A/N: The latest reviews I got for the last chapter have convinced me to put up this reminder, out of concern that people will forget again after finishing up this chapter.
There WILL be OOC behavior on the part of some major characters for the first few chapters, such as this one. This isn't an oversight or a sign of my ineffectiveness, but an intentional choice and a rather vital part of their story arcs in this AU fic. Things WILL get better as we go along, I promise, but for now, you'll just have to bear with it in the meantime. Yes, I know it's a bit painful. Trust me, it gets grating sometimes for me as well. But I'm just a big fan of taking stories a little slowly in terms of pacing and devoting time to exploring characters, even if they're radically changed at certain points.
I assure you, I know what I'm doing, even with the jarringly OOC stuff, and the rest of the story will gradually make up for it. Everyone will become the characters you all know and love. I really wish I could prove how seriously I take these characters, and how much I actually want them to be accurate, by writing a non-AU fic already. Unfortunately, I'm just so swamped with school and work at the moment, not to mention I'm still trying to figure out a solid plot.
But believe me, guys, it won't be long until we get to some real-life superhero stuff. ;)
Hand of Shigaraki has joined the chat
Hand of Shigaraki: Yo, Smelly! Is your body ready? Today's the day!
Yamikumo-PU has joined the chat
Yamikumo-PU: Why, what's happening today?
Hand of Shigaraki: The new OHA movie is coming out, that's what!
Hand of Shigaraki: Gonna watch?
...
Yamikumo-PU: Sounds great, Shigaraki!
Yamikumo-PU: I'd love to talk about it, but I can't right now.
Hand of Shigaraki: ?
Hand of Shigaraki: You're always available on the weekends. What happened?
Yamikumo-PU: I need to go with my mom somewhere.
Hand of Shigaraki: Sucks to be you.
Yamikumo-PU: I don't know how long I'll be gone, so just hold onto that for now.
Yamikumo-PU: I'll be right baxk
Yamikumo-PU: I meant to say I'll be right back soon.
Hand of Shigaraki: LOL.
Hand of Shigaraki: Why not use acronyms?
Hand of Shigaraki: They make life so much easier.
Yamikumo-PU: It's just too lazy.
Hand of Shigaraki: KJ.
Yamikumo-PU: ?
Hand of Shigaraki: Killjoy.
Yamikumo-PU: I have to go now. I'll catch you later.
Hand of Shigaraki: See ya, Smelly.
Yamikumo-PU: Ha ha. Very funny, Shigaraki.
Hand of Shigaraki: Never gets old, I swear.
Yamikumo-PU has left the chat
Hand of Shigaraki: Fine. If you want to be that way...
Hand of Shigaraki has left the chat
"I'm off to my study group, Mom!"
Izuku stumbled towards the door while simultaneously putting on his other shoe. He was about to open the front door of the apartment when he heard his mother's voice address him, softly and timidly.
"Izuku, sweetie?"
He looked over his shoulder and saw her entering the hallway, fiddling with her flower-patterned apron. A sense of déjà vu swept Izuku's senses for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it.
"Yes, Mom?" he asked, his voice calm and almost confident.
Inko merely stared at him, her eyes, as green as his, shimmering with concern. At first, Izuku thought she was going to voice her disapproval of him going to the study group. There seemed to be no doubt of that, since she looked conflicted on her next words and actually started to tremble a little from overwhelming anxiety. Even though the stout woman tried her hardest to make herself look composed, the boy could make it out as clearly as day.
Eventually, she reluctantly smiled and said, "I'm so glad you're starting to make friends at school. I'm so proud of you."
Izuku stared back at her for a moment before replying, "I'm glad too."
"I mean... I-I don't mean to sound cruel, sweetie, but ever since what happened with Kacchan, you haven't been close to anyone. You avoided your classmates like a plague. And I thought things were getting worse for you in high school." She looked down at the floor, relief now gracing her face. "So I didn't believe you at first, when you said someone from your school asked you to come to a group study session. But then you showed me that person's handwriting. It was... It was like a dream come true for me. It was almost too good to be true."
"That's exactly what I thought, Mom," Izuku thought. "Sometimes I still wonder if I'm just walking into a trap..."
"Oh my, look at the time! You need to get going, honey." Then, Inko remembered something and blurted out, "J-Just call me if you feel uncomfortable over there in any way."
"Don't worry, Mom. I think I'll be just fine." Then, he added in his mind, "Especially with Uraraka there."
"A-And don't do anything they tell you to do if you're uncomfortable with it! Don't give in to peer pressure!"
"R-Relax, Mom. I know what to do. ...I know what to do..."
Izuku turned towards the front door and held the knob in his hand, but he paused when he heard Inko address him.
"Izuku...?"
He looked over his shoulder and saw his mother looking back at him with concern.
"If you don't want go...you don't have to..."
Izuku frowned. "Mom, I want to go. What makes you think I don't want to?"
"Well...you just seem..." She briefly hesitated. "A little too enthusiastic about this whole thing..."
"Well, that's only because Uraraka's there..."
"Are you really not worried about anything at all, sweetie?"
"No." Izuku looked away with an ambiguous expression. "No, not at all, Mom."
And with that, Izuku opened up the front door, allowing the sunlight to pour into the hallway. It was a sunny day outside, and the atmosphere was just as ordinary and peaceful as yesterday. Izuku knew that wasn't the case, though.
"I'll see you later, Mom."
"Help!"
"Calling for help won't do ya any good. As you can see, no one gives a damn."
"I cared...even if I didn't do anything..."
Izuku stopped in front of the alleyway and looked down its shadowy corners. It was grimy, a horrendous stench filled the air, and articles of trash, old and new, were scattered everywhere despite the presence of several metal trashcans. It was a perfect place for crooks to hang out at...crooks like the ones from yesterday...
The boy scanned the area where the robbery and assault took place. The first thing he noticed was the presence of crime scene tape barring people from coming too close, which contrasted with the absence of police officers.
"So I guess someone did report this to the police," Izuku thought. Then, he scoffed grimly. "It's good to know someone cared after the fact. But then again, who am I to talk?"
He then looked over his shoulder and saw all of the pedestrians walking in all directions except for his. It was the exact scene from any other day. Everyone was absorbed in their personal matters and passed by the alleyway, avoiding it like the plague, never giving any thought on what happened there yesterday...
