Thanks to the villains, school was out today. I wasn't gonna complain really. All that meant was I could have a rest day. I needed it. The villains honestly weren't the main reason for that. In fact, the police and reporters were more troubling than them, at least for me personally. Realistically though, I needed a day where I didn't see any of my classmates.

The main issue was Iida. I snapped for just a moment. He backed down, but I doubt he'd stay down. I knew he wouldn't be able to find anything unless he asked me directly, but the thought of someone trying to invade my personal business was uncomfortable. It made me feel tense. Like I needed the AC on to calm down.

I couldn't help the sigh that escaped me. Iida wasn't my only problem. Neither were my classmates nor Aizawa-sensei. Shigaraki and whatever villains came wasn't it either. They were problematic, sure. Not to be taken lightly. But other than them, one other issue was my biggest threat. A threat that I couldn't risk. Otherwise, it would cost me my freedom.

That threat was Mom. Or more accurately, Mom's anxiety and want to protect me. It wasn't much of a problem at first. It was actually welcomed. It was the only time I ever really felt such warmth from family. But now, it was overbearing. She wasn't doing anything too much at the moment. When she was informed she immediately went to me demanding answers. I told her everything I knew. Although, I left out the part where Shigaraki wanted to kill me. Everyone else had been told to keep that info to themselves as well. U.A. was in enough trouble with them breaking in trying to kill All Might. If they figured out that I was also on the kill list. U.A.'s reputation would take a huge dive.

When she figured out I was safe and not in harm's way at all. She allowed me to decide whether or not I wanted to stay in school. She made her opinion clear. She was worried about me attending, but she wouldn't intervene. At least not for now. She'd leave the decision to me. Because it was my life. And my future.

Those words had stuck with me. The freedom of choice she gave me stuck with me. At that moment I felt a strong urge to hug her. I don't know why, but I wanted to. Maybe it was because my whole life had been filled with a future that was forced on me. I had to do everything to achieve a future someone else wanted. That man was adamant that I worked toward such a future. I knew nothing outside of those goals and the things I was taught to achieve them.

It was why I searched for freedom. For a boring life where nothing I did was monitored or cared for. Something more carefree. Something that I could learn that I truly wanted to do. Maybe find a passion where I could work hard for that.

Maybe my strong feelings at that moment were a result of Mom allowing me the steps to achieve those things. Even if I were to just to experience them. As a curious person, I wanted to experience them and see what exactly could come of them.

But that was why her words were also a problem. Or more specifically, the two words that left a troubling feeling. She only was allowing me to make this decision for now, but she would intervene if she deemed it necessary. I couldn't have that, I couldn't afford that. So I needed to stay safe, I needed to make sure she didn't take away the freedom I desperately fought for.

The time was currently 9:30. With nothing planned for the day, I pondered whether or not I should sleep for a while longer. I wasn't necessarily tired, but I had nothing too crazy planned. On boring days like these, I didn't think it would be such a bad idea to just stay in and rest.

Yeah, that actually sounded tempting...

*Ding*

Or maybe not. Part of me thought about leaving the message alone. It was likely just the group chat. But as much as I wanted to just ignore it, my want to know what the message was outweighed that. So I picked up my phone. The message was in a separate location from the other millions of messages -a hyperbole- I had received. It was from Kendo.

K: Hey, are you alright?

M: Yes

K: Cool! So you wouldn't mind hanging out then right?

Hanging out? Like outside of school? That sounded exciting! I wonder what we could do? I didn't know many places to go here. Minus a couple of restaurants Mom took me to when I first arrived and the occasional place that piqued my interest when I was on my way to and from school.

Apparently, I had been in my own head long enough for Kendo to send another more worried message.

K: Oh if you're worried about too many people being around then it'll just be me and you! I don't want you to get uncomfortable!

M: Oh sorry. That's fine. I'm okay to hang out

K: Alright cool! Let's meet at Tokyo station. There are a bunch of fun things to do there

M: Alright, I'll be there by 10:30

The conversation stopped after that. Sleeping wasn't gonna happen. Which was probably a good thing actually. I wondered how hanging out with Kendo was gonna go. I had never actually hung out with a friend before. I wasn't gonna count the time with Bakugo. That was a nightmare.

I wondered if this feeling I had was what people usually felt when they were gonna hang out with friends. It was a weird feeling. A welcome weird feeling. But a weird feeling nonetheless.

Already dressed in a pretty casual outfit -nothing too crazy, just something light and comfortable- I made my way out of the house. The outfit wasn't really meant to make me look good. It was mostly meant to combat the heat. It may not have been summer yet, but it was already pretty hot out. That or maybe I just hadn't experienced the heat enough to be accustomed to it.

The outfit still didn't look too bad. At least in my opinion. It was just plain. Nothing that would wow someone. But it wouldn't make me look gross.

Was I thinking too deeply about my outfit? Probably. "Mom, I'll be out for a bit. A friend invited me out,"

Without turning away from the TV Mom responded to me, "Okay, be safe out there!" With that out of the way, I walked out the door.


Tokyo Station was actually far closer to Musutafu than I had originally thought. Originally, I assumed that Kendo would meet me here. But I had actually arrived first. This was probably the first time I had ended up waiting for Kendo for anything.

Thinking back on that. Kendo had done a lot so far in terms of our relationship. She was the initiator of every conversation, the one who came up with plans, and she made sure to reach out a good amount of times considering everything that had happened. It sort of seemed unfair. Well sort of was sugarcoating it. It was unfair. Plain and simple.

Kendo was the first person who I could truly claim as a friend I made. Sure I met people like Yaoyorozu and Kirishima first. But for the most part, those relationships seemed more professional and strict to a school than what I had with Kendo. Likely an effect of meeting Kendo outside of school, but it was still something notable.

She was pretty good at keeping the conversations between us going. She knew if I was struggling to come up with a proper response and how to deal with it. She said she had been used to doing this. I wonder if she had another friend who struggled with communication like me?

Either way, I was grateful for her. Her patience and expertise in dealing with me were something I never expected when I enrolled in U.A. I wanted friends, but I had thought I was doomed to eternal loneliness at school. My classmates got me involved when necessary, or when they had a question about me. But for the most part, I felt like an outcast with them. With Kendo, I felt we had more of an actual bond.

