Alright readers. We have about tweenty chapters to go before we go on a hiatus. Enjoy the ride until then. Just know that Herioc Lifestyle WILL continue even when this story is on hiatus, and there WILL be hints and clues as to what will happen in THIS story, and the eventual third fic that'll come
Eiko was ready to confront the guys on what's going on. She was gonna start with Gaako, the reasonable one of course, because the last week had been nothing but crazy.
Any time they were about to eat lunch Clara just made a duplicate and said it tasted better. It tasted the same and Izu felt guilty and wanted to buy school lunch, but Clara said you can't trust them to not put bad stuff in it. She also didn't play any of her usual games, at least not with Izu. She still threw around a flail towards everyone, but she covered Izu in pillows whenever she got the chance. Picero was really jealous of that one.
Azz became downright unapproachable. Everywhere they went, he shielded Izu in a wall of flames, making it impossible for anyone outside of him and Gaako to get near Izu. And it was a wall that stayed lit at all times, at lunch, during class, as they walked down the halls. Even Clara couldn't get through, until she figured out how to make fireproof clothes.
Gaako just started … researching, and questioning, and interrogating. She kept giving the other students the evil eye, not having a single look of trust towards anyone, and kept repeating words like 'quirkless' over and over. She almost looked like Izu with all that mumbling. That was her job! Don't take her job!
So in the spirit of 'friendship', she took the rational approach. Waiting until they were halfway home before throwing her best friend against a tree and losing it, instead of around the others. "Start talking, what the heck is going on here!?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Gaako lied to her for the first time she's ever recalled.
Eiko responded with a deadpan stare. "So you don't know why Azz is creating a massive wall of fire for everyone outside of the Cult?"
"I get cold during the winter. He's making sure nobody gets sick."
"And you don't know why Clara decided to make everyday objects constantly instead of trusting the world around her, along with being super liberal about games?"
"She's planning on making her own merchandise business and we agreed she needed to make the games more safe."
"And you don't know what's up with your constant evil eyes around every student like they're someone in disguise?" She finished off with a 'really' tone.
"You know how dangerous Bablys is for Izuku. What if someone jumps him from behind?"
"You broke a kid's arm after they asked for an autograph."
"He didn't announce his presence. I did the heroic thing there." He yelled from across the hall and made his way over, bullshit on not announcing.
"Start talking or I will leak to Azz what you keep under your bed." Ugh, Gaako really was her father's daughter, especially in light of the Harvest Festival.
"Do that and I might actually consider biting your arm off." Like she had the guts to do that to her best friend. "Fine, but you have to swear to me, swear on the life of yourself, Ameri, and Izuku that you'll NEVER repeat a word what I say to anyone, not even Izuku."
"You know I can't do that, Gaako. If it's as serious as it sounds, then I should tell Izu right now that.."
"If you love Izuku, you won't tell him that All Might's gone!" What? "It's...ah...Kiriwo Amy snuck into the Battler. He was waiting for Izuku to come." Shit. "He wanted to tell Izuku, see the look on his face and …"
"Then he wanted you to tell him right?" A slow nod. "...The sick bastard." She thought it over, he was going through way too much right now. He didn't need to know, let them take care of the danger for a change. "Alright, but dial it down, he's starting to catch on."
"If he's only now noticed your crush on him, I think we'll be able to keep this up for at least another week or two." … Well she had a point, as much as she hated to admit it. "Point is, we need to do everything, and I mean EVERYTHING to make sure above all else, Izuku stays happy."
"To think you didn't even like him, even when he saved me from Azz." Eiko smirked at her friend's change for the better. "Nice to see you go big sister mode. It suits you." Considering she had eight brothers, that instinct was bound to come out eventually.
"I didn't even want to be popular at the beginning of the year, go figure." Gaako shrugged. "Now come on, I'd rather not stay near the woods too long … no telling what beasts lurk around."
"You'd eat them before they even have the chance to breathe near us." The fact the girl didn't respond other than looking away with a blush proved her point. And Gaako was right, it would take Izu another week to figure out they were acting weird.
"I noticed you've all been acting weird for a week now." Well Gaakos theory was blown out of the park. "And I completely understand why."
"Valac, you moron, what did you say to him!?" Her boyfriend immediately went to blame Clara, which was a very likely option when she thought about it.
