Inko had been waiting anxiously for her son's return home, quietly annoyed that he had completely forgotten to call. It was getting late now, so she was preparing to give him a piece of her mind when she heard a knock. Opening expecting to see Izuku in the doorway with an apologetic look on his face, she was surprised however to be greeted by Power Loader.
"Oh, Higari? Did I forget about our d-" her words shifted track when Izuku and Mei came into view climbing up the stairs to the apartment. "D-darling son! My darling son Izuku has returned home!" she said awkwardly, bringing him into a hug and looking at Power Loader from the side of her eyes. That was a close one.
"Ah, hrm," Maijima coughed. "Your son and his friend missed their train home, so uh, yeah…"
"Oh then come in, come in! I'll make us all some drinks! Have you all eaten?"
"Hi Ms Midoriya!" Mei happily added, "Is it okay if I stop over? I texted my dad on the way over and he's okay with it if you are."
"Mei dear you know you're welcome in this house any time." Inko reassured her as she filled the electric kettle with water.
"Thanks! I'm just going to go use the bathroom."
During the course of this interaction, Izuku couldn't stop staring at the support hero standing before him. He was transfixed, something that Maijima was becoming acutely aware of. Although he knew it was Mei who had the zoom quirk, he couldn't shake the feeling that Izuku's gaze was locked on to the lone bead of sweat threatening to roll down his face.
Attempting to shift focus, Maijima tried to start a dialogue with the boy. "So," he started, trying to sound casual, "Good job with your presentation today. Really fine work you put in."
However, Izuku's eyes remained fixed, growing steadily wider by the second.
"Yeah sorry we couldn't let you take Deku home, it was Nezu's decision you see." is what Maijima said out loud. Inwardly, he was yelling "WHAT!? WHAT IS IT?!"
The stare persisted.
"..." Maijima implied.
At long last, in a voice so quiet it was barely perceptible, Izuku managed to speak. "There's a hero in my house."
At that precise moment, Mei emerged from the bathroom, her entrance coinciding with Inko's appearance carrying a tray of drinks. Izuku felt somewhat surprised to see she had intuitively made Power Loader a cup of coffee, even though she hadn't asked what he wanted. Some mothers possess such a keen sense of perception!
Inko, fully embracing her role as host, asked, "Will you be joining us for dinner Mr Maijima? I've made enough for everyone!"
Caught off guard by the request, he hesitated in response "Oh, I, I really shouldn't, I wouldn't want to impose…"
Unable to contain her excitement at the prospect, Mei swiftly closed the gap between her and Power Loader, a massive grin plastered on her face. "Yeah, join us for dinner, teach! You can tell us all the juicy gossip about the other heroes! Right, Izuku?" She gazed over to find a completely petrified Izuku, looking more robotic than the actual robot he had built.
"Yes! That sound good! More merrier!" He beeped and booped.
With a resigned sigh, Power Loader relented. "Well, I guess I could stay for a little while, just to fill the old gas tank." He shot a discrete glance at Inko, who bashfully turned away.
—
While dinner is prepared, let's take a trip back in time by a few weeks! We'll land exactly one week after All Might agreed to join UA as a teacher, in the first-ever episode of The New Adventures of All Might!
All Might, the legendary hero, was wearing a cowboy hat accompanied by a bushy, yet undeniably fake, moustache, all while maintaining his bulging muscular form. With much effort, he squeezed himself into a small seat behind a modest desk. As his fellow students shuffled into the room, he nervously yet eagerly held his pencil over the paper. All Might was ready to absorb some knowledge.
A rather tired looking lady with lightbulbs instead of ears walked up to the front of the class. Placing a bag down on the teacher's desk and picking up a piece of chalk, she steadily wrote the words 'Lesson One' on the blackboard. Facing the class, her face abruptly changed to a glowing smile as the lightbulbs on her head mimicked the gesture. "Welcome to Childminding 101!" she announced.
The heroic All Might - or as he cleverly disguised himself for this class, Toshi Yaginori (flawless) - began to write the word 'children' on his paper, focusing intently on the letters. But before he could finish, his pencil snapped in his powerful grip. He couldn't help but wish he'd remembered to revert to his true form before applying for the course in person.
