MHAAU: Proclamations
The door slides open with All Might standing in the doorway, being greeted by an injured Hawks and Best Jeanist. "It's nice to meet you, All Might." Hawks greets, using his medical Barack and phone to speak while Jeanist poses beside him.
"You're Hawks, Right?"
"Let's skip the intros and get to the important stuff." He looks past the retired hero. "Is Midoriya going to…huh?" His reaction cases Jeanist to look as well, raising an eyebrow.
"Pardon my asking, All Might, but your students informed us you didn't want to be bothered." He looks at the retired hero. "Do you mind telling us why you allowed this student to visit?"
All Might looks over his shoulder at the two unconscious students; Midoriya was still under his covers, having not moved since his arrival as Yaoyorozu sat in the chair All Might was using, bent over with her head laying on the side near the boy's hand. All Might allows a small sigh to escape, thankful he was able to rearrange the girl before Hawks and Jeanist could see. "She…has a very special connection with Young Midoriya." He explains their run in with Tesla and how Midoriya would've died were it not for Yaoyorozu.
"I see." Hawks replies, looking at the two sleeping teens. "She must've been exhausted with worry over him, finally getting rest when she knew he was okay."
"Y-yes. The poor girl barely sat down before passing out." All Might fibs. "As for Midoriya, he'll pull through this. He should be conscious soon." He narrows his eyes at Hawks. "But he's not the only reason you're here."
"This is about Midoriya…and One For All." Hawks explains. All Might's eyes widen upon hearing the name of his former Quirk. Hawks explains how the name was heard and spread to reporters while leading All Might to the hallway. As he does, Uraraka, Ida, Asui and Hagakure look inside with Ida getting agitated to see a boy and girl sleeping so close to each other while the three girls gush over it, all of them full of worry. Hawks looks at All Might with an easy going but firm look. "I'm trying to get the full picture here." He turns to the window. "Because from now on, we're not just fighting villains. We're also battling public sentiment."
All Might thinks back to his warning to Midoriya after his first combat training class, telling him the importance of keeping One For All a secret. His mind flickers to Bakugo and Yaoyorozu and how they might be caught up in all this. He looks over his shoulder towards Midoriya's room, knowing the time for secrets is about to end soon and he needed to make the transition as smooth as possible, for their sake. He starts to walk away. "We should talk somewhere more private." He turns to face Jeanist and Hawks. "I'll tell you everything."
'Wha…what is going on?'
Midoriya stands before the former wielders of One For All watching in just as much surprise as they all were to see Yaoyorozu standing right there, within One For All itself. Now keenly aware that the only thing covering his naked body was a few wisps of black and green smoke, one of which still prevented him from speaking clearly. He was able to portray his feelings of saving Shigaraki, taking on the appearance of his much younger self in the process. But just as they all celebrated his resolve, Nana Shimura steps away. Then, moments later, Yaoyorozu appears. "How…how is she here?" He asks, the question barely cutting through the smoke.
The younger brother of All For One and First wielder of One For All, Yoichi Shigaraki steps towards the two female heroes with equal shock and amazement. "I don't know. For as long as I've been here, only my brother and Shigaraki have ever managed to enter." He glances at Midoriya. "Save for that other friend of yours. However, you transferred One For All to him." He looks back at Shimura and Yaoyorozu. "This girl…managed to find her own way here. Incredible." This unexpected arrival drew the attention of both the second and third wielders, with the third, Bruce, turning to look with a surprise expression that matches the others. The second, Kudo, simply looks over his shoulder to watch Shimura stare down Yaoyorozu.
"Well? Let's hear it, girl!" Shimura said forcefully, making Yaoyorozu take a nervous step back.
"I-I don't know what you mean!" She struggles to stand her ground against the powerful hero before her, thrown off by this intimidating show that was nothing compared to what All Might had described. He had told her that Nana Shimura was as kind and caring as she was determined and steadfast, having sacrificed a life with her family to stop All For One. The woman standing before her was anything but kind, with a fierce look that conveys her violent intent. And she still had access to the full power of One For All.
It didn't help that she had a uncanny resemblance to the older hero.
"Everyone here has fought that maniac, with most of us dying or sacrificing a great deal as a result." Shimura suddenly flexes her entire body, the action causing a shockwave that nearly knocks Yaoyorozu off the floating piece of building they stood on. She struggles against the force that reminded her of All Might when he was testing Midoriya and Bakugo for their final practical exams.
"Momo!" Midoriya shouts, the cloud over his mouth breaking away, but the rest keeping him from moving to help her. Yaoyorozu glances at him, seeing the worry in his eyes; this forces her to recall the warnings Bakugo and All Might gave her earlier. As powerful as Midoriya is, putting the lives of others is both his driving strength and glaring weakness and if she was to back up her proclamation to help him…. Her glance turns into a glare, returning it to Shimura. The act of defiance makes the former wielder's eyes twitch in response.
