Hello, crazy, beautiful world! So good news, I managed to get my first update finished a little less than 2 weeks earlier than I expected! Speaking of, more than 300 views, 9 favourites and 16 followers in a bit more than a week! I am so happy that so many people decided to give my work a shot! To everyone who viewed, subbed, followed and reviewed, thank you so much!

For the reviews:

TheLoaderBoughtTheFarm; Thank you for your feedback! Up to the point I published I only had 2 of my irl friends read this story, so I'm glad to know that it wasn't just bias! I hoped to keep a balance between flashbacks and present events in a way that isn't annoying or confusing, good to know that I succeeded!

Triton0501; I don't want to spoil anything. All I can give you is a Mr Torgue "MAAAAAAYBEEEEEE?!", hope you stick around to find out!

One last thing before this starts, I think I should mention that the story is going to touch on the subject of trauma. Hopefully this warning doesn't come too late, I promise I will give the subject the respect it deserves.

Borderlands is owned by Gearbox and 2KGames and My Hero Academia is owned by Kohei Horikoshi and Funimation. Please support the official release.

Please rate and review!

"This means someone is talking."

'This means someone is thinking to themselves.'

This means it's a flashback.

This means it's a sound effect!*

Angel in a Gilded Cage

To Angel the most thrilling part of having a conversation with people her age was how... normal it was. Nothing about politics, corporations or law. No objectives, threats or hidden agendas. Just her and some other teenagers, talking about normal teenage stuff.

Whatever that is. All these years of waiting, hoping and fantasizing about the event and she honestly didn't know what to talk about.

'Hopefully someone else will start and I can just roll with it.'

Fortunately she didn't have to wait very long.

"So!" Uraraka began as the four of them crossed under the gate. "What should we talk about first?"

"Maybe we should start with some light facts about ourselves like hobbies, favourite foods and the like then we can move from there?" Iida suggested.

"Good idea." Midoriya said.

"Alright then, why don't you go first Midoriya-kun?"

"E-Eh?! O-Ok then. I am Midoriya Izuku!" He declared, immediately turning sheepish, his face was adorably funny. She tried harder not to laugh this time. "I-I guess you already know that… I live over at Mustafa, um… I like Katsudon and… I guess my hobby would be studying heroes and quirks… my favourite hero is All-Might."

"Come on, studying isn't a hobby!" Uraraka laughed.

"I-It's not?! But I don't do anything else!"

"I don't see what the problem is. Improving one's knowledge of heroics for the future is commendable!" Iida interjected.

Angel remained silent off to the side wondering how to proceed. What should she be doing here? Should she try and interject, add to the subject, or maybe she should stay silent? She didn't want to interrupt, but wouldn't it be weird if she never said anything?

Thankfully, Uraraka unintentionally made the decision for her.

"What do you think, Hodunk-san?" She asked.

"Oh! W-Well, I mean, if it's a way to pass the time and you enjoy it… I guess it's technically a hobby?" She answered, then began to sweat, worrying her response might have sounded strange or something.

Uraraka hummed. "Yeah, that's fair." Her reply made Angel sigh with relief.

The act of socialization and camaraderie had always been a confusing concept for her. For all her life, she had only ever held conversations either through a phone or a screen. There was a sort of disconnect that technology provided which she found comforting. That it was less personal, therefore, less risk of making a mistake or alienating whomever she is communicating with.

At the same time, a small part of her wanted it to be personal. To have a real connection with others. In the last several months, she had gotten exactly that with Moxxi and the Raiders, but it wasn't quite the same. In the earlier days, she would always freeze up when talking to more than an individual in person. Due to how little time she had spent with the Raiders, she had never gotten a handle on group interaction. The months following, it had only been her and Moxxi focusing on getting her ready for Yūei.

But now, she finally had that chance.

"Um, Hodunk-san?"

Angel blinked and noticed how all three of her new friends were looking at her expectantly.

Crap, she had gotten lost in thought hadn't she?

"S-Sorry. I-I got a bit distracted. What was it?"

