It was a little after classes at UA had ended, and the students of Class 1-A were quick to leave through the backdoors and any other alternative method. After the battle at the mall the other day, they were once again thrust into the spotlight.
Izuku at least did not want Eri to be spotted by the press, so he reluctantly hid her in his backpack.
Ducking into a corner and releasing a gasp of relief, Izuku opened his backpack and let a smiling Eri out.
"That was kind of fun, Mr. Deku!" Eri beamed. "Can we do that every day?"
"We'll see, Eri." Izuku smiled, unable to handle her adorable smile.
"Eri! Deku!"
The two looked to see Ochako waving them over. The little girl raced towards the girl and gave her a hug, which Ochako happily took. Izuku smiled at the sight as he walked over.
"So..."
"So..."
They stood in silence for a while.
"I've um...I've...never really done this before." Izuku admitted. "Gone on a date, I mean."
Ochako's eyes widened in shock, but then she smiled.
"Neither have I, honestly."
Izuku reacted as she had, then chuckled.
"Well, how about we get some tea and mochi?" He suggested, recalling the favorite food of his new girlfriend, wow it was amazing to call her that.
"Actually, how about some Katsudon?" Ochako suggested, recalling the favorite food of her new boyfriend, wow it was amazing to call him that.
Eri suddenly tugged on Ochako's skirt, getting the brunette's attention before noticing the little girl was pointing at something not too far away.
"It's Mr. Everyman!"
Sure enough, Bobby and Riley were waving them over.
"Well, well, well, fancy seeing you two again!" Bobby smirked. "How was school?"
"Okay," Izuku said
"Honestly? Kind of boring after yesterday..." Ochako sheepishly said, then recalled something. "Wait, your arms are healed?"
Bobby shook his head. "Not entirely; I can't hold much more than four liters of milk without feeling sharp pain."
'You call carrying 12 liters of milk unimpressive?' Izuku and Ochako asked.
"Mr. Izuku and Ms. Ochako were just going to go for...Cat's doon? Or Moo chi?" Eri said, cutely mispronouncing the words.
"We hadn't decided yet," Izuku said. "Wait, Bob-chan, I thought you were..."
"WILL YOU PLEASE STOP CALLING ME 'CHAN?!'" Bobby snapped before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Just...bad experiences with that honorific."
"It's okay, Bob-chan," Izuku said, catching himself too late as Bobby just groaned in irritation.
"To answer your question," Riley said. "Mrs. Starr decided to postpone his grounding until we get back home. So...since Daddy has a date with the cat lady, I'm sorry, I forgot her hero name..."
"Mandalay," Izuku explained. "She's the leader of the Wild Wild Pussycats and her Quirk is [Telepathy]. They specialize in rescue and I'm rambling, sorry!"
Everyone chuckled warmly as the Quirkless boy continued his explanination.
"...I decided to try and treat my Cloud Dancer to a day on the town." Bobby smiled. "So far, we've just window-shopped, despite..."
"Bobby Walker, you save your money!" Riley ordered her boyfriend. "I know you may have some, but you need to pay rent and buy and cook everything."
"Yes, my fluffy cloud." Bobby smiled. "Anyways...if you two have recommendations, we can go and grab a bite together. Unless, you want to be alone, which I understand completely!"
Izuku and Ochako looked at each other, then their counterparts.
"I know a good cafe with everything not too far from here," Izuku suggested.
MHPP
"I trust everything is to your liking, old friend?"
After having fled Tartarus, the now fully reunited International Cabal was sitting together at a long dining table, which had delicious food and drinks from all regions of the world prepared.
"The food is delicious as always." All For One chuckled, happily enjoying hismelef after being starved for so long. "Now, what am I really doing here, Cash? You didn't go to all the trouble of gathering all our friends and breaking me out just to have a social brunch."
"A proper villain wouldn't even been imprisoned to begin with." Onikage smirked, sipping his tea. "Really, Shigaraki: I'd have suspected my usurper to pay off the police and heroes. It's why I'm still in my position."
"'Paying off' would imply my existence." All for One calmly retorted with a smile, silencing his predecessor. "Besides, it's rather rude to interrupt. Cash?"
"True, under normal circumstances you'd be right." The American Villain agreed. "But an opportunity has arisen for us to at least create a new version of your empire, and I wanted you there to witness it."
"My informants here in Japan have told me that the Meta Liberation Army is still around." Captain Conquistador said. "They're slowly amassing power and from what I've been told so far, they are camped out somewhere in Deika City."
"Let's leave them be for right now, I say." Sheik Oil said. "After all, you have to respect the fact they've kept themselves under the radar for so long."
