A/N: And just like that, we've crossed into April. Thanks to everyone for being understanding about my work priorities, and am happy to bring this chapter to you. Well, happy may not be the exact term for it, as this one gets a little heavy with respect to one character. Three guesses as to who.

Chapter 24: Reversed Eight of Wands

Chapter Date: 04/04/22

Izuku was out of his depth. Even more so than he'd been in recent weeks, which was impressive in its own right.

However, standing across from a Himiko who looked almost as tense as he felt, Izuku thought it was an understatement if anything. Even with Kacchan, the most protective of Izuku, and Sero, the most critical of him, waiting nearby in the event of a negative reaction, there was still the likelihood that Izuku's proposal would not go over well with Himiko.

'Well, almost everything I've been doing has had the not-insignificant chance of failure. And if it's for Himiko…' Izuku squared his shoulders as Himiko approached, the blonde previously frozen after Izuku had greeted her.

"You have something you want to ask me? As if the third degree from you and your friends last night wasn't enough?" Himiko's catlike eyes slitted further, levelling a fearsome glare at Izuku. "I didn't come just for you to tell me what I did was wrong, and how I shouldn't have used my quirk, and how I shouldn't have tricked that hero to-"

"I'm not here to scold you! I'm not." Izuku exclaimed, putting his hands up slowly as to not spook Himiko further. Whether it was working, Izuku had no idea. "I…wanted to ask if you were alright, especially after last night. I didn't get to see if you were okay after leading Kido away, so I was worried for you."

Himiko's eyes widened. "You were…worried?"

"Worried for, not about." At Izuku's words, Himiko finally loosened her shoulders, though Izuku didn't doubt that her knives were still well within arms' reach.

"…No one's ever been worried for me before. Plenty worried about me, sure, but for? Not my friends, and definitely not my parents." Izuku couldn't help the pang that pierced his heart; his mother had very rarely ever not worried for him. And before the Travelers, he hadn't had much in the way of friends. "…I know I wasn't supposed to be doing things like tricking heroes, and that I wasn't supposed to do that while using my quirk. But…I won't apologize for that!"

Izuku willed himself not to backpedal as Himiko's posture went from that of a scolded cat to a feral one, her last words nearly a snarl. "I-I'm not asking you to apologize. I know what I asked of you when we first met, and I know that what you did yesterday technically goes against that. I'm not mad at you though. I just want to know why you helped. You weren't…very specific, last night."

"Oh." Himiko titled her head as one of her hands tussled at her straightened hair, strands sticking out in a style reminiscent of the messy buns that the Travelers had told Izuku she'd sported. "You needed help, and I wanted to help. It was as simple as that. It should be as simple as that."

A beat passed, then two, as Izuku digested Himiko's statement. It really was simplistic reasoning, albeit surprisingly philosophical and kind. Although maybe motivated by self-interest, in a way, it was…

"Heroic." Izuku said softly, jolting Himiko out of her glare. "You would make a good hero."

Himiko's eyebrows shot into her fringe, before her expression returned to a scowl. "Not happening. Even if I were interested, stabbing someone and drinking their blood tends to be the kind of thing that gets heroes chasing after you, nevermind becoming one."

"You shouldn't have gone about things the way you did with Saito, but what happened was a result of the quirk counseling and the complete lack of blood for your quirk." Izuku replied firmly. Some of the Travelers had also mentioned her parents', and Izuku used that term very loosely for Himiko's progenitors, and their utter lack of regard for Himiko and her quirk had also pushed Himiko to what she'd become.

But, despite having no support from her family, enduring quirk counseling, and keeping her quirk's urges locked away until they'd finally overwhelmed her, Himiko had still listened to Izuku instead of pressing the attack the first time they'd met. She had still stuck to their deal the best she could.

She had still broken the deal, and its many benefits for her, for nothing more than to help Izuku and the Travelers, for a reason that she still wasn't aware of.

And that was why Izuku had faith, that Himiko would accept his proposal. As for what would come after, well…

"You already know that I'm a student. What I haven't mentioned yet is that I'm also being taught in part by teachers at U.A." At the mention of the name, Himiko stiffened, but Izuku barreled on ahead. "I know you might not want to become a hero, but I truly think that you could use their help. No, I believe they can help you. So please, let me bring you to U.A."

