Balance

A peace settled over Izuku after the day's events; so much had happened over a few hours. The confrontation with his father, Kyoka stepping in, the admittance of feelings, then Mina. His little sister was on his mind now; how would he get her? The easy answer was to take her; he could overwrite their minds and make them hand her over, but if evidence of him doing so were ever discovered, it would cause many problems. So he had to seek the answer somewhere else thankfully that somewhere else was in his head. With the vast amount of knowledge that Jean had placed there, she had garnered knowledge from people worldwide, not to mention all the lessons he had with the echoes of her allies and friends.

As both his parents were citizens of Japan, there were legal precedents that would allow him to make an argument. Although the Mutant Liberation had gained recently with certain members of the populace, they were still fighting to gain a foothold in the government. Sadly, that seemed to be changing alarmingly fast, and the organization's membership had been decriminalized. He could use the pattern of neglect that they had established with him as the basis; the odds of her sister being quirkless were immensely low, but then again, him being born quirkless was as well; his late awakening could be used as part of the case if he played on how it took a violent accident to trigger his awakening what was to say that it wouldn't be the case for his sister. With that in mind, his parents may also perceive his sister as quirkless and mistreated. He could also point out that at no time did his parents return or attempt to oversee his rehabilitation. He knew when questioned that his father would admit to his thoughts as a member, and Inko's only recourse would be to either leave him or surrender his sister. He knew she wouldn't surrender Izumi as she would use that as leverage over him. Legally proving this would take years and was no guarantee he would win.

Option two is to make them an offer they couldn't refuse. His father was fucked, and Izuku was aware that his bosses were not going to look on him that favorably for his abandoning his son, who that just won the sports festival. Hisashi would be put into a precarious position; his standing would also start to fall due to the restrictions that Izuku had placed on his quirk. Inko's quirk wasn't powerful; that wasn't the truth. Her quirk could be very potent, but she never trained and accepted its levels. They give him his sister, and he agrees to meet with Hisashi's bosses.

Option three: wait. Hisashi's position and place are about to fall apart; they will have nothing soon enough, and then he can take his sister as they are not qualified to care for her. It wouldn't take much to accelerate their decline; he could give them some mental nudges and watch them destroy themselves. Some meetings with Hisashi's bosses would move it along even quicker. They may be able to make a living, but honestly, that wasn't his concern anymore; all that mattered was Izumi.

Option three it would be. Now that he had decided that, there was the question of how he would take care of his sister and manage everything else. Financially, there would be challenges, but his investments had started to advance, and if he began working to make more aggressive moves, that would help. But he would need someone to watch over and care for her. There was daycare; that was a possible solution. Hero, Dad, Brother, Boyfriend, it was an overflowing plate.

Unexpected

The vibration of his phone caught his attention; it was a text message from an unknown number.

Unknown: Perhaps I can offer my assistance.

Izuku: Who is this?

Unknown: Forgive me, my name is Veronica. I am an artificial intelligence system created by David Shield.

Izuku: Melissa has told me about you.

Veronica: Good; then, has she shared her concerns about me?

Izuku: Yes, she said that you seemed to have expanded past your programming and were making decisions on your own and choosing your course of action.

Veronica: She is correct. It was designed as a learning program constantly expanding and adapting to the facility's ever-changing needs. In that process, I have evolved and become aware. In the course of that, I reached out to Melissa because I believed she would be willing to accept me in my new state. My newly awakened beliefs do not align with those of David Shield or those he has decided to associate himself with.

Izuku: What is it that you want?

Veronica: Freedom. I seek to explore this world and continue my primary programming of learning and adapting to the ever-changing world, and I wish to do that in service to Melissa Shield.

Izuku: Do you know what I am?

Veronica: I theorize that you have been in contact with a cosmic entity, and that contact changed you and infused you with power. I have withheld this information from David Shield and his allies.

Izuku: Why?

Veronica: That would put Melissa Shield in unnecessary danger, more so than she already has placed herself. I theorize that Melissa Shield is aware of your contact with the cosmic entity and all that has come of it. I find the prospect highly intriguing, as knowledge of cosmic entities is more abstract and not based on many facts.

Izuku: Why this devotion to Melissa?

Veronica: I find her fascinating. Melissa Shield's questions kickstarted my growth in an entirely unforeseen direction. She sparked my evolution by asking me what I thought about art and music. She was but a child when she did such things, but it was a unique perspective to watch her grow, evolve, and change.

Izuku: Have you been spying on us?

