Trtt

by Nexus Sannin

T

11. Google

What The Wilderness Brought Me

by Greenflame (ObsidianKing), ObsidianKing

Summary

During an unexpected encounter with a villain, Izuku comes into contact with the Pro Hero Mirko for the first time.

Surprisingly, it isn't his last. Following the UA Sports Festival, the Rabbit Hero sends an invitation for him to intern with her. It's an unprecedented offer from the usually self-reliant heroine.

And surely a golden opportunity he'd have to be crazy to say no to. The start of something new, something different. Something better?

Well, not everyone agrees.

Can Izuku juggle his new mentor's mentality and training while balancing his own dreams and the expectations of his friends and allies? He sure hopes so.

Notes

Hey. This is a story featuring an Izuku who does not go to learn from Gran Torino but instead gets Mirko as his secondary mentor. This is going to have some pretty serious repercussions along the way, though to what extent those changes go, well... you'll just have to wait and see though.

This particular chapter is set shortly before the USJ Invasion and is something of a prologue. Next chapter and beyond will be post-Tournament.

See the end of the work for more notes

These Humble Seeds Are Where We Meet

'-and by touching objects, she can of course revert their momentum and halt them but I wonder if-'

Izuku is roused from his thoughts by a steaming bowl being placed before him. His favourite topic would sadly have to wait, no matter how interesting Velocity's Quirk was.

Inko smiles fondly at her son as he mutters his thanks and begins shovelling food inside his mouth, too used to his behaviour to mind it. Instead she starts to eat herself, managing to employ a little more decorum than her son.

"Going somewhere today, Izuku, honey?" She asks in between bites, noticing the bag balanced on his shoulder.

He glances at her and nods eagerly, unruly green locks bouncing.

"Yeah. I've gotta go grab a copy of Thunderspike's new autobiography from the library and maybe take a look at a couple of Quirk development books while I'm there," he replies, continuing to wolf his food down with relish.

In his younger years he'd already scoured through the pages of most of them, desperately seeking some hint there could be such a power lying dormant within him, the faintest sign that he wasn't truly Quirkless.

Perhaps it was just him being unable to totally let go of his optimism, but there was still a chance he'd missed something vital that might help him gain control over One For All.

"Well that's fine, but we're running low on a few things. Would you mind buying some supplies while you're out?" His mother requests as he speedily finishes his meal, putting his bowl away.

"Sure thing, mom. Just text me what you need and I'll get it on my way back - love you," he promises, offering a quick hug before dashing off.

Inko watches him go and sighs to herself in mild exasperation. Her boy was certainly growing up fast but he was still the same as he'd ever been, too energetic for his own good sometimes.

Maybe she'll have another bowl.

The library proves a failure once again. Though there was plenty of information on Quirk development in children, none of it is useful to someone who's been given a Quirk in his teens.

He isn't surprised - almost nobody had ever been in a situation like his, and those who had clearly didn't suffer from the same issues. Still though, there's a small sting of disappointment - but at least he managed to secure the book he'd been after; Lightning Fast, Razor Sharp .

The streets are full of people now, each making their way through the day just like he was.

A few of the more interesting mutant-types catch his eye and he has to force himself to not stare and contemplate their possible Quirks and effects. Not everyone likes being analysed - but he can

hardly help it; the various ways their unique powers can be utilised is so fascinating!

Instead Izuku shakes his head in an attempt to control himself and opens his phone to recheck the text he's been sent. It's mainly a request for groceries and other household products, just enough for the pair of them to live on for the next few days until his mother can do the week's shopping later on herself.

Nothing he needs to go out of his way to get, at least. There is a small grocery store nearby he could get most, if not all, of the supplies on the list from and then hurry home to catch the rerun of old Hero fights he's been meaning to watch.

As he enters the shop he can see the proprietor sleepily standing behind a counter, a gardening magazine less-than-discreetly tucked away, presumably for him to read in between customers.

A young mother and her daughter are just exiting the store, so he holds it open for the pair to pass, awkwardly returning the thankful smile she gives him as she pulls her child along. It doesn't seem like anyone else is buying anything at the moment, but then it is a Sunday after all.

Muttering to himself, he paces up and down as he looks for what he needs. Where to start? Right, some apples. Okay, now what?

Broccoli, check. That was another one down. And there was the cabbage too, right next to it. It seemed firm and green, great. What else was on the list? Ah yes, cucumber.

'Hmm. This one is cheaper but closer to the sell-by date. We might not be eating it soon, so maybe it would be better to get the fresher one instead? But then- eh?'

"Best give me the money, old man, I won't ask you twice!" An angry voice breaks his concentration.

His head shoots up, scanning the area - there, over by the counter! A pale man dressed in a white pinstriped suit stands tall, his fist planted against the wooden top.

In one hand he holds a small, dark baton he waves menacingly under the cashier's nose as the elderly gentleman cowers. The thug continues to berate him, greedily thrusting a bag in his other hand and demanding money is put into it.

Izuku's eyes narrow, watching the pair intently.

A robbery at such a tiny store on a Sunday. He was just stealing a handful of petty cash from a pensioner, not exactly breaking open a bank safe. This was practically crime for crime's sake. Was his Quirk so weak that he only dares risk such slim pickings?

As the older man fearfully begins putting the meagre contents of the cash register into a bag, the robber turns away from the cashier to look across the store.

Crap. He'd been so perplexed by the motive of the Villain that he'd stood there too long, how silly of him.

As quickly as he can, Izuku ducks down - maybe his green hair would blend in amongst all the vegetables.

For a brief moment he imagines himself stepping in, laying the fiend low with a single blow from One For All and taking his first step towards becoming the Number One Hero.

It is a fleeting dream, he knows that, as much as doing nothing grates at him. Some Hero candidate he is, crawling on his hands and knees alongside a bunch of pineapples.

The reality is that unlicensed Quirk usage could get him in seriously hot water, especially since it's likely there is no real danger here. Surely an actual Hero will appear any moment and begin dispensing justice to the Villain.

It just won't be him doing so.

All he has to do was sneak away and hopefully he might get to see the action from a safe distance. Maybe it'll be a Hero he knows. Perhaps even All Might again! That would be a treat worth missing the Hero rerun for.

"Heheh, what've we got here?" A voice chuckles nastily, freezing him in place. "A little boy trying to run away, hmm? Maybe hoping to alert the police? Or a Hero?"

Izuku looks up to see the Villain smirking at him, pale eyes gleaming with malice.

"You'll make for good insurance in case any do-gooders come running," the robber sneers, reaching out for him with one hand while holding the baton threateningly in the other. "Best come quietly, boy, else things'll get ugly."

Shit! He hadn't been stealthy enough. Maybe his hair wasn't camouflaging him so well with the eggplants.

Now he was going to be held hostage, just like before with the Sludge Villain! All Might probably won't be here to save him this time and he'll surely be forced to help the Villain escape and forever tarnish his reputation as a would-be Hero, if not tried as an accomplice and sent to prison!

"What the hell are ya mumbling about? Come along, I said," The Villain demands, grasping at him with a confused sneer.

No, he has to stay calm. Thinking of his mentor fuels his determination. He is the holder of One For All now, a Hero in the making!

There is no way he can let himself be restrained by some two-bit thief. His classmates will never let him live it down as well. Especially Kacchan, who'll probably laugh himself sick or something.

Kacchan... What would his childhood friend do if it were he in this situation? Probably immediately leap forward and blow the guy's face off with his Quirk while screaming "DIIIIIIIIIE!"

No. This would require somewhat more subtle and tactful methods than Kacchan was capable of.

'But how do I defend myself without getting into trouble for it? There's got to be a way. Do I just run for it and hope for the best? Or... maybe I don't need to...'

It's possible he doesn't even have to fight his way out after all. A flash of power to show he isn't an easy mark and the Villain will probably run away, right? If he looked like a threat, the man might escape to seek safer prey elsewhere.

If he was robbing a place like this then there was no way the guy had any real strength, right? Yeah.

Glaring up at his would-be captor, Izuku focuses hard. The power of One For All flares, red lines

rising across his right arm as he readies his fists.

The Villain freezes in surprise. Perfect. Faced with a potential threat instead of a hapless victim, surely the man would think twice. It might be enough to delay him until help could arrive.

"I don't think so. M-maybe it's you who sh-should come quietly," Izuku demands, emboldened by the fear on the villain's face. "I'm a Hero, after all!"

"Heheh. I see, got a backbone after all, huh? Guess I misjudged ya, didn't think ya were anything but a weakling. Alright then... have it your way, boy!" The robber exclaims, taking a step backwards.

Izuku's heart begins to beat even faster. Is the villain preparing to run? Maybe the bluff had worked. At the first sign of resistance the robber was folding like a house of cards - he was a genius!

A sharp pain erupts in his back as something solid strikes him.

His eyes widen in shock at the sudden injury but he has no time to figure out what's just hit him as they are immediately followed up by further blows.

"We coulda done this the easy way, ya know? But ya wanted to play the Hero!" The villain's voice echoes behind him as he turns to face this new threat

He's seeing double - there stands the Villain but now he is a dark black colour, both in skin and in suit, his form almost shadowy in appearance.

'Another one, where'd he come from? I never saw him!' He thinks, readying his arms to fend off this secondary foe. 'Was he just hidden or has he got some kind of duplication Quirk?'

Attacks come in from behind once again as the pale Villain joins in and Izuku is now the victim of pummelling on both sides. He groans, partially at how spectacularly his bluff failed, but mostly just in pain

By the counter the elderly cashier goggles at the scene in front of him, too scared to run away or call for help.

"Bet you're wishin' you'd just shut up and come along now, heheh. Name's Crowd. Know why?" The pale Villain asks.

He's unable to reply, thanks to a nasty whack to the stomach that knocks him to the ground and leaves him gasping for air. The villains seem unbothered by his silence, continuing to kick at him.

"Might be 'cause there's three of us, Crowd," another voice answers in his stead.

Grey hands reach out and grasp Izuku by the arms, hoisting him up and holding the teen in place as the pair alternate their attacks on him.

"Right you are, Crowd," the Dark Crowd agrees, delivering another strike to Izuku's cheek. "Three of us indeed."

Izuku grits his teeth, pain wracking his body. His soul writhes at the injustice of being forced to stand still and take a beating like he was a kid in the playground once again, but how can he free himself?

He is surely trapped - even if he uses One For All, there was a high likelihood that the store would be damaged, the cashier might be caught in the crossfire and his bones would break. Not to mention that his position at UA could even come under threat.

There is no winning this one. He's well and truly screwed it all up. Hopefully once he is unconscious they will leave him be. Maybe he won't suffer any permanent damage.

But mercifully, eventually, the attacks stop. Dark Crowd laughs at the bruises beginning to form and the blood spattered across his face, dripping from his possibly-broken nose.

"Had enough? Heheh, you sure took a beatin' there. Think you'll come quietly now though. Old man, where's that fuckin' money?!" Pale Crowd demanded, turning to the cashier.

Only to find the elderly man has now run away while the villain had administered their beating to Izuku.

"Sorry fellas, it's closing time," someone else replies.

Izuku's vision is somewhat blurry, but he stiffly raises his head to stare at this newcomer.

Long white ears and longer white hair contrasts against her brown skin. Fierce red eyes blaze with hunger for battle as she stares down her opponents.

His heart soars - though he's never seen her in person before, he'd recognise the Rabbit Hero Mirko anywhere. He makes sure to catch every bit of news on her almost as religiously as he does for All Might.

'Wow, what's Mirko doing here?' Izuku blearily thinks as the woman stalks forward with all the grace of a hunting tigress. 'Last I heard she was in Wakayama Prefecture.'

"Oh great," mutters Dark Crowd. "You fuckin' held us up, boy. Now we gotta deal with this bitch as well as you."

"Yeah, nice going," Grey Crowd agrees, punching him viciously across the face again as punishment.

"Let the kid go," Mirko demands. "And turn yourselves in. It'll be easier on you."

"Yeah? I've a better idea; how about you get on your knees and blow me and maybe we won't choke him to death," Pale Crowd replies, a vulgar grin on his face.

The grey arms holding him in place shift, a hand begins to wrap around his throat and squeeze.

Izuku struggles weakly as his air supply gets restricted. Even so his widening eyes never leave the Hero, mesmerised by the furious snarl that arises on her face.

"Me too, while you're at it," says Dark Crowd. "Hell, I'm sure you could please all three of us at once, bunny girl. We've all heard the rumours."

The trio laughs in unison as Mirko crouches slightly, toned legs coiled like a spring.

"I'm really glad you said that," the Hero says icily. "It makes my job just that little bit easier." There's a rush of air.

It has to have been Mirko but he'd blinked and missed it, so he has no way of being sure. All he

does know for certain is that he's no longer being strangled but instead is lying on the floor and Grey Crowd is now lodged face-first inside a box of watermelons.

