Welcome back to "Through the Rough", everyone! As of the time I'm writing this, it's Halloween! And you can bet that I'm gonna do a Halloween-themed arc for this story! But for now, we've got some small detours to go down.
Up next is an arc that's pretty tame, but also a lot of fun. I remember the Remedial Course Arc being a nice little bridge to Endeavor's upcoming character arc, as well as some development for Shoto and Katsuki. Now you'd think that there isn't much to really change here, but there is.
You'll see what I mean when we get started here. Enjoy!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
Sitting at her small shrine dedicated to Valkyrie early in the morning, Homura held her hands together in prayer. She was a bit more religious than most, especially when it came to honoring her teacher. She even remembered praying for the safety of her friends who were a part of the Hassaikai raid. With a deep breath, she stood up and went over to her desk, looking over her homework and any other notes that she needed to study.
She had been improving in academics by the start of the second semester, having spent more time studying with Momo and others in the Creation Quirk user's special teaching sessions. And even though it was the weekend today, she didn't really have anything to urgently do.
That was when a thought crossed her mind. Last night when the work study students had returned, Katsuki and Shoto had gone to bed early, as they were preparing for their remedial course for their provisional licenses. Curiously, she had overheard the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user being called by his father, much to his annoyance and exasperation. It sounded as if he would be attending the training tomorrow.
The Soul Blade Quirk user pondered for a moment. She had nothing really that she needed to do urgently. Her schoolwork was in order and her training was going well. The only thing she didn't have… was the opportunity for a work study.
She vividly remembered in the wake of what happened in Camino, seeing the images of Mirko in tears on the news. It was a story for weeks essentially. The normally fierce and powerful Rabbit Hero reduced to a crying mess over another hero's death.
With her having denied Homura the chance for a work study, she didn't really have many options. The I.U.A. wouldn't accept offers for the time being, and she had a feeling that others wouldn't mesh well with her desires. The only one she could imagine that would understand her ambitions… She quickly went over to grab her school uniform.
"Walk behind me, dammit!" Katsuki complained as he and Shoto walked along the brick path from the dorms.
"I feel bad that we're putting Mister Aizawa through this, especially after what happened…" the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user admitted aloud.
"Don't make small talk with me, Icy Hot!" his classmate shouted back.
"You're late, ya bad boys!" Mic suddenly shouted, standing before them alongside All Might.
"Present Mic and All Might?" Shoto uttered in surprise, "Why are you two here?" he inquired curiously.
"We'll be taking you to training today," the former pro confirmed in reply.
"Eraser's off playin' hooky thanks to all those yakuza chart-toppers who got taken down yesterday," the Voice Hero mentioned while repeatedly poking Katsuki's head.
"What for?" Shoto asked, "Did he end up hurt worse than we thought?" he inquired.
"Nah, it's got to do with that girl and her weird Quirk," Mic answered, "Don't worry though!" he reassured excitedly, "Consider me your new bodyguard!" he declared.
"We're taking extra precautions due to the League's activity," All Might added, having remembered his conversation with Gran Torino about Kurogiri's capture… along with the news of Gigantomachia. The idea of him being a walking disaster sounded quite frightening. The former pro knew of villains who were that frightening, including one in particular that his mentor had fought. "Right, let's get going," he insisted.
"Excuse me!" Homura's voice called out, getting the group's attention as they saw her jogging over in her school uniform.
"Homura…" Shoto uttered.
"The hell are you doing here, loose lips?" Katsuki questioned, raising an eyebrow. The Soul Blade Quirk user blushed a little out of embarrassment upon hearing her nickname, but then composed herself, clearing her throat.
"Would it be alright if I accompany you to today's training session?" she requested of All Might, who blinked in surprise.
"I don't see why not… but… why?" he questioned in reply.
"Well…" Homura began to respond, fidgeting a little, "I was hoping to see what the training course would look like if I were to have failed the exam," she confessed, "And I want to support my classmates," she mentioned aloud.
