Well, this season sure started off strong! I'm super happy to be coming back with new chapters of this series, especially as Season 2 of Edens Zero is around the corner, along with Season 6 of My Hero Academia currently airing at the time of this chapter's release. Things couldn't be any better, so I'm excited for what's ahead. But anyways, I think it's time for us to get back into "Through the Rough"!
Last time we left off, Izuku and Rebecca finally got to meet Sir Nighteye! In the meantime, the villains are starting to organize with the Shie Hassaikai. Along with that, we've got Saintfire Nox and her followers organizing to go after Rebecca! What's going to come of that?
Well, let's find out! Welcome back to "Through the Rough"!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
FLASHBACK
"Morning, Missus Midoriya!" Rebecca greeted as she entered the family apartment, dressed for school, "Is Izuku ready to go?" she inquired.
"Oh, he should be," Inko replied, "You can go and get him for me," she affirmed, making the Leaper Quirk user giggle. She ventured up to her best friend's room, knocking on the door.
"Izuku, it's me!" she called out.
"Hey, Rebecca!" the One For All inheritor greeted in a deeper tone of voice, much to her confusion as she blinked in surprise, "You can come in!" he beckoned, making her arch an eyebrow.
"Okay…" she uttered, turning the doorknob and entering the room, "What's with the v—? AH!" she yelped in shock. The reason for that was because she saw the exact visage of All Might… on Izuku's face. "Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What the hell am I looking at?!" she stammered out, quite frightened.
"I've finally mastered by All Might impression!" the One For All inheritor responded proudly, "After practicing in the mirror for so many years, I finally got it down!" he declared.
"…Oh…" Rebecca uttered, "That's… nice…" she noted, glancing away nervously. Izuku let his face go back to normal, giving off a worried look.
"What's wrong?" he asked, "Was it too much?" he assumed.
"No… it's just…" the Leaper Quirk user started to say, exhaling a sigh, "Just please warn me next time…" she requested.
END FLASHBACK
Seeing All Might's face on her boyfriend was unnerving for Rebecca. And to make matters worse, it didn't seem like Nighteye was amused by the impression. His stern glare burned into both freshmen.
"Do you think this is a joke?" he inquired of the One For All inheritor, who gulped.
"Uh… no, I guess not…" he responded unsurely, trying to remain dignified.
'We're totally screwed…' Rebecca presumed inwardly, sweating as she smiled on.
"You attempted this excuse of an impression on All Might's former sidekick?" the suited man questioned, walking over and reaching out to Izuku. The Cat Leaper Quirk user gasped, thinking that he was about to hurt him. But in actuality, he was critiquing the flaws of her boyfriend's impression. She watched on, completely flabbergasted.
'Why does it feel like Izu's been in weird situations like this before…?' she wondered through her thoughts.
"And who might you be?" Nighteye asked, getting her attention as she perked up.
"Um… I…" she stammered, trembling a little. His stare felt ominous, making her gulp.
'Gotta think of something to make him laugh, and quick!' she told herself, clutching the strap of her book bag tightly. She wasn't that good herself with trying to make people laugh. Maybe she did so unintentionally sometimes, but that was sheer luck. She had to try something that felt appropriate, but also humorous in her own way. She crooked her hands like a cat.
"Meow-wow~!" she squeaked with a wink. And immediately, she regretted it, especially as everyone stared at her in shock.
'Oh God, kill me now…' she grumbled inwardly, ready to cry.
"Hm," Sir chuckled out, getting her attention as she blinked in surprise, "So you're the Bluegarden girl who was captured by Drakken Joe and the League of Villains, yes?" he presumed.
"Y-Yes, sir," the Cat Leaper Quirk user stuttered in response, "I'm Rebecca Bluegarden," she introduced, politely bowing, "It's a pleasure to meet you," she affirmed.
"Likewise," the former sidekick of All Might replied, "From what I can tell and based on what Mirio's already told me, you're someone with a knack for spreading energy and joy," he pointed out.
"Oh, uh… thanks, I guess?" the ash blonde-haired girl responded unsurely, letting off a sheepish grin. However, she looked over worriedly to her boyfriend. Though he managed to draw in Nighteye's attention thanks to their collective knowledge about All Might, he didn't make him laugh. And that failure wasn't the only thing that would weigh his chances down.
"Now…" the former sidekick began, "both of you wish to perform work studies here to increase your strength, yes?" he presumed of the pair.
"Yes, sir!" Izuku responded emphatically.
"We would need to draw up a contract—"
"We have the forms right here!" the One For All inheritor quickly interjected, rummaging through his backpack to grab the specific sheet of paper.
"You will not interrupt me when I'm speaking…" Nighteye insisted.
"S-Sorry!" Izuku stammered out apologetically. Rebecca offered him a smile.
