10
Rays of sunlight entered the bedroom. Birds chirped outside the window. It was a beautiful morning. All quiet. The person laying on the bed sighed contently, deep in her sleep.
An alarm interrupted her dreams. She groaned and lifted her right arm, reaching blindly for her phone to cancel the alarm. After a few tries, silence enveloped her room again. The girl sighed and went back to sleep. She was dozing when her door was opened and two small missiles jumped on her bed.
"Wake up, Nee-chan!" "Ty!"
Izumi grumbled and covered her head with her pillow. After five months of harsh training, from dawn to dusk, she had enjoyed sleeping for the last couple of weeks. Even when she traveled all over the Regions she wasn't so tired. Unlike other rookies who tried to conquer the gyms as fast as they could, Izumi took her time. She didn't rush in. Not even when she had the type advantage.
"Nee-chan, mama says you are going to be late for your first day of school! Wake uuup! Ty-chan help me!" "Ty! Ro!"
Izumi smiled under her sheets. It amazed her to see how much her little sister had changed in the last five months.
When Eri first stepped into their new home, she was frightened and shy. At night, she refused to sleep alone, clinging either to Izumi or to Inko. If Izumi was home, then the little girl would remain glued to her side. For the first two months, her mom worked at home so that Eri wouldn't feel alone when Izumi went to train during the afternoons. In the morning, both girls studied with the tutors that Nezu assigned them.
Saotome-san, a middle-aged man with a mutant type quirk called Elephant that turned him into an anthropomorphic elephant. The man was assigned to Izumi to help her with her weakest subjects and to reinforce the others. The man was strict with his lessons, but it was worth it; the results of her exams were proof of it.
Kayama-san was Eri's tutor. A beautiful purple haired woman who showed great patience and kindness with her little sister. After a few weeks of teaching, Eri began to take her lessons alone. By the time Izumi was learning how to tone down OFA strength, Eri was willing to leave the house to take her quirk lessons with her second tutor. Izumi suspected that the woman was actually a hero, but she couldn't pin down who exactly. After five years living in the Pokemon World, she was out of the loop about heroes. It wasn´t until after the Exam Entrance that she began to really investigate the current hero rooster in Japan, the most dangerous villains, and the ones that still avoided custody.
Both Midoriyas made it their mission to get Eri as many toys, plushies, clothes, and books as her new room could handle. The first time they took Eri shopping, they nearly cried. First, they took her to different stores in order to get her new clothes and accessories. Eri was overwhelmed by all the different styles available. The little girl would look at the dresses, skirts, t-shirts, and shoes with wide eyes, barely comprehending that a single place could have so many things. Buying her clothes was a battle. Eri was used to having the bare minimum of plain clothes, aka a couple of white dresses that belonged in a hospital and underwear. That's it.
It took them more than a few trips to convince their newest family member that she deserved to have nice things. Eri was raised to believe she was a burden and that she should be grateful to have the scraps of society. Inko vowed to use her quirk on Overhaul if she ever got a chance.
Little by little, with patience and time, they started to convince Eri that she deserved to have not only a good life but a great one. That things like clothes, food, a bedroom, a bed, etc. weren't a reward, but a right. Seeing Eri sleeping at night in her own bed, cuddling both Mienfoo and her new princess doll, had both Midoriya´s crying. After that, slowly but steadily, Eri´s room began to fill.
Izumi´s newborn Tyrogue had a huge impact on Eri´s recovery. All three women had been present when Izumi´s Pokemon egg started to tremble and cracks formed on its shell. Of course, Izumi made sure that she was the first person the baby saw when it opened its eyes. Imprinting was a crucial part of raising Pokemon babies. If the baby, for some reason, imprinted on her mother or, worse, on Eri, then Izumi would have to wait up to at least a year (unless it was a bug type, then it would take a few months tops) before trying to capture it and bond with it.
Fortunately, when Tyrogue opened his little eyes, the first thing he saw was his new trainer´s warm smile. The baby-fighting type had looked at his mother figure and leapt at her arms. Thank Arceus that Izumi had already raised a baby Pokemon once. At least this time she would have more help. The first time, she only had some books and advice from Nurse Joy and other doctors. Her team helped, sure, but it was a rough challenge.
Both her mom and Eri fell in love with the baby. Her mom cooed over it and cried while saying she was too young to be a grandmother. She could still feel the blush on her face when she said that. Eri and Tyrogue had both looked confused at the scene.
