Hatsume Wrecking and Towing
"Warning: Hostile Intruders detected," the call rang out in the Bunker; the parents all turned from the vitals readout to the security monitors as the sounds of battle began.
An Armored Vehicle came crashing through the main gate when the secondary security barrier deployed and halted it in its track with a thunderous crash of metal on metal. Sensors detected more intruders coming over the fences. They were all dressed in black with cloaks trimmed in gold and silver; the only identifying mark was a strange layered star pattern over their left breast. The vehicle had the same markings as the back of the truck exploded out, and armored versions of the intruders sprang forth.
The armored versions had cannons on their arms glowing a sickly green color. They fired strange balls of energy at the barricade. The balls impacted and began to spin faster before they exploded, taking the barrier with them. Autocannons came to life on the counter-assault.
"What the hell was that?" Hana exclaimed.
"Something that cannot be good," Daiki said as he tried to call out to the police. Only to be met with silence.
"Communications are being jammed," The Bunker answered the unspoken question. "Emergency response will be alerted due to noise; protection detail is engaging. Remain calm. We will protect you."
The parents watched as the invaders did not seem to be employing quirks; instead, they were all using technology to assault the compound. They watched as the invaders tried to make their way towards the house, only for more security barriers to be put in place. Then, the counterattack began. The Ravager Units came from nowhere, taking down the armored units; the sounds of ripped and torn metal filled the audio pickups. The parents were in shock as cannons emerged from the top of the units, and the Ravagers returned fire with their red laser weapons.
The group that came over the wall was trying to flank when the flock of Laser Beaks came ripping from the sky, their metal talons sinking efficiently into flesh as they carried their victims away like birds of prey. The parents watched as they would fly up and then throw the intruders away, sending them over the fence and crashing to the ground, bones breaking.
The Iron Giant's chest opened, and a large cannon emerged; a large blue sphere formed at the end. They could hear the blast inside the Bunker, even without audio sensors. The armored vehicles lifted into the air and were consumed in that blue light. The ball would then spin ringed in bright white twist, and collapse upon itself; it made this strange and frightening buzzing electrical noise as it did so. When the Armored Vehicles were destroyed, they saw the giant bend backward like a contortionist, and the gun fired again, tearing off into the sky.
The Armored intruders were being torn apart by the ravager units when a green sphere appeared, crackling with energy. When it faded, the strange robotic animals were there, some hideous cybernetic bears like something from a nightmare. They charged the Ravagers, and then they saw the EVA Units emerge; with a casual efficiency, their arms morphed into cannons, and her quasar ion cannons tore the beasts to shreds. Those that made it were swarmed under by the ravagers and laser beaks working in perfect union.
The parents saw the Wall-E units rolling out, deploying capture grenades on the downed villains. Inko turned to the monitors, her heart in her chest as the readout of the children was coming through, but of course, Izuku's was the problem. The sound of her strangled scream alerted Daiki and Hana. They turned and watched as the reports on Izuku came flooding it, the severe internal bleeding and broken bones.
"Treatment is being applied, Nanobots are being introduced to the bloodstream, and repairs will commence immediately," The Bunker reported. "Izuku Midoriya will live; the assault has been contained. We recommend staying in the Bunker till emergency response arrives."
USJ
The Lieutenant of the Royal Guard came racing to Mei, where Melissa and Momo had joined her, cradling Izuku in one arm and Toru over her shoulder. The girls saw that Izuku's hand was gone, and parts of his arms were missing, leaving it looking shredded.
"Lieutenant! Report!" Mei ordered. Momo's hands flew to her mouth.
"Father has suffered severe internal damage due to forceable impact from a large object. To stabilize and heal his hands, components were used to break down and infiltrate his body to begin the repair process. To do so, all current nanobots had to be conscripted," Gothic reported. "You need to authorize the creation of the Bacta tanks immediately, Mother. We must get him into treatment."
"Creation authorized," Mei responded. "Set Toru down, Melissa?"
"Give him to me," Melissa said, taking Izuku from Gothic; her helmet snapped shut as she rocketed out of the USJ, ignoring the calls from the Staff. She was heading out as All-Might was coming in. "TALK TO MEI!" she shouted as she tore off towards the lab. Icarus began to relay all the information about Izuku's wounds, treatment, and odds of survival.
"Is he going to be okay?" Momo said, taking Mei's hand and staring at where Melissa had flown out.
"He still may need Recovery Girl, but between the Nanites and the Bacta tank, he will be," Mei squeezed Momo's hand before she suddenly turned and wrapped Momo in a big hug and began to sob. Momo held Mei tight as they slowly sank to their knees, Mei letting her emotions flow.