"He's just really excited about this," she affirmed, taking out her own contract sheet and setting it onto the table. The former sidekick told them that they would have to work for a minimum of four months, though they would be compensated. But in addition, they would also be pulled away from classwork, meaning they'd fall behind academically.
"I understand that… but…" Izuku began to respond, "if I worry about what everyone else is doing… then I'll never be number one," he proclaimed. Nighteye looked at him curiously, and then at Rebecca. He raised his stamp… and stamped the latter's contract first. The couple was surprised, thinking that he would go for the One For All inheritor's sheet.
"Um… thank you…" the Cat Leaper Quirk user said, taking the piece of paper back into her hands. Now it was time for the others to watch on with bated breath. Nighteye raised his stamp again… and seemingly struck the desktop instead of Izuku's contract. Needless to say, he was shocked.
"Um… I think you missed…" he pointed out.
"…Because I am not approving this," Nighteye stated in response.
"What?!" both Izuku and Rebecca exclaimed out of shock.
"I understand how working here would be beneficial to you, but of what benefit will you be to me?" the former sidekick asked of the One For All inheritor, "In Bluegarden's case, Mirio advocated for her abilities in combat, along with her aptitude and determination," he explained, "But someone like you," he continued to the freckled teen, who grimaced, "what use would you bring to my agency?" he questioned, "How can you contribute to society? What benefit would it bring?" he inquired on, "You should be able to answer those questions unequivocally," he affirmed.
"Sir…" Mirio uttered out.
"All Might showed his worth using power and humor," his employer noted, "He gave hope to those who lived in fear of criminals," he mentioned on, "That's why the people were happy to acknowledge him," he affirmed.
"Yeah, you're right…" Izuku agreed, "I need to find out how I can help the world…" he said.
"Izu…" Rebecca uttered worriedly. Nighteye got up from his seat, pushing his chair in.
"It's time to show me what you would bring to the table," he decided, walking off to the side, "Using actions, not words," he added as he held up the stamp he had, "Three minutes," he said, holding up a trio of fingers, "You have three minutes to try and take this seal from me," he told the One For All inheritor, "If you want to work as a hero under my guidance…" he continued, "then stamp that contract yourself," he challenged.
"W-Wait… what?" Izuku stammered out, quite baffled by the sudden test. Rebecca was, too. Especially considering that the former sidekick had approved her work study.
'I wonder…' she began inwardly, 'does this have something to do with All Might?' she questioned through her thoughts.
"The three of you, please wait outside," Nighteye advised of those employed under him.
"Yes sir!" Mirio and Bubble Girl responded emphatically. Rebecca wasn't sure what to do. It felt unfair that her boyfriend was being challenged, while she wasn't. All because he didn't possess a humorous spirit.
"It's okay, Rebecca," Izuku assured, getting her attention, "I'll figure this out," he promised.
"…Okay then…" she responded, heading out after the others. As the door shut, the One For All inheritor grimaced. He was now put up against a seemingly impossible challenge.
"So… did you have to do a practical interview like that?" Bubble Girl asked of Mirio as they wandered down the hall, with Rebecca heading after them.
"Nah, Sir asked for me specifically…" he responded, brushing his blonde hair back.
"Geez, you really are his golden boy…" the sidekick muttered, "Must be nice…" she grumbled on.
"Ahahaha!" the Permeation Quirk user laughed. However, he glanced back to see that Rebecca was worriedly looking off toward the office, wondering just what kind of dilemma her boyfriend was about to get into. She clutched the strap of her book bag tightly. "Hey," Mirio said, getting her attention, "I wouldn't worry too much," he advised, "Strict as he is, I know Sir's doing this to get the best he can out of Midoriya," he affirmed, placing a hand onto her shoulder, "Pretty soon, he'll be outta there with that contract stamped," he promised, giving her a thumbs up and a wink.
"I hope so…" she responded, looking back again.
'Given what Nighteye's Quirk is, it's practically impossible…' she noted to herself, 'Then again, Izu is pretty fast…' she added through her thoughts, 'I'll just have to keep my faith in him for now,' she decided inwardly.
"Oh, did Mirai kick you all out?" a voice chimed in, getting their attentions, "I mean, I already knew what was going to be happening at this juncture," she mentioned, "He's testing that poor boy who just wants to prove his worth and, oh!" she continued, letting out a yelp of realization, "I can't give too much away…" she confirmed, coming out from beyond the corner to reveal herself as the barefooted woman.
"Oh, Oracle!" Bubble Girl exclaimed with a smile.
"Hello, Kaoruko," the barefooted woman greeted, bowing politely, "It's nice to see you as well, Mirio," she mentioned over to the Permeation Quirk user.
"Hey," he greeted as he waved, "Still not wearing sandals, huh?" he presumed, noticing her bare feet.
"I feel more comfortable like this," she confirmed with a giggle, "And that leaves us with…" she kept going, turning her attention onto Rebecca, "Rebecca Bluegarden," she said.
