Disclaimer: The intellectual property rights to Hellsing belong to Kouta Hirano, as does the My Hero Academia series, with Kohei Horikoshi.

Author's Notes: Thanks for all of the feedback. I understand the critiques, and I'll try to work on them as I write. Now that we're entering the Hero Killer Arc, I'll be focusing on Alucard and his experience with the internship program. Please enjoy the new chapter.

0.0

"I must admit... no matter how unusual it may have been, I cannot deny the results." Nezu whispered, walking alongside Alucard down the stadium hallway. What the vampire had done carried many risks, but they seemed to have paid off. He still felt anxious, though. He was thankful Alucard had restrained himself at least this once. But Nezu knew eventually, he would have no way to stop the vampire from causing a bloodbath. He prayed that this whole situation would be sorted out before that could ever happen. As low as the odds were, those were the same odds the heroes often faced in their day-to-day lives. Overcoming such mountains came with the job. And with Alucard… hopefully it would be the same.

Alucard's sadistic chuckle immediately made Nezu weary. "There is no point in my intervening for the moment. Though I would have relished meddling in your precious festival, I do share your sentiment regarding All For One." Thankfully, the pitiless grin on his face faded away as Alucard slid into a more serious tone. "Indeed, it may be too early to reveal our hand. But…" Alucard smirked grimly. "It won't be long before the time comes. And when it does, I sincerely hope you'll know what to do."

He gulped. As terrifying a presence as ever, Alucard's cryptic messages ran deep through their conversations. Always present in the back of his mind, Nezu tried to not let it haunt him. Unfortunately, the prophetic undertones weighed on him.

Shaking those thoughts away, the white mammalian creature urged they return to the original topic. Alucard agreed, giggling contentedly at Nezu's nervous behavior. Recovering from the intensity of their discussion, Nezu did his best to regain his usual stature.

"Tell me, Alucard… how did you arrive at this scheme?" This "scheme" was one he'd not considered. While in the middle of the final barrier on the obstacle course, Alucard had gone against the stated rules and "accidentally" ran around the minefield. Going outside the racetrack, immediately disqualifying himself from the competition. To keep the staff quiet about this, Nezu had made the excuse that such a young prospective hero shouldn't be publicly humiliated for what was an innocent mistake. Midnight suggested that she take the young student to be given his due "punishment", but he sent her back to her post after kindly denying her that request.

On the other hand, Alucard was quite pleased with how things turned out. He might have even accepted Midnight's request had it not been for Nezu's interference. "It helped that you gave me the rules before everyone else." Perhaps. But it had been nowhere near as inconspicuous as he'd hoped. Well, they'd learn the validity of that claim once the sports festival was over. The absence of Alexander Anderson from the top 42 would surely draw the suspicion of some in the audience, so they'd have to wait and see how far they were willing to go to satisfy their curiosity.

Despite abhorring such deceit, he had agreed to Alucard's demands when the latter claimed they were essential to ensuring the continued secrecy of their agreement. Nezu couldn't exactly refuse after that. But with all that said and done, he had to admire Alucard's willingness to sacrifice his place in the spotlight. Alexander Anderson's abrupt disappearance from the festival would turn some eyes, but ongiong fan favorites like Shoto Todoroki would convince most of the audience that nothing was amiss.

"Care to join me in my office?" He inquired. Alucard accepted his offer gratefully, saying the thick crowd atmosphere had made him crave a wide-open area. "Don't worry. There'll be enough room for you to spread your legs this time." Nezu giggled. "Ah, yes," he recalled, "We'll also be able to watch the tournament from my office. I'm sure you wish for some peace and quiet, but I would appreciate to hear some of your input on Class 1-A's strengths and weaknesses."

Grinning, Alucard seemed delighted to hear that. "It would be my honor." As usual, Nezu couldn't tell if the towering vampire was serious or not. But if his past actions proved anything, it was that some good would come at the end of it all. He just hoped it wouldn't come bearing a river of blood.

0.0

"Impressed?"

After the obstacle course, both the cavalry battle and one-on-one tournament went off without a hitch. Nezu was pleasantly surprised when young Katsuki Bakugo won over Endeavor's son, but was genuinely shocked when Izuku Midoriya finished outside the top four. Perhaps that was due to meeting Todoroki in the Quarterfinals, but the manner in which he'd lost their bout was… unexpected. The young heir of One For All had been presented with several openings, but grasped none of them. Instead, he spurred Todoroki to make full use of his Quirk rather than hold back. The resulting spectacle saw the broadcast reach peak viewership, and Nezu could have sworn that the roof nearly blew from the crowds cheers. Ultimately, it was Todoroki who came out on top by a ring-out.

Alucard had offered his input on the other matches, praising Ochaco Uraraka for her creative strategy during her fight against young Bakugo and laughing during Tenya Iida's lengthy game of tag with Mei Hatsume. But upon witnessing young Midoriya's match with Todoroki, his expression turned sour. He laughed mockingly, sure. But that was par for the course when it came to Alucard. What separated his reaction from the rest was the visible disappointment in his eyes. He made sure to never show it outwardly, but Nezu could sense it emanating from his person. Midoriya had done well during the cavalry battle and coordinated his squad in a manner that befitted the future Symbol of Peace. That little showing had brought a smile onto Alucard's face. But that smile had been lost as a wave of dissatisfaction now seeped from the vampire.

"Partially…" Alucard drew out a deep sigh as he straightened out in his chair. "The students in Class 1-A have certainly shown their mettle throughout this festival of yours. Bakugo proved that despite having a fist for a brain, he can be crafty when pushed to his limits. Todoroki seems to have reached a revelation regarding his Quirk, which may help guide him further to whatever your society defines as 'heroic'. Tokoyami has now revealed a deep flaw in his Quirk, one which he'll have to rectify if he wishes to remain relevant."

"And Midoriya?" That look on his face earlier had left him with some doubts about his current opinion of the young student. The boy's substantial growth over the two-week period preceding the sports festival had not gone unnoticed, and Nezu knew it was thanks to Alucard. But Todoroki was the more levelheaded of the two, hence why Nezu had anticipated he would take the match. But still, how did Alucard feel about Midoriya's defeat?

"… I expected this from him, though I'd hoped otherwise." Alucard chuckled grimly. "Granted, his loss and the events that transpired will undoubtedly awaken Todoroki's sense of self. Class 1-A's Number 1 student has now developed the ability to socialize," he chuckled. "However, that does not mean I am satisfied. It is clear more work needs to be done if Midoriya wishes to become your new Symbol of Peace. He still prioritizes the strength of others over his own." But where was the issue in such ideals? Izuku Midoriya would require allies if he were to stand up as All Might's successor and overcome All For One. Even though it was meant to be All Might who toppled All For One, Nezu had a feeling the final blow would be Midoriya's to deliver. All this and more, Nezu delivered to Alucard.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, if he himself lacks the power to stand above the rest of them, his place as the Symbol of Peace will be flimsy. Rather than he be the one to prop up society, it would be your society which would prop him up." And that would certainly pose a problem. "Therefore, he must evolve himself before having the luxury to lend others aid."

Nezu understood Alucard's thought process. It was logically sound. Midoriya, if unprepared for the inevitable conflict, would never be able to live up to All Might's shadow. "But that is where we must agree to disagree, I suppose." Nezu thought to himself. He was a teacher. The principal of U.A. He'd always treasured the bonds his students shared and took every opportunity to deepen those connections in the hopes that one day, they would grow into a society where trust in each other was the norm. Alucard was the Prince of Darkness. Despite being unfamiliar with his backstory, Nezu knew he was an immensely powerful being. Even alone, Alucard was more than capable of devouring whole armies. He didn't need the help of others, and perhaps he was correct in applying those expectations to Midoriya.

"But he's still young." Nezu casually replied. "Time is on his side... for now, at least. And he's quite clever if his notetaking skills are of any consideration. He knows his way around a planner. I'm sure he's able enough to plan around both his relationships as well as his training. So while I empathize with you, Alucard, I beg you to cut him some slack."

