Hey, gamers. Sorry for taking so long. I have been busy lately. Working full time is a toughie. I decided that it could work in my favor though. Today is the 3rd Anniversary of Walk in the Park, so that works out well. While this is the sequel, it is still part of the same story.
I am worried it came off as rushed but I also wanted to get this out in time. I had also planned on fitting more manga chapters into this but I decided to put some original stuff too. I have more plans for world building filler and perspective shifts.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. Take care. I will try to update more often when I can.
Kirishima noticed Izuku and Mina on the ground, near a cloud of dust. He was glad his friends were ok, but needed to check in, just to be sure.
"Mido! Ashi! You ok?!" He called out. Tsuyu hesitated before following suit, hopping not far behind. Her friends were probably fine and being tended to by the pros, but they had dashed off recklessly. At the very least she could grab Kirishima if he was interrupting anything.
A wall of cement sprouted up from the ground, separating the two students from their friends.
All Might sighed in relief, coughing up a bit of blood as if to punctuate the situation. "That Kirishima kid has a good heart and young Asui has a good head on her shoulders. It wouldn't have been good for them to see me like this."
"I'll tend to the wounded. You kids better meet up with your classmates at the entrance."
"What about Izuku and Mina, Ribbit?" Tsuyu asked, tilting her head inquisitively.
"Like I said, I'll tend to the wounded. You'll see them at UA. That's a promise." Cementoss repeated, sending Kirishima and Tsuyu towards the gates.
Once they were gone, the UA teacher smiled at All-Might.
"Thanks, Cementoss. I owe you one." All Might grimaced, roping the blood from his mouth.
"Of course. I'm a huge fan of yours by the way. Anyway we should get you and those other two students to the nurse's office. It's better nobody sees you like this," the giant cement man smiled, his hands folded politely as they relaxed from using his quirk. "You really shouldn't overdo it though."
All-Might turned on his shoulder, feeling his whole body ache from the previous battle. His fellow hero and teacher was right. The more he overdid things, the less he was capable afterwards. Time was running short. And yet, it was unavoidable.
"Overdoing it saved my life. I couldn't hold back. They were really that strong…"
X
A swirling black fog opened up onto a hardwood floor in a small bar. Shigaraki, Kurogiri, and the buff green man from before spilled out with a thud before the portal dissipated.
"That...was a disaster...shot in both arms and legs...Nomu got captured after getting sent flying...We got creamed…" Shigaraki lamented, looking up from the floor at a computer monitor. The villain's voice trembled with rage and disappointment, with a hint of confusion. "The kids were stronger than expected...reinforcements arrived...And All Might still put up one hell of a fight. He didn't seem weaker at all! You were wrong, Master…"
The screen seemed blank, darkened as if it were turned off. And yet there was the faintest shape of a figure visible. The figure's voice finally responded in a deep, authoritative yet cordial tone. "I was not. No. We merely got ahead of ourselves. This can serve as a learning experience, if anything. It's a good thing that League of Villains came cheap...no offense Mr. Waniago. Anyway, you said Nomu was sent flying?"
"Yes, I am afraid. We were unable to track him down and he is most likely apprehended. We were quickly driven to the back foot and I was unable to spare the time to do anything. No amount of warping will help," Kurogiro bowed his head in shame, breast clutched gently.
"Well, that is a pity. And after all the effort we put into making him as strong as All-Might." The mysterious man on the screen sighed, his vague silhouette stroking its chin.
The words echoed in Shigarski's head, as if they were scratching at his mind. As strong as All-might…
"Master...that reminds me...there was this one kid...he seemed pretty strong. He had a girl by his side. She had an acid quirk. If she hadn't held back it probably could have hurt. The boy however...He was as fast as All-Might. Even pulled some of the same moves."
The voice from the screen took on a curious lilt, as if something interesting had just occurred to the mysterious man Shigaraki called `Master´. "Is that so…"
"This was a waste. I was promised tickets to the death of the big man himself. I was even hoping for a piece of him. And yet I ended up as a pawn, working alongside goons I wouldn't have even employed." The man brushed himself off, walking across the floor.
"Please reconsider, Mr. Waniago. I can understand your frustration. A man of your caliber being so used to being a commander, only to end up a pawn...it is certain to sting the pallet and leave you wanting. As I told my protege, we will start again and gather new troops. And this time, you will get the role you deserve."
