This might be one of my biggest chapters yet and its all talking...and the next chapter will mostly be talking as well! Hopefully people don't find this stuff too boring, have to have some luls before the action can pick up again.


Kendo couldn't remember who got to him first.

Looking back it was all just a blur of frantic screaming and movement out of her view. She continued to stare the entire time she moved, adrenaline pumping through her body as she pushed and shoved anyone that got in the way of her and the arena. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears and silencing any words being said, if someone called out to her she didn't hear them. If someone reached out towards her they could not reach.

She had to keep moving, every part of her body moving in sync. It took everything in her not to panic more then she already was. It probably only took a few minutes to get to him but it felt much longer.

The truth of the matter was that you could say how you would respond in the middle of chaos but what you say you'll do and what you actually do are very different things. You never really know how you'll respond until it actually happens.

When she finally got to him she was torn between getting to him and punching a dazed Bakugo in the face. The second option was so tempting but she decided to go with the more important one, making sure Izuku was ok. But even if she decided to do the second option the look in Bakugo's eyes would have stopped her in her tracks. He looked...shell shocked, would be the best word for it. His gaze staying straight ahead despite everything going off around him, staring vacantly at the place where Izuku used to be standing.

Tearing her gaze away she turned to Midoriya. Her best friend being carried in Midnights arms, the pro hero looking exhausted, like she added at least a few more years onto her life. In any other situation it would look really weird to see their flirty, seductress art teacher acting like that. Looking more like an exhausted mother that just gave birth then a pro hero...but her focus was elsewhere at the moment.

She remembers Midnight turning towards her to say something but it was all just noise.

What was she supposed to do in a situation like this again?

Months of hero procedure that Kan had instilled in her brain was gone in an instant...and right when she needed it most.

Looking him over she was relieved to see that his chest was rising and falling slowly as if he was just asleep. She wanted to touch him, to grab him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Something to show him that she was here for him but she was not sure what was ok and what wasn't. If she wasn't careful she could make it worse and she would not, could not do that to him.

In a blink Recovery girl was next to them, huffing and puffing as she looked him over. Turning he shouted out to everyone huddled around, something about an emergency vehicle being called.

Following them outside she made sure not to leave his side as he was carried to a waiting ambulance, moving as if she was Midnight's shadow. Watching him being loaded onto a waiting ambulance she went to follow when she was stopped by a gentle hand.

"Itsuka." Her mother called out, the first word she recognized in what felt like an eternity. Facing her mother she wrapped her arms around her, feeling herself fall into her embrace. Her stress bleeding into her as her mother whispered comforting words in her ears. "It's ok, I got you. Everything is going to be ok."

"We have room for one more to ride along!" Shouted out a medic over the commotion, pulling them from their moment and reminding them what was happening. "Is there a guardian or someone close that wanted to ride along?"

Swallowing Itsuka looked amongst her gathering family before up at her mom.

"I got to go..."

"I know." She whispered back with a smile, leaning down she kissed her forehead. "Go. We'll be right behind you."

Nodding slowly she willingly left the warm comfort of her mother and hopped up into the ambulance. Finding a seat next to Recovery girl as the large double doors slammed behind her. With the rev of an engine the large box of a truck shifted as it started to take off down the road. In the tinted back windows of the ambulance she could faintly see her family waving to her as the vehicle pulled out of sight.

If she looked closer however she would also be able to see a certain silver haired man standing next to them with a worried and sad look on his face.


In a dark alley away from prying eyes the hero killer sat against the wall in handcuffs, his hands taught and strained. Glaring up at the new stranger he frowned, showing some of his teeth as the hooded man got closer and closer. His gaze shifted around quickly as he was already thinking up a way to get out of there.

The two watched each other, sizing each other up and just waiting to see who would make the first move.

In a snap their stare down was interrupted by the sound of Ingenium's phone, the small thing letting out an obnoxious pop song before being silenced by the stranger's foot. Plastic grinding under his heel as he took another step forward and then another. Reaching a wrinkly hand out towards him only made the hero killer glare harder, his shoulders growing tense. Shifting his weight slightly he shimmied a knife from his back pocket before taking it and concealing it in his palm.

Just in case...

The hooded man got closer and closer, the faint shadow he cast drifting over the hero killer and illuminating his sharp red eyes in the dark. The tension started to build as they were about to connect, neither of them wanting to back down first before finally the tension between the two hit its peak...and then it was gone.

Reaching a hand forward the stranger wrapped all five of his fingers around the hero killer's cuffs and turned them into dust in his hand. The chains between the cuffs letting out a snapping sound as if they were some cheap toy.

Letting out a tired sigh the stranger sat next to him against the wall.

That...surprised the hero killer, he thought he was was someone he had wronged in the past. Now though he wasn't sure...

Blinking a few times confused he tilted his head at the stranger. As if the stranger could sense his unease he spoke.

"I'm not here to fight you...hero killer. I just want to talk, then you can go on your way. I'm not going to stop you." He said quietly, pulling his hood away to reveal a pale looking man that had to only be in his mid twenties. Long grey hair dangled down from his head and small scars were scattered along his eyes and mouth. From what Stein could tell they looked like they were some kind of scratch or claw marks.

"Ok...then talk." The hero killer growled out, willing to listen to him at least for now but still being a man of little patience.

"My name is Tomura Shigaraki...well, it is now. I used to be called something else a long time ago." Looking off to the side with a frown this...Shigaraki thought of what to say next. He weirdly looked sad for someone who just murdered a pro hero in cold blood. "You may think I came here for some reason, to trick you or attack you but I didnt. It was pure chance that I found you here."

That was hard to believe...Hosu was a big place, did he seriously expect him to believe that?

He couldn't help but scoff at the idea, the hero killer rolling his eyes as he spoke. "Oh please. Don't tell me you believe in destiny or some sappy thing like that."

This 'Shigaraki' let out a sadistic kind of chuckle at that. It sounded bitter and unamused. "God no. I dont believe in much anymore, especially something fucking stupid like destiny."

Watching him closely the hero killer let out a thoughtful hum. "Then, why are you here? Tomura Shigaraki?"

Shaking his head Shigaraki's grey hair swayed with the movement. "Honestly? I have no idea...I'm just looking for guidance I suppose.."

