"So, Nedzu! Er, sorry, Zero! Why did you come to the hero course so late?" A girl asked. She had brown hair, her front pieces lying comfortably on her face. Her brown eyes were filled with curiosity, one Zero was not ready to feed. Oh well, he was intel for a reason.
"Ah, Father wanted me to get accustomed to working with him before starting actual classes. Then with the attack at USJ, and the sports festival planning, it was just too hectic." Calling Nedzu his father was weird.
"Wouldn't the sports festival have been the perfect time for you to join?" The blue-haired boy was waving his arm up and down, chopping the air. "And what do you mean by working?"
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course." The brown hair girl assured.
"Well, to be honest, I don't really wanna be a hero," Zero said honestly, rubbing the back of his head. At his two classmates' judging expressions, he continued. "I've always dreamed of just doing intel gathering for heroes, working on the sidelines, you know? That's why Father decided competing wasn't the right choice. And when I say 'work' I really mean just helping him with his duties as Principal."
"As expected of Nedzu's son!" The blue-haired student boasted. Izuke nodded with a small smile, shooting Nedzu a quick text to let the man know what he had said. It reminded him of his missions in the league. Not in a bad way necessarily, but it was a familiar comfort feeling. It made him feel more like Zero, the person he actually was, rather than Izuku Midoriya.
"Silence," Aizawa commanded, and the whole class quieted instantly. Even the two blonde boys in the front, who hadn't stopped arguing since Zero walked in, fell silent. "Now, I know you are excited, but go get changed. Zero, come here." The class instantly began talking again, noisily leaving their class to go get changed into their hero outfits. Zero let out a sigh, full of relief. He truly didn't want any problems with his new classmates, no matter how much he resented being in the school, but they were a bit much. Hell, he had only interacted with two of them!
"You good, brat?" Aizawa asked him. His eyes trace Zero's face, complex emotions residing in his eyes that, truthfully, the teenager didn't care enough to deal with.
"They're loud." Zero began, looking around the bare classroom. Not posters, just a bunch of desks, a teacher stand, and a… yellow caterpillar? Meh, class pet probably. "And very bright."
"Bright?" Aizawa questioned him. Zero just shrugged, finally meeting the man's eyes. The kid hadn't made eye contact with anyone but Nedzu since his arrest, and it worried Aizawa. Not that he would ever admit it, but Nedzu had brought up a good point. Zero wasn't the same snarky brat that he was when they had first met, or when he had first been captured. He was almost docile now. Aizawa's eyes lowered in suspicion. Zero in turn just raised his eyebrow.
"What? It's not like I'm gonna do anything to them. Hell, that blonde guy could probably kill me in one punch. No need to be suspicious of me."
"What did you mean by bright?" Aizawa asked again. Zero rolled his eyes, his normal snarky attitude showing through in his annoyance. His shoulders relaxed a bit.
"They're like, happy and shit. I'm not used to it. Especially from kids my age." Aizawa said nothing for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Zero had turned his head away from Aizawa, letting the man take a good look at his side profile.
A thin scar ran the length of his jaw on the underside, barely visible in the faint light. It was As if the knife had been swept upwards, leaving behind a pale line that would almost be mistaken for a natural wrinkle. The scar continued upwards, moving to the other side of Zero's jaw, before moving under his chin and ending just behind his neck. It looked old, like he had received it young and it had grown and shaped with his features.
"Oh, you noticed the scar," Zero said plainly. "Yeah, a rather idiot choice I made at the ripe age of nine. It's worse in the back." Zero turned around, lifting up his fluffy green hair, and revealing his nape.
The scar on the back of Zero's neck was like the gaping mouth of a monster, the skin torn apart by some sharp jagged object. The edges of the wound were red and raw, and the skin peeled back in a jagged pattern, revealing the scar tissue underneath. If Aizawa was right, the muscles and tendons had likely been torn, exposed for all to see like a gruesome display of flesh and bone. His scar was thick and wide, an angry reminder of whatever trauma Zero had endured. Zero let his hair fall back down.
"Do you, uh, wanna talk about it?" Aizawa asked awkwardly. Normally heroes were quick to boast about scars and fights, but this kid wasn't a hero. He was a teenager with a bad past.
Zero snorted.
"That was awkward. And no, I'm over it. I mean, they'll get what's coming to them anyways, so it's not like it matters."
"So, why did you want to help us out, kid?" Aizawa asked. Revenge, most likely, but Aizawa wanted to be sure.
