Chapter 62: Hero Too
"Oh, nymph of the forest!" Monoma cried out, kneeling down in front of his (plastic) sword. Flanking him were the companions on his quest: Awase, Shoda, Bondo. "What is thy wisdom?"
Ibara rose herself up onto stage, dressed in the wispy white dress of her hero costume, her vines spreading out prettily. The audience gasped in delight, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
The stage lights were hot, and she was tired, so tired. But this was her big scene.
"What do you seek, hero?" she called to him, in her soft, musical voice.
"I seek the phantom prison of Azkaban, the one they say no one can find."
Ibara smirked. "You are not the first to take this quest, and you will not be the last. And they all perish, in the end. I cannot help you."
She began to turn away, but Monoma cried out, "WAIT! PLEASE!"
Ibara hesitated, and turned. "Oh?"
"Please, I…I must do this. I will do anything you ask, nymph. But if you have knowledge that would be useful to me, I implore you to make it known!" He lowered his head.
Ibara tilted her head curiously. "Why do you seek the prison, hero? For the treasure said to be held by the dragon inside?"
Monoma shook his head. "I do seek a treasure, though it is not the one you speak of. Not coins or jewels. I seek the greatest treasure of all. My love, Juliet. She is being held captive there, by Count Paris."
Ibara raised her eyebrows. "No one has used the prison to hold humans in centuries. Are you tricking me?"
"NO! I swear it, by all the gods above and below."
"Very well. Your reasons are noble, though I fear you will die like the rest. Three hints I shall give you, so listen well. One, when faced with a fork, always take the last path on the left. Two, the scales are not to scale. And three…the prison will exploit your love to defend itself. Love is your greatest weakness…"
Her eyes flickered out into the audience. Standing there near the front row, she saw him. Hanta Sero. Her breath caught in her throat.
He was smiling up at her weakly, leaning on the shoulder of Mezo Shoji for support. He came to see. He came to watch me.
She blushed, and turned back to Monoma.
"...But love can be your greatest strength, as well. Remember that."
Monoma and his companions got to their feet. "Thank you, nymph. I am indebted to you."
"I would tell you to go in peace, but there is no peace on the path ahead. Good luck."
She retreated off the stage with a flash of light, and the audience gasped, applauding.
…
After the play was over and the applause had finished, the performers of 1B made their way off the makeshift stage and into the crowd to mingle. Ibara pushed her way through, her eyes darting around, looking for him.
Where…where…there.
He was talking to Shoji and the invisible girl. They all seemed to be happy and excited about the play, but there was a weariness to his eyes and the way he held himself. Then, Hagakure seemed to spot her, and thrust an ecstatic sleeve in her direction.
Hanta turned, and his face lit up. It was like he was completely awake again. He DOES love me, she realized. In that moment, she made up her mind.
"Ibara! We loved it! It was amazing, you were amazing, and-"
She silenced him by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his lips.
Around them, people laughed and clapped and whistled. In the distance, she could hear Setsuna's unmistakable hooting. She didn't care. She held him close for a long moment, her heart racing. I needed that.
When they separated, Hanta had a stunned expression on his face. "I, uhh…" His cheeks turned rosy.
"It's alright," she said, blinking her eyelashes at him. "You don't have to say anything."
Next to them, Hagakure squealed. "Ohhhhh my god, you two are adorable! I'm so happy right now! I can't wait to tell Mina!"
Hanta looked over at her in fear. "Please, have mercy."
The invisible girl seemed to shake her head. "Uh-uh. There will be none for you." She nudged Shoji in the side.
"Oh, by the way, these two are dating now," said Hanta, nodding his head sideways. "So I guess that's two couples in the first year hero course, after Katayama and Ashido…"
"Want to make it three?" Ibara asked him directly.
"Yes," he blurted, very quickly. Then, they both laughed.
"You know, this feels like a long time coming," said Hagakure. "All it took was for you two to beat a villain!"
"Speaking of that," said Hanta, scratching his neck sheepishly, "I was just talking with Nezu before this. He intercepted me on my way out of the dorm. He said the police want to talk to us later, about the incident."
Ibara nodded. "Alright." She could talk with the police just fine. And she'd handle Itsuka and Setsuna's questions, as well. None of it matters. Today is a day of joy. She looked at her new partner's face again, her heart fluttering…
"Shiozaki-san! Great job!"
They all turned. Walking over to them was Izuku Midoriya, flanked by who Ibara recognized as two third years. The tall blonde boy had a white-haired girl riding on his shoulders, and the blue-haired girl had herself attached to Midoriya's arm.
"We loved it!" the girl gushed. "Your part was short, but it was easily the most memorable! Tell me, were you wearing your hero costume for it? I'd heard you were sort of an angelic type, so I was wondering if that was really your costume. Were you okay with portraying a minor goddess that you don't believe in? Oh, and that fight with the villain, that was crazy! That was you, wasn't it? What a day you've had! Oh, you must be so tired! You…"
"And you're certainly not helping with that," Midoriya interrupted her, putting his hand over her mouth. "Down, girl."
