Chapter 10
Izuku sat, crossed-legged, on a rocky ledge overlooking the beach with Kyo perched on top of his head. As he sat there watching the waves collide powerfully against the rocky shore just below him with so much force that the water shot upwards. The sound it made was all but deafening, broken only by the sounds of the seagulls circling above his head. With each breath he took in, the scent of salt hung thick in the air but not to the point where it would be overwhelming.
Everything about this moment just seemed to put him in a state of peace. The noises of the city, which were so common to him that it had become nothing more than white noise in the background, were completely voice. The scents he lived with every day, from trash to car exhaust, were also non-excitant. He was in a place where the presence of humanity had yet to fully stake its claim. And he really, really needed this state of peace right now if only so he didn't make an utter fool of himself!
"Midoriya!" came the cry that snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning his head, Izuku spotted Uraraka running over the rocky plane while waving her hand. Upon seeing her, the green-haired teen's face turned bright red while beads of sweat ran down his face like bullets. The reason for this was that he was seeing a girl his own age wearing a swimsuit. And not just any type of swimsuit, but a bikini! A pink one with frills covering the top which, thankfully, prevented Izuku from getting an eyeful of cleavage. If he had seen anything like that, he was sure he would have died due to a massive nosebleed!
After a moment, Uraraka stopped calling out his name as she slowed down. Before she came to a full stop a quizzical look appeared on her face, no doubt spotting his expression. Though it didn't take long for her to hazard a guess as the blush on her cheeks seemed to triple by the time she stopped moving, looking away as she did.
"It looks weird on me, doesn't it?" she asked, her voice barely audible over the constant crashing of the waves.
"What?" Izuku managed to say. As he spoke, he used his flight ability to lift himself off the ground before getting into a standing position. Like this, his dark green trunks and bare chest were fully on display as he began waving his hands. But before he could say anything else, Uraraka turned her head back towards his direction.
"It's not like I had a whole lot of choices! This was the only one on clearance that was in my size!" she loudly declared with her eyes closed, and hands balled into fists.
"Uraraka, no! It looks good on you! Like…really good," said Izuku loudly, though his voice became softer towards the end of his admission. Noticing Uraraka slowly opening his eyes, Midoriya turned his head as he found himself suddenly unable to meet her gaze. Instead, his gaze focused on a spot on the ground next to him, a hand reaching to scratch the back of his neck as he did his best to continue. "Honestly, I think pink really suits you. And I'm, well, not so good at situations like this. So, ah, sorry if I made you think that you looked bad."
"Thanks," she managed to say, Izuku's ears barely picking it up due to how soft it was. "Guess I'm just feeling a little self-conscious right now. I've never worn anything like this before. The only swimsuits I've ever used before were the ones the school provided for me, even when my family went to a lake or the ocean. So this is all really new for me. But…thank you. For saying I look good."
Gulping, Izuku lifted his head to look at the girl before him. There was now a soft smile on her face. For a moment, their eyes just locked as a particularly powerful wave crashed on the rocks behind him. While it failed to splash any of them, thousands of water droplets rained down upon them while sparkling in the sunlight. From where Izuku stood, it was like the stars themselves had come out just to twinkle around the girl before him. Seeing Uraraka like this deepened the blush he held.
Then, something happened. He noticed that Uraraka's eyes had trailed downward a bit while her mouth slightly hung open. As her face slowly became tinted red, Izuku pondered what she was looking at. All he was wearing was his dark green trunks that went down to his kneecaps. As for the rest of him, his chest was bare revealing his lean yet muscular chest. Nothing too special, right?
Before Izuku could think anymore on this subject the teen felt an arm sling around his neck. "There you two are!" said Ryoko loudly, knees bent as she floated next to Izuku whose expression had become instantly neutral. "Come on, come on! We can't start the party without the guests of honor!"
With a sigh, Izuku turned his head to look at his sister figure, almost missing the atomic red color that Uraraka's face was now bathed in. He locked eyes on Ryoko who looked like she had already started to party despite what she had just said. The girl was dressed in her own bright red bikini, one that was far less modest than Uraraka's. In the woman's opposite hand was a large bottle of sake and, judging by the sloshing noise it made when she swung it around as well as the scent on her breath, Izuku could deduce that she had already had more than half of it.
As Izuku looked at her, Ryo-Ohki slid down from a top of the woman's hair. At once, the cabbit brought her paws together before letting out a series of meows while her eyes began to water. Meanwhile, Kyo made his appearance from out of Izuku's messy locks. His eyes locked onto his senior spaceship bunny before pointing a paw in Ryo-Ohki's direction as a series of agitated meows and hisses escaped. Hearing Kyo yelling at the two, claiming that they had ruined the mood that had been building, was enough to make Izuku's blush return as his neutral expression shattered only to be replaced with an embarrassed one. He was honestly glad that Uraraka couldn't understand what his cabbit was saying right now or else he would have teleported to the bottom of the ocean and just called that his home until he died. Meanwhile, Ryo-Ohki just continued to apologize saying that she had tried to stop Ryoko and let the two be, only for her words to have no effect.
"Well, why are we still just standing around here?" demanded Ryoko with a laugh, ignoring the two cabbits as she slid behind Izuku. With another laugh, she pushed the young teen with both hands causing him to stumble forward. Thankfully, Izuku managed to avoid crashing into Uraraka and knocking them down which would have put them in an awkward position. Though that wasn't to say that they didn't come close as Izuku had only just felt the fabric of Uraraka's bathing suit against his skin a mere moment before he stopped.
Then again, perhaps this was part of Ryoko's plan as while the two teen's stood there gazing into the other's eyes and blushing up a storm, the alien woman appeared between them. The next thing that either of them knew was that Ryoko had draped her arms around their necks. That's when Izuku noticed the look on Ryoko's face. She was still grinning, though now it was something closer to a knowing one with her eyes seeming more focused. Uraraka also seemed to notice this, looking at the woman with a bit of shock as she pushed them away from where they had been standing.
As the trio made their way across the little island in the middle of nowhere, Izuku noticed Uraraka taking in all the sights that were around her. Not that there was much to see as this island was actually only a few weeks old.
-x-Flashback-x-
"Alright," Ryoko had said as she stood on the bridge of Ryo-Ohki, arms crossed over her chest with Izuku standing behind her looking more than a little confused. This was the first time he had even set foot inside of a spaceship and he was more than a little surprised at how…empty the ship could be. Not to mention disappointed. Still, he watched as his older sister kept her focus on the several holo-screens before her which seemed to be mapping the ocean floor right below them.
"If we're going to up your training to show you what a real fight looks like, we're going to need someplace more private," continued the space pirate, turning around to look at Izuku while scratching her hair wildly. "The forest we've been using up till now was all fine and dandy when we were just trading blows and firing smaller beams but those trees are just way too flammable for us to be going all out. The last thing we want is for the heroes to respond to smoke or a forest fire. Again. And the beach is out because for stupid reason some stupid hero is having their stupid student cleaning the area up. Not to mention that the stupid heroes in the area are stupidly upping their patrols meaning there will be a greater chance that they'll catch us breaking their stupid rules. Following the rules is just…stupidly frustrating."
"Ok," said Izuku slowly, surprised to see Ryoko being this considerate. "So what are we going to do? Train over the ocean and have Ryo-Ohki signal us when a boat approaches?"
"Close," replied Ryoko as a red orb floated over to her. "We're just going to make our own land and train there."
Izuku's eyes widened. "Wait, are you sure that's-" he began.