She really was a good person.

"Midoriya!" her voice had stolen my attention. Well somewhat anyway. I was already thinking about her before she called out to me. "Did you have to wait long?"

I shook my head, "I've only been here for about 5 minutes," Kendo had a pretty interesting fashion sense. I could understand why though. She had sported a biker jacket, a white t-shirt, and a pair of blue jeans. She had told me about her love of motorcycles. She planned on getting one after she got her license. So getting the jacket might have been her way of holding off until then.

"Aren't you gonna get hot in that jacket?"

We began to make our way out of the station when I popped the first question that came to mind. Maybe it was the fact that I knew the heat awaited me outside. But I couldn't help but think about it.

Without missing a beat, Kendo shook her head. "I don't think the heat is that bad right now. During summer I'll probably need to lose it though," she chuckled as she said that. "Are you having a hard time with the weather right now?"

I nodded with a sigh, "A bit. I know this isn't the hottest it'll get. But it's still really hot," I complained. We were getting closer to the exit. I wasn't looking forward to losing the AC.

Kendo chuckled, "I'm starting to be worried about what the summer weather will do to you!" Her words contradicted her expression. As she gave me a big smile as she said that.

Wonderful. A girl just sarcastically said she was worried about me. I have truly peaked.

Opening the front door, the heat that I had been dreading immediately blasted my body. My comfortably cool body had become uncomfortably hot in a matter of seconds. It might have been mostly due to the vast sudden difference in temperature. But I still wanted to wail in agony from it.

"I didn't grab any on my way over here. So before we do anything else, do you mind if we stop by a coffee shop?"

That was the other thing I knew about Kendo. Her love of coffee. Specifically black coffee. I had never tried coffee myself and I was curious about it. So I didn't have a problem with the detour. Also, we didn't really have a set plan anyway, so we weren't in a rush to do anything. Wait did that even make this a detour then? "I don't mind. I've never had coffee myself, so I'd like to try it,"

A noticeable sparkle formed in Kendo's eyes. Her smile had grown and her excitement had seemingly increased by double. "Wait really?! Like never?! Oh my god! This is gonna be fun. I can recommend you a few different kinds of coffee if you'd like. I wonder what your favorite coffee would be?" She had gone into a flurry. This was a rather unexpected side of Kendo's character. She was usually one of our year's more mature and composed people. But I guess even she had moments like this.

It was actually kind of nice to see.

"Sure. I'd like to try black coffee first though. You said it was your favorite so I want to see how it tastes,"

"Eh?"

Kendo's surprise caught me off guard. I didn't think it was that weird to want to drink something a friend had favored. Was that uncommon? "Did I say something wrong?"

"Ah. No, not really. It's just that plain black coffee is a more... acquired taste? I hated it at first. But I just drank it more and eventually, I'd gotten to loving it. It'll probably taste bitter to you at first Midoriya,"

I had heard something like that in an article. If I was to be taste-testing coffee, going in immediately with something that was likely to be weird to my taste buds was a bad way to get acquainted with the delicacy. Although I didn't mind if I hated it, I was simply curious, "I still want to try it. I'll try other coffees and such as well. But I want to try black coffee first,"

Kendo continued to look surprised, although, this was more of an impressed look than her shock from before. "If you're okay with that Midoriya, then I have no complaints!"

It sort of felt like we were mindlessly walking as we talked. I just sort of followed beside Kendo though. I wasn't familiar with the area. The many unknown buildings and busy streets were intimidating to me. Kendo, on the other hand, had looked unfazed by the constant commotion of the big city. She looked strangely comfortable. I guess that was the power of extroverts or something.

It didn't take much longer for her to turn and walk into a coffee shop. I followed no more than a step behind her. The place was clean and aesthetic. It gave off an extremely calm vibe, the tranquil music calmed my nerves from the outside world completely. And of course, the real MVP of coming into the shop was the AC that was running at full power, making the place nice and cool.

I followed Kendo to the counter, who had some small talk with the cashier while she ordered our drinks. I looked around the room again, not trying to look weird by just staring at the employee. A few other people were present, all of which were just talking among their respective groups. Other than what I could barely make out from them, the music was probably the loudest thing in this place. Which spoke to just how quiet the place really was. A few natural decorations combined quite well with the mostly brown shop.

Once our orders were taken, we were given a ticket and allowed to wait at any nearby open tables. Kendo was quick to take the opportunity to sit by a window table that was near the entrance. If I was honest, I didn't think the spot was ideal. But the corner tables were already occupied. And I didn't care where we sat.

"Can I ask you something?" Kendo immediately asked as soon as I sat down. Her face looked pained. Her discomfort was a stark contrast to the excited and blissful expression she had not even a few seconds ago.

"What's up?"

"What... uh... Are you okay?" She became uncharacteristically fidgety. Was she nervous? Maybe she felt like she was pushing boundaries. Or maybe she didn't want to bring up the topic because she thought I was still pained by it?

"Do I seem like I'm not okay?"

"Huh?"

I decided to answer her question with a question. I was curious how she would respond. Would she continue to meddle if I danced around the issue or even feigned ignorance? Or would she back off?

"Well... Yeah. You look the same as ever. It's just... it had to have been scary right? The villains. Thirteen suffered an awful injury. That monstrosity that was meant to kill All Might. The portal villain. And that scary guy with the deadly quirk that injured Aizawa's arm," Kendo had trouble saying everything at first. But she at some point just stopped thinking about it and let it out. She and Class 1-B had given us their condolences and support for dealing with what happened at the USJ. But the subject of course was fresh in everyone's mind. It was a horrifying revelation that the villains had no problem with attacking U.A. and its students.

Or the fact that they could do so again.

"It was a bit intimidating,"

Kendo stood silent as if waiting for me to continue. Once she noticed I had nothing more to say though, she immediately looked confused. "That's it? You and your class fought a total of 74 villains! And it was just 'a bit intimidating'? And... And..." Kendo looked around the room before she brought her face closer, lowering her voice to a tiny whisper. One that I could barely hear at all, "What about the fact that their leader wants to kill you?!"

