In breaking news, the stress from the villain's attack on his home appears to have separated Endeavor Enji Todoroki and his wife, Rei Todoroki. The filing lists Irreconcilable Differences for a reason. Still, with this coming nearly six months since the attack, one can only assume that this has something to do with the assault, where a crazed stalker attacked his wife, their children, and some of their schoolmates who were over for a sleepover.
The official release from Endeavor's Agency confirms the filing, stating that this is a private matter and the family is asking for their privacy to be respected. When the Number Two hero was asked for a comment at a news conference, he walked off stage instead of answering.
This is not the only turmoil at the Endeavor Agency, where long-time sidekick Burnin recently left, opening her agency; she stated it was time for her to grow and step out on her own.
The shocking attack indeed sent shockwaves through the hero community, leading to many pro heroes increasing security at their residences, with some moving to a new location; a law was recently passed making it illegal for any photos to be taken of a pro hero entering or leaving their residence, or for images to be published showing any child of a pro hero without consent of the parents.
In other news, All-Might has once again done the impossible; he stopped a Tsunami and made a young girl's dreams come true when he stopped by her bake sale. We will now go to our field correspondent, Aiko Osa, with the report.
-Touya-
He sat staring at the book in his hands, his gaze shifting from it to Momo, who was beginning to fidget. Momo looked at her big sister, Fuyumi, "Did I mess up?"
"No, Momo," the girl said with a smile, "Touya, say something."
"Um…thank you, Momo," he said quietly. "How did you know I was looking for it? And how did you find it?"
"I overheard you and Natsuo talking about it last time we were over," Momo responded. "You mentioned how hard it was to find, especially a translated copy, so I reached out to our Book dealer and asked them to find me a copy."
"You have a book dealer?" Fuyumi said, surprised.
"Doesn't everyone?" Momo said, confused, "I honestly wondered why you hadn't called yours."
"Momo, how many dealers do you have?" Touya said, looking at the girl in amusement.
"Well, there is Kiki for Tea, Pierre for Wine, and Delilah for flowers," Fuyumi and Touya sat there in shock as she continued for five more minutes.
-Inko and Rei-
"How are you doing?" Inko asked as she pulled out the pot for dinner.
"Good," Rei said with a smile, "I can breathe and dance again; it is just…"
"Terrifying and the best thing ever?" Inko laughed as Rei nodded. "I can tell you and the kids are so much more at ease; there isn't this cloud hanging over you. Has he reached out at all to the kids, I mean?"
"It is complicated; right now, they need their space from him," Rei said, chopping vegetables. "He has to earn their trust back if he even can."
"And how are they reacting to Kaina?" Inko asked as the spices floated from the cabinet.
"Well," Rei smiled. "She makes me happy; it was a bit of a shock when I introduced her…
-Flashback-
The Todoroki children were all sitting in the living room when their mother entered with a strange woman beside her. The woman is tall and has a curvy body. Her long hair is indigo-colored with scattered pink streaks and is usually tied in a ponytail, with two full shoulder-length strands of hair framing her face. She has purple eyes with a mauve shade and dark blue angled eyebrows.
"Secrets and lies have been at the center of this family for too long," Rei said. "I have not been without my sins; this woman by my side has been a friend and was my source of hope for a long time. I contacted her because I needed a friend, something you know about now." Her children smiled, thinking of Izuku, Momo, and Set. "But in the course of that, we became more than friends; I fell in love."
Her children all looked a bit surprised. "She helped give me the courage to decide that I needed for not only my sake but all of yours, that we needed to get away from your father. Our marriage was unhealthy, as was what he had done and was doing to all of you. She was helping me figure all that out when that mad woman attacked us." Rei reached out and took Kaina's hand.
"Does she make you happy?" Fuyumi said, breaking the silence.
"Very much so, Fuyumi, and most importantly, she makes me feel safe," Rei responded, squeezing Kaina's hand.
"Well, she can't be much worse than Endeavor," Natuso said, smiling.
"That wouldn't be a high bar to cross," Touya said, getting to his feet. "As long as you are happy, Mom."
They looked at Shoto, who seemed confused. "I don't get it," he shrugged. "Can my friends still come over any time?" Rei smiled and nodded. "Okay!"
"Okay then, children, this is Kaina Tsutsumi, otherwise known as Lady Nagant," Rei said, kissing Kaina's cheek.
Kaina blushed some. She was incredibly nervous about being introduced to the children. Still, she understood that for her and Rei to continue having a proper relationship, it was a necessary step, and not having to sneak into the home would be a welcome change. She stepped forward and bowed, "It is wonderful to meet all of you; I look forward to getting to know you all better, and if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."
