Chapter 18: The Hidden Mountain Headquarters
Following the next few days after the Kiyashi Mall Fiasco, all nineteen of 1-A, in addition to Hitoshi Shinsou, met at the early hours of the day. Standing at attention was Shota Aizawa, who was in his own sleeping bag.
"Load your bags under the bus and get on. The longer you take, the more time you'll waste." He simply commanded, as he crawled into the bus like a caterpillar, taking up the first row seat as he naps. Within five minutes, which he still felt was too slow, the passengers loaded up and the bus drove by itself. Thanks to UA's especially advanced AI technologies, the buses are self-driving and law-abiding, unlike more unsophisticated vehicles from the past hundred years.
Right behind Aizawa sat Momo and Goku. Despite knowing about their relationship thanks to Nezu, he saw no real reason to separate them because they respect their class enough that it's just business as usual even when they're together. Behind them was the remaining eighteen members. While he should admonish the majority of them for starting to nap once they've taken their seat, he'll take their quietness over their noise instead. Though in about thirty minutes, some of the kids woke up.
"I hope this trip goes alright... My mother and father were planning to take me to visit Venezia," Momo said to her passenger.
"Hmm, Venice, like in Italy?" He asked, which she nodded, if confused he pronounced the city name as if he was an American. "I thought it was pretty much abandoned after all the storms that hit it!"
"It used to be abandoned due to the flooding and the storms, though thanks to the efforts of the Heroes in Italy and the Greater European Union, Venezia was rebuilt and despite the storms and the occasional floods, it still stands as one of Italy's most popular cities."
"Where is this camp, anyways? I told my parents about the trip," Hanta asked in a confused manner.
"It's a secret. I don't want a repeat of the USJ, so the syllabus said nothing on purpose," Aizawa answered firmly.
"It makes sense, ribbit. Why have a definitive location if there's a chance it can be leaked," Asui concurred.
"Besides, we'll be there in about an hour and thirty minutes' time." Aizawa announced. "It'll be one of the last times you'll all be normal teenagers. And it'll be then that I will see what you're made out of, Son Goku."
A day earlier, at the Wild Wild Pussycats Headquarters' Operations Room, the main four are in a video meeting with Principal Nezu and President Kinoshita.
"Huh? 'Don't use my Quirk on one of the students'? How is that going to be fair for his development when he doesn't know about his own weaknesses?!" Ragdoll, the Yellow Pussycat, asked, as she was confused and frustrated at one of the clauses the Hero Commission had in their contracts.
"Your 'Search' will ascertain information no one is supposed to know about," the President remarked calmly, but firmly. Before the Pussycat blew a fuse, the red Pussycat stepped forward and put her paw on her shoulder, calming her nerves. "When you see him, you will see why I need such anonymity with him."
"Though Ragdoll has a point. If she can't use her Quirk on him, how can we train him to be the best version of himself?" Mandalay, the Red Leader of the Pussycats, asked.
"Funny you mentioned that, Mandalay!" Nezu was chipper. "Part of his training is helping him get a transformation under complete control. You've heard about the rumors that happened during Hosu, haven't you, ladies and gentleman?"
"Haven't we?! That giant furry Nomu-looking thing randomly appearing and tenderizing a pale yellow Nomu is pretty damn hard to ignore!" The Blue Pussycat, Pixie-Bob, yelled out. "It's a miracle Hosu was still standing!"
"We have commissioned UA to create a device that's meant to bring that 'giant furry Nomu-looking thing' out even without moonlight," the Madam Principal spoke, shocking the Pussycats and especially mocking Pixie-Bob's words. "Otherwise, there is too much risk that he will destroy more than just a forest if he transforms again, like he had done when he was a child."
The Pussycats, sans the Brown Pussycat, Tiger, were not ready for that. This kid, when he was a child, was able to destroy a forest...? Of course, it was big news eight years ago, with a Hero named Yoroi Musha single-handedly stopping the giant beast, but there's no way that thing and the Hosu Ape Nomu, as some conspiracy sites listed it, are one in the same, right...?
"So, this just means we have to push this student to become more Plus Ultra, right?" Tiger responded, posing as he did so.
"That's precisely what we will have to do, Tiger!" Nezu nodded with a smile. "This is what we all will have to do, Pussycats. However, if you don't sign the NDA, we will have to send him away from everyone else to train alone. It's not something we want to take lightly, because he responded well to his classmates."
"But we will do what we must. And I will make it clear, if his secrets are laid out for the world to see, he will not be safe. And with how much he had grown in just a few months, I will not have him turned into an instrument of death and destruction. Not in Japan. Not in the United States. Not. Anywhere. Got it?"
The President's words had such venom in a calm tone, it unnerved all four of the Pussycats. The four came together and had a discussion, talking about the pros and cons of this NDA. Soon, there came a consensus, with Mandalay leading the group.
