Chapter Twenty-Three: Benefits
Izuku and Kyouka made their way through the gates of UA underneath a shared umbrella, with Kyouka clinging onto Izuku's arm. Her excuse would be for added protection from the rain. Definitely not because she wanted everyone to see that Izuku Midoriya was claimed. Definitely not.
"S-So… Sh-Should we tell the others about y'know… Us?" Izuku questioned as the couple made their way inside the school building. Izuku made his way over to the umbrella rack and placed the two's shared umbrellas inside before Kyouka answered.
"Probably not. They already assumed that we were together before, and I'd rather not have people hounding us about it." Kyouka replied, leaning against the lockers as she waited for Izuku. Suddenly a yellow blur rushes past them, revealing themself to be Tenya Iida!
"Ah, hello you two! We've got no time to waste so I hope you'll hurry to class!" Iida said, making his way past the two in his raincoat in a tone that Izuku could only describe as false cheerfulness. It was a tone that he knew all too well, perhaps that incident with his brother was really affecting him.
It seemed as though Iida knew what Izuku was about to ask as he quickly turned around with a smile on his face. "Ah, you need not ask about my elder brother, Tensei. I'll be alright, Midoriya-kun."
The boy then waltzed off to class leaving Izuku and Kyouka alone. Izuku's brow furrowed in concern, and Kyouka placed a hand against his shoulder in understanding. Iida was hurting, and the two of them could see it. The two glanced at each other before resigning themselves to head into class.
They could talk more to their friend about it later, right?
Aizawa stepped into the class, clearing his throat to gather the attention of his students. "Morning." He groaned as the class went dead silent. Aizawa made his way to the podium when Tsuyu Asui decided to speak up.
"Good to see your bandages off, Sensei." She remarked, placing a finger to her chin idly. Aizawa lazily scratched at the scar underneath his right eye and grunted. He had to receive treatment from Recovery Girl which had left him much more tired than usual.
"The old lady's treatment was excessive." He replied, before standing up straight to give off today's lesson plans. "Never mind that, though. Today we've got Hero Informatics class. And a special one at that."
The class looked amongst each other as they wondered what exactly they would be having to deal with on this certain day. Surely it wouldn't be anything too crazy, right?
"Today you'll be coming up with your hero aliases." He exclaimed, causing the entire student body to erupt with cheers of joy and excitement, excluding Izuku, Momo, and Todoroki. Izuku remained silent because he had realized that he never thought of a good hero name for himself. Cue the internal panic.
Aizawa glared at his class, causing them all to become silent and find themselves back into their seats. "But first… Concerning the pro draft picks I mentioned the other day… It's based on who the pros think will be read to join the hero workforce after another two years of experience, so you could say that it's a way for them to show interest in your futures." The man explained, his hair floating up as he continued to glare at his students uneasy faces.
"But there's ample time for their interest to wane before you graduate. And any and all offers can be arbitrarily revoked. It happens quite often." He continued, causing the resident Grapist to slam a fist to the desk and murmur something about "stupid adults". "Now here are the complete draft pick numbers."
The man pressed a button and a holographic bar graph appeared on the blackboard, indicating certain students hadway more offers than others. The list went as followed:
Izuku Midoriya: 5,342
Shouto Todoroki: 4,123
Katsuki Bakugou: 3,874
Tsuyu Asui: 350
Iida: 301
Kyouka Jirou: 272
Denki Kaminari: 208
Momo Yaoyorozu: 108
Eijiro Kirishima: 68
Ochako Uraraka 20
Hanta Sero: 14
Izuku's eyes bulged out of his head as he stared at the sheer amount of people that were interested- no vouching that he would become a great professional hero. It baffled him to see that he had 5,342 offers lined up from pro heroes all across Japan.
"There's typically more of a spread, but our top three stole most of the spotlight." Aizawa noted, pointing a thumb at the board. Certain students began to complain about the big three in their class getting the most attention, though it wasn't like they could've helped it. Izuku and Bakugou had pure power, and while Todoroki's quirk was also quite good, he likely got help due to his father's influence.