"Screw the rules, I have a death beam!" laughed Ryoko as the orb in her hand began to glow. At that moment, the spike at the bottom of Ryo-Ohki began to glow before firing a thick, red beam of light into the ocean. As Ryoko continued to laugh, Izuku watched on one of the holo-screens as the beam hit the ocean floor. Before his eyes, Izuku watched as the ground beneath the waves shook and broke apart revealing the molten rock beneath. Like blood pouring out of a massive wound, red hot lava rose to cover the area around where the beam had struck, spreading out before hardening. Only this continued as the beam Ryo-Ohki was firing did not stop. More lava poured out of the hole, coating the hardened igneous rock before it cooled. Over and over this process continued as the mass of rock rose towards the surface until it finally broke free.
Once Ryoko was satisfied with her work, she released her hold of the orb allowing the beam to stop firing and for Ryo-Ohki to let out some panting meows. Now the holo-screen showed Izuku just what Ryoko had created. It was an island with a diameter of about two and a half miles. Completely made of rock, it was a lumpy and in some places, a jagged mess.
"Ok, once Ryo-Ohki catches her breath we can start the remodeling!" cheered Ryoko.
-x-End Flashback-x-
"It's really amazing that you found this place," said Uraraka, her words snapping Izuku out of his memories. "It's like your own private getaway from the rest of the world."
"Yeah, I just got lucky one day!" laughed Ryoko while Izuku and Kyo were sweating. Then, suddenly, Uraraka turned to look at them with a fire in her eyes.
"Don't worry about a thing," she said with passion. "I promise I won't betray this trust you gave me. No one will know it exists as long as I can help it." Just as quickly as the fire appeared in her eyes it vanished leaving behind a rather embarrassed expression on the girl's face. "Not that it'll be hard as I don't even know where we are."
Izuku managed to hold back a strangled noise from leaving his throat as his new neighbor said this. As for Ryoko, she just looked away as she began to whistle. Despite being a notorious space pirate who would gladly swindle you out of all your possessions if she had the chance, it was clear that even Ryoko was feeling guilty about how they had gotten Uraraka to this island with them. True, not as guilty nor as uncomfortable as Izuku felt, but it was progress.
It had been just a few days since Uraraka had knocked on their door, introducing herself to all her new neighbors after finalizing the lease on her new apartment right below the Midoriya's. Izuku could still feel the shock at seeing her when he had answered the door, her expression mirroring his. No doubt she was connecting the dots, realizing that it was Izuku and his family that had been the reason the previous tenants had left. Naturally, Izuku had begun to bow and apologize at the door as he begged for forgiveness for hiding the truth from her. Thankfully, Uraraka had just waved it off as she was thankful to get such a nice apartment so cheaply. So she was willing to put up with a little water damage from time to time.
"Besides," Uraraka had said after Izuku had invited her inside, "I think it's really great to have a classmate as my neighbor! We can head to school together!" Hearing this, as well as seeing the endless amount of happiness on the girl's face as she spoke, nearly caused Izuku to pass out in embarrassment.
Soon after that, Uraraka was introduced to both the Midoriya matriarch as well as Ryoko. Once that happened, it didn't take long for the brunette to discover the source of the flooding as Inko began tearing up upon recognizing her as the girl who tried to help out her 'baby' by offering up her points. Instantly, Izuku and Ryoko began to hover in the air as the waterworks quickly began to pool in the area.
Speaking of Ryoko, the space pirate had taken a shine to Uraraka the moment they met. She had stood there, waiting for Inko to release the anti-gravity girl with a hand on her hip, a narrow yet appraising eye, and a smirk. Then, when Mrs. Midoriya had finally calmed down and Izuku was using a bucket to remove the excess water, Ryoko had moved over to her to give Uraraka a fist bump while saying how great it was to finally meet her in person. As for Uraraka, she almost seemed in awe of Izuku's older sister.
After introductions were finished, and Uraraka had gushed on how cute Ryo-Ohki was, Inko had invited the young girl to stay with them for dinner. As long as she didn't have anywhere she needed to be and would enjoy a healthy meal containing lots of carrots. At first, Uraraka tried to politely decline the offer as she didn't want to be a burden or take advantage of their hospitality. However, her stomach decided to voice its objection halfway through her refusal causing the girl to grow silent with embarrassment before finally giving in. Though it was made all the easier for her once Inko told her that she always made a little extra in case friends and family stopped by unexpectedly.
As soon as the pair sat down at the table, Uraraka, sitting next to Izuku making him blush slightly more, the pair of soon to be U.A. students began to talk about their future once school started in a few days. Like, for example, who would be teaching them. While it was well known that U.A. only hired seasoned heroes as part of its teaching staff, the exact number and the identities of them were not publicly known. Even Izuku, who had been obsessed with his dream school for the majority of his life, only knew a handful. The first, and most obvious, was Present Mic as he had been a proctor during the entrance exam. Then there was Midnight who had made her association with the school well known, announcing it in a press conference a few years ago as well as posting it on social media. If you missed those, then it was nearly impossible to miss the fallout of that announcement as many channels dedicated entire segments of their programs wondering if it was a good idea to allow a woman with such a controversial history to teach. Then there was the Pro Hero Power Loader who mostly focused on the Support Students. Cementoss was one that Izuku suspected as he seemed to be there at every Sports Festival, usually repairing the grounds for the third round. However, whether he was there as a special favor to the school or if he was an actual staff member was unknown. Then, finally, there was Nezu who ran the school.
Oh, he couldn't forget about All Might.
"Wait, All Might gave you your results and told you he was going to be teaching?!" Uraraka had asked while standing up in shock. "You're so lucky. Midnight was the one who told me." As she finished saying this, the brunette closed her eyes and shivered, making Izuku wonder for a moment what the woman had done to get such a reaction.
From there, the conversation shifted to what they expected their classes would be like. Both of them had wild ideas based on what the entrance exam had been like. Uraraka had envisioned having to do scenarios with robots being the villains.
"Just imagine this," she had said excitedly. "You start off in one part of the city doing your patrol when, all of a sudden, our teacher informs you of a bank robbery. You then have to race there as they put all sorts of obstacles in your way. When you get there, several of our classmates are bound and gagged with a dozen or so robots waiting. Just imagine the one-pointers being the underlings while the three-pointers are the boss. You then have to defeat all of them without any of the hostages getting hurt. Plus you're timed throughout the whole thing."
"I guess that would make sense," Izuku had said, noticing briefly how tense his mother looked before slowly calming down. "Since we know what the robots are capable of, it would make sense to use them for one of our first lessons. Plus, since they're robots, they'll be programmed to only use a certain set of moves so no one will get seriously hurt. But don't you think we'll get too used to fighting the same robots?"
"Who said they only have those robots?" Uraraka countered. "We might have to go up against robots that transform into animals to simulate various quirks!"
From there, the two went on to talk about all the various types of training they imagined. Most of which being more focused on the rescue aspect of being a hero. Eventually, the conversation shifted toward their costumes and how they hoped that the support gear along with their quirks would be enough. Though Uraraka was a tad more nervous than Izuku on this. She told her green-haired friend that she had gone over all the ideas the three of them had discussed at the café and incorporated the ideas she liked the best without going over budget. She just hoped the ones she picked would be useful enough. Izuku, on the other hand, believed she would be just fine. And, if there was a problem, the school did allow its students to make adjustments to their costumes several times during the semester so it wasn't like she had to live with it.
