A Fool's Bonds

Chapter 17

-Momo-

"So, Yaomomo." Mina grinned as she dropped onto the couch beside her with a thump, the pink skinned girl setting down her schoolbag as she pulled out the book, they had to read for their literature report "How'd the party go?"

"Oh Mina, it was wonderful!" Momo smiled, remembering the wonderful night she'd spent dancing with Izuku. Then she remembered why he'd had to stand up for her, "Well…mostly wonderful."

"Oh shit, you've got tea!" Mina's eyes sparkled as she tossed the book aside, "Homework can wait! Spill dat tea girl!"

"Fine." Momo couldn't help but laugh even as she shoved Mina back playfully, "But only because I know you won't be able to focus on the book otherwise. And you'd find out from the news soon enough anyway."

"Ooooooh shit, that's more than just a bit of tea." Mina gulped, realizing this wasn't just some soap opera drama.

"At the party I got accosted by someone I'm not fond of." Momo admitted, her disgusted expression reinforcing the statement, "His name is Galmar Jorgusson, and he's not only the son of the Norwegian Ambassador, but the Nephew of Norway's number one Hero."

"That Heimdall guy, right?" Mina shivered at that thought, the pink skinned girl clearly knowing what that family's quirk could do. Norway was a country that had a well-known Hero group that modeled themselves after the old Viking gods. Family quirks helped ensure the 'seats' never stayed empty for long. And While the 'Odin' Hero tended to be the best strategist and the overall leader of the team, the ones holding the titles of Heimdall and Thor were almost always the strongest given their family quirks. A few countries did similar things and there were often talks where people debated if one or more could beat All Might in the right circumstances.

"Exactly right." Momo nodded before shuddering, "Along with him speaking far more familiarly to me than I would like. He…well he attempted to…to paw at my rear." Momo felt like vomiting at the thought of that brute touching her.

"Do I have to melt a bitch?" Mina's tone was dark, no sign of her usual playfulness.

"Izuku stepped up." Momo blushed as she remembered him coming to her defense. Bashfully, she pulled out her phone and opened up Youtube, having found out that one of the guests recorded it. A copy was given to her Uncle Yuri and All Might in regard to dealing with the Embassy, but another was posted online. She showed Mina the footage of Izuku standing up for her, of him looking Jorgusson in the eye and making the brute back down.

"Daaaaaamn girl!" Mina grinned, relief at the thug being stopped mixed with the playfulness, "You got yourself quite the knight in shining armor!" Mina paused, "Actually, he might really turn into a knight at some point, won't he?"

"It's certainly possible." Momo admitted as she forced a book into the now pouting Mina's hands, "But all we can do is wait and see."

"Yeah, yeah." Mina grumbled, "But the rest of the night went well at least?"

"Yes, it was wonderful." Momo nodded happily, "Izuku is a wonderful dancer."

"Say wha?" Mina blinked, "I saw him try DDR though and he suuuuucked."

"Izuku is a wonderful ballroom dancer." Momo didn't miss a beat as she corrected herself, opening up her own copy of the book she and Mina had to write that report for.

"Huh…guess I'll just have to teach him how to do fun dances too then." Mina smirked as Momo felt her ears burn.

"…Let me know if you need a partner for Izuku to practice with." Momo hid her face behind her book even as Mina cackled.

-Izuku-

"Well Boss, here we are." Jiro smirked his way as she gave a lazy wave, a little bell tingling overhead as they entered the music shop, "The Origin Story of one Kyoka Jiro."

"Well, if movies have shown me anything it's that any good origin story needs a good soundtrack." Izuku chuckled as he followed Kyoka inside, "So I guess this place is fitting."

"I knew I kept you around for a reason Boss." Kyoka chuckled as they approached the counter, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to his Strength noting their approach.

"Kyoka." The woman smiled, stepping out from around the counter to hug Kyoka, his Strength happily returning the embrace.

"Hey mom." Kyoka grinned before stepping back and gesturing to him, "This is my friend Izuku. He's a classmate and I wanted to show him the shop."

"Kyoka found out that I couldn't play an instrument and decided that no friend of hers would remain so untalented." Izuku chuckled, giving Kyoka a teasing smirk even as she punched his shoulder.

"Oh my? First names?" Kyoka's mom raised an eyebrow with an expression he couldn't identify even as his Strength went red.

"I-it's because of his Quirk mom!" Kyoka's jacks flailed about from her flustered protests.

"His quirk?" the woman genuinely looked confused at that bit, so he decided to step in and give Kyoka a chance to calm down.

"My quirk is called 'Persona'." He explained, "Based around the twenty two arcana from tarot cards. If I bond with someone who embodies an arcana I haven't unlocked then my quirk grows and I gain a new form I can turn into. Kyoka…she's my Strength." He gave his purple haired friend a smile, "It happened during the USJ incident, we were the only ones in the mountainside zone and had to watch one another's backs. With her friendship though, Kyoka became my Strength and I in turn became Thor."

"And…what does this 'Strength' tarot thing mean?" Kyoka's mom asked as he saw her give her daughter a teasing grin, even if he wasn't sure what Kyoka was being teased about.

"Izuku and our teacher explained it to me." Kyoka spoke up, her earlobes still blushing red, "Upright it's supposed to mean strength, courage, persuasion, influence, and compassion. Reversed it means inner strength, self-doubt, low energy, and raw emotion." Kyoka grimaced at some of those, "I'm pretty sure the 'self-doubt' thing was the main one."

