We're back to the canon material before closing out this season! I hope everyone's excited for what lies ahead! Aside from the obvious stuff, there's gonna be some other material that'll really make this finale quite something!
You'll see what I mean as we closer to the end! Hope you enjoy the chapter!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
"Eri's come to live with us at UA," Shota confirmed one day as the horned girl was having her hair tied up into pigtails thanks to Nejire in the teacher's lounge.
"I thought it'd be forever until we saw her again!" Izuku admitted, shocked but happy about the news. Rebecca giggled. After the Halloween festival, most of November was kept to people getting ready to endure the winter elements as fall was closing fast.
"Glad to see you doing well, Eri!" the Cat Leaper Quirk user greeted as she approached the couch where she was seated, while Mirio, Tamaki, Eijiro, Weisz, Ochaco, Tsuyu and Kleene were also present as well.
"Welcome back!" the Frog Quirk user chimed in.
"Thank you!" Eri responded.
"Wait, what about that android of hers?" Weisz asked curiously.
"I am here!" Pino's voice responded, getting the group's attention as they saw her approach, hopping up onto Shota's shoulder, "As of now, I will be working alongside Mister Aizawa here as Eri's guardian," she explained, "I'll also be a teacher's assistant for classes!" she mentioned.
"Seriously?" the Machina Maker Quirk user said out of surprise.
"That's awesome!" Eijiro exclaimed.
"I'm… a bit concerned about all this…" Izuku admitted, getting his teacher's attention, "I had heard that she was coming back, but I didn't think it'd be a permanent stay…" he pointed out. The Erasure Quirk user then gestured towards the doors, enticing his students and the others to go outside for a quick discussion.
Eri was apparently abandoned by her parents, and her only relative, the leader of the Hassaikai, was still comatose. Another matter was her Quirk. Doctors had discovered that her horn was the source of the power, and it had shrunk significantly from the time she used it on Izuku. But it was starting to grow back.
"So in case things get bad, you're gonna be there to help," Rebecca realized as she looked over to Shota.
"That's the case," he responded with a nod, "Putting her in the system would've been a bad decision, especially with everything's that happened," he affirmed.
"Sounds like it's gonna be a lot of work for you…" Ochaco admitted.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Kleene asked in concern.
"No need, fellas!" Mirio declared as a response for the teacher, "Since I'm on a temp leave from school, I can be super buddy-buddy with Eri to help out!" he noted to the group.
"We've also decided to allow Eri's friend from the hospital to come by for weekly visits," Shota added.
"Oh, that Anya girl?" Rebecca guessed, having remembered the pink-haired girl from their tour of the school with Eri, "Well, that's nice," she pointed out.
"I know most of you guys are majorly busy, but I hope you'll stop by and hang with us every now and again," Mirio told the freshmen.
"Of course!" everyone responded. At that moment, Tamaki came over and placed his right hand onto his friend's shoulder.
"If Eri's able to learn how to control her Quirk," he began, "then maybe our Invincible Hero will return someday," he inferred. Mirio smiled at the sentiment.
"I sure hope so!" he responded.
"Is there anything we can do to help right now?" Rebecca asked.
"For now, just go back to the dorms," Shota insisted in reply to her surprise, "You're going to be having visitors soon," he pointed out. Meanwhile, Eri was looking out through the window curiously at the Cat Leaper Quirk user, who waved goodbye to the seniors and her teacher before heading off alongside the freshmen students. She smiled warmly, happy to be in the place where the people who saved her were training.
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, Wash, 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
"AHCHOO!" Fumikage sneezed, walking into the common room later that evening alongside Shiki.
"You okay, dude?" his adjacent classmate asked in concern.
"Worry not…" the Dark Shadow Quirk user assured, rubbing his nose, "My mucus membranes are merely doing their job," he pointed out.
"Huh?" Shiki uttered in confusion.
"Or maybe someone's talking about you!" Denki suggested from one of the couches.
"That old superstition?" Weisz grumbled, folding his arms behind his head, "Please, that's such a joke…" he muttered.
"Guess that's coming from someone who never gets talked about…" Mina teased.
