Issue #22: Ghost
The day after the exam, everyone was back in the classroom. Regular classes resumed again and the students were waiting to hear more information about the Training Camp that was coming up in a couple of weeks. Most were in high spirits after passing the practical exam. But then there were those that weren't in such high spirits.
"E-Everyone… I'm looking forward to hearing… All your stories… of how fun camp was…" Mina sobbed into Wade's chest as she hugged him tightly. Behind her were Kirishima, Kaminiari, and Sato. All of them looked rather miserable after failing to pass the practical exam. Now they were going to be left behind.
"Come on, don't cry," Wade said with a bright blush, rubbing her pink head. Trying to calm her down and cheer her up. "Maybe they'll end up letting you go! There might be a last-minute twist or something."
"Stop, Wade. By saying that out loud, you're just going to jinx them." Sero said, disheartened.
"If you have something better to say, then say it." Wade retorted while patting Mina's head and rubbing her back.
"They said whoever failed the exams would have to skip training camp and live in summer school hell. We didn't pass the practicals, so we're doomed." Kaminari said with his head, looking especially miserable. "Don't you get it, Wade?! Or did All Might knock all the brains outta you?!" He then turned around and pointed Wade in both of his eyes.
"OW! MY EYE!" Wade yelled in pain.
"Ease up, Kaminari." Sero said as Wade covered his eyes and withered in pain. "I'm not sure I'll be able to go, either. Our team only passed thanks to Mineta. I got knocked out, and since we don't know how they're scoring stuff, I might have flunked." Mineta was looking rather proud of himself behind Sero.
"At least bring us back lots of camp souvenirs, please!?" Kaminari yelled while crying.
Just then, the classroom door opened, revealing Mr. Aizawa. "Once the bell rings you should be in your seats." He said in an authoritative tone.
Immediately, everyone was in their seats with their mouths shut. With order restored, their teacher walked over to the podium.
"Morning. Unfortunately, there are a few of you who did not pass the final exams. So, when it comes to the training camp in the woods…"
He gave them all a creepy smile.
"Everyone is going!"
"IT'S THE LAST-MINUTE TWIST!" Yelled Kaminari, Mina, Sato, and Kirishima in relief and joy.
"Holy shit!" Wade exclaimed in shock.
"We really get to go to the camp?" Kirishima asked with a big grin.
"Seriously?" Mina asked with tears in her eyes.
"Yeah. The good news is that no one bombed the written exam. Five failed the practical badly." Aizawa informed the class, going back to his serious self. "Two teams, of course, and then Sero failed as well."
"Aw! Crap, I knew it!" Sero exclaimed in dismay. "Mineta made it to the gate, I didn't do near enough to pass."
"Allow me to explain," Aizawa said, raising his hand to silence the whole class. "For the practical battles, the teachers made sure to leave a way for the students to win. Otherwise, you never would have stood a chance. We were interested in observing how you each worked together and approached the task at hand."
"But didn't you promise that the teachers wouldn't be holding back?" Ojiro asked, confused.
"That was just to get you on edge," Aizawa said. "Besides, the training camp will focus on building your strength. Those who failed need those lessons the most. We were never going to separate you." He smiled that creepy smile again. "That was just a logical deception we used."
"A LOGICAL DECEPTION?!" The students yelled, utterly in disbelief.
"He tricked us all! I should have expected this!" Iida belittled himself, seething in anger. No longer able to contain himself, he shot up from his desk with his arm raised. "Mr. Aizawa, this is the second time you've lied to us! Aren't you afraid we'll lose faith in you?!"
"Uh, a little blunt there, Tenya." Ochaco giggled.
"That's a good point. I'll consider it. But I wasn't lying to you about everything," Aizawa said, before looking at those that failed. "Failure is failure. We've prepared extra lessons for the five of you. Frankly, they'll be far tougher than what you'd face at summer school."
That damped their moods.
It was the end of the school day, and everyone was getting ready to go home.
"This is gonna be great," Ojiro said as he held up one of the pamphlets for the training camp. "I'm so glad we're all going together."
"Looks like we'll be at the training camp a full week," Iida said, looking at his pamphlet as Wade looked at it with him.
"I've gotta find a bigger suitcase then," Wade said. The ones that he had weren't big enough for how long they were going to be staying.
"Yeah, I don't even have a bathing suit. Guess I need to buy some stuff," Kaminari replied.
"Like night-vision goggles!" Mineta called out.
"Guys, since we're off tomorrow and we finally finished exams, I have the best idea!" Hagakure proclaimed with excitement. "Why doesn't Class 1-A go shopping together!"
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Kaminari exclaimed as a grin appeared on his face. "We've never hung out as a class before!"
"Bakugo, see you there, right?!" Kirishima asked the ash blonde as Bakugo got up and started walking towards the door.
"I can't think of anything more annoying." He grumbled with his eyes closed.
Wade walked up to Todoroki as he too stood up from his seat. "What about you, Shoto? Wanna join the rest of us?" He asked.
"I'm afraid I'll have to pass. I'm going to visit my mom." He answered nonchalantly.
"Oh, well, say hey to her for me," Wade said.
"You party pooper!" Mineta yelled, popping into the scene. "Don't you ever get tired of being so serious?!"
The next day, the students of Class 1-A, with the exception of Todoroki and Bakugo, arrived at the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall.
"Oh, man, do I love this place!" Mina exclaimed as she hopped on her heels. They were now standing in the middle of the enormous mall. "It's got a ton of different stores to shop at, and they're all super cool and hip!"
"And it's not just that," Wade said as he looked around the mall in wonder. He saw Shoji looking at a tank top for people with multiple arms and Iida eying a pair of pants that could fit his legs. "They carry designed for all body types."
