Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or Persona 5

Chapter 12

Mishima had a fair share of regrets in his life. Mostly it was typical things like the missed opportunities. Being unable to make real friends. Allowing himself to be the victim of bullies and Kamoshida. Never being able to stick out in anything he had ever done in life. But all of those things paled in comparison to his latest regret. Mishima had played a roll in Shiho's attempted suicide. The plain looking teen had sent Shiho to Kamoshida's office at his request, which would lead to the events that occurred. Now, looking at it logically, he could have seen that his involvement was minimal and played no real effect in her decision. But regardless of how insignificant, Mishima couldn't stop from feeling an insufferable amount of guilt. He could have just pretended not to see Shiho. He could have just let her go home rather than telling her Kamoshida wanted her for something. But Mishima didn't want to be the latest victim of his abuse. He decided to be selfish and offered up Shiho in exchange. Mishima's selfishness led to Shiho stepping off that ledge.

"Please… please help me petition, everyone!" Mishima called out meekly, waving a clipboard in the air. He stood alone in the halls at lunch time, trying to get any student's passing by his attention. While Mishima might not have been the most noticeable person, he was at least garnering some inquisitive eyes around him. "I'm trying to get Recovery Girl to come to the hospital and… and help Shiho Suzui. I want to help speed along Suzui-san's health the best I can. So please… please help by signing this! Maybe if we can get her to see exactly how much people care, she'll be the hero we know she is and help Suzui-san!"

While Mishima might not have been able to get everyone around him to notice, he felt some pride in the fact that several students had stopped to listen. Whispers started to echo around him, students slowly stepping forward and pulling out their pens. Mishima brimmed with appreciation, offering the clipboard to the closest student. "P-please pass it around after you've signed. Thank you."

"Now what exactly is going on here?" Mishima felt his heart sink, trembling ever so slightly as he craned his head. Students around him started to pause, following his line of sight to Kamoshida. Those who didn't know better greeted him with smiles and hellos. Mishima, on the other hand, gripped the clipboard in his hand quite fearfully.

"Hiya, Kamoshida-sensei!" One of the second year female students greeted. "Mishima-san's trying to get Recovery Girl to come and help poor Suzui-san in the hospital. I think it's a good idea! Are you going to sign?"

Kamoshida's eyes narrowed venomously for a single moment, one that most save for the plain teen would not notice at all. The only reason Mishima did was because it was often that he would do so when hearing something that displeased him, but because he was in public had to put on a facade.

"Ah, I see. That actually sounds like a good idea. I'm sure if you were able to get it to Recovery Girl, she would leap at the chance to help the poor girl. Great plan, Mishima." Kamoshida plastered on his practiced smile, earning some praise from students around him. Mishima saw right through it though, taking a small step back as the coach approached him. There was no escape though, Mishima flinching as the coach put a seemingly friendly hand on his shoulder, but gripped it painfully. "But as much good as this might be, I have to ask: did you get approval from the office before coming out here to get signatures?"

Mishima's eyes fell to the ground, unable to look the scumbag coach directly. "N-no… I thought that it might take too long if I did…" That was a lie. Mishima knew if he got it processed through the office, Kamoshida would tear the paper up before it could even be looked at.

"Well I'm sorry to say this, but I can't allow this petition to go on. Not so long as it doesn't have the proper approval." Kamoshida declared, earning some disheartened looks around him. But to clean the ignorant masses of any doubts, Kamoshida once again grinned. "But hey, I have an idea. Let me take this to the office and I'll get all the technical stuff sorted and out of the way. One talk with the principal and I'll have it back to you in no time."

"Oh, Kamoshida-sensei! You're like a real hero, too!" One girl called out, earning a chorus of praises around them. Mishima felt his body tremble, knowing that their praise was going to the monster that caused the calamity from the day before. He wanted to shout, to tell them they were all being idiots and they were wrong about Kamoshida. But even if the coach wasn't there, Mishima knew he didn't have the strength to call him out. It would fall on deaf ears and other students would go back to shunning him. To treating him like a zero.

"Now, Mishima. You can safely hand that off to me for now and I'll take care of the rest." Kamoshida told him, though Mishima could hear the demand in his voice as the grip on his shoulder tightened. Mishima's grip on the clipboard was now shaky, not wanting to let go but not seeing any other way out of this. I-I'm sorry I'm so useless, Suzui… I'm sorry I couldn't help you out.

"You don't have to worry about that." Mishima and Kamoshida blinked, both turning their gazes to see Makoto Nijima standing just inside the crowd of students. She offered a curt smile, placing a hand on her hip. "I was actually planning something similar. I'm quite pleased to see another student was thinking of asking for Recovery Girl's help, too."

Mishima felt a small kindling of hope return to him, Kamoshida's grip on his shoulder loosening as the coach turned his attention to the student council president. "O-oh, is that right? I-it's truly inspiring to hear that the student prez is taking care of business." Kamoshida cleared his throat, now sporting a more kind grin. Behind the facade, Mishima and Makoto knew that the coach was furious.

"That's right. Since the paperwork and approval is all settled, Mishima-san can continue his effort to get signatures. In fact, I'll be sure to get some third year signatures as well." Makoto declared, not at all dropping her act in the face of the coach. Kamoshida stepped forward, but stopped. Mishima knew what held him back. Makoto was outside of his control. She wasn't in any sports and she was a rather high praised student among the teachers.

"Wow, I hadn't realized you cared so much, Nijima-sempai! You're amazing!" Students began to give their praise to the student council president, Kamoshida's eyes looking around at the crowd with hidden disdain before landing on Makoto. The two made eye contact, his narrowing ever so slightly while she continued to beam. Mishima couldn't help but fear for the student council president now. While Kamoshida couldn't stop her in any way right now, she had just put herself in his sights.

