"I want to erase the concept of 'heroes' from our society."
Izuku was stunned, letting that sentence slowly sink into his mind. He still couldn't fully comprehend what Mei meant, but judging by the look on her face she was fully expecting that sort of reaction.
"Um… the concept of 'heroes'?" Izuku said. "B-but Hatsume-san, U.A is a school for heroes."
"Means to an end, my dude. You don't see me going around dressed in skimpy suits or colorful spandex." Mei shrugged. "I needed resources and this was one of the best places to get them."
"Even so, I'm not really getting what you're trying to say here…"
"Surprised, are we? You see, I believe that humanity is stagnating. Technological innovation has dwindled with the rise of Quirks, and only by leaving this archaic societal system that relies on heroes behind can we begin to move forward as a species. I know, it sounds confusing." Mei laughed. "Then allow me to explain! This is only the first part of my glorious five-year plan! Haru, Zenith, bring up the presentation."
Overhead lights dimmed while pink particles filled the room, the holograms that the two machines had been using to entertain Kiri earlier now rearranged to form bar graphs and several different strings of numbers and equations. Izuku took it all in, trying to make sense of it all. A table and chair popped out of the ground, Izuku sitting down under Mei's instruction. Kiri had her own table and chair as well, and together they felt like this was some sort of class.
"You're a smart cookie, Midoriya-kun. Let's see if you can figure this out." A thin line of holographic light followed Mei's hand, acting as a pointer. "Now, what do you see here?"
"Um, some bar graphs." he said. Kiri nodded beside him, always keen to learn something new.
"Yes, yes, but what do you think they depict?"
This was definitely some sort of test or trick question. Izuku squinted at the graphs, taking in all the information they displayed. Dates at the bottom. Fluctuating lines and dots, numbers and symbols. It was pretty easy to read even without a legend, but the problem was trying to understand what Mei was trying to tell him. The dates… years in sets of five. He frowned. One of the bars kept going higher and higher, while the other went the opposite way. It was an 80-20 ratio at the stage where the current decade was in…
He blinked. Wait a minute. 80-20. 20%?
Izuku turned to face Mei, his eyes wide. He looked back at the graph again, skimming over the details. The constant rise that didn't seem to stop. The numbers were in the billions. Up, up and up like a rocket with no signs of stopping.
"This is a chart depicting the total number of Quirked and Quirkless individuals." Izuku whispered, raising a hand and inadvertently drawing the graph closer to him. "Wait, no. This doesn't just depict it… it's predicting it. This line here, the one that keeps spiking upwards. That's…"
"Quirk instability along with the rate of abnormality." Mei grinned, folding her arms in satisfaction.
Izuku studied the data once more. To see it laid out before him, all that complexity narrowed down and simplified into such a form was remarkable.
"Good. Do you see what's happening? It's apparent that there are less Quirkless individuals throughout the years due to natural selection. Law of the jungle. But what really interests me is the severe rate of Quirk instability and abnormality that occurs as time passes." Mei flicked her hand, zooming in on a certain point. "Quirks are getting stronger and stronger as they mix together, with no sign of stopping. Growth, any type of growth is supposed to taper off after a certain point due to the nature of energy. It doesn't just come out of nowhere, y'know. And yet…"
"The power of Quirks keeps rising. It's not stopping? Abnormalities… Quirks that are unable to be controlled by their user consciously. Quirks are getting stronger…" Izuku's eyes flicked upward to meet Mei's. "And more unstable."
"Ding ding ding! That's right! This is what is known as the 'Quirk Singularity' theory, but I'm sure you already knew that. Now if you consider the Paranormality Origin Theory things start to get really wild with theideaofavirusthatgrantedhumanity—"
"U-um, slow down, Hatsume-san—"
"No, I'm not going to slow down. I'm not going to stop because this is the first time someone else in this school has taken me seriously when I talk about this!" Mei pouted. "Power Loader-sensei just brushed me off and Principal Nezu is too busy to listen to me. I hope that's the case because the alternative is that he just doesn't care! Someone… someone needs to hear all this!"
Izuku blinked in surprise at her sudden outburst, but he could sympathize with her. That frustration in her voice was the same as what he once experienced back in middle school. Nobody believed or listened to him back then. All she wanted was somebody to listen to her…
"Okay." Izuku raised his hands. "Okay, I'll hear you out. All these charts and graphs… what are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that this society we live in; it's not sustainable. Not in the next few decades." Mei slammed a hand against the hologram and to his surprise there was a soft 'pomf' that rang out. "The rate that Quirks are getting stronger will inevitably lead to disaster, especially with how society represses and condemns Quirk usage. Power always beckons usage. How long before a disgruntled office worker explodes with the force of a nuke? How long before some poor kid lashes out at his bullies and vaporizes an entire school? Note that all these incidents are civilian. I can't even begin to comprehend the scope of how the entire world is affected by something like this. Then there's the economic, sociocultural, and geopolitical ramifications, not to mention the resulting anarchy…"
"Um, I'm sure All Might will be enough to stop these incidents if and when they occur!" Izuku said brightly, his voice full of hope.
"All Might is just one person; a titan among men, but still a single one. Atlas holding up the weight of the world. All might is the piece holding it all together. He sets the example, and people want to be like him. What happens when he's gone? Uncertainty. Chaos. Conflict. A new wave of villains. But the next generation?" Mei smacked the hologram again for emphasis. "They'll be gods. We've seen what you can do."
Izuku blinked. Meanwhile Kiri was teaching Haru how to draw, or perhaps it was the other way around.
"M-me? I, err… I don't think I'm a 'god'. That's a little too pretentious, if you ask me."
"Fine. Godling, then. Fact of the matter is, I think you are undoubtedly a prime example of a symptom of what we call the 'Quirk Singularity'." Mei shushed him before he could object. "The title of 'godling' isn't just for show. Think! Heroes… they're just the myths of old given a fresh coat of paint. Hercules and the Nemean Lion. All Might and Toxic Chainsaw. This is what 'heroes' are; modern myths. Humanity is progressing backwards instead of forwards, sliding back into an era of worship and idolatry. We live in a society where if you're born with a strong Quirk you'll most likely get an instant advantage in life."
Izuku's mind instantly thought back to his childhood friend turned tormentor. How many times had he tried telling teachers about the bullying only to have them turn him away? He knew they didn't want to spoil Bakugo's chances of getting into U.A since it would benefit them. His bully's record was spotless and the price was Izuku's feelings and dignity. Back then when he had saved Bakugo from the Sludge Villain too; the heroes had praised Bakugo while all he had gotten was a scolding. All because the other boy had a powerful Quirk and he didn't. Anger bubbled within him for a moment before he forced it back down. Calm down, he told himself. Mei's words had an inkling of truth to them but he still didn't fully understand what she was saying.
"Just a minute, Hatsume-san. Worship? Idolatry?"
Mei's response to his question was to huff and cup her chin, like a perplexed tutor trying to teach a child. Only after a few seconds of contemplation did she exhale, bopping a fist into her palm.
