My Hero Academia: Hero Time

by HEROwriter1

When he was 10, Izuku Midoriya has found the alien watch known as the Omnitrix. Ever since then, he has used the watch to become a vigilante and to save people with a smile on his face. When his secret is revealed, his life and the world will never be the same. Cover image not mine. Cross posted on AO3.

8. The Way Forward

Disclaimer: I do not own either Ben 10 or My Hero Academia.

Like chapter 7, this one will also establish some info on this story's setting and backgrounds.

Just to give a heads up. I've made some expansions to chapter 3. Feel free to read it if you like.

Old reviews

Southparkfan123: Thanks! I hope you enjoy this one!

KuriMaster13: Yep, I can see that. I also play Duel Links, do you?

helrio uzugaku: Thanks for your review! For the flashbacks, there will actually be side stories exploring the past as I said in the last chapter. As for the Omnitrix, like in Ben 10, it's still a prototype. Izuku doesn't use the master control because he doesn't even know it exists at this time.

Gamelover41592: Thanks for enjoying the last chapter!

Hademon: Jun will become Kevin only to a limited extent and may be Izumi's love interest in a long time. Also, there will be no harems here. Lastly, like in Ben 10, Malware and Ship are two different characters. Ship will come eventually though.

Amit Barabi: Thanks, buddy.

Wizardwolf 1020: What you said will actually be explored in this story. Of course there will be racism allegories here!

Guillaume Grignard: Thanks! Eri will be in the story eventually!

James Birdsong: Thank you!

WOKELAND: Thanks for your honesty. I understand your concern with my omitting, but don't worry, the past will be explored not only in flashbacks, but also in side stories. For the story being rushed, I'll try to slow it down then.

Guest: Seems a bit excessive…

New reviews

Gamelover41592: I figured you'd feel that way. As always, thanks for the review!

Ricardo Valencia: Oh, just you wait. Ochaco will have her moments.

Southparkfan234: Thanks!

danizulu59: Gracias por su opinión. ¡Disfruta leyendo!

I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

Chapter 8: The Way Forward

OOOOOOOOOO

highguy16

A watch that turns you into strong aliens and some quirkless kid hogs it to play hero? smh

Edgeyshotu

highguy16 Got something against quirkless? It's probably the best thing that happened to this green bean's life

riotkid

Edgeyshotu I agree, being a hero at his age is so manly! like when he fought that robot, wish I had his guts

jojoslayer

Everyone pls don't forget, being a vigilante is illegal. B4 anyone comes at me with "quirkless can be vigilante", it still sets a bad precedent. What if others, quirked or not, try this without the many powers this Midoriya has?

the10aregud

As the semi-official fan account for The 10, one boy or many, quirkless or not, we support Deku10 for his heroic deeds.

deikadude04

the10aregud there's no such thing as "semi-official", also, he's is dangerous nonetheless, read this: Izuku Midoriya. Threat or Menace?

"Well, Senpai, it's like Mrs. Midoriya and Mr. Shimura said, people out there are mixed about him," said Jun Ishii as he shared his smartphone with the brunette beside him. Ochaco would've used her flip phone, but the two of them agreed Twitter was easier to maneuver on the boy's device.

The two of them were currently being ferried to their homes in Taris by Tenko Shimura, one the Plumber under the command of their friend's mother. The duo still had some trouble digesting this, especially considering that yesterday, Izuku had subdued a giant villain, a robot and today, an alien critter that wasn't as cute as it initially appeared. Ochaco still felt a tinge of guilt regarding it, despite what Inko said about it. The U.A. Entrance Exam was ten months away!

The brunette had, with some help from her best friend, been working on her physical fitness for a year. (Although to her annoyance, she was still a bit on the plump side, as the jerks at her school would point out from time to time.)

But it wasn't her body that caused the Screegit's rampage today, it was her idiocy. One change in the creature's course and her home may have been in its way. If her parents were harmed or worse, she would've never forgiven herself.

"It won't be the last time something like that pops up," said Tenko as the two adolescents looked up. "Midoriya, along with the Plumbers, will be in the public's crosshairs for some time."

Jun, hearing that, leaned forward and spoke. "Mr. Shimura, if there's anything we can do to help-"

"At this point, it's best you children stay out of this."

"What? Aren't you giving Senpai a deal to work with you!"

"That's because one, he's technically a trained Plumber cadet thanks to his mom giving him pointers, and two, he has the Omnitrix, experience and skills to help out more than enough. We can't just allow random minors to join the Plumbers."

The raven-haired boy held up both his hands, attempting to find another point to argue about. In the end, Jun sighed and let his arms go slack.

Ochaco stayed silent throughout it all, a downcast look on her face.

OOOOOOOOOO

"And that was it for the cafeteria, with better food than you may think."

With Inko's commentary of the Plumbers' canteen and dining choices finished, the Midoriya family walked out into a large hallway. In front of them, signs that read "Inhuman Resources" and "Research and Development" pointed in opposite directions.

"Inhuman Resources was kinda boring, Mom. I don't think R&D will be better" said Izumi as she and her family made a right turn towards the laboratories. The girl hadn't looked at Inko since the tour began, still uncomfortable due to the latter's confessions.

Inko sighed as she gestured towards her son. "Maybe, but given the reappearance of the Omnitrix and your brother being made aware of the Plumbers, it'll need to be examined for any possible glitches."

Izuku grimaced upon hearing the last few words. If he got 100 yen for each time the watch gave him the wrong alien, he'd build more equipment than just his drone. If that little problem, maybe even the time limit, could be fixed, he'd be far more efficient.

"Izuku, remember the day after your quirkless assessment?" Inko's query confused her son. Why bring it up now? Izuku looked up and saw his mother get misty-eyed.

"When you asked whether you could be a hero, I just cried and apologised. After you got the Omnitrix, I've tried to make up for it. But, even with all that, I still haven't-"

BOOM!

A burst of smoke and heat from a door a few metres away disrupted Inko's statement and making the trio jump. With the Plumber muttering a few curses (much to Izumi's slight surprise), she marched towards the source.

"Blukic, Driba! What the hell happened this time?!"