For some reason he believed him, there was something in the way he spoke that made the hero killer understand him in a way. He had the same lost, listless gaze that he saw in the mirror many times when he was younger...after everything.

"Guidance?" He scoffed. "What makes you think I'd be willing to do that?"

"My master is a man who took me in when I was at my lowest...in a way he kind of saved me. I feel like I owe him everything." Raising a hand to scratch his cheek Shigaraki frowned. "He had this...list, of potential allies. People he thought would be able to help me become whatever in the hell I'm supposed to be and you were on this list. I may not believe in destiny, but I sure as shit know an opportunity when I see one."

There was a long moment of silence as Stein digested what he said. Stein had always been a loner, ever since he first started doing all of this. He never once thought about joining forces, let alone having an apprentice.

The idea was ridiculous, a foolish thought that would only invite foolish actions.

But...

If it weren't for this stranger today his mission could have been over. It couldn't hurt to have someone cover his blind spots and if it really got bad he could always just kill him later.

"What is it you are trying to do here Tomura Shigaraki? What is the end goal in all of this?"

"The end goal?" Shigaraki glanced over to him with a thoughtful frown, creases starting to form on his lips. He looked like he never once thought about that idea, as if he was just doing whatever the hell he wanted.

Stein internally scoffed. This was a waste of his time after all. He was just a fucking child, a man baby just doing whatever the hell he wanted. Stein was already planning to get up and leave when Shigaraki finally responded.

"When my quirk first activated I killed my whole family. Destroying everything I ever knew in an instant." That made Stein pause. Shigaraki's tone turning angry. "After that I was just wandering the streets, bloody, confused and broken. Not a single fucking person even tried to help me. They all just turned their back on a child that needed them at his lowest moment."

Clenching his fist Shigaraki growled out. "This world is sick and complacent, too obsessed with themselves to care about anyone else. Not just the heroes but all of them! Hypocrites every last one of them! A society so devoted on heroism that no one is a hero. I say let them worship their false idols and petty wealth...because it will be all the more satisfying when I burn it all to the ground."

Conviction was the driving force of Stein's entire ideology. If you wanted to do something you best do it with a goal in mind, no wavering and no backing down. It's a belief that fueled him at his darkest moments. If you believed something you best be ready to die on that hill.

For the first time Shigaraki found his conviction. An unwavering hate of this society built on one event long long ago.

It was rough but Stein could see something in it. Something that he could mold into something wonderful.

Slowly stretching across his face the hero killer's grimace turned into a wild, crazed smile.

"Good. Now that is what I like to hear. Let's see if we can't do something with that."

Turning to face each other the two villains had finally come to an agreement. A deadly pact starting to form between the two and personally, both of them couldn't wait to see what it turned into.

Hiding in the shadows a butler made of smoke watched on, his glowing eyes squinting a little before he turned away.


Izuku Midoriya always thought sleep was a weird thing. It was necessary to survive yet if you had too much of it it did more harm then good. It's the weirdest feeling to wake up from a long sleep and still feel tired...its as if you wake up in a bed of muk. Everything feeling slower and more sluggish then usual.

He's only woken up like this a few times in the past. Like the first time he used his quirk to heal his mother's cut finger and almost passed out due to the shock. He remembers sleeping really well that night...

That's a weird memory that he tries not to think about.

The low groan of a conversation made him stir in his bed. Words hitting his ears through a muffled tone that almost didn't sound like words. There was something about how low and monotone it was that stirred him awake like something annoyingly poking his head. Slowly opened his eyes they struggled to stay open under the heavy weight on his eyelids.

A tv sat up in the corner of the room with some kind of news show playing. It's only when he focused in on the news reporter did the words being said start to make sense.

"Day...on our search and the pro hero Ingenium is still missing. Police report that...despite their claim it is rumored that the man was on the hunt for the hero killer in Hosu city right before his disappearance...the only thing left at the scene of the crime was...phone and smatters of...blood." Blinking a few times his eyes kept fighting to stay awake, his eyes slowly closing before snapping awake again. Parts of the words fading in and out of his brain. Opening his eyes again he noticed the man pick up his stack of papers before taping them onto the table. "The police have recently raised the price on any news or information on the whereabouts of the pro hero Ingenium. So if you know anything please contact them right away."

The pretty reporter woman nodded along with an unmoving smile. Looking like she didn't just hear something horrifying. "Truly terrifying Tom. Stay tuned for any updates on this continuing story."

The news station quickly going to some commercial about the newest , greatest action finger.

Iida's brother was missing? That didn't sound good...

Turning his head in thought he frowned, his eyes closing. Something didn't add up. From everything that he had read about the hero killer online he was all about sending a message. About leaving bodies in his wake as a warning to other pros, either by killing them or crippling them.

Why would he kidnap someone?

Snapping his gaze to the white tiled ceiling he slowly looked around the room, taking in every detail for the first time.

He half expected to wake up and find a very angry Recovery girl waiting for him like the boatman to hell. Her cane slapping against her palm with a threatening presence before she started to chastise him.

He was a little surprised, however, to find himself not in some nurses office but instead being in a full blown hospital bed. There was a room divider folded up and put against one of the walls but it looked like he was the only one in the room. Looking himself over he didn't look injured at all, the only thing different was he was being drip fed an IV.

His bed was placed right next to a window, the orange hue of the setting sun shining faint light into the room. The faint sound of a low, quiet hum greeting his exhausted brain.

Rubbing a hand against his face he groaned, his body feeling stiffer then usual.

How long was he out?

Placing his hands on the railing of his bed he went to get up only to stop when he felt a small shift of weight next to him. Turning his head, his brain still tired and sluggish it took him a second to process a messy clump of orange hair pressed against his chest. It only took a little longer for it to click who's hair it belonged to.

Wait...he knew that hair!?

Sitting up quickly in shock his face turned bright red when he realized how close they were. She was practically cuddling up against him, the already cramped space suddenly feeling way smaller now that he was sharing it with a girl.

His sudden movement jolted her awake as well, looking around in a startled daze before blinking owlishly back at him.

Now don't get Midoriya wrong. He always knew that his best friend was pretty, how could you not when they spent almost every waking moment together. He's seen her in her ups and her downs. At her joking laughing smile all the way to her crying defeated face...but for some reason this was a new side to her he had never seen before.