"Tch," Katsuki scoffed, while Shoto smiled a little. All Might grinned himself, but noticed that the Soul Blade Quirk user was still fidgeting a little. She wasn't telling the whole truth. But he wasn't going to pry about what else she wanted to do.
"Okay, let's go," he advised, waving the others over onto the bus. About half an hour later, they arrived at the training center. Homura couldn't help but notice how apprehensive the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user seemed. She knew why, but decided not to bother him on it, watching him and Katsuki head off to get changed.
"Yo, Kogetsu!" Mic called out, "You comin' or what?" he inquired of her.
"Y-Yes, of course!" she stammered in reply, jogging over to walk alongside her teachers, "All Might, sir?" she said, getting the former pro's attention, "Have you ever felt like you're at a crossroads before?" she inquired of him.
"What's brought this about, Kogetsu?" he questioned back.
"Well…" she started to answer, "I feel as if even though I've improved in both the classroom and in training…" she continued, "I still lack proper field experience," she confessed, "I was hoping to learn more from Mirko, but…" she kept going, exhaling a sigh.
"She and Jaguar were apparently close from what I remember," All Might noted as he glanced up in thought, "Both were delinquents, but they pulled each other out of their troubles," he mentioned.
"Mirko was very straightforward…" Homura remembered, "I always saw her as a strong hero who fought without hesitation…" she pointed out, "But… I'm certain that she isn't the teacher that I need right now…" she affirmed, lowering her head a little.
"Young Kogetsu…" the former pro uttered worriedly.
"I apologize…" she said to his surprise, "There is one more reason I decided to come along with you today…" she confessed. Just then, the pair heard footsteps approach.
"Well, if it isn't the former number one hero…" a familiar voice muttered out, getting their attentions as they looked over to see Endeavor standing at the top of the steps leading up into the stands, "Thanks for babysitting Shoto," he said in gratitude, "You're quite a useful teacher, aren't you?" he remarked rhetorically.
"Endeavor…" All Might uttered. Homura found herself sweating. She was hardly intimidated by the Flame Hero back at the Sports Festival. But something was different now.
"This is perfect…" he noted aloud, "I've been wanting to sit down with you and have a chat man-to-man for a while now," he admitted.
"A… chat?" Homura repeated in confusion.
"I'm gonna go grab some coffee with Kogetsu here!" Mic decided, grabbing the Soul Blade Quirk user by her right arm and pulling her away, "Deuces!" he yelled out.
"W-Wait!" his student stammered pleadingly, but to no avail. All Might looked back at them before turning his attention onto Endeavor. There was something different about him now. Based on the fact that he wanted to talk was enough of a red flag. Whatever it was about, it certainly made the former pro nervous…
OPENING
Insert "Fleeting Lullaby" by Ado
A spotlight shines upon a stage, where Kyoka, Rebecca, Momo and Homura are. Kyoka wields her bass, Rebecca's sitting at the drums, Momo readies her hands to play the keyboard, and Homura grips her electric guitar tightly. As Kyoka starts signing, more lights flash on, revealing the rest of Class 1-A as they're about to perform.
We cut to Shoto and Katsuki struggling with the provisional license course as Homura watches on alongside All Might and Endeavor. She glances toward the Flame Hero curiously, while a memory of Valkyrie crosses her mind. In the meantime, we get images of Madame Kurenai with her cronies, Garrot, Baku, and Nino; the latter of which appearing reluctant. There's also a shot of the current Shining Star Heroes, who're standing in front of the safe door found at the Hassaikai headquarters.
There's another scene of the League of Villains lurking in the shadows, with Dabi taking note of a particular news broadcast on a TV. Elsewhere, Shura finds himself being confronted by the Oceans 6. He sneers as he readies his Quirk, but is suddenly stopped when Nero appears behind him and slams his head into the ground. He goes through a flashback of his own where as a young boy, he was crying in the corner.
