Late Night
The last thing Aizawa enjoyed was meetings; most of the time, it was more beneficial for him that what was discussed was simply summarized in a memo unless his personal impute was needed or required. 80% of the time, it was not. So when Nezu called him in for a meeting about an hour before he was to begin patrol and told him that his patrol was covered as this was going to take some time, he was less than happy.
When he entered the meeting room, he expected to see more people present, but it was Nezu, Vlad King, Power Loader, and All-Might.
"Good, please take a seat," Nezu said as he tapped a few keys on a control panel, and Aizawa heard the room seal and electronic hum. "I am about to tell you to be strictly kept between those in this room as you have all been vetted."
"What do you mean?" Vlad said, slightly defensive.
"We have a traitor within our walls," Nezu said, silencing the group. "While, as of now, one of the traitors has been identified as a student in the hero course, there is a possible second student in the Support Course or otherwise. There is also a possibility that a faculty member has been compromised."
Nezu handed out a report, "The traitor has been identified as Yuga Aoyama, within an agreeable amount of certainty. This information was obtained from the analysis of the USJ incident provided by Izuku Midoriya. He has agreed to keep this information within his circle, and I trust that, for now, they will keep it to themselves."
Aizawa read the transcript and analysis, "How certain are we about this conversation transcript?"
"78%," Nezu said. "After receiving this report, I correlated all the information that Midoriya provided against our own and found that his conclusions were correct."
"Do we know why Young Aoyama would do such a thing?" All-Might said, his mind drifting to the bridge.
"No, as of now, we are not sure of his reasoning or allegiance; we do not know if this has any ties to the League of Villains or to the other entities that were present and attempted to kidnap Midoriya or Yaoyorozu. Or if he has a connection to the groups that attack their parents. While both groups seem unaligned, they may be part of a bigger whole."
"You mentioned the possibility of more traitors," Power Loader said. "You believe that there is one possibly present in 1-B, but you believe that it is more likely that they are a member of the Support Course."
"That is correct," Nezu said. "Do you have any suspicions?"
"None," Power Loader replied. "I have not seen or heard of any ill interactions between any member of the support course and Hatsume or Midoriya, not at least in the first years. They all seem to get along and are very supportive of each other. If the motivation is jealousy, then I don't see it."
"What about financial?" Aizawa said, not looking up.
"That is always a possibility," Power Loader said. "But the same can be said for any number of students."
"He is not wrong," Vlad said. "I can think of two in my class alone that financial motivation could be used, but I find it hard to believe that any of them could be traitors."
"I would have said the same thing before this report," Aizawa said. "Aoyama has given no indication of such a thing."
"I am surprised that Young Midoriya did not take drastic measures," All-Might said, trying to keep his anger in check as he thought of the attack on I-Island, what the kids had suffered through, what his niece had suffered.
"He admitted he was about to do so but knew that would not be a good course of action for him to take. Instead, he reached out to me and presented his findings," Nezu replied.
"Should there be concern?" Vlad asked.
"Mr. Midoriya and his group are the victims of a second attack made against them," Nezu said. "The first attack nearly cost some of them their lives and cost Mr. Midoriya his hand. This second attack nearly did the same. Since the first attack, they have been working on ways to prevent such a thing from happening again, and for it to happen within the walls of the U.A. is rage-inducing."
"Are we going to take action?" Aizawa said.
"As of now, we are going to continue as normal," Nezu said. "We need to find the other traitors and discern who Aoyama is working for and to what ends. Is he just after Midoriya and Yaoyorozu, or is there more to this? If we can learn that information, we can use him to funnel false leads to his benefactors and bring them to justice."
"I don't like it," Aizawa said, a tinge of anger in his voice. "It makes me sick, to be honest."
"As well it should," All-Might said. "But if we move on, Young Aoyama, it could make the other traitor or traitors go deeper or tip them off, causing them to flee before we can find out who they are working for. For the safety of those in the hero course and the Support Course, we need to ferrate out all the traitors."
"I hate to agree, but All-Might is right," Vlad said. "We must keep all our students safe, which means we must do a little dance. Then I am all for it."
"As more of the faculty and staff are cleared, I will provide the necessary updates, but until then, we keep this close to the vest gentleman," Nezu said.
"What about Hound Dog and Midnight?" Aizawa said. "My class is going through evaluations now should they not be brought in."