"We agree to the NDA and all the stipulations that come with it, Madam President," Mandalay stated, as she signed her name, with Pixie-Bob, Tiger, and finally, Ragdoll, following suit, and the NDA being sent via Hero Commission Fax Machine. The Madam President smiled, while Nezu looked a little neutrally worried.
"Excellent, then I will clear UA to having training done at your location. Principal Nezu will handle the rest," The Madam President spoke. "Keep Japan safe, and have a good day."
The view of the Madam President disappeared first.
"It will make sense once you see him, Pussycats. I promise you that Son Goku is a one-of-a-kind individual," Nezu smiled, before waving goodbye. "I hope you're ready to babysit!"
Then the view of Nezu disappeared, leaving just the Wild, Wild Pussycats in a bind.
"I've got a bad feeling about this one, girls and guys," Pixie-Bob remarked.
"It must be quite serious if the Hero Commission and Principal Nezu are in agreement. Usually, he'd be the type to drag his feet on Hero Commission affairs," Mandalay mused to herself, rubbing her chin. "But, it is what it is... We'll just have to set up a training area for him during the night."
"It still feels unfair... Everyone else is able to know what to train for, but how is he going to know if I can't use my Quirk to find his weak spots?" Ragdoll asked, still not entirely on-board with the NDA.
"We'll have to trust that this 'Son' kid goes beyond, Ragdoll," Tiger replied. "If Nezu trusts that string bean to push himself, I'll trust him to push himself."
The Red Pussycat nods in agreement with her teammate's assessment.
"I think that's the silver lining to this, team. From what the two told us, he has a temperament that facilitates self-improvement beyond just what he knows. And while I can't say it'll be the easiest task, we've done harder and with less tools available to us."
"Now I'm getting pumped up training this kid, Mandalay!" the Blue Pussycat pumped one of her paws in a fist. Tiger said nothing, but he crossed his arms with a confident smile on his face.
"It'll be difficult, but if you three are confident, then so am I!" Ragdoll felt herself become confident.
"That's how the Pussycats get it done!" their leader cried out in a rally. "Let's get our area prepared for anything those kids can throw at our way!"
9:00 AM
Currently, there is a car at a mountain pass lookout point. And soon, turning onto the stop was the bus carrying the 1A Students and Hitoshi.
"Alright, we're at our stop." Aizawa stated as he looks around. "Head out and get yourself some fresh air."
The group leave their bus, Hitoshi included, since if the aspiring 1C-turned-1A student wanted to catch up to his new classmates, he might as go with them. As for Aizawa, he went to the car and knocked on the window.
"They're all your's. Do what you need to do." He responded, before looking at the overpass, then to his students.
"Heheh... Took your time, Eraser!"
Of course, the Saiyan student had to be the one to stretch, as if he's itching for action. As for Midoriya, he seemed to have spotted something far away. The girls are a little confused as to why they stopped, Minoru is in a desperate need to use the bathroom, and the rest of the boys are looking around, a few of them antsy.
"So, how are you all enjoying your trip so far, kittens?" Out from the car came a boisterous voice with some fire in her speech, with the figure revealing herself in a dynamic pose, wearing a suit of blue, stopping everyone.
"With a glimmering goal far ahead..." the red-clad cat figure spoke as she got out, with a kid following her specifically.
"...Combined with our cute charm and cat-like senses!" Her partner in crime finished her partner's sentence.
"We are! The Wild Wild Pussycats!" the two said in synchronicity, unleashing their pose in a dynamic boom!
...To most of 1A's utter bewilderment. However, only one voice echoed out.
"Ohmygosh,it'stheWildWildPussycats!It'soneofJapan'sbestrescueteams!Operatingforoveradeca-" was mumbling Izuku, but in an instant, Pixie-Bob was grabbing him by his cheeks, stopping him from talking.
"We're still eighteen at heart, bub! And don't you forget it!" the blonde Pussycat retorts before letting him go, and then her eye brushes onto Goku. "Oi, you there!"
"Hmm, me?" Goku was confused as he looked right into Pixie-Bob's eyes. It was at this moment that her and Mandalay see something inside him that was different from his classmates. While everyone else wasn't expecting something and had relatively tight muscles, this specimen had loosened his up considerably. Despite his innocent face and his current disposition, he is truly ready.
"Yeah, you! I'm calling dibs on you in three years time right here, right now!" she declared... That was until she felt a powerful glare come her way, in which she backed off a small bit.
"Don't mind Pixie-Bob, kids. You should be more worried about that spot right over there!" Mandalay called attention, with a bare mountain in a sea of trees. The same one Izuku was looking at before the Wild Wild Pussycats revealed themselves. "That, over there, is where your lodge is!"
"That's kind and all, but why have we stopped up here?" Ochako asked. Pixie-Bob created a wicked grin, which Goku was able to feel while Aizawa saw.
"Well, if I'd have to estimate the time... It's about 9:30 AM." The blonde Pussycat spoke with an ominous tone.
