Today was an exciting day! A very important day!
That was Denki Kaminari's first thoughts when he woke up today, because today was his first internship at the Work Experience Program, and the Hero he chose was none other than one of Japan's most famous lightning Quirk users!
The Zeus Strike Hero, Electoplant!
He arrived at the Amplant Hero Agency, a rather humble three story building, with the offices at the top floor.
Denki took the elevator, reaching his floor. He took a deep breath, before he opened the door and entered. "Sir Electoplant-sensei! Denki Kaminari is here, at your service!" he bellowed out, giving the brightest smile and happiest expression, trying to make a good first impression.
At the seat of the office desk, Electoplant, the foreign Hero from America, quickly leaped from his seat in joy, his arms extended as if expecting a hug, his black suit with white lightning strips and red cape looking just as cool as they have in the pictures Denki saw in articles. "Aha! Denki Kaminari, my young spark! I'm glad you chose the Electoplant Agency as your Work Experience!" The Hero's rough Japanese mixed with his obvious American accent didn't deter the absolute glee in his voice.
"Thank you, sensei!"
"Please, call me Electoplant! No need for formalities, Kaminari-sama!" Electoplant said, surprising Denki, though he could only assume he was unaware of how to use honorifics correctly.
After all, Electoplant, real name Robert Tesla, was originally from America. It has been a few years since he officially moved to Japan and built his own Agency. There were two reasons behind it, the first was his marriage to the Heroine Amplifier, real name Hina Otonashi, having met her when she temporarily relocated for some overseas work in America, and the second was the realization he had encountered a young All Might during his stay in America during a small conflict with two villains.
"I'm excited to be working with another electricity Quirk user, Electoplant!" Denki hasn't encountered many people with a Quirk like his. Purely elemental Quirks were oddly enough a rarity, the majority not even falling under an elemental category.
"Hoho, that's precisely why I chose you!" The Zeus Hero excitedly posed, his cape dramatically billowing via the electric currents running throughout Electoplant's body and suit, as if to accentuate his point. "We shall not waste time, Kaminari-sama! Let us begin your work experience!"
Denki could feel himself getting invigorated by Electoplant's electrifying personality.
However, it was cut short by the arrival of Amplifier, who knocked on the door "Honey! I brought breakfast!" She exclaimed happily towards her husband.
"Hina-chan!" Electoplant's entire mood shifted instantly, as his wife leaped into his arms, catching her and twirling her around before the two struck a heroic pose together. "Kaminari-sama, meet my beautiful wife, Amplifier!"
"Wow! You really are married, Electoplant-sensei!" Denki exclaimed. "You two have been married for a few years now, right?"
"That's right, that's right!" Amplifier excitedly replied. "Me and Robbie-chan have been together for so long! I still remember our first meeting~ It was so romantic."
It was actually quite mundane.
The two simply chatted it up by pure chance.
They teamed up while Amplifier was in America, after finding out her Quirk synergizes with Electoplant's, getting a boost in both power and range, like an AMP getting an electric boost to its sound.
From there she worked as his sidekick, and before she moved back to Japan, Electoplant proposed to her, at which point they moved in together in Japan and opened their Hero Agency together, though they also owned a music store, selling a lot of electric guitars and other instruments powered by the awesome power of modern electricity.
Nowadays, they act as equals, a Hero Team, rather than Hero and sidekick.
Team Amplant!
"But, let us not dilly dally Kaminari-sama, we have a duty to uphold!" Electoplant said, trying to get back to the subject at hand.
"Nuh-uh." Amplifier stopped her spouse, pulling him by his costume's lightning strike horn "Not on an empty stomach! Have you had anything yet, Kaminari?"
"Ah, no, ma'am! I was too excited and couldn't afford to be late even a minute!"
"What a hard-working young man! Very well! You'll get the pleasant treat of trying out this Heroine's fine cooking!" Amplifier said, and before he knew it, Denki was eating breakfast in the Agency office with Electoplant and his wife, the Hero taking off his mask, revealing his brown hair and foreign features, such as his blue eyes, and defined jawline, not dissimilar to All Might himself.
"Wow, this is amazing! What is this?" Denki asked Amplifier.
"That's an American dish! I learned it during my stay there. In fact, it was my dear Robbie who taught it to me!" Amplifier said, lovingly staring at her husband as she did, who returned the same loving gaze.
"That's right! I was raised by a single mother and had two younger siblings! I had to be the man of the house, which meant picking up essential skills like cooking, home improvement and other such skill sets!" He proudly exclaimed, looking back fondly on his family. "We should send them a letter, Hina-chan! It's been a while."
"You're right! We should!"
"It's not too rare to see sidekicks and Heroes married to each other, but not a lot are open about it," Denki thought to himself, continuing to feast.
A while later, the three finished their meal, and Electoplant struck another pose. "Right, Kaminari-sama! Let us begin your work experience! For real!" He said, standing upright, his hands on his hips, and beginning to perform exercise moves.
"Are we...training?" Denki asked.
"Nay, we're doing warm ups!" Electoplant replied. "My Quirk is called Bio-Zeus! It makes my body like a battery! But to charge myself up, I have to do physical movement! I always do exercises before heading to stay healthy and make sure my wattage is high!" he explained.
"Ah, I see!"
"Come, join me, my young spark!" Electoplant invited Denki, as his wife joined in as well, the three performing warm up exercises together for around thirty minutes, far more than Denki expected.
After those ten minutes, Denki felt the strain on his body, especially in his legs, panting and sweating after the non-stop exercise.
"Right-o!" Electoplant, on the other hand, was still full of energy. "Amplifier, we're on duty now, so we must be serious. No more jokes." His tone and mannerism suddenly became serious for a moment.
"Oh, who am I kidding? With a wife like this, I can't possibly keep myself contained!" For a single moment, that is.
"You two be careful out there! I'll keep an eye on the office while you're away." Amplifier said, giving her husband and Denki a cheerful thumbs up, and a wave goodbye as they left.
The two electrifying Heroes walked the streets, Denki now in his Hero costume as well. "First things first, young spark, Hero work isn't just about fighting villains. It's also about cultivating a good relationship with the people you will see on a daily basis, and help them any stranger in need, no matter how mundane!" As if on cue, Electoplant spotted a driver trying to start up his car again. "Ah, good sir! Do you require a charge for your battery?"
"Oh, Electoplant!" The driver smiled towards the Hero. "Yes, if you don't mind. My battery's drained again."
"You should really get a new one." Electoplant replied, walking over to the car. "Actually, young spark! This will be your first assignment!"
"Oh, young spark? You got yourself a student, Electoplant?" The driver asked.
"He's an intern, on his one-week work experience with me." Electoplant replied. "Denki Kaminari! He's a U.A. student!"
The driver let out an impressed whistle. "U.A.? Guessing it was the Sports Festival?"
"That's right, sir." Denki replied. "I caught Electoplant's attention with my awesome skills!" He said, trying to hype himself up.
