The first chapter of 2024…and oh boy
Gemstones returns on Monday, btw. And i hate snow
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
"You're next."
For the past few days, Izuku had mainly stayed in his room, laying on his bed and processing everything he'd been through. The summer camp, the rescue, the battle with All Might and All for One. And yesterday, UA had sent out an official statement confirming the worst of what happened.
"Bakugou Katsuki unfortunately had lost an arm during the battle, but despite this, he is getting the best help from some top notch doctors, and will start physical therapy effective immediately."
So, Izuku just felt…lost.
Without much else to do, really, his mind went back to that night. He mentally replayed that final battle between All Might and his old enemy, All for One.
"United... STATES OF..." ! ! ! !" All Might's fist landed and struck All for One with such power, such force, that the very skies around the two nemeses lit up with the star-like energy of One for All. The Dark Emperor of the League of Villains slammed into the ground so hard that not only was a crater formed, but a vortex of wind erupted from the point of impact. All Might himself was still standing, but now his de-powered form was seen by the world.
"I...I can't believe it. After everything seemed lost...All Might did it! The Symbol of Peace has pulled through once again! That villain has been UTTERLY trounced!" one reporter cheered one, tears in their eyes from the sheer inspirational sight of All Might's triumph."
Immediately after All for One's defeat, the most elite law enforcers arrived on the scene to put the League's patron in chains. Gyges and Briareos, two multi-armed and heavily armored heroes were dispatched specifically to take the then-comatose villain directly to Tartarus. If two of the biggest security measures of the whole prison were dispatched to bring in the disfigured villain themselves, that showed everyone just how dedicated the police force was in ensuring that All for One never saw the light of day again.
The world was clearly on edge at the moment. No one could really describe the feelings in the air. A lot of businesses had been put on hold for a short time, just to have a moment of respect for the Symbol of Peace.
It just felt all weird. Izuku couldn't get into contact with All Might, ever since the coma. He'd been in the dark about his condition.
He could only hope that his mentor was ok. Of course, eventually, something came through that at least gave him some relief. It didn't answer his questions, but it at least did promise answers. Apparently, All Might was out of commission for the time being so, instead, someone else would be coming to Izuku's house to discuss everything.
It'd been a few days since the email, and nothing yet. Izuku wondered what would happen next at UA- who knew how long All Might would be in that coma? Would that mean someone else would be taking his place in teaching?
…and who would help him with this new quirk?
All those questions were racing around in his head, only making his anxiety about this situation worse. Maybe today that'd change...hopefully it would.
Izuku decided to get a drink of water- all this anxiety was giving him a headache. He walked out of his room, and into the kitchen. His mom was on the phone with someone.
"That's good, that's good- hopefully Hiyashi's notes will help the company." Inko said, as Izuku pulled a glass out of the cabinet. "How's he doing?"
Izuku listened in as he poured the cup from their filtered water pitcher. "Quiet? Well, that's expected…he did just go through something truly awful…"
Who are you talking to? Izuku couldn't help but wonder. He heard his dad's name mentioned, catching his attention.
"He's starting physical therapy as soon as possible? That feels a bit rushed, doesn't it? I think Katsuki should take it easy for a bit, but…then again, it IS Katsuki." Inko hummed,
Izuku was getting more interested in what was being said. He decided to hang around and listen in on the conversation.
"I...I see. I...I did...mean to ask, has anyone from UA come to speak with you?" Inko asked after some time. She went silent for a bit, no doubt listening to whoever was on the other side of the line explain the situation. From what he did hear, Bakugou decided not to let this lying down. It was true that, thanks to advancements in technology, prosthetics were now incredibly advanced. Some would even go so far as to point to Yang Xiao Long as a sort of poster-child for the new wave of medical prosthetics.
I really hope Bakugou's doing okay. From the conversation, it sounds like he's willing to get back into UA as soon as possible. Izuku thought, looking down at his arm. If I lost my arm, I don't think I'd be able to continue using One for All- no prosthetic could handle that power.
"E-everyone?!" Inko asked, taken by surprise. She went silent for a bit, hearing the explanation, "I...I see. A-ah...that explains it."
Izuku finished his glass, and listened to the conversation once more. "And they're paying for the hospital rooms?" Inko said, "Well, makes sense. They paid for Izuku- wait, what do you mean ones for repairs? Did Katsuki-"
Inko paused.
"What do you mean Masaru did $10k in damages?"
Izuku nearly spit out his water when he heard that. He pounded his chest and took a few deep breaths.
"Well, he has every right to be angry. But still, Masaru?"
Inko was right to be shocked. Masaru was the calmest thing related to Bakugou's name!
"You had to-...oh...oh. I-i see," Inko said, still shocked at this. Out of everything she was expecting to hear, this was not on the list.
"Well, that's alright. I didn't know Masaru had that in him…" Inko hummed. "Well, you call me if you need anything, okay? We're here for you. Okay. Okay! Yes, talk to you later."
Inko hung up the phone, and sighed. Izuku walked over. "Bakugou's dad did what now?"
"He destroyed a hospital room to vent out some frustration…poor guy." Inko said.
"He did?!" Izuku asked in surprise.
"I know. Shocked me too. But, I do have some good news about the email. All of the students got one, not just in your class either. That's why it's been taking so long."
Izuku let out a sigh of relief.
"How's your arm feeling today?" Inko asked.
"Better," Izuku said. "I've been trying to figure out something to reduce some stress, I'm thinking like a brace or something-"
Just as Inko was about to say something, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Inko said, as she walked over to the door. She looked through the peephole, and raised an eyebrow.
"Who is this-?" Inko asked, as she opened the door. Izuku looked over to see Rook Blonko, standing at his door. His eyebrows went up.
"Hello, ma'am- I am Rook Blonko, and I'm here on behalf of UA to discuss our recent plans to help the students," Rook introduced himself.
"R-rook Blonko?!" Izuku repeated involuntarily. He was just that surprised to see the Revonnahgander hero and partner to Ben 10K here. Wait, when did Rook join UA?!
"A-ah, yes! Please, come in, Mr. Blonko…" Inko said, opening the door. Rook walked in, and took off his shoes. "Do you need a glass of water? I'm sure you must be hot from the heat outside…"
"I am quite fine." Rook said, sitting down. "How are you doing, Izuku? Last I saw you, you were in tears after the Kamino battle."
"I'm...better," Izuku said, "A little...anxious."
"You know each other?" Inko asked.
Izuku nodded. "Yeah- he watched over the class at the hotel, on orders of Mr. Tennyson."'
Inko hummed. "Mr. Tennyson seems to be getting more involved nowadays. I bet he really cares about the students since your friend interned with him…"
Something like that, Izuku thought.
"Are you working at UA now?" Izuku asked, as Inko brought over a glass of water anyways.
Rook nodded. "I am part of Mr. Tennyson's plan to make UA safer. I have a teaching degree from a long time ago, but it has been sitting around doing nothing, so I decided to use it at UA."
"W-woah. How many others is Mr. Tennyson bringing on?" Izuku asked.
"A few, but I believe Principal Nedzu would prefer to announce the other newcomers himself. As for why I am here, the principal wishes to implement a new plan, in light of recent circumstances."
"A new plan?" Inko asked.
