'So it shall be.' All for One released Mental Communication, then settled back into his seat. He loathed the way even such paltry efforts sapped his strength. He could have leveled a city block without tiring himself out this much, back before his injury. However, he knew that the following days would make it more than worthwhile.
'Such a delightful amalgamation of Meta Abilities. Hopefully it doesn't get too out of hand.' He chuckled in dark amusement, then sipped down the last of his wine. 'I do so look forward to hearing how they handle this.'
Izuku held as still as he could manage, his hands buried in the sand beneath him while smoke swirled around him in a heavy cloud. Blackwhip extended from his hands and deeper into the ground, though it wasn't particularly thrilled about that fact. No matter how much Izuku tried to convince it that this would hopefully lead to grabbing this time, the three failed attempts that had come before had worn on its cooperativeness.
'Just a little longer, Blackwhip.' Izuku took a calming breath through his respirator. 'If we don't get En this time, then I'll try for a more direct method again.'
Blackwhip thrummed in anticipation at that promise, but thankfully didn't wiggle. With as many tendrils as they had spread out through the sand beneath them, that much wiggling might have given them away.
The world around him was quiet, save the faint ambiance of the ocean. Tenya had retired for the night not long ago, in a bit of a tizzy once he realized just how much of the night had slipped past him. Even without the sound of Engines roaring overhead, however, Izuku couldn't hear En at all. Which was why he'd resorted to other means of keeping watch for the Sixth user.
Suddenly, Izuku felt it. Barely detectable with all the sand in the way, but still exactly what he'd been waiting for. A faint shift in the pressure on the flat sections of Blackwhip he'd spread underground. En's weight as he stepped exactly where Izuku wanted him.
'YES!'
Izuku pushed Smokescreen out through the tendril of Blackwhip, though not with excessive force. He didn't want to blast the sand upwards, just create a flow of smoke up through the loose grains. If he did it right…
There was a hissing sound, quickly followed by a sharp yelp from En. Izuku snapped his attention in that direction, and was just in time to see a vaguely humanoid shape amidst the smoke drop into the ground.
Blackwhip snapped to attention, then gleefully coiled around En as he fell into grabbing range. Izuku stood with a cheer of success, then dismissed all but the occupied tendril. Careful not to disrupt his concentration, Izuku carefully cleared the air of Smokescreen, then approached his fallen foe.
En glared up at him, his head tilted skyward and barely above the surface of the sand. A short distance behind him, the tip of the Blackwhip tendril protruded from the sand like a tiny black sapling, wiggling gleefully in triumph.
"Well this is a fancy little trick." En grunted, then blew a few stray grains of sand away from his mouth. "I don't suppose you'd let me out, would you?"
"If you agree not to punch me for putting you there in the first place, sure."
En eyed him ruefully. "So how'd you manage this? I figured you were going for a trap the past few encounters, but I was expecting Blackwhip to shoot out and grab me, not for the ground to turn fluid."
Izuku smiled widely. "With Smokescreen!"
En cocked an eyebrow. "Pull the other one."
"I'm not kidding. It's a physics thing." Izuku sat down, then began to eagerly draw in the sand with his finger.
"You can't be serious."
"I'm completely serious!" Izuku replied, then gestured towards the rudimentary sketch he'd made. "When you pump air, or smoke in this case, up through sand, it makes the sand behave like a fluid. I ran Blackwhip under the sand, and used it like a pressure plate so I could figure out where you were. Once I felt you on top of one, I pumped Smokescreen out underneath you, and it liquified the sand enough to make you sink instantly!"
"That's… actually really interesting, and an extremely clever way of using the two together." En admitted. "But I meant that you can't seriously be about to give me a long scientific explanation about how you sunk me chin deep in sand while I'm still sunk chin deep in sand."
"OH!" Izuku leapt to his feet, pushed Smokescreen through Blackwhip once more, then tugged. The dark tendril easily pulled itself up through the bubbling, haze-spewing sand, and a moment later it had plucked En from his earthen prison as well. That accomplished, Izuku released En from Blackwhip, then retracted the strand to its favorite place; the vents just above his knuckles.
"Thanks." En sighed in relief as the sand vanished from his body. He distrustfully glanced down at the ground that had moments before engulfed him, then at Izuku.
Quick as a whip, En punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"Hey!" Izuku yelped, more out of surprise than anything. "What was that for?"
"I never promised that I wouldn't." En smirked, then leveled an evaluating glance in Izuku's direction. "I have to say, you're picking all of this up crazy fast."
"I'm glad you think so." Izuku sighed. "With everything that's going on, I feel like I'm constantly trying to play catch up."
En scoffed. "You've barely had time to learn anything about these Quirks, and yet you actually pulled a fast one on me. Even more impressive, you did it using my own Quirk, plus an eldritch tentacle with the attention span of a small child."
Blackwhip shot a filament at En, buzzing with mild offense. En ducked, conjured a tiny object that flashed with colorful lights into his hand, then lobbed it into the air. Blackwhip immediately swerved upwards to catch it, then coiled back into its vent with a faintly satisfied thrum.
En snorted. "I was wondering if that would-"
With a blur of movement, the bauble bounced off En's forehead, then landed in the ocean beyond with a distant plop. Blackwhip's thrum of satisfaction deepened significantly.
Both stared at the small wiggling tendril for a moment, then glanced back at each other.
"We're in agreement that Blackwhip learning the concept of deception is kind of terrifying, right?" En asked.
"Deeply." Izuku nodded. "I'm somehow proud at the same time."
En hummed in agreement, absently rubbing the small red spot on his head. "How much time do you have left? We've been at this for a while."
"One second." With great care, Izuku managed to slowly open one of his eyes. His physical eyes.
It was a rather disconcerting experience to simultaneously maintain awareness of both his physical body and the one within the Vestige Realm, but it was interesting at the same time. If he could get better at it, he might be able to train technique within One for All while he trained his body in the gym. He was still a long way from that, though, based on how hard it was to so much as check his phone like this.
"About an hour before I need to get up." Izuku let his attention fully return to the Vestige Realm, then leaned against the sea wall while the disorientation faded.
En nodded. "Want to go for another round, or do you have something else you'd like to address before you get up?"
Izuku hesitated, gnawing on his lip. Then, he took a steadying breath. "...I should go check on Tsubasa."
En glanced at him sympathetically. "He spends most of his time asleep, according to Yoichi. If you're not ready, I don't think you should force yourself."
"I… Yesterday was a shock. But I think I'll be ok now." Izuku set his shoulders and hoped he sounded more confident than he felt. "If there's anything I can do to help him, I want to start now."
