Chapter 13
Ryoko let out a yawn as she made her way into the kitchen, stretching one arm into the air while the other was bent behind her head. The morning light was shining into the kitchen, bathing everything with its soft glow while Inko prepared breakfast. The sizzling of eggs and bacon filled the air while the scent would have made her drool if she were fully awake. Though Ryo-Ohki was helping with that as the little cabbit was pounding her tiny back legs on Ryoko's head, urging the space pirate to hurry up for her carrot breakfast.
Upon entering, she found Izuku sitting at the table. Dressed in his prison uniform, her little brother was already hard at work. Before him was a new notebook which he seemed to be in the middle of reviewing. With one hand, he turned the pages while his eyes scanned the contents. As she made her way to the table, he must have found something he could add since he quickly picked up a mechanical pencil to jot down a quick note. At the same time, he used his other hand to pick up his breakfast: a thick piece of toast with a sunny side-up egg on the top along with strips of bacon. Directly in front of his notebook was a plate of carrots that was quickly being demolished by Kyo.
"Good morning Ryoko," said Inko as she turned her head from the stove to look at her. This drew the attention from Izuku as well as he looked up from his notes.
"Morning," replied Ryoko as she pulled out her seat before sitting down. Once seated, Ryo-Ohki hopped off her head and landed in front of a plate that had already been set for her loaded with carrots.
"So, excited to start work?" asked Inko while Izuku took another bite of his food.
"Yeah, I guess," admitted Ryoko as Inko brought her breakfast to the table. "Thanks. Anyways, seems like something that would be up my alley. But I'm not going to be starting right away. Tensei said that he just picked out the building and that the sales process should go by smoothly given his reputation. Then, once they get it all set up, I'm just going to be going around offering free lessons until we get a real class going. Meaning I get a few more days of blissful unemployment." She then paused, taking a bite of her breakfast as her gaze shifted towards Izuku. "So, already studying for a test?"
"No," replied Izuku as he used one hand to hold up the notebook he was working on. Ryoko blinked as she read the title: Hero Analysis for the Future 1-A Edition. He held it like that, giving Ryoko plenty of time to read the cover before setting it down. "There wasn't a lot of time for me to write down everyone's quirks yesterday. So I've been trying to recall everything I saw. I want to make sure I have a good understanding of everyone's quirks and skills. That way, if we ever get teamed up in a heroic lesson, I'll have a better idea of their strengths and weaknesses when we go over our plan."
"Just make sure you also add in how to take them down," added Ryoko as she took another bite of her breakfast. As she chewed, she watched as Izuku looked ready to agree with her automatically only to then freeze. Almost as if it took his brain a few moments to realize what she had said.
"Why would I need to know that?" he finally asked slowly, his voice hesitant. Like he was fearful of the answer.
Ryoko rolled her eyes in frustration. "The Sports Festival. Duh," she said while swinging her body to the side of her chair. She then leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table as she looked into her little brother's eyes. As a look of understanding filled those green orbs, memories of the first time she had seen the event flashed through her mind.
It had been shortly after she had begun living with the Midoriya's and Izuku had gotten his powers. Most schools and non-essential jobs were closed, allowing the family to gather around the television with a small mountain of snacks placed in front of them. When she had seen all this, Ryoko thought that there was some super important event happening. Like The Universal Strongman Tournament to see who was the strongest man and woman in the universe. That was always exciting to see as very few ever got repeat victories. Plus, betting went wild. There were also plenty of races to see who had the best ship. But since those races took place over the course of days with very little action, only the most hard-core individuals in the universe stayed home to watch them.
When she heard that they were going to be watching the U.A. Sports Festival, however, her expectations sank. Instantly she recalled being forced to participate in that waste of time back when she was in prison. Now, one might have thought that someone as active as Ryoko would have loved them. But, the truth was, she hated all the rules she had to follow. Plus you didn't get anything other than a stupid ribbon. That might have appeased people like her sister, but not Ryoko! If she was going to compete then she deserved a real prize!