Eri and Tyrogue became best friends in just one moment. Eri had been in her room having a tea party with Lopunny, Bewear, and a reluctant Lucario when Tyrogue entered the room and sat with them. By the end of the day, both were tied by the hip.
Tyrogue was her youngest Pokemon; the rest were already adults or close to adulthood; for him, they were more like big siblings/rode models. Eri was the only one close to his age range.
Seeing both of them jump on top of her bed, smiling wildly at it, made her so happy.
Izumi grinned and struck fast. She pulled both of them in a hug and began to tickle them. Her mother interrupted the laughter with her own.
"If you three keep playing around, then you will definitely be late for your first day."
"Sorry mom," "Ha ha, sorry mommy, haha," "Ty ty."
Izumi let her little sister go and went to change into her new uniform. Wearing UA's uniform and colors filled her with pride. She couldn't help but stand straighter and smile wildly in the mirror.
Breakfast was a happy affair. Her mother made their favorite foods and gave them bento boxes for both girls and another box with snacks for her team.
Izumi had received a letter telling her to bring six of her Pokemon on her first day. Her homeroom teacher would evaluate them at the end of the day in order to accommodate her schedule to include hero work for her Pokemon.
Eri was also going with her. Apparently, her second tutor, the one that Izumi never met, worked at UA. Eri didn't tell her who it was; she had pinky swear not to reveal his identity. Their mother knew, since she was her legal tutor, but she also promised not to tell.
Izumi accepted it. Pinky swears were sacred.
A message came to her new phone.
'Hi Izumi-chan! I'm going to the train station. See you at UA! 😄😄'
'Hi Ochako-chan! Ok, I will see you at UA. Let's hope we are in the same class!'
'Same! '
She and Ochako sent a few other messages. Both girls had exchanged numbers after the Entrance Exam and quickly became friends.
Ochako was a nice girl, smart, and caring. She wanted to be a Rescue Hero, like Thirteen the Space Hero, her personal hero. Her quirk, Zero Gravity was perfect for that line of heroics. Ochako also showed ability to fight against villains and criminals. The way she used her quirk against the robots proved it.
Her mom had been glad that she had made a new friend. Well, a human friend. During the six years that she had been living as quirkless, she had been a pariah. To the children, she was a freak; to the adults, she was useless. Her social skills had been severely damaged by the bullying and isolation. Living in the Pokemon World, a place where no quirks existed and discrimination and hazing were more frowned upon, helped her a lot to heal. Her interactions with people of her age were mostly about battling, so it was easier to have conversations.
After breakfast, Izumi grabbed six of her pokeballs, her first and oldest members, and put them on her special belt. Riley had gifted it to her after they parted ways. The belt had a magnetic lock tied to her aura, a special feature against thieves.
Before leaving, she grabbed Tyrogue's pokeball. The little one still wasn't ready for battling or heavy training, but she couldn't leave him alone. He was still too young.
Both girls waved to Inko and left for the train station. Unlike the past year, where they traveled disguised and fast, hiding in alleys and abandoned buildings, trying not to draw attention to themselves, now Izumi and Eri just walked through the streets. No longer hiding, no longer afraid. They just walked like normal girls.
The trip to UA was uneventful. A woman recognized her uniform and smiled at her encouragingly. It was kind of embarrassing that people could tell that she was a UA student just by her uniform. But it was sad that the woman only acted that way because she thought that Izumi was studying to be a hero. If she had thought that she was in the General Course, the Support Department, or the Administrative Department, then she probably wouldn't even notice she existed.
Izumi banished those thoughts. One day, things will change. She will make sure of it.
Entering UA as a Hero Course student felt different than entering as a candidate. She could see how many of the students, both of her same grade and her senpais, crowded around a large screen. Her face blushed when she saw her name in the first place. It went crimson when she overheard talking about her fight with the Zero Pointer. Izumi held Eri's hand tighter and led her to her homeroom.
Kayama-san told both Midoriyas to bring Eri to her homeroom, and then her teacher would send the little girl to her own classes.
When she saw Class 1-A's door, she stopped. Suddenly, she felt nervous. Her heartbeat and breathing increased, her palms became sweaty, and a fog was clouding her mind.
