Izuku left a note for Yanagi that he had gone out to visit some friends for the morning; he walked without looking up once he had exited the train and made his way to the soup kitchen. He needed to talk to Inka; he needed advice. He had gone to Kyoka's window, quoted Shakespeare, and kissed her. He was struggling, kissing Reiko, Pony, and now Kyoka…the kissing was nice; the girls were beautiful, strong, and compassionate, but he was running around in the night kissing them. Quoting romance, there was no way he would find his way to sleep after that. He needed help, and help was his big sister Inka, so when he messaged her, she was more than happy to tell him she would be waiting.

She had brought him into the world of the soup kitchen, allowing him to work there and eat a bit extra from the leftovers. It was she who had tutored him in academics, helped him study to pass his exams, and pointed out the importance of math and history. Ignoring the past makes one doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. That had told him the mantra when fear would overcome him and chain him to indecision. "Fear is the mind-killer."

He arrived early, entered the access code on the back door, and went inside; he found her sitting and waiting for him in a simple but old teapot with matching cups. She poured his tea with a grace lost in a soup kitchen in the poor part of town, but that was Inka. Poise, style, grace, and warmth in a cold world. His first love was a childhood love, but it was still his first love. He would run in and tell her how he would marry her one day. Her rich laughter filled the room as she chased him away with a smile.

"What is bothering you, Izuku?" she said as he sat.

"A lot, too damn much," he responded, Izuku sighed, "I don't know where to start."

"Does this have something to do with the attack on the U.A.?"

Izuku nodded, "Inka, that part is a whole different can of worms and is a reason I am having trouble sleeping, but what I need your help with is that I am a piece of crap and probably should be killed or something."

"Well, that seems rather dramatic," Inka smiled, never to waiver. "What have you done, my dear Izuku?"

"I may have kissed my classmate Reiko," he responded, interested in his tea.

"May have?"

"And my classmate Pony…and a girl in our sister class last night," Inka's eyebrow arched dramatically as her smile took on a slightly more menacing look. "After reciting her Shakespear and climbing up the trellis under her window…"

Inka sighed and rubbed her nose. "I knew letting you talk to Silk was a bad idea." She looked at Izuku, who looked embarrassed at the very least and had the decency to blush. "Little Izuku Midoriya, you kissing bandit," she teased. "Now Reiko is the girl you went on a date with, so while kissing her is not a surprise, tell me about Pony and this other girl. What is her name?"

"Kyoka."

Izuku began by telling the story of his date with Reiko before the incident with Pony and everything in between. He then wrapped up with his encounter with Kyoka a few hours earlier. Inka asked him about the USJ and the attack, listening intently to what had happened.

Inka listened, asking him questions and encouraging him to talk. "When I got accepted, I thought I was ready," he said. "I thought I was ready for the stares and the bullshit about me being quirkless; I hoped to meet one, maybe two, that I could be friends with but not my entire class. Then these girls and even the others from 1-A. Now I don't know what to say. I just wanted to get in and graduate and become a pro hero to make the world see the quirkless population, not ignore us or treat us like a disease."

"But now you want more?" she prodded.

"I want it all. I want love and romance, not just to graduate but maybe even to have a family," he sighed. "They gave me Hope. I didn't want that! I wasn't expecting that!"

"Then the first thing you need to do is come clean. It would be best if you told them everything that is going on, but I suspect that the two from your class already know," Inka said. "Then you need to be honest with them about what you want."

"What if I want to go on dates with them all, kiss, and dream of a better, unobtainable tomorrow?" he said.

"Then that is their decision," Inka took his hand. "They may very well smack you across the face and call you philanderer or even worse. But you know there is more to life now than just graduating and taking your place amongst the ranks of the pro heroes." She came around and hugged him from behind. "I understand your goals and what you want to accomplish, not just for the quirkless but for all those the world ignores. You have been blessed to be surrounded by others who accept you, and these girls have not only accepted you, but they want to pursue a romantic relationship. The attack you and your class have suffered should put into an obvious perspective that this life you are rushing towards can end in a moment," she squeezed him tightly. "Speak from your heart; do not shy away from pursuing your dreams of a brighter future; you can be so much more than just the first quirkless hero; you can become a symbol."

"A symbol?" he said, holding her arms around him.

"A symbol of Hope, Izuku," Inka whispered. "You can bring hope to so many."

The Park

Reiko sat on the park bench on the lake's east side. She was a bit nervous, but there was a measure of excitement. Izuku had asked her to meet here, so that was the excitement; the nervousness was that he said they needed to talk. Later, she thought they could come on a date, have a lovely picnic, and enjoy the sunshine. While he rested his head on her lap, she giggled at the fantasy. Reiko smoothed her navy blue dress and matching hat while scanning the park, waiting for Izuku.

She looked and saw Pony approaching; when she saw the girl, some puzzle pieces came together. Pony wore blue jeans, a fitted white shirt, brown boots, and sunglasses. Reiko frowned at the girl's curves and how her blonde hair shined in the sun. Pony had this energy and vibrancy about her; it was the way that she had when she walked that made Reiko a bit jealous. Pony looked towards the bench, seeing Reiko. She smiled and walked over to the bench.

"Hello, Reiko," Pony said. "It is good to see you. How are you feeling?"

"There are good moments and bad moments," Reiko responded. "It is comforting to be around family and Izuku as well. He is troubled about what happened and is doing what he can to keep it to himself."

"So, has he called us here to talk about the kisses," Pony said. "Or, has he called us here to end our chasing of him," Pony asked, looking at Reiko. "I do not want to give up chasing him," she pouted.

"I do not either," Reiko replied. "I am very fond of him, I enjoy the person that he is, and I find myself becoming even more attracted to the man I am discovering the more I get to know him."