"I get talked about!" the Machina Maker Quirk user argued, making her giggle.
"Oh, don't get all worked up, Steiner," a visible Toru insisted as she sat on the couch with Mashirao, "I'm sure all of us have had that weird moment of sneezing out of nowhere before," she pointed out.
"Yeah, that's true," Eijiro agreed.
"Man, it's so weird to see you like that, Hagakure…" Hanta admitted as he looked over at the Invisibility Quirk user, getting her attention.
"Ah, it's just for safety's sake," she responded, "I figured it'd be nice for everyone to actually see me, at least when I'm not in my costume…" she explained to her classmates.
"You look really nice," Mashirao complimented to her surprise as she glanced over at him, "Uh, I mean… n-not that you… didn't before…" he stammered out in correction, blushing a little as he looked away. Toru blushed herself, but also smiled a little. Rebecca giggled.
'Feels like it won't be long before me and Izu aren't the only couple of the class…' she noted to herself, sipping a cup of tea that Momo had prepared for her.
"Going back to the subject of someone talking about Tokoyami," Homura chimed in, "it's likely due to the fact he attained fans from his work study with Hawks," she presumed.
"That would mean Shiki's got some too, right?" Ochaco guessed.
"No," Fumikage answered, "Everything moved too fast there for me to really keep up," he admitted.
"Yeah, same for me…" the Satan Gravity Quirk user sheepishly confessed, "Hawks was super amazing!" he pointed out.
"Still can't believe you two got work studies under Hawks of all people…" Hanta admitted, "I mean, Tokoyami was with him for his internship…" he recalled.
"And now Shiki gets a taste of another top hero…" Weisz grumbled on, folding his arms behind his head, "If it wasn't for the IUA deciding not to take on work study students, I feel like more of us would've been doin' 'em…" he told his classmates.
"Maybe so…" Homura responded. At that moment, there was a knock at the doors. Everyone turned to see them open.
"Oh, our guests have arrived!" Tenya pointed out. It was none other than the Wild, Wild Pussycats, along with Kota. Though they were dressed in more casual clothing, that didn't stop Rebecca from getting super excited to see them.
"I'm so glad to see you guys!" she exclaimed as she hurried over to them with sparkling eyes, "Oh, I should get autographs for real this time!" she decided, about to head off to the elevator.
"No need for that, Bluegarden," Mandalay chimed in, causing her to come to a halt. She was then handed boxed bobble-head figures of Pixie-Bob, Ragdoll, and Tiger. Her eyes shook with amazement. "Now you've got a full set!" the Telepath Quirk user affirmed.
"Thank you so much!" Rebecca responded gratefully as she bowed.
"It's always so bizarre to see Rebecca be a fangirl like Midoriya is…" Kyoka admitted quietly.
"That's what makes her Miss Aoneko, I guess," Tsuyu mentioned with a croak, sharing a giggle alongside her friends.
"Sorry we couldn't protect you two back then…" Tiger apologized to Katsuki while passing off a box of paw pad buns to Mina.
"Tch," the Explosion Quirk user scoffed, "I forgot all about that crap…" he grumbled.
"It's fine, Tiger," Rebecca assured upon overhearing, "Thank you for coming," she said gratefully, making the Pliabody Quirk user chuckle.
"All of us are doing pretty good since things went down," Kyoka noted, "Right, guys?" she inquired of her classmates.
"Paw Pad Buns!" Ochaco, Mina and Toru chanted excitedly.
"Please, make yourselves at home," Mezo insisted of the pro hero group.
"Oh, no…" Mandalay responded, "Thank you, but we can't stay long…" she pointed out, "We have to go by and visit Class B, too," she mentioned.
"I'm sure that must be a meeting you're quite nervous about…" Homura chimed in, only to clap her hands over her mouth.
"Nah, we already got word on Kleene and Kris," Pixie-Bob affirmed as a reply, "They even caught up with us to apologize for everything, even though it wasn't all their fault," she explained to the group.
"That's good to hear," Tenya said.
"Eraser Head didn't mention anything about Laguna, though," Mandalay chimed in, "Do any of you know what's happening there?" she inquired.
