"Izuku!" Inko called out.
Izuku ran in a few moments later. "Yes, mommy?"
Inko smiled. "There is someone I'd like to introduce you to."
Izuku looked at the man by his mother and tilted his head.
He was skinny, very skinny. He looked like a skeleton, his blonde hair contrasting with his blue eyes.
The man smiled. "Hi, there, young man!"
Izuku hid behind his mother's leg and gripped her skirt. "H-Hi."
The man chuckled and bent down to Izuku's level. "I hear that you want to be a Spartan?"
Izuku smiled and nodded his head vigorously. "YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!YES!"
Inko and Toshinori laughed at Izuku's upbeat nature.
"Do you want to know a secret?" Toshinori whispered.
Izuku's eyes widened as he leaned forward.
"I am a Spartan."
Izuku's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "YOU ARE?!"
"I am!"
Izuku exploded with happiness. "THAT IS SO COOL! Where's your armor? What color is it? Which design is it? Are you part of the alpha squad or beta squad? DO YOU KNOW ALL MIGHT?!"
"IZUKU! Calm down before you run out of air!" Inko exclaimed.
Toshinori laughed. "Well, it seems like you are quite the Spartan fan."
Izuku nodded his head. "They're the coolest in the universe!"
Toshinori smiled. "Well, how would you like to train like one?"
Izuku's jaw dropped. "What?"
Toshinrori held out his hand. "I want to train you. You are a very gifted young man, and I want to help you realize your full potential."
Izuku turned to Inko and clasped his hands together. "PLEASE! PLEASE, MOMMY!"
Inko smiled as she squatted down and kissed Izuku's forehead. "Yes, sweetie."
"YAY!"
Izuku jumped up and down with joy and leaping all around the room, not realizing Toshinori observing him as he jumped.
Izuku did not realize it; his young mind too focused on his newfound joy to know he was ricocheting off the walls.
Toshinrori turned to Inko. "You weren't exaggerating."
Inko gave Toshinori a fierce look. "Are you sure about this? That my son can handle your training? Your quirk?"
Toshinori gave her a firm nod. "Yes. I will make sure he can.
Inko sighed as Izuku continued to jump off the walls with glee. She smiled as she saw her son filled with such joy.
Please be safe, Izuku.
Ochaco entered the Master Chief's room carrying two tablets with her.
"Are you ready, sir?" Ochaco asked.
The Master Chief turned away from his massive window. "Yes."
It had been three weeks since the Ark. Since then, the Chief had felt more at peace. It would be a while before he felt comfortable being in his armor, but it was a start.
What surprised him most was the person in his room with him.
He couldn't explain it, but he felt more and more peaceful when he was around her.
She would seek him out, sometimes several times a day, just to check in on him.
He thought he would feel annoyed by it.
Instead, he felt fondness.
He smiled under his helmet.
It felt good to have someone to talk to.
And he couldn't explain it, but he felt...safe around her.
He joined her at his table and took one of the tablets.
"Whose first?"
They both activated the tablets. "First up. Ashido Mina."
They spent the next few hours going over everyone from 1A's file, compiling notes for potential placements.
"Almost done." Ochaco sighed as she sipped some tea.
"It seems you have an exemplary class, discounting one or two," Chief stated.
Ochaco sighed. "Still have four left; you may change your mind."
Ochaco and Chief went to the next file. "Ejiro Kirishima. Quirk: Hardening. His quirk gives him the power to harden and sharpen any or all parts of his body, causing his flesh to become jagged and rock-like. There is a limit to how much damage his hardened body can withstand, which causes the Hardening itself to dissipate slowly, and causes him to lose stamina from struggling to keep his Quirk active. However, he has displayed the ability to refortify his hardened body."
"How does this work with his armor?"
"Mostly for extra resistance. With his armor on and quirk activated, he becomes a tank. He can hold his own against, tanking a few Scorpion shells."
Chief stared at a video of Kirishima in action. "Seems he has his fair share of weaknesses. He can become easily overwhelmed. Combine that with stamina drain from his quirk can leave him vulnerable. It seems the most effective placement would be with long-range fighters who can cover him and give suppressing fire."
Ochaco did her best to keep her jaw-dropping at the Master Chief's deductions.
He's so smart! He's managed to understand everyone in less than a minute AND figure out strategies for each of them!
"Commander?"
"Hmm?!"
