Clara sat at the dinner table with Mommy, Urala, Konchi, Kebow, Siin-Sin, and Ran-Ran. Despite the chatter usually going around, all she did was tap her fork on the plate, eating her meal one bite at a time as she was lost in her own little headspace.
She didn't kiss Izuku-kins. She wanted to, but it wasn't right. When she kissed him in the fake world from Orobastard, it caused Deku-kins to come out. What if what that jerk showed her was true? What if she did something to make him happy but instead make him freak out?
He was already super freaked out this whole time trying to help everyone, and she knew he was going to do the same until everyone was at Dalet(4). There was no time for fun in that picture, something utterly horrible in her eyes, but maybe it was necessary...ugh, when did making people happy start becoming hard?
Oh right, she was trying to be more 'considerate', stupid Aggy-teach, teaching her responsibility. That was annoying, she didn't care about anyone other than the Calamity Cult and tea party friends, but Izuku-kins would. "Clara, are you okay? You haven't asked for seconds despite three minutes having passed." Mommy asked her.
"Sorry Mommy, I'm not hungry." The world must be ending soon, she never thought she'd ever say that about mommy's homemade cooking. "Mommy, when did you first kiss Daddy? When was the right time for you?"
"After I met him he offered me chocolate, so we went behind the school and played a game my friend Raimy-sensei told me about called 18+." Bah, that was too soon to just kiss Izuku-kins. "Remember now, don't play it until you're 18+."
"Mommy, I know what that is, trust me I'm not interested." Urala spoke with a boring tone. "Didn't we already have this conversation before, Clara? You did the whole song and dance number when you wanted to kiss Midoriya for the first time."
"That was to get him out of Lady Red Hair's clutches! I wanted my best friend back!" Admittedly, a small part of her kissing him now tied back to that, but now there was more to it. "Now I want to create a special moment he can remember happily forever." A moment that only the two of them could share together.
Urala looked at her closely. "You guys need to reach Dalet(4) at the end of the year or you lose the Royal One right?" She nodded. "Then do it after the Musical Festival." He said. "You'll stop him from needing to worry about stuff and he can remember the moment everyone reached Dalet(4) since it'll likely be a big moment."
"That's...THAT'S PERFECT!" She knew her brother wasn't big on affections, but she had to squeeze him tight right then and there. "It'll be a celebration surprise! A special gift only I can give him! Thank you Urala, you're the best first little brother I could ask for!"
"Yeah yeah, just don't hug me and keep smiling." He grumbled, but she saw him smile all the same.
"Let's sing, 'that's a great idea' song!" Kochie shouted.
"We don't need to sing a song."
"Of course we do, we're the Valacs!" Keebow called out.
"Song Time!" Sin-Sin and Ran-Ran cried out, already dressed in their tuxes. Oh, the wait would kill her, but it will be worth it to give Izuku-kins happy memories.
"You all are very lucky I haven't run away." Aww Urala, such a kidder.
Sullivan watched as Barbatos entered the room. "Lord Sullivan, it is an honor to meet with you." She bowed, such a fine lady … at least around him.
"Barbatos, we've known each other for a while. There's no need for formalities." He waved off. "You've done such a great job with Izuku-kuns training. Please, help yourself." He gestured to the table of tea and baked goods. "Opera and my lovely daughter made it with tons of love!"
Barbatos smiled. "Of course sir, anything for-did you say your daughter made it?"
"Of course, I expect it to be the best tasting stuff you can find." Barbatos seemed very hesitant about the food for some reason. Come on now, it wasn't poisonous, Opera cooked a lot of it.
"R-right." She hesitantly took a bite out of some chocolate mochi, before placing the whole thing in her mouth. "Wow, this is pretty good. Tell Opera thanks." That was the one dish Inko made, but he'll let it slide. "Anyways, no need to thank me. Izuku's my best student, and to think I wasn't going to stick around after the first day."
"You weren't going to stick around after the first day?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I mean, it's just, demons are really hard to train when it comes to patience! He's the first one to display so much determination to get the shots down." She smiled fondly, likely flashing back to the training. "And that smile, so stubborn, so crazy, yet filled with motivation to strike his target down."
"Oh, that's probably because he's human." He cheekily answered.
"... He's what?" Her eyes expressed surprise at the situation, disbelief of Izuku-kuns humanity, and somehow disappointment in Sullivan. He didn't quite get the last one. "You brought a human into the netherworld!? I mean Lord Sullivan, I know I go with your plans a lot and will always be loyal….but this?! I'm going to sound rude saying this, and I apologize, but, were you high? Is this old age getting to you?"