It went on like this for what seemed like hours, the two of them sitting at the table even long after both Inko and Ryoko had excused themselves before Uraraka had to leave. But before she reached the door, Inko had offered the girl to come over for dinner whenever she liked. Upon hearing this, Uraraka had tried to politely decline saying that she didn't want to take advantage of them. Still, Inko had been persistent, stating that it was no trouble at all. In the end, the two managed to find a middle ground with Uraraka coming over as long as she could contribute some of her money towards the cost of the food.
Over the following days, Izuku spent much of his free time (whenever he wasn't at school or training with Ryoko) with Urarka. Those days were spent walking to various second-hand shops, looking for furniture for her. As she inspected each small dresser, table, and desk to see if she could find any flaws that would help lower the price, the brunette explained that while she had similar items back home it would cost her family was already scraping the bottom of their savings for both schooling and the apartment. Having to ship anything from her home to her new place would just put more strain on their budget. So, instead, she was just going to buy a few cheap items to replace them with her own savings.
In the end, Uraraka managed to find a few things that caught her eye while being in the right price range. The first was a bed frame and mattress set which the pair were able to take apart and carry it to the apartment. Even Kyo helped out, holding the plastic baggie full of screws in his mouth. The next item was a desk and chair which the duo had to carry by both ends as they walked down the street. Thankfully, using Uraraka's quirk in secret, it wasn't too much trouble. It was during this time that the trio stumbled upon a great treasure. Near the trash bins of a neighboring apartment complex were a few items that had not been there before: three dressers, a coffee table, and two nightstands. Uraraka's eyes sparkled when she saw this, instantly dashing over to inspect them for any damages. Finding nothing beyond some deep scratches, watermarks, and a few dents, the girl proclaimed that it was a crime to throw out such fine furniture. As such, she helped herself to them with Izuku's assistance.
With the furniture now in her apartment, Izuku and Kyo continued to help her out by giving all of it a thorough cleaning. Though it took longer than what Midoriya expected, Uraraka was distracted more than once by how adorable Kyo was as he raced up and down the furniture with a tiny rag in his front paws. Then there were the comments Ryoko made whenever she swung by, saying how they looked like a newlywed couple moving into their first apartment together. The alien woman had laughed up a storm at how red their faces became before Izuku passed out completely.
This led them to the present: the day before their first semester at U.A. began. Ryoko, being Ryoko, had suggested throwing the two a party before they began their stay in prison. Something to say that she would miss them. And what better place than their own private beach where they could go as wild as they wanted!
"I have nothing against that," Inko had said the night before, briefly glancing down the hallway to her room. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by any of the other four residents of the household. Things had changed for Inko since she had returned from space in her younger, thinner form. Starting with her wardrobe which, obviously, no longer fit her. Strangely, even some of her older outfits that she had kept back when Izuku was a toddler, hoping she might one day fit into them when she lost the weight, would not cut it. Meaning Inko had to buy a whole new set of clothing. To aid her, both Ryoko and Mitsuki Bakugo had gone with her. Mitsuki was naturally floored when she saw the sudden change in her friend's body, wondering how in the hell she had lost all that weight so quickly. Did someone accidently use their quirk on her or had she gone in for plastic surgery? However, the hot-headed woman didn't voice these questions as she didn't want to accidently sour the girls shopping trip.
Inko had been glad that she had both Ryoko and Mitsuki by her side. Mainly due to the fact that she wasn't used to receiving so many stares from random strangers. The amount of times that she caught a male shopper checking her out made her want to return home. Still, having these two women with her was a double-edged sword. While they offered her comfort (just by being there for her), support (diverting some of the men's attention towards them instead of her), and protection (giving death glares and yelling at the few who tried to make a pass at them) they also brought with them their own special brand of discomfort. Mainly by insisting that Inko step out of her comfort zone to try on some new things.
"Might as well flaunt that new body," Mitsuki had said with a laugh. In the end, while Inko had managed to collect a wardrobe that fit her own tastes, she had been roped into buying a few items that her friends suggested.
In the end, Izuku understood why his mother would want to head to a private beach. There, away from other people, she would feel less self-conscious about her appearance.
"But," continued Inko after Ryoko suggested inviting Uraraka. "How are we going to bring her to the island?"
"Leave that to me!" declared Ryoko. Her solution? Blindfold the girl before hopping on board Ryo-Ohki!
Well, to be more accurate, Ryoko had approached the girl with the offer to go with the Midoriya family to a secluded island. One that they found and would like to keep to themselves for now before some rich hotshot found it to claim for their own. She would be allowed to come, but only on the condition that she remained blindfolded both going there and on the way back. This made Izuku more than a little uncomfortable as it sounded like they were kidnappers or something. After all, who would go to a private island in the middle of nowhere blindfolded?! Apparently Uraraka would though, admittedly, she did send someone a text before they left.
Back in the present, the group had finally made their way to the main beach where Inko was. Thanks to a number of large energy blasts from Ryoko prior, this area of the island was actually sandy leading into a gentle incline towards the water. Not a large area, just big enough for the group to spread out if need be and feel comfortable. Several folding beach chairs had been set up along with some large umbrellas for shade. There was also a grill situated off to the side along with a couple of coolers, Inko already in the middle of making some grilled corn on the comb. Oh, there were also several massive bags of carrots.
Speaking of Inko, she was wearing one of her new swimsuits. It was a neon green one-piece along with one of those hip capes. She was also wearing sunglasses.
"There you all are," said Inko happily before giving Ryoko and Izuku a pointed look. "I hope none of you were getting in any last-minute training before your big day at U.A."
At that, Izuku and Ryoko shot each other a nervous glance. The thought had briefly crossed their minds to do some fight training, possibly even asking Uraraka if she wanted to join in on the friendly little spar. It would have been a great way to warm up before heading into the water and relaxing. However, the idea was squashed as both understood the flaws in this plan. Izuku was more worried that they might be too tired to really enjoy the beach after training as well as appearing to show off in front of Uraraka. Ryoko simply said that getting into salt water with bruises and cuts stung like a bitch. Besides, they had trained here the night before so there was no need to overdo it.
After assuring Inko that they would never dream of doing such a thing, everyone began to enjoy their day at the beach. Both Izuku and Uraraka helped themselves to some grilled corn along with some Heroaid Sports Drinks. At the same time, Ryoko grabbed herself some food for herself before using the heel of her foot to kick open a different cooler to pull out a can of beer.
For the rest of the day, the humanoids continued to have their fun. Everyone, at some point, jumped into the ocean to swim. Even Inko, who had admitted that back in middle school she had been in the swim club though she was more than a little rusty now. They swam, played several games of volleyball, took pictures, and so much more. As they did, Ryoko had music playing in the background from a player that seemed to hover in mid-air. The device, which Uraraka assumed was something so expensive she had never heard of before, played music from all over the world. Though Izuku did notice that there was one song he heard more often than the others and every time Ryoko heard it she looked ready to sing along to the music while floating through the air. The song was a really old American song called 'I'm Feeling You' by someone calling themselves Santana and Michelle Branch.
Meanwhile, both Kyo and Ryo-Ohki were having their own fun. Ryoko had gifted the pair with plenty of plastic molds to help them build sandcastles. Armed with these as well as tiny plastic shovels that they carried in their paws, the cabbits began work on building their own sandcastle kingdoms. By the end of the day, when the Midoriya's and Uraraka were ready to head home they were amazed to see what the pair had done. Somehow, Ryo-Ohki had managed to build an entire European medieval kingdom complete with a castle, a town around it, farmland that produced carrots, tiny sand cows, and a wall that surrounded it. As for Kyo, the cabbit was overseeing an entire feudal Japanese culture. The layout was similar to Ryo-Ohki's, except for the style of the architecture. Though Kyo had also made several other live-sized cabbits who were offering up carrots on plates.
