The Chains That Guide a Hero
Chapter 7
So this will be less about the complicated sides of being a Legionis and more about Izuku's new role as a teacher. And some of the side elements that come with pro heroes in their world. Now then. On with the show.
(No POV)
After filing some paperwork involving the death of Stain, the two heroes involved were exhausted. Burnin herself just gave Izuku a quick good work and asked her to check in later. "I'm a little worried after that breakdown you had. Take care of yourself, okay?" Burnin said with a worried look in her yellow eyes.
All Izuku could say was thanks before he hopped on his motorcycle to head back to UA. And when Izuku arrived at his apartment, he stripped out of his gear and promptly collapsed on the couch. Not even bothering to turn on the tv or plug in his phone.
The latter of which would come to bite him when he woke up late the next day. "Crap! Crap! Crap!" Izuku shouted as he was running to the freshman classroom. When he arrived, he quickly opened the door to see Aizawa going over details of rescue operations with the students.
"Morning Agent Midoriya. I take it you didn't check your phone?" Aizawa said with a raised eyebrow. Izuku just looked up at the Erasure Hero with a blush. "Um… I didn't.. Plug my phone in last night. After I got back from the…."
"I know where you were. And some of what you had to fight. I had actually called to tell you that you could sleep in a bit. The cameras showed that you didn't return until almost 3 in the morning." Aizawa said while putting his hand on Izuku's shoulder.
He mentioned that he understood what Izuku was doing and he messaged him about not worrying about class for the day. "But since you are here, I think we'd all like to hear a recounting of what occurred last night."
Aizawa then pulled Izuku to the podium and gave the floor to him to address the students. Izuku was still a bit nervous, but he cleared his throat and went over the details of what had happened the night before.
"And thus I tried to save Stain after he had been corrupted by the effects of the Astral Plane. It did work after quite a few doses and my Sword Legion working to blue shift the man. But…. it was still a bit too late. The best I could do was let him regain his humanity on this side." Izuku said with a sad look to the ground.
One of the first to speak up to his success was Tenya. "You still did much more than I feel quite a few would do sir. And you honored the spirit and heart of what makes a hero." Many of the rest in the class agreed with the bespectacled man and gave their own praise to Izuku.
The agent gave the students a slight smile and thanked them, but his failure to save someone still weighed on his mind. Bakugo and Momo noticed this and each were thinking of ways to shift Izuku's focus. With the former asking why it was that Stain turned while Burnin didn't.
Izuku cleared his throat before mentioning the medicine that came from the Ark. "It's meant to alleviate some of the effects of red shift. Stave off the warping and mutating caused by the…. Strange dimension."
Momo then questions if this was what made her and her parents sick when they were pulled over. Izuku acknowledges that is was and that there were other effects that came with the Astral Plane. "But that may be something to talk about another day. For now…."
Izuku trails off before seeing Vlad King standing at the door. Aizawa notices this and addresses the other teacher. "I take it that he was supposed to help you with your class today right?" Vlad nodded before saying, "yes. I've talked with the students a bit on the Astral Plane, but someone who has actual practical experience would be much better."
"I understand. Um, that will be all for today for me. If you have other questions about the Astral Plane or Chimeras, come meet me at the teachers office." Izuku said before leaving the classroom.
Once outside, he gives an apology to Vlad. "It's fine kid. At least you did remember. Some would blow off other students to focus on their favorites." Vlad said while escorting him to the other freshman class at UA. And while Izuku still looked a bit disheveled, he had a few minutes to straighten up his appearance.
After a brief introduction to 1-B, Izuku opened the floor for questions. Aside from a few questions about what happened with Burnin, the first to speak up with a serious question was the Copy quirk user, Monoma Neito. "Is it true that only quirkless people can become Agents like you?" Izuku is slightly taken aback by the question and looks to Vlad to be sure if it was okay to give some details.
The Blood hero nods and Izuku gives a jaundiced version of the details. "If the person is from this side yes. They have the highest reaction and synchronization rate. On that side there are other factors that take precedence. Given….. well no one on the Ark even has a quirk. All of the people living there are quirkless."
