Chapter 12: Let's get ready (For the finals!)(To answer painful questions)
Bit of a breather chapter this time! Its time to see the end of the work study and maybe answer some of the lingering questions on our young heroes' minds! I hope you all enjoy! Also to Setsu! I'd be honored if you drew anything in here! Feel free to message me if you need character references or what not!
Nathan was quietly packing his stuff back into his bag. Sleeping on a couch for a week wasn't terribly unusual but it sure left him rather sore, especially after the harrowing midpoint in his work study.
The door separating the living room from the bedroom slid open, allowing Rumi to poke her head through it.
"Damn. Thought maybe one of these days I'd catch you slacking. You gotta tell me, do you ever sleep? Like at all?" She said, entering the room wearing casual clothes.
"Of course I do. I'd be dead if I didn't Rumi," Nathan answered evenly, not really paying her much attention.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
"Yeah yeah," Nathan rolled his eye as he finished shoving his belongings into his bag.
Rumi looked at him and opened her mouth before pausing and wandering over to the kitchenette.
"We got any grub left?"
"We ran out of chaldean leftovers the moment we got back here and you ate them all Rumi, asking every day isn't going to make them magically come back."
"YEAH BUT I MEAN COME ON CAN YOU BLAME ME!" She cried back.
"No, you're right, I really can't."
"Man," Rumi groaned before offering him an oddly subdued smile, her ears drooping almost cartoonishly, "Sucks that this is your last day. This was a surprisingly fun gig. I've never been one for team ups you know, I think it can make you sloppy having someone always watching your back but. It didn't suck I guess?"
"Glad to hear it. It's been enlightening… I didn't realize I had so much to learn about how to deal with small time crime. I've been so caught up in Chaldean incidents that I guess I just never considered stuff like that. It even led up to the kind of incident I'm used to…"
He turned to her and returned her smile with his own overwhelming one.
"I guess that is to say, thanks for teaching me so much Rumi. It was wild."
"HAH! AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO LEARN ANYTHING WHEN WE STARTED!"
"SOMETIMES YOU LEARN THINGS FROM PEOPLE WHO ALMOST BREAK YOUR NOSE BEFORE INTRODUCING THEMSELVES PROPERLY! IT'S RARE BUT IT HAPPENS I GUESS!"
"GOD YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO LET THAT GO!"
"NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!"
They both burst out laughing. There was no doubt in either of their minds that the people in the adjacent rooms would be more than happy to see them gone.
"Really. Thanks," Nathan said quietly.
"Ey, this isn't goodbye forever right? I'll always be somewhere! You get into trouble, you give me a call and I'll kick it's head off!"
"Yeah. I'll do that." Nathan held out his gloved left hand to her. After staring at it for a moment she gladly took it, that wide somewhat manic smile on her face.
"Later you big dumbass."
"Later you crazy bitch."
Returning to Chaldea was a little surreal after being gone for a little over a week. He made sure to check in several times a day during his stay with Mirko but being there was always better than not.
"I'm home!"
"Welcome home master!" the gathered heroes all shouted, a banner reading 'Master's back!' along with a shower of confetti fell from the ceiling of the cafeteria.
"I wasn't gone that long guys."
"Sometimes when you leave it feels like an eternity…" One of the Valkyries said, having made it to the head of the pack.
He ruffled her black hair before his attention was grabbed by many many other servants.
It took him two hours to actually manage to sit down and eat dinner and another hour to actually make it back to his room.
He walked over and planted face first into his bed.
It was so much better than the couch…
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket.
A tired groan escaped him as he dug the device free and answered without looking at the caller ID.
"Hello, Relnor speaking."
"Hey Relnor-san!" Midoriya's voice echoed out.
"What's up Midoriya? How was your internship with uh… Grand Torino you said?"
"Yeah! It was… It was a lot! I learned a whole bunch about how to control my quirk better and got- … Well. Have you talked with Georgios?"
"Not since I got in but I think I know what you're getting at. I was told that you had to keep it under wraps to keep from facing any punishment."
"Y-yeah. I don't really mind too much! I'm glad everything worked out okish… How is Georgios' arm by the way?"
"He's fine, back to 100% already."
"That's good. I know he told me not to worry but that wound looked really bad."
"Mh, I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that you cared so much."
"But um… I was calling about something else. I didn't mention it to anyone I promise but… Stain had a Chaldean fighting with him."
Nathan went silent. Midoriya really was too observant for his own good.
"At least I think he did? I vaguely recognized him and Georgios knew his name so I just assumed… I just want to know. Is everything ok at Chaldea?"
"Everything is working as intended here as far as I know. But Midoriya, this isn't a conversation we should have over the phone. After school tomorrow, you can hop on my ride back and we'll get you to your place… We can talk about what you saw then. Is that ok?"
Nathan waited for a response with baited breath before Midoriya let out a sigh of… Relief probably?
"Right! Of course. I understand. Nathan. I trust you. I know you've been through a lot, but if you ever want to talk about any of it please. I just… I don't want my friends to shut me out when I could be helping them."
"Thank you Midoriya Izuku. That does mean a lot for me to hear. I do trust you too, I hope you don't think I'm delaying, I just don't trust this method of communication."
"Right right… I'll see you tomorrow."
"Get some rest, you've earned it."
"You too!"
The phone let out a click as Midoriya hung up.
"What are you going to tell him?"
"I think I'm just gonna feed him that we're working undercover with the league. That'd explain why Georgios let Hector get away."
"I see. That's a fair plan. And if he asks more questions?"
"... He trusts me… And… I trust him. If he asks me more questions I'll answer them honestly."
"As I expected of you. Very well. Get some rest Master, I will stand vigil over your dreams."
"Thanks Edmond…"
The air the class held had shifted dramatically. It was hard to believe a week could change a person that much. Then again, hadn't he experienced something similar five years ago?
His eye first met the trio of Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida. It filled his heart with joy to see Iida's eyes. Georgios had been right. The clouds of vengeance had faded and he seemed more determined than ever.
"I know you always say you need to replace your arm but… I guess I've never really internalized it until I saw you lose it…"
Nathan's gaze turned over to Tokoyami.
"Ah yeah. Like I said, everything's fine. Easily replaced," Nathan responded with a smile.
"Wait what? You lost your arm!?" Hakgakure shouted, perhaps a bit louder than she'd intended.
"How hard was your internship!?" Sato asked, clearly alarmed.
"I was with Rumi so it was… An experience…"
He and Tokoyami had been with their mentors during their harrowing encounter and had had full permission to engage in the fight so they had not faced the same problem Midoriya and the others had with Stain.
But because the Hero Killer's takedown had been so high profile the news of a drug ring being busted up by Mirko and Hawks hadn't spread quite as far.
It was just another day at the office for the two of them.
A series of odd looks fell on Nathan as he finished mulling over the event.
"... What?"
"Rumi?" Shoji repeated incredulously.
"RUMI!?" Hagakure shouted, much louder.
Oh.
Right he had slipped into first name basis with her at some point hadn't he? He blamed his time in Chaldea for utterly destroying his ability to adhere to Japanese formalities.
He hadn't even realized he'd started doing it really.
