Soul Marked

Chapter Twenty-One

A Heroes Name

I would just like to point out before this chapter starts that I don't mind the criticism that will help me make this story better but to just review something that is just meant to be mean is totally unnecessary. If it's just to make someone feel bad about something they've poured their heart and soul into then please just keep it to yourself. Personally, it doesn't bother me because I love this story, and I know there are some of you who love it too, but there are people out there that take that stuff seriously and it breaks them. That person has a right to their opinion, but if you don't like it then don't read, and especially don't share your rude thoughts.

I would also like from now on to use a spot at the bottom of the chapter to reply to reviewers who don't have an account so that they can have questions answered as well. I apologize for never answering in the past but I worried about a long Authors Note and honestly I love replying to you guys so I will be doing that at the end of the bonus chapters.

"I want it to bring Peace by just being uttered, because they know I am there, and tomorrow will be brighter."

Edited by ICanHearThemToo

The time off from school flew by for Izuka, who had felt accomplished with everything she had done. Her relationship with Bakugo was hopefully on the mend, and she had been given the opportunity to grow a little closer to Toshi. Though her days were positive, she found her nights forming back to endless nightmares. Without the harsh training she had done in preparation for the Festival that had caused her to be in a constant state of fatigue, her nightmares had made an appearance. They had twisted and formed into a whole new terror during their absence, and she couldn't say she missed them.

A hand gripped harshly at her neck, squeezing it teasingly before fingernails dug into her skin. "I can't wait to show you what we have planned for you," came the raspy childish voice. Her body shook as sweat built at her brow. An undeniable urge to brush it away came over her but it was futile as her wrists were bound.

Her mouth opened but not a single word escaped. She found herself no longer able to make a sound. A feeling of helplessness washed over her as she felt his fingers leave her one at a time before taking their place around her once more. She flinched with every movement.

"How can I break you today?" he said excitedly. "Perhaps with this." A door swung open on the opposite end of the dingy room she was held in. Emerald eyes widened with terror at the sight of a faceless man dragging Kacchan into the room. He struggled to get free but it was fruitless.

"I want you to do the honors," giggled the blue-haired man as his fingers finally left her skin. "He's the final boss. Kill him." Izuka began to weep as she felt her body move on its own accord. She was no longer in control. Her lips parted as her silent pleas went unheard. She struggled with everything she had, but the words compelling her forward were stronger. She watched as she took the dagger from the man's hand.

Lifting it high, she could only watch in horror as the blade sliced through the air, glinting dangerously in the light. A scream tore from her lips.

Gasping harshly for breath, Izuka clutched at her chest. Her heart was racing impossibly fast as her body shook with the sobs that wracked throughout her body. That had been by far the worst nightmare, and she blamed it on the fact that it had been so long since her last one. Reaching blindly toward her nightstand she grasped desperately for the glass of water she had left there just in case. It had become a habit that she was grateful she never broke.

Gulping it down desperately, she sighed at the feeling of it replenishing her. She felt like her body had been letting out gallons of sweat and tears. Feeling utterly hopeless, she wearily pulled herself from the bed and trudged over to her closet. It would be another early morning run, her old routine falling easily in place. Her hand reached subconsciously for her phone after throwing on a light jacket.

The desperate need to know that Kacchan was alright rushed through her veins in a hot sort of desperation that she couldn't just ignore. Not after what she just dreamed.

Feeling horrible at the thought of waking him up at five in the morning only caused her to pause for a second before her own selfish fears tugged at her mind. Her thumbs flashed across the screen as she sent him a short text.

Are you alright? -Koneko

Though it wasn't a logical feeling to have seeing as she knew he was fine and it had just been a nightmare, there was a small part of her mind whispering to her: what if you're wrong? Her fear was finding out that these past several weeks were all just a dream her crazed mind had come up with, and in reality, the villains had managed to flee with her.

Swiping harshly at her earphones, she shoved them into her ears and began to play a random song as she slipped from her house to begin the jog. Her feet pounded against the pavement as she tried to drive the dream away with each footstep. She had begun to regret sending such a worrying message, it would most likely bring up questions she wasn't willing to speak about.

She felt her phone vibrate announcing that she had definitely woken him up. A groan escaped her lips as she came to a stop breathing fast. She had only been running for a few minutes but she had pushed herself to her limit, running at full speed. Glancing down at her phone she opened the text and let out a relieved breath, her subconscious feeling much better at the proof in front of her.