However, as the loud announcer she came to know as Present Mic began introducing the classes, Izuku explained that this wasn't like any other Sports Festival in the world. First of all, it was the only school in the world to allow students to use their quirks for the events. That had piqued Ryoko's interests slightly which only grew as her little brother continued. Seeing as U.A. was the world's top hero school, the public at large was basically getting the chance to watch the 'origin' story of upcoming potential heroes. Watching as, with each passing year, they grew and devolved. Meanwhile, pro heroes around the country would be watching this as well to scout out new talent for their sidekicks. In some cases, doing well in the Sports Festival repeatedly and getting offers from any of the top ten heroes helped reduce the time one spent as a sidekick and allowed them to become pros more quickly. He had even heard a rumor that some people even bypass the sidekick stage all together!
Also, first place got a free trip for two to the I-Island Expo! Now that was a prize Ryoko wished that she had gotten when she went to prison.
While most of that sounded like it was exclusively for the hero students, Izuku said that those in the other courses had something on the line as well. It was well known that if someone in one of the other courses did good enough to attract the attention of the pros and the staff during the event, then they might get an offer to become a part of the hero course! Though that mainly happened during the first year as the more time they spent at U.A. the greater the difference in power and ability became apparent.
By the time Izuku stopped explaining this, the first event was underway. With Ryoko's full attention now piqued, she watched the festivities as they unfolded. Sometimes the contest required that the teens work together while other times pitted them against each other. But the final round, as she was quickly told by an excited Izuku, was always a one-on-one tournament-style fight!
Back in the present, Izuku leaned back in his seat while his arms slumped. "I guess that makes sense," he said softly. "But, I don't know, it kind of feels wrong to treat my classmates like all those villains I've been studying to beat. I mean, they're training to be heroes!"
Ryoko fought hard not to roll her eyes at that. "Listen, I've been known to do the same things with bounty hunters," she said. "Secret to staying in the game as long as I have: know who you're dealing with. Most of the GXP are a freakin' joke! They all use the same lackluster training and weapons so once you know what you're dealing with, avoiding them is easy. Special forces, on the other hand, are a bit tricker as they utilize more advanced technology so you should at least be on your guard. Bounty hunters, well, they have a lot more freedom. They're not restricted to any particular weapon or ship and can use a much wider array of traps. So you need to keep up to date with them; knowing who you can take down and which ones you need to run away from until the time is right."
"But those are still people who are after you, not your friends!" Izuku pointed out.
"Some of those bounty hunters used to be pirates," replied Ryoko with a shrug. She then paused as she took a bite of her breakfast. "Heck, I keep an ear out to hear the latest in the rumor mill around all my favorite hang outs. I mean, you never know when one of them will get the bright idea to backstab you after getting a decent haul. Just think of it like you're preparing for a worst-case scenario if one of your classmates turns traitor. Heck, I think I might have read a Batman comic in your collection where he did something like that for the Justice League."
"Yeah he did," replied Izuku with a gulp. "And when the others found out about it, they weren't exactly happy to know that their friend was thinking of all the ways he could defeat them!"
Ryoko opened her mouth to continue arguing her point, but was interrupted before a single word came out. "I agree with Ryoko on this," said Inko gently as she moved over to the table and sat down. Upon hearing this, Izuku's eyes widened in surprise.
"B-But mom," he stammered, a small bit of sweat appearing on his brow as he spoke. "I finally have classmates I'm getting along with. I don't want Uraraka, Ida, and Yoarashi to think I'm some sort of villain planning to take them down in his free time! I don't want any of the people in the class to think that."
"I know sweetie, I know," replied Inko gently as she reached over to pat Izuku's hand. "You don't just want to be a great hero, but to also have a great time in school with your friends. It's just that I want to make sure you won't get too hurt during the Sports Festival. I know you won't be able to cover everyone who will be participating, but even knowing how to defeat nineteen people who you know will have a better outcome than winging it entirely. Also, I'd like to think that this will show to the pros watching that you are a smart young man who makes a plan. Certainly would help over someone else who just charges in recklessly. Besides, it's not like you have to tell them. Just keep those notebooks at home where no one else will see them."