However, their presence didn't go unnoticed by some of the people around them. "Whoa! Aren't those UA students!?" Exclaimed one man, gaining the attention of everyone around. They turned towards the students and instantly recognized them.
"Hey! They're from the 1-A!"
"I saw 'em on TV!"
"The Sports Festival was so good!"
Ochaco laughed nervously as she saw a lot of onlookers. It was amazing just how many people remembered the matches. "I can't believe they still remember that." She said, feeling more than embarrassed at the fact that they witnessed her defeat on TV.
Jiro stood behind Momo before placing her hand on her shoulder. "I wanna track down a new duffle bag to bring to summer training." The punk-rock girl said to her friend.
"Oh, yeah? Maybe the two of us should browse together." Momo offered with a smile.
"Let's see, where can I get a lockpicking kit and a small drill," Mineta said as he looked around the plaza.
Wade looked at him with a frown. Lord knows what the little pervert planned to do with those items.
"Guess I should probably buy some outdoorsy shoes for this thing." Kaminari said to Hagakure.
"Oh, that's smart, me too!" She replied while bouncing excitedly.
"The guide said that your shoes should already be broken in though!" Iida yelled, literally jumping into the conversation. But then he thought for a moment as Wade and Ochaco stared at him with exasperated expressions. "But wait, perhaps it's a mistake to not factor utility into the equation."
"So, then, why don't we split up and look around and meet back here when we're done," Wade suggested.
"I'm down with that!" Kirishima agreed with a grin.
"Great idea!" Mina exclaimed while nodding with her head.
"Alright, then we're rendezvous back here at around three," Wade said, pointing to the clock.
"Sounds good!"
The students then proceeded to go towards their destinations and broke into different groups. Each group went to find similar things they needed for their trip to the camp. However, the only ones that didn't have a group were Wade and Ochaco.
He turned to his brunette crush and smiled. "Well, looks like it's the two of us." He said.
"Yeah..." She remarked, trying to look away to hide the blush on her face.
"So, what are you gonna shop for today?" He asked, trying to come up with some activity so he could spend some fun time with her. "I'm going to get a new duffle bag."
"I mostly just need some bug spray." She said while thinking what else she could need, but before she said anything else, her mind suddenly flashed back to what Aoyama said.
"You, Yaoyorozu, and Ashido think about him a lot. Is it...because you're in love with him?"
"Yep...GOTTA KEEP THOSE PESTS AWAY!" Ochaco yelled out as she ran away from Wade, trying to put as much distance between herself and the Spider-Man as possible. Her face was bright red with embarrassment.
"Oh, come on! You're not talking about me, right!?" Wade yelled, pointing to himself as he watched Ochaco run away from him.
'You're so stupid, Aoyama!' Ochaco said in her head as she ran away with a noticeable blush on her flash. 'That's not it at all! I don't think…'
As she ran, Ochaco got the attention of Momo and Mina. The two girls were in the same group shopping together and were standing outside of a shop when they saw their friend running away. The two looked at each other, confused. Why was Ochaco running? Figuring that something was wrong, Momo and Mina decided to follow after her.
Back at Wade, the young man sighed. "We came together as a class, and yet I'm all alone… When did it all go wrong?" He grumbled, standing alone as people walked past him.
"Oh, it's someone from UA, nice." said someone nearby. Wade looked around to see where the voice was coming from. "I want an autograph."
That's when a person wearing a dark sweater with the hood up walked up to the young man. He got up close to Wade and placed his arm around his shoulder. "You were the one who won the Sports Festival, right?"
"Uh, yeah…" Wade replied. Feeling very uncomfortable, as the stranger was invading his personal space.
"And around you one of the students that ran into the Hero Killer in the Hosu incident, too? You're the one that kicked Stain's feet out from under him, right? You're practically famous," said the stranger, seeming unaware of how uncomfortable he was making Wade.
"Yeah, you sure do know a lot, stranger." Wade said nervously as he tried to pull away from his grasp, but the hooded man had a strong grip. What was with this guy?
"What can I say? I'm just a big fan of yours. I can't believe I'm running into you again." The man said, causing Wade's eyes to widen. Again? What was he talking about? And who did he sound so familiar with? He's heard his voice before. But where? "It makes me think that it might not be a coincidence. No, no. This feels like its destiny."
The man clasped his hand around Wade's neck gently. All but his middle finger wrapped around him as Wade froze up.
That's when he recognized his voice. But it couldn't be. Why him? Why now?
"Oh, right. From your point of view, we haven't met since the attack on UA." The man said, as Wade slowly turned towards him. That's when the guy lifted his head and gave the young hero a good look at his face.
Without his hand mask, Shigaraki stared into Wade's sea-green eyes with his red eyes with a creepy smile.
"Why don't we spend some time catching up? Wade Walker."
"Tomura...Shigaraki!" Wade growled.
"Ochaco, wait!" Momo called out, getting the brunette to stop. Ochaco turned to see Momo and Mina running over to her. Seeing them with Aoyama's words still playing in her head made Ochaco's blush remain on her cheeks.
"Are you okay?" The raven-haired asked with a look of concern.
"Yeah, you looked like you were running away from something," Mina commented, tilting her head with curiosity in her eyes.
"Y-Yeah! I'm fine! I was just… trying to run away from Wade- I MEAN get Wade spray- I MEAN...uh…" Ochaco trailed, too embarrassed to properly formulate a sentence.
Momo and Mina looked at her with confused looks. "So, you ran away from Wade." The pink girl asked, having picked that up from their friend's rambling. "Why?"
