A/N: I'd like to give another shout-out to Ryuujin96, who made a most interesting suggestion that I'd never even considered when I'd first written this story, but which made the story better in my opinion, so Ryuujin96, thanks again! That aside, this chapter as well as most of the ones that come afterwards will be more lighthearted.

Yet again, another day passed in Los Angeles, and Shoto's Angels came back for another round of hero work.

"Congratulations on continuing to impress me," said Todoroki. "The latest CompStat figures from the LAPD showed a 4% drop in crime yesterday compared to the day before, and the LAFD credited us with 27 lives saved. As a matter of fact, we've become so well-known in this city that a reporter from ABC7 wants to do a story on our agency."

The women excitedly discussed this amongst themselves for a bit.

"Yes, I'm excited by this prospect as well," said Todoroki. "Granted, I didn't start this Hero Agency solely for the fame, but I'm glad to know that there are people out there who recognize us for the good, honest work we put in. I realize that a few of you may be apprehensive about the prospect of fame, but just act like you always would. That aside, speaking of good, honest work, I want to congratulate Ashido and Hagakure for their success in bringing down Patrick Doyle. Their spirit of teamwork ensured that more women can walk the streets without fear of being murdered so gruesomely, so let's give them a hand."

Everyone cheered for Ashido and Hagakure, who smiled and bowed in appreciation.

"Moving on, as you all know, Uraraka has so kindly given us the nickname 'Shoto's Angels', and furthermore, Midoriya went the extra mile and designed a new logo for us, as you can see here…"

Todoroki uncovered an easel, which was displaying a poster with a finished version of the logo that Deko had designed, which earned a hearty round of approval from everyone, especially Uraraka, who gave Deko a "good job Deko!" in addition to a pat on the back.

"In the future, I'll even have additional materials with this logo such as T-shirts and coffee mugs," said Todoroki. " That aside, I don't have any special assignments for any of you. I would, however, like to see Ashido before she goes out. Everyone else, get out there and make me proud."

All the women left except for Ashido, whom Todoroki sat down next to.

"What's up?" asked Ashido, who had a serious look on her face.

"Hagakure told me you had a hard time with that assignment yesterday, and I just wanted to check in with you to see how you were feeling."

Ashido averted her gaze and sighed. "I'm gonna be honest: that was probably the most frightening experience of my entire life. It scared me so much that I had trouble sleeping last night. If I knew what I was getting into, I probably woulda had second thoughts about doing that."

"Ashido, I'm sorry if I hurt you. That wasn't my intent. I don't know what it's like to face a constant barrage of catcalls for the way I dress, or to be paid less for the exact same work that a man does, or to have to balance my career with raising a child, or to be raped and have difficulty in reporting it, or to have my right to an abortion preyed upon by self-serving politicians, or any of the other travails that come with being a woman. Nevertheless, I want to let you know how proud I am of you for risking your life to bring down such a despicable killer, and I'm willing to do anything to help you get through whatever troubles you may be facing. You mean a lot to me."

Ashido stared into Todoroki's heterochromic eyes. Even if she was still feeling some trauma from what she'd been through, she was so touched by his words that she buried her face in his shoulder and gave him a big hug as she cried. Despite being overwhelmed by her sadness, he returned her hug. In this moment, he was actually feeling some remorse, not so much for the fact that she'd come so close to death, but that the experience had scarred her so. He actually began to wonder how he'd feel if someone put his own mother through this. Furthermore, he was even starting to question if he should do anything differently in running his agency given that all of his employees were women. On the other hand, she was alive, and he was at least grateful for this. Even if she was an employee, she felt like more than that to him. All of his women did. The overpowering emotions didn't loosen their grip on him much, if at all, but he vowed to continue holding on to her for as long as she needed it, which wasn't a fleeting moment. Finally, after Ashido let go, she actually had a smile on her face.

"Todoroki, thanks!"

Todoroki smiled weakly. "You're welcome. Here…"

Todoroki pulled a packet of tissues from a pocket on his M65 and handed them to Ashido, who promptly blew her nose and dried her eyes.

"I may never get over how much this hurt, but I still think you're a hell of a guy!" said Ashido. "I can't tell you how glad I am to be working for you!"

Todoroki's smile shone a little more brightly. "The pleasure is all mine, Ashido. Also, if you need time off, I'm willing to give you as much as you need. Not only will you be paid for it, but I'll even pay a little extra for all the trouble you faced."

Ashido let out a happy gasp. "NO WAY! You're too sweet!"

Ashido gave Todoroki another hug, which he gladly returned. It hadn't been a whole week since the agency started doing hero business, but already, he felt a kinship with his women. After what seemed like eons, Ashido let go.

"If it's OK with you, I'd like to at least work half of today," said Ashido. "I feel like I owe Toru that much."

Todoroki nodded. "It is granted. Also, if you need counseling, I know a really good therapist."