"With that settled whether you were picked or not, you will all have a chance to work alongside the pros." Aizawa started, his face turning towards a more serious and intense expression. "It's true that you all have already experienced more than most, but seeing the pros in action and taking part yourselves will still be worthwhile training. And while they're only tentative, you should still want to pick something appropriate-"
Suddenly Aizawa was cut off by a boomingly energetic feminine voice. "OR ELSE YOU'LL KNOW TRUE HELL!"
In walked Midnight, the R-Rated Hero! She would be in charge of today's lesson, and with that sway in her hips she made her stride towards the podium as Aizawa pulled out his sleeping bag. "The name you pick now may be what the world ends up calling you. It's happened to many pro heroes out there!"
Aizawa grunted, "Yes. True enough. And Midnight here will be assessing the sensibility of the names you pick." He said, rustling his sleeping bag. "What future do you see for yourself? The name you choose will bring you ever closer to cementing a certain image because names are capable of reflecting one's true character. Like with 'All Might'."
That struck a chord with Izuku. All Might's hero name was supposed to cement the fact that he was all might and nothing else. A mighty hero who could conquer all threats of evil in the world, a hero who would always save the day. But what exactly could Izuku do to convey that same kind of message? What name would work in a way that portrays who he is- No. Who he will be as a hero?
He'd have to think about that.
Soon came the time for names to be called up, and many others went along before him. Soon enough Kyouka made her way to the podium, clunking her board right up with a smile on her face. Her pride in the name was emanating quite a bit, but Izuku looked at her with a smile on his face. He too wanted a name that he could be proud of.
"The Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack!" She exclaimed, earning some light applause and praise from her classmates. She didn't care about their opinions, however, all she cared about was Izuku's. And there he was giving her a thumbs up with a bright smile. He was proud of her, and that's all that really mattered.
Kyouka then made her way over to Izuku as other students went up to cement their hero names. As she made her way over she noticed that his board was still empty. "Having trouble figuring out your name?"
Izuku sighed and slumped in his seat, with a small nod. "I can't figure out anything good. I'm really having trouble with finding a name that identifies with 'Izuku Midoriya'..." He stated, sighing as he slammed his head against the desk.
Kyouka hummed in thought before something popped into her head. It was going to be a bit of a stretch, but it was something that could both define him, and cement him as the hero he was meant to be.
"You might hate it, but I've got an idea…" Kyouka stated, before leaning in to whisper something in his ear. Izuku's eyes widened and he stared at her shocked.
"I-I thought you hated-" He went to speak before a jack was placed against his lips to silence him. She then simply gave the boy a wink and a back on the back before heading back to her own seat. Izuku then looked at the blank board in his hands before scribbling down the name that was just suggested to him and stood to make his way to the podium.
He stared at the board in his hands as he made his way up to the podium. The name that he had decided on filled his heart with anxiety. What would the others think? Hell, what kind of moron would cement this as their hero name!? But… This was something that defined him. It was a part of his history, and because of it he was here now. He was on his way to become a pro.
The boy placed the board down gently onto the podium, standing before his class as their faces shifted to ones of confusion and concern. Midnight stepped up beside the boy with confusion spread across her face. "Are you sure about that, Midoriya?"
The boy looked down at the board, and took a deep breath before his face glistened with a prideful smile and a slight glance towards his girlfriend who returned the glance with a smile. "Yeah. I always hated it…"
His admittance came as a shock to the rest of the class, but then he continued. "But then some people, more exclusively someone helped me see it in a new light. It took me by surprise, but it… It made me happy. Made me feel more confident in my choice."
He slammed the board onto the podium once more. The name, "The Emerald Savior: Deku" reads off of it. Izuku smiled proudly towards the class as Bakugou glances up and glares at the boy in astonishment.
"This will be my hero name. I'd like nothing more."
Soon the end of the day came and it was time for the class to make their ways home. However, as Izuku and Kyouka were making their way home, All Might burst through the door to grab the two of them before they left.
"I-I-I AM HERE IN A PECULIAR POSE!" He stated in his booming voice. The two teens jumped back, startled at the man's sudden appearance before he stood up straight and instructed them to come with him. "This way, kids."
