If you'd ask me, this is where the story really begins to take shape with what will become the story's status quo. It starts with a trio of cinnamon rolls coming together and forming a dynamic that serves as the basis for several themes and elements of the story as a whole.


My Hero Academia Untold: The Fafnir Knight (Remastered Edition)

Saga I: Dusk

Arc I: Origins

Chapter X: The Lost Child


"Feeling lost? Good! Now you get to walk new paths that lead to much better places."

-Robin S. Sharma


"Thank you for the ride home, sir," said Tenya gratefully as they exited out of the car with his brother's father-in-law: who was none other than the pro-hero Endeavor.

"It was no problem; I have business with your brother," Endeavor had put forth rather bluntly. "I already planned on coming here anyway."

It was here that the fiery man mentally berated himself for being brash. Lately, he had been making more of a conscious effort and trying his best to be less standoffish and a little more friendly to others. Tenya, fortunately, either didn't notice or didn't seem to mind as they both made their way into the Iida family compound. They entered the large, beautiful three-story western-style house* with a large front yard and backyard, which was settled just at the edge of the downtown Tōkyō area.

"UNCLE TENI! HI GRANDPA!" A high-pitched voice rang out, making both of them turn around. A blue-white blur suddenly ran past them and turned the corner into the other side of the yard.

"Ah, blast!" They heard Fuyumi say as she appeared from the opposing corner leaning against the wall to catch her breath before addressing the two in front of her. "Oh! Hello Father, and welcome home, Tenya! Hikari's been running around all day, and when she saw the two of you coming from the window, she wanted to be the first one to greet you."

Endeavor hummed in response, wondering how two relatively quiet and reserved people like Tensei and his daughter, Fuyumi, could have a child as hyperactive as his granddaughter Hikari.

"Tenya, I really hate to be a bother, especially right after you just got home," she smiled sheepishly.

"But could you please catch her for me? It's almost her snack time, and Shouto already tried catching her with his ice." Fuyumi added with a guilty look on her face.

Tenya instantly began stripping off his school uniform, revealing that he was still wearing his blue tracksuit under it. Endeavor gave no reaction; by now, he had long stopped questioning the number of Tenya's more eccentric character traits. While Fuyumi simply gathered all of Tenya's things from the ground as if it was routine.

"Right! I'll catch her and bring her right back to you, sister!" Tenya stated with one firm swift chop of the arm before chasing after his runaway niece.

"Remind me, how are he and Tensei related?" Endeavor asked in complete and utter seriousness, causing Fuyumi to laugh.

Tenya always found this familiar situation funny, running across this family compound chasing after the blue-white blur who laughed out loud as she zipped through the halls. He had come from a long line of pro-heroes since before pro-heroes were officially established, as so far back shortly after the phenomenon of quirks first appeared in the world. He was the result of this long-standing legacy that now included his elder brother, Tensei Iida.

However, the significant change to this dynamic was when Tensei met and later married Fuyumi Todoroki, or Fuyumi Iida as she is known these days. Tenya continued to chase down Hikari, who came close to being the true heir to the legacy of pro-heroes, descending from two elite pro-hero families. On top of that, she gave her Uncle a run for his money as she laughed with reckless abandon.

"Uncle Teni! You can't catch me!"

"Hikari, please slow down! It's your snack time!"

Witnessing the two speedsters as he sat on the sidelines, chuckling was none other than Shouto Todoroki, Hikari's youngest maternal Uncle and Tenya's close friend. He had spotted the two moments ago after getting his snack, long after he had tried and given up on catching Hikari earlier. She proved very resourceful and learned from previous chases.

The irony was that Hikari was usually a very well-behaved little girl. But did she love to tease her Uncle "Teni" and Uncle "Shou" to no end, especially the former, whenever she got the chance. This was especially true when she felt a lack of attention when the boys were training and/or studying.

"Shouto, can you please help Tenya? The poor guy has to be exhausted at this rate." Fuyumi came up behind him as he munched away on his melon bread.

"But it's more fun to watch," Shouto turned on his classic deadpan voice.

"Shouto!"

"Fine. Wait, where's mom?"

"She went to get Hikari's snack set up."

"Okay, I think I can – oh wait, never mind, he's got her." Upon seeing Hikari in Tenya's grasp. Shouto got up, knowing what Hikari would ask him to do as soon as they got inside. "Well, time to get my hair kit."

"I've got you now!" Tenya proclaimed, finally grabbing his niece from under her underarms and hoisting her upwards. Her legs continued to kick as if she was still running, screaming with laughter.

"NO FAIR!"

"NO FAIR INDEED, LITTLE MISSY!" He huffed in triumph as he held up his quarry. Despite the grief she could cause him, Tenya loved his niece dearly. She inherited most of Fuyumi's features, save her hair which was blue, peppered with streaks of white. However, Hikari had inherited the Iida Engine Quirk, proven by the mufflers that could protrude from her shoulder blades. Thankfully, Mei wasn't here to back her up this time.

"Come along!" He proudly said as he walked back to the house with her still up in the air in his hands. "It is time for your afternoon snack!"

"Okay ~!" Hikari sighed in surrender.

Tenya, knowing his niece's mischievous nature, moved to carry her on his shoulders to prevent her from running off again. He looked ahead and saw Fuyumi waving at them to come inside.

"Thank you, Tenya!" she called out to him.


Tensei and Endeavor sat in the former's household office as he briefed his father-in-law about the recent update in the investigation.

"I got a witness in Doumeki's inner circle who can double-out as a prime source of information," stated Tensei as he handed Endeavor a sheet of paper with the man's information.

"Can we trust him?" Endeavor asked cautiously, knowing this could go wrong if the man proved to be playing them.

"I had to go through a lot to verify him for the last eighteen months. He is legitimate, I can assure you."

Endeavor sighed as he placed the sheet back on the desk. The flames he often projected on his face were gone for the time being while Tensei picked up a newspaper next to his computer monitor and gave it to Endeavor.

"Take a look at this."

Endeavor grabbed the paper and read aloud the headline. "UFN shows concern regarding the US development of new military hardware...Is this important?"

"Remember what happened two days ago? What should have been front-page news?"

Endeavor pondered for a moment before recalling their last briefing with the Hero Public Safety Commission.

"The Hero-Killer."

"My inside source says the Hero-Killer was broken out," Tensei pointed his finger to the newspaper.

"The investigative report states that he escaped while being taken to jail to await the most highly publicized trial of the year. All this happened before any public announcement could be made," he tapped the desk thoughtfully. "It was as if the Hero-Killer had never been caught, to begin with."

"You can't be serious." Endeavor tried to keep his voice steady. "Tensei, you just implied –"

"– that this may go deeper than we originally thought, Father. I know you hate the idea, but I think we need to rally with the other group now."

Endeavor flinched at the revelation. For the last few years, he had tried to avoid this, wanting to keep his investigation of that night independent from All Might's influence. Especially since there were several questions that All Might caused with his involvement that the man actively avoided answering. But, if what Tensei said was true, then it was time to join forces with the other group investigating the Draco Knight incident.

