…
[January Seventh, X039. HPSC Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan.]
…
"In other news, several pints of Midoriya Izuku's blood have gone missing from-"
"...unknown at this time if the samples of 'miracle blood' were lost in transit from human error or-"
"...several bags were recovered, still at least ten bags unaccounted for. The Mi-"
It didn't matter what news station you turned to, every one was reporting the recent bought of thefts of Izuku's blood with the same fervor they had originally reported the discovery of the miracle child. Indeed, many of the workers were experiencing cases of deja vu as they handled phone calls, e-mails, and other communications from all sides. While there was the occasional intelligent question, comment, or report to come in. The majority of communications the HPSC was receiving were from panicked civilians.
"What if some villain is using the blood to make themselves immortal?" That question was coming in at least once every fifteen minutes.
"Wouldn't work. The regenerative effect is only temporary."Was always the reply the 'answering team' had been told to give.
"What if they clone Izuku?"A rarer question, but still one that came in every hour or so.
"While blood from living donors has been used to successfully clone animals. The DNA, RNA..." A long winded scientific response had been carefully typed up for two unfortunate interns with knowledge of genetics to read. While the simple answer was 'Yes, it's possible but really difficult by even today's standards' - the HPSC's hope was that the long-winded scientific explanation would shed light on just how complicated the process still was, even with quirks and modern technology. Their plan worked, and most would either hang up before the explanation finished, or said they felt better knowing that it would take a really determined, really smart villain to even begin to attempt that process.
"Where's the missing blood?" And any other variants came in every other call. So many e-mails asked this question that the HPSC had set up a bot to reply to any email that even asked a semblance of the question. There was also a debate of updating the greeting message calling the HPSC's helpline yielded with the answer to the question:
"At this time, we don't know where the missing blood samples are. We will update you just as soon as we know."
An emergency meeting had been called between the president of the HPSC, the chief of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, and several other high ranking government officials, including Prime Minister Mukai.
"Our best option," the chief was saying, "would be to reclassify Midoriya Izuku's blood as a controlled substance."
"Agreed." The president nodded her head, "there's two other cases on the books of, I suppose tangible elements might be the best word, of quirks that have been classified as such." A few other members of the HPSC nodded, knowing of the cases in question.
"But would that really help?"
"If we did classify Midoriya's blood as a controlled substance, it would mean that only government medical personnel with approval, specified heroes, and Izuku himself would be allowed to use it." The chief answered, "if it helps, think of it like this. Currently, you can walk into any pharmacy and ask for a bottle of aspirin to help with a toothache. However, you need a prescription from your doctor for something stronger like Voxycodin. Voxycodin and similar opioids are classified as controlled substances. Which is why possession of these outside of having a prescription, selling them, and so on so forth is punishable by law."
"Alright, but isn't the punishment for possession right now just jail time?" Another government official asked, shaking her head. "Somehow, I don't see that deterring some people from trying to gather and subsequently move their supply."
"Then we raise the stakes. For example; say someone sells you their last two opioids right now." The president looked at the asking official, "right now? That's a minimum of a year's jail time for you, and two to three years for the seller. The larger the quantity bought and sold, the heavier the sentence. In the case of Midoriya's blood?I would be willing to say that it wouldn't be out of line for possession without prior approval to carry a life sentence to be served out in Tartarus."
More than a few of the gathered officials flinched or shivered at the mention of the villain supermax prison. Tartarus was meant to house the most dangerous, vile, and destructive villains. It was not meant to be used to hold the small-time hustler who just happened to notice the doors of the blood bank's coolers were unguarded.
"Harsh as it sounds, I'm inclined to agree. "The Prime Minister finally spoke up, all eyes instantly upon him. "We can pass an emergency act and have this put into law within the hour, if needed."
"I want to say no need to rush, but in this case, I feel we need to do something sooner, rather than later." The president bowed her head slightly, before glancing at the clock on the wall. The time was currently 4:13 pm. "Let's go over the terms of such an act. Hopefully we can all agree on something before five, and then get this pushed through in time to be reported on the six o'clock news."
Nods of agreement came from all sides as Prime Minister Mukai requested a sheet of paper, wanting the act to be in his own hand writing to drive home the point to those not currently in attendance the importance of the case. It didn't take the gathered party long to agree to the original idea of unauthorized possession equaled being imprisoned in Tartarus, though some did argue that sentence should reflect the amount of blood taken. In the end, it was decided that the sentence was life in Tartarus, no matter the amount.
"Okay, now we talked of it only being allowed use by authorized personnel. But what of the samples hospitals already have on hand? What if they don't have someone with authorization on staff?"
"We can work out who best to grant authorization later and amend the act. For now, I say we make note that permission must be obtained from the Ministry of Health before a transfusion can be made using any bags of Midoriya's blood."
"Would that go for use by heroes as well?"
"Yes, though at present time...The only medical, actually the only hero I know of with access to the blood is Recovery Girl. And I don't think any of us would argue against her having access?"
The comment sent a gentle chuckle through the room and helped add a little light to the situation. Again, the majority of the party agreed and just before the clock struck five, they had fully drawn up an emergency act for handling Midoriya's Blood. Prime Minister Mukai and the other visiting government officials had departed shortly after that, and after a brief discussion between themselves, had gotten the act passed. Just before the six o'clock news was to air, every station had received an emergency communication with the details to be reported to the public.
"Breaking news: the Japanese Government has passed an emergency act declaring Midoriya Izuku's blood a 'controlled substance'. As of six o'clock this evening, it is now a felony to possess any amount of Midoriya Izuku's blood without prior authorization. Violations under this act are punishable by life in Tartarus."
"...Going forward, only authorized medical personnel will be able to administer Midoriya's Blood to patients..."
"Pro-heroes must have authorization from multiple sources before they can carry any amount..."
"...the act also retroactively applies to any amount in possession prior to today..."
"...believed to be in response to the missing bags of blood."
With the news now handling the reports, and the public fully aware that the situation was being handled, the HPSC and other organizations were able to take a moment and catch their breath, before beginning the next task of deciding just who deserved the power to control Midoriya's blood.
Alas, it didn't stop the dozens of blood bags that were already loose.
…
[January 29th, Midoriya Residence.]
