Now, here comes my least favorite part of Saga 1; a few chapters without Ochako. Booooo.
Endeavor is such…a character. I simultaneously like his arc but hate how glorified he was after the reveal. I'll be addressing that later on. Promise me on that."
Anyways, please enjoy this chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
As November entered its final days, a strange building popped up on UA. The best way anyone could describe it was...castle-y. It had towering turrets and pointed arches, with decorations that looked like they came out of a medieval storybook. The walls were made of grey stone and the roof was covered in grey tiles. Most of the students were intrigued by the sudden appearance of the castle and couldn't help but wonder what it was for.
A group of students- Ochako, Izuku, Iida and Kaminari- stood outside, beholding its majesty. Ochako's eyes were bulging out of her head.
"So...expensive..." Ochako muttered, thinking about the price tag.
Iida narrowed his eyes. "Impressive architecture. Looks incredibly refined, yet modern." He pointed to a window. "See? There's a study in there, with a bunch of books and a computer."
"Wonder why it's here. Shouldn't we have been given a heads up about this since we're living here now?" Izuku asked.
Kaminari hummed. "...well, I dunno about you, but I'm knocking on the door."
"Wait, Kaminari, we don't even know who-" Iida started, but it was too late. Kaminari had already stormed up to the castle gates and knocked on the door.
The rest of the group exchanged worried glances as they watched Kaminari wait expectantly at the door. They heard footsteps approaching. The door opened, and to everyone's shock, Mirio stood before them. He looked down at Kaminari with an amused grin.
"Hey guys! You had to check this place out too, didn't you?" Mirio grinned.
"M-Mirio!? Don't tell me you live here." Kaminari stammered.
"Nope. But she does!" Mirio beamed.
Eri suddenly popped up from behind Mirio, ran out the door and right to Izuku, and started hugging one of Izuku's legs. Izuku stumbled back, taken aback by the sudden hug.
"E-Eri!? W-What are you doing here?" Izuku asked, looking down at the small girl.
"This is my new home!" Eri grinned.
"Wait a minute. I thought that you were gonna be with Albedo and Neo." Ochako said. "...but that means-"
"Correct. This is our house."
Albedo approached the doorway. "Welcome, UA students. We apologize for the sudden appearance of our castle." Albedo's voice was polite and calm.
"You're living on campus now?" Izuku asked.
"For Eri's sake, yes. She deserves to be around a safe, welcoming community of people." Albedo said, picking Eri up. "And in the case of...her quirk acting up-"
"Best to have Eraserhead on standby." Ochako noted.
"Correct. So, we decided to move here. Mirio was helping us unpack." Albedo explained.
Kaminari nodded. "Well, it's great to have you guys here. But...how did you even manage to build this castle in such a short time? This wasn't even here this morning!"
Neo stepped forward. Let's just say we have some...special resources. And skilled builders.
They used Ultimatrix aliens, got it. Ochako hummed.
Iida raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well, it is a remarkable structure, I must say."
"It was my own design." Albedo smiled. "...with some inputs from Eri. She's a big fan of Beauty and the Beast now."
"I wanna push Gaston into the abyss!" Eri cheered.
We WILL be offering some babysitting jobs for you kids. Neo said. I'll be teaching starting next semester, so sometimes I'll need some extra hands on board in case Mirio isn't available.
"Are you gonna be teaching too, Mr. Albedo?" Kaminari asked.
"No- OmniWorks still needs my attention. Maybe I'll sub. But no promises." Albedo explained.
"Well, it's nice to have you guys here. And we'll definitely take up those babysitting jobs." Izuku grinned.
"Absolutely! We'll make sure Eri is well taken care of." Ochako chirped.
"Great to hear!" Mirio said with a thumbs up.
"Now, we'd love to stay and chat some more, but Aizawa specifically requested we be back in the dorms by 6. We have some guests tonight!" Iida said.
"Guests?" Kaminari said. "Who could be visiting?"
"It's not us, that's for sure." Albedo said. "I have to be downtown in a few hours."
"Oh, for the heroes' billboard, right?" Izuku asked.
"That's today?" Ochako asked.
"Yes, it is. And I need to make sure everything is in order." Albedo said with a nod.
"Well, we better get going then. We don't want to be late." Iida said, motioning for the group to follow him. Ochako and Izuku looked to Eri.
"We'll be back soon, okay?" Ochako grinned. "We can have...a playdate when we can."
"That would be nice." Eri smiled back.
"Great! We'll bring some toys and games next time." Izuku said.
With that, the group bid farewell to Eri and made their way towards the dorms. Kaminari looked back at the castle again, and hummed.
"What's up?" Ochako asked.
"Nothing, just...thinking about how weird the domino effect is here." Kaminari said. "You lost to Bakugou in the Sports Fest, a few dominos fell...and now we have a castle on UA."
Ochako blinked. "...I mean, I don't think it's intrinsically tied to that." (She picked that word up from one of Izuku's notebooks. She was dying to use it properly.)
Kaminari shrugged. "Maybe not, but it's still weird. Can't help but wonder what other dominoes will fall..."
"Well...also because of the Sports Fest..." Izuku pointed out. "Endeavor is set to finally take the number one spot on the charts. Feels weird to have a list without All Might on it."
"Indeed," Iida said. "But let's not forget that it's still a great achievement for Endeavor. He's worked hard to get to this point."
Izuku paused- he didn't fault Iida for not knowing the full story, but Endeavor wasn't...the best guy, from what Todoroki briefly told him.
"I dunno, man. You remember how weird he was at the Sports Fest?" Kaminari pointed out. "Personally, I'd retire the rank of Number One to All Might for a few years. Those things are based on popularity- and you know explosively popular All Might is." Kaminari smirked at Izuku. "His merch collection is proof of that."
