Home Away From Home Away

Eighteen pairs of eyes gazed somberly at the floor, their owners silent, thoughts on the one among them who was currently behind the walls of UA's infirmary. The nineteenth pair was glaring off into the distance, still fuming at the escape of their attackers. Occasionally, a few of the class would look over to Izuku, who stood dejected between Iida and Uraraka.

After being released from questioning by the staff on what transpired the previous night, the ninth holder had rejoined the rest of 1-A awaiting news on Todoroki's condition, settling himself amidst his best friends. Suffice to say, he blamed himself for allowing Shoto to be pushed to such an extreme. He'd given the others a brief, if not guilty retelling of events outside Heights Alliance.

"I should've stayed," he muttered audibly, breaking the awful silence of the corridor. Everyone looked at him, even Katsuki sparing a glance. "We had no idea how many enemies there were. If I'd stayed behind… fought them together with Todoroki, kept them from ever entering the dorms in the first place…" He felt a large hand fall onto his shoulder, craning his neck to meet Tenya's gaze.

"I don't think that is how Todoroki would want you to feel. He would be happy you had faith in him to combat the intruders on his own while you alerted the rest of us to the situation." Izuku's eyes widened from their pained expression, the words cracking his guilt. He instinctively shifted over to the others, seeing them all gradually give him a reassuring grin or nod, approving of Iida's reasoning. This managed to pull a smile out of the ninth holder's lips, his tension relaxing as the next minutes passed.

Eventually, the quiet was once again interrupted, as the infirmary door clicked and swung open, all eyes zeroing in on the emerging Recovery Girl. Seeing the students' anticipation, she wasted no time in stepping to the side and beckoning inside with her cane. "He's stable, if you'd like to see him." Her brow furrowed. "But as usual, no crowding," she warned. The mass of heroes-to-be just barely gave an acknowledgement before rushing past the nurse, who sighed to herself as she made her way back in after them.

The group gathered close as soon as they spotted Todoroki's assigned bed, the boy having already brought himself to a sitting position prior to their entrance. A large amount of the class called out to him as soon as he was in sight, but respected Recovery Girl's wishes and gave him a sizeable berth.

"Hey," was his reply, with typical Todoroki energy. That was enough to give his classmates much relief.

"How are you holding up?" Kirishima asked first. Shoto glanced down at his right arm, lifting it up to inspect briefly. The group noticed it was bandaged, with a number of lumps underneath. It was unclear how far up his body it went.

"The frostbite was severe. Recovery Girl had to stick thermal padding all across my right side. I wasn't moving that well until waking up after her healing." The nurse stepped over to the unoccupied side of the bed and gave the boy an assuring nod.

"You should be fine by tomorrow, young man. Just don't think about getting out of that bed until then." Shoto hummed in understanding, then found his gaze lock with Izuku's. The two simply stared at each other for a few moments, causing a lingering tension in the rest of the students. It was finally eased once the One For All user cracked a smile.

"Thank you, for having my back, Todoroki." He gave a determined nod. "I'll be sure to return the favor." Despite the strong delivery, Shoto just blinked at the boy, before giving his usual blunt response.

"We've had each other's back for a while now." Izuku flinched, but gave a chuckle under his breath as the others held back theirs. The reunion was at last cut short by the arrival of a teacher in the infirmary, the group parting to reveal Aizawa standing before them, hands in his pockets, but his expression far from casual.

"Good to see you're up," he directed towards his bedridden student. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you about your encounter with the intruders." Todoroki nodded, as Eraserhead settled himself at the foot of the bed. The others all quieted to listen as well.

"I made a run for outside as soon as it was seen Midoriya wasn't in his room following his emergency message. I made it just in time to block the first rocket the enemy sent towards the dorm. That's when I saw the girl for the first time." He stopped, glancing at Izuku before back at his teacher. "I'm sure Midoriya described her in full, much better than I could." Aizawa nodded, while the greenette scratched his cheek in slight embarrassment. "I engaged her myself once I convinced him to get the others up to speed, but also because it was obvious she was after him specifically. Not long after however, a second enemy emerged from their cloaked aircraft."

His right fist clenched.

"That guy, Romero, his power was insane. Controlling both earth and water with no visible difficulty, or limit. In all the time spent holding him off, I couldn't find a single weakness, while the cold gradually wore me down. He never gave me a chance to heat up. It would've been over for me if Power Loader hadn't shown up." He looked Shota in the eye. "Then something strange happened. While Romero was fighting him off, he got stuck by a drop of oil, then, he just broke down. It looked like he was about to lay down and die with how horrible his appearance became."

Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, Power Loader mentioned that too." He looked over to the rest of the class. "You all noted a similar event with the girl, correct?" They nodded.

"Yes, sir. She suddenly had what seemed to be an asthma attack, then retreated," Momo recounted. Some of the group were left scratching their heads figuring it all out.

"So, these guys are all in poor health?" Sero offered. The idea swam around for a bit, before Izuku gave a counter, shaking his head.

"No. With the prowess they showed even without their powers, they had high physical conditioning, not even a hint of struggle." He held a hand to his chin. "There has to be something else to it. Maybe, they're not as free of weakness as they appeared." Aizawa seemed to have what he needed, taking a deep breath.

"The staff and I will worry about that as we move forward. Thank you for all of your input." He wasn't completely finished however, for what the class could tell by his demeanor. "On to the other issue at hand." Everyone waited with bated breath, eagerly awaiting the news. "Even though it was implied Midoriya was their goal, we're not ruling out that any one of you may be targeted. Per this risk, we've notified every hero school in the country to send its student body, along with their immediate family, to undisclosed locations."

Naturally, the entire room's eyes went wide.

"The operation is being kept under the guise of winter break to the public, but the true purpose is security. We don't know how far these people will go with their intentions, so this has been deemed the quietest, and most rational method to keep you all safe." The class looked amongst themselves, rather unsure of the idea.

*BANG*

Eyes flew towards the exit door, where upon the class laid sights on Bakugo, who'd planted a fist against the wall, shooting his teacher a scowl. "I'm not running and hiding from those trench coat bastards!" Aizawa was utterly unaffected by the outburst, giving him the same lazy yet serious expression he wore daily.

"And what will you do if the next time they stand before you, your Explosion is no more?" Katsuki's eyes widened just a hair, nearly imperceptible amidst the rest of his furious features. His teacher closed his eyes. "Take a page out of your final exam: live to fight another day, stronger and smarter than you were before."

Although it was Bakugo who merely gave a 'tsk' and looked away, it was clear to the rest of the class his comment was directed at all of them. Todoroki gripped his right arm with the opposite hand, still experiencing the numbness in his frigid half. Izuku balled his fists, already contemplating better ways to train with Iida and Uraraka. Even Tokoyami and Mineta internally shouted to themselves, to not be so easily dispatched the next time they encountered the enemy. Seeing his message sinking in, Aizawa resumed where he'd left off.

"Back to what I was saying, your parents and guardians have all been notified and given the details. We've recommended rural locations, far from any unwanted attention. Also, before anyone panics, UA will be compensating everyone for any time from work, as well as the expenses of the vacation itself." The class still seemed divided on how to react. To think that it had come to this; what began as a news report had now forced them to flee their own school.

"It's nice that we get to spend time with our folks, but it sucks to have us all be separated." Kirishima's comment resonated with the others, all looking at each other with frowns.

"Plus we won't even be able to keep training, since we won't just have a gym to use wherever we are," Sato added, further dampening the group's enthusiasm. Aizawa, perhaps subconsciously, rubbed the back of his neck, likely having thought of that as well.

As hope was seemingly about to run out for 1-A, a dawning idea from one raven-haired girl suddenly had the class's attention, due to the gasp she let out moments later.

"Wait!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed, placing her hands together. "I think I have a solution."

"A summer house!?"

The many cries of surprise amongst her friends had Momo pause, but unflinchingly nod afterwards, her lips breaking out into a smile.

"Yes! It may be winter now, but my parent's summer retreat is a fully-functioning abode year-round. It's just on the edge of a small town, separated by woodland and right beside the lake. I can just make a few calls and have some employees who live in town brought up to get the place ready." All the girls, and most of the boys, had stars in their eyes at the proposition.

"That sounds awesome!" Mina cheered hopping up and down.

"That'd be a great way to stay low and still stick together," Tsuyu agreed, showing the rare curvature of a smile. A few others gave positive feedback as well, causing Momo to gradually 'sparkle' with joy.

"As if! I'm not sticking myself with you all in some country shack!" Just like that, the joy was ground to a halt, as Bakugo defiantly crossed his arms in refusal to the proposition. However, Momo would not be deterred, casting her glowing features in his direction.

