Hey folks! Welcome back to more of "Through the Rough"! Last chapter, we kinda got into some heavy stuff in regards to the Shining Star Heroes and their origins. And now, we'll be getting into some other elements that'll be playing a big role in Season 5 as well.
So buckle up, everybody! Hope you enjoy the chapter!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
"So as you probably already guessed…" Shota began to his class as they were seated before him, "there's going to be a Halloween-themed event," he confirmed.
"ALRIGHT!" over half of the class cheered excitedly.
"We get to celebrate one of the best holidays out there!" Mina pointed out.
"I've already got the best costume in mind!" Toru affirmed.
"Me too!" Rebecca chimed in, giggling with her friends. Izuku smiled, glad to see his girlfriend in high spirits still. The idea of Halloween was something special for her, along with celebrating it with a lot of friends.
"Calm down," Shota advised seriously, "With how the school festival went, this event will still be restricted to just UA," he confirmed, "The plan is for each of the dorm houses to act as a single neighborhood," he told them.
"So basically, we're gonna be giving out candy to trick-or-treaters like the other classes?" Denki inquired.
"Pretty much," the Erasure Quirk user confirmed, "Unlike with the school festival though, you're not required to participate," he pointed out, "I know that a few of you probably aren't looking to take part in all this, but if you're not," he continued, "it'd be nice if you could help with handing out candy," he told them, "Anyways, that's the only big announcement for the end of the week," he confirmed on, "Now we'll started on a special education lecture," he confirmed, grabbing his sleeping bag and climbing into it.
"A special education lecture?" Hanta inquired, arching an eyebrow.
"With the dorm system in place, it's only natural that some of you might be feeling a little strange living around people of the opposite sex," a familiar voice chimed in, getting everyone's attention as they saw Midnight sauntering into the room along with Witch, whose helmet was removed, "So I think it's only natural that as teachers…" she continued, approaching the podium as some of the students tensed up, having somewhat of an idea of where she was going with her commentary, "we should offer you all sexual education," she stated. Several of the students in the room blushed. Minoru and Weisz had excited expressions upon their faces.
Izuku looked over to Rebecca, who looked back at him with quite the embarrassed expression. The two of them had a sinking feeling this whole ordeal was brought to light thanks in part to their own relationship. They lowered their heads in shame and embarrassment.
"Uh… sexual education?" Shiki repeated in confusion, tilting his head to the side.
'He's so innocent…!' Momo and Ochaco noted inwardly as they looked back at him.
"Correct, Master Shiki," Witch responded, "It's important for you all to understand the fundamentals of sexual education, especially as you are all growing," she pointed out, "So for this lecture, we'll be discussing the various safety measures and implications of sexual behaviors," she explained.
"Along with making sure if you're ever to do the deed, you'll do it properly…" Midnight added in a seductive tone.
"OH YES, PLEASE!" Minoru and Weisz exclaimed, only to earn themselves jabs to the back of their necks from Kyoka's earphone jacks, making them fall over.
"Idiots…" she grumbled with a fierce blush upon her face.
"Now then, let's begin!" Witch insisted as she smiled.
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
"Ugh…" Rebecca groaned out later that day in the cafeteria, "I'm sorry, everyone…" she apologized to her classmates.
"What are you talking about?" Ochaco asked as she chewed on a piece of mochi in her mouth.
"I think she's under the assumption that Midnight and Witch's lecture came from the fact she and Midoriya are dating," Tsuyu told her in reply, enticing the Cat Leaper Quirk user to nod with confirmation.
"Eh, I'm pretty sure they would've done it regardless if anyone in our class was dating," Toru presumed, "Besides, we got more important stuff to worry about!" she pointed out.
"Oh yeah, the Halloween stuff!" Ochaco realized, "It sounds like it's gonna be a ton of fun!" she proclaimed excitedly.
"I think I've got a costume in mind, but I'll wait until the end of the week to show it off," Tsuyu decided.
"Same here!" Toru confirmed. Rebecca smiled, glad to see everyone in good spirits. Her boyfriend had recovered somewhat as well. The lecture hadn't been so bad, mainly because Witch's explanations about sexual tendencies dragged on for a while. It was a wonder that he managed to stay awake at all during the ordeal.
"So, anyone got Halloween costume ideas on the brain?" Hanta asked of his classmates seated with him.
