"And … done." Izuku smiled proudly over his work. He handed Opera his papers to look over.
"Congratulations young master, you've improved yourself to a B average." Opera slowly lifted a fist in the air. "Woo hoo."
"After everything I just went through, that's the greatest news I've heard in a long while." Izuku chuckled, slumping over on the table. "Feels good that I won't be treated like an idiot by my friends anymore, even if they were nice about it. Man, I missed being a nerd." Who would've thought picture books would be his salvation here?
"Now that you're done with your school work, aren't you going to make plans with your friends? The terminus break ends in a few days."
"Well, Lied did invite most of the guys in class to something called a Sabbath, but he begged me not to join them." From what he gathered, it was basically a dating mixer. "Said I would've taken all the girl's attention, don't know why he said that though."
"Aww, you should have gone with them." His mother rubbed his head.
"Mom, I'd rather not go to a place to be at my absolute most awkward." He deadpanned."Bad enough Kaumi thinks I have some sort of harem, but Jazz already started a new betting pool on who I'm dating."
"And who are you dating?" She smirked.
"No one, there's not a single girl that doesn't like me as a friend." As if on cue his phone rang. "Just a sec." He pulled it out and answered. "Hello?"
"Hey there Izzy, are you working at the moment?" Ameri's voice greeted.
"Oh, hey Ameri." He didn't like the grin on his mother's face. "I've got some company but I just finished all my homework for end of terminus." Once again, thank you Balam-sensei. "My schedule is completely clear otherwise. Why, want to meet up somewhere?"
"Ah-Ah yeah! Yes! I do! I want to meet up! With you! Alone!" She was pausing a lot on her end. Must have been a choppy connection.
"Oh, yeah, did you have a place in mind?" He asked, moving further away so his mom wouldn't hear. "I heard about this museum that holds a lot of ancient demon history, or we can head to the magical display fair, that sounds like fun, or maybe we can go to that show of Kuromu." This was both an attempt at making his mother have too many guesses to track, and genuinely asking where to go.
"So-so-so many places! I-" Huh, the line got cut off for a moment. Weird. "A-actually, I was thinking about the Water Park, since Walter Park didn't exactly go as planned. Have some nice, as you humans say, summer fun before we head back to school."
"Oh? A return visit?" He really didn't want to get bodyguards again though. Maybe he could say it's something closer and slip out. The security there has been upped after all.
"Actually, this is a completely different place. It's a water park/aquarium that was founded by one of the three great heroes, Lord Levi."
"Wait, the same Lord Levi that drowns her students when they act unruly?" He asked with a bit of fear.
"Oh, you've heard of her?" She didn't deny anything and that filled him with dread.
"Yeah, Grandpa talks about his friends with me from time to time. They're all just like him from what I learned." Genuinely insane and have no concern about anything but grandkids. And yet they were the most powerful and important people on the planet, possibly both planets in all honesty. "Anyway yeah, i'll have to get something to head there." Swimsuit, but mom was still too close for comfort. "But that sounds like a fun time."
"Great, we can head out tomorrow, meet me in the front lobby around eleven. See you there Izzy." She hung up, as he turned to his mother.
"Study date." He lied without hesitation. The demon world was getting to him.
"So you admit it's a date?" No win situation.
Inko really did have to thank Opera for installing that wiretap recording on her baby's hellphone. She didn't blame him for lying, but it still hurt a bit. Regardless, she had a camera and would see it through. She even got swim clothes to blend in … even if it showed off her body a little too much for her liking. She needed to start losing weight.
She subtly trailed her son all the way to the Water Park. Her Papa, for all his faults, knew the best routes to sneak through without being detected. Probably for his own excursions doing the exact same thing she was. They had more in common than she thought.
The park itself was quite the view. Magic and technology co-exist for an underwater experience even if you couldn't breath in it. Just from the outside she could see kids swimming on streams of water in the sky, laughing all the way. The sign even mentioned they had a beach. Not a simulated one, but a genuine fucking beach, inside of an enclosed area. HOW!?