"We were wondering if you'd like to be the next one to tell us a bit about yourself." Iida answered.

Her heart skipped a beat. 'They want to get to know me!' The thought made her anxious, but a bit excited at the same time!

"Really?"

"Yeah! I'm super curious! Where do you come from? I mean, no offence, but you don't seem to be from around here!" Uraraka requested.

Where did she come from? That was a bit of a loaded question. Thankfully, one that she and Moxxi had prepared for.

"I... came over from the United States."

Angel immediately gained the attention of her companions, Midoriya and Uraraka's eyes were aglow with fascination!

"Omigosh, you're from America?!" Uraraka asked, her chipper energy from earlier resurfacing!

"That's so cool!" It seemed to be infectious as Midoriya anxious mannerisms had completely vanished, replaced with an inquisitive spark!

"I-Is that such a big deal?" She asked, quite surprised at their enthusiasm.

"You're a student from such a huge, far away country! Can you blame us?!"

"Yeah! All-Might spent years in America and when he came back he became the number one hero in Japan! Where are you from specifically?"

"California, Silicon Valley."

Midoriya was practically abuzz! "Oh man! That's the heroic support tech landmark of the Northern Hemisphere and a hotspot for technological innovation! What's it like over there?!"

"I-I mean, I guess it was alright. There's a lot of those two wheeled scooters and robot trash cans over there." She shrugged, trying not to go into too much detail. She never did get out much growing up afterall.

"I guess this explains your slight accent and why you spoke in English today." Iida noted. "Your Japanese is outstanding by the way."

His praise made her blush. "T-Thank you." She said with a smile.

After that, the conversation returned to the original topic, with Uraraka and Iida having their turns as the quartet made their way to the train station. Angel was a little worried at first, she had heard rumors of how packed transit systems could be, especially in Japan. Thankfully there was a stroke of luck as it was fairly sparse that day. Paying for her ticket with the card Moxxi provided her, Angel joined her new friends as they waited at the tracks.

"So what should we talk about now?" She asked flawlessly, her anxiety slowly being eroded away as she got more and more used to conversing with her companions.

Uraraka hummed for a second. "Ah!" She raised a finger. "What about our quirks?"

"Yes, a good idea!" Iida agreed. "If we are going to be growing as heroes together, it'd be in our interest to know each other's capabilities!"

'That's a fair point.' Angel thought as she nodded. Although she was a bit… hesitant about others knowing about her powers, she knew that it would be better if they learned from her rather than from rumors or speculation.

She also wouldn't deny her curiosity, her need to understand how things worked, including her new friend's abilities.

'Especially Midoriya.'

She glanced at the boy whose face was currently a mixture of excitement and nervous energy. His powers left her completely flummoxed. Recalling her studies on quirk physiology and theory, she remembered the evolutionary rule of how quirk's affected the human body. Quirks manifest when the individual is young, the average age being four years and as the body aged and developed, it would adapt to its unique capabilities as a means of preventing self harm. For example, an individual with control over electricity would have a natural resistance to or in some cases complete immunity against their element. That's how it was according to the top scientific minds over the last century.

Which brought up Midoriya's case. From what she could gather, he had some kind of super strength or physical enhancement. If the rule held true, his body would have adapted to his extreme power as he grew up so that he wouldn't kill himself. Yet every time she had seen him use his quirk, it left his body shattered.

She shivered as the memory of his limp, devastated limbs after destroying the Zero-pointer crossed her mind. She needed to know why.

"Midoriya-kun, do you want to go first?" She asked, making him jump as Uraraka and Iida also grew interested.

"Yeah, what's your quirk?"

"I'll admit yours is the most curious out of all of us Midoriya-kun, could you explain why you keep injuring yourself?"

The greenette seemed extra antsy now that the spotlight was on him.

"M-My quirk is, uh, superstrength. I can enhance my physical power. As for t-the injuries, my body can't take the force because I was a l-late bloomer." He floundered.