Waniago paused, feeling a shiver down his spine, as if the voice from the screen belonged to someone bet I d compare, veiled in shadow.
"Ok but let's make this clear. I don't do well answering to people. So if you are the one pulling the strings, I want to meet you personally."
"In due time. First, you need to prove to me you can live up to your reputation. Do that and we will meet."
"I should say no. Walk out right now...but I'm intrigued. I'll bite."
"Is that a pun?"
"I...I suppose it is." Waniago stroked his chin, smiling to himself. "But yes. Count me in. However, if I can't be a general just yet, at least let me do more than grunt work. I have experience in...resource management. I know a few folks throughout Japan. Allow me to prove myself by chaperoning your boy here."
"What do I have to learn from you? We sprung you out of jail." Shigaraki spat.
"Young Tomura, that is enough. There is no point crying over spilt milk. We have some useful information to glean from this. We cannot operate freely so we need a symbol like you. Find strong troops, listen to Mr. Waniago as well. He has some...useful insight that might help you in gathering troops."
Shigaraki hissed in pain as he strained to get up, frustrated both by his situation and the additional babysitters thrust upon him. "Master, please. I don't need this fool tagging along and slowing me down. Why should I-"
"That's enough, my boy," the voice of Shigaraki's master oozed through the speakers of the screen with a malevolent charisma that sent goosebumps up the spines of even seasoned criminals. "You are to be the symbol that we need. If All-Might is the Beacon for all heroes, then you too must be a symbol, young Tomura. Please accept the tutelage I provide and I promise that things will be very different…"
As the words hit Shigaraki, his defiant gaze softened. And yet, he never lost his edge. If all this was a learning experience, he was ready for his next lesson. This time, he would crush both his next test and the bodies of those who defied him.
X
"16...17...18…"
Detective Tsukauchi looked over the entire scene, doing a quick headcount of the 1-A students. "Aside from the one with the messed up legs and the girl with the horns who refused to leave his side, everyone is present and accounted for.
"Detective, what about Mr. Aizawa? Will he be ok?" Tsuyu asked. She was concerned about Izuku and Mina as well, but they had taken a ride in the ambulance together and she was assured they were fine.
"His arms were splintered, his face was fractured, and he lost a layer or two of skin off his arm, for starters. No brain damage, thankfully, but his eye sockets were totally pulverized. He may suffer long-term vision problems and it will certainly affect his quirk," the detective explained with a sigh.
Even if they were still kids, there was No sense sugarcoating things. Aizawa was lucky to be alive but there would be long-lasting repercussions.
"Thirteen survived as well. They have terrible lacerations across their arms and back but otherwise unscathed. All-Might's injuries aren't life threatening either. Recovery girl should be enough to tend to him, so he went back to UA to see her."
"What about De- Midoriya? And Mina? Are they ok?" Ochako spoke up, catching her slip up as she remembered her friend's discomfort with that nickname. To her, it meant someone that could do anything. However, it meant something different to him. Something he seemed to want to leave behind. She respected that.
Tenya also expressed concern. "Yes, tell me they're both alright. They were awfully close to those villains."
"They're going to be ok, right? They are with All Might, according to Cementoss!" Kirishima chimed in as well, trying to provide comfort to his classmates but also to himself. He wished he had done more to help, though he supposed there wasn't a whole lot he could do.
Tsuyu watched in concern, offering only a subdued ribbit. She had told herself Mina and Izuku would be fine. And yet she could not help but fear for her friends, especially after they both threw themselves into danger. She supposed it wasn't the first time and probably not the last, and yet it tugged at her heart.
She thought she heard something about the scary musclebound villain before being apprehended but wasn't entirely sure. She tuned out the rest of the conversations going on with Detective Tsukauchi and the staff.
As the rest of the class piled back onto the bus, Tsuyu sat between Kirishima and Ochako. Iida sat across from them as everyone else took their seats.
The entire bus ride was silent for the most part. Nobody could say a word for the most part until Mineta of all people spoke up.
"I don't think I am ready for this…"
X
All-Might laid down in a hospital bed, eyes affixed to the ceiling.
"The situation being what it was, I can't scold the three of you this time. You were all reckless but there wasn't much choice," Recovery girl sighed as she spun around on her chair.