"Well, it was mostly our similar Quirks." But Electoplant trampled his attempts to. "Now, Kaminari-sama, go ahead and charge the battery. I'm sure you know how to control your electricity well enough for that, yes?"
"Well, I always charge my phone, but I don't know about a car's battery," Denki replied. "I don't know how much voltage I should let out."
"Your first lesson," Electoplant said. "Learn the right amount of discharge. Have you ever tried sensing electricity, Kaminari-sama?"
"Sensing? I guess I do sometimes feel the currents. All tingly and such."
"Place your hands on the minus and plus, Kaminari-sama," Electoplant said, and Denki followed. "Can you feel anything? Try and focus."
Denki tried focusing his senses on the electricity. He always had a general "sense" of where electricity was and where it travels to, but he never could do more than that.
"I can't really…"
"Ah, and that's the thing! I can't is an absolute! An objective statement! But an objective can be shifted through sheer will!" Electoplant said. "We will work on your abilities, and hone it better." As Electoplant spoke, he placed his finger tips on the minus and plus of the car battery, and with a nod, the driver started the engine, successfully turning the car on.
"Thanks, Electoplant. I owe you dinner again." The driver said.
"No matter, my friend! Just be safe out there and visit a garage!" He waved goodbye as the man drove away, turning to Denki. "Did you sense that, young spark?"
"I did!" Denki excitedly replied. "You barely discharged any electricity but you still managed to charge it up!"
"Exactly!" Electoplant bellowed out in laughter "But, Kaminari, I didn't discharge anything."
"What? But I-..."
"That's the thing. I mastered my Quirk, Kaminari-sama. I don't release electricity out of my body. It flows through me at an almost constant state," he explained. "In essence, I always have electricity streaming through me, and thus, just touching a battery, I can charge it without the need to consciously discharge it, but I do need to be conscious to not shock someone by accident. Like I said, I am like a battery that is charged via physical exertion."
"Wait, so I release bio-electricity, but mine can't be controlled and aimed, or generated for that matter… It's more like an AOE attack that doesn't distinguish between friend and foe, and I can release practically as much as I need, but only up to my wattage limit, or else my brain gets fried," Denki said. "But you generate wattage from physical exertion… Do you have a limit like myself, sensei?"
"I do," Electoplant replied. "Theoretically, I can charge up as much electricity as I want by just exercising a ton, but despite my unique biology, this human body still suffers backlash. If I overcharge myself or overuse too much electricity, my body goes numb from the aftershock, and I cannot move for a day, maybe more. Not to mention, I naturally get a boost to my strength, speed and senses, but I can boost it further, but that only ups the risk of overcharging."
Denki stared at his sensei in amazement, but also shock. His Quirk was fundamentally the same as his own, but his method of gaining firepower was different, and Electoplant has mastered it to the point he turned it into a physical enhancement, giving him more power than Denki by default.
"After that, I also have to charge myself back up again. The electricity my Bio-Zeus generates if I just stay idle for days and don't move isn't enough. It could maybe last for a few seconds, or a full minute, but I need to do some serious exercise to fully charge up to an acceptable level again!" Electoplant continued to explain. "My wife, Amplifier, her Quirk allows her to increase her voice in a manner not dissimilar to Present Mic's Quirk, but hers is more like an AMP. Thus when our powers combine, I can power her up like a battery, and we synergize into an awesome combo!"
"T-...That's amazing, Electoplant-sensei!" Denki's eyes lit up, excited at the prospect of learning under the Zeus Hero. "Will you teach me these techniques?! Maybe I can internalize my electricity to power myself up too? Or maybe sense electricity?!"
"That's the goal!" Electoplant enthusiastically replied. "It may not be the same, but you will create and achieve your own unique power with your Quirk, Kaminari-sama! I, Electoplant, swear it by you!"
"Right, Electoplant-sensei!"
The two electrifying Heroes excitedly pumped their fists into the air, as they continued on, finding more car batteries to charge and looking forward to Amplifier's cooking, though Denki would later find out it was nothing compared to Electoplant's own cooking skills, the sensei who taught Amplifier all the secrets of America's finest cuisines.
"Yo, Shoto!" The Flaming Hair Hero, Burnin', loudly greeted the son of Endeavor into the Flame Hero's Agency. "How's that hot sister a yours?! Geddit?! Hot?! Hahaha!" Her appropriately fiery personality clashed heavily with Shoto's more reserved nature.
"Fuyumi is fine, Burnin'." Shoto calmly replied.
"Haha! Nice." She leaned in closer. "Can I get her number?"
"Ask father."
"No way, man!" Burnin' wide, tooth-baring smile didn't fade as she replied in a clearly scared tone. "Endeavor would kill me if I tried hitting on his kid!" The fear in her voice didn't match the enthusiasm and energy on her face.
"Hmph." Shoto found the prospect of Enji Todoroki bothering with engaging with Fuyumi to be laughable. "Where is father?"
"Right there!" She led Shoto to Endeavor's office, the large door opening for him. "Ya chose the right Agency, kid! We'll make ya burn hotter'n the sun in no time! Flame O-...!" Burnin' was cut off by the door shutting the moment Shoto crossed into the office.
"Shoto," Endeavor addressed his son, gesturing to him to sit on the chair in front of his desk. "Sit. We've much to discuss."
Shoto walked over to the desk, but chose to stand instead of sit, a clear sign of rebellion against his father, small as it may be, though Endeavor simply sighed at his behavior.
"I'm glad you chose right. No other Agency would train you as well as your father," Endeavor said. "You finally accepted your flames as well. Now, you can finally refine it to grander heights, and soon, you will surpass-..."
"I did not accept anything," Shoto cut off his father. "Using my left side disgusts me still. It fills my stomach with nothing but resentment towards you."
"Hmph. Is that the excuse you use?"
"These flames are not yours, however," Shoto said, his piercing glare focusing. "If I reacted faster back when someone got hurt, they may have suffered less, and that was the first time I realized that these flames can do more than just hurt people."
"That Mikumo Akatani filled your head with strange ideas, Shoto," Endeavor replied. "I forbid you from meeting with him anymore, did I not?"
"And what of it?" Shoto shot back. "You never cared about my personal life, unless it somehow hindered your ambitions. Don't be mistaken. I am not here because I accepted you or this side of mine. I only learned to give it a chance, but it's not for you."
Endeavor sighed, standing up. "You're more stubborn than Touya," He muttered, just low enough for Shoto to not hear. "Whatever. It doesn't matter. Shoto, you can scrutinize me and my methods all you like, but all that matters is you still came to me to seek strength."
"I did."
"The villain's attack…" Endeavor reminisced briefly. "You stood by and did nothing, as you watched a classmate nearly have his skull crushed by that thing, Nomu."
"I need to be faster. My reaction was slow. I took too long and ended up doing nothing."
"Use your words. You know what the problem was."
Shoto bit his lip, before answering.
"I was saved."
"Exactly. And there lies the problem," Endeavor said, his tone growing stern. "A Hero is the one who saves, not the one to be saved."
Shoto said nothing. The idea of strength has been so ingrained into him that he couldn't refute Endeavor's point.
