It's birthday time.
Also, here's a little breakdown of how WHA/Council security clearance levels work. I'm not making it this chapter's codex entry because it's better explained here than an in-universe lore doc.
Level one, the general entry level for most pro heroes that the government and WHA trust. This means that for a country-specific Hero Commission/Dept they would be moderately high up, like mid-level clearance in the HPSC for example. At that point they know that stand users also exist.
Level two through three clearance is given to those further trusted.
Level four is given to those that are useful and highly skilled and thus given access to more secrets.
Level five is where you get introduced to non-humans existing. This is generally done gradually to ease people into it, which was NOT done with Naomasa, and he went 2 levels above that. People like Eraser know that non-humans exist, and the protocol is to call the relevant authorities to deal with it.
Level Six is where you get a deeper grasp of magic existing and military-level clearance.
Level seven means you deal heavily with coverups and undergo training with magic if applicable. Non-humans or hybrids generally have a better time learning magic. Currently, otherworlders are considered a level 6-7 secret.
Level eight is the accepted level that most believe is the top, because 9 and 10 clearance doesn't officially exist. You will know that AFO did exist as well as the existence of Pandora's Box and several high level secrets.
Level nine and ten are the top levels with very few people in them. They know the truth about One For All, All For One, and mostly have full access to all records and files. Level 10 has unrestricted access.
Now in terms of who is what level:
10: Council of Seven members and higher ups.
9: Kamaji Kujou , Nezu, Hiiragi Eto (HPSC president from canon)
8. All Might, Endeavor, Rex Lapis, Star and Stripe, and higher-level pro heroes.
7. Detective Tsukauchi, Lady Nagant (pre-Tartarus)
6. Chief Tsuragamae (yes Naomasa has a higher clearance than him), Snipe
5. Eraserhead, most of U.A's faculty and most trusted mid-level heroes.
4. Trusted hero adjacent staff and police higher ups
3. Upper level for most pro heroes and police higher ups.
2. General level of trusted heroes.
1. Minor clearance for secrets and stand users, generally equivalent to mid-level HPSC clearance.
Obviously, there is variability to who can know what and there are exceptions like Naomasa knowing about OFA's secret. Levels 1-8 mostly operate on a "need to know" basis.
==========================VI==========================
[Incident Log: Haven Metal Gear Development Facility, Rifle, Colorado]
July 15th
0600 Hours: Communication with Haven Facility lost.
0602 Hours: Massive storm clouds rapidly formed over Haven.
0612 Hours: Multiple Category 5 tornado touchdowns in an 80 mile radius of Rifle, CO.
0615 Hours: NORAD confirms the storm is not natural, caused by an unknown party. Classified at SS Level Threat.
==========================VI==========================
[Aldera Junior High, July 15th, 2242]
Izuku packed his bag as the school day ended. Nobody had acknowledged his birthday other than his teacher, who just said that to him and then ignored him. Nothing new. He was more nervous about tonight than anything.
He was going to tell Haylee about One For All. Not only that but Toshinori was going to tell her guardians as well. He wasn't sure why Toshinori asked Izuku of all people for permission since it was still his quirk.
'Because, young Izuku, this quirk will be yours soon and you deserve the right to choose who will know.'
Of course, Izuku didn't know that part of the reason was that Natah and Ordan would be teaching at U.A. as well soon.
A voice called out to him as he headed out the front gate. "Oi, Deku!" He turned to see Katsuki walking toward him. "Kacchan?"
Katsuki looked like he'd rather be anywhere else right now, and refused to meet Izuku's gaze. "The hag and the old man wanted me to give you this or whatever." He handed Izuku an envelope that said 'Happy Birthday' on it.
Despite how he and Katsuki's friendship had ended up, the rest of his family still sent him presents from time to time.
"Fuckin happy birthday or whatever. I'll tell 'em you said thanks." Katsuki walked off before Izuku could thank him.
'Useless fucking nerd. You better stay out of my way.' Katsuki kicked a rock as he passed.
==VI==
[Midoriya Family Apartment, July 15th, 2242]
Natah had never been to a birthday party before, so she didn't know what to expect. Her people didn't celebrate the amount of time that had passed since one's birth, and centuries of imprisonment on Lua and being trapped in the Void didn't exactly give her many opportunities.
She'd begun to realize that she didn't actually know how to interact with people in a casual setting. Sure, she knew how to pretend to mingle as she'd done at Orokin gatherings to spy on them, but that was different. At the very least this would be a good experience, and hopefully she wouldn't embarrass Haylee in front of her friend's parent. Also, Yagi was supposed to be there too, so it was probably going to be very awkward.
"Alright, we're here," Ordan said as they pulled up next to an apartment building. He was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans after Natah had vetoed his even more casual funny T-shirts. He wasn't sure what the problem was. Haylee said that the Midoriya kid wore shirts that said "shirt" or something on them. Well, his were a bit less… tactful. That was probably why.
The three of them exited the car, with Ordan and Haylee each holding a present. The wooden training sword was a joint gift from Natah and Ordan (because she didn't trust him not to sneak the boy a real sword). Haylee had something that she'd made herself.
"I'm so excited. Are you excited Haylee?" Ordan grinned.
