BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY ALIEN ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I TRIED TO CREATE AN OMNITRIX BY PUTTING DNA INTO A WATCH, AND NOW I THINK I'M ON A WATCHLIST SOMEWHERE. PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED THOSE PEOPLE FOR THEIR BLOOD FIRST.

Fair warning: I am not going to actually write in a musical number. I have neither the time nor the patience to describe a dance routine.

My Alien Academia

Chapter 43

Don't Stop the Beat

For all that her friends loved her, none of them would deny that Ashido could be an absolute drill sergeant when she wanted to be, especially when it came to her favorite hobby.

"Ochako, lift those arms higher! Tenya, keep your arms loose, or so help me, I will break your arms and make them loose!" Ashido leveled a glare that would have impressed Aizawa. "Mineta, if you put one toe out of your assigned area, I will melt you into a puddle."

Mineta saluted. "Y-yes, ma'am!"

Mineta was just glad that he was allowed to participate in the concert. That, and he was glad that the girls in his class had stopped calling him 'the little rat'—except Yaoyorozu, who seemed to be trying to get his name changed to that moniker.

Some of the class had tried to be part of the actual dance routine, and many of them had auditioned. Ashido, the resident expert on dance, had watched each attempt, and had the final say on who was good enough to learn a routine in only a week. Some, like Sero and Kirishima, had the enthusiasm, but not the correct moves for what Ashido had planned. They would join others, like Todoroki and Koda, backstage, helping with some of the lights, sounds, and everything else that helped make a successful concert.

Not all the class was working the stage or dancing; like Ashido, Jiro had scoured the class for the best musicians, and had immediately claimed them for the band section. That included Kaminari, Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu and, to everyone's shock, Bakugo. Even more surprising, he accepted with almost no grumbling.

"If we're gonna do this shit," he had said as he sat down at the drums to practice, "we're gonna do this so well that the whole damn school is gonna die!"

For his part, Midoriya had been deemed good enough to dance, but not good enough for the center-stage. He was fine with that; the dancing was fun, when he wasn't getting yelled at by Ashido, and he'd had more than enough attention lately.

Ashido looked at her watch. "Okay, that's it for now! One hour to rest or whatever—then we do it again, only I want it done better!"

Midoriya sat down and stretched his sore arms; Ashido had lectured him to speed up his arm movements, and now he was paying the price for his enthusiasm.

"Need some ice?" Todoroki asked as he walked by, carrying a piece of the stage they were building.

"No, I'll be fine," Midoriya assured him. "Mina is just working us really hard."

Mineta coughed. "I want to make a joke about Ashido working Todoroki hard, but I honestly think she'll kill me."

Todoroki leveled an impassive stare at Mineta that managed to convey quite a bit of implied bodily harm. "It's not her you need to worry about, rat."

"I thought we were past that!"

"And I thought you were done being a sentient pile of pond scum."

Midoriya was too tired to let this continue; besides, Mineta had been behaving himself since the incident in the ventilation shaft.

"I'll take care of this, Shoto. You'd better get back to work before Mina sees you."

"Good point." Todoroki gave Mineta another side-eye, and then left.

"Thanks, Midoriya," Mineta said.

"I just don't have the energy to deal with this right now." Midoriya gave him a look. "Besides, if you do something, you'll get expelled."

"I know, I know." Mineta sighed. "I went too far. I'm sorry." The two sat in semi-companionable silence for a moment. "So… how are things with you and Uraraka?" He held up his hands when Midoriya narrowed his eyes. "I'm just asking, I swear!"

"We're… good," Midoriya said cautiously. Of all people, he wasn't expecting to discuss his relationship with his girlfriend with Mineta. "We're planning a date after the festival."

"How do you do it?" Mineta asked. "You're high school students, you're trying to be Pro Heroes, and you're taking care of Eri. How do you have time to date?"

"We don't, not often." Midoriya thought about it, and realized something. "I think we've only had three or four actual dates. Otherwise, we just spend a lot of time together."

Mineta shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know how you two stayed in the Hero Course. After what happened at the summer camp, I kinda thought you would both drop out." He shifted uncomfortably. "I almost did after the USJ attack."

"Really?" Midoriya hadn't known that, but then he remembered how badly Mineta had freaked out. "Why didn't you?"

"I guess… I guess I was inspired by you and Asui. You both did what needed to be done, even though you were scared. I thought I could do that, too."

Midoriya sighed; Mineta was opening up his heart to him, so he threw him a bone. "Well, you're still here, right? Maybe you're on the right path."

Mineta nodded shakily. "Yeah, maybe I am."

"Now, if only you'd stop being such a pervert, maybe more people would like you."

"Hey! I…" Mineta trailed off, and looked uncomfortable. "Okay, you're probably right. Maybe I should just keep that kinda stuff to myself."

"Please do," Sero said dryly as he passed by. "We'd all be able to get so much more done if we didn't have to keep an eye on you."

"Hey!" Mineta glared at him, but then paled. "Crap, Ashido is coming back. Quick, Midoriya, try to look busy!"

Midoriya sighed, and when he saw Ashido's glare aimed at Mineta, he managed to use only his eyes to convey the message that he was fine, and that he would keep an eye on him. Ashido hesitated, then nodded, and went off to find something else to do.

"Enjoy the break while it lasts," he said. "It's going to be a long few days."

…

"Sir Nighteye, you have a visitor."

Nighteye glanced up from his computer. "Is it important? I am still dealing with paperwork for the Eight Precepts raid."

Centipeder bowed. "My apologies, but Hawks is here. He was insistent that he speak with you."

Nighteye was rarely intrigued, but this was an exception. He had never spoken to the de facto—and soon-to-be official, if the rumors were anything to go by—number two Hero in Japan before. He nodded, and Centipeder withdrew; a moment later, the door opened wide enough to let Hawks' wings through.

"Hey, Nighteye! Nice Agency you got here. A little more down-to-earth than what I'm used to, but that seems like your style." He looked around the office. "Wow, you've got a lot of All Might merch, huh? Personally, I'm more of an Endeavor fan, but whatever."

Suddenly, Nighteye was aware of why Nezu sometimes complained about Hawks. Ten seconds in, and he was already tired of Hawks' chatter.

