Toga stuck close to Izuku's side as they followed All Might through the halls of U.A towards Principle Nezu's Office, opposite the Staff Room. It was eerie, walking through U.A's halls after hours, dimly lit by the emergency lights as their footsteps echoed through the establishment.
No one had said a word to each other since Izuku first went to collect All Might from the staff dorm, but Izuku could tell himself and All Might had the same idea. He refused to release Full Cowling, just in case Toga tried anything.
You could cut the tension with a knife, but what reassured Izuku was that Toga looked even more anxious than either of them. Her eyes were darting in every direction and she looked nothing like a scheming villain would.
"Here we are. Do you need me to come in with you or are you going to be alright?" All Might asked, stopping at the door of the Staff Room, his fist hovering a few inches from the massive, dark wooden door.
"I think it's best if you stay... This is something I'll need your guidance on." Izuku responded quietly, looking up to All Might with severity in his eyes. All Might didn't seem phased, nodding and knocking on the door three times, before lifting his I.D card and scanning it on the lower of the two scanners.
It let out a pleasant little beep, and the lock clicked. Izuku felt a sudden tension on his sleeve and he looked over at Toga, who was clutching the green material of his hero costume in her fist.
She was shaking. Her jaw looked tense and she couldn't take her eyes from the looming silhouette that was All Might as he strolled into the Staff Room. Izuku wanted to say something to comfort her, but not only did he have no words, but nothing he said would be able to ease the anxiety she was probably feeling. A villain walking right into enemy lines.
"Principle Nezu, I've brought Young Midoriya and his female acquaintance to see you. There was something they needed to discuss with us." All Might stated. The small rodent teacher looking up from the top of his laptop and smiled widely as he set his eyes on the three of them.
"Midoriya, good to see you." Nezu smiled.
"Good to see you too Sir." The greenette responded, following All Might to the dark green sofa on the opposite side of the coffee table. The three of them sat down as Nezu closed his laptop and set it down at his side.
"Principle Nezu... All Might... I-" Izuku started, before being cut off by Toga.
"Can a villain become a hero?" She asked, a little too loudly. All Might sat up straight and looked over at her with an extremely puzzled face. Nezu shared this expression, looking between All Might, then Izuku, then finally, Toga.
"What are you talking about, young lady?" All Might asked sternly. Toga shrank back against the sofa a little, the hope in her eyes fading a little.
"I-..." She started. She felt out of her own body, nothing like she'd ever felt before. The feeling would probably be closest to something of dysphoria.
"I'm a member of the League of Villains..." She started.
All Might almost immediately leapt up from the chair.
"No, All Might, please wait!" Izuku pleaded.
"Young Midoriya... I do hope you're joking around with me." The blonde-haired number one hero stated sternly.
"Please, just hear her out... I know how insane this is going to sound, but I don't think she's joking." He responded, looking over his shoulder to Toga, who started up at All Might with visceral fear in her eyes.
The pro hero relaxed a little and took a deep breath before sighing and sitting back down.
"I applied here last year, but you turned me away because of the nature of my Quirk..." Toga started, looking at Nezu with a solemn expression. "I'm sure you remember who I am." She added. Nezu started up at her, his eyes closely analysing her features.
"I need to use blood to activate my Quirk. When I ingest someone's blood, I can take on their form; their voice, their bodies, the clothing I remember them wearing last time I saw them. I knew... No, I know it's a Quirk that could make me a great Hero. But, I needed to draw that blood from the other students in order to use it."
No one said a word, but the atmosphere in the room felt slightly calmer than it did moments before. All Might was clearly still on guard, as was Izuku, but Nezu looked incredibly calm, almost empathetic.
"You though... You told me my Quirk wasn't suitable for a Hero." Toga stated. Her tone was more severe now, the grudge she held against Nezu finally showing itself.
"I don't think you have a right to decide who I can and can't be, all because of a trait I was born with. I knew I could be a hero, I'd been striving for it my whole life, and you were the one who decided that it was all for nothing." She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out with a heavy sigh.
"My methods of using my quirk shouldn't have determined whether I was fit for a position in this school or not. I thought the whole point of this school was to help the new generation become better heroes. So why was I turned away..." She muttered. Breaking eye contact with Nezu and looking down to the floor.
More silence followed Toga's speech, and Izuku, All Might and Nezu, all exchanged confused glances.
