Neito stood back and rubbed his nose, "Of fucking course," he sighed. "Somehow, these idiots had decided to get their compound raided before we could do business. Well, this is an excellent opportunity for you, Mr. Aizawa."
Aizawa looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "What is it you want me to do?"
"What you see there is the Shie Hassaikai compound," Nieto said. "Word had filtered down that their boss, a gentleman that calls himself Overhaul, is the mind behind the drug Trigger." Aizawa raised an eyebrow, making sure not to show any shock; he was very familiar with the drug. "But that isn't why we are here; word has it that he had come across something even better, a synthetic way to shut down someone's quirk; rumor has it that he was on the verge of being able to take it away."
"Terrifying," Aizawa said. "What is it you want me to do about it?"
"You want in, go down there and get me a sample of that quirk suppression or the research that pertains to it," Neito said. "Do that, and you are in? Fail, and then you are dead! Clear?"
"Crystal," Aizawa said.
"Good, see you at the bar," Neito turned as a portal opened, and he disappeared.
Aizawa cracked his neck and walked right up to the compound. He could talk past the guards and started going through the battle scene. Once inside, it wasn't difficult to follow the trail to the underground compound. As he picked his way through, he pulled out an earpiece.
"You better be there," Aizawa said.
"Of course I am," Nezu's voice rang in his ear.
"Well, I am at the Shie Hassaikai compound," Aizawa said. "I made contact with Neito; he seems willing to buy that I am so pissed at Midoriya that I am willing to switch sides. What can you tell me about Overhaul, quirk suppression, or erasing bullets."
"Well, Overhaul was taken into custody earlier in a very unexpected fashion or manner, which prompted this impromptu raid," Nezu said.
"Who brought him in?" Aizawa said. "I thought Sir Nighteye was chasing down this clown."
"He was until a young girl that Overhaul was holding captive escaped; the child is no more than six years old," Nezu said with a low growl in his voice. "This precious thing is so important that Overhaul went after her and chased her right into Mr. Midoriya and two of his companions."
"You don't mean to say…" Aizawa's voice trailed off.
"Exactly," Nezu said. "An abused child ran right into his arms, begging to be saved. He did exactly that, and they took down Overhaul and three of his goons."
"Who was with him?" Aizawa said softly.
"Yaoyorozu, Kendo, and Minoru," Nezu said proudly.
"What were the four of them doing way out here, and where is his daughter?" Aizawa said.
"The girls and Midoriya are a couple, so that I will leave that to your imagination. Minoru's family lives in that area, and my little Bright Eyes was off with her grandfather on a trip. They are on their way home now," Nezu said.
"Well, if we want to get to All for One, we need to get him this information," Aizawa replied. "But we can't let them get this information simultaneously."
"I will be there soon. I was on my way to the Hospital to meet with Mr. Midoriya, but this takes precedence," Nezu said. "This is a big risk you are taking."
"I know but…I failed so many of them," Aizawa said. "I would have done so again with this year's class. I can't do much for those I already wronged, but I can do something to help this crop. Any news on Katie?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yes, I was able to get her into a rehab facility. Kato will still have to serve some time, but I am working on changing that in a fashion. I have been in contact with their parents. While not the best outcome, there seems to be some positive things to take from it all," Nezu said.
"Good," was all Aizawa could say. "I will see you soon." He pulled the earpiece and tucked it away.
The Lawyer and The Hero
Sir Nighteye was glaring at the closed door that Izuku Midoriya had just walked out of; he found himself pacing the floor as he took deep breaths to get himself under control.
How could Toshinori have made such a colossal mistake? Having passed One For All down to the reckless, irresponsible child. Not only was it an obvious mistake, but it seemed to be compounding itself with the careless nature of Izuku Midoriya. Then, he still let Midoriya continue to try to be the ninth bearer after it was revealed that he had a child, which was such utter nonsense. If it hadn't been for blind luck, all those work hours would have been a complete waste. Midoriya was lucky they were able to raid the facility.
Sir Nighteye took a deep breath, his mind calming; he walked over and took a seat, ready to look into Izuku Midoriyas future and see if he could talk some sense into Toshinori, as any hope of trying that with Midoriya had died on the vine. Before he had left the room, Nighteye had used his quirk on the boy. His quirk allowed him one hour after activating. He would see that person's future as if he was watching a movie. That was how he knew that Toshinori was rushing towards a terrible and painful demise; he had tried to warn his idol, his friend, but instead, Toshinori just argued about how it was wrong of Nighteye to do such a thing. Then, when he brought Mirio to Toshinori's attention, they argued again; he knew that Mirio was the perfect successor, and Nighteye trained him personally.
He settled down to begin the viewing; he had just gotten to the part where Midoriya was in the room down the hall with Eri; he zoomed past them asleep and rolled his eyes when those two girls came in. He was pulled from his viewing when the door of the room opened.
He looked and saw the man who had been talking to Midoriya; his name was Kobayashi. "Can I help you?" Nighteye said, staring a hole in the man; Kobayashi did not flinch.
"No sir, but I can believe I can help you," Kobayashi said. "You see, I happen to overhear you making threats to my client in regards to his custody of his daughter. That is something that I can not tolerate."
"I will do what I think is best," Nighteye said, glaring at the man. "Now I am busy, so please leave."
"No sir, I do not think I will till I make it abundantly clear the precarious position you are about to stumble into," Kobayashi replied.
"Are you threatening me?' Nighteye rose to his feet.
"Perish the thought, Mr. Sasaki," Nighteye raises an eyebrow at hearing his name. "I am simply attempting to warn you of the possible consequences of your actions should you wish to continue on this course. I will see no other alternative than to file a misconduct and endangerment violation with the Hero Commission, which will trigger an intense investigation into your dealings with and handling of this investigation. I will then also file charges of criminal negligence and endangerment of a child for your willingness to send Ms. Eri back into that hell hole to satisfy your need for the case to go exactly as you deem fit. Those charges will be filed in criminal court."