So she knew about it. That was probably why she had constantly asked me if I was alright. She probably hoped I would tell her myself. That I would confide in her. But she got tired of waiting. She probably had many questions. I wouldn't be surprised if she like a few of my other classmates, grew wary of me. She might come to distrust me.

"That's about the extent I know of it Kendo. I just know he wants to kill me as some sort of stepping stone," I decided not to tell her everything I knew. I wanted to see if she had actually known more. If she knew that Shigaraki had known of me.

I wouldn't have to wait long for the answer though, "Are you withholding information on purpose? I know that two of the villains knew of your existence. That Iida confronted you about it. I know that your response was a cold refusal. And that you lost your cool and struck fear within him..." She clenched her fist as if trying her hardest to keep her cool. "We all have many questions. I have many questions. You know how suspicious you look now right? Even if you don't have anything to do with this attack on the USJ. The fact is that villains know who you are,"

She didn't hold back. Her frustration was evident. But somehow, she was able to show it without snapping at me. The tension was thick though. Everything felt heavy. The world felt like it was caving in. "I know how I look. But as I said, I have no idea who those villains were. Yesterday was the first day I was aware of their existence. As for my actions toward Iida. I don't regret them. I tried at first to nullify everything peacefully. But Iida would have persisted if I hadn't. And I wasn't comfortable answering his rather invasive question. Especially under such a ridiculous claim,"

Kendo looked at me perplexed. "Ridiculous claim?"

Before I could continue, the cashier called our order number. I felt like I needed the space so I offered to grab the drinks myself. Something Kendo didn't refuse.

This had become a far more annoying situation than I thought it would be. Or more accurately, I didn't expect her to bring it up this early, if at all.

I sat down thinking how great it would be if I could just be a bird flying free. I handed Kendo her drink, "Thank you. Anyway... you were saying?"

Resisting the urge to sigh, I took a sip from my black coffee. It truly was bitter. The most I could taste was the disagreeable aftertaste. Other than that, it sort of tasted like hot water. "He said that after what had happened yesterday, he and the rest of the class had the right to know who I was. I would understand if the villains' reason to attack was because of me. But they weren't there to kill me. They showed up to kill All Might. I just happened to be someone they know. When he wouldn't let up his glaring and move away from the door. I glared back and told him not to pry into my life,"

The frustration from before was gone from Kendo. She still didn't look pleased. But any sign of annoyance was gone. "Ashido and Yaoyorozu failed to explain that part. Your class was mostly shaken up by your reaction. Though I would have been to. You aren't the most expressive. But apparently, your glare... or more specifically your eyes, were so void and chilling that it scared them,"

That sounded unbelievable. It wasn't like I could just change my eyes. Were my classmates crazy? I took another sip of coffee. That aftertaste truly wasn't good. "That sounds straight out of a novel. Also, you were right. The coffee is bitter,"

A small strained smile formed on her face. She was really worried. I couldn't tell if she worried about me or my classmates. Well, she may have been worried for everyone. "I told you it would be... What do you plan to do with everyone?"

Apparently, Kendo didn't want to change the topic. My plan had miserably failed. "What do you mean?"

She didn't respond to me. Instead, she waited for me to continue talking. She knew I was feigning ignorance. I guess she wasn't willing to allow me to go on doing so. This hangout I was so excited for quickly wasn't turning out to be as fun as I'd hoped.

Accepting that I would have to deal with this troublesome conversation, I spoke my honest thoughts. "I don't plan to do anything,"

Kendo didn't hide her confusion. Her dumbfounded expression was quite exaggerated, and she took a moment to collect herself. "You don't plan to do anything?!"

"What would you do?"

"I-" She paused. My question had caught her off guard. But I found that it was a good question. She was expecting me to do something. With that thought in mind, did she even have a clue about what could be done? Or was she just blindly telling me to do anything?

I waited patiently. I didn't see the point in rushing her. If she truly came up with nothing then that was that. I wouldn't expect her to have something immediately. I doubt she thought about it before now. She didn't have to. It wasn't a predicament she found herself in. But if she expected me to do something, then she would have to think of something herself. Why expect something from someone else when you couldn't do anything?

That sort of logic only crumbled when faced with someone superior to you. But to Kendo's knowledge, I was just a quirkless hero-in-training. I shouldn't come off as someone exceptional.

"Well... I would dispel their worries. If my classmates began to grow wary of me, that would be awful. I would tell them anything necessary,"

I nodded. It was probably the obvious answer, but also the most direct and effective one. An answer I expected from her. "Honestly you're probably right. Although I disagree. If I was on the other side of the scenario, I wouldn't force the person for answers. Even if I was suspicious. When you push and pry for answers, it makes someone grow resentful of you does it not? Doesn't matter how important that info is, if the person isn't willing to talk about it, then pursuing it through force is just counterproductive," A person could do what I did, and refuse to talk at all. Or they could lie. Either way, making someone comfortable enough to share the information willingly was better.

In response to my words, Kendo looked at me incredulously, shocked by my counterargument. "I guess I see where you're coming from. It's okay when it's something small or not harmful to everyone and the person. But you're in a position that will cause resentment toward you if you don't speak up!"

She may be right about that. I thought of how I should respond as I listened to the calming music of the shop. "That may be so. But I'm fine with those consequences. The way I see it, I've known these people for not even a week. I'm not close to anyone. And I'm a private person. Talking about myself to people I don't know crosses a boundary I'm not willing to let up on right now," I was being 100% truthful with her. And bringing up the fact that it was a boundary should be enough to ward her off.

"I guess that's fair enough. I just hope you understand what you're getting yourself into," she sighed as she said that, finishing up her coffee. My coffee was about finished as well.

Kendo really did worry for me. Which I found at least a little interesting, "Hey Kendo, you're telling me all this. But you haven't mentioned how you feel personally about it. Are you wary of me?"

After I said that, I decided to take one last sip of my coffee before throwing out the cup in a bin nearby the exit. Kendo did the same and we headed out. The sound of shoes clacking against the pavement was the first thing I heard when we made it back outside. The heat immediately attacked me again. I felt like I was sweating already from how bothersome the heat felt.

"I... I can't say that I fully trust you. No matter what way you spin it. You seem at least somewhat suspicious. But I don't resent you or feel the need to be excessively wary of you. If anything I think I'm more so worried. You're my friend after all,"

I couldn't help but feel a bit happy when she said that.


