A/N: Hey, everyone! I just wanted to wish a belated Merry Christmas to one and all, to those of you who celebrate the holiday, that is! :D
Now, I hope I did not keep you waiting long enough. I know over six months isn't an ideal waiting period, especially if it hasn't been officially announced by me. However, some of it wasn't entirely my fault. You see, just in case you guys and gals haven't noticed, starting on Halloween, this site was hit with a major bug that affected the visibility of new updates to fics and accounts, as well as newly-posted stories. During that grueling period of time, I quickly decided to hold off on writing altogether and instead devote my energy to cross-posting my existing stories to my Archive Of Our Own (AO3) account, as well as creating backups for my documents on Microsoft Word, because I've been a dummy by using the Doc Manager and only the Doc Manager to hold onto my fanfiction materials.
Now, it looks like the site's starting to get its act together again, which will allow me to carry on with writing. HOWEVER, I just wanted to let you all know that, if this site goes down for good, it is NOT the end for me. Not by a long shot. I am and WILL remain active elsewhere. I have my alternate accounts listed at my profile, and the usernames are 100 percent accurate. It should NOT be hard to find me there. Go over to my profile, and make sure you have the usernames and the websites memorized. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Alright, I think I'm done talking! Let's get on with the long-awaited chapter. ENJOY!
P.S.: Due to the ever-worsening situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak, I'm going to have to remind you all about the basic steps you should take if you want to stay healthy, courtesy of my university's reminder emails:
-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
-Keep your hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth (I can't imagine how difficult this part is probably going to be)
-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:
-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
-Not sharing food and drinks with others
-Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes (Again, I understand this is probably going to be difficult)
-Avoiding close contact with others
-Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects
-Staying at home if you're unwell (PRIORITY NUMBER ONE!)
-Staying calm and keeping yourself well-informed (My personal advice)
If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.
"...We've always got job openings in our organization, and we could use all of the help we can get. And while we're at it, we could use that opportunity to shake the kids down a lil', see if we can weed out the ones who jumped me and my pals. Those kids sounded high school-age anyway, and it is the only high school in town, so...it can't be that hard to find 'em. That is, of course...unless you cops are willing to actually do your jobs."
Nishiya sighed reluctantly and stuffed the scribble-adorned notepad back into his breast pocket. Overhearing Takeyama casually chewing and blowing on a wad of bubblegum, he approached the front door to the apartment room and knocked on it sternly. A few moments later, the door opened up to reveal a stout, rotund woman with chin-length green hair tied into a ponytail on the left, along with round green eyes that shone with thinly-veiled stress.
"O-Oh!" she exclaimed. "I remember you! You're that nice detective from the hospital!"
"Hello, Midoriya-san," Nishiya greeted with a polite bow of his head. "Is your son Izuku home?"
"Y-Yes, h-he's in his bedroom preparing for school." The overweight woman pointed over her shoulder before hesitating. "Wh-Why? D-Did my little Izuku do something wr-wrong?"
Nishiya gritted his teeth for a moment. "I'm not sure, Midoriya-san. That's why my partner and I have to speak to him."
"Eh..." Takeyama greeted from the side, her voice slightly muffled by the wad of bubblegum in her mouth. Nishiya rolled his eyes.
Inko stared up at the brown-haired, slightly tanned detective, looking quite unsure of whether to trust him or not. After a minute of awkward contemplation, she bit her lower lip and stepped aside.
"Come on in, Detective..." she said.
"Thank you. Pardon us for the intrusion."
Nishiya entered the apartment, closely followed by a nonchalant Takeyama. Once Inko closed the door and locked it, she guided them down the hallway and over to the second door to the right.
Nishiya arched an eyebrow upon seeing the huge, colorful poster proudly pinned on it. It was of a volume of the manga Our Hero Academia. He was neither familiar about nor overtly fond of manga in general, but he had seen posters of that specific manga plastered on the windows and doors of the local manga café. More than a few underage witnesses that he interviewed at home had volumes and posters of the manga in their possession. He even heard one of his colleagues talk about his nephew's obsession with it. Our Hero Academia seemed to have become a significant fad within the manga fan community ever since it was first released.
Inko rapped her knuckles against the old, polished wood. "Izuku, dear?" she called. "The detectives from the hospital are here to speak with you."
"Th-The what?!" Izuku's voice cracked from the other side. Then, Nishiya heard some shuffling from within the room. "H-Hold on a sec! I'm-I'm not decent yet!"
Several seconds passed before the door opened, revealing a slightly disheveled Izuku. His untidy mat of green hair was even more disheveled, his school uniform was clearly put on in a rush, and his viridescent eyes were wide and alert.
"Ah, relax kid," Takeyama said nonchalantly. "We're not here to arrest you. Yet."
"Wh-Wh-What?!" Izuku and Inko squeaked at the same time.
But Nishiya sighed and shook his head again. "She's just kidding, Midoriya-kun," he droned while trying to suppress his frustration towards his partner. "Don't worry; you're not in any trouble."
Nevertheless, Izuku didn't seem too sure. "O...Okay..."
While Takeyama started to blow another bubble from her gum, Nishiya asked, "Did you eat your breakfast yet, Midoriya-kun?"
"N-No..."
"D'you think you could package it?" Nishiya pointed his head toward the door. "Takeyama and I can drive you to school."
Izuku was taken aback, but in contrast, Inko looked rather pleased by this.
"O-Oh, yes!" she exclaimed. "Of course, Detective! Izuku-kun, please pack up your school stuff! I'll pack your sandwich!"
Izuku stared at his mother in disbelief, but he didn't argue as the overweight woman rushed off, leaving him alone with the detectives. Then, he glanced at Nishiya, sensed the piercing stare he was giving him, and gave the detective a small, innocuous smile, along with a barely audible chuckle.
Izuku Midoriya had never felt so scared before in his life.
Forget witnessing a sexual assault. Forget getting himself into fights with thugs affiliated with the Shie Hassaikai. Forget all of his encounters with Katsuki and his cronies. This, this had to be the scariest moment of his life.
The green-haired boy struggled to keep his cool as he remained seated in the backseat of Nishiya and Takeyama's police cruiser. Right now, he was taking conservative nibbles of his mother's homemade sandwich and watching the buildings of hometown go past him in a blur. It was all that he could do to avoid Nishiya's judgmental gaze.
