Written by Aduubo, Buckichamp, and PikachuSpartan.
I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI.
—
The train ride back home felt exhausting.
It was still midday, but Ryuko Matoi wished she could skip forward to the next.
The last match against Katsuki turned a pretty damn good day into an absolute nightmare. Even Senketsu was silent, not knowing if anything he said would even help.
Matoi stared down at the floor while her hand grasped the overhead pulley. Her eyes were listless and slightly faded, giving off a distant vibe as if she lost her path, as the train came to a stop.
Ryuko hopped off and started the lonely trek back to Danchi. As she got closer to the apartment building, Mako and Inko spotted her down on the street from the Midoriya's window. The two looked at each other with concern after witnessing Ryuko's outburst during her final match.
She climbed up the flights of stairs before finding Inko and Mako on the floor above. Once Ryuko made it to the top of the flight, they greeted her immediately.
"Hey, Ryuko," Mako said softly.
"Are you okay? We saw your final match and… well…" Inko trailed off.
"It's okay, guys. I'm fine. The guy just pushed my buttons, that's all," Ryuko responded blankly.
Her eyes were bored and nearly hollowed, which was a complete opposite to her natural high spirits.
"Is Izuku not with you?" Inko looked behind the girl to see if he was there.
"No. Our classmates had some kind of special meeting going on. He's still at school. I wasn't feeling good, so I left early."
"That's good. While he's coming home, why don't you come join us for dinner tonight? We wanted to make something special to celebrate your win at the Sports Festival," Inko offered with a smile, in hopes of cheering the girl up.
"Yeah! If it's special, it's bound to be super yummy like all of her cooking!" Mako pitched in with Inko's attempt.
"Thanks, guys. But, I'm gonna have to pass. I'm not in the mood right now," Ryuko said before stepping forward, which queued the two to split and let her pass.
"Ryuko? Are you sure?" Inko asked.
"You can talk to us if you want. We're your friends," Mako pressed.
Ryuko stopped in her tracks and turned her head to smile at the two. It attempted to match her usual one, but they both knew that she was putting up a front.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. Enjoy dinner with Izuku. I'll leave the door unlocked for you to get in later, Mako."
She continued up the stairs before making it to her apartment and shut the door behind her. Inko's expression saddened once Ryuko was gone. She looked out to the horizon of the city. Wherever Izuku was, she hoped that he could bring Ryuko back from whatever abyss she was falling into.
..~~~HLK~~~..
Matoi changed into her pajamas and tossed her gym uniform aside, as well as putting the newly repackaged one off to the side before hanging Senketsu up on the wall. As she was getting into bed, he spoke up.
"Ryuko."
"What?"
"Obviously, that last match has left you quite despaired. Spending time with them to celebrate might help your mood. Why not join them?"
"What good would that do? I went crazy at the Sports Festival. The last thing they'd want is to have to deal with a psycho like me that's down in the dumps. Especially Izuku listening to the winner whine," Ryuko scoffed.
"You know that's not how they feel about you. Izuku would want you to go. Hiding from it is not going to help you."
"Lay off, Senketsu."
"Why are you blocking?" Senketsu asked.
"I'm not blocking!"
"I don't need to drink your blood to know that you are," he said with accusatory eyes.
"Senketsu, I'm warning you!" Ryuko stood up from her bed and stomped towards Senketsu.
"He wouldn't want you to be upset, Ryuko. Why won't you let him help you? He'd be more than happy to-"
"That's why I'm upset! Okay?!" Ryuko shouted, silencing Senketsu with a gasp.
The girl sat herself back on the bed, gripping her pant legs into her fists.
"Izuku's done so much to help me, and what have I done for him?! Nothing!"
Ryuko's voice cracked while gritting her teeth. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but she tried her hardest to not let them drop.
"I caused trouble for him and All Might by being a nosey bitch. I got him involved with all of the Life Fiber bullshit! I-I fucking slapped him! H-He… he wouldn't have been in this much pain if I didn't get sent away. If I just kept my mouth shut and stayed out of trouble… I could have stayed with him. I left Izuku all alone."
The more she thought about it, the more her hands grew numb.
"He helped me when I was in trouble. When I had no one. He was always like that. He's still like that. But why?"
Ryuko began to hiccup through her sentences as she started sobbing.
"Why did it have to be him? Why did he have to be the one to deal with all of the shit in the world?! He doesn't deserve it."
Her one hand tightened into a fist.
"These damn quirks."
Her fist shook violently before she punched her knee.
"What made him so happy nearly destroyed him. He's still the same Izuku I knew, but now he only cares about what other people want. When they started judging and hurting him, he just turned his damn cheek and took it. In the end, he'd leave everything behind to help them. His hopes, his dreams; he'd sacrifice everything. That's the kind of person he is."
She wiped her eyes many times to stop the tears, but no amount could stop her train of emotions. Her drops were beginning to create a large stain on her pants and sleeves.
"I don't want that to happen to him. I just…I just want him to follow what he wants. To chase it further."
"How can you say that you haven't helped him?"
Ryuko's teary eyes turned to her Kamui, questioning whatever he was trying to say.
"When we first met him, or rather I did, he seemed so distraught and distant. But every time you two have spoken and spent time together these past few weeks, there's been a sense of life I've seen come back into his eyes."
Hearing this only made Ryuko's tears swell up again, pulling her legs close to her chest in silence. Even if what he said was true, there was still so much pain she felt she had caused Izuku.
"I wish you were right, Senketsu," Her voice trembled, and there were sniffles in between her words. "Because if that were true, then maybe… I wouldn't be such a useless friend."
Ryuko buried her face into her arms. She might just stay like this for the rest of the evening. Maybe even tomorrow too.
"Hey."
The girl gasped as she sat up to find Izuku peering into the bedroom. His expression was mixed between comfort and grief, but he smiled, just happy to see her.
"I-Izuku," Ryuko quickly wiped her tears. "H-How long were you standing there?"