"Not a clue…" Eijiro responded, "For all we know, he might be in jail right now," he pointed out.
"I say good riddance," Weisz grumbled with his arms folded behind his head, "That high-heeled bastard shouldn't even be given a second chance…" he muttered out, looking away.
"I believe he wears stilettos," Pino chimed in as a correction to his chagrin.
"Whoa, so this is the little android Eraser talked about!" Ragdoll realized, picking up Pino in her hands.
"Her name's Pino," Izuku introduced, "She's also a creation of Ziggy's," he mentioned to the surprise of the pro hero group.
"Well, that's certainly something…" Mandalay commented. At that moment, the One For All inheritor finally took notice of Kota, who blinked in surprise.
"Kota, I'm so happy to see you!" he exclaimed as he crouched down, taking the boy's hands into his own and shaking them, "Thanks for that heartfelt letter!" he mentioned gratefully, "I'll treasure it forever!" he promised.
"Y-Yeah, sure…" the capped boy stuttered in response.
"Hey, Midoriya," Mandalay chimed in, getting their attentions, "Do you like his new shoes?" she inquired, pointing towards the footwear left by the door. Kota gasped and blushed. "He said he wanted red specifically…" his aunt mentioned cheekily.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" her nephew screamed, "It's not what you think!" he proclaimed frantically while waving his arms.
"We match now!" Izuku realized, "That's awesome!" he affirmed. The capped boy sheepishly blushed, while Rebecca looked over and giggled.
"It's great to see you all…" Rikido chimed in, approaching with a tea tray in hand, "but why are you here?" he inquired on.
"Well, aside from paying a visit…" Pixie-Bob began to reply, "we're gonna be back in business soon!" she declared.
"Whoa, really?!" Rebecca yelped in surprise.
"That's wonderful!" Momo affirmed.
"With everything that's happened, I hadn't realized how long it had been since you took your leaves of absence…" Homura noted.
"It… was tough…" Mandalay admitted in response, "And it'll be tougher with Ragdoll being on the sidelines…" she added, looking over to her green-haired colleague as she spun around Pino happily.
"So she doesn't have her Quirk after all…" Izuku realized grimly.
"Yeah…" the Telepath Quirk user confirmed, "We could try to get it back from All For One, but…" she continued.
"That's too much of a risk, right?" Tenya inferred, earning a nod in reply.
"It's okay!" Ragdoll chimed in, handing Pino off to Koji, "I'll just be the office cat!" she declared, holding her hands up in a cat-like manner.
"So why choose now to announce a comeback?" Shiki inquired curiously with a tilt of his head.
"It's going to be announced later," Mandalay started to reply, "but we've got a spot on the Japanese Hero Billboard Chart," she told the group, "You see, we're ranked four-eleven for this term," she mentioned.
"Four-hundred-eleventh?!" Ochaco repeated in shock.
"That's so low…" Toru added.
"No, sillies!" Ragdoll chimed in, "Isn't it weird that we're still in the triple digits even though we haven't done any work in a while?" she inquired, much to their surprise.
"It's because of our approval rating!" Tiger stated, "That number gave us a big boost!" he pointed out.
"There's no way we could just stay on the sidelines!" Ragdoll affirmed as she threw her arms up.
"So you're doing it for the public…" Eijiro realized in a breaking voice, "You're so manly, Wild, Wild Pussycats!" he proclaimed, tearing up.
"Yeah!" Shiki cried out as tears poured out of his eyes.
"Agh, would you guys stop crying for five seconds?!" Weisz shouted in question, only to earn himself a fist upside the head from Momo, "AH!" he yelped, "HEY!" he yelled angrily.
"I kinda forgot they haven't announced the results for the second half of the year yet…" Mina admitted.
"And so much has happened…" Fumikage mentioned.
"Agreed," Homura concurred, "This will be the first chart in a while without All Might," she pointed out, "Meaning that the person likely to be in his spot is…" she continued, looking over worriedly at Shoto, who had an indifferent expression upon his face. He already had a feeling as to what the result of the chart's ratings would be. For now, he wouldn't worry about it.