This surprises a fair number of the class and a few more start asking for more details about the other side. Like Tsunotori Pony questioning if there were nations within the city, or Tsubarabara Kosei asking what they did with their free time. Among other things.
"Alright slow down. I won't answer most of those questions, but I can tell you that is that things are quite different compared to this side. One of the biggest issues has to do with food and other supplies. They have to make due with synthetic meats or clothing that may be made from recycled materials. And then there is the other dangers from the Astral Plane."
Izuku uses this as a segue to talk about Aberrations and Chimeras. Bringing up images of some of the entities involved. And going into the details of how some of the creatures fought. "Now we are setting up more Neuron bases on this side, but it will take time to actually find more people to fight and save anyone pulled to that side."
"Is it possible for us on this side to defeat these monsters?" Kendo Itsuka asks while looking at some of the monstrous forms. Izuku notes that they could defeat most of the Aberrations without much worry.
"But you shouldn't try to face the Chimeras. For one, you can't see them without being a Legionis and connected to a Legion. Or you need a special set of goggles that should be standard issue before long." Izuku said while bringing up the images of the items.
He then brought up a few details pertaining to some exercises Vlad had each of them do the day before. While the Blood hero had no intention of expelling a student, he still noted the capabilities each student had shown. This was what Izuku started on next.
"There are some other details on you fighting styles and potential as heroes that will come into play when it comes to dealing with entities from the Astral Plane. But I can point out the best ones for dealing with said energies, and who should stay away."
The first few he notes would be okay at facing Astral entities. Some of those being Rin Hiryuu, Yanagi Reiko, Kaibara Sen and Shoda Nirengeki. "You could of course engage the entities more effectively and safely compared to most. Given you fight at range."
He then notes a few as in a medium risk type. Kendo, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu being the main ones. But the ones at highest risk were Shishida Jurota, Kamakiri Togaru, and Shiozaki Ibarra. "Given your more radical changes, you could be at risk of mutating due to red matter."
"Mutating? What do you mean?" the dark-haired blue-eyed Kodai Yui said with a confused look. Izuku stopped and was wide eyed. He jerkily turned toward Vlad King as if to ask if he did let that slip. And the hand on the broad-shouldered hero's face answered Izuku's question.
Izuku gulps before turning to the class again. He clears his throat before saying, "there are some details about the…. Effects of red matter that haven't been released to the public. One of them being that…. Those with quirks, especially strong ones, are at greater risk of being…. Turned into Aberrations."
To illustrate his point he showed not just the images of Stain being mutated as well as what happened to Endeavor himself. How both came in contact with larger amounts of red matter, and it transformed them into Chimeras. And Izuku also showed how some with weaker quirks were turned into Aberrations.
"We don't have a…. full understanding of why this happens. Some have theorized that perhaps those with quirks have weaker immune systems or something that leads to them being more easily mutated." Izuku tries to glide past with middling success. It alleviates some of the questions for now, but Yui could tell he was dodging something.
With Izuku finishing his lecture on the Astral Plane, Vlad takes over to keep him from revealing more classified details. He then directs the students to spend some time practicing with their quirks to get a feel for their combat abilities. While Izuku slips out to get something to eat before his next set of classes.
In the afternoon, Izuku spends time instructing the sophomore classes on two things. First was the Astral Plane and what to focus on in emergencies related to Chimeras and Aberrations. Second, he watched each of them practicing their quirks and worked with the students to build their skills a bit more. Sometimes noting things that even their teachers missed.
As the day was winding down though, Izuku was dealing with the more boring side to hero work. Reports and paperwork. He was somewhat versed in this due to his time as an agent for Neuron. But it didn't make it any less mind numbing to write up the actions taken during the pursuit of a subject.
"Um excuse me. Midoriya-sensei?" a student asked while he was engrossed in his writing. He shook his head and turned to see Fuwa Mawata and a few other students behind her. Izuku leaned back a bit before rubbing his eyes and asking what she wanted.
