Hey ya'll! Sorry for the late upload, ran into a spot of writer's block but we got through it! Time for internships! I own nothing, so let's get to it!
Identity
A few days earlier...
Near Hosu city, an elderly man was going through his daily Martial Art stances in preparation for the day. He rose at dawn as he always did and waved his hand towards a small candle, which lit immediately. In a traditional Chinese house, this man lived alone as he had retired as a Pro Hero many years ago. The candle flared and softened in brightness with his consistent breathing techniques. Next to it was a small pile of paperwork.
The man seriously considered destroying the papers for a few moments, but ultimately decided against it. He had no interest in teaching another fire user, especially that man's child. But it wasn't him asking. It was Rei, the last person he thought he would even hear from, much less ask to train an intern. She told him her child was different from his father, full of kindness and life. But to train an intern, he must temporarily come out of retirement to be eligible.
He finished his last kata and picked up the papers. One was the application for Pro-Hero status. The other was an internship offer for one "Shoto Todoroki" from UA Academy.
With a wave of his hand, he snuffed out the candle and picked up a pen. As he wrote, he prayed dearly that this wouldn't go like the last time.
Never again.
xXx
"The Shining Hero: my name is I Cannot Stop Twinkling!" Aoyama announced.
"WHAT? THAT'S A SENTENCE!" Some of the class yelled. Class 1A's decisions for their codenames were underway, starting with the ever confident Aoyama. Toph twirled her marker as she thought. She had a couple ideas, but one name really resonated with her in particular. As for Aoyama, Midnight was making edits.
"You should try abbreviating it. Try shortening 'I cannot' to 'Can't' and you'll be set!"
Toph listened with interest. 'Maybe this won't be so hard.' She tapped Momo. "Help me write this?"
"Sure what is it?"
"It's…"
…
"Ooh, I like it. Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I'll wait a moment though." Momo nodded and started writing. Meanwhile…
"The Rainy Season Hero: Froppy." Asui announced. The name was a success with Midnight and the rest of the class. Ashido was next.
"The Acid Hero: Alien Queen!"
It was cool in Toph's book, but Midnight thought otherwise. "Like the monster in that old film? I think not!"
"Dang it…"
The class picked up momentum after the first few submissions.
"Tentacole!"
"Cellophane!"
"Tailman!"
"Grape Juice!"
Midnight reviewed each name, giving small critiques and compliments to each name. She couldn't have them looking dumb with rando names, could she?
"The Sturdy Hero: Red Riot!" Kirishima announced.
"Hmm, could you be referencing the Chivalrous Hero: Crimson Riot?" Midnight asked.
"That's right! He's an oldy, but he's definitely the kind of hero I want to be!"
Toph paused at that. 'So, he takes inspiration from a hero too. Just like Iida and Midoriya.'
After Kirishima took his seat, it was Todoroki's turn. What kind of name would suit the user of ice and fire?
"Shoto."
…
"Really? Just your name?"
"Uh-huh."
…
"Why don't you keep it as a placeholder just in case, ok?" Midnight suggested.
"...ok."
"Alright, who's next? How about you Beifong?"
"Sounds good." Toph stood up with her white board and walked to the front. 'This is it.'
She placed her white board on the podium.
…
…
"Toph-san." Midoriya whispered.
"What?"
"It's upside down."
"Oh." She turned it the right way up. The class leaned in to read.
"The Groundbreaker Hero: Blind Bandit."
"The Blind Bandit?" Midnight asked.
"I know, not that original. But I heard Present Mic call me that during the Sports Festival and I liked it. I hope that's ok, Midnight-Sensei."
"Of course, Beifong-san! In fact, I'm sure Mic would be thrilled that he inspired your Hero Name. But are you sure about the blind part? You would be broadcasting your weakness to the world doing that."
"I know. But they'll find out anyway, I think. Besides, there's never been a blind hero before me right? I'm breaking new ground, so to speak."
"I see! Well, you are sure to be an inspiration to the people you're protecting. I might consider reaching out to the blind community when you go Pro."
Toph didn't think about that before. 'I guess I'm not the only blind person in the world.'
"Thank you." She gave a small bow and returned to her seat.
"Now," Midnight continued "who's next?! Bring it on!"
Bakugo power walked up to the Podium. 'This should be good.'
He slammed his whiteboard down in front of the class.
"King Explosion Murder!"
…
…
"Yeah, I'm going to call that a no." Midnight rejected.
"HUH? WHADAYA MEAN?"