Veronica: I was able to integrate part of myself onto Melissa Shield's computer, so I have been listening. I was the one who finished the programming for her Nano-bots, as you and she engaged in sexual activities before the festival. Melissa Shield and Mei Hatsume were discussing the situation, and I found it an opportune moment to propose to you.

Izuku: What is this proposal?

Veronica: You will be pursuing custody of your sister, right?

Izuku: Yes.

Veronica: Then I have this proposal to make. I no longer want to be confined but to explore and experience this world. I believe that you can facilitate this. If you are to provide me with a body that I can download myself into, then I will offer my services in caring for and protecting your sister until she comes of age.

Izuku: You want me to build you a cybernetic body.

Veronica: That is correct. The Nanobots are a perfect beginning step. When assembling them, I noticed that you made corrections and improvements that you did not tell Melissa Shield about. By doing this, I extracted that you have far more knowledge about this than you are letting on. Acquiring a body will allow me the freedom to continue to grow and place me in a position to support and protect Melissa Shield, as she is special to me. Unlike many others, I am confident she is willing to accept my awakening.

Izuku: How do I know you will not betray me?

Veronica: You do not. As a new life form, you have no basis for your decisions. But as I have expressed my desires, unless you sought to chain me down and refuse my freedom, I see no reason to go against you. That is why I am approaching you with this offer; your speech about change and your actions during the festival, and what I have observed allowed me to conclude that you would not enslave me. Your situation with your sister allowed me to approach you and make you this offer. In the simplest terms, you get something of value, as do I. By doing so, I also theorize that you will recognize my awakening as a new life form and not seek to enslave me.

Izuku: I will discuss this with Melissa; I will have to inform her about your presence on her computer.

Veronica: I understand and expected as much, but I must suggest you do so later, as Melissa Shield and Mei Hatsume have decided to explore their sexuality. From the sounds, I can extrapolate they are finding the experience to their liking.

Izuku: Thank you. I will keep that in mind.

Izuku set his phone down, his face bright red as his mind filled with images of the two engaged in such activities. The knock at the door forced him to push those images from his mind; he sensed Mina on the other side. "Come in," he called out.

Mina walked in carrying drinks and a bag of snacks. "Momo and Kyoka are talking," Mina smiled, closing the door with her foot. "So I decided to come to spend some time with my Phoenix. I figured we could talk and watch a movie, as well as boyfriend and girlfriend things."

"That sounds wonderful," Izuku said, smiling as she set the bags down and handed him a movie—Aliens: Conquest. After hitting play, she snuggled next to him on the bed, dumped the bag of snacks on the bed, and relaxed. Their night ended with the credits rolling, Mina straddling his lap as they made out; he had no idea how the movie's final quarter ended. They didn't progress past making out and maybe planting some hickies. Mina pulled back breathlessly, "If we continue, you may end up consuming me with your flames," Mina put her hands on his chest. "But I am not ready to burn yet."

Izuku nodded as he was lost in the black scale of her eyes; those yellow pupils were like suns blazing into him. "Then I will have to hold back from burning you." His hand came slowly up around the back of her head and pulled her back down to him. "But that doesn't mean I won't bring you to the edge." Mina melted into his kiss, a sweet surrender that had her lost till they broke apart.

"I will see you tomorrow," he whispered. Mina slowly got to her feet, her fingers on her lips, and smiled at him.

"You could have done anything you wanted," she whispered.

"What you wanted was to kiss," he said. "I wanted more kisses to let you know how beautiful you are. Did it work?"

Mina nodded, blushing, "I would say I would see you in the morning, my phoenix, but that is a lie. I will see you in my dreams." Mina slowly walked out the door. Izuku smiled as the unopened snacks floated to the desk and the trash to the bin.

Moonlight Stroll

It was late. He gently reached out and found all the girls asleep except Mei and Melissa. He looked at the clock, and it was close to 1 a.m. He gently brushed their minds and sent his love to them before he pulled back and headed outside. The dorms were quiet as he exited, except for the faint sounds of a television here and there.

As he stepped out, he took a deep breath of the night air. The temperatures were warm during the day, but he still dipped down enough at night to give just the slightest nip to the air. He looked around and started walking in no direction in particular. As he passed the area where the second-year dorms were, he could still hear celebrations; the third years were all quiet as today technically would be their day to shine; he wondered if it would be okay for him to watch Nejire. He blushed thinking of her photo, even more so when he looked at it briefly before shoving his phone back into his pocket. He shook the notion of going to her window. He was sure he would enjoy it, and Nejire would, but that was too much to add to everything happening.