"I would like to see you justify that course of action not only to a court but the public," Kobayashi was looking at him, but Nighteye could tell he was looking more through him. "I have heard rumors of a tickle machine and its usage on a young lady under your employ, consensual or not; I am not sure that anyone would find that appropriate. It would not matter if that was the facts or not." Nighteye went to speak, only for Kobayashi to cut him off.
"I overheard them speaking about the said device in the hall. I wonder what that would do to Lemillions reputation when word got out that he knew about such happenings." Kobayashi raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know who you think you are, Mr. Kobayashi, but if you think I am going to sit back while you threaten me or my sidekicks, then you are sorely mistaken," Nighteye stepped closer.
"At no such time have I made any threats to you or those under your employ or tutelage," Kobayashi did not seem fazed in the slightest. "I bear no ill will to them at all. I am here to tell you what the response will be should you decide to endanger the custody of my client's daughter. The backlash will not just fall upon you but those you employ. I am but a humble lawyer in the employment of the noblest of young men I hold in high regard; his strength of character and resolve is greater than that of thousands of others I have met. I served his Mother before her passing and will continue to serve until my time passes. I feel that it is important for you to understand that the relationship between my client and his mentor is much deeper than those titles will suggest."
Kobayashi took a step closer to Nighteye, "I have seen many wonderful and terrible things that parents will do to protect their children, the sacrifices they will shoulder for those children, and you are not prepared for that to fall upon you in its entirety. I may not have been graced with that relationship myself, but I have witnessed his struggle and the life he has still managed to carve out when lesser men would have folded and fallen. I will make this clear so there are no misunderstandings. Suppose you threaten my client or his daughters in any fashion or attempt to remove them from his custody. In that case, he will survive the experience, you professionally, personally, and legally will not."
Kobayashi took a step back, "You are letting your pride and ego lead you down a path you will not enjoy. I suggest that you pause and consider your actions carefully. If you wish to question my client or Ms. Kendo, you may direct all your questions to me, and Ms. Yaoyorozu's lawyers have asked that you do the same. If you do not believe me, there are 8 of them in the hall. I can send them in if you wish to talk to them. I bid you goodnight," Kobayashi bowed. "Would you like to speak to them?"
"No, I don't think that is necessary," Sir Nighteye said, staring at Kobayashi as he left. "What the hell just happened?"
Nighteye returned to his seat and settled his mind, calling upon his quirk. He looked into Izuku's future. When it was over, he was left stunned and shaken.
Mineta
After being checked out, he was cleared to leave. He was waiting on his family, and there was a polite knock on his door; he wondered who it could be. Izuku had come by, thanked him for jumping in, and called him a true hero.
"Come in," he called. The door opened, and in walked Momo. "Hello, Momo. Is everything okay?"
"Everything is as good as I can be. There are still unknown variables, but they will be sorted out with time," Momo said as she walked into the room. "Izuku told me you have been cleared and will go home soon. I wanted to come by to thank you for jumping in so bravely during the fight. Thanks to you, not only were we able to defeat that villain, but we could keep Eri safe and save her."
"I was scared," Mineta said. "But when I saw you all fighting, I knew I had to help."
"That is what being a hero is about, doing what needs to be done despite the fear," Momo said. "I came here to tell you that I recognize the change in you that you are striving for and that if you continue along this path, I will happily call you my friend and ally." Momo crossed over to him. "You were courageous, Mineta, and for that, I thank you." Momo leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Please rest well, and we will see you back at school." Momo left the stunned Mineta, sitting with his hand on his cheek.
Momo
Momo exited the room and went to a conference room where her parents were waiting, along with a substantial meal.
"How is everyone," Chi said when she walked in.
"Izuku is with Eri, Itsuka is resting, and Mineta will head home soon. He is just waiting on his family," Momo said, taking a seat as a large selection of Sushi was set before her. Gio leaned down and kissed her forehead as she began to eat.
Her parents let her get some food in her, and before they asked about Eri, Momo sat back and took a deep breath. Momo moved from the Sushi to the Tomahawk Steak as she began to explain the insanity of how she felt for Eri. With Inari, this build of emotion and desire burst into reason that night when she called her Mommy. With Eri, it had been immediate when it happened. She knew deep in her soul that the vision of Eri and Inari calling Izuku dad and Itsuka's mom, the Christmas tree, and Izuku's father/mentor coming in as Santa Clause the smells and touch of it all. It was far too real to have been merely a dream. It flooded her as soon as Eri was in her arms and that word Mommy.
"I know it in my soul," she said, her moist eyes shining as she looked at her parents, "That girl is meant to be my daughter; I am meant to be her mother. It is such a truth that I am willing to go to war for her."
Gio and Chi looked at each other momentarily; they could hear their daughter's voice: passion, love, confusion, and conviction. Nothing made sense; the only thing that made sense was her falling in love with Izuku. Their meeting and her being swept off her feet, the way that after that one day, Inari being in their home, that little girl had filled them with warmth and love. They dreamed of Inari in their home, but her laughter wasn't alone. Was it this other girl? Was it Eri who was there?
After Inari had been with them for the weekend, the kids had moved into the dorms. The entire time had been this wonderful nostalgic trip of when Momo was young; they didn't think any more of it then, but now they wondered.
"We already talked with Izuku," Gio said. "The lawyers are meeting with Kobayashi." Momo looked at her father. "When you asked for help, we began moving immediately. Hearing your words cements that we will do everything possible to help you and that little girl."
"We can't hope to understand what you experienced," Chi added. "But I don't have to. It matters and is true to you." Momo ran to their embrace and sank into their arms and love.