"Why don't you be Explosion Boy?!"
"SHADDUP, WEIRD HAIR!"
Bakugo returned to his seat to try again. Next was Uraraka.
"How about Uravity?"
"Ah! Cute!" Midnight approved.
A few more came and went.
"The Jet Black Hero: Tsukuyomi!"
"Sugarman!"
"Invisible Girl!"
"Ear-phone Jack!"
"PINKY!"
"ChargeBolt!"
Momo was next: "The Everything Hero: Creati!"
"Excellent, Yaoyorozu! Who's next...Iida?"
Iida hesitated before walking up. 'That's odd. Iida never hesitates for anything.'
"Just your name as well?"
"Yes, Midnight-Sensei."
"Well, we'll keep that as a place holder as well, ok?"
"...yes ma'am." Toph worried a bit as he walked back to his seat. 'Better check on him later.'
"Midoriya? Are you ready?"
"Y-yes ma'am!" Midoriya stuttered as he walked up. Whatever he chose, the rest of class gasped.
"Hey man, are you sure?" Kaminari asked.
"Yeah, you could be called that forever!" Sato added.
"I'm sure." Midoriya answered. "I used to hate it, but someone helped me give it another meaning. And I kinda like it now."
He stood a bit straighter. "Deku. That's my name."
Toph raised her eyebrows at his choice. 'Hey, his life.' She also noticed a certain heartbeat go up. She smiled silently. 'Oh, Twinkletoes.'
And finally…
"LORD EXPLOSION MURDER!"
"That's basically the same thing, Bakugo."
xXx
In a dark bar…
Things weren't going as planned for Tomura at the moment.
You'd think that a psychopathic serial killer would be happy to join something called "The League of Villains", but apparently not if the knife in his shoulder has anything to go by.
"Kurogiri...do something!" He grunted as he held his wound.
"I cannot move." Kurogiri answered from behind the bar. "It must be his quirk."
The infamous Hero Killer lunged at Shigaraki faster than one could blink, pinning him down immediately. "You're just like those fake heroes out there, kid. 'Destroy everything you don't like?' That's not conviction, that's a tantrum. I'm not interested in your little gang." He held up a serrated knife. "You're scum, too." He plunged his knife down…
Which Shigaraki caught.
"You...don't know the first thing about me, Hero Killer." Shigaraki hissed as the knife rusted and crumbled in his grasp. "Conviction? Morals? Don't make me gag." He kicked the murderer off him. "I'll destroy everything. All Might, Hero Society, everything. Starting with those two kids." He pointed to the photos on the table. It was a picture of a Green-haired crying boy after the obstacle race and a picture of a victorious blind girl at the Sports Festival.
"What do they have to do with anything? I'm curious." Stain asked.
"Simple, they got in my way. In the way of killing the Symbol of Peace."
"Tch, if a couple of kids got in your way, I'm definitely not interested."
"Tomura, I can move again." Kurogiri muttered.
"Good," Shigaraki answered. "Get him out of here, we don't fit anyway."
"I agree." Stain interjected. "Take me back to Hosu. I have unfinished business there."
xXx
"Ugh...guuuuuyyyyysss, do you have any idea who you're going to intern with?" Ashido asked in moderate despair.
"I'm going with Mt. Lady's agency!" Mineta yelled.
"Mineta, are you thinking something perverted, kero?"
"Possibly?"
"I know where I'm going!"
"Really, Uraraka? Where?" Ashido asked.
"The one that Gunhead runs!" Uraraka said. "He sent me an offer!"
"Wow!" Midoriya commented. "But isn't he a rougher fighting type? I thought you were going for rescue?"
"Well I still am. But if I learned anything at the Sports Festival, I need more training for the next time I'm in a fight."
Toph felt her Braille page with frustration. Most of the agencies that requested her were small time, next to no action or crime in the area. Which would be good, if she was looking to take it easy. But that wasn't her goal. She's gonna work her butt off and be the best hero, damn it!
But some help would be nice.
"Oi, Mutters!" Midoriya looked back to Toph. "You're a hero nerd, right? Do you know any of these guys?"
"Oh! Let me see!" Midoriya read over the paper, turns out he could read Braille. Who knew?
"Hmm, you can rule out most of these agencies I'd say. Not that they aren't good heroes, but you can do better I think. The Wild, Wild, Pussycats have an earth-user too, so some experience there wouldn't hurt. They tend to focus on Search and Rescue, which you would be great at, actually." He read a bit further and nearly missed what could be the best offer on the list. "Hey! What about this one!"