"This is weird." The sixth wielder, En Tayutai said. "This girl…is able to move freely within One For All while Midoriya cannot." He glances at the yellow vestige of All Might gazing towards the two opposing heroes. "As well as enter this place while Toshinori cannot." He looks back at Shimura. "This can't be a matter of love she has for Midoriya, could it?" The suggestion makes the boy freeze in place, his eyes widen and linger on his classmate, slowing turning them towards Ed in disbelief.
"Her…love for me?" He whispers softly.
The fifth wielder, Daigoro Banjo lifts his hand to his chin, thinking. "Maybe it's got something to do with her Quirk? It's creating things, right? Could she have created some kind of opening without realizing it?" Yoichi, En and Midoriya eye the big man contemplating the theory while the fourth user, Hikage Shinomori, Bruce, Kudo and All Might's vestige continue to watch Shimura ease off with her show of power.
"All of us tried and failed to put an end to All For One, and he's only gotten stronger! So tell me, girl!" She shifts into a fighting stance similar to one the two students recognize All Might have used at times. "How will you succeed where we failed!?" She shouts before launching herself at Yaoyorozu. Midoriya and the other wielders watch in horror as she pulls her fist back, meaning to hit the young girl with a strong punch.
Suddenly, a thick layer of titanium appears from Yaoyorozu's arms, protecting her from the brunt of the punch as it connects, but still sending her flying backwards into the void. Shimura quickly follows as Midoriya continues to struggle against the smoke, managing to dissipating it with every movement. Meanwhile, Yaoyorozu rockets through the space until she grits her teeth, crating a highly advanced jet pack providing her the means to slow herself down. The weight of the titanium shield was growing too much for her, making her create a highly sophisticated battle suit that incorporates the costume themes of Midnight, Majestic, All Might, Bakugo, Uraraka, Midoriya and her own. The helmet resembles Uraraka's with Bakugo's head gear while wearing Midnight's mask, her arms took after All Might's last costume and Midoriya's gloves, her torso took after her own costume while her legs took on Majestic's pants and waist cape. "Wha…when could I…do this?" She looks over the battle suit, amazed by how easily it allowed her to carry the titanium shield.
Suddenly, her helmet lights up, warning her of the fast approaching Shimura. She turns to block the hero just as she reaches her, surprised to see the new suit but not showing it. 'The power to create anything…'. She grabs the shield and tosses it, readying another punch when Yaoyorozu shoots her open hand out at her, unleashing an explosion that pushes Shimura away.
'Katsuki…'. She grips her hand and gets into an odd fighting stance, having never fought in the air before. "I don't know!" She shouts as Shimura floats before her, the smoke from the explosion vanishing. "I wish I knew how to stop All For One for good. But I don't. What I do know—." She glares at Shimura, making her noticeably flinch. "—I won't let Izuku face him alone!" Shimura's eyes widen, recalling the times she fought along side Grand Torino and All Might before her final battle with All For One.
She glares at the young hero, flexing her body again but this time, Yaoyorozu doesn't budge. "Sentimental promises like that aren't enough to save anyone!" She flings herself at Yaoyorozu, who barely registered her movements thanks to her suit. She narrowly avoids the blow to her head before clutching her fist and driving it into Shimura's stomach, managing to knock the wind out of the older hero.
"Momo Yaoyorozu. Hero name: The Everything Hero, Creati. Her Quirk: Creation. She can create any non living thing from the lipids in her body. However, she must have an understanding of the molecular structure of the object she's creating." Present Mic says from beyond the void to inform the readers. "That being said, she has been through a lot and training her Quirk all the while. Not only increasing the amount of creations she can make at once, but also dabbing into theorizes to expand the scope of her creation limits. Like other organisms and even forms of energy."
Shimura recovers, grabbing Yaoyorozu's arm and bringing her knee up, connecting against her stomach, making the student gasp in pain before punching her across the face, the helmet cracking from the blow. Yaoyorozu shakes off the blow and activates compartments from her gloves, unlashing a cloud of fragrances that works similarly to Midnight's Somnambulist Quirk. It spreads fast, acting like a smokescreen that hides her from Shimura, though having little effect besides.
"Ever since she was shocked by One For All Yaoyorozu has been in mental and emotional turmoil, causing her stress that began to have a dramatic effect on her Quirk, forcing it to grow and evolve. Add to that the current understanding of Quirks she knew of and the rundown of One For All from All Might, and she was in a position to push that evolution to the next level. Unbeknownst to her, obviously."
Shimura, while having access to Danger Sense, couldn't detect Yaoyorozu. She quickly claps her hands, blowing the fragrance away to find the other hero had vanished. "Wha?" The Danger Sense kicks in; she turns in time to catch the axe kick Yaoyorozu had meant to hit her with, the impact sending a shockwave that rivalled the one All Might had created when he fought the Nomu at the USJ.
"That cry sesh she had atop of the hospital was exactly what she needed to clear all that baggage out and getting into a state of clarity that gave her Quirk that last push. Now, the scope of her creations has expanded; it's not just non living objects she can create, but also Miracles. When she laid her hand on Midoriya's arm, her love for him, understanding of who he is and that brief encounter with One For All allowed her to instinctively create a wave link, connecting their two Quirks together without merging them, opening a mental path into One For All."
