Nezu pondered over all that he knew. There was a file that had been encrypted beyond anything he'd ever seen. Not even Powerloader, tech genius of UA, could crack it. However, he was making progress on a different front. Stars & Stripes was seen in close proximity of a patient at Estes Park Hospital. It was definitely related to what they were both protecting. It was then that he noticed an online article relating to Stars & Stripes. For once, the paparazzi are useful . It was then that he saw the secret's face. A young, green haired boy, with freckles speckling his face. Interesting... why is he so important? As the... creature... thought, his It was then that Aizawa knocked on his office doors. Not hearing anything, he entered the room quietly, files in hand. He frowned, seeing Nezu's face, knowing it would become another migraine he'd have to deal with later, preferrably much later. The tired man asked, exasperation lacing his voice as his boss eventually burst into a fit of spine chilling laughter. "Why are you laughing?" It was then that the rat decided to deign his presence, and answer his question, with tantalizing obscurity. "Hm? Oh, I believe I have found something interesting... and far above your pay grade." Aizawa looked over the image on the computer. It was just as he feared, a new migrane, and possibly even fewer hours of sleep. "A new problem child?" The white furred mammal confirmed his suspicions, and elaborated with new, in Shota's mind, horrifying details. US governmental secrets he didn't even want to know: "Someone who caught the attention of America's number 1s. President and hero." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Definitely a problem for me, then." Nezu grinned at his subordinate, all while thinking: Such a pessimist... It was then, as if the insomniac's day couldn't get any worse... Toshinori Yagi entered the room. He was carrying a far larger set of files, oblivious to what was going on until he saw his coworker's expression. "Nezu I brought you the... oh? Did I interrupt something?" Nezu, of course, was never one to stop himself when it came to his own curiosities. Roping in one more man... the Symbol of Peace, no less, would be beneficial, at least in his estimation. "Oh, no. I'm just musing over something. I'm curious over something Stars & Stripes was interested in, is all." Toshinori, of course, recognized his old student. He'd trained her for a little while, and was surprised that Nezu was interested in her at the current time. "Cathleen?" That's right. Toshinori knows her. Maybe he can shed some light on this. Keeping his smile the same, the chimera gestured to his laptop, barely containing his glee at how easy it was to manipulate people, "Care to take a look? I'm a little... perplexed by the situation..." He obliged... and paled when he saw the picture. "Is... is this real?" He feigned innocence at how the picture was acquired. Many heroes had stalkers who would sell their services to the media, and there was no need to worry him trivial things he should already know. "Hm? Of course." The one good aspect of the vultures in the media is that, with things like this, they are accurate. Yagi is certainly reacting more strongly than I realized he would, there must be a reason... And without having to ask, the blond man offered the answers he sought on a silver platter. It was too good to be true. "I... I know that boy." "Really?" Aizawa glared at him, with both surprise and suspicion. He usually left little doubt in his opinions, and he had very few good ones of the man. They were in different worlds, limelight vs. underground, and his distaste for the limelight hero was evident. His annoyance at Nezu only compounded the accusatory tone. "In what way?" To their surprise, he seemed... guilty, like he was expecting Aizawa's to be as harsh as it was. "I saved him... a few months ago, from a villain made of sludge. He asked me if he could be a hero if he was quirkless. I didn't want to crush his dream, but I wanted to keep him alive..." That painted a very clear picture to them both. A quirkless child, saved by one who was probably their idol... only for him to crush his dreams. While it didn't answer their questions on who he was, and why the US now had a collective interest in protecting him, it did fill out some of who this boy was. Aizawa filled in the rest. "So you told him no." He nodded, not flinching from his past mistake. A credit to the man, "I still regret what I said, as I was rushed... but... I told him he could be a policeman, firefighter, or detective if he wanted to be a hero..." "That's..." Aizawa blinked. Instead of just leaving him wherever he was, he gave advice for the future... but it wasn't enough to redeem the man's callous words. "That's actually sound advice, but he is a child. I wouldn't be surprised if he took that hard. After all, most look up to you... for some reason..." While hurt by the sleep deprived colleague's remarks, Toshinori Yagi agreed. Nezu was more focused on something else: "Do you know his name?" The blond man nodded, "While he was unconscious, I did notice his name on one of his notebooks... Izuku Midoriya. I met him in Mustafu." The rat grinned as he now waited for the child to return home, all so he could find out why he was now a national secret. Izuku and Inko had both never been on a private jet before. Izuku had been the first among the duo to leave Japan, but it was in a cramped and crowded Economy class seat... and it was next to a man who was part walrus. So not nearly so comfortable as this was. Due to everything going on... they were both very thankful to Cathleen. When they expressed it again, she waved it off "No problem! I want to help until you get your book out, at least. Then you'll be able to be fine on your own. I'm on break, and want to spend time with people. Plus..." her smile dropped. "I know what happens to quirkless. I'm not going to let it happen when I can do something about it." "Ok..." Izuku looked out the window. He got to keep the suit, despite everything... and it was probably due to his insistence. Cathleen knew its true power, but trusted he would be good with it. Especially since he's proven to have saved the world with it before. She listened to him as he explained, "I've... I've never been on a private jet before." The blonde smiled, glad for the change in conversation. "I'm not surprised. How often have you traveled?" He admitted his inexperience. "Just once. To the US, for that expedition." Her laugh was gentle as she made an observation. "I see! You seem to have strange luck. You immediatley found what you were looking for, far before anyone else who was doing the same!" "I guess..." He thought about that statement. It was certainly true. He spoke his thoughts for the future. "After I finish