"Izumi-nee?" Eri's voice brought her back. Her little sister stared at her nervously. Eri hugged her as tightly as she could. Izumi smiled and kissed the top of her head, grateful for her intervention.
She wasn't a shy, quirkless, weak, useless girl anymore. She was a professional Pokemon Trainer. An Aura user. A hero student. The ninth holder of One For All. All Might's successor. Izumi took a deep breath and then exhaled. She opened the door.
"How dare you put your feet on top of the desk?! Don't you have any respect for our senpais that sat in this same place?!" The weird, rigid, bespectacled guy who accused her of trying to disrupt the other candidates was yelling at a familiar blond.
"I give a crap about some Extras, Extra!" Bakugou yelled back. Her former childhood friend was lying on his chair with his legs on the desk. He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
The guy with the glasses inhaled deeply, trying to calm down.
"It's obvious we started on the wrong terms. I am Iida Tenya; I'm from Soumei."
"An extra from the Elite? I will crush you!" Bakugou made a shark-eating grin. Iida looked shocked at his statement.
"Threatening a classmate? What kind of hero do you think you are?!" "The Number One!"
Bakugou saw her. Neither said anything. They just nodded to each other. Bakugou arched an eyebrow when he saw Eri but didn't say anything.
When Iida saw that Bakugou's attention was on someone behind him, he turned, and his eyes widened when he recognized Izumi. Immediately, he bowed.
"I am sorry for my behavior during the Entrance Exam! I thought you were just a troublemaker, but I misjudged you! You were able to see better than me."
Both Izumi and Eri were weirded out by Iida. They had no idea what the taller boy was talking about.
"Eh? I don't know what you are talking about."
"The hidden test. You were able to see that there was a hidden test during the practical exam. That's why you went after the Zero-Pointer while the rest ran away."
"Eh, not really. I just did what was right. Ochako-chan needed help, and I was there."
Iida frowned and then bowed again.
"Then you are definitely better than me!"
"Wow, this guy really needs to chill out," a blonde boy muttered. He was sitting on top of his desk. Iida must have not noticed him before seeing Bakugou.
"Izumi-chan! We are both in Class A! Yeahhh!" Ochako cheered behind her. Izumi smiled and hugged her friend. When they let go, she put her hand on Eri's shoulder.
"Eri, this is Ochako-chan. She is the friend I made back in the Entrance Exam, remember? Ochako-chan, this is my little sister, Eri." Izumi was nervous. Eri was getting better at meeting new people, but she was still shy. A part of Izumi, a big one, wanted her baby sister to get along with Ochako. She also hoped that Ochako would accept her weird history and the rest of her family. Ochako was her first friend in a long ttime, and she really wanted the people that she cared about to get along.
Ochako could see that not only her new friend was nervous, but also Eri. She kneeled in front of her and offered her hand. Eri tentatively shook it.
"Hi Eri-chan. Izumi told me that you like tea parties." She nodded. "Well, I too like tea parties. Unfortunately, my parents don't, and my friends back home think they are too boring. Soo, maybe I could join yours? I can bring my own set."
Eri frowned. She thought deeply. She looked at her nee-chan, who smiled warmly at her. She turned toward Ochako and nodded hesitantly. Ochako smiled brightly and gave her a little pat on the head.
"You are too loud," a man interrupted them. The entire class, including Eri, turned towards the doorway.
A caterpillar was in the doorway. A yellow, human-sized caterpillar. Nobody spoke.
"Sensei!" Eri yelled happily at the caterpillar.
"Sensei?" "Sensei?!"
The caterpillar seemed to move strangely. It was as if something wanted to burst. A human hand pulled through and moved a zipper. It wasn't a caterpillar; it was a sleeping bag. The man who appeared before them looked more like a hobo than a teacher. Long black unkempt hair that partially covered his face and fell to his shoulders, deep dark bags under his eyes, and a feeling of severe tiredness.
"You all need to be more quick and pay more attention to your surroundings. This is a hero school, not kindergarten," the man sighed tiredly. "My name is Aizawa Shouta, and I will be your homeroom teacher. Put on your gym uniforms and go to the Physical Exercise Grounds. Eri, while they do that, I will take you to Kayama-san. Midoriya, why did you bring seven with you?"
"One of them was born two months ago; he is too young to be left at home. His instincts make me his mother figure."