"Ah. I mean. You spend a week fighting villains with someone you kind of get to know them."
"How familiar are we talking here!?"
Invisible hands clasped around Nathan's face. He couldn't entirely see her but she was right in front of him. He averted his eye to keep from seeing something he shouldn't on the inside of her uniform.
"She's a crazy bitch and I'm crazy enough to keep up with her I guess? I don't know what you're fishing for Hagakure-san,"
A tug at her collar drew her attention away from Nathan.
"You can't stop me from finding out the truth Ojiro-san!"
"That is the entire truth. We spent most of the time dealing with that Trigger ring, eating, or sleeping."
"What a mad banquet of darkness," Tokoyami muttered under his breath.
"But man. Everyone's changed so much!" Sato said, casting his gaze out over the rest of the class.
Nathan nodded in response, flashing his overwhelming smile, "It's a wonder what a week can do for people. Especially at our age, working with pros at any level can bring all kinds of insight."
But. There was one obvious exception to Sato's statement.
Nathan Relnor had not changed at all.
Tokoyami had witnessed first hand the level Nathan fought at.
Anyone who watched the sports festival knew Nathan was strong, but Nathan's strength far eclipsed what he displayed that day.
Against that villain in the warehouse… Fighting alongside Mirko and Hawks so easily. Tokoyami could barely keep up with their movements. That was not a strength he gained in three days. That was a strength he already had. It was only when Nathan approached him and slowed down enough for him that they were able to lay a trap together.
Not to mention the sheer lethality of his fighting style… Firing a Railgun through a villain seemed especially brutal to him but somehow that man had survived multiple shots…
And Nathan had talked about missing a headshot… Had he been ready to kill just to save the rest of them? That was perhaps what stuck with him after that encounter.
Nathan standing there, missing an arm, and apologizing for not killing his opponent fast enough.
Tokoyami shook his head. There was no need to dwell on those things… Nathan was in the world of pros at this point.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you're fine even after all of that," Tokoyami said, interrupting Nathan and Sato's conversation.
"Hm? I mean of course I'm fine. I survived didn't I?"
"You almost died, Relnor-san."
Sato's face froze in his place. What? Had their work study been that harrowing!?
"But I didn't! That's the important part." Nathan said with perhaps too much cheer.
"Hawks was right, you two are too alike…" Tokoyami said under his breath.
"Anyway! Did you guys see that Hero Killer video!?" Kaminari called out, catching Nathan's attention.
"I don't know what it was about him but that speech he gave was kind of cool wasn't it?"
Nathan's eye immediately went to Iida.
He was expecting fire but…
Kaminari seemed to realize what he was saying and who he was saying it in front of and immediately started apologizing.
"He certainly was a man of conviction so I can understand how some people might see that as cool. However, it is as Georgios said, Stain saw something wrong with the world and chose to murder in order to solve it. No matter what you believe that and that alone is an error."
Kaminari tilted his head to the side.
"Georgios? Who's that?"
Iida gave his friend an incredulous look.
"The hero who decried Stain's methods? Was there not a video of the event? He stood opposite him and was the only one there who wasn't overwhelmed…"
"Oh! The guy in the front? He said something?"
"What does that video show exactly?" Midoriya asked, now deeply concerned with the conversation at hand.
If only the part where Stain went unchallenged was circulating… Was it being distributed by someone trying to stir things up? If it was just a normal person they'd have recorded and posted the whole confrontation, even the part where Georgios completely overturned Stains ideas.
The three watched the video together with Nathan peeking over their shoulders.
As Stain finished his speech the video suddenly ended.
"That's… They cut it out? Why?" Iida muttered.
Midoriya remained silent as Iida shook his head.
"Well. There is nothing we can do on the matter at the moment… Class is almost upon us! Please take your seats!"
There was a slight clamor as everyone filed into their assigned spots.
"Honestly between you three," Yaoyorozu said with an exasperated gesture at Todoroki, "And the two of you," She gave another to Nathan, "I was so worried when I heard the news. To think that more than a fourth of our class got into serious incidents over the last week…"
"Sorry. That is the road we chose though." Nathan said with a knowing nod.
"I understand that but it's still too early don't you think?"
He shrugged in response.
He'd been forced to start saving the world at eleven so he had no concept of what should and shouldn't be expected of them.
"Maybe, but I sure did learn quite a bit from the ordeal."
"I am here! It's been quite a while hasn't it! It's time for Foundational Hero Studies!" All Might said enthusiastically.
It was the last class before lunch. As such Nathan was feeling quite a bit of drain from the normal classes that had preceded it.
How was he not used to this sort of thing yet?
"Today you'll be running a Rescue Training Race!"
Iida piped up asking why they weren't at USJ for something like this to which All Might clarified that USJ was specifically for disaster rescue.
"Here at Ground Gamma you'll learn to move through urbanized areas! Form into groups of five! Each group will take turns running the grounds trying to find the source of my distress signal! This is a competition to see who of those five can reach me first! And of course…"
He leveled a finger right at Bakugo.
"Do try to keep collateral damage to a minimum."
Everyone naturally started to sort themselves into their friend groups, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Shoji, and Kaminari drifting over to Nathan. After some quiet debate Midoriya's group was chosen to go first.
"Isn't Iida still recovering?" Jiro asked, approaching Nathan and Yaoyorozu.
"Mh. He wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to participating… Last week really lit a fire under him," Nathan replied casually.
"But man. That's a lot of mobile people, Midoriya's not gonna do so hot against them."
"Yes… Since his quirk has such disastrous backlash I doubt he'll be able to keep up," Yaoyorozu said as they watched the group get started.
And then.
Just as Sero made it up and above the tangle of buildings and pipes Midoriya shot past him, nimbly hopping and dodging along the tops of the various structures cluttering the area.
"Wh- What!? Those moves are-" Uraraka called out.
It was like watching a completely different person. Georgios had told him he'd managed to start using his quirk without hurting himself to some degree, but seeing it in person was astounding.
Nathan's smile almost physically shined as he watched his friend.
The style of movement was a cobbled together version of his and Bakugo's aerial maneuverability.
"That's the way!" Nathan called out.
Almost immediately after speaking, Midoriya planted his foot wrong and slipped, sending him tumbling down to the ground.
"Well… After only a week's practice… That was amazing!" Yaoyorozu said as Nathan deflated slightly at the sight of such a drastic fall.
"Yeah. Yeah you're right!"
Sero still won the race but it was apparent that Midoriya might soon outclass him when it came to urban mobility.
Nathan's group was up next. It was no secret that Nathan's abilities were at their peak in urban environments like this. With so much metal around he had a plethora of options when it came to maneuvering.
The starting signal blared to life and Nathan took off. He grabbed some nearby pipes and launched himself above the gamma grounds, quickly locating the building All Might was standing on and flying there at a blistering pace.
Not even Todoroki who simply created a large path of ice across the top of the buildings was any match for him.
"Excellent work Young Relnor." All Might said as he reached the end of the race, "I wanted to speak with you personally about something, would you please meet with me during lunch?"
"During lunch? Isn't that usually the time you use to speak with Midoriya?" Nathan asked absentmindedly.