As Ochaco stared at them with blushing hot red cheeks, her head kept playing back what Aoyama said. She did have a crush on Wade, but did her friends also like him as she did? Wade did spend a lot of time with them, so it was possible for them to grow certain feelings for the boy with the Spider-Quirk. But she had to be sure.
"Actually, can I ask you girls something?" She asked somewhat timidly. "It has something to do with Wade."
Momo and Mina nodded their heads, wondering what she had to say.
Taking a deep breath, Ochaco worked up the courage to finally ask; "Do you two have a crush on Wade?"
"How do you know!" Momo and Mina suddenly asked loudly, simultaneously. Unfortunately, they said it too loud. They looked around, they saw some people looking at them because of their sudden outburst, before returning back to their daily lives.
The three girls looked at one another with wide eyes. The secret was out, and they now knew that they all had a crush on their crush. Normally, when high school girls learn about something like this, they'd freak out, argue, fight, and possibly never speak to each other again. But they weren't like other girls. They were heroes in training. They've faced death before and worked together. They were best friends.
Being the most level-headed of the three, Momo cleared her throat. "Maybe...we should sit down and talk."
"Act natural. Don't make a scene. I'm just an old friend who ran into you at the mall." Shigaraki whispered as Wade glared at him with an anxious and angered look in his eyes. "Calm down and wipe that stupid look off your face. I think we should have a conversation, that's all. A friendly chat."
"Nice to see you're still as creepy and handsy as last time, grabby," Wade said, putting on a smirk to hide his fear.
"I see you've still got that tongue of yours," Shigaraki smirked, amused by the spider boy's comment. "But if you try to run or fight in any way…." He wiggled his middle finger just over Wade's throat. "Well, it'll be fast. Soon as all five of my fingers touch your neck, your throat will be the first thing that disintegrates. In a matter of seconds, you'll be nothing more than dust and powdered bone."
"Killing me in such a populated area is a pretty ballsy move. You do it, then a Hero would come and arrest your ass in no time before you had the chance to escape," Wade said with a frown, trying to not be intimidated by Shigaraki's threat.
"I don't doubt that." Shigaraki pointed to everyone around them. "But just look at these sheep. Any one of them could use their Quirks and start a massacre whenever they wanted. And yet they're all here, smiling. They think laws and rules will protect them because they assume everyone has the same morals. They're convinced nothing bad could ever happen to them.
"After you, I could kill 20...30...maybe even more before a pro showed up and managed to stop me," Shigaraki explained, as Wade's expression grew more and more horrified.
"Y-You're insane! How could you even think about doing such a thing?" Wade growled in a low voice.
"Because it'll be easy for me to do. So tell me, Wade? I can call you that, right?" Shigaraki's grin widened. "Would you rather talk, or be the first of today's potential massacre?"
Wade's fists clenched hard. If he did what Shigaraki wanted, he'd be playing right into his hands. But what choice was there? He couldn't risk the lives of everyone around him. He relented with a sigh.
"Alright, let's talk, grabby."
Shigaraki chuckled. "This is nice. A real moment. Let's go grab a seat and get comfortable, why don't we?" He asked his 'friend'. The villain then noticed something from the corner of his eye and looked behind them. "Ah, nice of you to join us, Ghost."
Wade turned his head as best he could to see another figure standing behind him. The one was wearing a hoodie too, but when Wade saw the mask he was wearing, he instantly recognized the man. He was the sniper from the Hero Killer incident, the one who attempted to assassinate Stain.
Ghost followed close behind as Wade and Shigaraki processed to sit down on a nearby bench. The grey-skinned villain still had his hand around Wade's neck. No one paid attention to them, as it just looked like two friends having a casual time. Or even two boyfriends on a date. That thought made Wade shudder.
"When it comes down to it, I hate basically everything." Shigaraki began.
"Oh, really?" Wade asked sarcastically, not even impressed by his alleged motive.
"Yeah, but the Hero Killer pisses me off the most right now."
"Wait, isn't he with you and your little villain club?" Wade asked, still believing that Stain was part of the League.
"Not technically, but that's what the media made it look like. That's what my problem is. It's like suddenly everyone is obsessed with that stupid Hero Killer. The attack on UA, the Nomus I released on Hosu. He upstaged all of it. No one's even giving me a second thought. Why is that?"
"Maybe it's because he has more of a taste for the theatrics." Wade quipped but stopped when the villain tightened his grip around him. Choking him slightly.
"Despite what he claims to believe, all he really did was try and get rid of whatever things he didn't like." He turned to Wade and smiled. "What do you think the difference is between us, Wade?"
Well, this was probably the most awkward situation they've been in. After grabbing a table to sit down at, Ochaco, Momo, and Mina sat down together. They face one another with blank expressions. No one knew what to say to the other.
"So, we all like Wade..." Ochaco said, breaking the silence. "As in...like-like him."
Momo inhaled a breath of air. "Yes, it would appear so."
"But...But how is that possible?" Mina asked in disbelief.
"It's actually not uncommon for Heroes to have more than one partner." Momo pointed out. Having come from a famous hero family, she learned most of what is considered normal in a majority of pros. "Some Quirks cause people around them to become attracted to them, but Quirks like that are extremely rare. But, well…"
"Well, what?" Mina asked, a little impatient when Momo stopped mid-sentence.
"Sometimes it's the heroes themselves and their actions that attract people to them." Momo explained, blushing when she told them this.
"Okay, so spill it! What made you two fall for him?" Mina asked, standing up with her hands on the table. "I know that we all want him for ourselves, but I don't want us to be torn apart because we let some competition get in the way. So...what is it that made you like him?"