The Staff was hesitant around the Royal Guard, but they didn't say anything as they saw them dispersing about the USJ getting to students and getting them to the front door. They would bring them to where one of the surviving spheres was so they could be scanned and reports could be given on injuries.
The Captain was near Mei and Momo, standing guard and directing his troops. The swarm gathered and exited through the top of the USJ. All-Might got the report from Nezu before he joined in rounding up the villains and securing the students. Emergency Medical had already begun transporting the critically injured to Medical Bay in the U.A.
Those that weren't critical were being loaded on the bus for transport back to the U.A.; their statements would be sought after Recovery Girl fully cleared them. Once Mei had composed herself, the Captain spoke. "Mother, there was an attack on the Parental Units."
"What?" Mei exclaimed.
"An unknown force launched a surprise assault on the Parental Units while the attack on the USJ was occurring," the Captain responded. "The Parental Units had already been evacuated to the Bunker, and countermeasures were already on alert due to orders from Hephaestus. This meant they were safe and away from the fighting; all enemy units were dealt with, as was an orbiting satellite being used to coordinate and watch the attack. We have identified the group as the Void Engineers. Emergency Services and heroes are now on hand, taking them into custody."
Mei took a deep breath, "Some of the villains were after Izuku and I," Momo said. Mei looked at her in shock. "The villain Raijin was sent to retrieve us under the orders of someone called Keaton. He was connected to the attack on the Island as well."
"Mother fucker," Mei muttered. "Captain, get all the information on this Keaton, recall the Royal Guard. I want to go home."
"Yes, Mother," the Captain gave a crisp salute, leaving to carry out her orders.
"My parents!" Momo said suddenly. The two girls ran towards Nezu after hearing that Hatsume and Inko had also been attacked. He handed over his phone to Momo, who quickly called her parents.
"Momo, are you okay?" Gao's voice rang out.
"Yes, father, are you and mother okay?" Momo said back, her voice full of concern.
"Yes, a group of intruders attempted to infiltrate the estate, but they were rebuffed," Gao said, trying to soothe his daughter.
"You will be alerted soon, but U.A. was attacked; I am fine. Izuku was injured, but he will recover; one of the villains who attacked the school was ordered to take Izuku and me to someone named Keaton," Momo reported.
"Aoi was able to get the name Void Engineers from one of the attackers, but that is all," Gao said. "Momo, this may not be over. Stay vigilant; we will see you soon."
"I will, and thank you, Father," Momo said. "That is the same group that attacked your parents." Mei nodded. Nezu raised an eyebrow.
"There will be time to unpack this situation later," Nezu said, taking back his phone. "Please see the emergency services so we may get you back to the main campus." The two girls nodded, exiting the USJ. The other students looked relieved when the last two boarded, and the bus began to rumble back to the main campus.
"So, do you always have a swarm of robots ready at your disposal?" Mineta asked, slumped in his seat, staring out the window.
"No, today was an exception, though," Mei replied, resting her head on Momo's shoulder.
Medical Wing
Mei was annoyed that she was not going to be released due to the break in her arm and some torn ligaments. The whole area was in a state of controlled chaos as some of the students had been seriously injured, which didn't include the damage Thirteen and Aizawa had suffered as well. Only a few of Class 1-A were going to be cleared to go home tonight.
Mei was in bed when Chiyo came in, "Mei, we need to get some artificial organs created ASAP. One of the students won't make it without them."
Mei pushed herself to a sitting position, "Hephaestus, send Gunner to the medical wing to retrieve a DNA sample. Get the organ tank prepped. Recovery Girl will be sending you orders for what she needs." Mei said into her earpiece before handing it over to Recovery Girl.
"I need Stomach, Liver, and the large intestine," Recovery Girl said
"Understood," Hephaestus replied. "We have also created the Nano Bot connectors as well."
"Send them," Recovery Girl said, some relief coming to her voice. "How long?"
"2 Hours."
"I can keep the patient stable till then," Recovery Girl said, returning the earpiece to Mei. "Thank you, Mei."
"Of course," Mei said, offering a smile. Recover Girl pulled her mask down and kissed Mei on the forehead, activating her quirk. "Wow, that is pretty cool," Mei said, yawning.
It would be a long day and night for the old pro, but she wasn't about to let one of these poor children slip through her fingers.
Momo sat with Tsu. Both had been cleared to leave, but it didn't feel right to leave the rest of their class behind; Tsu asked about Izuku, and Momo gave what information she could. It was the same for the other students. Those who had been cleared were having difficulty leaving those still recovering. It took the Staff nearly forcing them to go to the dorms to sleep to get them to move. Momo, instead of going to the dorms, went to join Melissa, who was watching over Izuku, as she knew that the last thing her girlfriend needed to do was be left alone. Momo checked on Mei, who was sound asleep due to Recovery Girls treatment; with a heavy sigh, she kissed Mei on the forehead before leaving for the night.
