Chapter 14: Volume 6, pt 3 Echoes of Danger
Days 3 & 4 of Internships
Minoru shivered in terror as he watched the battle rage before him. The gigantic Mt. Lady was thrashing and stomping on everything in sight, while hundreds of vines whipped through the air and terrain without slowing between either. Shiozaki was screaming at the top of her lungs, the sound one of pure rage and hatred, while Mt. Lady looked like genuine fear was starting to infect her.
They'd sparred four times that night, each time causing massive damage to the training ground, but this was truly horrifying. Some of his greatest kinks, turned into his worst fears. Shiozaki's vines had been squeezing Mt. Lady's legs and torso without fail since the half-way mark in their fight, and while normally that would have been spectacular to witness, instead she'd wrapped the whole body into a cocoon of green and been cutting off her air little by little. Meanwhile, the giantess was continually splattering the vines with her clenching fists and stamping heels, leading to Shiozaki's ever-growing rage.
The two were both bleeding now, tears of who knew what variety flowing from their eyes, and it was evident Shiozaki was exhausted. She was on her knees, holding the ground as she continued to batter at her opponent.
Minoru made himself a silent promise that day. No women. Ever. They weren't worth it. Too evil, too scary, too dangerous, too complex. He could make do with other things. Midoriya might break himself, but he was pretty cool. At the very least, he wouldn't have to deal with stuff like… this.
Finally, Shiozaki's lungs gave out, and she started panting instead, her vines straining but clearly loosening. She choked and retched a little, prompting Minoru to look away. Very much not what he was into.
"That's time!" Kamui Woods called, clicking his stopwatch for effect, "Everyone clean up and head home. Good work today."
Minoru sighed. Thank Kami, it was all over.
Sobbing came from behind him, and he glanced back to see Shiozaki on her side, having twisted and fallen to the ground away from her puddle of tears, blood, and sick; evidently intent on making a new puddle of the first two. Mt. Lady snapped the vines around her with evidently little effort, before shrinking and jogging over. She winced a little on her right foot, but it didn't seem to be bad.
Minoru shook his head. Find some honor in defeat, jeez.
He had no idea what was truly going on, nor did he want to. He was just glad to be getting away from the terrifying women behind him.
Sorahiko tapped the floor with a hand, curving up from the ground rather than bouncing off it. The kid was starting to pick up his movements based on sound, which was good: but meant he was still predicting rather than reacting. Both were essential, so he had to force him to stop relying on the prior alone. To his approval, the kid guessed correctly and twisted towards where he was going, rather than where he had heard the sound.
Good. One more bout, and then I can take him somewhere crime-ridden and get him some real experience, Sorahiko thought, recalling how Toshinori had some bad habits from fighting him so often for his first few months in America.
Twirling and kicking off the wall for a dive across the entire room, he prepared to let the kid hit him and get a little extra confidence. In that moment, he saw something that bothered him. He wasn't sure what it was at first. Midoriya was pushing off the wall, just like he had the last few times. It clicked, and Sorahiko threw power into his feet, stopping dead in the kid's path.
"Stop!" he shouted, a bit of annoyance tugging at his worry.
Midoriya faltered and flew past, bracing his hands to cushion himself as he crashed into the opposite wall. They met the ground and Torino stepped over, sighing.
"How long have you been copying my attacks too?" he asked, crouching down to stare at Midoriya's upside-down head of parsley.
"Since I started trying to fight back…" he admitted, sighing.
Straightening out his arm, he chopped the boy in the nose.
"You can't fight like me! You have to develop your own style! If you just copy one source, you'll grow stale and predictable, not to mention have bad habits which don't fit your power set!"
"I'm sorry, Gran Torino, I just… It seemed safer."
A touch of empathy moved through the old man.
"You're still scared of using your arms, eh?" he confirmed, crossing his legs and sitting beside the body, "I wondered why you haven't tried a Toshinori-style move in a while."
Thinking back, he realized Midoriya had been purposely using an impactor style of fighting since getting a handle on the 5%. Cushioning his blows against the old man by compressing his legs each time he landed near him, or just extending his arms without any power so the blow would be on his motion, not his attack. Sorahiko saw it in his eyes. The boy was terrified of hurting his mentor and himself.
Nana… what have you done?
"Alright then, let's call it here."
"N-no!" Midoriya protested, sitting up and bowing in apology or something, "P-please, I don't have enough of a grasp on it yet, but I'll get better! I have to be able to keep this energy in me even after a hit! Even if I can't attack yet, you can at least help me defend and withstand!"
"Quit your babbling," Torino sighed, getting up and heading for the phone stand, "I'm not giving up on you. We're just going to break your bad habits."
Midoriya stood, his whole body shaking with nerves. Sorahiko sighed. He needed to get this kid comfortable using his arms again. He needed to feel confident in his own skin, and integrate the power like he had with Float. He knew the kid was going out and training at night on his own, and had watched him flying around.
Midoriya was a clever kid, no doubt, and was taking to Nana's power much more readily than he'd expected. For some reason, the ability to just be freed from the world just clicked with him, and he was able to dance quite effectively in the air when he thought Sorahiko wouldn't catch him.
But there was still that block of time. Every so often, he'd suddenly fall from the sky, crashing and then sagging against the ground. He'd timed the movements and accounted for speed use, but the kid's limit seemed random. It had to be a mental component. The kid thought of something, perhaps even subconsciously, and the act caused him to reject Float. Perhaps a feeling of imposter syndrome? Maybe some care which was weighing him down?
Sorahiko remembered when Nana had chosen to leave her family behind, to break off her life from her work entirely. She'd spend months on the ground, refusing to fly, even though before she'd been impossible to ground. Could it be this boy had some similar regret which was tying him to the earth?
So many questions, and no real answers.
Dialing up, Gran Torino sighed and waited for the line to connect. He hadn't called in a favor in a while. Still, if anyone could make Midoriya think differently, it would be him.
["Hello?"] came a voice filled with suspicion.
"Kamihara," Gran Torino greeted him, "This is Gran Torino. We worked together a few years back during one of your international missions. Korea, if I recall."
["Ah yes! How may I help you today, Honored Elder?"] he answered readily, his tone shifting to one of recognition and repressed happiness.
"I've taken on an intern," Sorahiko continued on, glad they'd cut the small talk, "He's got a rather interesting Quirk which didn't develop until recently, and certain events have left him… afraid of his own power. He has no combat skills, and started mimicking my style during our sparring."
["A most unfavorable combination,"] Kamihara agreed, ["I believe I can see the intent in your words. You believe some of my martial arts may help him overcome these issues, and help vary his ability to protect others?"]
"Mostly. However, I also want you to fight him a bit."
