Hey folks! We're back for another chapter of "Through the Rough"! This one's going to be pretty extended as the episodes I'm adapting from have some filler content. Plus, I want to check in on some things when it comes to other characters in this story. We've yet to catch up with some in particular…
Anyways, no more waiting around! Here's the chapter!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
Birds chirped outside of the seemingly abandoned buildings on the outskirts of a bustling city. Inside, Gowen was looking at his phone in his right hand, seeing the latest news articles surrounding Endeavor's heroics. He clutched his device tightly with frustration.
"If you're so worked up about it, you shouldn't read them," a voice chimed in, getting his attention as he turned to see Hyoga there.
"Tch, screw you…" he grumbled back, "I'm only keeping track of him because I'm still not sold on him changing one bit…" he muttered on.
"Hm," the Ice Manipulation Quirk user huffed, approaching his side, "When I told you about Rei's past with Endeavor, I didn't expect you to quit on him just like that," he noted to his colleague, "You had more than just working with one of Japan's top heroes to lose, right?" he inferred. Gowen tensed up a little.
"That's none of your business…" he replied simply, "Anyways, the princess needs us, right?" he assumed, earning a nod in response. Moments later, the pair entered another section of the building where several men and women were loitering about. Seated atop a crate at the other end of the room was Elsie, who glanced up to spot her approaching subordinates.
"Good, you're here," she said, "I need you both to come with me," she instructed as she stepped off of the crate, walking toward the entryway. Gowen and Hyoga shared a confused look before they both followed her outside.
"Princess, you said the matter was urgent?" the latter of the two presumed.
"Yes, unfortunately…" the Oracion Seis member responded, folding her arms over her chest.
"Is the IUA hot on our tail again?" Gowen guessed.
"…They could be," Elsie replied after a moment, "We haven't had to relocate our base of operations for quite some time," she pointed out, "I know James wouldn't give up on finding us so easily, so I'm under the assumption that he's employed another method to track us down," she explained further.
"Another method?" the Flame Manipulation Quirk user repeated in confusion.
"I see," Hyoga said, "You're saying there's likely a spy in our ranks," he concluded, causing his partner to gasp.
"Exactly," Elsie responded quietly with a nod, "But it's only a theory for the moment," she pointed out, "I've known everyone we've had join us for the longest time," she mentioned, glancing back inside to see her subordinates mingling about, "And I've trusted every single one of them…" she added on.
"Say no more, princess," Hyoga insisted as he stepped forward.
"We'll find that mole," Gowen assured, clenching his right fist determinedly. The Oracion Seis member smiled.
"There's also another matter I wished to talk about…" she noted to her subordinates' surprise. Elsewhere, in the abandoned church out in the deep forest, Nox removed her robe and tall miter, putting her staff down as well. Underneath, she had on a white, buttoned, long-sleeved blouse with a black ribbon and long black skirt with a pair of black stockings and shoes. She looked down in thought for a moment.
"Rebecca…" she uttered out.
"Hey, Miss Nox!" a female voice called out, getting her attention, "Figured you'd wanna know that Gojo and Tadano found the Leaper's working out of Endeavor's agency!" she noted to the Oracion Seis member.
"Is that right…?" she inquired, turning to see the figure there. It was a slim and above average height girl with dark pink-colored contacts in her eyes and light skin. Her build was on the thinner side with a small waistline. She had silky blonde hair, tipped with pinkish-red or citrus orange, reaching down around her pelvic region. Her bangs covered a majority of her forehead and eyebrows, reaching around the start of her eyelashes. Two locks of hair also flowed over her shoulders and end around her chest region.
She was wearing ear piercings, which included one ring piercing, three pearl piercings, and an industrial piercing on the left ear and two ring piercings and one pearl piercing on the right ear. She also had on a white button shirt with one chest pocket on her left, a navy-blue tie, a plaid skirt, black socks, and brown shoes. She also had on a stretchy black choker, two bracelets on her left arm, and a ring on both her right pinkie and left index finger.
"Yeah, she's going through the wringer trying to keep up with him," she pointed out, "I happened to catch a glimpse of her the other day," she mentioned, "Looks like she's gotten stronger," she said.
"Hm," Nox hummed with a small smile, "I'm not surprised, Marin," she pointed out, "As a Leaper myself, the abilities one will gain could change the fate of the world," she mentioned on, "Although…" she continued, "if I am not considered worthy enough to see our cause through, then we will need Rebecca Bluegarden," she affirmed on.
"Like… is that okay with you, though?" the girl asked, "I mean… she is your daughter…" she pointed out. Nox approached her, causing her to flinch. "Uh, I mean… um… sorry…" she apologized.
"Marin, I'd like for you to get close to Rebecca," she instructed to her surprise, "For someone like yourself, I don't think that should be too taxing," she pointed out with an innocent smile.
"But… I…" Marin tried to see, only to feel somewhat of an ominous aura emanating from the Saintfire, "Y-Yeah, I'll do it…" she stuttered out, "Even though Gojo's a lot better at stuff like getting info and whatnot…" she mumbled on.
"But you're better at making friends, which is exactly what I'd like for you to do," Nox pointed out, glancing off to the side.
'Rebecca, we'll need to meet someday, face-to-face,' she told herself, 'You need to know exactly what I've had to do in order to help keep you alive… so that one day, we can make this world perfect again…' she added inwardly.
OPENING
Insert "Kaibutsu" by Tani Yuuki
Opens with Rebecca getting into her winter costume, donning her cat ears and blue jacket before stepping out of the locker room. She smiles as she spots Izuku, Katsuki, Shoto, and Homura, as they're all gathered at the Endeavor Agency together. They walk into the main office, finding themselves greeted by Endeavor, Burnin, and the other sidekicks, ready to start another day of work.
We see the five interns struggling to keep up with Endeavor as he speeds ahead, saving lives and stopping villains. For a moment, he hesitates upon thinking of his family laughing at the dinner table without him. Meanwhile, Gowen is hanging out in an abandoned warehouse with Elsie and the rest of the crew, glancing out a window to see the Flame Hero he once worked under acting like more of a hero than he remembers. He turns away to gather with his colleagues, whom all don't notice the smirk on Jesse's face.
