don't want you to get sick just because of me."

The girl bowed her head low, before nodding in understanding. "Okay."

Meanwhile, Ochaco and Mina watched the scene from their hiding spot in stunned disbelief, both girls letting out scandalized gasps- from their angle it'd looked like the girl had tiptoed to kiss him, with him following up smoothly by hugging her tight. The pair couldn't believe what they were seeing… it seemed that Class 1-A's little Cinnamon Roll wasn't as innocent as they had originally thought. The girl bowed her head meekly, Izuku's hand coming up to tussle her straight raven hair delicately again after letting go of her. The frozen Ice Queen that Ochaco saw earlier seemed to have melted into a shy, submissive girl.

From this distance they could see a kind, loving smile bloom across Izuku's face, seemingly praising her. Both of them felt a slight warmth building up on their cheeks at the unusual yet captivating display. Neither of them had seen him smile that way before…

"Alright, let's go home. I'm sure Mom has cooked something nice for you today." Izuku smiled, before stopping when he felt a small tug on his sleeve. Kiri was looking at him expectantly, still tugging insistently.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Her fingers brushed against his nervously, almost like she was seeking his approval before doing anything. The girl glanced at him, then at his hand. Despite her attractive teenage form, he couldn't help but see her as the child that had called out to him last night, a creation of his Quirk that he now purely loved like a sibling or a daughter. Just as her intentions were utterly pure and innocent, so were his.

"You want to hold hands?" Izuku asked, smiling a little when she nodded shyly. Wordlessly he took her hand in his, feeling her squeeze his palm reassuringly. "Whatever makes you happy."

Ochaco and Mina watched with their eyes wider than dinner plates before realizing with more than a little horror that the pair was headed this way. Scrambling to find cover, the two managed to hide just in time behind a wall of bushes, watching through the gaps. Little did they know Kiri could sense their presence, though she was confused as to why and what they were so shocked about.

Both girls watched until the pair disappeared around the corner, hand in hand. A few moments later they burst out from their hiding spot, letting out breaths they didn't even know they were holding.

"Eh?! W-what was that? WHO was that?" Ochaco heard someone exclaim, only to realize that it was her own voice.

"I can't believe it, Midoriya… the shyest guy in our class…" Mina began, looking thoroughly befuddled. "He's usually so flustered around girls but just now- he was clearly the one in charge! I can't believe how smooth he was, did you see that perfect follow-up? That innocent, naive persona was nothing but a smokescreen… he played us like a damn fiddle! Bravo, Midoriya!"

"T-that's not the point! That girl that was with Deku-kun, she was completely different around him compared to when she was alone! She was all cold and intimidating before he showed up."

"So, he has melted an Ice Queen's heart… man, this is just like one of my shoujo manga." Mina whispered melodramatically. "I've underestimated you, Midoriya-kun. Wait till the girls hear about this—"

"No!" Ochaco exclaimed, prompting Mina to blink in surprise. "I-I mean, let's not spread rumors about Deku-kun's personal life. It wouldn't be very nice."

"Hmmm. I suppose it wouldn't, would it?" Mina shrugged. "Oh well. Say, Uraraka-san, wanna grab some dinner? I think I need to calm down a little. In fact, I still wanna talk about this!"

Ochaco sighed and looked wistfully into the distance before a new, confident gleam of determination flashed across her eyes.

"Call me Ochaco, Ashido-san."

"Only if you call me Mina!"

[x]

After a short walk Izuku and Kiri reached the Midoriya residence, the girl keeping an attentive eye on her brother- he was already starting to get tired again, his exhaustion beginning to return. Within the blink of an eye she was a child once more when they entered the house, her bare feet pitter-pattering against the wooden floor.

"Hey mom. We're home."

"Ah, Welcome Home! Dinner's almost ready!" Izuku's mom peeked out from the kitchen, a benevolent smile forming on her cheeks. "Hello, Kiri-chan."

The little girl trotted into the kitchen and peeked at the pot of soup Inko was currently tending to on the stove, sniffing to take in its aroma.

"Hmm? Here, try some." Inko smiled and lowered her ladle for Kiri to have some warm soup. A few moments later she tugged at the older woman's apron to ask for more wordlessly, to which Inko chuckled and lowered the ladle for her again. "Heh. I used to do that around my Mom, too."

Izuku nodded tiredly and sat down at the dinner table, contemplating the events that took place today. Kiri took her place alongside him, eying each dish patiently as they made their way to the table one by one. Izuku smiled, watching her carefully inspect the plate that his mother handed over with some side dishes and vegetables.

"Go on, it's for you." Inko encouraged the little girl who was looking between her plate and the older woman like she was asking for permission. "Eat lots of vegetables so you can grow up strong and healthy."

"She doesn't really need to eat, Mom." Izuku explained. "She just likes to sometimes."

"Hey, who knows. It doesn't hurt our budget much anyways so don't worry about it." she chuffed, plopping down on the opposite side of the table. "So, anything interesting happen today?"

"Nothing much, class as usual." The boy said casually while inhaling some rice and fish. "Kiri came to pick me up 'cause she was worried for me."

"Did she now?" Inko's face lit up like a light bulb, a brilliant, radiant smile spreading across her face. "You did good, sweetie."

Kiri looked up from her food and stopped chewing, nodding slowly. Inko giggled at her small reaction, a hand to her mouth. Through their mental connection, Izuku felt a small surge of pride from the girl when she was praised.

"She's so stoic! It's cute, in a way."

The little girl mumbled something, inaudible.

"Hm?"

"Thank you." Kiri said quietly, gulping down her food.

"No need to thank me for the food, sweetie. I mean, it's my duty as a housewife-"

"Not for the food. For-" A pause, followed by a slight tilt of her head as the girl considered what she was about to say next. "For… accepting me."

"Of course I'll accept you!" Inko smiled warmly from across the table. "After all, we're Family."

There was a surging wave of emotion from the mental link, almost like a dam breaking and water rushing through. Izuku didn't feel it himself, though he knew what it was. Kiri stared at Inko for a while, then slid out of her chair to carefully walk around the rectangular table. She closed her eyes and bounded over the last few feet in a rush to bury her face into Inko's shirt, hugging her tightly.

Though Inko was surprised by the sudden contact at first but gradually relaxed, a motherly look overcoming her expression as she ruffled the girl's hair lovingly. Kiri rubbed her face into Inko's shirt, soft murmuring emitted from within the fabric. It was only when Izuku leaned in closer that he could hear what she was saying.

Thank you," She was whispering, her tiny frame shivering with gratitude. "For letting me have a Family."

At that point, Izuku didn't see a construct, nor a mental projection that his mind created. All he saw was a lonely kid who longed for a place to truly belong, for a real Family. And now she had finally found it here. His little sister. So what if she wasn't actually human? Without a word, he too got up and slowly trudged over, the three of them huddled together in a warm family hug.

A little later and after everyone helped to wash the dishes they were already getting ready to sleep, Inko finally allowing her son back into his own bed after finding out that Kiri could return to rest in his mind.

"So… you can sleep in either my mind or the real world? Things just keep getting weirder and weirder. What's it like in there?" Izuku asked from his bed, watching the young girl float around his bedroom.

"It's big." Kiri said simply, causing Izuku to raise an eyebrow. "And empty. I like it in there."

"Empty, huh." Izuku chuckled, his eyes tracking her movement though the air. "You can stay here if you want to. We're Family, after all."

Kiri eyed him curiously, pushing off a wall with her feet to position herself right above him. Hovering above him, the girl gradually began to sink until she landed onto the mattress beside him. She edged her way under his blanket wordlessly, huddling under them for warmth.

"Family… I've always wanted something like that."

"Well, you have one now." Izuku said softly, shifting so that she would have more of the blankets for herself.

"Onii-chan…" Kiri looked down at her little hands, then back up at her brother. "Promise me that you won't leave me?"

"Hmm?" The teenager puzzled as to why she would say something like that. "Why would I ever leave you?"

"Because everyone always does." she said softly, not daring to look him in the eyes. Izuku got the feeling that she'd been bottling up some heavy issues... Perhaps now would be a good time for her to get them off her chest.

"Do you want to talk about it? I mean, if you want to..."

The little girl was silent for almost a minute, before she finally made up her mind to speak.

"Back then, there were people who took care of me too. I was happy just being with them… but they're gone now. I'll probably never see them again."

"Who were they?" Izuku asked, curious.

"The first was Shaku. I still can't pronounce his name right. He looks like a bad guy and smells even worse. At first he was really mean and always got mad at me… but after awhile he started to take care of me, too. Taught me how to read and speak. How to fight. He always fed me when I wanted food, even though he was poor." Kiri reminisced, a nostalgic tone in her voice. "One day he had to go back home. His real home, to find answers."

Izuku simply nodded to show that he was listening, not wanting to interrupt her story.

"The second was Bubi. His real name was really long so I just called him that instead. He was really nice to me too, and taught me how to write. Lets me watch his TV but scolds me if I sit too close." An unknown emotion flashed within her eyes. "I used to visit once a month… but then he got ill one day. Really, really ill- he nearly died. He was so afraid… afraid that his illness would spread to me just by being near him. Afraid that he would hurt me. So he forbade me from ever coming back to see him for my own good."