"Long enough to know what's going on," Izuku started as he made his way to sit on the bedside floor. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but Mako told me the door was unlocked. You know how I can be when a friend of mine is sad."
"That is true," Ryuko chuckled half heartedly. "I really am a mess today."
There was a moment of silence between them, but somehow it didn't feel awkward. Izuku being there with her was just enough to make things easier.
"You know, I'm surprised that Mako was able to get back to Danchi. Do you think mom came to get her? Or did she walk home on her own?" Izuku spoke up.
A small smile creaked on Ryuko's face.
"If she was able to find my phone number through just typing random nonsense, then I wouldn't be shocked if she called your mom. Or it could be the other thing. I have no clue what Mako's limitations are."
"It makes me wonder. Does she have a quirk? Or not?" Izuku snickered.
Somehow, they both started to laugh lightly. Despite everything, Izuku was able to make her forget her previous outburst and laugh. Just how? It was a mystery to her.
"You could just ask her instead of sitting here with me," she said in between chuckles.
"I know, but I wanted to try to make you laugh. Like how you always make me laugh," Izuku smiled.
"Mhm. I try my best," she said warmly.
"That's why you're a good friend."
Ryuko blinked without saying a word. She was caught off guard, but it did leave a warm spot in her heart.
"Thank you, Izuku. But, I screwed up big time. The Sports Festival was supposed to be something fun for everybody. I was a total buzzkill during the awards ceremony. And to Ashido, too," she slumped into her arms.
"I was a bully today. I clowned on Katsuki and didn't take the match seriously. Him dishing it back was all that it took to make me lose it and break his arm."
"I'm… I'm not cut out for hero material." she sighed.
Izuku tapped his knees as he thought over what she told him. Knowing what to say was always a challenge, but he always had the drive to try for her.
"You know that's not true."
Ryuko slowly lifted her head to face him as he sat himself on the bed beside her.
"You made a mistake today. But, you faced it head on instead of running from it. It's like you said, you tried your best. And that's good enough. Not just to become a better hero, but a better person. That's why you're a good friend, Ryuko. Without you, I don't know where I'd be right now. I don't mean it in… a dark way. But my power, having friends and just… feeling completely different. More in charge of who I am."
With a few moments of silence, Izuku moved to his knees so he could move his arms around Ryuko and embrace her.
"I'm sorry if I made you worry. After what happened at the USJ, I never wanted to see you go through that pain again. But you're here now. I can't thank you enough, Ryuko."
Matoi was stunned silent until she buried her face into his shoulder, crying her eyes out as Midoriya did his best to comfort her as time passed. He'd stay for as long as she needed him. His warm embrace made her heart warm and her body feel ten times lighter. The same went for him, but it was somewhat different given the way the situation was playing out for the pair.
When Ryuko finally calmed down and gave the signal that he could let go, he separated but still retained eye contact.
"If you're up for it, we can talk about the other thing. But, we should get back to the others for dinner first. I think we both could use that moment to relax after the hell we experienced today.
"Sure," Matoi slowly nodded. "I think at this point, it's better to start there than on what I wanted to know."
Midoriya understood there'd be some uncomfortable moments coming, but he needed to be ready.
"Don't worry. I still haven't forgotten about what you wanted to talk about. We'll get to it after dinner. Right now, I just want to cheer you up with what Mom is making. My mouth was WATERING the instant I set foot inside the apartment," Izuku chuckled, his infectious energy soon bringing her back to form as she giggled.
"Man, now I feel bad that I turned her down when she invited me inside to prepare while we waited for you. Then again, I probably would have gone nuts and ate some of it."
"Well, now you can make it up to her by attending. Come on!"
Izuku jumped onto his feet and turned around to lend his hand out to Ryuko. Accompanying it was his grin that she grew so familiar with. It was so bright that it lit up the entire room, even though she had the lights dimmed. She felt her chest begin to pound before she reached out for his hand.
'There's that smile again. The one that's always cheered me up. This is what you were working towards. Right, Izuku? To save people with a smile.'
The girl found herself smiling before her hand laced itself with Izuku's. She held on tightly as he helped her stand up, not even letting go afterwards.
"Geez, how could I say no to that face?" Ryuko joked and wiped off the rest of her tears.
"U-Uhm, hehe. Sorry. Oh!" The boy perked up from something he remembered. "Speaking of attending, there's something else I need to tell you. I have some information that Ashido wanted me to relay to you."
"Ashido? This oughta be good," Ryuko responded cautiously, knowing how much of a wild card Mina was.
After putting Senketsu back on, Ryuko joined Izuku in the Midoriya household. She was welcomed with a feast that celebrated her victory at the Sports Festival. Man, what a feast it was! The wide selection of meats, noodles, soups, and Inko's spin on croquettes? It absolutely melted away the bittersweet taste she got from the final match. What a time to be alive! It was manna from heaven.
While everyone enjoyed dinner, Izuku remembered to tell Ryuko about what she could be attending tomorrow: The Tokyo Fashion Show.
"Meeting a model at a fashion show?" Matoi asked.
"A model?! Whoa! Wait…" Mankanshoku squinted her eyes to a near close as she eyed Izuku closely.
"Not me, Mako. An actual model," Midoriya held his hands up in defense.
"If you say so…" She responded while still peering.
"Eh… I don't know, Izuku…" Matoi trailed off.
"They were insistent that you come along. Ashido even said 'Gimme Matoi's phone number too! It's no fair that you and Uraraka are the only ones that get to hang out with the cool gal!'" Midoriya recalled.
A light chuckle came out of Matoi from that.
"I think it sounds like a wonderful idea, Ryuko! Plus, you were already traveling around Japan before coming to UA. Why not continue seeing the world? You'll have a lot of fun going with friends!" Inko pushed gleefully.
"It may not be your style, Ryuko," Senketsu chimed in, drawing the girl's attention while it took Izuku another second to figure out what was happening.
"But I don't see the harm in going with them. It would be a nice change of pace for you."
