AN: Hey guy, what's up. Welcome to new chapter of the story. In this chapter is the start of the Symbol Evil and well things get chaotic next chapter. Now this chapter is just a build up for things to come down the line. Next chapter is the battle between brothers and Izuku will take on Class 1-B during his quirk training. Anyway let's get to it.

ALL Might

Thoughts

Regular

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.


Chapter 34: Camping Trip

Villains Bar

All the members of the League were all in the bar, all but three were just lazing about. The only ones that are doing something were Scandal, Kurogiri, and Tomura. Scandal was cleaning glasses, Kurogiri was counting money from the very successful night he had on Bounty Night, and Tomura was brooding. Everyone could see that he was brooding and it was very depressing. They know they are villains, but that doesn't mean that they have to be so depressed all the time.

"Tomura," The pale teen looked to Killmonger behind him and saw that he was sitting with Dabi, Twice, and Compress. All three of them were playing a card game. "What's bothering you?"

"How do you know something is bothering me?" Tomura asked, turning back to the bottles that hung on the shelf.

"Well, because you've been looking at the bottles for a...about two hours now." Tomura didn't answer back, he just kept looking at the bottles.

"Want to tell us what's bothering you?" This time the question was asked by Compress. Tomura could tell that the villain was an adult, a wise adult at that.

"Come on, Tomura! Tell us~" Toga spoke, excitement all in her tone. She wanted to know the answer very badly. No one knew why, but they figured it was because she was just super bored.

"It's Izuku." Tomura finally answered and Toga's face began too blush. Images of the green, now red haired teen appearing in her mind. All of those cuts, bruises, and blood, it looked so hot on him.

"What is it about this time?" Scandal asked as she put up another glass and Tomura looked at her with his red eyes. He was contemplating whether or not to tell her or his team about his thoughts. He trusts Killmonger, so now he has to trust his team.

"Bane and him. Bane said to him that he was not the only one and he had on the same gold rings as Izuku." Tomura speaking with the League on his thoughts on Bounty Night.

"So?" Muscular spoke obliviously, not truly understanding the question. Tomura looked at him and explained more.

"So, Izuku and Bane are the same. Bane is like Izuku or he was the first of what Izuku is, but it seems that Trinity pays more attention to Izuku than Bane. Why is that?"

"Special treatment. I mean that Bullseye guy said that Izuku was the father's favorite." Knockout said while sitting next to Tomura. Killmonger and many others thought that could be the case, but not Tomura. He thought something else and he wasn't alone.

"I wish I had special treatment! I don't need special treatment!" Twice spoke in dual voices, but no one really paid attention. He was a valuable asset to the team, but boy was he crazy...maybe crazier than Toga.

"I…I think you're right, but there is more to it. What else do we know about Izuku?" Killmonger groaned, he, Tomura, and Terra had gone over this a hundreds times and it's the same answer.

"He's an orphan that saw his mother get shot." Killmonger spoke.

"His mother was killed by Bullseye and then he gets napped by Trinity." Terra said as she had on her head on the table.

"There has to be more than that. What about his mother or father?" Tomura asked again, trying to press on the conversation. He just can't believe that is all there is to him.

"Mother was a single mom and she worked at a local bakery before getting shot." Killmonger spoke, he had read over her file to connect the dots, but they were not connecting.

"The father...well, he is a mystery? There is not much about him except for dying in a car accident." Scandal spoke next, she had also looked over the file on Izuku. It wasn't long.

"Ok, that has to be something. Let's dig deeper into the father." Tomura told his team, but they didn't know where to begin. Izuku's biological father is a mystery even to him and even he didn't know where to begin. Luckily that the League won't have to since some people already have been digging into the teen.

"Won't have to." Everyone heard the new male voice and looked to the television to see that it was red with a black image of a man wearing glasses. The image was dark so you couldn't see his face and the background was red.

"Who are you?" Dabi got from his seat, his blue flames blazing. The entire league got on guard for this new face.