"Toga... I never turned you away. I believed your passion would carry you through to this years try-outs. It wasn't only that, however, but you also weren't old enough to be enrolled in the school. Your Quirk doesn't define you, and it would make you a great hero. I understand why my letter would bring you to feel otherwise." Nezu responded, bringing his legs up and crossing them, looking up at her with genuine pitty.
"However, what you decided to do with yourself after you received that letter was down to you... I just never expected what I'd said to push someone to become a villain." He said.
"Well, it did. I wanted to prove to you that I could be a valuable asset to the future generation of heroes, but you turned me away, so I decided to prove it to everyone another way. I let down my parents when I gave them that letter, and all I'd wanted was to make them proud, even though I knew they'd never accept who I was." She responded.
"They thought my Quirk was a curse, and I wanted to prove to them they were wrong. I got turned away though, and I was too scared to face them, so I ran away. I couldn't face them. That was when I started life as a villain. It felt like I was lying to myself every day that passed, but I knew it was the only chance I had to prove to everyone that I could be dangerous, to the right or wrong side." She grumbled, staring down at the floor.
Izuku looked up from Toga when she'd finished speaking, and turned his eyes to All Might, who was looking across to Nezu.
"A villain, Giran, took me in. He gave me somewhere to live and recently introduced me to the League... But even then I felt like I was betraying myself." She continued.
"I don't want to live this way anymore... I want to make people happy and prove to everyone that even "cursed" Quirks can be used to save people, and make them happy, but you're the only one who can give me this chance. I'll tell you anything you need to know about the League, but only if you'll give me this chance to prove myself."
Nezu took a deep breath, and let it out with a sigh.
"Toga... I understand how painful that might've been to go through, and I apologise for what you've been living with. However, as a member of the League, having any trust in you is near impossible to-." Nezu started before getting cut off by Toga.
"In two days, Shigaraki is going to bring All For One out from hiding. The League will meet at the hideout and Kurogiri; Shigaraki's guardian will open the rift to where All For One's been hiding, and bring him here. They plan to bring you down, All Might." She said, not faltering on anything she'd said, staring Nezu in the face, before turning to All Might.
Izuku felt his stomach twist and his feet go cold. In two days, Shigaraki Tomura was bringing All For One back. If what she'd said was true, then in All Might's current state, there was no guaranteeing victory.
"Toga Himiko, I hope you realise the severity of those claims." All Might's baritone voice spoke up, shaking Izuku's insides.
"Why would I lie about that sort of thing. I'd make up something like that? What benefit does that give the League? Did I tell them you were planning to intercept this event? No, I didn't, because you didn't even know it was going to happen. So, say you assume I'm lying, and you do nothing, and All For One returns, and brings this city to the ground. What then, Symbol of Peace?" Toga asked sharply.
Again, she didn't falter on her words once, and her body language was the complete opposite to that of a liar. Izuku again, glanced between Toga and All Might.
"Are you threatening us, Toga Himiko?" Nezu perked up.
"No. I'm proving to you that I'm no liar. All I want is a chance to repent, and to prove that I want to make people happy, and save lives, just like always. Please just listen to me..." Her steely expression faltered now, and her eyes began to water up.
Izuku didn't know what to think or what to say. He assumed he'd have to explain the situation, but instead, Toga had handled it all on her own. Her story was a tragic one, but as much as he wanted to believe her too, it still felt wrong to do it. She was a member of the League right now, and that hadn't changed just because she'd shared what could be a true story.
"What should we do, All Might..." Izuku asked as Toga rested her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands, silently sobbing.
"Young Midoriya... I understand how this situation might make you feel empathy towards Toga Himiko. However, you must understand that her position as a League of Villains member makes it incredibly hard to just accept her into this school. Besides, that decision is down to Principle Nezu." All Might stated, reaching over and patting Izuku's shoulder.
"All Might. Something I know about Toga, that you would not, was that she had incredible determination in the exam. She displayed traits of a quality hero, and the only thing that let her down was the fact that she had to cause, in some cases, severe harm to other students." Nezu explained.
"I-I'm sorry for that... I didn't have any other way to use my Quirk... I-I didn't have a choice... I never wanted to hurt that in that way..." She muttered between quiet sobs.
"I know, Toga, so I will make you a deal." Nezu started, grabbing the three other bodies in the rooms attention. "If what you've told us about the League of Villains, and about All For One is true, and you retake and pass the same physical exam as Class 1-A's students did, then you can have a place in the Hero Course, and depending on your results, you'll either be in Class B, or A." Nezu explained, smiling up at the blonde girl.
