EDIT; looks like my separators didn't survive the first upload. Should be easier to read now. Sorry about that.
A couple of things to clarify before this chapter begins. I know that the Japanese (and therefore anime characters) are very formal, and can be a bit weird about which names are used when talking to someone. But I am what is known as a "dumb American" and can't really be bothered trying to learn all those rules. So when characters use first names or last names, it's not about respect or closeness to that person, it's simply the name I like more. For example I like Izuku and Momo more than I like Midoriya and Yaoyorozu, and Kaminari and Kirishima over Denki and Ejirou.
Second thing, the height difference between Momo and Izuku is a bit exaggerated for this story. I know in the official charts they are only a couple of inches from each other, but unless they are standing right next to each other it feels like she towers over him right? It's not just me right?
Lastly, Momo is more than just a walking bank account, I know this. But at this point in her life her biggest anxiety is that all people will see her for is money so that translates into my writing a bit. I promise it will get better over time.
The day was beautiful, the sun was bright, the birds were singing, and Izuku was panicking.
He and Ordinary had a long chat over Discord yesterday, much longer than needed to be if Izuku was honest with himself. It almost seemed like Ordinary was purposefully drawing it out. But in the end, they agreed to meet at this park. Izuku was trying to control his nerves but several things were happening to set him off. First, he always found meeting new people to be nerve-wracking. The awkward introductions, not knowing how to speak to them properly, and the eventual silence from a lack of conversation topics. It was just the worst. Second, this was his first consultation. He had no idea what he was doing, and while he read over some articles that helped him grasp a more structured idea of what was happening today, he wasn't confident at all in his abilities with only that in his arsenal. He attempted to explain this to Ordinary yesterday but didn't think they fully understood what he was trying to tell them.
He had helped others before, but it was nothing as serious as this. A small handful of users had approached him on random forums, typically after one of his more detailed analyses on a new hero's debut, asking him to do the same with their quirk. No different than Ordinary. It never struck him as odd so he would request a brief overview of their quirks and a small video if possible. After receiving them he would write down several questions and theories as well as some potential applications of their quirks and send them back. He never got a lot of responses back, but he also never got any complaints so he assumed he did alright.
And finally, the third reason, the one that was keeping him from being able to calm down in the slightest, he was in the video. The entire reason he made the original post to start with was to prevent people from piecing together that All Green was the green-haired kid who got himself involved in a villain attack. But somehow in all the chaos of finding a new career path, trying to figure out what merchandise he didn't want on his walls anymore, a long chat with a stranger online, and finally agreeing to meet in public, he had all but forgotten about that detail until he woke up in a cold sweat this morning. But it was too late to back out now, he just had to hope they didn't recognize him, or at least didn't bring it up.
And besides, after all the effort of convincing his mother he would be safe…
Inko eyed the dinner sitting on the table suspiciously. After a long day at work worried about her son's sudden attempt to get out of going to school, she had planned on just ordering delivery for them both. But when she walked in, she found Izuku putting the final touches on the spread he had laid out on the table. Rice, a pot of curry, and steamed peppers, Izuku even had a plate of freshly baked cookies ready to go. It wasn't unusual for her son to cook dinner, he was always so helpful, but a feast like this told Inko that something was up.
Clearing her throat to get his attention, she watched as her little boy nearly jumped out of his skin. "Sweetie, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but what are you doing?"
The teen took a moment to let his heart rate return to normal before answering. "Hi Mom, when did you get home? I thought you didn't get off work until-" he paused as he spotted the clock on the wall and realized how late it was. "Oh. I guess the curry took longer than I thought." He tried to laugh it off but it was coming out forced.
Sitting down and gesturing for him to join her, the tired mother tried again, "Izuku, what's wrong? You've been scattered the last couple of days and I'm worried about you. Did something happen at school?" It had been a couple of years since Izuku was hospitalized by those seniors, luckily, they were dumb enough to brag about it so it was easy to get them expelled and charged.
"No, no nothing is happening at school. Nothing bad is happening." He looked down into his lap, "Actually, some good things might be happening." She tilted her head, prompting him to continue. The boy took a moment to prepare himself before letting out a deep sigh. "I've… I've decided I'm not going to try to be a hero anymore."
