Chapter 22
Pony unlocks the door and pushes it open gently. The two step inside and immediately it becomes apparent that no one else is there. All the lights are off, the only glow coming from the partially open curtains covering the windows of the living room. Izuku steps inside and Pony closes the door behind them. The lock clicks into place as the two slip their shoes off.
"I should have specified earlier, but Mom will be back late tomorrow and Dad is on a business trip, so he won't be back for a few days."
She leans against Izuku and gently presses her hand against the back of his neck, forcing him to lean down.
"We have the house to ourselves."
Pony presses her lips to his. Izuku wraps his hands around her, pressing her body against his. They only pull apart because their lungs start to burn from the lack of air. Izuku hands move down. Pony lets out a breath as she jumps and wraps her legs around his waist. Izuku smiles up at her as he kisses her again. Pony's eyes close as she leans into it. Izuku carries her down the hall to her bedroom. He sets her down on her bed and she lies back, pulling him with her.
One of Izuku's hands comes up to cup her face while the other fumbles with her shirt. Pony hums as she helps tug the garment above her head, revealing a red lace bra underneath. She starts to tug at Izuku's shirt but, upon deciding it too much work, simply rips it at the seams and tosses the pieces into the corner. Izuku chuckles as he climbs onto the bed next to her.
Pony undoes the fly of her jeans, kicking them off onto the ground as she does so. Underneath is a red lace thong with matching stockings and garter belt.
She wraps her arms around Izuku's shoulders, pulling herself up to whisper in his ear,
"Like what you see?"
She asks before pressing a kiss to his jaw. He nods against her. She can feel the sharpness of his teeth against her shoulder and tilts her head to the side, allowing him easy access to her neck. He bites into her and she moans, pressing against him as her back arches. A small bite mark is left behind. Later, the small red spot will be replaced by something else. There may be other changes, too, though neither of them knows what they will be. Even so, they will mark her as his queen.
Pony adjusts herself and pushes Izuku back against the bed. He lets her push him down. He tangles his hand in her hair as she kisses his cheek, slowly working her way down.
Chapter 23
The front door clicks as it's unlocked. The sound of Hina's shoes on the carpet prompts Izuku to look up from the couch. A documentary plays on the TV and Pony sleeps against his side. Her face is relaxed, the only indication that she heard her mother enter being the flick of her ears.
"Good afternoon, Ms.Hina."
Izuku greets her with a smile. Hina smiles back as she hangs her jacket on the stand and struggles with the shoes forced onto her hooves.
"Good afternoon, Izuku."
She walks through the living room to the kitchen, glancing at the freshly cleaned table and the organized countertops. She grabs a glass from the cupboard, opens the fridge, and pours herself a cup of water as she watches the two teenagers on her couch.
"I trust the two of you had a nice night?"
Izuku nods and Pony hums, though her eyes stay closed.
"Yes, ma'am."
Izuku says. Hina shakes her head as she sets down her glass,
"That's good. But how many times have I told you not to call me 'ma'am'? It makes me feel old."
Izuku smiles, trying not to let the memories from the night before show on his face. He had just managed to get Pony's new bed set up the hour before and Pony had struggled with the new shower rod while he was out. The entire house had been scrubbed down, though most without need, just overcompensation.
Hina continues to drink her water, watching the documentary from the kitchen.
"The kitchen looks cleaner than when I left."
Izuku shrugs,
"I made breakfast and didn't want to leave a mess."
Hina hums,
"Thank you."
Classes 1-A and 1-B stand together in the center of the train station. Their teachers stand in front of their respective classes, each giving their own speeches to their students. Aizawa's is much shorter than Vlad King's and consists mostly of telling them not to embarrass themselves or UA. Vlad King keeps rambling about his class doing their best, even as their trains start pulling into the station. Many students, from both classes, start to get anxious but they stay and wait, not wanting to interrupt him. He, thankfully, finishes a few moments later with a clap of his hands and a loud "good luck". Most students leave immediately, not wanting to miss trains that have just pulled into the station. Izuku and Pony stay behind,
"You'll do great."
Izuku says as he presses a kiss to the top of Pony's head. She smiles,
"You will, too."
She replies. A voice comes over the speakers announcing the last calls for their trains. They exchange a quick hug before taking off toward their platforms, prompting a few looks from the other people in the station.
Pony runs into her train and lets out a breath of relief as the doors close behind her. She pulls her suitcase close, tucking it against her side so it's out of the way. There aren't any empty seats so she grabs hold of one of the rubber handles above her. The train shudders to a start and she sways with it along with the rest of the passengers.
Pony starts to zone out during the ride, wondering what exactly Miruko would have planned for the first day of her internship.
--------
Pony tightens her hold on the suitcase as the train slows at the entrance to the station. The wheels squeal against the metal tracks before they come to a full stop. The doors open a moment later and Pony steps forward along with a few other passengers at her side. She walks with the rest of a slowly growing crowd to the stairs leading up to the street. She adjusts her grip on her suitcase and hauls it up to her side before she starts walking up them, careful not to let her luggage swing out and hit anyone.
When she finally reaches the sidewalk she sets the suitcase down and pulls out her phone. She opens the GPS and types in the address of Miruko's agency. It takes a moment to load but, eventually, the little blue icon appears and she starts following it down the block. She makes sure to look up often to both make sure she's going the right way and that she isn't about to bump into anyone or anything.
She'd been walking no more than five minutes before she turns off the GPS and shoves her phone back into her pocket, quickening her pace. The agency is only five stories tall, nowhere near the size of some of the agencies of the other top-ten heroes. It's simply built, with concrete walls and as many windows as there are rooms, if not more. What makes it stand out, however, is the giant yellow crescent moon adorning the top of the building, acting as a sign.
Pony pushes open one of the glass doors to the entrance as soon as she reaches it. The lobby is decorated as you'd expect any lobby to be, though the plants look more alive and the chairs more comfortable. At the back of the room, near the elevators and what looks to be an emergency exit staircase is a large wooden desk. Behind it sits a woman with bright red hair pulled into a bun dressed in a pantsuit, a corded phone pressed against her ear. She's looking at a computer screen and typing something out, but when Pony steps toward her she looks up. She smiles, gestures to the phone, and points toward the elevator before holding up five fingers. Pony nods to show she understands and the lady nods back. She starts typing again and Pony walks over to the elevator.
There's a call button embedded into the wall, surrounded by a fanciful engraving of vines, small rabbits are hidden within them. Some sit on all fours while others stand on their hind legs, their heads tilted as if they're staring at Pony.
She presses the button and a moment later the elevator dings and the doors slide open. Pony steps in, pulling her suitcase at her side. She presses the button for the fifth floor and the doors slide shut. The elevator takes off and Pony grabs hold of the support bar at her side. She hadn't expected the elevator to be so fast, but it felt like the one in the hospital she had gone to when she was young and her mom had gotten just a little too beat up for the paramedics to feel comfortable letting her go home.
The elevator stops on her floor and the doors slide open. Pony takes a breath to settle her stomach and steps off. The hallway is long, and while there are doors lining it, there's only one office that can be Miruko's. At the end of the hall are two large, wooden double doors. They're ornately decorated much like the elevator button on the ground floor. Next to the door, a golden nameplate reads "Rumi Usagiyama". Pony raises a fist and knocks on the door.
It swings open, smooth on its hinges. The office behind it is filled with bookcases and filing cabinets, so much so that neither of the side walls is visible. The floor is shiny hardwood. Or it would be if there weren't scuff marks covering nearly all of it. The back wall is all window, giving a view of the street below and all of the people walking below. A few feet in front of the window is a large wooden desk, much like the one in the lobby. Its surface is covered in a large computer and a few stacks of documents. In the back corners of the room are two doors. One is labelled 'Bathroom' while the other sits unlabelled, though part of a kitchen is visible through a small window.