"Okay, let's make this easier for you to understand. You know how heroes also earn money through sponsorship to certain brands and products, right? Like how Endeavor has that horrible black coffee brand, Mt. Lady with that weird flowery shampoo. That's the work of the Hero Association, because heroes are profitable. Companies then analyze that data and try to sell consumers a 'lifestyle story' in the image of said hero. 'Endeavor's coffee is tough, for manly men!' or 'Mt. Lady shampoo will turn you into a beauty like her!'. Further data analysis will reveal what kind of narrative sells and what doesn't, repeat ad nauseam. Are you following me so far?"
"U-um, I guess? I didn't really like that coffee either." Izuku mumbled.
"Tell me about it. Like drinking pig swill, ugh." Mei stuck out her tongue before refocusing. "Anyway, heroes are now integrated with brands and marketing, and that's great for them. They've developed a system to promote products and commercialize heroism. It's ingenious in a devious way, especially with that whole hypnotic subconscious reinforcement thing that they pull on the general masses."
"What?"
"'Heroes good, any other way of thought bad'. 'Be a hero and you'll be strong, famous!'. TV shows, toys, cartoons, games, et cetera. All the messages they want to send to the little kiddies watching at home are reinforced by a little razzle dazzle. Can't have the next generation thinking that they don't need 'heroes', eh? Our society revolves around the idea of 'heroes' and we've been convinced to think that we need them to stop the spread of villains. Have you ever stopped to think where those villains come from?"
A pit of growing worry was forming in Izuku's stomach.
"Either way profits go up and the rate of villainy goes down with this system of theirs. At least, that's what was supposed to happen. Problem is, when you mix marketing and propaganda you create these 'bubbles' where people only hear what they want to hear. Little echo chambers where their favored narrative is repeated to them over and over again so they'll never hear any contrasting viewpoints, any disagreement, any unpleasant thing that clashes with their ideals. This creates mass psychological dissonance between different groups of people that, consciously or not, have their life's context formed around media narratives. Do you see what's happening here?"
"You're trying to say that… the media that people consume, particularly about 'heroes', is different from reality and that people refuse to see things from another point of view." Izuku said uneasily.
"Yes, but it's not just that. You see, a population's cultural narrative context being created this way means that they're starting to look to heroes as their gods; celebrities like All Might as their lord and savior. They'll worship heroes as their gods and take their words as the gospel truth. Idealized lifestyles and products—or rather, 'heroes' have replaced religion. Do you realize how dangerous that is? Now, I'm not a religious person myself so I didn't really care at first, but then I started to think of the consequences. Heroes aren't infallible. What happens when one screws up? Here's the interesting part; there's always a considerable percentage of any population that gives way to fanatic or counterculture behavior, becoming too engrossed in their ideals. Back in the day this resulted in religious fanatics or extremists. In this modern age of hero-worship and idolatry these individuals will take those ideals too far, their fanaticism only reinforced by the echo-chamber 'bubble' that the system has put them in. When you really think about it, a hero's fanbase is literally just the same thing as a cult; they both act as a community that brings people together to discuss a specific narrative. At least religion actually tries to offer the illusion of being beneficial to society at large; these new models however are there purely for profit and to spread the message of 'heroism' in an effort to curb the assumed inevitable onset of villainy."
Mei took a deep breath to calm herself while Izuku considered her words.
"Yeah, I see you thinking. Let that marinate. Did you ever think about how we live in a world where a bunch of people do crazy shit over their 'ideals', run around in colorful costumes, attack schools, declare themselves as 'villains'? Do you really think that's normal behavior? Of course not! These sort of people would've been in a monastery a couple of centuries ago; they're either fanatics or extremists, pure and simple. Nothing wrong with being a fanatic if it's constructive, but these narratives don't have that interest in mind. To put things simply; the modern hero society we've created has now replaced religion with idealized lifestyles and products. The same types of people that would have been religious fanatics in the past have focused that dedication towards brands, ideologies, products, and heroes. Blinded by their faith, they will develop their own interpretations. This is how people like boomboom boy are made. This works in reverse as well; that 'counterculture' I mentioned earlier rejects those ideals, thus creating individuals who wish to rebel against the common groupthink and establish their own narratives. This is how many villains are created. Consumers latch on to these content marketing cultural narratives so hard that they start being not able to tell between reality and fiction. Comic book characters leaping off the page. We are literally creating our own problems in an otherwise prosperous society."
Izuku's heartbeat ratcheted up several levels. His thoughts inadvertently drift back to Iida's match and how Bakugo had brutalized him. The blonde had always prided himself in winning, just like All Might. Bakugo had his own interpretation of All Might's message… of overwhelming victory. Though he doubted the other boy was a fanatic, it sort of made sense. Then he thought of Mei's words on counterculture. That hand-faced villain back at USJ; 'Shigaraki'… his goal was to destroy All Might. Did he even have a goal back then, or did he just want to eliminate the Symbol of Peace so he could revel in the chaos? Even so, Izuku didn't agree with Mei's assessment, feeling that she only saw the negatives of the situation.
"Hatsume-san, I understand how you feel." Izuku said slowly. "But you're only seeing things from a pessimist's point of view. You're suggesting that the current hero system is responsible for creating villains!"
"Huh? But I'm right, though." Mei shrugged nonchalantly. "By focusing on their own popularity, agendas and that farce they call the Hero Billboard Chart JP, 'heroes' have ignored the real problems completely. They fight and defeat those villains and lock 'em up, that's it. They don't address the root cause of the problem, how and why those villains came to be in the first place. Understand this; they are fighting the symptoms, not the disease. In my opinion these so-called 'heroes' are apathetic to the suffering of the people around them and only help out of obligation when they are nearby, not because they want to change anything or help."
"That's not true!" Izuku stood from his chair, Kiri jolting in surprise at the sudden movement. "The fact that they are fighting at all means something. Heroes are always helping people and trying to make the world a better place!"
"Is that so? Or is that just what you've seen in the media, what they want the public to see?" Mei challenged. "If the Hero Association wants to help so much, why have they not addressed the underlying problem of Quirkless discrimination when they have the power to do so? Why are the U.A entrance exams and Sports Festival Events specifically catered to those with flashy Quirks? Why has the Hero Association allowed Endeavor to stay within their ranks as the number two without any form of counseling or treatment despite his obvious instability towards both civilians and the villains he captures? Why was your pal boomboom boy not disqualified despite what he did?"
"I…" Izuku bit his lower lip. He couldn't come up with an argument, not with the current knowledge he had right now. He didn't have all the information Mei possessed. Thoughts of his childhood as a Quirkless kid rushed back to him, where he'd been treated like trash and bullied just because he was assumed to be Quirkless. The look on his mother's face when she read up on how abnormalities were discriminated against. How differently he was treated now because he now had a 'powerful' Quirk. "I don't know. But I'm sure there's a good reason!"
