I do not own My Hero Academia.
This story was written with the help of another writer who wishes to remain anonymous, but has done most of the work and wishes for it to be posted here on fanfiction.
When Izuku got up that Friday morning, the first thing he did was move over to the wardrobe and compared his height to a series of pen-marks. Even if he was sore and groaned in protest ever so often after the training of the previous evening, he persisted in his task. Once finished, he stepped back and frowned.
"Back to normal," muttered a confused Izuku. He stroke his chin, baffled.
For reasons that eluded Izuku, he had discovered that in the last days his height had changed. On Tuesday he realized he had shrunk a bit (in human form) only to regain his height on Wednesday. The previous day he had been shorter by one inch. That hadn't been the only oddity Izuku had discovered.
Izuku studied the rest of his body, from the shape of his fingers to the length of his toes. He memorized the measurements and observations, but from what he could tell, he was back to being the same boy he had been prior to manifesting his rabbit form.
"From all the quirks I've studied, I don't believe there is anything similar to this…" he muttered, pacing in front of the mirror. "Then again, I don't believe there is any hero with a quirk like mine. Maybe I am facing some kind of singularity? With my two forms slowly becoming one…? No, although maybe my forms can be affected by the other?"
On and on he went, muttering to himself. Still droning on, Izuku went over to his desk and picked a notebook he kept hidden. He sat down and added a new entry, going into detail regarding that day's findings. With that done, he put the notebook down, and leaned back.
"Why did I have to manifest a quirk like this?" Groaned Izuku.
He could only sigh, as nobody would be able to answer that question. Instead, he started his morning exercises. As he exercised, Izuku couldn't help but think about his current problems.
Ever since it was discovered that Mineta had peeped into his room, Izuku had been a mess of nerves, especially given Ashido's persistence. She, differently from the rest of the girls, was convinced Mineta was telling the truth and was going out of her way to find out the truth. While a rational part of him told Izuku that odds were that he wouldn't be discovered no matter how much Ashido persisted, he still worried. The consequences of having to confess the truth were too painful to even think about them.
Izuku dispelled those thoughts and, once finished exercising, prepared for the day ahead. It was a merry Izumi, seemingly untroubled by Izuku's problems, who hopped out of her room towards the bathrooms for a quick shower.
When Izumi finally made it to the dining hall, there were already quite a few girls having their breakfast. She went straight to a particular brunette on one of the many tables. Izumi was about to happily greet her friend, when she noticed the look on Ochaco's face.
"Wow, you look like a zombie," blurted out Izumi.
And indeed, with those bags beneath her eyes and the way she appeared ready to doze off, Ochaco looked like part of the living dead. It didn't last long, surprisingly. Ochaco blinked and turned towards Izumi. Her entire being appeared to be revitalized in the presence of the rabbit girl. With newfound life, Ochaco sheepishly grinned at Izumi.
"Hey there! Sorry, I am just tired after yesterday's training," she chuckled.
Izumi was sorely tempted on asking (read: insist on knowing) about Ochaco's mysterious new tutor. She held her tongue, however. If Ochaco respected Izumi's rather privileged (and in her own opinion rather unfair) tutoring, she would have the decency to do the same.
"That tough?" Izumi casually asked as she sat next to Ochaco.
There were already a plate with pancakes and fruits waiting for the rabbit girl, courtesy of a certain brunette.
"Well…" Ochaco slowly trailed off, only to shudder.
Izumi could only stare as Ochaco looked dead ahead, gaze wandering off, and her expression became haunted.
"Yes, it was… tough," replied the brunette. With a strained smile, she added "my tutor is a slave driver."
"I know that feeling," muttered Izumi.
"What about your own training yesterday?" Ochaco wondered, unsure whether Izumi was in liberty to share.
"Oh yes, it was… ehm…" Izumi was saying, as she recalled her training with All Might.
She glared straight ahead, an eyebrow twitching. All Might wanted her dead. That was the only reasonable explanation for her training regime. Between the Number One Hero and Miruko, Izumi was bound to drop dead any day now.
"Fine, definitely fine," Izumi said through gritted teeth.
Ochaco looked sorely tempted on inquiring just who was training Izumi but in the end she closed her mouth. Izumi, on her part, was once again tempted on asking just who had Ochaco started training with. Having a teacher or an older student tutor you wasn't against any rules. In fact, rumor had it that Vlad King tutored people in martial arts, Snipe had a shooting club of sorts and Power Loader had his workshop open for anyone who wanted to keep working or even learn some engineering. It was, however, a complicated matter if you didn't include personal training (gym, physical training, etc.) and homework, without mentioning ongoing recreational clubs.
The two girls chuckled and got down to eating. Munching, the two fell on a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their own food.
On another table, not far from them, Izumi could see Ashido and Hagakure discussing something. Yaoyorozu and Jiro were also hanging out with them, but were quiet. Izumi perked up her ears and angled them towards the small group, curious.