Endeavor knew he had to push aside his qualms about working with All Might.

"Make the call," He finished getting up with plans to join the rest of the family downstairs. "And see if that fool All Might really has been working to solve this."

"Understood."

"But, before I forget," Endeavor paused at the doorway. "Have we gotten any word from…?"

"No. Nothing yet, but the deadline for the next drop isn't due yet; Hawks has already checked."

"…I see."

Tensei hesitated; he hated keeping the secret as much as Endeavor. "Father, we should..."

"Let's not worry about this right now, Tensei." Endeavor stopped him, facing away from his son-in-law.

"We all have the parts we need to play now."

Shouto sat on the couch with Hikari on his lap, his eyes focused on braiding Hikari's hair. He developed a habit after repeated requests from his beloved niece. Before, Shouto knew little to nothing about styling hair as all he did was pull his hair into a ponytail and leave just enough for his bangs to align with his flawless face**. However, when it came to Hikari, Shouto decided to learn. To master the art of braiding hair by endlessly watching Youtube videos and even practicing with his mother's hair. Somehow, Shouto had become one hell of an amateur hairstylist and found the hobby quite relaxing.

While Shouto continued his work, Hikari sat patiently while watching her favorite show, Animal Buddies with Anima and Comicman***. It was touted as the perfect mix of education and fun. Anima was a rescue hero who often educated kids with fun animal facts and showcased responsible quirk usage. He often used Japanese sign language to both teach and prevent animals nearby from being influenced by his quirk. Alongside him was his co-host: Comicman, who often assisted by providing visual comedy gags. While teaching correct Kanji and sentence structure.

As Hikari laughed, Tenya sat on the couch nearby, nodding in approval. He also enjoyed the show finding it perfect for young minds to learn essential lessons in responsibility. He also thought that the idea of learning sign language could be an invaluable skill for a pro-hero to learn.

Shouto, however, smirked as he found the right moment to tease his friend.

"Hey, Ten?" Said Shouto casually as he started on Hikari's next braid.

Tenya looked at Shouto upon being addressed. "Yes, Shouto?"

"Your girlfriend called."

"Meimei!" Hikari chirped out in glee.

The color immediately drained from Tenya's face. He knew what he meant, that girl of his dreams, or more accurately, his nightmares.

"That! That she-devil of a woman is not my girlfriend!" He arm-chopped away furiously as his nerves began getting the best of him.

"You'll be pleased to know that she will be joining us at UA," Shouto added as the smirk that graced his face grew slightly wider. "Since she got accepted to the support course at the top of her class."

"Noooo!" Tenya exclaimed, his arms raised dramatically with crocodile tears running down his face. Shouto internally laughed at his anguish, while Hikari just straight up laughed at her Uncle's antics.

"WHY CAN I NOT BE FREE FROM HER?!"

"She could even be our support liaison; if assigned to our class," Shouto continued nonchalantly.

The bespectacled teen let out a weary sigh, "I'm going to die before I even make it halfway through our first year..."

"Shouto, Rei," Endeavor's deep voice resounded as he entered the living room, interrupting Tenya's cries. "It's time for us to go."

"Aww..."Hikari pouted and crossed her arms, knowing her Uncle Shou hadn't finished braiding her hair yet. "Grandpa's no fun."

Her comment made Shouto chuckle as he tried to speed up and finish styling her hair.

"Are you sure you can't stay for dinner, dad?" Fuyumi asked sadly. She felt disappointed they all couldn't stay to celebrate Tenya and Shouto's secured entrance exam results. Both boys already knew they were accepted to the UA hero course. Endeavor didn't care for pointless rules and simply told Tenya that he passed during the ride to his house.

"I'm sorry, Fuyumi," Endeavor said with a solemn shake. "I have important business to attend to, and Shouto still needs to finish up school next week since he has his finals lined up."

Simply put, Endeavor didn't have the best relationship with his family.

Well, he loved them, of course, but the way things began with the arranged marriage between himself and his wife, Rei, often made these feelings difficult to express. Their marriage had been fixed by both sets of parents in a way that wounded his pride. It had burdened a younger Enji with thoughts of guilt as if he had unjustly taken her against her will. Thankfully, Rei didn't seem to hold it against him, and they managed to make their relationship work out in the end.

"Don't worry, dear," Rei came to the rescue as she gently reassured their daughter. "I'll make sure to make it up; that way, we can all celebrate Shouto and Tenya's achievements together in due time. Natsuo will be coming back to visit soon too."

"But…"Fuyumi's saddened mood plummeted further, "it won't be all of us."

The three adults paused, tension filling the room once more. Touya Todoroki hadn't been seen for about a year now. One day out of the blue, the young pro-hero Incendor was declared "missing in action" after a strange encounter with a villain.

"There's no use in worrying about it right now," Endeavor treaded the conversation lightly. "I'm sure that he will turn up sooner or later."

Unbeknownst to the two women, Endeavor and Tensei knew where the eldest son of the Todoroki family was doing right now. Yet, they had to keep to details secret for the sake of everyone.


Kai Doumeki sat in his home office on the phone, quietly fuming as he checked over several documents of the latest pro-heroes killed in action by the Hero-Killer Stain. Among the profiles were a few witnesses at the great battle six years ago, where All Might and Draco Knight teamed up against All For One.

On top of everything that happened today, this was the last thing he needed to hear after returning from UA.

"Goddamn it," He muttered as he heard Hajime read the list about the event over the phone.

"I'm sorry, sir.

"Just how did this happen?" Kai demanded, doing his best to keep his voice from yelling.

"It must have happened during the transport."

"He must have had help... and the guards?"

"All confirmed dead. However, none of the injuries match with Stain's routine."

"You said their bodies were found mostly dusted and decayed. There were many incidents in the past few years with murders with that type of assault," Kai looked over the evidence thoughtfully. "Looks like Stain does have friends within his reach."

"At the very least, we got a media blackout on the incident, and no one has gotten wind of what happened. As far as anyone knows, we looked and found nothing. The guards were killed in action in an unrelated event."

"It's a flimsy cover but expected considering all the efforts they're using to suppress anything about Stain. Such is the era of suppression we live in..."Kai sighed, finally seeing the irony of the situation. "Have Internal Affairs look into this. I have a gut feeling some of the new recruits I've been forced to take in may be involved."

"Understood, sir."

Kai hung up the phone and sat back in his chair, rubbing his temples. The mission was a complete failure, a direct operation for the police to catch a well-known villain without a single use of pro-heroes. He had been captured and confined, only to slip away from their grasp once more. Furthermore, he had gotten reports of a new group of villains making headway in the underworld.

The League of Villains.

Knock, knock.

Kai snapped out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" He called out to the door of his private office.

"Dear, Mr. Anno is here to see you," answered the muffed voice of his wife, Saya, from behind the door.

'Shit.' His patron was here, most likely to get an update for the operation.

"Send in him in about five minutes... Also, what is Ryu doing right now?" He added, knowing that the boy was working for the old man.