"Don't be so sure of that; here's a little truthbomb for you." Mei leaned in closer than he was comfortable with, her words cutting like a knife. "Fact of the matter is; the Hero Association and by extension the Japanese Government; is so afraid of people lashing out with their Quirks that they have no choice but to push this hero-worshipping narrative to maximize the production of heroes. It's why the Hero Billboard Chart is based on popularity. Helping people? Let's be real here. 'Heroes' in this society are focused on fixing cosmetic issues as a career. They have good intentions, but are not interested in actually improving society on the whole systematically or individual to individual. They are a reactive force rather than an active one, and are nothing more than glorified law enforcement. 'Better for someone with a strong Quirk to be a hero instead of testing out their abilities as a villain.' Boomboom boy is a great example of this. If we lived in a world where villains dominated society… do you think a strength-seeker like him would still be drawn to the ideal of being a 'hero'?"
"Y-you're wrong. He… people can change." Izuku gulped but couldn't finish his sentence. The pit in his gut felt bottomless now, but not because he was afraid of Mei. It was the fear that she might be right.
"I'm right and you know it. That boy only wants to be the strongest, and he reasoned that in order to do that he needs to be the best 'hero'. If the script was flipped he'd seek to be the best 'villain', because all he cares about is strength. But you…" Mei's golden eyes were shining, her voice soft and sultry in his ear. "You're different, Midoriya-kun. You still believe in the inherent altruism in people, even after everything you've seen and experienced. Even after he hurt your friend..."
Even after he hurt you. The words went unspoken.
Izuku shivered and Kiri latched onto his back to pull him away from Mei when she sensed his discomfort. The pink-haired girl blinked in surprise, but shrugged it off easily.
"You're still trying to actually help people, so I guess you get a pass for now." Mei said. "Heroes deal with villains, but those are merely the symptoms. The root cause of villainy lies beneath the surface, spreading like a cancer becauseof the current system we have in place. Inequality. Quirkless Discrimination. Quirkism. Repression. A whole ton of factors that we can't keep track of, coming to a boiling point. Majority of them stem from the commercialization of heroes."
Mei stood a little straighter, putting her hands on her hips. There was a flicker on the edge of Izuku's mind but he pushed it back down, giving the girl before him all of his attention.
"The time for fun and games is over. The Quirk Singularity will coincide with overpopulation, civil instability, and the depletion of our already dwindling resources. If this problem is not addressed within the next decade there will be a reckoning unlike any other in human history. Economies will collapse. Continents will shatter. Countries will burn. Ragnarok."
Mei talk of dwindling resources and civil instability… it was the exact same thing Mimi said when she had explained herself to the others. Mimi's world had a new generation of heroes that took things too far, fighting for the sake of their own causes and self-interests. Their own causes…
Bakugo's words were like a gunshot that rang out in his mind.
'Cuz he's nothing and I'm the best, you hear?! I'm gonna win this tournament and become the number one hero!'
Tension coiled in his gut. Was Bakugo just an example of things to come? An entire generation of 'heroes' like him who only cared about themselves, which would then trigger an uprising among the furious populace, leading to an Age of Vigilantes...
"The system is diseased, Midoriya-kun. I intend to cure it." Mei let the words sink in. "All for the sake of a brighter future."
"You make some good points, Hatsume-san. But I have to disagree." Izuku swallowed his uncertainty. "There will always be people who are willing to do what's right. We need heroes to show the world that there is always hope."
"You're an idealist, I'm a realist. Even assuming the inherent goodwill and altruism of a society, there will always be those who rebel." Mei matched his stare eye for eye, that burning intelligence in her gaze causing a shiver to run down his spine. "Let's agree to disagree, or rather… I'll show you. How I intend to put mankind back on the right track.
"R-really. How exactly are you planning to do that?" Izuku asked, curious to hear her answer. There had to be a way to fix all this.
"If you beat me—" She pointed at him, grinning from ear-to-ear. "—I'll tell you."
"And if I lose?"
"Then I'll destroy hero society, take over the world with my babies and no one will stop me! Muahahahaha!" Mei did her best evil genius laugh, which was actually pretty good. "Are you a bad enough dude to challenge me? I do love a challenge."
Izuku gulped again, feeling that Mei wasn't kidding. Who knows what she would be capable of in a few years? He found the courage to look up at her again, shoving his fear of that terrifying future she prophesied to the back of his mind for the time being.
"Then I guess I am challenging you." Izuku tried nervously, earning him another amused look from the pink prodigy. "S-sorry."
"Oh, lighten up. I'll sweeten the pot a little." Mei smiled. "If you beat me, not only will I give you the details of my glorious five-year plan… we'll have dinner while we talk. I'll make that borscht you like so much!"
"Um, borscht?"
"It's that thing baby 5555 made for you last time; the soup with the sour cream. Family recipe, a bit of an acquired taste. Power Loader-sensei thinks it's way too much cream, so I was really surprised when you liked it. It's how my mom makes it, y'see. Learned it from her babushka."
"Ah, that!" Izuku finally recalled, his eyes instantly darting to the ceiling just in case the spider-bot was lurking around again. "S-sure, Hatsume-san. I'd love to."
"Great, it's a date then!" she laughed, slinging a heavy wrench over her shoulder while she began guiding him and Kiri to the door. "If you manage to beat me, that is. I'll be sure to give you a run for your money. Now if you'll excuse me, I still need to prepare for our match later!"
"W-wha, um, er, r-right." the boy stammered, his eyes spinning in a dizzy swirl. "S-see you in the arena?"
"I'll be waiting." Mei smiled. "Come face me, champion."
Heavy shutter doors rolled down with a snap of Mei's fingers, breaking eye contact between the two teenangers. Izuku felt his heart thumping at both her earlier declaration and how nervous he felt about facing her. The Thunderchild's armor had to be at least an inch thick... This wasn't going to be easy. Then there was everything Mei had said. To be honest, his mind was still trying to process all of it. A part of him actually agreed with her, with the boy admitting she had made a compelling argument. Still, he couldn't fully aaccept it. Heroes were symbols of hope and justice. They had to be.
"Onii-chan, you got another date!" Kiri squeaked in awe and squeezed his hand. "Are you gonna date two girls at once?"
"I-It's not a date! W-well, I don't think it is. You know what Hatsume-san is like, I don't think she meant it that way. She was just being friendly!" Izuku said quickly, cheeks glowing with warmth. "Yeah, that's probably it."
"One more thing." Kiri tiptoed to whisper in his ear. "The weird thin man just now, the one with one eye. There was something wrong with him."
"Oh? I noticed he was rather strange, yeah."
"Not just that." Kiri wore a puzzled expression. "I couldn't feel any emotions from him."
"Is that so." Izuku said quietly. "Hmm… it could be that it's a part of his Quirk. Or perhaps he wasn't feeling anything at the time."
Izuku stopped to glance at his phone.
"There's still around thirty minutes left… Let's go walk around for a bit longer."
[x]
Mei's eyes were fixed on a screen, the miniature security camera outside her door recording the interaction between Izuku and his younger sister. She decided to forgo the audio, not wanting to intrude on his privacy any further.
"Zenith." she began, still keeping her eyes on the little girl. "Got anything for me?"
