Chapter 16- New Friend, New Job, New Dream?

Six pairs of eyes all focused on her and she lost the courage to speak anything more than her name. She stood their awkwardly unable to find words to further introduce herself. The room was filled with an awkward silence for a brief moment before a squeal of joy radiated from the only other girl in the room.

Flaura rushed out of her seat and leapt in front of the new girl catching everyone off guard.

"Hi, I'm Flaura! It's nice to meet you Yukika-chan! I'm so excited to finally be working with another girl around here." The not so giant giantess practically invaded the other girl's personal space. It wasn't a surprise to the others though. It was painfully obvious that Flaura was a very friendly and outgoing person. Izuku was a little shocked at the girl's forwardness, already referring to someone she just met by their first name.

The girl flinched slightly at the amount of happy energy bouncing in front of her, a bit taken aback by the sudden outburst of excitement. She returned the smile albeit a bit shaky and spoke once more.

"Nice to meet you too Flaura-san. I look forward to working with you too." Her voice was soft and sweet, not minding the lack of formality the older girl displayed before.

Flaura smiled brightly at her response and quickly led the other girl to the table where everyone was seated to let the introductions commence. Once the two girls sat down, the rest of the occupants began introducing themselves to the new comer.

"Nice to meet you Miss. My name is Gawain. I look forward to working with you. Having new faces around makes things livelier here."

"Hi, the name's Galehaut but please, call me Prince instead."

"Yo, I'm Hawk. Nice to meet you." The pig who was plomped on his bottom pointed a hoof to himself as he proudly announced his presence.

"The pig really can talk..." The new girl whispered to herself perplexed and utterly surprised. "Well um- it's nice to meet you all! I likewise look forward to working here." She bowed politely to them but her as she looked up, her gaze caught the sight of brilliant emerald eyes staring at her in curiosity. She diverted her gaze and sat down immediately.

Prince noticed this and turned his attention to Izuku who was still absentmindedly staring. He smirked mischievously and nudged the green boy's shoulder.

"Inspecting are we? Never thought of you as that type of guy Izuku-kun." He whispered all too quietly in said boy's ear, snapping him out of his stupor before processing what he was told and blushed furiously at the realization

"N-No! It's not like that all! You misunderstood." He tried to defend himself for his bold excessive staring which earned him a snicker from around the table. "I-I was just lost in thought is all."

"I'm Izuku Midoriya. S-Sorry for the late introduction and um- uh for staring a bit too long. P-Please don't get the wrong idea." He sank back into his seat, wanting to hide the blush growing on his cheeks

The girl smiled genuinely at the mention of his name. 'Izuku.'

"Nice to meet you too."

Lancelot continued on with the meeting, discussing all sorts of things that he wanted to see improvements on with the now growing business and serviced they were offering. Prince, even though he agreed to the terms set, groaned painfully all throughout the discussion of his new delivery service.

"Hayami-chan, you'll be working with Flaura here on your shifts and she'll be showing you the ropes, hope you get along well. I'll be handing you your uniforms later so come to me in the back room after the meeting." Lancelot glanced down at the new girl.

"Yes sir."

"Little captain." He looked to none other than Izuku who diverted his eyes bashfully at the nickname he was given not too long ago.

"I think it's bout time I give you more responsibilities. So, I also want you to help in serving customers while helping me out in the kitchen. I'm sure you can handle it." Of course he could handle it. His cooperation and stamina weren't concerns at all. Really, this extra job was just so the boy could keep busy and take a break from his training. Speaking of training...

"Gawain will be teaching you the ins and outs of table service starting tomorrow morning so don't forget that. You too Hayami-chan." The two nodded in agreement, izuku more vigorously than the girl. Lancelot squinted his eyes ever so slightly at them, a hint of interest growing. He turned his attention to Izuku, focusing just a little bit more...

'Training with Gawain-san that doesn't involve using our powers. Should I do some research beforehand? I probably should that way Gawain-san won't have a hard time. Serving tables shouldn't be that hard maybe I can...'