"Nothing! It's you being weird with your fire, he's probably weirded out that he can't touch anything without burning himself!" Hey, it wasn't his fault his default protection method against a hyper strong barrier is to break it with immense force.
"Oh, like that's likely. You have the subtlety of a freight train, Clara." Eiko, you're not one to talk about subtly. You're fortunate that Izuku didn't put together that you were essentially stalking him before you became part of the cult. She didn't even want to know how you got the home pictures.
"It's fine, it's not that bad." Izuku spoke as they all waited for the inevitable. "The entire school years made us all super stressed right?" … Thank devi for his obliviousness. "We've all been working hard for months now, and our one month of a break just ended up with us trying to save a park."
"Yeah, we actually never had a full-on break now that I think about it." Gaako finally decided to speak. "Tea time with the girls is the closest thing I have to something relaxing."
"And Lied just keeps asking for me and Izuku to attend a Sabbath to act as his wingmen." Azz rolled his eyes. "I don't disagree he needs help, but leave me out of it." Lied was probably trying to make the most out of that sidekick status, while taking advantage of the fact Azz had a girlfriend and Izuku would be too awkward around any more girls.
"Yeah, and reading with Ameri is the ONLY quiet time I've had since attending." Izuku explained. Right, they still read whatever book that had Ameri excited all the time. Must be something really juicy.
"So we should calm down with some games at my place." Clara spoke with a smile.
"... Or we can try something … less frantic." If Eiko said they needed less crazy, one would know how dangerous it is.
"Yeah, before the second semester started, Grandpa took me and mom to a shopping district, and it was actually pretty calming to just walk around. I'd figure that we should just have a whole day out together." Izuku offered with a smile. "Just walk around and enjoy each other's company."
"True … I have been meaning to get some supplies." Azz muttered. "Plus we can finally fix that horrid fashion sense of yours."
"They are joke shirts and they are hilarious!"
"Izuku, I tell you this as the big sister of the group….they're not. They're not funny. They're the most horrendous pieces of cloth I've ever seen on a single living being and looking at them once was enough to make my eyes sore from just a glance alone." Gaako told him with the most sincerity and passion she's ever spoken to a single demon other than Azz.
"... Alright, we can shop for clothes then." He grumbled.
"I actually know a shop where you can get some clothes at a good price. And I made detection warding glasses for everyone." Eiko held up color coded glasses. "You know, because mobs … never again after Walter Park …" The dark times.
"Oh, uh, mind if I just wear a hoodie, I...don't want to look any more like...him especially with this horn sticking out of my head now." Him? Who did..oh….oh shit!
"Yeah yeah, sure, go for it." Eiko spoke instantly.
"I can make you one, with lots of fluffy bunnies!" Clara added, already making it now.
"I'm not...oh what the heck? It'll be something different." Izuku was chuckling. Whew, crisis averted! Good job, Clara!
Clara moved through the streets, eyes wide. "Cool food, cool toys, cool kids!" She spoke at each and every thing they spotted. "So many things to play with, and so many things to make when we get home!"
"I'm just glad her ability doesn't have a massive impact on the economy." Azz-Azz spoke those silly made up words he likes to use often. "How an entire bloodline exists without doing so is a complete mystery."
"Probably because they just stay in the woods and make simple stuff." Izuku-kins said. "It's not like they suddenly make giant weapons of mass destruction unless they're threatened." Yep, like the time mommy dropped a castle on a guy that grabbed her butt. Why she hated it she didn't know. Raimy-sensei did it with her class, and Izuku-kins was free to do so at any time! She hugged him all over, he should be able to do the same.
"We can all question the Valac family's ability to defy reality later, let's have fun now." Eistring said the most important words for anyone to hear. "So what should we look to grab first?"
"Games!" She shouted with a smile. "I hear there's a bunch of new ones we can all play together!" And she would master them all, as the gaming champion!
"Yeah, hey, here's a fun activity." Dragon Lady pointed to a giant plant that reached all the way to the sky.. "Giant Jack: Race your rival towards the clouds. Winner gets a stuffed toy."
"Rival … too bad we don't have Sabro Mountain, now Azz-Azz can't play." She muttered.
"What're you talking about? It says rival, so obviously that means Izuku and Myself shall be competing against one another."
"That's stupid, Izuku-kins is my playmate first and foremost! I'll be his rival!"