"That's easy. Well, they were mean to me and I'm petty." Zero said, head cocking to the side.
"That's it?" Aizawa blinked, feeling exhausted from his interactions with the boy.
"Yep!"
"Not revenge?"
"Nope!" Zero said, popping the p.
"You sure?" Aizawa deadpanned, staring straight into Zero's green eyes.
"Yep! Can I have my task from Nedzu now?" He asked, and Aizawa barely restrained from cuffing the child on his head. He might not react well to that, and it's his first day. Nedzu would fire the whole hallway if Zero had a bad day.
"How do you know I have a task for you?" His teacher asked, reaching into the podium anyway.
"Why else would I have been held back?" He took the silver case Aizawa handed him, opening it up and looking inside. His very own costume was custom-made for him. Of course, every student had their own custom-made hero outfit, but this was the first time Zero had received something that was truly his own. And on top laid his precious mask.
The would-be hero's mask was made of a metallic material, resembling faux gold rather than real. Its surface was covered in geometric shapes, each piece connected together to form a whole. The mask had a slightly animalistic look to it, with two intertwining antlers on either side. It seemed to resemble a deer, or at least an approximation of one. The material was light enough to be worn without much discomfort, and it was durable enough to withstand the rigours of fighting, whether by fist or blade. It was beautiful, and Zero wanted to go and thank Tokiri in person.
Placing his mask down gently, he looked at his outfit. The muted sapphire colour was a perfect match for the geometric shapes that made up the armour padding. Each pad was carefully sculpted to cover the most vital areas, providing protection to Zero's skin from any serious risk. The outfit was elegant, providing the perfect mix of both form and function. The muted blues were the perfect complement to the dark and mysterious appearance that the hero sought to give off, and contrasted quite well with the gold colouring of his mask. His knife sheath, only slightly darker than the rest of the suit, would hide his dagger quite nicely. He looked into the silver case, eyeing his blue-ray-skin dagger with hidden disbelief. This whole get-up was his, and his alone. Quickly, he sheathed the blade, turning to face Aizawa.
"Two more things before you go and get dressed." Aizawa handed him a thick black notebook and pen. "Nedzu wants you to record what you see while watching the students today. Your training is to remain unseen, unheard, and unidentified. Get as much info as you can, including quirks, without interacting." Zero nodded, accepting the materials.
"Second, Nedzu, Maijima, and I have given you the ability to say our last names without the use of sensei. Nedzu figured it would bring up bad memories." Zero nodded, grateful for them.
"Who is Maijima?" He asked, placing his hero costume back in its silver casing.
"He will be your second teacher and will teach you Construction and Design for hero items."
"That's so cool." Zero whispered. Aizawa just nodded.
"Now, go get changed, but don't let anyone see you. Most of the class should already be gone." Zero nodded, picking up his case and making his way out of the classroom. Aizawa didn't follow, jumping from the open window instead.
"Today's objective is rather simple. We will be doing basic, non-quirk sparring." Aizawa spoke to the class. Zero scoffed from his hiding place on the roof. Of course, Aizawa wouldn't make it easy on him.
"Zoom in." Zero said, and the lenses on the inside of his mask zoomed in closer to the group of students. When Izuku was putting the mask on, a small piece of paper fell out of it. It was a list of commands, which would solely work on voice commands. It wasn't a complete product, and would likely have to be updated and fixed over time, but Zero thought Tokiri was a God-given gift. This type of technology would be revolutionary, changing the face of the hero world. Spy missions could be done further away, and if they added the ability for voice recognition, it would be much easier to catch criminals.
A criminal like you, Zero's brain supplied, but he paid it no mind. He had his notebook, his pen, and his ability to analyse battles. That's all he needed to think about right now.
"First up, Bakugou and Kirishima." Zero's gaze followed, eyeing the boys. How they walked, what step they moved, how fast their arms swung, Zero recorded it all.
And then the fight began.
Bakugou, with his spiky blond hair and fiery temper, moved with a controlled aggression. His punches were sharp and precise, each one thrown with the intent to knock Kirishima off balance. He utilized his agility and explosiveness to maintain distance, avoiding any potential counterattacks.
That boy! He's using his quirk! Zero realised, watching as the punches Bakugou landed did almost nothing
Kirishima, who likely had some sort of skin-hardening quirk, exhibited a stoic determination. His red hair stood out as he constantly braced himself, forming a thick layer of hardened skin across his body to absorb the blows. His strategy seemed to be focused on endurance and counterattacking when Bakugou left himself open.
