Gran Torino had certainly kept his word, making the past few weeks of training nothing short of a living hell. Thankfully, Recovery Girl insisted that his grueling sessions only run from Monday to Thursday, giving his body time to adapt to One for All without overexerting itself. Today, being Friday, marked the start of his first real break, and Midoriya was more than ready for some rest.

After last week's drama, he was surprised to receive an invitation from Sadao and Shiki to join them at the mall. Their group had been planning a visit for a while, and now that UA had made its big announcement, Musutafu was experiencing an economic boom. The large mall in the city's center had even undergone expansions to accommodate the influx of new entrepreneurs and the increased number of shoppers.

Initially, Midoriya had been hesitant to go. After all, a quiet weekend to recover sounded appealing. But Sadao managed to convince him by reminding him that malls were some of the best places to spot heroes. Since quirks had drastically altered society, mass-produced items were no longer practical for many, leading malls to focus on shops that specialized in custom goods tailored to individual quirks. Instead of just one or two major brands dominating each category, these malls featured dozens of smaller shops, each offering unique products for specific needs.

The diversity of quirks also meant that architecture had to evolve to accommodate a wide range of body types and sizes. As a result, even smaller malls were massive compared to those in the pre-quirk era, making them more than just shopping centers—they had become vibrant town squares. Whether morning or evening, malls were bustling with activity, serving as social, recreational, and community hubs.

This surge in activity created a greater need for police and hero presence to maintain order. It wasn't uncommon to see at least a dozen heroes in any mall, and given the buzz surrounding Musutafu and the recent expansions, one could practically guarantee that heroes were flooding in to establish their presence in the area before anyone else.

Izuku was not disappointed.

The trip to the Mall had already been exciting, with the group spotting several heroes patrolling the streets. Some of them were unfamiliar to Izuku, likely due to his training taking up more of his time. He figured they were newer heroes, with lackluster debuts that hadn't made much buzz in the media. But that didn't dampen his enthusiasm. Most of the heroes he recognized were lower to mid-ranked, but that didn't stop him from eagerly stopping to ask for autographs. Thankfully, Sadao and Shiki were more than happy to make the group wait while he collected signatures.

However, there was one hero Izuku wasn't bold enough to approach in public—Toy-Toy. He exchanged a quick, knowing glance with Shiki, both boys pretending they hadn't recognized the hero. After all, neither of them wanted to explain how they knew her, especially not from that 18+ hero magazine Izuku had "accidentally" picked up from the side of the road a year or two ago.

The awkwardness of that moment thankfully vanished when they turned the corner and spotted Takeshita. Everyone in the group wanted his autograph, the hero being a local celebrity. Izuku, feeling grateful that his friends had patiently waited for him earlier, let them go first. As he hung back, he noticed how, even while being friendly with the group, Takeshita's sharp eyes were constantly scanning the area. Vigilant against any surprise.

Then, the hero's eyes locked onto Izuku's. For a brief moment, Izuku felt as if time had slowed to a crawl. The hero's gaze felt penetrating, assessing. But just as quickly, Takeshita's focus shifted back to another kid, who had just extended his notebook for a signature. Izuku let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Moments later, it was Izuku's turn. He handed over his notebook, Takeshita taking it with a warm smile. But before Izuku could open it to a blank page, the hero had already flipped to the first page—and paused. Izuku realized too late that it was filled with his quirk analysis notes.

"A lot of quirk analysis in here..." Takeshita remarked, his eyes flicking between Izuku and the notes. "It's good, too," he added, clearly impressed as he flipped through the pages.

Izuku's face flushed as he watched the hero browse through his work, feeling both proud and embarrassed.

Eventually, Takeshita found an empty page and signed it. But when Izuku reached to take the notebook back, the hero held onto it a moment longer, leaning in slightly.

"You're observant, kid. You aiming to be a hero?" Takeshita asked.

"Ah—ah, yes!" Izuku stammered, a little startled by the question but managing to nod firmly. "I am."

"Well, you've definitely got potential." Takeshita handed the notebook back, standing straight. "Keep up the good work, kid."