Inko was shocked. Being a hero has been his dream ever since he was old enough to understand what a hero was. Tears came to her eyes as she was confronted with conflicting feelings. On one hand, she always wanted her baby to be safe, and even with a quirk heroics could lead to permanent damage to his body, or worse. On the other, she hated to see her only son give up on seemingly the only thing that brought him happiness.
Looking up and seeing her crying he started once more, "It's ok. I've been thinking about this for a while now actually. Yesterday was just the last day I needed to make the decision." There was still something he was keeping from her, she could tell. "The villain attacking Kacchan didn't help either. But there is some good news."
Drying her eyes with a napkin she tried to take everything in. She could tell it was hurting him more than he was letting on, but she could also tell that he was telling her the truth. As talented as her boy was, he was an awful liar. Looking at the feast sitting on the table she chuckled to herself, "Sweetie, you didn't order a life-sized statue of All Might, did you?"
They both let out a small fit of laughter, "No Mom, I would have prepared a lot more food for that bribe." He started rubbing his hands together, having trouble looking him in the eye. "I was wondering if I could spend tomorrow in Machi."
"Machi? I do have the day off tomorrow but-"
"Actually, I was hoping that I could go by myself." In an almost whispered voice, he adds, "To meet someone."
The green-haired woman heard alarm bells ringing in her head. She was well aware of her son's lack of a social life, and as much as she would love for him to have made a friend the suddenness of this along with having to go to a different town made her hesitant. "Is this someone I know?"
Her son blushed and suddenly became very interested in the curry sitting on the table. "No. It's someone from online."
"IZUKU!"
"Wait! Please let me explain." He said desperately.
She managed to calm herself enough to listen to the full explanation. From him learning about quirk analysts, to receiving an offer of payment for him to give a consultation. It all sounded innocent enough but the prospect of meeting a stranger from the internet still didn't sit right with her. But at the same time, was it right for her to deny her son not only the potential to meet someone his own age but also deny him an opportunity to break into a career field that he was perfect for? "Tell me Izuku, why did you tell me you were meeting someone online instead of just making an excuse?"
Surprised by the question, the boy answered honestly. "I don't like lying to you. I already feel bad about lying to stay home from school."
That was all she needed to hear. If he could trust her, she could trust him. "There will be rules." Izuku straightened up in his chair and gave her his full attention. "You will text me regularly. Along with a picture of your location and who you are with. You will be back before seven tonight, any later and there will be consequences. And if you sense anything wrong, anything at all, leave. I don't care if it comes off as rude, you leave. Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am. Thank you, thank you so much." Her son practically leaped from his seat to hug her. "I promise I'll be safe."
"Ok, ok. Now, why don't we eat before all the food you cooked gets even colder."
He had texted her a photo of him sitting on the bench the second he arrived as promised. He was still surprised at how close this meeting place was to his home. Altogether it only took a thirty-five-minute train ride and a ten-minute walk. What were the odds that the first person who wanted to meet him in person lived so close to him?
He had told Ordinary he would be wearing a white t-shirt with the word "shirt" written on the front, for some reason that seemed to end the conversation in its tracks. He knew he didn't have the best fashion sense in the world but was it really that bad?
He started scanning the crowd trying to find someone who looked as if they were searching for him. There were plenty of people out today, only natural with how beautiful the weather was, but no one in particular popped out to him. Some couple that seemed to be on a date walked by, an older gentleman sat on the bench opposite of him with a bag of bread crumbs for the birds, and a black-haired girl that was… wow she was pretty. And tall. Izuku caught himself staring at the girl and quickly slapped both his cheeks to knock himself out of it. "Come on Izuku, Mom didn't raise you like that."
He continued to scan the crowd hoping to see someone who stood out, but no one seemed to be searching for him. There were however some interesting quirks to study out today. A woman in a suit that seemed to have a mini solar system orbiting her hair stood out more than anyone else, a toddler jumped up and down as he followed her and seemed to stay in the air a few seconds longer than he normally should have. They walked by a muscular man wearing a flashy orange Hawaiian shirt. He had on a device that looked like headphones at first glance but upon closer inspection they were filled with water and covering a set of gills. Civilians rarely got support items these days, the laws around them were complicated, so seeing them made the green-haired boy want to ask him which company made them. If he were to take this new career seriously, he needed to build good relations with other existing companies after all.
