20.10.2021

Do any of you understand that we have only two and a half month left before 2022? I'm still processing 2020 god damnit! Time flies let me tell ya.

Anyways, It's me the guy-who-always-tries-to-introduce-himself-in-a-funny-way-but-fails-miserably and I'm back with another fluff/romance/plot/comedy filled chapter!

But first, the comments!:

Bucio - Whilst Kravchenko had nothing to do with the nanites, he does have a reason to do the things he does. What reasons? That's a topic for a different fanfic all together. As to the ones that decide to leave UA - it was the easiest way to get rid off Mineta and it kinda made sense to me, but more on that later, when I decided to make an emotional 'saying goodbye' chapter where I reveal who leaves and who stays. Although I can say that Classes A and B will be joined and form a single bigger class. As for Itsuka - she's about to have her five minutes of fame so I'll let you go without spoilers.

CarEnthusiast - I vaguely remember seeing a scene like that in a game or a movie once, but I couldn't remember it in detail so I was 100% yoloing the 'where's my arm?!' part. I'm glad that it worked out

And now, the chapter!:

She was frozen in place, unable to even twitch a single muscle in the body. Her friends told her what happened, so once she learned that Izuku woke up she decided to go and express her gratitude for what he did.

Earlier, a tearful Momo walked into her room and then cried into her shoulder, telling her everything she learned about Izuku, needing to vent to someone. She found comfort in her embrace as Itsuka almost numbly digested every little bit of information given. To think he would go so far for someone he wasn't even good friends with. Yeah, they talked a lot, but usually it was because they were Class Reps and had to work together.

Even if she didn't have a crush on him prior to this, upon learning what he sacrificed to save her, she would've instantly fallen in love. Cheesy? Probably, but who are we to judge?

And yet, hearing about something and seeing it in person are two different things. She saw his right hand laying on his stomach, but the left arm was nowhere to be found. Still, that wasn't the most important thing right now.

"What do you mean?", she asked, filled with hope, as she stared at his still slack jawed expression.

His head snapped towards her and he coughed into his fist as if he spaced out enough not to notice her next to his bed. "Well, he-, he didn't give me any details, or anything much really, but- the one thing he did was hope. And, I guess I want to hold onto that hope. He asked me if I was going to the I-Expo this year and said that this visit could be life changing for me", he chuckled as all stiffness left his body and he let it fall to the bed fully relaxed. "I'm probably just reading into this too much", he admitted with a sigh. "Kravchenko may be a bit of a mad scientist from what I know about him, but I doubt he can make my arm grow back", Izuku closed his eyes as he took a couple of deep breaths.

His eyes snapped open, however, when he felt Itsuka intertwine their fingers out of the blue. He turned his head to look at her in confusion.

"What's wrong with being hopeful?", she asked with a small smile. "Aren't we supposed to bring hope to people as Heroes? We can't exactly do that if we ourselves have no hope"

His eyes widened at that, but soon went back to a more normal state as he smiled at her.

"That was stupid of me. Thank you for reminding me what being a Hero is all about"

"Thank you for saving my life", she immediately retorted and blushed once she realized what her left hand was doing. She didn't even remember putting it there.

"Anyone could've done it, I was just the first to react", he tried to brush it off, but she wouldn't have any of it.

"They could've tried, but I doubt someone like Kaminari would be able to punch that monster away with one strike", her grip tightened a bit and Izuku seemed to give up the argument.

"Well, can't really argue with that", the smile on his face made Itsuka feel all sorts of things right now.

They were all alone, holding hands and talking, what else could she wish for? Actually, there was something she wanted, but could she have it? If not now, then when? Would she have another opportunity like this?

"Are-, are you and Momo d-dating?", Kendo stuttered a bit on the quiet side. Izuku just looked at her confused which prompted her to explain what she meant. "She came to my room some time ago and seemed to really be really affected by what happened to you, so it got me curious…"

The boy took a moment to figure out his answer, sifting through his memories to be as truthful as possible right now.

"We are really close, but we aren't officially dating yet", he concluded.

"So it's alright if I do this, right?"

"Do wha-?", his question was abruptly caught off when Itsuka, in a sudden display of speed, stood up from her seat, crouched on his bed and kissed him right on his lips.

It shocked him deeply, but he reciprocated the act unconsciously, taking the passion and feelings conveyed by every kiss. She separated from him for a moment.

"It doesn't have to mean anything", she said, tears in her eyes and a tremble in her voice. "It doesn't have to change anything between us, but please, let me have this moment", and with that plea she dived back in to seal their lips together.

Izuku was shocked by this sudden development that's for sure, yet he didn't - couldn't - push her away. Instead he snaked his right arm to tangle it in her orange hair as she started caressing his face, deciding to grant her the wish.

