"Let me introduce myself. My name is Rias Gremory, and I am a Devil. And from here on out, I am also your Master."

Did he hear that right? A…Devil? His master? Was this real?

"You're…you're a Devil? An actual Devil?" He asked, unsure of everything he had just heard. He couldn't help it. He had never put that much stock into anything supernatural actually existing. Sure, quirks could be outright strange at times, even bordering on being outright mystical, but stuff like this? Devils and Angels? Gods and other assorted mythical beings? It had all seemed like nonsense to him before.

Quirks just made more sense!

"Like…like a real fire and brimstone kind of Devil? Horns and pitchforks?"

"Of course not," she snorted out before letting out a small chuckle, laughing his question off like it was silly. "I know that humans tend to think of us like that, but I can assure you, that couldn't be further from the truth." She then stood up, her hand having been ignored by Izuku as she stretched her arms upwards, her generous chest bouncing slightly before Izuku's eyes. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her figure, much as he tried to. She had a body shape that many fully grown women would kill for, and it was staring him right in the face. From her large breasts, all the way down to her exposed…he finally managed to avert his eyes, his face glowing the same shade of scarlet as her hair.

"How's your stomach by the way?"

"Wha…what?" He asked lamely before the events of the previous night flashed through his mind. Feeling slightly panicked, he looked down to his chest, only to see nothing wrong. Not a mark, not even a blemish. It looked as though he hadn't been attacked at all.

Just like before.

"I do wish I could have introduced myself better, but your wound was quite severe. It's a good thing you're tougher than you look, or you might have bled to death before I could get you here," she said as she finished stretching, walking over to Izuku's desk to retrieve her clothes, neatly folded and placed atop it. "I had to keep you close so that I could heal you properly, and it works best with skin to skin contact. Besides, I'm more comfortable sleeping without clothes anyway," she said as she began to dress herself.

The rest of his body turned the same shade of red as his face. The two of them? They'd been embracing all night? In his bed? NAKED?! Steam began to escape his ears at the thought, along with a growing pressure around his lower half.

"Not bad," Rias said, catching his attention. She had gotten fully dressed rather quickly, now standing proud in her U.A. uniform. She was smiling again. And staring. At his… "Nothing happened outside of us sleeping, but you look mighty impressive down there."

Izuku was quick to try and cover himself, even though Rias had already gotten a good look at him. "WHAT'SGOINGON?!WHAT'SHAPPENING!?YOU'READEVILANDYOUCALLEDMEYOURSERVANTANDWEWEREBOTHNAKEDANDONMYBEDTOGETHERANDIDON'TEVENKNOWWHAT'SREALANYMOREOHGODI-AGH!" That same pain he had felt before pierced through his head again, like an ice pick being jabbed into his skull.

She giggled lightly at him, amused by his reaction. "That can happen. As Devils, we aren't exactly in His good graces, so thinking about Him is enough to give you a killer headache, and praying to Him will get the same result." She began walking to his bedroom door, ready to leave before turning back to him. "You should probably get dressed. Your mother did say she was making breakfast after all, you don't want to miss that." She turned around again to leave, before turning right back around to face him again. "Oh, before I forget. Someone texted you last night around the time I brought you here. Someone named Yagi, I believe? I made sure to let him know that you were fine."

"Um…thanks?"

"Don't worry about it. Now you really should get dressed." She turned back around, opening the door, before turning right back around, a teasing smirk on her face. "By the way, I like your room."

"JUSTGOANDLETMEGETDRESSED!"

"Alright then," she said with a giggle before finally leaving his room, shutting the door behind her. Izuku's heart, which had been beating erratically ever since he had first noticed her on his bed, finally began to calm itself, even if his mind had not. Questions ran across his mind, racing through like crazy.

'If this is a dream, I hope I wake up soon.'

The mood at the breakfast table was a strange one. Both Izuku and his mother were hesitant to take a single bite of their food, the awkwardness of what had only happened minutes ago still fresh in their minds. For Rias though? She happily dug in, clearly enjoying what Inko had brought to the table.

"You're a remarkable cook Mrs Midoriya. It's almost like my own mother cooked this!" She gleefully downed the rice beside her dish, missing the look that passed between mother and son.

"So…um…Miss?" Inko asked, the anxiety on her face as clear as her dripping sweat.

Rias paused in her eating. "My apologies. My name is Rias Gremory. It's nice to meet you, Mrs Midoriya." She dabbed at her face with a nearby napkin before taking another bite of food.

"Oh. Gremory? That's an interesting name," she said as she began to sweat more. Izuku wasn't much better, his beet red face doing nothing to hide his own feelings. "So…just how did…all of this happen?" A forced smile was fixed on her face now, doing nothing to hide her nervousness.

"We first met each other last week actually," she said with honesty. "I'm not sure just what it was, but something about him piqued my curiosity. I tried seeing if I could talk to him, though things seemed to keep happening to stop me." Izuku looked straight at her. Did she really try and meet him before all this happened? "We finally got a chance to talk last night, we happened to run into each other while heading home. He was pretty nervous when he saw me, though I suppose I couldn't blame him for it. I was essentially a stranger. We did end up talking with each other though, he told me a bit about himself. How much he wants to be a hero, and how hard he's training himself to accomplish that. By the time we got here, he started passing out, I guess he ended up exhausting himself. He stayed awake just long enough to let me know where you two lived, so I brought him up here. I don't remember seeing you though, you must have been asleep already," she said, her cover story clearly ready.

"Oh. I see," Inko said. Whether she believed Rias' story or not wasn't exactly clear. "So then…how did you end up in bed with him?" She asked, her smile now more clearly strained.

"I suppose I was more exhausted than I expected. I don't even remember falling asleep," she responded, her meal nearly finished now.

"I see," Inko said, her mood almost unreadable now. Izuku had no idea what she would do next. Just how was someone supposed to react when they caught their only child in bed with someone else? Especially when they were naked?

Her answer was to embrace him while openly weeping apparently.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY BROUGHT A FRIEND HOME! IT'S BEEN SO LONG!" She weeded, catching Rias by surprise. Inko's eyes had become like faucets the way her tears were erupting, and the smile she now bore would put All Might's to shame. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING! YOU BROUGHT A FRIEND HOME! AND SHE'S SO PRETTY! OH IZUKU! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!" She continued on, barely taking a second to breathe as she began spinning herself around with him in her arms, making her resemble a tornado of motherly affection.

"Mmph! Mmph!" Izuku's muffled voice tried to make itself heard through his mother's embrace, all while Rias observed the two with a smile. Eventually, Izuku was able to get his arms free, quickly cupping her face between them. "Mom! Mom, it's okay. It's alright. It's just you and me here. Just you and me."

Inko finally began to calm down, taking a deep breath before setting her son back to the floor. He was getting so big now, he would soon be taller than her. But that wouldn't stop her from cupping his own face in return. "You're right. Just you and me. Just you and me."