"I will fill them in once they have been cleared," Nezu said. "If all goes well, that should be by morning until I tell you otherwise."
Nezu then began to present all the information that had been gathered allowing those present to understand his conclusions.
As the group left the room except All-Might, Aizawa found himself lost in thought; the very idea that there was even a remote possibility that he couldn't trust Midnight or Mic was insane to him. He trusted them with his life any day of the week and twice on Sunday. He knew they would be cleared, but until then, it was necessary to be weary of everyone.
Heading Things off at the Pass
Vlad King walked into his class as his students sat quietly in their seats, ready for the day to begin.
"It has come to my attention that some of you have this notion of the incident at the USJ, and the danger that Class 1-A endured has been blown out of proportion," Vlad said. "I understand that there is some sort of weird jealousy that their names have been mentioned in the press, and a spotlight is shining on them. I want to make this perfectly clear, they did not ask for this, they did not want this, and I will bet you everything I have that if you asked any one of them, they would gladly have had a nice and quiet session at the USJ."
Some members of the class began to fidget. "The injuries that were suffered were life-threatening in some cases; the trauma endured is life-changing. Not only were members of Class 1-A hospitalized, with some members requiring multiple emergency surgeries, but those two members of the Support course that joined us for training yesterday also nearly lost their lives."
"Somewhere along the line, the field of heroics became a game of popularity," Vlad continued. "Of putting someone else down to prop yourself up. That is not what heroics is about; it is about going out there and risking your life to save others, being willing to put everything on the line so that someone you never meet gets to go home at the end of the day."
"I am not going to stand here as some petty and ignorant ideas take root in your heads that somehow 1-A wanted this to happen, or they are basking in the glory of this incident," Vlad said, staring at his class. "Any sort of foolishness will not be tolerated, and should any of you decide to, I don't know," Vlad waived his hand in the air. "Declare war."
Neito involuntarily flinched, as did a few others, "Not only will you find yourselves suspended, but you will not find yourselves participating in the Sports Festival. "If somehow becoming famous is worth almost losing your life or losing the life of your classmate, then please come see me so I can remove you from the Hero Course, as you obviously do not belong. If you want to make a name for yourself, you want to get noticed, and then you go to the sports festival and do so. Now, are there any questions?"
Niren raised his hand, "Why are those two members of the support course training with the hero course?" Other members of the class nodded their heads.
"Years ago, there were not only heroes as we know them but another class called Champions," Vlad said. "Champions did not have quirks that we would associate with a Hero; they had quirks that led them to inventions and technology. They were in the field along with heroes providing aid and support; as quirks continued to evolve, these individuals would become what we now know as Support Engineers."
"So those two are going to be in the field?" Neito said, shocked. "How will they be able to defend themselves and not be a liability?"
"Their inventions," Vlad said. "Most of you are aware of Melissa Shield in class 1-A?" The class nodded. "As you have heard, she is quirkless; her support gear, or power armor that she uses, was partly created by her and those two Support Course students. Not by her father, not by some corporation, but by those them alone."
"That is impossible!" Togaru said.
"Is it?" Vlad said. "You are in a class where one of your classmates can copy your quirk. Where another can teleport through shadows. Another can reduce the hardest metals to mush, and another can use onomatopoeia to devastating effects. Now, would you like to tell me what is impossible?"
The class was silent. "You are in a unique opportunity, if you are lucky, once in a generation, hell once in several generations, does one inventor, let alone two, come along that will change the world. I am telling you that those two are the ones you have been waiting for. During the break, ask your classmates why they signed up for contact with them. Now let's talk about the Sports Festival."
Class 1-A
"I understand from the reports that everything went well with your counselor meetings, and those meetings will continue throughout the week and possibly last longer," Aizawa said. "U.A. has decided that the Sports Festival will continue as planned."
"But sir, the villain attack!" Mineta said, jumping to his feet.
"I understand your concern, Mr. Minoru," Aizawa said. "Security will be increased, and there will be a much larger hero presence for the first year's Festival than ever due to the attack at the USJ. Your names and faces, as you are aware, have been splashed all over the media since word of the attack was released. That will mean that there will be more eyes on you and the Sports Festival than ever before. While this is nowhere near an ideal situation, there is something positive to take away."
"And that is?" Mineta said, slumping back into his seat.