"Is there something you needed, Hawks?" Nighteye tapped the edge of his computer's screen for emphasis. "I am quite busy."

"Yeah, that stuff with those Yakuza, right? Man, that was wild, but at least you got it sorted out." Hawks sat down in front of the desk. "I saw him on the news, but how did Midoriya do? He was my intern first, after all."

Nighteye didn't even blink. "You know as well as I that I can't discuss the particulars of the case until it's officially closed."

Hawks rolled his eyes. "Okay, how about unofficially? Come on, just between friends."

"We have never spoken before now. I would hardly call us friends." Nighteye frowned when he saw some of Hawks' feathers detach and float around. "Is that really necessary?"

"Sorry, force of habit." Hawks' easygoing smile dropped, as several of his feathers crossed each other, and Nighteye saw black marks on them—marks that, when overlapped correctly, formed a message. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but Nighteye knew what he saw.

Help me.

Whatever was going on, Nighteye realized that Hawks couldn't say anything out loud. His curiosity—and concern—piqued, Nighteye played along.

"Oh, very well. Midoriya-san performed beyond my expectations; his skills are far above what I would expect from a first-year student."

"That's my boy. I knew he'd do well." Hawks grinned proudly—and falsely—even as more feathers flitted around and formed more messages.

On undercover mission. Found something big. Need someone I can trust. Don't bring to HPSC.

Nighteye heard the slightest squeak, and saw a dry-erase marker held by other feathers, hidden under one wing. He was using the marker to write out the puzzle-piece message on multiple feathers, then wipe it clean and start again, all without actually looking at what he was doing. The level of control required was staggering, and if Nighteye hadn't been so concerned, he would have openly applauded such talent.

"I'm sure that I can discuss more, as long as it doesn't directly apply to the case," he said, hoping that Hawks would get his own implied message.

I'm listening.

"Cool, I'll get back to you on that." Hawks abruptly stood, but rather than immediately leave, he reached into his jacket. "By the way, I found this interesting book a few weeks back. It was printed way back in the first generation of Quirks, and has a lot of interesting things to say. It's not often you get the perspective of those who lived in those times, right?"

He pulled out a book with a red cover, and a black splotch that looked like a mask; it reminded Nighteye of something, but he couldn't remember what.

"I'll read it," Nighteye promised, positive that Hawks wouldn't have given him something if it wasn't important. "Are there any sections of particular interest?"

Hawks grinned, and there was genuine relief in the expression. "Actually, yeah. If you don't have time to go over the whole thing, I marked the parts I thought were really compelling."

"I'll be sure to go over those tonight," Nighteye said. "However, we are both very busy. I am sure you have much to do."

"Yeah, I really do." Hawks waved as he walked out. "See you later, Nighteye. We can fight over who gets Midoriya for his next internship next time."

Nighteye only let out an exasperated sigh when the door fully closed. Even when sending secret messages, the man couldn't help but be infuriating.

Putting aside thoughts of annoying peers, Nighteye turned his attention to his new reading material. If Hawks was worried enough to reach out for help, then it seemed that Nighteye had found his next long-term project.

…

Construction of Class 1-A's stage was significantly ahead of schedule. That was because the students were allowed to use their Quirks if it helped in construction, and if a teacher was present to oversee the project. Since Aizawa couldn't be bothered, Present Mic volunteered, though that could have been because Midoriya was using a small army of Echo Echo copies to do a lot of the manual labor. The man found that alien utterly fascinating.

"Hey, kid." The Prime Echo Echo looked up at the teacher. "Are you controlling all your copies, or what?"

"Kind. Of." Echo Echo shrugged. "It's not like. They are all. Puppets. It's more like. All of us. Are the same. Person."

"Huh. That must be trippy." Present Mic's ever-present grin widened when he saw Eri wave cutely at one Echo Echo, but seemed confused when another waved back. Melissa, who had volunteered to watch Eri for the day, thought it was absolutely adorable, and hugged the little girl tightly.

Echo Echo waited until his copies had finished their work for the day, merged back with him, and then turned back to normal before speaking again.

"It's a little weird," Midoriya admitted. "It's like I'm seeing the same thing from a bunch of slightly different angles."

Present Mic went cross-eyed when he tried to imagine that. "Nope, I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead. You take a break, kid, I'll go see if Jiro-chan needs any musical input."

Privately, Midoriya doubted that; though sound was Present Mic's thing, Jiro definitely had a better grasp of music. That was probably because, as the class had found out, both of Jiro's parents were talented musicians, and she had grown up playing more than a few instruments.

"Hey, Deku-kun!" Midoriya turned and saw Uraraka carrying a pile of metal bars several times larger than she was.

"Hi, Ochako, what's up?"

Uraraka shrugged, then left the metal floating in the air for a moment, and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. "Just wanted to say hi. I saw Eri-chan on the way here; she said it was funny when you turn into something smaller than her."

"Maybe I should turn into Grey Matter and make funny faces," Midoriya mused as he accompanied his girlfriend. "She's smiling, maybe we should see if we can get her to laugh."

"One step at a time," Uraraka cautioned, then lowered the pile of metal to the ground and canceled her Quirk. "We shouldn't rush her."

"I know, you're right."

Uraraka raised an eyebrow imperiously, in a passable imitation of Yaoyorozu when she was annoyed. "Of course I'm right."

The two tried to maintain their composure, but then started to giggle. Uraraka put one arm around Midoriya's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"This is nice," she said. "No fighting Villains, no danger, just school life. I like this."

Midoriya put one arm around her shoulders. "That reminds me of something Hawks wanted to do."

"What, go back to school?"

"No, he wanted to create a world where Heroes have nothing but free time on their hands. If we make that kind of world, we can relax like this all the time."

There was an explosion in the distance, followed by a stream of cursing, and Uraraka snorted. "Yeah, only interrupted by Bakugo."

"At least Eri isn't around to hear him," Midoriya sighed. "I still have some time before my break is over. Do you want to go for a walk or something?"

