[Chapter 9]

Midoriya Izuku stared at the ethereal girl in front of her, jaw agape. She couldn't make sense of what was happening, having found herself in an infinite white space of empty nothingness.

"Toga… Himiko?" Izuku said slowly, feeling as if the name was oddly familiar.

"That's right." Toga nodded. "Or rather, I'm what's left of her. A vestige attached to your Quirk, Transform. "

"My Quirk?" Confused eyes flickered from the blonde to the pillar of twisted red muscle that stood beside her. "I… I don't understand."

"You will." Toga's image flickered and waned like a dying flame. "All you have to know is that Transform once belonged to me. Now he is yours."

Transform said nothing but stared blankly at Izuku, the Quirk's empty eye sockets seeming to bore into her very soul. She matched his gaze nervously, rather alarmed that something like that was living within her.

"I don't have much time to explain, so I'll make this short." Toga continued, grimacing with effort. "The Angels are here because there's a breach, a hole in reality. Something that shouldn't be possible."

A hole in reality? Izuku thought, mind racing. To where?

Deep down, she already knew the answer. It was the same place her other body went whenever she transformed, that haunting incandescence she witnessed that night on the bridge.

"I remember… a lab. A doctor. He did something to both me and Transform." Toga said, her voice distorting with every word. "Twisted us round and around until we became… this."

She gestured down at herself, and for a split second the beautiful, golden Magical Girl that saved Izuku stood in her place. The illusion faded as soon as it came, her body already starting to dissipate into glittering particles and smoke.

"My original Quirk was to transform into other people by drinking their blood. I remember seeing Transform when I was a kid, in my dreams. He was a beautiful red sparrow… They pulled him apart and put him back together, just like they did to me."

Izuku remembered that fateful night. The way Toga's blood splashed across her face and into her mouth.

"Who did this to you?" Izuku whispered.

"I don't know. It's like there's holes in my memory." Toga clutched her head. "It hurts when I think about—"

"A rainbow." Izuku interrupted, eyes widening.

"Yes. I've been watching you fight these 'Angels', Izuku. That rainbow you saw is the breach, which leads to an alternate space. Their home."

"B-but why?" Izuku paced around, mumbling to herself. "Why would they even come here? This place must be completely alien to them!"

The viridian Magical Girl was now muttering up a storm, all sorts of theories and hypotheses whirling around in her head. If Quirks really did behave like animals, they could be predicted. Mustard's words of Apex Predators and helpless prey echoed within her thoughts. Quirks were from another world, with possibly its own ecosystem. Izuku had seen enough nature documentaries to guess what was happening. Just like Mustard said, predators improved the stock. They had to change their ways just to survive.

With the introduction of the breach; a hole that led to this reality, Quirks had found an opportunity. A new land ripe with resources, populated by helpless humans who could hardly even put a dent in most of them.

"They're an invasive species." Izuku whispered with alarm. "If they keep coming here…"

"This entire country will soon belong to them. Maybe even the entire planet." Toga nodded grimly. "Look, Izuku. I may not have liked society as it is, but I'm not going to let millions of people suffer either."

It took a moment for Izuku to realize that her legs were shaking. A few Angels were already more than what the local heroes could handle. If an entire army of them appeared, she wasn't sure if she could stop them. Even with all her power, she was only one person.

Toga coughed, wisps of golden smoke trailing from her mouth. She glanced down at her right hand, which was already rapidly disintegrating into nothingness.

"It looks like my time's running out." Toga coughed again painfully. "I'm going to disappear soon, so it's up to you now."

"M-me?"

"You're the only one who can stop all of this. Please find out what happened to me." Toga said, holding herself together by sheer force of will. "If you do, there may yet be a chance of stopping the Angels and Mustard… or rather, the 'other me'."

Izuku's eyes widened. Of course! Both Miracle and Mustard had the same Quirk, but the purple Magical Girl also had her original gas Quirk. If there was a vestige of Toga attached to Transform, Mustard probably had one in her head as well. Izuku reasoned it was why Mustard didn't attack when she reverted back into Matsuda.

"The other you must have somehow fused with Matsuda-san's subconscious desires." Izuku speculated. "She… she went berserk in Musutafu City!"