…
Though she had come to accept her place as Izuku's 'manager' - Inko felt she wasn't doing enough to support her son in his endeavors. All the other parents she talked with said she was doing more than her fair share; Driving him to testing. Buying him new gear. Occasionally still cleaning up after him. And while she did agree with their assessments, she still felt like there was something more she could do beyond 'mom duties'.
The answer came from a conversation with several nutritionists who had been studying Izuku's apparent lack of needing to eat. One of them had mentioned that sometimes a person's quirk could play a part in what foods they liked and didn't like to eat.
"For example – there are several people with equine-like quirks that favor carrots and apples because they taste sweeter to them. However, they will be repulsed by mushrooms." One of the nutritionist had said. "It's unlikely, but within the realm of possibility that due to how his body processes the nutrients from food, that some items might not appeal to him as much as they once did."
It was a simple observation, but one that Inko had overlooked. She knew a person's taste could change over time, memories of her own hate-love relationship with daikon radishes fresh in her mind. But she never thought that the manifesting and growing of one's quirk could also have an effect. Thus, she took it upon herself to learn some new recipes that Izuku might enjoy and want to eat outside of obligation.
"His blood plays a huge part in his quirk. Here's a list of several foods that are proven to help improve the blood in various ways, and several that can hurt it based on blood type...but I don't think that's a factor for Izuku."Another nutritionist had given her a list, along with directions to a nearby bookstore. By the time Izuku was done with his testing, Inko had acquired several new cookbooks, and was already planning meals for the coming days.
It worked out that the first day she was going to serve Izuku one of 'Mama Midoriya's Meta Meals' - she was still working out the name, also happened to be a day that Momo and Tenya were coming over for a study session. Inko was proud that she would both get to show off her newly acquired skills, as well as know her son was not embarrassed by his mom to the point where he wouldn't have friends over.
"Dinner's almost ready!" Inko called from the kitchen, making the final stirs of her newest attempt at supporting her son. "Izuku, can you set the table?"
"Sure mom!" She smiled as she heard Izuku mutter something to his friends before it was blocked out by the sounds of papers being shuffled, books being closed, and pens stored away. Hearing footsteps, she turned around in time to see Izuku making his way to the utensils drawer. Her smile only grew as she watched Izuku pause and look at the stove, his nose twitching slightly as he sniffed the air. "Smells good mom. Though would plates or bowls be better?"
"Large plates." She replied, killing the heat on the stove as Tenya and Momo appeared in her line of sight.
"Apologies for not asking sooner," Tenya gave a bow as he spoke, "but is there anything we can help with?"
"Don't worry about it. I'd rather you kids focus on your studies." She waved his apology, "but if you really want to help...Momo, can you get out the glasses? Third cabinet on the right. Tenya, can you take care of filling drinks? The recipe recommends a sweet white wine, but since you're all underage, the next best options are lemonade or something else with citrus notes like orange juice, both of which we have. There's also bottled water –which Tenya, can you get one for me? Milk, and some of those All Might sports drinks, but you might have to fight Izuku for them."
"...I don't mind if you drink them, just save the bottles and don't damage the labels." Izuku muttered, slightly embarrassed as he set down the plates before taking his preferred seat at the table. "And lemonade please."
"Make it two, please?" Momo replied, taking the seat next to Izuku. Tenya gave a nod and brought over the pitcher of lemonade and filled Momo and Izuku's glasses before filling his own with orange juice. Returning the two pitchers, he grabbed a bottle of water and placed it at the final setting before taking his own seat.
"Thank you for the assist everyone." Inko gave a tiny bow as she proceeded to serve Izuku and his friends. They had each been given a large serving of plain, white rice. This was accompanied by chunks of salmon that had been stir fried with garlic, onions, cherry tomatoes, and a dusting of cayenne pepper. The overwhelming scent of all the ingredients met the noses of the three young adults, and while Izuku once again commented on the aroma, Tenya and Momo seemed to be reserving judgment until they tasted it.
"Itadakimasu." The three of them said as one as Inko took her place at the table.
"Well, go on and give it a try. It's a new recipe so I'm not sure how it turned out." Inko blushed a little as she took a drink of her water. She watched Izuku take up his chopsticks and pluck a piece of salmon from the plate. Momo and Tenya leaned in slightly, curious of what his reaction would be before trying it themselves.
"Oh my..." Izuku's eyes were wide as he tried a piece of salmon. Table manners were forgotten as he proceeded to shove a few more bites into his mouth. "This ish...Amazing mom!" He sent a chaser of lemonade after the food. "So flavorful! Try it!"
Tenya and Momo looked at each other and nodded, both trying a bite of salmon. They were instantly met with what might have best been described as a savory spicy yet acidic zesty that tingled the tongue.
"It's a...Little spicy, for my tastes..." Momo's tongue couldn't seem to sit still, and she ate a couple bites of rice in an attempt to appease it.
"Agreed..." Tenya took a drink of juice, and while he didn't voice his thoughts, the pained expression on his face indicated the juice was doing little to help soothe his confused taste buds.
"I'm sorry, I might have used a little too much pepper." Inko frowned, taking a bite of her own creation. She had the briefest moment to register the flavor of the salmon, before feeling the burn her son's friends had described. "It's...acidic?"She thought, tongue sweeping around her mouth as the effect of the spice hit her. "..Yeah, too much pepper...Would anyone like a glass of milk?"
Both Tenya and Momo raised their hands as Inko stood up while Izuku shook his head.
"I don't think it's too much." Izuku's plate was already half-empty. "No offense mom, but this is one of the best meals you've made in awhile!"
"How can he eat that?" Momo whispered, a little too loudly to Tenya.
"Regenerative quirk...Thank you m'am." Tenya gave a nod as he accepted a glass of milk from Inko, Momo doing the same.
"You're welcome." She chugged her own glass, feeling the effects of the spicy salmon stir-fry fade. "Would you like me to make you two something else? I think I have a box of macaroni and cheese somewhere in here." Inko searched the cabinet, body telling her to consume more dairy-based products. "Apologies its just the cheap store-brand stuff but..."
"That's fine!" Both Izuku's friends chorused, eyes wide as they noticed Izuku's plate was now empty. Even Inko had to hide her surprise and wondered if he had only eaten it to be supportive of her attempt at a new recipe.
"Izuku, would you like some too? It's hero-shapes..." She wiggled the box, wondering if the addition of that fact might get her son to voice his true opinion of her food.
