The day that should have been one of my proudest moments was turned into a nightmare, the day... mom, I'm so sorry I wasn't there... - Izuku Midoriya


I do not own My Hero Academia, it is owned by Horikoshi


Chapter 12 - Set in Stone


It started off as a typical day, I said goodbye to my mother as did Minoru, not knowing it would be the last time either of us would see her alive. Following Hawks and Rocky's visit to our apartment, the Hero Public Safety Commission assigned some agents to watch the place when Gran Torino wasn't in the vicinity (truthfully, I think they were still around). The written portion of the exam went perfectly well at least for most of the class, I don't think Sato, Kaminari, Sero, and Ashido did that well.

Then we discovered we would be versing our teachers instead of robots... - Izuku Midoriya


'Seriously, I'm being teamed up with Kacchan?!' Midoriya thought nervously, 'Against All Might?!'

"THAT'S RIGHT YOU TWO WILL BE FACING YOURS TRULY! The bus is this way."

The two boys boarded the bus after All Might, though instead of being off by himself, Bakugo sat close enough to Midoriya to talk without All Might hearing.

"We're going to need a plan," said Midoriya softly, "We can't take All Might."

"Nerd don't tell me what to do, besides we know he's scared of the old fart," Bakugo chuckled, "You're hanging on to the cuffs." He passed them off to Midoriya to put them in his utility belt that contained first aid equipment mostly. "Also take these, they're labeled, use them when you need a distraction or added firepower."

'This isn't going to end well,' Midoriya thought.


Cityscape Testing Ground:

"Working together was just the pre-requisit boys, it's over!" All Might had one foot on Bakugo while holding Midoriya in the air by his left arm. As Midoriya stopped struggling to get loose, his right arm down by his belt.

"Shut-up..." swore Bakugo as All Might turned his attention to the explosive blond.

CLICK!

"Team Midoriya and Bakugo pass the finals!" came the announcement over the speakers.

"HUH?!" All Might noticed at that moment Midoriya hadn't been giving up, he had been getting out the handcuffs.

"GET OFF ME!"

"OH SORRY!" All Might got off of Bakugo. "Well let's get you checked out," All Might stated after recovering his composure, "and then you can see how the others are doing."


One by one the results came in, Bakugo and I both watched the students trying to complete the practical portion of the final. Todoroki and Yaoyorozu managed to pass, but it looked like Aizawa flubbed it. Uraraka and Kaminari managed to beat Thirteen, but I'm still trying to figure out how, it looked like she got flustered. Ida and Ojiro passed next, with Ida being stuck in the ground. Shinso and Aishido were being run around like rats in a maze. Mineta well he essentially pulled off and incredible act and left Midnight stranded in the middle of the testing area and dragged his partner out... Kirishima and Sato of course failed against Cementoss; while Asui and Tokoyami beat Ectoplasm. Present Mic got beaten by a swarm, and Hagakure and Shoji managed to beat Snipe. That eliminated the possibility of Tokoyami and I from receiving our provisional licenses. - Izuku Midoriya


Classroom (random):

"Let's go over how you did!"

"All Might, drop the act, we all know it's cutting into the time you can be active..." commented Bakugo causing the number one hero to deflate.

"Yeah, I forgot Gran Torino told me you knew," All Might sighed.

"Damn he wasn't kidding," Bakugo muttered, "So you're losing your powers..."

"It isn't young Midoriya's fault," replied All Might, "I was already losing them, by the time I met Midoriya for the first time I was down to 3 hours."

"Okay, so how did we do?" Midoriya asked trying to change the subject.

"You both passed and rather brilliantly I might add, one thing I might note is that you sometimes have a tendency of biting off more than you can chew young Bakugo. Your skills are extraordinary, but you also have to focus on saving people to win. You have winning to save people down solid though."

"So Deku and Bird boy are getting their provisional licenses today, when are we slated to get ours?"