Lancelot listened on to the boy's rambling thoughts. It was no secret to them that the blonde man has the ability to hear the voices in someone's heart or in this case, one green boy's hyperactive mind. Ever since he learned how to tune this ability, he avoided using it as to not eavesdrop on everyone around him, because that's invasive and disrespectful. Useful for espionage and interrogation but very creepy if anyone were to find out, not to mention that there are some things in a person's creative mind best left unknown. Oh the number of times he wished he could erase his memories after all the embarrassing things he's encountered over the centuries. (He asked Gowther to actually, more than once.)

However, after more than a few instances in training and in work (i.e. setting himself on fire, obliterating a perfectly good table, and experimenting on the effect of using hell blaze on the taste quality of Katsudon instead of using normal fire), the blonde made sure to regularly check on their local broccoli boy every time he gives him a task just to make sure he doesn't overdo it or do something admittedly interesting but at the same time stupid.

Honestly, Merlin shouldn't be encouraging this.

'...and if I finish cleaning the beach early, I can make it back in time for that early morning lesson with Merlin-sensei.'

Alright, he seems to be in the clear.

He then turned his attention to the girl sitting across the table. He smirked ever so slightly to himself as he began to focus again.

' -talk to him, talk to him, talk to him, don't wuss out after this. You still haven't thanked him...'

Interesting indeed.

It didn't take a genius to piece together what she was thinking about and who she was referring to.

If he remembered Flaura's story correctly from a few weeks back, Izuku went on a little side quest out of pure gut feeling to stop some diseased psycho from killing someone.

And that someone may likely be the overly conscious and nervous girl sitting across from him right now.

His grin grew even bigger and without anyone noticing.

"Well with that all done, this meeting can is adjourned. Prince, we'll talk later."

The fairy prince just nodded his head while hugging his pillow in the air, his eyes closed, already within the sweet sweet embrace of sleep. Flaura and Gawain stood from their seats and stretched and went their separate ways. Flaura left her brother to the mercy of the wind as she yawned before giving one last friendly and excited grin to the new girl.

"Little captain, why don't you show Hayami-chan around?" Lancelot said as he stood up as well.

"O-Oh.. sure." He stood up from his seat and offered a smile to the girl seated two seats away.

Lance turned around and walked away dragging his little cousin by the floating pillow in his arms.

"Um, shall we?"

"Of course."

'Why'd Lance-san choose me of all people to do this? It's not that i mind or that I didn't want to but that decision came out if nowhere or maybe he had another reason; he was smiling to himself for no reason too.'

Where was he again? Oh right...

"And that room over there is the mini garden where we grow some of the fruits and vegetables we use in the kitchen." He pointed to a translucent glass door at the end of the hallway.

"This place is surprisingly huge for how it looks outside. It almost makes no sense." Yukika whispered loud enough for Izuku to hear.

'That's because Merlin-sensei used space warping magic to make this place fit in its own little pocket dimension that greatly mimics the Earth's own physics.' He wanted to blurt out but he couldn't for obvious reasons.

"Y-Yeah. That was my first thought too when I first moved in. Most of the rooms are actually smaller than they appear to be." He lied behind a shy smile. In reality, the rooms were even more massive than what the building should've been callable of handling. His room alone was almost

It's been about five minutes since the grand tour began and the two have already visited the main kitchen where all the food to be served was cooked , the bar, the first three bathrooms, the common room and several guest rooms that were bordered up for reasons unknown.

Izuku was far from a social butterfly and everyone knew that. He still sucks when it comes to socializing with people, a side effect brought upon his past and his severe anxiety. So it's no surprise that he also probably sucked at introductions and presentations. Not to mention that he was left alone to entertain a girl. He's had a girl friend (not girlfriend) before but he still finds it much more difficult to interact with the opposite gender without stuttering like a mess.

That didn't stop him from doing his best to be as entertaining as he could. Heroes are also entertainers after all and he wants to erase that bad first impression he had by inconveniently spacing out in the wrong direction.

There was only one more floor left and the tour will finally be done. It's not that he disliked entertaining the girl following behind him, it's just that... she's still a girl and he's not a socially adept person. Not by choice too.