X
"Alright, you're on in fifteen minutes!" one of the supervisors called out to the ten heroes gathered in the green room.
"Hm," Eraser huffed out, "And I was hoping Feather or Cure would've cracked the top ten with us," he admitted, being ranked tenth.
"I'm still shocked that some heroes got knocked off, even after the more recent events up to now," Kamui Woods chimed in, holding a solid place at ninth, "It's an honor to even have a ranking this high…" he mentioned, lowering his head for a moment.
"Oh, why wasn't I in Camino that fateful day?!" a crying Crust inquired emphatically, ranked eighth, "I could've helped the heroes that fell to that dastardly All For One and Drakken Joe!" he proclaimed sadly.
"There's no need for any of you to feel guilty for not being able to help in Camino," Holy affirmed, seated upon one of the tables as she looked down at the floor in thought, "All of us are still coming to terms with what's happened over these last few months," she mentioned with narrowed eyes. She was ranked sixth on the chart. Next to her was an unusually quiet Mirko. She took fifth place.
"We're still working to deal the hammer of justice in All Might's place," Justice pointed out, ranked fourth, "Nothing's going to change that," he affirmed on, "Not even this farce," he mentioned.
"You say that…" Edgeshot chimed in, getting his attention, "yet you seem disgusted with how you've fallen a spot in the rankings…" he pointed out, having taken third place. The Interstellar Hero narrowed his eyes onto him.
"Come on, let's not make a fuss over this!" Hawks insisted as he approached, ranked second, "We're all in the top ten!" he pointed out, "No reason to go biting everyone's head off for how they jumped or fell in the rankings," he mentioned seriously.
"I'm surprised Tsunagu is still ranked after what happened in Camino," Holy admitted, "Is he returning soon?" she presumed.
"Hopefully," the Wing Hero replied, "I heard his surgery went well, so it's only a matter of time before we get our Fiber Hero back," he affirmed confidently, "In the meantime…" he continued with his arms folded behind his head as he looked over to another figure in the room, being Endeavor. He had a new costume, which consisted of bracers that were redesigned to look sharper and armor-like, and they now completely encased his arms. On the back of his hands were grill handguards that had a set of holes, and his fingers were exposed from the base knuckles.
His bodysuit now had large stripes running across his torso, with the spaces in-between being completely engulfed in his flames. He also added shoulder pads and a new belt, which appeared to be made of the same material as his bracers. His belt buckle had a stylized kanji for 'Flame'.
"Quite the flashy costume compared to what you had before, Endeavor…" Eraser commented, "Any reason for the change?" he inquired curiously.
"Hmph," the Flame Hero huffed, now ranked first on the chart, "None you need to concern yourself with," he affirmed. At the venue for the ranking reveals, Feather was wandering about curiously, looking around. Of all the heroes gathered, she noticed one in particular not present.
"Hm," she uttered, narrowing her eyes.
"Oh, Feather," a familiar voice chimed in, getting her attention as she turned to see Ryukyu there with Fat Gum and Rock Lock, "It's nice to see you," she greeted upon approaching.
"Likewise," the Eye of Venus Quirk user responded, "I'm surprised you wound up knocked out of the top ten," she admitted.
"I'm fine with it," Ryukyu assured, "After everything that happened during the raid, I wouldn't have accepted it otherwise," she confessed.
"Aw, Ryukyu…" Fat Gum uttered sadly.
"Huh…" Rock Lock sighed, "You can't go getting all torn up over what happened, even if your sister was involved," he mentioned, causing Feather to blink in surprise.
"You told them?" she questioned of the Dragoon Hero.
"Everyone who was there for the raid, that is," she confirmed in reply, "But please, don't let anyone else know," she requested, "I'd rather not feel any more remorse for failing to do what I needed to that day…" she noted on.
"…Understood," Feather responded with a nod. At that moment, the lights on stage were activated, enticing everyone to look over.
"First up, he's dropped quite a few spots in the rankings, but still managed to maintain a steady hold at number ten!" the announcer exclaimed as Eraser took the stage, "IUA Hero, also known as the White Flash, Eraser!" she introduced, with fans cheering.