Shimura looks at the fierce determination on the young student's face, a small smirk appearing on her face. 'Yaoyorozu…I've had my eye on you ever since One For All struck you. I was worried your growing affection for Izuku would be used against him in the coming battle. And while that still may happen…'. She easily catches Yaoyorozu's fist as she tries to punch her, throwing both her arms out and putting her off balance long enough for Shimura to connect another punch to her stomach, one strong enough to send her flying back towards the space the other wielder's were watching from. '…I'm convinced you won't make it easy for that freak.'.
"Nana Shimura caught on to the link and used it to bring Yaoyorozu into One For All in order to test her resolve and give the girl a chance to truly become The Everything Hero."
Midoriya and the past wielders had been watching the fight, all the while, chipping away at the cloud keeping him from moving. "If it is her Quirk, then she'll quickly draw the attention of All For One." Midoriya looks over his shoulder at Bruce, who had fulling turned away from the wall and stood beside All Might's vestige. "If we're not careful, he could steal it and use this new route to circumvent One For All's method of transfer." The wielders exchange worrying looks as Midoriya stares at All Might's vestige, its presence having a calming effect on him, sparking memories of their various talks throughout their training. The last being their pact about the future and fighting fate together.
The ground shakes as Yaoyorozu crashes right behind him. Midoriya turns to see her wearing a battle suit that reminded him of their friends and teachers. 'You've gotten so much stronger Momo. And I…!'. He spots Shimura rocketing towards them as Yaoyorozu struggles to stand. Seeing this causes him to activate One For All, his eyes full of desperation. '…won't let All For One…!'. The smoke blows away as his costume appears on him, the other wielders watching in awe as All Might's vestige nods in approval. '…take that away from you!'.
Yaoyorozu gets to her knees, her eyes never straying from the incoming Shimura, who was now within striking distance; her fist was cocked back with murderous intent within her eyes. 'No…not like this. I've come so far…made up with Ochaco…earned Katsuki's acknowledgment. And Izuku…'. She smiles, closing her eyes while thinking about him, recalling their first sparring match outside the dorms, wondering if he liked her… Suddenly, a large gust of wind blows past her.
"I won't let you hurt her anymore!" Yaoyorozu's eyes fly open, seeing the fully clothed Midoriya standing before her, glaring at Shimura while holding her punch back with one hand. As she relaxes, her battle suit fades away, revealing her normal costume; her strength returns allowing her to stand up, creating a metal staff while getting into a fighting stance, glaring at Shimura along with Midoriya who, having picked up on her movements, knocks Shimura's hand away before leaping backward to stand beside Yaoyorozu. "Why are you doing this?" He finally asks.
Shimura meets the two student's glares for a moment before standing straight, her aggressive demeanor vanishing. Replaced with a gentle smile and sad eyes. "I wanted to test your resolve, Momo." The two teens stare at her with confusion, standing up straight as well. "All For One is not to be taken lightly." She explains, her face going hard and angry once again by just mentioning him. "He is a relentless monster, hellbent on nothing less than world domination." She looks at Yaoyorozu with a pained look. "He will not hesitate…to exploit those closest to Izuku." Midoriya clutches his fist knowing she was speaking the truth. Despite himself, he looks at the girl beside him, confidant in her ability to protect herself and others, but worried for her safety all the same.
Yaoyorozu meets his eyes, seeing the war waging within them regarding her. Even now, people are quick to point out this inevitable outcome should she involve herself further. She recognizes their intentions; speaking out of their natural concern for others, not their doubt in her abilities. Doubts she herself has had since developing these feelings for him. She gives him a warm smile, the act instantly calming the battle within his mind as his eyes widen with amazement. They share this look for a moment before she turns it towards Shimura, causing the same reaction from her. "I'm fully aware of the risks I'm taking, Nana Shimura. I know full well…that I'll likely be used against Izuku before this nightmare ends." She grips her staff as everyone watches, including Kudo, his head turned to look over his shoulder at her. "However…that is to be expected when you're dealing with villains." All the heroes who have wielded One For All gasp in shock at her statement, bringing the magnitude of this threat down to its most basic truth…All For One is a villain. And stopping villains, no matter how powerful is their duty.
