The UA cafeteria was abuzz with lively conversations and the tantalising aromas of various dishes wafting through the air, courtesy of Lunch Rush, creating an inviting atmosphere for the students. Mei and Izuku found themselves seated across from each other at their usual table, their plates quickly cleared and pushed aside to make space for their ongoing schoolwork. Izuku was racking his brains, striving to refine his costume design to meet the specific feedback set by Midnight ("Fewer tassels"). Meanwhile, Mei was securing the last few screws onto what looked like a championship WWE belt.
In the midst of their focus, their fellow support classmate, Kazutani, suddenly approached their table and dropped a pile of arranged notes and papers in front of Izuku. Glancing down at the pages, he saw an array of intricately sketched costume designs, each featuring a model with a striking resemblance to Izuku himself. Perplexed, he asked, "What's all this, Kazutani?"
"A thank you," The taller student responded. "The engineering tutoring you provided was remarkably helpful. To show my appreciation, I've taken the liberty of designing a series of costumes exclusively for you."
"Wow," he exclaimed, his words filled with genuine appreciation. "But, why? I mean, I don't see myself actually wearing a costume anytime soon..."
"Consider it a thought experiment. Perhaps you can incorporate some of these ideas into our class assignments. After all, I've noticed that your current costume designs, well..." His voice trailed off, accompanied by a raised eyebrow as he glanced at the less-than-impressive sketch Izuku had been working on. "They're lacking a certain flair, wouldn't you agree, Midoriya? An Elizabethan ruff, really?"
"I thought it would look regal…"
Interjecting with mock indignation, Mei lamented, "Sure wish someone would design me some cool costumes. Alas, there doesn't seem to be anyone around here with whom I shared all my notes from Power Loader's structural integrity lecture…" She blinked innocently.
"Maybe we could collaborate some time," he answered thoughtfully. "You'd look wonderful in something purple."
Mei choked on her water for a moment, "Y-yes, maybe!"
"Thank you for these, Kazutani! I'll put them to good use, I promise." Izuku said to his friend, gratefully, tapping the pile of papers onto the table to line them up better, and depositing them into his backpack, as Kazutani bid them farewell and returned to his table with Kuri and Hana.
"So, speaking of hero costumes," Mei said conspiratorially, leaning forward to lower her voice, "Have you managed to… Grow your crops lately?"
Snorting with laughter, Izuku answered "It sounds really dirty when you say it like that! We've talked about these accidental innuendos before, Mei, remember?"
"Is this about that memory foam mattress again?"
"You asked the client if she wanted something nice and firm in her bed tonight!" Izuku said, laughing at Mei's innocence.
"Yeah, well! I don't notice things like that, I'm too busy working on making babies."
Izuku raised an eyebrow, "Was that one on purpose? You know, never mind." he shook his head and changed the subject. "I did figure out something pretty cool I can show you later, if I-"
His words were abruptly cut off by Uraraka, who excitedly waved and shouted from a few tables over, "Hey! Midoriya! Hatsume! Come join us!" Standing up, she pointed towards the two vacant seats at her table, a warm smile adorning her face. Mei couldn't help but notice that Uraraka had incorporated the quirk activator glove into her daily attire, which made her even happier. With a beaming smile, Mei enthusiastically waved back at her friend. Gathering their belongings, Izuku and Mei made their way over to Uraraka's table, joining a group of other 1-A students.
As they approached, a student with a head as rectangular as his glasses suddenly stood up, his movements precise and formal. Izuku couldn't help but marvel at how mature and composed he appeared for someone their age. The student introduced himself with a deep bow, exclaiming, "Hello, I am Iida Tenya." He then turned his attention to Mei, bowing so deeply that his head nearly touched the table. "Your actions during the entrance exams were instrumental in saving Uraraka's life, and I am truly grateful. If only I had been more attentive that day..."
Uraraka gently pulled Iida back down into his seat, a hint of embarrassment visible on her face, while Mei's expression beamed with pride and gratitude. It felt wonderful to be acknowledged and thanked. With a hint of modesty, she responded, "Aw it was nothing! All in a day's work!"