"I just wanted a grandson, so I got myself a life hack." He explained.
"Life Hacks don't result in stealing humans into a more dangerous world!" She exclaimed.
"I mean he's been a great demon despite being a human, hasn't he?" He asked with a cheakish grin.
"Well, yeah, he's got more guts than any student I've ever taken in, and his will to survive and laugh off danger so easily is outstanding, and from what it sounds like he had a tough time growing up and he's looked so happy being around his friends and…"
"You've grown attached to my baby, haven't you?" Another voice came in, Inko, by the door, but Barbatos answered before she had time to know who it was.
"I view myself as a grandma." She shrugged. "Or at the very least a crazy aunt." She started to blush and look into space. "Hopefully a grandma one day." She then flinched, finally acknowledging his darling daughter. "Ah, were you listening this entire time, ah, Inko?" Aw, they were already getting along so well!
"Yes, I have. I figured since the door was unlocked there was nothing I wasn't supposed to hear." She looked at him, oh, he needed to answer now.
"Of course, we haven't even used coded speech yet." Sullivan shrugged with a chuckle. "We can trust Barbatos knowing the truth, she's Izuku-kuns master after all. And hopefully I can count on her to keep up Izuku-kuns training. He's going to keep the entire Netherworld safe after all."
"By being Demon King right? That's a tall order, pretty sure at least one of the crows hates his guts." Oh right, Henri.
"Don't worry about that, I've got myself and the other two Lords working on a similar case. Just need to iron out the details over the course of the next month or so. I wouldn't be able to help Izuku-kun though during the event."
"I wouldn't worry Papa, he's got this down. From what he says his class is quite imaginative, if a little crazy."
"That we can agree on." Barbatos smirked. "But that's what makes them the best."
Azz waited with the group, at his place for a change. Izuku said he wanted to 'try something new' this time around. "Are we sure about this?" Eiko asked, looking pretty impatient. "If it's amazing, we could've just met up at his house like usual. We'll be late for school if we decide to walk as normal."
"Maybe he's going to use the carriage." Asmodeus suggested. "Maybe there's something he's bringing along that he can't carry on his own?" He shrugged.
"You think he's gone Deku again?" Gaako asked. That would be a nightmare in all honesty, well, not that bad of a nightmare. Clara going to her Wicked Phase would be the worst nightmare.
"Deku-kins better not show his stupid face again, or I'm beating him down a hole with the bye-bye mallet." Clara readied her pockets.
"Doesn't Deku have the same face as Izuku?" Azz rolled his eyes.
"Not at all!" Eiko corrected. "Izu's face is soft and warm and easy to touch and cuddle! Deku's is cold, sharp, and makes you afraid to approach him." When it came to Walter Park he didn't notice the difference.
"Oh, here he comes! As One For Alls!" They looked around and didn't see him.
"He's not here." Azz spoke. "Are you hallucinating? Did all the playing finally cause you to snap?"
"No silly, look up!" They all turned up, seeing the boy in his 'hero costume' … falling.
"Brakes, forgot to design brakes!" They heard him shout, screaming as he twisted all over in the sky, pausing and falling repeatedly over and over, until he fell to the ground with a relatively soft but loud thump. "Should've tested this in the backyard." He stood up...wearing a bunny sweater.
"You're just going all in on being called a bunny, aren't you?" Gaako rolled her eyes with a wry smile.
"No, this is just a downgraded version. It combines partial bloodlines with spells at very little strain. I'm using Azz's with Fractal in order to create flight." He demonstrated by shooting a bit of fire downward as he lifted off the ground. "It's for utility use rather than full on dangerous situations."
"Still need to figure out if I'm going horse or bird." Eiko muttered to herself. Not going to touch that with a teen foot pole. Worse comes to worse he gets nicknamed 'brooding snake'.
"Aw, I like fluffy One For Alls." Clara pouted a little.
"Last time I did it, the ring got super drained. Lizzy isn't feeling well either." The smoke came out as the annoying imp showed up, sluggish.
"Yeah … go team … bunnies …" She snored between sentences. "If ...this...is...a hangover...why didn't...I...get drunk first…" She slurred with her speech before sending herself back in.
"Well at the very least we won't have to deal with her for a while it seems." Azz smiled, today was already off to a great start. "Who knows, maybe with your next rank up, she'll disappear entirely instead of sticking around."
"Right, the rest of your class still needs to rank up to Dalet(4)." Eiko reminded them all. "That's just insane to think about. Twelve Dalet's in a single class!"