"-none of the seniors!" Hissed an exasperated Ashido.
"Mina, I keep telling you: the little perv lied," said Jiro.
"I don't know," hummed Yaoyorozu. "I do think he might not have been entirely truthful, but the way he described this individual…"
"I know, he sounded convinced," Hagakure said. "Still, how can it be so difficult to find someone with green hair, freckles and eyes and who is rather plain-looking."
Izumi couldn't help it. She choked on her breakfast and started coughing. A panicking Ochaco started slapping Izumi's back.
"S-sorry, food went the wrong way," wheezed Izumi.
Ochaco still looked concerned, and gave Izumi a mug to drink.
"I-I'm fine, I swear!" Izumi said, smiling at Ochaco.
"Right…" slowly nodded Ochaco.
"So, what are you plans for this evening?" Izumi hastily asked, trying to divert the conversation. The last thing she wanted was for Ochaco to wonder why Izumi really broke into such a coughing fit, that and Izumi didn't want to look like she had been eavesdropping. Luckily, Ochaco didn't appear to mind.
"Oh, I am actually free," Ochaco said with a smile. "What about you?"
"I'm also free," Izumi said, lightening up.
"That's great! Do you want to do something?" Ochaco wondered, excited. "Something that doesn't involve training. I think I had more than enough for one week."
"We could," Izumi said, nodding. She hummed with a frown. "But what? U.A. has only training facilities."
"We could hang out here," Ochaco proposed.
"Or maybe in one of our rooms," Izumi suggested, only to realize what she had just proposed.
Their eyes met after the proposal, only for the two girls to avert their gazes and blush. The thought of spending alone time in their rooms was appealing, to say the least, but perhaps a bit too forward. They were both too entrapped in their own embarrassment to realize how flustered the other was.
"I guess we can come up with something afterwards," said Ochaco.
Izumi could only agree with the brunette. With that decided, the two got down to finishing their meals, lest they were late.
Thankfully, the rest of the breakfast remained uneventful. However, throughout it all Izumi remained worried. She hadn't known Mineta had given such an accurate description of Izuku to Ashido. What if Mineta told the boys? Worse, what if Bakugo heard about it? That wasn't good, not at all.
Izumi was able to dispel most of her worries after breakfast thanks to Ochaco. Once they had finished eating, the two went to the school proper and chatted about this and that. By the time they made it to their desks, Izumi felt far more relieved.
Most of her classmates were already there, including most of the girls. The few stragglers were walking in, while the rest kept to their own little groups. Tokoyami chatted with Shoji and Sato, while Koda quietly listened in. Mineta, Kaminari and Sero seemed immersed on some talk that may or may not involve women, while Kirishima talked to Ojiro about fighting. Aoyoma, on his part, was mostly himself, sparkles and everything.
Sadly, that was as far as she could have it easy. No sooner had she sat down, none other than Bakugo Katsuki, one of her sources of stress, stomped towards her. Izumi did not like the determined burning red eyes trained on her. They held a purpose, and Izumi could only fear what that entailed. For a moment, the blond just stood there next to her desk, scowling, before taking a deep breath and finally addressing the rabbit girl.
"Oy, Bu- Izumi," Bakugo said through gritted teeth. "Are you busy this evening?"
Izumi stared at Bakugo, dumbfounded. Of all the things she had expected from the explosive blond, a relatively polite greeting, saying her actual name, and then asking about her time were definitely not in her list, much less all together. In summary, Izumi was at a complete loss.
"Eh… come again?" Izumi wondered, tilting her head in bewilderment.
Behind Bakugo, Izumi could see the girls gathering, curious about whatever Bakugo was saying. The blond appeared to notice and spun around. However, the girls all quickly acted as if they actually weren't trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. Ochaco, on her part, sat on her desk, glancing between the two with an undecipherable face.
"I said hello," Bakugo said through greeted teeth. It was almost as if being polite was taking an immense effort on his part. "Are you free or not?"
"Eh…" Izumi frowned. Polite Bakugo was an extremely odd Bakugo. "Why are you asking?"
"Because I wish to speak with you…" Bakugo murmured, holding back a hiss of annoyance. This about being polite was really taking a toll on him "…alone."
Izumi's heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Could Bakugo have figured out the truth? Oh God, he wanted to confront her, didn't he? Oh no, just when it was all looking fine (somewhat)!
The girls behind the blond immediately started waving their arms and shaking their heads, urging Izumi to say that 'no'. When Bakugo glanced towards them, it looked like they were busy gossiping with each other. No sooner had Bakugo looked back at Izumi, the girls went back with their signaling, and rather vehemently at that. Poor Izumi could only watch, a bit overwhelmed by the situation.
"What do- do you want to talk about?" Izumi asked, trying to prod for information.
Please, tell me he hasn't figured it out! She pleaded deep within.