"Plus, if they are your friends, then there should be no hard feelings," added Ryoko. "There are people out there who take the fact that I looked into them as a compliment. If these friends of yours are as good as you think they are, then they'll feel the same." At that, Ryo-Ohki and Kyo let out a series of mews, telling Izuku that they didn't want him to get hurt and they just wanted the best for him.
Upon hearing all of this as well as seeing the look in his mother's eyes, Izuku let out a sigh before smiling back at everyone. "Alright," he said. "I'll get started after our first heroics class today. Hopefully by then I'll have a better understanding of what everyone is capable of." As Ryoko smiled proudly, she noticed Izuku's eyes moving over to the clock on the wall causing his skin to pale.
"Oh no," he said before quickly stuffing the rest of his half eaten slice of bread into his mouth. He then quickly rose, placing his notebook in his backpack before picking up the last slice. "I need to hurry if I don't want to be late for training with Shinso! See you both later!" With that, Kyo leapt onto Izuku's head as the teen headed out towards the door. Though, as he did, he brought up his favorite morning radio show on his phone.
"Hey there my faithful morning listeners," came the voice of Present Mic as Izuku opened the door. "It's your favorite DJ hero Present Mic, dropping all the latest heroic hits and misses! And today we have a dozy as Endeavor wishes he could turn down the heat on his latest failure. That's right, the number two hero can't live down the shame of not only failing to catch the mysterious carrot thief, but also losing entire fields that were under his watch. After that, we have a surprise press conference from the pro hero Collapse. I'll also be giving all you crazy morning birds the low down on the woman who turned an entire downtown ablaze. That's right, we'll be talking about Ayeka Jurai and, boy oh boy, the amount of money she is on the hook for just keeps climbing the charts!"
-x-
"Ok, so, I've been thinking about a decent goal for you," began Izuku as he stood within the General Studies gym. Dressed in a gym uniform, the green-haired teen stood before Shinso, who was also in his gym attire, with a notebook in hand. "Mr. Aizawa said he wants you to be at a level where you can physically be able to keep up with the rest of the class. Not only that, but also showing that you have some non-quirk related combat abilities. So, what we're going to aim for is to have you become strong and skilled enough to destroy a One Pointer Robot from the entrance exam. Maybe a Two Pointer Robot if we go Plus Ultra. I'd also like to surprise Mr. Aizawa by improving how you use your quirk in combat!"
Shino paled a little at that. "That seems like a little much," he said before looking away. Despite how softly he was speaking, the teen's tone was practically shouting at just how uncertain he was by all of this. "I know I said I'd be giving this my all and I meant it. I want to become a hero more than anything. But, I don't see how that is possible." The teen then held out a skinny arm, holding it for Izuku to see at chest level. "How do you expect to turn this into what you're talking about in such a short amount of time?"
"I have a plan," said Izuku as he closed his notebook. "When I was training with my older sister, we had a limited amount of equipment that could help us. I'm going to make a request of Mr. Aizawa to get something that should help you build up your strength slowly but effectively. We'll also have the benefit of having a secure place to train everyday, which is pretty good. So I feel pretty confident that we'll be able to work on where you're physically lacking. Now I just need to see where you are with your hand-to-hand combat and your quirk. If we can do all this, then we'll make you into a well-rounded hero."
"Well, as long as you're confident," muttered Shinso, still not sounding completely sure. Though, unless Izuku was mistaken, there was a hint of hope in his voice. "Then where do we start?"
"Well, for starters, I need to get an idea of your base," replied Izuku as he set down his notebook. Once he had done that, Izuku then gestured for Shinso to follow him to the center of the gym. Once they stood there, Izuku turned to look at Shinso with a meaningful look. "So I want to see how you would normally go into a fight. You can use whatever you need to, including your quirk."
"Alright," replied Shinso, a small smile on his face as he spoke. "Just promise me you'll go easy on me."