Mawata stepped forward first and asked if he could explain a bit more of what he suggested with the applications of her quirk. "I mean I get the basics about focusing on defense given I make my body kind of fluffy. But is that all I should do?"
Izuku has a suspicion on what this could actually be about. "You're worried about not being able to fight as effectively as some other heroes. Right? That you'll be stuck as a sidekick or a lesser named hero?"
The pink haired girl blushed before looking down and agreeing with the agent. Izuku sighs a bit before starting his explanation. "It's true you might not be able to knock someone out right away, but a defensive strategy can be quite powerful on its own. Look at Fat Gum. Your quirk could let you fight like him. You just have to wait to find the opportunity to strike."
And just when she is about to express a worry about not standing out as a hero, she thinks back on Aizawa when she and her class were Freshmen. And how he expelled them all because he wanted them to experience death and to make them aspire to be better.
'He wants the same for us. And he's doing that by making sure we can work with our quirks to the best of our abilities.' Mawata thinks before smiling and thanking Izuku. She then leaves the room to let the other students ask their own questions.
Momo and Yui being the last two to talk with him. Momo going first to talk about a few details with the Astral Plane and a decent application of her quirk. With Izuku even writing a few other details on how to optimize her combat skills with her quirk.
"Um….. Izu- I mean Midoriya-sensei." Izuku stops her before saying, "you can call me Izuku for a bit Momo. Especially given, you want to ask or talk to me about something else?" Momo blushed a bit before agreeing with him. Yui meanwhile is confused by the way the two were interacting.
Momo's blush eases a bit before clearing her throat. "So, I was wondering…. If you would mind um.. helping me understand more about the Chimera's? I'm just a bit curious about some of the details of the creatures. And maybe we could just get lunch too?"
Izuku nods before agreeing to meet with her to go over the details. But he notes that it has to just be a lunch meeting. "I am your teacher. It….. even if I'm the same age, it wouldn't be appropriate." Izuku says with a slightly sad look on his face. One that is mirrored by Momo, but she respects his integrity.
Yui hums a bit while Momo away. "So I take it that you two knew each other before?" Izuku lets out a small chuckle before agreeing. "We met by chance when my family was on vacation in Hokkaido. We played together and got close. Even if it was just for a short time."
"Huh… Well it's not my business. Though I give you some credit to trying to keep things professional. Anyway. I have something else I want to ask sensei. You were dodging my question earlier, right?" Yui says in her usual monotone. But her eyes narrow at bringing up her question again.
Izuku gulps before trying to dodge around Yui's suspicions and questions. Which just makes her even more suspicious. "What are you hiding sensei? What aren't you willing to tell us?" "It's a little complicated Kodai. And it's highly classified." Vlad King says while stepping up with Aizawa.
This just makes Yui even more suspicious, and she keeps pressing her teachers for some details. And while Izuku is still nervous and having trouble coming up with lies or excuses, the elder teachers cover for him by answering in his place.
"I'm not going to get a straight answer am I?" Yui finally concedes after ten minutes of run around. Vlad shakes his head while Aizawa just gives her a simple, "nope" and asks that she leaves it alone for now. "We may….. give out more details eventually. But for now, you don't have to worry about it. Just take care of your assignments and be ready for the next class. You'll learn more eventually."
This isn't enough to ease the suspicions and worries of the Size quirk user, but she accepts that they are staying tight lipped on the matter. "Fine. Anyway, you mentioned about me trying to shift the items in varying sizes. I can't really do that. I can only grow them to about ten times their size. Or shrink them down to pocket size."
"Well then we'll have to work on that. I might have a few ideas on ways to work with it." Izuku says before asking her to meet with him and a few other students to practice their quirks another day. With the suggestions and some other strategic ways to use her quirk listed, Yui bows to the teachers and leaves the office.
Present Mic and Midnight then walk up and congratulate Izuku on his methods of handling all of the students. "Also you seem to have the eye of quite a few of them sensei~." Midnight says with Mic mirroring her teasing.
