I will be doing my best to upload the remainder of Arc I in the upcoming week starting today. I will be leaving to go on my first vacation in...Jesus five years that included the height of the COVID years. I'm basically out of the pharmacy gig for the time being, but I'm still working in healthcare and I think I've earned a bit of time off.
It shouldn't be a problem since there are only two more chapters remaining in this arc and the next one is actually a short, sweet, fluff filled chapter. So there will not be an upload next Monday (July 15th) but there will be an upload today, (July 7th) this Monday (July 8th) and Tuesday (July 9th) before I leave.
Uploads should continue as normal from there with the start being those very special chapters that old readers should be very, familiar with. For new readers, it just a fun surprise waiting for you.
My Hero Academia Untold: The Knights of Fafnir
Saga I: Dusk
Arc I: Origins
Chapter XII: The Lost Child
"Feeling lost? Good! Now you get to walk new paths that lead to much better places."
-Robin S. Sharma
"Thank you for the ride home, sir," said Tenya gratefully as they exited the car with his brother's father-in-law, who was none other than the pro-hero Endeavor.
"It was no problem; I have business with your brother," Endeavor had put forth rather bluntly. "I already planned on coming here anyway."
It was here that the fiery man mentally berated himself for being brash. Lately, he had been making a more conscious effort and trying his best to be less standoffish and a little more friendly to others. Tenya, fortunately, either didn't notice or didn't seem to mind as they both made their way into the Iida family compound. They entered the large, beautiful three-story western-style house with a large front yard and backyard, which was settled just at the edge of the Tōkyō area.
"UNCLE TENI! HI GRANDPA!" A high-pitched voice rang out, making both of them turn around. A blue-white blur suddenly ran past them and turned the corner into the other side of the yard.
"Ah, blast!" They heard Fuyumi say as she appeared from the opposing corner, leaning against the wall to catch her breath before addressing the two in front of her.
"Oh! Hello, Father, and welcome home, Tenya! Hikari's been running around all day, and when she saw the two of you coming from the window, she wanted to be the first one to greet you."
Endeavor hummed in response, wondering how two relatively quiet and reserved people like Tensei and his daughter, Fuyumi, could have a child as hyperactive as his granddaughter, Hikari.
"Tenya, I really hate to be a bother, especially right after you just got home," said Fuyumi with a sheepish smile and a guilty look. "But could you please catch her for me? It's almost her snack time, and Shouto has already tried catching her with his ice."
Tenya instantly began stripping off his school uniform, revealing that he was still wearing his blue tracksuit under it. Endeavor gave no reaction; by now, he had long stopped questioning the number of Tenya's more eccentric character traits. Meanwhile, Fuyumi gathered all of Tenya's things from the ground as if it were routine.
"Right! I'll catch her and return her to you, sister!" Tenya stated with one firm, swift arm chop before chasing after his runaway niece.
"Remind me, how are he and Tensei related?" Endeavor asked in complete and utter seriousness as he watched the young man run, causing Fuyumi to laugh.
Tenya always found this familiar situation funny. He ran across the family compound, chasing after the blue-white blur, who laughed out loud as she zipped through the halls. He had come from a long line of pro-heroes since before pro-heroes were officially established, as far back as shortly after the phenomenon of Quirks first appeared in the world. This resulted in a long-standing legacy that included his elder brother, Tensei Iida.
However, this dynamic significantly changed when Tensei met and later married Fuyumi Todoroki, or Fuyumi Iida, as she is known these days. Tenya continued to chase down Hikari, who came close to being the true heir to the legacy of pro-heroes, descending from two elite pro-hero families.
She also gave her Uncle a run for his money as she laughed recklessly.
"You can't catch me! Uncle Teni! "
"Hikari, please slow down! It's your snack time!"
Witnessing the two speedsters as he sat on the sidelines, chuckling was none other than Shouto Todoroki, Hikari's youngest maternal Uncle and Tenya's closest friend. He had spotted the two moments ago after getting his snack, long after he had tried and given up on catching Hikari earlier. She had proved very resourceful and learned from previous chases. The irony was that Hikari was usually a very well-behaved little girl. But did she love to tease her Uncle "Teni" and Uncle "Shou" to no end, especially the former, whenever she got the chance. This was especially true whenever she felt a lack of attention when the boys were training and/or studying.
"Shouto, can you please help Tenya? The poor guy has to be exhausted at this rate." Fuyumi came up behind him as he munched away on his melon bread.
"But it's more fun to watch," Shouto turned on his classic deadpan voice.
"Shouto!"
"Fine. Wait, where's mom?"
"She went to get Hikari's snack set up."
"Okay, I think I can – oh wait, never mind, he's got her." He added upon seeing Hikari in Tenya's grasp. Shouto got up, knowing what Hikari would ask him to do when they got inside. "Well, time to get my hair kit."
"I've got you now!" Tenya proclaimed, finally grabbing his niece from her underarms and hoisting her upwards. Her legs continued to kick as if she was still running, screaming with laughter.
"NO FAIR!"
"NO FAIR INDEED, LITTLE MISSY!" He huffed in triumph as he held up his quarry. Despite the grief she could cause him, Tenya loved his niece dearly. Inheriting most of Fuyumi's features, save her blue hair, peppered with white streaks. However, Hikari had inherited the Iida family Engine Quirk, as proven by the four mufflers that could protrude from her shoulder blades. Thankfully, Mei wasn't here to back her up this time.
"Come along!" He proudly said as he walked back to the house with her still up in the air in his hands. "It is time for your afternoon snack!"
"Okay ~!" Hikari sighed in surrender.
Tenya, knowing his niece's mischievous nature, moved to carry her on his shoulders to prevent her from running off again. He looked ahead and saw Fuyumi waving at them to come inside.
"Thank you, Tenya!"
Tensei and Endeavor sat in the former's household office as he briefed his father-in-law about the recent update in the investigation.
"I managed to get an inside man within Doumeki's inner circle who can double down as a prime source to testify when the time comes," stated Tensei as he handed Endeavor a sheet of paper with the man's information.
"Can we trust him?" Endeavor asked cautiously as he reviewed the man's file, knowing this could go wrong if the man proved to be playing them. "The man is Doumeki's adjutant, practically his right-hand man."
"I had to go through a lot to verify him for the last eighteen months. He is legitimate, I can assure you."
Endeavor sighed as he placed the sheet back on the desk. The flames he often projected on his face were gone for the time being while Tensei picked up a newspaper next to his computer monitor and gave it to Endeavor.
"Take a look at this."
Endeavor grabbed the paper and read aloud the headline and article.
"Recovery of the HIMS Alicorn, successful after a year of being trapped on the ocean floor after a failed pursuit of a rogue submarine operated by the terrorist group Amalgam. Central Imperial Navy Captain Matias Torres and crew are undergoing physical and mental health evaluations...What the hell does this have to do with anything we are dealing with?"
"Remember what happened two days ago? What should have been front-page news?"
Endeavor pondered momentarily before recalling their last briefing with the Hero Public Safety Commission.
"The Hero-Killer."
"My inside source says the Hero-Killer was broken out," Tensei pointed his finger to the newspaper.
"The investigative report states that he escaped while being taken to jail to await the most highly publicized trial of the year. All this happened before any public announcement could be made," Tensei tapped the desk thoughtfully. "It was as if the Hero-Killer had never been caught, to begin with."