Izuku hated the cell as soon as he, Yoichi, and En set foot in it. Tsubasa's realm couldn't be called anything else. It was a glorified concrete box with a cot in one corner, a toilet and sink in the other, and a metal door in the far wall. A single recessed light glowed above, dim and sickly yellow. The combined effect made Izuku's skin crawl.
Tsubasa lay on the ground by the door, curled into a ball. He was perfectly still. He wasn't breathing.
"Easy, Izuku." En squeezed Izuku's shoulder, and he realized he'd begun to hyperventilate. "This is what we mean by sleeping. It's like we're in stasis."
"Oh." Izuku blew out a relieved breath. He carefully approached the still form, then knelt down next to it. When Tsubasa didn't respond, Izuku cautiously reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder.
Tsubasa didn't respond.
"Try doing what you do to summon Kinenkō." Yoichi suggested.
Izuku nodded, then gently pulled on Draconic Wings. He felt a faint tingle across his back, but didn't let himself actually activate the Quirk.
Tsubasa's eyes snapped open, and he scrambled towards the nearest corner away from Izuku. He began rocking again, just as he'd been the first time Izuku had seen him in the Vestige Realm.
"That's more or less exactly what happens whenever I try to do anything." Yoichi sighed. "Poor guy is in a constant panic. I don't know how you managed to get to him the first time, Izuku."
Izuku nodded absently as he glanced around at the hateful prison of a realm once again. It was horrifying, knowing that this space had become something so significant in the poor boy's life that his realm took on its shape. His attention returned to the child, and his resolve grew all the stronger.
"Tsubasa? Would you like to go somewhere else?" Izuku asked, on careful watch for any reaction.
Tsubasa continued to rock, eyes vacant.
Izuku shifted slightly closer. When Tsubasa once again failed to react, Izuku sidled another few inches forward.
Tsubasa's eyes snapped to him, though he continued his rhythmic motions.
"Can you hear me, Tsubasa?" Izuku asked. "Would you like to go somewhere else?"
Tsubasa's eyes slowly began to unfocus, starting through Izuku rather than at him.
Gently, Izuku drew on Draconic Wings, as he had to wake Tsubasa up. Tsubasa's eyes immediately refocused, and his rocking stopped.
"Can you hear me now, Tsubasa?" Izuku asked.
It was a tiny, almost imperceptible thing, but Tsubasa nodded.
"Ok." Izuku smiled gently. "You recognize me, right?"
Another tiny nod. "Deku."
"You're right. I'm Deku." Izuku nodded. "I'm a hero in training now. I'm going to get you out of here."
"Not allowed." Tsubasa's eyes darted around the room as he curled into an even tighter ball, terrified. "Can't leave. Stay here. Good boy."
The absolute terror in Tsubasa's voice stoked a pit of rage in Izuku, strong enough to make Blackwhip strain to manifest. He banked it as best he could, careful not to let any of what he was feeling reach his face. He once more pulled on Draconic Wings, almost stroking the Quirk in a way he hoped was somehow soothing. "You don't have to worry. Nobody is going to hurt you. You're safe with us."
Slowly, Tsubasa calmed down.
"Do you want to leave, Tsubasa?" Izuku asked. "It's ok if you're not ready yet. I understand it's scary."
Tusbasa stiffened again, but less so than before. His eyes darted towards the door. "Monsters."
Izuku glanced towards the door, only to see Yoichi push his head through it as though it weren't there. A moment later, he pulled it back. "There are tanks with what I think are Nomu in them. Everything's sort of distorted, though. I'd guess he didn't see outside the cell very often, and never clearly."
Izuku nodded, then turned back to Tsubasa. "Don't worry, you don't have to go through there. We can take you out another way."
Tsubasa stared at him for a moment.
"Ok." Tsubasa whispered. "Leave."
Izuku slowly closed his eyes, then focused on the world around him. He pushed his senses beyond the confines of the room, then began to work. He wanted something familiar, something that would hopefully soothe Tsubasa instead of keep him trapped in fear.
The park. The one they all used to play at. Izuku's memories there were… less than ideal, but he could still remember it as clear as day.
When Izuku next opened his eyes, they all stood outside the old maintenance shed that had always been locked. Rumors from his childhood claimed that the decrepit old construction was the home of a child-eating monster.
Now it was, in a way. He'd folded Tsubasa's old realm into it, locked away somewhere the vestige wouldn't go.
Tsubasa, thankfully, had turned his focus elsewhere. He looked around at the scene plucked from Izuku's memory, eyes wide. He shuffled up to one of the spring riders, one designed to look like All Might, with his hair strands pointing to the sides as handles. Looking at it from the perspective of someone 10 years older, it was actually really creepy looking, but it had been a hot commodity for the kids.
Tsubasa gently nudged the ride with a finger, as though he expected it to bite him. It swayed slightly, the spring creaking, then stilled.
Silence.
Tsubasa spun, eyes roving over the playground. He shot off at a sprint towards the monkey bars, leaping to hang below them. He had to tuck his knees in to keep his feet from dragging on the ground below, but he didn't seem to mind. He swung from bar to bar, then scrambled down the steps on the other side and flung himself at the merry-go-round.
"Well." Yoichi said, a small smile on his face as he watched Tsubasa's mad dash between childhood attractions. "Call me crazy, but I think you managed to get through to him a bit."
"Yeah." Izuku felt tears trickle down his face. "It's a start."
Tsubasa charged for the swingset, then leapt. He planted one foot on the seat, his momentum swinging him upwards. At the peak of his swing, he hopped forwards, and for the first time since Izuku had seen him in the Vestige Realm, Tsubasa spread his wings. They sparkled in the bright light, a coruscating ripple of red flashing across their length as they churned the air. Tsubasa made a wide, smooth arc through the air, then dove to land in front of Izuku.
"Fly!" Tsubasa commanded, then grabbed Izuku's wrist and started dragging him forward.
"Um?" Izuku swallowed. His first attempt hadn't gone especially well…
Tsubasa looked back over his shoulder, a glimmer of worry in his eyes.
Izuku fully pulled on Draconic Wings, and they ripped through the back of his costume once more. They felt strange, the sudden drag and increase in his weight making him stumble, but the flash of excitement on Tsubasa's face egged him onwards. Tsubasa let go, then dashed forwards, his own wings angled so as not to not slow him down. With a leap, Tsubasa got enough air to start flapping, and in a moment he'd climbed high enough to clear the larger play structures.
Tsubasa swooped low, just barely clearing Izuku's head. "Fly!"
As Izuku ran faster, he managed to angle his wings in a mimicry of Tsubasa. The shift in the way air flowed over them felt right, and the pressure that had been slowing him down began to push him upwards. He jumped and pumped the wings downward in the same movement, only to have the tips catch in the grass and nearly pitch him forward. He stumbled, then resumed his run.