"Scan complete. Warning, warning. Psionic wavelength detected from subject Midoriya-Izuku. Subject is wavelength source." Zenith reported. "Wavelength match of 72.9999% to incident 0001; unknown Class 9 cognitiohazard originating from subject Monoma-Neito."
"Isn't that interesting." Mei folded her arms. "Haru, prep baby 2365 and 2366 for deployment."
"Addendum, addendum. Subject Midoriya-Kirimi identified as a non-human entity."
Mei stopped in her tracks, turning back to face her little robot.
"Elaborate."
"Psionic wavelength emitted by subject Midoriya-Izuku 100% match with subject Midoriya-Kirimi. Further analysis and deep level scan shows no skeletal structure or nervous system within the subject. Subject theorized to be composed of energy, similar to unknown Class 9 cognitiohazard detected during incident 0001. Conclusion; subject is of non-human origin. Subject theorized to be psychic-type projection or similar simulacrum-type entity. Recommend caution, caution."
"My, my." Mei leaned forward to inspect the holographic data projected out of Zenith's eyes, smiling as she did. "Looks like we've stumbled upon a little secret… We'll have to adjust our battle plan accordingly."
The teenage prodigy turned back to glance at her heavy power armor, so inviting with its powerful hydraulics and shiny weaponry.
"Damn." Mei sighed. "Next time, baby."
[x]
An annoying throb pressed on the inside of Izuku's skull like an incoming headache. It had barely five minutes since they left Mei's makeshift garage and the flickering from earlier was back again, floating on the surface of his mind like flotsam from a shipwreck. His sister let out a small murmur of concern, with him giving her a reassuring look in response.
"I'll be fine." Izuku whispered. "Okay, here goes…"
He reached for those fragmented memories and found himself in a different time and place once more.
He was standing on the edge of a cliff facing the ocean, watching a massive domed construct sputter and heave. Beside him stood a woman dressed in silver, her pink hair billowing in the wind. Hatsume Mei tapped at a hologram projected at her wrist, her one remaining eye ringed with dark circles.
'Launch sequence initiated. It's all you now.'
'I have control.' A feminine voice crackled on the radio and the gargantuan island in the sea began to rise. 'I-Island, preparing for takeoff.'
A countdown began, echoed by speakers from ships around the island. Great flying behemoths of every shape and size, a cobbled-together fleet of warships and civilian transports. 'Izuku' watched until the countdown reached zero and I-Island rose from into the air like a giant metal jellyfish, ocean water sliding off glowing blue panels around its circumference. Whatever unconventional method of propulsion it used was eerily silent, the gargantuan megastructure simply hovering upwards at a steady pace. The ragtag fleet escorted it, angling the bows of their ships skywards. They were… leaving?
Evacuating the planet...
Hatsume closed her hologram with a sigh, her gaze filled with a quiet sadness. She waved at the airborne city, watching it rise up towards the stars.
'See you on the other side, Melissa.'
'Izuku' raised his tiny hand as well, waving at the departing fleet wistfully. Hatsume put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer for a side-hug. The love 'he' felt for her was that of a child to their mother, a gentle warmth that resonated in his chest.
'Let's go, Mimi.' Hatsume said softly. 'We still have work to do.'
With a jerk and a flash of colors Izuku was himself again, stabilizing by pressing a hand to the wall. His finger immediately shot up to his nose but there was no bleeding this time. Kiri let out a worried huff.
"I'm fine. Did you see it?"
"No, I didn't see anything." Kiri pouted. "You just went all stiff for a second and that was it."
"So that's what it looks like on the outside, huh." Izuku hummed.
He couldn't help but wonder what happened on Mimi's world. Something had gone terribly wrong, to the point where they had to leave Earth? It was terrifying to think about, but he was sure Mimi had her own reasons for not telling him. Some things were better left unknown; that forbidden knowledge could result in unforeseen consequences.
A sudden sense of vertigo overcame him and Izuku lurched forward, losing his balance. Kiri easily caught him but to his surprise a second and third pair of hands supported him as well, the boy looking up to see two of his precious friends at his side. Ochaco and Tsuyu wore concerned expressions, their hands gripping his arms tight.
"Whoa, Midoriya-chan. Easy, kero."
"Deku-kun… are you alright?"
"I'm okay." Izuku groaned, clearly not alright but pretending he was. "T-thanks, you two. What a happy coincidence."
"Actually we were hoping to talk with you about something but—" Tsuyu's large eyes flickered to his younger sister for a moment. "—I think now isn't the best time."
"Tell me about it. I think I'm gonna head back for a bit of rest before the match." the green-haired boy muttered. "By the way, this is my younger sister, Kirimi. Say hello, Kiri."
"Hallo." She gave them a lazy wave which they reciprocated.
"H-hello to you too, Midoriya-chan!" Ochaco said quickly, looking between her and Izuku inquisitively.
"I know, she looks more like mom than me." Izuku mumbled sheepishly. "Right, Kiri?"
"Nn."
She looks more like her mom?! Ochaco thought, confusion racing through her mind. Huh? W-what is that supposed to mean?
"Hmm... it'd be boring for you if we go back to the infirmary, and I think you would rather watch the match live compared to a screen in the waiting room... Do you want to go sit among the audience with Uraraka-chan and Tsuyu-chan? They're friends."
"Don't wanna." Kiri said. Ochaco had a complicated look on her face upon hearing that.
"Huh? Why not?" Izuku asked, puzzled.
"I don't want to sit with your class because boomboom boy is there." Kiri's cheeks puffed outwards as she pouted. "He's mean to you. He'll be mean to me, too."
"Ah, you're right. Oh dear…"
"Boomboom boy." Tsuyu repeated slowly until she got it. "You mean Bakugo-chan, kero?"
A rapid nod from the little girl confirmed her query. Izuku thought for a bit more until his eyes lit up with an idea.
"How about you sit with Mr. Yagi, then? You know, tall, blonde, and thin? You okay with that?" Izuku said, turning to Ochaco and Tsuyu when they tilted their heads. "Mr. Yagi is my mentor. He's also working for U.A."
"Mmkay." Kiri agreed, nodding obediently.
"Alright. I'll just send him a message… there. Um, would you two mind if—"
"O-of course, Deku-kun! We'd be glad to!" Ochaco said quickly.
"Thanks, you two. I'm gonna take a break." Izuku said gratefully. "Be nice to Mr. Yagi, Kiri."
"Okay, nii-chan."
He sent them a tired wave before he departed, leaving Ochaco and Tsuyu alone with the young child. Ochaco let out a tired sigh, shoulders slumping. They didn't notice how Kiri's face seemed to become a little more stoic once her brother left, her expression reverting to that default stare.
"We tried, kero." Tsuyu said in an effort to cheer her up. "At least now we know who she is."
"Yeah, good talk." Ochaco mumbled before jolting. "Eep!"
The reason for her outburst was that Kiri had suddenly latched onto her hand, touching all five fingers in the process. Ochaco panicked and expected the child to begin floating… except absolutely nothing happened. Kiri gave her a confused look which Ochaco returned.
"O-oh! Sorry, Midoriya-chan. I was just surprised because normally things start to float when I touch them with all five fingers, see?" Ochaco used her phone as an example, levitating the device.