"The opportunity for higher quality internship offers and the chance to make a larger impression upon the community," Aizawa said. "You have three chances to make a name for yourself before you graduate; this is a chance to do so like no other class has. The villains at the USJ sought to bring terror, and they did. To continue to allow them to do so will mean that they win. Also, there is the opportunity for those in General Studies to earn their way into one of these seats or into 1-B."
"We may lose our chairs?" Sero stammered out. "How is that even fair?"
"It isn't, but then again, neither is life," Aizawa said. "If you all haven't experienced that already, then you did at the USJ. That is why you must complete your counseling sessions to be cleared. Those not cleared will sit out at the Sports Festival, but you will not be removed from the hero course. Not due to the results of the Festival."
"But we can later?" Sero said.
"Sadly, yes," Aizawa said. "Everyone processes trauma at different levels and in their own time. It can take days, weeks, months, or years. There is nothing wrong with that. But we cannot hold your chair for months or years. Nothing is wrong, and doesn't weaken you if you need to step away for a while. What you experienced is unprecedented. Nothing like USJ has ever happened before, and it would have been traumatizing for professional heroes. Third Years, you are all first years in your first week!"
"But time waits for no one," Momo said.
"Exactly, Yaoyorozu," Aizawa replied. "Also, Mei Hatsume and Izuku Midoriya will be joining from time to time in your heroic training and some of the heroic classes."
"Why the hell are those two nerds going to be there?" Bakugo shouted.
"First, Mr. Bakugo, we are going to address the situation from the bus," Aizawa said. "Second, as all of you know, during the USJ, those two deployed some of their inventions to aid us. That requires them to obtain special licensing, and the Principal, Vlad King, and I fully support this course of action. I know some of you are close to them, so please offer them any assistance they need to catch up as they will still be responsible for their work in the Support Course."
At least I will get to put Deku in his place,Bakugo this won't be so bad.
Support Course
"The first event of the Sports Festival is normally some kind of race that will allow students to bow out gracefully as the main focus of day one is on those with Heroic aspirations," Power Loader said. "On day two, the focus shifts to product demonstrations and presentations for the Support and Business Courses."
"Those of you who wish to make a run during day one are allowed to bring three of your own inventions into each event," Power Loader continued. "All your inventions must be submitted 5 days before the Festival for approval; your submissions for demonstrations can be worked on up to the day before the Festival. I highly advise you not to wait that long to ensure your product works." The class laughed. "With that, up until the festival, your workshop time will be yours to work on your projects, provided they have been approved."
Mei, Washu, Youshito, Hotaka, and Ryo approached Power Loader for their submittals before returning to their seats.
Izuku was at his desk with a drafting sheet; he knew the hard light shield would be a must, maybe the sick stick for later events. Still, he needed mobility, especially if the first test was some sort of race. A sly smile crossed his !He thought.
After School
Fortunately, Mei and Izuku did not have to train with the hero course, but that did not mean they were let off scot-free. Instead, their girlfriends and friends were too eager to take them and work out independently in preparation for the sports festival. Tenya was keen to help them with their combat training as well.
"So why do you guys have to train with the hero course?" Denki said as he took a seat next to Izuku.
"Our robots," Izuku replied, taking a drink of water. "We need the certification to deploy them in the field or use them for self-defense."
"OH, "was all Denki could say. "Do you two plan on going into the field?"
"I didn't," Izuku said. "But now that thought process has changed. I don't see myself being in the field but more of the man in the chair, but I could see scenarios where my presence there could be beneficial. Mei, on the other hand, I can see her out there."
"Doesn't that worry you? I mean, they are your girlfriends," Denki said. "Don't you want to be out there protecting them?"
"I am better served by creating things to do just that," Izuku said. "Melissa and Momo are more than capable of taking care of themselves; my job is to provide anything they need to aid in that task." Izuku paused, "I believe everyone has a role to play."
"How so?" Denki replied.
"Not everyone is cut out to be a general," Izuku replied. "Not everyone is meant to be a leader; some people have that vision, others lack it."
"And you are a general?" Denki pressed.
"No, I see myself as a futurist," Izuku responded. "I look at the future and am mapping out how to get to what I see. I want to change the world, not just by fighting villains, but by improving the world to where there will be no need for a villain or even heroes."
"How would that even be possible?" Denki said as they walked over to do their next set of exercises.
"There will always be evil villains; some just are," Izuku said. "But others were pushed into that life via circumstance, lack of aid, or poor choices. If we can eliminate those factors, we can eliminate the number of villains doing it to survive."