"Uh, guys, we should get back to our bus..." Hanta tried to warn, but it fell on deaf ears.
"And I think that three hours should be enough time for all of you to be there... Except for Son Goku," Mandalay continued their monologue.
"Yeah, I feel that you could get there in about five minutes! Just zip from here and you'll get there without any problems. Though what will it be, Son? Get there first and abandon your friends? Or stay with them in the maw of the Beast's Forest until you arrive with them?" Pixie-Bob smirked.
"Let's get back on the bus!" Mina yelled, trying to retreat, but the ground liquefied, acting more like runaway sand as it sent all the kids down into the floor of the forest, with a chorus of screams and confused yelping echoing through the forested air. Aside from the Saiyan, who was more concerned trying to soften his friends' fall with his flight.
"Since you're now on private property, you all can use your Quirks however you see fit!" Mandalay yelled to the forest floor.
"So, Eraser? How was that for a dramatic entrance?" Pixie-Bob asked with a great grin on her face.
"Eh, six out of ten." Aizawa was just hanging on the metal railing with the most nonchalant look on his face as swung got himself back onto solid ground. In the meanwhile, the kid next to Mandalay glared down into the floor.
"Stupid kids," he remarked with venom in his voice.
The Class were on the bottom of the forest floor. Of course, while Goku had tried to stop them from being too hurt, others were still hurting a little after the tumble.
"Everyone! Are you alright?" Izuku cried out, as he was the most concerned about everyone's health.
"We're fine, Deku-kun... Goku-kun tried to make sure our fall wasn't so rough," Ochako spoke, as their friend was also helping everyone up.
"What did you expect from the Monkey, Round Face?" Katsuki spoke up. He wasn't helped by his monkey-tailed rival, though he needed no help as he just used his Explosion to slow his fall. "He's not a coward that would abandon any of you extras."
"It's what I would expect from 1-A's champion, after all," Kyoka said with a joking smirk, before looking through the dense forest. "How are we supposed to get to the lodge in three hours with all these trees in the way?"
"Hey, Yaomomo-san? Can you create a compass?" Toru suggested.
"That's no problem, Hagakure-san!" Momo nodded, as she focused on Creating a compass, though something was glaring at the group. Upon looking to her left, she sees a beast and felt a pit form in her stomach. "Um, everyone! We're not alone here!"
"Ahhh! It's a beast! What do we do?!" Minoru was scared, though Koda placed a shoulder on his smaller classmate's shoulder, and got to work. Looking right at the beast, he said the following:
"Please leave us alone, we will just be on our way." in a surprisingly soft voice. However, the beast simply reared, ready to attack, until a combination punch by Izuku and Goku knocked it down, with the latter blasting it away with a Ki Blast, surprising the students with his lack of restraint.
"Whatever this thing was, it was as hard as stone," he remarked, as he shows the sandy remains of the beast. That's when it clicks with Izuku.
"Oh, right! Pixie-Bob's Quirk is Earth Flow! She can create anything out of the earth itself!" He relayed to his teammates. So that's why their classmate "killed" the thing. Though that is the main obstacle, but thankfully it's not the worst thing they had to fight. However, there's plenty who has Quirks suited for support that cannot fight these things one-on-one without risking significant injuries.
"So, does that mean we have to form into a spear and shield formation? And if that's the case, can I be the shield?" Eijiro asked as he bashed his fists together, Hardening with a smirk.
"That's not a bad idea at all, Kirishima-san," Momo remarked after calming herself down. "Though it can help if we have navigators to help with landmark referencing."
"I can do my best, Yaomomo-chan, ribbit," Asui volunteered. "If those monsters are as hard as stone, I wouldn't chance it by kicking them, ribbit."
"Oi! If you extras are all done planning, let's get out of this stupid forest!" Katsuki barked out, though soon, more eyes peer at them.
"Hmm, this'll complicate things... Katsuki, Wanna take twenty on the left and I'll take the twenty on the right?" he asked, as he charged his Ki.
"Screw you, Monkey, I'm gonna take twenty-two!" The ashened bomber replied, as the two dashed into the forest to meet the creatures head-on.
"This is going to get old real quick..." Hitoshi mused to himself, as he's down here, with only a secondary Capture Scarf for him to use as a weapon. Together, the group of twenty made their way towards the Wild Wild Pussycats HQ. With so many defenders, Asui was able to easily call out the group's direction by leaping above the canopy, as even the Beasts trying to intercept her either get pierced by Shoto's Ice or Goku's Kamehameha. Though the HQ was invisible where the kids were located, it was nestled in a mountain, and due to that, Asui's calls proved to be accurate.
Twenty Past Noon, as shown on a pocket watch.
The two Pussycats, alongside Shota, are looking in the direction of the forest. Every so often, a bright blue beam pierces the forest canopy, other times, a distant boom can be heard. Though whether it was the Saiyan or Katsuki doing it, he wouldn't know, and honestly, he wouldn't care. At worst, he'll just have them replant the destroyed trees.