"Ooooooh." Kiri watched it curiously. "I can do it too."
She floated into the air to their surprise, still holding on to Ochaco's hand while she did. Tsuyu gently guided her down while thoughts spun within the gravity-defying girl's mind.
"Woah. So your Quirk's like mine? How nice…" Ochaco remarked. She can float herself without becoming sick...Isn't this kid just a better version of me?
"I can only float myself. I think." Kiri looked around for a moment, then pointed in a certain direction. "Let's go. Mr. Yagi is this way."
"Hm? How do you know that, kero?"
"I just do."
The two teenagers exchanged a look before shrugging, deciding to follow the child's intuition. They went together, Kiri still clutching Ochaco's hand gently. The older girl let her, unable to stop the warm smile that bloomed on her face while they walked. It'd been a long time since she held someone with all five fingers.
[x]
"[Mr. Sandman… Bring us a dream~ Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam~]" Kiri sang childishly and a little off-key, her expression neutral all the while. "[Give him a lonely heart like pally-achy. And lots of wavy hair like li-ber-rachy~]"
"That's a lovely song, Midoriya-chan." Tsuyu smiled. "Where did you hear it?"
"Auntie Nana sang it a few days ago. Her and the rest of the family get together and sing sometimes."
"Oho? Tell us more, kero."
"When I asked they said it helps remind them of their humanity." Kiri shrugged. "They get together and perform with lots of instruments, like, like a band. They're actually really good too, so it's fun to listen to them. Last week Uncle Johnny sang a weird one about whether he should stay or go."
Ochaco let out a sharp exhale of laughter, bringing her free hand to her mouth. The two older girls were holding hands with Kiri, with her swinging her arms back and forth in a lazy arc while they walked together.
"Ooh, she's so precious!" Ochaco squealed. "Can we keep her?"
"We did agree to get her to this Mr. Yagi, kero."
"Aww…"
Right on cue Kiri sensed a familiar presence entering her range. These feelings, the way they felt… it was All Might. She let go of Tsuyu and Ochaco's hands, the tmp-tmp-tmpof her feet echoing down the hallway.
"Ah! W-wait, don't run away!"
Toshinori Yagi rounded the corner with Vlad King, still busy talking to the other teacher when he felt a sudden bump on his pant leg.
"Excuse me, sorry about that—"
Kiri latched on to the skeletal man's leg in a small hug, the top of her head barely reaching his kneecap. He towered over her, an expression of absolute confusion clouding his features. Strange, the last time she had hugged the other All Might he gave her cookies.
"Mr Yagi~" Kiri patted his leg a few times, almost as if to make sure he was solid. "It's the real thing!"
Toshinori looked down at the small child wrapped around his leg, then at Vlad King, then at the two teenage girls who were giving him very suspicious looks.
"I don't even know this kid." the blonde said quickly.
"Young lady," Vlad King began, leaning downward. "Are you lost?"
"Nn." Kiri shook her head. "Onii-chan told me to go sit with Mr. Yagi, so here I am."
"Your brother?" Toshinori asked, still perplexed.
"U-um, Yagi-sensei, right? You should check your text messages." Ochaco said.
He did so, eyebrows first rising in confusion before he turned to the young child with a look of understanding. Vlad King stood up when they exchanged a look.
"I see. Thank you young Uraraka, young Asui." Toshinori bent down to match Kiri's height when she let go, examining her features carefully. "Hello there. You must be young Midoriya's little sister, Kirimi-chan."
"Hello. My friends call me Kiri."
"Ah, I don't think I can—"
"Of course you can." Kiri thought for a moment, then patted Toshinori on the shoulder. "There! We're friends now."
Everyone around just exchanged glances, not sure what to do in the face of the strange new situation before them. After a short explanation from both girls Toshinori had pretty much understood what was going on. He simply shrugged and accepted it, citing that it couldn't be helped since Kiri would feel uncomfortable among Class 1-A. Ochaco and Tsuyu took a quick selfie with her before they left, giggling while they waved goodbye to Kiri.
"So… young Midoriya's sibling?" Vlad King said as Kiri continued waving to a retreating Ochaco enthusiastically. "That's strange. She looks a lot like a kid from my class, young Kodai."
He squinted at her, Kiri turning around and meeting his gaze fearlessly.
"In fact, she almost looks like a younger version of her. What's going on here?"
Kiri shrugged, opting to try to latch on to Toshinori's hand. She frowned when she couldn't quite reach since he was so much taller than her.
"I'm sure it's just a coincidence, Vlad-san." Toshinori said. "That aside… how old are you, Kiri-chan?"
"I'm ten. Turning eleven soon."
"Really? You look like you're eight or nine. About the size of a kid that age, too."
"Teeeeeeeen." Kiri insisted, thrusting all ten of her tiny fingers at Toshinori and standing on her toes to look taller. "I'm just small. Gramma's kinda small, and onii-chan and Mimi are too. So I'm small as well."
"I see." Toshinori smiled.
"But he'll grow!" Kiri said quickly. "Nii-chan will grow big and strong since he'll eventually look like Aftermath—"
The little girl clamped both her hands over her mouth, interrupting her own sentence.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
They started heading towards the teacher's stands soon after, with Kiri hurrying to match their pace with her shorter legs. Eventually she came up with a solution and started floating alongside them instead of staying on the ground, holding on to Toshinori's hand.
Vlad King let out a snort.
"What?"
"You're holding her like a balloon."
Toshinori glanced up at the child and found her to be making weird faces at him… until her lips eventually curled into a shy, wobbly smile. He smiled back at her, but those feelings she sensed were a bittersweet nostalgia. Perhaps he misses someone, Kiri thought.
"—still can't believe it. I think he should have been disqualified for excessive force! He went way too far." a voice laced with annoyance echoed around the corner.
"Disqualifying him won't do anything except rile up the crowd. It's not worth it." a second tired voice answered.
"You really believe that?" a third voice remarked, this one female. "You've expelled students for less."
"Of course I don't, but those were Nezu's words when I asked. He thinks that we can't afford to lose talent like Bakugo, nor can we earn the ire of the audience by disqualifying him since he's 'popular'." Aizawa grunted, appearing past the corner. "Either way, I'm going to arrange some mandatory counseling for the boy after this. Oh. Yagi-san. Vlad-san."
The two trios stopped in their tracks, exchanging greetings and about to head in the same direction until Midnight noticed the little girl floating above Toshinori.
"Oho? Who's this little fairy?" Midnight cooed, making a kissy face. "Aren't you just the most adorable thing~"
"Big." Kiri said, blatantly staring at the woman's chest. "Huge. You're that suckybus! I've seen you in a naughty picture book a long time ago."
"W-wha—" Midnight sputtered.
Present Mic stifled a laugh by coughing into his fist. All of them continued on their path towards the teacher's stands.
"How did you know it was a 'naughty' picture book, Kiri-chan?" Toshinori asked, amused.
"I got scolded by Bubi when he caught me reading it. He says it's for adults only and pretended to throw it away when I know he keeps it behind the cupboard."