"Uh… hi there…" the Cat Leaper Quirk user greeted somewhat nervously, "Are you the other sidekick at Nighteye's agency?" she assumed.
"Oh, heavens no," Oracle responded, "Mirai would have to do the impossible to convince me to work for him…" she pointed out, "I'm not really even a hero per say," she mentioned to Rebecca's surprise, "Speaking of which…" she continued, "I was hoping to get a chance to talk about you today," she confessed.
"M-Me?" she stammered out.
"You're here because of the new girl?" Kaoruko questioned, "Jeez, is every high school kid here gonna make me jealous?" she inquired out of annoyance.
"Now, now…" Oracle repeated reassuringly, "I think I should properly introduce myself…" she decided, putting her right hand over her chest, "My name is Xiaomei," she introduced, "I'm sort of a benefactor to Mirai when he has trouble looking into certain things," she explained, "Basically, I'm his superior," she proclaimed.
"Uhh…" Rebecca uttered out, very confused.
"Her Quirk's similar to Sir's, but it doesn't have certain prerequisites," Mirio told her.
"Quite right," Xiaomei confirmed, "My Quirk is called Oracle," she said, "It allows me to view events that not only take place in the future, but also the past of a specific person I'm thinking of," she explained thoroughly, "In fact, I can actually view the futures of multiple people," she mentioned, "But I get strained when I go further than twenty-four hours of one person's future or past," she added.
"Whoa…" Rebecca said, sounding amazed.
"Another thing is that she doesn't have a limit on who she can see with her powers," Mirio mentioned.
"And whatever she finds usually is within twenty-four hours," Bubble Girl added.
"Hm," Xiaomei chuckled, "I'm flattered by all the knowledge about me, in spite of my lack of a hero status," she pointed out.
"So… what are you doing here?" Rebecca asked curiously.
"Well… I wouldn't want to go and spoil anything too soon…" the Oracle Quirk user responded vaguely with a giggle. At that moment, the group heard the many noises coming from the office. Rebecca grimaced a little.
'Izu…' she uttered inwardly out of worry. Just how was he going to succeed in Nighteye's test?
OPENING
Insert "Eden Through the Rough" by Takanori Nishikawa
Opens with Izuku and Rebecca getting ready for another day of class together, going through their morning routines before meeting up at the Heights Alliance doors, exchanging a kiss before heading to the classroom. There, we see all of Class A mingling about, including the likes of Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire. Mirio spots the arriving couple of Izuku and Rebecca, going over to them and putting his arms around them with a big smile on his face.
Later, we see them visiting Sir Nighteye's agency, were we see him, Bubble Girl, and Centipeder, along with Xiaomei lurking in the background as she gives off a small grin. There are shots of Eijiro and Weisz working alongside Tamaki and Fat Gum, and Ochaco, Tsuyu and Kleene with Nejire and Ryukyu. We get a shot of various heroes in the background, including the likes of Shota, Ivry, Gran Torino, Eraser, and Holy.
The scene changes to the League of Villains confronting the Shie Hassaikai, with Tomura and Overhaul standing face-to-face. Beyond them lies the little girl known as Eri alongside Pino, as she clenches her fists in frustration, wanting to escape her imprisoned life. She then notices cracks of light in the darkness around her, and she runs towards them.
We see various scenes of Tamaki having to battle a trio of villains wearing masks, Ochaco, Tsuyu, and Nejire battling one of the larger fiends, while Ryukyu faces off against Ganoff and Mosco. Kleene is forced to confront her brother, while Ivry goes up against the Fake Sister, who shows her wide mouth with sharp teeth before she throws off her habit.
Eijiro and Weisz are blown back by a villain that fires rapid punches, which Fat Gum has to defend them from before trying to strike back, only to be blocked by another villain putting up an energy barrier. Mirio faces Overhaul and three other villains all by himself, removing his helmet before confronting them. He's joined by Nighteye, Shota, Eraser, Holy, Izuku, and Rebecca. But before they can stop the head villain, he completely reassembles the ground, shooting a barrage of spikes at his foes.
There's various shots of Shiki trying to better control his Overdrive form, Homura standing outside the dorms as she solemnly stares at her phone, Weisz looking at a picture of his mom while lying on his bed, and Rebecca sitting in the bath in contemplation. As she stands up, her blue markings shine brightly. The Ether markings of her fellow Ether-types also shine and expand as their bodies transform, showing silhouettes of their Overdrive forms outlined in their respective colors.
We see Poseidon Nero, Deadend Crow, God Acnoella, Saintfire Nox, and Elsie Crimson in their respective locations, preparing for the new era ahead now that All For One and Drakken Joe are gone. On the other side, the likes of Endeavor, Hawks, Mirko, and those of the I.U.A. are getting ready to take on the new era themselves.
