A good amount of students had already started going home by the time Toru left the bathroom and started heading home. She noticed most of the students walking at a slow pace through the big UA gate were older students, or more diligent looking ones who had taken the extra time after school to tour UA or check out the library.
The younger students from my class must have already rushed home to tell their parents all about their first day. Toru observed seeing not many familiar faces in the large grass yard, or on any of the benches lining the walkway.
That wasn't to say she didn't see any familiar faces. She noticed Momo lost in thought, carrying many books in her arms.
I should observe her carefully since she was one of the recommendation students. She's probably leagues above the rest of our class then. Toru told herself.
Each of her nineteen classmates were her enemies. She needed to observe their weaknesses and skillsets so she could ensure they didn't get in the way of All for One defeating All Might. She needed them to never suspect her and for them to have a good impression of her.
Still even though Yaoyorozu placed first in the quirk test she's prone to jumps in logic that are incorrect and being too confident to question herself. Toru reminded herself, remembering how Momo had said Aizawa had clearly been lying when in actuality he had not been.
Besides Yaoyorozu, Toru noticed one other classmate late to heading home, the other recommendation student, Todoroki. He was lying on a park bench looking up at the sky calmly as if to procrastinate on the journey home. He seemed to be closing his eyes as if relaxing.
Is he one of those aloof, chill guys? Toru wondered. Todoroki was another student to look out for. He was extremely powerful and was also the son of the second strongest hero, Endeavor based on his last name.
Perhaps he's not resting but procrastinating on going back to his house. Considering the large burn scar on his face and the rumors Toru had heard during some of her street corner intel work of just listening into the populace pass by while she pretended to just not be there, Endeavor seemed prone to large lashes of anger. He didn't sound like a good person to be around.
Pro heroes really are the worst. Although I shouldn't jump to conclusions about his home life, if that is the case, I can't help but feel pity for him. Toru knew nobody noticed her shooting the sleeping man a pitiful glance. They couldn't see her head move at all after all.
If that is the case hopefully, he gives up this foolish pursuit of being a hero and turns to villainy as a way of exposing Endeavor. That would be the smart choice after all. She sighed and continued walking. Surely someone would find it weird just a school uniform standing there after all.
It looked like the business courses and general studies had left the school as quickly as possible once the day had ended because Toru didn't spot any uniforms associated with them. The support course, however? A lot of people from there were heading back late as if they had tried to spend extra time getting to know the school.
"YOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Invisible girl!" Toru heard a voice call from behind her. She stopped momentarily and waited for whoever was calling for her to come up.
She saw the familiar face of Hatsume Mei, run up, her goggles still on her head, and looking very tired. It seemed apparent that Hatsume had spotted Toru from deeper in the building and then rushed towards her.
"Let…Let me catch my breath…." She wheezed. It had been quite a fast dash. "Your name was Toru, right?"
"Yep! And you were Mei, right?" Toru smiled and greeted. "Did you need something?"
Mei frowned. "I just didn't see you in class. Did you get placed into class G or H or something? I'm glad you made it through the entrance exam but I was mad confused when I didn't see you during orientation."
Toru blinked, confused. Mei's eyes zoomed in as if trying to figure out what expression Toru was making, despite being unable too. The silence was slightly deafening.
There is no class G or H in the Hero courses…."Could it be you're not a hero student, Mei?" Toru asked.
Mei's jaw dropped open. "Wait…You weren't trying out for the support course?" She pointed at Toru stunned.
Toru shook her head, then crossed her arms to make her body language more clear. "I'm a hero student. I…I honestly thought you'd be one too, since your invention I saw that first day was so cool. I thought you'd beat the robot exam easy. What happened?"
Mei stared blankly and then let out a loud laugh. She threw her whole body back as if the idea of her being a hero was that hilarious. "HA HA HA. Me a hero? You thought I'd be a hero?"
"Does…Does it not interest you? I'm really sorry if I had a misconception of your character! It's just you were so helpful on exam day I thought you'd want to be a hero!" Toru frantically shook her arms to apologize. "I'm sorry!"
Mei stopped laughing, wiping the tear from her eyes. "Oh…Thank you. But even if I could be a hero I'm not interested."
That perked Toru's interest. Someone in this school finally isn't hero obsessed? "What do you mean could be a hero? You have more skills than some of the heroes I've seen. You'd make a great one."
