It was a currently uneventful moment in Izuku Midoriya's internship in America. He was currently in one of the break rooms with some of his fellow interns eating lunch. His lunch was his favorite food, Katsudon, which he got from a nearby bodega. It wasn't the best Katsudon he ever had. It certainly didn't compare to Lunch Rush's or his mom's cooking. But it was still a good meal. Thinking back to this morning, Izuku noticed something was off with Captain Celebrity. The hero seemed tense, anxious. Maybe his fellow interns knew something he didn't.
"Hey, do you know what is going on with Captain Celebrity?" Izuku asked everyone present. "He seems more… stressed than usual."
"Oh yeah, it might be because of the rumors going around," said Kaylee, a girl from New Jersey whose Quirk let her form a hard light construct around her body.
"What rumors?"
"That some of the Pro Heroes are planning to break away from Captain Celebrity and form their own agency."
"Really? And you think they are going do that?"
"I don't see why they won't," Horace added. A dark-skinned boy from the Bronx whose Quirk let him manipulate a degree of electromagnetism.
"They're getting pretty popular already," continued Horace. "Some of the ones who are thinking about forming their own group are pretty high up in the rankings. It wouldn't be too hard for them to set up shop in another hood and start business."
Izuku nodded in understanding. He always knew there was a certain degree of competitiveness within the Pro Hero business, but this was the first time it got up in his face about it. If rumors about members of your agency leaving was causing you to be visually stressed, then Izuku didn't want to know the pressures of running a Hero agency.
"Do we know what heroes are suspected of leaving?" Izuku asked.
"I think it's a majority of the B team and some sidekicks." Horace answered.
"It's not just the Heroes either. I'm hearing some senior staff members might be sailing ship if this actually happens." Kaylee added.
"Wow. Does that happen a lot over here?" Izuku questioned.
Horace shrugged. Kaylee answered saying, "Most of the time it happens in the big cities like here or Jersey City. Every city's got its own subcultures and all that."
"I can't say how it works in America, but back home, we have bureaus that help put Pro Heroes where they need to be. Would you say it works like that in your home, Izuku?" Josef, another international intern like Izuku, spoke up.
Josef was from Germany and had a Quirk that enhanced his strength and durability. Nothing flashy, but it got the job done. Josef's accent was present whenever he spoke English, which made Izuku felt more comfortable his accent showing in his, what he thought to be lackluster, English.
"Man, running a Hero agency must be tough." Izuku commented.
"Good thing it's not a problem we have to deal with," Horace chimed in.
"Actually, I have been meaning to ask all of you. Have you seen any of the Pros in the office today?" Josef asked the group.
Izuku shook his head. Horace answered no.
"Yeah, most of the people here are office workers. Do any of you know where the Heroes are? Got any messages from any of them?" Kaylee asked.
They all answered no, which dawned on them how strange it was. Surely, there had to be a reason for all this silence from the Heroes? However, suddenly, a quick alarm rang out throughout the building. It was quickly familiar to the interns despite their short time there. It was a notice for every Pro Hero available to meet up and be deployed. As luck would have it, Skycrawler came running right into the break room.
"Heads up, guys," Skycrawler announced. "Get geared up and meet up in the main conference room in under 30. We've got a situation at Niagara Falls, and we need all of you ready."
Skycrawler then left as quickly as he arrived. The interns wasted no time devouring their lunch as fast as possible before racing off to get in uniform. By the time they all arrived, they saw Captain Celebrity, Skycrawler, and the rest of the A team getting briefed.
"Alright, here's the situation," Captain Celebrity began. "A group of Villains have announced they are planning to take over Niagara Falls. They're holding civilians hostage and keeping the police at bay. Skycrawler, you and the interns handle saving and escorting civilians away from the fight. Me and the rest of the team will engage with the Villains."
"What about the B team?" Safeguard asked. "Won't their assistance be beneficial?"
"I've tried getting in contact with them, but no one is responding." Chris blew air out of his nose before continuing. "Looks like it's just us. We'll be more than enough to this. Alright, everyone, you know what to do. Let's go!"
With that quick meeting over, Izuku and the interns follow Skycrawler towards the rooftop hanger.
"Skycrawler, sir," Josef, whose alias was Uber, asked. "How will we get from Manhattan to Niagara Falls in time?"
Izuku had that same question as well. However, looking at the smirking faces of Kaylee and Horace, he suspected there was something more.