"Actually Clara, I believe I'm your rival." Eistring spoke, walking to the tall plant. "The winner will give the stuffed toy to Izu."
"Wait why me-... Ah, that kind of rival." Why was Izuku-kins going red? "How about you guys go ahead, I'll just wait for you.."
"Not going to happen." Dragon Lady stopped Izuku-kins from finishing those dumb words. "It says you can race in pairs too. Winner of that gets the toy and a golden egg. I'll opt out of this one while Azz partners with Izuku. Eiko, you go with Clara."
"But I want to pair up with Izuku-kins." She whined.
"Oh, are you scared of losing then?" Azz-Azz spoke with a smirk. No fair, those were fighting words!
"You're on Azz-Azz, I'm gonna climb up to the top!" She would win and give the toy and eggy to Izuku-kins!
"Wait up Clara! We won't win if you leave me behind!" Eiko chased her as they climbed.
"Of course not." She pulled out a rope and threw it. "Grab on! Conor, Murph, double time it!" The sneakers gave their usual shout of damned souls as they went full throttle all the way to the top!
"It's like racing a car with your bare hands!" Izuku-kins shouted. "Azz, hang on, I'm going to have to match her crazy."
"I'd rather relax, but I'd also rather not lose to Clara in any form or fashion, so go on ahead." Clara heard a yell as sometimes mechanical. The next thing she knew, she saw Izuku-kins right beside her, flinging himself forwards with those squiggly arms as Azz hung from his back.
"No fair Azz-Azz, you can't be in my spot!"
"Currently hanging on for dear life, your argument is invalid … in fact if we're using magic!" Azz-Azz grinned, his feet caught on fire as the two rocketed upward. "Plus Ultra!"
"Azz actually having fun. That's a rare sight to see." Eistring smirked. "Okay, Clara, obviously we can't lose, so let's team up, and we can each have a gift to give to Izu when we win. So why don't you make some fireworks and strap them to your back?"
"Sounds super fun! I'd be a living rocket!" She did so, making as many fireworks as she could and wrapped herself in the colorful explosions. "Ready for take off!"
"Rafire!" Eistring lit the fuse with magic, and the two of them were sent throttling forward. "Woo-hoo!" Vines and branches were being torn apart as they blasted right through it.
"What the..Clara!" Izuku-kins blinked as they passed them.
"Sorry Izu, but you're not the only demon around here with ambition! And mine is to give you that egg and toy!"
"I'm giving him the toy! It's clearly going to make him happier!"
"No, the egg will! Do you know how good the Katsudon will be if he uses it?"
"Then I'll just make better Katsudon than you!"
"We both know you're terrible at cooking, Mamadoriya's advice was no help!" This was true, but with love, everything was impossible!
"Guys, watch where you steer-OOF!" In all the shouting, they didn't notice that they were colliding with Azz-Azz and Izuku-kins. Now the whole group was together as they crashed into the finish line at the top! Yay, everyone wins, even if she clearly won more than anyone else.
"Clearly we made it to the top first." Azz-Azz spoke with a douche smirk. Ha, as if!
"No, we did!" Clara shouted. "We were super cool on the way up here and everything!"
"Look, why don't we just go back down and ask the guy." Eiko spoke. "He probably has a flying camera around here somewhere." Oh yeah, they needed pictures of how much she beat Azz-Azz.
"Yeah, let's just head back … down …" Izuku-kins stopped talking, and curious, the rest looked down at him. The branch holding up the big plant was burnt and torn, looking like seconds from falling away. "We should run."
"We're thousands of feet in the air, Izuku." Azz-Azz pointed out.
"We should fly, after making sure this doesn't fall on anyone."
"Better." Eistring nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll carry you, Izuku-kins!" She clung to his back and opened her wings. "I'll be your wings!" This was much more fun than climbing the plant!
Azz sighed as he leaned against the seat. "Seriously, you think it wouldn't be that expensive to replace a plant." He could order cheaper seeds by mail.
"I guess we should've read the rules before we started climbing." Izuku shrugged as they left. "No magic allowed. I've gotten so used to using it now I didn't think about holding back."
"Well I suppose that's a combat improvement." Azz said. "Nevermind, we can finally work on your main flaw … fashion sense." He pointed at the store in front of them.
