Having Katsuki Bakugo as a near-friend for the first time since they were four wasn't exactly the game-changer Izuku might have imagined. Sure, Bakugo had this almost magical influence over the rest of the school—a born leader, a trendsetter, an all-around force of nature. But even with all that power, Bakugo couldn't completely stop their classmates from being their classmates. While the insults still got thrown around, at least now they were usually cut short by Bakugo telling them to shut the fuck up.

Not that Izuku was sure Bakugo did it for him. Honestly, it sometimes seemed like Bakugo was more interested in saving the morons from a possible throat punch after the last time he pushed their luck. Either way, there was only a week left of school, so Izuku figured he could tough it out.

Today was a little different, though. There was actually something to be excited about. The young hunter had been promised a surprise when he got home, so, naturally, the clock refused to move forward, and on a few occasions he could swear it ticked backwards.

What the surprise could be, he had no idea. It wasn't his birthday, he had no need of new weaponry, his dad was on yet another search for bigfoot and not due home for several weeks, and that All Might movie he wanted to see wasn't out on streaming until next Tuesday (he'd marked the date). That was everything he wanted or was looking forward to, but his mother very clearly said that it was "Something he had been waiting a long time for."

Maybe he was finally getting an N64!

Izuku ran up the apartment stairs three at a time, mind abuzz with all the cool games he'd get to play now. Glover! Quest 64! Daikatana! …On second thoughts, maybe he didn't want an N64 anymore? Maybe not. But then again, there was always Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. That alone could be worth it.

"Hey, mom. I'm home." Izuku called out, as casually as could be. No fun in acting surprised straight away, he had to pretend he didn't know what he was getting, after all.

"Just in the kitchen, honey." Came his mother's reply. Izuku hung his bag up, kicked off his shoes and made his way over, excitement welling up inside him.

He pushed the door open, "Hi, school was okay, you said you wanted to–"

Izuku's brain short-circuited the moment he stepped into the kitchen. His mother wasn't alone. Sitting beside her was a man with stark white hair, an absurdly long collar, a purple scarf, and the worst excuse for facial hair Izuku had ever had the misfortune of being a party to. In one hand, he held a delicate teacup (one he'd clearly brought from home) filled to the spilling point with a dark, red liquid.

Izuku's heart raced as he watched the man casually sip his tea. For one pivotal second, Izuku caught a glimpse of something sharp flashing between his lips. Fangs.

The stake left Izuku's sleeve before he even thought about it, acting entirely on impulse. There was no time to think— vampire. Sitting in his kitchen. Right next to his mom. It had clearly enthralled her somehow, and Izuku wasn't about to let it harm her any further.

The stake whizzed through the air, flying straight for the vampire's heart. But the man didn't even flinch. No fear, no panic. He simply continued to sip his tea as though nothing had happened.

Just as the stake was about to hit its mark, Izuku heard his mother's sharp voice. "Izuku, what on earth are you doing?!" Inko's quirk activated, and she yanked the stake out of the air, causing it to veer off course and embed itself harmlessly in the wall behind them.

"Mom! He's a vampire!" Izuku's voice pitched with desperation as he jabbed his finger towards the white-haired man, who was now calmly dabbing his napkin against his moustache, completely unfazed by the accusation.

The man raised an eyebrow, completely unbothered. "Guilty as charged," he said smoothly

Izuku stood there, down a stake and stunned, while his mom gave him a very hard stare. "Izuku, please. It's rude to attack guests."

"Rude to attack–Mom! He's a vampire!"

The vampire chuckled, leaning back in his chair as though this were all a delightful misunderstanding. "Indeed I am, young man," he replied.

Inko held a finger up to halt her son before he could retort, "Izuku, sit down, behave rationally, and we'll explain."

Without taking his eyes off the vampire for a single second, Izuku loudly dragged a chair out and sat down, before pulling an assortment of stakes, knives, and a small throwing axe from his pockets and placing them all on the table

Inko spoke with a smile, as though this was something she had been waiting to reveal for quite some time. "Izuku, this is Danjuro. He's an old friend of mine." She paused, letting that sink in before adding, "Danjuro is a liaison between our family and the occult societies of the city. This was your surprise, dear."

Before Izuku could fully process what was happening, Tobita cleared his throat, as if preparing for a grand stage performance. "I would hate for us to get off on the wrong foot, so please allow me to properly introduce myself." He began an exaggerated bow in his seat, rotating his arms grandly. "Danjuro Tobita, at your service. Born 1853. …Died 1884. Though I am, as you so astutely pointed out, a vampire, I have not consumed a drop of blood in over ninety years, and I have no intention of doing so in the future."

Izuku stared at Tobita, completely at a loss for words. A vampire who hadn't drunk blood in nearly a century? "...Bullshit." he finally said.