Izuku and Izumi followed their mother through the doorway, waving away smoke as they did so. Inside, the children were alarmed to see small fires, shattered vials and small devices in pieces scattered around the area. Inko grabbed a fire extinguisher placed next to the entrance and hurriedly started spraying foam onto the flames. "I told you two to quit risking it! That's the third time this month for crying out loud!"

Just then, a pair of small coughs could be heard coming from a corner. The younger greenettes turned and saw two very small figures covered by some smoke. There was something familiar about their shapes…

Inko huffed as she marched back towards the exit and flicked a switch. The three fans above them came to life, quickly pushing away the smoke clouds. "Izuku, Izumi, meet Plumber tech support, Blukic and Driba. Blukic and Driba, meet my children."

With no other obstructions, Izumi gaped as she saw the two aliens for what they were. "They're Grey Matters!"

One alien, the wider of the two and wearing a miniature Plumber uniform, scoffed. "We're Galvans, young lady!"

Noticing the look Inko gave him after that last part, the Galvan bowed before her. "Apologies about the accident, Magister Midoriya. Blukic failed to adjust the power core for the broken Robucket!"

The other Galvan, Blukic, who wore overalls and a cap, seemed taken aback and glared at his colleague. "That's not true! You didn't take into account how this Robucket's model required a different type of fuel."

"It did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Their boss, Inko, pinched the bridge of her nose in a manner that Izumi noticed was eerily similar to Izuku. With a snap of her fingers, the arguing Galvans silenced themselves and saluted the Magister.

"Moving into other matters, I'm sure the two of you are aware of a certain device on my son's wrist," said Inko as she gestured the teen to step forward.

As Blukic and Driba laid their eyes on the Omnitrix, they gasped in unison and ran forward as fast as their tiny legs could allow. Izuku kneeled down as the Galvans finally reached his red high tops. The fatter one, Driba, pulled out a metallic red monocle from his tiny pocket and beckoned the vigilante to lower his left arm.

"Incredible! After four years, I finally have a chance to study the First Thinker's greatest creation!" exclaimed Driba with his unique monocle. On the other side of Izuku's wrist, Blukic placed his hands on the Omnitrix, deep in thought.

"Has a few scratches here and there," said the skinny Galvan.

"Not just that, Blukic. According to the scanner, some of the circuitry is faulty."

"How bad?"

The two Galvans jumped and looked up at sudden and urgent tone in Izuku's voice, accompanied by his demanding eyes. Behind him, Inko raised an eyebrow while Izumi just stood around, unsure of what to say.

"Sorry, it's just that-"

Driba interrupted with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry, young man. It's nothing that we can't fix."

Izumi, having found her voice, spoke up. "Man, you really got the Omnitrix banged up, 'Zuku."

Driba shook his head in response. "Actually, some of this damage has signs of being caused by intense heat."

"…Just how intense?"

"Oh, just that of a star."

It was this statement that really threw Izuku and his family for a loop. "Izuku, since when did that happen?"

"Never, Mom!" I've been through some crazy stuff, but I've never went anywhere near the sun!" Hurriedly replied Izuku. "Could it be Heatblast's doing? I've never been able to find the exact limits of his flames…"

Blukic held a hand to his chin before turning towards Inko. "Magister Midoriya, you said that the Omnitrix just fell out of space in front of your son years ago, right?"

"That's correct, Blukic."

"Well, it may be possible that whoever stole this from Galvan B had navigational problems in their ship and flew too close, or there could've been a solar flare during its journey."

"Putting the origin of the damages aside, can you and Driba fix it?"

The other Galvan pushed Blukic aside with a grin. "Of course, Magister Midoriya! It just needs a few tweaks. Our workbench is over there and, fortunately, still in one piece."

Without asking for permission, the two aliens hopped onto Izuku's extended wrist. The teen raised an eyebrow as he looked back at his mother, who shrugged her shoulders. Thanks to his longer human legs, the greenette quickly reached the workbench and his passengers in tow.

"This is the chance of a lifetime, Blukic!" Driba exclaimed as he hopped off Izuku's wrist, followed by his colleague. "Out of all the Galvans in the known universe, it'll be the two of us who'll view the inner workings of the Omnitrix aside from Azmuth himself."

"That's good for you two," said Inko who now stood behind her son alongside with Izumi. "But if there's anything that we should know before you start tinkering, now's the time."

"…."

"Well?"

"…We have heard that there may or may not be a self-destruct function…"

"And a risk of electrocution, burns, loss of limbs.."

While Izuku's expression was hidden from his mother and sister, the latter two's eyes widened. Izumi rushed over her brother and grabbed his shoulder. "I don't like this, 'Zuku. You can't quite do hero work if you get hurt that much, right? Plus, the watch still works fine now, doesn't it?"

As the Izumi pleaded, she could now see her brother's face. To her shock, the only hints to any emotions Izuku had were his slightly pursed lips.

"'Zuku, you did hear what they said, right?"

"Of course, I was right here, Izumi," replied the vigilante as he looked at his sister. "Still, this examination could benefit me as well. It's a matter of risk and reward."

Before Izumi could respond, the only human adult in the room cleared her throat, her children turning around. "Mom, don't tell me your gonna encourage this! It's bad enough he has to fight villains or who knows what everyday! After all the secrets you kept, are you going to allow your son to get hurt more-"

Izumi's rant was cut short when a Inko produced a very uncharacteristic glare that also spooked Blukic and Driba in addition to Izuku. "Mom actually seems scarier than the robot I faced yesterday. Is this a Plumber technique or part of being a parent?"

The matriarch lifted her stern gaze off the others in a few seconds, much to their relief, before sighing. "Izumi, I understand that you're still angry at me for my lies, you and your brother have the right to doubt my honesty that much. I'm sorry for waiting this long and springing this much on you two now.

Inko then took a deep breath before continuing. "I did have reasons to hide some of these facts because most of there were international secrets, like the Plumbers, and were required to allow me to appear as an ordinary single parent, including the death of your father. With my actual salary, no one would believe a plumbing service manager would earn that much."

Izumi and Izuku gave each other a glance before turning back to their mother. "However, don't ever forget that I love you two. Izumi, I worry for your brother every time he goes out."

"That'd explain your stress eating," thought Izumi. Saying it aloud would've been a low blow, even for her.

"Besides, we both know he's gotten himself in a lot of trouble over the years."