"I'd like to sign that petition." Kamoshida suddenly tensed, Mishima looking to the side to see Izuku Midoriya standing there. Ryuji Sakamoto was close behind as well as Ann Takamaki. Mishima saw it out of the corner of his eye, but noticed Makoto's expression falter the moment she saw him. Whispers started to surround them again, this time of suspicion and fear. All for the first year student with a criminal record.

In spite of the chatter, Izuku proceeded toward Mishima, offering a kind smile as he held out his hand. "I believe Recovery Girl would help if she saw this, too. Please, let me sign." Mishima hesitated for a moment, at first still somewhat shaken by Kamoshida's presence. But looking up at Izuku, Mishima found a bit of courage within, slowly handing the clipboard over to him.

"It's nice to see when a punk with a record tries to do some good in the wake of a tragedy." Kamoshida offhandedly remarked, approaching the two and offering a plastic smile. Izuku signed his name before looking up at Kamoshida with a glare, not bothering to reply as Kamoshida leaned forward. "But it won't do you any good. You'll be gone and off to jail in two weeks time." Kamoshida whispered quietly enough for only Izuku and Mishima to hear. Mishima was instilled with fear once again, afraid that this one act might have painted himself with the same fate. But despite the promise, Izuku just continued to glare, not making a sound in response. Kamoshida didn't linger, not wanting other students to suspect him of his true nature. "I hope you all take care. Especially you, Takamaki-chan. I know Suzui was an important friend of yours." Kamoshida said, giving a smile that made Ann sick to her stomach just looking at it.

"Bastard…" Ryuji muttered to the side, Ann staying close behind him as Kamoshida marched past. "I'll sign too."

"Me three." Ann offered, giving a small smile to Mishima in encouragement. Izuku handed the clipboard back to them, allowing them to put their signatures in.

"Th-thank you…" Mishima muttered out, looking at Izuku and Ryuji. "I'm… sorry that Kamoshida's going to expel you, though…"

"We'll see about that…" Ryuji huffed before giving him a thumbs up. "But, hey. Keep up the good work and get more signatures. Suzui could use a hero right about now."

"I'm glad someone's doing their best to look out for Shiho. Thank you." Ann declared, giving Mishima a small but genuine smile.

"R-right. I'll keep getting more students to sign." Mishima nodded before taking the clipboard from them and heading to the other students, now busying himself in discussion.

"At least someone cares to do something." Ann sighed, glancing at her two comrades. "So then, after school on the roof, right?"

"That's right. We're going to plan our next move from there." Izuku said, nodding in confirmation.

"And what exactly are you planning to do?" Izuku suddenly tensed, now realizing that Makoto was still standing there behind him. Ann and Ryuji widened their eyes, feeling the intensity as Makoto stepped forward. The green haired teen slowly craned his neck, now becoming fearful of talking to the third year student president. He was honestly hoping to avoid her until the entire ordeal was over. The likeliness of that was low, obviously, but Izuku hoped for it nonetheless. Obviously, he failed in such plans immediately.

"A-ah, Koto-san, we were just-"

*Thwak*

Izuku held the top of his head in pain, Makoto having chopped it with a decent amount of force. "I told you that I owed you a smack for making me worry all day yesterday." She huffed, crossing her arms expectantly.

"R-right…"

"S-so uh… we'll be going…" Ryuji laughed uneasily, backing away from the two as he grabbed Ann's arm and pulling her back with him.

"Y-yeah… we've gotta get some food, you know? So… bye!" Ann pitifully excused herself, the two quickly turning around and marching away. Izuku couldn't help but feel abandoned at this point, even if he was expecting this talk. While he wasn't technically alone, Morgana being in his bag, the cat couldn't possibly help him in this discussion.

"I didn't realize Takamaki-san was now part of this." Makoto said, her voice hiding little of her accusation as her glare faltered into a more dejected expression. It was enough to make Izuku wince in guilt. "So… I was that useless after all, huh?"

"N-no! It's nothing like that!" Izuku quickly disregarded, taking Makoto off guard for a moment. "T-Takamaki-sempai… Suzui-sempai was her best friend. She ended up… sort of involving herself before we could stop her." He admitted with a sigh, eyes cast to the ground. As much as he wanted to tell Makoto the truth, he wasn't willing to risk the danger. If Makoto was half as stubborn as she was as a child, he knew that there would be no stopping her from that point on. "I… I can't let you get any further down that hole… if we mess up, it could mean your future, too."

Makoto opened her mouth, wanting to argue. Wanting to tell him that she was ready for anything and was willing to take the risk. But immediately, she was reminded of her sister. If they failed and things did go as terribly as he suspected, Sae would end up paying for her mistakes. Her older sister would end up being put through so much pain. Just like when their father passed. But it would be Makoto's fault. This put her at an impasse, though. Despite the passage of time, Makoto still felt a deep care for Midoriya. She wanted to help him get out of this situation, whatever the risk. If it were to only affect her, there would be no question about it.

But should they fail, how could she put Sae through such trouble after all their suffering?

Makoto bit her bottom lip, shutting her eyes tightly and turning her head away from him. "Okay… I… I understand." Izuku's eyes widened, thankful but confused about Makoto's decision. "Whatever it is you have to do… I hope you can make it work. So by the end of this… you better not mess things up. We just reunited, after all." Makoto told him, offering a sullen but somewhat encouraging smile.

Izuku was silent for a moment, still a bit shocked by her decision. Shaking his head, Izuku felt determination well up within him, nodding in acceptance. "Okay. I'll do whatever it takes. Thank you, Koto-san." Makoto merely nodded before turning around, heading to the stairs silently. Despite her blessing, Izuku couldn't help but feel somewhat conflicted over the situation.