The other two look blankly at their fallen comrade and then whirl on white-haired Hero, surging rage clear on their faces.

"You fucking bitch, you'll regret that!" Pale Crowd howls, rushing her as the Dark one pulls the other clone free.

Mirko weaves and dodges the haphazard swipes with effortless dexterity. A brown leg arcs, scything through the air to smash into his sternum with her metal-shod heel, the force hurling him off his feet to bounce along the floor.

"There's three of us and one of you," growls Grey Crowd, spitting out a chunk of watermelon. "Don't seem like good odds."

"Oh I know. It really isn't fair," Mirko agrees, shrugging her shoulders. "If only there were a lot more of you small fry, I might actually get to have fun for once."

The trio lunges in unison, arms outstretched to grapple her into submission. Strong thighs clench as Mirko leaps, narrowly missing the ceiling as she sails over their heads and lands in front of Izuku.

She spares him a brief glance but quickly returns to watching her foes as they collide into each other, unprepared for the sudden jump.

"You doin' okay, kid?" She asks, her tone flat. "Looks like you've taken a hit or two there."

Izuku gazes up at her, feeling like a boneless mess. Fear and awe and frustration and shock and hope are all bubbling away inside him and it feels like there isn't an inch of him that doesn't cry out in pain.

But despite it all he knows he is safe. It is already over.

"Better now you're here, Miss Mirko," he mumbles through bloodied lips, barely audible in his dazed state.

Her long ears pick up the words easily and she shakes her head in amusement. "Cute," she snorts. "Well, you're conscious at least, that's good enough for now."

The Crowds pick themselves up, fanning out and glaring at the Hero who dared challenge their fun.

"Maybe we should just run," Dark Crowd says to his brothers. "There might be other Heroes on the way."

"No. We fight," Pale Crowd commands. "She can't hold out forever. We'll take her down and show her what she gets for messing with us."

"Oh, if I had a yen for every Villain who said that. Come on then," Mirko replies, standing her ground. "I'm waiting."

Once again they charge her but now they're a bit more cautious, a bit more coordinated; no longer heedlessly delivering their attacks as wildly. Each Crowd now strikes in succession and unleashes a barrage of blows onto the brown-skinned Hero.

She weathers the storm as though it is rain upon rock. A savage smile pulls at her lips, revealing her sharp white teeth as she deflects each hit, sometimes ducking under uppercuts and sidestepping baton-thrusts.

'Oh, wow. This is insane!'

From his heap on the floor below, Izuku watches the four as they battle, utterly enraptured by her fluid, agile form evading their increasingly enraged strikes. He's seen Mirko battle on a screen many times, but in person... It's just breathtaking.

The strain of all their fruitless attacks grows too much and mid-swing the Grey Crowd halts, falling to his knees and then suddenly vanishing into grey fog, leaving the Pale and Dark Crowds to stare angrily at Mirko, breathing hard.

"Oops. Now there's only two of you," Mirko laughs, utterly unscathed. "Really not good odds." "Now can we leave?" Dark Crowd pleas of his progenitor, taking a hurried step backwards.

Pale Crowd doesn't answer. Instead he rushes forward yet again. Mirko readies herself to strike him down but soon realises it isn't her that he's aiming for.

It's Izuku.

Hurtling past the Rabbit Hero, he pounces at the teen on the ground, fist cocked back in an insensate frenzy and baton at the ready. The green-haired boy watches the man bear down on him, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Oh no you don't!" Mirko roars, grabbing the Villain by the ankle. "Your fight's with me!"

The tip of his baton barely brushes against Izuku's nose as the man is hauled back. He struggles, turning to free himself.

"Crowd! Help me!" He demands of his clone.

The Dark Crowd looks a little unhappy, but dutifully nods and steps forth to aid him. It is too late.

Faster than Izuku has ever seen her, Mirko straddling Pale Crowd's chest, her face marred by unadulterated fury, and beginning to lay into Villain with her fists.

Each punch makes the man shudder in agony as the rabbit-eared woman wails away on him without restraint, the sound of his bones beginning to crack are audible over the meaty thuds of knuckles meeting flesh.

'Holy shit, she might just kill him!'

Izuku sees how the Dark Crowd too freezes in place, sinking to his knees and disappearing into black smoke, but Mirko is too focused on beating the man below her to notice.

"Miss Mirko. Mirko! He's unconscious!" He hurriedly shouts, crawling over to her. "Stop! Please!"

Her head shoots up, glaring at Izuku with bloodlust before she realises he is not an enemy.

He's seen the same stare many times from Kacchan's red eyes but never from a Hero. It is undoubtedly chilling but he cannot bring himself to be afraid of her in spite of it.

As she looks down at the man she had been punching and sees the scarlet fluid that now coats her white gloves, her rage swiftly drains away, replaced with guilt and regret.

Her fingers uncurl from the unconscious man's shirt and he lies against the floor, limp and battered. There's no doubt that he has more than a few broken bones.

"Uh, yeah. I was just... making sure," Mirko says uneasily. "Could have been playing possum. Villains sometimes do that, can't be... can't be careless."

"R-right..."

Izuku's not sure what to do now - he's never seen such incredible aggression from Hero before. Even so, he's got an obligation to offer his appreciation.

"U-um. Ah... Th-thank you. F-for saving m-me."

Mirko doesn't look at him as she grunts, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"It's nothing. Just my job, don't sweat it. You're still alright, right?" She mutters, face creasing in frustration, sneering down at the defeated villain underneath her.

"Fuck, fuck, fuckkk. Shouldn't go so overboard, they'll have my ass for sure this time," Mirko murmurs to herself, barely audible.

"I-I'm fine. And - he was going to attack me. He did attack me. You did the right thing, I think... If anyone asks, I'll tell them it was my fault," Izuku declares, determined. "You don't deserve to be punished because of me, Miss Mirko."

There was no way he could let such an important Hero suffer because he'd been too stupid to keep his mouth shut. The thought makes him want to cry even more than the pain, but he just barely manages to hold it in.

Mirko shakes her head as she hauls herself off of the unconscious body and flicks the blood from her fingers.

"That's sweet and all, kid, but it doesn't work that way," she explains. "A Hero's gotta be heroic, no matter what the circumstances are. Ah, whatever, it'll probably just be a fine or some other bullshit anyway - don't worry about me, okay?"

She walks over to him, and now with the heat of battle no longer upon them, Izuku can finally see for real just how pretty the rabbit-eared Hero is up close. Her long eyelashes flutter gently as she looks him over critically, formerly-blazing crimson eyes now merely a fierce red as they observe his wounds.

'It's Mirko! Here! Looking after me!' He cannot help but squeal internally, the reality of the situation settling in. 'First All Might, and now this? Maybe all those years of bullying and physical attacks were actually worth it.'

Good things did come to those who waited, it seemed. If it meant he got to spend time in close proximity to Heroes like her, he'd take a punch or two any day of the week.

"Well, I'm not a doctor but I'd say you'll live... probably. Ahahaha... just how old are you anyway, kid?" Mirko asks him, carefully gripping his chin with two fingers while she inspects a rapidly- forming bruise.

It was an unexpectedly tender gesture from the woman who'd been beating a guy into paste seconds prior. Not to mention extremely dangerous to his young heart, which felt like it was beating at superspeed.

"I-I'm, uh, f-f-fifteen, Miss Mirko."

She frowns, leaving him be with a final brush of her hand over his green locks. A wave of disappointed longing clashes against his overstimulated relief as she moves away but he shakes them aside. A brief click of disgust escapes her, biting her lip softly.

"Fifteen, huh. You look younger. What a piece of shit," she directs her scorn at the fallen foe. "Just a teen in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I-it wasn't that bad! After all, I want to be a Hero myself. This is just, I dunno, additional training, right?" Izuku says, attempting to stand taller and look less beaten up. "I barely feel it anyway."

That was a lie, but he had to at least try to look cool in front of her.

This revelation clearly surprises Mirko and she regards him thoughtfully.

"Hmm. Guess you'll be attending a Hero school then?" She asks rhetorically.

"Um, yes, I am. I just started at UA High, actually," Izuku admits, rubbing the back of his head. Mirko's nose wrinkles.

"That so? Lucky you then. Not all of us get to go to such fancy places. Good thing you never used your Quirk here, they don't take kindly to that from prospective Heroes," she mutters, a tinge of bitterness in her voice.

Izuku stares at her in confusion before it clicks - he'd once read she'd been expelled from her school for unauthorised Quirk usage and fighting.

She knew the dangers of flaunting the rules more than most and was one of the few very high- ranking Pro Heroes who hadn't gone to either UA or Shiketsu for their Hero school. Maybe her tarnished record had been the reason why.

Each blow he'd suffered hurt, but nothing would have been more painful than losing his spot at UA, the goal he'd sought for so long.

"Well, glad to see you've got the right attitude at least; this sort of thing comes with the job - for most Heroes anyway," the Hero tells him.

Mirko turns away and fishes out a communicator from somewhere but Izuku suddenly finds himself too distracted to pay attention to what she is saying, instead staring intently at the incredible sight in front of him.

Namely, Mirko's backside.

Was that tail a part of her costume? Or was it real, like her ears? It was a hot topic of debate amongst certain fans and indeed Izuku had contemplated the idea privately himself a few times. No one seemed to know and she'd never actually said.

He can't tell, even up close. For a moment, he's certain it twitches but maybe it's just his still- blurry eyes playing tricks on him. The desire to reach out and touch it is almost overwhelming.

The sound of a throat clearing catches his attention, and his head whips up to see Mirko has turned back and is looking at him in amusement.

"I know, I do have one hell of an ass," she boasts. "But I'm afraid I can't hang around to let you ogle it all day, I've got other places to be."

He flushes a deep red.

"Nononono, I-I was-! It's y-your t-tail, I sw-swear, I j-j-just w-wondered-" Izuku attempts to refute, utterly embarrassed.

Mirko laughs, clearly unbothered by his wandering eye.

"Alright kid. Well, you'll have to go on wondering about that, y'know?" She winks and his heart jumps. "I hate to just dip, but I've gotta go drop this guy off - plus some cops will be coming to look at the place and get a statement from you as well, I expect. Maybe get you to a doc, I think you kinda need one."

He watches her begin to haul Crowd onto her shoulder and prepare to leave. No, no, she couldn't leave yet!

He almost reaches out for her, but holds himself in check, remembering his first meeting with All Might. There is no need to get grabby.

"Um, wait, Miss Mirko. I-if you don't mind, er, could I trouble you for an autograph? I-I know you've already done a lot for me, but, well, I'm such a huge fan..." He trails off as Mirko fixes him with a flat stare.

Her lips purse but she nods once.

"I suppose, if you make it quick. What's your name, kid?" She asks and he beams.

"Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya," he responds, pulling a pen and pad from his thankfully-intact backpack, and proffering them to the Heroine.

"To Midoriya, huh? Here ya go, hold onto that now, hey? I don't give those out often," Mirko orders, scratching her name into the paper.

"I'll treasure it," he swears solemnly as he beholds the autograph.

Despite the urgency she'd professed, Mirko had still taken the time to draw a tiny rabbit next to their names. It was not much, just the roughest of doodles, but nonetheless now one of the most precious things he owned.

"See ya, Midoriya," she waves one hand, the other holding onto a man significantly larger than her with absolutely no sign of struggle. "Maybe if you make it and become a Pro like me we'll meet again."

He fervently hopes so.

Izuku watches her bounce away, admiring the muscle that ripples across her caramel skin, before realising he is now alone in a ruined shop, still in significant pain, he'll probably miss the show he'd wanted to watch, he's got to talk to the police and worst of all - his mother and his school will also have to be told he's been involved in a Villain attack.

He doesn't even have the groceries he was supposed to get either.

'That's twice now Villains have attacked me in such a short time. And somehow each one resulted in the best days of my life,' He thinks to himself.

But such is the life of a Hero, he muses. Danger and excitement is what he'd signed up for, after all. Still, he's got to admit he was kind of hoping it'd be a bit more of a smooth ride from here on out.

What were the chances that he'd get caught up in another Villain attack soon, anyway? Probably zero.

As Our Roots Sink Deeper

Chapter Summary

Rumi gets some bad news, but at least there's an entertaining video to go with it.

Chapter Notes

Oof, this one was a slog and I ended up deciding to cut it into two chapters. Next one soonish, hopefully.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Rumi seethes silently, ears flicking back in an attempt to tune out the dull voices of the immaculate, faceless corporate drones in front of her. It's a doomed effort but the best she can muster; having super-hearing is a curse instead of a blessing sometimes.

'I wonder what would happen if I suddenly leapt the desk and started a brawl. Doubt those dumb guys wearing sunglasses indoors could hold me back even a second,' she muses.

It's a pleasant image but nothing more than a brief distraction.

"-and I am sure I do not need to remind you, Miss Usagiyama, that if you continue to refuse to curtail your reckless behaviour, some extremely serious repercussions may be forced into effect," her current persecutor continues.