"An old friend." Another voice entered and this time the team recognized it, for it was AFO. "This is Calculator, he is an old associate of mine during my reign as Kingpin. Toga gasped at the revelation and put her hands on her cheek.

"You were the Kingpin!" AFO chuckled at the child enthusiastically, she was something different.

"Yes, yes I was, but that is a story for another time. Now, Calculator if you will."

"Thanks, boss. You kiddies are on the right track, but it's the wrong train." The old hacker told them and they all looked at each other. "Izuku's father is a mystery, but I did some digging and it took a lot of digging."

"What did you find?" Tomrua asked him as he faced the television.

"I don't think Izuku's father died from a car accident." That made everyone raise some eyebrows. "I think he was murdered." Calculator told them and they all widen their eyes.

"How?" Killmonger asked and the next answer would give them more questions.

"There was an autopsy report, the doctor that worked on the kid's father's body reported that there were light abrasions around the man's neck. Most likely strangulation."

"Grudge kill." Scandal, Knockout, and Killmonger said all together while everyone else looked at them.

"What do you mean?" Magne asked.

"Strangulation is often known as the grudge kill. Many people that murder people tend to know them or have grudge against them." Killmonger told them, Calculator picked up next.

"Spiky is right, the light abrasions on the boy's father were led to believe strangulation. They were light so the docs believed that it was from a glove, but there were no facts. There is the one thing that interested me."

"What's that?" Tomura asked.

"The report was written off as an accident, that's curious to me. If they believed that it was murder why didn't they investigate. Hell they didn't even try, it was just written off as a vehicular accident and that's it." That did sound suspicious to everyone and they wondered why, including AFO.

"What was the father's name?"

"Hisashi Midoriya." AFO swallowed a lump in his throat, that name...that first name. It was his son's name. The old villain just shook his head, it had to be a coincidence, many have that name. It's not an uncommon name in Japan. But...what if?

"That's all I have. I'll get back to you kids when I have more." Calculator went off the villains screen and went to AFO's personal screen in his room. The old hacker showed his face while the former king had a contemplated look on his face.

"Don't do that." The Calculator told him he may not be an active member of the League anymore, but he could tell when someone was on the mind of his former employer.

"Do what, Calculator?"

"You know what. You're thinking that this kid's father may have been your son, it's not. Hisashi is a common that a lot average joe's have. This kid's father was probably just a nobody that caught up with the wrong people. Nothing more, nothing less." AFO agreed with Calculator, it was just a coincidence. Nothing more, nothing less. His main focus should be on taking down Wesker and Trinity, and he believes he may have an idea. But it's probably the worst idea he has ever had.

"Calculator have you ever heard the term the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Calculator knew the term, many villains used when betraying one another. But why would AFO bring this up now...Oh, god. Calculator widened his eyes, he knew what his former boss was planning.

"This is not going to end well."


Elsewhere

Espio was in his room, his legs crossed, eyes closed, his sword laid in front of him and candles surrounded him. The assassin/ninja of the Family was meditating his room, the battle with his brother was soon approaching and he was ready. The ninja opened his violet eyes and they came onto his precious blade.

Espio grabbed the sword and unsheathed it, he looked at the silver with the name engraved in Japanese lettering. The blade's name was Yamato, it was given to him by his now deceased mother.

When he joined her family and became her son, she gifted him with this blade. A blade that he has used to slaughter thousands and cut down all of that stand in the way of his father's plan, but now. Now he will cut down his army and his plan, but before that can happen. He must bring Shadow back to his home, to his family.

"I know you are there, Gambit." Espio called out, his eyes shifted to the door and it opened to reveal the eldest brother with a sly smile on his face.

"Are you ready frère?" Espio nodded his head and got up, he placed his blade at his side and walked out the room. The ninja passed the taller and elder brother while Gambit followed behind him.

"You're coming along." Espio didn't ask the question, he knew Gambit was going to come with him.

"And miss the chance to see little Shadow again, no way. I haven't seen my brother in years, not to mention it's not everyday I get to see you two fight." Espio hmm and just kept on walking to the media room. When both agents got there they saw that the rest of the Family was there waiting for them.