"Kyoka, you overcame those doubts." Izuku protested, not letting one of his confidants, one of his friends, belittle themselves "You showed the inner strength to overcome those. You had the strength and courage to fight back against the villains at the USJ. You are my Strength, and I wouldn't trade you for anyone." Izuku looked her in the eye as he spoke, his tone serious before he dipped into the playful, eyes crinkling with mirth "Plus, who else would keep me on my toes?"

"Well, I'm glad to see my daughter's made such a good friend." Kyoka's mom spoke up happily, "Your father will be back soon with lunch and then we can all eat together."

"Barbeque?" Kyoka asked hopefully, giving an eager fist pump when her mother nodded in affirmation.

"Although I'll be sure to text him that you're both here. Wouldn't want him to freak out and try giving this young man a shovel talk now would we?" Kyoka's mother smirked playfully as Izuku turned bright red, finally figuring out why Kyoka's mother had been giving her playful teasing smirks.

"MOM!" Kyoka's face was as red as his as she grabbed his wrist and drug him further into the store and away from any further teasing. Given the woman's cackling behind them it didn't help all that much. They went from instrument to instrument, looking for ones that Izuku might enjoy learning to play, sharing earbuds to listen to examples of the instrument to help make his choice.

"So, you're my Kyoka's friend." Izuku jolted as a new voice clapped spoke up, clapping a hand to his shoulder as he saw a man who shared some features with his Strength.

"Yeah, she's amazing." Izuku grinned, still flustered by the teasing that had happened earlier, but he wasn't going to deny how much Kyoka meant to him as both a friend and a confident. His bonds with those he cared about where an intrinsic part of who he was.

"We've been trying to find a good instrument for Boss here to learn." Kyoka punched his shoulder again, seemingly relieved that her dad hadn't joined the teasing bandwagon with her mom, "He's narrowed it down to three now."

"Oh?" the man looked curious, "And what are those?"

"Well one of them is the base." Izuku nodded to the electric base guitars on the wall, "Figured it had some range between regular and electric. Plus with how much Rock Kyoka likes she'd have plenty she could help me learn." Given she herself mainly played the guitar it was a good balance.

"Not bad, not bad." Kyoka's dad nodded, "And the others?"

"Well, the Shamisen is a traditional instrument." Izuku nodded to the old school Japanese instrument.

"Heritage is always a good reason to learn something." Kyoka's dad nodded, "And the last?"

Here Izuku grinned sheepishly even as Kyoka snickered "Well…the Hurdy-gurdy."

"The Celtic instrument?" Both Kyoka's parents blinked in tandem confusion at that answer, "Why that one?"

"It sounds nice…and the name is fun to say." Izuku slumped as he admitted the real reason he considered it, Kyoka not even bothering to hide her giggles at him as he blew a raspberry her way. Regardless, coming here was certainly proving to be fun.

-Loid Yaoyorozu-

Sitting back in his seat, Loid steepled his fingers, contemplating the situation as Yuri finished telling him and Yor about what had happened with the Embassy. "The Norwegian Hero Heimdall was quite infuriated at his nephew's actions and has made it clear he'll support any punishment we see fit." Yuri finished, "Given the scandal, and All Might's backing, the Ambassador is likely to resign to try and save face, a new one coming to take his place."

"Thank you, Yuri." Yor hugged her brother, doing her best to be careful and not break any ribs…again.

"Of course." Yuri nodded, returning the hug, "Momo is my precious niece. Who was that boy she was with though, the one who stood up for her?"

"A classmate of hers from UA." Loid answered, his fingers tensing in anger as he thought to some of the things he'd learned.

"Is something wrong?" Yor noted his response and looked surprised, Yuri quickly picking up on it as well.

"I spoke with Momo about him a bit more after the event." Loid sighed, running a hand down his face, "She told me a bit about his home life."

"Is he being abused?" Yuri's expression became an icy mask, the man dropping into his 'work face' he used with the commission.

"Not in the sense you're thinking." Loid shook his head, trying to alleviate any concerns, "His mother is a mixed bag but is primarily an overbearing woman who doesn't want her son to be a Hero due to the dangers involved. No, the issue is the boy's 'father'." Loid scowled before telling the Yuri and Yor what Momo had informed him of. Of how the man had treated Izuku Midoriya when the boy's quirk had manifested, and what the man's response had been when it was shown his every accusation was baseless.

"That poor boy." Yor looked horrified at hearing this, covering her mouth while Yuri's 'murder' face was still going strong.

"Yes. I've actually been thinking of how I might be able to help with that situation." Loid smirked coldly, "I was able to have a couple contacts look around and I found out exactly what company this 'Hisashi' works for in Alaska." He tossed a folder onto the table. It contained what he'd been able to find out about Hisashi himself along with the company he worked for.

"I can understand wanting to help the boy who stood up for Momo, but why go this far?" Yuri asked even as he looked through the documents.

"Momo's quite smitten with him." Yor giggled as Yuri went ramrod still, "Oh, she's still in denial about it. Honestly both of them are. But they're simply adorable about their crush!" As Yor gushed about how cute the two teenagers were together, Loid noted Yuri twitching more and more. He silently prayed for Izuku, knowing first hand what sort a Yuri given shovel talk was like.