"…Like the time he got attacked by that mutant skunk from Dr. Animo?"

"Yes, he stank for a whole day! Remember the two of us pouring soap all over him?" Inko replied as she released a chuckle.

The teen in question grimaced, that day had been as rotten as the stench. "Don't need to remind me."

"Or the time I caught him in a schoolgirl uniform because of one of his investigations?"

"Yeah! He was so cute!"

"Mom!"

"'Zuku! You looked amazing! You picked some nice clothes."

"And he still wears that shirt that says "T-shirt" on it!"

The tension in the air from just a few minutes ago began to lift as mother and daughter giggled. Despite the fact Izuku had to facepalm, he couldn't help but release the slightest grin at the sight. "Just like when I was little….."

Eventually, Inko caught herself. "By the way, I almost forgot," said the woman as she turned to her son. "Izuku, remember what I was talking about just before the explosion earlier?"

The male greenette held his chin as he gave it some thought. "You were talking about…. the day we found out I was quirkless?"

"Close," said Inko as she took a step closer to her son and her face wore a regretful look. "I said how I didn't support the four-year-old you back then."

"Mom, that happened ten years ago. I was sad then, but I don't care about that anymore."

Izumi chose this moment to butt in. "I was two around then, but I remember you and Mom crying! I think I joined in, so the room got really wet after a while."

"Alright, let's get back on topic." Then, to the surprise of her offspring, Inko knelt down and bowed towards her son. "Izuku, I'm so sorry for not supporting you then."

Momentarily stunned, Izuku shook his head before responding. "Mom, I forgave you for that already-"

"I'm not finished yet, Izuku." Inko then stood back up and inhaled deeply. "I sure you can recall me mentioning earlier that the Plumbers have watched over you to a degree."

It only took a second for the teen to remember that particular point. "Oh yeah, I've thought about that during the tour," said the teen as he brought out yet another notebook from his hoodie. "Since you and Shimura had that the Plumbers are law enforcers just like ordinary police, I assume you had some plainclothes officers as well?"

The Magister responded with a nod and a sigh. "Correct, I have some in both Musutafu and Undertown. Of course, with forms like XLR8, they couldn't keep an eye on you at all times."

"Well, that'd be inevitable." Izuku shrugged as he replied. "Besides, I wouldn't like being babied all the time. I had to grow up, Mom."

Inko shook her head before continuing. "Izuku, I didn't 'baby' you. You've saved many people and stopped many villains on your own merit. I couldn't be prouder of you."

"Yeah, 'Zuku!" Izumi complemented her agreement with a thumbs up and a grin. "You've even took care of bad heroes, like that Nemesis guy! Didn't you also leak some Safety Commission stuff too!"

Inko winced at the last part, something Izuku was able to notice. "Is something wrong, Mom? About the HSPC?"

"No, nothing important. It's been taken care of," said Inko, only to receive frowns in response.

"Mom, if it's related to the deal that will affect me as I suspect it may, it'd be good to know the details."

"Besides, this isn't the best thing to do if you want us to trust you," said Izumi, in agreement with her brother.

The Plumber gave it a few moment's thought until finally speaking. "Very well, it'd be the best option at this point."

"Izuku, I'm sure you're aware of the… PR issues the HPSC has had over the years, in no small part thanks to you. They've filed a lawsuit against you and as your guardian, it's being handled by me and the Plumbers' legal team."

Izuku scowled, of course those corrupt bastards would want revenge. But, something else was bothering the teen.

"That's not all, is it?"

His mother gave a grim nod in reply. "We've also received bills for property damage for fights that you were involved in for the past four years."

Izumi tilted her head in curiosity. "Mom, how much-"

"You don't want to know," said Inko with a shake of her head. "The Japanese authorities are somewhat wary of the Plumbers at the moment, we had to confiscate the remains of the giant robot you fought yesterday, Izuku, as we suspect it may belong to a known alien criminal. However, the government wanted to study the parts, so now there's a damn dispute over who's responsible for it."

She released a sigh. "Enough about that, let's talk about how things will be for you in the Plumbers. Once Blukic and Driba are- hang on!"

Following his mother's shocked gaze, Izuku turned and saw the forgotten Galvans in front of the Omnitrix dial, which was extended further than the teen had ever seen it, with tools in their hands. The sight caused him jolt his wrist and made Blukic and Driba stumble as it shook.

"Woah!" Driba exclaimed as he held onto the dial for stability. "It's a good thing we were just about done, Midoriya!"

Before Izuku could reply, Izumi jumped beside him. "Since when did you two started fiddling with the watch?!"

Blukic shrugged. "Since the Magister started telling why she didn't tell you two something or whatever."

"Yeah, family drama isn't our thing."

"That's something we can both agree on, Driba."

Inko sighed for the umpteenth time. "Alright, Blukic, Driba, have you two found the damage and fixed it?"

The latter Galvan nodded with a smile. "Affirmative, Magister Midoriya! The damage was concentrated around the circuitry that affects access to new DNA samples within the Omnitrix. Funnily enough, it appears that one is missing-"

Driba paused when he saw Izuku's wide eyes. "Is something wrong, young man?"

"…Did you just say that I could've had more powers over the past few years?"

"Uh, I suppose if not for this solar damage, yes."

The greenette's eyes remained stunned. Izuku then shook his head. "Never mind, can the new aliens be accessed now?"

Blukic nodded in the positive. "Yup! The thing is, the DNA samples may unlock at random intervals and order. There's no way we can predict what may be accessible and when."

"Still, there is no need to worry, Izuku." The teen felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and turned to see his mother smile. "The Plumbers have access to information on a wide variety of alien races. When a new form is unlocked, you'll be able to learn about what they're capable of faster than you could on your own."

After a moment of thought, Izuku gave his response. "That sounds good. If it'll help me master new aliens,

"Yeah, kid. With how many DNA samples there are in the Omnitrix, you'll need the help," said Blukic.

"Why? How many are there in total?"

"Oh, about a million or so."

OOOOOOOOOO

Mochi: A million?! Was Deku happy with that?

Lucky Girl: He was fricking shocked! I haven't seen a face like that in years! Wish u were there!