New Day
There is something to be said about the beginning of a new day. Momo awoke in a nearby hotel suite her parents had gotten for them, and she had been cleared and released from the medical center. After she had eaten and they had talked as a family, a portion of the family's legal team came in to discuss the matter. Momo was not happy to hear that it would not be instantaneous but that there was a definitive route to securing Eri properly. They had been contacted by U.A. legal, but it was a simple acknowledgment of the request; Kobayashi had already begun to move, and it was decided that they would be his support.
Itsuka awoke to her parent's arrival; they had come at night while she was sleeping. She saw her father, Nao, sitting next to her bed. The sound of the door opening and the heavenly smell of coffee brought in by her mother, Hina, had pulled her awake.
"Oh, for me?" she said, sitting up, her arms sore.
"I am sure that the hospital may bring you some decaf or something," Hina smirked.
"Or some tea," Nao added, making Itsuka wrinkle her nose. Itsuka saw a brown bag that carried the scent of food, which made her stomach rumble. Nao laughed and hit the call button so they could see how to get her fed. "So, want to take things from the top or tell us how much you can?"
"Part of it is easy, then the part is weird," Itsuka said, sitting up. "We were on our way to dinner when Eri came barreling out of an alley and asked for help. From her appearance, it was obvious that she was in some trouble, very likely being abused; then Overhaul came out spewing lies about his daughter and stuff. We knew something was wrong, told him we weren't going to give her back and wanted to bring them both in for investigation; he decided to attack us." She watched as Hina handed Nao his coffee, her head tracking the cup and sniffing the air.
"We had no idea who he was or anything; his quirk needed touch," Itsuka pouted when she watched her dad take a drink and sigh in contentment; she knew he was doing it on purpose.
"Like that man who had kidnapped Inari," Hina said; Itsuka nodded. "Haven't you been training in case of a similar situation?"
"We had, so Izuku and I attacked while Momo took Eri, ready to play support or run if necessary," Itsuka's mouth watered as the breakfast sandwich appeared. "We did very well, but then his goons showed up; we had to split up to engage them, and the guy I drew had this quirk that created these crystals," she said, holding up her arms. "We won and were transported to the hospital."
"Okay, is this where it gets weird?" Nao said. Itsuka took a deep breath and told them about the vision she had when she held Eri in the ambulance and how she had not fallen asleep; she described the sensation of the baby moving in her stomach to her mother; as Itsuka began to explain the emotion that she felt looking down and knowing there was a child, and how much she loved it, she had to pause. And Eri was there, and that same feeling of love and devotion was there.
Hina hugged her till she composed herself, "I have to say it could be something to do with the girl's quirk; maybe she is manipulating you somehow?"
"I thought about that," Itsuka said, wiping her tears. "If it had just been a feeling, then possible, why such a vision? She could have just made it so that it was just her, so I don't think she is creating these feelings, but I don't even know what her quirk works." Itsuka paused and put her hand over her heart, "but I know in my heart that Eri is meant to be with us."
Nao considered his words before responding, "Itsuka raising Inari is one thing; I know that Izuku is doing great and that you are in love with him. You know how I feel about him, but taking on another child, a trauma victim…" he took her hand. "My darling, it is a lot." He could see her about to protest. "I am not saying you won't work hard or doubt your love for Izuku or even Momo, but as your father, I hate to say it, YOU are my priority, and I wouldn't be your father if I didn't tell you that I was worried."
Itsuka bit her lip, "I know it is a lot, but," she paused. "Did you ever know something in your heart? Something you feel so strongly about that you know that this is what you were born to do? Be a pro hero, love Izuku and Momo, be a mother to Inari, and now be a mother to Eri. I know it may not be easy, but nothing is. The path to this moment is so improbable, so crazy that if you were to run it back, the odds are astronomical that we would be in this exact moment. But we are in this moment, and I know the path I am supposed to walk; to refuse to do so would be betraying my heart, mind, and soul."
Hina looked at Nao, "Then we will be right here with you at this moment, and the next, then the next, and all the following moments," Nao said as they embraced. "When did you get so damn big?" he whispered.
"I don't know," Itsuka said. "But I will never be too big for this."
Eri
Safe and Warm.
Eri awoke safe and warm; she didn't remember what it was like to wake up safe. She didn't know what that was till she had a dream one night before Christmas, just before Abby had given her the bunny. After that dream, she would chase it every night when she would go to sleep; it was a drug; in her dream, she wasn't cold, in pain, hungry, or scared. In her dream, she was safe and warm.
She didn't know what would happen when she ran from the compound yesterday. She didn't understand why she ran at that point, but she swore she heard a voice telling her to run and run now. To wait, go, pause, go left, and run; don't stop, just run. Don't talk to that police officer or stop for anyone until you get there. It was not a place but a person when she barreled into him; she nearly broke, and she had to keep running. When she looked into his eyes, there it was. In those eyes was the place she was running to, and she was safe.
Overhaul came for them, and they beat him, they beat the others, and in the arms of each of them was that same place; she was safe. In Mommy's arms, she was safe, and she was warm. In Momma's arms, she was safe, and she was warm. For the first time, she could remember that she was safe and warm outside of dreams when she awoke. His arms were around her, and the sound of his heart beating; she was safe and warm.
Afraid to open her eyes, she was worried that if she opened her eyes, she would no longer be safe and warm. Terrified that it would all be gone and she would be alone, when Abby had gone, any semblance of safety and warmth had gone with her. At this moment, she clung to it; even if it all was gone, she wanted to engrave this into her soul, the smells and feelings, and burn what it was like to be safe and warm.
She squeezed her eyes tight, so tight that it hurt. If she didn't open them, they could not be taken away. If nothing changed, she would be safe and warm if she didn't open her eyes or let go. She knew that she would have to open her eyes; she knew that she would have to risk it all being just a dream. If it were a dream, she would chase it again tonight, and tomorrow, she would run away again and again forever till she found it for real and was safe and warm.
