CHAPTER 13 – New plans

"Ten more laps, and then maybe you'll have a break."

Aizawa sounded more irritated than usual, and Philae obeyed without so much as a groan. If she complained too strongly to the other's taste, she was sure she would have to run twenty laps instead of ten. Her teacher was just in no mood to hear her out.

It seemed her episode against the villains did not go unnoticed per se, especially by the media and the police, but at UA, there was another group who had had a tough time, and her adventures were drowned into the maelstrom of events. Izuku and Kirishima had encountered new forms of instant villains, boosted with an illegal drug called 'Trigger'. The public was beginning to get aware of that phenomenon, and it was getting dangerous. The League of Villains was now one of many other problems and the pros had a lot on their plates, Aizawa included.

Hence the dark-haired male's fuming attitude at the fact that he had to watch Philae until All Might was out of the hospital. He had twice as much work to do, with helping his colleagues and baby-sitting the dragon disaster. Talk about his shitty luck. To vent off his anger, he made the young woman train physically like a drill sergeant, deciding everything, to the times when she could go pee. He knew no mercy, and heard no arguments. In his eyes, if the girl could pull out such a stunt, growing dragon parts and the like, there was no arguing against a drastic training. It was time she had the same treatment as her classmates, all the more because she had a longer way to go.

The most urgent matter was her stamina. Clearly, the energy drain her Quirk demanded was likely to kill her more quickly than any villain she could encounter. So, she had to work on expanding her physical and mental endurance, so as to sustain a stable link with minimal effort, and get more aware of her body's limits. His programme might not be as thought of as All Might's, but at least it did not involve mayhem or student-killing risks. And it could be applied on anyone, Philae Crawford included, regardless of Quirks and individual abilities. The only thing he had to adapt, was the level of his exercises. He was tough, but not a sadist. Well, not too much at least, and less so when he was not pissed-off. The girl would survive this anyway, if she could survive two villains at once.

She would also have to ask one of her dragons if they sensed her and the link's limits, just so that it was clear on both parts that the last incident was not to happen again, and that it was everyone's matter to counter such happenings if need be. Philae and he had agreed to summon the fire wyvern, for even if he was grating on Aizawa's nerves, he was wiser than the tiny green chick, and less dangerous than the gigantic serpentine dragon king. And he seemed to respect his young summoner, so there were fewer chances that he would let her kill herself from exhaustion. Or so the teacher hoped. In any case, he could still try to use his erasing Quirk.

Philae finished her tenth lap, sweating and out of breath. They had gone on like this since the early hours of the day. Running, stretching, pulling some weights, stretching, jumping, stretching, running again. Never the same exercise for too long, and never involving the same muscles twice in a row. It had been her routine for some days now, and she wondered when she would even begin to get used to it. At least, Anubis was allowed to follow her, as long as he did not disturbed her, and he offered some kind of support. She complied to anything Professor Aizawa made her do, and focused hard on not disappointing him. His hawking gaze never left her, preying for her mistakes.

She knew it was for her own good, but she could not help expecting the afternoons impatiently, for she was free to go visit All Might at the hospital. As free as she could when escorted with two policemen in civilian's clothes, anyway. She had seen her teacher looked even jumpier than she, apparently irritated with staying in bed for too long, and she tried her best to cheer him up.

But before that, she had to survive her spar against Eraserhead. The dark-haired male was waiting for her on the training grounds, shooing Anubis into a corner and glaring daggers at her. She prayed the gods to have mercy on her and joined him.

Toshinori hated hospitals. They reminded him of unpleasant times, and he would have preferred running away as soon as his legs could carry him long enough to go back home. Unfortunately for him, his body would not comply. He could not move too much, or his wounds would never heal properly. The stab wound, along with one of the largest gashes he had received, had both needed quite a number of stitches, and the doctors were unwilling to let him go until they were beginning to mend. He could not afford neglecting his body like the time when he was All Might, so he let the medical staff force him to stay, and Philae's visits were one of the rare daily events he looked forward to. Young Midoriya was busy with his internship, and Tsukauchi had tried to visit for coffee one afternoon, but he was quite occupied too. Other than that, the blonde was alone. In a sanitised room. And he hated this.

Of course, the 'Hole-in-jeans' accident had never been mentioned again. It had been tacitly agreed that the subject would not be broached, as both Toshinori and Philae were too embarrassed to look at each other in the eyes if they thought about it, for very different reasons.