"Bakugo, the area is private property." The Explosion user raised an eyebrow; Yaoyorozu allowed herself a satisfactory grin. "You'll be able to use your quirk to your heart's content." Katsuki seemed to be contemplating, but eventually turned around, showing his back to the girl.

"Fine."

Appropriately, Momo's positivity skyrocketed, addressing the class as a whole once more. "So, what do you all say? I won't keep you from your parents, but you're welcome to join." Although there was a definite shift in the amount of enthusiasm before her suggestion, a few still seemed wary. As if reading their minds, Aizawa piped up again.

"You'll all be given the rest of today to spend with them, regardless. It would normally be used to help pack, but it can also be your opportunity to say your farewells for the time being." While this realization sunk in, Momo beamed at her instructor.

"Does this mean you approve?" she asked hopefully. Aizawa gave a curt nod.

"The fact that you can all continue training together in an unrestricted environment shows initiative should the situation escalate. I'm sure Nezu and the others won't have an issue with it." All this in mind, the class gave Yaoyorozu a collective agreement to the proposal, then a collective stare as she slipped into 'bubbly' mode, babbling about all the things they could do at their retreat. Thankfully, Aizawa wasn't quite finished with them, coughing into his fist to regain their attention.

"Although you'll have adult supervision in the form of whatever caretakers are on site, I'm adding additional, more familiar figures to your group." Curiosity quickly dominated the class, awaiting clarification. "Your upperclassmen, Togata, Amajiki, and Hado will be assigned to you." Curiosity morphed into surprise, followed by unbound excitement.

"We get the Big 3!? Mr. Aizawa, you shouldn't have!" Kirishima exclaimed, tears streaming down his face.

"They'll be there to prevent you from doing anything stupid," their teacher retorted instantly, eyes burning red and hair waving menacingly. Eijiro's and several others' joy crashed abruptly into depression, the rest either sighing or chuckling at their antics. "On that note, Eri will be going as well."

"Are you sure you're not just showing how much you love us!?" Mina cried this time, tears identical to her horn buddy's.

"Yes."

While the Acid user was overshadowed by a dark cloud, Izuku frowned at their teacher.

"But sir, should she really be separated from you?" Aizawa simply shook his head.

"UA will be mostly deserted in due time, populated solely by us pros, using the school as a headquarters of sorts to address the threats at hand. It's not a place for a little girl to be stuck in. She'll be in a far more positive environment with you all." Izuku nodded, understanding. "I will however do my best to stop by if I can." The man moved towards the door. "Get in contact with your parents and be ready within the hour. We'll have an escort for each of you. The school will make sure you're on your way to Yoyorozu's by the end of the day, no later."

With that, he stepped out, leaving the class to discuss amongst themselves. Unnoticed by anyone, Shoto suddenly shifted, moving to get out of his bed and rise to his feet. The action was caught by Izuku when he heard the elemental wielder gasp at his sudden feeling of weakness, rushing over to support him before the boy fell over. The rest were quick to pick up on it, showing their worry. Meanwhile, Recovery Girl offered only frustration.

"Don't you even think about getting out of that bed, young man!" she scolded, motioning with her cane. "You don't have the energy left after your healing to be going anywhere for the next several hours at least." Todoroki grimaced, but gave the nurse an almost pleading expression.

"I have to visit my mother before we go." Chiyo wasn't swayed, shaking her head. Much of 1-A looked crestfallen that their friend was being denied due to his injuries. Still helping hold the fire-ice user up, Izuku suddenly had an idea, a soft smile forming on his face as his body began to gently glow. The spectacle was noticed immediately, with some opening their mouths to question what he was doing. This was cut off when the arcs of energy that they usually witnessed dancing around the ninth holder exhibited a new behavior, jumping over to the surprised Shoto.

Izuku gradually let go of his friend, but stayed close as Todoroki examined himself. "How do you feel?" the One For All user inquired hopefully. His companion experimentally took a few steps, eyes widening as he found himself able to stand steadily. He looked to the greenette.

"How…?" Izuku gave a toothy grin.

"I shared some of my power with you. About 1%." Of course, most of the surrounding students were stunned.

"You can do that?!" Kaminari blurted out. "First super strength, then crazy whips, now this? Don't tell me next you're gonna start zapping people with that lightning coming off you, that's my shtick!" Jiro shot him a mischievous smirk.