Her ginger, orange hair wasn't put up into a ponytail, instead it was down to her shoulders and clumped up in places, probably because it had not been combed in a while. The big baggy shirt she was wearing was scrunched up and messy with stains checkered along the front of it. She had the faint trace of bags under her eyes and she looked like she desperately needed a shower.

She honestly looked terrible, the worst he had ever seen her. Yet, there was something about the way that the light from the window hit her that made her almost glow, her faint visage making him gulp and shift awkwardly in his bed.

She...she looked beautiful.

He must have been staring for too long because she started to shift a little in her seat, her gaze pulling away from him awkwardly.

"Say something dude, you're starting to worry me here."

Sitting up straight he couldn't fight the heat that was pooling in his cheeks. Embarrassment rushing through him.

Oh god! Kill him now!

"A-ah! Sorry! I'm just...surprised! To see you here is all!"

Crossing her arms she slowly stood to her feet. "What's that supposed to mean? I made myself perfectly clear, repeatedly, that you were stuck with me. Just because you burst into a big ball of fire doesn't mean you can get out of our friendship."

"That's not what I...you are putting words into my mouth now!" Waving a hand back and forth he huffed at her, his tone turning into something more playfully annoyed. Easily going back to their teasing routine.

Letting out a soft chuckle she shook her head before rolling her shoulder. Him trying very hard not to stare at her very exposed skin, the fact that he could see the string of a bra wasn't helping any. "Hard to put words in your mouth when you haven't said much. You just keep staring at me like I grew a second head, what? Do I look that bad?"

"Not at all, I was just trying to..."

"I know I probably look like a wreck right now but isnt it a little rude to stare? I mean just think what Mama Midoriya would say if she heard you..."

"You look very pretty right now." The words leaving his mouth before he could even process what he was saying, his words stopping her playful teasing in her tracks. Her head whipping around to stare wide eyed back at him.

Curse his tired brain.

That was the first time he's ever openly called his best friend pretty...sure he's complimented her before but it was mostly about how awesome or strong she was. How she was one of the coolest people he knew, but never pretty. He wasn't even sure if she wanted to hear something like that from him...

Kendo watched him for a good moment with a look of surprise on her face, her teal eyes looking him over almost as if she was making sure that she heard him right. Opening her mouth it closed with a snap before she slowly opened it again. Looking away she was staring at the floor, her hands raising up to comb at her messy hair.

He could swear that he saw her blush as she muttered out a response. "Thank you. Izuku."

Her response only made him feel more nervous, something clenching in his chest at the sound of her using his first name.

She hasn't called him that in a long long time.

Quickly pulling his gaze away as well as he nodded. Letting out an awkward chuckle as he rubbed at his neck, practically copying her tone. "Yeah. No problem."

There was something in the air as the two avoided eye contact, anxiously wiggling in place. It felt, almost romantic to Midoriya which was weird because this was hardly a romantic place.

Isn't there supposed to be some cheesy music and candles or something?

His mom's romance movies did not help him at all!

There was a sound at the door, something walking up to it before pausing. The faint sound of gentle feet before the door slammed open with a bang that made both of them turn to stare.

Barging into the room and practically shoulder tackling through the mood came his mother. Tears starting to form in her eyes as she barreled right for him and leapt into his arms. The smaller woman cannonballing into his chest and almost knocking him right off of the bed, the poor bed groaning under the extra weight.

"IZUKU!" She cried out, a wet feeling of her tears on his shirt as she pulled him in to a big hug. Taking hold of his cheeks she pulled his gaze to her as she kissed all along his cheek. "Oh my baby boy! I'm so glad you are awake! Look at me! Are you alright? Where does it hurt!?"

Flickering his gaze over to Kendo she was watching with an amused look on her face, probably trying to document this for later for black mail reasons. Feeling his face pressed into his mom's chest as she squeezed him his face turned bright red.

Ok...NOW. Kill him.

Waving an arm back and forth he desperately pat her for air. A sign she must have picked up on because she let him go, letting him take out a long breath of that sweet sweet air.

"Don't think you can get away Itsuka sweetheart! Come on in here!" His mother called out with open arms.

"Oh no, that's alright! I was just about to..." Anything else she was about to say was cut off as his mother pulled her into the hug as well, the tiny woman surprisingly man handling the two of them.

Wiggling around in the pile he tried to ignore the feeling of his cheek smushed up against Kendo's, fighting to break free.

"Mom! What are you even doing here?" He muttered out in a muffled tone. "Aren't you supposed to be in America?"

Letting the two of them go his mom sighed with a tired smile. "Oh well, when we saw what happened at the sports festival we immediately booked a flight back to make sure you were alright. I've actually been here for a few days while we waited for you to wake. The doctor said you were suffering from major quirk exhaustion the likes of which he hasn't seen in a long time!"

Rubbing his neck he frowned. "Wait how long have I been out?"

"Three days sweetheart, you were passed out for three whole days and then some!"

Three days?

That surprised me a little. Turning his head he looked out of the hospital window to see that the sun was starting to set.

Three days and change judging off the setting sun.

Only now did it click that she said 'we' not I. Looking back to his mother with a raised eyebrow his question was answered with a slow tap on the ground. It got closer and closer to the door until it swung open.

Standing there in the doorway to his hospital room...was his father.

His mother always used to tell him that he was the spitting image of his father. About how handsome and kind he looked but only now did he realize what she actually meant.

Standing before him was an older version of himself, their faces almost identical. He had his mother's eyes and hair color but he for sure had his father's nose and chin. He always wondered where the black part to his hair came from, now he knew for a fact that it came from his dad. Long black hair draped down the back of his head and ending in graying strands. He was tall, another thing he got from him, standing at 6ft with a slight hunch. He was sickly thin, his knees shaking as he stood, the only thing keeping him up was an old black cane at his side.

Taking a step into the room he huffed playfully, his voice raspy like a smoker whispering. "Inko, dont run too far ahead like that. You know I can't exactly keep up."

Giggling his mother smiled, looking happier then she had in a long time. Which weirdly made him feel a ting of anger.

"Sorry about that Hisashi. As soon as I heard our son's voice my feet wouldn't stop."

When the stranger pretending to be his father looked over at him with a smile he tried not to flinch under his gaze, doing his best to smile back. His mother too happy to even notice as she turned to Kendo.