Tsuyu Asui greeted Izuku and Mei in her customary manner. "Hi Midoriya, Hatsume, ribbit. Have you met Kodai?"
Izuku and Mei turned their attention towards a quiet-looking girl with black hair, who subtly acknowledged their presence before continuing to eat her lunch.
Excitedly, Mei exclaimed, "Oh! You're the size girl!" Instantly, Kodai's face flushed with embarrassment, while Izuku discreetly tried to hide his own unease. Nonetheless, Kodai nodded silently, confirming Mei's observation.
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I'm Izuku Midoriya," Izuku greeted everyone politely, feeling a slight tinge of anxiety that often accompanied meeting friends of friends. However, Mei's outspoken nature served as a fantastic buffer for any discomfort he might have felt.
Interrupting their introductions, Iida interjected, his curiosity piqued. "May I ask what your quirk is, Midoriya? As someone who finds quirk theory fascinating, I'm always eager to learn more-" His words were abruptly drowned out by an increasingly loud noise emanating from the belt that Mei was currently tinkering with. Iida's eyes widened in surprise. "Should it be making that sound?"
With a remarkably serene tone, she calmly replied, "I do not believe so, no." Izuku knew all too well that this composed demeanour signalled the impending arrival of disaster. Whenever a baby Mei worked on had the potential to explode and/or implode, she would transform into a zen monk. Bracing himself, Izuku instinctively covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut.
VWEEEEEEEESVWOOSH!
A brilliant blue laser beam erupted from the belt, obliterating a section of the cafeteria ceiling. In the aftermath, a bewildered student peered down through the gaping hole from the classroom above, their face a mask of confusion. However, within moments, their presence was replaced by the stern countenance of Shota Aizawa. The tired-looking teacher cast a heavy gaze upon Mei, "Detention. Both of you." With that, he retreated.
Quietly, Mei tightened the last screw. Just as she finished, a boy with an air of theatrical flair approached their table, exclaiming dramatically, "Ah! Mademoiselle! You have completed my support belt! Merci!" Snatching the belt from the table, he pranced away swiftly, leaving Izuku and Mei momentarily speechless.
Izuku finally managed to recover from the shock, turning to Mei. "What just happened?"
Mei shrugged. "There must have been some residual energy left inside the belt. Just another day in the life of Hatsume Industries, I guess."
Uraraka couldn't contain her laughter any longer and erupted into giggles, "Everything is so interesting with you guys around!"
Amidst the laughter and lingering chaos, Iida's scandalised expression stood out amidst the sea of amused onlookers. Tsuyu chuckled softly to herself, while Kodai remained quietly engrossed in her lunch, seemingly unfazed by the spectacle.
Izuku rubbed his eyes. "Oh, you have no idea…"
—
The two friends were unsurprised as they entered the room to see they weren't the only ones with detention that afternoon. It appeared Aizawa was quite trigger happy when it came to doling out punishments. Of course, it wasn't entirely unjustified this time, considering Mei had managed to blast a hole in the ceiling. And as for Izuku, well… Izuku had uh… Izuku was there for moral support. He hadn't actually done anything to warrant being here, but he didn't really think about it.
Alongside Mei and Izuku, there were two other students serving their time. One was a boy from the hero course with tape dispensers growing from his elbows. The other was a student from general education, with an enormous chin that bordered on the absurd. Izuku was very glad to have gotten his muttering mostly under control in quiet situations, otherwise he could have talked up a storm speculating if the boy's chin was connected to his quirk.
The room itself appeared to have been abandoned at some point in the early 19th century, or at least felt that way. There were faded posters depicting long-forgotten heroes on the walls and one of the two fluorescent lights above flickered - threatening to dim at any moment yet soldiering on. In one corner of the room, a substantial cobweb stretched across, hinting at a lack of regular upkeep. Given the numerous occasions when support students had caused fire damage in the past, only to find it mysteriously cleaned up the next day, it was evident that someone was responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the school. So it seemed intentional that it was left in its current state.
Rather than the usual array of neatly arranged tables found in typical classrooms, this room boasted just four tables strategically placed at each corner. Izuku speculated that the number of tables fluctuate depending on the number of students assigned to detention.
