Chapter 78: Hero Names
As soon as the six students stepped into the cafe, the staff broke out into cheers.
"There's the champ now!" the barista behind the counter said as he pointed to Mirio. "We were cheering for the three of you!"
"And there's the first year winner too!" A particularly excitable elementary-schooler called out from a booth. "They were so cool!"
"Of course!" Mirio slapped a hand onto Izuku's shoulder. "We've gotta make sure our kouhai are ready to take our place after we graduate!"
Izuku gave his girlfriend an awkward smile, and she just shook her head.
"We knew what we were getting into Izu. We could have thrown those fights on Monday–"
"You wouldn't dare!" Nejire said menacingly behind Ochako.
The younger girl turned around to see the upperclassmen had folded her arms and was glaring at her menacingly. Before she could open her mouth to reply, Melissa's laughter rang out.
"It's still incredible seeing how casual you all are around each other." She smiled. "It's really different from the professional air that most heroes put on, you know?"
"Don't you see that as well in the support course?" Tamaki asked from beside her.
Melissa shook her head and sighed. "Unfortunately since my first two years were on I-Island, visiting heroes always tried to maintain an air of professionalism around us when we worked with them. And here…" She trailed off.
"Well, you don't have to be formal around us!" Nejire insisted.
"I'm pretty sure Neji would be bored to death if you made her be formal for too long," Tamaki said dryly.
"Hush, you!" Nejire whirled around pouted at the other boy.
"I appreciate the offer," Melissa admitted gratefully.
"I think we've caused enough of a scene," Izuku said as he pointed to a corner table that could fit all of them. "Why don't we sit down?"
The others nodded in agreement, and the six made their way to the table. They quickly arranged themselves around it while the rest of the cafe turned their attention back to their own conversations. Once the waiter came over and took their orders, the group returned to their own conversation.
"I was impressed by how you made it so far as a new student," Nejire said to Melissa. "Most transfers struggle for their first Sports Festival."
"I'm not most transfers," Melissa said proudly. "Although I-Island doesn't have festivals the way you do in Japan, my equipment is second to none!"
"So we saw," Tamaki said. "If you told us last time we would have taken you more seriously."
"Well then I'm glad I didn't." Melissa said proudly before her pinks turned a faint pink. "But I'm sorry about that hit in the second round. You had me worried so I may have overcompensated."
"It was fine," Tamaki mumbled. "We were all trying our best."
"That's a relief." Melissa visibly relaxed into her seat.
"So how did you meet these two?" Nejire asked curiously.
"Them?" Melissa looked at the first years. "Their mentor brought them to visit so we hung out while he talked with my dad." She gave them a fond smile. "A few hours later, and I conned them into signing an exclusive agreement with me."
"Sounds like you picked the right people," Mirio laughed. "After their showing on the first day, I'd imagine all of the first year support students want to talk to them."
"They've already tried," Izuku admitted.
"Oh no," Mirio said. "Was it anyone on that team that made the final round?"
"Of course," Ochako said with a far too-wide smile. "But we're happy with Melissa's gear! It's why we can push ourselves – and our quirks – well beyond what we can do without it."
"I see," Nejire turned to Melissa. "I was wondering who designed it for them!"
"Oho," Mirio turned toward Izuku. "That reminds me, you owe us a rematch!"
"Yes!" Nejire chirped. "Although this time it sounds like we should wear our costumes!"
"After what happened, I wouldn't," Tamaki grumbled.
"Oh come on." Nejire nudged her friend and pouted. "Besides, you saw Shield's equipment today! I bet she could make us some support gear too!"
Melissa lit up. "You'd be interested?"
"Of course!" Mirio said. "If you can figure out how to deal with Permeation, that is," he laughed. "But we should save that for next week."
"It's your day," Tamaki said as he turned to him. "You can celebrate it how you want."
Mirio chuckled and shook his head. "It's not just about me. You did great too!" He hooked his arm around Tamaki's shoulder. "Besides, saving Japan's a team effort."
"Right," Tamaki sighed. "I just wish you didn't have to drag me into the spotlight."
"Now don't you start too." Nejire glared at him again.
Izuku and Ochako turned to each other and shared a smile. Even if a lot of things changed, they were happy to know that their seniors haven't.
The rest of golden week passed in a blur, and before they knew it, they were back to their regularly scheduled classes. At least for the morning. For the afternoon, their hero courses were replaced by an important ritual for all hero course students.
"I can't wait to see what internships we got!" Aika exclaimed as they walked back.
"I'm sure you're fine," Kyoka nudged her friend's shoulder. "They saw you get tossed around by 'Raka on live television and stand up unscathed."
"Why do you have to say it like that," Aika grumbled.
"I'm sure you all did fine," Izuku assured everyone.
"And what about you two, kero?" Tsuyu asked pointedly.
"What about us?" Ochako countered.
"You were the top two students, shouldn't you be excited by your internship prospects?" She tilted her head curiously as she examined them.
"Not really…" Izuku admitted timidly.
Tsuyu turned her gaze to Izuku before Ochako spoke up.
"You remember how we're friends with some third years?" Ochako asked. Tsuyu diverted her attention to the other girl and nodded. "Well thanks to them, we've already got our internships lined up so we don't really have to worry."
"Wha–" Tenya stiffened. "Isn't that underhanded?"
Izuku laughed nervously at that as he avoided Tsuyu's gaze. "Not really. When we are second- and third-years we're supposed to use our connections made during internships to find heroes who are willing to bring us onboard for practical work study experience. Besides, is it any different from you receiving an offer from Ingenium?"
"Tensei would never–" Tenya sweeped his arms in front of him to emphasize his point before he composed himself and adjusted his glasses. "While I wouldn't be surprised if Ingenium sent me an internship, due to the similarities of our quirks, I do not intend to automatically choose him. He is known for taking on multiple interns every year, and I do not wish to take up valuable time where he could mentor others if I have another option available."
Izuku gave his friend a knowing look before he turned back to Tsuyu. "So that's why we're not worried? We'll probably get flooded with offers, but it's better if we went with heroes we know would help us."
"I see, kero." Tsuyu closed her eyes and nodded.
Once everyone was settled in, and it was time for their afternoon heroics classes to begin, the students heard the door open. Aizawa entered first, carrying an armful of tablets, and Kayama was right behind him with a stack of whiteboards. Their teacher sat them down and motioned for Izuku to pass them out while Kayama walked around the room handing out whiteboards.
"While the top four have an unusually large number of offers, there appears to be a ripple effect, and everyone is interested in the students who can keep up with those four," Aizawa explained.
He fished a remote out from his desk and turned on the screen. As it lit up, a list of every student's name along with the number of offers they received. The students couldn't help but stare in awe. While Izuku and Ochako both had close to two-thousand offers each and Todoroki and Yaoyorozu both had over a thousand, everyone in the class had offers!
"In addition to this list, we have prepared a list of forty heroes who cover a variety of roles that anyone can apply for," Aizawa explained. "So nobody will be left behind, even if you aren't happy with the offers you have been provided."
"You will have until the end of the week to review the offers and submit your selections. If you feel overwhelmed or need additional help, you can ask any of your teachers for guidance. You also will have free afternoons today and tomorrow to review the information in class. But first…" He turned to Kayama.