It was the same with Flaura at first but he came to grow more comfortable with her because she had a very natural big sister vibe and because they had spent so much time training together and considering Flaura's fighting styles, he's learned quite a bit on how to remain calm in the presence of a girl.

Point is, Hayami is new and he's nervous.

And there's been this creeping feeling in his gut that someone was watching them. He didn't know where it came from but he's been fighting the urge to investigate for a while now. It was probably just his anxiety again.

Finally, the two reached the top floor and Izuku began leading the way once again. All this time there has been an awkward silence between the two as neither could seem to trike up an interesting topic for conversation.

"Say, Midoriya-san, can I call you that? You said you moved in here right? Where'd you live before? It almost seemed like you've been living here from the start." She questioned.

'Oh no.' He wasn't suppose to say that much. Should he tell her? What she's asking isn't that too revealing about his secret.

It should be fine so long as he kept the important things out. Right?

"I-" She cut him off.

"Sorry, forget what I asked. That's a bit too personal." She looked away and waved her hands in front of herself dismissively.

"O-Oh... alright then."He let out a quiet sigh of relief. 'Risk avoided'

Silence descended upon them... again.

It's so awkward.

"Well-um this is the last floor of the tavern and I guess that pretty much sums up the tour." He tried to finish lamely before rubbing the back of his neck and "Is there anything else you would like to know?"

"No... I just- I just want to say thank you.."

"Y-You don't have to really. I was just doing what I was told-"

"No-no it's not that. Not about this. "

"Then what do you mean?"

"Do you remember 2 weeks ago, you came and saved someone from getting killed...?" His eyes widened in surprise and he quickly pieced everything together. Why she seemed familiar and why it felt like she was holding something back this whole time.

"You mean... so it was you." She nodded and a small smile made its way to her face as his eyes looked at her with a new interest.

"I thought I recognized you from somewhere but I couldn't completely remember when and where exactly." He looked straight into her violet eyes. So many thoughts were running in his head. "A-Are you alright? I-I know it's a bit too late to ask but I just want to know for myself."

"I'm fine. You arrived on the nick of time to save me. I was so scared that I couldn't move, my body was frozen. I really thought I was going to die or...worse... and after you came I just ran off like a coward and left you there."

"That's why, I want to say thank you. Thank you for saving me."

"Y-You don't need to thank me Hayami-san. I.."

'...'

"..My body just moved on its own." He finished looking down. She tilted her head in curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

'Crap. How do I explain that I sensed someone's bloodlust over half a kilometer away?'

"Uhh.. I just did what I could to help. I couldn't just stand there and watch someone get killed if I could've done something about it. I'm sure anyone would actually." He finished with a shy smile.

"Are you aiming to be a pro hero?"

"Yeah. I am."

"Well, I think you'd make a great pro!"

"R-Really?!' He was stunned by her declaration. He and this girl just met and here she was already cheering for him to reach his dream.

"You already saved me and with your super strength quirk, you're for surety make a great hero. I mean you sent that guy flying with just one punch! And that man was huge." She praised.

"I... I guess that's true but I think it's too early to guarantee something. I still have a long way to go. Being a hero isn't just about being strong enough to protect others."

"I want to be hero too."

"Really?! That's great! Does that mean you'll be participating in the UA entrance exams?"

"Yeah. I'm not confident in my chances in getting into a school as prestigious as UA especially after what happened two weeks go. I couldn't even move against that villain even when my life was on the line." She looked down in shame.

"You can do it."

What was he doing?

"What?"

"You can do it. As long as you do what you think is right and train really hard then I'm sure you can make it."

"Thank you. You know, you're probably the only person with an amazing quirk that isn't so full of himself."

"Oh uh well I try not to be too confident in my abilities. There's still so much I need to learn."

"We both do I guess."

"So... why do you want to be a hero?"

Unbeknownst to the two, a watchful gaze has been on them the entire time.

—

"What are they talking about now?" Flaura's eager voice echoed in the manager's/Lance's office.

