The Man Out of Time

by Ultimate10

After a 150 years in ice, Izuku Midoriya finds himself in a new world where meta-abilities or "Quirks" are the norm. His journey to becoming a modern Pro Hero will have its challenges keeping his old identity a secret, facing old and new foes, and learning to let go of the past. Does the world even need Captain America anymore? Or is he just too old-fashioned? Marvel/MHA AU World.

16. Chapter 14: Farewells, An Important Talk

The Man Out of Time

Chapter 14

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"It always seems impossible until it's done."

- Nelson Mandela

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Fort Erskine, CA - July 4, 2042

In a small room guarded by two MPs outside the door, Izuku sat on a padded exam table while a nurse performed a phlebotomy on his left arm. Peggy stood by the wall with her pistol at her side ready while Howard Shield leaned against a nearby counter jotting notes on his clipboard.

The newly created super-soldier remained silent as the nurse carefully took his blood. His newly enhanced hearing could detect the activity happening throughout the medical ward. The base's medical staff barked orders to each other as they tended to patients. Only two hours had passed since the attack on the base. Dozens of soldiers had been killed while dozens of others had been injured to varying degrees.

Izuku's face contorted into a grimace from the painful cries of soldiers' echoing down the halls. What was supposed to be a relaxing day for celebrating the nation's birthday had turned into a nightmare.

"Don't you think that's enough blood, Mr. Shield?" Peggy's curt demand snapped Izuku out of his daze. "You've taken like half a liter by now!"

Izuku glanced over to see a medical cart sitting by the nurse holding dozens of small vials filled with his blood. He blinked in moderate shocked confusion. 'Whoa…I'm giving that much blood and I don't feel anything…'

Howard nodded to the nurse, prompting her to stop. She pulled the needle from his arm and proceeded to clean the puncture wound.

"Apologies. but we need as much blood as we can get from Cadet Midoriya. Besides," Howard turned to Izuku, "he isn't showing any signs of hypovolemic shock."

Peggy furrowed her brows, crossing her arms over his chest. "You could at least ask him if he's feeling fine and not just assume."

"It's fine, Peg-chan." Izuku held out his hand in a placating manner. "I'm fine. I hardly feel any different. Well…aside from the obvious." He glanced down at his taller, muscled body.

"It truly is amazing." Howard commented, looking over his clipboard. Meanwhile, after treating Izuku, the nurse closed the medical cart and pushed it out of the room. "Not even three hours after the procedure and the serum has completely integrated into your DNA. Dr. Hatsume really was incredible."

Izuku's expression fell. "Yeah…she was."

The mood in the room immediately became melancholic. The base's medical staff had done their best to save Teruko's life; sadly, her injuries were too severe. She had passed away shortly after Izuku had stopped Clemson's escape.

Peggy lifted her head. "Do we know if she had any family?"

"She had her parents, a little sister, and a best friend." Izuku responded somberly. When Peggy and Howard looked at him quizzically, he elaborated, "She…told me about it last night."

Howard sat his clipboard on the counter. "Well, you already know more than any of us. Still…even though I didn't know her for long, she became a good friend of mine. But losing her isn't just a personal loss, it's a big blow to the project."

Peggy and Izuku turned their attention to the mustache man, curious.

"Dr. Hatsume never recorded the serum's formula in any document; physical or digital. Nor did she share it with anyone else." Howard pointed to his head. "She was the literal brain of the A.M.P."

"Are you serious?" Peggy sounded surprised. "How could she get away with doing that?"

Howard shrugged. "I don't know the specifics, but I assume it was part of her arrangement with the government. At first, I thought she was being paranoid. But…after today, it's clear her paranoia was well justified."

The engineer shifted his gaze to Izuku. "Any hope of reproducing the project is locked in your genetic code. However, without Dr. Hatsume, it could take years. Many years perhaps."

Wait, if the serum couldn't be replicated then that meant–Izuku lightly gasped as his eyes widened. Bucky. Sharon. James. Nick. Namor. Dugan. All of the A.M.P recruits. None of them could become super-soldiers now. The team that she assembled to take down All For One and liberate Yoichi couldn't be made into a reality.

Izuku frowned solemnly at that depressing reality.

Howard went on. "At the moment, you're the only super-soldier there is."

"Not the only one," Izuku murmured beneath his breath.

"Oh right… Dr. Hatsume must've told you about that Meta-Ability boogeyman in Japan, huh? Well, from what I recall, that serum she gave him wasn't complete. So, it's debatable if he really counts as a super-soldier."

"He's still dangerous." Izuku adopted an introspective gaze, clenching the edge of the exam table as his body started to tremble. 'If I had recovered from the shock of the attack sooner…maybe I could have stopped that bastard before he killed anyone…before he killed Teruko…So much for being a hero.'

Before he could entertain any more melancholic thoughts, he felt a tight squeeze on his right shoulder. He looked up to see Peggy shooting him an empathetic frown. "Don't. Don't blame yourself. What happened today isn't your fault." She firmly said.

Izuku's gaze lowered. "Maybe not. But now I'm the country's only super-soldier, Peg-chan. Teruko deserved more than that."

Peggy didn't respond immediately as her conversation with Teruko two nights prior resurfaced. The night that she had tried to convince the meta-biologist to reconsider Izuku as a test subject.

"I won't fail again. Izuku will be the first subject. I'll turn him into the hero this world needs. End of story."

Peggy vividly recalled the sheer conviction and determination in Teruko's words. She truly believed Izuku could make a difference. All he needed was a chance; a chance that only she could give to him. A chance that only she was willing to give to him.

Flashes of Izuku's perseverance through the training camp played through the Marine woman's mind. The Flagpole. The Grenade. Her private discussion with Izuku yesterday evening. Her only personal experiences with Izuku growing up. She fully understood why Teruko chose Izuku.

Peggy looked back at Izuku with a soft smile. "Teruko and I may have had our disagreements, but I can confidently say that if the serum could only work once, she'd be proud it was you."

Izuku took a breath and looked back up at Peggy, his eyes portraying surprise.

"I second that." Howard jumped in. "Dr. Hatsume spoke very highly of you…despite what everyone else said." He chose to not mention he was initially skeptical of Izuku as a candidate as well.

A small smile crossed Izuku's face from Peggy and Howard's encouraging words.

"By the way," a smirk crossed Howard's face, "are you two secretly dating or something?"

"W-What?!" Izuku and Peggy yelled, heavy blushes spreading over their faces.

"Did I miss the mark?" He blinked, confused.

"I-I-It's not like that!" Peggy denied, feeling very flustered. 'At least…I don't think…' She then recalled Teruko's teasing when it pertained to her relationship with Izuku, causing her to clench her jaw in frustration. 'No! You're wrong Teruko. I'm not a tsundere!' She internally shouted.

"R-Right!" Izuku looked away, his head strongly resembling a tomato. "Peg-chan is my best friend. I-I can't look at her that way."

Peggy glanced sideways at Izuku with a slight hint of hurt in her eyes. 'Can't?'

"That so, huh?" Howard's demeanor became suave as he approached Peggy. "Well then, Ms. Yamamoto, if you're not seeing anyone–"

"Not interested." Peggy deadpanned.

"Wow…" Howard blinked twice. "Got shot down before I could even finish my sentence. That's new."

"Is it really that surprising?" The Marine corporal folded her arms across her bust. "You're in your thirties, Mr. Shield. I'm still nineteen. Quite frankly, that's gross."

Howard shrugged, unfazed. "Hey, as long as they're legal."

"Anyway!" Izuku stood up, trying to get back to the initial topic of their conversation. "If the A.M.P is dead in the water, then what happens to me and the other recruits?"

As if on cue, the room's door opened, and Colonel Phillips walked in. Izuku and Peggy straightened their postures and gave a salute. Following a few steps behind him was Senator Brandt.

"Colonel, any new information regarding the attack?" Peggy inquired.

"How about the other soldiers in the medical ward? How are they recovering?" Izuku added concernedly.

"In reverse order," the army colonel turned to Izuku, "their injuries are extensive. Additional medical help has been called in. Fortunately, it doesn't appear anyone else will be dying today."

Izuku let out a relieved sigh. "That's good."

"As for the attack," Colonel Phillips continued, "information is still forthcoming; however, we learned that our attackers were both meta-users…over the age of thirty."

This caught everyone in the room off guard.

"How is that possible, sir?" Peggy gapped. "I mean, the oldest known meta-humans are still under thirty!"

Howard rubbed his chin. "Maybe they slipped through the cracks somehow?"

"Perhaps." Izuku furrowed his brows thoughtfully. "The first registered meta-human was luminescent, after all. It'd be easy to miss someone with a less superficial Meta-Ability who came before. Question is, how could they have kept it hidden for so long?"

"An interesting thought experiment. However," Colonel Phillips said, "both meta-users were undercover Hydra agents. Meaning they likely weren't born with their abilities."

"I'm not following, Colonel. What are you getting at?" Senator Brandt questioned.

"All For One." Everyone directed their attention to Izuku.

"How do you know that name?" Colonel Phillips narrowed his gaze. "That's top-secret information."

"Teruko. She told me about him last night." Izuku answered plainly.

Phillips eyebrow twitched as he gritted his teeth in frustration. "Dammit. If that mad woman hadn't bit the bullet, I'd…" He then exhaled heavily. "Well, it doesn't matter now. But yes…All For One."

"All For One?" Brandt raised a brow, bemused.

"You haven't been reading our briefings, Senator?" Phillips questioned, sounding a tad vexed.

"I'm on a number of committees, Colonel." Brandt retorted. Translation, he couldn't be bothered to read them.

The colonel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "All For One is the alias for an underground Japanese criminal named Shigaraki. His first name remains unknown." He explained. "From all accounts, he possesses the ability to steal and give Meta-Abilities."

The senator's eyes widened. "Steal and give Meta-Abilities?! Absurd!"

"Absurd or not, it's the truth. Hell, there's even speculation that he's responsible for the bombings at the Russian embassy in Tokyo two days ago." Phillips then sighed in exasperation. "Of course there's nothing concrete to tie it back to him."

"Bombings?" This caught Izuku's attention.

"Not the time, cadet." Phillips stated before returning his attention to the senator. "All For One's gathering an underground following, a cult called Hydra. They worship him. They think he's invincible."

'The first of many. I am part of the evolved. Those who will inherit the Earth. Kill one of us, two more shall take their place. Hail Hydra.' Izuku recited Clemson's last proclamation before his death. 'I see…so Hydra wants a world ruled by meta-users.'

"What are you going to do about this, Colonel?" Senator Brandt demanded.

Phillips shot the senator a wry smirk. "I just got off the phone with the president half-an-hour ago. With Dr. Hatsume now deceased, the SSR is being re-tasked."

"Colonel?" Peggy questioned, befuddled.

"We are taking the fight to Hydra. Pack your bags, Corporal Yamamoto." He turned to Howard. "You, too, Shield. We're flying to Tokyo first thing tomorrow morning." A tired sigh slipped out. "It's going to be a long one…"

"Sir," Izuku approached the colonel, "should I return to the barracks and pack my things too?"

Phillips arched a brow. "You?"

Izuku tilted his head in confusion. "I'm part of the SSR. Aren't me and the other recruits being re-tasked for this fight?"

"The other recruits, yes. But not you." The army colonel curtly replied.

Izuku looked at him, befuddled.

Phillips continued. "Son, you're a seventeen-year-old kid fresh out of high school with a week's worth of training under your belt. You're practically a civilian."

That…was a valid point. "…Fair enough. Then, will I complete my basic training? When I'm ready, I can join–"

"Out of the question." Phillips immediately shot down that notion.

Izuku blinked in surprise. "Sir?"

"At the end of the day, you're an experiment, Midoriya. We're sending you to Alamogordo."

"Alamogordo, huh?" Howard chimed. "Isn't there a highly secure military facility there?"

"Why would you send him…" Peggy paused, as if realizing the answer. "You're making Cadet Midoriya a lab rat." She narrowed her gaze.