"It's time for you to select your hero names!" Kayama said as she stepped in front of the desk. "A hero's name is an important part of your future identity, after all. How do you want the public – and villains – to see you?" She smiled warmly at the class. "Of course, such a big decision shouldn't be made lightly, which is why I am here to help. And if you get it wrong, you'll have a chance to change it when you receive your provisional license," she explained.
Izuku tuned her out as she went over the basics, instead turning his attention to Ochako. She gave him a melancholic smile that told him she felt the same way he did. Even though the names Deku and Graviton were from a literal lifetime ago and had been abandoned ever since they rescued Eri, there was still meaning behind those names. To finally change them, to announce that to the world, felt like they were cutting off a part of themselves.
But that wasn't what was happening, not really. He would always carry his experiences as Deku with him, and she would always carry her time as Graviton with her. Those names helped them become who they are. And now…
Even though the name Deku was who he was, it wasn't who he is . He was different now and so was she. And so they spent long hours together, brainstorming thousands of different names before they finally settled on new ones.
He gave Ochako a thumbs up, and she matched it with her own before they turned their attention back to their boards and began writing down their new hero names.
After a few minutes, Kayama examined the room again before she spoke.
"It's been a few minutes. Does anyone have a name they'd like to present?"
" Oui !" Aoyama surprised everyone as he jumped out of his seat. "I have the perfect name."
Izuku blinked in surprise as he watched the Frenchman walk up to the front of the room and wink at the class. "While I am brilliant and shining, I want to remind everyone that it is not a temporary brilliance. That I will always be sparkling and dazzling, serving as a beacon as well as a sword. And so I have chosen the name…"
Enduring light: Durendal
"The sword of Roland?" Kayama asked.
" Oui ," Aoyama said proudly. "Even though I am becoming a hero of Japan, it is fitting that I remember my roots."
The teacher gave him a faint smile. "Clever and well thought-out, I approve! Who's next?"
Izuku still blinked in shock at such a drastic change when Tsuyu shot a hand up. "I've had my name picked out since I was little," She said.
"Very well," Kayama said. "Why don't you show us?"
Tsuyu silently walked to the front of the room and flipped her whiteboard over to reveal her name.
Rainy Season Hero: Froppy
"Cute and playful, I like it," Kayama said.
Izuku found himself sighing in relief and glanced over at Ochako. She seemed to share his sentiment while their teacher called Kirishima to the front of the room. He explains he wanted to pay homage to his mentor and chose the name Red Riot , in honor of Crimson Riot, and he was ready to carry the weight of the name with him.
"That's three down," Kayama said. "Is anyone else ready?"
"Me!" Aika shot her hand up.
Kayama chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm. "Come on up then."
Aika stood at the podium and didn't bother to explain herself as she flipped over the card to reveal her name.
Songstress Hero: Hibiki
"I want everyone to know everything's okay when they hear my music!" Aika said brightly. "And so I– hey! I see you rolling your eyes back there!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kyoka fired back.
"We talked about this! You're just jealous because my name's cooler!"
Their teacher shook her head at the two girl's antics. "Jiro, does that mean you have a name ready as well?"
"Of course!" Kyoka said as she sat upright.
"Well, why don't you come up next then?"
Izuku watched as Kyoka shot her best friend a glare before she stood up and lazily walked to the front of the room before placing her board on the podium.
"We've actually got a bit of a theme going on with Komori in class 1-B," Kyoka explained, "seeing as all three of us want to be music-themed heroes. So while Aika went her way, I went with…" She flipped up the card to reveal her name.
Punk Hero: Pulse
"UA hasn't had students share a theme for a few years," Kayama commented. "Will the three of you be forming a team afterward?"
"Nah." Kyoka shook her head. "We'd probably kill each other if we did. But we can still let everyone know that we're connected through music."
"I like it," Kayama said. "You are both approved."
Kyoka returned to her desk as Kayama's gaze swept across the rest of the class. "Does anyone else have a name ready?"
Izuku glanced over at Ochako, and she nodded before her hand went up. "I do!"
"I was wondering," Kayama admitted. "Come on up."
Ochako leaned against the podium and began talking. "When I was young, I was told that if you wished upon a shooting star, your dreams would come true. So I watched the sky, looking for shooting stars every night. And when I found them, I was always so excited when I made my wish, sending my dreams to the heavens. I want to capture that same feeling of joy and hope, so that when people see me they feel the same way as I did when I saw those stars."
She flipped up her card to reveal her name.
Shining Comet: Saki
"Thoughtful," Kayama said. "And ambitious."
"I know I can do it!" Ochako insisted as she turned to her teacher.
"Very well then." Kayama gave Ochako an approving smile. "I can't wait to see what happens."
Satisfied, Ochako took her whiteboard and returned to her seat. Izuku didn't bother waiting and raised his own hand. "I'm ready too."
"Of course," Kayama said knowingly and gestured to the podium.
Izuku walked to the front of the class and took a deep breath. "As you all know, I was a late bloomer. But I never gave up my dreams to be a hero." He could hear Bakugo give a loud ' Tch' from his seat but ignored him. "It was a long shot, but I refused to give up and one day…" He looked down at his hand and watched as it emitted a green light. "I want to share that feeling with everyone. That no matter how bad today is, there are those fighting to give everyone a better tomorrow."
He flipped over his card to reveal his name.
Hopeful Hero: Isamu
"Courageous dreams, huh?" Kayama mused as she reviewed the kanji he chose for the name.
Izuku nodded. "I know how hard it can be but… I want people to feel like it's okay to dream and to hope, because I, because we are there to protect them. To give them the chance to make their own futures."
"And I thought Uraraka was ambitious," Kayama gave him a coy smile. "Approved."
Once classes were dismissed, Himiko turned around and dropped her tablet on Izuku's desk.
"I've narrowed it down to a few offers but I need help," Himiko said.
"Not going to ask your girlfriend?" Izuku asked as he looked up at her.
"Of course!" She chirped. "But I have to suffer through both of you so I may as well ask you too!"
Izuku shook his head as he watched the rest of their friends start to congregate around their desks.
"By the way Shizu," Tsuyu turned toward the other girl. "What internship should I go with?"
"How should I know, that's Mido and Raka's department."
"Midoriya and Uraraka?" Tsuyu asked carefully.
"Ehe," Aika rubbed the back of her head. "I mean, they're the two class reps, right? It's not like they're hiding anything or– OW!" Aika yelped as she got stabbed with a jack.
The rest of the friend group went silent as Tsuyu continued to examine Aika silently before she turned to Ochako.
"Something has been bothering me for a few weeks now, kero," she admitted.
"I was wondering if anyone would figure it out," Ochako said awkwardly. She sighed and looked at Izuku.
"It's up to you," Izuku said. "But I trust her."
"Okay," Ochako said as she grabbed Izuku's arm. "Follow me."
"Hey, you can't borrow him! I was using him!" Himiko protested.
"I'll be right back," Izuku promised his sister as the two left the room, their Froggy friend following behind them.
The pair led Tsuyu to one of the teacher's lounges. Once they ensured the room was empty they stepped inside, Izuku closing the door and securing the room while Ochako sat down on one of the couches. Tsuyu pressed an index finger to her chin as she watched Izuku curiously.
