Kyoka and Momo have a talk. Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko have a talk. Shoto is happy confused but unsure how to do feelings. Himiko helps save someone! And we check in with a few...nefarious parties.
Merry slightly late Christmas to those who celebrate, and Happy Holidays to those who don't! The chapter was a struggle, my week was busy and Christmas is always nice to see my family but exhausting for an absolute introverted mess like myself...didn't help I hadn't slept in 3 days. Insomnia, amirite? Anyways, hope you all enjoy!
Kyoka felt like she needed to slap Izuku. She hated it when he was right about something she wished he wasn't. Death Arms was an absolute ass, but damn if he didn't know his stuff. She knew she'd learn a lot from him, but she was hating every minute of it. Which…was exactly what Izuku said would happen.
It helped she had a text message awaiting her, asking for her to call Momo when she woke up. Momo woke up at ungodly hours (at least in her opinion), so she knew Momo must have been up for a while. She wondered what Momo wanted…not that she was against talking to her, it was the highlight of her day (though she'd never admit that), but it still seemed odd considering it was the first day of internships. Still, Death Arms had made it clear she had some time to herself this morning…so she called.
"Oh, good morning Kyoka," Momo's voice came across the line.
"'Morning, Momo. What's up?"
Momo was silent for a moment before speaking softly. "Something…something came up yesterday I thought you should know."
Kyoka was confused. "Uh, okay? What is it?"
"...I asked Izuku out?"
Kyoka sputtered, eyes going wide in sheer shock. "What?!" she hissed, completely flabbergasted (and hurt, but she wasn't going to say it). Momo knew she had some feelings for Izuku and Himiko, but she wasn't into homewrecking. The two had bonded somewhat over their unrequited crushes, and spending time with Momo had her wondering about maybe, just maybe, she could ask the heiress out someday instead. But what the fuck?!
"Let me explain, please!" Momo cried out, trying to keep Kyoka from freaking out more than she already was.
"I thought we weren't going to do anything! We didn't wanna mess up their relationship! And wait, did he say yes? Oh my god he's a cheater? What the hell Momo?!"
"No! He said they are open to more, okay? Tsuyu asked them out before we left for internships!"
Every one of Kyoka's thoughts came to a screeching, grinding halt at Momo's words. It wasn't calculating in her mind, the idea. She'd dismissed her chance weeks ago with either of them, and now…what? There was a chance? What?
Momo continued speaking rapidly, as if trying to just spill out every thought she had before Kyoka could stop her. "Izuku has unlocked something new, the ability to sense emotions. And he caught onto mine, somehow, and confronted me, so I had no choice but to admit it! And then he told me about Tsuyu, and apparently Himiko already told him and Ochako that pretty much every girl in class had a crush on one or more of them, and they are considering if they want to add more so they agreed to a date with Tsuyu, and now Izuku said he'd talk to Himiko and Ochako about me going on a date with them, and-"
"Momo, stop!" Kyoka ordered, her head aching as she could feel her jacks writhing in response to her emotions. She rubbed at her temple, closing her eyes as she tried to process everything Momo had been saying. She took a deep breath. "...did…did you say anything about me?"
"Of course not, I'd never betray your trust like that!" Momo assured her, even though part of her wished Momo had since she wasn't sure she could handle saying something herself even if the opportunity presented itself.
"...they're open to more?" she asked quietly, making sure she had it clear.
Kyoka could practically feel Momo's nod. "Apparently. I'm…I'm still a little in shock myself. Izuku was…quite sweet about it and very kind. And very flustered. I admit, I was as well, but seeing him blushing and flustered was…um…"
"Adorable?" Kyoka guessed.
"Yes, that."
Kyoka sighed. "...so you're going to join them?"
"M-maybe? I mean…he didn't say if he had feelings for me, but he was very effusive in his praise of me. I think it's more of a trial thing? And…I don't know Himiko or Ochako as well, but I would like to get to know them."
"You think Ochako is hot, you can say it," Kyoka said bluntly. She giggled internally at the squeak Momo let out, already imagining the red cheeks on the heiress' face. Momo never would admit it to Kyoka, but the way she'd spoken of the brunette after their match in the Sports Festival had told Kyoka all she needed to know. Her smile faded slightly as she came back to the current conversation. "Well, um…I'm happy for you."
Momo was silent for a moment. "...you could ask too, you know. If Tsuyu and I already did, and they already think you do, I mean…"
Kyoka shook her head rapidly, not caring that Momo couldn't see it. "I…I don't know if it's the right time, not if you're both trying something now. It would probably be too much at once, trying to juggle that many dates. And besides, no way they'd want me anyways…"
"Kyoka!" Momo's voice, which had been hesitant and unsure this entire conversation, became demanding and almost angry. Kyoka winced away from her phone. "Don't you dare start that! You're an amazing person and-"
"And you're a goddess," Kyoka interjected bluntly, cutting Momo off. She didn't give her a chance to finish. "Himiko is a badass strong enough to carry me and a child out of danger. Ochako floated the entire goddamned ring! And who knows what other bullshit Izuku can pull off anymore?! And each and every one of you is just…so beautiful. And I'm just me, Momo. I…I can't compete with that. With any of you. And it's fine, I mean, I got used to that long-"
"Kyoka, please, stop," Momo's quiet plea made Kyoka pause, hating the fact she felt her eyes watering slightly, brushing at them with her hand. "Kyoka, please don't talk about my friend like that. And…and don't put me on a pedestal. Please. My favorite part of being in this class is that you all don't treat me that way. I'm not a goddess, I'm not a Yaoyorozu, I'm…Momo. I think you're beautiful, Kyoka, and every time you smile or sing or strum another note I just think you're even prettier than before. You're talented and strong. So don't speak ill of my friend Kyoka, because I won't allow it."