Hanta raised an amused eyebrow. "What's up with you two, Midoriya?"
"Oh, umm…" he blushed. "AH!" he pulled his hand away from Nejire's mouth, shaking it in shock. "Did you just lick me?"
"Yep! I figured you'd be fine with it, since we are dating after all!"
Hanta's jaw dropped. Hagakure gasped. "Midoriya-kun, are you serious?"
"Umm, yeah…hehe…" Though the green-haired boy was shy, he seemed genuinely pleased. He and Nejire looked at each other and smiled.
"No way. That means we've got three couples here!" Hagakure sang. "Oh man, I wish Mina and Katayama-kun were here! We could do group photos or something like that…"
The little white-haired girl on top of Togata's shoulders wrinkled her nose. "Is this normal for high school?" she wondered aloud.
Togata laughed. "Apparently so! I'd tell you that you'll understand when you're older, Eri…but I'm older, and I don't understand it at all."
Eri sighed. "That doesn't make me feel better."
Ibara and Hanta looked up at the little girl curiously. "Is this her?" Hanta asked.
"If by her you mean Eri, then yes," said Togata. "Eri, say hello! This is Hanta Sero and Ibara Shiozaki. They fought a villain this morning. It's because of them that we're standing here enjoying ourselves at this festival."
Both first years blushed. "It's not such a big deal," Ibara muttered.
Eri's eyes widened. "Then I guess I should say thank you," she said.
"Are you having a good time?" Hanta asked her.
"I guess so." She wasn't smiling. She seemed more introspective than anything. What a curious child.
Eri turned her gaze to look at Ibara. "I liked your part. You're very pretty."
Ibara blushed. "Well, thank you."
"Oh! It's nearly 3!" Nejire suddenly burst. She grabbed Midoriya by the wrist. "I've got to get to the fashion thing!"
"Huh? Oh yeah!" Midoriya gasped in concern. "I completely forgot! Oh, are you going to make it in time? Sorry, I knew coming to this play was my idea, I…"
She laughed. "It's fine! Come on!"
Dragging him away, the two of them left the others behind.
Hanta turned to Togata. "How did that happen?"
The tall blonde shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I haven't had a chance to interrogate them yet."
Ibara grinned. "I imagine it's an interesting story, like ours."
"We should get going," said Shoji. "I imagine the two of you want to spend some time together, but we do have to be getting ready for the concert soon."
Hanta groaned. "True. Alright, Ibara…I'll…I'll see you later."
"Goodbye," she said softly. "When all this is over…we'll have a proper…a proper outing. Just the two of us."
He smiled. "I like the sound of that." Then, he nodded to a spot beyond her. "I'll leave you to your friends. I'm sure they have questions for you." He turned and followed Hagakure and Shoji.
"Huh?" She turned. Itsuka and Setsuna were standing there, both with evil smiles on their faces.
"We saw the kiss," said Setsuna.
Ibara wilted. Oh no.
…
Doko found Mina and Tsuyu in the Class A common room, going over last-minute organizational matters for the concert, which was in just two hours. They both turned to look at him.
Tsu's eyes widened in concern. "Dokkun…are you alright, ribbit?"
I must look like I've seen a ghost. It felt like he had. "I…I really need to talk to you," he told Mina.
She was immediately all business, nodding. "Okay." And all of a sudden he was swaying, and she was catching him in her arms. "Whoa! What's wrong? Doko?"
"I just…we need to talk…" His stomach growled. Was he hungry? Or was that…them?
Mina looked back at Tsuyu. "Can you handle it?"
The frog girl nodded. "Go do whatever you need to do."
"Always supportive, that Tsu," Doko muttered incoherently as the two of them walked back outside. "What a great friend. We're so lucky. So lucky to have her."
"Doko? You're babbling." She stared at his face, her arms still around his shoulders. "Your mouth is glowing purple."
Shit. "We…we might need to go find Mr. Aizawa. Maybe. I don't know."
"Is it your Quirk? Is it acting funny again? I know you've been working with him to keep it under control…"
"It's not just acting funny, Mina." He stopped her as they went up against the wall of the building, out of sight from the festival activities. "I think…I've learned something new. Or, I'm sure of something that I suspected." He could not tell her about the conversation between Nighteye and All Might, because that wasn't his secret to keep. I must respect Midoriya's privacy.
Her glowing golden eyes looked him up and down. "What did you suspect?"
"That…that my Quirk is actually sentient. Like Dark Shadow. It's something that lives and evolves and grows inside of me."
She laughed. "Doko, I could have told you that. It was sort of obvious. It's your Quirk. It has drawbacks and advantages just like everyone else's. You just gotta learn to control it." She lifted her own palm, and let grey acid swish across it. "I realize that yours is a bit more…complex than a lot of others, but…"
"It's not just that," he interrupted. "Mina, these dreams I've been having. These nightmares. I think my Quirk is sending them to me. Like a warning, or a threat."
