Chapter 17
GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS! ZAYDEN STORMVOID IS BACK WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER OF MY HERO POKEDAMIA!
Sorry guys for the long absence but I have my reasons. Firstly, my break from the time of August was because of my birthday, which occurred said month, and I wanted to take the month to rest, to both celebrate and to wear off the writer's block that I was struggling with. I also have been mostly absent this September because I was focusing on my other two stories, and I wanted to do this one sooner, but I got held up by a bad fever recently.
Relax, its not Covid, we made sure, but I mostly bedridden because of my coughing, running nose, and headaches, I couldn't write well. Thankfully, I'm alright, and my family is as well, but this was reminding experience. I'm fairly healthy and I never get sick, so when I do, its hits rough, but imaging just how bad those who are suffering currently if my simple fever was enough to get me down, it gives me greater respect and prayers to those hanging on now and those who've passed on, hopefully now at peace.
Also, in case many of you don't know, my other story, MHA watches Death Battle, has been taken down from FF, though not by my own accord. It was taken down by an admin for bullshit reasons that mostly stem from the site's hatred on reaction fics. Though do not worry as it is alive and will continue to go on in Archive of Our Own.
But enough doom and gloom, its time to get back into the story. Last time, we wrapped up the USJ arc, Deku fired off an Aura Sphere, The Pokémon of our Heroes and Students pushed back Shadow Altaria, and a butt ton of teases of things to come.
But before we begin, let's get onto the reviews:
Nokeya: No need to apologize for bad English, my friend. I'm glad you enjoyed the story thus far. Yes, we will see more Pokémon characters and more Champions, side characters, and maybe even evil Teams in the future. As for how I'm going about the plot of this story, it will be largely similar to canon but with twists and changes based on new existing possibilities, like Aura and Pokémon, some plots may even be changed completely depending on my plans, and I will adapt the events of the movies into this story, with some of them even changing a bit as well based on some events from the games. Its not 100% definite, but its a likely possibility. And I guess you'll just have to see to find out.
Dreadknight12: I happily take and ponder over Pokémon suggestions, whether I accept them or not takes more consideration. In response, Izuku will have a Dragon type Pokémon/pseudo-legendary, and the potential rivalry with Bakugou's eventual Charizard actually sounds hilarious. Interesting idea with Serperior and I will think on that, though I will say that if Izuku had any Pokémon to actually be a rival to Todoroki's Ninetails it would be Pikachu and his Iron Tail and powerful Electric attacks that can block and blast through Ninetails attacks. I won't say much on Eevee but he will have a major importance to the story past his unique Heal Pulse abilities. You are warm around the 4th suggestion though keep in mind that just because one character has a species of Pokémon does not negate the possibility for another character to have a similar to same species.
doctor3027: I feel like it may be a little too early to start adding in new Pokémon that I have no clue how they work, but that's a good suggestion.
StallionWold: Oops, yeah sorry about that, I meant to say Skitty, the Pokémon. I would change it but I'm too lazy. As for Izuku's Aura Sphere feat and Bakugou's negative Aura that Taishi saw, more will be explained about the nature of Aura in later chapters. And nice to see that you saw where the mode came from.
Pixel's Fanbook: HOWDEE DODEE everyone! Zayden StormVoid is back with another showing of Pixel's Review's Review! I am the Analyst, Zayden StormVoid, as your lovely host, and our cameraman, the Deapool, is back to.
DP: Its about time! We haven't done one of these in ages! Do you know what I had to do to scrap by?
Wade, I'm not even paying you for this. Plus you got that secret access into Stark's accou-
DP: SHHH! Not on camera!
Whatever. Now play the intro and let's get this started.
(Cue Way Up by Jaden [From Into The SpiderVerse] 0:00-0:32)
Welcome back boys and girls, and massive apologies Pixelf for the long absence, both here and commenting on your recent chapters, I had things to do, I had a month's vacation to celebrate my birthday, and recent illness.
DP: Get back! Back I say!
Wade, you're practically immune to that infamous virus and I told you again it was just a fever. But anyways, onto the actual review, no the whereabouts of Wildcat are not something that both me and Wade are privy too.
DP: Dude hasn't been answering my calls!
As for All Might and Buzzwole, I definitely wanted for that to be the highlight of that chapter and as a way to show off All Might's trump card and as a way to balance the fight between All Might and a four armed Pokémon-Human hybrid. And yep, frying him into Tommorowland is apt description of what Deku did, though I would include Kurogiri in that shock treatment and Shiggy adding a broken hand to the list of his injuries past getting shot in his arms and legs.
The Villain at the end is another OC character of mine who will have a major importance to the plot in regards to Aura and the Aura Guardians.
For Mina, I just wanted for her to do something useful since all she did was stand stay next to Thirteen. As for Serena and Izuku, I'm glad you liked the dynamic between Izuku and Serena, something I work very hard to make. And unfortunately, Kyouka's true attraction towards Deku will likely take a little while longer, at least past the Sports Festival.
Well that's it for now. Have to cut this short as I think you got visitors, Wade.
?: Oh Wade!
DP: OH SHIT! ITS DOMINO AND PSYLOCKE! I GOTTA RUN!
Well there goes my cameraman, glad I don't have any superheroine chasing me around.
?: Don't be so sure, sugar.
...Shit. Well that's it for today guys and gals! Thanks for the review as always Pixel and keep up the good work and hope to see more from you soon. GO BEYOND!
DP: PLUS ULTRA! NOW RUN!
(Technical Difficulties brought to you by chibi Zayden and Deadpool running from Psylocke, Domino, and Rogue)
And as always, I don't own My Hero Academia, property of Horikoshi and Bones Studios, or Pokémon, which belongs to Gamefreak and Nintendo.
NOW LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!
The Reason Why
Third POV
"An update on the latest news from yesterday, a group of Villains infiltrated and attacked Hero Course students and teachers at a U.A. Rescue Training Facility." A newswoman reported on a T.V. screen in a normal-looking home. The curtains were closed, leaving the room in darkness, sans the light of the television and glowing blue Aura of the home's owner.
"According to police officials, the gang of Villains is calling themselves the League of Villains, who's goal during the attack was to attack and kill the newly appointed teacher and popular Hero, All Might, a plot they had planned since the beginning of spring this year." The reporter continued while the man continued meditated in front of his Lucario and Riolu, who were both meditating, as well. The man was in black sweatpants, a black sports shirt with blue Pokeball on it, his back was turned away from the screen, his facial features hidden by his wild, raven black hair. The man was in a meditative posture, the knuckles of his fists pressed together, and breathing slow and steady while encased in a blue aura, that steamed out of him like smoke.
Oh and he was levitating five feet in the air.
"Heroes and Police arrested over 72 Villains and their corresponding Pokémon, all of which will be placed under the Rehabilitation of Villainous Pokémon program, or the RVP for short." One of the man's fists clenched for a split second and his breathing stopped for a second. Lucario and Riolu opened their eyes, sensing their master's rising emotions, Lucario watching with expressionless, yet knowing look and Riolu with questioning. The man opened his ocean blue eyes and breathed in one last deep breath. The blue, flame-like Aura lessened and faded away, the man moving his legs out of the meditative position as he landed on the ground.
The man walked towards the kitchen of his home, his Lucario watching him go in silence, before turning back to see the news. "As for the League's Leader, he, and another Villain, escaped. Both of their whereabouts of unknown."
The man stopped by the counter where a note laid on it. Picking it up, the man reread the contents of the message.
"Greetings my pupil, it has been long. I have followed your recent success and growing popularity. It would seem that taking in that Hero Course intern two years ago had made a boost in your popularity. I did tell you that taking in an intern would better your image. But I'm sure you are more pleased with her progress in controlling her Aura." The man smirked and chuckled as he read silently. "And now, here I am, writing to you again for a similar offer." The man's smirk turned to a serious frown. "I'm sure by now you will hear about the events of the USJ long before my Pigeot reaches you with this message." The man looked out the open curtains by his dining area to see the Bird Pokémon eating some Pokémon he laid out. "In short, things are beginning to escalate. Both a Shadow and a Spiritomb appeared with the League of Villains." The man's blue eyes narrowed as he remembered the shock and anger that caused him to mediate in the first place.
"Dark omens are here and now dark wings and spirits to go with it. But, as always, there is a glimmer of light in the darkness. A boy. 15 years of age. Hero Course Class 1-A. I watched him, saw how he fought, how he interacts with his Pokémon, the powers he displayed, and there is no mistake now that the boy is a Chosen. He subconsciously powered his abilities with his Aura, synced and activated his Pokémon's ability subconsciously, and, during the attack, formed an Aura Sphere. This boy's Aura, still ever growing, is by far more powerful and potent than I have ever seen in one so young. More than the girl. More than even you...and Keith." The man lowered the letter and walked towards another part of the house, opening a drawer. "I ask that just as you helped the girl, that you would lend out your hand and teach the boy in the ways of Aura, just as I did for you." The man looked into the drawer and looked upon an amulet, a green orb surrounded by a x-cross wheel and 18 miniature gemstones around it. "You may still hate me for our past, but I always say you as my most promising and capable student, and a better teacher than I could ever be." The man placed the amulet over his head and wrapped it around his neck. "So if not for me, then for the boy, and all he could, no, Will become. I can feel it. Something different. An Awakening. I know you feel it, too. -Sincerely, Taishi."