The two finally began to calm down, the events of their surprisingly hectic morning almost forgotten as they simply enjoyed each other's presence. Rias continued to look on, her smile getting bigger as she thought of her own mother. The two had never done anything like this, but the feeling of love between the two was clear. While she wondered just what All that was about, she decided to simply ask another time.

"Thank you Izuku. I needed that," Inko said as she let her son go, her tears having stopped completely.

"Anytime mom."

The two sat back down, finally digging into their own meals. "My apologies, for how I just acted Miss Gremory," Inko said with a bit of a red face. It was amazing how much she looked like her son when she did that. "I'm not usually like that, it's just…it's been a long time since my son has brought anyone home. I let my emotions get the best of me."

"It's no problem at all Mrs Midoriya," Rias told her, her meal now completely finished. "I assure you, you have nothing to apologize for. My own mother has acted similarly in the past." Taken aback as she was, she was sincere in her words. "And you can call me Rias if you wish."

"Alright then Mi…Rias," Inko said, having regained her composure, even if only by a little. "Gremory though, that name sounds like it's from overseas. Your Japanese is quite remarkable."

"Thank you. I've been loving here for several years now, mostly because of my father. His work brought him here."

"I see," Inko responded as she took another bite of her food. Izuku, for his part, was still rather surprised. Even during his mom's outburst, she didn't once bring up the fact that she had caught them both naked in his bed. Did she somehow forget about that? "Um, by the way. Your uniform?" Inko said, pointing her chopstick at what Rias was wearing. "Are you a U.A. student?"

"I am actually. I just started this year." The U. A. uniform indeed proudly adorned her form. A long-sleeve buttoned up white shirt lightly covered by a gray jacket lightly accented with teal lines, as well as a teal colored pleated skirt, brought together with a red tie. Izuku tried not to stare, as he couldn't help but think about how amazing she looked in it. "I'm a Business Course student in class 1-J." Business Course? Judging by the way she saved him last night, she seemed more fit for the Hero Course to him. "By the way Mrs Midoriya, your food is delicious. I may have to ask you for some tips," she said with a slightly sly smile.

"Oh stop!" Inko waved her off with a slight blush. "It's just a simple dish, I didn't do anything special."

"The way you made it is exceptional though," Rias responded. She meant every word. The breakfast she just ate tasted amazing, simple dish or not. "Also, if I may, I'm rather astonished by how great you look Mrs Midoriya. When I first saw you, I almost thought you were Izuku's older sister at first."

Inko paused mid bite as she stared at Rias, before turning her gaze to her son, who had frozen in a similar way. She then smiled at him, mouthing the words 'I like her' to him, nearly making him choke on his food.

"That's so nice of you to say Rias." Between calling her son by his given name, as well as the compliments the girl gave, she seemed like a keeper. "You're not the first to say that to me, most of my family members end up looking younger than they actually are. Can sometimes make job hunting difficult when they think your ID is fake though," she joked before clearing her throat. "So, Rias. Are you positive that nothing else happened last night?" Inko asked, having returned to what they were discussing before Izuku joined them. She was thankfully more calm this time.

"Nothing, I can assure you," Rias said. "Izuku is a nice boy, but it's a little too soon for something like that."

"I suppose you're right," Inko said, before seeing just how red her son's face was becoming. "Still Izuku, you two seem to be moving a little fast, though I suppose your father and I weren't much better," she said as she took a sip of her coffee, fully aware of how embarrassed her son was getting. She smiled at her memories as she set her cup down. "We were high-schoolers at the time, but we could barely keep our hands off each other at points. We could be quite adventurous," she said with a small smirk, her son's horrified look making her laugh on the inside. "I always had a bit of a thrill whenever I managed to pin him down and-"

"MOM! PLEASESTOPIDON'TNEEDTOHEARTHIS!" Izuku squeaked out, his face reaching near critical mass as he shook his head to clear his thoughts, much to the amusement of the two beside him.

"You may be right, but I promise you that there's nothing like that between us Mrs Midoriya," Rias said, still amused by the woman's antics.

"You don't need to be formal with me, Rias. You can call me Inko, or mother if you're daring enough," she said, much to Rias' surprise. Inko clearly caught that before speaking again. "So long as you're a friend of my son, I don't mind in the slightest." Rias smiled at the smaller woman. She was beginning to like her. "I just hope that I don't catch you two in bed like that again. I don't think I'm ready to be a grandmother yet," she said, making Izuku sputter as Rias chuckled. She liked this woman.

"I'll do my best, though I'll admit, I really like your son's room," Rias said, watching as steam began shooting out of Izuku's ears. He was beginning to resemble an old boiler that was close to bursting. "I had heard that he was a fan of heroes, but I never would have guessed that he had quite the collection of All Might memorabilia."

"He's been collecting those for a long time now," Inko said, all while Izuku tried hiding his face, desperately hoping that he could just sink into the floor. "I swear, most of his allowance goes into getting All Might stuff. That isn't even all of it."

"There's more?" Rias asked with interest.

"We couldn't fit it all into his room, so I've had to keep a few in mine. The rest are in the spare room. He sure has a love for All Might," Inko said with another smirk.

"I just look up to him a lot!" He squeaked out, wishing now that he wasn't here at all.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about Izuku," Rias said sincerely, even though she was clearly having fun with this. "I'm a fan of All Might too.

"Please stop!"

The two just continued to laugh, having fun at his expense. Inko then noticed the time. "Izuku, you should get into your uniform. You don't want to be late." Lifting his head up from the table, he had ended up planting it there to try and hide his red face, he looked at her confusedly. He then looked down at himself. His blush returning, he raced back to his room, having realized that he had dressed himself in his tracksuit instead.

Again.

"You two can be quite lively," Rias said as she sipped at a cup of coffee, Inko having just poured her one.

"Thanks. I suppose," Inko said as she took another sip of her own. She stared into her cup after she had taken her sip, her expression near unreadable before speaking up again. "Rias?"

"Hm?"

"I…my son hasn't had a real friend in a long time. I know he likes to act like it doesn't bother him sometimes, but…I can see it. I see how sad he can be," she said, tears beginning to escape from her. "I've been lost for a while, just trying to figure out what I can do to help. I feel like I've failed as his mother."

"Inko, I-"

"Let me finish, please," she said as she took another sip, trying to calm herself. "I don't know you that well yet, but I want to ask you something important. Please, look after my son. He means the world to me."

Rias smiled at the woman. "I swear to you, I will treat him as though he's a member of my own family. No power on Earth will be able to stop me from doing so."

Inko smiled back, tears shedding once more, but she felt a small weight off her heart. "Thank you Rias."

Izuku never once thought a commute to school would be anything more than ordinary. For so long now, it had been a simple journey. To the station, board the train, then walk the rest of the way to school. Nothing more.