"You can't be serious." Endeavor tried to keep his voice steady. "Tensei, you just implied –"
"This may go deeper than we originally thought, Father. I know you hate the idea, but I think we need to rally with the other group now."
Endeavor flinched at the revelation. For the last few years, he had done his best to avoid this, wanting to keep his investigation of that night independent from All Might's influence. Especially since there were several questions that All Might himself caused with his involvement that the man actively avoided answering. But, if what Tensei said was true, then it was time to join forces with the other group investigating the Draco Knight incident.
Endeavor knew it was time to push aside his qualms about working with All Might.
"Make the call," Endeavor declared as he made plans to join the rest of the family downstairs. "It's time to see if that fool All Might really has been working to solve this."
"Understood."
"But, before I forget," Endeavor paused at the doorway. "Have we gotten any word from…?"
"No," Tensei answered with a simple shake of his head. "Nothing yet, but the deadline for the next drop isn't due yet; Hawks has already checked."
"…I see."
Tensei hesitated; he hated keeping the secret as much as Endeavor did.
"Father, maybe we should..."
"Let's not worry about this right now, Tensei." Endeavor stopped him, facing away from his son-in-law. "We all have the parts we need to play now."
Shouto sat on the couch with Hikari on his lap, his eyes focused on braiding Hikari's hair. He developed the habit after repeated requests from his beloved niece. Before, Shouto knew little to nothing about styling hair, as all he did was pull his hair into a ponytail and leave just enough for his bangs to align with his flawless face(*1). However, when it came to Hikari, Shouto decided to learn. He mastered the art of braiding hair by endlessly watching YouTube videos and occasionally practicing with his mother's hair. With time and practice, Shouto became one hell of an amateur hairstylist and found the activity to be quite...relaxing.
While Shouto continued his work, Hikari sat patiently watching her favorite show, Animal Buddies with Anima and Comicman(*2). It was touted as the perfect mix of education and fun. Anima was a rescue hero who often educated kids with fun animal facts and showcased responsible quirk usage. He frequently used Japanese sign language to teach and prevent animals nearby from being influenced by his quirk. Alongside him was his co-host, Comicman, who often assisted by providing visual comedy gags while teaching correct Kanji and sentence structure.
As Hikari laughed, Tenya sat on the couch nearby, nodding in approval. He also enjoyed the show, finding it perfect for young minds to learn essential lessons in responsibility and Quirk use. He also thought that learning sign language could be an invaluable skill for a pro-hero.
Shouto, however, smirked as he found the right moment to tease his friend.
"Hey, Ten?" Said Shouto casually as he started on Hikari's next braid.
Tenya looked at Shouto upon being addressed. "Yes, Shouto?"
"Your girlfriend called."
"Meimei!" Hikari chirped out in glee.
The color immediately drained from Tenya's face. He knew what he meant, that girl of his dreams, or more accurately, his nightmares.
"That! That she-devil of a woman is not my girlfriend!" He arm-chopped away furiously as his nerves began getting the best of him.
"You'll be pleased to know that she will be joining us at UA," Shouto added as the smirk that graced his face grew slightly wider. "Since she got accepted to the support course at the top of her class."
"Noooo!" Tenya exclaimed, his arms raised dramatically with crocodile tears running down his face. Shouto internally laughed at his anguish, while Hikari just straight up laughed at her Uncle's antics.
"WHY CAN I NOT BE FREE FROM HER?!"
"She could even be our support liaison if assigned to our class," Shouto continued nonchalantly.
The bespectacled teen let out a weary sigh. "I'm going to die before I even make it halfway through our first year..."
"Shouto, Rei," Endeavor's deep voice resounded as he entered the living room, interrupting Tenya's cries. "It's time for us to go."
"Aww..."Hikari pouted and crossed her arms, knowing her Uncle Shou hadn't finished braiding her hair yet. "Grandpa's no fun."
Her comment made Shouto chuckle as he tried to speed up and finish styling her hair.
"Are you sure you can't stay for dinner, Dad?" Fuyumi asked sadly. She was disappointed they couldn't all stay to celebrate Tenya and Shouto's secured entrance exam results. Both boys already knew they were accepted to the UA hero course. Endeavor didn't care about pointless rules and simply told Tenya that he had passed during the ride to his house.
"I'm sorry, Fuyumi," Endeavor said with a solemn shake. "I have important business to attend to, and Shouto needs to study for his finals next week."
Simply put, Endeavor didn't have the best relationship with his family.
He loved them, of course, but how things began with the arranged marriage between himself and his wife, Rei, often made these feelings difficult to express. Their marriage had been fixed by both sets of parents in a way that wounded his pride. It had burdened a younger Enji with thoughts of guilt as if he had unjustly taken her against her will. Thankfully, Rei didn't seem to hold it against him, and they managed to make their relationship work out in the end.
"Don't worry, dear," Rei came to the rescue as she gently reassured their daughter. "I'll make sure to make it up; that way, we can all celebrate Shouto and Tenya's achievements together in due time. Natsuo will be coming back to visit soon, too."
"But…"Fuyumi's saddened mood plummeted further, "it won't be all of us."
The three adults paused, tension filling the room once more. Touya Todoroki hadn't been seen for about a year now. One day, out of the blue, the young pro-hero Incendor was declared "missing in action" after a strange encounter with a villain.
"There's no use in worrying about it right now," Endeavor treaded the conversation lightly. "I'm sure that he will turn up sooner or later."
Unbeknownst to the two women, Endeavor and Tensei knew where the eldest son of the Todoroki family was doing right now. Yet, they had to keep the details secret for the sake of everyone.
Kai Doumeki sat in his home office on the phone, quietly fuming as he checked over several documents of the latest pro-heroes killed in action by the Hero-Killer Stain. Among the profiles were a few witnesses at the great battle six years ago, where All Might and Draco Knight teamed up against All For One.
After returning from UA, this was the last thing he needed to hear.
"Goddamn it," He muttered as he heard his adjutant Hajime Tanaka read the report about their last mission over the phone.
"I'm sorry, sir.
"Just how did this happen?" Kai demanded, doing his best to keep his voice from yelling.
"It must have happened during the transport."
"He must have had help... and the guards?"
"All confirmed dead. However, none of the injuries match with Stain's routine."
"You said their bodies were found mostly dusted and decayed. There were many incidents in the past few years with murders with that type of assault," Kai looked over the evidence thoughtfully. "Looks like Stain does have friends within his reach."
"At the very least, we got a media blackout on the incident, and no one knows what happened. As far as anyone knows, we looked and found nothing. The guards were killed in action in an unrelated event."
"It's a flimsy cover but expected considering all the efforts they're using to suppress anything about Stain. Such is the era of suppression we live in..." Kai sighed, finally seeing the irony of the situation. "Have Internal Affairs look into this. I have a gut feeling some of the new recruits I've been forced to take in may be involved."
"Understood, sir."
Kai hung up the phone and sat back in his chair, rubbing his temples. The mission was a complete failure, a direct operation for the police to catch a well-known villain without using a single pro-hero. He had been captured and confined, only to slip away from their grasp. Furthermore, he had gotten reports of a new group of villains making headway in the underworld.
The League of Villains...
Knock, knock.
Kai snapped out of his thoughts.
"Yes?" He called out to the door of his private office.
"Dear, Mr. Anno is here to see you," answered the muffed voice of his wife, Saya, from behind the door.
'Shit.' His patron was here, most likely to get an update on the operation.
