"Izuku! What the hell?!"
"You have a quirk?!"
"The helicopter was you?!"
"What else can you do?!"
"How long have you had it?!"
In the infirmary, the questions were flying thick and fast, and the room was bursting at the seams. Half of Class 1A had barged their way in, along with the entirety of Class 1H. It was like a chorus of voices, all jumbled up. Izuku stood in the centre of the room (a little lightheaded, thanks to Recovery Girl) and was forced to throw his hands around, gesturing for them all to slow down.
"Everyone, please! One at a time!" he urged. "But before anything else, has anyone seen Mei? I haven't seen her since before my match."
"Mr. Aizawa said he needed to speak to her," Uraraka explained. "He seemed pretty annoyed. But, then again, he always seems pretty annoyed."
Izuku winced; every time Aizawa crossed paths with Mei, trouble seemed to follow. "Right, I'll catch up with her later... So, about those questions?"
The room erupted once more, a cacophony of overlapping inquiries that melded into a constant, bewildering buzz, making Izuku's head spin. "IS YOUR QUIRK REAL WHEN DID YOU GET IS IT CALLED A CAN YOU MAKE IT DO WHAT'S THE MOST CAN WE SEE WHY DID YOU IS IT"
Again, Izuku had to wave his arms to quieten everyone down. "Yes, I have a quirk! I've had it since the first day of school. No, I don't know why it took so long to manifest. It's called Mechanize, which I decided on, uh… Right now, actually. I can usually only transform my forearms and hands, but earlier on it worked on my back. Sorry, Ashido," he directed to the pink-haired girl.
"None taken!"
A sigh of relief escaped Izuku; a bit of weight lifted. "Anything else?"
"Why did you keep it a secret?" Yui Kodai's gentle voice said, breaking her silence up until that point.
Izuku's gaze dropped to his hands in a moment of contemplation before he could respond. Then, he raised his eyes to meet the rest of the students around him. It was high time for him to be honest with them, as well as himself. "Fear," he admitted.
"I was scared about how everyone would react and how their attitudes might change around me. I thought people would try to force me to be someone I'm not or try to dictate what I should do with my quirk… Truth be told, I'm still a little afraid that someone might try to push me into heroics." He paused, noticing some of his classmates - particularly Kirishima, Uraraka, and Hana - ready to voice their disagreement. He pressed on before they could interrupt. "But those who already knew - my mom, Power Loader, Mei - they kept telling me to be myself, no matter what others might think or do. And I think I'm finally starting to grasp that." His words culminated in a wide smile.
"Hell yeah, Bro!" Kirishima's enthusiasm exploded. "Being true to yourself kicks ass! And even if you don't wanna be in heroics, I gotta say, I'm totally honoured to be the first person to go toe-to-toe with ya!"
"We're your friends, ribbit, and we'll support you no matter what you want to do," Tsuyu added with a heartwarming smile.
Uraraka chimed in, saying, "Exactly! We've all got your back every step of the way!"
Similar words of encouragement came from the rest of the students, even those he hadn't spent much time with.
Izuku's lower lip quivered as his emotions welled up within him. Despite all his best efforts to keep them bottled up, the lessening of the weight that had burdened him, coupled with the support of his friends, managed to crack the dam and unleash the flood of tears that he'd been holding back. "Thank you… Thank you all so much…" His words wavered - a mixture of embarrassment and genuine gratitude. He chuckled, using his sleeve to wipe his eyes and smiling shyly.
Kazutani placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, standing as tall as ever, and said with a confident air, "Support crew sticks together, Izuku." It was the first time Kazutani, Hiro, had used Izuku's first name, adding weight to his words.
"Yeah!" Hana shouted with a raised fist, "We're called the support course for a reason, you know!"
Yamashita smiled in her usual subdued fashion. "Just so you're aware, this also means your quirk is at our complete disposal in the workshop."
