Written by Aduubo, Buckichamp, and PKSprtn
I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI. _
Izuku reached forward to clutch the handle of the door in front of him. Ryuko then slowly reared her head out from behind his shoulder, watching every move like a hawk. And before she could process it, he had already swung the door open for the two of them to enter.
Looking back at Ryuko, Izuku could see that she was being cautious. He waited until they both made eye contact to reassure her with a nod. Ryuko then quickly complied and followed him into the classroom. She sort of braced herself, feeling her shoulders tense and rise up to her earlobes. Ryuko kept telling herself that being here was a good thing. Better than her staying in her apartment like she almost did yesterday. Once they entered, she found that everyone was starting homeroom like normal. They were split into random groups, some of which left their desks to chat with one another. It was like Izuku said earlier.
The girl exhaled deeply out of pure relief. She let her shoulders relax as her posture slouched ever so slightly. Izuku then took the first step inside with Ryuko following him closely. Once they came into view of their classmates, the ongoing chatter slowly died out and all eyes were set on them. Ryuko felt her body seize from the sudden attention and quickly retreated behind Izuku. She stayed near the side of him that covered her from everyone's view.
Taking notice of this as well, Izuku made sure to keep the lead and guide her to their desks. He knew that them being noticed like this was inevitable, since they were at the center of the conflict that happened on Saturday. Ryuko tried to center herself as much as she could. This was going to happen no matter what she did. All she could do was try to keep her cool. But that was easier said than done.
Ryuko felt her skin crawl when she heard the multitude of chairs shuffling, accompanied by footsteps approaching. Whatever people may think of her, as long as Izuku was there, she might be able to manage.
"WAAAAA! I'M SO HAPPY YOU GUYS ARE OKAY!" Mineta wailed as he held Midoriya in an embrace.
Ryuko whipped back in her seat, having grabbed the edge of her desk for dear life as she nearly fell off. Before she knew it, everyone crowded around her and Izuku with nothing but concern or relief on their faces.
"Everyone, please! Let's not overwhelm them!" Iida quickly placed himself between the duo and the rest of the class. "And Mineta! You shouldn't be lunging at people! This is a delicate situation and must be treated with great care!"
"How are you both feeling?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Well, good as new. When I woke up, Recovery Girl was able to patch me back to full health. The real painful part was removing the stitches," Izuku said while patting the side of his stomach.
"Um, I'm in the same boat. But I only needed healing from cuts and bruises," Ryuko added.
"For real? I thought all of hell broke loose down there," Sato said, still bewildered by what happened.
"We were all worried after what happened with you and that stranger that showed up. And when we heard about Midoriya's injury…" Yaoyorozu paused.
Ryuko turned away slightly, just enough so that she wasn't looking Momo in the eyes. She obviously didn't know how Izuku was injured, but hearing about it still made Ryuko's stomach churn.
"Guys, guys, I'm okay. Really. It was only the stitches," Izuku spoke up to put the subject to rest. "But it wasn't too bad. Ryuko was there to help hold me down during it."
Thanks to Izuku's quick thinking, he was able to make the class laugh a little. Ryuko even snickered with a smile peeking through the corner of her lip.
"Never had a doubt since you two always have each other's back," Jirou shook her head.
"I wish that there was something I could have done to help," Kirishima lamented.
"No, you're fine, Kirishima! It's better that you didn't do what I did. It was reckless," Izuku said while waving his arms defensively.
"But, the way you ran in to save Matoi, that was super manly! True pro hero energy!" Kirishima exclaimed with fire in his eyes.
"But we were instructed to evacuate the premises, Kirishima. Don't forget that," Iida cut in.
"Alright, alright…" Kirishima slumped.
So far, it looked like the vibe that the class shared hadn't vanished since their visit to Honnōji. Ryuko had trouble understanding how. She thought they'd be more fearful of her. They should be. Yet they treated her to the friendly faces that she'd known before. Ryuko was grateful that they put what happened behind them. Even so, she scooted back a little bit. It would be better for her friends to not be so close to a ticking time bomb.
"Yaoyorozu."
The front banged girl turned around and found Todoroki, who stood further back from everyone else.
"Yes, Todoroki?"
"I need to talk to you. Follow me. Make sure you're not followed," Shoto said and walked out in a hurry.
"Todoro-" she tried to speak up, but he was already out the door. That was strange. The two of them haven't interacted much before, and now he needed to speak to her privately. It must've been important.
Momo checked over her shoulder, seeing that her classmates were still talking to Midoriya and Matoi. She then took the opportunity to slip away and close the door behind her. Out in the hallway, she looked both ways and saw Todoroki standing around the corner and soon joined him.
"You wanted to speak to me?"
"It's about Matoi," Shoto answered immediately. Yaoyorozu's eyes widened upon hearing that.
"After what happened at Honnōji, something wasn't sitting right with me. Matoi's connections to that school, that one girl bringing up her father. I'm wondering if they're connected. So, I'm trying to find answers. There's something you know about her right? From what you said during your match with her. I thought of asking everyone, but I didn't want to start a conspiracy within our class."
Yaoyorozu wrapped her fingers around her chin. Questions definitely had been raised after the Honnoji event.
"Why do you want to know? With all due respect, Todoroki, I don't think it's right for you to dig into Matoi's personal matters," Yaoyorozu spoke with authority, being apprehensive of Todoroki's sudden interest in Matoi.
