Hey all! Just an update that goes a little more into detail about who the new staff at UA will be and a hint at one of the submissions, albeit briefly! I'll leave this author's note as a reminder that subs will close December 18th at 12AM AEDT and to thank you guys for the support so far!

II.

"I must say, this is one of the more unorthodox ways I've been handed a resume."

Nezu sipped at his tea as he flipped another page of the papers he'd been handed. He'd been sitting in the small, heavily-monitored apartment space with Jijiwa Youdou, patiently waiting for Sansa and Naomasa to deliver the middle-aged man's ward from the police station; the only other person they'd needed to wait for with their meeting was Toyomitsu Taishiro and the briefing could begin.

But someone not on the itinerary showed up in the midst of it all. As soon as Youdou had finished preparing some tea and served it to Nezu, the front door to the apartment swung open, and where Nezu had expected to hear the words, "I am here!", he instead heard a heavily accented voice boom through the room that she was looking for employment.

How the American No. 1 needed employment was beyond most, but Nezu wasn't most.

"A good first impression is what catches people's attention, sir!" Cathleen Bate replied in earnest. Her tall and bulky frame took up most of the small couch Youdou had been provided, and the man was starstruck beside her as she smiled at Nezu. "Ever since word reached the U.N. of Mr. Jijiwa's story, I knew I had to come to Japan and lend an ear."

"Without the U.N.'s approval, I presume."

"You're as sharp as they say, sir."

Star and Stripe was by no means someone to overlook in terms of help. Judging by Youdou's story of the future to come, the world itself would be on the brink of ruin and human extinction would be imminent. Normally Nezu wouldn't care if that was something on the table for humans—humans were the source of his pain, after all, and it was all because they wanted to figure out just how an animal like him had developed a Quirk. He may have been a Pro Hero now, but if humans were destined to die in the future, why stop nature from taking its course?

But the fact that humans were about to die out meant that most, perhaps even all, animals with the potential for Quirks had died out prior. A grudge held by Nezu wouldn't prevent others like himself from suffering, even if it was at the hands of those who just wanted to eat.

It made sense why Star and Stripe had come here. Like the Pro Heroes of Japan, and especially All Might, she was here to search for answers that laid within the causes of that desolate future.

But it didn't stop Nezu from giving her a playful laugh at her disregard for protocol, even if the fate of humanity depended on the headstart to prevent its demise.

"My knowledge on American laws must be rusty, alongside my recollection of how the U.N. operates in terms of international incidents. I could've sworn that, no matter the rank, all Pro Heroes must wait for the governments involved to make official decisions."

Cathleen smiled broadly. "For an international incident, certainly," she replied. "But I'm not here for that. I heard you were taking applications for teachers with the new class you'll be implementing for these children. I've only come to apply to assess and guide their physical education. My military experience should be plenty qualification."

Beside her, Youdou nervously sipped his own tea. Compared to his television appearances and charisma as a Pro Hero to the public, he was a twitching mess every time Cathleen so much as opened her mouth.

She didn't miss that either.

"By all means, Mr. Jijiwa, relax! Like I said, I'm here to apply to teach your kids!" She gave him a reassuring pat on the back, but given the difference in their size, it was more of a slap that saw him choke on his tea. "By the way, I admire your choice of name. You took it from Neil Armstrong, right?"

Youdou coughed and wiped at his chin, red-faced. "Y—Yes… It's selfish, but I saw my Quirk as… being similar to man's first steps on the moon…"

"Well… Considering what little I saw before I decided to apply for a teaching position while the U.N. deliberated the heroic aspects, I'd say it's fitting."

"This is all off the record, Ms. Bate," Nezu cut in. "No need to be coy."

Cathleen smiled knowingly at him. Nezu set down his teacup and returned to the first page of the resume.

"Most staff at UA are alumni who have had experience with its courses and protocol," he explained. Cathleen nodded, understanding.

"While our hero academies don't function quite the same as the prestigious UA," she replied, "I did oversee those in the military who wished to pursue hero careers. Much like myself, it was a learned process for them."

Nezu set down her resume. He stared at her for a moment. Before he could reply, the specific knock that Naomasa had informed Nezu about sounded from the unlocked door. Ah, yes; it was likely Cathleen had declared the door to be unlocked with her Quirk when she let herself in. Though unlike everyone else about to attend this meeting, only Nezu was privy to that information. Being in charge of one of the biggest hero academies in the world and a close contact of the U.N. via the Japanese government, of course Nezu, a Quirk user whose Quirk was quite literally his intelligence, would have figured it out on his own if no one had told him.