Ashido put a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "I'm already seeing one, but thanks, Sweetoroki!"

"You're very welcome. Now, enough sentiment; go out there and do your best!"

"Oh, you!"

Ashido ruffled Todoroki's hair. Just then, Hagakure came in.

"Hey Mina, you ready or what, girlfriend?"

"Coming!"

With a renewed sense of sprightliness, Ashido bounded from her chair and went to join Hagakure for their daily patrol. Meanwhile, Todoroki smiled, knowing that he could make a difference by being there for her.

A little later in the day, Todoroki was attending to his usual paperwork when the phone rang.

"Shoto Agency, Shoto Todoroki speaking."

"Shoto, there's a news crew from ABC7 here to see you!" said Jane.

"Send them up."

"Will do!"

Todoroki hung up and did his best to compose himself. Usually, his demeanor was colder than Foreigner's ice, but he'd never once been interviewed for TV before, so he played with a pen and other assorted objects on his desk. Soon enough, he heard knocking, so he put down this glass cube he had with an engraving of a mountain in it.

"Come in."

The door opened, and a young man of indeterminate ethnicity with a microphone and a blond guy with curly hair who was carrying a video camera entered the room.

"Are you Shoto Todoroki?" asked the reporter.

Todoroki nodded. "I am. And you are…?"

"Marion Svenson, field reporter for ABC7. That's my camera guy, Archie Nelson."

Todoroki smiled. "It's an honor to meet you."

Todoroki got up from his seat and shook Svenson's hand.

"Please, have a seat," said Todoroki.

Svenson and Todoroki seated themselves.

"So, Mr. Todoroki…"

"Please, call me 'Todoroki', or 'Shoto'. Mr. Todoroki is my father."

"Sorry. Anyways, I just wanted to go over the questions that we'll be asking for this interview."

Svenson and Todoroki went over the list of questions.

"Very good," said Todoroki.

"Then let's get started! Speaking of your father, I understand you used to work for his agency. What made you want to start your own?"

"While I had come to tolerate my father, I felt like my potential to grow as a hero was severely stunted by being employed at his agency, and I felt I'd learned enough by working for him that I felt I could handle starting my own agency."

"Interesting. Now, as I understand, all of the heroes working for you are women. Was this a deliberate choice?"

"I assure you, Mr. Svenson, that I was willing to accept any applicant regardless of biological sex or gender identity. All of my applicants just happened to be women, and not only did they do very well in the training program that I set up for them, but they have continued to prove themselves out in the streets of Los Angeles, and I'm very proud of their work."

"I see. Have you ever experienced any challenges in being a man at the head of a Hero Agency primarily staffed by women?"

"Sometimes, I feel like I still have much to learn about interacting with women. However, whenever I get into a disagreement with one of my employees, I try not to look at it as a problem, but an opportunity to learn, grow and become a better person."

"Very intriguing. To my knowledge, your employees are trained in the use of firearms and high-speed driving techniques. What is your reasoning behind this?"

"I realize that firearms may seem superfluous given that at least 80% of the world population has a Quirk. However, if you think about it, not only can they be a useful supplement to a hero's abilities, but in certain cases, they can even serve as an extension of a Quirk. Statistics have also shown that brandishing a firearm is an effective psychological tool for many wrongdoers. Similarly, high-performance cars can allow heroes without any significant speed advantage to reach an incident more quickly. As a matter of fact, I credit the use of automobiles as a factor in the drop in crime that we've accomplished in addition to the lives that we've saved."

"Sounds like you've thought this through. In your entire hero career, what would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?"

"Thus far, I feel as though breaking free of my father and starting this agency has been my greatest accomplishment."

"I see. Also, where do you see this Hero Agency going in the future?"

"Currently, I'm hoping that this will become one of the most effective and efficient Hero Agencies in Los Angeles, if not the rest of California. Based on the fact that there's already been an article about us in the Los Angeles Times and the fact that you're interviewing me at this moment, I feel like this agency is already a rising star."

"OK. And just one more question: what message do you have for future heroes?"

"I just want to remind future heroes that no matter what circumstances you are in, if you do your best to make your own path, then you will succeed."

"That will be all. With your permission, we'd like to interview some of your employees, too."

"I'll have to check with them, but I'm sure they'll be happy to agree."

"Please do. Thank you for your time, Shoto!"

Todoroki nodded. "You're welcome."

Later on, Deko and Uraraka returned to HQ, only to see Svenson and Nelson there.

"Excuse me, but who are you two, and what are you doing here?" asked Deko.

"Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Marion Svenson, field reporter for ABC7, and this is my camera guy, Archie Nelson. We're doing a story on this Hero Agency, and we're hoping to interview some of the heroes who work here."

"Would that be OK with you two?" asked Todoroki.

Deko smiled and nodded. "OK!"

"Yeah, I'd love to!" said Uraraka.