After a bit of walking through the crowded streets of Tokyo Kendo decided to start a conversation. "I'll be honest with you. I have no idea what we should do. Do you have anywhere you wanna go?"

Even through the cacophony of voices and noises, Kendo's voice was clear to me. I had managed to filter every other sound out as she spoke. "I don't really mind what we do,"

She scratched her cheek a bit awkwardly after my unhelpful response. I felt bad, but I truly didn't have a clue about what we could do. This was my first time being in Tokyo. I wasn't familiar with the area at all. "Well, that isn't helpful. Anything you're against doing at all?"

I just shook my head in reply. I was down to try anything. I wasn't even sure what friends did when they hung out. Was there a code? A list to follow? I had no idea. I had imagined scenarios where I would hang out with people I called friends. But those really weren't detailed at all.

Kendo walked in silence for a little bit. Tapping her chin with her finger as she walked. Even with her mind occupied though, she skillfully avoided bumping into anyone we passed by.

When we made it to a crosswalk she finally spoke up again. "There's a good arcade at Kiyashi Ward Mall. Wanna hang out there for a bit?"

Arcades. A place where you spent money to play a multitude of games to gather tickets that could then be used to buy things within the store. Or you could use the claw machines and try to grab a prize from that. Although, most of the time you would spend more getting the prize from the machine than you would if you bought it at a store. I heard arcades were a great place to hang out with friends. I wondered how they were anyway.

I agreed to the suggestion and we made our way to the mall. Kendo had made light conversation with me the whole way. Any of the prior tension from the coffee shop was gone without a trace. So much so that I almost thought I'd imagined it.

When we entered the arcade, Kendo immediately had taken out a card with the arcade's name on it. I couldn't help but be amazed and a bit curious. I had no idea they made cards specifically for the arcade. Checking a nearby machine I could see a colorful card reader that read "100 yen for 4 tries."

"Do you not have a card Midoriya?"

Kendo had led me to an area that could refill the money on her card. She had just ended up putting 8,000 yen on her card.

I shook my head in reply to her question, "I've never been to an arcade before,"

"Eh?"

With a look of shock present on her face Kendo let out an incoherent sound. She looked dumbfounded, her expression telling me "Hey, are you serious?" Was it that crazy to think that someone hadn't been to an arcade? I didn't think something like that was all that surprising.

She seemed to figure out herself that I wasn't lying. She seemed to feel bad for me for a second, but it went as fast as the look came. Replacing it was a small smile. "Let's make your first arcade experience one to remember then!"

Quickly leading me away from the machine Kendo brought me over to a certain game. Judging both the speed and Kendo's lack of searching around the area, I assumed this was probably a game she played a lot. Compared to many other games, this game didn't overdo it with the flashing eye-grabbing lights. In fact, the way it stood out from the rest of the games made me think that this didn't belong here. Other than the card reader, the game had a scoreboard in the middle for lighting.

On top of the table were two paddles on either side. The side of the table read the name, 'Air Hockey' which I felt was safe to assume the name of this game.

I had never played it before, but Kendo looked excited as she swiped her card. The table made a small sibilant noise. The paddles slowly began to move almost as if the table was ice. A yellow puck fell into the pocket under my goal area.

I grabbed the puck and lightly placed it on the table, just like the paddles the puck slowly began to move. Kendo grabbed her paddle and was moving it from side to side with a smirk on her face. Before suddenly she gave a satisfied nod and her paddle came to a complete stop around the middle of her side.

Grabbing my own paddle, I decided to repeat as she did. The paddle moved around the table with no resistance. It glided to whichever area I wanted with ease. I don't know why, but I felt a strange surge of excitement as I did it.

"You're so going to lose!" Kendo said with a smile. She had a competitive side to her. And while she gave me a nice gentle smile, I could see the determined will to beat me underneath it.

She had her full focus on the puck, her paddle moving ever so slightly from side to side ready to shoot out in any direction I shot. I didn't know how many points were needed to win. But I didn't really think that info mattered too much.

Without even responding to her provocation I hit the puck on a diagonal path to her goal. She was blocking any straight shot attempt I had, so I thought a bank shot was probably the best idea.

But apparently, Kendo was expecting me to shoot that way. Her paddle swiftly made its way to block my shot.

Crack! Her paddle had made good contact with the puck, sending the puck straight for my goal at almost double the speed. If I had let such a simple counter go in that would possibly set the pace for the rest of the game. With that thought in mind, I hit the puck with a loud crack, sending it back toward Kendo's goal.

Ding! Kendo had barely reacted in time, the puck redirecting off her paddle to the side of her goal, hitting the metal backboard. When it started coming toward my side Kendo caught the puck with her paddle, stopping the game flow. I thought she was going to strike up a conversation, but instead, she struck the puck in a diagonal path like how I started the round.

I hadn't expected the amount of power she put into that hit. Ca-chuck! She had scored. I looked up, I was already down a goal. Kendo smirked at me, "Don't be a baby when you lose to me okay~!"

Was I the only person who was surprised at how much of a trash-talker Kendo was? I expected her to be competitive, but to start this sort of banter was completely unexpected. Not that I was gonna complain though. I didn't particularly dislike this new side of her.

Our game continued, Kendo had gotten off to a strong start scoring 3 points in a row. But after that, I began to understand where she would attack much better. It was slow but it was something. My first point had ended up being short-lived, as she had immediately scored after. Then when she made it to 5 points, I started to mount my own comeback. In the span of about 2 minutes. Her 5-1 lead had been destroyed. Leaving us tied.

"You know Midoriya, for someone who is playing for the first time, you're pretty good!" Kendo praised me soon after.

"I'm not sure about that,"

I didn't really have a scope of how good I could be. From what I could see though, the game wasn't necessarily complicated. A degree of skill was needed of course, but it felt like most of that skill was stuff that was easily acquired. Or something someone with natural talent could easily excel in. Either way, I didn't think it was that impressive. Once you had the fundamentals down, the game was pretty easy.

"Hm? Well, I guess you wouldn't know by just going up against me. I'm actually pretty good at this game. One of the few arcade games I like so I kinda got addicted to playing it when I hung out with my friends in junior high,"

She spoke with a huge grin that I felt would catch many boys' hearts. I guess this place was of some nostalgic importance to her. "Also, my older sister is actually competitive in the game, so I play against her a lot,"

Huh?

