5: The School for the Greatest Heroes - 1: The Prowler
Rappa's attack on the Midoriya family's police escort had caused quite the stir in the media world as someone, neither Detective Tsukauchi or Toshinori knew who or how it was done, had managed to get footage of the Villain facing a supposedly new Hero.
Headlines in the morning's paper read:
{Shocking Debut! Arachnid Hero Stops B-Rank Villain!}
{Last night, in the middle of an unnamed family's police escort, the wanted criminal, Kendo "The Rapper" Rappa attacked with the intent of kidnapping. However, it would seem that a new Hero was also present during the escort. Though the battle was brutal, the Hero, self-proclaimed as "Spider-Man", was able to ultimately defeat the murderous Villain, allowing the police to take him into custody.}
Much to Izuku's annoyance, the article mentioned nothing of Kyōka's involvement in the attack. [She saves my life, and all the media can talk about is how I took this guy down?] He thought as he picked up another paper, noticing that one article did use her little assault on the Villain. The media was having a blast of success with Izuku and Kyoka's debuts.
{Teenage Heartthrob Assists New Pro!}
{Last night, during a dangerous Villain attack, a new Hero was assisted by a young girl with a Quirk that allowed her to make use of her voice in the form of a sonic attack. While the Villain had the Hero on the ropes, this brave, beautiful young woman showed incredible bravery by leaping into action and stunning the Villain with a scream that caused much damage to the surrounding area, and disoriented the Villain long enough for the Hero to bring him down for good.}
Izuku had to smile and even blush as that article had a full picture of Kyōka holding him after the battle was done, [Oh, she's not gonna like that.] Fortunately for him, the picture didn't show his face.
Of course, those were just the good reviews they had gotten. The bad ones came from the Japanese branch of the Daily Bugle. One such headline pinned Izuku straight through the chest. This article showed a full color shot of Izuku in his Spider-Suit next to a shot of his father dressed as The Prowler while pointing out the similarities between their Costumes.
{New Hero Takes After Infamous Vigilante!}
{Though Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and colors these days, they are still licensed Heroes. HOWEVER! It would seem that our latest Hero has chosen a VERY questionable mentor if his Costume is any indication. Yes, we are talking about the infamous thief, THE PROWLER! This menace to the Heroic Society has been at large for the past eleven years with no sign of slowing down in his one man act of vandalism, brutality, and all around menacing society as a whole!}
Izuku put the paper down on his new desk with a sigh, "I wonder if Dad's seen any of this?" He asked himself as he looked around his spacious new bedroom. The Safe House that U.A. had put up for them was actually a two story townhouse (picture a two story version of the dorms) that was more than big enough to host a family of ten. Apparently, Toshinori Yagi, a.k.a All Might, carried a lot of weight behind him, even in his civilian form.
They had also been supplied with various pieces of furniture, a fully equipped and stocked kitchen, courtesy of Lunch Rush, rooms a'plenty for sleeping, and storage. Needless to say, his mother had never felt more pampered. Of course, now that they were under the protection of U.A., her job had been terminated for her own safety, which meant that now she only had her husband's funds to rely on.
The little family had taken rooms on the second floor, making sure that Eri's room was right between them in case the little girl got scared and wanted to crawl into bed with one of them at some point.
She had slept with Izuku the night before, still frightened after the encounter with Rappa. Kyōka and her family were invited to stay as well considering the late hour of their arrival after the chaos Rappa had caused.
Kyotoku, Kyōka's father, when he had heard what had happened, was furious with the police, demanding to know why there hadn't been any Pro Heroes around to aid in the escort. Izuku had wondered that himself, and, as Toshinori had tiredly explained, given the abruptness of the situation, none of the local Pros were available to assist.
Kyotoku had not been the only one to think that the answer was a load of bull. Even Toshinori himself was finding it hard to believe that the police hadn't called in a few Pros to help. Naomasa had repeated, and stressed that none were available.
When Toshinori figured out what he meant and translated it into none of them thought the escort was important enough, both families were disgusted. U.A. had plenty of Pros working for them, yet none of them had been on scene to help.
Izuku wanted to defend them by saying that there was too much distance between them and the school at the time, because he knew that the Pros working at U.A. were some of the better ones out there.
He sat back with a sigh, smiling as he realized that part of his dreams of being a Hero was finally coming true. There were still a few months left before U.A.'s first year classes began, and he had been excused from school quite easily.
The principal of his old school had easily given him a pass, and allowed him to graduate early, partly due to the fact that he was as big a geneticist as most other people that scorned those that were diagnosed as Quirkless.
And since the man didn't know that Izuku was no longer diagnosed as such, he let the boy go quite easily, Izuku suspecting that he viewed the boy as a stain on his records.
However, once that was all done, Toshinori had put Alderaan Middle School under investigation: the suspicions being that the faculty was teaching the students beliefs of the Meta-Liberation Army.
The man was ruthless, there was no denying it. And it brought a smile to his face. All Might was making a massiveeffort in order to make amends to the boy for his actions towards him and they were paying off.
Izuku turned from his desk and looked at his new Hero Costume. [I can't believe he used the design I had in mind.] He thought as he took in the purple, green and black suit.
His father's suit had more purple on it, and was less streamlined, but the boy couldn't find anything he disliked about it. Then he looked down at the gadgets that Might Towers had built for him. The Remote Mine and the Web Bomb worked well, much better than he would have though if he had used the scrap from Dagobah Beach, but there weren't very many of them. No more than five of each, of which he had less now thanks to his fight with Rappa. [I wonder if they'll let me into the Support Course room to make more?]
With that in mind, he grabbed up his notebook with all of his designs, and headed downstairs.
His mother was down in the kitchen with Eri sitting at the table eating a plate of apple slices when he came down. He greeted his mother with a kiss on her cheek while he kissed Eri's forehead, "Did Kyōka and her family already leave?" He asked, not seeing their house guests.
His mother shook her head, "No, they just haven't gotten up, yet." She smiled and set a plate of omurice down for him as the boy sat down and dug in, "We're actually up quite early, Dear," she said as she pointed at the clock on the wall which read just past six. "And Mika said that little Kyōka is not a morning person, so I figured that, what with all of the nonsense that happened last night, I'd let them sleep in a little while."