The former hero could absolutely not think about his student in any other way than 'nice', and so he banned the words 'cute', 'attractive' and their synonyms from his dictionary when it concerned her. She was his student, and she would remain that way if he could have it. He only hoped she would get dragon-proof clothes soon, so that his poor heart avoided another mini cardiac arrest. He would not ever think about why he reacted so disproportionately. Better to leave that Pandora Box closed and sealed.

Naturally, no one except them, the officer present at the time, Tomagawa, and Tsukauchi, knew of this, and it had to stay that way. Aizawa especially, could not know about this. Never. Toshinori preferred torture to this. He could bear with the teasing of his detective friend, but not the vicious, sadistic kind of humour the dark-haired male appreciated.

As for Philae, she could not admit her mortification at embarrassing her teacher in front of others with her carelessness. Not only him, but Tamagawa had seen, too, to her utter misery. Part of her argued that they had probably seen worse than a patch of butt skin, but still, it had been her butt, exposed in front of All Might, the most famous hero on this side of the planet, and her bloody teacher, the one man she respected most here. By the gods, was that shameful. She was glad he did not mention anything, and she would not either. She began to owe him quite a few things.

All in all, both of them simply enjoyed snacks and light discussions together, sometimes centred on All Might's – past – career, sometimes unveiling snippets of Philae's life in her world. The blonde discovered his was more advanced in some aspects, such as support devices like trackers, intercoms, and everything the hero industry had helped develop over the years. However, Philae's had developed far more advanced technologies in terms of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and entertainment. Those different evolution tendencies were obviously connected with the specific aspects of each world, but it never ceased to amaze him, that heroes had only existed in fiction for the young woman. Then again, so had incredible, Earth-destroying powers for him. So he got endlessly captivated with the parallels and discrepancies they could draw between their dimensions.

Toshinori sighed and fidgeted in his bed, waiting. The young woman always came around three, and from two and a half, he was already feeling impatient. The whole morning had been uneventful, and he was eager to have company, at last. He absently scratched on his bandaged side, which twinged unpleasantly but not too painfully. The nurses had checked on him, and his doctor had come earlier to tell him he would be able to go rest at home in a day or so. He was alone in his room, with his phone and a TV he cared little about. His friend was at the station, working on that strange case of instant villains, and his young heir was at Nighteye's agency. He could not get himself to find an occupation and he was dead bored. So, he waited as he could.

A knock on his door sounded at three and a quarter. Toshinori called out to them to enter, and Philae came in, a bag in hand. She sported a few more bruises and cuts than the day before, but they did not seem to bother her too much. She was smiling.

"Hello, All Might," she greeted him, panting slightly, "sorry to be late."

The retired hero waved at her, a smile instantly forming on his lips.

"No worries, it's not as if I'd go anywhere. I'm glad you're here."

Her cheeks were flushed, and she tried to catch her breath while she approached the chair next to his bed and sat down. Had she been running? It appeared so. Behind her, one of the two policemen escorting her closed the door. Toshinori glanced at it briefly, before he turned back to her.

"No problems with villains? I heard they're getting more daring."

Instant villains popped randomly anywhere these days. The worst, was that those were normal citizens, until the drug got injected in them, and their Quirk went out of control because of it. The authorities and heroes were overwhelmed with alerts, and the League had taken advantage of the various scuffles to retrieve the two injured recruits Philae had taken out, when their guardians had been distracted enough. Tsukauchi was on edge, and the girl still had her escort only because she appeared a priority in the villains' interests. The former hero did not tell her this, though. He did not want to worry her.

Philae scoffed and shook her head.

"With my two bodyguards tailing me non stop? Not a chance."

"Right. I thought you just ran away from a fight."

"What?" She looked surprised. "No, I was at the convini down the street, and I took more time than necessary to get you something. There were too many choices. In the end, it was silly, 'cause I got you simple stuff."

She opened the bag and took out two cans of iced green tea from a famous brand, two paper cups, a plate, a knife, apples, and a melon pan. The blonde eyed the items, humming at her remark.

"Great choice still."

Philae broke into a grin.

"Simple is best at times." She opened one of the cans and poured the drink in one of a cup, then gave it to All Might. She frowned slightly. "I'd prefer my guardians to do more interesting things, though, like their usual job. I'm not comfortable with my distracting them from their duties, and as much as they tell me they're okay with it, I know they aren't."

Toshinori accepted the cold drink and took a sip, grateful for the familiar taste.

"Protecting you is also part of their job," he tried to appease her. "No matter how powerful your Quirk is, you're not supposed to use it, and you're still considered a civilian until you've got your provisional license."