"I think that actually went well, all things considered." Morgana said, finally revealing himself as he poked his head out of Izuku's bag. Seeing Izuku's hesitation, the cat tilted his head. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah… I just still feel bad. But I'm glad she was able to understand." Looking back at Morgana, Izuku furrowed his brow seriously. "Let's not fail, no matter what!"

"Alright, let's get goin'!" Ryuji huffed, tapping his foot impatiently. As discussed, the four met on the rooftop after school,"I wanna hurry and take that asshole out! The sooner the better!"

"Not so fast, Ryuji. We're going to be making some preparations before we head in." Morgana spoke up, causing the faux blond to blink in confusion.

"Preparations? What do we need to do that for? We'll just go in and use our Persona's to kick ass like we've been doing." Ryuji argued, only for the cat to shake his head.

"Don't underestimate the objective ahead of us. We still have a lot to push through. What we need is proper equipment and rations for our time inside of the Palace." Morgana explained, earning a grunt of annoyance from Ryuji.

"He's right, Ryuji-sempai. We might end up spending hours inside the palace with a lot of fighting. While our Personas are strong, using them drains our stamina. Not to mention we'll need to be prepared for when one of us gets injured." Izuku spoke up this time, looking down at the ground as he held his chin in thought. "What we need to do is perhaps get more intimidating model guns, food and drinks for keeping our energy up and medicine and bandages for any resulting injuries. Morgana-san might have a healing power, but we don't know to what extent and how much stamina it would take to constantly heal us."

"Well… when you put it like that, I guess preparing wouldn't be a bad idea." Ann hummed, having wanted to dive into the Palace as well but seeing the reasoning behind his words.

"Alright, fine. I get it." Ryuji sighed before his expression brightened. "Oh, but I do know a place we can go to get more equipment! We can go there now if you guys want."

"Actually, Izuku and I are planning to pay a visit to a local doctor in Yongen. How about you and Ann handle that and the food rations we'll be needing for our energy?" Morgana suggested, though Izuku grimaced at the mention of the doctor.

"I'm still not sure about going to see her… it would be pretty strange for me to ask for medicine, don't you think?" Izuku mumbled, earning some odd looks from Ryuji and Ann.

"You worry way too much. We'll just make up an excuse like you're sick or something." Morgana waved him off, eliciting a sigh from the green haired teen.

"Why don't we just buy some over the counter stuff?" Ann suggested, but earned a head shake from Morgana.

"If injuries get bad enough, nothing store bought will be enough to help. We need some serious medicine to help us out. If anything, just get some bandages and antiseptics. We'll handle the bigger stuff." Morgana said, nods of understanding coming from Ryuji and Ann. "Now let's go, Izuku. We're going to have to do our part and convince the doctor ourselves. And by we I mean you."

"How am I supposed to convince her?!"

Izuku gulped as he stood in front of the clinic. He was surprised just how close it was to Leblanc, the coffee shop only around the corner. Still, he was wishing that it was somewhere a bit farther at this point. The doctor had been a bit intimidating during their first meeting. Though that was mostly because of her blunt attitude rather than her demeanor. And now Izuku was supposed to convince this doctor to provide him with some strong medicine with some scrounge up excuse? That wouldn't be the easiest thing to do considering he had only seen her the day before. Her suspicions will be rather high.

"A-are you sure this is a good idea?" Izuku said, turning his head back to his bag. Morgana poked his head out, giving him a stern look.

"Come on, Izuku. We need more than some migraine medicine for what's ahead. This is our best option available!" Morgana reasoned, pointing a paw toward the office. "Now get in there and work your magic. You're a pretty good tactician on the field. I'll believe in your ability to adapt here as well."

A combat situation and social interactions are in no way the same! Izuku mentally screeched, biting his bottom lip as he turned back to the clinic. With a heavy sigh, Izuku mustered up some small remnants of courage within him, stiffly walking forward and opening the door to the clinic. Inside, compact would be the most accurate description. The office was faded white paint, likely having not been touched with a brush in ages. In the small lobby, a cheap red cushioned sofa sat under the cork board that held several pamphlets and papers. Just to Izuku's left was the reception counter that protected the top half with a glass window. Izuku immediately met eyes with the doctor from before, who sat behind the counter.

"Hello, welcome to Takemi's Medical Clinic. Is this your first visit?" The doctor asked, her voice flat and carrying little to no energy. Recognition crossed her features, the gothic doctor raising a brow. "Hey. Weren't you the jumpy kid from the cafe?"

"A-ah, yeah. That's me…" Izuku nervously laughed, scratching the back of his head before bowing politely. "I-I'm Midoriya Izuku. Please take care of me…"

"Doctor Tae Takemi. Surprised to see you again so soon." She answered, leaning back in her chair. "So, are you here for a visit? Or did you decide it was love at first sight and stalk me?"

"Huh?" Izuku blinked owlishly at her casual accusation, immediately waving his arms urgently in dismissal. "N-n-no, it's nothing like that! I-I just heard you were a doctor a-and thought you could help me!"

"Don't take everything so seriously, kid." Takemi said with an amused giggle before standing from her seat. "So what's the problem? Let me guess, you want something to help calm your nerves. I'd want something like that if I was as jittery as you."

"W-well, it's a combination of things… I have trouble focusing and lose energy while I'm forced to study…" Izuku tried to remember what he had practiced before. Giving her some half assed excuse would lead to something over the counter that wouldn't be of much help. They needed something for their energy and keeping them healthy while inside the Palace.

Takemi stared at him for a moment, most likely assessing his answers before nodding. "Alright. Go head to the exam room and wait for me." She said, pointing a finger at the door just ahead of Izuku. The green haired teen stiffly nodded, following her directions silently as he walked forward and opened the door.