"It's a security system," Izuku explained. "What we're going to tell you can't leave this room."
"If you don't want to know, you can still leave," Ochako told her friend.
"Why would I do that?" Tsuyu tilted her head curiously.
"Of course you'd say that," Ochako gave her friend a warm smile as Izuku sat down next to her. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "Izuku and I are from the future."
"Specifically, next March," Izuku added.
"That is oddly specific," Tsuyu mused thoughtfully.
"At the end of our first year… something very bad happened," Ochako continued. "We were given a second chance and are trying our hardest to prevent it again."
"I see," Tsuyu closed her eyes. "That explains why the five of you were so well-equipped at the start of the year."
"Yeah," Izuku said quietly. "We want to make sure everyone in the class is ready."
"What about everyone else?"
"The rest of our class, kero." Tsuyu opened her eyes. "Shouldn't they know?"
"It's better if they didn't," Ochako said quickly. "If the wrong person found out we know what we do–"
"Everyone would be at risk while they came after us." Izuku finished.
"That makes sense," Tsuyu nodded. "But you're still not hiding it well."
Ochako laughed awkwardly. "Only because you're so perceptive. And well–"
"Were you my friends? Last year?" Tsuyu asked.
"Of course!" Ochako exclaimed. "You were my best friend. You were always so level-headed and stuck to your convictions, even when it pitted you against everyone else."
"You tried your hardest to keep us from being too impulsive," Izuku said.
"But I didn't always succeed."
"That's not–"
"She's got you there, Izu," Ochako said with a lopsided grin.
"Very well," Tsuyu nodded. "I'll keep this to myself."
"Really?"
"You're my friends, kero," Tsuyu looked at Ochako. "Even if I have some catching up to do. There is one thing though…"
"Oh no…"
"What is it?" Izuku asked fearfully.
Tsuyu held up her tablet and pointed it at them. "Which internship should I go with?"
Izuku blinked in surprise before they turned towards each other and shared a relieved laugh.
Melissa sat at her workstation and sighed as she scrolled through her internships.
"Of course everyone on I-Island wants me," she let out a weary sigh. "Even here in Japan, I'm still a Shield. I just wish my classmates would understand why I left…"
She highlighted several offers and moved them to the bottom of the list. She began to highlight the next group of offers from I-Island when she heard a knock at the door. Her head jerked up as she looked over in confusion.
"Come in, the door's unlocked."
The door opened to reveal Shoto Todoroki, a UA costume case in his hands.
"Good," he said, "I was worried you may have left for the day."
"No," Melissa replied as her face twisted in confusion. "Just looking over internship offers. Did you want something?"
"I do." Todoroki nodded as he stepped in. "You're the one responsible for Midoriya and Uraraka's costumes, right?"
"Yep!" she said proudly. "I'm also partially responsible for a few others."
"Perfect," Todoroki said as he walked over to her workbench and placed his case down on it. "I need a new costume and would like you to design it."
"Wh– huh?!" Melissa cried in confusion.
"I thought you would enjoy the request," Todoroki admitted, "If I guessed wrong, I can–"
"No!" Melissa quickly recovered and set her tablet down. "It's just that– why?"
"Two reasons, really," Todoroki said as he opened his case to reveal his costume. "For the first, this costume was designed by the support technicians at my father's agency. And secondly…" He turned to face the upperclassman. "I had originally designed this costume to rebel against my father. But after my battle with Midoriya…" He shook his head. "I realized I needed a fresh start. And what better way than to start with a new costume?"
"A fresh start, huh?" Melissa mused as she grabbed the corner of the case and pulled it towards her.
"Isn't that a good enough reason?" Todoroki asked.
"No that's not what I–" Melissa shook her head. "Sorry."
An awkward silence filled the room as she busied herself pulling out the hard plastic coverings that Todoroki covered half of his body with and set them aside. He was the son of Japan's number two hero! He would be a great client and here she was letting her own personal feelings get in the way when–
"Does it have to do with why you transferred to UA?" Melissa froze, and she heard a satisfied hum from beside her.
"You're right," Melissa admitted as her shoulders fell. "I guess I needed a fresh start too."
"Was it because of Midoriya and Uraraka as well?"
Melissa laughed and spun around to face Todoroki. "Of course, you'd think that. They were on I-Island at the time, but no. I just found out a few things about my dad, and they hurt. It was enough that I decided I wanted to make a name for myself, instead."
Todoroki looked visibly shocked by the revelation. "David Shield is a world-renowned name as a leading member of the support industry."
"And Endeavor is Japan's number two hero." Melissa gave the hero student a knowing look.
Another awkward silence descended. Unsure of what to say, Melissa went with what she knew and turned her attention back to the case. She finished pulling out the plastic bits and began to catalog them.
"These are really impractical for hero work," she muttered to herself. "You'd be better off wearing nothing at all instead."
"I know," Todoroki said, causing her to gasp. "When I designed the costume, I was aware of its impracticalities."
"Then why did you go with this design?" Melissa asked.
"My reasons for being a hero were wrong," Todoroki admitted. "Midoriya showed me that. And he was right – if I want to be a hero I need to find a better reason." He closed his eyes and hummed. "And I'll have to find another way to spite my father instead."
Melissa blinked as her mind processed what he said before she laughed.
"What's so funny?" Todoroki asked with the tilt of his head.
"It's nothing." Melissa waved a hand dismissively as she brought her laughter under control. "So why do you want to be a hero?"
"I'm still working on that part," Todoroki admitted. "I talked to my mom, and she gave me a few ideas. But I still haven't figured it out for myself yet."
"I'd love to know when you figure it out."
"When I do, you'll be the first to know."
"Even before Midoriya?" Melissa asked curiously.
Todoroki shrugged. "I don't see why he needs to be the first to know."
"Well, since he's your rival and all."
"I don't see what that has to do with it," Todoroki admitted.
Melissa gave him a faint smile. "Well, I can't wait to hear it. In the meantime-" She turned her attention back to the case and began putting everything away. "I'm not going to use any of this, so I'll have to start drafting a costume from scratch."
"That's fine by me."
"Great." Melissa slammed the case shut before she slid it across the table. "I'll let you know when I come up with something." She gave him a sympathetic look. "But if you want to come by and talk, I wouldn't mind."
"Why not?" Todoroki tilted his head in confusion.
"Well, it seems like we have a lot in common." Melissa glanced over at her tablet full of offers. "Maybe talking to someone who understands what you're feeling would help."
Chapter 79: Internship Week
"I don't know who to pick!" Aika exclaimed as she dropped her tablet and slammed her head into the lunch table.
"There, there." Kyoka patted her friend on the shoulder.
"Like you're any better," Aika grumbled without bothering to raise her head.
"It's completely different!" Kyoka insisted. "Gang Orca may be a top ten hero, but I don't want to intern with him just because of that, you know?"
"I don't know," Tsuyu said with a tilt of her head. "He's pretty great. I would love to learn from him."
"Well, how do you think he'd help?" Kyoka asked the Frog girl.
"For starters-" Tsuyu put down her chopsticks and placed her hands on the table as she stared at her friend. "-his Orca mutation has given him strong sonic powers, which lines up with your own Quirk. Then, there is his appearance. He is regularly voted as the scariest looking hero by fan polls." She gave the other girl a faint smile. "And kids love him. Sounds like someone who is building their hero persona around punk rock might be interested in."