Not important, she watched as her boy made his way to a bench and tapped their feet in place. "Wow, it still amazes me how much technology is used in a magic based society. I hope I didn't miss Ameri already. It's already past Eleven."
"Izzy!" She heard the shout, turning to see the tall red headed girl with such a cute nickname for her baby approached in her own swimsuit. It was a red two piece with a towel draped on her bottom half making it look more like a skirt. "You made it without trouble?"
Her baby was already flushing wildly. Oh dear, this may have been too much for him to handle all at once. "Y-yeah, yeah, I did! Y-you look great, Ameri!" He covered his eyes. "So-so much skin!"
The taller girl got equally as flustered. ."Ah, yes! I, thank you! It's the only one I had available." That girl was a horrible liar; She already had so much in common with Izuku! "Now then, let's head out." She reached down and grabbed his shoulder, seeming to freeze. Did she see something?
"Ameri, you alright?" Her baby asked, also concerned.
"Just one second …" She moved closer to her position, so she moved to hide as the girl flipped through a manga. "I can't hold hands with Izzy, I'm too tall!" Oh the poor girl, she'd have to offer some tips when she had the time. "Plenty of other techniques in this romantic tome, just try and have him hold you during the ride." … She was quite the inexperienced girl wasn't she? "We're going on one of the slides now, you might want to take off your shirt."
"Oh, right, silly me. Never went to too many Water Parks before." Her son took off that horrendous 'pants' shirt he decided to take out and...wait, since when did her boy have muscles?
"Um, you, look, really-" The girl in question looked very flustered.
"Yeah, I know, the scars kinda look bad." He muttered.
"Wh-what scars?" Ameri looked the boy over, looking over the boy's body, well, more like checking out the rest of her son's body, growing more red by the second.
The boy in question looked confused as well, looking at his own body. "But there was plenty … before … did they heal? Wait, scars don't heal, that's the very definition of a scar. How badly did my body change during that Walter Park event?" He suddenly seemed very scared. "Do I even count as human anymore?" They should get a trustworthy doctor to look her baby over.
"D-don't worry about it! You're still the same Izzy-kun in anycase. Now come on, let's get going!" She grabbed Izuku's shoulder again and dragged him over to one of the slides. "Still. Can't. Reach!"
"Inconceivable." She turned, noticing Mr Azazel. Oh, she had a stalker buddy, maybe they could share images. "I have to break this right away." Completely misunderstood the situation, got it. Well, tailing could wait, there would be more opportunities in the future.
"Mr Azazel, what a coincidence." She greeted the man. "How nice to see you again."
"Oh, Ms Midoriya. I didn't expect you to be here either." He nodded. "I assume you're here to protect your son's innocence as well? Worry not, with me in charge we can handle the situation no problem."
"Oh, I'm here to protect my baby. But I'm here to protect Ameri as well." Inko gently approached the man. "I'm here to ensure nothing interrupts their happiness together. And I'm fully prepared to do whatever it takes to make it happen."
"I see … let's sit down and have a lovely chat then about our children's future." Oh, right, border patrol. This guy likely had to deal with worse than her on a daily basis. This was going to be a pain.
Ameri realized she picked horribly when it came to this date. She was physically … too much. Too tall, too strong, too fast. Too scary for Izuku to consider a princess!
The slide went completely off the rails right away when the height difference between them, more specifically her being taller, made it so she had to hold HIM on the ride down. But that wouldn't be bad right? Plenty of rides had role reversals correct? WRONG! It was over in seconds with no time to enjoy it! Why couldn't she spend more time cradling him in her arms rubbing those slim but toned muscles..
She slapped herself mentally, still slightly confused how Izzy got so fit when he still looked pretty small. Probably had to do with how much he tried to run for his life on a daily basis. In the netherworld you were either fit or you manipulated the fit to carry you.
Next up was the beach, which despite being normal, confused Izzy. "How the fuck do they have a beach inside of an enclosed area? It's not even simulated." Regardless, they tried to have fun with simple splashing. She nearly caused him to drown.
"Oh no, you're water lunged. I need … to perform … cpr…" That revived him almost instantly, coughing up as much water as he tended to cry out more often than not.