Haylee just gave him a blank stare. "Yes." She was starting to regret inviting him, because she knew that he was going to end up embarrassing her.
==VI==
Izuku's leg bounced up and down anxiously. His mom was already cooking dinner and chatting with Toshinori. He still wasn't used to having All Might swing by his house. Every time it happened, even if Toshinori stayed in his shrunken form it felt like a dream. His train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. "I'll get it it!" He yelped, voice cracking. Already off to a good start.
He sprinted down the hallway, hand shaking slightly as he opened the door for his guests. At the front was Tenno, holding a small rectangular box under her arm. Behind her was a tall muscular man with a scar on his face, and white hair wrapped in a ponytail. On the man's right was a woman with dark purple hair. 'Wasn't her hair black when I first saw her?' Izuku thought. "W-welcome! Please come in!" He held the door as they came in and removed their shoes, all except the woman whose shoes somehow disappeared when Izuku blinked.
"So," the man turned to face him. "You're the birthday boy, huh?"
"Y-yes sir." Izuku could see Tenno glaring at the man.
'Hmm, kid looks sturdier than when I first saw him.' Ordan thought. 'He looks so nervous though. Where did all the confidence he had when he stood up to Hunhow go?' He held out the present. "Well, name's Karris Ordan. Nice to finally meet 'ya. This is a present from me and Natah here." He said, pointing to the woman next to him. "You can call me Ordan if you'd like." Izuku took the offered box.
Next, Natah introduced herself with a short bow. "My name is Tau Natah. Happy birthday Midoriya." She gave him a warm smile. Her greeting was far more formal and polite.
"T-thank you! Nice to meet you too." He quickly bowed to both of them. "Dinner is almost ready, uhm, if you'd follow me." He led them down the hallway quickly. 'Ahhhhhh! That was so awkward!' In his mind, he slammed his head into the wall repeatedly in shame.
As they entered the kitchen Toshinori awkwardly waved, having already sat down at the table. "Yagi." Ordan nodded.
"You must be Mr. Karris and Ms. Tau!" Inko greeted from the stove. "Come, sit down. The food will be ready shortly."
Ordan took his seat across from Yagi, and Natah sat to Ordan's right. Haylee joined them after setting her present in the living room. "So… how's it going?" He asked Yagi.
"Oh, you know. Saved a few people, and stopped a villain attack. Mostly paperwork today though." The Number One Hero responded.
Haylee and Izuku cringed and shared a knowing look at the adults awkwardly trying to make small talk. "Happy birthday." She mouthed to which he responded with a blush and a nod.
Thankfully the awkwardness didn't last long as Inko brought over the food. She'd made the same thing for everyone, katsudon, all except Toshinori, whom she gave a bowl of soup.
"Thank you Inko." He smiled as she sat down next to him.
Ordan raised an eyebrow. 'First name basis with All Might hmmm?' Thankfully he had enough tact to not joke about that.
"Itadakimasu!"
With that, everyone dug in.
==VI==
"Mrs. Midoriya, you gotta give me the recipe for this katsudon." Ordan praised. "It's delicious."
"Oh, you're too kind!" Inko blushed. "Do you cook too?"
"Yep, I'm the only one who knows how." He proudly said.
"I know how to cook…," Haylee interjected.
"Well, I'm the one that preps your meals." Ordan pointed out. "Because you are out training with him all the time" He pointed his chopsticks at Izuku.
"Speaking of which," Inko said. "I'm so grateful that you've been such a good friend to Izuku. He's been so happy to have someone like you supporting him these past few months."
"Mooom!" Izuku whined, face reddening with embarrassment.
Haylee scratched her head. "Mid- I mean Izuku's a good guy. I'm glad to have met someone like him. If Mr. Yagi hadn't convinced me to try and make friends I probably would still be at home by myself. Even if we don't do anything but train together I like to hang out with him." She took a quick bite of her katsudon, savoring the meat. "Doing something like this is a refreshing break from just training."
Inko smiled. "I'm happy you were able to come and celebrate Izuku's birthday. All of you." She motioned to everyone at the table. "For the past few years, it's just been Izuku and I." Masaru and Mitsuki used to come over when Izuku was younger, but since he and Katsuki drifted apart and in between the Bakugos' busy work schedules she only rarely got to visit them. They still sent Izuku money every year though.
"Well, thank you for inviting us to celebrate," Natah said. "We've been busy since we arrived in Japan and haven't had much time to socialize." Ordan nodded along with her.
"Tenno s-said you were heroes right?" Izuku piped up, producing a notebook from somewhere.
Ordan eyed the kid. Oh, right. Their made-up backstory. "We were," Void, he felt disgusted calling what he did 'hero work'. "But we've been… out of the game for a few years. I was messed up real bad a few years ago," more like a few centuries, "and Natah mostly stuck to logistics and support work."
"What were your hero names?" Izuku asked.
"We did some… undercover work so that's classified. When we re-debut we'll have to go under new names. Natah already has her's picked out, I'm still working on mine." Natah didn't even have to think hard about what her hero name would be. It was an easy choice. He looked over at Izuku again and saw a flash of disappointment on his face. "You like quirks, don't you?" He asked, remembering what Haylee told him about her and the boy creating a new ability.
Izuku nodded furiously.