Izuku nodded, understanding completely. It wasn't everyday that fledgling Heroes got into a fight with a high-ranking Villain. "Did the police find anything out of Rappa?" He asked as he ate, but his mother just shook her head. "So he's not talking?"
Inko sighed, "Dear, I know that this isn't something you'll want to hear," she said, her son looking at her curiously, "Rappa escaped while he was on his way to Tartarus this morning...only just a few hours ago."
Izuku choked, "W-ahk-what?!"
Inko nodded, "It hasn't been publicized, yet, but apparently he was broken out of confinement while enroute to the facility." She said, looking at the boy more intently, "Izuku, I know that you want to be a Hero, but last night scared me out of more than a few years of my life. Seeing you fight with that monster was worse than watching you getting bullied by Katsuki." She shook her head with tears coming to her eyes, "I don't know if I could take it if that monster came after us again!"
Izuku shook his head and smiled, "Mom, I get it," he said as he reached for an empty glass and a pitcher of orange juice on the table, "I got lucky last night. If it hadn't been for Kyōka, then I don't know if I'd be here right now," he said, looking over at little Eri as he filled his glass, "But I have obligations now: Eri's safety, and becoming a Hero that can protect her."
Inko gave a sad smile, "I know that, Sweetie, but...hearing about it on the news and actually seeing it are two different things." She said, "And...the way you fought, while I think you did well, but you...your father would've called it sloppy."
Izuku paused with the glass half-raised to his lips, but nodded in understanding, "I know. I have to be better." He said downing the juice and finishing his meal. He then rose and took his plate to the sink to rinse it, "I'm planning on heading over to the school to check out the Support Course room. Maybe they can help me upgrade some of my tech."
Eri perked up, "Can I come, too?" She asked, not wanting to be separated from the boy.
Izuku smiled at her, "You sure can, Eri," he said as she jumped down from her chair and ran right up to him and was scooped up into his arms. He looked over at his mother, "Will you be alright, or should I - "
"Go," she smiled at the two of them, "Some fresh air and a walk without the threat of kidnapping would do her some good."
Izuku nodded and lifted Eri up onto his shoulders while tucking his notebook under his arm before leaving her alone. "Don't forget your Costume, Sweetie!" Inko called out. Once she heard the door close, Inko sighed and pulled out her phone, smiling a little at how many missed calls she had from "Hubby". She decided to call back.
The phone only rang once before it was picked up, "Inko?!"
"Hello, Dear," Inko said in greeting, "I take it you've seen this morning's papers?"
There was a heavy sigh on the other end, "I did, and I have to ask: what the hell, Inko?" He asked, "Izuku has a Quirk now? When did that happen?"
Inko sighed, "It's a bit of a story," she said before explaining to her husband the events that led up to the news headlines.
She could actually hear the man pinching his brow, "Dear god in heaven," he groaned, "Inko, I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this alone."
Inko smiled at that, "It's not like you're free to walk around these days, Hisashi," she said, "Besides, he has yourtenacity."
"What he must think of me," Hisashi Midoriya sighed over the phone, "Inko...what do you think of me?"
Inko gulped and bit her lip. "There was a time when I thought that you were doing what you're doing to make him proud of you," she said with a deep sigh of her own, "And then the theft happened, and I...I don't know what to think."
"The theft wasn't my doing, Honey," her husband sighed, "I was set up to take the fall for a client's mistake, but I won't blame you for not believing me."
Inko nodded, "And...there was a long period...that I thought you were ashamed of...of Izuku being Quirkless."
The line was quiet for the longest time as she heard his breathing stop completely. And then, "Inko Midoriya, there has never been a moment in my life that I have ever been ashamed of our son." He said in the gentlest tone she had ever heard him use, "I may not have been around, but I've kept tabs on him. I know how hard he tries, and how devoted he is to his studies. I even hacked into the security cameras during the practical exam at U.A. And when I saw him trying so hard that his fists bled, I couldn't remember ever feeling more proud of him in my life since the day he was born."
Inko was in full-blubber-mode, just barely keeping herself under control as her tears flowed freely. "Do you really mean that?"
"I do," he said, "The only reason I haven't been home is because of the theft charges against me. Vigilantism aside, that was a huge black mark on my career." He said, "That's what I'm ashamed of, Darling: that I got played so easily."
Inko smiled into the phone, "Dear...the charges were dropped a long time ago..."
"They wha - ?"
"Come home," Inko pleaded, "There's a man here willing to hire you on as a guard for U.A.'s campus. You can do honest, low-danger work, and you can see your son." She said, "Please, Hisashi. We need you...I need you..."
There was another long pause as her husband seemed to think it over, and let out a staticy sigh, "You tell this guy, whoever he is, that I'll take the job," Hisashi said, "I'll be there in a few hours."
Inko frowned, "Oh, we're not at the apartment anymore," she told him, "We had to leave after - "
"I know, Sweetheart." He said, "Don't worry. I'll find you."
The line went dead then and Inko felt her heart swelling up with happiness. "Maybe things aren't as bad as I think?"
スパイダーマン
Eri's little eyes were wide as she was carried through the halls of U.A., "This house is really big." She commented from her vantage point on Izuku's shoulders.
Izuku chuckled, "Trust me, Eri, there are places that are much bigger than this one as far as houses go," he said, "But this isn't a house, it's a school."
Eri blinked, "School?"
"Uh-huh, it's where people come to learn things," he told her, "Maybe when you're ready, we can send you to school, then you can make some friends?"
Eri was, once again, confused, "Daddy, what's a friend?"
That threw him for a minute, "A friend is..." he tried to think for a moment as his mind wandered to images of Kyōka and Katsuki. When they were small, before he had gotten his Quirk, Katsuki and Izuku had been inseparable.
But after the ashen blond's Quirk had manifested, that had all changed. Kyoka, however, was different. She was someone Izuku thought could be a real friend to him. "You know Kyōka?" Eri nodded her head, "She's a friend. Someone you can talk to, play with, and depend on."