Skycrawler gave a comforting smile. "Guess we never told you about the Aerojets, did we?"
"The what?" Uber and Deku both asked.
Horace, hero name Shock, chuckled at the two international interns' confusion. "Oh man, when you two see the Aerojets, you are going to be in for a shock."
When everyone got to the hangar, they saw it. The Aerojet. A sleek plane capable of traveling the country within an hour while also being large enough to house a Hero group. The Aerojets were not unique to Captain Celebrity and his agency. They were leased to Hero Agencies across the country by a very wealthy and skilled support company. Captain Celebrity and the rest of the A team were in one of the Aerojets that was already taking off. Skycrawler called the interns towards one of the other Aerojets. As Izuku and company sat down, the plane began its flight with little to no wait time.
The trip was brief, yet there was still some time for some conversation.
"Man, I'd wish they'd let us help with fighting the villains." Shock complained. "I've been wanting to test some new uses of my powers."
"Hey, we're helping people out," Kaylee, hero name Ms. Astounding, retorted. "Besides, we're just interns. We'll get more opportunities to fight real villains later."
"I am inclined to agree with you, Ms. Astounding," Izuku spoke up. "I already had a run-in with some Villains already. I'd rather not go through that again."
"Wait, you already fought some Villains?" The interns looked at Izuku expectantly, desiring more context.
Izuku told them of the League of Villains' attack on his USJ trip. The others were pretty surprised by this. While they all recounted events of them being near Hero and Villain fights, none of them were directly involved with one. Especially while they were still in Hero school. It put Izuku's time in UA into perspective. How so much could happen in such short little time.
Eventually, the Aerojet arrived in Niagara Falls. The landing hatch opened to a scene of Captain Celebrity and heroes fighting against a group of villains. But that's not what the interns were there for. They were there to help the innocent people. Those who huddled with their families near piles of rubble, those who were caught in the crossfire on boats, and those who were fleeing for their lives.
"Alright guys, you know what to do! Go!" Skycrawler announced before exiting the ship.
The interns followed soon after. Shock pulled out a support item that expanded into a metal disk. Lightning surged around it as the intern hero floated along the ground. Izuku telekinetically carried both Ms. Astounding and Uber close to the ground. Ms. Astounding formed a construct around herself and went searching for civilians. Uber dropped to the ground and dashed off to help.
Izuku flew above, looking for any signs of danger. A large explosion rang in his ears as he followed the source of the sound. He noticed several rocks falling towards a fleeing family. Acting fast, Izuku caught the rubble telekinetically and threw it into an empty patch of water. Izuku turned back to the family.
"Do any of you need assistance towards the safe zone?" Izuku asked. The family shook their heads to answer no.
"Okay! The police line should be further that way! You won't miss it!"
Izuku pointed further away from the water. The father of the family nodded and said thank you in return. As the family left, Izuku felt a bit of goodwill building up inside of him. This is what he always wanted, saving people with a smile. Now he had the power and the opportunity to do so. This introspection did not last long as Skycrawler called for Izuku's attention.
"Deku!" The hero yelled as he approached the intern. "We got a stalled boat right in the middle of the fight. We're going to bring it back to the shore. I'll push, you'll pull. You can do that right?"
"Yes, sir!" Izuku nodded.
"Great!" Skycrawler gave a thumbs up, and then the two flew to the boat.
The people on board waved to their saviors. Skycrawler headed towards the stern while Izuku stayed at the bow. Izuku covered the ship in his telekinetic grip. Skycrawler gave him the go-to with a nod. Izuku struggled with pulling the ship. Even with Skycrawler's help, it was still a pretty big ship with loads of people. It was a weight Izuku had not experienced before. Plus, there was still a battle going on. Meaning, not only did he have to pull a ship to safety, but also avoid any rubble falling on him. Luckily, Izuku had his fellow hero interns to help. Ms. Astounding created a giant construct of herself, and she was carrying Uber in her hand. Whenever a piece of rubble or debris got too close, Uber jumped and smashed them apart with his strength. Ms. Astounding's giant hard-light hand caught him before he fell into the water each time. Eventually, the ship was pulled onto shore. Shock electronically opened the doors with his Quirk and helped lead the passengers off the ship. Izuku descended and leaned against the railing. That ship pulling took it out of him. Noticing his nose bleeding, Izuku took a moment to recover.
"Hey, you okay, man?" Shock asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Deku reassured his fellow intern. "Just need a moment to rest my Quirk."