Izuku turned red. "C-come on, dude..." He said.
"Sorry, sorry. Just...you have a collection, man!" Kaminari joked.
Ochako giggled. "He is kinda right."
Izuku sighed, but couldn't help but smile. "Okay, fine, I might have a few All Might items. But that's beside the point!"
"This will also be the first year not to have the Ingenium name within the top 100. Because of my brother's retirement, his name sort of dropped to the mid 200s." Iida said.
"What about your sister? Where's she in terms of ranking?" Izuku asked.
"Low- probably due to her being a night owl sort of hero. She's not happy about it." Iida said.
"It's tough when the polls are purely based on public opinion," Ochako said, frowning. "It makes sense for someone who operates in the middle of the night to have little to no traction, but that doesn't mean her efforts should go unrecognized."
Iida nodded in agreement. "I just wish there was a way to measure heroism beyond popularity. But...the safety committee wills it, and there's no going against them."
"Why even bother with popularity?" Kaminari said. "Endeavor's got a pretty nasty personality compared to everyone else at the top."
"Well, popularity is important because it reflects how the public perceives a hero's abilities and how much trust they have in them," Izuku explained. "Heroes need to have the support of the public to be able to do their job effectively. Plus, popularity can attract more job offers and opportunities for heroes to make a greater impact."
"But at the same time, a hero's worth shouldn't solely rely on popularity. Some heroes may not have a large following, but they still do important work and save lives," Ochako added. "Ben's at spot number 10 in America, and he's very popular. So…yeah."
"I hope one day we can find a better way to measure heroism," Iida sighed.
The kids were all chilling in the dorm's common area, waiting for their guests to arrive. Everyone was doing their own thing- Momo and Jirou were listening to some music (cross pollination of their genres, they called it), Bakugou and Kirishima were watching some soccer game on TV, Mina and a few of the other kids were watching "Unusual Memes Compilation 167" (the best one, according to her), Izuku and Ochako were discretely holding hands as they did some homework with Alan, Sero and Todoroki, Iida was cleaning up for the guests with Shinsou, Shoji and Ojiro, and the rest were...somewhere.
Tokoyami walked in and sneezed. "Bless you." Sero said, while scratching his head over this physics question.
"You sick?" Ochako asked, a bit concerned.
"No. My health is perfect, and my mucus membranes are functioning properly." Tokoyami said.
"Maybe there's some hot goss going out about you right now," Kaminari joked.
"Doubtful. Who would ever talk about me-" Tokoyami said.
"What do you mean doubtful!?" Alan frowned. "Didn't you work with THE Hawks, the king of social media?"
"I've seen so many women fawn over him. And I kinda get it," Shinsou piped in as he wiped down a window.
"Yeah, dude. There's probably a small sect of people online fangirling or boying about you." Alan nodded.
"I'm inclined to agree. You, Todoroki and Bakugou were in the top three. You expect not to be discussed a bit?" Shoji asked.
"Again. Doubtful." Tokoyami frowned. "I worked with him for a few weeks. There's no way someone can become that popular in just a small span of time."
Everyone's eyes went to Bakugou.
"What? Don't look at me like that. I don't give a damn about being popular," Bakugou grumbled, crossing his arms.
Iida just finished mopping when a knock on the door came. He perked up, and quickly shoved the cleaning materials away. "Ah! They're here." Iida announced. "Eyes forward, everyone!"
As the door opened, the students could hear the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. And then-
"Rock on with these sparkling gazes!"
"We've come to lend a paw and help!"
"We've come from...somewhere..."
"Stingingly cute and catlike!"
"THE WILD WILD...PUSSYCATS! (Day off version)." The students were already swarming to meet them again.
"Wow, it's so great to see you guys again!" Mina exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.
"We're just happy to be here," Pixie-Bob said with a bright smile. "How've you all been?"
"Busy!" Kaminari said. "Like you wouldn't believe."
Alan and Shinsou hung back, clearly confused. "Who are these guys?"
"I think...they were the guys that they were camping with when..." Shinsou's eyes drifted over to Bakugou, who quickly looked away.
"Don't remind me." Bakugou growled.
Izuku and Ochako were thrilled to see the Pussycats, but their excitement was heightened when they saw Kouta walk up to them.
"Kouta! How have you been?" Ochako asked.
"Long time no see!" Izuku said. "Thanks for that letter, by the way! It meant a lot!"
The...crotch punching letter?* Ochako recalled.
Kouta looked away. "Uh...no problem."
"Hey, Midoriya." Mandalay called out. "Look over here."
"H-hey, no. Don't." Kouta begged her. Izuku was confused until she pointed over at where they'd put their shoes. A pair of red shoes that looked shockingly similar to his own were next to Mandalay's heels. Ochako giggled at that.
"Aw, your first fanboy." Ochako joked.
"He picked them himself! He insisted 'they have to be red! they have to be red!'." Mandalay explained.
"No, no! I...I chose them because they're my favorite color!" Kouta insisted.
"Of course, of course." Mandalay laughed.
"Ms. Pixie-Bob, how's your head? I know you kinda got it busted open by one of those villains at the camp." Ochako asked.
Pixie-Bob touched the spot where she had been injured. "It's much better now, thank you for asking. It was a close call. If I'd been hit harder, I'd probably have brain damage or something."
"And...Ms. Ragdoll." Todoroki said. "How are...you?"
Ragdoll blinked. "I'm doing better than expected, honestly. It's weird to be without my powers, but...at least I can still help the agency."
"Didn't you shut down?" Iida asked.