"I am very fond of him as well," Pony said. "You know my family came to visit me?" Reiko nodded. Those are my full-blooded siblings; I have 12 other half-siblings." Reiko's eyes went wide. "My father has other wives, Cheryl, Pam, and Rose. I have always grown up in such an environment. My mother and Rose are quite close." Pony puts significant emphasis on the last word.

"Your parents are in a polyamorous relationship?" Reiko said slowly as Pony nodded. "Are you suggesting you would be amenable to our dating Izuku?" Once again, Pony nodded. "I am not sure how I feel about that."

"I am not saying we date; I do not think I like girls in that fashion," Pony said. "I may not even like sharing him, but it is something that I am open to."

"As an experiment to see if it is something you enjoy?" Reiko said, her hand to her chin. "A way to understand your relationship desires and wants."

"Exactly," Pony said excitedly. "I like Izuku; he makes me happy, and it seems you make him happy too."

"What if there are others?" Reiko said.

"If he craves 12 others, then I may have to draw that line, but one or two I can accommodate," Pony said with a grin. "My mother tells me the time of youth is when you figure out what you enjoy or do not."

"And it is not necessarily a permanent arrangement, so if we don't like it, we can address it later," Reiko said with a slight smile.

The two were lost in conversation and didn't notice Kyoka walking up. She had been on a bit of a high since her encounter with him last night, and meeting him in the park had sparked flights of fancy and whimsy she was not accustomed to. Of course, when her mother asked her if she would practice her Shakespeare in the park, she blushed and shouted, maybe as she fled the house, leaving her mother laughing and her father confused.

Her high was diminished when she came closer to the bench and saw Reiko and Pony sitting there as well; without meaning to and meaning to, she listened to the conversation as she approached. So, of course, his classmates had made their moves already; she would have still been trying to get in the starter's block if it wasn't for last night. The thought had some merit; Kyoka herself was bisexual, she had a girlfriend for a short time before U.A., and a few girls in her class were pretty cute. Reiko and Pony weren't bad, but she didn't know them. She knew she had a crush on Izuku, and she knew she liked him after that kiss. She thought about it and didn't necessarily mind him kissing other girls; he would have to be okay if she wanted to kiss other girls. She felt that it didn't work if it didn't work. It hadn't worked for her parents and Aunt Jane, but they were still friends, so at least she had a positive example.

Her parents were musicians and into the music scene long before she came along. She knew they were no angels. Some stories she had overheard may have scarred her for life, but they made things much easier when she came out to her parents as Bi.

"If it helps, I am bi?" she said, casually making the other two girls jump.

"Kyoka?" Pony said, holding her hand over her heart. "Have you kissed Izuku?" Pony said, trying to calm down.

Kyoka told them about the nightmare, the text, the reply, Shakespeare, and the kiss. "I don't think he planned it; he doesn't strike me as being that smooth." She smiled, placing her hand on her hip. "Sorry for listening to your conversation," she said, holding up her jacket. "Super good hearing. But look, I am also interested in him; if he is cool with it, I wouldn't mind doing the whole Poly thing. I may want a girlfriend myself later."

Reiko blushed from Kyoka's story. "I have seen this go good and heard stories of this going bad," Kyoka continued. "I have noticed where it goes well; even if it doesn't work out, everyone needs to open up with their wants, feelings, etc. I like him, I want to date him, I want to get to know you two better, and…after the USJ, sitting on my hands and not doing anything isn't an option."

Reiko and Pony nodded. "While the attack is an outlander," Reiko began to say before pausing. "I hope that it is, but couple that with the attack by Bakugo, now the USJ, and the manner of how dangerous the occupation we are attempting to embark upon is. It might be good to know there are others to lean on. I am willing to try this relationship if that is what he does want," she pointed out.

"He is probably going to come here and beg our forgiveness for running around kissing all of us," Kyoka smirked.

"Yes, I bet he feels bad!" Pony replied. "You must remember this. A kiss is just a kiss," she sang.

"A sigh is just a sigh. The fundamental things apply," Kyoko added. They both looked at Reiko, who shrugged and shook her head.

"As time passes by," Kyoka and Pony sang, smiling like fools.

"My mom loves that movie," Pony said.

"My dad is an antique movie and music buff," Kyoka replied. "He teaches an online course for it."

Reiko could only nod as she was unaware of the movie they referenced. The girls scooted to the side, making space for Kyoka to sit; once she did, they just started to talk, getting to know each other better; they weren't engaged in conversation long when Izuku came walking up, stopping to look at the time on his phone, assuring himself that he wasn't late. When he saw all three of them there, his palms began to sweat, and his nerves threatened to overrun him.

They waited for him to approach closer before Reiko asked, " What do you want to talk to the three of us about?"

Izuku took a deep breath, lowered himself to his knees, and bowed his head to the ground. "I have come to apologize to all three of you. I have lost myself in shared moments and kissed all three of you. I am so sorry if I have caused any of you pain. I pray that you can forgive me and that we can remain friends. You three are very dear to me, and I hate to think that I may have jeopardized that."

"I told you," Pony whispered.

"What is that you desire from this?" Reiko asked.

"Just so we can still be friends and that you three don't all hate me," he said, his head still touching the concrete.

"Is that really what you want?" Kyoka asked. Izuku raised his head and tilted her head to the side as she tapped her finger against her cheek. "If you kissed all three of us, is it just because you wanted to score in some fashion, maybe cop a feel?"

"No, it wasn't anything like that," Izuku said quickly. "You are all beautiful, and I feel this connection…and then it just…"

"So what do you want?" Kyoka asked. "What wild fantasy do you wish would happen by telling us this?"

