So soon after my last Coby's Choice chapter, but i just couldn't stop. We finally have the end of the UA Sports Festival and, boy, I'm tired and ready to move on. I've interspersed hooks for the next couple of plots throughout these chapters for you all to mull over and theorize on, and we aren't done there, but finally we can get Izuku and Tsuyu back into missions for the Brotherhood. I mean, let's admit it, the end of the UA Festival is a slog, whether you're writing it or reading it, especially if heroism isn't the main focus of the story. I hope the asides and other scenes have spiced it up. Well, if you're still here, I suppose I've done well enough. Anyway, that's enough from me. Let's get to the Reviews.
AverageWeaboo36: Define... "spectacular".
Gamelover41592: Thank you, I hope to keep it up!
Helljumper206: You and me both. In the games, the line between Assassin and Templar is pretty clear with the Templars being the "bad guys" but when you put that ideology in another series, you get this split, and I think that's just so interesting.
LEGOBRICK13: It seems like FF is just not sending out notifications for this story. IDK, my notifications are all working, so mybe I'm getting Shadow Banned. (To others reading this, that's a joke. FF just has it's issues.) Anyway, I might have stretched myself thin with all the different, concurrent plots, but I intend for them all to merge at some point. Just... don't expect a lot of Happy Ever Afters, but that's Assassin's Creed.
Monkey D. Conan: I hope I don't stretch myself thin with all the concurrent plots, but I intend for all of them to merge at some point. They won't all be resolved at the same time, but I want every single one to have a lasting impact on everyone in the story. Also, you wished to see what Momo's parents were up to? Here you go.
The Halfa Wannabe: Or is that just a Red Herring?
Wizardwolf 1020: I love thoughtful comments like yours because they always have a chance to change the rest of the story. When it comes to big heroes like All Might and Endeavor, I just can't see either one aligning with the Assassins or the Templars. All Might can't condone murder and Endeavor is just too selfish to commit to a cause that might demand even your life. Buuut we know the Templars aren't above manipulation, so I have full belief they would do such a thing.
I have seen the trailers and I'm hype, not just for Mirage, but for Codnames Red, Jade, and Hexe as well. I don't know if I'll have the systems to play them, but they certainly look better than Odyssey and Valhalla. In that vein, I've finished the main story of Rogue, but I don't have a system on which to play Unity or any of the next games. I might watch a playthrough, but I want to finish all the side missions in Rogue
I totally plan to arc this story similar to the Ezio Trilogy because that's what really sparked this story (and is still the best series of games in my opinion). Take that teaser to mean what you think, I still hope to blow away your expectations.
Chapter 18:
Things Go Down
["Hi, Dad,"] a voice said, the vaguest of silhouettes holding a phone to their ear. They stood alone in a stall, the echoing cheers of the crowd as the final matches of the UA Sports Festival began filling the room with a constant buzz. ["I managed to sneak away and wanted to give you an update… Yeah, everything's good here. Almost too good, really… No one suspects anything. Well, one of my classmates seems interested in me; more so than some of the others, anyway. He's kinda cute, too. I wouldn't mind stealing him for myself… He might be one of them, Dad. I'm not sure yet since I haven't gotten to spy on him with my eyes, but I've figured out all the other Assassins and Templars in my grade. They haven't given me a second look."]
The figure was silent for a moment, nodding their head several times. They sighed.
["I know to be careful, Dad. Mom gave me that talk before. Several times, actually… The underground? Oh, yeah, that. He hasn't made any moves at all since trying to attack the class... Speaking of, have they managed to find the memories you're hoping for? … No luck, huh? Well, blotching it up the first time in a rush for answers really didn't do us any favors… Oh, that reminds me, one of the other students has The Sight… Yeah, I'm sure. He used it in an argument earlier. He's passing it off as an MA, but I'm pretty sure he knows it's origins… Yup, he's one of the Recruits… I'm sure. He can't be completely trained at our age, but he's good. Made it to the semis and is fighting right now, actually. Think you could get Bentham to dig up a sample from him? … Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya."]
