Hello everyone, and welcome back to the fourth chapter in A Tale of Two Endlings! Thanks for your support, and time, and lets get on with the show. This is when the story really begins, so I hope you guys enjoy it! So please, sit back, grab some tea, and enjoy the chapter!
P.S. Just so you all know, this chapter is a big boy, so don't be surprised if you feel like it goes on for a while. Initially, I was planning to have all the chapters be 5k words for pacing, but... this one kind of got out of hand, sorry about that. I doubt that any of you would actually care about this, but still, since you're the ones reading this, I thought that I'd go ahead and let all of you know.
Disclaimer: I don't own -man or BNHA, all rights go to their respective owners.
Chapter Four: New Faces
Two weeks after the defeat of Metal Meister...
U.A. High School's cafeteria was absolutely brimming with activity as students rushed around the halls. Several people, hoping to get first-pick of the soft drinks, raced to the vending machines with unparalleled vigor. "Midoriya! Over here!" Uraraka called out as her green-haired classmate stumbled through the crowd. She, along with Iida, Ashido, Aoyama, and Todoroki, were all sharing a table in the back of the cafeteria. Midoriya, who was clearly relieved to have found a place to sit, happily trotted over and joined them.
"Thanks, Uraraka. For a second there I thought I was going to be swept-up by the crowd." Midoriya mumbled with an awkward laugh. As they all ate over the usual gossip and small talk, a familiar voice rocketed over the crowd.
"Eh~ What was that?! You're getting pretty cocky for a couple of extras!" Midoriya sighed when he heard Bakugo's banshee-like yell. It just wasn't a normal day if he didn't scream at least once.
"Do you have any idea what we'll be doing in gym class today?" Ashido asked them as she playfully poked her food with a plastic fork.
"No, I don't, sorry." Uraraka mumbled as she nibbled on an apple. Midoriya, who also didn't have an answer, just shook his head.
"Well darn, I guess the only option then is to just wait and see. Ugh..." Ashido whispered as she rested her head on the table. The half-bug hero sure did like to be overdramatic.
"I heard that we're having a joint period with Class B." Sero told them as he walked by their table. "My bet is that they'll probably be combat-exercises, I've been wanting to test out a new attack for weeks!" Midoriya couldn't help but let out a light-hearted chuckle at his classmate's enthusiasm. After that whole mess with Eri and Overhaul, the only thing Midoriya wanted was some sense of normalcy.
"Do any of you guys know how Bakugo is doing at his remedial classes?" Midoriya asked his classmates as he popped a piece of broccoli into his mouth.
"I heard that he's been wrestling with children." Ashido chuckled-out as she stretched one of her arms. "That's probably why he's been so on-edge recently. Does Bakugo really strike you as the sort of person who'd be good with kids?" When Midoriya and the others thought of that, all of them couldn't help but laugh.
"Good point, he definitely wouldn't like that, it'd drive him crazy." As Midoriya wiped a tear from his eye, he craned his neck back, and searched the cafeteria for the rest of his class. "Where is everybody?" He asked out loud as he raised one of his eyebrows. Even though the cafeteria was packed, after taking a good look at the place, it was obvious that there weren't as many people filling the stalls.
"They've probably all gone to get a look at that new transfer student from England, or something along those lines." Sero said as he scratched his scalp. However, when he told his classmates that, all that the tape-man was answered with was confused stares. "What? Don't tell me you guys have only heard about this now?" He asked, Midoriya and Uraraka nodded.
"I mean I'm not surprised, but I thought that the window for transfers closed last semester?" Ashido mumbled, clearly confused, as Sero sighed.
"And here I thought you'd be the first one to know." Sero exclaimed as he pulled up a chair and got himself comfortable. "Normally, you'd be right, but apparently this kid is different. I heard that he got a recommendation from some bigshot-hero here in Japan." When he mentioned heroes, Midoriya's ears perked-up and he instantly reached for one of his notebooks.
"A hero recommended him? That must mean that he's going to be enrolled in our course... do you have any idea who pointed him towards U.A.?" Midoriya asked as he flipped through page after page of hero-related information and biographies.
"That I do know, it was Metal Meister." When Sero said that, much to everyone's shock, Midoriya practically leapt out of the table.
"M-Metal Meister?!" Midoriya yelped, gathering the attention of everyone in the cafeteria. "Sorry..." he apologized as he slunk back into his chair. Once everyone's eyes was off him, he turned back to Sero, his eyes full of a childlike glee, and flipped to the aforementioned-hero's section in his notebook. "A-are you sure, Sero?" He asked, his classmate nodded.
"Why? Is it really that impressive?" Iida wondered as Midoriya shook his head.
"Yeah, Metal Meister is one of the world's top one-hundred heroes! He went here, at U.A., but, until now, I don't believe that he's ever recommended anyone. If this transfer student managed to convince someone like him, he must be really something!" As Midoriya filled their head with a near-textbook description of Metal Meister and his agency, all his classmates could think about was that one word, "recommendation."
"Oh God, I really hope that he's not going to be another flashy-powerhouse like Todoroki..." Sero mumbled, causing his scarred-classmate to glare at him. "No offense, Todoroki, it's just that I don't want to be overshadowed by you guys, you know?" Sero exclaimed as he did a cheesy pose. As he, Todoroki, and several others continued their conversation, Midoriya caught a glimpse of Mr. Aizawa rushing through the halls.
