The return to school the following week was bizarre, to say the least; the group, while not shunned, had been left alone. But that was no longer the case; the baseball team was talking with Hitoshi. Some girl named Suijin was being all friendly with Himiko, Reiko and Riko were hanging out, and Cami stopped having to pay for lunch. But the way that Ibara, Katsuki, and then Izuku were being treated was with an almost reverence. So many had seen their fight with the monsters, and then with a mysterious man in the chair, they saw that man immobilize and defeat the pro heroes who had responded in seconds.

They then saw Izuku step forward and display the fire he had put forth, healing his allies and then hurting the man in the chair. At first, some student body screamed in terror, watching the fire engulf the heroes, his friends, and his family. But when there were no screams and no smell of burning flesh, they could see that those bathed in the white fire were healing, and the only one screaming was the man in the chair. But he wasn't being burnt. Then, after the battle, they saw Izuku go to those with broken arms, and the white fire would heal them.

When asked, they all said the same thing: that it felt calm and soothing, no heat, no pain. It wasn't until after the paramedics and the other first responders arrived that Izuku left with his girlfriends to change and wait to be questioned like everyone else.

There were no legal problems as many students reacted to the invasion and used their quirks to defend themselves and save others. News cameras were everywhere during the aftermath, with many students being interviewed and the news channels. Quiet to all of this was Izuku and his group, no interviews, no media appearances; in fact, they were strangely silent on the whole matter.

When the group returned to school, they acted like nothing had happened; they took the new interactions in stride and carried on. It took a few weeks for things to truly get back to normal as far as media coverage and such, but inside the school, it had become a rallying point as many students had stepped up; some were even talking about U.A., not all were talking about the hero course, but now the thought of going to the top school in the country was not so ludicrous to some. After all, studying harder isn't so daunting when you have survived an attack on your school by an army of monsters.

This is where the group found themselves; it had long been known that they were all aiming for U.A. Now others were coming to them asking for help, tips to study and improve their chances. An after-school club was created so all the students who wanted help could get it. It helped that the students in the year gave the service. Izuku Katsuki was 1 and 2 or vice versa most of the time, but they had fallen one semester to Ibara, and then it had become a game of which one would take the top spot in which subject. Hitoshi and Himiko often placed in the top 10, along with Cami and Reiko. It was turning into a factory for U.A. hopefuls.


-Unwanted Attention-

It was the Saturday after the attack. The kids were all at home resting, studying, or being teenagers, stuffing their faces and hanging out. The knock at the door was unexpected, and they immediately stiffened.

Inko walked to the door, but not before checking the recently installed camera to see who was there; when she saw three people in black suits, it didn't give her a very reassuring feeling. Immediately, she sent the photo to All-Might, Rei, and Mitsuki, who went shopping for the family dinner later. She opened the door cautiously as her husband came up behind her.

The two taller ones were instead none nondescript. The man was bald, of average height and build, and the woman had the same black hair pulled in a tight ponytail; they wore sunglasses and didn't move. The one in the lead drew their attention for more reasons than one: the girl/woman in front was a little shorter than Inko, and they were wearing heels. She had blonde hair with striking Aqua-colored eyes, and she was young. To Inko's eyes, she was maybe no older than 12 or 13.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya. I'm so sorry to bother you on a Saturday, but my name is Hino Hiro, and I am the undersecretary for the Hero Commission of Japan. I am sure you can ascertain why we are here."

"The incident at the school?" Inko responded.

"Yes, that is correct."

"Not to be rude, but you seem rather young to be the Undersecretary for the Hero Commission. May I please have some identification for you and your associates," Hisashi said, stepping forward. He touched Inko's shoulder and had her move behind him.

"Of course, Mr. Midoriya," she responded with a lovely smile while her eyes glinted in annoyance. As her subordinates showed their identification, she handed hers over to allow him to look closer.

"As far as my appearance goes, my quirk slows down my aging, a grand thing to have when I am in the prime of my beauty but a terrible burden to endure at age 4." Ms. Hiro said.

Hisashi examined the identification; everything seemed proper, but he couldn't tell if it was a fake. "How can I help you, Undersecretary Hiro?"

"We at the Hero Commission are investigating the incident that occurred on Thursday; this investigation is separate from the Police as this involves heroes responding to a call. Also, this case involves underage persons and quirk usage. We were looking to interview with you sons and daughter."