"Izuku!" Inko exclaimed.

"Allow the boy his scepticism, Inko," Tobita said, waving his hand dismissively. "I too once found it to be a rather unbelievable notion." He picked up his empty teacup and slid it across the table. "You see, most vampires surrender their humanity too easily in their relentless pursuit of their crimson ichor." He rolled his Rs dramatically. "But rest assured, I am nothing like those uncouth creatures. Their behaviour, frankly, is beneath me."

Still glaring, Izuku picked up the cup and sniffed it cautiously. His brow furrowed in confusion. "...This is tea."

"Indeed it is, my young friend!" Tobita declared. "Rooibos tea, to be exact. A source rich in iron! It is my secret, the way I have conquered my darker urges, slain my dragon and kept myself civilised all these years." He paused for effect, before adding, "And, of course, it has a delightfully smooth aftertaste."

The look of suspicion never fell from Izuku's face, but he managed to relax a little. "Fine."

Inko sighed, "Now that we have gotten past that , we can move on. Izuku, now that you're finishing middle-school, it's time you got first-hand experience with other aspects of the 'family business'."

"Other aspects?"

"Indeed so," Tobita said. "While monster slaying is an integral part of your family legacy, some things are not quite as simple as a silver bullet."

"Danjuro helps us to keep the peace between the factions, letting us know when cracks start to appear or when we need to… Step in." His mother continued to explain.

"I visit with your family intermittently to keep you abreast on how things are progressing, and have done for many a year." Tobita finished.

Izuku frowned, "I don't understand? So... we're just letting them roam around freely?" he asked, his voice a mix of frustration and confusion. "Isn't that dangerous? People could get hurt!"

Tobita smiled softly, though his expression carried a hint of sadness. "It's more complicated than you think, my friend. Many of these creatures simply wish to coexist. They have families, lives, just like humans do. It's the ones who stray, those who seek power or vengeance, that we must be cautious of. We cannot wage war on an entire world."

Izuku opened his mouth to argue, but Inko gently interrupted. "I know this is a lot to take in," she said. "But we've learned that balance is key. Going after every single creature would only cause chaos and harm, and in some cases... it might make things worse."

Tobita nodded. "Precisely. The goal is to preserve peace wherever possible, and that means diplomacy. The supernatural world is vast and varied, and like humans, they are not all evil."

Tapping his finger on the table in thought, Izuku asked, "Then… I suppose you should let me know how things are, um… progressing."

"Indeed I should!" Tobita clapped his hands, "A delightful boy you've raised, my dear! Pragmatic!" He coughed and calmed himself. "Ahem, yes, the briefing. Well, first thing of note: the gargoyle community wishes to expand a territory further north into the mountain regions,"

"We'll have to tread lightly, the mountains aren't always welcoming to newcomers." Inko replied.

"Quite. The vampires and werewolves are still disputing access to the southern forests. The wolves insist on using it in order to safely transform, the vampires insist that it's sacred land," Tobita's face briefly tightened with frustration. "An age-old dispute that doesn't seem show any sign of resolution. They're both too stubborn and deeply rooted in their beliefs, but we're managing to avoid any serious conflicts–so far."

Inko sighed and rubbed her temples, "I thought we'd made some headway there but I guess not… There's a full moon approaching, tensions are likely to flare again."

"What else, what else…" Tobita looked at the ceiling and tapped his chin. "Ah, yes. The gorgons still refuse a seat on the council."

Izuku perked up, "Gorgons are in the city? Like, with snakes for hair?"

"They've been refusing for years now, I don't understand the resistance." Inko frowned, "They've got power, influence, god knows the hero community is full of them… It'd only benefit them to have a say in matters that affect the supernatural community too. They're too secretive for their own good."

"Happy to enforce their own rules, and yet no desire to participate in broader governance." Tobita added. "A shame."

"So, what do we do about them?"

Inko and Tobita exchanged a glance before she responded. "For now, nothing. We maintain a respectful distance, keep the peace as best we can, and hope they come around in their own time. Pressuring them could lead to unnecessary conflict."

Izuku groaned. "Why does this sound like herding cats? Potentially deadly cats."

"An apt analogy, young man!" Tobita laughed. "Which leads me quite nicely on to my next point. Are you familiar with kappas?"

"Sure," Izuku answered with a light shrug. "Water dwelling spirits, harmless if you're respectful. Why?"

"There have been a number of reports of children being attacked in the rivers to the south-east, which may put undue attention on the area. If at all possible, it would be lovely if you could head there at your earliest convenience and rid us of the inconvenience, it would be of great help."

"Kappas huh…" Izuku picked his knives up from the table and started to hide them around his person once again, "Okay, that should be simple enough. I do have one more question before I go, though."