"If all goes well, the end of summer," All Might answered.


Principal Nezu's Office:

The Principal looked at Izuku Midoriya and Fumikage Tokoyami standing across from his desk nervously. Hawks was leaning on the wall to one side, 'Come on, come on, I need to be there...'

"Well I've got some good news, you both passed the written portion and the practical portion of your exam," explained Nezu, "so I can officially take the learner's permits and hand these over to you. Congratulations!"

Both boys looked excited. "T-thank you sir!"

"Not at all, and congratulations Tokoyami for setting a record as the youngest person to get a Provisional License, you beat Midoriya by a little over 3 Months," Nezu commented, "You've both taken a major step in becoming heroes, I wish the two of you luck, just try not to show them off to your classmates."

"I can't wait to show mom!" Midoriya said excitedly taking a screenshot of his Provisional License and sending it to mom and All Might.


Outside the Midoriya Apartment: (Building a Block Away)

"Anything?" came Hawks' voice.

"No, nothing seems out of the ordinary," Rocky sighed, "I really hope Sir Nighteye got the date wrong by a few years." He switched to contact the HPSC agents, "Report in."

"Well she offered us tea," commented one agent over the headset.

"Yeah, sounds like her," Rocky commented, "stay sharp... Guys look alive, it looks like they've shown up." He quickly radioed his boss, as well as sent out a signal for any other heroes in the area as bullets began to fly.


Enroute: (Air)

"Shit, I'm not going to make it," Hawks listened with horror as he could hear people get cut down by bullets or the fact this villain could control metal, 'Where is the police in all of this?'

"There's a Nomu attack in downtown Mustafa..." a voice came over the radio, "Thank goodness All Might showed up."


Inside the Midoriya's Apartment:

"So a child playing hero," said the mocking voice. Rocky took stock of where he landed and a plan formed in his mind, typing in a quick set of numbers onto his wrist device regulating the jet-pack.

'Just a little closer,' thought the Squirrel Hero and seeing his chance he launched his jet-pack at the villain. Who used the metal pipes from the kitchen to block them. "Destruct." The jet-pack exploded, though it wasn't that big of an explosion, but it caused his real target to burst spraying the villain with scalding hot water. He scurried over to Inko Midoriya in the far corner of the kitchen. "We need to get you out of here."

"YOU LITTLE RODENT!" Rocky felt himself be shoved away as a pipe stabbed through the air of where his head had been some other metal objects came raining down.

"Boss we gotta go!" came a voice, "It's coming up on time."

"Right..."

Rocky slowly started to move, though he couldn't get his left arm to work. 'It must be broken...' He thought absently, 'My left eye is swollen shut too, though it's still here."

"Rocky..." came a weak voice.

"Ms. Midoriya?" he looked over at her and what he saw, caused him to start crying, "Why? I was supposed to protect you..."

"Look after him, you, Hawks, All Might, Torino, look after him."

He heard someone land on the balcony, and then the balcony glass door was kicked in by Hawks.

"Ms. Midoriya, Rocky?" Hawks swore upon seeing them, and dialed the emergency number, "I need multiple ambulances stat!" He listened to the response about the fact he should fly whomever there, "Look I'm looking at potentially multiple internal injuries..."

"Hawks..."

"Yes Ms. Midoriya?"

"Look after him..."

"You're trusting me?"

There was no response, and he knew she was dead, the entire apartment complex was a mess, and felt eerie like a tomb, he knew several other bystanders had been killed. He noticed his young sidekick swaying before finally collapsing but Hawks managed to grab him before his head hit the floor. 'He's still breathing and his heart's still beating,' Hawks started performing first aid by breaking a chair and using the pieces to make a splint for his sidekick's arm and checking for other life threatening injuries. He moved on to some of the agents, and discovered that most of them were dead.

Things seemed to go by in a blur as finally the paramedics arrived along with some police.