"Nay," Fumikage responded, "Though I do intend to have one for this holiday," he declared.
"I've got an idea in mind, but I need a group to pull it off," Denki confirmed in reply, "Wanna join in, Sero?" he offered to the Tape Quirk user.
"Uh, sure, why not?" he questioned in response.
"What about you, Midoriya?" the Electrification Quirk user inquired of the One For All inheritor, getting his attention.
"Oh, I've already got something going on with Rebecca," he noted as a reply.
"Ooh, lucky you!" Denki remarked with a chuckle, "Is it gonna be All Might and Pixie-Bob on the scene or something?" he presumed.
"Uh, actually…" Izuku started to respond, only to take notice of a gathering group of students near the windows, "What's going on over there?" he wondered aloud, enticing those at the table to glance over.
"Hopefully, it's not students harassing the Rutherfords again," Tenya said, "It's detestable for anyone to conduct themselves in such an improper way," he pointed out in frustration.
"Doesn't sound like there's any bad-talk over there…" Shiki chimed in.
"Hey, guys!" Eijiro called out, getting their attentions, "Get over here! You're not gonna believe this!" he noted emphatically.
"Kirishima?" Izuku uttered. Moments later, he and the others ventured over to the windows. He widened his eyes and gasped loudly. "No way…" he uttered with shaking eyes. Rebecca was just as stunned.
"What's… going on?" she asked. At the front gates of the school, Shota had his scarf wrapped around a downed Laguna, who was being surrounded by him, Vlad King, Hound Dog, Ectoplasm, and Snipe. The former of the teachers had his red eyes glare down onto the Tears Lover Quirk user.
"So… what exactly were you planning on doing by coming back here, Laguna Husert?" he inquired of the blue-haired teen, who grimaced.
"What the hell is that bastard doing here?" Weisz wondered.
"He didn't bring the League with him to try and attack the school, did he?!" Minoru inquired out of panic.
"No, I doubt the League would try something that risky…" Izuku affirmed in response, "I think Husert's on his own…" he pointed out. However, Mezo spotted something, widening his eyes.
"Um… guys?" he uttered getting his classmates' attentions, "He's not alone…" he confirmed. Everyone looked back and widened their eyes. At the front gate, the teachers all stood their ground as an imposing figure stomped up to them, being none other than Goodwin.
"Rrrrrr…" Hound Dog growled out.
"The leader of Oasis…" Snipe uttered, training his gun onto the feline-like behemoth in front of him. However, he just cracked a grin before chuckling.
"Hey there, UA…" he greeted, "I see you got my olive branch…" he pointed out.
"Olive branch?" Shota repeated in confusion.
"Goodwin…" Laguna grunted out.
"Before you decide to do whatever with him, let's talk…" he insisted, "I think it's finally time we started working on a plan towards taking down Poseidon Nero…" he told the teachers, who all looked to each other in surprise. Just what was the rebel army leader hoping to accomplish with this?
X
Looking out the window of the dorm house, Rebecca couldn't help but think back to when Laguna had been a part of the League's schemes during the training camp, and how she wound up being captured. Because of the sudden intrusion, classes for the rest of the day were cancelled, meaning all students were to head back to the dorms for safety. Some members of Class 1-A took the news in stride, taking time to work on their Halloween costumes. Others were growing somewhat concerned over the new developments.
"What do you think's gonna happen with Husert?" Eijiro wondered, standing in the common room with Tenya, Mezo, Izuku, and Shoto.
"By my guess, I'd say he isn't going to be treated with the same kindness that the Rutherfords were," the Engine Quirk user assumed, "While both of them earned the trust of their classmates back after the camp incident, he hasn't," he pointed out.
"And I doubt it'll be that easy for him either," the One For All inheritor chimed in, "He used to be in general studies before he got transferred, right?" he presumed.
"Good point…" Mezo noted in response, "It didn't look like he was coming here of his own volition, though…" he mentioned, narrowing his eyes.
"Who was that big guy with him?" Eijiro inquired, "The teachers let him without much of a problem…" he pointed out.
"I believe that was the leader of Oasis, a rebel army group that fought back against the Meta Liberation Army in the past," Momo explained in reply, venturing over alongside Tsuyu and Homura.
"Oasis?" Izuku repeated, only to blink in realization, "Uh, I'll be right back!" he promised, hurrying off to the elevator.