"All For One and Shigaraki have threatened not just Izuku, but all out friends ever since their attack on the USJ." She says, the two of them recalling all the times the League of Villains have attacked their class. From Kurogiri separating them to Tesla threatening Kaminari and Jiro and Shigaraki trying to use decay on Aizawa and Asui. Stain attacking Ida, Todoroki and Midoriya while the Nomu wreaked havoc in Hosu. All For One's involvement with the villain group that took Nu Island hostage. Their Vanguard Action Squad's attack on their training camp that lead to Bakugo's kidnapping and the Kamino incident that caused widespread death and destruction. Himiko Toga's infiltration of the licensing exam by posing as Camie as well as their involvement with the Shie Hassaikai that had used Eri in such a horrific way. That memory causes both Yaoyorozu and Midoriya to grit their teeth. Their involvement with Nine and his attack on Nabu Island. The destruction of Deika City, Jaku City, Gunga Villa and the many other cites Gigantomachia devastated along his path. "I know the possibility of getting used to hurt Izuku is high, but I won't stand by and let him fight All For One and Shigaraki on his own!" She fails to keep her tears from flowing down her face, the sudden image of Toga and Uraraka flash through her mind. "I'll stand by his side and do everything in my power to support him! And be there, at the end, when he finally defeats them!"
The former wielder's stares at the girl, blown away by her brave proclamation as admiration and respect fill them. Nana Shimura smiles brightly as her own tears fall; the silence started to get to Yaoyorozu, making her blush a light pink. "Thank you…Momo." She looks at Midoriya, his own eyes moist but full of no small amount of gratitude and even letting the affection he felt towards her sparkle through. The sight made her flush as her heart began to beat faster.
"I'm glad to hear it, young lady." The new voice snaps the two teens out of their moment. They both turn to see Kudo and Bruce standing beside Yoichi as all eight former wielders of One For All stood together, ready to help. Kudo looks at the two of them with a determined look that made them think of Bakugo. "It's drive like that…that'll stop villains. And save the world."
"HAHAHA! What? You call yourself a hero? And here I thought this would be fun!"
Yo Shindo. Hero name, Grand glares up at the villain that had been reported to be rampaging around this area. A Jailbreaker straight out of Tartarus itself. The mass murderer that was once apart of the League of Villains, Muscular. His body was covered with muscle fibers, seemingly protected against his vibrations. He smirks up at the villain while placing his hand against the villain. "I'll show you…how a hero with fortitude…can take on any villain!" He shouts, using his Quirk on him.
"Hahaha! Is that all you got? You think a little massage like that is gonna hurt me? I can't even feel it under all this muscle!"
"Is that so? We'll just see about that!" He increases the power of his vibrations, running the risk of taking himself out of commission. "I'm gonna rattle your brains out of your thick skull!"
Muscular raises his fist up, intending to finish the hero off. "You just lost your chance too—AH!" He cries out, his arm flinching from a sudden stab to it. He turns his am around, showing the two of them a drill bit looking rod sticking out of it. "What the? How'd you stick me with this?"
"I…didn't!" Yo grunts out. The rod starts up, quickly drilling into his muscles. Muscular lets him go, reaching for the spot the drill dug into.
"Hey! Get this thing out of—AH!" Suddenly, a powerful shock shot through his body, stunning the villain. Yo watches, trying to catch his breath as something hits Muscular from behind, sending him flying though a building. The person was covered in purple smoke as they stood on a broken ledge above him.
"Sorry we're late! I'll take it from here!" Yo's eyes widen, recognizing the voice and barely managing to see the boy when the smoke drifted away, spotting Midoriya with his mask off.
"You?! But, you're that first year from UA!" Midoriya nods at him before looking towards the building Muscular crashes into, hearing his grunts and manic laughter.
He reaches for his earpiece. "Nice shot, Creati! I'll deal with Muscular. Can you help with evacuation?"
"Of course!"
He smiles. "Thanks. Talk to you in a bit." he brings his arm down before leaping off the building towards Muscular, a cloud of smoke spraying out of him as Black Whip tendril's stick out.
"Hey wait! You can't take that guy on alone!" Yo warns, grunting while grabbing his side from the pain of a broken ribs.
"No need to worry about him. Deku can handle that villain on his own." He turns to look as Yaoyorozu lands beside him, causing the young hero to stare at her in both surprise and intrigue. She was wearing her newest costume; a red two piece and a utility belt with violet gloves that leave the back of her hands exposed with matching color combat boots. Her winter cape flaps behind her while wearing a collar and a small red mask, the two additions paying homage to her fallen mentors Majestic and Midnight. She reaches out to him with a reassuring smile. "Let's get you and the bystanders to safety while Deku keeps that villain busy."
He blinks in confusion before taking her offered hand. She turns towards the edge and moves to jump when Yo holds her back. "Wait! What are you doing?"
"It's alright. We'll be fine. Trust me." Just then, she swings him around, effectively throwing him over the edge. As he screams while falling, Yaoyorozu activates her shoes; a compact hoverboard emerges from them, catching the falling Yo before they hit the ground. He glares up at her as she simply smiles at him. "You see? We're alright."
"Alright?! You threw me off a building to my death!" He grunts in pain again, kneeling down.
"You have broken ribs and possibly a concussion." She informs him before they land right in front of Tatami, addressing the gathered crowd. "All of you! Please evacuate the area and make your way to Ketsubutsu Academy!"
"We already told these two, we're not trusting our lives to you heroes anymore! We can—!" The ground shakes as Midoriya slams Muscular into a low running canal nearby.