"All the more reason for you to find the lab, Izuku. I…"

Toga vanished before she could finish her sentence, and the illusionary world collapsed like a sandcastle hit by a wave. Shaking her head, Izuku blinked the stars out of her eyes and found herself back on the moon. She had a new goal now, a clear purpose. Though the revelation shook her to the core, there was still something she had to do first.

Gulping, she floated into space and headed back to Musutafu City, Japan.

[x]

Hatsume Mei coughed and sputtered, smoke filling the cockpit she was in. The crash landing had been unpleasant, and being on fire wasn't helping.

"Status report!" she barked, ripping off her helmet and patting the flames away.

"Warning. Oxygen levels low." A female, computerized voice warned. "Major fracture detected. Internal bleeding detected. Major laceration detected. Blood loss detected. Seek medical attention."

"Stupid parachute malfunction… stupid Magical Girls…" Mei grumbled to herself, scowling. She popped the canopy, allowing fresh air to seep into the cockpit.

Stepping outside, she was immediately struck by a blinding ray of sunlight. Mei looked around and saw a sea of palm trees, the tropical environment indicating she was a long, long way from home. The girl swirled the blood around in her mouth before spitting it out, reaching for a survival kit.

Mei blinked when she realized her mechanical left arm wasn't responding, sparking at the elbow. A closer inspection revealed that the servomotors had shattered, the prosthetic having been badly damaged in the crash-landing from space. Mei rolled her eyes and popped the arm off, placing it aside while searching around the cockpit.

First, she had to stop the bleeding. Her patented baby #872 solved that problem by being a biofoam spray that could be used to temporarily seal wounds. Mei inserted the thin nozzle into the large gash along her side and grit her teeth, hissing in pain as the biofoam flooded in. It hurt like a thousand stinging ants crawling inside of her, but the alternative was bleeding out in the middle of nowhere. Not today, Mei told herself.

The next few steps were much simpler. After bandaging her wounds she used her teeth to remove the cap off two syringes, injecting herself with both morphine and a stimulant. Mei felt better almost immediately, her vision and thoughts sharpening. A quick self-diagnosis told her that she had two broken ribs, multiple contusions, a fractured collarbone… the works. If it weren't for her training, cybernetic implants, and the stimulant, she'd already be down for the count. Mei huffed, retrieving her mech's Black Box along with a knife and a pistol.

The girl began to walk, the scorching sun blazing high above her. Despite the crash her artificial eye was still working, broadcasting an SOS signal and feeding her GPS data. With all those wounds, a lesser man would die before reaching civilization. Hatsume Mei would be back in Japan by sundown.

Mei made it to the main road only a few minutes later, the sheer heat rising off the asphalt distorting the air. The pink-haired genius sighed, then blinked when she heard the sound of an approaching vehicle behind her. She held her artificial arm out with her good hand, causing the car to slow. Within it was a family of four, the parents gawking at her while the kids peeked out from the backseat curiously.

Mei wasn't exactly a sight for sore eyes, her still-smoking flight suit and bloodied bandages painting a grisly image. The way she waved her detached robot arm around only made them more alarmed.

"Aloha!" Mei greeted them with a friendly wave, speaking in English to the obvious tourists. "You guys going in that direction? I'm headed to the Japanese Embassy and I could use a ride."

The parents nodded dumbly and let her in after a quick discussion after she showed them her government badge. In the backseat the children scooted over to make some space, gazing at her with clear wonder.

"Where'd you some from?" the older sibling asked. "There isn't a town for miles around!"

"I just came back from space, kid." Mei let out a low exhale. "It's a long story."

"Space? Are you an alien?!"

"No, I went to space with my giant robot to fight a bad guy." Mei pulled out a calorie bar from her survival kit, biting down and chewing. "I got shot down, so here I am."

"You have a metal arm?" the younger kid, a boy, whispered with awe while offering her some of his bottled water. "That is awesome, dude."

"Thanks! I made it myself." Mei smiled. "Wanna hold it?"

"Can I?!"

"Sure." Mei held the prosthetic out to him. "Just, uh, be careful with it. You don't want to activate the taser darts."