"Ah. That must have been the photoshoot I did for Herogals magazine a few years back." Midnight hummed, puffing out in pride. "Y'know, the one with the devil girl cosplay with the wings and the tail—"
"Too much information." Aizawa said quickly, changing the topic. "Yours, Yagi-san?"
"Not exactly." Toshinori shrugged with a tired smile. "Young Midoriya's little sister."
"Really? I can't see the resemblance… wait, no. I see it when I squint." Present Mic chuckled.
"Problem child's? Of course. Using your Quirk freely like that… it could grow to become a bad habit." Aizawa's eyes flashed red, knowing Toshinori would catch her with his insane reflexes.
Except Kiri kept floating even under the effects of Erasure.
When Aizawa raised an eyebrow the little girl's only response was to blow a raspberry at him and stick her tongue out, knowing full well what he was trying to do. In the end she relented and stopped floating, deciding to sit on Toshinori's shoulders instead. It would be a year or two before her brother grew tall enough for her to do the same.
"Oi." Judging by how Aizawa was feeling, Kiri summarized that he didn't like her at all. The shaggy man's eyes narrowed warily, distrust radiating off him like an open flame.
"It's fine, Aizawa-san." Toshinori laughed. "She's light as a feather."
"Mr. Yagi~" Kiri gently tugged at the two long, deflated bangs that made up All Might's signature 'V' hairstyle. "Can we get some poppy corn? That stall over there is selling some."
Toshinori broke off from the rest of the teachers to fulfill her demands, not knowing she just wanted to get them away from Aizawa before he started getting suspicious. She patiently waited as Toshinori talked to the popcorn seller, buying a large bucket for her. She lowered it towards him after he handed it over to her, earning a raised eyebrow from the blonde.
"You need to eat more." Kiri insisted. "Or you'll be a spooky skeleton forever."
He accepted the offering with an awkward chuckle, taking some of the popcorn from her while she still sat on his shoulders. She balanced the bucket on his head, occasionally grabbing handfuls of popcorn until they finally reached the stands. The moment they did Kiri felt something lurking within her range… she only noticed it since she was so close to the source.
The little girl's eyes widened, floating off Toshinori to walk alongside him. One of her old friends was here! A vigilante ally that was honestly more of an acquaintance than a friend, but… something was wrong with the emotional signature she sensed from him. Half of it was missing?
Kiri trotted forward amongst the teachers until she came across a man who was pretending to be asleep next to Midnight, his cowboy hat drawn low over his gasmask-clad face. While she stared at him Toshinori explained why she was here to the other teachers. Her piercing eyes bore a hole into him but the man continued to pretend that he was asleep, the child sensing that he was observing her as well.
From the way Midnight was grinning at Kiri it appeared that she had mistaken her curiosity for wonder, the older woman gently elbowing her colleague in the side to wake him up.
"Hey, Snipe-sensei. It looks like you've got a new fan."
Snipe tilted his gaze upward, the dark lenses of his gasmask reflecting Kiri's glimmering eyes. The girl examined him further with her empathy sense, still confused as ever. The emotional signature she felt was the same as her ally but at the same time it wasn't—she only sensed half of him here. It was almost like he'd been split in two. Now he was working as a teacher in this school with his new identity? Everyone thought he'd died as a vigilante a few years ago.
"Howdy. Can I help you?" he asked.
"You're my favorite teacher." Kiri said innocently, causing Present Mic to choke on his drink. "I like your hat."
"Thank you kindly, little lady." Snipe tipped his hat at her before gently placing it on her head.
"Awesome." Kiri looked up at the worn headgear like it was a newfound treasure, her eyes shining in a display of unrestrained delight.
She ignored the sudden outburst of laughter from Midnight, sitting in the empty seat beside Snipe and still scanning him periodically. Toshinori sat down beside her, brows raised in amusement.
"Oho? Why is he your favorite teacher, Midoriya-chan?" Her brother's mentor asked.
"Because he's a cowboy. Cowboys are cool." Kiri answered from her heart.
"Of course she would say that." Present Mic said. "What about All Might? Is he cool?"
"All Might is a big meanie who doesn't even spare enough time for my onii-chan when he's supposed to be teaching him." Kiri noticed how Toshinori suddenly choked on his popcorn and quickly added on. "But he's cool too. He makes great cookies."
"Most kids have All Might as their favorite hero, y'know. So which one's yours, kid?" Present Mic continued, killing time before he had to return to the announcer's booth. "Mirko, because she's a bunny?"
"Edgeshot. Because he's a ninja. Ninjas are cool." Kiri said enthusiastically. "I used to know a ninja."
"That's nice." Snipe grunted. She took the opportunity to give him his hat back, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
"Thanks." Kiri's voice lowered to a nearly inaudible volume to test her theory. "Mr. Gold."
Snipe stiffened almost unoticably and Kiri knew she'd caught him hook, line and sinker. Her suspicions were proven right; he had once been the same vigilante ally that helped her out periodically back then. From the emotions Snipe was feeling, he was actually reasoning that he'd misheard her or something. The girl hummed to herself in satisfaction, turning her attention to another teacher for a change in topic before the cowboy suspected anything.
She stared up at Hound Dog, stopping mid-bite. The enormous mutant stared back and Kiri started eating her popcorn noticeably faster.
"Hey, don't be afraid!" Midnight laughed, running her fingers through Hound Dog's fur to show that he was harmless. "Hound here might look scary, but he's a big softie at heart."
"He's a doggy person. He'll eat all my food." Kiri said simply.
"Why do you say that? It's not nice to judge people by their Quirks, you know." the older woman lectured lightheartedly, going into teacher mode.
"My friend's a doggy person, and she eats nearly everything that is put in front of her. When we have dinner with her we need to give her extra portions or else she will try to eat everyone else's food." Kiri munched, drawing the popcorn bucket closer to her chest. "This is mine. Mr. Yagi bought it for me!"
Hound Dog simply raised an amused eyebrow, looking confused when Kiri offered the bucket to him after a moment.
"But onii-chan taught me to share. So here, doggy person. You can have some of my poppy corn but please don't eat it all."
"Hah!" Hound Dog rumbled, showcasing his razor-sharp teeth when he grinned. "Thank you, little wan."
[x]
Izuku was floating in a void of endless color and light, his form intangible from his eyes downward. He braced himself, preparing for whatever came next—
—only to find himself in the midst of a party at its peak. Firecrackers were going off in the background alongside loud music, streams of gaudy multicolored confetti sailing through the air. Before him everyone was celebrating, seated at a table full of exotic dishes from cultures all over the world. A large green banner with the words 'GO YOUNG MIDORIYA' was hanging from two nearby trees. Nana noticed him first, leaning across the long wooden table to smack him on the back.
"Well look who it is!" Nana hollered, downing her piña colada. "Congratulations, Midoriya my boy! Good work!"
'W-w-what's going on?!' Izuku thought, his gaze panicked. He still couldn't speak, lacking a mouth in that smoky form.