No one even bothered to stop and ask Izuku why he was loitering in a shady, unsettling place like this, especially when it was clearly marked as a crime scene.
"And just like yesterday, no one cares...except for me..."
He looked down at the ground as a single dirty rat scurried by his foot. Though he couldn't remember for sure, he sensed it was the exact spot where the girl was sprawled all over. He could easily imagine being that girl, looking up helplessly at her attackers as they mocked her and threw money in her face.
"Thanks, slut. I got to have twice as much fun today! Here. Consider this a form of payment."
Izuku resisted the urge to throw up. "I shouldn't be here. I really shouldn't. But..." He removed the backpack he brought and set it on the ground. "I don't know how else to apologize..."
He unzipped his backpack, which revealed all of the Our Hero Academia volumes he had in his possession, a number of textbooks, and the Yamikumo cosplay. However, atop all of that, there were three pink flowers that he plucked from his neighbor's windowsill in an almost impromptu move; he would probably have to apologize to his neighbor later on. With a sigh, Izuku took the flowers out and looked at them.
"Now I'll never know who that girl was, even though I will always be in close proximity with her every day at school. Talk about cruel..." With another sigh, Izuku laid the flowers at his feet. "But this is the best I can do now. The other option is to simply forget about it, and I can't do that. I just can't. She probably won't come back here and see these, but it's the thought that counts, right...?"
He cursed himself for trying to think on the bright side of this dilemma. And as he did, another rat scurried by and, with a squeak, snatched up the flowers.
"H-Hey!" Izuku cried, but he was unable to pursue the rat because of the crime scene tape. He then watched powerlessly as the rat ran off with the flowers in its mouth, squeaking loudly and leaving skittering noises as it went.
And as he watched the rat disappear into the distance, Izuku noticed there was light at the other end of the alleyway. It was presumably the street that was on the other side of the buildings he was in-between.
And at the other end of the alleyway, there was a small group of nasty-looking thugs standing there, smoking cigarettes and doing who knows what else. They weren't the same crooks from yesterday, but Izuku instinctively hid behind one of the trashcans, knowing full well the group wasn't good news either.
"Hey, didja read the papers yesterday, Touya?" one thug asked. "Those Shie Hassaikai sure are a slippery little bunch of bastards, eh?"
"No need to remind me, Bubaigawara," replied another thug in a cool voice as he took another puff of his cigarette.
Izuku peeked his head out from his hiding place and saw, to his relief, that the thugs weren't moving. Instead, they were leaning against the walls and enjoying their leisure time. But he doubted they would be nice and cordial to him should he make his presence known.
"Makes ya wonder how they're able to pull that off," a third thug said inquisitively before turning his head sideways. "Ya got any ideas, Kugizaki?"
But the man didn't get the response that he wanted. Instead, Kugizaki remarked, "Hey, look at that rat, ya guys."
"What about it?"
"Whatcha think it's eatin'? Looks weird."
"Looks like a bunch of pink flowers," Touya replied.
"Pink flowers? HA! Gay. Who the hell gives out flowers nowadays? All ya gotta do is bang the bitch and bail!"
"Especially if you forget to use a condom," added a fifth thug jeeringly.
"Hey, speaking of condoms," said the third thug, "didja hear what happened over there?"
Izuku recoiled on instinct, just as Kugizaki asked, "No. Fill me in, Tochi."
"'Parently Iguchi and his pals mugged a girl there. One of 'em got in a good feel too, if ya know what I'm saying."
"Really now?" the fifth thug asked. "Sweet."
"Yeah! 'Cording to Iguchi, the girl was a real hottie too."
"Real?" Bubaigawara asked, his curiosity peaking. "How real?"
"Like, real real."
"R-Real real?!"
"They were goddamn lucky, I tell ya! Sadly they had ta bail because other people were watchin'."
"Yeah, I heard about that..." Touya replied distantly.
"Goddamn Iguchi," spat Bubaigawara. "Bastard shoulda called us over so we could get a piece of that action! At the very least, I'd kill to be one of those people who were secretly pervin' in on the whole thing!"
"Guess everyone's secretly a pervert these days," suggested Kugizaki. "Can't say I blame 'em, though. Ya see how those high-school girls dress and act these days?"
"I'll say," the fifth thug replied, snickering lasciviously. "I get a hard-on every time I see my cousin on Facebook!"
"Heh, figures. Trash'll always go with other trash."
The others roared with laughter, except for Touya, who just took yet another puff of his cigarette, and the fifth thug, who clearly registered the insult. Izuku didn't want to listen in on the crass conversation anymore, so he stood up, zipped his backpack shut, and left the alleyway as quickly as he could before he could get spotted. And as he continued onward, the memories of the crooks' laughter and all of the crime news articles that he read flashed across his mind.
"This town has become so awful," Izuku thought bitterly.
"Am...Am I in the right place...?"
Izuku looked up from the notepaper Ochako had given him and made a quick visual scan, but he saw no houses in sight, only trees and steel fences on either side of the street. He had been walking in this area for perhaps an hour, and it was almost 11:00 A.M. The rooftops of the nearest urban buildings were barely visible over the canopy, standing tall at such long distances. The green-haired boy began to sweat nervously, unable to comprehend such strange and almost foreign surroundings.
"I know this is the correct street, b-b-but...I don't see any sign of life here!" Though he continued walking, Izuku's green eyes began to well up with tears, and his lower lip quivered. "Ohhh, Uraraka's playing a cruel prank on me! I-I just know it! Ohhhhh, she and her friends must be watching me right now, laughing their butts off! I should've known this was too good to be true! Mom was right! I should leave! I should-"
He suddenly came across a majestic gateway with tall, cobblestone columns on either side. However, there was nothing in sight but a driveway and sidewalk that snaked almost precariously into the forest. On one of the cobblestone columns was a three-digit number, and Izuku quickly looked down at the sheet of paper again.
"Holy whoa!" he exclaimed to himself. "This is it! Uraraka wasn't lying after all! I knew it!" Then, he looked around. "Uh... W-Wh-What do I do now, though...?"
All of a sudden, he spotted a small screen on the first column. Approaching it out of curiosity, he also identified a smaller speaker and a button beside said screen. After ruminating his next decision, Izuku lifted his index finger and pressed the button. It triggered a small, harmless buzz, but other than that, nothing happened for the next few seconds. He pressed it again, but still, there was just a buzz and nothing more.
