Chapter Eleven
Who will be President?!
U.A. High School, the premier Hero training school in eastern Japan, and a contender for the most prestigious hero school in all of Japan, was often bereft of visitors. Located on a hilltop overlooking Musutafu, a city located in the Shizuoka prefecture, it was fairly out of the way. The school required this, given the noise made from students harnessing their quirks to their full potential, the land required for the various extensive training grounds, and even the simple privacy of students who were still learning the basics of how to be a Pro. Indeed, U.A. was usually left alone by visitors or tourists. That is, usually.
"How did it get to this?" Shuzai Han muttered to himself, scratching his hair with his cap. All around him were reporters and news crew members from various news agencies. Vans and cars were parked wherever space was available, wires and cables created trip hazards wherever you stepped, and the sheer noise from over five dozen ambitious, news-starved journalists was almost too much for anyone to handle.
Fortunately, Shuzai Han wasn't just anyone. A veteran of the reporting world, Shuzai had reported on villain attacks big and small. He was never the one doing the speaking, he was much too shy for that, but he dutifully followed his correspondent wherever they were brave (or foolish) enough to go.
"Two days of waiting, and still nothing," Shuzai sighed, leaning against the side of the company van. Glancing to his left, Shuzai called out to his colleague. "Hey, Nyūsu, kid, don't you think we're wasting our time here?"
"Geez, Han, don't call me a kid," his colleague, Osekkaina Nyūsu, complained. She was a young girl, fresh out of university with a Bachelor of Journalism, and eager to prove herself. Her brown hair was tied up in a ponytail behind her, and she was dressed to the nines in the NHK news-anchor uniform.
'Guess that's another reason to be grateful that I never made the mistake of being a reporter,' Shuzai thought to himself, glancing at his reflection in the van window, seeing his basic jacket and t-shirt attire that he wore, as well as his week-old chin stubble. 'No need for fancy, stuffy clothing when your job is to point the camera anywhere else but at you.'
"And anyway," Nyūsu continued, gaining that look in her eye that Shuzai knew she had a plan, "we've been doing it all wrong! We've been trying to get an interview with the teachers, but since most of them are Pros and have some vendetta against us, they're refusing to talk! Well, their students aren't going to be as tight lipped, now are they?"
"You know just as well as I do that there's a reason that Pros aren't the biggest fan of journalists," Shuzai sweatdropped. "It's thanks to people like Ms. Kizuki from Shoowaysha Publishing that many Pros look at us reporters as a danger to their image; one too many bad encounters can make you think all journalists are alike, after all."
"Yeah, well I'm nothing like that blue bitch!" Nyūsu swore, metaphorical flames blazing in her eyes. "She gives us reporters a bad name with her scandal pieces, intentionally misleading questions, and cherry picked information! Sure, none of it is hearsay anymore, but I'd say it still isn't much more accurate than before! She'd better be glad that Shoowaysha Publishing is banned from U.A. grounds, or I'd lay her out flat for how she stole our story in November!"
"Nyūsu, hitting someone is still considered assault, even if we don't have quirks," Shuzai hissed, glancing around, hoping that the wrong kinds of people nearby had heard him. Even though journalists as a whole had a code of honour, especially regarding their quirks (or lack thereof), you could never be too sure. It wouldn't do for a rival news crew to overhear him, and take it upon themselves to deprive Shuzai and his junior of any stories, simply out of spite. While he and Nyūsu would have sizable protection against quirk-related discrimination thanks to the M.O.N. Enforcers, less legal options were always available, and Shuzai knew it. You didn't get this far in the reporting business by being slack.
"Whatever," Nyūsu huffed, scuffing her shoes against the sidewalk.
Shuzai simply smiled. Despite the girl always putting on an act of someone older, there were the occasional moments where Shuzai could see the girl a decade younger than him. In all honesty, she reminded him of his own sister. Well, what his sister could have become. It was the sheer energy and determination that Nyūsu displayed that made Shuzai determined to help her achieve her dreams in journalism, and maybe keep up with her from the tailwinds she'd create.
"Oh, look alive, Han, we have students incoming!" Nyūsu cheered, doing last minute wardrobe checks in the van window. "Come on, this has the makings of a six o'clock story, I just know it! One of these kids should be willing to give us a juicy story!"
"Whatever you say, kid," Shuzai smiled, placing his trusty camera on his shoulder, following behind his trusty partner.
As the U.A. students made their way up the hill and onto school grounds, the various news teams had formed up on two sides, allowing a corridor for students to walk unimpeded, but narrow enough for the reporters to easily get a story. While many of the students either gave no response or inconsequential responses, there were a few interviews that Nyūsu attempted that stood out to Shuzai.
"What's it like learning from All Might?!" Nyūsu asked one particular green-haired student.
"Eh?!" he squeaked, seeming to be almost terrified. "Ah…sorry. I'm due at the nurse's office."
He held up his arm, showing bandages around his right arm and his left arm held in a sling.
"Oh, fair enough," Nyūsu said, her shoulders slumping, though Shuzai reckoned it was more to do with a lack of story and less to do with the student's injury. He didn't hold it against her, it was simply how she was.
"Tell us what the Symbol of Peace looks like in front of the class!" Nyūsu asked another student, this one a young girl with brown hair cut in a bob and permanent blush marks on her cheeks.
"How he looks?!" she repeated, thinking for a moment before holding up her arms in a muscle flex. "Um…super muscly! Yeah!"
'Well that's not helpful,' Shuzai sighed as the girl passed. Of course All Might would look muscly; if you looked up the definition of 'muscular' in any dictionary, you'd see All Might!
"Tell us about All Might as a teacher!" Nyūsu asked another student, with one with short, dark blue hair, as well as a pair of rectangular glasses resting on his face.
"Every day with him is a reminder that I'm enrolled at this preeminent educational institution," the student explained with a serious tone. "Beyond his obvious dignity and presence, he's also quite humorous. As we students are privy to observing his many facets, we've been given the opportunity to discover just what makes a top hero a top hero. Also…"
"Is this going to go on for a while?" Shuzai quietly asked the heteromorph girls who had been walking with the rambling teen, an Arachne with lavender hair and a Centaur with blond hair. He was ever so grateful that it was Nyūsu who had to keep up the facade of being interested for the sake of politeness.
"Unfortunately, Glasses can talk for hours on end," the Arachne huffed, rolling her head, as her mono-coloured eyes seemed incapable of showing their movement. "I'd say that you have until ten minutes before class of him yammering on."
"We are truly sorry for this," the Centaur apologised, bowing profusely.
"Hey, it's no worries," Shuzai chuckled, waving away their concerns. "The most he's doing is teaching my colleague that sometimes she should be careful not to bite off more than she can chew. She might have a freshly minted degree, but experience is 90% of what matters."
"I see journalism isn't much different to hero work in that regard," the Arachne smirked, turning back towards the U.A. entrance. "Well, see you in class, Sarah. I'm going to see if I can find Dynamite."
