It took me a minute to realize where I was, once I came to. Partly because this was only my second time in the infirmary. And partly because I had two windows blocking my view, and neither of them was the regular notice that I was fully healed.
Which the dull throbbing in my left wrist and hand corroborated.
The first window was the standard notice that I had leveled up, and thus gained seven attribute points and three skills points. I went through my normal ritual and bumped my Luck up another point. Even though I had just put six points into it and still wasn't entirely sure what it did.
Before I could check out the other window, I heard the shuffling of cloth and a somewhat familiar voice. So I pushed it off to the side.
"So you are awake," Recovery Girl addressed me softly, "Earlier than I thought. You may have noticed I didn't heal you. I decided to take you at you word about your powers. Partly so I could observe them. But mostly because if you are right, it meant I could save my Quirk for the others. I did give you a nutrient drip. If you want a pain killer, let me know."
When mentioning the others, I glanced over at the rest of the beds. The one closest to the window was blocked off by curtains. The bed next to it held a mummy. And between the mummy and I was All Might, no Yagi Toshinori-sensei. He was still wearing the same suit. However one pant leg was rolled up, revealing the bandaged ankle.
"Thirteen was mostly fine," she explained, noticing my interest, "other than a heavy concussion. Which is dangerous enough. All Might's ankle was a mess, but he should be ready to go shortly."
"I would have already left," the Symbol of Peace protested, "But you insisted I stay. And I did want to be able to talk to young Midoriya when he woke up."
"I already treated and release Penryu-chan," Recovery Girl ignored him, "Which leaves Eraserhead, who needed most of my power and may still need follow-up treatments. But I understand he owes you his life."
"Wha... why?" I whispered in genuine confusion. How did she know? I hadn't told anyone else that I had partially healed Aizawa-sensei. Brought him back above zero Health. Ami probably suspected, but she couldn't be sure. And the idea that she might have betrayed me... stung. Though I could understand if she thought it was important for sensei's treatment.
"You caught him, didn't you," Recovery Girl raised an eyebrow, "and unless I miss my guess, used your Quirk to bleed off his inertia in the process. Given the beating that monster gave him, a fall from that height would have finished him. They also said you defended him when the monster tried to finish the job."
"I guess I hadn't thought of it like that," I admitted honestly. She was right, though.
"I'd like to keep you here a little longer," the doctor admitted, "But your mother is anxious to see you. And Detective Tsukauchi would like to have a brief interview with you. So I'll let the two of you use my office. Once you are done talking, Midoriya-kun is free to leave, but I expect you back here, Yagi-kun."
I nodded. All Might nodded, but more slowly. Recovery Girl regarded us for a moment, then removed our respective IVs. We both climbed out of bed, and sensei led me to the side door.
"Is it okay for you to be in that form," I asked softly, as he reached for the door.
'Tsukauchi has a lie detector Quirk,' All Might told us all over Guild Chat, 'He is a friend and he knows my secrets...'
'That makes me wonder what kinds of secrets All Might would have,' Kyoka noted, a sharp hint to her mental voice. That reminded me that we hadn't told the newer half of the Knights about sensei's injury. I wondered if I should ask him about that. After all, he told us for his and our safety in the Dungeons.
'And I will likely be revealing some of them soon,' he told us, amused. Then he sobered, 'But in the mean time, I have made him aware that Izuku is an Irregular. That way he won't press any further, if you have to dissemble about your abilities.'
Recovery Girl's office was large. Aside from her desk and office chair, there was also a sofa and three matching armchairs. I took the sofa, partly out of expecting Mom to want to fuss over me. And partly because I could set wrist on the plush armrest, keeping it elevated.
A moment later the main door open, and Mom walked in quickly. She looked at my battered limb and frowned. But she didn't say anything, just took the spot next to me. Her expression relaxed as she nodded at sensei.
The man who followed her was tall, though not as tall as All Might. He had short black hair, and an unassuming, almost plain, face. He was wearing a black suit, tan long-coat, and carrying a tan fedora.
"Good afternoon, Midoriya-kun," he addressed me, "I am Tsukauchi Naomasa, a detective with the Mustafa division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Force. I am the lead investigator for the attack on the USJ. I am also friend and confidant of Toshinori-san."
I nodded, while in the back of my mind I wondered which Arcana his Confidant would be.
"I have already spoken to about half of your classmates," he continued, "While my colleagues talked to the others and are questioning the Villains. We haven't been able to talk to Thirteen and Eraserhead yet, but we will once they have recovered. So I would like to hear what happened, from your point of view. Whatever you can remember, whatever you think is relevant. And when you are done, I may have a few questions for you. Is that alright?"
"So long as you remember that his powers are outside the scope of the investigation," All Might reminded him.
"Yes," he smiled kindly.
"Okay," I started, "Well, it was just after noon. We had finished our morning training and were eating lunch, when Kurogiri's gate opened up at the top of the stairs, between us and the main doors..."
I told him about the Villains arrival. That they were looking for All Might, but since he wasn't there, their leaders decided to kill us instead. I said that Shigaraki had killed one of his minions for speaking out of turn. I spoke about Aizawa-sensei's plan, and how Mikoto, Ami, and Tsu and I had taken out a handful of the mooks up front. I explained that Kurogiri had tried to prevent us from leaving. I had tried to push back his mists, but failed.