"But, if you're lying to us, you'll be turned into the authorities." He added, his smile falling, but only a little bit.
Toga stared at him with a face of shock, before turning to Izuku. They didn't know this, but she knew she was telling the truth, and she also knew she could pass this Physical Exam. Her place in the Hero Course was almost guaranteed. Not only that, but she had a chance to be in the same class as Izuku Midoriya; her Izuku Midoriya.
"Principle Nezu... Are you absolutely sure this is a good idea?" All Might asked, looking down at the rodent Principle.
"I am. Just as a precaution, I will have the Development Studio build a tracking collar for her, which myself and the Police will have access to. That way, if she tried to go back to the League, we will know." Nezu explained.
"If you would be so kind, All Might, I would like you to come to the Police Station tomorrow and help me explain the situation to them. I know you have friends in the force, so I'm sure they will lend us their assistance." He explained. "All we have to do now, is find somewhere for her to stay-."
"I wanna stay with Izuku." Toga stated, gripping his arm, which brought a bright red blush onto Izuku's cheeks.
"Oh? Do you two know each other?" All Might asked with a frown.
"No, I've never met her before now!" Izuku muttered anxiously up to the Blonde-haired hero.
"Toga, you will be staying in the Staff Dorm until your place here at U.A had been assured. You will be under the same curfew as the other students, but I will have the key and will lock your door at the start, and end of that curfew, just as a precaution." Nezu started.
"During the day, if you wish to, I can have Midoriya here come and pay you a visit, if he so wishes. You may not know each other much, if at all, but he is the only one who knows of your origins, at least from what we know now. If you can comply with these current temporary rules, then you'll find life here very easy going." Nezu explained with a friendly smile.
"I don't mind visiting, i-if you really want me to..." Izuku responded hesitantly, looking over at Toga who was beaming at him in response. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad one, that Nezu, and less so, All Might, seemed so accepting of the idea. Of course, U.A wasn't one for denying opportunities and taking would-be heroes from the generations of the future, but even so.
All Might shifted uncomfortably and tapped his foot in an impatient them, not that Izuku blamed him. It probably wasn't really Toga that was getting to him, on her own, she would be zero threat to them really. What Izuku suspected to be bothering him, was the fact she'd said All For One would return, in no less than two days.
This thought made Izuku feel uncomfortable, so there was no guessing what All Might was feeling right at this second. The Number One villain, almost, if not equally as infamous as All Might himself. Izuku didn't know much about All For One, considering he might one day, in the near future, have to face him himself, but he had no doubts now that he was soon to learn more about the elusive man.
Whatever, Izuku was too tired to think about it anymore, today had been far too eventful for him to then have to deal with things like this. This was an ordeal for tomorrow. Right now, he just wanted to sleep.
"Alright then, you're free to go, Midoriya. All Might, you and I will escort Miss Himiko back to the Teachers Dorm." Nezu perked up, addressing Izuku briefly. The greenette fired Toga one last sideways smile, before turning and leaving the staff room.
When Izuku woke the next morning, and the first thing, or rather, the person he thought about, was Toga. After sitting up, and letting out a small sigh, Izuku sat up and crossed his legs before bringing his hand to his face and massaging the brim of his nose. Part of him couldn't quite believe it was anything more than some abstract dream, but he'd find out for sure if he was called to Nezu's Office or summoned by All Might to visit Toga, as he agreed to yesterday.
He pushed the covers off himself and swang his tired legs over the side of the bed, sitting up and clearing his throat before looking over at his digital, All Might alarm clock. '6:04 AM'. He was up before his alarm again and considering he had a later night than the others in his class, that wasn't a good thing.
He didn't bother changing into his uniform, since there was still an hour till he even had to go into school. So, in nothing but his pyjamas and a pair of black and white fleece-lined slippers.
With the days getting colder and shorter, sunrise was getting later and later into the day, so Izuku navigated his way through the hallway of his floor and to the lift with nothing but the washed out, yellowish-orange light from the sun. He felt so drowsy thanks to the demanding day before this one. However, one thing that hadn't worn down during that time, was the greenette's excitement.
The fact he'd actually managed to get hold of his Provisional License and with a very good score, was surreal. He was the closest to a real hero he'd ever been, and could now get out into the field, and save those around him without intruding breaking any laws as he had with Stain and even Melodyne.