Melissa Shield
Melissa sat staring at the computer screen in the lab. Her armor had been put away, but she was still in the white body suit, reviewing all the data from the fight and watching Izuku in the tank. She was lost, wondering how it had all gone so wrong today. As the reports of the attacks on the parents were coming in, she was relieved that no such attack had happened with her father. Melissa had done her best to stay composed while talking to him, but she eventually failed. While her fight had been manageable, she was so angry that, once again, those she loved had been targeted, and she felt it was her fault. She was in a bit of a spiral when she felt two arms wrap around her; it made her jump, but then a familiar scent filled her nose.
"Momo," Melissa whispered.
"I am here," Momo replied, earning a small laugh. "Come on."
"I can't leave him," Melissa said quietly, nuzzling her cheek against Momo's arm.
"We need a shower," Momo said. "Come take a shower with me. Hephaestus will alert us if something happens. We need food as well; I know I do. I don't want to be alone, and neither do you. Besides, they will both need us when they recover." Melissa nodded as Momo pulled her to her feet, leading her off to shower. EVA went to work preparing their meal.
The hot water helped to wash the dirt away. It also had the effect of taking a bit of the pain of the day with it. Melissa was happy not to be alone, as Momo helped to bring her out of her funk. Momo created some simple shorts for them, and they stole shirts from Izuku before sitting to eat. They each listened to others recount what had happened in their different Zones; Momo told Mei of the kidnapping plot and how it seemed separate from the attack on their parents.
"Them coming after you and Izuku makes sense, but why attack your parents and the others?" Melissa said, grabbing another slice of the pizza.
"I don't know," Momo said. "If they were after some technology, why not attack the lab? It could be two separate attacks after two different things. But what?"
"The only thing that would make sense would be the Creation Pit," Melissa said. "But no one knows about that but us, the Hatsumes and Inko."
"I never told my father about it," Momo said. "How could they know it exists? But that would make sense if they were after it. They don't know the location. It is not on I-Island, which is too far away."
"What if they were after the Unstable Molecules or the Artificial Organ tanks," Melissa said after a drink of her soda. "The Unstable Molecules are still not registered, but the Organs are getting ready to go through testing for government approval soon."
"They could be after the plans for EVA and Wall-E," Momo wondered aloud, "but buying one and reverse engineering would make more sense. Same with the Tricorder."
"So if no one knows about the pit, they were after something else," Melissa said. "We know nothing of these Void Engineers or this Keaton."
"They could be after the armor, but I am not sure," Momo added, leaning back in her chair. "I think that would be Keaton's target, and the Void Engineers were after something different. Something they thought they could find at the other locations."
"Junkyard Support's only official location is Mei's Parents; we do nearly all our business with your parents," Melissa said, leaning forward. "They wouldn't know about this place unless there is a mole in the U.A. and all U.A. has the basic structure that Cemenetos put up. Not what Izuku and Mei did afterward?"
"So then we can assume that the knowledge of the Creation Pit is still secure," Momo said, "And that this was about something else."
"I think so," Melissa said. "If the pit was known, I think they would have come after it harder, as in all those villains would have been after the pit and not whatever bullshit that Shigaraki guy was spouting."
"I think you are right," Momo said, taking Melissa's hand. "Let's go to bed, we need rest. I am sure that Izuku and Mei will need us tomorrow."
"Sounds good," Melissa said, letting Momo lead her to bed. It didn't take long after they snuggled in close for sleep to claim them. Melissa was awoken by Momo crying in her sleep; Melissa just pulled her in tighter and whispered that it would all be okay.
Izuku Midoriya
Usually, when he felt as if he was floating, it meant he was still dreaming, but being wet and floating was a new experience. His eyes opened, and a blue haze filtered everything. Thankfully, his quirk supplied the answers like a liquid had drained from the vat. The door of the vat opened, and he saw Melissa and Momo, who stepped in to support him. Melissa gently removed his mask, offering him a smile.
"What happened? And is everyone okay? Where is Mei and Toru?" Izuku said that once the mask was removed.
Momo wiped his face with a towel, "You were hurt, Hephaestus, put Nanobots into your body to save your life; they put you in a Bactra Tank. Mei and Toru are at the U.A. medical wing. Mei had a broken arm and torn ligaments; Toru overused her quirk somehow; aside from some cuts and bruises, she is fine."
"Some of 1-A were seriously injured, others are doing well. Momo and I are fine, like the others. There are some scrapes and bruises, but nothing major," Melissa said. "You lost your hand again and all the connections in your arm, so it looks like shit. That is why I am not letting you see it."
"That makes sense," Izuku sighed. "Hephaestus, is a replacement ready?"
