"You seem very happy Nori-kun." – Izuku remarked as the older boy practically bounced on his feet.
It had already been more than a month since Tenori started living with the Midoriyas. After convincing himself that he won't suddenly return back to the hellhole he came from, he relaxed a bit more. With Izuku's help he was even checking if Kamakiri had also arrived in this world but no villain with similar Quirk was reported. Of course they had to use Inko's computer because Tenori was avoiding Izuku's room like the plague. Hey! On the bright side he no longer went into panic mode and tried to kill anybody that approached him the wrong way during those times.
"Of course I am excited! I have not been to a regular school since I was 7! There was always Mana's horrible 'tutors'. I swear at least a third of them were there only to try and kill me! 'You need to be shaped into the next head.' She would tell me. And didn't even ask me if I wanted to be a boss of the Yakuza!" – Tenori grumbled.
"Haha…" – Izuku didn't know what to say
"Have a nice day boys! And Tenori," he looks at Inko "Don't cause too much trouble at school and treat your classmates well, despite them being a year younger."
"Come on! I won't screw up a perfectly good opportunity like the one you gave me! Even if they are little entitled shits…" – he murmured the last part but Inko still heard him.
"Language!"
"Yes ma'm!" he saluted before remembering who he was saluting to "God, you just look SO similar to my grandma sometimes! Especially her pictures from her prime years."
….
Tenori walked by Izuku as he led him to his school. He had put on the school uniform because Inko asked of him but he still had his hoodie packed for when he'd had enough. It was just so strange for him to not wear a hoodie after YEARS of using them for protection and comfort. He felt a bit exposed but held it in for Izuku and Inko's sake. They had shown him an immeasurable amount of kindness and he wasn't about to step all over it.
It was still like a dream; in fact, the mere idea of alternate dimension was baffling. An even bigger miracle was that Inko somehow got a legal custody over him, somehow, and now even signed him for school.
As the two boys reached the school, Tenori froze.
"What's wrong Nori-kun?" – Izuku approached him.
"Ya know, back in Musaka I went to the same school." – he looked the building over, noting similarities like the koi pond.
"Really, how was it?"
"It was pretty average. After the Age of chaos, it turned into a crack hole where they made meth, had dog fights and where junkies gathered to smoke themselves to death. It was pretty nasty."
"Yeah, it does sound horrible." – Izuku looked uncomfortable.
"Meh, it wasn't much different from the rest of Japan. Get used to it Izuku, if you want to be a hero, you'd have to face such things in real life. You can't be like Endeboar – slamming your skull in everything."
The two boys entered the building and Izuku helped Tenori get his schedule from the teacher's room. It was a small blessing that they were in the same class.
'Now, to face Bakugo…' –Izuku braced himself for a bit.
Izuku was mentally steeling himself when Tenori opened the door without a care and strode in without a care. The students looked at him strangely but he didn't care. It was nothing compared to the creeps back in Musaka.
"Come on Izuku! Let's go to our seats."
Izuku jumped a bit and followed his confident friend. Suddenly a leg shoots up and blocks their way towards the back of the room. Bakugo is glaring at them both.
"Hey, Daku! What are you doing with this bastard? Don't tell me you pay him to guard your sorry ass?!"
"Nno! Kacchan, he-"
"Shut up! And you!" he stands up and glares at Tenori "You no longer look like you crawled out of a dumpster." – he sneered.
The class snickered but Tenori just looked bored.
"Mind moving from our way Kacchan? We have to sit before the teacher comes."
"Grr! I DO mind! You really annoy me, you know."
"Sigh…Listen to me you lil'bitch. You are the least threatening kid my age I've seen in a LONG while. So, make me a favor, you overgrown pomeranian and fuck off!"
Everyone was stunned. No one dared to talk to Bakugo like that. Izuku was sweating and just as the explosive blond was about to say something, a teacher comes in.
"Alright, everyone, please sit down. The new student, please come to the front and introduce yourself."
"Hello everybody. I can't say it's a pleasure to meet most of you, but meh. My name is Tenori, Tenori Shimara and I have one thing to say. Don't seek trouble and you'll be fine. That's all! End of questions!" – he strided to his spot next to Izuku.
Bakugo tried to trip him but he used some footwork to secretly hit Bakugo in a place it hurt without being noticed.
"Sorry! I almost tripped! You should be more careful Bakugo."he said in a fake caring tone "If I was someone heavier, you might have been in need of a cast."
The blonde hissed but said nothing. Tenori sat down and gave Izuku a fist bump. The shy boy returned it awkwardly.
During the next break some kids came to ask Tenori some things.
"So, what's your Quirk new guy?"
"Why does it matter to you?" – Tenori was a bit annoyed.
"Because you are hanging out with this Quirkless loser. We can be your friends instead of him."
"Nah. Not interested. Now go back to the hole you came from."
"You will regret this!"
"Doubt it."
They left him for the rest of the day.
"That wasn't very nice to say Nori-kun."
"I know but they need to see the truth sooner rather than later. Back where I lived, they'd be either found dismembered in an alley or disappear in less than a week. "
"W-What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that you had to be vigilant and strong to live, back in Musaka for instance, people could die or disappear in any moment and I don't know which is better but for one I am sure death would be better than becoming one of the doctor's experiments." – he shook as cold chills crawled up his spine.
"Experiments? Like in human experimentation?!" – Izuku was horrified.