—
So this was how Izuku found himself eating dinner in his own home, seated across from a pro hero who was soon to become his mentor. The word odd barely scratched the surface. Mei was energetically recounting the day's adventures, while Inko listened slightly terrified, a piece of food suspended near her mouth. Power Loader tried to provide context to Mei's stories, making them sound less horrendous. Izuku, however, was pretty much frozen in his seat, unable to process the scene.
As Mei finished her tales, she turned to Izuku and said, "Hell of a day, huh Izuku?" No response. She tried again, "Huh, Izuku?" This time she punctuated the question by prodding him in the face with her finger. Startled, Izuku jumped in his seat, causing his cutlery to clatter onto his plate.
"Are you okay, honey?" Inko asked her son.
"Oh he's just nervous about Power Loader being in your house." Mei, never one to mince her words, candidly revealed the issue. She then turned to the boy and asked, "Isn't that right?"
A blush creeping across his face, Izuku confirmed. "I'm… just not used to situations like this. It's difficult when I don't have the chance to mentally prepare myself."
Power Loader looked somewhat taken aback by Izuku's nerves. After all, he'd just spent an entire day surrounded by pro heroes and seemed mostly fine. He'd been a little skittish during his presentation, but overall, he had been grounded and approachable. "Haven't you met lots of pro heroes before me?" He asked. "I believe your name got passed around quite a bit."
"Well s-sure, but all those times I'd mentally prepared myself, I knew what I was getting into. I'm uh, not so good at spontaneity."
Mei decided to chime in, "It's true." She said between mouthfuls, "One time we visited a different cafe than our usual spot, and he struggled placing an order because it was a different server."
"I did it eventually though, I just need a little time to get my confidence up…" Izuku admitted, pushing a bit of food around absentmindedly.
In an attempt to ease Izuku's nerves, Power Loader responded calmly, "Yeah, I get it kid. I understand it's easier said than done, but you don't have to feel nervous around me." He offered a reassuring smile, "After all, we're all human."
Taking a deep breath, Izuku relaxed himself. He recognised the truth in Maijima's words - he didn't need to feel nervous around anyone - but breaking that habit wasn't easy. Despite the lingering anxiety, he managed to muster a small smile and a nod of agreement. Once again, he felt his arm turn unnaturally cold.
Over the course of the evening Izuku managed to acclimate himself to the situation, and even managed to ask Power Loader to tell him a few stories about his early adventures. He briefly considered asking to get his autograph, but decided that was a little too awkward to ask his teacher.
Mei had fallen asleep on the couch by the time Maijima was leaving, thanking Inko for the meal, and Izuku wasn't far from sleeping himself. The two of them missed Maijima asking Inko if they were still on for next saturday.
—
Several weeks passed, and the much anticipated moment was finally here. It was the first day for Izuku and Mei as support students at the prestigious UA. Inko could hardly contain her excitement, insisting that he pose for a photograph in his brand new school uniform. Unsatisfied with just one picture, she insisted they take five more. Then, as if that weren't enough, she made him facetime his Grandma so she could see him in it as well.
By the time he was ready to set off for his first day, he couldn't help feeling as though he'd already completed a day's worth of work. He chose not to mention the pain in his arm to his mother, chalking it up to first day jitters.
"Bye mom, I'll see you this afternoon and tell you everything about i-Agh!" Izuku screamed as he opened the door, only to be greeted by Mei - clad in her own school uniform - standing just a few inches away from the entrance.
"Hi Izuku! You're late!" She chirped.
"But class doesn't start for another 90 minutes"
"Exactly! If we don't get there early we won't get the good seats! The ones away from the windows, none of that natural light crap!" Without giving him a chance to respond, Mei swiftly grabbed Izuku's arm and led him towards the train station.
On the way there, Mei decided to start up a conversation that had been on her mind. With genuine concern, she asked, "How has your arm been lately? Still having any trouble?"
Izuku answered, albeit a little hesitantly, "Well, yeah, to be honest. Every now and then I get these nagging pains in my forearm, but I can't tell what's causing it. It seems to mostly happen when I'm anxious about something."
She empathised with Izuku's situation and continued, "So I guess it's pretty bad right now, huh?"
"Yeah, it is," Izuku admitted.
Determined to help him feel better, Mei declared, "In that case, I'll just have to find a way to distract you from the pain!" Hearing her cheerful proclamation, Izuku laughed, already feeling the pain start to subside.