We end with Eri and Pino breaking through the cracks, finding Izuku and Rebecca there. They look to them and smile, offering their hands. A bright flash of light envelops the screen.
END OPENING
A minute had passed. Izuku didn't have the stamp, nor did he come close to getting it at any point. The former sidekick of All Might was taking note of his every move, no doubt thanks to his own Quirk as well. His ability was Foresight, meaning that he had the power to see any person's actions from touching them.
Whatever choice the One For All inheritor made, Nighteye would always be a step ahead. There was seemingly nothing that could be done. And to make matters worse…
"I had high expectations for you, until now…" he admitted, causing the freckled teen to perk up in surprise, "While you have the power to be a symbol, you're mediocre," he pointed out, "Meanwhile, villains grow restless and gloom creeps closer," he mentioned on, "A pity that All Might chose wrong after all…" he noted, "Mirio should've been the next symbol," he finished firmly.
"…Wh…What…?" Izuku uttered out in shock. He hadn't really thought about it, but it made sense that given All Might's injuries and his limited time, he would have candidates to fill the role of his successor. And from how it sounded, Mirio was one of them, being cultivated by Nighteye.
So many questions ran through the One For All inheritor's head. Did All Might know about this? Did Mirio? And if so, why was he never told?
"Do you really have time to stand there frozen in shock?" the former sidekick inquired of his opponent, "I'll say this much, there are far worthier candidates to inherit One For All instead of you," he affirmed, pushing up his glasses. Izuku clenched his fists. He wasn't going to let those words hurt him, not after all that he had gone through. He thought back to the moment when All Might had told him that he could be a hero. And he took that to heart ever since, never stopping.
He started to move around much more rapidly than before, having no regard for much of the office's surroundings. All Might chose him. And he wanted to live up to those expectations, to prove that he was worthy.
"I'm going to take that stamp from you!" he declared to Nighteye, whose eyes narrowed, "I swear… I will make you acknowledge me!" he affirmed on. Back outside atop the other building, Takashi sat in a meditative stance with his arms folded over his chest. Meanwhile, Komi tied her hair up into a ponytail.
"Do you think we should pursue Sasaki as well?" he inquired of her, getting her attention, "Though he isn't a Chronophage like our target, his power could prove useful in the times ahead," he affirmed. His partner shook her head. She started signing.
Nox wouldn't want the extra attention if All Might's former sidekick were to be taken in.
"The same could be said for Bluegarden," Takashi argued.
Yes, but she actually has the power we need. At least… that's what the Saintfire says.
"Hmmm…" her partner hummed, "Perhaps it is too soon…" he presumed, "Nevertheless, I'm certain she'll be content with the fact that the Oracle is there," he pointed out, "She can provide context to this situation," he mentioned on. Back in the office, Izuku was leaping around from the walls to the ceiling, trying to find the best angle at which he could snatch the stamp away from Nighteye. But even with the faster he was getting, the former sidekick was still evading him.
"For the next hour, provided that the conditions are met…" he began as his right eye flashed purple, "I'll be able to see your every move," he confirmed. It almost seemed like child's play with how easily he was avoiding his opponent. And he continued to mock Izuku for giving into his nerves, trying to come out of the shadows as a hero of his own, only to remain in them ultimately.
"He said I could do it!" the One For All inheritor yelled as he landed upon the wall.
"Who said that? One of your little friends?" Nighteye assumed in question. Izuku leapt at him.
"The greatest hero the world's ever seen!" he responded emphatically. For a moment, the former sidekick hesitated. The freckled teen landed on the floor, unable to snatch the stamp. However, that wasn't his intention. He grabbed the bookshelf by the desk and threw it, causing books and stacks of paper to start flying about randomly.
From how Nighteye worded it, his Quirk either could see everything that could happen or only the actions of a specific target. Izuku figured that by scattering objects around the room, his focus would be lost on him, and he would have a better chance at snatching the stamp. He wasn't going to give up after all that he had been through.
"Whether you like it or not, I am All Might's successor!" he exclaimed, lunging for the stamp. However, his target pulled it away in the nick of time, letting his foe fly past him.
"That doesn't alter what I see," he affirmed.
"Not yet!" Izuku yelled, only to crash face first into the wall in a loud bang. He slid down it with a small trail of blood in his wake, coming out from his nose. "I'm… not done…" he proclaimed weakly, trying to gather himself.
"It's over," Nighteye said, looking at the clock, "Unfortunate as it may be, you didn't get the—" He stopped himself upon noticing something. The stamp in his hand was missing the knob-like piece at its top. He looked down to find it upon the floor, picking it up curiously.
'Though he didn't end up grabbing it, he managed to at least touch it…' he noted inwardly, 'Even with my Foresight…' he continued through his thoughts. And then, there was something else he noticed. Throughout the entire room, though there were footmarks and papers strewn about, none of the All Might merchandise received even a scratch.