"Wait, you aren't just leaving me, are you, sister?" the Centaur gaped, betrayal in her eyes.
"Hey, he's your rival, not mine," her friend/sister? called out. "Just make sure to remind him of the time, or else none of us are hearing the end of it. We don't want a repeat of last time!"
"Ugh, no, we certainly do not," the Centaur muttered to herself, walking over to tug on her friend's sleeve.
While that interview had been the lengthiest, one of the shortest interviews was soon after.
"When All Might is…huh?!" Nyūsu started, only to quickly change her question at the sight of the student's distinctly spiky ash-blond hair. "You're the kid from the Sludge Incident!"
"Buzz off," the student growled, his teeth grinding against each other. Nyūsu opened her mouth to try a followup question, but Shuzai gestured for her to stop. Some people just didn't want to be interviewed, and an unwilling hero student was one of the last people you wanted to aggravate. The hormones of a teenager in a stressful environment, who was also being taught how to use their quirk, more often than not in a combat setting? That wasn't someone Shuzai wanted angry.
"Grr, none of these kids are giving me a scoop," Nyūsu muttered, clenching her microphone, though she was at least aware enough to not damage it. "That rambling kid with the glasses gave us the most information, but even that wasn't much."
"How about that guy?" Shuzai suggested, seeing an adult exiting through the U.A. gates, heading straight for the crowd of reporters. He had gone unnoticed, with all of the other news crews focusing outwards, hoping for more interviews with students.
"Does All M-...you're a mess!" Nyūsu cried out, having paused mid-sentence as her brain processed the man in front of her. He had long, shaggy black hair reaching past his chin, unkempt stubble on his face, as well as what looked like a scarf wrapped around his neck.
"Who are you, anyway?!" Nyūsu continued, thrusting her microphone into the man's face, regardless of her opinions of him.
"He's off today," the man responded in a monotone voice, "All Might, that is. You're interrupting our classes. Please leave."
Without allowing for any follow up questions, the man turned around and headed back onto the U.A. campus, ignoring the many questions that the news crews were throwing out, most of them asking about All Might, but a few inquiring about the man.
"Why are you so sloppy-looking?!" Nyūsu called out to no avail, the man not even pausing in his stride.
"Jeez, it's not as if we're asking for a lot, only an interview with All Might," she huffed. "Who even was that guy anyway? The groundskeeper?"
"I don't think so," Shuzai hesitantly said, a hand rubbing his chin in thought. "I feel like I've seen him somewhere. Maybe not?"
"Come on, we'd just like to ask All Might about-" Nyūsu began, walking after the shaggy-looking man, either unaware or uncaring about the gate she was approaching.
"No, don't!" Shuzai warned, his cry causing Nyūsu to pause for a moment, just in time for the gates to slam shut in her face with a clang, mere centimetres from her nose.
"WAHHHH, WHAT THE HELL?!" Nyūsu cried out in shock, falling backwards onto her rear out of sheer fright.
"It's the U.A. barrier. That's what we call it, anyway," Shuzai said, reaching down to help his junior up.
"Eh?! What do you mean?" Nyūsu cried out, suddenly looking at the gate and walls surrounding the campus with much more caution than before.
"The whole place locks down if someone without a school I.D. or a visitor pass approaches the gate," Shuzai explained, gesturing to the walls. "I hear there are motion sensors throughout the whole campus."
"The nerve!" Nyūsu growled, her fear quickly dashed by determination. "Shutting us out like that without a single comment!"
"For real," someone to their side agreed. Glancing over, Shuzai noticed the Mezamashi TV company logo stitched on their clothing. "Two whole days we've been here and not a byline to show for it!"
Clammers of agreement started growing within the crowd, the agitation and annoyance over their lack of content that had been brewing for the duration of the media's stay reaching a boiling point.
"How the hell are we meant to get a story from out here?" Shuzai thought aloud. But thanks to the media's focus, they were unaware of the young man with grayish-blue hair lurking behind them, glaring at the U.A. gate, scratching at a phantom itch on his arm.
-]l[-
"Okay, class, settle down," Mr. Aizawa said, his usual monotone voice causing silence to fall over the students, each of them sitting at their desks. "Good work with yesterday's battle training. I've looked over your grades and evaluations."
He placed a stack of papers on his desk, turning his gaze to the right-hand side of the room, locking eyes with Kacchan.
"Bakugo."
Kacchan flinched in front of Izuku, clearly uncertain about their teacher's grade.
"Grow up already," Mr. Aizawa said, his stern expression and voice showing his sincerity. "Stop wasting your talent."
Izuku expected some sort of retort from his childhood friend, but instead Kacchan simply replied with, "Got it."
'That talk he and Kurusu had really must have affected him,' Izuku thought to himself.
"Midoriya," Mr. Aizawa continued, causing Izuku to flinch as well, his gaze locking onto his desk. "It seems that you ended yet another day with a broken arm."
Izuku clenched his fists. What his teacher had said was true; he couldn't be a hero if he kept injuring himself daily.
"Learn to control your quirk, because simply trying isn't going to cut it," Mr. Aizawa continued. "I hate repeating myself. But you do have potential, assuming you can overcome this. Work at it, Midoriya."
"Sir!" Izuku nodded, holding his head high, determined more than ever, especially after yesterday, to prove that he belonged here.
"I'll hand out the rest of your evaluations later, but for now, onto Homeroom business," Mr. Aizawa declared, an ominous tone in his voice. "Sorry for the sudden announcement, but today…"
'''''What is it?''''' many in the class wondered. '''''A brutal pop quiz at the start of the year?'''''
"...you'll pick a class president," Mr. Aizawa finished, dispelling the tension.
"""""Such a normal school-like thing!""""" the class cheered.
"I wanna be president!" Kirishima shouted, standing up from his desk. "Lemme do it!"
"Oh, I wanna be a leader!" Ashido cheered, accidentally drowning out Aoyama's own proposal.
Many more student's started shouting out their applications. Some, like Jiro and Ojiro, were more reserved, simply raising their hand and expressing their interest in the position. Some, like Kacchan in front of him, were being more vocal about it. And then some, like Mineta, who sat behind Izuku, were making their presidential promises.
"In my administration, girls will have to show 30 cm of thigh!"
Even Izuku was getting into the swing of it, timidly raising his hand. He'd never been able to be class president in middle school, given his unpopular nature, but now he might have a chance.
"Quiet down, everyone!" a loud voice, Ida's, yelled, silencing the chatter of the class. Everyone turned to look at the spectacled student, noticing the serious expression on his face.
"Leading the many is a task of heavy responsibility!" he declared. "But ambition does not equate to ability! This sacred office demands the trust of its constituents! If this is to be a democracy, then I put forward the motion that our true leader must be chosen by election!"
Of course, Ida's serious face conflicted with his hand, held straight aloft in the air, clearly just as eager as everyone else.
"But Ida, we haven't known each other long enough to build any trust," Asui protested with a ribbit.
"And everyone'll just vote for themselves!" Kirishima pointed out.
