Gotta learn to keep the update times on their designated days. Sorry for the delay.
Me and Hazzard are in the middle of setting up a page. Like we said, we write chapters MONTHS in adavanced, and while we're waiting for the second semester of demon school to conclude before writing the second half of the story, we will be making chapters available early for this stories sister fic, Heroic Lifestyle for Iruma, which WILL contain hints for what will have in this story far down the road, along with writting commissions for any what if material people would want to see.
Kalego watched as the misfits partied. Right now they were currently listening to music Izuku had from his 'culturally different playlist', or more accurately, 'hero theme songs' from the human world that Sullivan likely exposed him to. That old idiot! You're only making him stand out more!
"So were you just hiding a list of songs you've been wanting to play this entire time?" Asmodeus stood from the side.
"Most of them were All Might themed, so I had to dial back and search for more casual stuff." He shrugged. "Although, there's something I've been wanting to play for a while, something I actually came up with myself."
"Just a month playing and you're already making your own music?" Shax questioned. "You really go plus ultra with everything. Doesn't that get exhausting?"
"I mean I put in all that effort into learning the piano … and Kalego torturing my fingers to the point they still crack." Now that was effective teaching, Kalego grinned as the students simultaneously shivered. "It's not really a song, it's more like how I've felt since I've come to Bablys." The boy cracked his fingers. "Just, be fair in the criticism."
"I don't think we can be any more critical than Amduscias." Crocell spoke. "I mean I can try but I make no promises."
"I'm sure what my Rival produces will be worthy of the Demon King!" Sabnock yelled. "Though if it's actually good I'll have to start creating my own music from now on! I'll be sure to replace the school anthem with my personal theme song."
"Can you even play a decent song?" Asmodeus asked with a raised eyebrow. Sabnock responded with a deadpan stare, as he began walking to the piano and casually playing an entire verse of the first Demon King's opera, all without taking his eyes off of the student representative, before getting back up. "... Alright, you're annoying but you're a talented annoyance."
"Enough talk! Izuku-kins, start playing the music game!" Valac got everyone back to the point...which sounded wrong to even think in his head.
"Right. Here we go." Izuku began playing, and it sounded foreboding. The first few lines pictured a dangerous scenario, likely someone about to be attacked or narrowly avoiding a natural disaster.
"This is how he's felt since coming here?" Andros along with the rest of the Misfits looked in worry. "Izuku, we can talk…" Midoriya kept playing as the music suddenly took a shift in tone. "Huh, that's strange."
"It sounds...fun." Valac got closer, watching Midoriya's fingers run across the keys as the music now depicted a more light hearted picture, a picture where everything was okay, a picture where the brat got to be happy despite all the danger around him. It really did summarize the boy's whole experience at Bablys, being happily terrified.
Midoriya finished the final note, the smile on him bright and typical, but not unpleasant to see. "Well, how'd I do?" The class provided a small round of applause.
The clapping not among the crowd drew the boy's attention to the woman in the doorway. "Mom?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Naberius asked me to help chaperone the class, saying you all can get a little crazy." Yes, and she was the only one he knew that could get them to NOT try and blow up a hospi-what did she call him?
"Did you say Naberius?" The students asked. This shocked the woman, who suddenly looked nervous.
"Oh, I'm sorry! We've just k-known each other for a while and, um, I heard Balam say y-your name so often that, you know, I thought it was okay, was I not supposed to or-" She continued rambling.
"...So that's where you get it from." The Misfits muttered in unison.
"The density and the muttering all come from Mamadoriya, who would've guessed." Shax shrugged. "I still say we blame the Chair Demon."
"Agreed. I'm almost sad we didn't get the chance to beat him up." Ix said. At the very least the class was gaining logic, and taste.
"It's fine, I've been calling you by your first name after all." He spoke to Inko.
"Ah. Midoriya, I know you shot this down before, but are you sure you don't wanna bet.." Andros brought out a chart.
"Finish that thought and I'll throw you out the window."
"Seriously, I've been saying we don't have windows this entire time. I'm starting to feel like a ghost at this point." Asmodeus spoke.
"Oh, Azz-Azz is gonna be a ghost! Then I should be the Zombie that tries and bites people!" Valac giggled.