"...That is why you had to deal with the Madam President. Of course, I don't know too much more about his Quirk, aside from what I'm allowed to tell you." Shota shrugged.
"So it is true, then... Son Goku can turn into a giant monkey," Mandalay repeated to herself.
"And you're saying he didn't even do any damage to Hosu?! Nada anything out of order?" Pixie-Bob was surprised, whereas he shook his head.
"Somehow... And the fact of the matter is that he isn't completely mindless in that form either, regardless of what tabloid you may or may not have read." he regarded.
"Speaking of, I was shocked you had us do that whole 'Beast Forest' event to those kids. Usually, we'd get Second Years doing them and not the First Years," the red Pussycat remarked.
"It's because my group of troublemakers found themselves in the midst of Villain attacks throughout this term, so I thought it best they should experience your Second Year course," he clarified, to which neither Mandalay nor Pixie-Bob argued against.
As he closed his eyes, he reflects back on Son Goku. For some reason, that monkey-tailed problem child is finding his way into his scarcely populated peoples he feels he could trust in completion. The reason why he never has full trust in his students is because he feels that would make teaching much harder, as it'd force him to play favorites. It was a fallacy that All Might indulged in with Izuku Midoriya, though he will admit the kid has grown on him, too. And yet, whether he's doing it consciously or not, he's starting to favor the Saiyan over all his other students. That shouldn't be, it cannot be, yet something's pushing him to favor him. Could it be because he knows so much more about him and yet the No. 1 Hero knows so little? He shrugged to himself, clearly this line of thinking is blurring between facts and conspiracies.
However, before he could truly enjoy his nap, there was a loud explosion, forcing him to look forward as he saw a smokescreen. The first to come out was Eijiro Kirishima, looking worn down but with a grand smirk on his face as he panted. Next was Son Goku, who had seen better days with a lot of scuffs and scratches on his skin, though he was in good spirits as he chuckled. Following closely was Katsuki Bakugo, whose arms were reddened, yet he had a satisfied grin as he was able to show those beasts who's boss. Then, Izuku Midoriya was nearby, his bioelectric aura soon dissipating as he starts to pant loudly. Shoto with frost, Momo with less fat, Mina with a very subtle change of skin tone, more were appearing. Soon, all nineteen of his troublemakers plus Hitoshi were lined up, all in various stages of tiredness and some with various minor injuries, whether due to exhaustion or to the beasts of the forest.
The two Pussycats were shocked. Despite their threat, they had thought even with Goku's help, they wouldn't have made it until two thirty at the earliest.
"Good... About five hours earlier than what I had expected," Shota spoke out with a wide grin, though the group at large was too tired to react. "It's not so fun when you barely react."
"Though still, I cannot believe the speed of all of you kitties!" Pixie-Bob pumps her fist. "I can't wait until I get to see what you're made of tomorrow!"
"Regardless, a promise is a promise," Mandalay conceded. "You got here before 12:30, so you'll get to have lunch with us!" The only one who smiled was Goku, as food was pretty much his second language.
"Yahoo..." he tried to yell out, though the hunger fatigued him greatly as it came out quietly. Even without Search, the Pussycats could see a weakness, one that is intrinsically tied with his Quirk. That is, he tires out easily without food.
"It'll take us a bit, but we'll get something fixed up in about an hour or so!" the red Pussycat spoke up, and the two disappeared.
"Well, since you're here so early, get your stuff off the bus and wait for further orders. The Pussycats will dictate everything once you've got your lunch," Aizawa directed his students, and while they are all still tired, they were willing to get their stuff out. Though Goku was panting the most, that speedrun of three hours seriously taxed his Ki reserves. Regardless, he was able to grab his bags and drag them in.
"I hope those beans you had me grab work as you expected, Nezu..." Aizawa quietly muttered to himself. "Otherwise, this kid's gonna burn through every bit of food the Pussycats will give. Though I suspect that's why he brought pounds upon pounds of beef jerky."
"So, you're the twenty tykes who went through the Beast Forest! How'd you think you've done?" Tiger looked, smiling.
"It was difficult... but thankfully, we all were able to pull through," Momo responded as President, a bit tired, though much less tired than her classmates.
"That's good, very good. It seems you kittens can already work together well. Boys, follow me, I will be the one to lead you to your dormitory." Tiger clocked his head to point to his right, their left.
"As for the ladies of the group," the Yellow Pussycat, Ragdoll, came in from behind Tiger. "You can follow me to your sleeping quarters!"
The group separated, with Minoru lamenting the fact they can't share sleeping quarters. However, the rest of the boys were just glad they could relax, even if their given room had a bunch of bunk beds and the beds themselves were not that soft. With a bed claimed by the fourteen UA students, they sat up as they looked at Tiger.
