"Welcome home, Shoto!"

I'd barely taken my shoes off when I heard Fuyumi, my older sister, shout from deeper in the house, followed by the sound of her running towards me. She wiped her wet hands on her apron and smiled at me.

"Thanks," I returned.

It was New Year's Eve, and we'd gotten permission to visit home for just the night and following day, as long as we had a pro-hero escorting us.

"I was so sure you wouldn't be home for the holiday, so this was a pleasant surprise. You hungry?" She said.

"No…are you making something?" I asked, walking to the kitchen and smelling something great.

"Yes, just the traditional osechi stuff. Ah, the water's boiling!"

I watched her run over, lower the fire, and sigh in relief. The main workspace was already covered in dishes.

I began to reach for the kuromame, but she caught me and said, "Nuh-uh! Not until you wash your hands, mister!"

"Fine," I replied, heading to the bathroom.

"So are you hungry or not? I can make you something else."

"No. I already ate with mom."

I'd gotten permission to add an extra stop so I could visit her in the institution. It'd been harder to get out and see her since the dorm system, so I wasn't going to let the chance pass me by. She was doing so well the doctors implied she might get discharged in the near future. As I washed my hands, I thought about the meal we'd shared in the hospital cafeteria.

We were talking…about nothing in particular…this was the first meal we'd eaten together in years…the cafeteria was all out of soba, so she'd chosen beef stew instead and I'd chosen Katsudon…

Beef stew and katsudon. My two best friends' most frequent orders.

I told her how finishing the supplemental course meant I'd earned my license…

She'd told me, "I'm making an effort too."

"I know, mom. I'll try even harder…" I mumbled this out loud. Harder to become a powerful hero, like All Might.

Straight ahead, no detours.

I walked back into the kitchen and popped a kuromame bean in my mouth. Fuyumi noticed and rolled her eyes.

"Is it good, at least?" She asked. I nodded.

"Glad to hear it. Ah, Natsu's also coming home today…dad too."

"Hrm."

She looked unhappy…I couldn't help feeling bad for her.

"Can I help?"

"Nonsense. You're only home once in a blue moon, so take it easy."

I hesitated, and she smiled.

"Fine, fine. Your futon's drying by the window in your room. Why don't you take it down and lay it out?"

"Ok."

When I woke up some time later, Natsu was there, talking with sis in the kitchen.

"You don't have to compare your pain to anyone else's…"

"Natsu?" I asked. He looked in pain.

He turned to look at me.

"Oh, you're up. I found you snoozing a minute ago. Isn't that right, sis?"

"Yes, you were sleeping so peacefully that Natsu didn't want to disturb you."

"Oh, I had no idea. You could've woken me up. Let me help."

"Leave the kitchen to me," said Fuyumi. "Why don't you two go outside and feed the coin instead?"

She didn't have much trouble finally forcing us outside. Natsu didn't seem to be in the best of moods. We had never really talked much. He was my brother, but in some days he was a stranger to me.

"Natsu?" I asked as he seemed to be drifting off.

"Erm, it's nothing." We'd arrived at the edge of the pond, where Koi were swarming at the edge.

"They must be hungry,"I muttered.

We walked to the storage shed and started rummaging around for fish food.

"Now where's that food?" Said Natsuo. "Wait, him?"

"Thunk fast!" He shouted at me - but I was too caught off guard to notice in time. A soccer ball bounced off of me. I ran to get it as it rolled away. Near the pond.

"Watch out!" Natsu cried out as I tripped and fell over, right into the pond.

"Phwa!" I gasped, standing up in the shallow water. Natsu started laughing.

"Natsu!" I glared at him.

"Sorry! C'mon, lemme help," he gave me his hand - I slipped again and pulled him in after me.

"You both fell in? How does that even happen? Bath! Now!" Said Fuyumi. We warmed up in the shower before settling into the family-style tub.

"Ahhh…" sighed Natsuo. "Can't believe I took a dunk in the fishpond on New Year's eve."

"Sorry."

"You're sorry? I'm the one who threw the ball. It was my bad."

"No…I just mean…" I started. Then stopped. I couldn't say it.

I had to.

"WE've never taken a bath together before now."

"True enough," said Natsu. "How're the baths in your dorm building? Nice and big?"

"Twice as big as this one."