"Don't start biting people, Clara. Parent's like their children to be fully intact when they see them." Inko chastised with a kind voice, something that Kalego thought to be impossible but like her son, she seemed to be capable of doing the impossible.
"Alright, Mamadoriya. I understand." WHAT POWER DID THIS WOMAN HOLD!?
"You can act so innocently, yet be so destructive and get them to obey on command. You're an impressive woman." He spoke.
"Not as impressive as you, Naberius. I-I really couldn't be more grateful to you." Inko looked at him with those wide, kind eyes. "Thanks to you, Izuku has so much in his life now. He can be a hero, he can play the Piano, he's able to do more than he's ever been expected to. I, you have my eternal gratitude." She..Inko really was adorable….he thought it and didn't regret it.
"Is thou sure there's not something going on?" Sabnock asked the calm Midoriya.
"Azz, break him."
"Not the gut again!" TWACK. "Whyyyy?" Yes, he was teaching them well.
Gaako was dragged by Eiko to the Royal One. Class A has the blond on a pedestal for celebration, of which she had no interest in. "You think the tear gas was overkill? They did go out of their way to help you for a month."
"Eh, it's not like it was my strongest batch. Besides, as members of the Calamity Cult, we need to be where we belong at all times." As usual, Eiko held no qualms using demons if it got her closer to Izuku. "I got Orobas to rank up, so I already held my end of the bargain."
"I still can't believe it." Although there wasn't supposed to be an official way to rank up if they didn't win, Amduscias met her, Orobas, and Eiko in an empty hallway, waved his hand, and left. They didn't even notice they all moved up to Dalet(4) until hours later. The boy began crying tears of joy … until they started calling him 'the four guy'.
"We're just one step away from the rest of the cult. Let's shoot for Vav(6) the moment the second year starts!"
"Isn't that a little much to expect? What about He(5)?"
"Do you really expect Izu and Azz to stay at He(5) for long?"
"I mean Azz only ranked up once this year so … kinda?" She shrugged. "Also, you left Clara out of that."
"The hussy can stay where she is. I'll take her place in the 'Three Musketeers' and stand by Izu."
"It's bad enough with the school coming up with names for us, now we're doing it on our own."
"It's probably better than what you and Azz come up with in bed."
"It's not like that!" She didn't get any more time to defend herself as the doors to the Royal One classroom were open … by Sabro flying out them and into the wall.
"... Why can't … it ever … be the face?"
"Like I said, wear a shirt and I might be tempted to hit you anywhere else."
"It's winter, I am wearing a shirt!"
"A shirt that still exposes most of your chest and torso." She wasn't going to get into that, walking over to the pink haired one as Eiko went rushing off.
"Hey Azz, how's the celebration going?"
"Pretty decently overall, aside from Izuku worrying that Kalego is dating his mother." They both shivered at that image. "They refer to each other by their first names and haven't stopped talking to each other since she's arrived."
"The universe doesn't like to treat him kindly all the time, does it?" She looked to where Izuku was, sitting by a piano as Eiko sat next to him.
"At this point I'm certain it's just planting cruel jokes … either that or all mothers make their lives miserable." He groaned. "Mine keeps asking to bring you over so she can give you … 'bed demonstrations'."
"I'd rather have my dad explain the gruesome process of my birth than anything your mother can give me." Gaako tried to erase both images from her head. "You know, we haven't actually spent time together since winter started. I've been very...cold without my 'inflamed knight' by my side."
He blushed. "Is that so … say, didn't Eiko ask you to get that … 'thing' from the clubroom for her latest invention?"
Gaako caught on quickly. "No, it was too heavy for little ole me...I need someone strong...and kind, and brave to help me. I'm certain I could 'reward' you for all your efforts in some way."
"I see I have no choice but to help a lady such as yourself-"
"Would you two stop flirting, it's exhausting." Way to go Picero, ruining the mood like that.
"If I wasn't in a hurry to spend time with my girlfriend, I'd set that cloud on fire." Azz ducked his head as he led her out the door. "Just slip out unnoticed and pretend we're working on Apprati if someone knocks."
"Sounds like a plan, Ali." She purred, snuggling her head against his arm.
"Okay, full disclosure, my first name is a major turn off, only my mom calls me that." Right, notted.
"Well then, I guess my little Azz wants to hold me up like a doll?" She asked as they finally got closer. "Your personal little pillow." Give him control at the start, and take it at the end.