Elsewhere, Madame Kurenai marvels at the sight of the red mech suit being built for her, with her cohorts standing behind her. Nino grimaces worriedly before looking away. We get shots of the Paranormal Liberation Front, including Tomura as he enters a vat and closes his eyes, being sent into a deep slumber. Dabi is out in the city, overlooking how Endeavor and his interns are faring in fending off villains.
Katsuki blasts himself away from Baku, who swings blades of energy his way from his axe. Izuku protrudes his Blackwhip from his right arm, imitating Spider-Man as he swings about while evading the many Punishers heading his way. They're shot down by Rebecca, who winks with a grin before taking care of more foes.
Next, we find a scene of Homura coming face-to-face with Kurenai for the first time, as she opens her arms to welcome her. However, Shoto suddenly steps in between them, igniting the flames on his left side threateningly. Kurenai smirks, hopping into her mech as it towers over the two U.A. students. They take ready stances before starting a battle.
There are shots of Deadend Crow, Poseidon Shura, Tomura Shigaraki, God Acnoella, Elsie Crimson, and Saintfire Nox, as they all give off ominous auras. We also see the likes of Justice, Mirko, Holy, Eraser, Feather, and Cure, though the latter looks away. There's also shots of the other students on their internships, with Kleene and Ochaco flying alongside Nejire and Ryukyu, with Tsuyu riding aboard the Dragoon Hero's back. Weisz, Eijiro and Tetsutetsu gorge on takoyaki with Fat Gum, while Tamaki sulks in the corner, unable to keep up with their energy.
Kyoka and Mezo are interning under Gang Orca with Laguna and Hitoshi. The Tears Lover Quirk user notices that Kyoka's home screen on her phone is a picture of her and Rebecca from the school concert, which she blushes at. She yelps in embarrassment upon realizing that Laguna saw, while Mezo and Hitoshi blink in confusion. Shiki flies alongside Fumikage as they soar after Hawks, who's lost in thought over whatever the Paranormal Liberation Front is up to.
The song winds down with the interns at Endeavor's agency taking a much-needed break, having snacks and drinks atop the building's roof together. Rebecca lovingly leans against Izuku's shoulder, while Homura winds up holding hands with Shoto as they stare at the sunset together. Katsuki scoffs and trudges away, but not before taking one last glance at Rebecca and letting off the tiniest of smiles.
END OPENING
"Agh…" Rebecca groaned, rubbing her aching neck as she stepped out from her room at the Endeavor Agency. One of the perks of doing a work study under the number one hero over the winter break was the accommodations she and her classmates got, being provided with rooms to stay in, along with food and drinks. It had been a week since she and others started the work study under the Hellflame Quirk user. And their collective assignment to capture a villain faster than him had proven fruitless thus far.
"Good morning, Rebecca," Homura greeted as the Cat Leaper Quirk user stepped out from her room, dressed in her costume.
"Oh, hey," she greeted with a smile as her classmate approached, "We're still outta luck trying to catch a villain ourselves…" she mumbled as they walked down the hallway moments later.
"It isn't just about speed either," the Soul Blade Quirk user mentioned on, "We also need to have both technique and awareness in making pursuits," she pointed out, "Endeavor really is amazing…" she admitted, "It's no wonder that he and Valkyrie wound up being rivals," she said. Rebecca gave off a little smile.
"Morning, girls!" Burnin's voice greeted, getting their attentions as they saw the sidekick up ahead, "You ready to kick it up a notch and catch up to Endeavor today?" she presumed of them.
"Yeah, we'll do our best," the Cat Leaper Quirk user affirmed in response.
"Indeed," Homura agreed.
"Also…" Burnin continued, causing the pair to blink in surprise as she leaned closer, "I'm hearing word that the boys are getting a better handle on their moves lately," she pointed out, "You girls are gonna have to catch up to them, too," she added with a snicker.
"That's no surprise to me," Rebecca admitted, "But I'm gonna keep giving it my all like always," she affirmed, clenching her fists. The Soul Blade Quirk user nodded beside her. It wasn't long before they were out in the field again, working to keep up with Endeavor and their classmates. Unfortunately, with every incident that they were responding to, the Flame Hero beat them to the punch each time, subduing the thugs and other criminals before his students could arrive.
"Excellent work, sir!" one of the officers helping detain the hit-and-run suspect complimented of him later that night on the city streets. He nodded, looking back at the five interns, who all breathed with exhaustion.
"You five'll stop here for today," he decided to their surprise, "Head back to your rooms and rest up," he advised.
"What are talking about? I've barely gotten started!" Katsuki roared out.
"You are dripping with sweat, Bakugo…" Homura noted bluntly, covering her mouth with her left sleeve sheepishly.
"Agh…" Rebecca groaned, "I wanna keep going, too…" she confessed out of frustration, "I thought we had it this time…" she admitted.
"Yeah, same…" Shoto agreed, wiping the sweat away from his right cheek, "Are you not gonna be coming back with us?" he asked of his father.
"I'll see to the rest of the patrol," he responded, "We have an early day tomorrow, so you shouldn't start it fatigued," he advised before rocketing off.
"Ergh… dammit…" Katsuki cursed out.
"He does have a point…" Homura admitted, exhaling a deep breath, "Let's head back to the agency," she instructed of her classmates.
"Yeah," Izuku responded with a nod. He too was pretty frustrated with how things were going. Sure, it had only been a week, but Endeavor was proving just how much of a gap there was between him and those working under him. Between speed, power, efficiency, attention, and many other aspects that he focused on in the field, he outclassed the students by a wide margin. Catching up seemed like a pipe dream, let alone being able to capture a villain before him.
'We just have to take things one step at a time…' the One For All inheritor noted inwardly, clenching his gloved fists. Meanwhile, Endeavor himself was troubled by another matter. Aside from Hawks' coded message to him through the book he'd been given, he had been having strange dreams lately. He could see his whole family laughing around the dinner table. Even Homura was there, smiling alongside Shoto. But the Flame Hero wasn't. He never was.
As he had returned to the agency later that evening, he got a call from Fuyumi, who offered to make dinner for him and the work study students at their household for Saturday night. Her father accepted the proposal, but still felt himself be troubled. What could he really do for his family at this point in time? And what was going to help push him forward from that ordeal he himself caused?