The little girl's lip trembled a little, her eyes blinking rapidly.

"I miss them so much." Kiri gazed up at her brother, traces of sorrow within those doe-like eyes. She tugged at her grey hoodie, sniffing. "This is all I have left to remind me of them."

"Oh, come here." Izuku sighed, wrapping her up in a tight, loving embrace.

"Everyone that takes care of me always ends up leaving. I don't want you to leave too." Her frail body shivered in his arms. "I don't want to be alone."

"You're not alone. Never alone." Izuku hugged her a little tighter, causing her to emit a small squeak. "Here, hold out your pinkie."

Kiri did as she was told, blinking curiously when he intertwined his own pinkie finger with hers.

"Onii-chan?"

"This is a pinkie promise. I promise that I won't ever leave you, okay?" Izuku smiled, his words full of honesty. "So you don't have to be scared, Imouto."

The little girl looked at their joined fingers, then back up at him. There was no mistaking it; a tiny, nearly imperceptible smile had formed on her lips, warm and full of adoration.

"Izuku-nii-chan!" She barreled into him hard and knocked the air from his lungs, rubbing her face against his chest. The boy simply went with the flow, patting her on the back to try and calm her down.

"I love you, onii-chan…" Kiri said innocently, her words muffled by his pajama shirt.

"I love you too, kiddo." Izuku said, before letting out a yawn. "Come on, it's time to go to bed. Get some sleep, alright?"

[x]

Deep within Izuku's mind, two phantoms were watching the sky with small smiles. The wind swirled and churned against the towering greatwood, its massive bulk providing them shade from the Sun's brilliant radiance.

"Well, isn't that sweet." Nana observed, her smile tinged with a little… regret?

"Sensei, are you alright?" All Might asked, puzzled.

"I'm fine, I just… she just reminded me of someone, that's all." Nana said quickly, hiding her previous emotions with a quick smile. "Kids, am I right? Adorable little creatures."

"She hides her true behavior in that adult form… she certainly behaves like an actual kid when she's looks like a child."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"The usual- stuff like attraction to shiny objects, attempting to eat anything that looks even remotely tasty." All Might listed. "She tried to eat my Soul."

"Meh, probably nothing will happen even if she does so don't worry about it. Moving on, why has the real you been doing such as crappy-ass job of teaching the boy how to use One For All?"

"E-eh?!" the hero sputtered, surprised by the sudden change in topic.

"Don't 'eh' me, Toshinori. The kid's still breaking his limbs every time he uses it! What's up with that?"

"Err, um- To be honest Sensei, I don't know. How to use One For All came to me naturally-"

"Well that's because you already had an excellent physique back then, not to mention you're a natural genius." Nana huffed indignantly. "Young Midoriya's different from you in terms of both physique and talent so he has to work his way up… I can't give any advice either seeing as the level of power between you and me is different- I didn't have my bones getting blown up every time I used 100% back then."

"We could always ask one of our guys-" All Might gestured to Nana's halo. "-if they've got any techniques they could share. Then we can just get Kiri to relay the information to Young Midoriya."

Just as they mentioned the girl her signature doorway of light appeared, Kiri stepping through and looking positively overjoyed.

"Hey, Kiri-chan." Nana greeted. "You're just in time, I'm about to summon one of the old wielders."

"Nn? Okies."

"Wha- you are?"

"Yeah. It's not like you're busy, right?"

"I just wish you'd tell me earlier so I could prepare myself a bit." the blonde grumbled. "Don't they need a little time to prepare, too?"

"Hah, speak for yourself!" Nana laughed. "Those guys are just lazing around all day when they're not hibernating; either eating, drinking, or playing cards. In fact, I think that's exactly what some of them are doing now."

"What." All Might said dubiously.

"Yeah, wanna listen? Come here, you two." Nana held out her glowing palm, Kiri and All Might grabbing on to see what would happen.

"Four of a kind! Read 'em and weep, suckers!" A loud voice proclaimed triumphantly from nowhere, victorious. Though neither of them could see what was happening within that halo on Nana's head, they could certainly hear it.

"It is you who will be doing the weeping! Take this: Straight Flush!" Misha's voice roared, causing the previous voice to gasp in horror at the sudden turnaround.

"N-nani?! Impossible!" There was the sound of cards shuffling and poker chips being swept across the table, followed by some grumbling and Misha's bellowing laughter.

"Oi, Chen. You in there?" Nana asked, interrupting their card game. "You're up. Come on out."

"Fine." A new, bored female voice replied, accompanied with the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. "I was losing anyways. Swap with me, Nana- maybe you'll do better."

"Wha- you're gonna let the Commies introduce themselves first?!" The first voice protested indignantly, annoyance clear in his tone.

"You know how this works, dude. We go in order of-" Whatever the retired hero was about to say next was interrupted by an argument breaking out.

"Cyka. I say once, and I say again. I'm not a Communist-"

"Better dead than red, you damn Ruskie-"

"Is only game, comrade. Why you have to be mad?"

"Mad?! Oh I'll show you mad, Sputnik!"

"I should go break that up." Nana groaned, pulling away from the two and glowing with ethereal light. When that radiance subsided a new individual stood in her place, five souls burning bright in the halo above their head.

Wielder Number Five eyed the pair before her with a bored expression, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two almost lazily. She was svelte and slightly shorter than Nana was, dressed in one of the strangest outfits All Might had ever seen.

A tactical plate carrier equipped with a multitude of pouches was oddly coupled with a lengthy dark blue Qipao; the Chinese Dress hugging her body to emphasize her well-defined hips and long, smooth legs- each boasting a thigh rig that held empty holsters, ending in black stiletto heels. A tiny, miniature oriental crown was perched atop her swept-back pastel orange hair ending in a ponytail, looking more like a large hair ornament instead of actual headgear.

The juxtaposition of aggressive military gear and silky oriental dress was extremely eye-catching... but the thing that troubled him the most was her relatively youthful appearance- she looked like she was in her late twenties, her vulpine beauty frozen in time forever. All Might briefly wondered if she died at such a young age before pushing the thought away.

"Finally, we meet." she hummed, her eyes flicking up and down his muscular form briefly. "Greetings, Yankee man."

"Actually, I'm Japanese-" All Might began, only for her to completely ignore him in favor of scrutinizing Kiri with a cautious eye. The girl stared right back with slight interest.

"And this must be the Construct. Fascinating." The woman straightened, then cleared her throat. "I am Chen Jia Yan, but everyone just calls me Chen. We're in Japan, huh… I think some of my descendants live here now. But I digress. Let me make this clear- I am no hero."

"You're not?" All Might asked, confused.

"No. To put it simply, I got paid for my many talents."

"You're a Mercenary." the hero said with immediate understanding, eyes narrowed.

"I prefer the term 'Bounty Hunter'." Chen stated, brushing off his glare easily. "It pays well... and I had bills to pay, mouths to feed."

"How did you get One For All?" he questioned suspiciously. It was hard to think of a situation where someone like her could acquire the power only passed on to those who were deemed worthy- Individuals of her profession weren't exactly known for their heroism.

"You should ask the one who forced it upon me in the first place. I never wanted this."

All Might blinked, barely even comprehending what he'd just heard. A forcible transfer? He hadn't even thought of it. What kind of circumstances would result in something like that happening?

"You think it's fun for me to be stuck in here instead of my rightful place among my ancestors?" There was a slight undertone of irritation in the woman's voice when she turned to face him, frowning. "To you guys this might be Heaven but for the first few years… it was my Hell."

"Look, I didn't mean any offense."

"I'm sure you didn't." she said flatly. "Well, at least I get to see something new in the Construct."

"Why do you keep calling her that? She has a name, you know. Kiri." All Might said.

"Strange little thing, isn't she?" Chen studied the little girl with a look of scientific interest. "Pretending to be Human. Curious, yes. Then again, I never did trust things like her… too unpredictable. She's a type of being in the same vein as Projections and Quirk-created Minions, but with true sentience. How unusual."

"Nn." To her credit, Kiri didn't look very offended or upset at the supposed insult. Perhaps it wasn't an insult and more like a cruelly logical observation. All Might however, started to feel a slow burning anger rising up deep within his chest. Who did this woman think she was?

"Don't talk about her like that." All Might grunted, teeth clenched.

"All I speak of is the truth." Chen shrugged, her statement full of cold, precise logic. "She's a Golem. An Idea come to life and given Form- Purpose- because someone so wanted to believe in her."

"She's more than just an Idea-" All Might argued. "She has a will of her own, a Soul-"

"A Soul? We're not so different, you know. She and us. What, you think you're still human? Call us whatever you want; Souls, Stars, Embers- but we aren't people anymore. We're memories of those who came before; the originals are long gone. We've been reduced to a mere concept. This place is no paradise… more like a graveyard."

"What's your point?" he growled, trying to reign in his anger.

"I'm not trying to make a point, merely an observation." The woman stated passively. "Just as lessons can be learnt from history, the boy can learn from us. Our memories- no, we will show him the way, prevent him from making the mistakes that we made. The Construct will be our Messenger."

"Real high and mighty, aren't you."

"Hardly. I have my fair share of sins that I won't sugarcoat." Chen extended an open palm that began to glow with her signature orange light, nodding to both All Might and Kiri. "Let me show you."