"Oh, so you want me to hold you close like this?" He held her up, scooping her off her feet as they quickly entered the Battler room and locked the door. "I'm afraid I can't let you dominate this time. I'm taking the lead here."
"Oh, but here you are." She placed her mouth against his neck. "Giving me access." She kissed it. "To such a vulnerable area." She suckled it.
"Don't pretend you're not defenseless. I know everything about you." He petted the spines on her back, sending excited shivers down her spine. "I know every button to push." He gently brushed his lips against where her horns grew out of her head. "I've felt every scale, every smooth and beautiful one there is."
"Oh you know me so well." She growled, moving her tongue against his skin as she trailed up, closer to his lips. "Every inch of you fills me with warmth …" They reached out for each other. She missed this, she was never letting him go for anything.
The clattering of metal froze their lips in place, slowly their irises trained their ways to the source of the noise, finding …. Him. "Oh, don't mind me Azz, just waiting for Izuku." Fuck fuck fuck-her eratic thoughts were cut off by a familiar sight of flames.
"So this is what you've been up to since my little vacation from school. Never took you for the type, with how big the stick up your butt is." The bastard still spoke, even as he was being assaulted with a flaming sword … well assaulted was generous, his attacks weren't doing shit here.
"And you seemed to improve as well, last I checked your shields broke quite easily, part of that fucked up backstory wasn't it?" Azz spoke, standing between Amy and Gaako.
"Well it was, but Big Bro gave me a new little collar. Doesn't store up to the amount it did before, but I can use it when needed instead of an all or once deal. He even shaped it like our friend's ring, isn't it adorable?" The smile, the eyes that returned to origin, it made him sick.
"Don't you dare, don't you FUCKING dare say that word like you have any right to call yourself that!" Asmodeus's flames were starting to glow white, he could feel his Wicked Phase about to come out. "Gaako, get out of here! He's in his Wicked Phase!"
"My Wicked Phase?" The boy spoke. "You must be mistaken …"
"What … but … you're eyes … the way you act …" Gaako spoke, taking small steps back.
"I don't have a Wicked Phase … or it's more accurate to say … I was born in it."
"You did...you're nothing but pure spite and hatred in that little body of yours, aren't you?"
"Spite and hate? No." Amy grinned wider, it filled him with an instinctual urge to vomit, run, and murder the bastard at the same time. "I only hate annoying people. Those like Deku-kun? My destined partner? I love him beyond words."
"His name is Izuku, you son of a bitch! He's beyond whatever 'love' you can provide, if you can understand the concept at all!"
"It's quite simple, he made me feel it. The absolute despair of my plan failing." He held his face, despite the fact fire heated up the room from Asmodeus's constant attempts. "All the suffering and agony of a plan wasted … my heart hasn't skipped a beat like that in so long.
"You … fucked up maniac." Gaako muttered quietly.
"Oh, so you're who they replaced me with after I went on vacation? To think, Azz with a girlfriend, or a pet, that would be more accurate for a snobbish elitist like him." The bastard laughed. "The things you miss while in prison. I've heard so much about you guys, about your little 'calamity cult'."
"Prison … but the only one is-" Gaako stopped. "Walter Park, it was you!" She shouted.
"Oh, she's smart for a pet." Asmodeus drove his sword harder, but it still didn't budge. "It wasn't me per say … but my friends."
"The Six Fingers...of course, I should've known someone with a sick ambition like yours would align with those monsters from the start." Asmodeues kept pressing forward, despite its futility.
"Absolute monsters for sure." He nodded without a hint of remorse.
"And you've come back to kill Izuku or something?"
"No, no, oh, no, I couldn't do that to my best friend. He deserves something far better than that." Amy smiled creepily. "You know, I really am jealous of you guys. I've seen the pictures, you actually got to meet Deku-kun in person, the REAL Deku. It really, really warms my heart to know that the cheerful facade can fade away." Amy begins chuckling hauntingly. "The tail was a bit much though. It's almost like he thinks he's a demon or something."
"It's not a facade you freak!" Gaako shouted. "And he's more of a demon I can be proud of than some punk like you!"