"Alright, I think all the civilians are away from the action," Skycrawler landed right next to them. He turned to Izuku, saying, "Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just need to rest for a bit."
"Good, okay," Skycrawler turned to the rest of the interns who had now gathered at the same spot. "I'm going back out there to fight the villains. You all keep the civilians safe and away from harm. Got it?"
The interns nodded.
"Okay, cool, I'm gonna go."
And with that, Skycrawler flew up to join the battle. The interns stood ready, watching the battle unfold.
"Hey, I don't know if you all saw this, but don't the villains have extremely similar Quirks to the B team?" Ms. Astounding asked.
Izuku looked up and strained to really see the action. The villains were a group of six who had all similar motifs and powers as the B team. Their leader was a man in an old-fashioned army get up similar to the hero Rough Rider. There was a man clad in steel mechanized armor that was similar to Tungsten Man. There was a large, orange-skinned monster lady who had great strength like She-Grendel. A large, Viking-inspired man sent a wave of ice through his axe like Jotnar. A husband wife tag team was present who had powers eerily similar to the small, winged Hornet and the size-changing Kai-Jim (The latter hero was going through a messy rebranding phase of his life).
"You're right," Izuku said. "It would be strange if it was one person, but the whole team? No, there has to be something else going on."
"Yeah, it's like they're…" Horace began before getting interrupted by Kaylee.
"Evil versions of the B team!"
"Could that be a possibility?" Izuku asked.
"There's a whole host of other stuff," Kaylee responded. "Evil clones, alternate universe versions, a group of villains dressing up like them and besmirching their name, mind control…"
"Actually, I think it may be just that." The group turned to see Uber looking up at the same fight. "Can any of you see the backs of the villains' necks?"
The three answered no in some way or form. Their Quirks didn't grant them enhanced eyesight like Uber's did.
"Well, on the back of their necks, there seems to be small, electronic devices that connect to their spinal cord. It could be that these devices are the ones causing this behavior." Uber explained.
"And if they're in control the B team…" Kaylee pondered.
"Then there's someone controlling them." Horace finished.
"Do you know who this real Villain could be? Or if he's even here?" Izuku asked.
"Actually, I do have a hunch," Kaylee answered. "There's a Villain here that specializes in mind control. Calls himself Prof. Bellum or something like that."
"Would he be here? Is his range long enough for him to hide out and watch his plan unfold?"
"Maybe, but the guy's an egomaniac. He's always at the scene so he can personally watch his plans succeed."
"Then the guy's somewhere near here." Shock's eyes sparked in anticipation. "Let's find this guy and kick his ass!"
"Wait, I think we need to free the B team first," Izuku stated. "Once he loses his main pieces, he'll be caught off guard. And if he's as theatric as Ms. Astounding claims him to be, then he'll out himself instantly."
"So, how do we free them?" Uber asked.
Izuku thought about the situation and the tools they had available. They needed something to disable those control devices. Izuku could telekinetically rip them out if he got a good enough grasp, but it also seriously hurt the B team heroes. Then again, Shock has the electromagnetic spectrum at his fingertips. But does he have enough range to do it…?
"Shock, how far is your range at making an EMP?" Deku asked his fellow intern.
"An EMP? Not far enough to get them." Shock pointed at the battle.
"But what if you had something to boost your pulse? Say…a series of hard light constructs?"
Ms. Astounding blinked in surprise. "I mean, I guess I could do that," she answered nervously. "Never had to refract an EMP before."
"Will you be willing to try?" Deku implored.
"I will. Wait, just one thing. Is this going to seriously wreck my phone? Because I really don't want to buy a new one."
Shock's hand crackled with electric energy. "It might knock it out for a few hours at least. Then again, we'll probably be wrecking a lot of electronic devices with this move. I'm for it."
"I think the saying is, 'hope they have insurance'." Uber joked.
"Alright, everyone ready?" Izuku asked. They all nodded yes.
"Do it!"
Ms. Astounding's construct of herself grew in size. The hands shifted into dishes to expand the reach of the EMP. Said EMP was now charging in Shock's hands. Meanwhile, the battle was slowly turning into a losing one for Skycrawler and his teammates. They were simply getting overwhelmed by the turned-Heroes ferocity.
Once Shock felt the pulse was right, he yelled, "Here it comes!"
The pulse spread vertically and horizontally. Going through the hard light, it expanded to over where the Heroes were fighting. Suddenly, the villains stopped and fell to their knees. The Pro Heroes inspected the villains and made the shocking discovery that these villains were indeed their fellow Heroes mind controlled.