Izuku looked at his sister across the dinner table cheekily grinning at him and waving her phone in the air. After the lab analysis, Inko decided that to drive her children home, saying that they've "experienced a lot today".

"Izumi, please put away your phone," commanded the woman. "There's a few more details we need to discuss before you type more in that… squad chat group you just made."

"The Dekusquad, Mom. Since Jun and 'Chako are our friends, this chat will help them stay up to date." Izumi proclaimed. "Besides, you did say they could be trusted."

"I did, but I'm not quite finished with talking with you two. I just took a break so we can come back here and eat," replied Inko in a tone that left no room for arguments. "It's just a few more minutes, Izumi."

The girl sighed before placing her phone down. "Fine, what else is there?"

Inko inhaled deeply. "We're going to have to move out here."

Izumi's eyes enlarged as she registered what her mother said. "Hang on, move? Why?"

"First off, since Izuku's identity is now public, any criminal, human or alien, who has a grudge may attack him and, due to being family, us too," stated Inko with her hand up and one finger raised.

The mood of the room instantly fell. While Izuku gritted his teeth, Izumi lowered her head. She knew her brother pissed off a decent number of villains over four years.

"I… guess that's a good reason, what're the other ones?"

"Remember that crowd of paparazzi yesterday morning?" Inko asked, receiving two nods in reply. "I called in a few favours to get them off, but it means that our address can be found by any news person with enough research."

"So, our new home will be somewhere unknown to them," said Izuku. "Still, what if they discover where we live then too?"

The woman chuckled and shook her head. "The chances of that happening are almost zero, do you two know why?"

Both of the Midoriya children pondered over this. "Is it because where we're going, the Plumbers are gonna watch over us?"

"Close, Izumi, but not quite. Izuku, how about you?

The teen's mouth released mutterings which both Inko and Izumi chose to ignore until he raised his head. "Wait a minute, we're not going to a publicly-listed location, are we?"

The question received a nod from Inko. "That's right, Izuku. Our new home will be in the Plumber Base itself!"

If Izumi wasn't surprised before at the news of their move, she certainly was now. The preteen gasped as she ran through the memories of the tour given by her mother earlier. "Guess that's another reason she showed us around."

"The base's location is classified, so ordinary people, including villains and the media, won't be able to find it easily."

Izumi, having a few questions, spoke. "That's good, Mom, but what about school? Along the way, Jun and 'Chako said their parents managed to get them excused for tomorrow, but what 'bout us? Going all the way from a top secret HQ to that-"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Izumi," said Inko with a smirk and a gleam in her eyes. "You won't have to worry about Aldera anymore, since I'll be pulling you two out."

This time, both children gave stunned looks. Moving out was a big change already, but leaving Aldera? It wasn't unwelcome, but it raised a few more questions.

"Don't be so surprised, this is another way to protect ourselves and our privacy." The woman then placed her hands over each other on the table. "Besides I'm well aware that you two hate it at Aldera and why."

"…What?"

Izuku received a unamused look from his mother in reply. "Izuku, I'm not blind. I've seen how you limp or tense up after you come home on weekdays. And Izumi, I know you and your friends aren't really popular in Aldera."

As Inko turned to look at her daughter who scowled. "You knew? You knew that it was a hellhole all along?!"

"Yes, but listen," pleaded Inko who raised her hands defensively. "I did talk to your teachers and principal about this, but they kept brushing my concerns off."

"But you're the leader of some space cops! Couldn't you have them investigated or something?"

"Izumi, I don't think she could've done that before," stated Izuku, much to his sister's confusion. "Remember what Mom said earlier? She had to keep her true occupation hidden."

In response, his mother nodded. "That's right, keep in mind that they weren't talking to Inko Midoriya, Magister of the Musutafu Plumbers, they were talking to a manager of a Plumbing service." Inko ended her statement with a gesture towards her body. "Do I honestly look the part?"

Before her children could say anything, the Plumber continued. "However, it won't have to stay that way for long."

Izumi and Izuku gave each other a look. "Well, with enough exercise and maybe a diet-"

"I wasn't referring to that, Izuku!" Inko's face flushed. "I meant that since the Plumbers will start to go public with that press conference tomorrow morning, I'll be able to stop holding back and get Aldera under scrutiny for you two."

The pair of young greenettes couldn't help but feel a little satifisfied upon hearing that.

"Mom?" Izumi's voice attracted her mother's attention. "I am still a bit miffed about what you didn't tell us over the years, like the whole Plumber thing and Dad."

"That is true," chipped in Izuku. "You did have your reasons, but if I knew about the Plumbers earlier, I might've known about the possibility of gaining new alien forms and some help in my work."

Inko's face immediately fell as both of children said their piece. "But, I guess it's better late than never," admitted Izuku with a shrug. "And if there will be an investigation into Aldera, it'll be worth it to prevent other kids from experiencing what I did."

"What 'Zuku said," said Izumi. "Plus, there are plenty of assholes who deserve it."

Inko at the girl's comment. "That may be true, but it may take a while. Evidence needs to be gathered and it'll have to be before the staff there get any ideas about destroying them."

"Actually, I think I can help with that, Mom." Izuku then stood up.

"I'm sorry, Izuku, but since you'll be part of the Plumbers, human matters such as these aren't in our jurisdiction. I can call on some old friends in the authorities, but that's it."

"How about handing in already collected evidence of illegal quirk usage by students and incompetence by teachers?" asked the vigilante as he gave Inko and Izumi a small smirk. "I didn't want to expose Aldera until Izumi and Jun have finished their years there, but I imagine it'll speed things along?"

His mother gave a firm nod in response. "That's be wonderful, Izuku. It could be considered a tip given to the investigators."

"Oh, and before I get it, there's something you should know," said the male greenette as he retrieved a notebook from his hoodie. He flipped through its pages until he came across one of the latest entries.

"After school today, I encountered the person who leaked my identity." Now, it was Inko's turn to stand up. Followed by Izumi, the two of them walked to Izuku's side.

The teen then gestured to the current page in his notebook. It showed a reasonably detailed sketch of the armoured figure he saw that afternoon, complete with his six fingers.

"His name's Chrono Spanner, he has some kind of telekinetic quirk."