"Send in him in about five minutes... Also, what is Ryu doing right now?" He added, knowing that the boy was working for the old man.
"He's in his room, reviewing the UA paperwork he got after taking the exam."
Kai paused for a moment.
He knew that the meeting with the Representative would take a while. Yet, he still needed to brief Ryu on his additional assignment now that he had seen Izuku's performance at the entrance exam. His spy was proving to be a blessing in disguise. Kai inwardly laughed, seeing the irony of the role he was about to entrust to the lad. After all, he had once done the same Hisashi, but now, it is reversed if Ryu's listed family name proves true.
Kai stood up and saw the bottle of saké from all those years ago. The bottle only had enough for three, perhaps four more shots left. The taste had indeed slowly grown sweeter every time he took a drink from it throughout the years.
"Let Ryu know that I will need to speak with him once my business with the Representative is finished."
"Alright, dinner is almost ready, so try to make it quick, okay?"
Tomura sat across from his brother; the glare the two brothers sent each other said everything. They were only working together for now. To achieve lesser goals, knowing that their partnership ended the moment one was crowned as the successor to the Emperor of Darkness.
All For One...
Crimson eyes continued to stare down at golden ones. The remaining two survivors had long passed from their time in the nurseries. They had outlived and defeated many of their other...siblings throughout the years. Most former "Princes and Princesses of Darkness" were long dead. Save for a handful with their wings clipped and tailored to serve the remainder.
Now, all that remained was the Pale Prince, Tomura Shigaraki, and The Broken Prince, whose names Tomura refused to speak when he could help it. These two remaining Underworld Lords sat in a small, dimly lit room with stale air filling their noses. The only light source came from a small laptop that displayed a blank video feed, with audio playing from the other end. Waiting for their Master to speak.
"You've finished the exams, my apprentice?" A cold, muffled voice asked from the laptop with a knowing hiss.
"Yes, master, I believe I did more than enough to pass to get into the hero course," the Broken Prince answered. "Although I won't know for sure until I get the official results at worst, I can serve as one of the liaisons for the hero course."
Tomura's eyes narrowed despite his face being hidden with his father's hand, which he now wore as a mask. The Pale Prince knew that he could not hide his emotions easily.
"Heheheh..."
"Careful now, Tomura." His brother snapped at him, turning away from the screen to look back at him. "Your ego is showing."
"I still believe this plan is for noobs. What's to say you won't rat us out if you get caught?"
"You really think that little of me, Tomura? After everything we've been through?"
"You're still a child and a petulant one at that."
"Says the whiny bitch who keeps playing silly video games."
"WATCH IT!"
"Enough, both of you," the man intervened, his voice reaching a dangerous tone. "You will continue both of your plans to reach your goals. Whoever becomes my inheritor depends on your results."
The two sighed and turned to look away from each other. The Broken Prince quickly restarted their conversation, much to Tomura's annoyance.
"You still plan to invade UA now that we've confirmed that All Might is attending as a teacher?"
"Yes."
"And once I'm in UA, what exactly do you need from me?"
"I'll save that detail until after you meet your classmates."
"Fine..."
"Tomura, have you taken care of the rogue Yakuza yet?"
"Yes, Master, I have an eager recruit already making sure they got the message," Tomura answered with a satisfied grin. "As a matter of fact, he should be dealing with them right now as we speak."
"You sent only one?" The Broken Prince questioned Tomura's plan with a surprised look. He knew that the compound was tiny, at least compared to other Yakuza groups. But Overhaul's gang still had numbers in their favor.
One grunt assaulting their compound was basically suicide.
"He's trying to prove himself, but from what I gathered, he will get the work done."
"Kurogiri. We're done here; take them both home," the Master's voice said before adding on. "Good work, both of you, but don't attempt to kill each other. There is still much more to do before I can bestow my gift to either of you."
"Yes, master." The two said in unison as a black mist engulfed both of them. When the shadowy fog vanished, the two were back in the familiar sight of the bar, their showroom headquarters. Tomura moved to his favorite seat near the middle of the bar. At the same time, Kurogiri went behind it and began mixing him a drink.
"Tomura."
He didn't move, but the sides of his face proved he was smiling. Now that the Master wasn't here, they could be a little more open with each other as good siblings should be. Tomura remained silent, with only the occasional clink and sounds of liquids pouring as Kurogiri continued his quiet work, waiting for his brother to continue speaking.
"Where is she?" He heard him finally ask.
"Whoever do you mean, my dear little brother?" Tomura mockingly asked back.
"I'm not here to play your games."
Tomura sighed.
"You grew too attached to that psychopath."
"Answer the question."
"She's safe for now...she still a little broken after your last fight..." Tomura laughed as he heard that familiar threatening tone. He raised his right arm as his brother suddenly moved towards him. "Careful now! If you hurt me, I will make sure she dies! The terms of her being spared was that I would host her!"
His brother may have tried to intimidate him, but Tomura knew how easy it was to bring him to heel. A simple threat to those he cared about, and he would instantly cease his yapping. Meanwhile, Kurogiri remained silent, though he was ready to act to stop the two should a fight break out. Despite tension thick enough to slice with a knife, he simply finished his mixture and slid it to Tomura's side.
"She's learning her new place right now...You can have your plaything back if you cooperate," Tomura continued after sipping his drink.
"I'll never understand why Master thought she would be a worthy candidate. But it doesn't matter now," He pulled out a portable game computer from his pocket before waving his brother off. "Leave before you blow your cover."
With a heavy, frustrated sigh, he didn't see his brother's face or reaction; instead, he heard him give out an order.
"Kurogiri, send me back."
Kurogiri didn't answer and simply bowed slightly; a moment later, Tomura sensed a portal open and close as he was finally left alone.
'In the end, I'll be the only one left, and hopefully, you'll die in the invasion as well... and if you don't... well," Tomura chuckled at the thought. 'I'll enjoy seeing your stupid face as I turn our sister to dust before your very eyes.'
Tomura laughed to himself again. If everything went as planned, he would have another ace up his sleeve soon enough. Now, it was time to check on his newest project.
"Kurogiri."
"Yes, Tomura Shigaraki?"
'God, that gets old saying the whole name.'
"How's our new friend doing?"
"Sedated and being watched over."
"Since we still don't know if he'll join us or at least help with my plans, I can't call him a backup plan yet. But at most, just having Stain here will make it easier for us to plan our next move without worrying which city he would be stalking next."
The little girl ran through the smoke as the hideout was engulfed in bright blue flames that stung her from the heat. Despite the fear in her heart, she knew this might be her only chance to be free. The opportunity to escape the nightmare she had lived in for so long.
"BOSS!" A familiar voice called out, making her freeze in fear. "IS THAT YOU?!"
"No... but you'll see him again soon enough in hell."
An icy voice from the smoke came out, followed by a large jet of bright blue flames that shot out and engulfed the masked villain. His screams ripped in the air as the fire cooked his flesh away into bone, turning him into a pile of dark ash and charred bones in mere seconds.
The little girl doubled back to run away, covering her ears when she saw the figure who had caused the fire. His cold blue eyes and jet-black hair panicked her, and tears filled her bright ruby-red eyes. The blue-flamed man looked around, satisfied that his job was done.
'Gotta make sure that my little witness is taken care of.'
It wasn't often that Izuku ended up being very suspicious of his cousin's intentions.