By that point, the girls were looking desperate in their attempts to get Izumi to deny Bakugo the chance to talk alone. Izumi had no idea why.
"Just to talk," muttered Bakugo, averting his eyes.
Alright, something is odd about this, Izumi thought, utterly confused. If he knew or suspected something, wouldn't he be a bit more abrasive and hot-headed about it? Katsuki would not doubt want to confirm right away if I so happened to be the same Deku he knew, right?
In any case, Izumi was far too curious herself.
"Yes?" Izumi tentatively replied.
The girls of 1-A all reacted with visible disappointment. Ashido and Hagakure face palmed, while Yaoyorozu covered her face. Jiro raised an eyebrow all while Asui seemed to tilt her head, confused. Bakugo snapped his head back, only to find his female classmates busying chatting.
"Then meet me at the gym during lunch time," Bakugo said.
"Alright…?" Izumi was still unsure what was going on.
Bakugo harrumphed, turned around, only to stop dead on his feet and spin around in an instant.
"And don't bring anyone, alright?!" Bakugo demanded.
Izumi sweatdropped. Leave it to Bakugo to be unable to finally act condescending and annoying. Then again, his politeness had lasted far more than Izumi had expected. With that said, Bakugo finally stomped his way to his desk. The girls ignored him, following his movement from the corner of their eyes. As soon as Bakugo had sat up, Izumi found herself surrounded by her female classmates.
Izumi could only shrink with the way they focused on her.
"Izumi, what the hell?" Ashido asked.
"What?" Izumi replied, confused.
"Why did you agree to go out with Bakugo, girl?" Hagakure wondered.
"Go out?" Izumi said. "He just wanted to talk about something, and it was during lunch break."
Probably to squeeze answers out of me, she mentally elaborated. She knew that Bakugo had already been suspicious of Izumi as it was. If Mineta had opened his mouth near the explosive blond… then Izumi was sure Bakugo had started connecting the dots. Hopefully, it wasn't the case. Regardless, Izumi had to know.
"That's not the point! Why do you want to hang out with him?" Ashido asked.
"I thought you said you disliked him," Yaoyorozu said.
"Or do you actually have a crush on him, ribbit?" wondered Asui.
"It-it isn't like that!" Spluttered Izumi.
"Is he your type?" Hagakura asked. "That's the problem, isn't it? You like the bad boys, don't you?"
"Ooh, go figure an adorable bunny girl is into mean SOBs," teased Ashido. "We need to fix that."
"I thought you'd be more into quiet brooding type, like Todoroki, ribbit," added Asui.
Izumi felt like she would faint and her face couldn't get any hotter.
"It's – it's nothing like that! This is Bakugo we are talking about," Izumi squeaked.
"That's the point! He actually said your name, girl! Do you know what that means?!" Hagakure asked, horrified.
"Eh… he wants something from me?" replied Izumi.
"That he wants to confess to you!" Hagakure said.
Izumi's brain shut down at that thought. Could Bakugo… No, no way, absolutely not. The thought made Izumi recoil.
"What?" Squawked Izumi.
"Girls, come on, it isn't like that," said an oddly defensive Ochaco. "We all know Bakugo doesn't like anyone else other than himself."
"Uh, but maybe he is starting to develop something for our adorable bunny here," Ashido seemed way too gleeful about this. "He probably respects strength, and our little girl here showed she has it in spades. I don't know about you, but it sounds to me like love is in the air here."
With a cackle and a devious grin, Ashido turned to Izumi, ready to extend her suffering as long as possible.
"Come on, do you really like Bakugo or not? He's definitely your type, isn't he?"
"She has better taste than that," harrumphed an indignant Yaoyorozu.
"What? You think she likes Todoroki or Iida?" Chuckled Jiro, only to pale. "You don't like Iida like that, do you? Please, tell me you don't. That would be way too weird."
"What's wrong with Iida, ribbit?" Asked Asui. "He seems decent enough. Intense, but decent, ribbit."
"Or do you like hunks like Kirishima?" Teased Hagakure, getting to enjoy Izumi's flustered face.
The thought that the girls assumed she was into boys made Izumi have a hard time thinking. She was still coming into terms with the extremely unlikely scenario that Bakugo might (emphasis on might) want to confess to her. It was impossible, never going to happen… but what if? And that terrified Izumi. It did not help the girls kept making her imagine scenarios with different boys.
This was not something Izuku had ever experienced. The idea of getting approached by the opposite sex in such a manner was not just a foreign concept. For Izuku, it was an impossibility. No girl would ever confess feelings to the resident creepy useless nerd.
"So what is it? Are you going to accept Bakugo's confession?" Ashido said, enjoying the way Izumi looked more horrified by the second.
As it so happened, Izumi was so flustered, she responded with the first thing to come to mind… something she would come to regret.
"I'm not into boys!" Izumi huffed.
Silence. Seconds passed.