"So, the old man thinks he's found the One, huh?" The man said aloud, a smirk reappearing on his face. "Alright, I'll play ball. This should be fun."
Later...
U.A. High School...
"Our investigators are doing all they can into finding out more about this so-called League of Villains." Tsukauchi said to the assembled group before him.
Standing in front of him, seated in a U-shaped wooden table were Principal Nezu and a few U.A. teachers. Nezu and All Might sat on the right of the table, Midnight and Snipe at the center, and Vlad King and Taishi at the left side. With the school cancelling classes for the today, following yesterday's attack on the USJ, it was the perfect time for the assembled teachers to converse with Tsukauchi about the Villains.
"We've made some progress, but we can't find anything on this Shigaraki." Tsukauchi continued. "We've searched our records of men in their 20's and 30's that are registered with a disintegration Quirk of some kind, but so far, nothing. Same goes for the Warp Gate Villain, Kurogiri. And when searching through registered Trainer Licenses for someone with a Hydreigon or Spiritomb, we've also got nothing. So there are not citizens or they are using aliases."
"So basically, we've got nothing." Vlad King stated bluntly.
"We've got to track them down." Snipe said. "I shot their ring leader, but once he's healed up, they'll probably try and pull something like this again. What a pain."
"He did seem like the type." All Might grumbled.
"Something on your mind, All Might?" Nezu asked.
"The attack on the USJ was too bold." All Might responded, remembering the events of the USJ and their Villain, Shigaraki. "No sane adult would ever attempt it. The ring leader kept monologuing about the reasons he was there, and he bragged about Nomu's many Quirks and what he was and about the Shadow Altaria they possessed." Taishi frowned at the mention of Nomu's biology and the altered Pokémon. "However, he never said a word about his own powers. When things didn't go his way, he was visibly upset. Almost like he was going to throw a tantrum. Although, I guess bragging about Nomu's many Quirks and half-Pokémon biology was effective enough to get me to fight it."
"Yes, that may be true, however it was rather foolish to reveal their Quirks up front, instead of keeping them a secret." Nezu argued, Tsukauchi nodding in agreement. "The same can be said about revealing Shadow Altaria's strengths. It allowed for you all and the student's Pokémon to fight together more cautiously against a would be a more enigmatic threat."
"Shigaraki made wild, immature, and easily false proven claims, but did so with a completely straight face, and talked about Nomu and Altaria like they were pets. His Hydreigon too, even." Yagi continued. "It seemed like he was never told no before, like things would always go his way. He has the personality of a spoiled little brat. A man-child."
"A child with a incredibly, dangerous power though." Vlad King pointed out. "If what Midoriya said was true, about claiming he saw him in the crowd of reporters, then he easily destroyed our defenses, and nearly destroyed Aizawa's shoulder. And that Hydreigon of his, it was powerful enough to take on both of Eraser's Pokémon and Thirteen's easily."
"Its possible he was never given the Quirk Counseling kids receive during elementary school." Midnight said.
"Maybe so, but it doesn't really matter now." Snipe grumbled.
"There were 72 thugs that we arrested after the attack." Tsukauchi jumped back in. "They were all small-time thugs, who usually lurked around back alleys. But what worries me is that this 'man-child' got them to follow his crazy plan. They saw him as a real leader. Criminals are starting to get more pressured with more Heroes around. It could be why they were so quick to follow such a simple-minded Villain."
"Guess that makes sense." Vlad grumbled.
"There are many punks out their ready for a cause to get behind." Snipe said.
"So what can we do to stop this?" Midnight asked.
"Well, it is thanks to you Heroes that we have the time and energy to research stuff like this." Tsukauchi said. "We'll expand out resources to look for the perpetrators behind this."
"A man-child, huh?" Nezu pondered. "If some ways, he shares something in common with our students. And room with so much potential. And like our students, it possible that there is someone is trying to guide and nurture his malice and Villainy."
All Might frowned in thought.
"Its more than possible." Taishi finally spoke up from looking at the papers in front of him. "Given his immaturity, it is almost likely that he wasn't who created that Nomu abomination or the altered that Altaria. He claimed that the two were experimented and created to become what they are. That level of experimentation requires funding and an experienced level of human and Pokémon biology."
"We'll also divert our resources into any viable scientists, doctors, and Pokémon researchers that could have the capabilities." Tsukauchi nodded. "Do you perhaps know any kind of Pokémon researcher or Professor that could be possible of doing this?"
Taishi was silent in thought, his eyes narrowing. "No." He responded. "No, the ones I am well and pleasantly acquainted with would never be able to commit such atrocities. However, there may be one or two corporations that could have the means and funding to do this, but it is unwise to point fingers without all the clues. Also, Mr. Tsukauchi, have you taken any DNA tests to confirm Nomu's biology?"
"We have indeed." Tsukauchi nodded. "They are mostly inconclusive, but the few we got do show DNA matches of Pokémon DNA, mostly corresponding of a Machamp. Would explain their four-armed physiology and his, so far, irresponsiveness to questions."
"What about that Spiritomb of theirs?" All Might asked. "They are incredibly rare kinds of Pokémon. Surely, we can narrow down the search more easily?"
"Unfortunately, while you are correct about the rarity of Spiritomb, much less those who currently own a Spiritomb, their wielders are out of suspicion." Tsukauchi claimed. "The China Elite Four Member, Karen, has been touring Europe recently and when we managed to inspect her Pokémon, she had the Spiritomb with her in full health, and she hadn't visited the Pokémon Center recently to have it healed and it showed no signs of recent battle. The same can be said for our own country's new Champion, Cynthia Carolina. While in Tokyo, her Spiritomb has also been cleared."
"What about wild Spiritombs?" Snipe asked. "Even with those two, there aren't many of them out there. Don't we have their current habitats monitored in case they were ever to go on a rampage?"
"Indeed, however, no change has been made reports on the current known Spiritombs." Taishi frowned. "No signs or commotion of a battle to capture them and no reports of people trying to capture them, at least those that fit the perpetrator's description." Taishi looked over to Nezu. "Unfortunately, if there is a Spiritomb that the League has, it is not one known to the world."
Nezu frowned and nodded, knowingly.
"And that thing they called a Shadow Pokémon?" Midnight asked. "Is such a thing even possible to change a Pokémon to such an extent?"
"You saw the creature with your own eyes, Kayama. You and I both, along with all the teachers and students." Vlad said. "Whatever that thing was, it was no normal Altaria, and it didn't look like any Mega Altaria or Dynamax Altaria. So Taishi, you have any knew about Shadow Pokémon that you know of?"
Taishi sighed and rubbed his head. "Unfortunately, not at this current moment." Taishi said.
After they adjourned their meeting, Nezu and Taishi sat in Nezu's office, the two sipping tea.
"So, is there anything that you lied or kept secret in that meeting?" Nezu asked.
"You know that I am not one to lie, old friend." Taishi replied. "I truly don't have a true answer to this Shadow Pokémon. At least, not definitive for the moment. And as for this situation with this Spiritomb, I did not lie when I said that no Spiritomb Known to the World is in possession of the League."
"So, it has truly been released?" Nezu asked, with a frown.
"Yes, we searched the forbidden site and we found the enchantments and safeguards against it broken and defeated." Taishi revealed. "The Noble Pokémon tasked with guarding it was defeated and the enchantments broken by a Chosen, but not one by our group."
"That is troubling news." Nezu said, sipping his tea. "And the Shadow Pokémon?"
"Our Historians and Keepers are looking through our records as we speak." Taishi said. "But should any information we find is relevant, revealing it, and ourselves, is another matter altogether."
"Indeed." Nezu said. "Should the world were to know of our long ancient order, there will be repercussions, both good and bad. And what about Midoriya, his Awakening of his powers appears to be of little coincidence to the arrival of this dark force. You really believe that he might be the One?"
"It is not a matter of if." Taishi set down his tea and fiddled with his amulet. "If this dark omen if what I believe it to be, then he Must be the One, and he will need to be ready for the terrible Darkness to come."
Musutafu...
"Fear not citizens! Hope has arrived!" All Might's voice played over the video as Deku lifted himself up from his 50th ab crunch of his 5th rep, his abs flexing and dripped with sweat. His legs were helped in place by Combusken while Eevee laid on Izuku's pillow and Pikachu on his bed pillow.
"Because I am Here!" Izuku turned his head while rising to see All Might's smile. Izuku frowned, memories of the USJ flooding back to his mind along with a a dull ache from his left hand.