"Now, for today, there's no additional drills or training. Stay within sight of our agency building if you want to go and walk around, or else you will have to deal with four disappointed Pussycats. Starting tomorrow, we rise at first sunlight, so do not stay up too late." The directions from Tiger came out in a laconic fashion, though it was because he found boys tend to be more receptive to less words. "Am I clear on that?"
"Yes, Tiger!" a majority of the boys responded, to which he smiled a little.
"Good. Alright, you may finally rest, eat your snacks, whatever you need to do... Just don't make too much of a mess, it's rare we can keep so many kids here."
As soon as the door closed, the room started to buzz with activity. Some, like Katsuki, decided to just lay on their bed; others, like Denki with Minoru, elected to speak to one another. As for Goku? He started to down one of his bags of beef jerky, recovering a bit of his drained stamina.
"Hey, sorry if I'm being rude, man, but would you be alright with sharing some jerky?" Eijiro asked. Thanks to just that one bag, Goku was doing much better. That being said, it was his food, but since he asked, the Saiyan was willing to oblige just this once, handing him a bag.
"Sure, just don't make a habit out of it!" the Saiyan chuckled, as he started work on another bag.
"I'll be sure to pay you back for this one, Goku-san!" the red-haired teen shot back with a giant grin, as he returned to his bed with a slice of jerky already in his mouth.
Over in the Girls' Dorm Wing, a similar talk happened between Ragdoll and the six girls of 1A.
"...We've had a warning about one of your classmates acting out of line with regards to peeping, among other acts. If he tries anything, do not hesitate to call any of us Pussycats. Sound good, girls?"
"Yes, Ragdoll!" the six chanted.
"Very good! It'll still be about forty-five minutes before that lunch is finished, so feel free to relax and make yourself at home!" Ragdoll left the girls alone.
"That was crazy, just the way the ground shifted under us!" Mina started out.
"I'm thankful there's gentlemen like Son-kun and Midoriya-kun helping out!" Toru agreed.
"I kinda wished they didn't butt in, but I can't exactly blame them, either," Kyoka commented. "It's that weird 'moving without really thinking' thing Goku talks about sometimes."
"I think they shouldn't worry about making sure everyone is alright, ribbit. Considering we're going into a line of work that could end with us being injured or even killed, I'm concerned they'll get themselves killed if they just care about others all the time," Asui joined in.
"I can't exactly disagree about that, either with Goku-kun or Deku-kun," Ochako nodded her head. "Though I think the fact they were still willing to check on us and help us after the fact was heroic!"
"Hmm... There's points for both of these arguments," Momo was in thought. "On one hand, this was meant to show how we would react to an unexpected situation, and they softened that impact. On the other hand, considering the height from that stop to the forest floor, there was a very real chance one of us could have been seriously injured. In a Villain situation, that could mean the difference between making it out alive and being killed in action."
This rationalization caused all the girls to look at Momo, though only one was shocked.
"Gosh, why are you so smart about thinking about all of these situations, Yaomomo-kun?!" Mina asked.
"A part of it was studying as much about Hero Law as I can read from my private library, and a part of it is trying to understand it from Midoriya-san and Son-kun's point of view," the ponytailed girl explained. And despite the flaunting of wealth in their faces, the girls can tell she's not doing it on purpose. It's actually kinda sweet in an ironic form.
"Oh! Thanks for the explanation!" Mina appreciated the rationale, while the other girls nodded, as it makes sense that she's trying to see it from both the law point and the person point.
At 1:30, the Pussycats were ready, as Tiger and Ragdoll summoned Class 1A to the Mess Hall, located on the ground floor.
"Oh, that smells so good!" Goku's eyes were already fixed on the food, as the other classmates were silent, though they, too, eyeballed the banquet.
"We've all heard about how some of you have eating habits at UA, so we're going to have to ask those who tend to eat more for their Quirk to wait for everyone else," Mandalay announced.
"It's nothin' personal, we just don't want our kitties to starve because the big ol' lions got their share first!" Pixie-Bob added on.
Goku slightly pouted, but understood as he waited for everyone else to go first. The first few to go were the slim students or students with less voracious appetites, such as Kyoka, Toru, Asui, Minoru, Fumikage, and Hitoshi. Then, those like Mina, Ochako, Izuku, Eijiro, Denki, Katsuki, and Hanta. After those were those whose bodies were larger or who could benefit from eating more, including Shoto, Koda, Mezo, Miraishao, and Yuga. Finally, went Momo, and after her still, Goku was allowed to get his food. And by and far, Goku nabbed a hefty amount of food for himself. The moment he got himself a seat, he started to go on the attack, decimating takoyakis, sashimis, miso soups, pork cutlets, dinner rolls, curry bowls, anything and everything he could reasonably grab he consumed with the viciousness of a pack of hyenas.