"That's related to why we're here so briefly. We just wanted to announce we're back in business." Tiger said. "All three of us."
"I'll be doing desk work in the agency, and training the new recruit we'll be getting in the spring, after she graduates from Shiketsu of course." Ragdoll explained.
"That's great news!" Izuku said with a smile. "That's a nice little early holiday surprise."
"Yeah, we kinda needed to come back now." Mandalay said. "With the advent of the Hero Billboard Chart in a few hours, we kinda know our ranking already."
"What is it? You guys were the 32nd place last year." Kirishima recalled.
"...411th place." Mandalay answered, smiling a bit sheepishly.
The class immediately went into conniptions upon hearing that massive fall. They shouldn't have dropped that far! Ochako took a moment to think, they had to put their work on pause to help their friend cope with the loss of their powers. Hell, one of them assisted at Kamino Ward, they deserved more recognition than that.
"That's ridiculous! You guys are amazing!" Mina exclaimed.
"But we haven't been able to take on much work this last half of the year and all." Pixie-Bob said. "We'll make our way back up the chart next year, you'll see."
"At least we're still in the triple digits!" Ragdoll added. "And our approval rating was high!"
Approval rating?* Ochako thought. *That seems a bit more important over a popularity poll. Right?*
"People are still counting on us...so we can't stop moving forward!" Tiger declared.
Kirishima clenched his fists. "I hear you, loud and clear! You guys are truly dudes amongst dudes!" Kirishima buried his face in his arm and began to sob a bit.
"Calm down, maybe?" Momo nervously grinned.
As the group continued to chat it up, Todoroki stayed in the back. Todoroki couldn't help but think about Endeavor, the new number one. He knew firsthand the lengths his father had gone to in order to attain this position, the sacrifices he had made along the way.
And it left a bitter taste in Todoroki's mouth.
I won't watch it this year. Todoroki thought. ...then again, I never really do.
He hummed.
So I'll not watch it harder than usual.
Todoroki was new to being petty. Don't fault him.
…maybe he'd just spend time with Ship.
Holding the event in Kamino seemed fitting- months ago, the world saw the end of the number one hero here. Now, it was time for them to see the birth of the new era here as well. The stadium was packed with people from all over Japan, all eager to witness the inauguration of the new top heroes.
"This is exciting," Star and Stripe said, as she, Jaune and Pyrrha made their way through the crowd. "They've never done this live before."
"They're trying out an 'Oscars' format, I believe," Pyrrha said. "So, there's something."
"Albedo should be saving our seats..." Jaune said, looking around. "What row did he say he was?"
"I believe...38?" Pyrrha answered, though she was a tad unsure herself. 38 might not have seemed like the closest row to the stage, but given the circumstances and how packed the arena was, it was a miracle he managed to get something that low. The trio walked through the crowd, passing by an assortment of heroes and their sidekicks, from well known to the obscure. Even some of the heroes that Nighteye had gathered for the Hissaikai Raid were there, like Fat Gum and Ryukyu.
It wasn't hard to spot Albedo from the crowd, though oddly, there was no certain multi-colored illusionist with him.
"Hey!" Jaune greeted as the trio approached their old friend, "Neo couldn't come?"
"Ah, no, she's staying back to watch Eri," Albedo explained.
"Right, right. You're a father now..." Jaune said.
"It's good to see you again," Pyrrha nodded. "I trust you're doing well?"
"Very much so." Albedo nodded- before Star wrapped him in a tight hug. "...Kathleen. Please."
"Come onnnnn, you know I'm not gonna drop you till you hug back." Star teased. She was ignoring all the weird stares she was getting.
"Oh...fine," Albedo relented and returned the hug, as weak as it was. Star's hugs were legendarily tight. Even if you wanted to hug back, it'd be a bit of a challenge.
Star released Albedo. "You're looking good. How was working with the 'youngblood'?"
"I assume you're referring to Ochako..." Albedo hummed. "She's just as determined to fight as Ben was when he was her age. Nothing more and nothing less to say."
"Really? No glowing reviews or biting criticisms?" Jaune quipped.
"You've heard the 'glowing review,'" Albedo answered.
"Fair enough," Jaune said, as they took their seats. "So...he's finally taking the number one spot tonight. Feels weird."
"Indeed. The previous years they didn't bother to do an event like this since we always knew it was going to be Toshinori on top." Albedo said. "20 long years has come to an end..."
"Have you ever worked with Endeavor, Albedo?" Star asked. "He and I worked briefly together when Vilgax attacked 10 years ago..."
"He and I have collaborated a few times. I think I'm the only one of the Outcasts he can tolerate." Albedo reflected.
"Just 'tolerate' huh?" Jaune asked.
"I believe he's more ok with my more methodical mindset, compared to the others. Too many jokes."
"So he lacks a sense of humor," Pyrrha said.
"No, I just believe that he prefers them at the proper time...or maybe I'm just being optimistic and he does lack one. Either way," the Galvan in human form shrugged.
The lights started to dim, and some spotlights began to focus on the stage. "Looks like it's starting earlier than we thought," Albedo said.
"Welcome to the 101st Billboard event, the first since Kamino!" A voice overhead said. "Before we begin our list with the 15th through 11th heroes, we'd like to invite one particular hero to come on the stage..."
Out from behind the curtain, Tensei Iida wheeled himself on stage, with Toshiko following. The crowd clapped, happy to see someone familiar.