"Less Villains equals less Heroes," Denki said. "How would you do that?"
"First, it is making heroes' jobs safer and easier, not just heroes but the police as well," Izuku said. "If the police could be outfitted in such a way that they could handle most of the villain calls, that would cut down on property damage and civilian casualties."
"A villain knows they can commit a crime and that the police who are more than likely to be closer to respond but they can't stop the villain, then, will commit the crime, cause havoc until a hero arrives on the scene," Denki said as he spotted Izuku for the bench press.
"That is assuming the hero responding can stop the villain," Izuku said. "But if we can make it so the police and responding heroes are better outfitted to respond, then that could make the villain reconsider their course of action as their chances of getting caught have increased dramatically," Izuku said as they switched places.
"And if you can eliminate those villains doing this just to eat or try to survive, then that would leave the more hardcore criminals," Denki said before lifting the barbell.
"Essentially," Izuku said. "That is where the better-outfitted police and heroes come in. I am not dumb enough to believe that there still won't be those out there who don't want to work and will just try to take but for those who just want that chance. Human nature being what it is."
"Do you think it will work?" Denki said, sitting up and wiping off his sweat.
"Maybe not in my lifetime; it will take generations to fully take hold," Izuku said. "Change takes time, but if I want to get that ball rolling, maybe if I am lucky, my kids will inherit a much more peaceful and safer world."
"So, hence the Futurist?" Denki smirked.
Bakugo
Katsuki Bakugo was in a foul mood, unlike the normal. Still, he was even more angry than normal. He just emerged from Aizawa's office, where he was informed of his 1-week detention for what had happened on the bus and an official letter of reprimand that would be placed in his file that would stay in place should he commit any sort of future infraction between now and the end of the year.
Katsuki Bakugo was fuming positively; everything since he applied to the U.A. had been going wrong. He had not garnered the highest score in the written exam; it was annoying but something he could rectify. Then he didn't score the highest in the Practical Exam due to some bullshit about Hero Points. All that mattered was defeating the villain, winning, and being the absolute best. Instead, this unimportant aspect caused him to be robbed of his rightful place as the top scorer.
Instead, that had gone to some quirkless nobody who had managed to run around as a cosplay. Some stupid cosplay that actually made other idiots believe that she belonged not just in the U.A. but in the hero course itself. In his class, nonetheless.
To complicate matters, this cosplay had been created by Deku, of all people, some little bug who at least had the common sense to not even try and pretend to be a hero but should have just been happy creating his gauntlets and whatever little trinkets he and that other loser Goggles thought of.
How could anyone look at that Quirkless loser and believe she could even dare to be a hero. Without her little cosplay, she was nothing, useless or a liability. How would she keep anyone safe when she wasn't all dressed up. There was no chance; anyone relying on some fancy get-up to be a hero was a waste of space. A true hero didn't need any sort of bullshit; all they needed was their quirk and force of will. Now, Deku and Goggles would take up even more air by training with the Hero Course. It was absolute madness and had to be stopped; he needed to be one to bring reality back into view and pull all these other idiots' heads out of their asses.
In fact, he was going to start right now; he didn't need any stupid toys. Deku wanted to do cosplay, but when it failed, he would land right where he belonged in the gutter. Katsuki Bakugo would have those stupid Gauntlets removed from his hero costume. Then Deku would have nothing to use as a claim to kind of inventor makes a stupid washing machine!
Hero Training with 1-A
"Hey man, where are your gauntlets?" Eijiro said as they were in the locker room getting dressed.
"I don't need to do those stupid things," Bakugo growled as he glared at Izuku, who was changing into the U.A. athletic uniform. "A real hero doesn't need stupid cosplay bullshit."
Izuku just rolled his eyes; after dressing, he went to the training area, where he was the first to arrive.
"Greetings, Young Midoriya," All-Might said as he walked over. "Have you given some thought to your hero costume?"
"Some are still working out the final details, but the problem is deciding what to carry," Izuku replied sheepishly. "I will just use my Sick Stick and Hard Light Shield. I am working on a blaster for range." All-Might raised an eyebrow. "Stun setting."
"As long as it is approved, then I will see no issue," All-Might said. "How are you doing young Midoriya?" All-Might said, leaning in.
"A bit of a struggle, to be honest," Izuku replied after a pause. "The USJ, the attack on our families, the traitor, Sports Festival and Champion certification."