If she recalled correctly, Todoroki didn't get along particularly well with Matoi, and especially Midoriya. That was a bad combination knowing how tightly knit those two were, along with what they had been through. Momo knew she didn't have room to talk, but she wanted to keep protecting whatever personal information Matoi had. She owed that to her at the very least.
Todoroki exhaled softly, but nodded. He knew there was going to be backlash no matter who he talked to. The bond between Matoi and UA was a strong one. "Midoriya opened my eyes during our fight at the Sports Festival. He saved me from myself. I want to follow that example by doing the same for him. I'm certain that he's involved with this too. And he'll keep a secret for her to the very end. That's who Midoriya is. Which is why I didn't ask him first," Todoroki said, his voice growing solemn.
"I don't think this is something they can take on alone. So, I want to help in any way I can."
Yaoyorozu was also worried about what all of this could lean into, but didn't know if this was her business to be involved in. At the same time, she remembered that Matoi went out of her way to help her after all the trouble Momo caused.
"Okay, I'll tell you whatever I know. However, I think we should also have a discussion with Matoi first. It'd be fair that way," Yaoyorozu told him. "And hopefully down the line, she'll be able to tell everyone."
"Alright," Todoroki said without any questions. "So, we'll start by talking with Matoi, right?"
"Correct. A good time would be during lunch if possible. We'll bring Midoriya with us too," Momo answered.
"Midoriya?"
"Yes. We're essentially confronting her and I imagine she wouldn't like that. So I'm hoping Midoriya being there will be enough to keep her calm."
"That makes sense. Now that I think about it, we probably wouldn't be able to talk to her alone anyway. Since Midoriya is attached to her hip," Todoroki said. His observation made Momo stifle a laugh.
"Yes, I suppose that is one way to put it. I take it that you know then?" she asked.
"I knew when she punched Bakugo in the face on the first day," Todoroki stated.
Momo blinked twice just to be sure she heard that properly. Not even she was able to see it that quickly. She only knew from when Midoriya talked Matoi into joining the girls for the Tanaka event. "Wow! You're quite observant."
"Huh? Was it not obvious?" Todoroki responded, somewhat confused.
"Surprisingly, no. Not many of us caught on that early," she giggled and walked along. "We'll talk later. Homeroom is about to start."
After homeroom, 1A went through their four classes after what felt like a millennia since their last school day. It was a refreshing return to the norm. Although, the only thing standing out was Matoi. During their brief glances at her, Shoto and Momo saw that she was sulking. She was still able to pay attention, but was clearly down in the dumps. They also noticed that Izuku was sneaking peeks at her as well. It was definitely the right call to include him in the talk too.
As the fourth bell had rung, all of the students were released into the cafeteria for lunch.
"I'm so happy you brought in your mom's cooking, Izuku!"
Ochako was in heaven with the home cooked meals Izuku brought for lunch, as the four-chi gang chowed down on Inko's heavenly creation.
"I agree with her. This is fantastic, Midoriya!" Iida was in awe at the pleasure his taste buds felt with the pop of the flavors.
"She made a little more than we could handle, so I asked if she could pack extra boxes for you guys," Izuku chuckled sheepishly.
"I'm surprised she hasn't set up a restaurant or a café. After six months, she'd be able to retire," Ochako joked, drawing laughs from everyone at the table. Ryuko was a little more restrained, as she only let out a few chuckles.
"Maybe," Izuku smiled in response. "I could pass the sugg- ugh!"
Everyone at the table did a double-take as Izuku's head jolted forward and almost face planted in his lunch. "Ow! What the?!"
"Oh whoops, sorry. Your head's so big that it's hard to miss."
Ryuko and Izuku's heads turned around while Iida and Ochako focused on the culprit – Neito Monoma.
"Oh, you're from Class 1B. I remember you," Izuku rubbed his head with a frown. "Mind explaining why you didn't at least try to miss my head? Cuz that really hurt," Izuku nearly hissed, tightening his fist with restraint.
"I assumed that you would have had a third sense to detect me, since you're in class 1A, which everyone chalks up to be the best class above the rest of us," Monoma spat back at him.
"What the hell gave you that idea?" Ryuko snarled.
"I mean, that is why your class was invited to Honnōji, right? One of the only other schools that has such a high status like UA's?" Monoma questioned Ryuko, leaving her without a comeback.
"You all think you're so special. You get one moment in the spotlight and suddenly you want more. The sports festival, the Hero Killer, and now an exclusive school that came out of the shadows to see you. Enough just isn't enough, right?"
Monoma was met with collective frowns from everyone at the table. Everything that'd happened was purely by circumstances. Ryuko especially felt insulted that she was being accused of being in it all for the glory.
"But, I have news for you. You're not! It's only a matter of time until you bite off more than you can chew, which looks to be the case already since you all caused all classes to be canceled yesterday," Monoma continued.
Ryuko dug her fingernails into her palm. This guy was starting to cross a line.
"While the rest of us are a day behind on our schedule, you get the luxury of time off because someone got a boo-boo-"
-WHAM!-
One punch. One swift uppercut to the jaw was all Ryuko needed to shut Monoma up.
She could have exploded and lashed out at him in Izuku's defense, and it would have been warranted. But, she wanted to be better than that. This method ended things quickly, albeit not cleanly since the blonde's lunch made a mess on the floor.
Monoma's head hung back before he collapsed on the ground, being completely unconscious. Ryuko made sure to hold back just enough so that she wouldn't send him through the roof.
Everyone gasped, but there wasn't any objection to what Ryuko did.
"Welp, looks like you beat me to it."