"Thank you, thank you all," Tensei said, adjusting the microphone on his shirt a bit, just to make sure his voice was coming in clearly, "Firstly, I'd just like to say it's an honor to be back. While it may be a shock to some that an Ingenium won't be counted in the top 100 this year, I have full confidence that the name will make a comeback, just give it time. Though, I don't intend to just let retirement be boring for me. I intend to use this time as a way to work on a foundation for other heroes like myself, those who've retired for one reason or another."
The audience applauded him for that. Even when he couldn't be out in the field, Tensei was still aimed at being a hero. While those attending in person were polite in their support, a certain someone was practically cheering for the announcement. Ochako and Izuku were surprised at the sudden outburst from the usually collected Iida.
"Should we...say something?" Izuku asked.
"Would it register?" Ochako countered.
"...fair point."
"Now then," Tensei said once the applause died down, "I'll happily announce numbers 15 to 11 for the Top Heroes of this year's rankings. At number 15-"
One of the spotlights suddenly shined down on a man wearing a bamboo-adorned costume, much to his surprise.
"Takeshita!" Tensei announced to the crowd's applause. The man nervously waved to everyone as he made his way up onto the stage to take his place as Number 15.
"At 14, not that surprising, Majestic!"
The magician hero waved as he levitated up to the stage as the spotlight shone down on him.
"At 13!" Tensei called out, "Shishido!"
The Lion hero jumped out of his seat and cheered, shooting a glance to his rival in the crowd, the sharply-dressed Gang Orca. The smug grin on Shishido's face just irked Orca as he saw him move up to take his place. Especially because he felt like he was still at number 10.
"At 12...Mt. Lady!" Tensei announced.
Mt. Lady strut onto stage, waving at everyone. Number 12! She 's a VAST improvement over last year's 100 and something. Only can go up from here, right~?
"And at number 11..." Tensei called out. "WASH!"
Mt. Lady stopped in her tracks. I GOT BEAT BY THE FUCKING WASHING MACHINE!?
"Wash!" the Laundry Hero cheered as he made his way on stage. Wash's costume was very simple, with most of his body covered by a literal washing machine, the lid only slightly lifted to reveal just his eyes. His arms were covered by thick grey hoses that ended with yellow washing gloves and his legs were clad in waterproof pants with large boots.
How the FUCK did I lose to the rejected Mega Man boss?! Mt. Lady mentally fumed.
"HA!" Bakugou yelled, laughing at the TV.
"What's his deal?" Jirou asked.
"Dunno." Momo shrugged.
"These are your first of fifteen top heroes!" Toshiko said. "They're incredibly passionate about what they do, and how they do it!"
Yeah, but some of us still lost to WASH, Mt. Lady mentally grumbled. No, she was not letting that go because it just didn't make sense. Was it a popularity thing? Well that couldn't be right because she had that covered.
"Let's ask these five some questions." Toshiko said, walking over to Takeshita- secretly hating this.
This is stupid. No one here knows me. I'm only here to help Tensei. 100% sure everyone is thinking 'who is this chick'? Toshiko frowned.
"Hey, uh, Night Rider, right?" Takeshita asked, immediately proving Toshiko's thoughts wrong.
"How did-uh, I mean, yes, that's right," Toshiko covered smoothly.
Tensei grinned nervously. Okay, so they remember her name. Good. I honestly pulled a few people aside to TELL them her name. Let's pray she doesn't find out.
"So, you're much more of a local hero than someone like say, Hawks or Gang Orca, who are household names. Would you say that's played a factor into your new ranking tonight?" Toshiko asked.
"I mean, you're right. Some people are probably out in the audience or watching this at home and wondering 'Who's that guy?' I'm a more obscure hero and...honestly I'm ok with that. I guess you could say just being a local hero has...kept me grounded," Takeshita answered.
"Interesting perspective. Now, for those out who aren't as familiar with you, why not tell the audience your proudest moment in your hero career?"
"My proudest? I couldn't really call one moment my proudest, not because I don't have one, but...well, saying one moment's my 'proudest' kinda props up just one event above others. So I guess you could say me just starting this career is my proudest moment."
In a safehouse halfway across the city, Gentle Criminal took a sip of his tea as he watched the rankings. When he first heard that his old friend had gotten into the top fifteen, he nearly choked on his drink.
"You're watching the rankings?" La Brava asked as she walked in.
"Indeed. The first ranking without All Might. I expect the entire country is tuning in, but this is already such a...welcome surprise," Gentle said, "An old friend achieved his dream and then some."
"How do you…feel?"
Gentle blinked a few times. "…proud, oddly."
"Really?" La Brava asked, talking over the other questions Toshiko asked, things like Takeshita's hobbies, his bucket list, things like that.
"Indeed. I never could've imagined him with such icons of heroism such as Majestic and Shishido. Judging by his voice, he never imagined it either. Sometimes life just loves to throw an unexpected surprise your way, be it a new position in life or a chance encounter," the gentleman thief nodded before taking another sip of his tea.
Toshiko went on to ask the other heroes similar questions. Majestic, while still being humble about it, recounted the time he ended the crime spree of the villain known only as Whisper when asked about his proudest moment. While the silent sadist might have escaped that day, the magician hero believed that one day, he would have the chance to throw the criminal into Tartarus. It was just a matter of time.
In contrast, Shishido and Mt. Lady had absolutely no reservations with being as boastful as possible when asked. The lion hero mentioned his fight against the Hyena Pack, a trio of sibling villains all sharing a hyena-based Quirk. He even likened the fight to the climax of the Lion King. Mt. Lady, meanwhile, mentioned her first ever team-up with Godzillo. She was in the area, but Godzillo was fighting off maybe his greatest villain, Desteroyah. And she had to admit, that fight was tough. Kaiju powers are not to be trifled with, especially when they can just weaponize oxygen on the fly and turn it into an energy beam.