As Uraraka began taking pictures of this with her phone, Kyo and Ryo-Ohki were in the middle of an argument that only their owners could understand. Apparently, it was not to argue whose kingdom was better but politics! Yeah, the cabbits had taken up the roles of the leaders of their respective sand kingdoms and were now in a heated debate. Ryo-Ohki wanted to exchange her sand cows for the sand cabbits to help in her carrot fields and to serve her the vegetable she loved. Kyo refused this as it would put a damper on morale as well as his own carrot production. It somehow got even weirder when the cabbits began standing on their hind legs, looking ready to go all kaiju on the other's sand kingdom. This was only prevented by a wave crashing in and destroying both, leaving the pair to mourn over their sandy civilians as they realized the errors of their ways.
-x-
Later, while the Midoriya family was unwinding from their trip to the island, All Might stood in front of the largest carrot fields in Japan while watching the setting sun. His arms were crossed, head held high as he waited for his replacement for this important mission. Since he began, not a single carrot in this field had been taken and he believed from the bottom of his heart that it would continue as such. Especially with who was going to replace him.
After a minute or two, a helicopter landed in one of the nearby grassy fields. Stepping out of the aircraft was a man whose beard and mustache were set aflame. Wearing his trademark blue hero uniform, Endeavor strode away from his ride with his head lowered to avoid the spinning blades before it flew away.
"Ah, Endeavor," said All Might with a wave and smile despite the other man's scowl. "So good of you to make it. Thank you so much for accepting my request to take over this post."
"Of course," replied Endeavor with a grunt. "If the press ever found out that I turned down a request like this there would be headlines saying that I was too scared or thought I wasn't good enough to protect a field of carrots." As the flaming man spoke, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Squinting slightly, he spotted what looked like a rabbit. No, scratch that. There were two of them. Small as they were, the pair were hopping around with what one might assume was giddy excitement. For a moment the man wondered if he should do something about them before quickly deciding against it. He was here on a mission to protect this field and the last thing he needed was to be accused of not taking this seriously by chasing after rabbits. Besides, how much harm could these two do? Given their size, they would probably be able to nibble along the edges of a couple before getting full.
"Certainly not," laughed All Might nervously. That seemed to do little to ease Endeavor as his face seemed to darken. "Well, I'd better be on my way. Big day tomorrow. I look forward to seeing your son in class." With that, All Might turned to face the city before leaping away.
Endeavor kept his eyes on the man slowly becoming nothing more than a speck of dust until he was finally gone. As he stood there, the man mused on how ridiculous this whole carrot situation was as none of it made any sense to him. Whoever was doing this certainly had a powerful quirk as, let's be real, it was the only way to explain how entire fields of carrots were stolen without anyone seeing it. But why waste such power on stealing carrots? What purpose does it even serve? The thief clearly wasn't selling them as the price of the vegetable had only gone up due to the shortage. Nor were they using this quirk to feed starving people around the world because someone would have said something. So what were they doing with all these carrots? Just dropping them into a field somewhere and letting them rot? It's not like they themselves were eating them.
Enji Todoroki then turned around…and the flames on his face went out at what he saw. The entire field was completely devoid of carrots. Not even five minutes on the job and he had failed.
-x-
"Are you sure you're all set?" asked Inko the next morning. Though Izuku had his back to her as he sat there tying his shoes, he could hear his backpack being opened followed by a light rustling sound. Then there was a sigh of relief. "Oh good. I thought you would have just brought all your action figures for the heroes to sign."
"Mom, I'm not that bad," commented Izuku, as he stood up in his new uniform. Said uniform resembled a light gray suit jacket and matching pants with a white button-up shirt underneath and a red tie. Oh, and one couldn't forget his red shoes. Honestly, wearing it now was like a dream come true as he had been itching to put it on ever since he got it. But somehow he had managed to hold himself back as he wanted to wear for the first time on the big day.
However, when he looked at the women before him their looks said it all. Inko was staring at him with a look that said 'don't try to deny it' while an eyebrow was raised. Meanwhile, Ryoko was chuckling as she floated in the air with her hand behind her head, leaning back. Like she was reclining in mid-air. Izuku's eyes then shifted to Ryo-Ohki, silently pleading with the cabbit to back him up. However, the brown space bunny just looked away while scratching her cheek with one of her front paws. As for Kyo, his head emerged from Izuku's hair before a smug look appeared on his face.
"…I really am not that bad," mumbled a defeated Izuku, poking his fingers together as he looked down at the ground while Kyo just patted him on the head.
"Kid, remember when we went to that hero convention in Britain?" asked Ryoko, her question causing Izuku to let out an audible gulp. "The other fans who had camped out overnight waiting for the event to open told you to calm down."
"B-But Britain's number two hero didn't just sign my notebook, she also signed a copy of her book!" Izuku said in an attempt to defend himself. "She even wrote in perfect Kanji!" As Izuku spoke, his thoughts drifted to one of his favorite international heroes. Though All Might was still number one and would always remain there, The Paper was held in pretty high standings for him. Her quirk allowed her to manipulate any piece of paper that she touched, making it sturdy enough to stop bullets from point-blank range or sharp enough to slice through a car if she so chose. And if she had multiple pieces, she could combine them to make weapons or even a giant paper airplane to fly on. However, despite this, her weakness was flames as the paper would still burn. But despite that, she had managed to put an end to several high-ranking criminal organizations in Great Britain.
So you could imagine his delight when she signed his notebook next to her entry while also making a small note about some of the things he had gotten wrong about her quirk. He, ah, might have then gone a little overboard with his purchases that day. And he might have begged Ryo-Ohki to help him store it so he could carry more.
Still, their point had been made that despite everything he was still a heroic fanboy at his core.
"Alright, I'm all set," said Izuku after his mom gave him back his backpack which he slung onto his back.
"Remember," said Ryoko as she appeared next to him. Now she was in a crouched position as she floated, punching the air like she was a boxer or something. "Like any other prison, first impressions are everything. So what you need to do is find the strongest person in your cell and make sure that they know not to mess with you. Either crush them utterly or, at the very least, have them understand that a fight with you will end with mutually assured destruction! Otherwise, they will walk all over you!"
"Ryoko…we've been through this before," sighed Izuku as he gave the alien woman an exasperated look. "It's not a prison. It's a school."
"They're the same thing!" insisted Ryoko. "They tell you how to dress, restrict your movements, can't leave until they tell you so, keep you locked in a small room all day, and the meals suck! It's a prison!"
Shaking his head, Izuku gave his sister a tired look before he noticed something. Ryo-Ohki had pulled out two tiny flags from somewhere within Ryoko's hair. The next moment she began waving them around while hopping from side to side as she cheered him on with her meows. It was impossible for Ryoko not to notice and, when he looked back down at her face, he saw that she was grinning happily at him while also giving the teen a thumbs-up.
"Izuku," said Inko, suddenly gaining his attention. "I just wanted to tell you I'm proud of you. You're really cool."
"Thanks, Mom," said Izuku as he opened the door revealing Uraraka standing there while eating a protein bar. "Well, I'd better be off. Oh, I might be home a little later than before." As Izuku said this last part, his eyes locked onto Ryoko's. He could see her wince slightly, knowing this meant that their training would be affected. They both knew that with his teleportation and Kyo, he could return to the apartment in a heartbeat. But, if anyone caught him using his quirk without a license then it could lead to trouble that might get him kicked out of U.A. And, almost as important, Izuku wanted to spend time with other people. Thankfully, he could tell that Ryoko understood.