["I don't know of many trainees who would be able to gain much experience fighting my style. Who is this student?"]
"He's the 2nd Place winner from the U.A. Sports Festival. He's got a good head on his shoulders, but he gets into his own mind and sabotages himself. I think fighting you would be enough to keep his brain occupied for a bit."
["A fair assessment. Though I must wonder: would not your style be exceptional to imitate for someone with a flying Quirk such as his?"]
"He doesn't just fly," Gran Torino said, glancing over to Midoriya, "I'll let him explain it if you take him, but it's safe to say that a laser focus on just one aspect of his power would be detrimental."
["Agreed. Very well, I will see you both tonight at my agency. I have a few spare hours for sparring, but I think it would be best if he started with one of my instructors on basic forms. If you can be there by 5 tomorrow, I should be back from my current assignment by 7."]
"My thanks, Kamihara. We'll be there."
The line disconnected.
"Get in your costume," he commanded, "We're going to see someone about getting you in shape."
"I-in shape? But I have a training-"
"Your muscles are trained, now let's see about your nerves and brain. Meanwhile, we're gonna get you some Float training along the way. I'll be heading towards Tokyo, so catch up quickly."
With that, he stepped outside and launched into the sky. He couldn't fly much like he used to, especially not at high speeds, but he could glide and bounce quite nicely still, and certainly keep Midoriya on his toes. He just hoped the boy would think to lock up before heading after him.
"Absolutely ma'am," Uwabami said, ending the call and sitting back in her chair.
Seventeen Heroes dead, and only four to the blasted Nomu attack from the League of Villains. One seemed to be from an unrelated villain group, but… the rest were clearly the work of the Hero Killer. He'd just leapt up from a minor threat to a menace to society. Naturally, that meant it was her job to make him quietly disappear.
"They're not ready…" she sighed, leaning around to look at the sparring gym she kept in her building's basement.
Inside, her two interns were working off some steam from the day's events. Jiro was advancing quickly, picking up some of her more subtle facial and inflections probably without thinking, as well as starting to imitate her fighting style to a degree. Kendo meanwhile was much more adept at stance and eye movement, and that all on her own initiative. She'd have to bring them both in by the end of the week for some final instructions, if they kept up.
But in truth, they were still working off a lot of stress they'd built up. She admitted, her fanbase was a bit of a nuisance when they went on patrol, and the two had borne it well in public, but the moment they got back: they hit the mats and one another like no other. It was really rather disconcerting, seeing them try to seduce one another while also trying to turn the other into a bloody paste.
It was good they could control their aura so early, able to seem alluring and gentle even as they moved for a killing blow. They would be formidable in a few years, but that was the issue: they needed that time to refine their abilities and styles. Now was too soon, but abandoning them might be even worse. At this stage, they were becoming overconfident, which was one of the most dangerous points in the training of anyone.
The Hero Killer wouldn't wait though.
"Jiro? Kendo?" she called in her imperious voice, "Could you two come here please?"
The two froze almost instantly, tense in their poses. Then they loosened up, gave one another a genuine compliment about their practice, and jogged towards the door. Uwabami's snakes told her all she needed to know through their excellent senses of smell and air movement, almost approximating Jiro's hearing with her jacks in their precision.
They stepped out, bowing respectfully toward her. She held her showgirl persona up for a few more seconds, before letting out a breath and dropping all pretenses.
"The Hero Public Safety Commission just called me," she sighed, rubbing her temple, "I'm afraid our internship is going to be taking a bit of a shift."
"They called… you?" Kendo asked pointedly.
"shut up," Jiro hissed.
"No no, she's quite alright," Uwabami admitted, smiling gently, "You see, young Kendo, I'm one of the HPSC's more quiet assets. No one expects a glamorous woman like myself to be a threat, after all. Which is why they've called me in."
Turning, she gestured for them to follow as she headed for the elevator. Luckily, she'd been given permission to take The Hood, so they'd be flying.
"The Hero Killer, known as Stain, has just completed his worst run yet in Hosu City," she explained, folding her arms and hitting the proper button, "Twelve fatalities, and suspected allegiance or at least alliance with the League of Villains. I've been tasked with… eliminating this threat."
Jiro swallowed, and Kendo tensed, but neither said anything or objected. Good.
"I would leave you two behind, but there's a pair of reasons why I won't," she continued, stepping in and keying for the uppermost floor, "The first is simply because this is part of being a Hero. One day, you will be forced to take a life in this job. A villain will appear who will not be captured, no matter what, and only death will save others around you, or you will face a disaster where you have to choose between one soul and another, or lose both. In that moment, you will become a killer, not because you wish to kill, but because you have chosen to sacrifice your own spirit for the protection of others."
Uwabami let the final vestiges of her mask drop, showing them how tired and full of regrets she was. Let them finally see how paper-thin her mask of popularity truly was.
"The second is more to your benefit. You two have begun to pick up my skills of manipulation and acting nicely, but you're still novices. At this point, I can't risk you thinking you're better than you are, and so I have to keep an eye on you. When I fight Stain, watch how my talents affect someone with conviction and bloodlust. Let that be your marker for how skilled you are."
The two remained silent for a moment, but when Uwabami looked up: they'd both made their decision.
Jiro placed a hand on her shoulder, face set.
"Let's get this bastard."
Kendo clenched her fist and pounded it into her hand in agreement.
Uwabami felt her heart, so long silenced and repressed to prevent her from hurting, flicker with affection for her two proteges. She smiled, genuinely, and placed her hand over Jiro's.
"Afterwards… I think you two deserve a treat. Maybe some make-up lessons? Concealed weapons? I'm not up-to-date on young fashion, but we could try getting you some gowns? How about a lesson on how to eat at a fancy restaurant? I know a place with tiramisu like you've never tasted."
The girls giggled, and Uwabami was happy for them. She hoped they never met the day their hands would be stained in the invisible blood of another, that they could keep smiling like that.
Tensei was breathing hard as he dispatched yet another villain, knocking him to the ground with a dull thud in the early light of dawn. Endeavor was right: they had all come out to play with the Nomu distracting everyone. Them, and a more deadly force.
"Indelible, we've got a report of some petty thieves making off with some jewelry seven blocks Northeast," Manual called into his headset, propped up as he was in his hospital bed but still on the job, "V's already enroute, but you might want to back him up."
"Got it."
Revving his engines, Indelible chinned a button on his helmet which extended his fuel line. He sipped on the juice, not really for the flavor anymore but simply to keep himself running. Once he'd finished off his tank, he released the straw and chinned the button to retract it. He'd been jogging while he did so, careful not to choke, but now he could breathe properly and sprinted to catch up with his younger brother.