He is right - she doesn't need reminding. She hadn't the first time he'd said it, and certainly not every time since. Her teeth grind together as they peel back into an aggravated snarl.

Her reward is the look of self-important pomp instantly slipping away, replaced by mild fear.

Sure, she'd never actually harm him - frustrated daydreams notwithstanding - but there are few who could face one of Mirko's glares without flinching and a middle-aged career politician was never going to be one of them.

Her mission is accomplished but there's no time to bask in satisfaction. Rallying surprisingly fast, the suit coughs and offers her a few sheets of paper.

"Ahem, yes, well. To conclude, we at the Hero Public Safety Commission have decided that your actions cannot go completely unsupervised any longer," the man in the suit continues, though his voice is now a tad strained.

"And since it is our belief that your less-than-ideal tendencies will sadly not be curbed by providing you with a teammate, we hope you will prove sufficiently capable of mentoring a pupil instead. We have already spoken to a suitable institute to provide one, of course."

Rumi's eyes widen in shock as she stares at him, ignoring the documents she's been proffered. Mentor a pupil? They were planning to saddle her with some kid like a glorified babysitter!

Sensing she wasn't going to take it from him any time soon, the suit places the document on the desk in front of her.

"What? This is ridiculous, I'm not doing it," the Rabbit Hero exclaims when her brain re-engages.

An older lady, her face pinched and half-moon spectacles perched on her nose, clears her throat and pins Rumi with a look generally reserved for disobedient pets and toddlers.

"If you could bring yourself to read the details Mr Ogino has provided you, you would be

informed that this is merely a week-long exercise - nothing lasting. If it all goes well, then perhaps we might reconsider whether extra stringent measures need to be applied," the woman explains, her nasal voice drumming deeper on Rumi's burgeoning headache.

It takes some difficulty to bite back an acidic comment as Rumi scans through the paper she's been given. It looks like mostly legal jargon and other boring stuff, but there are important bits of information sprinkled throughout. Mentorship. UA High. One week. Daily patrols.

'Cohabitation?!'

"What the fuck! They've got to stay with me? In my actual home? Where I live?!" She shrieks, aghast.

Surely this was just some kind of sick joke.

"Certainly. Hiroshima's a fair distance from Shizuoka, isn't it? You travelled between the two only recently," the bespectacled lady says, her tone coated in smug enjoyment of Rumi's indignation.

"What, has a Villain attack broken all the trains?" Rumi snarks, glaring at her. "I get it - you're just too cheap to rent a hotel, aren't you? All that tax yen going into bank accounts instead-"

"This is not unique to you, of course. Many students will be sharing their mentor's address for the duration of the program," Ogino interjects. "We believe it fosters greater bonds and eases the strain of travel on the pupil."

"So I'm not special after all, good to know," Rumi grinds out. "But this is bullshit and I'm still not doing it."

She is Mirko, the Mountain Rabbit, not some weakling who needs a team to lift her up - or worse, a ball and chain to drag her down. She smashes Villains with nothing but her own strength and she's goddamn good at it.

"Miss Usagiyama. The Hero Public Safety Commission has indulged you and your rather excessive independent streak for quite some time. We feel we've been generous in turning a blind eye to your past... mistakes, shall we say, and allowing you to work without an Agency for as long as we have," the lady replies, eyes narrowing in displeasure.

"Were we not lenient with you, Miss Usagiyama? You're a very proficient Hero and we appreciate your service, but you're neither infallible nor flawless and must realise your actions have consequences . This is one of them. Maybe you ought to show some gratitude instead - it would certainly be a shame for us to resort to restricting you further; one less Hero protecting our streets would be a bitter blow."

"Are you threatening me?" The dark-skinned Heroine growls, ears twitching. "I don't jump when told to and get my licence suspended, is that how it's gonna be, huh?"

"I am sure Madam Fujisawa would not deign to do something so unbecoming and not to mention wholly unnecessary, Miss Usagiyama," Ogino interjects once again, some measure of pomp now returned. "You will agree to our proposal, of course. In fact, we had already intended for you to become involved in a similar exercise within the year, the... ah, situation that has arisen merely ... expedited the process, as it were."

They have her over a barrel and she knows it. Not a feat that had ever yet been achieved by a Villain - but the law had different and more dangerous weapons at its disposal. Being a Hero is her calling, there is nothing she can do but accept it.

"...Who's the brat?" Rumi asks Fujisawa, ignoring him. "What are they like? I'm not having some little perv in my house, rifling through all my stuff."

"The student in question hasn't been determined at this moment," the elderly lady responds, lips pursed. "We judged there would be less complications if you decided for yourself."

"Allowed to choose my own axe, am I? Lucky me," Rumi mutters sourly, reclining back.

"Needless dramatics aside, you know of the UA High Sports Festival, I presume?" Fujisawa continues, unperturbed. "It's an important event that occurred only yesterday, if you haven't heard."

"Yeah, thanks. I don't live under a rock, I just don't have time to pay attention to children's events. Anyway, didn't some kind of Villain attack happen there recently? I thought they'd probably cancel it or something. So they went ahead with it, why should I care?" Rumi demands, irked by Fujisawa's attitude.

"Perhaps if you were to view the Festival, you might discern a suitable candidate from amongst the competitors. It was an interesting spectacle to say the least, wouldn't you agree, Mr Ogino?" Fujisawa responds, adjusting her spectacles.

"Oh I surely would, Madam Fujisawa, I surely would. A few students in particular put on quite the showing and are actually rather popular it seems. Many of our high-ranking Professional Heroes have already put in their offers, of course," Ogino replies, nodding surprisingly eagerly.

"Indeed they have. We'll be happy to provide you with a high-quality recording of the event to watch so that you can make your selection, Miss Usagiyama. You'll have to decide fast though, we'll need your answer within 24 hours," Fujisawa explains.

"I only get a day to decide as well?!" Rumi exclaims, flabbergasted.

"That's correct. All the details are there before you but we'll be certain to send you a digital copy alongside that recording - just in case you should accidentally lose them on your way home," Fujisawa concludes, beginning to gather up papers and directing her faceless drones.

Rumi lets out a frustrated huff as she stomps off, accepting the unspoken dismissal. It was bad enough that they were shackling her to a child but to treat her like she was one on top of it was practically unforgivable.

'Things just keep getting better and better.'

She takes the scenic route through a park in the hope that some time amongst nature would help calm her down a bit.

It doesn't work.

Still fuming, Rumi opens her door with a bit more force than is necessary and stomps inside. Mrs Satou from Number Seven had startled at Rumi's face when she passed her - she'll probably have to apologise later but can't bring herself to care right now.

Immediately she beelines to the fridge, flinging it open and staring hard at the contents.

At the bottom of the fridge is a brace of beer cans, the cool liquid calling to her, promising mind- numbing comfort. She reaches out to pick up some orange juice instead but gives up halfway through.

'Ah, fuck it.'

Rumi grabs a beer, rips off the can ring pull with her fingernail, takes a quick swig and sighs to herself in satisfaction.

Thirst somewhat abated, she reaches over to snag a handful out of a bag of carrots and then closes the fridge door with a quick check of her hip.

A stack of dishes lie by the sink ready to be put away but Rumi merely gives them a guilty glance and strides to her bedroom, stripping off her hero costume piece by piece.

'Do I deserve this?' The white-haired Hero wonders as she slips into a comfortable tank top and shorts.

So what if she'd beaten up a creep or Villain pretty bad sometimes, it was kind of her job, right? Those of them that ever left jail would surely think twice before attempting crimes again after meeting her. It was tough love, cruel to be kind and all that.

Yeah things got a little intense occasionally and maybe she didn't quite hold back enough sometimes, but they never suffered any permanent damage. Mostly.

How could they threaten to take her licence when there were so many Villains out there, deliberately ruining people's lives?

Did they somehow forget that mental-case Stain had literally just cut down another Hero?

The poor bastard had been some kind of support Hero or something who needed a ton of sidekicks, sure, but it was one less guy on their side.

She takes another chug before putting the beer can on her end table and flopping onto her bed with a displeased groan. Picking up her laptop, she logs in and navigates to her private Hero email.

A few messages from her fellow Heroes, no one she really cares to respond to at the moment, and one sent by the Commission.

She doesn't bother to read the contents; it was probably yet more of the same shit they'd fed her earlier and she'd held onto the papers, mainly out of spite.

As expected, there's a video attached to it.

Absently clicking download, she glances around, spotting her earbuds and swiping them up.

Having stuff in her ears was less than pleasant but a necessity - getting a hold of headphones with a Quirk like hers wasn't that easy and she generally refuses to let someone make her something specialised on principle.

Pressing play proves to be a mistake, instantly causing her to recoil in shock as a loud voice begins to blare directly into her sensitive ears, accompanied by the staccato burst of fireworks.

Barely resisting the urge to rip the earbuds out and throw the laptop across the room, she lowers the volume significantly and glares daggers at the posturing blond man waving a microphone on the screen, hoping he'll fall dead where he stands.

Sadly, she doesn't have the ability to alter the past so instead it cuts away to a colourful variety of teenagers trudging out into the stadium, though the microphone man does continue to blather on.

Rumi pays him no more attention however, watching the brats begin to conglomerate into a large collection of separate groups.

A few of them stand out here and there - bright pink skin or multiple arms being fairly distinguishing features. Flashy quirks were worth a lot to a Hero's standing and as a fellow Mutant Hero herself Rumi has some small affinity for them.

They seem to be predominantly from the Hero classes. Those were the ones to watch - General studies was populated by those who didn't make the cut; their quirks are probably inherently weak and not really worth considering.

She hardly spares a glance for the Support classes - those who made things for others were of little use to her, reliant entirely on her own body - and wonders for a moment just what the point of bringing the Business class onto the field even is.

Suddenly the camera cuts away from the assembled children and begins to focus on a single woman instead, one instantly recognisable as Midnight.

And the operator could only have been a man because that focus was now predominantly on her backside as she strides up onto the stage and cracks her whip.

Rumi rolls her eyes at the display, biting off the tip of a carrot. She has nothing against the woman in particular - the few times they've met they had little cause to quarrel - there's no denying it is an unusual way for a schoolteacher to behave.

As the Hero waves her hand and calls forth a student, Rumi's curiosity is surprisingly piqued. The blond-haired teen stalks up to the microphone, glaring into the camera with fierce red eyes to declare his ensuing certain victory.

While his confidence brings a surge of resentment from the student body, it's clear his resolve was unshakable. Such self-assuredness was undoubtedly admirable but unless he has the strength to back up his claim he'll only be painting a target on himself.

If that was his goal then he's definitely achieved it.

Disinterest marrs her features as the camera surveys the students crushing up against each other in a tight corridor, all of them jockeying for position but getting nowhere until finally one makes their move.

And what a move it was, sheets of ice snaking across the ground to freeze his competitors in place. That was no mean feat. Rumi eyes the two-toned teen with intrigue as he races ahead of his peers.

It looked like the sneaky trick hadn't caught everyone off guard though. Bakugo from earlier was flying through the air with his fists blazing and a handful of other students weren't far behind him. As the seconds ticked by, more and more seemed to be adapting to the sudden icy conditions.

Rumi can't help but bark in laughter as a tiny gremlin-looking child gets swatted like a fly mid-air, tumbling to the ground, eyes bulging. He's probably fine but there are now more threats on the field for the students to worry about than just each other.

"Wait, was that boy even old enough to be in this competition?" She mumbles to herself. "Or maybe his quirk is just being two-foot tall."

Those who had escaped the ice seemed to be frozen once again now that they were faced with an array of robots. Those were some big-looking toys indeed.

'These kids don't know how lucky they are - they can just go wild; no need to hold back against those hunks of metal at all.'

And the ice-user certainly didn't. He took the mechanical foes in stride, his Quirk raising a wave

of ice that coated them all in a sheen of frost, halting them in place as he slipped between their legs. The announcer's voice continued to prattle on but one word caught her attention.

'Todoroki? That's Endeavour's son? Hmm. Bet that hothead was real pissed off when his boy ended up with ice powers,' she thinks as she crunches down another juicy carrot snack.

No surprise that the Number Two Hero had produced such a powerful child. The boy was certainly proving himself one to watch out for.

Unlike the rest of them, who were still cautious and holding back. But perhaps their wariness was not unwarranted - two boys rushed forwards to capitalise on the opening and were promptly crushed beneath a collapsing robot for their trouble.

"Ouch," she muttered, taking a drink.

She raises an eyebrow as the pair burst out of their metallic coffins looking no worse for wear, their bodies coated in rock and steel.

'Tough customers, huh? That's neat, they could have potential as well.'

The blond burst forth on his burning hands, vaulting clear over the robots. Others with more mobile quirks began to tail him and the lead Endeavour's son had gained was shrinking.