"He sure looks angry." Ashido whispered as she flicked a small toothpick at Sero.
"Yeah... he does..." Their teacher was infamous for his grumpy moods, but this was different. "The only other time I've seen him this angry was at the start of the school year." Mr. Aizawa was known for being hard on his students, after all. "Could this be because of the transfer?" Midoriya thought as he scratched his chin. "That would make sense. The last transfer student we got was Tsunotori, and she was put in Class B." Simple logic would dictate that, if there was another transfer, the administration would place them in Class A.
"Eh~ I wouldn't worry about it, he probably just woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Ashido said as she, Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, and everyone else, got up out of their seats. Midoriya, who had no idea what was going on, simply looked on with an adorable-look of panic. "Dang, calm down, Midoriya, we're just going to go welcome our new classmate." Ashido cooed as she patted him on the back.
"How do you know that they've arrived?" Midoriya asked, in response, Ashido just pointed to one of the windows. Several students had lined up alongside them, no doubt eager to get a gander at the new hero-candidate.
"Would those people crowd-up like that for anything less?" Sero said, yawning the entire time, as he headed towards the stairs. Midoriya, not wanting to be left behind, quickly scarfed-down his meal and hurried after his friends.
"W-wait up guys! I'm coming with you!"
Midoriya greedily gulped down air as he leaned against one of the large brick walls. Ashido and Sero practically sprinted all the way to the courtyard, they were so quick that he seriously debated using his quirk to catch up to them. However, after a minute or two of running, he and his friends finally arrived at the source of all of the commotion. While there wasn't technically a crowd, there was an uncountable number of onlookers. Either students staring at them from their classrooms, or from the cafeteria, the transfer student's arrival had garnered quite a bit of attention. Right on cue, the front gate opened, and a boy wearing U.A.'s uniform walked in. "So that's our new classmate?" Todoroki thought out loud as they all got a good look at the transfer. He had snow-white hair and a strange scar running down the left side of his face, but, besides that, he looked relatively normal.
"C'mon guys, are we playing strangers? Let's go say hi!" Ashido exclaimed as she jogged closer to the new-arrival. However, before she could get close enough, Mr. Aizawa walked out of the front entrance. The angry glare he had stopped the bug-woman in her tracks, and sent a chill down every onlooker's spine.
"Allen Walker, I presume?" Their teacher said as he stared at the boy. The poor transfer student, obviously not knowing what was going on, simply froze like a statue.
"M-me?" He asked as he hesitantly pointed at himself, when Mr. Aizawa rolled his eyes, the transfer student placed a hand over his heart and bowed. "Uh, yes, hello sir! My name is Allen Walker, it's a pleasure to meet you!" It was a normal introduction, all things considered. However, even after all of that, Mr. Aizawa didn't stop glaring at the boy.
"Could the transfer student be the reason why Mr. Aizawa is so angry?" Midoriya thought as his face contorted in his confusion. "But why would that be? Did he do something to Mr. Aizawa? Maybe he offended him in some way?" Possible answers swirled around his head as he struggled to come up with a logical-explanation for this standoff. However, before either party broke the silence, a familiar voice rang through the air.
"Mr. Aizawa, I see you're drilling some fear into the new student! That's good! It keeps them on their toes!" No matter how many times Midoriya heard that voice, its neigh-majestic ring had never dulled.
"All Might!" He called out, almost on instinct, prompting his tutor to give him a thumbs up. He was still the same thin person he always was, but even though he was weak, the authority he commanded hadn't changed. After letting out a courageous laugh, the aforementioned hero turned his attention back to Aizawa.
"Now, now, my friend, I know that this is your ritual and all, but why don't you say hello? At this rate, the poor lad's gonna run away." All Might said as their homeroom teacher scowled.
"As I thought, you didn't read his application, did you?" The man hissed, causing All Might to let out a carefree-whistle. After letting out a tired sigh, Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose, and walked down the steps to meet their new classmate.
"Kid, I'm going to be honest with you, I don't want you here." He growled, his words shocking even All Might. Sure, Aizawa was a tough teacher, but Midoriya never heard him say anything like that before. However, when they heard what the begrudged-instructor had to say next, it all made sense. "The hero position is hard, and dangerous, it isn't a place for someone with no quirk or power." For a second, it was so quiet in that courtyard that one could even hear a pin drop.
"No quirk?! Is he serious?! No, I must've misheard him..." Midoriya thought, his mind in shambles, as he looked over at his classmates. It seemed that everyone, including All Might, were having similar reactions. And as their brains were racing to fill in the gasps, Aizawa continued.
"If it weren't for your recommendation, and Metal Meister's testimony that you defeated him in open-combat, I would've petitioned the administration to strike your application from our records." Yet again, Aizawa's words shocked everyone who heard them. When All Might gasped, the man turned around and scowled at him. "Please try to keep up with your paperwork, All Might. I thought that you already knew about this..."
"I apologize, I was busy, but are you serious?" All Might mumbled, his tone frantic, as he pointed at the transfer student. "How in the world could he have beaten Metal Meister without a quirk? I've worked with that man before, and he's tough to bring down in a straight fight. Doing it with a normal human's body, well... that's..."