But there was one problem with that idea. Talking to new people.
Giving up rather quickly on that plan he started to scan the crowd once more. 'I am at the correct park, right?' After a few more minutes of not seeing anyone searching his eyes once more traveled to the black-haired girl. She had her long hair tied into a ponytail and was wearing a fashionable blue tracksuit that was zipped open to reveal a black undershirt. She also seemed to be wearing brand-new white sneakers, perhaps she was here to break them in on a run? His eyes traveled back up only this time she was looking right at him. 'Oh no, did she see me staring? It's ok Izuku just look awa-WHY IS SHE WALKING TOWARDS ME?!'
The tall girl maintained eye contact with him the entire way, and unable to break the eye contact himself he settled for trying to make himself look smaller. But as she walked closer she didn't look angry, she looked hopeful. And was that a smile?
"Green?" Izuku was still caught up in his mind, missing her question. Her smile faltered a bit as she stepped back. "All Green? I'm sorry I may have the wrong person."
Snapping out of his thoughts he hurried to correct her. "No! No, I'm sorry, I am All Green. But my real name is Izuku. Izuku Midoriya." He nervously held out his hand. "I'm sorry. I get nervous meeting new people."
She seemed to relax at the confirmation and took his hand in hers. "Wonderful. I'm Ordinary. But my real name is Momo Yaoyorozu." If she noticed how clammy his hand was, she didn't mention it. "Though I must admit, I thought you would be older. Perhaps in your early twenties."
"You thought you were meeting an adult from the internet and you came by yourself?" He spoke without thinking. Before she could be offended by the accusation, he hastily tried to backtrack his words. "Not that I'm saying you can't take care of yourself or that you made a dumb decision, I mean I only just met you and you seem smart. I mean you've only said two sentences to me, so I can't say that either muttermuttermuttermuttermuttermutter-"
Momo held up her hand to silence his rambling. "Your concern is valid but I was well aware of the risks and took steps to minimize the danger. I asked you to meet me in this public and busy park, we will be walking down a crowded and brightly lit street, and we will be using a gym with cameras and a sign-in log." She explained calmly. "Thank you for considering my safety though, it tells a lot about your character." After waiting for him to calm down she lifted her duffle bag slightly. "Shall he start towards the gym? I imagine we both have a busy day ahead of us."
Izuku almost nods in agreement but he remembers his promise to his mother. He can feel his face turning bright red as he speaks, "Actually, could I take your picture first? I promised my mom I would send her a picture of who I was with today. She worries a lot." He couldn't meet her eyes, instead choosing to stare at her shoes. 'Huh, Not brand new, just well kept.'
"Of course, I don't mind." His head shoots up at the casualness of his request. "My parents also worry a lot. I guess most parents do."
He thanked her and apologized fervently as he very quickly took her picture and sent it to his mother. With how quickly the phone went back into his pocket he almost believed he had a speed quirk. Grabbing his duffle bag he let the noirette take the lead as he didn't know the location of the gym they would be using. Right as they left the park he asked her a question he had been grappling with. "I was wondering, online why did you assume I was a quirk analyst? I mean, I appreciate the compliment, and the new path you put me on, but what made you think I was already a practicing adult?"
"I see your posts on Analytica quite often, and they almost sound as if they were written by analysts I have worked with in the past. I always just assumed you either used the forum as an advertisement platform, or you just loved your work that much."
The green-haired boy once more felt his face turn red. He really hoped that wouldn't keep happening.
At the park's exit Momo gives him a questioning look, "I'm sorry but have we met before? You look awfully familiar."
Well, there goes his hopes of not being noticed. Izuku decided that honesty was the best route to take going forward, and if it led to him ending this day early so be it. "Well, you probably saw my face on the news. The slime incident?"
"That was you?"