As it turned out, the three thieves had already surrendered by the time Indelible got there. He slid to a halt beside the tied up figures, hearing the police already on the way.
"Good work, Ingenium," Indelible said, using their code word for "I've got 'em, get out of here before these mooks realize you don't have a license and tell the cops."
Tenya saluted and dashed off towards the next area he was needed in.
Tensei shook his head. His brother was doing so well. The students from U.A. were proving invaluable, almost sidekick level. As long as no one caught on that they were fighting villains with a paper-thin excuse of self-defense and caretaker permission, they'd come out of this with a new level of understanding.
He'd handed off a half-dozen of Tenya's captures today, which was making him start to feel a little guilty. Somehow, he had to make sure Tenya got the gratitude and praise he deserved.
"Aw, I missed out on the punishment…" a voice came from his side, followed by a weight on his shoulder.
Glancing over, Tensei was greeted by the familiar sight of Nemuri, leaning on him with a tired expression. It was rare to see her exhausted, when her persona and masks went away. She was really rather pretty, under all the sensual stuff. Of course, as soon as she caught him staring it would go away.
Only, this time it didn't.
"Hey you," she muttered, smiling up at him, "You got time for a drink after this? My other High School buddies are busy doing homework grading or something."
"I think we'll have some time this morning," he admitted, surprised at her, "You feeling alright? You're not really in character right now."
"I'm always in character," she yawned, using her horse-tail whip to block her mouth, "I'm just… sleepy. You should offer me your bed so I can get my beauty rest."
"I'm sure whoever's agency we go to will have enough beds for all of us."
"But I wanna use yours," she whined quietly, resting her head on his armor, "you're not very cuddly in this… you should strip for me."
"There she is," Tensei sighed, shaking his head and getting ready to go.
"Nooooo!" she cried, holding onto his arm and letting him drag her a little.
Trying not to laugh at her antics, Indelible eased her back to her feet, patted her head so she'd start fixing her hair, then got out of range. He gave her a little wave, to which she stamped her foot in a way that was absolutely not adorable.
She leveled a finger at him.
"Tensei: when you get off your shift, you come find me, or I'll come find you."
He paused, waiting for her to explain. She licked her lips and gave her weapon a little snap.
"We're going on a date, and afterwards we're going out drinking."
For a moment, he tried to figure out how it would work to go out drinking after a date instead of during it, but blanched as he realized that she had just asked him out in front of a police force, and he hadn't immediately denied her or accepted. Oh, he was so glad he was changing his hero name.
Turning on his heel, he dashed after his brother, silently apologizing that Ingenium was now a tainted moniker. Then he felt his dread rise, and glanced back. He'd broken the first rule.
"RECIPRO-BURST!"
"GET BACK HERE YOU!"
Air Jet swooped to a halt, blasting aside the two crooks holding the car hostage. One managed to produce some kind of shield by interlocking his fingers, while the other was knocked back into the concrete. The former lasted another second, his expression smug and evidently about to monologue about how he was invincible to Air Jet, when a metal bar came down on his head and he was out cold.
He gave Creati a nod.
"Excellent timing. Could you-"
She held up a length of rope, smiling proudly. Ah, she was learning well. He felt so proud. Was this what having a daughter was like? He should look into adoption. Maybe a Quirkless kid he could get a jetpack for, make a legacy family? Oh they'd look so cute, flying around at 6... Thoughts for later.
An alert came over his helmet display, and while Yaoyorozu tied up the villains: he gave it a quick read.
[Hero Emergency: Hosu City. Heroes killed en masse. Perpetrator: Hero Killer Stain, A-Rank Villain. All Heroes within range: converge on Hosu and eliminate.]
[Confirm: Y / N ?]
Sighing, he rejected the summons. The fools at the HPSC were just asking for a mass panic and villain increase in the cities around Hosu. Tokyo itself would be overrun with minor delinquents turning into full criminals, and all because they'd been spooked
He felt a pit form in his stomach as he saw the list of deceased Heroes. Native and The Fly had been friends, not just coworkers. But he wouldn't rush in to avenge them when people here needed protecting, and soon Hosu would be flooded with everyone from Endeavor down on the rankings. In fact…
"Creati, we've just received a summons by the Hero Public Safety Commission," he said, tapping his visor, "They've requested every Hero in range to get to Hosu and hunt down the Hero Killer: Stain. Evidently his kill count rose last night when some villains rushed the town."
She seemed to stiffen, and nodded, but paused as she took a step towards him.
"A question, Creati?" he asked, knowing his voice was giving away that this was a test.
Yaoyorozu looked around the street, seeing the abundant lack of Heroes and the tied up criminals at her feet. Then she looked back to him.
"Every Hero?" she clarified.
"Every Hero."
Looking to the metal pole she was carrying, she got into her ready stance.
"I'll go wherever you take me, Air Jet-sensei," she said, frowning, "But I don't believe we'd best serve the citizens by going to Hosu."
"Why not?" he asked, smiling beneath his helmet, "The HPSC ordered us to do it, and he's been marked up to an A-Rank villain."
"If everyone goes to Hosu, they'll never find him," she said firmly, "He'll notice the influx and go to ground, perhaps even escape. He won't attack groups, especially not ones hunting for him in daylight. Not to mention, everyone leaving this city will make it an open market for villain activity unchecked. Countless civilians and property will be destroyed."
"Then you're going to stay and protect the people, even when the rules say we're going to Hosu?"
"Unless you make me go, sir."
He shook his head. Close, but not quite there yet. But they could work with that.
"Luckily, I'm not. You're right on all counts, except that you're seeking approval from me on this. It's our job to follow the dictates of the HPSC, but just like all orders: ones illegal or incompetent can be ignored by those who follow the law, rather than the words."
He tapped his communications.
"This is Air Jet. Call in everyone you can get a hold of in the city. Tell them I'm staying, and if they're smart: they'll stay too. And confirm in the logs I've given Creati full sidekick status until the end of the internship. We'll need everyone on this, and I'm not making her wait when her life's gonna depend on it."
["Yes, sir!"]
"And… send me Case Alpha-6."
Air Jet nodded to his intern.
"You ready to get to work, Creati?"
She nodded, the fire in her eyes one he hoped to see in his own child one day.
"Good. Now, you have full permission to use your Quirk to save civilians, take down villains, and anything else you can think of," he informed her, knowing she would understand the severeness of his rule, "Don't kill anyone, and any time someone asks: just say you're with the Air Jet Agency. We should be sticking together, but just in case."
"Right."
"Also: I can't go half-speed in a crisis like this. So, I've called you in a support item. They're a bit awkward, and I expect you'll want a custom model or to just give 'em back before long, but they'll make do for tonight when things get to their worst."