Except for Eri and Aizawa-sensei, the rest of the class seemed confused. Aizawa frowned.
"Will that interfere in your responsibilities?" She shook her head. "I have experience already, and the worst part has already passed. He can handle being in his Pokeball; he just doesn't like being away from me."
Aizawa nodded. He would trust her word for now. He looked at the rest of his students and saw that they weren't moving from their places.
"Why are you still here? I have already given my instructions. Go," and with that, they all began to move. All except Izumi. The Aura trainer stepped aside from the door so her classmates could leave and moved closer to Aizawa-sensei. Some of the students just left without giving her a glance back. A few whispered. A pink-skinned girl with small horns on her head smiled cheerily at her little sister and waved. Eri waved hesitantly back. Ochako lingered at the door frame, but Izumi gave her a confident smile. Her friend chewed her lip and left.
"Aizawa-sensei" "What Midoriya?" "Thank you." "Hmm?" Izumi bowed her head. Not like Iida, who bent his entire torso and made it look rigid. She bowed in gratitude.
"Thank you for helping Eri these past few months. Eri is my little sister. She is someone precious to my family. When you began to teach her how to control her quirk, you did something I wasn't able to do. Give her peace about her quirk. Ever since Eri met you, she has been more relaxed and happy. So, in the name of my family, thank you."
Aizawa said nothing. He stared at Midoriya unperturbed. His lips twitched a little. Barely.
"I am a teacher; it's my job to help troublesome children control their quirks and use them to their maximum ability. It's only logical."
Izumi turned towards her sister. "Have a good day, Eri. Remember, if you need me, just send me a text, and I will be there. It doesn't matter when. Ok?" "Yes nee-chan."
Izumi nodded and left to change. Eri turned towards her sensei.
"Let´s go, Eri. Are you ready for your test?" "Yes, Izumi-nee helped me study. Mien-chan, Sir Plushy, and Ty-chan helped too. And mama said that I would do great."
After a while, Class 1-A found themselves on the P.E grounds. It didn't look that different from the ones at their previous schools. A pitching circle, a track, a sandpit, a long table with different types and sizes of weights, etc. All the necessary items for a normal P.E class.
"Sensei, what is our purpose here?" Iida was the first to ask Aizawa when he appeared.
"We will be doing a Quirk Apprehension Test" "A Quirk Apprehension Test? What about the entrance ceremony and orientation?" Ochako asked.
"UA is known for giving the teachers freedom to conduct their classes however they see fit. This is a hero school; things like orientation can be read by oneself in a pamphlet. It's illogical to lose time on random things like that."
Aizawa grabbed a softball and moved toward the pitching circle.
"50-meter dash, grip strength, standing long jump, ball throw, long distance run, seated toe touch, repeated side steps, sit-ups—eight tests you all had in middle school. The government prohibits the use of quirks in physical activities. It's illogical. There are many quirks that can´t be turned down when it comes to physical abilities. This is a hero school. We need to know your real abilities to train you. Midoriya, you scored the highest on the Practical Test. Use your quirk to throw this ball."
Izumi went to the circle. She saw how her classmates reacted to the news that she was the student with the highest score. Bakugo was scowling, angry that he hadn't been the number one since day 1. Ochako was smiling proudly at her, beaming. Iida and the boy with the naval laser just nodded; both had been with her on Ground C when they saw her fight with the Zero Pointer. A two-toned-haired boy stared at her as if he were dissecting her. A dark-haired girl also stared at her, as if analyzing her.
The stares didn't make her nervous or anxious. It felt like back in the Pokemon League. But with twenty people staring at her instead of thousands.
First, she drew on her aura, its bluish tint enveloping her body. Next, she activated OFA. The strength quirk followed her aura´s path in the way of green lighting. She gritted her teeth at the strength of the quirk and then focused on dialing it to 5%. The whole process took her at least two minutes. By the look on Aizawa-sensei´s face, he too realized that she needed to be faster.
Izumi grabbed the ball and threw it with all her strength.
"SMAAAAAAAASHHHHHHHHHH!"
The ball flew and flew. Aizawa-sensei held a sensor in his hand and showed the class the final result. 700 meters. Her classmates were shocked by her score. Murmurs erupted between them.
"So we can use our quirks for this?" "This looks really fun!"
"Fun?" Aizawa-sensei sounded amused. "You think this is about having fun? Then, new rule: the student with the lowest total score will be considered hopeless and therefore expelled."