"Wow, they really weren't kidding about Son Goku..." Mandalay had her jaw on the floor. They seriously thought they were exaggerating when they said he eats around an average of twenty meals. "U-um, Son, please slow down. We wouldn't want you having an upset tummy, now would we?" was a telepathic message she sent. However, what unnerved her was that Goku stopped eating, looking around, and yet she heard him going "Hmm? Someone called for me?" Not vocally, but through telepathy, though before long, he went back to feasting on his feast.
"Hey, Mandi! You alright there? Monkey boy giving you trouble?" her partner asked, snapping her fingers.
"No, no, I'm fine. I just thought... I heard Son's voice."
"Hmm? I didn't hear him say anything." Pixie-Bob replied, not thinking about it... until it hit her and her face morphed into a shocked expression. She certainly didn't hear the Saiyan reply, but... "No way, that's impossible! Isn't one of the drawbacks of your Quirk that you can't receive any messages through telepathy?"
"It should be, Pixie. I'll give it a try..." She refocused on the eating Saiyan. "Son, do you know who you're speaking with?" That message stopped the Saiyan again, though this time, he started to focus on Mandalay.
"No...? Unless you were the one speaking to me, Mandalay...?" he spoke telepathically. The slightest twitch of surprise from the Red Pussycat was enough. "Oh, hello! What did you want to talk to me about?"
"S-Sorry, Son, go and enjoy your meal. Just be careful to not upset your stomach, okay?"
"That's it? Okay!" Soon, she sees that Goku was eating, though slower than his usual pace.
"...Was this what the Madam President and Principal Nezu warning us about...?" Mandalay whispered to her partner.
"Seems to be, Mandi... Want me to go tell Ragdoll and Tiger about it?"
"Not yet, that would just entice Ragdoll to try to use Search on him."
"Curse that NDA..."
Mandalay nodded as she went back to observing the students of 1A, a lot of them barely even acknowledging Goku's habits.
Half an hour later, when all the food was consumed, Mandalay made an announcement.
"Alright, young kittens, since you got here early, we will host a dinner at 5:30 PM, followed by bath time at 7:30 PM! Light's out starts at 9:00 PM, and we will make sure to enforce that curfew! However, until these periods of time, you may spend it however you wish, though be sure to be where any one of us four can see you! While this is our forest, we don't encroach on the wild animals' territory, and they will defend their home as viciously as we will our's."
"If you break our rules, you'll hear from us and your homeroom teacher! And I doubt any of you want that, now do you?" Pixie-Bob added on, with her dragging Shota from his sleeping bag, who simply grunted in approval before she placed him down. She had silence, which she took for an agreement with Mandalay nodding that they are thinking similarly. "Good! Now, you're all dismissed!"
For the next three hours, Goku elected to meditate just outside the building they were assigned as their sleeping quarters. To those on the outside, they see a levitating Goku surrounded by a slight white-blue silhouette, though most paid no mind. Katsuki tried to jumpscare him, but he was so deep in meditation, the lack of any reaction caused the explosive boy to scoff and leave him be. As he focused, he started to truly see the fires of Ki around him. Lime green, pink, red-white, crimson, royal purple, he soon came to realize that these were his classmates. Though the two most notable Ki signatures he can pick out exceptionally fast: an emerald green flame surrounded in a rainbow sheen, which he knew had to be Izuku's, and a familiar fuchsia color that he recognized as Momo's.
"Haha, magnificent, isn't it?" an echoing voice called out, that being the Great Ape he's familiar with.
"These flames... They're my classmates' Ki signatures, aren't they?" The Saiyan asked nowhere in particular, in which he received a grunt in response.
"An astute observation, Kakarot. Yes, these are the Ki that dwells deep within their souls. Their colors reflect their 'Quirks', it seems. That Zero Gravity Earthling has a prominent pink, the hardening Earthling has crimson, the one you called 'Shoto Todoroki' has a unique half flame, representing their ice and fire. Though even you know those two, the one with the emerald green and the one with the fuchsia."
"Yes, I do know them, Oozaru."
"Izuku Midoriya, bearer of the emerald green flame... I will admit, this flame and the Quirk that Earthling bears has incredible power and potential behind it. As for the bearer of the fuchsia flames, Momo Yaoyorozu... You've inspired her directly to take action into her own hands. Despite being an Earthling with no strength enhancing Quirk, her push rivals that among the best of her species."
"Hmm... Is there a way I could teach them how to use Ki?"
"Unfortunately for you, Kakarot, you've barely scratched the surface on what you can use with your own Ki. And before you ask, no, transferring them your Ki will do nothing but just simply allow them to temporarily use Ki attacks. Trying to train them while you're still a neophyte is going to lead them to the wrong conclusions. And we both know that they won't blossom as much as you want them to."
"Darn... I wanna see if they can get stronger. They are so much fun to spar with, I wouldn't mind if they were stronger so I could learn more about myself." As he continued, he sensed twenty-one more flames coming, though since he wasn't as attuned to their signatures, their flames were white with a slight hint of color.