Next up, we see Izuku and Rebecca hopping around in pursuit of Gentle Criminal and La Brava as they bounce about on the way to U.A. Already there is Eri, who's with Mirio and the others who were a part of the raid mission. They and the rest of Class 1-A are about to perform as they head off to the stage inside Gym Gamma.
We go through several scenes of the class in separate groups, with Katsuki and Eijiro arguing over the special effects as the others sigh, Mina practicing the dancing with the class, especially Shiki as Ochaco watches on with a blank jealous stare, and Kyoka, Momo and Homura tuning their respective instruments. The Earphone Jack Quirk user worriedly looks at the clock, hoping that Izuku and Rebecca can make it in time.
As the opening winds down, we see shots of Deadend Crow, God Acnoella, Poseidon Nero, Saintfire Nox, Elsie Crimson, and finally, Tomura Shigaraki. We also get to see the lineup of the top ten pro heroes of Japan: Eraser, Kamui Woods, Crust, Holy, Mirko, Justice, Edgeshot, Hawks, and Endeavor. As the ceremony goes on, an ominous figure watches on curiously.
The song concludes with Izuku and Rebecca holding hands as they run ahead with smiles on their faces, heading for what they hope is a bright future.
END OPENING
"I can hardly believe it…" Witch uttered out.
"No kidding…" Hermit concurred with shaking eyes, while Sister stood off to the side amongst her fellow Shining Star Heroes.
"Told you," she said. The three of them were standing outside the safe door that was found in the Hassaikai's underground labyrinth. "When Aizawa found this thing, he didn't know what to make of it," she pointed out.
"We're fortunate he didn't," the Sorcery Quirk user added.
"So… why's it here of all places?" Hermit inquired.
"That I can't think of for the moment…" Witch admitted in reply, putting her right hand onto her chin, "Ziggy was always one to have no method to his madness…" she recalled.
"In other words, it's basically here by chance?" Sister presumed, folding her arms behind her head.
"Perhaps," the Sorcery Quirk user replied, "We've gotten no answers from the likes of the Hassaikai nor Rouge Out's members that were captured," she told her fellow Shining Star Heroes.
"And their old leader's still comatose…" Hermit remembered as she pulled up a set of holographic screens and a keyboard in front of herself, "For the time being, I guess we'll have to figure out what to do with this thing on our own," she confirmed.
"We're leaving it," Witch declared, much to the shock of her fellow Shining Star Heroes as they looked back at her.
"Hey… you're not serious, are you?" Sister inquired.
"Isn't this thing too dangerous for us to just leave out in the open?" Hermit questioned on.
"It's more dangerous to take with us," the Sorcery Quirk user argued, "If word were to spread about Etherion here…" she continued as she looked ahead at the large safe door, "there's no telling what kind of chaos would unfold…" she noted grimly.
"Tsk…" Sister scoffed, "Then I guess we just bury the damn thing…" she muttered, walking off. Hermit stayed behind, looking at the large safe door with Witch.
"Given what we know about Etherion…" she began, "it could be the very thing we could use to—"
"Please don't go into the hypotheticals, Hermit," the Sorcery Quirk user requested, interjecting her fellow Shining Star Hero.
"R-Right…" she stammered in response. Moments later, the three of them had gone back up to the surface. Police barricades and tape surrounded the yakuza's residence as construction vehicles were making their way in. As the three Shining Star Heroes conferred with the police on their findings, they failed to realize that they were being watched from afar by a figure lurking in an alleyway. It was Twilight, who was now dressed in a light green three-piece suit with a red tie. On his left lapel, he wore a pin in the shape of a dagger. He tipped his white hat before departing into the alleyway, pulling out a phone.
"This is Twilight," he confirmed in greeting, "It's there," he said.
"Then it seems we have a new objective in mind," the voice of Nox responded. Within the forest church, the archbishop stood in front a table where the phone was. "I also have another assignment for you, Twilight," she mentioned, "I want you to have Starlight go to the hospital where the girl's been admitted," she told him, "We're looking to keep tabs on her before moving onto Rebecca Bluegarden," she added from the phone.