Alucard sat in deep contemplation. He recognized the boy's youth, and he had seen his other talents when they'd practiced together for those two weeks. Izuku certainly did have a habit of jotting down everything he heard, be it details about his Quirk or lists of potential One For All techniques. There was far more than that, but Alucard only had so much time to read the boy's journal while he was distracted. And while the ongoing threat of All For One still loomed in the horizon, that was why Alucard was here. In the event Izuku failed to live up to expectations, he'd be the one to stop whatever crisis followed. Now that he considered it in full, perhaps it would be more entertaining if Izuku did indeed fail. Not that he'd ever sabotage Nezu's plan, but it was an amusing little image.

He laughed. "Hahaha… well said, Mr. Principal. Though I do urge you to act with more haste, you are correct in giving the child more time to mature. Of course, that doesn't mean I intend to stall his 'education'. He is still woefully lacking in aspects beyond his pitiful level of control over One For All." Izuku was want of many critical social skills. His tendency to weep every few minutes often made it difficult to take him seriously. He stuttered and slouched when even the slightest bit uncomfortable. He downplayed his strengths and exaggerated those of others.

Nezu giggled as Alucard listed off all the boy's faults. Yes, he really was in dire need of some lessons in social etiquette. While Alucard was far from the ideal teacher in that respect, "Alexander Anderson" might just be the perfect candidate. A popular, kindhearted student born in a noble household. Taught how to act properly from a young age. As long as Alucard kept in character, Nezu could envision Izuku Midoriya evolving into a far more confident and capable leader under his tutelage. "I absolutely agree. Unfortunately, All Might is just as bad as Izuku Midoriya in that respect. Which is why I'll be leaving his instruction up to you. But please, don't make him as bloodthirsty as you are at times."

Nezu meant it jokingly, and Alucard understood that as they both laughed it off, but he sincerely wished to see none of Alucard's worse traits rub off onto the young and impressionable successor of One For All. Just imagining a muscled maniac with One For All roaming the dark underbelly of Japan… perish the thought. Surely, Sir Integra would never allow Alucard to do such a thing. But the thought lingered regardless. As Nezu regarded that image with fear, Alucard returned his cup to the table.

Elegantly, he stood up from his chair and bowed before him. "It would be best if I departed now. The members of Class 1-A are, in all likelihood, waiting to learn of my whereabouts." It was a reasonable assumption to make. After showing off at USJ, Alucard had seen a massive boost in notoriety. Granted, it had been that newfound popularity which had forced him to effectively disqualify himself from the tournament. But while his disappearance might lessen public interest, it could only raise his classmates' scrutiny. Nezu could see them now. Searching for Alucard, or rather "Alexander Anderson", unaware that he was far above where they roamed. "Will there be anything else, Nezu?" Alucard asked.

"I might contact you again once the festival has concluded. But for now, please enjoy yourself. I'm sure the young heroes of Class 1-A will be looking for an explanation from you. Especially Izuku Midoriya. Please come up with a good excuse, because I'm sure neither of us want to do something like this a second time."

"Hmmph." Alucard grinned, coolly tipping his red fedora as he made his exit. Both knew that an incident like this would happen again eventually. The question was when and of what magnitude?

0.0

Izuku was the first one to greet him as he waltzed into the prep room. Unfortunately, it was less a greeting and more a tackle. Wholly uncharacteristic of the sheepish child, though it did show his more brazen, emotional side he'd developed. A side of him that was rarely seen, but in this case made for an amusing spectacle to which the rest of Class 1-A were the audience.

"Alex-kun! Where were you?! Did something bad happen? Did you sprain your ankle?! Did one of the faux villains fall on you?!" the boy shouted. Thankfully, nowhere near the top of his lungs. He'd at least developed enough self-awareness to avoid that. In addition, Alucard also felt grateful that none of his classmates joined Izuku in his precious little performance. Though he could tell from the way they were looking at him that they were listening for his answer. Mina Ashido was loudmouthed as ever, though her cries were silenced by Yaoyorozu and Tsuyu. Were they afraid that her badgering him with questions might motivate him stay silent? He couldn't fault them for that. Bakugo was seated, moodily staring at the floor, his gold medal lying abandoned by the garbage can. Was his finals bout against Todoroki that much of a letdown? Todoroki himself seemed uninterested at the moment, so he'd be spared that much at the very least. The runner-up was preoccupied, perhaps contemplating his liberation from the emotional shackles laid by his father, courtesy of Izuku.

Speaking of whom… the boy in question was still latched onto the lower half of his torso. Thoroughly charmed by this cute but highly compromised position, Alucard swiftly pried the bush of green hair away from his chest. He dusted his shirt off before casually addressing Izuku's many concerns. There had been so many however, that he couldn't quite keep pace with them all. Thankfully, Yaoyorozu took care of that herself.

"Alex-san…" she helped straighten up Izuku before giving Alucard a glare rivalling his master's. "Care to explain what happened earlier?"

"Of course." He tilted his head respectfully in a light bow. "You see, I made a grave mistake during the final barrier of the obstacle course. I misunderstood the minefield's boundaries and tried bypassing it by running around it. Unfortunately, this violated the rules. Hence, I was disqualified. I imagine U.A.'s silence regarding it is due to them not wishing to taint my reputation here. Graciously, they sent me away with little more than a slap on the wrist and a promise that next time, I'll listen to the instructions more carefully." Drawing a positively enchanting smile out of his bag of tricks, Alucard instantaneously earned the trust of most of his classmates. "Though to be fair, it's difficult to pay close attention to the announcers when you're being bombarded by mechs and traversing ravines."

That drew a giggle out of the easier members of the class. Hanta Sero, Ashido, and others withdrew their scrutiny as he used basic manipulation to distract them from their skepticism. Of course, not everyone was so amused.

"Alex-san." With an intense glare, Yaoyorozu practically chained Alucard where he stood. He couldn't rightfully retreat from their conversation when Class 1-A's vice president was confronting him with such a look on her pretty face. Oddly enough, Iida hadn't joined in. He should have had more to say than anyone else since he was by far the most passionate when it came to honesty. But he wasn't present, for some strange reason.

"Alex-kun. We both know you're too smart to make such an oversight. Why did you do it?" She was furious. The thought of someone besmirching an event as prestigious as U.A.'s Sports Festival by forfeiting grated against her straight-laced upbringing. Especially after her humiliating elimination early on in the one-on-one tournament, she wanted to know why someone as capable as Alexander Anderson decided to eliminate himself before the festival had even truly begun.

Alucard considered hypnotizing them and avoiding having to deal with this discussion. But after giving it some thought, he felt it would be more beneficial to let them all vent their feelings. Besides, he had a reasonable way out of this. Bringing himself intimately close to her, he chuckled inwardly as Yaoyorozu's cheeks grew flushed.

"Madame Yaoyorozu, I had no such intentions. For what purpose would I have thrown the race?"

"Um… I mean…" She stammered, struggling to even finish her sentence. Far too nervous to properly scold him, she could only stutter as Alucard brought out his noble charms to captivate the entire room. Despite growing up in a wealthy household, Yaoyorozu seemed inexperienced with Alucard's flirtatious behavior. Perhaps it was due to her determination to become a capable hero, but he would have thought that an attractive young lady like Yaoyorozu would have gained some measure of savior faire in the ballroom. If that was not the case, such a weakness was easily exploitable. And though it would certainly benefit him were her weaknesses to remain so, he'd likely have to rectify those flaws personally.

"For now, my dear, I believe it would be best if-"

*BAM*

"Shut the fuck up, dumbass!" The sound of stern flesh meeting sturdy timber resounded across the room. A startled Yaoyorozu swung around, desperate to figure out who had broken school property. There really was no need for her to look, though. The coarse diction made it impossible to mistake. Along came Bakugo, his eyebrows already anchored downward in a burning scowl. Unlike previous encounters though, Bakugo left him no personal space as he made his way right up to Alucard. Almost close enough to kiss, Bakugo stared down Alucard, already faking a faint look of bewilderment. Izuku desperately tried to stifle his "Kacchan" but to no avail. Bakugo was not going to be denied. Not again.