"She's my friend?" Eri asked.
"That's right." Izuku nodded.
Eri was quiet for a minute, thinking most likely, but she had him worried before she blurted out, "So she's not going to be my mommy?"
Izuku outright froze in an attempt to keep himself upright since he had the little girl on his shoulders. "N-No! No! Definitely not!" Izuku twitched a little as the thought of Kyōka taking the role of Eri's mother crossed his mind. It wasn't an unpleasant thought.
[Ease down, Izuku, you barely even know the girl!] He thought to himself as he started moving again, [I mean she did come to see me every day in the hospital with Eri, so she - No! Nope! No! Do not go there! Besides, what kinda girl would take an interest in a Quirkless...Right, I'm not Quirkless anymore, but - ]
"Daddy, you're talking a lot again." Eri pointed out innocently.
[Dear God, just kill me now, please.] This he managed to keep to himself.
The rest of the walk to the Support Course room was a quiet one, Izuku trying to retain some form of dignity while Eri was just marveling at some of the classrooms they were passing. Some of them had doors so huge that Izuku thought that they must be meant for students with Gigantification Quirks.
Suddenly, Izuku's Spider-Sense went berserk: his eyesight had gone blurry for a moment as a vision of something happening a few feet down the hall. He saw the door slowly being thrown off of its hinges, and slamming against the opposite wall.
Izuku jumped back on instinct, Eri tumbling down over his head and into his arms as he jumped and stuck himself to the ceiling just as the two foot-thick steel doors were abruptly blown out of their frame and into the opposing wall by a massive explosion that shook the entire hallway. Black smoke billowed out of the room and into the halls.
A person staggered out of the room, "Ow, ow, ow, man I didn't think the opposing forces would be that strong!" Said a girl's voice, hoarse from the smoke.
"And this is why I told you not to do anything until I had a look at the calibrations!" Said another voice that sounded more exasperated than upset, as if this was a regular thing. "Seriously, Hatsume, if you're going to make a gravity boot, you need to think about how much force the propelling side is going to produce!"
"Yeah, but maybe rocket boots would be better?" Said the girl, Hatsume, again.
The man came out of the smoke, revealing a man armored like a bulldozer, "You haven't even started your real classes, yet, and you've already been labeled a living disaster: there's absolutely no way I'm letting you anywhere near rocket fuel until third year, and that's only if you survive that long." Power Loader said before turning his eyes up at the two clinging to the ceiling. "Ack, you two weren't caught in that, were you?"
Izuku shook his head before jumping down, making sure Eri was unharmed. Upon landing, however, she looked up at him, "Can we do that again?" Eri asked with a straight face.
The boy chuckled, [Note to self: take Eri for a swinging ride after I get the hang of it.] He thought to himself. "We're fine." Izuku said, before smiling, "It's nice to meet you Mr. Power Loader." He said, trying not to nerd-out in front of Eri. He thought that it was bad enough that he muttered in front of her without adding fuel to the fire.
"You must be that kid that ol' Toshinori was harpin' to Nezu about," the man grinned behind his mask, "Hehe, gotta say, I'm impressed that he caved in so easily." He said as the smoke cleared away, and revealed a girl with pink hair and goggles over cross-air like pupils. "I watched you during the practical. You're one tough kid."
Izuku blushed. "Daddy's really strong." Eri piped up.
Powerloader looked at the little girl and then back at Izuku, "Ain't you a little young to be a dad?" He asked, "And what about her mom?"
"I don't have a mommy." Eri said.
The pink-haired girl's eyes went wide, "Whoa~no! Don't look at me!" Hatsume waved her hands and shook her head rapidly, "I make my own babies!"
Izuku chuckled, "It's a recent thing," he said before reaching for his notes, "But I was wondering if you could help me improve some of the tech I've been using?"
For a minute, Hatsume appeared to teleport, "Did you say improve!?" She yelled, reaching for the book, "Lemme see! Lemme see!"
Eri shrunk into his shoulder, "She acts like my old mommy." She said, "She yells a lot."
That got Power Loader's attention, and he managed to get the girl to back off a bit, "I'll be the judge on whether or not you work on it, Hatsume," he told her before he took the boy's notes to have a look for himself. "Hmm, these are some detailed designs." He said with a subtle tone of impression in his voice.
"These Web Shooters are going to be a little tricky since I don't know what you'll be filling them with - Ah, you've written the formula down as well. Good." Hatsume was now peeking over his shoulder with excitement, "Same formula for the Web Bombs, except they have a larger payload, and an explosive to trigger the release of the 'Web Fluid'. I might replace that with a sort of electronic trigger, if you don't mind?"
Izuku shook his head, "I don't," he said, presenting one of his original Web Shooters, "When I started making these things, all I really had to work with was garbage from Dagobah Beach."
"Then I'm doubly impressed that you made such a fine Support item from such low-grade materials," Power Loader said before flipping the page, "Hmm, Spider Tracer, Remote Mine and a Spider-Drone...these are some pretty impressive tech ideas for someone that's not even going for the Support Course," he gave a wry chuckle as he offered the boy a grin, "I'm actually jealous of the Hero Course right now."
"It's how I was going to fight before I got my Quirk," Izuku explained, "But since I have most of the abilities of a spider, I thought my gadgets would be a good gimmick."
Hatsume chimed in, "Spider-like powers, and spider-themed gadgets," she said, "Creepy, but I like it!"
Izuku felt like someone had just stabbed him in the back, "Creepy?" His face fell while Power Loader swatted the girl.
"Violent!" Hatsume complained, "What'd I do?"
Clearing his throat, the Pro Hero said, "I've already got the specs on your Costume, so I'll try to make the items to match it, and I'll try to make the wrist mounted Web Shooters a bit less bulky so you can use them better. Also, I'd like to try to make these Web cartridges a bit stronger so they can hold more. Is that okay?"
Izuku handed him the case holding his Costume, "Please, feel free to make any improvements you think will be necessary." Izuku told him, then sheepishly asked, "Also...could I get your autograph?" He pulled out one of his many notebooks.