"Understood," Twilight responded, ending the call. He then removed his glove from his right hand, touching his face. In an instant, his appearance altered, as he became a woman dressed in hospital scrubs.
Real Name: Loid Forger! Codename: Twilight! Quirk: Disguise!
By putting his right hand up against his face, he can take on the appearance of people he's seen in the past 24 hours! He can also switch between appearances by just tapping his face. To change back to normal, he just needs to tap his face with his opposite hand.
'To think that the Saintfire would want us to use Starlight for this…' he noted inwardly, 'She must really want to keep a close eye on the target,' he mentioned to himself, narrowing his now effeminate eyes. Back in the church, Nox took hold of her phone and put it away. Approaching her from behind was Yor.
"Heavenly Saintfire…" she began.
"No need for formalities, Yor," Nox assured, taking her tall miter off and setting it onto the table before sitting up upon it, "I already know that you have misgivings over the situation," she confirmed to her surprise, "I didn't want to involve your daughter, but her Quirk is quite useful in this instance," she pointed out, "I only want to make sure Eri is being provided the best care possible," she told her.
"…I understand that, Nox," she replied, "And I believe Anya will, too," she affirmed on, "It's just…" she kept going, trembling a little as she lowered her head, "I'm scared for what might come in the near future…" she confessed, "Both Komi and Takashi's deaths…" she recalled.
"Hmm…" the archbishop hummed out, lowering the staff in her grasp, "Have you talked with Tadano recently?" she inquired. Her follower's lips quivered. "It is never easy to lose someone you truly love and care for…" she admitted aloud, "Sometimes, it may be in your best interest not to have those connections," she mentioned on, "Severing them would be simple," she said, "But… that's only my perspective," she added as Yor wiped her eyes.
"The more we lose, the more hopeless I feel…" she confessed sadly, "Will we truly be able to bring about an era in which Quirks no longer exist?" she wondered on.
"When we obtain Etherion, we shall," Nox promised, "But for now, we must prepare for what may lie ahead…" she advised, narrowing her eyes. Elsewhere, a barefooted Xiaomei was walking through a grassy field of a park, coming to a stop as the wind waved through her hair. She looked back and cracked a small grin.
"You really are a dedicated soul, Nox…" she remarked aloud.
X
Homura grimaced from the bitter taste of the coffee that Hizashi had gotten for her as recompense for dragging her off. She could only hope that All Might was okay in the midst of his conversation with Endeavor. To her surprise, the two of them were just standing amongst each other, apparently waiting for them. The second the Flame Hero shot the Soul Blade Quirk user a glance, she nearly froze up in surprise.
"Oh, you're back already?" the former pro noted curiously.
"Cups o' joe are always around for pros and their listeners!" Mic pointed out, "Ain't that right, Kogetsu?" he inquired of his student.
"Um, I… suppose so…" she answered unsurely, looking over to Endeavor, who narrowed his eyes. He remembered the Soul Blade Quirk user vividly, as she was the one who ultimately defeated his son in the Sports Festival. Even if it was a draw, it was a bout where both sides had given it their all and wound up falling.
"Let's go," he said, walking up the steps to the stands. The others looked to each other before following him. Homura fidgeted a little again. Normally, she would be able to speak her mind. But at the very moment, she couldn't. As they arrived, they looked to the arena below.
The Soul Blade Quirk user was surprised to see Inasa amongst those in the group below. It was a small set of about ten or so people. Mic walked down the steps.
"Let's get some front row seats to get a glimpse of all the action," he insisted.
"I think we oughta' stay in the back…" All Might advised in response, "We wouldn't want to be distractions for the students below…" he pointed out. Before Homura could think to agree with the former pro, Endeavor stepped forward, taking a deep breath.
"SHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he bellowed out, making her flinch in surprise, "You never should've failed the exam in the first place!" he yelled to his son, who exasperatedly groaned, "Show these weaklings that you're better than that!" he shouted on.