"Really boss, you are still working out?" Pikachu questioned. "Isn't it supposed to be your free day since they cancelled classes today?"
"Yes, I am." Izuku replied as he began his ab crunches once more. "All Might may have been right, that I saved him from Shigaraki and Kurogiri, but I couldn't save myself from that Nomu." Memories of the purple-skinned Pokémon-Human hybrid came back up too. Of it tanking his power at 100%. The pleading voice for help from the Machamp inside. Its cold, hard grip on his arm and its claw reaching for his face. "Its clear that my current level is too insufficient. If I have to be able to stand on my own two feet without help, I have to go to the next level."
"Didn't you already figure out that you jumped to 6% fully since yesterday?" Pikachu asked further.
"I may not know fully how One For All works, but I imagine that a 1% increase isn't exactly what Midoriya had in mind." Combusken argued.
"Its not just that." Izuku spoke up, laying back down to the ground, panting. "Its just...there's not much time until..."
Izuku didn't have to finish for his Pokémon to understand. "I can't be sure yet, but I think I shorten my time limit again." Izuku recalled All Might's words in the infirmary. "I hope I can at least hold the form for an hour or and hour thirty."
Izuku got up from the ground, nodding to Combusken in appreciation, before going over to the two weights by the corner. Before he could reach them, Eevee's tail smacked his left hand lightly. "Nah uh." Eevee said, shaking his head. "Did you forget what Recovery Girl said? Don't use that hand for at least the whole rest of the day. You're lucky I let you do those ab crunches at all since you weren't really using that leg of yours." Eevee bumped his head lightly on Izuku's right leg, the one broken after he leapt towards Shigaraki.
Izuku chuckled lightly, unsure when Eevee decided to become his personal coach and physician. 'I think All Might's Pokémon and Recovery Girl are rubbing off on him.' Izuku concluded before he grabbed one weight with his right hand.
As he did, he looked at his bandaged left hand. He frowned, recalling the Aura Sphere that he formed. 'I still don't know how I did that.' Izuku continued in thought. 'Despite being told to rest, I've trained forming another Aura Sphere all day, but no dice.' Izuku sat down on his bed and started bringing the weight up and down, steadily. 'And Mr. Taishi. What he said about what it could be.'
"Perhaps its gathered up power over the generations either boosted your own power or you tapped into the Aura of the power instead of your own." Taishi's words rang in his head.
'The way he phrased his words, it sounded like he claimed I used my own Aura, instead of the Aura inside One For All.' Izuku looked to his left hand again. 'All Might said that everything in this world is filled with Aura, both Humans and Pokémon, and I know my own Aura is likely being added to One For All, but was I using One For All or was One For All just powering my own separate Aura that I used instead. If that's the case then-'
Izuku's thoughts were cut when he heard his phone began to ring. He reached over with his left hand and saw the caller to be Serena. Immediately, Izuku answered and brought the phone to his ear. "Hey, Serena." Izuku greeted. "What's up?"
"Hey, Izu." Serena greeted him back, the brown-haired girl laying on her bed while patting Piplup's head. "Just calling to check up on you. Is your hand and foot doing better?"
"Yeah." Izuku said. "Nothing other than a dull ache from time to time, mostly on my hand. Though, Eevee had to slap me with his tail to keep me from lifting weights with it. I think he's starting to become my fitness trainer or something."
"I heard that!" Eevee cried out.
"Eevee says hi." Izuku smirked.
"Well tell Eevee I said hi back, and to thank him for putting some sense into that stubborn head of yours." Serena replied.
"Can do." Izuku chuckled. "One 'Hi back' and thanking on the way."
Serena giggled, her cheeks brightening in a light blush. "So wait, you've been still training all day?" Serena questioned. "Even though its our free day after what happened yesterday?"
"Pikachu asked the same thing." Izuku chuckled.
"Hmm?" Serena hummed in questioned.
"U-Uh I mean the way he looked at me!" Izuku quickly tried correcting himself. "He looked at me with a confused look that said pretty much what you asked just now!"
"Uh huh." Serena nodded, unconvinced. "So you haven't used your injured limbs to work out, right?"
"Don't worry, Serena, I haven't." Izuku said, resuming his weight lifting. "I only lifting weights with my right hand and doing simple ab crunches. Nothing that will flare up my left hand or right foot."
Serena's cheeks flared red as she imagined Izuku's arm muscles rippling as he lifted his heavy ass weights and practically salivating at the mental image of Izuku's abs flexing and caked in sweat.
"Um Serena?" Izuku questioned. "Are you still there?"
"Yes! I Am Da-I Mean Izuku!" Serena snapped out of her trance and practically yelled. Thankfully, for her sake, Izuku was too oblivious to notice.
"Ok?" Izuku nodded, unconvinced himself. "So what about you? What have you been up too in your free time?"
"Oh, I'm practically under house arrest thanks to an overprotective father." Serena grumbled. "With how securely he locked our house you would think I was a Villain and this was my prison."
Izuku chuckled. "Well you know he's just trying to protect you." Izuku defended Serena's father. "He has enough to feel guilty over."
Serena sighed. "Yeah, I know." Serena agreed. "Is Inko been alright too? I'd imagine that she went absolutely insane after finding out you were hurt by Villains."
"That's an understatement." Izuku sweat dropped at the literal waterfall of tears that his mother shot out of her eyes at seeing his bandaged limbs and the news of the attack. "I would have come see if you were doing alright, but, like you, my Mom is like my own Warden right now."
Serena giggled. "Glad I'm not the only one suffering." She said.
"Momo said the same thing." Izuku replied.
Serena's smirk dropped to a frown and her eyes narrowed jealously. "What?" She growled out.
"Oh yeah, Momo and the others called to make sure I was alright too." Izuku replied, not noticing his best friend's growls or his Pokémon currently face palming their faces into oblivion. "I'm glad we've made some great friends at U.A. Although, Iida did say that the girls didn't call him yet when I checked up on him-"
"Oh um Izu I have to hang up, my dad's calling me down to eat. Gotta go." Serena cut him off and hung up suddenly. In Serena's room, her parents were confused as to why a hole the size of a fist was made in their daughter's room.
Izuku blinked in confusion and stared at his phone. "That's weird." Izuku frowned. "She didn't say goodbye. And she didn't sound happy for some reason. Strange right?"
When Izuku looked to his Pokémon he grew more confused with their deadpanned expressions and large bumps on their foreheads.
"My Trainer is an idiot." Eevee said dryly.
"You know nothing of women." Combusken shook her head.
"His obliviousness is astounding." Pikachu sighed.
"Eh?" Izuku said, utterly baffled.
"Izuku! Dinner's ready!" Izuku heard his mother called out. The green-haired teen decided to brush off their weird comments and walk down for dinner, his Pokémon following for suit for their own meals.
Suddenly, a chill rolled up Deku's spine like a shock. He froze in his tracks, the chill he felt suddenly feeling like a pair of eyes were watching him. Izuku turned to look out the window. Nothing was there besides the dark of night. Izuku blinked in confusion. '
What was that?' He thought. 'It was like someone or something was watching me? And...why did it feel so...familiar?'
Izuku shook his head, clearing his thoughts and continued out the door towards dinner. Midoriya's Pokémon were still staring out the window too, themselves feeling the same that their Trainer felt, but while Combusken was completely lost to what it was, Pikachu and Eevee were different. The two also felt that the spying presence was familiar, but both magical creatures had no clue has to why. The three shrugged too and followed their Trainer, all the while Eevee scratched his ear and Pikachu the tip of his tail.
Meanwhile, as they all left the room, the invisible figure of a weird creature poked its head out to look inside. "Ehehehehe." The invisible figure giggled once more, trying to cover its giggles with its short paws, before floating away.
The next day...
The bells of U.A. rang, the students of Class 1-A in their seats, ready for the school day and chatting about the events that occurred not but two days ago.
"Hey guys, did you watch the news last night?" Hagakure asked towards Shoji and Ojiro. "It was so cool that we got just a few seconds of screen time! Though I bet nobody noticed me hanging out in the background." Hagakure slumped in disappointment.
"Probably not." Shoji replied honestly.
"It was difficult to notice you when you're just gloves." Ojiro said, trying to soothe the girls disappointment.
"I know it sucks!" Hagakure exclaimed in agreement before calming down with a sigh. "I just hope that Izi's hero suit suggestion for me gets finished quickly. I had to cut some of my hair for it."
"Well, at least no one would notice right?" Serena suggested. Upon Hagakure slumping again in depression, Serena sweat dropped in guilt.
"Oh man, we're totally big deals!" Kaminari bragged, arms crossed behind his head. "Those news channels love us. We're basically celebrities."
"Yeah, I guess it is kind of crazy." Kirishima agreed.
"Get over yourselves." Kyouka spoke up, the two's conversation snapping her from her thoughts and twirling her jack. "The Hero Course that pumped out pros was attacked and that's what they cared about.