OOOOOOOOO

Toshinori Yagi sat in his armchair and rubbed his temples. After his tweet declaring protection for aliens, his PR team has given him hell. First off, it wasn't clear just how many aliens were on Earth. Second, whether they were hostile was unknown. On top of that, the HPSC liaison in his agency said that until further approval, All Might wasn't to say anything regarding the situation.

The Number One Hero admitted that he may've been a little hasty. The only contact Japan with extraterrestrials was with the alien robot the previous day, the monster just a few hours ago and Izuku Midoriya.

"You probably wouldn't understand, you were born with one of the most powerful Quirks ever."

That was what Young Midoriya had said to him regarding his quirkless status and his desire to be a hero despite the trouble it'd bring. To be honest, Toshinori could feel some sympathy towards the young man. When he was around his age, he did entertain the thought of becoming a vigilante. After all, he didn't have anyone to support him until Nana…

"A PHONE CALL IS HERE! A PHONE CALL IS HERE!"

His phone's ringtone ripped Toshinori's away from his memories and brought his attention to the device. Pulling it from his pocket, the hero felt his heart skip a beat upon seeing just who was calling.

Sensei Torino

Hands shaking, the blonde steeled himself as best he could before accepting the call.

"H-hello, Sensei-"

"I saw your post on the news, Toshinori! What were you thinking?! It's too damn early to say something like that!"

The quivering hero stayed silent throughout his teacher's rant. He may have already been told similar things from others beforehand, but if there's one thing he learnt under Sorahiko Torino's tutelage, it's to never interrupt him.

Thankfully, the old hero finished his piece, much to the younger one's relief. "So, what's your plan now, Toshinori?"

"Well…"

"You do have one, right?"

"O-of course, sensei!" Grasping at straws in his mind, Toshinori managed to grab one particular thought. "I've been told that there'll be a big announcement tomorrow regarding extraterrestial matters on Earth from now on."

"That's good," declared Sorahiko. "Aliens, didn't expect all of this nonsense to happen. I'm getting too old for this. Anything else?"

Toshinori took a deep breath before replying to his teacher. "Well, I think I may've found a possible successor."

Silence followed his statement as Gran Torino took it in. The younger hero could hear the elder take a bite of something. "Probably some taiyaki again."

"Funny, I thought with All For One dead, you wouldn't need someone to take the quirk."

"True, but with aliens around, there could still be a need for One For All. Remember that giant robot yesterday."

The Number One Hero couldn't see it, but Gran Torino grimaced as he recalled seeing it on the news. "Of course, took down some rookie and killed one, that bird guy. A damn shame."

"They were Mt. Lady and Hitchcock Doodle respectively, sensei," said Toshinori, mentally apologising to the duo. "You may not have seen me, but I was among the crowd at the scene."

"… Your time for the day was up, wasn't it?"

Hearing his student sigh over the phone answered Sorahiko's question. "To be fair, I had to chase, capture and hand a villain over to the police. It took a little longer than I thought, sensei, since he had some slime quirk, but I did have help with him."

"Hmph. At least there's one time you knew you didn't have to take care of almost everything, who was it that helped out?"

"Eh.. it was Izuku Midoriya."

"What?!" exclaimed Torino as his student held his phone slightly further away. "The same boy who wrecked that robot helped you out too?!"

"Y-yes, sensei! The very same!"

"I heard people say that apart from those alien powers of his, he's quirkless. Reminds you of someone, Toshinori?"

The blonde stayed silent for a moment before chuckling. "A quirkless child given great power? History has a funny way of repeating itself, I suppose. Then again, he does seem a bit more… cynical than I was at his age.

"Being a vigilante that young? That can harden anyone."

"But you have to admit, the boy's rather brave for. He ran out without transforming to lure that robot away from civilians!"

"Was that what he did? Hang on," said Sorahiko. "You mentioned finding a successor earlier." Pausing for a few seconds for dramatic effect, the old hero continued. "You think this green bean's the one?"

"Yes, I feel that- wait, green bean?"

"'Saw it on that Twitter website."

"You use it? Never mind, the point is that I can empathise a bit with Young Midoriya."

Gran Torino took another bite of taiyaki. "With you both being quirkless, formerly in your case, I can see why."

Nodding, Toshinori started to reply. "That's one reason. Another is the presence of extraterrestrials. That giant machine devastate part of downtown and the heroes present were useless against it!"

"And you want this Izuku Midoriya to be even more powerful?" asked Torino, following the other's train of thought. "He could handle it well enough, are you sure he needs One For All?"

Toshinori shrugged despite the fact no one could see it. "If there are worse things out there than that robot, he could use it well."

"Also, don't forget about other possible choices in Japan? I'm sure there's at least one or two who's heroic enough and willing to take on the burden. The kid may not even want to have your quirk."

Toshinori took in his mentor's reasoning. "I assumed Young Midoriya would jump at the chance for this. I certainly did when Nana gave me the offer. How could I forget that despite our similarities, we are still different people?"

"You're right, sensei, he does have powers of a sort already."

"Of course I'm right, Toshinori!" Boldly stated Torino. "However, you did have a good point when you said how there could be more dangerous space stuff other than that robot."

"Thank you, but what now?"

"If you still feel strongly about giving Midoriya One For All, just try and find some time to talk to him privately. Tell him the basics and see how he responds. Either way, make sure he can keep the secret."

"I understand."

""Good, and before I forget to tell you, be careful around him. I have a feeling people will have their eyes on him from now onwards."

"Alright, thanks again, sensei. It's been good to talk to you."

"It's been a while, but I'm still your teacher! Don't you forget that, Toshinori!"

"Y-yes! Goodbye and good night, sensei!"

Finally ending their long discussion, Toshinori slid down his armchair. Gran Torino was correct as usual. After that conference tomorrow, he would try to get in touch with Young Midoriya. It couldn't be too hard, right?

OOOOOOOOOO

Their mother was already gone in the morning by the time the Midoriya siblings awoke. They only found a note on the table declaring that needed to make some final preparations for the big news conference later on and some Plumbers would arrive to help them move out.

"So, 'Zuku." The vigilante turned to Izumi, currently munching on an onigiri. "Where are you off too now? I thought you weren't allowed to do vigilante stuff anymore."

Izuku as he fiddled with his signature hoodie, much to his sister's surprise. "Well, I'm not. I'm going to check on Uraraka." The teen finished his statement as he finished turning his hoodie inside out, revealing its black interior. Doing so would make him less recognizable to the public.