"WHAAAT?!" "We passed the Entrance Exam!" "You can't do this, sensei!"
"Three years is the time you have to become heroes. Will you spend the next three years goofing around or overcoming your limits? Plus Ultra is the spirit of this school. Those that play at being heroes have no hope and don't belong here."
The next few hours, Aizawa saw how his students overcame their tests. Most of the students that passed the practical exam had quirks suited for combat and often overlooked any other capacity. With these tests, he was able to see how they adapted to different situations.
Students like Hagakure, Kaminari, and Jirou were unable to use their quirks for any event, so they had to rely on their physical condition. Others, like Minoru, saved their quirks for the only parts that could actually help. Even the quiet Koda was only able to use his augmented strength given by his heteromorphic quirk.
Uraraka surprised him. The brunette removed the gravity of her clothes when it came to running, hoping to minimize the weight on her body. Her mind was quick.
Yaoyoruzu was the one who showed the most creativity. Yaoyoruzu's quirk Creation allowed her to create a motorcycle, jumping boots, and even a bazooka. The only events where she was unable to use her quirk were the repeated side steps, sit-ups, and toe touches. And even in those, she got good results because of her physical skills.
Bakugou and Midoriya were like fish in the water. Both were in good physical condition and maximized their quirks in the events that required them. Bakugou just needed to tone down his explosive outburst, and Midoriya needed to be faster at activating both her aura and her quirk. According to her file, the girl was a late bloomer. Her quirk only activated after she spent years of physical training and after she learned how to use her "aura," some type of ability that only a handful of people were able to use in the world she had lived in. Her quirk, Augmented Strength, was capable of making her stronger, but her body wasn't capable of withstanding its maximum output. So, she used her aura as a protective suit, then activated her quirk and calibrated it to a force she could handle. Right now, the progress was taking her two minutes. However, it seemed that the more she used it, the more her body acclimatized to it. Right now, all he saw were the green sparks dancing alongside her body, but not the blue shin of her aura. The girl was taking the opportunity to experiment and improve. A small grin came to his face. Good.
Todoroki, however, made him frown. The boy was only using half of his quirk. Logically, his fire would be more useful for the long jump and the 50 meter dash; however, the boy used only his ice for all the events except the last three. A part of him wanted to expel the boy. A hero who refused to use all their power was no hero. Even heroes like Uwabami and Mount Lady, who were obsessed with their ratings and popularity, didn't hesitate when they were on patrol. He would have to keep a closer eye on the younger Todoroki. He would not have a dead hero in four years just because the boy was too stubborn or prideful.
By the end of the tests, his students were waiting for his decision. Todoroki and Yaoyoruzu were the only ones who were nonplussed. Bakugou seemed confident. Midoriya, Kirishima, Shoji, and Tokoyami seemed neutral. The rest were nervous or afraid. Especially Hagakure and Minoru.
"These are the results."
A screen showed up. Yaoyoruzu was at the top, followed by Todoroki, Midoriya, and then Bakugou. At the bottom, however, was Hagakure. The invisible girl dropped to the ground and began to weep. Ashido hugged her, and the rest of the girls followed her example. The boys, too, showed empathy in their eyes. They balled their fists and narrowed their eyes. Even Bakugou's eyes softened a little.
"Hagakure" "Sniff, sniff. I, I get it. I-I won't make a scandal, sensei." "You are not expelled."
Hagakure stood there. Since she was invisible, they couldn't see the expression on her face. The incredulity on her face.
"Wh-wha-WHAAAAAT?!"
"I lied. Nobody is getting expelled."
His students stared at him open-mouthed. All except for two.
"Being a hero is no game. The importance of these tests is to know your limits. By having you think that expulsion is possible, you would give it your all." Aizawa would never tell them that his expulsion threat was real.
Hagakure didn't earn her spot in Class 1-A by having a flashy, strong quirk, she earned it by using her brain and not giving up. The girl had stripped her clothes off (note: make sure she talks to Hound Dog and Midnight about not streaking even if she is invisible) and found the hidden switches on the bot's back. Not only that, she also helped other competitors or got them away from danger. The girl might not be the next Mirko or All Might, but she had good instincts for hero work.
"Change back into your uniforms and go back to your classroom. Your curriculum sheets are there. Midoriya, after that, go to Ground C. The rest can go home."