The girls shared a glance, knowing that the pink girl was right. So, they steeled their nerves to divulge their feelings. The first one who had to start was Ochaco.
"Well, he's really handsome, funny, sweet, caring, kind, brave. He's such an amazing guy with a good heart and courage I can't even hope to match. I can't imagine a single thing that I don't love about him. At first, I saw him as a great friend, but the more time I spent with him, the happier I started to become. Just thinking about him is enough to make me smile and brighten my day. He saved me during the entrance exam and inspired me to become a better Hero. I...guess that's why I'm in love with him."
Momo and Mina stared at their friend with wide eyes at Ochaco's confession. The black-haired beauty was next to go. She shifted a bit in her chair before she began.
"I can honestly say my attraction towards Wade began when we first met. I was walking alone when I was jumped. They were going...they were doing despicable things to me." Momo said, shuddering as she remembered that incident. At first, she didn't want to recall that event, but then she sighed as her expression turned into one of happiness. "I can't imagine what would have happened if Wade hadn't shown up. It wasn't just because he saved my life. He's nice, caring, smart, and courageous. He's not completely perfect, as he's short-tempered and, goodness, is he reckless. But it's that recklessness that allows him to do these incredible actions. And also, he doesn't just see me for my body, but for me as a person. I've never met anyone like Wade in my life, and I can safely say that I love him, too."
Ochaco and Mina cried exaggerated anime tears. "That's so beautiful, Yao-Momo!" They exclaimed.
After wiping away her tears, Mina smiled sadly. "You all have such amazing reasons for falling for Wade, it makes me kind of jealous." She said.
"What makes you say that?" Ochaco asked, as she and Momo looked at her in confusion.
"I wasn't saved by Wade like you girls. Even so, Wade is a remarkable guy. He's very loving and I'm not going to lie, his handsomeness is what attracted me to him in the beginning. But as time went on, I started to see more sides to Wade. Sides that made me like him even more, and made me feel things that I've never felt with any other guy." She said with a smile of admiration as she thought about the Spider-Man.
Mina sighed and shook her head. "I know my reason for falling for him isn't as profound as you two."
"Honestly I think it was great. Mina," Momo said with a supportive smile. But then her smile dropped when she realized something. "So...how do we explain this to Wade?"
That was the big question. How were they going to confess their feelings for the boy they all loved?
"I got an idea! Why don't we tell him together?" Mina asked with a big smile.
"Huh?" Ochaco and Momo asked.
"Are you sure that's okay?" The brunette asked with a nervous look.
"It's the best way to break the news to him, what else can we do?" Mina said with a shrug.
"She's right," Momo said with a determined look. "We can't wait anymore."
"Then come on! Let's go find him!" Mina exclaimed with a big grin as she pulled the girls out of their chairs and pulled them along as she ran.
"Really? Is it really that hard to understand?" Wade asked with a raised eyebrow. The question baffled him. "You're asking what's the difference between a high school kid and a psychopath like you? Maybe it's because I don't understand you, grabby. Nothing about your goals or your villains...I don't agree with anything you do. And don't think I like the Hero Killer too. I sure as hell don't agree with him."
"But...in a way, I can understand him. Not completely, but sort of. The Hero Killer and I had something in common. We were inspired to be who we are by All Might. I wanted to become a Hero that helped people in trouble, and he started killing off Heroes he viewed as 'unworthy' because of All Might. He even saved me from your little flying pet project. He's a maniac, but he doesn't destroy things just for the hell of it. Unlike you, who treats life like a game. And when things were looking bad for him, he didn't abandon his mission as you did.
"Even if the way he acted was wrong, he held true to his beliefs. Doesn't that answer your question?!" Wade growled as he stared into Shigaraki's eyes.
But at that moment, he realized he had just made a big mistake.
"Ah...that's like a weight off my chest. I see it now… All the dots are connected. Why he makes me so angry, and why you irritate me so much. Everything makes sense."
Wade's heart dropped when Shigaraki smiled the evilest smile he'd ever seen on a human being.
"It's him. The problem is All Might."
Wade gasped in horror.
"Yeah, yeah. That's it. That's the most rational explanation." Shigaraki said with a gleeful laugh as he tightened his grip on Wade's throat even more. "I didn't see it, even though it was right in front of me the whole time. What was I so worried about? It's simple! He's why these morons are able to smile thoughtlessly!"
Imagines of blood and a severed hand flashed in his head. "They feel so safe because that garbage Pro is smiling thoughtlessly, too, as if there's no one in the whole world he can't save. Oh, I'm so glad we had this chat. I feel better. I can't thank you enough, Wade. I don't need to change my ways after all!"
As he choked him even more, Wade slowly raised his hands up to try and get him to let go. When he touched Shigaraki's hand, Ghost whipped out one of his knives and lightly cut Wade's hand, making him yelp and take his hands away.
Shigaraki's grin widened. "Whoops, don't struggle, now. Unless you want to die. You want all these people here to crumble as well?"
Ghost stared down at Wade as he continued to be choked. As for Shigaraki, he was having an absolute party in his head. And what made it all better was the irony of the Hero Killer. He was his opposite, but Stain let him live. Now his ideals and convictions will become a stepping stone for Shigaraki's ascension.
"Wade?"
Wade, Shigaraki, and Ghost looked towards the source of the voice and saw Ochaco, Momo, and Mina looking at them with curious and confused looks.
"...no…" Wade whispered.
"Wade, what's going on?" Momo asked, confused and concerned.
"Is that a friend?" Ochaco asked with widened eyes. "No, wait...that's not right?"
Shigaraki smirked evilly at the girls. "Oh? And who are they, Wade? Are these girls special to you?"