Uraraka smiled, then patted him on the back with her left hand; they both laughed when Midoriya started to float. Uraraka then gently pulled him back down and canceled her Quirk.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

…

Nezu read through yet another stack of paperwork, and was struck by a curious combination of excitement and regret. On the one hand, he had never needed to consider so much security for UA even a year ago, and that felt like a knife in his heart. On the other hand, most of the Heroes being brought in for that security were former students of his, and it was a rare opportunity for him to see so many at once.

"I hope Ingenium doesn't feel put-upon to join us," he muttered to himself as he approved Ingenium's application. "Then again, maybe he doesn't feel that we can protect his brother."

Nezu doubted that; Iida Tensei had never so much as hinted that he was dissatisfied with UA's recent actions. In fact, while there were plenty of detractors throughout Japan, the Hero community had been united in its support of UA and other Hero schools. Part of this was because the Heroes had to look united; the public would panic if their protectors fell into discord.

Still, despite the number of Heroes helping to secure the campus, Nezu was never one to put all his eggs in one basket. He sent a quick text message to Midoriya, asking him for a favor; he doubted that it would be necessary, but better safe than sorry.

"Besides," he said to himself, "I think I would enjoy speaking to them again."

…

"So, just to be sure, you're not actually in trouble?" Ben asked. "Your principal just wants some extra hands?"

"Right," Midoriya said. "He also asked that you don't come in costume; you'd just be visiting family members. If you come, I mean."

"I'll talk to Kara and the kids," Ben said. "I can't promise anything, though; Kara is helping her cousin keep some satellites from falling out of orbit for the next few days, Ken is running operations with the Titans, and Jen is studying for college midterms."

"What are you doing?"

There was a pause, followed by a rueful chuckle. "I've gotta stay home for a day or two. Kara and I got so focused on work that we're late on some bills. I need to pay those so that we still have electricity."

"Oh. S-sorry."

"Not your fault. I've been doing this for almost forty years, and I still sometimes have trouble balancing normal life and superhero work. Take my advice, kid—unless there's a crisis, always give yourself at least one day out of the week to decompress, or you'll burn out."

Midoriya filed that away as the good advice that it was. "So, should I tell Nezu-sensei that you're a 'maybe'?"

Ben sighed. "Eh, put us all down as a 'probably'. Jen will want to see you, and Kara and Ken could use a break. If we don't show, we'll send you our best, okay?"

"Thanks." Midoriya looked at the time. "Oh, I need to go; my class is doing another rehearsal soon, and then we have homework."

"The one thing I don't miss about being your age," Ben joked. "That, and all the angst. Talk to you later, kid."

Midoriya hung up and hurried downstairs, where many of his classmates were crowded in a circle, holding packages with excited smiles.

"Deku-kun!" Uraraka dashed over to him, and thrust another package into his arms. "Momo made uniforms for everyone performing!"

Midoriya opened the box, and saw a pair of yellow pants and a jacket, along with a red tie identical to the ones most of the class had stopped using for their school uniforms.

Yaoyorozu smiled and held up an orange shirt with 'Class A' printed on it. "According to the rules of the festival, we all have to be wearing at least one part of our school uniforms during an official event. Those of you performing will have the ties, while the rest of us will wear these shirts instead of our complete uniforms."

Ashido pulled a yellow skirt out and tugged at it experimentally. "Sturdy, but flexible, and it won't get out of the way of any complicated steps. Momo, you're a total genius!"

Uraraka was already heading for the stairs. "We should all try these on, just to make sure they fit!"

Most of the class headed out, but Yaoyorozu noticed that Mineta was lingering, trying to get her attention. Much to her surprise, he remained on the other side of the room, and wasn't leering at her.

"Hey, Yaoyorozu?" Mineta held up his own uniform. "Thanks for this."

Yaoyorozu's expression was carefully neutral. "As part of the performance, you're required to have a matching uniform. I did what was necessary for our class to participate."

Mineta nodded; it was clear that he was disappointed, but took what he could get. "Sure. Uh, I'm gonna go make sure it fits. You probably didn't take my measurements, right?"

Yaoyorozu raised an eyebrow. "I can gauge someone's height and weight fairly easily. Besides, I calculated your measurements a long time ago."

"You did? Why?"

"In case I ever got the chance to launch you out of a catapult. I wanted to ensure the maximum velocity and distance."

"Oh." Mineta paled. "Um, just out of curiosity, how far would I have gone?"

Yaoyorozu's smirk made his blood run cold. "Far enough that I would have to come up with a plausible alibi if I were to be questioned by the authorities."

Mineta decided that it would be better if he stopped asking questions, and darted upstairs.

…

The day of the festival was easily the noisiest UA had ever been for Midoriya, barring the Sports Festival and the USJ attack. It seemed like every spare inch of the campus was being used for something, whether it was a refreshment stand, merchandise, or larger spots for games and performances.

There was some grumbling among the other classes that 1-A got the biggest allocation of space, but considering they were performing a concert that could house about a thousand people in the audience, it quickly passed.

For Midoriya, he was more than a little nervous when he found out just how many people would be watching him. Sure, he wasn't the main focus of the performance, but he would still be there. Since he wasn't the star of the show, it wasn't quite as nerve-wracking—somewhere between the opening moments of the USJ attack and going on his first date with Uraraka.

"How much longer until we're on, ribbit?" Asui asked.

Midoriya glanced at his phone. "Two hours. Should we get into costume yet?"

"You guys don't have to until the last minute," Ashido half-joked, "but parts of our costumes take a while to put on. They're a little tight."

Midoriya tried not to blush; the girls' costumes for the performance consisted of very formfitting purple bodysuits, along with yellow skirts and jackets. When he first saw Uraraka in hers, they were both so embarrassed that they couldn't look at each other for a full day.

"Oh, crap." Sero's words nearly made those who heard him panic. "Hey, guys, the rope we're using to hold up Aoyama broke. Can we get Momo to make some more?"

"She and the rest of the band are doing some last-second practice," Ashido said. "Do you want to interrupt Jiro's music sessions?"

"Not really, I like having my eardrums the way they are." Sero sighed. "I guess I could use my tape, but he could get tangled up."

"There's a general store just outside UA," Midoriya suggested. "I could see if they have any rope, and if they don't, we could risk asking Momo."

Asui tapped her chin. "Can you get permission to go off-campus, ribbit?"