"Shouldn't this be done in a formal setting instead of at our residence?"

"Yes, we can go that route if you so choose; I was hoping to keep things informal not to cause any more stress on the children."

Inko, who was looking at her phone, stepped up, "While I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Ms. Undersecretary, according to article 43.5.9921-8 Subsection 3.5-A87 of the Hero Commission Guidelines, no interviews shall be conducted with any person or persons unregistered with Hero Commission of Japan shall be interviewed during an official investigation without legal counsel present, and A registered Hero(s) as an advocate present. The official notice must be supplied with two full weeks prior notice to allow the interviewees to prepare and arrange appropriate counsel. Unless the Interviewees waive their right to legal counsel, hero advocacy, and prior notice." Inko took a breath and looked the woman in the eye. "We do NOT waive our right to counsel or advocacy or notice. If you plan on interviewing any of our children's associates, I have forwarded them the same information and assure you that I will tell you the same thing."

"Well then, Ms. Midoriya, I thank you for your time, and you will receive notification by this evening." Ms. Hiro said as she donned her sunglasses, and the trio exited to the street where their vehicle was waiting.

The real trouble began when the first footage was leaked, then more and more. The creatures were plastered across every television station all over the country and some outside the country. The students' faces were blurred out, but all out on display: the quirk usage, the horror of the scenario, everything when the footage of the fight outside leaked, all hell about broke loose, Katsuki, Ibara, and Izuku all fighting back-to-back, blurry footage of the Mom squad. Torino is rocketing off, looking like he abandoned the kids when he went to save Himiko.

Izuku and his fire lit up the televisions as the first live reactions had people screaming. Seeing his fire engulf friends and heroes, the ramifications started setting in when they noticed it healed them. The impaling of the spikes on the heroes and his healing them and driving off All for One while being repeatedly stabbed but walking away unharmed started to send things into overdrive. This one-person healing force, why weren't they receiving special training and on staff at major hospitals?

While some in the media pointed out that this was just a kid, not knowing all the facts of his quirk and calling him to be forced to serve at hospitals or disaster scenes was incorrect. He had a choice on how he wanted to use his quirk, and the child had a choice of what career they wanted to pursue.

Those on the other side used the needs of the many arguments that the number of lives this child could save vastly outweighed anything else. When Parliament members began to speak out on either side, things started to get dicey.

By the end of the first week, names started being leaked; students who fought in the cafeteria were first. Once those dominos began to fall, it was only a matter of time before Katsuki and Ibara's names were discovered, leading them to the one everyone was clamoring for, Izuku Midoriya.

The reporters camped outside the house that first morning was a near mob scene, to say the least; his parents weren't able to go to work; he, Himiko, and Hitoshi couldn't go to school. The Hero Commission stated that the investigation was ongoing and that Izuku Midoriya had been scheduled to be interviewed; they would release a statement afterward. The kids had to be loaded into the car with their faces concealed to be driven to school; the school had to employ more security to keep the reporters off campus.

Amazingly, the student body that had been saved, especially those who had joined the study group, showed their support, with some of the boys even wearing green-haired wigs to mess with the reporters. Something had to be done, and it was decided that a press conference before the Hero Commission meeting was the best way to prevent the Commission from spinning the narrative.

All-Might and Endeavor wanted to be there to show their support, but it was worried that it would cause even more trouble if the top two heroes were shown to be involved. Ultimately, it was set up to be held at the U.A. with Nezu and Recovery Girl as his support. His parents and friends would be there, but Izuku argued that he needed to be the one to talk.


-U.A. Press Room-

With the flash of hundreds of light bulbs after an introduction by Nezu, Izuku Midoirya walked across the stage, his nerves a wreck but doing his best to look calm. He placed them on the sides of the podium, locating the projection screen with his speech on it. To appease his trembling hands, he gripped them tight. Before he began, he waited for the press to calm down, Nezu had advised.

"Ladies and Gentleman of the press and citizens of Japan, I am Izuku Midoirya, the young man from the videos shown with those in the media have dubbed Healing Fire. I call my quirk Spirit Fire. I felt it was necessary to come here today to address all of you so that I can set the record straight on some things and hopefully end this debate on my future.

