-Arc V-

'Brewing Storm'

As was to be expected on a Monday morning, the train station was bustling. Office workers in suits and skirts rushed to catch their trains, phones glued to their ears as they chatted about whatever business demanded their urgent attention. In the center of the station, a group of uniformed students stood at attention as their teacher examined them with dead eyes. Some onlookers stopped to take pictures of the group, but a glare from Eraserhead sent them scurrying away. With a sigh, the homeroom teacher of 1-A turned back to his class of problem children.

"You all have the addresses of the agencies you'll be interning at and any train tickets you'll need to get to them. The agencies know around what time they can expect you so no dillydallying, and make sure you catch your trains. I do not want to receive a call from them saying you're missing, and don't even think of calling me because you missed your train. Understand?" His floating hair and glowing eyes earned Eraserhead rapid nods from his audience.

"Good, you've got your costumes, right? Wearing them in public without the approval of a licensed Pro Hero is strictly forbidden, but don't drop them and absolutely do not lose them."

"Ayeee!"

"Don't drag out your response, Ashido. Remember to behave in a manner befitting a U.A. student. After the Sports Festival Incident, Japan is closely watching not just U.A., but you all as well. Your actions now and how they are perceived can affect both you and your career for years to come. Now get going."

The flock of students immediately broke apart, some chattering while others hurried towards their train. A few students even headed for the station's entrance, their internships taking place in Musutafu. "Tenya!" Mina exclaimed, rushing to her bespeckled friend. "You're interning with your brother, right?"

"Indeed," Iida responded with an excited smile as he performed his signature hand chop. "I am truly blessed that Tensei– I mean Ingenium, chose to extend this opportunity to me. I have visited his agency on occasion, but only to visit. This is the first time I will be able to actually witness him and his team operate, much less participate."

"Yeah, it's cool you're gonna be heroing with your brother. I know he travels throughout Japan, but he's based out of Hosu, right? That's where you're going?"

"Yes-"

"Great! I'm interning with Manual, he's in Hosu as well, so we'll be traveling together."

"Then we must hurry to get to our train!" Iida rushed away, but the large smile he was sporting told Mina that her friend was probably just as excited for the internships as she was, but then again it was going to be the debuts of the heroes Pinky and Intelligine.

Last Wednesday; Six Days After the Sports Festival Incident

"Wow, it's kinda weird to be back here, isn't it?" Kirishima questioned, putting his hands behind his head.

Mina cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean, Kiri?"

"It's just… with the attack, I thought it'd take longer for school to open. But then again, I guess that's U.A. for you, huh?" The redhead said, flashing the pinkette a sharp toothed grin.

Mina hummed thoughtfully, "I get what you mean. It was kind of weird how much emptier the school and the paths here were. Guess that's because so many students left."

"I heard that the majority of those who left were first years with a few second years mixed in." Toru cut in, plopping herself down in Mina's lap so the alien girl could wrap her up in a hug. "The news admitted that it was impressive none of the heroic students left, but they did point out our class sizes are smaller than the General Studies and Business courses."

"Well I'm not leaving." Mina said stubbornly, "U.A.'s the best, and I did not waste my final year of middle school studying so I could get in here only to leave because some villains tried to ruin the Sports Festival."

"So… manly," Kiri whispered, stars in his eyes. The bell ringing cut him off before he could continue, and in an instant, all conversations ceased as the students rushed to their seats or straightened up at their desks. The moment the final ring finished, the door to the classroom opened and Aizawa strode in.

"Morning."

"Good morning, sensei!"

"Yeah, yeah. You all are going to be busy the next three days so pay attention, we don't have any time to waste. Firstly, you have a special Hero Informatics class today where you're going to be choosing your hero names." Excited shouts filled the classroom as the students leapt from their seats, but a blaring of Erasure settled them down.