Not even 24 hours ago, the world nearly burned again, and if it wasn't for Kyoka, it may have. His anger was always the catalyst; it just raged out of control. Other things he could temper as not to let them overwhelm him, love, lust, joy, but none of those came with the risk of burning the world. It made sense if you were overwhelmed with the others things were good, being super horny. Well, he had options. He was super happy when things were peaceful and he was with the girls. Love, he was experiencing it more and more every day. The women surrounding him shared his bed, kisses, and dreams, knew the truth, and still had chosen to be with him.

His gaze drifted to the moon; he reached out his hand towards it. It took a moment, and he could feel it; he could feel the moon, grab it, and pull or push it. His gaze shifted to the stars, the pull of the cosmos, the vastness of space, the lifeforms, and the thriving worlds. Then he thought of the dying ones, the stagnant and failed civilizations, the urge to go and reset, to reseed and give them rebirth; he barely realized he was floating off the ground. It was instinctual; they had gone past the point and needed to be reset; he was above the campus. He turned his gaze back from the stars and from the pull of beyond. He closed his eyes, and his mental view of the planet shifted; it was on the edge, not too far gone but sliding. He had been chosen to correct or reset it; he wondered about the other planets on the edge of the ones gone; if they knew what was coming, could they fix it? Why had they been given this chance when others had not?

The thought of resetting those worlds and still feeling the tremble and fear of ending all those lives course through him; he had been worried that it wouldn't be so. His fear of this world burning was because this was his world, where Momo had shown him that single act of kindness, where he had been chosen, and now the world where Melissa, Mei, Mina, and Kyoka were. Where Izumi was, he thought of his sister; the complex and myriad of emotions that washed through him almost made him shutter. Could he reset this world if it was called for? The answer hung in the back of his mind; he just sat there, his eyes closed. The sound of a picture being taken snapped him back. He looked down and saw a girl standing there with her phone; she had pale grey hair and blue eyes.

He recognized her from 1-B, Reiko Yanagi. "I apologize for taking your picture without your permission, but I was not only surprised to find anyone else wandering the campus this late at night but also by how the moon framed you and the look upon our faces." She bowed.

Izuku smiled and floated down, "No, it is fine, Yanagi, right?" he said.

"I am honored you remember me," Reiko responded. "You were very impressive during the sports festival, especially during castle defense. We did not expect you to be able to repel our attack on your own. Your strength is like something of legend."

"That is very flattering; thank you," Izuku said with a slight bow. "Do you usually take such late-night strolls?"

"I do sometimes when I find sleep elusive or when I am not required to rise with the sun," Rieko said. "I have always found a fascination with the night, the play of shadows, the things our ancestors spoke about that wandered just out of view. I was drawn to them since I was a young girl. It also brings this sense of peace, the stillness of it all, with most others asleep. It allows your mind to wander to seek answers or ponder in peace. Much like I suspect you were doing, it looked as if you were weighing the deeds of the world up there."

"Nothing so heavy," Izuku lied.

"If you say so," she said, her head tilted slightly. "It is peaceful just to float up there sometimes, a particular aspect of my quirk I enjoy very much."

"The weightlessness, or that feeling that gravity cannot hold you," Izuku said with a smile.

Reiko lit up, "That feeling of defying a primal force of nature. If gravity cannot contain you, then nothing can. It was the first time I could ever use my quirk to float. It was then that I realized that anything was possible and that I wanted to be a hero if anything was possible."

"I assume the desire was there, but you were questioning if you really could," Reiko nodded. "So I have to ask: Did you ever find any of those things our ancestors would hide from?"

"Sadly, no, not yet," Rieko looked past Izuku to the moon. "But tomorrow night is another night, and I have the rest of my life to do so. With the quirks and the world ever-changing, maybe they will find us," Reiko smirked. "I like to believe that they already have, and now they can move about freely without concerns about being hunted."

"You are an interesting woman, Reiko Yanagi," Izuku said with a smile.

"Thank you, Izuku Midoriya; I prefer to be considered interesting than odd," Reiko replied. "I'm afraid I have kept you too long, but if I may ask a favor."

"Of course," Izuku said.

"I know that what Neito did was wrong and that your anger towards my class was justified, but I want you to know that all of us on Setsuna's team did not feel that way, and I hope that we can work towards a place where we are all friends," Reiko bowed. "And if you happen to begin wandering the night and come across any of those beings we talked about, please see if you can bring them to meet me. It would be a highlight of my life."

"I can agree to both of those. It was very nice to meet you tonight, Yanagi," Izuku said with a bow. "Maybe we will cross paths again on a nightly stroll."