"Well, this is my quirk. It's called Calcification." Unlike normal calcification, Ordan's quirk allowed him to grow entire bones out of his body. He wasn't sure of the limit yet, but it was dependent on the amount of calcium he consumed. "I can create bone constructs using the calcium stored in my body. The most I've managed to create is about the size of a semi-trailer." Which baffled him until he looked it up. It was called the "Quirk Ex-Nihilo Effect" where people with quirks could create energy or materials out of nothing, or at least get more out than they put in if it required a fuel source.
"Wow! What can you make? Can you control them outside your body?" Izuku questioned. 'If his quirk is like Hawks's maybe…'
"Nah, best I can do is re-absorb anything I make. As for what I can make, anything that I have a clear image in my mind of."
※In the hands of anyone else, the quirk would be difficult to use, or at least require a visual aid or schematics. Most production-type quirks relied on visual or haptic memory. The most that some could do was simple shapes or objects that they had familiarity with.
However, thanks to the restoration of Ordan Karris's body, taking the factor of his formerly digital mind into a flesh and blood body meant he retained all the schematics and blueprints within the Tenno network. ※
"And I have eidetic memory, so I can memorize blueprints too." Which was something he didn't possess until recently. He could recall anything he'd ever seen, given some time. When he was Ordis, he had an Orokin-made processor built into his hardware which could access information in the blink of an eye. Now that he was human again he still had access to everything he'd ever known, but had to think hard for certain bits of information. It was like accessing a supercomputer database with a smartphone to search through a sea of information.
"Woah…" Izuku gaped.
"Bone Arsenal: Dark Dagger." Ordan's skin paled and hardened. Within a few seconds, a Dark Dagger made of stark white bone emerged. "I can't really make anything too complex with moving parts, so it's more suited for defense and melee. Armor, barricades, weapons, et cetra." The weapons he made were also stronger than the average bones due to manipulating their density. "Pretty cool right?" He spun the blade around his hand with expert precision.
"Not at the table." Natah's hand shot out and caught the dagger by the blade, which earned a gasp from Inko until she realized that the other woman wasn't harmed.
"Party pooper..." Ordan pouted. "Fine then, you go next Natah."
Natah was about to protest but saw the excited look in Izuku's eyes, which were glimmering with intrigue. "This, is Mimic Queen, my quirk." Her entire body dissolved and reformed into a second Haylee. "Anything that I've touched, whether it is a living being or not I can copy the physical appearance of." She said in Haylee's voice, which was extremely jarring to hear. "I can also change the makeup of my body into different shapes through partial transformation." Haylee, or rather Natah's hand shifted into purple claws. Each nail was about the length of a dagger and able to cut through steel as easily as butter.
"So cool!" Izuku beamed and scribbled down a quick sketch in his notebook. "You would be the perfect spy!"
"It's very useful for espionage." Natah agreed, suppressing a flinch. She noticed Yagi monitoring her expression. He knew she wasn't revealing all her quirk could do.
To an outside observer, it would appear that Mimic Queen was the result of having multiple quirks if they were aware of all its aspects. It was for that reason that Nezu incorrectly assumed that she was related in some way to All For One, or one of his associates.
※ Mimic Queen was the accumulation of all her abilities as a Sentient compacted into one of the most complicated quirks in the world. On top of her ability to shape her own body to perfectly copy anything she touched, she also possessed Damage Adaptation on a level stronger than her father, as well as the Tau energy her family naturally produced.
Compared to Hunhow, she was far less durable but her damage adaptation capacity was far stronger. Natah also was unable to produce or output the same amount of energy as her father. Despite this, she still chose to register as a support hero. ※
Ordan locked eyes with the Symbol of Peace. 'I bet he's thinking about how strong she is too… just like Nezu.'
==VI==
[Nezu's House, June 30th, 2242]
"I see you've prepared your paperwork for your re-licensing examinations Mr. Karris." Nezu squeaked as he read them over. "Though I must ask why Ms. Tau is requesting the support role?"
"I imagine it is out of guilt, and that she's more familiar with logistical support," Ordan replied, seeing as Natah wasn't here to answer. "She's never been a fighter, even though she's powerful."
"I see. In your honest opinion, what would you grade her using the Villain ranking classification system?" Nezu asked in a calm tone. He wasn't asking how much of a villain Natah was, as the International Villain Threat Index was also applied to heroes to grade their strength.
"Well, in terms of raw power, realistically she could destroy me," Ordan admitted. During training, he'd never been able to damage Natah in any meaningful way. "I think I would fit in as a mid-tier S-Ranked hero. Her though? If she were to go all out I'd say she'd be around All Might's level of strength."
"A SSS-Rank, is that what you think?" Nezu said, face betraying no emotion.
"Oh don't give me that. You know full well how strong she is." Ordan accused. "This is about Yagi's injury, isn't it?" He didn't know the full story but he knew that the hero was limited in his time.
"It is," Nezu replied honestly. "But only partially. Given her strength, she will already be on the radar of the higher-ups of the HPSC, as will you."
"Why?" Ordan narrowed his eyes.
"Firstly, because of your status as otherworlders. Second, because they want to recruit you. The president of the HPSC and I are not on good terms. Opposing ideologies on how things should be done and all that. I strongly suspect that they will rig your examinations and offer you another path if you join them instead of coming to work for me."