He sighed, grabbing the Meta Liberation Army book he'd been given, flipping through the pages to check the notes he had taken from before. Thoughts of his past stirred in his head still, with what he had done to train Shoto, how he neglected his other children, and how he abused his own wife. He needed to do something for them now. Whether it was too late or not was inconsequential. He had to… for their sake.
The next day, he was out in the field again, zooming ahead with the force of his flames as his work study students followed him. They still weren't nearly good enough just yet. They needed to think, act, and control their powers much more quickly than they were used to. That meant being more observant than before.
"Hmm… Rebecca hummed out later, "If I use Reverse when an incident does happen, maybe we could find a way to beat him then…" she whispered as a suggestion to her classmates.
"Doesn't that sound like cheating, though?" Shoto inquired of her.
"Like hell I wanna win that way…" Katsuki grumbled.
"None of us possess such a clairvoyant eye as Endeavor does," Homura pointed out, "And that's an attribute that he gained from his experience, which far surpasses ours…" she noted on.
"Yeah…" Izuku agreed, "That's the biggest difference between us…" he confirmed, putting his gloved left hand onto his chin.
"So how do we overcome that?" his girlfriend asked.
"Well—"
"Stay focused!" Endeavor suddenly shouted out, interjecting the One For All inheritor as he and the others saw him hop off of the building.
"Oh, crap!" Rebecca yelped, letting her wing-shaped markings appear as she and the others hurried after their mentor. He wanted them to push past their limits, to exceed themselves. In order to be proper heroes, they had to be better than they were now.
"Huh…" Izuku exhaled exhaustedly at dusk, tired like his classmates from running around all day and still failing to stop a villain faster than the Flame Hero. Meanwhile, he was left in deep thought, wondering what he could do that was best for his family now. Between Shoto's rejection of his fatherly kindness to Natsuo's insistence on never forgiving him, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no easy solution. But he at least wanted to try. That's what he came to realize. His eyes jolted open.
"Follow me!" he commanded of the work study students.
"Yes, sir!" they responded. And so they followed him… to the Todoroki residence.
"Uh…" Rebecca uttered, almost completely befuddled as she was dressed in her school uniform like her classmates.
"What the crap?!" Katsuki exclaimed in question.
"My sister invited everyone over for dinner," Shoto pointed out, holding up his phone.
"Why the crap?!" the Explosion Quirk user bellowed out again, while Izuku was marveling the massive estate for his classmate's family.
"Because she wanted to meet my friends," Shoto replied.
"You march in there right now and tell her that we aren't and never will be friends!" Katsuki demanded of the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user.
"Huh…" Rebecca sighed in exasperation, "Can you stop it already?" she insisted in question, "It's a chance for us to have some good food at a friend's house," she noted with a smile, turning to her right, "I'm sure you liked it from the last time you were here, right Homu—?" She stopped her inquiry upon seeing how red the Soul Blade Quirk user's face was. "H-Homura?" she stuttered out, "Are… you okay?" she asked in concern. Shaking her head, her classmate managed to slightly compose herself, exhaling a sigh.
"Apologies…" she said, "The last time I was here, it was under different circumstances…" she recalled, "So now…" she continued as her blush started to reappear. Rebecca blinked in realization.
'Oh, right, the whole thing with her and Shoto going on a date…' she noted inwardly, 'I hope for her sake, it doesn't get brought up…' she admitted to herself. Endeavor was first to approach the front door, sliding it open.
"Come on in!" Fuyumi called out as she jogged into the front hall, wearing an apron, "Thanks for making time to drop by for a bite!" she exclaimed gratefully, "I'm Fuyumi, Shoto's older sister!" she introduced, "It's nice to meet you all!" she added.
"Likewise!" Rebecca responded while Izuku and Homura bowed politely, "We're glad you invited us!" she mentioned happily, "Oh, I'm Rebecca Bluegarden," she introduced.
"And I'm Izuku Midoriya," her boyfriend chimed in.
"Oh, I remember you!" Fuyumi said, "You fought my brother at the Sports Festival!" she recalled.
"Eh-heh, yeah…" Izuku chuckled out in response, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Meanwhile, Homura set down her shoes, taking a deep breath to relax herself. Unfortunately, her blush hadn't subsided at all.
'This isn't good…' she noted through her thoughts, 'Will I even be able to say anything?' she wondered, looking down at the floor. Shoto glanced over to her in concern while removing his footwear.
"So, you all hungry?" Fuyumi presumed of the group, who later gathered in the dining room. Natsuo was present as well, glancing away awkwardly upon spotting his father. After a brief round of introductions, along with a few strange exchanges that Izuku took notice of, everyone began eating.
"Mmm~!" Rebecca moaned delightedly as she chewed on the pieces of fried chicken in her mouth, "This is so good!" she exclaimed in between bites.
"Glad you like it!" Fuyumi responded happily.
"It's so moist and tender on the inside while being expertly crispy on the outside, providing a satisfying texture and pleasing the palate…" Izuku rambled on, causing both the schoolteacher and his girlfriend to look at him in confusion.
"Uh, Izu?" the latter of the two said.
"Stop analyzing the dinner, you damn freak!" Katsuki shouted, "Your babbling's ruining the taste of my mapo tofu!" he pointed out angrily.
"Calm down, would you…?" Rebecca grumbled in question. She then noticed her boyfriend pick up a piece of gyoza with his chopsticks. Cheekily, she leaned over and bit it off before he could. He gasped in surprise, blushing a bright red.
"R-Rebecca?!" he stuttered out, making her giggle.
"Sorry…" she apologized with a sheepish grin. Fuyumi blinked in surprise.
"Oh, so you two are a couple, huh?" she assumed, getting their attentions, "Well, you definitely look cute!" she pointed out with a clap of her hands.
"Eh-heh, thanks…" Rebecca responded gratefully, rubbing the back of her head, "We actually only started dating this past summer, even though we've been friends since we were kids," she explained.
"Hope any of their romance isn't causing you any trouble, Dad…" Fuyumi remarked to her father as he swallowed some rice.
"As long it's outside of the workplace, I don't much care for it," he affirmed. Hearing that, Homura tensed up slightly. She clenched her fists over her knees, her blush still upon her cheeks.