"He is quite boisterous…" the Soul Blade Quirk user admitted aloud, followed by quickly covering her mouth as a blush of embarrassment streaked across her cheeks. The hero hopefuls below were surprised to see the Flame Hero present for their training, but they were also awed by All Might's presence, overshadowing the new number one completely.
"So much for keeping a low profile…" he grumbled out.
"Hey!" Inasa's voice yelled from below, getting their attentions as they saw him waving, "That's you, isn't it, Kogetsu?!" he called out in question, causing the Soul Blade Quirk user to blink in surprise, "How've you been?!" he asked, smiling widely. Shoto looked over at him in bewilderment, with an uncomfortable feeling building up in his stomach. He decided not to worry about it though.
As those in the stands took their seats, Homura found herself next to All Might… who was next to Endeavor. She was becoming all the more anxious by the second. She almost wanted to sit somewhere else, but was prevented from doing so once Mic plopped himself down to her left. Now she couldn't escape.
Down in the arena, a new student was coming into the training course, being none other than Camie. Homura recognized her from the earlier exam, though recalled having not seen her during the second portion. Due to that mystery amidst those of the Safety Commission, along with her foggy memories, she was going to partake in the training.
"They said totes to making an exception for me, which is wicked cool, yo!" she proclaimed, "Anywhos, let's keep it fresh!" she exclaimed with a peace sign formed from her left hand.
'I have no idea what she just said…' almost every other hero hopeful in the arena noted inwardly. Homura was quite surprised by her dialect. It was unlike what she remembered when she and the Shiketsu girl had encountered each other during the first test in the licensing exam.
"Apparently, she claims she doesn't remember partaking in the testing," All Might noted aloud, getting her attention, "I know you and a few others wound up finding her during the exam," he mentioned to her.
"Yes, we did," she confirmed in reply, "From what I saw, her Quirk gave her the ability to transform into other people, like Uraraka…" she recalled, "We didn't understand the specifications to it, but she seemed to be trying to get close to Midoriya…" she added.
"Hmm…" the former pro hummed out. At that moment, the instructor for the group below was brought in, being Gang Orca. Homura was left to watch as Katsuki, Shoto and Inasa were all tossed aside as the number ten hero chastised them for being failures in the exam in spite of their power. They were disrespectful to those in need of rescue and disregarded their enemies due to the need to compete with one another, endangering some lives.
Homura remembered being put in harm's way herself. Luckily, things had wound up working out in the end, but by sheer fortune. The Killer Whale Hero was going to be putting the trio and Camie up to the test with a special trial. And that trial was to be… looking after kids from Masegaki Elementary School.
"This… is a challenge?" the Soul Blade Quirk user uttered, quite befuddled as she raised an eyebrow.
"Heh," All Might chuckled out, "Kids can be pretty rowdy, especially when it comes to heroes," he told her, "It's key for Young Bakugo and Young Todoroki to learn how to be compassionate and avoid letting their emotions get the better of them," he explained on.
"I see…" Homura said, watching as the children were being very difficult for the four students to deal with. It was evident that their teacher was emotional about the whole ordeal. The whole class of hers was full of problem children. However, Gang Orca assured that the quartet of hero hopefuls would win their hearts by day's end.
"What are we, nannies?!" Katsuki yelled out of frustrated, being the most irritated by this endeavor. As the exercises continued, Homura watched on intently. There was a strange amount of silence, like watching a tennis match unfold. She glanced over to Endeavor, whose arms were crossed as he watched his son try to reason with the unruly children below. She was ready to say something to him and…
"THAT'S IT! THE MC IN ME CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Mic suddenly exclaimed, causing the Soul Blade Quirk user next to him to yelp in surprise as she saw him stand up, "Where's the mood music?!" he asked, "And would it kill them to have some kinda color commentary?!" he questioned on emphatically.
"Um… wouldn't that be inappropriate…?" Homura inquired as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of her head.