All three looked at the doorway as Naomasa entered. He was surprised, almost greeting Cathleen as All Might, until he realised the difference in appearance beyond just gender. Many heroes modelled themselves after All Might, Nezu thought, and Cathleen was one of the most notable.

Naomasa blinked and cleared his throat. He gestured to Sansa, who was behind him, and a hooded figure who scurried inside nervously. As soon as Sansa closed and relocked the door, the hooded figure pulled back their hood and let out a nervous gasp.

"So loud…" the teen stammered. "Too many people…"

Sansa patted the teen's head reassuringly. While Youdou had been under observation in the apartment, constantly monitored by his former colleagues, Takose Sumito had been kept in the custody and protection of Naomasa's squad. Sansa in particular seemed to be paying attention to them, being a source of help while Naomasa handled the legal aspects of it all.

"You did well, Sumito-kun. Have a rest for a while," Sansa said. Naomasa nodded in agreement.

He gestured to the three at the couches, but it was clear Naomasa meant to single out Youdou when he did. Sumito looked, nervous, but their expression brightened when they spotted Youdou rising from his seat to greet them. It was a touching scene, watching the anxious Sumito explode with excitement as they ran over and crashed into Youdou with a tight hug, Youdou returning the sentiment equally. After the week they'd spent separated and under constant watch, it probably felt like a massive weight was lifted from them to be reunited at last.

"Were you good, Sumito?" Youdou asked quickly. "Did you answer all their questions?"

Sumito nodded. "I even told them who some of the people they were asking about are, Jiji. They said Sen attacked someone!"

Cathleen let out an interested noise. Naomasa cleared his throat.

"Well… Chikara Sen actually took down a high-ranked villain, not a civilian."

Sumito sighed, relieved. "Thank goodness. She never attacks people normally."

The teen was pulled over toward the couch and given Youdou's seat beside Cathleen without much fuss. If anything, Youdou was renewed with energy now that he had one of his kids to take care of, and he asked Sansa for help in the kitchen to make Sumito something to eat. As Sansa retreated behind the bench that led to the kitchen area with Youdou, Naomasa rubbed the back of his neck and finally addressed Cathleen properly.

"I wasn't expecting to see America's top Pro Hero here today. All Might, certainly, but not Star and Stripe."

"I'm expanding my horizons," Cathleen chirped. "Teaching sounds like a fun experience."

A clank from the kitchen. Youdou loudly apologised to Sansa for dropping a frying pan. Nezu assumed the man was so relieved to see his kid again that he was full of jitters.

Nezu looked back to the teen as Cathleen and Naomasa conversed. While she was done being coy with Nezu, it seemed she wanted to have a little more fun pointing out the loopholes she was abusing to be in this room at this very moment. From what Nezu had seen of Sumito in their initial touchdown in Japan, when they'd trapped a whole city block under ink and had to be coaxed out by Youdou before they'd both passed out from the shock of their travel, the teen had been malnourished and, in spite of their skin appearing to possess colour-changing properties, with large, dark bags under their eyes that showed exhaustion and stress. Now, though, under the care of Naomasa's people, Sumito appeared to have put on a little bit more weight and was doing better. Aside from being nervous, they at least looked healthy.

And much like how Nezu watched Sumito, taking in their appearance, Sumito watched Nezu with a restrained excitement and pursed lips. Nezu smiled at them, and Sumito's face and neck turned a soft pink.

"Are you a dog?" they asked Nezu. Naomasa and Cathleen were silent immediately. All they could hear were Sansa and Youdou softly speaking in the kitchen about the kinds of food Sumito had liked most while in Sansa's care.

Nezu crossed one leg over another. "Who knows?" he replied.

"I've never seen a real dog before," Sumito added, excited. "I know some kids who have animal Quirks like me, but never a real one."

"Have you ever seen a mouse?"

They shook their head.

"How about a cat?"

Sumito shook their head again.

"Then perhaps a bear?"

Sumito's eyes were sparkling as they shook their head a third time.

Nezu let out a soft huff of a laugh. "Sumito-chan, are you an octopus?"

Sumito startled. They shifted, and under their hoodie their tentacles began to wriggle anxiously.

"I can be," they mumbled.

"And a squid?" Nezu pressed.

Sumito pursed their lips and nodded.

"How about a nautilus?"

This time Sumito hesitated. "I don't have a hard shell like they do."

"Your eyes are like a cuttlefish's. Are you also one of those?"