"You feeling alright, Homura?" Fuyumi asked of the Soul Blade Quirk user, noticing she had yet to leave a significant mark on her plate.
"I-If I may…" she stammered out, getting everyone's attention, "There is… something I… need to tell you all…" she confessed, trembling a little.
"Homura…" Rebecca uttered worriedly. The redness in the Soul Blade Quirk user's face was building up and burning. She felt like she was going to pass out. And like before, the words were getting caught in her throat. But just then, a hand came upon hers. She looked to see that it was Shoto's.
"Homura and I are going to be dating as well," he announced, much to her shock. Izuku and Rebecca widened their eyes slightly, while Katsuki huffed in annoyance. Those of the Todoroki Family were surprised themselves.
"R-Really?" Fuyumi stuttered out.
"Yeah," her little brother responded with a nod of confirmation, "Ever since the Sports Festival when we fought, we've been getting closer as friends," he pointed out, "And I think that relationship's only to help us get stronger," he mentioned on confidently.
"Shoto…" Homura uttered out in amazement.
"So that's how it is, hm?" Enji chimed in from the head of the table, causing the Soul Blade Quirk user to flinch with fright, seeing him set down his chopsticks, "Shoto," he began, "I hope you won't be causing Kogetsu any undue stress in such a relationship," he advised of him, much to his surprise as he blinked.
"What does that mean?" he questioned back, "I'm not going to make trouble for her if that's what you're implying…" he grumbled out.
"The same applies to her, of course," his father retorted, "Just make sure to keep it out of your training," he noted on. The new couple blinked in surprise, looking at each other for a moment. However, they then smiled.
"Right," they both replied. Rebecca and Izuku chuckled, while Katsuki grinded his teeth in frustration. Homura finally started eating more, enjoying the food heartily.
"You really are a great cook, Fuyumi," she complimented of the eldest Todoroki sibling.
"It's no surprise," Natsuo chimed in, "When our housekeeper retired because of her bad back, Fuyumi picked up the slack and did the cooking around here," he pointed out.
"You did some cooking yourself, Natsu," his older sister added, "We took turns," she mentioned with a giggle.
"Wait… does that mean I was eating your food growing up, too?" Shoto inquired of his older brother.
"It's possible…" he responded, awkwardly glancing over to his father, "I did tend to go overboard on seasoning, so Endeavor might've kept you from having it," he noted, causing the others aside from those in the family to tense up, "He always did keep a close eye on your diet…" he added. There was a spark of resentment felt throughout the room, making everyone freeze up.
"…I suppose there's truth to that…" Enji admitted in response. Natsuo looked away.
"Uh…" Rebecca uttered out, wondering how to steer the conversation back into a more positive direction.
"So Shoto," Fuyumi awkwardly chimed in, "what kind of food do they serve at UA?" she inquired curiously.
"Well, the cafeteria there's pretty big," her little brother noted, while their father had a moment to contemplate what he would say next, "And Lunch Rush is—"
"Natsuo, I'd like to try your cooking sometime…" Enji interjected. His eldest son put down his tableware.
"Thanks for the meal, Sis," he said to Fuyumi, standing up from his seat, "I showed up like I said I would, but I'm done now," he decided, walking off.
"W-Wait!" his sister stuttered, while their guests watched on awkwardly.
"Sorry, but… I just can't do this…" Natsuo apologized, shutting the door behind him. Rebecca swallowed her food, looking over to see the saddened expression upon the schoolteacher's face. There was a lot of tension between the family members, and it showed. At that moment, Homura stood up.
"Please excuse me," she requested, jogging off.
"Hey, Homura!" Rebecca called out, seeing her slide the door open and close as she exited. She looked to her right to see Natsuo trudging off, only to stop as he heard her approaching footsteps.
"Look… I'm sorry about how things went back there, but—"
"I understand," Homura affirmed, interrupting him as he turned to face her, "I could tell that things were tense between you and Endeavor the night I was first here," she recalled, "And I know that resentment may never fade from your heart," she mentioned on, "Even so…" she continued, bowing her head, "please don't let his presence make you push the rest of your family away," she pleaded to him, causing him to blink in surprise, "They all want to be with you, too," she pointed out. The white-haired college student glanced to the side in thought for a moment. He then turned and walked away. Homura glanced down sadly, wondering if her words had gotten through to him.
X
"Can't believe I gotta deal with two stupid couples in class…" Katsuki grumbled while carrying dishes to the kitchen with Izuku.
"You know, you could have a girlfriend yourself, Kacchan…" Izuku noted, walking beside him.
"HUH?!" he shouted out, making him flinch, "What makes you think I even want a girlfriend, moron?!" he yelled in question.
"Pipe down, you two…" Rebecca insisted as she approached with dishes in her hands as well. They brought them into the kitchen, where Endeavor was washing them. After setting them down for him to clean, they started to make their way back to the dining room. "Hmm…" the Cat Leaper Quirk user hummed worriedly.
"You okay?" her boyfriend asked out of concern.
"I guess…" she replied, "I'm just worried about how things are shaping up for Shoto's family…" she admitted, "The issues are way too big for them to fix in one night…" she mentioned.
"Yeah…" Izuku agreed, glancing over awkwardly to Katsuki, "Um, you know about this, right?" he presumed.
"'Course I do," his rival answered with a huff. Meanwhile, Homura had returned to the dining room, helping Shoto gather the remainder of the dishes, while Fuyumi was wiping the table across from them. The schoolteacher exhaled a sigh.
"You know, Shoto…" she began, getting the attentions of both UA students, "sometimes I feel the same way Natsuo does," she admitted to their surprise, "Homura, I know this might be awkward, but you've already seen how things are with this family…" she pointed out to the Soul Blade Quirk user. She merely nodded. "Truth is, I really do think we can make this work and bring our family together," she confessed on to her little brother, "So… how do you feel about Dad, honestly?" she asked of him. He looked down in thought.
"…He might've not been there, but he's the reason I have this scar," he noted, "He's the reason Mom went crazy and had to go away," he added, thinking of his hospitalized parent's letters to him, "And I know she's trying to move past that, along with you…" he mentioned further, "but I still can't bring myself to just forgive him…" he said.
"That's your choice to make," Homura chimed in, causing him to look over at her in surprise as she gathered the rest of the dishes, "If you don't know how to feel about him now, maybe it's best not to worry about it," she suggested.