Soon the trio made their way to an empty hallway before All Might swiftly turned around and pointed a finger at the two of them."I heard you two had gotten quite a lot of internship offers! Congratulations!"
"A-Ah! Thank you, All Might." Izuku stated, pridefully. Kyouka rolled her eyes before All Might continued. She really didn't get what made Izuku look up to this goofy old man, but he was the number one. He'd have a lot of catching up to do to be able to replace him.
"There's someone I want you to intern under. His name is Gran Torino! He was once an instructor at UA, just for a year… And he was my homeroom teacher." All Might stated, gesturing to Izuku. "He knows all about One For All, which may be the reason he was so urgent about having you."
"What did he think you suck at teaching or something?" Kyouka questioned, attempting to tease the man. All Might slumped slightly and began muttering about how Kyouka was probably right, causing both her and Izuku to scream out in concern. "EH!? WAS I/SHE RIGHT!?"
"That doesn't matter! Just here's the info, and please go to see him!" All Might started handing Izuku a slip of paper with the address and contact info of Gran Torino. Izuku looked at Kyouka in concern before the couple said their goodbyes and made their way away from their trembling mentor.
"OH! And Midoriya!" All Might called as the couple left. The two of them turned to face the man as he stopped shaking and smiled brightly once again.
"Don't forget your hero costume. The upgrades are finished!"
"You got upgrades to your costume? When was this?" Kyouka questioned as the two of them rode their train back home. Izuku scratched his cheek in nervousness. "Wait, was this after the USJ?"
The greenette nodded. "Y-Yeah actually… I wanted to have a few adjustments to my costume, and decided I need some extra armor for it. That and I needed somewhere to put this." He stated before pulling out the keychain he had acquired as they went on their date.
"Geez! What's with you being so freaking sweet!" Kyouka started blushing, and slapped the boy on his arm. Izuku chuckled and pocketed the keychain once more. "I-I'm glad though… That means I hold at least some value to you."
Izuku blushed and looked away before mumbling something, though with Kyouka's hearing she could pick up on it. "M-More than you know."
Kyouka playfully rolled her eyes and nudged the greenette with her elbow. "Quit being such a nerd, you're supposed to be a hero aren't you?" She teased before leaning against Izuku and sighing. Her face then turned blank as she stared off at the passing buildings. "We've got our internships tomorrow. We won't see each other for a few days…"
Izuku nodded and looked down at her as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I-I'll try to call you as often as I can… But please be sure to focus on your internship. I want you to do your best to gain all the experience you can, okay?"
Kyouka smiled and nodded before sitting up and placing a kiss against his cheek. "Hey, wanna come over today? We can have you practice your guitar today."
Izuku shook his head. He gave her a quick peck before smiling at her a bit disappointedly. "S-Sorry, my dad's leaving today. I'd go with you if I could, but I can't tonight…"
"Oh, right… How do you feel about him leaving again? You gonna be alright?" She questioned, concern laced in her tone. Izuku had already watched his father leave once, and having him leave again probably for who knows how long must be setting off some sort of stressor from the past.
Kyouka knew very well that Izuku struggled with abandonment, it was evident when his father had finally decided to show up after a few years of little to no contact. However, instead of a frown forming on his face, Izuku smiled when thinking of his father.
"Actually, I think I'm gonna be okay." He replied, looking down at his hand. He then clenched it into a determined fist as their train came to a halt. "I have a feeling he'll visit more often."
"That was kinda sketchy. What, you gonna beat your dad up?" Kyouka questioned jokingly as they walked out of the train, causing Izuku to blush up a storm and stammer nervously about that not being what he meant. The purplette laughed at his expense, and laughed even harder as he pouted.
"Stop doing that to me!" Izuku complained, gripping onto his backpack and slouching as they made their way to Kyouka's home. "You can't just make it seem like I'm some crazy overpowered thug."
Kyouka's face turned serious. "Oh no, you already are." She deadpanned, causing Izuku's eyes to bulge out of his head. It was true that he was quite the strong individual, but he was more like a puppy that turned savage when angry.