"Impossible?" Aizawa finished All Might's sentence. "Yeah, I thought that as well. Metal Meister definitely isn't the strongest hero out there, but he is still one of the best heroes I know." As he spoke, Aizawa grunted and turned his attention back to the student, who was just politely waiting for them to finish their conversation. "And, since it was confirmed by the man himself, that means that I have no grounds to deny your application."
"Heh, well that's a relief." The boy said as he let out a nervous chuckle. Yet again, he bowed to both Aizawa and All Might, and looked up. "Thank you for coming out here to see me, I promise that I'll live up to my recommendation!" Midoriya didn't know what it was, but something in him made him want to trust what the transfer was saying. And with every word, Midoriya noticed Mr. Aizawa's mood improve. Maybe it was because of the boy's good manners, or perhaps it was due to his excellent Japanese, either way, it didn't seem like the instructor could stay mad at him.
"Hmm... well I've got to admit, you're less-confident than I thought you would be." Aizawa said as he moved closer to the transfer student. "Regardless of how it happened, the point still stands that you managed to defeat a pro. Even amongst those with quirks, something like that is rare. I was angry cause I thought you'd let that victory go to your head, but it appears I was wrong." Aizawa fully-expected that he'd be dealing with another, weaker, Bakugo. It made sense that he'd be annoyed. However, he was wrong. While he was apologizing, the transfer student smiled, and raised one of his arms.
"It's fine, to be honest, I was expecting this sort of reaction." He said as he and Aizawa shook hands.
"Don't get conceited, boy, I'm still not convinced that you belong here. There has never been a quirkless hero, and frankly, I don't think there ever will be. All I'm saying is that I've accepted you into my class, and that's it." His words were harsh, but they were the truth. However, instead of backing down at Aizawa's verbal-lashing, their new classmate nodded and started to make his way up the steps.
"If that's all you think about me, then I'm happy. I'm looking forward to this semester, Mr. Aizawa." The boy told him as he neared the front entrance. However, before he had the chance to open the door, Aizawa stopped him.
"Wait, Mr. Walker, don't be so hasty." He said as he jabbed a thumb towards where Midoriya and the rest of Class A were standing. "After this period is gym, so why don't you go introduce yourself to your classmates before heading over? They'll be able to show you where it is."
"Really? Thank you, I'll go ahead and do that." The transfer student said as he secured his backpack and headed back into the courtyard. As he walked, several students' gaze followed his back, almost as if they were staring at some alien creature. Normally, a person would've cracked under so much pressure, but the transfer student stood strong.
"It's just like back when I first arrived at The Order." He thought as he looked up into the sky. The clouds danced like clowns out of a circus as a strong wind blew them away. As he watched this, he frowned, and stared down at his left hand. "I'll need to be careful to not ruin this path." If this was the road he chose, then he refused to be knocked off it. "Highschool life, I hope it's as good as the stories make it out to be..." In all honesty, he was terrified at what awaited him on this unknown path. However, with that said, one thing was certain: this was the start of something great.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes~" Ashido exclaimed in a half-joking manner, making their new classmate blush. With the bumbling energy of a bee, she immediately twirled around and introduced herself. "My name's Mina Ashido, it's a pleasure to meet you!" When she shook the newbie's hand, Midoriya couldn't help but wince. It almost looked as if she were trying to tear the poor boy's arm off! "Anyways," she started after finishing the handshake of a lifetime, "These guys are my buddies, and your classmates. The one with the glasses is Tenya Iida, you might know his family name. That cutie is Ochaco Uraraka, she can manipulate gravity, it's awesome! Then there's Shoto Todoroki, I'm certain you've heard of him. This here's Hanta Sero, he's got tape in his shoulders. The one who looks like he has broccoli for a head is Izuku Midoriya. And finally, the flashy kid's name is Yuga Aoyama. There''s a couple others, who I'm certain you'll get to meet at the gym, but that's everyone in this group." As Midoriya contemplated his vegetable-like style, their classmate smiled and gave them each a small bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you, my name's Allen Walker." In some small way, watching him bow made all of them feel a bit embarrassed. It was the way he spoke that did it for Midoriya and Ashido. For he didn't speak to them like a fellow classmate would; he addressed each and every one of them with the upmost respects, almost as if he were a butler waiting on some regal lord.
"He's one hell of a gentleman, I'll give him that much." Sero thought as he struggled to keep on a straight face. After that, all of them took a few minutes to talk about themselves, such as who they were, what they liked, and how the semester had been going so far. All Might, who had been watching from afar, grinned as he walked up to the group of students.
"I see you're all getting along well." The top hero said as he turned to Allen and nodded. "Mr. Walker, I've got a feeling that you'll fit right in with your class. They've all got excellent potential, and I'm sure you do as well." Spoken with the tact of a true warrior. After the usual pleasantries were exchanged, a familiar bell rang through the air, signaling the end of the period.
"Oops! Well, guys, I think that's us!" Uraraka exclaimed as she, along with Ashido and everyone else, started to make their way towards the gym. "Walker, you can go ahead and follow us, we'll show you how to get there!" With a smile as bright as the sun, Uraraka led the group with an impressive vigor. After saying his goodbyes to All Might, Allen Walker hurried on ahead, eager to see what the school had to offer. Eventually, only Midoriya and All Might were left standing in the courtyard. They sat in a strange silence for what seemed like ages, before All Might coughed into his hand, and broke it.
