After wrapping up the intense Battle Trial simulation, Izuku headed back towards the classroom to finish up homeroom before being dismissed for the day. But he had other plans in mind - he was supposed to meet up with his friends Itsuka and Kinoko at the main gates after classes let out.
He had heard through the grapevine that Ochaco was enrolled in some advanced elective about synthesizing magical gemstones, which admittedly piqued his curiosity far more than the mandatory Ceremonial Mage courses they were all required to take.
Still, he wondered why he'd even been assigned to that class in the first place. It's not like he needed to learn how to siphon ambient mana from the dregs of Elsewhere, nor would they pay to see his body.
The one upside was that his classmates all seemed pretty chill so far. He just hoped neither the hot-headed Nana nor the prim princess Ochaco would immediately start throwing hands the second they inevitably crossed paths. While Nana harbored an open disdain for the Royal Avalon lineage, he had a niggling suspicion that Ochaco wouldn't simply sit idly by if provoked.
Izuku sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps reached his ears - tap tap tap. There was a brief hiss of compressed air being expelled as someone released the canister of what he assumed was some kind of aerosol spray. Pssst. Then he felt a pair of relatively small yet calloused hands gently cover his eyes from behind.
"G-guess who, shroom?" A familiar feminine voice lilted with forced casualness.
Izuku couldn't resist the urge to tease her a bit. "Hmm, someone as cute as they sound?" he replied with an impish grin.
"Wh-EH?" The girl behind him stammered in surprise, clearly flustered by his flirtatious remark.
"Haha! You make it so easy, Kinoko," he chuckled, turning around to face the petite mushroom girl perched atop one of her fungal stools to match his taller height.
Kinoko's cheeks were dusted with an rosy blush as she averted her warm brown eyes demurely. "G-Geez! Don't tease me like that, shroom," she whined, though the tiny smile tugging at her lips betrayed her embarrassment.
"I'm just calling it like I see it," Izuku replied with an easy shrug, surprising her by doubling down on the compliment. "Anyway, any idea where our tardy friend is?" he asked, glancing around for any sign of their other companion.
"I think she's still finishing things up with the rest of our class, shroom," Kinoko explained, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Ever since we enrolled here at UA, Monoma's been extra persistent about challenging 1-A to some kind of showdown or other, shroom."
Izuku quirked one emerald brow higher. "Persistent how, exactly?"
"He keeps insisting our entire class take on 1-A to prove our 'superiority' or whatever, shroom," she clarified with a weary roll of her eyes. "Itsuka kinda fell into being the big sis role for all of us, so it's up to her to reel his antics in most days, shroom."
"Ahh I see, I see," Izuku murmured with an understanding nod. The mental image of Itsuka constantly having to play mediator for the hotheaded Neito's over-the-top bravado was depressingly on-brand. "Yeah, I can totally picture her gravitating towards that protective big sister role. She's got that natural leadership quality."
"Exactly, shroom!" Kinoko agreed with a vigorous nod.
"But anyway, while we wait for her to get done babysitting the chaos...why don't you tell me more about how your first few days here have been so far."
"It's fun, shroom. Everyone's so friendly everywhere, shroom," Kinoko said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Though our homeroom teacher sounds a lot like Monoma, to be honest, so there's that, shroom," she continued with a sigh.
Izuku laughed at her playful nosiness as they started strolling aimlessly down the path, hands tucked casually into his pockets. "Well, mine's definitely been...an experience, that's for sure," he began wryly. "I've been having a blast getting to know my new classmates, even if our homeroom teacher seems like kind of an asshole..."
As he recounted the previous day's quirk apprehension test and how their lazy instructor had threatened to expel the student in last place on a whim, Kinoko's eyes widened in shock. "That's...wow, that's really intense, shroom!"
"You're telling me," Izuku scoffed with a shake of his head. "Thankfully, Ochaco set him straight and he came to his senses. He seems unorthodox, but not actually malicious or anything."
Kinoko visibly perked up at the mention name. "Ochaco, shroom? You mean that girl you were chatting with before the entrance exam?"
He nodded, smiling fondly at the memory. "That's her, yeah. I think you two would definitely hit it off - you've got a similar sunny disposition." Then he paused, the tips of his ears flushing slightly as he added, "You know, we've been going on a few casual dates, but nothing official yet."