She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why would that be?"
"I think…I think my Quirk isn't like Dark Shadow at all. Dark Shadow is part of Tokoyami and has no problem with that. Mine…wants to escape me. And if that happens…then things might get…really bad."
"Your Quirk is just your Quirk," said Mina. She was trying to sound reassuring. "We call Dark Shadow sentient, but Tokoyami has explained before that it's really just his own subconscious. You can't really have a whole separate entity living inside you. That's…that's just not possible. Your Quirk can't want to escape."
"You…you aren't understanding…"
"Then help me to!" She took his hands in hers, pressing their foreheads together. "Doko, this is clearly upsetting you, and it upsets me to see you like this. This is supposed to be our happy day, remember?"
"I know. But…it's been acting up, and I'm really scared. I'm scared that it'll actually get out. The Quirk isn't just in me, Mina. It's like…when I teleport, I'm briefly using another dimension to get from one place to another, and my Quirk also exists in that dimension, but it wants to get to this one, and…"
"Doko, please calm down. You're babbling again."
He looked at her. Really looked at her. Her hands squeezed his lovingly. She's so pretty, he thought distantly, but she also doesn't believe me, and doesn't want to admit it. That dismayed him. There was no way he could convince her, with the words he had right now. And what kind of boyfriend does that make me? If I'm not able to prepare her for what might come? It was like the aging thing all over again, only this time he couldn't have Eri work her miracle.
"Could you just…try not to think about it for now?" she whispered. "We still have the concert. And I know that little girl is looking forward to it. If you fear your Quirk, remember why you need it. Why you use it. To save people like her. To make them feel safe and happy. Think about that, if it helps."
"It might," he lied, forcing his lips to lift into a smile. "Thanks, Mina. Sorry for being a downer again."
"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes. "If we're talking about the guys in class with sentient Quirks, Tokoyami has you beat in the downer department."
He laughed weakly at that, and she leaned in on her tiptoes, kissing him softly. "Let's get back."
…
Izuku's jaw dropped.
Nejire was walking out onto the makeshift runway, dressed in a frilly blue dress that matched her hair. Crystalline slippers adorned her feet.
The whole room seemed to gasp collectively, all of them who'd come to see the support course's fashion show. Nejire looked out at them and spun in a slow circle, giggling.
Izuku's breath had been stolen. All his fears and worries seemed to flee him, and his only thought was of her.
She looks like Cinderella…or…
"An innocent fairy," someone muttered next to him.
Izuku started. Amajiki, the third member of the Big Three, had appeared. He was slouched over, hands in his pockets, dark hair casting a shadow over his face.
"Where have you been all day?" Izuku asked. "Togata and Nejire were asking after you."
"Hiding. This sort of stuff isn't really my thing. But I thought I'd come and support my friend, at least." He nodded toward her. "I heard that you're dating."
"Umm…maybe. We're treating today like a date, at least." Izuku blushed. "How did you find out so quickly?"
"It's been spreading through the third years like wildfire. Nejire's never dated anyone for as long as we've known her." Amajiki sighed. "Part of me wishes I'd had the courage, but I never have."
Izuku gasped. "Did you like her? I'm…I'm sorry…"
"Don't be. I've long gotten over it. Nejire is a good friend, and I'm comfortable with that. I'll save my courage for the villains."
"...Right." Inwardly, Izuku wondered. Even though no one had negatively reacted to the idea of him going out with Nejire, and even All Might had said it was okay, he still wondered. Should I pursue something selfishly like this? I've never felt this way before, and it's frightening…like things are out of my hands.
Nejire would tell him to just go with the flow, and see what happens, wouldn't she? That's what they were doing, after all.
He looked back up at her lovingly. She was now twirling in the air, skating on her yellow energy blasts, to the delight of everyone watching.
The fashion show continued on, and a few minutes later Nejire re-emerged from the back to meet up with them.
"There you are!" she said to Amajiki immediately. "Where on Earth have you been?"
"Here and there," he muttered. "You were quite dazzling up there. Midoriya could barely tear his eyes away."
"Hey, I!" Izuku blurted, and blushed.
Nejire giggled. "It's okay, Izuku. I don't mind if you stare. I quite enjoy it, really." She leaned forward, and gave him a hug. "Thanks for coming to see me."
"I wouldn't have missed it. You were…very pretty."
"I'll leave you two alone," Amajiki said.
As he turned to leave, Nejire called after him. "Don't you dare retreat to your room! You better be going to find Mirio!"
"No promises," he called back.
She sighed, and then turned back to Izuku, smiling again. "What do you say to us having some alone time now?" she asked him.
"Uhh…sure. Although I have to go prepare for my class's concert soon."
"Ohh, I can't WAIT for that!"
…
Fifteen minutes until the beginning of the concert.