—
It had been a bad day for Ochaco Uraraka. The entrance exam for the hero school initially seemed to be going well for her. She'd taken out nearly a dozen robots using her anti-gravity quirk by floating them upwards and then abruptly causing them to plummet toward the ground.
Her most memorable and standout moment was when she managed to float a frog-like girl to safety, away from a menacing robot that was about to attack from behind. Another student stepped in to destroy the robot, and Ochaco felt a deep sense of satisfaction for acting so heroically. She'd willingly sacrificed her own points to save someone else.
Upon hearing some loud explosions in the distance, she instinctively thought the heroic thing to do would be investigate the source. After all, it could very well be part of the exam. So she sprinted towards the noise as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a fellow student with an explosion quirk, attempting to take a shortcut by blasting through a wall. Coincidentally, Ochaco happened to be standing directly behind that wall.
That was the last thing she remembered from that day. She later awoke in the infirmary, her head wrapped in a bandage and her right arm secured in a cast. And her heart sinking at the implication of the situation. Surely, she had failed the exam. Her first ever attempt at heroics had landed her in the infirmary, she must be the first person to ever fail the exam this badly.
Throughout the car ride home she remained quiet, barely acknowledging her parents' supportive words. They assured her they were proud, and reminded her there were plenty of other hero schools she could consider. However, their encouragement fell on deaf ears. A few days later, when she received a letter from UA, she wondered what it could be. Probably a bill for damages.
With her hair falling into her eyes, she used her one functional hand to brush it aside, and looked at the video disc that accompanied the letter. Hesitantly, she pressed play on the disc, mentally preparing herself to only half-listen to the message.
Suddenly, the impressive form of All Might appeared on the screen, booming, "Ochaco Uraraka! I am here!" Her mouth dropped in shock, hardly able to believe it. All Might continued, pausing for dramatic effect, "Your actions at the entrance exam were…"
"Oh great, here it comes…" Thought Ochaco, bracing herself for the worst.
"EXEMPLARY!" All Might exclaimed, much to her surprise. "Your admirable actions showed the true spirit, grit, and determination of a true hero! It takes a special kind of person to run towards danger, someone willing to put their life on the line for the safety of others, and you are that kind of person!" The camera spun around All Might as he struck a dramatic pose, flashing a dazzling smile and giving a thumbs up.
"Welcome, Ochaco Uraraka, to your Hero Academia!"
With a look of absolute glee on her face, Ochaco's excitement inadvertently triggered her quirk, causing her to float towards the ceiling. "Mom! Dad! I got in!" She yelled excitedly, her voice echoing throughout the house. "Uh, also I'm stuck on the ceiling again…"
—
As the train sped along the tracks, Mei and Izuku excitedly detailed all their ambitious plans for new inventions they could create, now that they had access to UA's cutting edge facilities. Mei excitedly told Izuku her plans for the rocket chair she'd been dreaming about for years! Izuku couldn't wait to get his hands on a metal fabricator, he hadn't figured out what he wanted to make on it, but he was sure it would be cool!
"I've got some big plans for the sport's festival!" Mei announced enthusiastically, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. "I'm going to build something to really catch the investors' interests!" She paused for a moment, and gasped. "I could build a super toaster." She said with wide eyes.
Izuku laughed at the idea. "No Mei, you can't play god!" he joked. His laughter subsided as he added, "But seriously, this is going to be so much fun. I can't wait to see what kinds of quirks the hero students have this year. I heard a rumour online that…" He glanced around conspiratorially, making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, and lowered his voice. "I heard that All Might's illegitimate son is enrolled as a student this year…"
Mei giggled at the wild theory, "Where did you hear that?"
"Around!" he replied evasively, both of them collapsing into fits of laughter once more.
Just then, the train's announcement system came to life. "Now approaching UA Station," it informed the passengers in an automated voice. "Please collect any belongings and exit the train in an orderly fashion. Thank you." This was accompanied by a cheerful ~Bing Bong~
Izuku and Mei both sat up straighter than normal, looked at each-other, nodded, and simultaneously said, "Let's do this."
Later, Mei and Izuku found themselves standing in front of the grand and impressive golden gates to UA, feeling the aura of anticipation surrounding them. They were so entranced by the sight that they inadvertently irritated a few second year students who were trying to get past them. The older students hurriedly moved around the two friends, muttering under their breath and casting annoyed glances in their direction, "Frickin' first years…"
Inhaling deeply and dramatically, Mei said, "Smell that, Izuku? That's the scent of opportunity! That's the smell of our future unfolding before us!"