And Wash? When asked about his favorite food. All he said was..."Wash!"
Dude was committed to the bit.
"Before we proceed to the top 10, we'd like to take a moment of silence to talk about those who are...no longer with us." Toshiko said, as the room went dark. The screen began showing a few in memoriams.
Miyo Quadian AKA Umbra Nurse
Homura Quadian AKA Fireclaw
Syou Quadian AKA The Atlas
Kichou Aijima AKA Marvelous
Tomohiro Hayashi AKA Mind X
Suzu Inazuma AKA Hammer Time
Mirai Sasaki AKA Sir Nighteye
Albedo stared at Nighteye's photo for a long time. Star and Stripe noticed...and she bowed her head in respect.
Sasaki. He thought. One of the reasons I took Eri in...was because of your words. To keep smiling...
Back at Heights, Izuku stared at that photo of Sir just as intently as Albedo. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in a moment of silence, paying his respects to his mentor.
The room remained quiet as everyone took a moment to remember those who were no longer with them.
Finally, Toshiko spoke up again. "Let's honor their memory by continuing to fight for a better world. And now, without further ado, let's move on to the top 10 heroes."
Albedo wiped away a small tear as he opened his eyes. The top 10 heroes for Japan- the faces of the community. These are the most important, the role models for all heroes to strive to be...and what an interesting line up we have this year.
"At Number 10- coming up from his previous spot at number 12, we have the Killer Whale Hero, Gang Orca!"
Gang Orca walked on stage, saluting the audience. "I'm hoping this makes me more approachable..." He muttered to himself.
"At Number 9, an unexpected drop from number 5! The Equipped Hero: Yoroi Musha!"
Musha's armor clanked as he walked up on stage- he looked hardened and cold like a stone. "Hmmph. Top three aside, it's just luck and timing that determines the rest of the rankings."
"At Number 8, a drop from the sixth spot! The Shield Hero: Crust!"
Crust dramatically walked up on stage, a tear in his eye. "I needed a break after the Kamino incident!" He declared. "I apologize for not being there during that time!"
"Rising from the ninth, at spot 7! The Dragoon Hero: Ryukyu!"
Ryukyu walked out on stage, a bit overwhelmed. "I'm honestly not sure I deserve this." She admitted.
"At a surprising rise from this up and comer! At spot 6, we have...Wooden Hero: Kamui Woods!"
Kamui Woods strutted confidently onto the stage- he had a bit of an upgrade to his costume, it seemed. He had two wooden rings hanging on his shoulders, which had stumps and branches protruding from them. His dark blue bodysuit also had the faint hints of All Might's design on it- a small homage.
"Thank you, thank you." He waved to the crowd. Mt. Lady smiled at that- modest as always. Kamui was a great hero. As much as she'd love to be in the top 10, Kamui deserved it.
"Our next man couldn't make it- he's taking time off for his injuries in Kamino. With a higher public support rate than anyone else, spot number 5 goes to the Fiber Hero: Best Jeanist!"
In place of someone coming out, an image of Best Jeanist was shown.
(Bakugou stared at it for just as long as Izuku stared at Nighteye.)
"Number 4: the mysterious shinobi whose incident resolution rate and support are skyrocketing...the Ninja Hero: Edgeshot!"
Edgeshot appeared on stage, hands joined together before he bowed towards he crowd.
"At number 3, a personal favorite of mine...this unyielding hero makes a MAJESTIC skyrocket to the third spot! The Rabbit Hero: MIRKO!"
Mirko jumped onto the stage, her bunny ears twitching. She could hear the crowd go a bit wild as she appeared, though one person in particular was cheering louder than anyone else.
Mirko smirked, and took the mic from Toshiko. "Babe. Calm down. You knew I was gonna get this high." She smirked, having no shame in calling out her partner.
Burnin' blushed, as she took her seat.
(Yeah, they're a thing. I do this a lot.)
Mirko handed Toshiko back the mic and smirked. Toshiko blushed a bit, but quickly straightened herself out- chances are, this next person may make her blush even MORE.
"At number 2, he does things his own way, but always fiercely! With unstoppable momentum, he's-" Toshiko's mic suddenly cut out. She looked confused, before tapping it a few times. "What the heck-"
That's when the music started. It started with a small chorus singing before beginning to distort.
"METRO!" The song suddenly yelled.
"Oh, my god." Mina gasped. "Is he seriously-"
"I think he might!" Kaminari grinned, ear to ear.
Everyone's attention turned to the entrance of the stage, where a figure had appeared. The room went dark, and lights shined down on him.
The hero, the man, the king of social media: Hawks. Hawks was a man of average height with a slim and narrow build. His feathery, ash blond hair was swept messily backward, with some of the front tufts sticking up in arcs above his head. His eyebrows were notably thick, having a similar texture as his hair, and he had faint stubble on his chin. His most striking feature? The giant red, feathery wings on his back.
His hero costume resembled an aviator's uniform; he wore a black shirt with a wavy golden pattern, over which he had a modified tan jacket with a high collar and slits over his shoulders to accommodate his wings; the insides and cuffs of the sleeves were lined with white fur, and black gloves.
Hawks flapped his wings, and took to flying around the place briefly, with the light following him.
Hummingbird, summer song
Has it brought my life back?
Hangin' in the balance
Have you brought the light back?
As Hawks landed back on stage, the room quieted down. Hawks flipped back his hair, and smiled.
Pen pal on a night shift
She's who I get away with
Realising she might
Be all I need in this life
"Sorry. I just had to make an entrance." He joked. "Not every day you become the Number 2 hero."
And people say I hog the spotlight? Mt. Lady thought to herself.