"There you are, Midoriya!" Mina snapped at him as he appeared in the "backstage" area that they'd set up. All around her, the dancers were putting their costumes on, and the band was getting their instruments ready.
"Ah! Sorry, Ashido!" Midoriya began frantically struggling into his outfit. "I lost…I lost track of time…"
"Yeah, hanging out with your fancy new third year girlfriend! We all know what you were doing."
"Huh?" Kirishima looked up. "What are you talking about, Pinky?"
Mina smirked, as Midoriya went pale. "Oh, just that Midoriya is dating Nejire Hado now."
"WHAT?!" Yaoyorozu and Iida exclaimed at the same time.
"Pfft," Bakugo scoffed. "No fucking way."
"Well, we went on a date," Midoriya muttered. "Today. And…we might be planning another."
"Congrats, my man! That's amazing!" Kirishima slapped him on the back. Then, he looked around. "Why so quiet, you guys? Why is no one else reacting to this news?!"
Toru, Sero, Shoji, and Tsuyu all looked at him blankly.
"We kinda already knew."
"Yeah."
"It was easy to suspect, ribbit. Did you not see them attached at the hip earlier?"
A loud cymbal crash caused them all to jump. They all turned to look at Bakugo, who was clutching a drumstick in a pale fist.
"Just making sure it works," he growled.
Doko and Tokoyami returned to tuning up their guitars. Jiro stood with them, pale-faced. "If Kaminari were here," she mumbled, "he would be freaking out right now. Probably shaking Midoriya back and forth, asking him how he pulled it off."
Doko and Tokoyami exchanged a troubled glance. "Jiro," Doko said to her, almost gently, "that was just the character that he played…"
"I know. Doesn't mean he wouldn't have done it." She turned away from them. "Ready up. We're on soon. EVERYONE, let's ready up!"
"I agree!" Iida cut in. "Midoriya! While I am happy that you have found someone, I must remind you that we have a concert to focus on! Also, I hope this does not interfere with your studies!"
"Oh, come off it, Iida," Kirishima said with a grin. "Midoriya's got it all under control, isn't that right?"
The rest of the class continued to talk. The five band members went up on stage, getting their set ready. A curtain was still drawn in front of them, and beyond that would be the darkness of the common room. They could already hear people milling about out there.
"Too tight," Tokoyami mumbled, adjusting his guitar strap and cracking his neck. A single black feather came floating off of it.
"You got crewmates abandoning ship," Doko joked, picking up the feather.
Tokoyami snatched it away from him. "Don't touch it."
"Whoops. Sorry."
Momo cracked her knuckles, then pretended to dance her fingers across the keyboard. "I'm starting to feel the nerves," she confessed.
"Oi, Ponytail," Bakugo growled. "Don't let this be a repeat of the Sports Festival."
She whipped said ponytail around as she looked at him icily. "Is that a threat?"
"Take it however you want. You better not choke up. People who are skilled all the time except when it counts piss me off."
"Are you saying she's skilled?" Doko asked, raising his eyebrows curiously.
It was hard to tell in the darkness, but Bakugo might have flushed a little red. "...Shut up, crackhead. The advice goes for you too. No choking."
"Sure, Bakugo. Whatever you say." He looked back at Momo as they both turned away, and they shared an amused glance.
Jiro was taking deep breaths in front of her mic. Doko stepped up to his own mic, and adjusted it a little so it came up to his mouth. "Prepared?" she asked him.
"I remember all the words, if that's what you're asking."
She deadpanned. "I meant…"
"Yeah, I know what you meant. Gotta do good for Eri. I don't think she's smiled at all yet today. At least, not properly."
Jiro paused. "That didn't make me feel any better," she squeaked.
"I apologize. It makes me feel better." He rolled his shoulders. "The best way to not fuck up is to have motivation for what you're doing beyond not fucking up." He'd learned that at the sports festival. Maybe I should apply the same attitude to controlling my Quirk, as well.
"I have more motivation," she mumbled. "I can't stop thinking about…I don't know. It's gonna sound stupid. But, maybe, if when Kaminari was a kid, if he had seen a concert at some point…that would have made him happy. And then, maybe…he wouldn't have…done the things he did." She turned away from Doko, embarrassed. "I realize how dumb it sounds. But music makes me happy, so…that's how I think about things like this."
"I don't think it's dumb," Doko said. "I know we've got a lot of people in that crowd who need to be convinced of things. And this will be just the trick."
She managed a small smile. "Right. For Eri, then. And for all the other students, as well."
"For joy," he said.
"For joy," Momo echoed with a smile.
"For joy." Tokoyami nodded sagely.
They all looked at Bakugo.
His eyes were shut, his arms crossed while still holding the drumsticks. "Meh. For showing these second and third-year pricks that they aren't better than us."
"Whatever gets you going," said Doko.