Behind the desk, Miruko sits in an office chair. She smiles at Pony and pulls the pin out of a flash grenade, throwing it in a high arch into the middle of the room.
Pony doesn't have time to react and yelps as a bright light and piercing bang fill the room. She yelps and screws her eyes shut. Unable to see, she doesn't notice when Miruko runs at her. She kicks her in the chest and sends Pony up toward the ceiling. She slams against it and falls back to the ground. She rolls, absorbing some of the impact. She manages to grab hold of her suitcase and hold it up, blocking Miruko's second kick.
"Not bad."
She comments, just as Pony manages to open her eyes.
"You're quick, like your Mom."
She says as she pulls back part of her shirt, revealing a piece of a scar that looks to span across her chest.
"She gave me this, you know."
Pony hums and drops the suitcase as she gets to her feet. Miruko laughs as she drops into a defensive position,
"Alright, let's do this."
--------
Almost a half-hour later, Pony kneels on the wooden floor. It's now completely covered in scuff marks, no more and the shiny waxing visible underneath. She's covered in bruises and her breathing comes heavy and uneven. Her hair is a mess and her pants are torn, especially around her knees. Miruko stands in front of her, only one or two bruises blooming on her arms. After a moment of the two staring at each other, Miruko smiles and holds out a hand. Pony takes it and Miruko hauls her up. She doesn't let go once Pony is standing. Instead, she shakes her hand, her grip firm.
"Welcome to my agency, Tsunotori. You'll do good here."
Chapter 24
Izuku steadies himself as the train slows to a stop. His suitcase is tucked up against his side. His costume case is tied to the top, secured at both the base and the handle. Attached to the right side of his belt he has a metal cylinder, the weapon Mei had been working on for him for a while now. Because of this, there wasn't a spot for it in his costume case. It was well thought out, to the point that it was able to shrink down to its current size.
The train finally stops completely and the doors open. Izuku is one of the first out, other passengers close on his heels. He makes his way through the station and up the stairs to the street.
As Ryukyu's agency comes into view it becomes clear that she was going for a certain look. Among the many concrete and window skyscrapers, Ryukyu's stone castle stands out. There are two turrets on either side of the drawbridge blocking the front entrance. The castle sits further back than the buildings next to it; neither of which are touching the castle's walls the way they do each other's. In the extra space between the entrance and the sidewalk, a moat has been dug and filled with clean blue water.
Izuku gets as close as he can to the moat without risking falling in,
"Hello? I'm here for my internship."
He says, glancing around to see if there's anyone outside who can help him. He's just about to forgo a few formalities and jump across the moat when the draw bridge begins to lower. The sound of rattling chains creates an eerie ambiance. Once the drawbridge is lowered, the large, intricate wooden doors of the front entrance open, creaking on their hinges. In the doorway, a girl maybe a few years older than him with bright blue hair and an energetic smile waves.
"Hi! You must be Midoriya."
She says as he walks across the bridge. He nods,
"It's nice to meet you…?"
"Hado Nejire! Nice to meet you. Is Ryukyu one of your favourite heroes? She's one of mine, that's why I have my work-study here."
Izuku shakes his head,
"Actually, I'm here because we have similar quirks-"
"Right! You're the first year with the dragon quirk. Ryukyu's been super excited to start training with you."
She continues to talk about Ryukyu and the agency as they enter the building. She pauses for only a moment when she nods in greeting to the secretary. They walk up through the massive entrance room and through a wide corridor to a back exit. It leads out into a large courtyard. Tall bush walls mark the border where the green grass ends and the street likely begins.
Hadou looks up at the sky, clearly searching for something. After a moment, she smiles and points upward,
"Look! The show's about to start!"
Izuku looks up just as a loud roar echoes around them. The sound shakes the few trees scattered around the yard. The two students watch as a massive creature with reptilian eyes circles them. The beating of her wings creates such a strong wind that Hadou has to push herself into the ground to stay in place. Their hair is blown and messed to the point that Hadou's becomes a large tangle behind her head, though Izuku's doesn't look much worse than normal.
The creature lands in front of them, shaking the earth as it touches down. She roars in Izuku's face, issuing a challenge.
Ryukyu blinks. The courtyard falls away around her, replaced by a glimmering ocean. There was no discernible source of light, though the water continues to glitter and Ryukyu herself remains illuminated. The edges of the water stretch on into a darkness that climbs up toward the sky, creating walls of shadow.
Off to the right, a figure glows crimson. It burns bright, urging her to get closer. As she walks, the shape of the figure becomes clearer. A giant ribcage lies in the lapping waves, a glowing heart tucked beneath the bones. As she gets closer, she starts to wonder how much time is passing. It feels as if she'd been walking for at least an hour when she finally gets close enough to notice the red water circling with the ribcage. It weaves around the glowing heart, never mixing with the water that splashes through the spaces between the bones.
The bones seem to expand and deflate as if breathing despite the seeming lack of lungs. Anxiety grips her, squeezing her chest and forcing her to walk faster. As she nears, the ribcage morphs. Rough skin and glimmering scales stretch over the bones. Flesh extends from the ribcage, forming a head, limbs, and a set of wings. The large dragon looms over the ocean, staring down at an empty spot in front of it. As Ryukyu gets closer still, a much smaller dragon forms out of the water spray beneath the monstrous dragon's gaze.
The smaller dragon trembles as it presses itself into the ground in an exaggerated bow. Ryukyu can't shake the feeling that she recognizes the smaller dragon. Only when her mouth starts to move along with it as it speaks does she realize that it's her.
"My king. Please, accept my apologies. If I had known it was you I'd have never shown such disrespect."
"Silence."
Ryukyu's mouth slams closed. Her teeth clash against each other, sending a shooting pain through her nerves. Despite this, she doesn't so much as gasp.
The sheer amount of power emanating from the dragon pulls at Rykyu and she dips into a bow to match that of the smaller dragon. She feels the dragon's gaze move to her.
"Your actions were incredibly disrespectful. The fact you would dare try to challenge me, especially in such a way, would usually be punished by death."
His voice is a low rumble. The vibrations echo in her bones, distracting her from the words themselves. He continues to talk, though he must notice that Ryukyu's no longer listening at some point, as he crouches, lowering himself closer to her level. He growls before letting out a guttural roar that sends her flying back. The water surrounding her follows.
Izuku watches as Hadou pokes Ryukyu's cheek. The woman blinks and swats the girl's hand away. She's now in her human form, her quick having deactivated a few seconds ago. She clears her throat and plasters a smile on her face.
"Right, sorry about that. Hadou, why don't you show Midoriya up to the bedrooms. Mrs.Takota should have his key behind the desk. I'd like him to be able to change before I test his physical capabilities."
Hadou nods,
"Yes ma'am! C'mon, Midoriya, I'll introduce you to Mrs.Takota. She's super nice. She brings me breakfast sometimes if I'm called over in the morning…"
Midoriya nods along as Hadou talks, doing his best to take in the information as she talks about the different staff members of the agency. She leads him back into the large entry area of the agency and up to the desk where the secretary, now identified as Mrs.Takota, sits typing away at her computer. She looks up as they approach and smiles as she reaches into a drawer on the desk and pulls out a key.
"Hello, Hadou. And you must be Midoriya, I'm Mrs.Takota, though I'm sure Hadou has already told you all about me."