The entire table turned to find another class 1B student, Itsuka Kendo, who had a karate chop ready for Monoma herself.
"Kendo," Ryuko spoke as she appeared.
"Matoi! Good to see you again," Kendo said back to her with a smile, but it soon grew somber. "I'm sorry about him, by the way. He knew what happened, but still said all of that. I'm pretty sure there's a hole where his heart should be."
"It's alright, Kendo. I think we've put that behind us now," Iida spoke up.
"Oh, uhm, sorry about making a mess. Here, this is to pay for his lunch," Ryuko pulled out some money to give to Kendo. But she was met with a palm that essentially pushed back against the offer.
"Nah, let him pay for his mess. He basically did assault Midoriya, so consider it an act of self defense. Besides, that was a real killer uppercut you had there. I would have paid to see it again."
"Oh, uhm, thanks," Ryuko couldn't help but laugh a little. It seems that even with the dark cloud looming overhead, her sense of humor still shined through.
"Anyway, I overheard you guys talking about the big final practical. I might have some inside info that'll help you prepare," Kendo said as she reached down to Monoma's collar and picked him up.
"What? Really?! How?" Izuku nearly rose in his seat.
"Kendo, what are you doing?! You're butchering what might be our only advantage over those idiots!" Monoma's neck creaked as he looked up at her. Only to finally receive the chop to his neck she had saved for him.
"They're not the idiots!" she lectured him before continuing.
Izuku, Iida, Ryuko, and Tsuyu listened carefully as Kendo filled them in on what to expect for the practical. Ochako however, didn't share that same enthusiasm. She stared at her plate with a somewhat gloomy look in her eyes. Matoi did it again. She instantly stood up for Izuku and stopped Monoma, while Ochako only sat there.
More and more, she wondered how Matoi was able to act at a moment's notice.
As lunch began to wrap up, Izuku decided that he and Ryuko ought to head back to class a little early to get a few moments alone to talk.
"Hey guys, looks like we have company ahead," Senketsu's eye perked up.
"Huh?"
The two teens were nearly at the door leaving the cafeteria when Yaoyorozu and Todoroki stopped at the exit, waiting for them.
"Yaoyorozu? Todoroki?" Izuku stopped with cold feet.
"Hello," Momo greeted him with a smile.
"Did- Did we do something?" Izuku whispered to Ryuko, who only shrugged as they approached their classmates.
"What's up guys?" Matoi asked. "Are you waiting for someone or something?"
"Yes, actually. There's something that Todoroki and I need to discuss with you, Matoi," Yaoyorozu answered.
Ryuko gasped lightly, panic taking form in her eyes. "What is it?"
"I know it's been quite a talking point with the class, but we know a lot happened at Honnoji. And we-" Yaoyorozu started.
"Guys, we appreciate it, but we're fine. What happened at Honnoji sucked, but we're over it now," Ryuko stepped forward, prepared to walk around the duo so that she and Izuku could pass.
"That's what we wanted to discuss," Momo stated, getting Izuku and Ryuko to stop. "We know there's more to the story."
Izuku froze, not sure what to think now. He knew Ryuko wasn't willing to talk about all of this right now.
"We know you don't want to talk in front of everyone, but the two of us had some questions. We'll try not to take long," Shoto promised.
"Is this really the best time? Ryuko is making a recovery and these questions are not going to help," Izuku stepped in.
"We know. Which is why we're not going to do it today," Shoto added.
"What?" Izuku blinked.
"We get it, Honnoji's a sensitive thing to talk about. But we know there's something happening under our noses involving you two. And we want to help," Shoto stepped forward and extended a hand out to the pair.
"We can start small by keeping this between the four of us. But at some point, you should tell the class as well. You're one of us, Matoi, even though you are a transfer student. We're in this together," Momo stood beside him.
Izuku was speechless, seeing how determined their two friends and classmates were to assist them. The only problem was that he wasn't sure who to trust.
"I-"
"Okay," Ryuko cut him off, startling Izuku to an extent.
"If you're saying we can start small, then that's fine. But like Izuku said, I'm still recovering from everything that went down. Just… give me some time and I'll come to you."
Ryuko's left hand started to fidget slightly, with everyone else picking up that this was their cue to wrap things up.
"Alright," Shoto closed his eyes and let out a sigh before smiling. "We'll be here for you."
"We know you were headed somewhere, so we won't hold you any longer. We'll meet you back in class in a bit," Yaoyorozu said before her and Todoroki stood down and walked away.
The two who remained stood quietly, surprised at the confrontation. Though it felt reassuring to know they had allies on their side.
PE was the last class that wrapped up 1A's first day back at school. Thankfully, it all came back naturally. Everyone was ready to head back home, however, there was an obstacle in their way. Lightning shot down in the horizon, bringing a thunderous clap that rang in everyone's ears. It was absolutely pouring outside. Izuku and Ryuko watched from behind the large window as they stood in the hallway.
"The rain's really coming down, huh?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah. I knew it was going to rain, but not like this. It's like a flood out there," Ryuko answered.
"The weather's really an unpredictable case," Senketsu added.
"So, should we make a run for it at the station?" Ryuko turned to Izuku.
"Mmm… Not yet," he said and walked down some stairs.
"Eh? Not yet?" Ryuko placed her knuckles on her hip.
"There's something I've really wanted to check out for a while, but never got a chance to before. It'd be really fun if the both of us went," Izuku looked back at Ryuko with a smile as he got to the bottom of the stairs.