"No thank you. I'm fine with the stir-fry." His eyes drifted to the virtually untouched plates of his friends, "though if you're going to have mac and cheese, do you mind if I have your salmon?"
"Here you go."
"All yours."
Both Momo and Tenya slid their plates to their friend, while Inko took her own and packed it away in a plastic container before starting on preparing a second meal for her and her son's friends.
"Izuku," Tenya's voice met Inko's ears as she started boiling some water. "You may be regenerative, but are you sure your stomach is going to be able to handle that?"
"I'll be fine." He flashed a grin, "worst thing that happens is I get a minor case of indigestion from eating too fast."
"That's...not the point." Momo answered as Izuku let out a tiny burp, one of her hands humorously waving it away.
A few hours later, Inko could hear a faint groan of relief coming from the bathroom. By the time Inko had served up the mac and cheese, Izuku had finished his second helping of stir-fry, and was starting on the third. She knew Izuku's quirk prevented him from experiencing any negative side effects that could come from eating certain foods...But that didn't mean it prevented all side effects. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she turned away from the bathroom and took out her cellphone. Scrolling through her list of contacts, she sent a text to the one person she suspected could help her with this particular situation.
"Hey Mitsuki, hate to ask this but..." Inko took a deep breath, before continuing her message. "What cleaner and air freshener do you use in your bathroom after curry night?"
…
[April 9th, X039. Musutafu]
…
Normally Izuku found training an exercise enjoyable. A sort of physical meditation to help focus the mind while he improved his body. A way to impose zen.
A difficult task when his best friend was determined to ruin quiet contemplative labors with playful competition.
"On your left!" Tenya called as he once again lapped Izuku, bringing a groan from the shorter boy.
"Oh come on!" Izuku half-growled, half-laughed as Tenya came to a stop and let him catch up. "I thought we were going to train together."
For the better part of the morning, Tenya and Izuku had been running laps around the park. Originally, the younger Ida brother had planned to spend the day training with Tensei, but a semi-urgent call had come in shortly after they had finished breakfast, and Tensei had to go. Not wanting the day to go to waste, Tenya opted to call up Izuku in favor of training with him instead. While he knew there was no way he could go for straight up speed training like he was originally planning with Tensei, it was his hope that he could instead work on his own stamina and endurance by running with Izuku.
"We are. I was just having some fun." Tenya shrugged as Izuku caught up with him, the two now moving at a more steady jog than their original runs. "Tensei and I joke like that all the time when running together. He's told me before it helps him relax from some of the more demanding aspects of the job."
"Maybe." Izuku replied, "I've read plenty of articles about how some heroes deal with the stress of the job. Some visit favorite cafes, others work out. Kind of makes sense that a speedster would choose to run."
"Or play racing video games." The taller boy dropped the volume of his voice, "don't tell anyone I told you this, but he's the one currently holding all the top spots in the racing games at the local arcades."
"So that's who 10C is." Tenya had to hold in a laugh as he watched the gears move behind Izuku's eyes, before the boy face palmed. "Ten see...Tensei. Why didn't I see it before?" The green-haired child kept mumbling to himself for a few minutes. The mumbling came to a stop as he got distracted by seeing Cementoss pass them going the opposite way. "Oh yeah, this park is a common training area for those attending UA! Can't wait until I graduate Soumei and can apply to attend."
"So you're going to take them up on the scholarship offer?" Tenya had heard long ago about the offer Izuku had received.
"Perhaps, though in reading the finer terms, while it does offer a fast track for the Hero Course, the only thing I'm guaranteed from it is a spot in the General Course, along with some of the tuition fees being covered."He reached down to his side and took a sip from the bottle of water to rest there. "I'm still going for the Hero Course, but it's nice to have a fall back that I could still work towards my goals for."
"And that goal is?"
"Start my own rescue agency with a variety of heroes." Izuku answered, no hesitation. "So, how about you? Are you still going to try to get into UA?"
"Of course. Got to maintain the Ida legacy and go for the best." He smiled. "Though I think my plan after UA is a little simpler than yours. Tensei has already offered me a spot on Team Idaten, so after UA its just a simple matter of me adopting a variant on the Ingenium name and continuing the family's legacy of being a speed-oriented fighter."
"Personally, if I was a legacy in a family of heroes…" Izuku slowed his pace from a steady jog to a power walk as they came across one of the more crowded areas of the park. "I wouldn't try to copy others of my family. Instead, I think I'd find my own style."
Tenya slowed his pace to match Izuku. "What? Why not?"
"There's just so many dedicated combat type heroes." The shorter boy found an open bench and took a seat on it. "The number of combat heroes outnumber support or rescue heroes by a minimum of three to one."
"So what?" Tenya took a seat next to him and adjusted his shoes. "Are you saying that I shouldn't continue my family's legacy?" he questioned defensively.
Izuku spotted the sore-point immediately, "Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that being a legacy hero is bad." He reached into the small pack to rest at his side and removed a protein bar for himself before offering one to Tenya. "But what I am saying is it would be nice to see a little more variety within the Legacies."
Tenya accepted the proffered snack and opened it, "what do you mean?"
"Take your family for example." The green-haired boy gestured to him. "Everyone in your family has used their quirks to give them an edge in combat with speed and or maneuverability, yes?"
He nodded, wondering where Izuku was going with his line of thought.
"And that's all well and good, but what if you were to take that speed and maneuverability and instead put it towards getting civilians out of harm's way?"
"Izuku, my brother and other members of my family have done that." Tenya took out his phone and opened up ViewTube, typing something in the search bar. "I mean look at this video that was captured recently at that train station attack." He hit play and showed Izuku the footage someone had captured of Tensei darting across the tracks to move several station workers out of the path of falling debris.
"Yes, and no offense, but you guys only do it in passing." Izuku took a moment to finish his snack. "I'm talking about doing that...full-time in a sense. Think of it like being a paramedic or EMT in the time before quirks. It was their job to get to the patient as quickly as possible and stabilize them for transport to receive further treatment. They wouldn't fight the bad guys, look for problems. No. They went in, found their patient, and got out as quick as possible."
"Is there anything this dork hasn't researched about heroics?"Tenya shrugged, "that's all well and good in principal, but I'm not sure on the practicalities. Look at the Wild, Wild Pussycats and their mountain rescues. It's one thing for them to carry someone in a stretcher down the mountain, but wouldn't exactly be practical, or safe, for me to push or pull them along at ten kilometers an hour."