"I think so; the Heroes running security checked for ten blocks outside the school, so it should be safe." Midoriya idly tapped the Omnitrix. "And I'll do my best to stay out of trouble."

Apparently, the security provided was enough to satisfy Aizawa, who gave Midoriya permission to quickly go to the store. He could have requisitioned some rope from the school, but the performances were technically supposed to be created using resources coming from the students, and that wouldn't be in the spirit of things.

He was gone so quickly that he missed Nezu approaching his class with four familiar faces.

…

"That was close. One of those Heroes almost recognized you, Gentle."

"Fortunately, my dear La Brava, I am a master of disguise! Now, I believe there is a store nearby that sells some of my favorite tea. Shall we have some before our operation?"

"Well, I suppose we have time, and it is on the way…"

"Excellent!"

…

"Izuku has the worst timing," Ben complained. "We barely got here in time, and he left."

"Well, we needed the extra rope," Sero said, once he'd gotten over the shock of seeing the Tennysons.

"What, this rope?" Ken held the two broken ends together; there was a flash of green light, and then it was good as new.

"One day, you're going to find yourself in a situation where you don't have to show off," Jen said.

Ken grinned. "Hasn't happened yet!"

Kara sighed. "Anyway, Nezu asked us to keep an eye out, just in case."

"Is there an actual threat?" Iida asked.

Ben waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, we're just a precaution. We're mostly just here to enjoy ourselves."

"You know," Jen said with a wink, "since we're Izuku's cousins, and all that."

Ben nodded, but then his smile faded. "And since we're caring family members, has he been okay? His arm and eyes bothering him at all?"

Uraraka immediately shook her head. "No, he's been fine."

Ben's relief was obvious. "That's great to hear. Azmuth wanted me to check, and just asking me had me worried."

"And Dad's never worried," Ken stage-whispered.

"I'm sure it's happened once," Ben countered. "I think. I can't remember when, though."

"Moving on," Kara said sternly, then pointed off to the side. "We've got time before Izuku gets back, and I see some familiar faces. You kids keep getting ready, while we go say hi."

Ben waved the students off, then followed after his wife. "Hey, Inko! Good to see you again!"

Inko nearly jumped out of her skin. "Ben! Kara! I didn't expect to see you here! Oh, and you brought your children, too, that's wonderful." She gestured to the man next to her. "This is my husband, Hisashi."

The Midoriya patriarch smiled and shook Ben's hand. "It's great to finally meet you. Inko has told me all about you and your family." He winked, and lowered his voice. "Including the parts that I shouldn't repeat when there are others around." He did, however, bow. "Thank you for saving my son's life."

"I'm glad we did," Ken said. "He's a good kid, and he's gonna go far."

"Plus, we wouldn't have been able to save Dad without him," Jen added. "You kinda bond after something like that."

Kara smiled and nudged Inko. "How badly do you think Izuku will freak out when he sees all of us?"

Inko's grin was just short of mischievous. "Considering that he has no idea that his father is even in the country, I'd say that today is going to be full of surprises for him."

…

Midoriya exited the store with a bag in one hand, and his phone in the other; he had just finished texting Iida that he had indeed found some rope, and would be on his way back soon. He still had almost an hour and a half left before the performance, so his pace was leisurely, which allowed him to catch a familiar scent.

An advantage of becoming friends with Yaoyorozu was that he had become familiar with many different kinds of tea. Her favorite, Golden Tips Imperial, had a distinctive smell that was almost as invigorating as the tea itself. Sitting at a table just outside the store was a tall silver-haired man, and either an extremely tiny woman, or a young girl—both of whom were drinking that same tea.

The man—who wore a long coat and wide sunglasses that helped mask his identity—saw Midoriya staring, and raised his cup in greeting.

"Good morning, young man," he said—and between his voice and his features, there was something familiar about him. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Midoriya started. "Er, no, I'm sorry. I just recognized that tea you're drinking; I have a friend who shares it with me."

The man grinned. "Oho, your friend has excellent taste! Some people think this blend is too rich, but I think some things are worth having, regardless of the cost."

Midoriya wasn't sure how to respond to that; Yaoyorozu always seemed to have her favorite teas on hand, and he had never asked how expensive they were. Then again, since the Yaoyorozu family was rich enough to buy a medium-sized country, few things were 'expensive' to them.

The young woman coughed into her hand. "We should really get going."

The man froze, then nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, you're right, my dear. So sorry, young man, but we must be on our way. Errands to run, you see."

Midoriya had completely tuned his words out at that point. The voice, the mannerisms, the way he gestured with his hands—it all clicked together, and it made him tense.

"I know who you are," he said quietly.

The couple paused. "You do?" the man asked. "Tell me, who do you think we are?"

"You're Tobita Danjuro," Midoriya declared. "Otherwise known as Gentle Criminal, which makes your friend La Brava. If I'm honest, you're probably the only Villain I have any respect for."

"I didn't realize you were a fan," Gentle said.

"I'm not. You're a Villain; you use your Quirk to commit crimes, and you've hurt the Heroes who try to stop you. The only reason I have any respect for you is because you never go too far, and you don't kill."

Honestly, Midoriya had never thought he'd meet the Gentle Criminal. Like most kids his age in Japan, he'd watched the man's videos online—at least until they were taken down—and saw him as something of a joke. He committed crimes, yes, and he'd knocked around the handful of Heroes who had caught up with him, but he'd always seemed like more of a goofball than an actual threat. It didn't help that the Heroes he'd fought were either brand new, or had badly underestimated him.

"Why are you here?" Midoriya demanded. "You're not robbing this store, so that's not it. You have to know that UA is close by, and their security is some of the best in the country, so what… wait." It was so unlikely that Midoriya had to believe that it was true. "You're going to do something to UA, aren't you?"

Gentle Criminal swept off his disguise, revealing an outfit of mostly black and silver; the most eye-catching element was a long black coat, with a high collar and coattails. He then bowed and grinned at Midoriya.

"I assure you, my intentions are not to cause harm to the students. I merely wish to make an appearance—to prove to the world that I am capable of standing against the Heroes entrusted with teaching the next generation!"

Midoriya slowly put down his bag, and shifted his stance—just enough to brace himself, while putting his left arm slightly behind. There was a beep as the Omnitrix activated, and the noise made Gentle take a step back as well.