"Don't worry, I-" began Izuku before he was cut off. All of a sudden, his vision shifted. Now everything appeared as though a dark mist had filled the room. Not enough to completely obstruct his vision, but just enough for him to know it was there. But what was more concerning was that Izuku could no longer feel his arms and legs! He tried to move them, to wave his arms around to move the fog away or to swing them around to express his surprise at what was happening. He tried to use his feet to back away. He even tried to fly, but nothing happened. It was like someone had hacked his body with a remote control, taking him out of the driver's seat but still aware of everything that was happening around him.
"Good, now how about you do some laps around the gym," said Shinso. "Keep running until you tire yourself out."
More panic flooded Izuku as he felt his legs moving all on their own. He turned away from Shinso as he began to make some distance. It was then that he realized what Shinso's quirk was: a form of mind control. How he did it, Izuku didn't have a clue. Nor did he have any idea how to break out of it!
Thankfully, he wasn't alone as his panicked thoughts reached his partner: Kyo. The cabbit leaned forward out from his hair to begin letting out a series of meows while waving his furry paws in Izuku's face. When that didn't work, Kyo began roughly pulling on his green hair. Izuku felt the pain as Kyo was pulling hard enough for his hair to be pulled from its roots. But that pain was quickly pushed to the side as Izuku suddenly found himself stopping as the world around him looked normal!
Slowly, Izuku turned to look at Shinso. The other teen took several steps back, clearly appearing nervous at this sudden turn of events.
"Well, you said to use my quirk," began Shinso, doing his best to regain his composure though there was plenty of worry in his voice. "What do you say we continue this little fight?"
Oh, Izuku didn't mind continuing the fight. After all, it had just started. However, he was a bit wary of what his opponent could do. Controlling another person like that was a powerful quirk that could end fights before they started. But, the question was: why wasn't he being controlled again? Shinso hadn't touched him, at least not as far as Izuku could remember. So he doubted that it was a touch-based quirk? Was it proximity? Possible, though doubtful as when the match started Izuku was much closer. Did he need to say something or do something specific? No, everything that Shinso was saying was different and that included the tone he was using. So what could it be?
"Sure, let's," began Izuku before becoming silent as the world became foggy once more. At the same time, that disturbing feeling of losing control of his own body returned. But, while it was happening, Izuku believed he had a better idea on how Shinso's quirk was activated! There was only one thing that happened both times: Shinso said something and Izuku responded. So, unless there was some other factor that Izuku was unaware of, he should be able to prevent this from happening a third time. If he could, Izuku would have smiled.
While Izuku was connecting the dots about Shinso's quirk, his opponent wasn't ideal. The moment he had snagged the heroic student in his quirk, Shinso dashed towards Midoriya. At first, it looked like he was going to punch Izuku. But no, that wasn't his true goal as his eyes were focused on something else: Kyo! He had realized he needed to grab the cabbit and keep it away from Izuku in order to prevent his hold from being broken once again. However, Shinso wasn't fast enough while Kyo didn't hesitate to tug on Izuku's hair.
Panic appeared on Shinso's face as the light and focus in Izuku's eyes returned indicating he was free from being controlled. Izuku watched as Shinso, who had already put a lot of his momentum into the dash, tried to stop only for it to result in a clumsy stumble. The purple-haired teen tried to speak again while catching himself, but Izuku wasn't going to let him try this time. Instead, the hero student closed the distance between them, pulling back a fist as he did before slamming it in Shinso's gut. The blow easily connected, forcing out all the air from Shinso's lungs while sending him off his feet before landing on his back with a thud so loud that it echoed across the gym. As he laid there, arms clutching at his stomach, Shinso made some wheezing sound as he tried to refill his lungs with air.
"So," began Izuku. His voice caught Shinso's attention, causing the other boy to look up at the 1-A student. As he did, Izuku extended a hand down to help Shinso stand, which the other teen accepted. "Your quirk allows you to take control of other people?"
"Yeah," gasped Shinso before clearing his throat. "Damn, you punch really hard. Anyways, my quirk is called Brainwashing. All I have to do is talk and if someone responds, I can take control of them. Though there are limits. Like, for example, I can't make them use their quirk or do anything too complex. I'm also limited in the amount of people I can control at a time. The most I've ever been able to brainwash is four people. Unfortunately, when I take control of someone it becomes pretty obvious that there's something up with them. Also, when my target receives certain types of contact, like say, bumping into a wall for knocking into someone else, the control breaks. Then I have to reestablish the connection."