Midoriya nods,
"She has. It's nice to meet you, Mrs.Takota."
The woman nods as she hands him the key.
"It's nice to meet you, too. Here's your key, it will give you access to your room, the number for which is engraved onto the tag there."
She points to a golden tag hanging from the old-looking key. Engraved into the metal are the numbers "203". Hadou grins when she sees the number over Izuku's shoulder,
"Oh, you're next to me!"
Izuku smiles as he nods along with her as she continues to talk about the bedrooms, most of which were permanently assigned to staff members, like her, and were able to be decorated as the person desired. Mrs.Takota smiles and shakes her head as she turns back to her computer.
"Why don't you show him up, Hadou? I'm sure Ms.Ryukyu is eager to test him."
Hadou nods,
"Right, this way!"
She waves Izuku over to a giant wooden staircase. The railing is engraved with intricate designs of knights, dragons, and castles resembling the agency. The dragons' scales are decorated with gold leaf, giving them a unique shimmer that sets them apart from the other figures. They climb up to a floor filled with winding hallways and decorated doors, though Izuku doesn't have much time to take it in as they continue up. The next floor they reach is much the same, though a few of the doors remain undecorated, and a sign hangs above the staircase reading "Chambers".
Hadou steps off the staircase and down the hall until she reaches one undecorated door next to one covered in construction paper. The paper forms the image of a starry night sky.
"This is your room."
Hadou says, indicating the plain wooden door. It has a golden knob, the image of a curling dragon is engraved into it.
"Get changed into workout clothes and meet Ryukyu in the courtyard. I'm goin' down to the gyms in the basement if you need me."
Izuku nods,
"Alright. Thank you, Hadou. It was nice to meet you."
Hadou smiles as she nods back,
"It was nice to meet you, too."
With that, Hadou turns away, heading back the way they'd come. Izuku inserts his key into the lock and turns. The lock clicks and the door swings open without so much as a creak. Izuku walks into the room, marvelling at the intricate details. Even the bedroom matched the rest of the agency's aesthetic. An ornate canopy bed with emerald green sheets is pushed against the center of the right wall, two bedside tables of the same wood on either side. There's a window on the far wall framed by lace curtains and a large wardrobe is tucked into the corner. In the corner beside the wardrobe is a wooden door with the image of a dragon seemingly made out of steam engraved into it.
Izuku closes the door behind him and leaves his suitcase by the wardrobe before turning toward the second door. He turns the knob and opens it to reveal a bathroom with floral-tiled walls. An elaborate mirror hangs above a large sink, the faucet of which is the head of a snarling dragon. A claw-footed bathtub is set against the left wall, surrounded by an emerald curtain, a golden showerhead just barely visible from behind it.
Izuku nods to himself as he closes the door and heads back to his suitcase. He unties his costume case and opens it, pulling out his costume. He changes quickly and attaches Mei's weapon to one of the empty clips on the belt. Once he's done changing, he leaves the room, locking it behind him and tucking the key into one of his pouches.
Izuku walks down the stairs back to the lobby. Mrs.Takota smiles at him as he walks past the desk. He smiles back as he walks through the back hall and out to the courtyard.
Ryukyu is waiting for him in the center of the yard. Once she sees him, she transforms into a dragon. Her tail swishes behind her and she lowers into the position right before a pounce, like a cat. Izuku smiles and morphs into his hybrid form.
--------
Izuku and Ryukyu stand a few feet away from each other. Ryukyu is breathing heavily, still in her dragon form. Izuku's breathing is steady and he shrinks back down to normal.
"How'd I do?"
He asks. Ryukyu shrinks back into her human form, too, a tired smile on her face.
"Well, though I'm sure you knew that already. Why don't you go down to the gym? Mrs.Takota will show you where the staircase is."
Izuku nods,
"Alright. Thank you for your time, Ryukyu."
The woman nods and Izuku turns back toward the castle, heading back into its halls.
The Doctor sits at one of the many computers in his lab, entering data into the file of one of his two, very special, Nomu. Once he's done, he turns in his chair so he's facing the two tubes. Dark figures float inside the murky liquid, attached to wires that are, in turn, attached to a cacophony of different machines. The two had been taking the majority of both his and All For One's time the past few weeks, though for good reason. When they were finally done, they'd be his most powerful, surpassing their past brethren ten times over. They had already proved themselves stronger than All Might in his prime, managing to break out of many a containment cell.
"Haira, Shindara, you are my greatest creations yet. Future generals to the Villain King."
It had taken years to get the Nomu to where they were now, and would take more time still to complete them. Despite this, The Doctor can't help but feel proud, as if the two had already aided in taking Japan.
Chapter 25
Izuku walks alongside Ryukyu as they patrol one of the streets near the agency. Nejire keeps a few paces ahead of them.
"Alright, Midoriya."
Ryukyu says, interrupting the silence they'd fallen into.
"Ready for your first lesson on the technicals of heroics?"
Izuku nods.
"Good, because you didn't have a choice. Your first lesson is that, on paper, heroes are just glorified government employees. Except we're paid based on performance instead of on a salary. There's a base minimum, of course, though few heroes stay at it past their first week. Getting involved in advertising, acting, modelling, or anything of the same calibre can be a good way to make extra money, too. As a member of the top ten I, of course, make more than enough but the extra from advertising is always nice. I use it as donation funds to help my PR."
She whispers the last sentence so none of the civilians around them can hear her. Izuku hums,
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you."
Ryukyu smiles. She looks like she's about to say something else but she's interrupted by a kid holding out a notebook, a large grin, made uneven by missing teeth, on her face.
--------
Uraraka follows along with Gunhead's movements as he leads her and his team of sidekicks through a morning exercise. When they're done, he congratulates them on their effort before dismissing his sidekicks. He waits until they've all filed out to approach Uraraka. Once he's a couple of feet away he clamps a hand on her shoulder,
"You've been doing great!"
He says,
"I'll be honest, I expected to have to teach you the basics of hand-to-hand. I had prepared easier exercises and everything. I have to ask, did you teach yourself or did you have a trainer?"
Uraraka can't help but shiver at the reminder of her time training with Tsunotori.
"Ah, well-"
She starts to answer but is interrupted by her phone buzzing in her pocket. She knows from the pattern who it's from.
"That intense, huh?"
Gunhead says, a note of sympathy in his voice.
"I'll leave you to your message, I'm sure it's important. Meet me by the elevator when you're ready to start patrol."
Uraraka nods, though she doesn't really register what he's saying. He's barely a step away from her before she digs her phone out of her pocket and opens the message.
Tsunotori
Tsunotori: You better not be slacking off.
If I find out you've been shirking your training it'll only be worse when you get back.
Uraraka shudders as she puts her phone back into her pocket. She runs out of the room and down the hall to the elevator, where Gunhead is waiting for her.
--------
Izuku pulls the curtains of his bedroom's window shut, blocking out the meagre light from the street lamps. He's just about to climb into bed when his bedroom door bursts open. He looks over to see a grinning Hadou in his doorway, smiling over the door she had just broken down to get passed the lock.
She has a laptop tucked under one arm, a bag full of what looks like popcorn and movie discs hanging off the other. She uses her quirk to fly into and around his room until finally landing on his bed.
"You do know it's eleven at night, right?"
Izuku asks as he walks over to his door. Luckily, nothing is really broken. The screws had just been torn out of the hinge.
"Of course I know. But we're already halfway through your time here and haven't had time to hang out as interns with Ryukyu. So tonight is officially movie night. There aren't any TVs in the rooms, though, so I brought my laptop."