"And they are…?"
Air Jet held up his arm, retracting his blaster as the whistle of a flying case came toward him. He caught it, and held it open for her. Her eyes lit up, and the bar she was holding hit the ground. She reached in, removing the maroon jet boots, not dissimilar from her expendable rockets she'd been practicing with on the roofs.
"Think you can use 'em?"
"I say we should find out."
"I don't care, I'm not some assassin for hire. Get Uwabami or Nagant to do it. She's been in there long enough for killing The Prick, you can let her out now. Besides, I've got kids to ignore, and right now I'm busy not doing that," Keigo said, letting one of his feathers hang up the landline which he had for… some reason.
Standing up and stretching, Keigo strolled toward the open-air window. His interns had been off early that morning, he assumed at their usual building trying to fly, which meant he should probably make sure they hadn't broken anything. They were pretty good about being cautious, though that was half the problem.
Pushing off the roof, he yawned and angled his way through the air towards the alleyway they'd been fluttering around recently. He didn't see them doing their tight-rope thing…
A horn slashed through the air beside him, racing towards a road a few blocks past where he'd been looking. It looked like some kind of fire… Well, he could send in a few feathers to help.
"Well, looky who it is!" a voice came from behind him.
Rotating on his back, Keigo smiled at his horse intern, what'shername. She was finally on just two horns, though moving much slower than she could. He noticed she was being smart about it and correcting her horn-flight rather than her balance on them. Limiting, but a stable stop-gap while she could only use four at once.
"You saving some kittens from the fire, or just ignoring legality 'cause it's fun?" he asked, pretty okay if she was taking the initiative, it wasn't his neck after all, "I'll admit, I'm down for both of those."
She frowned at him, clearly miffed he was able to speak English as well as she was. Instead of answering, she flew past him, bending her knees to help her remain quick.
"Where's Tokoyami?" he called after her.
"Already inside!"
Inside. The body with the power of darkness, who lost strength in the presence of light, was inside a burning building.
"Ah… crapbaskets," Keigo groaned, racing after her.
He overtook Tsunotori in a moment, firing a few of his sturdier feathers ahead to try and find Tokoyami. They grabbed a handful of people inside, removed a few bits of debris, and otherwise did their usual thing, but not one of them caught even a hint of the raven-headed boy within the building.
That was a bit worrisome. He couldn't lose an intern like that. It would mean days of paperwork on why he wasn't at fault. Also… dang it, Tokoyami was a good kid, and no bird should die in a cage.
Landing beside the fire squad, Hawks continued to send in feathers.
"Has anyone seen my intern? I heard he went inside," he asked one of the people he'd pulled out.
"He's… keeping the villain busy… basement," the man choked.
"Villain?!"
The firefighter simply pointed.
Hawks blinked as he saw what was going on. A heat wave was emitting from the base of the structure, and cracks were beginning to form along the asphalt. It was high enough his feathers would be effectively blind around its source. If it was a villain, he'd never see him or anyone close to him. Pushing past the perimeter, Hawks summoned a shield of feathers, ready to get in and deal with it personally.
A massive, ink-black claw emerged from the ground, punching through the road and sending a figure flying out and towards a distant building. Hawks secured the person, feeling how the temperature radiating off him was making it hard to see. If he'd been conscious, he might've had a personal "anti-Hawks" cloaking device.
"That him?" he asked his pseudo-informant, who nodded.
Glancing back to the hole, Hawks blinked as the dark hand emerged again, setting a dozen civilians on their feet outside the range of the fire. Rather than crawl out himself, Tokoyami floated just like the others had, gripped by his Quirk.
Flaring his wings a bit, Hawks rushed over to glare at him. Tokoyami didn't flinch, the darkness retreating from the basement as a flicker of firelight crossed the shadows within, setting Dark Shadow to come up behind Tokoyami and look at Hawks in fear.
"Have fun?" he asked, folding his arms.
The building collapsed behind Tokoyami, who still refused to flinch.
"I did everything I could to evacuate the people without using my power, and without engaging him," he said evenly.
"The hole you punched in the sidewalk says otherwise."
"I did all I could to restrain her, but Dark Shadow grows more deadly in the dark. I saw a way to finish the evacuation and prevent her from killing him, so I did what was necessary."
Hawks continued to glare at him, before smirking.
"You know, if you wanted me to pay attention to you so badly, you could've just put gum in my hair or something. Stolen from a candy store. Not go villain hunting."
"I was helping a family move their couch."
Waving his hand in dismissal, he stepped forward and opened his arms for a hug.
"Whatever, kid. Come on, I'll teach you to fly and you can say something emo for the camera."
Tokoyami stepped in, but instead of hugging him, he slammed his fist into Hawks' gut, catching him on his shoulder and placing a hand on his back. He leaned in to Keigo's ear and whispered: "Revelry in the Dark."
"This… this is a new feeling," he admitted, "It's like pride, but with more stomach pain."
Letting go of him, Tokoyami wrapped himself in Dark Shadow and flew up to meet Tsunotori. They turned and went back to the agency. Preparing to follow, Keigo heard someone clear their throat. He turned and paled as the Police Chief nodded at the crushed building and the captured heat-user.
"This your villain?"
Aw, come on, he sighed to himself, silently cursing Tokoyami, that's just mean.
"Shoto!"
Enji growled at his phone, seeing that his son had indeed read the last seventeen messages he'd sent him. He was being ignored! This was unthinkable! Shoto was becoming downright unruly. That Midoriya boy was influencing him too much, not to mention that Ida boy. Soon enough he'd be getting strange ideas and neglecting his training.
Changing to his contact list, Endeavor tried to find the number for one of the other Heroes. He didn't have Manual's… or Indelible's… but he did have Midnight's through U.A.'s system.
"Midnight, do you know where Shoto and the other interns are?" he asked, not even waiting to say hello.
["Not particularly,"] she yawned across the line, ["Are you still out there?"]
"What do you mean, still?! There's a major villain outbreak here, and a manhunt for the Hero Killer!"
["Yeah, let the replacement Heroes handle that. They're arriving by the dozen. If you don't sleep, he'll getcha mid-yawn."]
Endeavor growled. Such lazy Pros these days.
"Midnight, get Indelible to call me. I need to find my son-"
["Tensei? Do you know where any of Endeavor's children are?"] she called to someone on the other side of the line.
There was a quiet answer he couldn't make out.
["He says he doesn't know any of your kids, so… no."]
"Then-" Endeavor inhaled, trying not to melt his phone.
"Then ask him, if you would, to go out and find Shoto. He's probably with Ingenium, who I know he can find."