Now? Not only was there a beautiful young girl walking right beside him the entire way, but the looks of pure shock from his classmates was enough to make his face erupt.

This had to be some kind of record.

Rias stood by his side, having looped her arm around his as soon as they got off the train. The stares and questions had been following them since, which wasn't all that surprising. The sight of someone like her walking alongside someone like him, someone thought to be both plain and dull, would be enough to get anyone talking.

"Is that-is that Midoriya? Arm in arm with that hottie?"

"What the hell?"

"First the princess and now this?"

"Is that a U.A. uniform?"

"You think he's trying to suck up to her so he can try and get in?"

"No way anyone from U.A. would allow something like that. Is she doing this out of pity?"

"How on earth could someone that hot be with Deku of all people?"

"Damn it all! Why wasn't it me?"

"Stop being such a weirdo dude."

He still had a hard time believing it. Part of him was still expecting today to just be a dream. Not like any he'd had before though. Like that one time he'd dreamt that he had come to school wearing his old All Might onesie, which was still the same size as when he first got it. But he was awake, he had checked before leaving.

He could feel some of his fellow students glaring daggers at him, and not just from the boys. More than a few girls were doing the same. Everyone else seemed to be confused, whispering to each other. It wouldn't take long for the news to spread throughout the school, and he was dreading it.

"Um…R-rias?" Izuku began, nearly swallowing his tongue. She was so close! He could even smell her perfume! "Do you…do you really have to stand so close?"

"Of course I do," she answered, clearly not bothered about the stares and whispers from all around them. "After what happened last night, I refuse to take any chances." Right. That Dohnaseek guy. Izuku shivered at the thought of him. He did not want to have another one of those light spear things going through him. He then felt Rias grip his hand, causing him to jump slightly as he looked at her. "Even then, I don't see how this is a problem. I'm just walking you to school, arm in arm," she finished, a hint of a teasing grin flashing on her face.

"Yeah. I-uh, I can see that," he muttered nervously. The glares from the students had begun to grow after she gripped his hand. He wanted nothing more than to disappear at that moment.

Rias couldn't help but look at him in amusement. His face was such a deep shade of red by now, and with his freckles and green hair, it made him look like a strawberry to her. His face could even match her own crimson red hair. "Have you ever actually been this close to a girl before?"

"Well…um…k-kinda", he stuttered out shyly. "I had a few friends who were girls when I was a kid, but that was a long time ago. It's pretty much just been me and mom for a while," he admitted. "It's…kinda weird having one talk to me at all. Especially when they're pretty." He whispered out that last bit, but Rias heard it as clear as if he had shouted it to the heavens.

"Oh?" she asked, with a bit of cheer in her voice, along with a tiny amount of teasing. "So you think I'm pretty?"

"W-well…um, I mean…doesn't everyone?" he stuttered out. His face refused to return to its normal color and Rias seemed to love every second of it.

"Well your mother definitely seemed to. She's a very sweet woman."

Izuku thought back to breakfast. Just how his mom reacted. He still found it weird how she didn't once bring up that she had caught the two naked together. Then Rias told him why when they both left.

She had wiped Inko's memory of seeing the two like that.

He didn't know what to think about that. Rias had saved his life. Stayed with him to make sure he would be healed. It was one of the most heroic things he could think of. But, manipulating his mother like that? He started to feel uneasy about her.

She had noticed while they were on the train. She had told him that she would rather not have erased her memory, especially after she had started talking to the woman. But she had already seen how Inko had reacted when she had stormed in. She had no doubt there would be more questions than she was comfortable with answering right now. But she would. She swore to him.

Despite that, he still felt uncertain. Rias may have saved his life, but his mom was his mom. Messing with her in any way just seemed to go too far. Rias seemed to be able to read his expression, and assured him that she wouldn't do so again, promising on her family's name. He still felt uneasy, but she seemed genuine, so he was willing to believe her for the moment.

"By the way Izuku," Rias asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. The two were less than a block away from Aldera, the other students still looking at them in shock and awe, not that she seemed to care. "What was that anyway? Between you and your mother?"

"That? Well…uh…" It had been a long while since anyone outside of All Might had asked him such a personal question. With so few people even seeming to care about his existence beforehand, it felt a bit odd. "Well, it's kind of been a thing since I was real little," he replied, his thoughts no longer mired in the early morning's events. "I, well, I didn't have a whole lot of friends growing up, and…sometimes things could get…a bit rough." He would rather not talk about the bullying he had gone through. "There…there was this one time I got home from school and I…I kinda lost it. I just started crying and I couldn't stop. Mom; she just got close to me, and then just grabbed me by the face, as gently as she could, before saying those words to me." He still remembered that day, much as he wanted to forget at times. How much his mom was crying too. "She just kept saying that until I was done." Lost in his recollection, he couldn't see Rias' face.

She had already put together that Izuku's life hadn't exactly been a happy one. One of her other servants had already reported how he had been a victim of bullying, which had infuriated her enough. But that he had had such a breakdown… Rias wanted to set fire to the school itself for daring to harm him in such a way. When she heard about what Inko had done however, she felt relief. She was right in her earlier assessment of the woman. She was a kind soul. She would have to apologize one day for what she had to do earlier..

"After that, I just did the same. I didn't want her to be crying either. Ever since then, it's just been a thing we've done. Whenever one of us starts getting worked up, we'd do that to each other. It's always felt so calming." As he finished, he looked back to Rias, surprised by the tears beginning to brim at her eyes. When she smiled at him, a tender smile filled with compassion, he felt his heart skip a beat.

"That was a beautiful story Izuku," she said, taking out a small handkerchief to dab at her eyes. "She's a wonderful woman, knowing just what to do to help you like that."

"She learned about it from my dad actually," Izuku replied, slowly getting used to speaking to her. "She's only ever told me about it once, but from what I remember, it was a day when she felt as low as she could. She said that there seemed to be nothing anyone could do to help her. She was just spiraling down more and more, then dad showed up. She told me that once he did that, everything seemed to be better." Despite how long it had been since she spoke of it, Izuku cherished the story greatly. "She told me that was how she knew he was the one for her." Now Izuku's eyes were watering slightly, taking Rias' offered handkerchief.

Focused as the two were on each other in that moment, neither of them noticed that they had arrived at Aldera Junior High. It was only when they heard the whispers of the other students walking past them that they were broken out of it.

"Are those two dating?"

"Someone actually wants to go out with Deku? What a weirdo."

"She's so gorgeous! How did he end up with her!?"

The instant reality came back to him, his face began to light up again, Rias letting out a good natured chuckle.

"You know," she began, in that teasing tone Izuku was beginning to dread. "We do look like a couple right now, don't we?" She then began poking lightly at his cheek.