"'Chako? Why?" asked Izumi, tilting her head.

Izuku sighed. "After the Screegit incident and after Mom read you, Ishii and Uraraka the riot act, do you remember what I said?"

"Um….. not really."

"I just said: 'I heard you had quite an experience in Undertown'." Pinching the bridge of his nose, the vigilante continued speaking in a frustrated tone. "She played in part in unintentionally causing an incident in the district where she lives and that's all I said! I should have said something comforting at least!"

The girl perked up, now slightly concerned. "So did me and Jun, we've talked about this."

"That's true, but remember this. Uraraka is training to be a hero, particularly one specializing in rescues."

Izumi nodded in agreement. "That's true, but what has that got to do with… oh." She paused as she connected the dots. Rescue Heroes focus on helping people who've been harmed by large-scale attacks from villains and catastrophes like earthquakes.

What about aliens like the Screegit?

Seeing realization dawn on his sister, Izuku talked as he headed towards the door. "Yeah, you can see where I'm going with this. I have an idea how to help Uraraka with what she's probably been feeling since yesterday."

"Really? Is that it?~" The smug tone in his sister's voice made Izuku roll his eyes and, once again, revealed a notebook in his hands. "I've got to find out the secret behind that."

"Fine. If you want to know, I have some ideas for Uraraka about her quirk. Anything else?"

"Hmm, nope. Goodbye!"

Once the door was shut, Izumi got on her feet and squealed. Her brother and Ochaco alone together? (Well, her parents were probably there, but still.) The only other times when it was just the two of them was the latter's training before Izuku inevitably ran off to fight crime. A house call like this would be good for a change.

"Go get her, 'Zuku! Don't be a shounen protagonist!"

OOOOOOOOOO

"Excuse me, sorry, please move."

The Taris District was more crowded than usual. Photographers, journalists and the odd conspiracy theorist flocked around the area. "Makes sense, another alien attack would draw attention."

Izuku also saw the residents either talking to the news people, avoiding them or, for some enterprising ones, hawking wares or giving small performances to varying degrees of success. He recalled Uraraka mentioning them once, his friend having considered it as a possible source of income before shutting it down as there wasn't much to earn.

Speaking of his friend, her apartment building was just ahead. With his inverted hoodie, no one could recognise Izuku. "I might need a better disguise in the future, though. This look may draw attention," noted the vigilante.

Following the familiar path to the elevator and onwards, the greenette found himself in front of the Uraraka residence in just a few minutes. Knocking twice on the wooden door, Izuku could hear heavy footsteps on the other side of it. The entrance opened to reveal a tall, heavily-built man with khaki-colored hair who was none other than Takeshi Uraraka, the man of the house. He looked down to see Izuku remove his hoodie, revealing his familiar face, and broke out into a small smile.

"It's been a while, kid. You alright with all the nonsense recently?"

"I'm fine, things have just been moving a little fast," replied Izuku with a shrug. "I should be asking you that, sir. With the alien yesterday-"

Takeshi interrupted the teen with a chuckle. "No need to worry! That kaiju didn't make it anywhere near us thanks to you, but Ochaco still seems a bit shaken up about it. She's been a little down since she came home last night."

"Yeah, about that, is she in? I'd just like to check up on her."

The man seemed to eye Izuku as he said that. "Really? Now aren't you a good friend. Come in!"

Izuku followed Takeshi into the Uraraka household, giving a quick greeting to Ino Uraraka who nodded at him.

"Hello, dear. We're pleased to have such a famous hero visit our humble home," teased the brunette woman.

Izuku shook his head in response. "I've been here before, Mrs. Uraraka. It's nothing special."

A firm hand patting his shoulder reminded the teen of Takeshi's presence. "You're my daughter's first friend in this city, son. Not to mention, you've saved our bacon quite a few times by now. It's always special to have you visit!"

Both husband and wife giggled in unison. With such good hosts, Izuku couldn't help but crack a smile "Anyway, thanks for allowing me in. Can I speak to Uraraka?"

Ino raised her hand towards a door at the other end of the living room. "Sure, maybe a friend can help her out. She isn't really keen on telling what just why she's feeling off."

Izuku sighed. "I… think I know why, just give us some time alone, please?"

The two adults shared a look before Takeshi spoke. "Sure thing, kid. Just no funny business." Izuku nodded in gratitude as he headed towards his friend's room without another word. Takeshi and Ino went about their own business, having faith in the teen.

When the greenette finally stood in front of the door, he rapped his knuckles gently on it. "Uraraka, it's me." He heard a yelp and the ruffling of sheets from behind the door. After a few more seconds, Ochaco opened the entrance just enough to reveal herself.

"Hello Deku, this is a nice surprise!" The girl wore a smile, although Izuku could notice a hint of sorrow in her chocolate eyes. Despite that, he smiled back at her.

"Good morning, Uraraka. Can we talk? Privately if you're okay with it."

In response, Ochaco was slightly taken aback. The brunette looked away for a moment, her already rosy cheeks darkening just the tiniest bit. The male teen sighed. "Alright, if you feel too uncomfortable with that, then we could-"

"No, no! It's okay!" With her hands flying back to the door handle, Ochaco widened the opening to her room and gestured inwards. "I trust you, you're the one with ideas that don't suck."

"That's… somewhat concerning," thought Izuku as he entered. He had been in his best friend's bed room before and could already see that it's contents just the same as before. The Thirteen stuffed doll he got for her birthday last year, the small fan on top a simple coffee table and some weights in the corner.

Ochaco then sat on her bed. "So, what did you need to tell me, Deku?"

Izuku inhaled deeply before he bowed, much to the girl's shock. "Uraraka, I'm sorry."

"S-sorry? For what?"

"About yesterday," said the Omnitrix wielder as he raised himself up. "I think I didn't give you as much reassurance you needed."

Ochaco chuckled as she shook her head. "Deku, that's nice, but I'm alright. You stopped the Screegit, nobody got hurt."

"According to the reports I've heard, that's true," he admitted. "But I'm guessing you're still hung up on bringing it to the surface?"

The girl clenched her jaw and hands tight, her silence being the answer he needed. "Was it obvious?"