"Smells, um, delicious?" Izuku attempted to match her enthusiasm. "Come on, let's get inside and see what our class is like." He took a single step forward, but failed to notice the unravelled shoelace he was standing on. Feeling his leg come to an abrupt halt, he realised he was plummeting towards the ground face first…
And hit it.
"Oh my gosh, are you alright?!" A brown haired girl with rosy cheeks immediately ran over to the two friends as Mei hurriedly peeled him off the floor.
"Neber bedder!" Izuku said, giving a thumbs up and looking in the wrong direction. Shaking his head rapidly to clear his face of the injury and regain his bearings.
"IT'S YOU!" Mei suddenly yelled in surprise, pointing a finger directly in the face of the girl who had come to their aid. "The girl! The rubble girl!" She started hopping around the confused hero student, inspecting every inch of her face to be absolutely certain. "Izuku, it's her!"
With a look of realisation dawning on his face, Izuku responded, "Are you sure?!"
"Yes! It's the girl!" Mei confirmed.
Ochaco, the brown haired girl, stood there awkwardly, eventually offering, "Um… Have we met? Sorry if I don't remember!"
"O-oh that's right, you wouldn't have seen her, you were unconscious at the time…" Izuku suddenly remembered, trying to clarify the situation.
Upon hearing this, Ochaco's mouth went wide, and she also pointed a finger, this time directly at Mei. "You're the girl who rescued me! They wouldn't give me any details about it! My name's Ochaco Uraraka, thank you so much!"
"You can express all your gratitude to me, Mei Hatsume, and my astoundingly cute baby, 'the Hatsume Industries Mark V Exo-Suit', for orchestrating your awe-inspiring rescue!" Mei proudly proclaimed, her hard raised high into the air, feeling the warm glow of admiration radiating down upon her.
"Well, you and a group of pro hero faculty members." Izuku added, causing the glow of admiration to slightly diminish.
"Thank you for the input Izuku '' she responded, narrowing her eyes at her friend, who merely grinned in response. "But how are you?! Any injuries? Maybe we could make some cute new babies to help you out!"
"B-babies?!" Ochaco asked, terrified.
"She means inventions," Izuku clarified, attempting to alleviate Ochaco's fears. "She calls them her babies. I'm Izuku Midoriya by the way. Are you okay, though? I noticed the cast, I hope that isn't going to affect your hero work. What is your quirk by the way? It must be something really impressive for you to have gotten into the hero course, I bet we could make you a few gadgets to help out if you need it, do you have a costume designed ready yet? We could brainstorm a few ideas and-" Izuku's rapid-fire mumbling was abruptly interrupted as Mei smacked him around the head with her bag.
Ochaco couldn't help letting out a delighted giggle at their display. "Well to tell the truth, I wanted to try and help you when you fell just now but I couldn't!" She explained, "My quirk is zero gravity, I can basically make things float, but I need both hands to turn it off!"
Izuku's eyes widened at the explanation "So I would have just kept floating into space?!"
"Kinda yeah, heh." She replied, rubbing the back of her head. "That's why they're making me wear this glove on my free hand, in case I accidentally trigger it. I think I should be okay today though if it's just orientation…" She trailed off, her voice filled with uncertainty.
With her classic disregard for personal space, Mei suddenly grabbed Ochaco's gloved hand and began closely inspecting it. "Hmmmm, I'm assuming it's a pressure released deactivation, you need to press your fingertips together to turn it off?"
Ochaco nodded, impressed. "That's right! You're very perceptive!"
Izuku chimed in, sharing Mei's enthusiasm as he too examined the girl's hands, causing her to feel a tad embarrassed. "Ohhh, I see what you're thinking, Mei! The deactivation system must function through the electrical current on her fingertips."
Mei's eyes sparkled as they exchanged ideas. "So if we-"
"-made a special glove with conductive material on the palm-"
"-She could deactivate her quirk one-handed!"
Both Izuku and Mei shouted in unison, "We have to get to the workshop right now!"
In the blink of an eye, the duo rocketed away towards their class, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. A bewildered Ochaco was left standing alone, calling out after them, "So I, guess I'll catch up with you guys later?"