"Huh...I guess no one's home-" he began.
The screen activated itself, revealing a stunning face with onyx eyes and long black hair styled into a ponytail.
"Whoever you are, we don't want any," she said sternly.
"Agh!" Izuku cried, stumbling backward. "I-I'm sorry! I-I thought-"
Suddenly, the girl's eyes glinted with recognition, though she frowned with disapproval. Something about her expression, coupled with the elegant aura about her, greatly intimidated Izuku for some reason.
"Oh. You're Midoriya." She tutted, which made Izuku gulp a little. "Uraraka said you were coming..."
"U-Uraraka?!" He smiled with bursting excitement. "Sh-She's here?!" Then, he leaned in towards the screen and gasped with recognition. "Hey! Are...Aren't you, uhhh, Yaoyorozu?"
Momo ignored him and said, in a voice that barely masked her irritation, "You may come in."
The gate opened up slowly but automatically, its metal frame creaking eerily. Izuku watched in awe as the pathway was revealed to him in all of its glory. He felt as if he was being given the royal treatment.
"Th-Th-Thank you so m-" he began.
"And please don't get lost."
"YOU'RE SAYING I CAN GET LOST IN HERE?!"
But Momo ignored him again, and the screen flickered out, leaving the boy alone again. He stared ahead at the pathway and gulped nervously at the sight of the dark forest ahead of him. Then, he put on his best expression of determination, gripped the straps of his backpack tightly, and went forward.
"Stay calm, Izuku," he thought. "Just follow the pathway, and don't look into the forest. Who knows what kind of stuff is in there? ...I can't believe Yaoyorozu lives in the middle of a place like this, though. I mean, I knew she had money, but I didn't think she would be this rich! This has to be a very big property if the first thing I see of it is this forest! And who knows what her actual house looks like?! It's gotta look like a palace! Or a skyscraper! Or-Or maybe a-"
His thoughts were interrupted when he came across a simple log cabin, situated at the end of the pathway. At first, Izuku was unable to process what was standing before him. Then...
"THIS IS HER HOUSE?! THIS CAN'T BE!"
However, he didn't give up. Instead, he approached the wooden front door and knocked on it thrice. Almost immediately, the door opened up, revealing a middle-aged, average-sized man with light, short, spiky hair; bags under his exhausted eyes; and a perpetual grimace that looked hilarious.
"What is your business...?" he droned.
"I-I'm Izuku Midoriya," the green-haired boy replied, quickly averting his eyes to ensure he didn't rudely laugh out loud at the man's expression. "I'm...I'm here for Momo Yaoyorozu's study group... Uh, O-Ochako Uraraka invited me over?"
"Ah yes, she mentioned you... Just let me get the sheet..."
After releasing a loud yawn, the man approached a conspicuously large cabinet, opened up one of its drawers, and took out a clipboard with a piece of paper. As he did, Izuku stared at him curiously.
"Uh, sir?" he asked. "Are you Yaoyorozu's father or something...?"
"Her father?" The man's grimace suddenly intensified. "I'd rather eat literal shit in front of a crowd than associate myself with that family in that way." He handed Izuku the clipboard. "Here. Sign yourself in."
Izuku stared at the sheet of paper. It was a sign-in sheet with a ridiculous amount of detail and formality, complete with names, dates, times, and reasons for the visit. He saw that a number of people had signed themselves in a few minutes before him: Tsuyu Asui, Shoto Todoroki, Rikido Sato, Kinoko Komori, Ochako, Yui Kodai, Hiryu Rin, Himiko Toga, Itsuka Kendo, Mezo Shoji, and...
"Iida..."
"You will never accomplish anything in life, Midoriya."
Izuku's grip on the sign-in sheet tightened, which the grimacing man noticed.
"Hey, man," he said sternly, "you'd better sign in right away or I'll sic the guard dogs on you."
"You have guard dogs?!" Izuku blurted out, his voice cracking in terror. Then, he recomposed himself and filled out all of the required spaces. "Okay, I'm in."
The man took the clipboard from his hands and nonchalantly pointed towards a backdoor. "You leave through there." He yawned for a moment. "You'll reach the main house."
"Th-The main house? So this isn't Yaoyorozu's house?"
The man scowled down at him. "What are you, dumb, kid? Do you really think the Yaoyorozu family, who control ninety percent of Japan's manufacturing companies, would live in a crappy shack like this?"
Izuku gulped. "I-I guess not-"
"Get outta my sight, kid! The Yaoyorozus have put a lot on my plate as it is!"
The boy immediately obliged and strolled to the backdoor. He unlocked it and slid it open, whereupon he was greeted by a fascinating sight: he had reached the end of the forest and was now staring at a massive front courtyard.
The cobblestone pathway from the cabin first led to a fountain of intricate design, which spouted out water from multiple directions. Some of the hoses from which the water was coming from were tilting and rotating in a wild variety of angles so the beams of water could move as well and give a small water show for people to behold.
Behind that fountain was a line of European luxury cars, along with a black limousine. They were all facing another gate, which seemed to lead into another street that would then lead into the town.
Then, behind that line of cars, there was a cobblestone walkway that led towards a smaller, less intricate fountain with a fish pond. And behind that fountain was, without a doubt, the Yaoyorozu manor, a large, traditional-style Japanese house with three stories, a number of balconies for each floor, and various gold-tinted windows that glittered from the sunlight.
"HOLY WHOA!" Izuku thought, his mind overwhelmed with complete shock. "Yaoyorozu lives here?! And Uraraka invited me here?! This...This has gotta be a dream, r-right?!" Then, he slapped himself on both cheeks and felt the stinging pain slowly fading away on his skin. "I guess this isn't a dream..."
Now that he assured himself of the reality of the situation, Izuku took his first steps towards the Yaoyorozu manor. Each step he took was bold and purposeful, a complete contrast from yesterday's incident at the alleyway. For once in his life, Izuku didn't have Our Hero Academia or the dream of becoming a superhero on his mind.
Instead, he was committed to meeting his schoolmates and getting to properly know them.
"I've gotta have faith in the real world. I've gotta..."