"I understand you're concern." She admits as Tatami takes Yo from her. "But you must understand that this villain, and others like him will not hesitate to kill you and those you fight for." The crowd starts to grow unsure after surveying the damage Muscular made. "Please. I'm asking you all to leave and let these two escort you to Ketsubutsu Academy. For your own safety and for those who would want you to be safe." The crowd look amongst themselves for a moment before nodding in agreement. Yo and Tatami look at her with amazement out how easily she convinced the same group of people that refused them.
"Thank you for the help. I didn't catch your name." Tatami asks as a couple of the bystanders bring over a stretcher for Yo.
"I'm Creati. The one fighting the villain is Deku."
"You two…you're from that class of UA first years from the licensing exam, aren't you?' Yo asks, causing everyone there to gawk at Yaoyorozu.
"That's right." She says with a smile. Suddenly, Midoriya leaps into the air, carrying an unconscious Muscular behind him.
"Creati, Muscular's out. I'm taking him to the police." Yaoyorozu turns to look at the floating boy, reaching for her earpiece.
"Roger that. Just wrapping up here, then I'll follow shortly." She lowers her hand, addressing the two heroes. "Are you two okay with handling the rest?"
"Mmhmm. Our friends will be here shortly. Thanks again, Creati." Tatami says with a smile as Yo is placed onto the stretcher.
"I'm glad we could be of help. Please, take care!" She gives them a short bow before heading for a piece of debris, climbing on it and jumping into the air, activating her hoverboard before racing off after Midoriya.
"Heh. Hard to believe those two are just first years. They act as if they've been doing hero work their whole lives." Tatami says as the two bystanders carry Yo away, the sound of their classmates approaching getting louder. Yo thinks back to when Midoriya saved him during the exam, letting a small smile cross his face.
"I'm not all that surprised." He looks up to watch Yaoyorozu rocket away.
As she makes her way to Midoriya, a smile on her face while her red cape flaps behind her, Yaoyorozu thinks back to a few days ago when she and Midoriya awake after conversing with the past wielders of One For All.
The two of them awoke to find the room empty; he was somewhat surprised to see her laying so close to his side while she was more concern with how she was sitting the the chair All Might was using. They then looked at each other, her pledge to fight by his side still fresh on their minds. "Momo, I—!" He began to say when the door suddenly slides open. All Might along with Mrs. Midoriya and his doctor enter the room, relief all over her face. Yaoyorozu stood up to let his mother sit down, moving to stand beside All Might as the doctor explains what had happened to him. Having suffered similar injures from his first fight with Muscular, except his body was more prepared for the blow back, thanks in part to using Black Whip to reinforce his arms.
They thank the doctor and wait for him to leave before Mrs. Midoriya looks at All Might. "Will you…explain what's going on? Please." Both All Might and Yaoyorozu exchange a look.
"Go ahead, All Might." Midoriya said with a small smile, squeezing his mother's hand. "She deserves to know." With a nod, they inform her of everything.
"So this power of his…he can control it because he was born Quirkless?" She asks once they finished the explanation. "And now…there are some bad people who are after my son?" She squeezes his hand, as Midoriya exchanges a knowing look with Yaoyorozu.
"We're still figuring out the logistics, but…he should be safe to stay at the school."
"We're not going back to UA." Midoriya states, getting a knowing look from All Might.
"What do you mean?" His mother says with fearful eyes, grabbing his hand with both of hers.
"Oh kid…wait. We?" He looks to Yaoyorozu, meeting her determined eyes.
"That's right." She looks at Mrs. Midoriya who had turned to her along with her son. "Shigaraki has a Quirk that allows him to know exactly where Izuku is, so hiding is pointless." Mrs. Midoriya sucks in some air in response to Yaoyorozu using her son's name, though they all thought it was a reaction to her statement.
"He'd probably be hear now if it weren't for all the damage he took during our fight." He adds, his sad smile turning into a frown. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt. Especially not because of me. And if the League is able to reach their full power—."
"Things will be even worst then they are now." Yaoyorozu finishes, clutching her fist tightly while thinking about the destruction Gigantomachia made.
Midoriya nods at her. "That cannot happen. We have to stop Shigaraki and All For One." Eventually, they manage to convince Mrs. Midoriya their plan was the best course of action, with All Might informing them all he would be going with them. As All Might called Best Jeanist to let the Pros know of their plan, Yaoyorozu escorted Mrs. Midoriya to the elevator.
"You're…the girl who saved my son, right?" She asks looking up at the teen.
"Yes, I am. I didn't know he told you about that."
"Ever since that villain nearly killed him at the mall, he's been telling me about everything you kids have been doing. He even invited me over to the school to meet Little Eri." Yaoyorozu smiles at her as they reach the elevator. "He also told me about you…and how you make him feel happier when you're together."
"He…said that?" She asks, a light blush appearing on his face. Suddenly, Mrs. Midoriya grabs her hand and squeezes it, drawing the young girl's attention to her moist eyes.