"Midoriya."
In spite of all the effort he took to keep himself relaxed, Izuku's response was a high-pitched squeak that would've been adorable in any other situation.
"Y-Ye-Yes, Detective?!"
He briefly met Nishiya's sharp, piercing eyes and could see them staring at him through the rearview mirror. Suppressing a terrified hiccup, Izuku tore his pupils away from him.
"Do you think you've done something wrong?" Nishiya asked, his voice laced with a tinge of suspicion. No one else would have noticed it, but Izuku did.
"N-No, sir," Izuku replied, collecting himself on the inside. "I don't believe I did."
"I see."
Nishiya's tone remained unchanged, however. Izuku wasn't looking, but he knew the police detective was staring at him through the rearview mirror, trying to analyze his facial expressions and search for tells. He tried his best to stop Nishiya from being successful by remaining calm and collected, just like Yamikumo in the heat of a particularly important battle. But he had a gut feeling that he wasn't all that successful in that regard, especially since Nishiya kept prodding him with thinly-veiled questions.
"So, how's school?"
"H-How's school?" repeated Izuku. Then, he resisted the urge to wipe the sweat developing on his temple. "I-It's good, I s-suppose..."
"You suppose?" Nishiya arched an eyebrow. "I heard about the arrest of that underwear thief."
Izuku gulped as subtly as he could. "Y-Yeah, I...I heard about it too."
"Yet you say that you suppose everything's good at school? Do you still feel unsafe at school, Midoriya?"
"Wh-What?!" Izuku glanced at Nishiya for the first time; indeed, the detective was shooting brief glances at him with the rearview mirror. "N-N-No! N-Not at all! I feel perfectly safe over there!"
"You should..." Nishiya trained his eyes on the road as he slowed the cruiser to a stop at an intersection, allowing a small group of pedestrians to cross the street. "You know, last night, one of the other students at your school was saved from some muggers."
Izuku restrained another gulp as the memories of Koji's rescue came flooding back to him. "A-A student was nearly mu-mugged last night?"
"You deaf, kiddo?" Takeyama asked nonchalantly from the passenger seat. Izuku focused on her, and though he couldn't see what she was doing from behind, he could hear the loud crunching of potato chips. "That's exactly what he said."
Nishiya took a moment to groan quietly with disapproval. Then, once the last of the pedestrians had finished crossing the street, he made a right turn and proceeded down the road.
"I was at the scene after it all happened, Midoriya," he said. "And do you wanna know what that kid told me?"
Izuku knew he was sweating bullets, but he shone the most innocent grin that he could muster. "Wh-What, Detective?"
"He told me that he was saved by a rabbit man."
An awkward silence filled the car interior and remained there for a few moments before Izuku asked, as modestly as he could, "I'm sorry, what?"
"Well, at least, that's what the kid called him. He said the man's costume reminded him of a rabbit."
Nishiya didn't glance at him through the rearview mirror again, but Izuku could sense the judgmental stare coming from the detective's eyes.
"And that description reminded me of someone," Nishiya continued.
"Re-Really?" Izuku asked with a small gulp. "Wh-Who?"
Nishiya slowly, carefully came to another stop at a traffic light. He didn't say anything, nor did he give Izuku any sort of glance through the rearview mirror. But in that moment, Izuku knew exactly what Nishiya wanted to say.
"You know who."
Izuku tried his best not to react, but he could feel the immeasurable heat exuding from his skin, and the warm beads of sweat dripping down his cheeks. This was exactly what he feared this was. This wasn't a simple ride to school, given by a police detective acting out of the good in his heart.
This was an interrogation.
Izuku prepared to open his mouth and say something, anything that came to mind, anything that would help him get out of the mess he had created. But before even a decibel could leave his mouth, Nishiya spoke for him.
"Midoriya, ever since you got yourself hurt saving your classmates from those thugs, I've been hearing about these Good Samaritans intervening on the behalf of the student body at your school. First, there was that boy who had been caught stealing girls' underwear and planting miniature spy cameras in the walls of their gym locker room. Then, there was last night's incident with this rabbit man and his friends, stepping in to stop a mugging in progress. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not a believer in coincidences."
Izuku tried to speak in his own defense, but all of a sudden, his own throat strangled his vocal cords. Instead of words, a series of quiet, pathetic chuckles leaked out of his mouth. This obviously did not help his own case, for Nishiya narrowed his eyes with suspicion.
"Are you going to say anything, Midoriya?" the detective asked.
"A-An-Anything?" Izuku sputtered.
Nishiya peered at him judgmentally through the rearview mirror. "Anything you want to say at all about that."
The terrible, awkward silence took a hold of the conversation again. Izuku kept his lips pursed, and he could feel his skin burning up and yet growing cold at the same time. He knew he was at a corner now. His next words had to count, or the Hero Club would be finished for good; he knew it.
"W-We-Well," the boy said, "I-I-I dunno wh-what to t-tell you, D-Detective. I-It sounds like a-a huge c-co-coincidence to me..."
"I see..." Nishiya focused on the road ahead of him again. "Well then, Midoriya, I'm sure you wouldn't be alarmed if I told you that those thugs who were beaten up last night asked me to track their assailants down...and press charges against them..."
Izuku's breath hitched in his throat. "They...They did?!" he thought with terror. "Oh, no..." Images of the other Hero Club members flashed through his mind in an instant. "Hatsume... Kirishima... Kaminari... Sero... Ashido..."
"You're not allowed to come back here until you find something productive to do at school, Midoriya. I don't care what it is, as long as you make friends and enjoy life beyond the pleasures of manga. Once you're able to do that, you're free to come back in and read to your heart's content."
"Shimura-san..." Izuku thought with dismay.
Immediately, Izuku's mind began to fill with scenarios of Shimura's reactions to his arrest, and the arrest of all the other students he dragged into the Hero Club. He could not even begin to imagine how ashamed the manga café owner would feel, both as his longtime friend and his source of inspiration.
Izuku momentarily glanced out of the window again, just as the cruiser passed right by the Plus Ultra Manga Café. As if by chance, or the machinations of fate, he immediately saw Shimura sweeping the front doorstep with a broom, and on instinct, the adolescent ducked his head downward, something Nishiya was quick to detect.