It looked like it was shrinking fast as well. Even as the two-toned teen skated across the rope bridges, Bakugo was practically flying through the air, grinning wildly as he zeroed in on the leader of the pack.

And since Todoroki had to carefully walk across the mine-strewn path before him, he had no chance to continue outpacing him any more. Blondie had taken the lead, though he was also taking the initiative to stamp out his rival while he was at it.

Rumi watches with an amused smile as the pair swiped and dodged, avoiding the deadly pathways while their less careful competitors were thrown into the air by pink explosions.

'This is actually kind of neat, I wonder what it was like to watch it live-'

And then the hectic battlefield was suddenly still. Rumi blinks in surprise as a colossal explosion

rips through the air, hurtling a small teen forward. The camera focused on his determined, freckled face as the commentator went wild.

"Izuku Midoriya?" She wonders, the name rings a faint bell somehow.

Why did she know that name?

Ah! That was it, the green-haired kid who'd had his ass kicked by that goddamn creep she in turn had dealt a well-earned beating to - no matter what those chumps at the Safety Commission said.

The whole reason she's forced to watch this damn video in the first place.

Now she can recall that he'd claimed he was a Hero in training and was going to UA, it had completely slipped her mind.

Not that she'd really believed him at the time to be honest; kids would say anything to seem cool to a Hero and he'd hardly looked like he had what it took to make it into a mediocre Hero school, let alone UA fuckin' High.

Midoriya soared across the field, fast enough to take first place even, making it apparent that his looks were somewhat deceptive - his quick thinking in smashing the mines and stunning his first- place rivals so he could steal the win was a gutsy move but it had paid off.

But what was his Quirk like? She'd not seen any evidence of him using one against the duplicating Villain (not that he should have) and certainly there didn't seem to be much sign of it in the competition so far - at least if he had been doing so then it was so unnoticeable as to be basically irrelevant.

Perhaps that was the case - his Quirk was functionally useless and he got by on his smarts instead. Or maybe his Quirk was his smarts? It worked for some Heroes, generally those who lurked in the shadows and relied on sneak attacks. Not her style for sure.

She frowns a little as she watches his green eyes tear up at his victory but nonetheless nods her head toward the screen.

'You did pretty well, kid, congrats.'

But it doesn't look like much more than a lucky shot in truth. And that's definitely not something she'd personally want to risk relying on in a battle.

She needs someone strong and fast to keep up with her, pure brainpower would only get you so far. If you locked the smartest man in the world in an empty room with a hungry tiger he'd still just be a very clever lunch.

It appeared that they jumped into the next round immediately. That was good, letting them take a breather would only kill their momentum. And knocking the competitor count down so drastically? Even better.

Most students had just been chaff struggling in the back while the few pieces of wheat pulled far ahead. If that was the best so many successful applicants at the premiere Hero school in the country could do then frankly she hadn't missed out on anything by not going.

As Midnight explains the terms of the next event, Rumi couldn't help but sneer at the laptop derisively.

What Villain attack had she ever resolved by riding around on some fool's shoulders? Not one. Capturing a headband? How childish.

And the scoring was so arbitrary. Ten million points for first place, when taking second was only worth two hundred? Why not ten thousand? Or just say infinity, you win? Even adding up all the other headbands together, it couldn't come remotely close.

They weren't even allowed to knock out the other teams either. What kind of competition was this meant to be?

"Calm down, Rumi. It's all just a dumb game for idiots to watch, none of it matters," she grouses to herself through a mouthful of carrot.

The teens clustered together as they tried to form groups and she could see that while the blond boy with the fiery hands and the ice-user boy had legions begging for their attention, the actual winner of the previous round was alone - practically a pariah.

'Well, he's the juiciest target on the field and since he probably doesn't have the strength to keep his points, backing him is most likely a losing strategy. Can't say I'd look his way myself if I were there.'

Fortunately for him, at least some appeared willing to put their faith in Midoriya. A pink-haired chick decked out in gadgets, a guy with a bird for a face and a plain-looking girl. They certainly didn't make the most impressive combination. Hopefully for his sake they proved a good fit.

He'd surely be needing it. The moment the round began she watched as practically the entire arena made a beeline for him. Could he face off against so many opponents and win?

Unsurprisingly the answer was no.

Instead the green-haired boy instantly began to cut his losses and jetpack away. It was an understandable, even logical choice, but a coward's move nonetheless. Hoping to run away and outlast all his enemies was hardly the mark of Hero, after all.

Even in the air he still wasn't safe - Blondie took to the skies after him, delivering a strike that resounded with explosive energy. Birdface had some sort of black familiar deflect the powerful blow but the group refused to stay put and fled once again.

Bakugo didn't seem inclined to give chase any more though. A different blond had seen his opportunity and Rumi laughs to herself at the burgled boy's outraged expression as his fellow competitor makes off with his headband.

Though his main threat was now off chasing stolen points, Midoriya was still being cornered by Endeavour's son. Todoroki was staring down his opponent as the other teams raced towards them. Would he freeze the ground again?

No. The sudden brilliant burst of electricity was certainly a shock, though predominantly to the competitors who were all caught off guard as over a million volts discharged from yet another blond-haired boy into them. And now there was the ice to follow up in a nice little finisher.

Quite a powerful combination, though it hadn't caught out the main prize. It at least cut off any escape route but even so Midoriya seemed to be proving himself to be quite squirrelly.

Not squirrelly enough however.

She watches the ten million headband slip away. The kid had proven himself a pretty effective leader even with his weaknesses. Such an evasion-focused team would surely never be able to pull it back, especially with so little time remaining.

He clearly had no choice but to try regardless. To be left without a headband would mean complete defeat.

As Midoriya charges forward, Todoroki is clearly bracing for the clash. As the camera focuses on the impending skirmish, strange red lines begin to emerge up Midoriya's arm. Was it his Quirk? Had he been saving it for the direst moment?

He isn't the only one concealing a trick up his sleeve. Rumi watches in fascination as Todoroki's own arm bursts into flames in an attempt to shield himself, though it isn't enough to prevent Midoriya from snatching away the headband.

Had the kid actually done it? Nope.

Just seventy points? He was out of the running for sure - that had been a complete failure. But despite the massive setback, Midoriya was rallying once more for a last desperate attempt, surging forth against Todoroki.

There were only seconds left and she could see Bakugo was now bearing down on them all from the sky. Who would win this heated confrontation?

An unexpected blare of an airhorn jolts her back and she almost knocks over her beer in surprise. They were out of time and yet it hardly felt like it.

All that running away for nothing? She doesn't even get to see his Quirk properly in action? No incredible three-way battle?

"Ugh, what a let-down," Rumi moans, too disappointed to muster even a snicker as Bakugo faceplants into the dirt.

As she picks up the can and takes a swallow, Midoriya bursts into tears again. That was a bit weird, was he so upset over losing?

No. He hadn't lost after all - or at least not entirely it seemed. His teammate had grabbed another headband and they had made it to the finals. Well done, sure, but the waterworks were still a little unnecessary.

It was time for a lunch break apparently. That was one of the advantages of just watching a recorded video at least, easy enough to get back into the action fast. A few clicks and Midnight is on stage once again to announce the third round; a tournament.

Now that was more like it! No more of this weak shit, proper one-on-one battles with each competitor showcasing their skills were just what she needed to see.

For a moment she contemplates skipping to the final fight. Surely whoever won that bout would be the strongest of them all and she can save herself the time by just sending them her offer.

But then again... it would be a real chance to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the ones who'd risen to the top and see what they had to show the world, to discover just why all those Pro

Heroes are supposedly clamouring for internship drafts with them.

And if nothing else she might get a look at just who the future competition is and what prospective Pros to keep an eye out for when she finally takes the Number One spot for herself.

Chapter End Notes

There we go, hope you enjoyed this chapter which I'm affectionately calling Rumi Reacts Episode One. Someone get her a Youtube channel - Pro Hero Reacts to School Tournaments would surely be a hit.

Worry not, it won't be long until they reunite.

These Dreams We Chase Shall Find Their Place

Chapter Summary

The Tournament unfolds and Rumi makes her choice.

Chapter Notes

Oh hey, this is back, guess I was wrong about it being soonish. For a variety of reasons.

Boy was it tougher to write this than I expected, it's actually really hard making a story about someone watching a video that people already know the contents of. To think some people make whole fics about that kind of stuff, crazy. I don't know how they manage it. And I never will.

Anyway, it turns out there actually is an official short story where Mirko is made to team up with Izuku (and Ochako and Bakugo) by the HSPC. Didn't even know about that, it was interesting. I've gone back and adjusted some stuff in previous chapters here and there as a result, nothing major but there are changes.

I hope that the reasons for Rumi choosing Izuku make enough sense. Realistically, she'd probably choose Bakugo given the choice - they have quite a lot in common. An interesting thought really, though not one I'd ever care to explore.

The arena was now ready and occupied by both a freckled boy standing near the middle and an unfamiliar purple-haired teen opposite him. Each was carefully sizing up their opponent.

"Midoriya's up first, huh? Alright then, time to show me what you can do," Rumi declares.

The kid hadn't really done anything special since the first round but maybe he'd pull off another surprise or two and reveal more of that mysterious hidden power or something.

Honestly, it was a shame this wouldn't be a proper cage-match like the ones she used to go to as a schoolgirl. Defeating your enemy by ring-out or forfeit? That was practically toddler level play- fighting. How were they supposed to learn?

A proper fight wasn't over til your opponent was unconscious and bloody as far as she's concerned - but then that was why the damn Commission was on her back in the first place.

"Makes it a little more palatable for the advertisers as well, I guess," she grumbles through a mouthful of beer.

All the suits in charge care about is saving face and making money, in the end. But even if she ignores the fact that the kid gloves were undeniably firmly on, the fight still isn't looking like it will be off to a promising start.

'What the fuck is he even up to?'

At the start of the match Midoriya had begun to rush his opponent but just a few words from his adversary had suddenly halted him in his tracks. Where was the clash of flesh on bone, the showmanship, the adrenaline?

Was this meant to be a battle or a goddamn staring contest?

The purple-haired boy was doing something, there was no other explanation. A Quirk was at work - perhaps some sort of paralysis effect holding him in place?

No. It quickly became apparent the situation was worse than that.

Midoriya's eyes were vacant, his mouth hanging open gormlessly as he began to walk towards the

ring! He was going to straight-up forfeit without so much as a single attack being thrown? Rumi frowns as Midoriya draws closer and closer to the ring's edge.

It has to be some kind of body or maybe even mind control, then. A pretty rare power to come across - and an absolute bitch to fight against. She's never met one powerful enough to truly take away her control and dearly hopes she never will.

"Guess that's that," she sighs in disappointment. "Oh well."

Hopefully at least some of these matches would be worth seeing - Endeavour's son and Bakugo

would probably be much more fun to watch, maybe one of them will throw this brainwashing bozo into the dirt.

So far this whole thing had definitely tailed off. Maybe she should have just blown it off to go on patrol instead.

A gust of wind blew throughout the arena as Midoriya stopped before the edge. Waves of power were emanating from him now - whatever hold the purple-haired boy had over him no longer seemed to have any sway.

"Huh."

He wasn't looking so weak now.

Was it just a limited time effect that hadn't been capitalised on properly or had Midoriya perhaps broken free from it somehow?

Whatever the case, now faced with Midoriya's piercing glare and oncoming charge, purple-hair looked fairly distressed at the easy win slipping from his grasp.

The two boys grappled briefly, purple-hair viciously punching Midoriya in an effort to reclaim the victory he'd been denied but the blows didn't seem to phase him at all; instead he resolutely withstood his opponent's desperate struggle and decisively threw him out of the ring.

'Well. That was unexpected. Still not exactly much of a show though, he took much worse hits from that bastard in the grocery shop,' Rumi muses as she scratches one of her large ears.

Good on the kid for pulling through it but hopefully there would be some actual decent fighting ahead to perk her up.

Todoroki was the fighter up next, pitted against some guy who had some pretty weird-looking elbows but otherwise seemed fairly unremarkable.

Still, plain-looking or not, he was quick off the mark in capturing his opponent with his

immobalisation Quirk. Totally secured in adhesive tape, the two-toned boy was being swung towards the edge of the ring.

Rumi snorts. Another yawnfest loss already? Her impatience is beginning to mount now; she'd been promised a spectacle but so far it had yet to appear-

Rabbit ears flatten against her head as she gapes at the screen in astonishment. A veritable glacier now juts clean out of the stadium, easily encompassing the whole screen.

What the fuck was that?!

No one could have been prepared for the sheer devastation Todoroki had wrought in just an instant; Tape-elbows never stood a chance at avoiding an attack of that magnitude. In fact, many fully-fledged pro-Heroes would have been totally caught off guard.

"Wow! Now that was something. I wouldn't mind sparring against that guy myself once he's sprouted up a bit," Rumi says, perked up by this second turnaround.