"SHHH! I'm trying to listen!" Prince said before shoving his little sister off his shoulder as he focused once more to see and hear through Lobero's 8th form, Roots of Knowledge. Which basically takes the saying of "the trees have ears" to the literal, physical level.

"Well tell me too!" She exclaimed while crossing her arms under her chest.

"You guys can read minds! Just get closer to them." The floating boy ignored her and continued listening in.

"Lance, what are they saying? Is it going well? Please tell me!"

Said blonde was standing still with his eyes closed, no doubt concentrating on using his empathic abilities to eavesdrop as well.

"No luck, I can't reach them from here. I think I'll get closer. You coming with?" Lancelot offered to the uncharacteristically whiny giantess.

"Don't bother. I think they're wrapping things up."

"No fair!" She pouted. "Okay, now tell us everything you heard."

"Eh, hold on. He's... giving an inspiring speech about how a hero should be and other stuff."

"That doesn't sound anywhere close to romantic."

"It's not. Which means I'm winning the bet!"

"Don't go jumping to conclusions yet. He still has a year left to get it done." The blonde interjected.

"I should win regardless since you're already cheating by hiring a pretty waitress who's around his age." Prince scoffed.

"She volunteered and I just so happened to accept." The blonde shrugged and rolled his shoulders in amusement.

"Oh so you just happened to also pair them up at work? Doesn't seem suspicious to me."

"That was more for his sake than for our little bet. For your information, I've always planned on making him a waiter. He needs to learn how to interact with more people and since we can't risk another "Muscular", why not let him do all the interacting in the tavern where we can see him? It's a win-win. Besides, I wanna see how well he does in crowded places with his demon senses and all. He really needs to get the hang of it else he would just incapacitate himself when in hero duty."

"You do make a good point."

"Hold on, back up. What are you two talking about? What bet? What are you two up to this time?"

The two males glanced at each other and nodded in silent agreement to sworn secrecy. They made a gesture that zipped there lips

"You guys never let me in on the fun."

"That's what you get for being the responsible one."

Flaura huffed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just make sure you two don't do anything stupid that will embarrass Izuku."

"No promises." Snickered the two scheming princes.

8 hours later...

The first rays of light broke the horizon and shone a golden hue in the still slumbering city. The beginnings of the cold winter season were already in sight. Early risers in business suits already occupied the trains, birds already began singing their winter songs, and a teenager was already hauling tons of trash into a growing pile at the entrance of an illegal dump site.

Dagoba Municipal Beach Park, a once prosperous and beautiful tourist spot where families and friends could spend time together enjoying the water. Apparently the currents kept washing garbage onto the shore and more and more people slowly took advantage of that fact to get rid of their trash until it all accumulated and became this absolute dump. It was a pity really.

Good thing that a certain aspiring hero had some time to kill by cleaning this whole entire beach side.

But how did a teenager in black jogging pants, a grey T-shirt with the kanji of 'muscle shirt', and a sleeve compressor find himself in the ungodly hours of a cold winter morning very under dressed at a dump site, cleaning up other people's garbage?

Well, after helping Gowther cleanup the basement, he's found that cleaning is actually an enjoyable and productive distraction. He didn't know why but it put him at ease and kept his mind floating statically instead of drifting off elsewhere to less desirable thoughts. Maybe because it reminded him of home and his mom. He used to clean the apartment sometimes while she was away.

Izuku hoisted a worn down fridge over his shoulder. His favorite red shoes sinking slightly in the sand from the extra weight but he himself didn't feel one bit bothered by it. He glanced all around and saw that the entrance that was cramped with trash earlier was now mostly clear sand with only several worn down items left and their scraps, a clear evidence of his efforts.

He closed his eyes and exhaled softly, a familiar sensation coursing throughout his body. Darkness sprouted from his hands before forming five long tendrils. He waved his empowered hand at the direction of a crushed microwave, a tendril wrapped around it fluidly before hoisting it up. He did the same thing to several other items in the same direction. Two tires, a toaster, and a car battery were all wrapped in darkness before being lifted right beside him as he began waking back to the pile he was growing up front.