"So Oasis is an anti-Quirk group?" Shoto presumed.
"Considering how the Meta Liberation Army is vehemently for full rights for Quirks, that is a fair assumption…" Tenya noted, putting a hand onto his chin.
"It's more complicated than that," Tsuyu chimed in.
"Oasis was originally formed as a countermeasure to the Meta Liberation Army when their practices grew violent," Momo told the group, "Things went from bad to worse when Oasis actually began killing members of the Liberation Army in order to tip the scales," she mentioned on.
"But instead, they were scapegoated as criminals for taking things too far," Mezo added.
"Whoa…" Eijiro uttered out, "So… is Husert a part of it, too?" he wondered aloud.
"It seems possible," Homura responded, "But why would he join the League of Villains then?" she inquired curiously.
"Maybe because they were getting better results out of the work they were doing at first…" Tsuyu inferred with a finger upon her right cheek.
"The leader of Oasis…" Shoto uttered, "Just what is he after with our school?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. Just then, Izuku returned with a notebook in hand.
"Sorry…" he apologized after a few quick breaths, "Had to make sure it was him in here…" he pointed out, flipping through the pages.
"Wait, you have notes on that giant feline?!" Tenya inquired out of shock.
"Yeah," the One For All inheritor confirmed, finally stopping on the page he found, having a drawing and some notes of the man in question, "Real Name: Makoto Neko," he told his classmates, "Also known known as the Bobcat Hero from ten years ago, Goodwin," he mentioned.
"Wait, that Goodwin?!" his girlfriend exclaimed as she sped over, "He's Oasis' leader?!" she inquired out of sheer shock.
"You seem to know a lot about cat-themed heroes and villains, Bluegarden," Tsuyu commented, much to the Cat Leaper Quirk user's embarrassment as she blushed.
"What else have you got on him?" Eijiro inquired.
"Not all that much," Izuku replied, gleaming through his notes, "It says that he was a proud hero who wanted what was best for the people of his hometown and beyond," he told his classmates, "He was later called upon to lead Oasis in the plan to counteract the Meta Liberation Army's violence, which led to his retirement from hero work and starting to become a vigilante…" he explained further.
"What a strange man…" Homura said.
"What's his Quirk?" Mezo inquired curiously.
"That's the strange thing…" Izuku responded as he looked over his handwriting, "At the time I wrote this, I couldn't tell if it was something along the likes of a mutant-type or a power-type," he pointed out, "I've heard there's a rare few people that get two Quirks that be seemingly unrelated to each other…" he mentioned, rubbing his chin curiously.
"Oh, like mine?" Shoto presumed as he blinked.
"No… like Miss Holy!" Tsuyu exclaimed in realization to the others' surprise.
"Oh yeah, that's right!" Rebecca said, recalling the purple energy lines that had formed upon the I.U.A. Hero's arms along with her usual golden ones, "She had two different Ether-type Quirks," she told her classmates, "One that can harness light and another that gave her the ability to melt things," she explained further.
"I've never heard of Holy having a melting Quirk…" Momo pointed out.
"It's possible her identity as a dual-type wielder was put under wraps," Tenya inferred, "Much like how I kept my Recipro Turbo secret until the Sports Festival," he added on.
"So if this Goodwin guy's a dual-type, I guess he's got two Quirks of his own…" Rebecca assumed.
"Yeah…" her boyfriend agreed, "I wonder what his intentions here are…" he said, narrowing his eyes with worry. Out in Gym Gamma, Laguna was restrained with Quirk-suppressing binds, while Shota, Sekijiro, Hizashi, Nemuri, Witch, Sister, Hermit, All Might and Nezu stood before the seated form of Goodwin, who was sipping on a cup of tea.
"Heh," he chuckled, setting his cup down, "That's some good stuff," he commented, "Seems you really do have all the best stuff here at this school, even tea!" he mentioned, chuckling without a care.
"You seem to quite collected considering what you've just put yourself into," the Somnambulist Quirk user pointed out.
"Nah, I ain't here to cause a ruckus," Goodwin affirmed, shaking his head, "That said, I'm sorry about the scare," he apologized, "My idea was to give Laguna here over to you all and then take the chance to talk," he explained.
"And what is it exactly you wish to talk about, Makoto?" Nezu inquired.