-Flashback End-
"So the kids are adjusting to her being around," Rei couldn't stop smiling. "The kids are happy, and I am also; how is Izuku? Have they discovered what those numbers are?"
"Not yet; they have been running tests for the past five months," Inko sighed.
"Okay, I want to know how you went on a date with Rip Van Winkle from your online chat but did not go together or meet?" Rei asked.
Inko blushed, "We went on a walking tour. I went to different spots in the city that I liked and left him messages to hear what I thought about them and why I liked them. Then he went and responded by sending me messages."
"Okay, kind of cute, but why did you not go together?"
"Well, we don't know each other's name, or even what the other person looks like, what we do for a living; we didn't know what each other voice sounded like till we did the tour," Inko blushed. "It is kind of stupid, isn't it?"
"It is odd, but I don't know. It is romantic in a way, but you may be being catfished, you know that?" Rei responded.
"All I know is he is male; well, he presents that way; he has a rough voice; it is kind of sexy," Inko continued to blush. "I know he has a couple of friends that he has had since school. He works nights, but he has this dry sense of humor that I like, kind of sarcastic and playful."
"Are you going to meet?" Rei said, adding the vegetable to the soup pot.
"I am supposed to meet him at Hero Con next week when I take the kids," Inko smiled. "Ichika will be with me so I won't be alone, and we are supposed to meet Ashai there as well; it is a shame you can't come."
"I don't want to answer all the questions; besides a day alone with Kaina, I am sure we will find a way to pass the time…" Rei smiled wickedly, causing Inko to laugh. "Has Ichika said anything about how his treatment is going?"
"They think they caught it early enough, so they are fairly confident they can send it into remission again," Inko sighed. "But it never fully leaves, and according to what Ichika said is that every time he gets worse, it is only a matter of time before…"
"That has to be horrible; they love each other so much, and the girls will be devastated," Rei sighed.
"Hana, being older, seems to understand it better, but Set…"
-Set-
Set was reflective, and as she set her game aside, she could not concentrate. She instead could only focus on the machines and their steady beep as her father sat in his chair receiving treatment. He had fallen asleep about an hour ago; her mom and sister had left to grab a bite, leaving her to sit with him. She didn't understand everything happening but often heard the word hopeful.
Her dad had been sick as long as she could remember, but last month, he got worse. One night, she crept into the hallway and heard her parents talking about how it had returned. How his sickness had returned, but she heard that word that night, and the doctors were hopeful.
Set laid her head gently on the back of his hand, looking up at him while he slept; set closed her eyes, "Please don't go, Daddy, she whispered. "I am not ready for you to leave."
-Mirai Zaidan-
"You did wonderful, Izuku!" Aishuru said over the intercom. "How are you feeling?"
"Cold!" he responded, his teeth chattering some.
"Okay, Izuku, let's try speeding up," Mr. Richaado said. "It should help you with the cold." Izuku nodded, zipping around the room a few times. "Better?" Izuku nodded. "Okay, I want you to freeze time again and try to move the objects to opposite pedestals."
Izuku sat in the recovery room, drinking a cup of tea as he answered more questions from the research committee. "Has the number changed anymore?" Mr. Richaado said.
"No, it still says 106," Izuku responded. "Do we know what it means yet? We have been running tests for a while now?"
"Not yet, Izuku; that is why we are doing these tests," he said with a smile. "What I want you to do now is try to stop everything around you but speed yourself up. Doing so will regulate your body temperature; we will go for 6 minutes." Izuku nodded as he got to his feet and walked back into the testing center.
"What do you think is happening?" Aisuru asked.
"According to the readings, his body is slowed on a cellular level when he stops time. That is what causes the freezing over," Rido replied.
"And then when he accelerates himself, his is accelerating his cells, thus creating heat," Aisuru said, looking at the data; Rido nodded. "And the number?"
"I'm not sure it has an obvious correlation with his quirk. I have a theory I want to test, but it will have to wait till the number drops again," Rido turned his attention to the testing area. Izuku was standing one moment. The next, he was sitting on the ground panting, cold but not freezing; the boy smiled and gave a thumbs up.
Izuku stood in the room next to Mr. Richaado. "I don't know if I can do this. I barely remember doing it."
"Well, just do your best," Mr. Richaado said, patting his back.