Strength meant to save and win, not to be saved and defeated.
"We will begin without delay. All your training will be done within the Agency building." Endeavor began laying out his plans. "I will be the one to train you, of course." As he said that, he began walking away to the office door. "Change to your Hero costume. I will meet you on the Gym floor."
Before Endeavor left, however, Shoto said something that made Endeavor stop dead in his tracks.
"Mother is doing well."
"I visited her not long ago," Shoto continued as father and son's backs faced each other. "She apologized incessantly for my scar."
Endeavor stood silent, digesting this information. He didn't need to hear any more. It was Shoto's most painful memory, and when he truly started to despise his father.
"I'm glad," he said, in his typical apathetic tone, leaving the office, shutting the door behind him. "Do not be late."
In a less heated atmosphere, Mezo and Hanta met up for their own internship, under the Hero Kamui Woods.
"Bit of a humble place, huh?" Hanta said, looking at the two-story Kamui Woods Agency. "I heard he doesn't really have sidekicks. Think we got a shot at that, Shoji?" Hanta smiled at his multi-armed classmate.
"We shouldn't aim so high right away, but there's no harm in having ambitious goals," Mezo replied, rather humbly. "Hm, yes, I think we should focus on what Kamui Woods-sensei can teach us before we think about the sidekick gig."
"You really gotta be serious about everythin', huh?"
The two entered, heading to the office. "Yo, Kamui Woods? Sir?" Hanta called out.
"Sero, we should be more respectful," Mezo said.
"Calm down, dude. It's not like we're strangers."
"Yes?" Kamui Woods answered, popping from the wall at the side of the room, the kitchen section. "Ah, the interns! You arrived sooner than I expected. A moment please." He said, before exiting the kitchen, plates of food held by his wood vines. "Please, sit." He gestured them towards a table at the break room. "This is perfect timing, actually. I had just finished."
Kamui Woods laid down two plates of breakfast for each student and one for himself, as the two boys sat down at the same side of the table, Kamui Woods on the other end.
"Please, dig in."
"Uhm." Hanta awkwardly stared at his plate, and then Kamui Woods, who still had an apron on, right over his Hero costume. "Kamui Woods-sensei, I didn't know you cooked."
"I picked up a few hobbies while hospitalized," Kamui Woods replied. "It really gives you a new perspective, being mortally wounded and forced to take time off to regain your strength."
"Oh yeah, you had a run in with that Ricochet Rico guy, right?" Hanta recalled.
"That's correct, Sero."
"Kamui Woods-sensei, if I may," Mezo spoke. "How are your injuries?"
"I suffered some pretty bad injuries," Kamui Woods replied. "I can't lie to you, students. This is what Hero work entails. The danger of serious, crippling injuries. I had to undergo several surgeries before I regained consciousness."
"Jeez, he really messed you up." Mezo lightly nudged Hanta for his potentially insensitive comment.
"It was a wake-up call, to be honest," Kamui Woods said, crossing his arms, trying to look serious. The image was somewhat tarnished, however, by his "Kiss the Woods" Apron, a prototype merch item from a company Kamui Woods recently teamed up with, mostly definitely to be redesigned and reworked. "I didn't take the threat seriously enough. I got a big head, and I suffered for it, as did my friends. So that will be your first lesson, Sero, Shoji, do not underestimate your opponent, ever."
"That's an excellent first lesson, Kamui Woods-sensei!"
"Please, Shoji, that's a mouthful. Just call me Woods-sensei." One could feel a smile behind Kamui Woods' mask "Now, why did you choose my agency?" As he said that, he removed his mask, beginning to eat from his plate, gesturing for the boys to do the same.
"I saw a similarity between our Quirks," Mezo was the first to answer. He used one of his Dupli-Arms to grow a mouth to eat with, and another to speak with. "You grow multiple vines from a single arm, while I can grow many from mine. It's a bit of a shallow comparison, but I felt we could learn a thing or two from you."
"Hm, not incorrect," Kamui Woods said. "I could teach you more techniques, specifically restraint ones. You have a lot of potential, Shoji. What about you, Sero?"
"Same reason, kinda!" Hanta replied with a toothy grin. "You use a lotta restraining moves, and got a lotta great mobility, and I feel I can learn a thing or two from your techniques."
"Another excellent point," Kamui Woods complimented the two. "I will do my best for you. Although I'm mostly a solo act for now, I often team up with other heroes. You all should learn to work together as well, but I'll start with your Quirks first. Tea?" He offered them.
"No, thanks. I'm more of a coffee person," Hanta replied.
"Aren't you 15?"
"I have stress from classes."
"I'd like some," Mezo said, as Kamui Woods poured him a cup. "Woods-sensei," He didn't quite like the sound of that name. "Do you have any plans for us?"
"We'll leave the first two days for assessment," He replied. "I will gauge you, and use that to sufficiently train and foster your skills in the remaining days. A week may seem like little time, but the experience you will gain will prove invaluable."
Experience.
Unknown to Kamui Woods, the two boys already garnered plenty of experience facing two dangerous villains. Even when they were forbidden from killing Class 1-A, the danger and threat was still ever present.
Mezo, who barely participated in the actual fight, his focus being on staying in the sidelines alongside the other students who weren't as battle oriented, and Hanta, who stepped back the moment things went bad.
It was shameful. They both felt useless because of their inaction.
But this internship was the chance for them to change for the better.
The other students all had that weight upon their shoulders, each processing it in their own way. The fight against the villains was difficult. A class of twenty, versus only two villains, and still they couldn't win without the assistance of one of the Big Three, Mirio Togata, saving them at the last moment.
Heroes being saved by other Heroes simply felt wrong. They should have the strength to win themselves.
Those thoughts came circling through Ochaco's head, as she reached the Agency of the Wild Wild Pussycats, accompanied by her friend Tsuyu.
"W-...Well, Tsu-chan! Let's hope our internship goes well!" Ochaco declared towards the frog girl.
"You sound nervous, Uraraka, ribbit," Tsuyu noted, honest as always. "Don't think too much about it. We're here to get better."
"Y-...Yeah!" Ochaco puffed her cheeks in determination. "Our fight against that Kyub and Entropy duo fell apart once our team did, so working under another hero team will help improve our strategy!"
Ochaco had other reasons for seeking improvement and growth.
The fight against Tomura Shigaraki. Someone she thought was just a normal, kind-hearted Quirkless boy with crushed dreams, who she grew some sort of liking to, turned out to be the acting leader of the League of Villains.
The gap that existed between them felt insurmountable. His physical conditioning was something outright unreal, even in this world of superhumans, and there was another thing, his Expulsion, clearly a Quirk.
Did he lie to them about being Quirkless to get their sympathies? If no, then did he truly gain a Quirk somehow? Is such a thing possible?
"Uraraka, are you okay?" Tsuyu said, noticing Ochaco was deep in thought, simply standing in place.
"Ah!" She snapped awake. "I'm sorry, Tsu-chan! Let's go in!"