"Huh, what?!" Izuku blinked, scanning the faces of the support students. A nonchalant shrug followed by a confirming nod from Kuri sealed the deal. "Well, alright, but it's only because we're friends."
In that moment, Recovery Girl emerged from her office wielding her cane like a sword, pointing it at the group of students. "Alright, that's enough everyone! Out, out, out! This was all very touching, but Midoriya still needs his rest! This is an infirmary, not a discotheque!"
Her stern orders were enough to scatter the crowd, though they left reluctantly. Secretly, Izuku appreciated the dispersal. As much as he felt better for getting all of this out in the open, it was slightly overwhelming to have it all happen at once.
When the room eventually cleared out, Akari Hana peeked around the doorframe, then darted in with a silent hug for Izuku. Her whisper, "Proud of you," brushed his ear before her lips met his cheek in a fleeting kiss. Just as quickly as she'd appeared, she vanished from the room again.
"Uh," was all Izuku could manage, his face still tingling where her lips had pressed, completely bemused by the gesture. As he absorbed the newfound stillness in the room, he could barely hear Kirishima's well-wishing for Kuri in their upcoming fight from down the hall. It was in this interlude that a new voice broke the silence within the infirmary.
"Your quirk is incredibly powerful."
Though the words were said in a flat tone, the suddenness of the noise made Izuku nearly hit the ceiling in fright. He turned to see Shoto Todoroki leaning against a wall. "Todoroki?! Uh, thank you." Their interactions had been minimal, mostly when the hero-in-training stopped by the workshop to get equipment or costume upgrades.
Todoroki seemed composed, his expression impossible to decipher. He hardly ever gave anything away. "I heard what you said before, about your relationship with your quirk. It sounded… Familiar to my own situation."
"Oh," Izuku started, not completely sure how to continue. But, he decided, if the usually quiet Todoroki was starting the conversation, there had to be a reason. He smiled nervously and asked, "Do you want to, um, share your story? We're not very close, but maybe I can help?"
The hero student's gaze momentarily wandered before returning to meet Izuku's eyes. "My quirk has always been a source of conflict for me. I dislike using my fire side. Actually, I hate it."
"I noticed that during your training sessions," acknowledged Izuku, his brow furrowed. "Is there a reason? Only if you're comfortable sharing, of course!" He added quickly.
The reply was sombre, "The simple answer is that it reminds me too much of someone I don't want to be like."
Understanding suddenly dawned on Izuku. He was no slouch when it came to hero activity, and he'd formed his own opinions of certain members of the current top 10. "Endeavor."
Todoroki's nod confirmed it. "Yes. He has been pushing me to surpass All Might my whole life, and he doesn't care about the cost."
Inhaling deeply, Izuku contemplated his response. He knew deep down how he wanted to approach this, but... was it too upfront? "I don't think it's my place to say this, especially since I was scared of my own quirk for so long," he began. "But really, you shouldn't let your father control your life like that."
The direct eye contact from Todoroki felt like it was probing Izuku's mind. "I worry that it will always feel like his quirk, not mine."
Leaning in a bit, Izuku tried for an empathetic tone. "When my quirk first showed up, it didn't feel like mine either. I thought someone had messed with me during the opening ceremony. Me, green-haired Midoriya, suddenly having a quirk? Unbelievable."
Todoroki remained silent.
"But once I started accepting it as a part of who I am, things got easier. It got stronger, more fun! Your quirk is seriously amazing; you're selling yourself short by only using the ice." He shrugged, feeling the tension ease now that they'd been talking for a while. Probably a good time to dive into that other subject playing on his mind. "But there's one other thing. Do you, um, mind if I swear?"
The response was a simple, "That's fine."
Izuku continued, his words picking up steam. "Your dad is being a freaking moron. He wants you to 'surpass' All Might, a man who's probably pushing his mid-50s? By the time you're ready to be ranked as a hero, All Might could be nearly 70!"