"You know, if it were up to me, Midoriya," Nishiya said, catching the boy's attention once again, "I would give that rabbit man and his friends a medal for what they did. I really would."
"You...You would?" Izuku asked, suddenly confused.
"Yes, I would. Unfortunately, I still have a job to do." The detective's expression fell slightly at his own words. "The rabbit man and his friends aren't qualified to hunt down and capture would-be muggers in the streets during the dead of night. As well-meaning as their actions were, it's against the law for them to do so. And those muggers called for their arrests. So, I must honor that and do my job. I'm sure you'd understand why I must find those Good Samaritans and take them into custody, regardless of what they did."
Upon hearing Nishiya's words, a sudden surge of courage and determination filled Izuku's heart. With a newfound, firmer grasp on his own reality, the green-haired boy found the motivation that he needed to speak his next words with utmost honesty and conviction.
"No, I don't understand."
Nishiya's posture stiffened slightly, and Takeyama even stopped munching on her potato chips.
"Pardon me, Midoriya?" Nishiya asked.
"I don't understand why your job would entail this, Detective..." replied Izuku. "If actually you did your job, then people wouldn't have to rely on this so-called rabbit man and his friends to rescue them from the bad guys. If you actually did your job, then the crime rates in town wouldn't be so bad." Izuku's green eyes finally met Nishiya's brown ones through the rearview mirror, and they calmly, consistently stayed there for the first time. "If you actually did your job, then this so-called rabbit man and his friends wouldn't have to take matters into their own hands and do not what has to be done, but what is right."
Nishiya pursed his lips. "I am not sure if you heard me correctly, Midoriya. Those Good Samaritans were not qualified to do what they did. From what I could gather from the eyewitness account, those people weren't just random pedestrians who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and simply chose to do something about it. They were actively seeking out crimes to thwart. The fact that they were wearing costumes tells me-"
"That they were protecting themselves for the sake of their friends and family," completed Izuku. "They didn't just dress up like that for the fun of it. They did not just wear those disguises because they knew what they were doing was illegal and they wanted to get away with it. They did it because they had so much to lose, and the only way to keep their loved ones separate from what they were about to do." Then, the boy quickly blurted as an afterthought, "At least, that's what I gleaned from all the manga and American comic books that I've read."
"I see..." Nishiya blinked slowly. "So, you think the police are to blame for those Good Samaritan acts as of late."
"They're not to blame for these Good Samaritan acts; they're to blame for the rising crime rates in the first place. A only leads to B, not to C." Izuku narrowed his eyes with determination. "And if the police are gonna keep bending over for the criminals because they feel there's no hope in stopping them, then I can guarantee you, Detective, that you're gonna see more Good Samaritans taking matters into their own hands. Hypothetically speaking."
Nishiya narrowed his eyes as well. "So...you're saying that...this rabbit man and his friends aren't gonna stop doing what they did last night...and they're not gonna remain content with just helping people from the school."
"Yes, on both counts. Hypothetically."
Nishiya blinked slowly for a second time, and he continued staring at Izuku through the rearview mirror, his brown pupils trying to pierce into his soul. However, Izuku stared back fearlessly, all of the fear and doubt receding from his mind and soul. There was nothing that could perturb this boy now, not when he finally found his footing and had a point to prove.
"So then..." Nishiya replied. "Let's just say I somehow found a member of this group, and they were at your school, and I was asking him or her about the identities of their friends. Would it stand to reason that this person is not going to sell their friends out, Midoriya?"
"If it gets in the way of doing the right thing," Izuku said firmly, "then yes, I'd say they would never sell their friends out. Not for anything else."
"I see."
Nishiya suddenly fell silent and continued staring at the road ahead. However, a stern-faced Izuku kept his green eyes on the detective, knowing fully well that it wasn't the end of the conversation. He analyzed the man's face, trying to get an efficient read on his expressions. He even listened in on Takeyama's movements in the passenger seat; she still had not resumed eating her potato chips, and the silence from her end was awkward. Whatever was happening between the two officers, it obviously wasn't coordinated ahead of time. Nishiya was calling the shots on his own now.
A couple of minutes passed, and Nishiya still hadn't said a word. Choosing to let his guard down slightly, Izuku gazed out of the window and examined the pedestrians the police cruiser passed by. With every group the car drove past, the boy could recognize more and more of his school uniforms. He even recognized Kyoka Jiro, Fumikage Tokoyami, Mezo Shoji, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, Sen Kaibara, and Yosetsu Awase mingling amongst the groups.
Eventually, to Izuku's surprise, Nishiya stopped the cruiser directly in front of the high school, its front gateway still filled with mingling students. The detective put the lever in the 'Park' position and activated the handbrake.
"Well, here we are, Midoriya," he said without looking into the rearview mirror.
Izuku blinked, shocked. "Huh?"
"Uhhhhh..." Takeyama said with an arched eyebrow, "wh-what're you doing, Nishiya? I thought-"
Nishiya silenced his partner with a raised palm and continued to address Izuku. "You may leave now."
"I...I can?" Izuku asked hesitantly. When Nishiya gave him a curt nod, the boy glanced out of the window, stared at the high school for a moment, and then glanced back at Nishiya. "So...we're done here?"
"Sure." A peculiar glint passed through the detective's eyes. "Unless there's something you want to add, Midoriya?"
Realizing Nishiya was serious, Izuku quickly seized his opportunity. "N-No, sir. I'm done too."
With that, the viridescent boy swiftly grabbed his lunch, opened the passenger side-door, and stepped out of the cruiser and into freedom. Taking a small but deep breath of relief, Izuku walked away from the cruiser, refusing to look back lest he give himself and his nervousness away.
Nishiya and Takeyama watched Izuku, their ward for less than five minutes, as he made his way into the school, blissfully unaware of their observant stares. Once he passed through the front doors and went out of sight, Takeyama sighed, laid back on her seat, and gave her partner an almost lazy side-glance while he continued to analyze the school.
"Now are you gonna tell me what that was about?" she asked curiously.