"Actually," Tsukauchi interrupted me there, "According to your classmates Yaoyorozu and Iida, you may have partially succeeded. They said that after you were scattered, Kurogiri complained that something interfered with his gate. 'Pushed it back' they both said. That is why the five of them were left behind with Thirteen."
I considered that, and then resumed my story.
As I talked about the short battle on the snowy mountain, I glanced over at Mom. She was listening, taking it all in. She was not happy, but she didn't protest or otherwise interrupt me. By the time my tale returned to the square, I was getting a bit thirsty. All Might must have realized, because he got up and fetched a bottle of water for me. Did every member of the UA faculty have a mini-fridge in their office?
Sipping the water occasionally, I finished my recollection.
"Thank you," the detective said, "I have two questions. First, can you describe the man you saw in the pocket space?"
"Not well," I said, "It was a quick glimpse, and his back was to me. And there weren't any convenient surfaces for me to see a reflection. He is 185 centimeters tall, give or take three cms depending on how is legs fit into the chair. His hair was black, and really big and wavy. And, of course, his neck was missing. Not that it probably matters, but he was wearing a white, long-sleeve shirt, and dark blue exercise pants."
"Thank you," he said, "I knew it was a longshot, but any information helps. I will make sure my officers know what to look for. And my second question was if you can shed any more light on the creature Nomu. You fought it longer than anyone else. And I am told you are quite adapt at Quirk analysis. So I am hoping you might have some insight into the multiple Quirks the Villains claim Nomu has."
I very deliberately looked at Yagi-sensei. He inclined his head slightly.
"Nomu has five Quirks," I said.
"Five?" Tsukauchi cut me off incredulously, "How could you know..."
He trailed off as All Might gave him a pointed glare.
"Right," the detective settled down, "My apologies. I was just shocked. Please continue."
I told him what Nomu's Quirks were, and what I knew about how they worked. I left out the game terms like HP and SP. Instead I framed it as 'regenerating makes him tired, like exercise'. It was a bit difficult to explain [Pure Muscle] without using Attributes, but I think I got the point across.
"Thank you," Tsukauchi told me, closing his notebook, "I will be in touch if we need anything else from you. Though that does not seem likely at this point."
He stood, bowed, and then left.
"How are you doing, Izuku?" Mom asked evenly, after the detective was gone.
"A little shaken," I said, "and my arm hurts a bit, but that will be better by morning. What about you? And why are you here?"
"Well, I didn't just fight against an army of Villains," she said blithely, "but I would not say I have had a good day. And I am here because my meetings from Monday were rescheduled for this afternoon. Though both Midnight and Hado-chan skipped them, so I suppose we will have to reschedule again."
"You aren't upset?" I asked carefully.
"I am quite angry with those Villains," she said, "And somewhat annoyed with the school."
Then she sighed, "But I've accepted that you will end up in danger, and I have seen you in combat enough in Dungeons, that I trust you in these sorts of situations."
"Also, please add me to your party again," she didn't quite look at me as she made the request. I went to the guild tab and added her. She then looked at the side of my head, and asked, "What is that alert?"
"I was wondering as well," Yagi-sensei said, "But I didn't want to mention it."
"I haven't looked yet," I admitted, "It was there when I woke up. But Recovery Girl came over before I could read it..."
I pulled the window back into view, and turned so they could also see it.
[Secret Quest 'Meet and Greet the League' completed
Survive the League of Villains' attack on the USJ with no allied casualties.
Reward:
Guild Hall Perk: Kitchen
Bonus Objective: Whittle Down the League (Complete)
Eliminate 75% of the League's cannon fodder.
Reward:
Gamer Gift Card (50,000,000¥)
Bonus Objective: Remove the Head or Destroy the Brain (Failed)
Eliminate the three leaders of the League of Villains.
Failure Penalty:
Continued existence and increased enmity of the League.
Claim the Rewards:
(Accept)(Decline)]
"Do with think if you decline, it will also prevent the penalty?" Mom asked hopefully. All Might and I looked at it. Remembered the League, and Shigaraki's parting words.
"No," we answered in unison.
"That ship has already sailed," Yagi-sensei continued, then his frown shifted slightly, and he added, "I'm more curious about these rewards."
"The first one is easy," I said, "Guild Tab."
The window popped up. Unfortunately, the Quest result was partially covering it, so I just hit accept. Then I opened the Perks slide out, and closed the Guild Perks sub-tree, so only the Guild Hall Perks were showing. Then I scrolled down to 'Kitchen', which conveniently was the only one with a green check mark next to it.
"Guild Hall Perk, Kitchen," I read, "Prerequisites, Guild Master I Talent, active Guild Hall. Cost, five million yen. Benefits, converts the Guild Hall's galley into a 1st class kitchen, providing bonuses to Cooking skills and food items. Users must still provide ingredients. Increases food item selection in Shop. Unlocks, Guild Hall Perk, World Class Kitchen and Guild Hall Perk, Pantry."
"So when we are able to afford the Guild Hall," Mom said, almost wistfully, "It will come with an upgraded kitchen."
"Do you want me to Analyze, and see if it says anything more?" I asked her.
"Maybe later," she decided, "what about the gift card?"
"It is money that can only be used for the Shop or Guild Perks," I told them, after checking the new entry in the manual. I switched over to Inventory. Under my Wallet, there was another new box labeled 'Gift Balance'. Naturally, it had fifty million yen listed.
"It would appear The Gamer wants you to acquire the Guild Hall," All Might said with a raised eyebrow.
"Maybe we should talk to the ladies about reserving a reasonable percentage of the loot for that," Mom suggested.
