Hell. That's exactly where Zero was today. Absolute Hell. Everything should just be set on fire with how hellish everything was.
"Kid, you're being dramatic." Aizawa spoke into his scarf, rolling his eyes. This kid was going to be the death of him.
"I am not." Argued Zero, crossing his arms.
"It's just a little fight, Zero!" Hatsume said, giggling like the mischievous girl she was. "What's the harm?"
"You guys are here!" Zero said, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. "How am I supposed to fit if you're breathing down my neck?"
"But we aren't, Zero," Matsui said with a sly smile. "We'll be over here, sitting quietly."
"Sadists, all of you." Zero mumbled, ignoring how his new found friends laughed, sitting back to watch his training battle.
Did Zero mention he was in hell?
"It'll be easy, Zero. Just disarm Uraraka within the time limit. You have five minutes." Zero sighed, sliding his deer mask over his face. A few students pointed it out, but Zero didn't care if they were complimenting him or insulting it. He loved his mask.
Zero boarded the platform carefully, eyes darting around every corner. It felt like the fight clubs he used to watch over, students standing by, even a few placing bets. Uraraka stood, relaxed, across from him. Her mask covered all of her face, much like Zero's own, but Zero had written down every 'tell' the girl had. She was tense, shoulders tight. She didn't know who Zero was in a fight, or how she could go against him. Even the way she held the decoy knife was a give away.
Zero had this in the bag.
"Begin!" Aizawa yelled, Zero and Uraka both standing still. After a second, Zero rushed forward, faster than the gravity hero had expected. She fumbled, hand clutching the knife with all her might. He lunged forward, grabbing her wrist and twisting it, trying to force her to drop the knife she had been holding. She cried out in pain and shock, but the boy didn't hesitate. Zero stood hard, momentarily caught off guard as the girl flipped them over. If Zero was a dumber person, the fake knife likely would have gone straight into his arm, leaving him with a nasty bruise.
Zero was too smart for a simple rule like that.
Years of training, fighting, barely surviving flashed through Izuku's head, filling him with memories of stab wounds and bullet holes. His neck itched, so badly, he just wanted to scratch it so bad, please, please, please-
Zero twisted his arm, bones popping so loudly Uraraka gasped. Still, Zero had the knife twisted right at the girl's heart.
"Drop it or I'll stab you." His tone was harsh, commanding in a way. She let go, Zero easing the tool out of her grasp. If he was-
Applause rang out around them, students cheering and clapping along for the new kid. Zero eyed them, oddly. Anyone could have done that, he had just perfected it a little more carefully than others had.
"Zero, your analysis?" Students whispered as the green haired boy straightened up, rubbing his poor arm bone. Not broken, but he definitely shouldn't have twisted it that hard. He'd likely have to go see that damn nurse again. Last time hadn't gone so well.
"Before the fight, she was too tense. While her lower body may have seemed relaxed, slouched even, her upper shoulders and neck were tense. You could see her jaw muscles tensing in her neck." He pointed at a spot on his own neck, students turning to see that a tiny sliver of Uraraka's neck was revealed. "She was good at not rushing in, but it also gave me ample time to charge in and get my own attack out first. Her roll movement was expected, and she can definitely use her body weight and momentum to take down bigger opponents in future battles. If we were allowed to use our quirks, she could definitely lower her gravity to sneak over villains, assuming her quirk allows her to change the levels-"
"Zero, hurry it up please. You can write this all down later."
"Right! The roll was good and caught me off guard, but she got surprised when she heard my arm pop and that allowed me to spin the blade out of her hand. She also fell easily to a command, which I think was more of a shock factor than anything else." Aizawa nodded, the class looking at him like he had two heads.
"Is that your quirk, Zero?" Iida asked, arm chopping the air. "It makes sense, knowing what you said about the hero course and all."
"Oh, no my quirk is called shift." Zero moved, teal mask sparkling gold as he changed directions. The class ooh'd, and Zero held his composure for about five seconds.
"Pardon?"
"No, it's just-" Zero laughed, taking off his mask so he could inhale deeper. "I haven't been asked that question in so long. I don't have a quirk."
The class was too stunned to speak.
"Nedzu, what else are we supposed to do? We can't just expect the villains to not come after Izuku-" All Might said, standing up during their conference. Zero's eye twitched at the use of his name. Breaking the one deal that they had for him coming to this school.
"Yagi, I understand what you are saying, but Zero has expressed doubt that the League of Villains will ever come looking for him. He was an inside man, no one too important. No offence, Zero." Zero raised his hand behind his pseudo father, acknowledging the statement.
"But that's what if's!" All Might argued, pushing the conversation forward. Zero rolled his eyes. "No, I am uncomfortable with having Izuku on the trip!"