[x]

Miracle began breathing heavily when Musutafu City came into view.

Her battle with Mustard had devastated the entire city, and though she stopped Mustard from completely razing it to the ground there was significant damage to both the infrastructure and the environment. Giant chasms lined some streets, a long trail of emergency vehicles and evacuees slowly but surely trudging out of the disaster zone. A thin layer of dust from the collapsed buildings clouded the air, dying everyone's clothes white.

Izuku clenched her teeth and headed home, only for her heart to drop when she saw what remained of her apartment. It had crumpled like a pancake, now nothing more than a pile of rubble.

"Mom!"

She landed and immediately began digging, tears streaming down her face. It couldn't be. Not like this. Izuku began crying again, despair clouding her thoughts when she began finding more and more of her belongings in the rubble. Damaged All Might memorabilia lay all around her alongside the remnants of her home, but Inko was nowhere to be found. The girl bit back a sob, fearing the worst. When was the last time she hugged her mother and told her she loved her?

Just as she was about to burst into tears, movement to the side caught her eye. Something massive was leading a line of people out of the area and onto the main road. Something large… and pink.

"Pinky!" Izuku realized with a gasp.

What was even more stunning was the woman standing in front of the slime. Midoriya Inko was there, holding the goliath's finger and leading him around like one would do with a child. It seemed she was guiding people to safety with Pinky's help, the Quirk's size both helping to draw attention and help dig around for survivors trapped in the rubble.

Izuku let out a sigh of relief, and left them to their devices. Inko seemed to know what she was doing with Pinky's help, and Miracle was needed elsewhere. She would reward the slime handsomely after all of this was over.

Gilding through the city Izuku gave aid wherever she could, using her enhanced hearing to pick up cries for help. Most people were simply too shell-shocked to react to her presence, while others were grateful to be saved. Izuku's heart trembled in worry when more than a few looked toward her with glances of anger and fear, but no one dared to speak out.

That soon changed with the appearance of Mt. Lady, who showed up out of nowhere while Izuku was lifting an entire building to free the trapped survivors beneath it.

"You! What are you doing here?!" she thundered, her magnified voice hitting Izuku like a wall.

"I-I'm just trying to help!" Izuku stammered. "Please, we don't have to fight!"

The giant woman's meter-wide eyes narrowed with distrust before glancing up at the building Izuku was effortlessly lifting overhead. The battle had been a painful lesson, and Izuku managed to figure out how to lift massive objects without them collapsing in her grip. It took a bit of practice, but she soon learned how to do so. All Izuku had to do was stretch a tiny bit of her Glitter across whatever she was holding, spreading the pressure across a wider surface area.

"Fine." Mt. Lady said reluctantly. "But just so you know, there's a warrant for your arrest."

Izuku's heart sank at the words, even after she already knew it after All Might's earlier confrontation. The heroes saw her as a criminal…

A few loud protests echoed below them, snapping Izuku out of her thoughts.

"That's bullshit! Miracle saved us all!"

"Yeah! If not for her, this entire city would be gone!"

"Where was All Might?! We want answers!"

The angry civilians were quickly silenced when Mt. Lady held out a hand the size of a pickup truck.

"Alright, enough! Our main priority is getting everyone out of here, so please cooperate." Mt. Lady announced. "Line up, the whole lot of you!"

There was much grumbling and muttering but they eventually relented, allowing the gargantuan hero to ferry them to the main road where they joined a long line of evacuees. The sight of the now-homeless and displaced made Izuku's heart hurt, guilt spiking into her like a spear to the chest. Children were crying while their parents comforted them, the adults lugging heavy backpacks full of whatever they could carry. Cars lay abandoned at the side of the road, a thin coating of both ash and dust beginning to form over everything stationary. Up in the skies the ash cloud from Mt. Fuji lingered, hanging in the air like an ominous symbol of change.

She squashed the horrible feelings and locked them away, focusing on the task at hand. The people here still needed her help. Here, she wasn't a weak, useless Deku. She was Miracle, and she would live up to her name.

As horrible as it was, the chaos was kept in check by the arrival of more heroes. Many bristled when they saw Miracle, but focused on rescuing survivors and helping with the evacuation effort. Some civilians outright revered her, bowing down and clasping their hands in prayer when she saved them.