"Itsuka sweetheart what are you even doing here? Your mother said you were supposed to start heading home an hour ago!"

"A-ah, sorry mama Midoriya I might of gotten carried away." Rubbing her neck Kendo let out a nervous laugh. "I'll head out now."

"See that you do! Try not to worry your mother too much! You know how she is."

Giving him one final look Kendo smiled at him in a way that made his chest clench.

"See you at school Midoriya. Glad that you are ok."

No words came out as he stared, dumbly trying to think of what to say before muttering out. "You too." Cringing a little at his own words she giggled before turning and leaving the room. Giving him one finally look before passing through the threshold and out of sight.

The bed shifted as his mother sat down on it, giving him a knowing look with a smile. Looking all too smug as she kicked her little legs.

"You two seem closer then ever. That poor girl refused to leave your side the entire time you were asleep. You better be treating her well! When your father and I just started dating there was a time that..."

"Mom."

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Is there any chance you and dad are going back to America any time soon?"

Hiding his face in his hands he blushed as both of his parents laughed at his expense.

Still waiting on that death strike here...


After Kendo left it was just the three Midoriyas, the quiet in the room now becoming an awkward kind of silence. He and his mother talked about everything that happened since she left and his father only chimed in every once in a while, mostly just sitting back and listening to them.

It was...weird, to have him back. If all it took was for him to explode into a big ball of fire to have his father come running home younger him would have done something like that in a heart beat. Now however his presence felt unwelcome, as if the years between them had formed a divide as wide as a canyon. There was no outward hostility but he felt a form of dread as if the second shoe was about to drop any second and he thinks his parents must have felt it as well. Choosing to fill the quiet with small talk while they waited.

Swinging open the door, what they expected to be a doctor was instead many pro heroes. Midnight, Vlad king, Eraserhead and Recovery girl walking into the room before they all gathered around the small little family. Before any of them could say anything however Eraserhead's scarf started to wiggle in place, the long grey scarf moving around for a second as out popped the principal of UA, Principal Nezu.

"Hello! Sorry for the wait, I hope everyone didn't have to wait too long." Shaking his little head one of his ears twitched as he spoke. "As soon as I heard that Midoriya had awoken I gathered everyone and came as soon as I could!"

Blinking at the principal he was a little surprised to see him here, looking around the room to take note of each of the pro heroes before looking back at his principal.

"Principal Nezu? What are you doing here?"

"I apologize young Midoriya but it is simply procedure, we just have to ask you a few questions and then we will be out of your hair."

Looking to respond his mother cut him off, her hand raising to stop him before speaking. Before his eyes his mothers face changing from the gentle one to something more serious. His mother transforming into the no nonsense parent that saved his life so many years ago.

Her voice was stern as she spoke, looking over the smaller mammal with a judging look. "What kind of questions, Principal Nezu? Is my son in trouble?"

Shaking his head a little Nezu let out a laugh.

"Trouble? I don't believe so. We just wanted to ask some questions about Izuku's side of the story is all and on how things are going to go moving forward!" Hopping down from Eraserhead's shoulders and down to the ground gracefully Nezu walked over to his mother before sticking a little paw out towards her. "You must be Inko Midoriya! I must admit I am quite the fan, after everything that happened at Aldera I for one could not wait to meet you!"

His mom hesitated before slowly taking his paw, her hand much larger then his as she wrapped her fingers around it and giving it a gentle shake. "O-oh uh, no no, the pleasure is all mine. I had no idea word of that event had spread all the way to UA of all places..."

"Of course! How could it not?" Smiling widely he shook her hand before walking over to the desk and hopping onto it. "Now then, I assume you all may have questions and I figure it would be best to answer them all at once to clear the air. Who would like to go first?"

After a moment, Aizawa let out a small sigh as he looked up and then turned to face Izuku.

"Midoriya." He nodded at him. "You seem to be in the center of things once again."

He didn't know what to say to that, only nodding slowly.

"I take it you've gotten enough rest to talk? How are you feeling?"

"A little groggy but I'm mostly ok."

"Good." He nodded, his face turning sharp as he squinted at him. "Now. What happened out there? I was made to believe that your quirk was a healing quirk, what I saw out there was anything but that."

Tilting his head he frowned back a little confused. "What are you talking about sensei?"

All of the pro heroes looked back at him just as confused. Midnight being the first to speak.

"Wait, so you don't remember anything that happened after Bakugo's final hit?" Midnight looking to Vlad with a raised eyebrow.

"I find that hard to believe." Muttered out Eraserhead in an annoyed tone.

"It is a little odd." Nodded along Vlad, his thick arms crossing over his chest. "You even walked and everything..."

He...walked?

"I'm telling you all the truth, did something else happen out there?"

After a long pause Nezu let out a thoughtful hum, raising a paw to scratch at his chin. "I thought something felt a bit odd. It would be hard to hide a quirks abilities right under our noses, especially mine." Chuckling slightly at his unintentional joke he continued. "Very interesting. It wouldn't be a first time that a quirk has evolved under immense stress but I get the feeling this is not the case...Recovery girl, you said you had a theory earlier?"

Taking a step forward Recover girl let out an annoyed sigh, holding a stack of papers she set it on the desk before sitting down as well. "Yes, but it is just a theory at the moment, we will have to test it later. If I may, I may have an explanation on what happened with his quirk."

Gesturing to the papers before them she started to turn them slowly before stopping on a certain page. "This here is a list of the quirk registry given to use at the start of the semester by the government. Every time a quirk awakens it is the law to have it registered through a clinic on their first check up and then sent out into a database that we pull from when people apply to our school. As you may know quirk doctors are not always the best and sometimes they register quirks wrong. It is then required to be changed by parents or the user themselves when they get older to keep the files up to date. Things can change overtime based off of what we know, things like, 'my son can shoot water from his fingers' can turn into 'my son can control the water molecules in the air."

That all made sense to him, he's studied quirks long enough to know that they could be really odd and confusing. It would be impossible to predict such a thing after only seeing it once.

Tapping a finger against the paper Recovery girl hummed. "This here is young Midoriya's quirk registry. Submitted by a Dr. Tsubasa it states, healing class quirk; user can absorb injuries healing the designated target almost instantly at the injury of the user."

