The Class 1-A students sat around in a cafe. The last day of the week, before the suspension on U.A. would be lifted, and they would finally return to their classes, and proceed with the internship. It was a moment to catch up with each other and have a celebratory meal together. Despite this, however, the situation was tense for a select number of the students, who were coerced into coming along with everyone else by the person who organized the meet up.
Momo, Tenya, Eijiro, Ochaco, Mina, Fumikage and Katsuki tried to act as normal as they could, having their drinks and meals they ordered, but they all couldn't help but feel anxious as they stared at Tomura Shigaraki, who pretending to just be an injured boy named Mikumo Akatani, having managed to convince Shoto Todoroki to accompany the group for dinner. He even got a new cast around his leg, still pretending to require crutches to move around.
"I really don't think I should stay for too long, Mikumo-san," Shoto said, as Tomura simply looked disappointed.
"Huuuh? Is it because of what your Dad told me? As long as he doesn't know, it shouldn't matter, right?" He replied, before grabbing one of the complimentary cupcakes to give Shoto. "Come on, just eat up Sho-chan!" Katsuki winced at the nickname Tomura gave Shoto, a clear taunt towards him.
"I suppose you're right…" Shoto reluctantly said, taking the cupcake and taking a bite out of it. Following the Sports Festival Attack, he visited his mother in the hospital, the first time he's seen her in years, because he felt he couldn't run away any more, not after facing killers, thinking how he would die full of regrets, his greatest being abandoning his mother.
"You guys not gonna eat anything?" Hitoshi asked the others, causing them to momentarily jump.
"Not at all!" Tenya replied as loudly as usual, quickly grabbing a cupcake for himself and chowing it down. "A Hero must know what his sugar output must be! I'm just careful!"
"I mean, I guess," Hitsohi simply raised an eyebrow, noticing nothing too odd with Tenya to point out.
"H-...hey, you guys decide on what agency to go for?" Eijiro said, trying to change the subject. "Me and Iida decided to go for Mirko!"
"Mirko, huh?" Hitoshi rubbed his nose slightly, lighter bandages on it now that it has healed a bit. "Me and Yaoyorozu decided to take Togata-san's offer and go with Sir Nighteye's Agency. I could use the advice on how to make up for my Quirk's weak points and my own inability to take on anyone in a straight fight."
"Ah, yes!" Momo clasped her hands together, trying to act normal, despite feeling Tomura's indirect gaze. "I myself heard he's quite a leader. I feel I could have taken greater control of the situation during the Sports Festival. If Sir Nighteye can teach me anything or help me deal with… my weaknesses… I would be very grateful." It was clear she was deeply affected by the Sports Festival, and not just the incident itself, but her inability to put much of a fight against Fumikage.
"Wow! You're all going with great Heroes!" Tomura excitedly said. "What about you, Sho-chan? Anyone to go for?"
"Ah," Shoto looked rather somber before speaking. "I decided to go with my father's agency. I hate to do it, but during the Sports Festival, I realized that using only my right side… Well, it is rather insulting to my peers, who have put their all into the competition." He said, directing his sights towards Katsuki, whose face was rather bandaged up, saying it was from getting into a fight against some old middle school rivals. "During my fight with you, Bakugo, I would have lost without my fire. I hate using it still, but… I should at least acknowledge it."
Katsuki simply eyed Shoto, not replying in any capacity, something the others picked up on considering his personality, with Eijiro taking the lead and actually continuing the conversation.
"That's great, Todoroki!" It wasn't hard for Eijiro to stay energetic. "I don't know what's up with you and your Dad. It's not my place to shove my nose in, but I hope you can come back to us stronger!"
"I appreciate it. Thank you, Kirishima," Everyone wasn't used to Shoto acting so friendly with them. Though some didn't wish to admit it, it seems hanging around with "Mikumo" had a positive effect on him.
"Even so…" Hanta spoke up. "Have you guys been reading the news? U.A. been really run through the mud this week." He said, showing everyone a newspaper he had on hand "Apparently, there's gonna be a broadcast pretty soon. U.A. tried delaying this whole thing and avoiding the media, but this thing is just too big."
"Look!" Ochaco said, pointing at the article. "Shimura-sensei is gonna represent! Vlad King and Principal Nezu too!"
"Makes sense. They are effectively the faces of U.A. right now. All the stars of the festival were in those classes." Denki said.
"They probably also want to drag Shimura-sensei through the mud since he was saved by Akatani-san when he should have been doing the saving…" Mashirao sighed, rubbing his forehead. "This is truly repugnant."
"A-...Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to put Shimura-sensei in trouble!" Tomura blushed, awkwardly flailing his arms. "I just…"
"Your body moved on its own, right?" Shoto said, smiling. "You say you're not built for Heroism, yet you saved two people with Quirks despite the danger to yourself. That's truly admirable, Mikumo."
"Hmph." Katsuki scoffed, quite loud as well, catching everyone's attention
"Is there something you want to say, Bakugo?" Shoto's expression darkened as he questioned Katsuki
"Nothing." He callously replied. "If he's got so much potential to be a Hero, why not try and get into U.A?"
"Y-...You know that's difficult, Bakugo!" Tenya said, sweating lightly as he glanced at Tomura. "For someone Quirkless to enter U.A., why, he would need some exceptional connections to transfer to the Hero Course!"
Tenya was afraid. As were the others that accompanied Eijiro to tail Katsuki that night.
Tomura gave them an ultimatum. They didn't have much wiggle room for a win. Perhaps if there was a Pro Hero present, but even then, their careers would end before they would become fledgling Heroes, and even ignoring that, their families and loved ones were threatened by Tomura.
He already anticipated whatever they could try and use against him, even him dying.
Thus they could only comply with his requests, though he didn't really have any. Tomura only told them to behave as if today never happened, and to treat him as Mikumo Akatani when around him, no matter who's looking.
It was an unfortunate situation, but they were powerless to do anything.
"N-...No, it's alright!" It was difficult to tell at what point Mikumo starts and where Tomura ends, or if there was some in-between "I've already moved on from that dream. I'm thinking of looking into something like Hero Support. You know! Help make support items and design costumes for them!"
"Heh, you should see the things Bakugo's designed in his notes," Hanta said, referring to Katsuki's rather particular drawings
"Shut the fuck up, tapeman! You don't have the eye of an artist!" Katsuki predictably exploded at Hanta, who simply laughed it off.
It was strange for the students. Despite not all of them being in the know, they couldn't help but feel like something was off.
Momo nervously tried maintaining her composure, Fumikage simply remained quiet to avoid the spotlight, something not unexpected of him, while Mina didn't have to try very hard to stay upbeat, with Eijiro doing the same. Tenya was the most shaken up and trying his best to keep things calm for his fellow accomplices.
Katsuki, on the other hand, was the one most frustrated. Everything that Tomura said simply rang back a different memory from their past when they were children. It was almost deliberate the topics Tomura brought up just to torture Katsuki with guilt, mentions of wanting to be a Hero, being Quirkless, and how he suffered for it.
It was simply unbearable.
"Ah, the news!" Mina said, pointing at the nearby TV screens, which had "Important Broadcast" plastered over it. Opening her phone, she saw she received a notification about it as well, the rest of her classmates seeing it as well.
"Woah, is that Shimura-sensei?!" Kyoka said, seeing Tenko dressed sharply in a suit, his usually messy hair tied into a bun, making him look as presentable as possible. One could tell it had the delicate touch of an older sister, even applying a modicum of makeup to try and make his allergic reactions less obvious and distracting.