Kyoka hated when Momo got passionate like that. It was so unfair because it was so attractive! And it was worse because she was being all nice and complimenting her and trying to encourage her and ugh…why was Kyoka surrounded by so many nice hot people?!
Momo must have taken Kyoka's silence as a need for more encouragement, because she continued, her voice soft and almost pleading. "Don't give up, okay? Why not give it a chance? I never took you for the type to back down…it's one of the things I admire most about you, how you don't give up, how you just don't care what others think about you. So why give up this chance? I…It may be odd for me to say this, but…it could be fun?"
"Oh my god Momo," Kyoka choked out, a startled laugh escaping her. "Getting involved with the chaos trio would be fun?"
"...well, fun or terrifying. Probably both."
Kyoka wiped at her eyes once more. She hated feeling this way, all tied up and twisted and unsure, but…Momo did do wonders for her at times. "I…I'll think about it. But not yet, I mean…they haven't even gone out with Tsuyu, she did ask first. And you haven't confirmed your plans either. Maybe…maybe afterwards, if it goes well for you, I'll think about it."
"...I hope you do. I…um…well, I…I kind of like you too, you know, and-"
"What?!" Kyoka hissed, eyes going wide once more in a mirror of her earlier shock.
"Is that so hard to believe?!" Momo replied, exasperation coloring her voice as she sighed into the phone.
"...for all the reasons I listed earlier, yes!"
"Well, they are stupid reasons because I like you and your pretty hair and your talents and your no-nonsense attitude and, and, and so there! I like you, and Izuku, and I asked Izuku out and I hope this works and you ask him and Himiko out and we can all be together and be happy, okay?!" Momo's voice went to a higher, more frantic pitch as she spoke, as if she just was letting the words spill from her lips without thinking them through first. But after a moment, her voice dropped into near silence as she whispered "Unless..you don't feel the same wa-"
"I do! I do, I, I was thinking that I was going to ask you out sometime soon, and…oh my god this is a mess," Kyoka muttered to herself.
Momo giggled nervously, the bell-like sound relaxing Kyoka's nerves just a tiny bit. "This…is not the way I had intended on coming clean, but…I'm glad I did. Just…think about it?"
"...It'd be hard not to," Kyoka replied with a deep sigh. A knock at the door to her room alerted her to the voice of Death Arms, the hero telling her to suit up and get ready. "I uh, got to go. Time to get started, and all that. Um…yeah. We…we can talk later, right?" she almost pleaded, worried this would affect one of the few close friendships she'd made in negative ways.
"No matter what happens, you're my friend Kyoka…we'll talk later, okay?" Momo's reassurance did wonders for Kyoka's feelings, the purple-haired girl letting out a relieved sigh.
"Okay. See you later, then."
"Have a good day!"
As the phone line went dead, Kyoka stared at her phone blankly for a good minute before getting up and reaching for her hero costume, unsure how to process…but needing some time to take her mind off it and move forward. Her internship awaited, and she was determined to come back the best hero student she could be.
"Sooo…do I get to say I told you so yet?" Himiko asked, her grin audible across the three-way call.
Izuku sighed. "Still not guaranteed about them all!"
"Just be prepared to give me my prize when I'm right!"
"Okay, okay, let's actually answer the question…I have a long day ahead of me," Ochako said, sighing audibly.
"You doing okay?" Izuku asked.
"I am sore in places I didn't know existed to be sore," Ochako deadpanned.
"Miruko working you hard?" Himiko asked.
"You have no idea," Ochako groaned. "I spent all of yesterday getting my ass kicked like I was a damned football. You know how muscular she is? It's no joke, getting kicked by her was like Izu hitting me with that last Smash like, ten times in a row!"
"I dunno, I think I'd like getting up close and personal with those legs," Himiko mused, to the annoyed groans from her partners. "What?! She's hot and we all know it!"
"And way too old for us, so don't get any ideas," Izuku warned.
Himiko giggled. "No crime in looking!"
"Ugh. Okay, enough about me, how's yours going, Himi?" Ochako said, trying to get the conversation back to a stable place and less of her girlfriend being thirsty.
"Well…we didn't do much yesterday. Sensei wanted me to go over the procedures and stuff first. But he said tonight we're going out and doing some actual underground work, so I'm super excited! I'm not allowed to help if he gets into a fight, but if we're just talking to people he said he might let me do some of that."
"That sounds like fun," Izuku said, his smile audible over the line.
"Yeah! Anything special for you, Izu? I mean…other than Momo, that is."
"Well…uh…I know why I can sense emotions now?"
"...you should have led with that!" Ochako hissed in faux outrage.