"What one?" Toph felt where he was pointing. "The Rabbit Hero: Mirko Agency? Really?"
"Yes, really! She's just short of the Top Ten and she's projected to make it next selection for her incredible battle prowess. I'm surprised she gave anyone an offer, she has no known sidekicks. She specializes in close combat with an aggressive battle style, a good fit for you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Anyway, she's definitely your top choice if you want fighting experience. Your quirk would also work well for crowd control and tracking, something that would compliment her skills as a brawler while still keeping up with her in a fight."
"Huh. Alright, thanks Midoriya!"
"N-no problem!"
Ahead of Toph, Todoroki was looking through his list, instantly finding the Endeavor Agency. It would be a good pick, objectively. But he wasn't ready to forgive Endeavor just yet or anytime soon. Not to say that he can't learn from him, but his conversation with his mom rang in his head. He kept looking. His mother said she'd call and ask, as the hero she had in mind was retired and wouldn't be available otherwise. And sure enough, at the very bottom of the list…
Pro Hero Jeong Jeong, Sun Dragon Hero Agency.
xXx
ring ring...ring ring…click
"Yeah?"
"Ms. Usagiyama? Toph Beifong has accepted your offer, she'll be here on the 27th."
"Got it! Looking forward to this!"
"Did you read those "Teaching for Dummies" books I sent to your residence?"
"...I didn't get any such books."
"Pro Heroes shouldn't lie, Mirko."
"Oh come on! I'll be fine! You'll see!"
click
xXx
Saturday...two days before internships…
Before she even left for her internship with the Rabbit Hero, Toph was having the fight of her life now that Aizawa was fighting fit. Though he didn't erase her quirk as often (still scary though), they sparred on thick rubber matting. She had made leaps and bounds in terms of sightless combat and could pick up on the smallest of sounds and vibrations in the air. Nevertheless, Aizawa was a seasoned martial artist with his technique based quirk. Midoriya and All Might had long since stopped coming to lessons with Midoriya's progress with handling One for All, so it was just her.
For now.
"Alright, stop." Aizawa called it, letting Toph breathe for a moment. "You're headed to the field on Monday, so you need to be as prepared as possible for any given situation. The sand trick is good, but won't work every time."
"Yes, Sensei."
"How's your sand control?"
"Pretty good. Sparring and training on a beach really helped with that." She gulped down some water. "I can control where it goes and even create structures with it if it's dense enough."
"Good." Aizawa walked to her right, silent as a cat and aimed a neck strike.
Which she caught one handed.
"Excellent." He commented. "Stay aware of your surroundings and you'll live." He kept talking as he packed away the equipment. "By the way, we're taking on a new student."
"What? In 1A?"
"Maybe someday, but for now, just in our regular training sessions. With Midoriya out, it's safer to have others here to supplement their skills as well so extra training doesn't need to be secret anymore. If anyone asks, just say it was needed to overcome your blindness but that anyone's welcome to join."
Toph considered that as she packed her things. Probably no one would jump at the chance to spar with Aizawa, except maybe Blasty.
"One more thing, when you're with Mirko, stay alert and keep track of your surroundings. And take special care with civilians. She's an excellent fighter, but her rescue skills have been lackluster in the past. Always prioritize the rescue. Understood?"
"Yes, Sensei."
"Good. Go home."
xXx
Toph was finishing some homework before bed when her cell rang. Normally she tried to get that stuff done early, but Aizawa really worked her to the bone today. "Answer, Speakerphone."
ding
"Hello?"
"H-hi! It's Midoriya."
"Hey, what's up mutters?"
"Nothing much. Oh, I ended up getting an offer after all!"
"Did it have anything to do with All Might skidding to the classroom?"
"...maybe?"
"He has no sense of sublety. So, who with?"
"An old hero named Gran Torino. Apparently, he was All Might's homeroom teacher and knows about One for All."
"Got it. Well if he trained All Might, he must know what he's talking about. I think Half N Half went with some old guy too."
"Yeah! Jeong Jeong is a legend among retirees and fire users! Anyway, did you learn anything new about Mirko?"
"Nothing new from Aizawa. Just to be careful and watch out for civilians. Does she have a history or something?"
"...No new history, but a few years ago she was fighting off a villain when a victim died while she was protecting them. She got a lot of fire from the media for fighting the villain rather than rescuing the civilian in time. Had she picked them up and ran, they might have survived."