"I asked if you had any other observations."
Ochaco blushed and shook her head. "No, sir!"
Chief nodded and went to the next file.
"Yaoyurozu Momo."
"Her quirk is fantastic. It's called Creation. Her quirk gives her the ability to create any non-living material and object from her exposed skin by transforming the molecular structure of her fat cells. To create something, she needs to understand the molecular structure of what the material/object is made of.
The more she eats, the more material she has to work with, so she needs considerable food ingestion for her Quirk to be useful. However, it takes her a longer period of time and more skin exposed to create large objects, to the point where she forces large items through her costume, leaving it shredded, though she claims she can just repair it."
The Chief tilted his head. "Impressive."
Ochaco smiled. "Yeah, she is really cool."
"How does her quirk work with her armor?"
Ochaco scrolled over a page. "The armor has been modified to where specific parts can open up, and the wetsuit she wears is created from a material that is identical to her skin. So whatever she creates can pass through it and out of the armor."
"Very impressive. Her file shows that she has remarkable combat skills and is a valued tactician."
"Yeah, Momo was the top of our class for a good reason."
Ochaco smiled. "I bet you were the top of your class, sir."
The Chief was silent for a moment. "I didn't have a class."
Ochaco felt guilt flow through her. "I-I'm sorry, sir! I didn't mean to cross any boundaries!"
The Master Chief waved his hands quickly. "I-It's n-no problem. Honestly. Don't worry about it. Let's move on to the next one."
"R-Right. Todoroki Shoto, the son of the fleet admiral. His quirk is Half-Cold Half-Hot. Quirk gives him the ability to generate ice from the right side of his body and fire from his left side."
Ochaco played a video of Shoto using his Flashfreeze Heatwave attack, destroying dozens of Phantoms and Covenant forces.
"Incredible."
Chief scrolled through Shoto's file. "It seems that he prioritizes his right side to his left and has some issues working with others."
"Unless it's Momo."
Chief looked up at her and tilted his head to the side.
"Their dating, been together for about three years."
Chief nodded. "I see."
Ochaco took a sip of her tea when the Chief spoke again.
"Are they intimate?"
Ochaco spat out her tea all over the table as she hacked and heaved.
"WHAT?!"
Chief waved his hands back and forth. "I-I-I should have worded that better! I mean, are they to that level of relationship!"
Ochaco wheezed as she tried to catch her breath, speaking when she had done so.
"I mean, I think so. I remember hearing lots of thumping from her room at night. A LOT of thumping."
Her eyes widened. "Why did you need to know that?!"
The Chief sighed. "So I can accurately gauge how close they are. I need to know how close they are; I cannot allow personal feelings to interfere with missions. If they are that close, I need to know for their sake."
Ochaco sighed and shook her head. "I see. Sorry for overreacting."
The Master Chief chuckled. "I would have done the same thing."
Ochaco giggled. "Does that mean you need to know all the couples?"
"Yes."
Ochaco sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Let's see, Kirishima and Mina are a thing, Jirou and Kaminari are; they try to hide it and are bad about it. Hagakure and Ojiro are a thing, same with Tsu and Tokoyami. The rest are either single or have relationships outside of our class."
"I hope the purple one is single, Mineta. I believe his name is."
Ochaco shivered. "Yes, thank goodness, yes."
"And I believe that only leaves one more."
Ochaco frowned. "Sadly."
She swiped right on her pad. "Bakugou Katsuki."
Ochaco noticed the Chief freeze up when he heard the name.
Her eyes narrowed. "Is something wrong, sir?"
Chief's hands twitched. "Nothing."
Ochaco scanned him over before continuing, letting the matter drop.
For now.
"His quirk is called Explosion. It allows him to secrete nitroglycerin-like sweat from the palms of his hands and ignite it on command, allowing him to create strong explosions. The more he sweats, the stronger his explosions become. If he overuses this power, his forearms will start to ache."
Chief swiped through several images and reports silently. Ochaco began to worry before he spoke up.
"What is he like?"
Ochaco was silent for several moments before speaking.
"He's… He's talented. When it comes to combat, he is one of the best. He has some of the highest rankings to date at the academy. Only Momo and Todoroki surpass him in our class, and even then, he has shown that he is very close to him. When it comes to strategy, he is a little weaker. He has a sharp mind, but he can often lose himself to his rage and ego."