"It is quite a bit to shoulder," All-Might said, placing his hand on the young man's shoulder. "But you and the others are carrying it well; I look forward to what the bridge analysis reveals."
"I am as well," Izuku replied. "I read the report from Recovery Girl, and your organs seem to be doing great."
"They are," All-Might beamed. "I still can't thank you enough for this second lease you have given me."
"No thanks are necessary, All-Might; helping you led to helping Momo and soon thousands, if not millions, of people worldwide," Izuku smiled. "Fate is a strange thing. I have decided that while I may not understand it, I don't want to question it."
"Fate?" All-Might questioned.
"Fate. Mom told me I could help more people as an inventor. If I hadn't gotten lost on my way home, I may never have met Mei until U.A. Not meeting Me, who is to say I would have invented something that led me to I-Island, then to Melissa. That led to David learning what my quirk truly is, that led to you coming to us that night…" Izuku shrugged. "I may not like everything around me, but I don't believe fate has brought me this far for no reason."
"An interesting way of looking at it," All-Might said. "I have always marveled at the seemingly infinite number of random decisions that have brought us here. It sometimes is just as simple as turning left instead of right."
"Hence, Fate," Izuku laughed. "I was wondering if you know Mt. Lady?"
"Not personally. Why?" All-Might wondered.
"I think I would like to approach her about signing with Junkyard Support, not only for the costume aspect but also because I noticed something while watching a news report," Izuku replied.
"What was that?" All-Might said.
"I don't think she can control her size change," Izuku said. "It thinks it as an all or nothing; it leads to her causing more property damage than necessary sometimes or prevents her from being able to step in and help."
"You believe you can help her with that?" All-Might said, Izuku just raised an eyebrow. All-Might burst out laughing, "Forgot who I was talking with." They were laughing as the class emerged from the locker rooms. "Join up with the class, and I will see what I can do."
"Where are Bakugo's gauntlets?" Mei whispered.
"He apparently doesn't need any toys to be a hero," Izuku replied.
"What an idiot," Mei said, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, his quirk is strong, but those Gauntlets give him that extra when he needs it."
"His choice, honestly kind of glad," Izuku said. "After the bus, it annoyed me knowing he had something of mine helping him to be an asshole."
"You know he will use this as an opportunity to come after you, right?" Mei said eyebrow raised.
"I am sure," Izuku replied. "Maybe I can beat some sense into him, but if Tenya doesn't have much luck, I doubt I will either."
"What are you two whispering about?" Toru said, bouncing over.
"If it is possible to beat change into blockhead," Mei responded.
"I don't think so," Toru said quizzically. "But you could change its shape, though." Toru was confused when Mei and Izuku began to laugh.
For hero training, much to Bakugo's dismay, it was not combat training as it was focused on pursuit and apprehension against All-Might.
Ochaco
Ochaco would receive daily updates on her account balance; seeing a healthy balance in her account after the satellite launch still made her feel like it was some sort of dream. She kept waiting for the balance to drop or to hear from her parents how the money had disappeared. Instead, after she had talked to her mother, she received a call from her father. All her father could say was that he loved her, and she could only respond the same way. They were coming to town this weekend and wanted to see her.
The immediate thought of how it would be too expensive died on her lips, as now that wasn't a worry. Ochaco sat in her room, staring at her bare closet. It was not empty, but it had the essentials, nothing extra besides her U.A. uniform, new shoes her mother had forced her to take, and a new book bag. New clothes were a luxury for Ochaco; she would insist on buying at thrift stores, saying she was into the vintage look. She would receive one or two new pieces of clothing on her birthday or Christmas. She would cherish these things as she understood how much they meant.
Would it be wrong to buy a few more things?Ochaco thought, staring at her balance and then her new clothes and undergarments would be nice. Something that may last longer. Ochaco looked at her bras and sighed; they were nothing like what the other girls wore.
It would be nice to have something to wear, now that I can afford to go out.
A knock at the door pulled her back. As she opened it, she saw Tenya standing there. "Hello, Tenya."
"Hello, Ochaco; dinner is ready," Tenya smiled. "Is everything okay? Do you look contemplative?"
"I am still adjusting to what happened," Ochaco blushed.
"I can imagine that it can be hard," Tenya said as they walked down the hall. "But what you were able to do for not just you but for your family is something to be proud of."
"But if they didn't need a satellite," Ochaco countered.