"Y-yes, that is correct." Inko nodded from the side, raising her head off her son's shoulder and sitting beside him on the bed. "When he first used it it was on my finger when I cut myself dicing vegetables for dinner. The poor thing almost passed out from the sheer surprise of it all."

Gesturing with her hand a pen from the desk slowly floated towards her before she took it in her chubby fingers. "My quirk allows me to pull small objects towards me and my husband can breath fire. I only assumed that his was a natural combination of the two."

"That's what I thought as well Mrs. Midoriya." Frowned Recovery girl, looking over the piece of paper. "But now I'm not so sure, I personally think there is more to the quirk that we are missing..."

"What...do you think happened?" asked his father with concern in his voice.

"Before we go into that theory I myself am curious how you are holding up Midnight." Said the principal. "You were the epicenter of the whole thing after all, how are you feeling?"

The...epicenter? What are they talking about?

"I'm alright." The pro hero waved off any concern with a teasing smirk. "It wasn't the first time I was caught in a quirk event and knowing my luck it wont be the last."

When no one else laughed or smiled at her playful tone she sighed, a hand going to her side as she spoke something under her breath, something about 'buzzkills."

"At the time, it was one of the most painful things I ever experienced. It was like someone's pure essence was drilling into me. All of their sadness, their anger, their...hurt, filling my every being. I saw flashes of a childhood that was not my own, of me running in the woods with another little boy and feeling a mix of happiness and pain. It was an odd feeling." Rubbing her elbow the rated R hero let out an exhausted sigh. "But then it was gone. I can recall what happened but its hazy and hard to remember, any big information feeling more like a bad dream then an actual event. I was checked out later and there was nothing physically wrong with me at all, no injuries of any sort. Its a little weird to feel pain but not have any wound to speak of."

Sitting up straighter his eyes widened at Midnight's words, his mother squeezing him a little tighter.

Wait, how would she know about...

Tapping a pencil against the desk Recover wrote something down. "I see, that actually enforces my theory."

"Will you stop beating around the bush already Chiyo." Grumbled Vlad "We don't have all day!"

Midoriya watched Recovery girl's eyebrow twitch. Probably thinking about whether or not she should argue with him but deciding against it.

"I always thought that Midoriya's quirk worked like an extra pocket. He takes things in, healing the person in the process and then he has to dump it out later or else it gets too painful for him. A one way kind of thing...but now I believe it more works like a door. Not just taking things in but also pushing things out. It can work both ways."

The way that everyone stared all at once was almost odd, all the pros slowly widening their eyes at the implication.

"Oh ho, so you believe that what everyone was feeling was Midoriya's pain that built up over the fight?" Nezu said thoughtfully. "While that would make sense the reports state people were feeling more then some burns."

"More then that...I am ashamed to say this but I may have allowed Midoriya to heal Kendo after her fight."

"What." Eraserhead growled out.

"You allowed a student to do such a thing? That...that leaves an opening for the Midoriya's to sue the school." Whispered Midnight in a hushed tone.

"That, that's really bad Chiyo." Said Vlad with a shake of his head.

Even his parents looked surprised at that, either the pros forgot they were there or they just didn't care.

"If what you are saying is true that would indeed make more sense. I remember reading some paperwork stating that both Bakugo and Midoriya were from Aldera." Hummed Nezu as he turned a page of paper to look down at it. "The sports festival has been known to be rather stressful, especially for first years after only training their quirks for a few months. The stress of the event, on top of fighting a potential bully and taking on Kendo's burden may have been too much for young Midoriya to handle, his quirk bursting like a balloon and hitting everyone in a radius."

"P-principal Nezu!" Cried out Midnight in an annoyed tone. "This is hardly the time to talk about quirks when we may have a potential law suit in our hands!"

"Quite right, quite right." Nezu said as he snapped out of his thoughtful tangent. "My apologies! Inko and Hisashi Midoriya, is there anyway to make it up to you without having to go through the legal system and dragging our good name through the mud? I know you know some powerful lawyers but I would rather us not go through all that hassle if possible."

Looking amongst each other the two parents shared a look.

"Its your call honey." Hisashi said in a whisper.

"Is our son in trouble for what he did at the sports festival?" Inko said after a moment of deliberation.

"Of course not, there are quirk laws in place to protect people from accidental quirk activation for a reason! So long as Midoriya can prove that it was not malicious he is free to go, safe from any potential problems with the law. If he stays overnight here I can have a friend of mine on the police force come to see him tomorrow morning. He has a truth detection quirk and would make the whole situation easy to prove."

"Done." Inko nodded seriously. "What about the news of what happened?"

"That sadly is out of our hands. The internet is an unruly place, as soon as the news hit there was no way of stopping it. People are going to think what they think, however, if your son stays at UA we can work on fixing his image. We are one of the most powerful hero schools in the country after all!"

She nodded quietly at that. "Is this going to stop my son from potentially transferring into the hero course next semester?"

"Not if I have a say in the matter!" Laughed the little rodent. "Your son shows great potential in being a wonderful hero one day Mrs. Midoriya. If we stopped making heroes just because of a big bump in the road no heroes would ever be made!"

"I agree. In that case all I ask is that you continue to look after my precious son, Principal Nezu." Doing a small bow to him his mother smiled softly, her husband letting out a coughing fit as the other pros practically jumped into the air in surprise."

"Oh? Is that all? I cant help but feel there is a catch somewhere." Nezu said with a close look, his beedy eyes squinting as he tried to predict the next move.

"No catch." Inko softly said. "My son has always wanted to be a hero, ever since he was little. It worries me to death but I already swore long ago that I would do whatever it takes to make my son happy. I care not for money, Aldera has already given me more then I can do with. So long as you promise me you have my sons best interests at heart I will stand beside you."

Watching her for a long moment he was clearly trying to tell if she was bluffing before letting out a small chuckle, the laugh growing into a manic crazed laugh.

If he was trying to make them feel better it was not working.

"Fascinating! Simply fascinating! I think I quite like you Inko Midoriya!" Standing up on the desk so they were at eye level he reached a paw forward. "In that case may we continue to move forward towards a brighter future for the next generation!"

Smiling back Inko wrapped her hand around his and shook it.

"Now that, is something I can agree with!"