"Yes Izuku," Hephaestus responded. "I took the liberty of creating version two for you."
"Thank you. Momo, would you retrieve that for me," Izuku said. Momo walked over to the pit and retrieved the hand that was present. She noticed that this one seemed to look more like the vibranium than the other. They took it and brought it over. Melissa led Izuku to bed and helped him lay down; Izuku caught a glimpse of his arm and turned away. "That is very gross."
Momo set the hand in place, and they watched as it went through the proof of attaching; it seemed to go much faster than last time, but they saw that most of his forearm was filled in with the connections as his arm retook a regular shape. Unlike the other, this was black with golden threads coursing through it before the "skin" came in.
Izuku sat up, stared at his arm, and then looked at the readouts. "Well, less painful than the first time, but I lost more than just my hand."
"You can't keep losing parts of yourself," Momo whispered, kissing him tenderly.
"I agree," Melissa said, kissing him as well.
"I will do my best," Izuku said, getting off the bed. "I am going to go shower and get dressed. I want to go see Mei and Toru."
"I will make you a breakfast sandwich as well," Melissa said, on que Izuku's stomach rumbled. "I make two."
Izuku blushed and went to the shower with Momo as an escort; he got his clothes together and went about getting washed up. After he was done, he studied himself in the mirror, seeing all the Nanobots in his bloodstream. Izuku sighed, but he had a constant repair program ready should he get injured again. It wasn't that bad as he thought about how they could maintain his organs should something begin to fail or even remove plaque buildup from his arteries.
"Hephaestus, secure room," Izuku said.
"Room is secured."
"Begin an investigation between a group known as the Artificers and Gao Yaoyorozu," Izuku said. "Priority accesses Zero-Nine-Two-Omega."
"Yes Izuku," Hephaestus replied.
"I want full surveillance and increased security on Momo as well," Izuku sighed as he slipped on his shirt.
After getting dressed, they took the cart to the medical wing as Izuku was very grateful for the food, wishing there had been a third one. Mei was happy to see them when they came in; she wiped away a few tears when she saw Izuku. After a long group hug, it wasn't long till Mei was cleared to go home. Momo and Melissa helped her get dressed as Izuku checked on Toru.
Toru was sitting in her bed eating what she had been told was an omelet, but she questioned when a knock and hearing Izuku's voice made her perk up. She straightened her hair, even though invisible, before telling him to come in. She was happy to see him looking so well; she looked to where his hand and arm were with a bit of worry.
"It is okay," Izuku said, holding his hand, "all fixed."
"Is it real?" Toru said. "I mean, your hand was artificial, but it looked real. Then it melted and went in you?"
"I lost my hand in an attack on I-Island not long after we tested Melissa's suit," Izuku said, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "I didn't like any artificial ones on the market, so I made my own."
"Of course you did," Toru said, reaching out and touching the hand. "It feels so real."
"That's because it is," Izuku said. "I wanted to feel it still when I touched something," Izuku took Toru's hand. "To feel the warmth and sense of touch from holding someone's hand or a hot drink. My hand is similar in makeup to Melissa's armor. Breaking down and going into me allowed the Nano Bots to repair the damage when Wrecker hit me. I would not have lived if that didn't happen and you weren't there to help me. So thank you, Toru."
"You welcome Izuku. I am a hero in training, and that is the least I can do," Toru said, blushing.
"How are you? They said you overused your quirk?" Izuku said, his thumb stroking the back of Toru's hand.
"Yeah, something happened," Toru managed to say. "After your hand went in you, Wrecker got back up somehow and attacked again, and I was able to…push it away. It was like I pushed my invisibility out, and it was some shield. I told Recovery Girl about it, but she told me not to try it again for a few days. And when I did it, I saw myself."
"Wow, that is amazing, Toru," Izuku said, his smile beaming. "You won't need the bracelet one day.
"Maybe," Toru said softly. "But I am even more thankful for the suit now. If not, I would be flashing everyone."
Izuku laughed, "Forget the rated R heroine, Midnight; meet the rated X Heroine, Toru."
"Yeah, that is hard, no!" Toru said, laughing herself. "I am thrilled to see you are okay, Izuku."
"I am happy that you are as well," Izuku said. "I am going to go now. Mei should be ready to go, and our parents, I am sure, will be by at some point."
"Mine as well. Do they still want to meet you?" Toru asked.
"Call me," Izuku said. He pulled his phone out, and they exchanged contact information.
"Will do," Toru said as he walked out the door.
Lab
When they pulled into the lab, they were surprised to see their support class waiting for them.
"Hey guys?" Mei said, stepping off the cart.
"Hey yourself!" Washu said, staring at them. "Are you two idiots okay?"
"Don't let her tone fool you," Louie said, adjusting his goggles. "She was worried about you two."