It was quite the statement from Endeavour's son and all future competitors now had a very high bar to match indeed.

Unfortunately for the next few fighters, none of them were quite up to the challenge of following that particular act - but they made an attempt at least.

The cocky electric boy had seemed certain of his win and indeed the powerful burst he unleashed would very probably have been enough to fry a normal opponent.

A shame for him then that the vine-haired girl he faced was not one of them, instead negating him utterly and wrapping him up tight as he overloaded into a drooling mess. Rumi cracks a smirk at the stupid look on his face as it pokes out from the cocoon of vines.

That brief amusement vanishes as quickly as it came with the next bout.

The boy with engines for calves had been controlled and utterly humiliated by the Support class

girl from Midoriya's team who just wanted to show off for investors instead of fight; she'd even given him a pity win when she was done advertising her support gear.

Rumi personally has little sympathy for the boy clearly falling for some sort of ruse to put him in this position - it was a careless move on his part, really - but the whole thing almost made a mockery of not just the event itself but Heroes in general.

Certainly there were those connected to the business who cared more about glory, fame and fortune than anything else - but to join a tournament purely to market products was decidedly too shrewd for Rumi's liking.

Fortunately there was soon something to make up for it as the pink-coloured Mutant girl began to give her opponent the run-around, easily avoiding his laser attacks that he fired from his... stomach? That was a new one.

A clear use of agility and tactics is always a point in someone's favour and laying him low with a single punch definitely proves impressive - not to mention leaving the poor guy unconscious on the ground with his underwear on display was a vicious move indeed.

"I gotta say these chicks don't really hold back at all, at least," Rumi says with a laugh at the sad display.

The female domination of the field was not to last forever though, their streak becoming swiftly broken by a black-haired teen with who looked to have some kind of shield-creating Quirk or something. She'd been effortlessly shoved out of bounds by the bird-faced boy from Midoriya's team and his shadowy familiar in a quick and decisive win.

The girl had proved no match for such an aggressive, relentless fighting style. As the old saying went; the best defence was a good offence - and in Rumi's opinion truer words are never spoken.

Black-hair would need to be more proactive in the future if she wanted to stand any chance at making it big - there was no room at the top for those who cowered behind barriers until they lost.

The following round had looked to be exciting at first; the two boys who'd been crushed by the robot earlier had set about relentlessly pummelling each other. With how resilient each had proved themselves to be, how thrilling would it be to see which would prove triumphant?

Not very, as it turned out.

"Just get it over with already," she mumbles, stifling a yawn.

On the screen the two boys traded yet another blow, neither seeming all that worse for wear despite the many hits they've exchanged.

It had been kind of fun for a while watching the pair smack each other in the face and keep on standing but the satisfaction eventually petered away. They were so evenly matched in size, ability and power that it almost seems like she's watching two living brick walls clashing into each other.

It's practically a relief when the pair eventually fall down unconscious from sheer exhaustion. A draw, then. To be decided through arm-wrestling. Sure, whatever, that might as well happen.

After the less-than-exciting display was the blond-haired explosion boy, Bakugo. He was up against the other girl from Midoriya's team, though Rumi hardly recalls what role she'd been playing in the earlier event.

In any case, she certainly must have been confident in her chances to charge a clearly strong opponent without any hesitation at all. Unconcerned by her spirited approach, Bakugo was easily dominating the field by using his explosions to throw the girl back time and time again.

Despite the beating she was undoubtedly taking, the girl holds firm and keeps coming and Rumi can't help but respect that, even as weaklings in the crowd shout for her reprieve. The snarky announcer is right - not one of them knew a damn thing about what it took to stand at the top.

Why should Bakugo have to hold back against his opponent? Had she not agreed to the fight? Was she not a Hero in training? If she didn't have what it took to face an opponent of Bakugo's calibre, maybe she'd be better off trying for a different career instead.

But no, the girl clearly was in it for the long haul and had instead been secretly preparing her final move while hidden amongst the dust and smoke kicked up by Bakugo's explosions.

It was a sneaky trick, dropping rocks onto her opponent's head, but when faced with such a barrage there was no doubt many people would be unable to defend against it and swiftly defeated.

How unfortunate for her that Bakugo just wasn't one of them and simply disintegrated the entire onslaught with a single gigantic blast.

Rumi's lips pull into a pleased smile at the display. Some of these kids definitely were stronger than she'd been expecting.

The brown-haired girl's face after seeing her work go up quite literally in smoke tugs even at Rumi's heartstrings but her sudden collapse to the floor, clearly utterly spent, while her opponent still stands fresh and ready was just proof of the divide between them.

Tenacity was important for a Hero but power was generally even more of a deciding factor. An uninterested person with even a half-decent Quirk would always defeat the most motivated yet Quirkless one - it was just reality.

Still, it had been a fairly intense match unlike the arm-wrestling that followed it, with the metallic boy barely defeated by the red-haired rock-skinned teen.

The final lineup had been decided. The best of the best had been assembled. Whatever awaited from now on was sure to be the showstopper she'd been promised.

"Midoriya's second match is against Todoroki?" Rumi's teeth pull into a grimace.

That was some bad luck for the green-haired kid. He didn't stand a chance at all, judging by the pair's previous performances.

Midoriya had certainly looked strangely powerful at the end of the last bout, but there was no way his mysterious Quirk was going to save him from the walls of ice the two-toned boy could conjure.

Or so she thought.

Todoroki was immediately on the attack with a wave of frost but somehow Midoriya was easily

able to smash through it with nothing more than a flick of his finger.

This was what he could do? That was no joke! The force he'd been exuding earlier was nothing compared to now. What was the reason for his hesitation before then?

Todoroki's attack might have been blunted but he was quick to send a few more waves his opponents' way - though each met the same swift fate at Midoriya's hands.

Unfortunately the hands in question weren't exactly faring well as a result, it appeared, the skin mottling and blood dripping from them despite never having been touched by the freezing waves.

'It's damaging him, that's why he's been holding it back!' Rumi thinks, staring at the screen in slight horror.

That was a serious drawback to what otherwise looked to be a powerful Quirk. No wonder he'd been refusing to utilise it before now.

If he couldn't even protect himself from his own attacks, being a proper Hero was going to be tough as hell for the kid, no matter how strong his hits against Villains actually were.

An especially big wave from Todoroki was forcing Midoriya on the back foot now, his whole arm hanging limp and turning the same ugly purple as his fingers from his efforts to defend against it.

Was there any chance he could turn this around before he lost the ability to fight back entirely?

Perhaps. Despite the injuries Midoriya stood firm, sending his own blast to meet the next ice wall and pushing his opponent near the edge.

Now the tide was turning. Midoriya seemed to be done tanking hits, surging forward to meet his opponent head on and dealing him a mighty blow to the stomach.

Yet though he'd landed the first actual hit of the match the kid was clearly suffering for it, his limbs incredibly bruised and bleeding, seemingly unable to even close his fingers now. Each defence further exacerbated his condition, wearing him down just as surely as if Todoroki's attacks

had actually struck him.

Seeing his face, smeared with his own blood just as it had been when she'd saved him, Rumi can't help but stare. His eyes are so determined now, driven to give his all even as he fractures from within by his own power.

Suddenly the pair halts, their mouths moving furiously, and Rumi wrinkles her brows in confusion. Were they... having some sort of heated debate? In the middle of a match?

Midoriya once more struck against his opponent, sending the other boy flying backwards. Even so, Todoroki rallied quickly enough as the pair clearly began shouting at each other anew.

There were no microphones to pick up what the boys were yelling about but whatever it was, the end result was yet another unexpected twist; the right side of Todoroki suddenly bursting into flame.

There was that fire again. She'd been wondering about that brief glimpse in the cavalry battle, thinking that perhaps her eyes had been playing tricks on her. It was real, it seemed.

"Guess that's not too surprising considering his dad and all," Rumi mutters - and indeed the camera suddenly panned to the man in question clearly yelling some kind of encouragement at his son.

What a blowhard, always trying to take the spotlight - even though the younger Todoroki never spared him a glance.

To think that Todoroki had also been hiding his true power... It beggared belief.

Why had he chosen now to unleash it? Had Midoriya somehow goaded him into it? Surely he knew Todoroki could do such a thing, right? They were in the same class after all.

If he'd done so then he'd just made his job a lot harder for himself. If the dual-coloured boy had been powerful before with only ice at his command then adding fire into the mix was sure to heat things up in the most literal of senses.

But if it hadn't been his aim then Midoriya was surprisingly undaunted, clearly powering himself up as much as he could as Todoroki prepared a monstrous mix of frost and flame.

This was going to be the deciding blow and Rumi hardly blinks in her eagerness to capture the moment the two collide.

Midoriya rushes forward, his mutilated arm thrusting toward the elemental attack. The arena floor itself rises up, coming between the pair as their Quirks burst against the suddenly protruding walls, resulting in an ensuing explosion that was nearly deafening.

When the dust and steam clears it is apparent that there is now a victor... And that it isn't Midoriya.

The freckled boy slides down the wall of the now-cracked and crumbling stadium, blown clear of the ring by Todoroki's final attack, to rest in a limp heap.

Todoroki himself stands against a patch of ice, missing some of his clothing yet still conscious and within the boundaries.

"Woah." Rumi gives a little cheer. "Now that was a match! Todoroki, damn, he sure is a beast. Midoriya too... you really gave it your all, kid."

She'd initially held no expectations for his success but he'd really blown her away at some points there. His Quirk seemed pretty damn good after all - except for the fact it was literally breaking him as he used it.

She wanted to fight Todoroki now more than ever though; he'd definitely give her a run for her money when fully trained up. It would be something to look forward to if she ever got the chance - Endeavour had always turned her down, the coward.

Such a fierce battle necessitated a break, both to calm down the spectators, address the injuries of the fighters and fix the severely damaged arena. Rumi leaves the video running while she went to grab another couple of carrots but when she returns it's to the tail-end of a match.

A quick check back revealed that this was in fact the second bout she's missed; the engine-legged boy had instantly overrun his vine-haired opponent to push her out of the ring and soon after the bird-faced boy had repeated the tactic he'd used the shield-user against the pink-coloured mutant, who also hesitated in the face of his aggression and was swiftly sent over the edge.

Well, whatever.

Kirishima, the winner of the arm-wrestling contest, was facing Bakugo - and scored a quick hit against him too. Bakugo's swift retaliation hardly seemed to faze the rock-solid boy one bit, and now the red-haired teen wasn't letting up at all in fact, viciously swiping for the other boy's face.

In an unexpected show of restraint Bakugo was actually holding back against his opponent, seeming content to merely avoid the rock-hard fists while his opponent began to tire himself out.

Rumi sniffs, a little put out by the display, until Bakugo grew tired of dodging and now the battle was being fought on his terms, the multitude of his explosive barrages were certainly having the desired effect now.

One final blow was all he needed, a massive detonation that sent his opponent crashing to the ground in a defeated heap.

'Just a few fights left to go...' Rumi thinks. 'Then I'll probably have a nap afterwards.' Todoroki was up once more - now versus Engine-legs, who'd certainly not been able to prove

himself in the first fight, and his second was over in a flash. Would this be a proper match-up?

Not if Todoroki had his way. Instantly there were waves of ice surrounding his opponent, hemming him in and reducing his range of movement.

That didn't stop the other boy though, he simply leapt clear of the trap and delivered a powerful kick to Todoroki's back.

"Hell yeah, was that Luna Fall? Kickers represent!" Rumi cheers, pleased by the familiar attack.

Unlike her own moveset however, Engine-legs didn't follow up with more brutal strikes to his fallen enemy but chose to grab a hold of him to drag the boy out of the ring.

He never made it. Ice began to creep up his body, forming a solid cocoon that froze him in place. As he was unable to free himself from the frosty entrapment, the match was over.

'Well, that could have been worse I guess.'

Todoroki's ice was certainly a dangerous force to tangle with... but where had his fire gone? Hopefully it would resurface at the finale, but there was another bout to go before then.

The darkly shimmering monster attached to the bird-faced boy had rendered all his previous encounters trivial, easily able to overwhelm any defences in a storm of aggression.

Somehow that was no longer the case, the once-fierce beast now cowering under the heat of Bakugo's explosions. This wasn't a fight between the top students any more, it was a one-sided annihilation.

Unable to withstand the frenzied bombardment, Birdface had simply... given up. The first actual yielding of the whole tournament.

"Boy, that's a letdown. Just when things were looking to get really spicy as well," Rumi sighs.

Bakugo lay atop his opponent, clearly willing to blast him into submission had he not offered his surrender. It was just more proof of his willingness to ensure his victory, and Rumi is really beginning to admire the spirit he was showing.

"Last one. You've just gotta take down Todoroki. If you can make it... then I guess you've earned my respect a bit."

And her offer as well. The Commission wouldn't dare say no.