"You leave them out of this!" Wade snapped with a strained voice.
"Hey! You let go of him!" Mina said with a glare, standing in a fighting pose.
The Ghost glared at her as he reached into his pocket. Seeing this, Wade looked at the girls with pleading eyes. "This is nothing! Everything's fine! Just get out of here!"
Before all hell could break loose, Shigaraki let go of Wade. The young choked and held his throat as the villain held up his hands with a happy grin.
"Oh, are these your girlfriends? I didn't know you were on a date, I'm sorry about that." He said before getting up from the bench. Shigaraki whispered to Wade in a threatening voice. "If you try to follow me, I'll get angry."
He then started walking away with Ghost following him. The girls immediately checked on Wade.
"Wade, are you okay?!" Ochaco asked, placing her hands on one of his shoulders.
"Did he hurt you?" Momo asked, checking his neck.
"Who was that creep," Mina asked, glaring back at the guy that was choking her crush.
Wade suddenly stood up. "Hold it, Shigaraki!" He yelled, glaring with watery eyes. The mention of his name made the girls gasp in shock. The same guy that attacked the USJ?
Shigaraki stopped and looked back.
"I've answered your question so answer mine! What's All for One after?" he questioned.
"Who knows, really. But here's a little word of advice, friend. Be careful. If you survive this, then the next time we meet, I'll likely have to kill you," Shigaraki said.
Wade raised an eyebrow. "Survive what?"
Shigaraki turned to Ghost. "You have until the Heroes and the police come." He said, before disappearing into the crowd. Ghost then turned around with the lens of his mask glaring towards Wade.
The moment Wade's spider senses went crazy, his eyes widened. "GIRLS, RUN!"
Ghost pulled out a handgun and started firing at Wade, but the Spider-Man jumped and flipped out of the way of the bullets and attached himself to the pillar behind the bench. The gunshots startled the civilians and caused a mass panic, as the people screamed and ran for the exits. The girls ran out of the way and into a nearby store and Ghost pressed his attack. He fired rapidly at Wade again, but the young man maneuvered around the shots and crawled around the other side of the pillar.
"Wade!" The girls yelled.
"Go! Get out of here!" Wade yelled at them. "We can't use our powers to fight him! I'll draw him away! Just get back with the others and go!"
Wade then jumped off the pillar and started running away from Ghost.
"Come on!" Momo exclaimed, standing up.
"We can't just leave him to fight that guy!" Mina protested.
"But he's right! A Hero will come and stop the villain." Momo explained. She didn't want to leave Wade alone either but knew that it was the only thing they could do. "We've got to find the others, come on!"
The three girls ran out of the store and rushed to find their friends.
Wade jumped up and over the crowd, before swinging himself up onto one of the short bridges that crossed over to the two buildings that made up the mall. The plan? If Ghost was after him, then he had to get himself away from the crowd so no one got hurt. Now all he had to do was get Ghost outside where it's more open and hope and pray that a Hero comes and saves him.
As most of the area cleared out, Wade looked down to see if Ghost was following him. But he was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, Ghost materialized out of thin air behind Wade. His fist clocked back before throwing it forward in a punch. Wade sensed the threat and drove to the side. Ghost's fist collided with the glass and metal railing, bending and shattering it.
He turned and Wade blocked another punch with his arms crossed, but then Ghost grabbed Wade by his shirt and threw him down against the ground, hard. Wade groaned in pain, before seeing Ghost aim his gun at his head.
"Screw it!" Wade launched himself up and kicked Ghost's gun before kicking in the face, knocking him back, but Ghost rolled back over and threw a knife at Wade. Wade ducked down as it flew over him and impaled itself onto a wall.
Ghost then pulled out his gun again, but Wade fired a web shot at it and covered it in his webbing. Looking at his weapon, Ghost threw it away.
"Bye," Wade said, before jumping off the bridge down towards the ground. He landed with a roll, before trying to run again. Luckily the mall was completely evacuated.
Suddenly, a grabbing hook flew past him and impaled itself into the floor. Wade looked back and saw Ghost coming at him, before kicking Wade in the chest, knocking him down, and rolling on the ground.
Groaning in pain, Wade sat up and saw the grappling hook retract back up his sleeve. Ghost then unzipped his hoodie and took it off. Revealing an advanced-looking suit underneath. It fit the muscular profile of Ghost, with some pieces of armor that appeared to be of an advanced and futuristic type. The suit had red line accents and on his arms were gauntlets.
"Nice suit." Wade commented with a hint of sarcasm.
Ghost didn't respond. Pulling out another knife, he threw it at Wade, who dodged the blade. The villain then flinched his wrists, as sharp red glowing claws extended out. Ghost then lunged at Wade like a tiger, swiping his claws at him, but Wade jumped over him before he could lay his claws on him. When he landed, Ghost turned around and rushed at Wade and the two started fighting in hand-to-hand combat.
Wade had never fought someone with the same strength, speed, and skill as this villain. Every time Ghost slashed at him with his claws, Wade tried to block or dodge the attack. However, every time he did, his opponent would be at him again with another attack. Making Wade's senses go off every single millisecond as he struggled to stay alive.
Wade then punched Ghost in the face, and then kicked him back. Then the hero-in-training booked it for the exit, again. But once again, Wade's attempts would be in vain when Ghost used his grappling hook like a lasso and flung it at Wade.
The heavy-duty steel wire wrapped around Wade's neck, before he was yanked back. Wade fell on his back and Ghost pounced. Landing on top of Wade, the villain grabbed him by his neck, choking him as he pulled him up and held him off his feet. Wade struggled to make the man let him go and to get oxygen into his lungs.
With his prey finally in his hands, Ghost activated his claws again.