"THERE you are!" Mina's voice rang from below the stage. "You two! We've been looking everywhere for you! Ochaco, hurry up and join Todoroki in the rafters! Ojiro, get your outfit on! Hurry, hurry, hurry, let's go!" Her clapping crackled up to their ears.
Momo had craned her neck to look at the scene, since she was near the back of the stage. "Is it strange that those two took so long, and arrived together?" she muttered aloud.
Jiro blinked. "Probably just a coincidence."
"It never is," muttered Tokoyami, but only loud enough for Doko to hear.
Five minutes left. The tech crew had gotten situated in the correct positions, and the dancers were on stage now, lined up in front of the band.
For a moment, Doko thought the whole thing felt kind of stupid. How can I do this in good conscience when there is so much to be worried about? But it quickly faded away. He was remembering the chords he had to play now, the pitches he had to hit. His brain had focused in on performance.
All went silent outside. Jiro took a deep breath, her eyes shut. It was about time.
"Let's blow 'em away," Bakugo growled, and Doko felt adrenaline surge through him.
The curtains opened, and the crowd appeared before his eyes. Hundreds, he thought, disbelieving. Many of them look upset, or skeptical. But…he laid eyes upon Mirio, Eri sitting on his shoulders. She was watching with a careful expression, her lips closed.
Bakugo clicked his drumsticks. One, two, three, four…
The lights blared to life, and the music began.
The dance team took off through their routine. Mina twirled in front of Doko's vision, followed closely behind by Tsuyu and Ojiro. Dazzling smiles were on all their faces.
The whole crowd seemed to pull back, as if the music had hit them like the wind. Doko's fingers danced across the strings. The opening riff neared its end. Jiro lifted her head up in front of the mic and exclaimed, "THANKS FOR COMING!"
Then, they began to sing.
What am I to be?
What is my calling?
I gave up giving up, I'm ready to go…
Doko was taken aback by the sound of his own voice, and Jiro's, through the mics. It sounded louder than he'd ever heard it, but…good. Harmonious. The crunchy guitars continued. Momo tapped on the piano, bobbing her head, and Bakugo banged on the drums furiously…but didn't speed up. He kept tempo…
They hit the chorus, and the dancers jumped into the air. Midoriya and Aoyama met each other. The former caught the latter, and threw him upward. Aoyama's lasers sprayed out in a circle, and a dazzling gasp swept over the crowd.
The second verse. The second chorus. Todoroki sent his ice out, and Midoriya pulled Aoyama along on the rope. Koda's pigeons went flying, as did Sero's tape. Momo lifted an elbow and burst some confetti into the air.
Hero too, I am a hero too…
Ochaco floated over the crowd, touching people with her Quirk, sending them upward as they laughed and giggled. Doko hadn't seen her so openly happy in weeks.
True heroes stand up for what they believe, so wait and see.
The bridge. The crowd was cheering and whooping now, beyond any of Doko's expectations. This next part was just for Jiro to sing, and she lowered her head, seeming to retreat into her thoughts. Her voice, like honey smoothed over thunder, swelled out over the room.
Mina danced past, and winked at him.
True heroes…stand up for what they believe YEAH I'll BE!
Doko warped several feet into the air, letting the violet light course through him, and slammed back down into the ground as he hit the riffs again, letting the music guide his whole body. The crowd roared.
Hero too! I am a HERO TOO!
In that moment, the monsters were all but gone. They were powerless before him, barely a speck.
And little Eri opened her arms wide, and laughed, a massive smile spreading over her face.
They went into the final section. Bakugo did his last drumroll, a half-smile on his face. The dancers waved their arms, and Ochaco released her Quirk, letting Sero's tape pull the floating people back to safety. Koda's pigeons did a last sweep of the room, and Toru released her rainbow energy in one last dazzling display.
The song ended, the curtain closed. To the sound of applause and cheering and laughing beyond his imagination.
Jiro let out a long exhale, and then burst into happy tears. Momo ran over to half-comfort her and half-join, the two of them hugging and spinning in a circle. Doko looked to Tokoyami, and then Bakugo, grinning hugely. They shared his expression.
They had done it. In that moment, with the mood at an all-time high, anything seemed possible. They would capture the League. They would keep the school open, and have long, bright futures…
…
In the light of the setting sun, a figure watched the UA campus from a rooftop that nearly came up to the top of the hill. The figure wore a raggedy old hooded sweatshirt that shadowed their face.
There were a few more lights around the dorm buildings where there shouldn't have been, and maybe the hint of some loud noise, but the students had concealed themselves well. In any case, the figure couldn't exactly tell what was going on.
But he knew that he was being left out of something.
Denki lowered the hood, letting the breeze go through his unkempt hair a bit. It was matted from lack of washing, and lengthening every day. He smelled horrible. His stomach growled.
Sadly, he turned to retreat off the rooftop, looking away from UA. What I gave up, I can never have again.
…
The police chief leaned over the table. "Thank you both for your time. Your sides of the story will be of much help. And thank you for your service as well. I expect you both to be great heroes in the future."