"Isn't it obvious? We're celebrating your victory over young Todoroki!" Nana said cheerfully, elbowing a snoring Misha. "Wake up, old man! The boy's here!"
"Hrrrn. Huh? Uh." the man rumbled, looking around blearily until his eyes landed on Izuku. "Da, very good! Here. I make hat for you."
He placed a nice knitted hat made of green wool on Izuku's head, large white letters in bold spelling out the word 'VICTORY'.
"Congratulations."
"Congratulations, wan!"
"Congratulations, aniki!"
'Um… t-thanks, everyone.' Izuku stammered. 'B-but I haven't actually won the tournament yet.'
"Live a little, lad." Johnny grinned, giving him a strong pat on the back. "It's so boring here that we've got to celebrate when something even remotely good happens. We've been watching your matches, you know. Great job, by the way. Look how far you've come!"
"Mmhmm." Koko nodded, chugging down a full mug of something frothy and golden while her other paw held a large chicken drumstick. "It is a celebration feast, wan! Here new master, try some!"
She angled another mug to where his lips would be and he actually tasted the beverage within. A sweet, honey-like taste… was this mead? He couldn't drink, he was a minor!
Those thoughts were soon banished when All Might, the echo of him, walked up to Izuku with a wide smile. He was in his muscle form, looking as magnificent as ever. Here he was immortalized as a hero, not the emancipated skeleton that lived in constant pain.
"Good work, my boy. I'm proud of you."
Tears beaded at Izuku's eyes. Had he ever heard those words before? He sniffed and blinked them away, staring up at his mentor with a wet gaze.
'I… thank you, sensei. But still…' Izuku looked down dejectedly. 'I still don't think I deserve it. All of this.'
All Might gave the others a quick glance, and that was all that needed to be said. They gave him and Izuku some space, the tall blonde pulling up a chair and sitting next to his young apprentice.
"Why do you think that, Midoriya-kun?"
'When Kiri assisted me, I felt a bit ashamed of myself.'Izuku admitted. 'I've only made it this far because everyone has been helping me out. I feel like everything has been handed to me when I didn't even do anything special to earn it. I… I don't want to trouble anyone…'
"So you're feeling inadequate because young Kirimi assisted you and you feel like you're involving her in your affairs? That you don't feel like you worked hard enough to be where you are?" All Might nodded. "My boy, you're as selfless as ever. But there's one thing you need to understand."
'W-what is it?'
"People are stronger together." All Might said with a smile. "Do you think I became the number one hero all by myself? Of course not! I had a great mentor, lots of amazing friends, and a wonderful sidekick who supported me. Kiri helped you because she wanted to, not because you asked her. She's your power, and you are hers. Love makes the world go round, young Midoriya. Your friends, your family… Everyone is here to support you."
'Support…'
"You had the courage to admit that you feel weak, that you feel like you didn't earn your way here." the man patted him again. "Then use it. Use that inadequacy you feel as motivation to get even stronger. Strong enough that you can stand alongside her. Prove yourself worthy of your own power. Now I believe young Izumi has a few words to say to you as well."
Izuku turned to look but instead of Mimi's tiny, frail body what sat in the chair next to him was the tall, lean form of Aftermath. The projection simply nodded to show that she was paying attention, that masked face hiding all emotion.
'Hi, Mimi. How are you?'
"Mmfine." It was strange to hear her girly voice coming out of that massive armor. "Don't feel too bad, papa."
'You're not actually here, are you?' Izuku realized.
"Nope. My real body is still accompanying baa-chan. She worries almost as much as you do." Mimi said, Izuku hearing the smile in her voice. "See?"
Aftermath's metal respirator unlatched and lowered, Izuku seeing what lay underneath. He expected to see an older version of him, only to finally understand why the projection was masked. Aftermath had no face—he was hollow, two burning green orbs within the armor acting as Mimi's eyes. Izuku watched in confusion when the projection tossed a few cookies into the void/furnace of his body, slightly amused at the way Mimi used him to 'eat'.
"I know you think that you've only won and gotten this far because of everyone else's efforts." Mimi began, shaking her projection's head. "We both know that's not true. You put in a ton of hard work and effort too, so don't forget about that either."
'I can't keep relying on the both of you…'
"Of course you can't. That's a part of growing up, isn't it?" Mimi replied. "To stand on your own two feet. Nothing wrong with standing beside you, is there?"
'Nothing at all.' Izuku said. 'T-thank you, Mimi. I think I understand a little better now. I love you both very much.'
"I know. Grow strong and stand tall, papa. At the end of the day the only person you can rely on is yourself. Better to be reliant on one's own strength than be a slave to another's will." she answered, the flames within Aftermath rearranging to form a smiley face. "Now get out there and win this thing so you can come home. Gramma keeps hugging me when she gets nervous. Make sure Kiri's doing alright."
"She's totally jealous, kid." Nana chuckled, earning her a smack from the projection.
"I am not jealous!" Mimi sulked. "Okay, maybe a little. Do your best, papa."
'I will.' Izuku closed his eyes.
Both of them were right. It made him want to grow stronger, be better, train more… to become the hero he wanted to be. Someone strong enough to protect the people he loved, to create a better future. He still had a long, long way to go before he could become anything close to All Might.
When he reopened them he was back in the waiting room where he fell asleep. Glancing at the clock on the wall revealed he still had ten minutes left before his match with Mei. The boy nodded to himself, doing a few stretches while he tried to think of a plan against her.
Mei was assertive, resourceful, and most of all… dangerously intelligent. From the footage of her matches with Kaminari and Ochaco, Izuku deduced that she always had at least one or two gadgets that countered whoever she fought. In her match against Kaminari it had been that lightning conductor. Against Ochaco it had been those vernier thrusters. She already revealed the Thunderchild to him earlier, with its thick armor and massive guns.
Her strategy is probably to keep her distance while whittling me down with her ranged weapons. Izuku thought. She knows that I'm a close-combat type, so the armor will protect her. I wouldn't be surprised if she brought her Funnels as well, those things were pretty effective in the Cavalry Battle. Range and defense. The opposite of that speed and power that I've shown in all my matches. Should I employ hit-and-run tactics? But she'll see that coming from a mile away and probably has some sort of countermeasure in mind…
A green light above the door winked on, signalling that it was time to go. Izuku took a deep breath to calm himself, walking down the hallway towards the arena. Before he knew it he was engulfed in the audience's cheers and whoops once more, all of them eager to witness more action and excitement. It was the second-last round; whoever won this match would go on to the final round. He was first, matching against Mei. Tokoyami had matched against Bakugo.
Izuku offered a silent prayer to his feathered friend. Dark Shadow's weakness was light, but Tokoyami was a cunning one. He hoped the boy would be able to figure out a way to beat Bakugo. A slight twinge of bitterness in his chest made him realise that he didn't want to see Bakugo advance to the finals at all. It was petty but true. If anything, he'd much rather face off against Tokoyami in the finals… if he actually made it there, of course. He knew better than to underestimate Mei.
"In the blue corner! Hailing from Shizuoka Prefecture; it's the lightning-clad lad of the Hero Department! Midoriya Izuku!"