"He's in his room, reviewing the UA paperwork he got after taking the exam."

Kai paused for a moment.

He knew that the meeting with the Representative would take a while. Yet, he still needed to brief Ryu on his additional assignment now that he saw Izuku's performance at the entrance exam. His spy was proving to be a blessing in disguise. Kai inwardly laughed, seeing the irony of the role he was about to entrust to the lad. After all, he had once done the same Hisashi, now reversed if Ryu's listed family name proved true.

Kai stood up and saw the bottle of saké from all those years ago. The bottle only had enough for three, perhaps four more cups left. The taste had indeed slowly grown sweeter every time he took a drink from it throughout the years.

"Let Ryu know that I will need to speak with him once my business with the Representative is finished."

"Alright, dinner is almost ready, so try to make it quick, okay?"


Tomura sat across from his brother; the glare the two brothers sent each other said everything. They were only working together for now. To achieve lesser goals knowing that their partnership ended the moment one was crowned as the successor to the Emperor of Darkness.

All For One.

Crimson eyes continued to stare down at golden ones. The remaining two survivors had long passed from their time in the nurseries. They had outlived and defeated many of their other...siblings throughout the years. Most of the former "Princes and Princesses of Darkness" were long dead. Save for a handful with their wings clipped and tailored to serve the remainder.

Now all that remained was the Pale Prince, Tomura Shigaraki, and The Broken Prince, whose name Tomura refused to speak when he could help it. These two remaining Underworld Lords sat in a small, dimly lit room with stale air filling their noses. The only light source came from a small laptop that displayed a blank video feed, with audio playing from the other end. Waiting for their Master to speak.

"You've finished the exams, my apprentice?" A cold, muffled voice asked from the laptop with a knowing hiss.

"Yes, master, I believe I did more than enough to pass to get into the hero course," the Broken Prince answered. "Although I won't know for sure until I get the official results at worst, I can serve as one of the liaisons for the hero course."

Tomura's eyes narrowed, despite his face being hidden with his father's hand, which he now wore as a mask. The Pale Prince knew that he could not hide his emotions easily.

"Heheheh..."

"Careful now, Tomura." His brother snapped at him, turning away from the screen to look back at him. "Your ego is showing."

"I still believe this plan is for noobs. If you get caught, what's to say you won't rat us out?"

"You really think that little of me, Tomura? After everything we've been through?"

"You're still a child and a petulant one at that."

"Says the whiny bitch who keeps playing silly video games."

"WATCH IT!"

"Enough, both of you," the man intervened, his voice now reaching a dangerous tone; "you will continue both of your plans to reach your goals. Whoever becomes my inheritor depends on your results."

The two sighed and turned to look away from each other. The Broken Prince quickly restarted their conversation, much to Tomura's annoyance.

"You still plan to invade UA now that we have confirmed that All Might is attending?"

"Yes."

"And once I'm in UA, what exactly do you need from me?"

"I'll save that detail until you meet your classmates."

"Fine..."

The voice from the monitor called out to Tomura, "Tomura, have you taken care of the rogue Yakuza yet?"

"Yes, Master, I have an eager recruit already making sure they got the message," Tomura answered with a satisfied grin. "As a matter of fact, he should be dealing with them right now as we speak."

"You sent only one?" The Broken Prince questioned Tomura's plan with a surprised look. He knew that the compound was small, at least compared to other Yakuza groups. But, Overhaul's gang still had numbers in their favor. One grunt assaulting their compound was basically suicide.

"He's trying to prove himself, but from what I gathered, he will get the work done."

"Kurogiri. We're done here; take them both home," the Master's voice said before adding on. "Good work, both of you, but don't attempt to kill each other. There is still much more to do before I can bestow my gift to either of you."

"Yes, master." The two said in unison as a black mist engulfed both of them. When the shadowy fog vanished, the two were back in the familiar sight of the bar, their showroom headquarters. Tomura moved to his favorite seat near the middle of the bar. At the same time, Kurogiri went behind it and began mixing him a drink.

"Tomura."

He didn't move, but the sides of his face proved he was smiling. Now that the Master wasn't here, they could be a little more open with each other as good siblings should be. Tomura remained silent with only the occasional clink and sounds of liquids being poured as Kurogiri continued his quiet work, waiting for his brother to continue speaking.

"Where is she?" He heard him finally ask.

"Whoever do you mean, my dear little brother?" Tomura mockingly asked back.

"I'm not here to play your games." He snapped back.

Tomura sighed. "You grew too attached to that psychopath."

"Answer the question."

"She's safe for now...she still a little broken after your last fight..." Tomura laughed as he heard that familiar threatening tone. He raised his right arm as his brother suddenly moved towards him. "Careful now! If you hurt me, I will make sure she dies! The terms of her being spared were our agreement that I would host her!"

His brother may have tried to intimidate him, but Tomura knew how easy it was to bring him to heel. A simple threat to those he cared about, and he would instantly cease his yapping. Kurogiri remained silent. Despite tension thick enough to slice with a knife, he simply finished his mixture and slid it to Tomura's side.

"She's learning her new place right now...You can have your plaything back if you cooperate," Tomura finally continued after taking a sip of his drink.

"I'll never understand why Master ever thought she would be a worthy candidate. But it doesn't matter now," He pulled out a portable game console from his pocket before waving his brother off. "Leave before you blow your cover."

With a heavy frustrated sigh, he didn't see his sibling's face or reaction; instead, he heard him give out an order.

"Kurogiri, send me back."

Kurogiri didn't answer and simply bowed slightly; a moment later, Tomura sensed a portal open and close as he was finally left alone.

'In the end, I'll be the only one left, and hopefully, you'll die in the invasion as well... and if you don't... well," he paused to chuckle. "I'll enjoy seeing your stupid face as I turn our sister to dust before your very eyes.'

Tomura laughed to himself again. If everything went as planned, he would have another ace in his sleeve soon enough. Now to check on his newest project.

"Kurogiri."

"Yes, Tomura Shigaraki?"

'God, that gets old saying the whole name.'

"How's our new friend doing?"

"Sedated and being watched over."

"Since we still don't know if he'll join us or at least help with my plans, I can't call him a backup ace just yet. But at most, just having Stain here will make it easier for us to plan our next move without worrying which city he would be stalking next."


The little girl ran through the smoke as the hideout was engulfed in bright blue flames that stung her from the heat. Despite the fear in her heart, she knew this might be her only chance to be free. The chance to escape the nightmare she had lived in for so long.

"BOSS!" A familiar voice called out, making her freeze in fear. "IS THAT YOU?!"

"No... but you'll see him again soon enough in hell."

An icy voice from the smoke came out, followed by a large jet of bright blue flames that shot out and engulfed the masked villain. His screams ripped in the air as the fire cooked his flesh away into bone, turning him into a pile of dark ash and charred bones in mere seconds.

The little girl doubled back to run away, covering her ears upon seeing the figure who had caused the fire. His cold blue eyes and jet-black hair sent her panicking, tears filling her bright ruby-red eyes. The blue-flamed man looked around, satisfied that his job was done.