Given that he was sitting alone at a table with Ochako, with their orders already placed, they sat silently. In his head, Izuku was trying to figure out whether he had been set up.
First was Katsuki's sudden departure
halfway through the train ride.
After receiving a phone call, he canceled dinner with Ryūko despite saying it was no big deal. Izuku knew that had to be a lie, and it actually had to be an important phone call. But, knowing Katsuki didn't want to worry anyone, he was somehow convinced to do so.
Knowing how stubborn he could be regarding Ryūko, this must have taken a lot of work.
Next was Ryūko herself, who left soon after the remaining three arrived at the restaurant almost an hour after leaving UA. She also received a phone call, claiming it was a Pro-Hero emergency and needed to go. Ryūko ran off rather quickly, but not before giving Izuku a very generous amount of money that would be used to cover the bill and then some. (*3) She had always done small things like this to give Izuku extra pocket money whenever she could, especially after she made it to the top ten.
But it always unintentionally made Izuku feel guilty.
And the worst, or maybe the best, part?
He was now dining with Ochako, alone together in a rather pricey eatery with a French name he couldn't even hope to pronounce. Disregarding the embarrassing incident from the exam. The two seemed to get back on the right foot, speaking to each other like they did yesterday for breakfast. Or as normal as they could get, considering they both still felt really out of place eating at such a high-end restaurant. In any case, the food served as the ideal icebreaker once their meals arrived after two hours of shy glances and awkward small talk.
So here they were, eating and having a fun time. Almost like a date...
'Damn it, Izuku.' The young knight blushed at the thought. 'Keep it together.'
"Are you okay, Midoriya?" Izuku heard Ochako ask before taking another bite of her food.
"Y-y-yeah. I was just hoping that everything is fine with Kyū."
"She's a top ten pro! I'm sure she'll be fine! That reminds me, I gotta thank her for this later," Ochako answered before looking down at herself. Being treated out at such a fancy place felt odd in the eyes of a country girl in her middle school uniform. "I just wish I didn't feel so out of place here."
"You're not the only one who feels that way, trust me," Izuku reassured her. He could relate in a way, being a poor city kid wearing his second-hand school uniform.
"The food is really good, though!" said Ochako before biting into a piece of grilled chicken breast, sighing in delight as she savored the taste.
"Very true," Izuku continued to cut into his ribeye steak, one of his western favorites. 'Shame they don't serve Katsudon here.'
The two continued until they finished their food. Izuku took care of the bill, paying with the cash he got from Ryūko. As he suspected, He had way more money left over than he needed to cover their food. Fending off feelings of guilt and remorse, Izuku decided that he would donate the leftover cash when he had the chance.
Just like he had always done.
"Wow, time sure flies, huh?" Ochako noted when the two left the restaurant and saw the twilight of dusk in the skies above.
"Yeah, we better get home before it gets late," Izuku said, not realizing how the phrasing could be misinterpreted.
This was met with Ochako's bashfulness as they walked to the train station.
It was funny to the young lady how she had gotten to know Izuku so well in such a short amount of time, yet it all felt natural to her. No real misgivings or worries came to mind whenever she was with him. However, Ochako still couldn't help but wonder why Izuku seemed familiar and relatable to her. Despite his pseudo-celebrity status, thanks to the viral video of Izuku's encounter with the Sludge Villain.
Ochako found it online shortly after meeting him yesterday, and he playfully teased him about it during their dinner together.
Ochako had never really shown any genuine interest in any of the boys back in her hometown. Sure, the girl had a few small crushes and infatuations here and there, but nothing ever came about from those. The only exception would be the love she held for her childhood knight. But perhaps that was more due to his attachment to her dreams of becoming a pro-hero.
That said, Ochako was self-aware enough to know these were feelings of admiration rather than romance. Even still, a part of her held out the small, childlike hope of meeting him and even falling for him all over again, like the fairy tale she would often daydream about.
Izuku, on the other hand, seemed different from the boy she had met long ago.
The boy was a bit plain-looking on the outside but earnestly strove to do what was right, no matter his hardships. He still wanted to be a hero and refused to let himself be dragged down by what life threw at him. He proved it when he risked his life to save her and many others during the practical exam. As the two walked silently, Izuku asked a question that reminded her of her knight.
"So, what made you want to become a pro-hero anyway?"
Ochako took a moment to debate what to say. Many people had told her before that her reasons were a bit silly. Sure, wanting to become a pro because of a childhood crush seemed frivolous initially. Still, they never understood what it meant to her. He inspired her to go forward and help people, put them at ease, and become the brave hero he was to her in her time of need. She knew Izuku better than that and that he wouldn't be so dismissive. She was sure he wouldn't speak ill about the boy or her reasons for wanting to be a hero.
But before Ochako could say anything, they both heard a strange noise near an alleyway they were approaching, only a few blocks from the train station. The young lass specifically heard something that put her on edge; the whimpers and sobs of a hurt child. With their instincts kicking in, they slowly moved towards the noise source, Ochako taking the lead, with Izuku following closely behind her and ready to cover her if needed.
As they stared down the dark alley, a tiny white blur suddenly appeared and startled them. It ran right into Ochako's legs, latching onto her tightly. They realized it was a little girl with snow-white hair, red eyes, and a small, bronze-colored horn on the right side of her forehead. She wore nothing but a stained white hospital gown and bandages wrapped around her limbs.
The little girl clung tightly onto Ochako's legs and refused to let go, making both teens scramble to check over the child with worry.
"Hey…are you okay?" Ochako whispered to the girl, who tensed up from her light touch.
"Uraraka," Izuku suddenly spoke in a low voice, his tone firm as he looked down the alleyway. "Get ready to move."
Ochako looked up and now saw the tall outline of a figure in the darkness, slowly making its way toward them. It must have put Izuku on edge as he put himself in front of the two girls. Ochako gently held her grip on the girl, ready to move with the child if the oncoming threat posed a fight.
The little girl looked terrified of the figure walking toward them.
The stranger almost seemed to float into the light, as his legs were still shrouded in the shadow of the alleyway. He was tall, with messy jet-black hair and cold steel-blue eyes. His skin was a mix of healthy cream and crispy purple, with stitches that seemed to hold him in place. His icy stare put them all on edge, and a chill ran down their spines, sensing the threat the man could pose.
"You better leave this place and take her with you," the man said calmly, the coldness in his voice chilling them to the bone. "It's not safe here."
Izuku looked at the girl before looking the man right in the eyes.
"Are you the one who hurt her?" Izuku asked with a stern look and in his best, most hardened voice.
The patchwork man didn't blink as one word left his lips,
"No."
As Izuku looked into the man's ice-blue eyes, something within Izuku told him that he wasn't lying. Clearly, the stranger wasn't trying to stop them, nor was he stopping them from taking the child to safety. Hell, the strange man just told them to take the child and leave as if he were warding something else away from them.
Something or someone that was far more dangerous.
"Let's go," Izuku finally answered while still keeping his eyes on the man before him.
Ochako nodded silently, picking up the child and slowly backing away as she kept her eyes on the man. The two weren't sure what their next step would be, yet it was clear to them both. Whoever this girl was, she desperately needed help, and they weren't about to abandon her.
The man then slowly lifted his left hand with an open palm, and suddenly, without warning, it was alight with pure blue flames.