"Well, sort off." Izuku then began to list off his points. "You were partially responsible for exposing the Screegit to more of Earth's atmosphere. Next, the mutated critter caused a lot of destruction and almost got people killed. Also, on the path it was on, it would've reached your home, alongside Jun's, if it wasn't reverted."

At this point, the vigilante saw the tiniest hint of a tear in one of Ochaco's eyes and felt a pang of guilt. "But, no one was harmed like you said," said Izuku hurriedly as he gently patted her on the back. "Besides, you weren't aware of the biology of the Screegit. Professor Hokestar should known better than to bring it to Earth at all."

"That doesn't change things, Deku!" exclaimed Ochaco as her friend was slightly startled at her outburst. "It was my choice to follow that Wildvine alien to steal the Screegit! I convinced Izumi and Jun to follow! I just took him at his word and wasn't sure whether it was dangerous in any way! I just wanted to help you out with one thing!"

Ochaco sniffled as tears made their way down on cheeks, her hands raised to wipe them away. "I was worried about my parents, but also for the people who got caught in the rampage! I want to be a hero, but i caused so many people to be scared!"

With Izuku's continuous, comforting hand on her back, the brunette managed to calm down slightly. "Last night, some of our neighbors came over to see if we were alright. Daddy just laughed it off, he said: 'ain't no monster getting us anytime soon'."

Removing her hands from her eyes, Ochaco softly said, "If someone actually died, I'd never forgive myself. I'd be wasting your time with helping me train, maybe I shouldn't be a hero…."

Izuku sighed, with each word said by Ochaco, the vigilante's empathy towards her grew larger and larger. It all sounded very familiar to him.

"Uraraka, I understand how you feel," said Izuku as he sat beside his friend. "I've made many mistakes during my early years."

This time, Ochaco finally looked up towards her friend and saw Izuku close his eyes in sadness and whisper, "there was so many people I could've saved if not for my incompetence then…"

"Deku, I'm sure you weren't that bad…"

The greenette turned his head upwards, looking his friend. "I was a inexperienced 10-year-old when I started, I screwed up more times than you think."

3 Years Ago

Water Hazard hopped across rooftop to rooftop, propelling himself with quick bursts of water, as he was beside himself with pride.

He had just stopped a thief from running off with an old lady's purse! The woman had even thanked him! It seemed small, but not only had Mom said that was doing stuff like that good for training, it was the kind of thing All Might would do! He was a hero!

He skidded onto another roof, barely managing to prevent himself from tipping over the edge and onto the road four stories below. Sure, Water Hazard's shell was tough, but avoiding it didn't bring unnecessary attention onto him.

That and less property damage would be good, just as his mother told him. She gave him great advice, like rolling with a punch to reduce the impact and always keeping in mind the time

Speaking of time, it was 6:30. Nearly time for dinner! Water Hazard shivered in anticipation, maybe it was more katsudon?

"NOW SHUT UP AND LISTEN, BITCH!"

Shaken from his stupor, the transformed child looked around. Where had that terrible voice come from? Just then, a heard a smack coming from below him. "Oh yeah, I'm right above some homes! Could it be a villain?"

With a careful grip on the roof, Water Hazard carefully extended his head below the ledge, he could see a man with spikes on his arms standing over a woman. The view was upside down, but the young vigilante could still make out an angry expression on the man whereas the woman's face was hidden from view.

The man cracked his neck as he raised a spiked hand. "Are you going to get up? Or am I going to drag you myself?"

"No! Please no, I'll stand up. I'm sorry," pleaded the lady as she raised her head. Now, Water Hazard barely stifled a gasp as now that the woman's face was visible, he could see she had a black eye and dark bruise on her cheek. "What did that man do to her?" thought the boy as a certain explosive blonde came to mind. "Can't anyone else hear what's happening?"

The spiked man then grabbed the injured lady's shoulder tighter than he should, judging by the latter's wince. "Good! I already got enough shit from the boss! Saying I scare people all the time with my quirk! I don't need any more from my own wife, got it?"

When his spouse could only splutter in fear, the man gripped her even harder. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" The sheer volume made the Orishan jump, but his grip on the roof prevented him from falling off.

"Y-yes, I'm sorry!"

The husband, finally satisfied, released the poor woman. Water Hazard released a breath he didn't know he held. "Fucking good! Now get inside and make something that's nice for a change. I'm gonna have a smoke."

With only a nod, the woman wordlessly opened a door to the right and entered what the vigilante guessed was their home. True to his word, the spiked man then reached inside the pockets of his jeans and took out a lighter and a single cigarette.

"Damn bitch. Gotta smoke thanks to you-"

As the man managed to get his lighter lit, a sudden blast of water knocked him off his feet. The husband landed on his butt, his now useless lighter and cigarette landing near the door. Before he could even utter a swear, the man saw a large shadow loom over him.

"How could you do that? To your own wife?"

Despite his voice sounding like it came from underwater, it didn't hide the confusion and disgust in Water Hazard's tone. The man looked up and narrowed his eyes at the red vigilante. "You're one of the 10! Aren't you guys villains?"

The Orishan's four slitted eyes widened, perplexed at the question. "Why would I be a villain? I'm a v-vigilante ! You're the one who shouts at his wife!"

With some of his initial shock fading, the spiked husband got to his feet. Despite being slightly shorter, he glared at the alien. "Give me a break! You don't know what I go through every fucking day!"

Ignoring the hateful tone with a shake of his head, Water Hazard took a step forward and, as much as the transformed child could, tried to look intimidating. With him being taller, his crimson exoskeleton and crab-like features, it was certainly working. The man's glare faltered for just a second and he took a step back.

"Yes! He's gonna give up! Maybe if I add something else…"

"Listen, um… I'm in a good mood today," said Water Hazard with some false swagger and shaking a finger at the man. "I'll let you go, but you better not do anything to her again."

"Oh yeah? O-or else what, freak?!"

Water Hazard then folded his arms. "Or else I'll get my… teammates to get you! Four Arms hates people like you!" The thought of the hulking, super strong Four Arms coming after him finally broke the man. He backed up against the door with a gasp, the spikes on his arms leaving scratches on the wooden surface.