Izuku could only stammer as he freed himself from her, his hands waving in front of him as though he were trying to shoo his embarrassment away. "Please stop! Stop t-teasing me!"

"You're so adorable though. I can't help myself," she said, lightly digging her finger in his cheek again. "You're also rather sweet, a good combination as far as I'm concerned." She finally dragged her finger away, gripping her bag tightly. "I should head to school as well, I can't be late. But don't worry. You'll have your questions answered tonight. Someone will pick you up after school, and then we can sit and talk."

"Al-alright," he said, his face finally losing its burning sensation. Good thing today was his scheduled rest day. Timing like that doesn't come around often. "So, where-where should I wait?"

"Just wait in your classroom. You'll know when they get there. See you later Izuku." With a knowing wink she sauntered off, a bit of an extra swing in her step. Izuku couldn't tear his eyes away from her swaying backside, finding it hypnotic. As soon as she left his sight, he realized what he was doing. Shaking his head to free himself of such thoughts(futile as it may have been), he began heading to class, doing his best to ignore the stares he was getting.

He could already tell that this was gonna be a long day.

It was.

Even as he dug his nose into his textbooks, Izuku could feel the questioning stares leveled at him, making him sink into his chair. Being the center of attention rarely turned out well for him, though he felt thankful that Yukiharu wasn't around. He didn't even want to know how he'd react.

When the final bell rang, Izuku was glued to his seat. Not just because someone was coming for him, but because the other students had started grilling him for answers.

"What's going on man?"

"How did you bag someone as hot as her?"

"Did you drug her or something? What made her want to hang out with you?"

Izuku just sank more into his seat.

Salvation came in the form of a golden haired angel. The instant she opened the door, the entire class was enraptured by her. Kiba Yumi tended to have that effect on them.

And now she was walking right…towards…him?

"Hello there," she said with her ever present smile. The fact that she was facing him as she spoke broke everyone from their stupor as they stared dumbfounded at her.

Izuku was every bit as flabbergasted as they were. "M-me?"

"You are Midoriya Izuku, are you not?" She asked with an amused grin. "Rias sent me to retrieve you. Are you ready?"

"Um, y-yeah," he replied, nodding nervously as he collected his bag.

As the two began to leave, the whispers started up once again.

"Did that…did that just happen?"

"Our Princess just took off with Midoriya?"

"Not fair! I saw her first!"

"Who's Rias?"

"Was she that redhead from earlier?"

"How does Midoriya get two killer babes like that!?"

"Can we go now?" Izuku asked, having felt uncomfortable for a while now.

"Don't worry, we're leaving," she giggled at everything going on. "After all, I'm sure you have tons of questions."

"Yeah. I really do."

Neither of them said a word the entire way. Izuku's mind raced at a mile a minute. What does Yumi have to do with Rias? Do they know each other? Is she a Devil too? Where exactly was she taking him? She didn't seem interested in telling him, and he was far too anxious to even try asking.

Yumi had been a transfer student, having done so at the beginning of the year. He had no idea where she had transferred from. Honestly, he knew very little about her in general. So why was she the one who was sent to get him?

His thoughts continued as they boarded the train, both teens still being as silent as they could. Izuku's mind continued to race with questions until the vibrations of his cell phone shocked him back to reality. It was his mom. She was wondering if he was training again. He hesitated briefly before telling her that Rias wanted to talk to him about something. It took less than ten seconds for her to call him and let him know how happy she was that he had made a friend again. He just wished she didn't say it so loudly. Most of the car seemed to be laughing at him, even if they kept it quiet. Even Yumi was smiling amusedly.

"Your mother sounds lively," she said. It was the first time she had spoken since they had left the school. She kept herself quiet the rest of the way.

Soon enough, they finally arrived at their location, one that was very much a surprise to Izuku. "This-this is U.A.!"

U.A. THE premier schools for hero hopefuls in Japan. This was the school that put out some of the best heroes of the current age. All Might, the Flame Hero:Endeavor, the Fiber Hero:Best Jeanist, and so many more. It was the goal for all those who aspired to greatness, even if they chose not to go into hero work. Izuku had only ever seen the school before from the outside, as well as their yearly showings of their Sports Festival.

The very idea that Rias was waiting for him here was incredible.

"This is where you want to go after Aldera, isn't it? Consider this a sneak peek," Yumi said, smiling her usual smile as she walked up to the gate.

"W-wait, hold on!" Izuku said as he rushed to her. "Aren't students and staff the only ones allowed to go here?" U.A. was well known for its tight security system. Many wished to get a glimpse of the many Pro Heroes who taught, as well as the prospective heroes within. Then, there were those who would want nothing more than to stomp them out.

"There's an exception for us," she said as she walked up to the gate, presenting a pass to the scanner. Much to Izuku's surprise, the gate opened without incident. "You'll find out soon enough. Now Let's go, the president is waiting."

President? He had no clue what she meant, but he followed her regardless, ready to finally get some answers. As he did so, his eyes darted over the entire area, having never seen U.A. in such a fashion before. It almost felt like a field trip we wished he could have taken long ago. Yumi continued leading him past the school grounds, much to his confusion. The two had passed by every building in sight, so he had no real idea where she was leading him. UA grounds were rather vast, so it took them a while to reach a rather large group of trees. Finally, they reached a building he hadn't seen before.

It certainly didn't look like it was abandoned though, not in the stereotypical sense. The walls were completely undamaged, and every single window was perfectly intact.

"We're here," Yumu told him. "Let's head inside."

"H-hang on," Izuku interrupted as she reached for the door. "Just, just where are we?"

She just smiled at him again. "Don't worry. Rias will explain everything." She told him as she opened the door. As they made their way through the building, heading to the second floor, Izuku couldn't help but notice how clean it was. Even the empty rooms looked to be free of dust. It was nothing like he would have expected a Devil's lair to look like. There weren't even any cobwebs on the ceiling.

While Izuku made his observations, Yumi finally stopped in front of one of the doors. This seemed to be their destination. There was a sign directly above it reading 'Occult Research Club'.

'Occult research?'

"Miss president," Yumi announced, breaking him from his thoughts. "We're here."

"All right, come in," the voice of Rias responded.

Every inch of the room seemed covered with strange symbols and glyphs. They were on the walls, the floor, the ceiling, covering much of the area, and covered with writing that he couldn't understand. At the center of the room, where he and Yumi now stood, was the same circle that had appeared beneath them, no longer glowing. Strange paintings covered everything that the symbols did not. Desks and comfortable looking sofas also surrounded him.

Sitting on one was a small, petite looking girl, silently munching on a pastry. She was quite short, he was pretty sure that he towered over her even at his height, and had pure white hair and hazel eyes. Two long bangs descended down to her shoulders, with several loose bangs hanging over her forehead, with a short bob cut in the back. A black cat-shaped hair clip decorated both sides of her hair. She wore a school uniform he didn't recognize, so that ruled out her being a student here.

