The Bright Hero, Cobalt
Chapter Seventeen
A/N: Thanks to all of you readers and reviewers, and thank you to my editors! Please continue running !
"Normal speech."
"Buff Might/AI/Bakuspeak/SHOOOOOTOOOOOO! speech."
"Telepathic speech."
'Thinking.'
'Sign Language.'
Monday Morning, In 1-A's Classroom
Momo and Izuku were hard at work, having decided to make the classroom look a little extra nice for the new additions to the classroom that were coming today. Izuku had been aware of one of them, knowing for a few days now that Hitoshi would be taking Minoru's spot in their class, but the other addition was news to him, though he'd met her before.
"So, Midoriya-san, what can you tell me about this Aureck person? All I know is that she's the victim of a supervillain, and that while she's registered as a pro, her education, or lack thereof, has her at our level, due to odd circumstances surrounding how she was raised," the black-haired beauty asked, wanting to know more about their second new classmate.
The freckled teen frowned, thinking about it. "I'm not sure how much she'd be okay with me telling you. She's more than a little skittish, but she's clearly trying to get out of her shell, seeing as she's finally decided to get formal education. I have suspicions that she's related to me somehow, on my...sperm donor's side of the family, but she's clearly nervous about opening up even around me. She's actually been in the classroom before, while class was in session, but she has a very handy ability to erase her presence. I still don't know what she looks like really, other than that despite her age being around twice mine, she's even shorter than I am. Just be polite, but don't pry, like if you were hanging out with me or Todoroki-kun. She is more than capable of fleeing the room if she's freaked out, and the means to stop her from doing so humanely don't exist," he explained nervously.
Momo nodded. "I assume you mean she has something like you, that's like a quirk but not one?" the most intelligent student in 1-A asked. Izuku's silence told her all she needed to know on that front. "I won't say anything unless she does. Do be more careful about what you say when you're emotional, though. I've noticed you sometimes let things slip when you're talking about something or someone you care about. On that note, how are things with Uraraka-san?" the class president asked, giving Izuku a breather with the change of subject.
Izuku started glowing blue despite his efforts to retain his aura, causing his friend to laugh. "I guess that means it's going well, then?"
The verdette nodded with a silly grin on his face. "My mom and I went with her on Saturday to have dinner with her parents, and I got a nice idea for a first date with her. Then on Sunday we binge watched a show with Aureck-san and Hatsume-san. I haven't ever had more than one friend over my house before, so that was exciting," he babbled, then noticed something odd. "Iida-kun is normally here by now. Do you think everything's all right with him?"
The human encyclopedia smiled reassuringly at the nervous boy. "He's probably found someplace quiet to study while we get the room looking nice. Stretch out your senses and see if you can find him. I won't tell anybody about it, and you're not using it for nefarious reasons, so go ahead," Momo responded kindly.
Izuku nodded, and as he was wiping down a desk, he stretched out his senses, seeking his speedy, strict friend. He blinked away tears and nearly dropped the cleaning solution he was holding when he felt him near the entrance to the school. "Y-Yaoyorozu-san, I have to go for a minute. I'll be back soon."
The girl nodded, patting the boy's shoulder. "Let me know if it's something you need help for. That was powerful enough that I felt it, too," she said, then sent the boy on his way. The boy all but ran to where he sensed his friend, feeling the boy's grief so potent he began crying. It was fortunate that the school was mostly empty, because he was certain he had broken into a run once or twice. He turned the final corner to his friend's location.
"IIDA-KUN!"
The boy in question snapped his head up, having been staring at his indoor shoes for a minute or so when Izuku arrived. The verdette nearly bowled him over, giving the boy a hug as he cried openly, confusing the blunette. 'The media didn't find anything out yet. How does he...Oh,' the boy thought to himself, then decided to try and figure out what was going on. "Midoriya-kun, were you looking into my heart, or is something bothering you personally?" he asked, just in case something happened that he wasn't aware of.
"I'm sorry. Yaoyorozu-san and I noticed you were a lot later than usual, so I looked for you with my powers, and I couldn't help but sense your grief about your brother. I stopped reading your heart a few seconds after I found you, but please tell me he's alive, at least! Is Ingenium alive?!" Izuku asked, weeping tears his friend refused to release.
Tenya lowered his head in sadness. "Tensei-niisan is alive, but...Ingenium is dead, until another rises. I'm sorry you found me like that, Midoriya-kun. Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I'll make sure of it," the blue blur said, a bit of hate flowing out of him at the end there, scaring Izuku a bit. The boy's phone beeped with a notification, and he pulled it out, having enough of the story to put together the rest of the pieces now.