"Only ten? I thought we've clocked you at twenty or more..." Izuku laughed at the image he painted, but quickly grew serious. "But that's not my thought. Personally, I feel you would be more the EMT and less the ambulance." He reached down to his side and held up an empty Izu-Pen. "Remember earlier when I was talking about forming a new rescue team? My thought was that my other team members could carry around several loaded Izu-Pens, and use them to stabilize injured civilians if I myself can't make it or get delayed for some reason. And once they're stable, you yourself could then use your speed to either move them or defend them while waiting for others to assist as well."
Tenya made a small non-committal hum, his head tilting to the side as he considered Izuku's words. He couldn't deny that Izuku had raised a few valid points about the additional benefits the Engine quirk would possess if used for rescue and recovery as opposed to combat. This, coupled with the desire to match up to his elder brother made him nod.
"Okay…I have to admit, what you say has some merit." He took a sip from the canteen at his side. "And I must admit, I never considered the possibility of using my quirk for rescue as opposed to combat."
"So...You'll join the Izu-Rescue team?" Izuku's eyes were shining as he looked at his friend. "Because I would love to have you on board as a runner. And Momo working as a supplier. And the three of us could fight side by side and-"
"Alright, I get it." He gave Izuku a hearty pat on the back, "just promise me one thing if I do join."
"What's that?"
"You come up with a better name for the team."
…
[July Fifteenth, X039. Midoriya Residence.]
…
"Morning mom, what's for breakfast?"
"Good morning Izuku, and I made your favorite; Triple-berry pancakes." She set a plate loaded with pancakes before him, along with a small thing of whipped cream, butter, and a bowl of additional berries. "Also, happy birthday!"
"Ah! I've been so busy studying I didn't realize the date...Thanks mom." Izuku wasted no time in seasoning his pancakes to his tastes.
"Ask my son about an obscure hero, and he'll give you a lecture. Ask him his birthday and he needs to check." She ruffled his hair, not caring that her baby was now only a year away from being an adult. "Anyhow, if they're not busy, why don't you invite some of your friends over after school? Figure I'll make katsudon for dinner, maybe pick up a cake and some other snacks? Or maybe we all go out and see a movie?"
"Katsudon sounds nice, and I'd rather stay home and hang with friends than go out." He replied, sending a message to Tenya and Momo with one hand while eating pancakes with the other. "Besides, there's no good movies out right now...and Tenya's in, though he says he needs to go home first. And so is Momo, she'll take the bus over with me.
Inko nodded as she sat down to eat her own breakfast. While Izuku had indeed forgotten his birthday, Inko had already planned ahead. She knew Tenya and Momo would say yes, and had already bought all the ingredients needed to make katsudon. The only thing she had left to do was clean up a little, pick up the cake, and decorate the house.
Once Izuku had gone off to school, Inko set her plan into motion. She had used the morning to clean up and organize the house a little more, before heading out to the local bakery to pick up the cake she had ordered. It was a simple round cake with an expertly drawn frosting portrait of All Might's trademark smile and thumbs up, encircled by a boarder of red, white, and blue star sprinkles. The words Happy 17th Birthday Izuku expertly written in a golden yellow frosting seem to pop off the cake.
"Got to be honest, I had to check the order form at least twice to make sure I read the age right." The decorator laughed as Inko complimented his handiwork. "Not used to making that cake for one so "old", but once I saw the name and who ordered it...It all made sense." The smile on the decorator's face told Inko that the man had probably seen something or another about her son's obsession with heroes, especially All Might.
"Well, glad I could make your day. Take care now."
"You as well, and give my regards to your son."
Inko was more careful than normal driving home, that care only coming to an end when the cake was safely nestled on a shelf in the refrigerator. She spent the next hour or so hanging up some streamers and other simple decorations to make the house a little more festive. Stopping to make herself lunch, Inko went over the mental checklist she had:
"Cake, decorations, katsudon...Should probably start preparing some of the ingredients so I can just start cooking when the kids get here." She smiled, wondering if her son would jump right into his homework, or if he would wait. Personally, Inko was hoping her son would wait and spend a little quality time with Momo. She also couldn't help but wonder if Tenya really needed to go home before coming over, and suspected the boy knew a lot more than he let on. "We'll see."
By the time Izuku and Momo came home from school, Inko had everything ready for a party.
"Welcome home Izuku. Hello Momo, make yourself comfortable." Inko greeted the two children as they entered the kitchen. "Would you like something to eat? Or drink?"
"I'm good, thank you." Izuku gave a tiny nod to his mother, before excusing himself to use the bathroom, leaving the two girls alone.
"May I have a bottle of water?" Momo asked, a faint flush on her cheeks as she reached into her backpack and took out the small gift and card she had wrapped for Izuku. "And where can I put these so they'll be safe?"
"Just on the counter here." Inko gestured to where a collection of other gifts and cards already rested. Most were from family and friends, though there were a couple from various organizations, a handful of cards and gifts from various pro heroes, and even one that carried the official seal of the Emperor. Hearing Momo gasp at the sight of that card, Inko laughed. "I did the same thing when I was looking through the mail this morning."
"Even if its just a generic printed letter...Wow." Momo looked at some of the other gifts, before looking down at her own gift and card, suddenly feeling they were inadequate.
"Don't worry dear," Inko came to Momo's side and offered her a bottle of water with one hand while resting the other on her shoulder in comfort, sensing her thoughts. "I'm sure Izuku will love a gift from a friend more than any one of these other trinkets."
"You think so? I mean, he just seems so..." Momo gently set the card and gift down, unsure of the right words.
"Clueless?" The comforting mother gave Momo a knowing grin, who was once again turning red. "Don't worry, I won't tell him."
"Tell me what?" Izuku had returned to the kitchen, unheard by the pair.
"Won't tell you, uh, how many gifts you've gotten." Momo took a drink of water, trying to wash away the shame she felt at giving such a stupid answer. "Anyhow, it's your day Izuku. What would you like to do?"
"Ever play Hero Run Two?" Izuku asked, motioning for Momo to follow him to his room. "It's a really fun platforming game with a wide variety of heroes to pick from and..."
Inko stifled a laugh she felt brewing as she watched Momo follow her son to his bedroom. Even one of the ever-present guards seemed to be having a hard time maintaining their usual stoic expression at the display they had just witnessed.