Whatever Izuku had in mind, he had Ryuko intrigued to see it through. His curiosity was another trait among others that she liked about him. With one foot down a stair, she decided to go through with his plan of staying after school for a bit. As Ryuko followed, the scenery shifted around her ever so slightly. The halls down here were much quieter than above, chatter being contained within the many rooms around them. Custom cardboard cutouts and taped paper took place on the walls, but were spread out to not clutter the space. Judging by the quality of them, it was clear that students made these. Not that Ryuko could craft that much better though. These decorations helped make this hallway stand out. Ryuko nearly forgot that UA was able to teach students that weren't in the hero course.
"Hey, look over here," Izuku walked over towards the entrance.
"'American Comics Club?'" Ryuko read the sign that hung off a string that was wedged in the door.
"We've never had a chance to take a look at the club activities here because we're on the hero course. I thought it'd be cool to take a look," Izuku said.
"Now wait just a second, weren't we trying to clear you of your comic addiction?" Ryuko raised a brow and crossed her arms.
"I'm not going to join the club, don't worry! I wouldn't be able to anyway," Izuku said before pushing the slide door.
"Besides, I highly doubt they have much in terms of popular American works," Looking around the clubroom, Midoriya picked up one of the comics in a reading bin. "Most of these are probably fun little side pieces and titles, nothing to-" Izuku's rambling abruptly cut off and then crescendoed into a squeal once he saw the cover of the comic in question.
"Hey Izuku, are you good or-"
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?!" Izuku moved towards Ryuko's face, standing practically nose-to-nose with her.
"Uh… What?"
"This is Batman Issue 500! This was the debut of Azrael's mechanical batsuit against Bane during the Knightfall storyline! It was published all the way back from 1993! AND IT'S SIGNED BY THE WRITER CHUCK DIXON HIMSELF! WHERE DID THEY FIND THIS?!" Izuku exclaimed, scanning the comic up and down, rapidly flipping page by page by page.
Before she could even get a single word in, Izuku rushed back into the deeper parts of the clubroom, hoping to find more hidden gems.
"Superman Red & Blue #5! Uncanny X-Men #141 and 142! Oh my God, they even got Action Comics Issue 1! This was Superman's first debut, too! Spidergeddon! All-Star Superman! Daredevil: Born Again! MARVELS: CIVIL WAR! DC'S: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS!" Izuku hollered as he held the last bastion's of Pre-Quirk Era comics in his hand.
As he was about to take another one, Midoriya's hands went slack as he looked at one lone comic on display. The packaging was barely damaged and the inner contents were still in mint condition. Not a single sign of wear and tear or discoloration. The cover of said comic had one defining feature. A costumed hero holding a criminal by the stomach while swinging on a web.
"It's here. One of the rarest pieces of comic history. I can't believe I'm actually seeing it with my own eyes," Izuku's tearfully chipper voice said as he carefully picked up the vintage comic.
"An original release of Amazing Fantasy #15, released in August of 1962. The debut of Marvel's flagship superhero…Spider-Man!" The comic fan stared at the comic up and down, looking to see if there were any signs of even a miniscule amount of damage.
"I'm actually in heaven. Nothing in this world can make me feel this level of joy!" Izuku exaggerated, earning an eye roll from his best friend.
'So much for hand-me-downs. Didn't think he'd have this kind of a reaction. The comic addiction was supposed to be a joke, not an actual truth!' Ryuko thought as she looked at the awe-stricken form of Midoriya. But she had to admit, seeing him look so starstruck and happy… It felt right. Ryuko soon found herself being lost in his smile.
'At least it's not too much of a problem.'
"Buying this comic might take up my entire allowance. I-I'm sure Mom won't mind, right?"
'Nevermind. Time to end this.'
With a good yank, Ryuko took Izuku by the collar and proceeded to drag the boy out of the club room.
"Wha-huh?! Hey, what are you doing Ryuko?!" Midoriya whined.
"Getting you out. I'm not gonna let you stew in here when we've got training to do. The last thing I need is for you to fail class or throw out your life savings," Ryuko firmly said, earning a small cry from Izuku.
"NOOOOOOOOO! My comics!" Izuku wailed as Ryuko tugged him by the collar out the door.
"You just said we can't join clubs, remember?" Ryuko's voice echoed around the corner as Izuku disappeared from the doorway.
Only for Izuku to try and enter the club room one more time.
"PLEEEEEEEEASE! LEMME JUST GET ONE!"
"I SAID NO!"
…
"Wonder what else there is to see?" Izuku asked as he and Ryuko further explored the hallways.
"Yeah, I've never seen this side of the school. It's like we're in a different place entirely," Ryuko commented.
"You both have about three hours until you need to leave the campus. Why not take a look at all of them?" Senketsu pitched in.
"Yeah! C'mon! Let's go, Ryuko!" Izuku said excitedly.
"Hey, I never said I didn't want to," Ryuko spared him a heartfelt chuckle before walking ahead of him.
"C'mon, slowpoke."
Ryuko's smile further bloomed once she saw Izuku enthusiastically chase after her. Hearing him laugh left a warm feeling in her heart that she couldn't avoid. During their fun little race, the two noticed a person with a rocky formation on their head. It was their classmate, Koji Koda. It looked as if he was about to enter a club room.
"Koda! Hi!" Izuku called out, which startled him.
To this day, Ryuko continued to be surprised by how shy Koda was. He had such a bruitish appearance, yet here Koda cowered like he had just seen a mouse.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you," Izuku apologized as they approached.