Not too bad so far… if I just keep up my act, I should be able to get what we need. She already thinks I'm pretty jumpy, so that might help. Izuku let out a small breath, trying to relax a bit as he took a seat. The exam room was bigger than the lobby, a desk with files and a monitor on top of it and to his right a blue cushioned comforter. Takemi didn't take long to join him, walking inside and taking a seat in the computer chair by her desk.

"So, then. From what you've described to me it sounds like a combination of stress and anxiety. You've probably been unable to focus because you're worried about everything going on which, combined with your jittery personality, is definitely not good." Takemi declared, humming in thought while Izuku couldn't help but face fault at her unrelenting assessment. "Perhaps you'd do well with some muscle relaxers. Maybe even some pain relievers."

"N-no, muscle relaxers would make me fall asleep. I need something to help me when I'm studying and active." Izuku shook his head, trying to get something specific so that it wouldn't knock someone out during their mission.

"Ah, so this is about your studies, then? Well, I think I can give you something that will help you focus and top it off with a painkiller that won't knock you out." Takemi hummed, scribbling something on a clipboard in her hand before shifting her gaze. "That is if you start to be a bit more honest with me."

"Izuku blinked, taken off guard by her words. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"You're pretty smart. You used your complex to your advantage to try and get something specific to what you need." Takemi declared, crossing her legs and leaning an elbow on her knee. "But perhaps a bit too specific. You might actually need it to study, but I get the feeling there's more to it. I'm not as dumb as I look."

"I-I don't think you're dumb, I just…" Izuku started to panic, sweat trailing down his face as he waved his arms around frantically. His conversation skills were already pretty weak, having to recover after losing his momentum wasn't the easiest thing to do for him. "I… I've just got a lot on my plate…" Izuku admitted, not technically lying as his eyes trailed to the ground.

"... I see." Takemi hummed, silent for a moment in thought. "Things are pretty tough for teenagers nowadays… and judging from how you are, I doubt you're up to no good. Okay, I'll sell you some medicine."

Izuku blinked, looking back up at Takemi in complete shock. "R-really?"

"Yeah. Just some stuff to help with your health and focus, though. Nothing really strong." Takemi declared, looking back down at her board and writing something else. "Just know that this is my private practice. I make the majority of my medicine myself. I'm sure you've heard about some of the 'crazy' medicine I produce, correct?"

"N-not that much, honestly. Someone mentioned it in passing, but that's about it." Izuku admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"Huh. Normally people come to me after hearing some of the outlandish rumors. I was suspicious as I was because that's usually the case." Takemi admitted, leaning back in her chair. "Here's a list of the medicines I can provide and what they'll do for you. You can work out the amount and cost on your own." Takemi handed him the clipboard, a list presented to him. Izuku had a bit of an allowance given to him from his mother each month as well as the small amount of cash that they picked up from Shadows they defeated. He wasn't able to get much with what he had, but Izuku picked out the most useful medicine on the list to them. Takemi took a quick look before standing up and retrieving his desired medicine and pulling them out of a nearby cabinet, handing him a paper bag with each bottle inside. "Alright. Please come again."

"Th-thank you, Takemi-sensei." Izuku said in appreciation, bowing before turning around to take his leave. The moment he opened the door, a middle aged man was on the other side. Izuku blinked in surprise, stepping aside to let the man in before closing the door after him.

"Oh, doctor. What brings you here? Do you need some medicine? Perhaps something for a headache or athlete's foot?" Izuku heard through the door, hesitating for a moment. While Takemi's voice was as flat as usual, he could pick up on the obvious sarcasm. Not to mention she knew the man.

"Don't mess with me, Takemi. I came here because of all the talk. I've been hearing tale that you're still making some mysterious drugs lately. Something along the lines of some super energy drug that can keep people going?"

Izuku widened his eyes, becoming more interested in the conversation. He felt bad about eavesdropping, but something along those lines could help the team out greatly. Not that he could take rumors as anything more than that. While Takemi was definitely odd, was she really so strange that she created super medicines like that?

"First I've ever heard of it. Sounds like something a genius would come up with. I'm just a quack. So why not leave me alone and leave it at that?" Takemi countered with little emotion, the blue haired doctor keeping up a strong guard from the sound of it.

"So long as you keep quiet and stay in your little corner of town, I might. But when you start causing a ruckus with your odd medicine, it brings too much attention to yourself. I don't need you stealing my clients." The doctor snapped in irritation, Izuku raising a brow at his odd amount of aggression. "You're a disgrace to the medical community. The name Tae Takemi will forever be infamous."

"Tsk." Was Takemi's only response. She was obviously annoyed by his words but didn't lash back. Izuku knew she had a sharp tongue and was a bit surprised not to hear her retort. But then again, what went on to cause all of this was still a mystery to him.

"Hey, is someone out there?!" Izuku jumped in surprise, instinctively running to the door and rushing out. Izuku hadn't realized how long he had been eavesdropping, feeling far more nervous than he would have expected. He couldn't really get in trouble for eavesdropping, but it was a natural reaction after hearing something you shouldn't have.

"Talk about interesting. Good job sticking around until the end." Morgana praised, sticking his upper half out again and leaning on his shoulder. "If what that other doctor said was true, we might have something very helpful at our disposal."

"I didn't really see anything on Takemi-sensei's log that would indicate something like that. I'm not sure how legitimate the rumor might be." Izuku suggested, holding his chin in thought. "It might be better to let this go rather than dig deeper. She was willing to sell us a few useful things as is."

"But don't you think a super drug with unlimited energy sounds incredibly useful?!"