"It sounds like you're one of his fans," Ochako teased.
"Of course, kero," Tsuyu admitted. "He is a big inspiration for me."
"You want to be good with kids?" Aika asked as she lifted her head.
"Maybe," Tsuyu admitted with a shrug. "Who knows, I might actually enjoy being a nautical hero like Selkie. We'll see how my internship goes."
She picked up her chopsticks and resumed her lunch. Across the table, Tenya finished chewing his food and swallowed it before he turned toward Izuku.
"I fear I am in the same boat as Jiro," he admitted. "While you were right that Ingenium sent me an internship offer, he does appear to be one of the more attractive heroes available to me."
Izuku shot Ochako a questioning glance. While Tenya's initial internship with the Normal Hero ended in disaster for both of them, he sought forgiveness and returned to the hero when the HPSC-mandated Work Studies began. And despite his initial hesitance, that work study provided him with valuable lessons. Manual might be an unassuming hero, but he was friendly, level-headed, and beloved by the people of Hosu. He served well to temper Tenya's own rather rigid views of heroes, and Izuku wondered if it would be a good idea to nudge him in that direction a second time.
It's not like he is going to hunt down Stain this time, after all.
Ochako seemed to ponder the question for a minute before she tilted her head slightly.
I agree.
Izuku matched her gesture before he turned his attention back to his friend.
"Well, are there any other heroes in Hosu you could intern under?"
"Why would that be relevant?" Tenya asked as he set down his chopsticks and reached for his bag.
"You wanted to remain in Hosu with your family, right?" Izuku waited for his friend to give him a distracted nod before he continued. "There's gotta be more heroes in the ward than just the Idaten agency."
"That's correct." Tenya finally fished his tablet out of the bag and set it on the table. He unceremoniously dumped the bag back onto the ground and adjusted his glasses before booting up the device. He began scrolling through, his brows narrowing until his eyes went wide. "There is someone." His head jerked up to look at Izuku. "Manual, the Normal Hero."
"Know anything about him?" Izuku asked as he reached for his phone and began looking something up.
"Sadly I do not," Tenya admitted as he began to read the entry. "His hero ranking is in the mid-two-hundreds, and his quirk is water manipulation. He runs his agency out of a shared building with three other heroes in Hosu. But he promises sufficient room and accommodations will be provided for the internship."
"Seems like he goes on patrol daily. And while his villain capture rate is pretty low, his testimonials page is overflowing." Izuku looked up from his phone. "So his popularity among the citizens is boosting his ranking."
Tenya pinched his chin and closed his eyes. "Then why don't I know much about him…" He was silent for several moments before he let out a disappointed sigh. "I really have been too focused on Tensei and his agency, if I cannot recall the other popular heroes of Hosu."
"This sounds like a good chance to change that." Ochako nudged him. "If you want to, of course!"
Tenya opened his eyes and reviewed the entry again before he looked up at the couple. "Thank you. I believe you are right. Perhaps seeing Hosu from a different perspective will help."
"And now I'm all by myself again," Aika grumbled. "Unless…" she said hopefully as she looked at Himiko.
"Nope!" Himiko chirped. "Emmy and I went over the list last night."
"But I heard you complaining about the lack of blood quirks yesterday!" Aika exclaimed.
"And I'm still mad about that." Himiko crossed her arms. "The only one I know of is Vlad King, and he can't take interns because he works at UA."
"Well if there's no blood heroes, then who did you go with?"
"Mr. Brave," Himiko said proudly. "He uses weapons, just like me! Although his hair blades are uglier than my daggers or Needles." She gave the other girl a playful look. "If he can climb up the rankings with those, then he's exactly who I should learn from!"
"Traitor," Aika called out. "And of course Mido and Raka had internships before we even got to UA."
"I wouldn't go that far…" Izuku said nervously as his eyes darted over to Tenya.
"We didn't even know the third years before school started!" Ochako lied.
"That reminds me." Tenya turned his attention to the couple. "Who are you interning with?"
"Ryukyu!" Ochako said happily. "I've always looked up to the Dragon Hero. Always sticking to her principles and fighting to the bitter end. When I found out Hado was working under her, I had to ask if she'd put my name forward! And she did!"
"I'm sure your little spectacle at the sports festival helped," Kyoka pointed out.
"Probably," Ochako lied. "But when Hado told me the news, I knew what I was doing."
"And what about you, Midoriya?"
"I'm actually going with Sir Nighteye," Izuku answered.
"Oh?" Tenya asked. "Isn't he fairly low ranked?"
"He is, but that's because his type of heroics doesn't lend itself to climbing to the upper levels of the charts. He handles investigative and detective work, and while he tries to solve the issues with the sidekicks at his agency, he often is forced to call in other heroes."
"So why him?"
"It's because of his connection to All Might," Kyoka pointed out.
"You don't have to put it like that…" Izuku complained.
"Am I wrong though?"
"While it's true that Sir Nighteye and All Might have been working together on cases again, he's a full hero in his own right. And his style's completely different from what I'm going to do after I graduate. But that's why All Might agreed to take him on as a sidekick in the first place. He helped bring a different perspective to things."
"Still not hearing you disagreeing with me, Mido," Kyoka said smugly.
"I guess you're right," Izuku finally admitted.
"That's why," Kyoka said as she turned to her best friend.
"Ugh, not fair." Aika leaned back in her chair and let out a resigned sigh.
"Can I see your tablet?" Izuku asked. "I'm sure there's someone here who could help you."
"Finally!" the other girl exclaimed as she practically threw the tablet across the table to him.
Izuku caught it effortlessly and began scrolling through the names to see what the girl's options were. He pressed his thumb against his lips with his free hand as his eyes darted across the names. Once he reached the bottom of the list, he scrolled back up to one that caught his eye in particular. Selecting the name, he brought the profile up and handed it back to the other girl.
"Huh?" Aika asked as she read the profile. "Why him?"
The next week and a half passed quickly, and soon enough, it was time to depart for internships. Once Izuku and Ochako ensured that all of their classmates were off of the bus in front of Tatooin Station, they turned to their homeroom teacher.
"That's everyone," Izuku confirmed as he offered the clipboard to their teacher. Ochako nodded beside him.
"Good," Aizawa said as he took the clipboard. "Now please try and stay out of trouble this time."
"That's not fair!" Ochako protested.
"And the League is still out there…"
"I know." Aizawa gave the two a tired look. "But I'm still obligated to tell you. And to remind you that you still don't have your provisional licenses yet."
"Yes, sir," Ochako said in resignation.
"To be honest, I wouldn't mind a quiet internship," Izuku admitted. "After last time."
He felt Ochako give him a side hug as Aizawa shook his head.
"Well, I hope you get it. I'll see you two in a week."
They watched as Aizawa returned to the bus and it pulled out, making way for the next class of students to depart. Izuku and Ochako quickly moved out of the way to make room for the next class and walked to a nearby covered bus stop which gave them something resembling privacy.
"Do you really think it'll be quiet?" Ochako asked her boyfriend.
"Given our luck, no," Izuku sighed. "But this is the life we chose, right?"