"Yeah, word of the attack spread last night, and we couldn't get a hold of either of you," Ishii added. "Then reports that there were injured in the medical wing…"
"That makes sense," Mei said. "We got a bit banged up. But we are okay. Do you guys want to come in?"
Momo and Melissa smiled as the support course nodded. Izuku stepped forward, "Momo, Melissa, this is the support course: Washu, Louie, Maina, Maeda, Mizuno, Ishii, Noda, and Tao. Everyone, Momo and Melissa of class 1-A."
A chorus of pleasure to meet you and bows followed by laughter. The support course was impressed when they saw the living space. "I should have held out for more money," Maeda said.
"I have heard Washu say it, but damn," Noda said, looking around. Momo and Melissa went about getting them all drinks, keeping EVA out of sight for now. They stood to the back and smiled, seeing Support Course fuss over Mei and Izuku. Then, they started drilling them to find out what had happened. What they found funny was how Washu was telling them that is what they got for playing around in the hero course, even as she made sure they were okay. During this conversation, they found out that word of the attack was online, and there were all sorts of rumors as the U.A. had not released any statement other than to confirm the attack and that all the students were expected to recover fully.
After a sanitized retelling of what happened to Izuku and Mei, the left-out names, and such, the support course all shuddered. "That is why I am in support and not the hero course," Maina said, hugging herself. "Are you two okay?" she turned to look at Melissa and Momo, who nodded.
"Not an experience I would ever care to repeat, but yes, we are," Melissa said.
"That is good," Maina said.
"Did you two at least get to test whatever you were there to test?" Tao asked.
"Not really, but kind of," Mei said. "We got data but not in the capacity we were there to get. So it will be helpful, but," she shrugged.
"Got to run it back," Louie said, laughing. "I hate that."
"Try not to get attacked next time," Tao said. The support course visited for about an hour before they left now that they knew their classmates were okay.
"That was nice of them," Melissa said as they cleaned up.
"They are good people," Mei said as she pulled her phone from her pocket. "Parents are en route."
Momo nodded. "Would you mind if my parents met me here?"
"No, that is fine," Izuku said. Momo smiled, sending a message. "Excuse me for a moment." Izuku walked to the lab. "I want you to hack their phones," Izuku said to Hephaestus, "and get that satellite ready. I don't want to wait."
"Understood," Hephaestus replied.
Izuku returned, "Before they get here, I must tell you three something." The girls all stopped and listened as he recounted his encounter with the Lab Coats and their organization, the Artificers; he left out the mention of Gao. He wanted to find proof first, not wanting to damage Momo's relationship with her father with baseless accusations.
"You could have said something earlier," Melissa sighed.
"I figured I would tell you all at once so I didn't have to repeat myself," Izuku said innocently, earning a towel for the face.
"So we have the Void Engineers, the Artificers, and Keaton," Momo said, holding up three fingers.
"That is some ole bullshit," Mei muttered.
"And not one was after the suit," Melissa wondered. "I mean, if Dr. Baxter was the only one, then thank god, but I doubt we are that freaking lucky."
"Well, until they reveal themselves, all we can do is prepare the best we can," Momo said.
"Damn right," Mei smirked. "Junkyard Support is on it. Maybe we should ask Washu?"
"Why would you ask Washu?" Melissa said, confused.
"Her quirk is the internet," Izuku said. "She is always connected; I will be sure she has been around the Dark Web. She may know something about Void Engineers or the Artificers, at the very least. Maybe not Keaton."
"Wouldn't hurt to ask," Momo said. It wasn't long before Inko and the Hatsumes showed up, followed by Yaoyorozu.
Each of the parents hugged their kids; Melissa missed her dad, but Hana and Inko wrapped her up in a massive hug before she could say anything. There was a knock at the door, and soon, All-Might came in; he checked on the others before pulling Melissa aside and hugging her.
"Are you okay, Melissa?" Toshi said. "I wanted to check on you sooner, but the USJ."
"I am Uncle Might," Melissa said, her head in his chest. "Yesterday…well, yesterday just sucked."
"I understand, my dear," Toshi whispered, rubbing her back. "I also have a favor to ask of you."
"Anything Uncle Might," Melissa said, stepping back.
"I want you and the others to analyze the bridge collapse yesterday," Toshi said. "Something about that whole event is not sitting right with me."
"Of course, Uncle," Melissa smiled. "I need to talk to you also. Can we have dinner tonight?"
"I would love to," Toshi said before puffing up his chest and bidding everyone goodbye, using the pretense of checking on Melissa for David's sake.