What followed happened extremely fast. Izumi squeaked and slapped her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed and shocked. The girls stared, gobsmacked, before Ashido and Hagakure went for her hands, trying to pry them off Izumi's mouth. Yaoyorozu and the other girls seemed rather flustered by the admission, but by the smiles on their faces, they probably found it adorable or something.
"Come on! Repeat that last bit!" Cackled Ashido.
"Yes! Come on, Izumi, we won't judge!" Laughed Hagakure.
Izumi, even with her tiny arms, managed to wrestle against the two maniacal girls and keep her hands on her mouth.
Et tu, mouth? Was all Izumi could think. She couldn't believe that her own lips betrayed her in such a way. How had it slipped like that?
"And what, pray tell, is going on here?"
The girls froze. There, glaring at them at the door, was none other than Aizawa. Within the span of a second, all girls were seated and staring straight ahead. Most of them, however, had grins and smirks on their faces, glancing at the embarassed rabbit girl. Izumi, on her part, smacked her face on her desk.
That's it! Goodbye social life! It was nice while it lasted! She dramatically thought.
Little did she know about the timid smile Ochaco struggled to conceal next her.
-.-
The teacher's lounge of U.A. had multiple functions. The most important of which, of course, was for the teachers to regain their strength and morale after trying to cram information into the heads of a myriad of dunderheads. It also helped to be a rather nice environment to chat for teachers. For All Might and Miruko, on the other hand, the lounge served another person: go over their classes.
As inexperienced teachers, both of them were at a loss on how to best plan a class. All Might was the sort to try to read basic manuals (from "Teaching for dummines" to "I Need a Hero to Teach me!") and even write down plans in advance, whereas Miruko was more of the type to just wing it and do her best. Needless to say, neither was sure what they were doing. Were it not for Nezu's basic guidelines and general directions, they might as well have been at a loss on how to teach.
At the moment, though, both Pro-Heroes were doing something different regarding their classes: they were reviewing them. That too was different for each Hero.
"A nudist, that's what he is," scoffed Miruko.
"Perhaps, but he seems to have a good grasp on hero work," rebutted All Might.
Seated on comfy sofas opposite each other, the two heroes faced their colleague as they went over notes regarding their latest class.
"Shouting 'power' at the top of his lungs while waving his pecker for the world to see doesn't constitute hero work to me," snorted Miruko.
"He has the spirit, doesn't he? Even when naked he fights on," mused All Might.
"Like I said, a nudist," said Miruko. She glanced down at the notebook on her lap and scowled. "At least he seems to have some initiative. The other boy, the elf-looking one… that kid has serious confidence issues. How in the world did he manage to make it to third year?"
"He's merely… reserved," remarked All Might. "He didn't do that badly."
"He stood half the exercise muttering against a wall," deadpanned Miruko.
All Might had little to say about that. He merely shrugged, smiling sheepishly to his colleague.
"Y'know, all this is nonsense," huffed Miruko.
All Might blinked, confused.
"What is?"
"This! Communication, teamwork, coordination…" Miruko groaned. "This is stupid."
She leaned back, huffing in annoyance. Opposite her, the Number One hero offered a small smile.
"I don't make the curriculum," said All Might. "Not that I believe it is badly designed. These are all basic hero skills."
"Seriously? We shouldn't be teaching this crap to the kids. We should be giving them a run down on how to grow stronger," Miruko said. "They can work out the rest on their own."
"Strength isn't everything. In fact, for most cases, there is always a more powerful quirk out there. It is wise to train the students against stronger foes."
"Yeah, but first they need to know how to do stuff on their own!" Miruko exclaimed.
"Even I worked with others, Usagiyama," sighed All Might. "I doubt I'd been as successful as I've been without the aid of my good friends David Shield and Sir Nighteye, without mentioning countless others."
Miruko, though, grumbled under her breath, annoyed by what she was being forced to teach.
The two Pro-Heroes fell into silence, going over their papers and notes. From what All Might could see from the corner of his eyes, Miruko's notes were nearly as lacking as his own. He mentally chuckled at that. Both Pros definitely had a thing or two to learn about teaching.
"So… how is the whole controversy going on?" All Might asked, clearing his throat. "Things finally blowing over?"
"I wish!" spat the Rabbit Hero. "The other heroes of the city are piling up on me and trying to enforce some crappy boycott. Assholes, the lot of them."
All Might frowned at that. There had been something he had been curious to know but never had the opportunity to ask it (or perhaps the courage). Being as they were in such a cordial conversation, All Might decided to ask.
"Why do other heroes want to kick you down in the polls? I am well aware how competitive our industry is, but this appears to be a bit… more… than just competitiveness," All Might remarked. "One could almost call it excessive."
Miruko scowled, an eyebrow twitching with annoyance.
"They are just whiny idiots. They can't stand that I can do their job ten times over," scoffed Miruko. "They were waiting for this opportunity."
"I just hope it doesn't affect you on the long run. It would be a pity if you were stuck low in the rankings," All Might commented.