"Mic, this is a class…" All Might pointed out, "I don't think we should—"
"I don't care!" the Voice Hero interjected, "Somebody's gotta inject some soul into this buzzkill, All Mighty!" he declared, heading down to the arena itself and grabbing the mic, "Now let's get this party started! AW YEAH!" he exclaimed.
"Oh dear…" Homura uttered out.
"Well, it could be worse…" All Might grumbled aloud, putting his hand up to his face.
"Hmph," Endeavor scoffed. He glanced over at the former pro, also taking note of the Soul Blade Quirk user. She felt his gaze burn into her, making her sweat a little.
"I appreciate you giving me time to process all this," All Might told the Flame Hero, getting his attention as he scoffed again, "So, you wanted to talk?" he assumed. For a moment, the Hellflame Quirk user said nothing. Homura looked between him and her teacher, wondering why there was such a delay in conversation. "To be honest with you…" the former pro continued, "I'm not sure what there is to say between us," he admitted.
"Just listen," Endeavor advised in reply, "The number of crimes committed in the past month went up three percent," he explained, "In comparison to the last few years…" he mentioned, "Of course, I resolved more incidents than anyone else," he recalled, gripping his left arm tightly, "besting my own personal records," he added. The Soul Blade Quirk user wasn't sure where he was going with this. It sounded like he was boasting. "And yet… I can feel it…" he confessed, "Some unseen thing that you built up in your prime…" he noted to All Might, "And it's beginning to crumble…" he finished, "What does it mean… to be a symbol?" he asked of him.
Homura blinked in surprise at the question, looking over to her teacher. Depending upon how he answered, she would likely have some form of insight for her own ordeals. That's what she hoped as she watched the trial below continue.
X
"GIVE THOSE BACK!" Katsuki yelled to a pair of kids who had taken his bracers, kicking them around, "They aren't toys, ya damn brats!" he pointed out as he hurried after them. Homura could only watch on worriedly as he and the other three charged with looking after the children continued to struggle. And it was only worse with Mic's unnecessary commentary.
Still, she was surprised at how much trouble they were all having. With Katsuki, it was to be expected. But Shoto and Inasa? It seemed rather off. Even Camie looked as if she could handle things as well.
The Explosion Quirk user was the first to take charge, insisting that the group needed to single out the leader amongst the kids. From there, his idea was to humiliate that one child in order to prove superiority. Though that only made his inferiority complex explode as one of the kids called him childish for his methods.
Inasa was next to take the stage to try and win the kids' hearts. He emphasized the idea of who wanted to be a hero, hoping to win them over that way. He told them that if they were causing problems for their teachers, then it wouldn't be likely for them to be heroes. However… that wound up backfiring on him as one boy turned his logic right against him.
"THAT'S TRUE!" he exclaimed, blowing himself away as the children laughed, "I'M IN NO POSITION TO ACT HIGH AND MIGHTY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" he pleaded to the kids with his head bowed.
'Yoarashi's still as passionate as ever, I see…' Homura noted to herself.
"You know…" Endeavor began, getting her attention as she looked over to see him continuing his conversation with All Might, "I clawed my way up to the number two spot by the time I was twenty," he pointed out, "And I had to fight to protect that pedestal from heroes like Justice, Edgeshot, and Valkyrie," he listed off additionally, causing the Soul Blade Quirk user to blink in surprise at the mention of her master's name, "Because I carved my own path, I understood…" he continued, "There was no way I was ever going to reach the top…" he admitted, "If I only wanted the title of number one, I could've acted friendly towards everyone like you did," he pointed out with a scoff of disgust, "But no…" he said, looking up to the sunny sky above, "I actually wanted to be number one," he stated firmly.
"As did my master," Homura chimed in suddenly, getting his attention. She blinked upon realizing what she had just said, covering her mouth immediately. "A-Apologies!" she stammered out, "I had no intention to interject…" she noted as she blushed a bright red.
"It's fine, Young Kogetsu," All Might assured with a grin, "You know…" he kept going, "I remember Yuna and you being very passionate about being the best heroes you could be," he recalled, causing the Flame Hero to glance over at him curiously, "At some point, you and she kept trading places in terms of where you were ranked," he mentioned.