"He actually looks pretty handsome when he tries to wear something nice, huh?" Denki said, being so used to seeing Tenko wearing just boring and simplistic black clothes
"It's quite elegant!" Yuga pointed out. "Our teacher could benefit from a makeo-...!"
"Shh, it's about to start!" Mina interrupted Yuga, the interview officially beginning.
Tenko sat amongst his peers, Principal Nezu, and Sekijiro Kan, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B, with cameras directed at them from every corner, and before an audience of hungry reporters, waiting for a good scoop. The flashes from cameras taking his pictures was irritating on his eyes and skin, but he had to bear with it.
"Principal Nezu!" An interviewer spoke. "Do the Heroes have any answer on who the attackers were? This League of Villains?" He got right to the point.
"Unfortunately, they're very elusive, but I assure you, we're not without a lead," Nezu calmly replied. "We're working alongside the Police Force and Naomasa Tsukauchi to find them as soon as possible. We hope to immobilize them." Unfortunately, these were only half-truths. "We've arrested several of the criminals who attacked the Sports Festival, and are in the process of questioning and extracting any possible information we can from them."
Said villains proved to be very difficult to get any information of. They had loyalty towards their leader and the League, born out of trust, or out of fear. Even from the answers they did manage to get, any information on the identity of the League's warper, Kurogiri, was miniscule. There existed no records of the man, even his Quirk was something unheard of before. A warping Quirk of such a scale, it was truly something that seemed almost too abnormal, even for this world of wonders and superpowers.
"Why did the Heroes take so long to react to the villains' attack?" Another interviewer stood up, holding a tape recorder in his hand, a rather primitive piece of technology that's become more and more obsolete these days. "The Heroes did nothing until the very end! In fact, one of your students was nearly killed by that monster!"
"That…" Nezu began to speak, before Tenko took over.
"The Heroes assessed the situation. Had they acted, the villains would have retaliated, and many civilians would have been hurt, or worse," Tenko explained. "I specialize in Search and Rescue. It's all about being able to analyze not just the damages and what was destroyed, but also the danger to the civilians. Even those not trapped or in direct danger of the catastrophe are still in possible danger."
"You say taking a reactive role rather than proactive was the better route?"
"In this instance, yes," Tenko said. "The fact all the Heroes knew it was the correct decision should make that clear. Acting recklessly in this situation would only make it worse. Who knows what would have happened if we didn't wait for the right opening?"
"If I may," The familiar blue skinned mature woman, Chitose Kizuki, stood up. "Mr. Shimura, was it? The boy who fought the monster was the only one taking an active role in that entire situation. Why was someone without a license even allowed to do that?"
"Under normal circumstances, Katsuki Bakugo would be expelled and most likely be given punishment for his rash behavior, but considering the situation and the fact he allowed us an opening, he will receive punishment after he's allowed to heal fully," Tenko explained, trying to maintain a neutral expression as he did. He had to keep lip about the fact his entire Class acted outside of their jurisdiction and faced off against two villains. It would be more difficult to justify letting them off the hook than Katsuki, and the media backlash would only grow harsher.
"Tenko Shimura, you are the grandson of Nana Shimura, isn't that correct?" She suddenly blurted out, as Tenko's expression changed to shock and surprise, before shifting to frustration.
"With all due respect, what does this-..."
"She was a great Hero in her own right, yes? You would agree with that?"
"How did you get this information?"
"That doesn't matter right now, Shimura." Chitose smiled, holding out her tape recorder/ "Why does the grandson of a great Hero teach a Class in U.A. without prior teaching experience? How did you get this position?"
"Ngh…" Tenko was tongue tied as to what to answer.
"What are you teaching these students exactly, Tenko Shimura, if this is how they act during a serious villain invasion?" She egged him on, noticing his growing frustration at her questioning.
"If I may," Nezu intervened, "Tenko Shimura got this position through his excellent record and being a youth who can connect with the students and impart his knowledge and experiences onto them. Originally he was intended to be the assistant of Shota Aizawa, but due to a sudden hospitalization and a staff shortage, Shimura had to fill in the role. It was a sudden decision and we sprung it upon him, but he diligently accepted it, and has done a magnificent job since the year began." He answered, coming into Tenko's defense. "Now, if we may return to the topic at hand."
"Man, they're really going for Shimura-sensei's throat…" Tsuyu said. "This is a bit unfair, isn't it, ribbit?"
"How disgusting. They're just trying to smear him at this point." Tenya said. "Bringing up his dear grandmother and age, questioning his abilities as an educator, it's unforgivable I say!"
"Principal, I assure you, this is very important." Chitose said. "The future of these children is put in the hands of someone without prior education experience. In fact, it seems he has a close relationship with All Might, who couldn't attend today either. Tell me, was the decision to place him in such an important role purely based on nepotism?"
"That's quite an accusation." Seikijiro said. "I may have not known Shimura for long, but he is a fine teacher! His students made incredible progress thanks to his guidance. I see him as a true rival in the field of education."
"Then why wasn't someone like Midnight or Ectoplasm assigned a teacher in Aizawa's steed? Or perhaps even Present Mic?" Chitose continued her questioning, the other reporters allowing her to speak. Her reputation and hard-hitting questions were well-known among her peers and other media outlets. If anyone was going to get a scoop, it would be her. "It just seems risky. If Shimura fails to do his job well, it would fall on the education system and U.A. if the students are going to act out like this when faced with villains? Who knows what the rest of his class would have done had the event gone on any longer?"
"That's bullshit!" Eijiro exclaimed. "Bakugo gave All Might the opening the Heroes needed to fight back! All of that was on video!"
"The world saw that, but they choose to ignore it," Hitoshi replied. "It's easy to make up stories and manipulate information when you're the ones who "officially" publish it.".
Tenko suddenly stood up, as Nezu and Sekijiro worriedly looked at him, fearing he had reached the limit of his patience. However, Tenko bowed his head towards the reporters, and by extension, everyone watching. His students, their parents, and the people who were there during the Sports Festival Attack.
"On behalf of U.A., I promise you all, the students will not be in danger again." Tenko said to the press. "The security has already been tightened, and we're amidst changes that will help us deal with villains attacked better, no matter how sudden. The students' safety is still a priority, always has been."
"And what if you cannot live up to this promise?" Chitose asked.
"Then I will never teach again. Simple as that," He confidently replied, impressing Chitose with his unexpected answer. Tenko straightened his pose before speaking again. "We were in a state of peace for too long thanks to All Might's efforts, so we were unprepared, but that will change."
The reporters continued prying the teachers for more questions. It lasted another two hours, finally coming to an end, exhausting the three men.
"Ugh, I think I remember why I hate the press now…" Tenko said, walking alongside Sekijiro and Nezu through the building's halls, taking a different, longer route to avoid any more reporters.
"You handled that well, considering everything," Sekijiro sighed. "If Aizawa was there, I wonder how he would've dealt with that…"
Tenko undid his tie, unbuttoning his shirt as well, taking a deep breath of relief. "How is Aizawa anyway?"
"The doctors suspect he's unconscious by some villain's Quirk, since his body has healed enough." Sekijiro replied, freeing his shirt a bit as well "His injuries are serious though, so even if he did wake up, he wouldn't be able to get back to work. Those bastards really messed him up…"
"I wonder if the villains who ambushed him…" Nezu pondered. "Could they be the League of Villains?"