"Homura…" Shoto uttered.
"You people…" a familiar voice growled from outside the room, followed by the door being slid open by none other than Katsuki, "If you're gonna have guests over, don't go chatting about sensitive shit!" he bellowed out angrily.
"Ah, I'm sorry!" Fuyumi apologized.
"Uh, sorry for eavesdropping…" Izuku said nervously, while Rebecca tried to get Katsuki to calm down to no avail, "But we kinda know the whole situation already…" he pointed out.
"Normally getting invited over for dinner's a good thing…" the Explosion Quirk user grumbled, going over to pick up the tea tray on the table.
"Stop it already…" Rebecca insisted in exasperation, grabbing a few more bowls with Homura. Izuku walked over and did the same.
"Hey… Todoroki?" he said, getting the attention of the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user, "I know it's not my business," he began as he looked over to his classmate, "but it looks to me like you're getting ready to move forward with your dad," he pointed out to his surprise.
"Izu…" Rebecca uttered out.
"Don't get me wrong though," her boyfriend said, "If you don't forgive him, that's up to you," he assured, "No one can force you to accept him," he mentioned on, "But the thing is…" he continued, "you're a really kind person," he stated. Close by, both Natsuo and Enji overheard his words. "Seems to me like you're just waiting for the right time," he noted, "So I'm sure you'll know what to say when that comes," he affirmed confidently. Rebecca smiled at him, while Homura cracked a little grin, looking over to Shoto. He wasn't sure how he would act next, but he appreciated his friend's thoughts on the matter.
From where he was, Enji walked off to a small room that had a shrine in place with a tray of leftover food. He set it down and knelt before the shrine, putting his hands flat together as he prayed. The picture of the boy being honored was his departed son, the former eldest child of the Todoroki Family, Toya.
X
After a while of conversation at the dinner table, the UA students were ready to head back to school for the night. Rebecca could see her breath as she rubbed her cold hands, while Izuku fixed his scarf over his neck. The chauffer arrived in the black car that was a small limo with three rows of seats.
"Thanks for having us over for dinner," the One For All inheritor said gratefully, bowing to Fuyumi, who had come outside to see the group off, wearing a white down jacket.
"Of course! Thanks for coming!" she mentioned happily as she bowed back.
"Just make sure you get me that mapo tofu recipe!" Katsuki shouted in demand.
"Stop it!" Rebecca snarled out with frustration.
"Don't worry, I will," Fuyumi assured.
"I'll remind her to text it to me," Shoto chimed in as he pulled out his phone. His older sister smiled. She then turned to Homura.
"Homura…" she said, getting her attention as she took the Soul Blade Quirk user's right into hers, "take good care of Shoto with the others, okay?" she requested of her.
"O-Oh, of course," she stuttered in reply, letting off a little smile, "We'll all be looking out for each other," she promised. The Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user sheepishly scratched at his right cheek, while everyone else smiled.
"Fuyumi," Enji called out, getting his daughter's attention. For a moment, he wasn't sure what to say. "…Thank you," he said simply. His eldest child smiled.
"Safe travels!" she remarked to the group as they piled into the car, buckling themselves into their seats. It drove off moments later. After a while, the car was heading across the highway.
"I want you all to start progressing on a faster timetable," Endeavor told the work study students with crossed arms, "Look at shifting your schedules around," he advised on, "Along with weekends, I want you to work at least two days during the school week," he explained.
'Boy, Endeavor does really want us to be prepared…' Rebecca noted to herself, 'Though that's no surprise,' she mentioned inwardly with a grin.
"We're also coming up on our second semester finals soon," Izuku pointed out, "Think some of you can help me with English?" he requested.
"Sure!" his girlfriend responded with a giggle. She was sitting in the row furthest back with Homura, while Shoto, Izuku and Katsuki were crammed together in the middle row.
"This sucks!" the Explosion Quirk user yelled as he elbowed Izuku, "Why doesn't the number one hero have a bigger car?!" he inquired angrily.
"Oh, the brat's not happy about his free ride, huh?!" the chauffer questioned back just as vehemently.
"What an aggressive driver…" Homura noted aloud, only to sheepishly cover her lips.
"You know, you could've switched places with me or Homura…" Rebecca pointed out bluntly with an expression of exasperation upon her face.
"I'm not sitting in a damn backseat!" Katsuki shouted back.
"We wouldn't wanna cram three people back there anyway…" Izuku mentioned with a nervous smile.
"Endeavor, why are even bothering taking on kids like them anyway?" the chauffer asked of the number one hero.
"…Ever since I found myself at the top," he responded.
"Zounds! I guess it's true that success changes a man!" the driver proclaimed.
'Zounds?' Rebecca repeated inwardly as she blinked.
'What the heck does that mean?' her boyfriend wondered through his thoughts. Meanwhile, Homura looked ahead, widening her eyes.
"Watch out!" she suddenly yelled. The chauffer was barely able to take notice of an oncoming object heading for his car, being a wrapped-up Natsuo.
"Zounds!" he yelped, swerving out of the way before hitting the college student.
"Shoto, that's your brother!" Rebecca exclaimed upon noticing.
"Natsu!" the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user cried out. The college student appeared to wrapped in white lines, being hoisted high up into the air as he yelped.
"The hell's going on…?" Katsuki questioned as he rolled the window down to look outside at the scene.
"Pull your head inside, you idiot!" the chauffer yelled.
"Look, the lines on the road!" Izuku exclaimed, noticing the white lines seemingly coming up from the pavement.
"Up ahead!" Homura pointed out, causing everyone to look to see a figure standing amidst the white lines coming up from the road. It was a muscular man of average height. He wore horizontal black-and-white-striped pants and a shirt with an assorted vest. He also had a mask covering the entirety of his face, except for his mouth and eyes. His mask had a motif with two parallel white lines on the side of his face and several horizontal ones resembling a crosswalk. Some of his most noticeable features were his wide smile and crazed eyes.
"That's a nice house you live in… ENDEAVOR!" he yelled out. The chauffer swerved his vehicle out of the way to avoid hitting him, striking the guardrail before managing to turn and drive away.