Chief tilted his head. "And what about outside of combat?"
Ochaco hid her surprise at his questions.
He was not like this with the others; why Bakugou?
Ochaco crossed one leg over the other. "Do you want the 'official report' or the honest one?"
"The only report I ever want is the truth."
Ochaco smiled softly before frowning. "He's...He's a jerk. His head is stuck so far up his butt that his it could pop out his belly button."
Ochaco's eyes widened, and blushed furiously. "I-I-I'm SORRY SIR! I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM!"
Chief waved his hand. "Nothing to apologize for. Continue."
Ochaco sighed. "His ego is the size of the ARK. He is so caught up in himself that he doesn't care who he hurts to get what he wants. He is smart, but he is not nice."
"Intelligent, but lacks humanity," Chief stated distantly.
Ochaco squinted at him, realizing that there was more to his questions than he was letting on.
"Yeah, and he has no problem saying what's on his mind, even if it's hurtful."
Chief noticed Ochaco crossing her arms and fidgeting with her armor when he felt foreign emotions enter him.
Regret.
Bitterness.
Worthlessness.
Failure.
"He...What did he do to you?"
Ochaco chuckled. "You don't want to know, sir."
"Try me."
Ochaco turned and stared at the Chief, his posture shifting to where his body was directly facing her.
"He...He is smart. And he knows it. He knows what to say to get under your skin. He's observant, and he watches to see what gets you to react. And when he has armed himself with the knowledge, he uses it whenever he deems fit."
A foreign memory tried to force its way into Deku's mind. He pushed it to the back of his mind and listened to her.
"He…He would demean me, in front of everyone. He would say things that...he would say horrible things when we would train, even during the Sports Festival, to throw me off. It didn't matter how ugly it was or how hurtful it was. If he could use it, he would. "
Chief felt rising anger flow through him, sparks of green electricity sizzling in his palm.
She tried to stop crying. "Sorry, it's silly. I know crying over someone's words, god, I'm so weak."
A firm hand landed on her shoulder.
"No."
Ochaco's eyes widened as she looked up to see the Master Chief had moved beside her. He placed his other hand on her other shoulder and spoke.
"Don't ever think that it's not okay for words to hurt you. Don't ever put yourself down for feeling pain."
He paused and lowered his head for a moment before raising it back up.
"You are not weak. I have seen you in action, and you are anything but weak. There are Spartans I've fought with during the war that you completely outclassed."
Ochaco's tears had stopped, her eyes wide as the Chief spoke.
"I don't know what he said to you, but I want you to know that I believe in you. Do you understand?"
Ochaco's blush had now returned in full force at his words.
He...he believes in me…
New tears flooded her face, one of happiness.
"Sir...I've wanted to hear those words for so long. T-Thank you."
Chief nodded and squeezed her shoulders before returning to his seat.
"Go get some rest; we've finished now. I'll call you when I am ready to address the rest of your class."
Ochaco wiped away her tears and nodded. She stood and grabbed her helmet but remember something before she could leave.
"Wait, sir. What about your number one?"
Chief looked at her. "You mean my second in command?"
"Yes, sir."
Chief deactivated the tablet and put it away. "After everything I've seen, I've made my decision. I'll inform you when we meet with the current roster of your class."
Ochaco nodded. "For what it's worth, sir, Yaoyrozu will make a fine second in command."
Chief nodded. "I'm sure she would."
Ochaco smiled and bowed before putting her helmet on and leaving.
Chief locked the door behind him and reached for the tablet.
They had gone over every single person from 1A.
Except for one.
Ochaco's picture appeared along with her file as he sat on his bed.
Why do I feel that I know you?
He scrolled through her file, reading about her parents, history, tests, and placements.
He felt his head hum as he remembered something.
The memory that entered his mind.
He sat the tablet down and laid on his bed. He closed his eyes and focused on the memory.
All at once, he was thrust into white light.
Ochaco grunted as she dodged a blast, rolling over and leaping away.
"GONNA HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT ROUND FACE!"
Chief looked around, realizing he was no longer in his room.
The gym.
Ochaco rolled out of the way of several more explosions before grabbing some dirt that had broken up from his constant explosions. She threw it in his eyes, blinding him. He cursed and flailed his arms, leaving him open for her to grab his arm. She flipped him into the air and slammed him on the ground.
Impressive
She delivered a kick to his ribs knocking spit from him. She pulled back to deliver a punch, hoping to end the fight.