"Would you like us to put an extra set of eyes on them?"
"No. I don't think I have to worry about that..." Inko's laugh came out as a sigh as she heard her son whine about Momo apparently choosing the hero he wanted to play as.
"Worry about what? Hello Midoriya-San." Tenya gave a bow as he greeted her, before setting two gift bags down with the other presents. Before Inko could answer, they both heard the answer in the form of Izuku jokingly complaining about Momo's level of skill in the game they were playing. "So...is that better or worse than other things they could be doing?"
Inko couldn't quite believe this was the same rule-lawyering, quiet and reserved boy Izuku had first brought home about a week after starting at Soumei. "It all depends on how you look at it. Why don't you go join them while I start on dinner?"
Tenya just shrugged and made his way down the hall, leaving Inko alone in the kitchen again. Smiling at hearing her son welcome Tenya to the party, she made her way over to the refrigerator and started on dinner.
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch, and Inko felt proud of her efforts. She had mastered to make a refined version of her usual katsudon that everyone thoroughly enjoyed, and the expression on Izuku's face at seeing his cake had made everybody laugh. Currently, Izuku was opening the last of the cards.
"Oh sweet, this one is from Ms. Joke ..." Opening up the card sent a party popper's worth of confetti into his hair, along with a claim ticket for him to pick up an autographed copy of her latest joke book from a nearby bookstore.
"I thought we screened all the cards and gifts for threats?" One of the guards asked another as Izuku shook the confetti from his hair. The other guard just gave a small shrug in reply, before his eyes turned back to the celebration. Both now fully on alert for other surprises they may have missed when screening the presents. Fortunately for them, the rest of the actual gifts were just normal items like figurines, books, and clothing. Soon, the only gifts left were the ones Tenya and Momo had brought along.
"Here Izuku," Tenya picked up his gifts. "The red one is from Tensei and his sidekicks, and the blue one's from me."
Izuku nodded his thanks as he opened up the red bad, "oh wow. An official Team Idaten hat! And they all signed it." He put the cap on his head, before opening Tenya's gift, which was the collector's edition of the latest Speed Heroes racing game, which included the strategy guide and soundtrack for it. "And where did you get this? Every store I checked was sold out! Thank you Tenya. Oh man,we're so playing a few rounds in this another day."
"You're on!" He adjusted his glasses as Izuku removed the hat and set it atop the pile. Tenya looked then to see the only gift left unopened was Momo's. "Saved the best for last, huh?"
"Of course!" Izuku smiled proudly, the action bringing a snort from Tenya, an aww from Inko, and turned Momo into a flustered, stuttering teen.
"Uh, here..." She handed him the card and gift, a faint flush on her cheeks. "I hope you like it, I...I made it myself."
"In that case, I'm sure I'll love it." Izuku read the card first, and while it was your standard store-bought one, Momo had included her own personal message of wishing Izuku a happy birthday. Opening the gift revealed it to be a handcrafted picture frame which contained a candid picture of him and Momo laughing over dessert that had been taken of the two of them at the charity banquet. "Momo, this is beautiful. I love it! And you said you made it yourself?"
Izuku stood up and gave Momo a hug, causing her to blush as she returned the gesture. "Well, my mom, uh took the photo...But I did make the frame myself. I figured, get you something, a little more meaningful than...than say another All Might action figure."
"That would have been fine too." Izuku released her then, "but this is way better. This is going right on my nightstand right now for safe keeping!" Momo's face went full red as Izuku quit the table, all other gifts left behind. "Sorry All Might, you got to move over..." Somehow, her face got even redder as she recalled seeing the autographed photo of All Might that rested on his nightstand. The fact that he was willing to move such a prized possession to replace it with a photo of the two of them was just too much. Izuku returned then, smile plastered on his face. "There, it's resting in a place of honor. Though Momo, are you okay? You look like you've got something you want to say."
"I...I..." Momo felt herself starting to overheat, "I...need to use the bathroom." She took off down the hall, for once hoping Izuku's clueless nature held even as Tenya started to chuckle. Only after hearing the door click shut did Inko opt to speak again.
"Izuku, why don't put your gifts away and set up the movie?" Inko gave him her best motherly smile. "Tenya, would you mind helping with cleaning up the wrapping paper?" She knew he knew what happened, but felt it best to keep the boys occupied.
"Sure, I've got to find my copy of Rise of All Might anyhow." Izuku smiled and gathered up a handful of his gifts.
"Of course Midoriya-san." Tenya gave a tiny bow, hands already moving to pick up some stray wrapping paper that missed the barrel. "Do you want me to save the gift bags and boxes or?"
"Save the bags, the boxes can go for recycling." She looked down the hall, "excuse me. I'm going to go check on Momo." Inko didn't wait for a reply and instead moved down the hall to the bathroom. Putting an ear to the door, she heard a faint sniffling noise. "Momo? Are you okay? May I come in?"
"Sure..." Inko opened the door just enough to slip inside, and was greeted with the sight of a flustered Momo looking at herself in the mirror. Motherly instincts took hold as Momo turned to fall into Inko's embrace. "Forgive me Midoriya-san, I know it's stupid...He's so pure...I just..." Her explanation was punctuated with sobs, all of which were soothed away by Inko who was rubbing little circles on her back.
"It's alright," Inko stepped back a little, hands now on the girl's shoulder. "It can be hard for anyone to admit they like someone. But don't let it get you down that you couldn't say the words you wanted to say." Her hands moved then to grab a face cloth, which she gently wet with some warm water.
"But what can I do?" She remained still as Inko gently washed her face, "I wanted so much to tell him...But I feel I failed in the mission I set for myself."
Inko blinked, recalling some of the old hero and spy movies she had watched with Izuku. "You didn't fail the mission yet. Your objective has simply changed."
"What?" Momo's head tilted to the side as she accepted a dry towel and wiped her face, "I'm afraid I don't quite understand."
"Simple. Your original objective was to look my son straight in the eyes and tell him 'I really, really like you'." Inko refused to say love, knowing full well the whims of the teenage heart. "Now however? I would make my objective; sit beside him during the movie. Optional objective –grab onto his arm for 'protection' during the scary parts."
"Inko-san, far as I'm aware...There's no truly scary parts in Rise of All Might." Momo couldn't help the small giggle to leave her throat at the thought they were going to watch what was little Izuku's, and arguably still is young adult Izuku's favorite movie.