"I'm surprised at how far I actually dropped…" he admitted, waving to the crowd.
"Up next is a pro that's up and coming with some serious skill!" the announcer continued, "With a huge leap up the charts, it's Kamui Woods at number nine!" she yelled as the Arbor Quirk user took the stage. His costume had some changes as well, with two wooden rings hanging on his shoulders, which had stumps and branches protruding from them.
"Thank you, everyone!" he called out to the cheering members of the crowd.
"Taking home the number eight spot is the Shield Hero, Crust!" the announcer kept going as the whimpering hero took the stage.
"Oh, this is such a bittersweet ordeal…" he whined out, trying to keep his composure in check.
"Though he's still on a leave of absence for the time being after the attack on Camino Ward, Best Jeanist's managed to hold a position at seventh on the rankings!" the P.A. noted as images of the Fiber Hero crossed the video board behind those on stage, "In a surprise twist, where Eraser fell, Holy rose!" she mentioned, "She's now the second highest member of the IUA Heroes in the top ten!" she added excitedly. The dual-type Quirk user smiled and waved to the crowd as they cheered for her. "Just in front of her is the top female hero of the country with an infectious spirit!" the announcer continued, "At number five, Rabbit Hero, Mirko!" she declared.
"Hmph," Rumi scoffed, not even bothering to acknowledge the cheers of those in the crowd. Holy looked at her worriedly. She understood how Jaguar's death had thrown her into an emotional spiral, but she figured it would've washed away by now…
"Up next, in a surprise turn of events, taking the number four spot is the Interstellar Hero, Justice!" the announcer kept going. The Star Drain Quirk user lowered his gaze in thought, thinking back to what had happened during the Camino attack and how it likely was the cause of his slip in the rankings. Even so, he wasn't going to let it deter him. "Taking third place is the Ninja Hero, Edgeshot!" the P.A. added.
"Quite a surprise…" he admitted aloud, "Though I'd say the next few rankings aren't much so," he mentioned over to Hawks, who chuckled silently.
"Guess I just gotta go with the flow," he affirmed. After his ranking was announced, Endeavor made his way onto the stage, having assumed his number one spot. Now was the time for him to make do on trying to hold that title in his own way. The Hero Public Safety Commission's president went ahead to say a few words, informing people as to why the event was so public today. With All Might's retirement, it was only natural to hold such a ceremony in order to help keep people at ease. Afterwards, it was time for the heroes themselves to provide commentary.
"So, quite the drop for you the rankings, Eraser…" the P.A. noted upon approaching the now-number ten hero, "How does it feel?" she asked, holding the microphone out to him.
"I'm not too bothered with the ranking," he admitted in response, "I did have my shortcomings, and I wasn't able to do what I could to help those around me," he confessed on, "But I'm striving to do better," he declared. From afar, Hawks appeared a little annoyed by the comments.
"I'd like to honor every hero who's come before me," Kamui Woods confirmed, "That's a reason I'm humbled over being invited onto Edgeshot's team," he added.
"OH, WHY WASN'T I IN CAMINO ON THAT FATEFUL DAY?!" Crust wailed upon being approached by the P.A., who chuckled nervously. She then went over to Holy and Mirko.
"Before I begin, we've been hearing rumors that you've selected a replacement for Jaguar in terms of the IUA Heroes," she noted to the pair, with the dual-type Quirk user blinking in surprise, "Is that true?" she inquired curiously.
"Ah… well…" Holy stammered.
"Yeah, it's me," Rumi suddenly confirmed, much to her colleague's surprise as well as those in the audience.
"Wait, Mirko's teaming up with the IUA?" one hero in the crowd questioned out of shock.
"I thought she hated team-ups, which is why she's a freelancer…" another mentioned. Onstage, the Rabbit Hero grabbed the microphone.
"Before anyone goes and says anything, just know that I'm doing this for the country's sake," she told the audience, "And if any villains are out there scheming…" she continued, taking on a hardened expression, "you better be prepared for me to send you flying…" she threatened, much to everyone's surprise.
"Rumi…" Holy uttered out.