Izuku closed his eyes. "That all three of you wouldn't hate me. If you were angry, it wouldn't be with each other but at me." He hesitated.

"And?" Pony prodded.

"In a crazy world, we could all keep…dating. I could continue to enjoy and develop these relationships with you," he said, feeling like a worm for even saying it.

"Why would you want that?" Reiko said.

He looked up at the three girls seated before him, "I just wanted to make a friend or two, graduate, become a pro hero, and rub in the world's face. I could have graduated and died a month later, but at least I made it. I paved the way for the next person or made someone notice. I may have ended up a joke to people, but I wanted to get that far." He took a deep breath. "And I would have been okay with that; I would have considered my life goals complete. But then I meet my class and you, Kyoka, and the other nice people from 1-A."

Izuku sat up, his hands in his lap. "And we started hanging out at the aquarium, movie nights, the USJ, everything. And now I want more. I want life. I want to live a full life, not just make it to be a hero but retire from heroics and have a family. You all gave me Hope."

"What if I say I am okay if we start dating, and I am fine if you date them as well?" Kyoka said as she slid to her knee in front of him. "But I may want to have a girlfriend myself."

"That would only be fair," Izuku said hesitantly; part of his mind was screaming in joy, the other, "IT'S A TRAP!"

"And if I said that my demand is that you treat us equally," Pony said, adopting the same pose as Kyoka before him.

"I am willing to see if this is an arrangement I like," Reiko said. "I like you, Izuku; I like you a lot. I don't know if this type of relationship is right for me, but I am willing to explore it."

Izuku was dumbfounded; they saw him pinch himself to ensure he was awake, making the girls smile.

"So I can date all of you?" they nodded. "How would that work?"

"You have to make sure you pay attention to all of us," Kyoka said. "We get to go on individual dates."

"Maybe even some group ones," Pony added.

"I feel that we have to be honest with each other every step of the way," Reiko said. We must be comfortable enough to speak up when someone is unhappy about something and take their complaint seriously."

"Of most definitely," Kyoka and Pony said.

"This may not work out, though?" Izuku said, staring at the three of them. "What if it doesn't work out?"

"Then we get to try and be grown up and make sure that if it doesn't, we can all still be at least friendly with each other," Kyoka said. "If it works, it could be magical, and I want to find that out."

"As do I," Reiko said as both girls took one of his hands.

"I want to date you!" Pony said. "And I am okay if you date them as well. You are very dear to me, Izuku, and I care for you very much. I will not let you run away without a better reason other than fear."

"Fear is the mind-killer," he whispered. "If all three of you are okay with this, I will do my best to make you all happy. But please let me know if there is anything I can do better; I don't know anything about relationships."

"That's good, then we can grow and learn together," Kyoka said. They all got to their feet. "So, in your fantasy world where you get to date all three of us, what happens now?"

"Ice cream?" he said hesitantly. When they all smiled, he felt relieved as they walked off to discover Ice cream.

They walked around and talked the rest of the day till it was time to go home; he felt weird kissing Pony and then Kyoka as they boarded their train. Kyoka licked her lips and looked at Pony, "What kind of lip gloss is that I like the taste?" Izuku bluescreened as Reiko led him home.

Once home, they enjoyed dinner before they made their preparations to return to school the next day; it was then that they turned on the television for the first time.

The screen came alive, and there was a woman in her thirties, with straight black hair and eyes, in a fine suit, with a panel of commentators to her right.

"The death toll has now reached 21 in the aftermath of the attack on U.A. Several reports of permanent damage are also being done to the villains. While many reports are circulating, some are questioning the training these students receive if this is how they will handle villains. Mr. Koichi, what are your thoughts on this?" the woman said, directing her attention to an older man, maybe in his 60s. His grey hair ringed his bald head. He had fuchsia-colored eyes and a delicate purple suit.

"Thank you, Ms. Tanagi; I want first to say why are we even questioning the methods of a group of children in their second week of training? What did you expect them to do? Be fully trained via brain downloading? It is absurd. Do you think these grown Individuals came into attack and did so gently? With foam weapons and pillow gloves?" Mr. Tanagi said, exasperated.

"Exactly," the woman at the end of the panel said, her eyes sparking as her hair was shifting through the colors of the rainbow. "These are children we are talking about, young adults, yes, but barely 18. Do you want them to fight for their lives with the trained efficiency of a pro hero? I bet you would find more casualties if this were a similar raid on pro heroes."

The second person on the three-person panel had an owl quirk that dominated his features; it appeared to be derived from a snow owl. "Mrs. Ito, that is just absurd; what these children suffered was indeed terrible, but where was the staff of U.A. Why did the children have to resort to such tactics to survive? And what about the report of the quirkless student in the hero course? Maybe the other students had to react in such a manner to cover for their… shortcomings."

"Yes, what about the reports of a quirkless student amongst the hero course?" Ms. Tanagi said the screen was filled with class photos for 1-A and 1-B. Reiko and Izuku's phones began to vibrate like crazy. Reiko's parents looked at each other, and her mother's gaze narrowed menacingly at the screen.

"The very thought is absurd," Mr. Takahashi, the snow owl, said. "You have someone who does not belong in the hero course, taking a spot from a more deserving student simply because the principal of U.A. wants to play some sort of game."

"He passed the exam!" Mr. Koichi said, turning to Mr. Takahashi. "If he passed the exam and scored higher than this hypothetical, more deserving student, what does that say about the level of dedication this student put forth."

"I must side with Mr. Takahashi," Ms. Ito said. "Yes, they trained and did well, but they are a liability in the field. They are not even as effective as an ordinary citizen without a quirk. They are a liability and should withdraw from the hero course for the sake of their classmates…" The screen changed to a popular sitcom.

"I have had just about enough of that," Shinobu said.