"I won't let you do that," Midoriya said. His tone was calm, almost to the point of emotionless—a trick he'd been practicing since the work-study with Sir Nighteye. "There are families visiting today. Anything you do could put hundreds of people at risk."

"I am confident in my skill," Gentle boasted, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "Just as I am confident that the Heroes will keep the bystanders safe."

"Gentle, be careful," La Brava said urgently; she removed her own disguise, revealing a costume similar to Gentle's but with more pink to match her hair, and her clothes were decorated with hearts. "That's Midoriya Izuku!"

"Ah, I thought he seemed familiar." Gentle stroked his mustache. "I suppose our plan must be adjusted. It is now a race against time, La Brava! We must complete our objective before this young Hero can stop us."

While Gentle spoke, Midoriya considered his options. Technically, this could be considered an emergency, which meant that he had the authority to act. Granted, he would have done everything in his power to stop Gentle and La Brava anyway, but at least he wouldn't be in trouble. He also wondered which of his aliens would be most useful; despite watching the man's videos, Midoriya wasn't quite sure what Gentle's Quirk actually did. He had even less to go on for La Brava; all he knew was that she did all the technical work.

Might as well try to take him down right now.

Midoriya lunged forward, transforming into Rath even as he charged. Gentle raised an eyebrow, and made a tapping motion against the air between him and his attacker. Just as Rath's fist entered that space, it slowed, then stopped as it pressed against a transparent disk of what felt like rubber. A moment later, all that energy pushed back, and that same fist snapped back into his own face.

"Ow!" Rath rubbed his jaw; now he knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end.

"I do so dislike violence," Gentle chided. "It's so much easier to have my opponent do all the work. My Quirk allows me to make anything I touch elastic—yes, even the air! Quite the handy power, wouldn't you say?"

"Rath says that you're gonna get punched in the face, Gentle Criminal!" Rath darted around where the elastic patch was, and attacked again.

This time, Gentle touched the ground at his feet, and then grabbed La Brava. He jumped a few inches into the air, and when he came back down, the elastic ground launched him almost thirty feet up! Gentle then began placing more elastic patches in the air, creating platforms to bounce from; in moments, he was almost out of sight.

Midoriya turned into Jetray and followed, hoping that he wasn't too late.

…

"Huh."

Jen glanced at her brother; he had the semi-focused look Kryptonians had when they were looking at something too far away for normal people to see. "Problem?"

Ken shrugged. "I don't think so. Not yet, anyway. Izuku has it handled."

Jen raised an eyebrow, then used her own super-sight to see what Ken was looking at. "Oh. Huh."

"See what I mean?"

"Weird outfit."

"Please, compared to Creeper, that guy looks downright boring."

"I was talking about the girl."

"Oh, right." Ken paused. "How does her hair not get dirty? It looks like it would drag on the ground."

"This world is wacky, and I'm not questioning it anymore."

"Good idea."

…

With Gentle creating an invisible obstacle course behind him, Jetray couldn't risk following directly after him. Instead, he flew much higher, always keeping the two Villains in sight; when he got close enough, he started firing neuroshock beams, driving them down into the cover of some trees in a nearby park. Once he saw Gentle land, he swooped down after them; when he got close, he turned into Ghostfreak. His thinking was that he would possess Gentle, and use him to detain La Brava.

What he didn't expect was to get repelled by a patch of elastic air, even though he was intangible!

How is that possible? Ghostfreak wondered incredulously. I should've been able to go right through it… wait, I can pass through solid objects, but air isn't solid. Maybe his Quirk just changes the way the molecules interact, making them elastic. He almost slapped himself. Focus, you idiot! I can't let him reach UA; if people get caught in the crossfire, it could be a disaster!

Ghostfreak floated down to the ground, then turned into Armodrillo and dug through the soil. It took him less than a minute to catch up to Gentle and La Brava; he popped out of the ground and landed in front of them, then banged his fists together.

"Last chance," he growled. "Give up now, or I will hurt you."

Gentle seemed to be rapidly considering his options, and then settled on one. "La Brava, darling, I need you to say it."

La Brava looked between Gentle and Armodrillo, and back again. "Gentle, I love you!"

At first, Armodrillo had no idea what was going on; then, a pink aura surrounded Gentle, who drew back his fist and punched him in the chest. To Armodrillo's surprise, what should have been nothing more than a tap to him sent him tumbling backwards, end over end.

Wait, what!? His Quirk had nothing to do with his strength! No, this happened after La Brava said she loved him. Maybe that's the trigger for her Quirk? It must increase the power of whoever she says that to.

Rather than leave himself open by struggling to his feet, Armodrillo turned into Buzzshock and zipped back. He ended up bouncing off a tree, which hurt, but it got him out of Gentle's reach. He then turned into Articguana and shot a long cryo-beam from his mouth; Gentle countered by reflecting the beam back and up with an angled disk of elastic air.

Taking a page out of Todoroki's book, Articguana aimed at the ground around Gentle and La Brava, freezing everything within fifty feet of them. Ice crept up their feet and ankles, and would have taken them down, if not for Gentle's incredible strength. He shattered the ice with a mere shift, and then leaned down to free La Brava with just as little effort. He placed her on his shoulder, then made the icy ground elastic, and used it as a springboard.

Articguana turned into Jetray and flew to intercept them, moving so fast that Gentle, who had just made another platform in the air, didn't have time to make an elastic barrier again. Instead, he simply tried to punch Jetray, who transformed into Grey Matter at the last second and ran up the man's arm. Both Gentle and La Brava were so surprised by the move that they couldn't react in time, and Grey Matter punched the latter in the nose. The blow wasn't strong, but it did knock her off her perch, and she started to fall down to the ground.

"No!" Gentle watched, horrified, as gravity took its due; he snatched Grey Matter and squeezed, and was rewarded with the sound of cracking bone. "How could you!?"

Despite his pain, Grey Matter grinned. "Elastic floor, remember?"

Gentle looked down again, and to his immense relief, La Brava was bouncing on the elastic ice, none the worse for wear. Then he saw a flash of green light, and Big Chill slipped out of his grasp, and then turned into Swampfire to heal his injured bones.