The immature schoolboy had fought his way up to the grand finals. On his way there, he'd seen the one he "hated" most, Izuku, lose to Todoroki. In his eyes, if he could beat the emo brat satisfyingly, he would have reestablished the gap between himself and Izuku. Unfortunately, this did not come to pass. His victory occurred in a manner which he hadn't anticipated. This time, Todoroki had been the one to throw the match, snuffing out his flames on the verge of victory. Robbed of his triumph, Bakugo was left with nothing but self-doubt and resentment. Now he wanted to unleash those emotions upon him, the only other 1-A student who could possibly beat him.

"First Deku, then Todoroki, and now YOU?! Are all you little shits taking the piss out of me?!" His face red with fury, Bakugo threatened to punch Alucard in the face. Izuku insisted everyone calm down, but Bakugo was hearing none of it and quickly shoved the worried Izuku away. "There's no way in HELL I'm just going to stand by and let you steal my wins from under my feet!"

"Bakugo-" Izuku stumbled forward, his emotions once again drawing both the best and worst out of him. There were unmistakable tears welling deep within his eyes. Goodness, just how attached was he to his childhood bully?

Bakugo, however, was having none of it. "Shut your mouth!" He screeched. "We're fighting! Right here, right now!"

"Bakugo, that's ridiculous!" Yaoyorozu shouted, having finally regained her senses. She tried to grab his wrist but was soundly deflected.

"No! What's ridiculous is all you idiots throwing whenever I'm about to win! See that medal? It's worthless! All cause of you fucks!" It seemed that the win, or rather loss in his mind, had wounded him far deeper than Alucard anticipated. Not to say he'd expected him to just accept what he'd won and walk away with it, but this was much more than he'd imagined. "I didn't get to beat Deku. Todoroki threw our fight. So now you're the only one left." His fury had morphed from a violent display of force to a seething savagery. The volume of his speech had gone down, but that served to only magnify his malice. Without warning, Bakugo suddenly pushed him up against the wall. "Come on. Hit me already!"

He surveyed the surrounding area, scouting the walls for cameras. Silently, he took note of his classmates' line of sight. None of them seemed intent on helping him. So absorbed were they by the intensity of Bakugo's fire, most were too busy processing what they were witnessing. With his familiars keeping an eye on them all, he knew that most of them were closely watching Bakugo's back. There was less focus on Alucard himself, which meant he could make a case that what he was about to do had been nothing but a "trick of the light".

"Now then…" he wondered, "How to do this?" With Bakugo restraining him, there was no effective means of escape without invoking his wrath. He could use his "Quirk" to transform into a flock of birds or a colony of ants, but activating his "Quirk" would essentially give Bakugo the green light he so desperately desired. And although he had looked forward to punishing this arrogant brat's impudence from the start, now was an inopportune time to hand out that just retribution. But then, a previous train of thought reentered its station.

"Come on! I'll even give you the first shot!" Thank you very much, kid. His arm shot out of his pocket, pinching Bakugo's neck with lightning precision. In that instant, Alucard gazed deeply into his adversary's eyes, hypnotizing the poor child. Startled, Bakugo tried to leap away. But it was too late, as Alucard's gaze had already ensnared him. Alucard didn't actually know anything about pressure points. Well, none that were non-lethal. Bakugo's willpower was a veritable fortress, but still not enough to withstand his vampiric powers. One second later, Bakugo's eyes grew hazy. His legs collapsing beneath him, Alucard caught him before he could fall to the floor. Now slumped over lackadaisically, the whiny brat descended into a deep slumber.

Holding the sleeping Bakugo, Alucard knew the boy would be outraged once he woke up. For now, however, he had to deal with the rest of his classmates. All of whom were stunned by what they had just seen.

"Deku?" Alucard summoned his dazed compatriot. Taken aback, Izuku had to shake himself out of his stupor before asking what he wanted from him. There was little explanation needed, and the two were familiar enough to guess what the other was thinking. As Izuku grasped both of Bakugo's legs and Alucard kept a stable hold of the unconscious child's torso, they cautiously opened the door and started heading out.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"To the infirmary. My sincerest apologies, Miss Yaoyorozu, but I'll have to give you my testimony at a later date." With that said, he nodded to his green-haired assistant who proceeded to close the door behind them. Alucard began scanning the halls, making sure there wouldn't be anyone roaming in them. They needed a clear path, because otherwise they would have to explain why they were carrying an unconscious first-place finisher. Still inside the prep room, no one knew what to say.

Well, save for one. Mina Ashido, at last, broke free from Tsuyu's grip. "WHAT THE F-?!"

"ASHIDO!" Yaoyorozu screamed. She couldn't stop Bakugo, but she could at least stop her friends from uttering such vulgarity.

0.0

Two days had passed since the conclusion of U.A.'s Sports Festival. Izuku had gotten up early as usual expecting to swim through his morning routine, but then his mom had given him a message from Alex-san. Apparently he was going to school earlier than usual and Izuku didn't have to join him. He didn't say why exactly he was leaving this early, but he just took it for what it was. He trusted Alex-san's rush was justified. Alexander always seemed to know how to solve matters in the best way possible. Well, except with Bakugo after that incident in the prep room. Kacchan…

After his outburst, Kacchan was swiftly knocked out by Alex-san. He helped Alex-san escort the unconscious Kacchan to the infirmary, where an incredulous Recovery Girl was gobsmacked by what she saw. He'd explained everything to her, but she still gave them a good telling off. Alex-san just smiled the entire time and took it all in stride, which seemed to only earn him a stricter warning. Alexander apologized for his actions, and Recovery Girl did admit that maybe there was just no other way for that kind of scenario to end. Especially with Bakugo involved. Speaking of Bakugo, Recovery Girl wanted to ensure that Kacchan wouldn't do anything he'd regret when he woke up. So she sent them to find Eraser Head. They were finally allowed to leave after that, but not before receiving another stern talk from Eraser Head-sensei.

Thank god, the weekend came right after the sports festival. Izuku spent most of it recovering from his injuries. He'd put his wrists through an ordeal during the one-on-one tournament, so he needed the break. He only caught a few glimpses of Alex-san during that time. A couple nods of acknowledgement, but no real interaction beyond that. Izuku was afraid his disappointing placing had angered his friend. Not gonna lie, but he was a bit disappointed too. Not to say Izuku regretted what he'd done; freeing Todoroki from his self-imposed chains gave him confidence that he could help others grow beyond their limits. But that aside, he had hoped to make it deeper into the tournament. After all, the sports festival was meant to be where he declared "I Am Here!" to the world, like All Might had told him. That hadn't really happened. No one ever remembers the quarterfinalists.

Feeling a bit drowsy, Izuku was currently riding the train to U.A. Well, not exactly "riding", more like standing while stuffed into a large mass of people all crowded into the same compartment. Of course, that was how it normally was. In fact he was grateful for the help. The crowd of people was keeping him upright. But strangely, he got the feeling that he had a bit more leg room whenever he was riding with Alex-san. Whatever. There was no way Alex-san could magically make more room or make other people stand further away.

He was looking forward to seeing everyone. He hadn't spoken to any of them since the end of the sports festival, after all. He wanted to congratulate Tokoyami for his third-place finish, and Uraraka on her clever strategy against Kacchan. Checking his phone, he tried to keep his eyes open but by now he was kinda getting used to the feeling of being snuggled between a whole bunch of people. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad if he got some extra shuteye before he got to school. Probably just ten more minutes anyways.

"Young man…" Somebody said. He ignored them at first, assuming their words were directed at someone else. They couldn't possibly be referring to him. "Excuse me?!" But after someone grabbed his shoulder, he realized they were talking to him. A bit of a commotion had started with him at its center. "You're Midoriya from the Hero Course, right?" they asked.