"Yeah, sorry about that. We just found out that UA had clubs like normal schools, and Izuku's been suuper hyper about it," Ryuko nudged Izuku's shoulder.
"You're going into that club room right? What club is it?" Izuku asked. Koda then pointed towards a sign right over his head.
"The literature club, huh?" Izuku asked while looking straight up. "Sounds interesting! Are you planning to see any other clubs?"
Koda shook his head up and down, saying yes.
"Wanna tag along with us? We were just doing that ourselves!" Izuku asked with a wide grin.
For some reason, Izuku seemed particularly bright today, almost to the point of blinding Koda. Ryuko noticed this too, but she grew accustomed to it long ago. Come to think of it, Izuku's been like this ever since they got back from Honnoji. She knew he was excitable, but Izuku was usually held back by his own nervousness like Koda was right now.
He's been really taking the initiative in things. What could have caused it?
After trying to maintain his vision, Koda agreed to join Midoriya and Matoi. He didn't see a reason as to why he wouldn't. They were both nice in class, and it could help him develop more social skills.
"Awesome! Let's go-" Izuku was stopped by Ryuko grabbing his sleeve.
"Hold your horses! We haven't gone into the Literary club yet! Sheesh, what's got you all energetic today?" Ryuko placed her knuckles on her hips.
"Sorry. I don't know what came over me. I've just been feeling really good about myself today," Izuku rubbed the back of his head while donning his goofy smile.
Upon seeing this, Ryuko's cheeks turned pink as she blinked. Her heart felt a warmth overtake her. It was a pleasant feeling, and it was always from that damn smile. Ryuko had to admit, she was starting to like this version of Izuku.
Yet, she always liked him…
"D-Don't worry about it," Ryuko shook her head and walked towards the door before anyone could see her blush.
"Besides, seeing you like this…"
Ryuko paused as she held the door open. She maintained eye contact with Izuku.
"It's nice."
Ryuko smiled before she entered the club room, and soon Koda followed. Izuku stood outside for a moment, before the corner of his lips nearly went from ear to ear. Feeling reinvigorated, Izuku quickly waltzed into the Literature Club to join his friends. Afterwards, the trio went door to door. Whatever ones that didn't have a sign that said "meeting is canceled," they walked right in. They got to take a peek at various clubs such as Green Tea club, Occult Studies club, Go club, and many more. The last one they visited was surprisingly the Judo club, which took place in one of the gyms outside.
"It's so cool that there's so many clubs here in UA! Too bad we can't join any of them," Izuku said.
"Well, we do have a lot of time after classes to keep visiting whenever we're not training. We might not be official members, but we'll still be able to keep in touch with the community. There's no rule against that," Ryuko spoke up while Koda nodded with her.
"Sounds like a plan," Izuku smiled before he spotted something.
"Whoa, is that?!-"
"Is what?" Ryuko tilted her head.
"It's the Development Studio!" Izuku exclaimed.
There was a sign on the wall ahead of them that read exactly that, with a cog taking the place of the 'O' and a wrench for the 'I.' Izuku dashed towards the entrance and gazed upon the large set of doors.
"This is where the support course develops support items and equipment for heroes!" he said with wide eyes.
"Huh, sounds neat," Ryuko said.
"You're not thinking of replacing me again, are you?" Senketsu asked.
"No, Senketsu. You can transform into a literal jet. I think I have everything I need," Ryuko reassured him. "But, it still would be cool to look at what kind of gear is made here. Maybe we'll see if there's any support items that can work with Life Fibers."
The duo stood at the door of the Support Studio, waiting to enter through the doors of the workshop. However, the sounds of machines breaking down within its walls were filling them with a sense of unease.
"Uh, you sure we should be here today? Sounds like stuff's going down inside there," Ryuko asked, earning a shrug from Izuku.
"I think it's fine? This is the support department, so there's bound to be a lot of-"
-CRASH!-
"...commotion."
The two took a couple steps back as the sound of collapsing machinery filled their ears from inside the workspace. Ryuko looked at her friend once more, wearing a deadpanned look on her face.
"Sure. Just a commotion. What's next? Is the door gonna blow off its hinges and smack ya in the-"
Before she could finish, the doors to the support studio blew off its hinges. Izuku and Ryuko were caught in the explosion, sending them both flying. Matoi landed on the floor hard, with Izuku shrouded by the coming smoke.
"*Cough**Cough* Okay! *Cough* I think Imma shut up. Cuz if I keep talking, some more dumb shit is gonna happen. That good with you, Izuku?...Izuku?" Ryuko called out to her friend.
"Come on, Izuku. It'd be nice if ya answered. The last thing I need is to take you to Recovery Girl and get another earful from her," Ryuko quipped, trying to ease her own growing anxiety as she moved closer to the plume of smoke. "Okay, now I'm worried. Izuku, are you okay?! Hey, this isn't…" Matoi's previous pleas were halted as she looked to where Izuku landed. More specifically who was on top of him.
"Hehehe! Okay, so maybe using headlight fluid as a substitute for oil was probably a bad idea. But the reaction! I dunno about what Powerloader might say, but from what I saw it's definitely something to look into!" A voice cackled from the plume of now dissipating smoke.
Upon closer inspection, Ryuko recognized the girl who was talking. It was the same crazy chick from the Sport's Festival! She'd recognize those pink dreadlocks anywhere. But right now, she had more pressing matters to attend to.
Like how said crazy chick was pressing her whole upper body on Izuku's!