As the scent of methane reached him, Gentle recoiled. "That smell is awful!"

Swampfire smiled, even as he fell back to earth. "It won't last long!"

Gentle frowned as Swampfire snapped his fingers; a single spark emerged, igniting the trail of methane, and causing an explosion in his face. It sent him plummeting back to the ground, but the impact did little damage; between the elastic ground and the boost to his strength from La Brava's Quirk, he was fine. He rose to his feet, just in time to get punched in the face by Four Arms.

"Stay still," Four Arms grunted, holding the man in place with two arms, and decking him with a third. "I'm not letting you get near UA!"

Gentle spat out blood, and tried to headbutt the alien; however, he barely reached Four Arms' chest, and the boost to his strength only caused another grunt of pain. Four Arms returned the headbutt, which sent Gentle tumbling end over end.

"Last chance," Four Arms said, and turned into Articguana again. "Either freeze willingly, or I make you freeze."

Despite everything, Gentle laughed. "That… that is a terrible pun, young man. I must applaud you for saying it with a straight face."

"Gentle!" La Brava, slightly woozy from her long fall, staggered over. "You only have a little longer to use my Quirk! We need to get out of here!"

Gentle shook his head. "I'm afraid that is no longer an option, my dear. I saw several Heroes on their way while I was falling, and this young man will probably not fall for any of my tricks a second time."

Seeing as how the two Villains seemed to be ready to surrender, Articguana cautiously approached. "What was all this about, anyway? I know you like to put on a show, but you had to know that attacking UA was… well, it was a bad idea."

Gentle laughed tiredly. "It wasn't like I planned for a protracted battle, young man. I simply wanted to prove to the world that I was not worthless."

Despite himself, Articguana winced. He knew what that was like, having been called worthless for most of his life. At least Gentle actually had a Quirk, and wasn't a fraud, like him.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "I know what it's like to want to prove yourself."

La Brava scowled. "What do you know? You have the most powerful Quirk on the planet! The entire world would be tripping over itself to make you their best Hero."

Articguana sighed. "Maybe now, but… I couldn't actually use my Quirk until about a year and a half ago. I didn't even know I had one."

Gentle tilted his head. "You thought you were Quirkless? How did that happen, unless… oh, I think I know. That watch of yours somehow triggers your Quirk, yes?"

"Yeah. My cousin figured it out, and made the watch for me." It was starting to alarm him how easily he told that lie now. "All I ever wanted was to help people, but it took most of my life before anyone bothered to help me."

Gentle sighed. "I sympathize. I only wanted to be a Hero, to help those in need, but I kept making mistakes, and every failure made that dream harder to obtain. Eventually, I dug a hole so deep that becoming a Villain was my only option."

"And look how that ended." All three of them jumped when Ingenium stepped around a tree, hands on his hips. "Lying in the dirt, defeated by a high school student. I'll take it from here, Midoriya."

"Uh, sure." Midoriya turned back to his human form. "How long were you there?"

"Long enough to hear the abridged version of this guy's life story." Ingenium shook his head. "You're lucky there's a lot of noise at UA right now; that explosion might have caused a panic."

Midoriya flinched. "S-sorry!"

Ingenium waved off his apology. "No problem. Just finish your errand, and I'll take care of the rest."

"Th-thank you!" Midoriya paused. "I don't think these two are that bad."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Gentle Criminal kept saying that he didn't plan to put anyone at risk, and just wanted to prove that he wasn't a failure. I believe him; I think he just keeps making the wrong choices, but he could be better."

Ingenium's face was hidden by his helmet, so Midoriya had no idea what he was thinking. "Maybe the police will take that into consideration. My job is just to get these two out of here." He paused. "Maybe, if they're good, I can get back to UA to watch your performance."

Gentle chuckled and held out his hands. "Far be it from me to deny a performer his audience. Well done, young man; as a reward, I will not resist any further."

Midoriya reflected that the entire fight had taken less than five minutes. And with plenty of time to spare.

…

The performance went off without a hitch, much to the relief of Class 1-A. Some of Midoriya's favorite moments were when Uraraka used her Quirk on some of the people in the audience, and then Sero used his tape to drag them through the air like balloons, and also when Aoyama shot his laser at him as Diamondhead, creating an impressive lightshow.

By the time the show was over, the performers were just as pumped up as the audience—even Bakugo managed to not be grouchy—and they all hurried to get cleaned up so that they could enjoy the rest of the festival.

"Izu! Chako!" Eri dashed over to them, her eyes wide and sparkling. "That was amazing! There was loud music, and everyone was cheering, and, and—"

Midoriya lifted Eri up as the little girl went on and on about everything she experienced; he shared a grin with Uraraka at how happy Eri was. They had hoped for that kind of reaction; for the first time since meeting her, they felt like she was acting just like a normal little girl.

"Sorry about that, guys," Melissa said as she ran up to them. "She was behaving herself, but then she saw you, and she bolted."

"It's fine," Uraraka said. "Thanks for watching her during the show."

"Of course!" Melissa glanced at her phone. "Oh, I need to get going, the beauty pageant is starting soon, and I need to put on my dress!"

"Break a leg!" Uraraka called out. "And tell Nejire that we said that to her, too!"

"We should hurry up here," Midoriya said, and put Eri back down. "We promised them that we'd watch their show."

"I think we have about twenty minutes." Uraraka waved at Aizawa, who was nearby, to get his attention. "Aizawa-sensei, can Izuku use his Quirk to speed things up?"

Aizawa sighed. "Fine, go ahead."

Midoriya grinned, and turned into XLR8; in less than five minutes, he had dismantled most of the stage, and organized everything into neat piles that would be put away by some of Power Loader's robots.

"Why did we have to do anything before?" Jiro mock-grumbled as she put away her guitar.

"It's a lot easier to take stuff down than put them up?" Midoriya offered as he turned back to normal.

"Still, thank you for this, Izuku," Yaoyorozu said kindly. "Now, we can spend the rest of the day enjoying the festivities. Oh, Ochako, wasn't there something you wanted to show him?"

"We can look after Eri while you're gone," Sero promised, then took the little girl's hand. "Come on, Eri, you can have fun with us while those two do gross couple stuff."