"Somebody stop that kid!" came a voice.

"MOM!" Hawks looked and saw Izuku there sinking to his knees, "Mom... Is she going to..."

Hawks just shook his head as the paramedics put the surviving agent and Rocky on stretchers.

"I-Izuku," came a weak voice, "I'm sorry we tried..."

"Rocky!" Izuku Midoriya, "What happened?"

"A Villain targeted your mother," Hawks answered gently as the paramedics moved Rocky out of the apartment, 'This guy could control metal, and there some of these people had guns too.'

"W-why?"

"I don't know, we tried to stop it, we had told your mother about what Nighteye foresaw," said Hawks.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the tone from his young protege was accusatory, though truthfully Hawks couldn't blame him. He simply turned on played the video on his phone of Inko.

Young Izuku Midoriya listened to his mother's words and just wept, 'She made him promise not to tell me?! How could she... Mom...'


Gran Torino's Apartment: (2 hours later)

Minoru Mineta sat on Gran Torino's couch, "Did you know? he asked.

"No, and I'm beyond pissed with Mirai for not telling me," Gran Torino fumed, "Or maybe I shouldn't blame him..."

He'd listened to Nezu being interviewed about the situation on TV, and Nezu pointing out the media's speculation of the idea of All Might having a secret love child may have led to this; and then explained that Izuku didn't even have the same blood type as All Might, but instead had the same blood type as Hiashi Midoriya who was in the states, only someone had just murdered him too.

"Do you think they are targeting the families of other students?"

"We think they were specifically targeting Izuku Midoriya," answered Nezu.

"What about the sidekick of Hawks, shouldn't he have done more?" shouted one reporter.

"If you're referring to Rocky, he's currently in serious condition, they just upgraded him from critical," commented a Police Spokesperson, "The people he faced off against were no joke, and he immediately called for backup when he saw stuff go down. He was up against someone that could likely have given Endeavor a hard time. It is our understanding the villain didn't get away unscathed either..." The television went off.

"Huh?"

"It looks like Rocky isn't being blamed for this which is a relief."

"Why would he be blamed?"

"Cause they failed to save her," Gran Torino commented, "However, given his extremely small stature, childish looks, and his 'cute fuzzy appearance', most people think of him as a hero that is there to help with small children. He normally has a reputation as being eyes in the sky and calling out things to heroes on the ground to help them with rescue or capturing villains, or with helping kids in an emergency; most people don't know about his underground hero work, and those that do are aware he called for help as soon as those attackers showed up."

"So he isn't being blamed because..."

"Nobody expects him to be able to have done more than slow down the villains, also the fact he called for help and nobody came till it was too late..." Gran Torino sighed, "Also his association with Hawks it would reflect badly on the HPSC, since Hawks won't throw his sidekick under the bus; however in this case there were a few other minor pro-heroes that should have shown up, it also helps the recordings of the communications got leaked."

"Good, he wouldn't deserve being thrown by the wayside like that," said Mineta before asking, "Where's Izzy?"

"At a safe house," Gran Torino answered.

"I should be there."

"You'll see him tomorrow," he sighed.

"No, him being alone isn't healthy."

"Hawks is there."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"You're staying here for tonight, then when they decide what to do with Izuku, they're likely going to keep you with him."


Safe House:

Hawks walked up behind Midoriya hesitantly.

"I'm not mad at you," Midoriya stated.

"What?"

"Hawks, I'm not mad at you, it was just like Mom to have you protect me," he stated, "Do they know who did it?"

"You're not going after them."

"I didn't say I was, if I run across them that's one thing, but I'm not going to pull an Ida," the boy replied evenly.

"That's good," replied Hawks, "All that hand chopping is scary."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Well the guy could manipulate metal with his quirk," stated Hawks, "The HPSC's best guess is a mercenary and thug for hire known as Wolfram, but they aren't sure. Nezu told me that you have the day off tomorrow, you'll see Minoru Mineta tomorrow afternoon, I'll make sure to get him to where you both will be staying."