Needless to say, Izuku was irked by this decision. "But…Colonel, the serum worked!"

"I asked for an army. All I got is you." Phillips paused briefly. "You…are not enough."

Izuku opened his mouth to retort but couldn't. He realized that, as much as he hated to admit, Colonel Phillips was right. He was still just a kid. Though he wasn't physically impaired anymore, he still lacked the skills required for a real-world military operation of any sort.

The verdette lowered his head, frowning. 'Even with the serum in my body, I'm still not cut out to be a soldier.'

Peggy gazed at her best friend with an empathetic frown. 'Izu…'

"With all due respect, Colonel," Senator Brandt stepped in. "Clemson had me dead to rights back there. If it weren't for this young man, I'd be amongst the casualties today and those damn spies would've escaped with the serum." He turned to Izuku with an appreciative smile. "If you ask me, he's a hero."

Izuku's breath hitched in his throat. 'A hero…'

"And you want to reward his bravery by hiding him in a lab?" Senator Brandt said incredulously. "Nonsense."

"What would you propose then, Senator? Cadet Midoriya is still too green to take part in any military operation." Phillips pointed out.

Howard glanced between Phillips and Izuku; more specifically, Izuku's new green hair. 'Did the Colonel make a pun without realizing it?'

The middle-aged US Senator stood by Izuku's side. "He is on the young side, yes. But I've been thinking… If it's training that Cadet Midoriya lacks, then let's fix that. Have him undergo training from the military's elite forces."

"Which ones, sir?" Peggy inquired.

Brandt grinned slyly. "All of them."

The group was surprised by the senator's unexpected proposal.

Phillips's eyes widened slightly. "Pardon?"

Senator Brandt continued. "Think about it. He's our country's only super-soldier. It'd be foolish not to utilize him." He then returned his attention to Izuku. "Son, if you're willing, we can provide you with the best military training this nation, no…the world has to offer. Are you up to that challenge? It'll certainly take a lot of blood, sweat, and tears on your part, but I assure you it will all be worth it."

"Yes sir." Izuku responded without hesitation. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Brandt smiled and extended his hand, which Izuku accepted and returned the handshake. "I like you, son. When it's all said and done, you will be a true super-soldier."

---

Musutafu, Japan - April 2197

Two days had passed as classes resumed for UA University's Hero Course. On Thursday morning, Class 101-A was a little subdued as they entered their Algebra classroom. For many, a small part of their experience at university would be forever tainted by what happened at the USJ. It was clear the trauma from the USJ was still lingering–even for the prideful ones like Bakugo who refused to let it outwardly show.

The breaking news from yesterday evening of Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri's escape from custody also didn't help things. The fact that the League's two ringleaders were on the loose unnerved the students.

However, for Midoriya and his friends, things were a little easier; they had talked it over, both in person and over the phone, and while they were far from completely recovered, they walked onto campus with their heads held high.

The class period with Ectoplasm was thankfully straightforward. During the five-hour intermission afterwards, Midoriya and his group spent that wisely with their Quirk and physical training.

As 15:30 (3:30 PM) encroached, the class made their way back to their Foundational Heroic classroom for the practical portion. The students were a bit curious about how the class would be handled following the USJ incident. Would they spend that period talking about the attack? Or move on and jump into the next lesson?

"I am here!" All Might rushed into the room with a gust trailing behind him. Instead of wearing his Hero Costume, he adorned a yellow pinstriped suit with a red-white-blue tie. "Welcome back, students! It is good to see all of you once more."

The class settled into their seats and gave their full attention to the ever-smiling blonde titan. His presence was very reassuring to the students.

Midoriya glanced down at his watch. 'Five minutes before class is scheduled to start. You're making progress, Toshinori.' He smiled in satisfaction.

"Now, I have a couple announcements to make regarding what happened several days ago."

Everyone's ears perked up.

All Might cleared his throat. "In light of what happened at the USJ, the university has devised some plans going forward." On cue, the door slid open and the certified Trauma Counselor of the prestigious UA University, Inui Ryo AKA Hound Dog, entered the room.

This caught Midoriya's attention as it was his first time seeing the Hunting Dog Hero in person.

All Might turned to gesture toward the yellow-furred dogman. "For the coming two weeks, all of you will undergo psych evaluations. This will give you time to voice your concerns and lingering situations, if there may be any."

Midoriya leaned forward a bit. This was unexpected.

Hound Dog growled. "You will set the pace. We'll stop whenever you want…but the first session is mandatory for all of you."

"At the end of each session, you'll be asked if you want to continue. And, to cover all of our bases, Dean Nezu has decided to let you pick another Heroic Faculty member to do the counseling with you if you so choose. As long as they are not currently in class, of course." All Might explained.

Hound Dog growled louder than last time with that last remark; almost daring the class to go ahead and pick someone else.

"Naturally this means lessons will be slowed down a little to accommodate such a change. I can imagine Aizawa will not like it," he shrugged, "but it's out of his hands."

Hound Dog picked back up, snarling. "Also, don't think any of you can skip out on these sessions! If you do, you'll be banned from participating in the All-Star Games! If you lie to your counselor, you'll also be banned!"

"Aw c'mon!" Bakugo barked, shooting up to his feet. "That's bulls**t!"

"SIT DOWN NOW!" Hound Dog exclaimed, with the veins on the sides of his eyes popping out. "Unless you want a disciplinary write up AND to be barred from the Games!"

Bakugo flinched at that, and stiffly sat back down with a scowl. "Right… Sorry, sir." He apologized begrudgingly.

Hound Dog settled down a little, still growling.

"Don't speak out of line like that again, Bakugo." All Might said sternly. "While I admire your drive, you must learn to control your anger."

Bakugo nodded gruffly. Not saying a word.

"What transpired several days ago was unfortunate. All of you were forced into real combat. It shouldn't have happened. The school and I take full responsibility. But there is a lesson here–As Heroes, we can't always prevent disasters from happening, but we must be ready to respond to them immediately!"

He continued. "However, at the end of the day, we're still human. The trauma from events like what happened at the USJ can linger. Hound Dog and the rest of us are here to help you. And there's absolutely no shame in admitting that you do need help. Mental health is very important; especially in Heroics."

Midoriya nodded to himself…. Though he involuntarily clenched his fists under his desk. He knew every single word that Yagi stated was true, but still… Why did he get the feeling he was being targeted?

"Now…" Hound Dog stepped forward, a clipboard in his hand. "The first student will be…Midoriya!"

Midoriya internally sighed. 'Of course.'

The canine-man looked up angrily. "Which one of you is Midoriya!?" He barked.

The super-soldier raised his hand. "That would be me, sir."

Hound Dog nodded. "Grrrr… Leave your things at your desk and follow me."

Midoriya complied. Waving goodbye to his friends, he got up from his desk and exited the classroom alongside the Trauma Counselor.

"Now then," All Might pressed a button and the wall split open with the costume briefcase racks sliding out. "With the USJ still in disarray, we'll be continuing our Rescue training on campus. All of you go suit up and meet me at Ground Beta! If you're Costume is still under repair, please wear your gym outfits."

"Yes sir!" The class chorused.

As the students got up to gather their costume cases, All Might glanced out the doorway with concern.

Meanwhile, Hound Dog and Midoriya walked down the hallway with a relatively small number of students passing them by.

"Now!" Hound Dog glanced at the verdette, who was only two inches shorter than him. "Which faculty member do you want to be tended by?!"

'Guess his angry demeanor isn't by choice. I'll note that in his entry when I get home.' Midoriya noted, referring to his Hero Analysis notebooks.

Hound Dog noted that Midoriya's choices were relatively limited since several instructors were unavailable at the moment. That didn't mean he was out of options though.

As the two walked, the super-soldier voiced his choices to the counselor. The dogman then pulled out his phone and sent a few texts, growling involuntarily.

After a bit of walking, the pair finally reached the necessary room.

"In here!" Hound Dog snarled. As soon as the verdette stepped inside, the Pro Hero closed the door behind him.

The room was mostly empty with white-colored walls, wooden floors, a small green plant in the far corner, and a blue rug that complemented the interior nicely. The adjacent wall was full-body window, providing a full view of the greenery from outside the campus.

To Midoriya, it felt quite pleasant and rather peaceful.

Lastly, at opposite ends of the carpet, were two black single seater couches directly across from one another. One of which currently had someone waiting for him.

"Midoriya, is it?" A woman stood up and walked over to greet him. "A pleasure to meet you."

The woman before him stood at 175 centimeters (five-foot-nine) and was very curvaceous. She had beautiful sky-blue eyes with a small beauty mark below her left eye. Long spiky purple hair stretched down to her waist with two chin-length bangs swept to either side of her face with another shorter bang hanging between her eyes. Her Hero Costume consisted of a skin-tight white bodysuit with a black leotard over it, black thigh-length garter stockings, a leather belt with golden studs, and a handcuff on each wrist.

'Analysis of Today's Heroes Volume 3, Page 69. Kayama Nemuri. AKA, The R-Rated Heroine: Midnight. Her ability: Somnambulist. Allows her to produce a gas from her body that puts people to sleep; though it's been confirmed to work better on men.' Midoriya recalled the profile information he had recorded for her. 'She has a pretty good capture record. And she's a UA alumni too.'

Midoriya nodded and smiled. "Pleasure's mine, Midnight-sensei." Offering his hand.

She shook his hand, gently squeezing it. "Please, just call me Midnight." Looking up at him, she batted her eyelashes suggestively. "Or Kayama, if you want."

"Um… Duly noted." He said evenly. 'Guess the reports of her being a flirt we're on the mark.'

"I'm glad that you trusted me enough to be your counselor." She confessed.

"It's no issue." He replied politely. Internally, though. 'Given my options, it was either you or Hound Dog.'

"Now, if you're ready," she gestured towards the open seat, "shall we begin?"

---

As the session between the super-soldier and Pro Hero continued, the rest of Class 101-A was busy with rescue-related training exercises. Groups of three were formed and split up across Ground Beta to perform simultaneous searches for rescue dummies in various situations. All Might oversaw their exercises from the observation room, providing regular feedback via communication earpieces.

He would've preferred having Ectoplasm aid him in this exercise, but he unfortunately was called out for a mission.

Tokage, Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu made up one group and were currently searching for rescue dummies in the ruins of a collapsed building. Uraraka's Quirk shined through in this exercise as she floated the debris while Tokage used her flying appendages to push it safely out of the way, allowing Uraraka to drop it. Yaoyorozu created many first aid items as she manned a makeshift tented area to treat the recovered dummies. The extra calories she ate at breakfast and lunch were coming in handy.

Tokage, with her head floating above the rubble, kept a sharp eye out for any sign of civilians as Uraraka moved the crumbled building pieces. The greenette perked up when she noticed another dummy lying on the ground with mangled limbs.

"Yaomomo! Found another!" Tokage's arms shot forward and pushed the weightless concrete away from the victim. "They're in bad shape. Might need a stretcher to move 'em!"

"On it!" Yaoyorozu stood up as her thighs illuminated with multi-colored light, and a simple stretcher popped out. Tokage's arms flew over and grabbed the item.

"Here!" Uraraka called out, beads of sweat racing down her face as she panted.

Needless to say, the brunette was tired feeling the nauseating effects of using her Quirk too much…but she pushed through. This was what she wanted to do for a living: rescuing people. She had to stomach through the pain. It was the only way she'd get stronger.

With Tokage bringing the stretcher over, Uraraka removed the dummy's gravity and carefully placed them on the stretcher. Canceling her Quirk, Tokage and Uraraka took each side of the stretcher and urgently carried the damaged dummy over to Yaoyorozu.

After carefully laying the dummy down, All Might's voice came through their earpieces.

"Exercise complete! Well done, Team C! You've successfully recovered all of the victims. Return to the monitor room and we'll discuss your performance along with your peers."

When the line cut off, the three girls smiled happily at each other, proud of their accomplishments. Tokage flew back down and reconnected herself as the trio then walked down the street together toward the observation room.

"So, how do you think Greenie is doing?" Tokage asked curiously.