"Thank you, sir," Hanta and Ibara said at the same time.
"One more question before you go. It concerns this man's partner, Manami Aiba. Codename: La Brava."
Gentle stirred in his seat. For the first time, a single blue eye looked up at the two kids from beneath his long white hair.
"He tells us that he brainwashed the woman to fall in love with him, and that she had no intention behind her villainous actions. He implores us to set her free. What do you think about this? Did her behavior strike you as brainwashed, or intentional?"
Hanta and Ibara exchanged a glance. Then, they both looked back at Gentle. He was slouched in his chair, defeated, chains around his wrists. He was no longer looking at them. Unable to.
Hanta knew it was a lie. Of course it was. But…a lie for love. And, looking at this man who tried to kill him…he couldn't bring himself to act callous.
What would a hero do? What would anyone in love do? He WAS in love now. At least, that's what it felt like.
I would lie, too.
"Very possibly," Hanta said, softly. Gentle's head lifted up a fraction of an inch.
"I would agree," said Ibara. "It did seem like she might have been brainwashed."
"Very well. We will keep that in mind. You two are free to go."
Hanta looked back as he left. Gentle Criminal was staring at him, and he mouthed two words.
Thank you.
Hanta nodded, and left the room.
…
The next few days for Class A were wonderful. The school rode the high of the festival for days, and it seemed as if all tension had drained from the halls. Even grumpy staff like Aizawa and Hound Dog seemed to be in higher spirits. None of Class A knew where Aizawa had been for most of the festival: he claimed to have slept through most of it. Privately, a lot of them nursed doubts. Especially those who'd heard Eri's story about him and Ms. Joke help her shop for clothes.
There were a lot of new couples after the festival. Toru and Shoji were one, and the group chat had gone nuts when they found this out. Sero and Shiozaki was less surprising, but still very impactful, considering what the two of them had gone through (and indeed, the two of them were something of celebrities in the halls after their fight). Lastly, there was Midoriya and Nejire, which no one had seen coming at all.
A few of the class were worried about Uraraka's reaction to this, but she seemed to be in high spirits after the festival as well, and several people (most notably Mina and Tsuyu) noticed that she was talking to Ojiro a lot more. Apparently, they'd fought each other to a draw in the Quirkless sparring contest at the festival, though no one else in the class had actually seen this.
Eri and Nighteye had gone on their way after the festival, but not after a lengthy goodbye to many of the students. Eri had been so very pleased, and that made them all more pleased, too.
Jiro had become something of a star, though not to the same degree that Ibara and Sero had (Monoma could be heard complaining that he deserved the same treatment for his performance in the play). The rocker girl was in higher spirits than many had ever seen her, and she, Momo, and Bakugo were often seen hanging out together. Even Bakugo himself seemed less grumpy.
A few days past, some of the class was sitting in the common room, watching a special report about the Gentle Criminal fight.
"Not since Kamino has a villain incident generated so much buzz. In contrast to the last few controversies involving UA, the buzz is surprisingly positive. Why do you think that is?"
"Well, Natsume, there could be a number of reasons. One might be that we could see almost the entire fight unfold, and none of it was shrouded in mystery. Another reason might be that no one on the hero side was seemingly injured. And, one can't help but feel like this Gentle Criminal was somewhat less of a threat than the League of Villains. The past two incidents have been major attacks that took both students and staff off guard, where the villains managed to infiltrate a secure area. What we saw on display this weekend was a failed infiltration. The students and staff WERE on guard, and that was plain enough with all the cameras everywhere. By all measures, the students of UA showed that they were prepared, focused, and nearly as skilled as most of the pros you see on the street daily."
"Indeed. And whether the general public has those specific words in their heads or not, the effect seems to be the same. Petitions to forcibly shut down UA have lost a good deal of traction in the last few days, and protests have declined across the country. Heroes of all kinds have seen an uptick in popularity polls, which is good news for the upcoming Billboard Chart Festival, set to happen later today."
"Polls don't show everything though, Natsume. We talked to some people on the street to see what their reaction to all this was. We got an interesting response."
"...Oh, I thought it was amazing! The way those students fought, and the way one of them talked afterward…at first I was worried just watching it on TV, but that faded away fast. They made me feel like everything was going to be just fine. The way a hero should make you feel, you know? The way All Might made everyone feel before he retired. If that's what UA is teaching those kids, then they can stay open for however long they need to!"
Doko looked back at Sero, sitting on one of the couches. "Did you hear that, dude? That's praise for you!"
Sero's black eyes stared at the screen. "I suppose," he mumbled. "It all still feels a little…precarious."
"Didn't you want to stand out, ribbit?" Tsuyu asked him. "You were just directly compared to All Might on national television. That's about the highest praise any aspiring hero could want."
Doko nodded in agreement. "This is great."