The detentioneers weren't allowed to use this time for any personal or school related work, which Mei immediately baulked at. The entire idea of punishing a student by having them do nothing for an hour seemed completely ridiculous to her. Izuku was feeling incredibly restless too, even after just fifteen minutes. One of the other students kept rhythmically drumming his fingers on the table. They were in one of the seats at the back of the class and neither of them could turn to see who was doing it. The inability to uncover the source of the sound felt like an additional form of punishment, Izuku thought maybe there was no one drumming their fingers, and the noise was purposefully pumped into the room to drive them insane.
This was one of those moments Mei was happy she could use her quirk without anyone noticing. It granted her the freedom to drift into daydreams and observe people from a considerable distance. This was a skill she often employed during tedious lectures that repeated information she had mastered back when she was five. In the present moment, her attention was fixated on a playful squirrel frolicking amidst the forests surrounding UA High School. However, her reverie took an unexpected turn when she spotted a woman emerging from the dense foliage. The stranger possessed vibrant red hair and appeared to be dressed in athletic wear. Mei couldn't recognize her, but she assumed the woman must work for the school in some way. She continued observing as the woman retrieved her phone and proceeded to dial a number. To her astonishment, Aizawa answered the call.
"What is it?" came Aizawa's sigh-laden voice, accompanied by a weary gesture of rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Send someone else, I'm busy... Fine, I'll be right there." Without even saying goodbye, he abruptly ended the call, rose from his chair, and addressed the remaining students in the room. "Something unexpected has come up. I'll be away for a few minutes. Remember, no one leaves until I give the order." With that, he exited the room, leaving the students on their own.
Mei returned her attention to the forest, but the woman had disappeared.
Time dragged on. With each passing moment, the absence of Aizawa became increasingly concerning. After ten minutes had stretched into twenty, and twenty had escalated to a nerve-wracking thirty-five, the student with the, genuinely, ridiculous chin from the general education department abruptly rose from his seat and exited the room. Then, ten minutes later, the hero course student offered an apology and declared that he, too, needed to get going.
Izuku, feeling a surge of unease, turned to Mei and voiced his apprehension. "Do you think we should leave too? Aizawa did tell us to stay until he came back, right?"
Mei, her face adopting a solemn expression, responded with a hint of urgency in her voice. "Izuku, you know that feeling I get in my knees right before one of my babies explodes?"
Concerned, Izuku nodded in understanding. Over time, he had learned to trust Mei's instincts. Maybe it was a side effect of her sight-based quirk, a unique attribute that enhanced her perception of imminent danger? Izuku made a mental note to ask about it later. "I feel it too, Mei," he admitted. "Something seems off."
Mei's mind quickly raced, contemplating the best course of action. "Nezu's office isn't too far from here," she suggested, to which Izuku nodded in agreement.
—
Principal Nezu beamed with delight as the dynamic duo entered his office, exclaiming, "Well, well, well, if it isn't our two shining stars from the support course! It's always a pleasure to see you both!" With a flourish, he placed his pen on top of a towering stack of papers, giving them his undivided attention. "Now, tell me, how can I be of assistance to the two of you?"
"Sir!" Izuku started, urgently. "It's about Eraser... I mean, Mr. Aizawa," he stumbled, his concern evident.
"We don't know where he's gone." Mei finished for him, confusion and mild panic evident on both of their faces. They weren't frantic, by any means, but Nezu could sense that deep pit of worry forming from their words alone.
Nezu nodded sympathetically, "That does seem a cause for concern." He walked over to his computer, preparing to investigate the matter. Although the circumstances were dire, a fleeting thought crossed the students' minds - how could the principal use a keyboard with paws?
After a moment of silence, Nezu spoke again. "According to our security systems, Mr. Aizawa was last seen in the teacher's lounge. Perhaps he simply forgot to sign out!"
"Could you check for us, please?" Mei requested, hoping for some resolution before they left for the day.