She considered his explanation. Late quirk manifestation wasn't unheard of. It was only a question of how late Midoriya received his. It made sense for the most part, so she decided not to dig any further. Iida seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"A late bloomer hm? Understandable in that case."

"Sounds rough." Uraraka stated. "My turn I guess! I can cancel gravity on anything I touch!" She explained, holding up one of her hands to show the light pink pads on her fingertips.

"I thought that's what it was." Angel said, thinking back to the exam and the ball throw.

"Really?! That's so useful!" Midoriya gasped, his anxiety suddenly absent. "You could incapacitate criminals just by touching them and lift heavy objects off of people! What's the heaviest thing you've floated?!"

Uraraka chuckled bashfully at the attention. "Before the exam the heaviest thing I've lifted was my dad's truck. If I lift anything like that for too long I get… pukey. Same if I float myself."

"Uh-huh! Uh-huh!" He panted in an exuberant manner, feverishly writing in a beaten notebook that Angel knew she hadn't seen him pull out. "What about you Iida-kun?! Your legs have built in engines right?!"

"Um...yes." Iida answered, just as baffled as Angel and Uraraka were at the sudden shift in the boy's temperament. Some bystanders were giving them some odd looks. "They help me run and increase the force of my kicks. I have to drink orange juice to refuel them."

"Wow! You were like a race car with how fast you ran earlier! I bet you could smash through walls! I'd imagine that'd still hurt right?"The boy asked as he scribbled furiously.

"I added armor for my costume in my support item request." Iida admitted.

"Nice!" Then the greenette spun to face Angel, making her step back a little. "Hodunk-san, you grew wings and shot bolts made of some kind of energy! What is it? Plasma? Electricity? Some form of radiation?" He questioned, waiting for her answer expectantly like he was a puppy waiting for her to throw a ball. It was very strange, yet kind of adorable.

'Here it goes.'

"Um… it's a little hard to explain." She muttered. "My body generates that energy you're talking about. As to what it is or where it comes from within me… I… don't really know. " She twiddled her thumbs. "I can expel it from my body, in the form of wings or shots from my hand and… it allows me to… control technology."

She could hear a pin drop, they were so quiet. Midoriya's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull.

'Oh crap! Did I break him?!' She panicked a moment before Iida and Uraraka leaned closer in astonishment.

"Are you serious?!"

"How the heck does that work?" The two of them exclaimed while Midoriya remained frozen.

"W-Well, all electronic devices emit the same energy as me, just a lot smaller." She made a squishing gesture with her pointer finger and her thumb. "I can influence that energy with mine and get control over whatever's making it. I can… it's a bit hard to describe. It's like I can hear a voice, but… not with my ears. Does that make sense?" She asked. Before either of her friends could tell her, all three of them became aware of the low, fervid muttering.

"Omigosh! Such a multifaceted quirk with such powerful capabilities is unheard of! The offensive potential of long range energy projectiles alone is a noteworthy ability! Coupled with the maneuverability provided by flight adds versatility in open and vertical environments, a tremendous advantage in combat scenarios! But that all pales in comparison with the ability to interface and command electronics in the modern era! The possibilities are endless, stopping run away cars, turning off lights to render villains helpless, creating distractions-" He continued to ramble to himself while his pencil scratched away, moving back and forth so fast she was surprised the paper hadn't caught fire! It was some kind of trance that was terrifying, yet strangely fascinating to look at.

At the moment though, Angel was more worried that he wasn't going to come up for air.

"M-Midoriya-kun?!" She cried, snapping her fingers in his face! "Breathe!"

"Abuh, whah?!" He sputtered, breaking out of his animated reverie to immediately realize what just happened, if his embarrassed expression was to be believed. "S-Sorry… that's a… habit of mine."

"We were a little worried for a second there!" Uraraka said.

"You did say you studied quirks." Angel added.

Midoriya chuckled awkwardly. "Heh, yeah."

Suddenly there was a bell tone. "Train six. Now arriving; Train six." A horn echoed from down the tunnel.