"EH!? DON'T SAY THAT!" Izuku shouted out in a panic. Kyouka continued to laugh at his reactions to her teasing, much to Izuku's dismay, but eventually the couple made their way to Kyouka's home. Izuku had begun to cry and mutter about if he could really be described as "thuggish".
"Oi, we're here." Kyouka stated, bringing her boyfriend out of his thoughts. Izuku looked at his surroundings only to realize that they were indeed at Kyouka's place of residence. He seriously needed to stop spacing out when getting in his thoughts like that. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow. Text me if things go south at home, okay? I want you to be okay."
Izuku nodded and leaned in to give the girl a quick kiss goodbye, only for her to grip onto his collar and deepen the kiss. She was getting bold and Izuku was seriously not used to it, he'd need to step up his game otherwise she'd get the upper hand on him. The greenette wrapped his arms around her waist, yanking her ever-closer to his body and leaned her down slightly so that he was controlling the direction of the kiss.
Unfortunately for Kyouka, when Izuku does become a bit more "dominant" she goes into what is only known as, "Izuku Overload". Which means they needed to stop before her neighbors caught her going crazy for her boyfriend. She quickly pushed the greenette off of her and took a second to catch her breath.
"Gah! What if my neighbors see, moron!? Or worse, my parents!?" Kyouka scolded, her jacks coiling around Izuku's neck in order to try and pull him closer to her. Her jacks were really betraying what she was saying and what she wanted right now.
Izuku only blushed and quirked a brow. "Y-You kissed me-" He was then swiftly cut off by getting a jack in the ear. "AGGHHHHH!"
"DON'T CARE! GO HOME!" She shouted, running inside her home and shutting the door. Her heart was racing and she immediately felt bad for attacking Izuku, but he really should learn that against him she's essentially defenseless. Thank god her parents didn't see that.
"So when were you gonna tell me you were dating that green bean of yours?" She heard her mother's voice from the kitchen speak up.
'Nevermind.' Kyouka thought before she took a quick inhale. She was preparing to let out something she had probably been holding back in frustratingly for a long time.
"SHIT!"
Kyouka: So, my mom just found out about us.
Izuku: What? How?
Kyouka: She saw you kissing me outside of my house -_-
Izuku: That's your fault, you kissed ME!
Kyouka: False information, you were tempted by my lack of womanly charm.
Izuku: Don't say that, I will use One For All to come over and prove you wrong.
Kyouka: I dare you. It'd be welcomed, hell, I'll even unlock my window.
Izuku: We both know I can't do that. But still! You're beautiful, don't say stuff like that.
Kyouka: Yeah, yeah. Anyways, are you ready for our internships tomorrow?
Izuku: About as ready as I'll ever be… You're interning under Present Mic, right? What's the goal there?
Kyouka: Mainly just to maybe learn more about my vibrations, incorporate a bit more flair into my moves as well.
Izuku: Want my notebook? I've got plenty of ideas for you.
Kyouka: I've seen enough of your creepy stalker notebooks, nerd! Anyways, what about you? What's your focus with that Gran Torino guy?
Izuku: -_-
Izuku: Probably refining my movements, being quicker and all that. I'll even get to test out my new hero suit! Maybe I'll even get some training for One For All.
Kyouka: You seem very excited about that, I'm glad. Well, I think I'm gonna head to bed, we've got a big day ahead of us.
Izuku: Yeah, goodnight!
Kyouka: Night, stringbean.
Izuku shut off his phone and began to get comfy in his bed. His father was now gone, and it was just him and his mom once again. He had no time to focus on that though, his focus was directed elsewhere. Who was Gran Torino? And what kind of hellish training did he do to make All Might scared of him?
He'd just have to find out tomorrow.
And that's chapter 23! Wow, I really can't believe we're making it this far into the story!
These next few chapters are going to be related to the titles of the first and last chapters of what I have titled this arc. You may have noticed that I also changed who Kyouka is interning under, but it's for a good purpose!
I've also made revisions to Izuku's hero costume, and I'm hoping to have visuals for that very soon!
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and if you wanna talk to me and a few other izujirou creators in the community then please join this discord: /5TSeaVJ8Cj
I'll see you all in the next chapter!