'Need to get a little more height.' Izuku thought, then pulled on 6% Full Cowling. When he jumped this time, he managed to leap several times higher. At the peak of his leap, he beat his wings.
And surged forward in a blur of motion.
Thankfully, instinct kicked in before Izuku could run out of realm. Some unfamiliar part of his brain took hold, and he angled his wings to send him into a clumsy upwards swoop. Face to the sky, he began to fall at the peak of his arc, the wings not made to let him fly upside down. In a quick motion, he pulled them in close, twisted in the air until he was the right way around once more, then snapped them back out to full length. With most of his momentum burned up by the maneuver, he began to gently glide through the sky, his slight downward trend giving him just enough speed to maintain his flight.
'That was fucking terrifying.' Izuku thought, his heart hammering in his chest. A wide, slightly manic smile broke across his face, then he carefully tipped into a steeper dive. 'I have GOT to do that again!'
In a flash of red, Tsubasa flew past him, and Izuku felt a hand slap into his leg. "TAG!"
The adrenaline-fueled smile on his face turned gentle, then he released One for All before he attempted another experimental flap. It was clumsy, but thankfully the Quirk seemed to come with some instinctual understanding of how to use his new limbs, because he didn't plummet from the sky. He flapped again, then tilted to circle in Tsubasa's direction. "Here I come!"
Izuku opened his eyes, then quickly dismissed the alarm that had been ringing incessantly for the past 10 minutes. Ordinarily, he'd have ended his time in the Vestige Realm a bit before the alarm even started going off, but he hadn't wanted to end Tsubasa's game of tag early.
Meaning he'd been stubbornly trying to catch up to the nimble winged boy, to his complete failure. As it turned out, no matter how much fun it was to fly, he wouldn't be catching up to Tsubasa's proficiency in the air for a long time. Frankly, Tsubasa was far, far too good at flying for him not to have received some form of training. Then again, he had always talked about wanting to be a hero some day, so it wasn't that surprising.
Izuku quickly tapped out a message to Tenya, letting his friend know he'd be late for their morning jog, then made his way to his desk. He pulled open a drawer, then plucked his Hero Analisis for the Future: Introspection Addition notebook from the back. He deftly entered the combination, then flipped it open.
He had some new entries to add, and more than one correction to make.
Inko inspected herself in her bathroom mirror, then nearly let herself just crawl back into bed.
She felt ridiculous.
Though it had only been a brief part of her night, her conversation with Nana about getting back in shape had stuck with her. She'd passively watched herself simultaneously shrink and grow in all the wrong ways for years, aware of the change but unable to bring herself to combat it. Part of that had come from having to take care of a child, though as the years went on that excuse had withered. Part of it had been her depression following the end of her nearly nine year relationship. Even if they'd ended it mutually, she still missed the things that had made her fall in love with Hisashi in the first place. The small things he'd done for her to show he cared, even in the death throes of their marriage.
Mostly, though? It had been apathy. A simple inability to bring herself to care about something as trivial as her weight when the light of her life struggled with something he could never change each and every day.
It had been an irrational thing, that logic. Izuku wasn't the kind of person who'd look at someone else's progress and find self pity in it. Perhaps if she'd started exercising, he'd have joined her. Maybe giving him something to work towards would have made his struggles easier, given him a little more self-confidence earlier in life. Maybe he really could have become a hero without a Quirk if she'd encouraged him by helping him improve his body, even indirectly.
Maybe he would have been better prepared to handle One for All if he hadn't been starting from nothing.
Inko shook her head. 'None of that. Izuku's moving forward, despite everything. I won't shackle myself to the past and make him leave me behind.'
Which meant she needed to leave her apartment and join him for his morning exercises, assuming he and Iida didn't mind.
Inko once again peeked at her outfit. A pale blue sweatshirt that had been oversized five years ago, but now stretched taught around her stomach. Similarly ill-fitting black sweatpants that she'd been sleeping in for even longer than that, the drawstring haggard from years of use. Her hair tied up in a bun, while a red sweatband that Izuku must have accidentally packed with her clothes was wrapped around her head.
She looked like the exact opposite of someone she'd expect to find in a state of the art gym at a hero school. Or even a gym in general.
'Which is WHY you're going to the fucking gym!' She reminded herself, channeling a bit of Mitsuki. 'Now get your ass out there and onto a treadmill or something!'
Inko set her shoulders, gave herself a firm nod, then rushed out her front door before she could manage to think herself out of it.
Again.
The soft light of morning filtered through the front windows of the Heights Alliance lobby, illuminating her path down the hallway. As she approached, she could hear the muted clank of one of the weight machines.
She took a final deep breath, then gently pushed open the double doors. She glanced around, intent on finding Izuku… but instead of green, she found red.
Katsuki blinked, arms stilling half way through a rep on the shoulder press. "Auntie?"
"Oh… Good morning, Katsuki." Inko faltered, the unexpected sight bringing her worries from the previous day right back to the forefront of her mind. She glanced around the room in the hopes that maybe Izuku was there somewhere. If they were coexisting, by some miracle, then maybe she'd misread some of the hostility yesterday.
She desperately wished that to be the case. Unfortunately, the room was otherwise empty. She looked back at Katsuki, who was now watching her with a raised eyebrow. "Are Izuku and Iida downstairs by any chance?"
"No." Katsuki's already wary expression soured. "Just me."
"Ah." Inko wilted, then stepped back into the hall. "I was going to see if Izuku would let me exercise with him, but I guess he isn't doing that today. Sorry to interrupt you."
She started to close the door.
"Wait."
Inko stilled, then gently pushed the door back open. Katsuki let the bar rise until the weights fell home with a metallic clank. He lifted his gloved hands before himself, palms up, and a muted series of pops and sizzles let her know he was burning off the sweat trapped within.
"It's not like you have to wait for him to be here, you know." Katsuki grumbled, eyes flicking back up to hers for a moment before they moved away again. "Plenty of machines to go around."
Inko edged back into the room cautiously, unsure what to do with the deeply un-Katsuki invitation. She glanced around again, suddenly aware of just how little she knew about any of the machines in it. She was vaguely aware that cardio would be her primary focus, but which machine was best for that? The treadmill was a classic option, but it seemed like a waste to just go for a glorified walk when there were so many other options. Maybe the one labeled as a rowing machine?
"Tch. No escaping the mumbles." Katsuki clicked his tongue as he set up another machine. "Use the elliptical. The machine three down from the treadmills, with the foot platforms and the handles."
Inko approached the machine in question cautiously, then stepped on. The handles were a bit high for her, but thankfully it was simple enough to adjust. Given the sheer height disparity present in the class, it was unsurprising it could be changed to fit someone of her stature.