With one last nod, Water Hazard turned around and leaped off the corridor. With a well-timed water blast, he was able to propel himself towards the ledge of the next building. "That'll teach that bad man! He'll be too scared to do anything to his wife now!"

Two Days Later

Inko yawned as she guided Izumi in preparing a bowl of cereal without spilling. "There you go, Izumi! Not a single drop out!"

"Thanks, Mommy!"

The two of them then headed towards the dining table where Izuku sat with a newspaper in front of him. His sister quickly ran up beside him, the milk in her bowl of Mirko-puffs shaking. "Hi, 'Zuku. Whatcha reading?"

Izumi then turned her gaze towards the newspaper. When she saw the front page news, her joyful mood shrivelled up and disappeared.

Man kills wife. Attempted murder-suicide.

Right below that headline laid a picture of the suspect. A man with spikes on his arms.

The present

Once the male teen had finished recounting his experience, Ochaco was stunned to say the least.

"My God, Deku," said the brunette softly as she patted Izuku on the back. "I haven't heard of that before."

"It happened before you moved to Musutafu," muttered the teen. "The husband's name was Ryoga Suzuki. He's currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife, Akane. Before that, he was already an ex-con who had trouble holding a job and a history of aggression."

"So, was he going to… kill her anyway?"

Izuku shook his head. "It didn't matter, I was still there the day before he stabbed her with his spikes. When I read the news, I just… shut down. I thought I might as well have been the one to end Akane Suzuki's life."

That statement caused Ochaco to get up from her bed. "But Deku, that abusive man killed her!"

The other teen nodded in reply. "I'm well aware of that now, but back then I kept thinking that this could've been avoided if I was just a bit more careful. That if I wasn't so reckless, nothing bad would've happened. Sounds familiar to you?"

Ochaco gave it some thought. "Familiar? Why would it be- oh." The brunette gasped as realisation dawned on her. "We both went into something half-cocked, and others paid the price."

"I know the situations aren't quite the same, Uraraka, but what we felt afterwards was." Izuku's sympathetic tone was able to soothe his friend's emotions slightly. "Thinking about the what-ifs, feeling guilty, wondering whether you should really be a hero."

Ochaco sniffled softly, promoting Izuku to say more. "I know it hurts a lot, but focusing too much on such incidents isn't worth it."

"W-what do you mean? I can't forget something like this, Deku."

Hearing her reply caused the greenette to shake his head. "Of course not, I can't ask you to forget about it just as I can't forget any of the times I've failed someone. That'll be a disservice to those who've been hurt."

Izuku got to his feet and turned towards Ochaco before continuing. "We need to let those memories become lessons to us. To help us know just what we should do if something similar happens."

The brunette considered her friend's words. They made sense, she wasn't going to do anything wild in Undertown in a long time. Giving up on her dream wouldn't help anyone. She could still get her parents money by becoming a hero! Not to mention, she could help a lot of people out.

"That's it! I'll save people from dangers like yesterday's, that's how I can make up for it!" With that positive thought, Ochaco gave her friend a great, big grin filled with gratitude.

"Thanks for that, Deku. I needed it."

It was at this point that Izuku knew he had succeeded, signifying it with a smile of his own. "It's the least I can do, i should've have said something like this yesterday."

"It's okay, I'm all better thanks to you!"

Ochaco continued to beam to Izuku, who started to reach inside his hoodie. "Deku's such a great guy! He must've been through a lot, but he still goes out there and saves people! If he isn't a hero, then I don't know what is!"

As Ochaco was lost in her thoughts, she began to feel as though she was floating without using her quirk. With Izuku searching for something, he couldn't see her cheeks darken. Just then, he whipped out a notebook, the sight of which caught the girl's attention.

"What's with the notes, Deku?"

"Just something I've been preparing for a while now," replied Izuku as he flipped towards the latest entries. "I wanted to wait a little longer before I showed you this, but I thought it'd be useful after yesterday."

Eventually, the greenette found the page he was looking for and gave the book to Ochaco to see. Taking it, the brunette's eyes instantly flew to the title near the top.

Uraraka's Quirk: Possible Potential

"Remember how I asked you about your quirk when we became friends?"

"Oh yeah! I told you all I knew about Zero Gravity."

"Yes. I know we've been working on your weight limit so far, but maybe we could try out some possible techniques."

Izuku then showed Ochaco the following pages, filled with test and diagrams. "I heard you were the one to hold the Screegit's cage before it got loose. Some of these skills involve things you'll hold and how you may be able to manipulate their movement to do degree. It all needs contact with your fingertips."

Digesting the male teen's suggestion, Ochaco was awed. A way to improve her quirk like never before? Count her in! "That's sounds good, Deku, but where do I start? I've never actually thought of doing that before."

Before Ochaco's new glee could dampen, Izuku reassured her. "Don't worry, I'll be here to help you out. I don't have much else to do before the Plumber press conference starts later. I thought we might as well get started on this."

"Really?"

The last of Ochaco's worries was swept away by another smile from one of the best people knew. "Sure, what are friends for?"

Notes

1. The aforementioned damage to the Omnitrix is the reason why Izuku has only had a roster of ten aliens for four years. Like mentioned above, he has suspected there were more forms. Let's just say Cannonbolt wasn't the first alien in the tenth slot. Guess who was.

2. I thought Izuku and Ochaco could use a friendship moment. They'll get together, but not for a while.

3. Water Hazard here is based 100% off Omniverse's style.

4. The little flashback above was based off an old Superman comic. It seemed like something that could really happen in the world of BNHA.

Next Time on My Hero Academia: Hero Time

"Mrs. Midoriya!" Inko turned towards another reporter, one with blue skin and lilac hair. "Chitose Kizuki, I represent the Deika Shimbun!"

"What is your question, ma'am?" Inko nodded towards the woman, who flashed a sharp grin.

"As a mother, how could you let your son be a vigilante at such a young age? Weren't you aware of the danger he faced?"

Jun, still covered in steel, stood up from the sofa, wearing the green hoodie Izumi gave him. The latter gave him a grin. "Well, does it make you feel stronger?"

The dark-haired boy gave it thought before shaking his head. "Not sure, this may be Senpai's spare, but it doesn't work for me. Besides, this feels a little weird-"

BANG!

Next Chapter: New Threats