"Who knows what would have happened if the teacher's hadn't shown up?" Sero questioned. "I still got chills thinking about that Spiritomb and weird Altaria."
"Wait you saw it? What did it look like?" Ojiro asked.
"Well I only saw it from far away with Iida, Uraraka, Shoji, and Sato." Sero said. "You should ask Izuku, Kirishima, Bakugou, and Todoroki. They were the ones that saw it first hand. They're Pokémon even help fight that thing."
"Is that true, Izuku?" Momo asked.
"Um, yeah." Izuku nodded. "It took all of our Pokémon and the teacher's Pokémon and All Might's Cinderace to weaken it and it still looked like it could fight some more." Izuku remembered the dark, cloudy wings of Shadow Altaria, its horrible cry, and Shadow moves and Type. Izuku felt a chill of disgust roll of him at the memory. "If it hadn't been for them, I don't think we would have stood a chance."
"SCREW YOU DEKU!" Bakugou yelled. "MY POKEMON WOULD HAV EASILY BEATEN THAT PURPLE BITCH!"
"But did you guys see All Might and that weird Pokémon beat up that bird dude?" Sato asked, punching the air. "That thing was super tough yet they both sent that thing flying!"
"Yes, his strength is tremendous." Tokoyami nodded.
"But what was that Pokémon anyway?" Kirishima asked. "Never saw anything like it? Todoroki's Pokedex couldn't even identify it."
Todoroki, who looked asleep with his eyes closed, responded with a nod.
Before the class could deliberate on it more, Iida yelled out "ATTENTION! CLASS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! EVERYONE STOP TALKING AND TAKE YOUR SEATS!"
"Uh we're all sitting." Kirishima pointed out, gesturing to all the class in their seats.
"Yeah, you're the only one standing." Sero pointed out.
"Dang it." Iida grumbled and shook in embarrassment. "My apologies, Class Pres, Vice Pres."
"I-It's fine, Iida." Izuku waved off the apology.
"Indeed." Momo nodded, smiling kindly. "We appreciate your enthusiasm in your role, Chief Officer."
"Come on, Iida, don't sweat it." Uraraka patted the blue-haired teen's shoulder.
"So, Tsu," Mina leaned her seat towards her classmate behind her, nearly falling over till Asui quickly caught the chair. "Who do you think will teach class today?"
"No idea, Mr. Aizawa is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries." Asui replied, she, Serena, and Izuku flinching at the memory of Aizawa's brutalized body after Nomu's attacks.
Suddenly the door to the classroom slid open to reveal their teacher. "Morning class." Aizawa said, his voice muffled.
"MR. AIZAWA?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Nearly the whole class voiced out.
Aizawa walked in looking like an Egyptian mummy. Actually, he even walked like a mummy by limping and shuffling instead of actual walking. His arms were completely wrapped in bandages and held up in casts, while his face was likewise covered in bandages, with only a single slit open for his eyes to see through.
"Woah, what a pro!" Kaminari exclaimed, both amazed and horrified at Aizawa's determination and condition.
'How did he even open the door?' Pikachu thought as he looked at Aizawa's wrapped and cast arms.
"Mr. Aizawa, I'm glad you are okay!" Iida yelled out.
"You call that okay?" Uraraka questioned.
"Mr. Aizawa, are your Pokémon doing alright?" Izuku asked. "They and Thirteen's Beheeyem looked pretty banged up."
'Kiss ass.' Bakugou grumbled internally.
"While appreciated, me and my Pokémon well being are none of your concern." Aizawa replied.
"Our fight?" Todoroki raised an eyebrow.
"Don't tell me." Izuku muttered.
"Not more bad guys." Kaminari muttered, cradling his head and shivering at the memory of the Electric Villain's electrified hand over his face.
"The U.A. Sports Festival is drawing near." Aizawa revealed.
"OH! WHY WOULD YOU SCARE US LIKE THAT?!" Near the whole exclaimed again.
"YES! The Sports Festival!" Kirishima exclaimed excitedly. "Let's Go Kick Some Ass!"
"Wait, hold on a second." Kaminari interrupted the redhead's enthusiasm.
"Isn't it not such a good idea to hold the Sports Festival so soon after what happened?" Kyouka asked.
"Yeah, couldn't they just attack us all in the same place?" Ojiro nodded and asked further.
"Apparently, the administration believes that this is a good way to show that the danger has been passed and the school is safer than ever." Aizawa answered. "Plus, they are beefing up security compared to prior years. This event is a hug opportunity to all students at U.A. Its not something we can postpone because of a few Villains."
"I wouldn't call 72 Villains a few." Serena whispered to herself.
"Our Sports Festival is one of the most watched events in the entire world." Aizawa explained. "In the past, the Olympics and, most especially, Pokémon Championship Tournaments were the height of popularity and worldwide obsession. But ever since the appearance of Quirks, both have been reduced in popularity. Though the latter is still a close, and more frequent, second. If anyone cares about competition, the U.A. Sports Festival is a must see and do."
"That's right. Top Heroes everywhere will be watching closely." Momo nodded, a fiery look of determination of her face. "This is where you get scouted."
"She's right." Kaminari nodded too. "After graduating, thanks the Sports Festival, students either go solo or, mostly, join Pro Agencies as a sidekick."
"But that's as far as most people usually go." Kyouka pointed out. "They miss their shot to go indie and stay eternal sidekicks. Like you, I'm sure."
Kaminari's eye twitched.
"Its true that joining a famous Hero Agency can garner you greater experience and popularity." Aizawa nodded. "That's why the Festival matters. If you wanna go Pro one day, this event will open a path for you. One chance a year." Bakugou smirked while Todoroki simply stared. "Three chances a lifetime." Uraraka, Iida, Momo, and Hagakure nodded and appeared determined. "No aspiring Hero can afford to miss this Festival. The Festival beings in two weeks. That means you better not slack off on your training."
"Yes sir." The class said as one.
As Aizawa dismissed the class, Izuku looked down in thought. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Serena smiling at him, raising a thumb and winking at him. Izuku smiled and nodded, the two fist bumping.
A few hours later, when the morning classes concluded, the students mingled and conversed about the upcoming festival.
"I'm So Pumped Up For These Games!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"Yeah. If we do well in the games and with our popularity already, we'll be top Pros in no time." Sero said.
"I wonder what the events are going to be?" Sato pondered. "They always change things up every year right?"
"We must be prepared for anything." Tokoyami sagely said. "We get so few chances, so we have to make the most of this."
"My what is a dashing young man like me to do!" Aoyama exclaimed as he posed. "I stand out even when I'm standing still. I'm bound to be seen and they won't be able to take their eyes off me! Isn't that right?" Aoyama turned to a nervous and shy Koji who just silently nodded.
"You're so lucky, Shoji." Kaminari sighed. "Your unique Quirk is bound to get lots of attention."
"Sure, but what's important is that I show them how useful I can be." Shoji argued.
"People are bound to notice you." Jirou chuckled, imagining Kaminari's dunce face, much to his growling annoyance.
"Wow, everyone's sure getting fired up." Izuku chuckled.
"Well of course we are." Iida exclaimed, rising from his seat, and stiffly moving his hips from side to side in a stiff dance. "We enrolled in this school with the sole aim to become Heroes, so naturally we are 'pumped up'."
"Wow, Iida, those are some interesting moves. Ribbit" Asui chuckled, while Mina and Pikachu looked one crack away from bawling their eyes out.
"Oh Asui, I have been meaning to ask, how you doing?" Izuku asked. "I couldn't get in touch yesterday so I figured you were busy."
"Oh, I am fine. Ribbit." Asui said. "I was spending time with my family so I couldn't pick up."
"Well that's great." Izuku smiled brightly. "I'm sure your folks were worried. Me and Serena were practically under house arrest from our parents."
"Ribbit. I appreciate the concern." Asui said, her cheeks turning pinkish. "Actually, Midoriya, if you have time after school, there's something that I have been meaning to ask you."
"Oh really? Why not just ask right now?" Izuku asked.
"Because I think Uraraka wants to tell you and Iida something." Asui pointed behind him.
"Deku. Iida." The two guys turned to Uraraka's voice and jumped back in surprise at what they saw. "Let's do Our Best In The Sports Festival!" Uraraka practically growled. Uraraka was like a whole new person. A fiery determination in her eyes that shook the two to their core, a predatory smile like a beast's, and Deku could almost swear a fiery pink aura (not actual Aura) almost spewing from Uraraka.
"O-Ochaco! What's wrong with your face?!" Izuku looked afraid for his life. Iida likewise looked baffled and sweating.
"Yeah, like what's up?" Mina asked. "You're usually like super laid back."
"I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST!" Uraraka roared while pumping her fist into the air.
"Yeah." Izuku and the gang cheered her on with varying degrees. From cheerful excitement from Mina and Hagakure, to nervous cheering from Deku, Serena, and Momo.