"In his psych evaluation?" Uraraka raised her brow. "I'm sure he's fine. I mean… He seems like he's okay."

"He appeared to be handling the situation well on Tuesday at our meetup." Yaoyorozu then turned to Uraraka. "But are you sure you haven't noticed anything peculiar about Izuku-kun since then, Occhan?"

The greenette perked up. 'So Ochako's got a nickname? And they're using Greenie's first name now, huh?' She grinned knowingly. Ashido and Tsunotori will love this new tidbit of gossip, she thought.

"Well…" Uraraka's gaze fell to the ground. "Actually, now that you mention it…"

---

Wednesday evening, the night before classes were set to resume, Midoriya and Uraraka were currently lounging in the latter's apartment. They had spent most of the evening studying, reading and/or drawing, and occasionally watching some silly video online. And, using Midoriya's phone, they had even invited Yaoyorozu to join their study sessions via video call.

All in all, it was a welcomed relief over the stress they had felt since the USJ incident. After wrapping up their studying, Yaoyorozu had to end the call to turn in for the night.

"It's starting to get a little late." Midoriya noted the 19:00 (7 PM) time on his watch. "I can head out if ya want me to."

"Late?" Uraraka cocked a brow. "It's only 19:00, Izuku-kun."

Midoriya blinked. "19-hundred isn't considered late?"

She snickered. "Not to us civilians. C'mon. Just stay a little longer! Let's relax and watch a movie or something."

Midoriya shrugged. "Alright. But we have to turn in at 21 hundred (9 PM) sharp! We have classes tomorrow." He said sternly.

Uraraka playfully rolled her eyes. "Okay, Iida." She teased him. Turning on her small television set, she surfed the free cable channels for anything that looked interesting.

The anti-gravity girl then paused. She was about to watch a movie with her best friend–who was a hot, cute guy.

In her small apartment.

Alone.

'Stop it! Stop it! Bad, Ochako! Bad!' Her face flushed before she shook her head, trying to get a hold of herself.

Midoriya glanced at her in bemusement, but simply shrugged it off.

Flipping through the TV guide, she found something that piqued her interest. "Ooh! The First Hero is about to start!" There were many movies involving Captain America, but this movie was the latest and had gotten good reviews from what she read. She had wanted to see it but couldn't justify spending the money on a movie ticket at the time.

Uraraka was excited to finally watch it, especially for free!

"Oh yeah. I remembered hearing about that in July last year." Midoriya mentioned offhandedly.

"It looks interesting! Wanna watch it?"

He briefly hesitated. "Um…sure. Sounds like–"

His cellphone then chimed. "A TEXT MESSAGE IS HERE!"

"Pft!" Uraraka covered her mouth, spluttering. "That's so adorable!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Midoriya took out his phone and read the notification. Almost immediately, his brows hardened as a frown crossed his face.

"Everything okay?" Uraraka asked.

"Uh…y-yeah." He shoved his phone back in his pocket. "But I'll have to take a rain check on that movie though, Occhan. I have somewhere I need to be."

"Oh…" Uraraka was unsuccessful in hiding her disappointment, but quickly recovered. "Well, that's okay. You helped me a lot with my studies this evening anyways. And it was fun just hanging out too."

"Same." Midoriya nodded, smiling. "I'll make this up to you later. Goodnight, Occhan."

"Night, Izuku-kun! See you tomorrow!" Uraraka smiled, waving at him. She really did love her new nickname!

Picking up his yellow satchel, he exited the apartment and closed the door behind him.

Uraraka sunk into her couch, exhaling sadly. 'Bummer. Wonder where he needed to go so suddenly? He looked so serious when he read his text.' She stared at the door briefly before turning her attention to the TV. 'Maybe it's nothing...'

---

"So he just left without saying where he was going?" Tokage said quizzically. "Seems odd for him. Any clue why?"

"No," Uraraka looked sheepish, "I didn't ask him where he was going. I…didn't want to seem nosy."

"Perhaps someone from his family contacted him?" Tokage suggested. She then paused. "Come to think of it, he hasn't ever mentioned his family, has he?"

Uraraka frowned sadly. "His parents have passed away. And he doesn't ever say much about his relatives in America either."

"Regardless, I'm sure it must have been quite serious for him to leave so abruptly." Yaoyorozu said.

"Especially since he had Ochako here in her apartment all alone. Eh?" Tokage winked, nudging the brunette in the side.

Uraraka's blush marks darkened. "I-I-It's not like that!" She immediately denied, frantically waving her hands.

"Sure." Tokage drawled out, her grin becoming smug. "Whatever you say."

Uraraka's blush only intensified. "I…I…swear…"

Yaoyorozu's eyes widened slightly. 'Ochako and Izuku…alone together…' Various images of the pair doing lewd activities caused the heiress to blush heartedly, reminded of the novel she had been re-reading recently.

Then, a small frown appeared on her elegant face. Now that she thought more about it, it did seem that Uraraka had more opportunities to spend with Midoriya compared to her.

Strange. Why did she feel so…left out?

"Well, aside from him bailing on your movie," Tokage went on, "have you noticed anything else odd from him since Monday?"

Flashes of Midoriya's notebooks and their contents played through the brunette's mind. 'I…probably shouldn't say anything about that. Especially since I read it without permission.' She inwardly rationalized.

"I mean…not really." Uraraka replied hesitantly. "He seems to be handling everything okay." She looked at the body-splitter curiously. "Why do you ask, Setsuna-chan?"

"From my experience, people who seem okay on the outside aren't always doing okay on the inside." Tokage's tone was serious. "And he's a former soldier to boot. So there's no telling what else he may have going on in that head of his. Just…keep an eye on the big guy…both of you."

The creation heiress and anti-gravity girl paused. Midoriya's admission to once fighting a war while in the American military came to the forefront of their minds. Even though the waters on the surface may seem calm, the currents underneath could be raging wildly.

Uraraka and Yaoyorozu glanced at each other and nodded, coming to a silent agreement.

---

"I can only imagine what an awful experience it was." Midnight began. "To be a witness to an attack of over a hundred Villains, seeing your instructors be overwhelmed, you and your friends being actively forced to fight."

She glanced up at Midoriya, her eyes catching him briefly clenched his fists before relaxing them.

"I'm sure it must have been tough for you."

Midoriya maintained a straight face. "...I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. But we all made it out alive… That's what counts."

'A mature attitude to have.' She nodded. "I heard that Kurogiri warped you, Ashido, and Mineta to the Downpour Zone. Apparently, you didn't have your shield during that time. Is that true?"

The verdette nodded. "After we escaped, Tokage did return it to me though."

"Was it frightening? Not having your shield in combat…" She inquired.

"No." Midoriya shook his head, no sign of hesitation present. "Don't get me wrong, I do prefer to have it in battle…but I wouldn't say I was scared. I know how to fight without it if I have to."

Kayama nodded in acknowledgment. "That's a good thing. There are some Pros who become too dependent on Support Gear. And when it breaks, it can lead to serious injuries…or worse." She kept her gaze focused on him, searching for any sign of hesitancy or fear…and found none. "It's good to know you're capable even without your shield."

She continued. "Speaking of which, by all accounts you had your fair share of combat. Your experience in the American military must've really shined through, didn't it?"

"Yeah…" He averted his gaze. "...Though my time in the military was…rough, to say the least…I learned a lot of invaluable lessons there that you can't pick up in a classroom. I'm just grateful I could use those skills to save my classmates."

Midnight spotted the opportunity to segway to an uncomfortable yet important topic. "By all accounts, you did exceptionally well in leading your classmates. But…in the process, you were forced to make a difficult decision."

Midoriya looked at her, arching a brow in confusion.

"The Nomu." She clarified. "You were forced to kill it."

"Oh…yeah." His gaze dropped to the floor.

Midnight looked at him sympathetically. "How are you coping with that?"

"Well…" He rubbed his neck. "...to be honest, it's not really bothering me all that much. The Nomu wasn't really alive; more so a puppet than anything else."

"True." Kayama agreed. "Though the fact that you were forced to kill doesn't bother you?"

"I mean, don't get me wrong. I don't revel in the fact I killed Nomu. It was once a living person, after all. But…even if it wasn't a mindless puppet, it still wouldn't have changed anything."

Midnight blinked, looking at him closely. "What…do you mean by that?"

The super-soldier looked back up to her with a serious visage. Words weren't needed to convey his meaning.

"I see…" Kayama sighed. "You know that killing is frowned upon; especially in the Pro Hero profession."

"As it should be." Midoriya nodded. "Killing should always be a last resort. But…sometimes you don't have a choice."

"You believed you had no choice but to kill the Nomu?" She questioned, trying to not sound accusatorial.

"It was a literal All Might-counter with orders to kill us. If it weren't for my shield, I'd be dead. My friends would've likely died too." Midoriya frowned. "You tell me if I had a choice."

"Apologies. I didn't mean to sound confrontational." Midnight placated. "I just…wanted to know if you were beating yourself up over the matter or not."

Midoriya exhaled heavily. "I…don't want to kill anyone. I've always wanted to be a Hero who saves everyone. But…" His frown grew somber. "...sometimes you have nothing but bad choices in front of you… Regardless, you still have to make a choice. Because if you don't…everyone could die."

A moment of silence passed between the pair.

Kayama stared at her patient with wide eyes. She could practically see the turmoil in his verdant eyes. It reminded her of past colleagues who had seen the darker side of the profession. She couldn't help but wonder…what had this young man gone through?

"You're…not wrong." Midnight briefly paused. "Midoriya, during your time in the American military, did you–"

Midoriya cut her off. "I'm sorry, Kayama-san. But…I'd rather not talk about it."

"I…understand." It was clear something had happened during the verdette's time of service. Something serious given his tone and demeanor. However, she had to respect his wishes and move on.

The mood was now quite somber. Perhaps she could liven things up? Maybe that would help him open a bit more? It was worth a try, she thought.

"You know…it just occurred to me…what you said: I want to be a Hero who saves everyone. Captain America once said a similar quote." A small grin crossed her face. "Actually, you remind me a lot of him."

"You think so?" Midoriya arched an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Using her fingers, she listed off, "you're a former soldier, your Hero Costume and Support Item are inspired by the Captain's, and your Quirks are very similar." She then smirked coyly. "You're also a hunk too."

The verdette's face flushed a bit, much to her amusement. She couldn't help but giggle. 'Adorable.'

"You also have strong leadership qualities. Wouldn't you agree?"

Midoriya shrugged modestly. "I prefer others to make that judgment."

"Modest too. There's another box checked. What I'm trying to say is… You share much in common with Captain America. At least what we know about him historically." She then looked away, humming thoughtfully. "I suppose a modern-day comparison would be All Might too…just without the insane strength."

"That's… high praise." He rubbed his shoulder awkwardly. "Though those two are ideals of mine and I try to follow their examples, I don't know if it's a fair comparison."

"Really? If I didn't know better, I would think you were trying to be the next iteration of Captain America–only in green." Kayama commented cheekily.

"…That would be something." He replied sheepishly. "Maybe one day, if I'm lucky."

"Off topic…. but have you considered a Hero name that pays homage to the Captain? Maybe, Captain Green or something along those lines?" She said teasingly.

"Uh…" he sweat-dropped. "No offense, but that sounds like a Captain Planet rip-off. So I'll pass."

She tilted her head, bemused. "Captain Planet? Is that an American Pro Hero I'm not familiar with?"

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "No, it's an old American TV cartoon. Basic premise is that these kids use these five magical rings representing earth, fire, wind, water, and heart to create a mystical superhero called Captain Planet. He fights pollution, global warming, and environmental disasters."

"Global warming? Now there's an archaic term I haven't heard in a while. Interesting choice to make a show of a Hero fighting something that has already been resolved." She pointed out.

"Hehe," he chuckled lightly, "it was an old show. I…like the classics, I guess."

That was true. Though he was hoping she'd accept the response and move on.

"Hmm, I see. Perhaps I'll check it out sometime." She said offhandedly.