"Espio," The assassin turned his eyes to Rouge, he could see that the bat was worried about him and Shadow. "Make sure this works." Espio nodded his head, he planned out everything. It will work and soon Shadow will be by their side once again.

"I will. Blink, will send us?" Blink nodded her head, her hand glowed pink and she opened a portal at the wall. Both Gambit and Espio stepped in and soon the battle with Shadow will begin.


Now

Izuku leaned his head on the window as his class was riding on the bus, they were going to a camping resort. It was their training and they would be doing it with Class 1-B. Izuku thinks it will be good for both classes to have this kinda exercise. They should get to know each other and end the pointless animosity, but on the other hand Izuku gets it.

The teen remembers when the other cells would compete with Team Dark on missions. They would always try to prove that they were better than them and it often got too competitive. All the cells would race each other to the target or it would be who take out the most enemies. It was honestly childish to Shadow, but somehow he got into it and he won't lie. He did enjoy the competition they would throw at each other.

Izuku gained a smile as he thought about his missing brother and sisters, more and more memories are coming to him with each passing day. He feels nearly complete, but there is still something hidden from him. The fog is lifting and now it's only a matter of time before Shadow sees all of what was hidden from.

Izuku looked out the window while he conversed, he had his headphones in as he saw the many trees in the forest. He had a feeling that they were near to wherever they needed to be and he couldn't wait. He wanted to get out and stretch his legs, they had been in the bus for a long time.

Izuku turned his head to look at his friends talking and laughing, and part of him thought that he should be with them too, but that's not going to happen. After the mall and karaoke trip, he had decided what his future was going to be. This camping trip would be the last they see of him and he intended to spend time with all them.

*Sigh* Izuku sighed as he leaned back on the cushion, he looked back out the window and widened his eyes. The reason for the surprise is because Izuku saw someone he thought he would not see, not now anyway. "Espio," Izuku whispered with shock as he saw his brother and fellow cell leader outside.

Izuku leaned up and blinked his eyes, and just like that Espio was gone. Izuku continued to stare outside the window, he even fired an eagle pulse to see if what he saw was true. The pulse came back negative and there was nothing in sight.

Izuku narrowed his red eyes, he knew that he saw Espio and there was no doubt about that. His brother is here, he can feel it. Izuku opened the window of the bus and climbed out, everyone turned their heads to see him getting out.

"What is he doing?" Mina asked as she saw him leave.

"Guess he needed air." Shoji said with one of his tentacles. Izuku was now on the roof of the bus, the wind blowing his red hair back, the teen looked around and saw nothing.

"You are not the one I was expecting." Shadow said aloud as he turned around and right in front of him was his brother, but not the one he was expecting.

"Bonjour, Shadow." Shadow was greeted not by Espio, but by his elder brother and the self proclaimed master thief himself. "It's been a long time, I like the new look. I think red really brings out your intensity."

"What are you doing here, Gambit?" Shadow asked, ignoring the pointless banter from his brother and just getting right to business. Gambit gave a wide smile, Shadow hasn't changed at all to him.

"Always to the point little brother. You're not even going to give Remy a hug, it's been soooo long." Remy moved his head to the side when he saw a dagger come flying at him. Izuku was not playing games and that's something that Remy enjoyed.

"Calme, Calme, Calme, little brother. I'm only here to talk, nothing more." Izuku didn't pay attention; he just looked around at the forest and the mountains. He knew he was here and Gambit knew that as well.

"My class,"

"Is fine, they don't even know that you're up here." Gambit told and that confirmed it for Izuku. Espio was here and he was controlling his classmates' minds. The ninja was manipulating them into believing that he was still on the bus.

"Espio," Izuku whispered and Gambit smiled knowingly. The gambler walked forward to his little brother, Izuku wasn't worried and didn't put a guard.