The teen cleared their throat. "Jiji said I'm colourblind like them, too."

Nezu was impressed that Naomasa and Cathleen had been silent the whole time. Perhaps they also wanted to hear Nezu confirm with his own words just what kind of animal he was, but nothing was ever absolute.

"Perhaps we are both just a combination of many things, Sumito-chan," Nezu decided. "I, a chimera of different mammals that make me who I am, and you, a cephalopod whose capabilities and traits encompass all within the class."

Sumito deflated a little. They hung their head, disappointed that they hadn't gotten a clear answer from Nezu, but possibly even more disappointed that Nezu wasn't exactly a dog. Perhaps, like most children, Sumito was overcome with the desire to pet a dog they came across for the first time.

Cathleen let out a laugh and crossed her arms over her chest. The boom of it startled Sumito again, the teen shrinking in on themselves, but Cathleen ruffled their hair very quickly and with no room for escape.

"We've all been wondering the same thing, kiddo!" she cheered. "Little guy never says a peep about himself outside of how he rose to his position!"

Sumito once again flushed a bright pink colour, even their hair beginning to change to the shade, and Nezu silently sipped at his tea once more. Naomasa sat down next to him, equally quiet, and waited for the air to calm down once more before they continued.

Even with the addition of Cathleen being unexpected, it was easy to jump into what the plan would be going forward. Fat Gum, the one who volunteered to be the homeroom teacher and the one responsible for the children, had yet to arrive, but he had already been given all of the information that Nezu was delivering to Youdou and Sumito today. Taishiro was only meant to come today to introduce himself and, with the help of Youdou, get the students used to an authority figure they could seek out for help.

"The fine details have been ironed out with the Public Hero Safety Commission," Naomasa informed Nezu. "They've also approved of who should be involved among the staff for the operation—"

"About that," Cathleen cut in. Naomasa let out a disgruntled sound while Nezu sipped his tea. "I have a little stack of paperwork for you to sign, Mr. Principal! Nothing major, so don't worry too much about it, but it's regarding my employment at your school going forward."

Sumito glanced warily between all three of the unfamiliar people with them, confused and alarmed by a potential disagreement breaking out in front of them. Were Nezu not aware of the dire situation and the sheer power these children could possess, he would've argued. Having both All Might and Star and Stripe, on top of some of Japan's finest keeping watch and collecting these displaced children of the Quirk Singularity, would've been overkill under most circumstances. But given the world the children had been born into, and the acts they'd had to commit that would class them as A-ranked villains at minimum in this era, more manpower and finesse from even an international hero would work wonders for them.

So without much fanfare, Nezu held out one paw and said, "Let's see them, Ms. Bate."

It didn't take long for Cathleen to produce the contract for Nezu to sign—both in English and Japanese, how thoughtful of her—and for Nezu to sign his usual way, a single paw print that, thanks to a request to Sumito, he had dipped in some ink to press onto the paper. Sumito mumbled something about the ink being edible as soon as Nezu was done signing, and as Cathleen happily packed her resume and contracts back into her briefcase, Nezu licked the ink off of his paw before it had a chance to dry.

It had been enough time for Youdou to prepare a light meal of eggs on toast for Sumito, and everyone watched with bated breaths as Sumito stuffed a large corner of the toast into their mouth and chewed vigorously. Even with a week of proper meals and weight gain, the survival instinct after starving for so long was still hard to shake.

"Resuming our earlier conversation," Nezu said. Youdou grabbed two chairs from the dining table and set them beside the couches for himself and Sansa. "As you're all aware, it's quite a conundrum having so many children with inexperience controlling their Quirks running amok. And from what can be gathered from Jijiwa-san, not all of these children are of the most stable mindset like Sumito-chan over here."

Sumito swallowed some of their food and nodded in agreement. They looked at Youdou, and the man let out a tired sigh.

"I'm hoping the psychiatric resources available in this era can make a difference," he admitted. "I don't want to label them lost causes just yet."

"That's understandable, Jijiwa-san. But where we're at currently is a very grey area that simultaneously has to disregard these children's past crimes and judge them for them."

Youdou cringed and nodded. Sumito fidgeted in their seat.

"Will I be punished?" Sumito mumbled. "For… Everything we had to do?"

"No, absolutely not." Youdou was firm as he spoke. He clenched his hands into fists on his lap. "The things you've had to do and the people you had to do it to aren't even a blip on the radar for the foreseeable future. There is no victim, and no crime has occurred in the past right now."