After he left, Momo and Melissa sat with Momo's parents while Izuku and Mei were outside with theirs, talking about the attack on the house. Inko told them they should have told them about all the defenses they had put up, but she was happy they cared so much. Mei and Izuku told them vaguely about the attack on the USJ, not wanting to upset them, but Daiki pulled Izuku aside and got more of the story, including the part about the Lab Coats. Daiki hugged Izuku tight and told him how proud he was of how hard Izuku fought.
After all, they talked about the attack by the Void Engineers, wondering what they were after. Izuku and Mei talked about upgrading the defenses with some of the things they had developed for school, such as the hard light shields and the upgrade to the windows with Glass Steel. They talked about upgrades when the Detectives were investigating the USJ attack, and some faculty members came to take their statements about the attack. The parents said their goodbyes to give the kids some privacy as they knew their children had held back on the details earlier.
Izuku sat with Detective Addison and Power Loader as he walked them through the attack. "You seem rather calm for the level of violence you experienced," Addison said, leaning forward.
"It wasn't the first time we had been attacked, and this time, I didn't get shot or worse, so…" Izuku shrugged. "I learned in the first attack that those attacking you don't care about how you feel or if those who are not the targets are going to live. I care about coming home and those I love and care about coming home."
"When was this first attack?" Addison said, raising an eyebrow.
"I-Island, the attack on Shield Industries," Izuku said.
"I heard about that," Addison said. "Now, this swarm, I understand what you and your partner were doing."
"That is correct, part of our defense protocol should we be attacked again," Izuku said.
"We at U.A understood and approved the response," Power Loader said.
"What were two support course students doing at the USJ," Addison probed, "I was under the impression that this was Heroic Rescue Training?"
"Mr. Midoriya and Ms. Hatsume had obtained a waiver to run a trial on a new invention," Power Loader said. "They approached me with the details, and I approved them."
"This place is pretty fancy," Addison said, looking around. "How can two first years afford such a place?"
Izuku raised an eyebrow, "My partners and I are the owners of Junkyard Support; we created the Sunshine Laundry Units and the Capture Grenades."
"I know both of those," Addison said, seemingly absently tapping his cheek with his pen. "You must be brilliant, so does the U.A. provide all this?"
"No, Detective," Power Loader said. "Our rules allow students that have achieved certain benchmarks to request their workplace. These two meet those requirements and were granted the basic structure. It is their responsibility to furnish it as they see fit."
"And these Lab Coats," Addison said, a steel gaze in his eyes, "Was it necessary to use such lethal force?"
"At the moment, sir, everything was happening so fast," Izuku said, meeting his gaze. "When it became apparent that they were going to try and take me against my will, I did all I could to resist and come home safe."
"And this laser gun?"
"Destroyed in the attack, once I rejoined with a member of the Hero course, we tried to escape death," Izuku said. "I am sure you are aware of the injuries that I sustained during the attack."
"And yet here you stand looking rather well," Addison said. "Now, how is that?"
"Wonders of modern medicine, Detective," Izuku replied calmly.
"Detective Addison, I am wondering where this line of questioning is going," Power Loader said, putting himself between Izuku and the Detective. "Mr. Midoriya has provided a detailed report of what happened at the USJ. How he chooses to live his life or how he does is beyond the scope of your investigation. You have his official statement, and if you wish to ask further questions, you must go through proper channels."
"I see," Addison said, looking at the Power Loader up and down. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Midoriya. We will be in touch if we have any further questions."
They watched as the Detective left, "I am very sorry about that," Power Loader said to his student. "Please try to rest; I will see you in class on Monday."
"Yes sir," Izuku said, watching Power Loader talk to Mei briefly before leaving. "Hephaestus, I want you to monitor who pokes around the company."
"Yes, sir," Hephaestus replied. "Also, I have accessed Mr. Yaoyorozu's phone and downloaded the contents. I will begin analysis now."
"Good, let me know what turns up," Izuku said before walking back inside.
Once everyone had finished, the group settled down, and Melissa left to get changed for dinner with Toshi, though she promised she would come back here to sleep that night. Melissa was walking out when she heard Mei say, "Izuku, let's build a hot tub so we can relax tonight!"
"Yes, Mei," Izuku said, walking back outside to lay it out. "Do you want a pool as well?"
Mei looked at Momo, "I mean, why stop at just a hot tub?" Momo said.
"Yes, please!" Mei yelled. "Go help him design it right so we can have fun." Mei nudged Momo with her shoulder. "Maybe we can set a time to sit and talk through just the two of us?"
Momo looked at Mei; she took Mei's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I think I would like that, Mei."
Mei smiled, "You handle the pool; I will see about dinner. I mean, tell EVA what we want." Momo looked relieved. "I was sent to help you with the design," Momo said, stepping outside; she walked to him, taking his hand. "What is going on Izuku?"
"Nothing, just designing a pool and hot tub," Izuku replied.