"No, but – spoiler warning. There is that one surprise explosion of the car on the bridge about a third of the way in." A mischievous grin danced on Inko's face. "Not your fault you were startled by it." She winked, which brought forth a bigger laugh from Momo.
"True. That did make me jump when I was little." She took a deep breath and nodded, accepting the new objectives of her mission. "Alright, I'll do it."
"That a girl!" Inko gave her a pat on the back. "Come on, let's get back to the party. I'm sure Izuku's probably wondering what's wrong since we haven't come back."
"What do I say if he asks what we were talking about? Or if he asks what was wrong?"
"Two words that work on even the most clueless guy to get them to drop the subject..." Inko leaned close and whispered the words directly into Momo's ear.
Once again, Momo couldn't help but laugh and gave Inko another hug, which made the older woman smile as they emerged from the bathroom. As expected, Tenya greeted the pair with a blank, yet knowing expression while Izuku's face showed concern for his friend.
"Are you not feeling well, Momo? I...I can poke you with an Izu-Pen if you're feeling unwell." He looked down at his side, the action making him miss the sudden crack in Tenya's expression as the other boy's brain came up with two very different meanings of his offer. Inko's brain had the same thought as Tenya's, and it took all her power to not make some mom joke or another about it. Looking to Momo, it seemed she was the only other one besides Izuku whose mind didn't immediately visit the gutter.
"No, I'm good. Just a bit of lady troubles." She placed a hand on her stomach, and true to Inko's prediction, Izuku nodded and let the subject drop. "Thanks again Midoriya-San." She switched back to the more formal way of addressing her elder.
"No problem dear." Inko put on her most motherly smile, hoping it hid her amusement at her son's slightly red face. "Why don't you kids get comfortable while I go make us some popcorn." She turned around then and made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a bag of microwave popcorn from the cabinet. Tossing it in the microwave quickly, she looked back into the living room to see Tenya move to the other couch, while Momo took the spot on the couch next to where Izuku was sitting. The curious mother's smile grew when she noticed Izuku made no effort to ask Momo if she wanted to move or wanted his spot instead.
"So what are we watching again?" She heard Momo ask, even as the microwave beeped.
"Rise of All Might!" The brief crack of Izuku's voice told everyone his inner child was coming out again. "Which is only the greatest hero movie of all time!"
"I don't know, Mumen Rider is pretty high up on the list of all time great hero movies." She heard Tenya reply as she grabbed some bowls and distributed the popcorn evenly between them. She couldn't actually see the older boy, but guessed he was probably grinning like mad while Izuku said something in reply.
"Popcorn's done!" She announced proudly, killing the argument before it could start. Offering a bowl to each of them, she killed the lights and took up residence in her favorite arm chair. "Come on, let's start the show."
She sensed more than saw Izuku nod and press play, starting the movie. About a third of the way in, the scene switched to a bunch of people evacuating the city over a suspension bridge. While they all knew what was coming, the surround sound system amplified the effect of the explosion, and they all jumped in surprise. Despite the mess of popcorn that now covered her floor, couch, and her son's pants – Inko could only smile at the sight of a pink-cheeked Momo hugging onto Izuku's arm. While the light of the room was dim, she couldn't help but notice that Izuku's face was sporting a similar expression, and seemed to have no desire to ask Momo to move.
"Nice job Momo." Inko mouthed, noticing the young woman's eyes upon her. In reply, Momo just smiled and rested her head on Izuku's shoulder.
…
[August 7th, X039. Musutafu]
…
It was a rare day off from school that Izuku didn't have anything usual testing sessions were set for next week. There were no outstanding 'training requests' from some of the pro heroes, or other things to worry about. He almost didn't know what to do with his day, but his mother had quickly solved that and brought him along shopping with her. He wanted to argue that he was too old to go shopping with his mom, but the smile on her face had silenced his protests. Thus, the mother and son duo were at the mall, checking out the high-end culinary store to rest within. While Inko was inside, looking for a new ceramic dutch oven, Izuku was sitting outside, sipping a sample of one of the tea mixes the shop across the way sold when he heard a familiar voice address him.
"Midoriya Izuku?" He turned to see a grinning pink-haired and pink skinned girl at his side. To her credit, she was a lot calmer than the last time she had met the boy.
"Oh, Cutie Queen...Or would you prefer I call you by name?" Izuku blinked, seeming a lot calmer himself as he thought back on the Gala. "What was your name? Mina?"
By the way the pink girl was wiggling with delight, it was obvious she was a little more than happy from the fact that, though Toru had only named her once or twice indirectly, that her hero remembered it. "Yeah, ny name is Mina. Sorry I never properly introduced myself."
"It's okay. Say, is I-See-Yo- er, Toru here as well?" He looked around, not seeing any floating sets of clothing.
"Nope, she had to help her family with something today. So it's just me." Mina smiled, "so what are you up to?"
"Just shopping with my mom for a few things. Mostly household goods and clothing, and shoes..." He looked down at his everyday shoes, which were rather scuffed and worn.
"Ah, well if you have some free time..." The pink girl's face had taken on a slightly more reddish hue. "Would you like to hang out with me for a spell?"
"Well, I don't know if my mom-" Izuku looked back up and into the store Inko had disappeared into, not seeing her at first. Inko however had apparently been watching him the whole time, and with The Mom Smile at full blast...appeared from nowhere, a large bag in one of her hands.
"Izuku? Oh, is this another friend of yours?" Mama Midoriya held out a hand, "Midoriya Inko. A pleasure to meet you miss?"
"Ashido Mina." The younger woman accepted the handshake. "I was wondering if Izuku would be free to hang out with me for a little while?"
"Of course dear." Inko checked something on her phone, "Izuku, just meet me back here around four, okay?"
"Okay!" Mina answered for him and gently tugged on his arm, "come on Izuku. I was heading over to the music store to look for some music suggestions the channel received." To stunned to argue with either woman, Izuku just let himself be dragged down a couple stores to the music shop. His senses semi-returned to him as Mina lead him inside and over to the pop music section.
"So...what are we doing here?" He blinked, attention now on Mina who was leafing through some of the albums.
"Trying to find a copy of Strawberry Time." She sighed as she tried another set of albums. "Or even the single Kimono Beat. I mean, I know we could just use an MP3 of it but...I like having the actual thing to show off, you know?"