"I thought your shtick was walking around drooling with your thumbs out." Denki fell over, dejected, while Sero and Mineta snickered at his expanse. Meanwhile, Izuku chose to elaborate.

"I-I don't think so. But power is more or less energy, and I've learned how to give some of it to others nearby." Many were impressed by the information, while Iida and Uraraka secretly beamed with pride.

"That quirk of yours has become quite versatile. You've truly come a long way, Midoriya," Tokoyami mused.

"It's nothing special, you idiots!" Bakugo fumed from the back. "I can do way more damage with mine!"

"As I recall, Midoriya nearly leveled an entire industrial complex with that whip of his," Fumikage countered.

"YOU WANNA GO, BIRD BOY?" While Sero and Kirishima held Katsuki back, Izuku turned to the school's nurse.

"So, can Todoroki go?" His voice was laced with the purest of hope, giving Recovery Girl pause to truly consider it. Eventually, she sighed, but gave a gentle smile in return.

"I suppose if the chance exists I shouldn't keep the poor boy from his mother." She nodded to the two. "Very well. If you can insure he can move safely, I'm permitting it. That notwithstanding, I ask that you still refrain from any strenuous activity." The pair readily agreed, nodding back. Satisfied, Chiyo motioned to the door. "Alright then, all of you be on your way. You've all got calls to make and places to go."

Class 1-A quickly filed out of the room, remerging into the hall and spreading out to begin contacting their folks. Izuku, still beside Todoroki, shifted uncomfortably, pursing his lips as he faced his friend.

"Um, sorry about that. I kind of invited myself with you. I know you like your privacy when it comes to your family…" Shoto said nothing at first, but replied soon after with only slight difficulty.

"No, it's alright. It's because of you that I can even go. Thank you, Midoriya." Izuku welcomed the reassurance, even if he still felt intrusive, trying his best to smile. Shoto glanced to the side. "Besides, I think she'd like meeting you."

The students eventually took their turns heading outside campus to speak to their parents, making final preparations, discussing where they'd be going, or simply spending some family time together, knowing it'd be the last for an unspecified amount of time. A handful, such as Ochaco, had to settle for an over-the-phone gathering, whose parents were too far to simply visit in person at a moment's notice. She made the best of it however, overjoyed that her hardworking mom and dad could have a taste of what she'd promised them for the future.

In Izuku's case, he pulled a double, assisting Todoroki with visiting his mother, then heading straight for his own after dropping the recovering cryo/pyrokinetic back at UA. Inko was ecstatic to see her son, even under the circumstances, as the dorm system left few opportunities to do so. The resulting hug reminded Izuku of being pulverized into the ground by Muscular.

The ninth wielder had explained beforehand how he'd been helping his classmate with his own visitation, therefore coming a bit later than expected. This led to a recounting of his growth in ability, something the commonly anxious mother wholly approved of.

"I'm so glad you've found a use for that quirk of yours that doesn't involve charging into life-threatening danger." The pride in her voice managed to override the shame her son felt at its context, happy that he could provide some peace of mind to his hyper-emotional parent.

"Yeah. Iida and Uraraka have really helped me get a feel for it. I couldn't have done it without them." Inko hummed happily in acknowledgement as she continued packing her suitcase, her son doing a bit of housekeeping to ensure she didn't leave the apartment a mess while it was vacant.

"Well you keep sticking close to those two. Especially, Uraraka. You two seem to keep each other safe no matter what you run into." The One For All holder smiled thoughtfully as he dried the dishes, thinking back to the past couple weeks. He'd always spent great lengths of time with the girl, but it was different now. He was completely open with her, had shared his innermost secrets, the two were truly in sync, both in thought and with Solidarity. He could feel the fringes of her positivity when using the quirk, much like he could sense Tenya's firm resolve. It felt so natural to be around the Zero Gravity user, their general proximity at an all-time high.

His hand stopped drying. It occurred to him just then that he barely even reacted anymore when she was in his personal space.

"Yeah, Ochaco is really reliable."

He resumed his task, an easy smile set on his face. He expected his mom to make some further comment, or perhaps bring up another branch of discussion after a short pause. Instead, there was just silence for the next minute. Curious, the ninth wielder looked over to his parent, the curiosity turning to confusion when he saw her staring at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Mom, you okay?" Inko seemed to be struggling to get a word out, along with warning signs of an impending emotional outburst.