More muttering from the other end of the line. Enji tapped his foot, feeling his patience running thin. What exactly were the two doing over there? Nevermind that, where were they?!
["Kay, he says he called Tenya. Tenya says they're at the hotel, getting some rest before the night patrol. Can't say where."]
"Can't or won't?"
["Oh, a Japanese teacher, are we?"] Midnight snipped, poorly repressing a laugh, ["Well then, Mr. Hotman: can't. We didn't ask, because we're the cool adults who don't nose in on everything they're doing."]
"Midnight-"
["And since we're being specific: I really don't want to talk to you right now. I've got a date to get back to, and I don't really like you. So I'm gonna hang up now and forget this conversation happened in about twelve… yeah, twelve seconds."]
"You-"
["M'kay, Byeeeeeee!"]
He was fairly certain she was drunk, which was impressive considering the time of day. Then again, they were on nocturnal time, so…
Bah, he'd just find them himself. There could only be so many hotels a student could afford in one city this size. He'd just go in a grid pattern while dealing with villains and show Shoto the difference between a top Pro. and his meager resolve.
"Alright, he's off your trail," Nemuri confirmed, pocketing her phone and winking at the three students and Manual sitting at the booth behind Tensei.
Shoto gave her a thumbs up and turned to the waiter to begin ordering the food for the six of them. She grinned, wondering what Endeavor would think when he found an absolutely massive charge on his card with none of them being for a hotel.
As the poor boy took his overflowing notepad and the black card toward the kitchen, a dazed look on his face, Nemuri turned back to her date. Tensei seemed much more cuddly out of armor. She'd have to test it, just to be sure though.
"Has Tenya given you any gossip on who he finds attractive? I need to have material to tease him when we go back to U.A. next week, aside from just the in-law-jokes and sly implications."
"Aren't those your specialty?"
"I have to keep my material fresh, or they'll think I'm getting old!" she complained, folding her arms.
Tensei shook his head, glancing back for a moment before smiling.
"Tenya's a robot, I'm afraid," he lamented, "He hasn't confided in me about a crush since he was ten, and that was because he was trying to get me to go out with the poor boy's older sister. Turns out he didn't even know him. Still… it's good he's finally got some friends. He tells me about a pair called Midoriya and Uraraka fairly often."
"Darn," she sighed, frowning, "That's their class OTP, and he's not part of it."
Then something registered in her brain on what Tensei said.
"But you say I should set him up with some boys then?" Nemuri purred, glancing over at a pair she could try with before they got back.
Tensei held up his arms in a cross.
"Nope. Straight as a nail. He just needed the excuse, and didn't see a difference since he wasn't interested either way."
"Well, the girls are a bit in short supply," Nemuri confided, leaning down onto the table to whisper, "We have a total of thirteen. At least one isn't compatible, two seem to be leaning towards one another, one has the "will they/won't they"s with Midoriya, two are trying to get their crushes to help them into the OTP contest, and six he hasn't even met."
"Leaving…?"
"Tsuyu Asui," Nemuri sighed, pouting, "She's too blunt. No feminine wiles at all."
"They might see people pairing off and start dating out of a sense of biological imperative and social norms."
It took her a moment to realize he was being serious. Then another moment to realize he was probably right. She started laughing, sliding her hand up under her glasses as she tried to imagine the two, utterly straight-faced, explaining why they should engage in social romance because logically they were the last two not with someone.
"They'd do it too!" she managed, shaking her head and managing to cough her way back to a normal voice, which broke as soon as she tried talking again. "The only one more likely to do something like that is- pffft! Shoto!"
Tensei seemed to be having a hard time not turning around to look at the boys in question, which made her grin even harder. He was fighting a smile too, and that pushed him over the edge.
"You called?" the net-product: water boy asked, leaning around and looking at them.
"Don't mind us, kids," Nemuri chuckled, "We're just talking about your love lives. Or… the lack thereof."
"I find that entirely reproachable!" Tenya protested, chopping his arms wildly, "Those with whom we find romance is entirely our own affair!"
"Literally," Tensei coughed, earning another laugh from Nemuri.
"I'd be inclined to believe you, Tenya hon, I really would," she sympathized ironically, "But the thing is, I have money down that Midoriya's gonna get with his girl before you even find yours, and Ojiro's gonna get to mackin' on his lady love before either of you. So, until you can tell me my finances aren't my business: too bad!"
"You've kept the betting pool going this long?" Tensei asked, surprised.
"Kept it going? 'Sei, I run the Hero Romance pool for the entire country!"
She pulled out her phone and unlocked the app she'd had made for it, showing him the various amounts on certain pairings people were hoping would turn out to be true.
"It's a bit annoying though," she sighed, scrolling up towards the top 10, "Endeavor x Hawks never drops below 12th, and it's really starting to worry me. I'm betting against, but… there's got to be something fueling them."
"Am- Do we have spots on there?" he asked, clearly worried about the answer.
Nemuri opened the search tab and typed in "Indelible."
"Already updated your name, and… yep, you've still got sixteen betting pools."
"Sixteen?!"
"Well, all your sidekicks float around, plus a few tying you to other Hero Families. One moron put you up with Stain, and I blocked her. Of course, my favorite is #4."
"Indelible x Midnight," he deadpanned, looking up at her, "And how much did you bet on this one?"
"I bet for," she whispered, leaning in to touch her nose to his, "and as for the amount… well, how much do you think my heart and body would go for on the open market, assuming discounts for a package deal?"
Tensei didn't recoil, holding her gaze and keeping his nose right up against hers.
"Endeavor could probably match your bet against, but I doubt he cares," he whispered, not blinking those dark, lovely, blue eyes.
She let her blush show, not caring how she appeared for once.
"You're probably right," she whispered, "But I don't feel like finding out."
"A little suspense is good for you," he winked, easing back.
For a heartbeat, Nemuri's face chased his, but she caught herself and eased back. She bit one of her fingers, not sure how to say what she wanted to. This was so much easier when it was all about the physical and none of the actual feelings…
"S-so… what did you have Shoto order for you," she managed, trying to get the conversation back to something more casual.
She didn't want their date marred by her being too forward and making him push her away again. Nemuri liked laughing with Tensei! She wanted to keep talking, and just… just talk, for once. Yes, she liked being and feeling sexy, and sweet Kami did she have a need for someone to fill her sensual desires, but… she wasn't brainless. Her friends, Shota and Hizashi… Tensei. Nezu. Cementos, Ectoplasm, Hound Dog, Snipe, and Thirteen. Her students. She wanted them to be in her life. Because for all the smut she needed in her life: she needed them more.
"I had him buy me the buffet plate and the pasta bowl of the day," he said, watching her with an odd expression, "I burn a lot of calories."