"HAAHAHAHAHA, He-he really hasn't told you at all, hasn't he?" The bastard spoke cryptically. "Don't blame him. The poor Quirkless fool is probably too ashamed to let anyone know." The boy had plenty of quirks, what was he on about? "But honestly, I just came to tell him a message in hopes it'll get him out again … that All Might has retired."
"Wh-what?" The sudden news almost made him drop the flames.
"Oh yeah, the man fought his final battle. He won, of course." Amy rolled his eyes in disgust. "But I suppose this is good enough. His favorite hero, his idol, fell and broke into a weak shamble of a man unable to throw a single punch. All of his heroic ideals shattered!" He giggled. "But to make the news even better … YOU." Amy widened his arms as if to give them a hug. "His close and trusted companions get to break the news and his heart … doesn't that sound fun?"
"Your truly the most demented soul I've ever come across." Asmodues's flames burned brighter and brighter, flying across the room as Gaako had to move closer to the door, Asmodeus could feel the spot between his heart and wings beat as his hair braid began to burn. "By my house … I promise …" The force and jettison of his flames finally caused a crack inside of the unseen wall. "To put your very sense of self into the void."
"So I'm not the only one who's returning to origin, am I?" The thought almost made Asmodeus throw up. "I was right then! Beyond Plus Ultra, there can only exist Entropy." Amy made no attempt to step away. "Tell Deku-kun that he can do it, that he can be a hero, because the higher he rises, the sweeter the fall will be."
"I won't need to tell him … here and now you'll-" The door opened before he could finish.
"Azz-Azz, what's taking so long?" Clara walked in, and immediately took out a gun. "Amy! You won't take away Izuku-kins smile!" Well, guess she could take this seriously.
"I don't have to … your friends will …" He grinned at the girl sickly. "Now as much as I'd love to talk to you too Clara-chan….." The girl growled more as she shot the barrier, more cracks forming from his and her combined efforts. "My ride has finally come-" He was gone. There was no trace of him, his scent, or his very mana. It was as if he vanished into thin air.
"He didn't come alone …" He growled. "We have to tell the teachers, maybe they can cut him off before they can get far, we have.."
"Azz, we can't tell him what Amy said." Gaako said to him with a teary-eyed look. "We can't tell Izuku about All Might, not now at least. Not when he's just starting to get better."
"... You're right." He admitted, and turned to the green haired girl. "Clara, check on Izuku, don't mention All Might in the slightest if you want to keep his smile straight, but drag Kalego out of the room and tell him the situation."
"On it, Azz." She left, not even using the full nickname she gave to him. She did take Amy seriously. That absolute bastard, he'll pay for trying to take the joy from both his friends! He'll hunt him down till there is nothing but ash!
"Azz, calm down, there's flammable equipment." Gaako petted him … oh, he was still on fire and on the verge of Wicked Phase … right. He was just going to let his girl calm him before he left ...
"No, it's an A key, not a C one." Eiko explained to him, correcting his positioning.
"Right, right, sorry, I've kept getting it messed up in my head." Izuku chuckled, looking back to her and the keys, trying to get the song down. Eiko went out of her way to write an entire song for him, the least he could do was learn how to play it. "I never took myself for a pianist, or a musician at all to say the least."
"You were really settled on being a hero, weren't you?" Eiko shot him a wry smirk. This was nice, talking to his friend without worrying about anything else.
"Yeah, it was just the coolest job I could think of. That's what I was thinking when I was a kid at least." Back then when it was just something he and Bakugo could do together, before quirks ever entered the picture. "I probably put myself in a corner by doing that. I should've at least found something other than analysis to occupy my time."
"So the magic nerd actually REGRETS studying? Who would've thought?" Eiko laughed, it was great to see her happy, to see all of his friends happy now. "Well, now you're a hero, an archer, a pianist, and the future Demon King. I say that was time well spent." She scooted closer to him, her hands not-so-subtly on top of his own. "Come on, we'll practice all night if we have to."
"R-right. Practice." Izuku repressed the forming blush. Don't think about romance. Don't recontextualize every single sign she's given you since you've met her, just enjoy the company. "Wonder what's taking Clara so long…" Almost on cue, Clara walked in. "Clara, where's Azz and Gaako?"
"They're making out in a closet. Aggy-teach, I need to talk to you." Well that was surprisingly blunt of her, even more so than usual.