The two girls entered the rather adorable looking cat-themed and shaped building, finding themselves surrounded by even more cat oriented paraphilia and furniture. Even the doorknob looked like a cat's paw, and the welcome mat was decorated by pawprints.
It was a bit overwhelming, but cute nonetheless.
"-ussycats!" The moment they entered, the two girls heard a loud declaration, seeing the Hero team, Wild Wild Pussycats, striking a group pose towards two students, who turned to see Tsuyu and Ochaco, the Pussycats also standing still and staring.
"We're the Wild, Wild Pussycats!" The heroes simply did their pose and introduction over again for the two girls who just entered, and they somehow felt a modicum of regret.
"I knew we were missing someone!" Mandalay was the first of her team to speak. "Welcome, students! Please introduce yourself!" She spoke in an energetic tone, though it was nothing compared to the green-haired Ragdoll's twitching body movement and rapid blinking.
"A-...Ah! I'm Ochaco Uraraka, ma'am! Class 1-A! My Quirk is Zero Gravity! My favorite food is Japanese cuisine! I'm almost 16 years old! My hobbies involve watching the night sky!" She quickly broke out into a lengthy introduction. "My parents work at construction, and my dream is to be a Heroine who can support them with the salary of Search and Rescue!"
"Uravity…" Tsuyu simply stared at Ochaco's radiating energy.
"That's good energy!" Pixie-Bob exclaimed. "What about you?!" She directed her attention towards Tsuyu
"My name is Tsuyu Asui, ribbit. My Quirk is Frog. I like jelly." She was much more composed and to the point compared to Ochaco. "I want to be a Hero who saves people."
"You're that kind of person, huh," Pixie-Bob replied.
"Hey, hey! You two as well!" Ragdoll excitedly spun around, directing everyone's attention to the other two students. "Introduce yourselves!"
One of the two students, a blonde and blue-eyed young boy, grinned arrogantly before staring at the two 1-A students, his expression being a mixture of disdain and arrogance.
"I am Neito Monoma! You already knew about it though, didn't you, Class 1-A?!" He quickly gave the worst first impression when addressing the two girls. "I see you stole our idea of interning under the Pussycats! Wise choice, considering it was our idea first, hahaha!"
"This kid's a bit loose in the head, huh?" Tiger nonchalantly muttered, as everyone else had a reaction that said the same thing.
Amidst his bellowing and laughing, he was knocked out cleanly by a single chop to the back of the neck by the orange haired girl with him, catching him before he hit the floor. "Sorry about that. Monoma can't keep his ego in check sometimes. My name is Itsuka Kendo. My Quirk is Big Fist!" She was much more approachable compared to Neito.
"Now that we're all introduced!" Mandalay got the students' attention, except the still unconscious Neito. "It's good we got four students, this means it'll be easier!"
"Easier?" Tsuyu asked.
"That's right, that's right!" Ragdoll continued. "You're gonna act as a team! We want you to learn about teamwork under us! That'll be our focus!"
"Ah, I see! Teamwork!" Ochaco exclaimed with a fierce expression. "You're gonna teach us how to make use of our Quirks in unison and adapt to any situations using good communication, strategy and cooperation, right?!"
"That was my part…" Pixie-Bob replied, depressed.
"Very astute, Uraraka! Nyan!"
"Nyan…?" The conscious students thought to themselves, taken aback by the cutesy mannerism of the burly Tiger.
"Is he gonna be out for long?" Mandalay asked, referring to Neito, still being held by Itsuka.
"Ah." She casually chopped him on the way again, awakening Class 1-B's sin of Pride.
"Class 1-A!" He immediately returned to his usual self, before realizing he's been out cold. "Kendo, what did I miss?"
"We're a team with the 1-A students."
"Ha." Neito let out a small chuckle, before the realization of her words sunk in. "Ah! I see!" He took it rather well, all things considered. "So these 1-A losers think they're not good enough without teaming up with 1-B?! How strange! I thought 1-A were the stars of the Sports Festival, with all your recklessness!"
Ochaco and Tsuyu went pale momentarily, fearing Neito somehow knew about their stint against the villains and illegal Quirk usage.
"That Bakugo guy really made a show! I bet you guys got into deep trouble for that, hahaha!" Fortunately, he was referring to Class 1-A's sin of Wrath, letting them sigh in relief.
"What's all this ruckus?" The group were interrupted by the presence of a young boy with a horned cap entering the room. "Auntie, who's this?"
"Those are the U.A. students interning under us!" Mandalay quickly slid over to the boy "This is my second cousin, Kota Izumi!" She introduced him.
"Hmph." The young boy scoffed, a piercing and cold glare in his eyes.
"Ah, what's this? Are you here to learn about Heroes, boy?" Neito was the first to approach the boy. "You're in luck! I, Neito Monoma, am the primer of what an ideal Hero i-...!"
Before he could finish, Neito's monologue was cut short by an abrupt punch to his groin, causing his face to go pale, though his arrogant smile remained, albeit weakened and shaken up. All he could let out was a weak whimper, falling on his knees, as he began to worry for the future of the Monoma Family.
"Oh my god, Monoma!" Itsuka quickly leaped to his side, glaring at Kota. "Hey, what's the big idea, kid?!"
She was taken aback by Kota's harsh stare, before running away, exiting the room as fast as he came in, stopping only momentarily to look back on them.
"You should all give up already. Being Heroes is stupid." His words were extremely harsh for someone so young, as he finally left the room.
"I'm sorry about that…" Mandalay sighed, as the other Pussycats' expressions showed this wasn't a first time thing, not necessarily anger, but mostly worried. "Kota… He's a bit distant to strangers."
"Yeah, but hitting Monoma in his Monomas is a bit much, isn't it?" Itsuka replied, helping Neito up on his feet, his face now dazed as if his soul left his physical body.
"W-...Well, he's a bit awkward." Mandalay couldn't reveal the sensitive and tragic events that lead to Kota's current disdain for Heroes, the death of his parents, from such a young age. The trauma he suffered changed the young boy's entire view on Heroes in the blink of an eye, and he has nowhere else to go but with his cousin, Shino Sosaki, the Heroine Mandalay.
"That's enough about that, we've been distracted for too long, Mandalay!" Tiger exclaimed, trying to get things back in motion.
"Ah, you're right!" The team posed again, declaring their name once more. "Right, students, let's begin with team building efforts!" Mandalay said.
"That's right! We're going to teach you the value of friendship!" Ragdoll followed it up.
"Your hearts are still young, so there's plenty of room for growth!" Pixie-Bob added.
"And we'll beat it into you, so don't think you can slack off!" Tiger roared.
Neito stood on his feet, his knees still shaking and weak from Kota's surprise attack. "Haha, Class 1-A… I'll show you… the superiority of 1-B…!
"Oi," Tiger broke out of the team pose, placing his paw on Neito's head. "This isn't a competition. You're all working together."
"Eh?" Neito said, seemingly a bit too slow on the uptake.
Tiger breathed out, smoke coming out of his nostrils, his intimidating aura finally registering into the blonde boy's head as the other students took steps back.