Hero Killer Strikes Again! Ingenium Falls!
Izuku tosses his phone like it burned him, barely managing to catch it before it hits the ground with his aura before he puts it away, resolving to read about it later. Right now, his friend needed him. "Iida-kun, what do you typically do to cope when you're upset?"
Tenya shook his head, a fake smile on his face. "I'll be alright, Midoriya-kun. We should get to class now," he said, and Izuku could tell the boy was lying, even as he shut himself off from his friend.
All Izuku could do now is look into the issue, and ensure his friend didn't do anything rash.
Half An Hour Later
Aoyama complained half-heartedly upon finding that his seat was no longer in the number one position, the flashy teen having enjoyed the spotlight it gave him, though he made sure to bathe in the good-natured teasing sent his way by his classmates.
Aizawa rolled his eyes, as like every day, after the students rose and bowed for him, Bakugo called out for a salute for President Skroob, and the class saluted her. Like every day since day four, he let it happen, since they didn't exactly continue past that.
"HAIL SKROOB!"
That, and it was gradually helping Yaoyorozu come out of her shell, so there were more reasons to let it happen than not. Aureck appearing in her seat out of nowhere and startling a few of the kids forced him to cough to hide a chuckle. "You're not supposed to be in here yet, Shuzenji-san," the erasure hero commented dryly, not at all upset.
"Just wanted to see how they react to an unknown suddenly appearing in their midst, Aizawa-sensei. If this were anywhere but the school, I'd be worried, but I guess it makes sense that they feel safe here," the girl said, appearing invisible outside of her uniform, hands, and legs to many of the students, before getting out of her seat and making for the door. "I'll go back where I was meant to be waiting."
"Nah, just call Shinso-san in. I'll introduce the two of you when he's in here," the caffeine inhaler responded, gesturing with his hand that it wasn't a big deal.
The girl rolled her eyes, though this was only visible to their homeroom teacher, and opened the door and gestured for Shinso to come in. The amethyst-haired boy entered and stood at the front of the class with the other newcomer.
"My name is Shinso Hitoshi. My quirk is Mind Control. I'd say I'm not here to make friends, but it's a bit too late for that, so I will simply apologize again to Aoyama-san and Ojiro-san. I'm sorry I took advantage of the two of you the way I did in the sports festival," the eyebagged teen said.
Yuga sparkled in response, a grin upon his face, while Mashirao simply replied with, "Apology accepted."
Aureck spoke up next. "My name is Shuzenji Aureck. Yes, Aureck is a pseudonym. My original designation is one I've since shed, and I will let you know the designation I've appointed myself if I feel like it. My quirk is a hassle, hence the quirk-suppressing cuffs, but I'm similar to Izuku-kun in that I have a power that is not a quirk. I have had a...less than usual upbringing. As such, despite having a pro hero license and being twice the age of most of you, I've been enrolled as your classmate. No, the backpack will not be coming off around any of you, and no, I will not be showing any of you what I look like anytime soon. I apologize for my secrecy, but...Well, Izuku-kun can probably explain some of it later," the girl said quietly before going back to her seat, Hitoshi taking his cue to do the same.
Shota nodded, then took a drink of his coffee. "Free period. Get to know the new kids or study or something. I've got paperwork to do," the man said, then got to said paperwork as he kept an eye on his kids and his colleague.
Bakugo was about to try and talk to the new girl, already having a nickname in mind, before he was stopped by Izuku basically thudding into him and wrapping him up in a hug. "Um, dude, not that I mind, but what's got you huggy all of a sudden? Weird-ass nerd," the aggressively friendly teen commented with a bit of a smirk.
"I found out about the plug last night, and what you did for me. Thank you Kacchan. I need to talk to you later about some things I learned," Izuku said as a few tears emerged, making the boy's shirt start turning moist.
"Get off me, nerd. You shouldn't be thanking me for that. I was still an ass to you regardless," Katsuki said with a roll of his eyes and a half-hearted push. "You okay? You're a bit weepier than normal. I'm glad it's not coming out like a geyser, but this feels...different."
"His power means he feels more than most people," Aureck's voice said from behind Katsuki, the boy whirling around after quickly letting go of his crying friend. "He's not used to it yet, and since his power is still reawakening, his emotions will only get more potent. I probably should have told him about that sooner. My power is like that, too. I'm just used to it by this point. I'm glad he doesn't have issues like I had at one point. I nearly went mad."