"That sounds like an excellent idea," All Might told her.
"Probably a better discussion to have in person," I recommended, thinking of a certain friend.
"Well, lets go home first," Mom suggested, "You need a good meal for that arm, and then we can ask the others over in chat."
The remains of the League of Villains had returned to the ramshackle club that served as their headquarters. Kurogiri was behind the bar, serving the drinks. Shigaraki was at the bar, swirling the suds of a beer he had barely sipped. Harley was on the stool next to him, but was also half-draped over him. Her colorful, fruity cocktail was half-emptied. Stheno and Mindy were at the table furthest from their leader, tucked into the corner and sporting non-alcoholic beverages. Shigaraki might have been wearing his two fingered gloves again. But they knew it would only buy them seconds if he snapped and decided to kill something.
"What's the matter, puddin'?" Harley prompted gently.
"Sensei lied to me," he growled, "To us."
Harley didn't react. She very specifically did not react. Kurogiri's eyes widened and he stepped away from the couple.
"Whatcha mean?" she pressed carefully.
"One hundred and eight of us, and we get beaten by a bunch of kids and two trash draw Heroes that I wouldn't even use for XP fodder," he groused.
"They didn't actually win," Harley pointed out, "They just held us off long enough for All Might and Midnight to show up."
"And that's the other thing!" Shigaraki's rage grew, "Nomu was supposed to be a match for All Might, and yet some punk held him off. All Might was supposed to be weaker, but it sure didn't look that way from where I was standing."
"That was less of a lie than a miscalculation."
The TV at the end of the bar switched itself on. It showed only static, but a smooth, sinister voice emerged from it.
"What do you mean, Sensei?" Kurogiri asked to try to keep things from escalating.
"From the video Kurogiri collected after the jamming ended," the voice explained, "All Might is certainly weaker and slower than the last time I faced him. But he has not fallen so far as I expected. In addition, he appears to be making up the difference in skill. His attacks were far more accurate, and had a better flow, than that man has ever exhibited before. Today, instead of a street tough, he almost looked like an actual fighter."
"So it's a 'Karate Lessons for The Tick' sorta situation," Harley pursed her lips as she asked. Everyone turned to look at her in confusion.
"Right, you all are Japanese," she rolled her eyes, "Though I'd expect you to know your tropes, Puddin', considering how into games you are."
"She is referring to the situation where a power type is forced to learn technique," the TV explained, "rather than rely on pure physicality."
"Or elemental types who learn control or what else their element can do beyond pure blastin'," Harley added, "But Sensei gets it."
"So what do you suggest we do, Sensei?" Tomura asked, calming as much as he ever did.
"To start, we begin recruiting again," the voice answered, "While you have found two solid candidates amongst the chaff..."
Stheno and Mindy brightened slightly at that.
"... this time we will focus more on established power than raw numbers," he continued, "Also, I would like to hear more about this boy that could match Nomu. As Kurogiri was not able to capture any substantial footage of him..."
After an extra-large helping of Second Day Ramen, I retired to my room. I didn't have any homework, given the way today had gone. And most of the other Knights were corralled by worried parents, so we couldn't meet today. I had been planning to go to bed early. Instead, I ended up sitting at my desk, scribbling in my notebook. About Ami's and Mo-chan's limitations. About how the Quirks of the Villains who escaped seemed to work, and how to counter them. Hair gel or even just glue would probably stop the one called Mindy, for example.
Caught up as I was in that, I naturally missed someone knocking on our front door or ringing our bell. At least I think that must have happened, because I was roused by a sharp rap to my bedroom door. Still muttering to myself about Gorgon Shot, I crossed the room on autopilot.
"All Might?" my concentration snapped like a twig, when I saw who was waiting for me. He was in his emaciated form, but still filled most of the doorway.
"Good evening, young Midoriya," he said, "I was hoping to have a talk with you in private. Inko said you were still awake, and invited me to stop by."
So maybe our home phone had rang and I missed that? Or did All Might have Mom's cel number, too?
"Sure," I said, nervously stepping back, "Come in."
He did, and closed the door behind him. I offered him my desk chair. I took the bed, thinking to would be too strange the other way around. And less comfortable for him.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked.
"I want to start by telling you an old story," he said, "old, but true. It is the story of two brothers, from not so very long after Quirks started to become widespread."
He proceeded to tell me about the mismatched brothers. The older brother was strong, charismatic, and possessed what could easily be called the ultimate Quirk, even today. The ability to take Quirks, to either use them or give them away. He used this power to rule over Japan on two levels. On the surface he was a blessed savior, giving normalcy back to those who hated their Quirks. And granting Quirks to those who were born without but craved them. He also gathered power in the underworld, bringing criminals under his banner with the gift of power. While openly taking Quirks from those who asked, he also stole Quirks he desired or feared from his enemies. His real name was lost to history, perhaps deliberately. But he is still remembered in rumor and whisper as All For One.
The younger brother was the opposite. Neither handsome, nor ugly, simply plain. Not given to athletic prowess. And born without a Quirk. But the younger brother also had a strong sense of justice, and did all he could to oppose his brother. He tried to reveal All For One's crimes to Japan. He never succeeded. Finally, All For One had had enough.
"He said that if is brother wanted to be a Hero, he would give him a chance," All Might explained, "Love and sympathy, anger and mockery. All For One forced upon his brother what was both the weakest and strongest Quirk he had collected. A Quirk that could store power, building it up and growing stronger over time. But All For One was impatient. And he thought that his weaker brother would be unable to use it properly."