"What can I say, the Momo thing was the priority!"
"Which, are we…?" Himiko asked.
"...I would like to? I mean…we're already seeing how well we'd do with Tsuyu, so um…I'm not against Momo either?" Izuku offered sheepishly.
"You two just want to make out with Momo!" Ochako accused again.
"And you don't?" Himiko shot back, giggling at the quality of silence from Ochako as the brunette did not reply.
"...I'm not against taking Momo out on a date either," Ochako muttered, audibly embarrassed by Himiko calling her out.
"Are you sure? Don't let Himiko pressure you," Izuku asked.
Ochako sighed, but the other two could hear her smile coming back in her voice. "I'm sure. I just am tired and miss you guys and you're putting all these thoughts in my head I can't exactly do anything about right now."
"What kinda thoughts are those, hmm?" Himiko asked.
"Himi, down! Bad Himi!" Izuku scolded with a chuckle.
"Aww, okay. I get it anyways 'Chako…I miss you guys too. Not sleeping in the same bed feels weird."
"Yeah…But enough about that! Izu, the emotion thing?"
Izuku sighed, before launching into the same explanation Nighteye had given him. He also, awkwardly, explained the conversation he had with Momo to showcase exactly how he'd found out she had feelings for him. The two girls on the line were silent for a good minute, before Himiko just let out a shocked giggle.
"Of course you get more bullshit powers from your Quirk and One For All together. Of course. And that's what let you know about Momo's feelings, huh?"
"Basically, yeah. Once I felt it, I knew what it was and confronted her about it."
"Well, I see nothing wrong with it! Let's take her out for a night on the town! And Tsuyu too! We'll show them both a great time!"
"Wait, are we talking about doing it at the same time or different dates?" Ochako asked, confused.
"I'm not clear either. Which are you suggesting?" Izuku asked Himiko.
"No idea. Whatever works. It was more a figure of speech guys," Himiko replied.
"Let's worry about that after internships. So long as we're on the same page, I'll…tell Momo yes?"
"Do it!"
"Go for it, Izu. I'm…gonna go get my ass kicked more," Ochako sighed.
"But it's such a nice ass," Himiko mused.
"You can kiss it better when I get back!" Ochako retorted, too late realizing her mistake.
"Challenge accepted!" Himiko replied.
"I swear the two of you will be the death of me," Izuku muttered.
"But what a way to go!" Himiko said.
"Bye, you two, I have to get going! Love you both!" Ochako said, giggling as she tried to end the call.
"Okay, okay, talk to you later, love you too!" Himiko said.
"Laters girls, love you," Izuku replied softly, ending the call and taking a deep breath. He had a conversation to have with Momo before their day began.
Waking up in an unfamiliar house should have caused Shoto panic, but he remembered where he was nearly instantly. Last night had been…emotional. Very emotional. But he was so happy he could barely contain it, even if he wasn't sure how to show it very well. He glanced down, noticing a warm quilt had been thrown over him and that he was laying upon a couch, in what was the living room of his mother's house.
He could hear sounds in the kitchen, just around the doorway behind him, what sounded like his mother humming softly to herself. He could hear muffled conversation between her and Fuyumi, with the occasional quip from his brother Natsuo, who when he strained his head he could see was sitting at the dining room table, staring at his laptop as he typed something on it.
He looked around for Toya, not seeing him at first, until he noticed the messy white hair collapsed in an armchair across the room from him, another quilt tossed over his sleeping body. He slowly began to sit up, trying to be quiet so as not to wake Toya…knowing that everyone had to be tired after the whole evening they had had.
"Oh, Shoto, you're awake," the quiet voice of his sister said. Shoto turned around, looking back to see Fuyumi looking at him from the doorway, a soft smile on her face. He nodded, spinning about to get his feet upon the floor. He grasped the quilt in his hands and stared at it for a moment, unsure what to do with it.
"Oh, I'll get it!" Fuyumi said, smiling as she took it from his hands and began to fold it gently, placing it upon the back of the couch. "We're just about done with breakfast, are you hungry?"
Shoto paused for a moment, thinking. "Yes, I could eat."
"Wonderful! Let me just get Toya up…hey, burnout, wake up!" she said, gently pushing on his shoulder.
"Hu-wha? Wuzzat?" Toya murmured, rubbing at his eyes as he yawned widely.
"Breakfast! Come now, everyone else is up! Do you want some coffee?"
"Yuh. Bla-"
"Black as your soul, we know," Natsuo's deadpan voice interrupted him from the kitchen.
"Kids, not in front of Shoto," Rei admonished.
"...no, I…I think this is okay. I want to know how you all are," Shoto replied quietly. He was starting to understand what Izuku meant about 'affectionate mockery' as he witnessed his siblings bickering with each other.
"Oh don't fret, they'll do it regardless of what I say," Rei said as she came around the corner, gently drying her hands with a towel. She sounded like she was scolding them, but the smile on her face was anything but upset.