"D-did you just…" Izuku blinked, playing back the last few pages of the conversation to figure out what she was getting at. It hit him a few seconds later, his eyes going wide as his freckles were overpowered by an intense red.

"I-I-I-I… uh…" he stuttered. By the time he managed to piece together a frantic explanation about how familiar the two were now, it was too late. Inko had a sizable fountain's worth of waterworks pouring out, which would effectively serve as deterrent should the apartment have be on fire. Mercifully, the woman seemed to bask in whatever interpretation she'd taken of the situation privately, for the most part. She did nearly push Izuku over the edge by insisting he take good care of his cherished brunette companion.

After finally managing to complete the preparations for departure, the Midoriya pair moved to their final goodbyes, glued to each other for possibly the longest hug they'd ever had, repeatedly wishing the other a safe and enjoyable trip. Aizawa had mentioned that their opportunities to make phone calls would be scarce over the following days, to better guard against tracking the students may be victim to. Special intervals of time would be allocated for the activity, making it that much more special to hear from one another.

Once returned to UA, Izuku had one last meeting to attend before everyone headed out.

The usual tea brew was poured out by Toshinori, the lanky retiree giving his protégé an inquisitive look as the boy thanked him for the drink and sipped it carefully. The reason being that the room was oddly vacant, as far as recent numbers were concerned.

"Young Iida and Uraraka aren't joining us today?"

Izuku shook his head, giving his mentor a lopsided grin. "They figured since this is probably the last time I'll see you for a while that I should have it to myself. Well, insisted, actually." All Might gave a chuckle at that, taking a drink of his own cup.

"I see. How thoughtful of them." His student merely hummed in reply, not quite looking at him. "Something on your mind, kid?" The ninth wielder frowned, not expecting to be found out so quickly. He rotated the now half-drank tea in his hands, staring down into the reflective dark liquid.

"I was just thinking, I guess. Those people, I can't say for sure what they wanted with me, but, I can't think of any other reason than One For All." Toshi lowered his gaze, having had a similar thought.

"It does seem to be the most obvious element, unlikely as it would be." He took another sip. "It's hard to say if this organization has some means of uncovering a secret such as ours, but we can't exactly rule it out completely, not with what they're capable of." This clearly didn't ease Izuku's conscience any, the boy's expression hardening. He finally looked up at his idol.

"Do you think that maybe, because One For All can't be forcibly taken…" Toshinori's sunken eyes grew clear, catching on to what he was implying.

"You believe you were targeted because they can't take it away with their methods." His successor nodded. "It's a sound theory if any, as well as dangerous." The two were quiet for a time, taking the opportunity to finish off their drinks. Once the two empty teacups sat between them, Izuku finally resumed the discussion.

"All Might, what do you think will happen, if all quirks disappear?"

The former pro wasn't expecting such an inquiry, but took it seriously all the same. Given the state of the world, it was a fair question. "They'll be a period of panic, no doubt. We've seen the beginnings of it already. A major state of reform would follow, as the world worked out how to reorganize any venues that previously relied on abilities. Of course, pro heroes would be affected the most." He grunted. "Most don't have a secondary foothold, at least not the ones who lack celebrity status. Having to suddenly change careers after a lifetime of work can be devastating."

Izuku kept his eyes on his mentor, biting his lip.

"I meant more like, would it be better?" Again, Toshi was surprised. He was forced to reach deep into his heart for that one, seeing as his whole life was spent vying to be the world's Symbol of Peace.

"It's… hard to say. People nowadays can't really imagine a world without powers. It's become a staple of society." He tilted his head. "Well, let's consider, Young Midoriya, how different would your life have been if everyone had been born like you? Or rather, like us?" Izuku looked up at the ceiling, giving it some thought.

If All Might had never received One For All and become the Symbol of Peace, he would have no dream of becoming a hero. What would he have wanted to become growing up?

If Kacchan hadn't been endlessly praised for suddenly being able to cause explosions, would the two of them still be friends to this day?

If All For One never rose to power, what would have become of all the lives he'd either ended or warped?

Would Eri have ever suffered?

Would he have ever met Uraraka and Iida, and the others?

"It's a lot to think about, isn't it?" All Might cut in gently. Oops, he'd been muttering. "In a way, I can understand their point of view. Without quirks, combatting the bad guys becomes less of matching the power of a potential nuclear weapon and more of countering with effective organization and tactics. A playing field between men of equal capacity, differing only in what they make of themselves, rather than what they were born with." Toshinori eyed his protégé. "But don't think for a second that that can change who you are." Izuku blinked in surprise, as All Might smiled.