"You have an older sister?"

She nodded as she placed the puck on the board, "Yeah, she's super cool and strong. You and her share something actually,"

Oh? "We share something?"

She smiled, but it wasn't the same smile as her previous ones. This one was more forced than the others. "She's quirkless, but she's mentally tough,"

Quirkless huh? I hadn't ever met someone who was quirkless like me. I knew they existed of course. But I had never met such a person myself. Most of the quirkless population was in the older generations after all. We began to hit the puck back and forth. It was noticeably slower than when we fought before. I was pretty sure I could score now if I truly tried to, but I felt it wasn't the time for that.

Kendo continued, "It makes sense to me now why you were so vague when we first met. You didn't want to tell me you were quirkless. Ichika was secretive about it herself. Still, she's a huge role model for me! I remember as a kid I would try to emulate her perfectly, she's probably the reason I'm my class's big sister,"

"She sounds like a good person," I wasn't sure what else I could say to that.

Starting to feel awkward about where the conversation seemed to be going I averted my eyes to the ground, the pattern was colorful and abstract. Kendo ended up scoring due to my lack of awareness.

"What was being quirkless like for you?"

She asked the question I knew was coming. A question I couldn't really give an answer to. I hadn't grown up in a normal environment. I knew how quirkless people usually grew up, but would I lie knowing that it wouldn't be convincing? "I didn't really worry much about being quirkless. Or well... I didn't have to. I didn't really meet many people so I was never a victim of bullying or harassment,"

All I could do was lie. Though, I decided against trying to convince Kendo that I had gone through what every quirkless kid had gone through. Instead, I played the role of the overprotected child.

"That's good,"

There was more she wanted to say. But she couldn't. She wanted to ask "Then how do the villains know you?" or "Why are you at UA now then?" She couldn't bring herself to do it though. She felt guilty about asking me personal questions. A mix of my reluctance and what occurred yesterday in her mind. She wanted to push for answers, to understand, but she couldn't.

Maybe she didn't want to risk our friendship, or maybe she just didn't think the timing was right. Either way, I had successfully escaped her questioning. What I said may become problematic later. Maybe my lie would be exposed. But realistically, no one had proof against my claims. Nor were they untrue.

It would be where people drew conclusions that would be untrue. That wouldn't be my fault though.

Our game continued. Kendo took the win. We ended up playing a couple more rounds, while the games were close, I couldn't quite get the win. I noted that Kendo's spirits seemed to lift after every win. The earlier tension had faded into obscurity. It wouldn't fade completely, but it would with time. Nothing much to worry about.

"I'm starting to wonder if that first game was a fluke. We were so close in the first game. But you haven't been within two points since!" Kendo continued to gloat after winning the tenth game in a row. She asked if I wanted to change games a couple of times. But I refused. None of the other games interested me much. They were loud and popped annoyingly with the lighting.

"Maybe you just weren't warmed up?" I responded with a shrug. The games really weren't that close. In this last game alone I lost 3-7. I probably should have been embarrassed losing so badly. But I wasn't at all, I just let the games fly by. We played until Kendo ran out of credits on her card and left. We ended up spending nearly 2 hours in the arcade.

It was almost 1:00 pm. I was getting a bit hungry, thankfully, being in the mall meant we could get a decent meal pretty close by. We made it about halfway through our meal when Kendo started receiving a phone call. "Hello?"

I couldn't hear what was being said on the other end, but I noticed Kendo's face drop a little, immediately souring the casual and fun atmosphere we had previously. "Yeah, I can do that. Okay. Sure. Love you too. Bye,"

When she pocketed her phone she sighed. It would seem that the representative of class 1-B had plenty of responsibilities even outside of school. "Sorry to cut our hang-out short, but I have to watch over the Dojo. Maybe we can hang out another time?"

I nodded to her, "It's fine. We can do this another time,"

She gave me a forced smile before she took off in a hurry.

To be honest, it sucked that we had to cut our time short. I was having fun hanging out with a friend for the first time. The sudden way it ended left me feeling a bit empty about it in the end. But I guess that sometimes things will leave you unfulfilled. I wouldn't dwell on it too much. It wasn't her fault she had other responsibilities.

With a sigh, I ate the rest of my food and went on my way home.


I arrived at class a little later than I would usually do. Waiting a few minutes in a nearby hallway. I thought it would be awkward to face my classmates with so much time before the homeroom would start. Plus I felt they'd probably be a bit hostile to my presence. When I opened the door I saw Iida at the podium, talking to the class about how homeroom was about to start.

"Midoriya-kun! Try to arrive earlier! If you arrived late it would hurt our school's reputation!"

I thought the school's reputation was already hurt thanks to the USJ incident a couple of days ago. The news yesterday went on for a while about it after all. We all ended up getting interviewed. Some of us were shown on the news. Though not much was said about us.

Not wanting anything else to be exchanged, I simply nodded at Iida. Walking to my seat, I could tell my classmates were staring at me. I didn't sense a hint of malice in their expressions.

The only thing that stuck out to me was Iida's glare and Mineta's fear when I got closer. He sat behind me after all. Everyone else, for the most part, looked about the same. Iida then sat in his own seat, a bit annoyed, Uraraka gave him a few encouraging words though, and he seemed to calm down.

Everyone in the class was beginning to get along for the most part. Far quicker than I would have thought it would take. With the exception of Todoroki, Bakugo, and myself anyway.

Well, Bakugo didn't exactly have a hard time with the class, his personality just hindered him. Todoroki looked uninterested in everyone. He was in his own world, through his eyes we were probably just white silhouettes. Our details were unimportant.

My attention was taken by the sound of the door opening. It seemed Aizawa-sensei arrived. He had a cast and sling on his injured arm, but other than that, he still looked like the usual Aizawa-sensei we knew. "Morning,"

"Good morning sensei!"

He walked slowly to the podium, eyeing all of us as he did so. I think he was analyzing us, to see exactly how we were after the villain attack a couple of days ago. He hadn't gotten the chance earlier thanks to the injury he suffered.