"You want to ask him, don't you?" He started as he stared at his successor's fidgeting back. "You want to ask Walker how he managed to get into this school with no quirk?" When Midoriya nodded, All Might just chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Don't worry, I'm certain that you'll get the chance to ask him one of these days. You are classmates now, after all."
"It's just... I'm shocked, after what you told me on that rooftop, I really did think the idea of a quirkless hero was impossible. But, maybe I was wrong." As Midoriya mumbled, he reached up and nervously squeezed one of his arms. "I spent my whole life before meeting you trying to be a hero without any powers. Never, no matter how hard I tried, did I make any real progress on that goal. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's weird, in some ways, when I look at Walker, it's almost as if I'm staring at what I could've been." All Might shrugged as he placed a hand on Midoriya's shoulder.
"I understand, but I wouldn't say that just yet. Neither of us know who that boy truly is yet. In fact, it may turn out that he's a completely different kind of hero than you'd ever be. All you can do is try your best, and do the most you can to learn from the people around you." Yet again, All Might's words worked magic. And Midoriya, who was previously sulking, instantly shot up like a bright firework.
"You're right, All Might! I can't let this get me down!" Midoriya yelled as he raised a triumphant fist up into the air. However, before he got the chance to go on another one of his fanboy-speeches, Uraraka called out to him.
"Midoriya! What are you doing over there? You're going to miss gym if you don't hurry!" She said, snapping the boy back to reality.
"Oh, shoot, I completely forgot about that!" He yelped as he smacked his forehead in shock. "See you at gym, All Might! And thanks for encouraging me!" With that, Midoriya took off, sprinting in Uraraka's direction. At such a strange sight, the only thing All Might could do was smile. U.A. truly was a blessing for his successor, and hopefully, with his guidance, he'd be able to help all of U.A's hopeful-heroes obtain their dreams.
And so, as he walked off towards the teachers lounge, All Might felt a strange sense of success. However, what he didn't know was that this feeling of accomplishment would soon be turned on its head. For, in that instant, the hero made a mistake. The fatal error that All Might made was one of acknowledgement, or, to be more accurate, the acknowledgement of goals. In some small way, he thought that he'd gained an understanding of Midoriya, and his class. But, what he didn't know, what he didn't foresee, was that not everyone was the same. Just how every person was different, every individual also goes through their own unique struggles. At that time, All Might believed he was prepared for anything Class A could throw at him, but that wasn't the case. Everyone was different, and with Allen Walker's arrival, his beliefs, as well as many others, would soon change.
Twenty minutes later...
Allen frowned as he tip-toed out of the bathroom. Thanks to his left arm, he couldn't afford changing into his gym clothes with everyone else, so instead he had to sneak away and do it in secret. "Wow, you sure change fast, Walker!" A student from Class B, he believed his name was Awase, said as he walked into the main section of the locker room. All of the male students from Class A and B were in there, some of which were having happy conversations, others not so much.
"I still can't believe I have to go to class with another quirkless-wannabe!" One of the more hot-headed students, Midoriya told him his name was Bakugo, yelled out as he slammed his locker shut. When the boy noticed that he had already changed, he scowled, and strutted-up to him like a lion defending his territory. "Well look who it is? You damn extra, you better stay out of my way!" However, instead of moving, Allen just stared at him with a nostalgic-look in his eye.
"This boy... he reminds me of a couple people." At The Order there were more than a few finders that acted like this, they'd lash out at anyone, eager to show-off their strength to mask their own insecurities.
"Oh great, Bakugo's at it again." He heard another student, named Kaminari, say as two of his friends, who he overheard were called Kirishima and Mineta, nodded. While Bakugo's anger steadily rose, Kirishima walked over and pulled Allen out of the blast radius.
"Sorry about that," the red-haired student said as Bakugo cursed and walked out of the locker room. "He's actually a pretty nice guy, once you get to know him." Allen smiled as he watched Kirishima go about his routine. Even the most-volatile people had friends here. If that wasn't a sign of a healthy school, he didn't know what was.
"He reminds me of Kanda, in some small way..." Allen thought as he thanked Kirishima and closed his locker. "Nah, I could tell what kind of person he was from the get-go, those types just don't like to come out of their shell too often. I'm certain he'll warm up to me... hopefully." After that, he and Kirishima exchanged a few words, before they all headed out into the gymnasium. Several teachers were there, including Vlad King, Mr. Aizawa, Midnight, and Present Mic. All Might, who had arrived only minutes ago, was busy talking with the teachers about something.
"I've got a feeling that we're about to be put through the wringer again." A girl with headphones for ears, Jiro, mumbled as she started doing some stretches. Several other students were doing the same. And, after a while, Allen joined them. To be honest, he wanted to talk to everyone a little bit more before class started, but alas, fate was a cruel mistress. The teachers finished their conversation just a minute or two later, and after gathering everyone up, Mr. Aizawa walked up to the front to brief the class.