He paused for a drink and to consider, "What neither brother knew, but both quickly learned, was that the younger was not actually Quirkless. He had a Quirk that was fundamentally the opposite of his brother's. A Quirk that could be given away freely, but could never be stolen. The second Quirk did its job, storing up the power of the first Quirk. But because it could not take it without permission, it meant that the younger brother became aware of what was happening. He understood, and allowed his second Quirk to take his first. To merge with it. The two became one, and he called this new power One For All."
"A reference to the Three Musketeers and direct opposition to his brother's power," I mused. I suspected where this might be going, but did not want to make assumptions.
"I had not thought of that," All Might admitted, "One For All tried to fight All For One. But he failed. He was able to weaken his brother's power base, and recruit allies. And he worked as hard as he could, to strengthen himself and One For All at the same time. In the end, he was no match for his brother. All For One's patience ran out, and he finished his brother. But not before One For All was passed on."
"First Holder, Second Holder, Third Holder," I recalled, "The first three mid-bosses in your dungeon. All Might, are you the Eighth Holder of One For All?"
"Yes," he agreed, "Like you have just calculated. I have suspected, since I realized who the First Holder mid-boss was, that the seven mid-bosses in my dungeon are my predecessors. And I am indeed the eighth bearer of this torch."
"Does that mean One For All is effectively nine Quirks bundled into one?" I asked, more to myself than to All Might, "But All Might only has enhanced physical abilities. No, also the transformation aspect could be separate. And maybe the successors all chose physical types? Or All Might is just limiting himself?"
"Actually," he cut me off with an embarrassed cough, "I had never even considered that. But now that I have seen One For All's Talent list, I can confirm that. Part of me wanted immediately to unlock my master's original Quirk, Float. But I realized there are multiple reasons not to do so."
"And also, your count is off," he said more softly, "Because like you, no part of this is a power I was born with. Before receiving One For All, I too was Quirkless."
I let that sink in for a moment. Then I had to ask.
"Why are you telling me all this, Sensei?"
"Five years ago, I had finally fulfilled my legacy. I defeated All For One, once and for all. The fact that I nearly died in the process was a small price to pay. Or so I thought..."
"Nomu," I blurted out, "It has five Quirks. That means..."
"While it is possible that this is a new and unrelated case," All Might nodded, "I doubt it. Now that I am considering it, I can almost see his fingerprints on this 'League'. And not just in the Nomu. I believe All For One has survived, and is back."
"So you want to warn me about this?" I frowned, "But why just me? Wouldn't you tell the whole school? Or at least the Guild? Or the other teachers?"
"All pro heroes know about All For One," he explained, "Or at least most do. Those who have proven themselves."
"No, there is a different reason," he regarded me carefully, "And given your intelligence and Hero fandom, I have to think you are willfully ignoring it."
I did not answer.
"I am not young, Izuku," he called me by name for what I think was the first time, "Even if your attempt to restore me succeeds..."
"it will," I said softly, not willing to consider the alternative.
"... I have one, maybe two decades left as a Hero. And that is the best case scenario. If All For One is not only back, but on the move, I have to believe he will come after me. But even more than that, the main reason I came to UA was to look for a successor. There is one student, a third year, who was suggested to me. I have met him, and while I think he would be fine, I just did not feel the spark."
"The reason the First Holder wanted to fight me and Cassandra," I said, "He was sizing us up."
"One For All has grown powerful indeed," he agreed, nodding, "So much that it might be a danger to the next heir. Young Cain's precise control and ability to read her own movements would help her in that regard. And with The Gamer, your ability to understand and assimilate it would be near perfect. Not to mention if you did hurt yourself, your multiple recovery abilities should prevent any damage from being permanent. Both the Second and Third Holder agreed, though the Third also thought young Misaka would also be a good choice."
Unlike our spar with the First, the Second and Third had been normal battles. Though this did explain the cryptic statements they had all thrown out.
"But today, when I saw you charge between Shigaraki and young Mizuno," All Might told me, "I remembered my early days. I remembered what my master told me, about a Hero moving without thinking..."
"But I did think," I protested, "With Gamer's Mind and my own increased attributes, I ran through a few scenarios. That one was just the best way I could come up with to save Ami. Maybe if I had had some more time..."
"Nevertheless," he smiled, "when it came down to it, that was your choice.
"So, then, ummm," I mumbled, "Are you asking me to be your heir? The next holder of One For All?"
"Indeed, young Midoriya," his voice shifted slightly closer to his Hero mode, "I believe that you are the right one to carry this torch."
"Would you still say that," I prompted softly, "if you knew I was a killer?"
"What?" he said incredulously.
"My first plan to save Ami involved killing Shigaraki," I said, "Or at least maiming him. Using Ki Slice to behead or dismember him. I only rejected that plan because I wasn't sure how quickly that would disable his Quirk. Or even if it would at all. There were too many unknowns. Too much chance Ami might be killed."
"Then after I was there, Decay eating away at my TK Armor, I was going to do it. To cut him, and try to save myself. Or at least stop him from hurting anyone else if he did kill me. If Snipe-sensei had been even two seconds later, I would have killed Shigaraki Tomura."
"That's part of my power. The Gamer's Mind separates me, partitions me. Just like an enemy doesn't scare a player. And a player doesn't think twice about destroying an enemy... Well, depending on the type of game I guess. Because of it, I am less affected by negative emotions in general. And in an actual fight, it kicks in further. And I find it harder to care if I am forced to kill."