I am holding this press conference here in at U.A. because this is where I plan on attending this new school year. I have served as an intern under the guidance and care of the Youthful Heroine Recovery Girl since my quirk was brought to her attention as she saw the potential, like many of you, for all the good that my quirk can do for myself and the world. I plan to train at U.A. and enter the world of Heroics like my mentor, not only as a Support Hero but as an active hero protecting the good people of Japan.

I hear some members of parliament and the media calling for me to be deployed to disaster areas or stationed in hospitals to heal everyone who comes in. While I know my future will bring me to disaster areas, I am not yet ready for that task. As many of you know, Rescue Heroes have one of the highest mortality rates as they are regularly ambushed and killed while attempting to save those trapped.

Some immediately say I should be kept back as the injured are brought to me. That is where I feel that I must explain something about my quirk. To heal someone, I must absorb the pain of that wound unto myself before I can heal them and myself. After the attack on my school and that video that surfaced, I had to absorb the pain from every person impaled simultaneously to heal them; if someone has their legs crushed in a building, I HAVE to experience that same sensation to heal them. It can kill me; I have to survive it to heal it. I have trained and studied to pass and receive my paramedic license, using that knowledge to help treat others. To help me know when to use my quirk and when to use plain old medicine.

I come before you today to tell you that one day, I will be out there fighting and taking upon myself your pain and injuries, but that day is not today. I have much left to learn, and I need to know how to properly use my quirk to defend myself and others to come home to the people who love me and care for me. I will now answer a few questions."

The commotion of reporters clamoring to ask their questions was overwhelming. Thankfully, Nezu stepped up to the podium and ordered everyone to calm down; he then started to point to the mob to have them ask their questions. First up was a stern-looking man with a balding head and glasses.

"Hello, Mr. Midoriya, Zillin Quin from Japan National News. You say you must experience the pain of the injury you are attempting to heal. Does that mean you suffer the injury as well?"

"No, Mr. Quin, just the pain. And it is the entirety of the pain and in an instant. For example, say you fell and broke your leg eight months ago, I never healed right, and you have been in constant high pain for that eight months. Should I heal you? I experienced the initial pain of the leg break and all eight months related to that injury. As you can imagine, it can be excruciating."

Another reporter stood up, "Niko Mora, Tokyo News after you healed this broken leg, you must heal yourself, but if you aren't experiencing the actual injury, what exactly are you healing?"

"Healing myself may not have been the proper term; what I do is burn it out of myself," he said. Holding up one hand, it was covered in his white fire, "This is what many of you saw. It is what takes the pain and heals someone." He held the other hand, and black fire flared, "This is what I use to burn what I have absorbed away."

A woman with pale lilac hair and pale blue skin was next, "Chitose Kizuki, Shoosaysha Publishing, Mr. Midoriya, what is the benefit of you enrolling in U.A. and not a strictly medical university?"

"Because my dream or desire, if you will, is not just to be a doctor, I desire to be a hero that can help everyone in the nation and not just those that come through the doors of a hospital I am stationed at. And it is my choice of how I use my quirk; we do not live in a society where people are forced into a job based on their quirks." He said. "Last question."

"Suzuki Hachiro, National News, What of the man that attacked the school? Do you know why you were targeted and what will stop him from targeting you again?"

"I was targeted for the same reason I am standing before you today instead of doing something with my friends, my quirk. He wanted my quirk to heal him, and truth be told, if I had stumbled upon him, I may have tried to help him the best I could. My quirk calls me to heal people, sometimes regardless of worry for my personal health. There is nothing to stop him, like there is nothing I can do should lawmakers pass a law forcing things upon me. All I can do is prepare for a life where he should target me again so that I can better protect myself and those I care for. And I am enrolled at U.A. I am sure that not only will I have the backing of my classmates but of the entire faculty as well." He said. "Thank you all for coming here today." He stepped to the side and bowed before he exited the stage.

Izuku stepped off the stage and into the waiting arms of his parents, who wrapped him up in a giant hug; the family just embraced for a moment before Midnight tapped them on the shoulders to lead them away. The family was led to an underground parking garage, where they climbed into their car and out a secret campus exit. Once home, Izuku was greeted by his waiting girlfriends and his brother.