"Oh..." Kinoko's entire face fell, her earlier bubbly excitement dimming like a snuffed candle flame. "So...she's your girlfriend then, shroom?"
Sensing the melancholy undercurrent to her tone, Izuku swiftly clarified, "Well, not exactly - at least not yet. I'd like to change that eventually if things keep going well, but for now the answer is still no." He offered her a warm, reassuring smile, oblivious to the weight of expectation his words carried.
"Oh! O-Okay then, shroom..." Kinoko mumbled, fidgeting with the tips of her fingerless gloves. An uneasy silence stretched between them before she suddenly blurted, "Izuku...I actually wanted to tell you that I-"
"Hey guys, sorry for being late!" Itsuka's commanding voice cut through Kinoko's admission like a blade, startling them both. The tall beauty strode towards them with easy confidence, one hand resting on her cocked hip. "Hope you two weren't waiting too long."
Izuku grinned at the sight of her. "No worries at all, Itsuka! But now you owe us both drinks as penalty," he teased. Turning his attention back to Kinoko, he gestured for her to continue whatever thought she'd been about to voice. "What were you about to say, Kinoko?"
But the shy girl merely averted her gaze, her entire face flushed crimson as she mumbled a barely audible excuse. "N-no, it's nothing, shroom..."
Izuku frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled by her sudden denial. But he didn't want to press the matter if she wasn't ready to share. "Alrighty then, if you say so. Should we get going?"
Honestly, Izuku wasn't sure how he would respond if she did confess to him right now. She was, by no means, bad-looking, and he had known that for years, but his heart belonged to someone else now. Neither Kinoko nor Ochaco was like Itsuka, who could accept a casual physical-only relationship. As much as he would hate it, he would likely end up rejecting Kinoko.
As they ambled through the city streets, Izuku wracked his brain for somewhere they could all enjoy spending a laid-back evening together. Given their different interests, he needed to find an activity or venue that could cater to both Kinoko's botanical obsession and Itsuka's fondness for martial arts and physical exertion.
The answer struck him like a bolt of inspiration - there was a quaint public garden not too far from the neighborhood park he often frequented. If he recalled correctly, it had nature trails perfect for Kinoko, as well as a well-appointed dojo offering evening adult lessons that Itsuka would surely appreciate.
Decision made, Izuku steered them towards their destination with easy confidence. Neon signs and colorful awnings gradually gave way to towering trees and winding footpaths as the ambient thrum of the city faded into a soothing backdrop of rustling leaves and distant birdcalls.
"Here we are," he announced, gesturing broadly at the lush scenery surrounding them with a proud grin. "What do you guys think?"
"Ooooh, it's so beautiful here, shroom!" Kinoko immediately squealed in delight, spinning in a slow circle to take in every vibrant bloom and babbling brook. "And lookit all the mushroom patches - I bet I can find some really rare specimens to add to my collection, shroom!"
"I'm glad you like it," Izuku replied, smiling warmly at Kinoko's unabashed enthusiasm. He bent down to pluck a peculiar fungi sample, examining it with interest. "I'm sure we'll be able to find all sorts of fascinating specimens if we look closely enough."
As they meandered along the winding nature trails, Kinoko eagerly shared stories and insights about her deep love and respect for the natural world. Her soft voice lilted with a melodic cadence, filling the air around them with warmth and tranquility.
"I've always loved places like this, shroom," she confessed, a hint of shyness creeping into her tone as they paused to admire a burbling creek. "It's like stepping into a whole new, magical realm, shroom."
"It really is, isn't it?" Izuku agreed with a contented nod. The fragrant floral aromas and lush greenery surrounding them felt worlds away from the urban concrete jungle. "You've got a genuine talent for finding the beauty in everything, Kinoko."
The petite girl blushed prettily at the compliment, ducking her head with an abashed yet pleased smile.
Meanwhile, Izuku and Itsuka engaged in an entirely different yet equally spirited conversation as they trailed slightly behind, swapping stories about their mutual interests in various martial arts disciplines and tricked-out custom vehicles.
"You know, I've actually been trying to brush up on my hand-to-hand combat skills lately," Izuku mentioned almost sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I've still got a long way to go to reach your level, but I'm definitely improving."