"But you regret it now," All Might countered, "I can see that much."
"Yes, but..." I tried to argue, but he held up a hand.
"Young Midoriya, Heroes kill. Even I have. Three times, to be precise. I thought it was four until today. In the midst of battle, we have choices. And killing is one of them. It should always be the last one. But if the last choice becomes the only choice... If letting a Villain live means ten or twenty or one hundred innocent will die? I saw that Villain. Not as much as you did. But it was enough. He will kill because he enjoys it. Because he doesn't even consider that he shouldn't."
I thought about the wolf-faced Villain. Turned to dust for talking out of turn. No hesitation. I don't think the idea of just berating him, or hitting him, ever passed through Shigaraki's mind.
"I am glad you did not kill him," All Might said, "For what it would have done to you. Because it would obviously eat you up even worse. But at the same time, a part of me wishes you had. Because you were in no shape to capture him, and would not have had the chance with that dimension warper."
"And one more thing I have to ask. Could you have done it?" He held up his hand when I started to talk, "Your power is like a game. I've seen your Gondor Smashes enough in my Dungeon. They are not one hit kills. They lower the opponent's HP. If you had fired off your strongest possible Gondor Smash, would it have been enough to reduce Shigaraki Tomura's Health to zero? Or would you have simply reduce his HP and opened a survivable cut across his throat?"
I took a deep breath, considering what he said.
"So no," sensei told me, "I will not rescind my offer."
"Can I think about it?" I asked, after a few moments.
"May I ask why?"
"Because, what we just discussed aside, I'm still not sure I'm the best candidate. Plus, even if The Gamer might make it easier, it would still mean learning a new Quirk in the middle of my first semester. And I've got a lot on my plate already. And on top of all that, we don't know for sure how well The Gamer and One For All would mesh. Maybe it would be great. Or maybe because one is a Quirk and the other is not... I want to think about it, maybe do another dive into the manual. Look at everyone else's Quirks, if they agree, to see how they fit into a more limited slice of The Gamer my Guild mates have..."
"Taking the time to consider this and do some research is wise and commendable," he agreed, "But don't take too long. We do have a deadline."
"Okay," I agreed. Then my lips dipped down again, "All Might, when are you going to tell Ami and the others about your injury? You may still end up transforming back in front of them in a Dungeon..."
I wasn't the first one into class; as usual Iida-san and Momo were there first. But Mo-chan was also already there for a change. I walked over to her.
"Is your elbow okay, Mo-chan?" I asked her, slightly anxiously. She had been the most injured member of our class. Well, besides me, and I didn't count.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled sharply, rotating her right arm easily, "Recovery Girl did wonders. And..."
All three swords popped into existence behind her.
"It looks like the clown bitch broke the connection," she continued, "But whatever she did, it didn't stop me from re-establishing the bond."
"And what about you, Iida-san," I turned and asked, as a few more of my classmates filtered in, "It looked like you were trapped in an uncomfortable position."
"My back was a bit sore, once Ashido freed me," he admitted, "But a few ibuprofen and a good night's sleep has sorted it out."
"What about you?" Kirishima asked me as he sat down, "I heard from Ashido that your arm was pretty messed up."
I held up my hand and wiggled my fingers. Everything was back to normal.
"My power naturally pulls my body back together," I told them, "So long as I have the nutrients and energy. Recovery Girl checked me out, but wanted to see how well it works. I'm guessing I'll have to go..."
"GOOD MORNING, STUDENTS," All Might's booming voice echoed across classroom 1-A, "I AM HERE... Because Aizawa-sensei is still in traction for the day."
Most of us winced.
"According to Recovery Girl," he continued at a more normal volume, "He can make a full recovery. But since she doesn't trust him not to aggravate his injuries before that, she is holding him at least through the weekend. So I will act as your homeroom teacher today and tomorrow, but you should have him back on Monday."
I let out a sigh of relief.
"Now, as for all of you," he looked at us intently, "After everything that happened yesterday, we have decided that you could use a day to relax and decompress. So you will not be having normal classes today."
A few of my classmates grinned happily. But most of us took a longer view.
"So for today, you can choose to remain here and simply spend time with your friends. You can go to the library for independent study. Or principal Nezu has designated pool alpha for 1-A's sole use today, if you would rather soak up some sun and get a light workout. Finally, Counsellor Hound Dog will be available in his office, if any of you need or want to talk about yesterday. Or really anything, I suppose. You don't have to do only one of those things, but we do ask that you not disrupt the other classes."
All Might stopped, but then seemed to remember something and added, "I also want to remind you that while next week will be normal, the week after that you will have midterms on Monday and Tuesday. And Wednesday through Friday will be the Sports Festival. So take that into account."
"What's pool Alpha?" Kirishima asked, a light smirk on his face.
"UA has four pools," I explained before All Might could, "Alpha is just a normal pool. The other three are used for specific training. Beta is two hundred meters deep. Gamma is an infinity pool that can go as fast as a raging river. And Delta can handle a variety of non-water liquid environments, like chemicals or quicksand."
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you," Sero-san piped up, "But a swim sounds good to me."
"It is not a bad idea," All Might agreed sagely, obviously implying something.
"Then I suggest we all make use of the pool in the morning," Iida-san shifted into class president mode, "Since we would have to wait after lunch. Then in the afternoon we can review as a class for midterms."