"Eh? Why does Izumi-chan have to stay?" Ochako asked, concerned. Before the others could inquire, Izumi answered.
"Ochako-chan, it's okay. It's kind of a long story, but I promise to explain everything tomorrow. I swear." Ochako hesitated but accepted it. The rest of her classmates, too, seemed to want to know more but chose to wait until the next day.
A few minutes later, Izumi found herself again in Ground C alongside Aizawa-sensei. Her teacher made a motion, and Izumi released her team.
Aizawa could recognize Lucario, Infernape, Lopunny, and Gallade from the footage and information that Midoriya gave to Nezu. The other two were new. A violet monkey with two tails that seemed to have giant hands on their ends and an upright blue toad with an enlarged red bulb on its throat.
"My first team. Lucario was my first partner. Infernape is my starter. Lopunny, Gallade, Ambipom, and Toxicroak. All have been with me since the beginning. Guys, this is Aizawa-sensei. He is going to evaluate us today." Her Pokemon nodded and faced their trainer's teacher.
Aizawa observed them. All six Pokemon resembled different animal species; they all looked fit and were alert. At first glance, they seemed relaxed, but any pro would see that they were ready to strike the moment their trainer told them to.
"The goal today is simple. Something you are familiar with, according to your interviews. A fight. Your team against me."
"What's the catch?" "None. Losing or winning doesn't matter. I want to have an idea of your Pokemon skills and your training abilities."
Izumi nodded. One thing was to teach her how to be a hero. Another was to teach her team.
"What about their strength? All six are full-grown members of their species. All their attacks are capable of causing great damage to a human body."
"I am a pro. Broken bones are a normal occurrence. Besides, Recovery Girl is there," he pointed behind him to a small picnic where indeed the Youthful Heroine and the Principal were sharing a cup of tea with her little sister.
"Hi nee-chan!" Eri waved cheerfully. Izumi waved back.
"Don't break your necks or heads! Those are hard to heal!" Recovery Girl warned them offhandedly.
Izumi didn't know Aizawa-sensei's quirk. Eri never told her how her lessons were or anything about her teacher. Whatever his quirk was, it had to be able to contravene Eri's. The fact that he mentioned broken bones meant that his durability was human. For now, she would have to play it safe. Before the fight could start, she had to do something.
"Tyrogue, come out," the baby Pokemon was released, and he seemed confused at the new place.
"Tyrogue, we are going to fight against Aizawa-sensei. I want you to watch and pay attention. One day, you will be in there too." Tyrogue nodded enthusiastically and pointed at Eri. She nodded, and he ran towards her little sister. Eri hugged him and then gave him a cup of tea. Tyrogue accepted it and made sure to watch the fight.
When she saw Aizawa-sensei's crouching to leap forward, she went into action.
"Lucario Metal Sound, Infernape Dig."
Lucario produced a painful metallic sound from his maw that made Aizawa flinch and cover his ears. Infernape buried himself and stalked his prey, waiting for the right time to strike.
"Gallade, Lopunny, focus on increasing your speed and strength. Gallade I want you to spam your Teleport. Lopunny, Helping Hand whenever you are not attacking. Toxicroak, Poison Jab, Ambipom Double Hit and Fury Swipes. Test his defenses."
Gallade began to teleport all around her teacher, trying to distract him. The pro didn't fall for it. Instead, he grabbed his goggles and covered his eyes. Now they couldn't tell what his eyes were focusing on. Lopunny increased Toxicroak stats, and the toxic toad went first.
A dance formed between Pokemon and human. Toxicroak would try to hit him with his poisonous fist, and Aizawa would evade it at the last second. He didn't attack. He just jumped and moved aside. Ambipom jumped towards Aizawa, his tail hands ready to strike. That´s when Aizawa made his move.
He grabbed his scarf and threw it at Toxicroak, lassoing his arm and spinning him towards Ambipom. Both Pokemon´s eyes widened. Toxicroak´s Poison Jab intercepted Ambipom´s first tail. Unfortunately, he got swatted by his second tail.
"Toxicroak! Ambipom! Are you two okay?" Ambipom grimaced at the poison trying to enter his system. By sheer luck, he wasn't poisoned. Toxicroak was as stoic as ever. It would take a much stronger attack to disturb him.