Izuku reacted automatically, getting into a defensive stance, prepared to fight him off. Yet the stranger simply turned around and began walking in the opposite direction, seemingly using the flames as a light to his path back into the shadowy void from whence he came. The teens both stared down the alleyway, watching him disappear into the dark abyss as if swallowed by the shadows. As their hearts raced at a mile a minute, both teens suddenly began running towards the train station as quickly as possible. Izuku took up the rear since Ochako's hands were full.
The wind picked up, chilling all three of them as they ran.
"Hold on a second..." Izuku said when he realized the child was far worse off given what she was wearing. Not wanting her to get sick, he removed his uniform jacket and bundled it around her.
"Good idea, Midoriya," said Ochako as she gently helped the child stay warm by rubbing her limbs. Izuku nodded; he couldn't help but worry for the child, but what could they do now? He had no idea what to do or where to go at that moment.
'Maybe we can go to the Police Station?' Izuku shook his head, even if it were a reasonably realistic and safe assumption to seek help from them. He couldn't brush off his gut feeling of animosity when he remembered his family's treatment by the police after the Draco Knight incident.
'What about Kyū? Maybe she could help us?' Izuku quickly tossed that idea aside as well; for all he knew, she could still be dealing with that emergency on her end and couldn't afford to be distracted right now.
Ochako, on the other hand, already seemed to have at least some notion of a plan.
"Hey, Midoriya?" She said once they arrived at the nearly empty train station.
"Yes?"
After double-checking their surroundings, Ochako spoke up.
"Let's stop by my place. It's not far from the station, and it's private. Plus, there's a small general store in walking distance where we could buy some supplies for her."
Izuku thought about it for a moment but came up empty-handed.
"That's not a bad idea! I still have extra money from Kyū, so we can use that to pay for it!"
Izuku felt some relief as he paid the fare when an idea of his own finally struck him.
"Uraraka," Izuku turned to her to get her attention. "When we get onto the train. I need to make a quick phone call. I got an idea of what we can do after settling into your apartment."
Ochako saw a spark of confidence in his eyes and smiled, putting her trust in his plan.
"Okay. No problem."
Since it was starting to get late at night, the trains were as empty as the station. Once Ochako settled in one of the many empty seats with the tiny girl firmly on her lap, she started speaking to the child, asking her as many questions as she was willing to answer.
Izuku found a secluded spot and called the number on his phone. At that moment, He was immensely grateful that he had two unique phone numbers, one specifically for emergencies. The number rang briefly before being picked up, and Izuku wasted no time.
"Eight, it's me; I need your help right now; it's an emergency."
When the call was done. Izuku returned to sit next to Ochako and discovered the child was now napping in her arms. She took the chance to brief Izuku on what she had learned.
"Her name is Eri," Ochako whispered, keeping her voice low. "I asked her several questions about where she's from and maybe where her parents are, but all she kept saying to answer me was...the bird people."
"Bird people…?"
Izuku repeated as he began mulling over what the hell that could even mean. Unfortunately, that was most of what Ochako had managed to get out of Eri before falling asleep. Izuku decided it wasn't something to panic over right now, hoping to find the answer to what she meant later.
After all, he had the Number One hero coming over to help.
They arrived shortly at Ochako's apartment with supplies for Eri using the money that Ryūko graciously left Izuku. He silently thanked his cousin this time for doing this, something he never thought he would do until today. Izuku had already informed Ochako that a "well-known" pro-hero would arrive soon and that they should help them with the situation. Izuku didn't mention it was All Might, as he didn't know how to casually bring that up; it would sound pretty far-fetched without proof.
Ochako simply felt relieved, thinking that Izuku had contacted either Ryūkyū or her sidekicks to investigate the issue. Little did she know that she was about to meet the Number One Pro-Hero instead!
Ochako gently handed Izuku the sleeping bundle that was Eri.
"I'm gonna get her something to eat; mind holding her for a sec?" She whispered with concern as she gently handed Izuku the sleeping bundle that was Eri.
Izuku shook his head and intuitively took Eri into his arms, surprised by how light she weighed, even for a child her age. Ochako quickly returned with two water bottles she placed on the table for Izuku and Eri.
"I don't have much since I haven't gone grocery shopping yet," Ochako said as she walked toward the kitchen. "Do you think some apples would do for now?"
"I think that's a good idea, at least until help gets here," Izuku answered as adjustment himself on the seat.
Ochako nodded before returning to the kitchen. Only a minute or two passed before Ochako returned with freshly cut apple slices on a plate. She slowly pulled up a chair and motioned to Izuku to wake the little girl up.
"Eri...hey, please wake up," Izuku said with a soft shake on her shoulder. Eri stirred only to wake with a sudden squeak, hastily looking around her surroundings.
"Hey, hey, it's okay; you're safe here with us." Ochako gently calmed her down, making Eri's head turn toward the teen.
"Are you hungry?" Ochako added as she offered her a piece of sliced apple.
"It's an apple, Eri." Izuku took a piece for himself to show her that the food on the plate was harmless after seeing her hesitation.
Izuku ate a tiny slice, letting out a small 'mmm' and a smile.
Eri looked at the pieces Ochako offered again and slowly took her first crunchy bite. The instant the girl tasted the sweet juices, she immediately looked at the fruit in a new light. She loved its taste and found the fruit perfectly sweet and refreshing. It had been the best thing she had ever eaten at that point in her life; she almost seemed to squeal in delight and had the slightest ghost of a smile on her face.
Her sigh of satisfaction brought a wave of relief to the two teens while Eri began munching on the yummy red apple slices. Once she was finished, Izuku helped her drink some water from the bottle while Ochako took the dish to the sink. Izuku was surprised at the speed at which Eri drank, draining the bottle in seconds.
"Easy, Eri, I don't want you to choke," Izuku said with some concern.
As Eri finished, however, she began to squirm in his jacket.
"Eri, are you okay?" Izuku was concerned that she might have indeed started choking.
Then Eri suddenly stopped squirming, sighing with some relief.
At first, Izuku thought the warm sensation was Eri showing happiness...until he realized the jacket started feeling wet. It seemed, unfortunately, that the child didn't know how to ask to use the restroom. Thankfully, it wasn't too bad, as Izuku moved the child away from his body, so only his jacket and parts of the hardwood floor got the worst of it.
"I'm sorry," said Eri as tears began to form in her eyes as she hung in midair.
"No, no, don't worry, Eri! It happens!" Izuku nervously tried to keep Eri calm but was unsure how to do it.
"Did something happen?" Ochako asked, reappearing from the kitchen.
"She accidentally wet herself," Izuku said, feeling responsible for the mess on her apartment floor. "Sorry, Uraraka, I didn't know she needed to use the restroom."
Ochako didn't seem angry. Instead, she simply gave the child a gentle, sympathetic smile.
"Here, give her to me." As she reached for the girl when he did, Ochako hugged the child, not caring that she got a bit of a mess on herself.
"There there, it's okay," She rubbed Eri's back softly to ease her worries. Ochako told Izuku calmly. "Since we got her some new clothes, I can help clean her up in the bath."
"O-o-oh! Okay! While you're doing that, I can clean up here," Izuku suggested, hoping to make up for his mistake.
"Oh no! Midoriya, you don't have to!" Ochako became a bit flustered, considering it was her apartment, and keeping it clean was her responsibility, not his.
"I want to do my part here," Izuku said with a renewed air of confidence. "I got it. Don't worry."
Ochako let out an amused sigh.