"Why this one in particular, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Good cardio that works your whole body." Katsuki grunted as he pulled a bar down, a preposterous amount of weight rising behind him. "It's low impact, which'll make you less sore. Don't want you getting scared off."
"I won't be scared off!" Inko retorted defensively.
"No, you won't." Katsuki snorted as he stood, then once again burned away the sweat beneath his gloves. "Because I stopped you from using the rowing machine when you have no fucking idea how to row properly."
'He's Mitsuki's son, all right.' Inko sighed. 'Then again, that cuts both ways. If either ever decide to actually be helpful, their advice is usually excellent.'
With that in mind, she fiddled with the settings, then began walking.
Save for the clanking of weights and the low whoosh beneath her, they exercised in silence. Thankfully, despite the somewhat shaky beginning, the silence at least didn't feel hostile. Even so, the ferocity Katsuki directed towards his exercises certainly was. She was far from an expert, but it seemed like he was pushing himself terribly hard if his arms were shaking as much as they were.
"I was surprised to see you down here so early this morning." Inko said, her breath puffing despite the fact that only a few minutes had passed. "I caught a glimpse of you leaving just before curfew last night."
The way his hands tightened on the grips of his latest machine made her briefly wonder if she'd just said something wrong.
"I need all the time I can get." Katsuke bit out. "All the progress I can manage."
The weights were dropping harder after each rep now, though Katsuki was still controlling their descent. There was an intensity to him… even more so than there usually was, anyway. Something bordering on a need to push harder.
It worried her. Even if she was frustrated and disappointed with him, she was still his Aunt in all but blood. She cared about him, despite everything.
Inko was no fool. She'd known things hadn't exactly been good between Katsuki and Izuku for quite some time, though they'd managed to be civil during events at either home. She'd hoped that it was merely a persistent rough patch between friends, especially given Izuku's continued use of Katsuki's nickname. Her ability to read the situation had been further muddied by Katsuki's baseline demeanor, which still threw her off at times despite years of knowing him and his mother.
But yesterday had pulled back the veil. Katsuki's reaction hadn't been simple competitiveness, nor shock that Izuku had hidden something so monumental from him. There had been real hostility there, a spitefulness that diverged sharply from all the ways he was so much like Mitsuki.
There had been other things as well, though. A mire of frustration, desperation, guilt, and fear that had stood out clearly for the moment she'd seen them. They'd been so stark that, before she'd known what she was doing, she had reached out to him. Offered to listen.
He'd brushed her off, of course. But he'd hesitated. Katsuki never hesitated, not unless he really, really had to weigh his options.
She wanted to be angry at him. More and more, she was sure he'd taken on a far more antagonistic role in Izuku's life than she would have guessed before. But if he'd considered opening up to her that hard… maybe there was a chance he still would, if she gave him the chance.
She wanted to know what had happened between them. But she also knew just how stubborn both of them could be. If neither had said anything to her by now, it was likely neither would unless something substantial chanced. If that change came from her helping Katsuki work through whatever he was dealing with, then all the better.
Inko let herself stop walking, her breaths coming fast and shallow. She's lost herself in her thoughts, worrisome as they were, and had managed a full 20 minutes. Her arms and legs had a burn to them, the activity dramatically more than she was used to, but it wasn't a strictly unpleasant feeling.
Her parched throat, however, was. As were her wobbly noodle-limbs.
She gracelessly dismounted the elliptical, then leaned against the metal frame of a nearby machine. It was blissfully cool through her damp sweatshirt, and she leaned her head against it for a moment.
When the metal frame rang from three sharp raps, she felt it in her teeth. She glared up at the offending hand, then followed it back to Katsuki himself. He cocked an eyebrow at her, unimpressed.
"I may have… overdone it… a bit." Inko panted out.
"You don't fucking say." Katsuki snarked. Then, he gently shook his other hand, which she'd failed to notice was also extended towards her. It held a paper cup, water sloshing inside from his movement. "Drink. Slowly."
She did, to the best of her abilities. The cool sensation was marvelous, and tempted her to just chug the first cup and go find seconds. She resisted the urge. By the time she'd finished, Katsuki was already settled into the leg press, eyes fixed on the ceiling and fingers white around the grips.
'There's clearly good in him, however far down he usually hides it.' Inko mused. 'Hopefully I can help bring it to the surface.'
Katsuki pushed for a final rep, a string of colorful invective pouring from his mouth, interspersed with threats against the machine's past and future family line.
'I just need to do it slowly. After all, I don't want to scare him off.'
Izuku's Hero Analisis for the Future, Introspection Addition
Quirk Bestowal
Bestowal can give individual Quirks to others, though the process poses some potential risks. For the safety of the recipient, Quirk Compatibility should be considered. The rapid degradation Hikage experienced was due to the process of transferring One for All itself, as a consequence of its increased complexity and periods where it wasn't fully stabilized on either end. This issue was evidently nullified by both myself and All Might being Quirkless. Quirks within One for All seem prone to melding together. Evidence of this existed before, with the merger of Quirk Bestowal and Power Stockpile in order to create One for All, but there is now evidence of it happening on a smaller scale. Boon is interacting very strongly with both parts of One for All. FaJin seems to be strongly connected to Power Stockpile. Engine melded with both FaJin and Smokescreen, and even retained properties of that interaction after it was transferred to Tenya. Quirk Bestowal is seemingly what allows others to enter the Vestige Realm, though this may be due to its interaction with Boon rather than an innate quality.Power Stockpile
Power Stockpile apparently also Stockpiles Quirks and Vestiges, which is where the other past users within one for all come from. Yoichi refers to these as Imprints, as the Quirks and Vestiges are effectively imprinted on the raw power within Power Stockpile. These copies aren't fully independent, and are a function of One for All. The amount of time a Quirk is held before it or One for All are given away evidently affects how 'complete' the copies are. I held Engine for around a minute. As a result, Tensei's Vestige is barely there, and my copy of Engine is dramatically weaker than the original. To my understanding, Kudo was the previous holder to keep the power the shortest time, at just 3 years. Given that Kudo seems no different than the others or Yoichi, this indicates that 3 years is long enough to get a perfect copy, though I don't know how close to that three year mark it actually took.FaJin
Original Owner: Bruce
FaJin is a kinetic energy stockpiler which builds a charge through repetitive movement. This charge can be expended to enhance the body or directly discharge kinetic energy into something. This charge no longer has an upper limit, though it should bleed off over time. However, the higher the charge, the harder it can be to limit how much is used at once. Bruce died due to a single massive release, though he didn't clarify if it was due to him over-enhancing his body or if releasing the power directly caught him in the blowback.