He looked to his opponent curiously. Even as he had been provoked, he was not only able to formulate a plan, but also remain aware of his surroundings. He was still so determined, even after everything that had happened.
"Hm," Nighteye chuckled under his breath.
"And cue our well-timed return!" Mirio exclaimed as the door was swung open, with him and Bubble Girl entering.
"You all set in here, Sir?" the sidekick assumed, "That loud bang sounded pretty final!" she remarked.
"Oh my gosh, Izu!" Rebecca cried out, quickly going over to her boyfriend, who pushed himself up onto his knees, "Are you okay?!" she asked worriedly.
"Ergh… yeah…" he responded, sounding disappointed.
"Mirio, I'll be taking the boy as well," Nighteye confirmed, causing the couple to widen their eyes in surprise.
"Really?! That's awesome!" the Permeation Quirk user yelled excitedly as he pumped his fists.
"Wait, hold on a sec!" Izuku exclaimed, "I didn't do either of the things you asked me to!" he pointed out.
"I said you needed to take the seal and stamp that contract yourself, but I never said anything about rejecting you," the former sidekick of All Might explained in reply.
"Yeah, but…" the freckled teen tried to say. At that moment, Rebecca blinked in realization.
"He made you laugh, didn't he?" she assumed, much to her boyfriend's surprise.
"Regardless of these circumstances, I was going to take you both on when I heard you were coming," Nighteye told the pair, "And do keep in mind, I know that you're both not lacking in skill and intellect," he mentioned, handing Izuku the contract sheet, "I just wanted to see it more myself from you, Midoriya," he confirmed to the One For All inheritor, "And from what I've heard, I'll see plenty from you as well, Bluegarden," he mentioned to the Cat Leaper Quirk user, making her perk up.
"Oh… thank you…" she replied. However, the Foresight Quirk user was taking Izuku on for another reason, to make him give up on having One For All. As he dropped the seal into his hands, he understood. Unsettling as it was, he was still going to do his best to make Nighteye acknowledge him.
"I look forward to working with you!" he declared to his newest mentor.
"Same here!" Rebecca affirmed.
"Incidentally, you two are a couple from what Mirio has told me…" Nighteye curiously noted, "For your sakes, please refrain from any romantics during your work studies with me," he advised in a serious tone.
"Y-Yes, Sir!" the pair of freshmen stammered out. The Permeation Quirk user laughed, while Bubble Girl sighed in the background. Things were looking up for the moment.
"Well, that was quite the show, Mirai…" Xiaomei commented as she entered the room, getting everyone's attention, "I do hope you'll be fair to these two," she said, "They seem so young and hopeful…" she pointed out.
"Xiaomei…" Nighteye uttered, sounding somewhat surprised.
"Um… hi there…" Izuku greeted, "I'm—"
"I need the room again," the former sidekick of All Might stated, interjecting the freckled teen, "Midoriya, Bluegarden," he began to his newest interns, "I expect you both to be here tomorrow with Mirio for your first assignment," he told them.
"Yes, Sir!" they emphatically responded, saluting to their new mentor. The door was closed moments later after everyone else had left. Nighteye sat down at his desk, resting his elbows upon it as he tented his hands.
"I expected news about the Hassaikai from you to come much sooner…" he admitted to Xiaomei.
"Unfortunately, this visit isn't in regards to them," she replied, causing him to perk up slightly.
"Then… is it about the Saintfires?" he assumed, earning a nod in reply from the Oracle Quirk user.
"I take it that the reason you've taken in Rebecca is part of that, correct?" she guessed.
"As always, you're a step ahead," Nighteye remarked, standing up from his seat, "So, where are they?" he inquired.
"There are two scouts on the building beside us," Xiaomei answered, "Would you like to speak with them?" she inquired. The Foresight Quirk user narrowed his eyes. Outside, the U.A. students had just left, with Takashi and Komi watching on. The former stood up, only to sense something amiss as what appeared to be a seal was coming his way. His partner turned and glared at it, making her eyes flash gold. The seal stopped completely in midair before falling onto the rooftop, creating a small crater from its immense weight.
"So… you've come to grace us with your presence…" Takashi noted, looking up to see Nighteye there alongside Xiaomei.
"Takashi Higaru, one of Saintfire Nox's most trusted soldiers helping to expand her cause," the Oracle Quirk user said, much to the man's surprise, "And Komi Shoko, a former assassin turned into a zealot under Nox's command," she mentioned, making the long-haired woman narrow her eyes, "Now do tell me if I was wrong…" she requested, letting off a smirk.
"Nox is after Bluegarden, isn't she?" the Foresight Quirk user assumed.
"Hm," Takashi huffed, "How will knowing help you?" he inquired back.
"She will need to send more than scouts to try and take her," Nighteye answered, "especially with myself and others who are more than capable of dealing with the likes of you," he added firmly. Komi stood up.