There was silence for a second, before one second stretched into five, then ten. Still as a statue, unblinking, Himiko spent what felt like minutes to Izuku unmoving before she doubled over, arms wrapped around herself as she shook. Izuku started forward before catching a glimpse of her face.

"He…hehe…hehehe!" Girlish giggles poured out of Himiko's mouth, at odds with the flushed cheeks and bared fangs in her smile, and Izuku waited for the fallout. Because there would be a fallout. "You…you want to walk me to the most famous Hero school in Japan like it's some sort of referral program, and what? I'll sit my ass down in a classroom like some student, like I didn't stab my last schoolmate, like I belong there?!"

Himiko's voice gradually rose to a shriek, and Izuku was very glad he decided to meet earlier today, and not when there was a stronger chance of someone overhearing them, because Himiko did not seem to be finished. "You think that I trust those heroes not to hunt me down like some animal? Not to ship me back to my loving parents? Not to stick me in some cell to rot? Not to put me back into the same life that I nearly killed to get out of?"

All excellent and extremely understandable questions. "You don't have to trust the heroes, not until they've earned that trust. But…I would hope that you could trust me. Trust that I would only seek out people who were good at heart, who want to help you like I do." Izuku swallowed the lump in his throat. "Because I do want to help you, Himiko. Please, let me help you."

Himiko's shoulders slumped, and Izuku blinked as she screwed her eyes shut, slapped her hands over her face, and groaned. "Just stop with the puppy eyes!" Slowly, Himiko's hands fell away from her face. "…Even if I trust you to know good people, even if I trust that the heroes are good people, I can't walk into a fortress like U.A. Not if there's no chance I'll be able to walk out if they decide to arrest me, or worse."

Well, if that was what Himiko was worried about… "I spoke to someone affiliated with All Might, and he agreed to meet us at the U.A. gate with a guest pass for you. If either you decide that you don't want U.A.'s help, or if U.A. decides against helping you…I got All Might's secretary to confirm that you would be free to walk away, without heroes trying to detain you."

Izuku could have sworn that Himiko's eyes bulged out slightly. "Wh-All-How-?" She choked out, before taking a deep breath, and then wrapping an arm around one of Izuku's and dragging him along. "Let's get this over with. One day very soon, you're going to tell me how you know any tangentially related to All Might. And by one day, I mean today."

'If I survive the glares that Kacchan and Sero are definitely sending my way, and the various talks I'm about to have…'

... … …

"Whoa…" Himiko breathed out as she, Izuku and Kacchan neared U.A.'s entrance. With Sero having departed sometime during the journey, Kacchan had decided to resume close surveillance of Himiko, who still had an arm wrapped around one of Izuku's. Both blondes had bickered with varying levels of vitriol, with Kacchan nicknamed as "Bakubitch" while Himiko had been dubbed "Bun Bitch", despite Himiko's hairstyle not having reached that point yet. "It looks way more intimidating up close."

"I remember thinking that too the first day I came," Izuku replied, the awe that was also present when All Might had brought him and Kacchan here fresh in his mind. After a couple months however, Izuku had thankfully acclimatized to the sight of the U.A. barrier and the sight beyond its walls.

"What about you, Boom Boy? Get a helping of humble pie the first time you saw all this?" Himiko asked, side-eyeing Kacchan as Izuku also glanced his way. The blond met Izuku's gaze, and Izuku thought back to that first day once again.

He hadn't known until then that one expression could hold such a combination of wistfulness and dread.

On the other hand, Himiko mainly seemed to be solely experiencing the dread at the moment, swiveling her head a few times. "Well Izuku, it looks like All Might's secretary flaked out on meeting us by the gate. Clearly they're not interested in helping out, so I'll just let you two-"

"Please wait, young lady." The familiar and deep tone caught Izuku's ear, and the trio turned to see All Might in his unpowered form striding up the sidewalk towards them. "I had just gotten off the phone with Tsukauchi and realized I was running a bit late, so please forgive my tardiness. Now, would you be the guest that Izuku scheduled a meeting with Nezu for? Might I have your name, miss?"