The ash blond frowned at the space the girl's head occupied, even if he couldn't see it. "Your power is like Izuku's? You didn't have anything to do with…" the boy trailed off, suddenly unwilling to talk about it.
An unpleasant feeling found its way into Katsuki's heart. "Unwillingly, but yes, I did. He and I were both granted similar powers, through less than humane methods," the girl said, then saw Izuku beginning to tear up, the boy having issues with the tension between the two. The boy saw a flash of blond hair as her control wavered. "I've said too much. I'm sorry I upset you, Izuku-kun. I'll go...elsewhere for now." Her form wavered for an instant before it reformed on the other side of the room, the girl now at her desk and pulling out some study material.
Izuku turned a stern gaze to his friend. "Please don't antagonize her. She was a victim of my male parent as well. I haven't tried very hard to get her to talk about it, but she...might be related to me. She's clearly nervous with all these people around. Aureck-san's actually a lot easier to talk to when she's more relaxed," the green-haired teen explained.
The human armory gave his friend a placating smile. "Fine, I'll keep the nickname I thought up to myself. We'll find out what kind of person she is soon enough anyway. Nothing like good old fisticuffs to learn about someone new, after all," he said with a smirk.
"Kacchan, no."
"KACCHAN, YES!"
About An Hour Later, In The Girl's Changing Room
Izuku going over the fact that he was essentially a test tube baby with an older brother who lived in his head had gone surprisingly well. Aureck had provided bits of info for him to relay, wanting to ensure that he gave his friends correct information, though she kept her part of the discussion telepathic and exclusive to Izuku and Ochako. Now, a few minutes into getting her costume on, the girl came across an issue...
"GODDAMNIT, MEIMEI!" a voice screamed from within a stall that was typically used for showers, but was currently being commandeered by Aureck to change into her hero suit.
Tsuyu, who happened to be closest, knocked on the door to the stall. "Do you need help with anything, Aureck-chan? You sound kinda upset, kero," the amphibious girl asked kindly.
A groan of exasperation came from within. "Yes, I do. Sorry, but could you get Uraraka-san? I'd ask you, but I'm in a tight spot here, and I'm not comfortable-"
"Don't worry about it, Kero. I'll get Uraraka-chan for you," the long-haired girl replied.
A sigh of relief was heard from within. "Thank you, Asui-san," the secretive girl said.
"Call me Tsu-chan."
"Okay, thank you, Tsu-chan," Aureck said with a ghost of a smile on her invisible face, the frog-like girl's intent behind her words strong enough that the woman could feel her intent to befriend her without even trying.
There was the sound of Tsuyu walking away, then silence for a moment, the brunette she sought having finished getting changed already. Ochako arrived soon after, knocking on the door gently. "Everything all right in there, Aureck-san?"
"They could be better, but it's not as big a deal as it could be. As my costume currently is, it requires...two people to put on. Meimei pulled a prank on me. She definitely knew I'd change away from you guys, so she made a change to my costume that I'd not predicted. You can...come in, I guess."
The brunette entered quietly, looking away just in case. "You don't have to look away. None of my privates are showing or anything. It's just a single part of the costume," the nervous woman reassured her acquaintance. Ochako turned her head and smiled.
The enigma's head was encased in a helmet, much like her own, but different in that it showed none of her features. The rest of her outfit was a jumpsuit with armored portions, covering the torso more than anything, though knee and elbow pads, along with some wrist guards covered her limbs. There was a piece sitting off to the side, but Ochako couldn't figure out where it went.
"Uraraka-san, please, if you could refrain from telling others about this? Izuku-kun, you can tell, since he's probably started figuring it out himself, and Inko as well, since I've outright shown her, but I don't want the others hearing about this anytime soon...It...goes on my back," the woman said, sounding quiet as she said it.
Ochako refrained from picking the armor piece up, wrapping the shorter woman in a hug instead. "I'm glad you decided to have me do this. You and I both know you could have run out and gotten Hatsume-san or anybody else in the school to put this on, and you had me do it. Thanks, Aureck-chan," the brunette said, releasing the enigma from her hug and lifting the armor piece up, lining it up with the appropriate spot on her back. With a whirr and a click, the armor put itself in place. It then clamped onto the rest of the suit around it, having apparently been intended to only need two people the first time.
The helmeted girl nodded. "I'm glad you keep proving him right. You and your friends. There are good people in the world. I just have to look," she said, then got up and smacked her fist into her palm and cracked her shoulders.
"I can't wait to find out who I'm paired with!"