"It's as she says," Justice chimed in, "As heroes, we'll keep to our duties and not be deterred by the changing times," he vowed.
"We're not concerned so much with numbers," Edgeshot added, "We only focus on our jobs as Justice has laid out," he affirmed. The heroes in the audience were quite impressed with the maturity of the heroes on stage. However, one could beg to differ.
"Who wants to hear this kinda canned crap?" Hawks inquired, moving his fingers across his lips as if he was unzipping them, "Stain, maybe?" he inferred on. Silence fell onto the stage.
"I should've expected you'd speak up so brazenly…" Holy muttered.
"As usual, you always cause a commotion…" Edgeshot noted on.
"Sorry," Hawks apologized, "I just have trouble keeping it all in," he noted as he went over and took the microphone from the P.A., "Okay, so…" he continued, "if we're talking about popularity, Best Jeanist is ranked at the top thanks the boost he got from being on hiatus," he told the audience, "I'm runner-up, thanks," he mentioned as he flew up into the air, "Edgeshot's third, Justice takes fourth…" he listed off, "and Endeavor eats in at fifth," he finished, while the Flame Hero narrowed his eyes with contempt.
"The hell's he trying to do?" Rock Lock wondered from the seats.
"No idea…" Fat Gum responded, while Feather watched on intently.
"To be honest with you all, I think the approval rating is the most important number right now," Hawks admitted to the crowd, "Isn't it time the charts were overhauled?" he inquired, "Don't you think we should change how we do things?" he questioned on, "Our great symbol is no more," he pointed out, "A critical juncture, huh?" he said, echoing the HPSC president's words from earlier, "So what's with all the rehashed PR lines playing it safe?" he asked, "Maybe we should stop pretending and start saying what's on our minds, yeah?" he suggested.
"Hmmm…" Ryukyu hummed out, "I get why he's doing this, but it sounds so arrogant…" she noted aloud.
"We can't act as if nothing's changed," Feather chimed in, "And we can't make the truth better than it is," she added firmly, "All we can do… is watch," she affirmed on. Hawks then came down, holding the microphone out to Endeavor.
"Now let's hear from number one, who's got a lower approval rating than I do," he remarked somewhat mockingly. The Flame Hero snatched the microphone from him. Everyone watched on with bated breath. Though Hawks had been a bit brash, his points rang home for a lot of people. It would be tough for anyone to follow that up, even the Hellflame Quirk user. He thought back to what All Might had told him.
"After this child's gone and fanned the flames, I won't say much," he confirmed into the microphone he held, "So instead… just watch me," he stated firmly. The whole audience fell silent. And the only sound in the arena was Hawks clapping his hands. Feather narrowed her eyes for a moment.
'Endeavor and Hawks…' she uttered inwardly. After the event had ended, the top ten heroes regathered in the green room before leaving, save for the top two. Needless to say, Endeavor was not happy about getting put on the spot back onstage.
"What the hell were you thinking, boy?!" he shouted in question as flames billowed around his head while onto his fellow hero by his jacket's collar.
"Everyone just kept spouting the normal boring stuff, ya know?" the Wing Hero responded with a nervous chuckle, "Felt like somebody needed to make an impact…" he pointed out.
"So you were trying to test me…" Endeavor concluded, narrowing his eyes.
"Of course I wasn't!" Hawks claimed as a reply, "I was helping you," he affirmed, "It turned out good, right?" he presumed, "Look, it's not like I'm an All Might super-fan or anything," he mentioned, "But still…" he continued, removing his visor from his eyes for a moment, "even I was completely shocked by his retirement," he confessed, "I'm not saying we need another shiny icon," he kept going, "but it definitely goes without saying we could really use a new leader right now," he stated, "And I thought you nailed it!" he admitted, "Sounded pretty cool up there!" he added with a chuckle. Just then, the door opened, getting their attentions.
"Pardon me," Feather said as she entered, "I was under the impression that you two would be here," she noted.
"Feather…" Hawks uttered out.
"What are you doing here?" Endeavor asked.