"That's precisely why anyone who manages to earn multiple votes will be the best suited individual for the job!" Ida proposed, quickly turning to face Mr. Aizawa. "Will you allow this, Sir?!"
"However you do it, just make it quick," Mr. Aizawa said, already zipping himself into his yellow sleeping bag. "Just get it over with before my nap is over."
"Very well!" Ida declared, turning to face the class. "I propose that we utilise the classroom's digital services! Each person will come to the front of the class, scan their I.D., and cast their vote. Each person will be limited to a single vote, either for themselves, or for one of their fellows. The person with the most votes will be deemed the most trusted within the class, while the runner up will be elected as their vice. Is that acceptable to you all?!"
General statements of agreement were heard throughout the classroom, prompting Ida's proposal to go forward. One by one, each student left their seat to secretly cast their vote at the front. Once Yaoyorozu had submitted her results, Mr. Aizawa pulled out a remote from his sleeping bag, pressing a button and causing the results to flash up on the board.
Sarah Kurusu - 3 votes
Tsuyu Asui - 2
Izuku Midoriya - 2
Momo Yaoyorozu - 2
Yuga Aoyama - 1
Mina Ashido - 1
Tenya Ida - 1
Mashirao Ojiro - 1
Denki Kaminari - 1
Eijiro Kirishima - 1
Mezo Shoji - 1
Kyoka Jiro - 1
Kórinis Kurusu - 1
Katsuki Bakugo - 1
Minoru Mineta - 1
Ochako Uraraka - 0
Koji Koda - 0
Fumikage Tokoyami - 0
Shoto Todoroki - 0
Toru Hagakure - 0
"Someone voted for me?!" Izuku exclaimed. He knew he had voted for himself, but that was simply holding out hope. He hadn't actually expected someone to vote for him. And apparently, he wasn't the only one surprised by it.
"Okay, who the hell voted for Deku?!" Kacchan yelled, furiously looking around the room for a culprit.
"Damn it, only one vote," Ida muttered, leaning against his desk in shame. "To think I inspired so little faith in my fellows. This is truly the harsh reality of this sacred office."
"I see we have a three-way tie," Yaoyorozu observed. "While Sarah Kurusu is the clear winner, how are we to resolve this impasse?"
"We could do another round of voting," Ida proposed, rising from his slump, his hands chopping the air as he thought. "This time, we'd narrow the list of candidates to Asui, Midoriya, and yourself, Yaoyorozu. That way, we'd be able to have a decisive winner."
"What about me?" Sarah Kurusu asked, raising her hand. "I won the vote, so should I be exempt from casting a vote again?"
"Hm, that's a good question," Ida mused. "How about-"
"This is getting out of hand," Mr. Aizawa interrupted, unzipping himself from his sleeping bag. Holding the remote again, he pressed a button, leaving only Izuku and Sarah Kurusu's names on the board. "I've made the deciding vote. Kurusu will be your class president. Midoriya will be vice-president. Both of you, come up to the front."
On shaky legs, Izuku walked to the front of the class, doing his best to ignore the glares that Kacchan was burning into the back of his uniform. Standing beside Kurusu, Izuku tried to give the Centaur a shaky smile, causing her to give her own confident smile back.
"I look forward to working with you, Midoriya," Kurusu quietly said to him, before turning back to the rest of the class. "As your class president, I will strive to uphold and maintain the confidence you have shown to have in me by being an exemplary leader."
"A-And I-I'll try to do the s-same as her vice," Izuku stammered, his hands clenched with nerves.
"Is it fine for the deciding vote to be yours, Mr. Aizawa?" Ashido exclaimed in confusion. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm fine with the results, but is that allowed by the school?"
"I never said I wouldn't be voting," Mr. Aizawa explained, pressing another button that caused the results to vanish from the screen. "As I said on our first day, we teachers are given free reign to teach you how we see fit. If we want to have a lesson outside, we can. If we want to cast our own vote in a poll, we can. So long as certain lines aren't crossed, the Principal doesn't care much. Anyway, settle back down, you've had your fun. I'll start handing out your grades for yesterday's performance. You can have a quick look over my comments, and then it'll be time for your first period."
"""""Yes, Mr. Aizawa!""""" the class exclaimed, settling down into their seats for the lesson, excited and nervous for how they had been graded.
-]l[-
Classes came and went in a blur for Izuku. While he did focus on them as well as he could, he couldn't stop worrying about how he'd manage as the class vice-president. As soon as the bell for lunch sounded, Izuku made his way to the school cafeteria. Looking around, he noticed a large crowd of students milling about, with many different variations of the uniform that he wore.
'That must be the uniforms for the different departments,' Izuku thought to himself as he grabbed a meal from Lunch Rush. 'Other than the Department of Heroes, there's also the Department of Support, the Department of Business, and the Department of General Studies. And the fact that U.A. is able to have all of them eating in the same cafeteria is incredible.'
"Hey, Midoriya, over here!"
Izuku turned around at the noise, seeing Ida and Uraraka sitting on one side of a table, while Sarah Kurusu and Koda sat on the other side. Kurusu was waving him over, and seeing no reason to refuse, Izuku made his way over to their table, sitting down next to Koda.
"Oo, your lunch looks real tasty, Deku," Uraraka said, eating from a bowl of white rice. "This rice that Lunch Rush makes is super tasty too!"
"And there is a truly delectable array of vegetables for me to select from," Kurusu agreed, gesturing to her plate of salad. "Due to my biology, I require a plant-based diet, so to have so many options available is truly appreciated."
Izuku noticed that the chair Kurusu lay on was styled differently to the ones that he and his other classmates sat on. It was extended, acting more like a couch, allowing Kurusu to sit at a similar level to everyone else, even with her unique body proportions.
"The fact that the school also has Narangi Chicken curry as an option is truly yet another example of this school's brilliance!" Ida exclaimed, eating from his orange curry.
Koda simply nodded, cutting into his omelet.
"Tasty," he whispered, barely audible over the din of the cafeteria.
"Oh, how are you feeling about being our class leaders, Kurusu, Deku?" Uraraka asked.
"I'm just a little worried about whether or not I can really handle my position," Izuku admitted, turning to look at Kurusu. "To be honest, I kind of wish I had your confidence, Kurusu."
"Mine is born of experience and trial, Midoriya, it isn't something that one can magically gain," the Centaur explained. "Do not fret, I shall be sure to guide you in the duties of being a leader of the class, you have my word."
"Wow, Kurusu, you seem like you've done this before," Uraraka observed, leaning forward. "Were you a class president at middle school?"
"Both years, actually, but at an academy, not a middle school," Kurusu answered with a smile. "Tenya was my vice-president, and in my humble opinion, we both did admirably well. We would have joined the student council but for the rule that only the older students were able to. Since Tenya and I decided to transfer out of Somei and into U.A., I thought it fitting to try and fulfil our dreams here. However, as you saw, I was the only one to vote for Tenya."