It's five in the fucking morning, Koneko. -Kacchan

That was more than enough for her to stop worrying and finally let go of all the tension she was feeling. He was fine, and that was all that mattered. Placing her phone back in her pocket she decided to let it go unanswered in a hope that he would just go back to sleep. She already felt bad enough for waking him in the first place. After several more moments of now steady pacing, she was slowly driving her nightmare from her mind and forcing it as far into the deepest depths of her mind she could. Another vibrate from her phone had her slowing to a stop once more.

If you don't explain your text I'm going to be pissed. -Kacchan

Letting out a small sigh, a gust of air escaped her lungs, fogging the air in front of her. The morning was colder than most and she could smell rain in the air. Idly she reminded herself to take an umbrella to school if it wasn't already raining by then. Quickly, she sent him another text trying to squash any questions before they could be asked.

It's nothing just go back to sleep, Kacchan. -Koneko

She decided to just wait for his reply instead of continuing her run. She was sure he would just reply immediately anyway.

I'm coming over. -Kacchan

Frowning she replied that she wasn't home but added her destination as an afterthought. He was stubborn enough to continue to ask, and if she was honest with herself, she would like to see him in person. Just to make sure he really was alright. Her nightmare really messed her up. Needing to wait in her spot until Kacchan showed up, she began to go through her stretches once more. The need to move was much too strong to just sit around.

Izuka hadn't noticed right away when Bakugo arrived. She was too busy going through another set of stretches, her brain buzzing through everything her mind could think up as long as it wasn't that dream.

Still feeling beyond tired Bakugo rubbed at his eyes and yawned as he walked up behind Izuka, noticing right away the earbuds in her ears keeping her from hearing him. He studied her as he walked taking in the dark shadows under eyes showing that her sleep hadn't been restful. A frown tugged at his lips at her appearance and the worry over her text tugged harder at him. He had noticed her on his morning jogs that he did about an hour from now, and he began to wonder if she was always out this early. Then another question was brought up. Did she really run for that long?

His hand reached out to grab her shoulder and the flinch that wracked throughout her body caused him to let her go instantly.

Turning to face him all she could see was the blade slashing through the air. Blinking her eyes focused back on him. There was no blade. Recognition flashed across her face as she smiled hesitantly before standing to her full height.

"Hey, Kacchan," she said. He noticed the smile didn't fully reach her eyes as they were too busy taking in his form. She looked over him from head to toe, barely taking in the sweat pants and jacket he threw on due to the cold. It was his running clothes and she knew she wouldn't be alone for her routine this morning. That thought filled her with relief, even more so when she found nothing wrong with him. His normal scowl already was settled over his features and it brought relief that it wasn't the betrayed fearful look from last night.

"You going to tell me about that weird-ass text of yours?" Bakugo asked as his shoulders hunched forward at the cold breeze that wrapped around them. Her body stiffened, her eyes closing as she forced back the images she didn't want to see. Within the next instant, a smile was splattered across her face as her eyes stayed closed.

"It's just a text I sent half asleep," she lied. "That's why I didn't reply back at first. It was stupid and I felt bad for waking you." Bakugo's eyes roamed over her face. He looked for any sign of deception but with her eyes closed, the one place he could always read her, he couldn't figure it out. He huffed but let it go and glanced around the area, not sure what to do now. They never spent any considerable amount of time alone together but he had to remind himself how he was trying. Trying meant spending time near her.

Though he was letting it go, he would be keeping a closer eye on her. He didn't have proof that she lied but something deep in his gut told him it was a lie. He hated lies. Especially from her.

"So we gonna run or some shit?" he asked as she opened her eyes.

Glancing quickly down to the ground Izuka immediately felt bad for not telling him the truth, but she didn't want to place her hardships on him. They were finally trying to get better and she felt like her nightmares could set that back. It was her problem to deal with. Not his.

"Yeah!" she said excitedly. Both took off at a steady pace, Bakugo constantly glancing at her with annoyance and Izuka feeling uncomfortable with his prying eyes.

子猫

Two hours later and they were both ready to start for the train that would take them toward the school. Izuka had promised not to leave her house before he arrived, and the new twist to her morning was strange. The fact that it was Kacchan who walked beside her was extremely different, but it made her happy. The nightmare from earlier had been cleared from her mind as they pushed each other to their limits during the jog, and now with him quietly walking beside her, she felt peaceful.