Mina watched the clock, curious about when she and Izuku would be good to go. Sitting around a hospital room could be dull, especially when you're uninjured. However, she could not in good conscience leave her boyfriend alone.
The door opened and a gentleman in a trench coat and hat appeared, looking like a stereotypical police detective. Mina wondered what he wanted. Perhaps to capture an international thief from a famous family of thieves? No, it was probably about USJ. The pink girl looked at her boyfriend and he looked back at her. They turned to look at All-Might in panic.
"Relax, kids. It's fine. My secret is safe here. This is Detective Tsukauchi, my favorite guy on the force." All-Might coughed and smiled.
"Well that's a weird way to introduce me but thanks,"
Tsukauchi entered the office, taking off his hat to address his old friend and protege.
"I wanted to report that both Eraserhead and Thirteen are in stable condition. If it weren't for the three of you, who knows what might have happened to the students?"
"I appreciate that, Tsukauchi, but you have one detail wrong…" All-Might looked his friend in the eye and gestured to Izuku and Mina. "The students put their lives on the line too. I probably would have died if not for these rambunctious youngsters here. And that's not even addressing the cover the rest provided."
Mina wanted to blush at the compliment, smile at the praise she and her boyfriend received from their mentor. However all she could think about was how traumatizing the experience was, and how this would lead to undue pressure.
She wasn't as smart as Izuku. She could think on her feet, sure, but his strategic mind was better than hers. And yet she was far from inept. She could read body language and situations. Not on an expert level, per se.
Still, she couldn't reject the glowing recommendation her teacher gave her. "We'll do our best, All-Might" the girl clapped her hands and offered a sheepish smile. She looked at Izuku and grinned.
"What she did. We won't let you down," Izuku followed up, a slight squeak in his voice.
All-Might shook his head and smiled back as detective Tsukauchi placed his hat back on his head.
Recovery girl patted the two kids on the hands. "I believe in you both, dearies...but Ashido, please keep your boyfriend out of trouble. I don't want to see him on a regular basis. I am noticing a trend so far." The nurse sighed.
Mina grinned wide as she wiggled her eyebrows at Izuku. He tried hiding his face in his pillow as Mina teased him incessantly.
As All-Might watched, he couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest. He felt the future was in good hands. However there was still so much they did not know and it would change their lives forever.
X
Classes were cancelled the next day. It was hard for the students to rest easy, especially those in 1-A. Still, Mina and Izuku tried to call their nerves after their traumatic experience
"My aunt is coming to pick us up."
"Why?" Izuku asked. It was a bit soon, wasn't it? A little time to recover from his injuries and prepare for classes afterwards wouldn't be a bad thing
"She knows we went through a lot and wanted to help us work through it. She's going to take us to the mall."
"Isn't it too soon?" Izuku looked on with concern. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it, but it seemed like bad timing.
"Maybe? But I can't resist her...besides...I kind of want to go. Maybe just do a regular teenager thing after we faced something that almost took down All-Might!"
Izuku sighed, relenting as his girlfriend flopped backwards into his lap. "So...not to be ungrateful, but why didn't you just come with her?"
"I just found out, dude. She texted me just now." Mina looked up at Izuku and stuck her tongue out before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"Hey Izuku?"
"Yeah, Mina?"
"Do you think things are going to be different now? We just faced villains...i mean, it's not our first time but...these were ones who could go toe-to-toe with All-Might. I dunno…"
Izuku thought for a few minutes. He couldn't help but feel the same thing, that overwhelming fear and pressure. She didn't always get credit for being a thinker. Mina was more physical than mental in all things she did.
"I really hope not...but I think we might…"
"Then we need this more than I thought. We went through more than other kids our age. Us and the rest of our class. We need… a bit of normalcy. Come on. Let's go buy some clothes!"
There was an unease drifting on the horizon. And yet both teens held hands, ready to face it together.
The moment was broken up by a tall, well-dressed woman who looked like an older Mina but with reddish-pink skin and slightly more demonic looking horns.
"Beep beep, kids! The fun bus has just pulled up! Ready for some well-needed distraction?"
"Aunt Chiaki!" Mina rushed over enthusiastically and hugged her favorite relative, bouncing up on her heels.