"With or without powers, there always have been and always will be heroes, people like you, Young Midoriya, who charge into danger for someone else's sake, no matter how powerless they may seem." The ninth holder was nearly to tears as he listened. "However this all ends, your heroic spirit will remain. You and I both desired to give people hope, to be there in times of crisis, even though we had nothing. Well that's how everyone was in times of old. If we could do it, so can the rest of the world."

Izuku sniffled, but found himself nodding firmly, lips quivering in a smile.

"You don't need a quirk to be hero. You are the embodiment of that belief, my boy."

One For All's most recent host rarely felt pride to a heavy degree. It was usually substituted by excitement, or nerves, or even embarrassment. Here and now he felt it fully, like his mentor had just bestowed another honor to him, even if it was something that was already implied.

"I think the world will be just fine, even without quirks. People will always find something that sparks their inner fire, no matter the era. It's how we've made it this far, with brilliant minds and leaders bringing innovations and ideas that put a look of wonder in a child's eyes." Izuku nodded, his mood having brightened considerably.

"That being said, we mustn't forget that these people are still committing criminal acts. The declared 'greater good' has never found a welcoming home in history, regardless of form. These individuals are causing chaos and upheaval against the will of innocents and therefore must be stopped." Again, Toshinori's successor answered in tandem with the tone of the subject, nodding firmly with a sharp brow. Izuku seemed to remember something just then, standing up from his seat opposite the retired pro.

"All Might, I'd like to try something, with Solidarity, if it's alright with you." The man nodded easily, awaiting his student's action. The boy activated his quirk, the familiar visual ques springing to life. All Might's eyes widened as he witnessed the energy radiating off his student moving towards him, his hair standing on end as he felt a very familiar, yet also unique, power attempting to embrace his body. Moments later, he felt energized, like he could puff into his muscle form and easily run a marathon or two.

Izuku kept the connection for a time, studying the effect it was having, watching his mentor nod in approval of his control of his newest ability. Having seen enough, he cut the flow, all presence of the power dissipating. All Might grinned.

"Thank you, Young Midoriya. That was… I guess 'nostalgic' is the word to use." Izuku's eyes brightened.

"Does that mean-" Toshi cut him off with a raised hand.

"It's not just about the power anymore, my boy. My body simply can't handle that strain anymore. I'd imagine if you granted me any more than 30% of your power it would destroy me." Disappointed, but figuring as much, Izuku nodded. His teacher gave a reassuring grin. "Don't worry about it. You and your friends will need all the strength you can get to stop those mysterious individuals and their powerful quirks.

"They're not quirks."

Toshi blinked. "I'm sorry?" Izuku looked to his mentor again, a notable etching of seriousness in his features that had All Might concerned.

"Those people, whatever power they have, it isn't a quirk." He laced his fingers together, elbows on his knees. "Remember when Uraraka mentioned that I can 'feel' the presence of those in Solidarity's vicinity?" Toshinori nodded. "Well, when that happens, I can sense the presence of a quirk in the person, I can feel that mass of power within them that feels similar to One For All's core inside me. Then when I use it on you, I can tell that there's nothing there, that you're a regular person without any powers, that I'm the one giving you some of mine." He furrowed his brow.

"When I was with that girl, Marie, there was a moment when Full Cowl was active, when I was unconsciously reaching out with Solidarity. But when that circuit tried to connect to her, it was rejected, like her body refused to allow the power to flow in." He stared across at his mentor. "Whatever those people have, they're not quirks, I'm sure of it."

Toshinori didn't voice how troubling that information was, but figured it was written on his face with how silent he became following the declaration. Unfortunately, they didn't have time to continue the discussion, as the overhead speakers suddenly called for all students to report to their homerooms for final preparations. All Might bid his protégé farewell, promising to give him a call as often as he could. Once the young man was on his way, Toshinori returned to the couch and sat himself down, staring down at table before him with aged, worried eyes. The conversation from earlier hadn't yet left his train of thought.

In this time of crisis, there had to be something that he, now a quirkless retiree, could do to help. But what?

Roughly ten hours of driving by bus overnight eventually led the collective students of 1-A to their destination, the massive vehicle shuddering constantly as it now plowed down a somewhat uneven dirt road. Most of the group had their faces plastered against the nearest window, in awe at the gorgeous scenery outside, bathed in morning light.