Izuku's heart soared at the praise. "Thanks! That means a lot!" he beamed, practically bouncing back to his friends, clutching his notebook in hand.

Arriving at the north end of the Mall, they were immediately swallowed by the chaotic crowd. People moved back and forth in waves, making it hard to stay together. Izuku quickly realized that choosing a Friday afternoon for their visit had been a mistake if they'd wanted to avoid the rush of bodies.

Just as he felt himself being carried away by the flow of the crowd, Sadao stepped in. The taller boy called out to Shiki, who, with a grin, generated rocks that surrounded his hands, turning them into large rocky appendages. It was a risky move in public, but if a hero called him out on it he could get away with pretending they were a mutation instead of an active transformation.

The sensible people saw a above average sized teenager with large arms made of rock and gave him room, shaping the flow of the crowd. Shiki used the extra space people gave him to create a buffer zone, helping the group stick together.

Izuku felt a little uncomfortable with the casual quirk use, but figured it wasn't harming anyone.

Once they made it through the entrance and into the building, the crowd thankfully thinned out, and Shiki dismissed the rocky appendages. The group quickly began discussing where they wanted to go, eventually splitting up to explore different sections of the mall. Izuku hadn't planned to go anywhere specific, so he tagged along with Sadao's group, who wanted to check out the newly opened stores on the southern end.

As they wandered through the mall, Izuku found himself growing a little bored. His friends stopped by several fashion shops that didn't really interest him—he had never been much for clothes. His mother's tight budget meant they focused on essentials rather than keeping up with trends. Instead of browsing, Izuku resorted to his usual hobby: people watching.

Or rather, quirk watching.

He scanned the crowd, his eyes catching various quirks at play. A man with elongated legs walked with an inconstant gait, switching between long strides and unnaturally short steps as people swarmed around him, across from the shop Izuku was in he watched while a woman with wings dealt with particularly rude looking customer, he could see the subtle movement of her butterfly-like wings twitching in anger.

Izuku marveled at the variety, but what really caught his attention was a group of students from a different school. One of them, a tall boy with blonde hair, was in the middle of them showing off a peculiar quirk. His own uniform was notably different from the rest of them as well.

The boy appeared to have springs for arms and was using them to jump rope—over his own hands. The group around him burst into laughter as he performed the trick. Izuku's eyes widened in surprise when, just as quickly as the springs appeared, the boy's arms restructured themselves back into normal human arms. He figured it was a transformation type quirk.

But what really piqued Izuku's interest was that another student in the group had the exact same spring arms, only he wasn't laughing—he was glaring at the performer.

Curious, Izuku edged closer to the group. As he did, the boy with the spring arms quietly slipped away. Izuku's ears pricked up as he caught bits of conversation from the tall blonde.

"Anyone else want a turn? No charge, I promise," the boy said, flashing a grin. "I just like showing people what their quirk looks like on someone else."

Izuku's breath caught in his throat. Could he be talking about copying quirks? That sounded like a very powerful quirk.

The tall boy was a head taller than Izuku, his blonde hair swept back to reveal a confident smirk and cat-like eyes. There was something unsettling to Izuku about the way he looked at other people.

The boy's attention shifted to a girl at the front of the group—her head resembled a snake, with long, red hair cascading down her back.

"How about you, Mongoose?" one of the boys in the group teased, nudging her forward. She stumbled slightly, shaking her head. But the others egged her on.

"C'mon, we wanna see it!" Another yelled, followed by cheers of agreement.

The tall boy stepped closer, extending his hand. A leer in his eye. "It's easy. Just touch my hand. You won't feel anything but a small tingle, I promise."

Izuku's unease deepened. The girl looked visibly uncomfortable, her snake-like eyes darting around, but she didn't speak up. The tall boy, either oblivious to her discomfort or deliberately ignoring it, continued pressing forward.

Before he knew it, Izuku was walking toward them, his body moving before his mind could catch up.

"She doesn't want to," he said firmly, stepping between the tall boy and the girl.

The blonde turned to him with an appraising look. "What, you think you're some kind of hero?" he sneered. "No one's getting hurt here."