His thoughts finished when he stepped into the arena, ignoring the cheers that resounded when Present Mic announced his name. Kiri was somewhere in the stands, sitting beside All Might. He decided not to use her power unless it was absolutely needed; he was certain they could only do it one more time before they both blacked out from overexhaustion. In the end, he reasoned that he should only use it during his final match if he needed to. Izuku's eyes were focused on the opposite end of the arena, awaiting the arrival of his opponent.
"In the red corner! Hailing from Kyoto Prefecture; it's everyone's favorite dark horse and entrepreneur of the Support Department! Hatsume Mei!"
Booming cheers erupted for Mei, the loudest of which were coming from the Support Department students. Izuku didn't miss how the Departments of Business, General Education, and Management started cheering more enthusiastically as well. Present Mic hyped them up, mentioning that this was probably the furthest a non-Hero Department student had gone in the tournament ever since the school was created. So far it had always been a student from the Hero Department that won the sports festival; they were hoping that things changed this year.
Mei finally appeared, slowly walking up the steps… without the Thunderchild. All she had was the conical H-Drive which was strapped to her back via a harness, her robotic buddy Zenith floating just above her left shoulder. She wore the black tanktop from when they first met, but instead of her workshop gear her lower body was dressed in U.A's distinctive blue and white uniform with the trademark uniform jacket tied casually around her waist. Her trademark goggles rested on her forehead and exposed her eyes, those piercing golden pupils looking straight at Izuku.
"Only three support items? Are you sure, young Hatsume?" Midnight asked, noticing her light loadout.
"I'm sure, sensei. Trust me." Mei did not avert her gaze from Izuku. "I'm going all out."
"There you have it folks, what a brave lass! She seems to have a plan of some sort, but what could it be?! Will the ingenious inventor be enough to take down the bouncing bunny?" Present Mic yelled. "Let's find out! Match STARRRRT!"
Neither Izuku or Mei moved, simply staring at each other across the arena. A bead of sweat rolled down the boy's temple. No weapons… no armor. Only her goggles, the H-Drive, and Zenith. All utility support items. Was she giving up? No… she already stated that she was taking it seriously. Was this some kind of trick? A hologram, perhaps? Was she already moving?
"You know, Midoriya-kun…" Mei began, slowly circling the arena with him. "You've inspired me."
Izuku tried to suppress the blush from forming on his face and failed miserably. He expected something to blow up under his feet while he was distracted, but Mei continued speaking.
"That's right. I respect your efforts. I wanted to bring my power armor but I realised I would be holding back if I did." she smiled. "So I've decided! I'm gonna do my best and give you everything I've got!"
"So will I." Izuku said, activating Full Cowl and bringing his fists up.
He wanted to dash straight in but knew better. Mei definitely had something up her sleeve, not intimidated at all by the emerald lightning arcing off him. It was quite the opposite, with her lips curling into a pretty smirk. That smile, that damned smile; it stopped him from engaging and increased his guard.
"Here's one final bit of motivation for you." Mei said. "If you lose here, I'll go on to win this tournament and show the world how unnecessary heroes have become. All they do is promote Quirk superiority, giving the general populace the idea that if you have a strong Quirk, you are better than others. 'If you have power, you can assert your ideals. If you don't have power, you're just another cog in the system.' I say it's time to even the odds; power doesn't just come from Quirks. Let's see what happens when someone like me with a weak Quirk matches against an a blessed powerhouse like you. Code Golf-Alpha-Papa."
"Passcode accepted." Zenith's eyes flashed bright pink the moment she said those words, his voice now a deep growl instead of the high-pitched beeping from before. "Initiating Guardian Angel Protocol."
That final statement triggered something in Izuku, causing him to wince. It was happening again. His left eye flooded with colors, displaying memories from the past. His right eye saw the present, watching with confusion as Zenith… melted. The spherical little robot lost its shape, liquefying into streams of silver that dripped onto Mei's shoulder.
'Look, look! I did it, I did it!'
'What have you got there, Boris?' 'Izuku' asked.
His great-grandson raised his hand, holding out the tiny device he'd built. He looked so proud of himself, his eyes shining with unbound delight. In his hand he held a pink four-pointed diamond, the jewel shimmering with a thousand facets.
'It's granduncle Arnie! I managed to transfer him into this liquid crystal memory core since his old body was damaged. Now dad and I can build him a new body!'
"Humanity is stuck in the past, Midoriya-kun. Clinging to their comicbook ideals and pretending everything is still normal. Refusing to move forward and change." Mei said softly, the words only audible to him. "To quote the philosopher Dimitri Parangosky; 'A society that is built around the concept of heroes and villains is an infantile one, a dependent one'. I will drag them kicking and screaming towards a brighter future."
His memories were a mix of past and present, his and not his. He thought of everything that happened ever since he met Mei. Their first meeting in the workshop. The soup with too much sour cream. When he ate it, there were two memories that flashed in his mind. One of them, the one that had him as a child…. The woman cooking that soup hadn't been his mother, light hair instead of dark. Her uncle from her mother's side, half-sokovian, which meant Mei was part Sokovian as well.
The small robot that she called her buddy, passed down from generation to generation.
'He's been in my family for ages! Can't even remember how old he's supposed to be.'
It can't be. Izuku's eyes widened, shock curling around his heart like a thousand electrifying vines. It's impossible!
Liquid silver slid over Mei's body like a second skin, covering her in mercurial armor. It crawled up her goggles, climbing up the prongs on its side and lengthening them to become long, jagged horns. Izuku watched in fascination and horror as his opponent let out a cathartic laugh, the mimetic polyalloy that formed Zenith flooding over her. A trio of tentacles of the same futuristic material burst from her back, completing the image. She looked disturbingly similar to the woman from Mimi's memories, the Hatsume Mei from a devastated world. But at the same time old memories triggered in Izuku's mind… the confrontation with the Demon Lord and the promise the demon had made when his life was spared all those years ago.
'I call it the Guardian Angel Protocol. My promise to protect them.'
The skintight armor covered Mei fully now, highlighting the curve of her waist and generous bosom. The silver tide seemed to shield only her skin and left her clothes alone, giving the girl an odd, otherworldly appearance of someone made of liquid metal. The only parts it didn't cover was the left side of her face and her hair, Mei's brilliant smile shining through. A low hum filled the air, the H-Drive on Mei's back activating and churning out bright pink particles. The glowing pink visor on her right eye was in the shape of a lightning bolt, just like the scar on her Uncle's eye… no. Not a lightning bolt.
A letter 'Z'.
"Oh God." Izuku whispered, unable to believe what he was witnessing.
"Yes." Mei smiled. "Just not yours."
[GUARDIAN ANGEL PROTOCOL ACTIVE. PARTITION 1/144 'ZENITH' INITIATING CORE OVERRIDE. PROGRAM LOAD SUCCESSFUL.]
"Behold my vision. My magnum opus." Mei announced to him, spreading her arms wide. Pink lightning crackled around her like a violent thunderstorm. "My… Zenith."
[ZABANYA ONLINE.]