Ryuko mulled it over for a minute before finally making a decision.
"Heh, fine. Guess it wouldn't hurt since Mako will be gone after tomorrow morning," Matoi relented.
"I think you'll enjoy yourself given you'll be going to Tokyo in a limo," the boy laughed a little, bringing a small smile to Matoi's face.
"A limo?! WAAAAAA! No fair! I want to go to Tokyo in a limo!" Mako whined and slumped over the table.
"It's okay, Mako. We all do," Inko consoled the girl and patted her shoulder.
Ryuko laughed at Mako's usual antics. She leaned back into her chair and thought about the trip once more. It wasn't something she'd normally be interested in. But hey, if she liked Karaoke, maybe she'd enjoy this, too. It'd be nice to hang out with folks that were the same gender as her instead of the sausage fest that was the Kanto Gang.
"Hey, umm, Ryuko?" Izuku poked the girl's shoulder.
"What's up?" She turned and was met with a notebook in her face. "Mmf-"
"If you meet any heroes out there in Tokyo, can you gather some data on them? This is a golden opportunity since I can't go!" Izuku's eyes sparkled with joy. There were so many heroes he could potentially study up on.
"I don't know… I'm not really the analyst type. Or the type to like writing," Ryuko shrugged while gently pushing the book out of her face.
"Maybe Senketsu could give you the analysis then! And maybe write it too? I'm actually curious if he could do that," He pondered.
"I think I was able to grab things before," Senketsu tried to make grab motions, but only made the girl's arm flop around.
Ryuko chuckled at the thought and held the book in her hand. She observed it and looked at Izuku, who was all giddy as usual.
"Alright, I'll take it with me. It'll give me something to do if I get bored on the trip," She smiled.
"Awesome! Thank you so much, Ryuko!"
Dinner soon wrapped up. The gang helped Inko clean the plates and dishes before making their way towards the exit. But before opening the door, Izuku stopped the two girls.
"Mako, do you think you can stay here for… an hour or so? There's something I need to talk to Ryuko about in private."
Mako was about to make a goofy retort but stopped once she saw the look in Izuku's eyes. He was being serious. Reading the room, Mako slapped her hands parallel to her sides and nodded.
"Gotcha!" She shouted before marching to the sofa and sitting down. Not even a second after, she flopped over and started sleeping.
Both Izuku and Ryuko chuckled. Mako just never ceased to get a laugh out of them. The boy looked to his mother, about to speak up before she stopped him with a nod. She was paying attention and was okay with watching over Mako until they got back. Now that that loose end was tied up, the duo walked up to Ryuko's apartment.
Closing the bedroom door and flipping the lock, Izuku went to the carpeted area and sat across from Ryuko.
"You know, Izuku," Matoi snickered. "If this were any other situation, Mako would find a way in no matter what you did. Maybe it'd be better if we talked in my room."
Izuku's face turned slightly red, but this wasn't like those other times where she was basically naked. He could power through this.
"Uh, n-no, this is fine."
Ryuko giggled, understanding he wasn't someone that was sleazy like Mikisugi.
"Okay," he let out his breath slowly, trying to stay calm.
"For starters, you already heard the name of my Quirk. It's called One For All," Midoriya started. "And All Might passed it down to me a few months ago, the day of the UA Entrance Exam."
"Oh! Like the Three Musketeers?" She posed. "All for one and one for all? I think that's how it went."
"Huh. Didn't think you'd know that old saying," Izuku chuckled lightly before continuing.
"The power is so strong, I kept hurting myself using it. It wasn't until our training when we came up with 'Full Cowling' that I found a way to control even 5% of my power."
"'Full Cowling', huh? Cool name. I dig it."
"Not as cool as Senketsu Senjin," Izuku responded, drawing a cheeky wink out of her.
"So, you really weren't bluffing? I believed you, but that was about all you could handle?" Matoi asked.
"Yeah," Midoriya nodded back. "Until today, I didn't realize I could handle 6% thanks to all of the training. I cranked it up to 7% at the end of our match, but that hurt a bit. I'm not ready for that output quite yet."
Ryuko paused and remembered what Toshinori said after his match against Todoroki.
"All Might mentioned some damage to your fingers, including some scarring. How bad is it?"
Izuku looked down at his two bandaged fingers, closing his hand into a fist.
"Not that bad, but I can't pull that kind of a stunt again for a while. But… that's not all you want to know, right?"
She pondered for a minute, wondering what else there was.
"Are you and All Might the only people who have used the Quirk?"
"No. I know All Might had a master, but that's about it," he explained, which didn't make her happy.
"Why do I feel like he hasn't told you everything?" Ryuko murmured.
"Probably because he didn't even know about the people I saw earlier today," Izuku noted.
"The what now?" Ryuko stuttered.
"When I was under Shinso's control, I saw 8 or 9 figures appear, one of them being All Might. I think those were the previous inheritors of One For All."
"Whoa, really?! So you basically have some weird brain thing going on? Like how I'm the only one that can hear Senketsu? Can you talk to those spirits!?" Ryuko leaned forward, fascinated by the whole ordeal.
"That's where… I run out of answers. I've only seen the people in the vision, but haven't talked to them. So I'm not 100% on that. All Might thinks that it was just the spirits of the previous wielders and nothing more than that. I wasn't completely satisfied with the answer since he wasn't absolutely sure either," Izuku rubbed his head.
"UGH! What is it with teachers not giving a straight answer?" Ryuko groaned while plopping on the floor.
"Guess that's something we have in common."
The room fell into silence once more. It was awkward again, but how could it not be? There were multiple things that the two needed to discuss. This was no cake walk. Izuku knew what he had to do, but he found himself struggling. His elbows were tensing up the moment he even started thinking about it.
After all the trouble that his problems caused, he still couldn't face them. Why? Ryuko went through so much because of him. He owed it to her!
Midoriya took a good, long, deep breath. His arms loosened up, yet he braced himself for what he was about to say.