The figure scuffed their shoe against the tile floor, head tilting as the sound of shuffling came from the other end of the phone.
["No, I haven't heard him talk about his family, but I haven't interacted with him that much. His ancestry has to be good somewhere down the line, though. Purebloods are becoming less and less common. Either his parents are Normies or he got really lucky. Or, unlucky, I guess… Oh, he's definitely not a sage. I know that much. He doesn't have the heterochromia… 'Course, Dad. I'm just doing what you trained me to. Operations around here are as expected and I've stayed away from anything that would put unwanted eyes on me… That project? Proceeding a little behind schedule from what I hear. They've hit a bit of a roadblock. I don't think they'll get anywhere until a month from now at the best unless something crazy happens… I know, but we can't touch it. If they get caught, we can't have any of our fingerprints on it, even with your contacts. You know how good cops are nowadays with some of their Metas. Remember that one guy that could sniff evidence and see how it happened? …Anyway, what's going on there?"
They tapped a foot as their father relayed happenings on the other end.
["Oh, I bet they're adorable. You and Mom better send me pictures. And I heard from Samuel the other day. He wanted to say hi and wished me well… He's still recovering after his accident during the Running of the Bulls, you know. Mom said Buru wouldn't stop laughing when it happened… My performance? It was ok. I didn't make it to the Third Round, but I think I did well enough… It was plenty of fun. I could've done better, but you know how they are. I didn't want to stand out too much with skills like mine… Ok, Dad. Have Mom give me a call when she can… Of course. I'll forever honor the Father and Mother. For the glory of the Parents of Wisdom."]
"BEGIN!"
Izuku lunged forward as the call to begin the match hit, his bo already spinning in the hopes of finishing the fight quickly. Yanagi reacted just as quickly, her hand reaching forward to grab his weapon with her Quirk: Poltergeist. She pulled, trying to rip the metal from his hand as a waviness like that of distorted light surrounded it, but Izuku refused to allow such a thing.
"Go, Big Sis!" Kyoryoku cheered, waving two hand fans that had MOMO stamped on them. Okame's musical giggles at the scene were interrupted by a powerful bang, Momo's force explosive knocking Shinso on his back despite his attempted roll to escape. The screen depicting the final fights was split down the middle, each side depicting one of the matches. "You can win!"
"I worry that Midoriya is trapped in a poor match," Okame commented. "I doubt our Momo will have too much trouble with her opponent after having time to deduce his abilities, but that announcer Present Mic did say Midoriya's Quirk was non-combative in nature. We have seen no physical sign of his abilities since the First Round. He is reliant on his weapons."
"He was trapped in a similar match in the first match," Kanri reminded his wife, but his jaw was still tightened. "He managed to win there."
"Not without some cost."
"You are right," the man acknowledged. "Should this Yanagi remove Midoriya's weapons from play, I doubt he will move on further."
"It seems almost ironic," Kyoryoku thought aloud, trying to match his speech to that of his parents'. "Two of the fighters don't have big, fla— ahem, obvious Quirks, yet they are not fighting each other. Both Big Sister's opponent and Midoriya are outmatched despite having made it this far."
"That is an astute observation, Kyoryoku," Kanri smiled, the boy's expression brightening at the praise. "Such are outcomes in bracket tournaments like this."
"Actually, it appears the final matches mirror each other in other ways," Okame commented. "In both fights, the outmatched party is male while the overpowering one is female."
"It is funny how the world works sometimes," Kanri agreed with a chuckle. On the TV, Izuku had pulled out the rope-dart he had used to end his last two fights, the boy throwing it forward only for Yanagi to catch the blade with her powers. When that happened, Izuku would pull it back, breaking her Quirk's hold. It was an interesting choice of weapon, Kanri thought, but there was nothing to really be said about it; many heroes and hero students utilized obscure weaponry because they were often flashy, memorable, or hard to counter. The rope-dart was one such weapon: hard to learn to use but highly effective once done.