"Yes, but there are plenty of illegal narcotics with the same effect. It could be a terrible recreational drug for all we know." Izuku reminded him, the cat's ears drooping slightly. "I don't think Takemi-sensei would sell something illegal like that, but I think reminding her of all the rumors would be rude…"

"Oh, yeah… I suppose you could be right." Morgana sighed in resignation. "I still think we should look into it, but we'll take what we can get for now…"

Ryuji and Ann roamed the aisles of Shibuya's quick stop convenience store, trying to find the best sources of energy for their trip through the Palace. "So what kind of drinks should we bring? Soda or energy drinks?" Ann asked, holding the tip of her chin as she looked at the assortment of bottled refreshments.

"Neither. Energy drinks might help for a bit, but you get a heavy crash after a while." Ryuji suggested, eyes narrowing as he looked at certain products. "We'll need some green apples and oranges to help keep us on our feet and full. As far as drinks go, I'd say somethin' like sports drinks and water for when we stop in a safe room. If we get some energy drinks, just a few in case we need some emergency energy quick."

"You sure know your stuff, huh? Then again you were on the track team, right?" Ann smirked, looking at Ryuji from the side while mildly impressed.

"Yep. Used to workout pretty damn hard in those days. Considering what we gotta do, we're probably going to spend a lotta energy." Ryuji hummed, grabbing several drinks from the shelf and placing them in the arm basket he was carrying. "You're pretty thin. Don't you work out?"

"Me? Not really. I've just always been able to stay skinny." Ann shrugged, earning an owlish blink from Ryuji.

"What? No way. I remember how much you used to woof down in middle school. You'd eat like two kids portions back then." Ryuji recalled, somewhat amazed and disgusted at the same time.

"Hey! It's rude to point out a girls eating habits, you know!" Ann snapped indignantly back, brow furrowing in annoyance.

"Heh, you used to say that a lot in middle school, too." Ryuji chuckled carelessly, moving on to the produce section with Ann close behind. "Hey, got any snack ideas? Fruits should be fine, but if you got somethin' in mind that'll help keep your energy up, you should grab it."

"Well, chocolate does sound good… maybe some pastries too!" Ann said, smiling at the thought of bringing some donuts to eat with them during their likely dangerous tour of the castle.

"I said somethin' for energy, not somethin' to satisfy your sweet tooth!" Ryuji blanched, half lidded eyes staring at Ann in disappointment.

"Oh let me eat what I want. If it helps, then it helps!" Ann retorted, only earning a resigned sigh from Ryuji.

"Fine, whatever. Get whatever you think will help, then." Ryuji conceded, a triumphant grin spreading across Ann's lips as she fist pumped. "We're gonna be puttin' in so much physical activity, it might not matter much for your weight, anyway. Still, careful eatin' so many sweets or you'll get fat."

"You just know exactly what to say to a girl, huh?" Ann huffed irritably, the two falling silent for a moment as she went and retrieved several sweets and tossed them in his basket. They walked around for a bit longer, scanning for any last minute additions to what they already stocked up on. "Hey, Ryuji?"

"Hm? 'Sup?"

"How did Izuku get involved in all of this?" Ann asked, causing the faux blond to blink stop what he was doing, turning a raised brow to Ann. "I've just been trying to think it over. I mean, I know that you and him were the first ones to go in, but he's not like you or me. We've got something really personal against that asshole. What's his reason?"

Ryuji scratched the back of his neck, unsure how to answer the question at first. "Well… that's not technically true. I guess we didn't say so before, but Kamoshida's the one who leaked his criminal record."

"Wait, what?!" Ann's eyes widened in surprise. "But why? I mean, it definitely seems like something Kamoshida would do, but Izuku just got here. Why pick on him?"

"Beats me, honestly. Izuku and Morgana think it's probably because he didn't want his reputation to be overshadowed. He probably thought leaking the record would make him switch schools or somethin'." Ryuji shrugged, still a bit confused over the subject. "Though, thinkin' about it now, that's not really the reason he decided to stand up to Kamoshida."

"It's not? Then what was?" Ann asked curiously. This question seemed to pose some difficulty to Ryuji though, the faux blond biting his bottom lip anxiously. "What is it?"

"Well… I'm not sure if he'd want me tellin' you this, but… I'd say you deserve to know. Plus, I doubt he'd wanna be the one to tell you. It's… still pretty fresh in his mind, after all." Ryuji sighed, leaning against the edge of a produce stand. "Izuku was… there on the rooftop yesterday."

Ann felt her body tense, eyes widening as her hand clutched at her side. "W-what?" She muttered out, the scene playing out in her mind again just from the reminder. It made her blood run cold.

"Izuku said that Suzui was the only other person aside from me and Nijima-sempai to make him feel better about bein' at our school." Ryuji went on to explain, his voice slightly faltering. "He saw her goin' up to the roof and knew somethin' was wrong. He followed her up and when he realized what she was doing tried his best to stop her. But… he was too late. But before she jumped, she told Izuku what Kamoshida did to her. Izuku wasn't sure what the right thing to do was before, but when that happened, he knew exactly what he needs to do."

Ann's gaze fell to the ground, eyes misting up as she felt shame beginning to consume her. "How much of an idiot am I… her best friend… that I couldn't see what was going on… but someone she barely met picked up on it before me..?" Ann mumbled out, biting her bottom lip in frustration as she brought her hands up to her face, gripping at her hair in frustration. Ryuji rubbed his arm, now feeling guilty for making Ann feel so terrible because of what he said. He hesitated for a moment before reaching a hand out and gripping her shoulder, Ann looking up to see Ryuji giving her a look of determination.