"G-Guess I should move onto… the other thing."
"Izuku. Wait," Ryuko spoke up to stop him. "I'm sorry."
The boy's eyes widened.
"What? What for?"
"For forcing myself back into your life," She said sternly while locking eyes with him. Her eyebrows were furrowed, but it wasn't intense enough that she looked angry.
"I eavesdropped on you and All Might when I should have walked away, I made you tell me about your quirk instead of Katsuki when I should have only stopped you. All of this time, I thought I was trying to help you. But I never took a moment to think about how you were feeling. Which is why…"
Ryuko stopped for a moment.
"You don't have to tell me about what happened between you and Katsuki."
Izuku blinked twice before he fully registered what she just said.
"I was already guilt tripping you when I first asked about it. And now we're having this talk because of something I caused. It's too sudden. And that's not fair to you. It isn't right to make you relive the trauma you went through years ago."
Ryuko lowered her head, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"You deserve to go at your own pace. I can't make you rush through it. I won't make you. So… I won't ask about it ever again. I'm done causing you trouble."
"Ryuko…" Izuku's face faltered. "No, no. That's not true at all," He scooted over to the girl immediately.
"Ryuko, none of what you said is true. You've helped me so much in the time you've been here. Earlier, Kacchan asked me if I told you anything about us. Originally, I wasn't ever going to remind him of what wrong he did to me. But thanks to you, I did just that."
He grabbed Ryuko's shoulder as gently as he could.
"And I will tell you."
Izuku looked into Ryuko's eyes with a firm gaze. This was a look that she recognized. He was making a promise.
"You've made me so much stronger than I was before. I don't think I would have done as well at the Sports Festival if it weren't for you. You always believed in me when others didn't."
Izuku then leaned forward to hug Ryuko with a smile stretched across his face.
"For the time being, wait for me until I can believe in myself as much as you do. It'll take time, but I now know that I'm strong enough to confront it."
Ryuko started to feel a small warmth grow in her chest as Izuku talked. It started small, but soon spread like a gently kindled fire throughout her body. Tears rolled down her cheek and onto Izuku's shoulder before she wrapped her arms around him to return his embrace.
All of the pain she was feeling was washed away immediately. Even though things weren't completely resolved, Izuku gave her the hope that he was going to take action on his negative feelings. Every little step counts.
They both stayed like this for a while, taking in the pleasant atmosphere that showered over them again. After a moment longer, Izuku began to blush.
"S-Sorry for the hug again. Today's just been an emotional ride for me. I didn't mean to bombard you with so many," He started to loosen his hold.
"It's okay, Izuku. I don't mind at all," Ryuko spoke softly. Her grip on him didn't loosen.
In a few seconds, her senses kicked in, reminding her what she was doing. Ryuko blushed immediately and released him.
"E-Er I mean, sorry! Y-Yeah you're right."
Ryuko cleared her throat while the two sat in awkward silence again. Today was just a complete whirlwind of emotions.
"But thank you, Izuku. However long it'll take, I'll always be there to help out."
Izuku's growing smile was joined with a slight blush on his face.
"Whatever you're going through, I'll always be there to help, too."
With that declaration made between the two, Senketsu closed his eyes as he was now able to rest. Izuku got up and went to the front door and picked up his shoes. Ryuko opened the door for him and saw him out.
"G'night Izuku."
"Good night, Ryuko."
Ryuko closed the door and walked back to her bed. She stood in silence and stared at the wall before plopping on it. She curled into her blanket and buried her face in her pillow before groaning into it.
"I don't mind at all…"
'Did I really say that?!' Ryuko pushed the pillow deeper into her face and screamed as she remembered what she flat out said to Izuku. Sighing, she pulled it away and revealed a blushing mess.
'Get your shit together, Ryuko…'
..~~~HLK~~~..
-Next day, 8 a.m.-
After managing to get some sleep over that blunder, Ryuko woke up early that morning to get ready and help Mako pack. Yesterday was the last day of the UA field trip for all Honnōji students, marking a very brief visit to Musutafu. This wasn't anything new when it came to Honnōji Academy.
She was joined by Izuku at the pier, as well as the others that came with them the day Mako arrived. Inko even attended. They all wanted to see the brunette off to Honnōji. Two-star students could be seen walking along the pathway to get on the boat.
"You sure you can't just stay here, Mako?" Ryuko sighed and watched Mako be as joyful as ever.
"Aww Ryuko… I'd love to! But I gotta get back and help take care of the family! Maybe one day we can all come here to Musutafu! Not as bunkmates though, cuz I don't think we could fit them all in Izuku's apartment," Mako chirped while she happily hopped.
"Maybe one day. Be safe, alright?" The Kamui wielder stepped forward to give her best friend a hug.
"Hopefully we'll get to come and visit you too. It'd be cool to see Honnō city, and maybe even Honnōji Academy," Izuku spoke softly and placed his hand on Mako's shoulder.
Mako's eyes lit up before she pulled Izuku in to join her and Ryuko in the hug.
"That would be. So. AWESOME! I could give you guys a grand tour around my neighborhood!"
"Looking forward to it," Izuku chuckled before he was released by Mako. He then stepped to the side as the others crowded around Mako to say their goodbyes.
"Izuku Midoriya."
The greenette suddenly turned to the voice that called out. It was Houka Inamuta. His collar was unclasped, showing his smile.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself after our rough meeting the other day," Houka extended his hand out to Izuku.
"Houka Inamuta. I'm the Information and Strategy Chairman of Honnōji Academy."
Midoriya was on edge by the sudden introduction, but he begrudgingly extended his hand to complete the handshake.
"Umm nice to meet you, Inamuta. So… What can I help you with?" Izuku asked.
"Actually Midoriya, there is something you could consider. I have an offer I wish to extend to you."
Izuku raised an eyebrow, but didn't object. If Inamuta was at least making an offer, he should hear it out.