"Teamwork makes the dream work, Monoma-nyan."
"Nyan…?" Neito realized he has made a mistake in his arrogance.
"We're gonna beat your asses!" Ragdoll exclaimed.
"With the importance of friendship!" Pixie-Bob added, narrowly avoiding a potential visit from child protective services.
"Was this a mistake…?" Ochaco thought to herself, getting a rather different view on the Heroes after actually meeting them face to face.
"This is going to be very interesting, ribbit." Tsuyu was more open and looking forward to the internship, a neutral expression on her face as always.
Itsuka on the other hand, was mostly concerned about Neito having to learn to team up and work with 1-A students. Had it been with other 1-B students, she would have nothing to be worried about, but Neito's one-sided rivalry with 1-A would surely get in the way.
At the same time, the rest of Class 1-A have met up with their prospective teachers.
Toru Hagakura interning under the Ninja Hero, Edgeshot, hoping to learn something about stealth and how to better take advantage of her invisibility from someone who excels at the ninja arts. By coincidence, Mashirao Ojiro also chose Edgeshot. Somehow, the two didn't realize that until they already arrived at the Agency.
Rikido Sato chose Fat Gum, someone known for being physically powerful despite his adorably round appearance, unaware one of the Big Three, Tamaki Amajiki, was also interning under him with a license. It was a pleasant surprise, to be sure.
Minoru Mineta wished to go for a heroine, due to his own perverted reasons, but ended up being rejected from every female led agency, ending up at Best Jeanist due to the pathetic number of offers he received, surprising him more when one of the top ten heroes sent him an offer. He would soon find out the purpose of it wasn't any potential in Minoru but simply Best Jeanist being disgusted in his lecherous personality and wishing to impart better manners onto him, for the sake of his image as a Hero.
Ironically, the mild mannered Koji Koda ended up interning under the Monster Hero, Godzillo. Fortunately for Koji, the large reptilian Hero was incredibly friendly and welcoming of the shy boy.
In another turn of irony, Kyoka Jiro turned out to also intern in the Electoplant Agency, but under Amp Heroine, Amplifier. The shock of finding out Denki was interning under her husband got a good laugh out of the couple.
Finally, Yuga and Mina were interning under the Dragon Hero, Ryukyu. Neither could remember how or why they ended up under her, but they couldn't find reason to argue about it, being simply glad someone accepted them, chaotic as they may be together.
The students of 1-A began their important first steps into their dreams of heroism, anxious or nervous as they were, and as much as the current state of affairs were incredibly tense due to the rise of the League of Villains, they couldn't let it take them down.
That was the main thought going on in Fumikage's head, finally reaching Fukuoka, the location of the Hawks Hero Agency. Following the Sports Festival Attack, Fumikage was uneasy, even if Team B managed to save the civilians, he nearly lost control momentarily when trapped in utter darkness.
There was great promise in interning under the Number Three Hero, above all else in his experience, and the fact Hawks was a prime player in turning the tables on the villains.
"Yo, Tokoyami-kun." Fumikage quickly turned, seeing the Wing Hero Hawks behind him casually greeting his intern. "You're my intern, right? Hard to miss you when you stand out so much. You like black, I see." The manner at which he spoke was more like an old friend than the youngest Pro Hero in history, shocking Fumikage.
"Hawks-sense,." Fumikage, by comparison, was much more serious and polite, more "adult". "It's an honor to meet you, I-..."
"Hey now, no need to be so formal," Hawks said, pulling up his visor. "You up for some drinks, Tokoyami?"
"Drinks?" Fumikage was perplexed. "Shouldn't I be under training for the internship?"
"Hey, no need to rush it!" He slapped Fumikage on the back, much like how male friends greet each other, nearly pushing Fumikage off his balance. "Let's take it easy, Tokoyami! Come on! I know a great spot!"
When he meant a great spot, Fumikage assumed it would be a humble, small cafe where they would sit down and converse. Instead, he found himself taking the elevator of a skyscraper, one where almost each floor was a restaurant, eventually reaching one named "Yoritomi", Hawks' favorite.
He found himself sitting with excellent meals on the table in front of him, smelling absolutely divine, something Fumikage has never felt before.
"H-...Hawks-sensei, is this a good idea?" Fumikage asked Hawks, who was already chowing down on skewers, simply staring at his intern confused.
"What? Don't like skewers? I guess being a bird makes it awkward," Hawks said, gesturing to the waitress. "Don't be shy! Order whatever you want."
"It's not that, it's just…" He stopped when he saw the waitress approach him "Ah, I'll only take some tonkotsu ramen, please. Nothing special." Fumikage requested, as the waitress cheerfully wrote down his order and left. "I simply didn't think I would begin my internship dining. I do not have much money on me."
"Oh, I'll pay." Hawks said, smiling casually "Eat as much as you like kid."
"Ha-...Hawks-sensei, I couldn't possibly!"
"Nah, man, nah, go ahead." Hawks insisted, calling the waitress once again. "Hey, get me some soba and drinks for my little intern here!"
"Hawks-sensei!"
"Tokoyami-kun, we need to take care of that attitude of yours. You're too stiff!" Hawks exclaimed, downing an unspecified alcoholic drink, emptying the glass cup, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Being a Hero is serious business and all! But having some time to kill can't hurt!"
"That's a bit carefree, isn't it…?" Fumikage expected something more dignified and serious from the Number Three.
"Do you think physicality is all that you should look after?" Hawks asked Fumikage, whose eyes widened in surprise, before beginning to ponder the answer.
"You're going to say the mentality of a Hero is also important, right?" He deduced correctly.
"It's an obvious answer. Anyone could answer that, even that wild boy Bakugo," The Wing Hero said, his expression becoming somewhat more serious. "Tokoyami-kun, I don't want you to focus on just being stronger when it comes to your body. Your mind has just as many vulnerabilities as your muscles."
"I understand that, yes, but what does this have to do with anything?"
"Hero work is a stressful job, Tokoyami-kun." Hawks paused momentarily, as the waitress brought forth more food for the two avian Heroes, overwhelming Fumikage further with options ."It challenges you not only physically, but mentally as well. There's therapists specifically made for Heroes, you know? Sidekicks, even interns and students like you."
"That's...a very unfortunate reality, yes."
"And that's the thing!" Hawks suddenly slapped the table a few times, as if trying to make sure Fumikage isn't losing interest in the conversation. "Heroes value their physical condition more than mental! If you let your Hero work be your entire life, all you'll end up with is stress upon stress upon stress! You need to find time to rest and relax! Otherwise you'll find yourself losing more and more strength in your mind!"
"I suppose I can understand…" Fumikage said, before being suddenly fed a skewer by Hawks, who seemed rather intoxicated.
"You need to be a great Hero who is so good, he'll be able to find time to kill." Hawks said, his expression and tone quite serious, despite forcing Fumikage to finally start on his meal. "So! Starting tomorrow, we're going to work on that hard ass personality of yours!"