"Hmm, there is something wrong with one..." Goku said to himself, as he focused on an otherwise pure white Ki flame. However, this flame was isolated and alone, and it had a dark sheen shining off it.
"Mmm, that is an unusual sight, indeed... Why is one of your classmates so far away from the others...?" the Oozaru wondered aloud as well, this flame might be a threat, but neither he nor Kakarot knows why it's a threat. "Keep an eye out on that one whenever you can, Kakarot. I do not trust it."
"I'll do whatever I can, Oozaru."
When Goku opened his eyes, he found that akin to an overexposed photo, the flames lingered on for a bit over everyone, though they did fade away over time. It was also when he saw Class 1-B coming out the bus with Vlad King leading them out, alongside the Pussycats giving them their introductory spiel.
"Mmm, Son," a tired voice of Shota got his Saiyan student's attention. "I need to talk with you about this upcoming dinner and any future dinners."
"Oh, what is it, Aizawa-sensei?" Goku turned to face his homeroom teacher.
"As you know, I'm not one to play favorites, though at the rate you're eating, you'll eat through the Pussycat's main stock of food. And before you go and blame yourself, it's not your fault your Quirk requires such an immense food cost." This was when he saw Goku nervously smile, like he knows it's a problem, and yet he's powerless to really reduce it. "However, it seems that Nezu and Lunch Rush knew of this slip-up, so they've made something for you, and you alone, to have." In his hands, he produced a small sack, handing it off to the Saiyan.
"Hmm? What's this?" The Saiyan was curious as he looked at the sack.
"These are what Lunch Rush called 'Hermit Beans'. He claims that it could keep a normal person fed for three days, though I personally don't believe that's true. However, he had successfully removed the toxins present in lima beans, of which they're the main base for these beans. Recovery Girl especially made sure of that. He warned that it's preferred to eat them raw, as it's taste profile when it's cooked is worse than when consumed raw."
"Oh, interesting!" Goku was intrigued with these so-called "Hermit Beans", though he was not hungry enough to try one right now. Before Shota could leave, the Saiyan grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, before you go, I've got something to tell you."
"And that would be...?"
"When I was meditating, I saw my classmates as flames, though one of them was far away from everyone else. I wish I knew who they were, but it felt concerning enough that I had to bring it up."
The homeroom teacher was now curious about the entire affair.
"I'll take a look into it, Son Goku. Focus on that one flame, is it still in the forest?"
With that prompt, Goku started to focus, closing his eyes as the flames reappear. Due to the fact this form of Ki Sensing wasn't fully realized, there was no known information, not even within Midoriya's notebooks. To his surprise, the flame was still in the forest, seemingly behind a thicket, as he physically pointed in a direction.
"Yes, it is. It seems to be behind a thicket past this building. You should go now, if it's who you think it is... whatever it is."
"Thank you. I will be back," Shota immediately sprung into action. 'If this was the Mole that Nezu had theorized, then we are in critical danger,' Shota had thought to himself, as he went the fastest route towards the thicket. The building, while having a lot of windows, still doesn't have many that faced towards the thicket Goku pointed towards. As he entered the forest, that's when he got quiet, and he eavesdropped into the conversation.
"Mon dieu... It's at the Wild Wild Pussycats Headquarters... Oui, that is where we're training..." Was part of what Aizawa picked up, and the voice was that of Yuga Aoyama. Fury was building up in his body, this was exactly what he had warned Hanta earlier on in the day. However, then something uttered by the French student chilled him to his very soul. "Please have mercy on them, All For One. Take Yaoyorozu and Son, but please don't unleash that giant brute Machia on them..."
All For One... That Villain had returned...? He needs to warn the Pussycats, before that monster or whatever minions he has attacked his class. Like a bat flying out of Hell once he sneaked out of earshot, he then went towards the Pussycats, eyes wide in fear.
"Hmm, Eraserhead? What's going on?" Mandalay asked, concerned about his sudden appearance and his more disheveled than usual appearance. Vlad was similarly confused by his UA partner's appearance.
"I need all of the Pussycats and Principal Nezu in a meeting. Now." Shota had no time to explain, but his urgency and high energy was enough to draw attention to Pixie-Bob.
"Wait, why does Principal Nezu need to know of this?"
"I had found the Mole. And All For One was the one that planted him."
Now this caught the attention of Mandalay and Pixie-Bob. With a serious look, the leader of the Pussycats relayed a telepathic message to her comrades, saying: "Ragdoll, Tiger, get everyone into their dorms and lock them down, effective immediately. Then meet up with us, Eraserhead, and Vlad King."
With that command, the other members leapt into action, with Tiger being the one to find Yuga emerging from the thicket.
"Aoyama, what are you doing here?" Tiger questioned.
"Pardonne-moi, Tiger. I was feeling a little homesick. What's going on?"