"What are you doing?" All Might asked, looking at her glowing palm uncertainly.

"Sharing my memories with you two. Let's make this quick."

"Why didn't Misha do this? It would have saved a lot of time…" The hero and the little construct joined hands and placed them into the glow, awaiting the incoming rush of memories.

"Perhaps he thought some things were better left unseen." Chen said, her signature orange light intensifying by the second. "I will not be as kind."

There was an electrifying jolt and the World around them spun on its axis, blurring into a disorienting mix of swirling colors and sound. All Might and Kiri found themselves staring through Chen's eyes as their incorporeal forms floated between her memories, phantom observers looking through a window to the past.

"He's cute isn't he Ma? I just wish you didn't have to leave so soon…" someone off-screen said softly. The voice was in Chinese, but somehow both All Might and Kiri could understand, the meaning behind the worlds relayed straight into their heads. A little boy came into view, his tiny fingers clinging onto hers.

"I have to. We need the money-" the woman's voice echoed, faraway and ghostly.

"This is… your son?"

"One of my Grandchildren, actually. The youngest." The bounty hunter's form hovered alongside All Might and Kiri, arms folded.

"You… how old are you, really?"

"I died when I was seventy-six." She replied, taking note of how All Might's eyebrows shot up into his hairline with disbelief. "My appearance is a side-effect of my Quirk: Insomnia. The longer I stay awake, the stronger and tougher I get. I used it too much when I was younger, you see- my flesh toughened up to a point where the effects became permanent… I couldn't feel anything after that. Eventually I stopped aging, too."

The scene shifted once more to show a gathering of people who were undoubtedly Bounty Hunters, lined up and listening to a dark shadow of a man.

"There will be a substantial reward for the one who finds him. You are free to use any methods necessary- but I want his body intact." he was saying, his voice distorted and menacing when he rounded on Chen, a finger specifically pointing at her in warning. "No disintegrations."

"As you wish." Chen's past self nodded.

The world blurred into a dark alley, thunder and lighting crackling in the grey skies above. A lanky, terrified man was cornered- his eyes full of fear. He had a third, closed eye on his forehead, the eyelid spasming and shuddering… almost like he was trying to keep it closed.

"P-please don't… I-I didn't!"

"Fugitive Metahuman Abnormality ID number N034. Temporary designation 'Ravager'. You are under arrest." Her heels clicked against the wet concrete ominously. "The charges are as follows: Aggravated Assault, Destruction of private property, Grand Theft, Arson, and Murder. I have a warrant for your capture or termination."

"I didn't mean to h-hurt anybody."

"No one ever does." She raised her rifle, the muzzle crackling with electricity. The smell of ozone filled the air. The man didn't look like a "Ravager" at all, letting out a frightened sob. "Come quietly or there will be trouble."

"No! I don't- I don't want to- STOP! Don't- YOU'LL LET HIM OUT!"

Chen moved in- the man's third eye snapped open. Memories shifted into a diluted mess, colors and shapes mixing like oil on water. When the perspective finally righted itself they were faced with a caricature of violence- The street shattered into pieces, numerous bodies surrounding a deep crater. Civilians.

All Might covered the little girl's eyes, though she pried his hands away to see what was happening. She'd seen much worse, having experienced death and destruction first hand primarily due to her efforts in Rescuing people from disasters.

The fugitive from before was gone, replaced with a gibbering thing. From man to monster, nothing to nightmare. A Goliath of flesh; freakishly huge muscles bulging until they stretched the grey skin translucent to show salmon-pink tendons and sinew underneath. The worst part was its face… if one could still call it that. A maw of dagger-like teeth, dripping with saliva. Tight skin lashed against pearly-white bone, much too little to cover all that flesh and- was that… chitin?

The forehead and crown of the beast's head was missing, its pulsing brain exposed for all to see. It had three eyes, two 'normal' ones that drifted lazily and independent of the other, each looking in every direction possible like a chameleon. A third, larger eye darted around sporadically at the center of its head reminiscent of a pinball, its odd placement within the creature's brain almost comical.

All three eyes froze, rolling in sync to zero in at one specific point. Pinkish bloodshot sclera and poisonous green pupils stared across the boundaries of time and space and right into All Might's soul, the hero feeling his fists clenching in response to the threat even though this was a mere memory, a record of the past.

Something was wrong with Chen's vision, her right side an inky pool of darkness. She was still fighting, the thud-thud-thud of her heavy rifle drowning out the screams of nearby civilians. Her opponent leapt from building to building like a crazed, oversized monkey, moving in ways humans weren't meant to move, darting and twitching with uncanny speed. Small explosions bracketed the beast, causing it to let out an inhuman bloodcurdling scream- Chen's switched to HE rounds.

A distinct click told them the weapon was empty, the hunter adjusting her grip to wield it like a baseball bat, swinging hard into the monster's face and sending internal components flying everywhere. Ravager howled then choked when the woman took the opportunity to shove a live grenade down his open maw. Twin rows of razor-sharp teeth clamped shut and snapped on her smooth, hardened flesh, trapping her before she could withdraw her arm and sending enamel shards splintering into the air. The following explosion flung her wounded body back across the street, forcibly separating the two.

The perspective wobbled and tilted perilously as Chen steadied herself, disoriented. Most of her left arm had been consumed by the explosion, the ruined remains resembling twisted metal. She had to stop it here and now. She couldn't let it escape and hurt any more innocents. All Might and Kiri could do nothing but watch, helpless to intervene in an event that happened decades ago. They were just passengers along for the ride.

Ravager shuffled erratically towards her, smoke rising from its throat. All three eyes flickered over its own burnt and battered body before locking onto her injured form. A low, guttural growl resounded from within the beast's ruined jaw, its voice rough and ragged like the serrated edge of a dagger. An animalistic sound that reached deep into the human mind and wrenched at their fight or flight instincts, primal and unchained. Even without it actually speaking, she understood what it said.

One of us will die now.

"I see we speak the same language." she hissed, her one remaining eye focused on the beast, otherworldly orange light beginning to spill forth. A telltale sign of One For All activating with its maximum output.

Lightning trailed from her body as she charged, the beast roaring with its own bull rush. A crashing impact, pained howls and screams from both mixing together into a cacophony of brutality, the violence audible through time. She used the razor-sharp, twisted remains of her hardened left arm like a blade to cut into the monster, bringing down the makeshift weapon again and again…

All Might covered the little girl's eyes, not wanting her to see this.

It was over as soon as it started, both combatants laying crumpled on the ground. Chen had defeated the beast but at a heavy cost- she was dying, the edges of her vision starting to close in. It was like looking through a dark tunnel that seemed to stretch further and further the more she looked…

A panicked man came into her field of vision, a roll of bandages on one hand. He didn't speak very well, primarily using gestures and broken English in an effort to tell her something.

"I… Medic. Help. Stay… calm." he murmured, his thick accent easily recognizable. "It… alright."

Misha, before he was a Hero. With a start All Might realized they were about to witness the transfer of One For All from one host to another.

She coughed, a spray of blood droplets splashing across Misha's face. His sleeve wiped it away carelessly, more focused on bandaging her up to the best of his abilities. She was fading in and out of consciousness now- her time was nearly up. A trembling hand reached out, slick with her own lifeblood.

"Take… it." the woman rasped, nearing her last breath. Her bloodied fingers brushed against his lips. "Please."

The man's palm glowed and he pressed it against her forehead, his own Quirk coming into play. His Extrasensory allowed him to see people's memories just by touch…

Misha's eyes seemed to gleam with realization and more importantly, understanding. With a reluctant nod he licked his lips, ingesting the blood she'd left there. Even as Chen slipped away he stayed by her side, holding her hand until she breathed her last breath. The world faded to black...

All Might and Kiri were dragged out of the memories, the former gasping from the sudden warp. Kiri swayed a little, disoriented but quickly righting herself.

"So what was the point in showing us that?" the hero asked angrily, quickly inspecting the little girl to make sure she was alright. She seemed to be fine, despite having just watched somebody meet their demise. Said somebody was standing right before them, but still.

"Hate me if you wish. You're supposed to understand the message behind my story." the woman nodded flatly, unaffected by his anger. "Sometimes one must be sacrificed for the sake of many. That is the lesson I must impart."

"You could have scared her-" the hero argued, ignoring how Kiri had climbed up his torso to sit on his massive shoulders. He only noticed when she tugged at his golden locks gingerly to get his attention.

"I'm okay." Kiri murmured from atop his head. "Please don't be mad."

"Jeez… All of this still seems awfully cliché. Does every one of you guys have their own lesson and story to share?" All Might sighed, patting the little girl riding on his shoulders and glad she wasn't traumatized from what they'd just seen.

"Don't you?" Chen asked hauntingly, her head slightly tilted. "That's all for now, Toshinori Yagi. I'll see you around."

The woman began to glow with her signature color, wind whipping around her like a miniature tornado.

"Oh. One more thing, you guys should probably figure out a way to counter her weakness. Someone might find out and exploit it." she echoed, her now translucent finger pointing at Kiri. "Like it or not, the Construct can be considered a weapon. She is a mighty force, with the potential to become one of the most powerful and absolute beings on the Planet… but she is flawed- with one noticeable weakness, one slight imperfection."