"Alright, you guys, today we're going to be doing a small training exercise in Ground Gamma. But first, before I give you all the details, I want each of you to put on one of these." He announced as he held up a small white jersey. Immediately afterwards, Cementoss came out of the gym's back room carrying a large crate. The contents of said crate was, of course, more similar jerseys in a large variety of styles and shapes. After they had all gotten dressed, Aizawa let All Might take center-stage.
"It's no secret that being a hero is a tough job. Many times, we have to go into chaotic situations without knowing all of the facts. This little activity we prepared will give you the opportunity to know how that feels. At the end of this, you'll have a better idea of how to tackle these situations, and can start thinking-up strategies on how you can deal with such disasters." As he talked, All Might took out a small remote and pressed a button. Suddenly, a large screen appeared in front of their eyes. It was a map of Ground Gamma, or, to be more accurate, a route through the area. "Individually, you will all take turns going through this highlighted path. On the way, there will be several faux-villains that will try and stop you. Defeat them or sneak past, how you deal with them is up to you. However, the goal here is not to defeat the villains, the goal is just to get to the other side." Yet again, All Might pressed a button, causing a small diagram to show up on the screen. "Each of these faux-villains will be equipped with a specialized paint gun. If they shoot your jersey, and trust me, they will try, the shirt will instantly turn red. To defeat them, you have to either force, or convince them, to hold up the white flag that is stored in these weapons. If you find civilians, if there are any, it's also your responsibility to escort them to your goal. Afterwards, depending on the shade of your jersey, a grade will be determined." With that, All Might turned the monitor off, and took a step back.
"Since this activity depends on your ignorance, those who are waiting for their turn will stay here. After completing the test, you're welcome to come observe the others in the control center." Aizawa said as he scratched his chin. "The order will be announced at random, when you hear your name, head over to Ground Gamma. Any questions?" After a few moments of thought, everyone shook their heads. It was obvious that they were all eager to begin. "Alright," Aizawa started as he, and the rest of the heroes, headed for the exit, "Let's get started."
Two hours later...
Midoriya ground his teeth together as he prepared himself for a rough landing. Several paintballs whizzed past his head as he dived into cover, eager for a brief moment of respite. "Crap! I can't believe I let them see me!" He mumbled to himself as the wall he was hiding behind got covered in paint. "As I expected, this is definitely a lot harder than what All Might described." He was the second to last person to go, so he had no idea how the others did, but, if it was anything like what he was experiencing, they must've had some trouble. He had no idea how he managed to make it this far without being hit, but he doubted that his luck would hold out for much longer. "When All Might said there'd be some enemies, I didn't think he meant an army!" There had to be at least eighty people roaming Ground Gamma, each one equipped with enough ammo to last them for weeks! Before they had the chance to rush his position, Midoriya quickly jumped up to the nearest rooftop and hid behind one of the railings.
Thankfully, he managed to avoid most of the patrols, but, of course, he just had to screw up at the end. One wrong step and every person in Ground Gamma knew where he was. To be honest, it was a terrible situation. However, if he played his cards right, it wasn't an impossible one. "Okay, where am I?" He thought as he looked around for some landmarks. When he noticed a small water tower off to his right, he smiled, and let out a sigh. "The exit shouldn't be that far away now." All he needed was one good sprint, and he'd make it without a scratch on his jersey. "Alright! Focus Deku! You can do this!" He thought as he lightly smacked his cheeks, now wasn't the time for worrying, now was the time for action.
When the guards that had been chasing him passed by his hiding spot, Midoriya instantly took the chance to jump back down to the ground. After taking a few seconds to check that nobody had seen him, he immediately activated One For All and started to run towards the other side of Ground Gamma. Once he'd gotten up to a pace that'd make Iida proud, he dug in his heels, turned into an alleyway, and saw the finish line. About two-hundred meters away from his position was a large gate. There, a small drone was hovering above in the sky. "My friends are probably watching from there..." he thought as he prepared himself for the final lap. However, right when he was about to take-off for the last time, something happened.
"Waaah~ I want my mommy!" A child's voice said from an alley near the gate. Soon afterwards, a small kid, who looked to be no more than seven, walked out of the darkness and onto the main road. When he saw that, Midoriya stopped himself, and took a moment to think.
"That's definitely a hired civilian, I'll have to grab him before making my dash to the exit." It was such a simple decision that he almost felt disappointed. However, that didn't mean he was allowed to relax. Before jumping out into the open, he gave the surrounding rooftops and alleys a thorough search. "It doesn't look like there's anyone over here." If he had to guess, most of them were probably busy searching the surrounding areas. And so, after taking a breath, Midoriya dived out of the shadows and hurried towards the civilian. "Hey, kid! Are you okay?" He asked as he walked up to him.
"Waah~ where did my mommy and daddy go?" The boy cried. Midoriya, who was still busy looking-over his shoulder for villains, could only nod and offer the standard script for rescues before he picked the civilian up.
"It's okay, we'll find your parents soon." He said as he started to jog towards the main gate, holding the child tight. "I think I did pretty well in there," he thought as he looked down at his flawless jersey. After that, he turned his attention back to the kid, and allowed himself to relax a little bit. The exit was only a few meters away, after all. However, right before he stepped through those gates, Midoriya felt something hard crash into his stomach. "Ouch! What the heck was that?!" It felt like he'd been hit by a baseball. "Kid, are you oka—" he started, however, he stopped when he finally saw what had happened. The "civilian" he'd saved had pressed one of the faux-villain's guns against his torso, and, if the red-tinge on his jersey was anything to go by, succeeded in firing it.