"...What do you mean you never went on your date?"

Cringing slightly at the annoyed tone from her girl friend Kendo laid in her bed, her ponytail sticking straight up as she laid upside down. Staring up at the ceiling she moved her phone a little in her grasp as she spoke.

"Well...I mean. We've talked a few times over the phone and shared a few text but Midoriya was in the hospital for the entire weekend plus a few days. I couldn't exactly bail on him when he was passed out like that."

"Ken..."

"Tetsutetsu seemed pretty bummed about it but he said he understood."

"Ken!"

"I also have to sift through all the papers I got for my internship and pick one that I would like. Hopefully Midoriya could help me pick one that's right for me. On top of all that there is talk of the semester final...whatever that is."

"Itsuka Kendo stop talking!"

Blinking down at the phone like it grew a second head she frowned. Set sounded really annoyed for some reason. The sound of ruffling heard on the phone before a sigh.

"How long are you going to be this pig headed? I'm at my wits end here!" Set said, any hint of the usual teasing gone from her voice. "At first it was kind of cute and funny but it's honestly starting to get on my nerves. It's not fair to you, its not fair to Midoriya and it's definitely not fair to Tetsutetsu."

"What are you even talking about Set?" Absently looking out the window with a frown she huffed a little, the calming night air drifting in through her window. "It's not my fault Midoriya was in the hospital for days. The stubborn jerk wouldn't listen to me at all."

"I'm not talking about that! I'm talking about your crush on Midoriya!"

That was one way to get her attention...

Sitting up quickly with a snap her eyes widened, the faint tint of red on her cheeks. Her indignant shout being a little louder then she would have liked, especially at this hour. Hopefully she didn't wake any of her family up.

"I don't have a crush on Midoriya! He's my best friend! He clearly isn't interested in me anyway!"

"Girl. You are the only girl he even sees. Every other girl he interacts with he's as polite and guarded as possible. He might as well just see right through them."

"That's not true." Feeling a blush spread across her cheeks she couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the thought. "It's just because I've known him for the longest. I might as well be his sister or something the way I worry about him..."

Twirling a finger through her ponytail she slouched a little on her bed, feeling a little bummed by her own words for some reason. There was a long pause on the other end of the phone and for a second she started to think that Set had hung up on her before she finally responded.

"Alright fine. Let's play a game."

Raising an eyebrow at the phone like she could see it she shook her head a little. "A game?"

"Yeah a game! It will be fun! Just lay back and close your eyes."

"Set, I'm not just going to..."

"Just do it!"

There was something in her tone that gave her no leeway to argue, she almost sounded like her mom for a second. Laying back against the bed her head hit her pillow, letting out a slow breath as she closed her eyes.

"Ok. They are closed."

"You sure?"

Snorting she shook her head. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure."

"Ok cool...I want you to imagine you and Tetsutetsu going on a date."

Ok, easy enough...

"He comes to pick you up at your house dressed in a nice suit that hugs his frame really well. When you see him it takes your breath away, who knew the guy cleaned up so well ya know? You rush down to see him wearing a beautiful outfit and he cant take his eyes off of you for even a second. You both share a moment, staring at each other at the front door entrance to your parents home and you both might as well be in your own world. A world just for you two. It quickly leaves and you both blush at each other awkwardly, letting out cute little laughs before he slings a broad arm over your shoulder and takes you out for your date. What you guys do doesn't really matter, the only thing that matters is that you are doing it together. Then, after a fun day of doing god knows what he walks you back home. The two of you dancing on the precipice of the doorway, knowing that the date was about to end but not wanting it to. Then after awkwardly shuffling around each other like two dorks in love he places a hand on your chin, gentle pushing your face up towards him. Staring into each others eyes before he gentle leans down...and kisses you."

Wiggling a little in bed she couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the thought, a content sigh escaping her lips.

"Yeah...sounds nice."

"Now I want you to imagine the exact same scenario only with Midoriya."

Her eyes snap open, sitting up in an instant.

What if she...and he.

The thought rushed into her head in an instant, as if they were just hiding in the background the entire time. Midoriya in a nice suit, the feeling of his arm wrapped around her. Them both laughing as they held each other closer. His loving green eyes gazing down at her, his hand reaching out to caress her cheek. Him leaning down slowly as she eagerly stood on her tippy toes to meet him. Their lips getting so so close she could feel his warm breath on her...then...then.

It felt like her skin was on fire, a tingling kind of feeling covering her body at the thought. Swallowing quickly she turned to look at the mirror in her room, her skin a bright red as if she was just sunburned.

"Yo Kenken, I didn't kill you did I?"

Sets voice snapped her out of her thoughts, pulling her back to the phone sitting on her bed. She must have dropped it at some point...shifting she reached over to grab it, lifting it back up to her ear as she stared up at the ceiling in a daze. Licking her lips she tried to think of something, anything to say.

"I don't like this game." She whispered out finally. The sound of laughter being heard on the other end before she quickly hung up and tossed the phone aside like it was on fire. Her phone falling to the ground of her bedroom with a soft thud. Flopping back against her welcoming bed she let out a low groan as her mind raced.

It was true, wasn't it. That sealed it, there was no denying it anymore...she had feelings for Midoriya.

It all made sense, the final piece to a puzzle that she wasn't even trying to finish. How she hung all over him, the playful teasing, that uncomfortable feeling in her gut when other people showed interest in him. She had a crush on Midoriya, she must have felt this way for what felt like forever yet only now does she have a name to the feeling. How was she supposed to face him after this? What the hell was she going to say to Tetsutetsu? There was no way she could keep tugging him along the way she has knowing what she knows now, it wasn't fair.

Itsuka Kendo had always been good at telling the truth, it usually came to her as if it were second nature. So much so that her family made fun of her whenever she even tried to lie but in the first time in her life she felt like she was actually afraid of telling the truth.

What the hell does she do now?

Grabbing hold of one of the pillows on her bed she slammed it into her face and screamed, her legs kicking in the air a few times as she let out a wave of frustration she wasn't even aware that was there.

That weirdly made her feel a little better.

Letting out a small sigh she sat up, her gaze turning towards the stack of papers on her desk. Getting off of the bed she walked over to it slowly, taking a seat on the chair as she leaned against it.