It took Izuku five minutes to reach the Yaoyorozu manor. Upon approaching the front door, he raised his hand, hesitated for just a moment, and then gently rapped his knuckles against its polished, gleaming surface. Almost immediately, the door opened up to reveal a pair of beautiful, well-dressed maids.
"Hello, Izuku Midoriya," one of them greeted, bowing her head politely. "Young Yaoyorozu told us you would be coming."
"Please, step inside," the other said, repeating the same movements as her colleague. "And do leave your shoes with the others."
Izuku slowly nodded and did as he was told, making sure his oversized red shoes joined the other pairs. The moment he stepped into the manor, his green eyes widened to the sizes of saucers. He was already in an expansive hallway, with a row of old but well-cleaned chandeliers hanging above him and illuminating him with golden light while a pair of majestic staircases sat at the other end. There were other hallways leading into additional rooms, and lining the walls were tables holding a wide variety of ancient-looking vases.
"How in the world is Yaoyorozu going to my school when she could've afforded a private school in Yokohama...?"
Izuku's thoughts were interrupted when a familiar voice called out, "Midoriya! You came! HOORAY!"
He turned his head towards the nearest hallway to the left and saw Ochako running up to him with a smile that stretched from ear to ear. She was no longer in her school uniform; instead, she was in a light-pink summer shirt and black shorts. In an instantaneous move, he blushed intensely and looked away. The sight of her right now was too much!
"OH!" he exclaimed. "H-H-Hey, Uraraka..."
"I'm so glad you could make it, Midoriya!" Ochako replied with pumping fists. "The study group could use a fresh pair of eyes when we're reviewing our subjects! Oh, how was it like, seeing Yaomomo's house for the first time? I bet your mind was so blown! I can't even begin to imagine what your face looked like! I mean, I remember nearly fainting when I first came here! It's so awesome, having a friend who's loaded, huh?"
"Relax, Uraraka," another voice said. "I think Midoriya lost you after 'study group'."
Izuku pursed his lips after looking over Ochako's shoulder. Approaching them was Tenya Iida, who still maintained a prim and proper choice of clothing outside of school, what with his light-blue, buttoned-up shirt and khaki jeans.
"H-Hey, Iida..." Izuku replied, Tenya's words from yesterday still reverberating in his mind.
But, to his utmost surprise, Tenya smiled kindly at him. "Hello, Midoriya," he greeted. "I must say, you really impressed me today. When Uraraka informed me you'd be coming to this study group, I initially didn't believe her. But then, when you showed up at Yaoyorozu's front gate, I realized you were finally taking your education seriously. And for that..." He bowed his head politely. "I deeply apologize for doubting you."
Izuku, taken aback by the class representative's generosity, could only reply, "Th-Thank you, Iida..."
"See, Iida!" Ochako suddenly exclaimed with crossed arms. "I told you Midoriya would come! He just needs someone to be nice to him, that's all!" She pouted at him, though it instead served to make Izuku's heart flutter at the unintentional adorableness. "So you need to stop being a killjoy and start loosening up a little!"
Seemingly ignoring the chestnut-haired girl, Tenya raised his head and said, "Anyway, enough of that... Let's commence with the study group." He turned around and walked the opposite direction. "Come on, Midoriya. I'll introduce you to the others."
Izuku and Ochako followed him into the hallway, and the green-haired boy watched Tenya open the first door to the left.
"Alright, Midoriya," Ochako said, tapping Izuku's shoulder. "You're gonna be meeting my friends. Everyone's nice, alright? We don't suck up to Bakugo...well, maybe except for Toga, but we all know that's not gonna go anywhere. So there's no need to be nervous."
Realizing he was actually going to interact with his peers, Izuku began to sweat nervously.
"That's exactly the problem, Uraraka..." he managed to utter.
"It's gonna be alright, Midoriya! Just act natural. Everyone will warm up to you eventually. And if things get awkward, I'll step in. But you need to trust me."
Izuku slowly looked at Ochako and realized she was staring back at him with her doe-like brown eyes. The sight of those stunning pupils made him blush, and he didn't know if she noticed.
Regardless, she gently asked, "Do you trust me, Midoriya?"
"W-W-With a-anything?" he stuttered anxiously. Then, he forced a confident smile onto his face. "A-Absolutely."
"Alright! Then go on in! I promise, there's nothing to be afraid of."
Izuku stared at the doorway, where Tenya was waiting. He gulped before proceeding into the room, and he could hear his crush's footsteps sounding behind him.
He entered the room and saw his peers congregated around a large, oblong table, illuminated by a bright-gold chandelier hanging above them.
Momo Yaoyorozu, the class vice-representative, was seated closest to the doorway. The young socialite-to-be looked like she was more dressed up for a game of golf, given her own buttoned-up, collared shirt of pale-pink and purple, and her grayish-white, buttoned skirt that reached her thighs. She glanced at him, her eyes shooting a look of intimidation and disapproval behind a pair of small, red, rectangular glasses.
Sitting beside her was Itsuka Kendo, the representative of the class next to Izuku's. Much like Momo, her ginger hair was tied in a ponytail, which hung from her left side. She was also wearing a yellow summer dress with a blue belt and a blue waistcoat. In contrast to Momo, she spotted Izuku and gave him a warm, welcoming smile.
Hunched slightly in his chair was Shoto Todoroki, one of the school's heartthrobs. His completely red hair hung from his forehead and nearly obscured his gray eyes, which were completely focused on the textbook before him. He was wearing a dark-blue waistcoat, a white shirt underneath, and dark-gray jeans.
The next one was Kinoko Komori, who was apprehensively peering over Shoto's shoulder through the bangs of brown, bob-shaped brown hair. In contrast to her shy, introverted demeanor, she was dressed like a character straight out of a fairy-tale. Her red-and-white, polka-dotted medieval-style dress was frilly and with a wide skirt, and her red headband had protrusions that suspiciously resembled mushrooms.
Hiryu Rin was the final one sitting at Momo's side of the table. The Chinese exchange student was wearing a dark-blue T-shirt with white stripes and a white collar, along with dark-blue jeans with a large white stripe running down each of the leggings. Hanging from his chair was a brown buttoned coat with with a large collar and a thin white stripe running down each of the arms. He looked up from his own textbook and stared at Izuku with a startled, confused expression.