"What? They couldn't know that! And she couldn't have known that they were dying!"
"It was a point of controversy at one point. Well, I'm sure Aizawa-Sensei said so, but stay safe out there."
"Yeah, yeah. You too. End call."
ding
xXx
The next day…
"You all have your Hero Costumes and tickets?"
"Yeah we do!" Ashido exclaimed excitedly.
"Speak properly," Aizawa snapped "it's 'yes sir'."
"Yes, sir…"
Aizawa regarded his class at the train station. They were all ready to go on their individual internships, though some were closer together. They were encouraged to go to separate agencies from one another, but some might run into Class 1B along the way. Doesn't matter.
"You are all representing what UA has to offer, so be respectful of the Heroes over you and listen to them. It's unlikely they'll put you in the line of fire if possible, so don't be disappointed if all you do is evac or cleaning. Experience is experience. Call us if there are any problems at all." He checked his watch. "Time to go. Remember to Go Beyond."
"PLUS ULTRA!" They responded.
As the group dispersed, Midoriya and Uraraka found Iida as he was about to leave. Toph was about to do the same, but chose to listen.
"Hey, Iida. I know you got a lot going on right now" Midoriya said "but we wanted you to know you can talk to us. We're friends after all, right?" Uraraka nodded in agreement.
Toph felt carefully as Iida turned with a fake smile. "Of course. Thank you for your concern. I will see you both in a week." With that, he boarded the train to Hosu Station.
'Lying about your grief is one thing, but this?' Toph shifted. Aizawa was long gone and most everyone was on their way. 'I suppose he'll be ok.' She found the train to Nilgata City and was on her way.
Little did she know that she'll wish she had done more.
xXx
On the edge of Hosu City…
Shoto Todoroki wasn't sure if this was the right place. For one thing, it was out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the trees and rocks of the natural area. It was…tranquil to say the least, but this is the home of the Master of Fire? He stepped up to the old fashioned home and knocked on the door. The door creaked open at his touch.
"Excuse me? I'm looking for the Sun Dragon Agency?" He called inside. No answer.
"Hello?" He called again.
The door whipped open to reveal a sour looking old man. He had a full head of unkempt white hair and a thin scar on his features. His small eyes scanned the boy before him for half a second before yelling. "What do you think you're doing? Opening a stranger's door like that!"
"The door was ajar, opened when I knocked." Todoroki deadpanned.
"Hmm!" He crossed his arms and looked the boy over. He was definitely his father's son if the red hair and the eye was any indication, though the white hair on the right was a bit unusual. Clearly Rei's. "…Come." He gestured behind him.
Todoroki followed him in, observing the place as he walked. There were wax candles littered about the Chinese interior, with a very minimalistic style to it. He was lead to what appeared to be a dojo, where the man sat down with his back turned. Slightly annoyed, Shoto took a seat too.
…
"My name is Jeong Jeong, as I'm sure you have been told. Tell me, why are you here?"
"…I'm here to be your intern-"
"No. Try again."
Shoto stared for a moment. "I'm here to get stron-"
"Wrong again."
"…" Shoto didn't know what to say to this man. What did he want to hear? "…Look, if you're gonna waste my time, I really should be going." He stood up to leave.
But before he could leave the room, a wall of flames erupted in front of the doorway, stopping Shoto in his tracks. He whirled around; the guy hadn't even twitched!
"I know why you're here, Todoroki-san. But I want to know if you know why you are here." Jeong Jeong said as he stood, facing the boy. The fire died down.
"Well?"
Shoto looked back at the doorway. It should've been scorched, but it wasn't. Not a mark! He spared a glance to the rest of the house. He knew as well as any fire user did that burns happen accidentally. And that living in a wooden house was a bad move for a fire quirk user. But there wasn't any indication of any accidental burn. He found his answer.
"I'm looking for control of my left side. To control my flames."
Jeong Jeong nodded. "Good. I spared a look at your performance at the Sports Festival." He started circling Todoroki, as if examining him. "While you used your ice with finesse and control balanced with power, your fire did not receive the same amount of attention to detail. In short," he took a moment to wack the boy's head "you're sloppy. You intend to wave around that power of yours willy-nilly? And you expect to save people with that power? NO!" he yelled "Fire in the wrong hands will destroy and consume everything it touches if one does not have the will to control it!" He took a step back to calm down a bit.
"If you do not have control, you will destroy and drive away everything you love. You clearly have enough power, so for this week, we will focus on discipline: mastery of fire. Understood?"