'Doubt you'll find any copies anywhere.' He mused.

"So…would you say you're coping with everything well then?" Midnight inquired seriously.

Midoriya didn't respond immediately. "I hate that it happened; especially for everyone else given they had no experience in real combat. Personally, I'm handling it the best I can. I'm just thankful none of our instructors or classmates died."

'So he admits to having actual combat experience.' Kayama internally noted. 'It makes sense, given his skillset.'

Midnight hummed thoughtfully, putting a finger on her chin. "I see..." She looked at her clipboard. "It sounds like you really are coping exceptionally well with the incident…compared to your classmates." She clarified the last part.

'It's almost as if you've been through situations like this before.' She internally noted.

Midoriya shifted in his position and bent forward with his elbows resting on his knees. With light from the fluorescent lighting coming from above, his face was left in the shadow with the gleam coming from the giant window being obscured by a semi-transparent curtain; not doing much to alleviate the effect.

"Like with soldiers in the military, Heroes like us need to be prepared for this kind of thing." He stated.

'Like us…?' Midnight observed him, finding that statement very peculiar in addition to his hesitation. Would there be a follow-up? Something that he would want to clarify. Kayama wanted to give him time to answer on his own without intervening. Additionally, she didn't want to alter his thought process…but she was unsure.

He hadn't answered yet and with the way he averted his gaze from her, she couldn't tell if Midoriya was carefully choosing his words…or downing in their context.

One thing was certain, she was worried. Midnight felt like she could see some of Midoriya's struggles. A small part of her was a little bit frustrated towards getting little information from the freshman.

With that, she took a chance. "I…" she paused. "...understand."

The verdette's posture doesn't change, but he did clasp his hands harder.

"You are Midoriya Izuku. The one who scored first on the Practical Exam and on the Quirk Assessment Test. You've done nothing but excel since coming to UA."

"You possess a fair amount of military experience…and carry yourself like a Captain America or even an All Might type. You're also the oldest student in Class 101-A. A senpai figure of sorts."

She leaned forward. "Perhaps you feel that you're not supposed to have feelings of sadness…or vulnerability."

Midoriya's hands eased up.

"You feel like you need to stand strong and reliable for everyone else's sake…and I understand that. It's a noble choice. It really shows that you have a Hero's heart." Midnight put a hand on his knee. "However, you're not ready for this."

Midoriya looked back at her, giving her his full attention.

Pulling her hand away, she leaned back in her seat. "You're only a freshman in university." She took off her red-rimmed glasses. "It hasn't been long since you've started at UA. Though you may have military experience…that doesn't necessarily translate into the Pro Hero profession. There is still much for you to learn; hence why you're here."

"Midoriya, though you may share similarities with him, you're not Captain America. And I'm sorry to say, you're never going to be him. And that's fine. It's okay to have role models…but use this time at university to become your own hero."

Midoriya remained straight-faced.

"So…" She placed her hands on the arms of the chair. "Until you do that…and you've earned your Hero License…leave the job to us…the Pro Heroes."

The super-soldier considered her words. Until…

"None of us have the Quirk to stop this guy. I hate it, but we're just gonna have to wait a little longer till more Pros show!"

The Sludge Villain incident.

Several Pros in one place. Yet none of them were willing to act. Even when someone who needed saving was right in front of them. It still left a sour taste in his mouth.

Midoriya frowned hard. 'Leave it to the Pros, huh…'

With that, he sighed deeply and stood up, making his way to the door.

"Midoriya?" Kayama said questioningly.

"Thanks Kayama-san…but I'm done here. Have a good day." He then exited the room without another word.

Midnight took off her glasses and immediately rushed after him. She was unsure what could've set him off like that.

"Wait, Midoriya!" She managed to catch him before he got too far. Midoriya stopped in the empty hallway, facing away from her. "I…I apologize if I said something wrong."

"No…It's…fine. I…" He glanced over his shoulder. "…just want to leave it here."

"Oh…" Kayama couldn't do anything about that. "Then, will you request another session?"

Midoriya didn't answer immediately. Midnight could read him like a book. He was conflicted.

He finally said, "Could I ask for one at a later date?"

Midnight smiled. "Of course!"

"Then I'll ask for it…when I need it." He said with finality.

Kayama disagreed with that; however, that contention remained internal. She nor could any of the faculty force a student to take a therapy session again. He had to ask for it himself.

So, all she could do was let it go.

As Midoriya walked away, getting further away from Midnight, something she said replayed in his mind.

"Midoriya, though you may share similarities with him, you're not Captain America. And I'm sorry to say, you're never going to be him. And that's fine. It's okay to have role models…but use this time at university to become your own hero."

A pensive frown crossed his face. 'If only it were that simple, Kayama. If only it were that simple…'

---

Fort Erskine, CA - July 5, 2042

Izuku stood out by the base's makeshift helicopter pad, dressed in his ACU with a green duffel bag hanging from his right shoulder. It was around 7 AM (07:00) in the morning and grey, dreary clouds blanketed the skies. A light drizzle came down, but Izuku didn't mind as he patiently waited for a helicopter scheduled to pick him up.

Senator Brandt was true to his word and had contacted the military's top brass to inform them of the situation. After hours of discussion, it was agreed that if the US Military could only have one super-soldier in their ranks…then they'd ensure he was the best damn soldier the country had ever seen!

In no time at all they had devised a training regimen that was guaranteed to not only push Izuku's super-soldier physiology to its limits but receive teaching from the greatest warriors in the world.

He would live up to the 'super' in his super-soldier title.

Dubbed the All-Special Forces Training Program, Izuku was scheduled to be enrolled in the basic training for all of the US military's elite forces, including: the Navy SEALs, the Marine Raiders, Force RECON, the Army's Special Forces (Green Berets, Rangers, and Night Stalkers), the Coast Guard's DSF (Deployable Specialized Forces), and the Air Force's Pararescue.

Izuku would be lying if he wasn't feeling overwhelmed by the monumental task set ahead of him. Intimidated by the fact he'd be undergoing training from every single special force unit in the United States military.

It was utterly insane! Had anyone ever done anything like this before, he wondered.

"Izu-kun."

Snapped from his musings, Izuku turned to see Peggy standing behind him adorning her MCCUU with her hair tied up into a bun with a single large strand hanging down over the right side of her face. A gray duffle bag hung down from her left shoulder as she clutched a manilla folder in her right hand.

"Peg-chan." Izuku smiled lightly.

"I brought you the file you asked for." She held out the folder to him.

"Thanks." Nodding appreciatively, he took the folder and briefly looked it over. The number nine was printed on the tab with the Kanji for "Shigaraki Yoichi" imprinted on the side…with hearts drawn around it.

The super-soldier cocked his brow. 'Um, okay…?'

Peggy leaned in close, whispering, "I had to sneak into Teruko's office last night to get this. They were already ransacking it this morning. What is this anyway?"

"Not sure. But I know it has to involve Yoichi somehow."

"Yoichi?" She asked quizzically. "Is that Teruko's boyfriend or something?"

"Uh, no. He was her best friend growing up in Japan." He tilted his head, befuddled. "Why would you assume he was her boyfriend?"

"Well, the hearts on the folder are a dead giveaway." Peggy said in a deadpan tone.

Izuku glanced down at the folder and his eyes widened slightly. "Hold on! You…you think this is a love letter or something?"

Peggy shrugged. "Don't know. But whatever's in that file must be important if she told you about it. So, are you going to mail it to him or what?" She asked curiously.

He shook his head. "Teruko said that All For One is holding Yoichi captive."

"Why would All For One hold him captive?" She was bemused.

"Yoichi is All For One's little brother." He answered.

Peggy's eyes widened in surprise. "His…brother?"

"Teruko says Yoichi's nothing like All For One though. He's against what his older brother is doing." Izuku wanted to clarify that. He then knelt down and unzipped his bag to put the folder inside. "I'll hold onto the folder for now."

"I see…" Peggy looked at her verdette friend closely; specifically, his emerald eyes. It was so strange that his irises were green now, she thought absentmindedly. "So… Where is brass sending you first?"

"Coronado, California." He zipped his bag and stood up.

"Navy SEALs. Hell Week?"

"Yeah." Izuku nodded in confirmation.

Peggy grimaced. "Izu-kun…I'll be frank, if you thought my training was Hell, the SEALs are even worse." She pensively said. "And that's only the tip of the iceberg. The training programs for all of the other Special Forces won't be a cakewalk either."

"...I know."

"But you're to see it through anyway, huh?"

Izuku gave her a determined look. "I am."

Peggy exhaled heavily, smiling wryly. "You don't know how to give up, do you?"

"Nope." Izuku gave her a lopsided grin. "You know me."

Peggy chuckled. "Yeah. Stubborn to a fault."

Their gazes dropped to the ground as a moment of silence passed; the melancholy was palpable between the pair. They knew this would be their last meeting for an indeterminable amount of time.

Izuku broke the silence. "So…did the other recruits already leave?"

Peggy nodded. "They left in the buses at six hundred (6 AM) this morning."

Izuku's frown sullenly. "I should've been there to tell them goodbye."

The ravenette shook her head. "You HAD to be on that video call with Senator Brandt, his politician friends, and the Army brass. There was no way you could get out of that."

"I know, but still… It doesn't feel right." His gaze dropped to the ground.

The Marine woman reached up and squeezed his left shoulder supportively. "I'll tell them on your behalf. The SSR will be serving alongside the Army's 9th Infantry Division in Japan." She said, "I'll be leaving with the Colonel and Mr. Shield soon, actually."

Izuku nodded understandingly. "I'll be over there as soon as I can."

Peggy pulled her hand away from his shoulder, frowning. "Truthfully, I hope this whole conflict can be resolved before then. I'd prefer you never step foot on a live battlefield."

A small smile crossed Izuku's defined, freckled face. "I…get it. I know you're just looking out for me." He clenched his fist and held it up to his chest. "But I promise you Peg-chan…the next time you see me, I'll be able to defend myself! You and the others won't have to worry about me anymore." He confidently declared, with no hesitation.

Peggy gasped lightly. The fire and resolve she was familiar with was burning through his verdant gaze with a new intensity. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't attracted to it.

"Yah know, you and Izuku both are way too serious. If you're not careful, you're going to think your way out of a golden opportunity." Teruko's statement came to mind.

The Marine woman felt her face heat up a little. 'Am I… Am I really…?' She then recalled Izuku's words from last night. "Peg-chan is my best friend. I-I can't look at her that way."

'Can't, huh…' Her eyebrows knitted together as she directed a serious glare at her best friend.

Izuku was bewildered by her shift in demeanor. "Um…Peg-chan? Are you ok–"

His words became stuck in his mouth as a soft pair of lips pressed against his left cheek. Peggy was forced to lean up on her toes to reach his face. The kiss only lasted a few seconds before the dark-haired woman pulled away, putting a few steps between them.

Izuku was rendered speechless as he could only stare at Peggy, slack jawed.

"I…uh," Peggy stammered, flustered. "... T-that was for good luck. Yeah! You're gonna need it with all the training!"

"Y…Yeah…" He said dumbly, reaching up to caress the cheek she kissed. 'Holy crap! Mom, I just got kissed by a girl!' He shouted internally.

They stared at each other momentarily before Peggy rushed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Izuku was briefly surprised by the sudden action, but quickly relaxed and reciprocated, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Please take care of yourself, Izu-kun." She pleaded softly.

Izuku nodded. "I will. Same goes for you, Peg-chan. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." She replied, tears threatening to escape her eyes.

After a moment, the pair finally separated and kept their gazes locked on each other.

"Just… Don't go too overboard. Alright?"

Considering who he'd be training under, Izuku couldn't make any promises. But…for her… "I'll…try."

Peggy chuckled wryly. "Guess I'll have to accept that."

"Try not to win the war without me." Izuku jokingly requested.

"Pft." She rolled her eyes, smirking. "As if. We're gonna end this as quickly as possible. I'm determined to keep your butt over here."

The corner of Izuku's lip curled up. 'Guess I'll just work even harder then.'