For a few more moments, Nishiya said nothing and instead continued watching the school. However, he seemed oblivious to the students filing into the grounds and appeared more concerned about the building that Izuku had stepped into. The detective's eyes narrowed slightly, and then he finally tore his gaze away from the building.
"We need to think of a different approach to this case," he said, more to himself than to Takeyama.
"A...A different approach?" the woman replied, more out of dismay than interest. "Nishiya, it's pretty clear the kid's one of the people who jumped those thugs last night-"
"But he's not going to identify who else was with him that night," Nishiya interrupted. The detective gave an empty glare towards the dashboard, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration.
"If it gets in the way of doing the right thing, then yes, I'd say they would never sell their friends out. Not for anything else."
"The Shie Hassaikai won't be satisfied with just one arrest," he continued gravely. "If we're gonna do our best to protect the school, then we must do our jobs and investigate the matter deeply. We need to find out who else helped Midoriya in saving that other student and subduing those thugs...as well as who provided them with the training necessary to pull off such a stunt."
As he continued speaking, Nishiya's tone became increasingly stiff. With every word that flowed right out of his mouth in a steady stream, the detective began to reflect on Izuku's words from earlier.
"I don't understand why your job would entail this, Detective... If actually you did your job, then people wouldn't have to rely on this so-called rabbit man and his friends to rescue them from the bad guys. If you actually did your job, then the crime rates in town wouldn't be so bad. If you actually did your job, then this so-called rabbit man and his friends wouldn't have to take matters into their own hands and do not what has to be done, but what is right."
"Well, what do ya suggest we do, then?" Takeyama asked in a disinterested tone, nevertheless pulling Nishiya out of his thoughts. "You just let our best shot at identifying all those kids walk out of the backseat of our own car."
All of a sudden, an idea hit Nishiya's mind. He glanced at the school again and narrowed his wood-brown eyes.
"I have an idea," he said. "But..."
His voice trailed off, prompting a suspicious Takeyama to ask, "But? But what? What've you got in mind?"
Nishiya pursed his lips as he deactivated the handbrake and put the lever in the 'Drive' position.
"We need to go back to the precinct," he said. "This may...require the captain's approval."
Takeyama blinked with slight interest, but she did not say anything else. Instead, she leaned back on her seat again and allowed her partner to drive their cruiser away from the school grounds.
Inside the main school building, Izuku stealthily peered through the slightly smudged glass window, watching as Nishiya and Takeyama finally made their leave in their car. Once he entered the building, he had quickly traveled to the window and spent that time watching them, dreading the possibility that they might eventually come to their foregone conclusion and storm the school so they could arrest him. Words couldn't even describe the relief he felt when he watched the two detectives drive off at long last.
But when he withdrew his head away from the glass, Izuku began to reflect on Nishiya's words from earlier.
"So then... Let's just say I somehow found a member of this group, and they were at your school, and I was asking him or her about the identities of their friends. Would it stand to reason that this person is not going to sell their friends out, Midoriya?"
"I would never sell out the other members of the Hero Club," he thought, just as a terrible feeling of guilt began to swell up within him. "But...would the others feel the same way? How would the others feel if they realized the police were on our trail and interested in arresting us? I know Hatsume wouldn't be as interested in outing the rest of us...and I doubt Kirishima would do that either. But what about Kaminari? Sero? Shoda? ...Ashido?
"Would they value their own personal freedom more than doing the right thing? Would the prospect of serving jail time be too much of a frightening thing for them to take on? I wouldn't blame them if any of them did, but...if it's at the cost of the mission we agreed on...then..."
"Yo, Midoriya!"
Izuku was pulled out of his reverie by a familiar friendly voice. He looked up and saw Eijiro approaching him with a raised hand and a surprisingly generous grin. He still had to get used to the newfound kindness of his former redheaded bully...
"Oh, Kirishima!" Izuku greeted, trying his best to mask his dread. "What's going on?"
To his surprise, Eijiro's grin was wide, and it exposed his jagged, still-broken teeth.
"Ohhhhh, you're never gonna believe it, man!" he exclaimed.
"Wh-Why?" Izuku arched one of his eyebrows, surprised by the redhead's joyous manner. "What is it, Kirishima?"
However, Eijiro merely gave him a thumbs-up. "Oh, just wait until lunch! I think it'll be the news of a lifetime for ya!" He promptly turned around and began walking away. "Come on, man! Class is about to start!"
Izuku blinked in confusion, then he glanced out of the window again. Though he couldn't see the police car outside, the green-haired boy could still imagine Nishiya and Takeyama on their way back to their precinct, planning their next step.
"And if the police are gonna keep bending over for the criminals because they feel there's no hope in stopping them, then I can guarantee you, Detective, that you're gonna see more Good Samaritans taking matters into their own hands."
With pursed lips, Izuku followed Eijiro down the hallway, his concerns and doubts receding at the recollection of his own words.
"Huuuuuh?!" Izuku exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Wh-What do you mean you wanna join us?!"
"You guys proved my innocence and undid my suspension!" Minoru cried with teary eyes that gave him a rather pathetic look.
"A-An-And y-y-you g-guys s-s-sa-sa-saved me..." stammered Koji. Then, he quickly and shyly blurted out, as if it was an afterthought, "F-Fr-From th-th-those th-th-thugs!"
Izuku stood in the middle of the Hero Club meeting room, profoundly flabbergasted. The moment lunch period started, a jubilant Eijiro half-dragged him to the clubroom, where everyone else had been waiting. There, he was greeted with the sight of Minoru Mineta and Koji Koda standing by the doorway like loyal, patient dogs waiting for their masters. As soon as he heard from the overly ecstatic Mei that the goblin-like pervert and the animal-loving introvert both wanted to join their secret establishment, Izuku had been at a loss for words. He couldn't believe the Hero Club would be getting itself new members so soon.
"U-Ummmmm..." Izuku hesitated, trying to think of the appropriate words to say. He scanned the room, beseeching Mei, Mina, Eijiro, Denki, Hanta, Nirengeki, Manzo, Paula, and Toru for advice. "I...I dunno what you're-"
"Oh, come on, Midoriya!" Minoru interrupted. "Hatsume already told us about it!"
Izuku glared at Mei. "Hatsume! I thought the point of this club was that it was supposed to be super-secret!"