"I don't give a damn about the polls and that crap," scoffed Rumi.
"Truly? Even if they will dictate your funding?" Wondered All Might.
"Alright, I might give a crap because of that, but other than the damn funding, I'm a hero to rip evil a new one, not to appeal to idiots. People can eat shit and die for all I care," Miruko said.
"Don't say that," All Might said with a frown. "Our mission is to protect people. Anything less and we would be absolutely pointless."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Not that they care, do they?" Scoffed the rabbit hero.
All Might hummed, stroking his chin.
"You're only saying that because of your little controversy," All Might pointed out. Clearly, he was onto something, if Miruko's scowl was anything to go by. "It would do you good to be a bit less abrasive to the public."
"I am not abrasive. Heck, people loved me! Then all of a sudden I try to drill some sense into this idiot and I'm the villain?" Miruko bitterly retorted.
"You weren't exactly nice," pointed out All Might.
"I was fighting a freaking villain. The brat was either suicidal or too stupid," said the rabbit hero. "You've had your fair share of nutty fans, haven't you? You know, the sort that try to steal your underwear."
"Oh yes, I had to contend with people like that," All Might nodded.
"Yeah, but I bet you don't deal with perverts. There's always that one creepy dude obsessed with me lurking about. I know I am pretty damn hot stuff alright, but come on!" exclaimed an exasperated Miruko.
"What is Z's strategy for – well – helping you go back to normal?" All Might asked.
"Publicity stunts and whatnot," huffed Miruko. "Getting a few interns to show I'm approachable and I can be around kids, include a sidekick or two to show that I can do teamwork if I so desperately need so… y'know, that crap."
"And not apologizing?" All Might hummed.
"Ha, Z said it best: you don't apologize to the mob. Besides, what am I supposed to do? Go and lie because I don't like how morons are reacting? Hell no! I meant what I said and I will say it again if I have to," an unrepentant Miruko proclaimed.
All Might shook his head. Leave it to Miruko to remain headstrong in her decision. He could understand her position and, truth to be told, he sympathized with her situation. It wasn't nice when the public decided to cancel a hero for some reason or another. However, the whole debacle hit All Might too close to home.
"Do you know how the kid is taking it? The one you – you know – gave a piece of your mind to," All Might wondered.
"Oh, yeah, he's suffering alright," sarcastically growled Miruko. "He's been to talk-shows, been visited by heroes to offer their 'support', and people are even rising money for him. Heck, Z told me he's still sobbing in social networks for attention. Ha, setting that brat straight was the best thing to happen to him. Little brat..."
All Might blinked. Suddenly he felt rather sympathetic towards Miruko, more so than before.
"To think it all happen because of said you said in the spur of the moment," hummed All Might.
"In front of a god-damn cell phone, you mean," grunted Miruko.
"I can relate to your situation, actually," All Might confessed. "I once had an encounter where I run my mouth. It wasn't like your case, of course. There was, thankfully, no camera, but I did kind of said the wrong thing…"
"You? Symbol of Peace and number One Hero?" Miruko asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I might be the alleged strongest hero in Japan and, perhaps, the world, but I am still human, and I have made my fair share of mistakes, including this one encounter," admitted the Number One Hero. "There was once this kid… a quirkless boy, you see, and he was desperate for my opinion on whether or not he could be a hero."
Miruko listened attentively, curious. It was the first time she head a personal experience from All Might after all.
"He asked me if he could be a hero, even without power," retold All Might.
"And what did you say? Oh, cheese and carrots, don't tell me you actually encouraged the boy," said Miruko.
"No," grimly said All Might. "I told him to forget it."
"Wait, just like that?" Miruko asked, surprised.
"No… I was far more cutting and blunt. Admittedly, I was a bit annoyed at the boy's insistence. He reminded me to some of my worst fans. Unfortunately, I did not answer his heart-filled question with any kindness. I failed to notice the suffering and darkness he was enduring…"
Miruko stared in disbelief.
"You told a kid to sod off?" She asked, wide-eyed. She grinned, amused. "Seriously?"
"In a manner, I did," sighed All Might, filled with shame.
"Damn," Miruko whistled in amazement. "Well, that sucks. But it wasn't your fault. You can't tell powerless kids to throw themselves in danger."
All Might snorted at that, grinning.
"You are not wrong. For the most part, someone that is quirkless has a monumental disadvantage in comparison to others," All Might conceded. "However, do you know what that same kid did after I had crashed his dreams? After I – his Idol – blatantly told him to forget all about becoming a hero?"
"Don't tell me he went to the media or something," muttered Miruko.
"He dived head first towards a villain to rescue a friend," All Might said.
"Huh?" Miruko blinked at All Might, unable to process what she had just been told.