"Huh?"

"Nice going at the sports festival! That was a close one, huh?!"

"Eh…"

"You made it into the top eight, right? Pretty cool." Said one onlooker. "You're smaller than I imagined." Somebody else added. "It really reminded me of the good old days." Only a few seconds prior, Izuku had just been another train passenger. Now, he was the focal point of everyone's attention. Mindless chatter filled the air as all the other passengers seemed intent on commenting about his performance at the sports festival. Most of it was positive which was reassuring. However, …

"Uhh…" Feeling anxious, he balked at the sight of this many faces all being pointed at him. Sure, that was how it'd been during the tournament. But at least then they'd been far away from him. Now they were standing all around him, and he was starting to feel claustrophobic.

"I know what you mean! That whole do-or-die feel. That Todoroki guy really did you in once he got going, but you got off to a good start. Next time, don't give him or anyone the time to recover." All of their advice came pouring into his ears at once, making it nearly impossible to process everything at once. They'd made room around him so they could get a better look at him, which had at least given him some elbow room, but that was on the outside. Izuku felt so nervous that he might as well have been trapped inside a trash compactor. Which was why he was so thankful when it was announced that the train had arrived at U.A.

Thoroughly exhausted after that ordeal, Izuku lurched off the train as the passengers behind him bid farewell, while also encouraging him to keep on improving. He was grateful for their advice, don't get him wrong, but that was just an overload of praise. Making matters worse, the rain was absolutely pouring now. Taking out his umbrella, Izuku trudged onward to U.A.

"I'm wiped out, and it's only morning..." he groaned. At least he'd kept his uniform clean. He checked his watch. There was plenty of time left before the first bell, so there as no need to rush. He'd just use the next few minutes to recover from everything that'd happened so far, and then hopefully things would get better once he got to class. Unfortunately, fate refused to let him rest.

*SPLASH*SPLASH*SPLASH*

"THIS IS NO TIME FOR AN IDLE STROLL!" Izuku could hear someone running through the puddles of water behind him. Turning around, he found Iida, dressed in a poncho and rain boots, furiously sprinting to class. "WE'LL BE LATE! GOOD MORNING, MIDORIYA!"

"Late? But we've got five minutes before the first bell." Idly running alongside his class president, Izuku tried to keep up with his frantic pace.

"THE STUDENTS OF U.A. MAKE IT A POINT TO ARRIVE TEN MINUTES EARLY!"

Seeing Iida back to normal so soon… he wasn't sure how exactly he felt about that. During U.A.'s Sports Festival award ceremony, Iida left early after receiving news that his older brother, the professional hero Ingenium, had been attacked by the "Hero Killer". The story had been broadcast on the news. Apparently, "Stain" as he called himself had critically wounded Ingenium, leaving him in a hospital bed. Izuku knew how important Iida's brother was to him. Their relationship was a lot like how Izuku looked up to All Might, and he couldn't even imagine how he'd feel if something like that happened to his childhood hero. So how could he really understand the emotions currently going through Iida's head? Was he in the right head space to be going to school and being 1-A's class president?

"Um…" He wanted to ask about it, but he didn't know if now was a good time to be asking that type of question. Would it be insensitive of him to mention what'd happened? Alex-kun had tried teaching Izuku how to better deal with social situations, but they hadn't really talked about something like this just yet. What if he set him off by just asking?

"You needn't worry about my brother." Said Iida, seeming to have caught on to Izuku's awkward behavior. "I apologize if he or I caused you any undue concern."

Iida looked… better. But something just felt off about him. Maybe it was just anxiety, but he felt like Iida wasn't being completely honest with him. Wringing out his umbrella, Izuku decided to bring it up again once he got the chance. For now though, he'd just go with the flow and head to class. And well… his hopes for a more relaxed morning went out the window the moment he stepped foot into class.

"I HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE TALKING TO ME ON THE WAY HERE!"

"Same here! So many stares… it was embarrassing!"

"Me too!"

"All these grade-schoolers told me I made a good effort…"

"Good effort…"

"One little event, and suddenly the world's got its eyes on us."

"That's U.A. for ya…"

The classroom was absolutely bustling with activity as everyone had something to say about their morning trip to class. Ojiro's tail wagged frantically as he showed off some photo's he'd taken with some "fans" he'd met on his way there. Ashido was chatting with Hagakure, Kirishima, Sero and Tsuyu. It didn't matter who it was or how they'd placed in the tournament, apparently everyone had been able to make a name for themselves. Izuku had always been cognizant of how important the event was for getting publicity, but this was his first time truly experiencing the effect it could have.

Looking around, Izuku finally saw Alex-san, presently speaking with Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu. Surprisingly, Kacchan wasn't trying to start a fight with him. Maybe they'd reached some sort of agreement before he'd arrived? Izuku had come into this fully prepared to jump in and stop them from fighting. It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. Hopefully things would stay this way for the duration of that day's class.

*DING*DONG*DING*

Suddenly, all the voices stopped at the sound of the first bell ringing. In mere moments, everything was put back in place and everyone had neatly sat themselves at their desks. Immaculate. Pristine. While this had become procedure for Class 1-A in the past couple of weeks, it was still disturbing just how fast they could reset the classroom. The sound of the door opening resounded through the classroom as Aizawa-sensei gently slid the door open and stepped inside. "Morning." he said, calmly taking his place at the front of the classroom. He seemed better now. His bandages were gone, and his elbow looked to be back in shape.

"Good morning! Good to see your bandages off, Aizawa-sensei." said Ashido.

"The old lady's treatment was excessive. But never mind that. Today we've got Hero Informatics class. And a special one at that."

He could hear students whispering worriedly. Hero Informatics? Was there going to be a pop quiz? Izuku studied all the time, so he was more than prepared for one.

"You'll be coming up with your hero aliases."

He swore his eardrums had burst, because the moment Sensei made his announcement, the classroom exploded with excitement. It was like the sports festival had never ended; it was so loud. The floor was vibrating, and he felt his heart beating rapidly in tune with the vibrations. He shared their enthusiasm, of course, and pumped his arms out in exhilaration. Sure, the most important part to being a hero was the strength and mind that embodied them, but the name was what the public saw. It was how they would be recognized and would ultimately define how well they'd be received upon their debut.

"But first… concerning the pro draft picks I mentioned the other day… It's based on who the pros think will be ready to join the hero workforce after another two or three years of experience. So you could say that it's a way for them to show interest in your futures. 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."

That was how things usually went. If you were a professional hero looking for promising prospects at U.A., you would lose interest in a talented student if they suddenly dropped off the moment they were promised a future position. With that in mind, he couldn't help but wonder how some of the heroes felt seeing Alex-kun, who'd beaten the snot out of a villain only a few weeks prior, not even make it out of the obstacle course. Most of them probably lost interest and concluded that what had happened at USJ was just a fluke. But then there might be others who would be just as suspicious as they were in the prep room. Maybe that was why Alex-kun hadn't spoken to him for the entire weekend. Maybe he'd been busy thinking about how he'd make up for that catastrophic error he'd made during the race.

"So if we're picked now, that just means there'll be higher hurdles in the years to come!" Hagakure observed.

"Yes. Now, here're the complete draft pick numbers." Aizawa-sensei tapped the whiteboard behind him, bringing up a chart that showed the number of drafts each student had gotten. "There's typically more of a spread, but our top two stole most of the spotlight." That last part didn't really need to be said, as the spread was extremely self-evident. Between Todoroki and Bakugo, the two of them had more drafts than the rest of the class combined. They had about seven times what the rest of the class had, all together.

"Gah! They're in a whole other league!" Kaminari mused.

Aoyama flashed his oddly effeminate eyes. "These pros have no eyes for talent." Yeah, he hadn't really changed much those past few weeks. Izuku hadn't brought it up yet, but he found Aoyama's eyes disturbing sometimes.