"Yeah, not my proudest moment. It's what I meant when I said I wrote that entire post in a moment of anger. That had been a long, terrible day and it all boiled into that post. I honestly think I should delete it."
Momo didn't respond at first, taking a moment to absorb what he said. In the end, she decided that this new information didn't deter her from continuing this consultation. That wasn't the first post she read from All Green, simply the one that made her decide to reach out.
They continued to walk down the street, having to maneuver around the hustle and bustle of the city's populace and fell into an awkward silence as neither of them seemed to know how to talk to the other.
Izuku somehow became the one to try and break the ice that had formed, "So, what school are you going to?"
Momo almost froze on the spot but managed to keep walking. She didn't want to say she went to Narushisuto Middle School; the school had a reputation for its students being rich snobs and she didn't want this boy to think she was either. So instead she pretended like he was asking where she intended to go. "I'm hoping to get into UA. Their Heroics program is the top of the country after all."
Izuku just let out a dark chuckle. "Of course, I should have guessed."
"Excuse me?" The girl asked confused by his reaction.
"It's just that is everyone's dream school. It was a dumb question to ask."
The awkward silence was creeping back, this time Momo took the initiative. "So what about you? Certainly, you have a dream school you wish to attend."
He shuffled his duffle bag around his shoulders as if buying time before he answered her. "It was UA for the longest time, but now I'm not so sure."
"Oh, did another school catch your eye?"
"No, I'm just not sure UA is what I need right now since I am no longer aiming to be a hero." The ponytailed girl looks a little shocked by the revelation but before she can say anything Izuku cuts her off, trying to change the subject. "So, what are you hoping to gain from this consultation?" While he didn't want to be rude, he really didn't want to dig into his personal choices at the moment, especially since he was still trying to put the pieces back together. And besides, they were both here on business. Perhaps they should act like it.
Momo took the change in subject in stride, she could tell he was trying to shield himself from her slightly but she took no offence. She employed the same tactic on many others. "I feel as though I hit a wall. I'm confident enough with my quirk to pass the hero course entrance exam but I would like to improve more if possible."
They turn a corner as they talk, and in the reflection of a shop's window, he sees a glare of orange. Turning his head to look behind him he sees the man from the park, the same Hawaiian shirt and support item around his neck. 'Probably just a coincidence.' He thinks to himself. "I hope I can help, but I'm not a professional. This may turn out to be a waste of your time." He says meekly.
"I understand, but I've been following your analysis on Analytica for a while now and you always seem to find questions that I would never think to ask. Just last month you wrote a great piece on Fatgum and how his community's support of him allows him to reach the maximum potential of his quirk!" She paused "Not that I've been stalking you or anything, it's just I have noticed you write a lot of posts I enjoy reading." Now it was her turn to turn red in the cheeks, though the sudden praise of his work didn't leave Izuku undamaged as his own cheeks caught on fire.
They finally arrived at the gym, and Izuku was hesitant to enter. He knew that quirk gyms were bigger than your average weight and cardio training gyms but this place was massive. And the pristine shine of the building told him that he couldn't afford to breath the air in this place. Momo never skipped a beat and kept on walking, so he just let out a small shout, "I'll be just a second, have to text my mom I arrived."
After she entered he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. This may be a bigger strain on his allowance than he originally thought but he would survive. While he bought a lot of hero merchandise, he was actually pretty good at saving money in the long run and had managed to put aside a decent nest egg. At least for his age. Taking one last look around to see if he could see a street sign so he could give his mother a more accurate location, he saw him again. The Hawaiian shirt had just sat down on a bench on the other side of the street. Izuku started to panic but on closer inspection, he saw the bench was part of a bus stop, so this had to be a coincidence. Right?
He took out his phone and set it to take a selfie to send his mom, making sure he caught Hawaiian shirt in the background of the photo. Just in case.
Momo hoped she was able to hide how nervous she was. She first requested this meeting thinking that All Green was already a professional and therefore didn't feel the need to hold back when renting a private room at her preferred gym. Analysts typically made a more than decent living so she didn't feel it would be rude or out of place showing her wealth like that. If anything it would just prove she could afford the fees and wouldn't be wasting their time. But not only was Izuku not a professional, but he was the same age as her!