"Okay then. What do you have in mind, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I would like to invite you to work under the Honnōji Academy umbrella. Specifically under my branch in the Information and Strategy committee."
Izuku blinked twice as he ran those words through his head. This wasn't what he expected to hear. Once he heard about Ryuko's time in Honnōji, Midoriya was prepared to take on any and all hostility from the school's upperclassmen. But he wasn't prepared to be offered a job!
"You're inviting me to go to Honnōji? I'm… honored? But why though? Isn't Honnōji so cut throat on who comes into the island? Why invite me of all people?" Izuku questioned.
"Perceptive as ever. Yes, it is true that we at Honnōji have a very low tolerance to outsiders coming into our borders. Even more so after a certain… someone decided to cause an unnecessary ruckus in our academy halls," Inamuta demurred, earning a small glare from Izuku due to his little jab at Ryuko.
"However, we would be absolute fools to turn away anyone that possessed a great amount of potential. And you Izuku Midoriya, have that and so much more."
Midoriya's body relaxed after hearing such a hefty compliment from the Elite Four member. This was the first time someone outside his usual talk circles complimented him.
"Your versatility far exceeds those with years of experience. Adaptability to a battle that was not in your favor, even when you were outmatched in battle prowess. All of that and more, coming from right here." Inamuta said, pointing directly at Midoriya's forehead.
"Sure, UA has been training you on all things hero related, but can they really understand the type of impact you could have if they took the time to nurture your mind. The body can only do so much, Midoriya. I can offer you a chance to reach even greater heights, if you transfer to Honnōji Academy."
Izuku stared down at the dock, listening to what Inamuta said to him. It's odd to have some random person praise you for something many others have found disturbing and creepy.
"Just think, Midoriya. At Honnōji, we strive to enhance the lives of those who live on our island and beyond. We are able to do so without constantly trying to appeal to Quirks."
That comment made Izuku's head shoot up.
"Come to Honnōji, Midoriya. I can assure you under my tutelage, the world would be yours for the taking," Inamuta concluded, saying his entire peace to Mirdoriya.
Hearing all of that from the Information and Strategy Chair was heavy. Izuku thought back to all the things he heard from Ryuko, all the things he researched online about the controversial school, and then he mulled over what Inamuta pitched to him now.
His analysis was always something he considered more of a hobby, never really a skill worth "perfecting". And here is the head of Honnōji's information commission, complimenting said hobby.
Any person would jump for this opportunity. A chance to make a difference in their own way.
"I…"
But Izuku Midoriya…
"I'm sorry, but I wish to decline."
…isn't just anyone.
Inamuta was surprised at the answer. After everything he said, surely the hero student would've jumped at the chance to come to Honnōji. The only one he could think would have a hand in this was…
'Matoi. You played a part in this, didn't you? I should've guessed as much.'
"I appreciate the offer, Inamuta. I really do. But I've been waiting my whole life for this chance. To be here, to be in U.A. training with the best. You may be right in some cases, but I feel I can make an impact if I stayed here," Izuku said, with Inamuta listening, invested in the boy's response.
"Honestly, if you came to me before I got into U.A., I'd take the offer without any hesitation. But I have a life here. Friends, family, people who are looking to me and counting on me to succeed. So no, I won't be taking you up on the offer. But thank you for considering me," Izuku concluded, bowing to the committee chair
"Well," Inamuta sighed, "It was worth a shot."
As the Honnōji Elite paced a few steps towards Izuku, he laid a hand upon his shoulder and stopped.
"I respect your decision, Midoriya. Just know if you change your mind, the offer still stands. Who knows? It may be sooner than you think."
Houka's jacket clasped up, as Izuku looked toward the three-star with utter bewilderment.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Izuku shouted, but received no response.
The strategy chairman walked back and positioned himself next to Satsuki, who was keeping a roll call of the two-star students.
"I'm assuming he turned down the offer?" Satsuki asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Inamuta responded melancholy.
"Hmm, I'm not surprised. Midoriya is loyal to those that helped him on his journey. That is a defining trait of someone who will be a leader," She kept her focus on Izuku, who continued to stand aside, giving his friends the chance to speak with Mako one last time before she had to leave.
"I still wish you didn't have to go, Mako," Ryuko sighed and lowered her head in anguish. She felt scared about her being all alone at Honnōji. It's just like the lingering thought of when she left Izuku years ago.
"Don't be like that, Ryuko! Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean that we won't see each other again. We're besties. Nothing's going to change that, alright? Same thing with everyone else here too!" Mako stretched her arms and legs out, creating an X formation to highlight the circle of friends they had.
"God… Why am I crying…?" Mineta was ugly crying, with snot hanging from his nose.
"Oh, wow! He does have a heart," Jiro was genuinely surprised.
Mako's enthusiasm helped revitalize the warmth in Ryuko's chest. Just like that, she was all better. How the hell could Mako and Izuku keep their heads up like that?
"Mankanshoku, it's time to leave," Satsuki called out as the last two-star boarded the boat.
Mako turned her head upon being called and turned it back to Ryuko. She saw that the girl was wearing a small smile on her face. Knowing that Ryuko was out of whatever rut she was in, Mako took her exit.
"Alright! I better get going! See you later everyone! Hope we can all meet up and eat yummy foods together!" Mako hopscotched on the pier, but stopped before pointing at Izuku.
"AND IZUKU! Keep taking care of Ryuko for me!"
The two teens in subject blushed at the comment, Ryuko appearing even redder than usual. Satsuki and Inamuta climbed aboard before the boat pulled away from the pier. And just like that, Mako was gone and sailed away to Honnōji.
..~~~HLK~~~..
After they finished their farewells, everyone went their separate ways. With Jiro and Uraraka heading out to get ready and meet with the girls. Matoi assured them that she would catch up later and stayed with Midoriya. The duo took off towards their usual hang out and training spot, the Municipal beach. They sat at the edge of the shore, the water nearly touching their feet as they talked over a few things.
"So… Senketsu Senjin. Gimme all the details!"