"I'm He(5) you know." Azz felt the need to remind them.
"Twelve?" Izuku said with a confused look. "We don't have twelve students, there's thirt…"
"Izuku-kins! Race me! We can have flying races now!" Clara sprouted her wings and took off! "I'm the master of the land and sky! Playtime has no boundaries now!"
"Not if I had anything to say about it!" Izuku took off, floating in the air and using the fire to propel him forward. "I've imagined this sincerio for years, Clara! Prepare to come in second!"
"She'll be third!" Eiko chased after them. "If anyone's coming second to Izu, it's going to be me!"
"... So we're flying to school for a change?" Gaako asked, her own wings ready.
"I believe so … it's always nice to see his smile." Azz grinned.
Haruno held herself within the crowd, the demons of Babyls excited to see them once again after the break. The biggest stars of Babyls Demon School. The Misfit Class! "Did you see them, guys? Do you think they see us!" She asked her friends, fellow seekers of a specific type of chaos. Boys and shipping!
"Not yet, apparently they're still on route." Azuki said. "Oh I can't wait to see Milord again, this is going to be so exciting!"
"And sir Garp as well … the muscles underneath that fur drive me baby." Konatsu, calm the mamaries.
"Oh lord Angres, please dream of me as you sleep fondly." Hanura squealed with excitement. "And who can forget our great savior, the one that ended the war of beasts?"
"My body is ready, One For All." Donsanko chanted her mantra. "I am your vessel. Your servant. My will is yours to command as you wish. I shall spread you ways of seduction for all to hear. All shall know your loving embrace."
In all honesty she never thought she would loop back around to Midoriya, but she guessed it was just his way of drawing attention. Who knows, maybe if she convinced Shax he actually had a chance with a girl of any kind, she would be able to get him to grab Izuku for the next Black Sabbath.
"Here they come, here they come, here they come!" Azuki shouted, as a large crowd of students started surrounding a specific group. Mainly that Andro guy, who was holding Shax and lord Picero protectively.
"It's one of the young kings, the sidekick to the legendary One For All! Game Boy!" A student shouted. "He's so cool, I want his autograph!"
"Oh come on! I'm his partner, not his sidekick!" Shax shouted out. He may have fame, but he was still a lamo.
"It's the lord of Koopa Castle! All hail our great king, the benevolent one who spared our lives during the dark time!"
"You guys are all noisy, let me sleep!" Angres shouted loudly, being flanked by another famous person.
"The great Samurai who slayed a hundred beasts before the first nightfall! Sir Garp! You have shown me the grace and honor of the blade! I shall be your disciple!"
"The honor is all mine, young ally. May the winds ever be in your favor."
"The Ice Queen Kerori! Queen of Beasts! Her beauty is as cold as it is stunning! Infinite."
"Yes, bow to me! You're nothing compared to my presence." Wow, overconfident much? Either that or she legitimately snapped … then again her eyes still sent shivers down her spine so best to avoid the girl.
"It's Elizabetta Ix, she stole my wallet!"
"You handed it to me saying I was pretty." The woman smiled with a wave.
"Here, take my other wallet!" How did the Misfit Class hide these two pieces of meat for so long?
"Look up in the sky! Empress Koopa approaches with her lover! Hail the Overlord! Bow to her!" The three of them instinctively bowed upon hearing their Queen's name.
"That name isn't going to go away anytime soon, is it." Their Queen spoke to her lover, to Asmodeus, the one they couldn't have. "So this is what it's like being Izuku everyday."
"Oh my, the Calamity Cult approaches! Valac, the trouble making dinosaur!"
"Roar." She gave a cute wave full of sharp teeth.
"Oni, the madwoman of science and apparatus!"
"Oh, so I got a nickname now, nice." Well at least she could take it in stride.
Wait, if the rest of the cult was here, then where.. "Look up in the sky!"
"It's a bird!"
"It's a bunny!"
"The technical term is Skvader."
"No, it's…" The ground shook, as a little crater was made from the object landing. "It's the honor student danger-junkie calamity cultist love bunny hero One For All!"
"Gonna need a book at this rate. Don't worry, It's alright. I am here." Was his reply as the crowd went wild. Izuku Midoriya, the hero. Haruno began to walk, trying to make her way through the tough crowd.
"You totally did that on purpose, didn't you?" Empress Koopa's lover approached the hero with a smirk. "And you say you're bad with the spotlight."
"Eh, for once people know me for more than just being a Danger-Junkie. I'll take the hero's praise in whatever form it comes." He turned to her, actually looking her in the eye. "Oh, I remember you. Haruno, right?"