He and Gambit were in a stalemate so to speak. Izuku could kill Gambit if he becomes a threat, but Gambit could also kill his friends with just a touch of fingers. A simple touch from the cajun can cause this bus to explode on fire and that's something that Izuku could not risk.

Gambit was now face to face with Izuku and he looked down at him. Izuku's red eyes looked up at Remy's own colored eyes. Gambit took his hands out his pocket and then unexpectedly hugged Izuku.

"I missed you, Shadow. We all do." Izuku was caught off guard, from his memories Remy was always the cool type. He always kept his cool and never showed anger. It was always just his charm and his words.

Izuku didn't know what to do, but a part of him told him to wrap his arms around his big brother's back and so he did. Izuku hugged Gambit and they stayed like that for a couple seconds. It had been two years since they had last seen each other.

"I...I missed you as well, Remy. Mother is-"

"I know, we all know." Izuku nodded his head and broke the hug, he released his brother and looked at him.

"Where is Espio? I know he is here." Gambit went back to his normal self and smiled. He wouldn't jerk Izuku around, he decided to give him the answers he wanted.

"Espio is here to challenge you. It's been a long time since you both fought and he was tired of waiting for you to remember. So he decided that the best way for you to remember is to fight you and in good old fashion...well, you know how two fight or did you forget that."

"I know what you mean Gambit. When and where?" Izuku asked his big brother, he could feel the bus slowing down meaning that they were near to their destination.

"Soon, most likely a sundown type showdown." Izuku rolled his eyes, his brother a soft spot for the old kung-fu flicks. The best fight's tend to happen at sundown.

"Then tell him I will be ready." Gambit smiled, the smile showed his teeth as he walked back to the edge of the bus.

"Hehe...He already knows. Au revoir, Ombre." Gambit said goodbye in his natural language and mocked salute goodbye. Gambit jumped off the bus and Izuku didn't bother going after him, he wasn't the focus. It was Espio, his brother and arguably the only that can truly best him hand to hand combat.

"Au revoir, grand frère." Izuku said goodbye in french and felt the bus come to a stop. He turned his head and saw all his classmates come out, he quickly flashed to the ground to make it seem like he was the first one out naturally.

Everyone else soon came out and were surprised to find that Izuku was out there already, they believed that he would be that last one out.

"Izuku, how did you get out here so quick?" Mina asked the teen and Izuku just rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Oh, I just used my quirk to get out faster. Had to stretch my legs and all that. So Aizawa-sensei, what are we doing here?" Aizawa came out of the bus and stared at the large forest below them, he looked around almost as if he was waiting for someone.

"We were going to wait for Class 1-B, but it seems like they will be late. So, I'll let them handle it for now." Aizawa pointed his finger over to the ledge where Izuku and the class saw two women and one kid.

The students recognized the pros as two members from the Pussycat team. The two women were Mandalady and Pixie-Bob, the boy, they did not know, but the boy was grumpy. He had a scowl on him that could easily give Katsuki a run for his money.

The young boy had to be about five, maybe 6. He had a cold look in his eyes, a look Izuku knows all too well. This kid had lost something or someone, Izuku didn't need to get his name to know that. The way he just glared at him and classmates told the story. This kid seems not to like heroes or anyone that wasn't Mandalady. He seems to be very close to her, aunt, sister, mother, all were possibilities that came through Izuku's mind.

Wait, why is he profiling the kid? He doesn't matter to him, he should be focused on what these two cats have planned for him.

"So, kitty cats, what will my class and I be doing?" Izuku stepped up to speak, his hands in his pockets. He is the leader of Class 1-A and he will show it.

The blonde woman, Pixie-Bob stepped forward to him, she came very close to his face basically evading his personal space. Izuku had dealt with cats before in Blaze, so dealing with the Pussycats will be no different for him.

"Ohhh, you're an impatient one?" Izuku smirks and decides to mess with Pixie-Bob.

"Oh no, I like to take my time. I think it will be honor to learn from a great team from last dec-"

"Ok, let's start!" Pixie-Bob quickly interrupted, not wanting Izuku to finish that sentence. Mandalady decided to get involved by telling the class what they will be doing.