"What is it?"

"The imperfection that every weapon shares." the phantom whispered, ghostly and fading. "Its user."

With that last bit of advice a flash of orange engulfed the pair, leaving them alone at the base of the giant tree. Well that didn't go exactly as planned… not to mention he wasn't very fond of the woman's cold and relentlessly logical attitude. Frankly, he even thought she was a little edgy.

"We still have to meet four more? Gah."

"Nn..."

All Might peeked up at the child above him and sighed when he realized she was already starting to doze off, her cheek pressed against the crown off his skull. Perhaps it was time for him to rest, too.

A snap of his fingers manifested a cushy recliner out of nowhere, the Hero climbing into it with his sleepy little companion. Placing her onto his lap like a caring father, he made sure she was comfortable before leaning back himself. Within minutes he too was starting to drift off, the lure of sleep heavy on his eyelids. Maybe having her around wasn't as bad as he initially thought.

[x]

Izuku awoke with the feeling of something warm and alive on top of him. His sleepy eyes fluttered open to find Kiri laying on his chest, her smaller body rising and falling gently alongside each breath he took. They resembled an Otter parent and child pair lazing atop each other, her little fists clutching his pajama shirt tight while she dozed peacefully. A lock of her dark hair drifted near her mouth and she began to chew on it, even drooling a little.

"Hey," Izuku whispered, a hand coming up to sweep it out of her mouth. "Don't eat your own hair."

"Nmu…" she mumbled, still asleep.

Glancing at his bedside clock, he noticed it was almost time to get up and get ready for school. Reluctantly, the boy tried to gently slide her off without waking her up. Ironically his actions had the opposite effect when she held on tighter the moment she felt her 'bed' shifting, latching on to him firmly like a Koala.

"Oh." No choice, then. Izuku prodded at her cheek tenderly, careful not to startle her. "Kiri? Hey, wake up."

"Nn?" the little girl let out a small yawn, looking around blearily. "Nii-chan…"

"Yeah, it's me." He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair, stroking her head. "Your face doesn't change that much, eh… you wanna try smiling a little?"

She tilted her head, staring at him sleepily.

"Like this," Izuku flashed her a great big grin. The girl tried to mimic his expression, ending up baring her pearly-white teeth at him instead. He reached up and pushed at her soft cheeks gently with his fingers, teasing her expression into a tiny smile. "Needs a little work, hm."

"Nn~" She nuzzled against his hand affectionately, even more so when he gave her a light peck on the forehead.

"Come on, let go. I need to get ready for school."

"Okaaaay." she slurred, finally releasing her grip and rolling back onto his bed. He'd let her sleep a little more until breakfast was ready.

A while later and they were chowing down on breakfast, both getting ready for their respective tasks. While Izuku had to go to school Kiri was getting ready to patrol the city again as part of her usual routine, even if the rate of criminal activity was already at an all-time low.

Once they made their way out of the front door, the siblings bid each other goodbye for now. Izuku watched Kiri leap off into the distance, her tiny form transforming midair into an adult. As the watched her go he couldn't help but feel a little proud; not at himself for creating her, but for her. A little miracle, one that made the world a better place.

The day carried on as usual, Izuku making his way into the classroom early. Iida was already there, a hand raised in greeting as he entered.

"Good morning, Midoriya-kun. Feeling better, I hope?

"Morning, Iida-san. Thanks for your concern." Izuku smiled, a little happy that someone cared. "How was your meeting?"

"It was interesting, to say in the least. I hope you didn't get too much of a tongue-lashing yesterday."

"Hmm? Oh, you mean Aizawa-sensei." he hummed, remembering his interaction with the teacher. "I explained my uh, unique circumstances and we kinda talked it out."

"I see… well if you ever need help on anything, just give me a call." the taller boy said, nodding solemnly in understanding.

Uraraka Ochaco entered the classroom moments later, bright and cheerful as always. She wore a sunny grin on her features, upbeat and happy-go-lucky. Uraraka-san, if your smile gets any brighter I'm gonna have to wear shades.

"Good Morning, Iida-kun!" she said happily to Iida, her smile radiant. She then turned to Izuku, intent on greeting him with that same enthusiasm. "Good Morning, D-deku-kun-"

She seemed to suddenly stutter out of nowhere in the middle of greeting Izuku, her cheeks slowly turning a lovely shade of pink. What both boys didn't know was that she thought back to the scene she'd secretly witnessed yesterday with Mina outside the school gates upon seeing Izuku again.

The young brunette's face began to heat up when she remembered how experienced Izuku had seemed yesterday, sweeping a girl off her feet and caressing her head lovingly. A tiny part if her wondered how it would feel to be held and caressed like that...

"Uraraka-san? Are you alright?" Izuku tried, concerned for his friend.

"Ah! I- uh, I'm fine. Everything is just peachy, yeah!" she laughed awkwardly, sidestepping away from them and into her seat. "Peachy peachy peachy! Hahaha-"

The two boys shared a worried glance, confused.

"D-did I do something wrong?" Izuku tried, bewildered. He began patting his cheeks. "Is there something on my face?"

Iida shrugged, his expression indicating he had absolutely no idea. Izuku flinched when he felt a hand pat him on the shoulder, the owner of said hand humming in approval. Ashido Mina appeared out of nowhere, grinning delightfully.

"E-eh? A-ashido-san?" he stammered, flustered from her sudden close contact. A girl was touching him!

"I have to admit; I underestimated you, Midoriya!" Mina beamed, her voice playful and teasing. She sent a thumbs up his way as she left for her seat, giggling a little. "Just make sure to not play around too much with maidens' hearts, you stud~."

"P-p-p-play around?" Izuku blushed, blood rushing to his cheeks. He still had no idea what she was talking about. Was that a compliment or some sort of hidden innuendo? He silently cursed the fact that he was so bad at talking to girls.

"Huh." Iida turned to him, a little confused. "Well, I'm not going to meddle in your private affairs, Midoriya-kun."

"Um, I don't know what she meant." the boy blinked. "Did you?"

"No, not really."

Both boys shrugged, dropping the issue. A few minutes later Aizawa-sensei shuffled in, looking disheveled as ever. Overall, it was the same, boring old combination of classes until the afternoon rolled along. The teacher announced that they were to head to a remote training site for Rescue Training, the class piling onto a bus shortly after they changed into their respective costumes. So this was the important event he mentioned...

The bus traveled along a long, winding road- deep into the forested area where the training area resided. To think that U.A had such a facility in place...

"I tend to say whatever comes to mind, Midoriya-chan." Asui Tsuyu began, having sat next to him.

"Um, yes, Asui-san?"

"Call me Tsuyu."

"R-right."

"Your Quirk is like All Might's." The frog girl said flatly.

"H-huh?! I-" Izuku started to protest then paused, recalling the memory of the small child drooling on his chest this morning. "I suppose it looks rather similar, doesn't it."

If only she knew what his real Quirk was capable of.

"Wait a sec, Tsuyu-chan." Kirishima piped up from beside her. "All Might doesn't get hurt when he uses his. They just kind of look the same."

Tsuyu nodded, humming in thought.

"But it's nice to have a simple augmenting-type Quirk. You can do lots of flashy stuff!" the redhead continued with a grin. "My Hardening is strong against others, but unfortunately it doesn't look like much."

"I think it's really cool!" Izuku said, always keen to learn about new Quirks. "It's a Quirk that can definitely pass as a Pro's."

"A pro's, huh. But you have to think about popularity as a Hero too, you know."

"My Navel Laser is pro-level in both flashiness and strength-" Aoyama began.

"-But it's not great that it gives you a stomachache." Mina interrupted with a teasing smile, a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Well, if you're talking flashy and strong-" Kirishima nodded towards the back of the bus. "It's gotta be Todoroki and Bakugo, huh?"

"Bakugo's always mad, so he doesn't seem like he'll be popular, though." Tsuyu said bluntly.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! Wanna fight, you froggy bitch?!"

"See?"

"We haven't known each other that long, so it's amazing that everyone knows his personality is crap steeped in sewage." Kaminari shrugged smugly.

"What's with that vocabulary, bastard?!" Bakugo snarled, leaning over the railing in front of him. "I'll kill you!"

Kacchan's being teased... Huh. You don't see that everyday. That's U.A for you.

"What a vulgar conversation." Yaoyorozu muttered.

"But I like stuff like this, too!" Ochaco giggled from beside her.

"We're here. Stop messing around."

"Yes, sir!"

Upon arrival, Class 1-A was greeted with one of the most amazing sights they would behold as part of their life at U.A. A themepark-like location stood before them, where the attractions would usually be replaced with different variations of disaster zones ranging from perilous landslides to collapsed buildings. All six zones were housed within an enormous dome, Izuku suspecting that the structure was large enough to have its own weather patterns.

"Whooooaaaah! Is this Universal Studios Japan?!"

"There's the Flood Zone, Landslide Zone, Conflagration Zone, etc. Every disaster and accident you can imagine." An androgynous voice behind them stated proudly. "I built this facility myself. I call it… The Unforeseen Simulation Joint!"

"So it really is USJ!" The class thought as one.