"Didn't they get first and second backwards?" Kirishima asked, unafraid of the glare Bakugo sent his way. Well, it couldn't be true that they'd gotten the two mixed up. Kacchan had won the tournament, sure, but with his attitude…

"Guess they were just scared of the guy who was literally chained to the Winner's stand." Hanta Sero iterated, likewise receiving an intense stare down from Kacchan.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE THE PROS DOING GETTING INTIMIDATED?!" he searched around him for someone to yell at, but no one dared meet his gaze.

Izuku just kept his head down, not wanting to earn Bakugo's ire. He still hadn't learned whether Alex-kun had reconciled with Kacchan, so he didn't want to do anything to remind them about the incident. Had the professional heroes heard what'd happened in the prep room? If that were true, that would explain why most of them might have opted to ask for Todoroki instead. Quickly flipping through his notebook, Izuku studied the details of both Todoroki's and Kacchan's Quirks. In terms of talent, they were rather close. Todoroki edged it out since he could keep a cool head, but Kacchan could certainly hold his ground. The power behind his explosions could easily break through Todoroki's ice barriers, and no number of flames could hold back Kacchan's fiery temper.

From his desk directly behind Izuku, Mineta reached over and took hold of his shoulder. "You're not up there! Told you, you scared them." Yeah, now that he took a closer look at the graph, he noticed Mineta was right. His name wasn't among those listed. "Mm…" he grunted, uncertain as to why exactly he'd been ignored. Sure, he'd gone out in 5-8th. But the spectacle he'd put on against Todoroki would most assuredly have attracted pros like Mirko or Gang Orca. Maybe pushing Todoroki to release his powers really had been a mistake, like Alex-kun had implied. Strangely, Alex-kun's name was on the board. Although he was at the bottom with less than ten offers. Guess his notoriety had overshadowed his poor festival results.

"With that settled… whether you were picked or not, you will all have a chance to work alongside the pros. 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."

Aizawa-sensei's usual monotone voice tended to downplay the significance of what he was saying, but today that didn't make a difference on how excited everybody was.

"That's where our hero names come in!" Sato-san gleefully noted.

"This is getting really fun!" Uraraka chimed in.

There really were no other words to describe the exuberant mood which had set in over their classroom. Izuku looked from side to side and found that almost everyone was whispering either to themselves or someone else, all of them thinking about what they should choose as their hero name. Alex-kun was one of the few exceptions. He simply sat in his desk, smiling contentedly while watching everyone else chattering. Did he already have a name in mind? Izuku smiled. As always, Alex-san was prepared for anything.

"They're only tentative, but you still want to pick something appropriate-"

"OR ELSE YOU'LL KNOW TRUE HELL!" An alluring voice boomed from outside the classroom. As the door slid open, in came the curvaceous physique of the R-Rated hero, Midnight. Izuku tried to avert his gaze from her chest but found few parts that were comfortable for him to look at. So, he focused on keeping his eyes on her face, which most of his classmates did as well. Except for Mineta, of course.

"The name you pick now may be what the world ends up calling you. That's happened to plenty of pros out there!"

"Yes. True enough. And Midnight here will be assessing the sensibility of the names you pick." Sensei reached under his desk and started rummaging around its contents. "I'm no good at that." he added under his breath. "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'…" As it turned out, what Sensei had taken out from under his desk wasn't really anything relevant to the lesson. No, he'd just grabbed his sleeping bag and was now snuggling up in his little corner. It brought a smile to Izuku's lips, but that didn't change the seriousness of the matter. For him, this truly mattered since he felt he wanted to come up with something that honored All Might while not being overtly obvious about it.

A name, huh…?

0.0

Alucard had several nicknames from which to choose. The challenge was deciding which of them would best fit his current persona. "Prince of Darkness" suited the black substance created by his powers, while "Son of The Dragon" made no sense whatsoever. "Prince of Darkness" also was far more suitable for a villain than a hero, which made him doubt it would pass Midnight's test. He certainly couldn't call himself "Dracula", since that would be far too on-the-nose for his tastes. There would come a time when he would reveal his true nature to the residents of Japan, but it wasn't yet time to abandon "Alexander Anderson" just yet. So he couldn't risk taking any massive leaps of faith all for the sake of a pun. He also wanted to stick close to his vampiric roots while maintaining the façade he'd constructed for himself. After giving it some more thought, he eventually reached a satisfying conclusion.

"Let's finish up. We can start with whoever's ready!" The hero Midnight stepped aside and welcomed anyone to waltz over to the podium and present what they'd come up with. The first person to volunteer, unsurprisingly, was the prideful but likeable Yuga Aoyama. Unlike normal, however, was the fact that the boy wasn't sparkling as much as usual. He seemed to be restraining his Quirk. Perhaps to give his presentation a hint of dramatic effect. Childish, but he'd come to expect such things from these children.

"Here I go…" said Aoyama, taking out his whiteboard. Then with a mixture of pizzazz and flare, he flipped his board over and revealed his "masterpiece". Which, as it turned out, barely even qualified as a name. "I Cannot Stop Twinkling." He said this with a level of arrogance and expectation that rivalled even the Millennium organization's Major. Quite an achievement. That overgrown idiot would be laughing if he were still alive.

"IT'S A WHOLE SENTENCE!" the whole of Class 1-A shouted.

Midnight, on the other hand, was a bit more receptive. "It'll be easier to say if you take out the 'I' and contract 'Cannot' into 'Can't'." It was an improvement but didn't eliminate the reality. His "name" was still a sentence. Alucard would have suggested "Twinkle" if Aoyama was so intent on highlighting his physical traits.

"I see, Mademoiselle." Aoyama replied. After editing his name, he stepped off the podium and was soon replaced by the bubbly bundle of pink hair, Mina Ashido.

"Okay, I'm next!" Ashido shouted, eagerly skipping to the front of the classroom. "Call me Alien Queen!"

"From the sequel?! Is it because her blood was super acidic?! That's terrible!" Whatever movie they were referring to, he hadn't seen it. But if that were the case, surely there would be certain underlying problems with adopting such a monicker.

Indeed, her chosen name was summarily denied due to concerns over copyright and the fact that it simply wasn't very creative. With a disgruntled "Tch…", Ashido returned to her desk feeling incredibly disappointed. Most of her classmates were grateful for the foolishness of students like her and those who'd come before her, however. Why? Well, they'd successfully lowered the bar with how strange and unusual their names had been. And while things had become a bit more awkward as a result, it just meant that there were more favorable odds that the next volunteers would receiving more positive feedback. Now there would be fewer expectations for future volunteers while presenting, which resulted in many more students eagerly making their way to the front of the room.

"I've had this thought out since elementary school. Call me Froppy." Tsuyu's proposed name was both fitting and creative. Midnight agreed, clapping her hands together with glee.

"So cute! It names you sound like you'd be easy to get to know! The rest of you take note. This is a perfectly lovable name." The rest of the class was just as congratulatory, since she had managed to turn the mood back from the depressing well that Aoyama and Ashido had put it in.

Next up was Kirishima, who unceremoniously slammed his whiteboard onto the table with no concern for the damage he might cause. *BAM* "This is me! Red Riot!"

"Red Riot? Could this be an homage to… the Chivalrous Hero, Crimson Riot?" Intrigued, Midnight leaned in to get a closer look at him.

"Right! I know he's from back in the day, but Crimson's the kind of hero I wanna be." Kirishima blushed slightly out of embarrassment that maybe basing his name off his childhood hero might be likewise childish. Not that it was. Rather, it was quite admirable, which Midnight acknowledged.

"Heh heh… Just know that bearing the name of your personal hero comes with a lot of pressure." she advised.

"I'm ready for that!" Thrusting his fist in the air, the boy did seem to possess the resolve to follow through with this subtle promise. Alucard had never heard of Crimson Riot before, so he could only assume that the hero who'd inspired Kirishima held some similarity to the young redhead. Was his hair as spiky as Kirishima's? He'd been wondering why it was so common for hairstyles here to be capable of poking someone's eye out.