"Love you too Mom," Toya muttered, smirking as he stood up. Fuyumi took the quilt from the chair he was on and began folding as she had the other, placing it next to the one she'd taken from Shoto. "C'mon Shoto, food!" Toya reached down and offered Shoto his hand, the split-haired boy staring blankly at it for a moment before accepting it, letting his older brother pull him to his feet. He followed Toya into the dining room and took a seat with the rest of his family…Toya to his left, Fuyumi and Natsuo across from them, Rei to the right of him at the head of the table.
He stared down at his plate for a moment. It was so surreal. Being here…being at a table and…being happy. And he was happy. Which was the issue because he didn't know how to be happy anymore. This…this wasn't what he knew. He'd only just gotten used to actually eating with other people in the dorms, since Endeavor was never really around anymore, and now here he was with his…family?
He had so many feelings in his chest that were ripping at him, roaring to get out, and he didn't know how! He didn't know how to say anything, to bring up the fact he just wanted to scream, scream how happy he was, how much he wanted this before, how he didn't know what he was missing, how angry he was that he never had this-
"Shoto?" Rei's voice broke into his musings, the boy in question looking up to her to see her staring at him worriedly. Only now did he realize the table had gone silent, everyone looking at him with concern in their eyes…and he now knew why. He couldn't see right, because of the water blocking his eyes, and when he lifted a hand up to his cheek he felt the wetness on them.
"Shoto, are you okay? Is there something else you want? I can-" Rei began, but he cut her off.
"...I…M-mom, I…I don't know how to…to be…this," he managed to choke out, looking down at the table so he didn't have to meet their eyes, to see within them the worry and concern he already knew was there. He knew what he said didn't make any sense, but he didn't know how to express it any better.
He jolted when a hand landed on his shoulder, looking over wide-eyed to see his older brother's face, Toya smiling at him. "I think I understand. You're not used to this, right?"
Not exactly right, but close enough. Shoto nodded, his gaze falling back to the table once more.
"...did Enji not have meals with you?" Rei asked quietly, her tone non-judgemental.
"Not for a few years now. He's…he's always busy. I mostly just…eat whatever. I order food a lot. He…he doesn't starve me or anything. The fridge is always full, there are deliveries, and he never gets mad at me for just getting something from a nearby store. He's just…not there. So it's just me."
"But you eat together in the dorms, right?" Toya asked quietly.
"...sometimes. More, now. Izuku…encourages me to. He is a very good cook. So is his brother, Bakugo. It's…nice."
"Tell us about your classmates? You have friends now, yes?" Fuyumi asked, trying to steer the conversation to somewhere easier for Shoto to handle.
Shoto nodded. "Izuku is my friend. He told me the others would be too, if I wanted. I am still trying to learn how to be friends. Tenya is very nice, though he is upset right now. Ochako and Himiko are also very nice. I do not know if they consider me a friend, but Izuku is very insistent they are good people. I believe him, he is dating them after all."
"Dating them…both?" Natsuo asked, arching an eyebrow in confusion.
"Yes. They are all three together. They have a child too. Well, she is not their child technically. Her name is Eri. They found her and rescued her. She is very attached to them. And very nice. She offered me a drawing she made of me the other day."
For some reason, Shoto was finding it a lot easier to just…talk about them than to actually express how he felt, and he almost felt like he couldn't stop talking, or else the feelings would come back and he was afraid to confront them right now. So he just…kept going. He spoke about the classes, about All Might as a teacher, about their Sensei, about Izuku and the way he helped the class.
He spoke about their life in the dorms, how it would be too loud sometimes but Jiro had offered him a pair of noise-canceling headphones one day and he then ordered a special pair for himself right after due to how nice they were. About how he had become partial to snickerdoodles lately after having a few offered to him by Sato.
About the time Izuku, Bakugo, and Jiro had played music for the class, and they sang along (well, save him, but he listened). About the time they had tried to get him to join them in playing Hero Fighter IX, and he did not participate but watched as Eri proceeded to utterly wreck everyone.
He spoke about the USJ for a little bit, about how he had stopped that large group of villains and gotten them to tell him their plan. About how he had witnessed Izuku's fight with Nine. About the Nomu, and watching Ochako bring it down after it hurt Izuku. About how he did not know them then but looking back he could see how bad it really had been.
He spoke of the Sports Festival…of telling Izuku the truth. Of Izuku confronting him, of the words he spoke to him, of how he'd finally remembered what his mother had told him when he was little, about how he had completely forgotten Endeavor for one brief moment and just fought for himself. About how afterwards Izuku became his friend and promised to help him…and how it led him there.
He stopped, realizing that somehow he'd gone completely full circle and was back right to where he began…at the table, unsure how to explain how he felt, unsure how to express his feelings, and yet…something felt different. He felt better just…having spoken.
The table had been silent most of the time, only asking clarifying questions occasionally. Shoto hadn't even noticed that as he had gotten more animated, he had been eating, slowly picking through his food as he went. How he'd even let out a few small smiles, mostly when speaking of his classmates and Izuku especially.
"Maybe someday we could meet some of your friends? Like this Izuku?" Rei asked softly.
"Toya has met him. I would…I would like for you to meet him. He has helped me a lot."
"He's a good kid. Tenko and him uh…understand each other pretty well, heh," Toya said, looking away for a moment.
Natsuo winced. "Uh, yeah. Um…someone dug up his past, it's kind of all over the news now. So uh, I can see why they get along."
