The city buzzed with its usual late-night chaos. Deku swung through the narrow streets, the tendrils of Blackwhip extending from his gauntlets as he moved from building to building. His Danger Sense flared suddenly, like a jolt to his nerves, pulling him toward an alley just ahead.

Landing silently on the rooftop above, Deku peered down to see a group of masked criminals surrounding a trembling store clerk. The neon sign of a convenience store flickered behind them, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

"Hand over the cash, old man," one of them sneered, brandishing a knife.

The clerk, clutching a money pouch, hesitated. "P-please, I need this to feed my family…"

Deku tightened his grip on the edge of the roof, anger bubbling in his chest. "Not on my watch," he whispered. With a swift motion, he leapt from the rooftop, firing Blackwhip at the nearest thug. The tendril snapped around the man's wrist, pulling him away from the clerk with a yelp.

"It's Deku!" one of the criminals shouted in panic.

"You know the deal," Deku said as he landed gracefully between the clerk and the gang. "Surrender now, or this ends the hard way."

The leader, a burly man with a crowbar, charged at him. Deku sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the crowbar with Blackwhip and yanking it free from the man's grasp. With a quick kick, he sent the leader sprawling to the ground.

Two others tried to run, but Deku fired another set of tendrils, snaring them mid-air. The crash bracelets on his gauntlets activated, locking the criminals in place with an audible hum. They dangled helplessly, their protests drowned out by the energy field holding them steady.

The store clerk looked up, tears of relief in his eyes. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Deku!"

Deku turned, giving a reassuring nod. "It's going to be okay now. Call the police—they'll take care of the rest."

As the clerk pulled out his phone, Deku's Danger Sense tingled again. His eyes darted upward, scanning the skyline.

There she was.

Hovering above the rooftops, Sera Vee shone like a star against the night. Her golden and white uniform sparkled, the light catching on her flowing cape as she observed him from a distance. Her pose was poised, confident—an image of both elegance and strength. For a moment, Deku's breath hitched.

"Sera Vee…" he muttered. "What are you doing here?"

She raised a hand, almost like a wave, though her expression was unreadable from this distance. Before he could move, she was gone, vanishing into the shadows like a phantom.

"Wait!" Deku called out, his voice echoing in the alley. But the only response was the faint hum of the city.

XX

Deku arrived at the high-tech facility, the hum of machinery and faint music greeting him. Inside, Kuri—better known to the world as Sera Vee—was practicing for her next performance. Her body floated effortlessly in mid-air, her movements graceful as she spun with a glowing red ring encircling her waist.

"Impressive, huh?" a familiar voice called from the side. Deku turned to see Reiko, Kuri's close confidant, leaning against a control panel.

"Reiko," Deku greeted, his voice wary. "Is she—?"

"She's been here all day," Reiko interrupted, as if reading his mind. "Practicing. Witnesses and all."

Kuri noticed Deku and lowered herself to the ground with a fluid motion, the Hover Ring deactivating as her feet touched the floor. She approached him with a calm smile.

"Izuku," she said softly. "I've been waiting for you."

"Kuri," Deku began, frustration and worry clear in his tone. "You're not—Miko again, are you?"

Her expression didn't waver. "No, I'm not. I promised you I wouldn't be."

"Then explain what I just saw," he demanded. "You were helping Deku—"

"I've been here all day," she said firmly, her gaze steady. "Ask anyone."

Reiko nodded from behind her. "It's true. She hasn't left."

Kuri's voice softened. "I know you're worried. That's why I've been working on this." She gestured to a nearby table, where a pair of sleek crash bracelets and the Hover Ring lay waiting. "These are for Deku. To help him."

Deku's eyes widened as she picked up the Hover Ring, slipping it around her waist. "Watch," she said, activating the device. The ring glowed faintly, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. "It's like your Float quirk, but for anyone."

She landed again and grabbed another item—a Hover Board, its edges gleaming with energy. "This can get someone out of danger in seconds. And the crash bracelets? They can stop a villain mid-air, locking them in place."

"That's amazing," Deku admitted, though his worry didn't fade. "But, Kuri… why? Why are you doing this?"

She set the Hover Board down and met his gaze. "Because Deku needs help," she said simply. "And I know I can make a difference."

Deku hesitated, his mind racing. "You know who Deku is, don't you?"

Kuri didn't answer directly. Instead, she smiled faintly. "Secret identities are meant to stay secret, right?"

"Kuri—"

She stepped closer, cutting him off. "Izuku, I'm keeping my promise not to be Miko. But I can't sit back and do nothing. If you shut down Gold Crown tomorrow, I'd still find a way to help Deku. That's just who I am."

Deku stared at her, caught between admiration and frustration. His emotions churned as he stepped closer, his heart pounding.

"Kuri…" he murmured, leaning in.

Before he could act, his phone buzzed, shattering the moment. He fumbled for it, glancing at the screen.

Inko Midoriya.

"Mom…" he said under his breath, guilt tugging at him.

Kuri chuckled softly, stepping back. "Answer it, Izuku. We'll talk later."

As he answered the call, Kuri turned back to her work, her focus already shifting to the next innovation she would create—not for herself, but for the hero she believed in.

Xxx

The streetlights cast a dim glow on the cracked sidewalks as Izuku pedaled his aging bike down the quiet roads. The day had been long, and the weight of everything on his shoulders felt heavier than usual. He'd planned to head straight home, but his mom's phone call had sounded off—shaky, like she was holding back tears.