"I know, but it's so frustrating!," she protested. "They're surely needed somewhere else, and they must be missed on much more serious cases. Yet here they are, following a dumb teenage girl. And they're not the only ones. You should see Professor Aizawa... He's furious, and rightly so."

Ah. Sure, the blonde could imagine Aizawa's awful mood pretty well. Maybe he would talk to his colleague and apologise for the trouble. As for Philae, he guessed it only meant she underwent harsh, but fair treatment from the dark-haired gruff. It might serve her more than anything he could do at the moment, so he was sorry but not too worried. She was in good hands.

He took another sip and let out a contented sigh.

"Thank you, the tea here is awful," he declared, earning a snort and a cheeky wink.

"I noticed."

They chuckled at that. It must be a curse, that coffee machines in hospitals always produced horrible things. Tsukauchi had nearly choked on the dishwater he had been served, and Toshinori preferred drinking vinegar rather than their tea.

Philae took an apple and proceeded to peel it. Watching her hands work around the fruit, the blonde insisted.

"You shouldn't feel bad for that. It's not your fault that the villains attacked you. You managed to knock them out, but the police needed to discourage other potential attacks. You don't have to feel undermined because of it."

The knife paused a fraction, before it resumed its task.

"No. But I don't like to be a burden to anyone."

"I understand, but believe me, you're not. It's just how it goes."

If anything, he felt like the burden here. Without her, the retired hero might have been turned into sliced ham by that Toga girl. The thought that he now needed to be saved by others, while he had been the one saving for so long, left a bitter taste in his mouth, that even the delicious tea he was drinking could not wash down.

Philae hummed uncertainly, cutting the fruit into pieces and placing them neatly on the plate. She offered them to All Might, who thanked her and took a bite. She then opened the plastic wrapping of her melon pan, amused blue eyes observing her.

"You really can't resist the stuff. I didn't know one could love melon pan so much."

She stopped and her cheeks coloured again, this time from embarrassment.

"Sorry. Would you prefer some of it, and I eat the apple?"

When she came, she always offered him her pan, which he politely refused, preferring the fruit. His stomach accepted the latter better, whereas he reserved the sweets and cakes for very special occasions, as he had difficulties to digest them properly if he ate too many. Philae knew that and chose the food she brought him consequently, but it did not stop her from offering her own food.

She also brought other different things, and left her teacher enough to enjoy until her next visit. Today, it was apples and tea – refreshing, delicious tea, tasting like nectar to him in this place –, but she had already brought him pineapple, bananas, and crackers, as well as newspapers, books, and writing stuff. Toshinori did not like to write per se, but he sometimes had ideas for his classes or details he wanted to remember about various things, so he appreciated having a pen and paper at all times. The books were entertaining, and the papers helped him keep tabs on what happened in the world, even if he had television and an internet connection. When reading a paper, time passed more quickly, it seemed.

Back to the conversation, he shook his head.

"Thank you, but no. I wouldn't want to steal your food."

Philae made a face between a frown and a pout, but she nodded and bit into her pan, sighing in happiness. She did love that stuff. Her bliss never ceased to amuse her teacher, and he smiled fondly. They ate and drank in comfortable silence for a few minutes. They had discovered they did not always need to talk, simply enjoying each other's presence, and it was appeasing to both of them.

After a while, Toshinori finished his tea and spoke again.

"Hopefully, Aizawa won't have to be all grumpy with you for long. My doctor told me I'll be discharged tomorrow, if the last results of my blood tests come in time."

At this, Philae's face glowed with a beaming, toothy smile.

"Really?"

The blonde could not resist offering a grin of his own and nodded.

"Yes. I'm relieved to finally leave this place. I've never been fond of hospitals."

"Neither do I," she replied, her smile a shade more bitter, "though it's been better with time. At first, I couldn't even let any man in white come near me. I was a wild beast ready to bite off limbs. Needles still make me shudder."

"So that makes two of us," Toshinori tried to sound casual, "I've seen enough doctors for the rest of my life."

"I bet. Does Izuku know about this?"

She supposed the green-haired teen would be the first to be informed. The former hero, to her surprise, slapped his forehead with a groan.

"Darn, I forgot! I didn't want to disturb him as he worked, but then..."

Then he had gotten impatient with seeing Philae. And he had momentarily forgotten Izuku. Stupid! He had promised his young heir he would tell him when he got news, but he had not. Philae cleared her throat to have his attention back.

"It's still early in the afternoon, maybe you'll be able to send him a text in a few. He finishes at five, unless he gets held back, doesn't he?"