The rest of them fell into line as more and more names were presented and either accepted or denied. There were a few standout examples, such as "Tsukuyomi" for Tokoyami and "Creati" for Yaoyorozu. There were also some equally uninspired names, like Hagakure calling herself "Invisible Girl", or Ojiro proposing "Tailman". Mineta had a surprisingly quirky name. "Grape Juice" could be interpreted in many ways, but the perverted midget seemed honest and so it passed unaltered.

"King Explosion Murder." Bakugo's name was less impressive, possessing both Aoyama's sentence format along with the nonsensical lack of imagination that defined Hagakure and Ojiro's proposals. Alucard had an alternative proposal which he would have suggested, were it not for the fact that it ran completely against his elegant and respectful façade. Once Uraraka had presented her "Uravity", which received a healthy bit of applause and approval, the only one's left to present were himself, Iida and Izuku. There was Bakugo too, but his just needed some "minor" revisions.

Silently, Iida approached the front desk. He seemed downtrodden. Nowhere near the usual upbeat, loud individual who served as 1-A's president. Alucard had learnt from some of his classmates that Iida's older brother, the professional hero "Ingenium", had been attacked by a villain during the sports festival and had been forced into an early retirement. Iida's reaction was reasonable, though Alucard felt that dwelling on it might lead the boy down a path towards some ultimately foolish decisions. A bead of sweat ran down Iida's cheek as he presented his name. "Tenya". How drab, much like Todoroki's own proposal. Was there a reason behind this apathetic name of his? Using his vampiric sight to see what Iida first wrote, he realized why the boy was so hesitant. "Ingenium". Taking up his brother's monicker so soon after his incident? Perhaps there was a goodd reason behind it, but Iida was too inexperienced to adopt it regardless. There wasn't much time to process it, as he was allowed to sit back down after a vaguely dismayed Midnight let him go.

Alucard went next. The name he'd selected felt reasonable, given the nature of his "Quirk". As he stood before the class and presented his name, he was given a healthy amount of praise. "Nosferatu", it seemed, had been a good choice.

"Wonderful, I love it! It really fits your noble look, while also hiding your shadowy Quirk." said Midnight, applauding his hero name. Izuku seemed quite happy with it as well, sending him a warm smile as he passed him by. Alucard knew the boy was curious about why he hadn't spoken to him since the previous week. He'd been busy consulting Nezu over being allowed to intern under a pro hero who was guaranteed to be centuries his junior. That would certainly make for some odd interactions, especially given Alucard already had a master to whom he was deeply loyal. He had also wanted to give Izuku the opportunity to reflect on his actions without his advice, which he hoped would help him become more aware of his actions in the future. Hopefully the boy had developed a sense of forethought.

The last to present was Izuku. He'd been looking forward to his presentation, as it would perhaps lend him some insight into where the boy envisioned himself heading. It would preferably be a name that mirrored the boy's upfront and honest personality, while also portraying his desire to grow stronger. It certainly couldn't just be a parody of All Might's name, that would just be silly. As he considered it more however, Alucard felt himself doubting Izuku's sense of style. Maybe the child had gone with a parody of All Might's name after all, out of some misplaced sense of loyalty to his childhood hero. If that turned out to be the case, Alucard might just drown in disgust. He'd probably laugh about it later, but he'd be dismayed for a moment at least. Izuku needed to realize that to reach and surpass All Might, he needed to differentiate himself from the mountain of muscle he'd devoted himself to. As Izuku flipped his board over, Alucard was pleasantly surprised by what he saw scrawled onto it.

"Huh? You sure about that, Midoriya?!" Those students of Class 1-A who were familiar with the name Izuku had written down were taken aback by his choice. Alucard was already aware of the history behind the name, so he too was slightly bewildered by his decision.

"Yeah." Izuku replied calmly. "I always hated it. But then someone… helped me see it in a new light. It took me by surprise, but… it made me happy." There, written neatly onto his whiteboard, was the word "Deku". The nickname assigned to him by none other than Bakugo back when they were in pre-school. After giving it some thought, Alucard could see the wisdom behind his selection. "This will be my hero name." Izuku proudly declared. His pride made many of his close friends smile thoughtfully, all of them aware that this was him trying to move on from his past and show that he'd grown as an individual. In contrast, Bakugo was utterly dumbfounded by his choice. Of course, that buffoon couldn't comprehend the reasoning behind Izuku choosing "Deku". Bakugo was as subtle as his Quirk after all.

Midnight, though unaware of the significance that resonated behind it, seemed quite content with Izuku's proposal and gave it her seal of approval. The boy had made an acceptable choice, and its message gave their classroom a gentler atmosphere. Izuku had successfully checked most of the points Alucard hoped he would. Several of his classmates nodded encouragingly at him as he returned. While Izuku was making his way back to his desk, he seemed uncertain about Alucard's verdict and sent him a couple of timid glances. Amused by his bashful behavior, Alucard winked back at him with a pleasant smirk. Thankfully, that seemed to do it as the meek little boy perked up as he was sitting down. Izuku, or perhaps "Deku" now, was showing positive signs of improvement. Hopefully, Alucard wouldn't be frustrated by him in the future. In actuality, he knew that would never be the case. But his expectations, at the very least, had been raised slightly.

Unfortunately, that blonde imbecile refused to let sleeping dogs lie. After being asked to present his revised name, he shouted at the top of his lungs "Lord Explosion Murder!" which, frankly, was no different from before. It was just as bad, if not worse, than his previous proposal. How about "Explosive Diarrhea"? It would certainly fit his shitty personality.

Once Midnight's patience ran out, she decided the best course of action was to give him some personal consultation at a later date. She shook Aizawa awake and dragged him onto his feet before splashing some water in his eyes, a particularly cruel way of waking someone up. But an effective one, to be sure.

"Your internships start in a week." Aizawa began, rubbing his watery eyes. "For this all-important decision, I'll be handing out personalized lists to those who were drafted. You may choose from among those who scouted you." Aizawa paused for a moment, this time pulling out a bundle of papers rather than a sleeping bag. While handing the papers over to Iida, he began to explain the fates of those passed over by the draft. "For those who were NOT drafted… The list I just passed out contains forty agencies from all over the country willing to accept interns. You will choose one from that list. Each has a different specialty and region. Give your choice some real thought."

"I'm going for major crimes in the big city!" Kirishima spouted, despite the risk involved in working in such an enclosed and densely populated area. Meh, it wasn't his job to save the boy's life. If he died, that was on him. If he lived though, it would make for a good learning experience.

"I'd like a place where I can deal with floods." Tsuyu's aim fit her Quirk, and she had a wide variety of locations to choose from. Japan was known for its natural disasters, after all.

"Submit your choices by this coming weekend." That left them with two days to decide which agency they sought to intern for. Several of his classmates were stunned by how little time had been afforded to them, whereas Alucard was perfectly comfortable with it. Granted, this was a decision which could define their careers while he had nothing to gain from it. But regardless, it would be healthier if they treated this as another learning experience instead of a life-or-death decision they had made it out to be.

He'd already broached the topic with Nezu, and they'd reached a comfortable conclusion. Alucard would be allowed to intern under one of the professional heroes who'd drafted him, but he would naturally have to restrain himself for the duration of the internship. He also had to make sure that the professional in question would be tough enough to work with him in the event that something unexpected happened. As he accepted his list of offers, he was pleasantly surprised by the names he found written onto it. Though Nezu had already enlightened him to the heroes who'd expressed interest in him, the names that had done so were still quite prominent in the public eye. For such names to be asking for Alexander Anderson, despite his lackluster performance at the festival, implied that they'd realized something their colleagues had not.

"Ninja Hero: Edgeshot, Gang Orca, and Rabbit Hero: Mirko…" Alucard mumbled.