Shoto tilted his head to the side. "They learned about the death of his parents from his Quirk? Well, Izuku did say it was likely that someone would figure it out after the Festival. He seemed resigned to it."
"Dare I ask what happened?" Rei said, tilting her head to the side.
Natsuo winced again. "Uh…here Mom, it's easier to read I think." He handed her his laptop, opened to an article. She skimmed it over, eyes wide with shock as she read before she schooled her expression.
"Well. I see why he gets along with Tenko then," she said. Toya let out a nervous chuckle at that.
"Izuku is…very strange. But he is a very good Class Representative. And a very good friend," Shoto said with firm determination. "He is even taking special classes with the Principal."
Toya winced as Rei's eyes went wide. "Yep. That…that he sure is. Best we stay on his good side…for when he conquers the world," Toya muttered the last bit, but the entire table heard him. Rei rolled her eyes at her eldest son's dramatics, as Shoto looked at him in confusion. Toya smiled at his younger brother and tousled his hair, Shoto looking even more confused by the action. "Don't worry about it. But we should get going…I really do want to get some training in with your fire today."
"Yes. That does seem like a good idea," Shoto agreed. He paused, struggling for a moment, before speaking quietly. "...will we come back here after?"
"If you'd like, you're welcome here anytime Shoto," Rei said softly.
"I would like that, yes."
"Then that's what we'll do. Let's go out there, get some practice in, and come back," Toya said, standing up and putting a hand on Shoto's shoulder.
"Alright…thank you for breakfast. I'll…see you all later," Shoto managed to get out.
"Till tonight, Shoto," Rei replied softly, getting up and hugging her sons.
Himiko followed along behind Aizawa, her Sensei running across rooftops rapidly. She kept up with him rather well, proud of herself at how well she was able to follow along. From the occasional glance he threw back at her, his mouth hidden but his eyes glinting slightly, she was pretty sure he was proud of her too.
Their first day had been preparation, paperwork, regulations, all the boring things that she hated but would deal with. But this? This was what she really was in for. She'd been given strict instructions not to step in if something happened, but if she could help someone get out of danger, she had permission to assist. No fighting, Aizawa was very firm about that, but she could deal with that to witness how he went about his business.
Periodically, he'd stop on a rooftop and quiz her about why this rooftop. She was confused at first, but started to see what he was trying to show her…certain spots were better vantage points, or were closer to known problem spots, or simply to rest and recuperate just a tiny bit. He had tried to impress upon her the importance to stamina, which mirrored what Nighteye had told her months ago, that being exhausted when stopping villains was just asking for trouble. And she could see it.
It had been only three hours and already he'd stopped three muggings, a drug deal, and an assault, all within moments of reaching each scene. Every time, he'd call it in, speak with the police quickly and efficiently, and be off once more, Himiko staying silent and watching him work. She was trying to absorb as much of his behavior as possible, because this was the side of Aizawa the class rarely got to see.
Not perpetually exhausted, not irritable and snarky, not even disappointed…this was Eraserhead, the hero who put away so many villains he'd be within top twenty for sure if he ever bothered to admit to his achievements (or so Izuku said and she had no reason to doubt him). The more time she spent on this patrol, the more she knew, this was the sort of hero she wanted to be.
She was smiling beneath the red scarf she wore, something Aizawa had suggested she add to her costume to keep her expression harder to read. Of course, she had a small communications device into it, also at her teacher's suggestion, so she could easily reach people without having to get her phone out.
As she mused over his actions and tried to take mental notes, she heard something and felt her steps falter for a brief moment. Aizawa noticed and turned back to her.
"Changeling? Report," he ordered.
Himiko stood stock still for a second, listening. "I…heard something? Over there," she pointed.
"Follow." Aizawa did not wait for her response, bolting in the direction she'd pointed. Internally she squealed at the fact he heard her out and didn't doubt her for a second, but didn't let that stop her from following as quickly as she could. Aizawa vanished over the edge of a building down into an alleyway, Himiko following instantly. She didn't have a capture scarf to halt her fall like he did, but the claws on her gloves caught on the wall easily and she let herself bounce off the walls in a controlled fall, stopping her momentum periodically with her claws.
She dropped into the alley silently, just in time to see Aizawa back-kicking a short, pudgy man with some substance dripping from his fingertips into a much taller, skinnier man with strangely glowing eyes. She didn't interfere as warned, but she noticed a blonde man lying on the ground, a trail of blood dripping down his head, crying and shivering as he clutched at his skull, his body bruised.
She was supposed to help the innocent and he did not appear to be one of her teachers' targets, not with Aizawa having turned his back, so she quickly rushed to his side and knelt down next to him. Up close, she could hear him muttering repeatedly 'gonna split, gonna split, gonna split, no no no no no no.'
"Hey, hey, it's okay, you're going to be okay. Eraserhead's gonna take care of those mean men and you'll be just fine," she tried to soothe the blonde man, her hands open and gentle, but it seemed for naught. The man was still panicking, clutching at his skull, whimpering now as he repeated the line. She saw him scrabbling on the ground for something.