"Yes. UA will be transitioning to a dormitory-based system, following this latest attack. We call the dorms the 'Heights Alliance'. There are dorm buildings for every UA class and each of them is just a five-minute walk from the main building." Rook explained. "Each dorm building is designed to hold one class of twenty students. The wings of each will be supervised by one teacher who will live on site as well, and the apartment will be co-ed. The first floor is a common area with couches, tables, television, kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. There's a courtyard outside the first level as well."
Inko and Izuku blushed. "I-it's going to be…co-ed?" They both sputtered.
"That is what I just said." Rook said.
"Okay, that sounds nice and all, but is this going to be a future thing?" Izuku asked. "I can't imagine how long it would take to build-"
"Oh, it is already done." Rook said.
"What?"
"We had these plans drawn up a while ago- Ben and Nedzu apparently had gotten into contact with a building company to help blueprint out the designs." Rook smiled.
Wait, did he really- Izuku thought, before shaking his head.
"There are still a multitude of threats out there, and we need to make sure the students are in a safe, stable environment." Rook explained. "Principal Nedzu has been ruminating on this for quite some time. There are many benefits to the boarding plan- The plan will cut the need for long transportation. The school will also provide free meals so on-campus students don't squander money. Plus, if under attack, the teachers on site will be there to prevent another attack."
Izuku nodded. "That sounds like a pretty good plan. What do you think, mom?"
"...I don't really know."
Izuku's eyebrows went up when he heard that. "Huh?"
"I know my boy looks up to All Might. He's a good role model, and a great person, but…" Inko began.
"But?"
"I'm worried about how he's influencing Izuku, especially with the injuries he's been dealing with since his time at UA."
"Are you implying you do not support your son's endeavors?" Rook asked.
"No, no- part of me wants him to follow his dream, but all of me wants to just keep him on the sidelines, away from any sort of harm. I can't stand seeing my boy constantly injured over and over again…" Inko sighed.
Mom… Izuku thought. He knew this was more out of concern, but he would be upset if his dreams of being a hero ended here.
"It's just…" Inko heaved a sigh. "I never thought it would be so hard to raise a hero-in-training. Even before my son went to UA, I always looked at news about heroes with a little bit of respect as a citizen. They're keeping us safe by putting their lives at risk for us, even though we don't know them. But...after the recent string of controversies with UA, I began to look at them from the perspective of a parent. I see things I've never noticed before- their injuries, their battles, the stress that must be on their mind…it makes me feel overwhelmed."
Rook closed his eyes. "This is not a very easy job."
"I'd be fine if Izuku would occasionally hurt himself at school, where I know he's safe, but- when I recently saw his arm, I panicked." Inko went on, as she looked at Izuku's arm. "Those villains made him use more power than he could handle- if they're not holding back, my biggest worry is that Izuku will end up like…" Inko trailed off.
Rook put his hands together. "You have every right to be concerned for Izuku, especially after a harrowing situation. And Izuku also has every right to wish to continue his studies to prevent that situation from happening again." Rook was playing mediator for both sides.
"If you were a parent, what would you do in my shoes?" Inko asked. The Revonnahgander took a moment.
"That is a very good question." Rook replied. "I know how hard it is to stress over your loved ones, especially in a time where our Symbol of Peace is gone. But…keeping someone's potential locked away just to keep them safe and prevent them from going where they want to go is…suffocating. My own father was not very open to my career either, Miss Inko. He worried about me, maybe more than you did."
Impossible, Inko and Izuku both thought.
"All I know is that, because of his disapproval and his overall stern demeanor, I ended up running away from home to follow my dreams. I do not want the same to happen here." Rook stated.
Inko blinked. "You? Ran away from home?"
"Yes."
"…but you're so nice…I don't see how anyone couldn't support you."
"I have learned the most things about life and relationships off world, than simply being cooped up in a single area for the rest of my life," Rook said. "Sometimes…you have to let things grow on their own."
Inko looked at Izuku for a few moments, and took a deep breath. "All I've wanted for you to do is find your happiness in life. And…if this makes you happy, even through everything you've been through…"
Izuku nodded. "I want to become a symbol…just like All Might."
Inko looked back to Rook. "You're going to be a new teacher at this school, correct?"
"Indeed I am." Rook nodded.
"Keep him out of trouble. Please."
"Ma'am, I 'babysat' Ben Tennyson for a while, and look how he turned out." Rook joked.
Inko blinked. "That's fair." She nodded. "If I could ask, who else is joining the staff? I know Tennyson has quite the sphere of influence."
Rook pulled out a pamphlet, and handed it to her. New Faces At UA High School, the cover said. Inko opened up the flier, and Izuku looked over her shoulder to see the new faces. Inko looked a bit surprised.
"Well, given the credits these people have to their name, I guess UA is trying to prevent a tragedy from happening again." Inko said.
Izuku skimmed some of the names. Blake Belladonna. Yang Xiao Long. Kylie Dombrowski-Schnee. Ari Caro. Lie Ren. Coco Adel. Velvet Scarletina-Adel. Ceres North. Those were some big guns- Izuku recognized a lot of them from the Outcast line up from Ben's younger days.
"Some of the best people I know," Rook commented. "They will make sure your children are safe and sound."
Inko hummed. "Are there any other additions that will be made?"
"A few here and there, but those are more for a newsletter." Rook joked, as he took out a sheet of paper. "Please, if I could have your signature…"
Inko glanced over the document, before Rook handed her a pen. "It will be strange not to have Izuku home…maybe I'll get a cat…" Inko hummed to herself as she signed.
"Speaking of which…Izuku, I was wondering if you could help me with something." Rook said.
"Huh? Uh, yeah, what's up?" Izuku asked.
"I have been assigned to visit some of your other classmates, but I am not entirely sure if I will 'connect' with them. I feel having a familiar face around could help." Rook said.
"Are you sure you wanna use me?" Izuku asked. "I feel Iida or Momo could be better suited."
"You have a very 'trusting' face." Rook complimented. "And I have heard that you get along with quite a few kids on my list…" Rook handed him a printed sheet of paper, with a few names on it. Kirishima and Iida…Izuku hummed.
"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to help out. I haven't really talked to anyone since the hospital." Izuku said.
"Shall I let you freshen up real quick?" Rook said.
"Oh, yeah- be right back." Izuku said, heading for his room. Inko and Rook were left alone for a few moments.
Inko eventually broke the silence. "You know, my husband's a big fan of your weapon…"
"Does he work in the support industry?"
"Yes."
"Then that checks out."
In the days after the Kamino Nightmare, Ochako's nightlife as Spanner had picked up. Smaller crimes were starting to become more and more common, probably due to All Might's coma and 'retirement' for the time.
Last night, Ochako had to dangerously stop a guy from a helicopter propeller quirk from stealing some money as Big Chill, had to chase down someone with a speed quirk as XLR8 (it turns out he was just doing his bucket list to get arrested once) and had to break up a fight in a 7/11 because some dude with a 'food manipulation' quirk was pissed about his hot dog being undercooked.
Upchuck handled that one perfectly.
But Ochako's main thoughts were directed at Ben and Ruby. She got the note from UA the night before and was horrified and confused- Bakugou? Lost an arm? Holy crap… She wanted to meet with them as soon as possible.
And today, Ben finally reached out to her. One single text said everything. It was early morning when she got it- she was resting after the stressful night beforehand. And her stomach hurt from all that Upchuck action.
Her phone buzzed, and her hand boredly slapped around the floor for it. Ship eventually slithered it over to her hand, and she grabbed it…and then pat Ship on the head.
"G'boy…" She yawned, before unlocking her phone screen to see the text.