I wonder what he thought as he looked at us. Was he impressed even if only a little bit? Disappointed? Angry? Relieved? I couldn't tell no matter how closely I looked at him.

"I know you all only just got back, but we have another fight to take care of," he said so casually, but as soon as the words left his mouth, the tension in the room drastically increased. I could hear the fear of my fellow classmates as they wondered if the villains were back once more.

Personally, I thought it was irrational to think they'd be back so soon. It wouldn't make sense for them to be here. So I wasn't too worried. I was curious as to what our teacher was referring to though.

"It's almost time for the annual U.A. Sports Festival,"

Immediately all the tension dissipated, I sort of got the feeling Aizawa-sensei liked seeing us get so worried.

"Yes! A normal school event!"

"Wait wait!" Kaminari had shut up Kirishima, still looking worried. Something I understood. We had just gone through a traumatic event, and the school expected us to go into a sporting event so soon.

"Is it really okay for U.A. to hold the sports festival? Especially because we just had villains sneak in and attack?" Jiro understood and voiced Kaminari's and a few other classmates' concerns.

Though I guess a counter-argument would be that this would be the best time to hold such an event. Opinions and the morale of U.A. took a drop after this incident. The sports festival was very important to bring that back up. Also, again, I didn't see the villains attacking again so soon.

"Let me ask you all something," Aizawa-sensei looked over all of us. His tone was a bit less dead than before. Was he actually showing more interest than usual? "Other than security, what do heroes provide?"

My immediate thought was that a hero was supposed to provide hope. But I didn't think that was the answer he was looking for. But Kaminari seemed to think differently, "Isn't it hope? Like making people believe in a brighter future?"

A few of my classmates nodded along with that. "Yes, that is something we heroes do provide. But not every hero provides it. Most people don't look at underground heroes and suddenly become hopeful. Someone like me isn't looked at the same way someone like All Might is. There is something that every hero provides without fail, something that goes hand in hand with security and protection,"

Confused the class stayed silent. I wanted to blend in with everyone else, so I looked down. Looking down would make Aizawa-sensei know that I wasn't confident in this subject. He struck me as a teacher who didn't like stupid answers, so I was probably safe from his attention here.

"I guess the question has stumped you all. Midoriya, what do you think it is?"

Aizawa-sensei loved to sidestep my expectations of him. That, or he was that confident that I knew the answer.

I lifted my head to face him. Part of me wished I could just escape the room and retreat outside. It was a beautiful day, seemed like such a waste to spend it in a mundane classroom. I could instead watch clouds, go for a walk, or not answer such an annoying question.

"Crisis management," I didn't feel the need to elaborate further on my claim. But Aizawa-sensei didn't speak after I answered, emanating a silent pressure telling me to continue. How scary, "Heroes are meant mostly to minimize damage. They have to prevent and minimize emotional, physical, and mental damage to the public,"

He nodded, "A good vague answer. We're peacekeepers. Not every hero is like those from the manga. Our job is to keep the peace. Peace can only be kept if the people feel safe. We're the wall of defense that keeps all harm away from civilians. If that wall even shows the slightest weakness, then the public would recognize that and grow paranoid. 'If the heroes can't protect the future generation how will they protect all of us?'"

The class began to lose their earlier excitement. A weight was put on their shoulders that they probably didn't think too much about. The job of a Hero while dangerous also was looked at through rose-tinted glasses. People knew of the dangers they saw on paper. But they probably wouldn't understand everything that came with this profession without experiencing it firsthand. The reason why heroism was by far the most sought-after job was because of how romanticized it was.

"U.A. looks at this festival as an opportunity to show that our crisis management is solid as a rock. But, as a precautionary measure, we'll be strengthening security by five times what it was in previous years," when he said that, a noticeable sigh of relief came from Mineta. I guess he was paranoid about the villains attacking so soon. "Above all else, the sports festival is a huge chance. It's not an event that can be canceled because of a few low-tier villains,"

From what I knew. The sports festival was treated as the Olympics in Japan, especially since the Olympics weren't as popular as they once were. People want to see quirks in action. Like an action movie, except it's all real. This explained the huge stadium on campus. People gathered from all over the country to watch the U.A. Sports Festival.

A couple of students looked confused by what Aizawa-sensei said. Noticing their confusion, he gave a heavy sigh. Already losing patience with his slower students, "While you'll be watched throughout the country, you'll be observed by many Pro Heroes. Basically, it's a scouting opportunity,"

Kaminari looked excited, "Oh~! After we graduate, it's common for us to take a sidekick job in a Pro's agency! So the sports festival is where they'll see my talent!"

Jiro nodded with him, "That's true. But some people end up missing their chance to become independent heroes and end up being sidekicks forever. I think you'd be one of those people Kaminari. You know, because you're dumb,"

The two of them sure did have an amusing dynamic.

Before they could begin to bicker, Aizawa-sensei decided to cut in, "Of course joining a famous hero agency will get you more experience and popularity. Your time to be noticed is limited. If you want to go pro. Then the best path to such a future is to start strong at this event. You get one chance a year, for three years. You can do the math. Not a single aspiring hero can miss even one of these events. If you understand that, then you won't slack off on your preparations!" As he continued to speak, his voice grew louder. He put more heft and power into what he said.

My classmates smirked, each of them brimming with determination. Not a single one of them could afford to fall behind here. They all were working for the same thing. During this festival, even if they were classmates, even though they all had the same goal, they'd all be enemies. This was a competition for the attention of Pro Heroes after all.

Excitement filled the room. I could see some people already thinking of ways to train themselves to be at their best for the event. "Homeroom is dismissed. Midoriya, I need to speak with you. Come with me to the teacher's lounge," With that said he began to swiftly leave the room.

Before I could even control myself I released a heavy sigh. I had no clue what Aizawa-sensei wanted from me. My only guess would be what happened during and after the USJ incident. Maybe he was going to lecture me about how I interacted with my classmates. Either way, this was going to be troublesome.

I followed him to the lounge. Not a word was exchanged between us. He just kept his focus forward, not once bothering to even acknowledge I was with him. I decided to stay slightly behind, more so as a way to slightly delay the inevitable. Sort of how kids would walk at a slowed pace at the end of recess.