"Then… why are you still over here?" she asked, sitting up and looking over to the corner where the trio of buffet bars sat, completely devoid of Tenseis, "You could already be eating!"
"I wanted to chat with you first."
Kami take her now, her heart couldn't handle this.
"W-well, you've chatted with me," she said, not sure why she was ruining the moment, "Now you need to get some energy in you before I wear it back out of you. Bring me back something tasty, and I'll let you feed it to me. Maybe we can give Tenya a heart attack before 1-A."
"In that case," Tensei said, standing up, "I'll bring back some potstickers or something."
As he walked past the others, he patted Tenya's shoulder and spoke in a carrying whisper she was certain was for her.
"Go keep your old Nee-chan company while I get some food."
"You call me old again, and I'll end you, 'Sei!" she called over, winking to rile up Tenya even more.
"Not in front of the kids," he called back, just to rub it in.
With that, he left to get some food, while Shoto turned and asked Tenya something. She didn't catch it, but it seemed to be the straw which broke the robot's back. He went from stoic and pale to red and in what looked like a murderous rage.
Manual leaned around to look at her, his expression bewildered.
"Why do you do that? Can't you drop your thing for like, a night?"
"I have," she said, smiling casually, "This, my dear Manual, is my definition of flirting. Actual flirting."
"By antagonizing his younger brother into making a scene at a restaurant?!"
"I've done worse on dates."
"Oddly enough, Kayama, that doesn't make it better."
Waving her hand at him, Nemuri sat back and waited for Tensei to bring her something. She didn't peek, of course. It was tempting, and not just because she'd see him grabbing tantalizing foods. All the Ida family took care to keep their legs in shape, and while his didn't have mufflers in them like Tenya's did… well, he was quite the sight for someone who was into everything below the waist.
Would he bring crab cakes? Rangoon? Mochi? Dumplings? Stuffed Mushrooms? Takoyaki? Perhaps he'd be cheeky and bring her something silly, like fried napkins? Riske with a steak or soup to share? Cute with ice cream to start off with? Conscientious with a salad? Oh there were so many options!
When Tensei returned with a pair of plates, Nemuri had her eyes closed, wanting to be surprised. She could smell all sorts of flavors, mixing and swirling around the air, and giggled in anticipation.
"I hope you like what I got you," came Tensei's voice as he sat down, "It's been a while since I ate lunch with you."
Peeking through an eyelid, she spied him watching her with an absolutely adorable timid expression. She opened her eyes and gasped at him, placing her hands to her cheeks like a schoolgirl.
"You got me Tensei? My favorite!"
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait to snack on me," he apologized cheekily, frowning a little at being teased but not overly much.
Looking down at her plate, Nemuri sighed affectionately. He'd gone mostly the plain and simple route, which was just like him, but it was still perfect. White Rice, Sweet and Sour chicken with sauce on the side, a little pile of asparagus, and a trio of red strawberries just for her. He placed a smaller plate to her right, which had french fries she would hate but still eat anyways, alongside a small cluster of pocky to satisfy her sweet tooth. She wasn't even sure where he'd got the last item, certain that it wasn't at the desert table.
"Thank you, 'Sei," she said, beaming at him and taking a fry.
She took a bite of the piping yet frozen garbage, nodding. Yep. It was awful. The plate would be empty before she finished her drink, she just knew it.
Placing her hands together, she gave the traditional thanks, grabbed her chopsticks, and snatched up one of the little pork cutlets from Tensei's improvised Katsudon. He blanched at her, to which she simply shrugged.
"Blame Midoriya," she managed around her mouthful, to which Shoto laughed, strangely enough.
She leaned sideways to look at him, incredulous. But by the time she was past the required 75 degrees angle, he'd already gone back to stone-face.
Punk.
Nemuri managed to lean back up in time to see Tensei steal one of her pieces of chicken.
"Blame Hawks."
"You can't pull that!" she accused, leveling a finger at him, "You don't even know the guy!"
"I might. You don't know everything about me."
"I can think of a few ways to change that, engine boy," she purred, leaning towards him with a look of hunger that had nothing to do with her lack of ingested food.
Tensei was catching onto her now. He gave a valiant try to just keep eating, unphased, but… well, he only knew what she'd shown him before. She kept her aura constant, she just kept staring at him, easing her hand along beneath the table. He didn't flinch from her, which meant he was distracted.
"Oi-!"
The screech of surprise was cut off almost immediately, she had to give him that, but the sound alone meant her grabbing his knee was a success. He was so tense, despite pretending not to be. She just had to make sure he knew it was okay to unwind around her. She had to prove to him that this time… this was for real.
The Hood was one of Uwabami's least used vehicles. More often she took her sports cars out for sponsorships, but the name of the game was misdirection. Stain no doubt knew Pros. were flooding Hosu like soda from a fountain, and would probably be using that to pick off the weaklings who were alone, while probably leaving the other cities around alone, as "True Heroes" in his mind would be staying to protect while others went to find fame. So, that would make it the perfect opportunity to get him to rethink his plan.
The HPSC had mandated each Hero in Hosu to remain in groups of five to start making him uneasy or wary of moving in at least, which meant all she had to do was take a stroll by her lonesome. Of course, if she just went to Hosu and played it straight, he'd know something was off. But if she went to a neighboring city, now devoid of Heroes, and patrolled seemingly for the fame of being near such a large hunt, well… how could he resist?
Luckily, the Hood could carry up to four. It was shaped like the head of a cobra, with (naturally) its hood extended out to make a roughly circular shape in the center. Where either side-patch would normally be on the organic version, great turbines were instead located to allow for VTOL and high-control flight, while the "neck" so far as it went constituted a jet engine. Uwabami was currently seated in the front seat, just above where the skull would be, while Jiro and Kendo were along the spine behind and above her.
"So… I take it we have a plan?" Kendo asked, evidently starting to get just a titch bored.
"Of course, Kendo, darling," Uwabami said brightly, "You see, I have a lovely music video to film in the Betsupin Quality Studio this afternoon. I'd like you two to watch me for the under 17 scenes, and get a feel for how it differs from my commercials."
"I mean about-"
"Dear, you must learn to enjoy the little things in life," she chided gently, "We'll be in dire straits soon enough, and it's best to be loose and relaxed for them. When it comes time for me to tackle our other agenda, I'll be sure to let you know. For now: just try to think about the present and what dress you might look nice in after we get back!"
"Oh yay… girly stuff," Kendo grumbled, which made Jiro hide a giggle.
"What's wrong with a little glamor, Kendo?" Uwabami asked, mock-hurt, "It helps show off our more feminine side, and it feels good to look pretty sometimes."