"Still, it's an impressive quirk," replied Izuku. "I can see why Mr. Aizawa believes you'd make a great hero. And I agree."
By that point, Shinso was breathing normally. Though the pain he felt hadn't faded. Not in the slightest. Still, when he heard the praise, he couldn't help but to ignore that feeling as he looked away while an embarrassed blush appeared on his cheeks.
"That's a lot better than what most of my former classmates thought about me," he mumbled, scratching his cheek as he spoke. Then, he looked over at Izuku. "To be honest, I thought that this quirk was all I needed to become a good hero. I could end the fight before it even began. That's why I hated the entrance exam since it didn't let me show what I was truly capable of." Then the look in Shinso's eyes became more serious. "But now I have a much better idea on why Mr. Aizawa wants me to build up my strength and learn how to fight. If I can't gain control of all my enemies or if they realize how my quirk works, I'm nothing more than a sitting duck out there."
"True, but that's not the only reason," said Izuku, earning a surprised look. "You need to be strong in order to save people."
Shinso tilted his head at that. "I don't understand," he began. "With my quirk, I can make any villain let go of their hostage or move them away from civilians."
"Yeah, that's true. But what about other circumstances?" asked Izuku as he pulled up his mental encyclopedia of heroic feats. "Let's say you are in a burning building with a villain and the hostage. The villain is under the influence of your quirk and the victim is injured and needs help getting out of there. What would you do?"
"I would use my quirk to order the villain to carry them out," answered Shinso automatically.
Izuku, however, shook his head. "That would be a bad idea," he began. "Think about it. That person was a hostage not too long ago. You're basically giving the villain power over them again, creating a level of fear and stress with the person you're supposed to be reassuring. On top of that, if anything happens while the villain is carrying them, then they have their hostage back in their arms. Or, what would happen if you were a sidekick and the hero went to stop the villain and told you to help the victim. How would you handle that situation with no one else to control? Could you pick them up and carry them to the street safely?"
"I…," began Shinso, pausing as he swallowed hard. Izuku could see that the other teen's eyes had widened a bit, no doubt looking at the situation from a different perspective. "I never thought of it like that."
"Shinso, heroes need to be strong," said Izuku as his mind went back to the day he met Ryoko. How he found her in that pit, helping her to her feet and leading her out of the ditch. Sure, he now knew she could have done it all on her own. But what he felt at that moment had never left him. Those feelings weren't a lie. Just like the image of All Might saving all those people. He also recalled what Mr. Aizawa had said yesterday. That it was a hero's job to combat the unfairness of the world. "Not just to defeat the villain. But to rescue those who can't do so themselves. You need to be strong enough so that, when the time comes, they can lean on you and trust that you won't let them fall down." The teen then moved closer to Shinso to pat him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get you there."
As Izuku did this, he noticed something about his newest acquaintance/friend. There was moisture forming around the corner of his eyes. Maybe it was because, even after revealing and using his quirk on him, Izuku was still willing to help him. Or maybe it was because the weight of the offer he had been given had finally sunken in. That this was really, truly happening. Perhaps it was a bit of both. But, regardless of the reason, Izuku knew what was behind those tears as he had cried them himself a year ago.
"Thank you," gasped Shinso, the tears now softly rolling down his face. "Until I came here, no one ever really believed that I could be a hero. They all just assumed I'd be a villain. No one ever offered to help. So thank you."
"I know the feeling," said Izuku, slight moisture in his own eyes. "Not everyone can succeed all on their own. Some people just need a little help. And there's no shame in that. Trust me, I've been where you are." As Izuku said that, his thoughts went back to the beginning, to when he had met Ryoko and to how far he had come since that night.
-x-
Later, Izuku found himself in the school's cafeteria eating his lunch while feeling like he could burst at any moment from happiness!