"Did he just...have that on standby the whole time?" Jirou asked back in Alliance Heights.
"Why? Bad song choice?" Kaminari asked.
"No- really good, but still." Jirou said. "He's too chill to be Number 2."
"Yeah, that's just how Hawks is." Yang shrugged. "Blake and I worked with him once or twice. I think that laid back facade is honestly hiding how powerful he is."
"I can attest." Tokoyami said. "He's fast- faster than All Might, even. He gets jobs done fast."
"Oh yeah, you did your work study with him, right?" Kirishima asked.
"And before that, my internship, yes. He's..." Tokoyami hummed for a moment, trying to find the words to really describe the winged hero, "...a character, let's call him."
"In a good way or a bad way?" Mina asked.
"Depends."
"Yeah, it very much depends." Blake agreed. "Still- you can't deny his charm. If anything, he's more charismatic than the new number one."
Speaking of which...
"AND FINALLY! The guy's been on top for a little while now, but today it's official!"
He began to walk up on stage, wearing a black suit and tie. Everyone was confused- why was Endeavor wearing something so plain? Albedo took a deep breath.
"He's waited a long time to claim the throne and become...the next number one!"
I hope the suit works out for him- I spent a lot of time designing it. Albedo frowned. Endeavor took a moment to steady himself before activating his new nanotech suit- technology evaded him, but Albedo had dumbed it down to him as best he could. In an instant, black nanomachines quickly spread across his body. The crowd began to cheer as the machines began to transform.
The transformation began as his bracers, now redesigned to look sharper and armor-like, encased his arms completely. On the back of his hands, grill handguards with meticulously placed holes were positioned, ready to unleash a torrent of flames. His fingers remained exposed from the base knuckles.
Large stripes ran across his torso, serving as conduits for the flames. He adorned himself with shoulder pads and a new belt, both crafted from the same resilient material as his bracers. The belt, stylized with the kanji for "Flame," stood prominently at his waist. Endeavor's new appearance exuded confidence, reflecting the culmination of his relentless pursuit to claim the throne.
("Looks tacky," Some bastard thought, watching from a cracked and somewhat melted phone screen.)
"PRESENTING! THE NEW NUMBER ONE HERO! ENDEAVOR!"
Most of the audience applauded as the rather intimidating hero made his way on to the stage, though there were a handful of individuals who just outright refused to, though none of them were physically there, mostly his sons. The flame hero took his place as Number 1 after so long, standing right next to Hawks, but this just felt hollow to him. This was a victory by default, not something worthy of a legacy.
"Now, before we continue on with some words from our Top Ten this year," Tensei announced, "the president of the Safety Commission would like to share some words of her own." The retired Ingenium wheeled himself back from the podium and allowed the president to take his place. The madam president of the Public Safety Commission was a middle-aged woman that sported slicked back ash blonde hair, much like Hawks', and turquoise blue eyes, clad in a black suit jacket over a purple dress and a white bead necklace.
"Thank you, Mr. Iida," the president said, adjusting the microphone before addressing the crowd, "Many of you no doubt wondered why we've put on such an elaborate, almost award-show like ceremony this year. This point in time is a crucial juncture for our society. Three months have passed since the day All Might retired and many people believe that now, there's a vacuum where the Symbol of Peace once stood, that we no longer have an icon. But the heroes standing before you have all proven that is not the case. Each and every one of them have proven themselves more than capable of taking on such a mantle."
As the president continued her speech, Hawks turned to and got the attention of Endeavor.
"Psst, hey," Hawks whispered, "How's it feel to be on the top of the pyramid?"
Endeavor just slowly turned to and glared daggers at the number 2 hero. Getting the message, Hawks made a motion of zipping his lips, shutting up on the spot.
"Now, let us all join these heroes on their quest for a peaceful society," the madam president finished to a stadium's worth of applause.
"Let's start with word from our heroes." Toshiko said, walking over to Gang Orca. Gang Orca took the mic from the lesser known hero, and straightened out himself.
"All my career- I've noticed people look at me differently," Gang Orca began. "People tend to fear me because of my appearance and the fact that I'm a villain-turned-hero. But I want to let everyone know that I chose to become a hero because I want to protect people, not harm them. Just because I have a past doesn't mean I can't change and do good..."
Kaminari raised an eyebrow. "Gang Orca used to be a villain?"
"When he was a lot younger." Blake nodded. "But he reformed. Touching story, really."
Gang Orca passed the mic to Ryukyu. "Thank you for this honor...however, in truth, I wish I could have withdrawn my name." The dragoon hero admitted. "There have been lives I couldn't save...so, going forward, I'll strive to earn my ranking."
That got some tears from the audience- and from on stage, too. "I FEEL YOU, RYUKYU!" Crust, ever so dramatic, cried. "That pain in your heart! Like you're not good enough! WE NEED TO STAND TALL AND FIGHT!"
"Overdramatic as ever..." Ochako muttered.
"Overdramatic?!" Kirishima sounded offended, "He's just saying facts!"
"The mission remains unchanged," Yoroi said when Toshiko came to interview him, "We are all symbols to which the people may look to for hope, so long as we carry ourselves accordingly. Integrity, respect, courage, honor, compassion, sincerity, and loyalty. Those are the cornerstones of any who truly wish to call themselves a hero."
"Ya know, it fits he'd use bushido given his whole," Mina gestured to Yoroi on the screen, "ya know, thing."
"Edgeshot was kind enough to reach out for me about joining the Lurkers, so I'd simply like to make him, my superiors, and everyone else who looks up to us proud," Kamui said simply.
"I bet..." Toshiko hummed, as she approached the already blubbering Crust.