"We can't say for sure, but we can't rule it out, Tenko said, undoing his tied up hair, ruffling it, allowing it to return to its original, natural state. "Man, that's refreshing."
"Regardless, we shouldn't take it too easy," Nezu explained. "It is our duty for the students, the next generation of Heroes. This year may be difficult, but I believe we will survive together."
"Any plans? I kinda just repeated things you said to me during our meetings…" Tenko awkwardly rubbed his neck, worrying about his performance.
"Well, it was more or less true. I'm still waiting for approval on turning U.A. to a boarding school, so we can have the students move in, and keep a closer eye on them." Nezu replied to Tenko.
"Approval from whom?" Sekijiro asked.
"The Hero Public Safety Commission. They've been keeping a very close eye on us ever since the villain attack. They will not approve a major change like this so suddenly unless I have a good reason." Nezu was not the biggest fan of the Commission, though he understood they had good reason to be so cautious, and a Hero Academy was well within their jurisdiction.
Tenko suddenly stopped, right before reaching the exit, seeing Chitose waiting for the three men near the exit. "Tenko Shimura. It's a pleasure to meet you again." Tenko's face made it clear he wasn't very happy about this.
"How did you get here?" Tenko asked, an annoyed tone in his voice.
"The security guards are very flexible," Chitose said. "Once you give them a bit of convincing." She clearly meant bribes.
"Well, say what you want so we can be on our way. We have a school to return to tomorrow." Tenko said.
"Right, of course." Chitose bowed her head towards Tenko, surprising the three men. "I am here to apologize to you. It was insensitive of me to bring up your grandmother, Nana Shimura." Her apology seemed genuine, judging by her tone.
"N-...No, there's...no need to apologize." Tenko said, blushing slightly, being surprised by what Chitose said. "You're a reporter. Your job is to look into things to gain information. I can't hate you for doing your job." He naturally couldn't bring himself to be mad or mean towards someone, especially women, one of Tenko's primary weaknesses.
"Well," Chitose straightened herself up. "Maybe I can make it up to you. How about a date?" The sudden offer surprised the three men, Tenko most of all, who's blushing furiously now.
"T-...That's a bit sudden," Tenko cleared his throat, trying to stay composed. "B-...But I have to decline. I'm going to be very busy the coming days."
"That's alright," Chitose coyly replied, handing Tenko a card, which he took without any resistance. "If you're ever free, feel free to give me a call."
"Do you...usually date people you ask insensitive questions…?" Tenko felt that this was too suspicious.
"Only the cute ones," She replied, though Tenko didn't buy that either, if his allergies were anything to go by. "Well, you can choose to believe that or not, it matters not. I admit, part of me just wants a private interview with the grandson of Nana Shimura. You have an interesting history, Tenko Shimura. You could give me an excellent headline."
With that, Chitose was the first to leave, the three men standing still, as Tenko looked at Chitose's card. It contained the basics, her full name, her occupation, the company she worked at, and a picture, complete with her phone number and other contact information such as email.
"So…" Sekijiro leaned in. "You are going to go for it, right? I don't mind taking your place."
"I-...It would be rude to say no to a woman after she offered it," Tenko replied, clearly embarrassed and not used to the world of romance. "Just...promise you won't tell Hana-chan. She wouldn't let it go." As he said that, Tenko turned the card around, discovering a rather risqué image of Chitose posing in lingerie at the back, blushing even more, if such a thing was possible, and quickly hiding it from his colleagues.
"You okay, man?" Sekijiro asked, noticing Tenko's sudden reaction, and how defensive he seemed to become.
"I-...I'm alright, just remembered my mother asked me to get her some groceries, so I'll be off!" Tenko said, quickly rushing through the door to the outside, only one thought going through his mind: "This is a dangerous woman!".
The next day came, and the return of classes with it. The gates of U.A. opened, and the students poured in, happy to return to their classes and meet their friends and teachers after that short one week break.
Tenko waited in Class 1-A, rather nervous. He bought a chocolate caramel cake for his students, a warm welcome back-present. In his pocket was the card Chitose gave him. It has been about three years since Tenko last went on a date, and it was a rather short-lived relationship. If he recalled correctly, the woman said he wasn't very assertive, and didn't even want to hold hands. The explanation of his Quirk and dislike for touching others didn't dissuade her much in his favor.
He suspected the actual reason was that his allergies weren't what she hoped for in a man. He couldn't blame her, they weren't the nicest of sights.
"This is the first time a woman's asked me out…" Tenko said, sighing. He could feel his skin become itchy, thus he pulled out a small allergy gel from his pocket, beginning to rub it around his neck.
Chitose didn't seem bad. She didn't seem bothered by his face, for one, which was a rarity, and while her questions were rather insensitive and rude, she did seem genuinely remorseful for her behavior.
Being a reporter and journalist meant asking uncomfortable questions, to get the best answers, and capture humans at their most genuine, even if it's simultaneously at their worst.
Tenko could only ponder what that sort of career path could do to someone's personality.
The class door suddenly opened, as the students of 1-A meet eye to eye with their teacher for the first time in a week. The sudden meeting left Tenko amidst his medicinal gel applications, standing still before his students cheerfully roared at seeing their teacher.
"Shimura-sensei!"
"How are you, sensei?!"
"Shimura-sensei, you did great in that broadcast!"
The students poured their hearts onto him, a few others standing at the door still, notably Katsuki and Shoto and Hitoshi, alongside Momo and Tenya.
"Please, give Shimura-sensei some room to breathe!" Tenya exclaimed. "This is not proper behavior!" He used his authority as class rep to command the students back to their desks. "Shimura-sensei! It's excellent to see you in good health! Please, begin class!" He said, going to his seat.
"R-...Right…" Tenko awkwardly replied, subtly putting Chitose's card deeper into his pocket. "Let's begin with a treat first." He took out the cake he hid behind his desk, removing the packaging and revealing the beautiful chocolate caramel cake. "Iida, Yaoyorozu, please come help me." He gestured to the Class Rep and Vice Class Rep, beginning to cut slices and placing them on plates, the two students handing them over to the students.
"Wow, this is delicious!"
"Sensei, what bakery did you get this from?"
"What an elegant cake to begin the day with!"
"I figured we should all have something sweet to welcome us back to class." Tenko said "Today is not a serious day. You will spend all day with me. In addition, school will end early as well, at around 13:00 P.M., since we want you to ease yourself back. There will be changes soon, you see."
"What sort of changes, sensei?" Momo asked, taking a bite out of her cake.
"For one, U.A. will become a boarding school, with dorms for the students," He began to explain "We've received approval, and it will be for the sake of keeping a closer eye on you all, especially after the villains attack. Everyone is on high alert, and there's still tension until the League makes their next move."
The students who faced Tomura not long ago winced, their stomachs dropping remembering his threats.
"Of course, we can't force you to remain in the dorms. Which is why me and All Might will be visiting your houses today." Tenko said. "We will require explicit permission from your parents, and you, of course."
"A dorm?! That sounds awesome!" Mina exclaimed, excited at the prospect of effectively seeing her friends daily.
"The boys and girls...in a single building…" Minoru had less than pure thoughts, however.
"What brought upon this sudden change, Shimura-sensei?" Shoto asked.
"The invasion during the Sports Festival was a serious wake up call for us. The villains effortlessly broke into the heart of U.A. and immediately held the Heroes hostage with their nefarious tactics," Tenko replied "I'm sure you all noticed the higher presence of Heroes during the day and night. The patrol routes have changed, and they've begun keeping an eye on any suspicious and illegal activity 24/7. I don't want you all to be afraid or anxious, but I can't lie to you."