"There is a forest lodge over there at the base of the mountain side, all of you will have to reach it before noon. If you don't make it, you will not have lunch." They except for Izuku, Shoto, and Katsuki panicked.

"No way, not for me. I'm going back." Minoru was the first to try to go back, but it was too late. Pixie-Bob used her quirk to spill the students over into the forest below them and to make things even more challenging she created dirt monsters to have some fun with them.

"Kota, come on. Let's get back to the lodge." The young boy Kota nodded his head and followed Mandalady to a quicker path to the lodge, but before she left she looked to sensei of Class 1-A.

"So, that's the famous Shadow. He looks...well, different from the rest." Aizawa knew what the brunette was talking about. Izuku has a way of standing out then the rest of his class, it's just something about the way he carries himself.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. The kid will be there shortly, so let's get a move on." Aizawa finished, he might as well get moving and prepare the classes for quirk training. He has big plans for Izuku.

Meanwhile down below in the forest the students were meeting the dirt monsters and they did not like their new friends.

"Koji, can you speak to that thing?" Tenya asked and before Koji could speak Izuku cut him off.

"Don't bother, that thing is made of dirt and dirt alone. They all are." Izuku unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, rolled up his sleeves, and loosened his tie. This was going to be bothersome, he would have to fight through them, but on the upside at least he gets some early training in before Espio decides to show himself.

"Everyone, don't hold back. They're not alive and they can't feel pain, so just cut loose and cause some mayhem." Everyone nodded their heads and activated their powers, Izuku went into Chaos Cowl as the red lighting danced around him.

He struck first when he flashed to the monster's head and kicked it off, the next was Kastuski when he flew him blasted the monster's chest open. Shoto froze three of them and that allowed Momo to open fire at them with a cannon. Fumikage and Oijro teamed up to take down two of them.

Ochako used her powers to lift one up in the air and that allowed Eijiro to smash into pieces when she let go. Minoru used his balls to stick the creatures to where they were, Mina burned them with her acid and Tenya kicked some of their heads off.

Everyone from Class 1-A was displaying their skills from what they learned during their internships. Izuku could see that they all had grown stronger and he was happy that they would be alright when he leaves.

"Oi, Deku! Don't be getting soft on me, there is still plenty more where that came from." Katsuki told him, it seems this was starting to turn into a game of who could take out the most monsters and everyone was playing to win. Izuku smiled and powered up some more, if they wanted to play, let's play.

"Try to keep up." Izuku clapped back with a smirk as he disappeared from Katsuki's view. He would soon reappear next to Ochako and decided to give her a ride. He picked her up bridal style which made the girl gain a massive blush. "We'll see all there." Izuku soon ran off leaving a trial of red lighting behind them.

"HEY! No fair!" Mina, Toru, and Minoru both yelled, but it was worth nothing much as Izuku and Ochako were both gone from everyone's view. They tried to keep up, but more dirt monsters came about. This might take some time.

Izuku continued to run with Ochako in his arms, this feeling felt so familiar to him. He felt like he did this before, but with whom and then it hit...literally. Izuku was hit with a memory of him running through a flower garden with a blonde girl in his arms.

"Shadow, I love you." Shadow heard the soft words of Maria and told her the same, but there was a problem. The girl in his arms was not Maria and she heard every word that he said.

"I love you too, Maria." Ochako heard the words and widened her eyes in hurt. Izuku blinked, he just realized what he did and he looked at Ochako, he saw the hurt in her eyes and stopped his running.

"D-Deku, what...what was that?" Ochako tried to hide her hurt from her voice, this is the second time that she heard the name Maria. Izuku mistook her for being that person that time as well and now he told her that he loved her. He told someone that is not her that he loved her.

"O-Ochako, it was an accident," Ochako inwardly rolled her eyes. That's what they all say, but she could see that Izuku meant it. "I'm serious, it was an accident. I..I didn't mean for that to come out."