"No no! I'm speaking with him after school toda- I mean! Whatever are you saying Young Relnor?" All Might let out a bellowing laugh as he gave Nathan a swift pat on the back.
He couldn't help but laugh with him. All Might had a startling amount of natural charisma that Nathan often had to consciously avoid getting swept up in.
The other members of his group eventually reached the building, ending the lesson.
Nathan had to wonder though… What did All Might wish to speak to him about?
"Ah there you are young Relnor!" All Might said as the boy entered the teacher's lounge, "Take a seat! Please!"
Nathan's eye lingered on the man for a moment before he nodded, sitting on the large couch across from the symbol of peace.
"So… What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Ah… Well… Ehem… I wished to speak with you a bit about your history."
"What about it?" Nathan asked.
All Might watched as the boy tensed up in his seat. He knew from Aizawa's complaining that Chaldea was frustratingly close lipped about Nathan but he was hoping the boy himself would be easier to deal with.
"You mentioned that you had been pushed like Midoriya pushed himself at the sports festival… I was wondering what drove you and how you managed to pull back from it."
A sharp clacking noise came from Nathan as the scales in his arm and leg rearranged themselves slightly. Tension flowed freely from him, weighing down the air itself as it filled the room.
All Might felt himself falter under that piercing one eyed stare.
And then.
As suddenly as it started, the air cleared. Nathan's expression lightened and he returned to a more normal posture.
"Oh… Wait that actually makes more sense…"
All Might had no idea what he was on about.
"So how does that work? Do you just transform?"
He froze in his seat.
"My boy? What are you talking about?"
"I did not say those words to you. I spoke them to a tall blonde man outside of Midoriya's surgery room at the sports festival. You either overheard them or…"
Had he really been so focused on trying to get information out of Nathan that he'd slipped up that badly?
Had he really been so concerned about Midoriya that he accidentally let his secret get discovered?
He could lie. Nathan had given him an out freely.
But he was trying to find out a truth about Nathan. Was it right to lie to someone's face and then expect the truth out of them in return?
For his part the boy was simply waiting patiently.
All Might did not have a lot of time left in his muscle form…
He sighed.
"I suppose. Being honest with you is the first step towards you being honest with me."
Reluctantly All Might released his Muscle form, deflating significantly. That emaciated skeleton of a human sat before Nathan Relnor, simply waiting for that boy's reaction.
"I see."
That was it.
A nod and a small comment.
Not a hint of surprise or betrayal.
"It must be hard."
Instead Nathan met him with something he wasn't expecting in the slightest.
"Maintaining that sort of thing…"
Empathy.
"I understand somewhat. My mask is a lot less… Physical than yours, but I wear one all the same for the benefit of others."
How was it possible that he was receiving such genuine empathy from a young student.
No. He knew. He knew this was what would happen. Hadn't he come to Nathan exactly because he would understand and be able to give that understanding back?
It slipped.
It was a much less dramatic change, but Nathan's presence shifted significantly. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, as his posture relaxed.
"Well then. I'll ask once more. What is it that you wished to discuss with me?"
It was almost difficult to register him as a student anymore. The air he carried was closer to that of a war veteren than anything...
"You and Midoriya are friends, correct? You've shared quite a few harrowing experiences… I was wondering if you could expand on what you said earlier at the sports festival. Midoriya needs… I want to say something to him that will make him consider himself more. I'm sure you've noticed that his natural urge is to sacrifice himself. So. As someone who has been pushed in that way…"
Nathan broke eye contact for a moment as he mulled over his words.
What could he say?
"I… I am sorry. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that I never stopped because of some answer I found to make me slow down. I slowed down simply because I overcame the threat I had been pushing myself against…"
All of it was still there. If a singularity or a holy grail war of some kind popped up and Chaldea was called to deal with it he would again be on the front lines.
That fire raged quietly at his core, waiting to be given more fuel so that it may once again burn bright. That fire that could burn away any threat to the world would never leave him for as long as he lived.
All Might felt his heart drop at that answer. It's not that Nathan had managed to slam on the breaks and correct himself. It was that he had developed far enough that his will to save others no longer harmed him as directly as Midoriya's did.
Personal strength had not overcome that problem, Nathan had instead answered with physical strength…
And.
There was the matter that Nathan spoke as if he personally was fighting on the front lines with Chaldea.
It was a troubling realization, but it was one to file away for later. The pressing matter was that Nathan and Midoriya would completely destroy themselves against a great threat if it meant saving others.
And he was planning on telling Midoriya about All for One…
Should he? He needed to warn him of the danger holding One for All would lead him to. That eventual foe of every holder of that quirk had begun quietly rumbling to the surface with the Nomus…
Nathan opened his mouth but stopped himself short.
"Is something amiss young Relnor?"
"No, I wouldn't qualify it as amiss. Rather… Midoriya is involved in something dangerous isn't he? Or… You're worried he's going to be?"
All Might's mouth fell open.
"It makes sense to me anyway. You'd want to gauge a reaction from someone similar because Midoriya has destroyed himself to save others before. If there's anything I can do to help, please, ask me anything and I will try to answer it as best as I can. I'm sure you can understand that I am like you in that I have quite a few secrets that would be… Detrimental to me if they got out. I appreciate you showing me one of yours but I'm afraid I cannot guarantee that I can extend the same courtesy."
All Might let out a light chuckle. He'd been read so easily… Then again that was exactly what he'd come to expect from that boy.
"In a sense he is. But he is not aware of how deep that danger goes. I've been wrestling with telling him the truth of the matter for some time but…"
"You're still anxious about it."
"Yes. That."
"Mh. Knowing is better than not. Being caught by surprise by something like that takes time because you have to sort through so much before you can act. At the very least a primer will give structure to the resulting shock."
There it was.
A direct answer to a question he'd been too reluctant to ask.
"I see… Are you speaking from experience?"
"Unfortunately." Nathan said as he briefly broke eye contact.
"Well… As a teacher… I cannot focus all of my attention on young Midoriya. You as well are someone I have sworn to help mold into an outstanding hero and here I am asking you for… Reassurance I suppose."
"Every human has their doubts. If you did not I would be worried that you had lost perhaps too much of yourself to the Symbol of Peace you've built. But…"
"But?"
"Do you think… No… I…" He looked at his hands before shaking his head. He returned his fiery gaze to All Might. "I have a moral question for you. Could you ever kill an innocent person if it was the only way to save the world?"
All Might mulled it over in his head. Could he do it? To trade one life for the whole world? No. He would save as many people as possible. There was always a way around such things. He would not be who he was if he so easily gave up on a single life.
"My boy… No. I am All Might. I would not be the hero I am today if I simply gave up on someone because fate decided they had to die in order to save the world! That is what it means to go beyond."
It felt like a hot iron rod had been driven through his heart.
There had been no other way.
Or had it been that he'd given up before he found one?
"I see…"
"... Are you alright Young-"
"I… I have… I have another question," Nathan muttered as he brought his knees to his chin, physically folding in on himself as every instinct he had tried to stop the words from escaping his mouth. "Can you still be a hero even if..."
He stopped short.
He couldn't do it.
All Might was not stupid, he would be able to connect the dots.