Hour after hour passed, more heroes joining along the way. They were bound by an unspoken agreement not to attack, but Izuku could tell they were raring to go just by the way they moved. She wisely kept her mouth shut for the most part.

"Here, let me help." Izuku said quietly, floating down when she noticed Mt. Lady struggling to lift the remnants of a multi-story car park.

The giantess hero simply stared as Izuku raised the gargantuan concrete slab she'd been holding with almost careless ease. Behind her the other heroes took a step back, having finally witnessed Miracle's power in person. Now that they knew she could crush them like ants they were much less hostile, though the change in attitude was more out of fear than respect.

More time passed, with Izuku making every second count. There was a building that started to tilt precariously but with both her and Mt. Lady's combined efforts they managed to right it again, earning the thanks of the civilians below. The destruction of Mustard's rampage was widespread, but contained within pockets of localized chaos after most of the fires were quickly extinguished. Even so, the sheer scale of it was mind-boggling. Izuku had to take short breaks at times not because she was tired, but because she was nearly overwhelmed by what she saw.

Then there were the bodies. Izuku wanted to cry when she saw them, but pushed forward regardless, because that's what All Might would have done. No doubt he was rescuing others somewhere else in the ruined city. These people… they didn't deserve to be caught up in all this. Some were buried alive in the rubble, still holding their families. Others were scorched beyond recognition by the flames, and Izuku felt horrified when she saw that some people were vaporized in a way that left human-shaped marks on the nearby walls and floor. Shadows casted by Mustard's blinding light.

More than a few heroes cried and threw up during the search-and-rescue efforts. Izuku wanted to, but knew she had to stay strong. This was partly her fault, too. She had a responsibility to bear it.

"You… really are something, kid." Mt. Lady admitted begrudgingly after a while.

"So are you." Izuku replied, sifting through the mess. "I was there, you know."

"Hm?"

"I was there." the small teenager repeated. "During your debut. I… I thought you were really cool."

Mt. Lady blinked at that, not quite sure what to say to that. Eventually she settled on looking away, slightly embarrassed.

"Ah, um, thanks. So… what happened between you and Mustard?"

The Magical Girl winced, shame flaring across her expression.

"Mustard was… she was hurting. She was hurting, and I couldn't help her." Izuku whispered, clenching her fists. "A demon used her pain to possess her body. It-It wasn't her fault."

"A demon?" Mt. Lady raised a giant eyebrow.

Izuku was just about to reply when her ears picked up a single word coming from multiple earpieces.

"Now."

She felt it before she saw it, the slight tremor giving away the attack's direction. Beneath her the ground split apart, opening like a set of gaping jaws that threatened to crush her. Miracle floated out of the way, only for several nets to drop from the sky and right onto her head.

"W-what?" she stammered. "What's going—"

"Good job drawing her attention away, Mt. Lady! Now, while she's confused!" someone yelled.

Most of the heroes closed in from all directions, while others stood in shock at what was happening. Izuku could hardly even believe it herself, unable to comprehend why they were doing all this. It was a mistake. She was only helping…

Izuku let the attacks hit her, watching them bounce off her Glitter ineffectively. After a few seconds the heroes stopped, in utter disbelief at how she was completely unscathed. Miracle tore through the steel nets as if they were made of tissue paper, hovering into the air with an expression of pure heartbreak on her face.

"You… you tricked me. Distracted me?" she asked Mt. Lady with a trembling lip.

"No!" the giant hero looked around at her comrades, stunned. "I-I wasn't—"

Izuku hung her head and didn't know what to believe, floating away while tears beaded at her eyes. She couldn't afford to let them see her cry. One last look was directed at Mt. Lady, her gloved hands forming into tight fists.

"I thought you were cool." Izuku sniffed.

Miracle took to the skies with a series of sonic booms, leaving the heroes behind. They should have been helping people in need, but instead they were scheming to ambush her while she was trying to rescue others. They didn't want her here.

Izuku spent the rest of the day searching for more victims of the attack, avoiding her so-called fellow 'heroes'.