Fumikage began eating his food properly after Hawks finally let go. "I suppose...the mental fortitude of a Hero matters as much, lest their mind sinks into darkness," he said.
"Exactly! Now you get it!" Hawks exclaimed, pleased that his student is already making progress. "For today, I'll show you around Fukuoka and how I work, after that, you can start to learn more. This is gonna be a great week!"
"I look forward to learning from you, Hawks-sensei," Fumikage said, put off by Hawks' unexpected personality, but one couldn't possibly become the Number Three without the skills and knowledge to back it up.
Surely, this was the right choice.
Returning to Tenko and Katsuki, the two continued walking, Katsuki clearly losing patience at following his teacher all day without any progress being made.
"Oi, pale man, are we doing anything today?" Katsuki asked Tenko, clear impatience in his tone.
"Not today. I didn't get to plan this. So for today, why not join my family for dinner?" Tenko casually replied, rubbing medicinal gel around his eyes.
"W-...?! Is this a goddamn joke to you?! I'm here to get stronger! Not fuck around with play pretend!" Katsuki angrily shouted at Tenko, who has become immune to the explosive boy's wrathful bellows. "Your wife better make some good spicy stuff or I'll be pissed!"
"I'm not married," Tenko replied. "It's my mother and older sister."
Katsuki seemed guilty for a second, before returning to his usual self. "Who's cooking?" He asked, in a calmer tone.
"Hana-chan usually cooks, but since you want something spicy, I'll make something up for you too. Can't have her make everything herself." Katsuki couldn't help but feel some melancholy from Tenko's tone, feeling he should give him some distance "How's your arm?" But Tenko broke the silence, referring to Katsuki's broken right arm.
"Ah, it mostly just scratches." Katsuki replied.
"And your face?" His stomach dropped when Tenko asked him about his bruised face. The excuse Katsuki used shortly after the battle against Tomura was school rivals when Eijiro and the rest dragged him to the nearest public hospital, but he felt that it somehow wasn't very convincing when it came to his teacher.
He simply grunted and turned his face away from Tenko before answering. "I already told you, I got into a fight."
"Pretty rough fight then, huh?" Tenko sarcastically replied, as if he knew it was a lie. "Kids these days really are cruel. They're born with this power natural to them, and suddenly, the limits for what they can and can't do becomes more and more vague. Especially with how our society hasn't really changed all that much, despite what we think."
"Hmph," Katsuki scoffed, trying to ignore Tenko's words, but he couldn't help but feel that he spoke from experience or out of the fact he knew about Katsuki's early childhood behavior, especially towards Izuku Midoriya. "So? Were kids cruel to you?"
"Well…" Tenko finished applying his gel before replying. "This face doesn't really make it easy on you." He didn't need to say much more than that.
Eventually, the two arrived at the apartment complex, climbing the stairs until they reached the right floor. In all of that, Katsuki couldn't help but feel a strange air of familiarity and nostalgia walking here, but he couldn't tell why.
Suddenly, however, Tenko stopped dead in his tracks, Katsuki bumping into Tenko while he was distracted. "Hey, what's the big idea?!" He exclaimed, before noticing an adult man standing in front of a door, knocking at it.
He was tall, dark haired, with slicked back hair, but a little cowlick on the right. The man turned, noticing Tenko, who had quite a sour expression on his face.
"Tenko," The man said. "I was… wondering if anyone was home."
"Hey, who's this old man?" Katsuki asked, before Tenko extended his arm, as if trying to keep him back.
"Is that one of your students, Tenko?" The man asked, smiling and trying to seem welcoming. "I heard you became a teacher at U.A., it must have excellent pay."
"Why are you here, Kotaro?" There was a venomous tinge to Tenko's voice, ignoring Kotaro's friendly attempts, turning his expression to a frown.
Kotaro walked closer to Tenko, before speaking. "I came to see your mother and sister. Am I not allowed to visit my family?"
"Family," Tenko muttered under his breath. "Hana-chan and Mom aren't home. They went to get groceries."
"I know Nao is sick. She can't leave the apartment, especially being left alone in the apartment itself," Kotaro replied. "I-..."
"That's enough." Tenko grabbed Katsuki's wrist, beginning to drag him "Leave. Now." He angrily sneered at Kotaro. "And don't come back." He quickly opened the door, letting Katsuki enter first.
"Tenko." Kotaro called out, halting his son temporarily. "How much do I have to apologize before you forgive me?"
Tenko paused momentarily, before simply entering the apartment and locking the door behind him.
"What was that about?" Katsuki asked, as Tenko still seemed outright furious, but trying to stay composed.
"No-one important." Tenko replied, turning around "Hana-chan, Mom, I'm home." Just as he called out, his sister and mother emerged from the other room, his sister leaping into his arms for a hug.
"You're home early!" Hana exclaimed. "Oh, who's this?" She quickly turned towards Katsuki, leaning down to his level.
"This is Katsuki Bakugo, one of my students." Tenko replied.
"Ah, the troublemaker!" She exclaimed "Nice to meet'cha, Bakugo! I'm Hana Shimura!"
Katsuki's face lit up, brightly red, Hana's own face rather close to his own, wearing rather casual and loose clothing "I-...It's nice to meet you!" He said, taking a few steps back, creating some distance between them.
"Ah, what a lively student," Nao said, struggling to sit back down on her seat. It wasn't a matter of age, so much as just a simple illness she unfortunately suffered from "Nice to meet you, Bakugo-kun."
"...Nice to meet you, ma'am." Everything clicked for Katsuki. The man outside waiting, Kotaro, was the husband of Nao, the father of Hana and Tenko, but there was some friction between them, most of all Tenko.
"Hana-chan, help me make dinner for everyone." Tenko said "Bakugo likes his food spicy, so I'll take care of mine and his meal."
"Alright, bro!" Hana replied, as the two headed to the kitchen
"Bakugo, you just sit in the living room until it's ready." Tenko instructed his student, who did as he was told.
Katsuki sat down on a three person coach, as Nao sat on a different single seat coach, watching the TV. There was nothing eye grabbing on TV, just news and weather reports.
"So, you are Tenko's student?" Nao spoke, breaking the silence in the living room. "This is the first of his class I've met. Tell me, what's it like learning with my son?"
Katsuki would have typically answered loudly and without a filter, but looking at Nao made him instinctively try his best to be polite. "It's okay. He's a good teacher." He didn't have much to say. It was difficult to express himself when he's holding his feelings back.
"I'm glad…" Nao softly said, sighing in relief. "Truth be told, I was a bit worried, hearing that Tenko was being promoted to homeroom teacher after the original teacher was hospitalized suddenly. I was worried being thrust so suddenly into such an important job would be difficult, but I'm glad he's been doing well."
"Are you…" Katsuki held himself back for a moment. "Are you well, ma'am?"
"Ah, was it obvious?" Nao said, as if embarrassed. "I'm unfortunately not very well. I've fallen a bit ill, but I'm lucky to have two wonderful children looking after me. I just wish I wasn't such a burden."
"You're not a burden," Katsuki replied, almost on instinct. "Any child would do this for their parents."