"Who is she?" Ochako asked with her head down, her eyes hidden from her crush. Izuku opened his mouth, he wanted to tell her, but he didn't involve Ochako with his past.

"Maria, is...She's someone from my past. I know...knew her well." Ochako caught the tense change, this Maria girl must be dead. She must've been very special to Izuku for him to say that he loved her. Does he love her like this Maria? It's a question she constantly wonders.

"How did she die?" Izuku heard the question and wondered about himself. He knows that his father killed her, but how? Better question: Does he want to know? Does he want to put himself through that pain and relive the moment he lost the person that arguably meant most to him.

"I don't know." Ochako nodded her head, the teen thought she was done, but he was wrong when she decided to ask another question. A question he didn't expect.

"Did you really love her?" Izuku didn't know how to answer that question, so he told her the truth.

"I think so. It's complicated when it comes to her, but she made me feel different. Just like you." Izuku whispered the last part to Ochako and she heard him, she finally brought her brown eyes back up to his own red eyes.

"I..I make you feel different. How?" Ochako asked eagerly and Izuku sucked his teeth, the girl not caring about his attitude right now. She wanted to know if she was more special than this Maria girl. Is she actually trying to be better than the dead girl? Yeah, she is.

"I...I really don't want to talk about, Ocha." Izuku widened his eyes, did he just do that. Did he just give her a pet name. He did and she knew it. Ochako blushed at the comment and both teens had crimson faces, faces red from embarrassment.

"That's one," Izuku told her and she looked back at him. Izuku's face was still turned away from her as he told her what he meant.

"You can make me talk about my feelings and emotions. My own mother can't even make do, hell no can and yet you do it so easily. It makes me wonder if you have another quirk that you didn't tell me about."

"I don't." Ochako assured him she doesn't have something like that, but she was shocked to know that she had an affect on him.

"Is that it or is there more?" Izuku didn't say anything, he doesn't like talking about his emotions. He prefers to keep them locked away and now is not time, not when he is about to leave.

He can't be too attached to Ochako because it will only hurt more when he leaves and he won't just be her that will feel. the pain. "Look at me." Ochako demanded of them, something that she doesn't normally do. Hell, she barely raises her voice at her classmates, but this time she gave Izuku a hard tone. A tone that left no room for argument.

Izuku did follow her demand and turned his head back to her where she put both her hands on his cheeks. He still had his hands on her as he didn't let go since they stopped.

"Tell me more." Ochako ordered him and Izuku followed it. He couldn't believe it, him, the weapon following the orders of a girl weaker than him. The irony couldn't be more visible than in this situation right now.

"I expose more of myself…more of my feelings. I sometimes can't think of anything else but you when I'm next you. I have dreams where you and I are in a forest like this and we are holding hands. I have moments where I just want to grab you face and-"

"And? And what?" Ochako asked eagerly, she wanted to hear the end of the sentence. To hear what he was going to say. Izuku narrowed his eyes, he began to scan the area, someone was here.

"Ochako hold onto me and don't let go." Ochako listened to him and put her arms around his head. She tightened the hold as Izuku continued to look around the forest.

"Is it a dirt monster?" Izuku shook his head, it wasn't that. It is something else, something strong. The teen fired an eagle pulse and to see what it was, but it came back negative. That meant whatever...whoever it was, was immune to his pulse and that only could be allies.

'It's him. Espio is here. It's a little early for our fight, so he must be trying to rile me. But it won't work little brother.' Izuku thought, he looked around some more and saw something coming for him. He widened his eyes when he saw that it was shurikens, the teen leapt forward with Ochako in his arms. He held onto her tightly to make sure that she was safe.

Izuku dodged the stars only to walk into another trap and this time it was a trap door. The floor beneath the two collapsed, but with Izuku quickness he was able to flash out of there before he and Ochako fell too far in. Izuku looked at the bottom and saw wooden spears with spike tips.

His brother has been busy, the teen only hoped that the trap door was the last of the traps. He was wrong when he walked into another one. This time he broke the wire with his foot and both teens widened their eyes when two large logs from both the right and the left came at them.