"I SAID I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST!" Uraraka roared again towards the other guys.
"Yeah?" The guys cheered with more nervous, sweatdropped expressions.
"You okay? You kind of look like you're loosing it." Sero asked concerned.
'Now that I think about it, there has been something that I have been meaning to ask Ochaco.' Izuku thought.
Later...
"Huh? For the money?" Izuku questioned. "You want to be a Hero just so you can get rich?"
On their way to the cafeteria, Izuku asked Uraraka why she wanted to come to U.A. and become a Hero. Izuku knew Serena's motivations spurning from her father's sadness after an incident where lives were lost and how Iida wanted to be a Hero and leader like his elder brother, Ingenium, but he didn't know the motivations of the rest of his rapidly growing group of friends, like Uraraka. Her response was one he didn't actually expect.
"If we're cutting to the chase, then yeah." Uraraka rubbed her head, a slight pinker blush on her already perpetually pink cheeks. She quickly turned nervous and waved at them. "I'm Sorry if that greedy! You two have such a heroic motivations. I hope you don't think less of me now."
"Not at all!" Iida replied, flailing his arms wildly. "Your goal is to support yourself financially which is a totally reasonable and admirable ambition to have."
"Yeah, I mean who wouldn't want to get super rich and set for life?" Mina asked rhetorically, Hagakure humming in agreement too.
Yaoyorozo thought it best to remain silent about her family wealth, Izuku likewise thinking the same for Yaoyorozo's sake.
"Yeah, its just honestly surprising." Izuku spoke up.
Serena beside him, however, was of a different mindset than the others. She felt mixed feelings about Uraraka's greedy ambition. She recalled back to her own motivations, remembering her father explaining to her mother about the accident that cost lives. An office building of a small business was crumbling during a large Villain attack, a large group of Villains with simple Quirks yet rather vicious and feral-like Pokémon causing damage to the area, most especially the building. A group of civilians were trapped inside the collapsing building and the police couldn't do much that would have collapsed the building outright.
A group of Heroes showed up but instead of prioritizing the building, they focused on the Villains instead. Serena would find out by searching security cam footage that she swiped from her dad and researching the Heroes that they were a bunch of upstart Heroes that were in it more for the money and fame than actual heroism. They chased after the fleeing Villains, unaware, or uncaring of the building full of civilians that crumbled and left them all dead.
Seeing the collapsing building for herself in the footage and her the reason for her father's distraught, she not only vowed to be a Hero but to never become one of those greedy, money hungry, fame seeking fakes, and to get revenge and put down the group of thugs dressed all in black, like mafia goons, that went under the name Team Rocket.
So now hearing of Uraraka's goal, one that at face value sounded no different than that of those fakes, and yet knowing of Uraraka's sweet and bubbly nature made Serena unsure of what to feel.
"Well you see, my family owns a construction company, but we haven't had any work lately, so we're flat broke." Uraraka confessed, rubbing and messing with her hair. "This isn't something I really tell most people but-"
"Construction, eh?" Iida pondered, hand under his chin, his action mimicked by Izuku, Mina, and Pikachu.
Izuku suddenly gasped in realization. "I bet if she got licensed, she can use her Quirk to bring costs down a lot." Izuku pointed out.
"And she could sell their heavy lifting equipment. She can float everything." Iida nodded, following Izuku's train of thought.
"Ooh that would be so nice and easy!" Mina nodded rapidly.
"I know, right?!" Uraraka exclaimed, jumping up and down at seeing her point. "I've been telling Dad that since I was a kid."
Uraraka's excitement dropped to a frown. "But..."
Flashback...
In her mind, Uraraka recalled the day she came up with her goal and told her parents.
"You want to work for us?" Uraraka's dad questioned.
Young, little Uraraka, teary-eyed, yet determined nodded. "When I grow up all big and strong, I'll help you and Mommy out anyway that I can!" Young Uraraka declared adorably.
Mr. Uraraka smiled heartwarmingly. He kneeled down and patted and rubbed his daughter's head, his arms scuffed and slightly dirty from work. "I really appreciate the thought, Ochaco." He said to the whimpering young girl, Mrs. Uraraka and Gurdurr smiling at the two. "But as your dad, I would be even happier if you achieved your own dream. That's the way to make use happy." He threw his arms out and smiled. "And if you do make a lot of money, you can take us to Hawaii or something! Gurdurr really wants to arm wrestle a Crabominable and your mother and I do love a good luau. Haha."
Young Ochaco looked down whimpering. "Daddy."
Flashback over...
Uraraka grabbed her skirt and clenched tightly. "I'm going to be a Pro." She declared determined. "I'll sign with a good agency and make plenty of money." She faced the group. "Then I'll be able to give my parents an easy life! That's the Reason Why I'll Be a Hero!"
The group was frozen in absolute amazement and awe. Izuku's eyes were wide, mouth agape and slight blush over his face.
Suddenly, Iida clapped his hands rapidly. "That Was Beautiful! So Noble!" Iida declared, tears streaming down his glasses. "Bravo! Bravo!"
A teary eyed Mina and Hagakure rushed over to Uraraka and embraced her. "That's the Sweetest Story I've ever Heard!" Mina wailed out. "We believe in you, our wonderful Gravity Girl!"
"I have so much respect and admiration for you!" Hagakure cried out too. "I'll never be as noble as you!"
A smiling Asui and Yaoyorozo joined Iida in clapping, though to a more gentler manner. Yaoyorozo smiled brightly. 'It would appear that I have to convince my parents to hire Uraraka's parents for some work.' She thought, determined to help Uraraka and her family in anyway she can.
Serena was agape and absolutely stunned. 'She's...' Serena thought to her own father, his distraught, his turn to alcoholism to cope with his grief, her determination to see him smile. 'She's just like me.'
Serena breathed deeply and walked to Uraraka. Stopping in front of the pink-cheeked girl, she grabbed hold of her hands and held them up in her own. "My father is a detective and when he one day came home saddened because there were no Heroes to help when lives were lost, I swore to give up being a Performer and Coordinator and become a Hero to see him smile and know that there are true Heroes out there." Serena revealed, smiling warmly. "I know how you feel, and believe me, there is nothing more Heroic than sacrificing your own happiness for others, especially your family. How could we ever think of less of you?"
It was now Uraraka's turn to be shocked. Her eyes watered and teared before she smiled meekly and nodded in gratitude.
While this was all happening, Izuku stared at the pink-cheeked girl who helped save him, eyes filled with amazement, while Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and onto Uraraka, cheering for her, which the pink-cheek girl hugged the Electric Type Pokémon with a warm smile. 'She's not here over some Hero fantasy,' Izuku thought, thinking abut himself. 'Or to be popular or prove something,' His thought turned to Iida and Bakugou. 'If anything, she's more grounded than anyone of us.' When Uraraka's eyes met his, all Izuku did was smile brightly, placing a hand over his heart and nodding. Uraraka's cheeks flared pinker and she looked more nervous, but she quickly smile brighter than ever at him, a smile he couldn't help but think was cute.
The moment was interrupted by the very familiar laughter of certain popular Hero. "Hahaha! Young Midoriya is Here!" All Might suddenly appeared and announced his entrance.
"Woah! All Might!" Izuku exclaimed, the group all surprised at the Top Pro's emergence, Serena had stars in her eyes. "What are you doing here?!"
"Lunch!" All Might explained, holding up a small blue-wrapped bento box in his large hands. "You want to eat with me?"
"THAT'S ADORABLE!" Uraraka laughed out, along with Mina and Hagakure. Asui nodded, thinking the exact same thing, while Momo and Serena giggled.
"What do you say?" All Might asked again.
Izuku looked towards Iida, who replied with a affirmative nod. He turned to the girls who each gave a nod that it was fine, especially Serena who was nodding her head rapidly and smiling like a fangirl. "Sure thing." Izuku said, he and Pikachu following the large blonde to the teacher's lounge all the while pondering if there was something wrong.
Meanwhile, the growing and unofficially named Dekusquad went to the cafeteria and stood in line for Lunch Rush's food.
"I wonder what All Might wanted with Deku?" Uraraka pondered.
"I heard when All Might was attacked by Villains at the USJ, Midoriya jumped in and stopped them." Iida answered. "Perhaps that's what this is about."
"Oh yeah!" Mina exclaimed. "Its why his arm and leg were busted! I heard that he even made a ball of energy similar to an Aura Sphere!"
"Also remember what you said on the bus to the USJ, Asui?" Iida asked.
"Ribbit?" Asui pondered. "Oh, you mean when I compared Midoriya's Quirk with All Might's?"
"Indeed." Iida nodded. "Since their Quirks function so similarly, its possible All Might's taken a liking to him. How lucky."
As Iida proclaimed this, Shoto Todoroki overheard and looked over to them. He remembered his Pokémon battle with Midoriya and his Pikachu's Counter Shield technique and then All Might's Cinderace and how he pulled off a technique similar to Midoriya's Counter Shield. He likewise remembered how Midoriya revealed that he had a mentor that taught him this Counter Shield Technique.