"It's the Space Hero, Thirteen!" Izuku said in awe, taking in the hero's spacesuit-clad form. "He's a gentleman hero who specializes in Rescue Scenarios!"

"Ooh, I love Thirteen!" Ochaco cheered, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Thirteen." Aizawa greeted his colleague flatly. "Where's All Might? I thought he was meeting us here."

"About that, Senpai…" Thirteen held up three gloved fingers subtly. "It seems he just reached his limit during his morning commute. He's resting in the break room."

"The height of irrationality." the teacher muttered under his breath. "So be it. Let's get started."

"Righto! Alright, before we start I have a point or two to make." Thirteen cheered cutely, then began counting off his fingers. "Or Three. Four… Um, Five? Hmm…"

Aizawa just sighed, watching his colleague hum and tap their helmet thoughtfully.

"Okay. As I'm sure many of you are already aware, my Quirk is called Black Hole. It can suck in and tear apart anything."

"And you've used it to save people in all sorts of disasters." Izuku added helpfully.

"Correct. However, my power could easily kill." The pro hero paused and let that statement sink in. "No doubt there are some among you with similar abilities. In our super-powered society, the use of Quirks is heavily restricted and monitored. Though it may seem that this system is a stable one, we must never forget it only takes one wrong move with an uncontrollable Quirk for people to die."

An image of Kiri flashed across Izuku's mind, her featureless form standing atop a mountain of rubble, hands plunging into a heavy exosuit and prying thick layers of armor apart like how one would peel an Orange, the pilot within screaming-

No. She would never hurt innocents. She had never even killed anyone in her entire life, not even Villains. Just as she was unquestioningly loyal to him, he would place his utmost trust in her.

"During Aizawa's physical fitness test, you came to learn of your own hidden potential. Through All Might's battle training, you experienced the danger that your respective Quirks can pose to others. This class will show you a new perspective! You will learn how to utilize your Quirks to save lives." Thirteen seemed to smile within that domed helmet, his voice positive and encouraging. "I hope you leave here today with the understanding that you're meant to help people. That is all! I thank you for listening."

The Class cheered and clapped as Thirteen bowed, inspired.

"He's awesome!"

"So cool!"

"Bravo, bravo!"

"Great." Aizawa rolled his eyes. "First off-"

A swirling ball of dark smog puffed into existence near the fountain. Aizawa whirled around to face it, his eyes widening when it expanded, fingers of black fog creeping along the ground like writhing, shadowy tentacles. A gnarled hand reached through that inky nothingness, a gleaming red pupil full of malice peering through pale fingers.

Not a hand… a face.

Villain.

[x]

Kiri stood atop the roof of a moving train carriage, wind whipping in her hair as the transport clattered along its preset path. Another uneventful day, as usual. Sure, there was the occasional robber sometimes but he'd usually be arrested by the neighborhood heroes. She couldn't fault them for doing a good job. Come to think of it, she should-

A wave of ice-cold dread and crystalline fear slammed into her like a truck, causing her to flinch. Wha? Where was- where is it- The vigilante's eyes widened when she realized it was coming through her mental link. That meant-

ONII-CHAN.

Kiri braced herself, focusing as hard as she could. The energies that made up her body responded to her will, tugging and shifting to make the jaunt through space. A memory of U.A's entrance flashed in her thoughts, the mental photograph in her mind linking to its real world counterpart.

She disintegrated into a cloud of white particles. Only moments later her form reconstituted outside U.A behind a hidden wall of trees, the girl searching frantically for her brother. He wasn't in the School! Where- where is he?! He's somewhere… somewhere far away, kilometers away from her current position.

Focusing hard, Kiri reached into their shared mental link and pinpointed his exact location, her feet already thundering towards that direction. Somewhere remote, in a forest? The girl cursed her speed, even though she was running much faster than a car now.

Slow slow slow why was she so slow-

She simply ran through the trees in her path, leaving broken wood and splinters in her wake when she didn't bother to dodge around them; the fastest route from point A to point B was a straight line. A second wave of all-consuming terror surged into her like a wave, causing her to almost let out a cry of dismay. She was consuming as much of it as possible, but there was so much...

No, no, NO! I won't let them hurt you, Onii-chan. I won't, I won't!

A massive dome came into view, with her closing in rapidly. Kiri lowered her shoulder into a charge when she neared the structure's thick walls, crashing through multiple walls with deafening booms. Breaching the side of the dome she found herself in the Downpour Zone, gusts of wind and rain blasting into her. She continued charging, inadvertently rushing past and knocking out several villains who were in the midst of combat with two particular U.A students.

Tokoyami and Koda blinked in stunned confusion, nearly missing that the vigilante had just halved the number of their total opponents. The remaining villains were easily defeated in seconds, especially when Dark Shadow suddenly seemed much more excited for some reason.

"Dark Shadow, what's wrong?"

"That one, master- the white one who helped us. She was- she felt..." the shadow hissed, a thrilled delight evident in its voice. "Familiar."

Kiri finally burst out of the Downpour Zone with a crash, spotting her brother- he was staring at a hulking beast of muscle, a smaller form pinned and broken underneath it. Fear radiated off Izuku like heat from a campfire, the construct immediately draining most of it away and clearing his thoughts. An order thundered through their mental link and into her mind, desperate and frantic.

Get that thing off Aizawa-sensei!

"Oh, what's this? We have a special miniboss stage." A thin slip of a man was saying, his face obscured by a severed hand for a mask. "Kurogiri-"

Whatever he was about to say next was cut short when Kiri slammed into the behemoth, her fist crashing into its face with an impact so significant that it flung both the masked man and his smoky ally back. The monster weathered the blow easily, its eyes locking onto her form before responding with a brutal overhead swing. One slender hand tanked the blow, the other slicing through the air to slam into his chin in an uppercut, the air around the impact zone distorting from the shockwave. Leaping back away from Aizawa and Izuku, she baited the monster into coming after her.

Her new opponent gripped the ground on all fours like a gorilla, bulging muscle in both arms and legs propelling its massive body forward with blinding speed. She met its charge, her smaller hands pushing against its humongous ones- exactly what she planned. Kiri focused and reached in deep, intent on ripping out every single emotion from the beast's mind to stun it.

Diving in, she reached inwards and- stopped. There was… nothing? She had looked into the monster's psyche and found absolutely no emotions at all, almost like the thing before her didn't have a Soul. It was just a meat puppet, a golem made of flesh… It wasn't even a person anymore.

"Your puny punches won't work against Nomu's Shock Absorption." the thin man hissed, sneering under his grotesque mask. "He was specifically made to take on All Might… do you seriously think you can actually match him?"

Nomu made no sound when he attacked, no animalistic roaring, not even an enraged growl. He was… empty, devoid of emotion and soul. His fists were meaty hammers that crashed into her body lighting fast, each blow causing the ground beneath her to spiderweb with numerous cracks, then shattering into countless chunks. Kiri counterattacked, the power behind her blows disproportionate to her size; though she was much smaller and slightly slower her fists were hitting like freight trains, every punch she landed creating a thunderous boom and rippling the air behind Nomu. The sound of them exchanging blows was like machine-gun fire, deafening and bone-rattling.

Shock Absorption. Every hit she lands absorbed. Absorption of kinetic energy- other energies not absorbed- sonic, thermal energy? Izuku observed. He was watching them clash, his mind frantically analyzing Nomu's characteristics and capabilities. They're equally matched… no. Nomu is much stronger. Made to combat All Might, possibly kill him. Made? Artificial human? Superhuman strength, speed, stamina. Brute package confirmed.

Kiri landed an open palm onto Nomu's exposed brain and wrenched, digging her fingers in deep and trying for a weak spot- it didn't work. Nomu bit down on her arm, shaking her like a dog with a chew toy before she broke free, going for his eyes- that didn't work either when he grabbed and pulled her away. Her next attempt had her darting onto his back, grabbing hold of his thick neck and twisting it further than what any normal human's could tolerate. Nomu simply reached up and swung her into the ground, unaffected. This thing, this monster... why did it look and feel so familiar? That beast-like instinct and aggression, inhuman and primal. She had seen something similar to it before, but where?

The realization hit her like a sack of bricks. That freakish musclemass. That exposed brain. Ravager. The monster that Chen had fought. Had that been the prototype to this abomination, its remains used to help create this?

"No sense in sticking around if All Might isn't going to come. But before we leave, let's leave a few dead kids…" the thin Villain from before whispered, crossing the distance between him and Izuku and his friends in the blink of an eye. His hand reached out towards them. "-To wound the Symbol of Peace's Pride!"

Kiri moved, prioritizing the safety of her brother above all else. Kicking off Nomu's chest like a springboard her fist rocketed into the thin man's torso with a sharp crack, sending him flying across the plaza. She was sure she at least broke a rib or two, having felt the sensation of bone snapping against her knuckles. Pulsing, unrestrained rage flowed off her, Izuku literally feeling her wrath as she stood with her back towards him and his classmates, using her own body as a shield.

STAY AWAY FROM HIM.

"Tch! Nomu, dispose of Valkyrie NOW! KILL HER!" the man spat, clutching at his side painfully.