On the other side of the screen, Momo had her opponent playing a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, the boy having to simultaneously maneuver around caltrops while dodging the heiress' almost-lazy explosives. In comparison, the battle between Izuku and Yanagi was much more entertaining.
"It's unfortunate," Kanri sighed.
"What is, Dear?" his wife questioned.
"I had hoped to see Midoriya reach the finals. Should that be the case, it would be easy to justify inviting him to a meeting, but it appears such is unlikely. If we were to try to invite him, we would need to extend invitations to the other semi-finalists. Truthfully, neither this Yanagi nor Shinso peak my interest."
"That Shinso fellow may be an interesting asset," Okame suggested.
"Perhaps," the man said. "We can allocate some resources to probing him, but he does not possess the same sort of charisma we have witnessed from Midoriya. I do not think he will rank highly should he manage to become a pro hero. Besides, I do not believe we would be the only group with eyes on his Quirk."
"All the more reason for the attempt, Darling," Okame pointed out. "Please, leave both Midoriya and Shinso to me. You have enough on your plate to deal with considering the… delivery."
"Ah, thank you for the reminder." Kanri stood, walking across the room to offer his wife a peck on the lips. "It is about time I go check on that project of ours." He turned, placing a hand on his son's head. "Kyoryoku, please cheer for Momo twice as hard in my stead."
"I will, Father!"
Nodding to his family, Kanri took his leave, stepping out into the hallway. He maneuvered himself to the same secret door he last used, taking the stairs into the hidden basement. There, he found two servants over the body of Simon Atsa Simmons-Garcia, one male and the other female. The boy was laid out on a table, clad only in a hospital gown with the left-hand shoulder pulled down to expose his collarbone and pectoral.
"Tsuki," Kanri said as he stepped inside, both servants turning to him and giving shallow bows. "Hito."
"Good afternoon, Master," they intoned.
"Be at ease," Kanri insisted, Tsuki and Hito righting themselves. "What is the status?"
"I have briefed Hito on the situation, Master," the woman replied. "We were about to begin the requested alterations to Simmons-Garcia when you arrived."
"Very good," the Master Templar nodded. "Do remember to start out small."
"Of course, sir," the man nodded, Tsuki turning to doublecheck the anesthetics they had keeping the child unconscious. Under the watchful eye of the man, Hito turned and laid his hand upon the boy's collarbone.
From beneath his fingers spread a jagged redness, the boy's skin changing color and texture at his touch. This was one application of the servant's Quirk: Scar. He stopped and stepped away, allowing Kanri to study his work.
"This is a good start," he commented, reaching out to trace a line from the new burn scar up the side of Simon's neck to under his eye. "Extend it to here, as per my dearest Okame's directions, and leave several more over the rest of his body. This 'evidence' of the housefire story we crafted must be convincing."
"As you command, Master." Hito did as bid, trailing the burn up Simon's skin before stopping at his cheekbone. He also added smaller scars along parts of the minor's arms, legs, and torso, but none so pronounced. Even so, every scar was an enflamed red.
"Excellent work, Hito," Kanri said as the man stepped away. "Tsuki, how close are we to beginning the Animus process?"
"All of the software is installed and prepped, Master," the woman answered, opening a laptop and gesturing to a ring-shaped device with a visor. It was connected to the computer with a long wire. "Calibrations were performed by an individual with the same body structure as Simmons-Garcia, so we can begin at any time."
"Perfect, please do so. I have the time now and wish to be here when we begin. By nightfall, he should be ready to be released to his room. Hito, you manipulated his nervous system, yes?"
"Of course, sir," the other man nodded as Tsuki typed away on the computer. "It should not affect his motor functions inside the Animus, but he will have trouble moving outside of it for about two weeks."
"Then we can begin. Hito, secure the Animus to the boy. Tsuki, prepare the program."
"Yes, Master."
A minute later found the preparations complete, the head of the Yaoyorozu family standing behind Tsuki as she secured headphones with a microphone over her ears. A single button press started this Animus' base scenery, an area designed to imitate a small park with the image of buildings rising beyond its accessible boundaries. An avatar of Simon Atsa Simmons-Garcia laid on the ground next to a bench, the image a perfect replica of the original down to the clothing he'd been wearing upon his arrival. It also sported his new scars.