Itsuka grinned wolfishly at him, a playful glint flashing in her tawny eyes. "Oh yeah? Well if you ever want to actually put those new moves to the test against a real challenge, just let me know." She flexed her toned biceps with a cocky wink. "I could use a fresh sparring partner to keep me on my toes."
Izuku laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "You're on! But don't think I'll go easy on you just because we're friends."
As their banter continued, Izuku felt a sudden urge to pick up some legitimate sword fighting training as well.
After exploring the botanical gardens to Kinoko's heart's content, the trio reconvened and made their way towards the park's small yet well-appointed martial arts dojo tucked away in one secluded corner.
Itsuka eagerly claimed one of the open spaces and immersed herself in her private lesson, fluidly executing one controlled strike and counter maneuver after another under the watchful eye of the seasoned sensei. While she could have easily overpowered everyone present with her natural werewolf strength and ferocity, she, of all people, understood the value of proper technique and restraint.
From the sidelines, Izuku watched in silent admiration as Itsuka's lean, athletic form flowed from one stance to the next with a dancer's grace. He found himself holding his breath as she deftly sparred against her instructor, blocking and evading each attack with pinpoint precision.
"You're doing great out there, Itsuka!" he called out in encouragement, shooting her a bright thumbs-up and a warm smile.
Kinoko was equally enthralled by the display, her large lavender eyes shining with excitement and her flushed cheeks a deeper shade of pink than normal.
Once Itsuka's intensive training session finally concluded, Izuku suggested they all grab a well-deserved bite to eat at a cozy cafe situated within the verdant park itself. Walking beneath the canopy of twinkling fairy lights strung between the trees, the trio settled at an outdoor wrought iron table as delicious aromas wafted from the nearby kitchen.
"I have to say, this was such an amazing idea tonight, Izuku," Itsuka declared once they had ordered, taking a appreciative sip of her iced tea. "I'm really glad we got to spend some quality time together outside all the usual craziness."
"I'm really happy you both enjoyed yourselves," Izuku replied, feeling an immense sense of warmth and satisfaction bloom in his chest. "I just wanted to make sure we had at least one totally memorable evening where we could all relax and have fun together, y'know?"
The conversation flowed easily between the three as they reminisced and joked like the lifelong companions they were. At one point, Kinoko caught Izuku's gaze shyly from beneath her lashes, her expression one of unabashed adoration.
"Izuku, thank you...for tonight, shroom," she said softly yet sincerely. "It really means so much to me that you went to all this effort just to make us both happy, shroom."
He smiled warmly at her. "Of course, Kinoko. I'm just happy to spend time with both of you."
As the evening slowly drew to a close, the first twinkling stars began to emerge in the inky blanket of the night sky overhead. An easy silence fell over the trio as they simply basked in each other's company and the tranquil ambiance of the park surrounding them. Despite the cheerful evening banter, Izuku couldn't quite shake the nagging feeling that there was something weighing heavily on his mind - some unfinished business he needed to attend to before calling it a night.
"Hey, there's actually somewhere I need to go first before heading back," he announced abruptly, trying to keep his deep voice casual despite the nervous flutter in his chest.
Curiosity flickered across Itsuka's elegant features, her tawny eyes studying him intently. But she seemed to pick up on his reticence and didn't pry further. "Sure thing, Izuku," she replied with an easy nod. "Lead the way."
"Nah, you two go on ahead without me," he waved them off, offering a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine from here."
Itsuka arched one shapely brow skeptically, clearly not sold on letting him brush them off so easily. Izuku tried his best to communicate the situation with just his eyes - a silent exchange to convey that he had personal, decidedly non-Normie matters to handle. That it had nothing to do with putting himself in danger or anything she needed to fret over.
The tall, athletic beauty held his jade-green stare for a taut beat, her lips pursing slightly. Then, seeming to understand his intent, she sighed and shook her head resignedly before turning to gently usher Kinoko back towards the campus dorms.
'Thank god Kinoko was here,' Izuku thought with palpable relief as he watched them depart. 'Otherwise Itsuka would have absolutely insisted on accompanying me.'