Ever the fanboy.
スパイダーマン
"Are we seriously going to let this kid enroll here?" Asked Shōta Aizawa, the teacher for Class 1-A. A class that had been expelled the previous year because none of the students had taken being Heroes serious enough for the underground Hero's standards.
Principal Nezu sighed as the two of them watched the security feed from the Support Course room, both of them focused on the student in question, "Yes, we are and I want to hear nothing more on the subject as I've explained it to you several times already."
"Oh, our big, flashy dolt of a Hero threatens to pull funding, and you cave in faster than the Cubs in a championship game." The man sighed, "Do we really need his money thatbadly?"
Nezu shook his head, "No, but this boy does show potential. I know you've seen it, too, or else you wouldn't be this adamant about putting him in Class 1-B." He said, "You're afraid that this year's crop will not meet your criteria, and you will be forced to expel them again." The little white mammal said.
"Our courses for students to become Heroes are among the most trying in all of Japan, if not the world, however you are the reason we are hailed as the most difficult school to apply for since only a few Hero classes are accepted. And this boy has impressed you."
"I'll admit that he has guts taking on mechanical D-rank Villains the way he did, but having him in my class isn't what's bothering me," Aizawa said, "It's the way All Might's been acting. Just because you want him to teach here, he has you by the tail, and you're basically cow-towing to him on everything." The scruffy man growled, Nezu knowing of his dislike for flashy, glory-hunting Heroes. "Did you know that he's even talking about bringing in a Vigilante as an additional guard for the campus?"
"Yes, I've spoken with him about that as well," Nezu said, sighing as he poured himself a cup of tea, "It's true, I don't care one bit for it, but this time I think I can agree with it. The little girl with the Midoriya family has suffered greatly due to her captors, and they have even attempted to recapture her, so taking them in for protection, and hiring this man are the least of what I'm willing to put up with for their safety."
Aizawa sighed, rubbing his eyes, "About the kid. What's the old lady say about her?"
"She hasn't seen her, yet." He said, "They've only just arrived, after all, and the child is extremely timid from what I've been told, so it won't do to rush things when we won't see results."
The man sighed, "I can't argue with you on that." He said and rose up from the couch he was sitting on, "Alright, I'm going to go read through the list of students that are coming my way...speaking of students, why do you always send the recommendations to my class?"
"It's so that I can know for certain that they are worth the effort." Nezu said, "I heard that there was one student in the recommendations that actually turned it down after a small confrontation with the young man he gave up his spot to." He then smiled, "Also, for your information, I don't send allof them to you. There were four that accepted the invitation, and I've only given you two of them. The other two are in Vlad King's Class 1-B."
The man gave him a look, "Yes, but you've given me one of the most troublesome ones," He frowned as he looked down at one of the names on the list, "Shōto Todoroki," Aizawa said, "Kid's got a rare dual-type Quirk that mixes his father's and his mother's Quirks perfectly." He shook his head, "He's obviously a product of a Quirk Marriage, and it's left its mark on him, in more ways than one."
"There was one more, but that young man was the one that gave Mister Todoroki his spot and opted out for Shiketsu High, and I think he'll do well there." Nezu sighed, "A shame, really: that was one student that I had taken an interest in myself."
スパイダーマン
Outside the gates of the school, a taxi cab stopped, and out stepped a tall, well-built man with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His hair was a mess of green/black curls, and he had a light dusting of faded freckles across his nose.
"Thanks," he said as he paid the driver.
The driver thanked him in turn, and looked at the man, "Ya know, I think I've seen you somewhere before," the old man said, "Ain't you a Pro?"
The man just smiled and shook his head, "Nah, just a guy that does odd jobs here and there." Said Hisashi Midoriya as he turned and walked toward the school.
6: The School for the Greatest Heroes - 2: U.A.
The ringing of the phone was what snapped the masked man back out of his own thoughts. He frowned as he reached for it, "What do you have for me?" He asked, his tone demanding good news.
The voice on the other end of the phone let out a sigh, "Nothing good, boss," the man sighed, "You probably already saw this morning's paper, right?"
The masked man looked down at the offending piece of paper in front of him, "I've just gotten through reading it," he said, "The men I sent to break Rappa out of prison before he was put in Tartarus said that he's not happy about how that fight ended."
"I'd imagine not," the man sighed, "I was taken off guard, myself. Before I...disciplined my subordinate, he told me that the kid who took the girl and fought Rappa was the same one that I shot." He growled, "And another thing he heard is that this kid's old man is that sneak thief, The Prowler, he heard that much before the cops showed up."
The masked man furrowed his brow, "The Prowler, huh?" He frowned, having heard of the mercenary and his violent tendencies, then shook his head, "Doesn't matter. Where did they take the girl?"
"The one place we can't go, Boss," the man sighed, "They took the kid, the girl, and the kid's mom to U.A. High School."
The masked man's grip on the phone tightened. "You cannot be serious?"
"Boss, come on, you know I don't do jokes," the man grumbled, "And I sure as hell wouldn't joke about the source of the product."
The man growled, "Don't you have anyone that has enough of a spine to sneak into the place?" He demanded, "It's a school for fuck's sake!"
The man on the other end sighed again, "Boss, ya gotta understand, most of my boys are Quirkless, and are terrified of people that have them." He said, "And the guys that I've got that do have a Quirk are really low on the chain if ya get my meaning?"
"Weaklings." The masked man snarled, "Alright. I'll take it from here. You and your men just keep things going on the Trigger shipments."
"Understood," he sighed, "Let me know if my men and I can do anything on our end."
Without another word, the masked man hung up the phone, "Dammit!" He sat back in his chair, "U.A...of all the places she could be taken!" He slammed his fist down on his desk, glaring at the picture on the newspaper. "And this kid...Spider-Man...he just messed with the wrong people." He placed his fingers against the paper, and watched it shred itself.
"Kurono!" He called out.
The door to his office opened, "You called, Overhaul?" Asked a man with thin eyes and pale chin-length hair.