"Good afternoon Koneko." Yumi greeted, getting the small girl's attention. "I'm sure you're already aware of Midoriya." The small girl, Koneko, turned her eyes to him, studying him silently.

"Oh…um…h-hi?" Izuku greeted her nervously.

"...Hello," she said before immediately returning to her sweets.

"Don't worry," Yumi told him, "Koneko isn't particularly chatty with people she doesn't know well, just give her time. You'll get used to it."

"I'll uh…take your word for it " Izuku replied, not wanting to admit that he was mildly creeped out by the smaller girl. Hoping to put his mind off of that, he voiced a question that had been on his mind. "So, why is there a club here? I thought UA didn't have any of those."

"Only for those in the Hero Course. General Studies and Business Course students are free to join any club at their leisure," she explained, having taken the seat next to Koneko. "Though we aren't an officially recognized club as of yet. Once we enter U.A., we'll be completely registered."

"You're-you're applying for U.A. too?" He was surprised. While just about everyone he had seen at Aldera showed a desire to go here, this was the first he had heard Yumi planning to do so.

"Yes, but only as a General Studies student," she admitted, having taken a bag of sweets offered by Koneko. "I'm not really interested in being a hero."

While he was surprised by that, he chose not to speak about it. There were plenty who entered U A. who simply entered due to it being one of the most prestigious schools in the country. It was always odd to think about though, at least for him. Given how much Heroes had become ingrained into society by this point, it always sounded strange to him whenever someone chose not to even try.

"I probably should have brought that up before, but I didn't really know what to say to you on the way here," she admitted with a slight blush. That was definitely new. He had never known her to do that before, and he doubted anyone else at Aldera had either. It made her look rather cute. "I wasn't even sure what the best way to bring you here would be. My first thought was just to teleport you here through magic, but that probably would have just freaked you out."

Izuku couldn't exactly disagree.

"That definitely would have been counter-productive," a new voice rang out. As soon as Izuku saw them, he felt his ears burning.

Like both Rias and Yumi, she was absolutely gorgeous. She had long jet-black hair done up in a long ponytail that still managed to reach down to her legs, and a pair of violet colored eyes shining with both kindness and no small amount of amusement. She was, like both Rias and Yumi, taller than he was, though slightly shorter than they was also wearing a U.A. uniform just like Rias. Also like Rias, she had quite the buxom figure, and he could swear that her chest was even bigger than hers.

Not that he was staring!

She carried a gentle smile as she walked toward Izuku, a tray of tea held in her arms. "Nice to finally meet you in person Midoriya," she greeted politely. "I'm Himejima Akeno. Would you like some tea?"

Not at all trusting himself to say something foolish, Izuku took the offered cup. He wasn't usually the biggest fan of tea, but this tasted good. His nerves had begun calming down, if only slightly, so he decided to ask where Rias was. When he opened his mouth to ask though, he heard something strange. It sounded like running water. "What's that sound?"

"That would be Rias," Akeno answered, having handed both Koneko and Yumi cups of their own. "She's a bit of a stickler for cleanliness, so she's currently taking a shower."

They installed a shower in this room?

"She should actually be done shortly. Excuse me," she said before entering another room, likely where Rias was showering. Doing his best NOT to picture her doing so, Izuku took another sip of his tea before taking a seat. One further away from both Yumi and Koneko.

The three just sat there and waited, taking the occasional sip of tea as they did so, the ambient noise of Rias' shower being the only sound purveying the room. No one tried to start any kind of conversation, and as the time passed, Izuku began to feel more and more awkward. He wanted to say something, maybe start a conversation with at least one of them, but his tongue felt like it was tying itself in knots, all while his brain was screaming at him not to unless he wanted to make a fool out of himself. Thankfully, for his sanity, the sound of water finally ceased.

"Your clothes Miss President," he heard Akeno's slightly muffled voice say.

"Thank you Akeno," Rias responded

It was several minutes more before the two finally exited, Rias brushing her still somewhat damp hair. "It's nice seeing you again Izu," she said as she sat down in the chair closest to him, a cup of tea soon in her hand thanks to Akeno. Izuku tried to fight a losing battle against blushing. Did she just give him a nickname? "My apologies for the wait. I wasn't able to shower last night with everything that happened, so I decided to freshen up," she said as she took a sip from her cup.

"Now," she began, grabbing his attention. "I believe it's time to tell you the truth, don't you think so?" Izuku felt himself nodding as Akeno took the seat right beside Rias, the entire group now sitting around the center of the room. "Do you remember this morning? When I told you that I was a Devil?"

"Ye-yeah?" He was beginning to fear what she was implying.

"It's not just me. The same is true for everyone in this room. Including you." The instant she finished speaking, she snapped her fingers, a pair of wings extending from her back. Unlike the wings he had seen on both Yuuma and Dohnaseek, these resembled bat wings, and with their jet-black color, they looked downright demonic. She wasn't alone, as Yumi, Koneko, and Akeno sprouted wings of their own, emerging from their backs as if their clothes offered no hindrance.

Izuku felt a strange tingle on his back, before an odd pulse went through him. Turning his head, he found wings sticking out his back, and they looked just like theirs.

"Wait, what?!" He gasped, looking downright disturbed at what had just happened. "Are these… are these real?" He asked as he began poking at one, the sensation feeling like he was poking at his own arm. "Am I dreaming?"

"You're not," Akeno answered, sipping at her cup of tea as though this were a regular thing. Though for her it may have been just that. "They're quite real. They look nice on you too."

"If I may," Rias interrupted, placing her cup on the table before them. "The world as you know it has far more than just heroes and villains. As you can plainly see, the world of the supernatural is very real. Not only do Devils exist, but far more. Angels, monsters, Fallen Angels, and so many other beings you might have once thought as simple fairy tales are real." She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression stern like a teacher's. "There are those who are benevolent, and just as many who are not." Rias stared at him, and he felt lost.

All of that was real? Angels? Devils? Monsters?

"You look like you're having a hard time believing it. I understand. This must be an odd realization for you. But let me ask, do you remember the man from last night? The one with the black wings?"

Much as he wished he could forget, he couldn't. That man had been flashing through his mind nearly the entire day.

"That man, Dohnaseek I believe he called himself, is a Fallen Angel. One who once served Heaven but fell from grace. Him and his kind are our sworn enemies." She took the time to take another sip of her tea, letting the information sink in to him. "We have been at war with the Fallen Angels for as long as I can remember. Fighting each other for complete control over our realm, what the humans know as Hell."

Hell exists!? Heaven exists!?

"Between the two of us, we each control part of it, what we call the Underworld. To one-up each other, we Devils have been building our strength by forging pacts with humans while exacting payment, while Fallen Angels seek to manipulate humanity in any way they can to destroy us. And it's not just them."