With their forms swiftly swallowed by the encroaching night, Izuku turned on his heel and strode with a sense of renewed determination towards his intended destination. An empty bar sat nestled right across from the university's main gates, the flickering neon sign casting irregular splashes of crimson and cobalt across the deserted street. It served as a clandestine gathering place where UA students could blow off steam and unwind with their peers after a long day of intensive training.
Pushing open the weathered wooden door, Izuku was immediately enveloped in a thick haze of cigarette smoke and the rich, earthy aroma of various top-shelf liquors. The soft crooning melodies of a classic jazz vinyl spilled from a vintage record player tucked in the corner, lending the dimly lit space an almost surreal, dreamlike atmosphere.
Midnight herself was perched behind the glossy bar top, her glowing yellow eyes glinting with impish amusement as she spotted him striding inside. Izuku was always vaguely unnerved by her penetrating stare, those eerily luminescent irises radiating an otherworldly energy.
"Well, well, well," she purred in that trademark sultry alto, dragging her gaze over his lithe frame in a way that made the hairs prickle on the back of his neck. "If it isn't the Midoriya Izuku himself, gracing this humble establishment with his presence. To what do I owe such an honor this fine evening?"
Izuku steeled himself as he slid onto one of the battered barstools, squaring his shoulders as he met her probing gaze head-on. "Midnight-sensei, we need to talk," he said flatly, his tone making it clear this wasn't merely a social visit between teacher and student. "It's about...my father."
Midnight's perfectly sculpted brows rose in evident surprise, her pillowy lips parting slightly. But she swiftly regained her composure, regarding him with a carefully measured expression as she began needlessly rearranging the array of gleaming bottles and glasses scattered across the surface with dextrous crimson talons.
"My, what an unexpectedly heavy topic for a school night," she remarked idly, feigning busyness by sorting items that clearly didn't need sorting. "I'd simply love to help help with that deeply fascinating mystery for you, dear Izuku...but I'm afraid I'm utterly swamped with responsibilities at the moment."
Izuku let out a derisive snort, gesturing pointedly at the empty bar surrounding them with one sweeping motion of his arm. "The bar's completely empty, Midnight-sensei," he stated bluntly. "It's been deserted all morning, all evening, and likely all night as well."
Midnight pursed her full lips, narrowing her glowing eyes slightly as she studied him with new appraisal. "Well...yes, I suppose that's an accurate assessment," she admitted after a pregnant pause. A simpering smile curved those crimson-painted lips. "We really must do something about that abysmal lack of customers. People still seem to be suffering from such irrational worries and unease in the wake of that...unfortunate incident last year."
But Izuku wasn't about to be derailed or placated by her thinly veiled attempts at obfuscation and misdirection. "My father," he stated again, this time allowing an undercurrent of steely resolve to bleed into his deep voice. "Please, Midnight-sensei. I need answers."
The buxom teacher sighed heavily, placing the glass tumbler she had been needlessly polishing back onto the immaculately clean bar top with a dull thunk. "I'm afraid I can't truly help you with that particular puzzle, Izuku," she said, her tone taking on an uncharacteristically serious timbre. "Because the sad reality is, I simply don't have the answers you want."
Izuku felt his heart sink at her blunt admission. After psysching himself up to finally confront her, he had hoped for...well, more. "Surely you must know something?" he pressed, refusing to back down that easily. "Can you at least give me his name?"
Midnight's full crimson lips twisted in a wry, humorless smile. "I haven't the foggiest idea what his actual name even is," she said with a light shrug of her curvaceous shoulders.
Izuku could only gape at her, confusion and frustration warring within him. "Wait...you're telling me that you literally slept with a man, and not only did you never ask his name - he never even offered it?"
Those sinfully full lips curved into a sly, mischievous grin as Midnight chuckled throatily. "Oh yes, I suppose you could say that," she practically purred, her glowing eyes glinting with dark amusement. "Quite a few times, in fact..."
Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt the first tendril of a tension headache blossoming behind his eyes. "You're absolutely maddening, you know that?" he groaned in exasperation.
"I could whip you up a Bloody Mary if you'd like?" Midnight offered breezily, already reaching beneath the bar to retrieve the requisite ingredients. "They make for a wonderful hangover cure...let me see, I've got the vodka right here somewhere..."