Himiko had spent the entirety of All Might's explanation glancing up and down the hero's lanky frame, before turning to Izuku. "This scarecrow is supposed to be All Might's secretary?"

"Scarecr-" All Might sputtered as Kacchan burst into laughter, contrasting with Izuku's horrified expression. Himiko had no way of knowing she'd just insulted the number one hero, but still! "I am Yagi Toshinori, and I am indeed All Might's secretary. Please, take this guest pass so you may pass through the U.A. barrier safely. I will take you all to Nezu's office before I have to attend to other business."

Himiko took the plastic card from All Might, eyeing the entrance before turning back to All Might. "Whatever you say. Call me Himiko."

"Wh-wouldn't you rather I address you by your surname, Young…" Dabbing some of the blood off of his mouth from his outburst, All Might trailed off after gazing at Himiko. "Very well. Let us be on our way, Young Himiko."

The trip down the walkway and into the main building was spent in silence, with all three blondes steadfastly not meeting anyone else's eyes. Izuku, on the other hand, was ping-ponging back and forth between them as his thoughts raced.

'I didn't really expect of them to be chatting with one another like old friends, but still! Oh, what is All Might thinking at the moment? I know it was sudden getting him to agree to escorting Himiko and maybe letting her go, but is he having second thoughts after having met her? But she seems fine at the moment, so how would All Might have any idea of what-'

"We have arrived at Nezu's office. Young Himiko, you may walk in, as Nezu should be expecting you. Young Midoriya, Young Bakugo, if you could wait a moment as I would like to have-" All Might stopped as Himiko slowly, but firmly, grabbed Izuku's arm. "Young Himiko?"

"Izuku comes with me. I don't want to talk with the principal unless he's there as well." Himiko's eyes nearly turned to slits once again as she faced All Might. "Besides, there's nothing I can tell Nezu that I haven't already told Izuku."

"…It seems Nezu was correct about that as well." All Might's expression was complicated, and grew even moreso as Himiko flinched at the hero's response. "I suppose we may speak after your meeting with Nezu then, Young Midoriya. Young Bakugo, I believe that Aizawa wished to see you."

"Oh, I'm sure he does. C'mon 'Scarecrow', let's get a move on." Kacchan strolled away with All Might following, leaving Izuku and a stiff Himiko outside of Nezu's office. Glancing down at Himiko, it was clear to Izuku that it was taking the girl a considerable amount of willpower to even remain where she was, rather than flee what she likely expected to be interrogation and arrest.

Imagining that it just another lesson with Nezu, the future emperor of the world at-actually, it was better not to think at all in this case.

Izuku approached the door, and as was customary the door slid open, revealing Nezu already seated on one of the room's couches, with three cups of tea on the coffee table as the principal waved. "Ah, Midoriya, just in time for tea! Please, both of you, come and have a seat and some tea; I just put out a new dark blend."

Izuku took his normal seat opposite Nezu, but Himiko had barely sat upon the couch before blurting out, "What are you?"

Nezu smiled. "Am I a mouse? A dog? A bear? My real identity is…the principal!" Nezu continued smiling as Izuku and Himiko picked up their cups and took a sip. "Of course, the real question for this meeting should be; What are you, Toga Himiko?"

"PFFFFTT-" Izuku couldn't help the slight spit-take after that statement, though he had the presence of mind to face away from Nezu and Himiko. Hurriedly wiping the tea away, Izuku whirled back to see Himiko frozen in place, before the girl swallowed and stared at her cup.

"This…this is blood…" Himiko glanced from Izuku, who hurriedly took a sip of his identically colored cup to confirm that his was actually tea, to Nezu, who was still smiling. "But how…I didn't smell anything?"

"Oh, you would be surprised at the thoroughness of such things like scent removers in this day and age. Especially for those with sense-enhancing quirks or the like, or those with particular diets, such as yourself. But I trust that is the least of your questions, though it certainly answers some of mine."

And suddenly Izuku was the subject of Himiko's intense stare, which was fast becoming a glare. "Did you tell him who I was, and my quirk?" As Izuku hurriedly shook his head, Nezu's chittering cut through Himiko's tirade.