"Oh yes, even after I had shattered his aspirations, broken him apart from the seams… he couldn't help it. His legs moved on their own and the kid went straight into the mouth of danger, even if it meant certain death… and for one piece of work of a person, actually," All Might said. "The villain had this hostage – a teenager - choking him to death. None of the heroes could do anything, because the villain was made of sludge, so everyone could only watch."
"Damn, that quirkless kid must have had spunk," hummed Miruko. "A reckless idiot, but a brave one at that."
She leaned forward, intrigued. All Might had to bite his lip to avoid laughing at the way her ears were straight and set towards him, revealing her undivided attention.
"So… what happened?" She asked, failing to act as if she didn't really care.
"He failed to rescue his friend, of course, and he could have died had I not intervened. Believe it or not, that quirkless kid inspired me to push forward. When no other hero in the area was doing anything, seeing that powerless kid, so weak and feeble, desperately rush against all the odds stacked against him in order to save a life… how was I not supposed to push forward?
"The other heroes were embarrassed by the whole thing. They berated the kid. Even the media wasn't kind to him. However, once I found the kid alone… I apologized and told him the truth," All Might retold.
"And what's that?"
"That he could be a hero," All Might stated.
"Bullshit. You said it yourself, he failed, and how is a quirkless kid supposed to do anything?" Miruko retorted.
"He might have failed, but he had both the heart in the right place and a good head over his shoulders. He lacked perhaps the power to back up his dreams, but that was a matter of preparation. True, he wouldn't be a top ranking hero, and perhaps it would have been impossible for him to even get into the industry… but when a quirkelss kid can be heroic and buy a hostage precious seconds of breath when even the strong and powerful couldn't, how was I supposed to say otherwise?" All Might explained.
"Really? You tried to give false hope to the kid?" Miruko asked.
"Oh, but that's the funny part: he actually wasn't quirkless. He later discovered he had a quirk all along," All Might chuckled. "In fact, he actually made it to a hero course."
"Seriously? Ha, what are the odds?" Miruko wondered. "Good for him. What did school did he managed to get into?"
"Oh, he got accepted into a rather prestigious school at that. You actually met that kid," All Might said with a smile.
"I met…" she trailed off, frowning, only to gasp. "No freaking way."
"Yep," All Might nodded.
"Lil' bunny? Seriously?" Miruko laughed. "Well, good on the little bunny!"
All Might chuckled.
"So you see, perhaps you meant well when you told that boy off. However, sometimes you need to be a bit more understanding and not dismiss people so quickly," All Might said.
"It's not the same," Miruko huffed. "That asshole is obsessed with me. Wasn't even the first time I saw him creeping around."
"Do you even know him?" All Might wondered. "I have discovered as of late that not all fan boys are creepy useless nerds. Some of them actually possess rare qualities and hearts of gold. Appearances can be deceiving, after all."
"So what? I'm supposed to apologize to some idiot who got himself in danger and didn't like to be admonished?" Miruko grunted.
"No," All Might said with a smile and a shrug. "But next time to tell off someone, be it quirkless or not, try to understand where they are coming from. Some of them cling to the impossible as a life line, sometimes to the point of desperation. As heroes it is our duty to save them from themselves as much as from villain. In your case, you just need to trust in Z. That fox strikes me as someone who knows what she is doing."
"That she does, that she does…" chuckled Miruko.
She shook her head and quickly changed the subject.
"So that's the first time you met your son/daughter?" Miruko said with a smile. "You started by crashing his dreams?"
"He is not my son," said All Might, perhaps for the umpteenth time with a roll of his eyes.
The whole joke about young Midoriya being his son was getting old really quick.
"I don't know. I kinda see the resemblance," joked Miruko, studying All Might.
"Ha, do you wish to talk about resemblance?" retorted All Might. "I can assure you, young Midoriya's adorable ears did not come from me."
"Watch it, All Might. You are treading on dangerous ground here. Us rabbit people don't take kindly to this sort of talk," warned a smirking Miruko.
All Might ignored her comment, a smile stretching on his face.
"And that fluffy cotton tail? I am sure I, differently from a certain someone I know, do not have it," All Might carried on.
"Oy, careful," Miruko insisted.
"And all that cuteness? I must say, are you sure young Midoriya isn't your son?" All Might teased. "You are both extremely cute and cuddly."
"That's it, you crossed the C-word line, old man!" Miruko huffed with a grin.
All Might grinned back just as the rabbit girl charged, ready to make the Number One Hero pay for his transgressions against rabbit-kind.
When Aizawa went into the lounge, hopeful to get some rest and peace, he was not surprised to find a pair of rambunctious heroes inside. He was, however, somewhat baffled by the state in which he found them. It was not every day, after all, that he saw a muscular and almighty All Might kneeling on the ground, tickling the battle-lusting Miruko.
"Your secretary was right; you are ticklish!" mused All Might.
"S-Stop it! Stop it! C-curse you Z! Release me or I swear I will – Ah, stop!" Laughed Miruko, rolling on the ground much like a rabbit would do when tickled in such a manner. She even kept her hands close to her chest more like an animal than a person.