"My, you're much sweeter than Tenko described."
Katsuki blushed slightly, looking away in embarrassment.
"Oh, your picture's falling out." Nao said, pointing at Katsuki's pocket, which had a picture slipping out of it.
"Ah." He grabbed the picture, holding it in his hand and staring at it, Nao noticing the sudden look in his eyes.
"Is everything alright, dear?"
"It's nothing. Just a childhood photo." Katsuki dismissively said.
"Oh, may I see?" She asked.
Katsuki didn't see a reason not to, handing it over to Nao.
"My! What an adorable child!" she said, a motherly expression across her face. "You had such sharp eyes even as a kid."
"I-...I got them from my mom!" he exclaimed.
"Hm?" She suddenly began staring more intently at the photo. "How strange…"
"Something wrong, Mom?" Tenko said, entering the living room, beginning to place food on the table, turning off the TV as he did.
"Tenko, does this child not look familiar?" Nao said, handing Tenko the picture, despite Katsuki's objections.
Tenko looked at the picture, seeing the young Katsuki, and beside him, a young Izuku Midoriya. "Wait…" He walked away, as Hana continued preparing the table.
"Hey, give that back, pale man!" Katsuki exclaimed, as Tenko entered his room without looking back. "What's the big idea?!"
"Calm down, blondie, Tenko's probably just checking something." Hana said, having finished preparing the table, sitting right next to Katsuki, who blushed at how near she was to him. "Let's just eat!"
Katsuki grumbled, trying to eat with his left hand, though he found it difficult since his right arm was still in a cast. Hana took notice of that and began to feed him, and he reluctantly accepted it, his face flushed all the while.
A chill went down his spine as he felt the presence of Tenko standing behind him, the Decay Hero catching him with chopsticks in his mouth, fed by his own older sister. However, Tenko simply presented two photos to him.
"What's this?" Katsuki asked, grabbing the two photos. One of them was the one he brought with him, the other, a familiar pair. "Wait…"
It was his childhood friend, Izuku Midoriya, and his late mother, Inko Midoriya. His expression showed extreme grief about recognizing them.
"These were the last owners of this house." Tenko said, sitting down alongside everyone else. "I thought that kid in the picture looked familiar."
"Hmph," Katsuki didn't say much, just staring at those photos.
"Wait, does Bakugo know them?" Hana asked.
"That kid is Izuku Midoriya, isn't he?" Tenko inquired. "I always felt bad about throwing away that picture so I kept it around."
"I almost forgot what auntie Inko looked like," Katsuki said, sounding rather calm, reminiscing to himself.
"So you did know the previous owners," Nao said "Are they…?" She hesitated to complete that sentence.
"We can talk about it more later," Tenko said, grabbing chopsticks himself. "It's dinner time. I'll have questions for you, but I'll leave them for tomorrow for when the real internship begins."
"So you are intending on teaching me something," Katsuki said, snarking.
"Don't you get sassy with me." Tenko replied. "I just need a day to actually plan something."
"Ah! Does this mean Bakugo is going to visit us again?!" Hana excitedly asked.
"No," Tenko replied. "But he can visit later if he wants. After school that is."
"Woo!" Hana excitedly yelled. "I always wanted to know what it's like to have an even smaller brother!"
"S-...Smaller…?" Katsuki was taken aback by Hana's sudden attachment to him.
The first day of internships continued along smoothly, a bit rougher for some, but an exciting first day regardless, meeting Pros and their environments.
However, for the underbelly of society, things weren't any less exciting.
"Tomura-chan." Himiko sat at the bar stool, playfully waddling her legs in the air "Where did you go yesterday?" She addressed the young boss of the League.
Tomura stopped amidst his sweeping of the bar's floor, staring at Himiko. "A-...Ah, it was just some business with Sensei."
"You always mention this Sensei…" Dabi said, sitting next to Himiko, hunching on his seat, holding a cup of alcohol in his hand, swirling it around, staring at it. "But we only meet him through that monitor." He gestured at the monitor in the bar. For customers, it was just a TV to play random channels, or a channel requested by a patron, but to the League, it was Sensei's communication device.
"What are you saying, Dabi?" Kurogiri said, pouring a drink and sliding it across the bar counter towards Mr. Compress.
"Just saying, is he so important that he can't personally greet us?" Dabi replied, downing his cup, tossing it over to Kurogiri for a refill. "I feel left out, man."
"You are the elite guard of the League, chosen by Tomura Shigaraki himself," Kurogiri said, refilling the cup.
"I am here because of Stain." Dabi took the cup back. "You went to save him, but you failed at actually retrieving him. That's just...disappointing."
"That should be more motivation, then," Tomura suddenly said, putting the broom on the side once he finally finished sweeping the floors. "You should live up to his legend."
"Tomura has a point," Compress said. "You three really follow that man. I don't quite get it myself, but his death shouldn't deter your motivation. I believe he was all about that."
"It's unfortunate." Spinner joined the conversation, leaning against the wall. "But yeah, we shouldn't let his death stop us, Dabi, Toga. We should live up to Stain's will, and upstart these fakes!"
"Honestly, I'm not too bummed out~." Himiko replied, cheery. "Everyone here is so nice anyway~ I'm just sad I couldn't stab him myself, and become him."
"T-...That's kinda creepy..."
"I'm a simple lady, Spinner!" Himiko wagged her finger at Spinner. "I just want to love people!"
"At least Spinner's serious about this," Dabi snarked at Himiko's motivation.
"Now, now, no need for us to fight about ideologies!" Magne said, carrying her club wrapped in cloth with ease. "We're all here, united because society rejected us! So, we should all stay united in our goals."
"Magne's right!" Twice exclaimed, leaping onto one of the bar patron tables, holding two bottles of very, very expensive alcohol. "We're all losers together! We should die together! We fucking suck!"
"Jin-chan, I'm very worried about you. Your self deprecation is serious. Please, talk to us," Magne said, in a moment of genuine concern for her ally.
Twice's body lost its energy seemingly all of a sudden, dropping the two bottles of alcohol on the ground, shattering them on impact "...I need a hug." He said, getting down from the table.
"Oh, Jin-chan, baby, there there." Magne said, putting her club down and embracing Twice in a hug "Hugs are nice.. No need to be so negative."
Twice could only sniff, supposedly crying underneath his mask. "I'm just not used to talking about my feelings."
"I thought we were villains, not group therapy…" Muscular sarcastically said, looking at the emotional scene. "Oi, Tomura, can we really take as much alcohol as we want?"
"Yes, yes!" Tomura replied. "All I request is your cooperation in my Quirk notes and loyalty in our goals!"
"Heh, I don't care honestly!" Muscular bellowed. "As long as I get to kill more people, I'll let ya take as many notes as you want!"
"I still think it's bullshit I'm supposed to abide by the laws…" Mustard said, eyeing all the adults having their alcoholic drinks.
"Hey, don't be sad, Mustard! We don't need alcohol!" Himiko said, leaping over towards Mustard. "Here, let's compare weapons!" She pulled out a combat knife. "Show me your gun, let's see what's better."