If this were to become an everyday thing she could get used to it. Her fingers twitched at her side, begging to take his hand but she was unsure if that would cause him to yell at her or not. They were in unchartered territory and she had yet to figure out what was too fast. Gripping the strap of her bag harder she stared straight ahead and squashed any thoughts of wanting to feel the touch of his hand against hers again.

Most of their walk was spent in peaceful silence until they boarded the train. They hadn't managed to grab seats so they stood in the middle of the aisle along with tons of other people. Izuka always hated the train, it was far too full of people and everywhere she turned around she was bumping into someone. This time around, she was pressed up against Kacchan who looked like he was about to snap at any second.

She was sure this probably wasn't the fact that she was so close, but just his regular face that he held when traveling by train. He was never happy, but she could hardly blame him in this setting. A long sigh escaped her lips as yet another person jostled into her, causing Izuka to yet again knock into the ash-blonde next to her.

Then her morning got worse.

"Hey!" yelled out the voice of a teenage boy. Izuka ignored him until she heard the yell once more, along with her name. "Hey, you're Midoriya right?" Her head snapped up to look at him as he pushed through the last couple of people, coming to stand in front of her. He was way closer than she was comfortable with in conversations with strangers. There was literally only a few inches between them, helping her clearly make out his bright blue eyes and excited expression.

"Um, yes?" she said, a little weirded out by someone she didn't know calling her by name. Behind her she felt Bakugo shift restlessly, unaware of the snarl he was sending the boys way.

"You're from the hero course at U.A, right?" he asked but didn't allow her to answer before speeding along. "I watched you at the Sports Festival. You are awesome! Placed second throughout the whole thing! I can't believe I'm meeting you." Izuka opened her mouth, trying to get a word in, wanting to ask if he could step back as his face was now right up close to hers. It was a little overwhelming to be noticed, and she wasn't comfortable with the spotlight. This was something she told herself she needed to get over if she wanted to become a hero.

"C-could you-," she started, but was immediately cut off by the boy.

"You're way cuter in person yah know." Her face broke out in a deep blush as he continued on like he hadn't heard her. "We should go out sometime; I'd love to get your number." By this point, her face was beat red and she was trying to move back away from him without any progress. He was still way too close and with his new interest in trying to get her number she was beginning to freak out more than before.

An arm slipped around her waist, tugging her back and away from the flirting boy. As soon as he touched her Izuka was overcome with the familiar sense of comfort and knew that it had been Kacchan to do this. His grip was tighter than normal. She could feel how stiff he was as he moved her back and placed his body between the boy and her. Glancing up she could see the way his lips curled in distaste and the look over utter rage in his eyes.

It caused the red of his eyes to darken to almost black, and his face to become more sharp and intense.

"Hey, man," said the strange boy. "I was talking to her."

"And now your not," Bakugo hissed as his fingers clenched into fists, wanting to hit him for asking Izuka out. As soon as the boy came up to her he felt mad about it but had been willing to brush it off until the idiot called her cute. Then his blood had begun to boil and his body began to react on its own when he started to ask her out.

No one asked her out, especially not in front of him.

"You're not her boyfriend, you don't speak for her," he said sharply, a little pissed from having someone interrupt them. "I know you, you're the angry guy from the festival. You should really mind your own business." Not able to hold his rage back any longer Bakugo's hand flashed out and gripped the boy shirt with his fist. Tugging him forward he glared down at him.

"She is my business," he snarled lowly. "Get the fuck out of here." He shoved him back and caused the boy to run into someone behind him before he could catch his balance. The stranger huffed as he fixed his jacket and glared at the two of them.

"Whatever," he said gruffly before disappearing back into the crowd.

Izuka stared wide-eyed at the scene as her eyes bounced back and forth between the two of them. She hadn't heard the last bit he had uttered but she could see that Kacchan was still pissed by what happened. Shuffling closer to him she moved to where they were barely touching once more.

"Thanks, Kacchan," she said with a small, shy smile. Her face was still red from the incident but it was slowly fading away. "He was making me uncomfortable." His red eyes darted down to her and only nodded as he tried to regain control back over his emotions. His hand came up to rest on her shoulder, trying to draw calmness from the feeling that always circled them when they touched.

The rest of the train ride went by fast and no other incidents happened, putting Izuka in a better mood than before. As they traveled to school it had begun to rain and Izuka was happy to have remembered her umbrella. They ended up sharing it as they walked at a quicker pace than before. Upon entering the school, they were passed by a running Iida and Izuka remembered what she had watched on t.v the night before.