Izuku took a deep breath and took Mr. Richaado's hand. When he activated his quirk, he felt the chill crashing down on him hard. He stumbled, but he sped himself up like he had been practicing. He pushed the chill away for Mr. Richaado, "Izuku, this is amazing."
"Can't hold it," Izuku gasped as his quirk shut down, and Izuku's world went dark.
When he awoke, he slowly sat up. "I hope I haven't been asleep for three days again."
"No, only a few hours," Aisuru said. "Has there been any change?"
"Yes, it says 105," Izuku said hopefully. "Does that mean we can stop all the testing now?"
"Yes, Izuku, you can be a child again!"
"Yay!" Izuku yelled as he ran out of the room
-Hero Con-
Rip Van Winkle, aka Eraser Head, and Shota Aizawa were unceremoniously nervous. Of course, this was the source of endless amusement for his two best friends, Hizashi Yamada, Present Mic, and Nemuri Kayama, aka Midnight.
Shota is a tall, slender man with pale skin and shoulder-length black hair that is often messy and partially covers his face. His eyes are half-opened and black, and he is often recognized for his worn-out appearance, looking fatigued most of the time. His facial hair is usually stubbly and unkempt, and his eyes appear tired and flat, except in combat. He wears a baggy black outfit with a long-sleeved shirt and matching pants tucked into his boots. He also always wears a utility belt and his signature wrap scarf, which he uses to hide a pair of bright yellow goggles that he wears during battles.
But today, his hair was combed and styled, and while his eyes still gave him a sleepy appearance, he was wide awake and did not present as weary or tired. Annoyed, but that was directed at his friends and slightly at his situation. Freshly shaven, not baggy clothing, his capture scarf was not safely wrapped around his neck to provide comfort and security. He didn't even have his utility belt. He felt naked, laid bare for the world to see.
Instead, he wore a nice pair of black jeans, a silvery grey button-down shirt, and black sneakers with white trim.
"I don't think I can do this," he said, looking over the convention floor.
"WOW, ZA, HOW CAN YOU NOT?" Mic said, slapping him on the back. "YOU GET OUT THERE SHOTA OR I WILL MURDER YOU MYSELF!"
"Quit being such a coward," Nemuri added, "you did the walking tour, went to restaurants, and ate things the other recommended; you even went to that classic film festival to see the movie she was gushing about." She smiled when he blushed. "We all get nervous; you can't chicken out now; she is here and heading to the meeting spot and wearing a daffodil in her hair so you can recognize her!"
Shota sighed, "If you don't go out there, I will see if she likes girls!" Nemuri added when Shota glared at her; she smiled, "Then go, you idiot, and have a good time!"
Shota took a deep breath and stepped onto the convention floor, heading towards the main entrance. She was looking for a woman wearing a Daffodil in her hair, standing by the entrance to the Eclipse VIP meet and greet. At least she had not chosen All-Might, but then again, she had VIP tickets.
Then he froze; it had to be her; she was short, about 5'3, and she was dressed in a dark green dress with a black lace overlay that ran down her arms and revealed her bust, and hugged her curves. And she had curves; her large green eyes were glancing this way and that, and her long green hair braided down her back with Daffodils. "Beautiful," he whispered. He took a deep breath and walked over to her. Once he got close, she looked at him hesitantly. He said, "Persephone?"
When she smiled at him, he felt his knees wobble slightly, "Rip Van Winkle?" he nodded. "It is so wonderful to meet you, Inko Midoriya finally."
"Shota Aizawa," he replied, unsure whether to bow or shake hands, but when she stepped forward and hugged him, he was very pleased she made that decision. She jumped back and blushed.
"I am so sorry," she stammered. "That was incredibly forward of me."
"It was nice, though," he replied quickly, "I can't describe how happy I am to meet you finally."
Inko was relieved that she hadn't just blown their first meeting, "Same, but I have to tell you that I have a son. I understand if that is too much for you since this is our first official meeting."
"If you don't want me to meet him, I understand," he responded.
"No, it isn't that; I just…my son is very important to me as it should be; I just wanted to be forthcoming; we can talk a bit if you like. He and his friends are in line to meet Eclipse," she said, fidgeting with her hands.
"I would like to do more than just talk to you for a few minutes after all this time," Shota's smile made her feel at ease. "If you are amenable, I would like to meet him and maybe enjoy the convention with you today."
"I would like that very much," Inko smiled. "So, Shota, what do you do for a living?"
"Well…" he responded sheepishly, rubbing his head. "I am a pro hero myself…"
-Results-
Rido Richaado, the head of Mirai Zaidan, sat looking at all the data collected over the past five months on Izuku Midoriya. With the revelation of the number in the corner of his eye and it changing after the night of the attack, the question became what it represented and what had caused it to change.