She glanced about, seeing a torn and broken mask on the ground that looked like it once may have covered his face. She snatched it up and handed it to him, the man trying to pull it over his face instantly…but it simply tore in his fingers. He freaked out further, gripping at his hair like he was going to pull it out.
Himiko glanced up at Aizawa, hoping for help, but there were another two people in the narrow alleyway and while he seemed to have it in hand, it was clear he'd still be busy for another minute or more. She bit her lip, trying to figure out what to do…something about covering his face? 'C'mon, think, think!' she hissed internally. He wanted his face covered because he was worried about something…right!
She reached into a pocket in her dress, pulling out a large pink handkerchief she had on her she'd forgotten to remove from her pockets before leaving. Gently, she reached out and tried to wrap it around the blonde man's head, surprised by how docile he was as soon as she began. Between that and the remnants of the black and gray mask, his face was fully covered and he seemed to almost deflate in relief.
His voice was a whisper, barely audible in the din of the battle at the back of the alley, but she could still make it out. In a flood of relief, gratitude, and admiration, he spoke. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome," she replied softly. "Are you alright sir?"
"I'm fine/Hell no I'm not!" Came the reply, almost as if two different people spoke to her. She blinked rapidly in confusion, but soldiered on.
"The police will be here soon to take in the ones who attacked you, are you comfortable with that?"
"Police? I-/Keep them away!" He was shivering slightly, wrapping his arms around his back.
"Changeling. Do you have the situation in hand?" Aizawa asked, Himiko glancing up to see her teacher standing there, the only sign of his exertion the faster movement of his chest and shoulders. Behind him, the four criminals were all cuffed together, three of the four out cold with the fourth cowering.
"I think this man needs a hospital, he was bleeding," she replied.
"I'll be fine!/Bleeding sucks, who wants to do that?"
Aizawa arched an eyebrow, beckoning Himiko over. She stood carefully, making sure the man didn't panic when she moved. He leaned down and spoke quietly to her. "How bad is it?"
"Not sure…he had a head wound and some bruising I could see, but he was panicking about 'splitting' before and wanted to cover his face, I couldn't get him to talk at all until it was covered. And now he's like…answering every question twice?"
"Hmm. Not the most reliable of witnesses. I'll call in for an EMS unit as well."
"Should we tell him?" She asked.
"Yes. You should."
She blinked. "Wait, me?"
Aizawa looked at her sternly. "You've built a rapport. This is an injured civilian who is likely mentally unwell. He'll need careful guidance and support before he accepts any help. Give it a shot."
She gulped, nervous and scared. She glanced back at the man, sitting on the ground, looking for all the world like he was lost. "But…but what if I mess it up?"
Aizawa placed his hand on her shoulder and looked down into her eyes. "You won't. You don't have to be an expert, Changeling. Just explain to him and listen to his concerns. I don't expect you to be perfect, and I'll be here if something goes sideways, but the rapport is between you and him right now. You're the one he's most likely to listen to. Just be patient."
"O-Okay," she murmured. With a nervous smile, she stepped back to the man and knelt down in front of him once more. "May I ask your name sir?"
"...Jin. Jin Bubaigawara/None of your beeswax!"
She was starting to see how he spoke, and was learning to tune out the more negative voice since it seemed to just be contrarian by its nature. "Hi Jin, I'm Changeling, I'm a hero student. That there is Eraserhead, he's a super awesome hero! We're here to help, can we help you?"
Jin looked up at her, the mask moving with his eyes to show them widening in shock, fear, relief…she wasn't sure which. His voice dropped to near silent once more, but her above average hearing still caught the whispered word. "Why?"
She smiled at him softly, pulling her scarf down so her face was visible. "Because that's what we do silly, we help people!"
"...not people like me/Screw your help!"
She didn't let her smile falter, still ignoring that second voice. "Well, I want to help you. Will you let me?"
"You want to help a nutcase in an alley with nothing to his name?" came the first clear, non-concise answer she'd been given yet.
"I was in an alley by myself just a few years ago. My dad helped me, saved me. He was my hero. So I want to be a hero and help everyone I can too. Will you let me help you?" she asked once more, her voice as soft and gentle as she could manage.
He stared at her silently, his gaze flicking around the alley, looking at the figure of Aizawa at the end of it speaking to a pair of officers, as the cuffed criminals being led away, back to her sitting there before him with one hand out, palm up, offering her help with a smile.
"...they'll lock me up and throw away the key/We'll bust outta there if someone tries!," he muttered.
Her smile faltered for a moment, but she kept it maintained. "They might ask you to stay somewhere for a little bit. But I'll come visit if that's okay with you! And I'm sure they'll help you, if you let them."
"...you'll come visit?/Who'd wanna see you anyways?"
"If you'll let me," she said honestly.
He seemed to think it over for a moment, mindful of how Aizawa had walked closer but was standing a respectful distance away. With a shaking hand, he reached out and let her help him to his feet, almost stumbling as he tried to stand. Quickly she stabilized him, Aizawa taking a step forward to try and help but stopping when Jin flinched. He took a step back, holding his hands up placatingly.
"EMS is here to look over your head wound. Are you alright with them doing that sir?" Aizawa asked, his voice calm.
"...yeah/Fuck that," Jin said.