"I can't tell you how happy I am about you two. UA has changed his life in so many ways. For better or worst. But please…don't let him carry this…terrible responsibility all alone." Yaoyorozu meets the elder woman's pleading eyes and smiles sadly, placing her other hand over hers.
"I promise, Mrs. Midoriya. I'll stand by his side and help carry this burden." The two of them share a hug as the elevator arrives. "I won't let him fight those villains alone."
She waves to her as the elevator doors close before heading back, passing by the room Bakugo was resting in earlier that day. All Might had informed them that the rest of Class A had returned to the dorms, with Bakugo being the most resistant to go. By the time he had finished speaking with Hawks and Jeanist about One For All, they were gone. She grows sad, failing to keep Bakugo in the loop after getting his trust. "He's not gonna be happy about this…". She said al a loud, continuing on to Midoriya's room. On the way, she runs into him in the hallway, joining him as he goes to visit Grand Torino.
"You don't say?" The elderly hero says in a tired voice. His heart monitor beeping beside him. "That's Shimura for you. Even in the afterlife, she's crying over our choices." He looks up at the ceiling. "I should've killed him on the battlefield when I had the chance. I apologize." Midoriya stands beside his bed while Yaoyorozu stands just behind him. "Don't be too stubborn. Both of you." She flinches as Grand Torino looks at them. "Sometimes you have to kill a person, in order to save them." Midoriya shares a look with her as images of Himiko Toga flashes through her mind. "Be sure to remember that." He meets her troubled eyes. "As for you, young lady. I'm sure everyone by now has warned you about this path, so I'll spare you mine." Yaoyorozu giggles as Midoriya gives a light laugh before taking hold of her hand, squeezing it. "Take heart, you two. What you share with each other is as potent as it is volatile." He cracks a weak smile. "A wild card like that…could be just what you need to end this drawn out conflict." The two teens give him a surprised look that turns into a grateful one. Grand Torino slowly grabs his cape and hands it to Midoriya. "Whatever you decide to do, you make damn sure you settle the score with the League of Villains."
A little awhile after that, the two of them walk out of the hospital dressed in their modified costumes, joining All Might, Hawks, Best Jeanist and Endeavor outside the entrance. All Might gives her a sad look upon recognizing the mask she wore. "Yaoyorozu." She looks at him. "She'd be proud to see how much you've grown." Yaoyorozu sighs taking off the mask, holding it before her while touch the collar.
"I wish I had a chance…to thank them. For teaching me so much. And…". A few tears leak out as she squeezes her mask. "…for being there when I needed help."
"Momo…". Midoriya leans towards her, pressing his shoulder against hers, smiling as she wipes away the tears before putting the mask back on.
"Majestic and Midnight were brave heroes. Resilient in their heroic duty as top tier denim jeans." Best Jeanist says in their memory. Endeavor eyes Yaoyorozu and her mask, a distant memory of confronting Midnight when she was still a third year flashes through his mind.
"Not to spoil the mood, but we should probably get this show on the road, yeah?" Hawks chimes in, drawing everyone attention.
"Right." Midoriya responds. He gives Yaoyorozu a smile before walking away, throwing on his mask, ready to leave.
"Izuku, wait a second." He looks over at her, blinking in confusion as she turns to All Might. "Did you get them?"
"She was a bit put off regarding the lack of an application, but…". All Might opens the trunk of his car and hands her a pair of combat boots that match her costume. "…'the prospect of fulfilling a challenging request was too good to pass up'. Her words."
"I'll make it up to her the first chance I get. Thank you, All Might." She says before putting them on. Midoriya steps closer as the three Pros patiently watch as well.
"Was there something wrong with your old boots?" He asks as she stands, a satisfied smile on her face.
"No. But with these, I'll be able travel with you."
"With me? I thought you'd be travelling with All Might."
"That was the plan. But, after speaking with your mother, I reached out to Hatsume for a pair of support boots with an added function to them."
"What kind of function?" Hawks asks, his curiosity peeked. She smiles at Midoriya while holding a hand out to him.
"Can you give me a lift, please?" He slightly blushes while taking her hand. Using Float, he lifts her into the air a few feet. She looks at her boots and creates a pin from her toe, pushing a button. The pin falls out of her shoe just before the compartments in her heels open, letting out a compact hoverboard to assemble below her feet. Midoriya, All Might and the three Pros are impressed with the display. She lets go of Midoriya's hand and floats up to his level. "Shall we go?" With that, she takes off with Midoriya following soon after, muttering about the amazing work Hatsume did.
"It's shameful that we must put such bright and passionate students in harms way in order to draw out those villains." Jeanist says as he and Hawks enters his car. Endeavor watches the two students fly away, recalling the blush that appeared on Midoriya's face during the work studies when they informed him of the students near death experience. Thoughts of his wife flash in his mind.
"Agreed." He replies, following the two into Jeanist's car. "But, we have no other options."