"That's what happens when you try to fight me, the Number One Hero All Might!" Laughed All Might.
Aizawa stared, dumbfound. It took two seconds for the two heroes to realize they were not alone. All Might and Miruko stared at the tired-looking Pro-Hero, and Aizawa was not sure just what exactly he was witnessing.
"This is not what it looks like," the two said in unison.
Aizawa closed his eyes, took a deep breath and turned around without uttering a single word.
"It's too freaking early for this," he muttered, trying to wipe out his most recent memory off his mind.
If only it was so easy…
-.-
Izumi wasn't sure what to expect when she went to the gym during lunch break. Ochaco pleaded, almost begged, for her not to go. What good would it do to hang out with the likes of Bakugo, after all? However, Ochaco didn't understand Izumi's situation. The rabbit girl needed to know the truth.
She did ponder if, perhaps, Ashido and company weren't off the mark with their wild speculations. Could Bakugo actually have developed feelings for Izumi? For starters, Izumi had always gotten the impression that either Bakugo was not interested in anything other than violence and training, or he played the other team. Secondly, even if by some impossibility Bakugo actually did develop feelings towards someone, Izumi believed he was too emotionally stunted and prideful to bring himself to admit it, much less confess it.
No, Bakugo had something else to talk about, and Izumi had a bad feeling it involved his suspicions between Izuku and the mysterious unknown Izumi. She mustered her strength and steeled herself for the confrontation. Izumi was not Izuku, and she would not take Bakugo's taunts and insults.
Bakugo was already waiting for her. He stood outside the gym, impatient and scowling, until he saw the rabbit girl. He scoffed when Izumi approached her and gritted his teeth, frustrated.
"Follow me," he grunted.
He turned around and walked off, hands in his pockets and as angry as usual. Izumi followed after Bakugo, trying to decipher anything from his demeanor. Sadly, she couldn't figure out anything. Finally, Bakugo led Izumi to an open field and looked at her in the eyes.
"Alright, Bunny, spill it," Bakugo spat. "I know your little freaking secret."
Izumi was, much to her own surprise, neither shocked nor scared. In fact, she felt unsure. Izumi was thankful she was dealing with the same pigheaded Bakugo rather than the polite one. Clearly, Bakugo knew Izumi would have never agreed to their private conversation without a modicum of respect. If only Bakugo could actually learn some manners and social queues…
"What secret?" Izumi said.
"Your real identity," Bakugo muttered, gritting his teeth. He stomped close to Izumi and loomed over her, staring down at the rabbit girl. "Do you want me to spell it out for you?"
"You'll have to be more specific than that," stated Izumi.
She was rather amazed by just how calm she was. Perhaps she had long assumed that Bakugo would be the first to figure her secret identity first, or perhaps Izumi was far more annoyed by Bakugo's abrasiveness.
"Do you, though?" Bakugo said with a sardonic smile. "Then fine, you asked for it."
He harshly poked at her, furious.
"You are god-damn fucking Deku!" He hissed.
Bakugo leaned so close to her, she was struck by the stench of his breath. Instead of afraid, Izumi found herself feeling an entirely different emotion. She pushed Bakugo off of her and glared at the boy.
"Ah-ha," Izumi said, folding her arms. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"
That infuriated Bakugo and, strangely enough, Izumi enjoyed it.
"Don't play the Dumb Bunny," Bakugo hissed. "You are so pathetic, prancing around like a cute little bunny to hog all the attention."
"Don't call me cute," coldly replied Izumi.
"I'll call you whatever I like, Deku," retorted Bakugo. "And don't deny it! Your secret identity is shit. You have the same scars on your arm as Deku and you know Deku way too well for someone that was never anywhere near him."
Izumi raised her eyebrows. That seemed way too circumstantial to accuse her of being someone else enterily. She blinked, as she realized what Bakugo's game was. He wasn't there for an accusation; Bakugo was trying to rile her up enough to get a confession, for her to slip up. Well, Izumi was not going to give him the satisfaction of that.
"…and that alone made you think I am secretly a boy?" Izumi scoffed.
"Oh, that was only the tip of the Iceberg but there is more," Bakugo growled, frustrated that Izumi wasn't taking the bait. "First, the shitty nerd somehow got into I-Island… as if! The nerd had no idea on support! He was far more obsessed about being a fucking hero. However, if he somehow got into the U.A. secret identity program then the likes of Nezu and All Might, who have good relations with David Shield, could easily get all the papers to fake it!"
Izumi was rather surprised he knew that, but she quickly realized that it was probably Mitsuki's fault. His mother no doubt had gotten that titbit of information from Izumi's own mother.
"Second, there's that move during the Battle Trial!" Bakugo continued, grinning in triumph. "You managed to make a standard throw because you knew my technic and stance, just like Deku – that freaking creep – would."