"You know I wouldn't have it any other way," Ochako said as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Me neither," He agreed as he leaned forward, his lips finding hers as they shared a quick kiss. It was over far too soon and they reluctantly pulled apart. "See you tonight?"
"Of course."
She leaned in for another kiss which he happily reciprocated before the two finally left the small shelter and waited for the third years to finally arrive. When they saw their respective seniors appear, they said their goodbyes and split up.
From his vantage point, Izuku saw Hado sweep Ochako into a hug moments before he felt Togata's arm on his shoulder.
"Ready for your internship?" the upperclassman asked with a smile on his face.
"I think so," Izuku said.
"Hmm?" Togata looked at him curiously. "Why so tense?"
Izuku winced internally at how observant the senior was. "He just seemed so intense at our entrance exam," he lied.
"That's just how he is when he's working," Togata assured him. "He's very different when we're at his office."
"I'm not sure if that makes me feel better," Izuku admitted.
Although my true reason is completely different from what Togata thinks. Izuku thought to himself. While Toshinori has assured me that their relationship is much better now, I still can't help but think about how he treated me. But Toshinori is right. If we're giving everyone second chances, he deserves one too, and the experience would be invaluable.
Togata laughed. "Don't worry, it's a good kind of different."
Izuku forced himself to relax. "I guess we should get going so I can see for myself?"
"Yeah!" Togata exclaimed. "Let's get going!"
The two made their way into the station and before long they were on their train. The trip to Tokyo was a familiar one for Izuku, and despite his initial trepidation he found Togata easy to talk to. After their exam, the upperclassmen sought to take him and Ochako under their wings, and they were surprised by the results. Even with Izuku's added experience, the third year still had plenty of wisdom to dispense, and he intended to take full use of it.
When they finally arrived, Izuku followed Togata into the building. There they were greeted by Centipeder and Bubble Girl. After putting on a show about meeting Izuku for the first time, they told Togata that Sir was waiting for them in his office.
"Is this going to be one of his jokes?" Izuku asked as the pair entered the elevator.
"Either that or some sort of test." Togata gave him a bright smile. "Are you ready?"
"I guess so…" Izuku said, reminded of the test where he was required to snatch the weighted seal from the hero's hands.
Not that Foresight works on me now. Izuku reminded himself. That just means he's got something new planned this time.
They entered the office only to see Nighteye standing prominently in front of his Tenth Anniversary banner for All Might.
"Lemillion, it's good to see you. And you-" Nighteye pushes up his glasses. "All Might's number two fan."
Izuku took a step back, his mind trying to process what he just heard.
"What?!"
"I can't wait to spend the week with my kouhai!" Nejire exclaimed as she crushed Ochako in a hug.
"Me too," Ochako agreed as she returned the hug.
Nejire was a permanent feature at Ryukyu's agency during Ochako's six months under the hero. And she had to admit, the curious and energetic personality of the older girl helped carry her through her darker days. It was hard to be sad around the older girl. And, on her worst days, Nejire would sniff it out. No matter how hard Ochako tried to hide it, the older girl poked and prodded her with questions before she inevitably arranged for little 'surprises' to improve her mood. Often enough these involved roping her classmates, specifically Analyst, into dragging her out of the dorms and out of her head.
She was grateful for her efforts, and was looking forward to working with her now that she was in a (much) better place.
"Should we get going?" Ochako asked as she pulled away from the girl.
"One second." Nejire turned around and gave a surprise hug to a protesting Amajiki before spinning back around. "Ok, now I'm ready!"
Ochako shook her head with slight amusement as the two descended into the terminal. She gladly let the older girl take the lead as Nejire happily talked up the Dragon hero, listening carefully for any hints at how this Ryukyu was different from the one she remembered. While she had met her previously, those brief encounters weren't enough to give Ochako insight into the woman.
And thanks to Nejire's constant stream of thoughts, the trip passed quickly. Before Ochako knew it, she found herself standing in front of the hero's agency.
"Ready to get started?" Nejire asked Ochako.
"I've been looking forward to it," she admitted with a bright smile.
The two entered the building only to see the hero herself waiting for them.
"Welcome back Nejire." Ryukyu examined the older girl. "Although, I'm still surprised you didn't take this last chance to intern under somebody else."
"Why would I do that?" Nejire asked curiously. "If I'm going to join the agency after I graduate, then I should learn as much as I can now, right?"
The hero gave her a faint smile. "You're right. In that case I'm going to give you different work this week."
"I'm looking forward to it!"
"And then there's Saki." Ryukyu turned to Ochako. "I was impressed by your performance at the sports festival. It seems like you've grown a lot since we sparred."
"Wait, what?" Nejire asked in confusion.
"Yep!" Ochako beamed proudly as she ignored the older girl, desperately hoping she would forget this conversation. "I'm looking forward to showing you what I've learned!"
"In that case," the hero crossed her arms and nodded approvingly, "why don't you two get changed and we can begin?"
Something felt off as Himiko stood in front of the doors to Mr. Brave's shared agency. While nothing was out of place as she approached them of the agency, when they slid open, something about the sheer emptiness of the lobby set her on edge.
"Not even a secretary," Himiko muttered to herself.
Not even bothering with subtlety, her free hand instinctively went down to her thigh and stroked the holster that had become a permanent feature of her uniform. There she found her knives and took a twisted sort of comfort in the fact that she had protection.
Not that she was helpless without a weapon. But they certainly made things easier!
"Hello?" the girl called out, only to hear silence in response.
She walked forward to the desk and set her case down. She was about to shrug off her backpack when– there!
In one swift motion, Himiko had a knife in her hand, raising it as she spun around to block the oncoming blade.
"Very good," Mr. Brave said as he backed off. He let go of the clump of hair, and Himiko watched it fall to the ground harmlessly.
"Here I was expecting a 'Hello'." Himiko didn't bother to hide her annoyance as she crossed her arms.
The hero chuckled. "Sorry Carmilla, but after your performance at the festival, I had to see what you could do for myself." He extended a hand. "Mr. Brave, at your service."
Himiko rolled her eyes and let out a pained sigh as she unfolded her arms. "Why couldn't I get a normal hero?"
Despite her protests, she took his hand and shook it.
"Don't worry, there won't be any more tricks. At least from me. Can't speak for the villains, though!" He gave her a bright smile. "Come on, let me show you around then I want to see what you can really do."
Himiko gave him a predatory smile. She couldn't wait to get the drop on him instead.
"Now arriving at Okuto Island Aquarium."
Kyoka looked up from her phone to see the ferry pulling into the dock. After jamming it into her bag, she stood up and joined the crowd waiting to depart. With speed borne of practice, the crew anchored the boat onto the dock and deployed the ramp. And in a few minutes, Kyoka was off the boat and walking towards the aquarium.
Without any clear instruction beyond her destination, she walked into the front door.
Only to be greeted by a sight that made her freeze in surprise. There, in the middle of the foyer, knelt Gang Orca in his suit. And he was surrounded by a dozen elementary school kids.
"I'm so happy for your enthusiasm!" the hero exclaimed. "I hope you all have a wonderful day at my aquarium!"
The children responded with a chorus of 'thank you!'s before they ran off deeper into the building, leaving the hero alone. Once he was alone, the hero rose with a chuckle.