Izuku had his notebook in hand, along with his pen, all in a tight grip. He stared at Ryuko with wide and excited bug eyes, which surprisingly didn't put her on edge too much compared to their classmates.
"Pff, I knew this would happen sooner or later. Alright, shoot your questions then!" she fired back enthusiastically.
"How did you come up with it?"
"Well… Senketsu and I actually have you to thank for that," Ryuko smiled while Senketsu's eye nodded.
"Really?" Izuku blinked once and sported a face of wonder.
"Remember when you asked if Senketsu had a limit on his transformations? We thought of that at the last moment and BAM! We breezed our way to the win!" Ryuko uppercutted the air, which made Izuku chuckle.
"And you were sad about thinking of that at the last minute! Told ya! Better late than never!" She ruffled the boy's hair.
"Yes, it was actually the perfect time to test the waters and see how quick we can adapt to a situation," Senketsu added.
"Hell yeah-"
"Though it was reckless and incredibly dangerous to test it on a student."
Ryuko stopped midway while a bead of sweat dropped down the side of her face.
"It was YOUR idea, Senketsu," She seethed through her teeth while trying to keep her cool.
"Ryuko? Er…You okay?"
"It's nothing! But yeah, it really saved our necks. Senketsu is a whole new beast here!"
"That's so cool! With an adaptive ability like that, you'd definitely make it to the Top 10i!" Izuku jotted down in his book.
"Hmmm, maybe," Ryuko sort of nodded off at that last comment. Being a pro hero? She hadn't thought of that since she was a kid. It was an interest that she lost during her years in boarding school.
..~~~HLK~~~..
-4:45 p.m. UA High Entrance Gate-
"She's not here yet! Are you sure she's coming?" Hagakure asked while restlessly hopping up and down.
"She texted me that she would come. Maybe she's just running late?" Uraraka responded.
"Man… It's almost time to go! I really hope that she comes!" Ashido also became antsy.
"Maybe try to get in contact with her again? See where she is?" Midnight pitched in a suggestion.
While everyone tried to figure out Matoi's whereabouts, Yaoyorozu looked around aimlessly and twirled a strand of her hair. After the festival, she had a lot of soul searching to do.
"Look, the way I see it, you're not looking for the reason why I'm here. Maybe…you're looking for the reason why despite everything…you're still here."
Momo remembered those words vividly. It seemed to be gnawing at her more and more with the way she lashed out.
'She wasn't wrong.'
"Hey! Sorry I'm late!"
The others turned around to see Matoi jogging up the pathway to the school. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
"Sheesh, Matoi! You had me worried that you weren't going to show up!" Mina pressed the girl.
"Sorry about that. My head wasn't in the game today and I actually got lost on the way here. I had to call Jiro for directions," Ryuko rubbed the back of her head.
Said girl started to giggle while covering her mouth with her palm and earlobes.
"Wait…" Mina squinted her eyes and shifted them from Ryuko to Kyouka.
"YOU HAVE HER NUMBER, TOO?!"
"Guess the cat's outta the bag," Kyouka unfolded her arms and lobes outward before shrugging with a cheeky grin.
"SO NOT FAIR!" Mina then stomped over to Ochako. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GIMME HER NUMBER!"
"Didn't you tell Izuku that?" Ochako raised her hands defensively.
"GNNNNNNNHHHHHHHHH! Let's just go." The pinkette walked over to the edge of the sidewalk as the Limo was approaching.
"Wait, she could have just ask-" Uraraka was suddenly shushed by both Jiro and Matoi, who were devising a fun little joke to keep going.
The brunette nodded before keeping her mouth shut.
Once the limo came to a complete stop, all of the girls lined up accordingly to enter. Before Mina seated herself, Kyouka cut the line to peer in on her.
"Also, Iida has her number, too."
At that moment, Jiro saw a vein appear on the side of Ashido's head.
'Worth it!' she snickered.
..~~~HLK~~~..
It was an hour into their drive towards the Fashion Show in Tokyo. Everything was going pleasantly as the girls' chattiness helped make time go fast, with Ryuko now telling a few stories about her endeavors at Honnōji Academy.
"And so I sliced up her Goku Uniform and absolutely rocked the court. That'll teach 'em for messing with Mako."
"Wait, so nobody batted an eye at the fact that you completely stripped a girl naked?" Jiro asked cautiously.
"Nope. They just moved on as if nothing happened. I think that's just a Honnōji thing. One of the Elite Four tried to keep fighting me even after he was naked," Matoi shrugged.
"Streaking without shame? How daring~" Midnight fawned in her seat.
"Sheesh. Just like that, huh? If that's the case, then I know Uraraka wouldn't last a minute there~" Mina cooed while looking at the Brunette.
"What do you mean?" Uraraka raised a brow.
"You don't remember? How you blacked out when you had Midoriya's sweaty jacket wrapped all over your face~? But not before getting a good whiff of that manly essence~"
Uraraka's face turned beet red within seconds. She started fidgeting in her seat with her hands flailing around before she spoke.
"W-WW-W-W-WHAAAT?!"
"Oh come on, Ochako. Literally everyone in the class was there with you during the fight. So don't try to sneak your way out of this one, hun," Jiro said while twirling her earphone jack.
"Did you actually sniff it? Cuz I bet that kinda reaction would come from smelling that shirt," Asui chimed in, only deepening Ochako's already apparent embarrassment.
Matoi could only laugh at the sight of her friends teasing their resident mochi cheeked classmate. Seeing this as an opportunity of sorts, Midnight decided to throw in her two cents.
"I fail to see why you're laughing, Matoi. Last I checked, you had prince charming in between your thighs all tight and snug," Midnight commented, immediately halting Ryuko's laughter as her face lost all color.
The entire limo went silent after their teacher brought up that little "secret" for all to hear.
…
"Huh, I was honestly wondering when that was gonna be brought up. Sorry Matoi, you're kinda screwed on this one, Ribbit," Tsuyu said.