The Simon within the system twitched, his eyes slowly opening.
["What?"] he questioned in English. He stood slowly, balancing himself with the bench. One hand rose to clutch at his head. ["Where am I?"]
A box with two faces appeared above him, the boy instinctively extending his right arm to the side. Had he done so in the real world, this would have activated his Quirk: Spirit Eagle, but Emitter Quirks such as his did not work within the system of the Animus. At least, not outside the memories of one who had such a Quirk.
"Greetings, Simon Atsa Simmons-Garcia," Tsuki said, a text box below her and Kanri's live pictures translating her words into English. "My name is Hina Tsuki, a maid in service to the Yaoyorozu family. Behind me is Kanri Yaoyorozu, your new benefactor."
["Wha… Benefactor?"] Simon blinked. ["Where am I?"]
"I am afraid you are a long way from home," Tsuki told him. "It appears your sister Nasca got involved with a dangerous criminal syndicate somehow. We do not know the details —not for certain— but they abducted your sister and burned your family's house down to cover their tracks. Master Yaoyorozu had some employees nearby who saw the fire and came to help. They managed to rescue you, but there was some damage to your nervous system."
["What are you saying?"] Simon demanded. ["What about my parents? My sister?"]
"Lost, we fear," Tsuki told him, the boy falling to sit on the bench, his eyes open but seeing nothing. Tsuki waited until he turned his attention back to her, knowing to say anything before he could understand Japanese would be an exercise in futility. He looked up after a minute, tears in his chocolate-colored eyes. "I am sorry, but your parents were lost in the fire and your sister's current whereabouts are unknown save that she is somewhere here in Japan."
["I'm in Japan? But why?"]
"Master Yaoyorozu has many connections," Tsuki began. "Once you are healthy again, he intends to offer you any help in tracking down your sister and rescuing her from the criminals, should she still be alive. It is simply easier to assist you here rather than a remote facility. There are more resources available."
["Ok, but how? What is this?"]
"You are inside a machine known as the Animus. It was created shortly before the Dawn of Quirks but quickly became obsolete to the superpowered population. Because of the fire damage to your nerves, we have set you inside the Animus to help you regain motor functions through a process known as the Bleeding Effect. By reliving the memories of others, you can gain their physical abilities. This will give you time to physically recover and gain skills to assist you against your sister's kidnappers."
["Why am I not in a hospital?"] the boy questioned. ["And why can't heroes get involved? Have I been kidnapped, too?"]
"We could not afford to entrust you to a hospital," the woman explained. "You would not be safe anywhere public and the private sector possesses far more freedom for you and us. The criminals that have hold of your sister have operatives everywhere, including enough in the hero force and government to get them to turn a blind eye. Will you help us?"
[I don't know who you are or why you're helping me, but if I can get my sister back, I'll do whatever you want."]
"That is an excellent attitude to have. I—" She paused. "Of course, sir." On the screen, the woman handed over the headphones to the man who had been watching the interaction from over Hana Tsuki's shoulder.
["Mr. Simmons-Garcia, can you hear me?"] a new voice said in slightly-accented English, this one male.
["Uh, yes."]
["Good. My name is Kanri Yaoyorozu, the head of this house. We do not know why the criminals that took your sister did so, but we have some knowledge of their activities. They have been a thorn in the side of me and my business associates for many years. We were simply lucky to be nearby when they struck your home. They see some value in your sister and, if we are honest, I see value in you. I hope that by the end of your recovery, you will see our mission and agree to help us even after saving your sister."]
["We'll see about that, Mr. Yaoyorozu. What do you need me to do to heal?"]
["You have drive. I like that. Tsuki shall be your main handler, walking you through the memories that will assist in your recovery. Before you should be a glowing doorway which will take you to the first memory. Step inside and we will begin with the memories of your paternal ancestor Shay Cormack."]