Overhaul nodded, "Eri's been put into U.A.'s custody," he said, watching as the man's eyes twitch, "I want her back, Kurono."
"That school is a fortress, Overhaul," Kurono said with a frown, "Even we don't have the forces to take them on." He said calmly, "They've got defenses that most military bases don't have. And they have some of the strongest Heroes as mere teachers. I've even heard rumors that All Might was going to start teaching there this year."
He scowled at the man, "I don't care who they have teaching those brats," Overhaul said, "We don't have near enough of Eri's cells to take the drug to the next stage!"
Kurono shook his head, "I know that, but we can't just waltz into U.A. and take her back. Not with All Might in their corner," he said with a thoughtful expression, "Rappa said that the kids he fought were strong, and one of them was well-trained, almost as good as a pro, but now that they're at U.A., we won't be able to touch them." He said, "And Eri's not likely to be let out of their sight until we're taken into custody."
"That little girl's now our worst enemy, Overhaul, and you know it." Kurono said with finality.
Overhaul growled, "Of course I know that," he sneered, "But we need her back as soon as possible!" He looked down at his hands, one of them beginning to break out in hives, "We're so close to perfecting the drug that I can almost taste it!"
Kurono thought for a moment, "There might be another way." He said, gaining Overhaul's attention, "But it'll be dangerous. The guy I'm thinking about is friends with someone that's about as dangerous as All Might is, and he's more than willing to kill."
"I don't care what he's willing to do, just so long as he can get my asset back." Overhaul said, leveling a foreboding stare at the man, "Do what you have to, Kurono, but bring me the girl, and kill that little brat that took her from me!"
スパイダーマン
Kyōka and her family awoke not long after Izuku had left for the Support Course room, the teenager herself having not slept all that well given the circumstances. She was greeted, of course, by a smiling Inko Midoriya as the woman was cooking up breakfast for the family.
"Morning, Mrs. M," Kyōka yawned, "Is Izuku not up, yet?"
The woman chuckled as she set a plate of food in front of her, "He left a little while ago to see about improving his gadgets with the help of the Support Course," she said, "He took Eri with him, too. We both thought the walk around the school would do her some good."
The girl nodded as she heard her parents starting to move around, "Sounds safe enough," she sighed, looking at the woman as she cooked, "Hey, sorry for not asking sooner, but...are you okay after last night?"
Inko paused before turning to give the girl a sad smile, "In all honesty, Dear, I'm not alright at all," she said, turning back around to continue with her work, "Ever since I heard that my baby had been shot, and was used in some sort of experiment as if he were some kind of lab rat, I'm really just barely keeping myself together."
Kyōka heard the woman's heartbeat quicken, and her breathing started getting shallow. The girl was quick to rise from the table to make her way to the woman's side, and hug her. Inko smiled again as she felt the girl's arms around her shoulders.
"Don't worry," Kyōka said, "You're all safe here." She pulled back, smiling a little at her, "Some of the greatest Heroes in Japan are here, so there's no way any Villains would dare set foot in this school."
Inko nodded, "I hope that you're right, Dear," she sighed, "I really do hope so."
Kyōka just nodded as there came a knock to the front door. "I'll go get that," she said, "You just take a break, okay, Mrs. M?"
"Just as soon as I finish this," she said as she returned to her cooking, "It's probably one of the teachers."
Kyōka nodded and went to the door, peeking through the peephole, and blinked. "Hey, Mrs. M?" She called out, "I don't think it's one of the teachers." She opened the door as Inko came into the room, revealing a man with familiar frizzy hair, and freckles across his nose.
Inko gasped as the man raised his hand in greeting, "Honey...I'm home." Hisashi Midoriya smiled at his wife before she rushed forward. Kyōka jumped out of the way just in time as the petite woman grabbed her husband in a bone-crushing hug that the man returned right away. "Good to see you again, too, Inko."
Inko took a step back, looking him over as she did, "You're...you're so thin..." she said tearfully, "Haven't you been eating right?"
Hisashi gave a small shrug, "I ate where, when and what I could, Honey," he shrugged almost tiredly, "That's just the life I've had up until this point." He said as he set the bag he was carrying over his shoulder on the floor before turning to the teenage girl, "And who's this? A friend of Izuku's?"
Inko nodded, "A very dear friend, and a very kind young lady," she said as Kyōka stood next to her, her eyes slightly widened with surprise, "This is Kyōka Jirō, and she's been helping me ever since this began and she's helped with...well, our new grandchild, I suppose."
Hisashi's brow rose. "Grandchild?" He asked with some surprise in his voice.
Inko gave a small titter at his expression, "It's a lot to take in, I know," she admitted, "But it will be easier to make sense of after you've had a proper meal," she reached for his arm and started leading him toward the kitchen, "There's so much I need to tell you, my dear."
Of that, Hisashi had no doubts.
Kyōka was staring after the pair of them, her heart hammering into her rib cage. [That's Izuku's dad? The Prowler?!] She felt her cheeks heating up, [He looks...an awful lot like Izuku...I wonder if he'll look liii-ack!]
Kyōka shook her head, "Oh, for god's sake, get a grip!" She smacked her cheeks before heading toward the bathroom to wash up. She sighed as she splashed her face with cold water, "I wonder how Green Bean's gonna take all of this?"
"All of what, Sweetie?" Her mother poked her head into the bathroom.
She looked at her mom with a half-frown, "Mom, you and I have the exact same Quirk," she deadpanned, "You know exactly what."
Mika giggled and nodded, "For the record, I know that his mother was the one that reached out to him," she said, "And I also heard enough to know that his leaving them wasn't because of the young man being Quirkless until recently." She smiled at her daughter, "But I have to talk with you about something that's been on my mind since this ordeal of yours started."
"What?"
"Kyōka, darling, do you happen to like Izuku?" She asked without any hint of teasing or jesting. Even so her daughter's face lit up like a bright red Christmas ornament. "Oh, dear, looks like I hit the proverbial nail on the head, didn't I?" Mika asked with a hand cupping the left side of her face.