"Hey, we need to do something!" Rebecca insisted, only for the Flame Hero to suddenly rocket out from the car, blasting off the passenger door in the process. His fire ignited as he was clad in his hero costume, heading for the attacker upon the road with a fierce look in his eyes.
"LET MY SON GO!" he roared in demand to the oddly excited villain.
"Not so fast!" he yelled, having the white lines pull the entrapped Natsuo out in front of him. Because of that, Endeavor halted his approach as he landed upon the pavement, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Finally…" his foe uttered happily, "You remember me, don't you?" he presumed, "Say you do!" he pleaded. The Flame Hero blinked.
"I do…" he realized, "Seven years ago, I stopped you when you were on the verge of a rampage…" he recalled, "You went by a villain name…" he added.
"YES!" his enemy exclaimed, tearing up, "Oh wow…" he uttered, "You didn't forget! THANK YOU!" he yelled out gratefully, "You've made me so happy!" he mentioned, "You remember me, Ending!" he pointed out as he gestured to himself.
"Put down my son!" Endeavor commanded as his flames flared up angrily.
"Hahaha!" the villain laughed, "Sorry Endeavor, but you gotta understand…" he noted, "I had so many things I could never dream of happening for so many years…" he told him while hoisting the entrapped college student up again, "That's why I admire you!" he added with wide eyes towards the Flame Hero, "See, I have nothing in this world worth protecting!" he admitted, pointing an arrow-shaped white line from the road against his captive's head, "Don't think I won't kill him!" he threatened, "That depends on you! Please don't mess it up this time!" he pleaded vehemently, "I want you… to murder me…" he requested while grabbing his shoulders and having the craziest of smiles upon his face. From afar, the car had gotten ensnared in the white lines, with those inside left watching on. Homura could tell that something was off about the situation. It wasn't just the villain or the fact that he had Natsuo in his clutches. It was how Endeavor was seemingly holding himself against him.
"We gotta get out there and help!" Rebecca insisted, "Even if Endeavor's taken the lead, we still need to make sure no else gets hurt!" she advised on.
"Right!" her boyfriend agreed, while Shoto and Homura nodded. At that moment, Katsuki blasted out the window he was next to, blowing off some of the white lines.
"Let's go!" the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user yelled as he and his classmates escaped the entrapped vehicle, rushing off onto the scene.
"Hey, hold on, you brats!" the chauffer yelled, getting their attentions along with both Ending and Endeavor's, "You're forgetting these!" he shouted, pulling a lever beside him. The trunk popped open, shooting up the student heroes' cases for their hero costumes and gear.
"Got 'em!" Rebecca yelled as she and Izuku leapt over, with the former catching hers and Homura's, while the latter grabbed his, Shoto's, and Katsuki's.
"Kacchan! Shoto!" he called out, tossing them over for his classmates to catch.
"Homura, here!" the Cat Leaper Quirk user yelled, flinging the case over to the Soul Blade Quirk user. They caught them, quickly taking out their respective gear, with Katsuki throwing on his right gauntlet, Shoto setting his combat vest on over his shoulders, Izuku putting his gloves upon his hands, Rebecca grabbing her Happy Blasters, and Homura readying her sleeves over her arms.
"This guy's done for!" the Explosion Quirk user proclaimed.
"I won't let him hurt Natsu!" Shoto declared.
'No matter what…' Izuku began inwardly, sharing looks of determination with each of his classmates, 'we'll protect everyone!' he stated through his thoughts.
X
"Grrrrr…!" Ending growled as he saw the five approaching U.A. students, "GET AWAY!" he roared angrily, making the white lines shoot towards them. Homura was quick to draw a pair of blades in her hands, using them to slash through the white lines and continue her approach.
"Let him go!" she commanded. However, more of the white lines converged onto the group of students, with some slamming into them and pushing them back.
"Grrr…" Katsuki growled, "I HATE FIGHTING IN THE WINTER!" he roared, unleashing a powerful explosion to blast apart the white lines attacking him. Izuku and Shoto did the same, with the former flicking out pressurized air blasts, while the latter released condensed flames to burn other white lines up.
"Wait, are those really kids…?" Ending wondered aloud, growling as he jumped away, "Don't ruin my glorious death!" he bellowed out.
"Stop!" Homura yelled, charging toward him. Endeavor looked to be the one that would get to the villain first, seeing that he was off balance in midair from hopping back. He could reach Natsuo easily. But as he looked at his entrapped son… he stopped. There was a look in the college student's eyes that made him hesitate. He remembered his words at dinner the night he came back from his battle against the High-End Nomu. Even if he were to save him, nothing would really change. He didn't even realize that all five of his work study students dashed past him.
"Endeavor?" Rebecca said in surprise.
"We can't stop now!" Shoto yelled out, condensing flames around his left hand, "Let's get this guy!" he insisted.
"Right!" Homura agreed, readying her blades.
"RRAAAAAHHHH!" Ending screamed, "Why aren't you incinerating me, Endeavor?!" he cried out in question, "Looks like one son's life isn't enough to make you break your stupid rules!" he noted angrily, pulling Natsuo back near him. The Soul Blade Quirk user blinked in surprise, noticing an opening. She brought her blades together, forming them into a bow with a sharp arrow upon it.
"Warrior Maiden Archery Attack…" she began to bellow, pulling the energy arrow back before firing it, "Lightning Shot!" she exclaimed. The projectile flew out and tore straight through the white line that tethered Natsuo to Ending, causing him to gasp in surprise as he fell down. "Shoto, now!" Homura yelled to the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user.
"Right!" he responded, unleashing searing flames that burned through more of the villain's controlled white lines, "Now stand down!" he ordered of the villain.
"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed again, saliva flying from his mouth, "The longer you don't kill me…" he began, making more white lines rise up underneath incoming cars, "this'll happen!" he proclaimed, launching the vehicles into the air.
"Uh oh!" Rebecca yelped, while the others grimaced. In the meantime, Ending had another white line wrap around Natsuo before he could escape his entrapment, hanging him over the other side of the highway in front of an incoming train. It was quite the predicament. But Katsuki was quickly able to blast himself over and grab the college student, launching them away safely as the train went by.
"Think I'd let that happen?! Ha!" he remarked to the villain, who grimaced. In the meantime, Izuku launched himself into the air after the vehicles that had been sent upward. He knew he could do this, needing to focus on doing things without needing to think. Blackwhips protruded from the sights of his gloves, extending out and latching onto three of the cars. However, one was still falling.