"You didn't…" Izuku began to protest

"They know nothing about you, Izuku," Emiko said. "If they did, they wouldn't be talking from their backsides. You deserve to be in the hero course just as much as our daughter. Ignore those fools."

"Thank you," he said as he and Reiko returned to the exploding devices in their hands, as their friends shared their opinions.

Giran

Giran is a man in his middle age with a slight build and moderate height. He has pink eyes that appear squinted most of the time and eyebrows drawn up. His short hair is gray and parted to the right, with side bangs that hang above his eyes. Additionally, he has a small mustache and goatee on his chin. One of his front teeth appears missing, leaving a gap in his grin.

He was crawling across the floor, the tendons in his ankles had been severed, an eye had been plucked from his skull, and he had been stabbed numerous times, but sadly, his attacker had cauterized the wounds. So the smell of his burned flesh filled his nose, and Giran made a colossal blunder. In desperation, he had managed to tag his attacker, a white-furred illusion of a man, and activated his quirk Muddle.

Giran can induce minor amnesia in his target by touching their head, making the memories of the previous and next five minutes vague. This did not grant him a reprieve or an exit. Instead, the creature began its torture all over again. Giran screamed as a claw tore into his back; he could feel the thing routing around inside of him before it yanked back suddenly, and Giran's senses were overloaded with pain.

"Now, Mr. Okuta," the creature said. "A human can live a long life with only one kidney, but blood loss and infection from its removal on the other hand…"

"You're a hero, the principal of U.A. For goodness sake, how can you do this?" Giren pleaded as he reached his arm out to claw the ground and drag himself further away. When he reached with his other arm, he felt a quick slash, and it hung limply at his side.

"You see, Mr. Okuta, as I told Eclipse, The Professor, and William, you and your fellow brokers made the error of coming into my house and not only attacking my children, but you intended to do them harm, to defile them," Nezu said, licking his claws clean. "After my thorough investigation, the orders came down through you. You will tell me where you got the order and who gave it to you. Then, you are going to hand over your files."

"Fuck you," he spat, attempting to drag himself. "They will kill me."

"So will I," Nezu called out.

"No, you won't," Giran spat out. "You're a hero, and you can't get shit from a dead guy."

"I am a parent," Nezu sneered. "And I can learn a lot from a dead person. First, let's start with you. Kagero Okuta aka Giran. Forty-eight years old, born in the Toyama prefecture, the father is dead, the mother is still alive, living with your sister in Nagasaki, and your nephews Kei and Kai. Their father is a deadbeat living in Tokyo. You know that technology leaves you vulnerable; yes, you have a computer, but you don't keep your files there. Some stuff is just enough to satisfy someone should they come looking. You use paper files, a manual typewriter, and burn the ribbons. The important ones are in a locked safe nearby so you can access them when necessary, but not in plain sight. It's probably a biometric sensor, a timer that you have to enter the code every so often, or the files are destroyed. Enter the wrong code, and it burns. So I need your hand and that code if I want to see those files; there is no way I could guess the code; I bet it is something random; you are too smart for it to be something I could tie it to."

"See, you need me alive," Giran laughed. "You can't kill me dumbass."

"Well, you see, Mr. Ocuta, that is where you are wrong; it is amazing what the human body can live through without dying. I figure you are just holding out long enough that your failure to input the code causes the files to be destroyed. Then you figure I will put you in Tartarus, and whoever hired you will hear how damn loyal you were and will one day try to save you." Nezu walked over and stomped on Giran's outstretched clawed hand; bones and nails broke.

"Well, you know everything?" Giran laughed. "What are you going to do? Stupid fucking rat."

"I have an old friend on their way; she is just a wiz with metal and owes me a huge favor," Nezu squatted before Giran. "She is going to rip your safe apart so fast the mechanism won't even be able to trigger. Then, I will have access to the files, and eventually, another dear friend will come through and find the money, the accounts, and everything. I may not get the name of the person who gave the order, but I think I have an idea already."

"Then why are you even keeping me alive?"

"Just so you can verbally confirm things for me," Nezu smiled, dragging his claw across Giran's cheek. "I am going to get my information, and then I am going to come back where I stashed you and ask you questions, and when you refuse to answer, I am going to do things to you. Eventually, you will talk or die; either way, it won't stop what will happen. Let me tell you a secret, Mr. Okuta. I don't care if you tell me in the end; all that will grant you is a clean death. You attempted to kill my children; you are going to die for that."

"You can't do this," he sputtered, staring into the soulless eyes before him. He shivered at the creature's words because what was before him was a creature, a monster that masqueraded as a person.

Nezu smiled sadistically, his tongue running across his lips, "You already know the answer, don't you, Mr. Okuta? There is no need to keep the mask on anymore. If there is anyone you wish to save, you should probably tell me before I take your tongue out!"

Giran screamed; unfortunately, he had paid a fortune to soundproof this room as much as possible.

Monday

Reiko and Izuku were surprised when Emiko and Shinobu told them they would drive them to school. When Reiko asked her mother, Emiko showed her an email from the school requesting that the parents who could drive the children to school do so and enter through the west gate. For those who cannot, the U.A. will send a car to do so, and transportation will be arranged by the U.A. for the next week.

Reiko and Izuku sat in the back as they rode towards U.A. As they passed the front gates, they saw an army of reports being kept in check by security as they shouted questions at the students entering the school. When they came around to the east gate, they saw high walls that had been erected and blocked the vehicles arriving from the press camped out there. It was a longer walk to their class, but they saw other classmates exiting vehicles.

As they walked to class, Tetsu, Manga, and Yui joined Reiko and Izuku. They noticed the stares from other students as they walked towards their classes. They had to restrain Yui as she was not taking the stares well, but Jurota, Tenya, Ochaco, and Fumi's arrival provided a good distraction. Thankfully, it was just stares exchanged this morning.