'Gotta make sure that my little witness is taken cared of.'


Izuku had been very suspicious of his cousin's intentions.

He was sitting at a table with Ochako, their orders already placed as they sat in near silence. In his head, Izuku was trying to figure out if he had been set up or not.

First was Katsuki's sudden departure.

Katsuki canceled after receiving a phone call, turning down dinner with Ryūko despite saying it was no big deal. Izuku knew that had to be a lie, and it was actually an important phone call. But, knowing Katsuki didn't want to worry anyone, he was somehow convinced to do so.

Which must have taken a lot of work, knowing how stubborn he could be when it came to Ryūko.

Next was Ryūko herself, who left soon after the remaining three arrived at the restaurant almost an hour from leaving UA.

She had also received a phone call, claiming that it was an emergency and needed to go. Ryūko ran off rather quickly, but not before giving Izuku a very generous amount of money that would be used to cover the bill and then some.**** She had always done small things like this to give Izuku extra pocket money whenever she could, especially after she made it to the top ten.

But it always unintentionally made Izuku feel guilty.

And the worst, or maybe the best, part?

He was now dining with Ochako, alone together in a rather pricey eatery with a French name he couldn't even hope to pronounce. Disregarding the embarrassing incident from the exam. The two seemed to get back on the right foot, speaking to each other like they did yesterday for breakfast. Or as normal as they could get, considering they both still felt really out of place eating at such a high-end restaurant. In any case, the food served as the ideal ice breaker once their meals arrived, after two hours of shy glances and awkward small talk.

So here they were, eating and having a fun time. Almost like a date...

'Damn it, Izuku.' He blushed at the thought. 'Keep it together.'

"Are you okay, Midoriya?" He heard Ochako ask before taking another bite of her food.

"Y-y-yeah. I was just hoping that everything is fine with Kyū."

"She's a top ten pro! I'm sure she'll be fine! That reminds me, I gotta thank her for this later," she answered before looking down at herself. Being treated out at such a fancy place felt odd in the eyes of a country girl in just her middle school uniform. "I just wish I didn't feel so out of place here."

"You're not the only one who feels that way, trust me," Izuku reassured her. He could relate in a way, being a poor city kid wearing his second-hand school uniform.

"The food is really good, though!" She said before biting into a piece of grilled chicken breast, sighing in delight as she savored the taste.

"Very true," Izuku continued to cut into his steak, one of his western favorites. 'Shame they don't serve Katsudon here.'

The two continued until they finished up their food. Izuku took care of the bill, paying with the cash he got from Ryūko. As he suspected, Izuku had way more money leftover than he needed to cover their food. Fending off the feelings of guilt and remorse, Izuku decided that he would donate the leftover cash when he had the chance. Just like he had always done.

"Wow, time sure flies, huh?" She noted when the two left the restaurant and saw the twilight of dusk in the skies above.

"Yeah. We better get home before it gets late," Izuku said, not realizing how the phrasing could be misinterpreted.

This was met with Ochako's bashfulness as they walked to the train station.

It's funny, she had gotten to know Izuku so well in such a short amount of time, yet it all felt natural to her. No real misgivings or worries came to mind whenever she was with him. However, Ochako still couldn't help but wonder why Izuku seemed familiar and relatable to her. Despite his pseudo-celebrity status, thanks to the viral video of Izuku's encounter with the Sludge Villain. Which Ochako found online and playfully teased him about it during their dinner together.

Ochako had never really shown any genuine interest in any of the boys back in her hometown. Sure, Ochako had a few small crushes and infatuations here and there, but nothing ever came about from those. The only exception would be the love she held for her childhood knight. But perhaps that was more due to his attachment to her dreams of becoming a pro-hero.

She had become self-aware enough to know these were feelings of admiration rather than romantic. Even still, a part of her held out the small, childlike hope of meeting him and even falling for him all over again like the fairy tale she would often daydream about.

Izuku, on the other hand, seemed different from the knight she met long ago.

Izuku was a bit plain-looking on the outside but was someone who earnestly strove to do what was right, no matter the hardships he faced. He still wanted to be a hero and refused to let himself be dragged down by what life threw at him. He proved it when he risked his own life to save hers and many others during the practical exam. As the two walked in silence, Izuku asked a question that reminded her of her knight.

"So, what made you want to become a pro-hero anyway?"

Ochako took a moment to debate what to say. Many people had told her before that her reasons were a bit silly. Sure, wanting to become a pro because of a childhood crush seemed frivolous at first, but they never understood what it meant to her in context. He inspired her to go forward and help people, put them at ease, and become the brave hero like he was to her in her time of need. She knew Izuku better than that and that he wouldn't be so dismissive.

She was sure he wouldn't speak ill about the boy or her reasons for wanting to be a hero.

But before Ochako could say anything, they both heard a strange noise near an alleyway they were approaching, only a few blocks from the train station. The young lass specifically heard something that put her on edge; the whimpers and sobs of a hurt child. With their instincts kicking in, they slowly moved towards the source of the noise, Ochako taking the lead, with Izuku following closely behind her and ready to cover her if needed.

As they stared down the dark alley, a tiny white blur suddenly appeared and startled them as it ran right into Ochako legs, latching onto her tightly. They realized it was a little girl with snow-white hair, red eyes, and a small, bronze-colored horn on the right side of her forehead. She wore nothing but a stained white hospital gown and bandages wrapped around her limbs.

She clung tightly onto Ochako's legs and refused to let go, making both teens scramble to check over the child with worry.

"Hey…are you okay?" Ochako whispered to the girl, who tensed up from her light touch.

"Uraraka," Izuku suddenly spoke in a low voice, his tone firm as he looked down the alleyway. "Get ready to move."

Ochako looked up and now saw the tall outline of a figure in the darkness, slowly making its way toward them. It must have been what put Izuku on edge as he put himself in front of the two girls. Ochako held her grip onto the girl gently, ready to move with the child if the oncoming threat poised a fight. The girl looked terrified of the figure walking toward them.

The stranger almost floated into the light as his legs were still shrouded in shadow. He was tall with messy, jet-black hair and cold steel-blue eyes. His skin was a mix of healthy cream and crispy purple with stitches that seemed to hold him in place. His cold stare made both of them nervous.

"You better leave this place and take her with you. It's not safe here," the man said calmly, the coldness in his voice chilling them to the bone. Izuku looked at the girl before looking the man right in the eyes.

"Are you the one who hurt her?" He asked, putting on his best-hardened voice.

The patchwork man didn't blink as one word left his lips, "No."

As Izuku looked into the man's cold ice-blue eyes, something within Izuku told him that the man wasn't lying. Clearly, the stranger wasn't trying to stop them, nor was he stopping them from taking the child with them to safety. Hell, the strange man just told them to take the child and leave as if he was the one warding something else away from them. Something far more dangerous.

"Let's go," Izuku finally answered while still keeping his eyes on the man in front of him.

Ochako nodded silently, picking up the child and slowly backing away as she kept her eyes on the man. The two weren't sure what their next step was going to be, yet it was clear to them both. Whoever this girl was, she desperately needed help, and they weren't about to abandon her.