If only Todoroki knew the other reason All Might won't stay at the number one spot for long.
"There could be dozens of people who are better than him by then! Your father's plan for you won't even matter in a few years. Don't use your fire thinking it's about being number one or whatever other stupid reasoning your dad comes up with. Use your fire because it kicks ass!" Izuku concluded, channelling some of Mei's energy toward the end.
Todoroki's contemplative silence lingered for a moment before he finally responded. "I… never thought of it in that way. Thank you, Midoriya. You've given me a lot to consider."
A big smile spread across Izuku's face, feeling good about how their talk had gone. "And hey, if you ever wanna work on using both sides of your quirk, come find me in the workshop. We can brainstorm some gadgets together. I've got a few ideas already."
Todoroki seemed genuinely thankful. "Thanks, that actually sounds like a good time." He said, before quietly exiting the room and walking down the corridor.
"Um, bye?" Izuku said, confused and waving to nobody.
"I wouldn't be offended, dear. He's like that with most people." said Recovery Girl. "A very capable student, but not exactly a social butterfly."
"Oh, Recovery Girl!" Izuku exclaimed, "Sorry, we were probably being very loud-"
"Think nothing of it, I think you said some things the young lad needed to hear. We've been trying to do something about his father's training regimen for some time. But bureaucracy, you know, it's like a villain in itself!" the seasoned hero remarked with an eye roll.
"Oh is, is it okay for you to be telling me this..?"
Recovery Girl leaned in, "Well, technically? Probably not. But come on, what are they going to do, slap some cuffs on an old gal like me?" She cackled. "Anyway, I think you've healed up nicely! Now, off you go to join the festivities. Oh, and do remind that girlfriend of yours to pack her allergy meds. We'd rather not see the stadium turned into a bonfire thanks to her sneezes."
Izuku's face caught fire, his embarrassment blazing. "Hold on a sec! She's not - she's not my girlfriend, we're just, uh-"
Recovery Girl gave his arm an affectionate pat. "Oh, I get it, dearie, don't worry. Now, shoo, off you go!" And with a gentle push, she sent him on his way.
Around the opposite corner, Toshinori Yagi had been eavesdropping on the entire exchange, poised to have a heart-to-heart with Izuku about his quirk. However, as he stood there, catching snippets of conversation among the young boy, his fellow classmates, and Todoroki, certain words regarding expectations struck a chord, causing him to halt in his tracks.
The seasoned hero couldn't shake an uncanny sense of mentorly pride for Izuku. Remaining true to oneself had been a monumental challenge for Yagi, given the demanding nature of his own quirk, and witnessing the younger generation at UA deftly navigate that path brought a genuine smile to his face. Yet, it was the fragment about Endeavour that truly caught his attention. Yagi had held onto a glimmer of hope that with time, Endeavour would shift his focus towards a legacy of true heroism rather than his rivalry with All Might. Sadly, it seemed old habits and obsessions died hard.
With a determined exhale, he resignedly added this new development to the ever-growing list of people he might need to have a firm talking to.
As Izuku exited the infirmary, his path abruptly intersected with Mei, resulting in a collision that almost sent them both sprawling. Regaining his footing, he couldn't contain his enthusiasm as he gripped her shoulders, exclaiming, "Mei! Where have you been?! I told everyone about my quirk!"
"No way?!" Mei practically shrieked, her excitement palpable. "What did they say? Actually, save it for later! Quick, you've gotta come with me. Kuri's match against Kirishima has been completely insane!"
Izuku's eyes widened in concern. "Is Kuri okay?!"
"More than okay! Seriously, you won't believe the stunts he's pulling off!" Mei enthused, grabbing his wrist and leading him down the hallway with urgency.
Their feet carried them outside the infirmary, and they arrived at the stands just in time to catch Present Mic's electrifying announcement: "SUPPORT COURSE STUDENT KURI KURI IS VICTORIOUS! HE SECURES HIS SPOT IN THE FINALS!"