When we entered I saw a couple of my teachers, typing at their desks. Well most of them anyway, I think All Might was pretending to work. Paperwork didn't seem like his forte anyway.

Aizawa-sensei sat down at his desk, "Why do you think you're here Midoriya?"

The room tensed, some teachers who had witnessed our prior meeting here had looked at us awkwardly. Some pretended not to notice us. Others looked at us with great interest. "Didn't you call me here sensei? I would assume you would tell me why I'm here,"

A smirk formed on his face, "You can be quite the nuisance when you want to be can't you problem child? I can't blame you for your hostility though. I'll be brief. You need to stop by the support course after school today. I mentioned earlier that the Sports Festival is approaching. You'll be facing your super-powered classmates. Plus, after the villain's attack, I don't believe it's safe to let a quirkless kid fight without at least something to defend himself,"

"So you want me to make my equipment to protect myself?" I guess a quirkless kid fighting against people with crazy abilities would look bad for the school. Or maybe it was just another safety precaution. Either way, I had been thinking of doing this myself. I had expected Shigaraki to come for me again, and while I was the better hand-to-hand combatant, that didn't mean I would be safe if he sent someone with a more destructive and ranged quirk my way.

Immediately I thought of someone like Todoroki, or Yaoyorozu. Whether it was his fire, or Yaoyorozu's ability to create a gun at will. Either way, my death would be assured in a situation like that.

"You'll be able to make your own equipment?" genuinely shocked, Aizawa-sensei, for the first time, had looked dumbfounded. Hey Aizawa-sensei, please stay like that while I take a picture! I wish I could say something like that, but I would just end up in more trouble.

"It shouldn't be too hard, I did some studying with the Shield family on I-Island," I had been there for a few months. I had been quite intrigued by their work when I was first brought to them. I learned quite a bit there. I was confident I could make a few things for myself here. Just as a means to protect me.

He nodded, "Nezu did say you were previously on I-Island, I'm surprised you learned under David Shield," I thought he would be dismissive after that, but surprisingly, Aizawa-sensei gave me a grin. "I do hope that you make some great things before the Sports Festival! You have two weeks of preparation, so you better get started as soon as possible,"

"Is that all sensei?"

A dry laugh escaped my teacher. His grin was still plastered on his face. I wondered what he found so amusing, "Do your best problem child,"

I didn't even bother giving him a response as I left the room. My mind was running rampant with what I should prepare for the festival. I wanted to think of counters for everyone's quirks or a way to make me harder to hit. If I was being honest, my biggest problem was probably Todoroki. His ice ability could entrap me in seconds. Without destructive power, I doubt I was going to stand a chance.

I had other problems. Like accounting for Momo's ability to create almost anything. Or Bakugo's destructive power and mobility. Kirishima's durability.

Putting everything out, I couldn't possibly make enough things with only two weeks to win the festival. I guess it was good that I wasn't planning on winning to begin with. Just as long as I did enough to keep Aizawa-sensei satisfied. That was all that mattered.

Hopefully, the support course would help me get a few ideas.


At the end of the day, just before I left for the Support Course Development Studio. I noticed a bunch of noise at the door. Our teacher opened the door and stepped out without issue, but as soon as they were gone. The crowd of people blocked the doorway. We were stuck in the classroom.

"Wh... What's going on?" Uraraka looked surprised, maybe even a bit uncomfortable. My classmate's worry began to rise.

I stared out at the mob of students. My insouciant demeanor probably stuck out in comparison to most of my classmates. Quickly Iida tried to talk to the mass, trying to figure out why they all showed up to Class 1-A. Mineta complained about how we weren't able to leave. I wondered how they hadn't figured it out. Or maybe they were just hoping it was for something else?

"They're scouting the enemy, small fry," Bakugo glared at Mineta, who let out a small shriek and hid behind me. Grabbing my jeans with his disgusting meaty hands. With a tsk Bakugo continued, glaring at everyone without a hint of fear. "We're the ones who made it through a villain attack. They probably wanna check us out before the festival,"

He stopped at the doorway, the air became heavy, but Bakugo didn't waver. He looked around and stared at the whole crowd of students. Scoffing as he did so. If I had to guess, Bakugo was probably looking at all of them as if they were just extras in a play. Like a townsperson B kind of character.

I couldn't exactly fault him for doing so. None of us knew these students. To us, they were just faces that blocked our path to the exit. Even if they were to become our competition in two weeks. They were still just a crowd of people. "There's no point in doing stuff like that. Get out of my way extras,"

The fact that he said that so calmly and nonchalantly was amazing.

Iida immediately began to reprimand him, "Don't call people 'extras' just because you've never met them Bakugo-kun!" The class began to glare at Bakugo, who seemed to ruin our first impression. They worried that everyone would think we were all as foul-mouthed as Bakugo. Maybe even a bit egotistical.

I mean most people wouldn't want to be called extras.

A voice came from the crowd. I immediately saw who it belonged to. The person slowly made their way forward, "I came here to see what the famous Class A was like," he had cut through to the front of the crowd now, "But it seems you're pretty arrogant. Is every student in the Hero Course like this?"

My classmates immediately began to deny the man. Feverishly shaking their heads. I decided to take a different approach, "Have you checked out Class B? They're also in the Hero Course. If you wanna figure out if we're all the same, you might as well investigate both classes,"

The purple-haired boy tsked at me before he rubbed the back of his neck as if to regain his composure. "Man seeing this really makes me disillusioned," I couldn't tell if he was trying to provoke us for some reason. Or if he was just that upset. "There were quite a few people who enrolled in general studies or other courses because they didn't make it into the hero course. Did you know that?"

His eyes sort of reminded me of Aizawa-sensei. I didn't know if I should be astounded or annoyed by that revelation. "That sounds about right. Only 40 kids made it into the Hero Course after all. Of that, 5 were recommendations. It would only make sense that the rest would either go into a different course or try at another school,"

"That's right, but the school has left us a chance. For those of us not in the Hero Course, I mean. The Sports Festival is a chance for us to prove what we couldn't do during the entrance exam. Depending on the results of the Sports Festival, we could be transferred into the hero course. And that may mean that some of you will be transferred out,"

Some of my classmates winced at that. I guess not everyone was confident they'd perform well enough. I guess if the enemy is declaring war like this, they'd be on their toes anyway. He continued, looking straight at Bakugo now, "Scouting the enemy?" He grinned slightly before looking at us all, "I came here to say one thing. For those of you in the Hero Course, if you get too carried away, I'll sweep the rug from right under you. I came with a declaration of war,"

How bold. Sort of reminds me of a more apathetic Bakugo. Or would that just be Todoroki? No, Todoroki was more of the type who didn't bother with anything below him. Well, that didn't seem right either. Todoroki was just someone who was only concerned about himself, he didn't meddle with everyone or really speak out. He was focused only on improving himself.