Ordan mulled over that information. "Because they don't want you gaining another SSS-ranked hero?"
"Precisely." Nezu smiled. Ordan was far more intelligent than his casual and slightly unhinged demeanor would suggest. He pulled out a chessboard. "Indulge me while we talk."
Ordan shrugged and sat down across from the chimera. "So they will try to -fuck us-- screw us over to force our hand?"
Nezu nodded, placing all the pieces down. "So naturally I want you to send a message by destroying their attempts. White or black?"
Ordan eyed the pieces. "Black." They began to play, Nezu making the first move. "Why don't you like the HPSC?"
"Because they tend to take the heavy-handed approach to anything that opposes the status quo or threatens public order. Take some of the Grineer and Corpus they have come across committing crimes for example. The HPSC has secretly executed all of them. My associates at the Tenryou Commission have the decency to look at their cases and accommodate or imprison them as needed."
Madam President Hiiragi Eto's policies against threats to Japan were efficient, but brutal in their execution. The HPSC had its Paragon program, which touted itself as the "Paragons" of heroism. In reality, they were the "Paragons" of humanity, extinguishing any human and non-human threats to the order that heroes had built. Most of the time, it was the latter that they exterminated if the Tenryou Commission didn't get to them first. Both commissions were given a blank check by the government to handle these things as they saw fit, so there wasn't anything that could be done about it.
"Sounds like a bunch of assholes," Ordan grumbled. "I can see why they want us. We're already killers, even if Natah wasn't human originally."
"Even the President of the HPSC wouldn't pass up on someone that strong serving her. A hero on the SSS level is a game changer, especially under government control." Five moves in, and Ordan already had one of his rooks. Very good.
"How many does Japan have?"
"Currently, two. All Might and Endeavor." Nezu answered. Both heroes had attended this U.A. although before his tenure. Officially, Endeavor was only classified as an SS-Ranked hero, but if he amplified his quirk with his natural affinity for pyromancy it elevated him into a higher power range.
※ Triple S-Ranked heroes and villains are a rarity. Most governments consider SS to be the standard for powerful heroes. Among the ranks of the top ten in most countries, S and SS-rated heroes fill most of the spots. SSS-Ranked heroes are considered powerful anomalies.
A single S-Ranked hero is considered strong enough to face multiple high-level villains, the inverse of the villain ranking. The difference in each consecutive rank is staggering. SS-Ranked heroes have the power to match SS-Ranked villains, who can destroy entire cities. Even rarer than that are the elusive SSS-Ranked heroes who are equated to walking nuclear weapons, able to fight an entire nation's standing army and win.
Throughout history, someone given the rank of SSS have been feared or worshipped for their godlike power. Most of the Warlords of the dawn of quirks were SSS, like Conquistador, Destro, Necromancer, and the elusive All For One. ※
"Most countries only possess one SSS-Ranked hero. Some don't have them at all. Countries like Japan and China are anomalies having two." And one of China's was retired. "She will be Japan's third SSS-Ranked hero, no matter what role she chooses to pick."
"Is that going to affect world politics?" Ordan pondered.
"No. The most she would suffer if she doesn't keep her power hidden is requests from the WHA in other countries." Nezu reassured. "Although those situations are rare and it depends on what skill set they need." They continued to play until both were down to only their kings, caught in a stalemate.
"Hmm. Guess it's a tie then." Ordan moved his king closer to Nezu's. "What's your endgame Principal? Why did you stick yourself out for the likes of us?"
Nezu moved his king toward Ordan's, and he did the same until they began circling each other. "I won't lie to you Mr. Karris, my motives aren't entirely altruistic. My main motivation is to get you out of the hands of my political enemies."
"But?"
"But I do sympathize with your plight, and recognize the talent you possess," Nezu replied. "Do you want to know why I'm the principal of a hero school instead of working directly for the government?"
Ordan shrugged. "Not sure what that has to do with this, but I'll indulge you. Why?"
"Because I dislike the way the world is run, and influencing the next generations is the best way to foster change. I've spoken to Ms. Tau's father about this a few times now, and he told me this: If you wish to change the world, you must be willing to fight for it, no matter the cost. If blood must be spilled, so be it."
Ordan rolled his eyes. A very Hunhow statement. "He's not wrong though. That's the way it worked in the Origin System. Tenno, Sentient, Grineer, Corpus, or anyone else. The only way to realize your goals is the utter destruction of your enemies. It's what I did."
"Yes, he did have a point, though I prefer more subtle methods." He motioned to the chessboard. "Much like our little game here, the HPSC and I are caught in a stalemate. Our ideologies are polar opposites. They want to maintain the status quo, and I wish for a more transparent and peaceful world. The way our hero society is run isn't sustainable in the long run." Especially in the case of the supernatural becoming more and more powerful.
"And yet you perpetuate it." Ordan noted. "You run a hero school."
"I never said that heroes themselves aren't necessary. Current heroes are obsessed with fame and fortune, or just government lapdogs who do what they are told. They've forgotten what it means to be a servant of the people. The world needs heroes, but not in their current state. It needs heroes like All Might, but he is just one man, and he isn't perfect."