She was sure that it was his brother who had gotten hurt by the hero killer and made a note to check in on him before leaving school that day. It was her job as class rep to help her classmates, but it was also her job as a friend. They may not have been close but she was still worried.

Flicking the rain off her umbrella she closed it and quickly walked to her locker so she could place it inside. Smiling at Bakugo she waved him on, deciding that this was as good a time as any to talk to Iida before class.

"I'll be inside soon I need to speak to Iida," she said. Bakugo's eyes narrowed then rolled before he turned around and walked away without a word. His anger from before still surrounding him. It had lessened but he was still pretty irritated.

"Hey, Iida," she said in greeting as he placed his poncho inside his locker.

"Oh, good morning Midoriya," he said in greeting. His tone of voice was normal but she could detect a hint of a lie inside of it.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your brother," she said softly as her hand moved to lay on his shoulder for a second in comfort before dropping back to her side. "I heard what happened and wanted you to know as class rep, and your friend, I'm here if you need someone to speak to."

Something flashed across his eyes as she spoke but it retreated so fast she couldn't identify it. Whatever it was made her uneasy as she studied him but he flashed her a smile and waved her off.

"I apologize if he or I caused you concern," he said nicely. "You needn't worry though I appreciate it." Izuka couldn't help but frown as he quickly turned from her and hurried into the classroom. She had no choice but to let it drop, and she would, but that didn't mean she wouldn't keep a watch out for him. There had been something within his gaze, a flash of darkness, and that worried her.

As she entered the class and went to take her place behind Kacchan, she could hear everyone talking about people recognizing them and coming up to them that morning. It only reminded her of her own experience, and that caused her to sigh and slide down into her seat.

"How did your morning go?" Kaminari asked as he walked up to her desk.

"Annoyingly," she grumbled as she flashed him a welcoming smile.

"Ah, didn't like the attention you received," he stated with a laugh. Izuka rolled her eyes and straightened in her seat.

"Not if that attention is someone trying to hit on me and getting way too involved in my personal space." Momo who had walked up behind Kaminari frowned upon hearing her answer. A disapproving look falling across her face.

"People like that upset me," she stated, causing Kaminari to realize she was there. "I hope he wasn't too pushy." Her eyes lit up with a concern that had Izuka smiling warmly at her friend.

"Don't worry Kacchan was there to yell at him." A laugh broke through her lips, causing Momo to look relieved and Kaminari to suddenly get interested.

"You and Bakugo rode the train together?" he asked with a raised suggestive look. Izuka frowned at him and shoved at his shoulder roughly, causing the boy to laugh and stumble back.

"Shut up, Kami," she grumbled as her eyes flashed to the blonde in front of her. She really hoped he didn't catch on to what Kaminari was implying. Momo rolled her eyes at the boy but sent Izuka a curious glance. She had seen how their relationship was and wasn't aware of it changing. Izuka shook her head before sending her a look that they would have a girl talk later. She loved how she had someone she could just talk to like that.

Deciding to drag Kaminari away before the angry blonde could attack him, Momo said her goodbyes and forced Denki to do the same. It was perfect timing. As they took to their seats, Aizawa-sensei entered the room.

"Good morning class," he announced, and Izuka greeted him back along with the rest of the class as she noticed his bandages that were gone. This was big news to the class as that meant their teacher was no longer hurt. "Today we have Hero Informatics class. A special one." This piqued up her interest as this part of the class wasn't always the easiest.

But his next words put everyone to ease.

"You'll be choosing your hero identities." All around her people began to yell in excitement showing their approval over today. "Before that, we need to speak about the pro draft picks I mentioned the other day." Izuka realized she must have been asleep for this because it had been getting late before she finally woke up after the festival. "It's based on who the pros think will be ready to join the workforce in another two or three years of experience. So you could say it's a way for them to show their interest in your future." He continued to explain it to them before finally showing who all had been picked by pros.

Todoroki gained the most and by the look on his face, Izuka knew it wasn't solely because of his performance and had partially been to do with who his father was. He had the most still and she knew there were plenty interested in what he had done at the sports festival. After him came Bakugo who had won but still had fewer than Todoroki.

Her name came next on the list, causing her to be surprised. Even if she had come second, she ended up pretty hurt and figured that would have scared any of the potential mentors off. Her name only had a little over a thousand on it but it was still more than expected.

"There's typically more of a spread," Aizawa said. "But our top three stole the spotlight." The classroom erupted in noise once more.