"Yes, it's finally time to face the music, isn't it?" Izuku accepted his fate. At least, one of the biggest sources of grief the boy held would finally be lifted off his shoulders. "Don't go too overboard or flashy. I'd like to blend it just a little, even if that's impossible.
"Right right." They entered the store, and he picked out a normal shirt. "Here, it's purple, to match your grandfather."
"... Azz that has solid gold inside of the threads." Asmodeus blinked in confusion. "... Your money skills equate to that of Grandpa, don't they?"
"What, it's not like we're wasting money. Both our families are loaded, and this is an emergency."
"This is not an emergency."
"Debatable." Gaako spoke up.
"And even you all have to admit this is … much." He gestured. "Azz, I doubt even your real clothes are made of metal."
"Of course they're not." Izuku sighed in relief. "They're made from imported spider silk." For some reason the frown was back.
"Oooh, Azz-Azz's clothes are made from spider webs? That's why it's always white!" Clara poked him, before rubbing her hands all over his back. "Why isn't it sticky though? That's no fun!"
"Webs are sticky, silk is a different matter entirely." He muttered. "Either way, if you don't want metal we can go with other materials. My mother uses feathers from giant cleaver owls, and my father has scales from carmine dra-" He cut himself off, Gaako sending him a look.
"Yeah, even if we didn't go against one at Walter Park, I'd still be offended." Gaako stated. "Huh, I think that's the first time you've ever mentioned your dad. It's always your mom you bring up."
"He's a wild beast hunter, he moves around the country taking on dangerous creatures that would destroy villages … I think it's been about seven years or so." Asmodeus tried to remember.
"Eh, better than me not seeing my dad for around ten years." Izuku sighed. "I barely recall his voice, let alone remember what he looks like. I don't even think he had a job overseas. I'm sure that was just an excuse to leave my mom at home." That was super depressing.
"Pretty sure all of us only have one family member at this point." Eiko said. "Or at least one that lives with us … Izu has two, his mom and his bad grandpa, Azz has his mom, Clara has hers, I have my aunt, and Gaako has her dad."
"That's a super depressing thing for all of us to have in common." Gaako pointed out. "Misery loves company, doesn't it?"
"What are you talking about, I'm not miserable! Daddy's always sending toys and fun stuff from his job!" At least Clara was oblivious to the pain. He envied that.
"Alright guys, let's not get too deep into this, we're here to enjoy ourselves. Here, how does this look?" Izuku wore a purple sweater with the Bablys logo on it, along with a devil insignia on the top of it. "Well?"
"You look like a cute guy that's trying way too hard to pull off the bad boy look." Eiko made the boy blush. She didn't hold back on her affections now that Izuku knew. If anything, she made them even more obvious.
"Um, okay then. How about … this." He grabbed a white T-shirt with no design on it.
"I think you found something plainer than your face." Asmodues said without mercy. "You're allowed to have a little color Izuku, just don't go looking for anything 'ironic', or at least your definition of it."
"Izuku-kins face isn't plain, there's little dots on it!" Clara proclaimed.
The boy somehow blushed even harder than when Eiko grabbed him. "Th-thanks." He shuffled through as Eiko blinked.
"Really? That's what flusters you?" Gaako asked rhetorically.
"What about this one?" He held out a school uniform that was modified to look more casual.
"Actually, that looks pretty decent." Azz complimented. "It doesn't take much to look presentable, you just need opinions other than your Grandpa and Mother. Luckily you met me to guide you."
"Azz-Azz, you need help, too. Stop wearing all white all the time! Or at least mix it up a little. I don't see you wear anything other than school clothes."
"It's the Asmodeus family color. It represents purity, and I'm proud to wear it." He stated, then looked down. "... Also my hair tends to clash with anything other than white or black."
"Maybe wear something without so many buttons..oh here's something!" Gaako brought out a zip up jacket, along with a long sleeved black undershirt. "You can still wear white without looking like you're heading to a business meeting all the time."
"Very well, I guess I can try it." He grabbed the suit, checking it out in the mirror. "Hmm, not that bad." And maybe she did have a point about the buttons.
"Maybe I can check merchandise, see if there's a type of hero clo-" The boy stopped at the section, the shirt in front of him had Sullivan's face. "... Nope." Izuku walked away, being smart, now moving onto looking elsewhere. "Maybe a band shirt …"
"Well now we know for sure he didn't gain his hero worship from admiring his Grandpa." Eiko laughed.