"Come to the office."
The second Ochako read that message, she leapt out of bed, quickly brushed her teeth, ripped some clothes out from her drawer, threw on some shoes, bolted out the door (and then had to run back and shut it), zipped behind an alleyway and transformed into XLR8. She raced across the city, running right towards Ben's office.
Her mind was racing with a million questions, all while parallel processing the world around her. Even after a few days, All Might's absence was felt. The streets felt emptier and a little rude, and the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance. It felt like All Might's last battle not only broke society, but also the invisible wall that held criminals back.
Ochako felt like her next few years at UA were going to be busy.
When she got to the office, Ochako didn't bother to say hi to Eunice at the desk, or make small talk with anyone. She just ran up to Ben's office and opened the door-
And then those millions of questions vanished when she saw Ben and Ruby. Ben was wearing a baby carrier, and lightly bouncing up and down with a baby inside. Ben looked up, and sheepishly grinned at Ochako.
"...surprise?" Ben nervously said.
Ochako's jaw dropped. "O-oh my God, who's baby is that!?"
"That would be ours." Ruby said.
"Ochako, I'd like to introduce you to our daughter, Senna Olivia Rose. Born on July 14th." Ben said, walking over.
Ochako just stared at the baby. She had some hair on her head, silver eyes and the cutest look on her face. Ochako blinked.
"...how?" Ochako asked.
Ruby rubbed her head. "Well, uh...after I-Island, I kinda went into labor way ahead of schedule- Ben had to rush back her and act like nothing was wrong so as not to freak you out." Ruby explained. "We wanted to tell you before your trip, but then the whole Shigaraki situation happened, and then the camp situation, and then..."
"Just a whole lot of things." Ben simplified.
"That explains why you were at the raid." Ochako said. "I was kinda freaking out when I heard you were there."
"Well, don't worry." Ruby smiled. "I was fine. Been a while since I was in a battle like that."
"We chose the name Senna cuz it means 'bright', and this little one's the light of our life." Ben said. "Plus, 'Sen' rhymes with Ten."
"She's so cute!" Ochako gushed, before shaking her head. "I mean, it's great that you guys had your baby and everything, but...can we talk about what happened during the raid? I've...had a lot of questions."
Ben and Ruby shared a look.
"Alright- we're an open book on this." Ruby said. "What do you wanna know?"
"...what happened to Bakugou?"
Ben took a deep breath. "Well, one of our villains was apparently manipulating him into attacking her, on account of her semblance." Ben explained. "She could absorb kinetic energy- and it turns out she learned how to shape it as well. After she took some blows from Bakugou, and some Nomu dropped in, it was chaos, and...she sliced Bakugou's arm clean off."
Ochako shuddered. "Oh my God."
"I think she did it on purpose, too." Ruby frowned. "She loves digging up the past."
Who the hell was this petty to do something so evil?
"I know that look," Ben said, "You wanna know who it was, right?"
"Well...I mean..." Ochako rubbed the back of her head nervously before sighing, "Yeah."
"You remember that trophy case you saw on your first visit here?"
"With all the mementos from your past cases, yeah."
"There were two swords in there, swords that formed into a bow. They belonged to one of our villains," Ben explained.
"Her name was Cinder Fall," Ruby chimed in, "Ever heard the name before?"
"I haven't. Was she an obscure villain?" Ochako asked.
"She was my arch enemy." Ruby explained. "The total opposite of me- vicious and nasty, haughty and egocentric, taking sick delight in the pain she inflicted on others. And...I killed her, a long time ago. I had no other option, honestly- she was beyond help."
Ochako made a face.
"In a physical sense. She wasn't human when we last fought."
"Oh," Ochako said. That still didn't make her feel great.
"She's the only one that gave me that nasty scar on my chest." Ben explained. "So, we hated each other a lot...but her sister inherited that hatred of hers after her passing."
"And now she's with the League." Ruby frowned. "...and she tried to punch me in the stomach."
"She what?!" Ochako yelled.
"She didn't know about Senna being born yet, so she tried to stop that from even happening," Ruby sighed, "I knew she hadn't really gotten over Cinder's death. But going that far? Even the other members of the League were disturbed by that."
"Cass was always something of a...wildcard, back then. But even Cinder wasn't that deranged...when she was still human, I mean," Ben explained.
"You...you say 'still human.' What...what did she become?" Ochako ventured, though she knew she wouldn't like the answer.
Ben and Ruby shared a look.
"The best way I could describe her is like a Nomu. Mindless, destructive...and scary." Ben explained. "Does that suffice?"
"I guess. But Nomu are a recent thing, right? You didn't know about them before the USJ?" Ochako asked.
"That's right. But...trust us, what Cinder ended up becoming might as well have been the blueprint for the perfect Nomu," Ruby said.
Ochako shuddered. "That's a scary thought."
Ben sighed. "Mind if we stray away from this conversation? I don't like discussing sad things when I have the cutest dang thing on my chest." Ben moved Senna's arms up and down a bit.
"Not at all, totally fair point," the Omnitrix successor acquiesced.
"Anyways, let's talk about UA." Ruby said. "Ben's thrown his hat into the ring to help support the staff."
"Effective immediately, you'll be moving into some dorms on campus." Ben said.
Ochako's eyes lit up. "No more rent..."
"Heck yeah," Ben nodded. "I had a feeling you'd react that way. The dorm plans were honestly on my mind for a while, so, while I had your parents here, I had them design some blueprints for the apartments."
"W-wait, really?!"
"Yep. And before you ask, yes, I made sure Ship was kept in mind. Used the cover of emotional support animals, which...isn't really a cover, per se, more like I didn't say anything about alien animals," Ben smirked.
"I can't believe it." Ochako said, sitting down in stunned disbelief. "But you couldn't have paid for all of it, right? Did someone help you out?"
"Yeah, actually..." Ben said, as the door opened. Ochako looked over to see a lady in a white suit walk in. She had white hair in a ponytail, blue eyes and a notable scar on her right eye. She was looking over some paperwork on a tablet.
"Ben, I was going over some of the funds- I don't think we NEED to add a Burger Shack and Mr. Smoothie on campus." Weiss frowned. "I'm not sure they'll be popular."
"But the kids need OPTIONS!" Ben whined.
"They have Lunch Rush! I'm sure they'll be-" Weiss looked up to see Ochako. "Oh, I didn't know you were in a meeting."
"Not exactly a meeting, Weiss," Ben said, "Lemme introduce Ochako Uraraka. You might have heard of her as Uravity."
Ochako sheepishly held up the watch. "Nice to meet you, miss."
"Weiss here is my partner from the old days on Team RWBY." Ruby explained. "And also richer than all of us. Kind of."
"Ruby, you know I hate it when you lord that over others," Weiss sighed, but she still had a smirk on her lips. "As for you, Miss Uraraka, it's nice to meet you as well."
"You're the Hero known as Snowfall, right? Or is that your sister?" Ochako asked.
"That's me." Weiss nodded.
"Oh, so you know Momo Yaoyorozu! She interned with you." Ochako said.
"Ah, yes, I remember her. I heard she's doing well for herself. Especially after I redesigned her…costume. How is she liking it?" Weiss said.
"Everyone's all for it." Ochako nodded.
"Good- I didn't want prying eyes looking at her." Weiss said.
"You'd hate Mineta then."
"I don't even want to know," Weiss sighed.