Before the verdette could retort, his ears picked up the thrumming sounds of a helicopter coming in the distance.

"Looks like your ride is coming." Peggy noted.

"Yeah…"

She glanced down at the watch on her right wrist. "I better get going. We'll be leaving in five."

"Okay…" Izuku sounded disappointed.

Peggy offered him a warm smile. "Catch ya later, dork."

"Yeah…" Izuku returned the smile. "I'll see you soon."

With that, the two childhood friends bid each one last farewell before departing. Izuku watched Peggy as she disappeared behind the corner of a building. He remembered everything well. After what happened yesterday, the young teen knew that today could very well be the last time he sees his best friend.

He shook his head. No! He couldn't think negatively like that! He would see her again!

Izuku turned around and spotted a green military helicopter approaching from the south.

The young teenager knew the road ahead of him would be rough and steep and had no idea how long this training program would take for him to complete. Nevertheless, he refused to back down! He had signed on for this life, and he'd see it through.

The verdette clenched his fists tightly. This was it! The first step to his long and hard journey. 'It's okay. I can do this.' He assured himself. 'I can go the distance!'

---

Musutafu, Japan - April 2197

On Friday morning, Class 101-A entered their Foundational Heroics classroom.

"So…You guys think All Might will be teaching today?" Sero asked as he and the others sat down at their respective seats.

"Don't see why not, kero." Asui's expression hardly changed aside from a slight shift in her eyebrows.

The door slid open and, instead of the blonde goliath, Midnight stepped into the room with a black satchel hanging from her shoulder. Instead of her Hero Costume, her outfit consisted of a black dress jacket, white button up shirt, a black mini-skirt that stopped above her knees, and black leggings and heels; all of which hugged her voluptuous frame tightly.

"Alright, everyone, take your seats. If you fail to do so," she turned them with a sultry expression, "you will be punished accordingly."

Midoriya tensed up a bit, recalling his session with Midnight the day before.

Some of the guys felt a chill go down their spines–Mineta and Kaminari especially–as the class took their respective seats.

"Midnight-sensei? You're substituting today, kero?" Asui croaked questioningly.

A little drool leaked out of Mineta's mouth as he lecherously stared at the sexy woman. "No complaints here…" He murmured.

Uraraka raised her hand. "Midnight-sensei, don't you normally teach Modern Heroic Art History for the upperclassmen?"

"I do. Though please refer to me as Kayama-sensei while in class." Midnight sat her bag on the desk. "Aizawa is still out due to injuries. In case you're wondering, he is doing better but still has a way to go before he's ready to teach." She reached into jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of red-rimmed glasses, which only served to insinuate her sexy look.

"Though he was insistent that he could still teach today in his condition, the administration refused to permit it while he was still doing a mummy cosplay" Midnight commented.

She then paused, as if realizing something. "There's a lesson for you—Heroes need to be at the top of their game, and they can't do that if they're hurt. If you're recovering from anything but the most minor of injuries, don't go out in the field again until a doctor says you can."

"Yes, Kayama-sensei!" the class said dutifully.

"Now then, I have a few announcements before we start class today." With her hand on the desk, Midnight rested her other hand on her cocked hip, causing Mineta and Kaminari to drool a little. "First, the UA All-Star Games are coming up in two weeks. All of you will want to be ready for it." Excitement was present in Midnight's voice.

The students shared her excitement as they immediately began chatting amongst themselves. Though a certain super-soldier was feeling a tad concerned by the news. 'So, they really are going through with the Games even after the USJ attack… Is that really wise?'

"Now, now, settle down!" Kayama raised her voice, prompting the classroom to quiet down. "I appreciate the youthful energy…but we haven't reached the climax yet. So please, hold out for a little longer. Kay?" She winked with a saucy grin.

This earned mixed expressions of embarrassment and exasperation from the students.

Midoriya internally sighed. 'Wonder if the shameless flirting is just part of her motif, or if it's really her personality…'

"All Might and Hound Dog already made you aware that your initial psych session is mandatory. Failure to attend will result in you being barred from the Games entirely. However," Kayama said, "you should also know that your participation this year hinges on Hound Dog or your personal counselor's findings too. If they deem you are not mentally fit, you will be disqualified."

Midoriya didn't miss the quick glance that Midnight shot in his direction.

"That is nonnegotiable. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes ma'am." The class responded, some sounding less excited by the announcement.

The green-haired super-soldier internally sighed. 'Guess I didn't do myself any favors by walking out yesterday.'

"Um, Kayama-sensei." Kaminari raised his hand, looking uncertain. "Should we really be holding the All-Star Games after Villains attacked?"

Looked like Midoriya wasn't the only one concerned.

"Especially since those two League Villains escaped the other day." Sero added.

"Yeah." Jiro chimed in. "I mean…couldn't they attack again when even more people are packed into one place?"

A few students looked questioningly towards Midnight.

"Your concerns are valid. However, the university believes this is a good way to assure everyone that the threat has been handled." Midnight calmy spoke. "Rest assured, we'll be increasing security compared to past years. This event is a huge opportunity for the students participating; especially for you Hero Course students. We can't afford to cancel it entirely."

"Um, w-why not, K-kayama-sensei?" Mineta looked slightly pale at the thought of another potential Villain attack. "I mean, it's just the All-Star Games."

"Mineta," Iida incredulously turned to the purple ball-headed student, "surely you jest? You know how important the All-Star Games are."

"Obviously! I just don't wanna die!" The Pop Off-user exclaimed, beads of sweat racing down his forehead.

"As you all know," Kayama spoke louder, ending their conversation, "our All-Star Games is one of the most watched sporting events in the country. The Games are number one in Japan for viewership when it comes to competition between future Heroes."

'Whoa…' Midoriya was stunned by that fact. 'I knew the Games were popular and all, but is it seriously that big of a deal?'

"Top Heroes from all over Japan will be watching." Yaoyorozu added in. "This is an event where we can get scouted."

"Unless we're dead…" Mineta murmured to himself.

Midoriya considered that. 'Scouted. Right… Like the scouting combines that professional sports leagues would hold for new potential players.' He mused, drawing comparisons with his era. 'Yet another similarity between pro sports and the Pro Hero profession. Don't know if that's a good thing...'

"She's right." Kaminari piped up with a grin. "After graduation, a lot of people join agencies as a Sidekick!"

"Yeah, but that's as far as some people ever go." Jiro glanced at the blonde. "They miss their chance to go independent and stay eternal Sidekicks. Actually, that's probably where you're headed, you're kinda dumb sometimes." She smirked slyly.

"Hey…" Kaminari practically pouted at the critique. "I'm getting better…"

"Don't listen to her, Denki-chan." Tsunotori chimed in, smiling brightly. "You're not dumb. I know you'll make a great Pro one day."

Kaminari comically sniffed, touched by her words. "Thanks Pony-chan!" He wiped away a few tears.

A few students who weren't in Midoriya's group were moderately surprised by the fact Kaminari and Tsunotori were on a first-name basis while others simply didn't care.

Jiro and Tsunotori shared a brief look with the latter grinning impishly while the punk girl huffed in annoyance, turning forward. 'What is her deal?!' Jiro internally growled.

"Yes, getting scouted and joining a famous Hero Agency can get you more experience and even popularity." Midnight confirmed. "That's why this event matters so much. If you want to go Pro one day, this event can open up doors for you. You get one chance a year, four chances in a lifetime. No aspiring UA Hero Student can afford to miss the All-Star Games. So," she adopted a saucy grin, "all of you keep training hard…and don't skip your psych evaluations. Kay?" She winked.

"Yes, ma'am!" The class chorused.

"Good." She nodded. "Now, before I continue with the lesson, there's another important announcement I need to make. Are all of you familiar with 'class representatives'?"

"Indeed." Iida nodded and chopped his hand dramatically. "We had class representatives for our homeroom classes throughout our respective high school tenures."

"And pray tell, what were the typical duties of class reps?"

Various answers were given but they mostly involved organizing class events, aiding fellow students, serving on the student council, and essentially being a public face for the class.

Midoriya didn't have anything to contribute to the discussion as his time in high school was drastically different compared to his peers. Not just because it was 150 years in the past. But Vulcan High, like most small American public schools, didn't take the role of class representatives very seriously. It was more so a popularity contest than anything else. Apparently, that wasn't quite the case in Japan.

"All of you are correct. A class rep has various duties to ensure the success of their peers." Midnight explained. "Universities normally do not have such a post, however, in light of recent events, the Hero Department has agreed to implement a Class President and Vice-President role for both Hero Course classes."

The class broke out into loud chatter, but then Midnight pulled out a small whip from her bag and cracked it. "Enough! I am not finished!"

The room went silent again and were also moderately perturbed by the whip. Mineta and Kaminari were struggling to maintain their composure.

"Keep in mind that these roles are to be taken seriously." Midnight proclaimed, putting the whip away. "Both representatives will serve as the public face of their class in any matter. And possibly even as field generals in the event an instructor or Pro Hero is not present. They are not merely a note to put on a resume."

The class was momentarily silent as they processed this news. Most who were intending to vote for themselves were immediately reconsidering now.

Iida then raised a hand. "Kayama-sensei, how will these positions be determined?"

"I discussed that with Aizawa and he said, and I quote, 'I don't care as long as you leave me out of it.'" Midnight then rolled her eyes, "Since this is his class, I'll respect his wishes."

"In that case," Iida stood up, "I propose we have an election."

"Kero. Isn't that going to be difficult though?" Asui inquired. "I mean, we've only known each other for less than two weeks, so how do we know who's qualified?"

"Yes, but as first impressions are key to almost every interaction, I believe that anyone who has made a good impression will make for fine candidates." He turned to Kayama. "Kayama-sensei, is this acceptable?"

Midnight crossed her arms under her impressive bosom. "As I said, I'll let you as a class decide. However, I personally believe that after what happened on Monday, you should already have a good idea of who is qualified to lead you."

That was a valid point, though the mood was dampened slightly at the mention of the USJ incident.

"But yes. I'll allow this." She then suddenly shuddered, hugging herself. "Ooh, I love it when young people take charge. It gets my blood hot!"

Most of the class suddenly felt awkward; though Mineta and Kaminari were the exceptions as steam could even be seen coming out of their ears.

From there, everyone pulled out a piece of paper to write down a name. Midoriya tapped his pen against it, contemplating his choices.

'Let's see… Tenya is a potential candidate…though he may be a little too strict for the President role. He'd be best suited for Vice President. Too bad we can't vote for that. Momo, on the other hand, is a valid choice. She's intelligent and levelheaded. Even though she expressed doubts about her abilities the other day, I still believe she'd adapt to the role quite well.' Midoriya contemplated.

With that, he wrote her name on his paper.

Later, with Iida leading things, everyone finished writing down their respective choices and put them into a black top hat—created by Yaoyorozu—and Iida counted the names. He then wrote the results on the chalkboard.

Bakugo: 1

Yaoyorozu: 4

Midoriya: 15

The super-soldier blinked twice to ensure he was seeing things correctly. Sure enough, he was.

'Whoa… Seriously?' He was dumbfounded.

"There we have it," Iida declared. "By the number of votes, Midoriya-san is our Class President, and Yaoyorozu-san is our Vice President."

Most of the class gave polite applause—except for Bakugo, who just looked infuriated as usual—and the newly elected class leaders walked to the front of the room.

"Are you freakin' kidding me!?" Bakugo shouted indignantly. "One vote!? The hell's wrong with you people!?"

"What? Did you seriously think anyone but yourself was gonna vote for you?" Jiro deadpanned.

"Yeah. You didn't exactly make a good first impression, dude." Kaminari grinned teasingly. "Calling everyone 'stepping stones' and all."

"Shut it, Sparky!" Bakugo barked. "Not my fault you can't handle the truth!"

Midoriya reigned in his embarrassment as he stood before the class. "I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting to win…especially by so many votes. But," he adopted a determined expression, "I promise to not let your trust be misplaced. I'll lead our class to the best of my ability!"