'All Might and Izuku Midoriya.' He thought over in his head, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
Serena snapped free of her fangirlishness and pondered the same as Todoroki, remembering likewise how Izuku said that he had a mentor of sorts before U.A. and how it always seemed strange to her how Izuku received his Quirk out of the blue. She was Izuku's best friend and knows him better than everyone here, even if by a few months, but enough to know when he's lying, and she has had the feeling that he's been lying about something and that there was something going on between Izuku and All Might more than just idolization.
'Izuku, what aren't you telling me?' Serena thought. 'Does it have something to do with All Might?'
Meanwhile, nearby at a table, a periwinkle-haired girl perked up and turned towards the group, eyes blinking. 'Aura Sphere?' She repeated.
Meanwhile, Deku and All Might, now safely debuffed in the privacy of the teacher's lounge sat in front of each other, one on the couch and the other on the chair opposite.
Izuku gasped. "Only an hour?!" Izuku questioned in shock.
"Yep, that's how long I can use my power in a fight." All Might replied, pouring hot water into a tea kettle. "That Nomu took too much out of me. If I didn't have Buzzwole there to help fight, my time limit would fallen lower. At this point, I can barely even look like All Might for an hour an a half."
"I-I'm so sorry." Izuku apologized. "I should hav-"
"BAHAHAHAHA!" All Might's bloody laughter cut Izuku off. "You don't have to apologize for anything! Boy, we sure are alike."
'Father like so-I Mean like Mentor like student!' Pikachu said and quickly corrected, a nervous look on his face.
Izuku raised an eyebrow at what Pikachu was saying or why he looked so nervous, or why he could feel Eevee and Combusken feeling nervous as well.
"Here have some tea." All Might said, giving his protégé a cup of tea.
"Thanks." Izuku replied and drank some. "So, is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"
"Yes, actually. I brought you here to talk about the Festival." All Might revealed. "From what you said, your use of One For All increased, right?"
"Yeah." Izuku nodded. "But only fully to 6%, maybe 7. Its not much but I think after the USJ, my limit rose up afterwards. But there was also something that you should know."
"Hmm?" All Might hummed.
"During the USJ, when I fought Nomu, I accidentally tapped into 100% for a full on Smash." Izuku revealed, remembering his powerful attack, how his arm was unbroken. "But my arm didn't break."
"Oh, really?" All Might asked. "What was different about that Smash?"
Izuku looked down to ponder. "Well, my first thought was perhaps it was because it was the first time I used One For All directly on someone else, but then I remembered how I still used One For All at 5-6% on Bakugou during our Battle Training. And when I used One For All at 100%, it still broke." Izuku explained. "But, in the USJ, we were fighting real Villains, and when Shigaraki tried to attack Asui, I didn't have much time to think. I just moved desperately to save my friend."
Izuku recalled how he imagined what would have happened back then, if he had struck Shigaraki instead of Nomu tanking the hit. He also recalled Thirteen's speech about Quirks being dangerous and able to kill "It wasn't a training session where I held back. It was the first time I intentionally used my Quirk to cause true harm." Izuku admitted with a frown.
All Might frowned, noticing the turmoil and guilt in his successor's eyes. "I think you actually were holding back." All Might revealed, much to Izuku's confusion. "From what it sounds like, you could have subconsciously pulled on the brakes so you didn't have to actually kill anyone."
Izuku blinked in surprise, staring at his hand, a bit of relief easing the uneasy guilt.
"And besides, you don't have to be so glum about going all out on a Villain." All Might continued, drawing Izuku's attention back. "Sure, as Heroes we don't automatically resort to lethal force or action, but another burden of the job is to save civilians and those in need to the fullest of our capabilities, even if that would resort to killing." All Might looked down. "Its not ideal nor easy, choosing who lives and who dies, but the weight is exactly what keeps Heroes in check, to ground them to their morality and humanity. In the future, you will have to face more situations where you will face this same dilemma and you won't have much time to think and choose, so you must be prepared and ready for when the time comes."
Izuku frowned, fists clenching by his lap. "H-Have you ever killed anyone, All Might?" Izuku asked. "Or ever tried to kill someone.
All Might was silent, turning his gaze out the window. "Yes, I have." He answered simply.
Izuku gazed at his Hero in surprise. Looking down at his lap, Izuku pondered who All Might killed, how difficult a decision it must have been, and how many more times was he force into such a situation. Pikachu watched the two's talk with concern evident on his face, especially for his Trainer.
"Hey, your tea's getting cold." All Might spoke up.
"Oh right." Izuku snapped from his thoughts and continued drinking his tea.
"By the way, what about that Aura Sphere you made?" All Might changed the subject suddenly. "Have you figured out more of what it was and what caused it?"
Izuku frowned. "No, I haven't." Izuku answered disappointed. "I tried remembering how I did it and tried repeating it, but nothing. At most, when I tried really hard, I got a splitting headache nad really tired."
"I see." All Might frowned, thinking towards Taishi and their previous conversation, where he asked the mysterious man when he was going to converse with Midoriya about the truth of him. He remembered the man's response.
"Soon, perhaps after the Sports Festival." Taishi said. "Telling him about who he is and the true extent of his powers will be an unnecessary distraction. For now, he must focus on the Sports Festival. I would be a rather poor teacher if I willingly distract my student from the task at hand."
'I guess he had a point.' All Might thought. 'I hate to put this on him right now, but he has to know just how important the Sports Festival is for him.'
All Might got up from the couch and walked towards the window, gazing out at the U.A. campus and city. "To be frank with you, Young Midoriya, I don't have much time left as the Symbol of Peace." All Might revealed. "Soon I'll have to put that title to bed."
Izuku frown grew deeper and more solemn. "I know." Izuku sighed, recalling his troubling thoughts from last night.
"With the USJ, its clear that some Villains are starting to notice." All Might continued. "Someone has to step up to keep the peace."
Izuku gasped and looked to All Might in surprise standing up from his seat.
All Might whirled towards Midoriya, his outstretched hand clenching. "I gave you my power for one purpose: Because you will be the Hero who replaces me!" All Might decreed. "Do you still feel the same way when we met? Do you still want to be a Hero?"
"I want to become the Greatest Hero in the World!" Izuku remembered his words during his training under All Might. Izuku turned to Pikachu, who smiled at him, nodding in full support. Izuku likewise felt a surge of support and determination coming from Eevee and Combusken in their Pokeballs. Fists clenched and eyes ablaze with determination, Izuku nodded. "Yes!" He yelled.
"Excellent." All Might nodded back. "Then the time has come to prove that resolve. With this Sports Festival, its something that the Pros, nay, the Whole World will be watching very closely." Izuku's fists tightened and shook for a bit. "I want you to think of this Festival as your debut. You are the Fledgling Symbol of Peace! The next All Might! Izuku Midoriya!" Izuku struck his fists into his sides, forcing them to stop shaking and look at All Might, fully determined. "I want you to introduce yourself to the World, and proudly say 'I Am Here'!"
"Yes sir!" Izuku declared back. Izuku looked down, his uneasiness rising once more. "B-But do you really believe I have what it takes, All Might?"
"You know how the Sports Festival is structured, right?" All Might asked, sitting back down at the couch.
"U-Uh yeah." Izuku nodded. "Students are separated by Class year, and the students from Support, Business, General, and Hero Course all fight against each other in preliminary trials, mostly in parts of three. The events are different every year, but the final event is always one on one tournament of the final contestants. Actually, the whole Festival is a free-for-all tournament."
"Exactly!" All Might yelled. "Meaning you will have plenty of opportunities to sell yourself!"
"I-I guess?" Izuku replied, uncertain. All Might fell backwards, the couch toppling down with him. "I'm Sorry! I Mean You're Absolutely correct, All Might!" Izuku panicked. "But to be honest, its kind of honest to be really excited about this after what happened at the USJ. Plus, I already got the greatest Hero teaching me so I'm sure that I will get spotted eventually-*muttermutttermutter*."
Pikachu looked as his Trainer descended into another mumbling stream with a sweatdropped, deadpanned expression. 'Same old boss.' Pikachu thought, sighing.
'How did you guys ever stand this word vomit?' Combusken asked telepathically. 'I've only been around a month and I'm sorely tempted to peck him till he stops.'
'You get used to it.' Eevee replied. 'I've been listening to Izuku do this for all my life. Its just something that makes up who he is. Though he has been doing it less frequently.'
"Geez, no one spouts out word vomit more than you, kid." All Might spoke up, snapping Izuku from his mumble stream.
"U-Uh s-sorry about that." Izuku rubbed his head. "Oh and are you okay?"