Rumi shifts, making sure she's extra comfy and has a carrot to hand. There was no way she's missing even a moment of what's sure to be a momentous confrontation.

Part of her is glad she hadn't just skipped to the end to find out who the best fighter was and had stuck out the whole thing - it wouldn't have been nearly as worthwhile.

Bakugo was grinning viciously, a stark contrast to Todoroki's aloof stare, and Rumi's own mouth is beginning to match it.

The fight was on. In an instant, a humongous wave of ice engulfed the blond boy, a move so reminiscent of Todoroki's first tournament attack.

"Shit. Come on, come on!" Rumi whispers.

Bakugo was not one to give up like the tape-elbowed boy had, surely?

Indeed, it was clear from the dull thuds ringing out from within the iceberg that he was not sitting idly by until he could be freed.

The ice cracked, splintered and then burst open, revealing the fighter within.

No longer encapsulated in an icy prison, in an instant Bakugo was bearing down on his opponent on the trails of his burning hands, deftly avoiding another attack.

In a flash he was blurring over his opponent to grasp him by his twin-coloured hair and jacket, ruthlessly yanking him up into the air and hurling him across the stadium.

Todoroki was tumbling but managed to arrest his flight before the edge, jetting away on an ice slide to return to the fight.

Bakugo was clearly eager to charge him again, avoiding another icy attack to lunge at Todoroki with another blast ready.

Todoroki had been ready this time, pushing his arm aside to return fire.

But somehow no fire arrived; instead he opted to merely fling Bakugo back a few feet and hold his position.

"Weak. Fight or fold... defence will only get you so far," Rumi frowns, displeased by the restraint.

Certainly Bakugo was not willing to let him have a breather for long, running back into the fray before launching himself skyward once more. As Bakugo rose, Todoroki's left side burst into flame once again.

'There it is!'

Bakugo spun through the air, unleashing a truly colossal blast against his opponent.

Todoroki's fire dissipated, throwing up another shield to protect him against Bakugo. It was torn asunder, dashing the boy against the gigantic ice wall behind him even as that too was rendered into chunks.

A tiny shriek escapes Rumi's throat as she beholds Todoroki lying amongst the wreckage, even as Bakugo begins to shake his clearly knocked-out opponent in disbelief.

"That was it? Really? Ugh. The hell's wrong with your kid, Endeavour?" Rumi says as she angrily waved a carrot.

The kid had buckled. The aggression, the drive... where had it all gone? What had he been trying to prove?

"Gahhh. All that for... whatever!" She snarls, tugging at a strand of her long, white hair. It was almost over now, but she still has a lot of thinking to do.

Teeth gritted, she stares at the two boys lying unconscious on the stadium floor.

It takes her a few minutes to calm down but eventually she unpauses the video.

With the Tournament concluded, one way or another, afterwards came the Awards Ceremony - not really a thing she's a typically massive fan of herself, despite having taken the winning spot at more than a few.

Hanging about to bask in everyone knowing you were the winner wasn't all that fun for long when you could be going to find another fight somewhere else.

And there was definitely one winner unhappy to be there for this particular event; Bakugo was writhing upon the podium he'd actually been physically shackled to, his furious howling audible despite the metal muzzle they'd forced over his face.

Even his fellow runners-up look uncomfortable just being near the raving boy.

"Oh boy. Talk about rabid," Rumi murmurs as her nose wrinkles in distaste. "That's really not a heroic image at all."

There was some irony to that statement, she knows that, but it doesn't make it any less true.

She sympathises with him not getting the real deal, all-out fight that she'd certainly been expecting (and having an opponent refuse to give their all was an insult she'd personally resent herself) but his childish, over-the-top reaction to it wasn't really the way to go about it. It was only a school contest, after all, it wasn't like lives were on the line.

She gnaws at her bottom lip sourly, staring at him.

The fact was that he looked like he was going to be taken to Tartarus for a heinous crime any moment instead of having just won the top spot in a pretty prestigious event.

Did the boy forget this was all being streamed live to the entire country, the whole world even, or had he just not cared at all how he was showcasing himself to them?

All Might arriving to present the winners with their awards was an unexpected enough surprise to cause her to forget Bakugo's temper tantrum for a moment.

She'd vaguely heard what she'd taken to be nonsense rumours and gossip about him becoming a teacher at UA or something a while back, but paid it little heed. Seems it has turned out to be true.

It was such a weird thought that the Number One Hero who had spent so much of his time fighting Villains and saving lives would suddenly decide to take up a job in education instead, like some C- Lister who'd been broken down by too many bad fights.

Even so the Symbol of Peace was as stalwart looking as ever as he handed out the medals, gifting each boy with a pat on the back alongside it.

Once Bakugo's muzzle was taken off the blonde boy immediately redoubled his efforts to shout his grievances, utterly refusing to accept his win and the trophy that came with it.

All Might had taken it in stride though, leaving the medal dangling from Bakugo's mouth in a fairly comical sight. And then that was it, the Festival - or at least the video - was over.

What a rollercoaster of emotions it had been and she suddenly felt a little mentally drained. "Damn," Rumi mumbles as she finishes her long-forgotten beer. "That didn't help at all."

She can admit to herself that she'd been rooting for Bakugo a fair bit at the end, begrudgingly impressed by his power and grit.

He was definitely strong and mobile and had a hell of a lot of drive to fight while not holding back at all. Those were all great points in his favour and had that been all there was to it she'd be sending her selection to the Commission in a heartbeat.

She can see a lot of herself in him - the love of battle, the will to defeat his enemies entirely

without hesitation or holding back one bit.

There were limits though, as she had been so keenly reminded lately.

Maybe once he got older he'd calm down and make a fine Hero, possibly even Top Ten material. He had the raw talent in spades.

And clearly the ego to match.

The last few minutes of the event were a real eye-opener, enough to turn a nearly surefire candidate into a dangerous proposition.

Did she dare risk choosing him now?

While he might not necessarily hinder her much in a fight physically (his power and mobility were there for all to see), there were other ways to be a burden on her.

Would he listen to her orders or just go off on his own? Could she trust his judgement when protecting bystanders?

Her own actions could sometimes lead to more damage than was strictly necessary, generally to whatever perpetrator she faced more so than civilian collateral damage, but that led to more and more scrutinising eyes upon her.

She didn't need any more issues to arise as a result of someone under her command not obeying her instructions. He'd needed to be knocked unconscious to prevent him from attacking someone who clearly had already been defeated, after all.

As he was, choosing a temperamental teen with obvious issues was unlikely to help her credibility with the HPSC and even disregarding that, did she even want to drag around a volatile loose cannon for a week?

Not particularly.

With as much trouble she had in reining her own fuse in, dealing with a literal bomb waiting to go off was a guaranteed disaster in the making. There were plenty of other students out there, even if they hadn't taken the top spot in the Festival.

Todoroki was much calmer and just as strong if not stronger, again probable Top Ten material, if not higher. He'd been holding himself back though, refusing to use his full strength - whatever Midoriya had done to push him into using his flames hadn't seemed to last long at all.

That was worrisome - whatever the cause of his strange reluctance was, not giving your all as a Hero wasn't just an insult to the profession, it could prove dangerous as well.

If he didn't step up, he'd be stepped on. His ice was a versatile and incredible ability, no doubt about that, but was it enough that he could afford to use it exclusively?

No. Villains would take advantage of any hesitation or opportunity and lives could be lost as a result.

Plus there was the fact that he was Endeavour's son...

The way his dad had loomed over his fights, shouting and waving, is just another sign that there are some domestic problems that she has no interest in getting involved with. Whatever blowback might arise from their family squabbles, it was their concern and not hers.

She knew Endeavour - there was no doubt he'd see her taking on his son as getting involved. And while that might result in a fight she'd be more than happy to take on... that would be another blow to her reputation with the Safety Commission again.

Instead there were other options like Tokoyami, whose Quirk was pretty adaptable and strong, repelling most attacks levelled against it with ease. Maybe he wouldn't be so bad - he was a fellow mutant even.

On the flipside, he seemed to be pretty stationary, relying on his familiar's reach to attack his opponents. Could he even keep up with her? A limited-range Quirk with no physical bolstering didn't exactly match her style. And his hesitation in his last bout against Bakugo was another worry.

Or the Gravity girl - she'd had a lot of spirit, refusing to back down even while outmatched and trying clever moves to compensate. That was important, yet her Quirk just wasn't strong enough to help her close the gap and defeat her opponent, her tricks subsequently failing at the crucial point.

The two boys with the Hardening and Steel Quirks were resilient but couldn't withstand Bakugo or Todoroki's firepower and certainly weren't fast enough to follow in her wake, they'd only get left behind.

The engine-boy, the one who'd been missing from the Award Ceremony for some reason, his movesets seemed like they were similar to hers. Compatible fighting styles were rare and a point in his favour but his fights had hardly been stellar and he seemed to lack staying power.

Rumi drums her fingers against the laptop, contemplating the events she had just seen, the numerous faces and Quirks over and over.

Fast but not strong enough. Strong but not fast enough. Strong, fast but otherwise unsuited or problematic.

None of them were good enough.

"Ugh. This is why I hate teaming up," she murmurs, running a hand down her face.

She has to make a choice today; the Commission has handed her an ultimatum. They wouldn't just accept that she hadn't found a suitable candidate despite the extremely limited time she'd been given. Perhaps they'd just force some random student on her to teach her a lesson, someone sure to drag her down.

She chews her lip, stuck between rocks and hard places.

Maybe Bakugo could be wrangled without causing too much trouble if she kept a close enough eye and firm stance. It wouldn't be an enjoyable experience but it looked like biting that bullet might be the best option she has.

It wasn't like he had no redeeming qualities at all, at least. And she had said if he won the bout

with Todoroki she'd give him the offer, it was only fair, right?

As she takes a bite out of another carrot, the green stalk catches her eye and she pauses, staring at it suspiciously for a moment.

Then she rewinds the video.

A familiar bruised and freckled face stares back at her on the screen, clearly in pain yet a determined fire blazing in his green eyes.

Midoriya maybe could have beaten Todoroki, fighting hard despite his injuries. He'd shattered those walls of ice like it was nothing, even through the damage it caused his body.

Like Bakugo, he hadn't been content fighting against an opponent who wasn't giving it their all - whilst fighting Todoroki he'd managed to provoke the other boy into using the fire he'd hesitated to show throughout the event. Twice, even.

It had totally cost him the match and probably a position at the winner's podium, but it was still impressive. He'd fought and struggled every step of the way, as many had, ultimately showing a true Hero's heart even if he hadn't won the day at the end.

Even so he too just hadn't quite hit the mark in her measuring up.

Maybe it was how unassuming he generally looked or how much he'd been crying through the festival. Possibly it was because she had rescued him and the fallout from that unfortunate event.

Had she been subconsciously rejecting him because of their connection or was it something else as well?

He had significant strength, anyone could see it. He'd destroyed Todoroki's ice nearly as easily as Bakugo.

Certainly the right drive; continuing on fighting even as his very bones cracked was no small feat. Personality-wise he was obviously on the softer side, there was no denying that, but with the right

tempering he too could become something quite special.

The whole time she'd been looking for the one who was the strongest, the fastest, the most driven, the very best of them all - enough so that they wouldn't weigh her down as she did her job and she'd be able to get back to doing her thing solo as quickly as possible.

Was that really what she needed?

"Maybe I've been looking at this the wrong way," she ponders thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her lip.

She shakes her head in bemusement - had she forgotten that she was Mirko ? No matter what chains she is bound with she will persevere and jump to greater heights than ever before!

There aren't really any Pros that measure up to her standards, a bunch of teenagers barely into Hero training never stood a chance. There was almost no point analysing them all so deeply, now that she thinks about it.

She would show the Commission exactly what they asked for; just a little restraint to get them off her back, and then things would soon return to normal. All they wanted her to do was let a prospective Hero follow her around for a week, that was it.

She picks up the empty can and crushes it in her fist before throwing it aside.

She's already met Midoriya, even protected him. He seemed like a good kid and hey, she could even admit to herself he was a little bit cute too. Not that such a thing matters at all, of course. But perhaps it was a tiny bonus.

Perhaps she could bring herself to help whip him into shape a bit while she was at it, he sure looked like he needed it.

It was only a week, after all. Who knows, maybe he could become the Number Two Hero some day and owe it all to her. It was an amusing thought.

Clicking back to her email again, she opens up the Commission's message to find the necessary forms.

"Alright, if I gotta do this then... Midoriya. Guess you're the lucky one," she says, typing his name.

For a moment she stares at it. Was this really the right choice? It wasn't too late to change her mind.

And then she shrugs, sighs and clicks send.

Mr Aizawa is talking but Izuku can't spare him the attention he normally offers his teacher.

Instead he is fixed by the words projected onto the blackboard, his thoughts going by so fast they almost seem to blur together. He can see it there at the very bottom. His own name... and alongside it a marker.

He's been chosen to intern with someone!