That may be… But we will not stop until the girl is delivered to Nox.
"What exactly do you hope to attain by taking her?" the Foresight Quirk user inquired, narrowing his eyes.
"A return to an Earth in which everyone is unshackled by the burdens of superpowers," Takashi answered, "Our goal is to take away these so-called gifts," he told his foe, "not just because of what dangers they pose now, but what they may pose in the near future," he pointed out, "I assume you've seen it yourself, Sasaki…" he mentioned to Nighteye, whose eyes narrowed. Komi put a hand onto her partner's shoulder, getting his attention as he looked to see her shake her head.
We shouldn't start a fight. Nox won't be pleased.
"Hmm…" Takashi hummed out, "Very well then…" he said, "We'll depart for now, but know this…" he continued to the Foresight Quirk user, "Nox will be watching," he warned. He and his partner then leapt across the street, hurrying off.
"You weren't going to contact the police on this matter, Mirai?" Xiaomei inquired of the former sidekick.
"It's likely that they've anticipated that," he replied, "Besides…" he kept going, "I've seen them both in Midoriya's future," he pointed out, "They'll be back," he confirmed, picking up his seal from the ground.
X
"The hero couple got their work studies!" Mina exclaimed back at the dorms once Izuku and Rebecca had returned for the evening, "Way to go, guys!" she complimented.
"Thanks…" the Cat Leaper Quirk user replied gratefully as they were gathered in the common area with a few others, "but please don't call us that…" she insisted, raising her hands with a blush on her cheeks, "I'd rather not give Izu a heart attack over that fact during all this…" she pointed out, looking over to her boyfriend.
"Quite right," Tenya agreed, "I'm glad that you're handling this with maturity," he mentioned to the pair, "You both do UA proud," he affirmed.
"Thanks, Iida…" Izuku responded with a smile. Just a few days ago, the class representative had called him out for his behavior before the second semester began. But now, things seemed to be resolved.
"So what's Mister Nighteye like?" Ochaco wondered curiously.
"Is he super buff like All Might?" Shiki inquired on.
"Uh, well…" Izuku uttered out, sheepishly scratching his left cheek. He was still thinking about what the Foresight Quirk user had essentially taken him on for: to give up on One For All. Rebecca noticed the discomfort in his expression, standing up from her seat.
"Sorry, guys," she apologized, getting everyone's attention, "We'd love to talk more, but I think we need to go over what to expect on our first day soon," she told her classmates, taking her boyfriend by his right hand and pulling him away with her.
"I wonder if that's code for something else…" Minoru said with a cheeky smirk, only to wind up smacked to the floor by Tsuyu's long tongue.
"Still, it feels like Midoriya's getting further ahead of us with each new opportunity we get…" she admitted to her classmates.
"Indeed…" Tenya agreed, "Obviously, some of us are in circumstances where we can't go to certain agencies…" he pointed out, putting a hand onto his chin.
"Yeah, like the IUA," Shiki chimed in, "I called over and over about a work study, but they said they weren't doing them!" he told the group.
"Wait, seriously?" Denki inquired, joining the conversation with Mashirao, Rikido, and Hanta, "Dude, they're one of Japan's top hero agencies!" he exclaimed emphatically, "Why wouldn't they offer work studies?!" he questioned on.
"Apparently, it's due to ever-changing landscape of hero society with All Might gone," Momo answered, getting his attention along with those of the others, "Their focus is now going to well-known villain groups and factions," she pointed out, "Similar to the one of Drakken Joe," she added, making everyone tense up a little.
"The Oracion Seis, huh?" Rikido noted, folding his arms over his chest.
"It makes sense, especially given that they lost Jaguar during the whole Camino fiasco…" Hanta mentioned. Momo trembled a little upon hearing that. Just then, the doors were opened.
"Seems like you're all settled in," Shota pointed out, entering alongside Hermit.
"Oh, Mister Aizawa!" Shiki exclaimed in greeting, "What's up?" he asked with a wave.
"Well, I'm sure most of you are having trouble getting into work studies, given the requirements," the teacher noted of his students.
'Yeah, no kidding…' most of them grumbled inwardly.
"However, we have a few recommendations for some of you," he pointed out, causing them to perk up. Up on the third floor of the girls' side of the dorms, Izuku trembled as he sat on the floor of his girlfriend's room, blushing a bright red. They were alone together.
"Huh…" Rebecca exhaled as she sat down in front of him, "Okay, we need to go over what happened back there," she advised seriously, making him blink in surprise, "That whole test Nighteye put you through was about One For All, right?" she assumed. Her boyfriend lowered his gaze.
"Yeah…" he answered, "He said that Togata should've been the one to take All Might's power…" he told her, "This work study is basically meant to convince me to give One For All up to him in the end…" he mentioned, sounding defeated.