Please let this be real, she thought. Please don't take this from me. I will be a good girl for them, and I will be good. I will do whatever they want if I can be safe; I want to be warm. I don't want to be cold anymore; I don't want to be afraid. I can be good, please, please, please.
"It is okay, Eri," his voice said. The voice was the place where she was safe. "You can open your eyes; I will not disappear."
"Promise?" she whispered.
"I swear," he whispered back.
"If I open my eyes, will you promise to be there? I want you and mommy, and momma and…" Eri squeezed as hard as she could. "Promise me we can go home?"
"As you wish," he said.
Slowly, Eri opened her eyes. She was still warm, and when she looked up and saw those green eyes looking down at her and his smile, she was safe. It hadn't been a dream; she might still be safe and warm tomorrow because it hadn't been a dream.
Together
Momo arrived at the hospital; she went to see Itsuka first, who was with her parents. Momo was happy to receive hugs from Nao and Hina before they stepped out, allowing her to fuss over her girlfriend, and the two could share some private time and kisses. Itsuka was blushing as Momo fussed over her bandages and helped to soothe Itsuka when she said she was worried about the scars that would left.
Momo leaned their foreheads together, "If there are scars, they are badges of you saving Eri; if there are scars, I know they will be beautiful because you are beautiful. Izuku and I will prove it to you every night till you beg us to stop like the other night. And just like that night, we won't stop. We will never stop making sure you understand that you are beautiful."
Itsuka blushed and flushed. Her heart skipped a beat, and she pulled Momo into a deep, passionate kiss. "I love you," Itsuka said when they broke apart.
"I love you too," Momo smiled. "Did you want to go check on the other two?"
Itsuka nodded. She was sore but could get out of bed on her own. Momo helped her with a robe before they went to Eri's room.
"I love French Toast sticks," they heard Eri exclaim. "They are the best!"
"I like them too; your little sister likes pancakes the best, though," Izuku said.
"Little sister?" Eri questioned. "What is a little sister?" Itsuka and Momo paused.
"We, your Mommies, and I have a daughter, a little girl like you that is younger than you," Izuku said after a pause. "Her name is Inari, and she will be your little sister. All of us are a family. And you are her big sister."
"Because I am older than her?" Eri said hesitantly. "But what does a big sister do? What if she doesn't like me? Or won't let me be part of the family."
"Well, I am sure that Inari will love you just like I do," Izuku said. "A big sister's job is to protect her little sister, play with her, keep her safe, and they get to be best friends."
"Best friends?" Eri said softly.
"No one will ever know you as well as your sister; they will always be there with you. You two may have some arguments, but she will be the first to try to help you. I know you will be the first to help her," Izuku said.
"So a big sister protects the little sister?" Eri said.
"Mommies and Daddy protect you two, Eri protects Inari, and Inari gets to protect the toys," Itsuka and Momo laughed.
"I get to help her feel safe and warm?" Eri said softly.
"And she will help you feel the same; that is what families do," Izuku responded.
"That is exactly what families do," Itsuka said, opening the door. Momo would forever hold onto the image that greeted them: Eri sitting in Izuku's lap eating her breakfast, syrup on her chin, and how Eri's face lit up. They all immediately hugged. It was great but missing Inari, who would complete it.
Once they separated, Itsuka climbed into the bed and held Eri in her lap as the little girl finished breakfast.
Izuku kissed them both; once standing, he stretched, "Dad and Inari have landed and are on the way," Izuku said. "Nezu said he had to deal with something last night and is on the way with Recovery Girl."
"That is all great news," Momo said, pulling him into a side hug. "My parents have pledged their support, and the legal team is backing Kobayashi; I don't know how to make this happen, but we will."
"If anyone can figure this out, it will be Nezu, but we are not leaving here without her," Izuku said. "But there may be another problem," he pulled Momo aside and whispered to her about his conversation with Sir Nighteye and the threats. Momo's eyes narrowed in anger as she thought about what she would do to that man if he dared to try and take Inari from them. "All we can do is handle the situations as they arise. I am sure we will have to deal with an assessment from Child Protection, but as long as we work hard and follow the rules, it will be fine."
"I am not as familiar as you with the process, but I do remember some of the visits from Tsu's mom," Momo said. "What are we going to do about the quarters?"
"We have to talk to Nezu," Izuku said. "We are going to need to expand the apartment somehow. Inari's room, in particular. We must order her a bed and clothes at the bare minimum for now."
"My parents have gone shopping to get her some clothes. Knowing them, we should be good in that department for a bit," Momo took his hand. "I want to pay for her bed and will not hear otherwise. We are going into this together. I will be one of her mothers from here on out, and I will not let you try to foot this bill alone." Izuku could only agree. "Vigo retrieved the car, and it is parked downstairs. I have the keys. Have you talked to the class?"
"My phone nearly blew up," Izuku laughed, "The fight video is out there."
"I want to buy the bedding and her pillows. What video?" Itsuka said.
"The video of our fight with Overhaul and his goons, mostly his goons," Izuku said. "Have you not checked your phone?" Itsuka shook her head, "It has been off…oh sh..shoot," she said, catching herself before she cussed. "Momo, my darling, my love?"
"Where is it?" Momo smirked.
"Top drawer," Itsuka smiled.
As predicted, Itsuka's phone just about exploded when she turned it on; it vibrated for nearly 10 minutes; when she responded to the group text that set everything off again as they were about to board trains and come looking for her, the only thing that had kept things calm in the slightest was Mineta had talked with Ibarra, who passed the information to the class.
They were surprised when the door opened, and Eri jumped, hearing the cry of Daddy! Inari entered the room and looked around, spotting Izuku; she ran into his arms. Eri began to feel nervous when the little girl turned to Momo, hugged her, looked around to find Itsuka was about to say something, and froze, looking at Eri in Itsuka's lap.
"Who that?" Inari said, staring intently at Eri. Inari then looked to the door, "Grandma, who is that?"