"Well. At least the kids aren't gonna be on their own out there." Hawks adds, watching All Might race off after the two students. He cracks a smile. "The last thing I want to deal with is angry parents coming after us because we let their son and daughter wonder the city without a chaperone." This gets a light chuckle out of Jeanist and a grunt from Endeavor.
With the search underway, the two student heroes fly overhead, keeping watchful eyes for any trouble, citizen in need, or Jailbreakers. They encounter many of the latter, utilizing the training they did together to work efficiently in taking down criminals, rescuing people and convincing Anti-hero groups to head for the nearest shelters. Needless to say, they came across stubborn citizens that were borderline vigilantes, but Yaoyorozu would often talk them down until All Might arrived to finally convincing them to stop. Whenever he did catch up, Yaoyorozu was always quick to suggest they take a break and eat. Most often then not, Midoriya would push against it, trying to argue how vulnerable they are every time they take one. But she would always counter it with how her Quirk is fueled and if she doesn't replenish her lipids regularly, she could end up vulnerably.
That night, the two of them take their meals to the top of an abandoned apartment building while All Might was supervising the evacuation of a nearby mall, giving the two of them some time alone with each other. As they eat the meals All Might prepared for them, Midoriya turns his gaze towards Yaoyorozu, something she notices and starts to feeling a little embarrassed. "Momo…". He says, lowering his food after she had swallowed her bite.
"Y-yes, Izuku…?"
"I…really enjoy spending time with you."
"I feel the same about you."
He puts his food down and grips his fists tightly. "Have…you and Uraraka, um, 'settle things'?"
Her eyes widen, mentally kicking herself for not saying anything sooner. "Oh, Izuku! I'm so sorry about all that." She says, putting her food down as well. "Yes. Ochako and I have settled our differences and patched things up between us."
He lets out a sigh. "That's good to hear. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since the fight with Shigaraki, so I wasn't sure."
"What…do you need to talk to her about?"
"She told me she would let me know when you two settled things. Does that mean you two made up while I was speaking with the past wielders?"
She lets out an annoyed sigh. 'Ochaco…! I'm starting to wonder if I let you off too easy for all this.' She looks at him with a tired smile. "Yes, that's right."
"What was it about? This 'girl thing' must've been pretty important if it stopped you two from talking with each other." He gives a light hearted laugh, looking at her. The sight of her exasperated expression made him flinch and waving his hands nervously. "I-I mean, If you don't want to tell me you don't have to! I know I'm not that great when it comes to girls so I probably wouldn't understand anyway, so—!"
"Izuku…". Hearing his name silenced him right away. "That 'girl thing', was about you." HIs eyes widen with genuine surprise as he lowers his hands. "Ochaco and I…both have strong feelings for you. She had hers for quite awhile when mine began to develop…the day I nearly lost you." Midoriya looks out towards the night sky, thinking about all the times Uraraka had seemed odd around him, understanding finally hitting him.
"I…honestly didn't know." He lets out a sad chuckle. "I mean…the thought never occurred to me that…a girl would want to…be with me…romantically." Suddenly, Yaoyorozu crashes against him, throwing her arms around his neck, making him blush from feeling her breasts pressed against his chest.
"You were right, Izuku." Her words made his heart stop for a moment as his blush turns blue with dread. "You don't understand girls." He sucks in a breath as she pulls away smiling at him. "Izuku…I want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can. I want to be by your side as more than just a friend and fellow hero. I…want to be with you…romantically." He stares into her eyes, lost in more ways than one. While he has had many encounters with girls that made him blush; Hatsume, Nejire, Uraraka, and even Toga coming to mind, the only times he felt any that were romantic were a few times with Uraraka and the recent times with Yaoyorozu. Now, here he was. With Yaoyorozu professing her affections to him and he didn't have any idea if what he was feeling was even…. "Izuku…I love you."
His heart felt like it dropped into his stomach hearing those words. Without thinking about it, his arms wrap around her back and pull her into his chest, her head resting on his shoulder as his rests on hers. From here, the two of them could feel the other's heartbeat, beating so fast they could almost dance to its rhythm. Yaoyorozu was getting more and more scared the longer he remains silent, this being the first time she ever professed her love to anyone outside her family. Midoriya, meanwhile focused on her heartbeat, the only physical indication of her state. Suddenly, his mind brought up his encounter with Gentle Criminal and La Brava, an image of the two of them pined to the ground with La Brava professing her love to Gentle, activating her Quirk. "Momo." He could feel her tense up as he continues. "I know this is…an important moment. But…I need to speak my mind before I speak with my heart. Okay?" He could feel her body relaxing as her heart slows down, her hold on him getting tighter.
She nods her head yes, too afraid to speak.
"Thank you. Momo." He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his own heart before looking out into the moonlit city. "When I learned I was Quirkless, my world shattered. I wanted to be a hero more than anything. But…more than that…I wanted to…be useful. In a world where Quirks are the norm, not having one…felt like I…could never be…of any use to anyone." Yaoyorozu give him a sympathetic look as he gently squeezes her cape. "Seeing Kacchan be able to do amazing things with his Quirk…wondering over and over again about what I would do with a Quirk like that…and as much as I hated his bullying, in some way, I saw it as a way of acknowledgement. That I was useful. If only as just a target."