"Sensei, it's okay." Tenya said, giving a confident smile. "We are Heroes in the making. After the Sports Festival, we are well aware that things are going to change severely."
"Iida, everyone," Tenko looked at his students. From the start of the year to now, he has been teaching them, and grew alongside them, but he never realized the growth and relationship he's fostered with them. "The only change you will see is the intensity of the lessons. We will push you harder, after you return from your one-week we will test what you've learned. Remember, this school is top in Japan because we push ourselves! I don't have to say it to you, right? You already know the words!"
"Go Beyond!" The students excitedly roared. "Plus Ultra!"
Class 1-A received a noise compliment later that day, certainly not their first, but the patience of the other classes ran thin with their high energy.
And so, the Internships began! A one-week of the students being trained and gaining experience as observers of upfront Hero work! A valuable experience, important that will help the students be guided towards greater heights!
The mandatory exercise allowed students a glimpse into what the work place and day to day of a Pro Hero looks like, receiving training and advice from said Pros. They could not engage in any proper Hero activity due to still lacking a Provisional License, something they'll have to obtain from the Provisional License Exam.
Hitoshi took the train, his destination being the Nighteye Agency, where he would begin his field training. Truth to be told, he felt somewhat guilty. The only reason he went for it was because he got such a low amount of offers, and because he received a direct recommendation from Mirio, which saved him a headache in trying to find the right Agency to go for.
When the building came into view, Hitoshi noticed Momo waiting outside, who saw him and waved 'hello' with a warm smile on her face. "Good morning, Shinso." She said, greeting her fellow classmate and intern.
"Mornin'," He greeted her back, standing next to her and waiting. "You waiting for Togata-senpai too?"
"Yes," She nodded. "He said it's best for him to introduce us to Sir Nighteye."
"Can't see the harm in that." Hitoshi rubbed the back of his neck, yawning. "First day of a long week."
"Say, Shinso," Momo said. "Do you know anything about this Nighteye?"
"I did some research. He's a pretty strict dude." Hitoshi lightly scratched the bandage on his nose. "Stoic, serious. If you're not careful, he might bite your head off for a typo on a report."
That description didn't inspire much confidence in Momo. If anything, it made her more nervous.
"I suppose we'll have to make a good first impression…" Momo awkwardly chuckled "But still, I think acknowledging our weaknesses will benefit us in the future."
"Weaknesses?" Hitoshi looked at Momo, confused. "What weaknesses do you have, Yaoyorozu? You've excellent grades, come from quite a nice background and family, and your Quirk is incredibly versatile, probably the most." As he said that, Momo noticed Hitoshi didn't have much eye contact, and his tone suggested a level of self-loathing, remembering how people treated him for his Quirk.
"That's not…"
"Yo~!" Momo was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Mirio, wearing his school uniform. "Good to see you guys are here! Sorry for being so late!" He patted the two underclassmen on their shoulders, giving them a warm welcome. "Let's head in, Sir is surely awaiting us!"
"Uhm, Togata-senpai," Momo asked. "Is it really fine for us to come in here when we're just in our first year? Sir Nighteye seems…"
"Rough, right?" Mirio preemptively replied. "Don't worry. He's strict, and very thorough and professional, but there's not much to worry. This is only field training. Just show him your best, and have a good sense of humor!" He excitedly told them, leading them towards his office.
"Humor…?" The two were caught rather off-guard by that last part.
Momo and Hitoshi soon found themselves standing in front of Sir Nighteye, who sat at his desk, his hands together hiding the lower half of his face. His gaze was serious, and his glasses did nothing to subside their stinging glare. Next to him are his two sidekicks, Centipeder and Bubble Girl
The office, however, was not what they expected. It was filled to the brim with All Might memorabilia. They presumed if a fanboy like Mikumo was here, he would surely freak out and go on an endless tangent about how limited edition and rare they were.
"Hitoshi Shinso, Hero name Cerebral, and Momo Yaoyorozu, Hero name, Creati." Sir was the first to speak, grabbing papers showcasing the two student's profiles and status. "Excellent grades all around. You both are top of your class as well. When it comes to written exams, that is," He noted, glancing at them. "When it comes to physical exams, Yaoyorozu is among the lower ranked members of the class, but that is nothing compared to Shinso. You are at the very bottom of the class. In fact, you're ranked second lowest, directly above this Minoru Mineta."
"That's correct, Sir Nighteye."
"Speak when I ask of you, Shinso," Nighteye berated Hitoshi. "Wait until I finish."
"Apologies."
"Now, Yaoyorozu, you come from quite a prestigious background. The Yaoyorozu Household, known for their wealth above all else, but that's about it for your family, isn't it?" He harshly noted, causing Momo to physically appear disheartened. "Your Quirk is your most amazing quality. Something like that shouldn't be treated lightly, and I'm sure you understand that. You may speak, also."
"That is correct, Sir Nighteye." Momo replied. "My family is well-known for their distributions of raw materials to and from foreign markets, not just Japan. We do not have a history of Heroism like the Iida Family, however, only helping Hero Support gain the necessary materials they need for equipment."
"I see," Sir casually replied. "But in comparison, Shinso, you don't possess an impressive lineage, yes?"
"Correct, Sir. My father is a coffee maker, he works at a small cafe, while my mother is a librarian. She's the one who pays most of the bills." Hitoshi replied, though he didn't speak in any ill manner towards his parents.
"And your Quirk, it's not inherited directly from one of your parents, correct?"
Hitoshi nodded before speaking "My Quirk is a mutation of my mother's mind scanning Quirk, and my father's animal mind control, they both became my Brainwashing."
"Can you brainwash animals, Shinso?"
"No. It needs to be a verbal response from a human tongue."
"I see, so it would theoretically work on Nezu, perhaps," Nighteye adjusted his glasses, putting the papers down and standing up. "If this was the Work Study Internship, I would have kicked you out the moment I saw you both," He spoke honestly but harshly. "Yaoyorozu, Shinso, you both acted rashly during the Sports Festival." A chill ran down the two's spine, realizing he knew. "I've watched the footage, and while Shinso had a sound strategy and formation, the moment the villains attacked it all fell apart. You couldn't regain your formation and improvise a new and improved strategy. In fact, Shinso should have prioritized his safety as the brains of the operation. And Yaoyorozu, you relied on Shinso's orders too much, even when civilians were in danger, instead of making a decision by yourself and taking control of the situation."
"I...I'm sorry, Sir." Momo looked down, holding her hands rather nervously.
"Do not speak until I'm finished, Yaoyorozu." Sir Nighteye walked closer to the two students, now in front of his desk, holding a stamp in between his fingers. "This stamp signifies more than just approving contracts and deals, it also symbolizes the trust between the people I employ here and myself. Between the people whom I've forged bonds with and came to an understanding with. Do you understand that, Yaoyorozu, Shinso?"
The two nodded.
"By the end of this week, I want you to show improvement. Chronologically speaking, it won't be long, but spiritually, I will rend your souls until you are forged from fire and born anew." His tone became much more serious, the intimidating air around him dissipating somewhat. "You have potential that must be cultivated. You cannot engage in heroics, and that little stint during the Festival undeniably saved the lives of thirty men, women and children. While I do not approve of your actions, nor do I think your methods were refined, I will not take away that you have indeed acted like true Heroes."