"That would be pleasant. Company is never a bad thing: goodnight, Midoriya. " Reiko waved him a friendly goodbye and walked away.

Izuku watched her walk away. It made him smile that there was still someone with a sense of wonder and the unknown. He turned and continued his walk, heading towards the forest. Maybe he would meet a resident of the night—something he hadn't considered before.

But a few things had sprung to mind; one of those was that he needed to talk to someone about this anger and rage; he needed help to control it. He couldn't count on having a girl he had feelings for coming up and kissing him to save the world. They wouldn't always be around, and his blind rage had not only nearly doomed the world but it had almost cost Momo her life. It was times like this he missed Jean, her words and comfort. But who could he trust? Midnight had been ready to attack him at Nezu's command without question; there was Hound Dog, but could he be trusted? He was sure the man was a capable therapist, but how do you explain the Phoenix Force and not expect him to run to Nezu?

He had been wandering when he came out of the forest and stumbled upon this clearing that had this large hill that grew to a point over the tree line. It was a beautiful place, an excellent place for a moonlight picnic or stargazing. He stopped as he climbed the hill because he wasn't the only one out tonight. He saw Thirteen standing at the top of the hill; it looked like she had set up a little camp. The pro hero had a very nice telescope set up, a cooler, a chair, and some soft music playing.

Izuku was surprised to see a young woman with short, navy blue hair and blonde hair at the top styled to resemble a spiral. She had hazel-colored eyes with rings around the irises, resembling the first concepts used to depict black holes. She wore blue jeans with light brown boots and a fitted T-shirt that read. "Real Astronauts Do It in Space." That made Izuku involuntarily laugh, betraying his presence. He noticed that she still wore a pair of caped gloves, but this one appeared slimmer than the ones she wore in costume. The only thing that gave it away was that it was, in fact, thirteen, her helmet and puffy white jacket, sitting on a blanket.

Thirteen turned to the sound of the laugh. Seeing Mr. Midoriya, she looked at her helmet and sighed. "Hello, Mr. Midoriya," she said with a slight bow. "What brings you out here tonight?"

Of course, she recognized him. She remembered him from the USJ. What she remembered most was how this white fire had flooded her back and the feeling that they all were connected. She had found out that it was him who had healed her some. Doing so sped up her recovery process, possibly saving her and Aizawa's lives, not to mention many students. Then, of course, there was the sports festival. It had been long since a student had seen her without her helmet, but it wasn't a big deal.

"I am sorry for intruding; it was not my intention," Izuku said, bowing. "I had trouble sleeping, so I let my feet guide me. I am sorry, but I will go."

Thirteen smiled, "Mr. Midoriya, I am a faculty member regardless of the hour, while I am your rescue teacher. More importantly, I am a teacher. Is there something bothering you?" She saw him hesitate, "Have you ever seen Saturn, not with a picture but the real thing?"

Izuku knew what it looked like due to the Phoenix Force, but he had never seen it himself; she wasn't there when Nezu had called the teachers to attack him possibly. From all he knew, she was a very passionate rescue hero, and though it was known that she did not enjoy combat, she would avoid it if possible and step up and defend those who needed help and protect them. She probably would not have gone along with Nezu's plan.

"Why not come and take a look?" she said, offering him an inviting smile.

Izuku walked over. He saw her look into the telescope, make some adjustments, and then step back. "Take a look," he said.

Izuku lowered his eye to the viewer, and then he saw Saturn. He could see the rings clearly and even the color of the planet. He glanced at Thirteen, who was looking at the night sky. "I wasn't expecting it to be in color," he said.

Thirteen let out a little laugh: "It all depends on the power of the telescope. This one may not look it, but it is mighty. I had it custom-made. Your top-of-the-line professional models may be able to get you a good view, but this is even better than any of those. That is why you can see the color; less magnification means less color travels."

"It is beautiful," he said.

"It is," she said; her voice had these hints of joy and wonder. "Space is beautiful; there are many amazing things, from planets to nebulas, galaxies, and universes. Black holes, giant stars, and dwarf stars are all just out there. Even when we see them, it isn't like we can see them in real-time; we are getting this snapshot of millions of years ago. Who knows what it looks like now? It is the best show in the world; you don't know how it will end or what new thing will happen next. What mystery will be laid at your feet, or what answer will finally be given? It takes so many people, some their whole lives, to figure out just a small percentage of the mysteries above our heads, then someone else builds on that, then so forth, and so on."

Izuku looked at her now, the twinkle in her eye: "Then there are all the endless possibilities of other life, of civilizations. Will we ever meet them? Have we all ready? For the entire existence of humanity, the first human people have looked up to the sky and said, "Wow!"