The Quirk's definition of "repetitive movement" seems pretty lenient, as Engine's functions are sufficient to gather it. Could Blackwhip making repetitive movements gather charge? If so, this could allow for rapid accumulation. Could Blackwhip act as a conduit of FaJin the same way it can for Smokescreen? Would this shield me from the potential issues with overuse, or would it cause other issues?Blackwhip
I have a limited sense that extends through Blackwhip. It's not quite touch, but that's the closest equivalent. For all that Blackwhip seems innocent, it has displayed an underlying cleverness on a few occasions. Given its slowly increasing cooperativeness, this could be a sign of continuing development of its sentience, or it could be fully sapient and simply toying with everyone. I can channel Smokescreen through Blackwhip, which has already led to several interesting (If somewhat niche) applications. Can it act as a conduit for other Quirks?Smokescreen
En's low self assessment of Smokescreen does it an injustice. While the raw power of the Quirk is indeed limited, its potential applications are still varied and useful. At its default density, Smokescreen is obscuring but not completely blinding to me while capable of quickly blocking vision for others. Smoke density can also be modulated, ranging from nearly insubstantial even to outside viewers to impenetrable even to me. The release area for the smoke can be controlled, though there's a limit to how small it can be made. Narrowing this window allows for a greater focused pressure. Smokescreen consumes a very small amount of Carbon in order to work, though the amount used varies based on smoke density. Consider having a small pouch of food-grade activated charcoal for any emergency situations that may require it. Smokescreen will set off fire alarms.Dual Engine
Original Owner: Tenya and Tensei Iida
Current Owner: Tenya Iida
Both sets of Engines function on the same premise as the above listing, though originally with some minor differences. I suspect that Tensei's Engines were less efficient than Tenya's based on the dramatically higher volume of exhaust they emitted.
Tenya and Tensei's Quirks seem to have melded extremely closely, which is unsurprising given their similarity. Many lines between them have blurred; They now both have access to Tenya's gears, while adopting a higher immediately accessible speed in first gear that Tenya's version lacked. The distinction between their fuel sources have blurred, allowing for Grapefruit and/or Orange juice to run either engine. All told, both Engines received a comprehensive upgrade, though technically Tensei's lacks the full extent of its original immediate speed.
Additionally, the influences of both FaJin and Smokescreen on Tensei's Engine were passed along to Tenya's.
To our current understanding, FaJin allows Engine to store up a kinetic charge through Engine's use, which can be released specifically to achieve even further accelerated movement. Whether this is achieved by directly enhancing Engine itself, or simply converting the stored energy directly into thrust, is currently unclear. Regardless of the method, the acceleration potential of this influence is staggering, when used correctly. Tenya accidentally launched himself several blocks on only a few minutes of charge accumulated in lower gears. Proper output control will be paramount.
Similarly, we believe that Smokescreen is responsible for Tenya's increase in efficiency, and to a lesser extent, possibly a small part of his elevated speed. Smokescreen is likely involved through the aerosolization process of the fuel, either generating a combustible smoke based on the fuel, or simply improving the degree of aerosolization for greater reactivity.
Additional Notes:
With two sets of Engines, it's likely their individual shortcomings in regards to turning and control can be mitigated by using them in unison.Engine (Imprint)
Original Owner: Tensei Iida
This variation of Engine is housed in the arms, primarily the area around the elbows. Engine runs on Grapefruit Juice, which is converted into some manner of high yield fuel. The area around the Quirk is capable of pulling air in through the skin, which is pressurized by a biomechanical turbine and mixed with the aerosolized fuel. Afterwards, the mixture is ignited, and the superheated air and exhaust is ejected to provide thrust.
While this Quirk is fantastic for straight line speed and for some degree of aerial mobility, it lacks any particular ability to turn beyond pointing the engines in a different direction, which could be difficult to properly control. Additionally, excessive or particularly intense use can cause the engines to overheat, rendering them unusable until they cool down.
Additional Notes:
My copy of Engine is dramatically weaker than the original, though proper testing has been put on the backburner for now. Tensei primarily used kicking for his fighting style, using Engine for leverage and mobility. Consider looking further into his technique, in addition to the possibility of using it to enhance punches. Though not yet substantially tested, it is clear that the alterations from FaJin and Smokescreen that Tenya displayed also appear in my copy of Engine. Once I've properly learned to use my other, more immediately applicable quirks, testing needs to be done. I'm not yet sure if Engine will simply fuel FaJin directly, or if it will have a separate pool of energy to pull from. It has occurred to me that it might be possible, if Smokescreen is in fact creating a smoke based off Engine's fuel, to manually utilize that smoke rather than the normal carbon-based smoke. If so, Smokescreen could be utilized to generate explosive effects. Something to consider, and be wary of. Do not test or utilize this in any way that would let Kacchan hear about it right now. Substantiating his concern over me taking Explosion can only be bad.Draconic Wings
Original Owner: Tsubasa Higoi
Draconic Wings is a transformation type Quirk that allows the user to form large, durable, scale-coated wings capable of flight. Based on my recent experience, it seems likely that their capacity for high speed flight is dramatically higher than what Tsubasa displayed during our childhood, which isn't particularly surprising.
If my recollection of Tsubasa's description is correct, the wings should be quite durable, which lines up with what I saw while Stain was attacking the Winged Nomu. They were also supposed to heal quickly while not in use and be resistant to heat and fire, which I'll have to test at some point.
Draconic Wings seems to come with some base-level instinct for flight, enough that I don't have to manually learn to properly flap the wings. The broader mechanics of actual flight are a bit more touch and go, as demonstrated by my several unintentional reunions with the ground while playing tag with Tsubasa. Tsubasa often tired quickly while flying. Whether due to my physical training, Boon, or simply the fact that I'm not a little kid, sustained flight with Draconic Wings has thus far proven very easy. This should be tested in real life if possible, to ensure it isn't simply a consequence of using it within the Vestige Realm.Izuku tapped his pen against his bottom lip as he re-read his notes once more. It wasn't the first time he'd reviewed them, but it seemed it would be the last. Finally satisfied, he set his pen down with a click, then flipped the notebook closed. He stretched, deeply satisfied with his work, then leaned back in his chair. And into the sunlight spilling through his window.
Izuku blinked, then tapped his phone.
7:53am.
'Shit! I completely lost track of time!' Izuku scrambled out of his chair and dove for his closet. He changed as fast as humanly possible, pajamas flying in all directions as he plucked a fresh uniform off its hanger. He tripped while putting on his pants and stumbled back first into the wall of the closet before he could recover. As Izuku fumbled with his tie, he heard a muffled cry of distress from the other side of the wall.
"Tenya? Are you ok?"