"Of course." He nodded, helping her in her search by checking another one of the bins. The conversation remained on the subject of her ViewTube channel until by pure chance Izuku had spotted the album sitting in the clearance bin. Mina had hugged him in joy, before excitedly taking a selfie with him and the album that she sent to Toru.
From the music shop, the pair made their way around the mall, their conversations now on everyday things as they occasionally stopped to check out a store or two. The subject had turned to quirks and their plans after high school as they sat down at a table in the food court, both of them with a smoothie in hand. Like him, Mina was hoping she could get into U.A.'s hero course.
"No matter what the entrance exam entails, I think your quirk can handle it." Izuku was already scribbling notes about 'Acid' in one of his ever-present notebooks. "Dissolve rubble to reach trapped civilians. Melt weapons an opponent is using. You even said you coul-"
"A phone call is here! A phone call is here!"
"Ah, that's mine, excuse me." He did his best to ignore Mina's laugh at his ringtone. He didn't care what people thought, the three-thousand yen he had spent to purchase the ringtone was more than worth it. He looked at the caller ID and smiled as he answered. "Hey Tenya, what's up?"
"...visit the new cafe."He only heard half of what his friend was saying as a group of giggling schoolgirls walked past him.
"Sorry Tenya, can you repeat that? It's a little loud here." He covered his free ear with his hand as Mina leaned in on the other side, trying to hear the conversation. "Mina, do you mind?" He shifted his posture, trying to get her to back off.
"Sure. Like I was saying, Momo and I were going to check out that new cat cafe and bakery that just opened. Wanted to know if you were free to join us?"
Izuku looked to Mina, noticing she was frowning slightly at the request. A faint smile appeared on his face as he came up with an idea. "I'd like t-"
"You're just going to abandon your date?" Mina didn't give Izuku a chance to finish his sentence. Despite Izuku's best efforts, she had mastered to overhear Tenya's request.
"DATE?!" Momo's cry from the other end made Izuku flinch, the phone now held away from his ear. Unintelligible noises from Momo and what might have been an attempt at calming from Tenya just barely audible as he returned the phone to his ear in time to clearly hear her again. "Where are you?"
"Oh, we're at the mall." Izuku answered, wondering if Momo had come up with the same idea as him: Meet up at the mall for a little more shopping, then all four of them check out the cafe afterwards. "Maybe you guys can-Hello? Tenya? Momo?" He looked at his phone, seeing a notice that the call had been disconnected. "Huh, they must have hit a dead zone."
"Just as well." Mina replied, gently tugging on his arm. "Now we can continue to hang out together. Just the two of us on a little date." She finished off the last of her smoothie and tossed the empty cup in the trash in a useless display of skill. Just then, her phone pinged that she had a message. "Oh, it's from Toru..." She started laughing, showing Izuku the reply.
"Tell him I said Hi, and get his permission to put that photo in one of our videos!"
"Hey, can you send video clips?" He asked as Mina nodded, opening the phone's camera and turning it so it faced Izuku. Seeing her give a thumbs up, Izuku waved. "Hi Toru, and yes. You can use that photo."
Another few seconds passed, before the phone pinged again. The reply this time a wall of excited text that Mina was doing her best to translate. "She says thank you...And is laughing at your clothing now that she can see it better...And requests I pick out something better for you to wear if we do anymore photos for the channel."
"What's wrong with my outfit right now?" He looked down at his clothes; a pair of faded but intact gray jeans, an All Might windbreaker tied around his waist, and a plain white t-shirt that proudly proclaimed its identity as such.
"Nothing, it screams casual comfort." She took a few steps back, fingers forming a frame around him. "But there's so much more we can do..." Her eyes drifted down to the windbreaker tied around his waist. "You're a total pro hero fanboy, yes? Did you know there's various lines of pro-hero inspired clothing that isn't branded with their likenesses? It's a more subtle way to show your support, while not appearing obsessed."
"I've seen them, but didn't think much of them. They seem kind of..." Izuku closed his eyes, looking for the right word, "I don't know. Lacking something?"
"That's because you're used to the flashy hero things." She took his arm then, and began leading him towards the escalator. "And that's all well and good for some, but, don't take this the wrong way. You're simple, so you need something a bit more subdued."
"Any suggestions?"
"Plenty, there's a boutique here that sells nothing but what I'm talking about." She pulled him onto the escalator, smiling as she noticed several other girls giving her envious looks. "And that's where were going next."
The boutique was right at the top of the escalator, and upon entering the store, Izuku could see exactly what Mina meant. On the walls hung shirts of various styles, all of which had patterns or colors reminiscent of some of the pros. "Now, the prices here are a little high, but the quality is worth it. I have a little extra cash I can spare if you see something you like."
"Don't worry about it," Izuku had gravitated towards a display of red, white, and blue shirts. "I can buy them myself if you help me pick them out."
"If you're sure." Mina smiled, a hand falling on his shoulder before he could reach the display. "First things first, no All Might items."
"But he's my favorite..." Izuku frowned, though it didn't reach his eyes. In reply, Mina moved over to another display and tossed him a tan shirt with a red feather-like design that started from the bottom right and ran up the front. "Haw-"Izuku's words were cut off as he was hit in the face with a white shirt, followed by several black shirts and a pair of blue jeans. Before he could say anything more, Mina had shoved him into one of the dressing rooms.
Izuku spent the better part of an hour being Mina's fashion dummy, concluding that if being a hero didn't work out, that she could take up a career in fashion design. Even a couple of the employees agreed, with the assistant manager even offering her a job as a sales consultant after she convinced Izuku to purchase one of their most expensive items, an Endeavor-inspired tracksuit, along with a couple shirts and the jeans he had tried on.
"So where to now?" He asked, storing the purchases away in his backpack.
"You mentioned needing new shoes as well, yes?" Mina looked at his feet, the one item of clothing they had yet to tackle. "There's a great little shoe store just across the street from here."
"Well, I already got a pair earlier but..."He noticed a slight frown on Mina's face, "I guess it never hurts to have more than one pair, right?"
"That's the spirit." She once again took his arm in hers and lead him out of the mall and to the store across the street. Once again, Mina took the lead and found several pairs of sneakers she felt would compliment Izuku's latest purchases.