All Might looked up to Izuku from the ground and continued with "Some Heroes always aim for the top while others happily settle. The difference between those two mindsets has a big impact on how far you go in the real world." Izuku frowned and lowered his head in disappointment. All Might sighed and got back up. "I understand how you feel pressured and overwhelmed. I may be projecting a bit of myself onto you. I just hope that you haven't forgotten the emotions you felt back during our training."
"I have to work harder, or I won't stand a chance against the other applicants! I don't just want into U.A., remember? I want to excel!" Izuku recalled more of his own words, the emotions of then and when he received One For All, his drive and reason. He then remembered Bakugou and his bloodthirsty ambition to be Number 1 and all his classmates' own ambitions.
Izuku looked back up to All Might and nodded. "I do." Izuku replied. "I haven't forgotten, and I'll continue to do my hardest to excel, to be just like you and save people with a smile on my face."
All Might smiled, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Good." All Might responded. "Just wanted to make sure. You have two weeks to train before the Festival, so I expect you and your Pokémon to bring your A-game."
"Yes sir." Izuku nodded.
Later...
After the afternoon classes finished up, Class 1-A was treated with a very surprising development.
"Um excuse me but, Why are you all Here?!" Uraraka questioned.
Izuku, Uraraka, and the rest of their class were faced with a horde of students blocking the door to their classroom, obscuring the hall and means of leaving.
"Excuse me, but do you have some sort of business with our class?" Iida asked further.
"They're scouting out the competition, you idiots." Bakugou answered Iida's question, brushing past his classmates and towards the gathered students. "We're the class that survived a Real Villain attack. They want to see us with their own eyes."
'Why do I get the feeling that this is going to end badly?' Izuku thought.
'Because its Bakadouche.' Pikachu replied.
Bakugou stopped in front of the group of students, some squirming nervously at Bakugou's glare. Bakugou barely surveyed the group for a second before he spoke up. "At least you now know what a future Number 1 Pro looks like." Bakugou growled out. "Now move it, You Worthless Extras!"
"BAKUGOU!" Iida yelled in reprimand, while Uraraka and Kaminari panicked and Izuku sighed tiredly. "YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP CALLING PEOPLE EXTRAS JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE!"
"So, this is Class 1-A, huh?" A voice in the crowd spoke up. The owner of the voice pushed his way to the front of the group to be seen. He was fairly tall, at a height of nearly 6 feet tall, and built with a slender, somewhat lanky physique, his figure slouching nad wearing a standard U.A. uniform. He had a tired look on his face, evidence by his very dark and prominent eye bag under his purple eyes. A large mess of indigo-colored hair flared upwards, almost as messy as Midoriya's hair. "I heard you guys were impressive, but you just sound like an ass. Is everyone in the Hero Course delusional, or just you?"
Bakugou's glare intensified and started growling while Izuku, Serena, Uraraka, and Iida shook their heads profusely, both denying the student's claim and pleading for him to not rile Bakugou up further.
"Its sad to find just a bunch of egomaniacs." The indigo-haired student sighed disappointed, rubbing the back of his neck. He opened his eyes and locked onto Midoriya, more specifically, Pikachu sitting on his shoulder. "And privileged. I thought students couldn't have their Pokémon out of their Pokeballs during classes. Do the rules don't apply to the special Hero Course?"
Izuku frowned, not liking the teen's tone and aggression but kept himself in check. He noticed Serena's angry glare and took a step to confront the student. Izuku quickly clasped Serena's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. Serena looked to Izuku in confusion. Izuku shook his head, silently telling her to calm down. Serena frowned in displeasure but sighed and stood down.
"Name's Hisoshi Shinsou, Class 1-C, General Studies." The students introduced himself. "I wanted to be in the Hero Course, but like many others here, I was forced to choose a different track, such as life. I didn't cut it the first time around, but I have another chance." He directed his tired eyes to the whole of Class 1-A and continued. "If anyone of us do well in the Sports Festival, the teachers can decide to transfer us to the Hero Course, and they'll have to transfer people out to make room."
Izuku and the class were taken back by the new revelation. Izuku frowned as he remembered their first day of school, their Quirk Apprehension Test from Mr. Aizawa, and Mineta's expulsion from the Hero Course to General Studies, which lead to Serena taking his place.
"Scouting out the competition?" Shinsou continued. Maybe some of my peers are, but I'm here to warn you that if you don't bring your very best, I'll steal your spot right from under you. Consider this a Declaration of War."
'Where did this guy even come from?!' The class all thought.
"HEY YOU!" Another student yelled and pushed his way through the crowd, this one standing at 5'8 in height, spiky, messy grey hair that reached his chin, spiky teeth shown through his clenched snarl, and very thick, jagged eyelash-like substances around his black eyes. "I'M FROM CLASS 1-B, THE HERO COURSE NEXT DOOR TO YOU! WE HEARD THAT YOU FOUGHT VILLAINS AND I CAME TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS TRUE BUT YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF PUNKS THAT THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN US, HUH?!"
'Crap, everyone hates our class now!' Class 1-A, sans Bakugou and Todoroki, thought in unison.
"Calm yourself, Tetsutetsu." A third figure joined the forefront of the group, the figure's hand on, the now named, Tetsutetsu's shoulder. The figure was another boy standing at 5'7 feet tall, periwinkle blue eyes, blonde hair styled and parted to the right of his face, and a smug grin plastered on his face. "Its no use to work yourself over towards a unruly class of degenerates." He turned his smug grin towards Izuku and the rest. "I'm Neito Monoma, also from Class 1-B, and I am also here with my own declaration of war. Your class may have survived a Villain attack, but I hear you only survive because All Might showed up, and that some of you were even injured from the attack." Mina frowned at the boy's tone, rubbing her hands while Izuku clenched his left fist. "In the Sports Festival, me and my class will show you pack of degenerates which class is the superior one and put you showoffs in your place!"
'Okay that's it!' Izuku growled internally, having enough of this verbal attack towards his class and friends. Izuku walked up past Bakugou and towards the three students and the group, uncaring of the eyes staring at him.
"So, you all came here because you want to know what Class 1-A is like? To know for sure if we were attacked by Villains?" Izuku asked the crowd. "Fine. The truth is yes, we were attacked by Villains. Yes, some of us were injured. And yes, we probably survived in the end because of All Might, but do know the strength it took of us to survive on our own? The courage we had to wield to overcome fear and evil? How close some of us came to the jaws of Death?" Izuku surveyed the crowd of people, taking in their growing nervousness and fearful looks.
"During the USJ, we were separated and force to fend for ourselves, to fight on our own or together to survive." Izuku declared, remembering the Shipwreck Zone. "Its expected of Heroes to not be afraid, to be fearless in fighting Villains. But I won't lie and say that's true. The truth is we were scared, terrified even." Izuku remembered the fear he had when he jumped out towards the Villain in the Shipwreck Zone, Nomu's assault on Aizawa, Hydreigon and Shadow Altaria, and Shigaraki. "But we didn't hide or run away. We chose to fight, to use what we know to survive. Not to show off, but because we had to."
Izuku paused and looked at Bakugou, who glared at him venomously. Izuku turned to Pikachu, who smiled and nodded at him. Izuku turned back to the group, mostly towards Shinsou, Monoma, and Tetsutetsu. "So there, that's what you wanted to hear, isn't it?" Izuku asked. "I won't bother trying to change your views on us. You can call us egomaniacs, privileged, and degenerates all you wish. You can declare war on us all you wish, and we accept it. But words and warnings won't decide anything, only action will."
Izuku and Pikachu stared with at them with a fiery determination in his eyes, the crowd of students shivering, almost seeing lightning in their eyes. "So come at us with all you have." Izuku declared. "I'll be waiting for you at the Festival. That's a promise."
Silence hung heavy from both the crowd of stunned students and the shocked Class 1-A. Uraraka and Serena smiled proudly at Izuku. Iida was shocked at Midoriya's declaration, but quickly understood and stared determined at the students as well. Asui croaked, a slight pink blush in her cheeks. Mina smiled widely, her pink cheeks turning purple in a blush, while Hagakure practically bounced in her spot. Momo smiled warmly at Midoriya, a blush on her cheeks as well, Kyouka, beside her, staring wide eyed at Midoriya. Kirishima shook in place, eyes welling up in tears, muttering 'How Manly' that speech was. Todoroki narrowed his eyes at Izuku, while Bakugou simply growled in hatred.
Shinsou narrowed his eyes at Midoriya before huffing. "Then I'll make you eat those words." Shinsou replied before turning and walking away.
"Goddammit!" Tetsutetsu growled out, head lowered and eyes shadowed. Suddenly, he raised his head high, slight tears welling up in his eyes, and clenched fist raised up. "THAT SURE WAS MANLY AS HELL! MAYBE I MISJUDGED YOU GUYS TOO QUICKLY! YOU DUDE HAVE EARNED MY RESPECT!"
Izuku blinked in surprise at the sudden 180 at the grey haired teen displayed. "Um thanks?" He replied.