Himiko gently led Jin along to the ambulance awaiting him, the EMT's trying to be reassuring. It took some finangling to get him to let them look under the handkerchief, but Himiko chose to sit next to him and kept talking to him while they examined it. Luckily, they determined it wasn't that bad (head wounds bleed a lot even when they are small) and felt he didn't need stitches. But they did want to take him in for observation after witnessing his behavior.
"You'll come visit, right?" He asked Himiko, his shoulders shaking as he looked at Himiko in desperation.
She nodded. "I promise. You get better Jin, okay? I'll come see you first chance I get. Eraserhead will make sure I know where you're going, right sir?" She turned to look at her teacher, the dark-haired man arching an eyebrow at her, but not disagreeing. He gave her a swift nod, and she smiled back at him again.
He nodded at her, allowing the door to close, him still holding her handkerchief as she insisted he take it with her. As the doors closed and the ambulance moved off, the smile on her face dropped instantly and she collapsed against the nearest wall, sliding down to the ground and pulling her knees up. She didn't get a chance to stay seated, as Aizawa grabbed her firmly but not painfully by the arm and pulled her to her feet. She glanced at him with wide, teary eyes but he shook his head in negation, pointing up at the rooftop.
She got his message, scaling the building with him, following him along a few more before they stopped on top of a silent office building. Now she fell down, leaning against the wall and taking the same position she had been pulled from before, almost in spite. He didn't say a word, just took a seat next to her silently. She expected a reprimand, some sort of scolding for promising something she wasn't sure she could fulfill, or for being too open with her history, or-
Her internal diatribe was cut short by a hand being thrust in front of her face, a jelly pouch held in said hand. She looked at it in confusion for a moment, before the hand shook it, making her grab it. She noticed the flavor (apple) and smiled slightly as she thought of Eri, knowing Aizawa carried that flavor specifically for the little girl. She opened it up and took a sip, hearing him doing the same.
"That was well done, Himiko," came the surprising reply.
"What?" she breathed, her head snapping about to look at him.
He nodded. "You used the rapport you built to encourage him to get help. That's the best outcome you could ask for."
"B-but I made a promise, and I don't even know if I can-"
"Do you want to keep it?" he interrupted her.
She glared at him. "Of course I do, I keep my promises!"
He shrugged. "Then when I find out where he's being taken to, I'll let you know. You can ask for a pass on your next free day, I'll sign it."
"...but…we're…we're not supposed to be attached, are we? Isn't there a rule about getting too involved or something?"
"That's not my call to make, kid. Attachment hurts sometimes. You have to decide for yourself whether that hurt, which I will be honest will be the more likely outcome, is worth it the rare times it goes okay. And only you can make that decision."
"...but do you think I made a bad decision?"
Aizawa paused for a moment in contemplation. "I don't believe that any decision that helps someone is a 'bad' decision. I believe it may not be the most optimal decision, or logical, or rational. But if it helps someone, without costing someone else, then I cannot say it is a bad one."
He turned to her, making sure she met his gaze before he spoke again, his voice softer than she was used to. "I saved him from pain right now. You may have saved him from future pain. I said it once and I'll say it again. That's the best outcome you could ask for, Himiko."
"I just don't know if I did the right thing," she murmured.
"And you won't. There are no guarantees in our line of work, which is a good thing, since guarantees are bullshit."
She snorted at the irreverent way he said that, looking up at her teacher with a watery smile. She couldn't see it due to the scarf, but the way his eyes crinkled just slightly told her maybe, just maybe, he was giving her a smile in return. He rose to his feet, rolling his shoulders for a moment, before holding a hand down to her. She looked up at him, a mirror of her previous position with Jin…and like the man she hopes she helped, she took the hand offered.
"...so…it was them," Overhaul said, staring down at the tablet Chrono had put on his desk.
"It appears so, sir. If Mimic's memory is correct, all four of the ones responsible for the loss of Eri competed in the tournament and appear to be UA first year students. Three of them made it to the semi-finals and the two who tied for first were both involved," came the calm reply.
"That means she is most likely at or involved with UA. If that rat knew what she could do, he'd squirrel her away and keep her hidden."
"If, sir. We have no idea if they understand her value. She has not been seen since we lost her that day."
Overhaul rose to his feet and began to pace, staring at nothing in particular. "The head of UA is a genius. Only an idiot would assume he couldn't figure it out. And that kid, the green-haired one, called out the League directly. That means he's dangerous as well. Even for someone his age, his disease is powerful and he's clearly well practiced with it."
"Should we call off the bounties on Eri, then?" Chrono asked.
"No. Triple them. And set a bounty on those four. Especially the green-haired one."
"Dead or alive?"
"Alive. I want him, to show the world we are the ones they should fear. The League failed miserably. If we take the one they failed to stop, the one who called them out directly, the underworld will know the strength of the Yakuza once more. We can leverage that."
"We're running low on funds," Chrono pointed out.
Overhaul shook his head slowly. "I have a new compound I'm testing that is apparently in high demand. I'll be able to finish it within the week. Contact Humarise once more, let them know we'll have what they want within the month. That should solve any funding issues."
"Yes sir. Anything else?"
"Yes. The bounty for the other three? Alive or dead…They just need to pay for the mistake of taking Eri."