publishing this... I'll leave for the states. Probably stay in Denver, or a town closer to Area 634. I only saw a small part of the ruins there. There is more I haven't found yet, and the LEAF suit will help me in that." The heroine beamed, "Righto. My hometown is Denver, so that's where I usually stay as well!" That bit of hero trivia caught him off guard. He had always thought that she was from Detroit, since Allmight and her shared a similar forward smash move based off that city. "Really?!" "Yep! If you need a place to stay, just give me a call!" Izuku tried, just like his mother did, to refuse that kind of hospitality. He didn't want to impose. "I can't do that again, after all you've done for us..." But... her next response shut that down. "I insist!" It was then that the captain of the plane, her personal pilot, Chuck Norrington, spoke over the intercom. "Attention Cathleen and guests, we are arriving at Tokyo international airport in approximately 10 minutes. Please prepare for landing." When they arrived, Cathleen had insisted in taking them to her place, and having them live with her. While Inko tried to convince her not to, she wouldn't budge, and so, they moved everything there. Not having much to start with has its perks. They were amazed by the sheer amount of space she had in her apartment. In Japan, due to the sheer population, space was a luxury. When Izuku went to bed, exhausted from the flight, Inko spoke with Cathleen, privately as they watched him slumber peacefully from the hall. "Thank you for all you've done, it really means a lot to Izuku. He was never the same since 10 months ago, and seemed to not care for heroes anymore... I'm just glad that you, a hero, are doing this when nobody else did." The blonde smiled, "He's like a nephew to me. I can't just sit by and let him come back here, when it did so much damage to him. Far more than that valley ever did." The two women smiled, then Inko headed off to bed. Inko had been given a spare room, just like Izuku, and Cathleen waited, still awake, and thinking of the future. Well, he's finally back... but I have a feeling things won't be easy. Nezu was overjoyed. The first day of UA went without a hitch, and he just received news that Cathleen Bates, as well as Izuku Midoriya and his mother Inko, are now in Japan. Having hacked the speed cameras, he found out where they now resided, at a property owned by the heroine. It was her private quarters when in Japan, which meant that they were trying to hide. Maybe Izuku Midoriya didn't realize that, but Cathleen was doing everything to expediate the process of being in Japan. Perfect... Just before he left, he had asked for Aizawa and Toshinori to stay behind. Aizawa was irate, having dealt with a... difficult, but promising class. The first day was always the toughest, as he had to "break them in", for lack of a better term. The only good side of this was that he hadn't had to expel anyone yet... but there were three in question who were next on the chopping block. This meeting was interrupting one of the few times he would have to rest before his other job kicked in. "What is it, Nezu?" Allmight asked a similar, but differently worded question: "I am wondering the same thing, principal." Although they were completely different, their instincts were usually on point. Especially when it came to the rat, I mean chimera: Nezu. His smile faltered. Usually him smiling is a concern, but when it faltered... especially after yesterday... it concerned them both more than his laughter at the moment. "I have been investigating Izuku Midoriya, as we discussed before. His test scores, were reported as lower than average, his behaviour reports say he was violent, and that he wouldn't get far... but that is not the truth." They looked at him confused until he started to explain: "Based on the original documents, his test results, and security footage... he is a bright young man who has never caused trouble. His scores were leagues ahead of his classmates save one, he was the victim of quirk abuse and bullying, and he has gotten far to get the attention he has from certain parties. His only issue, was that he was held back, hindered by quirk bias. He even wanted to apply here, albiet to the Gen Ed course. We never recieved his application, probably due to Aldera themselves obstructing him." Aizawa and Toshinori were furious. This was blatant anti-quirkless descrimination in a public institute. Which meant it was government funded, and that they should have shut those practices down. They were both especially enraged after seeing the footage of a class beatdown of him. With Aizawa asking, "This is... where were the parents in this?" Nezu continued to elaborate. "Izuku has only a single mother, and after hacking into Aldera, I found that she was diligently trying to ask why this was happening. But they brushed her off. Not having any better options financially due to an absent father, her hands were tied." Toshinori trembled as the footage continued, day after day, "Such injustice... and they were inspired by heroes? By me?!" "Wait a second..." He narrowed his eyes, "That's Bakugo Katsuki. He's in my class. He's initiating conflict with this Izuku Midoriya. Is there audio?" Even though he searched, there were limits. Especially when concerning Aldera's woefully backwards security system. There were no microphones on these cameras, which means whatever was said... would be lost to time. Or, unless one of the parties involved were to tell them. "Unfortunately, no." The two teachers fumed. They didn't blame him. They didn't even know about this until today. No, they blamed the school. Nezu let himself voice his own thoughts, "Aldera has been hiding such a... gem from me..." Calming down, he turned back to the two pro heroes before him. "So I would like to extend an invitation. On the morrow, I would like you two to visit him. He is currently staying here, in Japan, having arrived today... and is staying with Cathleen Bates." Toshinori's eyes widened. He smiled as he remembered his protegee fondly. He also knew where her place was, making this trivial for him to visit. "Sure thing. It'll be good to see Cathleen again." Annoyed, but only slightly, Aizawa agreed as well. He thought this was a bad idea, but could see the logic behind Nezu's request. "Very well. I have homeroom tomorrow, but I can go after that." Allmight agreed, "Heroics is first period, so I can go right after that." Nezu beamed, "Right. You two can organize it, but see to it that this gets done, please." As his two teachers left, he sipped on his tea as the two teachers who normally didn't get along worked together for a common goal. These two are too easy to manipulate... Izuku Midoriya... I have plans for you now... and you'll be right where I want you soon enough.