"What else?" the vigilante questioned back rhetorically, "It's Poseidon Nero I'm interested in," he stated.
"Nero, hm?" Witch repeated, "I suppose it makes sense, considering his place as a member of the current Oracion Seis," she pointed out, "But wouldn't you rather take this matter to other professional heroes before us?" she asked of Goodwin.
"Heh," he chuckled again, grabbing his cup in between his fingers again, "And wind up in prison without getting a word in?" he assumed, "Yeah, no thanks…" he muttered, taking another sip of his tea, "Rumor has it that Nero's declaring war on the League of Villains," he told the faculty members, who all blinked in surprise, "We heard word that he even went after his own damn son for joining them," he mentioned, finishing his drink, "Nero's been out of the public eye for years since the days of the Meta Liberation Army, but his presence is still there," he noted, "It's only a matter of time before the bastard tries to pull something crazy," he added grimly.
"So villains are attacking each other?" Sister presumed, folding her arms behind her head, "Shouldn't that be a good thing?" she inquired on.
"Far from it," Witch responded, "Such a power struggle between two members of the current Oracion Seis could cause a ripple effect throughout Japan," she explained, "And as such, whoever would win that kind of conflict would become an even greater threat to the country," she mentioned, narrowing her eyes underneath her helmet.
"Exactly," Goodwin confirmed, "I know Nero's not exactly the biggest criminal, but he's instigated violence while growing his regime," he pointed out, "If we don't stop him, he could become the next All For One," he finished firmly. There was a tense silence in the gym for a few moments. Shota stepped forward.
"What are you asking us to do?" he asked of the imposing, feline-like man.
"Help us, of course!" he responded, "Oasis has got lots of spies looking into Nero's background, but we still need help," he pointed out.
"No, we don't…" Laguna grumbled, getting their attentions.
"I'm sorry your stupid plan to get Drakken Joe to work with us fell through, but this is how things gotta be now," Goodwin remarked in response, making the Tears Lover Quirk user scoff.
"So that's what happened…" Sekijiro realized, "You were only on Drakken's side because you wanted help in stopping Nero," he concluded, folding his arms over his chest.
"It does make sense…" Hermit concurred, putting her right hand onto her chin.
"I suppose that means you'll want us to make sure police aren't trying to arrest you," All Might assumed, stepping forward.
"If it's not too much trouble," Goodwin responded, "We'll be willing to provide them with all the info we've got on Nero," he mentioned assuredly, "Although…" he continued, "there could be something else that makes this all the more complicated…" he confessed, lowering his gaze.
"And what may that be?" Nezu asked. Before the feline-like man could answer, there was a phone ringing. It happened to be Shota's as he pulled it out, accepting the call.
"Hello?" he said, "Oh, hi," he greeted, walking off to the side, "So everything's been approved?" he inquired.
"Hm," Goodwin huffed, "We picked up a nasty rumor that another member of the Seis is teaming up with Nero," he pointed out to the group's surprise, "After the whole deal with Acnoella and Nox getting involved in that Hassaikai fiasco, and considering Crimson's not exactly one to join up with anyone…" he continued.
"Deadend Crow…" All Might uttered.
"Like I said, it's just a rumor," the feline-like man noted, "I wouldn't go telling anyone until we can get some solid proof," he advised of the faculty, "Oasis can do the investigating and act as informants," he told them, "When we get more intel, we can relay it to you and the police and then proceed," he mentioned, "We're a lot less conspicuous than heroes, you know," he remarked with a smirk.
"Should we really be putting our trust in a vigilante?" Hizashi inquired quietly of Nemuri, getting her attention.
"I'd normally say no…" she whispered back in reply, "However, this is Goodwin…" she pointed out, "He was a reputable hero and from what else I've heard, a man of his word…" she mentioned.
"That doesn't make me feel any less suspicious about all this…" the Voice Quirk user admitted.
"So, we got a deal?" the feline-like man asked.
"Just a moment, please," Witch requested in response, "You offered Laguna Husert to us as your 'olive branch'," she pointed out to his initial confusion, "What would you like for us to do with him?" she inquired.
"Hmmm…" Goodwin hummed out, rubbing his chin with his fingers, "That's a fair point…" he admitted, "To be honest, I wouldn't care if you put the kid in jail or something for what he did while working with Drakken," he confessed, much to the shock of the Tears Lover Quirk user.