Yaoyorozu nodded. "And I'll do my best to take the burden off of Midoriya-san." She said confidently.

Midoriya turned to her. "I'll be counting on you, Vice."

Yaoyorozu smiled at him, a hint of pink tinting her cheek. "I promise I will give it my all."

Uraraka grinned brightly. In her eyes, Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were the perfect pair to lead the class! The rest of the class—sans Bakugo—had reached a similar conclusion.

Midnight, off to the side, smiled in satisfaction.

"You also have strong leadership qualities. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I prefer others to make that judgment."

She smirked as she glanced at the election results on the board. 'Well, I would say the people have spoken.'

Once Midoriya and Yaoyorozu sat back down, Midnight resumed speaking. "Now that the class representatives have been selected," She pulled out the class textbook from her bag. "Turn to chapter 7 and we'll discuss the Pro Hero ethics to maintain a positive public image."

'Is she really the best person to teach this lesson?' Everyone sardonically wondered.

---

Later in the afternoon, following their Foundational Heroics and General English classes, Midoriya and his friends were eating lunch in the cafeteria at a table together. The group had over an hour before their Modern Literature class was slated to start at 13:30 (1:30 PM), so they had time to relax and enjoy their meals. Which was good as Midoriya and Yaoyorozu's meals were bigger to accommodate for their enhanced metabolism.

"Congratulations on winning the Vice Prez role, Yaomomo." Jiro said, and then waved one of her jacks at Midoriya. "You too, Prez."

Uraraka patted Midoriya on the back. "Yeah, congrats, Izuku-kun! You and Yaomomo will be awesome!"

Midoriya shrugged modestly. "Thanks. Though, I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do."

"It's like what Midnight-sensei said," Iida said, pausing to take a sip from a large container of orange juice, "your task will be to serve as a leader for the class in field-type situations with Yaomomo there to assist you."

"Guess that makes sense." Midoriya then stroked his chin contemplatively. 'I suppose it's like leading a squad… With classroom duties added to the mix.'

"I think our class is in good hands." Kaminari stated.

"Heck yeah!" Kirishima piped in. "I can get behind Midori-bro and Yaomomo as the leaders."

"I would've thought you'd vote for Bakugo-san, babe." Ashido cheekily commented. "Considering you've got a guy-crush for him."

This earned a few chuckles from the group.

The redhead playfully rolled his eyes. "I admire his passion and drive. And I saw firsthand at the USJ he can work with others…begrudgingly, but I don't think he's ready for something like a Prez or a Vice Prez role. Yah know?"

Tokage grinned sharply. "He'd be too busy barking at others to get out of his way."

Midoriya took a bite of his food. "Bakugo-san has potential to grow. Just give him time."

The greenette directed a sharp-toothed grin at him. "Guess Kirishima-san isn't the only one with a guy-crush." She teasingly remarked.

Midoriya shook his head, smirking. "No. It's just he's not the first hotheaded jerk I've had to deal with. Military has its fair share of those types."

"If you say so." Ashido shrugged. "But, hey, Midori! You said you'd help me and Eijiro-kun with Algebra later. You want us to be in the Games, right?" She whined.

Midoriya rolled his eyes. "I expect you both to be in the final round, actually." He turned to Yaoyorozu, who was sitting on his left. "You mind helping me with these two after Literature class, Yaomomo?"

Yaoyorozu gave them a brilliant smile. "Of course! We can go to the library. It's quiet enough for us to concentrate."

"Thanks!" Kirishima clasped his hands together in gratitude. "We definitely need the help!"

"I can help you with English if you want, Ochako-chan." Tsunotori offered, sitting to Uraraka's right.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Uraraka nodded gratefully.

"Mind if I join in?" Kaminari requested, sitting on Tsunotori's left. "English is still kicking my butt."

Tsunotori giggled. "Trust me, Denki-chan. You'll be speaking it fluently when I'm done with you."

Kaminari blinked twice. 'Why am I feeling hot all of a sudden?'

Jiro glared at Tsunotori out of the corner of her eye. 'The hell does she mean by that?'

"Before that, why don't we discuss the All-Star Games?" Iida suggested. "We should put a schedule in place for us to train our Quirks outside of class time."

Yaoyorozu nodded in agreement. "That would be wise. Although our Quirks are different, we can still work together and lend aid if necessary."

"Speaking of, what do you think this year's All-Star Games will be like, kero?" Asui inquired, tapping her chin. "Do you think the overall structure will be the same?"

"I don't see why not." Yaoyorozu said. "The format hasn't changed in years–an individual event, a team event, and then the bracketed fights. The only thing that changes is the specific events for the first two rounds."

"Not much to train for, huh?" Sero remarked.

"Yeah…" Uraraka said nervously. "The only sure thing is combat at the end."

"Hence why the instructors will be training us so thoroughly." Iida nodded. "How responsible of such a fine institution to give us the best chance possible!"

From there, the group discussed types of training they could do outside of the scheduled sessions while in school. Midoriya offered plenty of advice for everyone to improve their individual training regimen for physicality and Quirks to achieve the best realistic results possible. Yaoyorozu even invited them to her place on weekends as she had a training ground on the estate property that was big enough to accommodate everyone.

Outside of training, Midoriya didn't have much to contribute on the topic of the All-Star Games. He could understand the importance behind the event for the Hero students. However, he pondered if the vaunted event held any significance for him personally given his unique situation.

'The Games are all about Hero students showcasing their skills to Pros in hopes of being scouted. Meanwhile, I'll be with SHIELD that whole time.' The verdette then glanced around at his classmates. All of them actually had something real to compete for; meanwhile, he'd be slotted for some SHIELD mission during his Internship Week regardless of his placement in the Games.

Thinking about it further, he mused that it was sort of unfair.

'Makes me wonder if I should even participate…' He briefly considered that thought but squashed it just as quickly. He knew it'd be disrespectful towards himself and his classmates to not participate; especially since he was Class 101-A's President now.

Later, after their Modern Literature class and library study session, the group made their way back to their Foundational Heroics Field class scheduled for 15:30 (3:30 PM). Much to their confusion, there was a huge crowd standing in front of their classroom door. As Midoriya studied the crowd, he recognized some of the faces from the Heroic Department's Entrance Exam.

"Pardon us, but our class is starting soon. May you let us by?" Iida politely requested.

"What the hell are you extras doing here?!" Bakugo suddenly stomped past Midoriya's group, scowling. "Here to grovel at our feet or something?"

"So this is the vaunted Class 101-A," came a tired voice.

Stepping out from the group was a man standing at 182 centimeters tall (six-foot) with messy indigo hair and a tired expression comparable to Aizawa's. He adorned purple sneakers, loose black jeans, and a black-and-white striped shirt with an olive-green pocketed vest over it.

He eyed the ash-blonde with an indifferent look. "Tell me, are all the Hero Course students so arrogant…or is it just you?"

Bakugo snarled, but Kirishima dragged him back before he could try anything. "Sorry about that, man. Anyways, what's going on here?"

The lavender-haired man crossed his arms. "It's all over the news that this class fought real Villains on Monday. We wanted to see if your class really lived up to the hype. Gotta say, I'm not impressed."

"What'd you say?!" Bakugo shouted angrily.

"Hey!" Ashido jumped in, sounding indignant too. "You haven't even seen us in action yet!"

"Fair."

"So, what?" Tokage detached her head, floating above her classmates. "You're here to scout out the competition?"

"Some of us are, yeah." He replied. "You see, not everyone here could make it in the Hero Course, and either had to take other courses…or just go to another university. But the All-Star Games gives students like us a second chance. Your seats aren't secured. If we do well in the events, we can earn ourselves a spot in the Hero Course, meaning one of us could steal your seat from under you."

Bakugo sneered at the crowd. "So that's it, huh? You losers couldn't hack it the first time, so you think you can do better after we've actually practiced? Don't make me laugh!"

The purple-haired man never lost his composure. "Just watch your backs; if you're not careful, your seats in the Hero Course could get taken by any one of us."

"Well, that's good to hear." The crowd shifted their gaze to Midoriya. "Glad to know the school had a fallback system in place."

This took everyone by surprise.

"Huh?" The lavender-haired man was dumbfounded.

Midoriya elaborated. "The practical portion for the Hero Course's entrance exam is flawed. It's heavily geared towards those with combat-oriented Quirks. There's plenty of useful abilities out there that would work well against people but wouldn't be useful against robots."

"Oh please." Bakugo rolled his eyes. "If you can't even handle those weak-ass robots from the exam, then you have no business being a Hero!"

Midoriya turned to him, unperturbed. "Are you saying Aizawa-sensei and Midnight-sensei aren't cut out to be Heroes then?"

"Huh?" Bakugo tilted his head, confused.

Yaoyorozu stepped in to elaborate. "Midnight-sensei's Quirk is very useful in sedating Villains. On the other hand, it is ineffective against machines."

Bakugo huffed, looking away. He knew from personal experience how effective Midnight's Quirk was.

"Speaking of Aizawa-sensei," Uraraka chimed, turning to Midoriya, "you told us he was an Underground Hero, right?"

"Eraserhead, to be specific." Midoriya confirmed. "He can nullify Emitter Quirks with a stare."

"Hold up!" The tired student perked up, shocked. "One of your teachers is Eraserhead?!"

Midoriya nodded, his mouth forming a thin line. "He's had us fighting since the first day to make sure we belong in this course. If we didn't impress him, he'd have expelled us. You say you want to steal our seats? Fine. But all of us have been working to earn our seats every single day. If you want them, then you'd better be ready to bring your A-game."

"Hell yeah!" Kirishima cheered. "Manly!"

Tokage smirked, joining in. "Tell 'em like it is, Prez!"

Bakugo scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. Just move aside, extras!" He roughly pushed himself through the crowd, heading inside the classroom.

Meanwhile, the purple-haired student momentarily stared at Midoriya, and then smirked. "Guess you're not so bad. Challenge accepted." He held out a hand. "Shinso Hitoshi. Consider this a declaration of war."

Midoriya returned the smirk, shaking the other student's hand. "Midoriya Izuku. I accept."

---

The moment Aizawa had been released from the hospital, he had returned to work. As the saying goes, a Hero's work is never truly over. As soon as his mind was able, he used his speech-to-text feature on his phone to start with lesson plans. The All-Star Games were drawing near, and he didn't have time to waste with the chance to return to his office. Despite being so injured, Aizawa was a Pro and held himself to a certain standard.

He was released on Wednesday evening and was given a prescription of powerful painkillers. He was grateful to Present Mic for picking him up and dropping him off at his apartment. And not so grateful for the annoying radio and crappy singing along the way; it made him long for the silence of the hospital.

He went in and out of consciousness throughout his stay. The moment he had gotten to Mic's home, gotten a proper shower, dressed himself as best as he could, he went back to UA–ignoring his longtime friend's concerns.

With him now being able to walk and use an arm, Aizawa believed it was good enough to do his job in the classroom.

Dean Nezu, however, had other ideas.

"You are NOT teaching tomorrow." Nezu sternly ordered.

"Sir, with all due respect, I'm well enough to do my job." Aizawa argued; his voice muffled by the bandages wrapped around his face.

"Out of the question." Nezu shook his head. "Think of the example you're setting for the students if you try to work in that condition. No. I've already selected a substitute to cover in your stead. You will remain out until Doctor Chiyo can heal all of your injuries. My decision is final, Eraserhead."

Aizawa exhaled in exasperation. "Fine." He relented. There was no point in arguing further. "At least let me work in my office so I don't fall behind on my paperwork then."

Nezu tilted his head back, as if considering the offer. "Very well." He nodded. "But you must ensure you get plenty of rest. No late nights. Am I clear?"

"Fair enough, sir."

Deep down, Aizawa knew that Nezu was right, but his sheer stubbornness prevented him from fully relaxing. He was especially less than thrilled that Kayama would serve as his substitute, but it was out of his hands. At least he could count on her to properly convey the gravitas of the All-Star Games to his class. After all, both he and Kayama were bumped up to the Hero Course after good showings in the Games.