With someone her own age, renting out something this extravagant could be seen as showing off. She didn't want the boy to start feeling as if she only brought him here to flaunt her wealth and make him feel bad. Or worse, for him to start treating her the same way the kids at school did. While he stayed outside to text his mother, she quickly made her way to the reception desk.
"Ah, Miss Yaoyorozu. Always a pleasure to see you." The kind elderly gentleman said. "Here for another consultation dear? I'm not sure how much more there is to learn from them at this point."
Momo always liked this receptionist. The man treated everyone who came through the door with respect and wasn't afraid to give out advice. "There's always more to learn Mr. Uketsuke, you just have to find the right teacher."
The two shared a laugh as Mr. Uketsuke handed her the room key along with the sign-in long and a waiver for her to sign. Unfortunately, she did have to wait for Izuku to sign the same forms at the desk instead of rushing him to the room. Hopefully, he wouldn't ask too many questions about the cost of this place.
When the boy finished his task and entered the building, he seemed rather distracted. He was polite enough to the receptionist but he didn't seem to look at the papers he was signing, as if his mind was in another place. With all the paperwork in place and keys received, they start the walk towards the private room Momo rented for the next few hours. After they were out of earshot of the reception desk she asked, "Is everything alright? Did your mother message you?"
He just shakes his head, still looking at the ground as he walks. "No, nothing's wrong. Probably just a coincidence no reason to be concerned."
Before she can ask for further details they make it to their destination, Izuku absent-mindedly swiping the key card and entering before freezing in the doorway. She really did go too far.
The room was filled with at least two of every machine they could possibly need. Treadmills, weight benches, the back left side of the room was devoted to rock climbing, scales meant for pro fighting weigh-ins, amongst other things. It was a lot to take in on a first visit, even Momo was a little overwhelmed her first time here. "Shall we begin?" She asked hoping to shake his mind loose from whatever was troubling him earlier.
Izuku slowly took his duffle bag off his shoulder and retrieved a notebook, flipping to a page that he seemed to have pre-outlined for this. "First some baseline stats to compare to other results would probably be helpful. I know it's not quirk related but would you mind?"
"Of course not. Where do you want to start?"
For the next hour and a half Momo complied with doing basic exercises and tests allowing Izuku to record the results. From pushups to pullups, from treadmill stamina to how much weight she could lift. All the while the boy was careful not to look at her for more than a passing glance. The noirette didn't really understand why, in the past, her analysts and even personal trainers kept a close eye on her to make sure she was maintaining perfect form and not slacking off. Did she offend him in some way?
After they were through with the basic fitness tests Momo stopped for a quick water break.
"I'm sorry for asking you to do all of that, I'm still working on a procedure and every site says getting a baseline is important."
"I don't mind at all. I haven't had the opportunity to get a good workout in a few weeks, this is making up for lost time." She carefully put her water bottle away in her bag while she talked, "I've been too busy with getting settled in school and attending formal engagements. This is the first day in a while I've been able to spend the way I wanted."
The boy gives he what she thinks is a grateful smile for not being angry before tilting his head in slight confusion, "Didn't school just start two days ago?"
"For most schools yes, but my school started two weeks ago. On the bright side, we get out for summer vacation three weeks sooner." Zipping up her bag she clapped her hands and stated happily. "But enough about that, why don't we continue?"
"Right, sorry didn't mean to pry." He takes out his notebook and turns a few pages. "I know you gave me a description on Discord, but do you think you could reiterate what your quirk is?"
"My quirk is called creation. It allows me to use the lipids in my body to produce matter so long as I understand the atomic structure of what I want to create. Due to my quirk, my brain is hardwired for memorization, though I sometimes struggle to recall certain formulas." She pauses searching for an analogy. "It's like having a formula written down in a binder, and you know you wrote it down, but you can't remember what page it was on until it's too late."
"And your creations are real? They don't disappear after a period of time?"
"Yes, they are full creations, indistinguishable from the real thing. We had them tested at the molecular level"
"How fast can you make your creations?" Izuku started to rapid-fire his questions. Barely letting her finish speaking before asking the next one.