Mirio could be seen smiling among the two sidekicks, being reminded of his early days with Sir Nighteye. Despite his harsh exterior, there was a man who only wanted to see children grow happy and become fine Heroes to live up to the ideals All Might created.
However, despite his encouragement, Hitoshi noticed Momo seemed rather distressed, remembering her shattered confidence ever since the Sports Festival. Sir Nighteye's words surely hit hard and didn't help at all.
"Now then," Sir spoke again. "You will follow us this week about a case we are undertaking right now."
"Sir, is it really a good idea to involve them in this?" Mirio asked, seeming to go quite pale.
"These have already faced villains, Mirio," Sir Nighteye replied. "They have been thrusted suddenly into a dangerous situation and forced to grow faster than most First Years, and I have to let them know that surviving a Villain or two is not but the very tip of the things they will see in this occupation we call Heroism."
Hitoshi raised his hand, a reflexive action that's been ingrained into his body from classes for whenever he wished to be given permission to speak. Sir Nighteye took notice of that, and approved his request.
"Are we working on a case with you? Is that allowed?" He asked.
"Yes," Sir Nighteye answered almost immediately. "You are not allowed to engage in heroics, and must abide by the law. However, I can give you special permission to use your Quirks during advice and training, and your minds are clearly your greatest weapons, greater than your Quirks even, but they are unrefined, they are rough. The purpose of this week will be the growth of your minds and spirits, and from there, you will take the lead and shape yourself based on what you will learn from me. Anything else?"
"Uhm," Momo spoke up. "Why did you keep our violation of the Quirk Restriction Law a secret? And why did you accept us into your Agency despite that?
"Truth be told, I was outraged when I saw the footage," Sir Nigtheye replied, a tone blunt as a club but with words sharp as a blade. "However, I would be lying if I didn't say it reminded me of some fool I used to work with as his sidekick, a fool who to this day I still admire and respect. You are not idiots, you were ready to face the consequences for your actions, weren't you?"
"We were prepared to, because we couldn't sit and do nothing despite all those screams," Momo replied. She could still hear the panicking civilians in her dreams, waking her up from her sleep. She hasn't gotten much of a good sleep in a while, the trauma still lingering
Hitoshi wasn't any better. Though he didn't show it on his face, the events of the Sports Festival hit him the hardest. He was the one who took the leadership role onto himself, and under his watch, he saw his classmates fight and some get injured. Eijiro having the worst case of all of them, with his ribs being shattered.
The rest of the class had their own baggage after that, but it was clear they couldn't bring it out so easily.
"That is a true Hero, I believe," Sir Nighteye said, the two students' expressions changed into surprise. "While the laws exist to regulate reckless use of Quirks and maintain order, I do not wholly agree with its harshness at times. They are necessary for the world we live in today, but sometimes, in situations such as yours, I believe it is an exception. The innate desire within you to do good and save people you never knew from an unknown danger that could have easily been something you couldn't handle, that desire for heroism, not for fame or monetary gain, but the simple act of doing good, that is a true Hero!"
Momo and Hitoshi stood with their eyes wide, feeling a sudden relief wash over them, replacing their anxiety and worries with a newfound spring of motivation and confidence from Nighteye's supportive words.
"Now then, let's not delay it any further," Sir Nighteye said, adjusting his glasses, snapping his fingers to gesture to Bubble Girl to give him report papers "I will tell you about the case you will be accompanying us on."
"What kind of case is this?" Hitoshi asked.
"You spoke when I was still not done, but I will forgive you this once," Sir Nighteye's sharp glare straightened Hitoshi's posture up, feeling it pierce right through him. "Not long ago, an escort van taking the Hero Killer Stain was attacked. There were signs of a fight, and the Hero escorting the van, Musashi, went missing. The driver of the vehicle was thrown off the bridge into the waters below, and didn't survive. The passenger with him was bludgeoned to death, blunt force trauma to the head, and the Hero Killer himself was found dead, but the autopsy reports aren't available to the public."
The description wasn't very vivid, and the two were aware of the daily danger police and Heroes have to go through, but still, the matter of fact and simple description only gave them more room to imagine terrible things. Hitoshi caught onto what the case would involve, particularly from that last part.
"The autopsy reports aren't available to the public"
There was nothing odd about it. There was no obligation to release that information, after all. But it wasn't worth a mention to begin with, because Sir Nighteye would have access to that information as a Pro Hero, thus by mentioning it, and with "public", he really meant Pro Heroes as well.
They were hiding something.
Momo, on the other hand, had her mind on other matters.
Stain, the Hero Killer.
He attacked Endeavor not long after the Sports Festival Attack ended., not even 24 hours later. The end result was zero scratches on the Number Two Hero, but half the Hero Killer's body was set aflame. He was taken to urgent care before the escort van came to take him to Tartarus.
It was his connection to the League of Villains, which only made their name more infamous following the Sports Festival, and by extension his connection to Tomura Shigaraki, that made Momo go pale.
Should she participate in this case? What if she finds something that Tomura didn't want her to? What would happen to her? To her friends? Family?
"Uh-...Uhm…" Momo raised her arm, catching Nighteye's attention.
"Is something the matter, Yaoyorozu?" Sir Nighteye asked, noticing Momo has gone quite pale.
"M-...Must we participate in this case? Wouldn't it be better to involve us in more...general Hero work?"
"Absolutely not," He replied the moment she finished her question, shooting her down on the spot. "Heroes can't simply pick and choose what they can and can't do. Sometimes the call is something they must answer. When you saved those people, was it a choice, or your obligation as a Heroine to go and save the people who couldn't protect themselves?"
His words cut deep, and Momo soon lowered her hand, looking down in shame. Hitoshi noticed her body language change, seeing there was something else going on besides her confidence being in shambles.
"Now then," Sir Nighteye continued "Can any of you assume what we are going to do during this investigation? Yaoyorozu?" He targeted Momo first.
"Ah." She jumped slightly, but did her best to regain her composure. "We are going to try and deduce what happened, correct? But…"
"But?"
"A-...Ah, well…" Momo tried to maintain eye contact with Sir, but found it difficult due to his strong glare. "The news was a few days ago, so...the scene is surely cleaned up, and the police and investigators did a sweep, so I'm simply curious. What is left for us to find?"
"Excellent question." Sir Nighteye said, in a genuine moment of praise towards Momo, before turning his gaze to Hitoshi. "Shinso? Can you perhaps answer this?"
Hitoshi's eyes widened in surprise, briefly, for being called, before regaining his typical expression of half-closed eyes and a neutral face. "We're trying to figure out the attackers, right? But that's just the obvious answer. It's suspicious that the autopsy reports weren't released to the public."
"How so, Shinso?"
"Do you have the autopsy report, Sir Nighteye? If you did, there would be a mention of them, but all you did was tell us the report is unavailable to the public. I assume that includes you and other Pro Heroes as well." Hitoshi revealed his deduction to Nighteye, who raised his eyebrow.
"What makes you think that's the case?" Sir asked. "For all you know, I simply feel you are unfit to know, since you're still fledglings."
"You revealed to us the death of the passenger, the fate of the driver, and Musashi who went missing. Keeping specifically the autopsy secret would be odd," Hitoshi pointed out. "But that is one conclusion I've come to."
"One?"
"Yes," He replied. "When you remove the idea of something being impossible or unreasonable, you open yourself to infinite possibilities. The idea that something is impossible in this world we live in, is just a restraint that prevents us from thinking outside the box and finding a thread. Logically, but also, with the knowledge that our reality is fickle with what is and isn't impossible."