The man then slowly lifted his left hand with an open palm, and suddenly without warning, it was alight with pure, blue flames. Izuku reacted automatically, getting into a defensive stance, prepared to fight him off. But the stranger simply turned around and began walking in the opposite direction, seemingly using the flames as a light to his path back into the shadowy void from whence he came.

The teens both stared down the alleyway, watching him disappear into the dark abyss as if swallowed by the shadows. Their hearts still rapidly beating, both teens proceeded to run the rest of the way towards the train station as quickly as possible. Izuku took up the rear since Ochako's hands were full.

The wind picked up, chilling all three of them as they ran.

"Hold on a second..." Izuku said when he realized the child was far worse off given what she was wearing. Not wanting her to get sick, he removed his uniform jacket and bundled it around her.

"Good idea, Midoriya," said Ochako as she gently helped the child stay warm by rubbing her limbs.

Izuku nodded; he couldn't help but worry for the child, but what could they do now?

He had no idea what to do or where to go at that moment.

'Maybe we can go to the Police Station?' He shook his head even if it were a reasonably realistic and safe assumption to seek help from them. He couldn't brush off his gut feeling of animosity when he remembered his family's treatment by the police after the Draco Knight incident.

'What about Kyū? Maybe she could help us?' He tossed that idea aside as well; for all he knew, she could still be dealing with that emergency on her end and couldn't afford to be distracted right now.

Ochako, on the other hand, already seemed to have at least some notion of a plan.

"Hey, Midoriya?" She said once they arrived at the nearly empty train station.

"Yes?"

"Let's stop by my place," she suggested."It's not far, and it's private. Plus, there's a small general store in walking distance where we could buy some clothes and supplies for her."

Izuku thought about it for a moment but came up empty-handed.

"That's not a bad idea! I still have extra money from Kyū, so we can use that to pay for it!"

Izuku felt some relief as he paid the fare when an idea of his own finally struck him.

"Uraraka," Izuku turned to her to get her attention, "when we get onto the train, I need to make a quick phone call. I got an idea of what we can do after getting settled into your apartment."

Ochako saw a spark of confidence in his eyes and smiled, putting her trust in his plan.

"Okay. No problem."

Since it was starting to become late at night, the trains were as empty as the station. Once Ochako settled in one of the many empty seats with Eri firmly on her lap. She started speaking to the young girl, asking her as many questions as she was willing to answer.

Izuku found a secluded spot as he brought up the number on his phone. At that moment, Izuku was immensely grateful that he had two unique phone numbers with, one specifically for emergencies. It rang for a few moments before being picked up, in which Izuku wasted no time.

"Eight, it's me; I need your help right now; it's an emergency."

When the call was done. Izuku returned to sit next to Ochako and discovered the child was now napping in her arms. She took the chance to brief Izuku on what she had learned.

"Her name is Eri," She whispered, keeping her voice low. "I asked her several questions about where she's from and maybe where her parents are, but all she kept saying to answer me was...the bird people."

"Bird people…?" Izuku repeated as he began mulling over what the hell that could even mean. Unfortunately, that was most of what Ochako had managed to get out of Eri before falling asleep. Izuku decided it wasn't something to panic over right now, hoping to find the answer to what she meant later.

After all, he had the Number One hero coming over to help.


They arrived shortly at Ochako's apartment with supplies for Eri using the money that Ryūko graciously left Izuku. He silently thanked his cousin this time for doing this, something he never thought he would do until today. Izuku had already informed Ochako that a "well-known" pro-hero would arrive soon and that they should help them with the situation. Izuku didn't mention it was All Might, as he didn't know how to casually bring that up; it would sound pretty far-fetched without proof.

Ochako simply felt relieved, thinking that Izuku had contacted either Ryūkyū or her sidekicks to investigate the issue. Little did she know that instead, she was about to meet the Number One Pro-Hero!

Ochako gently handed Izuku the sleeping bundle that was Eri.

"I'm gonna get her something to eat; mind holding her for a sec?" She whispered with concern.

Izuku shook his head and intuitively took Eri into his arms, surprised by how light she weighed even for a child her age. Ochako quickly returned with two water bottles she placed on the table for Izuku and Eri.

"I don't have much since I haven't gone grocery shopping yet," Ochako said as she walked toward the kitchen. "Do you think some apples would do for now?"

"I think that's a good idea, at least until help gets here," Izuku answered. Ochako nodded before returning to the kitchen. It was only a minute or two when Ochako returned with freshly cut apple slices on a plate. She slowly pulled up a chair and motioned to Izuku to gently wake the girl up.

"Eri...hey, please wake up," Izuku said with a soft shake on her shoulder. Eri stirred only to wake with a sudden squeak, hastily looking around her surroundings.

"Hey, hey, it's okay; you're safe here with us." Ochako gently calmed her down, making Eri's head turn to the teen.

"Are you hungry?" She added as she offered her a piece of sliced apple. Eri seemed to hesitate at first.

"It's an apple, Eri." Izuku took a piece for himself to show her the food on the plate was harmless. Izuku ate a tiny slice, letting out a small 'mmm' and a smile.

Eri looked at the pieces Ochako offered again and slowly took her first crunchy bite. When she tasted the sweet juices, she immediately looked at the fruit in a new light. She loved its taste and found the fruit perfectly sweet and refreshing. It had been the best thing she had ever eaten at that point in her life; she almost seemed to squeal in delight and had the slightest ghost of a smile on her face.

Her sigh of satisfaction brought a wave of relief to the two teens while Eri began munching on the yummy red apple slices. Once she was finished, Izuku helped her drink some water from the bottle as Ochako took the dish to the sink. Izuku was surprised at the speed at which Eri drank, draining the bottle in seconds.

"Easy, Eri, I don't want you to choke," Izuku said with some concern.

As Eri finished, however, she began to squirm in his jacket.

"Eri, are you okay?" Izuku was concerned that she might have indeed started choking.

Then Eri suddenly stopped squirming, sighing with some relief.

At first, Izuku thought the warm sensation was Eri showing happiness until he realized that the jacket started to feel wet. It seemed, unfortunately, that Eri didn't know how to ask to use the restroom. Thankfully it wasn't too bad, as Izuku moved Eri away from his body, so only his jacket and parts of the hardwood floor got the worst of it.

"I'm sorry." She said as tears began to form in her eyes as she hung in midair.

"No, no, don't worry, Eri! It happens!" Izuku nervously tried to keep Eri calm but was unsure how.

"Did something happen?" Ochako asked, reappearing from the kitchen.

"She accidentally wet herself," Izuku said, feeling responsible for the mess on her apartment floor. "Sorry, Uraraka, I didn't know she needed to use the restroom."

Ochako didn't seem angry. Instead, she simply gave the child a gentle, sympathetic smile.

"Here, give her to me." As she reached for the girl when he did, Ochako pulled the child into a hug, not caring that she got a bit of the mess on herself.