This time, Aizawa-sensei went on the offensive. He used his scarf to grab their limbs and maneuver them against each other. His physical abilities were at the same level as the other Fighting Type Gym Leaders—no, higher. Even with Lopunny boosting their speed and agility, he was still able to keep up. Time to increase the difficulty.
"Gallade Future Sight, Lopunny, distract him with your special punches."
Lopunny rushed towards Aizawa-sensei. One of the fists was covered in lighting and the other in frost. Even with three Pokemon after him, Aizawa-sensei was showing why he was a pro.
"Mach Punch and the Fire Spin Infernape"
Infernape jumped from behind Aizawa and hit him in the back. The force of the attack sent him forward a few meters to the ground. He had barely risen up when Infernape spat a fire ring around him. Flames circled him and burned him. A second ring of six Pokemon was formed outside the fire ring. No matter where he tried to jump, he would receive a hit.
Aizawa was debating where to try against Gallade or Ambipom when a violet aura enveloped him. When it touched him, all he felt was pain. It felt like he was being punched by all six of them.
Izumi saw how her sensei was panting. Half her team wasn't in the best shape. Not only had Aizawa-sensei managed to land his own punches and kicks, but he had also used his scarf to make sure that Toxicroak´s poisonous attacks would strike at Ambipom and Lopunny. The cheerful monkey was already showing signs of poisoning, and Lopunny was holding her side from a nasty Brick Break. Toxicroak´s nonplussed visage was broken. One of his arms twitched from Lopunny´s Thunder Fist.
She was thinking about what to do next when a flash blinded them. The next thing she knew, an arm was around her neck, and her sensei was speaking.
"Not a bad strategy, but you made two big mistakes. Think you can deduce them?"
Her team was ready to rush at her, but they froze when she made a cutting motion.
"Well, Midoriya?" There was no mocking in his voice. He was a teacher giving his students a lesson.
"I should have made them grab you when you were down instead of mulling it over. I spent too much time overthinking it because I didn´t know what your quirk was."
"You sound like you know it now." "I do. There's only one hero in Japan who covers his eyes with goggles and uses a scarf as a weapon. Moreover, Nezu-san asked you to teach Eri how to control her quirk. That means that your quirk can either counter hers or, more likely, prevent her quirk from acting out whenever she loses control. That only leaves one possible hero, the Erasure Hero: Eraserhead," she announced proudly from her conclusion.
Aizawa smirked; this kid was certainly smart. However.
"Heh, not bad. Since I am an underground hero, most people don´t know I exist. Eri did say that you were a big hero fan." "I like to investigate the heroes and villains; it helps me to strategize better."
"Still, there is one mistake left. You were left wide open. Your team's biggest weakness is you. The same thing happened with Overhaul. He grabbed you because you were still, and if the heroes had not intervened, you would be dead and Eri would still be in danger. Your mother would have had to bury her daughter for the second time, assuming he left anything to recover." His words, while harsh, were true. If the heroes hadn´t been there, then Izumi would be dead. She knew it.
"You are right. With Overhaul, my plan was to be bait, to expose him as a villain so that he could be arrested and then judged for what he did to Eri. But now it is not the same." Izumi grabbed her sensei´s arm. She didn't activate OFA or her aura. Aizawa-sensei was strong and agile, yes, but she was a fighting-type trainer. Her base strength was enough to bend steel.
She bent forward and threw her sensei away from her. This time, Aizawa-sensei was able to twist in the air and fall on his feet. Izumi went into a fighting stand, similar to Lucario´s.
"I´m not defenseless, sensei. If someone comes after me, I will defend myself. But I still can't order my entire team to fight and fight alongside them at the same time." Izumi left her stance and bowed her head. Her Pokemon also bowed their heads. Even little Tyrogue repeated his comrades' actions. "Please, sensei, teach us how to be the best heroes ever!"
"Haaa, troublesome kids. You all better be ready to suffer. We only have three years after all, Midoriya." "Yes sensei!" Her Pokemon also gave cries of agreement.
"Very well done, Midoriya-san; you definitely trained your Pokemon very well. I'm looking forward to seeing your growth. All of yours." Nezu-san informed his student and her team.
"Chiyo-san, Eri-chan, this was a delicious tea. Aizawa-kun, remember to come to the meeting after finishing here," the quimera left after that.