On the other side of the table, Himiko Toga was the only one who wasn't focused on Izuku or the textbooks. Instead, the petite, fair-skinned, dirty-blonde girl was completely focused on her cellphone, the device seemingly holding her catlike, hazel eyes in a deep trance. She was blushing brightly and giggling manically as she abruptly started typing away. Also, rather conspicuously, she was the only one in the group still wearing their school uniform, as if they were the only pieces of clothing that she had.
Beside her, Mezo Shoji kept his distance from the tremendously frivolous schoolgirl. He had a tall, muscular body; spiky black hair that stood upward rigidly like blades; a pointed chin; and beady, dark eyes with a stare so razor-sharp that it reminded Izuku of Shota's. He was also wearing a laurel-green tank-top that allowed him to show off his massive arms, as well as army-green cargo pants. Slung around the armrest of his chair was a thick grayish-blue scarf.
Tsuyu Asui had just returned to her chair, having apparently retrieved a drink from somewhere else in the manor. Despite her infamously brutal and straightforward personality, she had a surprisingly serene, motherly face, with sparkling green eyes and dark-green hair that was tied into a ponytail. She was also wearing a dark-green, buttoned-up waistcoat; a tan skirt; a tan, light scarf with lily-pad patterns; and, to Izuku's surprise, a pair of brown boots and gloves.
Next was Rikido Sato, who was happily eating a slice of cake from a saucer. Like Mezo, he was an exceptionally tall and muscular teenager, with short and spiky brown hair, beady eyes, bushy brown eyebrows, and pronounced lips that would look swollen to any unprepared person. He was also wearing a simple white T-shirt that accommodated his hulking size and bore the word 'SUGAR' in bold, capital letters, as well as a pair of black pants that had a few crumbs on them.
Finally, there was Ochako's cousin, Yui Kodai, who still had the same neutral, robotic expression from yesterday. She was now wearing a light-brown, long-sleeved shirt; a flannel skirt fastened by a dark-brown belt; and olive-green stockings.
"H-H-Hey, guys..." Izuku stuttered nervously, raising a hand to greet his peers. However, he was only met with confused, wary stares from Hiryu, Mezo, Tsuyu, and Rikido; Shoto, Kinoko, and Himiko didn't seem to notice he existed. He began to sweat from the awkwardness of the meeting.
Fortunately, Ochako stepped in for him. "Alright, everyone!" At that moment, everyone's stares were drawn towards the chestnut-haired girl, except for Himiko. "Now that Midoriya's here, let's get this study group session underway!"
"Yes, let's, Uraraka..." Momo replied slowly, as she continued to give Izuku a stern, disapproving gaze.
"Yes!"
With Momo's begrudging approval, Ochako cheerfully sat down on one of the chairs positioned at the head of the table, while Iida sat down on the chair next to her. Then, Ochako looked at Izuku and patted the seat on her other side, giving him a warm, welcoming smile all the while.
"Come on, Midoriya! You can sit down next to me. We're gonna review English first. Hope you're good at it!"
Izuku looked from the seat to Ochako's brown eyes, which gleamed with energy and eternal joy. He could feel his heart squirm with pleasure.
"I can't believe this is happening!" he thought. "I...I have to make this session count. This could be my chance to make real friends! Just act natural and be interested. And no manga or superheroes for today! These guys definitely don't have the patience for that stuff. Yes, just act natural...and be interested!"
With that, Izuku took Ochako's offer and sat on the chair.
"This was a mistake..."
That single thought crossed Izuku's mind once the group was done reviewing their math homework with one another. For the preceding hour, they did absolutely nothing but go over everything they learned in school and what to expect in the upcoming tests. Naturally, everyone seemed to quickly forget he was a member of their study group except for Ochako, who became his go-to reviewing partner, and Tenya, whose only interactions involved reminding him to stay focused on the tasks at hand. And there was barely any room for casual socializing thanks to Tenya and Momo's steadfast dedication to academics.
The only upside was the fact that the maids kept bringing them a wide variety of well-made foods every fifteen minutes or so.
Eventually, once they covered English, history, and math, the group elected to take a break, much to Izuku's relief.
"Phew!" cried Ochako as she leaned back on her chair. "If only math wasn't such a hit to the brain!"
"Hey, speaking of math hitting your brain," Rikido asked, his eye twinkling craftily, "did you know math is an acronym?"
Everyone else except for Izuku rolled their eyes.
"Don't tell me, Sato," Itsuka replied flatly. "Math stands for 'mental abuse towards humans'."
"Y-Y-Yeah... Pretty much..." But Rikido looked highly disappointed that his joke was ruined.
Izuku looked back and forth between the dismayed Rikido and the exhausted Itsuka. In his mind, he got the joke almost immediately, but he did not think it was funny. But after seeing Rikido's disappointment, the green-haired boy knew that he had to do something to remedy his dilemma.
So, he began laughing loudly and forcefully, attracting everyone's attention.
"AHAHAHAHAHA!" he cried. "Mental abuse towards humans! That's a good one, Sato! Really, that's a good joke!"
"Math is NOT a joke, Midoriya!" exclaimed Tenya, silencing Izuku almost instantly. "Math is an essential subject in many, many fields! Without numbers and calculations, nothing in this world would function in the first place! Society would be reduced to nothing more than a singular unit of anarchy! You should not be so dismissive on its usefulness!" He glared at Rikido, who was blushing with humility at Izuku's praise. "And the same goes for you too, Sato!"
"Okay, okay!" the thick-lipped boy replied. "I get it, Iida!"
"That aside," Itsuka said, "you need to find new jokes, Sato. If you're gonna be a comedian, you need to keep looking for fresh ones. Otherwise, your audience is gonna bail on you before your third day can even begin."
"Hey, I'm trying! But all the other comedians have taken the good jokes! I'm racking my brain trying to think of a brand-new gag that I can capitalize on!"
"You know, you could go to the drama club. Todoroki, isn't the next play supposed to be a comedy?"
"Mm-hm..." mumbled Shoto as he gazed absentmindedly through a window.
"What's the drama club got to do with anything?!" exclaimed Rikido.
"Sato, you haven't exactly done anything when it comes to stand-up performing. Might as well start practicing."
"You know how I can get with audiences!"
"Then how can you expect to become a comedian if you get stage fright?! Besides, we technically count as an audience, so I don't see what your big deal is."
"That's 'cause there's only, like, fifteen people in this room-"
"Thirteen," corrected Tenya. Kinoko nodded nervously in agreement.