"Enough stalling," Izuku cut her off firmly, his jade eyes flashing as he dropped all semblance of honorific address. "Midnight. I'm done playing these ridiculous games with you. If you know anything, literally anything at all that could help me learn more about my father's identity or whereabouts, I'm begging you...just tell me."
Midnight's coy expression sobered instantly at the naked plea in his words. With a weary sigh, she set aside the cocktail supplies and gestured for Izuku to take a seat across from her, resting her elbows on the lacquered bar top.
"Very well, Izuku," she relented, her glowing eyes holding his inscrutable gaze steadily. "I'm listening. Tell me everything you know - or rather, everything you don't know about the man who sired you. Start from the beginning."
Izuku took a deep, steadying breath before launching into a recounting of every scant detail, every scattered crumb of information he'd managed to piece together thus far regarding his absent paternal figure. He spoke slowly, cautiously, determined not to leave out a single pertinent fragment no matter how insignificant it may have seemed.
All the while, Midnight simply listened in respectful silence, her expression unreadable and her luminous gaze trained solely on him with laserlike intensity. When he finally trailed off, mentally and emotionally drained from picking those old wounds, a thick quiet hung in the air between them.
Then, Midnight leaned forward, bracing her forearms on the bartop as she met his eyes with an inscrutable look. "Tell me, Izuku - why haven't you simply asked your mother about all of this?" she asked bluntly. "Surely Inko would know more about the man she was intimately involved with than I would."
Izuku shook his head slowly. "No...I don't think she would," he murmured, fingers toying with a bottle cap in a nervous fidget. "I get the sense this was...well, an unusual circumstance, even for her."
He eyed the elegant yet eccentric woman appraisingly, features creasing in contemplation. "You're a mage as well, aren't you, Midnight-sensei? But not quite like an Enchanter, and you don't feel like an Evoker."
"Hah. A mere two days at the University, and you're already busy trying to divide the ineffable into neat little boxes. There's no one teaching my kind about how to use our gifts. Not at UA. Not anywhere. Not that they haven't tried."
"Why?"
"Because Sorcerers are impossible to teach, hard to con, and tend to walk off with the silverware when they discover you tried. So, after a while, they just gave up."
Realization dawned as Izuku finally connected the dots, recalling a specific phrase from one of his ancient tomes. "Eindridi mentioned that Sorcerers are the ones who provide guile..." he murmured out loud.
"He would say that. It's not quite like that. We just...know. Snippets. Knowledge or ideas or...things. That we're not supposed to have," she told him.
"Sounds useful," he told her, plainly.
"It's a bloody pain in the ass. Have you ever found yourself hauling an eldritch recoilless anti-tank rifle down the Paths, knowing it's critically important that you get somewhere, but have fuck all of an idea why it's important?" she retorted, clearly agitated.
"So, it's like a message? From the Gods?"
"Not from any of the ones I've asked, no. They think it's something uniquely human. In some ways, Evokers and Sorcerers form the two extremes of Magic. Evokers are, by far, the closest to Elsewhere, the least human," she said, pointedly looking at him. "Sorcerers don't share much, if anything, with the creatures beyond. Ours is purely human magic."
"But I've seen you use real magic, like whatever one you're casting right now, causing your eyes to glow like a Power's," Izuku observed, noting the constant glow in her eyes.
"Magic can be begged, borrowed, or stolen. Sorcerers know things, find things...it's easy enough to find some spare power or a gem of feline transformation someone carelessly left lying around," she said with a purr.
'Wait. She can turn into a literal catgirl?! No, wait, Izuku. She's just trying to distract you again.'
"And how is this relevant to you, my mom, and my dad?" he pressed.
"Izuku, I'm a city girl. Why on earth would I find myself in a threesome with a wholesome virgin and a creature from another dimension? In Shirakawago, of all places?"
"You...knew?"
"Indeed. It was a nudge so strong I was already aboard the bullet train before I realized it. A few hours later, I was sitting in a dive bar, smoking weed with this gorgeous green-haired girl, when your father walked in."
"Did you know he wasn't...human?"
"Instantly. He hid it well, but...he was like a passing black hole; so powerful, that you couldn't help but be dragged along. We all piled into his car and drove out to a farm he said he owned. Then we fucked like bunnies throughout the night."