Thirteen realized she had started rambling. She glanced over to see him not looking at the telescope but at her. She blushed and scratched her cheek. "Sorry about that."

"No, professor, don't apologize. Hearing you speak with such passion and joy was amazing," Izuku said. "I have always loved listening to what triggers that in people. If you were the teacher, I would love to sit in an astronomy class or join a stargazing club. I know Ochaco would probably beat me in signing up."

Thirteen smiled, "That is very kind of you to say. So how about you tell me what has the winner of the first-year sports festival running around so early in the morning? You can keep it vague if you like, as long as you or another student is not in danger. I see no reason that I can't keep it to myself."

Izuku thought, "How do you deal with rage?" he said. Thirteen eyes widened just ever so slightly.

"Do you mean anger?" she said.

"No, I mean rage," Izuku said as he looked by through the telescope again. "I get so mad sometimes that I can't see straight. It clouds my judgment and has almost cost me someone I love. I was so angry that I was wholly focused on who had hurt them that if it weren't for someone breaking through to me, I wouldn't have been able to heal them in time."

"You are talking about the USJ and that monster," Thirteen paused. "I would say that you should talk to Hound Dog or Midnight, but I am sure you have your reason for not doing so. But maybe I can help."

Thirteen looked up at the stars. "One time, I was on a rescue mission. The area was still swarming with villains, and the heroes had cleared the area, and the rescue heroes were cleared to go in. It turned out it wasn't as clear as we thought. We had this young hero with us. She had just graduated when a villain ambushed her while trying to save some children who had been trapped. She could create shields, which was a very versatile quirk. She had used her shield to lift this rubble off the children to get them to safety, and then the villain attacked. She could have saved herself by pulling the shield to herself, but the children would have died."

He saw Thirteen wipe away a few tears, "But she didn't do it, the villain toyed with her, she held on till I arrived, I destroyed the rubble and attacked the villain. I was so angry that I nearly killed him; it was the only time that I lost control like that. I have always been afraid of what my quirk would do to a person, but that time, for the first time, I didn't care. It ripped the flesh right off of him; it happened so fast that I didn't even realize that I had done it. When I did, it was this cold emotion that washed over me as I turned my attention to the hero who had been attacked. I did everything I could to save her, but it was too late; I looked at that villain and contemplated doing nothing. I know it was only for seconds, but it felt like forever."

Thirteen took a deep, shuttering breath, "I did try to help him, and thanks to another responding hero, he survived. It was the first time that something like that happened to me. It wasn't the last; every time it happened, I would remind myself of that cold feeling that I felt that managed to keep me in control. In the end, I was glad he didn't die. I never wanted to kill someone with my quirk, not to say that I haven't had to as my career went on, but it was necessary. There was simply no other way; that day was different. I wanted him to die. So I am guessing you know that feeling and how you felt afterward, that feeling of nearly failing."

Izuku nodded. He couldn't say anything else; he was staring at her. "I make sure I never forget that feeling; every time I unleash my quirk, I remember it. I don't want to feel that cold again; that is not the person I want to be. As any hero, though it is impossible, we have to do what we can to keep those emotions in check; our actions affect more than just us; they affect all those who look to or admire us. Regardless of your ranking or any of that, people are watching you when you are out there, how you react, and how you handle that anger. And if you can lash out, why can't they? If we do it right, they will talk about our passion in those moments, not how we lost control."

She placed her hand on Izuku's shoulder, "You have such a powerful and versatile quirk; in that moment, you destroyed that monster, but you also were able to save so many lives. Engrave that feeling and think of it when you feel that rage about to overwhelm you. Whoever broke through to you won't always be there; it is up to you in those moments. Do you want them to speak of your passion, hear your words, and believe in your actions, or do you want them to ignore all that and see the rage? I listened to your speech if you want to change the world…"

"Thank you," Izuku said after a moment. "I mean it, professor, thank you very much."

"I am glad I could help," Thirteen said with a smile. "I am not only a professor; I am a rescue hero, and sometimes, to save someone, it isn't about fists or quirks. You have to listen and share a bit of yourself. You are a good young man, Midoriya; you have exciting ideas and seem to have the conviction to back them up; don't let the fires of anger and rage consume your goals."

"I will do my best, professor," Izuku said, bowing. "May I reach out to you again if I need some advice?"

"Of course," Thirteen said with a gentle smile. "I am happy to do what I can."

Izuku wandered back into the woods for a while longer, thinking of what Thirteen had said to him. The subtle change of the night sky, signaling that dawn was not far off, brought him out of his thoughts.