"He shouldn't be anywhere near me..."

"Bullshit, he's a hero trainee the same as you," Hawks retorted, "and to him it was an attack on his family too."

Midoriya nodded, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Hawks stated, "Let's get you fed, cleaned up, and put to bed."

"How's Rocky?"

"Well he'll recover, though he's not going hunting for them either," answered Hawks.

"So what now?"

"I'm going to be taking you to I-Expo," answered Hawks, "The powers that be don't want me going after those responsible either."

"Because this is personal for you..."

"Pretty much."

"What about my dad, is he saying I need to go State-side?"

"So they didn't tell you?"

"What?"

"Jeez, they must really hate me to have to keep being the one to give you bad news, it looks like your father is dead too, and there's going to be a custody fight for you."

"Shouldn't I be able to..."

"No, you may have your provisional license but you are still a little under age, and you need someone looking after you, and don't try to pass it off to Mineta, he's younger than you."

"Huh?"

"Anyways, I think All Might has weighed in to try to become your legal guardian, Nezu has as well, apparently the Bakugo family has weighed as well, then of course I've thrown in my hat for the custody fight," he shrugged, "Given you are a target, you will probably end up with a pro-hero."

"So, I don't have any say?"

"Not at this point in time," Hawks sighed, "Don't worry, that guy stirred up a real hornet's nest. They'll find him."


U.A. Class 1-A: (The next Day)

"Uh guys, where's Midoriya?" asked Kaminari, "Mineta's here and he isn't..."

"You moron, don't you watch the news?" Bakugo asked.

"I generally try to avoid it, cause it's depressing, what happened?"

"His mom got killed in a villain attack," commented Sero, "It apparently happened while he was at school."

"Does anyone know how he's doing?" asked Uraraka, "Mineta?"

"We got separated and I was sent to another place for the night," Mineta answered, "I can't tell you where."

"Can't or won't?" Hagakure challenged.

"That's it!" Mineta snapped back, shaking with rage, "Right now I'm worried sick about Midoriya, he's like the brother I've never had. I may not be perfect, I know I've got my failings, but I've had enough of your remarks!"

"Okay that's enough," Aizawa broke in, "class has started."

"As you are all now aware, Izuku Midoriya's mother was murdered yesterday," Aizawa began, "We are already aware of the motive, it was because the villain had bought into the rumor that Midoriya was All Might's secret love child."

"Isn't he All Might's secret love child?" asked Todoroki.

"Please tell me you weren't spreading the rumor," sighed Aizawa.

"No, I had only asked him about it, which he denied," replied Todoroki.

"Well, just so you know, he isn't," Aizawa answered, "His mother's blood type was B negative, All Might's is A; Izuku Midoriya's is O negative, which matches his father's blood type. Now changing subjects, to those of you that didn't pass: Ashido, Kirishima, Sero, Sato, and Shinso; you will still be going to the Summer Camp, you'll need the extra lessons more than anyone."

"I can't believe we fell for another trick," Ida commented.

"You mean logical ruse," replied Mineta.

"So what's going to happen to Midoriya?" asked Uraraka.

"He's still in class 1-A," Aizawa replied, "Principal Nezu told me he wouldn't be in today given what happened, they're having to salvage what they can of his personal belongings and move him to a safe location, you'll see him at summer camp."


Lunch Period:

"Hey Mineta," greeted Shoda Nirengenki sitting down at the table where Mineta had been sitting by himself.

"What's going on?" Mineta looked at him, "You here to continue..."

"I'm not Monoma, like you I consider Midoriya to be a friend, do you know how he is?"

"No we got split up immediately, I can't say where I was and I don't know where Midoriya is," Mineta answered.

"I understand," Nirengenki replied, "Just let him know, I'm there if he needs to talk about it. I'm also there if you need to talk about it."