"Weiss here is handling the funding I can't at the moment," Ben explained. "I'm trying to save for this one and her college, and that ain't cheap nowadays. She's also designed my previous few costumes."
"Picked up the knack sometime in college," Weiss said smugly. "Besides, it was about time Ben got some fashion sense."
"Hey, I have fashion." Ben insisted.
"Wearing a hoodie, a utility belt and gloves with armor on isn't cool, Benjamin." Weiss sighed.
"I think it's cool." He pouted.
"I've designed costumes for a lot of heroes- Midnight, Kamui Woods, Hawks- I have a LOT of contacts." Weiss said. "But, sadly, not enough time to come teach at UA."
"Huh?" Ochako said.
"Oh, right-" Ben said, slapping his forehead. "So, some of my friends are gonna be joining UA as staff. They'll be ready for anything."
"More of your friends...so, that means I can entice embarrassing stories out of them..." Ochako smirked. Ben's face turned pale.
"W-well, I mean, you could, but they won't-" Ben stammered.
"I'll do it for free. One time Ben tried to cook swordfish with barbeque sauce at our headquarters." Weiss said. "And it ruined the kitchen forever."
"...why!?" Ochako said, holding up her hands.
"I saw it online!" Ben frowned. "Don't embarrass me in front of Senna-!"
"Another time he got drunk and locked me out of our apartment when we were at the pool." Ruby added.
Ben looked betrayed. "RUBY-!" Senna laughed at Ben's embarrassment. "Oh, God, the kid's laughing at me too-!"
The girls laughed at Ben, which he was fine with. It got the topic off of the disturbing topic they were discussing just a few minutes ago. Ben couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for his guarded demeanor around Ochako, but he had to remind himself that she was still a child. In addition, it wasn't an act of selfishness to withhold your vulnerability from others when you are not yet prepared to do so. Maybe a year later, he'd give her the full story.
But for now, he was fine with laughter.
Izuku learned two things about Kirishima today: one, he was rich. His family lived in an extremely modern house with a beautiful courtyard, and a huge living space. Izuku envied Kirishima for a moment, but quickly got over it. I guess this explains how he was able to go to I-Island, at least. Izuku thought.
The second thing was about his parents: they were both women. One was a lady with a shark quirk, and the other was a woman with brown hair and a bit of muscle tone on her.
Neither of them were red heads, so if you wanted to count the fact that Kirishima dyed his hair as a third thing, then yeah. Izuku was a bit flabbergasted, but got over it.
"Ok so!" Kirishima said, giving his friend a tour of his house, "Down there's the gym. Got plenty of weights, some punching bags, things like that. Down that way," he pointed down another hallway, "is the pool."
"You have a pool?" Izuku asked.
"Indoor one too! Don't have to worry about leaves getting scattered in the water and spend time trying to get 'em out with a net," Kirishima grinned.
He's being so casual about it all! Why am I imagining this is similar to how Momo would give a house tour? Izuku mentally wondered.
"And here's my room!" Kirishima said, opening the door. Izuku could only describe it as a 'den of manliness'- A punching bag hung from the ceiling, there were a bunch of posters of Crimson Riot and motivational posters around the place, and a few random photos of him with his parents on his desk next to a shelf chock full of workout guides and books. There were a few boxes on the floor.
"Sorry for the mess. I started packing before you got here." Kirishima explained.
"Already?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah. Wanted to get a head start on it all," Kirishima nodded.
"I should get started when I get back...I honestly have a lot to pack." Izuku said.
"I can imagine. You never realize how much stuff you have until you move out, huh?" Kirishima joked.
"Yeah," Izuku answered a bit sheepishly. (In truth, he expected maybe at least three bags would be full of nothing but All Might merch...and that might be low-balling it.)
"So, uh...you hear about Bakugou?" Izuku asked.
Kirishima paused. "Yeah. That's...gotta be rough on him for sure."
"I...overheard that he's already in physical therapy," Izuku said.
"Already? Kinda soon, isn't it? Actually...wait, no, it's Bakugou. He probably demanded they start or else he'd blow something up," Kirishima tried to joke, but it kinda fell flat. That threatening attitude he had, that was why the League "scouted" him in the first place, wasn't it?
"Yeah- my mom was on the phone with his, and it sounds like he'd be returning to the hero course pretty soon. I don't imagine he'd be back by the time we get back to UA." Izuku said.
"I know Aizawa can be kinda...harsh, but here's hoping he at least lets someone get an extra copy of the work for Bakugou. See what he missed, ya know?" Kirishima said,.
"I'm sure they have something set up for that," Izuku said.
Kirishima went quiet for a moment. "…hey, question. And don't get mad. Do you think if we were there, at Kamino…that maybe we could've stopped Bakugou from getting his arm cut off?"
"I..." Izuku involuntarily began, before he stopped himself. That question was one he'd been asking himself over and over again these past few days. Countless times he wanted to answer "yes." If they had been there, maybe they could have pulled Bakugou out of the way. But then one thing always gets in the way of that hopeful scenario: All for One. Every time he wants to say "yes," the shadow of All for One just looms over that hope.
"I...I don't...with All for One there..." Izuku tried to say.
"We'd be dead. Right?" Kirishima finished.
Izuku nodded. "I'd think I'd freeze up if I was near that guy. We'd probably make things worse..."
"...we wouldn't hold a candle to him," Kirishima admitted with a sigh, "He went head to head with All Might and Ben 10K. I mean, we've seen what an Omnitrix can do up close. Ben's had his for years and even he was put on the back foot out there."
"No wonder Ben didn't want us there- at best, we'd just have our quirk stolen. At worst...we'd be dead." Izuku shook when he said that.
"...all the more reason to get stronger." Kirishima said.
"Y-yeah. You're right," Izuku said. Even with that positive end to the conversation, All Might's successor still had some doubts about everything going forward.
"I promised myself that I'd never freeze up again, and this just reinforced it!" Kirishima said, clenching his fist. "I know I don't have the best quirk, but I still wanna use it to the fullest of my abilities!"
Izuku smiled at that. He was kinda worried about Kirishima, especially seeing how close he was with Bakugou.
"Oh, yeah- almost forgot. How's your arm doing?" Kirishima asked.
"It's doing better. Still kinda hurts…" Izuku frowned. "I gotta find something to support it."
Kirishima snapped his fingers. "I may have something." He walked over to one of his drawers, and sifted through it. He took out a black compression sleeve. "Here you go! A compression sleeve like this one might help relieve some of the strain on your arm. I got some more, if you need them."
Izuku took the sleeve, and slipped it on. Kirishima was right- his arm did feel a lot better. "Hey, thanks! This does feel pretty great."
"Told ya." Kirishima grinned. "So, do you want the rest of the house tour? I gotta show you the bowling alley."
Izuku blinked. I need to spend more time with Kirishima.
When picking out parent teacher meetings, you have to choose a teacher that will not only 'vibe' with the student, but also the parents. Nedzu had some interesting 'pairs' of new teachers, so he didn't have to solely rely on Aizawa and Vlad to run the rounds. He knew each of his students, in and out. If Aizawa went to go meet with Jirou's parents, they wouldn't 'click'. So, he sent the one person who could click with anyone.
"-And, that's the general gist of it." The blonde brawler said. "The apartment floor that Kyoka will be in is MY wing, so I'll make sure that no one lays a finger on your daughter if something bad happens."
Jirou's dad, a man with shaggy dirty blond hair, hummed when he heard this. "Miss Xiao Long, right?"