The moment he walked through the door of their modest home, he found Inko Midoriya sitting at the kitchen table. She wasn't crying, but her hands trembled slightly as she held a cup of tea. A half-eaten plate of cookies sat in front of her.

"Mom?" Izuku asked cautiously, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "Are you okay?"

Inko didn't look at him immediately. Instead, she took a slow sip of her tea before finally meeting his gaze. "Izuku, we need to talk."

He froze in place, his heart already racing. "About what?"

She set the cup down, folding her hands tightly in her lap. "About Toshinori… and about his death."

Izuku's stomach dropped. All Might. His mentor. His hero. His voice came out in a whisper. "What about him?"

Inko sighed deeply, gathering her thoughts. "Before you were born… Toshinori and I… we were… close."

Izuku blinked in shock. "Close? You mean… you and All Might—?"

"We had a relationship, Izuku," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "I loved him… and I think, in his own way, he loved me too."

The room went silent, except for the faint hum of the refrigerator. Izuku stood frozen, trying to process this bombshell.

"Why are you telling me this now?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"Because there's something else you need to know." Inko's eyes filled with tears, but she pressed on. "Toshinori's death… it wasn't just fate or an accident. It was my fault."

"What?!" Izuku took a step back, his mind spinning. "That's not true—how could it be your fault?"

Inko's voice broke as she explained. "I tried to convince him to retire years ago, to leave the fight behind. But he wouldn't listen. He said the world needed him too much. And then… when he gave you his power… he became even more determined. I begged him to stop, Izuku. I begged him. And when he finally—when he couldn't fight anymore…" She covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "I feel like I pushed him into that final battle. If I had been stronger… if I had supported him differently… maybe he would still be here."

"No, Mom," he said, his voice trembling. "It wasn't your fault. It was… mine."

Inko's eyes widened. "What?"

Izuku looked down at the table, unable to meet her gaze. His hands shook as he spoke. "That night… I was at the wrestling tournament. I went to get paid after the match, but the guy wouldn't give me my money. I was so angry, and when someone else came in and held him up… I didn't stop him. I could have, easily, but I didn't. I let him go."

Inko stared at him, frozen in place, her tea forgotten.

"And then… that guy," Izuku continued, his voice breaking, "he… he shot All Might. Because I let him go. If I had stopped him when I had the chance, Toshinori would still be alive."

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Izuku finally dared to look up, desperate for some sign of understanding, some shred of forgiveness.

But Inko's face was pale, her expression one of shock and disbelief. "Izuku," she whispered, her voice cold, "how could you…?"

"I didn't think it was my problem," Izuku admitted, his tears spilling over. "I didn't know—I couldn't have known—but it doesn't matter. It was my fault."

Inko sat there for a long moment, her hands trembling as she reached for the plate of cookies. Slowly, she stood, carrying the plate to the trash. Without a word, she dumped the cookies in and set the plate on the counter.

"Well," she said finally, her voice sharp, "I guess I can understand why you didn't want to tell me this."

"Mom, please," Izuku begged, standing up. "I'm so sorry. I've carried this with me every day since it happened. I—"

"On the surface," she continued, cutting him off, "it does seem to be something fairly unforgivable."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. "Mom—"

Before he could finish, she grabbed a plate from the counter and, with a sudden burst of fury, smashed it against the sink.

"Damn it!" she cried, her voice breaking. She crouched down, gathering the shattered pieces with shaking hands.

"Let me help—" Izuku started, but she slapped his hand away.

"Don't," she snapped, her voice venomous. "Just don't."

As she stood to throw the shards in the trash, a piece sliced her palm. She hissed in pain, shoving her finger into her mouth.

"Mom, please—" Izuku tried again, reaching for her.

"Get away from me!" she shouted, turning on him. Her eyes were blazing, her face contorted with anger and heartbreak. "Get out!"

Izuku staggered back, his breath catching in his throat. "Mom, I'm—"

"Out!" she screamed, grabbing the Dustbuster from the closet and noisily vacuuming the remaining shards. She didn't look at him, didn't acknowledge him.

Izuku's shoulders slumped, his tears falling freely now. With a heavy heart, he turned and left.

XXX

The cold wind bit at Izuku's face as he rode through the dark streets. His old bike sputtered beneath him, its engine coughing like it might give out at any moment.

As he crossed an empty intersection, the bike let out a sharp backfire and died completely. Izuku growled in frustration, kicking the machine.

"Why can't anything in my life just work?" he muttered, dragging the bike to the side of the road.

After a moment, he started the long walk home, his head bowed against the wind.

XXX

When Izuku finally reached the apartment building, he stopped in his tracks. There, parked in front, was a sleek, gleaming green and black bike. It was impossibly advanced, with glowing panels and intricate designs. The word Deku was etched along the side.

"What…?" Izuku stepped closer, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. The bike wasn't just beautiful—it looked like something out of a dream. Hidden compartments and sleek edges hinted at weaponry, and the design was futuristic, almost alien.

He reached out to touch it, running his hand over the polished surface. He heard the small sound of a giggle. The voice was very familiar.

"Sera Vee…" he whispered, his heart skipping a beat. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.

"It's Kuri…" he whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips.

From the corner of his eye, he caught a swish of fabric. Looking up, he saw a fleeting glimpse of a golden cape disappearing around the corner. Sera Vee.

He didn't chase her. Instead, he stood there, staring after her with a mix of awe and gratitude. Despite everything—the revelations, the heartbreak, the broken bike—his day ended on a high note.

Izuku smiled to himself, a secret, quiet smile, as he wheeled the new bike toward the garage. For the first time all day, hope replaced the weight in his chest.