And with that, he was off to begin his first day at hero school along with Uraraka.
-x-
A short time later, both Izuku and Uraraka were hurrying down the halls of U.A. looking for their classroom. While they had gotten to school early, hoping that there would be enough time to figure out where their class was, they were still searching. This was due to just how vast as well as complex the school truly was. The hallways were massive, easily more than triple the size of the ones in both teen's middle schools. Not only that, but there were other courses than just the hero's. So far, Izuku and Uraraka had stumbled upon the support course which they only discovered what it was when an explosion caused the door to rocket across the hall before shattering into a window. After that, the pair found a bunch of teens who were calculating something outside of a very upscale-looking room. Perhaps the business course? Then there were general studies. The pair found themselves passing their classes more than once as they seemed to take up the majority.
It was honestly starting to get more than a little frustrating. Why couldn't the school have sent them a map along with their acceptance letter?
Eventually, despite how wide the hallways were, they soon became cramped as more students began to fill them. The two first years were pushed back and forth, shoved out of the way by taller students who were also trying not to be late for the first day of the new school year. More than once they found themselves slammed into a door, a wall, and even a window. The throng of students also slowed the two down to a snail's pace.
"Midoriya, we need to hurry!" exclaimed Uraraka as she noticed the time on her wristwatch, quickly growling pale. "We only have five more minutes till class starts!"
Hearing that caused Izuku to grow pale as well, the color nearly completely draining from his face. Made all the worse as the crowd seemed to come to a standstill. With panic setting in, Izuku Midoriya made what might be one of the dumbest decisions he had ever made in his entire life.
"Uraraka, I need you to remove your gravity for a bit," he said in a whisper. His friend only gave him a brief confused look before complying and, once she had done so, Izuku wrapped an arm around her waist as he lifted them both into the air. Moving quickly to get away from the mass of students the teen began to quickly look around for some spot to land before a teacher spotted them or-
"Oh hey, you can fly too?" came a very cheery voice that nearly caused Izuku to come to a complete halt. Mainly because the voice was coming right next to him. Turning his head, Izuku spotted a girl who looked to be a few years older than him with long blue hair that came in twin spirals. She flew next to Izuku who noticed a spiral of yellow energy coming from her feet. "That is so cool! That has to be your quirk! Is that all it does? What's the power source? Wait, why are you flying around? Did you not know that it's against the rules to use your quirk in the hallways?"
"You're…flying too," grumbled Uraraka who was looking sicker by the moment.
"Oh yeah, silly me. Guess I got excited. You don't see too many people flying around without wings," said the girl as she took notice of Uraraka. "Wait, are you taking her to see the nurse?"
"No, we're a little lost," admitted Izuku. "We're trying to find 1-A but can't seem to find anyone willing to help us."
"Well that's mean of them," said the blue-haired girl with a pout. "Well don't worry because your upperclassman is here to help you out. Follow me!" With that, the girl turned a corner while gesturing for Izuku to follow her. Acting quickly, Izuku did just that…though he did have to avert his eyes to keep from looking up the girl's skirt. One of the issues with flying alongside female heroes in civilian attire that he would have to keep in mind. Then, another thought came to mind. What if people were looking up at Uraraka's skirt?! With a blush on his face and narrowed eyes, Izuku sped up while also doing his best to get as close to the ceiling as possible to make it more difficult for perverts.
With their flight helping them to avoid many of the crowded halls, the group managed to find their destination in under a minute. And just in time too as Uraraka's cheeks were beginning to puff up as the downside of her quirk made its presence known.
"Thanks," said Izuku once his feet touched the ground, his hand moving to open the door. The blue-haired girl beamed at them, looking ready to say something when loud voices interrupted her. With the attention of the three being drawn, they beheld a sight that made Izuku want to sink into the floor.
"You heathen! Cease putting your feet on the desk that our illustrious predecessors used," demanded Ida, pointing at Bakugo while yelling at the top of his lungs. "Have you no shame? Have you no respect for school property and the history held within these walls?" Bakugo just scoffed.
"Wonder what middle school you went to shove a stick that far up your ass," commented the blonde as he continued to lean back in his seat, feet still propped up on his desk. His grin only seemed to grow when he noticed the horrified look on Ida's face.
"Such vulgar language," Ida began, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. He then seemed ready to begin chastising the explosive teen but paused as if he suddenly thought better on the subject. So much so that when he addressed Bakugo again it was done in a calmer tone. "How about we start again? With proper introductions this time. Allow me to go first. My name is Tenya Ida, formerly of Soumei Junior High. A pleasure to-"
"Soumei huh?" interrupted Bakugo with a sneer. "Looks like we got some stuck-up elite in the class. Good, I'll have fun murdering you."
At that, Ida jumped back in obvious horror. "Murder me?" exclaimed the bespectacled teen. "Are you sure you're in the right class? Or school for that matter?"
Bakugo laughed, looking ready to throw another insult or threat at Ida. However, his attention was suddenly drawn to the figures standing in the doorway. His hair seemed to bristle as he locked eyes with Izuku who, in return, just waved politely back at him with a nervous smile. Ida, no doubt curious as to Bakugo's sudden change in behavior, turned around to spot Midoriya as well. Smiling, he approached his friend.
"Midoriya, so good to see you again," said Ida loudly while extending a hand to shake Izuku's. "And Uraraka as well. It seems that fortune has smiled on all of us to bring us to the same classroom. Oh, and who is your friend? Another classmate who we shall be sharing the next three wonderful years together?"
"Well," began the blue-haired girl, but her words were halted as a purple blur began bouncing around the classroom.
"More cuties!" came a nasally voice as the blur shot towards the girl. While Uraraka let out a gasp as she became nervous Izuku merely frowned while readying himself as he could easily keep track of the offending teen. The boy was smaller than most normal people, with large purple orbs on his head. His eyes were wide, almost bloodshot, and his hands were extended looking like he was reaching out to start squeezing something. What's more, this teen's mouth was open with his lips curved into a smile that Izuku had seen others shooting at Ryoko over the last year. That, along with the drool coming out of the boy's mouth, made his intentions very clear.
Then, once the teen was close enough, the girl swatted the assailant away with the back of her hand like he was nothing more than an annoying fly. "Not really," continued the girl as if nothing happened while the purple-haired teen face-planted into the whiteboard. "My name is Nejire Hado, a third-year heroic student! Just helping out my cute little juniors."
"Why?" whimpered Mineta as he hung in the cracked whiteboard, body dangling as he was held up solely by his face which was still firmly implanted in the wall. "Why isn't anyone helping me?"
As Izuku gave the small teen a sideways look, his heroic instincts screaming at him to save the creep despite what he had tried to do, the sound of someone running quickly down the hallway caught his attention. "Hey! Is this 1-A? Oh, signs right there!" came a loud voice. Taking a step back, forgetting about the teen still hanging off the wall, Izuku saw who he presumed was another of his classmates. The teen was taller, around the same size as Ida or maybe a little taller, with a well-built frame. His dark brown hair was completely buzzed and his dark eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement.
"Alright, I made it here in time!" said the teen as he came to a skidding halt at the doorway. "A pleasure to meet all of you! The name is Inasa Yoarashi! I'm sure your blood has to be white-hot in order to get in here! I freakin' love that!"
"Dude, now that's what I'm talking about," said a redheaded teen from inside the classroom. Izuku watched as the teen stood up from his seat before making a quick beeline towards Yoarashi. "That was so manly! I know we're going to get along great! The name's Eijori Kirishima by the way!"