While it was only his first official day of classes, the green-haired teen could already tell that U.A. was leagues better than his old middle school. The first, and most obvious difference was that when he had arrived at his class after his training with Shinso wrapped up, he was given warm greetings as he entered. There was none of the usual mockery or snickering behind his back. Nobody used their quirks in an attempt to trip him nor did they play a game of keep away with his backpack. Instead, everyone was chatting about what they did after they got home yesterday or were still talking about how excited they were to be here. For the most part, everyone was just super friendly.
Especially Yaoyorozu! The moment she had a chance, she approached Izuku and Kyo with several new outfits for the cabbit. Apparently, after making his little gym uniform, she had gotten to thinking how cute he would look in other outfits! Then, before Izuku's eyes, pulled out the one she had just made: a U.A. male student's uniform. It even had a tie! Seeing this, Kyo began bouncing up and down on Izuku's head while meowing excitedly which drew the attention of the entire class. Before he knew it, Izuku was working with Yaoyorozu to help Kyo put on his uniform which was so accurate it even had tiny buttons on it. In the end, Yaoyorozu held Kyo in both her hands over her head, the girls fawning over the space bunny cat as he posed in his uniform whose tie was as messy as his owners.
"It's not fair," wailed Mineta from his seat. When Izuku heard this, he turned to see that the tiny pervert had his face on his desk, a river of tears running down his race as he held out a hand as if to reach out and grab Kyo. "That should be me. I should be the cute mascot of the class that everyone fawns over. Instead, I'm all alone with my grandgrape in jail."
"You're not that cute," commented the frog girl Asui as she shot Mineta a deadpan stare. "Also, your personality is rather disgusting. Ribbit." As if to emphasize that point, Kyo jumped down to Yaoyorozu's shoulder so that he could rub his cheek against hers while meowing out his thanks. He then jumped around to each girl, either doing the same to them or rubbing his tiny nose against theirs.
As the girls cooed, Kyo then brought up the rest of the outfits Yaoyorozu had made for him and placed them into the hair nest on Izuku's head. How he managed to fit them without Izuku feeling a thing, the teen had no idea.
While Mineta continued to cry, the class went on with its friendly and light-hearted atmosphere with two noticeable exceptions: Todoroki and Bakugo. A few people tried approaching Todoroki before homeroom began, trying to talk to him as he was sitting off to the side all by himself. These attempts were met with frosty stares at best while other times he flat-out ignored them. This naturally caused more than a few people to wonder what his deal was, prompting Yoarashi to speak up. According to the wind user, informing everyone with a scowl on his face, Todoroki was like that during the Recommendation Exam as well. Something that Yaoyorozu echoed, though she suggested that he might just be nervous or just not talkative. Then, of course, there was Bakugo. The explosive teen had been in the room long before Izuku entered with his feet on his desk and leaning back, appearing to be taking a nap. Though, more than once, Izuku caught his former childhood friend glaring at him from time to time while seeming to seethe in barely contained rage. As if for the first time he was making an attempt not to fly off the handle and attack him. But, when Izuku looked back to double-check, Bakugo returned to his napping state.
Then, there were the classes. Oh, Izuku never knew that going to school could bring him such happiness! Sure, they were learning the same things as they would at any other school: English, Classical Literature, Math, Science, and Art. Just to name a few. But what made all these classes exciting were the people teaching them! Pro Heroes! Izuku had to fight hard not to start fanboying when a new pro hero entered the classroom to begin their lesson. And it wasn't just because they were heroes that made the day enjoyable, but the fact that they were all competent teachers in their own right. Each of his teachers were engaging, speaking with passion as they taught. Though Midnight could try to be, er, a little less engaging.
Somehow, Izuku had managed to make it throughout the morning without anyone giving him any awkward looks or sideways glances of annoyance. Well, other than Bakugo but he would have done that no matter what. Then, when lunchtime rolled around, the class headed towards the cafeteria where they got to meet another pro hero: Lunch Rush! Izuku had always dreamed about getting the chance to taste some of the cooking hero's food. But to find out that he would be getting to taste it almost everyday for the next three years was enough that he almost burst out into tears!