If he found out exactly how many bodies Nathan had piled up just to bring this world back from the brink… Would he even be allowed to attend UA? Would he be arrested immediately?
"My boy-"
Nathan quickly stood from his seat, his expression completely blank.
"Nevermind. It's not important. Do you need anything else? I should really try to get lunch before class."
It was almost as if a mechanical switch had been flipped, changing him from someone on the verge of a breakdown back to a student ready to attend class.
"Ah. Yes. Of course. No. This has been enlightening. And. Please keep this a secret will you?" He said with a gesture at his body.
"Of course… I won't ask about your real connection to Midoriya or why you two seem so in sync, but I will do my best to support him however I can. He is a precious friend and I cannot bear the thought of losing. If you need anything from me that would help keep him safe please let me know."
With that Nathan Relnor left the teacher's lounge.
It was clear to him that the boy known as Nathan Relnor had been forged from the ground up by a massive amount of trauma. He was defensive and paranoid of the people around him, hiding vast swaths of his history from everyone. He was devastatingly perceptive because his life had clearly depended on being able to read others many many times. But above all of that…
He understood.
He accepted without judgement.
And he loved so fiercely that it came off as an overwhelming flood.
It was difficult to tell from where he was, kept on the surface as far away from Nathan's trauma as the boy could get him… But maybe that's what he wanted in return. Someone who would accept him as he is now…
There was nothing All Might could do to single handedly save him from his trauma.
But at the very least he could extend that love and understanding back to him...
Classes continued as normal for the rest of the day. All Might had let slip that he was meeting Midoriya after school so Nathan simply headed home without waiting for him.
"Oooooh Hi! Hi Relnor-kun!" The voice of one Hado Nejire reached him as she floated over.
"Hello Hado-senpai. It's rare to see you alone, are the others ok?" Nathan asked after giving her a polite bow.
"Yup yup! Togata and Tamaki have their internships you know! But I've got the day off! It's awful! It's awful!"
She grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him as she lamented her situation.
"Even Yuyu is busy! What am I supposed to do by myself Relnor-kun!"
The prospect of leaving someone like Hado alone was rather daunting. She reminded him a bit too much of some of his higher energy servants sometimes so he knew he had to do something.
"Uh… Is this just what you do in your free time?"
Hado stopped shaking Nathan and turned to look at the new arrival.
"Hi Shinso-san, when did you get a cloning quirk."
"I think she might have shaken your brain out of your head."
"Hey hey! Who's this? Is he your friend? Hi! I'm Hado Nejire! Nice to meet you! What's your quirk? Why do you look like you're dead? Have you slept in the last week!? You remind me a bit of Tamaki! Do you like talking to people!?"
Shinso felt his mind start to break down as she fired off questions before he even had a chance to start answering them.
"Uh-"
"This is Shinso Hitoshi, he's a general studies student. I like to think we're friends," Nathan said, throwing him the tiniest hint of a bone.
"Oh! I see! Say! We should go hang out since we're all friends now! You can be Togata and he can be Tamaki!"
Nathan glanced at UA's gate.
Sitonai was sprawled out on a large polar bear's back taking a nap…
That bear could probably pull all four of them pretty easily…
"Well. Is there a good tea place anywhere around here? I've been craving some boba for a while but I still don't know the area that well…"
"Oh! OH! I know one!" Hado said, suddenly inches away from his face.
"Can you tell me the name so I can get GPS? I need to take my ride there instead of using the train…"
"Your-" She looked up and around before locking onto Shirou.
Nathan barely reacted fast enough, covering his ears just in time to protect himself from Hado's squeal of joy.
She slammed into the bear at full force, startling the living Noble Phantasm, and it's user, awake.
"How in the hell do you keep up with people like her?" Shinso asked.
"Practice. You coming or what?"
Shinso looked anywhere but at Nathan.
"Please help me."
"Ok fine."
They approached Sitonai, who had already accepted Hado as a passenger.
"Hello Sitonai, sorry about the extra passengers," Nathan said as he climbed onto the bear's back, sitting between Hado and his Servant.
"It's no trouble Nathan! Shirou and I can handle it!" She said proudly.
"Anyway, Hado-senpai, what's this place called?"
"Oh right! It's called the Bubble Cafe! I have a membership!"
"Uh hold on you two just climbed onto a bear…"
The three of them just turned to look at Shinso.
"He's very soft!"
"... I feel like I enter an alternate reality whenever I'm near you Relnor-san…" Shinsou said as he accepted Hado's hand. He was quickly lifted up and deposited on Shirou's back. "Oh… Actually this is kind of nice. I could get used to this reality."
With the four of them it was a little crowded, but Shirou didn't seem to mind much.
"Ok I've got the route here, Shirou can you follow this?" Nathan said, reaching past Sitonai to show him his phone's screen.
The bear gave a grunt of acknowledgment.
Nathan nodded before leaning back, grabbing Shirou's collar necklace with his left hand..
"Fair warning, Shirou is really fast so hold on tight."
"Ok!" Hado said, wrapping her arms around Nathan's torso.
He felt a faint heat rush through his system before shaking the strange emotion from his head. Of course she'd have to hang on to him, Shirou didn't exactly have a saddle or anything else she could hold.
"Er. Are you sure?" Shinso said, hesitant to repeat Hado's actions on her.
"Come on! Shirou won't leave if we're not all secure!" Sitonai called out.
"Yeah come on!" Hado said with a beaming smile.
"I was in no way prepared for today." He said as he wrapped his arms around Hado gingerly. His face was bright red being so close to her. How did Nathan handle her being right behind him with such a straight face!?
"Alright let's go!" Sitonai shouted.
Without even a moment's notice Shirou took off.
Shinso abandoned his sense of embarrassment, quickly replacing it with pure terror.
He screamed as that bear reached the speed of a car.
Hado for her part let out uproarious laughter as she squeezed Nathan even tighter.
How had it come to this? How had Nathan gotten him into this mess? Why had he let himself get pulled into this!? As they finally came to a stop Shinso promised himself with all his heart that if Nathan ever asked him for help again he would say no and walk away laughing.
"Hehehe! That was really fun Sitonai-san!"
"Thanks! Shirou wait here while we get drinks!"
The four dismounted Shirou who obligingly took a seat near the small cafe's door.
"You owe me so much," Shinso said with a level of venom that mostly came from people trying to kill him.
"I'll buy your drink," Nathan said with his usual overwhelming smile.
"You better. But seriously. How do you know one of the Big Three?"
"The what?"
"Wh- Hado-senpai? She's one of the top three strongest students in the hero course?"
"Oh. I just thought she was an upperclassman," Nathan said with a shrug as he entered the cafe.
How that boy functioned on a daily basis was beyond Shinso.
But at least the bubble tea would be good.
And it was free.
The odd group sat outside the small cafe. Despite the fact that Sitonai happily claimed to be the oldest, she was seated in Hado's lap working her way through a pastry.
"I know you said you'd cover everything but this seems like a lot," Shinso said looking at the bag full of sweets he'd supplied to the girls.
"If it makes them happy I don't really mind. Is that a lot though?" Nathan asked genuinely.