"WHY WASN'T I IN KAMINO THAT DAY!?" Crust bellowed. "It still hurts deep down to think about!"
Toshiko decided he was too emotional for words, and moved on to Mirko. "Hey, idiots. Don't even TRY it. I will find you, and I will stop you. Hope you're ready for me to kick your butt across the city."
Hawks rolled his eyes. Booooooooooooooooooooooooooring.
"Now, Edgeshot...if public approval were the only factor, you'd be in Mirko's spot. Any thoughts?" Toshiko asked.
"Numbers don't concern me." Edgeshot frowned behind his mask- he noticed Hawks making 'faces' from the corner of his eye. "I'm grateful to all my supporters, but I am not in this for fame or reputation. The ability to preserve law and order is the true measure of a hero-"
"Who the heck do you think wants to hear that crap?" Hawks interupted- and the entire crowd went dead silent.
Mirko laughed. "I like this guy. He's blunt and to the point."
"You did always enjoy rocking the boat, Hawks..." Edgeshot sighed, surrendering the mic to the Number 2 hero.
"Hey, I just hate holding back on the truth," Hawks shrugged before he just took the mic right from Toshiko, "Alright, let's get this started."
Hawks' crimson wings unfurled and began to beat, taking the Number 2 Pro hero into the air.
"You wanna talk public support? Best Jeanist would be Number 1 if that's all that mattered," Hawks explained, "I mean hey, he got one helluva boost during his leave, didn't he? I'd still be second, Edgeshot'd be third, Endeavor fourth, and it keeps going down the list. Sure, it means more than anything now, but, like the madam president said, our symbol's gone. Now's not the time to dwell on the past, cause, lemme tell ya...staying the course isn't gonna be the answer you all want. Today's a turning point everybody."
For anyone looking up at Hawks right now, he almost seemed angelic, the stage lights shining down on him from behind and the shadows and his goggles obscuring his face.
"So, how about we ditch the P.R. family friendly soundbites, guys and gals below me? How about we try something actually heroic to say, yeah?" the winged Pro finished with a smug smirk before he descended and held out the mic to Endeavor.
"That's all from me," the new Number 2 said, "so, floor's yours, Mr. Number One, dude with a lower approval rating than me,"
Endeavor looked ready to Prominence Burn Hawks into next week- his smug aura mocked him, he did not appreciate it. It was honestly hard to argue against Hawk's words. He was a tough act for the hero to follow.
Endeavor started out at the crowd of thousands, and took a deep breath. "After my junior colleague fanned the flames like that...I don't have much to say."
Endeavor gripped the microphone harder, almost causing it to melt. The flames flickering around his face intensified. "Except...just watch me."
The crowd nervously began to clap...save for Hawks, who was unabashed with his clapping. He looked smug and happy- he had this look his fans would latch onto for WEEKS. Toshiko took back the heated up microphone, and nervously laughed.
"Uh...so, that concludes the words from the Top 10 Pro Heroes..." Toshiko said, looking to Tensei for what to do next. "...refreshments outside?"
A few minutes later, the crowd had dispersed just for that reason, some of the heroes in attendance talking with friends or fans. The big topic of discussion, aside from congratulations, including a very vibrant one from Burnin' to Miriko that was almost akin to a fireworks display, was the speech Hawks gave and the rather curt response from Endeavor.
Albedo was looking at the food options with Jaune, Pyrrha and Star. "Hmmm." He said, studying everything curiously.
Star leaned over his shoulders. "They aren't going to serve chili fries here, Albedo." She joked.
"Haw haw." Albedo said, rolling his eyes.
"...you were totally looking for those, weren't you?" Jaune chuckled.
"I was not," Albedo said. Was he lying, telling the truth? No one will ever know, because the only person who could pick that out was at their home watching over their newly adopted daughter. Pyrrha couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the exchange herself, though her joy was cut off when she felt someone approaching. She turned around and, much to everyone's surprise, saw Endeavor walking over to them, ignoring some of the reporters and other heroes with just a curt "No comment" or "I'll come back to you."
"Albedo, Star, Nikos," Endeavor said, his eyes moving to Jaune for a moment but then he just ignored him.
"Endeavor," Albedo nodded. "Congratulations. How's the suit treating you?"
"I haven't been able to test it out proper- this is the first time I'm wearing it in public. But...it is fitting quite well." Endeavor said. "I don't get nanotechnology, but..."
"It's 'programmable matter'- it will adapt to whatever you want." Albedo corrected. "I told you this."
"It's the same thing." Endeavor huffed.
"Using support gear? So unlike you, Endeavor." Star teased.
"It's not combat oriented." Endeavor said. "More for a quick equip in case of a sudden attack."
"Makes sense," Pyrrha noted, "Just on the rare case that you're not in costume."
"I will be ready at any turn." Endeavor said, moving Jaune out of the way to grab a plate. He began searching the tables.
"They don't have chili fries." Albedo said.
Endeavor took a deep inhale, and billowed out smoke. "...disappointing."
"Wait, what?" Star asked.
"Is there a problem?" Endeavor raised a flaming brow at America's top Pro.
"What? Nope! Just...just a little surprised is all."
"I have a life outside this," Endeavor motioned to his costume.
"Doubtful." Star said. "You have the most resolved cases out of any hero here- 1,082 in a single year. Mostly arrests and brief battles, but still. I find it hard to believe you have a life outside the cape and cowl."
"It's called work ethic," Endeavor countered.
"Not a very healthy one," Jaune muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!"
"I don't even know who you are," Endeavor scoffed. Jaune's face fell, and his body leaned against Pyrrha's for support.