There was a lot of unknowns in her future, many possibilities on what could or would happen. The unknown was a scary thing so Kendo decided not to dwell on that, instead, she decided she would dwell on what she could do right now...and right now she realized that she wasn't strong enough to protect those she cared about.

Her mind started to drift to that day in the stadium not even a few days ago, on how useless she felt in the situation, too afraid to do anything to help.

Looking through her options carefully under the faint light of her old lamp Itsuka Kendo started to think on how she could improve, a list of impressive and powerful heroes laid before her. It wasn't until late into the night that she finally picked one, the name sticking out to her amongst all the rest. He wasn't the strongest...or even the highest on the hero list but she knew that he was the one. She only hoped that he would be able to help her...


The soft creak of a door filled the quiet air, the normally small squeak of a sound sounding much louder at this hour. It was still early, maybe even too early to call it morning. The sky was still dark without a hint of sun, light not due to crest over the horizon for at least another hour. A tranquil bridge between yesterday and the next. Gentle dew of the morning greeted Midoriya's red shoes as he walked through the grass, a soft rustling as he moved.

His hand was in the pockets of the hoodie his mother brought him as he walked, fidgeting with the fabric with his hands.

A part of him knew that he should still be asleep but he couldn't seem to be able to find any kind of rest, anxieties buzzing around in his brain and not allowing a moment of peace, even in such a quiet place like this.

He blamed it on the act of scrolling through his phone and reading the news, every article only worrying him more and more.

It started easy enough, he went on some quirk theory forums to read up on some of the things the public were talking about after the sports festival. He always found it interesting to read up on quirk discussions when he couldn't sleep, talks about how quirks could be used and about bad match ups...but then he saw it. A video of his weird quirk activation.

It was not the best video, looking like it was shot from someone's phone. A shaking, terrified hand holding it as steady as they could as they inched towards the railing. In a flash of light the camera warped under the sudden change of light before he saw himself emerge from a ball of fire. At least...he thinks it was him, it was his body at least. A sharp shrill scream filled the air and the person holding the phone fell to their knees, a quick shot of the person's face as they cried out in pain. Their face staring at the dropped phone as tears started to roll down the strangers face. Then...video went dark.

That video turned into articles and discussions about him. Fearful pieces about what he was, accusations about him not registering his quirk properly and about how UA handled the situation as a whole. Conversations on how the sports festival started out fun and light hearted and quickly turned into something much more toxic and scary.

"These are the children we are supposed to put out futures into? A bunch of thugs that don't realize this whole thing is supposed to be fun and light hearted? Where's the comradery? The playful rivalries?" One person posted. "I never in my life expected to see a potential hero try to stab someone in the back until now...I hope I never have to see such a thing again."

"It's clear to me that the good old days of heroes like All Might are a thing of the past." Said another.

"How exactly are they testing these people to get into UA? If you ask me there has to be more regulations in place!"

"My son tried to get into UA and was almost crushed by a giant robot not even a few months ago and yet they allow people like Bakugo and Midoriya to walk in their halls!? Disgraceful!"

Text over text stacking on top of each other and painting a grim painting of the future. A painting made of up of scary colors and sharp intimidating strokes. That on top of the rumor of All Might retiring soon and the internet has descended into a chaotic fearmongering spiral. People were afraid. Afraid for the future, afraid of UA and afraid of him and Bakugo. Add on the confusion on why his quirk was acting weird and it had just gotten too much for him to handle.

Finding his way to a small bench in an open area of the hospital he took a seat on it with a sigh, his body sagging as he laid back against the old wood. Looking up at the dark blues of the sky he silently wished that he could be able to see the night sky right now, most of the stars lost to the smog of the city life. He should have spent more nights looking up at the night sky when he was still living in Tateyama instead of training all of the time...maybe then he would know what to do next.

What was he supposed to do now?

Izuku Midoriya had always tried to keep himself moving forward, to keep pushing ahead to his goal no matter the cost...because if he stopped to think for too long he was afraid he might not be able to start up again. Now that he finally stopped sprinting into the horizon he found himself more lost then ever.

Why was he doing all of this again? He knew that he wanted to be strong like All Might but it all felt so hopeless and unrealistic. Laying back against the old bench with a sigh his neck found cold wood as he looked straight up.

Maybe I should look into transferring into a different field...

Shaking his head he groaned at the very thought, running a hand along the fluffy part of his hair. He didn't even know what else he would do if he couldn't be a hero, that was his one and only dream since he was a child...

A faint sound of crunching grass made him stop his inner spiraling but it was really the voice that made him turn to stare.

"Kero, I thought that was you."

It had only been a few months since he heard that voice but it felt like much longer then that...now that he thought about it he didn't even see Tsuyu Asui at all at the sports festival. Where had she been all this time?

When he looked over to her he got his answer immediately, his mouth opening a little as it eyes zeroed in on Asui's arm...or more like lack thereof. As she got closer he could see more details, his eyes adjusting to the moonlight.

Right on her shoulder was a large scar in the shape of a hand print, the mark splintering down her shoulder like the blackened branches of a burned tree and ending on a nub where her elbow should be. Asui wasn't saying anything but he could tell by the small amounts of emotion on her face that she was a little insecure about it. As soon as he realized that he was staring he looked away, the wooden bench groaning as she sat down next to him.

"It's alright." She said softly, looking over at her stump before back at him. "My doctor told me I need to get used to the stares, especially once I leave here. You can ask me if you want."

Swallowing it felt like something was clogging his throat. "What happened to you? I thought...I thought I..."

"You did, Midoriya." Asui asserted, her tone sounding stern but fair. "Kero, you saved my life. If you didn't come in when you did they said it would have spread even farther, maybe even killed me. The only problem is when the hospital got to me was that the nerves in my arm were so messed up it wasn't worth saving."

Biting his cheek he frowned down at the ground.

Why does everything he touch turn into shit?

"You know I'm still planning to be a hero." That got his attention, pulling his gaze back to her and out of the noise. She was smiling softly up at the night sky. "Mr. Aizawa told me to take my time, that there will always be a spot for me in the hero course. As long as it takes. That man may come off harsh but he really cares."

Before he could say anything she went on.