"Ugh, what a jerk!" Rebecca complained, "I doubt Mirio even knows, right?" she presumed.
"Not that I'm aware…" Izuku replied. With another sigh, his girlfriend leaned back.
"Okay, so now it's my turn…" she said, causing him to arch an eyebrow worriedly, "First off, I had another one of those… dream-visions last night…" she confessed, much to the shock of her boyfriend as his eyes widened, "But… it wasn't like I was seeing anything from the future or the past…" she pointed out, "There was just one person, a woman wearing robes with a staff and some tall hat thing…" she explained, "She called herself… a Saintfire…" she remembered. The One For All inheritor gasped.
"Wait, you don't mean…?!" he started to guess as he shot up to his feet.
"Yeah…" his girlfriend confirmed, "Saintfire Nox, one of the Oracion Seis…" she said, "She's the one that contacted me last night," she told him.
"But… why?" Izuku asked.
"Because of Cat Leaper," Rebecca replied, "She wants my power to help bring humanity back to its purest form without Quirks," she explained, looking at her legs, "Somehow, she thinks I can make every person in the world Quirkless…" she mentioned, narrowing her eyes.
"Could you do that?" her boyfriend questioned.
"I don't know…" she honestly answered, "But even if I could, I'd never do it for them," she affirmed on, "Kacchan wouldn't want me to give up," she mentioned with a grin.
"Kacchan?" Izuku repeated in surprise, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah…" his girlfriend replied, "When Drakken was holding us hostage and threatening to kill him to make me give him my power, he stood up for me and said not to give up for his sake…" she recalled thoroughly, "As much of a jerk as he is… I'm glad he said all that," she confessed, smiling, "Because now, it's motivated me more than ever to be the hero I wanna be for everyone," she declared. The One For All inheritor grinned.
"Yeah, me too," he agreed, "So anyways…" he continued, making Rebecca perk up, "who was that woman with Nighteye?" he inquired.
"Oh, that was the other thing I wanted to tell you…" she realized, bonking herself on the head with her right fist for almost forgetting. Elsewhere in the secluded church within the forest, Nox had her eyes shut in concentration. She opened them after a moment.
"Takashi, Komi," she addressed, turning to face her two followers, who were knelt down before her, "have you made contact with Rebecca Bluegarden?" she asked.
"No, humble Saintfire…" the masked man responded, shutting his eyes and lowering his head with shame, "She met with Sasaki today along with the boy you spoke of," he told her, "We could not intervene without causing a commotion…" he confirmed on. Narrowing her eyes, the archbishop turned to the long-haired woman, who stood up.
The oracle was also present. She likely alerted Bluegarden and Sasaki to our hunt.
"If Xiaomei is involved, then this makes matter slightly more complex…" Nox realized, walking off to the side for a moment, "I assume there is also more you wish to discuss?" she guessed, looking over to the pair.
"Yes…" Takashi answered, standing up, "Sasaki discovered us and knows of our objective," he explained, "However, that will not deter us," he affirmed, clenching his fists.
He's right. If we have a larger force, then we can bring her to us without resistance.
The archbishop stared at the floor in thought. Given the circumstances and delicacy of the situation, Rebecca's condition was of the utmost priority. The time was… not exactly right. She had much to accomplish before being of use. At least, that's what Nox perceived.
"Our goal is help ensure that Rebecca Bluegarden is capable of being the next Saintfire that will cleanse the world of superpowers," she told her followers, who blinked in surprise, "As such, her safety is of the utmost priority until I believe she is ready to assist," she stated, slamming her staff lightly against the ground.
But she has already refused your request before, had she not?
"True, but she will see eventually…" Nox affirmed, "Until then, I expect you both to watch out for her," she advised of her followers, "Inform me of any new developments in regards to her power," she instructed. Takashi and Komi traded unsure looks.
"…As you wish, humble Saintfire," the former said, bowing politely along with the latter. They both walked off, leaving the archbishop behind as she clutched her staff tightly.
'I hope I've bought you more time, Rebecca…' she admitted inwardly, 'At some point, there may be no way for me and my followers to halt coming for you…' she noted to herself, having a guilty expression upon her face.
X
"Today, we'll be doing patrols and surveillance," Nighteye told the costumed group of Mirio, Izuku, Rebecca, and Kaoruko. It was the first day of the freshmen's work study. And they were gathered in their employer's office, as he laid down the files at his desk for them to see. "We'll split into two teams," he confirmed, "I'll be with Bubble Girl, and Mirio, you'll be with Midoriya and Bluegarden," he told them.
"So, we're doing surveillance…" the Cat Leaper Quirk user noted, earning a nod from Kaoruko.
"Our agency's actually focused on a special investigation," she pointed out.
"Does it have something to do with the Saintfires?" Izuku asked, causing the others to perk up in surprise.