"You should surrender, Midoriya," Yanagi advised, the girl having not needed to move once since the start of the fight, even a rogue beanbag from Momo having been caught by the girl and redirected as a projectile toward the green-haired boy. In contrast, Izuku was covered in sweat from his physical activity. He was not injured —he'd been able to avoid such, thankfully— but he had come nowhere close to injuring Yanagi. "You cannot come close to me. This match is all but won."
"I hope you don't think I will make it that easy for you," the boy panted, his hands shaking as he kept his grip on his weapons lest he lose them. "I fully intend to go down swinging if I can't win."
"Be that as it may, you possess no chance of beating me in your current state. Your Empathetic Eye would be indispensable for search-and-rescue operations but lacks any use in battle."
"But here I am." Izuku rolled to the side, dodging the heavy beanbag Yanagi sent his way. This did not dissuade her, the girl reaching toward the other match to take hold of several of Momo's caltrops. She pulled, yanking them into their ring before throwing them at Izuku. "Shit!"
He holstered his rope-dart and spun his bo, trying to deflect these new projectiles. In his worry, he did not see Yanagi's smirk, the caltrops divebombing the boy like hornets as her other hand slyly reached underneath.
Izuku bent backward, one of the caltrops coming by so closely that it ripped several buttons off his top. He moved with the momentum, springing backwards even as the front of his sportswear opened.
"I really wish people would stop ripping my clothes," he commented, smacking a caltrop out of the air hard enough to knock it from Yanagi's hold and out of the ring.
"Then you should dodge better." Yanagi reached her hand out as Izuku ducked, a spray of heavy beanbags crossing their ring.
"OH, THAT'LL LEAVE A SHINER!" Present Mic commented from the booth above. "GOOD THING SHINSO'S ALREADY GOT BAGS UNDER HIS EYES, BUT I DON'T THINK HE CARES FOR THE ADDTION!"
"I don't think he cares for your commentary, either," Aizawa drawled.
"YOU AND HIM MAKE TWO, BUT THE REST OF THE CROWD LOVES MY VOICE!"
"Midoriya, please lose for me," the ghostly girl said, raising her hand to show his rope-dart now hovering at her side. The verdet's eyes widened as she flung it dart-first at him, the boy releasing his bo with one hand so it could catch his own weapon within an inch of his sternum. The sheer force behind it, however, sent him skidding backward a couple feet. Not wanting to give him time to breathe, Yanagi released her hold on his rope-dart and transferred her control to his shirt, trying to push him out of bounds. Instead, the parts that had not been torn ripped under the strain.
There was a host of distinct, overall-higher-pitched calls of approval from the stands.
"If you wanted to see me shirtless, you could have just asked," Midoriya quipped before he brain could catch up to his mouth, the boy turning red as he comprehended what he'd said. Yanagi, too, started to blush, said coloring much more obvious on her pale skin. "Wait, no! That's not—"
"Farewell, Midoriya." Yanagi's voice was a whisper, the wavy indicator of her powers grabbing the hem of his pants. Before he could react, she yanked them to his knees and used them to pull Izuku backwards. He barely managed to avoid falling on his face, but his fingers could find no purchase as his own clothing dragged him out of the ring and into the grass.
Worse than the sting of loss was the laughter coming from the crowd. He knew he shouldn't have worn the heart-print boxers today, no matter how lucky they were.
"AND LIKE HIS PANTS, MIDORIYA GOES DOWN! WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE SHOWING!" Mic paused. "HIS FIGHTS, I MEAN! NOTHING ELSE! ERASER, YOU GOT ANYTHING TO SAY‽"
"No." Aizawa's rebuttal was muted, his face in his hands.
"WELL, THAT JUST LEAVES YAOYOROZU AND SHINSO TO DECIDE WHO WILL BE IMMEDIATELY FACING YANAGI IN THE FINAL MATCH! THEY BETTER FIGURE IT OUT SOON BEFORE THEY WEAR EACH OTHER OUT!"
Izuku was trying to hastily get his pants back on when the victor of their match stepped to the side of the ring to look down on him. His cheeks were burning from the whole ordeal and he could swear his teachers were laughing at his embarrassment. Midnight certainly was and he was sure Mirko was too wherever she was at the moment.