"I-I-YO-WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU BRING SOMETHING LIKE THAT UP?! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE A TEACHER?!" Matoi protested, her face now a very bright red.
"And what about it? I may be a teacher, but I'm still a woman, darling," Midnight noted.
"Oh yeah, that was gonna be a topic of conversation. So Ryuko, how did it feel~? What was it like having Midoriya trapped between your thighs? OH, how did it feel when he pulled them apart? Come on, that had to have done something!" Ashido pressed, getting closer to Ryuko's face with each question.
All of the thoughts of the day previous came rushing back into Ryuko's head. From Izuku's "unveiling", the grapple, to the-
"STUPID, SEXY, IZUUUUUKUUUUU!"
Ryuko shook her head back and forth to get that memory out of her head.
'WHY DID I SAY THAT!?'
It was safe to say that Ryuko said nothing for the remainder of the ride.
..~~~HLK~~~..
-8:30 p.m., Tokyo Fashion show-
The girls had arrived in Tokyo about an hour and a half ago, making it just in time to see the start of the Tokyo Fashion Show. While normally they'd be nowhere near the backstage, Mina's passes did the trick.
"We've seen Tanaka cross the runway a few times already!" Hagakure pranced around the area as he walked out onto the stage for his final run of the night.
"Relax, girls. I'm sure he'll be back here soon," Midnight assured them.
While it was a nice change of pace to get out with her students, Midnight also had some level of concern. Specifically, with who employed Tanaka.
'He does a lot of work for Revocs, that's for certain. And that company is heavily connected to Honnōji Academy. Anything I learn could be crucial in the time ahead.'
With a final wave to the crowd, Ichiro Tanaka exited stage right. He had guests to meet after all from the random meet-and-greet drawing.
Tanaka was dressed in long pants, more of a fit trim than anything baggy. He flung his stylish new jacket over his shoulder, revealing a red button-up, short sleeve shirt to go with gray and white shoes with black trim.
"Oh my god! Here he comes!" Mina whispered excitedly. She couldn't stop fidgeting as her nerves were firing off like lights on a Christmas tree.
Hagakure was in the same mode as Mina. While the others were a bit more reserved, he still looked cute to most of them, with his somewhat spiked up, blonde hair. The only two who didn't seem to be falling for him in the slightest were Uraraka and Matoi.
"Man, I need a break from all these shows! Touring around can get exhausting," Tanaka chuckled a bit, throwing his jacket to the side once away from the prying eyes of the audience.
"Mr. Tanaka, your guests are waiting for you," one of the female attendants informed the model.
"I told you that I'm fine going by Ichiro. No need to apologize, Mezumi," the boy stated before the attendant could try to remedy the mishap.
He looked to his right and caught the silhouettes of the people he was supposed to meet. He honestly had no idea who was waiting down that hallway, but that's what happens when you have a random draw.
"Now who might we have here?" Ichiro peaked his head out from around the corner.
At that moment, his eyes jolted wide open.
"Oh my god!"
The girls didn't know how to take this response from the model. Ryuko in particular was peeved by such a callous remark.
"YOU GUYS ARE HEROES TRAINING AT UA! I saw you all competing in the sports festival yesterday! I can't believe you're here!" Tanaka's smile beamed as everyone's worries melted and the mood swung from dread to a bit more upbeat.
"Ichiro Tanaka, at your service!" The model said with a bow. "I'm sorry for such a rude opening. But I absolutely love heroes!"
Mina began to walk up to the idol when she suddenly slipped forward. She thought she was going to hit the deck until a gentle pair of hands grabbed her arm and waist to hold her up.
"Careful now! We don't want a hero in training being knocked out of commission around here."
Everyone stared in disbelief at how quick the fashion model was to stop Ashido's fall. That was until he got her back on her feet before kissing her hand like she was a princess.
The pinkette felt she might faint. That wasn't going to happen though, not until they left.
'Best night ever!'
"I know I said I watched the festival, so I should remember your names. Though I've been so swept up with everything happening today that I kinda forgot. Would you mind reminding me of each of your names? I do recognize Midnight, so I don't think an introduction is needed there," he said with a nervous laugh.
"Mina Ashido," the horned pinkette said through a daze.
"Gotcha, Ashido."
"Toru Hagakure," the invisible girl suppressed a squeal.
"Nice to meet you."
"I'm Tsuyu Asui. But please, call me Tsu."
"Noted, Tsu," Ichiro replied.
"I'm Momo Yaoyorozu. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure's all mine!"
"Kyouka Jirou. What's up?"
"Not much. I like the style. It suits you," Tanaka pointed to the violette's outfit, making her blush slightly.
"Ochako Uraraka. Nice to meet you, Ichiro!" The bubbly brunette said with a wave.
"Oh yeah! I remember your fight. I'm guessing it was a bit rough, but you held your own there! Man, that was an awesome display of grit!"
The compliment from the boy lifted Uraraka's spirits a bit.
"Yo. Ryuko Matoi," the blue haired girl said with a nod. She was trying not to smile, but he was somewhat charming. She somehow was reminded of Izuku with his and Tanaka's apparent hero obsessions. He didn't seem like the snobs you'd see on TV.
"You made it to the final round! Man, what an awesome fight either way! That kick to his face was priceless," Tanaka laughed, causing the others to join in as well.
While he didn't sound like a high pitched squealer, Tanaka had a little more of a developed voice. Nothing too deep, but definitely a bit more grown up than his 15-16 years of age would let on. The model had toned muscles with a bit of definition. He wasn't as muscular as some of the 1-A boys, but definitely not scrawny. It was evident he worked out a bit. His eyes were a dark shade of blue, and his slightly spiked up blonde hair a bit eccentric compared to his "reserved" demeanor.
"You sure seem to like heroes a lot," Jirou spoke up. "Any particular reason?"
The idol scratched at the back of his neck, letting out a nervous laugh.