Mei jumped a little startled by that as if she had never heard that. "Well…" She scratched her cheek nervously. "You must have noticed that the hero course favors power type quirks. So much of their exams put an emphasis on the user's quirk instead of their ability. Support items are allowed in a lot of the tests, but you have to go through a lot of channels to allow them in the normal quirk strengthing practice courses. And the channels usually require a medical excuse." Mei lectured.
I did notice that only Aoyama was using a support item. He wore some sort of belt to channel his navel laser.
"I only have a quirk that lets my eyes zoom into things. So, it wouldn't be a good fit for the hero course." Mei waved her hand. "But even if I did have some sort of power type quirk, I really want to focus on making my babies. I want to make other people shine with my inventions." She then winked. "And of course, make a lot of cash from investors."
Heroes made a ton of cash too but it seemed more of a dangerous occupation. Studying in the support course seemed a ton smarter.
"Smart." Toru congratulated. "Still I can't help but feel disappointed that you're not a hero too. You'd probably be way stronger than Mineta or say Bakugo or even Iida." Her shoulders drooped.
It's actually a good thing that she's not a hero. That means technically Mei isn't my direct enemy. But still…If we had one other person in the class maybe some of the worse students like Mineta wouldn't have made it in.
Mei grinned at the compliment. "Sounds like you don't like those guys very much."
"It was just an example. I like most of them fine." Aside from Mineta. Toru waved her hands. "Sorry for the confusion on what course you were applying for."
Mei gave a sheepish grin. "It's fine! After all, I had the same confusion. I thought you'd apply for the support course since intel gathering quirks are always required in operations for Heroes. I thought an invisibility quirk would be so cool to have in support." She sighed, "But man was I wrong. Oh well. At least I can design babies for you!"
Toru smiled at the other girl's excitement even though she didn't intend to be a hero at all or use her support items. "I don't think I would be able to use support items since everything I use that's physical gives away my position."
Mei frowned. She looked genuinely crushed, and then she moaned and looked lost in thought. A big grin then appeared on her face and she zoomed her face closer to Toru's even though she still couldn't see Toru. "Wait! You're a hero! That means you need a hero costume! Please please let me design it! Wait, you probably already sent your hero costume off to support…What was the design? Tell me all about it!"
Toru frowned. "Well, um…I can't have items floating in midair if I want to be sneaky."
Mei nodded, enthusiastically waiting for the cool information.
"So I don't really have a costume." Toru replied.
"Wait, what?" Mei frowned. "You…You mean you just have to be naked? That's your costume?"
"Well I asked for some boots and big white gloves so people can see my hand actions." Toru replied.
"…And the boots?" Mei's face was draining of color at the shock and disappointment.
"Just simple white lace up ones. Just to protect my feet, you know?" Toru replied.
"AUGH. That's unacceptable!" Mei's knees collapsed on the ground and she threw her head up like she was about to scream. "THAT'S SO BORING!"
Some of the older students were now glancing at them. Momo was long gone, at this point but Todoroki still had not woken up.
"…I'm sorry for being a disappointment, Mei." Toru's voice did seem honestly apologetic. She looks like she's taking my hero outfit harder than me. And I'm the one who has to be naked non-stop.
"No, no, it's fine. It does make sense considering your quirk and options…But still…Your hero outfit is being naked? What about when it's cold? How will you do work then? And aren't there laws against revealing hero outfits and public nudity? And by in large it's just…so boring. Someone with a cool quirk like you doesn't deserve it!"
Toru smiled, because she understood all of Mei's points. It sounds almost like she's worrying for me. In her own way. Nobody had ever worried about her being required to expose herself before.
"A tool need not feel shame, or fear. You don't dress a screwdriver or wrench in protective gear. You need not worry about being naked." Was what All for One had told her after her first panic attack during one of her missions. The cool, calm and logical words had helped her dehumanize herself and put her in a different headspace. But it felt different and odd in a different sort of way for someone to publicly worry for her.
"I'll just train my cold resistance." Toru tried to ease Mei's worries. "And the laws of public exposure don't apply if people can't see you anyway. People just don't want to see things that make them uncomfortable. And nobody can see me at all." She paused. "Basically I've already got a pass and approval for that."
Mei still looked distraught. "But…But…"
"I don't really have any other option, honestly…" Toru said softly.
Mei's eyes spun as if the gears in her head started turning. "There's no support gear that can turn invisible? ….That's true…I've never read about any clothing or anything turning invisible. And I don't think there's any other pro hero quirk that can turn objects invisible…"
"Yeah, so you don't have to worry about it! If it's something we can't change we just have to accept it, you know?" Toru pulled Mei up off the ground. It was hard because Mei's body seemed to go limp as if she was that distraught by how boring Toru's costume was. I almost feel like I'm comforting her more than I'm comforting me. And I'm the one who has to be naked!