"But first… you all need to choose which Hero you will be interning under next week. As I said before the Sports Festival it's an event that serves as a way for Pro Heroes to see what you are capable of, and if you manage to impress them, they can extend an internship offer. It's a way for them to mentor the next generation's talent, but their interest can wane before you graduate and any and all offers can be revoked at their discretion. It happens quite often, but even if you didn't get an offer there's no reason to panic. There's a list of volunteer agencies that agreed to take interns you can pick from. Each has a different region and specialty, so choose carefully. Submit your choices by Friday and be ready to leave come Monday. You'll come to school like normal, but with everything you'll need for a week away from home. You'll get your costumes and then we'll take you to the train station, where you can make your way to your chosen agency from there. During your internship, the heroes will be calling you by your hero name, so make sure you choose an appropriate one."

"After all, the name you choose now might be what the world ends up calling you. It's happened to countless heroes before you."

"Midnight!" The students exclaimed as the R-Rated heroine sultrily strode into the room.

"True enough, Midnight here will be overseeing your chosen epithets and names." Aizawa explained nonplussed. "What future do you see for yourself? What kind of image do you want to cultivate? To the population, your name will reflect the kind of hero you are. Just look at All Might: his name is based on the word 'almighty', which means to have complete power. That's a lofty claim, but if you look at his career and track record, it's one he's been able to back up. He's barely been injured and has never been defeated on record. However, imagine if he couldn't live up to the name, it'd be seen as nothing more than a joke." Aizawa's eyes roamed over his class, "In summary, choose your names carefully, lest you come to end up regretting them. Midnight, they're all yours."

"I still can't believe Midnight shot down Alien Queen," Mina pouted to Toru, the Stealth Hero: Invisible Girl, during break. Aizawa had handed out the list of internships, and Mina had already chosen the only hero who'd sent her an offer: the Ordinary Hero: Manual. Sure, he might not be a big wig in the top 100 but he'd still sent her an invitation; that was better than some of her classmates had gotten. "It's in the public domain now, so it's not copyrighted or anything."

"Yeah, but not many people probably know 200 year-old pre-quirk movies," Toru tried to soothe her BFF, patting her on the back. "Much less horror movies from America."

"Well they should," Mina crossed her arms resolutely. "So what hero are you interning with?"

"I have to go through the list," Toru muttered dejectedly. Now it was Mina's turn to pat her friend on the back, although she perked back up quickly. "I wonder who the others are picking."

"I know Iida's interning with his brother," Mina said thoughtfully, "He told me that he gave him an offer directly at the Sports Festival. Hey, Kendo! Who are you picking?"

"I got an offer from Mt. Lady," the Growing Hero: Battle Fist said, waving her offers around. "I just found out a new aspect of my Quirk and she's probably best suited to helping me learn to use it." The other girls too began to gather around Mina's desk.

"Makes sense. What about you, Tsu? Ochaco?"

"I didn't get any offers, but I want to go somewhere where I can work in water. Kero.'' The Rainy Season Hero: Froppy croaked thoughtfully.

"I want to get stronger." Ochaco, also known as Uravity, exclaimed, launching a mock punch. "I got an offer from Gunhead and I thought he could teach me some new things. I mean, the more skills you have, the more opportunities that open up to you, right?"

"Indeed," honorary 'class mom' Everything Hero: Creati agreed, a hand on her cheek. "That's why I'm going to be interning with Yoroi Musha."

For a moment, the girls merely stared at her in shock, "Wait! Wait! Wait! You got an offer from a member of the Top 10?" Mina questioned, bolting to her feet.

"Yes," Yaomomo confirmed, "I must say I find myself looking forward to the experience. I am sure that a Hero with his experience has much I could learn from."

"Well I'm in the same boat as Tsu and Toru," Jirou the Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack slouched dejectedly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have a plethora of requests in the future. All of you will." Yaomomo said reassuringly.

"Yaomomo's right! I mean, offer or no offer, we're gonna be interning under real heroes! Just imagine what we'll learn!" Mina exclaimed.

"Don't forget, Aizawa-sensei's one of those real heroes." Jirou smirked, one of her earphone jacks pointing towards where their teacher lay in his yellow sleeping bag. For a moment, all the girls looked at the man before they unanimously decided to ignore that observation and continue on chatting amongst themselves.