He smiled at his accomplishment. His control over his power has gotten so much better. The first time he used Black whip, he had no clue how to maneuver them and just let them move about sporadically. It was like growing a new limb out of nowhere. He reached his pile and gently placed down all the items except for the car battery. Batteries contained too many dangerous chemicals like lead which releases as fumes or fluids and if the cartridge is broken, it's even worse.

With one quick thought, the car battery was set ablaze by a brilliant purple flame leaving nothing behind, not even dust.

After experimenting on Hell blaze so much, which cost him several of his shirts, some he received as birthday gifts, he's made an astounding breakthrough learning its properties. Hell blaze, with enough mastery, can pretty much burn anything the user wills it to burn. It's a flame that can latch onto anything and start eating away at it. Wood, stone, metal, flesh, all of them were burnt into nothingness. It boggled him at first at how this kind of fire was able to seemingly burn through anything without leaving any sort of byproduct. Usually when something burns, a byproduct is produced like Carbon dioxide for wood.

With hell blaze at its fullest power, no such thing exists. How it does this, he still has no clue. It also seems that it has no need for a fuel source to exist probably because it was more like concentrated magic energy than actual fire.

Regardless of how it works, it works pretty darn well. The fact that he can basically erase something's existence without leaving behind anything damaging by setting it ablaze is really useful for getting rid of toxic wastes which would otherwise worsen if he burnt them normally, not that he would.

He himself has some resistance to the devastating effects of hell blaze being able to emit it directly off his body and all, but he still has to be careful when he uses it. Too much and his body could be damaged beyond repair as well.

He took out his phone and saw that he had about an hour and half before he has to get back home to start some early morning magic training with Merlin.

He rolled his shoulders and popped his neck before speeding off to do what he came here for.

'I seriously hope nobody sues me for burning trash.' Was his last thought before he finally got to work on the beach.

He never spoke about this, but recently it feels like someone's always watching him.

Several hours later...

"Hey, waiter!"

Voices

"Could we get another order of sweet honey glazed chicken wings over here?"

Clattering dishes

"Right away fine sir! Your food will be served shortly."

Scraping

"Excuse me we need a refill on our table."

Boisterous laughing

"Mama! I want more dessert!"

Screaming children

He looked up from the tray in his hands and took in the scenery around him. The tavern was as bright and as lively as it always was. Only now, is the first time he could really witness it upfront and not at the back of the kitchen washing dishes and helping in the cooking. His sensitive ears just made it unbearable. Thankfully, all his training made it so much easier to tune out the horrid vibrations.

The room was so alive. Filled to the corners with happy customers enjoying the best tasting food they'd probably ever taste in their lives. He looked around to see several families eating and talking together. It was... heartwarming.

Yet he felt a heavy weight in his chest.

"Hey waiter!"

He snapped out of his trance to finally register the call for him.

"S-Sorry sir, may I help you with something?"

"Bring us another bottle of your finest wine." A relatively large man waved at him. The smell of alcohol very evident in his breath and an empty bottle in his grip. Three other men were seated at the table, all looking equally flushed.

"R-Right away sir."

He still needs to work on his social skills. Gowther and Flaura encouraged him to improve. Probably another reason as to why he was assigned this job in the first place he mused as he discarded the used dishes in the sink and made a beeline for the bar where Gawain was.

Alcohol in the morning thoug? He wouldn't recommend it, but right now he was but a humble waiter boy at the most successful diner in Tokyo. So who was he to tell the customers what they should order?

"Gawain-san." The silver bearded man momentarily paused shaking the concoction in the mixing cups and craned his head to look at him. "Table three needs another bottle."

"My, my, those gentlemen do seem to be enjoying themselves aren't they?" The man pulled out another bottle and slid across the table straight into Izuku's awaiting hand. "Keep an eye on them would you Izuku-kun? I wouldn't want to have a mess so early in the morning."

Izuku nodded and turned back to head to the table where the drunk men were boisterously enjoying themselves amongst the dozens of other tables.

His mind kept drifting back to his earlier thoughts, to the feeling he felt earlier. What is it? It was familiar.