1-B

When they entered their classroom, they saw Ibarra already there. They immediately went over to her. Reiko and Yui didn't say anything; instead, they hugged her tightly. Ibarra looked a little bit shocked but returned the girls' hugs. She let out a shuddering breath. She looked at the boys and saw that they were holding themselves back. She just nodded, and they all rushed in to join the hug.

The door opened as more of their class arrived. The first group stepped back as the second group came in. They hadn't heard much from Ibarra over the few days other than that she was resting at home. She had told the class that she wasn't sure if she would return and needed to sort things out.

Most of the class arrived when the door opened, and Monoma walked in. He was with Itsuka, and the two stopped in their tracks as the class went utterly silent. Itsuka looked embarrassed, and Monoma rubbed the back of his head. He gave them a weak jazz hand and said, "Ta-da!"

The class erupted as both of the students were rushed and hugged. Itsuka tried to slip away, but Setsuna and Reiko yanked her back, not allowing her to escape. The joy was overwhelming for the class. Even Izuku and Reiko, who had seen Monoma, were slightly overwhelmed. They were huddled around Itsuka, the girl blushing from the hugs and attention. They all calmed down and stared at the door. They were still missing one more.

The door opened, and Kosei walked in; he had a cane that he was using to keep himself stable. He stared at everyone and gave a wry smile. "So, did I miss anything interesting?"

Everyone immediately ran towards him but stopped; Ibarra pushed her way through, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Are you?"

"I am okay, Ibarra," he said, extending his arm to invite her in for a hug. She slowly stepped in as tears started flowing from other class members, seeing the final member holding the crying Ibarra. "You can all hug me as well, just not too tight, alright?" he said as the class came around and embraced him.

Vlad King stood at the door, watching it all play out. With a smile, he enjoyed the scene for a bit. "All right, enough of the mushy stuff. Find your seats," he called out. He heard his class groan as they found their seats.

They all took their seats as Vlad King took his spot at the front of the class. "There are no words to properly express how pleased I am to see all of you here today. What all of you have been through is more than most pro heroes or students will or should have to experience. I want you to understand that coming here today shows courage and bravery. I am so proud of all of you."

"THANK YOU, SENSEI!" The class yelled back.

"Today and for the rest of the week, we will require all first-year hero course students to be transported to and from the school just like this morning. I want none of you to be worried; this is a safety percussion regarding the amount of press crowding the gates. In the communication with your families, we know that not everyone owns a vehicle, or due to scheduling conflicts, this is not feasible; the U.A. will then provide the transportation. If you have to pick up younger siblings, please inform me, and I will ensure that information is passed on to the transportation coordinator. Are there any questions regarding what I just said?" Vlad looked over the class as many students shook their heads.

"Over the next week, everyone here will be meeting with crisis counselors once per day; your time has been scheduled and is in your emails; attendance at the meeting is mandatory. You do not have to speak with the counselor if you choose not to, but they are here to help. But it would be best if you did so as it will pertain to the next announcement," he paused as the class leaned in a bit. "The U.A sports festival will proceed as planned in three weeks."

Students immediately voiced concern about their safety and the safety of anyone in attendance should the villains attack again. He noticed an immense outpouring of concern for not just their 1-B classmates but the other students in 1-A. He allowed it to go on for a moment before he raised his hand, and they quieted down, but he could feel the displeasure radiating off of them.

"All of your concerns are valid; I want you to be aware that there will be an increased level of security at the event, and the number of pro heroes in physical attendance should be enough of a deterrent. The main reason this will proceed as planned is to show the strength of the University and all of you. This unprecedented attack has drawn the eyes of many of you and 1-A. This is an opportunity for many of you to catch the eye of a pro hero, secure a better internship, and get your name out there. You only have a set number of years where this is available to you; normally, the first years are looked at but not as keenly as the second years or even close to the third years." Vlad gave them a moment to consider his words.

"The sports festival is also a time when those from the general studies will have an opportunity to advance to the hero course," he saw the looks of worry. "This is why it is so important that you take your meetings with the crisis counselors so seriously. Suppose you and they determine that it would be psychologically unwise for you to perform at the festival. In that case, you will be given a medical exception and allowed to sit out the entire festival. You will still be offered an internship with a hand-selected hero affiliated with the university."

"Now, all of you, please check your emails and the first group you are excused for your meeting," he said.

Izuku's eyes widened slightly when he saw his name with the first group, but his counselor's name caught his attention: Ando Natsumi. Izuku almost held his breath when he opened the door, and sitting there was, in fact, Ando from the shelter, the woman who had made him his scarf.

"Ms. Natsumi? What? How?" he sputtered as he stepped into her warm embrace.

"I was just as surprised to receive the call as well," she said. "A student brought up my name and credentials?" she raised an eyebrow. Izuku blushed as they separated and took their seats. "Izuku, where would you like to start?"

He leaned back, his mouth opening and closing a few times, but no words came out. He clasped his hands before him and hung his head. "Is it alright to be hopeful?" he said hesitantly. Is it alright to want more?"

"Hope is wonderful and terrible, isn't it?" she replied. He nodded his head. "The simple answer is, of course, Izuku; the complicated answer is, of course it is." Izuku lifted his head and looked at her. "Tell me about your hope."

Lunch

As the hero course filed into the lunch room, they were keenly aware of the extra eyes on them. There were whispers as they went about getting their lunch. Izuku leaned over and whispered something to Set. The girl smiled before calling, "Momo, Kyoka, come sit with us!" Momo smiled while Kyoka tried hiding her blush as they walked over.