"N-Not physically," Izuku replied, his voice wavering slightly as he suddenly remembered how uncomfortable social confrontation made him feel. "But she's clearly uncomfortable."

The taller boy raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Uncomfortable? That's not illegal, is it?"

Without warning, the blonde boy moved to poke Izuku's head with a finger. "I don't think—"

Before Izuku could react, a jolt surged through his body. He felt both a literal shock and a figurative shock as the taller boy's smirk vanished as his body convulsed violently, collapsing to the floor in front of Izuku.

Screams erupted from the nearby crowd as they backed away, panic spreading. Izuku stared at the boy's twitching form in shock, unsure what had just happened. His heart raced as he looked around, his mind reeling. He knelt down, wanting to see if his pulse was normal, only stopping when he realized that touching him again might make it worse. His eyes went wide as he realized the boys long yellow hair was now a green curly mop instead.

"Midoriya!" Sadao's voice cut through the chaos as he and the rest of the group rushed over. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced with a look of concern. "What happened?"

Izuku didn't get a chance to respond before another voice spoke up.

"That's what I'd like to know." The stern voice belonged to The Fly, a mid-ranked hero with insect-like wings and antennae. Behind him stood the boy with the spring arms, looking uneasy. The Fly pulled a phone-like device from his belt, pressing a few buttons as he approached.

"Step away from him," the hero ordered. "Let me figure out what happened here."

Izuku backed off, watching as The Fly's sidekicks arrived and placed the blonde boy—Kaitsu Monoma—onto a stretcher. The area was quickly cordoned off, leaving the small group of students waiting anxiously.

Izuku and the others sat on benches in the middle of the walkway, waiting for their turn to be questioned. One by one, The Fly and his sidekick called them into a nearby restaurant, going over the events. Izuku watched the others go in, nerves building as he waited. Eventually, it was his turn.

"You, with the green hair, you're up," one of the sidekicks called.

Izuku stood and followed the hero inside, taking a seat across from The Fly, who was busy scribbling notes. The hero barely glanced at him as he spoke.

"I'll make this quick," The Fly drawled, flipping through his paperwork. "Just need you to answer a few questions to confirm the story."

Izuku nodded, despite his usual social anxiety he found himself able to maintain composure. Maybe it was because this wasn't the first time he'd been interrogated like this.

"Yes, sir."

"The boy who had the seizure—Kaitsu Monoma. Do you know him?"

"No, sir."

"So why did you approach him?"

"I was curious about his quirk, but I stepped in when I saw he was pressuring a girl to let him use it on her."

The Fly glanced up, his expression unreadable. "Heroic of you," he muttered sarcastically before continuing, "What happened after that? How did he end up convulsing?"

"He poked me in the forehead."

The Fly's eyes narrowed. "And then you used your quirk on him?"

Izuku shook his head. "No, I didn't use my quirk."

The Fly leaned back in his chair, skepticism clear in his tone. "So you do have a quirk then?"

Izuku blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Your friends said you were quirkless," The Fly said, tapping his pen against the table. "A lot of people lie to cover for friends, so—why'd they lie for you?"

"They didn't lie," Izuku said firmly.

The Fly raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me you're quirkless, but you also have a quirk?"

"They don't know I have one yet," Izuku explained, shifting slightly in his seat. "I only found out recently."

"Really? You expect me to believe that?" The Fly's eyes narrowed in suspicion before leaning back with exaggerated exhaustion. "Listen kid, I don't want to complicate this report. The way I see things, the kid who's in the hospital is the only perp, and he injured himself. Since no one else is hurt, I'm only going to write this up as minor incident that won't go on anyone's records. So please stop complicating things and tell me the truth."

"I'm not lying," Izuku insisted, keeping his voice steady. "I can't even use it properly yet."

The Fly let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Not that it matters much. The others all backed you up, even those that don't know you. Still need to record your quirk for the report. What is it?"

"Blackwhip," Izuku answered, the name coming to him almost instinctively.

"Thanks," The Fly said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he shooed him off. "You're free to go. Get your friends and clear out."

Izuku stood to leave, but as he walked away, he overheard The Fly muttering to his sidekick, "I hate this job sometimes."