"You lose, hero." The boy said as he raised both of his arms up into the air in victory. Before Midoriya had the chance to do, or even say, anything, he'd already taken his first step through the exit. The second his foot touched the ground, a loud horn blasted through the air, signaling the end of the test.
"Izuku Midoriya's test is hereby complete!" And that was the end of it.
The sheer amount of will Midoriya had to give to open the control center's door was insane. He felt embarrassed, weak, and exposed. "I can't believe I let that happen." He thought as he stared at his red jersey in defeat. Slowly, he pulled the iron entrance open, as if he were walking through the doorway to his own demise. He fully expected to me met with minor jeers, some compliments, and a couple of backhanded insults for being so stupid. However, when he walked into that room, he got the exact opposite.
"Midoriya! You've finally joined the party!" He heard Kaminari say from the main desk. Soon, Uraraka, Iida, and all of his friends, came to greet him. And, much to his shock, all of their jerseys were dyed red as well. It wasn't just them, either, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, all of Class B, and even Bakugo, seemed to have taken one or two hits. "Damn, I really hoped that you'd be able to avoid that little prick."
"Are you talking about that kid?" Midoriya asked them.
"Yeah," Iida said as he readjusted his glasses. "Apparently, that child is actually a hero with a shapeshifting quirk. He can only transform into a couple of specific things. But his transformations are near-perfect. There's no way we could've known that the child was actually a double-agent." For the first time in a while, Midoriya swore that he detected a hint of frustration in Iida's tone.
"Yeah, you really should've seen Bakugo, that was hilarious! He tried to act all cool by clearing a path for him, and then that kid shot him in the back!" Ashido cried out as she leaned over in laughter. "Of course, it goes without saying that I got fooled as well. In fact, I don't think there's a person here who wasn't fooled." When he heard that, even though he knew it was wrong, Midoriya couldn't help but feel a little better about himself.
"So it was a fool's errand?" Midoriya asked as he felt a familiar hand tussle his hair. "A-All Might! What are you doing?!" He cried out as his personal hero walked into the room. He was carrying a file full of reports, and looked absolutely ecstatic.
"Of course it wasn't a fool's errand, Midoriya, it was a valuable lesson." He told his successor as he made his way over to where Aizawa and the other teachers were sitting.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yaoyorozu exclaimed as she rolled her eyes. "Are you telling us that you guys knew this task was impossible?" The smug smirks on Aizawa's and the teachers' faces told them all they needed to know.
"Oh don't lose your head, we aren't going to dock your grade for an error like that." Their instructor said as he flipped through a few reports. "We hired that hero so you can learn to be more cautious. Heroes aren't the only ones who know how to make strategies. If you let your guard down, one wrong move could spell your defeat." Aizawa scoffed, "Although, I doubt you'd ever actually have to fight a kid out in the field." Once Aizawa had finished lecturing his students, he grabbed a nearby microphone, and held it up to his lips. "Okay, you're up, Mr. Walker." He said as the camera feed suddenly switched back to the gymnasium, where Allen was waiting.
"Got it..." they heard Walker's voice say from the monitor's speakers as their classmate rushed to Ground Gamma. It took a few minutes, but, eventually, he arrived at the starting line.
"You're free to go, Mr. Walker, remember to take the assigned route." Aizawa announced as he turned the microphone off. Instantly, Walker went to work, and made his way to the nearest obvious hiding spot.
"How do you think he'll do?" Midnight asked as she tapped her fingers against the table.
"Honestly, no idea." Cementoss said as he focused on the screen. "It's true that Mr. Walker doesn't have a quirk, but his lack in power might force him to take measures that people like us wouldn't even think about."
"The infamous ingenuity of the weak, huh?" Aizawa whispered as he pulled up a chair for All Might to sit in. After the number one hero took his seat, Midoriya and the others also grabbed themselves some spots to rest.
"It's almost like we're watching a movie." Ashido cooed as she took out some snacks, God knows where she got them, and passed them around.
"Thank you, Ashido." Kendo said when she was handed a box of gummies. Once they were all good and prepared, they returned their focus to Walker's test. "So, that's the transfer student? The one who arrived today?" She asked them.
"Yeah, I believe so." Yaoyorozu said as Kendo tossed her fellow representative a handful of candy. "Although, I don't really know what he's like. I was busy with a study group when he first arrived. Uraraka, Ashido, didn't you lead him here?"
"Mm-hmm, he's definitely an interesting person." Ashido mumbled as she chewed on a pretzel. "He's quite nice, although his manners are a bit too old-fashioned in my opinion. I swear, he talks like a priest! Maybe it's an English thing..." As the three of them laughed over their sugary-meal, Midoriya smiled and looked back up at the monitor.
"Wow, he's progressed that far already?!" He thought as Kaminari let out an impressed whistle.
"I've got to admit, even without a quirk, he's handling this well." The boy spoke in between sips of soda. And while he was correct that Walker was getting through the gauntlet at a similar pace, something was different. Midoriya could tell just by looking at the teachers, who were all glued to the screen like moths on a lightbulb.