"I can't wait for the Billboard Chart, though," said Kirishima, chewing on a granola bar as he sat down. "It's gonna be interesting without All Might at number one."
Doko turned back to look at the screen. That's right. He'd forgotten all about the hero rankings. The new top ten…
Recently he'd been trying to look more into the currently operating pro heroes, having come to UA without very much knowledge of them. Mina teased him for it, but it would be good to know. Those are the guys who will have to take down the League within the year if we want to finish our education. Endeavor, Hawks, Edgeshot, Kamui Woods, Mount Lady…
Todoroki was standing behind the couch. Doko looked back up at him. "Your dad will probably be first, huh?"
Todoroki shrugged. "He has the most solved incidents every year."
Doko looked back at the screen and blinked. "I still feel awkward about how I acted at the internship with him. I don't think he liked me."
"Probably not," Todoroki said bluntly.
"Dude, ouch. You were supposed to make me feel better there."
"Sorry. You did directly disobey his orders and go after Shigaraki at Hosu."
"You did the same thing! Only with Stain."
"Yeah, but I'm his son." Todoroki crossed his arms. "The school just got permission to start up provisional license training again, thanks to all this good publicity. Me and Bakugo will finish that up and then everyone in class will have their licenses."
"Then work studies can start back up!" piped up Kirishima. "If the school gets permission for those too, of course."
"If you want to do your work study with your dad, then be my guest," said Doko. "I don't think I'll be going back there." While Endeavor's advice about keeping his Quirk on all the time had worked well for creating the Warp Field super move, and had helped him with several battles, he feared that it may have also set in motion something with his Quirk that was…not able to be taken back.
Midoriya was sitting on his left. "Don't worry about it, Katayama," he said. "We can always just go back to Sir Nighteye. Now that he and All Might have made up…"
"Are you sure you don't want to follow your girlfriend to Ryukyu's place?"
"Huh? Ah!" Midoriya started, and blushed.
"Ryukyu would love to have you, ribbit," spoke up Tsuyu from across the room. "She saw how well you did at the yakuza raid."
"Well, I mean…I don't know…"
Uraraka would also be there. Doko forced a smile, and said, "You're right, Midoriya. Nighteye might be a good choice." But he and All Might also think I'm going to die or have some horrible fate, and they're keeping this crazy Quirk secret about you from everyone. He'd been unable to behave normally around All Might since the festival day, and was starting to fear that the Symbol of Peace was catching on. He may be a former brute, but he isn't stupid.
Maybe not Nighteye, then. But who? Who could he do a work study with?
"Tokoyami," he called, to the bird boy standing across the room. Since their work together in the band, the two of them had grown closer. Doko hadn't quite worked up the courage to ask him how he controlled his sentient Quirk, though. Soon.
Tokoyami looked up. "Yes?"
"Is Hawks good to work study with?"
The boy frowned. "Honestly, not really. He's barely around, and when he is he just wants to hang out around town. I've never been out on patrol with him. Plus, he only said he took me on because of my aesthetic, so I don't think he'd want you anyway. No offense, of course."
"None taken," Doko sighed.
"I'm here!" Mina exclaimed in a pointlessly loud voice as she entered the common room from outside. Behind her were Ojiro and Uraraka, walking closely side-by-side. Was she just interrogating them? Doko had to wonder.
"Wow," Kirishima drawled sarcastically. "We can all rest easy now that you've returned."
"Shut it." Mina walked over, and plopped herself down on the couch between Doko and Midoriya, forcing the green-haired boy to scoot over.
"There wasn't enough room for you to do that," Doko told her plainly.
"There is now. Sorry, Midoriya."
"Yeah, haha, whatever…" the other boy squeaked.
Mina had been in high spirits post-festival as well, and was constantly receiving compliments in the hall for putting it together. Personally, Doko thought it was going a little bit to her head, but only shared this thought with Tsuyu and Shoji, who both secretly agreed.
"I have disappointing news, actually," she announced to the room.
Kirishima slapped his chest and huffed out through his nose. "Hit me with it. I can take it."
"The Pussycats were gonna show up to watch the Billboard Chart with us, but couldn't get campus permission in time. The process is a lot more rigorous now, even after Sero and Shiozaki's fight."
Doko raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't they be in the Billboard Chart, anyway?"
"No," Koda said, and everyone went silent to listen to the normally quiet boy. "They were in the double digits before, meaning they would have been invited to the event, but since Ragdoll had to retire after All For One took her Quirk, they've been on break. And going on break ranks you way down. Triple digits at least. Only the top couple of hundred get invited."
"Still, it sucks that they couldn't come here, either," said Sato. "Mandalay and Pixie-Bob are real pieces of work."
"What might you mean by that, garcon?" Aoyama asked, putting his chin in his hands and leaning over the counter, smiling his pointed smile. "Might you be enchanted by their beauty?"