"And I've been practicing with you guys for the entire year! A theater's worth of onlookers for a night or two isn't enough to get me...oh, what's the word...?"
"A-Ac-Acc-Acclim-m-m-mated?" Kinoko suggested in a stutter.
"Acclimated! That's it!"
"Just imagine they're not there, Sato," Mezo said. Then, he rolled his eyes. "Plus, it's not like a lot of people are coming anyways. Everyone may be trying their hardest but things aren't looking up for the drama club, am I right, Todoroki?"
Shoto merely let out a noncommittal noise as a response. However, Izuku was surprised by what Mezo had just said.
"Th-The drama club isn't doing well?" he asked curiously.
Mezo looked at Izuku with surprise, apparently having forgotten he was there, but then he replied, "Y-Yeah. The teacher, who's the adviser of the club, isn't really giving the students a whole lot of resources, and it's kinda wearing down their motivation. It's pretty sad, actually. A lot of clubs are on their last legs, except for that Manga & Anime Club. Hatsume just doesn't know when to give up."
"The Manga & Anime Club?" Hiryu asked. "You mean that otaku club?"
Izuku grimaced at that description while Mezo replied, "Yeah, that club. ...Pretty ironic, huh? I'm honestly not really sure how Hatsume does it. The adviser for that club is like all the other ones, disillusioned and lacking faith in the students."
"I was gonna say all the teachers are like that. Like, holy. I don't think other schools in the country are this bad."
"It's doubtful," Tenya said. "We're talking about hundreds and hundreds of schools. Ours can't possibly be the worst."
"Even so," Tsuyu piped up in response, "our school needs to fine-tune what they're teaching. My class has been stuck on the same geometric problems for the past couple of weeks. Our teacher spends the whole day talking about one problem and I don't think these textbooks are even up-to-date."
"Yeah," Hiryu said. "Some of the problems are even worded horribly. It gets confusing. It's kinda embarrassing, actually."
"I heard Aizawa-sensei is the only staff member who actually tries. He's even helping out students from other classes."
Unbeknownst to Tsuyu, Izuku released a low scoff.
"It sorta explains why he looks so sleepy all the time," replied Hiryu. "I honestly feel bad for him, even if he looks kinda scary. If only the school had the same kind of motivation as he did..."
"I don't think it's that bad," Momo said stiffly.
"Are you kidding me, Yaomomo?!" Ochako cried. "You're seriously okay with this?! You of all people?!"
"It's what the school can afford right now, and I will gladly accept it. It's not like I don't have access to the Internet." The wealthy girl took a sip out of her recently delivered teacup. "We just have to treat this as an obstacle for our future goals and ambitions."
"We're talking about the commitment of the teachers, you know..."
"You know," Itsuka said, "my friend in Shiketsu says it's the exact same story over there." The redhead rested her face on her palms. "Bad textbooks, disillusioned teachers, poor disciplinary measures... The education in this town just hasn't been the best in a while now. It's pretty disheartening."
"All of you, don't lose hope!" Tenya cried determinedly. "There are bills being drafted as we speak! Once they're passed, we will be seeing additional funds being channeled to our schools!" He crossed his arms and stuck his chin out nobly in a way that left Izuku impressed. "And in no time, our schools will become respectable institutions once again! All we need right now is just a little patience!"
"Yeaaaaahhhhh..." replied an unconvinced Rikido. "No offense, Iida, but even with someone like your brother as our vice-mayor, I don't think it's enough to get this town fixed in just a few weeks or months."
"Oh, yeah," Izuku thought, remembering reports of last year's local elections. "I forgot Iida had an older brother. Tensei, I think the name was."
"Plus, everyone knows the mayor is corrupt as hell," Mezo added, his voice cold in the lack of emotion. "Someone clearly has the mayor in the palm of their hand, but I don't know who would want the schools to suffer financially."
"Didn't he approve a measure for even more money to be spent on the warehouse district?" asked Tsuyu.
"Yeah, that's correct. Ostensibly for reconstruction purposes." Mezo scoffed bitterly. "What a load of bull."
"Language," Momo said offhandedly. In the background, Kinoko looked a little taken back by Mezo's harsh tone.
"And that's why my brother was voted into office!" Tenya exclaimed, his voice radiating pride. "Everyone else is aware of the misuse of public funds and have acted accordingly by voting in the man they have the most confidence in! And now, with my brother's influence and strong sense of honor, the mayor will surely see the error of his ways and do all he can to restore this town back to its former glory! And I know for a fact that my brother will never let his citizens down!"
"Hey, I'm not doubting your brother, man," Rikido responded. "But he's the vice-mayor, not the mayor. And if there's one thing I learned in history class, it's that whoever has the bigger stick wins. And who knows? Maybe the power will get to your brother's head-"
He was silenced by a deathly glare from Tenya, whose piercing eyes and shining glasses gave him a menacing demeanor that brought chills down Izuku's spine.
"You may continue to view things in a pessimistic light, Sato. I clearly cannot stop you from viewing things the way you so desire. But I will continue to place my complete faith in my brother. He's never let anyone down in his life and he has no intention of doing so ever. He would rather die than stoop so low in exchange for something as horrific and despicable as unimaginable power and control, all at the expense of innocent lives!"
"I-I-If you insist, I-Iida..."
A tense silence filled the room, and Ochako, Itsuka, Kinoko, Hiryu, and Mezo fidgeted awkwardly. No one was sure what to do in order to break the ice and shift the conversation elsewhere.
Then, Shoto spoke for the first time since Izuku entered the room. The green-haired boy was surprised to hear his voice, so calm and collected in spite of the earlier conversation that erupted around him.
"So, are you gonna go to the game later tonight, Shoji?"
"Y-Yeah," Mezo replied, a bitter frown suddenly forming upon his face. "Bakugo will have my ass if I don't." He puckered his lips in a slight grimace. "What a prick. And he's supposed to be my team captain?!"
"T-Tell me about it," Rikido said, relieved that they were no longer going to be talking about politics.
As soon as Katsuki's name was mentioned, Himiko shot up on her chair, startling Izuku.
"Hey!" she shrieked, her catlike eyes suddenly wide and trembling. "Don't you DARE disrespect my dear Katsuki, Shoji! As his beloved soulmate, it is my responsibility to protect him!"