Todoroki was taken aback at the elder man's speech. This was no lip-service. Every word he spoke came from personal experience, the kind that sticks with you forever and burns in your memory. Slowly, he nodded.
"Good. There is a spare room upstairs, unpack and prepare yourself. You will awaken at dawn. Understood?"
"…understood."
xXx
Toph was having difficulties too, for a different reason entirely. Though anyone with eyes would eventually find one of the few Hero Agencies in the area, Toph only felt building after building after building as she wandered the streets. She wasn't late yet, but she wasn't about to be.
"S'cuse me." She got someone's attention: and old lady by the feel of it. "Can you tell me which direction Mirko Hero Agency is?"
"Oh you poor darling!" Was the pitiful reply. "Are you lost honey?"
"No," she gritted her teeth "I'm just looking for Mirko Hero Agency." 'Call me honey again, lady. I dare you.'
"Oh, honey. It's right over there, just around the corner. Don't you see it?"
…
"…Thanks."
"Take care, dear." The lady went on her way, leaving an annoyed Toph behind.
'Dear this, honey that, I'm not exactly fragile here!' She fumed to herself as she walked to the Agency. Turns out it was right in front of her and she had passed it five times. Go figure.
She felt a laminate floor as she entered through the sliding doors. Not a problem, she briefly scanned the area outside so she would know where everything is. She walked straight to the front desk without issue.
"Hi, can I help you?" The young woman asked.
"Yes," she answered, "I'm the intern."
"Ah, of course! I saw you at the Sports Festival! Mirko is in the weight room, 3rd floor. Need help finding it?"
"No, thank you." Toph continued to the stairs, which were concrete, thank god.
As she walked into the weight room, she easily located the Pro Hero. Despite the fact that the Rabbit themed Hero had no sidekicks, there was a surplus of Pros and muscle heads working out in varying degrees. But there could only be one person who was benching an entire metric ton on a reinforced bar.
"…haaa-HAAA!" Mirko yelled as she swung the weight off her shoulders. "Good job, idiots! Keep it up!" The people around her may not have been sidekicks, but encouragement was encouragement. "Frank! Where's your spotter? Get his ass back to your station! Yuno! Is that a 50 lb barbell? I know you can do better than that! You were handling a 70 last week! Commit!" She made her way to the small girl.
'Hmm!' She thought to herself. "You're smaller than I thought. No matter." She put her hands on her hips. "Welcome to my Agency, Toph Beifong! Let's talk a moment, follow me!"
"Right!" Toph followed her to a chin up bar, where Mirko hopped up, literally, to land with her legs around the bar. Starting her set, she did upside down sit ups as she spoke. "So, you won the Sports Festival. Must think you're hot shit, huh?"
Toph was taken aback a bit. "I dunno about 'hot shit', but I can throw a punch if that's what you're asking.
"Almost anyone can throw a punch, but don't worry girlie. It's ok to think you're hot shit, as long as you actually are." Mirko let herself down and grabbed a towel. "But don't think you're a second that you are as strong as you're ever going to be! If you're this strong now, you'll definitely be an absolute monster when you graduate." She beckoned the smaller girl over to the exit. "Let me show ya where you'll be staying and we'll get down to business in about a half hour, sound good short stack?"
Toph grinned. "Hell yeah!"
"Ha-HA! Fighting words! You'll do great around here!"
xXx
***There was a large explosion somewhere in the training room as Pro Hero Burnin' strode through the #2 Hero Agency. In any other agency, there might have been a panic, but this was the agency of the Number Two Hero in the country, Endeavor. It was also common knowledge that he sent an internship offer to his son Shoto, who apparently refused to join his father and is working with some retiree.
Burnin', as his top sidekick, was tasked with giving Endeavor the monthly low-down of finances, arrests, property damage, and the like. Not one to hesitate, she burst into the smoldering training area.
"SIR! I have the Monthly Report for you! Is this a bad time?"
Endeavor turned to his sidekick with a glare. The training room was fireproofed from head to toe and there were still small fires around the building from his mini-rampage of a training session.
"Just put it on my desk, I'll get to it later."
"YES SIR!" She left without another word. Enji had successfully spent all his energy throwing his power about the place and needed to cool off for a moment. But his thoughts were still blazing with fury.
'I can't believe he went to that old fool! He'll never reach his full potential there!' he thought as he sat and dabbed his forehead with a cool towel. 'Just what is that old-timer thinking? And how does Shoto know about him?'