Mei playfully stuck the tip of her tongue out of her mouth. "Hey, I was only speaking hypothetically! You're the one who pretty much confirmed it to them, Yamikumo."
Izuku hiccupped, and he quickly glanced at Minoru and Koji, both of whom looked extremely enthused by his words.
"Good going, fearless leader," Denki remarked teasingly.
"W-Well, I, uh..." Izuku continued staring at Minoru and Koji, both of whom were looking back at him with enthusiastic, expectant looks on their faces. "L-Look, you two, I-I don't know how you guys managed to track us down-"
"Oh, don't kid yourself, Midoriya," Minoru interrupted again. "I recognized you the moment you stopped by my home, ya remember?"
"A-An-And I r-re-re-recog-n-n-nize you a-a-and your v-voice f-from a-an-an-anywh-wh-where!" stammered Koji.
Minoru crossed his arms. "And given your lil' reputation about what you like, it'd take a huge idiot to not realize that you would hang out in this clubroom!"
"O-Oh..." Izuku replied glumly. His shoulders sagged slightly as he began thinking. "Maybe we should get ourselves some voice-changers to avoid more people recognizing us..."
"So," Minoru said, catching Izuku's attention yet again, "are you gonna recruit us into this lil' shindig or what?"
"Ohhhh, come on!" Paula suddenly snapped, crossing her arms and scowling nastily while Toru cowered behind her. "Now what makes you think we can trust you, Mineta?! Just because we proved you didn't steal that underwear from the girls' locker room, it doesn't mean you're no longer a pervert!"
"I agree with Tsunotori, Mineta," added Manzo. "The Hero Club has a bit of a reputation to protect, and...having someone like you among our ranks..." He shuddered. "I cannot imagine it boding well for potential new recruits..."
Minoru's eyelid twitched with despair. "Oh, come on, you guys! I promise, I have changed my ways since the locker room incident!"
Paula instinctively held her legs together. "I just caught you ogling my legs a couple of minutes ago!"
Minoru couldn't help but let out a feeble chuckle that was somewhere between gratification and embarrassment. At that, Izuku narrowed his viridescent eyes.
"They're right, Mineta," he said. "How can we be sure you can be reliable and trustworthy?"
"Look, you gotta believe me, Midoriya! W-Weren't you the one who believed in my innocence in the first place?!"
"Just because I believed you that time, it doesn't mean I'm willing to look the other way for all of those other times you bothered girls with your lechery."
"It's gonna take more than the hands of everyone in this room to count how many times you've been nothing more than a disgusting pervert!" snapped Paula.
"C-Come on, you guys... C-Come on..." To everyone's surprise, Minoru sunk to his knees and bowed before Izuku, like he was a supreme god to be worshiped. "Look, I know I'm no saint. I...I know I'm a despicable person who can think about nothing but girls' skirts. And...A-And I admit, I'm still thinking about them! I'm thinking of skirts right now!"
Paula grabbed onto her own skirt in horror, while Toru retreated further behind her blonde friend. As for Mina, she looked utterly beside herself, a horrible dark aura shadowing her otherwise unreadable expression, her trembling body betraying the calm façade she was trying to maintain. Even Mei, in all of her excitement at the prospect of the Hero Club gaining a couple of new members, looked slightly perturbed by the admission. But they, plus the other boys, begrudgingly allowed Minoru to continue.
"B-But..." The short boy's lip quivered severely. "After what happened to me... Th-The threat of me being...kicked out of school and being thrown in prison...all for something that I actually didn't do... It was...an eye-opener..."
"Good to hear you're starting to realize how much of a pervert you are," spat Nirengeki.
"Ye-Yeah, man," Denki said while he regarded Minoru with sympathy. "The moment you hear some girl's underwear got stolen in a gym locker room, of course we're gonna think it's you."
"And that Mustard bastard exploited that..." Eijiro added in a growl while he clenched his fists. "He was such a coward... He was not man enough to take responsibility for his own actions. Instead, he deflected that responsibility onto someone else. In this case-"
"Me," Minoru completed. He remained bowed before Izuku, who was stunned and befuddled by the boy's efforts to prove his loyalty. "Like I said, I'm no saint. A-And it's not like I've turned a new leaf this quickly! But...I am willing to make that change! I'm willing to turn my life around!" His head shot upward, and he looked up at Izuku with teary eyes, as viscous snot started to drip from his nostrils. "And I think this club of yours is the perfect way for me to do that! So please, give me a chance, Midoriya! I want to change! I want to turn my life around and stop being the person that everyone hates a-and likes to step on! Give me a chance, just like you did when you decided to prove my innocence!"
Izuku continued looking down at Minoru, flabbergasted by the surprising amount of honesty that flowed out of the short boy's voice. Then, he scanned the rest of the room, examining each and every Hero Club member for their reactions. The other boys all had become sympathetic and seemed to be receptive toward Minoru's claims. The girls, on the other hand, stared daggers at Minoru, with Mina looking like she wanted to strangle him to death. Out of all the girls, Mei seemed to be the most understanding towards Minoru, though her slight look of distrust betrayed her confidence in him.
Finally, he looked back down at Minoru, who had started to weep and quietly ramble about wanting to change his life so badly. He mulled over Nirengeki's and Manzo's earlier concerns, knowing the decision he was about to make would alter the course of the Hero Club's future indefinitely.
Then, Izuku glanced at Koji, who was also staring at him reverently, with bright, innocent eyes. He remembered that he too wanted to join the Hero Club, likely out of gratitude towards them for saving him last night.
"Please, Midoriya," Minoru suddenly wheezed. "Help me out here... Deep down in my heart, I really want to change, but I don't think I can do that without your club's help..."
Upon hearing those words, Izuku finally sighed and looked back down at Minoru. "Alright, Mineta. You may join us."
Minoru looked up at him, hope flashing through his eyes. "I...I can?!"
Izuku nodded reluctantly. "Yes, you can join."
"A-A-And wh-wh-what about m-m-me?" stammered Koji.
"You can join too, Koda. Both of you can."
"Ah, hell yeah!" Eijiro exclaimed. "We've got new members!"
"And in record time too!" Hanta added with a toothy grin. "Man, this Hero Club sure is gaining steam real quick!"