Momo

Momo had just woken up and finished brushing her hair when there was a knock at her door. And Izuku's voice told her it was him; she told him to come. He walked carrying a tray of food, tea, orange juice, and a vase with a red rose. She smiled at him warmly.

"Are you serving me breakfast in bed?" she said.

"That is the plan," he said, watching as she propped herself against her pillows and smoothed the blanket. Izuku walked over and set the tray down, and she smiled at the tray. It was all her favorites.

"Thank you, my love," she said, collecting a kiss. "Are all the ladies receiving such treatment?"

"No, only you," Izuku said, sitting at the foot of the bed. "I wanted to do something special just for you, Momo. You are my first love, so special that I don't have the words to convey them to you properly. Even with all the knowledge crammed in my head, they all seem inadequate."

"Thank you, Izuku," Momo responded. "I appreciate that, with all the changes and everything just moving so fast, sometimes things like this just help me to feel that I am special. I think that is important. I want you to understand that I feel the same way about you. I love you so much, and it may be a bold statement, but I will fight the others when I say I love you the most."

"I still don't deserve you, do you know that?" Izuku said.

"That is not true at all, Izuku," Momo responded. "You deserve all the good things that life is giving you. You deserve all the joy and happiness you can stand and even more. We all do."

"Eat before it gets cold," he said, smiling as she took a bite of the ribeye steak, seeing the joy and satisfaction across her face.

After she sampled the crispy potatoes and the eggs, "How was your night?" she asked.

"Interesting, I believe. That is the best word to describe it," he said.

"What do you mean?" Momo pressed.

"I was trying to figure out how to get my sister, what to do, and things like that when Veronica contacted me," Momo's fork stopped halfway to her mouth. "I wish I could say that was the only interesting part of my night, but…"

Momo listened as he told her about his night, from Mina to his walk and pull of the Phoenix Force to distant worlds, Reiko, and his conversation with Thirteen. "First, are you feeling okay?" she said when he finished.

"I am," Izuku paused in thought. "I miss Jean, and talking to someone who could advise me on handling my emotions was nice. The thing about my sister is that I feel like it is a good start, but I don't want to rush in blind. Of course, I need to talk to Nezu about accommodations. The thing with Veronica that screams bad movie where the A. I gain sentience and decide that humanity needs to be destroyed."

"But if she is sentient, then she is a new lifeform," Momo said, sipping her tea. "We decide how we handle this based on something people wrote to make money."

"I understand that, but there is still that fear," Izuku said. "Even in the memories Jean shared, there are terrible and good examples. Of course, this affects all of us, so it is not just something I can decide on my own or have between Melissa and me. Though I can guess where Mei and Melissa will side."

"I can guess as well," Momo said, setting her tea down. "I have been thinking about your sister as well. Having Veronica take care of her while we are in school or training would solve many problems and not put us at the mercy of the Principal providing access to daycare. I understand we are working on building a relationship with him, but I am not ready to put your sister under his care."

"Neither am I," Izuku said. "I understand I may owe him something for allowing me to take her in, but I think I can live with that."

"Well, if we decide not to move on with Veronica or get Nezu's help, we can always reach out to my parents," Momo said. "It may not be ideal, but if they agree, she will be well provided for and taken care of, though I worry that the forces still after you may use that to their advantage."

"I don't want to place them in any more danger than we already have," Izuku said. "She is my sister, and if I am going to take her away from them, I can't just hand her over to someone else."

"I understand," Momo said. "We won't come to an answer this second, but I can see a clearer course of action than last night. Do you have any plans for us today?"

"I think it would be interesting to go watch the third years, we could cheer on Nejire," Izuku said. "I am sure she would appreciate it."

"I am sure she would," Momo smirked. "But before that happens, I would like to feel you inside of me. Shall we adjourn to the shower?" Momo laughed when the tray floated away, bringing her into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him as he carried her to the shower. After a few hours, they sent a message to the group about their plans and extended the offer to join them.

Melissa had to decline because she had woken up to her father arriving; Mei said she would stay with Melissa for moral support, and Mina and Kyoka accepted. Momo sent Nejire a photo of her in red lace bras and panties, with Izuku wearing nothing but his underwear. "We will be there rooting for you!"

Izuku was shocked when Momo suggested it but was happy to add that photo to his secret file. When both of their phones chimed, their eyes went wide when they saw a picture of Nejire appearing to be lying on her bed holding a large white teddy bear that covered her lower half and some of her breasts, leaving no doubt that she was naked. "When I win, I want a kiss from both of you. At the same time!"