Nomu was a shadowy blur, racing towards them- Kiri, Valkyrie, met his charge with one of her own. Twin juggernauts collided, one black and one white, one fueled by pure instinct and the other by pure emotion. She adjusted her strategy, her leg not kicking but rather pushing against his knee joint with tremendous force. There was a sickening snap and Nomu's knee bent backwards-

Only to immediately right itself with another snap. Regeneration. Looks like breaking all his limbs wouldn't work. Fighting an opponent bigger and stronger than oneself- she had tried nearly everything so far. Explosiveness, aiming for sensitive targets, all nullified against Nomu's Quirk. It was possible to beat him in an endurance match but she couldn't keep track of multiple opponents at once- the thin Villain and his fog companion were still a threat to Izuku and his friends. The longer she was in combat against Nomu the more Izuku was prone to danger.

Kiri thought back to the endless hours she spent fighting, the tactics of each opponent she faced and each ally she fought alongside incorporated into her own fighting style. There were always moves to take down a larger, stronger opponent. And there were always countermoves to those moves. And countermoves to those counters. Physical combat was like a game of chess, except the pieces were your arms and legs, torque and your center of mass… and most importantly your mind.

Ducking under Nomu's haymaker she swung herself up onto his back again using his neck as a grip, taking advantage of his split second of disorientation to wrap her legs across his right arm, her body parallel along its length. She grabbed onto the limb at a specific angle and pulled, her efforts manifesting with a wet pop- dislocating Nomu's shoulder. Now that his right side was mostly out of commission she scrambled atop and behind him, her lithe arms wrapping around his neck and executing a rear naked choke.

A blood choke, Izuku realized. Kiri was trying to cut off the blood flow to Nomu's brain, putting all her strength into the endeavor. The behemoth stumbled, flailing madly and trying to get her off- it looked like it was working until Nomu's neck bulged repulsively when he flexed, thick veins popping and writhing along his neck like worms beneath skin. With the blood flowing back to his brain, the mutant regained his senses and leapt high into the air to land on his back with a horrific impact, rupturing the ground beneath and crushing her into a deep crater. The earth shook, sending massive tremors that reverberated through the entire structure. The resulting shockwave hit like a sledgehammer, causing Izuku and the others to stumble back.

Nomu jumped out of the crater, Kiri lunging after him- she was pissed, and Izuku felt it. Just as he was trying to forcefully shove his right arm's ball joint back into its socket the girl made her move, leaping onto his head again. Her left arm gripped Nomu's working one tightly and held it immobile when he tried to fling her off- his dislocated right arm couldn't rise high enough. With her right arm and leg she reached down and-

Beside him Tsuyu and Mineta gasped, not believing what they were seeing. Izuku could barely believe it himself. Kiri slammed her right arm and leg into Nomu's birdlike face… and reached into his toothy maw. Wordlessly, she pulled the top of his head back and kicked down on his lower jaw to force his mouth open further than it was meant to go, causing a grisly snap followed by wet gurgling.

Then she rammed her entire arm down his throat.

For a single moment everyone, even the Villains, watched the scene in silent disbelief. The silence didn't last when Nomu began to thrash around with Kiri still atop him, the length of her entire arm from below the shoulder onwards lodged in his esophagus. Izuku understood her intent- since her blood choke earlier had failed she was trying for an air choke this time, physically blocking his airway and trying to choke him into unconsciousness. The girl held on tight like she was riding a rodeo bull, unsure of how long it would take for him to run out of air. Nomu had a large body, with equally large muscles- meaning that he would have a powerful set of lungs to supply all that much-needed oxygen. If only she had a grenade like Chen had.

There was a deafening bang from across the plaza, everyone's attention switching to the source. There, the magnificent visage of All Might appeared past the massive doors, the Symbol of Peace in all his glory. All Might… wasn't smiling.

"I had a bad feeling… so I tore myself away from my chat with the Principal and came. I passed young Iida on the way, so I got a rough idea of what happened." Each step he took sounded like a gunshot in the near-silence. "Good grief, it really makes me angry. Thinking about how frightening in must have been for you all… how hard my juniors fought... and now- how Miss Valkyrie was already here fighting when I was supposed to be. But that is why I must proudly say-"

Sapphire pupils glinted against the hollow shadows of All Might's face.

"It's fine now!" The hero reached up and ripped off his tie into shreds. "I AM HERE!"

"Kurogiri! Separate them!" the hand-mask Villain cried, actually sounding panicked. "Get her off Nomu!"

"But where do I send her, Shigaraki-"

"Anywhere but here! Do it now, while she's stuck!"

Dark fog swirled and churned around Kiri, enveloping her body much to Izuku's horror. The warp Quirk! Normally she wouldn't be affected by a Quirk, but this one opened a physical gateway using the user's body as a catalyst, effectively linking one point of space to another. The warpgate closed around her arm, seemingly severing it at the shoulder… except there was no blood, the limb dissolving into particles. She'd been sent away somewhere, but where?

[x]

Nomu was finally freed from his choking hazard, inhaling in deep lungfuls of air and managing to get his right arm into proper working condition by snapping the joint back into place. In his disorientation All Might managed to land a blow on both him and the other Villain, scooping up Izuku and his friends. Valkyrie was nowhere to be seen, whisked away by the fog… All Might clenched his teeth. If anything happened to her, he would hold himself responsible… yet another person hurt because he wasn't here.

"Everyone, go to the entrance!" He ordered. "I'm leaving Aizawa to you, he's unconscious. Hurry!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

"Ribbit."

Izuku watched his mentor with fearful eyes, remembering what Thirteen had said earlier. It seems he just reached his limit during his morning commute… All Might was running on fumes, and Izuku was the only one who knew it.

"It's no good… It's no good…" the thin man, Shigaraki, was saying, searching for his lost mask. "I-I'm sorry, father…"

His whimpering ended when he retrieved his hand-mask, voice now tinged with hate.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this… that interfering little vigilante wasn't supposed to be here. Why… how did she know..." He turned to All Might, head tilted. "It doesn't matter. With Nomu's regeneration, he's back in perfect condition- and you're becoming weaker, aren't you… All Might."

"All Might, you can't." Izuku said, panicked. "That brain Villain, Nomu; he took on Ki- Valkyrie at her full strength, and he was stronger than her. He has a Shock Absorption Quirk… He's gotta be-"

"Young Midoriya!" All Might held out a hand, silencing him. He then turned back to face him with a smile, fingers forming a 'peace' symbol. "It's fine!"

Izuku watched his mentor for a few seconds before nodding, deciding to trust him. Together with Tsuyu and Mineta's help they hefted Aizawa's limp body away from the battlefield, careful not to move him around too much.

All Might's turned his attention to the hand-masked creep, dashing forward. His arms forming an X, the hero prepared to launch one of his signature smashes. "Carolina-"

"Nomu!"

"-Smash!"

The muscled behemoth intercepted the blow for its master, the water behind him parting from the sheer force of All Might's attack. So Valkyrie fought against this thing… Shock Absorption and Regeneration? Multiple Quirks. He had to be careful- Valkyrie may not be as strong as he was, but she could still pack one hell of a punch. If this thing could withstand her attacks it meant that it was no small fry.

Nomu lunged for him, missing by mere inches. The Hero countered, his fists blurring with speed and slamming into the Villain… only to have absolutely no effect. He then tried slugging the beast across its face, only to have that fail as well- Nomu was barely even fazed.

"It doesn't work on his face either?!"

"It doesn't work because of his Shock Absorption. You can't beat him." Shigaraki whispered, his thin form still trembling with pain from Valkyrie's attack. "That foolish girl couldn't do it, and neither will you. It's game over for you, All Might!"

All Might circled around Nomu with superhuman speed, gripping him around the waist. His back arched, heels rising off the floor to prepare for what was unmistakably a suplex.

"We'll see about that!"

[x]

Kiri burst out from the remains of a burning building, raging flames licking ineffectually at her body. They'd warped her into the Conflagration Zone and right into an inferno, trying to roast her alive. Looking down the girl realized her right arm had been severed from the warp gate closing on it- a little focus and it was back again, white particles rushing together to reform the limb.

She wasted no time in getting back into the fight, headed in the direction that Izuku was currently in. Busting out of the Zone's domed ceiling the Vigilante found a scene most discouraging- Izuku and a few of his classmates were facing Shigaraki, while All Might was about to engage Nomu. But the most troubling thing was that the Number One Hero was bleeding from the left side of his torso, a splotch of dark crimson forming under his ribs. His weak spot.

This wouldn't do. If she worked with All Might they'd be able to defeat Nomu, but alone she was unable to- Her output simply wasn't enough, fighting Nomu solo would result in a stalemate again just like when she'd fought the mental version of All Might. She needed more power.

MORE

POWER.

Kiri began to feel a tugging sensation in her head.

Within the recesses of Izuku's mind Nana and All Might could do nothing but watch helplessly through the host's eyes, fists clenched and teeth grit. For All Might it was looking like he had finally met his match- for Nana it was even worse as she was faced with the very real possibility that he might lose… she didn't want to watch her student die.

Especially when she watched herself die through his eyes. She wouldn't… she couldn't let the same thing happen to him. But they were stuck here, unable to interact with the real world. Perhaps they could influence Izuku to do something? No, he could barely even control the power of One For All, she couldn't expect him to do anything in this situation. There must be something they can do, anything! Snippets of everything she'd experienced in the past few days began to echo within her mind.