"H-Hey!" he shouted with a stutter.
"But giving it some thought, I think it'd be better if he was here, getting ready for whatever's ahead," the feline-like man stated, standing up, "I don't expect you to be all hunky-dory with him," he noted, "He's not like the Rutherford siblings, who didn't have much of a choice as to their paths," he mentioned as Laguna gritted his teeth in frustration, "But he's been a victim of villainy like us in Oasis," he confirmed, "Whatever you guys decide to do with him, that's your business, not mine," he finished, starting to head off.
"Wait a sec!" Sister shouted, "So you're just dumping the kid off with us?!" she inquired angrily.
"I said you could do what you want with him," Goodwin pointed out in reply, "Whether he ends up being on the frontlines with you lot or kept in a jail cell, I don't care," he admitted, "He broke our code a long time ago by joining Drakken…" he mentioned darkly, glaring back at the Tears Lover Quirk user, who flinched.
"Makoto," Nezu chimed in, stepping forward and getting the feline-like man's attention, "I believe we are all willing to cooperate with you for the time being," he confirmed, "As you said, your group will appear less conspicuous than pro heroes," he pointed out, "That said, I do hope you're open to the possibility of us helping with reconnaissance in the future," he mentioned with a smile.
"Yeah, sure," Goodwin responded as he grinned.
"As for Laguna here, we'll decide on how we should best proceed," Witch confirmed.
"I say we just throw him in the brig…" Sister muttered with her arms crossed.
"Now let's not be hasty," Nezu insisted, "I'm sure we can all come to a consensus on this matter quickly and efficiently," he affirmed with confidence.
"Goodwin…" Laguna uttered out, getting the attention of the feline-like man, "You're going to be sending these heroes to their graves if you do this…" he warned, sweating with fear as the faculty looked to him in worry, "Just let me come back to Oasis, please!" he begged, "I'm a lot stronger now!" he pointed out, "I can help us take the fight to Nero!" he declared on. Makoto exhaled a sigh.
"Don't make me bring up what happened with the princess," he responded simply, causing the Tears Lover Quirk user to widen his eyes.
"Princess?" Hizashi uttered in confusion.
"You bastard!" Laguna roared angrily, trying to stand up.
"Hey, calm down!" Sekijiro advised as he wrapped his arms around the Tears Lover Quirk user from behind, keeping him in place.
"What happened to her wasn't my fault!" he shouted as tears pricked his eyes, "I just wasn't strong enough back then!" he proclaimed on. Goodwin started walking off.
"Then get stronger," he insisted to the surprise of Laguna, "If these guys let you get stronger, then you join us and fight for the sake of this world," he affirmed, "Don't go thinking you can rely on yourself," he added seriously before departing, "There's good people in this world, Laguna," he pointed out, "And you've got a lot of 'em here," he mentioned assuredly.
"Well, that was a bit foreboding…" Nemuri remarked.
"Based on what he said about Nero, we can assume they're getting pretty close to him," Sekijiro pointed out, "We should let the IUA know about this," he advised on.
"I can get in touch with Holy over everything," All Might assured in reply, raising his right hand, "Though, the mention of Deadend Crow makes this all the more complicated…" he pointed out.
"Why's that?" Nemuri asked. No one responded, as the Shining Star Heroes slightly tensed up.
"In any case, I believe we can trust Makoto in this situation," Nezu affirmed, getting the faculty's attention, "As for Mister Husert, here…" he continued, turning to the Tears Lover Quirk user.
"Just put me in jail for all I care…" he muttered out to their surprise, "There's no way I can get stronger here…" he mentioned, "Not in a way that'll help me kill Poseidon Nero…" he added darkly. Still holding him, Sekijiro sighed.
"You aren't killing anyone, Laguna," he affirmed, "But that doesn't mean you can't get stronger," he mentioned to his shock, "I don't think the decision of letting you come back comes down to us," he decided, "It's going to be your classmates," he stated, "Both from Gen Ed and the Hero Course," he added on, causing the Tears Lover Quirk user to grimace in frustration.
"A fair idea," Nezu commented, "It allows for everyone who had their experiences with him to judge whether or not he's worthy of staying here," he told the faculty members.
"The final say comes down to us, but we'll respect what the students think," Nemuri affirmed on.