"Midoriya didn't tell me a thing about you, beyond his request that you be free to leave after this meeting, one way or another. Rather, since you arrived at U.A. and you appeared on our cameras, I began compiling some cursory notes on you. With your features, your name that you so kindly gave to Yagi, and your probable questionable status with the law, a search provided some illuminating results on your background and recent events." Nezu took a sip of his own tea, looking wholly unconcerned with the shock seeping into Izuku and even more so into Himiko. "Really, it was rather crude worth given that I only had ten minutes to work with. I would have been better prepared to accommodate you if I had an hour or more."

Out of everything that Nezu said, the one particular word stuck out to Izuku, but Himiko beat him to the punch. "A-Accommodate?"

"Hmm? Why, of course we will help you, Himiko! Yours is a rather clear-cut case of abuse, both from your biological family, as well as various figures of authority such as your quirk counselor and multiple educators at your middle school who either neglected to see or blatantly ignored your physiological and psychological need for blood." Nezu placed his cup down and spread his arms wide. "At your word, these individuals will face proper justice, and we may begin clearing your name. Thankfully, it appears that you were able to contain any unfortunate occurrences to the boy, Saito, so any discussions about charges against you may be remedied relatively simply. As for your continuing education, I am aware that you technically did not graduate middle school, but-"

"Why are you doing this?" Himiko's question was no more than a whisper, but the inquiry rang out nonetheless. The girl's fists were bunched in her lap, and Izuku wouldn't have been surprised to see clouds forming above Himiko and Nezu. "I didn't ask for you to butt in, I didn't want your help. Who made you the authority on charity cases?!"

Nezu didn't bat an eye. "As a certain esteemed alumnus likes to say: Meddling when you don't need to is the essence of being hero. Well, by that line of reasoning, I must be one of the most heroic individuals on the planet!" Izuku wasn't sure how exactly Nezu had turned one of All Might's inspirational lines into a self-administered back-handed compliment, but it was Nezu's prerogative, he supposed. "In addition, as a principal of a school, it is well within my jurisdiction to be concerned with the wellbeing and futures of minors, not to mention my status as a hero."

"I didn't ask to be boxed together like everyone else, to be sifted apart, nice and neat!" Himiko was growing visibly and increasingly agitated. "I just want to be free to-"

"Ah yes, the freedom to be yourself." Nezu proceeded to take an obnoxiously loud sip of tea. "A goal entirely different from other teenagers and young adults your age. How unique."

"You, don't know anything about me!" Himiko snarled, and her fingers twitched downwards towards-

"I don't? So your desire for blood, to use your quirk, to become someone else, has nothing to do with your parents' vehement disgust and refusal for your inclinations?" Nezu angled his head, the scar over his eye showing more prominently. "Would you like to tell me that the abhorrent quirk counseling didn't leave its mark upon you?"

"Stop…"

Izuku tore his eyes away from Nezu to see a Himiko carved from stone, every inch frozen as her eyes were wide open, her statement breathed through her mouth.

"How fascinating, that your surname contains the meanings to 'migrate the self', with your given name meaning to 'wear or put on somebody.'" Nezu continued onwards as if his sharp ears hadn't captured Himiko's reply. "There is a saying, that a man will die trying to live up to their name, or in spite of it."

"Stop."

"Japan also has the wonderful proverb of the three faces that every individual possesses; One that we diplomatically show to the world, a second where we inject a fraction of ourselves to show those close to us, and the last that truly embodies who we are, yet never show to anyone. I wonder…what do you believe is the third face that represents who you are, hmm?"

"Stop it."

"After all, with the emphasis that was placed against being 'yourself', it is quite understandable that the natural progression was to be anyone but yourself. And with such a quirk like yours-"

"I SAID STOP!" In a flash, Himiko had drawn a tanto blade and stabbed the point into the table. The blade sank straight into the wood grains, and with the glare that Himiko was sending towards Nezu, it wasn't difficult for anyone in the room to imagine what another blade might do to the principal.

Despite that, Izuku and Himiko were surprised as Nezu left the couch and bowed to Himiko. "I am deeply sorry for what I just did." It was not an exaggeration for Izuku to say that it was the first apology that he'd seen Nezu give, to anyone. The principal then lifted his head.