"There there, it's okay," She rubbed Eri's back softly to ease her worries. Ochako told Izuku calmly. "Since we got her some new clothes, I can help get her cleaned up in the bath."

"O-o-oh! Okay! While you're doing that, I can clean up here," He suggested, hoping to make up for his mistake.

"Oh no! Midoriya, you don't have to!" Ochako became a bit flustered, considering it was her apartment and keeping it clean was her responsibility, not his.

"I want to do my part here," Izuku said with an air of confidence. "I got it. Don't worry."

Ochako sighed.

She knew that smile; there was no way Izuku would let this go, so she pointed out where she kept some of her cleaning supplies. As Izuku began working on cleaning and sanitizing the room. Ochako grabbed the shopping bag with Eri's new clothes before heading to her room and grabbing a clean set of clothes for herself. Once that was done, she headed to the restroom to draw the bath for the two to clean themselves up.

As Izuku cleaned the mess off the floor, a stream of questions flooded his head.

'What could have happened to Eri, and for how long?'

'Where is All Might; surely he would have been here by now?'

'Who was that man in the alleyway?'

'What is going to happen to Eri?'

Ochako got the bath set up for the both of them and removed the gown Eri wore, only to reveal just how horrible the state Eri was in. She was very skinny and looked underweight as if she hadn't been fed properly. Her beautiful ruby-red eyes were in a constant state of fear and sadness. It also appeared to have not been bathed in a while. Her white hair was clumped and sticky in odd places, and her smell wasn't much better before her accident. Ochako felt even worse when she removed the bandages around Eri's limbs.

Ochako's heart completely sank once she saw the scars hidden underneath.

'What kind of monsters could have done this to such a young child?'

Seeing this, however, only strengthened Ochako's resolve to make sure Eri would get the help she needed as soon as possible. And right now, a nice warm bath was definitely in order. When Izuku finished cleaning, he realized how late it was getting and knew his mom would be worried. He looked at the clock, now thinking it would be a good idea to call her. He had sent her a quick text on the train earlier that day to let her know about the original dinner plans with Ryūko, but it had been a couple of hours since then.

As Izuku was still waiting for Ochako and Eri to finish their bath, he was about to call his mother until he heard a knock at the door. He checked the door through the peephole and saw All Might in a gray suit, along with another tall man with black hair and wearing a brown suit.

Izuku opened the door and stepped out to greet them.

"Eight!" Izuku was relieved to finally see help was here.

"It's good to see you again, my boy," All Might whispered."I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi. My close friend on the force."

Izuku turned to look at the man with a slight air of caution. Given his recent knowledge about the police and his family.

"You needn't worry, young Midoriya. I can assure you that he is trustworthy. He is the one who let me know the truth about your father after I got out of surgery. And he knows the truth about our quirks."

"It's good to finally meet you, Midoriya." Naomasa bowed politely. "May we please step inside?"

"Umm…yeah," Izuku said apprehensively; since it wasn't his apartment. "Just give me a moment and let me check with Uraraka first."

All Might held back a chuckle.

A few hours ago, he had heard details from Recovery Girl about this Uraraka girl locking arms with Izuku after their exam. All Might had seen that the young lady was very gifted and had the same sense of drive from his firsthand observations of the exam. She had earned third place above the rest, trailing close behind Izuku and Katsuki Bakugou: who were in first and second place, respectively.

However, what surprised him was that he was sure Izuku wasn't in a relationship as he had known him these last ten months. Yet somehow, he was in said young lady's apartment past their curfew. He was sure that Izuku knew better than doing anything reckless or, heaven forbid, adult. He reminded himself to discuss the nature of their relationship with his successor at another more appropriate time.

Izuku stepped back inside to see Ochako and Eri had finished their bath and were now dressed in light, casual clothes. Ochako wore a pair of soft-looking pants and a pastel pink t-shirt. Eri wore some comfy-looking white pajamas, holding onto her legs again.

"You okay, Midoriya?" Ochako asked upon seeing Izuku.

"Yeah…By the way, they're here. At least the Pro-Hero I called earlier, I mean," Izuku trailed off as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "But before I introduce him, I need to tell you not to freak out when you see him, okay?"

Ochako's nervousness only rose with that warning.

'It wasn't Ryūkyū he called? Surely it wouldn't be anyone shady, right?'

"Is it okay if I let them in?" Izuku gestured to the door, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"O...kay?" Ochako said slowly, trying to sound more sure of herself.

Izuku opened the front door, leading Ochako to be floored as the tall frame of the World's Symbol of Peace and Justice stepped straight into her apartment.

"A-A-A-A-A-All Might?!" Ochako stammered with a small jump, accidentally making Eri cry out in fear. She quickly calmed Eri down and regained her grip on the child.

"Oh, oh, Eri! I'm so sorry for startling you!"

Ochako was officially lost when it came to knowing Izuku as he was proving to be something else.

Having an extremely powerful quirk was one thing; being cousins with a pro-hero in the Top Ten was another thing.

But, PERSONALLY, KNOWING, ALL MIGHT?! THE NUMBER ONE PRO-HERO?!

'WHAT'S NEXT?! BEING DRACO KNIGHT'S SON?!'

"Hello there, Miss Uraraka," All Might quietly greeted her as he entered the small apartment.

"I believe I need no introductions. This, however," He motioned to his dark-haired companion, who bowed politely again. "Is Naomasa Tsukauchi, a friend of mine from the Police Force."

Ochako nodded, bringing herself back to the gravity of the situation. Now wasn't the time to fawn over Japan's Number One Hero when they were here to help Eri. All Might turned to face the two teens.

"He has some important questions for you and the young lady you found, please, if possible."

Over the next few minutes, the two teens said everything they knew to All Might and the Detective, recalling the events on their way to the train station after dinner. Naomasa pulled out an evidence bag and gathered the remaining articles used as clothing by Eri when they finished. This included her old bandages that were covered in dried blood.

"We may be able to find some blood relatives once I get this in. I'll make sure to put a notice out on the guy with a patchwork face as well," He concluded when he finished collecting his evidence. "All Might, I'll call you when I find out more details regarding Eri. Until then, I can try and find a temporary foster home for her if she'll come with me."

Naomasa reached out for Eri, but she scrambled away from him and clung tightly to both teens. All Might frowned. It was a difficult situation, but what could they do? None of them were keen on the idea of forcing the troubled child to go somewhere she didn't feel safe.

Eri didn't seem comfortable going anywhere without these two. But, Izuku and Ochako had their own lives to return to after the exam. The boy remembered his earlier conversations with Ochako, recalling that she had to return home to Mie Prefecture the day after tomorrow. So she could finish up the rest of her last year of middle school.

And while Izuku was in his last two weeks of school, he entertained the idea of taking Eri to his home. But then, who would watch her while he was at school and his mom was at work? Plus, it would mean an extra mouth to feed and clothe, which the Midoriyas didn't have much, to begin with. Knowing how hard his mother worked to provide for just the two of them, Izuku couldn't bring himself to spontaneously add the burden of taking care of Eri as well.