"Midoriya," Yanagi said. "You embarrassed Tokage and I have embarrassed you in turn. Any debt between you and class 1-B is forgotten. You no longer need to fear retribution." She turned her back on him, watching the other match without emotion even as her blush slowly faded.
"Come on," Shinso pressed, panting. "I know I'm not the most popular guy with women, but you can at least tell me no."
Momo refused to answer his taunts, her beanbag minigun firing its last rounds in the 1-C student's direction. She was not entirely certain of his Quirk's trigger —Bakugo had refused to answer when she enquired after his loss— but the raven-haired heiress had a feeling any reaction to his words would end her run.
"Come on, Cutie. Nothing? What if I rip my shirt off like Midoriya did?"
One of Momo's eyes twitched. She reached up, pulling two items from her sternum as the multicolored glow of Creation activated. The first, in her right hand, was a baseball bat, her other hand holding something the size of a small can. She put that to her lips, her teeth pulling a pin from it before she tossed it in his direction.
"Oh shi—!"
The flashbang exploded, rendering both Shinso and Yanagi blinded. Momo rushed in, smashing the bat into the purple-haired boy's stomach hard enough to throw him out of the ring. Momo flicked her hair back.
"HOMERUN!" Present Mic cheered, Cementoss using his powers to merge the rings together into one. "AND THE FINAL MATCH BETWEEN MOMO YAOYOROZU AND REIKO YANAGI, BEGIN!"
"Do not fear the darkness, though it will soon take y—" Yanagi began only for Momo to turn toward her and form a compressed-air shotgun. She pulled the trigger, firing a host of small BB pellets at the other girl. Yanaki reached out, grabbing hold of as many as she could, but there were more than her Quirk's limit could catch, half-a-dozen smacking into her stomach. "Wait, I wasn't done—"
"Apologies," Momo muttered, smacking her bat into Yanagi's stomach the same way she had with Shinso. The 1-B student coughed spittle and a little blood, unable to withstand the force. Such was her weakness, the girl having focused more on her mental and Quirk training than her physicality. She, too, flew outside the ring, hitting the ground with a roll. She rolled onto her side but did not get up, wheezing.
"…" The stands as a whole blinked.
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED‽" Present Mic questioned. "I SAID START AND IT'S ALREADY OVER‽"
"Contestants, people, heroes, and viewers everywhere," Aizawa picked up. "Presenting your winner of this year's First Year UA Sports Festival: class 1-A's representative Momo Yaoyorozu. I can finally nap."
"I… WHA…‽ BUT THAT WAS SO FAST! HEY ERASER, DON'T GO TO SLEEP ON ME NOW! WHAT HAPPENED‽"
Present Mic did not get his answer, the situation catching up with the crowd as they went ballistic, cheering for the ultimate victor without restraint. Momo turned her eyes on the stands, a small, satisfied smile coming to her lips. She raised a hand, waving.
"I GUESS THAT'S IT! EVERYONE, WE'LL HAVE A 20-MINUTE BREAK FOR THE FINALISTS TO STOP BY RECOVERY GIRL BEFORE OUR AWARD CEREMONY! KIDDOS, GET GOING!"
"Yay, Momo!" Kyoryoku cheered, jumping on the couch without dignity nor care for such. "That's my Big Sis!"
"Well done, Sweetheart," Okame muttered, her words and actions much more muted, filtered through the poise of high-class society. Even so, motherly pride shone in her eyes as she watched her daughter on the screen waving to the crowds. Even so, her smile wavered.
'She has grown strong,' Okame thought, her mind overlaying the memory of a scared little girl over Momo's image. The two were so at odds with each other that the woman had trouble comprehending that the two happened to be the same human. 'Kanri is right; it is Momo's time to learn the truth of the world. We have taught her well, but we need her to understand before she gets too deeply mired into the world and ideals of heroes. They should have a week or two before work-studies begin. That should be enough time to induct her properly. I simply wish we didn't need to.'