[x]

"—recent reports are calling it the worst metahuman-related disaster in recent years, with an estimated death toll of over 5000 people. Among the casualties were five JASDF pilots and four USAF pilots, all of whom gave their lives in an aerial battle to protect the city. The two survivors are Lt. Yukimura Kouya and Lt. Graham Aker, the latter of which is still reported to be in critical condition after his X-66 was shot down by Magical Girl Mustard. Netizens are questioning the absence of All Might in what many are calling the 'Magical Girl Massacre' that took place only yesterday— "

Sir Nighteye turned off the radio with a click, causing his understudy Bubble Girl to let out an annoyed wail.

"Heeeey! Sir, I was listening to that!" she complained.

"You can do that later." Nighteye said curtly. "Eyes up. They'll be here any moment."

Bubble Girl grumbled but obliged, leaning back in her seat. Sir Nighteye was content to wait in silence, drumming his fingers along the steering wheel. Truth be told, he could guess why All Might only showed up in the end stages of Mustard's assault on Musutafu City. As much as he respected the number one hero, Nighteye knew that All Might would always help wherever he could despite the time limit imposed by his injury. That was just the kind of man he was, and it'd probably cost him dearly when he met his limit some time before the battle began.

The steering wheel creaked under Nighteye's grip, tensing when another car rolled into the abandoned warehouse they were sitting in. Bubble Girl immediately straightened in her seat, snapping to attention.

"Sir," she gestured to them worriedly.

"Yes, I can see them." Nighteye said dryly, stepping out of the vehicle. "Come on."

Gravel crunched under the other car's wheels, the pink Rayfield coming to a slow stop just in front of them. Two teenage girls and a child stepped out, causing the veteran hero's eyes to narrow behind his glasses. Bubble Girl suppressed a gasp, clearly recognizing someone.

"Good afternoon, Sir Nighteye." A girl with platinum-blonde hair bowed, the gold monocle on her left eye gleaming in the dim light. "And a good afternoon to you too, Bubble Girl."

"Sup, four-eyes, blueberry." Another girl with pink hair cackled. "Eri-chan, say hello."

"Hello…" the small, white-haired little girl hiding behind their legs echoed.

"Good afternoon." Sir Nighteye adjusted his glasses. "I suppose things went according to plan, Miss Intelli?"

"More or less." Saiko Intelli shrugged. "You have it?"

Nighteye fished a small data drive out of his coat pocket. Both girls exchanged a glance and nodded, gently urging the child hiding behind them to move forward.

"It's just like we said, Eri-chan." Saiko knelt down and gave Eri a big smile. "This man right here is Sir Nighteye, and the blue lady is Bubble Girl. They're heroes, and they'll be taking care of you from now on."

"Heroes?" Little Eri's eyes lit up in interest before frowning again. "But… but I want to stay with you and Mei-nee…"

"Oh, honey." Mei knelt down as well, matching Eri's height. "We'll still be able to see each other! It's just that you'll be safer with them instead of us. With them, you might even be able to go to school!"

"Really?" Eri asked timidly.

"Really." Saiko answered, nodding. "They're good people, okay? They'll take care of you and keep you safe. Mei and I… we can't do that. We want a better life for you, Eri…"

Eri looked hesitant but eventually nodded, finally ready to join Nighteye and Bubble Girl after a few more words of encouragement. This was the first step of her new life.

"One last thing, Eri-chan." Mei held up her finger. "Do you remember what I told you?"

"Don't play with guns." Eri nodded obediently.

"Good girl." Mei laughed, giving her a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you, kid."

"Goodbye, Eri." Saiko gave Eri a hug of her own, patting her head lovingly. "We'll see each other again sometime, okay?"

"Okay… I'll miss the both of you too. See you around, Saiko-nee, Mei-nee."

Eri hugged them both, saying her goodbyes. She soon trotted over to Nighteye and Bubble Girl, the two adults exchanging a short greeting before gently ushering her into the car. Bubble Girl kept her occupied while Nighteye talked to the two praetorians, having worked with kids in the past.

Saiko snatched the data drive out of the air when Nighteye tossed it at her, observing it carefully. She pocketed it after a moment, a wide smile on her face.

"Thank you. Pleasure doing business with you."