"I figured that was you," Ida nodded. "I must admit, when the results came in, I was disappointed to not be given that duty. However, with the benefit of hindsight, I am confident in the final results."
"After all," Ida admitted, turning to face Izuku, "if Sarah were not an available candidate, you would have received my vote, Midoriya."
"Me?" Izuku gasped, pointing at himself in shock. "You would have voted for me?"
"Indeed," Ida nodded. "Your grit and decisiveness in a pinch would have made you perfectly suited to lead us all. Had we the option of multiple votes, you would have received my second one."
"Wait, you didn't vote for yourself, did you, Ida!" Uraraka exclaimed. "Kurusu said she voted for you, but you only got one vote, so you must have voted for someone else! But didn't you wanna be president too, Ida? You've got the glasses and everything!"
"That's correct," Ida said. "I find little value in voting for yourself. It only shows your confidence in yourself, rather than the confidence that you have in your fellows. While I do not condemn any who do so, I personally never vote for myself, in any regard. Even if I would miss out on a crucial point, I'd still rather lose, safe in the knowledge that I placed my faith and confidence in my fellows, rather than win, knowing I only trusted myself. That's why I voted for Sarah to be our class president, a choice I am glad to see fulfilled."
"Same," came a quiet whisper. Everyone at the table turned to face Koda, who in the presence of the attention from his classmates, shrunk in on himself.
"Did you vote for Kurusu as well, Koda?" Izuku asked, with Koda responding with a small nod.
"Okay, so that's two people, who's the third?" Uraraka asked aloud. "We know Kurusu didn't vote for herself, so who do we think it is?"
"My sister," Kurusu answered with certainty. "She has always cast her vote with me, ever since we had the option of class presidents. She has no desire for leading, primarily because of her disinterest in the position, but also because of her issues when it comes to people."
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked with concern in his voice.
"As far as academies go, Somei is quite progressive. However, Kórinis, more than any other heteromorph, has always struggled with discrimination and ostracization," Kurusu explained.
"She was bullied?" Koda quietly gasped.
"No, never bullied, none were so inane to do such a thing to someone with knives for fingers, swords for elbows, and enough strength to carve concrete," Kurusu explained with a frown. "No, it was more subtle, more insidious. People staying away from her, or advising others to do the same. Baseless accusations or assumptions about her nature, purely based on her quirk. People acting differently around her, or intentionally keeping at an arm's reach."
Kurusu's words quickly put a damper on the table's mood, causing them all to regress into silence.
"That being said," Kurusu began, "I am glad to see my worries for my younger sister unfounded at this school. I must give my thanks to Bakugo for befriending her so quickly."
"Wait, Bakugo and your sister are friends?" Uraraka gasped, taken by surprise. Izuku could understand her shock. Given the short length of time they had all had together as a class, as well as Kacchan's, well, off putting attitude, Izuku would have been just as surprised if he hadn't overheard their conversation after class.
"Indeed," Kurusu chuckled. "It was quite amusing to hear her mother's reaction when Kórinis told our family about a friend she had made at school. The children in our family were quick to begin teasing her, standard sibling behaviour, I assure you."
"I wouldn't know, I'm an only child," Uraraka shrugged.
"That reminds me, Kurusu," Izuku asked, a detail his classmate mentioned sticking in his mind. "You and your sister are half-sisters, right? If you don't mind sharing, that is."
"It is no trouble, Midoriya, I don't mind," Kurusu reassured. "You are correct, Kórinis and I are half-sisters; we have the same father, but different mothers."
"How does that work?" Uraraka asked, tilting her head. "You and your sister are similar ages, right?"
"Indeed, I am the eldest child of my family, though only by a few days. Suffice to say, November is a busy time of the year, what with so many birthdays happening at once."
"So, um, what happened to your mother?" Izuku asked. "That is, if it's not a painful topic."
"Painful?" Kurusu asked, this time being the one to tilt her head. "Why would it be painful?"
"Well, you know, because you live with your sister's mum, right?" Uraraka added. "So are you from, a, well…"
"Oh, you think my mother is dead?" Kurusu asked, Izuku and Uraraka nodding in response. "No, fortunately not. Mother is alive and well, there isn't any need to worry."
"But I thought you lived with your step-mum," Uraraka said with confusion.
"Ah, well, you see…" Kurusu started, visibly trying to figure out how to explain it.
"Mr. Kurusu, Sarah's father, is currently part of a polyamorous relationship with seven women, two of which are Sarah and Kórinis' mothers," Ida explained, nonchalantly eating his curry. "From what I've heard and seen, all members involved are happy and content to be married to the same man."
Despite Ida's casual tone, it didn't stop the jaws of both Izuku and Uraraka from dropping onto the table in shock, nor for Koda's eyes to bug out, also in shock.
"Wow, I knew polygamy was legal, but to have that many partners?" Izuku muttered.
"How do you have that kind of money for food?!" Uraraka shrieked, clutching her head as the numbers required to feed that large of a family pounded in her brain.
"Well, seven people with seven jobs does help," Kurusu sheepishly explained.
"Wait, how many siblings do you have, Kurusu?" Izuku asked, snapping his attention to his classmate. "You mentioned younger siblings, so I'm kind of curious how large your family was."
"Ah, well, there's no real way to avoid it, so, um, ten. I have ten younger siblings, including Kórinis, who is the third-born."
Silence covered the table once more, with only Ida seeming to be unshaken by this news.
"The money needed for all of the presents…" Uraraka muttered, her eyes vacant with shock. The fog quickly lifted, her gaze focusing on a shy Kurusu as well as Ida, who was eating his curry as if nothing was off about the conversation.
"Hey, Kurusu, Ida," Uraraka began, a smile starting to stretch over her face. "The way you talk, your family size, and the fact that Ida wasn't bothered at all…are you both rich kids?!"
"Oh wow, you're right," Izuku nodded, dots that were scattered in his mind starting to line up. "Ida, Kurusu, is this true?"
"I had hoped you wouldn't notice," Ida admitted, Kurusu nodding sagely beside him. "But it is true, mine is a renowned hero family, and I am the second son."
"""Whoa, cool!""" Izuku, Uraraka and Koda gasped.
"Do you know of the Turbo Hero: Ingenium?" Ida asked, the hero-related question immediately catching Izuku's attention.
"Of course!" he exclaimed. "He employs sixty-five sidekicks at his office in Tokyo! So you're…?"
"His younger brother!" Ida proudly declared, his head held high. "He leads the people with his unwavering adherence to rules and regulations, and is a truly beloved hero! It's my admiration for my brother that's inspired my own desire to become a hero."
"Though I realise that I'm not yet ready to lead anyone," Ida admitted, looking at both Kurusu and Izuku with a small smile. "As the superior candidates, it was right that the two of you would receive the positions."
"Wow, I've never seen you smile before, Ida," Uraraka teased, nudging her classmate with her elbow.
"Eh?! Is that so?! I smile on occasion!" Ida exclaimed, though the smile on his face showed he had taken it in good nature.
