Chapter 16: New Friends, New Family

Shinsou was sitting on a neat bed with a diamond quilted comforter in dark green, royal purple, and blood red. Accent pillows of the same colors littered the head of the bed. The room was filled with designs for some type of robot written in a language he didn't understand. Books on programming, chemistry, and even physics lined the walls in book cases. There were also knives hung up on one of the walls and a staff in the corner. The only normal teenage things in the room was an Allmight poster and figurine.

"Sorry about the mess," William said as he sat in the rolling chair. "We don't get visitors often...if at all..."

"It's okay," Shinsou said. "You have...neat interests..."

William chuckled and said, "Yeah, well, I majored in robotics, chemistry, and programming when I was alive...and the brat gets bored in school."

"So, you're both geniuses," Shinsou said with a low whistle. "Are you going into the support course?"

"Nah," William said with a proud smirk. "The brat's going to be a hero."

"Is he in the hero course," Shinsou asked jealously.

"Not yet," William said with a dismissive shrug—like it was only a matter of time before that changes. "But, we've been training."

Shinsou nodded and let the subject drop. He didn't want to accidentally offend his host because of stupid jealousy.

"So, when am I going to meet this 'brat' you keep talking about," Shinsou asked with a bored tone, but William could still see the curious and hopeful glint in his eyes.

"Whenever you want to," William said with an amused smirk, and a teasing tone. "Are you tired of me already?"

"No," Shinsou hurriedly denied the accusation. "I just thought I should know all my hosts."

William nodded—inwardly laughing at the teen—and let go of control. His hair faded back to green, as well as his eyes, and freckles dotted his cheeks.

"Hello, Shinsou-kun," the teen said with a warm, sunny smile. I'm Midoriya Izuku. I'm 14 and I want to be a hero."

"Hello, Midoriya-kun," Shinsou said. "I'm Shinsou Hitoshi and I also want to be a hero."

Izuku's smile widened, and Shinsou was blown away at how bright it was. No one has ever smiled at him like that before.

"That's amazing, Shinsou-kun," Izuku said. "Are you applying to UA?"

"Yeah," Shinsou said.

"Me too," Izuku said. "What's your quirk?"

Shinsou tensed. He knew this question would come up eventually. He better prepare for the worst.

"Brainwashing," he muttered, and his heart sunk when Midoriya flinched. "I'm sorry, I'll leave..."

"No," Izuku yelled and Shinsou froze. "I'm sorry for my reaction!"

Shinsou's breath hitched when Izuku bowed in apology.

"It wasn't you," the teen frantically explained. "William was hurt by someone who mind controlled him!"

Shinsou's heart clenched. There goes this possible friendship. How is his luck so bad that the first people who were genuinely nice to him were hurt by a quirk like his! It's not fair! He just wanted a friend!

"But, you're not Glitch," Izuku said. "I'm sorry if I accidentally hurt you!"

"You-you don't hate me," Shinsou asked weakly; disbelief coloring his face.

How?! How could that be possible?! Does he still have a chance? Can these people really be his friends?

"No," Izuku said fiercely. "Your quirk is really cool. Just because Glitch was evil doesn't mean you have to be!"

Shinsou hunched over and he couldn't stop himself from crying.

"Shinsou-kun," Izuku asked softly.

"D-Do you think I can be a hero," the purple haired teen asked as he looked up at Izuku with wet eyes.

Izuku couldn't help but think about his first two meetings with Allmight and the overwhelming need to hear that someone believed in him. His heart went out to this teen who is just as lost as he once was. To think he'd be in the reverse position just a few short months from when he asked this exact same question...

"Shinsou-kun," Izuku said as he looked directly into the teen's eyes. "Of course you can be a hero!"

And, with that, Shinsou's walls fell down. This teen, this teen who doesn't know him from Adam. This teen who had been hurt by a quirk like his, yet didn't hate him. The teen who believes in him.

Shinsou felt so overwhelmed. No one has ever believed in his dream before. Ever since he got his quirk, everyone—even his own parents—labeled him a villain. Yet, this teen he just met says he can do it.

"Hey, it's okay," Izuku said softly. "Just take deep breaths."

Shinsou followed his instructions and got himself back under control. When he felt calm again, he looked at Izuku. He actually looked worried about him.

"You really think I can do it, don't you," Shinsou said, stilled floored.

"Of course I do," Izuku said as he leaned back in his desk chair.

"Why," Shinsou asked.