"Hey. What's done is done. All we can do now is fix what's been messed up. You, me, Izuku and Morgana. We're gonna make that asshole pay. And you're gonna get revenge for Suzui. So keep your chin up, alright?" Ryuji encouraged her the best he could, his voice remaining even and strong as he spoke. Ann stared at him for a moment longer before nodding, giving a weak smile as she wiped her eyes on her jacket sleeve.

"Y-yeah, you're right… We've got plenty of work to do, too. So let's make sure we're prepared." Ann said, letting out a small cough to clear her throat and even her voice back out as she gave him a smile. "Thanks for reminding me."

"No problem. We're a team now. From now on, we got each other's backs." Ryuji declared, giving a toothy grin and a thumbs up to the twin tailed blonde.

"You know, you actually sounded kind of cool there for a bit, Ryuji." Ann teasingly giggled, earning a pouty lip from the faux blond.

"Only for a bit?" Ryuji replied indignantly, only for Ann to shrug her shoulders before turning her back to him.

"I have to admit, though. Izuku's a lot tougher than I thought." Ann remarked, sparing a glance back at Ryuji. "He acts so timid, but he was fighting just as hard as any of us. He even helped me get back on my feet."

"Yeah, he can be kinda confusin' that way, huh?" Ryuji chuckled, giving a small but proud smile. "I've only known him a few days, but I really like the guy. He wanted to be a hero before all this, you know. That got ripped away from him by a shitty adult too, though. It's definitely somethin' I can relate to."

"A hero? Him?" Ann asked in mild surprise, raising a brow. "I mean, after yesterday I can definitely see it, but isn't he Quirkless?"

"Yeah, he is. From the beginning he had it rough goin' that route. But then it was completely pulled away when he got a record for some bullshit." Ryuji paused when he heard his phone chime, pulling it out and checking the messages. "Hey, it's Izuku. He says they got the medicine. If we want, we can meet him at the shop I mentioned earlier."

"Nah, I wouldn't really know what to get. I mean, I got a cool submachine gun along with the whip and my Persona, but I still don't know much about weapons." Ann shrugged, slinging her bag over her shoulders. "Plus I've gotta head home soon. Why don't you two handle it and get me whatever you think works?"

"If you say so. Izuku lives all the way in Yongen, so no reason to make him take a train back. Might as well just handle it tomorrow." Ryuji shrugged before texting Izuku back. With that, the two purchased their supplies before dispersing from Shibuya.

Izuku walked close behind Ryuji as they entered a small shop titled Untouchable. Izuku was a bit surprised that the story was hidden away in the back alley of Shibuya's mainstreet, which was unusual considering the traffic that a shop would want on the mainstreet. Izuku's only guess as to why that might be would be cheaper rented space in the alley. It certainly didn't make the shop very attractive to people and looked more like a shady business rather than a legitimate store. "Alright, we're here. This is where I got that Snipe pistol from." Ryuji declared, the faux blond grinning dumbly as he looked around.

The inside was no more impressive than the outside, being small and a bit clustered. At the front counter, a man was sitting with his legs kicked up and a magazine in his hand. He wore a heavy gray jacket and matching hat. On his hat was a pair of ear mufflers that one might find in a shooting range. He looked to be middle aged, gray hair sticking out under his hat along with stubble on his chin. The man paid them little mind, focusing on the magazine in his hand.

"I've never been in a store like this… it's strange to see so many model guns in one place." Izuku admitted, looking around the shop with mild interest. "Okay, let's pick out the best looking guns. From what Morgana said, the more realistic it looks the better it will perform due to cognition."

"Sounds like a plan. We should ask the shopkeep for the recommendations. It'll save us some time." Ryuji suggested, jerking a thumb toward the man behind the counter. Izuku and Ryuji walked up, waiting for the man to take notice of them. They were silent, not trying to be rude while the man supposedly remained ignorant. At first they thought he might not have noticed them, but that idea was dismissed when he spared them a small glance before returning his attention back to his magazine. "Hey! We need some help here."

The man sighed in resignation, folding up his magazine and kicking his legs down. "What do you want? If you're lookin' for cosplay, the selection out there should be enough."

"We're not lookin' for some plastic kids stuff, we want some real lookin' crap!" Ryuji disregarded, earning a skeptical look from the shopkeep. "We're collectin' some decent modelsso we're not messin' around with the lame shit."

"Is that right? Okay then, what are you lookin' for in a gun. A rifle? An automatic? An assault weapon?" He questioned, obviously testing Ryuji's supposed knowledge of guns. The confused look on Ryuji's face had been answer enough.

"Uh… automatic?" Ryuji muttered dumbly, Izuku sweating slightly as he realized how quickly Ryuji exposed his naivety in guns. "Why the hell does a car preference matter?"

"R-Ryuji-sempai, he's talking about an automatic firearm." Izuku interjected, hoping to salvage the situation. "But judging from your… previous choice, I think you want another shotgun." Izuku then turned back to the shopkeeper who raised a brow in mild surprise of his knowledge. "For me, I'd like another pistol. Another one like Snipes would be good, though more realistic looking. Oh, and a submachine gun would work, too. I'm not sure if you would sell such a thing, but would you also happen to have a slingshot?"

Ryuji was stunned to silence, slightly overwhelmed by Izuku's apparent knowledge in the area. The shopkeeper let out a dry laugh, crossing his arms. "Color me impressed. I definitely wouldn't have pegged you as a gun enthusiast. You obviously know more than blondie here."

"H-hey!"

"Alright, tell you what. I'll give you a catalog of my recommendations for you to look through. Just the beginner selection, but if you keep comin' back for more, I'll show you some of the serious stuff." The shopkeeper declared, standing from his seat and walking into the back of his shop.

Ryuji waited a moment, watching the shopkeeper disappear from sight before turning to Izuku with a big grin. "Dude, I didn't know you knew so much about guns! Are you actually a collector?"