"This kid has nerves of steel!" Midnight said, her eyes wide, as they watched Walker effortlessly sneak behind a pair of faux-villains.
"It's almost like he's done this before..." All Might thought as his lips curled into a frown. "Where in the world did he gain the experience to move like that?" Midoriya's and his classmates were good for their age, but the caution Walker showed was different. His skills were almost, no, they were professional. "Still, what truly matters is how he handles the final stretch." Most of Class A and B managed to make it to the end of the gauntlet without getting hit once. So Walker doing the same wasn't that abnormal. And so they all watched in relative silence as their new classmate ran through Ground Gamma. Within a handful of minutes, he had reached the ending gate.
"Here we go," Aizawa said as the test's final trap revealed itself. Midoriya, and all of his friends, couldn't help but sigh as they watched the child-like hero take the stage once more. Even Bakugo, who had taken the chance to berate Walker's actions at every chance he got, went silent as the boy made his way to where the "civilian" was standing.
"Waaah~ I want my mommy!" The hero whined, using the same script that he'd used to fool all of them. It went without saying that Walker took the bait. The transfer student rushed to the hero's side in an instant, knelt down, and placed a hand on the child's shoulder.
"Are you okay, boy?" They heard him ask as his classmates carefully watched the disguised-hero's actions. Midoriya's brow furrowed when he saw the hero sneakily-draw his gun from a hidden pocket. By now, they were just moments away from Walker meeting the same fate that they did. They all watched as the hero carefully readied his weapon, before pointing it right into Walker's torso. However, right when they thought he'd fire, Walker said something.
"Nice try..." was all they heard from the boy before he slammed his right leg into the hero's neck. In that instant, everyone in the room, including the teachers, shot up out of their seats.
"I-I can't believe it!" All Might exclaimed as they watched the disguised-hero fly into a nearby wall. Walker's kick had enough power behind it to send the "civilian" plummeting through the concrete barrier, and was strong enough to make even Midoriya sweat. "That attack was almost equivalent to one of Sato's punches!" The top hero yelled again as he studied some of the impact numbers. Granted, it still lacked the destructive power that came with a regular strength-enhancing quirk, but it was still incredible!
"Are you sure he's quirkless?" Midnight asked as they watched Walker crack his knuckles. Before anyone could answer, Aizawa fished out the student's file, read it, and then nodded.
"Yeah, if these numbers are accurate, his raw-strength still isn't enough to classify as an ability. Without an ample-amount of skill in controlling his opponent, he wouldn't have been able to do what we just witnessed." In Aizawa's opinion, what was truly-shocking wasn't the boy's strength, it was how he used it. Not a single movement was wasted, nor was there any delay in his reaction-time. He might not have had the power to be considered a quirk-user, but with his talent and quick-wits, he managed to drag his abilities up to something on a comparable-level.
"Damn..." Kirishima said as they watched Walker wrap one of his hands around the disguised-hero's forehead. Before the man had any idea what had happened, their new classmate swiftly slammed the hero's head against the ground, knocking him out cold. And, after taking a moment to check that the faux-villain was okay, Walker plucked the pistol from the unconscious-hero's grasp, and pulled out the white flag that lay inside.
"It only counts if I show you guys this, right?" He called out as he showed the flag to the nearest drone he could. Once that was done, he dusted himself off, and made his way to the exit. With nobody there to stop him, he walked right through Ground Gamma's back gate with his jersey still as white as snow. For the next few moments, Walker's audience was as quiet as the dead. It wasn't until the horn, which signaled the end of his test, sounded that their voices finally returned to them. And as several shocked voices filled the air, all Midoriya could do was grit his teeth. As, in that instant, All Might's successor witnessed something that he previously-thought to be impossible.
"A hero without a quirk..." he whispered as he clenched one of his hands up into a fist, "Hah, I never thought I'd see the day." The frustration in his voice was evident. As, for what felt like the first time since the semester started, he truly felt defeated. "It's just Mirio all over again, isn't it?" He hissed as his eyebrows narrowed. "What is this, fate? Some kind of cruel joke?" While his classmates were still glued to the monitor, Midoriya just stood there, with tears in his eyes, as his heart stewed in a cauldron of new feelings. "How many times must you remind me of how weak I am?!" Yet another person had appeared who was deserving of All Might's power! And, if that wasn't enough, said newcomer was quirkless! They were like him...
"I know what you're thinking, Midoriya, so stop it." Before the boy had the chance to fall into yet another pit of despair. The same hand that had granted him his power pulled him out of it. Right when his eyes were about to overflow with tears, All Might walked over, and flicked him on the forehead. "Don't worry about how you stand up to others. Remember that I chose you to be my successor. And, no matter who crosses our paths, I promise that I'll never change my mind." Like the true hero he was, All Might always knew what to say to lift Midoriya's spirits. As if nothing had happened, the boy's mood improved, his tears vanished, and his smile returned to his face.
"Got it..." his crybaby-successor mumbled as he wiped the last few drops of moisture from his cheeks. "Thanks, All Might."
"Don't mention it," All Might laughed as he scratched one of his, slightly pink, cheeks. Even the top heroes got embarrassed, after all. And then, right on schedule, the pair heard the control center's door open.