"It depends on several factors. My familiarity with the creation, how large the creation is, its complexity, and general practice."
"Can you do liquids? Or gasses?"
"Liquids yes, gases no."
"What is the most complex thing you can currently create?"
"A pressurized aerosol can."
Izuku finally looks up from his notes, giving his writing hand a break. "I thought you couldn't create a gas"
"Not directly, but I can create a liquid that becomes a gas at room temp. Aerosols are created by pouring that super cool liquid into the can before it can become a gas and that process is what pressurizes it."
"So, you can control temperature?"
"In a sense yes. I have never been able to make something retain said temperature, it always becomes room temp as soon as I finish creating the object. There is never been a volatile reaction from the rapid cooling or heating, other analysts believe that to be a part of the quirk itself."
The young teen seemed fascinated by this. She could hear him muttering to himself as he wrote in his notes, "Of course, that makes perfect sense. Without such limiters in place, society would have collapsed by the mistakes of its citizens. Kacchan must have the same thing otherwise he would be virtually unable to use his hands." Snapping back to attention he asked, "What are the quickest things you can produce?"
"Dolls are the fastest items overall, but the fastest combat item I can produce is a quarterstaff."
Her right arm is covered in a light pink glow as several matryoshka dolls pop out, the same happens to her right palm as she shoots out a staff. Izuku asks her to make specific things, such as skates around her feet to see if she could make something around herself or if she had to produce then put it on, ice that immediately turned to water after her quirk ended, even a can of air freshener though she had to decline that one since she never studied the chemical make up of one.
Once he asked her to make a springboard to see if it could support the weight and impact of her jump, she had to lift her shirt revealing her stomach to get the surface area required for the larger creation. When Midoriya noticed what she was doing he instantly turned red and turned away, pretending to be incredibly focused on his notebook. 'Oh, should I have warned him about that?'
After some more testing, Izuku noticeably asked only for small objects after this point, he went back to his questioning. "And you said everything you make is created from your fat cells?"
"My lipids actually," Momo corrected. "Though my body can use my fat cells directly if I run out of lipids, it is catastrophic to my body and ends in hospitalization." She frowns at the memory, a painful experience. "I discovered that after a trainer I was with went too far and ignored my need to stop."
The boy suddenly freezes and looks at all the random things he had requested piled up around them. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Do you need food? I can go run to a vending machine, or should I take you to a restaurant? Or a doctor?"
Momo couldn't help but laugh at the sudden concern, the sound was enough to break him out of his spiral. "I can assure you I'm fine. This is nowhere near my limit. Though again, I am grateful for your concern."
Izuku took a breath to calm himself but then she saw something click in his eyes. He started to scan through all the things she had created and then looked at her. "Could you stand on the scale for me for just one moment?" The ponytailed girl was confused but complied nonetheless. After he wrote down the weight he asked her to create one kilogram of steel, or as close to one kg as she could get it. After creating and measuring it on the same scale he asked her to step back on. "Amazing. Even after creating close to an exact kilo, you've only lost 0.001 kgs. A conversion rate of 1,000!"
They continued like that for the next two hours, Izuku would either ask her a question or request something specific be made, and she would answer or perform to the best of her ability. It was the best workout she had in weeks and a wonderful way to get back into the swing of her hero training, and she greatly enjoyed how the boy made sure that she was ok throughout the entire consultation, even forcing her to take a water break at one point. When an announcement came on the intercom that they only had thirty minutes left in the room the green-haired teen decided that she should catch her breath while he tried to gather his thoughts and give her the final results and any advice he could.
"Overall, I have to say your quirk usage in itself is at or near mastery already. The only path you have left on that front is learning more items to create and practicing until you can reach suitable speeds with their creation. Single-part items such as quarterstaffs are great and versatile, but you should try to learn more complex items. A heated blanket for civilians could be useful in rescue situations, basic medicine such as Tylenol or pain relievers for delivering first aid until medics arrive would be beneficial but you would have to look up laws regarding that. Or I could later tonight or tomorrow and send you the appropriate texts on the matter. In the same vain an adrenaline shot to keep other heroes or even yourself on the field?