"Actually, if you wish to hear of a truly prestigious hero family, you should look to Sarah's lineage," Ida said, looking to his friend and rival. "After all, her mother was the one to take my older brother in as a sidekick."
"Wow, really," Uraraka gasped. "Is your mum a Pro too, Kurusu?"
"Yes, she is," Kurusu nodded with a warm smile. "I'm incredibly proud of her, and I strive to be just as courageous as she is!"
"Wait, if Ida's brother is Ingenium, and your mother trained him…" Izuku muttered to himself, quickly gasping as the metaphorical lightbulb turned on in his head. "OH MY GOD, YOUR MOTHER IS THE KNIGHT HERO: CAVALRY!"
"Yes, that's correct," Kurusu chuckled. "I wasn't aware you were a fan."
"Oh, I'm a fan of almost every hero," Izuku admitted. "But, well, Cavalry is special to me. Growing up, no one thought I could be a hero. I went my whole life with everyone telling me it was a pipe dream, that I should focus on being a police officer, or a firefighter, or a doctor, some kind of job that could save people, but not a hero. But your mother was the one to tell me otherwise. She was honest with me, told me that it would be difficult, and without a quirk, I'd never be a Pro, only a sidekick, a member of a hero's agency. But she believed in me, even when my own mother didn't. That's why, in my eyes, she's one of the purest forms of a hero."
Everyone at the table was affected by Izuku's words, be it the stars in Uraraka's eyes, the welling of tears in Kurusu's eyes, or the happy, proud looks from Ida and Koda. This moment was shattered, however, when Izuku's eyes bugged out.
"Ah crap, I forgot to call her," Izuku whispered.
"""Call her?""" Kurusu, Ida and Uraraka asked, with Koda simply tilting his head.
"Yeah, see, when we met, she gave me her phone number, so that if I got into U.A., she'd be able to get me connected with the right people," Izuku explained, pulling out his Hero Journal, rapidly flipping through the pages until he found Cavalry's page, spinning the journal around to show the phone number taped to the pages. "But in all of the excitement, I forgot to tell her! Oh, what am I going to do?!"
"I don't think my mother will mind," Kurusu reassured. "I'll let her know tonight that she met one of my classmates last year, and that you'll be calling her soon."
"Thank you, Kurusu," Izuku smiled.
"Oh, what about your other relatives?" Uraraka asked Kurusu. "I mean, Ida said your family is an even MORE prestigious hero family, so there's got to be more than just your mum, right?"
"Indeed," Kurusu nodded. "My mother is a hero, but so was my grandmother, and my great-grandparents, and their parents, and so on and so forth."
"While the Ida family has heroes covering three generations, being my grandfather, my parents, and my brother, the Shianus family have been heroes for as long as heroes have been a profession," Ida explained. "They are responsible for countless rescues, easily hundreds of thousands of people rescued by their outstretched hand."
"Wait, Shianus?" Izuku asked, his eyes growing wide. "Ida, did you say Shianus? Kurusu, are you a member of the Shianus family?"
"Oh boy, I feared this would happen," Kurusu muttered, placing her head in her hands.
"Deku, you make them sound important," Uraraka said.
"Are they famous?" Koda asked in a quiet voice.
"THEY'RE HERO ROYALTY!"
The cafeteria was silent, every student looking directly at the source of the outburst; one very embarrassed, red-faced Izuku Midoriya. He sank into his set, trying to hide as much as possible. No one spoke a word, all of them stunned by the loud outburst from the small first-year student. That is, until an equally loud voice broke the silence.
"Shut up, Deku!" Kacchan yelled from across the cafeteria. Izuku, Ida, Uraraka, Kurusu, Koda, as well as every student in the cafeteria turned their heads, looking at the table where the second, albeit quieter, outburst came from. Kacchan was seated alongside Kórinis Kurusu and Hagakure, plates of food in front of each of them. While Hagakure's expression was hidden, obviously, Kórinis Kurusu was holding back laughs, while Kacchan simply scowled at Deku.
"Stop being such a damn nerd!" he shouted, turning back to his own meal.
This seemed to signal to everyone to go about their own businesses, leaving a very mortified Izuku alone with his friends' questions.
"Um, loudness aside, what did you mean by that?" Uraraka asked, looking between Izuku and Kurusu. "Are you royalty, Kurusu?"
"No, it's simply a title given to my family in regards to our history," Kurusu sighed, glancing back at Izuku. "Since you were the one to mention it, I assume you know a lot about my family heritage?"
"Yes, um, sorry for the outburst," Izuku apologised, slamming his head down on the table in a seated bow. "But, well, I didn't realise that you were a Shianus. It's kind of overwhelming…"
"So I take it they're a big deal?" Uraraka asked, her confused expression showing how lost she felt.
"A big deal is an understatement," Izuku explained, his tone becoming more animated. "When quirks first started appearing over two hundred years ago, much of the world quickly fell into chaos. Japan was one of them, alongside France, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and many others. Borders started being ignored, and instead territories ruled over by those with powerful quirks started popping up. Each were like a kingdom, with rules, taxes, and certain restrictions. Of course, sometimes villains simply rampaged in an area, attacking whoever they chose to. The police were overwhelmed, so it often fell to vigilantes to help keep order, even though the vigilantes themselves were disorganised. However, while many nations were ravaged by the flames of chaos, one stood above the rest as an exception; the United Kingdom.
"See, within a wealthy family was born a daughter who had a quirk, a mutation quirk to be precise. Her name was Elizabeth Shianus, and she was the first Centaur in existence."
"So that makes her…" Uraraka began.
"My ancestor, yes," Kurusu nodded. "I am her eighth-great-granddaughter, her direct descendant. While it doesn't have an effect on my genealogy, I also come from the main family, rather than a branch family, all of whom can call Elizabeth Shianus their ancestor, since all Centaurs hail from her blood."
"Because of the wealth of the Shianus family, their tolerant views on quirks, especially for the time, as well as Elizabeth's incredible strength and talent with a sword, she was officially knighted as a Superpowered Protector of the Realm," Izuku animatedly continued. "She took many hundreds of individuals with quirks under her banner, becoming one of the largest agencies of all time. Many historians believe that her presence was what allowed the United Kingdom to mitigate much of the damage that the rest of the world faced. When Japan fell into anarchy, or the People's Republic of China went from a communist state to a theocracy, or France had its sixth republic, the United Kingdom stayed strong. Many scholars think that was why humanity's technological level was able to stay as it was, simply because a lower level of conflict on their streets meant that less information and technology was lost forever."
"However, it also created a fascist, xenophobic state," Kurusu challenged. "It became incredibly isolationist, with slogans of 'The World has collapsed, only Britain soldiers on' becoming common. Because of their draconian border controls, their society began to regress into a semi-feudal state, with petrol only being given to government vehicles, simply due to the scarcity from no country producing it. It was only in later years when the borders opened up that trade could resume, and people could once more enjoy the luxuries of modern society."