Toshinori glanced at his phone. Four o'clock. She was correct, he was not late. I still have time. Damn, am I acting silly!

"You're right," he admitted, relieved, "I'm always feeling like time drags by here, and paradoxically, I get to lose track of it easilly. I'll text him at five, then. Oh, and Tsukauchi, too."

At that, Philae noticed once again that her teacher was very familiar with the inspector, going so far as calling him by his surname. And retrospectively, she remembered how the policeman had talked about All Might, threatening her of making her pay if she harmed the former hero. She wanted to know.

"You're very good friends with Detective Naomasa," she said, curious.

If Toshinori were taken aback, he did not show it. Instead, he smiled gently.

"That I am. We've known each other for a very long time."

She felt more embarrassed than ever.

"I'm sor-"

"Don't," he cut her off, guessing where she was going and not wanting to hear any more apologies from her, "you don't have to feel guilty of anything. My friendship with Tsukauchi has nothing to do with the way he interrogated you, or with the fact that he's appointed two men to protect you. He's only applying standard procedures, not indulging old me."

And he was not lying. Tsukauchi could not possibly take two capable officers out of duty just for his own peace of mind. It was not only forbidden by his hierarchy, but he was also too strict to do such a thing. It did not mean Toshinori was not glad to know he had, though. Knowing Philae was as safe as she could be relieved him immensely, even if he could not wait to go back to work with her soon.

"You're not old, All Might," she commented absently, out of habit. "In fact, technically speaking, I think I'm older than you."

This made him laugh. Age was something relative to both of them, with her being too young and him looking too old.

"Depends," he argued. "I may only be in my forties plus, but I'm feeling a thousand years old."

And I look like I am, he thought. His body seemed ready to collapse and turn into dust, with his long bony limbs and paper thin muscles. Who could believe he was no older than thirty-five?

Philae did. Then again, she was a teen born nearly a century ago, preserved in a coma of sorts. That was what Tsukauchi had told him, and it was impossible she could have lied, or else the detective's lie-guessing Quirk would have sensed it right away. She was truly a wonder.

To prove his point, the blonde raised an arm and flexed it, pointing at where his biceps should be.

"My mind may tell me I'm not that old, but my body reminds me everyday that I look like a bony granny. And sometimes, I agree with the latter. Not very attractive, am I?"

Philae tilted her head in thought. True, this was a huge difference compared to the glossy pictures she had seen of All Might in his hero form, all beefy and impressive and powerful. Izuku had leant her his notes about his idol, and she had learnt the man had weighted around five hundred and sixty-two pounds in his best times! Hardly believable when you looked at him now. Yet, she did not agree with him.

"You know," she replied at last, "I don't think that kind of details matter too much." She shrugged and explained, "My father was a real nerd, all brains and no flesh on his bones. He could not lift more than a few pounds, and he was helpless at anything involving physical work. He also had the complete, stereotypical nerdy attire: slender limbs, big round glasses, and unkempt clothes. In appearance, he was nothing impressive, but his heart was golden, and his knowledge was so wide that he could fill a small galaxy with everything he had in his head. My mother was his opposite: she was athletic, feminine and gracious, a little defiant, and she sometimes had difficulties following my father's train of thoughts, even if she was very intelligent herself. Nevertheless, they were deeply in love, and I always saw them happy together."

Toshinori was stunned into silence. That was the first time he heard her talk about her parents in details, other than the fact that they were dead. He imagined a scrawny, bushy brunet buried in books, and a bright-eyed lady in rich, frilly underskirts and silky bustier dresses, and he wondered at their getting together at all. Yet they did, for they had produced two children together. The former hero was curious to know who had transmitted the power to their children.

"My mother." Philae surprised him with her answer. He must have asked out loud without knowing. "She descended from a long dynasty of ancient blood, going as far as the first Hellenic tribes. Dad was a non-magical man born in America, and he travelled to the Old Continent to unveil great archaeological mysteries. She fascinated him, and he made her melt with his clumsiness and adorableness. It was not love at first sight, but when they fell for each other, they never parted again."

A smile formed on her lips, as her memories came back to her. Those were times she held dear, undying moments of family love and comfort. Her link purred, and her eyes shone with a warm, tender light. Toshinori watched her, enraptured, until she snapped back into focus and riveted her glinting chocolate orbs on him. He straightened, worried she might have caught him staring and misinterpreted it.