"Please for the love of god don't tell me that you're loaded on top of everything else."
"There is a distinct chance I am loaded on top of everything else. I do not entirely comprehend the value of money for reasons so I couldn't say for sure."
"What's the most expensive thing you own?"
"An entire treasury of gold… Probably..."
"I hate you."
"I love you too Shinso," Nathan said with a smile that seemed to weaponize that strange overflowing emotion he usually displayed.
Shinso just recoiled with an audible hiss before returning to his own pastry.
"Hey hey! Are you two actually related? You've kind of got a little of the white hair too! Siblings?" Hado asked while patting Sitonai's head.
"No no. Not by blood anyway. Chaldea is like a found family to a lot of its residents for lack of a better phrase."
"Oooooooh I see! I met a Chaldean hero once while out with Ryukyu! She was cool! We talked a lot about games and stuff! I… I don't remember her name. It started with a T!"
"Tomoe Gozen most likely," Nathan said sagely.
"Yeah that was it! Hey! She was cute! Do you like her? Is there anyone at Chaldea you have a crush on?"
Nathan briefly choked on his tea, prompting Shinso to hit his back a few times to help him clear his airway.
"What!? Tomoe Gozen is married!" Nathan said after finally recovering.
"Oh she is? I see! But still what about anyone else!?"
"Inquiring minds need to know Nathan!" Sitonai said, having chosen the side of violence.
He turned to Shinso in pure desperation.
Shinso looked the other way while sipping his tea.
"I… Er… That is to say… Maybe? I'm not sure what a crush even actually is if I'm being honest…"
"What the fuck kind of answer is that?" Shinso barked out, having apparently been intently listening while pretending to ignore his friend's plight.
"I- I don't know how to explain it? I don't-"
"A crush is like! Every time you think of them you get butterflies in your stomach and you always want to see them again!" Hado supplied helpfully.
Nathan looked at her like she'd grown two additional heads.
"I- I just. I really don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know how to explain myself and I don't know what that feeling you're describing is."
Mercifully Sitonai came to his rescue.
"Nathan has had a strange time at Chaldea. It's only natural his feelings about those of us there would be confusing."
"Your assistance would have been appreciated earlier Sitonai."
"I have to tease you a little."
"How strange are we talking here?" Shinso asked, curiosity piqued.
"Unfortunately I'm not at liberty to discuss Chaldea's previous operations. Suffice to say I haven't had the most normal upbringing in the world."
"Yeah that much is clear," Shinso said with a sharp laugh. "Er… Sorry. That isn't something I should laugh at." He added on after his thoughts caught up with his words.
"I don't mind," Nathan said with a smile.
"That's kind of sad though…" Hado muttered, her gaze locked onto Nathan.
It was the first time in their friendship that he'd ever heard her slow down.
"I mean. You've never had a crush on anyone? You don't even know what those feelings mean? That's so sad. I hope you find out soon Relnor-kun. Really."
She wrapped her arms around Sitonai, more out of an instinct to hold something than anything else.
Nathan searched her expression, not entirely sure what he was reading was right and not entirely knowing where to continue on from.
"Anyway," Shinso said, "I appreciate the free snacks but I need to be going home. Nathan."
"Hm?"
"Next time you need help, find someone else,"
"I'll keep that in mind Shinso. Thank you for sitting with us."
"Yeah yeah." He gave a small wave as he left the group, eyes glued to his phone.
"Hmmmm… Hmmmm… What should we do now then? I've still got a couple of hours I need to kill," Hado said, putting a finger to her chin.
Nathan felt his phone buzz, checking it to see Midoriya calling.
"One second Hado-senpai."
He turned away and put the device to his ear, "Hello Midoriya. Sorry. All Might mentioned that you'd be meeting with him and I didn't know how long that would take so I went ahead and left campus."
"Oh good! I was worried I'd kept you waiting! I uh… I have a lot to think about right now honestly, so do you mind meeting with me tomorrow maybe?"
"That's fine with me. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"N-no no! It's um. It's nothing really! Haha! I'm just- You know what I'll talk to you about it tomorrow, ok?"
"Sure thing Midoriya. Get whatever rest you can my friend."
"Right. See you tomorrow!"
Nathan hung up and returned his attention to Hado.
She seemed to be braiding Sitonai's hair.
"Sorry about that. Just remaking some plans with a friend."
"No worries no worries! I appreciate you letting me tag along! I know you probably want to get home and get rested up for the end of term exams!"
"Huh?"
Was the end of the term really coming up? It felt like he'd barely just started school…
"Yeah silly! Have they not told you yet? It should be soon! You'll have a practical exam and a written one! The written one was always really tough for me! It's so hard to stay focused on a test you know!"
"I understand. I have a lot of trouble with the more routine classwork. I've never been good at slowing down enough to just… Sit and focus if it's not something dangerous."
"Yeah! I knew you'd understand! It's crazy! How can they expect me to sit there for an hour when there's so many other exciting things going on!"
He had a feeling this was some kind of convergent evolution. They had taken vastly different paths to reach the same outcome. At least he hoped so. Nobody should have to deal with what he had to.
"What are the practical exams like?"
"Oh I don't really remember? It was tough though! I think someone said it was robots last year but it was different for us!"
"I see,"
Would it be fighting his fellow students? Or would it be something else.
As long as they didn't call Rumi he should be fine. He was 100% sure she was ready to cave his face in at any given opportunity.
Oh well, he would get to it when he got to it.
This was not a Singularity or a Lostbelt.
He did not need every conceivable advantage he could get in order to survive.
A sharp buzzing sounded, prompting Hado to pull her phone out.
"Oh! OH! Yuyu's free finally! Um… But-"
"It's fine, we've been here a bit. Besides I can't imagine hanging out with a junior would be as fun as hanging out with your friend."
"You're my friend too though! But- But if you reeaaaaally don't mind… Could you give me a lift? I want to ride on Shirou's back again!"
"That's fine with me! Just tell us where we need to go!" Sitonai said with a smile.
"Yes! You're the best Sitonai!" Hado said, squeezing the Servant into a tight hug.
"Well then. Thank you for your time Hado-senpai. Shall we get moving?"
"No no! Thank you so much! It was a lot of fun! You should come hang out with us more often!"
"I'll try my best Hado-senpai."
With that they loaded onto Shirou's back, Hado happily clinging onto Nathan as the bear reached top speed in a matter of moments.
That strange prickly emotion entered his mind again, prompting him to again discard it. If he didn't know what it was there wasn't much point in looking into it now.
"So… It's almost time for summer break…" Aizawa said as he leafed through his notes at the end of class the next day. "It wouldn't make a lot of sense for you all to just have a month off."
"Wait- Don't tell me-" Kaminari started
"Instead you'll be doing a summer training camp in the woods."
As the class erupted with cheers Nathan could only feel his entire body lock up.
Summer camp?
In the woods?
The last time he'd done something like that it had not gone terribly well for him… He hoped at least there wouldn't be any Dreamlands shenanigans…
He shook those memories out of his head. Without Chaldea's involvement it would most likely be a completely normal summer camp.