His musings were cut short as Burnin' burst in again. "SIR! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!"
His flames rose back up in full force. "What is it?"
She gulped before answering. "The Jango Asylum had a break out."
His eyes widened in fear. True, genuine, fear.
"S-Sir?"
…
His flames intensified suddenly. "SEND ME THE CASE FILES IMMEDIATELY, I'M HEADING THERE RIGHT NOW!"
"YES SIR! Do you need directions?"
He glared back at her. "I'll never forget where it is" he growled.
xXx
The fourth day of internships…
In…and out.
In…and out.
Shoto stood with an uncomfortably low stance as a small ring of fire flared and died around him with his breath. Jeong Jeong watched with strict attention as he always did, slapping his arm with a newspaper every time his stance faltered or his fire did something out of his control. Jeong Jeong's quirk, Phantom Flame, allowed him to erupt flames anywhere in his own vicinity and manipulate them to his will. With such a precise quirk, even the smallest imperfections failed to escape his notice.
For Shoto, this training was excruciatingly hard. He couldn't even control his ice at the level his fire needs for this! But over the last few days, his control improved with every rebuke, critique, and smack Jeong Jeong gave. He held a tremendous amount of power in both sides of his quirk, which made it harder to control by default. But bit by bit, he could control his flames nearly as well as his ice.
"That's enough." His new master stopped him. Shoto let go of the ring and stood straight, breathing hard. He was stopped prematurely, was something wrong?
Jeong Jeong beckoned him inside. "You have successfully developed just enough control to use your fire aspect in the field, so we'll be patrolling today. But do not get cocky!" he snapped at him.
Shoto nodded and left to dress into his hero gear.
"What are you doing?!" Jeong Jeong suddenly yelled.
"What?" He answered. "…sir?"
Jeong Jeong glared for a moment before rummaging through a briefcase. "You are not dressing in that emo clown suit, boy!" He pulled out a black jumpsuit and a white vest and threw it to Shoto. "I made some calls to your Support Department. Try this on. You're not rejecting your fire anymore, so enough of that cover-half-your-body-in-ice nonsense!"
Shoto stared at the new suit. It was based off his old one, but clearly kept functionality in mind. A vest to regulate his temperature, wrist guards to focus his fire and ice, cleats to walk and run on ice, and small capsules containing first aid equipment were new additions. Otherwise, it looked a bit basic with its black and white color scheme.
"Why the color?" he asked.
Jeong Jeong answered stoically. "The white and black signify the Ying and Yang, positive and negative, life and death. Much like your power, should you choose to wield them both as one."
…
"You just made that up."
"GAH! THAT ENOUGH! Get dressed already!"
xXx
"Sir, release the hostages and no one will get hurt." An officer blared through the megaphone. A criminal was surrounded by police cars from within a building under construction. The villain making his get-away when he dashed in, surprising the evening shift. They knew he had hostages, but it was unclear how many.
"Don't worry, officers! Pro Hero Mirko is here to kick names and take ass!" Mirko yelled as she bounded towards the scene, with a sliding Blind Bandit just behind her.
She looked back to her intern. "Keep up, kid! Villains don't wait, got it?"
"Got it!"
"Good, now what's the situation officer?"
The cop pointed to the construction site. "Villain was escaping a store robbery and ran in there. Evening shift workers are being held hostage, but we're unsure how many or if he has demands. We're trying to-"
"Six hostages plus a guy with knives for fingers, 3rd floor, south side." Toph interupted. While the cop talked, she had made herself busy and had her hand on the concrete wall of the site. "Four are tied up, one in front of him, one being held by the throat. Villain is facing northwest and the far side of the room."
Mirko grinned widely at the info. "Good work kid! Watch and learn, ok? Wait here, officer!" She bounded up the building, jumping straight to the second floor window and then to the third. She jumped in…
…
Toph heard a gunshot, and couple of thuds, and a low grunt. Toph paled at the imput she was getting.
"KID! CATCH NOW!" She felt Mirko heave something out the window! Something breathing!
RUMBLECRAACK!
Toph shot an earthen slide up to catch a wounded man, who had been shot in the shoulder in the fight. He was breathing heavy, but was alive and well.
The officer in charge sprang into action as the victim landed. "Get an ambulance now! Put pressure on the wound! Bandit, can you put pressure here?"
"G-Got it!" She complied, putting pressure on the gunshot wound. The blood felt sickly, but she managed. She also felt something else, metal?
"Officer! I can sense metal in the wound, probably the bullet!"