"The red ones would go great with the feather shirt and the track suit, and these black ones are a good all-around pair." She handed Izuku the red pair, and was all smiles as he tried them on.
"These are a little tight, can you grab the next size up?" Izuku pulled off the red one, seeing the black was the same size. "Same for the black ones?"
"Heh, didn't think your feet were that big." Mina smirked, returning a moment later with the larger pairs which Izuku was quick to try on.
"Oh these are much better. I think I'll get both of them. Any others?"
"Not for you," Mina had wandered away to try on a pair of bright pink rain boots with blue and yellow splotches. To Izuku, they seemed like something a child would wear, but to Mina's eyes they were apparently high fashion. "Oh, a perfect fit..." She reached into her pocket and checked her wallet, "darn it. Too expensive."
"I can buy them for you." Izuku took out his own wallet, which still had a considerable amount of money in it despite his earlier purchases. "It's the least I could do, given how helpful you've been and-"
He was cut off by Mina giving him a hug and a quick nuzzle as he picked up his sneakers and held out a hand to take Mina's boots. Handing his money off to the cashier, Izuku put his new shoes in his bag, while Mina opted to wear her new boots out. They had just stepped out of the store when a familiar female voice hailed them.
"Oh hey! It's Izuku!" The green-haired boy looked down the road, seeing Momo striding up to them, Tenya following just behind. "Oh, hey Tenya!"
"Ha ha!There he is!" Tenya called, waving with one hand to make sure he had Izuku's attention. While Izuku and Mina didn't notice, one of Izuku's ever present guards caught sight of Tenya's other hand; It was resting on his chest, fingers crossed in such a way to show off an old non-verbal hero signal of being held under duress, and being coerced into something. Once Tenya noticed Izuku and the other girl's attention on him, the dark blue-haired boy mouthed a single word. "Run!"
"Oh, friends of yours?" The pink girl gently held onto Izuku's arm as she looked at the pair, before looking back to Izuku.
"Uh yeah. Mina, these are my friends from Soumei; Tenya and Momo." Izuku seemed not to have noticed Tenya's request. "And this is Mina, a fan of mine. Say hello everybody."
"Hello everybody." Mina smiled and gave a tiny bow, no coldness in her actions, though she did send a challenging glare towards Momo.
"Nice. To. Meet. You." Momo's greeting was a little more halting as she returned the bow, eyes in a more hostile glare than Mina's.
"A pleasure," Tenya answered after a moment, a drop of sweat starting to roll down his face. "So, uh, what brings you out here?" It was his hope he could diffuse the situation, but given the fact neither woman seemed to be breaking eye contact...
"We were shopping for some new shoes for me and Mina." Izuku answered, obliviousto the powder kegs standing beside him.
"Shoes?" Momo looked away from Mina, gaze softening just slightly as she looked at Izuku.
"Yeah. Mina here has an eye for fashion." He reached into his backpack and removed a shirt she had found for him at one of the shops in the mall. "Look at one of the shirts she picked out for me." It was an official 'Put Your Hands Up Radio' Hawaiian shirt, one of the few actual branded items the boutique had been selling. "I'm not the biggest Present Mic fan, but she said the colors really compliment my eyes."
"That's. Nice." Momo hissed, eyes narrowing at the sight of the gifted shirt.
"It does, and I do." Mina gave a nod, bringing one leg forward to show off her boots. "Found him some new clothes, and myself a new pair of boots. Which Izuku was a total sweetheart and bought for me." She leaned in then and gave Izuku a peck on the cheek while flitting her eyelashes at him. Upon seeing the gesture Momo's eyes narrowed even further, while Tenya looked to Izuku's everpresent guard in the background, wondering if the man would step in if a cat fight started. The government official stuck to the terms of his contract, and said nothing.
Izuku stored away the shirt, still smiling obliviously. "Anyhow, once we're done shopping for shoes. If that cat cafe you mentioned isn't too far away, why don't the four of us go check it out?"
There was a marked change in the air surrounding the four of them that everyone except Izuku seem to feel. Mina gave Izuku the sad puppy face while simultaneously looking at Momo with an expression that said 'he's mine'. Momo in turn took a step towards Mina, eyes hard and delivering the message of 'I've known him longer'. Tenya meanwhile did his best to try and move away, concluding that the government didn't pay their security enough to prevent hostile feminine encounters from devolving into chaos.
"But Izuku, I thought this was a d-"
"Izuku, there you are!"
All four sets of eyes turned then, seeing Inko strolling up to them. Upon seeing Mama Midoriya, Momo let her hostile posture drop, though her eyes still showed an air of challenge at Mina's presence. Mina meanwhile released Izuku's arm, but stayed close to his side. Tenya sent a prayer to the various gods at Inko's impeccable timing, while Izuku just smiled and waved.
"Hey mom. What's up?"
"Izuku," Inko's eyes looked at her son's friends, spotting something was off, before she tapped at her watch. "I know you're having fun with your friends, but it's almost four o'clock and we need to get going or else we'll be late with dinner."
"Ah, that's right." Izuku looked at his three friends apologetically. "Sorry guys, I lost track of time. Say, maybe we can check out that cafe next Sunday after I'm done with my testing?"
Neither one of the girls seemed inclined to answer, so Tenya was left holding the ball. "Perhaps, I need to check my schedule though."
"Alright, just keep me posted." Izuku turned and gave the three of them a thumbs up, "feel free to text or call me later."
"I would, but I don't have your number." Mina frowned, as Momo grinned in triumph.
"I do, and I will." Momo answered.
"Oh, hang on..." Izuku pulled out a tiny palm-sized notebook and wrote down his number. Handing the small page to Mina, "here you go."
"Thank you. And thanks for a fun date." Mina gave him another quick hug and very light peck on the lips, before making her way down the street. "See you later."
"I-uh-I mean, yes! I Will! Later!" Izuku brainlessly waved as his mother coyly motioned for him to follow her. He still had enough brains to look back at his other friends, "see you at school tomorrow?"
"Of course." Tenya gave a weak thumbs up as Momo stiffly nodded. The two of them proceeding to walk back the way they came as Inko lead Izuku towards the mall's parking garage.
As they drove away, Inko could swear she heard the unmistakable sounds of feminine rage and a dumpster getting its side kicked in.
Izuku was dead to the world, his brain playing an infinite loop of his first date and first real kiss from a lady.