She's a mental projection! That's how she can be in the real world...

But don't touch my tree! I'll know.

In Norse Mythology, the Valkyries were mythical women who chose who was to live and who was to die in battle.

Chooser of the Slain. Nana's eyes widened with realization. Without a word she turned and marched towards the giant tree that represented Izuku, placing her glowing palm onto the bark.

"KIRI!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, shocking All Might and making him turn away from the sky he was watching. "PLEASE, LISTEN TO ME!"

"Sensei, what are you-"

"IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, LET ME HELP YOU!" The woman paused to take a deep breath, perhaps the most important breath in her un-life. "CHOOSE ME!"

The point where her palm met the trunk began to glow, blinding light radiating from the weathered wood. A deep whooshing emanated from the tree, the light spiralling outwards and expanding to form-

A Doorway.

"Nana?!" All Might gasped.

Nana said nothing as she stepped through, the doorway closing behind her before her student could react. Imperceptible radiance and colors of every shade imaginable greeted her. Somebody screamed, and she wasn't sure if it was her. Inside was a tunnel of burning rainbow light, the mental link between Izuku and Kiri. The Bifrost between minds… the bridge that reached between the mental world and the real world, a link between two realms.

Shimura Nana closed her eyes.

Valkyrie opened her eyes.

When she gasped her voice was strange and slightly distorted, like two people speaking at once. She looked down to find herself no longer featureless nor unclothed, now clad in a familiar costume. Black bodysuit with yellow gloves. Gleaming white boots, and a magnificent white cape billowing in the wind. The new being turned towards the standoff below, the corners of her mouth curving upward.

"Hell yeah."

[x]

All Might took a deep breath, readying himself. Before him was Nomu, an absolute monster, all muscle and instinct. Though Young Todoroki and the others had aided him earlier when he was trapped the beast had still managed to hit him right where it hurt, his old injury opening up and leaking blood.

I barely have a minute left… My power has been declining faster than I expected.

"Even with this wound I can take all you brats on." Shigaraki hissed in pain, one hand clutching his side. "Nomu, let's clear this and go home."

But I must do this.

Shigaraki dashed towards Izuku and his classmates, feet light and eyes angry.

Why? Because I am… All Might felt the power of One For All surging through his body, eight different souls working together- a gestalt of different generations. A power he was deemed worthy of. ...The Symbol of Peace!

Shigaraki flinched from the sudden increase in pressure, turning towards the Hero. All Might leapt forward, his golden locks whipping in the wind. Nomu blurred with speed, a wall of muscle and aggression. Their fists collided in an immense shockwave that sent everyone nearby flying. Unnoticed by all, a flash of black and white was headed right at them like a missile. All Might readied his fist for another punch, Nomu doing the same-

"Who The Hell Do You Think I Am KIIIIIIIIIICK!"

An alabaster boot impacted Nomu's face with the force of a bullet train, actually causing him to stumble back. The ground beneath him broke apart, shattering like glass and sending an explosion of rubble climbing into the air. All Might blinked in surprise, whirling around to face his unexpected ally. The new combatant spun mid-air, adding rotational momentum to her next attack which came in the form of another ridiculously long name.

"Get Your Damn Hands Off Him PUUUNNNCCCHHH!" the girl yelled, her voice slightly distorted.

It was... Valkyrie, but she looked drastically different. Though her face, skin and hair still looked the same and retained their milky-white color, her eyes no longer glowed green. An ethereal Violet light shone from within her eyes, twin amethysts sparkling with hope. But that costume… it was impossible. That costume belonged to-

Nomu was flung back due to Valkyrie's putting her full force into her punch, the blow acting more like a continuous push. She spun to face All Might, a painfully familiar grin on her face. One that he'd seen before, just not on her.

"All Might, with me!" she cried, taking up a combat stance. "Formation Delta!"

The blonde's eyes widened in disbelief, though he subconsciously got into position as well. It was an old battle formation, a favorite of his mentor's, in fact. "Valkyrie, how-"

"Just do it!" Valkyrie yelled, not looking like her usual expressionless self at all. In fact, it reminded him of… her. "On my mark. Mark!"

The two heroes dashed forward in unison- one aiming high, the other aiming low. Nomu responded too late and received twin blows that sent him spinning, then another combined attack that pummeled him into the ground. Nearby buildings and walls shook from the impact, massive cracks climbing up their sides.

Izuku and his classmates could only watch in amazement, the two heroes executing every maneuver perfectly- each punch and swing choreographed and precise. It was like watching a dance, passionate and heart-pounding. Two partners working in tandem, both reliant on the other. Each harmonious blow resulted in a wave of pressure, gale winds sweeping across the entire plaza and preventing anyone from getting close. Nomu couldn't even fight back, the combined barrage too much to defend against. Valkyrie seemed much stronger now, perhaps almost as strong as All Might.

They're both giving it their all... neither of them are swinging randomly. Each blow- every single hit... is more than a 100% of their full strength!

"If your Quirk isn't Shock Nullification but Shock Absorption- then there must be a limit to it, right?" All Might growled, his arms a hurricane of blows. "Made to fight me? If you can withstand me at 100%, then we've just got to go beyond that!

"With our powers combined-" Valkyrie snarled, her smaller form beguiling her monstrous strength and vicious attacks. A rooster-tail of dust and rubble manifested from their movement alone, trees uprooted and concrete chunks spiraling into the air. "It'll be more than enough to force you down, Villain! A Hero..."

She landed an over-the-shoulder judo throw, sending Nomu flying right into All Might's uppercut that launched him into the sky.

"...Can always break out of a tough spot!" The blonde finished, One For All thundering through his muscles, surging through his Soul. Together, they leapt into the air and swung as one, two pairs of hands sending a barrage of rapid-fire blows into the muscled mutant.

"ORRRRYYAAAAA!" Two voices mixed into a triumphant crescendo, their combined heavy over-swing sent Nomu cratering against the ground so hard the entire USJ shook from the impact, the ground rupturing and fragmenting like the surface of a frozen pond. He bounced off the shattered floor from the impact, mid-air for a moment.

Everyone watched in speechless shock and awe, witnessing the full extent of All Might's power and Valkyrie's hidden one. Izuku stared at his sister's strange new form, eyes shining with wonder.

"Hey villain, have you ever heard these words?" All Might's huge fist cocked back, gathering power. The full force of his might was spiralling within his fist and gathering steam, all eight Souls within him resonating as one. One For All. Valkyrie did the same beside him, grinning. She too gathered power, her own variation of One For All combining with her current esoteric energies.

"GO BEYOND! PLUS—" Two overcharged fists slammed into Nomu, backed with the power of generations that came before. Past and Present, Old and New, United as One. Their fists drove deep into the Villain, their combined power overwhelming and absolute, going way past a 100% and breaking the limits of his shock absorption. "—ULTRAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

An earth-shattering explosion of force emanated from the impact, hammer-like and rattling the teeth of anyone nearby like the strike of a rubber mallet. Nomu was sent flying into the domed ceiling of USJ, turning the giant fixed lights into fireballs when he crashed into and through them. The villain's body shot into the sky, parting clouds as he passed through them and over the horizon.

They did it- The monster had been defeated with their combined efforts, bright sunlight shining through the hole they had made in the ceiling. Izuku watched, his eyes full of stars. So this was the power of All Might… and the power of his own Quirk. He felt his knees trembling, about to give out at the amazing display of heroism before he steeled himself and remembered danger was still nearby.

"NO! It's not fair! This wasn't supposed to- Arrggh!" Shigaraki screeched, seething with rage at Nomu's defeat. "If that girl hadn't shown up, we could have- they cheated!"

"Villains like you will never win- there will always be someone willing to fight for what's right!" Valkyrie yelled, index finger raised skywards proudly. "A Hero will never give up, never hide, never be defeated, never accept Evil!

"You- You ruined everything!" The villain scratched at his neck madly. "I'll kill you-"

Before he could rant on any longer, a bullet hole the size of a quarter appeared on both his knees, causing the man-child to scream in pain and collapse. Iida had returned, and he brought the calvary with him. The U.A teachers got to work, immediately mopping up the remaining villains with relative ease.

"Let us retreat for now, Shigaraki Tomura! We cannot afford to lose you here!" Kurogiri hissed, finding difficulty in creating a warp gate when Thirteen's black hole began to inhale his fog.

"All Might… and you, Valkyrie… You'll pay for this!" Shigaraki howled, crawling into the shuddering warp gate. "You'll all pay, you damn cheaters! This isn't over! I swear it!"

Both heroes leapt forward in an effort to catch them but to no avail, the gate closing just inches away from them. Izuku and his classmates were further back, still a little too stunned from the sheer power displayed in the fight to move.

All Might huffed, a little spent but ultimately alright. Without the help Valkyrie provided, he would have been forced to put much more stress on his body, possibly even shortening his transformation time or worse, his remaining lifespan. Speaking of the Vigilante, she was eying the hole Nomu made in the ceiling with a low whistle, giggling a little. How… unprecedented. This was the second time that he'd seen her with actual facial expressions and outward emotions. But more importantly, that costume… those moves… that smile. They all belonged to-

"Just like old times. You haven't changed a bit, y'know? Still reckless as ever." Valkyrie turned to him, smiling warmly. There it was again, painfully familiar and nostalgic. "I'm so proud of you."