"W-Wa-Wait a minute!" Nirengeki exclaimed, alarmed. "D-Don't those two need a sponsor in order to join?"
"A sponsor?" Minoru asked, looking at the stout boy. "Wh-What do you mean?"
"A current member of the Hero Club must vouch for you and your reliability if you're gonna be able to join-"
"I said Mineta and Koda can join, Shoda," interrupted Izuku. "If I think they're within their rights to join us, then I think that counts as sponsoring them both."
"Oh yeah, that's true..." replied Manzo.
"Ew, no WAY!" Paula snapped, glaring daggers at Izuku. "Midoriya, how could you let a perv like Mineta join?! I'm alright with Koda-kun, but Mineta? Minoru frigging Mineta?! Have you gone nuts or something, Midoriya?!"
Izuku sighed briefly before replying, "Rule number two. When someone asks for help, we help."
Paula blinked, stunned into confusion. "Huh?"
"Mineta asked for our help." The viridescent boy firmly stood his ground and faced not only Paula, but Mina and Toru. "He wants to change his ways for the better, and to this end, he asked us for our help. He sincerely believes we can help him do that. And how're we gonna help someone who's in need if we're just gonna ignore their pleas?"
"But..." Paula shot the recoiling Minoru a scathing gaze. "It's Mineta-"
"Rule number eight!" Izuku suddenly barked, his voice surprisingly stern and commanding; Paula hiccupped at the sound of his voice. "We treat everyone with kindness and sympathy, even if they are criminals. And even if they're the worst of perverts."
"Uhhhhh, M-Mi-Midoriya?" Koji asked. "Um, wh-wh-what're r-r-rules number two a-and eight...?"
"Parts of a code that all Hero Club members must live by." Izuku kept his gaze on the girls. "Girls, I know having Mineta beside you all isn't exactly something to celebrate over. But if we're gonna take our responsibilities seriously, if we wish to take it upon ourselves to make this school and our entire hometown a better, safer place, then we MUST be willing to make a personal sacrifice."
"Midoriya's right, girls!" Eijiro shouted, stepping forward to lightly clap Izuku's shoulder. "And besides, if Mineta decides to start perving out on y'all, then you tell me! I'll be sure to knock some sense into him, literally!"
Minoru shivered at the vaguely ominous threat. As for the girls, they looked among one another, silently communicating their next decisions. The others watched them expectantly, especially Minoru, whose eyes were wide with anticipation.
Eventually, Mina turned towards Izuku and Eijiro and replied, "Well, if you say you'll watch out for us, Kirishima, then I'll have to trust you on that."
"Yeah, same here," Paula added reluctantly.
"D-Ditto!" squeaked a sheepish Toru.
"HELL YEAH!" Minoru suddenly hollered. The short boy immediately started hopping up and down with pure excitement, startling Izuku and Eijiro. "I'm a member of Hero Club, I'm a member of Hero Club! And I get to be beside Ashido all day and all night lo-"
"Oh, Mineta?" Eijiro asked, his voice low and threatening as he flexed his fingers and cracked his knuckles.
Minoru's skin paled at the sound of his popping bones, and he fell silent. As soon as he did, Mei chose to step forward.
"Alright, then!" she cried. "Since we have two new members to induct into our ranks, it's time we explain the Hero Club's mission statement and rules!"
The pink-haired otaku reached into her pocket, immediately relieving the rest of the club members, who did not have to awkwardly watch her grope her own chest to retrieve the very thing she was seeking. Once Mei whipped out the familiar roll of paper, Minoru and Koji gawked at it with disbelief.
"Is that...a medieval scroll?" Minoru asked.
"Yep!" Mei replied with a smile that radiated her utmost pride. "Nifty, huh? D'you wanna know where I got it from?!"
Minoru blinked and analyzed the ancient-looking paper for a moment. "You know, I think I'd rather not..."
Koji merely shook his head as a response.
"Aw, phooey," Mei replied. Her lips curled into a glum frown for a split-second before reverting back to her upbeat smile. "Well, if you insist!"
Mei promptly unfurled the scroll, cleared her throat, and began speaking in a dramatic voice. "We, the members of Hero Club, swear to-"
"Wait, wait, hold up," Minoru interrupted hesitantly. "W-What's up with that voice?"
The girl glared at him, her innocent smile masking her irritation. "Did I ask you to interrupt, Mineta?"
"...Continue..."
"Thank you." Mei cleared her throat again before speaking. "We, the members of Hero Club, swear to protect all that is good and innocent from the forces of evil and injustice, anywhere and everywhere. With our seven values of courage, compassion, honesty, reliability, teamwork, perseverance, and (most of all) anonymity, we intend to scour and rid all the neighborhoods of the criminals that infest it and restore them to what they once were: peaceful, normal neighborhoods that accommodate any and all people. In the face of oppression, we will not rest. We will not desist. We will not yield. We will not crumble. We will not give up. We will not do any of those things until we have completed our mission, no matter what it takes, for that is what it means to be a Hero. Anyone can become a Hero if they find the spirit within them to do so. Do you have that spirit?"
"I do!" Mineta shouted enthusiastically.
At first, Koji didn't respond, for the speech left him embarrassed and red-faced, and Mineta had to tap his shoulder to stir him back to reality. Once he did, the larger boy squeaked, "I-I do! I do!"
"Swell!" Mei exclaimed. "Now, onto the rules! Midoriya, if you'd please?"
"Uh, o-okay!" replied a surprised Izuku. "Um, r-rule number one." He stuck up his right index finger. "You do not let any adults know about the Hero Club."
"Easier said than done, Midoriya!" Minoru replied while giving him a thumbs-up; Koji merely nodded in agreement.
"I already mentioned rule number two to you guys, but it bears repeating." Izuku also stuck up his middle finger. "When someone asks for help, we help. No exceptions."
"Not even for a self-proclaimed pervert like me." Minoru nodded, as if he approved of his own description. "I got ya."
Izuku narrowed his green eyes slightly in suspicion, but he raised his ring finger and continued speaking. "Rule number three. If you find yourself in any danger, retreat in any way you can." He unconsciously glanced at Koji. "For example, if you get yourself into a sticky situation that you can't handle, don't try to find a solution. At that point, you have to make sure your safety is a top priority."