A Few Minutes Later
Eijiro and his horn buddy, Mina, were having a blast. They were caught up in a game of cat and mouse, frequently switching who was who. Eijiro was a solid fighter, both figuratively and literally, and his blows packed a punch. However, given enough room, Ashido was able to turn the tide, having found out the level of acidity necessary to put her friend on the defensive.
The two were about to teach the other something important, something they'd be glad they learned in class and not in an actual fight.
"RAAAAGH!" the red-haired chivalrous hero roared, gritting his teeth and pushing through the pain as well as the acid stream, before he sent his opponent flying with a hardened backhand.
Mina let out a shriek of pain as she fell to the ground, prompting her opponent to forget the match and rush over to her, gently nudging the girl. "Ashido, are you okay?" he asked.
Unseen to him, the girl grinned, then whirled around and in seconds, the boy was pinned, his arms behind his back and Ashido's hand grasping his head. "Looks like I win this round, Kirishima-kun!" she exclaimed.
"Young Ashido wins! Wonderful job, even if your tactic at the end there was underhanded. It is a good idea for young Kirishima to learn to expect such tactics, though, so thanks for helping with that! And young Kirishima, that burst of determination at the end there was excellent! Fighting through the pain to achieve victory! Very Plus Ultra of you! Make sure to be careful what situation you try something like that in, though. If you injure yourself to defeat one foe, another will swoop in and finish what their fellow started! Never try that in the field if you lack sufficient backup," the mightiest of school teachers explained, enjoying the fights he's witnessed thus far today.
The crimson fanboy's eyes widened. "You pulled an unmanly move to teach me? You keep getting manlier and manlier, Ashido!" Eijiro exclaimed as he was lifted to his feet by his fellow heroics student.
The horned girl grinned. "You taught me something there, too, Kirishima-kun! I can't get complacent when I feel like I have the edge. Gotta get in there quick and secure the win! If you were a villain, that backhand probably would have been a knife stab instead!" Mina exclaimed as she got on the other boy's back and got him in a headlock, giving him a noogie.
The two laughed as they got off the field, Eijiro not bothering to get his horn buddy off of his back. All Might looked over his students, wanting to find a good matchup that could help both combatants grow. "Let's see…"
"Sensei. Put me in. I wanna fight the new girl," a growly voice said, pops and sparks coming from the speaker's hands.
All Might chuckled nervously. "Young Bakugou, that might not be the best-"
"I get it. She's the strongest one in the class. She also has a bone to pick with me. I get to challenge myself, and she gets to vent a bit. It's a win-win if you ask me. After all," the boy said, his grin turning manic. "HOW CAN I STAND NEXT TO IZUKU AT THE TOP IF I DON'T CHALLENGE MYSELF, HUH?!"
All Might sighed, and was about to rebuke the boy, before Aureck interrupted him. "Very well. I accept. Just don't complain when you lose," she said simply, getting into position on the other side of the field. A sound like a cannon was heard off in the distance, and in seconds, a power armor landed behind the girl, a good bit bigger than she was. She hovered ominously and floated back into it, the green machine opening up and taking her in, before a single pink mono-eye lit up.
Katsuki's grin exploded wider. "IZUKU! HOIST 'EM!" he roared. With a smile, the freckled teen complied, taking the banner from where he'd stored it earlier and floating it over to the field, the Flag of Friendship arriving soon after, now bearing Shoto's and Hitoshi's names. "You see that, Aureck-san? THERE'S STILL SPACE ON THE FUCKING FLAG! Even if there wasn't, we'd just make a bigger one! When you've revealed your real fucking name to us, we're putting it up there!"
The power armor stepped back, Aureck feeling intimidated in that moment, before she tried to hide it. "Absurd! Everything about you is absurd! You hurt him, but you claim friendship?! I'll show you your place!" she screamed, her voice audible clearly even through the thick armor as she flew into the air and fired a red beam at where Katsuki had been.
"OF COURSE I'M ABSURD! WE'RE ALL CRAZY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, LADY! THAT'S WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN!" the angriest befriender shouted as he flew after his new target, who dodged out of the way. Except…
Katsuki was kinda expecting that! Now with the boy on the back of her power armor, Aureck was panicking a little. "FUNNEL!" she shouted unexpectedly. 'Why? Why did I say that? I only did that when I'd play with Meimei when she was little!'
Just as in her imaginary fights with the Hatsume genius, the funnels flew, all twenty-four emerging from her power armor's quad wings, before they fired off lances of red hot laser at the spot Katsuki had been occupying.