"Yeah, a few. Sorry if I seem a bit weird. I've always been a bit shy away from the spotlight. Honestly, heroes saving and protecting lives, willing to put their own on the line… It's just inspiring! I don't think I could do it, since I guess if I'm being selfish, I'm someone who just wants to live a long, happy life."
"Have you ever considered becoming a hero before?" Midnight wondered, catching Tanaka's attention.
"Well… I don't… have a quirk."
The revelation shocked everyone. Ichiro had only been on the scene for about a year or so, with not much known about his personal life yet. But for Ryuko, she seemed to really start drawing some parallels between the teenage idol and Izuku. What were the odds?
"You were super fast when you caught me a minute ago! There's no way! Uh, I didn't mean that to sound rude or anything, it's just hard to believe," Ashido looked on with a bit of concern.
"You didn't do anything wrong. Don't sweat it, Ashido. It's not something I usually talk about, but I guess meeting you all after what I saw on TV yesterday… I almost feel like I was looking at pros and now you're here? I'm just ecstatic to meet a bunch of idols hehe!"
"I getcha. I'm quirkless, too. I just happened to luck out a bit," Ryuko pointed at herself, catching the boy by surprise.
"Wait, seriously? I thought you had some form of super strength or speed the way you were flying around the arena."
"Nope. It's a long story."
"You'll have to tell me sometime," Ichiro smirked, causing the girl with the red highlight to stifle a laugh.
'Is this what Izuku would be like if he were more outgoing?'
Everyone went back and forth, hamming it up for another fifteen minutes. It was an enjoyable talk with someone who was a normal guy off the stage.
"Can I help you to any snacks? I think we have some nearby."
A moment later, a security guard whispered a message in Tanaka's ear, clearly displeasing the fashion idol as he let out a defeated sigh.
"I'm so sorry! My detail said we had to head out earlier than expected. We barely even got through twenty minutes of this meet-up!" Tanaka clasped his hands together as the girls felt bad for the guy.
"But I'll tell you what! I'll give you a contact to reach out for another set of backstage passes for another event and we can continue where we left off. At least another 40 minutes to compensate for the time tonight!"
The UA entourage gladly accepted. With a smile and wave, they said goodbye as Ichiro Tanaka headed back to his dressing room down the other corridor.
Once he closed the door to the orange room, his mood flipped from happy to annoyed.
"I know you're hiding over there. Come on out," Tanaka called out.
"Awww! I was going to surprise you Ichiro!"
From behind the curtain to his left, Nui Harime emerged, sporting her casual smile.
"What do you want?" Ichiro asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, c'mon Ichi! You wouldn't back talk me like that when I came all this way to support you," the blondie feigned being hurt by his words.
Ichiro sighed as he went behind the paneling to change into some street clothes, tossing the fashion show designs up on top.
"While I appreciate you coming to support me, please don't interfere like that, big sis. I know you were only here for the Kamui wielder," he stated coldly after reappearing in his streetwear.
"She's so interesting," Harime twirled around, playing coy.
"I don't care if her dad cut your eye out. I'm just trying to be me. So please, resist the urge to try and go after her when she was a guest tonight."
"Oh-"
"Don't 'Oh' me, Nui! You're walking home after what you just pulled. Even though I should have you in the car, I'm not happy with you at all."
"Fine then. I was going to be bouncing around anyway so you can head back home alone. Ta Ta!"
With that, Tanaka grabbed his jacket and made it out of the building, his car waiting to take him away.
"This isn't going to end well," Tanaka mumbled, looking somewhat distraught and saddened.
"Is there anything I can do?"
To Be Continued…
Buckichamp A/N: *Puts on announcer voice* We hinted at him back at the end of Chapter 14/The USJ as the "huge gamble." He's finally here folks! May I present to you Ichiro Tanaka!
You're starting to see some real deviations from the KLK and MHA timelines. Ichiro isn't the biggest fan of Nui, if you couldn't tell already. He'll be back again as we progress through the series, especially now that we'll begin exploring more of the "Honnōji World" while we build out our protagonist's stories. Essentially, we tried to build out a small platform for each of the Honnoji elites to shine (some pulled off better than others), but now they'll be set to be more involved on a more "consistent" basis.
We're moving onto a little slice of life for at least a chapter before we get to the internships and the other connected stuff. We're really going to explore some angles here with the time we're afforded. And honestly? There's a lot more time between canonical events than we originally thought, giving us more chances to do more things. Yes, I know I'm vague but it would spoil the fun!
Also, I'm going to be a spoilsport here and say we're likely not doing the MHA movies, but we haven't fully ruled out doing at least one of them down the road. Or at least as for what we've laid out storywise, we're not doing Two Heroes. We have something else planned for that moment in time.
It feels appropriate on the one year publishing anniversary of the first chapter (hence why we were a day late) and the end of another arc to announce some things.
Let's get the one announcement y'all may not be thrilled about out of the way. With our schedules and certain other factors getting in the way, we've decided until either December 2022 or January 2023 that we'll be doing a chapter upload every three weeks, effective immediately. The next chapter will be uploaded on Thursday, September 8, 2022.
One reason for the change is we need more time to repopulate our backlog with how hectic things are going to be for the next few months before transitioning back to a two-week publishing schedule.
The next reason is…
Aduubo A/N: Here's some exciting news though! We're now working on the comic dubs! Chapters 1-4 have been adapted to script form! We're getting closer and closer to getting this on YouTube!
PKSpartan A/N: If you would tell me that I would be involved with making shit like this, I would tell you to first to get the fuck out of my house and are you insane. Holy shit, this is actually happening and I'm so goddamn excited!
Buckichamp: Yeah! *Sniffle* I'm tearing up a bit here!
PKSpartan: I'm working with so many cool people and there's so much to come in the future. I mean GOOD GOD, is there stuff y'all ain't ready for!
Buckichamp: So, yeah! A bit of a change in plans because of the dubs and other big stuff happening! Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding…
AND LET'S F**********ING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!