Izuku hums as he finishes re-attaching his door to the wall.
"Alright. Let's just keep in mind we have to wake up at six."
Hadou nods seriously,
"Of course."
Hadou finally closes the laptop at three in the morning as the credits of the final movie start to roll.
"I'm heading back to my room now. Goodnight."
She says as she hops down. Izuku nods,
"Goodnight."
As soon as she's gone he slides down in bed, pulling the comforter up to his chin. He has three hours to sleep and he plans on making the most of them.
--------
Shigaraki glares across the bar at Stain. The man had only just entered his bar and already was getting on Shigaraki's nerves. He was acting like he thought he was better than Shigaraki. Still, Shigaraki does his best to be civil. All For One thought the man would be a good asset, after all, and who was he to argue with him.
"Join us."
Shigaraki states. Stain scoffs,
"Why should I? What's your mission?"
Shigaraki doesn't get a chance to respond before Stain comes charging forward. The metal of his blade gleams under the dingy lighting in the bar. The blade nicks Kurogiri before becoming embedded in Shigaraki's shoulder as he falls to the ground. The end of the blade goes through his flesh into the hardwood below, pinning him in place.
Stain licks off some of the blood dripping down the serrated blade,
"I'll give you some advice. Creeds and convictions are necessary to accomplish everything. Without them, you won't survive."
"Get him out of here!"
Shigaraki demands, glaring at what of Kurogiri he can see. The man doesn't move, however. He appears to be frozen with his hand in one of the bar's many glasses.
"You know what I hate about this society?"
Stain asks,
"Heroes now are fake and the villains are almost worse. They all throw their power around without regard."
As he says this, he grabs a dagger from its sheath and starts lowering it toward Shigarakis' neck. Before it can get very far, Shigaraki reaches up with his free hand and grips the blade, turning it to dust.
"I may not have a 'creed', but I do have a desire. To tear down the pedestal that this society has placed All Might on, taking them with it."
Stains' dagger falls to ash at his side. He takes a moment before jumping back, tearing his blade from Shigaraki's shoulder as he does. He waits until Shigaraki is standing to continue talking,
"Our goals are different, but I can concede that our final visions are the same. As such, I won't tear down your…growing organization just yet. Now, then, please return me to Hosu. I have unfinished business."
Shigaraki nods and looks over to Kurogiri. The man nods back and a portal opens beside Stain. The man steps through, disappearing in the purple smoke.
Izuku wakes up at five, an hour before his alarm. He feels well-rested enough and knows that feeling will fade if he decides to try and go back to sleep, so he throws off the covers and gets out of bed. He rubs his eyes as he walks toward the bathroom. He turns on the faucet. Cold water splashes into the sink. He splashes some on his face and is reaching for his toothbrush when he hears his phone ringing on his nightstand. He leaves the faucet running as he runs out to grab it.
He picks up the phone and answers immediately upon reading the caller ID. Pony's face appears on his screen, a tired smile revealing a few of her teeth.
"Good morning."
She greets.
"Good morning,"
Izuku answers back,
"How'd you know I'd be awake?"
Pony shrugs as she pulls the phone a little further from her face. Izuku does the same as he starts walking back toward his bathroom, intent on brushing his teeth to get rid of the cottony feeling in his mouth.
"You're usually up before your alarm."
Pony answers. Izuku hums. They continue talking while the two of them get ready for the day. They both change into their hero costumes when it comes time for them to get dressed.
"I have to head down for patrol now."
Pony says once Izuku picks his phone back up from where he'd left it on the table.
"I'll call you again tonight, okay?"
She says. Izuku nods,
"I look forward to it."
Pony blows a kiss to the camera before hanging up. Izuku stares at his phone screen for a moment before tucking it into his pocket and leaving his room, locking the door behind him.
Izuku walks out onto the courtyard at exactly six. The sky is still dark, the only light being that of paper lanterns hung throughout the yard that had not been there earlier. Hadou is already there, though she's being scolded by Ryukyu. Upon looking closer, he notices the faint bags under her eyes.
After a moment, Ryukyu looks up from Hadou.
"Ah, Midoriya. There you are. We'll start with a brief morning exercise before heading out on patrol."
Izuku nods and falls into line with Hadou as Ryukyu leads them through a set of morning stretches.
--------
Izuku tackles a robber to the ground, rolling out of the way as Ryukyu chases the other down the sidewalk. She catches the second just as Izuku pulls the first to his feet. He binds the man's hands behind his back, keeping him in place. Ryukyu comes back toward them, the second robber at her side. A flashing police car pulls into the curb just as Hadou catches up to the two of them.
"Ryukyu! Wonderful to see you out again. Been a bit since your last patrol."
The officer says as he pulls two sets of handcuffs from his belt. Ryukyu smiles sweetly,
"Well, I've been busy with the office side of heroics. As well as a few new adverts."
The officer nods,
"I think I've seen one or two of them."
He says as he takes the robber from Izuku. He hands the second pair of cuffs to Ryukyu and she cuffs the man at her side. She walks him to the police car, waving to the officer as he pulls away with the two villains in the back.
"Do try to pay more attention to your surroundings."
Ryukyu says to Hadou as she gets close to them.
"You can't let villains get away like that in the future."
Hadou nods,
"Sorry."
Ryukyu hums. She looks down the street, her eyes landing on a nearby coffee shop,
"We'll stop there. Get your energy up before we keep going."
Hadou groans,
"But you always buy the bitter stuff!"
Ryukyu shrugs,
"It's what's strongest. You want to get some energy back, don't you?"
Hadou huffs, but nods and the two students follow Ryukyu down to the coffee shop. It's not very busy, since it's the middle of the day and most people are at work. The barista takes on an excited expression when the three of them enter.
"Um, hi! How can I help you."
She stammers. Ryukyu smiles,
"Just a black coffee, please, with a few extra shots of espresso."
The barista nods as she enters Ryukyu's order into the register.
"Your total is four-hundred-twenty-five. How will you be paying?"
"Card, please."
Ryukyu says as she removes her wallet from a hidden pocket within her costume. The barista indicates the card reader and Ryukyu pays quickly, smiling to the woman before ushering Izuku and Hadou over to the pick-up counter. She puts a few bills in the tip jar as they wait.
Hadou sulks in the corner, growing more upset as the barista places the finished drink on the counter. Ryukyu thanks her as she grabs the cup and heads toward the exit, Izuku and Hadou following after her.
"Alright,"
Ryukyu says once they're a little ways down the street.
"Drink up."
She hands the cup to Hadou, who sighs but takes it. She holds her nose as she downs the cup. Once it's empty, she heads back into the shop, throwing it away in one of the interior trashcans.
"Feeling more awake?"
Ryukyu asks once Hadou is back on the street. The girl nods. Ryukyu smiles,
"Good. Now, then, let's keep going. We have to make up for lost time."
--------
Izuku walks a few paces behind Ryukyu. He's looking around, searching for pick-pockets or purse snatchers, when he hears something. He tilts his head in the direction of the sound, trying to hear it more clearly. Suddenly, a herd of civilians come barreling around the corner.
Izuku takes off in the direction they're coming from, weaving through the crowd. He soon reaches the cause of their distress. Or, it reaches him.
A massive transport truck barrels down the street, darting back and forth across the road, occasionally driving on the sidewalk for long stretches. Izuku can just barely see the driver behind the wheel, desperately trying to get the vehicle under control.
Izuku grows into his hybrid form as he jumps in front of the truck. He extends his arms, waiting for the truck to get close. He braces himself as it approaches. Just before the front end collides with his chest he grabs hold of the sides. The wheels spin out underneath it, creating tire marks on the road below. The driver quickly turns off the engine. Izuku sets the truck down, shrinking back to his normal size once it's safely on the ground.