It was the same as when he was at school surrounded by his quirky classmates. When they would all talk together and he would just be sitting there in his own little world alone, silently listening and watching them. It was a buried feeling he's forgotten for the most part of his life, but it was always there.

Envy.

Envy for what the "normal" people around him always had. Amazing quirks, friends, peers, and now... family.

Is it really normal to be envious of other people's joy? Or is it just him feeling bitter about the world and the unfairness of it all.

He wanted what the people he was serving had even if he knew nothing about them and he stops himself from ever going deeper down that train of thought. He feels the demon power within him stir slightly, threatening to leak out from his control. So, he takes a deep breath and buries that feeling. He shouldn't be so petty.

All his life, the people around him had so many things he didn't have, things he could only dream of having. That fact will never change but now, unlike before, he has something and no one can take it away from him. It was a purpose, to protect and defend these people, their lives their families, their smiles, to make sure that no one would go through the same tragedy he did, and to build a world where everyone could get along, quirk or no quirk.

Seeing this tavern full of smiles and joy was evidence that it was possible. Or at least, it gave him hope it was possible.

He felt a hand ruffle his hair and he looked over his shoulder to see red eyes staring at him with concern.

"You okay Little Captain?" The resident empath asked. "You were zoning out for a bit there."

"Oh. Um... yeah. I was just thinking." Thinking of an excuse that is. It'd be pretty pathetic explaining how he was crying out in the open at something during working hours.

"Kid, you know you can't hide stuff like that from me. I mean you could try, but you'd have to be a robot for it to work."

Right, there was no hiding how he feels in this residence. Not with 2 empaths, 1 mind-reading doll, 1 sneaky fairy with a magical spear and 1 mage with the sharpest mind in the world. He sighed in defeat.

"Come on. You can talk about it while I cook. Your shift is almost over anyway."

The sound of a door opening caught their attention. Violet eyes met green and red through disheveled bangs.

"G-Good afternoon Lance-san, Midoriya-san."

"Perfect timing Hayami-chan, I'm glad you could make it on your first day. Midoriya-kun's shift just ended and we need you out there. You ready?"

"Yes, sir." The girl answered with little doubt.

The man laughed before ushering her off. "Just call me Lance. Go get changed. Flaura is probably getting overwhelmed out there."

The girl nodded one last time and moved towards the changing room. Not before giving a small smile to the freckled boy which he returned. He was still pretty nervous and admittedly jumpy around new people.

The tall man smiled inwardly and nudged him on shoulder.

"So, you wanna tell me what's bothering you?"

"Yeah..." Honestly, he's still not used being cared for this much but it felt great.

Later that night...

10:02 P.M.

It was closing time and the residents of the Boar Hat were grateful for another productive day. As great as it was running the best diner in the city, everyone still looked forward to a long well-deserved sleep. Well, this was the case for at half of the residents. The other half however either found sleeping too unproductive or too bothersome. Izuku was part of the latter.

With the tavern highly active on the weekdays, his usual training routine had to be cut short. This leaves the poor op with no outlet for his near boundless amounts of energy due to his extremely efficient physiology. So to compensate, he spends an extra two hours in the danger room nightly where he can perfect his techniques and develop his arsenal even more.

Tonight was different however. Merlin decided to give him extra magic lessons.

Izuku let out a long exhausted freezing breath. Uncharacteristic amounts of hoarfrost formed around his face and arms. His hands were trembling uncontrollably as well.

"I think that's enough for tonight Izuku-kun. Your body isn't used to using these kinds of spells yet and pushing yourself to learn them will do more harm than good. We'll have to correct your casting as well. Despite your flexible hybrid anatomy, the magic you have isn't meant for this, but it's not entirely impossible for you to do. "

"Y-Y-Yeah..." He was shivering. His body temperature was well below what was even considered alive. Using his demon powers, vapor started rising from his skin as the hoarfrost melted instantly from the sheer heat his body was now radiating to achieve homeostasis.

"Izuku-kun, before you go to bed, I believe it is due time we have a little discussion of something important."

"What is it Merlin-sensei?"

"Your future."