Mustard was not as excited as Himiko, especially with her knife so close to him.
"Why are we even this so called elite?" Dabi said, getting off his seat, downing his drink and smashing the glass cup on the floor. "What was that test you had, with that Bakugo kid? Did that even include anything in our goals, or was that just a personal errand for you?" He walked closer to Tomura, bending his upper body forward and leaning to meet eye to eye with Tomura. "What are we doing here, Tomura Shigaraki?"
Tomura looked nervous, gazing directly at Dabi's turquoise eyes. "W-...We're working on our goal. Be patient. We can't rush things after our first move!"
"Oh yeah? And what's our next step, o' leader?"
"Dabi, stop bullying Tomura-chan," Magne said, coming to Tomura's defense. "I know you're a hard ass like your idol, but Tomura's right. Rushing things after he worked so hard on that Sports Festival Attack is just asking for everything to fall apart."
"Hmph," Dabi scoffed, turning around, his back facing Tomura. "It'll be disappointing if I came here just to sit around…"
"You don't have to for long," Tomura said. "W-...We're making progress behind the scenes. Giran is working his hardest to get us more connections and recruits."
"Giran is a good guy!" Twice exclaimed. "We should help him out and look for recruits too!"
"That's a great idea, Twice!" Tomura excitedly replied. "If you guys find anyone interesting, let me know. It could be a new ally."
"Roger that, Tomura-chan!" Magne said.
"Hell yeah, I'll find us the best allies! Those losers suck ass without us!" Twice concurred.
"It will be slow, but I promise you everyone," Tomura smiled towards his allies "You all have exceptional Quirks, and you all sought out the League. Those two reasons are why you're the elite of my League."
"You're makin' me blush, kid." Muscular mockingly said. "But I appreciate it."
"Wasn't there some death row inmate who also joined?" Dabi asked.
"Ah, Moonfish is…" Tomura glanced aside. "A bit difficult, so he's among the other recruits."
"Where are those recruits anyway?" Mr. Compress asked.
"They're everywhere." Tomura replied. "They all have communication devices with them. If we need them, we call. They're not as important. Though, the ones who survived the Sports Festival Operation have stuck around the area, in rented apartments or just squatting here, waiting for the next move."
"Looks like you're giving them quite the cold shoulder, boss." There was a terribly disguised mocking tone when Dabi referred to Tomura as boss. "But since I'm so important to you, I guess I shouldn't complain too much."
"We're moving forward," Tomura said, rubbing sweat off his forehead. "I've gotten a step closer to my debut. Just one more Quirk."
"Tomura," Kurogiri called out to the boy. "While we are still closed, we should get more drinks, since some of our friends like to incessantly drown their issues in alcohol." He glanced briefly at the majority of the League's elites.
"Right away, Kurogiri!" Tomura replied, upbeat, but upon his first step, Tomura tripped, and soon, his knees buckled and met the floor, surprising him. He hasn't lost his balance in such a pitiful way in so long, that it seemed almost like a dream it even happened.
"You alright, Tomura?" Himiko was the first to ask Tomura, noticing he was staying down for quite a bit.
"A-...Ah, I'm alright!" Tomura replied, brushing it off as he stood back up "I guess I'm a bit under the weather." He chuckled, rubbing sweat off his forehead again.
"Tomura." Kurogiri grabbed his attention. "Was the second Quirk transfer a success?"
"It was! Why wouldn't...it…?" As he spoke, Tomura felt his throat gag, a torrent of muck making its way through his stomach and then his throat, eventually reaching his mouth. His cheeks puffed up, his hands instinctively covering his mouth, and his body rejecting blood uncontrollably, causing him to vomit it onto the floor, covering his hands and shoes. "Ah…" His knees gave in once more, going weak, as everyone else looked on at the bloody scene, with Tomura being the most shocked, despite his expression still forcing a smile.
"Tomura-chan?!" Magne was the first to react, quickly running closer to Tomura, but quickly stopped once he gestured her to stay back.
"I-...I'm…" He tried to speak, reassuring his allies, but another wave of blood poured from his mouth onto the floor, his stomach feeling like it was being pressed, his throat becoming incredibly sore, and tears uncontrollably dripping down his cheeks from his eyes. "I'm...fine…?" Tomura seemed genuinely confused at his predicament.
"What's going on?!" Magne grabbed onto Tomura, trying to help him stand, but felt his usually iron body feel unnaturally limp and weak. "Kurogiri! What is this?!" She yelled at the bartender.
"Hm." Kurogiri seemed unfazed by this sudden bloodbath, his eyes simply squinting as if trying to recall what to do. "I will call the Doctor," he said, beginning to walk away. "You lot, maintain Tomura's health until I return." His atypical manner of speech and tone remained steadfast despite the gruesome scene, and without any further exchange of words, Kurogiri vanished through a warping gate he created, leaving the League behind.
Tomura stared at his blood soaked hands, shivering and shaking uncontrollably. His ears were ringing, stinging. His vision was dazed and blurry, and his head was spinning. The only constant feeling he was sure of was the taste of iron in his blood mixed disgustingly with the vomit in his mouth, his eyes widened and pupils dilated in shock, trying to piece what's going on together.
The Quirk transference was painful, but it shouldn't have been this terrible. Two Quirks are nothing, and yet somehow, he was already suffering from severe side effects.
The third one should have been more serious, maybe even forcing him to yield and allow body modifications by the Doctor.
"M-...Ma-..." Tomura quickly covered his mouth with his hands, before he could finish, feeling more coming.
It then came to him, an epiphany of why he was uncontrollably vomiting his own blood.
Quirklessness.
Transfering the first Quirk went by easy, but the second was already a toll on the body of someone who's never experienced a Quirk for even a year, so to receive a second one so soon, when his body was still adjusting…
Could he even survive a third?
"Hey, kid, you okay?" Muscular asked, as the rest of the League began to surround him, with the exception of Dabi who stood at the side, distant from the rest.
"Twice, make a copy, quick!" Magne exclaimed "He's losing blood from all this vomiting!"
"Ah, I'll help!" Himiko said, going to get her support gear for an easier blood transfusion.
"N-...No…" Tomura tried speaking. "I'm...I-..."
"That's enough, Tomura! Don't speak!" Spinner exclaimed.
"He's right, Tomura!" Mr. Compress followed suit, helping the young boy sit down on a nearby seat. "Don't move! Kurogiri will be here soon! Twice! The clone! Quick!"
"Already working on it!"
It felt like a long and messy night, struggling to keep Tomura alive until Kurogiri eventually returned. In reality it was merely a few minutes. He nonchalantly carried Tomura with him, leaving the so-called elites to clean the mess he left behind, and the clone that died for the sake of the blood transference.
Kurogiri forgot, however, that he also left the bar's alcohol supply for the villains to freely indulge in. Those that were alcoholics and of legal age, that is.
It was a very important day, and the next, will prove just as important for the students of 1-A and the League of Villains.