"Great!" said Svenson. "Now then, let's go over the questions…"

Svenson went over the questions with Deko and Uraraka, while Todoroki returned to his office.

"First things first," said Svenson, "please introduce yourselves."

"I'm Izuko Midoriya, better known as 'Deko'."

"And I'm Ochaco Uraraka, better known as 'Uravity'!"

"Now, what made you two want to become heroes?"

"It's an interesting story," said Deko. "One day, I was watching the news with my mom, and there was a story about a villain who'd left a path of destruction, but in that maelstrom of decay, a hero rose to save the day with a smile on his face: All Might. From that day forward, I wanted to be just like him."

"Well, I never thought much about being a hero at first, but when my parents told me that they'd be happier if I made my own way in life, I gave it some thought, and ultimately, I decided to become a hero so I could make enough money to give my parents a better life," said Uraraka.

"Interesting," said Svenson. "Tell me about why you joined the Shoto Agency."

"I was employed with another Hero Agency before this one, but I was looking for a fresh new challenge, somewhere where I felt I could truly grow, not to mention the ad for this agency was very persuasive," said Deko.

"The Hero Agency I worked at was shut down due to a scandal involving the head of that agency, and I was looking for a new agency, and then Deko suggested this one," said Uraraka. "I looked at the website, and I liked how the information was presented, so I signed up."

"I see," said Svenson. "What were your first impressions of your boss?"

"When I found out that he was the son of Endeavor, I was actually quite excited to be working for him," said Deko. "I mean, any hero who's descended from such a famous hero has to know what he's doing, right?"

"At first, I wasn't sure what to think of him, but as I went through the interview and the training academy, I began to see him as a capable leader and a guy who genuinely cares about his subordinates in spite of his cold exterior," said Uraraka.

"Mm-hmm," said Svenson. "Now, as I understand, in the training academy, you were trained in the use of firearms and high-speed driving. How did you feel about that?"

"Considering my Quirk, I felt that guns and cars were unnecessary at first, but over time, I've come to see that they have their uses," said Deko.

"I agree with Deko," said Uraraka. "At first, I thought I didn't need a gun, but given the assignments that I've been on, I can see what our boss said about them being extensions of my Quirk. I've also found more than one use for cars, too."

"Ah, OK," said Svenson. "Do you feel that your boss treats you fairly?"

"Oh, absolutely!" said Deko. "Not only does he pay me better than what I got at my old agency, but he has absolute faith in my abilities!"

"Once again, I'm with Deko!" said Uraraka. "I gotta be honest, too: I've never worked for a guy who treated women as fairly as Todoroki has!"

"I see," said Svenson. "Do either of you find it unusual to be working in an agency of women headed by a man?"

"I'll admit, I found it unusual at first, but the longer I spent in the training academy in addition to the time I spent doing actual work for this agency, the less unusual I found it," said Deko.

"I've worked for male bosses before, which I'm accustomed to, but this is my first time working for an agency where he's the only guy, so yeah, I guess it is a bit unusual," said Uraraka. "Still, I'm grateful for the company of other women."

"All right," said Svenson. "Now, one last question: Do either of you have any advice for future heroes?"

"I'd say this: no matter what, you can become a hero if you have enough heart and determination," said Deko.

"Always support others on your journey, because some of the most surprising people will support you back!" said Uraraka.

"OK, thank you two for your time!" said Svenson.

"You're welcome!" said Deko and Uraraka.

After the interview, Todoroki had gotten back from a brief patrol when he encountered Yaoyorozu.

"What's up, Yaoyorozu?"

Yaoyorozu smiled. "So, as you probably know by now, I appreciate working for you."

Todoroki nodded. "I gathered as such."

"As a matter of fact, I appreciate you so much that I've got a special invitation for you!"

Todoroki raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What sort of invitation?"

"I'm having a super-girly slumber party at my house with some of the other girls, and I want you to come along!"

Todoroki blushed. "Er…that's really nice of you…b-but…"

"But what? As far as I'm concerned, you're one of us! Besides, don't some employees see their bosses outside of work?"

"That is a good point, but I…I…"

"Look, I realize it seems unusual to you, but we all trust you! Besides, you've spoken about how you trust us, so why not come along, hm?"

Todoroki looked at Yaoyorozu's smiling face. On one hand, he feared being ostracized for fraternizing with his employees, but on the other hand, they felt like a second family to him, and in some ways, they felt more like a family to him than his actual family had ever been. Thus, he came to his decision…

"Very well, I accept."

"Grand! The party begins at 5:30 tomorrow. Be there!"

Todoroki nodded. "I will."

With that, Todoroki returned to his office. While he was still a little unsure about the party, he valued his employees nevertheless, and he was actually rather intrigued by the possibility of forging a closer bond with them, even if it went against traditional notions of masculinity. Then again, Todoroki hadn't always gone with traditional notions of masculinity.

Criticism is gold. Negativity and nitpicking are pyrite.