Izuku and Hadou walk alongside Ryukyu across the drawbridge.
"I thought we weren't supposed to start patrol until later in the afternoon? In Hosu?"
Hadou says. Ryukyu hums,
"We don't have anything else scheduled for today. Incidentally, it's a good time for a flying lesson, don't you think?"
She smiles as her body morphs and extends into her dragon form. Izuku activates his own quirk, scales bloom across his skin and he grows taller. Hadou floats between them as they take off.
They fly around for a while. Ryukyu teaches Hadou how to do a few aerial tricks, civilians watching them from below. Izuku follows from the street, able to keep up easily. They're interrupted just as they're entering Hosu when something slams into Ryukyu's face. She shakes it free and plucks it out of the air. It's a winged creature, slightly resembling the Nomu Izuku had fought at the USJ attack.
The Nomu tries to attack Ryukyu, though it can't reach her. She throws it down, creating a crater in the sidewalk below. She dives down to meet it, Hadou close behind her.
It didn't take her long to defeat it, though by the time she had thick smoke was covering the skies and Nomu sightings were being reported across the city.
"Split up."
Ryukyu orders,
"You have my full permission to use your quirks however you deem necessary. Go."
Izuku and Hadou nod as they fly off in different directions, looking for others to help.
--------
Iida stands at the mouth of an alleyway, out of the way of the chaos raging within Hosu. In front of him, Stain stands with his swords gripped in his hands. Native is slouched against the wall, actively bleeding out, though Iida doesn't care about him. He's here for Stain and Stain alone.
"You're going to pay for what you did to my brother."
Iida claims as he steps into the alley. Stain scoffs,
"Another fake, just like your brother."
Iida charges. He's about to collide with the villain when he jumps out of the way, stabbing his blade into Iida's shoulder. Iida stumbles and cries out, falling to one knee. He watches out of the corner of his eye as Stain licks his blood from the blade. He gasps in a breath as his body stiffens and he slumps to the ground.
Stain stalks toward him, blade held aloft. Iida's eyes widen as he watches the villains approach.
So this is how he was going to die. He hadn't even put up a fight, just run in like an idiot and gotten himself paralyzed. Stain stops next to him, holding his blade somewhere about Iida's back. He opens his mouth to say something but is distracted by something happening on the street, out of Iida's line of sight.
Izuku sits on the back of another winged Nomu. The creature, barely able to support his weight in his hybrid form, swats at him and screeches, trying to get him off. Izuku grabs hold of its head. He twists and pulls. The creature's head peels away from the rest of it, a trail of nerves attaching it to its neck. The Nomu spasms until Izuku gives the head one last yank, severing the nerves. The corpse crashes just outside an alleyway and Izuku climbs off, the severed head balanced on his palm.
Izuku kicks the corpse out of the way. It creates a trail of blood on the sidewalk as it slides. He tosses the head next, watching as it rolls into the alley, stopping at Stain's feet. Izuku, seemingly just noticing the scene within the alley, looks Stain up and down.
Stain doesn't have time to react before Izuku is pushing him out of the way. He crouches next to Iida, checking the boy over for fatal wounds.
Stain stares at the boy in front of him. He had appeared out of nowhere, decapitating a Nomu before moving so fast Stain hadn't registered any movement. He was used to feeling fear, he was used to the angry eyes of the sheep who didn't know any better than to trust the fakes claiming to protect them.
What he wasn't used to was being ignored.
He unsheathes one of the smaller blades at his belt and throws it. It doesn't have to travel far and should slide into the boy's skin like a knife to butter. Yet it clatters to the ground as if it had merely bounced off its target.
Stain glowers as he draws three more of the same blade, throwing them in quick succession. Like the other, however, they merely bounce off, falling to the ground.
Izuku turns his head, glaring at the man behind him,
"Stop bothering me while I'm busy."
He orders.
Stain takes a calming breath. Fine, if he can't kill the kid, maybe he can reason with him. He wasn't trying to save Native, after all, just the other boy, probably a classmate.
"You're pretty strong, kid. Your quirk is truly powerful. Tell me, why do you want to be a hero?"
Izuku looks up,
"To save people. To help keep Japan safe."
Stain huffs,
"That's what they all say."
Izuku turns back to Iida, choosing to once again ignore the man behind him.
"You should probably go to the hospital."
Izuku says. He's just about to lift Iida when Stain decides he's had enough. He aims his sword at Izuku's neck, Before the metal makes contact Izuku turns to face the villain. He grabs hold of his wrist and twists, snapping the bone. The katana falls to the ground with a clang.
Izuku pushes Stain back, sending him stumbling into the wall behind him. Stain tries to get up but before he can Izuku aims a punch at his face. The man screams as he lifts a hand to his broken jaw. He lunges at Izuku, taking his hand away to reveal his torn cheek and bloodied lips. He tears one of his blades from the sheath at his back, aiming to slash Izuku's chest. Izuku jumps to the side to dodge. Stain's attacks quickly become sporadic. He acts more like an animal than a man, lunging and stabbing without care.
Izuku kicks out. Stain's ribs audibly crack, but he doesn't stop. Izuku grabs hold of his good arm and twists, breaking the bone and dislocating his shoulder. Stain yells out, but doesn't let go of his blade. He tries to stab Izuku's leg but is stopped by Izuku grabbing hold of his hand. He squeezes, snapping the man's fingers and dislocating his wrist. Stain's sword falls to the ground. It lands on top of the others. The clang of the metal echoes off the walls, joined by Stain's screams.
Izuku hits the man in the back of the head with his fist. Stain's eyes roll back in his head and he slumps to the ground. He nearly falls into the small pile of blades but Izuku nudges him out of the way with his foot.
Izuku looks over to Iida to find him slowly getting to his feet.
"How do you feel?"
Izuku asks. Iida huffs,
"It's difficult to move my arm, though other than that I believe I'm fine. I…thank you, Midoriya. If you hadn't stepped in I would have died."
Izuku nods as he grabs a bundle of thick rope from the dumpster nearby,
"You're welcome. Think you can help me tie him up?"
Iida nods and crouches next to Izuku, holding Stain's limbs in place while Izuku ties them together. Once they've deemed him sufficiently bound Izuku throws Stain over his shoulder. Iida helps Native stand and they leave the alley. Izuku sets Stain down against the wall of one of the nearby buildings while Native calls for help over the Hero Line. It doesn't take long for other heroes to round the corner to them.
Endeavor comes toward them, Shouto at his side and a small group of side-kicks behind him. Endeavor glances between the five of them before his eyes finally land on Native.
"Native, right? I didn't expect a hero of your ranking would be able to defeat Stain."
Native shakes his head,
"I didn't,"
He nods toward Izuku,
"He did."
Endeavor whirls on Izuku,
"Aren't you a UA student? You don't have permission to use your quirk without one of your teachers present-"
"Ryukyu, the hero I'm currently interning under, gave me permission to use my quirk however I saw fit, sir."
Izuku says, interrupting Endeaour's lecture. The man glares at him but seems to decide that he's not worth any more effort as he steps toward Stain, checking the knots Izuku had tied. The other heroes spread out, a few head to either end of the street to guide emergency vehicles while the others gather to talk about Stain and the attacks plaguing Hosi that night.
News vehicles, police cars, and two ambulances round the corners a few minutes after the other heroes arrive. Native, Iida, and Stain are taken to the ambulances while the officers spread out through the crowd, talking with the group of heroes. One is just about to approach Izuku when Stain rises from the stretcher the paramedics are working on binding him to.