The young lady knew that smile well by now; there was no way Izuku would let this go, so she simply pointed out where she kept her cleaning supplies and let him get at it. As Izuku began working on cleaning and sanitizing the room. Ochako grabbed the shopping bag with Eri's new clothes before heading to her room and grabbing a clean set of clothes for herself. Once that was done, she headed to the restroom to draw the bath for the two to clean themselves up.
As Izuku cleaned the mess off the floor, a stream of questions flooded his head.
'What could have happened to Eri, and for how long?'
'Where is All Might; surely he would have been here by now?'
'Who was that man in the alleyway?'
'What is going to happen to Eri?'
Ochako got the bath set up for the both of them and removed the gown Eri wore, only to reveal just how horrible the state Eri was in. She was very skinny and looked underweight as if she hadn't been fed properly. Her beautiful ruby-red eyes were in a constant state of fear and sadness. It also appeared to have not been bathed in a while. Her white hair was clumped and sticky in odd places, and her smell wasn't much better before her accident. Ochako felt even worse when she removed the bandages around Eri's limbs.
Her heart completely sank once she saw the scars hidden underneath.
'What kind of monsters could have done this to such a young child?'
However, seeing this only strengthened Ochako's resolve to ensure Eri would get the help she needed as soon as possible. And right now, a nice warm bath was definitely in order. When Izuku finished cleaning, he realized how late it was getting and knew his mom would be worried. He looked at the clock, now thinking it would be a good idea to call her. He had texted her on the train earlier that day to tell her about the original dinner plans with Ryūko, but it had been a couple of hours since then.
As Izuku was still waiting for Ochako and Eri to finish their bath, he was about to call his mother when he heard a knock at the door. He checked the door through the peephole and saw All Might in a gray suit, along with another tall man with black hair and wearing a brown suit.
Izuku opened the door and stepped out to greet them.
"Eight!" Izuku was relieved to finally see help was here.
"It's good to see you again, my boy," All Might whispered before motioning to the man beside him. "I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi. My close friend on the force."
Izuku turned to look at the man with a slight air of caution, given his recent knowledge about the police and his family.
"You needn't worry, young Midoriya," All Might reassured, knowing his apprentice's concerns regarding the police. "I can assure you that he is trustworthy. He is the one who let me know the truth about your father after I got out of surgery. And he knows the truth about our quirks."
"It's good to finally meet you, Midoriya." Naomasa bowed politely as he removed his hat. "May we please step inside?"
"Umm…yeah," Izuku said apprehensively since it wasn't his apartment. "Just give me a moment, and let me check with Uraraka first."
All Might held back a chuckle.
A few hours ago, he had heard details from Recovery Girl about this Uraraka girl locking arms with Izuku after their exam. All Might had seen that the young lady was very gifted and had the same sense of drive from his firsthand observations of the exam. She had earned third place above the rest, trailing close behind Izuku and Katsuki Bakugou, who were in first and second place, respectively.
However, what surprised him was that he was sure Izuku wasn't in a relationship as he had known him these last ten months. Yet somehow, he was in said young lady's apartment past their curfew. He was sure that Izuku knew better than doing anything reckless or, heaven forbid, adult. He reminded himself to discuss the nature of their relationship with his successor at another, more appropriate time.
Izuku stepped back inside to see that Ochako and Eri had finished their bath and were now dressed in light, casual clothes. The teen wore soft-looking pants and a pastel pink T-shirt. In contrast, Eri wore comfy-looking white pajamas and comfortably rested in Ochako's arms.
"You okay, Midoriya?" Ochako asked with a raised eyebrow upon seeing a nervous-looking Izuku at the door.
"Yeah…By the way, they're here. At least the Pro-Hero I called earlier, I mean," Izuku trailed off as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "But before I introduce him, I need to tell you not to freak out when you see him, okay?"
Ochako's nervousness only rose with that warning.
'It wasn't Ryūkyū he called? Surely it wouldn't be anyone shady, right?'
"Is it okay if I let them in?" Izuku gestured to the door, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"O...kay?" Ochako said slowly, trying to sound more sure of herself.
Izuku opened the front door, and Ochako was floored as the tall frame of the World Symbol of Peace and Justice stepped straight into her apartment.
"A-A-All Might?!" Ochako stammered with a small jump, accidentally making Eri cry out in fear. She quickly calmed Eri down and regained her grip on the child. "Oh, oh, Eri! I'm so sorry for startling you!"
Ochako was officially lost when it came to knowing Izuku Midoriya as he was proving to be something else. Having an extremely powerful quirk was one thing; being cousins with a pro-hero in the Top Ten was another. But, PERSONALLY, KNOWING, ALL MIGHT?! THE NUMBER ONE PRO-HERO?!
'WHAT'S NEXT?! IS GOING TO TELL ME THAT HE'S DRACO KNIGHT'S SON OR SOME OTHER PRO?!'
"Hello there, Miss Uraraka," All Might quietly greeted her as he entered the small apartment.
"I believe I need no introductions. This, however," The living legend motioned to his dark-haired companion, who bowed politely again. "Is Naomasa Tsukauchi, a friend of mine from the Police Force."
Ochako nodded, bringing herself back to the gravity of the situation. Now wasn't the time to fawn over Japan's Number One Hero when they were here to help Eri. All Might turned to face the two teens.
"He has some important questions for you and the young lady you found, please, if possible."
Over the next few minutes, the two teens told All Might and the Detective everything they knew, recalling the events on their way to the train station after dinner. When they finished, Naomasa pulled out an evidence bag and gathered the remaining articles used as clothing by Eri. This included her old bandages, which were covered in dried blood.
"We may be able to find some blood relatives once I get this in. I'll make sure to put a notice out on the guy with a patchwork face as well," Naomasa concluded when he finished collecting his evidence. "All Might, I'll call you when I find out more details regarding Eri. Until then, I can try and find a temporary foster home for her; now, if you can, please hand her to me."
Naomasa began reaching for Eri, but she quickly scrambled away with a cry and clung tightly to both teens. All Might internally frowned at the sight. It was a difficult situation, but what could they do? None of them were keen on the idea of forcing the troubled child to go somewhere she didn't feel safe.
Eri didn't seem comfortable going anywhere without these two.
Yet, Izuku and Ochako had their own lives to return to after the exam. The boy remembered his earlier conversations with Ochako, recalling that she had to return home to Mie Prefecture the day after tomorrow. So she could finish up the rest of her last year of middle school.
While Izuku was in his last two weeks of school, he had entertained the idea of taking Eri to his home. But then, who would watch her while he was at school and his mom was at work? Plus, it would mean an extra mouth to feed and clothe, which the Midoriyas didn't have much to begin with, knowing how hard his mother worked to provide for just the two of them.
Izuku couldn't bring himself to spontaneously add the burden of taking care of Eri as well.
Ochako thought along the same lines as him, too. In her mind, she was the one who found Eri and felt the most responsible for her well-being. She considered taking Eri with her to Mie. However, she knew that idea would be shot down now that an official investigation by the city's police had opened up for Eri. More importantly, she had yet to even ask for her parent's permission to bring a possibly orphaned child into their home.
Finally, a solution came to All Might. He believed it could not only work in their favor but also finally accomplish a personal goal that he'd been trying to establish since meeting Izuku.
"Young Midoriya," All Might suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence in the room.
"Yes, sir?" Izuku yelped, sitting up straight.
"Call your mother, and please inform her that we will be stopping by for a visit."