"And adding a range weapon such as a net pistol, or even a full-sized cannon-" Izuku paused and clamped his hand over his mouth, but she could still hear him berating himself. "Come on Izuku, how often would a cannon possibly be useful?"
She tried to stop him from scolding himself like that, as she was rather fond of the idea, but he continued with his conclusions before she could speak up. "Physically you are above average, but heroics asks a lot of its participants. You said you weren't able to exercise much lately, and I'm sure UA will provide plenty of room to get stronger, but my honest opinion is that you should put more focus on your body, and maybe start instruction in the martial arts." He started digging through his duffle bag, bringing out another much more worn notebook and started flipping through it. "Other heroes tend to create fighting styles that are only possible thanks to their quirks. But I don't think that is a possibility for you." He finds what he's looking for and tears out a page, handing it to her. She sees a crude drawing of Gunhead, but besides it is a neatly written description of his fighting style. "Gunhead seems to be the exception to that rule, he even runs his own dojo if you're interested in looking it up."
Momo, ecstatic to receive some much needed feedback, is forced to hand back the paper. "I appreciate it, but it would be bad form for you to hand out analyses of your other clients." Before he can speak she cuts him off. "I know he's not really your client, but you shouldn't make a habit of handing these out to other people."
Still confused but taking the paper back regardless he continues. "I've noticed that you stand still when creating, is that because we are in a gym or are you unable to move while your quirk is active?"
"I can do both, I just didn't see the point of- OOF" As she answered she attempted to walk and created a doll at the same time, but she ended up tripping over her own feet. 'That… that had to be bad luck.' Momo took a stance and threw a practice punch while creating spring from the back of her neck, but when she finished she saw her fist was not only off her imagined mark but wasn't even extended properly.
She looked at her hands in horror. Had she never used her quirk while moving before?!
"Momo? Are you alright?"
She snapped out of it after hearing the quiet voice of the green-haired boy. "Yes, I'm fine. You just helped me notice a tremendous bad habit I was not aware of. I will have to act fast to correct it before the entrance exam!" Realizing that she had grown into such a habit was frightening, for now there were surely other things she did unknowingly, but she still had time to correct it and make it into the UA Hero Course. "My apologies for interrupting your analysis, please continue."
He hesitantly started again, but he didn't have much left to say. "Lastly, I would suggest reaching out to a support company for a specialized item. Such as a pair of goggles with a display to visualize the more troubling creations, or a wrist-mounted computer to store a catalog of every creation you have learned, but that's something for the future. Not exactly feasible for a middle schooler to get a hold of something like that." He bows deeply. "I'm sorry, I know it's not much and it is all super basic, but you're simply amazing already as it is. I now understand what you meant by hitting a wall. I'm afraid you may not be able to climb it until you receive proper education that a hero school will provide."
She smiles and gently pushes his shoulders until he is standing straight, "As I said earlier, this was a very productive consultation. You have given me some wonderful feedback to reflect on and revealed a habit that I had grown that could have become disastrous if it remained unnoticed. This was far from a waste of time, thank you."
"Five minutes of room time remaining."
Izuku looks around at the mess they created and lets out a deep sigh. "I guess we went overboard without realizing it. How are we going to get all of this out of here?"
"Oh, this gym fully expects situations like these when training quirks. The staff will collect and dispose of these items before the next person who rented the room arrives." She looks around too, having to agree that they went a little overboard. "Though, if you wouldn't mind helping me gather them all in a corner?"
"Of course."
After the quick cleanup, they start heading back towards the reception area to return the room keys, but as they walk Momo spots something fall out of Izuku's bag. Bending over to pick it up she sees it's his wallet. She almost says something, but Izuku was too caught up in his note taking to notice and had walked ahead of her. With only a moment of hesitation, the young girl took out her own wallet along with her own notebook and tore out a page. Writing a quick note she stashed it and $200 inside of the kind boys and quietly sped walked back to him, slipping the wallet back into his bag leaving him none the wiser.