Her daughter looked mortified, "Mom! No! Absolutely not!" Kyōka yelled out wildly in denial, "I've just barely gotten to know the guy! I-I-I-I mean, come on! We've spent more time in the hospital than on the couch!"
Mika giggled at her reaction, "Oh, there was a couch involved?"
Kyōka rolled her eyes at her, "Ugh, Mom please!"
"Alright, alright," the woman giggled as she waved the girl's ire down, "I'll behave." She promised, "But, Sweetie, you know I'm only asking because I'm a little worried about you."
She became serious, "You've been looking after that little girl for over a week, and it's rather obvious that she's become quite fond of you." She said, noticing the small smile on her daughter's face at the mention of Eri, "It's also pretty clear that she's adopted Izuku as a father figure, and he's taken to it, quite well I might add, for someone his age." She said with a hint of approval.
"But this is a delicate situation," she continued, "And I don't want you to get dragged into a problem, or a relationship that you don't want."
She looked at her mother with confusion written on her face, "What're you talking about, Mom?" Kyōka demanded with a small frown.
Her mother thought for a moment on how to word it, "Well, what would you do if that sweet little cherub started seeing you as her mother?" Mika asked with a hint of amusement while her daughter went pale in the face before her cheeks lit up again. "Now do you understand what I'm talking about?"
Kyōka looked down and started hugging herself while her jacks started wiggling nervously, "Mom, seriously, it's nothing like that." She mumbled, though she herself was only half believing it.
Her mother caught it easily and sighed, "Darling, not to put doubt in your heart, but if you don't even believe your own words, then why say anything at all?" She asked as the girl bit her lip.
Mika then smiled at her daughter, and stepped up to hug the girl tightly, "I won't say I'm against you potentially dating that boy, but I will say that you need to weigh your options, and find out if he's going to be a good match for you, or if he's someone that you can potentially spend your life with." Kyōka began hugging her back.
"And even if he is, you have three years to get through before graduating, plus there's your career to think about." She reminded her daughter, "If you plan to go pro, having a family to think about might not be the best thing in the long and short of things."
Kyōka shook her head, "You don't have to worry, Mom," she said, "I'm not gonna get into anything that might slow me down."
Mika's jacks came up and started jabbing at her sides, making her daughter shriek out a laugh, "Now why do I notbelieve you?"
スパイダーマン
Some hours later lead Power Loader and Hatsume to make use of the room's fabricators to make the improved tech for his arsenal.
Now Izuku was once again in his Costume as Power Loader finished affixing his gauntlets to his wrists. Meanwhile, Mei came forward with a box of the tech they had been working on.
"That's forty of the Web Bombs, and thirty of the Remote Mines," Mei said as she stacked the box up onto a desk. "And there's a smaller case in there with ten new models of the Spider Tracers, but if you give me another week, I'll have a hundred of those ready for you."
Power Loader smiled at her handiwork, and stepped away from the Spider-themed boy to pat her on the back, "Excellent work, Hatsume," he said while she beamed at him with pride.
He turned back to Izuku, "Now I've made some modifications to your Web Shooters with the tech we have here in the shop, so they'll look like they're a part of the original Costume design," he said as Izuku flexed his clawed fingers. "I also took the liberty of mixing up some more Web Fluid for you," he handed him his utility belt, "You're all set for whatever comes at you."
"Oh, oh! Tell 'im about the mask!" Mei said excitedly.
Power Loader nodded, "I noticed that you used an external tracking device for those Spider Tracers, so we took your mask and modified the eye lenses to keep track them instead," he explained as Izuku picked it up, "Once one of your Spider Tracers is activated, your mask will be able to pick up the signal without a problem even if it's within over a hundred miles of you."
Izuku beamed at the pair of them, "This is great, Sir, thank you both so much," he smiled at them while Mei grinned at him hugely.
"Aw, go on, it wasn't that much work," she said, "Super fun, though, 'cause I got to make some super cute babies!" She then sidled up next to him and, whether she knew it or not, pressed her breasts against his left arm, "So, hey, if ya need anything else done, then you'll come to me, right?"
Izuku went beet red at the touch. [Oh my god she's so close!]
Power Loader chuckled and took pity on him, "Mei, what have we discussed about personal space?" He asked while moving the girl away from him, "Anyway, you're welcome to come back anytime you need a top off. Like Mei said, these were fun to make."
"What about my drones?" Izuku asked, noticing that they weren't with the equipment.
Mei frowned, "Those'll take a little more time to make, sorry to say," she said, "We don't really have the parts for those kind of babies, yet. Plus, Mister Power Loader said that the components we'll need will have to be specially ordered since most of the stuff we make here is for offensive and defensive combat, not surveillance." She looked at the teacher, "Did I get all that right?"
"Right on the money, kid," Power Loader said with a chuckle. Then he turned back to Izuku, "If you'll leave your designs with us, I'll keep them on file to make sure that all you need can be machined right here without having to send off for parts at the last minute."
Izuku nodded and gestured to the notebook he had given them earlier, "All of my designs are in there. Principal Nezu should have the specs on my Costume already since it was made by the Might Towers Agency."
When the words left his mouth, Mei outright fan-girl-screamed, "Your suit was made by All Might's agency!?" She zipped right up to him this time, right in his face and practically drooling with her breasts squished right against his chest, "The top of the line Support Gear producers in all of Japan! Why didn't you say so!"
[B-B-B-BOOOOOOBS!] Izuku almost had a meltdown if not for Eri.
The little girl, who had been playing with a toy robot Power Loader had given her while they worked, glanced up at them while Mei was in Izuku's little bubble, "Daddy, I'm hungry."
Taking the opportunity to flee the scene with his newly made and modified equipment, Izuku scooped up the girl, and the box before zooming out of the room, "Oh, you're hungry, then let's go eat!" He ran out so fast that he left a dust trail in his wake, as well as a laughing Power Loader and a very confused girl with absolutely no respect for personal boundaries.
"Did I do something wrong?" Mei asked.
スパイダーマン
"This is fine work," Hisashi said as he admired the file on his son's Hero Costume design, "All Might's Agency really did this for him?"