"Are you sure, All Might?" Izuku asked, uncertainty found in his voice.
"I am. And Miss Uraraka," He turned to Ochako and praised the young teen. "I humbly thank you for your assistance. You both have done so much for a mere child, a stranger, no less. You truly are building on the essence of being a true hero."
Ochako would typically be over the moon because of the thought of being complimented by the symbol of peace. But at the moment, her concern for Eri overruled everything else at the moment.
"Wait, so you're taking Eri to Midoriya's home?"
"Yes. You should rest easy, he- "
"Midoriya, can I please come with you?" Ochako quickly asked Izuku, unintentionally interrupting All Might.
The man couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he could sense the growing concern on her face.
Izuku couldn't believe what he heard.
"I mean…Uraraka, All Might is right. It's getting late, and I know we can handle it."
"No, that's not..." Ochako looked down with sadness and guilt.
"I'm the one who found her, but…I'm basically dropping her at your doorstep for you to handle! I can't just stay here when I know your family is already struggling; it just wouldn't be fair!"
Izuku was surprised at just how determined she was about this. He wasn't sure what All Might had planned, but he trusted him and Ochako. That being said, Izuku was quick to lay down one solid ground rule if she was to come over at this late hour.
"Fine, but only if I walk you back here when we're done."
Izuku knew she could handle herself, but the idea of her walking back home all alone in the dead of night didn't sit right with him, especially with that mysterious man still at large.
"Okay," Ochako nodded in agreement. She wasn't quite sure how to take that but accepted his offer, presuming he was trying to be a gentleman about it and was simply looking after her. Even if they both knew she could handle herself, she wasn't offended by the demand—if anything, she actually appreciated it.
"Now that is settled," said All Might, motioning to Naomasa to walk with him. "I will ask both of you to excuse Tsukauchi and myself, as we need to speak for a moment in private. Please gather what you need for young Eri and meet us outside soon."
And with that, Ochako began gathering the rest of Eri's new clothes and supplies as Izuku went ahead and phoned his mother. It took him to calm her down for not answering her frantic calls or texts from a few minutes ago and to inform her to expect guests arriving soon at their apartment. After all, it had been a rather busy day, and he knew he would have much explaining to do with his mom once everything was said and done.
One quick drive to Izuku's apartment complex later, Naomasa opted to wait outside to finish making a few calls. Meanwhile, All Might, Izuku, and Ochako, carrying Eri, entered Izuku's apartment. Inko had been told mostly everything over the phone, but seeing them all together still made her body tense up with frightful worry.
Ochako looked at Izuku's mother, whom she was meeting for the first time. She was roughly the same height as Izuku and was rather skinny; her green hair had strands of gray mixed in with many stress lines that crossed her face. But looking past her worried expression was someone Ochako could tell was a very caring and motherly figure.
Meanwhile, All Might had been dreading meeting Inko for years.
Unfortunately, he still couldn't tell her the truth about Hisashi, especially now that he is in the present company. Yet, he hoped that his plan could bring some relief to the family. If it worked, it could even be done without offending Inko's pride as a provider.
Izuku walked in first and saw that his mother had successfully removed the pictures featuring his father. This was a common practice when they had guests over who weren't Bakugou family members or Ryūko. Sure, his father often wore a mask or helm with his costume in the eyes of the public. But he also knew there were a few pictures with him without his face coverings, so they didn't want to take any chances.
"H-H-hello th-there, I'm Inko Midoriya," She introduced herself with a deep bow, trying to quell her stuttering voice. "Please, have a seat. I'll get some tea ready for all of you. Izuku, do you mind helping me?"
"R-Right!" Izuku said, first motioning All Might, Ochako, and Eri to the couch in the living room before stepping into the kitchen.
A few moments later, the two returned with fleshly brewed tea for everyone. Once served, Inko silently stepped back in and took a seat from her guests and son on the opposite couch. After a moment to make sure everyone seemed more relaxed with their drinks, All Might went straight to the point after relaying a simplified summary of events that happened this evening.
"Mrs. Midoriya, I apologize for how last minute this may be. But I humbly request that you take young Eri into your home to assist us."
"All Might," Inko looked at him with hesitation and remorse. "Normally, I wouldn't mind and would be more than happy to do that. But…I'm not sure you're aware of our…situation."
"Actually, I am," All Might quietly responded with a knowing look. "The whole story, in fact."
Inko blinked and looked All Might squarely in the eyes, immediately understanding that he indeed knew who they were and that they were related to Hisashi.
"Well...then you must know about our current finances, and as much as I would like to, it simply isn't feasible –"
"And that's where I come in," All Might calmly interrupted as he pulled a folded piece of paper from his suit jacket and handed it to Inko.
Inko took the paper after a moment of hesitation. "What's this?"
"A job offer. A rather simple one, actually."
Inko opened the paper, and after skimming over the document, her eyes suddenly looked as if they were about to pop out.
"WAIT! ALL MIGHT...!" Inko stumbled over her words, clutching her heart. "W-wa-wa-hah!"
"And that's just the starting pay, which should be more than enough to cover everything from utilities, medical care, and provisions. All you have to do is assist in taking care of young Eri. Meanwhile, we continue investigating her case."
All Might explained, maintaining his somber tone. At times like this, it paid to be the number one pro-hero in Japan and to be able to get favors done when needed with a few questions asked. At the very least, it was all for a good cause for him to start using these typically selfish perks to help a child and family in need.
"Mrs. Midoriya, from what I know about young Izuku here, despite all the hardships you two have faced over the years, you've raised a wonderful, hardworking son with everything you have. I couldn't think of anyone else I could fully entrust as Eri's caregiver during this time."
"And as for the documentation for transferring young Eri under your care," He added, pointing to the note she held in her hand. "I already have a good friend in the police who is hard at work in finalizing the transition, as his contact number is also here. All we need is for you to agree to it."
"B-B-but this..."Inko stuttered in reply. "This is a bit much for just babysitting, isn't it?"
"Mrs. Midoriya, it's more than just that. When it comes to the welfare of this young child, it is a small price to pay."
A look of sorrow flashed on his face, but fortunately for him, Inko didn't seem to notice.
'And you, of all people, deserve so much more...'
Inko looked around at the people in front of her; her eyes focused on the busy young teens keeping Eri entertained, almost appearing like parents themselves. She held her gaze a little longer on the brown-haired girl, who seemed oddly familiar…but couldn't dwell in her thoughts for long.
All Might needed an answer from her.
"Very well, I accept," Inko took a deep breath before finally answering with a smile. "I will do my best to help with the task you entrusted me. That's the Midoriya way, of course."
Sighs of relief spread to everyone in the room, especially from Izuku and Ochako.
"Wonderful!" All Might, his boisterous voice returning, rose from his seat and bowed to Inko. "You're officially hired! I'll make sure to bring in the legal forms to make it truly official tomorrow."
"I'll hand in my resignation from my job first thing in the morning, then." Inko nodded with some relief, standing up and returning the bow. If this all worked out, it could finally mark the end of long, never-ending shifts. Ochako was thankful as well. She was prepared to beg and plead to All Might to let her take Eri to Mie if Inko had declined. But even now that Inko had agreed to take the role, she still felt the need to apologize.
"Mrs. Midoriya?" Ochako stood up and caught the attention of both adults.
"I'm Ochako Uraraka," The lass introduced herself with a deep bow. "Izuku's friend. And I wanted to say… I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused."