Togaru was surprised when Ejiro called out to him. Soon, everyone who had gone into battle was sitting together. Neito was about to call Toru, but he felt someone beside him. He turned and saw the floating clothes. "Care to join Bondo and me?"

"With pleasure, sir," Toru giggled; she stopped as they walked. "Yo Shoto, get your ass over here. We are eating with Bondo and Neito."

Neito was surprised when Toru called out like that, expecting a fight to erupt. He was surprised when Shoto sighed and grabbed his tray, walking over and sitting next to Bondo. "Are you going to explain that?" he whispered as they walked over.

"Nope," Toru laughed.

"Hey, when I had to touch that thing's arm to heal myself, were you in my room," he asked.

"No…yes, I came in when I heard how serious it was," Toru said reluctantly. "Wait, how did you know?"

"I saw you," he replied, almost causing Toru to drop her tray. "I think I saw you, but it was only for a moment, and when I looked back, all I saw was the hospital gown."

"What did I look like?" she barely managed to reply.

"Chartreuse hair, with pink specks, bushy eyelashes, and big round eyes, teal and yellow," he said quickly, a fact that Toru noticed.

"Was I cute?" she said coyly.

"Very," Neito responded, thinking it was his turn to blush and nearly drop his tray. Toru was extremely thankful she was invisible. They both decided that the middle of the lunch room was not the best place to address that comment.

Mina sat next to Ibarra, "Thanks for calling this weekend," Mina said.

"It was nice talking," Ibarra responded. "I hope I didn't bother you."

"No, you helped," Mina said, turning to Ibarra. "It is hard knowing…"

"It is, but always remember you are not alone; I and the others are here for you," Ibarra replied.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for what you all did for me," Kosei said. "Thank you."

Mina smiled, "Are you going to be okay?"

"I will, physically at least," he said. "A few more treatments, and I shouldn't need the cane. Then, I need to work on strengthening my core again. If you need to talk, you have my number. Please call; that goes for all of you." Kosei smiled at Ibarra and Mezo. "I owe you all big time!"

"We owe Kinoko and those damn crazy mushrooms!" Mezo laughed as Kinoko blushed. Sero and Shihai chimed in, as did others at the lunch table.

"Mushrooms are magic!" she proclaimed with a huge smile.

"No, they are some bullshit," Togaru said, smiling, causing the whole table to laugh.

That was how it progressed; the shared trauma had brought the classes together, though some rugged looks were still being thrown around, some towards Izuku, whom a group of girls surrounded.

"Dude, do you have the hots for him or something?" Togaru said, unable to take it anymore.

"Who?" Ejiro said, confused.

"You keep staring at Izuku," Togaru said, setting his chopsticks down. "Do you have a problem with him?" he said deliberately. "You should know that if you have a problem with him, then we have a problem."

Ejiro stared at Togaru, "So it's like that?"

"Yes, it is."

"Look, I don't like him. Something about him rubs me wrong," Ejiro said. "After the brawl, I hated your entire class."

"What the hell for?" Togaru said. He managed to keep his volume in check, but his annoyance was evident.

"I just don't believe that Bakugo would go off like that for no reason," Ejiro said. "At least I didn't…hell, even now, I am not sure."

"Are you a bully?" Togru said; Ejiro stared at him, shocked. "Do you have a thing for bullies? Does it get you off? Or was that Bakugo douche a close friend of yours?"

"What? Fuck you. I ain't no bully; I hadn't met Bakugo till that first day?" Ejiro said, trying not to raise his voice.

"Then are you racist? Hate mutants or something?"

"My best friend has a mutant quirk!" Ejiro seethed, pointing to Mina.

"Is it because she is hot," Togaru said, "I mean, she is pretty damn hot."

"Listen you…" Ejiro's hand was balled into a fist.

"Then you're a quirkest?" Ejiro stopped. "You must hate him because he is quirkless, and he beat up someone you thought was all tough shit without a quirk."

"Dude, I am about two seconds from coming over this table and beating your ass," Ejiro spat out. He was fuming, looking around, trying not to cause a scene.

"The last option is that you are fucking stupid," Togaru said with a smirk. "If you are not racist or the quirkiest, then you have to hate him because you are dumb, but if you were that stupid, I would severely question how you made it into U.A.," Ejiro stopped. "I have another theory, though; I bet you probably got picked on or stood by when someone was getting picked on. Maybe a bit of a coward, but then I bet you meet her," he pointed towards Mina. "I bet she did something that made you ashamed, made you feel like crap. So you decided to change your hair, start working out, or do whatever. Then you see this Bakugo, tough, great quirk; you mistake his poor attitude for confidence." Togaru saw Ejiro's hand unclench.

"I bet he was confident, told how awesome he was, how great he was going to be, but when he saw that a quirkless kid, standing in the same spot as him, he fucking lost it," Togaru took a drink of his soda. "How could he be so fucking special if a quirkless kid was in the same spot as him? So when he decides to attack Izuku because he is quirkless, it is for that simple reason: what you mistook for confidence was shattered when he saw someone with no quirk standing on equal footing with him. So there has to be a different reason. If this cool, confident, badass future hero attacked him, Izuku had to do something to provoke it, and then he used some trick to beat that guy down."

"He had to be this guy, and he would be great. That is what you thought: this guy will do stuff, be somebody; he never doubted himself. Not like me, he never had to dye his hair and reinvent himself. Not like me," Togaru was leaning forward, staring Ejiro down. "You hate Izuku because of what he represents; he didn't let shit stop him, he didn't let anyone tell him no, he went for it, and here he is. Cause you know, Bakugo knows, and anyone else knows if they bothered to think about it, he made it this far without a quirk; how far would he go if he had one." Togaru stood up. "When you pull your head out of your ass, we can talk then. But either grow the fuck up or get the fuck out; we don't need a hero like you, we don't need that Bakugo fuck as one." Togaru got up from the table and walked away.