"No, my darling, there is something else," Momo said, placing her other hand on his cheek. "I can see it in your eyes."
"The last thing I expected was for the USJ to be attacked," Izuku said, leaning into the warmth of her hand. "Then, on top of that, with everyone being separated, they were after us. I was dropped right in the middle of the Lab Coats. How did they know Mei and I were going to be there? And that Raijin guy was after you directly. I knew that after the Island, we may have to deal with that again, but now, so damn soon." Izuku paused as his breath hitched. "They attacked our parents, Momo. Yes, they were safe, but they came after the people who I love; I was scared when I found out, even after the fact, and angry I am so fucking mad."
"How dare they," Momo said; he could hear the angry undertone. "How dare these bottom feeders come to our door, to my house, and try to take away the people I love." Izuku nodded. "I feel the same way; we all do!"
"The thing that keeps nagging at me is how did they know that Mei and I would be there?" Izuku said. "Only our classes, Power Loader, Thirteen, Aizawa, and Nezu. There could be more, but…"
"You think someone leaked the information?" Momo said, shocked. "That there may be a traitor?"
"I do," Izuku said. "How did Shigaraki know that class would be on the far side of the campus, away from any quick response? But he didn't know about Mei or myself, at least from what Mei told me. But the portal guy knew where to drop me."
"Someone would have to tell him where we would be for him to strike. They knew you were in the class, so they dropped you where Raijin was," Izuku said.
"All-Might was supposed to be at the USJ but had to deal with the bridge collapse," Momo said. "Shigaraki did not give off the impression of a master strategist. So someone else was pulling his strings, and there may have been others with their agenda piggybacking off the invasion to get at us."
"He had to outsource to some Villain agency or something. Like what Xanther had to do when he attacked us on the Island," Izuku sighed. "I had prayed for that to be a one-off experience."
"We all did," Momo said, kissing his cheek. "We all hope and pray that what happened on the Island was an outlier. That I would never have to see the man I love hurt so badly. To be missing a hand again. Melissa's and my job is to defend you; I know we weren't in the same zone, but once again, we nearly lost you, and I couldn't do anything about it." Her determination to protect him was palpable; a few tears ran down Momo's cheeks.
Izuku wrapped his arms around her, "I love you too, Momo. I didn't think about that part."
They sat there holding each other till they regained control of their emotions. "Tonight is for all of us," Momo said, capturing his gaze. "But tomorrow night, I want for just you and me."
"Momo," Izuku whispered.
"Once was too much, twice was nearly more than I can bear; I will not waste another night to be unable to share myself with you. I want to share this with you no matter what the future may bring." Momo whispered back as their lips met.
"I am not worthy of you, of any of you, but I am honored to have your love," Izuku said when they broke apart. His acceptance of Momo's love was evident in his words and actions. "Now about this pool."
"Hephaestus, Zero edge Infinity, Olympic size, Artic Blue tiles for depth of color, diving rock at the northwest corner, with grotto. Give me wood-treated wood decking…" Momo said, walking off and making different locations.
"Why so big?" Izuku said.
"You think that once the others find out you have a pool and hot tub, they will not want to come over?" Momo said, raising an eyebrow. Her vision for the pool was clear and exciting. "The diving rock at that location will help provide privacy, as will the grotto until you can order more trees for the back line. We should create a true patio with an outdoor eating area, kitchen, and fire pit."
Izuku just smiled, "Go wild, my love."
Mei walked out, "What is she doing?"
"The backyard," Izuku smirked.
"Am I getting my pool and hot tub?" Mei retorted, and Izuku nodded. "Then let Momo do her thing."
"I think there is a rooster or two in the hen house," Mei said.
"I do as well; we need to find them," Izuku replied. "How much longer till dinner?"
"A few hours. Why?" Mei said. Izuku pulled out his phone, showing Mei that Toru wanted to know if he could meet her parents. "Go on, Casanova," Mei said playfully, kissing his cheek.
Toru
To say that when Toru's parents arrived to see their little girl, it was an intensely emotional event would be nearly an understatement. Her parents, Yoshizumi and Kirara, until their daughter had sent them a picture a few days ago, had not "truly" seen their daughter shortly after her fourth birthday when her quirk started to come in. Seeing that photo had brought them to tears, and then knowing that some boy had swooped in to bestow such a precious gift with zero expectation and complete refusal of any compensation, they were filled with unconditional love and support for their daughter. Their emotional journey, from the initial shock to the overwhelming love, was a testament to their bond with Toru.
Then, the news of the attack on the USJ and the thought that one lone photograph would be all that they had struck a cord of terror in them. They had trouble sleeping the night before they made their visit to the campus. When they arrived, all the other parents were also there, anxious to see their children. There was a crowd of people in the common room, and then they all seemed to part, and there Toru was. Their relief was palpable, and it washed over the room like a soothing balm.