"Well done as always, Todoroki," Izuka could hear Momo say behind her. She discreetly turned around in her seat to look at Todoroki's face. His eyes darted over to her before nodding slightly.

"It's mostly my father's influence," he said, but his sentence fell short as he stared longer at her face. He sighed. "But thank you." Izuka gave a secret smile as she quickly turned back around. It was a good step forward between the two and she was happy for them.

"With that settled, whether you were picked or not, you will all have a chance to work alongside pro heroes." Aizawa continued to talk as Izuka thought over what her hero name would even be. She had her whole childhood to come up with a hero name but they were all based off All Might. She didn't want any of those names now that she knew Toshi personally. There had only been one name she had thought up of shortly after meeting Kacchan.

It was one day when they had been in a heated discussion over what they would be called when they became heroes. Young Kacchan had agreed with Izuka's older self, saying she needed a name that wasn't based on All Might. It had taken them two hours to come up with, but as soon as she heard it she had fallen in love with it. Over the years she had pushed it from her mind as it was just another hurtful addition to a long list of memories that all had Kacchan attached to them, but now she remembered and no longer frowned unhappily.

Izuka was brought back to the present with the sound of Midnight's voice yelling over Aizawa-sensei. Her eyes blinked rapidly, taking in the R-rated Hero as she placed her hands delicately in her hair before walking into the room with her hips swaying side to side. Izuka rolled her eyes at the faces of a lot of the boys in class before focusing back onto the entering hero.

"The name you pick now may be what the world ends up calling you," she said in a simpering voice. "That's happened to many pro's." Aizawa seemed to become slightly more tired at her entrance as he focused the class back on him.

"That is true," he said in agreement. "I've asked Midnight to come here and help you pick out your new names. I'm simply no good at it. What future do you see for yourself? The name you choose will bring you closer to cementing a certain image because names are capable of reflecting one's true image."

Aizawa's words impacted Izuka greatly as she reached up to take the board handed to her by Bakugo. Names truly did have a bigger impact than most people understood. Some held greater responsibility like All Might's eventually did. It wasn't something to take lightly; she understood that. She would need a name that reflected the responsibility that had been passed down to her. One that could hold up to the image she would need to be seen in.

A Hero for Peace, and a voice for those who didn't have one themselves.

It didn't matter in the end how much she thought about it. The name Kacchan had given her all those years ago rang true in her head. There just couldn't be any other, and she made sure it stood for everything those two five-year-olds felt when coming up with it.

Hope for the future and everything that came with it.

She had made up her mind.

子猫

One by one her classmates went up. Many had known the names they were going to pick since their childhoods as well like, Froppy. Others were based on heroes who impacted them like, Red Riot. Many were names that were based on the quirks the people had and others simply used their first names have not been able to figure out what type of hero they wanted to become yet.

Izuka focused completely when Kacchan went up to announce his chosen name and she couldn't help but sweatdrop at the sight of, King Explosion Murder. She idly wondered if he remembered the childhood name they had come up with together all those years ago. It would have fitted perfectly but she was hesitant on reminding him of it.

Ground Zero

With a shake of her head, she glanced around and wondered who was all left beside herself. A sense of the unknown kept her from moving forward to take her turn. The name felt right to her but what would Midnight or the others say? What would Kacchan say?

As Iida stood up from his seat Izuka couldn't help but feel that emotion from earlier in the morning. Something was wrong with her classmate. It went deeper than just being upset with what happened to his brother, but she couldn't place what lied within his eyes. Whatever it was caused a sense of uneasiness that shook her to the bone. She watched as he erased the name he once had before and wrote an entirely new one.

Iida

A deep frown fell over her face as she wondered what it was that he had written down before. Midnight reluctantly accepted the name before turning her eyes on Izuka and Bakugo. Realizing she couldn't avoid it any longer Izuka stood to her feet and clutched at the board. As she walked, she couldn't help but glance Kacchans way as she passed by him. Placing her board onto the podium, her eyes roamed over her classmates.

Flipping the board up she allowed everyone to see the lone word that was written in black marker.

Ineko

Everyone quietly waited for her to say something but Izuka's eyes had landed and stayed on Kacchan as she spoke.

"I chose this name because it stood for a couple of five-year-olds' hopes and dreams, and I want it to stand for the same thing for all who hear it. I want it to bring Peace by just being whispered... Because they know I am there and that tomorrow will be brighter." Everyone erupted into loud applause that caused a tiny smile to form on her lips, but her eyes never wavered from their place on a surprised looking blonde. She knew he was remembering too.