Alright, that was a good observation on Bakugo's part. Izumi had known Bakugo always started a fight with one particular hook, which helped her to intercept and smack the boy to the ground during the Battle Trial.
"Third and last, the little perv saw Deku in the dorm's room!" Bakugo finished. "He saw you, didn't he?"
Izumi didn't reply. Her heart clenched as her worst fears came true.
"Admit it, dumb bunny," Bakugo growled, standing over her once again. "You are Deku, the shitty useless pathetic nerd!"
Izumi shrunk. For a moment, memories of Bakugo looming over him, grinning and hands producing explosions, flashed across her mind. How many times had Bakugo hurt Izuku in that manner, or merely stood like that to intimidate him? How many times had Bakugo looked down on poor Izuku, because of his dreams and ambitions? However, this was not the same Izuku Bakugo had dealt with back in Middle School.
I need to answer! But how? And what? Izumi desperately thought, trying not to be cowed by Bakugo's presence.
She suddenly remembered All Might's suggestions and advice. Izumi balled her hands into fists, took a deep breath and faced Bakugo, a wide grin on her face.
"You really think I am Izuku Midoriya? Or are you grasping at straws here?" Izumi said. She sounded confident, even though her heart was racing and she felt her breath starting to fail her.
"You are Deku! Just admit it," shouted Bakugo. He leaned over her once again, this came producing explosions like he used to.
Izumi remained rooted in place and did not flinch. She puffed her chest and tried to keep her hands from shaking. She was not about to let that asshole get away with it.
He will no longer trample all over me, Izumi told herself. I am God-Damn Izumi Midoriya! I will not be bullied or mistreated like I was back in Alderra. Those days are long gone!
"It sounds to me like you are actually asking for confirmation," Izumi said. She couldn't believe just how even her voice came out. Where had all that confidence come from? "Let me tell you this and get it through your thick skull: I AM Izumi. Believe whatever you want, Bakugo. Tell anyone who wants to hear. I don't give a damn."
And with that, Izumi turned around and allowed her face to scrunch into horror.
Oh God, why did I have to antagonize him like that?! She wondered.
"Oy, where the fuck are you going?!" Shouted Bakugo, grabbing her arm.
She slapped his hand off and glared at him.
"Away from you, asshole," she retorted.
And after Bakugo stared at her, perplexed, Izumi hopped off. She might have looked like she was pissed off, but deep down it was another story altogether.
Holy carrots! Where in the world did that come from? Why did I say that? Oh God, what is happening? She thought, close to having a panic attack. It was all so unlike her, she was starting to worry she might have been possessed or something.
"I am not done with you!" Bakugo shouted, furious.
But Izumi didn't stop and continued forward, away from the boy. Thankfully, Bakugo didn't follow. She didn't glance back, though. She was too much of a nerve wreck at the moment, and she feared she would reveal how she actually felt if she turned around. Instead, Izumi moved onwards, back to the cafeteria.
Once she was far enough, Izumi paused on her march and allowed a long breath she hadn't known she had been holding.
"That went way better than I could have hoped for," sighed Izumi. A smile managed to stretch on her face. "Way better…"
Still, for a moment there Izumi had been terrified she had antagonized the blond too much and made him blow a gasket. Luckily, it seemed Bakugo had truly been trying to get Izumi to unknowingly spill the truth than actually confront her. Otherwise, Izumi wouldn't have been able to get away that easy.
Izumi, though, was not about to stay around for Bakugo to catch up. She hurried to back to the school and the cafeteria, hopping quickly down the pavement paths and up flights of stairs. By the time she made it to the cafeteria and the rest of her class, she was emotionally exhausted. That confrontation with Bakugo had taken its toll on her, especially having to keep her cool.
With her day soured and ruined by the asshole in chief, Izumi could only look forward to hanging out with Ochaco later that day. Thinking about the brunette brought a genuine grin on her face, but she still felt like Bakugo had spoiled her good mood.
Could this day get any worse? Thought Izumi.
As it so happened, it could. When she approached one of the tables, she knew right away something was off. The girls were frantically talking to each other. It was also the case across other tables. Something was going on. There was an energy filling the cafeteria, something that made Izumi apprehensive. When she saw the look of the girls, Izumi knew right away things were about to take a turn for the worse, and it would involve her.
"Izumi! Izumi! Is it true?" Hagakure exclaimed, rushing towards her.
The other girls all encircled the poor rabbit girl, curious, intrigued and shocked. Izumi, in turn, just looked at them, at a loss. She wasn't in the mood for this, but at the same time, Izumi didn't feel like delaying the inevitable.
"What is true?" Izumi asked.
"This!" Yaoyorozu said, handing over her cell phone.
Izumi blinked at the screen, only for her jaw to drop. There, glaring straight at her as the title of some gossip online magazine, was an article with a very peculiar title:
Unbelievable! Meet Izumi the Wonder Rabbit: the Daughter of All Might and Miruko's Niece!