"He's his Grandfather, that'd be weird even for him to admire him that much." Asmodeus found himself laughing. He didn't think making someone else happy would bring himself so much...joy. To think being selfless was the path to true happiness.
"They also have a shirt of your mom." Gaako pointed out the pink sleeves that ascended the chest area.
"Gaako, please take the other's outside, I'm about to burn the place down."
"You could have just burnt the shirt. The entire store was just overkill." Izuku stated, bringing back everyone's ice cream from the little shop.
"They doomed themselves the moment they agreed to sell her merchandise. They only have themselves to blame." Azz stated like it was just taking out the trash.
"I mean she's one of the thirteen crows, they likely have her merchandise in lots of places." Eiko said, grabbing some strawberry and mint combination. He got the mint but why strawberry mixed in with it?
"That's almost small compared to the merchandise Izuku's now selling." Gaako pointed to the crowd, specifically a group of children all holding dolls of him, or more actually, toys of him in skvader mode. "Kerori has some big connections, doesn't she?"
"I guess so, must be a family thing." Either that or Kuromu, he was betting on the latter. "You know, despite the fact we burned down two large structures, I still call today a win." It was a bit terrifying he was becoming used to arson.
"Calamity Cult forever! We spread fun chaos all over the world!" Clara chanted, eating her rainbow cone in one bite. "Life's so much better with us all together. There's never a dull moment!"
"Fun, yeah. It's...it's fun." Azz admitted. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but my life wouldn't be as interesting if I never met you guys."
"Yay! We got Azz-Azz to admit it!" Eiko sighed as she handed Clara and Izuku money, his luck with betting has been good ever since the Harvest Festival.
"Okay, I admit, I should've expected that." Azz laughed as he just rolled with it. "I thought becoming He(5) would've meant leaving such concepts behind, but I've only enjoyed more of it by ranking up. I didn't think getting older would've been so...exciting."
"Yeah, I really had my expectations on the low this whole year. You know at the start of school I actually wanted to date that Sharon guy who sang in the Class D song." Gaako admitted.
"Yeah, he's a cool guy, great song too." … Why were they looking at him weirdly? "It was a good song!"
"You've grown in so many other ways, let's just focus on the progress you've made now." Eiko leaned against him.
"Oh, um, yeah, like having friends …" He stopped. "You know, you guys, all of you, have come so far for me … and we've been through so much." Friends seemed too little. "Would you mind if … I called you Nakama?" They stared at him. "Right, never heard the term friends, Nakama would likely mean the same thing."
"Wait, so there's a source of friendship beyond friendship?" Azz asked. "How far does this hole go down?"
"We can't tell Shneider, the man would lose it. He already believes we're an actual cult." Gaako had a point.
"Aren't we? I mean, I don't mind at all, it's just, it gets a little confusing considering all of us are called the Calamity Cult, yet you call everyone in the Misfit Class your friends." Eiko wondered. "I just want to list out all the members to keep track."
Izuku laughed. It was a little amusing just how seriously everyone took friendship, though Azz's explanation probably didn't help. "Like I said before, friends are just people you hang around and have fun with."
"Right, it's what I've been trying to rectify … to no avail." Azz growled.
"You'll get your time eventually, sweetie." Gaako pated the boy on the back. "Now, what makes Nakama so special?"
"Well, we hang around each other the most out of anyone in school, and we've helped each other through almost every problem we've faced since coming to Bablys, and, and I come to care about you guys so much." Izuku resisted the urge to cry. "It means friend beyond friend, essentially, you guys are family to me."
"So friends that are as close as family …" Azz smiled. "That sounds like a nice little spot to exist in, better than my mother at the very least."
"Better than my whole family." Gaako grumbled.
"I have more family now! We are NAKAMA!" Clara happily cheered as he expected her to.
"Even closer to you guys … best day of my life!" Eiko shouted enthusiastically.
"Yeah, I thought I would be alone on this path, but now I plan on rising to the top and bringing you guys along with me." Izuku chuckled. "I have my own Nakama and I'm aiming to be a king. Who am I, Monkey D. Luffy?"
"Oh, like the Pirate King?" Clara asked innocently. "... Hey Izuku-kins, your eye is doing Azz-Azz's thing." Yes Clara, he knew his eye was twitching. His one trigger would be how messed up this world's mix of human and self culture was.