"Very good, sir."
"What an absolute tool," Re-Destro mused, watching over the camera feed that was watching the meeting between Overhaul and his subordinate.
Skeptic's clacking on the keyboard did not cease for one moment, even though he had already managed to get access to Overhaul's cameras, he was having a frustrating time accessing any data on the things Overhaul mentioned creating. "It's no good, sir. I don't believe he has any data on a network. He must keep them offline to avoid any chance of someone accessing the data."
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not concerned. The Yakuza are a dying breed and have been for decades. This man isn't even a very good Yakuza member anyways, it's clear he does not follow their rules. I merely was wondering what he needed that child for so desperately."
"Best guess is that Meta ability-erasing power he mentioned during the meeting between them and the League. Probably a drug of some kind, going by what he deals in."
"Yes, that is what I had assumed as well," Re-Destro said, steepling his fingers as he stared at the monitor with narrowed eyes. "What is this about 'Humarise'? The name rings a bell but I cannot recall details."
"Some Null supremacy cult. They think the Quirk Singularity Doomsday theory is real, and so they think all Metas should be wiped out to save humanity," Trumpet said, leaning back in his chair.
"Pitiful. Strong Meta powers are a blessing and humanity will evolve with them. Still, that is concerning. What compound has he made for them that they want? If not the Meta ability-erasure one, what else could they desire?"
"Not sure. Any data on that must be somewhere else. I can't get into that tablet, since Chronostasis is very smart about his computer use. He's not fallen for any of my phishing attempts."
"Send someone to infiltrate. I don't trust them. Overhaul may be a tool, but he's a smart tool and clearly a talented biochemist if he's able to create these compounds."
"Yes sir," Trumpet replied, giving the MLA salute.
Re-Destro turned back to his monitor, swiping across so it changed to a view of a warehouse in another city. "Now, as for the League…The attack at the USJ was rather handily pushed back, which made them lose respect. Do we have any signs of further movement?"
"None yet sir, but I believe they will make a move soon," Trumpet said.
Re-Destro arched his eyebrow and looked over at his subordinate. "Oh? Why?"
Trumpet shrugged. "They lost respect, as you said. They have to make up for it somehow. I'm expecting a move very soon."
"Hmm. Yes, I do agree that's likely. I want us to stay as quiet as possible. We can't risk anyone noticing what we're doing here in Deika. If the League makes a move, find out everything we can about their capabilities. If they get the heroes too riled up, they may start looking in places we can't have them looking."
"Can't we use them as a distraction? We just have to make sure everyones looking at them, and not us," Curious mentioned, speaking for the first time at that meeting.
"Not a bad plan, but it could backfire," Trumpet mused.
Curious shrugged. "I doubt it. We've left no tracks. And everyone's focused on the Sports Festival at the moment, especially that Midoriya boy after the article we published."
"His Meta Ability is something else. Truly powerful. I wonder if he could be swayed to our side…"
Curious grinned widely. "You know…it's not unusual to want interviews with the winners of the Sports Festival. I could try lobbying UA for a shot at him, and the gravity girl as well."
"Go for the top four entirely. Turning the son of Endeavor would be a great boon, and all four of them demonstrated great proficiency in their Meta Abilities. People with power like that have to want to use it. Especially considering Midoriya's childhood…incident. How is that playing?"
Curious waggled her hand. "I chose to go with a sympathetic route. I thought we might want to try to get him on our side anyways, so I figured if I made sure it came off as us on his side, we could leverage that."
Re-Destro smiled widely. "As always, thinking ahead. Do it."
"Finally. I've been waiting for some action," Chimera said, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck.
"Peace, Chimera. We won't be doing anything. The Nomu are going to make the statement for us," Nine replied.
"Ah fucking hell, another boring day then," Chimera growled. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigar and clenching it between his teeth. A small puff of flame from his mouth lit the end of it, him taking a deep draft before releasing the smoke slowly.
"I want them to fear how many Nomu we have. The USJ was not publicized to the populace. They didn't see what the students went through. But now, we can show them more. Especially as these Nomu will manhandle the majority of Hosu's heroes," Nine explained.
"Then why are we bothering to go?" Mummy asked.
"So they know it was us. So they know we could have added to the disaster…and chose not to. If you see a hero, feel free to break them. But for the start we'll simply allow the Nomu to wreak havoc. Fear is our weapon, my comrades."
"Annoying, but I understand. Still…I feel like we should add a little bit to the chaos. I could easily knock out electrical wires without being noticed. And a simple storm would make the fight that much more difficult," Slice said, looking up at Nine.
"Hmm. Perhaps. I have to limit how often I call upon that, but…a simple storm wouldn't be that difficult, tis true…"
"Do remember the special little gift I left in the winged one!" The Doctor's voice came across the television, the smile audible in his reply.
"Oh, I very much remember, Doctor. I think it will…add to the fun," Nine replied as he affixed his mask, his purple eyes glowing softly as Kurogiri's portal began to wash over them.
The climactic battle of Hosu begins next chapter! And I was waiting for the chance to have Himiko and Jin meet for SO long! I hope you guys enjoy where the story is going, and I'll see you next chapter!