He was also very proud of Mina, who had gotten a much better score than she expected in the exam, but what was even more surprising, was that there were some in their class, who failed, and would have to retake the exam in the near future.
Those students were Bakugo and Todoroki; the two who everyone seemed convinced would pass. Todoroki found himself getting into an infield quarrel with another student from a different school, a Whid Quirk user, which ended up putting people in danger, and thus they both failed. As for Bakugo, his reason was much tamer, in that he put in little to no effort when it came to the Search and Rescue portion of the exam.
Then, another memory popped into his head. Toga; and what she had said the day before. He felt happy that Nezu was willing to give her a second chance, even though trusting her was a really had a thing for them all to do. What was the most terrifying of that situation, was what she'd said about All For One.
With every hour that passed them by, the closer the time for his break-out got. Izuku looked up to All Might, and admired him more than anyone. However, knowing of his condition, and how it was only proceeding to decline, he felt unsure as to whether or not he'd be able to take All For One down again.
As the lift came to a stop and opened the doors to allow Izuku into the common room, his mind began wondering about something else. Would he even be able to tell Mina about what was happening? The whole Toga situation wasn't something he really thought Mina needed to know, because if all went as planned with her, then everyone in Class 1-A would meet eventually.
However, the situation with All Might, and All For One was a completely different matter. Although Mina knew about Izuku, and One For All, he wasn't sure how much more he could tell her, especially because of the severity of this situation, and how much was on the line if it really came to pass, especially if All Might lost.
It wasn't that it was too much for him to handle alone, but sharing his problems with Mina always made them slightly easier to cope with. He let out a sigh, which drained a bit of the sickening feeling in his stomach, and walked into the elevator on the girl's side of the building, pressing the button for Mina's floor, and waiting as the doors slid closed, and carried him up to her.
He couldn't really tell how he was feeling today. He was going from joyous and motivated to drained, and sick with anxiety. Too much had happened, good and bad, and he was too drained to process any of it, at least he couldn't process it alone, as he'd just end up overthinking it.
Finally, the elevator came to a slow, bumpy stop, and the doors slid open revealing the dimly lit corridor to the greenette, whose eyes immediately went to Mina's door. Taking a deep breath and letting out an exhausted sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and started towards her door, his feet dragging behind him slightly.
Knocking on her door, he patiently waited for a response, and when none came, he knocked again. After his third attempt, he heard a shuffling from inside and after a few seconds, the lock clicked, and the door was slowly opened, Mina peering through the crack.
"M-Midori?" She asked, her eyes half open and her hair sticking up at wild angles, almost completely hiding her small pail horns.
"Hey, Mina... S-Sorry for waking you up... Can I come sit with you for a while?" He asked, lowering his head and looking at his feet.
Mina sniffed, rubbing her eye and slowly nodding, stepping back and opening the door fully to let him in. She was wearing a simple, oversized T-shirt as her pyjamas, but Izuku was too drained and distracted to think anything else of it.
He'd forgotten just how rambunctious Mina's room was, with lots of pinks, black and purple furniture.
"What's up with you? I'm not complaining, but I never expected you to show up at this time." She said, shivering a little as a cold chill rode down her spine, and she followed Izuku over to her bed. The two of them climbed into the single bed and cuddled up close to one another, the warmth enveloping them both and making them feel as though they could fall right back to sleep.
"Nothings up really... Just... Thinking." Izuku said, the disappointment in himself growing the more he spoke. What a great way of wording it, because that definitely wouldn't arouse any suspicion.
Midori, you might not think so, but I've been with you long enough to know when you're lying to me." She giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling her face into his chest.
"It's something to do with All Might, isn't it." She said knowingly. Izuku gently nodded, the calming scent of her strawberry shampoo filling his nostrils and bringing him an almost instant feeling of tranquillity.
"It's okay. I know you'd tell me if you could." Her gentle voice felt like it was caressing his tired ears, plucking all the weight from his shoulders. He hadn't noticed in times before now, but on top of her desk, Mina had a Bluetooth speaker that doubled as a tall, water-filled lamp, a small pump within blowing little bubbles to keep the plastic fish within, floating around.
The constant, slow humming of the pump was incredibly relaxing, and the small light, which faded through an array of different colours, illuminated the room.
"You don't ever catch a break, do you?" She grumbled, letting out a content sigh, slipping her hand into his and locking their fingers together.
"I love you, Mina." Izuku muttered, moving his head and pecking her gently, to which she happily wiggled against him.
"I love you too." She cooed.