"Protect him?" asked Mezo in a flat voice.
"From what?" Rikido added, rolling his eyes. "The truth?"
"The truth?!" Himiko was on the verge of bawling out in tears and exploding in unmatched rage at the same time.
At the side, Ochako rolled her eyes and whispered, "Oh, no. Here we go again..."
"Why?" Izuku asked, his interest finally caught. "What's happening?"
"Remember when I told you one of my friends had a hopeless little crush on Bakugo?" The chestnut-haired girl pointed at Himiko, who was close to blowing up in Rikido and Mezo's faces. "That's her."
"Her?"
"Yep. Himiko Toga. She was one of Bakugo's conquests." Ochako punctuated the last word with air quotes. "But what he didn't count on was her obsessing over him and doing everything she can to get herself involved in his life. She follows him on every last social media site known to man, she texts him every five minutes, she calls him every night to wish him a good sleep, she attends all of his games uninvited, she..." Ochako paused. "Well, she's pretty much a stalker."
Izuku blinked, flabbergasted. "W-Wow... Th-That's kind of an understatement..."
"My sweet lil' Katsuki and I are a match made in the heavens!" Himiko suddenly cried with a wide, dreamy smile. "We're gonna marry when we graduate and settle down in a cabin in the countryside and have lots of children and..."
She went on and on, earning a concerned look from Izuku. "D-D-Don't you think she needs an intervention?" he asked.
"We've been trying that the whole semester," Ochako replied softly. "Clearly that's been working out well for us. I'm still trying, but I think she's in deep." She sighed sympathetically. "If she keeps this up, I'm afraid Bakugo's gonna snap from all of that attention from her and reject her. And I don't want that to happen to her. She really is a sweet girl. She's just, you know...a bit of an airhead..."
"Toga, settle down," Momo suddenly said, silencing Himiko's rant. "I'd prefer spending this study group session without Bakugo's name being mentioned." She then gave glares of warning at Rikido and Mezo.
"B-But Yaomomo-" whined Himiko.
"Bakugo isn't the center of your universe. You have more pressing things to worry about, namely school."
"What about it?!"
"If you don't maintain your focus on your studies, you will see the same results from last semester, perhaps even worse. You said your grades have still been slipping?"
"Yeah..." But then, the dirty-blonde's pout disappeared and was replaced by an insouciant smile and a bright blush. "But I don't care about them anymore! I'll just flunk out and be a full-time housewife for my dear Bakugo!"
To Izuku's surprise, Momo nor anyone else seemed surprised by this flippant declaration.
"Yeah, sounds like a great plan," Hiryu replied sarcastically.
"Really?!" Himiko squealed, her hazel, unfocused eyes sparkling with oblivious excitement.
In disbelief, the exchange student lowered his head to the table counter. "Y...Yeah... Sure, Toga..."
"So," Momo said, trying her best to restrain her irritation, "does anyone want dessert?"
Izuku was suddenly overwhelmed by the response.
Ochako, Rikido, Himiko, Hiryu, and Kinoko were clamoring with excitement and submitting suggestions to Momo on what they wanted from the maids. Tenya quickly jumped in by warning the five of the potentially high amount of calories they would be consuming. In response, Itsuka jokingly told him to not take the transaction so seriously, while Tsuyu made a joke about Tenya being as stiff as a robot, unsurprisingly agitating the class representative. As for Shoto, Mezo, and Yui, they continued to sit idly in their chairs and read their textbooks.
Meanwhile, Izuku merely sat in his chair and watched. Everyone else was either talking animatedly to each other or just so absorbed by their textbooks that they had no seeming awareness of their surroundings.
"I've only managed to speak to them once," he thought. "I also laughed at Sato's joke, but that's about it." He scanned each and every member of the group. "I don't think they remember that I'm here. It figures. I'm quite a forgettable guy. I don't stand out in any way. I don't try to engage the others. Not that I really want to."
Izuku's green eyes narrowed sadly. "I can't commit myself to their likes and dislikes. I can't bring myself to understand what they're talking about and getting riled up about. I can't measure up to any of them. Not even Uraraka. How am I supposed to bond with people who know what they want while I'm just wandering aimlessly and chasing after childish dreams that are too big for me or anyone else?"
With a deep breath and pursed lips, he began packing his textbooks into his backpack. As he did, he saw the manga and the Yamikumo cosplay he brought along for reasons that now eluded him. But he simply sighed and continued packing.
"I don't belong here with them. Not with them, not with Uraraka. I'm sorry, Uraraka. I tried. I really did, Uraraka. But...I just don't get it... Any of it..."
Now that he had made his final decision, Izuku stuffed the last textbook away and stood up from his chair. The first one to notice was Ochako.
"Midoriya?" she asked. "Where are you going?"
"I just realized I had an errand to take care of for my mom," Izuku replied, his heart recoiling all the while. "I...I'm sorry, but I can't stay any longer."
"Are you sure about that, Midoriya?" Tenya asked. He had a suspicious glint in his eyes, but he maintained his usual tone of voice. "If I can recall, we've got a test coming up and you need all of the reviewing and tutelage you can get. Please, I insist that you stay, at least until we conclude our studying session."
"Mm-hm, mm-hm!" Kinoko uttered in agreement.
Izuku suddenly felt his skin crawl at the sound of Tenya's unusually calm and hospitable voice. "Iida's not convinced!" he thought worriedly. "He's gonna see if I'll take him up on his offer or straight-up leave! An-And if I do leave, it's gonna be over between me and him! He'll keep seeing me as a loser and a nobody who doesn't take his life seriously, even if I did just try to turn my life around! Do...Do I really want that...?"
He then looked at Ochako, who was looking at him expectantly. He was not sure if everyone else's eyes were on him as well, but nevertheless, the pressure began to build for him. Then, he imagined what the conversation would be like if he did leave.
"Uraraka, I suggest you stop talking to him. Midoriya clearly has a reckless disregard for his future and his well-being."
"You're right, Iida. You're always right. I don't even know why I invited that dummy in the first place!"
"What am I thinking?! Me, leaving?! All because I'm intimidated by everyone around me?! Despite of Uraraka's kindness in inviting me?! This was such a STUPID idea! I gotta endure it! This is my chance to get real friends! And I can't let her down like that!"