Mei grabbed Toru's hands and stared deeply into what she assumed and what actually were; Toru's eyes. "I'll work hard, Toru. I'll figure something out. It might be my first day but I swear to you I'll find a way to make your hero outfit more interesting and have more clothes!"
"…But I need something invisible—" Toru protested.
"I'll be the first designer that comes up with how to make invisible gear then!" Mei pumped up her fist. She then smiled as if her despair had faded away now that she had a goal.
She was still holding Toru's hands and Toru couldn't help but feel her face heat up.
Are all these normal people in normal families so touchy feely? When will she let go of my hands? Toru wondered. She didn't find she hated it though. Mei was just thinking of her after all.
"I'll work super hard, and by the time that we graduate UA I promise you that I'll come up with something. You work on being a hero and I'll make amazing gear for your interesting quirk!" Mei stroked her hand as if feeling her new goal.
That caused Toru to jump a little. She continued blushing.
"I know you don't believe me, that I can do it, but I'll prove to you that I can." Mei frowned.
"Why do you think I don't believe you? You sound so confident. Try your best, Mei! I'm rooting for you!" Toru tried to be her cheerful fake self.
Mei frowned. "You sounded like you had just accepted your circumstances before. And you were trembling for a moment. And…your voice sounds a little bit fake when you say you're rooting for me."
Crap. Does it? She's more observant than I gave her credit for. Toru bit her lip.
"That's all right though! I don't mind that you don't believe in me. You've exposed an important fact about hero society to me after all that a lot of heroes are stuck with exposing clothing because of their quirks. And problems like that…They need solutions. And that's what the support course is for. When a hero has a problem we find the solution." Mei gave a thumbs up. "And now I have something to work for. When I succeed…"
If. Toru told herself.
"Would you let me be your exclusive designer?" Mei asked excitedly.
"I think you'd be the only one able to design for me if you succeed." Toru giggled. But I won't be a pro hero so no.
Mei beamed, believing that was a yes.
"That means I already have a deal with a future hero!" She pumped her fist. "Thanks!" And with that she waved and ran off at light speeds, likely to go home and pour over some magazines.
Toru waved back. She's a strange person…But not a bad one. She went about her way.
"I'm home." She turned on the light of her empty house.
She sighed, at the silence and emptiness. She approached the coach in front of a very nice TV. Something a regular family was sure to have.
This is the first time I've had a house so ordinary though. The Middle school she had attended for 'practice socialization' last year hadn't checked home addresses. So although her residency had already been bought and prepared she hadn't actually lived in it. It had just been a large empty house.
She pushed the sofa to the left slightly to reveal a locked hatch on the floor. She unlocked the hatch and reached her hand into the hole to pull out a small burner phone which she had been given to communicate with the league of villains.
It was only connected to one other phone which she assumed All for One still had unless he had given it to Shigaraki.
She pressed call and after a few rings, All for One answered.
"Was the first day successful?" His voice was low, bored almost, but hearing it filled Toru with relief like a drug addict needing their drug. She had felt so lonely without hearing her masters voice for so long. Like she was dusty tool left alone on a shelf.
"Yes. I don't think anyone's suspicious." Toru whispered even though she knew no neighbors could hear her. She was paranoid by nature. "My homeroom teacher is Eraser head. I was surprised because none of my information said he taught at UA."
"Oh? That is interesting. Be careful not to tell Shigaraki. I want to see what he'd do against such a match up." All for One instructed.
The original plan was for Toru to stop by the bar Kurogiri manned once a week on her day off of school. She was supposed to provide updates and keep in touch with the villains if circumstances provided it and the bar wasn't being watched nor her. But there was always the chance All for One would require her to speak with Shigaraki sooner so she wasn't quite sure when she'd see Shigaraki.
She didn't particularly enjoy Shigaraki's company though so she wasn't looking too forward to talking to him. It was a mixture of the competitive nature between the two of them to get All for One's attention and the fact that he glared at her a lot.
"Did you encounter All Might?" All for One asked.
"No, not today. Our class tomorrow is supposed to be with him though." Toru replied, "Some sort of practice field work probably."
"Ah. I see. Well take note at what the most egotistical of hero society looks like face-to-face." All for One ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Toru nodded.