"Surprised, Pulse?"
"A little bit," Kyoka admitted. "When I think 'pro hero' that's not the first thing that comes to mind."
"Your teachers are also heroes, are they not?" The hero asked pointedly. "But I assure you, I am deadly serious in my work. Let me show you to our campus, where I've had a dorm prepared for you. Once you change into your costume, we can go on patrol."
Kyoka cracked a faint smile. "That sounds great."
Aika was confused as she approached the nondescript building. While she knew heroes often tailored their agencies to match their personas, this building stood out simply because of how ordinary it was. She double- and triple- checked her phone to make sure it was the right address, but each time it said the same thing. This was the agency of Shadowmancer.
"What kind of hero is he?" the girl asked herself. "I know what Mido said about underground heroes, but is this what they're really like?" She let out a resigned sigh as she hung her head. "Guess there's only one way to find out, huh?"
Steeling herself, she walked up to the building and yanked open the doors. She passed through the airlock into the building itself where the bright lights and pillars cast deep shadows around the lobby. And at the other end, sitting at a desk, was a man with short brown hair, a black suit, and glasses. He noticed Aika's entrance and stood up. "Can I help you?"
"Hey." Aika rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Is this really Shadowmancer's agency?"
"It is," the man confirmed. "I am Hideshi Kuroshi, at your service." He politely bowed. "You must be Hibiki. Shadowmancer's been curious to meet you."
"I'm curious to meet him!" she eagerly replied. "Everything about this place has me curious!"
He chuckled and took off his glasses, and Hibiki found herself momentarily blinded as the light bounced through the lenses while he cleaned them. "Kind of impatient, aren't you?"
"I mean, I've only got a week!" Aika held her fists in front of her. "That means there's no time to waste, right?"
"That is correct," the man confirmed. "Very well, let's go introduce you to the hero." He turned around and began to walk towards a stairwell before pausing and tilting his head back to give her a sideways glance. "That is, if you can move."
"If I can– of course I can move!" Aika said as she tried to take a step forward, only to find her left foot pinned to the floor. "Hey! What gives?!"
"Sorry," the man chuckled as he turned around. "I wanted to see if you would notice."
"Notice what?" Aika asked.
The hero gestured with his eyes down to the floor, and Aika looked down. Her eyes went wide in realization of two things. Firstly, he wasn't casting a shadow. Rather, his shadow wasn't attached to him. Which led to her second realization. Her eyes trailed down to where her own shadow was, and then she saw it. His shadow was right beside her, holding tightly onto the shadow of her left leg. She whipped her head around and looked at the secretar– no, at the hero.
"You're Shadowmancer!"
"That's me," the man confirmed with a playful look in his eyes.
He waved his hand and Aika watched as the shadow removed itself from her leg, freeing her before it returned to and reattached itself to the hero.
"Don't worry, nobody ever figures it out right away."
"You did that on purpose!"
"Of course." The hero gave her a faint smile as he put his glasses back on. "Misdirection and stealth are the ways of the underground hero. While we all have different ideas of what that means, what better way to blend in than to disguise myself as one of countless salarymen around Japan."
Aika gave the man a broken smile. What did she get herself into?
Chapter 80: Collecting Evidence
"'What?' Is that really all you have to say for yourself, Number Two?" Nighteye said as he stared at Izuku.
"I just–" Izuku took a deep breath and returned the hero's gaze, trying to not take the bait. "Why call me that?"
"When Togata recommended you I, of course, looked into you." The hero adjusted his glasses as he stood in a relaxed pose. "It was then that I learned you were a fan of All Might. Perhaps even one of his biggest fans, judging by your impressive collection of figures."
"Wait, how do you know about those?" Izuku asked.
"I've been a hero for twenty years – longer than you've been alive. As an investigative hero, I have built up a vast network of contacts and associates as I root out villains who don't want to be found. Finding out information about a high school student is trivial by comparison."
Crap! Izuku thought. He really went all out if he asked Toshinori about me!
"But I am All Might's number one fan and want to make sure that is clear." Nighteye gave him a challenging smile. "Unless you want to take the title from me."
Suddenly, it clicked.
I get it! Izuku thought. This is a test! He wants me to challenge him. But… Izuku's eyes slid over to Mirio. With Togata here, I can't reveal One For All. Or how he's my dad in all but name at this point.
"So what'll it be, Number Two?"
Nighteye began walking around the room, stopping in front of his All Might memorabilia that wasn't available to the public.
Mirio, for his part, simply had an amused look on his face as he crossed his arms and watched Izuku.
"Come on, Midoriya! You're not going to just let his challenge go unanswered, are you?"
"No," Izuku said as he clenched his fist. "It's just–"
Of course! Izuku's face lit up. Two can play at this game.
"If I'm the number two fan, doesn't that make you the number three?" Izuku asked.
He watched Nighteye freeze in his tracks at the accusation before he whirled to face him.
"A weighty accusation if I've ever heard one, Number Two." Nighteye's eyes narrowed.
Izuku grinned at him as he unclenched his fist. "Did you know All Might has a girlfriend?"
"What?!" Mirio exclaimed.
To his credit, Nighteye didn't move. "That isn't common knowledge. I'm surprised you're willing to share it so casually."
"Are you saying Togata isn't trustworthy?" Izuku fired back.
"Of course I trust him, he has worked at my agency for the past ten months via UA's work study program." Nighteye adjusted his glasses. "But you first met him at the entrance exam, didn't you? What reasons do you have to trust him?"
"Well, he's the top third year in the school," Izuku began. "And after the exam, he has been mentoring me and Ocha along with his friends, who are the second- and third-ranked third years. Not to mention he is a student at UA, and given the security of the school itself, it would make sense if there was screening in place for all of the applicants. While that method isn't foolproof, of course, it's easy to say trusting Mirio is much the same as trusting a hero such as Best Jeanist, Endeavor, or even All Might himself."
Nighteye turned towards Mirio. "And what do you think of Midoriya's assessment of you?"
"Well, other than being honored that he thinks so highly of me," Mirio began. "It's a reasonable assumption of the situation. In addition, we both know about each other's relationships."
"And what do you think of the news itself?"
"I'm happy for him," Mirio said. "My partners mean everything to me, and we've built each other up back when we were still working out how to use our quirks properly. All Might deserves that just as much as everyone else, if not more so."
"I agree." Nighteye gave the older teen an approving smile before his gaze turned back to Midoriya. "Now back to the question at hand–"
"I'd say if anyone deserves the title of All Might's number one fan, it would be her, wouldn't you think?" Izuku asked the hero.
For his efforts, he heard Mirio laugh beside him. "He's got you there, Sir. There really isn't anyone more deserving of the title."
The hero frowned at Izuku, but he held the hero's gaze, refusing to back down. Finally the hero's lip twitched upward as he gave an approving nod.
"Very well, I will let her have the title then. You pass… Number Three."
Izuku groaned and hung his head.
Besides him Mirio laughed. "Sir does have you there."
"Indeed," Nighteye adjusted his glasses. "While you have successfully challenged my title of number one fan, the person you offered up for the challenge was not yourself, but rather All Might's girlfriend. You have yet to present evidence why you should hold the title."
"Not fair," Izuku grumbled.