Partially shrouded amongst a sea of low hills and patches of woodland, the Yaoyorozus' summer home, similar to their estate, covered an astounding amount of acres, all currently blanketed by several inches of fresh snow. There were few air currents in the area, from what Momo explained, resulting in the untouched winter wonderland that coasted by as they drove. Fortunately, the bus's tires were graded for the icy slush and mud it was moving through.

A few minutes later, the abode itself came into view, along with the promised lake. A brilliant icy reflection from the frozen body of water perfectly complimented the white-topped structure beside it. Even the small connected pier hadn't been freed of snowfall. While not as massive as a mansion, the house still sported two large wings jutting out from a central hub, all surrounded by an impressive brick wall circling the perimeter. The rustic image alone made some feel safe and warm.

The imposing gates opened automatically as the bus pulled up, finally returning to paved road on approach to the entrance. The class spotted several figures meeting them there, their formal attire a dead giveaway as to their identities. The group's transport finally came to a stop, hydraulics hissing as the doors opened, allowing Aizawa to be the first to step off. The rest followed excitedly, pouring out and falling in behind their teacher. Momo however, was quick to step past and address the staff, giving them a smile.

"It's good to see you, Mistress Yaoyorozu," one of the housekeepers greeted, bowing to the girl along with those at her side.

"You as well," the Creation user replied cheerfully. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice." The woman waved her off.

"Oh you needn't worry. Home is within walking distance for all of us." Momo nodded, as Aizawa and the others all joined in. The employees all parted to welcome them inside, an invitation they all took. Past the enormous double doors, everyone gasped at the wonderful furnishing within. Ceiling to floor was just as cozy as the exterior promised it to be. Several of the boys had stars in their eyes at the decorative samurai suits posed on either side of the entryway.

Before they went any further however, Izuku had to address the missing individuals. "Mr. Aizawa, didn't you say the Big 3 came ahead to secure the area? How come they didn't meet us at the front?" Eraserhead shrugged with little effort, clearly not having a real answer for him. The boy would've inquired further, if not for the sudden clanking noise coming from behind him. Unfortunately he wasn't fast enough to react properly, resulting in him caught in a hanging headlock by… the nearest samurai suit.

"GAAAHH!"

Several people screamed, watching their classmate held in the air by the imposing figure. Before anyone could act however, a hearty, if slightly muffled laughter filled the air, familiar enough to stop Izuku from activating his quirk.

"Haha! Too slow, Midoriya! We might be here to watch out for you freshmen, but that doesn't mean you can slack off!" Izuku blinked in disbelief.

"T-Togata?!"

With one powerful arm still slung around the ninth holder's neck, the figure used his free hand to remove the mask covering his face, revealing the enthusiastic grin of the upperclassman. "Righto!" As the rest of the class sweatdropped, the housekeeper rushed over and frowned alarmingly at the blonde.

"Mr. Togata, please! That's an antique!" Mirio's grin faltered, staring blankly back at the lady before his energy surged back in.

"Ah! I'm so sorry! I just wanted to see if the juniors were keeping themselves sharp." With speed that would make one swear he still had his quirk, Mirio dropped Izuku back on his feet and striped off the armor, replacing it on the actual form where it belonged. No sooner was he proudly standing before them in all his true glory that three additional figures walked into view.

"Jeez, Mirio, you know we could never afford to pay off anything we break in here," Tamaki muttered sullenly. Across from him, Nejire was already waving energetically to the group.

"Hey, hey! You guys should see this place! It's like an entire hotel in here!" Standing between the two third-years, Eri gave her own, less forceful, yet equally joyful wave. The scare from earlier was lost to memory as the class eagerly mobbed the newly revealed trio, immediately beginning to chatter away with the girls of the bunch, Tamaki quite quickly turning away as all the attention got to him. Aizawa stepped over next to Mirio.

"Seems you've settled in. I leave them to you then." The blonde gave a thumbs up and blinding smile.

"You got it, Eraserhead!" Aizawa grunted in reply, then called out over the mess of students.

"Listen up! You all may be on vacation but Togata's point is valid. Keep yourselves constantly aware, use the time wisely, and don't cause any trouble, the same as if you were still in the dorms. I'll be checking in regularly for an update. If I hear of any issues, you can bet I'll have an appropriate consequence once you're back in class. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" The Erasure hero nodded, then waved them off as he turned to the door.