After Chiyo-san healed Lopunny, Toxicroak, and Ambipom and insisted on healing Aizawa-sensei (all the while scolding them for being too reckless), she left with Eri. When both girls left the school, a surprise waited for them. There, waiting on the steps, were Ochako and Iida.
"Ochako-chan? Iida-san? What are you two doing here?" "Izumi-chan! And Eri-chan!" "Midoriya, oh, and Eri, right? We were concerned about why Aizawa-sensei had asked you to stay behind, so we decided to wait."
Izumi´s chest tightened. It was strange to have people caring for her after so long. For a long time, all she had was her mom, Riley, and her Pokemon.
"Guys, I, thanks. Don´t worry; it was nothing bad or too serious. I will explain everything tomorrow. Remember?"
"We know Izumi-chan; we just wanted to see you for ourselves." "Indeed, Midoriya. I would not be able to go home calmly if one of my classmates was in trouble."
Izumi chuckled. Tomorrow, she will tell her entire class the truth about her team. But for now, she would enjoy walking home with her little sister and her new friends.
Until now I didn´t realize that by giving Izumi a full team I would have to write chapters with 6 pokemon fighting. 6 pokemon. Most of the time was spent looking in bulbapedia their attacks and thinking which ones to use and how to write it. And I will have to do it again. And again. What the hell was I thinking? Well, the talk between Izumi and Bakugou will remain a mistery... until the end of the UA Sports Festival. And as a Christmas Present, behold:
Today was an important day. Probably the most important one. Inko and Izumi were both in complete agreement about it. Everything has to be perfect. Because today was Christmas Eve. Eri´s first Christmas Eve away from the Yakuza.
It has to be perfect.
For weeks, both Midoriyas had worked tiredly to make it impressive. Decorations, food, trees, and presents. The entire day was going to be filled with Christmas-themed activities. They were going to make sure that Eri never forgot this day.
When December had started and Izumi had asked her little sister what she wanted to ask Santa, the little girl had been confused. Eri didn´t know what Christmas was. She didn´t know who Santa was.
All members of the Midoriya house felt a deep and murderous feeling towards not only Overhaul but also the entire Shie Hassakai.
So, they explained how Christmas was a day of joy, how once a man named Nicholas, later Saint Nicholas, would give toys to children so that they would feel happy, and how that tradition grew over the years until it became a great festivity. And how Santa Claus brings presents to the children.
Eri had been confused and sad about that part. She thought that she must have been a bad kid, since Santa never brought her anything. Inko told her youngest daughter that Santa hadn´t been able to bring her gifts because Overhaul had hid her and prevented him from doing it.
The entire 24th of December was filled with joy. They took Eri ice skating, gingerbread house cooking, to pet real reindeers, and to a Christmas movie marathon. An entire day filled with nothing but Christmas joy. Eri spent the entire day with an awed look on her face. Not a smile, but close. The only thing they didn´t do was take their picture with Santa. Eri had declined because she was too shy.
The next morning, December 25, Eri awoke to the smell of gingerbread, chocolate, and cookies. When she went to the living room where the tree was, she was shocked at the number of presents to her name. Most were from her new mama and her nee-chan, mostly toys and plushies that she had wanted but didn´t let them buy them. Kayama-sensei had gifted her a cute purple dress with her hero logo, and Aizawa-sensei had gifted her a cat-shaped pillow. Even Nezu-san and Chiyo-chan had given her a DVD case with all the seasons of her favorite cartoon, even the newest unreleased season!
But the biggest pile was in one corner: seven presents, all from Santa. A note was taped to one of them, explaining how Santa was sorry that he hadn´t been able to overcome Overhaul´s defenses and security. And how he was glad that she had found a good and happy family with the Midoriyas.
While they were exchanging presents, Inko found one for her and Izumi, from Eri. The little girl was showing an excited Lopunny her newest tea set, while Izumi´s male Pokemon looked at it in dread. Mother and daughter opened their presents, and tears began to flow.
It was a picture. A framed picture of all three having fun on the ice rink. A small message was taped to it.
Me, Mommy, and Izumi-nee
Both Midoriyas grabbed Eri and hugged her. When she saw that they were holding her present, she asked them if they liked it. They loved it.
That day, the day of joy and miracles, something beautiful happened. While the family celebrated, they were witnesses to Eri´s first smile. The first of many to come.