"I think so too!" replied Yoarashi loudly, a broad smile on his face that showed off all his teeth. "It looks like your blood is running hot right now!"
As Yoarashi finished speaking, Izuku felt Kyo rustling within his hair. No doubt disturbed from his nap or whatever else he was doing in there. Slowly, the cabbit poked his little head out, letting out a mew as he did so before looking around. Upon spotting the two teens who were still talking loudly, Kro's eyes narrowed before leaping out of Izuku's hair to land a flying kick on the side of Yoarashi's head. More surprised than hurt, the buzzed-haired teen turned to look at what had hit him while Kyo landed on Izuku's palms. As Midoriya held the small creature at chest level, Kyo began letting out a series of meows as he pointed to both Yoarashi and Kirishima.
"Sorry," said Izuku over the series of meows, gaining the attention of the pair. "But he'd appreciate it if you two weren't so loud so early in the morning. Or, at least, not so close to him. His ears can get a little sensitive."
"Of course!" yelled Yoarashi, bending over so quickly to bow that he ended up slamming his face into the ground. "How rude of me! It seems like my hot-blooded nature got the best of me!" As Kyo let out an annoyed hiss, his fur standing up as he got on all fours to pounce once more, Izuku felt a new growing danger. Slowly turning, he spotted Hado staring at Kyo with stars and hearts in her eyes. And she wasn't the only one. Turning his head, he noticed that most of the other girls in the class had noticed him as well.
"So cute!" cried many female voices all at once as a horde seemed to instantly appear in front of him. Izuku and Kyo jumped with the cabbit pressing its back against Izuku's chest in clear panic as neither of them were used to being the center of attention like this.
"Just look at him. I've never seen this breed before," said a girl with onyx eyes and a large black ponytail. While her tone suggested a high-class upbringing, her expression was soft as she reached out to gently pet Kyo. This seemed to calm him down.
"Just look at him. It's like if a cat and a bunny were mixed, combining their best features," said another girl whose features eluded Izuku. Mainly because he couldn't see her. Her face, no, her entire body was invisible leaving only her clothing to show she was there.
"And that little gem on his head makes him look more exotic," said the most exotic girl in the class as she scratched underneath Kyo's chin. With pink skin, golden eyes that seemed to swim in an ocean of darkness, and horns on her head, Izuku wondered for a moment if she was also an alien-like Ryoko. It would have been more believable.
"So, does the little guy have a name?" asked one girl who was standing off in the distance. Her hair was purple with jacks coming out of her earlobes. She stood there seeming bored with her hands behind her head, though Izuku did notice the glances she was giving Kyo along with the mini-blushes appearing on her face.
"Is he even allowed to be here? Ribbit." another girl asked in a blunt tone. This girl had long dark green hair that was tied up in a bow near the end. Her face seemed neutral, though that might have something to do with her quirk as Izuku could see traces of a frog in her. And while her tone had been blunt, her eyes held the same look as all the other girls while focused on the cabbit.
"His name is Kyo," said Izuku as another student suddenly appeared before him. If he had to guess, this one was a boy with a mutation quirk that made him seem more…blocky in some areas along with an oddly shaped head. Said teen's level of joy at seeing Kyo seemed equal to all the girls combined as he bounced from foot to foot. "And I think it'll be ok since I plan on having him helping me out with my hero work. He may not look it, but Kyo can really help watch my back."
"Isn't this great Midoriya?" asked Uraraka as she moved a little closer to him. "Everyone here is so friendly. I'm sure we're all going to get along great and become amazing friends!"
"If you're just here to make friends then you should just leave now," said a gruff voice from behind the gathered students. Slowly, as one, all of them turned to find…nothing? At first, they blinked, wondering if they were hearing things or if someone was using an invisibility quirk similar to that one girl's. However, Kyo let out a mew that caught Izuku's attention before pointing down. What he saw shocked him. On the ground behind Hado's feet was what at first appeared to be a giant, yellow caterpillar with the face of a human. What made it even creepier was that the face's bloodshot eyes were wide open as he stared at them. As all of the 1-A students standing there let out a collective scream, their upperclassman turned around to smile at the creature.
"Oh, hello Mr. Aizawa," said Hado in a chipper tone. Instead of answering right away, the caterpillar rose up revealing its body to really be a sleeping bag. After a moment the zipper became undone, revealing a man dressed almost completely in black save for the white scarf around his neck. After hanging his sleeping bag on one of his arms, he shot a glance over at the girl.
"Hado, aren't you late for your own class?" he asked dryly.
"Yep," replied the girl, seemingly unphased by the thousand-yard stare that the man was giving her. "Whelp, better be off. Hopefully, I get to see all my adorable juniors again soon!" And, with that, she ran off without saying another word.
Once she was gone, Mr. Aizawa turned to glare at his students. "Well, what are you all waiting for? Class started a minute ago. You are wasting time," said the man gruffly. Instantly, everyone turned and headed towards their seats in a mad dash. As they did, Mr. Aizawa walked slowly into the room with a surveying look. That is until he noticed that the small perverted teen was still implanted into the wall, letting out small whimpers for someone to help him. From his seat behind Bakugo, Izuku noticed the man's eyes narrowing in greater annoyance before gripping his scarf. In a single motion, the pro hero used the material to send several strands towards the smaller boy which then wrapped around him tightly before then pulling him roughly out. While this had been another blur, Izuku as well as a few other students, managed to follow it. However, Izuku was certain that he was the only one who noticed the goggles that had been hidden underneath the scarf. Hanging around his neck were the eye protectors that were used by only one pro hero: Eraserhead!
Before Izuku could fan boy about what he had seen, the scarf returned to its home hiding the goggles while the small teen sat on the floor. Midoriya could see that his classmate looked confused for a moment before finally looking up at the disapproving look Mr. Aizawa was giving him.
"You are off to a bad start," said the man, causing the smaller teen to tremble as the tone of the man implied that he knew exactly what had happened. "Now get to your seat. And Midoriya, you may continue to bring that creature to school as long as it proves to be a benefit to your heroic training and does not cause a distraction like the one I walked in on. If I see that again in class, you'll be forbidden to bring it here again. Am I clear?"
"Y-Yes sir," said Izuku while Kyo let out a loud 'meow' while saluting. As Mr. Aizawa's gaze softened briefly at the sight, Kyo leapt back into its nest within Izuku's hair.
"Good," said Mr. Aizawa, now standing at the front of the class. There he gave the class one more look as if taking in all the faces while mentally going through the class roster. "It took all of you far too long to notice my presence and then get to your seat. This won't do. Time is precious in the world of heroics. A single second can mean the difference when saving a life. Either the people you are trying to protect or your own. Take that to heart."
Hearing that, Izuku felt himself nod while keeping his eyes locked on the man. The teen could feel his heart racing with excitement as he realized that it had begun! He was finally learning how to be a hero, taught by a pro! People who knew more about what they were talking about than any of his previous teachers back in middle school.
"Now then," continued Mr. Aizawa as he glanced over at the clock, a new wave of irritation rolling off him. "We have a busy schedule for today. As much as I would rather skip all of this and begin your education in a rational manner, certain prior agreements require us to attend orientation. Following that, you shall be briefly meeting with all of your teachers. There shall also be a tour of the school so that we can better ensure that you know your way around, something that some of you will benefit from." As he said this part, his eyes lingered on Izuku, Uraraka, and Yoarashi for a moment before continuing. "We will end the tour at Hound Dog's office as he would like to speak with each of you. If you ever need to speak about something weighing on your mind or are having issues then he is the one you should speak to. Remember, taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical well-being." Then, a glint appeared in the man's eyes. "Normally, after speaking to Hound Dog, you would be free to leave. However, once your meeting with him is finished you are to return to the homeroom where a gym uniform will be waiting for you. Get changed into it and meet me in the field behind the school."