"I look plenty pretty when I'm kickin' someone to the curb or taking a ride on my cycle," she protested, the shuffling of fabric indicating she was folding her arms.
"I'm certain your tomboyish flare makes you feel quite confident, and I don't doubt your beauty shines through any grease or sweat," Uwabami conceded, "But do you ever feel more refreshed when you get out of a bath? Look at yourself in the mirror and think: "I clean up alright"?"
A half-hearted grumble was her response.
"Then think of it like that, Kendo. Sometimes you can just take a minute to highlight some of your less obvious features."
They lapsed into silence, but not an uncomfortable one.
Uwabami realized Jiro hadn't said anything during the short discussion, and called back again.
"Okay, Jiro, what do you want to talk about? I don't want you feeling left out."
No reply came. She tried to lean around to look, but the pressurized cabin wasn't meant for comfort, and made her snakes sleepy.
"I think she's asleep," Kendo muttered.
"Now that's a girl who knows how to chill," Uwabami sighed, "There are some things you just can't teach…"
"So will you be calling Midnight-sensei, Nemuri-nee in class now?" Todoroki asked, completely seriously.
Ida turned Kirishima-red and started panicking pretty fiercely.
"Absolutely not! It would be inappropriate to refer to a teacher so casually! Even if they did pursue a relationship and join our families, the resulting courtship would take a minimum of two years, meaning I would not have reason to refer to her as both at any one time barring the very end of our schooling, at which point I would likely rarely see her!"
Mashirao itched his head, a bit confused.
"Wait, they're not married? Then why did your brother tell you to-?"
"Tensei is attempting to rile me up by insinuating various unsavory elements! Normally I could resist, but lack of sleep and Midnight-sensei's influence on the trip here have stressed my ability of self-control to a breaking point!"
Nodding at the explanation, Mashirao took a sip of his drink. His classmates were pretty interesting. Todoroki seemed not to like his dad or something, but was using his credit card, so maybe it was just the internship going sour? Ida's brother was pretty nice, and they seemed to get along well. Manual was also a fun guy, once he relaxed a little and stopped asking everyone new if they were hunting the Hero Killer. Maybe it was a joke? Either way, he was alright.
"So, how were your internships going before… all this?" he asked, curious to see what the other Pros. had been having them do.
Todoroki shrugged.
"Endeavor had me beat up a bunch of thugs and then move on. Wasn't all that different from how he used to train me when I was little, except now he lets other people beat me up since he knows I might freeze him in a skyscraper-sized glacier if he bugs me."
Okay, that had to be some kind of reference or something. He got the glacier thing, they all saw that during the Ashido fight, but…
"That sounds… nice?"
"Not really."
"Oh," he sagged a little and glanced over to Ida, "What about you, man?"
"I was tasked with endurance and control training, which I found very helpful and enlightening!"
"Cool!" Mashirao said, leaning forward a little to listen, "How'd you manage that?"
"Midnight-sensei had a floating litter which I towed her without bumping her pillows, while my brother brought her van behind himself. When we got three-quarters of the way here, we exchanged packages and it transformed into a palankeen, at which point we raced here at maximum speed."
Mashirao whistled. He'd run all the way here from wherever Team Idaten's Agency was? That was some good leg training, right there. And keeping Midnight comfortable, presumably without a windshield? No wonder he'd been able to dodge in and around the Nomu with ease.
"I just had him stick with me for my daily patrols," Manual put in, sighing to himself, "Now I sound like the lame Hero for not getting him some customized training or real experience."
"Not at all." Ida cut him off, "With on-the-job patrol training, Ojiro is likely ahead of us in terms of practical Hero application. We all received extensive combat and traversal practice last night and this morning, which means he now has an advantage we do not."
"Yeah," Mashirao managed, "It was actually pretty nice to just patrol. All this action's been kinda… not so fun. Sure, the first little bit was really heart-pounding and stuff, but then I got really tired after the first battle and all the other ones felt like we were just trying to do everything."
"That's just how it is sometimes," Manual confirmed, relaxing back in his chair with a shrug, "evil begets evil, but so too does good inspire good. Since I'm at least half-failing you on your internship, at least know that. I'm okay being the Normal Hero, because it only takes one guy doing good to start shifting the tide. If that's me, well… who needs to be fancy about it?"
Mashirao thought he'd picked a pretty good internship.
Shinya shook his head, pocketing his cell phone and pushing into his agency. He was dressed casually, and needed to get changed into something more comfortable; namely his Hero Outfit.
He wondered if he should have taken an intern? The news was going up in blazes about Ingenium and Ingenium (V) towing Midnight across the country towards Hosu, which seemed pretty fun. Then again, that kind of media made it hard for him to go around unnoticed like he enjoyed doing normally.
A rush of air from outside caught his attention, and Shinya turned on a dime, dropping into a combat crouch. An elderly man stood outside, dressed in a yellow and white Hero costume he recognized thanks to speaking with the man the day before.
Gran Torino pushed inside, a bit shorter than Shinya remembered. Following him, only a few seconds behind, a boy dressed in green seemed to plummet from the sky, a slight aura of emerald electricity dancing across his skin. His landing wasn't very graceful. He crashed to earth, his odd leggings or boots clearly absorbing some of the shock, while he bent his knees excellently to cut off the impact, but he was in a rush, and tried to start running immediately. He tripped on the metal soles, which were still recoiling, and landed on his face.
Still, the kid got up instantly, getting back onto his feet and dashing in before the door closed, his speed quite impressive. Shinya raised an eyebrow at him as he stood at attention before Gran Torino and bowed. The elder nodded at him.
"This is my intern, Kamihara," he gestured to the boy, "Thank you for agreeing to help me with him. We've been training his flight endurance on the way here."
"Indeed. I believe I can see some of the difficulty."
He turned to greet the student, only to be shocked by his appearance. His entire face seemed pinched with exhaustion, alongside a few bruises he would wager were from poor landings. But his eyes, even without the lightning, were gleaming as he looked up at the Pro., and his stance, while displaying tiredness, held mostly utter glee.
"Y-you're… Edgeshot! The #5 Ninja Hero!" he exclaimed, his entire body very bright.
Suddenly, he seemed to recognize the situation and stood rigid before bowing in a very formal style.
"Thank you for agreeing to help train me! I'm Midoriya Izuku!" he whispered, projecting his voice almost perfectly to Shinya without echoing it almost at all.
He had to admit, he was impressed with the kid. Learning to throw one's voice for stealth operations was one of his earliest lessons to sidekicks, and this kid had at least a passable grasp on it already. Not to mention, he'd known to use it for Shinya's preference of quiet, when he clearly wanted to shout. Some good self-control too.