"Wonder if your parents would appreciate their daughter fighting like a villain?"
Ochaco froze at Bakugou's words.
"HOWITZER IMPACT!"
Before she could react, he blasted her point-blank in the stomach.
She was sent flying across the room, landing against the wall. She slid down from the crater and landed on the ground.
"HAHAHA! YOU FELL FOR IT, YOU STUPID B*TCH! WHAT A F*CKING LOSER!"
Ochaco grit her teeth as she began to rise, only for Bakugou to slam his foot on her back. She cried out as she was forced down.
The Chief hand gripped into a fist as he squeezed his hand so tight it almost broke it as he stood helplessly.
Bakugou grinned ferally as he leaned down, his foot on Ochaco's back. "Always remember, you are nothing. You were born an extra in the story called my life. Even if you think you can rise above me, this is where you belong. Underneath my heel."
His smirk grew. "If you really wanted to, you could get underneath me in a different way."
Bakugou's eyes widened as he felt searing pain rip into his flesh, his scream echoing throughout the gym.
He looked down and saw Ochaco glaring daggers at him as her teeth were in his calf.
He screamed again as she let go, blood trickling out of his foot.
"YOU B*TCH! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!"
A wall of fire erupted between the two, separating them.
"Leave now."
Bakugou snarled. "You want to go, Icy Hot?!"
Todoroki formed ice over his hand. "Are you sure that you can fight me right now? That leg is looking bad."
Bakugou gritted his teeth and glared at Uraraka. "This isn't over!"
Todoroki's eyes never left Bakugou until he left. He deactivated his fire and ice and went to Ochaco.
"Are you okay?" Todoroki asked as he helped her sit up.
Ochaco looked at him for a moment before she burst into tears. She collapsed on his chest and sobbed. Todoroki wrapped his arms around her and held her.
"I'm sorry." He repeated.
Chief's breathing was ragged, and his hands were twitching like crazy.
He was beyond mad.
He was enraged.
His eyes opened as the memory faded. He was breathing heavily, and sweat had built upon him.
He sat up and realized that green electricity was blazing around him. He quickly deactivated it, finding the task harder to do than normal as he barely contained the rage he felt.
He gripped his bed frame, imprints forming in their wake as he growled.
"Like mother like son."
Several days later
"So, we are getting assigned specific units today?" Mina asked.
Ochaco nodded. "We can't all go on missions together; that would be crazy. Most likely, we'll be broken up into five groups of four, each with a team leader."
"I hope Shima and I are on a team!" Mina exclaimed.
Kirishima laughed. "C'mon babe; I don't think that'll happen."
"DON'T KILL MY VIBE!" Mina whined.
"I am curious who his second in command will be," Yaoyorozu asked.
Ochaco smiled. "It's probably you. You are the most qualified, after all."
"I agree," Shoto said.
Momo smiled. "Of course you do; it's your job too."
Shoto smiled and nuzzled his head into her shoulder. "One I am rather fond of."
Ochaco smiled as Yaoyorozu laughed. She glanced at Kirishima and Mina, feeling a pit form in her stomach.
Loneliness.
Try as she might, she can't escape her feelings.
She was lonely.
She didn't believe that you had to have a companion to be happy. She knew of people who were single for life.
But not her.
She closed her eyes and imagined being held in strong arms after a long day. Having someone plant small kisses on her neck as she giggled. Feeling those strong arms pull her up into a loving kiss as she ran her hands through his silky green locks.
Her eyes snapped open in panic.
WHERE DID GREEN HAIR COME FROM?!
The door opened up and silenced her thoughts. She could worry about them later; right now, the Master Chief had entered.
The entire class stood at attention, each one trying to honor the Master Chief.
"At ease."
Chief typed a few commands into the console as 1A relaxed.
"I have come to give you your groups. Unless you are notified by either my second in command, myself, or Captian Aizawa, you are to remain in these groups and focus on your group's missions."
Everyone's picture appeared on the screen before being shuffled into different groups.
"Squad E: Katsuki Bakugou, Ashido Mina, Hanata Sero, and your leader, Kirishima Eijiro "
"WHY THE F*CK AM I AM I NOT THE LEADER?!" Bakugou roared.
Chief did not even look at him, his head looking to the screen. "Your placements were made after examination of personalities, compatibility, effectiveness, and overall qualities."