"But they did," Tenya said. "And you were able to provide them a service that no one else could. You could look at it as fate. Now, with them joining us for training, you can help them in your own way."
"You're right, thank you," Ochaco said, her mood lifting. "What would you do if you were me?"
"My family has always had money," Tenya said. "So I never wanted for things." Ochaco felt her shoulders slump. "But it never felt right asking for things I didn't need, clothes or things of that nature. Anything else I wouldn't ask for."
Ochaco tilted her head as he spoke, "So I asked my brother to put me to work, I wanted to earn my own money."
"What is it that you wanted?" Ochaco wondered.
Tenya blushed, "The latest Gamestation. I enjoy playing video games occasionally; it is relaxing and a good way to clear my mind at the end of the day."
"Did he? Your brother, I mean. Put you to work," Ochaco said with a smile.
"Yes," Tenya said. "While I will gain access to my family's money at some point, I don't want that to be my legacy. A true man forges his path. Yes, I was born with an advantage, but I refuse to rest on those advantages. My brother is the same way; he is my inspiration." Tenya smiled. "If I were you, I would buy myself some essentials that I need that I may have ignored, but I would also buy myself something special. Something that I had been wanting or thought was a dream."
"That sounds like a great idea," Ochaco said, a spring returning to her step.
Tenya, still blushing, "I may not know anything about fashion, but I have strong legs and arms to carry your bags. I can accompany you to the mall this weekend."
Ochaco blushed, her gaze down. "That sounds nice."
The two of them entering the common room, both blushing, did not go unnoticed by Toru nor Mina, whose shipping sense began to tingle even harder than before.
Bridge
Melissa sat with All-Might in the design room Friday evening as they went over the date from the bridge, all the reports, and different resources Hephaestus had been able to access, All-Might had the decency not to ask if it was all legal.
"From all the reports, Uncle Might, this was a targeted attack aimed directly at you," Melissa said.
" I can see that," All-Might responded. "Their whole intention was to keep me from the school and the USJ. When it seemed like I was able to break away, they caused more damage, forcing me to stay longer. It was only after the attack at the USJ seemed lost that I was able to finally break away."
"Do you know who could have done such a thing?" Melissa said.
"The individual villains, no, but who could have coordinated everything that could only be one person," All-Might said, rubbing his eyebrows. "I had my suspicions when thinking about the Bridge collapse, but when I learned of the Nomu, I knew."
"Who?" Melissa pressed.
"All For One," All-Might said.
"Who or what is All for One?" Melissa asked.
"First, let me tell you that I love you so much, Melissa, but we are more alike than you could ever have guessed?" Melissa looked puzzled. "You and I are both quirkless."
Melissa went from puzzled to dumbfounded, "Okay, did you hit your head?"
"I was born quirkless, the same as you, and the same as you. I wasn't about to let that stop me from being a hero," All-Might said. "Worked out and took the streets armed with a bat and desire to make things better. The world was different; villains ran rampant, taking over whole city blocks. Heroes were fighting and dying in the streets, trying to take things back."
"Then one day I met my mentor Nana Shimura, AKA Sky Gal, and she changed my life," All-Might pulled up a photo on his phone. "You see, Nana was born with a quirk called float; later in her life, she received a second quirk."
"A second quirk?" Melissa said. "How is that even possible?"
"You see this quirk is transferable," All-Might said; it was painful as he watched the look of comprehension and pain cross Melissa's face. "A transferable quirk that is called One for All."
Melissa pushed down the pain, "All for One. One for All? Are they related somehow?"
"Related, intertwined, in fact, One for All would not exist without All for One," All-Might said. "All for One has been around since the early days of quirks; his quirk is the ability to steal the quirks of others."
"Not copy but take them?" Melissa said, a bit of fear in her voice.
"Yes. In his time, it was about power; power was all that mattered and someone who could steal the quirks of others and use them, gift them to another, was a mighty man to be feared. But he had a brother, a brother he believed to be quirkless," All-Might continued. "All For One couldn't stand this fact, so he forced a quirk upon his brother, a Stockpiling quirk. It would Stockpile energy, over making someone stronger."
Melissa glanced at her Uncle's muscles and thought about his immense strength. "What All For One didn't know is that his brother was not quirkless; his quirk allowed him to pass on quirks to another, but it had to be voluntary. When Stockpile met with this quirk, the two quirks merged and became what the brother would call One for All. He rebelled against his evil brother, escaped, and All For One has been chasing One for All ever since."