"But such was the state of much of the world," Ida argued. "After all, here in Japan, society was only really restored after All Might became the Symbol of Peace. Before that, Japan was broken up into different territories, most of them controlled by the strongest person, rather than being managed by the government."
"Wow, I never heard of that," Ururaka murmured. "They never really taught us post-quirk history before, now that I think about it."
"Most countries probably don't like to admit the actions they took during the chaos," Izuku guessed. "Pair that with the sketchy records of what happened, and it makes sense that schools would prioritise events that they know happened, rather than they think happened."
"Well, sure," Uraraka said, "but I still don't think-"
WREEE! WREEE! WREEE!
"The alarm?!" Izuku cried out in shock, he and everyone else at their table standing up.
"Security Level Three has been broken," an automated message said over the cafeteria intercom. "All students, please evacuate in an orderly fashion."
"What's security level three?" Ida asked a nearby upperclassman, rushing for the exit.
"It means someone's infiltrated the building!" he answered over his shoulder. "Hasn't happened in my three years here! Anyway, hurry up and get outta here!"
But despite the intercom telling all of the students to evacuate in an orderly fashion, fear was inevitable at the idea of an invasion of their school, and the corridors were unable to contain an entire school's worth of students without issue.
"Ow, ow!"
"Stop shoving!"
"Wait, I'm gonna fall!"
"I said quit pushing!"
"Oww!" Uraraka cried out as a student's elbow clipped the side of her head. "What's going on?!"
"Such a rapid response to danger!" Ida cried out. "I'd expect no less from this great institution!"
"This isn't a rapid response, Tenya!" Kurusu yelled, raising her voice to be heard over the panicked shouts. "This is a panic, the students are stampeding!"
Held within her arms, Ida, Uraraka, Koda and Izuku were able to find refuge and shelter. Due to her large body and weight, Kurusu was able to resist the panic of the crowd, the rush of students going around her rather than over her.
"Ah!" Ida shouted, a flailing arm pushing him away from Kurusu.
"Tenya!" she cried out, reaching out to grab him, but the current of panicking students was too fast, causing their fingers to miss each other.
"What happened?!" Izuku cried out, trying his best to ignore how great it felt to have Uraraka clinging to him.
"Tenya got swept away!" Kurusu told them, her voice worried. "I can't see him! Can anyone?!"
Izuku looked around, panic in his veins. He knew what could happen to people caught underfoot in a stampede.
"There!" yelled a high-pitched voice, and it took Izuku a second to realise that it was Koda standing beside him, pointing towards the window. Izuku looked over, seeing Ida, pressed against the glass, trying to yell something to them.
"It's the media!" he yelled. "They broke into the school, there isn't any danger!"
"Hold on, Tenya, I'm coming!" Kurusu shouted, shuffling forwards through the rushing crowd.
"Ah!"
"Oof!"
Two voices sounded out nearby, and Izuku was jostled by the impact hitting Kurusu. Glancing over, he saw the red and yellow hair of Kirishima and Kaminari, both of them clinging onto Kurusu's flank.
"Hey, you guys!" Kirishima shouted, grinning up at Kurusu. "Thanks for catching us, Kurusu! I thought we were goners for sure!"
"Ow, my feet," Kaminari complained, sagging over the top of Kurusu.
"Sarah!" Ida cried out, "don't worry about me! You need to calm the students! Tell them everything is alright!"
"But how do I-"
"Uraraka!" Ida yelled. "Use your quirk on Sarah! Make her weightless! She can get over the students that way!"
"Over them?!" Kurusu yelled in shock. "Tenya, you know Centaur's don't wear underwear! What if someone looks up?!"
"Kaminari!" Ida yelled, turning his attention to the electric blond. "Do you know where Mineta is?!"
"I saw him hanging around the gym!" Kaminari answered. "He shouldn't be in this mess!"
"There, Mineta won't be able to see!" Ida shouted.
"But-"
"You can do this, Sarah! I believe in you! You just need to catch their attention, focus their sight on you! Be a hero!"
Izuku and his classmates all looked to Kurusu, her face a conflict of emotions.
"Uraraka, please make me float!" she asked, looking down at the girl by Izuku's side.
"Consider it done!" Uraraka grinned, pressing all ten fingers against Kurusu's skin. "Deku, Koda, Kirishima, Kaminari, help me get her above the crowd!"
Together, the five of them pushed Kurusu above the crowd, standing on top of them, weightless. Without the security that her strength had afforded them, Izuku was now being swept along with everyone else. However, as a shadow passed overhead, he looked up to see the moving figure of Kurusu ahead of him. Using her weightlessness, she was hopping across the crowd, her hooves pressing against heads and pushing her forward, up until she slammed into the wall, right above a fire exit sign at the end of the corridor.
Izuku saw her position herself along the wall, grasping at an exposed pipe while maintaining her footing on the exit sign. He watched her take in a deep breath, before speaking.
"SILENCE!"
The crowd was stunned still. Izuku had thought that his outburst was impressive, but Kurusu's was thunderous.
"YOU MISERABLE EXCUSES FOR STUDENTS!" she bellowed, glaring across the crowded students. "YOU ARE OF U.A., ONE AND ALL! AND YET YOU BEHAVE LIKE ILL-MANNERED CHILDREN! THIS PATHETIC DISPLAY OF AN EVACUATION IS UNNECESSARY; THERE ARE NO VILLAINS! IT IS SIMPLY THE PRESS!"
Quiet murmurings popped up amongst the students, many of them looking sheepish at the panic they had experienced over no real threat.
"NOW, YOU WILL ALL EVACUATE FROM THIS BUILDING IN A CALM AND ORDERLY MANNER! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"
"Yes, ma'am," many students sounded out.
"THAT WAS PATHETIC, YOU MISERABLE WHELPS! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"
"YES, MA'AM!"
Kurusu simply nodded at that, watching with a careful eye as the students evacuated from the cafeteria, this time in an actual orderly fashion. Izuku and his classmates stayed behind, moving to the window where Ida was, trying their best to stay out of the way.
"And release," Uraraka sighed, pressing her fingers together, allowing for the weightlessness on Kurusu to end. Already anticipating this, she had moved herself close to the ground, so when gravity began affecting her as usual, it was only a small drop she had to take, rather than a many metres one.
"Man, that was a super manly voice you had!" Kirishima grinned, complimenting Kurusu as she walked over.
"Thank you, Kirishima," she smiled. "The benefits of having multiple sets of organs is that with two pairs of lungs, you're able to expel twice as much air, and make a louder noise."
"I'll say," Uraraka added. "You made Deku's shout seem like a whisper."
"It wasn't that loud, was it?" Kurusu sheepishly asked.
Everyone's silence to her question was a condemning answer.
"Well, that's over at least," Kaminari chuckled, glancing over to the window. "Hey, Ida, you can get up now."
But as the group looked over, they saw Ida staying where he was, huddling in a ball on his feet.
"She can possess bodies, she can possess bodies, she can possess bodies…" he muttered to himself.