"Mm-hm..." Koji vocalized in a barely-audible mumble.
"Rule number four." Izuku raised his pinkie. "Everyone must wear costumes and refer to each other by code-names."
"Code-names?" Minoru asked. "What for?"
"For safety reasons. You don't want to identify your friends while you're in the middle of a fight with some crook. What if they get away with that information? What then?"
The grape-haired boy blushed slightly. "Well, now that you put it that way..."
"Oh yeah, speaking of which!" Mei cried. "We need to give you two code-names, but we'll take care of that after Midoriya gets all of the rules out of the way!" Then, she gestured to Izuku. "Continue, Midoriya, continue!"
"O-O-Okay..." This time, Izuku held out his thumb; now, his entire palm was displayed, and his fingers stretched outward like the arms of a starfish. "Rule number five. The Hero Club shall only be active at night, and during the weekends and holiday breaks."
"Whoa, whoa, hold the phone!" Minoru cried. "Why during the nighttime?! I might be studying for a test or something! A-And during the weekends and holiday breaks?"
"I-I might be vacationing with my parents..." Koji mumbled sheepishly.
"Don't worry, you guys," replied Izuku. "Rule number six addresses that." He withdrew all but his index finger back to his palm. "Only three Heroes will be active per night. But do remember that number will be flexible, depending on how many people join the Hero Club after you."
"Oh, that's a relief!" exclaimed Minoru. "So...what, do you guys just decide who gets the short straw?"
"Actually," Nirengeki piped up, "we haven't thought of a process to pick who goes on patrol and who doesn't..."
"That's what this club meeting's for, then!" replied an excited Mei. "But first, we must commence with the orientation! Go on, Midoriya, go on!"
"Rule number seven," Izuku said while holding out his middle finger again. "Don't kill anyone, or otherwise subject them to unnecessary injury, unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Well, that one's obvious..." Minoru replied.
"Mm-hm..." Koji vocalized in a barely-audible mumble.
"Rule number eight." Izuku held out his ring finger again. "We treat everyone with kindness and sympathy, even if they are criminals."
Minoru nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, so you've told us."
"Rule number nine." Izuku held out his right pinkie again. "If this is your first night at the Hero Club, then you have to go out on patrol."
"Yes, that's-" Minoru froze, and his skin paled slightly. "Wait, really?"
Izuku's expression grew firm. "No exceptions, Mineta. You have to prove you're able and willing to do what is right."
"And what better way to do that than test the newbie's loyalty by making them go out on the first night?!" cried Mei.
"S-So..." Minoru gulped. "Th-There's no way to back out of that...?"
"Oh, for the love of God, Mineta," moaned Paula while she slapped her forehead in disbelief. "Do you wanna join the Hero Club or not?!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The boy gulped and swallowed his fear and pride. "I take back what I said. Continue, Midoriya. C-Continue..."
Izuku stuck out his thumb. "Rule number ten. Always do the right thing."
"Always do-" Minoru abruptly stopped for a moment, his brain racking up as much effort into processing the latest rule as it can. "Always do the right thing?"
He looked at Koji, who appeared to be just as befuddled as he was, before glancing back at Izuku.
"What in the world does that mean?"
"I...I honestly don't know..." Izuku replied while he scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, I came up with that on instinct yesterday, but I lost the meaning."
"It's gotta be an important rule if you repeated it, though," Eijiro suggested.
"Alright!" Mei hollered. "Now that the rules are out of the way-"
"Hold on, Hatsume," Izuku interrupted, his expression hardening again. "I've got a new rule."
The others stared at him incredulously, with Denki asking, "You...You've got a new rule?"
"Yeah..." Izuku glanced at Minoru, who recoiled slightly at his smoldering gaze. "I just thought of it, and I think it'll be a good way to keep ourselves in check. Just in case we're tempted to do something wrong for our own fulfillment..."
"O-Okay..." Mei replied, stunned. "W-Well then, have at it, Midoriya. What's rule number eleven?"
Izuku held up his index finger yet again, his eyes narrowing at Minoru. "If you are caught committing any kind of crime, moral transgression, ethical transgression, abuse of power, and/or anything else considered to be against the Hero Club's mission statement, then you will be kicked out of the club and reported to the appropriate authorities."
"G-Gotcha..." Minoru replied nervously.
"Wait, hold on," Denki interjected. "Any kind of crime, moral trangress...transpress...tranpress...wha?"
"Basically," Mei explained, "if we catch you doing something the Hero Club considers to be wrong, then out the door you go! Even if we catch you with your hand in the cookie jar, literally!"
"And the police, or some responsible adult, will be made aware of it," added Paula.
"Yeah, that sounds fair," Hanta replied. "That way, we will be able to weed out those who only join this club to get a kick out of the power it'll bring!"
"Like someone who joins because the club just so happens to have cute girls in its membership," Mina snarled while she gave Minoru a nasty look.
"Okay, for the last time!" Minoru shouted helplessly. "I only joined this club because I know it'll help me turn my life and my...ahem, likes around! For your information, every frigging club has at least one cute girl in it, alright?! I'm not trying to take advantage of you guys, I swear!"
"Well, whether or not you're telling the truth," Mei replied, "tonight's the night where we put that to the test!" She gave the ever-meek and silent Koji. "The same goes for you too, Koda! You'd better prepare yourself for a whole bunch of ass-whooping!"
"O-Okay..." Koji whispered quietly.
"Okay, then!" Nirengeki piped up. "We're done with the rules. Now it's time to give Mineta and Koda their code-names!"
"Are...Are there any rules or guidelines for the code-names we get?" asked Minoru.
"Not really," Manzo replied.
"But if you come up with something perverted," growled Paula, "then we might as well have Midoriya-kun come up with a rule for that too!"
"Wh-Wh-What're your code-names, y-you guys...?" Koji asked.
"I'm the Gadget Master!" Mei replied while proudly jabbing a thumb at her chest. Then, she gestured towards the other members, one by one. "That's Yamikumo, Red Riot, Chargebolt, Cellophane, Mines, Comicman, Pony, Invisible Girl, and-" She stopped upon noticing Mina. "Aaaaannnnnd... I forgot, did we give you a code-name?"