"Hmph," Endeavor huffed, "I saw her as my equal," he admitted, much to the Soul Blade Quirk user's surprise, "If not for you, either of us could've become number one," he noted on, "So…" he continued, turning his attention onto the former pro, "are you going to answer my question or not?" he inquired.
"What is the Symbol of Peace, huh?" All Might reiterated from earlier, "Huh… that's tough…" he admitted as he looked out into the distance, "I'm not certain how to explain it to you," he confessed on, "I thought that this country needed a hero who could inspire them," he pointed out, reminiscing on his days prior to his ascension as a hero, "so I ran toward that goal at full speed," he added, "I wanted to be a light that was a beacon of hope… as well as a warning," he mentioned on, "I swore I would become that beacon and never looked back," he finished.
"All Might…" Homura uttered out in surprise.
"When you walked through the streets back then, everyone was on edge," he recalled, "No matter how many heroes there were, the crime rate never went down," he pointed out in remembrance, "Even more so than now, everyone was afraid…" he mentioned, recalling when Nighteye had begged for him to retire from his heroics in fear of his life being taken, "I ignored the kindness of the people who cared about me and kept charging toward that goal…" he continued, "Maybe that was a mistake…" he inferred.
"Your former sidekick, right?" Endeavor assumed, "You have my condolences," he assured, keeping his arms crossed.
"Listen, Endeavor…" the former pro kept going, "I understand the situation you've been placed in, along with what's being said about you," he noted to the Flame Hero, "There are many who can't help but dwell on our differences," he mentioned. Homura remembered the various news broadcasts around people talking about the two, comparing them to each other. All Might and Endeavor were essentially night and day. And it was obvious from just being present in the stands to watch the hero hopefuls train.
But the former pro pointed out that the Flame Hero didn't need to be like him. He didn't need to be a symbol. He just needed to forge his own path and become the kind of hero that he wanted to be. Hearing that, the Soul Blade Quirk user was finally given some clarity of her own. And she knew the decision that she would have to soon make.
X
"Tsk…" a disgruntled Shura scoffed, "If this is the old man's way of checkin' in on me, then it ain't funny…" he grumbled, being surrounded in an alleyway by Lyra, Nasseh, Milani, Callum, and Fabiano.
"Don't expect anything less from Emperor Nero, Shura," the Gambler Rush Quirk user advised, readying a trio of cards in between her fingers, "After all, you're a key part of his plans…" she mentioned.
"Really?" the tattooed man inquired, letting out a scoff, "Thought he decided to go and blow me off to hang out with those crummy bastards…" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
"The situation has changed," Fabiano noted, "He'll need your help now more than ever, especially considering the kind of Quirk you have," he told him additionally. Shura narrowed his eyes.
"Come on, it'll be fun," Nasseh assured as he stepped forward, "We'll actually get to hang out again like old times," he pointed out.
"You'll get everything you ever wanted," Milani added, folding her arms underneath her chest. The Satan Gravity Quirk user said nothing for a moment.
"Even her?" he inquired to the group's surprise, "Last I remember, that octopus bastard of a dad went and killed the only girl in the world who ever gave a damn about me compared to anyone else…" he explained, making his green-glowing markings appear along his hands as he clenched them into fists, "Can you honestly expect me to give two shits about his cause when he keeps taking my life and ripping it to pieces?!" he questioned angrily. The air around the alleyway intensified. Those of the Oceans took on ready stances.
"Prince Shura, I would reconsider your position…" Fabiano advised with narrowed eyes, "If Emperor Nero were to know of your transgressions against him…" he continued.