From what he'd read in the files he'd "borrowed", all three sounded suitably capable of surviving one of the catastrophe's Alucard had dealt with in the past. Not to imply they would emerge unscathed, but at least with their lives and their sanity intact. The ninja was out of the question, since Alucard hated working stealthily. Ironic given his current circumstances, but this didn't put him in direct combat. When there were enemies in front of him, Alucard's first instinct has always been to mutilate their minds and their bodies. While they were watching him do it, of course. So, while Edgeshot was certainly qualified, he simply would not do.

Next came Gang Orca. The gargantuan amalgamation of man and orca packed quite the punch. Were Alucard to let him, he could easily pound him into dust. He'd reform a few short moments after, but that didn't change the fact that he'd accomplished something others struggled to do. Yet his personality didn't fit Alucard's preferences. While the hero was often listed as one of the top heroes who most closely resembled a villain, his personality didn't fit that reputation of his. He was a very kind and understanding person, which would work well for any of his classmates. But for him, he didn't like working with such conciliatory people. And though he was sure the orca had more to offer than just that, the final option just seemed more appealing.

Last up was the Rabbit Hero, Mirko. A relatively new arrival to the professional hero scene, she wasn't known for accepting interns. In fact, she was quoted as having expressed some level of disdain towards hero teams in general, believing that heroes who join teams rely on the strength of their teammates rather than their own. This made him wonder why she'd bothered offering to let him intern at her agency. From her profile, she seemed to lean towards the muscle head category. Not afraid of extreme pain, the Rabbit Hero Mirko often dashed into battle with a wide grin on her face. She bore a close resemblance to foes Alucard had faced in the past. She didn't seem to be the type that could see through his scheme.

Still, she seemed qualified enough to last a week as his overseer. And her character aligned nicely with his preferences. Yes, she'd make a fine "teacher". He'd endeavor to take her seriously, but on the condition that she kept him entertained throughout the internship.

After class was dismissed and they were on their way out of the classroom, the muscular frame of All Might's nimbly skidded into the doorway and blocked their exit.

*SCREEEEE*

"I-I-I AM HERE…IN A PECULIAR POSE!" His face was dripping with sweat. Unless he'd been stuck in his muscled form for some time and was straining himself to maintain it, he should not have appeared so disheveled. His sudden arrival caught everyone off guard, especially Izuku. As their classmates began realizing that All Might was here and started trying to grab his attention, Izuku just stood there as All Might silently chatted with him.

"W-What is it? Why so jumpy?" Izuku asked.

How odd. All Might was an eccentric figure, that had become evident during their brief meetings. But the copious amount of sweat dripping down the large man's face indicated that something was wrong.

"This way, kid." He whispered back.

As Alucard watched them make their way out, he could only guess that All Might had something personal to tell his successor. Izuku knew All Might far better than he did, so his calm reaction told him that there was probably nothing truly dangerous here. Even though he would have liked to know what it is they were going to discuss, he chose to refrain from acting so stalkerish. He had more pressing matters at the moment.

0.0

"You've got your costumes, right? Wearing them in public is strictly prohibited, but don't drop them." Dour as ever, Aizawa made sure to examine each of his students' luggage, just in case they were missing something important.

"Yeeaahh!"

"And don't slur your 'yeah,' Ashido. All of you, be on your best behavior! Now go."

That day, the subway was particularly packed thanks to the addition of the whole of Class 1-A. Quite a few onlookers came by and asked if they could take pictures. Many were obliged, although just as many were turned down once they began leaving to board their respective trains.

"This is gonna be fun!" said Hagakure, her clothes hopping in the air.

The air was ripe with excitement as everyone split off into groups, depending on how close their boarding stations were to each other. Alucard, for his part, was supposed to leave on the train to Hiroshima, since that was the city where Mirko was located. After he'd accepted her offer, she'd been oddly slow to respond. It later turned out that she'd been preoccupied with a bands of crooks. Her enthusiasm had oozed from the receiver during their phone call, although Alucard had a feeling there were some hidden intentions behind her outward exhilaration. He'd have to meet her to find out if his hunch was accurate or not.

"…" Iida began his departure quietly, as if he wished to leave without anyone noticing. Unfortunately, Izuku and Uraraka caught sight of him just as he was rounding the corner.

"…Iida!" Izuku cried. It seemed the boy was cognizant of Iida's emotional instability. If he recalled correctly, Iida was heading to Hosu, a densely populated city with an incredibly high crime rate. There was sufficient evidence to show that this decision did not stem from a desire to develop his skills, but rather to avenge his recently retired brother. 1-A's president was making a mistake, that was indisputable. Whether Izuku had the right words to dissuade him, he was about to find out. "If it ever gets to be too much and you need to talk… just say something. We're your friends." Uraraka nodded agreeably, her expression vaguely fearful. The emotion was there, but all present were uncertain of whether Iida would accept it or not.

"…Sure." He replied, following a brief pause.

No. Izuku hadn't said enough to convince him of his foolishness. The boy lacked the willpower to go further, for fear that he'd hurt his friend's feelings. Alucard, on the other hand, had no such proclivities. So, just as Iida turned around to leave, the unusually stern boy felt someone grab his shoulder.

"Iida." Alucard whispered. "You don't seem yourself. There is some time left before our trains arrive. Would you like to grab a drink together?"

Again, there was an awkward silence as Iida tensed. Alucard could tell that the boy wanted desperately to accept his offer and spend some time chatting casually. But his emotions wouldn't let him. Sadly, he'd already accepted the path laid before him. No amount of sentimental words could coax him away from it.

"Very well. I would advise, however, that you refrain from doing anything you'll regret." As he withdrew his hand, Alucard left a tiny piece of himself on Iida's uniform. Whatever reckless decisions Iida made while in Hosu, Alucard would be watching.

With worry adorned on their faces, Izuku and Uraraka watched as Iida left them where they stood. Izuku looked the most downtrodden out of them all, perhaps realizing that he should have said more to his friend. "Do you think he'll be alright, Alex-san?" Knowing everything that he did, Alucard confidently stated "I'm sure he'll be fine. I imagine he'll return to normal once his internship is finished." Soon after saying his final farewells, Alucard boarded his own train and departed for Hiroshima.

The train ride was brief. Well, more so for his fellow passengers. Alucard could simply delve into his subconsciousness and let time pass him by, unlike the humans he rode with. Such a bore, doing nothing but sitting in those uncomfortable seats for hours on end. Surely, whoever had designed transportation seats was no less than the spawn of the devil. Actually, who was he to be so critical? Deeming others the spawn of the devil after everything he'd done? How hypocritical of him.

Upon his arrival to Hiroshima, Alucard checked the slip of paper Nezu had given him. Written onto it was the address of Mirko's Hero Office. Despite her vocal opposition to hero teams, Rumi Usagiyama had still hired assistants who helped her logistically, detailing for her where exactly she could find the tightest concentrations of scum and villainy.

Naturally though, Alucard had no use for Nezu's assistance. His vampiric powers gave him a superhuman awareness of his surroundings. Even though the city was packed to the brim with folk of all different backgrounds, he could still pick up the distinctive scent of bloodlust and adrenaline off in a dark alleyway. He didn't even have to use his "third-eye" ability to distinguish Mirko's scent from the dirty stench of the criminals she was busy pummeling. Yes… Why not skip the appetizer that was her office when the main dish was but a casual stroll away? Picking up the suitcase containing his hero costume, Alucard gracefully swam through the crowd to reach the alley.

0.0

"DUST THIS BITC-" a metal heel rammed itself into his face before he could finish his sentence. The smell of gunpowder perforated the room as everyone inside unloaded their magazines in a desperate attempt to save themselves. But no one could land a hit. All their bullets just whizzed past the intended target, sometimes even piercing their own allies. The sound of gunfire and screaming echoed off the walls and out into the alley outside as more and more of their men were knocked out by the long-eared terror. Indeed, the threat they were facing was none other than the infamous Rabbit Hero, Mirko. Like a whirlwind, Mirko kept her momentum by buffeting herself off every surface in the room. From the ceiling to the walls to even the bar tables, she maintained a consistently high speed without interruption. She seemed to have a limitless pool of stamina that let her outpace almost everyone else. No wonder she'd placed No. 8 in the last hero rankings, this was unreal.