"I agree," Witch responded, "If we are to ally with Oasis in the future, we need to establish trust between each other," she pointed out, "As such, Laguna here should strive to earn our trust again," she confirmed on, much to the chagrin of the Tears Lover Quirk user.
"Alright…" Sekijiro huffed, lifting him up from the ground, "We'll start by setting some ground rules," he decided, "Then we'll work from there," he declared on, heading off with Laguna in tow. He seemed despondent now, almost ashamed.
"Yeesh…" Sister grumbled, "I can't really go sympathizing with the guy after what happened during the training camp," she confessed to her colleagues.
"But we can't be inhumane," Witch affirmed, "Like the Rutherford siblings, there is an underlying reason as to why Laguna did what he did," she pointed out, "Though he was willing to go through more devious methods to get to that goal…" she mentioned.
"Trying to get a Seis to fight a Seis is bound to be bad…" Hizashi said.
"Unfortunately, that may look to be the reality someday soon," All Might chimed in, "Thinking back to Acnoella's brazen involvement in the yakuza raid, it would make sense that the other Seis are starting to make moves…" he noted on.
"I can't believe we're actually doing this…" Hermit admitted worriedly.
"Yes, but it's for the best," Witch affirmed, "Aside from the Oracion Seis…" she continued, narrowing her eyes underneath her helmet, "just who knows what kind of threats may await us…" she told her colleagues.
X
Later that evening, Shota had arrived at the dorms with an update on the situation. Needless, no one was expecting such news. And some were even more flabbergasted.
"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Weisz exclaimed in question, "That bastard turned his classmates into water and tried killing me back at the camp!" he pointed out angrily.
"Calm down, Steiner!" Tenya advised, putting a hand onto the Machina Maker Quirk user's shoulder, "I share your sentiment somewhat, but the situation's changed," he noted.
"So, Husert's basically on house arrest?" Tsuyu assumed, putting a finger onto her right cheek.
"In a way," Shota responded, "He'll be monitored closely for a while before going into the classroom," he confirmed, "It's going to be different compared to the Rutherfords, especially since he chose to have involvement with a rebellion group," he mentioned in explanation.
"Oasis, correct?" the class representative guessed, "We were talking about it once we returned to the dorms," he pointed out.
"What exactly's going on with that?" Eijiro inquired curiously.
"Nothing you need to concern yourselves with," Shota assured in reply, "For now, you can focus on getting ready or not for the Halloween event by the end of the week," he told them, heading off without another word.
"Well, that's a lot to take in…" Rebecca noted aloud.
"Guess Husert's not gonna get the same kinda luxury Kleene and Kris got…" Kyoka concluded.
"In Kris' case, it was definitely harder for him to attain that luxury, even with support from Class B," Momo chimed in.
"Whatever may happen with him, we should have faith that our teachers can handle it," Homura insisted of her classmates, "There's no need for us to go and involve ourselves," she affirmed on.
"Kogetsu's right," Tenya assured, "Let us focus on our own ambitions and prepare for a festive celebration ahead!" he insisted on, pumping his right fist into the air.
"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Eijiro yelled in agreement.
"Plus Ultra!" Shiki exclaimed. The others giggled, deciding to push aside their worries for now. Returning to her room to work on her costume, Rebecca smiled.
She knew that even if things were odd, she could be affirmed in thought that the teachers had the situation under control. Though she worried after the amount of lambasting they received from the media, they would be under fire again if news of Goodwin's appearance broke out. As she was trying on the orange jacket she was going to use for her costume, she had to wonder just what was going on.
'Is there another reason Laguna came to UA?' she inquired inwardly. The buzz of her phone caught her attention as she peeked over at her phone, finding that it was a message sent to her from her boyfriend. She blinked in surprise to find the shirtless picture of him, though that wasn't that caught her eye. It was Yuga in the photo, seemingly helping with painting an x-shaped scar on his chest.
Aoyama's really great at makeup!
Just getting a feel for the costume and character
Rebecca giggled happily. This latest news of a former foe arriving at U.A.'s doorstep wasn't going to discourage her or anyone else. She was going to persevere like anyone else and create a stellar costume for the event ahead.
dont forget to wash that off when ur done! ;)
Elsewhere in U.A., Laguna was brought into an isolated room with his wrists still bound. He looked at the cuffs curiously.
"Aren't these those compressed weights you and the teachers used during the finals?" he inquired of Sekijiro, who was seated in front of him across a table.