"My future? What do you mean?" He tilted his head in curiosity.

"Months ago, I told you that you can achieve your dreams and that I believe in you. That hasn't changed. We've been training you extensively, preparing you for the world outside and beyond as best we can so that be who you have always wanted to be. So, as your teacher, I'm giving you the best opportunities available." The woman explained. It was a teacher's duty to make sure that her student would get the best opportunity at achieving his dream.

"The U.A. general entrance exam is in two months time and the recommendation exam two weeks earlier than that. I can send you with a recommendation and have all the necessary adjustments ready by then. Because of your current condition, I will need to prepare more discreet accessories that can manage your power and heightened senses. I'll also have informants stationed at the school in case anything were to happen and..."

The mage went on with her monologue making the other occupant of the room sweatdrop. This situation was way too familiar to him. Wait... was this how he was whenever he goes into a mumbling storm?

"U-um... Merlin-sensei..."

The woman was snapped out of her rambling. Perhaps she's been spending too much time with the boy that his mannerisms were rubbing off on her.

"My apologies. Is there something you wish to ask?"

"No. It's just I don't plan on going to U.A."

...

The woman paused in thought completely flummoxed at the unexpected answer before coming to terms with a logic in it.

"I suppose that would be a smart move, it would lessen the chances of you meeting someone familiar and possibly uncovering our operations. Rumor has it that All Might will be working there beginning this year. I'd prefer not too have Gowther constantly rewriting memories to save us." The woman placed a hand on her chin continuing her long train of thought. "Shiketsu is on par with U.A. in terms of prestige but it is quite a distance away. No matter, I will just create a personal shortcut for you there."

"Well, um... I don't want to go to Shiketsu either. I don't want to go any hero school." The boy answered while looking down in... shame?

"Did you have a change of heart on what you want to be?" Her eyes dropped curiously and somewhat disappointed at the boy.

"No-no it's not that. It's just that... you guys have done so much for me, and I really can't thank you guys enough. You taught me all sorts of amazing things about quirks and magic that I don't think any other school do as well as you did. And I don't feel like I'm ready to rejoin society the way I still am with my powers." The boy explained uncharacteristically sternly.

He bowed his head in a request. "So please, even if it may be a little selfish of me, I want to stay here and keep being your student."

Merlin couldn't help the smile growing on her face at her student's words.

"Very well. Although, I should have told you that going to a hero school was only one of the options."

"Then does that mean I can stay as your student?"

"Wouldn't you like to hear the other one first?"

"I guess so... yeah. What is it?"

"On second thought, perhaps it's best if I show you something first." With a snap of her fingers, the two of them were no longer in the all-white training room. Instead, they were in a large clear room filled to the brim with various objects. Magical objects. They were in Merlin's private lab.

Before he could ask what she wanted to show him, the woman presented him a metal case.

"What is this?" He asked, eyes fixed on the smooth metal container.

"What else? It's the costume I made from the design you gave me yesterday."

"Eh? But I..." Honestly what was he expecting? She wasn't the greatest mind and innovator in the world for nothing. "I didn't think you'd have it made so quickly."

"It's not the first time I've designed special equipment for powerful beings so think of it as nothing. Though I hope the costume and its performance is to your liking. Would you do the honors of giving me your honest opinion on it?"

Izuku blushed but smiled brightly nonetheless. His eyes gleamed with familiar excitement as he slowly unlocked the case.

"Well?"

...

"It's... not what I expected."

~End of chapter~

Bonus: "Little Captain"

Yesterday...

Gentle hurried steps came from the stairs as Izuku quickly descended down the flight of steps and into the common room where everyone was doing their own thing.

Flaura was trimming her new bonzai. Lancelot who was joined by Hawk was watching a cooking competition. Gawain was reading a book. Gowther was skimming the newspapers. And Merlin was drinking some red wine.

"Have you guys seen my notebook?" His question cussed everyone in the room to pause and have thought.

"Which one?"

"My Self-analysis for research and training no. 22. I left it in my room a while ago and now it's missing."

The people in the room after some thought gave one answer.

"No."

"Nope."

"I don't believe so."