Inko nodded happily, "Yes, after all that he had to go through, Mister Yagi said that there was no way that his company would pass up on sponsoring Izuku in any way that they could," she said with a hint of pride in her voice, "All Might himself conveyed his sincerest wish for Izuku to become a Hero, even if he didn't attend U.A. after what the principal tried to pull when he was still Quirkless."
"I heard about that," he said as he closed the file and placed it back on his son's desk, "And I would've understood if Izuku turned them down, but," he smiled a little as he next picked up a picture of his wife and son together, "He's far more forgiving than I am, and a better man than I was back then. I got turned down even though I had a Quirk, and then turned Vigilante." He said, his thumb caressing the photo, "Izuku, though? I knew from the beginning that he was going to be one hell of a Hero, one way or another."
Inko chuckled, "He'll be glad to hear you say that." She said with a small smile.
At this Hisashi winced, "Inko...I know that you think we can go back to the way things were...but," he shook his head, "Izuku and I...we can't do that." He looked at his wife sadly, "I wasn't a father to him."
"But Dear, I'm sure he'll - " Inko started, but Hisashi shook his head.
"We're basically strangers, now, Honey," he said, "You know that. I haven't even spoken to him since I left." He sighed, "He's more likely to try to punch my lights out if we saw each other now."
Before she could answer, the front door flew open, "Mom, I'm back!" The unmistakable voice of her son shouted.
Kyōka, who had been sitting in the living room going over the classes they were supposed to take, greeted them. "Hey, you two," she smiled at them, "Did you get what you needed from the Support Course room?"
"And then some," Izuku smiled as he set the box he was carrying down on the coffee table, "Is there anything for lunch? Eri's hungry."
Kyōka smiled, "Mom's in the kitchen right now." She said, waving at Eri as the boy set her down on the couch next to her, "Your mom...uh, she had a visitor while you two were out, so she's been a little..."
"A visitor?" Izuku blinked as she trailed off, "Was it Auntie Mitsuki?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna say no," she said as Inko came out of his room, "You see..." then came the boy's father, causing Izuku to freeze right on the spot.
Kyōka sucked in a breath through her teeth. Bad enough that Izuku was wearing his Costume, but it looked like he had recently armed himself, too. Hisashi, for his part, was partially hiding behind his wife while rubbing the back of his head bashfully. "Uh...Hi'ya, Slug - Oof!"
"You son of a bitch!"
In the time it took to blink, Izuku launched himself at the man, his right hand drawn back, and slammed a powerful right straight into the man's face. Hisashi was thrown backwards into Izuku's room with a loud crash while Izuku stuck himself to the ceiling for a moment to avoid crashing into his mother, and webbed himself after the man. Inko yelped and chased after them as the resulting commotion evolved into a full on riot with Hisashi on the receiving end of his son's wrath while all manner of All Might memorabilia was flying around the room.
Kyōka and Eri were watching from the back of the couch, the little girl looking bemused while Kyoka held in a snicker, "Daddy's scary."
That did it for Kyōka as she started laughing her head off just as her father came down, "What's all the racket down here?" He demanded right as he was smacked in the head by an All Might action figure, "Ow! What the hell!?"
That only provoked more laughter from the man's daughter as tears gleamed at the edge of her eyes. Then she heard something she was afraid she'd never hear: a small, childish peal of giggles.
The sound was so surprising that it stopped Izuku in the middle of choking out Hisashi, who was now sporting a black eye, while Inko was trying to haul him off of his father, the boy's eyes bugging out of his head, "D-Did Eri just laugh?!"
"Gagh!" Gagged his father before he was let loose as Izuku rushed out of the room straight for the little girl who was still giggling when he scooped her up. Inko helped her husband sit up as he rubbed his throat. "Man! What a grip!" He said and looked at his wife, "See? What'd I tell you? Right in the kisser!"
Inko had to hold back a snort of amusement. She didn't comment because both parents were then transfixed by the scene before them. Their son held his "daughter" above his head with a huge smile on his face as he twirled her around while she continued to giggle and squeal in delight with Kyōka smiling widely at the pair of them from the back of the couch.
They weren't the only ones watching, however, as Mika had come out of the kitchen to see what all of the commotion was about only to see the scene of a happy little family. A scene that seemed to include her own daughter if the look on the girl's face was of any evidence. Her husband was still trying to figure out what was going on and who had thrown the toy at him.
スパイダーマン
Shōta Aizawa was reviewing the footage of the Practical Exam of U.A.'s Entrance Exam.
More specifically, the footage that concerned Izuku Midoriya. The footage showed the boy running through Training Ground Beta, using his bare fists to fight the faux Villains, with little to no effect. He noticed how hard he was punching the robots, hard enough to break his bones, he was fighting that desperately. He had even managed to damage some of the robots enough to score a few points from the machines.
Then he watched him help some of the other students during the Exam, some of them he provided first aid to, while others he shielded. [Not bad,] he thought as he continued to watch the footage. During the last moment of the Exam, he saw the boy once again do something Heroic when he helped a girl trapped underneath a large hunk of concrete while the Zero Pointer Robot was approaching.
While he knew that the staff would prevent any serious injuries, the potential students thought that they were in a life or death struggle against the machine, so it was something to see a Quirkless individual rushing headlong into danger in such a way when so many with powerful Quirks just stood by and did nothing.
He was no faster, or stronger for a boy his age without a Quirk, even though he could tell that the boy had studied a form of martial arts from the way he moved, but now that the Homeroom teacher of Class 1-A saw him again, he didfeel impressed.
[And now he has a Quirk.] The man thought, [Maybe this one's worth teaching after all?]
スパイダーマン
"Dorms?" Kyotoku asked, "You want to put my little girl in a dorm?"
"Indeed," Nezu said as he and Toshinori sat across from the two families some hours later, "While it is true that the Midoriya family is technically staying here for witness protection, your daughter is slightly involved as well, given that her photo was taken during her fight with that awful Villain." He said, "Though I am loathed to say it, but not only did she break the law by using her Quirk to harm another, but as her photo has been made public, she may also be a target for those that still want to do the Midoriyas, or Eri harm."