"What about…" Nighteye's gaze slid back to the car to make sure Eri was too far away to hear them. "...you-know-who?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, future boy." Mei smirked.

"Where is he?" Nighteye asked again, frowning. "It is imperative that I speak to Overhaul. The information he holds, his entire network—"

"Let's just say he won't bother anyone, ever again." Saiko said calmly. "After all, we prefer to keep things under the table. As for the Shie Hassaikai, they will be effectively dismantled. We'll put the captured assets to good use."

"Hmm. I'm surprised you handed Eri over, then. Especially if you know what she's capable of."

"Let's not beat around the bush, Sir Nighteye. We both know what's going to happen if the HPSC gets their hands on her. As far as they're concerned, the official report lists her as a missing asset. Collateral damage."

Saiko looked away into the distance, reminiscing about the past.

"Being with me and Mei… that's no life for a kid. She's seen enough for a lifetime. I trust you'll treat her well, hero."

"So that's it?" Nighteye questioned. "You'll just go back to HPSC despite knowing all that? What they will do to her if they find her?"

"Then make sure they don't. We fulfilled our end of the bargain, Nighteye. I expect you to uphold yours." Saiko's calm facade turned ice-cold. "And if you hurt a single hair on that child's head, we'll be coming for you."

"What about Nemoto Shin, one of Overhaul's lieutenants?"

"What about him?" Saiko asked, clearly feigning ignorance.

"His Quirk, Confession. It could prove useful if we are able to secure his loyalty…" Nighteye said slowly. "Or he could prove to be a potential threat to our operational security."

"That's none of your concern, sir." Mei grunted, leaning against her car. "The HPSC will handle it."

"That's what I don't get about either of you. Where do your loyalties truly lie?" Nighteye folded his hands behind his back. "One moment you defy the commission, and the next you follow them like loyal hounds. What's your game here?"

"There is no game here, Nighteye." Saiko turned away, with Mei already getting into the car. "For someone who can see the future, you sure ask a lot of questions. Good day, sir."

They drove off just like that, leaving Nighteye to rejoin Bubble Girl in his car. Eri was sitting in the backseat and playing with the young hero's phone, watching Yaptube videos. Bubble Girl only spoke up after they were on the main road, her voice lowered to a whisper so Eri wouldn't hear.

"Did you know who that was?!" Bubble Girl whisper-hissed. "That pink girl. I'm pretty sure that's Hatsume freaking Mei, AKA 'Toybox'. An A-Ranked villain wanted for the illegal manufacturing of support items! We're dealing with villains now?!"

"She's one of ours, Bubble Girl." Nighteye took a second to give her a look when shock ran across her face. "A HPSC Deep Cover Agent."

"For real?! Fu—I mean, fudge." Bubble Girl looked back at Eri hastily before she spoke again. "She looked so young. Then that other girl…?"

"Another one of ours. Agent Intelli." Nighteye said without taking his eyes off the road. "Callsign 'Spookshow'."

"That's Spookshow? Holy shit. They're praetorians?! I thought those were an urban legend!" Bubble Girl gasped.

"Language."

"Sorry. But still… wow." Bubble Girl folded her arms. "So what was in that data drive you gave them?"

"Access codes to the Dark Age archives." Nighteye said curtly.

"I dunno, boss. Is it really a good idea to hand them sensitive data like that, especially with their ties to criminal syndicates?" Bubble Girl questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, why did the HPSC even establish a foothold in the Underground? I thought our underground heroes were already doing a great job!"

"Those two know what they're doing. They're… specialists, so to speak." Nighteye pursed his lips. "And to answer your question, it was their mission."

Bubble Girl blinked, starting to pay attention. "Mission?"

"The Praetorians were designed after Lady Nagant, to complete tasks that required both discretion and subterfuge. I read the files on the two we met earlier. From what little there was, I've gathered that they were part of a team assigned to infiltrate every possible avenue of influence in the Japanese Underground."

"The HPSC seeks to control it?" Bubble Girl asked, thinking of the network of criminal activity and vice taking place in Japan's underbelly.