"They're called Quirk Suppressant Binds," he replied, "Just one's enough to essentially block a Quirk from being expressed," he pointed out, "For safety's sake, you have two," he mentioned on.
"Are you really willing to give me a chance?" Laguna inquired, lowering his gaze, "What about Sylph or Jinn?" he questioned on.
"Those two already made up for what they did, whether they meant to or not," the Blood Control Quirk user confirmed in response, folding his arms over his chest, "However, you've still got a lot to answer for," he pointed out, causing the blue-haired teen to lower his head with frustration, "I guess though…" he continued to his surprise, "I can see where you're coming from," he admitted.
"Wh…What do you mean?" the Tears Lover Quirk user inquired with a stutter.
"I did some digging after what happened at the training camp," Sekijiro noted as a reply, "Your mother, Urfa Husert, was a part of Oasis like you and Goodwin," he mentioned, causing Laguna to gasp, "I actually knew her personally…" he added in admittance.
"My… mum…?" the Tears Lover Quirk user uttered, trembling a little. His teacher nodded.
"When Oasis and the Meta Liberation Army were having their scuffles in the past, heroes got involved in trying to quell the tension," he explained, "We tried to establish middle-grounds between your groups, because we understood your rights to protest," he pointed out further, "We just couldn't take sides," he confirmed on, "Your mother happened to become a confidant for pros to inform of any happenings," he added in remembrance.
FLASHBACK
"Even if it seems like they're doing something noble for people with mutant-type Quirks or powers that can't be fully controlled, that doesn't mean there shouldn't be regulations!" a woman with blue hair yelled out to a crowd of people in a town square, while some heroes watched on, including Vlad King, "What happens when someone uses their Quirk freely without some form of restriction?" she questioned to those before her, "They could end up hurting someone, and more chaos will ensue!" she proclaimed, "We need to fight for our rights!" she declared, "Not just for our freedoms, but for our safety!" she added firmly.
"YEAH!" several of those in the audience agreed. The Blood Control Quirk user narrowed his eyes.
"Urfa Husert, right?" he inquired of the blue-haired woman later that day, getting her attention. Her hair was mostly pulled back, save for a portion in the middle, where it was swept to her right. She had a sharp face and prominent eyelashes, wearing a blue smock top underneath a leather jacket with jeans and black stilettos.
"Come to arrest me, hero?" she presumed, putting her hands onto her hips.
"You've got your right to protest, rest assured," Sekijiro affirmed in response, "My only concern is what this could incite," he pointed out.
"There's always gonna be a few bad apples," Urfa argued as a reply, going over to grab a nearby water bottle, "And we're doing what we can to snuff those bad apples out," she affirmed on, twisting off the cap before drinking her beverage.
"I'm not concerned about Oasis, at least for now," the Blood Control user assured, holding his right hand out, "But from what I've been hearing the Meta Liberation Army's looking to make a move themselves," he noted, causing Urfa to perk up, "I'm scared that things'll escalate, especially with their beliefs," he admitted to her. She smirked.
"Can't believe you're worried about me so much, hero…" she admitted, turning around to face him as she sat upon the bench behind her, "Even if I'm just a humble protestor, I'm still somewhat of a criminal, aren't I?" she presumed.
"Uh, no, I…" Sekijiro stuttered, making the blue-haired woman laugh.
"You do have a point about being worried," she confirmed, "Aside from the MLA pushing against us, I've got my own problems," she confessed to Vlad King's confusion as he blinked, "Found out I was pregnant a while back," she noted, causing him to gasp lightly as she put her left hand over her belly, "I doubt protestors get maternity leave, but I'm gonna do my best to make this all happen," she affirmed. The Blood Control Quirk user closed his eyes for a moment.
"Is the father in Oasis?" he questioned.
"Nah, he bailed on us, I think," Urfa answered, "That's what happens with men sometimes," she pointed out, "They're either committed or they're not," she added, taking another sip of her drink.
"…In that case…" Sekijiro began, making the blue-haired woman look over at him, "would you allow me to help you in any way?" he inquired of her. She blinked in surprise as her eyes shook. However, she broke out into a hearty laugh.
"Geez…" she muttered, calming down, "Alright, hero," she said, "If you think you can help me handle a little brat for a while, then be my guest," she told him, "Just don't get too freaked over having to change diapers or something," she advised, causing the Blood Control Quirk user to laugh himself.