"We're doing a drill lockdown. Please follow me back to the dorm and stay in the building until further notice." Tiger explained, as he had Yuga by his side, directing him to the building, where a confused Kirishima and Denki, in addition to a calm Goku, were led in by Pixie-Bob and Shota. It was then that the young French student felt a knot form in his gut, because the most likely explanation was that someone found him out. That means that, in a short time, his parents will be in grave danger. Soon, all forty students are in the building as its' magnetic locks engage, completely keeping them inside.
With Goku having found out Yuga's allegiance by accident, he breathes a sigh of relief, as the six sent a call to Nezu.
"My, such an early call, Aizawa-sensei! Did something already develop?" Nezu asked, his ears twitching in curiosity.
"Thanks to the help of Son Goku, we had found the Mole," Shota replied in an urgent tone, and this caught the canin-rodent's attention.
"Oh, do tell me who it is! Then we can close this case."
"Yuga Aoyama. And he was in direct contact with 'All For One'."
That took the wind out of the Principal's sail, as he had a troubled expression on his face.
"I will need to get Toshinori in this." As he said this, he typed on a keyboard, sending a direct message to All Might, causing him to appear in a few seconds.
"And what of Aoyama? He's a mole to a figure I had thought died when he was defeated five years ago."
"We cannot dispose of Young Aoyama, because that would show he was discovered. And that would simply delay whatever plot he's got," All Might reasoned. Then he shot a grin. "If anything, this plot could be used to our advantage." Aizawa can only give a confused glare.
"What do you mean by that?"
"We just need to find a way to attach a tracker to one of his goons and we can use that to find his hideout!"
"And how do you think we can do that? We can't just have my students be out there, acting as bait, because I know they're trying to kidnap Yaoyorozu and Son, and for all I know, they might know enough about one of the Pussycats they might try to snatch one of them as well."
"He's got a good point, All Might," Mandalay looked with a frown. "We can't risk one of our own for your plan, let alone any of your forty kits, especially if it really is All For One." That was then Nezu had a grin.
"But we can have Yaoyorozu create tracking bugs. During her internship with Uwambi, she had noted that during their off-time, she developed microchips dedicated for GPS tracking. And with her and your permission, we could create booby traps that'll fire a tracking bug onto whatever trips it."
"Ooh! That ain't a bad idea, Principal!" Pixie-Bob smirked. "Then I could use my Quirk to move it in position!"
"Though with that, how could we confront Aoyama so that he won't try to report to the Villain?" Ragdoll had to ask.
"The modus operandi for All For One is always to target something the victim cares about," All Might recalled. "For instance, if the victim cares about having a Quirk, he will give them a Quirk. If the victim cares about being Quirkless, he will take it away. If the victim is a kid, have a target painted on the parents' backs, coercing the victim into doing whatever he wants." Nezu was in deep thought, but then his eyes glimmered as an idea came in.
"If that's the case, then our immediate next step will be finding and removing the Aoyama parents from All For One's potential control. Without them guiding young Aoyama's mind towards doing All For One's wishes, he will be neutralized."
"After that...?"
"It'll be up to your students to choose his fate."
"Wha-?!"
"It's not as simple as just expelling him and hoping he won't go rouge, Shota. He needs to share his side of the story with Son Goku and Momo Yaoyorozu. If, after they reveal it to the rest of their class, they see reason to have him expelled, then we will go through with it. But if my hunch is correct, and he's doing it against his will, then it's as simple as keeping his parents safe, though unable to communicate to All For One without us knowing. Bugged phones, ultra-vigilant carriers, methods that would be used by the NSA over in the United States."
After this silence, Nezu smiled.
"So, how about it, Wild Wild Pussycats? I did say that Son Goku was a one-of-a-kind individual?"
"He'll prove himself if he is as ultra as you say it, Principal," Tiger replied with a knowing smirk.
"But this certainly is one heck of a first impression!" Mandalay added on.
"Though now..." Shota cracked his neck. "We're gonna have to get Son, Yaoyorozu, and Aoyama in here."
A/N: At this point in time, writing will likely be slowed down for the foreseeable future. Not because I have no more interest in the project, but more because I'm in that part of the cycle where I slow down. Plus, there's not many Post-Kamino books I currently own, and I find having the books on-hand more helpful than scouring the Anime or reading up on the Wikis to get the main beat of the story, but more importantly to gain a semblance of character through their dialogue. At that end, I cannot and should not promise to get a character 100% through just dialogue alone, because in my experience, part of fanfiction writing is to expand and contract certain character traits without entirely falling into the trap of Flanderization, and one can't do that if they just copy-paste dialogue from the Manga. That being said, at the current point of writing, I am solidifying my thoughts of a potential Great Ape Goku-Gigantomachia fight, where in essence, the main Villain attack force falls for a trap from the Mole being compromised, but due to Gigantomachia's hax with his Quirks, he'll still easily find the 1A Group. So in that essence, it'll be more about the Classes dodging Machia and the Vanguard trying to get past the Hero-HPSC Task Force to attack the Classes.