"Now that you put it that way..." Izuku replied. Moments later, he returned to his chair.
"Are you sure about that?" Ochako asked. "What about your mom?"
"I'll text her and come up with an excuse."
Izuku then looked at Tenya, who was staring back with a surprising expression of approval. Great relief crashed over him like a tidal wave, and he had to prevent himself from collapsing back on his chair like a pile of bricks.
"Everything's gonna be fine, Izuku! Just take this whole thing one step at a time! You don't have to talk with the others if you're not comfortable. They won't mind. J-Just ease into this whole thing and be patient. Don't expect things to go your way right away! That's right, don't expect things to go your way right away!"
"And that concludes our study group!"
"Finally..."
Everyone stood up from their chairs except for Izuku, who was half-asleep, and Himiko, who was still texting vivaciously on her cellphone. Textbooks, pencils, pens, and notepaper were strewn all over the table; and there was a glowing sense of triumph and closure over much of the group.
"I can't believe we're finally done!" Ochako exclaimed. "Even if all that stuff was boring and not up-to-date, it was quite a challenge to swallow!"
"You can say that again..." moaned Hiryu.
"So..." Rikido said awkwardly, "what do we do now? We've still got an entire day ahead of us..."
"I've got an idea!" exclaimed Itsuka. "Why don't we go see a movie?! There's some good releases coming out today."
"A movie?!" squealed Ochako. Her brown eyes lit up with sheer joy, as did those of many of the others. "I'd love to! Ooh, ooh, I wanna see that movie about the two astronauts lost in space! Attraction, I think the name was. I saw the trailers and it looks really good!"
"Figures that you'd want the romantic adventure movie," remarked Itsuka.
"I for one would love to see The Splendid Seven Samurai," Tenya proclaimed, his voice swelling with passion. "I think it's a truly inspiring film for our eyes to behold!"
"I-I wanna see th-th-the new S-Sw-Sweet Idols m-m-movie..." stuttered Kinoko nervously.
"You guys don't know where the real action is at," Mezo replied. "That American boxing movie Credo III will surely blow you guys out of the water."
"Credo III, huh?" Itsuka asked, smiling brightly. "I'm in for that one!"
"That movie doesn't look good, guys," Ochako replied, pouting. "Too much punching and yelling and loud noises."
"While I do not necessarily disagree with your choice, Shoji, Kendo," Tenya said, "I think we should pay some of our due respects to Japanese history by watching The Splendid Seven Samurai."
"Come on, Iida," Itsuka replied. "We all know you just wanna see some samurai sword-fights."
"That in its own is a noble relic of our country's identity! Why must you speak so lowly of it?!"
"I'm gonna have to side with Iida on this one," added Hiryu.
"Thank you, Rin. At least you're interested in learning Japanese history and ancient culture."
"Come on, Rin..." Itsuka moaned.
"Guys, guys, guys," Rikido said slowly, stepping in the middle of the congregating group. "So we disagree on what movie to watch. Alright. It happens. Since we can't come to a mutual consensus, I will make the choice-"
"Don't tell me," interrupted Ochako. "You want to watch that comedy film with what's-his-name."
"Kenneth Johns. And...yeah, pretty much."
"I'm fine with whatever movie you guys want..." Shoto said quietly and coolly.
Yui simply nodded in agreement while Momo added, "I agree with Todoroki. But if you guys are going to remain steadfast in your picks, I suggest we bring in a neutral third-party who'll decide the movie for us."
"That sounds like a good idea, Yaomomo!" Ochako exclaimed. Then, her eyes lit up even more. "And I nominate..." With a dramatic gusto, she pointed at the end of the table. "Midoriya!"
Izuku's head shot up; he hadn't been listening in on the conversation.
"H-Huh?!" The green-haired boy looked around frantically. "Wh-What? Wh-What'd I get voted for?"
"We're going to watch a movie at the theater," Momo explained. "We want you to pick what movie we should watch."
Izuku was left flabbergasted. "WHAT?! Me?! They want me to pick a movie for them?!" He scanned every last schoolmate in turn, and they were all looking at him expectantly and without judgment. "This...This can't be happening, right? And I thought they had already forgotten about me..."
"You're not allowed to come back here until you find something productive to do at school, Midoriya. I don't care what it is, as long as you make friends and enjoy life beyond the pleasures of manga."
"Well, I guess this is my next step. Maybe this will work out better than the study group..." He stared at the others and noticed their excitement and their smiles. "At least they want me to be involved..."
Izuku realized he was opening his mouth, and a thought was being channeled into his vocal cords, which were ready to express that thought. It was now or never.
"Here goes..."
He said without regrets, "I want to watch the new Our Hero Academia movie."
...
...
...
...
...
"Well, it was fun while it lasted."
A/N: Hey there, everyone! I hope I didn't lose any of you while I was working on the newest chapters! I decided to post this chapter a little earlier than I expected because this marks the one-month anniversary of the publication of this story, believe it or not. While not exactly the most memorable anniversary, I still decided to honor it because I feel the fandom has been pretty receptive of me so far and I just wanted to thank all of the people who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. Your support means a lot to me, like, you have no idea. :D
Anyway, enough talking. I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:
-Whitetiger789: What makes you say that?
-Tohsaka143:
1) Okay, thanks for explaining that to me.
2) Next time, could you also state your thoughts for this specific chapter? Every time you write a review, I'm really going to need you to post your thoughts and opinions on the chapter you're currently reviewing. Please. I would like as much feedback as possible.
-2010si: Sorry, but what do you mean by "the other 30 follow you"?
-zorack93: I know, sadistic, right? Jokes aside, that's not going to last forever. Trust me, IzuMina and Kacchako are the definite endgame and you will see how these couples will settle into their assigned roles as the story goes along. ;) Plus, I happen to be a proud multishipper who also supports IzuOcha, among other things, so I couldn't resist putting in some little IzuOcha hints in the meantime.
-Guest reviewer: Well, this is an AU. Characterization can get a little more flexible. But don't you worry. If you read the Author's Note at the beginning of the chapter, you will know that I am aware of the OOCness and this is not going to be a permanent thing with this fic. I'm sorry if this is not to your liking so far, though.
-AllAcid (guest reviewer): Would you mind explaining why? I would like more details.
-Dracus6: No. Just...no...
Well, hope you enjoyed this early chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!