"Ok, can you pull it out?" He said hopefully.
"No, but it's definitely there."
"Ok, that's fine. It doesn't look fatal, so just keep up the pressure."
"Got it!"
After a while, the ambulance took the man away to be treated. The EMTs said he'd probably make a full recovery. With the villain arrested and the other hostages fine, the Hero/Intern duo moved on. Mirko made conversation as they sped on foot.
"So, how do you like field work so far? Exciting, eh?"
"Yeah! I got a question though!" she yelled over the wind.
"What's that?"
"Why did you throw the victim? It would've been better to jump down with him right?"
"If I was alone, yeah! But I know what you're capable of, so I didn't worry! That good enough for ya?"
"Yeah, I guess so! Thanks!" She meant it too.
"No probs! We're nearing Hosu, by the way! Be careful, the Hero Killer is rumored to be prowling around here so if you feel anything amiss, let me know!"
"On it!" As they crossed into the city, she wondered briefly how Iida was doing.
xXx
The Hero Killer perched himself upon the rooftops of Hosu, scoping out his next target for purging. This man had many years of experience and practice in fighting, tracking, and ambushing. As a Vigilante, he was feared. As the Hero Killer, he was unstoppable.
And it was thanks to that experience that no one, ever, coud hope to sneak up on him. Especially not twice.
"I thought I told you fakes no." He said lowly as a figure stepped through the purple smoke.
"Oh, but we just missed you so much, Stain." Tomura replied. "Maybe I wanted to see you in action! Lot's of heroes after you tonight."
Stain narrowed his gaze. "Won't matter. No one escapes my justice, especially not fakes such as these." With that, he leaped away, bounding building after building. Kurogiri materialized next to Shigaraki.
"Tomura, are you certain you want to do this?"
"He thinks he's so cool…" Shigaraki growled. "How many Nomus did Sensei grant us?"
"Four low-ends. Foot soldiers." Kurogiri replied coolly.
"Eh, no matter. Stain won't know what hit him. Neither will the heroes. Send them out!"
xXx
Meanwhile, Izuku Midoriya's internship was going very well, if not slightly scary.
Gran Torino, after he got through his senile old man act, proved to be a fierce teacher when it came down to brass tacks. Torino estimated that Midoriya's current power level is at 5% capacity in full cowl, which seemed right to the inheritor of One for All. But his reflexes and use of the borrowed power still had much to be desired in Gran Torino's opinion. The power just wasn't his yet. After much practical experience (getting punched in the gut multiple times), he decided to take Deku to the field for proper experience, as he might grow weird habits from only fighting the retiree.
So there they were, riding a bullet train through the city in their Hero Gear. Midoriya was a fan of his new costume and was glad he kept it's main design. He looked out the window to the city.
'Looks like Hosu. Hope Iida's doing ok, he looked pretty out of it at the station.' During his musings, a distant boom caught his attention as he looked out the window. An explosion!
"Gran Torino!"
"Stay seated, kid!" Torino snapped as he stood up. All goofiness had left his face. "We need to-"
CRRRRAAAAAAAAASSSSSHHHH
All at once, a hero crashed through the side of the train, followed by a gray-skinned creature with an exposed brain and a blank gaze.
"Nomu!" Midoriya shouted.
"Stay back, newbie!" Gran Torino shot forward with his quirk and knocked the Nomu off the train. Despite the warning, Midoriya sped to the fallen hero. He was out cold from the attack, but otherwise alright. He stood up to check outside the hole. Things looked even worse down in the city. Fires were spread everywhere and there was mass panic below. Midoriya steeled his mind for a second, activated Full Cowl, and jumped to a passing rooftop.
And stuck the landing! Filled with renewed confidence in his quirk, he sped forward into the danger.
xXx
"Mirko! Civilians on your left!" Toph shouted.
"HAAA!" Mirko kicked the eyeless Nomu away from the innocents. The Pro Hero and Toph were right in the middle of the chaos in Hosu City. "Raise barriers and mitigate damage to the buildings! Guide the civilians out of the area!"
"But I can help fight!"
"NO! I'll handle them, know your role on the battlefield!" Mirko fought the monster further down the street. Toph did as she was told with a grumble. She didn't like it, but she was the best suited for rescue measures at the moment and she knew it. She supported crumbling buildings as well to help people evacuate as she scanned the area. Her range didn't cover the whole city or the incident, but she saw enough. She felt a figure leaping from building to building, the heartrate was unmistakable.