Sir Nighteye stood silent for a few moments, adjusting his glasses. He organized the papers back in his hands, placing them on the desk behind him. "That is excellent, Shinso. That is excellent indeed." He turned back to face the two. "That is indeed part of our investigation, though that one is a bit more secretive, since we would be implying we do not trust the Law that is in custody of Stain's body."
"If it's secretive, why are you revealing it to us?" Momo asked.
"Trust, Yaoyorozu." He held his stamp in his hand, gesturing the two to extend their hands to him. "Now we both share a secret that can potentially jeopardize us if it comes out. You, who acted against the Law to save civilians without a license." Sir stamped the palms of Momo and Hitoshi, his stamp saying NIGHTEYE, before stamping his own palm. "And us, the Nighteye Agency, who could be easily considered to be conspiring against the Law, or whoever is behind this, the Police Force, or even the Commission, and our reputation sullied. This, Yaoyorozu, Shinso, is the bond of trust we've built today."
The two students stared at their palms, seeing the stamp logo. The sign that Nighteye has accepted them, even if a little.
"You two are still mere eggs, but there are cracks, and you are ready to hatch soon," Sir Nighteye said. "By the time this week ends, however, you will become the first in your class to hatch into full chicks."
With that, the two felt new motivation tingling, giving them goosebumps, as they readied themselves for the long week under Sir Nighteye.
In another part of the city, Eijiro and Tenya waited for their own internship to begin. Unfortunately, the two boys found themselves in a hotel lobby, waiting for over an hour for the Hero they were supposed to intern under, Mirko, the Rabbit Hero, and current Number Seven ranked Hero.
"Do you think we're in the wrong spot?" Eijiro asked Tenya, looking at the address he received. The two boys only got a message sent to them in the mail via a Postman, the Postman Hero, Postman! It was a rather redundant Hero name, but he did his job better than any other Postman.
Tenya sat with his hands on his legs, his body violently vibrating from excitement, but also a touch of frustration. "Nonsense, Eijiro! My geographical knowledge is impeccable! No way we could lose our way with such clear instructions!"
"Maybe she moved hotels…?" Eijiro's question caused Tenya to reconsider his reply. "I mean, Mirko is a solo act, and doesn't have one spot she sticks to. Does she even have a house, or does she just go around like a vagabond with the money she makes as a Hero…?"
Just when it seemed hopeless, the sound of footsteps caught their attention, as the dark-skinned heroine herself made her entrance onto the lobby.
"Ah, you brats are actually here on time!" Mirko exclaimed, her upbeat nature immediately lifting up the mood. "I didn't think you were serious, but, hey! It's good to see you didn't give up!"
"We haven't even started," Eijiro replied.
"That's just it!" Her tone and smile almost rivaled All Might, yet while he was jovial and energetic, she was simply, purely energy. "Bunch-a kids like you don't have what it takes to be Heroes yet, not Pros! So the minute something doesn't go your way, you give up!"
"Ah, I see!" Tenya immediately leaped from his seat. "This was a test, much like Shimura-sensei's! To see if we have the spirit to await you, even when time isn't on our side!"
"Dude, seriously…?" Eijiro could never get used to Tenya's insistence that everything was a pre-planned test.
"You were testing us! By being late, you showed us things don't always go our way!" He clenched his fist, shaking from vigor and respect towards his new sensei "Truly, this is the realm of Pros…!"
"Sure, let's go with that." Mirko casually approved of Tenya's wild assumptions, before turning around, her back now facing the two boys. "Well! That's enough break!" She said, beginning to march away.
"W-...Wait, where are you going? Aren't we getting field training? Advice? Lessons?" Eijiro called out to Mirko, who simply continued on her merry way
"Nah, just try and keep up with me." She replied, as the two boys quickly chased after the hopping Heroine.
The three eventually ended up on a rooftop, Mirko looking over the streets from her vantage point, as Eijiro and Tenya were gasping for air just trying to keep up with Mirko, who ran off on her own and didn't even bother waiting for them, giving the boys little time to even put on their costumes.
"M-...Mirko-sensei…"
"Just call me, Mirko, kid," she replied to Eijiro.
"Mirko, w-...what kind of lesson are you going to teach us today?" Eijiro asked, gasping and panting the hardest out of the two, lacking any sort of mobility compared to Tenya.
"Nah. I'm not about that teaching stuff." The casual manner in which she said that caught the two boys off guard.
"W-...Wait, what do you mean, Mirko?" Tenya asked. "Did you not send us offers so that we can gain some modicum of experience and advice thanks to our exposure to the daily life of a Pro?"
"Yeah," She answered, still not even turning to look at them.
"Y-..." Tenya struggled for a moment. "Yeah?"
"Well, that was the reason you wanted to come here, right?" Mirko said, finally turning to face the two "I'm not a team player. In fact! I think Heroes who work in teams are weak as shit!" She proudly exclaimed, cackling. "You gotta rely on others' strength? What kind Hero work is that? How are you gonna beat villains when you're alone, then?"
"Th-...That's not quite right!" Tenya replied. "Teamwork is essential for Heroes! You can't always be a solo act!"
"That's what weaklings say." Mirko didn't budge. "You kids need to learn how to fight by yourself before you can talk about teamwork."
"Then why are we here?!" Eijiro demanded an answer.
"Ah." Her expression read like she just remembered something important "I honestly just saw your attempt at a kick, Kirishima, and I gotta say, that was the saddest shit I ever saw!"
"H-...Huh?!"
"Your form is trash!" Mirko said. "You leaned your back nice, but you didn't snap it back into position! Your stance was full of openings! If that Bakugo kid had a smarter ass on him, he would have dodged it easy!"
"I-...Is that so…?" Eijiro thought to himself, rubbing his chin. "I guess I didn't really think about that…"
"Kicks are strong, Kirishima." Mirko explained, her smile getting wider, and her red eyes becoming clearer. "They have greater range, and the human leg has greater strength than the arm, especially if trained right. With your Hardening, it can be a powerful spear."
"A spear…" The explanation stuck with him, causing him to start brainstorming on the spot.
"What about me, Mirko? Why am I here?" Tenya asked.
"You're an Iida, ain'tcha, kiddo?" Mirko's grin grew even wider, if such a thing was possible, excitement boiling in her veins. "You're fast, right? You're related to that Ingenium, yeah? Tensei Iida?"
"Y-...You know my brother?"
"'Course I do, we dated once!"
"You what?!"
"Guess it makes sense he never mentioned me," Mirko said, her expression returning to normal. "Our relationship only lasted two day,s after all."
"Two days?! But my brother is an excellent man, Mirko! How could you break up with him?!"
"Ah, he went easy on me when we raced." The incredibly mundane reason disappointed Tenya. "I want to race, Iida."
"Race…? Are we just here for your entertainment, Mirko? Is this a waste of time?" Tenya fought back tears of disappointment upon discovering Mirko's true intentions.
"Do you think life will always hand you the answers to improve, Iida?" Mirko asked "I had to self train myself, create my own style, and through hard training, and by relying only on myself, I got where I am today!" She clenched her fist in pride, pumping the air in excitement "It was a long road but it worked out!" She then proceeded to gesture to her thighs, her most prized trait. "Look at these babies! My Quirk is one thing, but this is pure physical conditioning!"
"Physical conditioning…" Tenya internalizes these words into his mind. In her own bizarre way, Mirko was willing to teach them, but it was via independence and distance that she was intending on doing so. It was unorthodox, definitely has a high rate of failure, and depends solely on if the students can keep up, both physically and mentally, as well as understand the lessons imparted onto them.