As the Heroes were recovering, Uber pointed out that he heard a rather loud shout of frustration coming from up the falls to the east.
"That must be where the villain is. Come on, we have to stop him from fleeing." Izuku said.
"Hey, are you able to use your Quirk after the nosebleed?" Shock asked.
Izuku dabbed his nostrils. No fresh blood. "I'm fine. Let's go."
The four interns made their way up the falls. Shock used his magnetized metal disc, Ms. Astounding used her construct to climb further, and Deku telekinetically flew while also lifting Uber as well. Once they all got up there, they found Prof. Bellum. The villain was next to some high-tech machinery stationed at an impressive open-bed truck. In his hands was a remote he was furiously pressing and begging to work. He looked and acted like a Saturday-morning supervillain. He was bald, wore thick-rimmed glasses that obscured his eyes, and he was currently throwing a fit at his plans being foiled.
"No! How could my perfect plan be foiled?!" Prof. Bellum raged towards the heavens. "I spent 6 months preparing, setting up the right factors, and at the moment of my triumph, it fails! How?! Hooowwww?!"
"Wow, you were right, Ms. Astounding," Shock commented. "He is overdramatic."
Even Izuku couldn't help but smile at Prof. Bellum's villainous meltdown. It reminded him of all manga he read as a kid where the villain spirals as their plan got stopped. Now, let's just hope he doesn't have a backup plan or a hidden power-up up his sleeves.
"We need to get the Heroes over here as soon as possible." Izuku stated. "Any ideas?"
"I've got an idea," Ms. Astounding answered.
Using her Quirk, Ms. Astounding formed a giant hard-light hand to wave over the heroes. This also drew the attention of Prof. Bellum who found where the interns were hiding.
"What in the-?! Children?!" Prof. Bellum ranted. "Are you telling me mere children prevented my master plan?! Inconceivable! Impossible! Infuriating, even!"
"Your schemes end now, villain!" Izuku tried out his best hero voice for that line, and he thought it came out pretty good.
Prof. Bellum, however, villainously smirked. "How cute. You think you four can put me away? Even without those Heroes under my control, I still have enough cunning and weapons to take down the four of you!"
"Excuse me, Prof. Bellum?" Uber interrupted and jabbed a thumb to the side. "I believe you have visitors."
Prof. Bellum turned his head, and his jaw dropped. Up above were all the Heroes present from both the A and B team.
"Sorry, professor, it looks like your experiment has prematurely ended." Captain Celebrity said.
"Well…drat," was the villain's response.
The aftermath was very straightforward. Prof. Bellum was taken into custody by the police to stand trial for his crimes. The B team would have to take further medical examinations in order to make sure none of Bellum's tech had any permanent effects on their nervous systems and minds. Captain Celebrity also personally congratulated the four interns on a job well done protecting the civilians and finding the villain. He even said they all had great futures awaiting them, which really stuck with Izuku. If these American heroes could see him being one of the best, then Izuku knew he had to live up to that expectation.
Izuku relayed his day to the group chat, along with reading to other's continued hero internships. Eventually, Izuku put the phone away and drifted off to sleep, awaiting the next day.
And that is it! I'll admit, this is a bit of a filler chapter. Mainly because I want to save chapter 20 for the Hosu City attack and the Hero Killer. But if Izuku is in America, how will he be able to still be present, you may wonder? Well, you'll have to find out next time.
So, we meet the B team and the rest of interns Izuku is working with. Obviously, they are all based on comic characters. The B team are all based on the Avengers, while the interns are all based on younger heroes. Ms. Astounding is based on Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel with her powers being a fusion of her MCU and comic counterparts. Shock is based on Milestone's Static, a teen with electromagnetic powers who is named after a Roman poet. Uber has a very Golden-Age Superman type of powerset – mainly everything except flight, heat vision, and some other stuff. I made him an international intern like Izuku so it would expand the world and not make Izuku as much of a stranger in a strange land.
This brief consistency of uploads will slow down due to upcoming finals. So, this story and my other one will be updated more frequently over the winter holidays. I hope you enjoy and thank you for your patience.
Now, onto comments:
Ryustin: I won't give a definitive answer, but to quote comic writer Ian Flynn, #KnowingSmile.
Ranger McAleer: Thanks for the compliments.
That's all for now. See ya next time!