"I helped fund the original army led by Destro." Adam-1 hummed in nostalgia. "He made such tremendous progress and should've had statues bulit to his name. But, he ultimately had a change of heart and turned himself in. Even now, I still miss him. Still, Rikkiya seems to be living as he would've wanted, so I suppose the father in me is cotent."
"The only problem I have is that Curious woman." All For One grumbled. "She's all but revealed herself with those publications of hers."
"I know what ya mean. But enough about them. Let's talk successors." Cash said. "My little granddaughter has the connections, wealth, and mindset, but your boy has the power and background."
"More than you realize." All For One mused. "What if I told you he's the grandson of All-Might's teacher?"
A silence took over the dining room for a moment.
"You mean Nana Shimura?" Madame Masque asked. "I admit, I admired her when I was a little girl...How impressive you managed to turn her family over to our side."
Cash laughed, as did Dingo, Ripper, Cyber and Hurricane.
"That is beautiful, partner! I knew there was a reason my little grandbaby was so into him!"
"I do try." All For One smirked. "I must admit, I was thinking of you and your family when the scheme came to me; how society will crumble when the descendants of such paragons are revealed to have become such violent criminals? Oh, if only I had my eyes; to see that? I could die happy."
"What about the plan of finding someone to jack the body of so you can keep living on forever?" Onikage asked dryly.
"Da, is that still a go?" Cyber asked. "I could help Garraki speed up the process if need be."
All For One chuckled. "Oh trust me, my venerable predecessor and old friend, Tomura was originally the perfect vessel for that, but seeing how close he's become to Cash's granddaughter? I just don't have the heart to go through with it anymore."
"Good to hear. Glad to see I drilled some virtues into your head." Cash grumbled. "Honestly, everyone's story has to end eventually, after all."
"Agreed. Doesn't mean it can't have a final blaze of glory." All for One replied. "Besides, I've exhausted all my plans and actions; time for Tomura to shake up Japan."
"Say, Cash...weren't you bringing in that little tosser of yours? Gallant?" Gentleman Ripper asked, his mask off to reveal an aged yet handsome face with a modest grey-black beard.
"Yes, my idiot son..." Cash sighed sadly. "Where did I go wrong with that boy?"
"Don't worry, I'm sure your daughter is having a wonderful time introducing him to her new boyfriend." Minotaur chuckled.
"I hope Tomura leaves enough of him alive for me to help myself to his Quirk." All For One mused. "I always did enjoy the 'Beware the Superman' trope..."
MHPP
Back at their hotel, the Kirby students were growing annoyed and bored. They had awoken this morning ready to explore the area and see the sights, maybe even see their UA friends later on.
Instead, those plans had been derailed by the press practically camping outside their rooms, or the hotel when they were finally kicked out. It seemed that while Deku and Everyman taking down the Shie Hassakai went unnoticed, EVERYONE and ANYONE knew about the mall battle and wanted to know more.
This led to them being stuck in an entertainment room for most of the day...and they were going stir-crazy.
"We didn't get any coverage when we fought the Mad Bomber!" Terrance growled, having shut off the TV in annoyance.
"Probably a good thing, considering everything that happened afterward." Natalie pointed out.
"They don't even care about us." Jenner mused. "They just want a few pics..."
"Have you seen the Internet? We're all over it!" Donna said, showing how the few articles about the kids; the Tournament of Titans, the Gang War, and now the Mall Battle, were the #2 trending stories around the world.
No one in the room wanted to read the #1 story of the Mass Tartarus Breakout.
"...Least most of everything they're saying is true and factual." Isabella pointed out as she sat on Brittany, who was doing push-ups.
"For now," Reggie said. "But, we need to tread carefully. Ms. Starr is meeting with the Hero Committee to explain what happened, Mr. Grin is on a date..."
"WHICH I STILL HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT!" Brittany called out.
"...And above all else," Reggie said, getting everyone's attention. "We CAN'T let anyone find out who Bobby really is."
A silence filled the room, but all were in agreement; their Quirkless classmate was already making waves back home and just barely keeping his secrets from becoming known, but if anything happened here...
"...Screw it!" Henry said, downing another can of Red Bull. "I'm going out! Anyone else want to come?"
They left through the shadow of the fire escape thanks to Isabella's Quirk.
MHPP
At Stan Lee's Bistro & Winery, Perry sat down and waited anxiously for his date...the first date he had been on since adopting his daughters.
He had done some research on Mandalay; she was the sister of one of the members of the late Water Hose Hero Couple, a team leader and before Mount Lady came along, she had briefly been considered the most attractive heroine after Midnight, probably because of her warm, motherly nature.