Zero's analytical mind went into overdrive. He observed their footwork, the positioning of their bodies, and the way they reacted to each other's movements. Kirishima's defensive style was sturdy, but it came at the cost of speed. Bakugou, on the other hand, was agile and quick but needed to find an opening in Kirishima's defence.
Zero watched as Bakugou's eyes narrowed and then flared with anger. He must have realised that his partner was using his quirk during the spar. His punches suddenly had a lot more force behind them, pushing the red-head back.
As the spar continued, Zero couldn't help but think of potential strategies for each of them. He considered how Bakugou might use his speed to feint and create openings in Kirishima's defence. He also thought about how Kirishima could improve his mobility to avoid taking unnecessary hits and exploit Bakugou's aggressive tendencies.
From his vantage point on the rooftop, he continued to observe, knowing that the knowledge he gained from this spar would be invaluable in his quest to become the greatest hero. Every detail mattered, and Zero was determined to soak up as much information as possible to improve his own skills. He'd get a one-hundred on this, he was sure.
But what was Bakugous quirk?
"Alright, that's enough," Aizawa spoke, raising his hand. Both boys ceased fighting, but Bakugou continued to glare at Kirishima. Would he bring up the fact he used his quirk to Aizawa? "Who was the MVP of this match?" Their teacher asked.
A girl with sleek black hair raised her hand, and Zero eyed her intently. She was showing a lot of skin, so maybe her quirk was like Hero Midnights and required it to be shown. She didn't seem to be the type of girl to be promiscuous for fun.
"Neither, sensei," Izuku Zero winced. "Bakugou had the agility, but Kirishima had the better defence, and they counteracted against each other the whole fight."
"Very good." Aizawa praised. The girl beamed. "You'll be next then. Yaoyorozu, Ashido, get up here."
Zero noted them, but his focus stayed on the two boys furiously whispering. Bakugou sounded off a small explosion, while Kirishima was rubbing his neck sheepishly. Okay, the blonde's quirk was Explosion, but how did they ignite?
"Zoom, Maximum." It took a moment for him to adjust to the view, but he intently drew Bakugous hand, muttering quietly to himself. He needed to be closer.
Zooming out, Zero walked to the edge of the rooftop. Even that wouldn't do. Jumping, he landed silently in the nearest tree. With the wind blowing, any movement would just seem like a natural, nature-caused one. He climbed each tree, inching closer to the duo, using the colour of his suit to his advantage, taking refuge in the leaves.
"Zoom, Maximum." He whispered again, vision going for Bakugous's open palm. He noticed pours, large ones, covered his palms and even his fingerprints. A liquid, likely sweat, covered them, and they ignited again at Kirshima's laughter. Not sweat then, his whole body would have reacted, and only his hands had those large pours. However, the liquid on Bakugous hands was no longer clear but had a faint yellow colour to it. Maybe-
The pair rejoined their class, walking directly under the tree Zero was hiding in, and a faint burning smell entered the boy's nose. It was slightly sweet but incredibly burnt. It smelled like-
Like badly burnt caramel!
Zero wrote quickly in his notebook, remembering basic chemistry lessons he had once done with Kurogiri. Trinitroglycerol, more commonly known as Nitroglycerin, was a clear liquid- until ignition! Then it became faintly yellow, and smelled like burnt caramel! But where did his body store it?
Zero looked back over the fight, both girls looking slightly worn out. They both ran at each other, hitting each other's defences and backing down. A good fight, but not good for figuring out quirks.
Until Ashido, the pink alien-looking one, spouted acid from her boot and promptly slipped and fell. Yaoyorozu rushed to her aide, helping her up. Her pink face was covered in sand and dirt, but she still laughed along with the rest of the class. Yaoyorozu held a hand over her arm, and Zero watched, marvelled, and a plain handkerchief exited her skin.
Well, maybe this would be easier than he initially thought.
"My, Zero! This is such a good round of information! Every student and their quirk! However, I would like to know how you figured out Katsuki Bakugou's quirk so in depth."
"You mean explosion boy? It was easy, I stalked him." Zero replied to his rat pseudo-father. He had been teased by the man mercilessly for calling him "Father."
"Oh, okay. Well, hurry and change out of your hero costume. I need your help with some documents…Son."
And there it was again.