"My apologies, I haven't"

"Honey-glazed salmon stake..."

The chorus of responses made the greenette think hard on the whereabouts of his belonging. That notebook had his recently added costume design and notes about himself he didn't want just anyone reading.

He started brainstorming on the possibilities.

'Did someone take it from my room?'

'Did I leave the window open and the wind managed to blow it out?'

'Did Hawk-san accidentally mistook it for food and ate it?'

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Sate, sate, sate... where did it go?"

A chorus of sounds from around the room snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked all around at the chaos he inadvertently, unconsciously caused.

Flaura snipped a bit too much on her bonzai, Lancelot reflexively spit out his cola at the poor pig on his lap who squealed in response. Gowther scattered the the stack of newspapers he was speed reading, and Merlin audibly choked on her drink while Gawain handed her a napkin.

"What happened to you guys?"

"What happened?!" The fairy-giant exclaimed. "What did you just say?!"

Taken aback, the startled boy stuttered his response. " I j-just asked myself where my notebook w-went."

"No! Before that!"

"What? I just asked you guys where my notebook went."

"No! After that! When you started asking yourself."

"What are you talking about? I don't remember saying anything."

"You did! You definitely did! Our Uncle Mel used to say that all the time!"

Lancelot approached the boy after wiping off the cola dripping down his face unfortunately he didn't do the same for the very annoyed pig fiercely rolling himself on the carpet.

The tall blonde stopped right in front of the now nervous and cowering boy. And grabbed his shoulders. He then started shaking him violently.

"UNCLE MEL ARE YOU REALLY IN THERE?! COME OUT AND STOP POSSESSING MY APPRENTICE! YOU'LL RUIN HIS COOKING POTENTIAL!"

"WHAAAAAAA...? PO-POSSESS-ED?!" The helpless boy screamed while being thrashed about.

In the distance, away from the comical chaos, Gowther fixed his glasses and started picking up the fallen newspapers. Merlin finally recovered from her little mishap as well.

"He really has inherited more than just power huh?" The doll said while placing the newspapers back on the coffee table.

"How very interesting."

"Well it could just be another muscle memory." He added. "The captain does

"That is highly likely. But whether that's a good thing is up for debate. Who knows what other things he's inherited." Knowing their captain and his mannerisms, they're in for quite an interesting time.

"Oh who am I kidding? As long as he doesn't become as shameless, it'll be fine." And that was an idea the doll could wholeheartedly agree with. The two shared a small laugh at that.

"You're becoming more and more like our uncle and it's kinda scary. You're like our very own version of the old captain. Maybe we should start calling you captain as well?"

"M-Me? I-I'm not qualified for a title like that."

"Then maybe we should call you Little Captain instead? You know? Because you look pretty small."

"B-But, I'm a good two inches taller than him.

"With your disproportionately adorable baby face, you may as well be smaller. It would make pinching your cheeks or ruffling your hair a lot easier."

"Well said Flaura. Then from now on I hereby dub you as Little Captain. Congratulations on your first official title as a member of the knighthood."

Thus the newest member of the 4 horsemen has achieved a new recognition but unbeknownst to the joyful three, a powerful meddling force was brewing two floors above them. And the root of the chaos?

"Yes...yes...yes..." A tired ominous voice resonated within the dim room accompanied by the sound of pencil scribbling on palaver. A figure covered by a blanket hunched its body forward toward the table. Various figurines of old forgotten pre-quirk era icons surrounded his current work. The small night light glowed faintly on the cover of a notebook.

Self-analysis for research and training no. 22

"It's all coming together...my masterpiece." Baggy violet eyes stared deeply in determination as the dying light finally gave out.

What possible consequences could this interference bring about?

A/N: So uh... sorry for the 6-7 month hiatus. Lots of things came up and lots of things are still going on that I couldn't prioritize this story. I'll try to do my best in the future. This story gives me a lot of excitement and joy to write and with the two animes and mangas reaching their peaks, it jus makes me restless. Thank you again for your continued support. Next chapter is going to be really exciting and will come with an extra extra bonus. ;D