Once they reach the receptionist table and have a small chat with Mr. Uketsuke while returning their keys and signing the out log, she notices a shift in the green-haired teen's mood and mannerisms. He kept his pencil on the paper, but he had completely stopped writing in his notebook. His eyes no longer held a kind shine to them, instead he was glaring at the door as they walked towards it. She can hear him talking to himself, but it's so low she can no longer make out what he's saying. "Izuku, is everything ok?"
Before she can open the door Izuku's hand suddenly shoots out and grabs her wrist, preventing her from reaching the door handle. Instinctually she forms a bottle of pepper spray in her free hand but makes sure to keep it out of his sight. "I think you should call your parents." She's surprised by the sudden statement, did he finally recognize her last name? Did he know the whole time and was getting tired of waiting? Was this some elaborate kidnapping plot? Her hand started to raise, pepper spray ready, but before her arm lifted too high he continued. "I thought it was just a coincidence before, but that man is definitely following us. The guy in the orange shirt. He was across the street but stood up as soon as he saw us near the door. I think he wants you. You should call your parents or someone you trust who can drive here and get you home."
Momo relaxed, making sure to pocket the spray before he realized she had it. However, after the relaxation came the embarrassment. She looked out the door and waved for the man to come over.
"What are you doing?!" Midoriya almost screamed, shocked by her actions.
"I'm terribly sorry for the confusion. But that's my bodyguard." She stated sheepishly.
"If you want to keep that hand I suggest you remove it from the Young Lady." Izuku heard the man growl as he entered the building. Looking down to see he still had her wrist in his hand he leaped backward and attempted to apologize and beg forgiveness.
"It's ok Mr. Gādo, it was an honest misunderstanding. He saw you following us and thought you were planning on hurting me."
The murderous aura around the man mostly dissipated with her explanation, but he still seemed guarded around the boy. "You noticed me huh? When?"
Too scared of what would happen if he didn't talk fast enough, Izuku practically spat out the information with super speed. "I saw you at the park while scanning the crowd for the person I was supposed to meet. After that I noticed you walking behind us when I saw your reflection in a shop's window, then sitting across the street at the boss stop as I was texting my mom, and then getting up when you saw us at the door. Frankly, if I didn't notice you the first time at the park, I don't think I would have put together that we were being followed at all."
"You're pretty observant there kid" The large man leaned in closer, showing his shark teeth for maximum intimidation. "But not observant enough. You missed the other two guards."
Izuku starts panicking, scanning the crowd outside the door for anyone who could possibly be a bodyguard.
"Ma'am, we have to leave now. You have other engagements today." Mr. Gādo calls to her, gesturing for her to follow him out the door.
As the two teens walk down the stairs a few paces behind the man, Momo turns towards the boy she had spent the last five hours with. "I know you said you were no longer interested in trying to be a hero, but I think you should still try for UA." He looks at her, surprised by the sudden encouragement. "It may be famous for its hero course, but that's not what makes it a top school. And I truly believe you could nurture your talents there."
"Let's go!"
Momo let out a tired but amused sigh, Gādo was always like this. "Until we meet again." She bids farewell before running to catch up with the muscular man.
As they get out of earshot, but still able to see Izuku studying the crowd Momo has to ask "Mr. Gādo, you're my only guard today. Why did you lie about there being others?"
Gādo laughs and ruffles her hair. "Trust me kiddo. A paranoid teenage boy is a well-behaved teenage boy"
Authors notes
I guess I should give a warning to those who didn't read my summer in Argus fic. I'm kinda more into the slow-burn romances. I'll try not to make it excruciatingly long but obviously, this isn't a love at first sight fic.
I couldn't decide whose POV should get the middle part so I tried to fuse them. Did it flow well? Should I keep it mono?
I noticed in the show Momo almost never moves while using her quirk. While I'm sure it's just an animation thing and not a true aspect of her power, I decided to use it here as it's one of the few things she can improve on.
Please ignore my lack of a medical degree. Lipids vs fats was brought to you by Google-fu.
And finally, what kind of music do yall think Momo would listen to? I know classical is the easy answer, but I could totally see her jamming to Call Me Maybe.
As always, leave a comment/review. They tell me what I did right, what I did wrong, and I just enjoy getting them.