"That's my name, don't wear it out." Yang joked.
"Look, my daughter may be getting better, but she still got hurt. Now you're talking about dorms like nothing even happened." The man pointed out.
"I assure you, Mr. Jirou. UA's taking your feelings to heart." Yang explained. "UA took the previous threats too lightly, and that's why 10k had to step in. UA's rexamining all of its policies, so don't stress about that. I've got no doubt that we can help her become the great hero she's meant to be."
"You don't have to butter him up like that," Jirou said, walking back with some tea. "We made the decision the second we got the notice in the mail."
"I know." Yang smirked. "If he's gonna act professional, then I can out professional him."
"W-what!?" Mr. Jirou gasped. "How did you know?"
Yang put her feet up on the table and leaned back. "I've seen this 'overprotective' dad bit so much that I know when someone's putting it on for show to look cool."
"He saw All Might's fight on TV!" Jirou added. "He said, 'with this rockin' dude teaching my daughter, she'll be up there with Brian the Sun, Kenshi Yonezu and Amazarashi!'"
"He was also crying." Mrs. Jirou said, adjusting her glasses.
"Aw, come on! I'm trying to look cool!" Mr. Jirou frowned.
"Oh, stuff it, pops." Jirou said, rolling her eyes. She looked over to Yang. "So, you're gonna be teaching us?"
"I'm an A-class hero. I know the ins and outs of fighting, and you better believe I know the best way to throw a punch." Yang said. "I'll be sorta busy these next few weeks, cuz I'm helping with some other business- but after that, I'll be around more often."
"Alright, that sounds good..." Jirou said. "How do you know Mr. Tennyson, though-?"
"I'm his sister-in-law!" Yang beamed. "And trust me, he's not as cool as he says he is."
(Ben sneezed back at Tennyson towers.)
See? Good vibe. Parents need to know their kids are going to be safe, especially when this is coming from a total stranger. Let's see another example.
Tokoyami wasn't exactly one that people knew too much about, especially when it came to his parents. However, if one were to guess, just based off of the bird-headed student's demeanor...they'd honestly get it right. Akira and Aurelio Fumikage were very much like their son, with a very gothic aesthetic to them. You could even go so far as to call them almost like the Adams' Family.
Both had professions tied to literature, with Akira being a professor for the subject and Aurelio being the author of the best-selling series "Premature Burials." Aizawa would have worked with them if he could, but his list took him nowhere near the Fumikage household. Vlad and Yang were both off the table as well, as before, they wouldn't really click with the two. So that left one other viable option, aside from Rook that is.
"Thank you for the tea," Lie Ren said as Ms. Fumikage poured him a cup, "Now...about the new arrangements. I'm sure you have some questions you'd like answered."
"Of course. I'm sure we're not alone in worrying for our son after everything that's happened," Akira said. Much like her son, she sported a black-feathered avian head.
"You are not. And I can assure you, in light of these new threats, UA's taking their security more seriously now, in addition to bringing on new staff like myself."
Aurelio opened one of his eyes. "Tell me, Mr. Ren- if you were to be faced with a situation similar to the nightmare my son endured, how would you act?"
"A good question and one I can accurately answer. I've lived through my fair share of nightmares," Ren began, "and I was afraid. Yes, for myself, its only human nature to feel fear in stressful situations. But more than that, I fear for those around me. But I've always acted in spite of my fear. I've thrown myself to the wolves for the sake of others, sometimes even literally."
Aurelio clapped. "Br-avo!"
"Oh goodness..." Akira sighed, hand covering her face.
"What, what's going on?" Ren asked.
"He's getting inspired by your personality- it's how he creates all his characters." Akira explained.
"Ah. ...now I'm wondering who's inspired by who..." Ren wondered. (Ren might have read one or two books of Aurelio's before now.)
"How does this sound- Renwald, Prince of Envy and Emissary of the Storm Goddess?" Aurelio said, putting his hands up for emphasis.
Tokoyami turned away. He didn't like getting embarassed in front of others.
"Envy?" Ren asked. It was pretty easy to figure out where the Storm Goddess came from, but...really? Envy?
"The Prince of Envy title comes from the jealousy and rage you bring out from others- an ironic title." Aurelio said, painting the picture.
"Ah...I see," Ren said. Definitely an interesting character, this guy.
Tokoyami growled. "I'll see you at UA, then..." He retreated back to his room.
So, that one was a bit weird, but the parents and teacher still vibed, right? Ren got a character inspired by him in a book, that's pretty cool.
...okay so I'm not gonna lie, the vibes between this next parent teacher conference is going to be rancid.
The teacher being sent was none other than Blake Belladonna. She was level-headed person, able to take the questions in stride and be understanding in most cases. I say most cases, because this was the one scenario that Blake absolutely hated. She got along with Weiss pretty well, so you'd think being able to handle those with incredibly wealth was easy for her. But Weiss always put herself before her money. These people were...the exact opposite, which is definitely a shock because the parents the Faunus hero had to talk to were Ami and Akira Yaoyozoru. Being totally honest...Nedzu needed someone to deal with them, but no one really fit. The Yaoyozorus had their own lofty set of standards which not many UA faculty actually met.
So why even send their daughter to UA in the first place? Easy. Because there was one hero and faculty member that did meet their standards. All Might.
"Tell me," Ami Yaoyorozu said, after a long bout of silence. "What can you offer my daughter, teaching wise? With the symbol of Peace effectively out of commission for God knows how long, I don't expect you to even be on par with his teaching."
...Toshinori is a terrible teacher, so there's that. Blake thought in her head.
"Dear, you are forgetting, she is still a pro," Akira said.
"I'm not forgetting anything. The fact of the matter is they have failed...what, three, four times in recent days? The U.S.J attack, the training camp attack, and now some poor boy's gotten his entire arm cut off under their watch!" Ami argued, almost entirely ignoring that there was still a third person in the room.
"Don't worry, Miss Yaoyorozu," Blake spoke. "The threat that we least anticipate will strike us first. Even with the symbol of Peace by its side, UA was not at all ready. UA wants to change that. In fact, many studies have shown that school safety and overall health are closely related. When students don't feel safe at school, they are more likely to feel depressed, go to class less, get lower grades, and have a harder time graduating. Even though Momo might not have any of these problems, it is very important for kids to feel safe at school so they can grow and do well in school. I can't promise that I'll be as good as All Might, but I'll fight like it if it means protecting your child."
"See?" Akira asked, hoping his wife actually agreed with what Blake said. He may not say it aloud, but he definitely felt reassured.
"I...suppose. It's just...I was hoping they would send someone with a less controversial history. Eraserhead or Vlad," Ami said.
That mention made one of Blake's ears twitch a bit. Greaaaat, she's pulling THAT card, Blake thought to herself.
"Dear..."
"I don't know why they had the gall to hire a figurehead of a so called 'peace keeping' organization, but, obviously the principal of UA is smarter than all of us! So, we just have to respect HIS wishes." Ami frowned.
"So...I take it...?" Akira asked hesitantly.
"Yes, yes, fine. I'm not entirely satisfied, but...so be it," Ami relented.
Blake sighed. "May I speak with Momo?"
"Good luck." Ami huffed. "She's been in her room ever since she got home. Barely seen her since then."
I can imagine why, Blake thought.
"Would you like me to show you the way?" Akira offered.