"Sounds good to me," Ashido-chan agreed boisterously. Toru clapped her her hands happily. Ochako and Ami were both smiling shyly. Mo-chan just smirked.
"Then let us all head to the locker rooms, and meet at the pool," Iida instructed.
As we left I found myself looking at Ami. And not just because we were going to be around tons of water. Or because she had nearly been killed twice the previous day. She caught me looking and blushed slightly. So did Tsu, which made me feel terrible. I caught my best friend and borderline girl friend's eyes, and twitched my head. Then I turned away from the rest of 1-A.
"Where you going, Izuku?" Kyoka asked.
"There's something I want to check in the library first," I told them, "I'll catch up in a little while."
The others nodded, though Cassandra looked dubious. Probably having seen through me.
"I'll go with you," Tsu offered.
"Okay, we'll see you later," Ochako waved at us.
It only took us a minute to get there. Since it was the start of first period, and no class was using it, the library was empty. Still, we made our way to one of the small tables, deep in the stacks but near the window.
"You wanted to talk to me?" Tsu started. I nodded, and she continued before I could.
"Is this about you falling for Ami?" she asked.
I blinked. Then asked carefully, "You knew?"
"Izuku, I love you," she said with a hint of amusement, "And I've been your best friend for basically a year. Of course I noticed."
"Tsu, this doesn't mean I..." I tried to reassure her, but realized I would just sound like a condescending jerk.
"Sorry," I said, "I guess I really am the worst."
"Why?" she sounded genuinely confused.
"Because I like you too," I said, angry at myself, "Like 'like' like. Like if we hadn't agreed to take it slow because of UA..."
"And yesterday sure validated that decision," she interrupted darkly.
"... I would have already asked you to be my girlfriend," I continued, but also nodded in agreement, "And yet here I am, developing the same feelings for Ami..."
"Well, not the same," I said after a moment of considering my memories, " The warmth in my chest and spark in my brain are the basically the same. But when and why I feel them is different."
"Sorry," I repeated even more softly, "You probably didn't want to hear that."
"Actually, I kinda did, kero."
"Tsu?" I looked at her, confused.
"Izuku, do you want your Mom to fall in love again, to be happy?"
"Of course," I insisted, my bewilderment growing.
"Even though she loved your father first?"
I saw where she was going, and countered, "This isn't the same."
"Why not? Because she probably hasn't met that second person yet, rather than knowing them at the same time?"
She put her hand on mine, "Izuku falling in love isn't something most of us can control. And it's not cheating if you don't act on it. And we aren't exclusively dating anyway."
"You are way too good for me," I whispered.
"Right back at you," she chuckled.
"But still, I won't..."
She cut me off before I could promise... I'm not actually sure what. I'd stick with Tsu no matter what? I'd tell her before I even considered asking Ami out as anything more that friends? Hurt either of them? No, that one was impossible and selfish.
"Izuku, you are a Hero fanatic," she looked at me, a hint of sternness in her mostly expressionless gaze, "So I'm guessing you've heard of Joe and the Valkyries?"
"They are an American Hero team based in Chicago," I started. Then I went red, and said loudly, "You're not suggesting?!"
Then I looked around and covered my mouth.
"Why not?" she smirked at getting a rise out of me.
"That's because of his Quirk," I told her.
"One, your power isn't that different," she said, "And two, five of the eight Valkyries have gone on record saying they are perfectly happy with the way things are, and wouldn't change it even if Joe lost his Quirk tomorrow. Only two of them would definitely break it off, and the last would stay with Joe until she found someone she liked better. And none of them have any direct complaints about him."
"But..." I trailed off, realizing I knew a lot about their powers, and almost nothing of their relationship beyond the fact all eight Heroines were Joe's lovers or wives. And he wasn't technically a Hero.
"It may not be exactly the same," Tsu said, "Especially since Japan is one of the few countries where polygamy is still not legal. But if I had to choose being with you and Ami being alone, or you being with Ami and me being alone, or all three of us happy together, I'd definitely pick the last one."
"But I guess it isn't just up to me," she qualified, tilting her head, "Maybe you wouldn't like being in a multi partner relationship. Maybe Ami wouldn't. Or maybe she doesn't even feel the same way as you. I'm just telling you I'm not troubled in any way by you liking her. And will do my best to support what ever you two decide, because I love you both."
Then her eyes narrowed and she smirked at me, adding, "And maybe not just Ami."
"W-what?" I stammered.
"I've seen how you look at Momo. Not that I blame you, even I check her out, and I don't like girls like that, ribbit. And I can tell you are just attracted not interested. But the way you look at some of the others... You are both attracted and interested. Maybe not as much as me or Ami. But you've know us longer. Just look inside yourself, and decide what you want, Izuku. Who you want. But as far as I can tell, if there is anyone who can handle having multiple girlfriends, it's the guy with telepathy and a time extension power. And the kindest heart I know."
"You've put a lot of thought into this," I said after a moment, sure my face was at least a little red.
"Well, after Kyoka told us how she teased you about trying to build a harem, I considered it. And did some research. So now I think it is your turn."
She leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
"I will," I told her earnestly. I owed it to her, and to myself. And I had to wonder, just what was going on in the world beyond my own blinders.
"Great," she said, standing, "You might want to check out Korea. After the reunification, General Shin pushed to remove the anti-polygamy laws."
"Captain Korea did?" I boggled, naturally using his Hero name. We started to walk out of the library.