The screen went to commercial break, Kyoryoku letting out a groan as an ad for Pedigree Shampoo (for those with animals inside and out!) played. Okame chuckled at him as the boy quickly got over his slump.
"Did you see that, Mom?" he questioned. "Big Sis was just so cool in all her fights! Those other students didn't stand a chance against her! She even beat Sister Ibara!"
"Yes, Kyo. I saw." Okame swept her son into her arms, holding him close as she remembered when Momo was that big.
"Ne, Mom. When will Sister Ibara come visit again? I know she's probably busy with her hero training, but I haven't seen her in a while."
"She will come by soon," Okame insisted despite her lack of knowledge to any truthfulness in the statement. "It is like you said, she is busy training to be a strong hero. Momo beat her, so she clearly needs to work a little harder."
"Yeah, I guess so," the boy agreed. "I just want to see her again. Sister Ibara always tells the best jokes and stories."
"You need not worry, Kyo," the mother promised. "She will come back soon. I'll get Momo to talk to her. Then she will understand." She held Kyoryoku close so he could not see her frown. "She'll understand..."
"Does anything else hurt, young man?" Recovery Girl asked as Izuku replaced his top again. "No more scrapes or bruises?"
"No, ma'am. I'm all better." Izuku set a hand on his chest, the scrapes he'd gotten from Yanagi's final play nothing but pink skin that would finish healing by morning. Recovery Girl nodded to him before moving on. She stopped by Shinso's bed, the boy still unconscious. The medic's lips extended, kissing the boy's forehead. This caused a green glow to envelop his body, the Gen-Ed student's breathing easing as his black eye started to heal.
Shinso shifted as Recovery Girl moved on, needing to check on Yanagi's recovery, the 1-B student having been her first priority. Momo was not present, having taken no damage in her final fights.
Izuku hopped off his bed and padded his way to Shinso's side. The student opened his eyes, the bags underneath very pronounced as they settled on Izuku. One was noticeably more open than the other.
"You're name is Shinso, yeah?" Izuku asked. "Hitoshi Shinso?"
"That's me," he confirmed, looking over the other boy. "You're one of the hero students. You chastised that blond guy when he yelled at us weeks ago."
"Izuku Midoriya, at your service." The verdet offered a hand, Shinso eyeing it before giving a hesitant but firm handshake. "Shinso, do you want to be a hero?"
"I—" Shinso sputtered. "Yeah, of course I do!"
"Well, it's far from official, but I know you'll be invited to fill the empty seat in the Hero Course, and I want to be the first to welcome you."
"You…" Shinso blinked. "You're not scared of me?"
"What, about your Brainwashing Quirk?" Izuku chuckled. "Nah. You haven't done anything to suggest you're a bad guy and I hate people who judge others for things they can't control. It's not like you picked your Quirk."
"I… Really?" Shinso pulled his arm back, eyeing Izuku warily. "You aren't faking this and going to throw me to the wolves or something, right?"
Izuku's smile fell a little, turning more melancholic.
"After what I experienced thinking I was Quirkless, I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
"You're Quirkless?" Shinso gasped.
"I thought I was," Izuku replied, offering a lie of omission. He moved on to the proper lie. "My Quirk is really passive and doesn't show at all. It's called Empathetic Eye; it allows me to see allies and enemies to groups I associate myself with."
"What?" Shinso blinked. "But how did you get into the Hero Course with a power like that?"
"A lot of training. Actually, you remind me of me before I started training."
"What, pathetic?"
"In need of friends and teachers," Izuku replied, leaving Shinso taken aback. "Listen, Shinso. You really remind me of me. If you want me to, I'll put in a good word with Aizawa-sensei. Maybe he can train you, too."
"Well, he did a good job with you," Shinso muttered. "Do you… Do you really think I have what it takes to be a hero?"
"With the right mindset, I think you can be even more than that."
Slowly, Shinso felt a real smile come across his face. Maybe the future was looking up for him.