"Yes, you made that very clear at the station, Jijiwa-san," Naomasa cut in. "And while a victimless crime is something to consider, I'm afraid that without evidence of a crime to begin with, your children won't be facing legal repercussions."

"Lucky you," Cathleen teased the teen. Sumito began to worry again, brows knitting together. "I would've been nice about it, though. You don't come across as someone who needs to be roughed up."

Sumito nodded, but they didn't seem reassured.

Naomasa cleared his throat. "In short, you and your family won't be imprisoned for what you had to do in your… future. That isn't our jurisdiction, though it's definitely a first to have time be measured in our capabilities rather than area."

With at least a little more reassurance that all would be resolved, Sumito resumed eating. Youdou nodded in thanks to Naomasa, but the other man simply continued on, business as usual.

"Nezu-san was gracious enough to propose a plan to not only gather your children, Jijiwa-san, but also educate them and help them integrate into society. You mentioned many times that you wanted them to have a proper chance at life, and I presume that bringing them here means you expect them to live like any other teenager in this country." Naomasa rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's not impossible, but it's a tall order. And with around a hundred people possibly coming with you in your latest leap, Nezu saw it fit to educate them through his school where they can be observed by Pro Heroes with the qualifications to stop them."

"How lucky that I just became a teacher there, then!" Cathleen joked.

"Yes. Quite." Nezu tried not to roll his eyes. He looked between Sumito and Youdou, gauging their reactions. "Our underground Pro Heroes have been able to locate and scout the capabilities of eleven other of your children so far. It's not perfect, but we know where they are and what they're doing. Chikara Sen, the girl who managed to take down the villain Muscular, hasn't even left the abandoned school she made herself at home in. We haven't permitted anyone to return to the village yet. And then there's the young man who showed up on the scene of a building collapse in Hosu. Many people he was filmed interacting with had little to no injuries despite being crushed under rubble for extended periods of time. He joined the people being sent to the refuge shelter established nearby and has been laying low since."

The two time travellers pondered for a moment at the description of the boy. While Sumito didn't seem to figure out who he was, Youdou let out a soft, "Ah," and nodded for Nezu to continue.

"Your children will be admitted to my school, Jijiwa-san, and they will be taught how to better control their Quirks and given a chance to enter society as those who can do good rather than remain in their previous mindsets of survival at any cost," Nezu went on. "You could've quietly brought them here and gone about your business without drawing any attention, but you chose to become a hero for a reason, didn't you, Jijiwa-san?"

Youdou pursed his lips. He sniffed and rubbed at the goatee on his chin, almost sheepish as he pondered his response. It was true that he could've laid low and lived in peace. But it clearly hadn't been what he'd wanted.

Everyone shifted in their seats as they waited for Youdou. The man was almost defeated as he mumbled to himself, soft enough that even Sansa and Nezu couldn't hear with their heightened senses. Sumito nervously ate the last of their food as the silence stretched on.

Finally, Youdou said, "I think these kids can genuinely do some good if they're given the right guidance."

Nezu rested his paws on his lap. "What a coincidence," he said. "I believe the same of my own students. Perhaps Project Zero was meant to be."

"Project Zero?"

"Ah, how could I have left out the most crucial part?" Nezu smiled and laughed softly. "Your children will be enrolled in the newly established Class 0, with Fat Gum as their homeroom teacher. I will, of course, be allowing you to teach them as well. And Ms. Bate, as you know, has just been hired to teach physical education. You've actually picked quite the era to bring your children to, Jijiwa-san. All Might will be teaching heroics for the students this year."

Cathleen jumped out of her seat with an excited cheer. "All Might?" she echoed, voice booming. "All Might will be teaching at UA as well?"

"It's not my story to tell," Nezu answered her, "but for his own reasons, All Might has volunteered to teach students in 1A and 1B."

The empty plate was set down on the coffee table, silencing the room. All eyes were on Sumito, and the teen sheepishly looked at every adult in the room as they tried to muster up the courage to speak.

"Who is All Might?" they squeaked.

Cathleen was by their side again in an instant, pulling her phone from her pocket and—shortly after explaining what a phone was—showing videos of All Might to Sumito from his most historical moments. It had been a long time since Nezu had seen such a reaction from someone of Sumito's age to All Might's presence, to the way he laughed and smiled even in the face of danger. But it was undeniably there.

Inspiration.

And when All Might's tinny voice through the speaker announced, "I am here!", the hope in Sumito's expression only grew with Cathleen's encouragement.