Except he had no idea what that entailed…
"However." Aizawa cut in, "Anyone who doesn't pass the upcoming final exams is in for summer school hell here instead."
Kirishima and Kaminari immediately started screaming.
After the class's excitement died down they were dismissed.
As Nathan left Midoriya caught up to him.
"Hey! Sorry about yesterday! Is today still good to talk?"
"Of course. Have you told your mother you're coming to Chaldea for a quick visit?"
"Yeah!"
"Good good. I am sorry, I probably should have just waited on you but-"
"No no… After talking to All Might my head was just… I don't think I could have taken any more information in!"
Nathan nodded as they approached the school gates.
"Midoriya. If you're ever overwhelmed and need help… Please feel free to ask. I will always reach out a helping hand to a friend." He spoke with a stern tone, looking Midoriya right in the eye with a powerful gaze.
"O-Of course!"
Nathan's eye narrowed.
"Well… Alright…" He said before turning his attention to their ride for the day, "Ah hello Iskander."
"Hello Nathan! And Izuku as well I take it?" Iskander responded in Greek.
"We need to talk about some stuff, mind bringing him back to Chaldea with us?"
"Of course! My chariot has more than enough room!"
"You heard the man," Nathan said, looking expectantly at Midoriya.
"You are not speaking a language I recognize…"
"Ah! My apologies young one! Please board the chariot of the King of Conquerors!" Iskander boomed.
"Sorry," Nathan added meekly as they boarded the chariot, "I think it makes some people more comfortable to be spoken to in their native language…"
"Oh! Is that why you know so many languages?"
"Yes."
Midoriya was about to question him further but Iskander cracked the reigns and the bulls pulling his Chariot took off with an alarming burst of speed.
Midoriya had seen Nathan leave school a few times now, but somehow every single animal pulled vehicle seemed to be able to move at truly ludicrous speeds.
Maybe it had something to do with the rider's quirks?
Either way they reached a nondescript warehouse in short order, the garage opening up to greet them.
"Oh… Are we taking multiple rides to Chaldea?" Midoriya asked, only seeing a large technologically advanced vehicle inside.
"In a sense," Nathan said unhelpfully as they both descended from the chariot. He approached the black vehicle as its loading doors slowly opened for them.
It was all so normal for Nathan… But to Midoriya the casualness of his approach just seemed so otherworldly.
He quickly hurried along behind him entering the Shadow Border proper.
What greeted him was beyond his wildest dreams.
There had to be some kind of mistake.
They went from the loading dock of that vehicle directly into the familiar halls of Chaldea…
Was this a product of Abigail's quirk? Or was it something else?
"My room is this way," Nathan said, gesturing to the hall on their left.
"R-right."
As they casually strode through those halls they greeted several Chaldeans, each more excited than the last to see the two.
After making a few more turns they were stopped just before they reached Nathan's room.
"Yo Nate. Heard you'd be talkin to Midoriya today so figured I'd pop by."
Midoriya tensed as he saw the man who stood at Stain's side.
Hector of Troy.
And next to him stood someone he didn't recognize.
"Y-you… You're…" Nathan muttered. Midoriya was standing on his right so he couldn't entirely see the look in Nathan's eye as he beheld that man.
"Hello there Nathan. And you as well Midoriya Izuku," He gave them both a small bow. "I suppose introductions are in order. My name is Kirschtaria Wodime. I am the Master of Chaldea. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Midoriya found himself at a loss for words. The mysterious Chaldea Master that had only been spoken of in hushed whispers had come out to meet him in person? What was even happening?
It didn't help that Nathan seemed to be just as stunned by this person's presence.
"What are you… Oh… You're…" Nathan began collecting himself, his emotions leveling out as he realized what was going on.
"Now now, there's no need to be so surprised. I am known to indulge in a little frivolity every now and then," Kirschtaria said with a light chuckle, "I understand you encountered Hector here while he was on his undercover assignment. I'm terribly sorry for any confusion that caused you. I let Nathan in on the operation when I heard of his coming internship so he wouldn't worry if he found himself facing down a fellow Chaldean but it completely slipped my mind to have you informed as well."
The casual way he spoke was somewhat at odds with his truly noble appearance. Long blond hair, an exquisite white suit, and an elaborate cane which seemed to be purely aesthetic. Everything about him screamed that he was a lord of some kind at the very least, perhaps even a king. The title of Master of Chaldea fit him perfectly… Somehow he was the spitting image of how Midoriya had imagined that mysterious figure.
"Um- I- It's ok! I'm sorry if it caused you any trouble! I didn't… Undercover?" Midoriya stammered out.
"Oh it's quite alright. We have quite a few feelers out keeping tabs on the more notable villain organizations of the area. It allows us to have people in place just in case a conflict springs up."
"Ah! So that's part of why you deploy so quickly!"
"Exactly. You're every bit as astute as Nathan said you were! How wonderful. I am truly glad he's making friends like you!"
"But um… There was… Were you and Georgios speaking to each other in some kind of code?"
"Hm?" Hector quickly came to attention before nodding, "Oh! Yeah. Just a little exchange of information of sorts. Best we could manage given the circumstances.
That would explain all the unfamiliar terms that were flying around between them. As well as how they were so cordial with each other while still fighting in earnest. They were trying to keep up appearances.
Everything was falling neatly into place.
"But… Um… I have a question,"
"What is it Izuku?" Kirschtaria responded with a smile that seemed to radiate kindness.
"Why do you go to such great lengths to remain hidden?"
"Ah." That smile faltered somewhat before a meaningful gaze turned to Nathan. "Well. Chaldea has not always been in the form it is now. We've had to make a lot of hard choices to get to where we are today and there are some in this world that resent me for making the choices I did. While Chaldea is a known quantity that cannot be hidden from those who hold that ire… I personally can be hidden with relative ease. As long as there is simply no information pertaining to the mysterious Master of Chaldea floating around those parties cannot track me accurately."
He must not have even been in Chaldea the last time he was there… If he was so dedicated to hiding, the easiest way to do it would be to eliminate any information connecting him to Chaldea and simply hide in plain sight. To blend in with the masses while still operating such an organization was a truly amazing feat.
"Then!" Midoriya started, "Isn't this a huge risk for you!? I- I'm sorry for-"
"Nonsense," Kirschtaria waved away Midoriya's concern. "If I did not think it was worth my time I would not have made the trip. I found your concern admirable and so I decided to assuage it personally."
Midoriya couldn't help but feel completely blown away. Kirschtaria seemed larger than life but he had a much softer disposition than he'd assumed.
So this was the person who united all of Chaldea…
"Well then. I suppose I should get moving. Unless you have any further questions Izuku,"
"Oh. Um. Wh- Why is Chaldea here? Like here in Japan as of late?"
"Hm hm. That one," Kirschtaria tapped his cane as he mulled over the possible answers, "That one is something I do have to keep secret. If everything goes well you won't even notice our operation. The fact that you ran into Hector was an unfortunate blunder on our part. There will be no such mistakes in the future, I promise you that much."
"I-I see…"
"Is that to your satisfaction Izuku?"
"Y-Yes! Thank you so much Kirschtaria-san!" Midoriya gave the man a sharp bow eliciting a chuckle out of Hector.