"Ah, no, no need-hack-for that-hack, I'm fine!" How did he perform self CPR on command!?
"Uh, no you still have a little water in you. I should be thorough with this." She grabbed him by the shoulders yet again. This time, the height difference was an advantage. "We don't need you to suffer needlessly on a day of fun. I'll be quick." She brought her mouth closer to his.
And then he coughed water into her face. Well, that was lovely. "There's plenty of other things to do, we shouldn't let this ruin our fun." He tried to wave off. "What about Undervolleyball?"
"Alright. That sounds easy and calm enough." They would be on opposite sides, but it would be fun, and they'd both get nice and sweaty and watching the sun bounce off his skin would make those muscles even more.. "You know the rules?" She asked him, getting on her side of the net before her imagination could run wild again.
"Of course. For once, there is not that much difference between the two worlds." Well that was comforting, maybe she could start light, build them both into a sweat, then cuddle with his exhausted state ...
She threw up the ball and hit it while daydreaming, forgetting to hold back as the ball launched Izuku halfway across the beach."Oh right, I never hold back, and Izzy-kun doesn't know how to back away from danger."
"I'm, I'm alright!" Izzy-kun yelled, lifting the ball in the air. "I caught the ball at least." She sighed, getting him some ice cream for both placing it on the wound and eating. "Thank you." He smiled because of her, and that made the whole day worth it in Ameri's opinion.
"You still never lose that determination no matter what, do you?"
"Yeah, I need to have it if I want to reach my goals and ideals." Izzy licked his frozen treat. "Now that I know the difference, I know what my ideal is. I want to save everyone, but I also want to be able to live happily among everyone. It may be a bit much to ask for, but I now have the power to take the future and mold it however I want." He looked up at her. "And what I want is to be like everyone else, to be more like you...you and every demon."
Ameri's heart beat faster once again, as she placed a hand and ruffled his head. "You should be like yourself, it's much more adorable." His blushing only proved her point. She had her own ideals too, ideals she would turn into her ambition.
To be the ideal partner to the boy she loved.
Henri and Inko discuss parent to parent about their kids happiness.
Henri sat down with the mother of that bastard known as Izuku Midoriya. This was an opportunity. Even if he couldn't protect the short term innocence of his daughter, the long term would be well secured, if he could get evidence of her being human. He already began a search, ninety percent of hospitals had never had an Inko Midoriya in their system. "So, how long have you lived around the area, Mrs. Midoriya? A few months? Weeks? Have you gotten to explore much of it at all?"
"I would say I've been here since a few weeks before Izuku started to go to Babyls, I haven't been outside much besides the school, houses of Asmodeus and Valac, and spending the day at Walter Park. I know you can't tell me much, but are you any closer to finding whoever did it?"
"Let's just say they're a slippery bunch, wouldn't be the first time they've gotten away." He couldn't let her know who did it, but he would be honest enough to get her trust. "So your son seems like quite the popular fellow nowadays. Even earning himself his own moniker. One For All, I believe it was. Already trying to be like his Grandpa?"
"He always wanted a bunch of fun hero names when he was a kid. Do you know he came up with Saving man Jr at one point? He had a onesie and everything." She gave him a smile only someone who truly loved their child could give. He's seen it in the mirror every day. So why was she fine with her baby hanging out with his princess?
"Yes, and with such a reputation now, it's only going to get harder for him to live among everyone else. I believe even you can't be having that much peace and quiet around your own home now. Some many invasive and terrifying demons barging into your lives."
"I believe it's getting better. Grandpa is talking about investing in some 'defensive cannons from Henri san'." … He took a deep breath and put that into the 'later' department of his brain. "And honestly I'm more worried about the dangers at Babyls than I am at our home."
"Right, the danger-junkie reputation." Henri recalled. "I've heard a bit from my princess. He seems like a good natured kid, but he doesn't know how to handle himself." And the bastard was trying to seduce his little girl. "I imagine you'd be close to demanding the Chair Demon pull him out by this point."