"Yes, kero," she confirmed, "Though it's just a legend after all these years, supposedly he did it for one of his friends and his cousin, so they could marry even though the friend already had a wife..."
We had stopped talking about polygamy after we left the library. The men's locker room was empty by the time I got there. I quickly changed into my school issued swimsuit, and went outside to the pool.
The girls, bar Tsu, were on the north side of the pool, and the boys were on the south side. Iida-san and Mo-chan were the only two actually swimming. Both were doing laps in the lane closest to the other members of their respective genders. The swordswoman was the picture of form and grace in the water. While the speedster... He didn't have bad form persay, but the weight and shape of this engines created large splashes with every kick.
Hagakure-chan was also in the water, but was just standing at the edge, talking to the others. It looked unusual, the displacement of her invisible legs in the water.
I almost started to join the ladies. But Kirishima and Sero both waved me over. And Mikoto shooed me towards the guys. I guess I could take the chance to get to know my male classmates better.
"Great, you're here," Sero-kun smiled, "You can help me convince these heathens that Cain-chan is number two."
"Number two?"
"Of course Yaoyorozu is the best looking," Shoji-san's right middle arm said, "All of us except Koda know this to be fact."
"i still prefer jirou or penryu," an almost inaudible whisper came from my mountain faced classmate.
"But we can't agree that the second hottest in Mina," Kirishima said.
"You guys are ranking the girls' appearances?" I asked, dumbfounded. I got a chorus of affirmatives, even from Todoroki-san and...
"Even you, class rep?" I demanded as he swam by. Iida-san slowed and looked up at me.
"I was opposed, but lost to the popular vote and sound arguments," he said, "though I am focused more on my exercise than the conversation."
"We shouldn't be doing this," I protested.
"Why not?" Sero asked, sounding genuinely confused.
"Lots of reasons," I said, preparing to debate them, and opening with, "Most of all, because I'm sure they wouldn't do that to us..."
"Tsu-chan," Mina said brightly as soon as the frog-girl arrived, "You'll say to leave Izuku out, too, right?"
"Out of what?" Tsu asked, tilting her head.
"BMG," Mikoto answered.
"Background music?" Tsu suggested uncertainly.
"No," Toru giggled, "Boink, Marry, Goodbye. We think Izuku should be disqualified, because who wouldn't want to marry him?"
Tsuyu's eyes widened.
"I mean, sure, his face is a bit plain..."
Tsu wasn't the only one who looked ready to protest Mina's description.
"... but his freckles are cute. And look at that body."
"He's like a Greek god," Ochako muttered.
"Yeah," Toru added, "The Greek god of aerobic exercise."
"And he's such a nice guy," Mina continued, "You know he'd take care of you, and spoil you... Even Kyoka, who claims she's not really attracted to him, thinks he's far and away the best husband material, right?"
"I did say that," Jirou agreed weakly.
"If we are going to play this game," Momo said, blushing, "It isn't fair too exclude him."
Ami and Ochako both nodded, the bluette slightly and the brunette vigorously.
"You three just want him to be included, right?" Mina smirked, "Even though its not the same game if you have a totally safe answer."
"Should we even be doing this?" Tsu asked. She did not sound like she was protesting, justy honestly asking.
"I'm sure the boys are doing something similar," Mina said. Then she looked at the other side of the pool, struck a sexy pose, and blew them a kiss.
\Eight of them have already agreed that Momo is the most attractive girl in our class,/ Cassandra signed. Ami translated for the girls who did not sign, blushing.
"Naturally," Mikoto complained, "She should be disqualified like Izuku."
Momo looked embarrassed and tried to subtly cover her body with her hands. Which only served to push her breasts up and together.
"Who are the holdouts?" Kyoka asked.
\Koda,/ Cassandra answered, \who seems to prefer a girl with a more slender build. And Izuku, who is unsuccessfully arguing that they shouldn't be ranking us in the first place./
"See!" Mina almost shouted as the green-haired boy put another nail in his coffin.
"You are aware that when they become pro Heroes," Todoroki was telling me, "They will have to go through this, only on a much larger scale. There is a new 'top Heroine', or 'prettiest Heroine', or 'which Heroine would you want to marry' poll almost every week."
For some reason that made Shoji's extra mouth grin. He had also grown two, extra-large ears, which were pointing across the pool. But that gave me another idea.
"You know that we are in range of Cassandra's power," I reminded them, "And she can read our lips. She can tell them everything we are saying."
That caused more than one of my male classmates to look worried.
"She already has," Shoji said. We looked over. None of them seemed angry. Except Mikoto. But Momo, Ami, and Ochako all seemed embarrassed.
"Come on, man," Kirishima argued, "If they already know, where's the harm."
"At least give us your choice for number one," Todoroki pressed.
Looking at the girls, my back to the guys, I had an idea. I smirked slightly, which stunned the ladies. But then I put on a resigned face and turned back.
"Fine," I groused, "You want to know who I think is the best looking?"
They leaned in in anticipation.
"Hagakure."
"What?"
"I can't see a single thing wrong with her looks," I told them with a straight face. Of course, no-one, on either side of the pool, knew then that I was being perfectly honest.
The girls started laughing, and finally most of the guys did, too. Though Todoroki looked annoyed.
But as I looked across the pool again, I found myself thinking about my invisible classmate.
"Before we split up to go into the dungeons, there are two things I wanted to talk to all of you about," I told them.