Asui gave her boyfriend the flattest look possible, despite her face never changing from its usual expression.

"Gross couple stuff? What about us? Ribbit."

Uraraka grinned as Sero floundered, and then started pulling her boyfriend along. "Come on, Deku-kun, I have a surprise for you!"

Confused, Midoriya let her lead him into the crowd; after a few minutes, she brought him to a line of concession stands. It took him a minute to spot several familiar faces, but one was particularly noteworthy because there was no way he could actually be here.

And yet…

"Dad!?"

Midoriya Hisashi grinned. "Hey, son! I'm guessing you didn't expect to see me, huh?"

Izuku was running before his brain registered what he was doing, and collided with his father. He didn't even try to hide his tears as he hugged the man. After a minute, he pulled back and wiped his eyes.

"What? How? Why?" He looked up at his father, then at his mother, who was smiling through her own tears. "All the questions! I need answers!"

"Your father got a transfer back to Japan," Inko explained. "He'll be home a lot more often!"

Midoriya grinned so widely that it hurt. "That's… that's amazing!"

Hisashi ruffled his son's hair. "I think you had something to do with that. My boss is a bit of a Quirk-nut, just like you, and thought you were so cool. He probably thought I could introduce you, just so you two could talk Quirks."

"If he's letting you come home, I'll talk about anything he wants!"

Ben coughed to get his attention. "Well, maybe not everything, right?"

"R-right, maybe not everything." Izuku blinked. "Wait, you guys made it!"

"That took a while," Jen teased.

Ken waved. "Hey, dude. We saw your show, it was great!"

"It was kinda cool watching a show that included powers," Kara added, then lowered her voice. "We don't do that kind of thing back home."

"That… makes sense." Izuku shifted to let his mother join in on the hug. "Thanks for coming today."

Kara smiled. "Hey, visiting family is always fun."

"And the last time we went to Japan together, it was a lot more stressful," Ben added. "You know, because we had to save lives. Can we do this more often?"

A man that Izuku now noticed had been hugging his girlfriend—and a woman who looked almost exactly like an older version of Ochako—chuckled.

"Considering what you and your friends did for my daughter, I'd say you have a standing invitation to come whenever you like."

Izuku went pale; he had been crying his eyes out in front of his girlfriend's parents!

Fortunately, Ochako noticed, and she gave him her best smile as she tugged him over. "Come on, Deku-kun, you need to meet my parents!"

Izuku nervously met Uraraka Yukiko's eyes, and was relieved to see kind fondness there. "H-hello."

Yukiko smiled. "So, you're the young man my daughter is head over heels for."

Ochako sputtered. "Mom!"

Uraraka Tenma grinned. "If you didn't want us to make fun of you, you shouldn't have told us so much about him." He winked at Izuku. "You should have heard her going on and on about you saving her from that robot when you first met."

Izuku saw his girlfriend pouting, and took a chance. "Did she tell you that she threw up on me when that happened?"

The older Urarakas broke into laughter, while their daughter grabbed Izuku in a headlock. "Considering that I saved you from falling on your face, twice, I think we're even."

Hisashi shared a grin with Tenma. "Oh, that's cute, they're keeping score."

"Think maybe we should keep track for them?" Tenma asked.

"DAD!" both teen shouted at once.

…

"Tobita Danjuro." Gentle looked up as Ingenium walked into the interrogation room. He sat down across from him, arms loosely crossed. "I heard you confessed everything to the police."

Gentle tried to muster up his usual pomp, but it was obviously forced. "Well, yes, I suppose that it was the honorable thing to do. I felt so moved by that student's courage and determination, you see, and I couldn't let him feel like a failure because I was let go by a technicality."

There was a pneumatic hiss as Ingenium's helmet detached in several pieces, and folded into a slot in his armored collar.

"That's a neat feature."

"Thanks, it's new." Without his helmet, Gentle could see Ingenium's kind eyes. "I also heard something interesting."

"Oh?"

"That you tried to take all the blame for that friend of yours. You tried to tell the police that you brainwashed her, and that she shouldn't be arrested."

Gentle's eyes were as steely as any determined Hero's. "Because that's what I did. She wouldn't have been drawn into a life of crime if not for my actions."

Ingenium sighed. "Funny, she tried to tell the police the same story, only that everything was her idea."

"What!?" Gentle rose to his feet. "What is she thinking!? If she does that, she could be throwing her whole life away!"

"She's probably thinking you're doing the same thing," Ingenium said mildly, then gestured to the chair. "Why don't you sit down? We'll be having a very interesting conversation in a minute."

Gentle blinked, but then saw an intriguing light in the Hero's eyes. Despite his panic, his interest was piqued, and he sat down.

"Speaking of that kid who stopped you, Midoriya…" Ingenium leaned back in his seat. "I managed to catch his performance."

Being the showman at heart that he was, Gentle couldn't help but be curious. "What kind of performance was it? And was it good?"

"It was a concert—a band, singing, dancing, lights, the whole nine yards. And it was pretty good, for something they only practiced for two weeks."

Gentle nodded in approval, and then the door opened again; he nearly jumped to his feet yet again when he saw La Brava being led inside. She looked completely defeated, but when she saw Gentle, her face lit up.

"Gentle!" She sprinted over to him and hopped into his lap. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you at all? If they did, you could use it against them in court—"

"I am completely fine," Gentle assured her. "My only injuries came from the fight earlier today."

Ingenium coughed to get their attention. "Could you two please sit? This is going to be important."

La Brava reluctantly got into the only empty chair in the room, and the two criminals waited nervously.

Ingenium rose to his feet and slowly paced around the room. "You two are something else. On the one hand, there's enough evidence of your crimes—evidence that you posted online, by the way—to easily get you sent to prison for a good twenty years. However, you've shown that you never use lethal force; heck, you barely use enough force to knock someone out. This is in direct contrast to how skilled I know the two of you are.

"Tobita Danjuro. Quirk: Elasticity. Was expelled from school, but it's on the record that you wanted to be a Hero. You tried to help someone in trouble, and accidentally got in a Hero's way. Your intentions were good, which was why you didn't get more than a slap on the wrist, but interfering with a Hero's work can lead to being socially ostracized. You've got at least twenty counts of robbery, illegal Quirk use, resisting arrest, and assault.