"N-no, nothing like that." Izuku laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Until last night, I didn't know much of anything about guns. But since we were planning to get some more model guns, I thought I'd look into them with more detail to try and help get the best selection possible."

"You'd be surprised how studious he gets when he sets his mind to something." Morgana said, popping his head out from his bag for a moment. "He was up all night looking at a bunch of different sites for each of the ranged weapons we possess."

"Hey, get back in the bag!" Ryuji whisper shouted, pushing the cats head down before the shopkeeper returned. "Hey, since you know what you're lookin' for, you can go ahead and pick mine out. Just make sure it looks cool." the faux blond chuckled, pulling out his wallet and handing Izuku a small stack of yen before walking outside. The shopkeeper came back, reaching a hand out and giving Izuku a small folder.

"Go nuts. Just make sure that you guys don't go swingin' them around. I don't need the fuzz comin' around here askin' questions. Even if they're fake, they look real enough to get you into trouble." The shopkeep warned, placing his hands on his hips.

"R-right. We'll do our best to be careful." Izuku nodded before turning his back to the shopkeeper and walking through the store, scanning through the folder. "Okay. The shotgun that materialized with Ryuji-sempai was a standard pump shotgun. Ideally it would be better to try and get a semi-automatic shotgun to replace it for faster fire. Judging from the catalog it looks like none are within the range of cash I've got. I'll have to focus on the more realistic look instead rather than the functionality. Getting Takamaki-sempai another submachine gun might be easier considering they're all around the same price, but finding one that would use larger rounds would probably up the damage output-"

"Kid." Izuku suddenly paused, blinking as he looked back at the shopkeep. "I've got no idea what you're sayin', but stop it. It's creepin' me out."

After spending several minutes sorting through the options, Izuku walked out with several bags hanging from a strap hoisted over his shoulder, offering a pleasant smile to Ryuji once the faux blond came into sight. "Looks like you really came through! Great job."

"He had some trouble deciding on everything, but from what I saw he picked some pretty interesting items. We should be all set now to go through the Palace." Morgana declared as he once again popped out of Izuku's bag, leaning over his shoulder.

"We don't really have the money for the best possible guns right now, but I was able to pick out some of the best in our price range, I think." Izuku suggested, handing a bag over to Ryuji. "He even had a catalogue of melee weapons. Once we get more money, we should come back and check those out, too. It was a lot to go through."

"Sweet. Sounds like a plan to me. Though I think I'll leave shoppin' to you now." Ryuji chuckled as the two walked out of the alley, taking a moment to wait for a gap in the crowd of people walking through.

"Please, everyone! Please take a moment to stop and listen!" Izuku and Ryuji raised a brow as they heard a feminine voice jovially calling out. Looking around, they could see a gathering circle nearby, Ryuji and Izuku sparing a glance at one another before curiously trekking forward to check it out. "I would like you all~ to pay close attention!" Izuku and Ryuji pushed through the crowd, getting a good view of who was garnering all this scrutiny.

At the center was a young girl, likely Izuku's age. She had pink locks of hair that went down to her neck. The most notable aspect of her looks were her yellow eyes that looked like they had crosshairs replacing her irises. Show wore a dark forest green tank top with leather straps over her shoulders attached to a metal pack on her back. She wore cargo pants that were stained with black grease as well as parts of her face and arms. On top of her head was a peculiar set of large goggles with what looked like antlers on top of her head. On her feet was a pair of strangely large metal boots that went up to her calf.

"My name is Hatsume Mei, first year student of UA's class 1-H, the support division! I would like to display my beautiful babies for all of you to see!" The rather energetic girl proclaimed, a microphone connected to her head that connected to her goggles.

"A UA student?!" Izuku blinked in amazement, immediately becoming more interested in what the girl had to say.

"Support division? What's that?" Ryuji asked, glancing at Izuku in confusion.

"While UA is most notable for its hero training courses, it also has a supplement of side courses. The support division is for students who are interested in building equipment and costumes for heroes and companies rather than fighting crime themselves." Izuku explained, an excited smile spreading across his lips as he watched the girl with great fascination. "I've always wondered what the support course classes were capable of! This could be pretty amazing!"

"You sure know your stuff when it comes to that school, huh?" Ryuji chuckled, returning his attention forward as he now became interested in what Mei had to offer.

"Thanks to UA's resources, I have been blessed with being able to create as many of my precious babies as I like~! To give you all an example, I brought one such baby with me today!" She produced a small trigger in her hand, grinning as she pushed the button. Suddenly the large metal boots on her feet whirred to life, Mei beginning to lift off the ground. Izuku and Ryuji inhaled in disbelief, the crowd around them mirroring the action as they witnessed Me beginning to float around in the air without batting an eye. "I present to you all my hover soles! I can use them to glide through the air at my own speed. Whether it's nice and slow…" Mei floated forward, giving the crowd a closer look at the boots as she went around the ring.

"... Or quick and accurate!" The boots blared, wind blowing across the crowd with great strength. Ryuji and Izuku put their arms up to shield from the heavy blast of air, Morgana lowering his head to lessen the amount of impact on him. Mei flew forward, quickly ascending up the nearest building without failure, going up ten meters in the air.

"Dude, no effin' way!" Ryuji blanched in complete shock, jaw slackening as he watched Mei climb higher by the second.

"I-I didn't realize the support course was so advanced! This is incredible…" Izuku mumbled in amazement, watching as Mei pushed off the building, all the while laughing like a maniac as she now began descending toward the ground. Despite her increasing speed, she never dropped her smile, immediately kicking her legs up and amping up the hover soles. Air whirred at her feet, immediately slowing her fall so until she was five feet off the ground, now hovering with its usual strength. Mei pressed another button, the hover soles shutting off and allowing her to fall to the ground with a thud.