"Kero, my physical therapy doctor says if I work really hard and if I get used to my new prosthetic I might be able to leave the hospital in a few months and come back to UA. It has been a hard road for me but I feel like for the first time in what feels like forever it's finally starting to look up...and it's all thanks to you." Looking over to him with a genuine smile she nodded. "Despite everything going on right now I just wanted to tell you that. That you, Izuku Midoriya, are my hero. So...Thank you."

Swallowing he felt mist start to cover his eyes, nodding slowly as he tried his best to stop the tears but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't stop it. He felt a wave of embarrassment at Asui to see him like this, his chest shaking a little.

Pulling him into a side hug Asui smiled, her one hand patting against his back.

"There there, kero. It's ok to cry. I got you."

She sounded kind, like the sister he never had. Leaning into her comforting her embrace he took a shallow breath.

"T-thank you."

He wasn't even sure what exactly he was thanking her for but he just knew that she said something he desperately needed to hear. The two of them sitting on that bench for long time as they both cried, finding comfort in each other's suffering if only for a little while. Pulling apart Midoriya let out a heavy sigh.

"Thank you Asui, I really...needed that."

"Just as much as me...and I said before to call me Tsu."

"Right. Tsu, I'll see you next semester."

"Kero. I'll see you next semester Midoriya."

"Izuku. You already let me call you Tsu."

Smiling genuinely at that her lips spread across her frog like face. "Kero. Alright Izuku, I'll see you next semester."


"Thank you for joining me Midoriya. My name is Detective Tsukauchi. I'm a friend of Principal Nezu. I hope you have time to answer a few questions."

Wiggling to his left Midoriya could see Nezu in the corner of his eye, the little Principal sitting down and watching them with a cup of tea.

"Of course Detective. I would be happy to, the sooner I answer your questions is the sooner I can go home and take a shower."

That's what I like to here." The detective chuckled. "Now then, what is your full name?"

"Izuku Midoriya."

"Correct." The Detective nodded before writing something down. "Where do you live?"

"In the general study dorms on the west side of the UA campus."

"Correct. Now that the easy ones are out of the way, can you tell me your side of what happened at the sports festival a few days ago?"

"Well...it was the semi finals and I was having my match with Bakugo. It got a little heated, he said some things and I said some things."

The sound of pencil on paper as he took notes.

"What kind of things?"

"He was...blaming me for what happened to him after Aldera. Lashing out in anger and I didn't respond well to that."

"What did you say in turn?"

"I uh said, that...it was all his fault for everything that happened to him. I know now that that was incredibly mean but I was just so angry at the time."

"I understand. Sometimes people say things they don't mean when they are angry." More writing. "What happened then?"

"After I said that Bakugo had some kind of meltdown, screaming at the audience and blaming anyone he could. Then he put his palms to my chest and everything went dark."

"Is there anything else you can remember?"

"No...actually." Midoriya paused as he started to remember something. "Now that I think about it I had an odd dream after."

"A dream? What of?"

"I...I don't know. It's all so fuzzy now." Scratching his head he frowned, staring at one of the walls.

Now that he thought about it didn't he have that dream before? What was it about again?

"Hmm I see, everything is ringing true. That's good...now then, one final question." Looking up at him seriously the detective looked over him slowly, making sure to keep a trained eye on him for this one. "Did you mean to hurt Bakugo or anyone in the audience with your quirk."

His answer was instant, not even needing to question it. "No of course not! I don't even remember what happened after and only saw what happened after the fact!"

The Detective gave him one final look before nodded, closing the notebook with a smile.

"Everything checks out here, you are free to go home. Thank you for your time Mr. Midoriya."

Nodding Midoriya smiled as he got up from his seat, picking up a bag with some things his mother bought from home and swinging it over his shoulder before he went down into the lobby. Walking out the front door of the hospital Midoriya wandered out into the morning sun, the young adult squinting against the bright light as he made his way towards the train station.

Standing in the doorway to the hospital Detective Tsukauchi and Principal Nezu watched him go. The two making sure that he was out of sight before speaking.

"That was a weird look you gave back there Naomasa." Nezu said softly, his head tilting to watch people walk past as he stirred his cup. "What is it?"

Thinking of how to phrase it his close friend turned his head a little. "The answer to the final question, about if he wanted to actually hurt anyone. It came out blank."

"Blank? I've never heard of such a thing before. What could that mean?"

"It's only happened a few times in my line of work. My quirk is usually very accurate but it can get thrown off when someone actually, genuinely, believes the lie. When they see a false statement as true my quirk registers it as true whether its actually true or not." Looking down at his little booklet he flipped through it. "The only times I've come across a blank answer was mostly in abuse cases. Things like 'my boyfriend didn't mean to hit me' or 'he cheats because he loves me.' It means there is conflict inside of them and they don't know what it means. It means that a small part of Izuku Midoriya actually wanted to hurt Bakugo or the audience and he either is ashamed of it or doesn't realize it at all."

Looking back at Midoriya's disappearing back one of Nezu's ears twitched. "Interesting. What do you suggest we do then?"

Putting his booklet away he shook his head. "For now? Nothing. I'd suggest just keeping a close eye on the boy, I dont read him as a dangers to others...mostly himself. Its best to not force healing in abuse victims because they are flighty and skittish. Healing is a long process full of ups and downs and they sometimes go backwards. The only thing you can do is be there when they eventually take steps back..."

"Thank you Naomasa, my dear friend. Would you like to go get breakfast as we discussed?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Lead the way Nezu."

Walking back into the hospital the two prepared for another day of trying to make the world a better place.


Notes:

Another chapter down! The rollercoaster has been set to a chill decline as we head to the next arc. For now you get a bunch of talking, some growth and shared feelings.

The backlash of two young adults turning the sports festival into a blood sport has been known. Izuku's quirk is being weird and Kendo FINALLY realized her feelings. But most important of all is we found out what happened to best girl Tsu!

I've always loved stories where someone gets seriously injured and still finds a way to work around their injuries to do what they can. There's something really inspiring about it that I love so so much in stories. We need more handicapped underdogs in stories...

Warning going forward but Tsuyu Asui is one of my favorite characters in 1A. If I'm willing to take one of her arms that means no one is safe.

As a fun little pin at the end of this, who do you think Itsuka Kendo went with? Its admittedly a weird pick but it will make sense and turn into something later. I'd love to hear your guesses!