"Indeed, I can!" With a decisive click of the mouse, a live security feed displaying the UA faculty lounge appeared on the screen. Present Mic was sprawled across a couch, snoring with his mouth wide open, while Ectoplasm played a losing game of solitaire on his computer. However, there was no sign of Aizawa. "Curious," Nezu mused aloud. Furiously clicking and typing, he confirmed, "It seems Aizawa's faculty badge has been tampered with, preventing me from tracking his current location."
The principal scratched himself thoughtfully behind the ear, contemplating their next course of action. Then he proposed, "Miss Hatsume, if I were to grant you access to the rooftop, could you utilize your quirk to scan the area in search of our missing teacher?"
"Absolutely!" Mei replied, eager to assist in any way she could.
Izuku chimed in, offering his own assistance. "I might be able to help too, or rather, Deku can help." He gestured toward the small robot residing in Nezu's office. "If we connect their systems to UA's security feed, Deku may be able to simultaneously search every camera for a specific parameter."
"Excellent ideas, students. Please, do as you see fit." Nezu commended, his admiration for their resourcefulness shining through. Handing Mei the keys to the rooftop, he said, "Please proceed as you see fit, Miss Hatsume." Meanwhile, Izuku swiftly retrieved a USB cable from his backpack, plugging Deku into the computer for seamless integration.
—
Perched high above on the rooftop, Mei activated her quirk, unleashing its power to survey the sprawling perimeter of UA. From this elevated vantage point, she possessed a commanding birds-eye view, offering a panoramic 360-degree perspective. With utmost precision, she zoomed in and enhanced her vision at any flicker of movement that caught her eye. Amid her vigilant surveillance, Mei's phone vibrated with a text from Izuku, asking if she'd seen anything. Typing with a single hand, she hastily responded, "mp mpyjomh ury."
When the reply of "?" came back, Mei finally spared a moment to actually look at her phone as she typed. She swiftly texted again, this time sending the message, "No, nothing yet."
"Ok, got deku plugged into the cameras now but we've got nothing either"
In that very instant, far off in the distance, Mei's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a faint glimmer of light. Employing a rapid zoom, she successfully found Aizawa's presence in a small clearing, barely visible amidst the thick canopy of trees. She could see his levitating hair and the intense red glow emanating from his eyes, which likely meant that he was in a fight. Fixed on the scene, Mei witnessed a silver object hurtling towards the back of Aizawa's head, only for him to skillfully spin around and deflect it effortlessly from mid-air. It seemed that Aizawa's foe was adept at utilising the trees for cover, rendering them virtually invisible even to her enhanced vision.
With time of the essence, Mei swiftly dialled Izuku's phone, which he answered promptly. Urgently, she relayed the crucial information, "I found him! Forest! He's fighting someone, can't see who!"
Nezu's voice unexpectedly crackled through the phone, "Miss Hatsume, it's me, your esteemed principal! It seems Aizawa has fallen within a communication dead zone. Is there any way you can pinpoint his precise location?"
"Yeah, but I gotta get closer. I can bounce the signal to my phone, but it's useless from up here. They're both bouncing around the trees like crazy, so giving you vague directions won't be useful!" Mei explained, determined to find a way.
In hushed tones, Mei overheard Nezu advising Izuku to escort Deku outside while Nezu himself contacted the remaining UA staff on campus to provide assistance to Aizawa. "We appreciate your help in this matter, you're showing the spirit of character we admire greatly in this school. If you manage to get within a practical distance, please do so, but ensure you do not expose yourself to unnecessary danger."
"Understood!" Mei affirmed resolutely before ending the call. Casting a thoughtful gaze across the rooftop, she took a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what lay ahead. "Well, I suppose this is the ultimate test of my longfall boots..." Balancing on the precipice, she tentatively extended her leg over the ledge, momentarily suspending it in mid-air. However, after a moment, she stopped herself. "On second thought, I'll take the stairs."
—
Mei hurriedly caught up with Izuku and Deku, who was piggybacking on Izuku, outside the main UA building. Together, they embarked on their mission to locate the teacher. Izuku filled Mei in on what he'd managed to accomplish, with assistance from the principal, he had boosted Deku's network strength, equipping him with the ability to override the communication dampeners that the villain seemed to be utilising.