"Uh, Ida, are you okay?" Uraraka asked, but he didn't answer, simply continuing his chanting.
"Oh, damn it all," Kurusu swore, moving over to Ida's side. She knelt down on the ground, getting as close to Ida's height as she possibly could. "Hey, Tenya? Are you okay?"
Her voice seemed to snap Ida out of it, only to devolve into hysterics.
"No, you can't trick me, Master!" he yelled. "I know that's you! You might think you have fooled me, but I'm smarter than that! I saw your voice come out of Sarah! I don't know how, but I know that's you! You're simply trying to get me to lower my guard, only to strike when I am weak, all to teach me a lesson, just like always!"
While everyone was taken aback by Ida's apparent insanity, Kurusu seemed to take it in stride.
"I'm not Grandmother, Tenya, it's me, Sarah," she calmly said, keeping her hands within Ida's sight. "I'm the same girl who you played in the woods with at my family's estate. The same girl who you dreamed up what our combo names would be."
"Lies," he snarled, manic in his eyes. "How do I know this isn't a trick?"
"Four years ago, the captain of the quirk-use track team said he wouldn't allow a M-word to join. You got so angry, you punched him hard enough to break his nose. Your parents had to make a show of being disappointed, but secretly they were very proud. It was the one and only time you've ever been suspended."
Clarity entered Ida's eyes, his shaky hands stabilising, and his breathing slowed down.
"Oh, it really is you," he sighed, quickly noticing the shocked expressions of everyone around him. "I'm truly sorry for my display, everyone. I assure you, I'm of sound mind."
"Uh…" everyone doubted, trying to discreetly look at Kurusu.
"Yes, Ida is mentally fine," she chuckled. "He's simply had some, traumatising experiences with one of our mentors in the past."
Having received her reassurances, Izuku and his classmates evacuated as well. According to the teachers, the police arrived soon after, quickly causing the gathered media within the school campus to disperse. After they were all allowed back to class, Izuku pulled Kurusu aside, quickly telling her his plan, a plan that she agreed to support, even if she didn't find it necessary.
"Before we begin," Izuku declared, standing before the class with shaky legs, "I believe that Ida is better suited to be the class vice-president!"
The class was shocked, already seeing a powerswitch this early into the presidency of Kurusu.
"Many of you heard of how Ida was the one to discover that it was the media, not villains, who had broken into the school," Izuku explained. "I think because of that, Ida is better suited for my position."
"Sounds good to me!" Kirishima vocally supported. "If it wasn't for his quick thinking, we might have been squished! No offence, Midoriya!"
"And he was the one to come up with the idea of Uraraka floating Kurusu," Kaminari added.
"Whatever," came the annoyed tone of Mr. Aizawa, huddled in his sleeping bag, a juice bag between his teeth. "Just get on with it. What a waste of time."
Izuku looked over to Ida, who sat in his chair, stunned by Izuku's offer. A small smile graced his face, warmly given to Izuku, before he stood up from his seat.
"I will accept the job, then!" he declared. "If that is the will of the class president, than I shall take the position with gusto!"
All around the room, cheers and words of encouragement were given to the class' resident speedster, who strode up to the front, taking Izuku's place beside Kurusu while Izuku walked back to his chair. But as he sat down, he couldn't help but overhear Yaoyorozu's mutterings from behind him.
"But I got more votes than him," she complained.
'Sorry, Yaoyorozu,' Izuku apologised in his head. 'I completely forgot about that. Please forgive me!'
Author appears behind Shigaraki
"Here, just wait a few more minutes. The lunch period is fifty minutes long, so why don't you enjoy playing a match of today's sponsor, Raid Shadow Legends!"
Shigaraki, not finding any reason to deny this stranger, decides to play on the phone, holding it with his pinky held out like the Demon Prince that he is.
Author, cackling in the background as this distraction allows for character development.
So, some of you might be wondering about that beginning. I don't truly know why, but I wanted to expand upon some of that opening scene in the chapter and episode with the reporters. Giving the reporter lady and her camera-man names as well as some backstory, I don't know, I found it fun, how about you? Also, fun fact: I'm 90% sure those two were the same news people who reported on the Kamino Ward incident, so you'll be seeing more of them in the future. Not only that, but you got a bit of a tease with a government organisation that will be appearing. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, the M.O.N. crew is coming! You'll see some of them in a few chapters, though they'll make a much more prominent appearance at the Sports Festival. Security is needed, after all. As for what M.O.N. stands for, well as revealed last chapter, 'Monster' is a racial slur, so obviously that isn't going to be part of it. Let me know what you think it stands for; I already have it written down, so it'll be interesting to see what people come up with.
Now, in terms of the votes, I had a whole Google Doc up, keeping track of who voted for who, as well as what each person's total scores were. A fact that I discovered, Koji voted for himself (assumedly) in canon. Like, what? I get it, Koji wasn't really a character in My Hero at this point, little more than a silhouette. But still, with hindsight, hell naw. Even with that moment with Sarah, there's no way I can see Koji, a character who the entire class thought was mute due to how shy he was, wanting to be the class president. Just doesn't make any sense.
Also, on the topic of votes, there is the case of Momo having two votes for her. We know where the votes for Izuku came from: himself, Ochako and Tenya. But for Momo? Well, put on your colanders, ladies and gents, and strap on your tinfoil gloves, because my conspiracy theory is that Momo's second vote (other than herself, obviously) was Shoto. Think about it, they were both in the Recommended Exams, so they would've known each other somewhat beforehand. A popular theory I see for My Hero fanfics is that Momo was the top Recommended student, which given the versatility of her quirk, makes sense. Add in the fact that canon Shoto at the time was NOT in a good headspace, and hadn't been for years, I think it's safe to say he might have had enough wisdom to realise this, causing his vote to go to the one person he saw as competent, that being Momo.
Also also, in regards to Sarah winning, yeah, she had an unfair advantage. I actually toned it down as well, because both Momo and Shoto could have good reasons for voting for her, but I wanted to keep Momo's quiet pout over Ida being chosen over her, despite the point difference. I just found it cute. Also the idea of Momo being annoyed that she isn't able to be Sarah's vice-president was also adorable.
Also also also, if anyone is able to guess the film reference that I put into this story, good on you for watching one of the best pieces of cinema. It's depressing, it's stressful, and it's really worrying that we're creeping towards that future. (I also just realised it's set 2 years from our current date, 2027. Kind of scary.) I watched this in English, because I'm pretty sure everyone who took English as a subject had something similar, but this film was actually great. Other than The Truman Show (because Jim Carrey is the G.O.A.T), this was the only worthwhile film we watched, the rest were just weird. So yeah, cookie to anyone who guesses the film.
Right, not much else to say about this chapter that wasn't already said in said chapter. I loved writing these conversations with the characters, dialogue is simply my jam. Also, Koda will be added to the mix occasionally. Obviously, this is because he's close friends with Sarah, so he'll probably be making a few more appearances than in canon. Also, the class won't be assuming he's mute. He's shy, make no mistake about that, but he can hold a conversation when it's needed. His entomophobia on the other hand; yeah, I don't blame the guy for that.