"So you need heroes, but not in their current form." He surmised.
"Precisely," Nezu smiled. "Because villains will not stop coming, and the creatures that hide among humans won't disappear no matter how hard the HPSC tries."
"What do you mean?"
"Humans are the predominant species on this planet, but not the only one. They simply have the largest population. You will be briefed more on this when your licenses are installed."
Ordan nodded. It was easy for him to accept the existence of non-humans considering where he came from. "Alright. So we fit into your plans for a better world."
"I know you and Ms. Tau will live far longer than I will. What was done to me has extended my lifespan to where I will likely live 1.5 times as long as a human, assuming my own tests are correct. But you, you will see countries rise and fall and humanity evolve further than before. I want world where that future is certain."
'Assuming I live that long and don't die in battle…' The dark thought passed through Ordan's mind. "A world that doesn't end up like mine…"
"Precisely."
==VI==
[Midoriya Family Apartment, July 15th, 2242]
Following a lengthy discussion on the applications of Natah's quirk, after which both heroes promised to autograph the entries he'd made on them when they debuted. They quickly ate dessert and everyone moved to the living room to watch Izuku open his presents.
He'd already received some Yen from Kacchan's parents, and his mother had given him some new hero merch and a school bag this morning. Looking around, he noticed that Toshinori was gone.
"Where did-"
"I am here, with your birthday present!" Toshinori flew down the hallway in his buff form, narrowly avoiding Ordan who stepped out of the way just in time. In his hands, he held a present wrapped (badly) in All Might-themed paper.
"You got me a present?" Izuku said, dumbfounded.
"Of course my boy, it's your birthday after all." Toshinori handed him the gift.
With slightly misty eyes, Izuku opened up the box to reveal a boxed comic book. "This is… All Might Volume One: Collectors Edition!" Izuku exclaimed. "Only 1500 were ever printed!"
'He sure knows his hero stuff.' Haylee sweatdropped while munching happily on chocolate cake.
"I happened to pick an extra copy that I signed, so it's no skin off my back." Toshinori let out a hearty laugh.
Izuku's lip trembled. He was feeling a lot of things right now, fear and anxiety for what he was going to tell Haylee later, happiness from having people attend his party. All of that was overshadowed by his mentor's gift. For one, this was worth millions of Yen, and he couldn't just reject a gift that All Might gave him, even if it was too much. The fact that the man was in his apartment alone was already enough. Overwhelmed with emotion, he embraced Toshinori in a tight hug. "Thank you so much." He bawled, nearly knocking Ordan and Natah over with his tears.
'Void that kid can cry.'
In that moment Toshinori felt something he'd never felt before. He'd had fans hug him before or held someone to comfort them. This was different.
All the other adults could recognize what he was feeling as he reciprocated the hug. The feeling of parental love for one's child. Natah looked over at Inko as she snapped a photo of the two, the shorter woman blushing when she noticed.
Toshinori sat back down on the couch with a bewildered expression on his face. 'What was that… it felt somewhat like when Nana…'
Next, Izuku pulled out the long box that Ordan had given him.
"Is… is that a sword?" Inko asked worriedly.
"Training sword." Ordan and Haylee replied simultaneously. "Made of wood," Ordan added.
"I can teach you how to use it too." Haylee offered. "If you want."
"Uhm, I mean…" Izuku looked at Toshinori who nodded in approval. "I guess?"
"Why a sword?" Inko whispered to Natah.
"It's a… cultural thing where we're from to offer weapons as gifts. He wanted to get him a real one or fashion one from his bones." Natah rubbed her temples in exasperation. "That was the compromise since he insisted."
"Well, thank you for that," Inko giggled quietly. "I wouldn't want Izuku playing around with a real sword. You know how teenagers can be."
Natah looked over at Haylee, someone she had actively sent swords and guns before. "Mhm." Maybe she didn't know how teenagers could be.
"Izuku, no swinging that thing around in the house!" Inko called out.
Finally, it was time for Haylee's gift. As she'd gotten sidetracked when she went out to buy something for him, Haylee had elected to make something herself. 'I hope he likes it. I spent a long time making it.'
Izuku carefully opened the package, having noticed the little tag that said: "fragile". Inside was a small painted wooden sculpture of All Might striking a pose with his arms at his hips. "Did… did you make this, Tenno."
"Yep," Haylee confirmed.
"It's so pretty." Izuku marveled. Even though it was made of wood it looked just like the resin hero figurines he had in his room. The paint job was immaculate, and it even had All Might's signature pressed into the pedestal.
"I asked Mr. Yagi to sign it for you." She added. Haylee had spent about four sleepless nights carving the statue, with multiple failed attempts. Instead of treating the wood normally, she'd used her Void powers to warp and alter the carving. The first few attempts hadn't exactly gone well. It was extremely infuriating to spend hours carving something, only to accidentally lose focus and incinerate it with a flash of Void energy. "Do you like it?"
"Yes! It's so good! The skin tone is just right, and you even did his Golden Age costume!" He said excitedly.
'I don't know what "Golden Age" means, I just based it off what I looked up online.' She sweatdropped but smiled regardless. "I'm glad you like it."
"You can put it with your other figurines," Inko suggested. "How about you show her your collection?"