"Huh? Oh hey! I recognize you! You're that guy from the Sports Festival!" Hatsume exclaimed, getting way too close for Ryuko's liking.
Rousing from his dazed state, Izuku looked up to his chest to see what was currently laying on it. What he found was the engineer from the Obstacle Course of the Sports Festival. And, not to be rude, she apparently weighed way more than she looked the last time he saw her. As his vision cleared, Midoriya took a much closer look to see why-
Any and all thoughts that he made grinded to a massive halt as his eyes presented him with what many would call the "uncanny valley". And that valley would be a braless pair of breasts.
"Ah! Umm… Excuse me, would you mind getting off of me?" Izuku slowly raised his arms over his face to obstruct his view.
His face was drenched in a crimson red hue as he could do nothing but try to avert his eyes from the engineer's…assets. All while Matoi was staring back with a similar look, but one more akin to anger than embarrassment. And while the two of them were busy inside their heads, Mei Hatsume continued to lay on Izuku's chest.
"Your muscles are really cushiony," she said while pressing her fingers on his pecs.
'Why do people keep saying that?' Izuku felt sweat drip down his cheek.
"Ryuko, please don't get mad," Senketsu pleaded, feeling her blood pressure rising. Mei eventually did get off of Izuku, relieving Ryuko the opportunity to pry her off of him.
"Hatsume! This is the third time you've nearly blown up the design studio this week!" Power Loader scolded the pinkette.
"Sorry sir, it won't happen again!" Hatsume blurted out.
"YOU SAID THAT LAST TIME!" Power Loader nearly blew a fuse.
"You okay, Izuku?" Ryuko patted off Izuku's shirt.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm more worried about how I'm going to explain to Mom how I got this dirty," Izuku nearly shuddered.
"Don't worry. I'll back you up," Ryuko nodded.
"YOOOU!" Mei swerved right in, her scope-like pupils staring into the gears in Ryuko's.
"AH! What the hell?!" Ryuko whipped backward.
"You're the one with the fancy outfit that beat my babies in the race!" Mei shouted and started inspecting her.
"Hold on, beat your babies?" Ryuko said.
"What's your secret?! What kind of special baby have you created? I've gotta know!"
At this point, Ryuko would have lost her temper and socked the girl right in the face. Instead she simply grabbed the girl by the strap of her tank top and moved her like a crane to a crate. Though for some reason, she was more unnerved by the young engineer's language.
"Relax, alright? I can barely understand a word you're saying!"
"I don't think we've properly met," Izuku scratched at the back of his head as he walked towards Hatsume. "I'm Izuku Midoriya, that's Ryuko Matoi, and this is Koji Koda. We-"
"Oh yeah! You and your girlfriend wrecked shop during the Sports Festival!"
"I-wh-what?!" Ryuko nearly hit the floor.
"Matoi, was it? I thought I recognized that name!" Power Loader spoke up. "And as much as I'd like to put the brakes on Hatsume, I am also intrigued about that outfit of yours."
"Huh? How come?" Ryuko tilted her head.
"How come? You were killing it at the Sports Festival! Whatever situation you faced, you had a counter for almost all of them! Besides the raw power, you had so much versatility!" Power Loader praised Ryuko, and unknowingly, Senketsu too.
"Why, thank you," Senketsu said proudly.
"T-Thanks," Ryuko grew bashful and rubbed the back of her head.
"Yeah! Ever since you stole my spotlight, I wanted to see if I could replicate that baby of yours! How did you develop such an incredible thing?!" Mei asked excitedly.
"Sorry, but I'd rather not tell anything like that to someone I barely know," Ryuko brushed her off.
"Oooh please, oh pleaseee?!" Hatsume begged.
"Alright, Hatsume, I think you've pressed these guys long enough. Get back to your tinkering," Power Loader intervened.
"Aww! Fine! I'll find out one day!" Hatsume slumped back to her station.
Koda walked to a corner in the studio so that he could catch his breath from all of the chaos. Mei quickly fell prey to her intricate blueprints and had her eyes glued to it. At this moment, Power Loader knew that it was safe to talk with Matoi properly.
"Sorry about that, Matoi. You know how ambitious kids can be these days. Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me."
"Ah, thanks," Ryuko smiled.
"Thank you very much," Izuku said while he and her bowed.
"It's no trouble. With that being said, take a look around if you'd like," Power Loader offered.
"Are we allowed to do that after school hours?" Izuku asked.
"I don't see why not. We'll meet again when you, and I know you will, want improvements done on your costumes. So, consider it an early tour. That way you'll know what to expect in the future," Power Loader said.
"Really? Thank you so much," Ryuko expressed earnestly.
"Anytime. Feel free to ask questions if they come up," Power Loader finished and went back to his desk.
Now that they were allowed to explore, Izuku and Ryuko took a look at the various gadgets. Ryuko was surprised. Just over a decade ago, her and Izuku were kids that daydreamed about being heroes. And now, they got to explore the studio that forged many pro heroes' paths. There were gauntlets, jet propulsions, helmets with a heads up display? This studio had everything! Even a makeshift cannon?! There was a question to be made about if the school was allowed to have those or not. A collective murmur of approval came from the two teens as they continued walking, soon stopping as something else caught their eye.
"Whoa, a full set of body armor! I've seen all kinds, but not one that covered up everything like this," Izuku marveled.
"Yeah, but it looks kind of uncomfortable to wear. I bet someone would feel real stiff wearing that. All of the plates are blocking the joints! What is this being made for?" Ryuko critiqued the armor, not liking the lack of flexibility with it.