Oh! There was also the new 'Class Representative' policy that the administration approved for the Hero Course. Four students out of both classes would essentially serve as 'field generals' for their respective classes. Truthfully, after what transpired at the simulation facility, Aizawa could see the logic behind the move. He made it clear to his substitute that he'd allow the class to choose their own Reps and he didn't care how they did it.

One less thing for him to worry about, he thought.

Upon entering his office, Aizawa did his best to edit Class 101-A's curriculum with one hand. As he did so, he recalled the details of the battle. Kurogiri and Shigaraki Tomura were easy to remember as the latter was the cause for the red patchy scar on his elbow. The All Might-counter Villain, Nomu, left him feeling on edge for understandable reasons.

The students who had been separated by Kurogiri's warpgate had joined the fray to save not only him, but also Uraraka Ochako, Asui Tsuyu, and Jiro Kyoka. Most of them got out relatively unscathed. Tsunotori Pony and Iida Tenya had overused their respective Quirks, Jiro suffered a concussion and damaged eardrums, and Ashido Mina sustained acid burns on her hands. It was nothing that Recovery Girl's Quirk and a few days' rest couldn't fix, though.

Midoriya had gotten the worst of it, but he was still able to walk away from it according to all of the reports. In addition to Todoroki Shoto and Bakugo Katsuki, the group was able to turn the tide by holding their own against the Villains Aizawa had previously defeated, Midoriya killing the Nomu and knocking out Shigaraki, and Bakugo pinning down Kurogiri long enough for Midnight to put him to sleep. Sero Hanta and Tokage Setsuna had also provided excellent support throughout the incident.

Overall though, this was not what the Underground Hero had wanted–throwing his students in live combat in a facility where the point was to rescue others. The best he could do at this point though was levy the pros and cons of the situation.

Reaching for some prescribed eye drops, he placed a few drops in his dry eyelids. All of the sleep and recovery did his eyes some good, but Recovery Girl's Quirk could only do so much given his stamina and the damage to his skull. Catastrophic damage to his eye sockets, to be specific.

Wonderful. He thought his dry eyes were bad, now he'd have to test how long he could keep Erasure active once all this blew over.

Injuries aside, there were actually some pros to be garnered from this tragedy. His students had gained experience that only a few upperclassmen could claim, experience that would help them grow into becoming full-fledged Heroes.

From what he had heard, they also fought incredibly well. Midoriya and Yaoyorozu had both proved themselves to be capable leaders, with the former's exceptional on-the-fly tactician skills and the latter showcasing her Quirk and intelligent mind. He wouldn't be shocked if those two were given the President and Vice President roles.

Hell, even Bakugo had shown to be receptive; albeit from Todoroki's testimony, he was less following Midoriya's order and more so attacking Kurogiri because he had reached the same conclusion in that he was the best one suited to handle the Warpgate-user.

Nevertheless, they had all made it out alive.

The cons? Midoriya was forced to kill. And though they weren't life-threatening, several students still sustained noteworthy injuries. The trauma many of the students had suffered could be severe and linger for a while. Lastly was the media sh*tstorm that came down while he was out. The university would be under a microscope going forward.

Thankfully, Dean Nezu and the President's press conferences had done its job. That should help, in some form.

As he continued typing with one hand, Aizawa's thoughts shifted back to the class's former soldier. The first kill. Every Pro Hero who had been alive long enough and involved in enough combat situations faced Villains who wouldn't yield. With innocent lives on the line, a difficult choice had to be made sometimes.

Aizawa then recalled the instance where Midoriya stood on the stairway, ready to jump down and fight the Villains. The intense, hardened expression he had worn. It made the haggard man wonder if Nomu even counted as Midoriya's first kill.

He sighed, stopping to glance at the manila folder that contained the information he had gathered about Midoriya Izuku so far. He had decided to start his investigation by gathering background information on Midoriya.

First, he had contacted Janus High School; one of the schools Midoriya had listed on his transcript.

The call had been rather peculiar.

"You've reached the office for the Janus High School district. This is Rose speaking. How may I help you?" The female receptionist, Rose, spoke in a cheery voice.

Aizawa cleared his throat. "Hello. I am Shouta Aizawa. I teach in the Hero Course at UA University in Musutafu, Japan." He spoke in accented English. Thank goodness Present Mic's lessons in English had stuck for him.

"UA!?" Rose sounded surprised. "That does explain the international number."

"If you would like verification of my identity, I can give you my contact information and Pro Hero license number."

Moments later, after confirming Aizawa's identity, the conversation continued.

"Well then, how may I help you then, Professor Aizawa?" Rose asked with a giddy tone in her voice. Perhaps she was excited to be speaking to a staff member from UA?

"Please. Aizawa is fine." He replied politely. "Anyways, I am calling to inquire about one of your students. Past student."

"A former student?" Rose sounded bemused.

"Yes. His name is Izuku Midoriya. It says on his transcript that he graduated from your school in 2192." Aizawa clarified, looking over Midoriya's paperwork.

"Interesting… That name doesn't sound familiar. Wait, transcript? Did he make it into UA?" Rose eagerly asked.

"...Yes. He's actually my student." He answered boredly.

"NO WAY!" She exclaimed, surprised. "One of our students made it into UA?! In their Heroic Department, no less? How wonderful! The administration will love to hear this news!"

Aizawa blinked in moderate surprise. Was his school not made aware? He supposed it was possible, especially since Midoriya had entered the US Army upon graduating. Still, it was odd. Most high schools would be touting the fact one of their own made into such a prestigious organization like UA University.

"So, Mr. Aizawa, what did you wish to discuss about Mr. Midoriya?"

"I am reaching out to all of my students' highschool teachers to acquire any additional information about them. That way… I can put together a tailored lesson plan for them."

That was utter bulls**t, but at least it sounded believable.

"I gotcha. Well, what information would you like to know?" Rose asked. "Keep in mind, I can't exactly provide you with sensitive information about our students."

"That is not necessary. I just like to know if Izuku was part of any clubs or extracurricular programs during his time at your school. What the teachers and staff thought of him. Stuff like that." He explained.

"I gotcha. Well…I'm afraid I personally don't have any recollection of Izuku myself." Rose admitted, chuckling sheepishly. "Which is shameful on my part."

"How so? You are a receptionist. It's unfair to think you can remember all of your former students." He pointed out.

"Janus is a small school, Mr. Aizawa. Our graduating classes are typically between 30 to 60 students at most." Rose elaborated. "I've been working here since '85, and I've made it a priority to remember all of our students. So…the fact that I don't recall one is rather embarrassing on my part…" She sounded disappointed.

So, a small-town school with a receptionist who claimed to recall all of the students since starting in 2185, except for Izuku? He made a note of that.

"I see… Would you have Izuku's profile information on file then?"

"Let me see…" Rose drawled, the sounds of typing in the background. "Huh…strange?"

"What is?"

"Izuku is on the 2191-2192 class registry…but his profile is rather bare. I don't even have a profile picture for him."

Not even a picture? He made another note.

"Out of curiosity, how many students were in his graduating class?" Aizawa questioned.

"33." Rose quickly answered. "It was a small class that year. Seriously, how could I have not remembered him?" She said that last part to herself.

How indeed. Aizawa made another note.

"Are there any teachers on your staff that would have had Izuku in a class?"

"Hmm… According to his schedule," Rose continued, "he had a class with our mathematics' teacher James Roosevelt each year. If anyone at our school would remember Izuku, it'd be him."

"I see. Where may I contact James Roosevelt?" Aizawa pulled out a separate sheet of paper, ready to jot down the info.

That call had been several days ago. He had gotten James Roosevelt's contact information and sent him an email requesting time to chat. Via email, they had both agreed to talk on Monday at 17:00 (5 PM) in PST, which equated to 10:00 (10 AM) in JST. It worked out for both parties as Aizawa wouldn't have a class to teach (Midnight filling in for him) and Roosevelt should be free by then too.

Aizawa sighed deeply. "I swear…the Golden Boy is on the verge of becoming a Problem Child real fast." He muttered to himself as he altered the dates on the class syllabus. The two days off threw a wrench in his plans and would cut into his student's training for the All-Star games–which would be in two weeks starting next Monday.

Heroes adapt though. They need to in order to perform their duty to society.

Looking over the syllabus of exams and various training dates, he glanced at the summer section. If he sent a few emails, he could pitch for a summer camp of some sort, depending on how well the class was performing. Although he would need a better grasp of his students once he sees them in action in the Games, feedback from their internships, and then the Final Exams.

He typed 'TBD'. Something to shelve for now.

With a few more edits, Aizawa finished the updated syllabus. Now it was time to tackle the schedule for the All-Star Games. He looked over the docket, mainly the order of events for the Freshmen students.

Preliminary Obstacle Course Race, Random Event, and then Battle Tournament.

Under random events were a selection of games the registering students would partake in; the ones who placed within the top forty in the Obstacle Course Race. Calvary Battle, Labyrinth Hunt, Capture the Flag, Kingdom on the Hill among so many others. There was a box for a suggested event that the teachers can offer but would have to explain the rules.

Narrowing his eyes, Aizawa began to think.

Calvary Battle was a four-man team free-for-all for the headbands of enemy teams.

Labyrinth Hunt was Tag on Steroids within a giant moving maze, courtesy of Cementoss and Power Loader with a point-system similar to the practical exam.

Capture the Flag was a ten-man team free-for-all for the flags of enemy quadrants.

Finally, Kingdom on the Hill was a four-man team of whoever was the four people on top of a position and had to kick off whoever was coming onto said position.

So, small team games…or individual free-for-alls?

For the next few minutes, Aizawa's fingers tacked across the keyboard.

---

Meanwhile, on Wednesday evening…

Dark, gloomy clouds hung in the late-evening sky. Lights from streetlamps and buildings were the only illumination in the area. Midoriya was running down the dimly lit sidewalk adorning his usual red high-tops, black jogging pants, and a long-sleeved gray US Army shirt. The pair of dog tags he wore often hung freely from around his neck.

The saline ocean air became stronger as he approached Takoba Municipal Beach Park. He spotted a familiar red Corvette and white pickup truck parked on the side of the road. Going down the stairs, he ran across the barren beach and spotted two men standing at the end of the pier.

Quickly making his way down the boardwalk, he approached the pair. "Toshinori, Coulson! What's the problem?" He asked urgently.

He had received a text earlier from Coulson requesting him to come to the Takoba Beach pier immediately. He felt bad having to leave Uraraka's apartment so abruptly, but the tone of the agent's text was urgent.

Yagi and Coulson both turned to Midoriya with grim looks, confirming that something was indeed wrong.

"Young Midoriya… Have you not seen the news?" Yagi asked.

"No… I've been with Uraraka most of the evening. Why…?" He asked cautiously.

Coulson stepped forward. "I'll cut to the chase then. The ringleaders for the League of Villains, Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri have escaped."

Midoriya's verdant eyes widened slightly. "Escaped?"

"Detective Tsukauchi informed me earlier today." Yagi spoke up. "The vehicle transporting them to Tartarus suddenly blew up. The officers inside were sadly killed. But Shigaraki and Kurogiri were nowhere to be found."

"One of the guards inside was missing too." Coulson added, his arms folded across his chest. "It was likely an inside job."

Midoriya frowned, his gaze dropping to the floor. "It must have been whoever is in charge of the League." He looked back up. "Any leads on who it was?"

Yagi and Coulson shared a brief look before turning back to Midoriya.

"We…have one possible suspect." Coulson then turned to Yagi, who shifted nervously.

Midoriya looked suspiciously between the bald agent and the haggard blonde. They both seemed so troubled. "Well… Who is it?" He asked evenly.

Yagi approached Midoriya and stared at him with a grave expression, his hand brushing along his mutilated left side. "The same Villain who gave me this."

"Are…you serious?" Midoriya was surprised.

The Number One Pro nodded grimly.

A short moment of silence passed.