"Mi-a. Minah. Mina!"

"Huh? I'm awuhk!" Mina yawned as she sat up, one hand rubbing at her bleary eyes.

"Good, you've awoken." Tenya smiled, "We have arrived in Hosu, so I decided it was an appropriate time to awaken you."

"Thanks," Mina exclaimed, standing up to look out the window. "I almost can't believe it's happening. This is what I've dreamed about since I was a child; wearing my costume, strolling the streets and helping others. Today's the day it finally comes true."

A hand on her shoulder had Mina half turning to look at Tenya. "I too share your sentiments. I grew up watching my family work and bore witness personally to the effects of their effort. It made me decide to follow the path they tread and continue the Iida family legacy. Enjoy this moment Mina, because now it's our turn to show the world what we can do." As Iida finished speaking, the train finally stopped and the doors to Hosu slid open.

Last Monday; Four Days After the Sports Festival Incident

"So, these are the Nomu Sensei gave you?" Turning his head, Izuku watched as Himiko skipped up to the three creatures standing attentively before him, curiously poking one before frowning at its lack of a reaction. A flick of her wrist and the glint of steel was the only warning Izuku had before she lashed out at the creature, a bloodthirsty smile on her face.

"Himiko." The blonde vampire froze as he called her name. A moment later, her knife was gone and she stood there smiling at him. With the cherry blossom trees behind her and her school cardigan, Himiko, even with one arm, was the stereotypical image of youthful innocence, or she would have been had Izuku not known her better. "You can only stab the black one."

Himiko squealed gleefully, and as her knives reappeared in her hand, Izuku turned his attention back to the other two Nomu, ignoring the sound of metal slicing flesh and the spurting of blood. Although Tomura had been given two Upper-Tier Nomu and one Lower-Tier, Izuku had been given two Middle-Tier and one Upper-Tier. It had been startling when, on his daily walk through the manor's garden, black ooze suddenly rose up around him, although it vanished nearly as quickly as it appeared, leaving the three mindless creatures behind.

The first Middle-Tier Nomu resembled a giant centipede about three meters in length. Its body, although Izuku guessed it would be more accurate to call it an exoskeleton, was violet colored, and its pincers and legs were scythe-like in appearance, sharpened to a fine point. The pincers also apparently contained a venom that was highly painful, albeit non-lethal in nature. This centipede mutation was apparently the Nomu's base Quirk, according to the three texts Sensei'd sent, each containing a Nomus' individual information. The Centipede Nomu also had a minor gigantification Quirk that allowed it to grow to be a dozen meters long and a Quirk called Shell Shotgun that let it shoot off bits of its exoskeleton at high speeds although they quickly regrew.

The second Nomu was more human-like, albeit with bright green skin and eight arms. It wore black pants ripped above the knee, but its upper torso was bare, showing off its muscular build. Like the other Nomu, it had an exposed brain, but it at least had some protection in the form of a purple helmet with two red visors and a metal gag. Its obvious mutation Quirk, Octo Arms, gave the Nomu eight, highly versatile arms. To complement the additional limbs, it also possessed Toolbox, a transformation Quirk that allowed the Nomu to change its hands into items that could be found in a toolbox; examples Sensei gave included a claw hammer, drill, screwdriver, and for some reason a chainsaw.

As Izuku turned his attention towards his final Nomu and sole Upper-Tier, Himiko rejoined him, a wide smile on her face. "I like him," she said happily, "He bleeds a lot, doesn't tell me to stop cutting him, and heals fast so I can cut him again." She frowned, "I do wish he had more of a reaction though."

"I'll be sure to pass along your complaints," Izuku reassured her as he analyzed his final henchthing. Like the Nomu of the same rank Tomura had possessed, the Upper-Tier had black skin and wore only a pair of pants. It had a muscular build and exposed brain atop its head, but its distinctive feature was the long, black, oily hair that hung from around the exposed organ. Its inherent Quirk was apparently called Bruiser, a strength enhancer that let the Nomu charge up its limbs to strengthen the next attack with said limb though experimentation with Trigger had eventually allowed the Nomu to charge up its entire body. With Super Regeneration to recover from damage, and Battery to store the charges for later use, the Nomu was essentially a powerhouse capable of fighting continuously at 110%.