Izuku walked faster, determining that he won't ever be a hero like him.

Kaitsu Monoma groaned as his eyes opened, grunting from the afterglow of pain from the backlash of his quirk forcing a rapid and permanent change to his body. Blinking away the pain, he forced himself to sit up, only for a thick mop of dark green hair to fall into his eyes. He blinked in confusion, brushing it back. Green?

Trying his best to force the hair behind his ears and out of his eyes, he sighed in frustration as he realized he was going to be stuck with this unruly mass of hair for the rest of his life. He'd probably have to cut it short to make it at all manageable.

He was getting so proud of his long blonde hair too. He didn't know why it mattered so much to him, but something about seeing himself with that long pale blonde hair had always felt... right. Like a connection to someone from a past he couldn't quite remember.

Once he'd finally found a way to prevent the hair from falling in his face, he looked around.

It's been a while since his last visit to a hospital room, but the sterile environment was all too familiar. The memories of his past visits were all blurred together. It doesn't help that all of the memories leading up to his hospital visits are either terrible, or non-existent.

Which was why the happy smirk on his face in the mirror across from him was an unusual experience within this context. Was it because this time—this mutation—might finally be the breakthrough he was hoping for?

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft hiss of the door sliding open. A nurse hurried inside, immediately checking the machinery as she realized he was awake. Kaitsu's eyes followed her movements, narrowing in on the small, blade-like fins protruding from her elbows. Aquatic mutation. Maybe she can breathe underwater? He felt a sudden, overwhelming curiosity to ask about her quirk. Maybe even try her mutation on?

Before he could open his mouth to ask about her quirk his thoughts were interrupted as he heard the shuffling of heavy boots at the door. The tall teenager's eyes went wide as he realized she was followed in by two policemen.

The first of the two was a rather plain looking man, no mutations visible, which made him somewhat excited about what quirk he might have.

The second was a man as well but was very clearly a mutant. Their head being replaced with that of a cat. He was surprised they let a someone with such an extreme mutation join the police corps but figured this one got a pass since they were undeniably rather cute.

He wondered if it was just a mutation or if the cop had other cat-like abilities to their quirk…

…why was he so focused on quirks all of a sudden?

"Kaitsu Monoma? That is your name, correct?" The first policemen asked, shocking Kaitsu out of his thoughts and unnerving him with direct eye-contact.

"Yes, sir." He answered, the eye contact stirring up panic within him as memories of the incident at the mall flashed in his mind. He hoped he wasn't going to get into trouble.

"Alright," the man continued, "I am Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, and this is Detective Tamawaka." He gestured to his feline colleague, though his intense gaze never left Kaitsu's face. "We have a few questions for you."

Kaitsu swallowed. "Is this about what happened in the mall?"

Detective Tsukauchi didn't respond, but the cat-headed officer chimed in. "No. Meow. You're not in any legal trouble. No one but yourself was hurt, and you're still young enough to get off with a few warnings. Meow." The officer explained and Kaitsu had to suppress a giggle at the custom punctuation the officer was putting at the end of his sentences. Mutants weren't fond of being laughed at and offending a cop sounded like a bad idea.

"Although I would suggest you don't do this again, since next year you lose this privilege, and would have received a charge for villainy for what happened today. Meow."

Kaitsu nodded, outwardly agreeable, but internally he was already rationalizing his actions. He had to keep experimenting with his quirk until something clicked. This mutation—maybe it was the breakthrough he'd been waiting for and if it wasn't, he'd keep looking.

As the nurse removed the pulse monitor from his wrist, Kaitsu glanced between the officers, still perplexed. "So, if it's not that... what do you want to ask about?"

"We're busy with another case and are hoping you might have some information that can help us." The first detective spoke again. "First, I'd appreciate a summary of your quirk, if you don't mind."

"We're working on another case and believe you might have some information that could help us," Tsukauchi explained. "First, we'd like you to explain your quirk to us."

"Oh, I don't mind." Kaitsu perked up at the chance to talk about his quirk. "I can copy mutations."

Both detectives blinked, exchanging a glance.