"Izuku, that's—!:"
"I know, Momo. I know. But at the time…how could I have viewed it any other way?" She held him tighter, burying her face into his neck as tears fell freely. He allows a sad smile to appear on his lips. "After All Might gave me One For All, and I was taking the entrance test, I was completely out of my element. Even though I finally had a Quirk…it hadn't sunk in yet. So, I was still that Quirkless boy in way over his head. Then, one of those giant robots from the Sports Festival appears. Fighting it was thought to give you zero points, so none of the people tacking the exam took it on. Actually, even I was about to run away as well. But then, I heard Uraraka." Yaoyorozu flinches at the sound of her friends name, even more so now when she wasn't certain where his heart was taking him. Midoriya noticed that and leans his head closer to her, their hair brushing against each other. "I had first met her outside the school. She had saved me from tripping and falling on my face. She was so kind to me and was actually the first time I spoke to a girl. Even though I didn't say anything back." She giggles, letting a smile cross her lips.
"That certainly sounds like the two of you."
"Right?" He says with a chuckle. "When I saw her in trouble, all I could think about was saving her. The next thing I knew, I was in the air heading straight for that giant robot. I punched it with everything I had, destroying it along with my arm and legs. As I fell, among the panicking and worry, I was elated. I had done it. I saved someone. I was…useful. Before I hit the ground, Uraraka saved me again by slapping me across the face." She giggles again, making him tighten his hug just a little tighter, enjoying the vibration it sent thought them. His smile, however turns into a frown as he continues. "Remember the first day of classes? Mr. Aizawa brought us to the field rather than the entrance ceremony?'
"Mmhmm. I recall you and a few others falling for his expulsion lie."
"Yeah, well…I found him very convincing." He looks up at the moon. "Seeing everyone from our class using their Quirks with such ease…Mr. Aizawa forcing me to throw that ball without destroying my body…putting in all that effort only to end in last place. I wasn't too surprised by that. If anything, it reinforced the reality that I was previously Quirkless and I needed to work even harder to catch up with all of you." He grips her cape tightly, causing her to look at him with concern. "And…out of everyone in our class…it was you, I was the most jealous of." Her eyes widen as her grip on his shirt tightened. "Even though I had One For All, just like with Kacchan, I imagined what I would do with your Quirk. How useful I could be. I came up with list after list that even exceeded the ones I thought of for One For All. It was hard to believe that I was in the same class with someone that was in the complete opposite situation as mine. The Quirkless boy that felt useless and the girl with the worlds most useful Quirk…and he beats her to become Class Rep." Despite himself, he lets out a laugh. That then sparks her to giggle as well. He tightens his hold on her. "Thank you, Momo. For letting me get all this out before I address…the rather huge elephant in the room, so to speak."
She giggles. "I have mentioned you're at your peak when you voice your thoughts."
"Heh. That's right. You did." Having laid out the insecurities that have plagued him this entire time, Midoriya takes a deep breath and finally addresses her affections. "Remember the School Festival, how I was almost late to our performance?" She nods her head. "The reason I was late was because I had bumped into Gentle Criminal, the man that posts videos of his crimes online. In fact. Heh. If it wasn't for that expensive tea you shared with us, I might've missed their intention and have let them go. So, thank you, Momo. For sharing that Gold Tips Imperial tea with us."
"Heh. You're welcome. I'll ask mother to send more…when she gets a chance."
"Sounds good. After chasing him and his partner to the woods outside the school, I managed to pin them down and was about to knock them out and find a hero or at least a phone…".
"You had no idea what to do next, didn't you?" Momo teases, making him slightly blush.
"Ah…well…". They share a laugh before he continues. "His partner, a woman calling herself La Brava had activated her Quirk. I don't know exactly what it was…but…Gentle Criminal suddenly had a pink aura around him, and his strength and speed increased so much, I had to use One For All at twenty percent just to match him. All because La Brava…told Gentle…she loves him." Yaoyorozu finally pulls away from him, keeping her hands on his shoulders while meeting his eyes, seeing them full of activity, trying to piece some puzzle together.
"Izuku…where are you going with this?"
He gives her small smile. "I know this was a long way around but…I've struggled with having mixed feelings about myself and towards others. Just look at my friendship with Kacchan." She gave an understanding nod. "The reason I told you about my past was because of Gentle and La Brava. You see, I understood where Gentle was coming from. He was a Hero Course drop out that wanted to help people but kept making mistakes that lead him to fighting me. His biggest fear was being forgotten. Kind of like…how my biggest fear…was being useless." Midoriya places his hands on her shoulders and gently brings her close enough for him to place his forehead against hers, getting a smile from her. "Momo…being with you…is precious to me. And I know now…what I feel towards you…is true." She leans back and looks into his eyes, the puzzle within finally complete. "Momo…I love you."