"I'm happy to help someone so promising," he accepted gracefully, "I take it you haven't begun learning the forms yet?"
Midoriya seemed to wince a little.
"N-no, sir," he admitted, "I crashed a few times on the way here. I'm... sorry we're late."
"Of no consequence," he waved the apology away, "I was hesitant about aiding you from the ground up, but upon seeing your means and shortcomings… I believe my time will be well spent."
Gesturing for them to follow, he walked towards the changing rooms which led into the gym.
"First, tell me of how your Quirk works. I wish there to be no misunderstandings while I prepare you."
Midoriya seemed to straighten and brighten up a bit.
"W-well sir, my Quirk is something of a roulette. I seem to develop some kind of ability each time I make a strong emotional connection with someone outside my family. The first was to my friend Senchan- excuse me, Uraraka. She won the Sports Festival. Her zero-gravity Quirk helped me not to trip beforehand, and I suddenly could float or fly. I think it has some kind of stockpiling capacity, since I have a fair amount of speed and power in my motions, which I guess built up in the 10 years I thought I was Quirkless. But then, before the Sports Festival, Todoroki and I challenged one another to win, and I think that unlocked a second ability, namely the one based on pure strength, which Gran Torino helped me get under control. And after the cavalry battle, my friend Tokoyami confirmed we were friends, and some odd black stuff started coming out of my arms to hold my body together, which I don't know if it's a new power or just my base Quirk starting to become more prominent."
The kid certainly had control of his inside voice. That muttering spree wasn't exactly audibly comfortable, but it was well within Shinya's ability to comprehend.
"I see. So, you currently have a flying ability and some kind of physical enhancement ability on command, and a potential third ability you don't understand yet, to summarize?"
"Y-yes, sir! I apologize for muttering, it's a bad habit."
"Be sure to control it in the future. You seem to be intelligent, but any sound not needed on a mission can be a tool to the adversary."
Midoriya bowed in agreement.
Shinya stepped to his locker and began to unravel his lower body to slip inside and get changed.
"Gran Torino? What aspects do you believe he could improve upon that I can help in, that we may all know why we are here," he asked, his feet already starting to slide out the bottom, ready to go.
"Mostly, he needs to overcome his own mind," the elder began without cushioning it, "Midoriya here has no concept of fighting with any style, and since he used his second ability without control during the festival: he has a subconscious fear of using it to punch or use it through his arms. He's also started mimicking my style of fighting, even attempting to land on me or fly past me with his arms extended, instead of kicking or punching. I also believe he has some sort of mental or emotional block on his flying which causes him to return to the ground prematurely, which martial arts might help him to work through."
"Indeed," Edgeshot agreed, emerging fully in costume, "Discipline of the body will help the mind to become more healthy."
"What areas do you wish to improve in, young Midoriya?"
He seemed to consider the question for a moment, before counting off a few on his fingers.
"I want to be able to keep control of my Quirk, even after taking a hit or being stunned. I want to be able to mix my flying and my physical enhancement into a fighting style where either can cover the other's weaknesses. I want to be able to make this power my own, and not be afraid of killing someone every time I go in for a punch. I want to be able to handle more of this power, so one day I can show everyone that I'm able to protect them."
"Several excellent goals. Let's see what we can do about them."
Edgeshot stepped through to the gym, leaping lightly onto a mat and gesturing for Midoriya to take a place on the other side.
"Don't worry about your boots, worse has been on these than some metal and dirt."
Edgeshot had him take up a ready stance and began going through a few basic forms. Simple punches, slow kicks, balance, guards, and so forth. As they progressed, Midoriya seemed to relax more, becoming much more fluid in the shift from one stance to another.
After Midoriya had the basics down, Edgeshot spared a glance over at what Gran Torino was doing. He found the elder doing some slow karate poses, helping to open up his lungs.
"Now, I would like to speak with you as we perform these moves," he decided, moving around to face Midoriya.
The student only faltered for a few moments, trying to pick his rhythm back up, before they were back into their forms, inverse to one another's movements.
"First: I want you to practice these forms in the morning each day, going forward. I'll help you with them today and tomorrow, but after that you'll need to keep up on your own. My first piece of advice is turning your power into a natural aspect of your actions. Run through these forms without its power, then do so again with it at each level of output you can control. Eventually, your body will recognize the ability as just another part, and you won't have to consciously call upon it."
He began to pick up the pace, which Midoriya adjusted to spectacularly.
"Second: when we spar, you will not be able to hold back. Against Gran Torino, you can likely endure a few hits and dodge for the round. Against both of us, you will have to strike back and disrupt our flow, or else you will be taking significant damage."
"B-both?!" he squeaked, slipping on a kick and taking a moment to recapture his place.
"Yes, but that will be tonight. This morning I want to ensure you have the ability to fight and think correctly, and to help you break through your mental blocks."
Midoriya nodded, accepting the information without objection.
After a few more circuits, Edgeshot stopped and stepped out of range.
"Good. You know the forms now. I would like you to use your minimum level of enhancement and begin again. I will time you and see how many times you can complete the entirety of the moveset."
Inhaling deeply, Midoriya closed his eyes and released the emerald lightning again, wreathing his body in it. He took another moment, eyes fluttering slightly as if in deep thought, then looked to Edgeshot and nodded.
"Begin."
Midoriya started slowly at first, clearly getting a feel for how his power changed the forms. He seemed to be focusing on technique rather than speed, possibly even slowing himself down a good amount. He only managed four cycles by the halfway point. But then he started picking up, the electricity flickering quicker along his arms and legs as he moved, the edges of his body starting to blur just a bit.
"Stop."
He halted almost instantly, the excess momentum of his last kick spun him around, but he managed to use that to turn around instead of falling.
"Eleven," Edgeshot nodded, "Not terrible, but I expect better from you this time."
Clenching his fist, the lightning still flashing along him, Midoriya grinned and assented.
"Absolutely," he agreed, getting back into his ready stance, "I won't fall any further behind."
"Do You Understannnnnnnd?!" Endeavor asked, nearly shouting at the poor hostess, "I've tracked him here! He's been using my credit card, and this is the only place he used it in the last twenty-four hours! Shoto's here!"
"I-I'm sorry, sir," she managed, utterly terrified, "I don't know anyone by that name. I just got onto my shift. I can certainly check-"
"I know he's not here now, but he was here. I need to know where they went!"
"W-we don't keep records of customer conversations!" she squeaked.
Endeavor turned and walked out, before pausing and turning back to drop a pair of major bills into the tip jar. He usually didn't bother, but the girl had some backbone even against him, and he respected that.
Regardless, he had a long day ahead of him, figuring out where his son had wandered off to.