Ochako thought along the same lines as him, too. In her mind, she was the one who found Eri and felt the most responsible for her well-being. She considered taking Eri with her to Mie. However, she knew that idea would be shot down now that an official investigation by the city's police had opened up for Eri. More importantly, she had yet to even ask for her parent's permission to bring a possibly orphaned child into their home.

Finally, a solution came to All Might's mind. A solution that he believed could not only work in their favor. But could finally accomplish a personal goal that he's been trying to establish since meeting Izuku.

"Young Midoriya," He spoke up, breaking the silence in the room.

"Yes, sir?" Izuku yelped, sitting up straight.

"Call your mother, and please inform her that we will be stopping by for a visit."

"Are you sure, All Might?" Izuku asked, uncertainty found in his voice.

"I am. And Miss Uraraka," He turned to Ochako and praised the young teen. "I humbly thank you for your assistance. You both have done so much for a mere child, a stranger, no less. You truly are building on the essence of being a true hero."

Ochako would typically be over the moon by the thought of being complimented by the Symbol of Peace. But at the moment, her concern for Eri overruled the current situation.

"Wait, so you're taking Eri to Midoriya's home?" She asked.

"Yes. You should rest easy, he- "

"Midoriya, can I please come with you?" She said, unintentionally interrupting All Might. He chuckled to himself as he could sense the growing concern on her face.

Izuku couldn't believe what he heard, "I mean… Uraraka, All Might is right. It's getting late, and I know we can handle it."

"No, that's not..." Ochako looked down with sadness and guilt. "I'm the one who found her, but… I'm basically dropping her at your doorstep for you to handle! When I know that you're struggling already on your own. I can't just stay here; it just wouldn't be fair for you and your family!"

Izuku was surprised at just how determined she was about this. He wasn't sure what All Might had planned, but he trusted him and Ochako.

"Fine, but only if I walk you back here when we're done." He firmly decided. Izuku knew she could handle herself, but the idea of her walking back home all alone late at night didn't sit right with him. Especially with that mysterious man still at large.

"Okay," Ochako nodded in agreement. She wasn't quite sure how to take that but accepted his offer, presuming he was being a gentleman about it and was simply looking after her.

"Now that is settled," said All Might, motioning to Naomasa to walk with him. "I will ask the both of you to excuse Tsukauchi and myself, as we need to speak for a moment in private. Please, gather what you need for young Eri and meet us outside soon."

And with that, Ochako began gathering the rest of Eri's new clothes and supplies as Izuku went ahead and phoned his mother. It took him to calm her down for not answering her frantic calls or texts from a few minutes ago and to inform her to expect guests arriving soon at their apartment. After all, it had been a rather busy day, and he knew he would have much explaining to do with his mom once everything was said and done.


One quick drive to Izuku's apartment complex later, Naomasa opted to wait outside to finish making a few calls. While All Might, Izuku, and Ochako carrying Eri went ahead to Izuku's apartment. Inko had been told mostly everything over the phone, but seeing them all together still made her body tense up with frightful worry.

Ochako took one look at Izuku's mother, now meeting her for the first time. She was roughly the same height as Izuku and was rather skinny; her green hair had strands of gray mixed in with many stress lines that crossed her face. But looking past her worried expression was someone Ochako could tell was a very caring and motherly figure.

Meanwhile, All Might had been dreading meeting Inko for years.

Unfortunately, he still couldn't tell her the truth about Hisashi, especially now in the present company. Yet, he hoped that his plan could bring some relief to the family. It worked; it could even be done without offending Inko's pride as a provider.

Izuku walked in first and saw that his mother had successfully removed the pictures that featured his father. A common practice when they had guests over that wasn't a Bakugou family member or Ryūko. Sure, his father often wore a mask or helm with his costume in the eyes of the public. But he also knew that there were a few pictures with him without his face coverings, so they didn't want to take any chances.

"H-H-hello th-there, I'm Inko Midoriya," She bowed, trying to quell her stuttering voice. "Please, have a seat. I'll get some tea ready for all of you. Izuku, do you mind helping me?"

"R-Right!" Izuku said, first motioning All Might, Ochako, and Eri to the couch in the living room before stepping into the kitchen.

A few moments later, he returned with hot tea for everyone. While Inko silently stepped back in and took a seat from her guests and son on the opposite couch. Once everyone seemed more relaxed with their drinks, All Might went straight to the point, relaying a simplified summary of events that happened this evening.

"Mrs. Midoriya, I apologize for how last minute it may be. But I humbly request that you can assist us by taking young Eri into your home."

"All Might," Inko looked at him with hesitation and remorse. "Normally, I wouldn't mind and would be more than happy to do that. But… I'm not sure you're aware of our… situation."

"Actually, I am," He quietly intervened. "The whole story, in fact."

Inko blinked and looked All Might squarely in the eyes, immediately understanding that he indeed knew who they were and that they were related to Hisashi.

"Well...then you must know about our current finances, and as much as I would like to, it simply isn't feasible –"

"And that's where I come in," All Might calmly interrupted as he pulled a folded piece of paper from his suit jacket and handed it to Inko.

Inko took the paper after a moment of hesitation.

"What's this?"

"A job offer. A rather simple one, actually."

Inko opened the paper, and after skimming over the document, her eyes suddenly looked as if they were about to pop out.

"WAIT! ALL MIGHT...!" Inko stumbled over her words, clutching her heart. "W-wa-wa-hah!"

"And that's just the starting pay, which should be more than enough to cover for utilities and young Eri's provisions. All you have to do is assist in taking care of young Eri. Meanwhile, we continue investigating her case," All Might explained, maintaining his somber tone. "Mrs. Midoriya, from what I know about young Izuku here is that despite all the hardships you two have faced over the years. You've raised a wonderful, hardworking son with everything you have. I couldn't think of anyone else I could fully entrust as Eri's caregiver during this time."

"And as for the documentation for transferring young Eri under your care," He added, pointing to the note she held in her hand. "I already have a good friend in the police hard at work in finalizing the transition, as his contact number is on here as well. All we need is for you to agree to it."

"B-B-but this..."Inko stuttered in reply. "This is a bit much for just babysitting, isn't it?"

"Mrs. Midoriya, it's more than just that. When it comes to the welfare of this young child, it is a small price to pay."

A look of sorrow flashed on his face, but fortunately for him, Inko didn't seem to notice.

'And you, of all people, deserve so much more...'

She looked around at the people in front of her; her eyes focused on the young teens who were busy keeping Eri entertained, almost appearing like parents themselves. She held her gaze a little longer on the brown-haired girl, who seemed oddly familiar to her…but couldn't dwell in her thoughts for long. All Might needed an answer from her.

"Very well, I accept," Inko took a deep breath before finally answering with a smile. "I will do my best to help with the task you've entrusted to me. That's the Midoriya way, of course."

Sighs of relief spread to everyone in the room, especially from Izuku and Ochako.

"Wonderful!" All Might, his boisterous voice returning, rose from his seat and bowed to Inko. "You're officially hired! I'll make sure to bring in the legal forms to make it truly official tomorrow."