"Yeah, no law means almost no self-restraint. He'd get people in there and experiment on them." A sad look appeared on Tenori's face "There was SO MUCH screaming and after he was done, they were no longer people."
"Is that why you begged to…you know." – Izuku was uncomfortable but sat next to his new friend and patted his back.
"Yeah. Either you died or got turned into one of the Kinnu – giant, hulking monsters. They were puppets and would do ANYTHING they were ordered. Bulging muscles, very tall, super strong and can regenerate. He was actually trying to make them last longer. Their downside was that they burned through their life too quickly and would die in a few years or when they are used for too long."
"Don't worry Nori-kun! This man is not here and I doubt there are any of them." – Izuku smiled brightly but his attempt to cheer his friend failed when he saw Tenori's face.
"ARE you sure?!" his voice raised as he stared into the greenette's face "Are you 100% sure there aren't?! We saw just how many similarities there are! Heck, there's even HIS clone posted all over your room! How can you be sure another person hadn't taken HIS role and created monsters just as terrifying?"
"Nori-kun. I may not know what you've been through, but I want you to believe me. Everything will be fine! Why?" Izuku made a pose "Because I am HERE!"
Tenori stared as the freckled boy became red like a tomato and hid his face in his palms. He couldn't hold it anymore and laughed.
"Aaaah! So embarrassing! I can't believe I did this!"
"Hahaha! Thanks Izuku! I needed that, now let's get some more training into you!"
"Ugh!"
"Come on! You want in UA? Then, you need muscles! You know, my dream was also to go to the best hero school in Japan!" then Tenori grumbled darkly "But those bastards just HAD to bomb it!"
Izuku laughed awkwardly and followed his friend to the gym.
===Time skip===
"Come on! Only 1 more kilometer and you'll have a 10-minute break! Chop chop!" – Tenori ushered Izuku as he ran on a treadmill.
"O-OK. But why aren't you also…. haah…"
"Because I am training you! I've had enough training."
Izuku grumbled and Tenori scowled at him. After Izuku was done, he almost collapsed on the bench. He drank water like there was no tomorrow and wiped his sweaty face with a towel.
"Good job Izuku. You are getting closer but that's not enough."
"Oh, y-yeah? Then what… is your standard then… I don't see you train."
"Sigh… SO young and naïve!" Izuku pouted at his friend's antics "Just watch."
Tenori put some extra weights and bench-pressed 400 kilos and everyone watching found their mouths on the floor.
"See? This is the bare minimum. If there were more weights, I could have lifted 600 but I doubt the bench can handle the weight." – he rapidly made 50 and by that time Izuku's break was almost over.
===One training montage later===
"We're going on a trip in our waaar ship! Swimming through the seas, blowing suub-marines!" – Tenori sang as he carried Izuku to their apartment.
"Ugh. Feel like a pancake…" – Izuku mumbled.
"Hey, cheer up! At least you don't faint or throw up anymore! It's a great progress!"
They entered the apartment and immediately smelled Inko's cooking.
"We're home!" (Tenori)
"Amh…ome…" – Izuku mumbled.
"Hard training?" – ko asks as she peers into the hall.
"Like always! He's making a lot of progress!"
"I'm glad to hear! Come now, I made some stew."
….
Inko was worried but also glad. She had gotten attached to the strange boy. She wanted to stop their training sessions after Izuku had fainted a couple of times. The two boys assured her everything was fine, so she gave them some time.
True to Tenori's words, there was an improvement in Izuku. He was stronger, a bit more confident and no longer came home while trying to hide burns and bruises. Her boy had not been so well these past years but now he was shining yet again.
The family of three sat at the table and ate. Well… Izuku needed help because his hands were weak but Tenori was kind enough to help… by pretending the spoon to be a train, to Izuku's embarrassment. Inko watched and chuckled.
===Meanwhile somewhere else===
A villain was running through the streets, carrying a huge sack on his shoulders. Like in a classic movie, money was sticking out of the zipper, notes of freshly stolen money were falling out, making a trail after the criminal. He reached a car and fumbled with the keys as he unlocked it.
"Shit! Come on!" – he finally got in and tried to start the engine.
He was looking around, scared that something would get him.
Bruuuum!
The engine finally started and the criminal stepped on the gas… but the car didn't move. With a trembling head, he looked back. There stood All Might, not in hero costume, holding the car down.
"Stop right there, criminal! Gove up and surrender now! Don't get in more trouble than you are already."
"FUCK!" – he made a run for it.
All Might was already after him and quickly knocked him out. The hero then took the man, money and car to the nearest police station.
….
"Thanks again, All Might!" – a junior offices named Tanaka thanked the hero.
"HAHA! No problem! This is what should be done."
"Worked too much?" – Tsukauchi arrived.
"Ah! Tsukauchi! How are you?" – All Might asked.
"Great. Hey, Tanaka, mind if I take All Might with me?"
"No problem, sir!" – the young man saluted and left.
"What are you thinking Toshi?! Working so late at night! You should be resting!"
"Don't worry! I'm doing great." – just then All Might coughed blood and was back to his skinny form.
"Really? What happened this time?"
"I was getting back from the convenience store when this bank got robbed…"
"Typical…" Tsukauchi rubbed his temples "Do you want me to drive you back to your home?"
"Oh, that would be nice. Thank you."
"No problem. I have to check something; I'll be back soon." – Tsukauchi left the room.
'My limit is getting shorter… I should do something soon…' – All Might though while wiping the blood off his mouth.