"A-A code-name?" Mina sputtered. "I...I don't think so..."
"Well, we gotta give you a code-name, pronto! Otherwise, the fabric of time and space that's around us will be corrupted by your presence!"
"The fabric of ti-?" began a confused Nirengeki, before he sighed and shook his head. "Never mind. Hatsume's right; we should give you a code-name of your own as well, Ashido."
"Well, first thing's first..." Mei glanced at Minoru and Koji. "What do you guys want to call yourselves?"
"I know, I know!" Minoru cried, his tone and giddiness almost childish in nature. "I wanna be called the Hung Horse!"
An awkward silence fell upon the group for a few moments, before Mei finally replied, "Nah, I don't think that sorta code-name will be...acceptable..."
"Not to mention appropriate," added Paula.
"What?!" Minoru barked, affronted. Then, he settled down and cleared his throat. "Alright, then. I wanna be called...the Great Chad!"
"Sounds sw-" began Mei.
"I wouldn't go down that road, Hatsume," Eijiro said in a deadpan tone. "I know what it means, and it doesn't sound all that appropriate either..."
"Alright!" snapped an exasperated Minoru. "How about...the...the...the MILF Fu-"
"Okay, you know what, Mineta?" Izuku interrupted; the boy was shaking his head in irritation, with a hand clasped over his forehead. "I'll pick your code-name. Whatever I pick, you'd better live with it, or we'll have to kick you out, because you clearly can't think of anything that's not porn-related!"
"Okay, fine!" The short, perverted boy crossed his arms. "Whatcha got for me?"
Izuku simply pursed his lips and scanned Minoru from head to toe. After taking a few moments to feel a ray of inspiration hit him, his viridescent eyes settled on Minoru's curly, purple hair. Specifically, his hair was curled into distinct, big locks, lumps almost, and they almost resembled...
"Grape Juice."
"Grape...Grape Juice," deadpanned Minoru. "That's what you could come up for me?"
"We'll give it some further thought and get back to you in a couple of weeks!" Mei advised before glancing at Koji, whose face turned red at the attention upon him. "Now, what about you, Koda-kun? Do you have a code-name for us? Or d'you want us to-?"
"A-An-Anima!" Koji blurted out as loud as he could.
"An...what?"
"I think he said 'Anima'," replied Denki.
"Is that true, Koda?" Izuku asked. "Do you wanna be called Anima?"
Koji gave him a rapid nod of enthusiasm despite his reddening, sweaty face. With that, Mei's lips curled into a wide smile that was almost manic in her eagerness. She clenched her right fist and shot it up high in the air.
"Then congratulations, Grape Juice and Anima!" she announced loudly and dramatically, almost startling Minoru and Koji. "I hereby declare you official members of the Hero Club, the place where ordinary, mild-mannered high-school students gather to become crime-fighters!"
A/N: And that marks the end of this chapter! Rejoice, for the Hero Club has now added two members to its ranks, both of whom received help from them earlier. And it looks like Nishiya's hatched a plan to get Izuku and his friends to fess up to their roles in the brawl with the Shie Hassaikai thugs. But it looks like it requires their captain's approval, so whatever could the specifics be? What's around the corner for Izuku and his new group of friends?! Find out in the next chapter!
Anyway, now that the drama's out of the way, I'll provide you with some behind-the-scenes stuff.
Back when I was planning this, I was very enthusiastic and ambitious about this project. So enthusiastic, in fact, that my original intent for this was that it was going to be part one of a trilogy. I'm not going to spoil the details of what the next two parts would entail, because as it stands, they're technically extensions of what I have planned now for this fic. As of now, however, I've become more comfortable with the canon, and I want to devote more of my time writing stories set in that canon. Since this fic is more of an entry-level contribution from me, my newfound comfort with the franchise has led me to reevaluate my more ambitious plans. Plus, I became unsure on how invested you guys would be in this project for the long term. I didn't want the oomph of this concept to pass over while I was still midway into the trilogy. As such, I've decided to compress this entire planned trilogy into one story.
Now, don't you worry about the fic becoming bloated. Fortunately, I didn't plan too far ahead with this whole trilogy idea; all I have to show for the next two entries at this moment is basic outlines. I was more focused on getting this story two-thirds done before I started making serious plans on what would be next for the Hero Club. But because of my decision, the fic's overall length has expanded. This was originally going to be 26 chapters (not sure if I mentioned this earlier, but that was the plan), but now, I expect this fic to be over in 30-35 chapters. Sounds like a reasonable length given all the ideas I had going for it, if you ask me.
Now then, I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:
-SilentReader97:
1) Hmmm, good observations. You'll find out the answer in due time, but for now, keep paying attention to Mina's arc in the story. ;)
2) My apologies, but could you also devote at least part of your review to the chapter you're actually reviewing? Call me a stickler, but I need as much feedback as possible on the chapters I've written. Let me know what you liked, what you didn't like, and any questions or comments that you might have. The more, the merrier! That way, I can continue writing and improving the story so it can be to your liking as much as possible. :D :D :D
-Raizen1125:
1) As I'm sure you've read in the ending Author's Note, this fic was originally going to have a predetermined length and promise more entries to come. However, the length will be slightly more fluid now, and yes, it could exceed 30 chapters as you've mentioned in your review.
2) Thanks! That's going to be the format for this fic for the next couple of chapters, but we're going to start getting into some actual meat at around Chapter 20 or so. Keep your fingers crossed! ;D
-ZTitanBait:
1) Yeah, that tends to happen when you don't update your stories too often... Sadly, it looks like you've had to do some more catching up, but I hope you're now up-to-speed with what's happening! :D :D :D
2) Thanks! I am glad you're liking this fic and its interpretation of the characters! And I hope you will be looking forward to more of their adventures!
-theemeraldbar: Would you mind being more specific in your review next time? I apologize, but I need to get as much feedback as possible on the chapters I've written. What did you like about the chapter? What did you not like? Are there any questions or comments that you might have? The more, the merrier! That way, I can continue writing and improving the story so it can be to your liking as much as possible. :D
Well, hope you enjoyed this overdue chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE! And always remember...PLUS ULTRA!