"I love the meaning behind the name!" Midnight called out. "That type of backstory will have people falling for it! I accept!" Izuka sighed in relief before moving to sit back down. A pair of ruby eyes followed her until she was out of sight before standing back up himself. He had quickly written the new name down before determinedly moving toward the podium.

"Ground Zero." It was all that was said. Katsuki moved to go back to his seat before Midnight could agree with it or not. He didn't care if she approved or not, the name meant something to him, and that was that. He wouldn't be choosing something else.

Midnight watched him move back to his seat but didn't speak up against it, having seen his decision had been settled.

子猫

After Midnight left, the class was left to decide on who they wanted to pick for internships for the rest of the class. Bakugo turned in his seat to look at her causing Izuka to blush as her eyes darted to his face and back down to her desk.

"You remembered," he said quietly but before she could speak Kaminari had run up to her desk.

"Yo," he said in greeting as he crouched next to her to see her list of potential internships. "Who are you going to choose?" Seeing that the chance to speak was over Izuka turned to look at her friend, but not before seeing the look of irritation flash across Bakugo's face.

"Um, I'm not entirely sure," she said truthfully. From behind them, Momo came to stand on Izuka's other side. Her eyes flashed a warning at Kaminari as she flicked back her ponytail.

"I believe they were trying to have a conversation, Kaminari." The excitable blonde's eyes widened as he looked toward Bakugo, who had already turned around in his seat. He turned back to Izuka, who was blushing lightly from Momo's words.

"Hey, sorry, Iz-chan." he said quickly. "I hadn't realized." Izuka only flashed him a reassuring smile before patting his head.

"Don't worry, Kami," she said calmly. "I'll catch up with Kacchan later." In all honesty, Izuka was a little curious about what he had to say about the memory but wasn't annoyed or upset with Kaminari for interrupting. She knew it wouldn't have gone much farther past the point of her agreeing before Kacchan would have stopped talking. They were surrounded by classmates, and she was sure he wouldn't want anyone overhearing them.

Upon seeing that it truly was alright and Bakugo wasn't going to try to explode him, he began to gush about how many people wanted her as an intern. The girl herself was still pleasantly surprised but unsure of who would be the best choice. There were many to pick from but she was curious about whether or not All Might would want to intern her, or if he had a suggestion.

Deciding to save her pick until after speaking to Toshi, she slid the paper over to Kaminari so he could get a better look at it. The rest of the class sped by until it was time to go home. Picking up her bag and gathering it, she purposefully took longer than her other classmates so she could hang around and find All Might without anyone wanting to walk with her.

After putting her jacket back on, she walked toward the doorway, only to jump back in fear as someone suddenly appeared from nowhere. All Mights face was inches away from her own as he was bent over to be level with her.

"I-I am here in a peculiar pose!" he announced loudly. She instantly noticed that he looked uncomfortable and had been sweating, almost like he was nervous or afraid. Her eyebrows rose at the sight as she took a few steps back.

"You alright, All Might?" she asked, never calling him Toshi in this form. He opened his mouth to answer but was stopped by another person's voice filling the hallway.

"Are you coming, Koneko?" Kacchan called out in irritation after growing tired of waiting for her. Izuka blinked, having not realized he was still outside the class, before shaking her head at herself. He probably wanted to walk her home. He seemed to be really trying since their talk.

"I'm afraid I need to speak to Midoriya, young Bakugo," All Might said as he straightened up. Bakugo raised an eyebrow at the look on the pro hero's face as his red eyes flashed over to Izuka in a questioning way. She just shrugged her shoulders not knowing why the man was acting like that either.

"I'll just see you tomorrow, Kacchan," Izuka said with uncertainty as her eyes darted back over to All Might. Bakugo scowled at her answer but didn't push the subject as he spun around and stalked away. Frowning, Izuka watched after him, feeling upset that he was mad now.

"I apologize, my girl," All Might said as he waved his successor to follow along with him. "I see that the new start with young Bakugo is going along well."

"Yes, sir," she said in agreement.

"I'm sorry you can't walk with him today," he said. "You see someone specific wants you to intern with him." They came to the teachers' lounge and entered. Izuka glanced around but noticed they were the only ones there. "His name is Gran Torino." Midoriya turned her attention back onto her hero as he spoke once more. The door behind her was closed with a click. "He taught at U.A. for one year. He was my homeroom teacher." He still continued to sweat as he spoke making Izuka uneasy. "He knows everything about One For All, and it's probably the reason he's reached out to you."