"Uraraka..." Izuku tried to interject on her behalf, but Ochako wouldn't have it.
"No, I'm the one who found her," Ochako continued, undeterred. "I know I'm just a kid, but I can't help but feel I'm the one responsible. And yet, I'm leaving her to you…I just can't stand by, not without saying thank you and apologizing for leaving you with her."
Inko smiled back, admiring the young girl's thoughtful and humble nature. She couldn't help but wonder if this was the girl Mitsuki had talked about this morning. If she was, Inko felt somewhat relieved, content to know that Izuku was involved with someone just as kindhearted and selfless as he. However, the more she looked at the brunette in front of her, the more something in the back of Inko's mind gave her a feeling of déjà vu, especially now hearing her name.
Inko just couldn't put her finger on why Ochako seemed so familiar to her.
"Dear, you've done and offered to do so much more than anyone would for someone your age," Inko reassured her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "But you don't have to worry or feel guilty now that I'm here to help. As you've heard, I've agreed to it on my own, and I'll have the means to care for little Eri here. So please don't place any blame on yourself. It's no burden; I feel honored to help where I can."
"Besides," Inko chuckled to herself. "According to All Might, my Izuku also had a hand in this venture, so by extension. I carry responsibility for Eri, too."
Ochako sighed but relented, conceding to Inko's reasoning. Her endearing assurance did help settle her worries now that she knew Eri would be in good hands when she returned home. With that, Inko led All Might to the door, now that their meeting was ending.
"Thank you, sir," Inko quietly spoke, ever gracious to her new employer. "For everything."
"No, madam, I should be thanking you," All Might gently insisted as he made his way out, making sure to duck his head under the doorway. "I'll be sure to touch base with you over the next few days as I get the documents needed to make everything official."
As Inko closed the door, she finally took the chance to meet with the child she had just agreed to house and care for. She turned around and saw that Izuku was now carrying Eri in his arms.
"Eri, this is my mom," Izuku introduced softly, tenderly putting her down when he saw his mother walking up to them.
"Mom?" Eri questioned as she took a good, long look at Inko properly with her bright red eyes.
"Yep," Izuku nodded and reassured her, squeezing her hand. "And she'll be helping us take care of you here, alright?"
"Not leaving?"
"Nope, staying here with me."
Eri sighed in relief until she looked for her other savior.
"Chako?" She called out, looking at the brunette.
Ochako knelt down to her level. "Yes, Eri?"
"Are you...staying, too?"
"I would like to, Eri, but" Ochako thought carefully about how to explain her situation. "I don't live here and need to leave Musutafu in two days."
At those words, tears seemed to form in Eri's eyes, terrified to see either of them leave just when they both made her feel safe and sound. However, upon seeing this, Ochako quickly added some reassurance.
"B-B-But, I'll be back! So I can go to UA if I pass, and then maybe I can stop by and visit to see you, okay? Or you can visit me in my apartment! Whenever you want, okay?"
As Inko observed the two, she checked the time and saw it was nearly nine o'clock. Seeing the situation and not wanting to cause more anxiety than Eri had already dealt with today, she thought up a quick solution.
"Uraraka, it is getting rather late. Would you like to stay the night and keep an eye on Eri until the morning?" Inko suggested, taking the two teens by surprise.
"Wait! Are you sure?" Ochako raised her hands hesitantly. "I...I wouldn't want to impose."
"It's okay. After everything today, I think a good night's rest to calm the mind should help everyone and put Eri at ease," Inko answered with a slow nod. "Plus, we couldn't let you just walk home alone this late at night, hero candidate or not."
"Um, Mom…where are they going to sleep?" Izuku asked, trying to do his part of being a host. "I mean, I don't mind them taking my bed, and I can sleep here on the couch or the floor."
"Izuku!" Ochako exclaimed, worrying about whether she was the burden here coming back in full force. "I'm the guest here! I can't push you out like that!"
"And what kind of host would I be if I didn't offer the best to my guest, Ochako?" Izuku shot back.
Inko couldn't help but laugh seeing the two argue back and forth, bemused by the fact that at this point, they dropped all pretense and simply began addressing each other by their first names without even realizing it. She had to clap her hands to get their attention, already having her own plan regarding sleeping arrangements.
On that night, the Midoriya household added the white-haired child to the family, and she proved to be one of the greatest blessings they could have ever hoped for.
Author's Commentary
The Cinnamon roll trio is now complete, and the status quo is officially set in place. The story, in its fullest, pretty much kicks off from here. Now that I am talking about my inspirations from having Eri rescued early, I was inspired by both Viridescent and the Power of Five.
However, in the former story, the initial rescue was a little random...I don't think we ever got a reason why Eri was able to get free so early, or it was finally explained (Much later, as I suspect) it happened after I stopped reading it. The Power of Five is a little more hazy, but there was a logical reason for how and why Eri escaped Overhaul early.
Here again, I went with full transparency regarding all of the players on the board.
*1 Flawless face: This is an AU where Shouto clearly did not grow up in an abusive household, so while I won't say that Endeavor is perfect in this AU, he is still a little strict. But this never escalated to the abuse found in Canon. In Canon, this subplot serves to show how quirks can be used in relationships. It also shows that everything isn't black and white regarding heroes and villains.
However, this wasn't needed in this storyline and I find it pointless to redo every subplot from Canon, especially since I'm already working with a lot in the background. This also lets me play with Shouto's development differently, especially as a young uncle and best friend of Tenya.
This is how I made Ochako's economic background stable. These were all choices I made very early in the story's development. Like I said, between wanting to avoid the re-trending ground from Canon. This allows other story developments to happen smoother, earlier, and easier to write.
-This idea was partly inspired by the story, The Power of Five, which had an early reformed Endeavor. (Albeit, he was still initially abusive.) Here, I took it to its full swing and decided to go full in because it was something I just had never seen done by that point.
Remember, this was I started this project in September of 2018, and all of this was there from the beginning.
*2 Animal Buddies with pro-heroes Anima and Comicman: To further prove my previous point. This was the next big shakeup that I was very proud of.
As mentioned before, Manga Fukidashi from Class 1-B and Koji Kouda from Class 1-A are older and established Pro-Heroes in this universe. Given how little they have been employed in Canon, I could easily remove them to add other canonical characters from the series to 1-A and 1-B, respectively.
Yet, I didn't just want to replace them without knowing what happened to them.
So, my idea was to make them the hosts of a children's television program while being active-duty Pro-Heroes. I found it fits really well. Kouda, being an animal lover, and Manga's Quirk served the idea perfectly. They will still be making physical appearances later in the story
, serving as entertainers and mentors during internship/work studies and as active-duty professionals.
I've never been a fan of fics that randomly remove characters (Mostly Mineta, but occasionally others get the ax, too) without doing anything with them, despite the massive opportunity it could present the story.
In my case, I will use everything and anything to spice up the story and keep readers guessing on what I can change up next.
*3 Tripping: This only applies to those who live in the US. I recently discovered this (At the time of writing, as this note was made years ago). Tipping isn't really a thing outside of the US. (Okay, some places outside the US) But in the case of Japan, tipping isn't a thing to do there. I even consulted a friend who served in the Marine Corps after years back. He had been stationed in Japan a while back and told me about his experiences. This included a funny story about when he once tipped a waiter who served him. The waiter actually ran out to my friend so he could return the tip money back.
So fun fact, more or less.
ZX