HE REMEMBERED HER NAME! "Yes, that's me. It's nice to see you again." She ignored the glares of the mad Oni and deranged Valacsaurous.
"Well nice to see you're still in one piece after the Rookie Hunt, and the War. This school never stops being dangerous, does it?" He looked back to his cult. "Well, we should make our way out now…"
"My lord, my Love Bunny! Command me! I shall do your bidding!" Damn it, Donsanko, you ruined the moment!
The girl was stopped by a wall of flames. "You've already corrupted me beyond hope, I won't let you do the same to my friend! Run Izuku to the classroom! It's our only barricade!"
"Right! Misfits, Calamity Cult get close, I'm getting us out of here!" The Stars of Bablys obeyed, before the hero twisted that ring of his. "Smokescreen! Full Throttle!" Mist emanated from the boy, and seconds later, they were all gone.
"... The ninja of fur has vanished!" Oh look, another name.
"Silence." Kalego cut off their talking as soon as they finally got settled down. "Now that you all finally have shown up-" Blame the crowd, not the students. "-Let's go over the next rank up event. The Music Festival. You will all make a performance, and be graded based on how well you appease the crowd and judges."
Izuku waited … and waited … "That's it?" Everyone turned to him curiously.
"What, did you expect us to literally fight other students using music?" Kerori asked him. "Admittedly, that sounds kind of cool, but my point still stands."
"No it's just … after so many life and death situations I didn't really think it would be that simple or easy. No demotions if we fail? No strenuous activity against other classes and students? No evil judges that want us to fail because we exist?"
"It's not as easy as you're trying to make it out to be, Izuku." Jazz explained. "It's about gathering all the attention as much as possible, and not all of us are charisma magnets like you. We have to work hard for attention."
"I mean I know that it's just … really kinda expected bigger odds in all honesty." He spoke. "But regardless, I know we can do this, Plus Ultra!"
"Plus Ultra!" Shouted the class as Kalego-sensei sighed.
"Anyway, wish you guys luck." Gaako spoke. "Me and Eiko are gonna take the vents to get back to class, avoid the mob and all that."
"Wait, why are we leaving?" Eiko asked. "We need to help Izu and the Misfits."
"Eiko, we're not a part of the Misfit Class. This is a competition, which means we need to focus on ways to rank up on our own this time around." Gaako dragged her friend to the nearest vent. "You haven't ranked up since Terminus and I'd like to catch up with my boyfriend before the new year starts."
"Don't forget me, Izu! I'll find a way to help you even from afar!" Eiko called out to him as Gaako shoved her in the vent, before ducking in it herself.
"Eistring go bye-bye!" Clara cheered. "My gift of Izuku-kins will go off perfectly!" Aw, she was so sweet, if only she wasn't so possessive. Maybe he could convince her to get a gift for Eiko too.
"Alright, so this is our last chance to rank before the end of the year, and three of us in Class are Dalet(4) or higher." Lied pointed to Izuku, Azz, and himself. "The rest of us are Gimel(3), so that means we just need to help you guys stand out more. We're already good."
"Ah, that might be a problem, though." Kerori pointed to Elizabetta. "Elizabetta is only Bet(2)."
"Then we'll just make Elizabetta the star!" Kamui shouted. "A woman's beauty shining on the floor for all the populace to see!"
"Logically, this is sound." Schinder nodded.
"It's the obvious solution." Sabro nodded as well. "But she'll pale in comparison to the next Demon King!"
Elizabetta smiled. "I promise to seduce the students of Babyls." Well that was one way to word it.
"You got it wrong." Kalego-sensei stopped the talking happening.. "You have two Bet(2)s in your class.
"Really, who?" Jazz asked.
"Soi Purson." He pointed at the thirteenth student, who Izuku noticed but never really talked much with … probably because he vanished right before their eyes.
"Who?" Azz asked
"Oh, you mean Purson-kun." Izuku spoke for the class, and they looked at him like he was crazy. "Wait, did you guys forget we had thirteen people in the class?"
"I mean … I kinda knew it, like the thirteen crows." Jazz admitted.
"I remember his name is Purson, but for the life of me I couldn't remember his first name." Now that really got everyone confused. How did Schneider, the trivia king with photographic memory, not remember his name?
"His ability is Presence Deletion. The more people focus on him, the more you lose track of him. His Bloodline literally prevents him from standing out." Kalego explained. The class looked at their teacher in horrified silence.
"... I think we need a bit more than Plus Ultra." Azz muttered, and he felt inclined to agree.