"Like I care!" Shura shouted, stomping his left foot on the ground, "Far as I can tell, I'm actually starting to get chummier with those League punks than you guys!" he pointed out, "They're freaks, but at least they try to live how they want!" he added angrily, "I can't go even a whole day without my stupid old man looking out for me!" he continued, "And not like he's my damn father in the first place…" he kept going, reminiscing over how the Oracion Seis had taken him in, "He only did it 'cause of those damn dice!" he proclaimed with rage building in his voice. Everyone around fell onto their hands and knees from the force of his gravity. "Whether it's Beasts, Oceans, or any other damn squad, I'll squash 'em all!" he declared, "Then I'll be the one who rules his empire!" he vowed fiercely with a wicked smirk.
"…You forget your place, boy," a familiar voice chimed in, causing him to widen his eyes as his smirk left his face. He slowly turned his head to see none other than Nero there. "So you wish to rule my empire now?" he inquired rhetorically, "You're still decades away from attaining it…" he noted mockingly. His adopted son trembled a little, clenching his fists tightly. "The dice may have been what saved you," the Oracion Seis member continued, roiling the trio of dice in his right hand, "but now, they'll decide your fate," he declared, gripping them tightly.
ENDING
Insert "Shikisai" by Yama
Opens with Rebecca waking up for the day in her dorm room, tiredly crawling out of her bed. She makes it to the bathroom, only to widen her eyes with terror at the sight of how messy her hair is. Luckily, a comb is passed to her from Tsuyu, who she thanks.
Later that morning, Rebecca enjoys her breakfast before being given a cup of tea made by Momo. What follows is her going over to play a video game with Mina and Toru on the Switch before they have to go class. It rains on the way, though Rebecca forgot her umbrella. Thankfully, Mezo comes over, using his patagia to shield her from raindrops.
In the classroom, she talks with both Tenya and Shoto about studying, asking them for pointers. As Shota walks in to start class, she scurries back to her seat, only to find a note there. She opens it up and smiles to see that it's from Izuku, who she shoots a smile toward.
In the afternoon during lunch, Kyoka saves her a seat in the cafeteria. She's also kind enough to shoo away a pesky Minoru, though he was only making sure Rebecca didn't touch a piece of gum left under the table. As the class returns from lunch, the Cat Leaper Quirk user trips by accident, only to end up caught by Mashirao's tail. The two of them share a smile and then a laugh.
During hero training, Rebecca gets the chance to spar against Ochaco, Hanta, and Homura. She weaves past the Zero Gravity Quirk user, evades the tape of Hanta, and then closes in to land a kick on the crossed blades of Homura, who cracks a grin. The four of them continue as All Might, Witch and Shota watch on.
Yuga later offers Rebecca some cheese as a snack, which she happily accepts. She also goes the development studio with Weisz and Denki, as the three of them are met with an explosion as a dirtied Mei laughs sheepishly. With a long day nearly done, Rebecca returns to the dorms to find Koji there with his bunny in hand, allowing her to pet it warmly. She then goes over to Rikido, asking him about a favor.
Once dinner's over, Rebecca puts on an apron and starts baking, whisking eggs and mixing flour with water. Fumikage and Eijiro watch on curiously with intrigue, followed by Katsuki approaching. He takes a taste of the batter to Rebecca's shock and anger, only for her to realize that she almost missed adding some vanilla. After a little while, she pulls out a baking sheet from the oven with several cookies upon it, decorating them for Halloween.
As the class goes ahead and partakes in her baked goods, the Cat Leaper Quirk goes over and offers Izuku a treat in the shape of a heart. He smiles and blushes, eagerly eating it. Afterwards, the whole class gets themselves ready for a movie night. Shiki floats over with a bowl of popcorn and other snacks, landing on the couch between Ochaco and Momo. With the remote in her hand, Rebecca presses the play button… and the screen goes black.
END ENDING
Bit of a short chapter, but I got through everything I needed to for it. You'll be surprised as to what Homura's going to be doing, as well as what'll go down between Nero and Shura. I hope you enjoyed this kickoff to the second half of Season 4's adaptation!
Next time, we'll conclude the special training and get going on some other things! And that'll be leading to quite the spectacle ahead! Thanks for reading, folks!