"NO!" Tenya's reply came, barely audible. "I must have accidentally turned off my alarm when it went off earlier! I knew I shouldn't have kept training so late…"
Tenya's voice tapered off, presumably as he moved further from the wall. Not for the first time, Izuku was glad he had Tenya as his neighbor, and an empty room directly above him. The walls did a good job of dampening sound, but weren't completely foolproof. Who knew how much he'd been muttering while filling out his notes.
Izuku glanced back to his mirror, determined that his tie probably wasn't going to get any less horrible, then grabbed his school supplies with Blackwhip and left his room. Tenya burst through his own door at the same time, uniform immaculate but glasses akimbo, and both booked it for the stairs.
"Everyone quiet down." Aizawa grumbled from behind his desk, arms crossed and bloodshot eyes flatly unamused. "I have a few announcements."
Conversations around the room ground to a halt as everyone turned their attention forward, knowing that nothing good would come of making Aizawa wait. Once he was satisfied that everyone was listening, he stood and hefted two stacks of paper.
"Firstly, I have forms for your post-internship costume updates. Luckily for the lot of you, UA has secured some extra funding for first year costumes, so you'll have a few more options. Most notably, DNA material. You'll still have to be judicious about it, though. Anything beyond the stated amount will need to be paid for out of pocket, unless you can present a convincing case to Nezu." Aizawa's eyes flicked to the front of Izuku's row, then the end. "Except for you two, Hagakure, Yaoyorozu. Nezu used your situations as the basis for this allocation, among a few others across the Hero courses. As such, any revisions you make that require DNA material will be fully covered."
Hagakure whooped, arms shooting upwards in joy.
"That isn't necessary on my behalf, Mr. Aizawa…" Yaoyorozu said. "I'm more than capable of footing the bill myself. Perhaps the funds could be allocated towards increasing the class's allotment on the whole?"
"You can take that up with Nezu, if you'd like." Aizawa grunted. "Regardless, there are a few things you'll need to keep in mind if you want to take advantage of DNA material. The basic stuff is based on skin and hair, which will require a sample that more can be synthesized from. For more advanced suits, you'll need to go see Recovery Girl for a more invasive sample collection."
Hagakure's enthusiasm ebbed. "Invasive?"
"Bone, muscle, ligaments, and cartilage. Anything else that might be specifically relevant to your Quirks." Aizawa said, tone clipped. "From these, the samples can be used to create enhanced versions of the material that can still act as a conduit for your Quirks."
That revelation brought the mood of the room down a bit, the realization of how macabre DNA suits really were a shock to most. Even so, there was still a sense of excitement amidst the class. They were training to be Heroes, after all. The prospect of some minor pain along the way wasn't particularly alarming, even if the idea of wearing modified bits of their bodies was rather grim.
Aizawa made another sweep of the room, then hefted the second stack of papers. "Secondly, information regarding the Quirk Training Supervision system on your accounts. Ordinarily, this isn't available until the second semester, except by special application. However, UA is giving the first years access wholesale this year. Midoriya, Iida, your participation is mandatory due to the recent developments you've undergone, at least until such a time as you develop sufficient control."
Izuku nodded. This was exactly what he needed. An opportunity to train with his abilities in real life, likely somewhere he wouldn't have to hide part of what he could do.
Aizawa thumped a stack of both sheets down on the first desk in each row, then began gathered his sleeping bag. "Fill out your forms as soon as possible, and submit them to Power Loader in person. He'll probably want to review everything personally."
The bell rang. With a final sharp nod, Aizawa strode from the room, only to be replaced by Present Mic a few moments later.
"Who's ready to learn some English? YEAAAAAAAAAH!"
Izuku popped the last piece of his lunch into his mouth as he considered the latest sketch he'd done, then nodded to himself. It wasn't particularly elaborate, mostly just enough to capture the essentials of what he wanted changed. Given he'd managed to draw most of it up in the time between classes, he was pretty proud of the results.
The largest changes were primarily built around Blackwhip and Boon, with the glove designs he'd tested in the Vestige Realm being joined by larger light armor panels on his back that could open to make a path for the tendrils. He's also thought to position them in a way that would let Draconic Wings through, if such a thing became necessary.
There were more changes, though. Goggles built into his hood, to help protect him from acrid smoke and the wind from high speed movement. Several small vents scattered across his costume to better release Smokescreen and Blackwhip, including at his ankles and on his heels. A supply of first aid kits in his belt. Reinforcements to the leg guards and his boots to better utilize the kickboxing techniques Sorahiko had drilled into him. It pained him to cover the red of his boots, but effectiveness outweighed aesthetics.
"Wow." Uraraka said as she swallowed her own food. "You're really going all out on the updates, huh?"
Izuku hummed in agreement. "I've got a lot of new factors to plan around, but I think I have most of it accounted for."
Tenya glanced towards Izuku's sketches, then nodded. "Thankfully Tensei still had a copy of his suit's specs that he was willing to send me. While it'll need to be trimmed down to fit within the limits UA has provided, it should significantly cut down on development time for my new additions."
Izuku nodded, absently rubbing at his arm brace. Some day he'd need to design around Engine's requirements, which would necessitate someone new learning of One for All. Power Loader could probably be trusted, but Izuku wasn't especially familiar with him…
Izuku shook the worries away. He had plenty to deal with without borrowing more from Future Izuku.
"What about you, Uraraka?" Izuku asked. "I assume you're adding heavier gloves with DNA finger pads, right?"
"Mmhm!" Uraraka nodded, nibbling on a sweet bun. "I'm also thinking about adding some grappling hooks to my pressure cuffs, sort of designed like Gunhead's Quirk. It'll help my mobility a lot, especially since I won't have to worry as much about overshooting something while weightless."
"Oh, that's a great idea!" Izuku smiled. He bit his lip slightly in an effort to keep the ideas now tumbling through his mind from slipping out, but that seemed to catch Uraraka's attention instantly.
"If you have ideas, you can share them." She smiled slightly. "It's always interesting to hear what you have to say about this kind of thing."
"Wait." Izuku blinked, startled. "It IS?"
"...Yes?" Uraraka tilted her head to the side, as if that fact should've been obvious instead of a revelation. Her eyes were big, and honest, and made his heart skip a beat. "You have this uncanny ability to pick details and possabilities apart, then put them back together in some new way I'd never have thought of."
"Oh." Izuku squeaked. He glanced at Tenya, hoping against hope that his friend would help, given his own brain had more or less been reduced to mush.
Tenya coughed into his hand, but didn't do so in time to hide his tiny smirk. The traitor.
Izuku took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, then hauled his focus back onto his stream of ideas. Funny how, now that he actively wanted to have analisis running through his head, his brain was hung up on something else entirely.