'Aw man.' She had been having so much fun too. "Alright, that's me!" She said, shouldering her bag as she turned to her new friends. "Thanks for bringing me along you guys."

All three of them smiled at her. "Thanks for coming with us!" Uraraka replied.

"Looking forward to working with you." Iida said, giving a big thumbs up.

"Me too!" Midoriya added, stowing his notebook.

Angel returned her smile and stepped closer to the edge of the tracks.

But as the squealing of metal wheels reached her ears, she felt like she was forgetting something.

"Oh!" She turned back. "And Midoriya-kun?"

He blinked. "Hm?"

"Thank you for saving me." She said, giving him a thankful smile.

He caught on to what she was referring to, returning the smile with one of his own. "You saved me too. I should be thanking you."

She shook her head. "You stopped that robot from crushing me! That's more amazing than what I did!"

"You caught me afterwards! I would have been paste if it wasn't for you!" He insisted!

"You broke almost all of your limbs! You hurt yourself to save me!" She protested as the seemingly innocent exchange escalated out of both teen's desire to thank the other more!

"You fell unconscious from overusing your quirk! You were the better hero!"

"No, you are!"

"No, you!"

"You!"

"You!"

Uraraka and Iida watched in amusement at the ridiculous argument unfolding.

"They're both too nice to have the other one less heroic than them!" Uraraka whispered.

"Should we intervene? She might miss her train."

"Nah."

At the moment, Angel and Midoriya had devolved to furiously pointing at each other. Neither one moved, only holding their fingers forward and glaring at each other in an epic stalemate.

"Snrk."Angel snorted as the nonsensical nature of their conflict finally occurred to her. 'What are we doing?!'

"Pfft." Midoriya made a similar noise, his determined face starting to crack.

The next moment they both broke down laughing.

"H-How…"She struggled to catch her breath. "How about we… call it even?"

"Yeah..." Midoriya replied, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'm good with that."

There was a sudden hiss and the train doors opened.

"I've got to go! See you guys tomorrow!"

"Bye!"

"See you tomorrow!"

"Have a good night!"

Angel stepped onto the train and got into an empty seat. Turning to the window, she waved goodbye, her friends returning the gesture as the doors closed and the train pulled away from the station. As soon as they disappeared from sight, she righted herself and closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of content.

She couldn't ever remember smiling this much in one day.

It was a fast train ride thankfully. Now that she was alone, Angel could feel her anxiety creeping its way back. She moved briskly through the crowds, staring straight forward. It was only when she closed the door of Moxxi's apartment behind her did she relax, replacing her uniform with a pair of sweatpants and a comfortable shirt that read; "There are 10 types of people in the world…"

She got a headstart on dinner, chopping some vegetables for a stew. The broth was just coming to a boil when the door slammed open and Moxxi came sliding on the hardwood floor and said two words.

"Spill. Everything."

Angel made her wait for when the stew was ready and they had begun to eat. And so the interrogation commenced, the excited older woman asking her questions that she would answer between spoonfuls of broth and vegetables. She started where they had left off that morning, with her arriving at homeroom early. Moxxi had broken down laughing as she described Iida's mannerisms. She continued, mentioning her introductions to Yaoyorozu and Shoto, though she glossed over her… episode. When she had just finished illustrating her reaction to Midoriya and Uraraka joining the class and mentioned Aizawa's name, Moxxi surprised her.

"Good ol'Shota came back to Yūei to teach huh? Didn't expect that from him."

"You know Aizawa-sensei?"

"Oh yeah. He was always a prude, didn't focus on anything but results and improvement. Shame, I have a thing for tall, dark and mysterious."

"More like tall, scraggy and tired."

She moved on to Aizawa's tests, she was happy to report the progress she showed from their training. When she mentioned Bakugou's antagonistic behaviour, she received some advice.

"If he bothers you, go to Nezu like I said. If he keeps bothering you, punch him in the dick!"

"I… don't think I can do that. I… don't, want to do that."