"I was, but Kalego talked me out of it." He DID now, did he? What was the bastard planning? How deep did this rabbit hole go? What did he want from Inko Midoriya and what did he gain from her being human? So many questions with so little answers. "I, you know, Izuku can't use bloodline magic at all. Or really any magic at all for that matter."
"Magicless?" That was statistically impossible. If she was still lying about them being human, which he knew very well, then that would translate to quirklessness. There were only few quirkless people in the world. Was she? "What about you?"
"I can lift small objects." Genuine proof! She didn't have Sullivans bloodline magic at all! "My son was devastated when we found out. He asked, crying, watching his favorite video on the computer, asking me if he could be a hero." Computer Video, probably All Might. Regardless he sat and listened in silence. "I genuinely believed he couldn't be one no matter what. I couldn't even bring myself to even lie about it and say yes. I just cried along with him and said I was sorry. That's when he slowly started shutting me out."
"I'm assuming that's why he often rushes into situations without telling anybody." Henri guessed correctly, going by the woman's nodding.
"The teacher's back at his old school enabled his classmates bullying. In their eyes, Izuku was a deadweight that only got in the way of their 'naturally gifted' prospects that would make them famous if they ever became a hero." A sob story of course, even in the off chance it was real, it was too dangerous for humans to be in the netherworld. The sheer idea of what Return to Origins alone could do with this information …
"Everyday I found him covered in new scars and bruises, always smelling sickly sweet and like soot. I was always afraid he would just...just give up on everything one day and ki…" She found herself choking on her own words. "He genuinely felt like there was nothing for him to live for aside from his dream. Do you know what it's like to wake up everyday and pray to devi that you don't find an empty room while waiting for someone to tell you they've found your baby's body tossed aside in some dark alley somewhere?!"
"..." That was a lot to take in, and she's become far too emotional. He wouldn't press on like that. It both would just warp information, and it wouldn't feel right. "All I can offer is sympathy."
"Believe me, that's more than anything we ever got back home." Inko kept looking down. "Bablys is the first time I've ever seen Izuku be excited for anything. Not just for being a hero, but being excited for school work, for school events, for just talking casually to someone that doesn't look down on him purely for existing. I want my baby safe, but above all else I just want to see him smile. I don't care what he does as long as he's able to choose to be happy."
Damn it, now he fully understood. They believed that as long as they were undetected this life would be better than their old one, and that would make this much harder moving forward. Regardless, he needed to calm her down. And there was one thing that always did that to him. "Would you like me to tell you about Ameri as a kid?"
"Do you have baby pictures?" Bitch, please. He had a camera trained on her every minute of the day, regardless if he was there or not.
Ameri sat down next to Izzy, hand rubbing his hair as they waited on the big show. Romantic fortune telling. Regardless of the rest of the night, this would be major confirmation about their relationship! Come on positive! "Boys and girls, meet the one and only monster that can read your romance!"
"I thought it was a Demon." Izzy muttered. "Oh well, it should still be fun." Yes, he was into it. Now to wait as it came out, antenna flowing around and touching people, dinging multiple colors.
"Yes, Mako-chan is capable of detecting the most compatible of Couples!" One of the two showgirls announced for the audience as they all laughed. Oh, so if the creature came to them, then it would automatically prove she and Izzy were perfect! Ha, take that Valac! "Be careful though, she's also been very cranky lately due to her new diet."
"Ah, is it wise to have a hungry monster in front of a crowd of people?" Izzy worried, and it was justifiable.
"Don't worry, Izzy. Monsters like this are trained on a special diet. They know not to eat demons." She said as the creature walked up and gave them a good sniffing, or rather, one of them. "Why is it sniffing you so much?"
"I don't know, I shouldn't smell like anything, even the perfume should make me smell normal." He paled. "The perfume washed off by water …" Oh. "AAAHHHH." Ah, now he was being lifted up by the beast!
"Put him down, Mako-chan!" The beast ignored their trainers' words as it held its mouth up. "Don't start acting up just because you're a little cranky!" The creature threw Izzy into the air with its jaws spread wide open.