"I believe so. The quickest way to grow in that darkness was illegal works and businesses. Thus, the HPSC agents assigned there slowly grew more interconnected with different crime groups and organizations." Nighteye said carefully. "It's why Toybox still supplies various criminals with her tech, only for them to get caught later."

"Whoa. This is a little above my pay grade…"

"The HPSC has fingers in every pie. From what I've heard they control most of the casinos and gambling dens in the inner cities." Nighteye shifted up a gear, speeding up. "Make no mistake, there are minotaurs in this maze. We know about them, they know about us. Just know that they're there, and they see you."

"Well that isn't ominous at all." Bubble Girl shivered.

"You'll get used to it." He shot a glance at the sleepy child in the backseat. "For now, we'll do what we can as heroes."

[x]

Toshinori Yagi took a deep breath and shifted into his hero form, wiping the sweat off his brow. It was time for another meeting, but thankfully it was an informal one.

All the bureaucracy and red tape frustrated him to no end, but as Japan's symbol of peace he had a part to play. Each meeting wore down on his allotted time that he could stay in his hero form, precious time that could be spent on the still-ongoing search and rescue efforts. Miracle was even spotted among the rubble, helping wherever she could.

Yagi's hands curled into tight fists. He should have been out there too. Instead, he was confined to meeting after meeting full of politicians, reporters, and government desk jockeys. Each of them had their own ulterior motives, and Yagi knew they saw the massacre as an opportunity to advance their own careers.

The holodisk on his office desk rumbled. It was time, then. Yagi pushed down on the small device, causing light to fill the room in a swirling wave of blue. The radiance soon coalesced into the form of a tall, muscular figure, eight long, blonde tufts of her hair standing upright. Behind her flowed a striped cape reminiscent of an American flag.

The world's strongest woman, Star and Stripe.

"It's been quite a while, All Might." she smiled.

"Hello, Cathleen." Yagi returned her smile with a strained one of his own. "Good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same. Damn, you look stressed. The press really put you through the wringer, huh?" Star shook her head. "But enough small talk. I suppose you already know the reason why I'm calling today."

"Yes." Yagi nodded grimly. "Miracle."

The Magical Girl was a hot topic ever since the massacre caused by Mustard. If not for Miracle, things would have been much, much worse. Public opinion on her seemed to be divided for now, but those on the scene had watched her fend off Mustard more than once. Video footage of her battling the other rogue Magical Girl and now helping with disaster relief was tilting the odds in her favor.

Yagi didn't know what to think about her. He recalled meeting her once back then, having already forgotten most of their conversation. The only reason he'd remembered her was due to the strange outfit, and her bright, heterochromatic eyes full of hope. Those same eyes that were filled with fear when he confronted her on the top of Mt. Fuji.

"That girl is possibly the single most dangerous metahuman in all of Asia next to you." Star continued. "I've seen the battle footage, and most people agree that she could give even All Might a good run for his money. But take a look at this."

Star tapped on a button off-screen, causing a small window to appear. It was a video feed of the moon, and Yagi frowned at the sudden change in topic.

"I don't understand."

"Look closely. Zoom and enhance."

The video zoomed in, and Yagi could feel the breath catch in his throat when he spied a tiny green figure sitting on a rock atop the moondust.

"Is that…?" he whispered, astonished.

"Miracle. On the moon." Star nodded, her smile long gone. "The boys at NASA are keeping it quiet, but it's only a matter of time before there's a leak. Master, she made it there herself, with just her Quirk! When's the last time someone could even do something like that?"

Yagi was left speechless. Sure, there were people with Quirks who allowed them to fly beyond the speed of sound. Miracle was far more than that, having flight, invulnerability, and strength rolled up into a neat little package. She was an indestructible flying brick, a depiction of what a superhero was supposed to be in the age before Quirks. It seemed that Miracle was crying in the video, having curled up into a ball while two of her flowing emerald locks floated in the low gravity.

Tsuki no usagi.

"This is… unexpected. Unprecedented." Yagi finally said. "Does anyone else know?"

"The eggheads at the Department of Metahuman Affairs have officially lost their shit. Some are even claiming that she's the first of a new generation of overpowered metahumans, proof of the fabled 'Quirk Singularity' theory." Star grimaced. "In any case, Uncle Sam isn't happy. The higher-ups are thinking of using the incident as a reason to launch a joint operation with Japan to take down Miracle."