Next day started even slower than the previous one, but ultimately ended up being probably more eventful, but that was still up for debate.

Izuku kept vague track of the doctors and nurses that came around to check his vitals and do some other stuff that his parents would know everything about whilst he had no idea of.

This lack of distractions proved to be a curse since Izuku was left alone with his less-than-happy thoughts. It certainly brought his mood down enough for it to be clearly noticeable by anyone who entered his room.

The person to enter was none other than his homeroom teacher - Eraserhead.

"What's with the long face Problem Child?", the Hero questioned in his usual tired manner, though Izuku suspected that he was actually worried, somewhere beneath his facade. "Anyways, brighten up, you have a visitor", he stated and stepped aside to see-

"Am I a mouse? Or a bear? Or maybe a dog? Most importantly I am the Principal of UA!", everyone's favorite chimera walked through the room on his own two feet instead of using one of the faculty members as a vehicle, which was really unusual.

Nezu's appearance jolted Midoriya out of his thoughts immediately as he sat up on his bed.

"There's no need to be so stiff, young Midoriya!", the Principal said and Izuku relaxed, though he didn't lay back down. Nezu walked up to the chair standing next to the hospital bed and climbed on top of it before speaking. "I presume you have a vague idea as to why I've decided to pay you a visit, yes? Besides being worried about one of my precious students of course!"

"Vision?", Izuku guessed and Nezu confirmed.

"Yes, Vision"

"Vision?", Aizawa asked in curiosity as this was the first time he even heard anything about this.

"Right, I haven't discussed it with the faculty yet…", Nezu mused before turning to the black-haired man. "Project Vision is by far one of my biggest plans. Its main goal is to create an influential Hero, capable of changing minds and hearts of those around him. A Symbol of Hope so to speak. He would also be the one to lead a Hero Agency with close ties to UA itself, which could be an excellent place for future students to have their internships and work-studies at"

"A Pro Hero factory?"

"In a sense, yes. I believe that if we put someone willing to sacrifice nearly everything to help others, someone with unbounded enthusiasm, utmost dedication and infectious determination in charge of said Agency, it could motivate every employed Hero and Sidekick to strive for self-improvement", Nezu finished his explanation and silence set in as Aizawa digested this completely new concept.

"I'm gonna have to sleep on that to figure out whether I like it or not, but I guess I understand what you meant. And if I'm not wrong, Midoriya is the one you chose as your 'Symbol of Hope'?", the Pro guessed.

"Indeed. Project Vision is already a few years in the making, but young Midoriya is the first suitable candidate I've found. That's why I jumped at the opportunity and made him an offer which he accepted", Nezu confirmed happily before his face took on a more somber expression. "However, Midoriya's current condition throws a giant wrench into this machine despite the gears being already in motion. I'm afraid that this whole venture may backfire spectacularly if we don't play our cards right. As the both of you are aware already, Midoriya's become a very popular person due to his controversial interview after the Hosu Incident and was called a top Hero in the making despite being still in his first year. All the press knows for know is that one student has been severely injured during the summer camp fiasco. If they find out that we let our top student get hurt whilst he was attending school activities UA will receive a massive backlash from the public opinion. And, frankly speaking, I have yet to think of a way to turn this in our favor… Even if we keep everything a secret, they'll know something is up and start nagging us or figure it out on their own…", his somber mood immediately spread to the other two men in the room once the gravity of the situation set in.

Silence settled in amongst them as they digested the information. The smartest student, the most logical teacher and the most devious principal, all trying to find a solution to the problem at hand.

Then Izuku suddenly remembered the offer he got earlier in the day.

"If the future top Hero got crippled so much that he had to drop out of the Hero Course, then UA will lose a lot of reputation, but what if that student remained in the school?", Midoriya started cautiously, unsure how to get his point across.

"I know that you're an optimist through and through Midoriya, but this is not 'just another learning experience' as you usually say. You are a melee combatant and I've seen Heroes with both arms get beaten in combat, now imagine you had to fight with only one arm!", the skeptical although logical underground Pro Hero stated almost immediately.

"But what if I had both arms?", the student proposed and managed to catch Aizawa off guard. "What if I could get my arm back?", he continued when neither of his guests said a word to his initial idea. "What if there was a way for me to remain a Hero?", the conviction in his voice made them realize something - he wasn't being completely theoretical.

"And what way would that be Mister Midoriya?", Nezu asked with a slight though almost hopeful smile.

"I'm… not sure as to the details, but Kravchenko told me that he knew a way for me to keep being a Hero. He didn't say anything specific besides expressing his hopes to meet me on the I-Expo. He even offered to fly me there", what happened next was an ideal example of what a gap moe looks like in real life.