"Very well then. Till we meet again, may the light of Chaldeas shine over your journey."
With that the two turned and left Nathan and Midoriya in that cold hallway.
Nathan took a moment to collect himself.
"So. Do you want to start learning how to play card games while you're here?" He asked.
"Oh uh… Will I get home before sundown if I say yes?"
"Depends on how fast a learner you are," Nathan said with a savage grin on his face.
But.
Something about it was off to Midoriya.
It was empty.
There was no overwhelming emotion threatening to drown him behind it.
Something was wrong.
After learning the basics of the card game of the day Midoriya decided it was time to try and get a few extra answers out of his friend.
That empty smile had faded as they played but it still stuck out as extremely odd to him.
"Hey. Are you ok?"
"Hm?" Nathan glanced up.
"Earlier. With Kirschtaria… You seemed tense."
"Mh. Yeah a little. We have a complicated relationship. I… He tried his best but some of his goals didn't line up with mine. We had a fight about it once… It was a time I guess you could say," Nathan said, leafing through the cards in his hand.
"I see. You and Chaldea have been through a lot huh?"
"Mhm. It's been a long five years but I'm glad I was here… If things had gone any differently… Well. There's no use in thinking about what could be. I should focus on what can be and what is." Nathan said with a nod more to himself than anything.
"Right!"
"By the way. I am kind of curious. About you and All Might."
Nathan's stare tore through Midoriya as he peeked over the cards in his hand, largely hiding his expression.
"Er… I… Well…"
He couldn't slip up again and tell his secret…
Or could he?
He trusted Nathan and Nathan was already adept at holding his own secrets. Maybe… Maybe it was worth telling him…
Bakugo had learned because he would have been destroyed without that knowledge.
But with Nathan… He could tell him and have a confidant. Someone he didn't need to lie to.
It was for himself this time… But could he really add to Nathan's burden?
Todoroki was not the only 1-A student that carried their pain on their sleeve. Nathan was a little better at hiding it but getting to know him even a little bit made it obvious that he was hurting.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand holding secrets that are not entirely yours to keep…" Nathan added.
"No I- … Well… It's not entirely my secret but… You know my quirk? I've been having trouble with it not because I've just never used it… I was born quirkless and given my quirk later…"
Nathan tilted his head to the side. Quirks could be given? As far as he knew they were an intrinsic part of a person that could neither be truly removed nor bestowed. It had taken great effort to modify his quirk to be able to produce his arm and leg…
"So that's why you keep destroying yourself with it. You've been given more power than your body could handle…"
"Yeah! I can hold about 5% of it with my full cowling but it's draining and… Not strong enough for my liking. I'm trying but-"
"It's a long road. It must be tough. I'm glad you trust me enough with this. I'm happy to help in any way I can."
"Thank you. That means a lot to me! Just having you in my corner… I won't lie. I kind of admire you…"
Those words struck Nathan hard. It felt like white hot iron was coursing through his veins as he struggled to comprehend what he was saying.
"Why!?"
"Why not!? You're cool under pressure, your analytical ability is insane, and you always seem to have a plan that gets everyone out unharmed no matter how bad things get! You're already a great hero… And I've barely got a handle on my quirk."
"That's not fair. That's not fair to you at all. I struggled for the last five years to get to where I am today. You've had your quirk for a few months and I already don't know who would win in a straight fight between the two of us," Nathan placed his cards on the table and leaned back in his chair. "Your growth is astounding and soon the difference between us will be insignificant at best."
Well. He hoped Midoriya wouldn't wind up as traumatized as he knew he was but… There was no sense in putting words to those thoughts.
"That's… I never thought I'd hear something like that…" Midoriya muttered, trying desperately to suppress a happy sob, "Ugh… This didn't even answer your question I'm sorry!"
"There's no need to apologize. You know I couldn't answer any of your direct questions… This is already far more than I can give you."
"Yeah but… If you know everything that's going on… It will just… Having someone to talk to beyond All Might would be…"
Ah.
How Nathan desperately wished this could flow the other way.
The Chaldeans were great but at the end of the day the power dynamic in their relationship made things… Difficult to parse for him.
Midoriya began explaining the day he met All Might, how he was given his quirk One for All, and how he would eventually find himself facing down against All for One.
"That's… A lot for anyone isn't it?" Nathan muttered after taking in Midoriya's tale.
"Yeah…"
"But. Now that you've told me everything. Please. Don't hesitate to call for my help. In battle or otherwise," Nathan said with his signature overwhelming smile.
"I- I will! I just hope that someday… You can call on me for help too."
"I-" Nathan started before slamming on the breaks, "Yes. Of course. I wish I could… I'm sorry."
"No- No! Don't be! Come on! Let's try to go another round with this game!"
"Right…"
After sending Midoriya off with a set of meals for himself and his mother Nathan stood in the loading dock of the Shadow Border for a moment.
"I hope you didn't mind the show," Kirschtaria said as he approached the boy from behind.
"Of course I mind. I…"
"Moriarty made a good point to me earlier today. Sharing secrets is all fine and good, but your secrets are a bit more difficult… He could get drawn into the crossfire by knowing too much about Chaldea. As long as he can credibly play dumb about its true nature…" He said as his body began to shift, his hair straightening out and turning black, "He sold me on the fact that you'd probably feel like absolute shit if them knowing you were Chaldea's master somehow hurt them..."
"I suppose…"
"Mh. Well. I'm just a hired hand. I'll do whatever you ask me to do Master."
"Punch Moriarty in the dick for me."
"You got it."
"And please… I know it probably helped keep the secret to have me react as I did but… Warn me next time you're going to impersonate someone like Kirschtaria," Nathan said, looking to the Servant behind him.
"Sure thing boss," Yan Qing said with a smile, "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I've got an old man to punch."
The week before exams panic began to set in.
Everyone was desperately reaching out wherever they could for help.
Nathan wasn't especially good at written exams due to both his writing speed and his inability to focus on something so stagnant for so long. He had middling grades at best so he was actively considering asking for help himself.
So when the students started congregating around Yaoyorozu for a group study session at her house he decided to throw his hat in the ring.
"Would you mind if I tagged along as well?" He asked, leaning back in his chair slightly.
"O-oh! Of course!" Yaoyorozu said as excitement started to take hold of her. She must not have been used to the attention because she was a little flushed. There was now a crowd of around six begging for her help at this point.
"Great! What time were you guys thinking?" Nathan asked, beaming at her.
"W-we can meet at my house this weekend! It will be a study party! I'll have to ask my mother if we can use the lecture hall!"
"Lecture hall?" Mina muttered.
That's right. Yaoyorozu was fairly well off wasn't she? She wasn't as obviously opulent as certain golden rulers he knew so that fact often slipped from his mind.
Then again, it was probably better that way. At least she didn't have his problem of having wealth and having no idea what to do with it.
"Are you guys partial to any particular type of tea? We alway stock Harrods and Wedgwood at the house but if you prefer another I would be happy to get some!"
"Huh?" Ojiro muttered as he and the rest of the study group were left in the dust.
Well most of them.
"I'm a little partial to green tea, do you have any Silver Moon?" Nathan asked.