"So that's why you shouldn't worry about your body too much, All Might. I may be biased because of my raising, but I don't find you unattractive because of your being skinny. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Sexiness does not always lie in muscles, you know." She pointed at her left breast. "It's mostly in here." Then she pointed at her temple. "And it's in here. For those two, you're quite blessed. Please don't change the way you are."

Toshinori's cheeks flared, and a coughing fit seized him out of embarrassment. He was mortified. He had been taken completely unaware, not expecting someone so young and, well, pretty, to try and comfort him on his physique, almost complimenting him.

Philae hurried to find tissues when she saw blood trickle down from his mouth. She reached out tentatively, touching his arm slightly. He calmed down a little, his face fifty shades of red, and she took his hand away to wipe out the crimson droplets running down his chin. She acted extra carefully, not knowing if her teacher was in pain or not. When it appeared he was not, she dabbed a little more quickly. A hand eventually caught her wrist, and her gaze found All Might's, who was still red.

"I can do it," he tried to stop her, "I'm used to these."

"I-I don't mind," she stuttered.

"I do." When he saw her crestfallen face, he immediately continued, "I'm really touched by your concern, but you needn't worry about me. This happens quite often and I'm hardly bothered anymore. Except for the ruined shirts, obviously." When her expression did not change, he added with a shaky smile, "I appreciate your help, but I'm ashamed you see me like this. It's troublesome, and I'm feeling quite the dork."

"Oh." Now she got it and stepped back, giving him the tissue and sitting back into her chair. "I didn't realise..."

"That's alright, I'm okay, see?" He finished wiping his mouth and showed her his now clean face, swallowing back the rest of the blood in his mouth. "All good."

Philae was not convinced, but she nodded nonetheless. Satisfied, Toshinori went back to topic.

"Pardon my question, but what was your mother's Quir- power? If she's the one to have passed it down to you and your brother, I'm curious about her. Not that your father sound any less interesting, mind me!"

Her features softened.

"I understand," she answered. Her eyes got clouded, as she gathered her memories into a comprehensible answer. "Before she married my father, her heart lay with the peoples of the sea. She liked to tell us she could call forth mermen and selkies, and share their strengths and powers. However, she never used their deceitful power of attraction, for she thought it unfair and dishonest. 'Merpeople are selfish creatures', she used to say, 'and they cannot stand a love purer than that they offer'. Her link shut down when she tied her life to my father's because of that. She still had her lovely voice, though. She sang the best lullabies, and she knew all the ballads, in all languages known and unknown to man."

"Did you inherit her talent?"

"By the gods, no!," she laughed sheepishly, "I'm a lot less talented than she. Compared to her, I croak like an asthmatic cuckoo. She had a voice only angels could imitate."

That must have been a grand thing to hear. Toshinori's interest was at its highest.

"What was your favourite song?," he asked next.

"Huh."

Philae needed some time to find the answer. Her memories of that time were quite clear, but she had to focus hard to pick up the exact lines of the ballad she always asked before bed.

When the lines came back, they aligned neatly in her mind, along with the air she knew by heart. She nearly hummed it, but she stopped herself before the notes escaped her.

"Ar Draws y Cae," she answered instead, pronouncing the syllables with some difficulty. It had been a long time since she had used that tongue.

"I don't think I know it," Toshinori regretted. "Is it even English?"

"Welsh, actually. It means 'Across the Field'."

"Would you mind... I mean, I'm not going to judge your performance, I hardly produce decent notes myself, but, you know, I'd like to hear what it sounds like."

She hesitated a fraction of a second. "Please?," he added.

She sighed, nodding slowly.

"Okay. Just don't complain if your ears bleed," she added playfully.

Internally, she was close to a panic attack. Could she manage, really?

When she saw All Might's happy smile, however, and his blue eyes alight with curiosity, she could not go back on her words. Defeated, she cleared her throat, produced some tentative notes to warm up, then took in a long breath. Suddenly, her link hummed and an impulsion spurred her to dive. Her voice echoed in the room before she could realise she was singing.