"Mirko," Eijiro spoke. "Physical conditioning… how far can it go?"
"What'cha mean?" She seemed genuinely confused.
"Well…" He glanced at Tenya, who somehow seemed to know what Eijiro wanted to ask. "Is there such a thing as, let's say, being strong enough to counter something like Iida's Engine? Without the use of Quirks?"
"It sounds like you're thinking of Superhuman Conditioning." Mirko replied.
"Superhuman?"
"That's right! It's something a lot of people tried to do in the early days of Quirk Manifestation, to catch up to those with Quirks, when the Quirkless population was still equal." She began to explain. Tenya recalls reading about something concerning humanity trying to catch up to those with Quirks, but it was incredibly short lived, primarily due to the fact the mortality rate for the Superhuman Conditioning was so ridiculously high it was nicknamed the "Suicide Training."
"What does that involve, if I may ask?" Eijiro inquired.
"Ah well, it was honestly pretty dumb." Mirko rubbed the back of her head before explaining. "Basically, it involved breaking your body and letting it heal, because they believed it made them stronger."
"Wait, breaking their bodies?" Eijiro's face went pale, as did Tenya's, remembering all the healing-type Quirks Tomura listed off. "S-...So if someone...broke their bones, waited for them to heal and then broke them again…?"
"There's no actual proof that even works," Mirko said. "You'll definitely get tougher, but doing that is just asking to be crippled or die from all the damages your body accumulates overtime."
"W-...What if…" Tenya gulped before asking. "What if someone...had access to a myriad of healing Quirks to make sure they heal faster and don't get any crippling or risk of death?"
Mirko tilted her head at the rather specific question, rubbing her chin in a rather silly manner, her hand in a pose reminiscent of the famous "pistol" gesture, pondering her answer. "I'd say there could be a chance, then."
"A chance…?"
"If the person hones themselves and has the assistance of good enough healing Quirks, I would say they could become quite strong in a few years." Mirko answered
"What if it was… say… ten years? Since a young age?"
"How young?"
"Say… Six? Or seven?" Eijiro tried to make it sound like a random guess, not something out of experience. From what Katsuki told him, he hasn't seen Tomura in around ten years, which would make him about six or so when he "died"
"Hmm," Mirko bought it, however, and simply thought of her next answer "If they survived, which would be very difficult considering how frail children are, and unless they had a Quirk that boosted their durability like Kirishima's, then…"
"Then?"
"Well, they would probably be quite strong. I would argue they might fool you into believing they are already in possession of Quirks, strength enhancers, stamina enhancers. Quirks allow a great myriad of abilities, but…" She struck a pose, flexing her arms and showcasing her refined and muscular frame "The human body! It's the most versatile power we all share! That's why you shouldn't let your Quirk become your sole way of fighting! The same goes for teamwork! If you just rely on your team, you become useless without them! Focus on yourself, and then, expand to other fields!"
The boys have been given their first lesson. Without realizing it, Mirko has already imparted valuable information that would help them grow.
"A-...Amazing, Mirko!" Tenya excitedly said, performing his odd hand gestures "Please, teach us more!"
"You kids still on that?" Before Mirko could say more, the sounds of civilians caught her ears, as a villain revealed themselves. "Heh, right on time!" she said, jumping onto the edge of the rooftop.
"Wait, are you going off again?!" Tenya pleaded with Mirko.
"Kid." Mirko looked at the two young students, a smirk on her face. "Just try and keep up, you'll learn more with your eyes before you do with your body!" As she finished, Mirko bent her knees, hopping into action, the ledge of the roof shattering from the strength of her kicks, shattering like a bullet towards the villain, a strange reptilian-looking humanoid.
She pun in the air, her leg raised upwards, delivering a single axe kick towards the reptile's head, smashing him into the earth, which cracked from the impact
"Luna Arc!" Mirko bellowed, taking down the villain in one hit. After the villain fell unconscious, Mirko quickly turned to the civilians, flexing her arms and posing as they clapped, taking pictures and cheering for her.
"Woah, she took him out in one hit," Eijiro commented. "And she immediately went to show off to the civilians! She really is a Pro! Manly!"
"Amazing…!" Tenya said, and though his helmet obscured his face, one could tell he had tears run down his cheeks. "My brother… Tensei… you truly dated a fine heroine!"
"Are you still on that, man…?"
"But," Tenya's tone became serious. "That was too suspicious, Kirishima-kun." He said, referring to Eijiro's questions for Mirko. "Remember, we don't know how far Shigaraki's eyes and ears go, so we must be careful. For all we know he could be watching right now."
"Ah, yeah." Eijiro said. "You're right, but…"
"I know." Tenya frowned. "Superhuman Conditioning… now that I understand it… We have to relay this to the others later. For now, despite how difficult she is, we have to get stronger, for the sake of everyone!"
"There it is! That's the manly Iida I know!" Eijiro said, giving Tenya a fist pump. "Ah, she's heading out again." He said, as the two boys panicked, quickly getting down the rooftop via the stairs to chase after Mirko.
In the U.A. Campus, Tenko sat in the faculty staff room, calmly sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.
"No classes today, Shimura-san?" Ectoplasm asked Tenko.
"Ah, not today, Ectoplasm." He replied with a warm smile. "My students began their internships. A small break for me, but the first and a half step for the students in their future!" Tenko sounded quite pleased
"Didn't you have a break from the one week suspension?" Midnight pointed out, holding a cup of tea.
"Not really…" Tenko replied, his expression frowning. "I had to attend a lot of meetings with All Might and Principal Nezu."
"Meetings? We didn't get any calls for meetings?" she asked again.
"Ah." Tenko realized it was mostly concerning his Class's defiance of the Quirk Restriction Laws, and what their punishment will be, something the other teachers didn't know about "They were mostly concerning future plans for Class 1-A, such as the Training Camps or perhaps a field trip to help the students calm down."
"We did have those meetings concerning what to do after the villain attacked." Ectoplasm said.
"Oh yeah." Midnight's expression lit up "I guess you would be in more meetings, considering you're the homeroom teacher."
"Safe!" Tenko thought to himself, calmly sipping his coffee with a neutral expression.
"Yo, Shimura!" Present Mic called to him, his loud voice causing him to spurt his coffee on his shirt. "How come you don't have a Hero name? Is that even legal?"
Tenko rubbed the coffee off his shirt. Luckily it was black, so the stains weren't obvious "I don't really have much desire for one." He replied "I didn't have much of a lucrative career."
"But you did great in Search and Rescue!" Thirteen exclaimed "That's something, right?"
"Ah, it's not that simple." Tenko finished wiping his shirt, throwing the paper towel into the garbage bin. "My Quirk is very dangerous, and it took years to master to its limit, but…" He paused "Ah, forget it. I don't wanna bring down the mood."
"It's alright, Shimura," Cementoss said. "You don't have to tell us. Although we do not know each other that long, know that you are an accepted member of the U.A. Faculty Staff. We hope you trust us to tell us someday." Cementoss truly was the most approachable and kind teacher Tenko knew,as friendly as All Might as well.
Suddenly, the faculty staff door was opened with great force, the loud slamming shocking the teachers, causing Tenko to pour the rest of his coffee all over his new red shoes his sister got him, the pale skinned man simply staring as if he had given up on life.
"Oi! Pale man!" It was Katsuki, who burst onto the scene, bandages still on his bruised face and his right arm still in a cast "I'm here for my internship!"