And in the words of her beloved Izzy-kun, her body started moving on its own, Romantisist flaring up with a single thought, and took Izzy into the safety of her arms. After putting Izzy-kun down, she made her way over to the beast and used the first lesson Opera taught her. Attack and enemy, and once they're down, don't let them get back up. "WHY! DID! YOU! HAVE! TO! RUIN! THIS! OUTING!?" And with a final kick, the beast was sent back. With tears that could rival the Midoriyas, the beast fled into the water with a high pitched wine. Served the thing right.
"We're sorry, we're sorry! We're sorry!" The trainers bowed repeatedly to her Izzy-kun, holding out some sort of paper. "Here's an annual pass. Everything's free!"
"Ah, thanks. I'll probably stay away from the water for now on though, at least for a while." Izzy sulked as he walked over to her. "I wonder if this is why Azz hates fish. You alright?"
"Perfectly." In all honesty she may have been a tad harsh on the beast, but it's been a very frazzling day. "That monster hardly took a sweat out of me." She stood firmly, though her right leg felt a slight sting. "Ow. I might've scraped my leg on one of it's scales though."
"Got it." The boy bit his finger before she could even process it, placing the wound onto hers as it healed. The warm tingle felt better than any massage or blanket or hug she's ever had in her life. "There, all better." What the-
"Izzy, we did that at Walter Park because it was a matter of life and death. This was just a scrape."
"I know, but I still don't like seeing you or anybody else hurt." Izzy shrugged sheepishly. "I'm not the same quirkless kid anymore, so if I can take away the pain just a little, I will."
"Izzy.." This boy was a literal bleeding heart. A bleeding heart left unchecked would ultimately bleed out, and she knew deep down her Izzy-kun was perfectly fine with it if ONE person ended up okay. "Well now you're hurt. There's only one thing I can do now."
"Bandage it up? Cause we can just walk to the first aid-" Nope, not letting him ruin this. Luckily he was still light enough to scoop up in her arms, nuzzling him against her chest as she walked. "A-A-Ameri!" He shouted. "What are you doing, it's not that big of a wound, I can walk!"
"Nope. You've carried everyone's burdens alone long enough, Izzy-kun. Someone has to carry it for you sometimes. Luckily for you, I volunteer myself." She held onto him harder, her heart already beating faster. Ideally, she would've loved it if it was him, with his tiny frame, carrying her like a princess, but the way he was so delicate and safe inside of her arms made her feel … warmer. She would be his rock, holding him up even when the world came down on him.
They continued walking until they turned a corner and came across a particular cafe table. "And here's when she said she wanted to marry her papa when she was eighteen." A familiar, but in this moment, horrifying voice said to a mop of green hair.
"Mom!?"
"Father!?"
Both of them, talking! With her old baby photos! This was so conflicting! On one hand, it was embarrassing, but on the other, parents of both parties were in communication with each other, a vital ingredient!
They were turning to her, and out of instinct, she tried to get rid of the evidence, tossing Izzy sky high. "How's it going?" She waved as nonchalantly as possible.
"I thought my baby was having a study date with you today?" Was it possible for someone to be innocently evil?
"Date...Date….YOU WERE ON A DATE!?" And now her father looked like he was about to kill somebody.
"N-no! No! Not at all! Izzy-kun isn't even here…!" And right on que, Izzy fell back into her arms. "...at the current moment." Izzy turned to her, then at the parents. His mother was holding her hands over her mouth, obviously angry they moved so fast. Her father was just a boiling pile of rage.
"Nice to meet you again, Mr Azazel." He tried to greet him.
"Get away from my daughter you scum!" The man jumped at them, but found himself frozen in the air. "What the, what's doing..?!"
"I did say I would protect their happiness." Izzy's mom smiled at them, holding a single hand out, showing that it was her keeping her father in place. "Please, feel free to call me mom anytime you feel like it. I'm patient, I can wait." And she dragged the steaming pile of fumes that was her father away.
"Did my mom's quirk just go through an awakening?"
"Did my father really just lose to a human woman?"
"Were they spying on us?"
"Did she just give me her blessing?"
It seems there were some questions that would never be answered. Besides Inko Midoriya being a scary woman.