"Yes, please," Blake said, before the two got up and Mr. Yaoyozoru led Blake through the expansive manor's hallways towards Momo's room. There was a faint bit of light seeping out from under the door, so at least they knew Momo was still in there.
Akira sighed. "I'm sorry for my wife's behavior earlier. She's been a bit uptight recently- business isn't panning out the way we thought it would. Some delays in our new program."
"I know the Yaoyorozu family work is private, but...what is it you do, actually?" Blake asked.
"Production." Akira said.
"Just...in general, or something specific?" Blake asked.
"Hm? Oh, we dabble in a little of everything. Textiles, refining raw materials, plenty of subsidiaries."
"Hm." Blake said, as she knocked on the door. She waited a few moments, and heard some shuffling inside. Momo soon opened the door.
"Momo, sweetie- this is Blake Belladonna. She's a new teacher at UA, and she'd like to have a few words with you." Akira said.
"I...I take it you're one of those recommended by Mr. Tennyson?" Momo asked.
"Correct. May I speak to you inside?" Blake asked.
Momo paused for a moment. "Uh, of course. Dad- could you please give us some privacy?"
"Of course, sweetie. I'll be down the hall when you're finished," Mr. Yaoyorozu stepped away and let the two talk in private for now.
Blake stepped inside, as Momo gave a sigh of relief. "It's been so hard to keep the whole 'magic' thing from him recently. I appreciate the concern, but...I'm just focusing my time on practicing."
"That's right. Ben gave it you before the summer camp trip, right?" Blake asked.
"After he played villain for us, yes. He pretended to be possessed by someone called 'Zs'skayr.'"
"He did...oh, he's really digging up that old ghost?" Blake asked, shaking her head.
"He never really told me why he gave it to me." Momo said. "He just said he was under orders to."
"Yeah. Executive order." Blake said. "That book you're holding? That's the first spell book Gwen Tennyson ever used."
"That she-?" Momo looked back down at the book with a newfound awe.
"She saw a similar spark in you like Ben saw in Uraraka, I suppose." Blake said.
"She...she did?" Momo was just in complete shock now.
"Hopefully her faith isn't misplaced like the last time..." Blake hummed.
"What?" Momo asked.
"Oh, nevermind. What can you do right now?"
"The simple stuff, really. Some shields, basic blasts..." Momo listed off.
"Anything...impressive?" Blake asked, wanting a demonstration. Momo smiled, as she formed a magical sphere around her hands. She pointed her hand at a plant on her desk.
"Awakatelo Foligeto." Momo said, clenching her fist.
The plant started to grow, surrounded by a light green aura. It got taller, blooming into a vibrant blue flower.
"Impressive," Blake said, walking over. "And you've just been training?"
"Ever since I got out of the hospital." Momo said, looking down at her hand. "I'm trying not to get angry at myself over what happened at camp- but, I just feel like if I was a bit more experienced, I could've saved Bakugou and...prevented this whole mess."
"I know how you feel. I'm not just saying that as an...empty platitude, either. I've felt the exact same around your age," Blake admitted.
"Really?" Momo asked.
"There's one reason Ben sent a lot of us to UA. It's because we know what you've been through, right down to someone getting a limb hacked off." Blake said.
"And he wants to make sure that this tragedy doesn't happen again."
Blake nodded. "I'm not going to lie, but you acquired magic at a great time. Even with your very useful quirk, I think the next two years at UA are going to be harder than you could ever imagine."
Momo nodded. "I understand." Momo looked down at her hand. "...but, really…do you think if I was a little bit faster, I could've stopped everything?"
Blake looked off into the distance for a moment.
"I wonder the same thing about myself every day."
Izuku had never been to Iida's house. Again, this house was better than where he lived. But it was definitely better than Kirishima's. The teacher and student went to the front door of the Iida house. Rook rang the doorbell once and stood ready with his papers. Izuku, on the other hand, was more concerned with how big it all was; truly, this had to have been big enough for...maybe five people at most?
However, before Izuku could begin mumbling about the logistics of a house and its contents, the door started to open as the sudden gleam of glasses could be seen. Standing before the pair was a rather well dressed man with a face that to give off the impression that he was a 'no nonsense' kind of individual.
"You must be from UA." His voice gave off a more gruff but focused demeanor. Even Rook seemed to feel his own smile falter just a tad, but he was ever the optimist as Izuku seemed more surprised that Iida's dad was this…intimidating!
"Good afternoon sir, my name is Rook Blonko and I am here on behalf of UA to discuss the changes to your son's education regarding recent events."
"Alright. In a minute, my wife will be here to talk. But, Mr. Blonko, let me clarify something straight immediately..." The man in question, Nobutoshi Iida, looked like he just slightly adjusted his glasses before he looked at Izuku.
"Could you tell me why there's a second student here? If this is supposed to be a private meeting, I don't know why someone else is here."
"Ah, this is Izuku Midoriya, I have been informed that he is a friend of your son? I assure you that he is aware of the planned changes and is here to answer any questions you or your family may have."
Izuku seemed a bit nervous but tried to hide it with as genuine a smile as he could muster; "G-Good afternoon, sir!" He gave a rather polite bow before being cut off by the sudden sound of footsteps stopping close by.
"Midoriya?"
It seemed that Tenya had already been up and about since the early hours of the morning, mostly trying to help his brother whom he was currently wheeling around the house toward the living room. The man in question that was currently sitting upon the wheelchair seemed very similar in looks to Tenya himself, almost like looking into a mirror barring the glasses.
"Tenya! S-Sorry if this is sudden!" Izuku quickly held his hands out to apologize. Rook let out a light chuckle as Nobutoshi simply stepped to the side and let out a sigh.
"You may come in. But, I would prefer discussion of the changes at UA. are kept private between myself and Mr. Blonko. Tenya, you and your brother can show your friend around the house. We will inform you of our decisions regarding the changes in a short while." All parties involved seemed to feel the tension in the room rise just a little bit before the sudden appearance of a woman caused things to shift a little further.
"Nobutoshi Iida, what have I told you about being too full on with guests?"
She seemed fairly short in comparison to her husband but still maintained a rather serious no-nonsense demeanor. Izuku was quick to recognize who this was, as was Rook who seemed to smile a little more.
"Perfect timing. I'm happy to make your acquaintance again, Miss Naoki."
"Wait, Mom, you know this guy?"
Naoki Iida, specialized defense attorney, was well known for her work during a number of cases that were put against various heroes. A lot of those cases were often-times done out of spite and were done to try and tarnish the name of those involved, but many times she also worked to find the truth of the matter in any case.
Needless to say, her name was pretty prominent amongst law enforcement and support-class heroes alike.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Blonko. I apologize for my husband's stern demeanor. But he is right, we should be discussing this in private."
"No, right now I think most of my questions can be answered or talked about with Midoriya. Please, just let me know when you're ready and I'll come see you both."
Such a coordinated family! It was like clockwork here. All three Iidas gave a soft nod to one another, the parents absconding from the room toward the much larger and homier living room - Rook giving Izuku a small nod of his own as he also shook the hand of Tensei Iida in the process.
"Well now, you didn't tell me that you were making so many friends, Tenya." Tensei broke the sudden silence as he seemed to look to Izuku and back to his little brother with a teasing smile.
"Don't act like it was impossible for me!" Iida seemed to move his hands a little out of what could only be described as embarrassment or potential flusteredness. Maybe Iida had difficulty with friend-making like Izuku did?