"Do you have anything else to report?" All for One asked.
Toru thought for a moment. I don't really want to tell him I was almost expelled the first day. "I attempted to sneak into the teacher's offices. Nobody noticed me although Hound Dog was not in the office at that point. So, infiltration in the future to gather information should be smooth as long as Hound Dog isn't patrolling. I request contacting Giran for a newer scent suppressant."
"Request approved." All for One replied. "When you meet Shigaraki again I'll have his team give it to you. There's nothing else you think is pertinent that I know?"
Toru scanned her mind, quickly. Does he already know the trouble I got into? Is he doubting my loyalty because I haven't told him about Aizawa's test. "Being around Heroes…Has truly shown me the darkness of hero society. The biases towards certain kinds of quirks, the prejudices-, not expelling heroes that are clearly just want fame, girls or to free their violent impulses. It's awful."
All for One chuckled. "Tools don't need to think, Toru." He scolded very politely.
Toru frowned, bashful. "I'm sorry, Master. Then there's…Nothing I can think of that needs to be reported."
"Any dangerous classmates of yours?" All for One asked, revealing the answer he wanted her to report.
Oh. He wanted me to report on my classmates. Toru thought for a moment. "Class A has 20 students in all. 18 passed the exam and 2 were recommendation based. The 2 that were recommendation-based stand leagues above the others. One has a creation-based quirk and is quick thinking and another is a Todoroki with a strong ice quirk." Toru reported.
"Mmm…A creation quirk. Interesting." He seemed to mutter to himself. "From the Yaoyorozu family I assume?"
"Yes, sir."
"Too bad. If she were from some nobody family, I would have captured her for myself. A big family like hers though would cause a fuss if their child was 'spirited away' so to say. And the investigation might lead to revealing my interest in UA." All for One seemed genuinely disappointed. "Heroes and they're legacies are something that I thought I'd never understand, but I think I'm finally starting to get it, the desire for a successor to continue on your work."
Toru wasn't quite sure what he was talking about. But she knew she was just too stupid to understand since she was a tool.
"What other quirks do your classmates possess, Toru?" All for One asked.
Toru thought. "There's this girl with earjacks hanging out of her ears? She can connect the phone jacks to her body and make sound so strong that it can move things."
"Mmm…The mutation type quirks are always so boring. They tend to give away someone's powers and abilities. And to use them is rather difficult. This girl though by the description of her earjacks is probably related to the famous musicians of the same quirk type. It seems you have another famous classmate." All for One revealed.
A lot of people in positions of privilege it seems get to this school. "Are you only interested in stealing my classmate's quirks? Should I skip the mutation types?"
"No, I have other plans. Give me an abridged version of your mutant type classmates though." All For One replied.
Toru nodded. "There's a boy with a tail, a girl who has the characteristics of a frog, a guy with tape elbows, a guy with balls growing out of his head, a boy with multi arms that can grow other arms on his arms-"
"E-excuse me?" That seemed to startle All for One a little bit.
"Yeah, he can grow his body parts on his arms. I think that's how it works at least." Toru replied. "I haven't observed anyone enough to get the full power of their quirk though."
"Well…It's certainly unique." All for One sounded disgusted for a moment, thinking about the arm student. "I suppose you could say he's armed for danger."
Toru did not laugh. She just continued. "Finally of the mutant types there's someone from the Iida family with engine legs. I believe."
"Rough audience, I suppose." All for One sighed, "Interesting that you have another pro hero classmate. I'm surprised he didn't get in on recommendation."
The Iida family from the information Toru had heard was known for the pro Hero Ingenium, along with other engine legged heroes.
"And of the non-mutant variety? Do you know any of your other classmates' quirks?" All for One asked.
"I haven't fully observed the others, but I believe there's a girl with a levitation type quirk or something to do with gravity, there's someone who can discharge electricity at the cost of his brain power, someone who explodes things with his hands, someone who explodes his own bones—"
"Very…Interesting batch of quirks that are allowed into the hero course. Education is truly faltering." All for One wasn't sure what to say about a quirk that caused your own bones to explode. "It certainly is a quirk I would never want." He finally commented.
"It's got some power I think. It's some sort of thing that enhances his strength at the cost of exploding his bones? I'm not quite too sure." Toru admitted, "Anyway, there's also someone who has a dark creature he can manipulate inside of him, someone who controls animals, a girl with acid, a navel laser, another strength-based quirk and someone who can get hard."