"If you want to speak then I can answer it-" Kalego-sensei was cut off as Clara began dragging him out.
"It's a new teacher game I made, I really wanna show you and Bamask-sensei!" She spoke as she moved them out the door. Oh, she was making a game for Balam, that was nice.
"Huh, she's been getting weirdly serious lately. I'm not sure if I like it." Eiko looked over the situation. "Can't say I'm shocked about Azz and Gaako though. They don't know how to keep it subtle."
"You call what they have subtle?" Izuku had to laugh. "You could cut the tension with a knife, and that was before they started dating."
She giggled. "Alright then, enough distraction. Let's move onto the middle melody, C, B, D." She instructed.
"Got it." He followed along. He had to take extra care of his hands now. He couldn't risk breaking them in a fight. Seems like he had more than just his friends now to keep himself restrained. "Have you seen Soi around? I wanted him to help practice, but I haven't seen him all day."
"He went to go take a phone call from his father." Soi's mom spoke out.
"... The same dad who was very strict about the family policy that made it difficult for him to join in the first place?" Izuku asked tentatively.
"He's really nice once you get to know him. He's a big softy deep down and very passionate. He's also super shy, and most of his insistence on following the family traditions is just an excuse for him to not interact with people. He assumes everyone in the family is the same, which is annoying, but he approached me first when we started dating, so there's some spark of rebellion inside of him that I can't help find alluring."
"..." That whole family really rambled, didn't they. "Do I really do that all the time?"
"Yes." The whole class answered, even the ones that weren't paying attention. It seems they just started a subconscious echolocation on stupid questions. Well then, there was one thing he could look forward to at the very least. Improving himself more and more, and eventually becoming the Demon King … after spending his time having fun with friends.
"How did it go?" Wett asked with a smile.
"Not how I wanted to, but I got to make a few people miserable, so that's something." Kiriwo sighed. "I was looking forward to seeing him again too. He's been growing a horn, believe it or not. He really hates his humanity that much." That beautiful despair just waiting to seep out. Oh, his friend has truly grown. "What's with the face? Didn't go well either?"
"Oh, I got her, just … had to deal with their conversation while waiting on you." Wett lamented.
"Seriously, your wardrobe choice is a shambles, and your hair is a disgrace. Have you ever considered using blush, you pleb?" Amduscias came up from behind. "You better not be lying. If you can't provide Derkila-sama, I'm going to rip out what's left of those shriveled hearts of yours and eat them raw."
"Don't worry, your precious Demon King will come in time." Kiriwo reassured with a small smile. "Big Brother plans to collect and secure everything Lord Derkila ever touched. You won't have to worry about a single thing."
"A locator spell?" Amduscias asked with a raised eyebrow. "Do you really think something so insignificant would work?"
"Maybe you've been trying it on the wrong world." Amy spoke, causing Amduscias to pause in his step. "Oh, never occurred to you at all, did it?"
"The human world...of course, he always had such a strange fascination with those boring creatures." The former crow summarized. "I never figured out why he found food so innately fascinating."
"Believe me when I say times have changed. There's more than meets the eye with them." And to think the most fascinating of them all would be the weakest among them.
"Also nobody who's Returned to Origin cares about the Human World, the quirks have this disgusting smell and tastes like poison." Wett spoke. "The only reason he has a care is because of a human toy he likes to have fun with."
"Can you blame me? He actually believes he can be a real demon. Almost as laughable as that 'villain' who aims to be 'the perfect demon lord'." At least Shigaraki was someone he could work with well enough and empathize with, he could hardly keep a straight voice looking at All For One. "But at the very least they have some nice perspectives to take note of … ideology, revenge, love, all twisted into absolute agony …" He really thought Himiko would have shared his point of view, but apparently his idea of love was 'crossing the line'.
"Sounds like humans are no different than demons when you put it like that." The Musician sighed. "Fine, I'll work with you. But the moment you falter even a little, you're all dead. No one is allowed to take Derkila-sama's name so lightly."
"Noted. Come on, let's go before anyone else at Bablys catches notice." He leads the group into the forest, where no one would be able to follow them. "Until next time, Deku-kun. I'll be waiting for you to rise to the top, it'll make dragging you back to the bottom all the more fun."
A/N-I picture the song Izuku played earlier to be the Iruma OST.