Monoma scoffed. "No matter." Monoma said. "I will be sure to sure to put those arrogant words of yours to the test and showing you what a true future Number 1 Hero looks like!" With that he likewise turned and walked away.
At those last words, Bakugou had enough and marched off , taking great effort to bump past Deku. "Out of my way, Deku!" Bakugou growled. "I've had enough of your bullshit words to these extras! They don't matter wasting my breathe over!" Bakugou pushed his way past the crowd and stomped away fuming.
With Bakugou's departure, the crowd began to disperse and walk away.
"Um Midoriya, don't you think you went a little too far there?" Kaminari asked, nervous. "Didn't you and Bakugou just make us everyone's enemy?"
"That was already the case before, Kaminari." Shoji replied. "Whether or not Midoriya or Bakugou said anything, we already had targets on our backs because of the USJ."
"Its true." Tokoyami nodded. "We have to beat them, regardless."
"Indeed." Momo agreed. "There is more though. I'd argue that Midoriya wasn't attempting to antagonize them, but rather encourage them."
"But why encourage them to gun for us?" Kaminari asked further.
"Isn't it obvious, dummy?" Kyouka said. "The more competition we have, the more chance we have to show ourselves off in the Sports Festival. Even for you."
"Its more than that, Jirou." Izuku suddenly said, drawing the class's attention back to Izuku. Izuku stared at his class with the same determination as before. "As Mr. Aizawa said, this Festival is important for us to show that we have what it takes be Heroes. As Class President, I want us to challenge ourselves, and prove that this is where we belong."
Kyouka stared agape at Midoriya, unaware of the blush that rose from her cheeks.
"You heard our Class Rep!" Iida yelled out. "Let's Train Hard and Take The Sports Festival by Storm! Let us Go Plus Ultra!"
"YEAH!" The class yelled out.
Todoroki simply scoffed and walked away and out of the room, the class unaware in their hype, except for Midoriya. Before he could think on it any further, a tug on his leg snapped him back to reality. "That was super cool and ballsy of you, Midoriya." A familiar voice spoke.
Midoriya looked down to see the grape-headed Minoru Mineta smiling at him. "Remember me?"
"Oh, its you, Mineta!" Izuku said surprised. "Hey, how are you? Its been a while."
"Its only been 5 days." Mineta reminded him.
"Oh yeah, I guess its felt longer, especially after the USJ." Izuku pondered. "But anyways, how have you been? How's General Studies been?"
Mineta flinched a bit, wondering if Midoriya was mocking him, but upon taking note of his genuineness and kind eyes, he knew he was generally curious and nice. "Its been alright." Mineta answered honestly. "It still sucks that Mr. Aizawa kicked me out, and my class didn't make things any easier."
Izuku frowned, understanding immediately what Mineta meant, having experienced ridicule and laughter all his life. "I'm sorry to hear that." Izuku replied. "Do you want for me to talk to one of the teachers?"
"Oh, no no no, its cool." Mineta waved off Izuku's concern. "I've gotten use to it and I just ignore them And not all are bad. Shinsou's one of the ones who's nice to me. Even got most of them to leave me alone."
"Shinsou?" Izuku questioned, finding it surprising that the tired, antagonistic teen was helpful and supportive towards his fellow student. 'Huh, I guess I judged him a little too quickly too.'
"Yeah." Mineta nodded. "Plus, even though they sometimes stung, their words actually got me more motivated to rejoin the Hero Course, like you did for me."
Izuku blinked in surprise, recalling his talk with Mineta after the Quirk Apprehension test and Mineta's vow to rejoin the Hero Course with all he got. Izuku smiled kindly. "I'm glad to hear that." Izuku said, holding out his hand towards Mineta. "I look forwards to facing off against you in the Sports Festival, Mineta."
Mineta grinned and took Izuku's hand. "Feeling's mutual." Mineta replied.
"Hey, Izuku, who's this?" Serena asked, coming up from behind.
"Oh, Serena, um this is Minoru Mineta." Izuku introduced the small purple-haired teen to Serena, said grape-headed teen gawking at Serena. "He was part of the Hero Course before you came. He was the one that Mr. Aizawa unfortunately kicked into General Studies."
"Oh, I see." Serena gasped out. "I'm really sorry that you were kicked and that I took your spot. It wasn't my attention."
Mineta suddenly went down to his knees and grabbed Serena's hand. He smiled perversely and charming as possible. "Oh don't fret." Mineta tried saying charmingly. "If my rejection, would lead to such a beautiful gem to arrive, then my sacrifice was well worth it."
"U-Uh thank you?" Serena replied, both confused and disturbed. Meanwhile, with Izuku, a flare of unknown emotion surged through his body, one very unpleasant, filling his head with rather unfriendly thoughts of punting Mineta to the moon.
"Oh please, its is I that must thank you, for gracing me with your presence." Mineta said. "In fact, perhaps you can allow me to take you out on a da-ACK!"
Mineta suddenly collapsed to the ground, eyes full white in pain, a sickening blue color on his face. Serena and Izuku stepped back in surprise at the sight of a Croagunk appearing behind Mineta, its three-fingered, purple glowing paw where Mineta's butt hung in the air.
"Mineta!" Izuku exclaimed, his ill feelings suddenly replaced by concern. "Are you okay?"
"O-okay is...subjective..." Mineta groaned out. The Croagunk, grabbed Mineta's legs and started dragging the purple pervert away, Izuku and Serena watching him go.
"Um should we help him?" Serena questioned, a sweatdrop on her head.
"Its alright." Asui said, suddenly walking up beside the two. "I'm sure Croagunk won't harm him more than that."
"Wait, Asui, that's your Croagunk?" Izuku asked, pointing towards the Croagunk dragging a feebly resisting Mineta.
"Yep. Ribbit." Asui croaked. "I knew Croagunk ever since I was a little kid. Even before I caught him, he would follow me everywhere with no explanation. Sometimes when some boys tried asking me out, Croagunk would appear and Poison Jab them before dragging them away. Guess he saw himself as some kind of bodyguard towards me." Asui looked to Serena. "Though now it seems he's expanded his protection services."
"I suppose that's quite a considerate Pokémon." Serena chuckled nervously. "If not a little overboard."
"I'll say." Izuku agreed.
"True." Pikachu nodded.
"Actually, since I have your attention, can we have that talk now, Midoriya?" Asui asked.
"Oh um sure, no problem." Izuku said. "If that's okay with you, Serena."
"Oh s-sure, n-no problem." Serena gritted out through her tightly clenched, forced smile, her eyes twitching jealously.
Unbeknownst to the three, the girls overheard Asui's request. Mina held the same reaction as Serena, while Hagakure, Momo, and Uraraka were more frowning and glaring.
Asui lead Izuku down the hall till they were the only ones around. "So what was it that you wanted to talk about, Asui?" Izuku asked.
Asui, back turned to him, was silent for a moment. She quickly turned and stared at Midoriya's eyes with a blunt determination. "Midoriya, do you want to go on a date?"
...
...
...
Izuku's brain had finally rebooted after temporarily shutting down. Pikachu gaped in shock, looking rapidly between the frog girl and his Trainer. His eyes went wide as saucers and his face as red as a tomato.
"EH?!"
AAAAANNNNNDDDD SCENE! And that was the chapter ladies and gentlemen. What did you guys think?
I hoped you guys liked Deku's speech towards Monoma, Shinsou and the crowd of students. I wanted for that speech to be Midoriya speaking honestly about their experiences at the USJ without trying to sound arrogant or cowardly, and show off a more determined Midoriya fueled by All Might's and Aizawa's words, and even have Bakugou level of honesty.
Also, I understand you guys have been wishing for more information on Buzzwole or Taishi talking to Deku about his Aura abilities, but I feel like it would be too rushed if I tired to cram it in, and as Taishi said, Deku needs to focus on the Sports Festival and will talk to him about it afterwards before the Stain Arc. But there will be more events with Izuku's Aura in the following chapters of the Sports Festival. And Buzzwole's backstory and the Ultra Beasts will likewise be explored further.
Also, what did you guys think about Serena and Uraraka this chapter? I was at first worried that Serena would come off to negatively during Uraraka's revelation of her money-seeking goals, but I wanted for her mixed feelings to reveal more of her own backstory, especially Team Rocket, and the similarity between Serena and Uraraka for them to become closer. And yeah Team Rocket is in this story and will become more prevalent later on.
And now we are left with many questions. Who was that guy from the beginning, and his relation to Taishi? Who was student who was curious over Izuku's Aura Sphere? What secrets are Taishi and Nezu hiding, and what is there group exactly? What has been following Izuku around? And what will Izuku's response be to Asui's question? All this and more on the next My Hero Pokedamia.
Until then I hoped you liked the chapter, share your thoughts and Pokémon predictions in the reviews below, keep each other safe and healthy, and check out my other stories if you haven't already, and wish to actually see them.
This has been Zayden StormVoid BLASTING OFF AGAIN!