"Everyone's a critic!" Hatsume chirped as she slid into frame. "If you must know, this is my baby #49! I was trying to replicate that sweet suit you had during the Sports Festival! And good looks isn't all that I have to show for it! Watch!"
Hatsume pulled out a remote and pressed a button, making blades unsheath from the knuckles of the armor.
"Awesome!" Izuku's eyes glowed.
"That's almost like my Senjin!" Ryuko gasped.
"Oh, so that's what it was called! Totally forgot!" Hatsume deactivated the armor's weaponry.
"Sooo what is this? You tryna steal my style?" Ryuko asked Hatsume.
"Not at all! It's like Power Loader said; versatility could be really handy for hero work! It could even help heroes that don't exactly have combat prowess, like me," Mei explained.
'Helping them, huh?'
Ryuko gave it a deep thought. She liked the idea of helping give heroes, or even other Quirkless people a fighting chance. Ryuko snuck a glance at Izuku before she felt a warm smile surface. This was an idea that she could warm up to.
"That sounds awesome, Hatsume. Great idea," Ryuko said genuinely.
"Aww, thanks!" Hatsume clasped her hands together and leaned her head into her shoulder.
"Do you think this could give a hand to the Quirkless guys too?" Ryuko asked, which caught Izuku's attention.
"If the law allows it, and if the applicants are up for it, sure!" Hatsume answered.
"Sweet!" Ryuko exclaimed, her eyes started to glow.
Izuku was taken back by the display Ryuko put on. Her front bangs bounced around her eyes, which shined brightly. And her smile was as wide as ever. She looked so ecstatic, almost as if she was nerding out. Just like how he would.
Suddenly, something stood out to him as Izuku watched her. Her canine teeth were much sharper looking than a normal person's. 'I never knew that Ryuko had fangs. Were they always that sharp? It looks really cute on her.'
Izuku's cheeks changed into a hue of red at the rogue thought, quickly trying to shake it off.
"Oh! I know something you can add to the suit!" an idea popped into Ryuko's head.
"Oh yeah?! What? What?!" Mei leaned over, bringing her ear close to Matoi.
"Just gimme a sec. Stand back, everyone," Ryuko pulled on her Sekki Tekko, initiating her synchronization. Mei and Izuku watched with awe in their eyes as Ryuko was bathed in a bright red light.
"Senketsu: Shippu!"
Senketsu transformed Ryuko's heels into jets on command, which kicked off with a small usage of power, allowing her to hover off the air slightly.
"WHOAAAA! THAT'S SO COOL!" both Mei and Izuku shouted.
"Can you fly higher?" Hatsume's curiosity piqued.
"No. I don't want to blow away all the stuff you guys have on the table," Ryuko denied.
"Thank you! Someone has care for the equipment around here!" Power Loader said as he joined the group. "This is spectacular, Matoi!"
"So, you think you can add this to your machine too?" Ryuko chuckled, feeling exhilaration from all of this.
Hatsume leaned down to get a closer inspection of her jet legs, nearly ducking underneath to where the streams were.
"I think I can! BUT! I need more tools! And they're not here! Would you all be a dear and fetch them for me while I draw up blueprints?!" Hatsume asked the three students.
"Hatsume, this isn't their responsibility," Power Loader protested.
"It's okay, Power Loader! We'd be more than happy to," Izuku spoke up, with Koda nodding behind him.
"Yeah! We were looking for something to do anyway until the rain blows over," Ryuko said.
Power Loader thought of it for a moment but decided that it was fine. "Alright, but you guys better do it fast. We're getting close to the curfew," He then pulled out a set of keys to hand to them."Here's the keys to the storage room. You'll find the supplies there. Don't make a mess, or I will find out."
"We'll be back ASAP," Ryuko said as she took the keys.
"Here's a list of stuff that I'll need to make the jet feet! The letters on the list are marked on the boxes in the storage room!" Hatsume instructed as she sent them off with a song in her voice. "Good luuuuuck!"
When Ryuko and the gang got access to the storage room, they spent the majority of the time moving boxes. The clutter of it all hid the labeled ones that Hatsume was looking for. This was probably the most workout that Ryuko had all day today. Despite it all, there wasn't a spec of dust to be accidentally inhaled. The cleanliness that UA maintains was an impressive feat.
"I'm starting to think Hatsume asked us to do this so that we'd clean up for her," Ryuko grumbled while she slid a box away.
"But it beats waiting for the rain, right?" Izuku walked by with a box in hand.
"At least out there, it's not so hot," Ryuko answered and wiped sweat off her forehead.
"I guess you got me there," Izuku chuckled.
Before he could go take the box back, Koda offered to do it while they looked for the others.
"Still, we had fun today, right?" Izuku asked.
"Yes," Ryuko grinned.
"Mhmm," Izuku teased while leaning into her shoulder.
"-snnk- You're welcome by the way! We wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for me," Ryuko said to him playfully.
"I actually was the one who saw the clubs first, but I didn't think of visiting regularly, I'll admit that," Izuku clarified and chuckled.
"I know how much you loved those clubs, Izuku. I got you," Ryuko brushed her hair with a proud smile.
"Yeah. And I know that you loved the clubs too," Izuku teased.
Ryuko stayed silent for a moment before she smiled at him.
"Alright, ya got me. I know I don't seem like the type, but those clubs were really fun."
"Huh, I always thought that you would be like the type," Izuku said.
"Really? What makes you say that?" Ryuko looked at him with intrigue.