"What happened?" Melissa said.
"It was passed down from one person to another, strengthening and empowering that person's quirk. When she inherited One for All, Nana could now fly, not just float," All-Might said. "When I inherited it, as I had no quirk, I was able to tap into all that energy that had been stockpiled over the years."
"Did you ever consider…passing it to me?" Melissa said after a pause. She couldn't stop thinking of how long she had dreamed of being a hero and how her Uncle, whom she loved, could have made that reality. Long before she ever met Izuku and Mei. Melissa paused, thinking about them. Then, there would be no armor, no creation pit, and all the things that would not have come to pass had they not met. Had Mei and Izuku not agreed to help her chase her dreams.
"Yes," All-Might said quickly. "The day I learned you were quirkless, how much I saw that drive within you to be a hero. But I promised your father that I wouldn't."
"Why would he make you promise such a thing?" Melissa said, trying to sort through all the emotions running through her.
"Your father knew the truth about One for All and All for One," All-Might said. "No bearer of One for All lived and died of natural causes; they were all hunted down and murdered by All for One, including my mentor and her mentor before her. As much as I wanted to help you fulfill your dream, I had given my word to David. When I learned you would still be a quirkless hero, I had to say I was never more proud."
"You were?" Melissa responded.
"You had found a way to make your dream come true, to do something that no one else in the world had ever done before," All-Might said, taking her hand. "Seeing you and your friends work so hard was beautiful."
"I don't know what to say," Melissa said, breaking the silence. "In some way, I wish you had chosen me, then I could be your successor. But knowing the truth, in a way, I am. If you had passed me One for All, would I have met Izuku and Mei, or would we have bonded over the years as they helped me chase my dream. Would I trade them for One for All?"
"Would you?" All-Might said. "Would you trade them and Momo for a quirk?"
"No," Melissa said. "I am fulfilling my dream, different from everyone else, but I am. I couldn't have done it without them, and I don't want to think of a world where I don't have them." Melissa paused, "Wait, was that who injured you?"
All-Might nodded, "It was. I thought I had killed him, but now I know that I was wrong."
"What are you going to do now?" Melissa said.
"I am going to do what I can to stop him once and for all," All-Might said. "But this time, I will pass one One for All before that. When I came to you on the Island, I was dying and trying to find a successor. You and your friends gave me a second lease on life, and I do not want to make the same mistake again."
"But if you pass it on…" Melissa's voice trailed off.
"Do not fret, Melissa," All-Might squeezed her hand. "I will still be able to be the Symbol of Peace for many years. Nana could still tap into the power for years before her death. This way, I can train my inheritor and you as well."
"Momo," Melissa said. "You want to pass One for All to Momo."
"I do. Are you okay with that?" All-Might said.
"Part of me wishes it was me," Melissa answered honestly. "But you made a promise to my father, and I am forging my own path. I am scared that All For One will come after her, but I cannot let fear rule my actions. If you believe Momo is the right choice, and if she accepts, I will stand by her."
"Are you upset?" All-Might said, pulling her into a hug.
"No. The fact that you wanted to choose me is enough," Melissa said. "The fact that I get to be with you now like this is enough. I love you, Uncle Might."
"I love you too, Melissa."
Meeting with the Parents
The Hatsumes and Inko were very impressed by their children's living conditions but not as much when they were told about the Champion program. Inko was especially worried, thinking of not only Izuku going into the field but Mei as well. Inko thought of Mei as her daughter, and for years, the thought of them risking their lives made her heart do backflips in her chest. Hana was in the same boat.
Daiki was on the fence as he pressed his children for clarification. "The security bots," Mei said. "All of them, Iron Giant, the Ravage and Laser Beaks, and what we had to use during the attack."
"We can't deploy them in the field for rescue, not even for ourselves, without facing legal ramifications," Izuku said. "Nezu was able to cover for us this time, and we had a certain amount of leeway with the attack at home, but we may not be so lucky next time. This way, everything is nice and legal."
"What did you use at the USJ?" Inko said.
"Hephaestus summon the Royal Guard and some of the Swarm for demonstration purposes," Mei called out.
"Yes, mother," Hephaestus responded, making the parents jump.
"He is the A.I. we created to run the creation pit," Izuku said, answering the unasked question. "He is integrated into the house."