"What do you mean by that? Meow?" Detective Tamawaka asked, his head tilted in curiosity. "So you don't copy the full quirk? Meow?"

Kaitsu shook his head. "No, I only copy the mutations a person has, not any other aspects of their quirk. I can hold the mutation for about a minute before it fades."

"Is that the whole truth?" Tsukauchi's question felt like a needle, his tone sharp and probing, much like his eyes.

Kaitsu hesitated. He could lie, but Tsukauchi's stare made it hard to even think about bending the truth. "Kinda?" he admitted. "Every once in a while, my quirk changes. I copy a mutation that my quirk can learn something from and... something sticks. When that happens, I take on parts of the mutation permanently. It's much harder on my body than copying a regular mutation, since it's permanently rewriting my dna, so I tend to seize up and fall unconscious when it happens."

He gestured to his hair, and the room as if it was proof enough of his words.

"You're unsure of how exactly your quirk works right now." The officer concluded.

"Yep." He responded, popping the P at the end of the question.

The two detectives exchanged another glance, this one a bit longer, as though silently communicating something. Finally, the cat-headed officer shrugged.

"One last thing," Tsukauchi said, pulling out a small notebook. Flipping through its pages, he settled on a list and handed it to Kaitsu. "Do you recognize any of these names?"

Kaitsu scanned the list, his eyes jumping over names like Geten, Muscular, Trumpet and Shigaraki, none of which rang any bells. But his gaze lingered on one name longer than the rest, something about it catching his interest, though he couldn't place why. Toga.

"I can't say I do," he answered honestly, handing the notebook back. "Are you trying to bust a villain group or something?"

"Something of the sort," Tsukauchi said cryptically, pocketing the notebook just as the nurse gave a nod, indicating Kaitsu was ready to leave. "Do you have a ride home?"

"No, but I'm fine walking." Kaitsu denied the offer.

"Are you sure?" The detective asked. "Is there a reason?"

Other than his dad freaking out that he was driven home in a police car?

"Nope!" He said enthusiastically moving to get out of bed, not noticing the detective frown slightly at the lie.

Tamawaka elbowed his partner gently. "Let the kid go. We've got to head back to the precinct. Meow."

Reluctantly, Tsukauchi nodded. "Alright. Be good, kid."

"Yes, sir!" Kaitsu responded with a bright smile, already pulling on his clothes as the detectives left the room.

It was mid evening when Kaitsu had made it out of the hospital, and he was certain that it'd be approaching late evening by the time he got back.

He fished out his phone from his back pocket, and winced as he saw a couple of missed calls from his dad and his mom. He was not looking forward to their conversation, but he'd rather get it over with now rather than dread it the whole trip home.

Walking until he found a nearby park, he sat down on the bench, preparing himself for the call. He tapped on the screen, swiping up as the green dial button came up. It connected after a few rings.

"Kaitsu." His dad's voice was steady but cold. Kaitsu could already sense the disappointment beneath the surface.

"Hi, Dad!" Kaitsu forced a cheerful tone, pretending nothing was wrong.

"You were in the hospital again," his father stated bluntly, skipping pleasantries. "How did it happen?"

Kaitsu sighed, crossing his arms. He knew there was no use in dodging the truth. "You know how it happened."

The tension in the silence was almost unbearable, his father's disappointment palpable even through the phone.

"I don't like your tone, young man," his dad finally replied, his voice sharpening. "And imagine my surprise when an old friend of mine calls to tell me my son is in Musutafu General Hospital with... dark green curly hair." His tone softened briefly with worry. "Please tell me you didn't do it intentionally."

"I did." Kaitsu's admission was flat, unapologetic. He could almost hear his father's disbelief.

"Kaitsu..." His dad took a deep breath, the effort to stay calm evident. "I am trying very hard not to yell at you right now. You know how dangerous those seizures can be for your health. And you've been doing this behind my back—how long have you been walking around trying to activate one without my knowledge? Weeks? Months?"

Kaitsu felt a surge of defiance rise within him. "Why should I tell you?" He snapped before his dad could continue. "Keeping secrets is what we do in this family, right?"