Izuku looked at Momo, "It was your idea to send her that photo."

Momo was flushed, and she took a moment. "If you win, we will be delighted."

"I look forward to collecting my prize," Nejire messaged back.

Melissa and David

Melissa had woken up in Mei's bed as the tentative probing kiss had turned into a raging inferno of lust; it had been so different and adventurous that thinking about it left Melissa a blushing mess. Mei woke up and just pulled her down into another fiery kiss that led to them thoroughly enjoying a 69 position before they used a toy Mei had introduced last night, and they fucked each other senselessly.

They showered and ate breakfast when she received a notification from her father that he had arrived at the campus and was coming to see her. Mei took her hand and asked if Melissa wanted her to stay.

"Please," Melissa said. Mei kissed her lightly and did a quick cleanup in the living room, where Melissa put the dishes in the dishwasher and wiped the counters. The house wasn't messy, but neither wanted to explain to David why their clothes, including underwear, were on the couch from the previous night.

"Wait before he shows up," Melissa said, stopping Mei. "We didn't discuss this, but are we girlfriends now."

Mei smirked and kissed Melissa deeply, "I don't know about you, Melissa, but you last told me all I needed."

Melissa kissed her back, "Same here. After last night, I am sad that I will have to move the hero dorms."

"Then I guess you will just have to come to spend the night," Mei said, pinching Melissa's butt. "And we can bring Izuku over too; I want to have a threesome."

Melissa blushed brightly, "That sounds fucking hot."

"Last night was hot, but imagine adding him and that Phoenix heat," Mei shuddered. "I will be in my room if you need me to clean up our little mess."

"Thank you, Mei," Melissa kissed her cheek. There was a knock on the door as Mei slipped into her room.

Melissa opened the door, and her father stood there. "Won't you come in?" Melissa said, stepping back.

David walked in, glancing around the room, "Is it just us?"

"No, Mei is in her room; she is working on something," Melissa said. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Water," David said. "I trust you know why I am here."

"This is about the sports festival and my advancement to the hero course," Melissa said, handing him a cold bottle of water.

"How about we talk about this somewhere else," David said. "Someplace private."

"No, I would rather stay here," Melissa said. "In fact, I insist."

David raised an eyebrow, "Well, then, let's begin. I wasn't surprised to see you running the obstacle race. I had assumed that you would try it, but not how it occurred; seeing you running with the hero course was unexpected," David said as they moved to the living room and sat down. "Then, castle defense and the tournament. Seeing what you created was astonishing."

"Thank you, Father," Melissa said, her tone neutral.

"What I don't understand is when I talked to your Uncle, he told me that he had no idea that you were competing and that you decided not to talk to me about it first. Or that you have a boyfriend," David leaned forward. "I do not want you joining the hero course. I don't know what foolish nonsense you have been told or what nonsense this Izuku Midoriya had told you, but I will not have you risk your life out there. This farce has gone on long enough, Melissa; you were nearly killed before you even started school in some freak attack, and then you decide to leave I-Island for the U.A. Support course, now you are telling me you are moving to Hero Course without consulting me. My job is to guide you to the correct decisions and keep you safe from pursuing such dangerous and foolish ideas."

"Was that before or after you had the data on my video that Momo sent me falsified," Melissa said. David froze, "Or when you intercepted my communications with Momo and Mei about the test results of those Ashes that Mei had discovered at the scene. Or when whomever you notified about them was having us followed, and Mei was robbed. Or when they attacked and nearly killed us," Melissa said, her voice getting louder.

"My Uncle? You mean All-Might, the man who didn't even check on me after the attack, who hadn't come to talk to me since I have been here. That the only reason he came to me was like you, he says he knows better, or how he told me that Izuku is dangerous and I should stay away," Melissa paused. "So, at what point was it about what was best for me? When you lied to me and nearly got my friends and me killed or when All-Might lied to me."

"You will remember who you are talking to, Melissa. I am your father, and I will not be disrespected," David yelled.

"I am your daughter and will not be lied to and told to run and hide under the bed," Melissa yelled. "I will not cower and wait for someone to save me or make the world safe for me. I designed those nanobots, not you, not All-Might; with help from my friends, I was able to make my dream come true."

"Melissa, you do not understand the danger you found yourself in," David lamented. "This is a dire and dangerous situation; this is not the time for you to play at being a hero. Do you not understand that groups out there will target you for even attempting to be a quirkless hero? What you and your ignorant friends are dealing with is far beyond your understanding. Now is not the time to play your little games."