"He knows," Izuka said calmly as she nodded. It would be good to intern under someone who already knew and understood her quirk.

"He is a good friend, but he retired so long ago I nearly forgot about him. He's gone through all this trouble so I feel the need to let him train you. However, I had made plans to take you in as an intern myself." Izuka froze in her movements to sit down, her body halfway down to the chair.

"You planned on letting me intern with you!" she yelped out as she shot back up to her feet. "Your name wasn't on my list!?" Her hands began to wave around wildly in the air with how shocked and excited she was. All Might coughed as he stared at the girl, his own hands moving out to try to stop her arms.

"I planned on asking you myself after class," he said as she calmed down. "That's when I read all the names on your list and came across his. Gran Torino wouldn't just come out of retirement to take you in as an intern, so I believe you must accept it." Izuka frowned, disappointment tugging at her lips.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I mean having you be the person I intern under would be amazing." His gaze became contemplating as he thought it over.

"The man scares the crap out of me," he said bluntly causing Izuka to blink in surprise at the statement. "However, how can I refuse an offer from you Izu-chan!?" He posed in front of her causing her to laugh. "I'm sure I can work something out with the old man where we can both teach you. I still think it would be best to train under him. He can teach you lots. He helped me reach my full potential." Izuka grew excited as she began to bounce on the heels of her feet.

"I get to intern under you still!?" He boomed out a laugh at her expression.

"I'll talk to Gran Torino, kid!" he said with a nod. "With any hope, he'll say yes." He began to grow nervous again at the sound of that before saying under his breath, "Only for you, kid."

子猫

Izuka had been told by Toshi that he would meet her at Gran Torino's place in two days time. He needed to wrap a few things up before following her. She had been excited to hear Gran Torino thought it was a good idea for them both to teach her, but something told the girl that the reason Toshi wasn't going with her was because of the fear he had for the older man. He refused to discuss anything about it, causing Izuka to feel uncomfortable with going alone.

Kacchan walked close by her as the whole class made their way to the metro. He still had a scowl on his face and neither of them had spoken since All Might needing her the other day. Izuka felt upset by this, starting to feel like maybe they were already moving back to old ways, but she felt like she needed to have more faith than that. He was still trying to come to terms with his feelings and she didn't expect a complete turnaround right away.

Still, the silence she had been receiving caused her lots of discomfort. A sigh escaped her lips as she frowned, not realizing it when Bakugo looked her way and noticed. His teeth clenched as he rolled his eyes.

It was harder to be more open than he thought it would be.

Once Aizawa let them go, Izuka turned to find Iida. She wanted to offer one more time to listen to his feelings. Moving away from Bakugo she didn't notice the way he frowned harder than before. Spotting the tall guy a little ways from her, she sped up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I know I've already stated this but I feel as your friend, though we're not close, and as the class rep, the need to remind you I'll be here to listen, Iida," she said but he only gave her the fake off smile from before.

"I'm fine, really Midoriya," he said as he waved her off. "Please do not worry." Relenting, Izuka nodded and gave a tiny half-hearted smile at him.

"Still, we should exchange numbers," she said, not being able to completely let go of her worry. "I'm doing it with the rest of the class just in case something comes up." Iida nodded as he pulled out his phone. They went their separate ways and she quickly went up to each of her classmates that she didn't have phone numbers for so she could save them. Feeling satisfied that she could keep in contact with her class over the next week, she went to find Kaminari and Momo but was stopped as an arm grabbed her.

"Koneko," Bakugo said causing her to stop and turn to him. The grip on her arm didn't loosen as he pulled her away from the class and toward the wall.

"Ah, Kacchan," she said while looking up at him. "I was going to say goodbye before we departed." Bakugo sighed causing her to feel more confused than she had been toward him. His eyes darted around before finally settling back on her once again.

"Shut up you nerd," he said as he pulled her into a hug. She was shocked her body was so easy to tug forward as she was crushed into a hug that lasted only a second before he pulled away. "Sorry for ignoring you. Don't get fucking hurt or any shit during this internship. There's going to be too much fucking distance between us during the next week."

Izuka wasn't able to hug him back before he had pulled away, but she righted herself and smiled at him. She was happy they hadn't left on no talking terms. It made her feel a little more comfortable with the week to come, especially the next couple of days before All Might came.

"I'll be safe, Kacchan!" she said while giving him a thumbs up. He rolled his eyes at her but ruffled her hair before beginning to move away.