"Easy there, mini-Mothra. Looks like you're really loving that outfit I bought you last year." Chiaki chuckled.
"I'm good. Thanks, Ms. Sakura. Hello." The green-haired boy smiled nervously as he stood back. He was appreciative of the older woman, but she was a bit much at times.
"No. Get in on this now, broccoli boy!" Mina shouted, playfully coaxing Izuku over to the hug.
"Are you going to bite me again?" Izuku winced, playfully firing back. He realized he had said that out loud and slapped his hands over his mouth.
Mina yelped his name as her face broke out in a full blush. "Izuku no! Auntie Chi, do not listen to this man. He lies!"
"Wait what?" The older woman asked, buffering in surprise.
"Don't listen to him! He lies! His mouth speaks only falsehoods!"
Izuku rolled his eyes and smiled at his girlfriend as she claimed her arms in denial.
"I am so biting your kneecaps…" Mina huffed, pouting as her boyfriend giggled.
"Easy there, kiddos. No biting each other. I don't want your parents thinking I'm a worse influence than I already am." Chiaki laughed and winked, grinning as her niece's boyfriend got flustered and tried hiding in his All-Might hoodie.
Mina took his hood down and kissed his nose. "It'll be fine, Izu-bean. If we can handle villains, you can handle my aunt and I for the day." Izuku chuckled as he relaxed in her hands.
"Look at you, two lovebirds. My little heroes. Come on. Let's go, kids. Kiyashi Ward awaits!" Chiaki announced, shuffling the hair of the two teens before pointing dramatically at the door. The trio exited the house and made it to Chiaki's car, a powder blue Miata, before driving off.
X
As the Miata pulled up to Kiyashi Ward mall, Mina and her Aunt exited the car, followed by Izuku. As they entered the building, they enacted their plan of picking out clothes and getting food. Chiaki prided herself on being the fun aunt, so this was a cakewalk for her. She also knew that when life threw a curve ball right at your skull, you needed some self care to get you back on your feet. This was no different.
"Aunt Chi, check this outfit out! Isn't it cool?" Mina came out wearing an outfit that would have been right at home in a 1980's hip-hop video, complete with a neon leopard print baseball cap and green parachute pants.
"Nice, baby girl. A bit tacky but you make it work. Own that tack!"
The two students sat on the edge of a fountain, their bags sitting at their feet as Chiaki settled some business in another store, buying something special for her current girlfriend.
"Hey Izuku? You ever think of how we could have gone to school together?"
"I mean, we do now?" Izuku shrugged. He knew what she meant, but he couldn't help but be playful with her, an attempt to repay her for all her bouts of teasing.
"No, silly. I know that. I mean...you could have been schoolmates with me and Kiri!"
"Yeah...I think of it a lot actually. I am happy we got to school at UA together but I guess I always thought it would be easier to stay at my old school. We aren't exactly the most well off and your school was a bit more expensive."
"You can afford all that All-Might merchandise though," Mina scowled, her eyes narrowed as Izuku shrank back.
Letting out a boisterous laugh, the girl slapped her boyfriend on the back. "I'm messing with you. Man, you're easy. I do wish you could have joined us though. It's not that far and you would have been among friends.
"I already was, Mina. And even if I went to school with you...it's not like I would have been welcomed with open arms. It's not like quirkless people were viewed favorably in other schools."
"I know but you would have had Kiri and I. We would vouch for you. You would have had friends there."
"Mina, I have friends thanks to you. Life was rough because of Ka-… Bakugou. Sorry. Still so used to calling him that…"
Mina patted Izuku's hand but looked at him with pleading eyes. Part of her still wished she could have done away with the abuse he had endured at the hands of his former friend, and the negligence of those around them.
"I know, but I just hate to think that I couldn't have had more impact, you know?"
"You did though. You came at the right time, just like a real hero." Izuku smiled, holding his girlfriend's hand and basking in the warmth of her touch. "Come on. You said you wanted to buy some new clothes for us?"
"That's right. C'mon, Izu! We are going to return to school in style!"
"But we have to wear our uniforms." Izuku smiled sheepishly and offered a gentle laugh. "But lead the way. It's going to be fun."
Mina cheered as she punched the air and ran towards where her Aunt was to meet them, Izuku in tow. "Yippee! Let's gooooo~! We can end it all at the arcade before we leave."