"Please can we not talk about that!? I don't…. I'm not even sure on the best ways to go about this. Its so different from what I'm used to." Izuku says before putting his head in his hands. Mic chuckles again before telling him he's being smart and professional about it.
Midnight then smiles at her junior teacher at UA. She then suggests that they all go out for dinner and a few drinks. "You may be a new teacher, but that means we should celebrate our new member." Izuku is a bit unsure, but Nezu steps in to agree.
"We rarely think about this but it would be good to have a bit of levity to our day. Anyone else on board?" Snipe, Vlad, Power Loader, and Cementoss all say they are in alongside Midnight and Present Mic.
A few do bow out though. "Sorry principal Nezu. But I have some lesson plans to work on." All Might says with a wave of his large hands. Recovery Girl also declines but mentions she'll have something ready for those who drink too much. "You do have quite the rowdy bunch with you after all."
Ectoplasm and Aizawa both mention that they have some hero work to do. And while Izuku initially wants to reject, the place that Nezu was suggesting they go was a place he had been thinking about going to. He gulps a bit before noting that he'd never been drinking before.
"So it'll be your first time eh?" Midnight says with a teasing smile. Mic elbows her and asks her ease up on the younger hero and teacher. Nezu then claps before telling everyone they'll be heading out once the paperwork was done.
Once it was done, Nezu called in to the high-class steak house for a bit of a celebration for Izuku joining their team of teachers. Izuku had changed into his dress uniform to look more appropriate for the location. With a few of the teachers also changing to match the fancy atmosphere.
With Vlad changing to a blood red dress shirt and black slacks, Mic and Snipe both changing to more professional looks. With Snipe putting on a black cowboy hat and a western styled suit. Midnight meanwhile was wearing a very nice dress, with black stockings, and had her hair up.
When they arrived, Izuku was nervous about going further into the restaurant. Midnight noticed this and grabbed his arm. "Just relax and follow us. Or me. I'll guide you gently." She said while gently pulling him toward their table.
After they sit down, Nezu orders a few appetizers before asking for the alcohol menu. "Someone might want to walk Midoriya through ordering here. It'll be a bit of good training for him." Nezu says before ordering a whiskey neat.
Izuku is a bit wide eyed but he suspects some of what Nezu was talking about. 'Pros anymore have to be…. Well professional like and may be have to drink or mingle at certain events. Maybe that is what this is really about?'
Mic takes up the role at first by pointing out something simple that should ease Izuku into alcohol. He nods and orders the suggested item before looking over the dinner menu. Eventually settling on a moderately priced steak.
But his first new step into this world of adulthood would come with the Kabosu cocktail with ice Mic had suggested. He gulps at first before taking a gentle sip. It wasn't a harsh as he had been expecting, and it was more akin to juice from the initial taste.
"Don't drink too fast. You might find it hits you faster than you might expect." Mic says while gently sipping his own drink. Midnight and Vlad meanwhile were sharing a bottle of wine and Snipe was enjoying an overseas whiskey before switching to a draft beer. Cementoss meanwhile chose to abstain from drinking.
Izuku only had water after the first drink and with his meal. But a bit of ribbing from some of his fellow heroes was enough to convince him to try another drink. This time trying a bit of the wine that Vlad was fond of. As well as a sip of the lager Snipe preferred
"Mmm. No. I don't really like that taste. I think I prefer the cocktail. And the beer was a bit too bitter. The whiskey isn't too bad though. But I do need a bit of water with it." Izuku says with a little blush. Mic and the rest nod and tell him that he doesn't need to drink anymore if he doesn't want to.
But the young hero and agent feels an urge to test some of his limits. But not in a very nice place such as this. Mic, Midnight, and Snipe notice this and silently agree to go along with the youngest among them.
After dinner was done, Nezu, Vlad, and Cementoss all head for their respective apartments. Izuku seems to be following that lead, but he takes a few looks toward a few smaller bars to test his limits.
"I know what you're thinking of. And if you want to test what you can take, we'll be coming with you." Midnight says while letting her hair down. The other two loosen up their suits and nod to go with the young man.