Izuku's eyes went soft and he said, "Because you remind us of us. You feel lost, yet you desperately want to save others from that feeling."

Shinsou's eyes widened. How could this boy read him like that?!

"I think we'll get along," Izuku said with a playful smirk.

The next week was a whirlwind for Shinsou. He genuinely thought the three of them were insane, but he loved their antics...not that he'd ever admit it. Living with them was like living in the middle of a war zone or in the middle of a giant storm. However, studying them was fascinating.

He wished he could actually see into their mind to be able to interact with all of them at once. Though, it would be exhausting.

Somehow, he was pulled into their little family. It wasn't even two full days of being their when he woke up in the guest room with boxes of his stuff from home on the floor. How they got them, he had no idea. He never even told them his old address...

When he went to question them, he found Inko chuckling and William smirking smugly. It was at this point he found out he was stuck with them, and he couldn't find it in himself to actually regret it.

After that, he was dragged into Izuku's training... Well, sort of. Either William or Spring would take control to train him—Spring being ordered not to harm him 'too badly' because he didn't have the advantage of the mindscape—or Izuku would relay instructions from them. He was constantly sore and exhausted, but he couldn't believe how much he's already improved. He may actually have a chance at the hero course at this rate!

William was brilliant, and he had them studying past exams. Now he had a strategy green lighted by two geniuses and an entity that was one of the most—if not the most—terrifying and dangerous people he's ever met.

His school work has also gotten a lot better—as William has been making him go over all his past assignment in preparation as well as starting to teach him advanced curriculum in a way that actually made it click for him. He could easily see how Izuku had gotten bored with school. Just sitting and talking with William has Shinsou learning more than he ever had in a classroom.

He also learned that Izuku was being train by Allmight; even if it was completely by accident. He's still not sure that came about, but he knows they've been discussing whether or not to tell him. He had to promise not to tell anyone what he already knew—even Izuku's mother. While he was surprised that Midoriya-san didn't know, he understood the reason for secrecy, so he easily agreed. He was just happy that they trusted him enough to even explain what they did.

Another this he was learning was programming. He loved it and he started to study hacking as well. William even promised to teach him about robotics after the UA exam if he was interested.

He loved his new life.

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Izuku was also enjoying having someone his age around. He loved his family, but having a friend that wasn't a part of himself or his mom's age was amazing! And, he knew that's why William has let Hitoshi inside their walls so quickly. That, and Hitoshi was too much like them... He wanted to make sure he went down a bad path.

It surprised Izuku how well William took to Hitoshi at first. But, then he saw how fatherly Will acted around him, and he understood. He kind of reminded him of Michael. With that in mind, it wasn't really surprising that Will took him under wing.

They were both surprised when Hitoshi accidentally stumbled upon their morning talk with Allmight while they were talking about their training. But, it was easy enough for them to get Hitoshi to agree to keep their training a secret.

However, now William was even more secretive about their new quirk. He's been working on a better explanation for their excessive strength, not that they need much of an explanation yet. Izuku could barely use 5% of One for All without the threat of broken bones in his human form and 10% in his animatronic form.

Izuku was disappointed in their progress, but Allmight said he was doing great, and William was happy they haven't actually broken any bones.

However, he was amazed by the progress Hitoshi showed. He was always calling Izuku a genius, but he never acknowledged how smart he actually was. While he wasn't on Izuku's level—which would take him a few month just because Izuku started earlier—he was actually picking everything up a a phenomenal rate. Even William was impressed.

According to him, both of them were thoroughly prepared for the entrance exam next week. And, that was saying something coming from Will.

Both of the teens were a bundle of nerves. They regularly went over different plans for different scenarios. Would they be in the same arena? What type of battle would they have? Can they team up? Are they allowed weapons? Would they need to go all out?

So many questions rang through their heads. And, the closer the exam date got, the more anxious they became. It was starting to drive William and Springtrap insane.

The day before the exam, William canceled their training, and ordered them to be normal kids for the day. Of course, they complained like the obsessed—and anxious—workaholics they were, but William was firm and threatened them with a week of no training if they didn't comply. And, remembering the last time he canceled training with Izuku, he told them if they went out they had to use the main roads.

So, that day they decided to try normal teenage activities they never got to do before because of bullying and their complete lack of a social life. They went to the arcade, they went to sing karaoke, and Hitoshi even introduced Izuku to his favorite cat cafe.

All in all, Spring and William were relieved when the boys were actually able to relax.