"I've come to make an inquiry about a potential team-up between the three of us," the I.U.A. Hero responded to their surprise, "I also wanted to make certain that Hawks did not further aggravate you," she added, causing the Wing Hero to sheepishly fold the collar of his jacket over his mouth. Meanwhile, the Hellflame Quirk user narrowed his eyes, uncertain of her intentions.
"Well, I'm not looking to start a team-up just yet," he confirmed, starting to turn around, "You owe the others an apology, Hawks," he added, ready to leave.
"Hey, hold on a sec!" the Wing Hero called out.
"I said we're done!" Endeavor bellowed.
"There is a case regarding eyewitness reports of Nomu in Kyushu," Feather said, causing him to stop in surprise.
"Come on, Feather…" Hawks muttered, "Can you at least try not to say things before I do?" he questioned of her.
"What, and let you make you look more foolish than ever?" she inquired back, making him flinch.
"Now that was uncalled for…" he muttered.
"What's this about Nomu sightings in Kyushu?" Endeavor asked, approaching the pair. Elsewhere, Dabi was wandering into a small building, approaching a figure that lurked in the back of the room.
"The others weren't strong enough before…" he noted aloud, coming to a stop before the figure, "but I think you'll do just fine…" he continued with a grin, "High-End," he confirmed. The creature before him was a Nomu with a large, muscular build and a comparatively long neck, which had several large vertebrae jutting out of it. His skin was dark purple and his head was shrouded in darkness by a hood of skin, with yellow eyes that resembled Kurogiri's as the only facial feature under it. The muscles on his neck and shoulders were left exposed.
"K…Kill…" he stuttered out.
X
"I'm a little peckish, so why don't we talk over some food?" Hawks suggested while having his feathers and take down a nearby naked man who had opened his trench coat, "There's a great hotpot place not too far from here," he pointed out to Endeavor and Feather, who watched on while walking alongside him through Kyushu's streets, "You can really taste the flavor in their broth," he added, "That sound good for you two?" he inquired of his companions.
"I have no preference," the I.U.A. Hero affirmed in reply, while the Hellflame Quirk user huffed. They were paying witness to the Wing Hero doing his work without so much as a care, rescuing a dog from getting struck by a truck on the crosswalk, or helping an elderly lady carry a suitcase up the steps. People were surprised to see the new number one and two heroes out and about together. A few managed to gather around them, with some getting pictures and autographs from Hawks.
"Miss Feather?" a little girl's voice chimed in, getting the Eye of Venus Quirk user's attention as she saw a couple of children standing at her feet, "Can we get a picture?" she requested with twinkling eyes.
"Of course," the I.U.A. Hero responded, crouching down as the little girl and her friends readied themselves for a picture together. Endeavor looked on curiously. Even someone as indifferent to public relations as Feather was managing to be friendly with people. He overheard murmurs in the crowd, including one of a person who sounded as if he'd want to meet with him.
"I bet you could get an autograph if you wanted," a teen with a shark-shaped head pointed out.
"What?! No way!" his pink-haired friend responded, somewhat frantic. At that moment, the Flame Hero came towards them. "Oh man, his new costume's so cool!" the fan noted aloud, unable to look at the Hellflame Quirk user directly. He held out his hand to him.
"There's no need for you to be afraid," he assured. The fan blinked.
"That's… not right…" he said.
"Wh-What?!" Endeavor stammered.
"Endeavor doesn't do fanservice…!" the fan proclaimed as tears of blood were coming out from his eyes, "Being hardcore's what makes him so cool…!" he pointed out.
"Wow, you're a true fan, huh?" his friend realized.
"You've changed!" he exclaimed with fright, "Endeavor's changed!" he yelled, running off with his companions. The Flame Hero was left baffled.
"Hm," Feather huffed, "I was going to tell you that would not go well," she noted aloud, much to his chagrin as he lowered his head with frustration. A while later as it became dusk, the trio of heroes had found themselves a place to eat up in one of the city's taller buildings, seated together at a table with plates of food before them. Hawks was laughing after hearing about the Hellflame Quirk user's earlier encounter with his fan.
"Well yeah, what did you expect?" he inquired of him, "It's not exactly your vibe," he pointed out.