Izuku blushes a bit and thanks his coworkers. They go to a small, nice bar to test what he thinks of the few different kinds of alcohol. Even making sure to break up his drinks with water and a bit of food.
Unfortunately, they also have a few drinks and start to feel the effects. While less compared to what Izuku was trying, they started to get a bit dazed after a time. Izuku meanwhile is feeling out of it after ten different drinks. Even with the pacing, water, and food, Izuku was wobbly trying to stand from his barstool.
"Whoa there. Oh man. I got you kid." Mic says while shaking his own head. Midnight helps him and then calls a cab for Snipe. Who was asleep on the bar. Mic plans to take Izuku to his place at UA. Only to realize he left his pass to the gates at the school.
Midnight sighs and pulls hers out of her purse. "I'll get him… whoa! Back. You live close to where Snipe does right?" Mic shakily nods before helping Snipe up and to the cab the bartender called for them. And Midnight was helping Izuku to their own cab.
"Whaa… oh what happened?" Izuku says groggily slightly coming out of his alcohol induced fog. Midnight tells him they are heading back to UA. Izuku nods before asking who she was and gulping down a bit of bile.
Midnight chuckles a bit while considering if she should go forward with one reason, she wanted to take the young hero drinking. 'I doubt he'd be opposed to it. And it would be interesting to see what this young man's technique is like.' Nemuri thinks while her own eyes and thoughts are a bit hazy too.
When they arrive, Nemuri uses her pass to get by the barrier and get to Izuku's place. When they arrive Nemuri sets the younger hero on the couch while she goes for some water. Until she starts feel more of the booze she had at the end of the night.
Izuku meanwhile is sitting up on the couch and feeling out his muddled his senses. First standing up and walking to the kitchen. There Nemuri was feeling dizzy and Izuku noticed this. As she started to fall over, Izuku moved in to try and catch her. Only for both of them to end up tangled up in each others limbs.
This gets some laughs from the both of them and Nemuri thanks Izuku for trying to catch him. "Even a bit addled, you still have the instincts of a hero." Nemuri says with a blush and slur. Izuku sits up and leans against the cupboard before rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah…. I just tried to help how I could… Uh. Midnight right? You are the one here, right?"
"Nemuri. Just call me Nemuri right now, Izuku." Nemuri says with a slight blush and crawling toward the younger hero. She brings her hand up to Izuku's cheek and rubs it with her thumb. She then comes toward him with a kiss. One that starts out gentle before both getting more aggressive.
The two eventually stand and the heroine guides the agent toward the bedroom. While also dressing down to get to the finish. Nemuri quickly working to unbutton Izuku's uniform and shirt and guiding his hands to undo her dress. Izuku stumbles back and falls onto his bed with Nemuri on his chest.
With her own chest practically spilling out of her black bra. And her garter belt stockings coming undone. "I don't….. I've never…." Izuku says with slight slur and nervousness. Nemuri sways a bit before leaning down to whisper in his ear. "I know. Don't worry. I've got you." She says before unclasping her bra. And leaning down for another kiss.
Yeah I know I made a bit of a quick jump, but I wanted to show one of the side effects to being in a position like Izuku is. And how even as an adult you make stupid moves to keep up with those older than you or more respected. And how easy it could be to get swept along in something like this.
You said this was one of the first stories you read Laughingman. I was working on how to get this one going, but I hope you'll enjoy a peek more into the teaching and adult side of Izuku's job and life. Not to mention some of the stupid choices he'll make just because he is…. Well an adult and being pushed into the more professional world. And I hope you've given my Justice Across Space and Time story a read. Though I know it's long one.
For this story, I won't be following the canon given the severe changes I've made. Like killing AFO early, though you might have missed that. Now even Tomura isn't as much of a factor, but I will have more revealing the complications or likely conclusion of quirks eventually. Oh and to the guest who left the most recent comment, did you miss that Stain is dead now from the last chapter? Also the so-called vanguard action squad wouldn't even be a squad. They'd just be a bunch of unaffiliated villains. A lot less dangerous to deal with. Please review!