"I bet it's loads of fun, piling on in there with your friends."

"It's normal. I'm used to it by now. Anyway, we should probably wash our hair, right?"

He agreed, and we were silent for a while again, until he said something quietly.

"Huh? You say something?"

"I asked ifs school is fun."

"I wouldn't say 'fun.' The training is tough, and we barely have time to breathe between classes."

"Sure. Makes sense."

"Not that that's a bad thing."

"Y'don't say!"

"What about you? How's college?"

"It's brutal! But I'm still having a blast!"

"Sis told me you have a girlfriend."

"She never has learned how to mind her own business."

I smiled.

"And you? Any ladies in your life these days?"

"No."

"NO wonder, given how busy they keep you at that school. How about friends, then? Got any of those?"

I thought it through for a while. "Midoriya and Iida, I guess. I usually eat lunch with them, and we study together sometimes."

"Cool, cool."

"I thought I met get closer with Bakugo since we had to do that license course together, but it didn't turn out that way."

"Hmmm?"

I didn't feel like talking about Bakugou too much, but I did explain each of my classmates to him.

"But seriously, what're they teaching you at that school if you can't even catch a ball?"

I froze for a moment, feeling embarrassed.

"It took me by surprise. That's the ball you all used to play with, years ago. I watched you, you know. Always wanted to play too."

He took a long moment to respond. "Let's play some soccer after the bath, huh?"

"When we've just gotten clean?"

"Whatever! If we get sweaty, the bath's not going anywhere."

Before I could reply, we heard the door to the changing room slide open, and Fuyumi's silhouette appeared on the other side of the fogged up glass.

"Natsu! Shoto! I have to run out for a bit."

"Huh? For what?" He asked.

"I forgot to pick up the mocha I ordered."

She headed out and we left the bath, dressed, and moved into the kitchen. Laid out on the table were a large kneading bowl, a bag of buckwheat flour, and a rolling pin.

"Soba-making gear, huh?" Said Natsu. I couldn't help but think about what Fuyumi would be making at the end of tonight….

"Let's save the soccer for another time, yeaH?" Said Natsu.

"Huh?"

"You're clearly dying to make some soba."

I nodded.

"I get it. You love soba. Hey, how about we pound this out before sis gets back? That'll knock her socks off."

"OK."

WE rolled up our sleeves, but I froze.

"You uh, wanna get started, buddy?" Said Natsu.

"I do, but this is my first time. What about you, Natsu?"

"Same here! You think us first timers are unto the task? Hang on, lemme look it up," he said, whipping out his phone and googling it. It looked hard.

"Doing it with nothing but buckwheat flour is hard, they say. Let's try the hibachi hybrid version, with a little wheat flour added in."

"No. Full buckwheat."

"That's the hard way, though."

"I think it's tastier."

"Ok. Looks like adding the water is the key step. Here we go. When the water hits, you gotta make sure it gets distributed nice and quick."

"Got it - oops!"

"Too much power! The flour's spotted to stay inside the bowl!"

"Just add some more."

"Like this? Aw crap! Forgot to measure!"

—

"I'm back! Sorry that took so long!" Came Fuyumi's voice. "Wait, what's going on here?"

"Sorry, sis," said Natsuo.

"We failed at Soba making," I explained.

She stared at the awful lump of nothing we'd made.

"Did you two try making it all on your own?"

We nodded.

"Hahaha!" She laughed hard.

"I got the amounts all wrong," said Natsuo.

"And I couldn't figure out how to mix the water in right," I told her.

"It's fine, boys. No point crying over spilled milk, right? Or flour, in this case? We'll just have to eat that."

"Huh? Eat the clod?" Said Natsuo.

"It's still got that soba essence, right?" She said. "Just think of it as a dumpling rather than noodles."

"But year's end soba is s'posed to, like, stretch across to the New Year! That's the whole point! Our lump's never gonna bridge that gap!" Said NAtsuo.

"Well, there's no more flour, so we'll have to deal with it."

"My soba," I mumbled. They both laughed.

"You seriously love soba, huh?" Said Natsuo.

"Doesn't he, though?" Said Fuyumi.

"Leave me alone," I scowled at them.

We sat down to dinner in the living room.

"Dad sure is late," said Fuyumi.

"Busy with work, probably," said NAtsuo curtly. "Let's eat so I can get the heck out of here before he bothers showing up."