"I'll fucking kill you if you're not." Izuka laughed at this as she watched him begin to leave.

"That would defeat the purpose of my safety!" she yelled out after him. He did nothing more than give her the finger, causing her to laugh even more before moving to go tell her friends goodbye. Her train would be departing soon anyway.

子猫

Lugging a suitcase and her hero costume around wasn't the easiest thing to do as she stepped from the cab and glanced up at the address she had arrived at. From the outside, it looked like nothing special, just a rundown, old building. She couldn't bring herself to judge the guy just by where he lived, but she still felt uneasy about the whole thing.

Moving up the steps, she set down her suitcase of clothes to free her hand and knock at the door. Knocking twice, she found no answer and began to wonder if she was even in the right place. Perhaps All Might had given her the wrong address or wrote down a wrong number? Going to knock again she found the door unlocked. She decided that, since no one was answering, she would just peak her head in and call out. The worst that could happen would be it being the wrong house and she would just have some explaining to do.

Shrugging, she shoved it open and poked her head into a darkish looking living room. From first glance, the place seemed to be empty. It held a devoid of life kind of feeling. Emerald eyes danced around the barely lit space before glanced downward at the floor. Freezing, her eyes widened at the sight in front of her.

She could barely make out the form of a person lying on the ground where a dark substance seemed to surround them. Her hand shot to her mouth as she held in a startled yelp, before hesitantly moving into the house.

"He's dead!?" she whisper-yelled in shock and fright.

This was not how she wanted to begin her internship.

So the name Ineko is just putting Izuka and Koneko together. I took that from Uravity and fell in love with the name. Especially since I couldn't come up with a hero name I actually liked until I did this. Also Ground Zero is the name that people suspect is going to be Bakugo's future hero name, and I have no clue if this will be true, but in my story it is. I love the name and believe it should be his hero name. Though King Explosion Murder is amazing too :D

Bonus Chapter: Seven

Kaminari paced the hallways as he waited to see anyone from Class 1-B. Ever since his fight with Ibara, though it was far too short to be considered a fight, he couldn't get her out of his head. He could be considered the flirt of class 1-A, but this felt like more than just the urge to talk to a pretty face. It wasn't hard to understand why that was as he glanced down at his wrist for the millionth time since he had seen her earlier that day.

The green vine-like tattoo crisscrossed around his wrist claiming him as her soulmate. It had been earth-shattering to him and he blamed that in part as to why he ended up losing. He had completely gone into the arena knowing he would give it his all, a girl or not, but once his eyes landed on her and his heart had exploded into a tiny million pieces inside his chest, he found he simply couldn't do it. By the time her vines had wrapped around him, his heart had been built back together stronger than before and all he could manage was to stare at her dumbly.

Due to his lack of thinking, he hadn't been able to pull her aside to talk then. He regretted that with his whole being as he glanced around, looking for the one face that made his day shine brighter.

With a sigh in relief, he finally spotted the green vine-like hair in the crowd and took off after her. She was with a group of friends and he even found that annoying blonde with her. Speed walking faster, he reached out and tapped her on the shoulder. Spinning around, she stared at him with wide eyes before slowly they warmed and the smile that formed on her face was peaceful.

"What are you doing here, 1-A," said Monoma. Ibara only sent her friend a small smile to silence him as she turned to the other girl in the group.

"Kendo could you walk Monoma away please," she asked in her soft voice. "I'd like to speak with him alone."

"Sure, Ibara," her friend said, wondering if this was the boy Ibara had stated was her soulmate. She had done so in secret after her fight with him but hadn't stated who exactly it was, however, the girl suspected.

As the two left Kaminari motioned for Ibara to follow him, which she did willingly. Neither one talked until they were outside the building and no one else was around.

They both opened their mouths to speak before laughing. "You go first," she said kindly, causing him to smile. He realized, as he listened to her speak, he didn't want to ever hear another person's voice. He wondered if that was part of the bond speaking as he never felt this before. Kaminari wasn't actually sure what he wanted from the girl, but he did know he wanted to be around her. It was a place to start.

"Would you like to go get ice cream with me?" he asked her with a flash of a smile. Ibara didn't even hesitate as she nodded enthusiastically.

"I would like that a lot," she said as they both began to move in the direction of an ice cream shop.

This is super short and only shows the tip of their first real talk/meeting but I thought it was super cute and showed enough for now. These two will be seen more later on in the story!