That drew the parents' attention to the fact that they weren't alone. They looked to the door, and there was this mountain of women wearing blue jeans, Princess Aurora T-shirt, and baseball cap; if that had been enough to confuse them, there had been the call of Grandma.
"That is the little girl that mommies and daddy rescued," the woman said gently. "Remember Grandpa and Pap Pap told you about it on the plane."
Inari seemed to think about it, "Oh." She looked back to Eri. Eri's heart was about to thump out of her chest.
"Inari manners," Momo said.
Inari scowled momentarily, "Hello, my name is Inari Midoriya. It's nice to meet you," Inari said with a bow.
Eri was frozen; Itsuka leaned down and whispered, "Say hello, Eri."
"Hello. Inari. My name is Eri," she said, clearly nervous.
"Momma Itsu, who is that?" Inari demanded.
"This is your big sister," Itsuka said. "Her name is Eri; we saved her from a bad man, like we did with you that time." Inari thought about it. "They were very bad and hurt her, but now that we saved her, we can't let her be hurt anymore, so we are going to bring her home to live with us."
"Like a sleepover?" Inari said after some thought.
"A sleepover that will last forever," Momo said. "And she gets to be your big sister, so you two can play and be friends, but she also gets to be our little princess just like you."
Inari's face squinted as she wiggled out Momo's arms and walked over to the bed. She climbed up on the bed, and the adults held their breath. Inari looked at Eri, then her arms. "Did the bad man hurt you?" Eri nodded, trembling. "My mommies and daddy save you?"
"Yes," Eri's trembling voice came out. Inari reached out and patted her hand.
Inari stared at her, "It's okay, don't be scared, you can sleep with me. I will keep you safe." Inari said with a smile.
"Momma said that as the big sister, I was supposed to keep you safe," Eri said.
"Are we sisters?" Inari looked up at Itsuka.
"Yes, you are sisters now," Itsuka said.
"Like Elsa and Anna," Inari whispered. "Elsa kept Anna safe, but Anna helped Elsa too. So we can take turns," Inari smiled. "I will share my mommies and my daddy, my aunts, my grandma, my grandpa, and my Pap Pap. Even Uncle Boom Boom!"
"You will share all that with me?" Eri said.
Inari suddenly hugged Eri, "Yes, because sisters share and love each other!"
Eri started to cry as she hugged her back, "Don't cry, Eri, you don't have to cry no more 'cause I am here," Inari said, patting her back.
Izuku and Momo wiped away their tears, Momo and Itsuka joined in on the hug, and Izuku saw the woman dabbing at her eyes. "I am sorry we haven't been introduced, Izuku Midoriya, Inari's father," he extended his hand.
"Cathleen Bate, newly appointed Grandmother," she said sheepishly. "Toshi and I just started dating."
Izuku's eyebrow raised, then stopped, "Wait a minute, are you…?"
"Shhh," Cathy said with a wink. "I am undercover."
"Holy Fuck," Izuku whispered. "Um, where is Toshi?"
"I am here, son," Toshi said, walking up. Izuku and the girls noticed his Prince Phillip shirt but said nothing. "I was just talking with doctors about you three." Toshi looked past and saw all the girls hugging; thankfully, the tears stopped. He looked at Cathy.
"She is quick," Cathy said sheepishly, "She said she wanted to walk, then bam, she broke for the door before I could catch her, and that is saying something!" Toshi just laughed as he stepped in and closed the door.
"We may have a problem," Izuku said, rubbing his head.
"Just one?" Toshi said. "I leave you for a few days, and you give me another granddaughter."
"I may have threatened to knock your former sidekick's teeth out," Izuku responded, wincing. "But he had it coming."
"Tell me," Toshi said. Cathy went to step away, but Toshi stopped her. "Izuku, this is Cathy, my…um, girlfriend. I trust her completely; she knows everything so you can speak freely."
"Okay," Izuku leaned in….
Momo and Itsuka jumped slightly when they heard Cathy and Toshi's fists clinch, "Cathy, would you mind keeping an eye on them for me."
"Dad, what are you going to do?" Izuku said, concerned for Sir Nighteye.
"I am just going to talk to him," Toshi said too calmly.
"Dad?" Izuku repeated.
"I am just going to talk to him," Toshi repeated. "Nezu and Recovery Girl are here; you must talk to them about Eri. I am just going to talk to him."
"You know, dear; I would love to meet your former sidekick, even if just for a moment; as you said, Izuku needs to talk with Nezu, and they all need some bonding time. Would you mind terribly if I went with you," she said sweetly before kissing his cheek. "I also want to spend as much time with you as possible before leaving."
"How could I deny you the honor of meeting him," Toshi took her hand. "Come, my dear, let us be off. We shall be back!" he said to the room before leaving.
When Izuku approached the crowded hospital bed, "What was that?" Itsuka said.
"My thoughts exactly," Momo added.
"I told Toshi about what happened with Sir Nighteye," Izuku said. Momo's eyes widened, "I almost feel sorry for him," Izuku looked at the door. "Almost."
"What happened with Sir Nighteye?" Itsuka said innocently after Momo whispered a quick explanation. "I don't feel sorry for him in the slightest!"
The Nighteye Agency
He had been horrified; Izuku stood next to a blonde boy, heroes and bodies littering the grounds around them, women naked worshiping them. The world is falling into chaos. Again, he looked, and this time, he killed the blonde and took it all for himself. Or the blonde killed him. Izuku killed All-Might and saved All-Might. He was surrounded by lovers or all alone. Evil then good; it was this constant flux, and then everything became static. He couldn't see anything before his quirk ended. All he heard was a girl laughing.
He had to go down there again today and get to the bottom of this, but he had paperwork to handle first. The troublesome thoughts from those visions kept intruding on his thoughts, making things difficult. Mirio and Centipeder were off following up on more statements, leaving only Bubblegirl. He thought about the tickle machine but then thought of Kobayashi.