The entire class let out a groan at that, wondering what the man had planned for them. Yet a single glare from Mr. Aizawa, which was made all the more intimidating with his eyes glowing red while his hair stood up, silencing them.
With that, the class made their way to the auditorium without further incident. Once there the class took their spot next to their sister heroics class of 1-B, though Izuku couldn't help but notice the slack-jawed surprise from many present. Most of their upperclassmen just stood there rubbing their eyes with a few wondering if the apocalypse was here. A few third-year students looked like they were about to start pulling out their hair before handing small wads of cash to a shocked yet excited student. As for the staff, they began rushing towards Mr. Aizawa once he took his place alongside them. Two heroes he recognized, Present Mic and Midnight, rushed toward the man to begin poking him to see if he was a phony or something.
"Such bizarre behavior for the most prestigious hero school in the country," commented Ida as he too noticed what was going on.
"Makes you wonder what kind of reputation this class has," added Uraraka as she watched Mr. Aizawa trying to swat away his fellow teacher's pokes as he sat in his seat, looking extra grumpy. At that, Izuku could only nod.
Before the teen could voice his own thoughts on the matter the opening ceremony began. With music blaring through the sound system, both Present Mic and Midnight took their seats as the principal of U.A. walked onto the stage. Izuku's eyes sparkled as Kyo poked his head out of the sea of green locks to get a look at this most unusual being. For some time, Izuku had been aware that the school was run by an animal that had been experimented on and was a mixture of several different creatures making its species of origin a mystery. He was also aware that Principal Nezu was one of, if not the, smartest being on the planet due to his quirk. Still, all that paled at seeing the quirked animal with his own eyes! The animal walked on its hind legs, wearing a suit, and his front paws behind its back. When he reached the podium, Nezu turned to look at them revealing he had a long scar over one of his eyes.
"Ah, it has been a long time since I was able to welcome the entire student body to orientation," began Nezu, a gleam in his eyes as they fell onto 1-A. "Though I am not too surprised. Now then, it is my hope that all of you are ready for another exciting, action-packed year of learning in all our different fields. Perhaps even more so this year as I am pleased to announce our latest addition to the school's faculty: All Might!"
As soon as Principal Nezu said that, a boisterous laugh could be heard. One that, once you heard it you could never forget it or the person it belonged to. Excitement rippled through the crowd of students as the Symbol of Peace leapt up into the air from somewhere off to the side, spun around in an impressive feat of acrobatics, and then landed on the stage next to Principal Nezu. Dressed in the same pin-striped suit he had worn when presenting Izuku his test results, the man flashed his trademark smile before the crowd. Everyone around Izuku could not contain their excitement, including Kacchan! The teen had an open-mouthed smile plastered on his face as a hand shot up into the air looking like he was ready to create an explosion to celebrate the appearance of his idol. Others, like Uraraka, looked ready to jump out of their seats in excitement. Even someone like Ida, who was always so formal and uptight about etiquette, was fighting with all his might to remain stoic in this setting.
The only one not to share in the excitement was Kyo. The cabbit let out a hiss, proclaiming All Might to be the man with the creepy smile that Izuku wanted him to sleep on.
"Thank you everyone for that warm welcome. You've got me all pumped up!" exclaimed All Might after accepting the microphone from Nezu. Then, after a moment or two of letting the students cheer for him, the giant man gestured with his hand to calm down so he could speak. "I would like to start out by saying it is great to be back in my Alma Mater. While I haven't been back long, I can tell that this school is living up to its motto of going Plus Ultra. Both the teachers and the facilities here are light years above what they were like back in my heyday. I hope that I, All Might, can bring out the same level of commitment that is deserving of my new station here."
This earned the man another cheer, which he paused to take in. As he did, All Might's gaze shifted across the auditorium until it landed where 1-A were seated. For a moment, Izuku could feel as though All Might had locked eyes on him before shifting to another. Then, the man nodded before continuing.
"Now, there is something I would like to say before handing the mic back to Principal Nezu," continued the pro hero. "Napoleon Bonaparte once said 'True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life.' Personally, I have never really liked having it said that way as most people who hear this will focus on the 'superior' part. It sounds far better to say that a true hero is one who can withstand all of life's misfortunes." Again, there was a pause while the students remained silent for a moment while Izuku felt the eyes of his favorite hero upon him once more. "I am sure that many of you, if not all, have been tested in some manner. Bombing a big test that you studied hard for. Seeing your friends being harassed on the street or being bullied at school. Or even staring into the eyes of a villain, feeling helpless at that moment. These are moments that we all face. Even I, All Might, experienced my own fair share of misfortune. My most recent experience honestly caused me to begin doubting myself."
Izuku's eyes widened as he heard this, unable to believe what he was hearing. Around him, he could hear voices whispering their denial of what they just heard. That it couldn't be true. Though, due to the fact that All Might's smile had nearly vanished as he said this, looking down as if in shame, made it so his statement carried far more weight.
"Luckily, I had good friends who were able to knock some sense back into this thick skull!" laughed All Might as he suddenly raised his head, his reassuring smile returning to his face. "Yes, there will be times when you will falter when things aren't going your way. And in those moments, you are truly tested as your doubts wiggle into your hearts. If all that studying wasn't enough to ace this test, then is this as smart as I will ever be? My friends are in trouble, but I'm too weak, too scared, and I don't want to get hurt. I've failed to live up to my ideals. This is the end for me, this villain is going to kill me. How can I become a hero who protects others when I can't even protect myself?
Again, there was another pause as All Might stared at the crowd who hung on his every word. "I am sure that every single person in this room looked at their doubts before yelling from the very bottom of their hearts: SMASH! Those worries might have slowed you down, but they were not enough to stop you from continuing on with your dream! You continued to push forward with everything you had, improving yourself so the next time you faced such challenges the outcome would turn in your favor. And that is what being a hero is all about!" As most of the room cheered, All Might turned his attention towards the General Studies students. Izuku too looked over at them, finding most of them with their heads lowered. "I am aware that some of you are not on the path you had wished. However, if there is something your heart longs for more than anything else then you must push through this misfortune! Do not let it define you. Do not let your perceived weakness hold you back. Learn from your failures and push onward! Plus Ultra Style!"
As the entire school, including some of the teachers, gave a loud cheer at this, All Might returned the mic to Principal Nezu before exiting the room. From there, the students listened to a few more speeches from the Principal as well as a couple of the other teachers who were trying their best to emulate the energy that All Might had exuded. A valiant attempt though one that was clearly futile. Meanwhile, Izuku's thoughts were only half focused as he kept thinking back to the looks All Might had been giving him as well as what he said in the speech. It had honestly felt like part of that had been directed at him. But that couldn't be right, could it? All Might had never met him before and he would have to be pretty conceited to think that anything in all that had been directed towards him. So, as they began to sing the school's anthem, Izuku just waved it off as wishful thinking.
Still, Izuku was happy to hear All Might in person. What's more, there would be so many chances to not just get his autograph but also talk to him. Talk to HIM! Honestly, Izuku would have begun mumbling a storm if Kyo hadn't intervened by smacking his head several times to keep him focused.