"Deku!" Ochako screamed in worry, but Izuku already had it handled. He jumped into the air just as the logs were meters away from them. They collided against each other and Izuku brought his right leg up for an axe kick. When teen came down he destroyed both of them with a single kick, right down the middle.

"Ochako, are you alright?" Izuku asked her, making sure that she was alright. The gravity girl nodded, that was crazy.

"Was that part of the Pussycats test?" Izuku didn't answer her, he would just let her believe that. This was a family matter between two well trained killers.

"Alright, I think we will be in the-" Izuku didn't finish as another group of wooden spears was launched at him and Ochako. Izuku began to run and activate more traps, more trap doors, and more logs swings. Izuku went into his Cowl and evaded them with Ochako in his arms, it seems his brother turned the forest into his playground and that pissed Shadow off.

Izuku was fine with fighting Espio, but he wanted to spend this camp trip with his friends. But it looks like things are not going as planned. Izuku continued to dodge all the traps that Espio, he had a feeling that Ochako was not meant to be here and this all bult for him. He has to get her out of here and to the lodge, then when the time comes he will deal with Espio.

Espio watched in the trees as his brother dodged all the traps, he knew that he was going to evade them without trouble, but what he didn't expect to see was the girl. 'That girl, Ochako. Interesting, it seems Shadow is very close to this one and judging by the way he talks to her it seems like they are more than friends...or wish to be more than friends. Interesting indeed.'

The ninja stood up, his left hand on his katana. With his thoughts concluded he vanished from the tree, the time to do battle with Shadow is near, but it won't be today. The traps were more of a warm up, to see that his reflexes were still at top shape.

Class 1-A finally made it to the lodge, but it was way past noon and they were starving. It was now sundown and they were tired, hungry, and a mess. They saw the lodge, but also saw Ochako and Izuku eating. Well, Ochako was eating at a table and Izuku was just sitting there with his arms folded and eyes closed. Bye the looks of everyone it seemed he was asleep, but in truth he was mediating.

"Oh, you guys made it." Ochako said excitedly, but quickly regretted when she saw the looks of her classmates. They all gave glare and she rubbed her head sheepishly, they were not happy.

"Uhh...lunch?" The girl offered and even though they were pissed they accepted it for they were famished.

"Thanks for helping us." Minoru said hotly as he enjoyed the food, everyone else did the same while Ochako explained what happened to them.

"Well after Izuku took me we didn't have it easy either. We had to deal with traps along with the way." Ochako fired back, but no one really cared all they did was eat the food.

"We didn't get any of that." Fumikage told her as he ate an apple. "All we got was dirt monsters." Ochako looked surprised, why did they get traps and the class didn't? Is it because of what Izuku has done as a pro?

'That must be it, it must've been an extra test of some kind.' Ochako thought as she nodded her head, she turned her head to her crush to see him still meditating.

"Deku," Izuku heard his name be called and opened his eyes. He saw that everyone had made it to the lodge and that they were eating the food. It was more than enough for them since he didn't have any and Ochako had enough.

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering what all those traps were, everyone else said they didn't get them." Izuku didn't hesitate to lie to her.

"It was probably the Pussycat trying to challenge me, nothing more. Look, it's late and I'm going to get some rest. I suggest you all do the same as well because tomorrow we start training." Izuku left soon after that, he didn't want to stay long since his mind was on tomorrow. Tomorrow has to be the day, the day he will fight his brother.

Espio didn't strike at all and that's what Izuku was waiting for, waiting for his brother to come out of the shadows and face him. But he didn't, instead he just waited and hid. Shadow was fine with that, he will let Espio choose. It doesn't matter to him because the outcome will remain the same. Their duel will end in the defeat of his little brother.

Izuku walked to the bathhouses to wash and on his way he saw the little boy from earlier. He saw that he was glaring a hole at him and he was tired of it. "You got a problem with me kid?" Izuku asked him as he walked to him. The boy didn't say anything instead he hid his eyes and let Izuku get close to him.