Wade's eyes widened with fear as the villain prepared to end his life. Seeing no other option, Wade did the only thing he could to escape the clutches of Ghost. Focusing all of his power within him, Wade's chest started to glow a bright orange glow from inside his body as electricity coursed all throughout his body. It didn't take long for him to build up enough energy, before letting it out.
A massive burst of electricity exploded from Wade's body, ripping up the floor and knocking Ghost back. Wade glared at the Ghost as he panted from exhaustion for having to use such a powerful attack. It was never something he tried before, and it took a lot out of him.
The villain stood back up. His mask was now on the ground. There was nothing to hide his face anymore.
As the Ghost stood straight up, he turned towards his target. Revealing was a man in his late 30s with long black hair with a cut over his left eye. He had a little bit of stubble growth on his face...
…and sea-green eyes.
In that instant, the moment when their eyes met, Wade felt his heart sink to his feet. His eyes widened to their absolute maximum as he stared at the man in shock and horror. Time seemed to slow down as his hearing dulled and the world lost focus. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream. But in his head, Wade knew it wasn't a dream. The gut-wrenching sight of the man could only elicit one response from Wade.
"...Dad...?"
The Ghost, Daniel Walker, looked at his son with a look of confusion. "What the hell did you call me?" He asked, before pulling out another pistol and aiming it at Wade's head.
Suddenly, a Hero came flying out of the sky and kicked Daniel in the chest, knocking him into a nearby food stand.
"Seriously? You're going to point a gun at a kid?" The Hero asked dryly as Daniel stood back up.
Hovering above the scene was the Wing Hero: Hawks. The No.3 Hero was a man of average height with a slim and narrow build. He had feathery ash blonde hair swept messily backward with some of the front tufts sticking up in arcs above his head, notably thick eyelashes, and some faint stubble on his chin. His eyes were gold-brown and rather triangular in shape, with two little black triangles just below his tear ducts, making his eyes somewhat resemble those of a bird.
And on his back was his Quirk: Fierce Wings. As the name states, it granted him a set of large bright red wings with feathers that gradually lengthened the further down they go.
Hawks looked down at Wade, who was still staring at his father in disbelief. "Kid, what are you doing here? Get out of here!"
But Wade didn't move. He stared at Daniel, who glanced between the boy and the Pro Hero. It was time to go.
"Dad, it's me… Wade, your son..." Wade said in a pleading voice as he slowly approached his father. He needed him to stop. He had so many questions. He wanted to talk to his father.
But Daniel looked at him with a cold stare. "I don't even know you."
And just like that, Daniel disappeared from sight like a ghost.
As he watched his father fade from existence, escaping capture, Wade's hopeful expression turned into one of distraught. The world around him almost became a blur to him, he didn't even hear the footsteps of his classmates running towards him.
"Wade!" they exclaimed as they rushed towards him.
"Wade are you alright!?" Ochaco exclaimed with a worried look.
"What happened to that villain?" Mina asked.
"Are you hurt?" Momo asked.
"What were you thinking, taking on a villain like that!?" Iida exclaimed sternly.
As they tried to get Wade to talk, Hawks got their attention by flying down and landing. Looking at the destruction caused by Wade's electric burst, he rubbed the back of his head.
"Hawks?" Tokoyami asked, approaching the Hero he interned with.
"Hey, Tokoyami," He said with a laid-back smile. "How's it going?"
"Good, but what are you doing here?"
"Well I heard there was a villain here, so I came to check it out." He said, before looking at Wade, who was still staring off into space with a look of disbelief and grief petrified on his face. "I think I may have been too late."
"Wade? You okay?" Kirishima asked, gently shaking Wade by his shoulder.
"Yeah, you look like you've seen a ghost," Kaminari said half-jokingly. Something he instantly regretted when tears started falling from his eyes.
"I...I did…" Wade replied breathlessly.
The incident was reported and the shopping mall was temporarily closed. The heroes and police in the area conducted a massive sweep. But they never found Shigaraki, nor Daniel Walker, aka Ghost. That revelation hit the others hard, and all of them were worried for Wade. Having to find out that your father, who was thought to have been dead for over a year, only to turn up as a villain and part of a League of Villains? How was anyone supposed to handle that?
Wade was taken to the police station later that day. Detective Tsukauchoi was investigating the League of Villains and wanted to interview Wade about what happened. Sitting at a desk in front of Tsukauchi, Wade sat there and told him everything he could about what happened. From Shigaraki's appearance, the conversation they had, him trying to escape Ghost, all the way to when he learned that Ghost was his thought to be his dead father.
"From what I'm hearing, it sounds like they're not a monolithic organization," said Tsukauchi as he looked over the report on his clipboard, "and it sounds like his desire to defeat All Might hasn't changed a bit."
He looked at Wade, who sat silently and stared at one of the photos on the desk. It was an image taken by one of the surveillance cameras that got a good look at Daniel's face. No doubt still trying to understand and cope with what he experienced and saw.
"If you don't mind, can you tell me about your dad?" Tsukauchi asked, placing the clipboard down. "I understood that he died over a year ago in the Slug Villain incident."
Wade nodded. "Yeah." He said softly, clutching his chest just by remembering that incident.
"What else could you tell me? Anything at all that stood out to you?"
Wade thought for a moment before remembering what he found out about his father from Nemuri. "Y-Yeah. He used to be a vigilante named the Black Mask." He said. "When I was kidnapped as a kid, he was able to find me and those that were taken."
Tsukauchi frowned a little and said, "So he's committed crimes in the past."
"What?" Wade looked up at him with a frown.