"Sometimes a girl has to send a boy a message, that she's not interested."

"I REALLY don't think that's the problem!"

Then after talking about her classes, she moved on to the highlight of her day. She described her walk in greater detail than the rest of her tale, becoming more and more vibrant as she chatted about her new friends.

Uraraka, the cheerful, bubbly girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, a kind of boldness that Angel could admire and yearn to develop for herself.

Iida, whose commitment for order and formality felt a bit harsh and intimidating at the beginning of the day, but now felt that it was just his way of caring, that he just wants everything to be moderated and controlled so that no one is causing trouble for others.

Lastly Midoriya, a timid boy whose worrying nature concealed a kind and determined heart dedicated to becoming the best hero he could be and if the exam was any indication, to make sure that no one got hurt if he could do anything about it.

Once she was finished, Moxxi reached across the table and grasped her hand.

"Look at you! First day of school ever and you've already made some friends! I'm so proud of you!" She squeezed her hand gently.

Her caretaker's pride made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. They hadn't needed to form the relationship, that night when they had met on the dark landing strip, when she welcomed her into her home as a favour for her friends. Moxxi hadn't needed to do it, but she had gone out of her way to make sure she was comfortable and safe, as if she was her own child. She comforted her when she was scared and reassured her when she was doubtful, helped her adapt to the new world she found herself in and prepared her for when she would venture out on her own. It was something Angel had lost a long time ago.

Returning the physical contact, she smiled. "Thank you Moxxi."

Retrieving her hand, Moxxi sat back and sighed reminiscently. "Reminds me of my first day at Yūei. The only foreign student on campus, the boys couldn't keep their eyes off me!" She laughed.

'Gee, I wonder why?' Angel thought with a roll of her eyes.

"Ahhh." Moxxi continued. "By the end of the day, I had eight love letters and was asked out five times!" Then she looked back down at her, a familiar, mischievous glint in her eyes. "While we are on the subject, anyone catch your eye?"

Angel blinked owlishly. "Eh?"

"You know what I'm talking about." She leaned forward. "Any boys? That you like?"

"W-W-WHAT?!" Angel screeched, slamming her hands on the table! "Of course not! Why would you say that?!"

"I went to Yūei too Angel. Heroes have to be in top shape, so there would definitely be a few beefcakes in your class. No? Maybe some handsome faces? Some majestic prince charming to sweep you off your feet?" Moxxi continued teasing her.

"Why do you do this?!"

"Highschool is the hotspot for teenage romance Sugar. I," She preened. " -as your acting guardian, in good conscience, cannot let you venture onto the stage of love and passion unprepared. If you would just tell me your type already, I can give you the knowledge to wrap the lucky boy around your finger!"

"No! For the last time, I don't want romance and I don't have a type!"

"Everyone has a type Sugar. What about your two new, male friends? The straight laced one, Iida was it? Rule sticklers are a bit of long term investment but they can be a lot of fun, breaking down their barriers and bringing them down to your level!"

Angel shielded her scorching red face. "Please… no…" She whimpered.

"No? Then what about that Midoriya boy? Nervous and kind huh? Might want to be careful with him, it's usually the quiet, timid, nice ones who are REAL freaky."

"Stop iiit…"

"Not him either huh? Hmm…" She hummed for a moment, then her eyes glittered and her smile stretched across her face.

Angel REALLY didn't like that look.

"Ohhh, I see…" She leaned even closer. "It's the cute, bouncy brunette isn't it?" She whispered.

"Annnd I'm done!" Angel announced, kicking her chair back! "Good night!" She called out, not looking back as she ran for her room!

"Aww don't be like that Angel! You can talk to me about it!" Moxxi yelled after her! "I swing for both teams!"

*SLAM!* The door nearly splintered Angel closed it so hard! She collapsed onto her bed, the comforter letting out an airy *Fwoof!* as she sank into it. "Unnngh…" She groaned into her pillow, completely mortified.