There was more!. This was already too much!

"The Angels of Heaven hunt us both down, following God's will. We have been locked in this conflict since time immemorial."

So that was it then. God was real. Angels, Devils, all of that was real. And now, he was one of them.

What could he do now? What would that mean for his mom? His training? His dream? If he hadn't already sat down, he would have collapsed onto the chair. He was thankful that he hadn't dropped his tea from the shock.

"So…what does-what does that have to do with me?" He asked, getting several questioning looks in response. "I mean, why am I part of this now?"

Rias' face dropped, now looking more morose than it had been before. "Do you remember what happened the other week? The woman who attacked you?"

So that was real. Yuuma, she had-she had attacked him. Then how…?

"That woman, that Amano Yuuma, is actually a Fallen Angel named Raynare."

His face began to pale. It was coming back to him. The date. The spear. The pain. He could feel his hands begin to shake.

Rias noticed, making sure to grab his hands gently to try and comfort him. "From what I've found out, she somehow erased all records of herself existing, possibly through use of magic. I don't know why or how, but there have been several reports of Fallen Angel activity here."

"Why though?" He asked, still shivering.

"My guess is that they noticed the same thing I did when I first saw you. There's something within you. Something that scared them. I can't believe I hadn't noticed it sooner," she said as her eyes narrowed. "If I had known even for an instant that one was after you Izuku, I would have stopped her before she would have even thought to hurt you."

While her being there helped a little, he was still shaking. All that had been real. He had…he had died. He was sure of it.

The others were giving him looks of sympathy, both Yumi and Akeno having dropped their smiles entirely.

Their presence helped calm him a little, but he still needed to know more. "What-What was it? What were they after? Aman…R-raynare said that He(?) gave me something…?"

"She likely recognized it just as I did. You have something special inside of you, Izu. It's known as a Sacred Gear "

"Sacred Gear?"

"Sacred Gears are items that are bestowed upon humans, giving them incredible abilities, not too dissimilar from quirks, but they are much stronger. These items have been used throughout history, and the names of their users are engraved into legend. King Arthur Pendragon, Joan Of Arc, Beowolf, Heracles, Sinbad, Oda Nobunaga, Guan Yu, and many more."

Izuku was shocked at the information. All those people, long before the advent of quirks, had something like that behind them? He didn't even notice Rias' hand grasping onto his anymore.

Rias smiled, thankful that Izuku's mind seemed to be moving away from his 'date'..

"Sacred Gears pop up even today," Yumi said, bringing herself into the conversation. "Even with quirks, Sacred Gears are powerful tools. But only humans can possess them."

"Not all of them are capable of making someone a legend," Akeno commented. "But there are some that have the power to make Heaven itself tremble."

Koneko scarfed down another sweet.

"Because of that, each faction has turned to humanity multiple times. Recruiting humans who possess a Sacred Gear to help their side," Rias finished.

Izuku was awed by everything he was learning. These things could be that powerful? And HE of all people had one? Why hadn't he ever noticed before? Would it have made a difference in his life? Did he even need One For All anymore?

His gut clenched at the thought. All Might had already decided to pass it down to him. Would he even consider it anymore? What would he even say?

As he thought about it all, he felt his mind drift back to his 'date' with Raynare once more, and the hole she had put in his chest. "Is that…is that why you wanted me too?" He asked with trepidation.

"I won't lie to you Izu," she told him. "The moment I saw you, I felt your Sacred Gear. I wanted to speak with you, ask you if you would want to join my peerage, but it was too soon. I knew nothing about you, and before I knew it, you had already been attacked by the Fallen Angels."

Part of him didn't want to believe her, even with everything he had just learned. It sounded too convenient. Yet, he looked directly into her eyes, seeing sorrow in them. She was telling him the truth, he was sure of it. Still, there was another question.

"But, you saved me…didn't you?" He asked, feeling slightly confused. "How'd you even know I was attacked?"

She let go of his hand, giving off a small smile as she did so. Izuku noted that he missed the sensation once she let go. She walked over to a nearby desk, holding pieces of paper that looked strangely familiar. "Do you recognize this?"

"That's, that's the flyer that girl gave me!" He said after staring at it for a second.

"That's right," Rias said as she sat back by him again. "As I told you, we Devils forge pacts with humans to gain power, and one of the ways we do so is through these flyers. Humans make their wish, and a Devil is summoned. When they complete that wish, they gain power, all while the humans that summoned them gain something as well," she explained. "I'm not sure if it was luck or fate itself, but you, the one I wished to speak to, ended up summoning me in your hour of need."

So that was how. He had somehow summoned her after he was attacked. Did he make a wish? He couldn't remember. Regardless, he was still alive because of her, and he was a Devil now.

A Devil.

Her Devil. Her servant.

"So, that's it then?" He asked, sounding resigned and defeated. "I'm a…a Devil now? Your servant?" 'Your slave' went unsaid.

"Yes, you're a Devil now," she said, sounding like she had figured out what he was thinking. "You're also my servant, but you are not my slave. I swear on my family's name that I will never force you to do anything you don't want to," she said, taking Izuku by surprise. "My family, the House of Gremory, have a long standing tradition with those we take into our peerages. We treat them, all of them, as though they were part of our family."

"You, you really mean it?"

"I swear it."

He felt better at that, not by a whole lot, but he did feel better. He still had questions though. "So, how did you, you know…bring me back?"

Rias smiled again, reaching into the pocket of her blazer before pulling out a chess piece. It looked like a Bishop piece. "With these. They're known as Evil Pieces."

"Evil pieces!?" He yelped. Didn't she say that not all Devils were evil?

"Their creator had a flair for the dramatic," she said with a small smirk. "Through these, a high ranking Devil, such as myself, can recruit others into their peerage, either by granting one to one who shows promise, or to revive someone. That's how we can climb higher up the ranks ourselves. The more interesting, and powerful the peerage, the more a Devil's status can rise. Though, we have to be quick if we wish to revive someone who has died. At best, we would have 5 minutes. Anymore, and they would be too far gone for us."

He was pretty sure he got it, though he knew he'd have to ask more about those 'Evil Pieces' before too long. The name still threw him off. Then there was the revival thing. That pretty much confirmed that he had actually died. Not a pleasant thought. "So, what did that...Donar? ...Dokan? ...Dumbo?

"Dohnaseek ."

"Him. He called me a stray. What does that mean?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like," she said. "A stray is a Devil with no master, either because their master died through unknown means, or if they managed to kill them themselves to try and attain freedom." She spoke with a more melancholy tone, as though she had seen it herself before.

Izuku could understand though. To long for freedom after being taken in without even knowing, probably even against your own will. He felt some commonality with them, he had apparently been a Devil for an entire week without even knowing.

One week.

One entire week, and he hadn't even known.

"Rias," he said, dread filling him once again. "Why?"