As they traversed the path towards Aizawa's last known location, their senses heightened, Mei and Izuku heard the hero's voice echoing in the distance. "Who are you? What do you want with this school?!" The intensity and volume of his voice were far greater than they had ever heard before. It was clear that he was intentionally raising his voice, aiming to attract attention and draw people towards their position. Mei exchanged a glance with Izuku, realising that they must be getting closer when her sight quirk had stopped working, indicating they were in his line of sight - however briefly. They would now be able to activate the GPS tracker to pinpoint their exact location for the others.
Caught off guard by an attack from one side, Aizawa swiftly pivoted to deflect a projectile hurtling towards him. Yet, in his momentary distraction, he failed to perceive the impending attack from behind. The villain seemed to possess the ability to strike from multiple angles at once.
As Aizawa executed his nimble spin, turning his back to the students, her exceptional vision snapped back into action. In that critical instant, she detected a glimmer of silver as an object was set into motion, hurtling towards the teacher. Time appeared to slow down within Mei's heightened sight. Reacting swiftly, she grabbed a small stone off the ground, ready to act.
In a breathtaking display of accuracy and precision, Mei unleashed the stone with incredible force. It soared through the air, closing the gap between itself and the spoon with impeccable aim. In a hair-raising moment, the stone collided with the utensil in mid-air, grazing it mere inches away from the back of Aizawa's head. The offending weapon careened off course, embedding itself into the trunk of a nearby tree.
"Holy shit, Mei! What the hell was that?!" Izuku couldn't contain his amazement, his admiration for Mei's astonishing display of skill.
The sound of Izuku's astonished exclamation caught Aizawa's attention, momentarily breaking his concentration. It was a brief lapse that proved costly. In that fleeting moment, the dangerous assassin known as Diner seized the opportunity. With a swift, forceful kick to the back of Aizawa's head, Diner sent him sprawling to the ground, defenseless and vulnerable.
Standing over Aizawa, Diner clenched her fist tightly, filled with a deadly arsenal of forks, ready to deliver a finishing blow. However, before she could carry out her nefarious plan, a sudden impact to the side of her head disrupted her focus. It was none other than Izuku Midoriya, one hand transformed into a hammer, the other a length of rope and a grappling hook affixed to a nearby tree, which he used to close the distance between them in an instant.
Izuku stood breathless, his heart racing from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He stared down at the unconscious form of the enemy, a mix of relief and terror on his face. "Oh, jeez, oh jeez..." he panted, struggling to catch his breath and process the intensity of the moment.
Mei swiftly rushed over to the scene, her concern for the well-being of both Aizawa and the defeated villain apparent. She knelt down beside the fallen assassin, her fingers instinctively reaching for her pulse. "Izuku! Izuku, it's okay. She's alive, she's not dead," Mei reassured her friend, relieved. The impact from the boot to the back of Aizawa's head had inadvertently rendered him unconscious, his body awkwardly sprawled near a gnarled tree root protruding from the ground.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Mei and Izuku swiftly shifted their focus towards securing the incapacitated Diner. With a collective effort, they carefully employed Aizawa's capture scarf, deftly wrapping it around the villain and securing her to a sturdy tree.
As if on cue, the figures of Ectoplasm and Present Mic emerged on the scene. "You got here just in time!" She lied, speaking on behalf of Izuku, who still appeared to be in a state of shock from his first fight with a villain. "Aizawa managed to capture her, but she knocked him out somehow! It was insane, like POW! NGH!" Mei embellished her account slightly, hoping to downplay their own involvement and elevate Aizawa's heroic stature.
Izuku, still catching his breath, chimed in, trying to regain his composure. "Um, y-yeah! It was a crazy fight, but he managed to prevail in the end. He got her all tied up and ready for prison!"
Present Mic regarded the two students with a puzzled expression, trying to make sense of their account. "Got who tied up, little listener?" he questioned.
"Huh? That woman over… there…" Confusion briefly flickered across Mei's face as she turned around to point out the captive, only to be greeted by an empty pile of loosely wrapped capture tape haphazardly adorning a tree.