Left to their own devices, the group was quickly rallied behind Momo, who had them follow for a grand tour of the house. To no one's surprise, Nejire had a tendency to piggyback off every introduction given to various portions of building, often ending with her realizing something she'd missed on her own walkthrough and bombarding Momo or the housekeepers with questions. The Creation user seemed unfazed, happily explaining whatever the curious senior asked.

Upon making their way to the second floor via the central staircase, Yaoyorozu displayed the two wings everyone would be staying in, girls in the east, boys in the west. A look inside one of the identical rooms had people's jaws drop, amazed that they'd more or less have luxury suites. Izuku was quick enough to catch Ochaco's fall by the shoulders as she was overwhelmed by it all. Momo herself gave Mineta a dire warning that if anyone so much as spotted him in the girl's wing he'd spend the rest of the visit in the gardener's supply shed.

As everyone had the forethought to pack light for the trip, one bag each, the class managed to set up in short order, feeling reminiscent of their move-in to Heights Alliance. In line with what Hado had stated, their rooms felt just as empty as one from a hotel with what little they'd brought from home. Speaking of the periwinkle-haired senior, she'd insisted Ochaco and Tsuyu take the rooms next to her, an action that had Kirishima begging his own upperclassman companion to bunk next to him. Tamaki showed no objection, or energy, towards the request. Izuku didn't have to say or do anything, Mirio automatically following the trend and ushering him to the free room bordering his own.

It was nearing sunset by the time the hero hopefuls had all simmered down, now strewn about the massive living area on the ground floor, planning out what they'd be doing for the next several days. The largest topic being, appropriately, Christmas. Upon discovering Eri's ineptitude at understanding holidays, the girls quickly gathered round to lay it all out for the little girl, who listened with gradually widening eyes to each story of past Christmas eves spent with family.

Izuku watched from across the way, a dumb smile on his face as he watched by far the youngest of their group be in awe at all she'd missed in life. However, no sooner had this thought entered his mind that the smile faded, his lips pursing as he contemplated on how he could keep helping the Rewind user without Aizawa there to assist, or, in the worst scenario, save them. He pulled out his most recent notes for Eri, strumming through, trying to find a connection to the information. He found the portion concerning the similarities to their two quirks, the accumulative nature and destructive potential.

Power is more or less energy.

He gasped inwardly. Those were his own words, an explanation to his conductivity with Solidarity, a way to provide for others what they themselves couldn't, or shouldn't. Izuku looked back up at Eri, now sporting an adorable Santa hat Momo had likely created moments ago, the girls cooing with delight. Could it be he had the answer? A way to allow her to access her power without having to rely on Erasure's cutoff?

So so sorry for the lateness of this chapter, everyone! It's been a bit of a rough month. On to another matter, the first milestone has been reached: 100 follows! Many thanks to the people who wish to be notified when this thing gets updated! Fuel for the fire! I should be back to a more regular schedule for getting chapters out, every week or two, so look forward to that.

Oh and, don't freak out, we'll be seeing the actual meeting between Izuku, Shoto, and Rei a bit later.

HankFlamion18: Wow, I can create such desire to read? I'm super psyched you enjoyed this, I did by best to blend set-up with action, as I realize it can be a bit stale or overwhelming in either case.

patrickthenobleman: As dedicated to extensive reviews as ever, and appreciated just the same. Nailing the motivation is just one big part of a good antagonist force, so I'm happy it works. I will be slotting in some views of street life in this event, so don't you worry. As far as inspiration, I have not actually heard of the stoires you've mentioned but they seen intriguing. This story was originally going to be a sequel to one where a visiting student from another hero course with a powerful qirk wished that he was quirkless, which would lead into the global crisis here. I decided to cut that out due to not having as much free time as I used to.

The Keeper of Worlds: Yep, you hit it right on the money. And see both sides to boot!

Interviner: I'll admit, the ending to this story was probably the hardest for me to consider. I wanted something a bit unique, not quite swung to one totality or the other. The in-between will be explored, suffice to say, so I look forward to your take and of course appreciate your thoughts on the theme.

Sentinel07: I find it a bit hard to write Bakugo, one because he's complicated and two because I'm not completely over my dislike of him yet. So these little bits are the most I can experiment with for now. Also, really glad you caught that Izuku gag, I felt it was almost a comedic necessity.

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!

next chapter: Bottom-Up