With the opening ceremony finished, 1-A continued along with meeting all their teachers. Normally, it wouldn't have been anything too exciting as all they did was hand out their class syllabuses and give a brief rundown on what they would be going over for their first year. What made it exciting, for Izuku at least, were the people to teach them! For English, they would be taught by the Voice Hero: Present Mic! Modern Art was to be taught by Midnight! General Sciences was headed by Power Loader! Each time they met with a new hero, Kyo would have to start pulling on Izuku's hair to get him to stop fanboying.
Once all the teachers who would be teaching their regular lessons had been met, Mr. Aizawa led them on a brief tour of the entire school before ending at Hound Dog's office. There they waited in the hallway along with class 1-B standing directly across from them as they waited to be called. Bakugo was the first from their class to enter the office, walking in there with an expression that just screamed 'let's get this over with.' Once he was inside, there would be an occasion when they could hear the blonde teen shouting something though it was muffled. Then, after only being in the room for fifteen minutes or so, Bakugo stormed out in a huff. As Bakugo stormed down the hallway, a student from 1-B was called in named Monoma. With a flourish, he left the gathered students only to remain in the office for a similar length of time and leave with his hands in his pockets.
"I wonder what's going on in there," whispered Uraraka as Todoroki's name was called.
"I'm curious as to how they are deciding to call in our classmates," commented Ida, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. "For such a prestigious school like U.A., I highly doubt that any of this is random."
Izuku, for his part, could only nod in agreement.
The next two to be called in from their class were Mineta and Yoarashi. As they waited, Kyo made his presence known once more and earned the attention of some of his classmates. Many of the 1-A girls took turns holding and cuddling the cabbit who took it all in. But it wasn't just them as Koda along with a couple of the 1-B students approached as well. Kyo suddenly found his cheek being rubbed against the various girls while happily munching on a carrot that Koda had. Where he got it from, Izuku didn't know.
Among the girls were a couple of the boys from 1-B. The most noticeable was a tall beast man-like teen who gave off similar vibes to Ida as he politely asked if it would be acceptable to pet the tiny creature. Following that, a teen from China asked to pet Kyo as well. Though the most shocking experience was when this one teen whose quirk gave him the appearance of a mantis leaped through the air to grab Kyo. Only, when he landed, he fell on his back while holding the cabbit in his hands and proceeded to talk to Kyo as if he were a newborn kitten.
Then, after someone named Awase from 1-B left the councilor's office, Izuku Midoriya was called in. Gulping, Izuku steeled himself while Kyo returned to his nest within his owner's hair. Once they were together, the green-haired teen entered the office.
The first thing that Izuku took in about the room was just how comfortable it was. He could feel that the carpet was extra soft as his shoes seemed to sink in a little. The walls were lined with lightly colored bookshelves with their covers seeming to show every color one could think of. Plants hung from the ceiling, their vine-like stems twirling around to end in bell-shaped blossoms. There were so many flowers that the room had a sweet scent that was not overwhelming, just noticeable. Hound Dog sat at his desk across the room, flanked by windows on either side of him on the wall right behind him that allowed a large amount of sunlight to shine in. And in front of him were two sofa chairs that looked very soft.
"Welcome Midoriya," said Hound Dog while gesturing to the seat in front of him. "Please, take a seat so we can begin."
Nodding, Izuku moved across the room to sit in the indicated seat. Once there, he found it to be so comfortable that he might nod off at any minute.
"Now then," began Hound Dog as he opened a file before him, his eyes glancing between it and the teen seated before him. As if he were refreshing his memory on something. "First off, allow me to congratulate you on getting into the hero program here at U.A. It's not something that just anyone can do. However, with great accomplishments comes great expectations. Sometimes the weight of such things can be too much for anyone, regardless of their age or maturity, to bare. So, if anything is weighing on your mind I hope you will feel comfortable coming to me for help."
"I-I will," stammered Izuku.
"Good, good," said the pro hero with a slight smile before looking back down at the file. "Now, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"
"Ah, sure," replied Izuku as he did not see any reason to refuse. However, there was something in the tone of Hound Dog's voice that made the teen a little on edge.
"I was wondering how you've been feeling this past year or so," asked the pro hero, his question throwing Izuku for a loop. "Nightmare's? Long periods where you feel too restless to sleep? Have there been any moments where you just froze?"
"I get the occasional nightmare," replied Izuku honestly. "Though most of the time I've forgotten what they were about as soon as I wake up. And there have been times when I wasn't able to get to sleep, but that was because I was too excited for something going on the next day. Can't really recall freezing up other than in the entrance exam." At that, Izuku paused while noticing the notes the guidance counselor was making. "Ah, can I ask why you want to know all this?"
"Almost a year ago, you were kidnapped by a villain," said Hound Dog, his tone coming off as a mixture of seriousness and concern. "You were hauled away into the middle of the woods against your will. According to your own statement, the villain somehow used his quirk to force himself into your body and then manipulate it like a puppet. That's a serious violation of your body and your free will. Thankfully you were able to escape and were lost in the woods until the heroes found you. But still, that had to be traumatic for you."
As Izuku sat there, he slowly began to process what he was hearing. Hound Dog was right. Though there were aspects of his abduction that he could never forget, like the sickening smile that the Sludge Villain had given him as well as his mocking tone, he had moved on fairly quickly. To anyone who cared about his well-being, that would have seemed strange. Maybe even wondering if he was doing his best to hide how he was doing from the world. But the truth was, as scary as that night was, it was also one of the brightest parts of his life. It was the night he felt like he had first saved someone, even if it later turned out to be a lie. It was the night he had met Ryoko, who saved him before starting the chain of events that changed his life forever. In fact, there was a strange part of himself that was actually thankful to that villain because, had he not been brought there, he probably wouldn't be sitting here right now.
Meanwhile, as Izuku was lost in his thoughts, Hound Dog clasped his hands over his desk while giving the teen a probing look. "When I read all this in your file, I was naturally concerned," continued the pro hero. "Even more with what happened next. Shortly after the events in the woods, your quirk status changed. With the days following that, the teachers at your former middle school began noting noticeable physical improvement. Makes me wonder where this sudden drive to improve yourself came from." Hound Dog then leaned a little bit closer, lowering his head so that his eyes were locked onto Midoriya's. "Tell me, have you ever entertained thoughts of revenge?"
For a moment, Izuku just sat there in stunned silence before it hit him. Of course they would think something like that. At least forty percent of arrested vigilantes claim that their reason for going that route was to get revenge on a villain that wronged them in some way. Stealing something important, ruining an important moment, kidnapping, and even killing a loved one. In fact, it sort of reminded Izuku of the old American hero comics that he still reads. Like Spiderman and Batman.
So, Izuku took a deep breath before fixing the pro hero with an intense look. "I won't deny that I have fantasized what it would be like to run into that villain again," said the teen honestly. "But as a hero, not as a vigilante." Izuku then took a breath. "After that day, I met a person who became my sister. She's honestly the first person who ever looked at me and told me she believed in me. So much so that she started to train me because the gyms, well, they wouldn't let me get a membership. I'm a stronger person now because of everything she's done for me." Again, Izuku took another breath. "That's why I'm here. I want to be stronger and more capable to save others who are in similar positions. I want to save them, letting them know that everything will be alright."
For a moment, the two remained locked in what felt like a stare-off. To Izuku, it felt like the pro hero was looking for any traces that he was lying. To tell him what he thought he wanted to hear. But, much to Izuku's relief, Hound Dog leaned back in his seat.
"Alright, I'll take you at your word," said the pro hero with a soft smile. "But, if anything is ever gnawing at you, something you feel uncomfortable talking about with your family, then please don't be afraid to see me. Anything we talk about here will be strictly confidential."
To that, Izuku promised.