"You have but to ask."

Izuku narrowed his eyes, "Why do you look so familiar to me?"

Tobita turned slightly in his chair, "I simply have one of those faces…"

But Izuku was having none of it. He snapped his fingers as a lightbulb went off in his head. "Wait!" He pointed an accusatory finger at Tobita. "I… I recognize you!"

Tobita's smirk vanished instantly. His expression shifted to one of vague discomfort, as though would have preferred to be anywhere else at that moment. "I'm sure you're mistaken," he deflected, glancing away.

"No!" Izuku insisted, undeterred. "I definitely know you! Dracula, 1931! You were outside the theatre! Your hair was different, but it was definitely you!"

Tobita shifted in his seat, crossing one leg over the other and turning away slightly, doing his best to appear aloof. "I insist, young man, you have me confused with another…"

Izuku's enthusiasm deflated like a balloon. "Oh…" he murmured, looking genuinely disappointed. "That's sad. I love that movie. Tod Browning is one of my favourite directors."

Tobita, who had been doing his utmost to remain calm and dignified, suddenly whipped around, his eyes blazing with an unexpected fury. "Young man," he began, his voice rising with exasperation, "Tod Browning was an alcoholic menace to both himself and others who could barely direct a pigeon to flap its wings and say 'coo!' His greatest contribution to the film industry was neglecting his duties and allowing Karl Freund to direct his so-called magnum opus for him!"

He slapped a hand on the table for emphasis, rattling the teacups. "If Browning is your favourite director, then I fear for the future of cinema! Nay, for the future of this country!" Tobita finished, huffing in frustration.

"Danjuro, dear," Inko patted him on the arm. "It was almost two hundred years ago, it's time to move on."

Izuku was silent for a beat, then tentatively asked. "...What was Bela Lugosi like?"

"Quite lovely," Tobita said with a fond smile, picking up his teacup once more. "A true gentleman, through and through. He carried himself with such grace." He took another sip of tea.

Later on, Izuku found himself perched on a high tree branch, trying his best to remain steady despite the wobble that came with the territory. While precarious, it offered him a perfect view of the rivers below, the water rippling softly below him. One hand gripping the stem of the tree, he fished the Creature Compendium out of his inside pocket and checked he had his facts straight.

Kappa

These water-dwelling tricksters are as sneaky as they are strange! Kappas love to play pranks on unsuspecting passersby, often luring them to the water's edge with promises of friendship. But beware – once you're close enough, they may try to drag you into the depths! Kappas are also notoriously polite! If you bow to one, it'll feel compelled to bow back, spilling the water on their head and rendering it powerless!

"Alright, easy enough," he nodded to himself, "Catch it off guard, get it bow, rest should be easy."

Then, something caught his eye.

A shadow beneath water darted through the currents with an unnatural speed, and Izuku held his breath as he focused on the movements. That has to be a kappa. If he can get it to stop moving, that'll be the first step managed. With steady movements, he withdrew a knife from his belt, and tracked the figure, waiting for the perfect moment.

In one fluid motion, he flung the knife just in front of the moving figure, ensuring his attack wouldn't hit the creature but instead alter its movements. The aim was confident, but before it could land, the kappa veered to the side, dodging with lightning speed.

Izuku's eyes widened in surprise just as the shadow burst from the water directly towards him. He had barely a second to register what was happening, and that it wasn't a kappa at all, before a girl in a green and white striped one piece swimsuit kicked him directly in the face.

"Wahh!" Izuku yelped as the force of the kick sent him tumbling off the branch. Smacking into the tree painfully on the way down, he eventually managed to grab hold of a low branch.

The girl landed gracefully on the same branch, her foot crushing the hand that was clinging on. Izuku looked up at the huge eyes staring down at him, as she adopted a frog like pose.

"Why did you attack me, ribbit?"

Izuku blinked through the pain, "I'm sorry! I… I thought you were someone else!"

She tilted her head, and blinked slowly. "Someone else..?" the girl put a quizzical finger to her chin, "Oh, you mean the kappa."

"You know about them?!" Izuku said in shock, before remembering the secrecy he was supposed to be maintaining when fighting monsters. "Um, I mean… no..?"

"It's okay, ribbit. I spend a lot of time here, I've seen them lots of times. You won't find them by tossing knives at every shadow, ribbit."

Izuku flushed with embarrassment, but managed to smile sheepishly as she pulled him up to the branch. "Noted." He glanced back toward the water. "Do you… know where they are?"

She gave him a long, appraising look before answering. "Maybe. But are you going to throw anything else at me before I tell you?" She paused, then added. "I'm Tsuyu Asui, by the way."

"Izuku Midoriya," he replied, rubbing where he had been kicked. "And I promise, no more knives. Just looking to deal with the problem."