"Hero society is a sham, it's polluted with fake heroes, with only one true man shining through. All Might, is the only man worthy of being called a hero. He's the only man worthy of killing me!"
For a moment, everyone looks afraid. The cameramen are all shaking and everyone is staring at Stain, waiting for him to continue, but he doesn't. One of the paramedics yells that he had stopped breathing. He's quickly carted into the ambulance and one of the paramedics starts attaching wires to him before the doors close and the vehicle tears away.
Chapter 26
Shigaraki glares at the two plausible recruits standing in his bar. One, a girl who looks high school age dressed in a middle school uniform that's too small for her, smiles and looks around the bar as if it's one of the best things she's ever seen. The second, a guy with painful-looking burns, looks like he'd rather not be there.
"Why are you here?"
Shigaraki asks, scratching his neck absently.
"You're the ones who work with Stain, right?"
The girl asks, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Shigaraki glowers. He's about to disintegrate the girl for daring to mention the man, but one look from Kurogiri convinces him to go with it. All For One had told them these two could be useful. He shouldn't kill them yet.
"...Yes. What of it?"
He answers. The girl grins,
"Then I'd like to join you. Stain is great. He spills the blood of the fake heroes so that only the real ones are left. He's great!"
The man shrugs,
"Stain had the right idea, and if you worked with him then your goals must be similar enough. Working with you will get me closer to my goal, at least."
"We could use more hands."
Kurogiri adds as he opens a portal to catch Shigaraki's extending hand.
"Fine. There are rooms upstairs."
The girl cheers, running toward the staircase. The man simply turns away, following her.
Izuku and Pony sit together under one of the many trees of the forest that spreads across the edge of UA grounds. Their empty lunch trays sit stacked a few feet away from them, out of the way. Pony is lying on Izuku's lap, staring up at the sparse clouds drifting across the sky.
"So, what do you think they're going to do for the practical exam? I heard Mina talking to a second year. Apparently it's supposed to be robots."
Pony says, her eyes drifting to his. Izuku huffs as he shakes his head,
"It's probably not going to be bots this year. They're going to want to prepare us more, with the League acting out and crime rates rising."
Pony hums,
"Think we might go against our teachers? They're readily available and would be difficult to fight."
Izuku nods. Pony smiles, directing her attention back up,
"God, Mina and the others are gonna be upset. I already saw them freaking out about the robots."
Izuku laughs,
"I'm sure they'll be fine. Momo already agreed to tutor people for the written portion."
Pony hums, though her smile doesn't falter.
"You didn't see my class. They've been running around, trying to figure out what it's going to be and how they can alter their training. Tetsutetsu tripped over his own feet and faceplanted into the gym floor. He had his quirk activated and left a him-shaped crater in the floor."
Izuku smiles,
"Well, at least you'll be fine."
Pony shrugs. It had taken her a bit to get used to the extra density in her bones and muscles, though the extra bit of protection from the near-transparent scales was nice. Izuku runs his hand over the scales on her shoulder and they fall into silence.
Izuku and the rest of his class stooped over their notes, cramming in a last bit of review before their written exam was to start. When the bell rings and Aizawa steps into the room, a stack of tests in hand, they all rush to put away the books and pull out their pencils.
"Alright, pencils down."
Aizawa says, his voice cutting through the tense silence. All at once, the sound of scratching pencils stops and they all flip their tests closed. Aizawa walks around, collecting each of their tests. Merely by looking at his classmates, Izuku can tell how well each of them thinks they did.
"You'll be given an hour to prepare for the practical before it starts. Stretch, maybe practice a bit with your quirks, but don't overdo it. Change now so you won't risk being late. Your exams will take place in gym Delta, Meet at the front gates by ten-thirty. If you're late it's an automatic fail."
As he leaves the room the wall holding their costumes extends. Izuku waits for the rest of his classmates to grab theirs before he stands.
--------
Izuku stands with the rest of his class in front of the doors to the fake city. A few of them are still stretching while others talk nervously about the exam. After about a minute, Aizawa, along with the rest of the UA teaching staff, exited from one of the nearby buildings. They line up in front of the gates and a tense hush falls over the class. The only two missing are All Might and Nedzu, though the former is quickly remedied.
All Might falls from the sky, landing between the teachers and the students. He creates a small crater when he lands, causing Cementoss to roll his eyes and glare at the man.
"I am here, to help our students with their practical exams!"
He announces as he looks out at them. He awkwardly shuffles back to join the line of teachers when no one cheers or claps at his arrival. After another moment, Nedzu pops out of Aizawa's scarf. He uses one of the ends to lower himself to the ground before turning to address the students.
"Welcome to your practical evaluation!"
The principal announces.
"As I'm sure you can already tell, you'll be going up against your teachers. Your teammates and opponents have already been chosen."
He says before any of them can start rushing to each other.
"Now, then, let's get into the rules. You'll be given five minutes to figure out a plan of action. Your teachers will each be wearing weights at about half their body weight, so they'll be handicapped. You win by either cuffing your opponent with the cuffs you'll be given or escaping through the gate at the back of the city. Does everyone understand?"
He asks. They all nod hesitantly. Nedzu nods back,
"Great! Your groups have already been chosen. You'll your teammate and opponent listed in the observation room. Plus Ultra!"
He cheers before clambering back up Aizawa's scarf. The teachers head back into their building and the students file into theirs.
When they enter, Izuku immediately notices Recovery Girl standing in one of the corners. His attention is drawn away, however, when one of the screens spanning across the far wall lights up. It displays their name and pictures alongside their teammate and the teacher they'd be fighting. Izuku resists the urge to groan when he sees that he'll be fighting All Might alongside Bakugou. The only good thing was that they'd be going last.
Izuku settles into a chair in the corner, patiently waiting for his turn. Bakugou isn't as patient. He keeps glaring at Izuku and pacing back and forth across the room. He only stops when, finally, a mechanical voice comes from a hidden speaker, calling them for their exam.
When they exit teh building a bus is parked waiting for them, All Might visible within. Izuku walks onto the bus, smiling back when All Might smiles at him. Bakugou continues to glare.
Izuku does his best to focus on creating a plan. He knows Bakugou will refuse to work with him, that's a given, but maybe it could work to his advantage. Bakugou would rush in to fight All Might, a distraction, if only for a minute. A minute would hopefully be enough, though, whether to escape to the gate or fight All Might himself would have to depend on the circumstances.
The bus shutters to a stop in front of the gates to the fake city where their exam would take place. All Might gets off first, barely sparing them a glance before running into the city, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Izuku takes one look at Bakugou's aggressive expression and decides not to try and talk to him. He'd probably only end up getting hit, and it's not like Bakugou would agree to any sort of plan.
After the buzzer goes off he waits until Bakugou had disappeared into the city to enter himself. He starts running through the city, heading to the gate on the other end of the city. He's just made it to the center of the city when he feels a sudden increase in the air pressure around him. He stops, looking for All Might. After a moment, he sees All Might falling toward the center.
"Texas Smash!"
He yells as he slams into the ground. He creates a massive crater in the ground and the dust billows out to the edges of the city. Izuku raises his hand to shield his eyes from the debris. The power from the wind tears a few of the street lamps from the cement. Luckily, they don't travel very far.
Izuku ducks back behind the closest building to him, trying to see out of All Might's line of sight.
"Where are you, heroes?!"