Pyrrha lovingly caressed his shoulder. "I know who you are, hun."
"I knowwww..." Jaune sighed. "I appreciate that."
Endeavor just rolled his eyes at that, ignoring the two again. But then, he felt something tug at one of the pouches on his belt. He thought it was just a smaller Pro or a child someone had taken with them to see the rankings, but instead he saw a little tuft of red peaking out from under the hatch. He flipped the poach open and pulled out a familiarly red feather. Albedo felt a pull from his pocket as well, finding a similar feather that was tugging and trying to free itself from his grasp.
"Clever," Albedo muttered before speaking up, "Apologies, but I think someone wants to talk to us."
"Oh, who?" Star said, ready for an interview.
"Ah, no. Me and Endeavor," the Galvan human clarified.
"Oh...oh is that-?"
"Seems that way."
Endeavor sighed. "Here I was hoping I could get a quick bite."
"If it makes you feel better, I know a good place that makes some good American food not too far from here. We'll amuse Hawks, and leave." Albedo said.
"Fine, fine."
With that, the two Pros went to go see what Hawks wanted. Since their only guides were the feathers, the two just used those as compasses. But then their duo turned into a trio when Toshiko walked down the hall and nearly bumped into Albedo.
"Oh! Sorry, sorry...just...trying to find someone back here," Toshiko said.
"Who exactly?" Albedo asked.
"Come on. I wanna get this over with as soon as possible," Endeavor huffed, not wanting to deal with an obscure D-list hero like Toshiko.
"Well...Hawks," the sister of Ingenium answered, holding up a red feather, making Endeavor stop in his tracks.
"Oh of course," Endeavor sighed.
The flame hero stormed off further down the hall as Albedo offered his hand. "Albedo. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Toshiko rolled her eyes. "Toshiko Iida. Anyone ever tell you that you look like Tennyson?" She said, reluctantly extending her hand to shake.
"I do get that." Albedo nodded.
"So...why does Hawks-?"
"No idea, but if I'm being honest...I just can't get a read on him sometimes," Albedo admitted. The trio followed the feathers to Hawks' dressing room. The winged hero opened the door with his arms outstretched in welcome and a smug grin on his face. And that just annoyed Endeavor. He grabbed the new Number 2 Pro by the collar and stormed into the dressing room, much to Albedo's and Toshiko's shock.
"You have 2 minutes to explain yourself!" Endeavor roared.
"Ok, ok! Sorry for putting you on the spot there!" Hawks chuckled, "Everyone was just rattling off the usual drivel so I thought 'hey, let's shake it up!'"
"So you were testing me, that it?"
"More like assisting. Helped out though, right? Right?" Hawks sighed when he saw that Endeavor wasn't buying the act, "...ok. Fine. Look, was never a fan of All Might either. Never wanted to be like him, but it was still a shock when he got forced into retirement. We need a new leader right now and, like it or not, that's you. Keep doing this stuff, you'll never be idolized, not like he was."
Endeavor raised an eyebrow, as Albedo hummed. Hawks…I know next to nothing about him. His name's not even public, something pretty odd. But, I suppose if I was hero, I'd value my privacy...but isn't he a social media star?
"There's no denying that we seriously need a new leader these days. So, thanks for the reassurance." Hawks grinned. "You were cool out there. Nice programmable matter suit, by the way."
Is this fool serious or mocking me? Endeavor thought. "And you never wanted to take on that role yourself?"
Hawks laughed heartily. "Do I look like the type to you? I wish I was down lower, maybe 20s or 30s. More freedom there."
Endeavor let go of Hawks. "I hate you."
"Suuuure." Hawks smirked.
"We're done here," Endeavor said, turning for the door. "Go make the rounds and apologize to the others."
"Hold up," Hawks said. "I gathered you three for a reason, you know-"
"Don't care. Go away." Endeavor huffed.
Albedo held up his hand. "...why us?"
"Well, I chose you, because Tennyson and I are tight- I chose the Iida girl because I could tell she wished she was doing more than doing a bang up job as a host, ouch-" Hawks joked.
"No offense taken, by the way. Dunno what they were thinking." Toshiko said.
"And I chose Endeavor because I'm a fan." Hawks finished. "I want to team up."
"For what purpose?" Albedo asked.
"Back in my neck of the woods...there've been some nasty Nomu sightings."
"A Nomu?" Albedo repeated. Now, that did get Endeavor's attention. Another Nomu from the League...in the Number 1's mind, that could mean anything from a scout to a prelude to an attack.
"Your neck of the woods, you said?" Endeavor asked, "Where exactly is that again?"
Hawks smirked. Got 'em.
Dabi made his way through the abandoned halls of the old Hidamari Kindergarten. Of all places in the city, the last of those on a list of "secret League bases" would be a kindergarten, for good reason. It was thought that maybe the League wouldn't cross some lines, but this was just proof against it. The pyromaniac of the League walked up to a now exposed secret elevator. He pushed the button and the doors slid open. Pressing the only button on the elevator, Dabi descended into the dark basement of the kindergarten and, after a few minutes, the doors slid open again. He walked out with a sigh as he saw a figure hunched over in the darkness.
"Alright, so, one more time. Let's go over the plan. Your kind's usually brainless so, let's see if you're any different. Who are you going after?" Dabi asked.
" R," the hunched figure growled, turning to lock its glowing yellow eyes onto the blue flame user.
"Ok, good. And what are you gonna do when you find the 'Top Pro?'"
" M!"
"What I like to hear, High End. I expect you to perform better than your stupid brothers."
"W-W-W-W O N' T... N," the new High End Nomu promised, its pupil shrinking beneath its large fleshy hood.