Izuku made a noise somewhere between choking and a car engine failing to start.
"Oh, you have a collection of stuff like that?" Haylee asked, raising an eyebrow in interest. "Can I see?"
Inko and Toshinori gave him a look, and he realized what they were trying to do. It would be easier to tell Haylee with just the two of them, and he would tell the other two adults about One For All.
But man, why did it have to be in his room?!
==VI==
Having seen some of the All Might merch on her way in, she had a fair idea of what to expect.
But damn, that was a lot of merch. Posters, a floor mat, lots of comics mixed among some quirk research and drawing books, and quite a few statues of mostly All Might, but also a few other heroes she didn't recognize. Even his bed was All Might-themed.
"You really like all this hero stuff don't you?" She leaned over his desk. "This is kinda nostalgic. I used to have my own collectibles. Not hero stuff, mind you, but…" Haylee stopped at his bed and sat down. "It's ok if I sit here right?" She asked, bouncing a bit on the mattress.
"Y-yeah…" He placed his gifts on his desk, nervously glancing at Haylee. Normally, he would've been more nervous about, you know, having a girl in his room. At least her seeing all his hero paraphernalia wasn't too embarrassing, since she treated it with the same casual attitude she approached most things. Right now though, he had something bigger on his mind.
Izuku gulped, watching as she lazily wiggled her legs off the side of the bed. "T-Tenno, there's… something I need to tell you." He's doing it. Right now. "It's about my quirk."
She gave him a look, one of slight confusion. "I thought you don't have one?"
"I wasn't telling the entire truth. I don't have a quirk right now, but I will." He took a deep breath. "All Might is giving me his quirk."
Haylee stared at him for a few seconds. "Is that even possible?" She'd studied a little bit about quirks to prepare for any science classes she'd have to take. There wasn't anything about quirks being transferable beyond your children having the same or similar quirks most of the time.
"His quirk is special. It's called…"
==VI==
"- One For All." Toshinori explained. "The quirk was given to me by my master with the goal of defeating a dangerous villain active since the Dawn of Quirks. Do you remember when we asked you if you worked for a certain villain, Mr. Karris?"
Ordan thought for a second, recalling his interrogation. "All For One? The guy with the -stupid-ass- weird name?"
Toshinori nodded. "The very same. Five years ago, I finally tracked him down," or so he thought at the time. "And killed him. I barely scraped by, and as you know lost most of my stomach and one of my lungs."
Natah inhaled deeply. "Haylee told us you were injured, but to that extent… It's a miracle you are still alive."
"Yes, it was only thanks to swift medical treatment that I was able to stay alive. I'm still able to perform my hero duties, but my time over the past few years has been dwindling. Right now, I can do about four hours of hero duty, thanks to the time I've been taking training Izuku and young Tenno."
"Fuck Yagi, why the hell are you trying to fight in that state?" He stared at the man incredulously. "You're going to kill yourself if you keep doing that. I don't even understand how you can fight at all!"
"The world needs it's Symbol…" He started. "... but that's why," He lowered his voice so that Inko wouldn't hear him in the kitchen. "I was going to search for a successor at U.A. next year as a teacher, but I ran into young Izuku."
==VI==
"... so that's why I'm doing all this endurance and strength training, so my body will be able to handle his quirk. The story we are going to go with is that it's a late quirk manifestation because my body was too weak to handle it's full power." Izuku finished explaining.
"Ok."
Izuku blinked. She was handling this all very well. "You… you aren't mad that I lied about it?"
"I mean, not really. You said it was a secret, and it seems like a pretty big one." Haylee tilted her head. "Why did you think I would?"
"You've been saying all these things, that I can be a hero without a quirk. But I've been lying about that since I will be getting one." He looked at the floor in shame. "Even though All Might told me the same thing, I kinda feel like a hypocrite now for accepting it."
"Oi," Haylee stood up and crossed the room in an instant. "C'mere." She grabbed his hand pulling him up from his desk chair and dragged him over to the bed and sat down next to him. "Would you still want to be a hero without a quirk?"
She's so close!' Izuku had to mentally slap himself to focus. "It's always been my dream to be a hero, so yes."
"And you could. I believe in you. Even without a quirk, you can still save someone. You might not be able to save everyone, but every life matters." She remembered all the people back in the Origin system, fighting against overwhelming odds with just guns and melee weapons. No powers, just skill and equipment. "I don't think it's hypocritical to want to do more. Just like the training sword Ordan gave you, a quirk is just a tool." Although that was just a wooden sword. One For All was the equivalent of giving a child a nuclear warhead. "And uh, you're getting a pretty fancy tool." She let go of his hand.
"I… I guess you're right." Izuku awkwardly scooted a few centimeters away from her.
Haylee held up her hand and stared at it. 'At least he gets a choice. There are far worse ways to recieve power.' Void energy crackled throughout her body, begging to be unleashed, to shape the world into something unnatural. 'Not just taking a deal because you want to live…'
"Tenno?" Izuku began to grow worried as she'd been staring at her hand for about a minute.
"Eh? Sorry, just thinking." Haylee bounced her leg nervously. 'He told me this big secret, and I'm still hiding so much from him. I want to tell him, but today is a special day for him. I don't want to ruin it for him.'