He calls. Izuku stays quiet. He sees Bakugou hurl himself out from around a street corner, explosions popping in his palms as he jumps at All Might. He tries to sneak past the two before All Might can defeat Bakugou, but the boy lasts barely a minute. Izuku sighs as he ducks behind a building, narrowly avoiding being spotted by All Might.
"Where are you, Tatsuya?
All Might calls.
"Your teammate is in trouble."
He calls as he holds a struggling Bakugou above his head. Izuku considers slipping through the buildings and heading to the gate anyway, but All Might has his head on a constant swivel. Izuku waits until All MIght has the back of his head to him before jumping on top of the building he had been hiding behind. He stretches and expands into his hybrid form, crouching on brick that gives under his weight.
Izuku jumps as All Might turns to face him. He tackles the man into the building behind him, forcing him to drop a now unconscious Bakugou. The walls of the building crumble in their wake and they come out on the other side. The upper floors of the building fall, leaving a large pile of rubble in their wake. All Might's jaw slams into the ground and he looks up at Izuku as he brings a hand up to his jaw. Something seems to dawn on All Might as he rolls out from under Izuku. He jumps to his feet and starts running at Izuku, cracking the ground with the force of his steps.
All Might draws his arm back and aims to punch Izuku in the chest. He blocks with an open hand. He can feel his bones cracking as he digs his feet into the ground to prevent himself from being pushed back. The impact creates a shock wave, shaking the debris.
All Might pulls back. The two stand apart, watching each other. All Might breathes in, puffing out his chest. Izuku lowers into a defensive stance. All Might lunges forward.
Izuku lets him get close before acting. Suddenly, All Might is flying back through the air. He lands on his back a few feet away, on the edge of the crater. Izuku takes advantage of All Might's shock and lands on him. He punches him in the face, worsening his injuries and creating new ones. His jaw cracks and breaks. His mouth hangs at an unnatural angle and his nose breaks. Blood streams down his face and spatters onto the concrete around them.
All Might grips the ground, causing it to crack and splinter. He pushes himself up, forcing Izuku off. All Might swings but Izuku jumps out of the way. He swings at All Might's head with his right hand and the man ducks, not noticing his left hand until it's making contact with his stomach. He gasps as he jumps back, clutching his stomach.
All Might lifts a fist to his mouth as he coughs. Blood speckles his hand but he shakes it off. Izuku doesn't give him another moment of reprieve. He runs at the man and aims a kick at his chest. All Might raises his arms to protect his face but at the last moment Izuku crouches, kicking the man's legs out from under him. All Might kicks out as he falls to the ground. Izuku jumps to avoid it like a jump rope.
All Might gets to his feet and runs at Izuku again, drawing his arm back. Izuku meets his arm with his own, sending his attack off course. He takes advantage of the opening and hits him in the chest. All Might goes flying back into the front of a nearby building. He crashes through three buildings before finally skidding to a stop inside the third. He stops amid a mess of broken glass and debris. Izuku steps over the crumbling wall. He stops a few feet away.
All Might jumps up, running to attack again. He aims a flurry of punches at Izuku. He manages to dodge most of them, but All Might manages to land a few hits, bruising the skin or cracking the bones beneath his scales. Izuku jumps to the side to avoid a set of punches and kicks the back of All Might's knee. He falters and Izuku uses the opening to get in a few hits of his own. All Might recovers quickly, blocking Izuku's next punch and retaliating.
Izuku is hit a few more times, though he still manages to block the majority of attacks. After about a minute, he manages to grab hold of one of All Might's wrists. He pulls the man closer, bending his wrist back as he punches him in the stomach. The man cries out, trying to pull his wrist free. Izuku uses him to keep himself stable as he kicks out the back of his knee.
All Might uses his free hand to hit Izuku as many times as he can. He manages to hit Izuku in the chest but when he goes for his head Izuku ducks. He lets go of All Might's now broken wrist as he crouches, aiming to kick out the man's legs. All Might jumps to avoid it and Izuku shoots up, punching the man in the face as he lands. He chokes and sputters as he bends his head over a hand. Blood pools in his palm. Broken teeth pour out with it, collecting in the center.
All Might stands stunned. Izuku uses it as an opportunity and lands a few hits. He manages to once again kick out the back of the man's knees. This time, one of them cracks. All Might grunts as his leg gives out from under him. He manages to stand after a moment, though it would be easy to take him down again.
"Five minutes remaining!"
A tinny imitation of Nedzu's voice calls over the speakers hidden around them. Izuku pounces on All Might, hitting him wherever he can manage to land a hit. His face, stomach, chest, knee. Finally, All Might falls to the ground, one leg bent at an unnatural angle and blood pooling from his mouth. Izuku takes the cuffs from his belt and clicks them over both the man's wrists.
"All Might has been captured! You pass!"
The voice says. Izuku steps back, breathing heavily. He was in the most pain he had experienced since his quirk came in. Everything hurt. He winced every time he inhaled, his broken and cracked ribs straining against his lungs. He could practically feel the bruises developing across his skin. He could barely move his right hand and his vision was beginning to swim.
Izuku falls across from All Might. He is conscious just long enough to register his quirk deactivating and his body shrinking back to its normal proportions before his vision goes black.
Chapter 27
Izuku stands in a large clearing. In the distance, a large temple shines in the sun. A golden lake wraps around the temple, lining the clearing. Small islands litter the pond, connected by wooden bridges. The islands contain small hills, mountains, and copses of trees.
Izuku starts walking toward the temple. The grass brushes against his calves as he walks. He studies the surrounding lake and islands as he walks, and is about to reach the steps of the temple when he hears footsteps coming toward him. He looks up to see a man, about 5'9, making his way down the steps.
His hair is long and black and orange-red eyes with diamond-shaped pupils. Long, thin horns grow out of his forehead. He's wearing a pristine white kimono of expensive-looking quality. The obi across his midsection is a deep navy blue, with a complex pattern embroidered across it in white thread.
Izuku does his best to keep his surprise from showing on his face. He had been expecting to see Seiryu as a large dragon, more powerful than he had been before. Instead, he was confronted by an eerily human form.
"I'm sure you have questions,"
Seiryu says,
"We can talk in my garden. It's a lovely day, after all."
Seiryu leads Izuku up the stairs and through the temple. It's a little smaller than Izuku had thought it would be from looking at the outside, though he doesn't have the chance to take in any of the decorations as he's forced to keep up with Seiryu. He's led down a set of stairs at the back of the temple into a large, walled-in garden. In the very center of the garden stands a large cherry blossom tree. It reaches about ten meters in height with a trunk wide enough to match.
Seiryu sits within the tree's shadow, inviting Izuku to do the same. He lowers to the grass, crisscrosses his legs, and turns so he's facing Seiryu. The man looks at him expectantly. Izuku takes a moment to think about the question he wants to ask first before taking a breath,
"What is this place?"
Seiryu hums,
"We're still in your mind if that's what you mean. If you're questioning the appearance, then it's because of how far you've come in your training. This is what it should have looked like from the beginning, but you weren't strong enough physically or mentally for it when you first ate the fruit."
Izuku stares at Seiryu in confusion as more questions come to his mind,
"Wait. Then what progress have I made? It didn't look like this last time…"
He trails off, hoping for Seiryu to fill in the blanks. The man smiles,
"Your final form. That of the dragon. You gained the ability after your fight with All Might, though you didn't have enough energy to activate it. You should start training with it as soon as you have the energy. Maintaining it at first will be difficult and taxing, so you want to start building endurance immediately.
"Anything else new I should know about?"
Seiryu nods,
"I'll be able to communicate with you when you're conscious now, too. I'll look ghostly, but you'll be the only one able to see me. Aside from your queen, of course. You'll be able to communicate with me both with your thoughts and spoken word, though I can't imagine you'll be using the latter very often."