Everything seemed to fade away as they moved towards their daughter and wrapped her into a crushing embrace. Silent tears felt immediately as they pulled back, stared at her, then hugged and kissed her. Toru was no better; this magical gift that Izuku had bestowed upon her of being seen was even more potent than anything she had dreamed of. It was a revelation, a validation of her existence that she had longed for.
They managed to leave the common area to go to her room, where they were able to let the emotions wash over them. They sat on her bed, wrapped in each other's arms for an hour before speaking was even possible. Then it became about Toru's health and recovery from the attack; they listened to her recount a sanitized version of the events, mainly for her mother's sake, before there were more hugs and kisses.
Then, they were able to talk about the bracelet and Izuku Midoriya. Toru is not accustomed to hiding her facial expressions, so she clarifies to her parents that she is very smitten with the young man. She told her parents how he had seen her costume and had come to see Mr. Aizawa about correcting the problem without anyone telling him to.
Having to tell your parents that you were running into battle naked was not a good time either; her parents had assumed that U.A. had an answer for that. Then, Izuku stayed up all night, walked into class, and slapped the bracelet on her wrist, asking for nothing. Toru fidgeted and blushed, saying how it had just overwhelmed her, and she kissed him in the middle of class. Toru then went on to explain that she had signed a contract with his company to develop her costume more and provide higher levels of protection. Something neither parent could find fault with, and that it wouldn't cost anything until their daughter went pro.
They thought this whole situation might be strange, but this was U.A., after all, and her parents knew nothing about the world of heroics, let alone support gear. The Hagakures sat and talked, taking well over 100 photos together before they asked if they could meet this young man and thank him themselves.
They met him downstairs; most of the families had moved on to other locations; her father was impressed; he looked like a strong-looking young man with an honest look. Toru took the lead and introduced him to her parents; Yoshizumi bowed and shook Izuku's hand earnestly, but much like Toru, her mother Kirara tried to keep it polite only to falter and hug Izuku as she cried, telling him thank you over and over again. Izuku was caught off guard, and Yoshizumi and Toru were embarrassed, but Izuku did his best to calm Kirara. Then she stepped back, bowed, and began to apologize. Izuku smiled and laughed help, but Kirara was at ease as they sat to talk.
Yoshizumi had questions about how Izuku had accomplished such a feat in one night and the technology around the device.
"I cannot go into the specifics, but it is a quirk-suppressing cuff," Izuku said. "As far as how it just came to me, when Toru told me about how she had gone for so long without being seen, it bothered me. I told Toru this, but I wanted to be a hero like her, but my quirk wasn't suited for that. My mom told me I could help more people and heroes by becoming an inventor. That is all I want to do; by doing so, I made a new friend."
Toru smiled, "Darn right!"
"Are you dating anyone?" Kirara said, hopefully, her eyes twinkling. Toru nearly turned so red that she exploded, and Izuku blushed as he understood where her mother was about to go with this question.
"MOM!" Toru exclaimed.
"I am," Izuku said after he cleared his throat.
"Oh..." Kirara said, slightly defeated.
"But our daughter is important to you?" Yoshizumi pressed.
"Yes, she is," Izuku said. Toru didn't know if she wanted to faint from embarrassment or rocket to the moon.
"I want her to be safe, and I promise that I will continue to look after her and do everything in my power to see that she is taken care of to the best of my abilities," Izuku said earnestly.
"I will hold you to that," Yoshizumi said, a light in his eyes.
"It was a pleasure to meet you both," Izuku said, standing as he bid them goodbye; Toru said she would walk him out.
"Can I come see you tomorrow?" Toru asked. "I am sure the others will want to as well. I want to hang out and..."
"I get it, Toru," Izuku said, smiling. "That sounds nice; we will work it out. Goodnight, Toru."
"Night, Izuku," Toru said, watching them walk away. She hated seeing you leave, but I don't mind watching you walk away, she thought before giggling and returning to her parents.
Nezu
Nezu sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes; tea was no longer the answer, and he had switched to bourbon over an hour ago. He poured over the reports, the statement, and the continuing influx of information from the investigation at the USJ; there weren't many times that Nezu felt at a loss, but this was one of those times. Nezu poured himself another glass and turned to look out the window over his campus.
One thought screamed at him; as more and more information came in, there was one clear thing. There was a traitor within the walls of the U.A. That thought alone was enough to make his stomach turn and his head hurt; the thought that it may be a faculty member made it feel like a weight was crushing him.
Nezu understood many things, but this level of betrayal spoke to an animalistic part of him, the part that was not the head of the U.A. The part that was still an animal that cried out for blood.