"You have been so strong, and so very brave, to have remained who you are despite the utter conformity that threatened to crush your sense of self. But that hurt you carry, was festering beneath the surface, poisoning you. And despite my own experiences, and my prodigious intellect, I am not the right individual to help you recover." Nezu traced the scar on his face as he smiled sadly. "However, I do believe that I have the capability to find those who can guide you, and the ability to make that path easier. Moreover, it is my own desire to assist you, and to have this school assist you, if you would let it."

Nezu slowly slid a folder across the table, skirting around the buried blade, to Himiko, who picked it up and hugged it to her chest without glancing at its contents. Looking decidedly wrung out, the blonde nodded her head, and to Izuku and Nezu, that was more than enough.

"Well, it is by no means an order, but I would like if you could visit Recovery Girl in the medical wing before you depart, so feel free to visit the washroom beforehand if you so desire. You may also take the opportunity to peruse the details of my offer to you." Nezu gestured to the adjoining room, and Himiko wordlessly departed, leaving Izuku and Nezu in the same positions as if the two were in a lesson as usual. However, the circumstances were anything but normal.

"Sir…" Izuku began, the words slipping out of his mouth before he realized he was speaking. "I understand the need to emphasize the situation…but I don't think it was necessary, or right, to treat Himiko like you did."

Nezu's expression turned thoughtful at that, as the principal appeared to mull the thought over a few sips of tea. "Midoriya, you possess a faith and optimism in humanity that is likely unrivaled. Indeed, it likely surpasses even All Might in his present state. With that said…I must inform you that you were extremely fortunate to have met Himiko at the point you did. Any later and I fear that something irreversible may have taken place within that girl."

The Travelers' cautionary tales of the villain Toga rose to the forefront of Izuku's mind. "I think I understand, sir."

"Perhaps you do, but I would be remiss as a teacher if I did not ensure your understanding. Simply put, Himiko had already suffered a psychotic break, and was a deeply distorted individual desperately grabbing at whatever freedom she could, however she could. As it stands, she has most certainly bent under the weight thrust upon her, suffered cracks to her integrity and being, but she has not broken or shattered. Not yet. And that makes all the difference." Nezu cradled the cup in both paws as he faced Izuku head-on. "Despite the substantial risk to yourself, you performed a noble deed Midoriya, and in the course of doing so may have saved countless souls."

As Izuku took those words to heart, the door to the office slid open to reveal an exhausted-looking Aizawa…an even more exhausted-looking Aizawa. "I'm here to pick up the Problem Child." A darkened eye drifted over to the washroom, where Himiko had just stepped out of and froze under Eraserhead's scrutiny. "I take it this is the new official problem child."

"Yes! Please escort Himiko and Midoriya to Recovery Girl; she should already be aware that Himiko is in need of a check up." The foreboding atmosphere that had been present for Nezu's talk had all but disappeared at this point, and Himiko hurried to flee away from the principal's gaze. As Himiko sped out of the room, followed by a sighing Aizawa, Izuku stood up and stepped towards the open doorway, but paused before leaving the room as Nezu spoke. "And Midoriya? There is one more thing that I wish to impart on you for the day."

Izuku nodded, before the pressure in the room increased and the light seemed to dim. Nezu's beady eyes appeared to shine directly at Izuku.

"I may be on the side of the angels, but do remember…I am not one of them."

… … …

Reversed Eight of Wands: Resisting change, trying to stop the flow while things around you feel panicked or out of control. If one is feeling stuck, try things differently. Align your resources, so you may move forward with your life.

A/N: Part of the reason why I wasn't able to get this chapter out last week was due to the sheer complexity that is Himiko Toga. I typically try not to address character and plot developments ahead of when they're revealed in canon, but with the limited amount that Horikoshi has done on Toga, I felt more justified going a deeper dive on Toga. That said, a part of my writing style involves getting into the mindset of the characters, and with Toga, that was a whole thing. Throw in the combination of the quirk-name-personality equation that Horikoshi puts together for his characters, add in a few other details on Toga from different chapters of the manga, and I had quite the chapter to write. But don't worry, it's not like Toga will be taking over the story or anything, but I had to lay things out properly in a way that made sense, if that makes sense. Anyways, see everyone next week!

-SE

Next Chapter Date: 04/11/22