"RAWGH! I knew it!" The blond man roared suddenly, glaring at Izuku, "You punk! This is all your fault! I oughta - !" His tirade was brought down by both Mika and Kyōka jabbing him with their jacks.
Mika smiled apologetically, "Forgive him. He likes to act tough in front of others, but he's really just a big softy." She said while she settled her husband back down, "Now, I assume that these dorms will also be offered to the other students as well?"
"But of course," Nezu nodded happily, "The safety of our students is our top most priority in this school," he smiled at the parents, "And I have been dreaming of turning my campus into a university style school ground for quite some time, and this, shall we say, mishap, has given me the perfect opportunity."
"And while he says that she broke the law," Toshinori glared at the mammal, "I, as a Hero Agent, was on-sight, and was well within my right to authorize both Young Midoriya andYoung Jirō to defend not only themselves, and each other, but also myself, the boy's mother, and sweet little Eri as well." He said before reaching into his suit, "Which reminds me, Young Midoriya," he produced a rather thick envelope, "While he did manage to escape custody, it was during a prisoner transfer from the precinct to Tartarus, meaning it was a police slip-up," he said, "This is the reward that Rappa had on his bounty notice. A sum of ten thousand U.S. dollars."
Izuku paled, "I can't accept that!"
Kyōka leaned over and smiled at him, "Go on and take it," she urged him, "You earned it."
"Actually, part of it is yours, young lady," he produced a second envelope, "The total bounty was twenty thousand."
"Sweet!" Kyōka had no trouble accepting the money, "Thanks, Mister Yagi!"
Toshinori chuckled and waved off her thanks as Izuku grudgingly accepted his own, "Think nothing of it, my dear." He said, "Besides, I felt that your efforts shouldn't go unrewarded. Especially since Rappa is classified as a B-Rank Villain."
"The dorms will also provide the children a chance to further their bonds with their classmates, and future partners in the field." Nezu continued, bringing the conversation back to the matter he wished to discuss, "None of the students will need to fear being harmed by Villains with so many Heroes teaching here, especially since All Might has decided to settle here."
Toshinori glared at the rodent, "On your word that the Midoriya family will be treated well."
"Yes, yes, of course," Nezu said.
Izuku frowned, "Well, what about Kyōka's parents?"
"I'm sorry?" Nezu asked.
"If Kyōka's identity is known to the Villains that attacked us, then won't her family be targets, too?" He reasoned, "I mean, they came to my house just to take Eri from me, and if they think they can get to Eri through me, Kyōka, or our parents then - "
"Whoa whoa, he's right," Hisashi pinched his brow, "That's Villainy one-oh-one right there, always be prepared to take hostages if frontal tactics fail."
Kyōka sat back and looked at her parents, then back at the principal, "Well, I don't mind staying in the dorms, but why not have another house like this built for my folks, if that's okay?" She offered her cash over to the rodent, "I don't know if this will cover the cost, but - "
"No, no, no!" Nezu said hastily, "I can't allow that! Midoriya is right, your family should be offered our protection as well." He said, "And it will cost next to nothing to build another home like this one. Cementos will have it done within a day, and we'll have it fully furnished as - "
"Just a moment," Mika said, "While we have our own furniture, we haven't even agreed to this, yet."
"I've got no problem with it," Kyotoku said with a shrug, "Besides, Honey, they're right. I can't even stand the thought of some two-bit thug trying to kidnap you, or my baby girl."
Mika looked at her husband in hesitation, but ultimately saw the reasoning in the argument, "Can you have someone help moving our things when the time comes?" She asked the principal.
"Nothing would make me happier than to help." He said.
スパイダーマン
{Two months later...}
True to his word, Nezu had another home built for the Jiro family in under a day, allowing the family to move relatively quickly.
Hisashi was soon under the academy's employ as the groundskeeper, as well as being issued a special Hero License allowing him to use his Quirk if the need arose.
During the time he was employed, the former mercenary made use of the training grounds and began refining his son's fighting style to adapt to his new abilities.
Kyōka was also included in their training sessions in order to get her ready for the upcoming school year in April.
However, the days until classes began passed by quickly, and soon it was time for them to enter U.A. Academy. Izuku was just finishing up with his tie while Eri watched from his bed.
"Can't I come?" Eri asked sweetly from the edge of Izuku's bed while he got himself ready.
Izuku chuckled, "Sorry, Sweetie, but you have to stay here with Grandma and Grandpa," he said, "And Auntie and Uncle Jirō will be over in a little while to help with your lessons, remember?"
"Boo," the girl pouted.
He finished with his tie, and turned around, "Now don't worry," he knelt down in front of her, "I won't be gone for long. After school's out, I'll come running back just to see you, okay?"
Her little eyes trembled, and the little girl reached out and hugged his neck, "Promise?"
"I promise," he hugged her back, "And you know I'd never break a promise to you, right?"
"Mm-hm," the girl nodded against his neck. "Have a good day, Daddy."
Izuku chuckled and rose up with Eri in his arms, "Don't you worry about that," he told her as he entered the living room where his parents were waiting, "As long as I've got you to come to, then I'll have the best day ever," He told her, "So do your best for me and be a good little girl while I'm gone, okay?"
Eri nodded slowly, "Okay."
Izuku smiled. In the time that she had been with him, Eri had come out of her shell quite a bit. Not anywhere near to what a normal child of her age should be, but she was beginning to get more comfortable with others around like his dad, and the Jirō family.
The two families had become close after becoming neighbors. Inko was delighted to have another woman to talk to aside from Mitsuki whenever she was able to visit. And Mika loved chatting with Inko about their children.
Once Izuku was down in the living room, he passed Eri to his mother while his father offered him his book bag, "I made sure everything is packed," he said, "And I turned in your Costume yesterday, so it should be waiting for you, fully armed."
"Thanks," Izuku nodded, kissing his mother and Eri on their cheeks, "I'll get going now." He said and tapped his father on the shoulder. They weren't at the hugging stage, yet.
Inko was close to bawling her eyes out again, "Be careful, Sweetie, and stay out of trouble!"
Oh, if only she knew.