"W-well, for s-starters, you could have some small collapsible propellers built into parts of your costume." Izuku managed to force out, then cleared his throat. "As you riding that drone proved, it wouldn't take an unreasonable amount of power to carry you while you're weightless. If they're distributed properly, you could even probably use them to orient yourself in the air."
"That's a fantastic idea!" Uraraka's eyes lit up mesmerizingly, as did her smile. "I should have thought of that! I got the idea of grappling hooks from watching you, Tsu, and Sero, but ignored something from my own race!"
'Focus, Izuku.' He snapped his eyes down to his notebook.
"Um, another idea is kind of a case-by-case basis, so you'd probably have to talk to Power Loader about testing it. From my research on DNA material, some contact based Quirks interact with it in different ways. The majority only work if the Quirk effects are manifesting immediately on the other side of the material. But some Quirks are able to be conducted through strands of DNA material. Especially if the Quirk requires contact with a specific part of the body, and samples from that part are used in the material's construction." Izuku peeked up, only to find Uraraka watching him with growing intensity and snap his gaze back down. "I think your Quirk would work like the latter. It already conducts through objects to affect the entirety of a target, like how you can remove a person's weight even though you're touching their clothes. If it does, then that could add a lot of flexibility to Zero Gravity."
A thump momentarily startled him, and he looked up again. Uraraka had taken out her English notebook, flipped to the back page, and began scrawling something. She glanced up, then blushed slightly.
"Keep going." She said. "I just need to make sure I'm keeping track of where this is going, because if you're right… this could be huge."
"It could!" Izuku nodded emphatically. "You could have strands running through your gloves to your knuckles, your elbows, your knees, anywhere that you usually land strikes. You'd need a way to disable it, so you're not accidentally applying Zero Gravity that way when you don't want to, but it would massively expand your application options while protecting your hands."
"The grappling hooks too!" Uraraka smiled widely as she finished a note with a flourish. "If I could get material running through that, I could apply Zero Gravity from far away!" Then, her face fell. "But… this would all definitely be more than the standard allotment. Even if Yaomomo was serious about talking to Nezu, this would be… a LOT of DNA material."
"...Yeah." Izuku reigned himself in. "With the allocations we have, you'd be able to stretch it enough for a contact point on the knuckles. Depending on how much material is necessary for it to serve as a conduit, if it even works, you might be able to stretch it out to the elbows. But, if this works at all, I think you have a shot at making a case for an increased allotment, like Mr. Aizawa said we could."
Uraraka hesitated for a moment, glancing between him and her page. Then, a flash of determination flickered to life in her eyes, and she nodded. "I was going to go to the support department after class anyway, so I'll run this past Power Loader then. Um…"
She looked a bit sheepish for a second, glancing between her notes and him. "Would you mind coming along to make sure I'm explaining all of this right?"
"Sure!" Izuku nodded. "I was planning to do the same anyway. My costume was damaged yesterday, so I either need to get this request in today, or I need to order a replacement copy of my old suit. Tenya?"
For a fleeting second, Tenya looked vaguely exasperated. Then he nodded as well. "Time is of the essence, if we want this done quickly."
"Are you guys heading to the Support department too?"
Izuku, Uraraka, and Tenya stopped just inside the classroom door, then turned back towards the room. Kaminari and Mineta were making their way towards the door as well, though only Kaminari had his paperwork in hand.
Izuku nodded. "Yep. We have some pretty significant changes, so we figured it would be best to submit them now."
Mineta nodded. "Definitely. I submitted mine as soon as school started up again. I'm just going to check on its progress, and see if I can still use any of the extra budget. I'm not sure how long it will take, given it's a complete redesign."
Kaminari pouted. "Still not going to tell me what it is?"
"Nope." Mineta smiled smugly. "I'm not telling anyone anything until I walk out wearing it. I want to see the look on everyone's face."
"Let me guess." Jiro said as she walked up next to Kaminari, with Yaoyorozu and Hagakure not far behind. "You put the diaper-bowl on your head this time."
Mineta deflated. "I'm never going to live that down."
"Nope." It was Kaminari's turn to look smug. "I'm honestly curious how you managed to settle on that design in the first place. Even ignoring how it looked, one wrong landing and your back was toast."
Yaoyorozu glanced away to cough into her hand.
"Listen, my mental image of how it looked and how it actually looked ended up being really, really different things." Mineta grumbled. "Which is why I made absolutely sure that I had outside confirmation on this one before I submitted it. You're going to swallow your tongue when you see this, mark my word!"
Jiro hummed doubtfully, but glanced back towards Izuku, Tenya, and Uraraka. "Mind if we tag along?"
"Absolutely!" Tenya replied. "I'm glad to see you all taking the revisions so seriously!"
"Oh, you better believe I am!" Hagakure wiggled in excitement, swaying side to side. "I know the whole gloves-and-boots thing was my idea, but I kind of didn't think it would actually get the green light. Given the Principal used me as an example, I guess he wasn't happy about that fact either."
Yaoyorozu nodded. "The regulations put in place after Midnight's first costume specify an acceptable amount of 'visible skin', which you technically managed to circumvent. My original costume was rejected on that basis, so it had to be added to."
Mineta stiffened, eyes wide. He glanced back at Yaoyorozu, then snapped his head back around. With great deliberateness, he reached up, plucked a ball from his head, then bit it.
Everyone stared.
"I mean…" Uraraka said hesitantly. "I guess that's an improvement, even if we all probably know what he's thinking anyway?"
Mineta grunted as he gnawed furiously on the ball. One eye twitched.
"I guess baby steps are better than nothing." Jiro grumbled. "Anyway, Support Department. We should probably get going."
The group made their way out into the halls. Given it was technically class time, they only occasionally passed other students. Despite that fact, more than one did a double take at Izuku and Tenya, those in groups of their own often whispering to each other. Thankfully, a distraction came before he could get too embarrassed by the attention.
"So, what kind of upgrades are you looking at, Jiro?" Kaminari asked. "Improved speakers?"
"Mostly, yeah." Jiro nodded. "Getting a pair added to my wrists too, and a mic so I can use them to make announcements if needed. DNA materials aren't really helpful to me."
"You could probably get caps for your jacks based on modified samples from them." Izuku said. "I know you can already punch them into concrete, but a harder material could let you jack into them more easily, maybe other metals as well."
Jiro slowed for a moment, staring at Izuku in surprise. "That's actually a really good idea. I'll have to ask if that's possible. Maybe see if I can get a second set of inputs on my speakers so I can use them with the caps on or off."
"That seems like a wise addition." Yaoyorozu agreed. "Perhaps one set of inputs, but which work for both so that you don't have to keep track of plugging into the right ones?"