"What? They can't possibly…"

"Four American soldiers lost their lives on foreign soil. As far as they're concerned, that's reason enough. And what of Mustard? From what I've heard Miracle has yet to comment on what happened to her. For all we know she's still out there! Everyone's terrified, master. They've even requested for Miracle to be added to the list of S-Class threats."

"That would make her the first one in a decade since Toxic Chainsaw." Yagi breathed. "You can't do that!"

"It's beyond my jurisdiction, old friend. I'm sorry." Star shook her head, looking away at something off-screen. "There's going to be shit coming your way soon, so I thought I'd give you a heads up. I've gotta go, but I'll keep you updated!"

"Star—"

The holo-call cut off with a click and Yagi groaned. He held his head and massaged his temples, crimson dribbling onto the desk below. There was a loud poof of steam and he was back in his true form again, an emaciated skeleton of skin and bones. Yagi sighed, looking at his frail hand. This was the real him. The man behind the hero.

He was getting old. Weak. In his prime he could have rushed to Musutafu faster than a speeding bullet. On the day of the Massacre he'd been overextended, having used up all his time patrolling other parts of the country earlier. By the time he went beyond his limits to transform and make it there both Miracle and Mustard had taken to the upper stratosphere with the military jets.

Yagi coughed up another small stream of blood. He still hadn't found a successor. The U.A boy with the Permeation Quirk was a promising pick, even cleaning up Dagobah Beach without any complaints. Still, it just didn't feel right. There was nothing wrong with him, it was just… something in Yagi's gut holding him back.

Then there was what Shimura and the dreams had told him, the information written in his notebooks. The overloading of the Quirk factor. The fourth user's premature demise due to old age. If One For All was truly the cause of the man's deteriorating lifespan…

Yagi shelved the thought. He was the current wielder, so it was his burden to bear for now. Still, a part of him dreaded passing on the Quirk for fear of what would happen to his successor.

With a sigh he retrieved a manila folder Nighteye had sent him. Even if they were no longer on speaking terms, his old apprentice still dedicated himself to the mission of passing down One For All. It made Yagi feel weak, incompetent.

He began to read. Nighteye's dossier contained the names and personal information of possible candidates for One For All's new host, and Yagi bit back a choke at how young they were. Perhaps Nighteye was a little biased, seeing as most of them were U.A applicants. There was an orange-haired girl with a ponytail, a boy with spiky red hair, a girl with a frog-like appearance…

Yagi read on despite the churning in his gut. His days were numbered, so picking a successor soon was of utmost importance. Miracle's existence heralded the possibility of future threats that were just like her, only increasing the pressure he felt. His successor had to be strong beyond measure, a beacon that could stand up to walking calamities like the Magical Girls. It was just that… none of them truly felt 'right' so far. How could he justify sending any of these poor children to their deaths thanks to One For All?

The ancient Quirk was both a blessing and a curse, a cross for Yagi to bear.

He knew it was only a matter of time before someone else took the mantle of 'Symbol of Peace'. What came after was the thing that truly worried Yagi, for he knew that his successor might be the last wielder of One For All. A sacrificial lamb to finally end the curse, once and for all.

Yagi's eyes burned with shame, but he did his duty and continued to read.

[Chapter 9 End]

Thank you for reading!

Arc 2 begins. A new cover, for a new arc! Art is by Kohei Horikoshi, edited by me. I don't own it, I literally can't draw. You can find it on deviantart if you want. [tealeafcustom/art/BNHA-Magical-Miracle-Midoriya-Arc-2-Cover-956266170]

This arc will mostly be focused on where the Angels and Magical Girls come from, and the mystery of what happened to Toga.

Who is the doctor, and what sorts of crazy shenanigans are going on in that lab of his? Tune in to find out.

Japan is shocked at what happened to Musutafu city, but not to the extent of rioting in the streets since All Might is still there. Remember, an entire city was similarly devastated in the League Of Villains arc in the anime and people were pretty nonchalant about it. As long as the symbol of peace is there, people will be complacent.

Mustard will return... eventually.