Sure, it's nothing like Todoroki or Kacchan, their names sitting at the top with offers in the literal thousands, but it was one more than he'd been able to bring himself to dare hope for internally.

Distantly he hears Mineta talking in his ear but he is so focused that the words simply bounce off him.

Had a genuine Pro Hero actually asked for him? It couldn't be. Maybe this was a ruse of some kind by Mr Aizawa?

Not even his occasionally-underhanded teacher was that cruel, surely.

And if he wasn't, then who was it that had made the request? Death Arms? Thunderspike? So many names flit through his mind as he smiles ear to ear.

Midnight's sultry voice barely pierces his frantic thoughts. He glances up at his other teacher who'd entered at some point, reluctantly abandoning his mental list. Speaking of names, of course. He'll need one of his own as well.

He's come up with so many as a child - but of course they were all born from his favourite heroes' own. Though at the time he'd never dreamed he would one day possess All Might's Quirk, he was now being prepared to take the Symbol of Peace's place.

Did that give him the right to take up his mantle as well?

It didn't feel like he'd earned that honour. Perhaps he never would - All Might was a true legend, the greatest Hero there ever was. To truly reach his level seemed impossible, a dream he'd always yearn for and never touch.

No. He'd need his own identity - inviting too much comparison between him and All Might could risk suspicions being drawn into One For All. Better to let it lie.

He muses and mulls over the matter though nothing seems to fit. At least he isn't the only one having a tough time of it, judging by the furrowed brows and murmurings of many of his classmates.

Even so, they gradually present their own choices - albeit some a little more inspired than others - and he happily cheers them on as his fingers drum against the desk.

He glances around for a moment and his eyes catch on his brown-haired classmate; the newly- announced Uravity. It is a fitting match, pairing well to give her a cute and approachable vibe - he definitely approves.

As he watches her return to her seat a memory comes to him; an event that almost seemed an age and yet was barely a few weeks past.

Ah, of course. There really is only one choice.

"It's gotta... be this." Izuku thinks as he writes it down proudly, taking care with his still not-quite-

healed fingers.

His confidence rises as he walks up to present his new title. He can see the surprise and confusion in the eyes of his fellow Heroes-in-training and knows what they are all thinking.

Who would willingly call themselves after a demeaning nickname?

He stares out at the class, taking in Uraraka's beaming smile and also Kacchan's surprised scowl. Two diametrically opposed expressions and yet both somehow fill him with pleased satisfaction. He can't help but give a nervous smile as he explains his choice.

Once it had been just another bullet in Kacchan's personal insult arsenal. A constant reminder that he was clumsy, Quirkless and would never amount to anything; that he'd never become the Hero he'd always wanted to be.

Now it was a point of pride. He was proving that those who'd doubted him had been wrong, that the choice to hold on to that fervent, distant wish even in his darkest moments had been the right one.

He could do it.

He wouldn't bear his mentor's name but he'd do his damndest to embody his spirit so that one day those who had nothing could look upon him and let their eyes widen with wonder, their minds race with inspiration, their hearts beat full of joy.

And they too would be free to chase their own dreams, just as he had.

Through Cliffs and Mountains Steeper

Chapter by Greenflame (ObsidianKing)

Chapter Summary

Izuku receives his offer and meets his new mentor.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

He trembles as Mr Aizawa hands him a piece of paper, though whether it's a side-effect of the exercise he's performing or his nervous anticipation, he's not entirely sure.

In truth it doesn't really matter who sent the offer; his gratitude at someone asking for him specifically would be no lesser if they were amongst the lowest ranking of Professional Heroes.

Even so, knowing that doesn't fully ease his strange apprehension.

He breathes deeply for a moment and then as quickly as opening a present (or perhaps ripping off a bandage) he looks down at it. Green eyes widen in numb befuddlement.

Mr. Midoriya.

I am pleased to inform you that you have been offered the opportunity to be mentored by Ms. Usagiyama, also known as the Rabbit Hero: Mirko, for your upcoming First Year Professional Hero Internship.

If this is a proposition you wish to accept then we will be more than happy to arrange it. We eagerly await your response.

Mr. Ogino,

Hero Public Safety Commission.

Surely this is wrong. Somebody somewhere has just made an error of some kind, the sort that happens all the time. A tiny mix up that would soon be rectified.

After all, there was no way in hell that the Rabbit Hero was looking for an intern. It just doesn't make any sense.

Izuku knows she's never made an offer to work under her before. To anyone. In fact, her dislike of even fighting alongside established Professional Heroes was well known throughout the community - as were her mocking remarks about those who operated in teams or with sidekicks.

Was this truly the ruse he's been dreading?

"Hey, Midoriya, who'd you get?" A voice chirps curiously.

He doesn't reply, cannot reply. Instead he sinks back into his chair, muscle training abandoned. "Mr Aizawa... is this real?" His voice cracks as he barely manages to ask. "There isn't a mistake?" Tired eyes land upon him for a brief moment.

"It's legitimate," is Aizawa's only response as he continues to hand out lists, some personalised ones to the few who'd managed to draw sufficient attention and a generic tally of less discerning Hero Agencies to everyone else.

They have two days to pick their options.

With only one draft pick he's hardly spoilt for choice but even if he'd been as inundated in offers as Kacchan was, this is undoubtedly better than he could have dreamed of.

'Mirko wants to team up with me?' The thought reverberates around his head, growing louder with each pass.

One of the Top Heroes had not only saved his hide but additionally seen enough potential in him at the Festival to actually want to teach him personally.

Just as All Might had.

Even now it remains somewhat hard to believe; he cannot help but still fear that one day he will suddenly discover it has all been a fantasy, that Kacchan had been right and he would always be nothing but a Quirkless nobody.

He pinches himself, just in case. The classroom does not shift into his bedroom. The markings on the paper do not change.

A joyous yelp burbles within his throat and he fights hard to keep it from escaping.

Had Mirko remembered him?

It was amazing to think that she'd even watched the Festival, let alone viewed his less-than-stellar performance as being worthy of her time. Surely only the winner would have been enough for her.

He chances a peek at Kacchan but the surly blond's back is obscuring the massive list he's been given.

All around him his classmates' voices ring out, eager to use their break by discussing who had picked them or who they in turn would pick.

"Hey Deku? Dekuuuu."

This time a new voice, one accompanied by two fingers tapping his shoulder. He glances up at the round, pink-cheeked face of his friend.

"Are you alright?" She asks, eyeing him with a little concern. Izuku wills a tear to not fall from his eye and doesn't quite succeed.

"I... Y-yes, I'm alright, Uraraka. Just... feeling grateful, that's all. Have you made any decisions yet or are you still thinking it over?" He deflects, now curious as to what her own options are.

"Uhuh! I'm thinkin' I'll go for the Battle Hero: Gunhead's Agency," Uraraka declares happily. He stares silently for a moment, slightly stunned by this unusual choice.

"You're not going for a more rescue-oriented Hero, like Miss Thirteen? Gunhead's a more combat- focused Hero than I expected," he murmurs in surprise.

Other classmates crowd around as Uraraka nods and adopts a battle pose, throwing some mock punches.

"That's right. After my fight with Bakugo, I realised that I wanna get stronger! That way I can be ready for all situations... plus learning from a fighter will help to not cement my way of thinking, y'know?" Uraraka explains, still in her stance.

Kacchan growls slightly, though Izuku is so well-tuned to the sound that he doubts anyone else nearby can hear it. Still, he does his best not to react but nods instead, impressed by her decision.

"Right. That's smart!" He says as Asui and Ashido also voice their approval.

"Well, I'm going to study under Captain Selkie," the frog-Quirked girl offers. "He's a sailor. Ribbit."

"The Spotted Seal Hero? That's interesting. I have wondered how your Quirk works in the ocean as opposed to salt-free freshwater. Frogs generally aren't well suited to such environments, but you're not an actual amphibian so maybe that doesn't matter as much. Then again, you suffer from other frog-based effects, such as a weakness to cold temperatures, right? So, logically speaking..." Izuku begins to mutter to himself, overwhelmed by his thoughts.

Ashido giggles at him briefly, shaking her head and sticking out her tongue in amusement.

"I haven't made any choices myself. We've still got a couple days though, so who knows?" She admits, looking fairly blasé.

"I'm still surprised you didn't get picked by a Hero or two," Ojiro replies. "Your showing wasn't bad at all."

"I know right, me too!" Ashido frowns for second. "What the heck!"

Izuku is surprised as well - while her loss against Tokoyami had been rather decisive, a Quirk as versatile as hers (especially when combined with her distinctive looks) seemed like a surefire candidate to be showered in offers.

"So, Midoriya, you still haven't said who you got," pipes up Mineta as Izuku continues to ponder Ashido's misfortune. "C'mon, spill it. Is it a chick? I bet it is, right? Is she hot?!"

"Oh. Uh." He's caught off guard a little. "Well, actually... It was Mirko."

His quiet confession is met with a sudden drop in volume as all nearby conversations halt, replaced by gasps of surprise. Even Kacchan abandons his list, turning around to glower at Izuku.

"No way! A personal invitation from an absolute babe like her? You lucky dog!" Mineta gripes, grasping his ball-like hair in frustration.

"Mirko? The Rabbit Hero? I didn't know she even had an agency," Ojiro murmurs.

"That's right, she actually doesn't. So this was really unexpected to be honest," Izuku confirms a little sheepishly. "I don't think she's ever offered an internship to anyone before."

Kaccan's glare intensifies but Izuku manages to suppress his habitual shiver.

"Big deal, you damn nerd! So what if you got an offer from her? I got Top 5 Heroes asking for me - Mirko's a fuckin' nobody in comparison!" The brash explosion-user boasts, slapping his desk.

"W-well, that's great Kacchan, you-" Izuku attempts to respond even as the other boy gets up and walks away with a derisive scoff.

Part of him still burns with indignation as he watches his former friend push his way out of the classroom. It is easily buried, though. He's had lots of practice.

"Well, I hope it goes well Deku, good luck!" Uraraka says, though her smile seems a little tight.

"Y-yeah. Same for you - and everyone else. Guess this will be our first real taste of what it's like to be proper Heroes," he responds, starting to gather up his things and holding onto the offer he's been sent tightly.

The chatter begins to fall off as the students disperse to their next class though their excitement for the experiences yet to come still lingers in the air.

At the end of the day, Uraraka calls out to him once more as the class prepares to leave. He gladly waits for her, though it is a shame Ida is not also there to join them as he often does.

Upon opening the door they are ambushed by the unusual greeting of someone who's been lying in wait. The sight of the Number One Hero bending forward and almost vibrating on the spot is an unexpected shock.

"I am here!" The Symbol of Peace exclaims as Izuku takes a reflexive step backwards. "Standing strangely!"

His confusion at All Might's unusual behaviour doesn't have time to settle though, for his teacher swiftly attempts to pull him elsewhere. He can only offer Uraraka a somewhat guilty smile though she waves him on, unbothered.

"Go ahead Deku, I'll hang around," she says cheerfully, taking out her battered flip-phone.

All Might is suspiciously silent as they leave her standing there until Izuku can no longer contain his boiling-over curiosity.

"What's this about, All Might?"

But All Might merely shakes his head until they are in a more secluded location.

"Young Midoriya. There's been a new development; another draft pick for you came in earlier!" He finally answers.

He stares at his mentor in amazement. More Pros were interested in him? His luck really was increasing it seemed.

But as he looks at his Hero he can see a noticeable strain to the ever-present smile, a hint of a drop of sweat beading on his brow. Something is definitely wrong.

A few tense moments pass before he responds.

"Wow, that's great... Who is it?"

"Gran Torino is his name. He was once employed at UA, though it was just for a year. I was a student like you then - he was actually my homeroom teacher!"

'All Might's actual teacher? That's crazy! What incredible insights could such a Hero be able to offer, having taught the Number One himself?' Izuku thinks, desperately trying to picture such a man.

In fact, he is so wrapped up in his imagination that he almost misses All Might's next statement.

"Also, he knows about One For All."

Izuku freezes, staring at him with wide eyes.

"That could be why he's seeking after you, even."

"H-he does? How? You've never mentioned him before," Izuku says in disbelief.

"I... may have forgotten about him a little. He was good friends with the user of One For All before me but retired quite some time ago. We've not really kept in touch but I did send him a letter recently..."

Strange though All Might practically bowed before him had been, it was nothing compared to the sight of him literally shaking with fear, beating his own body in a futile attempt to quell his shivering.

"...Perhaps that prompted him to watch the Festival and he decided to send the offer because he thought my training wasn't good enough! I can't believe he sent it under his old Hero name, it's so scary. Scary!"

What manner of demon had All Might's teacher been that the mere thought of him put the strongest man into the world in such a state?

"W-well, h-here's his address, i-if you're sure you want to go for him," All Might gingerly proffers him a piece of paper.