And speaking of nature...
"Heh."
He always had enjoyed 'irony'; him, a falcon, on a date with a cat.
"Something you like?"
Mandalay had donned a sweater and beige dress for her date and smiled warmly at him.
"Well...yes," Perry admitted. "A cat and a bird on a date."
"A cat and a predatory bird," Mandalay noted.
Perry smiled again as a round of appetizers came.
"I...wasn't certain what you liked, so..."
"Beat me to the punch I see. I was going to do the same."
The two started eating lightly. After some wine was poured, they became more comfortable and began chatting about their work and lives.
"How are you only #9 in America?" Mandalay asked in genuine interest. "I've read about some of your acts; stopping the Tornado Cousins, stopping flying planes and practically dismantling the Sky Pirate Gang...You should at least be #2!"
Perry chuckled at that.
"Most say it's because I'm too fast for cameras to see me, and that is true...But honestly? I never tried to stay on or be on the lists. I was just doing my job, besides...I had people waiting for me."
"Oh, your daughters, right!" Mandalay smiled. "They're so cute! Especially the younger one."
"Yep, Riley is my baby girl." Perry grinned with pride. "And Brittany... well, boys stuck to her like honey to flies...even now that she has Isabella."
Mandalay's mood then turned a tinge grim.
"I know this may be a bad question to ask but, is there..."
"No," Perry said. "I couldn't save their parents in a hurricane and they had no next of kin, so I took them in."
The mood soured before Perry quickly added.
" And let me tell you. something..!"
"It's harder than the movies and books make it seem right?" The telepath grinned.
"Exactly! Worth it all the same though."
Mandalay then looked saddened. "But you got it done by yourself..."
Perry put a hand on her own. "Hey. There is no shame in asking for help."
"But a student did what I couldn't."
Perry smiled sadly. "I know how that feels. Riley used to be deathly afraid of running upwards. But then...her sister and the boy she liked needed help."
He fought back the memory of his youngest daughter running skyward with the Mad Bomber in her clutches and then tossing him as far as she could before he exploded. He had been terrified...and yet so proud.
His date then put her hand on top of his.
"My real name is Shino Sosaki." Mandalay said.
"Mine's Perry Grin."
The main course then arrived and the two ate in content.
MHPP
Meanwhile, the two student couples were enjoying a lovely little bit of take-out in the park underneath a tree.
"The only way this could be any better is if it was a cherry blossom tree." Riley mused as she nuzzled into Bobby's chest. Bobby merely rested his chin on her head, while Ochako fed Eri a bit of Mochi before the little girl ran off to play in the park.
Izuku inched a little closer to Ochako, who did the same. Slowly but surely, they got closer and eventually followed in the American kids' actions.
"...I don't want this moment to end." Ochako smiled.
"Me neither," Izuku replied.
And for a while, it looked like it wouldn't.
Sadly, life is rarely fair.
An hour later, Eri came back with someone in tow. Someone who seemed shocked and then incredibly happy and let out a loud:
"UNCLE BOBBY!"
A little girl, no older than four, raced into the Quirkless boy and gave him a great big hug, awakening him from a dream.
"C-Cyan?" Bobby asked in shock, then smiled happily and gave her a hug. "Hey there, sweetheart! W-what are you doing here in Japan?"
"Daddy and Grandma had to see somebody!" Cyan beamed, then looked over her shoulder. As she did so...
Bobby's world turned silent.
He couldn't believe it.
8 years since he ran away, almost a full year in high school, and now they stood before him:
A man in a grey trench coat and fedora that allowed only his pure white eyes to be seen. A woman who wore what looked like an armor version of the American flag but in a maid-style costume. And six younger women, all dressed in single-colour cowgirl outfits.
His family; the Walkers.
"B-Bobby?"
To be continued…
Now were caught up to the original!
As stated in the previous chapter, the Cabal members were originallty going to show up on TV and have little actual role in this story, but be the main villains of Part 2.
And yes, all the way back in when I started writing this story, I was of the thought that All for One genuinely cared for Tomura and had planned for him to die transferring all his Quirks into his apprentice, with a sweet little scene between them as he died. This was meant to set up Tomura going 'Overlord' in Part 2 as well as take him out of the story for Puppetress and Cash to step in (which is still the plan)
Thanks again to Knightmare Lord foir setting this and the next chapter up; next time we return to the League of Villains and see Gallant get his jus desserts. Then we get into the Hood mini arc and then what I like to call 'Shifting the Age' arc.
Keep safe until we meet again!