"While that is a group many heroes would like to stop, we're focusing on another matter entirely," Nighteye confirmed, flipping the file over to show the picture of Kai he had, along with many details, "Shie Hassaikai is a small crime syndicate currently headed by this man, Kai Chisaki," he explained, "Recently, people have reported strange behavior from him," he pointed out, pushing his glasses up, "That plague mask is his trademark…" he mentioned.
"Creepy…" Izuku and Rebecca uttered. The former then picked up the picture curiously.
"I thought… organized crime rings like this weren't much trouble since police know about them and monitor their moves…" he noted.
"It's been that way since the groups themselves splintered up," Kaoruko explained, "But this Chisaki guy is gathering them together again, and we don't know why…" she mentioned, "What we do know is that he made contact with the League of Villains recently," she pointed out.
"The League?!" Rebecca yelped out. Her body trembled a little. It wasn't easy to not remember what had happened during that last encounter…
"The Hassaikai work in a legal gray area that's close to black," Nighteye told the group, taking the photograph back from Izuku, "Our objective is to tail Chisaki and find out exactly what he's up to," he explained on, "Exercise caution and be smart," he advised seriously, "We can't alert him to what we're up to," he said.
"Right!" Izuku and Rebecca agreed. It wasn't long before the couple was out on patrol with Mirio, surveying the streets. The senior had informed them that Nighteye and Bubble Girl would be the ones watching the target today, and they were just patrolling for safety. That was what they expected. What wasn't expected was the horned girl that came running out of the alley, bumping into the One For All inheritor and falling over onto her bottom.
"Ah, oh my gosh!" Rebecca exclaimed upon noticing, "Are you okay?!" she asked, immediately crouching down to the girl's eye level. She sat up with a grimace, seeing the two freshmen approach.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Izuku apologized, "I should've been more careful…" he admitted as he crouched down himself, "Here, let me help you up," he offered, extending his gloved right hand out. The little girl gasped, pulling herself back. Seeing that, the Cat Leaper Quirk user went ahead and removed her gloves.
"Don't worry, we're here to help," she assured, reaching out to her. Hesitant for a moment, the little girl took her hand, allowing her to pick her up onto her feet. "There we go," she said with a giggle. Izuku smiled as well, though he noticed something off. The girl was trembling, and she had bandages around her arms and legs.
'She doesn't seem like she's lost…' he noted to himself, 'It's more like… she was running from something…' he added inwardly.
"You should be more careful," a voice chimed in, getting their attentions. The girl appeared to freeze in fright. Izuku and Rebecca's eyes widened. Standing there was Kai. "We wouldn't wanna cause trouble for any hardworking heroes…" he pointed out, "would we, Eri?" he inquired of the little girl, who trembled.
And just like that… Izuku and Rebecca's work study had begun.
ENDING
Insert "The World's Continuation" by Ado
Opens with Rebecca as a little girl waking up in the morning at the orphanage she grew up in. She plays with the other orphans as Witch watches on, smiling all the while. Growing up, Rebecca is a big help around the orphanage, learning to cook with Witch, organize, and even clean.
At one point, a cat is adopted by the orphanage, being none other than Happy. Rebecca is the one to take care of it the most, feeding him every so often and sleeping with him. She goes out on a walk with him and Witch one day, heading to a local park. There, she sees Izuku lying on the ground after having to deal with Katsuki and the other bullies.
From then on, he and Rebecca become friends, growing up together. They even go out to get hero trading cards one day, coming across the rare All Might card in their respective packs. Throughout their school days from kindergarten to elementary to junior high, Izuku and Rebecca stay great friends.
One night during a school dance, Izuku sits dejectedly as everyone else is dancing together in pairs. Rebecca approaches him, wearing a lovely green dress. She offers her hand to Izuku, who graciously accepts it as his face scrunches up. They dance together, all while Katsuki watches on from the corner with a look of annoyance on his face.
The years go by, up to the end of middle school. The day arrives that Izuku and Rebecca get to U.A. High, entering alongside each other. We see flashes of everything they've gone through: the Quirk tests, the battle training, the USJ incident, the Sports Festival, the internships, the final exams, the forest camp attack, the incident in Camino Ward, the provisional licensing exam, and Izuku and Katsuki's fight afterwards.
From there, we see the couple dressed in their hero costumes, looking out to the horizon as they're joined by their classmates, prepared to face whatever lies ahead. Izuku looks to Rebecca and smiles, taking her hand into his own and holding onto it firmly. Neither of them are ever going to lose hope in each other.
END ENDING
Super happy with the content I've been able to come up with in these past few chapters, especially in regards to the Saintfire Nox stuff. I'm sure by the time this chapter's released, there'll be a lot of Saintfire Nox content in Edens Zero. But for now, I'm just happy to be experimenting.
Up next, more about Eri and what'll be coming of the work studies. Until next time, see you later!