Tsuyu expertly dove into the water, before poking her head up a second later. "Then follow me. The kappas are nearby."

She was a fast swimmer, much faster than Izuku could even run, which made him feel bad about the amount of times she had to stop to wait for him. Her movements were smooth and graceful, Izuku's were clumsy and unrefined by comparison–despite the amount of time he had spent teaching himself treetop traversal. After a short while of speeding along the riverbank, Tsuyu abruptly stopped.

"There," she croaked, pointing to a small, secluded cove where the water was darker and still. "They like to hide in the shadows, ribbit."

Izuku followed where she was pointed and squinted into the dim light. At first, he couldn't see anything apart from the slow, rippling water. But as his eyes adjusted, he spotted them, small figures with slick green skin. There were at least a dozen, their beady eyes peering out over the surface of the water and scanning the riverbed.

"I wasn't expecting this many…" Izuku muttered, "There's twelve of them."

"Yep, ribbit." Tsuyu nodded. "There never used to be this many, but more keep appearing. They've been causing a lot of trouble."

"I really wish I'd bought something to swim in…" Izuku sighed, before rotating his shoulders. "Alright, let's do this."

The plan was simple: draw the kappas out, force them to bow, take away their power. If the two of them split up, each taking one side of the cove, then Tsuyu's amphibious agility gave her the clear advantage in the water while Izuku could handle the Kappas that made it to the land. Carefully, he pulled a rock from his pocket, making sure not to draw too much attention just yet.

He nodded to Tsuyu, a sign to begin, and she let out a loud, deliberate splash. The kappas immediately turned their tiny eyes towards her, and swam forwards with surprising speed, their webbed hands cutting the water like a hot knife through butter.

"Get ready!" he yelled to her, and made his move. With perfect aim, the stone he threw struck a rock on the riverbed, aiming to divert their attention and sending the kappa into a brief moment of confusion.

This was all the time Tsuyu needed, leaping out of the water in a graceful arc, water beads flowing off her body and glinting in the sunlight as she passed over the kappa's heads. She then tucked in her legs, and did an almighty bomb into the waters, the force creating a small wave that pushed the kappa towards land.

Some of the kappa blinked in surprise as they were beached, doing their utmost to keep the bowls on their heads full, when Izuku loudly cleared his throat, diverting their attention once more.

In one smooth motion, Izuku bowed deeply. The kappa were momentarily taken aback, before a handful reflexively bowed back, tipping their water.

Seeing the opportunity, leapt to the other side of the bank, where another group had tried to make an escape, repeating the bow. More kappas fell.

The remaining kappas, realising they were being outmanoeuvred, began to scramble. Some tried to retreat back into the water, while others attempted to gang up on Tsuyu and Izuku, hoping their numbers would give them the upper hand. But Tsuyu moved like a blur, her long tongue snapping out to grab hold of one kappa, pulling it close before she swiftly bowed. The kappa, confused, bowed back and was immediately neutralised.

By now, the kappas were starting to panic. Their numbers were dwindling, and their attacks were becoming more desperate. But Tsuyu and Izuku were in perfect sync, their movements fluid and coordinated. Together, they made quick work of the remaining kappas, each one falling victim to their own politeness until, at last, only one was left standing.

The final kappa stood at the edge of the water, glaring at Izuku with narrowed eyes. It was larger than the others, its skin a darker shade of green and its expression far more menacing. Izuku could feel the tension in the air as the creature crouched low, preparing to strike.

Before it could lunge, Tsuyu landed softly beside Izuku, her eyes locked on the last kappa. "We've got this, ribbit," she said calmly.

Together, they raised their arms in perfect symmetry, preparing to unleash the most polite attack anyone had ever seen. Light seemed to shimmer behind them, rainbows reflecting off the surface of the water. "PLEASE!" they both yelled in unison "ACCEPT OUR HUMBLE APOLOGIES!"

The two of them bowed with such force, such brutal manners, that the kappa felt as though it had been struck by a hurricane. Its eyes widened in shock as it threw a hand up in an attempt to shield itself from the gesture.

Slowly…reluctantly…the kappa dipped its head in response, tipping forward just enough to spill the water from the bowl on its head. Time seemed to freeze for a moment as the last few drops splashed to the ground. The kappa, now powerless, wobbled on its feet before collapsing with a soft thud.

The riverbank was calm once more.

Izuku took a sigh of relief, "Thanks for helping me out, Asui."

"Hmm…" She said thoughtfully, "You can call me Tsu. My phone is in my bag on the other end of the river, you can have my number, ribbit."

"O-oh! Uh, sure! I-I-I mean, that sounds great!" Izuku stammered, completely unprepared for this level of social interaction.

Fighting monsters was one thing, but socialising with a girl? You can't expect the world.