"Midoriya", suddenly Aizawa was sitting on the bed and had his right hand on Izuku's right shoulder. "Clear up your schedule, you are going to the Expo", the Pros stern look left no room for argument, so Izuku did the only thing he could right now - nodded. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me", his sudden intensity vanished completely as he crossed the room in three long steps and left the room in a hurry.

"That was certainly something out of the ordinary, but I do share Aizawa's opinion. If there's a chance that Kravchenko really knows a way that would allow you to remain in the Hero Course then it's worth checking, wouldn't you agree?"

Izuku nodded once again as his doubts were washed away. He thought about what Nezu jost told him and remembered that he already heard something similar from Itsuka, but only now did he realize that they were completely right. Hope, one of the most powerful feelings in the world. As long as there was hope - there was a way.

As soon as Nezu left, Midoriya wasted no time and called the infamous Merchant of Death. He left his number when he visited him yesterday on an ominous looking business card. Like the ones they give out at shady spas that may or may not be covers for organ trafficking crime syndicates.

Kravchenko didn't seem surprised by the call, actually, he didn't seem to be surprised by anything really. The only time Izuku remembered the man act genuinely confused was when Itsuka visited him. But even then he was more surprised that she came so early and not the fact that they were disturbed.

It left Izuku feeling uneasy about this whole ordeal, but the call was already through so there wasn't going back now. Besides, how could he abandon a dream he worked so hard for a reason as silly as uneasiness towards someone?

The call was short and to the point with Kravchenko telling Izuku to meet him at UA so that they may go to I-Island together and that he was allowed to take some friends with him.

As soon as the call was over, Midoriya started thinking about who he should take with him. There wasn't exactly a limit mentioned, but inviting too many people would seem like abusing the man's generosity.

Izuku knew that Momo will probably be at I-Island due to her family holding a smaller event during the I-Expo so he didn't have to worry about her. And if he guessed correctly, she would probably take Itsuka with her, but he'll check it just to be sure later. He also remembered that Momo was good friends with Jiro and Ashido, so these two might be his first invites.

And if he was inviting them, then he might as well take Kirishima and Kaminari too.

Should he take anyone else?

In the end Izuku decided to stick with just the four he thought off initially after confirming that Kendo was indeed flying together with Momo.

The five students waited just behind the main entrance onto the school grounds with their baggage next to them. Noon, the time that Kravchenko wanted to meet up with them, was just about to strike, yet the foreign Pro was nowhere to be seen.

But alas, just as noon arrived they heard a weird noise in the distance and turned in the direction they thought it to be coming from. They saw something flying through the air at quite breakneck speed and guessed that this could be their ride.

But how was a jet supposed to land around here? The school grounds of UA were very extensive, but all of it was covered with all kinds of buildings, facilities and training grounds.

Their confusion turned to surprise when they saw the aircraft's wings turn, twist and fold, as it started hovering above them before slowly descending to the ground.

It was still a good couple of meters in the air when the rear ramp opened and revealed Kravchenko wearing a rather dapper tuxedo.

"'Sup?!", he shouted with a grin as his vehicle landed.

"Amazing! What even is this?!", Mina and Denki gushed as they inspected the aircraft.

"It's a Vertical Take Off and Landing vehicle or VTOL for short, pretty cool eh?", Kravchenko's green stretched even more which seemed impossible at first.

"Man, with this thing we'll be on I-Island in no time!", Kirishima exclaimed and the foreigner chuckled before outright laughing.

The students looked confused by the sudden outburst, not understanding what was so funny in Kirishima's statement. It took a few moments for Kravchenko to calm down and a grin to return to his face.

"That was a good one kid. Real comedy gold I tell ya'!", the man straightened his jet black suit before continuing. "We're not going to fly all the way to I-Island in this here tin can, what do you think I am, poor?"

"So how are we going to go to I-Island then?", Midoriya voiced everyone's question and the others nodded in agreement.

Kravchenko only pointed one of his fingers towards the sky, so they looked up and saw… nothing. Just as they were about to look away however, they noticed a faint glimmer above them. It started as a tiny spark but started spreading further and further, before finally taking a shape of-

"You've got to be kidding me…", Denki gasped out as they all stared in wonder at the massive aircraft hovering silently just below the clouds.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for you appreciation - Harrier!", Kravchenko announced theatrically. The students were too stunned to answer however so he decided to give them a little nudge. "This is the part where you start clapping"

Even as they boarded the tiny in comparison VTOL they still couldn't believe what was happening. Needless to say, they definitely didn't expect to travel to I-Island in a flying aircraft carrier the size of a shopping mall.

I believe myself to be a personification of pure chaotic-neutral essence, so it only makes sense for my SI-character to share that sentiment, right?

This marks the end of the summer camp, but we're jumping straight into the next named Arc as our protagonist flies to the famous I-Island. Oh boy, wonder that tomfuckery awaits us there! Alas that's all for today so have a great day and come back next time to continue the journey!