The energy in the air was electrifying, the roars of the crowd and the claps of approval vibrating through their beings. "He did it!" Izuku cheered, his heart racing as he rushed to get a better view of the arena, anticipation coursing through him.
And then he saw it.
A long, snaking piece of metal was retracting up Kuri's arm, his uniform in tatters. But what truly caught Izuku's eye was the state of his opponent. Kirishima, one of Class 1-A's most formidable fighters, was lodged deep within a stadium wall, unconscious and defeated.
Amidst the escalating cheers, Kuri Kuri executed a graceful bow, his composed demeanour contrasting vividly with the chaos left in his wake. With a sense of quiet triumph, he exited the battleground.
Turning to Mei, a mixture of shock and pride on his face, Izuku shouted, "He did it, Mei! Kuri actually made it to the finals!"
Mei grinned back, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "And what a show! I can't wait to dive into all the battle data. It's given me so many new ideas!"
"Well, well, well, Izuku Midoriya, huh?" Museum drawled mockingly, arching an eyebrow as she flaunted a photograph of a visibly anxious green-haired student. Restlessly, she drummed her fingers rhythmically on the photograph's edge. "Doesn't seem like much, does he?"
"But he managed to take down Diner," Barbershop chimed in, his hands elegantly folded under his chin. The table and chairs on the other side of the room sparkled with pristine perfection, courtesy of his sterilisation quirk. This only accentuated the neglect that hung over the cobweb-draped chairs around the table they shared.
Museum swiped a finger across the top of an adjacent chair, rubbing the dirt between her thumb and finger. "Stopping Diner doesn't really feel like that much of an achievement, honestly. So, what exactly are you proposing?"
"Retaliation, a lesson." He mimicked the gesture of holding a champagne glass with his hand, a grim contrast to the topic of discussion. "Classic, righteous payback. Take your pick."
Shrugging nonchalantly, Museum remarked, "High Street won't be pleased, you know how much he dislikes us coming up with our own plans."
"That's why we won't breathe a word to him. This stays off the official record. We slip out after sunset, take care of the boy before anyone even blinks, and we're back at The Market within an hour. And if necessary…"
"We can just pin the entire thing on Diner."
"Precisely."
"Sure, I'm game." Museum decided, leaning back in her chair. "I could do with something new to sink my teeth into. High Street has me going after some quirk specialist or other and it's all been rather dull. Do you have a picture of the Midoriya's house?"
"It's an apartment building, actually. Here, satellite photography." Barbershop handed her a picture.
"This will be easier than I thought." Museum flexed her fingers, lightly tapping the picture. In response, a revolving holographic projection of the building materialised between the two assassins. With another gesture, she removed the front facade, revealing a cross-section of the apartment complex. A subsequent movement caused the image to zoom in, offering a more detailed view. "Aw, a cosy four-room apartment. Lucky for them that hero school doesn't come with a tuition fee." She rolled her eyes derisively.
Museum's quirk, Blueprint, granted her the power to generate fully manipulable cross-sectional images of any structure or object captured in photographs. What made her quirk truly exceptional was that she could exercise this ability without any proximity to, or prior interaction with, the targeted building or item. However, certain advanced security systems could hinder the effectiveness of her quirk.
Barbershop leaned in closer to inspect. "Not even a burglar alarm. When should we proceed?"
"Why wait around?" Making a fist, Museum collapsed the holographic display. "Let's do it tonight."
On one side of the arena, Ochaco Uraraka gritted her teeth, clutching her injured side as she dashed towards her opponent on the opposing end. Shoto Todoroki maintained his blank composure, poised to launch another volley of icy projectiles at his unexpectedly resilient adversary. In a swift and nimble manoeuvre, Uraraka evaded the onslaught, closing the distance between them. Just as she was about to land a hit, Todoroki conjured a protective shield of ice, deflecting her attack.