"Oh, crap!" he yelped out. However, he blinked in surprise to see his girlfriend hurrying over underneath it.
'If I were to Reverse now, the villain would probably do the same thing or something worse!' she noted to herself, 'Izu was able to do enough with Blackwhip now, so I can't make him overexert himself,' she added inwardly as her wing-shaped markings glowed brightly and expanded, 'So that means my best option…' she continued through her thoughts as she took on a determined expression, tossing her Happy Blasters aside, 'is my Overdrive!' she declared, assuming her empowered appearance as the car came down toward her. Inside were a mother and her little daughter, screaming as they fell. However, they found themselves stopped. The little girl in the backseat opened her eyes, widening them to find the Cat Leaper Quirk user having caught the vehicle, gritting her teeth as she slowly and carefully set it down onto the road.
"Huh…" she exhaled afterward. Watching on, Endeavor was amazed. After a single week, his students were doing what he couldn't for the moment. And they were doing it well.
"None of your wishes… will come true!" Izuku shouted out toward Ending, who was suddenly met with a fiery slash, courtesy of both Shoto and Homura, as the former then froze the villain up in an icy mound. Meanwhile, the One For All inheritor set down the cars safely, making sure to check on each of those inside of them.
"Is everyone alright, Izu?!" Rebecca asked as she ran over, assuming her normal form again.
"Yeah, they're all good," her boyfriend assured. They then looked over to see Endeavor running towards Katsuki and Natsuo, as the former had unwrapped the latter from the white lines he had been trapped in.
"Hey, you good?" he asked of the college student, who grimaced. All of a sudden, the two of them were brought into the Flame Hero's arms, holding them close as his eyes trembled for a moment. However, he blinked in realization.
"Are you hurt?!" he asked immediately.
"'Course not!" Katsuki shouted back, while Natsuo opened his eyes.
"It's hot…" he complained. His father embraced the two again, still trembling with fear.
"Gah… you smell like a grandpa…!" the Explosion Quirk user complained, prying himself free from Endeavor's grasp, "Where's that Whiteline idiot?!" he yelled in question, pointing over to Shoto and Homura.
"We've secured him," the Soul Blade Quirk user confirmed in reply as her classmate held onto a crying Ending.
"This is all wrong… It shouldn't be you guys…" he whimpered out.
"Are the extras alive?!" Katsuki inquired, pointing towards where Izuku and Rebecca were.
"If you're talking about the people who were in the cars, they're fine!" the One For All inheritor responded.
"Don't just call them extras!" the Cat Leaper Quirk user insisted. She then looked over to her boyfriend, who smiled brightly as he clenched his fists.
"It's a total victory!" he declared.
"SHUT UP!" Katsuki roared, causing him to flinch, while Rebecca sighed.
"Miss Hero?" a voice chimed in, getting her attention as she turned to see the little girl she had rescued earlier. She had shoulder-length dark blue hair, wearing a small dress with a white-colored trim, collar, and three buttons, and a pair of maroon shoes. Additionally, she had a pair of hair buns with spirals on them. "Thank you for saving me and my mommy!" she exclaimed gratefully. Blinking in surprise, the Cat Leaper Quirk user smiled. Meanwhile, Katsuki turned to Endeavor, smirking smugly.
"What was it you wanted us to do this winter, number one?" he inquired rhetorically, "Just one time? Catch a villain before you?" he questioned on as the others approached, "Well, how do ya like that we did it, huh?!" he yelled out.
"Kacchan, calm down…" Rebecca muttered.
"Yes… you did great…" the Flame Hero affirmed, much to the group's surprise, "You covered for my mistake… and outmatched me in speed…" he pointed out.
"Tch, now you're being humble?" Katsuki scoffed out, "Least be a little annoyed…" he grumbled.
"You seem like the annoyed one here…" Rebecca remarked as she approached alongside Izuku.
"Get off me!" Natsuo yelled, pushing himself away from his father. Homura jogged over to check on him, while Shoto watched on, mainly looking toward Enji, whose flames had died down around his face. Everyone looked on worriedly.
"I'm sorry…" he apologized, "For a second… all I could think…" he started to explain, "was if I rescued you… you'd never speak to me again…" he admitted, "Natsuo… you may not believe this," he continued as his eldest son's eyes shook, "but I swear, I never meant to neglect you," he stated, "I ran from my troubles, left you responsible for too much…" he listed off, lowering his head with shame, "And Toya… I may as well have killed him myself…" he added sadly.
"Endeavor…" Homura uttered out. Cars were honking in the distance as traffic was starting to build up around the area.
"You never meant to neglect us…?" Natsuo repeated aloud, "Well, it doesn't matter…" he muttered, "Because… all I remember is feeling abandoned like Toya said…" he pointed out, "It'll be a cold day in hell… before I ever forgive you," he affirmed while tears were building up in his eyes, "You got it?" he questioned of his father, "I'm not a kind person like Shoto is…" he whimpered out, forcing a smile.
"…You say that…" Enji began to reply, "yet you still came for your family's sake," he noted, "For your sister and for your mother," he mentioned, knowing how Fuyumi longed for the feeling of a proper family, one that he destroyed long ago, "Aren't you making an effort so that she won't lose faith? So we can have peaceful times ahead of us? That we can start over?" he inquired of his eldest son, "You are kind in your own way," he said. Natsuo trembled, remembering Izuku's words earlier that evening from dinner and his conversation with Homura. In his own way, he had been kind to try and help bring his family together. But because of his father, it felt almost impossible. However… "It's okay if you don't forgive me," the Flame Hero assured, much to his surprise, along with those of the others, "Because I don't expect or even want forgiveness," he confirmed on, "I want to atone," he stated. Tears dripped out from the college student's eyes as he stared at his parent in shock. He clenched his teeth, shutting his teary eyes.
"Whenever you're around, Sis seemed so happy…" he whimpered, "But me, when I see your face… all those memories just rush back…" he cried on, "Why should I have to get over my feelings when everything's your fault?!" he shouted in question, "So you wanna atone?!" he inquired on, "What the hell is there you can even do for us?!" he asked angrily.