"Vigilantism is a crime and those that are vigilantes are considered to be villains-"
BOOM!
"MY DAD WASN'T A VILLAIN!" Wade yelled at Tsukauchi as he stood up and slammed his fists into the desk, bending the metal. The detective was startled by this sudden outburst as Wade continued yelling. "He was the best father in the world! He saved my life and the lives of others as the Black Mask! He died because of my stupid decision! He'd never...he would never become a villain like Shigaraki! He wouldn't…"
Wade collapsed back in his chair and started to sob, his hands covered his face as he grieved. Tsukauchi watched him for a moment with a look of sympathy. He's had to deal with families being told that their loved ones were villains with somewhat similar reactions. Some were heartbroken, some were angry, and some just knew it was going to happen.
But Wade was a special case. Tsukauchi heard all about Wade and his father from All Might. The boy truly does love his father and thinks the world of him. He was devastated when Daniel Walker died, and Wade never stopped blaming himself. But now, Daniel being the Ghost must really be throwing Wade's world into turmoil.
Standing up, Tsukauchi placed his hand on Wade's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I can't imagine what you're going through right now." He said sincerely.
Taking his hands away from his face, Wade shook his head as he tried wiping away the tears. "H-He didn't even know me! His own son!"
That got Tsukauchi thinking for a moment. "Interesting. That could be why he's Ghost." He said, gaining Wade's attention. "It's possible the League of Villains is using some kind of mind Quirk on your father. But then again, that still doesn't explain how he's alive."
Wade turned away from the detective and looked back at the image of his father. Was it true? When he saw him again, he looked different than when he saw him die. If his dad really was alive, was his dad being controlled? Did Shigaraki or All for One turn him into what he is now? Just the thought of that scumbag messing with his dad's head filled Wade with fury.
"I'm sorry. Anyway, thanks for the report, Wade. It helped a lot." Tsukauchi said with a smile.
"It still wasn't enough." Wade stood up while still looking down at the photo. He then picked it up with a determined scowl. "If he's still alive, I've got to find him."
"You know you can't do that, Wade." Tsukauchi said with a serious look. "Going off on your own would be acting as a vigilante and not to mention it could get you killed."
Wade sighed in frustration, knowing that he was right.
The detective placed a hand on his shoulder. "But I promise, if I learn anything else from your dad, you'll be the first person I'll notify."
Wade glanced between the detective and the photo, before eventually nodding. Tsukauchi then escorted Wade out of the building by one of the backdoors. The two walked out together before a familiar voice called out.
"Wade! Tsukauchi!" Called All Might as he walked towards the two.
"All Might? What are you doing here?" Wade asked, walking up to him.
"It's a good thing he showed up, I need to talk to him," Tsukauchi said.
All Might placed his hand on Wade's head. "What a relief. I'm so glad you're safe."
Wade looked down with a sad expression. "Yeah…"
All Might looked at his successor with a look of sympathy. "I'm so sorry. Not just for not being there to protect you and the others. I heard about everything. About Shigaraki...and about your father."
Wade sighed and nodded his head. He thought back to not just Daniel being alive and being with the League of Villains, but also thought about Shigaraki. "All Might..." He asked.
"Yeah, what is it?"
Wade looked up at him with a conflicted expression. "Are there moments where you feel like you couldn't save all the people you want to?" He asked.
All Might answered him honestly. "Yes, I do. And often." he said to Wade, before looking up at the night sky. "Someone could be injured and be calling out for my help anywhere in the world right now, and I would never know about it. I know it's frustrating Wade, but we're only human. There's always gonna be people beyond our reach that we can't protect. But that's all the more reason to stand tall and smile. So that the 'Symbol of Justice' is always there. Even when I can't be, a flicker in people's hearts, whether they be a hero or villain."
"Do you think...if Ghost really is dad, do you think he can be reached?" Wade asked, hoping that it was possible to bring back his father. "Do you think he can be saved?"
The Number One Hero rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not going to lie, Wade. I'm not all too sure." He said, making Wade lower his head. "But never lose hope, Wade. You could be all that he needs to come back."
"All Might has never failed to save someone after arriving at an emergency. We'll find your dad, Wade." Tsukauchi reassured him. "I think we've got everything we need, so you're good. We're all done here."
"Wade?"
Wade, Tsukauchi, and All Might turned to see Inko and Nemuri standing a few feet away with Sansa. "Mom? Nemuri?" Wade called to them.
"Wade! My baby!" Inko cried as she ran over to Wade. Pulling him into a crushing hug and crying into his chest. "I'm so sorry! I heard about everything! I'm so sorry about Daniel."
"It's okay, mom. I'm alright." Wade hugged her back tightly. As he comforted her, the young man looked up at Nemuri, who looked as though she was barely able to contain herself. "Nemuri…"
"Was… Was it…" She tried to talk, but couldn't finish the sentence.
With a somber expression, Wade nodded. Nemuri broke down then after. She collapsed to the ground on her knees and sobbed uncontrollably into her hand. When she heard the news, she didn't want to believe it, but now, with her fears being confirmed, Midnight couldn't contain her emotions anymore.
As Wade and Inko rushed over to comfort her, the detective turned to his colleague. "Sansa. Make sure they get home safe," Tsukauchi said to the cat officer.
"Sir!" The officer saluted.
A moment later, Sansa's police cruiser pulled out of the station with Nemuri's car following behind. Wade and Inko were in the back seat, as a still grief-stricken Nemuri drove them home.
All Might and Tsukauchi watched as they drove away.
"This time, at least, it appears to have been a coincidental meeting. But Wade being attacked by the Ghost is gravely concerning. He or another student could be targeted in the future." Tsukauchi said with a serious tone. "Of course, we'll continue to be on high alert here, but the school should be ready to take drastic measures. The stronger the light shines the greater the darkness."