"So what's the plan?" Himiko asked curiously. "Now we have some muscle to play with; are we going after Tomura? Doing something to catch his attention?"

"That'll come later," Izuku replied, looking down at his open hand. "Right now, my priority and our attention needs to be focused on finding a way to make sure that Chisaki's spirit can't take me over again."

"You've been fine since the Sports Festival though," Himiko frowned, "Are you sure that wasn't just a one time thing?"

"Even if it was, we need to figure out a way to confirm it." Izuku's hand clenched, "If he took me over in the middle of a battle or we had to struggle for control, a single moment of inattentiveness could prove fatal. Worse, if he does figure out a way to gain control of my body, what assurances do we have that I'll even be able to regain control from him once again? The first time could simply have been luck for all we know. Overhaul is my Quirk now. This is my body, and I have no interest in giving up either of them."

"So, what are we going to do?" Himiko asked again.

"We can't go to Sensei, he's already said that he expects us to solve our problems on our own. He'll provide us with resources, but ultimately it's up to us to find a solution. We need to find an expert or experts on Quirks. People who've worked with them and know Quirks intimately."

Himiko tilted her head to the side as she contemplated the problem. "So we're targeting some Quirk researchers, university professors, or some company egghead?"

"Not quite," Izuku smiled as he pulled up an article on his phone. "Quirk theft isn't something any company or professor would be researching. Quirks are thought to be an inherent part of one's self, a part of your very body. Sure, some governments have probably investigated the idea, especially at the onset of Quirks, but they obviously never succeeded. Thankfully Japan's different; Sensei's been here from the very beginning: a mythological figure and cornerstone of the criminal underworld for generations. Criminals have spent years spreading rumors of the Boogeyman who could steal your Quirk."

"Okay, but what's that got to do with your hitchhiker?"

"It means that our best bet is to find someone in the underworld who works with Quirks," Izuku explained. "Sensei's hand was in everything, from human trafficking to underground fight clubs. That also means he had a hand in the drug trade, including drugs that affected Quirks."

Himiko's eyes widened, "Like Trigger!"

"Exactly, the Shie Hassaikai were a supplier of Trigger, so other Yakuza are likely doing the same. However, we want to find the best of the best, which means," Izuku turned his phone around to show Himiko the screen. On it was a news article from a few years ago about an outbreak of Instant Villains, individuals unknowingly injected with Trigger, which empowered their Quirks, but caused them to lose their sense of reason, leading them to go on a rampage with their new strength. "We're going to Naruhata, Tokyo to track down the Villain Factory."

Author's Note:

Hey, guess who's back with the first chapter of a new arc? That's right it's me! Happy 4th of July to my American readers, take this as a way to check your phone and avoid talking to people at the block party or family reunion. I hope you all are doing well, I know there have been some complaints about the lack of Izuku focus but have some faith in me please, this arc will hopefully fix that. I'm hoping to do monthly updates for this arc since I have the next three chapters already written with a fourth coming later this month (they're over on p-a-t-r-e-o-n for those of you that want to read them early and don't worry so far each is longer than the last). Additionally either this month or next month I'll be posting a little surprise, a pilot chapter for a Harry Potter story. It'll be up on both P-a-t-r-e-o-n and here though the only thing I'll say is that I hope it'll be something you can sink your fangs into.

Now for this chapter, that's right ladies and gentlemen we're going to Naruhata, the setting of one of MHA's spinoff series Vigilantes. Izuku and Himiko will encounter some new faces that fans who've read the series might recognize and though you can read this arc without knowing anything I do advise checking it out just so you will understand some events and things I reference. Also Nomu, Izuku has some now and he'll have more in the future. I wonder how he'll use them?

As always comment, follow, all that jazz. Check out my P-a-t-r-e-o-n and until next time this is the demon preparing to head back to college in three weeks signing off,

- D'yavol Lucifer 3:)

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