Ejiro was left sitting there. He looked to the side and saw Tsu, Tetsu, and Hiryu looking at him. Denki just looked away.

Katsuki Bakugo

Since the day he had been arrested, his whole world had been turned upside down; he kept thinking that suddenly he would wake up and this entire episode would be some weird fucking dream. The harsh reality truly began to sink in when he was told he wasn't going home; he was going to be remanded into custody pending his trial. His parents were talking to him, but he couldn't hear them; it sounded like he was underwater.

When the officers came in to transport him to a youth detention center, he stared at them blankly. His lifeless eyes were an abyss of confusion and regret. He had never regretted anything; he had always been so self-assured of his superiority that whatever action he had taken, he knew he was right, regardless of whether it was or not.

He was housed and processed like a villain. That was his only thought: He was being treated like a villain. It's not like a future number one hero or a future hero, just some poor, despicable villain. Ten boys to a room, two televisions, and time. He was warned that if he acted up or caused any disturbance, he would be housed with the violent offenders who had already been sentenced. The guard told him he should be grateful that he was just on the right side of his 18th birthday. Most of the others just left him alone; they had their things to deal with; some tried to talk to him, but when he just stared at them, they left him alone.

He sat staring at the television when the news of the attack broke; as more information came out about the attack, he felt a knife wrench in his gut. He told himself that things would have been different if he had been there. He would have blown those damn villains away. He heard the talk about Deku, they didn't mention him by name, but there wasn't some other quirkless in the hero course. But he wasn't there; he was a villain being lumped into the same category as those damn cowards that attacked U.A.

For two weeks, he was held before he was brought before a judge. His mother had come to see him daily, trying to coax him back to being present, but his father snapped him back when he heard the words U.A.

"We have worked out a plea deal," Masaru said. You are going to plead guilty because you are guilty. The prosecutor will recommend a one-month sentence with five years probation, and they will give you credit for time served. So, you must serve two more weeks before you are released, at which time you will be allowed to return to U.A. as a general studies student."

"But the hero course? How am I going to be…" Katsuki protested; his voice was weak, not bluster, broken.

"The only way into the hero course is through the sports festival, which is next year, and that is only if they determine you can compete. You need to put heroics out of your mind right now, son, and concentrate on this opportunity to avoid spending the next three years in prison." Masaru said. "This is your only chance to change your life and get it going properly, son. The court is going to order monitoring, counseling, and therapy. Then there is whatever the U.A. will demand of you to continue going there."

"This isn't how it is supposed to be," Katsuki said.

"One many levels," his father said, cutting him off. "You don't get to sit here and cry about your life now. You made this bed, and now you will lay in it. But you are not alone," his father said, taking his hand. "Your mother and I failed you, Katsuki. We failed you, and I will not fail you again." Katsuki could only nod his head.

I need a chance, he thought. I just need an opportunity to show them that I am a hero and not a fucking villain.

Katsuki came home on the opening day of the sports festival.

Opening Day

The combined heroic classes took the field to a thunderous roar from the packed stadium. Every student was cleared to participate and were all as ready as possible. Izuku didn't hear the greeting or the opening words; he was nervous as he was about to be called to the stage to give the opening speech. Once he had been cleared to participate, Vlad pulled him aside and told him the news.

"This is your chance to tell the world," Vlad said. "Don't waste it."

The exhaustion of preparing for the festival, training, and the resuming of classes left very little time for him to enjoy too many kisses from the girls, but they all did carve out some time. He smiled as he could still feel the sensation of the kisses he had received from all three of them before they had formed up to walk out. They were all separate, but it left him floating a bit. Then he heard Midnight's voice, "Now to deliver the opening address with the top score in the practical exam, Izuku Midoriya!"

Izuku stepped onto the stage as flashes filled the stadium. He looked and saw his face on the large screens around the stadium. He knew it was being broadcast worldwide, and this was his chance.

"Hello, I am Izuku Midoriya, and welcome to the U.A. First Year Sports Festival," he said, looking out over the crowd; he could hear the murmurs from the audience as the flashbulbs lit up the stadium. "To settle everyone's curiosity, I am the quirkless member of the hero course." he paused as the flashes intensified.

"Once upon a time, when I dreamed of standing on this stage, I wanted to grab this microphone and say something like, "I am going to win." Drop the mic and walk off the stage." He heard some smatters of laughter, mocking taunts.

"But then something happened when I got here that I wasn't expecting. I was given the most powerful and terrible thing that could be given to anyone: HOPE." He paused, looking down at the hero course. "I came here to U.A. to do one thing: make everyone grumble, squirm in their seat, and mutter some unflattering remarks under their breath. Why? Because standing up here in front of the whole world is a quirkless kid. That means I scored better on the practical exam than every one of my classmates. A fact that I use to my advantage, not that they let me get away with it."

"Nearly everyone here, at home, yesterday or tomorrow, had dreamed of being a hero. They stood at a window looking up at the sky and said, "One Day!" But what happened? Why is everyone in the stands or at home instead of in that section where all the pro heroes are sitting? Did someone come along and tell you how worthless your quirk was? Did they tell you how criminal it was? Who was that loudmouth in class, your "friends" or your parents? Who told you to stop being stupid and be realistic damn it!" he slammed his hand into his fist for emphasis.

"So you gave up! You threw in the towel and went for the realistic dream. And some of you found something else you enjoy, that you love, and that you are good at. But I bet that is not the case for most of you. For those of you who still look up to the night sky, pass the light pollution past the clouds to the stars and say I could have been…if only…why did I have such a weak quirk." He told the audience, "I have no quirk and am here! What is your excuse?"