"You love being a part of the community. I've seen how much you engage with whatever group you're in. You've been getting along with Yaoyorozu, and it looks like you've become good friends with Kendo too. I'm guessing that was from the internships?" Izuku smiled.
Ryuko blushed a bit. Everything Izuku said was right on the ball. She couldn't believe how well he could read her. "You really figured all of that out, huh? Am I really that obvious?"
"Well, that is why you wanted to be a hero, right?" Izuku asked as he rummaged through a few boxes.
Ryuko inhaled sharply, being caught off guard by what Izuku said. "You remember that?"
"I remember almost everyone's reason for becoming a hero. But, I made sure to remember yours the most. From the very beginning, you were there with me when I said I wanted to be a hero. So…"
Izuku paused, becoming a little flustered about what he was about to say.
"I want to be there by your side when you become a hero, too."
Ryuko twirled her red strand of hair around her left pinky finger, trying to do something with this anxious feeling she felt rushing up.
'By my side?'
For some reason, it wasn't sitting right with her. If what Izuku said meant what she thought it did, she should be happy. Yet, she could barely form a smile. What happened at Honnoji, Ryuko tried so hard to suppress it for Izuku, Senketsu, and her classmates. Everyone. But it kept coming back.
"I thought I knew what it took to be a hero. But lately, that answer hasn't been so clear to me. To be honest, I don't even know what I want anymore."
Izuku looked at Ryuko with a worried look in his eyes.
"People need someone strong to depend on. I've been having a lot of emotional episodes that get in the way. I can't be what those people need. I think it'd be better to cut myself loose, so that I don't weigh anyone else down," Ryuko said bleakly.
"I appreciate you bringing me out yesterday and reminding me that I have a place here. But… It's just so hard."
Izuku stopped what he was doing and sat on a box beside Ryuko. Her back was towards him. He looked down at his hands for a moment to process.
"I'm not gonna tell you that I know what you're going through, or what to do. That's the last thing you need. But, there's one thing I can tell you for sure. The way you feel right now? Wanting to put others ahead of yourself? That means you're doing it right."
Ryuko's lip quivered as she felt a few wells cracking. She quickly wiped her eyes so that she wouldn't cry again.
"You're going to be an amazing hero, Ryuko. One that the little guy will look towards to better themselves. So, give yourself a break, okay?" Izuku said and started to stand. He was going to take the box back to Hatsume, figuring Ryuko could use the space for now.
"Izuku, I-"
The girl turned around to face him, feeling the need to tell him something. But, she ceased as she nearly head butted him. Ryuko felt her body freeze as she was up close to Izuku. The boy felt the same kind of paralysis.
"Sorry, I-" Ryuko stuttered as she was left staring.
Her heart started to beat a little bit faster, seeing his soft lips and the subtle details of his freckles slightly fade away behind a pinkish rose flush. Not long after, they both turned away from the other momentarily, trying to keep their sanity in check.
But there was this irresistible urge to lock gazes again, as both teenagers overcame their embarrassment and faced each other once more; Izuku looking into her gear blue eyes, and Ryuko into his emerald green's.
'I want to tell him.'
The rain had started to slow to a drizzle, but that wasn't important. Everything around them faded away into the background, with no other sounds other than their breathing and heartbeats. Both of their eyes were lidded, and this time their faces were closer than they'd ever been on any prior occasion. Izuku was just inches away. The same held true for the latter. It was exhilarating.
'About how I feel.'
Neither of them spoke a word, as they let their emotions drive whatever actions might come next. Izuku started to lean in first and Ryuko followed suit, inching closer and closer together.
'If I wait longer…'
The entrance door suddenly creaked open. For some reason, it sounded particularly loud, making the two teens whip back in retaliation. It was Koda, who came back to help with anything else that needed to be carried.
"O-Oh! You're back, Koda!" Izuku stammered.
He and Ryuko did not separate quickly enough, but thankfully, Koda was too innocent to notice anything.
He saw the box in front of Izuku and offered to take it back to Hatsume. Izuku frantically nodded since he couldn't think straight at the moment. Once Koda left the storage room, it was only Izuku and Ryuko again, with beat red faces.
The air was awkward and silent, Izuku and Ryuko did not make a sound as they were paralyzed. Koda took the last box in the room, so their only option now was to leave. Izuku took a head start towards the door and opened it for Ryuko.
"Thanks," she quickly said as she exited.
Without another word said to one another, the two rejoined Koda back to the development studio.
Mei thanked everyone for bringing her the materials that she needed and sent them off, demanding that she had privacy while she worked on her future babies. They all had to leave campus anyway, so there wasn't any loss in not being able to stay. Koda soon said farewell to Izuku and Ryuko, as his mother came to pick him up. Now, it was just the two teens.
And they weren't sure about how they wanted to start a conversation.
"Let's go. I think we'll be able to grab the next train if we hurry," Ryuko spoke up and started walking.
Izuku nodded, uttering out a "mhm" to acknowledge what she said. This awkward energy carried on for the entire trek towards the station. Thankfully, it wouldn't be too long before the train arrived.
Ryuko wondered why she was being so quiet. They had fun today, didn't they? So, why was it ending in a whisper? They both still had to talk about what to do with Todoroki and Yaoyorozu. But, maybe that could wait for now. For some reason, Ryuko could tell that she would prefer to keep what transpired today in their thoughts.
As for Izuku, he gently felt the surface of his lips with his pointer and middle finger, longing for something.
To Be Continued…