When the Swarm emerged, needless to say, the parents were stunned into silence when they saw and "met" the Royal Guard. They had to take a seat. Mei then demonstrated the breakthrough regarding her dream of actual Transformers.
"Are you going to go into the field?" Hana said once she regained her voice.
"At times," Mei said, squatting before her mother. "I know my place is in the lab, but I don't want to just sit back and watch the two girls I love risk their lives. I want to be able to back them up, and there will be times when being in the field with them is the right call."
"Wait, two girls?" Daiki said.
"Momo and I started dating after the USJ," Mei said casually.
"What about you?" Inko said to Izuku.
"There will be times that being in the field is the right call," Izuku said. "I am better served to create the things to bring them home safe. I am doing this so I can deploy those things to ensure that and protect myself and those I love." Inko felt his arms slip around her. "As much as we wanted to dream that the attack on the Island was on or off, we know now that more forces are coming for us. And they are not just coming for Mei, Momo, Melissa, or me. They want to get to you three to get to us. I can't let that happen, Mom."
"I know, baby," Inko said, holding him tight. "After what you made for Melissa, I know that if you wanted to be the hero, I could do nothing to stop you. I know that the reason you are an inventor is because of my words that day."
"But you were/are right," Izuku said. "I can help more people doing what I am doing. I can help to change the world. Your words came from the right place, and I don't know where I would be without them. I love you, Mom. I promise to be as careful as possible, but I didn't want you blindsided by all of this."
"Ditto," Mei said.
"Sometimes a Hatsume has to get their hands dirty," Hana said, hugging Mei.
"Damn right!" Mei smirked, snuggling into the hug.
Ninth
Momo was on her way to the lab; she and Melissa had been planning to spend the weekend there. This week had been hectic with all the additional physical training, so she hadn't been able to indulge in her naughty side as much as she liked. But Melissa coming to her room at night helped with that need extraordinarily.
Momo had just returned from dinner with her parents; the topic of conversation had been the attack on the house and the attack at the USJ. Momo told her parents how she had been targeted once again, sparking anger in her mother and father. They discussed the attack on the Hatsumes. Inko and Momo revealed what they had learned about the two organizations that led the assaults.
Her parents, particularly her father, seemed very pleased that her relationship with Izuku and Melissa was going well and that Mei and she had also started dating. Her mother voiced concern about the entire arrangement, seemingly worried about Momo's happiness. Momo, for some reason, didn't tell them about the Champion program; she didn't understand why.
The attack on the estate had been intense. Still, the attackers could never break past the initial response by their security. Like the other attack, the Artificers seemed to be heavily technology-based, though they did not deploy any animal hybrids; unlike the Void Engineers, when these soldiers went down, they would collapse in on themselves when they went down. From her mother's description, the scary part was that the Artificers never made any sounds of pain or seemed to react to the attacks they suffered in any sort of emotional manner.
Further complicating the matter was when her father told her how they ran some analysis on what DNA they found. All the DNA came from the same source, which could not be identified beyond that of being human, with brown hair and eyes. No Sex or any other features could be identified.
As she approached the lab, she was curious, though, as Melissa asked her to meet her in the Design Room; when she entered, she was pleased to see Inko and the Hatsumes. She exchanged hugs with the mothers and stole a kiss from her lovers before absconding upstairs with Izuku's last piece of garlic bread, leaving him pouting.
"Honey, I am home," Momo said as the door opened; she was surprised when she saw All-Might sitting there. "I apologize, sir," Momo said, blushing and bowing.
"There is no need," All-Might said with a laugh.
"I can come back if I am interrupting something," Momo said, a bit unsure.
"No, we were waiting for you," Melissa said, taking Momo's hand. "Have a seat. There is something All-Might would like to talk to you about."
Momo, even more unsure, took a seat. "Do you know what my quirk is?" All-Might said, leaning forward.
"Not exactly. The speculation is some sort of physical enhancement," Momo replied. "You have never answered the question directly."
"That is very true, young Yaoyorozu," All-Might grinned. "You see, the answer to that question is I don't have a quirk. The quirk I have was given to me by my mentor, and now I would like to pass my quirk to you."
Momo was stunned. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but no words came out; she looked at Melissa. "Just listen," Melissa said, smiling.
"The quirk I inherited is called One for All, and it has been passed down eight times, and I would like you to be the ninth," All-Might said. "It all started with two brothers…"