"It certainly isn't," Feather agreed, sipping her cup of tea, "Perhaps we should start your discussion, Hawks," she advised to his surprise, "This playful banter obviously isn't working with Endeavor," she mentioned seriously.
"Aw, you're no fun…" the Wing Hero complained as a response, taking some yakitori on the table and eating it.
"Hmph," the Hellflame Quirk user scoffed, "So, what's the situation with the Nomu?" he inquired of the man seated across from him.
"To recap, we've detained each creature seen from when they started appearing up to the attack on Camino Ward," Feather explained, "Because none have appeared since, we've theorized that either we've captured all of them…" she continued, "or perhaps the one who created them is lying in wait with more," she inferred.
"Feather, come on…" Hawks muttered, "First you tell me to not beat around the bush, then you go explaining stuff to him for me?" he inquired of the I.U.A. Hero. She merely took a sip of her tea again.
"You asked us to team up with you," Endeavor chimed in, getting their attentions, "so I assume you have some definitive proof, right?" he inquired.
"Nope, only what I'm hearing," Hawks confirmed in reply.
"BRING ME THE CHECK!" the Flame Hero shouted as he stood up, ready to stomp away, "We're done here!" he proclaimed.
"Please calm down, Endeavor," Feather insisted.
"Yeah, I wasn't finished," the Wing Hero chimed in. As it turned out, Kyushu wasn't the only place where Nomu had been spotted. Reported sightings were happening all across the country, though the media hadn't picked up on it yet. Hawks had done an investigation with police, but they came up empty-handed. So he had investigated on his own, flying around Japan to find some verity to these rumors.
Again, he didn't discover anything. But the rumors circulating were driving fear into the hearts of citizens. That included the naked man from earlier, who had been shouting about metahuman liberation. Endeavor was starting to get irritated.
"Cut the crap, both of you," he insisted firmly, "I'm tired of you dancing around the point," he said, "What is it that you want?" he inquired of them. Feather finished her tea.
"We'd like for you to become a dependable leader," she answered.
"And doing that means figuring out if there's any truth to these rumors," Hawks mentioned with a thumbs up, "If there isn't any, then stand proud and say there's nothing to worry about," he advised on, "I'm gonna just keep doing my thing," he affirmed, "I don't know if you got this from my speech, but I'm basically trying to be your producer," he declared cheekily.
"Moron!" Endeavor shouted, while Feather sighed.
"We all want to keep people at ease after everything that's happened in the past several months," she affirmed, "In doing that…" she continued, "we can make this a world where heroes have more time to themselves," she stated.
"Agh, there you go again!" Hawks complained, "You gotta stop using your Quirk to say what I'm gonna say!" he insisted of the I.U.A. Hero. Endeavor huffed at the petty bickering between the two. But then he noticed something in the distance outside.
"Something's coming," Feather said, causing the Wing Hero to perk up as he glanced outside as well.
"Oh, that isn't good…" he realized. Just then, the door opened.
"Excuse me, I've brought your check—"
"Stay back!" Hawks yelled to the waitress, right before the black Nomu broke through the window, making her scream in fright. Fortunately, Feather drew her metal wings, shielding her from the shards of broken glass that came towards them. The monstrous creation glowered at the trio of heroes in the room.
"Wh…Which one… is strongest…?" he asked.
"Hawks! Feather!" Endeavor called out, "Evacuate the building!" he instructed of them.
"Right," the I.U.A. Hero responded.
"You gonna fight that thing?" Hawks presumed.
"It asked for the strongest, so I'll answer!" the Flame Hero declared in reply, concentrating his flames into a white-hot point on his left fist, "Flashfire Fist…" he began powerfully, "JET BURN!" he roared, unleashing a fiery beam to blast the Nomu back. He then leapt out of the building, hovering over the beast with flames expelling from his feet. "Come on…" he challenged, "I'll show you who's the strongest…" he proclaimed with his fists clenched.
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're in quite an exciting phase now! I think these last three chapters are going to set up something amazing going forward. Trust me, you will all love it.
But for now, thanks for reading! I'll see you next time!