"Is that TWG? Yes! That's father's favorite blend! I'm sure we have some around!" Yaoyorozu said, her excitement building a little too sharply. She grabbed Nathan's hands, catching him completely off guard. He didn't especially like when people touched his scale limbs, or at all if it was sudden enough. He did his best to suppress a flinch and continue smiling at her as she bounced increasingly more luxurious ideas off of him.
"Wh- Is… Is Nathan rich too!?" Jiro asked, looking at the two as he started shooting down a few ideas and suggesting a few brands that she at least recognized.
"... I… Electricity bro! Are we really that far apart!?" Kaminari shouted in desperation.
"I'll do it!" Yaoyorozu said standing up suddenly, practically dragging Nathan out of his seat, "I'll show you all how much help I can be!" She beamed at the others who were looking a little lost.
After lunch everyone gathered back in the classroom, Midoriya sharing the intel he'd gained from class 1-B.
"It can't be that simple can it? Hado-senpai told me the robots thing too but she also said her exam was different. A fair number of us have quirks that are at their strongest when we don't have to restrain ourselves so would robots work? I mean. It is a test isn't it?" Nathan muttered to himself.
"Hado-senpai?" Yaoyorozu asked as Kaminari and Mina celebrated their assured victory together.
"Oh. I guess she's one of the big three or something? That's what Shinso said anyway. I keep running into them so I guess we're friends now?"
That tracked. Nathan's ability to make friends quickly was becoming something of a meme in the class. Especially considering he'd managed to work well together with Mirko, the pro hero who despises team ups.
Not to mention his casual friendship with Shinso despite his introduction to their class.
"I suppose that makes sense. All we can do is prepare to the best of our abilities in that case," Yaoyorozu said with a smile.
"Mh. Take a moment to assess yourself. Figure out your flaws and move forward. As long as you can compensate for your weaknesses you should be fine."
That was… One way to look at it for sure. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to detach quite that easily but she would certainly try. Maybe she could just ask him what he thought during their study session.
"Oh. I had a thought. Is there anything I should bring as a gift for your parents?" Nathan asked.
"Um! No! No! You don't need to bring anything!"
"Mh. Ok. The royals I'm used to usually like having a tribute of some kind even if it's not terribly extravagant so I thought I would at least check."
"You hang out with royalty often?" Todoroki asked. He hadn't really been paying attention to the conversation at hand but that specific line caught him as… Very off.
"Er. There are a couple of heroes in Chaldea who style themselves as kings. It's kind of tedious sometimes but if it makes them happy I don't mind treating them as such. It's certainly helped me learn proper etiquette among other things…"
"Sounds rough." Todoroki said flatly.
"They're not that bad most of the time."
"Hey! Deku!" Bakguo called out, alerting the whole class to his ire as he often did. He announced his intention to crush Deku and pull so far ahead of him that it would essentially kill him which seemed counterproductive to Nathan. Wasn't challenging people like that essentially the best way possible to guarantee they'd try to outdo you even more?
He directed that same anger at Todoroki before his eyes fell on Nathan.
"You're not even worth mentioning," Bakugo spat out before turning to leave, "Nobody will even remember you when I'm done with you."
How Bakugo consistently found new ways to infuriate everyone around him was beyond Nathan's understanding. It was likely just a passing comment on his lack of drive making him unexceptional but… Touching on memory specifically struck a little too close to home for him.
Regardless, it wouldn't do anyone any good if he got so riled up. After a few steadying breaths he shook that fury from his mind before deciding to excuse himself for the day. Upon confirming the time and date for Yaoyorozu's study session he exited the classroom.
After a week of frantic studying the end of term exams arrived. Despite everything Nathan came out of the written test confident. The study session had been productive at the very least. He'd been forced to gift Yaoyorozu's parents some wine by the more royal shaped Chaldeans but maybe he'd have to make her a present of his own design as thanks later.
Either way with that behind them the class suited up and moved to the parking lot adjacent to the main building.
Before them stood a line of teachers, all similarly decked out in their hero gear.
"Now then," Aizawa spoke up, "Let's begin your practical exams. It is of course possible to fail this exam so if you want to go to the summer camp you don't want to mess this up."
Nathan heard Hagakure quietly counting the teachers next to him prompting Aizawa to continue.
"Knowing you lot you've probably asked around… And you might think you have a vague idea of how this will go…"
"It's a Robot fight! Like the entrance exam!" Kaminari called out with supreme confidence.
Nathan could only sigh. Now that they were here it was obvious how this would go. Especially with this many teachers in front of them.
"Not quite!" Principle Nezu popped out from Aizawa's capture weapon, "For various reasons we decided to revise the final exam!"
Mina and Kaminari froze in place as Nezu descended from Aizawa's shoulder.
"From now on we'll be focusing on flesh and blood opponents. It is critical that our teaching simulate practical experience as closely as possible! As such… You students… Will be pairing up and facing off against one of the teachers in front of you!"
Nathan's eye narrowed.
That tracked. Practical experience was one of the major factors as to why he found himself pulling so far ahead of the rest of his class. But. This wouldn't be much of a test for him would it? The Singularities and the Lostbelts had given him more than he could ever ask for in terms of combat experience.
"Against a teacher…" Uraraka muttered.
"Your pairings and your opponent have already been decided. Your battle experience. Your friendships. Your grades. All of those were things we considered when putting together the matchups!"
Oh.
Now he was curious as to how they'd deal with the problem. There was no way they were still unaware of his experience levels at this point. What would their answer be?
"First off! Todoroki is with Yaoyorozu…"
"Against me," Aizawa said with as much menace as possible.
"Next. Midoriya is with Bakugo."
The two of them immediately tensed in surprise. Nathan couldn't imagine a worse possible combination in terms of teamwork but…
Maybe this was something that needed to happen?
"And your opponent will be…"
"Me."
All Might stepped up.
Ah.
What better way to drive people to cooperate than putting them against a truly powerful opponent.
Chaldea itself was mostly an organization that only really drew together because the threats they faced were truly beyond human comprehension.
"Ashido, Kaminari, and Sero will face off against me!" Nezu called out excitedly.
Wait what.
It was a class of 20, if they were pairing off then… Unless there were multiple groups of three?
He waited to see which other students he would be paired with. But.
His name was never called.
Iida was the first to bring it up as was his way.
"Principle Nezu! Is Relnor-san not being tested?"
"Oh! He is! But his exam will be a little different than the rest of yours!"
He tilted his head to the side as he tried to get a read on Nezu.
"You will be on your own for your exam, and your proctor is…"
Nathan heard footsteps coming from behind him, turning around to see a hero he didn't recognize.
"It will be a Rescue exam with a Pro hero on loan from the Musutafu Fire Department! Backdraft!"
On writing this chapter I kept thinking it was too short and maybe I should merge it with the next one but then I just scrolled up and up and up and it was over 10k words already!
I do actually have a bit of bad news, I've completely used up my backlog due to a bunch of family emergencies and trips I had to take back to back. Completely destroyed all of my writing routines and what not so I might not get the next chapter out the Friday after next. I'll try my best but things still aren't quite calm enough for me to be able to write consistently.
Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next time!