"Fine, I suppose it is dinnertime," she sighed.

"We switched on the TV and started eating.

"Mmm!" Moaned Natsuo through sashimi.

"Ouyoshi's fresh fish can't be beat!" Said Fuyumi.

"It's top tier for sure!" Said Natsuo.

I chewed on a piece of the clod, and Fuyumi smiled at me.

The emcee on the show suddenly shouted "This just in! A gigantic gorilla has climbed up Shizuoka tower! It's believed to be the villain with the King Kong quirk who escaped from jail just a few days ago! We have a live feed of these events folks!"

The camera was at the base of Shizuoka Tower. An enormous gorilla-like creature clambered up, roaring all the time.

"Yikes, that's not far from here," said Fuyumi. "Let's hope nobody gets hurt.

We saw a person in the monster's hands.

"This is Sato, live on the scene! We now see that the villain has taken a hostage and - oh my - is that Endeavor?!"

"Dad!" Shouted Fuyumi.

Yeah. It was him.

Natsuo coughed. "W-what the hell's he doing?"

On TV, the announcer said, "Yes, the hostage is none other than Endeavor! But why isn't he fighting back? Wait - hang on, folks! It appears that the hero has something in his own hands?"

He was holding what looked like shopping bags.

"Oh no! The villain is attempting to crush endeavor in it's grip!'

The camera zoomed in, and we heard him grunt, "Urgh, guess I've got no choice!" He dropped the bags and ignited for prominence burn.

"Endeavor has beaten the villain with a single move! I hope you folks at home caught that, since it will likely be the number one hero's final heroic act for this calendar year!"

"I'm just glad he's ok," said Fuyumi.

"Can you believe that guy?" Said Natsuo.

I looked back at the soba again.

"Natsu, since dad might be held up, why don't you relax and stay awhile?" Said Fuyumi. I nodded. Natsu grinned. "Hrm, I guess I don't gotta rush off anywhere."

"Great. In that case, I think I'll have a little drink for the occasion. Someone gifted dad some top shelf stuff the other day," said Fuyumi. When she returned with a bottle of sake, Natsu poured some for her.

"Here's to you, sis! Thanks for always minding the house."

"I just can't wait until you can join me for ad rink," she replied.

"Gimme another year. It'll be nice to kick one back with Shoto someday, too."

"Uh-huh," I replied.

"Ah, the soba dumpling pairs great with this," said Fuyumi.

"Hang on, sis - is that why you set out to make soba tonight?" Asked Natsuo.

"Is soba good with alcohol?" I asked.

"Sure is. Ah, it'll be nice to share a drink with mom once she comes home," said Fuyumi.

"I bet that'll be sooner rather than later," said NAtsuo. After a moment, he said, "When the day comes, we'll have to up our soba-making game for mom, huh Shot?"

"Mm-hhm," I replied.

The new year's finale was on TV.

Maybe in the future this won't be so unusual…

—

I at least of course, would be seeing the old man the next day.

That morning, New Year's Day, Fuyumi saw me and my hero escort off at the station. Midoriya and Bakugou joined the train from the same stop. Midoriya wore a patterned scarf and Bakugou a plain one. Midoriya looked nervous, his curly hair was more rumpled up than usual and his huge eyes seemed even wider than normal. Bakugou looked as surly as always, hands shoved in his pockets, ignoring us both.

"Hi, Todoroki! Thanks so much for the recommendation."

"Move over, IcyHot! You're crowding me!"

Typical greetings. I nodded at Midoriya and gave Bakugou a little more room. He was on my right side, which wouldn't be comfortable in winter.

We arrived at the agency street at last, where my old man was standing there waiting for us.

Oddly - unsettlingly - he was wearing a smile.

"Welcome. I'm Endeavor."

Then his faced darkened back to the same look he always had.

"Is that the warm reception you were hoping for? I ain't thrilled about taking you two on. This is only cuz Shoto asked! I was hoping it'd be just me and him!"

"You already accepted them, so stop complaining," I told him.

"Sh-shoto!" He gasped.

Bakugou was glaring at him in silence, then said, "Ever since our training course, I've been thinking…you're a jerk."

I grinned to myself. This was why I liked hanging out with Bakugou, as difficult as he could be.

"Are you really friends with this kid, Shoto!?" My old man demanded.