"You know about the situation with my mother, right?"

"Bits and pieces," answered Nirengenki honestly, "I don't know all the particulars."

"Well I had started to see Ms. Midoriya as my mom, and Izuku as my brother," Mineta explained, "First USJ and now this..."

"I probably wouldn't be dealing with this as well as you to be honest," the Class 1-B vice representative confided, "I know it is hard for you, but quite a few other students would have fallen apart. Also that villain in my opinion made a serious mistake."

"How so?"

"Izuku and you are both really scary when you're pissed off," he replied.

"I'm not going vigilante, and neither is Izuku." Mineta answered, 'Even if I have to stick his feet to the floor.'

"Knowing his luck though, he's going to end up facing him." the short (though still taller than Mineta), heavy-set boy sighed.

"Hopefully not this time, though maybe we could convince people to set Stain the Hero Killer loose on the guy," Mineta joked.

"Good the goofball is still in there," the other boy smirked, "I asked the pro I interned under about this, and if that person is still in Japan, they'll find him."

"He won't be in Japan," muttered Mineta.

"Why do you say that?"

"He was too well organized to be that stupid," replied Mineta.


Entrance of U.A. High:

Mineta was surprised to learn that they would have a few weeks off before the start of summer camp, 'I'd been thinking of getting a temp job on I-Island, but Izuku needs me, hell I'm not sure I'd do a very good job in my state of mind. I really don't get why Aizawa told me to grab my hero suit, sure I can see grabbing Midoriya's, he has the provisional license...'

"Hey so you're Mineta," came a voice above him, he looked up and saw Hawks.

"Yeah, so I take it you're taking me to where-ever?"

"Good guess."

"You have someone watching Izuku?"

"Yes, though I pointed out to him he doesn't have the skill set to track the guy in any case," Hawks remarked as a Black SUV pulled up and they got in, ordinarily Mineta would have balked at getting into a strange car but Hawks was the Number 3 pro hero and Midoriya's mentor, 'Besides Gran Torino told me that Hawks was the one watching Izuku anyways.'

"So are those the suits?"

"Yeah, so you told Aizawa to bring them?"

"Yup."

"We going somewhere?"

"Mineta, how would you like to go to I-Island for the Expo?"

"What's the catch?" he asked cynically.

"Well Ryukyu suggested it would be good for a change of scenery, it may help you with meditation," Hawks shrugged, but Mineta relaxed at that realizing Hawks did indeed talk to the Dragon Hero.

"I take it Midoriya is going too," he commented.

"How many of you people are psychic anyways?"

"It was simple logic, you're likely having Midoriya go abroad briefly to keep him from doing anything crazy, and this is your attempt to make sure I don't either, and I'm guessing Rocky will be going too," Mineta deduced, "You did make one mistake, Izuku tends to be a trouble magnet."

"I've noticed, and your deduction was slightly off," Hawks stated, "Rocky isn't going to I-Island, I am, he's in no shape to travel, and they're concerned this is personal for me."

Mineta nodded, "I guess even the Number 3 can have problems."

"Well the objectives for this is to have some fun, I know Tokoyami will show up later, originally he would have been the one coming with, but..."

"He suggested I be the one to go," finished Mineta.

"When we leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"What about the funeral?"

"It was already done this morning," Hawks replied and Mineta's eyes narrowed angrily.

"It was her wishes, and Midoriya was barely able to make it through the thing," Hawks sighed.

"All Might was there?"

"Yes."

"Why not me?"

"We had to make it as difficult as possible for you to be targeted next," Hawks answered.

"Wait isn't us leaving now about a week early for I-Expo?"

"Yeah, you see this isn't entirely a vacation," Hawks commented, "Have you ever heard of a David Shields?"


Notes:

Yup, I intend for I-Island to be in the story, with some other characters being in the mix. As always if people have thoughts about the chapter, I do read the comments people give.