"YOU GOT ME A PRESENT?!" the mad lad exclaimed, having swapped the bulky perch of the girl's power armor for a newer, sleeker one, having landed atop one of her drones. The encased woman roared in frustration as her drones attempted one after another to hit the boy, only for him to dodge each one expertly. This went on for around half a minute before he surprised her by knocking the helmet off of her armor.
"HOW?! HOW DID YOU BREAK THROUGH MY ARMOR?!" she screamed, suddenly afraid, her head only clad in a balaclava now, the boy having removed both helmets.
"I'll tell you how. You underestimated me! Now, I'm gonna hit you RIGHT IN THE FEELS!"
"This passion of mine is burning blue! ITS HEARTSCREAM DEMANDS I GRASP FRIENDSHIP!"
'Shit! He's got my helmet under his arm!' the falling heroine thought to herself. 'Why won't my armor move?! MOVE, DAMNIT!'
Suddenly, he was perched on the front of her power armor. "TAKE THIS! BEFRIENDING, BURNING FINGEEEEER!" the blond bombshell roared.
Aureck flinched back, assuming the worst. Bold of her to assume she knew what Katsuki was all about. She was startled when instead of an explosion to the face, she got a flick to the nose. "I think that's enough fucking venting. Hope you had as much fun as I did, Obaasan," the boy said as he hopped off, landing below. "Hey, Sensei! I fucking forfeit. She ain't got her head in the game, so I'm gonna have to fight one of these chumps instead."
"I'm not that old, brat!" Aureck exclaimed, face burning red under the balaclava. "I'm only twenty-eight!"
"HAAAH? Well fine, then, NEESAN!" the bombastic blasty boy corrected himself, only to find himself looking up at the girl who was suddenly right in front of him.
"I did have fun, though. Thank you. I...think I know why you won there, so I'm going to let you in on something I haven't told many people. I assume you know I expect you to keep this info to yourself," she said, then gulped and added, "You won because your determination to befriend me was leagues more powerful than my determination to keep my heart closed off. My name, not my designation, my name that I chose for myself…"
Her voice turned into a whisper.
"My name is Shuzenji Himiko."
"HAAAH?! SPEAK UP, LADY! I'M HARD OF HEARING, HAVEN'T YOU HEARD?! TOO MANY FUCKING EXPLOSIONS!"
"DAMMIT, YOU BRAT, I SAID MY NAME IS HIMIKO! GET SOME GODDAMN HEARING AIDS, YOU LITTLE IDIOT!" Himiko shrieked, then blinked, realizing her mistake, and yanked off her balaclava in frustration. Realizing that she'd revealed even more in frustration, the fanged girl emerged from her power armor and shrieked, "I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS, YOU UPSTART BRAT!"
"ONLY AFTER YOU'VE PUT YOUR NAME ON THE FLAG OF FRIENDSHIP!"
"FINE! I'LL PUT MY NAME ON YOUR DUMB FLAG! MEIMEI, I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING THIS! I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY! I'M NOT MAKING YOUR COLD BREW FOR A WEEK!"
The class was startled when a voice responded over the PA system. "BOLD OF YOU TO ASSUME I HAVEN'T PROGRAMMED A ROBOT EXPLICITLY FOR THAT, KO-CHAN! YOU'LL HAVE TO GET BACK AT ME ANOTHER WAY! NOBODY TOUCHES MY COFFEE! NOBODYYYY!"
Class was a bit difficult to get under control, but they're good kids, so All Might managed.
A Few Classes Later
The students were figuring out their hero names. Some had to be rethought out, like Alien Queen. Others were perfect, like The Friendly Ghost. Some had additions, like Tsukuyomi and The Raven. Others…
"The Sparkling Hero, I Cannot Stop Twinkling!"
Others, like the above, were perfect, but needed work anyway.
"The Blast Hero, Kacchan!"
Others, like the above, were names given by others.
Then, we have Izuku, who had to rewrite everything about himself in the heroics sense three times now. First, upon discovering his quirklessness. Second, upon awakening the powers he'd essentially been bred to have. Third, when he obtained One for All.
No, there was a fourth time. Scratching off the name he'd thought of before, he pondered more, before he got a suggestion.
Izuku blinked, then turned to Ochako, who gave him a thumbs up. It was a solid suggestion. He'd go with it.
The fourth time, when he obtained the bonds he'd desperately yearned for all these years, from his dear friends.
"The Bright Hero, Cobalt!"
A/N: You thought Aureck was an OC, DAGA KONO HIMIKO DA! Jojo's reference aside, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Stay safe and healthy, and remember that Black Lives Matter. Still non-negotiable.