A big part of me thought it better to stay quiet. But with such bold action, maybe I was beginning to feel a little bold myself. Or maybe I just wanted to see what would happen if I began to stir the pot. "Quite the bold statement. You must have some quirk if you're this confident,"

"You'll see it at the festival,"

I certainly hope I see at least something good from you at the festival purple-haired-kun.

"Whoa whoa! Are we all making a declaration of war now?! Don't forget us in Class B! We'll definitely be trying our best!" Tokage said, pointing a thumb to her chest. She had made quite the entrance into the conversation.

Once she said that Bakugo tsked as he made his way through the crowd. I guess he was done with the conversation. I had the same feelings. Well, I had to go to the Support Course anyway. So maybe it was a little different.

"Oi Bakugo! Midoriya! What are you two going to do?! They're hating on us right now because of you two!" Kirishima exclaimed stopping us. Did he want us to apologize? I couldn't understand why.

"That doesn't matter,"

"Huh?!"

Stunned, our class waited tensed by Bakugo's bold claim. I was a bit intrigued by his reasoning, but I had to admit I agreed with him.

"It doesn't matter. You just have to rise to the top,"

What an interesting reason. Bakugo had his amusing moments. I wondered how things would progress. How would they act during the sports festival? How would purple-haired-kun fight us who made it into the hero course? It was gonna be exciting.

I guess I should get prepared too. I have an appointment to get to.


It didn't take long for me to find the studio. I remembered everything from when the upperclassman had shown us around. The entrance doors were unlike everything else in the building. Instead of a normal sliding door, this one was made of steel. Looking much like those doors you'd see on a ship in a sci-fi movie.

What kind of people work in the Support Course I wonder? The Hero Course had people with unique traits. Then the boy from the general studies. Would the Support Course have its own fair share of weird people?

I wouldn't know until I opened the door and took my first courageous step. So with a quick breath, I steeled my resolve and opened the door. When I opened the door, the first word that came to my head was 'disastrous'. I don't know what happened. But the room was in shambles. Various parts, projects, substances, and papers were scattered all over the room. The one thing that was making noise was trapped in the top corner of the room, whatever it was, its engine was screaming loudly. It looks like someone was overzealous and impatient, and their project went haywire. Causing this catastrophe.

Looking around, I could see two people. A girl with pink hair and goggles. And a short man with... is that an excavator claw on his head? This place was worse than I thought! He might have a concussion! "Damnit, Mei! Look at this mess! Now your hover soles are gonna have to be remade! I told you you need to be more patient with these things!"

The man with the weirdly shaped helmet had complained to the girl. Oh wait, that was the girl I had seen when I was waiting for lunch! "Sorry sensei! But I'm so close! I'll get this baby done by the Sports Festival and show it off for all of Japan to see! Then everyone can admire my babies as much as I do!"

Babies? Did she really call her gadget a baby?

Maybe this was a bad time? I could just come back tomorrow. Yeah, I'll just do that. "Who are you?" My escape attempt was immediately nullified by Excavator Man.

"Oh, I was told to come here after classes by my teacher,"

At that, the man clapped his hands as if he had a revelation, "So you're the kid Aizawa was talking about!" From how he spoke, I got the impression that Aizawa-sensei made me out to be an excellent student. Something that I would find troublesome.

Before I even got the chance to reply, Mei decided to ask a question, "Eh? What's so special about this guy Power Loader-sensei? Is he in need of support items? Wait! Could this be a chance to show off my babies?!"

Her questioning quickly became excitement at the thought of me using her... gadgets. There was no way I was gonna call them babies, not in a million years.

"Mei, this is Midoriya from the Hero course. He's apparently here to use the shop to make his own support items. You must be some kid if you plan to do all that as well as go through the training the Hero course offers," he looked impressed, almost proud to be saying all that. It gave me the impression that not many Heroes were capable of this. Something that really didn't surprise me, but something I took note of nonetheless.

"I'm nothing special. I just need to make a few things to protect myself," I didn't want this teacher to get the wrong impression of me. It was already enough of a hassle that Aizawa-sensei knew about me. The extent of what he knew was unknown, but I would like to stop him and anyone from knowing anything more.

"Whatever you say, kid. Let me give you a tour of the place so you can get started,"

There was nothing better you could have said Power Loader-sensei. I sent a text to Mom to inform her that I'd be home late and decided to get to work.

Well, it's been a while now hasn't it? I've got no excuse for my absence. Most of it was me being lazy and my inability to get into a creative mood to continue the story. This chapter was very hard to write. Mostly because I felt that most of it was to serve as a segway into future chapters. And while you could argue that this is what a chapter is supposed to do anyway, I feel like a lot of this was mainly filler to flesh out the characters more.

I will say this, I noticed a mistake in my previous chapter not and I think I should explain, a guest pointed out how I said Izuku would need to earn the trust of Iida and a few classmates. I explained this completely wrong and you were completely right, there was no trust to begin with. I was going off of the fact that they (as a class) fought together and earned each other's trust that way. And no he won't be fighting for their trust, this isn't like the character I have in mind. And I hope the start of this chapter helped show that point. If not then that's on me and I'll look to improve that.

I will also say that this isn't the typical Shonen run-of-the-mill friendship is magic bs either. I personally don't like this trope. And whilst I can agree that most support items won't exactly have the firepower to do significant damage, Izuku does not need to be Iron Man either to defeat capable villains. Not everything about Izuku has been revealed, and there is a lot to get into. He won't be overpowered, but I won't have every fight be a thing where Izuku is incapable unless he has friends around.

I appreciate everyone's review and opinion and hope to see more. See you in the next chapter!