"You know firsthand that Japan isn't fair," Nighteye said critically. "That's why you're a hero after all, isn't it? To push back against the unfairness."
"Are you saying there's a way to change your mind about your nickname?" Izuku asked as he raised his head.
"Perhaps… if you can convince Togata of the fact as well," the hero said with a coy smile. "But for now, we've wasted enough time! Centipeder can show you to your assigned quarters, where you can change. Then we'll get right into the investigations."
"Are you still looking into the League?" Mirio asked.
"Yes," Nighteye confirmed. "I believe that it will be of personal interest to Isamu."
Izuku perked up at that. "You're right."
"Excellent." Nighteye clapped his hands together. "Very well then, I'll see you back here in a few minutes, and then we can begin."
Ochako wasn't sure if it was good or bad luck that Nejire waited until they were in the agency locker room before she confronted her.
"You never told me that you sparred with Ryukyu before!" the older girl exclaimed.
"I thought she forgot about it," Ochako lied.
"Still!" Nejire pointed a finger at the younger girl. "Why hide it?"
"It's a long story," Ochako admitted. "And I'm not sure I'm ready to tell you all of it…"
Not without talking to Izu first, Ochako silently appended.
"...but when I was younger Ryukyu helped me through some hard times."
"She did?" Nejire tilted her head curiously.
"Mhm." Ochako nodded vigorously. "I was in a bad spot, and she helped me through. She's so strong and steadfast – she wants to help people, but she isn't willing to compromise her ideals to do so."
"You're a fangirl!" Nejire exclaimed.
"I– huh?!" Ochako was taken back.
"I've seen that look before." Nejire smiled brightly as she straightened and folded her hands behind her back. "Normally It's reserved for All Might though."
"All Might…" Ochako hung her head and groaned. "So is this what it feels like, huh?"
She heard the older girl giggle. "I think it's cute?"
"Really?" Ochako lifted her head to see Nejire bending over to try and look up at her.
"Mhm! Midoriya's an All Might fanboy, and you're a Ryukyu fangirl! You two can be hero fans together!"
"I'm not sure it works like that," Ochako said warily.
"Doesn't it?" Nejire asked coyly.
"I–" Ochako opened her mouth only to slam it shut.
Is this payback for all the teasing I've done to Izu?
"Fine," Ochako conceded. "I'm a fan of Ryukyu! She's amazing and a great hero, and I can't wait to look forward to working with her."
"There! Was that so hard?"
Strangely, she didn't feel awkward voicing it out loud. It's not like the feeling was wrong , even. She hadfelt that way all day! But it felt like the older girl had blasted away a mental block that Ochako didn't even realize was there.
Was that what Ryukyu was intending? Or just a side effect of Nejire's natural… Nejire-ness?
"No," Ochako admitted.
"Good." Nejire crossed her arms and gave her a satisfied look. "That's payback for not telling me before! Now onto the next question: Why are you hoping she forgot?"
Ochako let out a resigned sigh. At least the conversation gave her the time she needed to work out a good half-truth. "I was young and hot headed. I had a chance to show off by sparring with her. She…"
"You lost badly."
Ochako nodded. "I didn't have nearly the training I do now and was trying to mimic her style. So of course she knew how to counter it! She even figured out my quirk." Ochako looked down at her upturned hand, the five finger pads dancing with pink light as she subconsciously ran One For All through them. "And my speed wasn't enough."
"I see," Nejire said. "Well, I don't think she's too upset."
"Me neither," Ochako agreed, not bothering to tell the other girl about the talk she had with the hero immediately after.
"In that case, I can't wait to see how you do this time!" Nejire said as she picked up her hero case and slammed it down, the lid popping open to reveal her costume. "And I bet Ryukyu's looking forward to seeing how you improved, too."
"I'm sure she is," Ochako said as she opened her costume case, her bodysuit staring at her. "Thanks, Hado."
"Anything for my kouhai!"
After tailing Slidin'Go for a week, Kaina finally had her next breakthrough.
"Oh?" Kaina said as she watched the sight unfolding.
There, two kilometers away, she saw a car pull up only for Japan's number three hero, Hawks, to emerge. The hero was greeted by Slidin'Go, who held his thumb and index finger in an 'L' shape and pressed it to his forehead.
"What's this?" Kaina's eyes narrowed.
She saw Hawks waste no time holding his hand the same way before placing this thumb against his temple.
"I see. So either the HPSC is playing a dangerous game… or my successor is slipping the leash that the HPSC has him on. Either way—" She thought back to her strange encounter with All Might, Stain, and those teenagers. "How would you respond if you knew, All Might?"
She reached down to retrieve her camera and frowned.
"I'll have to get closer to get the photos. While Slidin'Go was easy…" She turned her attention to Hawks as he began to follow the other hero. "A top ten hero is a whole different matter. Especially given his… other training."
Her real worry was his speed. Even if she was a kilometer away, if Hawks decided to investigate, there was nothing she could do to escape before he arrived. And if that happened, things would escalate fast.
She was still a wanted woman after all. Plus, she was sure the HPSC would make sure he was particularly conditioned against his predecessor so they wouldn't have to worry about that pesky mistake where they let her keep her conscience.
Weighing her options, she decided the risk was worth it.
"Now let's see, the sun's traveling that way which means…" Nagant looked towards the available buildings. "That should be perfect. I'll camp up there and wait for him to return to his car."
Standing up, Kaina stretched her limbs before repacking her bag. She took one last look around to ensure she didn't leave anything behind before she returned to the stairwell and quietly pulled the door open. She rapidly descended the stairwell until she reached the first floor before she pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on.
After taking a steadying breath, the former assassin casually opened the door and stepped out into the first floor of the office building. From there, she shouldered her bag and walked toward the entrance. The security guard gave her a curious look, but she responded with a casual wave.
"I visited my stylist yesterday," Kaina said, as if that would explain everything.
The security guard looked momentarily confused and embarrassed before he gave her a forced smile. "Sorry, I didn't recognize you for a moment. Have a good lunch!"
"You too," Kaina casually called before she strolled out the front door of the building.
Once outside, she once again adjusted her bag before she turned and began to walk toward the commercial district. Just another good citizen of the town and card carrying member of the Meta-Liberation Army going out to have a nice lunch.
It took Kaina fifteen minutes to casually stroll into town. Twenty-five more minutes to enjoy a light lunch, and then ten more minutes to slip into an alley and scale the side of her chosen building.
"At least Hawks' ride is still here," Kaina said as she confirmed her target was still there.
Setting her bag down, she removed a camera, lens and tripod. With practiced ease, she set the equipment up and aimed it at the vehicle. She took a few test shots to ensure the remote worked, and then carefully hopped across a narrow alleyway to hunker down on an adjacent rooftop.
"Now comes the worst part," Kaina said as she got herself as comfortable as she could.
A little over an hour later, her patience paid off as she saw Hawks and Slidin'Go return to his car. Peering out of her hiding spot, she gripped the remote tightly as she waited for the right moment. For now, it looked like the two were simply talking, and she almost regretted her choice of position now.
At least one of them could be nice and face me so I could read their lips, she grumbled internally.
They talked for about two minutes when Kaina saw Hawks suddenly tense. She froze, her breath caught in her throat as she went totally still. She saw him spin around, his head darting back and forth as if he was searching for something before he leveled an accusatory stare at his fellow hero.