"And in the morning, he was gone?" Izuku asked, thinking about the cliche ending to such a scenario.
"You'd think so. That's how it usually goes. But your father was strange, even by Elsewhere standards. We stayed in that place for a month. Screwing, talking, and learning. I learned more about magic that month than anything before, or after."
"And in all this, you never asked his name?"
"Oh, I did. And he gave me a name. Dubh. Means Black. I knew it was fake, he knew I knew. But the Powers don't hand out their true names easily. The name is Celtic, so...possibly one of the Tuatha Dé Danann? Or he gave me that name just to fuck with me. Greater Powers have an odd sense of humor."
"So he's something called a 'Greater Power'? What does that even mean? I know about Powers, but..."
"Most of us, stumbling around the chessboard of life, are pawns. Some, a very few, are officers. Bishops and Rooks and Knights. Those are the Powers. And above them..."
"Are the King and Queen? Those are the Greater Powers?"
"No. A King is just a king. More important than a peasant perhaps, but still just a piece in the game. The Greater Powers are the Players," she explained.
"And my father? Itsuka and Yui told me he might have been a Greater Power. That he's still...alive?"
"I don't know who or what he was. Could've been. I've asked about him many times. With people or Gods that should know. Some don't know. Most avoid it. Which could mean anything. He's not one of the Powers who interact with people a lot. That much is certain."
"And afterward?"
"Then, one day, he was gone. We decided to leave the farm before whoever actually owned it came looking. Inko was pregnant with you. I could sense your raging wildfire Spark, even then. Indisputably an Evoker. So I stole her weed, got her a train ticket back to her parents, wished her good luck, and jumped on the first flight out of the country."
"And that's all?"
"That's all until I got a terrible headache and you entered the premises not half a minute later,"
"Is all of this...The Crowley...You being here...is that something else you knew?"
"Sometimes the knowing is a geas, like a compulsion. But sometimes I wonder if there are knowings so strong, and yet so subtle, that they carry you through life without you ever noticing."
"Well...shit. And where do we go from here?"
"Work hard. Become Strong. Become Wise. Make strong allies. Whatever happens...it will happen soon. Don't waste your time. I know this."
"I will. Thank you, Midnight-sensei," he told her as he walked back out of the bar, trying to digest all the information he was given.
As Izuku returned to his dorm room, the familiar comfort of his bed beckoned him, promising respite from the events of the evening. With a heavy sigh, he sank into the soft mattress, his eyelids growing heavy with exhaustion. The events of the day played over in my mind like a film reel, each moment etched into his memory with startling clarity.
He drifted into a state of blissful oblivion, the weight of his worries momentarily lifted from his shoulders. Unbeknownst to him, however, someone was watching from the shadows, their gaze fixed upon him with an intensity that would send shivers down anyone's spine.
Midnight stood silently in the corner of the room, her form barely visible in the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains. Her eyes gleamed with an otherworldly luminescence as she observed me with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
Despite the eerie sensation of being watched, Izuku remained blissfully unaware, lost in the depths of his dreams. But even in the realm of sleep, Izuku couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, a silent reminder of the mysteries that surrounded him.
"Sweet dreams, Izuku. You've got a great destiny to find. Or die trying," Midnight said those ominous words and disappeared out of his room.
Hi, thank you again for reading through this part. Like I said at the beginning of the part, the lemons will happen after a certain point in the story to make the story more cohesive compared to doing it here. I would appreciate your patience. 😅 It'll be worth it, I believe.
Anyway, for this chapter, we were able to give some time for both Itsuka and Kinoko and I want Izuku to hang out with them rather than ignore them entirely until the Sports Festival. These girls have been with Izuku for the past 6 years, after all. I was going to have just covered them hanging out, but it's too short.
Also, good job for Itsuka interrupting the confession because that would've been awkward, to say the least.
We've also learned a bit about Greater Powers and a few things about Izuku's dad. Some hints here and there, but unless you know your Celtic myth, it'll be pretty hard to know with just what we have.
Lastly, what the heck's Midnight doing in Izuku's room? 😲
As always, if you have questions or feedback about the story, don't hesitate to let me know.
Next part, we'll approach USJ!