Inko sat in the office nervous; life had returned to normal since the attack, and the children were free to play and interact. Her home had become a defacto gathering spot after school for a bit while Rei found a new home for her family; the location near the school, along with the increased security, found the kids heading there before they would head home. She had been a little upset that Izuku had kept the information about the number in the corner of his vision away from her. Still, she had to approach it carefully to not drive a wedge between them but to express the importance of him telling her things, especially when it seemed to have something to do with his quirk.
Now, she was meeting with Mr. Richaado to hear the testing results.
"First, Ms. Midoriya, let me apologize for the time it took for us to figure out what the numbers your son could see meant," he began. "But after the extensive testing and a thorough review of the results, I am here to tell you that you can breathe easy." He smiled, and Inko released the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
"So what is it?" Inko said.
"It is a measure of the energy that Izuku's body has stored in regards to his quirk," Mr. Richaado tapped a button on his desk; the lights in the office darkened, and a Holo Sphere lit up, displaying a biometric reading of Izuku. "You see, Izuku's quirk is exactly what we have always believed; he can stop time, now there have been questions. Is this in a limited area? What is the meaning of the frost? And recently, what does this counter that he sees represent and measure? The answer is: No when he stops time, time for him is stopped. He is in his pocket that exists outside of time. By stopping time, he is slowing his cell's natural vibrations, which is the cause of him frosting over; he is freezing his body in time when he stops it."
"And the heat is a result of him speeding up the cellular vibration; he isn't moving at super speed, but his body is moving through time faster than us," Inko said, looking at the data.
"You are correct. You are very astute, Ms. Midoriya," he said, smiling. "Now, what some others will refer to as his quirk factor is extremely high; another way of looking at it is that his high quirk factor is the measure of energy his body has stored up, allowing him to "stop" time. This energy accumulates over time and is stored within his cells. The very cells he slows and accelerates to use his quirk."
"Does that mean he will eventually be unable to use his quirk once it reaches zero?" Inko said concerned. The thought that he would lose his quirk at some point was troublesome, to say the least; she knew it devastate him if it prevented him from being a hero.
"IF it reaches zero," Mr. Richaado replied, raising a finger, "You see, his body is still accumulating this energy, but it is slowed now that he has access to his quirk; constant use of his quirk will make his stored energy deplete but rest and not using his quirk will allow it to rebuild. I believe that what is needed is to find a balance to keep his number from depleting too quickly."
"Constant activation of his quirk will cause him to burn through his stored energy, but if he limits his use, it will allow a portion of the energy he has spent to be reclaimed," Inko said.
"That is correct; he will be fine if he doesn't have to defend himself or his friends from such a terrible incident as six months ago. According to our data, as long as he keeps his time stoppage to under 1 hour per day, his energy levels should be able to replenish themselves just fine; any more will require him to rest longer to keep his levels high if the dip, then he knows he needs to take more time to rest," Mr. Richaado turned off the Holo Sphere. "And this is only going to get stronger; the older he gets and the more control he can lean, the more he will be able to increase the amount of time he can keep stopped for the day."
"Thank you, Mr. Richaado," Inko bowed as the lights came up. "Knowing what that number represents and that he can still pursue his dream with proper training and guidance takes a load off my mind." She rose from her seat, "Thank you again."
"There is no need to thank me, Ms. Midoriya; this is why he is here at Mirai Zaidan. It is our pleasure to help him and all our students," he bowed as she left the room.
Once she was gone, the Holo Sphere lit up again when Ms. Arashi entered, "I assume she bought what you told her?"
"Of course, she has no reason to doubt us, and as a mother, she is more willing to accept the situation we presented," Rido responded as the projected data changed.
"According to the cellular degradation data, he is burning through his life. That number is how old he will be when he dies when he stops or accelerates the time he borrows against his life span," Aisuru replied. "Shouldn't you warn him?"
"No, doing so will cause his mother to attempt to shut him off from using it all. That will remove our ability to study him. These tachyons he produces when he stops time can be what allows us to harness the ability to time travel for ourselves. The only way we can figure out how to produce them is by studying Izuku Midoriya, and if we figure out a way to synthetically produce them, we will be able to help continue to fuel him," he smiled.
"Thus allowing further study," Aisuru replied with a smile.
"I am not a complete monster, my dear, but sometimes sacrifices need to be made in the name of science," he rose from his chair. "Now, how did your meeting go with All for One!"