"I'll hand my resignation from my job first thing in the morning then." Inko nodded with some relief, standing up and returning the bow. If this all worked out, it could finally mark the end of long, never-ending shifts.

Ochako was thankful as well. She was prepared to beg and plead to All Might to let her take Eri to Mie if Inko had declined. But even now that Inko had agreed to take the role, she still felt the need to apologize.

"Mrs. Midoriya?" She stood up and caught the attention of both adults.

"I'm Ochako Uraraka...Izuku's friend. And, I wanted to say… I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused," She apologized with a deep bow.

"Uraraka..." Izuku tried to interject on her behalf, but Ochako wouldn't have it.

"No, I'm the one who found her. I know I'm just a kid, but I can't help but feel I'm the one responsible. And yet, I'm leaving her to you…I just can't stand by, not without saying thank you and apologizing for leaving you with her."

Inko smiled back, admiring the young girl's thoughtful and humble nature. She couldn't help but wonder if this was the girl Mitsuki had talked about this morning. If she was, Inko felt somewhat relieved, content to know that Izuku was involved with someone just as kindhearted and selfless as he.

However, the more she looked at the brunette in front of her. Something in the back of Inko's mind gave her a feeling of déjà vu, especially now hearing her name. She just couldn't put her finger on why it seemed so familiar.

"Dear, you've done and offered to do so much more than anyone would for someone your age," Inko reassured her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "But you don't have to worry or feel guilty now that I'm here to help. As you've heard, I've agreed to it on my own, and I'll have the means to take care of little Eri here. So please don't place any blame on yourself. It's no burden; I feel honored to help where I can."

"Besides," Inko chuckled to herself. "According to All Might, my Izuku also had a hand in this venture, so by extension. I carry responsibility for Eri too."

Ochako sighed but relented, conceding to Inko's reasoning. Her endearing assurance did help settle down her worries, now that she knew Eri would be in good hands while she returned home. With that, Inko led All Might to the door, now that their meeting was wrapping up.

"Thank you, sir," She quietly spoke, ever gracious to her new employer. "For everything."

"No, madam, I should be thanking you," He gently insisted as he made his way out, making sure to duck his head under the doorway. "I'll be sure to touch base with you over the next few days."

As Inko closed the door, she finally took the chance to meet with the child she had just agreed to house and care for. She turned around and saw that Izuku was now carrying Eri in his arms.

"Eri, this is my mom," Izuku introduced softly, tenderly putting her down when he saw his mother walking up to them.

"Mom?" Eri questioned as she took a good, long look at Inko properly with her bright red eyes.

"Yep," Izuku nodded and reassured her, squeezing her hand. "And she'll be helping us take care of you here, alright?"

"Not leaving?"

"Nope, staying here with me."

Eri sighed in relief until she looked for her other savior.

"Chako?" She called out, looking at the brunette.

Ochako knelt down to her level. "Yes, Eri?"

"Are you...staying, too?"

"I would like to, Eri, but," She thought carefully about how to explain her situation. "I don't live here and need to leave Musutafu in two days."

At those words, tears seemed to form in Eri's eyes, terrified to see either of them leave just when they both made her feel safe and sound. However, upon seeing this, Ochako quickly added some reassurance.

"B-B-But, I'll be back! So I can go to UA if I pass, and then maybe I can stop by and visit to see you, okay? Or you can visit me in my apartment! Whenever you want, okay?"

As Inko observed the two, she checked the time and saw it was nearly nine o'clock. Seeing the situation and not wanting to cause more anxiety than Eri had already dealt with today, she thought up a quick solution.

"Uraraka, it is getting rather late. Would you like to stay the night and keep an eye on Eri until the morning?" Inko suggested, taking the two teens by surprise.

"Wait! Are you sure?" Ochako raised her hands hesitantly. "I...I wouldn't want to impose."

"It's okay. After everything today, I think a good night's rest to calm the mind should help everyone and put Eri at ease," Inko answered with a slow nod. "Plus, we couldn't let you just walk home alone this late at night, hero candidate or not."

"Um, Mom…where are they going to sleep?" Izuku asked, trying to do his part of being a host. "I mean, I don't mind them taking my bed, and I can sleep here on the couch or the floor."

"Izuku!" Ochako exclaimed, worrying about whether she was the burden here coming back in full force. "I'm the guest here! I can't push you out like that!"

"And what kind of host would I be if I didn't offer the best to my guest, Ochako?" Izuku shot back.

Inko couldn't help but laugh seeing the two argue back and forth, bemused over the fact that at this point. They dropped all pretense and simply began addressing each other by their first names without even realizing it. She had to clap her hands to get their attention, already having her own plan regarding sleeping arrangements.

That night, the Midoriya household added the white-haired child to the family. She would prove to be one of the greatest blessings they could have ever hoped for in the months to come.


Author's commentary

*Western Style houses: Anyone familiar with average Japanese living spaces knows that they tend to be small compared to homes in the US. One of my uncles once lived in Japan, where he lived and got married, can attest to this first hand.

Western-style homes are similar in style and size to US housing but also way more expensive. Given the Iida household reputation and wealth, it wouldn't be hard to assume they would have a large-sized western-style house with a large yard.

Flawless face**: This is an AU where Shouto clearly did not grow up in an abusive household, so while I won't say that Endeavor is perfect in this AU, he is still strict. But this never escalated to the abuse found in canon. In canon, this sub-plot serves to show the ways of both how quirks can be used in relationships. As well as showing that everything isn't black and white when it comes to heroes and villains.

However, this wasn't needed in this storyline. I find it pointless to redo every sub-plot from canon, especially since I'm already working with a lot in the background. This also lets me play with Shouto's development differently, especially as a young uncle and best friend of Tenya.

Much how I made Ochako's economic background to be stable. These were all choices I made very early in the story's development. Like I said, between wanting to avoid the re-trending ground from canon. This allows other story developments to happen smoother, earlier, and easier to write.

Animal Buddies with pro-heroes Anima and Comicman***: To further prove my previous point. This was a big shakeup. Yes, Manga from Class 1-B and Kouda from Class 1-A are older and are established Pro-Heroes in this universe. Given how little they have been employed in canon, I could remove them easily to add other canonical characters from the series to 1-A and 1-B, respectively.

Yet, I didn't just want to replace them without knowing what happened to them.

Soooo my idea was to make them the hosts of a children's television program while being active duty Pro-Heroes. I found it fits really well. Kouda being an animal lover and Manga's Quirk served the idea perfectly. They will be making physical appearances later in the story.

Serving as entertainers, mentors, and active duty pros.

Tipping****: This only applies to those who live in the US. As I recently discovered. Tipping isn't really a thing outside of the US. (Okay, some places outside the US) But in the case of Japan, yeah, tipping isn't a thing to do there. I even consulted a friend who serves in the Marine Corps. He had been stationed in Japan a few years back and told me about his experiences. This included a funny story about when he once tipped a waiter who served him. The waiter actually ran out to my friend so he could return the tip money back.

So fun fact, more or less.

ZX