When he did, the boy raised his head and lifted his foot to kick Izuku in the groin, he thought that it would work, but Izuku stopped his kick with his own foot. Izuku placed his left on the boy's right and the young child looked shocked.

"Nice try, but that doesn't work on me." Izuku told him and then added insult to injury he brought him to the ground with a quick leg sweep and put his foot on his chest. He didn't have a lot of pressure where he would hurt him, but he did keep on his back.

"When you start a fight then you better damn well finish it. That was told to me by an old friend." Izuku said some wise words, but the boy just glared at him. "What's your name, kid." The boy didn't answer and Izuku just looked at him.

"Fine then, you don't give me your name then so be it. Next question: Why try to low blow someone you just met? That's not a smart thing especially when it's me." The boy didn't say anything again, Izuku gave him this. The boy was good at the silent treatment, Izuku could make him talk if he wanted to, but he didn't care enough about that.

"Izuku, let him go!" Tenya ran over and began to reprimand his class president about putting his foot on a child's chest. Izuku listened to him and decided to let him, but not without a warning. The red-headed teen took his foot off his chest and kneeled down.

The boy was now looking into Izuku's...or more so Shadow's blazing red eyes, those red eyes that made him swallow a lump in his throat. "You try that again with me, I will make sure that you won't use that leg ever again. Got it?" The boy nodded and Izuku's scary face was replaced with a calm friendly look. He got up and extended his hand to the boy, to help him up, but he didn't take it.

The young boy brushed his hand off and got up on his own power, he then walked off leaving both Tenya and Izuku to stare at him. "I'm sorry about Kota." Both teenagers turned their heads to the leader of the Pussycats.

"It's fine Mandalady. I deal with worse over there." Izuku pointed to Katsuki and saw him yelling at Minoru and Denki because they tried to steal some of his food. Mandalady smiled and looked back to Izuku.

"Kota...is a difficult boy, he's been through a lot."

"What happened to make me like that? It's like he hates all of us." Mandalady winced and sighed, she was about to tell them, but Izuku already beat her to it.

"He lost someone he cared about." Izuku told Tenya as he continued to Kota, Mandalady was surprised that he knew that, but she was told by Aizawa that Izuku is quite the detective.

"You're right, but if you don't mind me asking. How did you know that?" Mandalady curiously asked, his answer though would leave her in awe.

"They way he clings to you was my first guess. You doesn't seem like his mother even though you treat him like your own son. He's distant to everyone, even you sometimes. You both don't share any resemblance in terms of features, so he must be a nephew. Either your brother or sister's son, but the biggest evidence was in his eyes. When I saw his eyes, I instantly recognized them. They are eyes of loneliness." Mandalady was in awe, Aizawa wasn't kidding when he said that Izuku was good.

"Well...well, you're right. Kota is my nephew and he's my sister's son. He lost both his parents to the villain named Muscular. I've been his adopted mother ever since, but ever since he lost his parents Kota has had a resentment toward heroes." Tenya widened his eyes, he knew about that incident. He remembers hearing about it and so did Izuku.

"Wait. Does that mean that Kota's parents are the Water Horse duo?" Mandalady nodded her head and Izuku had all the pieces. Izuku could now see why Kota seemed to hate him and everyone else.

He lost his faith in heroes. It's actually quite sad, Izuku could understand where Kota was coming from. He lost his own parents and the loneliness just never goes away, it just…it just fades, but not without time. Lots of time and lots of help.

Kota has that help in the Pussycats and maybe Izuku can help him see it. If he can't, then he can't be a hero. Kota will just turn into him and no not the weapon, but the kid who hides everything from the world and that is not something that Kota wants. Izuku knows better than anybody what that feeling can do.

'I'll help you out Kota, but you better not try to kick me in the balls for trying.' Izuku headed to the bath house to wash and then come tomorrow he will train, beat Espio, and help you Kota. All in one day, easy peasy.

To be Continued

Chapter 35: Shadow vs Espio