"All Might, come on!" Hizashi tried to reason, raising his hands. "He has potential, and besides, Izuku-"
"If one more person calls me 'Izuku' I will bomb this school." Silence sounded around them, Nedzu turning around in his large black chair to laugh silently. "It is Zero. Z, E, R, O. Like Zebra but different letters." Aizawa tucked his head inside his scarf, feigning annoyance while he silently chuckled. The kid had spirit. And to threaten 'bombings' while people brought up his ties to the league? Guts, pure and simple. "Now, is anyone going to ask me how I feel?"
"Of course, Zero! You didn't think you'd get no say in this, did you?" Zero's hand twitched, a shot of sadness shooting down the rat's fur. "What would you like to do, Zero?"
"I wanna go." Nedzu raised an eyebrow, as did Aizawa. "You said it yourself, I need to get some actual 'experience'. Plus, I think it's a great way to get to know class 1-B and their quirks."
"That is true," Nedzu nodded. "Your notes on them are bare compared to the pages you have for Shota's class. Very well, you can go."
"Nedzu, you can't-"
"All Might, with all due respect, you didn't even get to USJ until almost thirty minutes into the fight, from what I've heard. You aren't even on the list for teachers guarding the students!" All Might shot Nedzu a strange look, as if the blonde hadn't expected Zero to know this. "I'm the one who put those sheets together, so I think I'd know who was going and who wasn't." All Might stared at Zero, cowering under his sharp, analytical eyes. Of course, he'd never admit it. It's why Hizashi and Shota would remind him.
"And if you recall, in states in the rulebook Guardians have the ultimate call if children go on field trips! Well, as Zero's guardian, I say yes!" The rat took a sip of his tea. Zero's cheeks flushed pink softly, muttering a "yeah, that too" as he sat back in his own office chair. He had painstakingly dragged it out of his office and down the hall to the meeting room. No way in hell was he sitting in those uncomfortable death-causer's that normal teachers were forced to sit in.
The meeting dragged on, Zero eventually excusing himself towards the end to drag his chair back to his office. Even with wheels it was still heavy. He needed to invest in a permanent meeting room chair like Nedzu had.
When he had finished cleaning up his office for the day, Zero crumbled into his seat. Today was so tiring, even if Zero had gotten to skip heroics for a meeting. It was a study hall anyway, not like Zero had anything better to do.
"Ah, Zero! Are you ready to go?" Nedzu popped his head in. Zero groaned, rising out of his seat. "Are you alright?"
"Sore, it's been a while since I actually had to do hero work. I was fine yesterday, but today is just- I'm tired, I guess."
"It appears so, oh! Zero, do remind me I have something to give you back home." Zero gave a lazy thumbs up, following the rat out of the building, into the car, and into their house. The moment Zero saw the white couch, he collapsed on it.
"Here, Zero. Catch." Zero held out a lazy hand, the box flying right under it. Zero groaned, practically rolling off of the fluffy couch to grab it. He grasped the box, Nedzu coming over and sitting down next to him, holding two cups of tea. They had only had a couple weeks together, and while it had taken a bit of coaxing, Zero looked forward to their nightly tea sessions, talking about hero rankings or how certain upperclassmen were faring.
"What's this?" Zero asked, opening the box. Inside sat a ring, double layered, with a chain across the middle.
"It's a movement ring. You rub your erasers when you're working. I noticed it a few days ago, so I ordered one." Zero raised an eyebrow, sliding the green and black ring onto his finger. It felt snug, and Zero began to play with the spinning chain, enjoying the sensation better than the heated rubbing of his erasers. It was nice.
"Thank you, Nedzu."
"Think nothing of it!" Nedzu sipped his tea, Zero reaching over to take a sip of his own. "Though I do have a question."
"What's up?"
"What is your abhorrence for the name Izuku?" Nedzu paused for a moment, quirk activating, reading every one of his wards movements. "You don't have to tell me, but I must admit I'm curious."
"It's not my name. It's some weak little boy who got kidnapped."
"Whose Zero then?" Zero paused for a moment, rubbing his head tiredly into a couch cushion.
"Zero is the one who kicked ass."
"Why can't it be both?" Nedzu asked. Zero said nothing else, simply pulling out his phone and playing Candy Crash and rolling onto his side. Nedzu smiled down, turning on the news as he relaxed too.
He'd decide if he wanted to use his real name whenever he was comfortable. Nedzu wasn't going to push that.
AN: I'd really like to apologise for the wait! Inktober took over my life, and the beginnings of NaNoWriMo I spent finishing up that work! But don't worry, back on my story grind! I'll (eventually) post my inktober work here as well! It's just really long lol