"Huh…?" Tenko looked confused at Katsuki. "Bakugo, what internship? I didn't send you an offer…"
"But I sent a request!"
"A request…? To who?" Tenko inquired Katsuki.
"Huh? I put it on your desk," He replied, suddenly calm.
"..." Tenko then remembered, he did indeed pick up all the students' choices and requests for their internships, but it wasn't his duty to send it, it was to be sent to the Principal who took care of the paperwork. And then, he also remembered…
Tenko hasn't checked his mailbox in a while.
"W-...Well…" Tenko cleared his throat. "O-...Of course I received your request, Bakugo! This was a test!" Tenko replied, faking a confident look "I was testing on if you remembered and could find me!"
"Just say you forgot, man. Lying is embarrassing," Katsuki bluntly and harshly said to his own teacher, causing the other faculty members to giggle to themselves.
"That obvious, huh…" Tenko sighed "Alright, fine. Since it's already time for the internship, it would just be a pain to try and get you a proper one and delay only yours." He said, folding his newspaper and putting it under his armpit.
"Even if you did try that, I wouldn't take anyone else!"
"Not even All Might…?"
"All Might is a busy man!" Katsuki replied. "Also, I asked him about it but he said he doesn't take interns…"
"Why me, then…?"
"Because you're closest to the Number One, asshole!" Katsuki angrily exclaimed. "Teach me, asshole-sensei!"
"Hngh…" Tenko had very little faith in himself.
The two began walking outside in the U.A. Campus, and then the streets. Tenko walked in a hunched pose, while Katsuki strutted behind, following him.
"What's the first lesson, Shimura-sensei?!" Katsuki bellowed, clearly excited to learn.
"Well…" Tenko scratches his cheek. "That's a bit tough, because I didn't think someone would intern under me. I don't have an Agency with me, even. Then again, I heard Kirishima and Iida went for Mirko, who's the most solo of all solo Pros."
"Whatever!" Tenko already adapted to Katsuki's fierce nature, so he wasn't as bothered as when he began. "Teach me shit, teach!"
Tenko turned to face Katsuki, the two stopping dead in their tracks. "Why did you choose me? Because I'm…" He stopped himself, stopping to see if anyone was nearby, whispering his next words. "Because I know Toshinori's secret?"
"Yes," He bluntly replied, a determined look in his eyes "I need to get stronger, Shimura-sensei."
Tenko could tell this didn't come from a place of arrogance. He looked at his eyes through his bruised face, the bandages doing nothing to hide his strong glare. Katsuki Bakugo was among the top of his class, in grades and in physical performance, but he was still behind some others, and Tenko could only assume it was a wake-up call for the boy he saved not long ago.
"Bakugo, why do you want to be strong?" Tenko asked.
"I want to…" Katsuki pondered his answer for a moment, creases forming on his face as he visibly struggled to find it. It was a simple question, but Tenko didn't ask for a simple answer, he wanted Katsuki's true feelings.
"I want to upstart a shitty Quirkless loser," The answer surprised Tenko. "I have someone I have to save. Don't get the wrong idea, though! I'm still gonna be the Number One Hero! I'll be the best of the best!" He gritted his teeth, stomping his foot on the ground. "You fuckin' shitty teacher! You should know this better than anyone, right?! I'm here for growth, to get better! I can't fuck around anymore, I can't take it easy, I…"
"The Villains attack really got to you, huh?" Tenko patted Katsuki on the head, a fatherly gesture,despite the small age gap between them. "You always have that strong exterior on you, but you're actually more aware of your shortcomings than you let on, right?"
Katsuki leaped back, using an explosion with his left hand to do so, shocking Tenko. "Sh-...Shut the fuck up!" He furiously blushed, trying to put up a tough guy act. "Who're you, tryna psychoanalyze me?! Just do your goddamn job, I'll kill you!"
Tenko sighed, suddenly remembering who he's dealing with. Though he wasn't one to speak, since despite what he said, a part of Tenko was happy that Katsuki chose him for his internship.
"Alright then," Tenko said. "First lesson, we're going to do something about that temper of yours."
"Huh?" Katsuki had quite an angry look in his eyes. "You gonna try and therapy me, pale man? You think you got it in ya?" He jutted his jaw out, like some kind of yakuza delinquent.
"You can't intimidate your teacher, Bakugo," Tenko said, grabbing Katsuki by his shirt and beginning to drag him, as the blonde boy began resisting, flailing all the while and throwing all sorts of creative insults towards his teacher. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna coddle you. by the end of this week, I'll teach you everything I learned thanks to All Might."
Katsuki suddenly stopped his resistance. "Oh right, you said you were trained by him, weren't you?"
"Yes." Tenko replied. "Well, his training wasn't really the best. It was mostly some allies, the people who know about his condition. Learning at U.A., and then training under Pros including All Might... it was really tough, but I can't deny it helped."
"Do you hate him?"
"No. No, I don't." Tenko calmly replied. "I'm angry at him still, but I can't hate him."
"He needs a successor. You should accept it." Katsuki said. "You're the one he chose."
"I can't." Tenko said. "I'm not worthy. This Quirk of mine is dangerous enough. If I had One for All...I shudder to think what it would do."
Katsuki didn't say anything. He already felt he stepped on too many toes as is.
The only thing on his mind was the one he once knew as Izuku Midoriya. He had confirmation he was not only alive, but also the leader of the League of Villains. With his first move, Tomura already gained quite the level of infamy, both to the general populace of Japan and the underworld.
He could only shudder to think what else Tomura was planning, but his focus wasn't just that. Katsuki made his decision, even if it kills him, he's going to drag that shitty Deku back home, free him from this path of villainy he chose before it's too late.
Katsuki could see it in his eyes. Even if they lost their color, there was still a faint glimmer of that boy who wanted to be a Hero. He wanted to snuff it out badly, and All Might's rejection only contributed to that, but it was still there, however small, Katsuki wanted to believe it was so.
"Shimura-sensei." Katsuki spoke, now walking alongside Tenko. "Is it possible to save people who chose to be villains?"
"...?" Tenko looked at Katsuki as if he's odd for a moment, before pondering the answer. "Well...A villain is defined as someone who rejected society and defied the laws of this world. I suppose, if they haven't crossed a line, there's still a chance to, yes."
That answer didn't instill much faith in Katsuki.
"What if they did? And you still wanted to save them?"
Tenko began to suspect there was something else to Katsuki's questions. He wanted to dig further into it, but felt it wasn't the right time, judging by his uncharacteristically honest tone.
"I believe…" Tenko paused, trying to think of the best answer. It was odd, he felt a sense of irony for what he was about to say. "Circumstances out of a person's control can lead to their path to villainy. If it was their choice, it might be difficult, perhaps impossible."
"And if it wasn't of their own choice?"
"Then I think, if they are given the choice to choose, even if they've fallen and crossed a line, there's a chance they can at least undergo a change for the better."
It wasn't a satisfying answer.
But his words stuck to Katsuki.
"Choice."
Did Izuku have a choice when he became a villain?
Who's his Sensei?
What is all this talk of a debut?
Why did any of this happen?
At the center of it all, stood Katsuki Bakugo, the first person who denied Izuku Midoriya his dream. It couldn't be that simple, there had to be more factors to it.
I can't give up on him, Katsuki thought. That shitty loser couldn't make it as a villain
No, he mustn't, because even if it was slim, it was still at the tip of his fingers
Katsuki can save him. He will save him. He must.