"Why what?" She asked, looking perplexed.

"Why did you wait a week? Why take so long to let me know?" He didn't mean for it to show, but his voice had become accusatory, his frustration with not knowing for so long showing through. It was enough to make Rias flinch.

"It's because I wanted to learn more about you first," she admitted. "I shouldn't have. I realized that last night. I was selfish, and you almost paid the price." Izuku was shocked, his eyes meeting hers once more, seeing her own frustration, directed far more inwardly than his own.

"I wish I could have just approached you so we could talk, but that was taken away from you, from us. And also," she began, tears beginning to form in her eyes, much to the surprise of her peerage. "I wanted you to still feel normal. Even for a while. Give you more time to just be you. Just for a while, before I would have to rip your world out from under you. I wanted to speak with you last night, to finally let you know, but you were attacked again. You got dragged into all of this again, and it was all my fault."

Standing up, Rias shocked the room by bowing at Izuku, her eyes hidden from view, but several tears falling from her face. "I shouldn't have kept this from you. I should have let you know. I'm sorry Izuku," she said, lifting her face to look Izuku dead in the eyes. Her own eyes had become red, and Izuku could see the truth in them. She had meant it. Every word. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt if I had just told you everything from the start. It's all my fault."

Izuku watched as she lowered her head again. In all his life, outside of his parents and All Might, only one other person had ever apologized to him for anything. No one else though. No matter what they'd done, they were in the right as far as they were concerned. They were above him, better than him, so they never thought they should ever have to apologize to the quirkless Deku.

And now, here she was. This young woman, one who had called herself his master, bowing to him and apologizing. She knew that she had done something wrong.

Before he knew it, he had stood up from his chair, kneeling down next to her. Even as she kept her head lowered, he faced her.

"I forgive you."

She looked back up at him in shock, her tears slowing, but still there. A small smile then bloomed onto her face, one that was shared by the other girls in the room, but Izuku could only see hers at that moment.

"Izuku, I…" she said, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "Thank you. I'll do what I can to live up to your forgiveness." The two then sat back down, the mood having lightened ever so slightly. "There's still a few things to talk about. Are you okay?"

"I'm, I'm fine," he said, even as he felt his heart still racing. This had been quite the day, and it still wasn't over yet.

"Alright, but let me know if it's too much. Now, a question. You've heard about the attacks and murders here in Mustufau, right?" He nodded, having a bad feeling where this was going. "They've released some more information lately. They've found evidence that these crimes may be being done by some kind of deformed human, possible one with a mutation quirk that has taken their kinds entirely." Izuku winced at the idea. Those with mutation quirks already suffered enough prejudice, murders being blamed on them would only make things worse. "They're wrong. Many of them have actually been done by strays. Without a master to rein them in, they can lose themselves to their darker nature, attacking and killing anyone who wanders near them without remorse," she said, a look of disgust on her face. The thought of that made Izuku want to throw up.

"That's not the end of it though," she explained, much to his horror. There was more? "They haven't stated anything publicly, but the attacks done by strays only account for some of the recent attacks. The rest are done by others, usually Fallen Angels, a stray priest, or some so-called Daemon Hunters. They attack and kill anyone who's come into contact with Devils, fully believing them to be tainted and corrupt."

Now he just felt sickened. They would really kill people for something like that?

"They're dangerous for us to face though. Their powers are supported by the light of God, which is poison to us. But I won't let them keep having their way," she said, a look of determination taking over her face. "I've placed this city under my protection, and I've made it my job to cease these senseless killings however I can."

"So then, you're like Mustufau's own Underground Heroes?!" Izuku asked somewhat excitedly.

"That's an interesting way to think about it, but I suppose it's not wrong," Yumi said with a small grin.

"You have a love for heroes Midoriya?" Akeno asked, a hint of teasing in her voice.

"You should see his room," Rias said, leaving Izuku in gaping mouthed horror. Was she really about to tell them about that? "Almost all wall to wall All Might merchandise."

Koneko stared at him briefly, before speaking for the second time since he'd arrived. "Nerd." She then went right back to her sweets.

"My my," Akeno said, her grin growing. "You've already been to his room Prez? How scandalous!"

"Can we please stop talking about this!" Izuku asked, his blushing face buried into his hands.

"Sorry Izuku," Rias giggled. "I was hoping to lighten the mood a little bit. It's a lot you have to take in after all." Her smile then dropped. "There's still more to tell, but I think we'll stop for now. Do you have anything to say Izuku?"

Izuku's eyes trailed back to the floor. He had no idea what to say. What even could he say after everything he had learned in the span of just a few minutes? Devils, Sacred Gears, all of it. It was a lot.

"I think," he began, taking a deep breath to help calm himself. "I think I need some air."

"I understand," Rias said with a nod. "Go ahead. Take as much time as you need."

"Thanks," he said before walking to the door, hoping to get some time to truly process everything.

Only for his wings to get caught in the doorway.

"Oh right. Sorry," Rias said, her face slightly flushed. With a snap of her fingers, his wings had disappeared into his back.

Unfortunately for him, he had already begun to force his way through, the momentum he had built up causing him to crash onto the floor. He let out an annoyed grumble before picking himself up and exiting, leaving the club room in silence.

It stayed that way for several seconds before someone broke it. "He took that better than I thought he would," Yumi said, her smile having dropped as soon as he left.

"He looked upset," Koneko said, her bag of sweets now set aside.

"I only hope he's alright," Rias said, looking guilty. "I wish I could've spoken with him sooner, we could have eased him into this more."

Akeno remained silent as she stared at the doorway, finishing her tea before speaking up.

Izuku was somewhat thankful that the daylight didn't seem to bother him as much as it once did. Otherwise he was sure his current headache would be worse. His thoughts kept circling around everything he had found out.

A Devil. He was a Devil now. And he had some sort of power that everyone wanted for themselves.

What would he do now? What could he do now? What about his life? His mom? His very humanity? Would he have to leave his dream behind? What about All Might and One For All?

"I don't know what to think," he groaned out as he sat on a bench right outside the club building, the light of the setting sun casting shadows everywhere he looked. Was that some sort of omen? "All of this is so much. What do I do? Can I really just leave it all behind? And what about this 'Sacred Gear? What even is it? Is it really strong enough to kill someone for? CoulditbeaspowerfulasOneForAll?ArethereotherheroeswhohaveSacredGears?I'veheardrumorsaboutsomepeopledevelopingsecondaryquirksandI'vealwaysfelthealousofthatbutcouldthosebeSacredGearswhataboutminecouldIevenmasteritatallwhatamIgonnado…"

"Are you alright?"

"GAH!" He gasped, turning his head to see who had spoken. Akeno was there standing beside him with the same smile she had on her face before. Kind, but with a clear amount of amusement. "Um, how-how long were you there?"