Aside from that, we also got some lore drops, some history lessons, and yes, Sarah is kind-of-royalty. The Shianus, in my canon at least, are THE first heroes. Heroes being the key word. There were definitely vigilanties, but Elizabeth Shainus was the first official government licensed hero. She would have had a position similar to James Bond, in the sense she works for the government/crown, has a licence to keep the peace, no matter what, and almost all resources are available to her at the drop of a hat. And yes, this means the ancestral home of the Centaur heteromorphs is Great Britain, not Greece. I know, Centaurs are from Greek myths, but we have too many from Greece anyway, so there. I also love the idea of some countries having special ceremonies for Heroes becoming Pros. In my mind, each Pro Hero in the U.K. would be knighted by a member of the Royal Family. Emphasis on the Pro aspect, sidekicks get the privilege of watching.
Anyway, onto reviews.
Artorigus, thanks for the review as always. Okay, so for Sylph and Gnome, I have some ideas from their gacha designs. I saw some, because those characters are highschool students, whereas the Four Cardinals are all in their sixties in the present day. But don't worry, I'm well aware of the game. Kind of impossible to not be when you've spent as much time as I have on the MonMusu wiki. Yes, the suit that I mentioned is Penny Parker's. Since she's a Japanese hero, I thought it would be fitting for her to be a retired Pro Hero. As for the Four Cardinals as well as the Sentinals as a whole, they are certainly leaning towards the anti-hero side of things. Kind of a requirement when you're job is to make the very idea of crossing you a villain's worst nightmare. As for Undine and Salamander's impact on the family, trust me, you'll see how they've influenced things. Salamander herself has changed many canon events, and Undine still runs her water park. Fun fact, the area surrounding the water park has a crime rate of zero. Absolutely no crime is committed there, because out of all of the Cardinals, Undine was the most sadistic and brutal. So yeah, only someone genuinely insane like Moonfish would try anything near her. As for Salamander, yes, her design is based off her canon appearance that we saw in the Hot Spring arc, albeit aged up a bit. As for her power, she's a beast. However, in terms of her being stronger than her son? Well, you'll just have to wait and see. As for her and Toya, all I'll say is that all will be revealed in the Sports Festival. I'm glad you also enjoyed Kórinis and Katsuki's heart-to-heart. I'm really glad with how to came out, as well as the depth I added to our firecracker. As for more racism, buddy, the Sports Festival is going to hit like a truck. Imagine the crowd's reaction to the Katsuki vs Ochako fight, and then amplify it. As for the little girl in the photo that Recovery Girl has, that's her daughter. The photo was taken before her murder. As for Recovery Girl's relationship to the Four Cardinals, there isn't one, at least not a personal relationship. Recovery Girl is simply from an era (the same as Gran Torino) where heroes were more brutal compared to the modern day. Remember, during the Final War arc, Gran Torino advises Izuku that killing Tomura might be the best option. It's kind of like a generational difference. For Artillery, I had a brilliant idea for them. I won't spoil too much, just that the Centaur people are divided up into clans and houses. For instance, Sarah, Centorea, and Sarah's grandmother, all belong to Clan Shianus, House Shianus. Artillery would belong to a different clan, one with a more, liberal view on combat. And of course, they'll be from the US of A. Finally, for the Bicycle Cop, alright, you've got me hooked. I've already made some ideas for this household, as well as how they connect to the Kurusus. Specifically, through Guu. Yes, Guu is the real name of Naga-Suu, Suu's "evil" sister. This will reveal on of Suu's four sisters, one for each slime type. As for the other girls, I have ideas for some of them, but not all. Also, the idea that Bicycle Cop (name pending) struggles with the fact that Papi is so extra, but is afraid to bring it up with his superiors because she's the Police Chiefs only daughter. As for the lucky bastard, trust me, he's deserving. I never really paid him much attention before in MHA, but after doing some research, he's a new favourite of mine.
Siarles, thanks for the review. Yeah, I called them defibrillators because I didn't really know what else to compare them to. Rest assured, Denki will be receiving some changes to his hero costume, as well as a new fighting style. If done right, Denki's quirk is ridiculously busted in a fight. As for the Sentinels, Recovery Girl wasn't suggesting that they call in some of the active service ones, but simply, "Well, we have some nearby, they're retired, and they're easy to contact due to three of your students being related to them." As for Endeavor, he'll be a little bit different compared to canon. Not by much, but different nonetheless. For Recovery Girl, you aren't alone in your view, she doesn't agree with her own actions either, which makes it all the more tragic. As for Kórinis, yes, she doesn't have markings, and yes, I forgot to detail them to the artist. However, I did come up with a lore reason for this. In my mind, Rachnera's markings aren't markings, but rather tattoos. We knew she was in a gang, so that's just a continuation of it. Her gang, fellow Arachne, tattooed themselves since they didn't feel like they belonged in society anyway. Obviously, Kórinis isn't in that situation, so her thorax is unmarked. As for her hair, it's a dark lavender, not black. I wanted a blend of her parents' hair colours, even if it might not be genetically logical. And yes, Monster Musume would be a wild title to name something in this verse.
Sakumon16, thanks for the reviews. For Recovery Girl and All Might, in canon they knew about each other in the past anway, so I decided to expand upon that, with Recovery Girl being one of All Might's mentors, along with Nana Shimura and Gran Torino. SP/dr is the name given to Penny Parker's mech suits, and was also her hero name in this timeline. Yeah, Kórinis didn't have it easy growing up, and unfortunately, it hasn't finished just yet. In fact, I'd say it hasn't gotten to its worst point. As you saw, Sarah is the class president, but Momo missed out on being the Vice president (poor Momo). As for the boyfriend, while amusing, Jaune aint it. He's staying firmly in RWBY, with his goofy ass haircut, and was unfortunately deaged from his warrior wolf look. Like, why? He looked so cool when he was older. It's not as if he's young mentally, only physically.
Okay, once again, fanart time. One final time, big thanks to Lisa-Katagiri for her amazing work. Her final piece is Shoto, specifically him without the ice armour. Again, unfortunately, Fanfic STILL doesn't allow images on chapters, but the images will be on my Ao3 page, so check it out there, and check Lisa out on X.
As a final reminder, she is open for commissions, and given some of the things people have gotten her to draw, she's down to draw whatever your craven hearts desire.
As another note, I've started (or I guess continued) another series of mine, called, "The Portal Hero: Aperture". Pretty obvious what the main premise is about from the title alone. As you read this, the second chapter dropped alongside it, so any reviews or feedback is appreciated.
And that's all from me. The chapter for next week is called, "Today's Lesson: Rescue!" That's right, we're finally getting into the meat and potatoes of MHA, with the U.S.J. visit. I'm sure nothing could go wrong…
See y'all next time…
- Jevm