There was a sudden, heavy silence on the other end. Kaitsu's heart raced, guilt mixing with the satisfaction of finally calling his father out.

"Because if you want me to be honest, why not tell me how you ended up in that wheelchair?" Kaitsu's voice rose, the words spilling out before he could stop himself. "Or how I wound up in the hospital when I was a kid?"

"Kaitsu, you're taking this conversation in an unproductive direction," his dad replied, his tone now laced with exasperation, clearly trying to keep control.

"So what?" Kaitsu shouted, standing up from the bench as his anger boiled over. "What are you going to do? You can't punish me—you're too weak! You can't even threaten to stop paying for my school since Uncle is footing the bill because he's too proud to let your weakness stop a Monoma from getting the best education!"

"Kaitsu!" His father's sudden shout made Kaitsu freeze, the force behind it taking him by surprise. His dad was always the calm one, but not this time.

The silence that followed was deafening. Kaitsu's breath caught in his throat.

"I did not raise you to be this disrespectful," his dad said, his voice now a low, restrained growl. It was the first time Kaitsu had heard such anger from him. "This conversation is over for now. We'll continue it when you get home. Take care."

Hearing the click as the line closed took all the wind out of Kaitsu's sails. He stood next to the bench, a sudden wave of regret hitting him as the echo of his harsh words replayed in his head. But instead of letting that feeling settle, he shoved it down, masking it with renewed anger towards his dad. Without another thought, he turned and walked in the opposite direction of the train that would take him home.

As the sun dipped lower, casting the sky in deep shades of orange and purple, Kaitsu stumbled upon a beach. He wasn't familiar with Musutafu's layout, but the large parking lot before the shore suggested it was a popular spot. He made his way down the cement steps, tossing his bag aside as he sat on the bottom set.

For a few minutes, he just sat there, taking in the steady rhythm of the waves, trying to use the sound to drown out his own thoughts. The ocean breeze brushed against his face, and for the first time in hours, he began to relax.

But the stillness didn't last long. Boredom crept in, and Kaitsu decided to try something.

Closing his eyes, he focused inward. Since his quirk reshaped his body, he had grown familiar with the sensation of it, it was a sort of sixth sense. Usually, when he tapped into the awareness of his quirk, nothing happened other than a heightened sense of his physical state. But this time... something was different.

He gasped, feeling as though he were staring into an abyss. An endless void lined with shelves. And on one of these shelves... sat a single item. Just one, where there should have been countless.

Curiosity took over, and he instinctively reached for it. The moment he did, his eyes snapped open as his body began to change. His heart raced—he hadn't touched anyone, so how was this happening?

Within seconds, his arms morphed into metal springs, just like the mutation he'd acquired during the seizure. He stared at them, dumbfounded. He hadn't expected this—and he certainly hadn't expected to feel such a rush of power.

A slow, incredulous smile spread across his face. Then, unable to contain himself, Kaitsu leapt to his feet and began testing his new limbs. He flung his metal arms left and right, swinging them wildly. He tried to do tricks, only to smack himself in the head a few times. But none of that mattered. The joy coursing through him made him giddy, and before he knew it, he was running up and down the beach, laughing like a madman. Throwing his arms all over the place and kicking up sand.

How long he spent messing around, he wasn't sure. But when stars began appearing in the sky, he tried to dismiss the transformation like he usually did. His smile faltered when nothing happened.

Panic welled up in his chest, but then he remembered the shelves. Tentatively, he imagined putting the mutation back where he had found it.

A wave of relief washed over him as his body returned to normal. But that relief quickly turned into laughter. The mutation was still there—waiting on the shelf for him to use again.

He shifted between transformed and untransformed several times in a row, stopping only when he started to feel lightheaded. His laughter echoed across the empty beach, growing louder as realization dawned on him.

"I HIT THE DAMN JACKPOT!" he yelled into the night, a giddy grin stretching across his face.

As the last of his laughter faded into the breeze, Kaitsu knew it was time to head home. Whatever punishment awaited him from his father didn't matter anymore. He had what he needed.

With a spring in his step, he made his way back towards the train station, completely unaware of the vibrant yellow eyes that had been watching him ever since he left the hospital.