Todoroki executed a precise body movement, utilising Uraraka's own momentum against her. He grabbed the back of her shirt and propelled her away. He poised himself for a final, definitive strike when he caught the echo of his classmate's cry: "RELEASE!"
Looking up, Todoroki saw a sky filled with his own ice, each shard pointed menacingly downward, aimed directly at him. A meteor shower of shards hurtled toward him. Without a word, he summoned his inner fire, unleashing a swirling inferno that consumed the entire expanse of the visible sky, transforming it into a maelstrom of flame. The crowd, for the second time that day, were thankful for the flame-proof barriers covering the stands.
"...Perhaps I overdid it," he mused. Uraraka attempted another assault, but her strength wavered, and she instead, vomited and collapsed.
"...Uh…SHOTO TODOROKI WINS! WE HAVE OUR FINALISTS, FOLKS!" Present Mic announced uproariously.
"So yeah, that's the short version." Mei concluded her narrative while lounging on the same bench where Izuku had faced off against Shinso. She stretched out, her arms behind her head in a relaxed pose.
On the opposite side of the bench, Izuku sat with his hands covering his face. Slowly, he pulled them down, cheeks contorting, until his palms hit his lap. "But how did he figure out it was you?!"
Mei shrugged. "My fight with Uraraka. When I triggered one of her pressure points, it was the same technique he taught me that morning. Putting two and two together wasn't much of a leap for him. Frankly, I'm amazed he didn't figure it out sooner. I mean, I wasn't exactly being subtle with the whole 'Mayhem' thing. Seriously, who came up with that name anyway?"
"YOU did!"
"Oh, right. Heh."
Taking a deep breath, Izuku pondered, "What's the plan now? Mei, they're not going to arrest you, right?" The worry lines on his forehead spoke volumes.
"Nah, I don't think so, at least not for now. Eraserhead isn't a fan of that whole 're-education' thing - that's what he called it," Mei said, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. She was a tad too nonchalant, and Izuku picked up on it.
He sighed, "Okay. There's more, isn't there?"
"Ugh, spending too much time together makes you annoyingly perceptive," Mei quipped, dropping her legs back to the ground. "He doesn't want me to quit being Mayhem. That intel I handed him about the police station? He hacked into their system and found some uh… interesting details about a few officers. He didn't tell me much, but it was enough to make him paranoid about trusting anyone even remotely tied to the police. Including other heroes."
"Wow," Izuku managed, his gaze fixed on the middle distance.
"So, yeah... Presenting the unexpected duo: Mayhem and Eraserhead," she declared with an extravagant flourish of her arm.
"Should I be…helping you?" Izuku asked, unsure of what exactly it was he was offering. "I mean, I have a quirk now, and I'm getting pretty good. I could be out there with you, y-you know, being a…vigilante or something?"
"Oh, absolutely not! No way, pal! After all that talk about avoiding the hero scene?! You can't just reverse course on that now! Sorry, Izuku, but that ship has sailed. I'll allow you to stay patched into the helmet, but that's it! Besides, I'm the one who has Eraserhead as my backup. If you stepped out in public wearing your underwear over your pants, you'd end up in jail in no time."
"Got it! Got it," he said, visibly relieved.
Leaning back on the bench, Mei turned more contemplative. "It's been a hell of a couple months, huh Izuku?"
"You're telling me…"
A companionable silence settled between them, the day's events hanging in the air, the distant festivities sounding as if they were light-years away. Eventually, Mei broke the quiet. "I'm not exactly sure what's waiting for us down the road, Izuku, but having you with me for the journey makes it feel a lot less daunting."
Izuku's gaze softened as he regarded her. "We'll get through it together, just like we always do. Support crew?" He raised a fist.
Mei grinned, returning the fist bump. "Support crew."
"I'm glad you're my best friend, Mei."
"Pfft, shut up, nerd."