It was Friday evening. We had resumed normal classes today, after being given yesterday to relax. Most of the Meta no Kishidan had assembled at my place. Only All Might wasn't there, having a meeting with the police and the UA staff about the attack, now that Aizawa-sensei was awake. Awake, but still trapped in the infirmary.
I was going to do two dungeon runs, since I always had to be in the party. The first with Mom, Ami, Ochako, and Momo. The second with Tsu, Cassandra, Mikoto, and Kyoka. I had two, brand new basketballs for us to run.
"The first is a simpler request," I said, "You see, I actually had a hidden Quest for the USJ attack. And because of it, I got a Guild Hall Perk, and a bunch of money that I can only spend on Gamer stuff."
"Gamer stuff?" Ochako prompted.
"For now, the Store in my Inventory," I reminded her, "And also the Guild Hall. Plus most Perks for the Guild or Guild Hall cost money. It seems like The Gamer is pushing me to unlock the Guild Hall."
"The Gamer is pushing you?" Kyoka parroted dubiously.
"I don't control the Quests," I said, "In fact, it often seems like The Gamer has an intelligence of its own. I certainly wouldn't have given myself a Quest that could have cost me my powers."
She nodded.
"I was there when he accepted the rewards for that Quest," Mom explained, "And I was thinking about how having the Guild Hall could have helped with the attack."
"But a billion yen is still an incredible amount of money, even if I got five percent of it covered by the Quest reward."
Ochako seemed to choke on her drink, even though I had made sure her mouth was empty when I said it.
"So we wanted to ask if everyone would agree to give up half of all the money we earn in the Dungeons," I explained, "I will count that as my share, everyone else can split the rest."
Mom frowned, as I hadn't discussed my concession with her.
"And all of that will go towards the Guild Hall, until we save up enough."
My classmates all looked at each other.
"I can't agree to that," Ami said, surprising me. Then she continued, "We only have this money because of you. And the Guild Hall will still benefit all of us. I think we should devote half of the money drops to the Guild Hall fund, but Izuku should still get an equal share of the other half."
"And if any of us want to put part of our share into the fund, we can," Tsu added, "Secretly of course, so no-one will feel pressured."
"By which you mean me," Ochako said defensively.
"Actually, I still am helping my family," Tsu said, "And my siblings birthdays are both coming up. So I wouldn't be able to kick in extra, either. And I don't know her exact financial situation, but Cassandra's father is single and back in America. So I'm guessing having money on hand is good for her."
Cassandra had not told anyone but me and All Might about her father, yet. She had just told them that her mother was not in the picture and that she was living alone here in Japan. Tsu must have assumed that meant Cass's dad was living in America, rather than being a Vigilante assassin who moved around as needed. Though Cass had mentioned before that they moved a lot...
Tsu continued, "I just thought we should leave it open, because I can see Izuku or Momo doing that, and I don't want them to feel bad about it."
"Oh," Ochako sounded embarrassed, "Sorry."
"Don't be," I told her, "The reason I wanted to talk to everyone about this as a group, is because we each have our own circumstances. I know Mom still considers Dungeons our safety net, in case her job doesn't work out."
Mikoto and Kyoka both snorted laughs.
"I know," Mom admitted, "But you will forgive a middle-aged woman who hadn't worked for a decade, for wanting a little certainty."
'I am fine with this, as Ami and Tsu suggested,' Cass said.
"Me too," Mikoto said.
"All in favor?" Tsu asked. We all agreed.
"Motion carries," I smiled, "Now for the second topic... I know we talked about this a few times before, but do all of you think we can trust Hagakure-chan with my secret? Can we bring her into the Guild?"
"Why, not satisfied with the harem you have?" Kyoka needled.
"Actually, I was thinking about her at the pool yesterday," I protested.
"So we were told," Ochako joked, though more lightly than Kyoka.
"And I was wondering if she can get sunburned," I decided to ignore them, "Since it isn't like any sunlight is stopped by the surface layer of skin, or her hair, or anything. And that made me remember that I was especially worried about her during the attack. She doesn't have a reinforced costume like the rest of us. She barely has a costume at all."
"I do have an idea about that," Mom said, "after talking to Hado-chan."
After considering that bit of news, I continued, "Even if Mom's company can make her a costume, presumably it will still be invisible. Which means her allies don't know exactly where she is either. She's especially in danger of friendly fire from people with wide-area Quirks."
I glanced at Ami and Mikoto as I said that.
"That's why I was thinking about asking her to join," I concluded, "Training with us to help her get stronger and be able to evade. And chats to tell us where she is without the enemy hearing. The thing is, I don't know her as well as I know the rest of you."
"You didn't know me that well," Kyoka pointed out.
"Maybe not," I agreed, "But I thought you were less likely to let it slip by accident, based on what I did know. I don't think Hagakure-chan would tell anyone on purpose. But she is talkative and flighty... Also, Kyoka, I did ask the others to vouch for you, and they did. Which is why I'm asking all of you, who may know her better, and who are in this with me, do you think we can trust Hagakure Tooru with my secret? Should I invite her to join the Knights?"
Status Changes for Midoriya Izuku:
Attributes:
(C)harisma: 41 → 42
(L)uck: 29 → 30
Unspent Points:
Attribute: 37 → 36
Skills:
Swimming (S/A): 9 → 11
Author's Note: Okay, one more chapter before I go back to the other story for a bit. More of a side chapter, was supposed part of this chapter, but felt like it would drag on too long.