All for One sounded surprised yet again. "I don't believe that is a quirk. You…certainly have some classmates with some…interesting quirks." The sound of the education system failing him was very evident in his voice.
I'm glad I'm not the only one very disturbed about UA's standards. Was it Bakugo's quirk that had driven All for One over the edge or Mineta's balls on his head quirk? To be fair Toru didn't quite know the rules yet on that one so she hadn't fully described that the balls could bounce. Still she smiled to herself thinking All for One and her were on the same thought process.
She remained unaware that it was a mixture of Midoriya's bones exploding, Shoji's arms arms, and the way she had described Kirishima's quirk that had broken him.
All for One regained his composure, "Well then, I believe it's time to end our little chat, Toru." He said politely. "Oh, before I forget, I have a mission for you this week, Toru."
Toru perked up and listened close. I had thought my mission during the first week was to just observe. Does Master already have a plan for how to use me?
"Sometime this week I want you to find information on when Class A will take a field trip with All Might attending. I would like information on where this trip will be, along with information on what type of security system the location will have. When you have obtained this information I would like you to trigger UA's Gate opening and sneak out of class and tell Shigaraki the information.
I'll arrange the mass media to mob UA the day of your exchange, that way they'll infiltrate UA too and nobody will question someone getting out of UA at the same time. Not only that but UA will be so frazzled trying to keep the mass media at bay that they won't have time to realize their information has been robbed. When you see the mass media at the gates I want you to open the gates during the lunch rush so that will give you all the morning to gather the information I need . Can you do that?"
Toru nodded. "The UA security system seems to be based around infrared lights, meaning I can bend them and open the gate. And since they don't know I can do that I won't be found suspicious at all." She reassured, "But I don't quite understand, why can't I just steal the information bring it home and then give it to you over the phone?"
"Because I want it to be given to Shigaraki. His group will be attacking All Might on the field trip. It's him I want to face All Might." All for One replied.
Toru didn't quite get it. "Why can't I just find the information, memorize it and tell him in person during one of our meet ups then?"
"There's a certain appeal to giving the heroes a rat to chase, Toru. If Shigaraki just showed up on your class's field trip with no lead up the heroes would try to investigate on how he found out where you were and how to get in. And the principal of UA is Nezu, correct?"
"…Yes…." Toru replied.
"Nezu has an intelligence quirk. It boosts his reasoning, so he'd be on the mystery almost immediately. We need to give him a rat to chase. And if we let the mass media in and do the exchange then he'll assume it's someone in the press's fault that the information was leaked. This will damage UA's trust in the press and will thus start a negative relationship between the two and start UA's spiral towards doom."
Toru nodded, finally understanding. "I'm glad my quirk can be so useful."
"Yes. It's very important that you keep the extent of it a secret. Since we're saying your quirk is a mutation-based quirk of just invisibility and nothing else associated with that be careful in quirk tests, fumble a few times so that the heroes can assume you need room for improvement and help teach you. Hero teachers love something they can point out the flaws in and for them to 'train'. Give them something to train for you."
"I'll trip a few times loudly, or make sure my breathing is less steady than normal so that they can assume I need to learn how to not breathe as much to make my invisibility better." Toru agreed.
"Good…Good girl." All for One told her. And she could almost imagine his hand coming through the phone and giving her a pat on her head.
Head pats were something she enjoyed the most. They made her feel like she did a good job.
"Remember the plan then and keep up your act. Make some close friends and don't make any enemies. Boys in hero courses have rivals. Girls do not."
Toru frowned. Did that mean she had to play nice with Mineta? And Bakugo? How was she supposed to not tick off Bakugo? She sat right in front of him.
"I'll do my best. After all…This is my most important mission."
"This is what I've been training you for all your life, Toru. We've needed a spy in the hero world for a while now. And you'll be the perfect one."
Toru felt herself smiling. All for One hung up and she put the phone away, being careful to put the sofa back into place. My master is so smart, when he met me he knew of my worth. He had this all planned out and took every careful action in teaching me to prepare me for this.
She felt giddy as she remembered every action her Master had taken with her, teaching her how to talk, preparing her how she should act, reminding her of her purpose, showing her how to use her first gun and knife…All of those sweet memories were preparing for this.
And she was finally there. She was finally at UA. Now all she needed to do was not blow it.
TBH the reason I ship Mei/Toru is because what I really ship is Toru/clothes. Give Toru some clothes. Mei can do that. Let her please have clothes, she's going to get cold on missions.
Please review!