Ochaco couldn't help but smirk as Bakugou fumed with rage. She felt a pang of justification, watching him react like that.
"Squad D: Toru Hagakure, Shoji Mezo, Mineta Minoru, and your leader, Ojirou Mashirao."
"YOU" RE A SQUAD LEADER! CONGRATS, SWEETIE!" Hakagure cheered as she hugged Ojiro.
"Yeah, man! You are going to do awesome! Mineta said.
Shoji bowed. "I believe in you, my friend."
Ojiro blushed as his girlfriend peppered him with invisible kisses.
"Squad C: Kyoka Jirou, Kaminari Denki, Sato Rikido, and your leader is Iida Tenya."
Iida bowed robotically. "I WILL NOT BETRAY THE TRUST YOU HAVE PLACED IN ME!"
Kaminari smirked and nudged his elbow with Jirou's. "Looks like you and I are a team again?"
Jirou rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She said, secretly happy to be with him.
Sato grinned. "This is going to be so awesome!"
"Squad B: Todoroki Shoto, Aoyoma Yuga, Koda Koji, Hitoshi Shinso, and your leader is Yaoyorozu Momo."
Yaoyorozu bowed. "Thank you, sir."
Shoto smiled. "I knew you'd be a group leader."
Aoyoma gave her a thumbs up while Koda nodded. Shinro rubbed the back of his head and smiled.
Iida squinted at the board and raised his hand. "Excuse me, sir! There is a mistake!"
Chief turned to him. "How so?"
Iida pointed to the board. "Why does one team have five members? Doesn't it make more sense have four to a team seeing as there are twenty of us?"
"You would be correct."
"Then why does one team have more members than the other?"
"Because there are twenty-one members of this team."
Iida's eyes widened, and he bowed his head. "I apologize, sir!"
Chief nodded before speaking.
"Squad A: Uraraka Ochaco, Asui Tsuyu, Tokoyami Fumikage, and I am your squad leader."
Everyone's jaws dropped at the announcement of the last team.
"NO FAIR! WHY DO YOU GET TO BE ON A TEAM WITH THE MASTER CHIEF?!" Mineta wailed.
Bakugou fumed as he stared at Ochaco, small explosions forming in his palms.
"And with that, I am going to introduce you to my second in command."
Everyone stood a little straighter at the Master Chief's words.
"The person I chose demonstrates great potential. While you all show great potential, I believe this person is most suited for the job. They are smart, strong, and have all the great makings of a leader."
Bakugou smirked. "Gotta be me."
Chief stared at them all. "My second in command is Uraraka Ochaco."
Ochaco's eyes widened as her heart stopped.
"Commander Uraraka, will you please stand by me?"
Ochaco broke from her trance and moved quickly beside the Master Chief.
"WHY THE F*CK IS ROUND FACE THE SECOND IN COMMAND?!" Bakugou screamed.
"Commander Urarka has demonstrated exemplary qualities of a soldier. Based on my interactions with her in the field and reports from various officials, she is the prime candidate."
The Chief stared at Bakugou. "And any problems you have with her in this position, you take it up with me. Understand?"
Everyone nodded, Bakugou's teeth grit as he nodded.
"Good. Now then, your team leaders have your first assignments. Coordinate with them and head out. Dismissed."
Ochaco watched as everyone joined with their groups, her mind still reeling from the announcement.
"Commander?"
Ochaco turned to the voice, the Master Chief.
"Sir...are you sure you made the right choice. I mean, Yaoyorozu is way better than me-"
The Chief's hand landed on her shoulder again, causing her to squeak.
"Do you trust me?"
Ochaco's eyes widened. "What?"
"Do you trust me, Commander?"
Ochaco's blush returned. "I - uh, yes, sir!"
"Then trust in my decision."
Ochaco bowed her head. "Sorry, sir, I just… I feel unworthy."
The hand on her shoulder squeezed slightly. "Someone told me there is a difference between being lucky and deserving. One's an accident, the other, a reward. Never get those two confused."
Ochaco beamed as she (Unsussfully) tried to keep tears from falling.
Chief gave her shoulder one last squeeze and removed his hand. "Now, then, let's get started."
Neither Ochaco nor the Chief noticed the shining eyes of one Ashido Mina staring at them.
"Oh. This is VERY interesting." She whispered as she grinned wildly and rubbed her hands together.