"I got here right about when you started mumbling without taking a breath. It's quite the impressive skill," she said with a small giggle.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. We all have our own little quirks Midoriya. I'm sure you'll find out the more you get to know us," she said as she sat down beside him. His face had begun turning red once more, someone as pretty as Rias sitting next to him was making his heart beat erratically. "It's really a lot, isn't it?"

Izuku flinched, understanding what she was talking about right away. "Y-yeah. It really is," he said morosely, before backtracking almost immediately. "D-don't get me wrong! I mean, I'm grateful to Rias for saving my life, twice, but…I never intended on becoming a Devil." 'I never wanted to be' went unsaid, but the message was clear.

"I understand. To live one's life as Human or Devil seems like an easy choice. For others though? It could be a very different case. Take me for example," she said, much to his surprise. "Once Rias offered me the chance, I pounced on it almost immediately."

"Wait, really?"

"Really," she said. He swore he saw her smile disappear for a moment, replaced by a more melancholy look before her smile reappeared. It took less than a second. "You're thinking that you have to give it up now, aren't you?" Izuku flinched. Was he that easy to read? "Now that you're a Devil, you think that you'll have to toss your humanity aside."

He fidgeted in place. She saw through him easily, but it was the truth. The very thought of anything he had thought of before she got there made his heart ache.

"I suppose some would think that. They'd probably believe it too, with their heart and soul," she said, before her smile began to widen. "I don't though. Not even for a second. If you ask me, humanity is more complicated than that. An ideal one strives for. After all, there are humans far worse than any Devil. People so vile and wicked that even the worst of Devils would want nothing to do with them."

Izuku listened intently, but he couldn't help but notice she sounded like she was speaking from experience. What could she have gone through?

"You're a Devil now Midoriya, but you're still you. There's a few extra features now, but who you are on the inside hasn't changed."

Izuku looked at her in amazement now, his mouth slightly agape. Was it really so simple? Had he been overthinking it?

"So, I'm still…still me? Just with, with wings?"

"Of course," she told him, her kind smile saying everything he needed to hear. "I've been a Devil for a few years now, and from everything I've seen, Devil's aren't all that different from humans. We feel the same emotions, we laugh, we love, we grow old. It's one of the reasons it's easy for us to forge pacts with one another."

He felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted from him. He really didn't have to change? He could still see his mom? He could still…still…

"Himejima?" The worry had begun taking over again. "Do…do you think, even…even if I'm a Devil now, that I could still be a hero?"

He hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't say no. That All Might hadn't just been wasting his time training someone who wasn't worthy. That all his fears and anxiety were wrong.

But that fear was still there.

Akeno just kept smiling at him, it now reaching her eyes. She spoke truthfully. "Of course you can. Devil or not, you can still be a hero."

What little weight that had remained was gone now, relief flooding through him as he felt his eyes water. He didn't have to leave anything behind. All Might wasn't wasting his time. He clenched at his chest, his heart beating as fast as it did when All Might said those words to him what felt like a lifetime ago.

"Young man, you can become a hero."

He couldn't hold back his tears as they fell, escaping his eyes like a faucet. Akeno had already placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, letting him know that he could let it all out.

He didn't know how long he sat there weeping, but when he finally stopped, she was still there, her hand still on his shoulder. "Thank you Himejima."

"It was no problem at all Midoriya. I'm certain I'll see you attending U.A. next year anyway."

Izuku could have kicked himself. He had forgotten that Akeno was also wearing a U.A. uniform just like Rias was. "So, uh…what course are you in Himejima?"

"General Studies 1-D," she answered with a sly grin. He had no idea why. "It'll be fun being an upperclassmen to someone in the Hero Course," she said gleefully.

He couldn't help himself as he chuckled, her bright mood feeling contagious. He felt like he was ready to speak to Rias again.

Though there was another thought swimming through his mind at the moment. "Hey, Himejima?" He asked, grabbing her attention. "Not, not that I'm not thankful but, but why did you come out here?" He thought that Rias would have been the one to do so.

"I saw how you were feeling," she said as she sat up. "I knew that she wanted to, but I think she still feels bad about keeping you in the dark for a while, so I asked her if I could talk to you," she smiled as she said it, something he noticed she had been doing almost non-stop since he had first seen her.

He smiled back, feeling better about everything.

As the two returned to the main room, they saw Rias still in her chair, her cup of tea still in hand. Yumi and Koneko were both beside her, likely talking with her before they arrived. Once she saw them, she set her now empty cup down, concern in her eyes.

"So," she began hesitantly. Part of her expected him to have actually left, and she wouldn't have blamed him. "Are you alright Izuku?"

He thought about it. He still had some doubts. There was still a lot he didn't know. But they had all been kind to him, understanding. Even giving him time to think.

He had his answer.

"Yeah. I think so," he said, slightly shaky. "I'm…I'm still not sure about all this," he gestured to the glyphs surrounding them. "But, I think I'll be alright."

Rias smiled, relief clear on her face. Izuku returned her smile, and before he knew it, he had been enveloped by her, his face planted directly into her generous chest.

"I'll do everything I can," she said. Izuku wondered what she meant, even as his face began burning red as it remained trapped between two objects that many boys, and more than a few girls, his age dreamed to be. "I will fulfill your wish," she said as she let him go. Even as his face still burned, he looked at her questioningly. "Your wish from when you summoned me. You still want to become a hero, don't you?" Not trusting his mouth, he simply nodded. "Then as King of this peerage, it's my duty to help you however I can," she said, determination clear in her voice.

The two smiled at each other, but there was still something Izuku knew he had to do. He was already training to become a hero, and he wasn't sure if she knew that yet. But if she was really going to do this, he knew that something needed to happen first.

They needed to talk to All Might.

Next time!

Izuku:I don't think this'll be easy. I mean, how's he even gonna react to all this?

Rias:Who've you talking about?

Izuku:Oh! Just, someone I think you should talk to.

Rias:I think it'll go well, but regardless, we have work to do!

Izuku:Work?

Rias:You're still new to this after all, you've a ways to go before U.A.'s entrance exams after all.

Izuku:Oh, well…that's something we need to talk about

Rias:It is?

Next time:Meetings and Missions!

Rias:Wait, is that…?

Izuku:Go beyond!

Both:PLUS ULTRA!

So, fun fact. A good chunk of this chapter was done when I published the first one. I did say that I hesitated posting the first one for a while, didn't I? That's the main reason I was able to get it out so quickly.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words for the first chapter. it's the kind of stuff that let's my brain produce that feel good chemical. I also have this posted on Archive Of Our Own under the same name if you're curious. I received some good critiques about a few things I can improve on, like not needing to list character heights.

I'm hoping I'll be able to keep going on with this, I am having a bit of fun, and I hope that shines through to you all.

Thank you all so much! Remember to be good, be kind.