He turned to the computer and ran the name Kujan Kobayashi through the system; he was married to Miki Kobayashi, 54, with no children, and was a licensed attorney, financial planner, and fiduciary. His wife was born in Nagasaki, and he was born in London. His wife had a registered quirk of whisper. She could send a message over long distances, a very useful quirk in his opinion. She had made a living as a message courier for most of her life, including working in the cabinet. He was still a British citizen, had no quirk on record, and had received a dispensation to open his practice from the government after he passed all the tests with a perfect score. His practice appeared to be small. The website was simple, with nothing that stood out; it made his eye twitch.
He heard a commotion outside the office, and Bubble Girl burst in. "Sir Nighteye, All-Might, and a companion are here to see you."
"Good, I won't have to chase him down," Mirai said, "Send them in."
The door opened, and Mirai was confused about the woman next to him and her dress; even more confusing was All-Might wearing a Prince Phillip shirt while the woman was wearing a Princess Aurora one. All-Might turned to Bubble Girl, "We are not to be disturbed; in the unlikely event the world is about to explode, then you can disturb us, but knock first." Bubble Girl gulped and stepped out.
'I am glad you are here," Mirai said, getting to his feet. "What I have to discuss is a private matter. Maybe you would like to have your acquaintance sit outside."
"No, that will not be necessary," All-Might said. Mirai was about to protest, "Sir Nighteye, Cathleen Bate, better known as Stars and Stripes. If you have something to say, I suggest you start talking before I say what I have to say."
Mirai was speechless as Cathy removed her hat and shook out her hair. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Maybe he has nothing to say?"
"Is that the case? Why were you interested in tracking me down to say nothing, or did you have an issue with my deputies?" All-Might said.
"Yes, your deputies threatened a very long and time-consuming investigation," Mirai said, finding his voice. "If it weren't for sheer luck, then Overhaul of the Shie Hassaikai would have been able to escape on lesser charges while he moved mutated versions of the trigger and continued working on this!" Mirai reached into his desk, pulling out a red bullet.
"And that is?" Cathy said.
"This is a quirk suppression bullet; the name explains its capabilities," Mirai said, setting it on the desk. "He has been able to accomplish this by using the girl he claims as his daughter Eri; we believed that she or her quick was an essential piece to his research. The last we heard from our inside source before we believe they were killed is that Overhaul had been advancing his research and was on the verge of not just suppressing a quirk but being able to remove them altogether."
"Who was this informant?" All-Might said rather calmly.
"The girl's caretaker, Abby, was her name," Mirai said. He went to his filing cabinet; he heard All-Might go to the corner of the room to make a phone call.
"Interesting. So you had an informant tell you of Eri being forced into being a research subject for Overhaul?" Cathy was sitting on the edge of the desk; Mirai paused momentarily, noticing how striking she was. Cathy held the bullet in her hand, looking it over.
"She mentioned it," Mirai said, handing her the file.
Cathy smiled and took the file; Mirai noticed the temperature in the room rising; he watched as she opened the file and, running her finger down the page, flipped through the pages quickly, "Speed Reading?" he asked.
"Yes," she said, not looking up from the page, "Some of the files I have to familiarize myself with are quite large. I can read 95 pages a minute."
"That is impressive," Mirai said.
"So what else did the informant tell you?" Cathy asked.
"She was able to allow us to intercept some large trigger shipments and got us that bullet; she was supposed to get us a copy of the notes when we lost contact," Mirai replied.
"I see here she made contact and asked that you remove her and the child from the compound," Cathy said. "This was after she had made contact and passed on some valuable information, including the names and estimates of the quirks of a group within the group called the Eight Bullets. And that you ordered Centipeder to have her bring some of these bullets despite his strong protest."
"If he was already able to manufacture the bullets, we needed to get a hold of them before he shipped them out," Mirai said, some pride in his voice. "We had noticed a lot of communications going out and back between an unknown source; we felt it was important to do everything to identify them. If Overhaul had a partner that had access to the research, we needed to know who they were."
"This is despite your source telling you that the only person that Overhaul worked with was a Hari Kurono, a.k.a. Chronostasis, his lieutenant, but you didn't believe this?" Cathy said, closing the folder and handing it back to him.
"It wasn't a risk I felt we could take," Mirai said, moving to put the folder back.
"Learn anything, dear?" Cathy said as All-Might walked back to her. Mirai turned to see All-Might whispering in her ear. "Really?" Cathy said, surprised, and looked at Mirai. "So all your informant asked for was a stuffed animal, some supplement pills, nutrition bars, and to be extracted. According to Officer Benzo, one of your people who was watching the compound, they made it outside independently, and you let them be recaptured. He quit the task force shortly after that."
"As I explained earlier," Mirai said. "Your deputies had no probable cause not to believe that Overhaul was not the child's father and should have let them go and filed a suspicion report; instead, they engaged in battle with him and members of the Eight Bullets, endangering numerous lives. Somehow, they lived, and no one was killed, but it is questionable if Overhaul will ever walk again; as of right now, he is being kept sedated while we figure out how to neutralize his quirk." His eye twitched when Cathy reached out and lifted a mug, which was just casually set down. He put it back in its proper place.
"We had to scramble to take down the compound, which had erupted into a brawl and were barely able to secure the research, but we don't know who they were communicating or possibly working with," Mirai said; he looked from Cathy to Toshi, "Is she aware…?"
"Of All for One, One for All, transferable quirk," Cathy waived her hand in a circular motion. "Yes."
"Interesting," Mirai said. "What in the world possessed you to pass One for All down to an emotionally damaged young boy who had barely managed to awaken his quirk at such a late age? When I had already located Mirio and told you he would be perfect with some training, I knew you had seen and even talked to him. You have to see how much of a better choice he still is. Then he manages to have a child with the daughter of two villains who get killed, and when he reveals this to you, you still decide not to have him surrender One for All. He is reckless and cannot be a subtle bearer due to goodwill and determination alone," Mirai's voice rose with fire and passion. "Now, with All For One being alive, this little girl is now a target; whoever signed off on him even being allowed to keep the child should be investigated on that matter alone."