*CRASH*BAM*BANG*

There was nothing they could do before Mirko as she decimated their ranks and left not one criminal conscious in her wake. At last, she caught one bullet in her thigh. Finally, the few remaining crooks thought, she'd slow down and they could mow her down with what little ammunition they had left. Unfortunately, that thought was to be their last. "Nice shot! I'll do you one better, though!" she shouted before striking them all down in swift succession.

*SPLAT*BOOM*

More bodies hit the floor as the last few criminals all fell to the ground, now knocked out for what would probably be several hours. They were lucky to still even be alive after the beating Mirko had just meted out. Standing in the middle of the massacre while admiring her work, she cupped a hand over her bullet wound.

"Not bad, kid." She gloated, still grinning. "But a single bullet'll never save you from getting what you deserve." Live everyday like it'll be your last, that was her motto. Now that she'd finished dealing with them, Mirko could finally take some breaths and calm down if at least for a moment. She activated the communicator on her ear. "Mikasa. Has that Anderson kid shown up yet? Thought I'd give him a tour of the city today."

*BZZZT* "Um… I don't think he's here yet, Mirko-sensei. No one's come into the office today." Mikasa's soft, timid voice contrasted greatly with Mirko's deep and domineering voice.

Mirko scoffed. "Tch. Well, he's a smart kid. He's probably on his way right now. I'll head to the station right now and see if I can't meet him there."

*Tap*...*Tap*...*Tap*...*Tap*

Mirko whirled around, her ears perking up as she heard footsteps not far behind her. Was it just a civilian? Some dunce who wanted to figure out what was going on? Or were there more crooks coming to try and finish her off? Hopefully it was the latter because she loved a good fight. A shadow peeked around the corner as Mirko tensed her muscles, ready to pounce the moment they entered. So, the Rabbit Hero was caught thoroughly off guard when it was neither a civilian nor a criminal who strolled through the doorway.

"Pardon me, but would you happen to be the Rabbit Hero: Mirko?" The young man politely asked. His voice was positively enchanting. Gracefully dancing across her eardrums as it resonated within her soul. The man in question, boy actually, turned the corner and revealed himself to her. "Forgive my impertinence, Ms. Mirko. I seem to have accidentally stumbled into your investigation."

He was devilishly good-looking. If he grew out his hair and wore a nice dress, it would be so natural to assume this high schooler was a young woman. Most women, and even a few men probably, had unquestionably been swept off their feet by this kid. And although she was aware of his dashing features, she was made of tougher stuff. It was easy to set aside her sense of aesthetic and purely view him as her intern. So, that's exactly what she did.

"Nah." She scoffed, laughing off the absurd odds against him suddenly stumbling into the villains' headquarters while she was working. What mattered was that he was here, and so was she. "Don't worry about it. Honestly, I'm glad you came here. I was hoping to show you around the city anyways."

"Ah." The young Alexander Anderson perked up. The wide smile plastered on his face looked warm and genuine, yet experience told her there was something sinister that festered behind it. There was definitely more to this kid than met the eye, that was for sure. "I am ever grateful for your guidance, Ms. Mirko."

"Well come on then, brat. I'm won't go easy on you, so try and keep up." Without another word, Mirko dashed out the doorway, barely leaving her quarry any time to move out of the way. The kid's reaction time immediately impressed her. Mikasa, in her first week, was practically run over by Mirko more than once. This was a decent start, but she'd expected that. That was one reason why she'd drafted him. You'd need to be incredibly durable to handle a villain in your first week at U.A. Not that it was a common occurrence, but the level of poise he displayed at USJ was proof of his talents. But, being against hero teams, natural talent wouldn't normally be enough to draw her attention. What had made Alexander Anderson stick out from the rest was what he'd done during U.A.'s Sports Festival. She remembered watching the live broadcast on her couch, a rare example of Mirko taking a break.

Everything had been going smoothly. The students were all dodging the gigantic mech's, which she wished she could use for training, and traversing the huge ravine U.A. had set up. She'd had her eye drawn to the few stand outs like Endeavor's son, but besides them there weren't exactly any highlights to speak of. Then, her keen eyesight spotted a single outlier. Hidden away in the corner of her television screen, she saw one student waltz past the barrier and walk outside of the border. The broadcast didn't show it, but she knew that kid was disqualified on the spot. And from the way things looked, that kid had done it on purpose. But why, though? This was U.A.'s Sports Festival, one of the most important events of the year. Why would someone just abandon this chance to show off their skills and promote themselves to the pro heroes who were watching? That was when she called Mikasa and had her look up the background of that little miscreant. As she sprinted down the alleyway, hopping from surface to surface, Mirko could recall the complete and utter confusion on Mikasa's face as she'd read Alexander's profile, available only to U.A. teachers.

"Member of Class 1-A? Present at the USJ Incident? Managed to beat the villain group's leader by himself? Highly regarded as one of the most talented students in 1-A?" Mikasa had squinted her eyes at the screen, checking desperately for any kind of major fault or lie. But nothing really seemed at all deceptive. It looked like the kid was genuinely capable and skilled. So what the heck? Why did he throw the race? That was when she'd decided to disrupt her lone wolf status and offered to let him intern at her office. Sure, there was a chance he wouldn't accept it but hey, she doubted he'd have many other offers to choose from. Lo and behold, here he was now.

The kid was keeping up surprisingly well. He was a good sprinter, dodging and ducking past the crowd as they ran through it. "Ms. Mirko?" He asked.

"Yeah, kid?" She wanted him to stop using honorifics when referring to her, but that could wait until they reached her office.

"Pardon if this is at all ignorant of me to ask, but I simply hoped to know… why did you send me an offer? I placed so horrendously in the festival that I doubted anyone would even consider letting me intern with them."

Was he… making fun of her? Did this guy seriously think she was stupid enough to fall for those shenanigans of his? Sure, most of the other pros might have missed it and lost interest when he didn't show up in the Top 42, but her? Well, whatever. She could see how he'd reach that conclusion, considering her reputation. After all, she was widely known as a fighter, not a thinker. But that didn't stop her from thumping his scalp.

She flicked his forehead. "I'm no dumbass, pipsqueak. After the show you pulled off at USJ, did you honestly think no one would pick up on your little stunt during the festival?"

"Well, no one who would reveal it publicly at least." He replied, rubbing his faintly bruised forehead. From the way he said it, his question had been a test rather than a genuine inquiry. The sly bastard probably just wanted to see how far she'd seen into his plans. If that were true, that probably meant they ran far deeper than just throwing the race. What was his underlying motive here? Mirko squinted as she ran ahead of him, looking back only to make sure he could keep up. He could certainly hold his own. Several minutes had passed yet he was still right behind her. In fact, he'd barely broken a sweat. Something was up with this guy, and she intended to find out what it was.

The only upside to this scenario was that now she had a whole week to figure out just what kind of person he really was. An entire week to see how big-brained this little brat was, and what his real end goals were.

"Here. I'll start off with my favorite Ramen place before we really start touring the city. I'm starved, anyways."

"Of course, Ms. Mirko."

"And stop calling me Ms. Mirko. Mirko'll do just fine."

0.0

Author's Notes: Forgive the general lack of action in the past two chapters. I do plan to make up for that in the next chapter, at least a little bit. A few more chapters and we should start seeing much more violence which I'm sure most of you would like to see. Mirko's character profile gave mixed signals on whether she had an agency or not, one entry claiming yes while another said no. I've decided to just let her have one since I agree with kylemerlo77 that she would work well together with Alucard. Classes are starting again, so the next chapter will take some time to write. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next.