Immediately the surrounding crowd began to cheer with life, no doubt impressed by Mei's invention. Izuku and Ryuji were no exceptions, both clapping their praise for the eccentric girl's invention. "Dude, that was effin' awesome!" Ryuji laughed, unable to peel away the grin on his face.

"E-even among the notable students from UA in the past, I've never seen someone with such advanced equipment except for Power Loader!" Izuku said, looking up at Ryuji with an equally impressed smile.

"Imagine if we had equipment like that for the Palace…" Morgana muttered, no less amazed than either of the teens by what he had just seen.

"Thank you, thank you. I''m glad you can all come to appreciate what my babies are capable of as well!" Mei spoke once again, placing her hands on her hips. "Now I'm sure you're all very curious as to why I've displayed my babies so freely to you all! Well, as it happens, I'm looking for some guinea pi-I mean volunteers to help testing out my babies! A lot of the students at UA have been reluctant, so I thought I would take my scouting to the streets!"

"Did… she almost say guinea pigs?" Ryuji blinked, a sentiment shared by the rest of the crowd.

"You see, while I have had plenty of successes like the hover soles, some of my babies don't always work out!" Mei admitted without care, her voice conveying the same amount of emotion as before. "I need to find someone that would be willing to help me test them out in the future! I would do it myself, but risk of injury is very high and if I hurt either of my arms I wouldn't be able to make more babies, now would I?" Mei laughed, though the statement immediately sapped her audience of any energy. "I can't pay you and the chances of heavy injury, broken limbs and possible trauma are exponential. But what does that mean in the face of invention?! Please, lend me your aid so that my babies may see the light of day!"

Despite the energy put forth by Mei, much of her crowd had began to disperse, immediately losing interest in her inventions. Izuku and Ryuji stared in disbelief, unable to believe that Mei had so bluntly suggested that someone should volunteer for her projects without benefit. "... This chick is crazy…" Ryuji whispered to Izuku and Morgana, the two giving stiff but small nods in agreement.

"You two! You both seem quite interested!" Mei exclaimed, her eyes suddenly set on Ryuji and Izuku. The two jumped in surprise, both looking around and realizing that they were the only ones who remained after her big speech. "Are you interested in the advancement of my babies?!"

"A-ah, well, I mean your boots were cool and all, but-" Ryuji began, only for Mei to cut him off as she zipped up to them with surprising speed.

"You think the hover soles were cool? Just wait until you see what else I've got instore!" Mei exclaimed, her greedy grin spreading wider as she continued to close the distance between her and the two. Izuku and Ryuji held up their hands, taking small steps back to keep their distance. "Right now I have ten babies in the process of being made! Some just concepts, but others being assembled back at my lab! The wire arrow, the jet pack, the high density weights and much more! All I need is a volunteer to help me test them all out. Are you both interested?"

"W-w-well, Hatsume-san, w-we both thought your invention was amazing, but I don't think…"

"Hey, there she is!" Izuku and Ryuji blinked in shock when they heard a gruff voice, both craning their heads to see a police officer just down the road from them. "We've told you already, you're not allowed to use those devices in such a public area!"

"Well, looks like we'll have to cut our talk short!" Hatsume giggled despite her situation, quickly shoving a card into Izuku's chest. "Use that to call me if you're interested in seeing more of my sweet babies again! I'm always looking for guinea pi-volunteers!"

"You said it again!" Izuku and Ryuji blurted out, though Hatsume simply ignored them as she activated her boots before taking off, going into a manic fit of laughter as she quickly escaped several cops that gave chase. The two watched as she hovered through the alleys, giving the police no chance of catching her on foot.

"That chick… is weird." Ryuji finally said, stiffly reaching up and scratching his head awkwardly.

"It makes me wonder if all those in the support class are so eccentric…" Izuku muttered, eyes still wide as he processed the last minute of their interaction with Mei.

"Weird or not, there's no denying what she made was impressive." Morgana pointed out, a small but unmistakably mischievous smile spreading across his feline face. "You should hold onto that number of hers, Izuku. We should hold off for now, but I think we might be able to come into an arrangement with this Hatsume Mei."

"Huh?!"

To be continued…

Hello everyone, I come baring the tidings of cheer and joy! For one, classes are over for a while! Oh yeah, and it's Christmas lol but jokes aside, I'm sure this was a rather uneventful chapter for you all. Not much going on here save for establishing some future confidants as I'm sure you could tell. While it might not be the most riveting part of the story, it's definitely necessary as I'm sure you all can understand.

As you can see, Hatsume Mei has arrived on the scene! Originally I planned for her introduction a teensy bit later than this, but honestly this seemed like the perfect opportunity for her introduction. She's definitely someone who likes to be vocal and make herself known. You'll all have to see later on what kind of role she might play throughout the story :P

Before I set off, I would like to do a little shout out to another story. I had been planning to do this in another story of mine, but got swept up in what I was doing and forgot. If you aren't aware, there's a story called Remnant's Bizarre Adventure: Beacon is Unbreakable by gorilla fingers. It's not a Persona or MHA crossover, but I thought it deserved some more attention. It's a crossover between RWBY and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure part 4, and is extremely well written while also having fast updates. The writer is on a short break due to holidays but will be back with another chapter at the beginning of January. Please hop on over and give his story a read when you get the chance!

Another story shout out to A Different Kind of Truth by The Infamous Man. I'm sure the story is far more well known among Persona fanfic readers, but I thought I'd give it an appropriate shout out. TIM has provided me with a plethora of ideas and advice for this story and I truly appreciate his help and insight. So go on over to his story and give it a read if you haven't already!

Alright, that's about it for me until the holiday is over. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and have a very Merry Christmas!