"Is that all?" Toshi said.
"No," Mirai nearly roared.
"Oh, there's more," Cathy said.
"He is reckless, and when I used my quirk on him, I saw him evil, good, and so many different things; nothing was the same. Then it all turned static, and I heard a girl's voice laughing. I believe you should encourage him to surrender One for All to Mirio and withdraw from the hero course; it is in his best interest and the interest of that child. If you are afraid to take the correct course in this matter, then I fear I must be the one to do so." Mirai was imploring All-Might. "You know what awaits you, Toshi. The end of this road is a painful death. Listen to me for just this once! You trusted my intelligence once, for once do the smart thing and do so again!"
"He has to be done now," Cathy said.
"Is that it?" Toshi said.
"Yes, now will you finally listen to me?" Mirai said.
"No, Mirai, you will listen to me?" Toshi said in a deathly, calm voice. "I thought I understood disappointment but never realized it could sink to such depths that it verges into hopelessness and despair. Let me address the issues I feel I can the easiest; I don't understand the depth of ignorance you could possess that you can even dare to stand in front of me and question whom I have passed One for All to. As you called him, that reckless boy is a strong and resilient young man who stood before me and declared that he would still be a hero even with his quirk recently awakening."
"When this world took his father, he and his mother soldiered on; when this world took his mother whom he loved deeply, he soldiered on; then this world took the woman he loved and dropped a child on his lap. Did he shrink from that responsibility? No, he took it head-on and told me immediately. He was ready to surrender One for All if I asked, but he was still ready to be a hero, not for himself, but for his daughter; he aspired to be such a great hero that his daughter wouldn't need to be. I didn't teach him how to unlock this One for All for himself. It was that same daughter of villains. When I challenged him and set the bar high, he exceeded it." All-might's voice had not raised in the slightest.
"That is not some boy; that is my SON!" Now All-Might's voice roared, "That is my granddaughter that you dare to threaten to try and take from him, from me. One For All is his, as it was mine before then; if and when he decides to pass it on, it will be his decision, as it was my decision. You are not the holder of One For All; your opinion on such matters is worth as much to me as the dirt on the bottom of my shoes."
Mirai was stunned, "You have not seen how he and that child have rallied the hero course; you did not experience the terror when a traitor in our midst sought to bring terror and blood to our doorstep. When you looked into my future, where was I passing One for All to my son? Where was the threat to my granddaughter? What kind of hero have you become that you would sacrifice a child for your pursuit? You had the chance to save them both, and you fucking failed!" All-Might was leaning on the desk; it groaned, the wood cracking.
"Abby is dead because of you, and you will face discipline. My deputies took down Overhaul, and three members of the Eight Bullets, and you find reason to fault them for not sending an abused child back to suffer more abuse because you didn't care about that." All-Might said.
"Not even when your source told you that she was key to the research," Cathy said; she was staring a hole through him. "You failed to save that girl and who knows how many others? It wasn't perfect enough for you. You had him dead on drug charges, enough charges to put him away for life; factor in when others would have started making deals to save their own lives; it was enough to put him to death. And when four first-year students did the job you failed to do, you have the nerve to threaten them with taking away their child. You disgust me."
"Was Mirio anything other than someone you trained to try and control One For All," All-Might said. "That is what you wanted, to control who had One for All and how they would use it!"
"That wasn't…" Mirai started to say.
"No, you don't get to talk," All-Might said, pointing his finger at Mirai. "I let you speak in the hopes that somehow you had come to a semblance of sanity after yesterday. The raid did not fail. Overhaul and his organization were dismantled and will continue to be dismantled. Yet you will not accept it because it has not reached your perfect zenith." All-Might's hand fell to the desk.
"Mirio has trained hard not for One For All; he has trained and honed his quirk into a strong and versatile weapon in his arsenal. He is a powerful member of the Big 3; he will be an amazing hero greater than you can see," all anger had left All-Mights voice, but only disappointment remained. "But he was nothing more to you than a tool to acquire One For All. I am done with you, now and forever. I will be reporting to you for Abby's death and child endangerment. I shudder that your name is associated with mine in any shape or form. If you come for my son, if you come for my granddaughters, my future daughters-in-law, you will rue the day you dared to ever look in their general direction."
"My turn?" Cathy said with a smile; Toshi nodded. Cathy grabbed the desk and tore it in half, sending it flying across the room. "You left a broken and scared girl to die in that compound, a girl that asked to be saved; you used her, and you killed her," Cathy poked him in the chest. "Not Overhaul you; her blood is on your hands; all the pain that Overhaul inflicted on Eri is because of you. I read your file. I read the reports. Overhaul must have killed and brought Eri back to life dozens of times a day. You sent a 6-year-old child back into that for your gains. You fucking disgust me; you are an embarrassment to the very word hero; it makes me feel dirty knowing you are in the same profession as me. You come near that family, and you better pray that Toshi gets to you before me; nobody will stop me from getting my hands on you."
Cathy was towering over him; she turned away and paused. "Sorry, dear. Call me the tooth fairy bitch. I am here to collect." Cathy pivoted and landed such a thunderous right cross the windows in the room shattered. Mirai's head jerked to the side, violently breaking his jaw and sending his teeth flying. She kneeled over him, "That is you getting off light," she dropped some money on his chest, "Don't worry, Mirai Sasaki, your teeth will regrow in eight days." She turned and walked over to Toshi. She took his hand and kissed his cheek. "Take me back to your family; I want to get to know them before I go home."
"I would love to," Toshi beamed. "You can send me the bill," he said over his shoulder as they walked out.