"Mutters is here too! Why is he out on the outskirts?" She wondered aloud. She detected his trajectory change suddenly towards…
'A guy on the ground? Wait…there's someone there! Someone with a…blade!'
She checked on her progress, all the civilians in the sector were cleared out and the Nomus were localized by more hard-hitting heroes. She made a Rock Slider and sped away.
As she got closer, she started to identify the man on the ground.
"Iida…"
xXx
And that's it for Chapter 12! Again, apologies for the late upload. Writing the internships was a bit much and even now I feel like I could have fit more in. More interactions and such.
Some have told me that "Blind Bandit" doesn't really work because "Bandit doesn't say hero". While I get that, I'd say that Toph doesn't much care about that. She obviously likes the name in Canon and is well known as the Blind Bandit. The kind of hero Toph will be is defined by her, not her name, and her choice reflects that. Hope that makes sense.
Jeong Jeong is one of my favorite characters as well (I know that's a long list so far, but still). The idea that he trained Endeavor how to practice restraint on control his flames makes sense to me. A bit of a Zhou comparison there. Shoto's costume is different too, just the color scheme.
Toph still gets annoyed at people talking down to her and playing her role in a crisis. Mirko and Toph are very similar, but there are some things she'll have to learn to deal with in time, maybe through someone else another day.
I'll leave ya'll to guess who broke out of that Asylum.
And now for the reviews!
To D3lph0xL0v3r:
I never saw Dragon Ball, but I think I know what you mean by Kakarot. Their relationship is a bit like that I'd say.
Mirko still fights like a lone wolf even with Toph there. As much as she wants to fight, Toph is really well suited to support and rescue roles while Mirko is not. Toph's learning that the hard way.
Not Iroh I'm afraid, but I hope you enjoyed Jeong Jeong instead!
To harlequin320:
Thank you!
To AnimeLuver1492:
Glad you enjoyed the fight and the Todomama moment. That made me cry writing it tbh.
Correct on the family tree, Todoroki is going to be finding out about some very interesting family members. I'll try to write in some nice moments there. As for that particular character, you'll see soon…
Total meme lords.
I'm surprise it took so long for them to be kicked out.
There are pairings, but nothing is forced and no ship is the focal point of the story. Like Uraraka likes Midoriya, but BNHA isn't about UrarakaxMidoriya. Just happens to be there.
She's certainly breaking new ground, so to speak. Glad you like the name. Bakugo will figure his name out in due time.
To Kaioo:
I mean yeah, character development and all that.
Don't worry, found the work around. Besides, Endeavor's a little busy at the moment.
To Yrmbe:
Good comparison. And even better prediction.
To SilverZ-TenoriO:
My guy, the ship might very well be overused. But this is my first fic and I wanted to do something that made sense to me. I considered shipping her with Shoji of all people, but decided against it because I didn't know his character as well. Like I said, ships aren't the main focus. Hope you enjoy the fic all the same though!
To Forum Explorer:
Made sense to me.
To Kobk:
Lol, RockyBomber. Landmine's good too.
To yahanl2001:
Appreciate it, and yes there will be more Iroh and Zuko in the future.
To Kisami Hoshigaki:
Still Torino, the guy still has to beat common sense into the kid.
To Sebbeca:
I debated on the outcome of the fight for a long time, weighing this and that with this and the other thing. Ultimately, I decided that Bakugo would appreciate it if he lost to someone strong as opposed to winning against someone half assing it.
And develop it will. I love the relationship between Shoto and Rei. Wholesome.
Ha! Funny thing is, Mina didn't mean to ship them. But she has definitely boarded their Midnight Train going anywhere that's for sure. Glad you liked it!
To Kaore Ryu:
Thanks! I think so too.
To Mister LaGuardia:
They are quite similar and Bakugo is quite different from Sokka. But they say you can potentially fall for anyone in the world as long as respect is present. So hey, why not?
She's figuring out her fighting style and will eventually evolve to martial art styles in time, welcome to the story!
To Burnzs:
Sorry to hear that, I'll figure out a way to make thoughts vs words clearer. Thanks for the input!
To RotWS:
Hmm, I'd say it's debatable. He did manage to continue fighting Todoroki with shattered fingers and limbs in Canon, so idk. Thanks for the input though.
To Redeku:
Thanks! I definitely recommend watching the show and I'm glad it makes sense with no prior knowledge. Will work on making thoughts more clear.
To Jdkem:
Thanks! Hope you continue to enjoy it!