Jiro nodded, then began patting at her pockets. Yaoyorozu extended an arm, from which a clipboard and pencil emerged. Jiro grinned in thanks, then began amending her notes.
Hagakure scampered forwards. "Ooh! Do mine next! I more or less just have a jumpsuit right now, given I'm not sure how collecting samples of other materials would go, given… well, you know." She waved a hand, gloved fingers splayed, in front of her face. "I've added supply pouches that'll hopefully hide what's in them, but it seems like a waste to have a budget that's 'unlimited within reason' and not really push it, you know?"
"Well…" Izuku tapped his chin. "I overheard you talking about what you learned from Missdirection. You could have small disposable objects wrapped in the material that you can throw as distractions to make sounds elsewhere. You could even look into a sound dampening respirator that hides any sound of breathing. If you did that, maybe a microphone inside paired to speakers in the distraction objects…"
Hagakure bounced as she let out a delighted laugh. "That's perfect! Chuck them somewhere to make it sound like I'm somewhere else, roll them while speaking though them to make it sound like I'm talking while on the move. Maybe I could spread them around and yell through them to cover my actual movements if I have to…
Jiro finished her amended notes, then waved the clipboard in Hagakure's direction. She snatched it eagerly, then began writing.
Kaminari hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Mind helping me out too? I did most of my designs with Aunt Seiteki, but maybe you can think of something?"
"Sure!" Izuku said, then blinked when Kaminari handed him his paperwork directly. He took it, then glanced through.
'Battery packs for storing electricity over time, which he can use without overcharging himself… An interesting way of helping circumvent his issues with shorting out… A few contacts across his costume for direct application in melee, which is another great way to help with his excessive output…' Izuku blinked. 'Shoulder and arm mounted extendable cords to conduct electricity at range. From the sketches… they look…'
Izuku's eyes flicked momentarily to Jiro, then back to Kaminari, who was pointedly looking in the exact opposite direction.
'Wow. That's… really not subtle.' Izuku thought, hiding his smile behind the notes. 'I really hope I'm not like that. I'm totally not like that, right?'
He deliberately ignored the clamor of pulses from One for All.
"Well, it looks like this is pretty well thought out." Izuku said, handing back the paperwork. "Might be worth looking into if a DNA material would make a better conductor or electrical storage medium than conventional batteries, but I can tell a pro had a hand in the design. As a side note, I think the increased focus on melee application of your electricity is a great move. It'll require a whole lot less electrical output to deliver a debilitating shock that way."
Kaminari nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah. It's something I was kind of thinking about for a while, but I was worried it wouldn't be as eye-catching. Big flashy lightning attacks are what got some attention on Auntie, but I guess she does a lot more melee than I thought."
Izuku nodded. "I remember a few clips of her in close confines. I think they should have gotten a lot more praise than they did."
Kaminari grinned. "Should have figured you'd know who she was. Your collection had a lot of small time heroes."
"Just because they're not at the top of the charts doesn't mean they don't do a great job." Izuku smiled through his embarrassment, then glanced between Mineta and Yaoyorozu. "Um, we're almost there. Would either of you…?"
Yaoyorozu chewed her lip slightly, then nodded. Like Kaminari had, she handed over her paperwork.
Or, perhaps more accurately, her packet. Izuku quickly flipped through the pages, simple sketches and diagrams surrounded by specifications and instructions. His eyebrows hiked up higher and higher as he went.
"It's a lot, I know." Yaoyorozu blushed. "It's probably completely-"
"Brilliant." Izuku breathed.
That brought her up short. "It… is?"
"Yes!" Izuku exclaimed. "It's obvious you based several aspects of this design on the same studies on DNA materials that I was using as reference! A DNA leather suit with enhanced bone-based plating for protection is a solid start. But having them be mobile enough to pull together and create a larger seamless surface area to use creation from or block attacks? Having them be backed by artificial lipids to act as both a cushion and a conduit to make a seamless creation surface? I think all of it should work, too! If it does, this will be a pro level costume already!"
Izuku looked up to find Yaoyorozu looking more surprised than anything. "I… um…"
Jiro elbowed her in the ribs, smirking. "I told you it was a kick-ass design!"
"Yes, well…" Yoayorozu still seemed uncertain, but at least she looked a little less nervous now. Given the obvious care and attention she'd paid her designs, he could completely relate to a worry that they might be unviable. "Thank you for saying so, Midoriya. I'm sure there will be some issues, but having a second person with some deeper understanding of DNA materials agree it has merit is reassuring. I appreciate it."
"Of course!" Izuku carefully handed back the stack of papers with the care they deserved. Just as they approached the doors to the support lab, Izuku glanced at Mineta, who'd ended up walking next to him. "You said you didn't want to tell anyone anything about your costume, right Mineta?"
"Yeah…" Mineta grumbled, though he looked markedly less enthusiastic about that fact now. "Figures that would backfire when you're apparently a walking talking costume design resource offering freebies."
"I'm sure it'll be just fine without my help." Izuku offered.
"Here's to hoping." Mineta sighed. "It's about time the universe threw me a bone."
The wall exploded.
Notes:
It's been a hell of a two weeks, and I'm absolutely exhausted already. Writing has been a relief when I can muster the energy, but I feel so scattered that it was harder to get ideas down.
A lot of disparate things happening in this chapter. Another spar with En, where Izuku gets to show off some of his smarts. Some major progress with Tsubasa, though he's got a very, very long road to any kind of real recovery. Inko's resolve to try and get back in shape, which was partly inspired by my own recent efforts (albeit for far different reasons).
The major hurtle of this chapter was the Katsuki and Inko interactions. It leads into something I don't think I've ever read before; Inko trying to help Katsuki down the road to redemption, even though she suspects he was one of Izuku's bullies. This is something I really hope I presented well. She's mad at him, disappointed in him, but still loves him and wants him to become better. There will be consequences when she learns the truth, but in the meantime her goal is to try and figure out what went wrong and get him to open up. That'll be an interesting experience for both of them, and we'll get a look into Katsuki's thoughts on everything going on in the near in-universe future. There's a LOT going on in his head. Of all the things I may have overestimated my abilities on, this complex knot of emotions may well be the crown jewel. Hopefully I don't mess it up too badly.
Also, some suit upgrades for those in dire need of it, with a splash of fluff and friendship mixed in. The mild body horror of extrapolating out what DNA materials could really mean for hero suits was fun!
For those interested, I posted the first chapter Bestowal: What If. It'll be short crack-y looks at ways the story could have changed based on small differences, such as giving 100% Boon to Gran Torino rather than All Might back in chapter 6. It helped me get back in the headspace for writing, because I could just whip it out without worrying about stepping on my own future toes or setting up some future plot point that needs to be just so. If you want to read it, you can find it in my profile.