The sudden laughter made it feel a little more like home, and Tensei quickly leaned up just a little bit. Izuku got a little bit of cold feet when he realized he was talking to the most recent active member of the Ingenium name. This made him feel like he was excited again. Though after what had happened with the likes of Stain, Izuku knew that perhaps those days might have long passed now.
"Sorry, I'm a little nervous to be talking to a pro like you up close."
"Huh? I'm not saying you shouldn't, but right now we're inside our house and not outside. Relax a bit, and believe me when I say that if Tenya has made a good friend out of you, then you're also my friend. Just call me Tensei instead of Ingenium, alright?"
"Right…" Izuku cleared his throat a little before suddenly hearing another sound coming from upstairs.
"Uuuugh! Tenya, Tensei, which one of you assholes is too loud down there?" It was anotherwoman's voice. It was much louder and more brazen, and it was enough to make both brothers glance up. They all suddenly saw a rather...tired looking lady who appeared to be at least in her early to mid-twenties, the same age as Tensei.
"Sis, you're the one doing hero work until early in the morning. Maybe slow down a little and you won't be woken up like this!" Tensei called back, and the girl gave a rather annoyed groan in response.
"You're annoying! ANNOYING! I'm busy busting my ass out there, and you gotta try and be like Mom?"
"Ooooh, don't get me started Toshiko! Don't you get me started-" With a playful bit of anger the two siblings seemed to argue, all whilst Tenya tried his best to diffuse the situation.
Izuku seemed to think a little - even though she showed a more tired demeanor, he had absolutely seen this girl before. She was known simply as 'The Night Rider', a nocturnal heroine that spent a lot of her time busting up the nightlife thuggery that went on across some of the various districts in Japan.
Some heroes often chose to work at certain hours of the day with many choosing to be more out in the open due to a mixture of easier publicity or potentially just preferring to work during the usual business hours. Some heroes on the other hand would choose to work at much more off the clock hours, such as Toshiko, these pros more often had quirks that were more suited for the nighttime environment or simply preferred to be out at much later times as that was when crime happened to spike or there were more incidences that could occur.
As The Night Rider, Toshiko had made a name for herself as being very similar to some other rough and tough style Pros that seemed to make a good image for themselves by beating the crap out of those that caused issues during the nightlife, especially around the busier districts.
But what's bad about that kind of work? The hours meant that you probably wouldn't be able to get in until the sun came up or later. Toshiko had just graduated from a school like Ketsubutsu Academy, so she was finally getting her first real job that wasn't an assignment or an internship.
But her being tired like this meant she was always willing to pick a fight till she got her sleep.
"Okay, okay, we'll stop making so much noise, sis. At least try not to cause a scene when we have guests over? Mom and Dad are already talking about what happened with UA. We should at least give them some space." As Tensei returned his gaze to Izuku, Toshiko just bent down with her hands on her hips before lifting a single brow.
"Huh. This is what UA is accepting these days? Ain't lookin' like much to me."
"I'll have you know that Izuku Midoriya is one of the finest students that UA has to offer-!" Tenya was about to spill off into a rant before being quickly silenced by Toshiko just letting out another groan.
"Less talk, more do. The kids' here to talk about shit so ya might as well get started alright? I'll be gettin' breakfast."
"Toshiko, it's past midday…" Tensei uttered.
"Any meal is breakfast if ya let it be. Now move."
Izuku seemed surprised by how different she was from what people usually think of when they think of the Iida family. She might have been thought of as the "black sheep" of the family.
"I'm sorry about her, but she just finished a big raid last night and was pretty out of it when she got home around...six? But I'm going to go help her because she's doing a lot and still needs help. You guys have fun!" Tensei smiled and moved slowly toward the kitchen on his wheelchair, leaving Tenya and Izuku to slowly make their way upstairs to Iida's room.
As expected, Tenya kept his room fairly well maintained, it very much seemed like the kind you would see in a University dorm already. But even with that, it also sported a surprisingly large array of glasses…
Why did he need so many glasses?
What could one man do with so many glasses?
These were the secrets that Izuku would never find out, no man asks what one man does with all these glasses.
"So… What are you looking for? I mean, you seemed to know why Rook came around, but it's been a while, so I guess you have a lot to talk about." Izuku began as he paused to consider how he would even begin to answer any of the questions Iida would raise.
"My parents had already told me about the changes. Living in a dorm would be a nice change of pace, but I have to say that it seems a bit...soon to go back. After all that's happened with Stain, now All for One? I don't know how they can keep that attitude of moving forward, but I'm still going to be a part of it as much as I can." Iida declared, smiling as he turned to face Izuku.
"I am your class president, after all." He seemed to be joking at such a remark, but he also knew that maybe it held a bit more weight…people did look to him for advice in 1-A and it would only be something he'd need to remember when becoming Ingenium. People would always look to him for guidance and help, just like any pro hero.
"Right well…What else did you wanna ask?"
"How's Bakugou?"
Every time someone asked that question Izuku almost felt a lump form in his throat, especially considering how sternly Tenya seemed to ask. It was like one moment he was more relaxed and the next he flipped on that stern class president vibe in an instant.
Just like he had spoken with Kirishima before, Izuku still had no idea if maybe there was a chance that they could have saved their classmate from the rather grizzly fate that had occurred. Losing an arm, a part of yourself, is a very prominent thing…
"Well…I heard he's in physical therapy now and is probably going to be back a little after we start back at UA."
Tenya simply nodded before starting to make a few notes, scribbling down on a small notepad. "Right, I shall have to ask Aizawa-sensei for some copies of the work to be sent to his residence. It's a lot of time to miss on a course like this, and with how intense I'm sure things will get he cannot fall behind."
As much as some people may have said otherwise, Tenya still held a modicum of respect for Bakugou, he would rather die himself than see him fall behind. He had the potential for a great hero…it was just that attitude of his that set him apart.
"It's funny, Kirishima kind of brought that up as well. Once he shows up, I guess we'll all try to get him back into things." Izuku gave a small smile, but it was clear that he was trying to hide the awkward thoughts that were going through his mind at that moment.
"What's up with All Might? I know that not much has come out because the latest press releases have been held up... But perhaps you know something else?"
The way that Iida phrased that, it seemed to make Izuku stop right in his tracks for a second. It sounded almost like an interrogation for a second as he tried to think of the right answer for such a question. Did he know about the training, the successor plan, all of it?!
"U-Uhm… Well, I know that All Might could be taking a break from being a hero or even retiring because of what's going on. But again, the press release hasn't come out yet, so I can't really tell you until it does." Izuku took a deep breath and sighed. He couldn't let them know yet... He hoped that he could tell Tenya everything when the time was right.
"You're right. I'm sorry, but you seem to know a lot about All Might, so I thought you'd know if there were any leaks. However, after everything that's happened, he does deserve his privacy." Tenya smiled slightly. Then he spotted the marks on Izuku's arms and appeared worried; he wasn't going to provide the same gift as Kirishima had, but he did begin to swiftly dig through his numerous drawers.
"Midoriya, have you ever thought about updating the guards for your knees and elbows? My brother recommended them for myself when updating my costume design. Perhaps it could be fitting for you as well?"
"Huh? I mean, it's not that bad…is it?"
"No, not at all. I just wanted you to be safe when you used your quirk. Maybe you could spend some time with the heroes of the Support Class? I've talked to their teacher a few times, and they'd be happy to have some new faces down there. Even if it's just to see what works best for you."
"Tenya, that's…I actually hadn't thought about that before. I might take that offer!"