Mirai looked at his hands, and they were covered in blood; for the next eight days, they would be covered in blood no matter how much he washed them or scrubbed them. After that, for a few years, Miria would see Abby's ghost out of the corner of his eye; it didn't stop till he went to her family and apologized for failing their daughter.
How The Family of Four Became a Family of Five
Eri freaked out a bit when Nezu and Recovery Girl walked in, but Inari, being the ambassador, could quickly help put Eri at ease when Recovery Girl did her exam. When the topic of her quirk came up, Eri started to cry, and they noticed her horn began to glow; when Inari wiggled free and hugged her, it shocked Eri, and it stopped.
Itsuka stepped forward and handed Eri the bunny. "Eri, concentrate on the bunny," Inari was scooped up by Itsuka, who passed her to Izuku.
"But my quirk is evil," Eri whimpered.
"No, Eri, that man told you that, but I bet it is beautiful," Itsuka whispered, holding Eri's hands. "You know, I read in the note that Abby left, and your quirk is so beautiful and amazing. You need to learn to control it." Eri looked at her, "We can help you, and so can Nezu; he is smarter than anyone I have ever met. Just listen to my voice, okay? Then, concentrate on the bunny. Let's make Mr. Bunny feel better and look pretty."
"Okay," Eri whispered, "But back up."
"I will just listen to my voice," Eri nodded, "now concentrate on Mr. Bunny. Take a nice deep breath and focus on Mr. Bunny going on a journey, a trip backward to when he was brand new. To when Abby first gave him to you."
Everyone watched Eri close her eyes and breathe slowly as Itsuka talked to her. Then, they saw her horn glow, and the bunny glow the same way as her horn. The bunny began to mend, and it got clean and dirty, then clean, torn, and sowed.
"Keep going, Eri. We are watching Mr. Bunny. He is going on his trip and traveling down the road," Itsuka said. She took a deep breath, unwrapped her left arm, and touched the stuffed rabbit; the others wanted to shout at her to stop, but they didn't want to startle Eri and have her lose control. They watched as the glow ran up Itsuka's arm and over her body; they saw the wounds on her arm open, close, and then disappear; Itsuka pulled back, shaking her head.
"Wonderful, Eri," Itsuka whispered, looking at her arms, "so wonderful. He is almost there. Can you see when Abby gave him to you when he was brand new?"
"I can see it," Eri whispered. "It was the night after my first dream of home; she said it was Christmas."
"Good, when you get to that day, I want you to stop. That is where Mr. Bunny's trip stops. Can you do that?" Itsuka said gently.
Eri nodded, the glow of her horn stopped, and the bunny looked brand new, and Eri's horn looked smaller, just barely poking from her head. Eri opened her eyes and smiled so wide as she looked at the bunny. "He looks like the day Abby gave him to me."
"Look what you did?" Itsuka said, smiling, showing Eri her healed arms.
"I did that," Eri said in wonder. "I didn't hurt you with my quirk?"
"No baby," Itsuka said, pulling the sniffling Eri into her arms. "You made the pain and everything go away. You see, a monster can't do that, and an evil quirk can't do that. So don't be afraid; we will help you, okay?" Eri nodded, her head buried in Itsuka's shoulder.
Recovery Girl examined Itsuka's arms, "It is like it never happened," Recovery Girl leaned in and whispered. "If you ever do something so reckless again, I will give you a shot that kills your sex drive for months!" Itsuka's eyes went wide.
"What are we going to do, sir?" Izuku said to Nezu.
"As the responding deputies, you have the authority to direct which child center you wish her to go to, and it so happens that U.A. is a certified center," Nezu said with a smile, "We just need All-Might to sign off. As you work on getting her adopted, that process is one that you are familiar with, but with All-Might sponsoring you, it should carry weight as the investigation is carried out. They must attempt to locate any biological relatives that will dictate quite a bit." Nezu looked at Eri. "It appears her power to rewind things is stored in her horn; it was courageous and foolish of Ms. Kendo to do that. There will be an interesting adjustment period where we must get her used to attending daycare as her formal education is at least a few years behind. It will be something we can do on campus for now, as that will be the safest for her."
"What about my quarters?" Izuku said.
"We are working on expanding it now," Nezu said. "It should be done in a few days. But the basic expansion should be done, allowing you to stay there, and the work can be completed when you are in class; I had a bed and some standard-issue bedding sent over till you can replace them. Ms. Hatsume's improvements were being implemented, and after a brief explanation, she was more than happy to run some extra wiring." Nezu paused. "Adjusting her to the rest of the class will have to be done slowly, and introducing her to Fumikage must be done very slowly; his visage will remind her of Overhaul. I would talk to him and Dark Shadow as soon as you can."
"Thank you for everything, sir," Izuku said.
"Yes sir, thank you," Momo bowed.
"I am not guaranteeing anything, but this child's potential is extraordinary, and I understand what it is like to be stuck in a cage," Nezu said, looking at Eri and Inari sitting on the bed. Inari told Eri that when they got home, they should color together. Coloring books seemed to be something Eri was familiar with, making her happy.
Once Toshi and Cathy returned, there was a lot of paperwork to fill out; Itsuka and Momo's parents said their goodbyes after both dropped off clothes for Eri and a few presents for Inari. Eri may have cried when she wore her first clean and new clothes; she came out of the bathroom with Momo and Itsuka. She wore a white shirt with a red pinafore dress, white sandals with the cutest sun hat, and a red bow.
"You look so pretty," Izuku gushed. "Are you ready to come home?"
"All of us?" Eri said, looking at everyone.
"All of us," Momo and Itsuka said, smiling.
Inari took her hand, "You will like it, I promise; that is where all the toys are."
"You will be safe there," the tall blonde man said. Izuku told her that it was her grandpa and that like he was her dad, her grandpa was her daddy's dad.
"Home," Eri said like it was a mystical word, the place in her dreams. "Please take me home."
"As you Wish," Izuku said, smiling.