For a second, he could see fear in her eyes. What would she have to be afraid of? He'd seen Haylee be a lot of things. Happiness, confusion, anger… well, a lot of anger actually. But fear? Fear was new.
Many thoughts were going through Haylee's head in that moment. Mr. Yagi's talk with her, saying that he believed Izuku would understand. He'd obviously been nervous about telling her about One For All, so shouldn't she return that trust?
She eyed Izuku in her peripheral vision, before quickly looking away.
"Y-you're a monster! A murderer!"
"I don't want to see you ever again!"
Would that be how he reacted? She felt her hand shaking and almost started laughing out loud. She used to face hundreds upon hundreds of enemies at a time, Grineer, Corpus, Infested, Corrupted, or Sentient. Overwhelming odds, yet she fought unflinchingly. Even in her weakened state, with just an Excalibur she would've fought without hesitation. How could she call herself a Tenno if she backed away from something like this?
"Midoriya, since we're on the topic of secrets… there's something I've been wanting to tell you too." She grabbed her hand to stop it from shaking. "It's about where… where I'm from. Where we are from."
Izuku eyed her curiously. He'd noted the holes in the backstory he was given, and Haylee's reaction when Toshinori told him. Out of respect for her privacy, he hadn't pried further. After all, everyone was entitled to their secrets. He still wondered though, given the odd situation in which they'd met, her extremely powerful yet strange quirk, and overall attitude toward most things.
"We're not from this universe."
==VI==
"What?!"
Inko glanced toward Izuku's room upon hearing him shout and started to stand up, only to be stopped by a motion from Toshinori.
"It's fine. I think I know what that was about." He said calmly. Haylee must be telling Izuku where she's from as well. 'I hope that I'm right about his reaction…'
"Alright…" Inko acquiesced, trusting the hero's judgment. She'd abstained from Toshinori telling Haylee's guardians about his quirk and his plans for Izuku and instead cleaned up the dinner and dessert, washed the dishes, and prepared some tea. "Here you go." She placed a tray down on the living room table.
"Thank you." Natah grabbed a cup and passed another to Ordan.
Inko sat down near Toshinori, handing him a cup of herbal tea that was said to help relieve pain. "So, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but are you two… together?" Inko asked the two hesitantly.
Ordan shook his head. "Nah, I'm just her sub."
Toshinori spat out his drink along with a bit of blood.
The tea in Natah's hand started to boil in response to her irritation. "Ordan," She pinched the brow of her nose. "Just say you're my subordinate like a normal person, please."
"Yeah, that's the word." He gave a thumbs up. "I work for her. We aren't involved in any other way."
Natah couldn't tell if he was messing with her or not. It was impossible to tell with that man. "Ordan took care of Haylee while I was away. I was only able to return a few years ago." And then get brainwashed.
"I just get to live with her and her old man, take care of the household chores and cooking." He shrugged. "I don't have a problem with it. I find it relaxing."
"He can be a bit irritating at times, but he's reliable."
Ordan gasped in mock offense. "Natah, how could you say such things!"
Inko giggled. "Well, you must be proud of Tenno. She seems like a wonderful young lady."
==VI==
"You… you're from another universe?" Izuku gasped.
"Yeah," Haylee looked away guiltily. "That day we washed up on the beach is the day we arrived in this one."
"What happened?"
Haylee slumped. "Our universe got destroyed." She didn't need to tell him about the deal she made.
"Oh… I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" he covered his mouth in shock.
"I'm… I'm fine. Honestly, that place was a real shithole." She deflected his concern.
For the next hour, Haylee told him about the Origin System. She didn't want to dump too much on her friend, so she left the worst parts out. No need for him to have the burden of that knowledge.
"So… that Warframe thing, is it your quirk?" Izuku inquired. "But you said you didn't have quirks back where you're from?"
"I guess. Whatever happened to us when we got here gave us all quirks." She raised her hand, letting bolts of blue and violet lightning spark between her digits. "But I'm not sure why it's my quirk. It should've just been this, based on what everyone else got."
"Because it used to be," Izuku gulped. "A-another person?"
She nodded. "Yeah…"
Whenever she brought up what the Orokin had done, it made Izuku feel sick to his stomach. Human experimentation, torture… his eyes wandered to Haylee.
Forcing her to fight in a war for them.
She noticed the way he was looking at her. "D-does it bother you?" She asked, fingers drumming against her thigh. "That I… that I've killed people?" She avoided his gaze.
Izuku wouldn't lie and say that it didn't bother him. He'd learned in history classes about the horrors of the Quirk Wars, but those ended almost one and a half centuries ago. To think that she'd had to fight in a war…
"Yes..." He started
"Oh." Haylee's face immediately fell, as if expecting incoming disgust and horror.
"Wait! I mean, it bothers me, but it's not like you had a choice!" Without thinking, he grabbed her hand. "It's not your fault!"
Given the emotional component of her powers, she could feel his sincerity since they were in such close contact. Even if he was a bit frazzled, he gave off the same aura All Might did. A sense of calm and support that made her feel like everything was going to be alright. She could see why Mr. Yagi chose him…
Annnnd she was crying. 'Crap crap craaaap! Did I say something wrong?' Izuku waved his arms wildly in panic.