"Perfect, I know that with all that's happened we all want to try and update and upgrade so I thought it was worth getting into contact with everyone sooner rather than later to set something up." Tenya was definitely more on top of things than even some staff members, it was a wonder that he hadn't gotten higher positions before!
"Now, although I'm all packed and ready to return to UA shortly... I need to think about something other than what has been going on. Would you mind staying for a while? My family may be a little overbearing, but they are quite friendly to every visitor."
Izuku's smile brightened even more as he agreed. "Oh, yeah! Can you show me around?"
Tenya nodded. "I'd be delighted."
Outside of Tenya's room, both Tensei and Toshiko seemed to be listening in and giving each other looks. It looked like their little brother had finally opened up, and they couldn't have been happier.
Ben and Ochako were walking around the building after Ruby had made the decision to return Senna to her crib for a nap. They were just talking about... well, whatever. Ben and Ochako chatted about anything and everything that came to mind, trying to distract themselves from the worries they both had.
"So, they just shoved you in a ball and rolled you around all day." Ben said. "That sucks."
"It helped me parallel process or whatever—I dunno, it was more like being on a really sucky rollercoaster. Being in the ball was disorienting, but it got my heart racing and I felt an adrenaline rush like never before." Ochako said. "Plus, it gave me time to think about my new strategy."
Ben's interest was piqued. "Go on."
"Well, I remembered something about the voice control function, so I started to experiment with that. "So, I can land a few normal hits, use my quirk, and then shift into another alien to continue the combo chain." Ochako explained.
"Like a canceling move in a video game- nice. I like it." Ben nodded. "I never had a quirk to experiment with, so you have that over me. Pretty brilliant strategy."
"Thank you!"
"No, seriously. That's one of the reasons I picked you. During your fight with Bakugo, you displayed exceptional creativity, strategy, opponent knowledge, resourcefulness, and endurance. Bakugo's most powerful asset is his raw combat ability: his powerful quirk and quick reflexes. However, it is also his greatest weakness. He's spent his entire life relying solely on his raw power, so he has a lot of blind spots." Ben elaborated. "And you took advantage of every one of them. All the other battles at that point were pretty standard- Shinsou had a pretty fantastic quirk, and while it could be good for setting up his attacks, I didn't get enough to gage his creativity in battle. And then we had...Mei's infomercial."
Ochako shuddered. "Poor Iida. At least he got to show off later."
"I feel like Azmuth would kill me for giving the watch to her." Ben said.
"Who's Azmuth?"
"I'm crossing your fingers you won't meet him someday."
Ochako thought for a moment that Azmuth might be a powerful god who made the Omnitrix, but the thought went away quickly.
"As for Momo, I wouldn't call it a fight. More like being constantly on guard and defending." Ben continued. "I saw more of her ingenuity with the cavalry battle, so I was pretty disappointed when Tokoyami took her out before she could do anything. But you, on the other hand, put everything you had into a fight against an overwhelming power. I...even kinda cried when you lost."
Ochako's eyebrows went up as she heard that. "Still emotional from the news with the baby, I take it."
"Yeah, kinda." Ben admitted. "And...now, here you are. Applying that ingenuity in a way I didn't even think to do when I was a kid. I respect the efforts. But you still have a long way to go."
"I still do need to get my provisional license, after all. Then I'll be able to show off properly." Ochako said. Ben's smile went down a bit when she said that.
"Oh, yeah...we need to talk about that." Ben said, rubbing his head.
"Is something wrong?" Ochako asked.
"No, it's just...well, after you get your license and some more updates on Toshinori, Ruby and I are gonna head back to Bellwood. In America." Ben explained.
Ochako had forgotten all about that. With Senna born early, that probably complicated plans for everything else in their lives.
"W-wow." Ochako said. "So, who's gonna take care of your Japan office?"
"It was originally going to be Rook, but recent plans have shifted that." Ben said. "I don't know how to explain who's taking over, to be honest. Plus, it's funny to just hype this dude up- he's kind of a weirdo."
Ochako looked sad. "Well, I get it, but...I dunno, I always felt better knowing you were just a 5 minute run as XLR8 away. And I don't think Big Chill can fly across an ocean."
"I'll admit- I'm wary of my leave, but...I feel like Japan's gonna be in safe hands with this new generation of heroes." Ben said, looking out a window. "I kinda envy your class- I never went to a hero academy. I got my Provisional License from Plumber academy, and I kinda just leapt into the action from there. I never even finished high school!"
Ochako blinked. "You're supposed to be a good role model, y'know."
"And a good role model is saying that college is bogus and save your money. That's a good role model to have, especially when you're frugal."
Ochako shrugged. "Fair."
"But…for real. As bad as this tragedy is, it's nice to know your classmates are aware that you have the Omnitrix." Ben said. "And they're cool with it, too! And you got my friends who are-"
"Are you…worried things are gonna fall apart?"
Ben paused.
"I mean, don't misunderstand me or anything. I know you want to protect us, but with all you're doing for us, this feels a little too much." Ochako acknowledged. "Like, I feel like you trust us but not the rest of the world."
Ben looked out the window for a while longer.
"Life is unfair." Ben exhaled." After a while, you find it out and spend your life dealing with it. It's a harsh, unchangeable fact. Ever since the dawn of time, people from throughout the world have failed to change it. Life unfairly treats everyone. Someone is heartbroken and bankrupt. Millions struggle to be themselves. Since All Might's hero career ended, it's gonna be harder."
"You're not trying to soften the blow. You're just trying to…help us." Ochako said.
"My friends are people who know the pain of the world- and they'll teach you their mistakes, so you don't make theirs." Ben said. "They're…just trying to do something that I can't."
"And that is?"
"Be there for you in what could potentially be the scariest years of your formative life."
That would stick with Ochako for a while.
"We didn't have the best adult figures. They were either immoral, alcoholic, or..." Ben hesitated. "Motivated by something else. And we were just kids trying to get by. We can't go back and force those people to change. We just became the adults we needed. I'm not trying to shame Aizawa or any other UA staff- it's just…"
Ben took a deep breath.
"I get it." Ochako said. "And, believe me. I'm scared just thinking about life without All Might at the helm. Everyone else is doing everything they can, so it's only fair that I do the same. But…to be honest, when I saw All Might and all my classmates struggling, with the odds stacked against them, it got me thinking… Who protects the heroes when they need protecting?"
"...I don't know."
"Then that's how I'll spend the rest of my time at UA- not just working to help my parents, but help the other heroes around me." Ochako said. "Heroes are made by the choices they make, not by how powerful they are. Like you said, the Omnitrix is a tool for helping, so…might as well extend a hand."
Ben smiled again when he heard that.
"Another reason I chose you- you totally get what I'm going for." Ben said. "Now, where were we?"
"Just having a conversation about whatever- is it true you didn't graduate from high school?" Ochako asked, as they walked again.
"I mean, I have a doctorate from Fredkin University. I guess that counts." Ben said.
"Seriously!?"
"Calm down, it's in Pathology. Boring work in front of a microscope all day long sounds super cool on a resume, but I just use it to annoy Gwen and Endeavor…" Ben explained.
In spite of all the fear, there was a single spark of hope still yet to be extinguished. Today affirmed both Izuku and Ochako's fears for the future were pointless. When you have good friends and allies, the future looks more and more promising.
…but neither of them realized they still had one more 'obstacle' to get through before Class 1-A could really be 'whole' again.