Midoriya's mouth then became a thin line. "Toshinori, you've been dodging the question whenever I asked…and I respected your wishes…but I can't anymore." His tone became sharp. "Tell me, who is this Villain?"

Yagi didn't immediately respond as his gaze dropped and his expression contorted in discomfort. The sounds of waves crashing on the shore and seagulls squawking was all that could be heard. Midoriya's hardened gaze was focused on Yagi while Coulson leaned against the metal railing out of the way.

"He's… a powerful Villain; the strongest I've ever fought. Likely the strongest the world has ever seen…or ever will see." All Might finally said. "When I finally fought him, victory came at a steep cost…but I thought it was worth it because I had finally won. That I had finally killed–"

Yagi's voice suddenly became harsher. Angrier. Unpleasant memories threatened to bubble up to the surface, but he fought hard to push them back down.

Midoriya's expression became sympathetic. "He must've been. To force you to kill…"

Yagi nodded, closing his eyes. "As a rule I always hold back. I have to. Killing…as a Pro Hero we do have some protection since we sometimes fight Villains that don't value human life. Even so, I hold back."

The super-soldier nodded in understanding. Given All Might's incredible strength, killing was a line he could easily cross if he wasn't careful. He could relate as he had to hold back in most of his fights as well.

"But…against that monster…" Yagi started to tremble. "I couldn't hold back. If I had, I would be dead. Before I delivered the final blow though, he had already ripped out my left side."

Midoriya grimaced at the gruesome imagery. 'Just…how strong was this Villain?'

"Unfortunately…it seems that it may not have been enough."

Midoriya considered Yagi's words and deduced what he was implying. "The League. You think this Villain is the one pulling the strings?"

"Yes," All Might nodded. "He's clearly set up Shigaraki Tomura as the figurehead while he stays in the shadows. The Nomu is his doing as well. An engineered weapon with multiple Quirks crammed into it. He's the only one I know who could be responsible."

A pit began to form in Midoriya's stomach. 'No…'

"This…may sound difficult to believe, Captain…but this man's origins stretch back to the Dawn of Quirks. During your time, actually."

That sense of dread started to intensify. 'No… No…'

All Might went on. "His Quirk is unique in that it allows him to rob others of their powers and grants them to its user."

…

…

The world around Midoriya stopped as his emerald eyes slowly widened in shocked disbelief.

The Nomu having multiple Quirks. Shigaraki Tomura's very name. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, hoping it was just some separate organization with a figurehead sharing his surname as either a descendant…or out of sheer coincidence.

But he couldn't ignore the evidence anymore.

'It's him…' He internally despaired.

"His name is–"

"All For One."

Midoriya's expression hardened as his fists clenched tightly, his body beginning to tremble.

Everything went silent. Only the waves crashing on the shore and ocean breeze could be heard.

Yagi broke the silence, gasping in shock. "W-what?!" His blue eyes popped out. "You…You…You know him!?"

Midoriya slowly nodded. "Yeah… We're acquainted."

"But…but…HOW!?" Yagi spluttered out, his mind reeling from this startling revelation.

Midoriya leveled his gaze at the disheveled blonde. "I served on a campaign here in Japan, Toshinori. I came across him on a couple of occasions. Also…" He paused, reaching up to clutch the dog tags on his necklace. "...People I served with died because of him. And…the doctor who gave me the super-soldier serum…she told me about him too. And what he did to her…"

Before All Might could ask for clarity, Coulson spoke up. "Doctor Hatsume Teruko. A brilliant meta-biologist during Cap's time. She possessed an amazing Quirk that allowed her to view objects, living or nonliving, on the microscopic level…and gain insight on them. All For One forced her to synthesize a serum to enhance his physiology; Quirk included."

Yagi's jaw dropped further, thunderstruck. 'What!?'

Coulson continued. "Long story short, the American government freed Teruko from All For One's clutches and recruited her." He shifted his gaze to Midoriya. "She found Izuku and recruited him for the super-soldier program."

"I've…never heard of this..." Yagi managed to say.

"Of course not. It isn't public knowledge. I only know because I'm a Level 7 SHIELD agent." The super-agent replied.

"W-why didn't you ever tell me back then?!" Yagi yelled, anger present in his voice.

"Because I wasn't Level 7 six years ago. Besides, would it really have been relevant for you to know the Symbol of Evil was a steroid junkie?" Coulson snarked.

Yagi wanted to retort, but he couldn't. His eyes dropped to the wooden decking as he mulled over this stunning information. 'All For One…is a super-soldier… Just like Captain America?' He glanced over at Midoriya, who was standing frozen with a hardened expression shrouded by the darkness. '...No. Not like him. He's nothing like Izuku.'

"Dr. Hatsume…Teruko…" Midoriya spoke up. "... She…she had a close relationship with All For One's younger brother, Shigaraki Yoichi."

Yagi's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates in shocked horror. "S-Shigaraki!?"

Midoriya nodded grimly. "Yeah… That's All For One's surname. I never learned his first name. But…it's clear that All For One is Tomura's mentor. Maybe even his father? Although I doubt that. What I am certain of is that Tomura's hatred toward you, All Might, is All For One's direct influence. He's molding him for something. For what, I don't know."

He then shook his head. "But I'm getting off track. Teruko and Yoichi were very close." His expression became crestfallen. "Yoichi was always sick and frail, and Teruko wanted to use her Quirk to develop a cure for him. And she did! A temporary one…but it was enough for All For One to notice her. He captured them…and forced Teruko to alter the serum she made to cure Yoichi into a permanent enhancement drug."

Yagi could hardly believe what he was hearing. He knew that All For One was powerful, obviously. But to think he had gotten stronger via the super-soldier serum unnerved him to no end.

Midoriya continued. "Teruko wanted to make things right. She synthesized a refined version of the serum. She put together a squad of very capable young soldiers…and then chose me… a sicky, scrawny kid to be the first subject…"

'I…don't believe it. The one who enhanced All For One's power…the one who gave Captain America his strength… had a relationship with the First?' All Might suddenly felt a warmth stir inside him. It took him a brief moment to conclude it was the flames of his Quirk.

Odd.

"... After my procedure, one of All For One's agents killed Teruko." His tone became shaky, and tears brimmed in his eyes. "She never got to take that monster down! She never got to reunite with Yoichi!"

Yagi's expression fell at that. Another person who set out to stop All For One who ultimately gave up their life. He understood perfectly the pain that Midoriya felt for his doctor friend's sad demise. She had shared the same fate as his mentor…and the ones who came before her.

"I thought there was no way he could still be alive. Not after all these years…but I was a fool! Of course he'd find some way to extend his life." Midoriya turned to Yagi with a steely-eyed gaze, tears streaming down his face. "I know that he hurt you, Toshinori… But I have to stop him! I…I can't let all the people who died trying to defeat him be in vain!"

All Might was rendered speechless, blown away by everything he had heard. He suddenly felt the power of his Quirk raging from deep inside of him. The faint indiscernible whispers of the past bearers calling out to him. Like ghosts.

It was then that the Number One Pro Hero…All Might…Yagi Toshinori realized what he had to do.

'It's time.' Yagi suddenly buffed up into his Hero form and approached Midoriya, laying a hand on his right shoulder. "I understand, Izuku. Perfectly clear."

Midoriya reached up to wipe the tear off his face, bewildered why he suddenly transformed into his muscled form.

He was also using his given name too. That was a first!

"Phil." The agent perked up. "Please…give Izuku and I some privacy."

"Toshinori?" He questioned, confused.

"...This is an important matter between me and him…and only me and him." He emphasized, glancing over his shoulder at the agent with a stern look in his eyes.

Coulson's eyes widened slightly, picking up on All Might's meaning. "Copy that." He nodded, and then started walking down the pier. 'About damn time.'

Once the SHIELD agent was out of ear shot, All Might directed his attention back to Midoriya. He gestured for the verdette to follow him. The two legendary Heroes walked to the far end of the pier and stopped up against the railings.

The cloud cover had partially cleared, allowing the moon to shine down and reflect off the dark waters. A moment of silence passed between the pair as the salty breeze blew against their faces.

Midoriya then glanced up at All Might, who's gaze was seemingly focused on the sea. "Toshinori…?"

"Izuku… What do you know about my Quirk?" He inquired.

'That…seems random.' The 21st Century man was confused, but decided to humor the Pro. "It's clearly some form of super-strength. Awesome strength, actually. It's strong enough to redirect air currents. Perhaps a form of super-durability as well to complement it." He arched an eyebrow. "Though…I've noticed in interviews when people ask about your Quirk, you dodge the question with a joke…?"

All Might nodded, chuckling mirthlessly. "For good reason. People can't know the true nature of my power. They must believe that their Symbol of Peace is a natural born hero like them…but I'm not."

Midoriya perked up.

"Like you…I wasn't born with my Quirk." He proclaimed.

Midoriya's breath hitched in his throat, his mouth agape. 'What?!' He internally yelled.

All Might turned to him with his signature smile. "Surprised? Ha-ha-ha!" He laughed boisterously. "Indeed! My power was given to me by another."

"Wait! T-t-time out!" The verdette stammered as a shocking possibility occurred to him. "Toshinori…a-are you a super-so–"

"No." The blonde titan held out his hand, cutting him off. "I am not a super-soldier. My power derives from an actual Quirk and not a serum like yours."

"That's…that's…unreal." Blinking twice, he reconsidered his words. "Yet after everything I've been through…I have to believe it." He confessed honestly.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" All Might threw his head back, with his signature laugh. "Don't feel bad!" He gently patted the super-soldier's shoulder. "When my mentor told me what I'm telling you, I thought it was some kind of sick joke."

"Your mentor?" Midoriya asked.

"Yes." All Might brought his clenched fist up to his chest. "My Quirk is a sacred torch that has been passed down from mentor to student since the Dawn of Quirks…all the way back to the first bearer, the younger brother of All For One…Yoichi–you said his name was."

Shock was plastered onto Midoriya's visage. "W…what…?" He uttered, awestruck.

All Might nodded and continued. "It is the crystallization of each previous user's power. It carries all of their hopes and dreams…with the sole purpose of one day becoming strong enough to defeat its evil twin, All For One. Its name…"

Midoriya felt as if All Might was gazing into his very soul; his cerulean eyes held an intensity that locked him into place.

"One For All."

---

RIP Teruko Hatsume

April 19, 2015 - July 4, 2042

"Our understanding of Meta-Abilities is the direct inverse of our gratitude for its existence."

---

A/N: Happy one-year anniversary for The Man Out of Time! Hope you fine readers enjoyed this chapter! Several things were covered in this bridge before the renamed "Sports Festival" arc.

Following Teruko's death, Past Izuku says goodbye to Peggy as he begins a hardcore training program with the military's elite forces. Class 101-A undergoes a mandatory therapy session AND elects their representatives. Izuku learns how important the All-Star Games are to the Hero students and the ones who didn't make the first cut in the Entrance Exam. Aizawa makes headway in his investigation regarding Izuku. Following Shigaraki and Kurogiri's escape, All Might and Izuku have a discussion regarding AFO and FINALLY about One For All!

To quote Coulson's thoughts, It's about damn time!

The next chapter will touch up on Past Izuku and the CapSquad's training, and the First Event for the All-Star Games!

Speaking of which, you guys will notice the options that Aizawa went over for the 2nd event in the Games.

Calvary Battle - a four-man team free-for-all for the headbands of enemy teams.

Labyrinth Hunt - tag within a giant moving maze, courtesy of Cementoss and Power Loader with a point-system similar to the practical exam.

Capture the Flag - a ten-man team free-for-all for the flags of enemy quadrants.

Kingdom on the Hill - a four-man team of whoever was the four people on top of a position and had to kick off whoever was coming onto said position.

I'll have a poll on my profile where you guys can select which event you'd like to see. I'll also have an "Other" option too, but if you select that you need to PM me the details of the game.

Unrelated, there's a new Izuku, Ochako, and Momo photo on my profile that features the trio in their costumes. Be sure to check it out!

Please leave any comments, critique, or suggestions in the review box below. Thank you for the support as always!