The crowd erupted, attempting to drown the boy in a chorus of boos, that their very voices would drive him to his knees, bring him to heel. He stood there staring at them, letting them shower him in disapproval. "I'm sorry, was that too much truth for you? No, why are you not here or there!" he pointed to the stage, then the hero section. "I am here because of those boos; I am here to show you that no one has the right to deny you your dream. No one has the right to tell you you cannot try. I tried, and I succeeded; if I had failed, then I would have known that I tried, and I could attempt to eke out whatever meager existence I could, as you looked upon with disgust for being quirkless. You can go to anyone with whatever weak, criminal, or useless quirk and say, "Hey, that kid is quirkless and wants to trade spots, and they would tell that they were good where they were at."

"Would you trade places with me? Huh? You get it all. You get the stage, the spotlight, but you get the anger, the ridicule, the disdain for the lack of something I had no control over. The same dismissal you suffered when you told someone about your dream; they didn't look at you, didn't consider the hard work you put forth, and asked one question! What is your quirk?" he stopped.

"And when you told them, did they laugh? Did they mock you? And you played it off, didn't you? Rubbed the back of your head and told them how it was all a joke. What was the joke? Your dream or you?" Izuku closed his eyes for a moment. "And all of you up in the hero section, when did you decide to settle for third place? I would say that second place settled, but that would be a damn lie and an insult to him. He never settled, never bowed his head, and accepted his place. Neither did a lot of you, who laughed at you? Who told you to give up? I know you know their names; I bet you can still tell me when and where it happened. And how it tore at your soul and drove deep into you. Sometimes, you stand there as a hero and wish they were watching. You pray that they can see you now."

"When the world tells you that you can't do something, don't lie down and take it," he roared. "When you get beaten down, do you lie in the mud? NO! You pull yourself up; you get back up. You get up and change the world!"

Izuku lowered his head briefly, "I asked All-Might. Do you know how many people told All-Might that he couldn't be a hero and that there was no way he could be? Who is the number one hero?"

"ALL-MIGHT!" the crowd roared back.

"Why doesn't anyone try to take his place?" he said, shrugging. "Why is one person saying he wants to do it better? He wants to be better than All-Might. Why aren't any of you saying it? Is it because you think you can't? And if you try real hard and you don't, what happens?" He stopped and looked at the crowd and the students. "What would happen?"

Then he heard it, and a few people shouted it, including some student body members. "Nothing,"

"Exactly! Nothing, you stepped to the greatest of all time, and you came up a bit short," he said excitedly. "No one expected you to do it, let's be honest…it is freaking All-Might. But it wasn't anything because by stepping up and daring to try and take that crown, you made strides to do things better. To be better, and someone will notice that. A sidekick, a person in the street, or a child you have never met but have the custom homemade plushy because you are their favorite."

"Regardless of where you are now, a majority of you, all of you up there in the hero section, you got into this to make the world a better place. To make things just a bit better for those just like you. For the next bunny girl who wants to kick butt and take names. For the next mutant who looks fearsome but wants to help save others. The person with an extremely dangerous quirk becomes one of the premier rescue heroes. Or who took a passion for origami to all new heights. Did you stop? Did you start thinking I have made it to the top 25, which is good enough? When did the point of climbing a mountain be not to reach the peak?" he stopped and took a deep breath.

"I am here for those like me and for all of those who will or have been told their quirk is not right for heroics," he looked at the cameras floating around him for the live feed. "That your quirk does NOT make you a villain, that your actions or inaction is what will define you. Those who came for us learned the most important lesson: that we should not be culled while huddling in the darkness. We will not lay down for anyone; we will not let you come in and take our lives, attempt to take our dignity, or dare to say we are not worthy."

"Those who have no idea of what we have suffered dare to sit there and judge us! Those who were not there when teeth, claw, blade, acid, fire, and foulness dared to try and consume us," Izuku was staring down the barrel of the camera, his voice writhing with anger. "That is what makes you a villain, not your quirk but your actions. If you reached out for help and the world turned its back on you, you step up and change the world."

Izuku took a deep breath, "I am here to show everyone who looked down on me, who looked down on you, that it can be done. That it can be done! I came to this school solely intending to make it to the end. That was my mountain top, to show all my other quirkless brothers and sisters that we can be strong, that we can be mighty, that we can be heard and most importantly seen." He turned to the hero course. "Then it happened, Hope." His voice softened, even cracked slightly.

"I hope for more than just making it to the end, for more than just surviving the next three years. I want more now; I want more out of this life than they said I was entitled to. I want more from this world that forgot I existed. I am going to do more than graduate from this place. I will ensure I do what I thought wasn't allowed for those like me and live."

Izuku turned back to the crowd. "I stand here today to ensure that you and everyone out there know my name, who I am, and what I stand for. A lot of you came in ready to dismiss me, ready to boo me down, to tell me that I don't belong. You say that because I am proof that it can be done, that it can be accomplished. I will not stand here and make some foolish declaration as I will win, but you will remember me after today. Even if I am the only one ever to do it, you will be talking with your children or grandchildren, and they will be telling you how they wanted to be a hero, but their quirk! Their quirk is so weak or useless that you will lean in and tell them there once was a quirkless kid who made it into the U.A., and he graduated and became a pro hero. If that little bastard can do it, then so can you because, after all, at least you have a quirk. You are going to give them HOPE. That is a wonderful and terrible thing."

"My name is Izuku Midoriya; I am quirkless and achieved the top score in the entrance exam. And I will be a hero, a symbol, a legend, a myth, a warning, a folk tale, somewhere, someday, to someone, more importantly, I will be Hope!" He stepped back, bowed, and walked off the stage.