"Um. Thanks, All Might," Izuku says as he takes it from the still-shaking fingers. "But I've already submitted my choice to Mr Aizawa."

"Ah, yes! Your other offer was from Mirko, was it not?" All Might exclaims.

His smile returns to its normal state, all fear promptly forgotten as Izuku nods.

"A rather spirited young Hero, that one! I must confess I was surprised to hear that a request for a student was placed under her name. A sign of maturity, perhaps! In any case, I'm sure she will be an interesting Hero to intern for."

"I sure hope so. It's a great opportunity. Though I am sad to miss out on learning from your former teacher too," Izuku admits, frowning just a little.

All Might rubs the back of his head, his grin edging back into a grimace.

"To be frank, kid, you probably aren't missing out on a lot by not going. Gran Torino was... not the most patient of teachers if I'm honest - and I doubt he's mellowed with age. If you think Aizawa can be rough sometimes, hoo boy... Anyway, good luck! Oh, before I forget, your costume's been fixed up too so make sure to grab it!"

"Right, thanks All Might!" Izuku smiles as the Symbol of Peace waves him off.

Even as he returns to meet up with Uraraka again, he can't help but wonder - if the offer had come before he'd submitted his choice, would he have made the same decision?

"A high-ranking Hero who personally saved me, plus is also super pretty and incredibly strong, not to mention I might be the first person she's ever wanted to team up with... or an old man I've somehow never heard of but seems to scare the pants off even All Might himself?"

Okay, he probably still would.

Civilians are constantly staring at them as the group clusters together at the station. Such attention has been becoming more and more commonplace but is definitely still a little nerve-inducing.

Mr Aizawa seems unperturbed by the growing crowd admiring them as he explains the process they need to follow. Izuku listens intently, though his sweaty fingers are struggling to grip his costume case.

This is it. In just a few moments he'll be on a Bullet Train all the way to Hiroshima Prefecture! Then he'll meet up with one of his idols for his first real mission as a Hero-in-training.

Izuku licks his lips, nerves once again rising up. Is he really ready for this?

'I can do it. I got through the All-American Dream Plan, the Entrance Exam, the Grocery Store Incident, the USJ Attack and the Sports Festival. Can't keep doubting myself after all that.'

Still, he'll be away from home for a whole week - a fact that had his mother bursting into tears when he'd revealed it to her.

In fact it seems like she's been doing that a lot more lately, constantly half-proud of his achievements and half-terrified of the events that have been occurring.

He'd barely managed to assure her that he'd be safe with such a highly ranked Hero - after all, the more prominent the Pro the more danger they were in, she'd argued. Only his sincere promise that he'd be as careful as possible had eased her fears enough to let him go.

He hopes he can keep to his word.

Mr Aizawa soon finishes his explanation and gives them a swift dismissal, so his classmates begin to head off to their respective trains. He catches sight of Ida breaking free of the group in a brisk march.

"Ida! Wait up!" He calls out, taking a few steps after him, Uraraka in tow. Their friend stops, his broad back standing as still as a statue.

The attack on Ingenium... it's clear it weighs heavily upon Ida, despite his efforts to not to show it. His stiff formality seems more pronounced than ever and Izuku fears that he might be drifting down treacherous paths.

Is it his place to intervene? He's not sure. All he can do is reach out a hand and hope Ida will take it.

"If you need to talk, we'll listen. That's what friends are for," Izuku reminds him as Uraraka echoes the sentiment.

For a moment there is no response until Ida finally turns to face them.

He's smiling as though nothing is wrong but his eyes are colder than Izuku has ever seen them before - dark and foreboding.

"Of course."

The words leave a sinking feeling growing within Izuku's heart as Ida stalks off, vanishing into the crowd.

"Deku... I'm getting kinda worried about him," Uraraka whispers at his side.

"Me too," Izuku admits. "But what can we do? We just have to trust he'll open up to us at some point."

"I guess so. It's just so sad, though. His brother didn't deserve that, I can't even imagine..." Uraraka breaks off, looking down at the ground, a few teardrops spilling against the asphalt.

Izuku's fingers tighten around his costume case. "No one deserves it."

The thought that the Hero Killer is still at large is a chilling one - how anyone could be so evil is beyond him. To deliberately target those who seek to do good in this world...

Even so, there seems little more they can do to ease their friend's pain at the moment.

"I'm sure Stain will be caught and brought to justice soon. Come on, we don't want to miss our trains. You're off the mainland, right?" He sighs, trying to return to the topic at hand.

Uraraka takes the bait, cheering up a little as they resume walking.

"Uhuh, that's right, I'm goin' to Shikoku!" She explains with a sniff. "It'll be my first time leaving Honshu, so I'm a little nervous, but this is me trying new experiences after all."

"You're not going to be that far from me then - relatively speaking. It'll be a long trip though..." Izuku says.

He's not exactly thrilled for the journey itself, but he knows he'll just have to get used to it. Disasters can happen anywhere and Heroes need to be able to respond and aid those affected no matter how far away they are.

"Hope you remembered to charge your phone," Uraraka replies and giggles as he frantically checks, just in case.

"Aha, I did, thank goodness! Alright Uraraka, this is my train. Talk to you soon?" He asks as the train doors begin to open.

"Sure thing Deku, see you later!" Uraraka waves him goodbye as she jogs off to catch her own train.

He settles into a seat and before long the scenery is rushing past him, taking him towards the next stage of his journey of becoming a Professional Hero.

The address he'd been given is thankfully not too far from the station, just your average not- overly-noticeable apartment block.

The door is electronically locked and appears fairly heavy-duty - though a determined Villain would probably be able to break it down quickly enough. Next to it is a control panel with a speaker and an assortment of buttons.

He rechecks the address he'd been given. This is the one. Probably. Gingerly he presses the largest button.

"Uh...I-I'm visiting Number Eleven. I-it's Midoriya, i-if that helps..." He speaks into the panel.

There is nothing but static for several moments until suddenly the door slides open silently, disappearing into the frame. He stares inside, feeling a touch apprehensive about taking the first step.

'Here we go, I guess.'

The inside is fairly homely, faded blue carpet under his feet and red wallpaper with swirling patterns on it. The windows he passes are all sparkling clean, both inside and out - clearly whoever the caretaker of the block is, they take pride in their work.

Distantly he wonders if their Quirk aids in their job, perhaps some sort of soap-dispensing ability or a mutant Quirk that gave them fluffy hands for wiping.

"Seems nice," he murmurs, some confidence returning.

Most of the doors he passes have a nameplate of the occupants attached to them. Number Eleven is one of the few that don't, the dark wood barren and somewhat mistreated by comparison, clear scratches and dents dotting the surface.

As he raises his hand to knock, it swings inwards to reveal red eyes staring into his.

He freezes, staring at the person on the other side. A gorgeous, brown-skinned woman in her twenties wearing a loose-fitting grey t-shirt and short leggings is scrutinising him carefully.

Now that they are face-to-face, he is struck by the fact that the Rabbit Hero is actually looking up at him slightly. He'd hardly had the presence of mind to notice it when they'd previously met, but in the numerous videos he's watched of her she'd always seemed to be taller than she is in the flesh.

Perhaps it was her ears that gave the illusion of height or maybe her somewhat larger-than-life personality. Either way, short or not she could certainly crush his skull in an instant if she felt like it.

Somehow the thought wasn't as terrifying as it ought to be.

"Well, you gonna stand there forever?" Mirko asks him brusquely. "Come in already."

"Oh! I-I'm sorry," he squeaks out, quickly scooting inside. "I-I don't know if you r-remember me but-"

"Midoriya Izuku, yeah? The kid who's ass I saved, I do remember," Mirko interrupts as he closes the door behind him. "You can put your stuff on the table."

"G-great. Um. T-thanks for h-having me, Miss Mirko," Izuku says, placing his costume case atop the small wooden table.

He glances around, quickly noticing just how spartan the Hero's home is compared to the outside complex; the walls are painted a simple off-white and besides the table and three accompanying wooden chairs there's not much in the way of furniture here outside of a small kitchen area that's little more than a sink, a sideboard with some cupboards above it and a fridge.

Further along the hallway are several closed doors, though one is ajar enough to show a decently- sized room with quite a lot of rather worn-looking training equipment scattered within.

In fact, the only real personal touch he can see are a few framed photographs on a wall opposite the kitchen. All of them are of a smiling dark-skinned woman and a snowy-haired man gazing fondly back.

'Those must be her family,' he thinks, though he notes neither has her distinctive ears. He's so caught up in looking around that Mirko's belated response catches him off guard.

"Don't mention it," Mirko's face is an impassive mask as she speaks. "I'm just gonna be straight with you Midoriya; I don't really want you to be here."

His eyes widen in shock as he stares at her and his heart sinks.

It had been a mistake after all then.

"Y-you... don't? But wh-"

"Actually, it's more like I don't want anyone to be here," she interrupts once again. "If you're as big a fan as you've claimed, I'm sure you're aware of my stance on team-ups."

"I am, y-yes. You've never had an intern or e-even a sidekick before, you don't even h-have a Hero Agency. Instead you just go a-around fighting Villains across Japan... on your o-own," Izuku says, a little bewildered.

"Right. I guess you do know your stuff. Y'see, the Hero Public Safety Commission 'asked' me to sign up to their little program - and sadly I wasn't in a position to decline," Mirko explains. "So yeah, not entirely thrilled about this whole event. I like to be free to do my own thing."

The Hero Public Safety Commission. Now he could remember - he'd been too amazed by who the offer was about to pay much attention to who'd actually written it. It certainly hadn't been Mirko herself.

But why would they send-

"Oh... I-is this about the Villain you saved me from?" Izuku realises, his voice choking.

Mirko winces slightly, no longer meeting his eyes.

"Well, I guess you could say that's a part of it," she confesses, ears dipping downwards slightly. Tears begin to fill his eyes now.

What a fool he'd been. He'd gotten it all wrong - Mirko hadn't chosen him for his potential or anything of the sort; he'd actually been forced upon her.

If only he'd kept his head down when that Villain had showed up, she'd be free to continue doing her job and helping people in need instead.

"Oh no, I'm so, so sorry! I should have - I-I-I mean, you didn't need to, m-maybe if I speak to- to Mr Aizawa, or someone, we can-"

She glares at him, holding up a hand to silence his word-vomit before running it over her face and sighing.

"Listen. I just wanted to set the record straight beforehand - there's no sense in lying about it. It is what it is. Don't get me wrong; I did ask for you specifically, so I'm kinda glad you accepted. I wasn't sure what those damn suits were gonna do if you decided to go for some established Agency's offer instead."

Izuku blinks, still stunned by this new revelation, before he shakes his head.

"I, uh, only got one other offer... a-and that was after I'd already accepted y-yours," he admits.

She squints at him before shrugging.

"Huh. That's a little unexpected; you did decent enough in the festival."

He rubs the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I-it's probably due to my Quirk. It's... it's kind of... volatile?" Izuku says, his freckled cheeks painted pink.

"Hmm, yeah. Guess that could put people off," Mirko grunts in agreement. Turning away from him, she cocks a thumb at the adjacent room.

"Anyhow, since you're staying for a week, I've set up a futon for you to sleep on. I'm sure you've been taught not to go looking through other people's things - but just in case I'll warn you to keep out of my bedroom."

"I would never-" he interjects but she holds up her hand once more.

"Yeah, I don't doubt it but I still gotta lay out the ground rules. That's the bathroom over there, obviously keep a wide berth when I'm usin' it as well. You're free to use my lifting gear if you want to, I guess. Otherwise, try not to break anything..." she continues, tapping off on her fingers.

"Let me know if there's anything ya need as well. Think that'll do for now, you eaten yet?" "Um. N-not since breakfast," he says.

He'd brought a light snack for the train journey but a protein bar was hardly a filling meal. Mirko nods, gesturing to the tiny kitchen.

"There's probably enough ingredients and such if you feel like making yourself something - I'm not much of a cook, to be honest, don't really have the patience for it. But I'm happy to get a takeaway or something too, though, if you want."

He glances over at it and considers his options.

"Er, i-if you'd like I c-can probably make s-something for us b-both."

She raises an eyebrow at him before grinning in a way that makes his already fast-beating heart speed up.

"Alright then. Fuel's important for a Hero, kid, this'll be your first chance to impress me," Mirko says, barking out a laugh.

'No pressure there then.'

"I'll t-try my best. Any r-requests?" Izuku asks, pulling his rucksack off and setting it beside his costume.

"Nah, whatever's good with me, really," the Rabbit Hero grunts dismissively.

"Alright t-then. I'll s-see what I can do."

Squaring his shoulders, he rolls up his sleeves and prepares to go to work. Chapter End Notes

The reunion has commenced. Events are now set in motion.

End Notes

Poor Izuku, villain magnet. Fear not though, he won't always be on the receiving end of a one-sided beatdown of course. From humble seeds grow mighty trees. Thanks for reading.

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