"…I do have something in mind," Enji confirmed to his surprise. At that moment, Ending started wailing again.
"No, no! Stop it, Endeavor!" he screamed out, dismayed, "Why are you suddenly being so soft?!" he questioned in frustration, tears streaking down his face, "You're my hope, so don't give up!" he insisted, failing to notice Homura jogging over, "Kill me with your flames before it's—!" A swift chop to the back of his neck from the Soul Blade Quirk user silenced him as his head slumped down.
"Nice one," Shoto complimented of her, causing her to crack a small smile. They looked over to Natsuo and Enji, as the latter told the former of what his plan was for the future of their family. For a moment, the college student seemed surprised. But he managed to compose himself, getting to his feet. The Flame Hero did the same, reigniting his fiery mask. It wasn't long before authorities showed up to collect the villain and help redirect traffic in the area.
"His Quirk of controlling white lines was chemically boosted," a detective told Endeavor as they were standing upon the sidewalk.
"Is that so?" he inquired back.
"Yeah…" the authority member responded, "Seems like these things are getting on the streets more often these days…" he pointed out.
"Speaking of which, that's twice in the last week you've been targeted!" his chauffer noted, "You should be more careful, boss," he advised.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," the Flame Hero assured, "Besides, I'm not taking on such threats alone," he affirmed, glancing back to his sons and the other work study students, who were gathered together.
"Hey, is that Shoto?" one onlooker inquired.
"Oh, and that's Homura Kogetsu, too!" someone else exclaimed excitedly.
"Looks like we drew a crowd…" Rebecca nervously noted.
"Hey, uh…" Natsuo chimed in, getting the hero hopefuls' attentions, "thanks for earlier," he said gratefully toward Katsuki, "So, um… what's your hero name?" he asked of him.
"Huh?" he uttered out.
"It's just Bakugo for now, right?" Rebecca assumed with crossed arms, while her boyfriend nodded, having the same answer in mind.
"Wrong, idiots…" the Explosion Quirk user muttered as a retort, glancing away.
"Ah!" Izuku gasped excitedly, "So you finally decided on a hero name! That's great!" he exclaimed.
"Don't expect me to tell you, moron!" Katsuki shouted in his face, causing him to flinch, "That goes for you, too!" he yelled to Rebecca, who sighed with exasperation.
"I wasn't going to ask…" she grumbled.
"Would you tell me?" Shoto inquired, chiming into the conversation.
"Forget it! You can drop dead and share these nerds' coffin before I ever tell you!" the Explosion Quirk user roared back, "There's someone else I gotta run it by first…" he pointed out.
"OMG, that was crazy!" a voice suddenly exclaimed as a figure approached the group, getting their attentions as they turned to see who it was, "I can't believe you guys pulled that off over Endeavor!" she pointed out, being none other than Marin, "I mean, that's so wild!" she added.
"Oh, uh, thank you…" Izuku stuttered gratefully, blushing a little. Katsuki huffed, while Shoto blinked in surprise.
"There were circumstances that led to us overtaking Endeavor…" Homura sheepishly noted, followed by clapping her hands over her mouth.
"You were the most awesome, Rebecca!" Marin noted to the Cat Leaper Quirk user, who blinked in surprise as she saw the girl pull out her phone, "Check it out!" she exclaimed, holding up her device as it was playing footage of Rebecca catching the falling car from earlier. Shoto and Homura lightly gasped. Even Katsuki seemed surprised.
"You actually caught a car?" the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user inquired of his ash blonde-haired classmate.
"Uh, yeah…" she responded with a sheepish grin, "Kinda reacted on impulse…" she pointed out.
"Tch," Katsuki scoffed, "I could've done that…" he muttered in claim.
"Anyways, you mind if I take some selfies with you guys?" Marin requested excitedly, "I'm a big influencer, so I'm sure some pics'll get you all up in popularity once you turn pro!" she pointed out.
"Yeah, sure!" Rebecca responded, "Uh, what was your name?" she inquired.
"It's Marin Kitagawa," the schoolgirl responded. She was quick to take pictures with each U.A. student, including Katsuki. Endeavor watched on. He was thankful that all five of them were willing to intern alongside him.
After returning them to UA, he brought Natsuo back to the house, where he told Fuyumi of his plans for the future. He was going by a new household for his children to welcome back their mother once she would be released from the hospital. And as for himself, he would stay at his home, keeping himself separate from them. This was what he felt would be best for his family.
ENDING
Insert "Believe" by Soushi Sakiyama
Opens with Homura waking up and preparing for the day, getting dressed in her school uniform before lying on her knees in front of her memorial to Valkyrie, offering a prayer before she heads off. As she gathers in the dorm common room with her classmates, she sees Shoto and smiles, walking off with him. She breathes out a puff of cold air, looking up at the partly cloudy winter sky.
Later, we see her at the Endeavor Agency, practicing with her energy blades against the fiery ones Burnin creates with her Quirk, all while the Flame Hero watches. As Homura's exhaustion catches up with her, Endeavor offers her a cup of tea to ease her. She accepts it, sipping it gratefully. We transition to her as a child, sitting on the porch of her old home with Valkyrie, as they smile at each other.
Being taught for years how to fight with Soul Blade, Homura never knew her teacher was actually an android. But that didn't matter to her either way, as she appreciated what Valkyrie had done for her. We cut to when the police showed up at her home one evening, with Naomasa telling her the unfortunate news of Valkyrie's death. We see the lifeless body of the Shining Star Hero, having many scarlet burns along her body, with a missing right arm and half of her face gone, revealing her robotic appearance underneath.
Back in the present, we see Homura still mourning over her teacher to this day. Things have only been harder after discovering that she was a machine all this time. She starts to tear up a little, but then suddenly has a hand come onto her back. She looks to her right to see a smiling Rebecca there, followed by turning to her left to find Izuku and Katsuki there, with the former flashing a kind grin.
A hand then extends for the Soul Blade Quirk user as she looks to see Shoto standing in front of her. She gratefully accepts it as tears prick her eyes. They walk off together, with Homura starting to lean against Shoto in the process…
END ENDING
And there goes another chapter! This short arc is an interesting one for sure, and I can't wait to start expanding upon it with the original content coming up. Thanks for your support as always, everyone! See you next time!