Kirishima and Sero were laughing, but Momo frowned. "I must disapprove!" Iida declared. "The age gap between us and them is simply too great to-"
"That didn't stop Pixie-Bob from sexually harassing the boys," muttered Jiro.
"It is sad, though. They were gonna bring that kid with them. Kota. Apparently he's a big fan of you two now." Mina looked back and forth between Doko and Midoriya.
"That makes sense," said Koda softly. "They saved him from the muscular villain, after all."
"You did too, don't forget," Doko said to him. "We were dead without your wolves." He turned back to Mina. "Where'd you find all this out, anyway?"
"From Aizawa. Oh, I think the chart is starting!"
The event was introduced by the HPSC, with hundreds of heroes sitting out in the audience. The lower rankings were released, slowly building up to the top ten.
"Man, I know Endeavor's gonna be first, but it does kinda suck," said Kirishima. "No offense, Todoroki, but I always felt like the best hero should be someone with…chivalry."
"I don't take offense," the ice-and-fire user responded, "but might I suggest that you're just too used to All Might being in the spot? The best hero can be anyone."
Goosebumps went up Doko's arms, and for some reason, he turned to look at Midoriya. The best hero can be anyone.
The green-haired boy's face was staring at the screen, but then he turned and the two of them made eye contact. Doko quickly averted his gaze, panic spiking through his nerves. Does he suspect? Does he suspect that I know? No, it can't be.
"Oooh! Switcheroo at 59! I did my internship with him!" Mina had been leaning into Doko's side, but she pushed forward now, looking closer at the screen. "He's really cool, Doko. You'd like him. He switches objects by touching them. It's sort of like your Quirk. He actually told me that he sent you a request after the sports festival, but obviously you went to Endeavor instead."
"Right…" Doko gazed at Switcheroo on screen, an orange-haired wiry man with a smirk. A similar Quirk to me, huh? Maybe I should work study with him. If Mina returns to him, then I'd get to be with her all the time…
His frustration at being unable to make her understand how scared he was still remained, and it had only festered in the days after the festival, since she was riding the high like the rest and didn't want to be dragged down by anything. Maybe, if they got to work together in the field a bit, she'd be able to get it…
That settled it. He'd go wherever Mina went. And I want to spend as much time with her as possible while I can. Before…before things change.
They reached the top ten. Ryukyu was there at tenth, much to Uraraka and Tsuyu's delight. Ninth was an old veteran hero called Yoroi Musha. Eighth was a literal washing machine, to Doko's complete bafflement.
"Who in the fu-"
Mina laughed and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Just keep watching."
Number seven was Kamui Woods, to Sero's shock.
"Yoooo!" Sato clapped the tape boy on the back. "Dude, I bet since the fight you had, Kamui definitely wants you and Shiozaki back. And now he's number seven! You've got that practically gift-wrapped for you!"
Sero seemed stunned. "Yeah, it's quite…great…"
Number six was a guy called Crust, who cried about wishing he'd been at Kamino to help All Might.
"I like him," Kirishima announced. "He should be the number one."
"Shhh!" Mina interrupted. "Here she comes!"
Doko raised an eyebrow at her. "Here who comes?"
"At number five!" the female announcer cried. "A determined bunny who's risen way up in the rankings! Rabbit hero, MIRKO!"
A woman came sauntering on the stage, with tanned skin and long, snow-white hair. Her ears were like a rabbit's, long and perky. Her muscles were extremely well-defined. Though Doko could tell that she was kind of short, she seemed to exude this larger-than-life aura.
She flipped her hair with a white-gloved hand as she stepped up to her microphone. "I heard you guys formed teams?" she snorted. "Weaklings."
"Good god," Jiro muttered. "I think I'm in love."
"She's my favorite!" Mina gushed. "Ever since that time she crushed a robot between her thighs. Was that five years ago? Four? Whatever, it was a little bit after her debut, but man, oh man, is she good!"
Doko gave his girlfriend an amused glance. "How did I never know about this?"
"I guess it never came up. She's never even been in the top twenty before now, but…oh, I'm just so happy! If I could do a work study with anyone I wanted, it would be her…but it's just a dream, really. She hates teaming up with others. It would never happen."
A work study with a heroine who hates teaming up. Yeah, sounds impossible. Still, he had just told himself that he would go where Mina went…
Doko stared at the screen that showed Mirko standing there proudly, and wondered.
…
Okay, I admit that I have sort of rushed the end of this arc and wrapped some things up off page, but the arc was already dragging on to become the longest I've written, and I really wanted to pull myself out of it before I got too bogged down in all kinds of details and subplots.
Some things of note: with this, we have pretty much passed the anime. I plan to continue into manga territory starting next chapter.
I also now have an ending in mind. If you thought this arc had too many side plots, just know that they are all for the ending…and my desire to give every character at least one little thing to do.
I can't say for certain when the ending will come other than that I THINK it will be before the 100 chapter mark. So expect this fic to be less than 100 chapters.
That's all I've got for now. Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review if you're so inclined.