For all of the good Moxxi had done for her, there was one thing she just couldn't handle; Moxxi's obsession with romance and love. It seemed to be deeply ingrained in her since birth from what she heard. She would make comments about people's attractiveness and make euphemisms at every opportunity. Maybe it was a part of her quirk? She used it a lot for her job so she never really seems to switch off. Whatever the case it made for some weird and embarrassing moments living with her.

"Highschool is the hotspot for teenage romance Sugar." Moxxi's words echoed through her head, making her blush again.

The mere thought of thinking of anyone, let alone her new friends in that way made her want to curl up out of overwhelming shame. She wasn't going to get any sleep like this. She needed to vent.

Sitting up, she pulled out her phone and earbuds. Moments later she had the timbre of acoustic guitar filling her ears as she stood up and strode over to her school bag. Reaching inside, she retrieved her sketchbook and pencils. Setting herself back down on her bed, lead met paper and she began to draw.

Moxxi stepped up to the door to Angel's room, dressed in a shirt and panties. It had been a few hours since dinner and when she teased her charge from the table. A small part of her felt bad for making Angel run like that. Moxxi knew that the girl couldn't handle anything "saucy", her age and lack of social intimacy having made it difficult for her to not turn red like a tomato.

'But dammit if it isn't adorable.' She thought to herself as she gently tapped on the door. No answer.

As silently as she could muster, she eased the door open a crack. The light from the hall spilled in and she could see Angel's form on her bed, her back to the door. The small noise and the rhythmic moving of her torso told Moxxi that she was asleep.

Glancing down, she spied the girl's sketchbook on the floor, laid open with various pencils strewn about. She had bought them for her a few weeks after she first arrived, as a way to make her open up and express herself before she was comfortable enough to start talking to her. It turned out to be a good call, letting Angel put her thoughts into words about her issues and from what she had shown her, she was a pretty good artist.

Unable to control her curiosity, the woman quietly stepped into the room, careful not to make a sound or slip on a pencil. Bending over she picked up the book and flipped it over. What she saw warmed her heart.

It was a sketch of four individuals, two boys and two girls, all wearing the grey and green Yūei uniform. Their backs were turned, hiding their faces, but each had telling features to distinguish themselves. One of the boys had a curly mess of green hair. The other one was the tallest and most broad of the group, with short, navy blue hair. Next was a relatively short girl with a large brown bob of hair just barely reaching her shoulders. Lastly was the second girl with a very familiar black feather cut and ponytail. All four of them were walking towards the centre of the empty white page, as if moving towards an unseen horizon. The paper was overflowing with hope and fulfillment.

Moxxi had no words. Looking down she studied her sleeping charge. Her body was relaxed and extended, her hands beneath the pillow which in turn was beneath her head. Her breathing was steady while her face was adorned with a smile of content.

The sight filled Moxxi with elation.

'She's come so far.'

She remembered the first few months, when she would wake in the middle of the night, the sound of sniffling and desperate pleas rousing her from her room next door. The despair and rage that'd wash over her as she'd climb into the bed and hold the poor girl's shaking form while she wept in a fitful sleep.

Now..?

She had never seen her sleep with such tranquility.

Returning to the sketchbook, she flipped the page, then froze.

A dark visage. A sinister countenance that while it was the epitome of a handsome man, had a sinister undertone, as if it was a devil wearing a mask. That chiseled jaw, flawless skin, perfect hair and a haughty smirk. The eyes however were two black voids, crossed out furiously with frantic scribbles, as if the artist was afraid of meeting their creation's gaze.

There was no mistaking their identity.

Moxxi quickly closed the book.

That's right. It wasn't over. He was still out there. Angel was safe, but for how long? What would be destroyed? Who was going to suffer?

She glanced down at the bed.

Angel would. He would stop at nothing to get her back, not until the poor girl who had just tasted happiness for the first time in years was back in his clutches.

Decided she had seen enough, the woman returned the book to its place on the floor and left the room. Turning back, she gripped the doorknob.

"Over my dead body."

The door clicked shut.