Yn olygfa'n glir, tyndra yn yr air

The scene is set, tension in the air

Teimladau'n gryf, llid yn ei gwaed

Emotions run high, anger in the blood

Llu o flywr yn paratoi

An army of soldiers, preparing

Yn llawn o hyder i ennill y dydd

Full of confidence to win the day

Llwythau yn rhedeg ar draws y cae

Tribes running across the field

Ei arfau'n pointio at ei gelyn

Weapons pointing to the enemy

Llwythau yn rhedeg ar draws y cae

Tribes running across the field

Yn barod i ymladd am ei rhyddid

Ready to fight for freedom

The song unfurled like an old film reel going in slow motion, bearing the sounds of battle cries, the thundering hooves of war horses, the clattering of spears and swords on shields, and the hearts of hundreds of warriors fighting for what they held dearest. It escaped from Philae's parted lips and soared into the air, getting a life of its own. The young woman's form glowed from the inside, as if the song gave her its essence, or she gave it hers. Fire danced in her pupils, and her skin gleamed with geometrical forms looking like translucent scales. Toshinori was transfixed. Before his eyes, scenes unrolled and disappeared like fleeting memories of another time, and he was a spectator of both this and his student's energy surge.

True, she did not have an exceptional voice. It was correct, but hardly comparable to that of a mermaid, or so he thought. But what impressed him was the power it elicited in her, like a spark turning into a bonfire in an instant. It echoed in his own mind, with the fighting spirit he had kept down since he had given up his career as a hero. He felt... rejuvenated.

When the song ended, Philae blinked a few times, unsure of what happened. She was at peace with herself and the world. Her link was pulsating pleasantly, and she could feel a beat at the other end. But when she reached out, it stopped, and everything was calm again. She then felt the weight of tiredness fall on her shoulders.

All Might's gaze bore into hers. He stared intently, though he looked lost in his own thoughts. After a few moments, he blinked rapidly and sent her a quizzical look.

"I don't know what happened," she pouted, "but it has to do to my link. I'm feeling more tired than before. Guess it's a part of my magic I didn't know about, for I'm not sure it was I who sang all the way. This makes another thing to ask Infuriae next time I summon him."

Technically, it could not be a new power, for the song had only an effect on her, and maybe it impacted All Might a little because he was close. However, it felt more like a reminiscence, than a real illusion or a tangible spell. It calmed her, nothing more, like the times when his father told her and Kai a story, and their mother sang to lull them to sleep.

"You're planning on doing this soon?," All Might asked, snapping her out of her reflection.

"I think so," she replied, finally understanding he was talking about her summon. "I planned on doing this tomorrow or the day after with Professor Aizawa, but I guess you'll be there. He seemed to like you, last time, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Like me?" He blinked owlishly at her. "If you say so."

"Believe, if he didn't, you wouldn't be here to tell."

"Right."

A pause, then, "I didn't understand a single word you said, but it was nice. Thank you for sharing your memories with me."

Philae blinked, blushing a little.

"My pleasure," she managed to say, "I was happy to share things with you. I hope I wasn't to boring."

"Not at all! Learning new things is wonderful, especially when they concern my students or my friends. My life looks dreadfully common, compared to yours."

"You're not saying this seriously, All Might! You're the number one hero, 'course your life's not common."

"I was."

"You are," she deadpanned stubbornly.

Why was it so important for her that she got her point across on this? The blonde sighed, knowing he would not win this. Instead he gave up for now and smiled.

"Anyway, I'm glad you still open to me on your past."

It helped him cope with the darker parts, those he regretted had happened at all. Philae looked down briefly, then back at him, a sad smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She might have sensed what he was thinking, as she replied, "I think we both need it. Thank you for listening."

"Anytime."

"Now." Her smile turned into a lopsided grin. "If you told me about why you chose banana coloured boots? I understand you chose colours according to your American hero persona, but yellow? You're already blonde!"

A heated discussion about fashion faux-pas and hero costumes ensued, during which jabs and barbs were fired. American-Japanese perception clashed with American-bred opinions, but in the end, All Might managed to turn the tables and redirect the discussion. He pointed at flaws he saw in Philae's costume drafts, resulting in a full redrawing of the design for Lady Dragon.

He would make his student a rightful, blazing hero. And it would begin with a blindingly splendid costume. He counted on one hand the times he had had so much fun lately, and he enjoyed every minute of it. That time, the clock ran at full speed.

He could not wait for the following day.

Heya!

I hope this chapter was not too boring T_T I'm trying to develop Toshi's and Philae's relationship, but I don't want it to become a student/teacher relationship with underage smut, and I certainly don't want it to be like 'poof, I love you, let's make out!' XD

As for the song and the lyrics, all credits go to Ceredwen. You can find the song, lyrics, and translation, on Youtube.
I chose a Welsh song because I love those, and also because Gaelic and Celtic tribes bear a lot of mysteries and legends, which was perfect for Philae's mother.

And I'll repeat myself, but it's not a new power (Philae had too many to deal with already). Explanations might come in the next chapter XD