"I'm such a fucking dumbass." Haylee sniffled, lip quivering. "I thought… I thought you would be afraid of me, or think I'm some sort of villain." She wiped her tears on her sleeve. "I thought I would lose my best friend."
"I'm your best friend?"
"Dude, I literally have met like one other person our age." She tried to giggle. "But I'd still want to have you as a friend even if I knew more people." Haylee raised her hand, and Izuku realized he'd grabbed it earlier without thinking. Luckily he was too preoccupied with tearing up himself to get flustered.
"Do you really mean it?" He started to sob while Haylee's fingers unwove themselves from his until their hands were pressed flat against each other.
Blinking back tears yet again, Haylee nodded. "Mhm. You remind me of one of my old friends before she..." The rest went unsaid as she fumbled her words. "Midoriya?"
"Y-yes Tenno?" He blushed finally realizing the situation he was in.
"If you want, you can call me Haylee" She offered.
"Oh… alright." That's right, the Tenno were a warrior caste, so it wasn't her actual name. "Then you can call me Izuku." He asked his next question cautiously. "Why don't you use your real family name?"
Haylee's eyes shot open and she yanked her hand back, expression turning sour for a split second. She closed her eyes as painful memories resurfaced. Even after all this time…
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" She raised her hand to silence him.
"Izuku, it's fine." She opened her eyes. "I just… I haven't used it since my family died." That name died with her remaining innocence on the Zariman. "And I've been called that so long, I just got used to it." It was how she'd always been addressed by those in the Origin System. It was better than being called Void Devil at least. "We should probably go back out now… I think everyone might be getting worried if they heard us crying."
"Yeah…" Izuku flinched as Haylee hugged him. "Oh… uhm…"
"Thanks for being a good friend Izuku."
==VI==
"You kids alright?" Ordan asked the two returning teens.
"We're fine," Haylee said while looking a bit embarrassed. "You better not have been listening in on us." She crossed her arms angrily.
"Nah, just wanted to make sure you were alright." He gave Izuku a lazy side-eye. "So, you told her?"
"Yes sir."
"I'm sorry if I offended you by giving you the sword by the way. Thought it would help since, well, I didn't know you'd be getting a quirk." Ordan apologized.
"Oh no, it's fine, you were just trying to help!" Izuku knew that Mr. Karris wasn't trying to say he couldn't be a hero, so he couldn't bring himself to accept the apology. "I'd still like to learn to use it, but I don't know if I would use it as a hero."
"You don't want to hurt someone too badly with it?" Ordan guessed. "A sword can be used for more than just causing harm. It's good for blocking attacks and clearing obstacles too." His mouth hung open for a second. "Though you would probably need a stronger sword with the force you're putting out."
"I guess…" Izuku wasn't sure. He wanted to be a hero like All Might. All Might didn't use a sword, he just fought bare-handed, at most using debris as improvised weaponry that usually crumbled under his immense power.
"Well, you seem like a smart kid. I bet you'll figure something out." Ordan told Izuku. "Anyways, Haylee, it's almost eleven, and we've got training tomorrow so we should be getting home soon."
Natah bowed to Inko. "Thank you for inviting us, Mrs. Midoriya. We had a wonderful time."
"Oh, it was wonderful having you over! We should do this again sometime." Inko replied happily. "Izuku, come say goodbye to your guests."
"A phone call is here! A phone call is here!"
Everyone turned to stare at Toshinori, who coughed awkwardly. "Sorry, I had it on mute the whole time. This must be an emergency."
'Is that really his ringtone.' Everyone sweatdropped.
'Hm, Cathleen is calling me? It's should be sometime in the morning over there, right?' He accepted the call. "Ah, Star and Stripe, how are you? Is something the matter?" He asked, careful not to reveal her civilian identity.
"Sorry, don't have time to explain right now. I'm about to catch a ride for Denver." The roar of a jet could be heard in the background. "Toshinori, are you near a television right now?"
Toshinori glanced over to the living room, concerned. "Yes, I am."
"Turn on the news. Any channel." There was a conversation that interrupted her in the background. "Sorry, I'll call you back later. It's a real shitshow over here." The line went dead.
"Was that Star and Stripe?" Izuku asked with glimmering eyes.
"She's the #1 American hero, right?" Haylee whispered to her friend.
"Mhm!" Izuku nodded excitedly, face faltering as he noticed the worried expression on his mentor's face. "Toshinori?"
"Inko, could I please use your TV?"
She nodded back looking a bit confused. "Yes, of course." The remote levitated across the room into her hand and she gave the remote to the hero.
As the television turned on, he changed the channel to the news. A look of horror began to spread across his face. "Shit."
"Oh." Ordan stepped back. "That's not good."
==========================VI==========================
Very wholesome chapter for the most part. Izuku now knows an abridged version of Haylee's past (as to not completely trauma dump on him) and Ordan, Haylee, and Natah now know about OFA.
Haylee's way of showing affection to Izuku is probably giving him mixed signals, because of how physical it is. She's basing her behavior on her previous friendships during her childhood which will be shown later. She was physically affectionate with them so she doesn't see a problem with being close to Izuku.
Anyways, this chapter would be too long if I include the next part, so it's being split in two.