Fortunately for Kaina, she could now see his face clearly, which meant she could read his lips.
'What's with the extra security?' the hero asked.
She couldn't see Slidin'Go's response of course, so she simply waited for him to continue.
'Other heroes were here?' Hawks pinched his chin thoughtfully. 'Did they do anything suspicious?'
More silence before Hawks closed his eyes, a brief flare of frustration crossing his features before he opened them again.
'Do you want me to shake the tree and see if anything comes loose?'
She didn't need lip reading to see Slidin'Go shake his head negative. Hawks shrugged and continued.
'Alright, I guess I'll see you at the same time in three weeks.'
Nagant tensed again as she saw the hero raising his hand, the remote at the ready as he visibly saluted the other hero with the sign of the Meta-Liberation Army. She pressed the button on the camera repeatedly, capturing several images of both him and Slidin'Go saluting each other before he finally got into his car.
He pulled out onto the road and Slidin'Go gave him a cheerful wave as the other hero watched Japan's third ranked hero drive away. It wasn't until Hawks had disappeared from view that he pulled out a phone and called someone.
"I think I've seen enough," Nagant said as she ducked down and broke line of sight with the street.
"Heightened security huh? I haven't really noticed anything off… then again I've only been here a couple of weeks, and I've just assumed this place was a fortress," she snorted. "Either that or they don't trust Hawks either. Not that I can blame them."
She exhaled slowly as she reviewed the details of the encounter in her mind. "But if they do trust him… that means they're paranoid. He said something about other heroes coming by. That could mean two things. Either Hawks has gone rogue which," she snorted, "wouldn't that be ironic. Or… there's a third faction in play."
Her thoughts drifted back to All Might and Stain… and those middle schoolers on the roof.
"Something about those two… those weren't the eyes of untrained middle schoolers. What is All Might playing at…"
She glanced over to the edge of the roof, and the building beyond where her camera sat quietly, the images stored on it waiting to be downloaded.
"I guess one way or another this will be a fruitful endeavor," she smiled wryly. "Now I've just gotta wait for nightfall."
As much as she was ready to leave, she wasn't going to stumble on the extraction. She was a professional, after all.
"Man, what a bust," Taneo Tokuda sighed as he walked up to his apartment.
Fishing the keys out of his pocket, he pushed the door open–
-only to see a manilla envelope sitting in the entryway.
"Huh?" He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "What's this?"
Carefully, he knelt down and picked up the envelope. He then searched the entryway for any signs of tampering or forced entry. Seeing none, he let out the breath he was holding.
"They must have slid it under the door," he said. "Probably some prank."
Kicking the door closed, he slipped off his shoes while breaking the seal on the envelope. He opened it and peered inside to see a series of photographs inside. Grabbing them, he pulled them out. And his eyes went wide.
"These are–!"
He rushed into the other room and dropped the envelope on the table. Wasting no time, he ripped his phone out of his pocket and called the Editor-in-Chief of Juko news.
"It's me. You'd better warm up the presses because I've got the story for you!"
"We interrupt this story to bring you breaking news." The screen cut away to the Japanese News Network logo. "Evidence has surfaced that the Meta-Liberation Army has been recreated–"
Izuku froze.
This is too early! He thought They didn't surface until Jaku and even then–
He looked over to see Mirio's face was already glued on the television. Shaking his head to clear it, he turned his attention to the television.
"Worse. We have obtained evidence that several heroes are part of this revived force, including Japan's own number three hero, Hawks."
Izuku watched in disbelief as he saw a photograph of Hawks on the screen. And even though he was facing the wrong direction, he recognized the other hero as Slidin'Go, a powerful hero who could manipulate friction that he met while interning under Endeavor in his past life.
And sure enough, both of them had their fingers forming the recognizable 'L' shape of the Meta-Liberation Army, their thumbs pressed to their temples.
Both students practically jumped at the sound of a door slamming open behind them, a familiar pair of footsteps marching into the room.
"Isamu, Lemillion, what's going on?"
Izuku pointed to the television, his hand shaking as adrenaline filled his veins.
"Someone just declared war on the Meta-Liberation Army."
"We're going down there, right?" Ochako asked as she spun to face her mentor, the television all but forgotten behind her.
"Yeah!" Nejire agreed. "Those heroes are giving the rest of us a bad name! We need to teach them a lesson!"
"No." Ryukyu folded her arms.
"No!?" Both teens exclaimed.
"While you are both correct that there will be a response to this, what makes either of you think I'd take you into an active battleground?" the hero asked. "And Saki, you don't even have your provisional license yet," she pointedly reminded Ochako.
Ochako stared into the Dragoon Hero's eyes and saw the unspoken challenge there.
Why should I take you?
"I know." Ochako took a deep breath as she steeled herself. "And I'm willing to accept any consequences of my actions. But–"
Ochako recalled the fifteen thousand members of the PLF that dug into Jaku, the fighting in the streets. Even if she couldn't join the fight directly, it was going to be a search and rescue nightmare. They'd need everyone they could. And with One For All's influence on Zero Gravity, she could clear entire buildings by herself now. That alone would be a huge help! Right?
"-you're going to need everyone you can get. We don't know the disposition of the MLA nor do we know how many heroes are on their side." She futilely gestured at the television, the damning picture of Hawks still on display. "Even if I'm not fighting, I could help the civilians. That's one more hero you could use on the front lines, right?"
"And I do have my provisional license!" Nejire said. "You've already said I'm good enough to be your sidekick. What about this is different? Won't I be facing these kinds of battles after I graduate?"
"But you haven't yet," Ryukyu pointed out.
"Then why'd you offer me a position already," Nejire asked, frustration seeping into her words. "If I'm not good enough when it really matters!"
A thick silence descended over the agency as Ochako stood there and awaited the hero's judgment. She stood there impassively, her gaze sweeping back and forth over them before she finally closed her eyes.
"You're both right. This is going to be a hot battlefield, a much larger engagement than either of you have seen before – even larger than what happened at the USJ, Saki."
"I know," Ochako said solemnly. "But if I can help people–"
"You said I was going to have to work hard this week," Nejire said. "I'm sure you didn't have this in mind, but if being a hero was easy, then I wouldn't need to work so hard to become one. Right?"
Ryukyu closed her eyes and hummed, a satisfied look on her face. "Very well, you two can come with me." Opening her eyes, her gaze drifted over to the exit of the kitchen. "I should get in contact with All Might. Something tells me we've got a long night ahead of us."
Kaina sat in a small cafe in the heart of Hosu. Her tea and scone sat undisturbed in front of her as she pretended to be interested in the news.
"We've reached out to our contacts within the HPSC, but they aren't answering our questions at this time…"
Instead, she listened to the reporter drone on as the news reported on these shocking photographs out of Deika City that had been distributed to a dozen news outlets this evening. Everyone else in the cafe had their eyes glued to the television, after all. It wouldn't do well to give herself away by making such an amateur mistake.
"Hold on," the reporter paused. "We have just received word that the HPSC will be holding a press conference within the next hour to respond to these serious allegations…"
She did, however, allow herself to indulge in a small smile.
Those photographs worked even faster than I expected them to.
Your move, All Might.