["Greetings, Mentor,"] a figure said, the voice a whisper as they hid in a far corner, two fingers pressing into their ear. The shadows were long and dark, a voice changer altering their voice should anyone be listening. ["The games are over. I did not stand out at all."]
The voice on the other end of the line responded.
["No, I have not been approached by the Assassins. They are unaware of my affiliation, as you requested… Yes, I believe I have found the mole. If she suspects me of anything, she is a very good actor… No, I am not certain it is her, but I do not believe it can be anyone else. I cannot be sure that the mole is not in the other class. That leads to my doubts, but my gut tells me I am right… She has not made contact with either group. She is either innocent or deeply undercover."]
A pause.
["I understand, Mentor, but there is only so much I can do alone. If you would give me permission—"] The figured frowned. ["I understand they take many risks returning to roots, but— I— But it is working for them so far, Mentor. By following in his examples—"]
The figure flinched, weathering what must be a rather harsh rebuttal from the other end.
["Yes, Mentor. I understand you do not trust them. I will keep my eyes and ears open for any sign of corruption and will inform you at the first hint of such."] He paused. ["There has been one major incident since my last report. It appears the Osaka Brotherhood intercepted a Templar human trafficking operation and are now hosting the victim, an American. The Brotherhood remains unaware that I have access to their system thanks to your backdoor, but it is only a matter of time before they find the worm. I need to know what information you want before we lose access. That wouldn't be a problem if… Yes, Mentor. I will obey."]
"I am here… to give out the metals!"
An almost reverence crossed Shinso's face as he stood beside Izuku on the 3rd-place platform, All Might rising from the small plume of dust his landing had kicked up. The crowds cheered for Japan's number one hero, his blinding smile twinkling in the sun.
"Let us begin! It has been a long day and I am sure you all wish to return home! First, Young Midoriya and Young Shinso! I cannot begin to explain to each of you what a showing you put forth! Neither of you possess a Quirk truly suited to battle, yet you both rose to the occasion! Though you did not take first, accept these metals as your own, and see how far you have come and how much further you have to go!"
All Might showed off the bronze metals, resting their straps over each boy's neck as they bowed. All Might gave them one more smile before he moved to the podium furthest from them.
"Young Yanagi, your wits and power carried you far today! You fought tough battles and overcame when so many others did not, and for this you should be proud! Do not let your swift defeat in the final match discourage you, for to have been attacked so quickly simply means your opponent recognized your strength and decided you had a strong chance of winning! Recognize this within yourself and strive to never let such trickery do you in again!"
Yanagi bowed and accepted the advice, the weight of the silver metal settling around her neck. She whispered a thank you to him.
"And finally, Young Yaoyorozu!" All Might stepped up to the last podium, his eyes level with Momo's. "Today is your day! You have proven yourself ahead of your peers, in luck if nothing else, but you and I both know there was little luck had to do with it past the first match! If anything, many would call fighting one's cousin unlucky, but you still came out the champion! Accept this metal, Young Yaoyorozu, but remember that your victory here is not the end! Every student now has eyes on you, and I don't doubt they are already planning how to surpass you! Do not let this one victory go to your head! Never stop improving!"
"Thank you, All Might-sensei," Momo said, the heavy gold hanging from her neck. All Might turned to the crowd.
"Now everyone, let's give a final cheer to not only those who placed, but to all the students to gave their all today in the games! Say it with me! Three, two, one—!"
"PLUS ULTRA!"
"Thanks for all your hard work!" All Might and the crowd blinked at each other. He coughed. "Ah, Plus Ultra, indeed!"
So ended Izuku's first UA Sports Festival.
End of Chapter 18
That's all for this chapter, but ho boy have I laid groundwork. Who are the spies and who do they work for? What will happen to Simon if the Assassins cannot reach him in time, and how will that come to affect Nascha? What about the other plots we did not see in this chapter, those of the Iida brothers, Stain, and the Flaming Sidekickers and Endeavor? And finally, what did you think of the final matches? I tried to spice things up for the end and this outcome just felt right, but let me know what you think!
Read and Review!
-SwordOfTheGods