"Ah~" a familiar voice said as the person who was on everyone's mind walked into the room. "That was a long run. Did you guys do okay?" Like a hammer on glass, Walker's arrival shattered the uneasiness that filled the room. Causing everyone, who were previously acting like rigid statues, to return to their normal selves. "What's up? Did I do something wrong?" Walker asked, causing Ashido to burst into a fit of laughter. And, just like that, their test came to a close.
"I still can't believe that you managed to avoid being shot by that bastard!" Kaminari exclaimed as he wrapped one of his arms around Allen's shoulders. After he arrived, he was immediately swarmed by his friends and classmates. To be honest, it was kind of a shock.
"Oh please, it wasn't that impressive." Allen said as he nervously scratched the back of his head. However, when he saw all of their jerseys, Allen's jaw fell to the floor. "Wait, are you telling me that all of you guys got shot?" His words hit his classmates like a lead pipe.
"Ouch, please don't bring that up. It's not good for my pride." Mineta whined as he jiggled disturbingly in the corner of the room. Once he was done talking with his classmates, All Might and Aizawa parted the crowd of students so they could get through. It seemed that both teachers were eager to get some feedback from him.
"You did better than I thought you would, newbie." Aizawa said, which shocked most of Class A. Their instructor wasn't somebody who gave out compliments often. However, Allen knew that they weren't there to congratulate him. He could see it in All Might's eyes, they had something they wanted to say.
"Tell me, Mr. Walker, how did you figure out that the civilian was a trap?" All Might asked, causing everyone to turn their curious gazes back to him.
"That's a good point," Todoroki started as he crossed his arms, "How did you find out? As far as I'm aware, there weren't any obvious clues that would've tipped you off." When Allen heard that, he sighed, and locked his gaze with All Might.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell them the truth..." he thought as he struggled to come up with a believable reason. "The thing is, when you were giving us the briefing in the gym, Mr. Aizawa, you said that we had to watch out for any civilians. If there were any, that is."
"Hmm, I thought nobody caught that slipup." The instructor whispered as he rubbed his chin. "But that's not enough of a reason to warrant your suspicion. There must've been something else..." much to Aizawa's shock, however, Allen just shook his head.
"No, not really. On the battlefield nobody knows what's really going on, it's chaos. So, whenever I'm in situations like that, I just assume that every person I come across is an enemy." The words Lavi gave him long ago had saved him hundreds of times, and even now that was living in a world with no akuma, he still strived to follow that rule. Nonetheless, that advice still shocked whoever he told it to. Especially the people who were now standing in front of him. Honestly, he couldn't blame them for being shocked, or even appalled. After all, that mentality completely went against everything modern-heroes stood for.
"That's..." Aizawa was at a complete loss for words, and so were the other teachers.
"I'm not sure where you picked that up, but I recommend you drop that habit." Iida was the first of his classmates to break the uneasy stillness. The slight-anger in his tone was palpable, but that wasn't surprising. "Heroes are supposed to be warriors who protect the weak! You can't just attack everyone because you don't trust them!" A wave of nostalgia washed over Allen as he flashed-back to when he told Lavi the exact same thing. Iida's reaction was normal, and it was one that his classmates seemed to share.
"Yeah, I know, and I agree with you." Allen told them, which eased-up Iida's verbal assault. It was hard for him to remember that, even though his classmates were around the same age, there was still a world of difference between them. In that case, to avoid being cast aside, he'd have to play the fool. "Sorry if my strategy offended you, I guess I just got a little bit nervous. When I saw that he had a weapon, I couldn't stop myself."
"It's fine, don't worry about it." Iida said as he shrugged. "In the end, your hunch was correct, so I can't stay angry. As long as you realize why that mentality is dangerous, I doubt that we'll hold it against you." Unsurprisingly, all of the students agreed with Class A's representative. And, after shaking Iida's hand, that little quip was quickly forgotten.
"Now that that's over!" Kaminari yelled as he pulled Allen aside and cheered. "My fellow members of Class A, what do you say to throwing a little party for our newest member?!"
"Ooh, that sounds like fun! Let's do it!" Ashido yelped as she gleefully jumped into the air. With that, Allen's fate was sealed. After getting permission to leave from Aizawa, they practically dragged him outside, their gazes eager and brimming with life. Soon, the teachers left as well, leaving All Might alone in that empty room.
"That boy, Mr. Walker..." he started as he furrowed his eyebrows. Something about that child just didn't feel right. It felt almost like he was hiding something. However, as soon as that thought entered his head, All Might cursed and slapped himself. "Nah, I'm just being paranoid." He mumbled as he headed for the front door. "I've got a feeling this is going to be a good semester." And then, just like that, another day at U.A. High came to a close.
Author's Note
Greetings everyone, it's me again! Here to thank you for your continued support on my story! Really, I can't thank you enough! Anyways, with this chapter out of the way, Allen's finally been introduced to the main cast. It was a long time coming, but I hope you guys enjoyed it. I really struggled with trying to come up with a way to get Allen into the hero course, hopefully, I succeeded in a way that makes some sense. Anyways, I'm gonna cut this off here, still have a ton of chapters to go, after all!
Chapter Five: A Hero's Mask