"I won't," he assured.
END FLASHBACK
"…After Urfa died during a high-scale riot, I tried to find you again," Sekijiro pointed out to Laguna, whose eyes were shaking with disbelief, "Turns out, you were put in hiding under Goodwin and those others from Oasis," he concluded, "As years went by, you wanted to get vengeance for your mom and decided to leave in order to—"
"What are you hoping to get out of this exactly, huh?!" the Tears Lover Quirk user shouted in question, "A full-blown confession as to all the things I did like Sylph and Jinn?!" he presumed angrily, "Or are you just trying to sympathize with me because you knew my mum?!" he inquired on.
"I'm sorry, Husert," Vlad King apologized to his shock, "I wanna honor Urfa's wish for you to be a good man," he mentioned while standing up, "But that's all gonna depend on how everyone else thinks about you," he confirmed, turning around and heading out of the room. Laguna trembled, actually tearing up. Remembering how he had been stuck waiting for years for Oasis to try and exact revenge on those that killed his mother, only for it to never happen, tormented him.
It resulted in his desire to find someone strong enough to face up to the Meta Liberation Army. Drakken had promised that he would have his vengeance. But that never happened again. So now, he was out of options. He had to rely on the heroes he so despised for failing to protect his mother.
X
"I'm surprised how cooperative you are, Naosu," Rikiya noted, leading the I.U.A. Hero and Nero down a long hallway, "Someone of your stature being allied with us would make for compromising circumstances, wouldn't it?" he presumed of him.
"Not at all," he responded, "Although, I suppose complications could arise in terms of investigations," he admitted to his colleagues.
"We'll deal with the IUA when the time calls for it," Nero declared, "More importantly…" he continued, coming to a stop to entice the others to do the same, "how is it that you have Deadend Crow in your possession?" he inquired. Cure smirked.
"I created him," he responded, making the Oracion Seis member widen his eyes slightly, "Allow me to explain…" he continued as the group kept on their path, "Twenty years ago, I was caught up in an incident as a doctor at Hina Hospital in Tokyo," he told his colleagues, "I lost my life that day, but I also gained something new," he mentioned.
"You… died…" Nero repeated, narrowing his eyes, "I don't understand…" he said, "What sort of nonsense are you peddling?" he inquired of the I.U.A. Hero. He chuckled, holding out his right arm. All of a sudden, it opened up, revealing the machinery inside. The Oracion Seis member widened his shaking eyes.
"Quite the surprise, isn't it?" Rikiya presumed, chiming into the conversation, "Naosu Saisei, or Cure," he continued, "is actually an android who was once an esteemed doctor," he told Nero.
"I was amongst the over three hundred that were killed in that massacre," the I.U.A. Hero mentioned, closing his arm up, "Yet the reason I survived was thanks to Japan's number one hero of the time, who granted me new life with this body," he explained on.
"Essentially, Naosu's mind and memories were implanted into this android body, providing him with the ability to be an asset to us," Rikiya added thoroughly.
"If you were reanimated thanks to Ziggy, then…" Nero started to infer, placing a hand upon his head.
"I can't blame your confusion," Cure admitted, "Truthfully, I assume Ziggy wanted me to live on and continue my path as a doctor," he noted, looking at his left hand, "But there was… a complication in my revival," he pointed out.
"Because of Naosu's meta ability, Regeneration, not all of his memories were restored properly," Rikiya told the Oracion Seis member, "So he took Ziggy's research and started to hypothesize an experiment to create an android with the perfect set of meta abilities, while also furthering his own," he explained further.
"And my first experiment was on the man we're meeting today," the I.U.A. Hero confirmed as the doors ahead opened for them to enter. The trio walked atop the rafters, approaching the railing before looking down. "Karasu Kyojin," Cure introduced, allowing his colleagues to view the massive figure looming below, "Also known… as Deadend Crow," he added.
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
Well, we've got quite a few things to talk about, huh? Laguna's returned, Cure's working with the Oracion Seis and is one of Ziggy's failed experiments from Project Edens, and Halloween's around the corner! Based on the projection of things, we'll be wrapping up Season 4's adaptation around CH. 130.
Hope you're looking forward to the twists, turns, and all of the other surprises ahead for the coming chapters! Thanks for reading, everyone!