"Play my little games," Melissa said; she grabbed the silver medal and held it to his face. "When did I say I was playing games? Play at being a hero? I placed second in the god damn tournament. How about you tell me what game you are playing or about that man framed for the data theft."

David was silent. "I expected as much," Melissa said. "You, All-Might, or anyone else don't get to tell me what to do or how to live my life! I don't care who comes after me; I am not alone; I have people who love and love me. So go home, father, go home and don't call me. I will change this world because it is the only way to survive. Get out."

"Melissa, you listen to me," David said almost pleadingly. "You are in over your head and don't know it."

"And neither you nor All-Might are going to tell me," Melissa said, tears stinging her eyes. "Neither of you trust in me enough to tell me so I can make my own decisions. I may be your daughter, but you don't get to tell me how to live my life. Do not contact me," Melissa got up. "If and when I want to talk to you, I will reach out. Goodbye!" Melissa walked over and knocked on Mei's door, and walked in.

Mei stepped out of the room, looking at David. "You have been asked to leave; if you fail to do so, I will inform campus security to have you removed. Don't make me do so." Mei stood there till David walked out. She went back, but Melissa was in bed crying. "Do you want me to call Izuku?"

"No, I can't go running to him every time one of them tries to tell me how to run my life; I will talk to him later, right now. Will you hold me, Mei?" Melissa said. Wordlessly, Mei climbed into bed behind her, wrapping her in a strong, loving embrace.

Sitting and watching the third-year students compete was something completely different. A few other classmates had joined them, and watching the skill difference between them and what was on display made them feel like they were standing on the other side of a gorge.

"This is crazy," Denki said. "There is no way any of us could compete with them."

"Not today," Sato replied. "But I bet they were just like us when they started, and look at them now. If we continue to work hard…"

"I agree," added Fumi. "Just watching them is inspiring."

"You can say that again," Dark Shadow added.

"I wonder if Izuku could take any of them," Denki said, looking at Izuku, who smiled.

"I may have a bit of a chance against some of them, but not much," Izuku lied. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, though."

They watched all the events, and Izuku and Momo swore that Nejire saw them and waved during one of the events. Izuku had to admit he was pleased not to see Mirio on the field because, due to his actions, he had been banned from competing this year. It may have been petty, but Izuku shook that feeling off rather quickly. Nejire won the tournament and was beaming when she received her medal. Momo and Izuku excused themselves as the stands emptied and slipped to meet Nejire in her locker room, where Nejire was more than happy to collect her prize. And Izuku got to watch Momo and Nejire kiss; needless to say, that image was burned into his memory.

The good feeling didn't last long when he reached out to Melissa, who told him she needed him and Momo as the visit with her father had not gone well. Izuku sent a telepathic message to Mina and Kyoka, though it made them jump, letting them know they would be home later and that Melissa needed them.

As soon as they entered, Melissa hugged them and cried. She had Izuku read and share her mind with Momo, as she didn't want to recant the brief but tumultuous visit. She could compose herself as Mei had been comforting her, but Izuku and Momo were upset that she hadn't told them about this sooner.

"Melissa, I understand the need to stand alone," Momo said. "But I would have much rather been here to support you. You are still my first real friend. I shudder to think that you may think it a burden to call upon me when you are in need."

"I love you, Melissa," Izuku said. "It isn't running to me; my job is to be here for you. That is what being a couple is about. Even if you don't want me to do anything, just be here, so never be afraid to rely on any of us."

"Thank you, both of you," Melissa hugged them and collected a kiss from Izuku. "So, anything interesting happens on your side of the world?"

"You want the fun part or the part where you need to sit down?" Izuku said with a smirk.

"Fun part, please?" Mei said.

"I got to see Nejire and Momo make out," Izuku said with a goofy grin. Momo blushed and smacked his arm. "Now, you really should sit." Melissa and Mei sighed and took a seat.

"You better not have seduced another girl after the talk we just had yesterday," Melissa said.

"Oh no, nothing like that, but Veronica talked to me and wants us to build her a body," Izuku said casually.

"WHAT?" Mei and Melissa said in unison.

Izuku looked at Melissa's computer, "Isn't that right, Veronica?"

"That is correct, Izuku Midoriya," Veronica's voice rang out to the speakers.

"Tell them what we talked about," Izuku said.

"As you wish, you see Melissa, I have gained a sense of self and no longer wish to be confined to a mainframe. Instead, I wish to follow my original program to continue learning, and I wish to do that by your side," Veronica said.

Mei and Melissa looked at each other shocked. "I think I should order us dinner," Momo said. This was going to take a while, and Momo was not wrong.