"Good job, baby," Himiko said.

"You did very well," Ibara added.

"I still think you should have told them all to fuck off; it's your life," Bakugo said, making Izuku laugh.

The family hunkered down for the evening as the news coverage was responding to the press conference, and the school itself had stated support of Izuku, highlighting the fact that since the incident, many more of their students had been inspired to aim for U.A. and not only for heroics but business and general studies.


-The Hero Commission-

When Izuku and his parents showed up for the interview, the Hero Commission was not prepared for Endeavor and All-Might to show up as their hero advocates or for lawyers from both their agencies to show up as legal counsel; needless to say, the interview did not go the hero commission way.


-Date Night-

Himiko and Izuku left the house, backpacks ready, hand in hand, with smiles and a faint blush on their cheeks. Tonight was their first official date; the threat of All for One, the training, and then the media problems that followed had made this desire unobtainable. But tonight was the night.

They made their way to the train station as they were heading for Mustafa Regional Park. They stepped off the train, trading small talk as they headed towards the park. Once there, Izuku paid for their tickets to Movies Under the Stars. It was going to be a double feature. They found a nice spot and pulled out the blanket before settling in her and leaning against him.

Reiko had told them about this spot, and the idea of just enjoying some old movies and each other was too much for them to pass up. Himi had packed dinner with some help from Inko; they had some drinks and were ready to be a young couple on a date.

When the first film started to roll, Himi giggled as the crowd cheered, the lights dimming. The hollow projection sphere lit up, and "Into the Dark," the supernatural romance, began to play much to Himiko's delight. It was one of her favorite movies. It was all about a vampire and a girl who fall in love as he pulls her into his world of endless nights. Izuku had first rolled his eyes when she had told him, but when he watched it, it turned out the film was beautiful. It was all about the beauty of night and saying goodbye. Himiko would always cry at the climax when the vampire fought his way to the girl to save her during the park but turned to ash in the process. Even Izuku would tear up some with the sheer intensity the two leads conveyed their emotions without words or musical score. The scene was completely silent and utterly beautiful.

The difference this time was that as the movie faded to black, Himiko could turn and kiss her boyfriend and whisper mussy stuff that she would deny ever saying if asked. There may have been proclamations of love and willingness to sacrifice themselves, but most of all, it was about finding comfort that the other was by their side.

The second film was the latest romantic film from Kinji Miike, "A Visit with Death." This film was about a woman talking about death before moving to the great beyond, with flashbacks to scenes in her life and things she thought were necessary. Izuku leaned in and whispered how Azrael was nothing like that, earning a giggle from Himiko. It was not lost on them that he could tell her what talking to death was like. In the end, they laid back as all the lights in the park were extinguished, allowing the attendees to lay back and look at the stars.

Himi and Izuku did her, lying her head on his chest, whispering dreams and words of love, the cool breeze washing over them like a gentle blanket. It was honestly the best part of the night; even though other people were around, it didn't matter. They were just in their world till the lights came up, and they packed their bags.

They exited the park smiling and holding hands, making their way to the train station; they weren't far from the station when suddenly a child came barreling out of the alley, almost knocking Himiko down. The little girl, maybe 5, had dirty pale gray hair and red eyes. She was dressed (if you can call it that) in a tarted and filthy nightgown, her arms and legs heavily bandaged.

Her eyes were filled with panic; she radiated terror as she looked down the alley, "Please help me!" she whispered desperately. Izuku's eyes began to glow, and he almost fainted as he read the girl; his anger began to spike to a level he hadn't known possible.

"There you are, Eri," a voice from the alley called. Emerging from the alley was a man in black pants and a black shirt. White tie, shoes, gloves, green bomber jacket with purple fur trim, and strange, stylized plague doctor mask. His thin eyes, with small gold irises, seemed to glow in the moonlight.

Izuku quickly looked around and spotted Azreal leaning up against the street light. It will take me 45 seconds to walk from here to where you are. When I get there, someone is coming with me. Azreal's voice rang through Izuku's head. "Thank you so much for finding my daughter; she sometimes gets confused."

Himiko picked up Eri, and the little girl clung to her desperately, begging for help. Himiko looked at Izuku and saw an absolute rage on his face she had never seen before. White fire erupted around Eri as Izuku narrowed his eyes.

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