He then turned to All Might.
"I think that, for the good of the students, you should consider leaving UA, All Might."
"But I've barely gotten started." All Might protested, completely taken aback by his friend's suggestion. "I mean, it's only been three months of teaching."
"Heh. I told you before that you weren't cut out for it." Tsukauchi joked for a moment. All Might grumbled. "All For One again. This time we have to capture him."
All Might nodded and looked up at the star-filled night sky. "One more fight. I'm counting on you again, Tsukauchi."
As Wade walked through the entrance of his school, he could hear some of the other students whispering to each other and talking about him. The news about Shigaraki and Ghost's attack was broadcast on the news, and soon, everyone knew that the villain was Daniel Walker, father of Wade Walker, the winner of the Sports Festival.
Walking into the locker room and opening his locker to put his things in, Wade noticed out of the corners of his eyes some of the students walking away from him when they saw him. Except for one.
"Ah, what'd ya know," Monoma said as he smirked at Wade. Looking at him with that same look of disgust and need to belittle from last time. "If it isn't the son of the villain, himself?"
"Not today, Monoma... I'm not in the mood." Wade said, shaking his head as he looked down.
"Why, what's the matter? You're upset that your little secret's out?" Monoma asked mockingly as he grinned an unhinged grin. "That you're daddy is nothing more than a scumbag of a villain-"
Wade suddenly grabbed Monoma and slammed him hard up against the lockers. Denting them slightly from the force of the impact. This startled everyone in the area, as they all gathered around. Glaring a death glare into Monoma's eyes, the young man held him up off his feet.
"You're a dead man if you say another… FUCKING... Word." Wade growled, his bio-electricity charging in his arms.
"Wade," Momo said bluntly as she placed her hand on his arm. Surprisingly, his power didn't shock her. She looked at him with a pleading and worried look. "Put him down."
"Wade." Wade looked to his right to see Ochaco and Mina gathered around him. Looking worried for him. "Please don't do anything that would get you in trouble."
"Yeah, we know that your dad's not a villain. Just put him down. He's not worth it." Mina said.
After taking a moment to breathe and calm down, Wade released Monoma as his hands lowered slowly. With his head hung low, he turned away and started walking away with the girls following him. When they caught up to him, the three walked alongside him as they headed for class.
Mina said softly, "Wade, it'll be okay."
"How? My dad's alive and could be under the control of the League of Villains to do who knows what as we speak." Wade said with a deep frown. His eyes were evidence that he didn't sleep at all last night, unable to stop thinking about his father. "And the worst part is that I don't know what to do."
The girls looked at one another and nodded.
Stepping in front of Wade, Ochaco wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss. Wade's eyes widened in shock as his cheeks turned bright red. But before he could start to kiss her back, she pulled him away.
"Wade, we know that you're sad. And it hurts us to see you like this." Ochaco said with a kind and loving smile as she looked up at him with a blush.
Before Wade could respond, Mina hugged him from the side and turned his head towards her. With a flirtatious smirk, she kissed him too. It only took Wade a half as long to kiss her back. When she pulled away, Mina looked at him with a look of encouragement. "Ochaco's right, Wade. You used to bring joy and happiness to us, so we're doing the same."
Then it was Momo's turn. The beautiful rich girl stepped in front of Wade. Knowing what she was likely going to do, Wade leaned into her as she leaned forward and kissed him. The two of them held the kiss for a few seconds before she pulled away.
"You're not alone anymore, Wade. The three of us, we'll always be here for you," Momo said with a smile as she placed her hand on Wade's cheek. Cherishing it as Wade looked at each of his crushes with wide eyes and a big red blush.
"And it's not just us," Mina said, grabbing his hand and pulling him along towards the classroom.
When they entered the classroom, Wade was met with the sight of everyone staring at him with smiles. They did not show any fear or suspicion towards him. All of them smiled at him with expressions of support and kindness. The only one that wasn't was Bakugo, who glared at him before looking away.
Wade looked at all his friends with wide eyes. "You all…"
"We know all about your dad, Wade." Tsuyu said as she walked up to him.
"Yeah, and we heard what the other students were saying about you." Ojiro said as he stood with Hagakure.
Hearing this, Wade lowered his head dejectedly.
"But you don't have to worry about us, Wade." Kirishima said with a grin as some of the others nodded. Wade looked back up with a surprised expression.
"Yeah, man, you're still the same guy we all know and love." Kaminari said.
"Whatever's going on with your dad, we'll be right behind you." Todoroki said with a small smile while Iida nodded. Wade was the one that helped them in their time of need with their families. Now it was time for them to return the favor.
Stunned by their support and kindness, Wade's lips started to quiver as tears welled up in his eyes. Realizing just how lucky he was to have such great friends, Wade began to sob, but this time wasn't out of anguish and sadness, instead it was happiness.
"Thank you… Thank you… All of you…" He cried as he tried to wipe away his tears. His new girlfriends and some of his classmates came to him for a group hug as they let Wade cry.
From the entrance exam to the fitness test, combat training, the League of Villains' attack, the Sports Festival, their internships, and the Hosu Incident, and finally their exams. A lot has happened, but Wade's first semester at UA was over. Summer was about to begin. Though, that doesn't mean that he and the others can just ignore their training. These students needed to be prepared for the evils lurking around the corner. Because that's how they'll become true heroes. They didn't have time to stand around. They have to keep running towards their goals.
The Heroes of Tomorrow's biggest challenge was about to begin, and they will use all their powers, all their skills, and each other for what lay ahead of them.