"Aiba Manami. Quirk: Love. Got top marks in high school, and could have been accepted into almost any tech field you wanted, but basically vanished off the face of the earth. The next thing anyone knew, you were hacking computer systems across Japan—and a few beyond our borders, apparently. You're also an accessory to every single one of Tobita's crimes.

Ingenium returned to his spot across from the pair, but remained standing. "Basically, you've got two options. Option one: you go to prison, serve your sentence, and when you come out, you spend the rest of your lives trying to find a job like normal people. Oh, and you'll probably never see each other again."

Gentle shared a worried glance with La Brava. "And the second option?"

"The second option is more interesting. Ever heard of the Antihero Program? I do a bunch of paperwork, and you basically go on probation as sort-of Sidekicks. If you do well, you get pardoned, and you officially become my Sidekicks. After that, you might even become Pro Heroes yourselves." He dropped the easygoing persona for a moment, and leveled the most intimidating glare either criminal had ever seen. "And if you step out of line and break my trust, I'll do everything I can to see you two get put in Tartarus for the rest of your lives."

Despite the threat, Gentle couldn't help but feel hopeful. "Why would you give us such an offer? As you said, we have committed many crimes."

Ingenium sighed. "Blame Midoriya. That kid got you talking about how you got dealt a bad hand, and it got me thinking. Maybe you both deserve a second chance. Besides, I've seen your Quirks, and you're both talented enough to be a real help; and my Agency could use a technical specialist of Aiba-san's skill."

"So it's not just out of the goodness of your heart," La Brava accused.

Ingenium shrugged. "It's that or prison; I have nothing to lose by you refusing, and a whole lot to gain if you accept."

La Brava considered it for a moment, then looked at her partner. "I'll go with whatever you decide, Gentle… but I think it's a good deal."

"I must agree; the thought of imprisonment is not comforting, and we have a chance to do some good." Gentle wiped away a tear. "And it is not often one gets a chance to pursue a dream thought lost forever."

"Sounds good to me!" Ingenium clapped his hands together. "I'll get the paperwork in here soon for you two to sign, and then we'll get you out of here. Oh, one more thing, Tobita-san."

"Yes?"

"You might want to drop the 'Criminal' part of your handle. Not a good name for someone who wants to be a Hero, right?"

Gentle laughed, though it was broken with sobs. "Yes, I suppose that is true."

…

Midoriya waved goodbye to his family; the Tennysons would head to his parents' house in the car, and then Ken would take them back to their own universe, to avoid suspicion.

"What's up, Deku-kun?" Uraraka looped her free arm through his, while her other arm carried a sleeping Eri. "You look really happy."

"I am happy," Midoriya said. "This was… this was a really good day."

…

Ben was still smiling when he went into his kitchen that night. Considering how quickly Midoriya's life had gone from boring to fighting for his life, it was good to see him handling it well.

He was just about to open his fridge when he heard a noise from behind him; years of spending time with Batman had taught him to recognize footsteps, and those didn't belong to his family. He whirled, ready to transform, until he saw who it was.

"Paradox, what are you doing here?" Ben's eyes went wide when he saw blood dripping down the time-traveler's hand. "What happened to you?"

"It is of little consequence," Paradox said, though for the first time in the decades Ben had known him, he sounded shaky. "My friend, it is as I warned you. The great Crisis is on the horizon, and it is time to gather the champions destiny has decided will defend all of reality."

Ben closed his eyes, his good mood gone. "No pressure for them, right?"

"Indeed. It is only the fate of all that ever was, is, or will be resting on their shoulders." Paradox put his uninjured hand on Ben's shoulder. "Tell your friends to be ready. I will return soon."

Ben blinked, and then Paradox was gone. "Nice to see you too."

(Aiga Hoiiyo—Shion Tsuji, TV Version)

The music starts, and Midoriya jogs through the street in costume at night, followed by the other Rising Stars. As they run, the darkness is pushed back, and across the buildings are images of them fighting the Eight Precepts. When they pass by, the images shatter, then reform into pictures of them relaxing and having fun at school.

When Midoriya stops, it is in front of UA, and the doors open for him and his friends. There is a bright flash of light, and then nothing can be seen.

When the light fades, we see Eri opening her eyes as she falls from the sky. She seems confused at first, but then she sees Cellophane, in costume, but without his helmet, falling next to her; he grins, and then grabs her with his tape. He pulls her close, ruffles her hair, and tosses her to Froppy; she spins around in midair, then lets her go, where she is snatched by Virtus, his engines burning through the sky as he carries her to Genesis, who hugs her tightly and kisses the top of her head. She then hands her off to Alien Queen, does a backflip with Eri in her arms, then lets her gently fall down a slide of ice and into Triumph's arms; he smiles, and then tosses her to Uravity and Deku. Each of them takes one of Eri's hands as they fall to the ground.

Following after them on the ground are the Big Three, Red Riot, and all the Heroes involved in the raid. They slide to a stop in front of UA, where the Rising Stars land; Eri hugs Uravity and Deku with a huge smile on her face, while Hawks flies above them all and grins.

And thus, this arc finally ends! Well, it was more like I mashed two arcs together, but whatever. Anyway, that's the end of the Eight Precepts, but not the end of Gentle and La Brava. At the time of this chapter's posting, we haven't seen them again the manga, and taking into account what is happening right now, I don't think we'll see them again in canon, which is sad, because I liked them. Oh, and I like the idea that Gentle was annoying for Midoriya to fight, but he couldn't even beat canon Midoriya, much less one with an Omnitrix and pseudo-Master Control.

Oh, and Paradox is back, with tidings of doom. No big deal, right? We'll get to that soon enough.

As always, please consider buying my book, Alpha Sanction, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or on Amazon as an eBook or physical copy. I'm working on the sequel when I can, but with three jobs, I barely have time to write. My hope is to get it finished this year!

If you want another way to support me, please consider donating on P-atreon (link in my profile). Every donation helps, and if you donate enough, you get stuff, like a free copy of my book!

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Next Chapter: Midoriya goes back to school unaware of the looming Crisis ahead of him…

Plus Muffin!