"Miss Valkyrie…" All Might whispered, uncertain on what to say. "Who are you?"

"Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers." she chuckled, glowing with alluring light.

For a moment her face and body changed, though her costume remained the same. He knew that face. A mole below her right cheek. Dark hair tied in a partial bun, two long strands framing her face. Pearly-white teeth gleaming alongside a radiant, cheerful grin. A halo of seven glittering stars encircled her head like a miniature galaxy, giving her the appearance of an Angel descended from Heaven.

"Nana?" he breathed.

Steel-gray eyes glimmered with nostalgia, time seeming to trickle to an eternity between those precious few seconds.

"See you around, Toshinori."

With that final statement and smile she faded away in the wind, her form dissolving into smoke. All Might reached out to grab her hand, to just hold her one last time—

Her ectoplasmic, ethereal fingers slipped through his, leaving no trace that she'd ever been there. A phantom from the past, come to aid him in his time of need. Izuku and his friends gathered around him even as the teachers streamed in to clean up the remaining villains, effectively ending the invasion of USJ.

"All Might… are you okay?" Izuku tried reluctantly. The hero didn't respond, opting to keep silent. It wasn't that he wouldn't respond, but rather that he couldn't. He'd just seen a ghost, after all. Someone very dear to him, gone once again.

All Might stared at his hand for a long, long time.

[x]

A swirling doorway of light opened up in Izuku's mind, dumping both Kiri and Nana onto the grass unceremoniously. Both of them collapsed in exhaustion, panting in great deep breaths. All Might quickly rushed over to help them up, concern evident on his face.

"What-what- What was that?!" the blonde Hero exclaimed, currently experiencing a volatile mix of confusion, horror, and amazement. "Sensei, you were in the Real World and you two were- you two were combined or something!"

"Yeah no shit, Sherlock." Nana groaned, clutching her head like she was having a hangover. "Oh man, I don't feel so good."

"Nn..." Kiri shivered a little, prompting him to pick her up into a hug in an effort to keep her warm. "I feel sick."

"Must be some kind of feedback or something- an emotional overflow?" the woman leaned against a nearby rock. "Totally worth it though."

"Why-" All Might began, shaking his head. "Why did you do that?"

"What do you think?" Nana slurred angrily, eyes unfocused and… tearful? "I couldn't just… I couldn't just watch you die! Not like how I watched myself die- I won't let history repeat itself, not when I can actually make a difference!"

That last part sent a pang of regret through his heart, but he pressed on. "I wouldn't have-"

"How do you know?!" she suddenly yelled at him, her eyes watery. "How do you know, huh?! I can't bear to see something like that happen. I saw an opportunity, and I took it! I know I acted on my emotions, but is that so bad?"

"Nana…"

"I can't watch you die, I just can't! You're like a son to me, Toshinori…" she choked, gazing down at the ground in shame. "I don't want to lose another son."

He rushed in and hugged her tight, feeling her body shuddering with small sobs. Looks like she had some issues that she had been keeping hidden all this time after all, magnified by the emotional feedback from the fusion. Chen's pessimistic words echoed softly in his head.

This place is no paradise… more like a graveyard.

Each to his own, he guessed. He held Nana a little tighter, letting her bury her face into his shoulder. Kiri shivered again in his arms, the three of them huddling in a sort of pseudo-family hug. He patted his mentor on the back, calming her down. He kept holding her until she stopped shaking, finally becoming stable after a few minutes had passed.

"I-I'm sorry." his mentor stammered, pulling away from him. Her gaze was downcast, a hand coming up to dry her eyes. "I didn't mean to yell, I just..."

"You don't have to say anything, Sensei. I understand." All Might said calmly. Gazing down on her head he found himself looking at her halo of three souls.

Three Souls.

"Nana…" All Might began, a gut feeling of dread starting to overtake him. "Something's wrong."

"Huh? What is it?" She looked up at him, confused.

"Your halo- its only got three souls instead of the usual seven. Are four of them sleeping or something?"

The woman's eyes bulged, a look of alarm overcoming her. She quickly waved her hands and gathered the three remaining souls into her open palms, smacking them around a little in the process.

"You two! Oi, wake up!" she yelled, her voice frantic. "Where- where's the four of them?!"

Among the three All Might only recognized Nana's Violet soul and Misha's Magenta soul, the remaining unknown soul shining a brilliant pure-white. The latter two had clearly woken up and were starting to talk, flashing with panicked speed.

"They're not- I-I don't understand… Where-" Nana muttered, the two souls flickering in response. "It couldn't be. Could it?"

"Sensei?"

"It's those four." The woman paled visibly, looking even more like an actual ghost now with the added effect of her translucency. "Oh shit."

"Huh?"

Back then, when I crossed the bridge to the real world I thought I heard someone screaming. I thought it was just a figment of my imagination, but now- now I'm sure."

"S-screaming?"

"I'm certain it was one of them." Nana gasped. "It has to be."

She thought back to the burning rainbow bridge, intense and overwhelming. Someone screamed-

LET ME OUT

All Might frowned, uncertain. "So where did they-"

"No no no, you still don't understand!"

Nana's form suddenly increased in transparency, fading in and out. Something was happening to Kiri as well- she was… shrinking?

"I've screwed up- I've let them out!" His mentor turned to him, grabbing his massive shoulders and shaking them hysterically. "Don't you know what this means?!"

"Wha-?"

"One For All didn't always belong to heroes, you oaf!" Her wide eyes turned skyward. "Those four- They've escaped into the real world!"

The blonde's eyes flashed with realization and alarm, finally grasping the seriousness of the situation at hand.

"Two of them used to be classified as villains! Chen will be fine, I'm more worried about the other three, especially that idiot! We need Midoriya to find them and get them back in here, contain the situation- we need to stop them before-"

Whatever the woman was about to say next was cut off when she fully faded away, reverting back into a floating soul fragment. Four souls now floated above All Might's head in an orbit, three of them pulsing rapidly as they tried to communicate with him. Only thing was, he still didn't know how to hear or speak to them when they were in that form.

"W-what? I can't- I can't understand any of you! Kiri, can you-" Looking down, he realized that the girl had shrunk even more, still shrinking before his very eyes until she finally stopped. She still wore the same outfit but she was absolutely tiny now, about the size of a doll that could easily fit onto his palm. As he picked her up delicately the little chibi girl shook herself awake, peering up at him.

"Wha-! What happened to you, are you alright?"

"I'm okay!" she squeaked, her voice as tiny as her body. "I'm just in super-duper-power-saving mode."

"Eh? What does that mean?"

"It means my energy is being shared." Kiri peeped from atop his palm, clearly upset. "They're using my energy!"

"They? Who's-" The Hero paused, visibly paling. "Oh no."

[x]

The sun had set, the sky darkening across Musutafu City. Buskers and street performers crowded popular pathways, each wanting to make a living or showcase their talents. Among them was a singer, her melodious voice ringing straight and true into the night sky. Slender fingers strummed across tight guitar strings.

"But you held my hand~"

She sang an old song, a moderate crowd gathering around and listening with approval. Some were even filming her performance with their smartphones, enjoying the music. If those same people would have just looked up they would have found something much more interesting to film.

"You took me right back down to Hell…"

Four shining Souls, each boasting a different color, streaked past the wispy clouds, pale moonlight guiding their journey across the starry heavens. They left trails of ghostly light in their wake, Four Horsemen riding through the inky darkness. Within one of those Souls something otherworldly stirred, gazing down at the city below.

"I've got an Angel on my shoulder~"

"At long last." the being whispered. "Midoriya... Izuku."

"~But a Devil in my head."

---

Thank you for reading!

Here we were, thinking that the two Worlds would be separate from each other.

In Norse Mythology, the Einherjar (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters") are those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by Valkyries. -Wikipedia.

Edit: Changed cover pic to represent Kiri. It's actually a cropped picture of Yui eating gummy vitamins drawn by an anonymous drawfriend but it's close enough. That's what she basically looks like in her teen/child form. I didn't draw it. Added OC tag.

Next chapter will be shorter as I'm taking reader fatigue into account. I don't have an update schedule 'cause I don't know how to manage my time properly. The main pairing will still be Izuku x Ochaco, but it'll mostly be hinted at and not focused upon. The ending song the street musician was singing is "Angel On My Shoulder" by Kaskade. Naturally, it belongs to its respective owners, I don't own anything except for my own OCs.

Also, I just realized that Kiri 'shares' a name with Kirishima. Dang, I didn't think of that earlier.

I just want to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for supporting this fic. No words can express my gratitude to all of you. Thank you so much. You guys are the driving force that motivates me to continue writing.

Feel free to give some feedback and/or constructive criticism if you want to. I can already see the incoming 'chapter-too-long' messages coming, hahaha. I cut out a lot of content regarding the Mental World as I realized people would prefer stuff in the Real World with Izuku and Kiri. Hopefully this chapter's mental world segment was more interesting the previous one's.

See you in the next chapter!