Izuku shook his head and smiled widely, almost forgetting the recent events of USJ. It was a welcome reprieve and he was happy to have it, and to have her.
X
The next day opened up as was expected. As much as everyone tried to maintain an air of normalcy, it cracked fairly early on. It was hard to pretend things would be ok when they had changed so drastically, leaving three teachers and one student in need of medical help. Mina and Izuku looked at each other with concern before staring at the door as it opened.
Silence took hold as Aizawa walked in, wrapped in bandages like a mummy. His limited movements drew everyone's attention.
"Preparations must be made...for the Sports festival…" The homeroom teacher announced gruffly. He explained the significance of the event as everyone listened intently. However it was hard not to be distracted even slightly. While the tale the deadpan instructor wove of an event that surpassed the Olympics was enthralling, the flashbacks to nearly dying kept several students from fully latching on.
The class was in shock. They had just been tossed into an unexpected and traumatic situation, only for something so normal to occur. Was it too soon? Was this a distraction? Izuku couldn't help but mutter to himself while Mina leaned back in her seat and stared at one particular ceiling tile in deep contemplation.
The day progressed as normal as it could. However, the memories of the USJ incident were still fresh and had yet to scab over. Izuku noticed it in his classmates. Tsuyu seemed slightly uneasy. Even Mineta seemed slightly less perverse and more thoughtful.
While Izuku hadn't gotten particularly close to the boy before USJ, he had seen his fear in real time, as well as his ability to react, even when on the verge of tears. There was something oddly relatable about it.
The day seemed like it would have a fairly mundane conclusion. That, however, was not to be. A large crowd loomed outside room 1-A, making it difficult to exit. It seemed as if the entire school was in the hall. Momo pulled out a megaphone but Kyouka held out an arm.
"I don't think we will need that." The punk girl stopped her friend, causing the class president to relent with a hushed"Very well. I like the megaphone though."
"Looks like you idiots stumbled into the limelight. Sorry, but that spit's reserved."
A familiar voice broke through the crowd as Bakugou cut through with a familiar swagger. It brought back painful memories for Izuku that Mina could quite easily see. However, there was something off about it. It was almost like it was a facade, meant to fool everyone including Bakugou himself.
"So you extras got into some shit, huh? That must have been a lot for you. But you slackers would have been better off if someone stronger had been there.
"Get out of here! Nobody asked for this." Izuku felt the ire escape his body. Even he was shocked.
"Well well, someone is getting full of themselves just because they got to face real villains. My friend-" Monoma chimed in before getting cut off.
"Don't push it, bowlcut!" Bakugou sneered, side-eyeing his classmate with a strong sense of annoyance. However, he let the other boy speak. As annoying as Monoma was, his flattery wasn't unwelcome and he was already proving useful.
"My...associate was merely speaking his mind. Is he not allowed?"
Izuku started to squirm. Who was this kid? Did Bakugou make a friend? Was that possible? The green-haired boy felt bad and started to retreat. He knew he shouldn't feel any guilt around his former friend, and yet some feelings were hard to let go of.
"Easy there. I couldn't help but notice how heated everything is." A new voice spoke up, parting the sea of curious onlookers. "Everyone here is looking to scope out the kids who survived a villain attack. It's clear your class is no slouch."
Izuku felt uneasy as this tall, gangly boy with wild purple hair and bags under his eyes took center stage. It felt like with the Sports Festival around the corner, everyone wanted a chance to show what they could do. It was understandable. And yet, he just wanted a chance to breathe without a parade of challengers gunning for him.
He and his class could have died, for goodness sake. It was like a marathon of stress and anxiety. The Sports Festival was exciting and participating in it would be different from watching it with Mina at home. He just wished things would slow down for just a moment.
The purple-haired boy continued, glaring at Izuku. He pointed a finger at class 1-A and smiled mockingly.
"However, the sports festival will separate the wheat from the chaffe, so consider this a declaration of war. We in the general education Department get a chance at entering the hero program if someone is deemed unfit from the existing classes, so don't get too complacent with your newfound celebrity status, 1-A. I'll be taking that spot as soon as it opens up."
"I'll save you the trouble. I...I think I want to transfer schools." Everyone turned around to look at Mineta.