Izuku nods,
"Alright. Is that everything?"
Seiryu nods,
"It is. Ready to wake up? Tsunotori has been waiting."
Izuku nods. He stands and brushes himself off. He bows to Seiryu and turns back toward the temple, leaving the shade of the cherry blossom tree.
Izuku blinks awake, trying to force his eyes to adjust to the glaring fluorescent lights above him. He hears soft snoring to his left and turns his head. Pony is sitting in the armchair next to his bed, her head back as she sleeps.
"Hello?"
He says, his voice raspy from disuse. Pony stirs. She blinks and rubs at her eyes, though it doesn't take more than a few seconds for her to realize that Izuku was the one who had spoken. She jumps on him, burying her face in his neck. She pulls back after a minute, smiling down at him.
"I'm sure you already know that you passed, but I thought I'd tell you anyway, You passed!'
Izuku smiles as he sits up. Pony steps back to give him room and pulls the chair closer for herself.
"Bakugou has been super pissy since your exam."
Pony says as she leans back in her chair.
"He keeps complaining, saying that he should have been the one to beat All Might."
Izuku hums as he adjusts himself,
"I guess I expected that."
He doesn't have a chance to say anything else as Recovery Girl's voice carries past the privacy screen.
"I can't believe you could be so idiotic! You couldn't just go a little easier on him and yourself? It was just an exam, it wasn't like he was going to kill you."
They hear a thwack and All Might yelping before Recovery Girl appears from behind the privacy screen.
"How are you feeling, dear?"
She asks. Izuku smiles,
"Fine, thank you."
Recovery Girl nods,
"Then you're free to go home. Try not to come back too soon."
Izuku nods as he gets out of bed. Once he's standing, he dips into a bow,
"Thank you for your help, ma'am."
Recovery Girl smiles and waves him away,
"You're welcome, dear. Now off you go."
Izuku smiles and nods back. Pony stands and grabs her back from where it sits, leaning against Izuku's bed.
Izuku sits in class, listening as the rest of his classmates discuss their exams and how they think they did.
"I just can't believe Midoriya managed to fight All Might and win ."
Kaminari says, throwing his hands up as if to accentuate his point. Izuku shrugs,
"I mean, he was holding back. All the teachers were. They were wearing those weights, remember?"
Kaminari huffs,
"Still, you fought All Might ."
He's stopped from saying anything else when the bell rings. They all scramble to get to their desks and seated properly before Aizawa steps through the door. He stops at his podium and sets down a disk similar to the one Izuku had received in lieu of an acceptance letter. After a moment the device turns on, displaying their exam results. A mix of groans and cheers fills the room for all five seconds before Aizawa shuts them up with a glare and turns off the hologram.
"Those of you who failed are still invited to join in the training camp taking place in a few weeks. Training would be most helpful to you, after all. Though you'll also have to attend extra classes at night."
A few of those who failed are still upset, muttering about the forced extra lessons, but they quiet quickly without intervention from Aizawa. The man sighs and grabs his sleeping bag from beneath his podium.
"You're free to talk quietly. Just come take one of these brochures so you'll know what you'll need for the trip."
He says as he slips inside and flops down onto the ground. It's silent for a second before the sound of chairs scratching against the tiled floor fills the room, accompanied by the beginnings of various conversations. Once everyone has a brochure it becomes conversations turn to what they're missing and will need to go shopping for.
"Oh! We should all go to the mall as a class!"
Tooru says, drawing the attention of the rest of her classmates.
"We'll be able to get all the stuff we need for a camping trip and it'll be good class bonding."
She reasons when no one else speaks. Izuku nods,
"That sounds great. I'm free this weekend."
The rest of his class follows suit. The only ones who deny going are Todoroki and Bakugou.
"Oh, come on! It'll be fun!"
Mina says, trying to urge the two of them to change their minds. One glare from Bakugou and she gives up, turning her attention to planning the class' meeting at the mall later that week.
As they're settling back into their seats in preparation for their next class Mina catches Izuku's eye,
"Make sure you bring Tsunotori along."
She says,
"I'd invite her myself but we don't cross paths often."
Izuku smiles,
"Yeah, of course."
Izuku and Pony walk side-by-side into the mall, hands intertwined as they walk through the entrance where they had planned to meet the rest of class 1-A. Everyone else is already there when they arrive and steps toward the two as they enter.
"Hey! Took you long enough."
Sero says as he waves. Izuku smiles,
"We're on time! The rest of you all arrived early."
He says, joining the group. They exchange pleasantries for a few minutes before Mina claps, grabbing their attention,
"Alright, let's split into groups. Who needs what?"
They all talk at once, though they still somehow manage to form groups based on what they need. Once they're all organized, Mina nods,
"We'll meet back in two hours, for lunch."
She says,
"Sound good?"
Everyone else agrees and their groups split off. Izuku and Tsunotori are left alone since they're the ones who only really need bug spray. They start walking toward the store they need, looking at the window displays they pass as they do.
--------
Izuku thanks the cashier as he takes the two bottles of bug spray, placing them both in his bag as he leaves. As he steps out of the store a feeling of being watched washes over him. He watches the crowd, doing his best not to make it obvious as he walks in the opposite direction of the ice cream stall Tsunotori is waiting at.
"That's the villain that attacks the USJ, right? I want to hear what he has to say. Let him come closer."
Seiryu says, appearing as a ghost a few feet in front of Izuku. The boy answers with a small nod as he sits down on a nearby bench. Not even a minute passes before Shigaraki sits down on the bench next to him, grabbing his neck with four fingers. Izuku can feel scales spread across his neck beneath his shirt.
"Act like I'm a friend. Don't yell, don't try to attack me. I could kill you in an instant and at least a hundred of these NPCs before the cops arrive."
The villain orders. Izuku smiles,
"What do you want?"
He asks. Shigaraki huffs,
"Everyone thinks Stain is so great. They focus on him rather than my attack, even though it was flashier. Even though I caused more damage. I want you to tell me why."
Seiryu shakes his head, drawing Izuku's attention,
"It won't affect you. You already know that his quirk is a five-point activation. Though, there's also the fact that his quirk seems to work by spreading antibodies that suck out all the hydration they can from whatever they touch, drying it out and leaving it nothing but ash. They won't do anything to you since you're DNA is different from everything and everyone else. Explains why his skin is so dry too, I suppose."
Izuku hums, in reply to both Shigaraki and Seiryu
"I guess it's because he had a goal, something people could relate to and cheer for. He made it clear from the start that he wanted to kill those he saw as fake heroes, even if he deems all heroes that aren't All Might as fake. That's something other people can get behind. You, on the other hand, have made no clear goal. You've only caused death and destruction. Without a clear end result in mind, no one is going to cheer you on. You have to make your ambition clear, and make sure it's something at least a portion of the population can agree with."
Shigaraki tilts his head as if in contemplation before his mouth stretches into a wide, sharp grin.
"I see. Thank you, but I think I'm still going to kill you. You've caused me too much trouble."
His last finger falls to Izuku's neck but, as Seiryu had said, nothing happens.
"Why won't you die?"
His voice is low and rasping as his grip on Izuku's neck tightens, though it's clear to Izuku that the question was more to himself than something he wanted Izuku to answer. They sit in silence for a few seconds before Shigaraki huffs a quiet, crazed laugh.
Shigaraki stands, letting go of Izuku as he does so. He looks like he's about to attack but before he can a swirling purple portal opens beneath him and he falls through, leaving Izuku alone on the bench.