That's the question, isn't it? I though, glancing sideways at Bakugou. Every time someone asked, he loudly denied that we were even friends.

This time, he said, "Whatever. I'll put up with anything if it means seeing how the top dude operates."

Maybe we are, now?

"I told to choose your friends wisely!" The old man barked.

I suppose if Bakugou didn't protest, that means now we really are friends? Whatever. I say we are. Especially if it annoys my old man.

"Thank you for accepting us!" Said Midoriya. He of course I know for sure is my friend. "We're here to learn, sir!" He added.

"Shoto's not me…it was you who said that," my old man muttered.

What? I wondered as we walked after him. Then suddenly he jumped over a fence.

"Sorry, but I don't give a crap about anyone but Shoto! You wanna learn?" He shouted while powering up. "Stand back and watch!"

Action time. A villain.

We all suited up. Midoriya and Bakugou both threw on their gauntlets. I iced up.

"Tell us what we can do!"

"I told you to stand back and watch!" My old man shouted.

"Revelations from the universe I have received!" Flee flee good citizens! The dark lord's lips curl in a wicked crescent! The End is nigh!" Came the villain's loud chanting.

"He told us to stand back and watch, but -"

"To watch, we have to keep up!" Midoriya finished my sentence as we sped along after my old man. He was really too damn fast to follow properly.

Flashfire - I noticed.

The villain was floating along down the street, chanting loudly. "The dark stars collude and conspire! They must be halted! This land will soon be cloaked in darkness! Flee good citizens! I am who will destroy the root cause of this darkness! Now -Enchanted Fallen King! Reveal yourself! Herald of the dark lord!"

He had sucked the glass from the surrounding windows and shaped it into some kind of massive weapon orb.

And we could see my old man had caught up to him and was giving chase. The villain had led him into an ambush from some of what looked like his assistance.

Midoriya and Bakugou had out paced me - as fast as I was going, they were moving, almost seamlessly - like a team.

Like on the island - what happened to them there? The way they're moving together now?

They were poised to take the villains as I froze them in place - but an interception arrived.

"OH, trainees!" Cried the Wing Hero Hawks, swooping down to join us. "My bad. Looks like I was a little faster."

"Hawks!?" Said Midoriya.

"Seemed like you were in trouble Endeavor."

"Me? Not a chance."

I felt a little awestruck, watching him up close as he swept down to join us. Only a few years older than us, and pretty young looking, with rumpled blonde hair, stubble, large wings and laid back, half closed eyes…

"But it seemed that way, didn't it Shoto?" He asked me, and I was too taken off guard to do more than stumble out "Um - I - uh!"

"You're supposed to contact me when you're in town," said my old man.

"I'm not - I mean, I was just passing by," said Hawks.

The villain was being handled int other vehicle and was still ranting. "That one is the root cause! His shining light beckons the dark! It precipitates our demise!" He was shouting about my old man.

"Zero casualties, yet again. As long as you're watching over this town, we're safe and sound," said a cop.

Midoriya came over to join me and Hawks. "Hello, my name is Midoriya!"

"You're the kid who smashes up his own fingers, right? Tokoyami filled me in. Man, I wish I could've worked with that kid again."

"But isn't tokoyami back at your agency?"

"Yeah, down in my hometown with my sidekicks. But I've got too much going on to be there. I feel kinda bad - about it…" he said, then trailed off, looking at Bakugou.

"Back there - I was faster!" Bakugou snapped.

"Huh, you think so?"

"Well Hawks? What do you want?" Said my old man.

"Want? Oh, nothing, really. But have you read this book, Endeavor?"

He pulled a book out of his pocket.

"Meta Liberation War?" Asked Midoriya.

"I mean, you must've heard of it. This thing's been flying off the shelves lately. And after those townspeople in Deika fought for their lives, the book's been getting even more attention. It was written way back when, but it feels really relevant today. Like this quote. 'When freedom is only granted to a select few, the burden necessarily shifts to everyone else. If you don't got time for heavy ready, I highlighted the must-read parts! It outlines Destro's ultimate ideal, a society held together by personal responsibility! It's perfect for this day and age!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Imagine it, Endeavor! A world where we've got time to kill!"

I glanced at Midoriya and Bakugou. They both cocked their eyebrows.

What is going on?