And now, here he sat with a meal cooked just for him by Lunch Rush with another autograph added in his notebook book, eating his meal while Kyo munched on a small plate of carrots. Again, unlike his time in middle school, this was so much better as he wasn't sitting alone or hiding away on the roof! Now he could sit with actual friends! Directly across from him was Ida, eating a plate of curry with a glass of orange juice. Next to the bespectacled teen was Yoarashi, eating a half-foot-long sub packed with meat, veggies, and melted cheese. Finally, there was Uraraka who was sitting next to him eating a large bowl of rice as she talked animatedly.
"This morning, I called up my parents just to make sure everything that happened yesterday wasn't a dream," Uraraka was saying while she bounced in her seat, a massive smile on her face. "It wasn't! In fact, things are just getting better! When I called, my dad had to head to his office to meet up with a building inspector that was being brought in from a different prefecture. Seems that the inspectors in our area were all being bribed by our former top competitor! Like for years! So they want my dad to go to all the buildings that jerk had been making over the years to see if any of them can be brought up to code without tearing down the buildings. Either way, it'll mean more work for us! And with all the new hires my parents got, they should be able to handle a few jobs at once. Maybe even making a smaller group that can handle the quick jobs."
"That's great Uraraka," exclaimed Izuku honestly. As he spoke, he turned to look at her while catching a few details in the background. There were a number of other students, mostly girls with a few guys, shooting glancing over at Kyo. A few of them were even whispering to each other using a hand to cover their mouths. If the previous day was anything to go by, Izuku believed they were wondering if it would be ok to come over and pet the cabbit. That or wanting to feed him some carrots.
But, that wasn't the only thing that had caught Izuku's attention. When Izuku had walked over to the table, he had noticed that both Bakugo and Kirishima had chosen to sit at the table closest to them. While the green-haired teen had talked with his friends, he could hear the redhead in the background. Kirishima was talking loudly about something, nudging the explosive teen to join in on the conversation in a lighthearted manner. However, Kacchan's behavior was slightly off. Namely he wasn't saying, or shouting, anything. He just sat there and, if he did say anything it was nothing more than a grunt. What caught Izuku's attention now though was that Kacchan's head was slightly turned in his direction. Not only that, but the teen's ear was slightly twitching as if he was doing his best to listen in on Midoriya's conversation.
Was Izuku being paranoid thinking that Bakugo was listening in on them? Maybe. But, after how the explosive teen had reacted yesterday, it would be wise to be a little on guard.
"So," continued Izuku as he went back to his conversation, thankfully with no one else picking up on his fears about Kacchan listening in on them. "Does this mean you're going to be able to splurge a bit more? I mean, with your family's business doing better now I'm sure money won't be as tight."
Izuku watched Uraraka carefully as he spoke. At first, she just continued to look at him with those large chocolaty eyes of hers as she ate. Then, when he brought up money not being as tight anymore her eyes seemed to widen with delight. Like this was the moment she had been waiting for her entire life! But, just as quickly as that joy appeared, it vanished as she looked away while her shoulders slumped. Then, she stopped eating.
"It's…not that simple," she said sadly. "Don't get me wrong, me and my family are really excited about everything that is going on right now. But, the problem is, we've felt like this one too many times in the past. There have been times when my dad got this big contract and we would all begin thinking that our luck was about to change. Then, suddenly, the people who brought it to my parent's company would pull out at the last moment."
"Yeah but it doesn't seem like that's going to be the case," stated Yoarashi, as he held his sandwich close to his mouth. "I mean, all these people are coming to your parents because they know they need someone trustworthy."
Uraraka let out a sigh. "Maybe, but there is a bit more to it," she said. "It's not just what happened in the past. It's also about what happens after this. My parents haven't said it out loud, but I can tell they're afraid this might be a one-time bump in business. That after they finish all these contracts, things might return to how they used to be." Uraraka then lifted her head. "So, we're not going to count our chickens before they hatch. My parents are going to do their best to not just meet the expectations set before them, but surpass them! If they can do that, then hopefully business will improve. As for me, I'm going to keep working hard to become a great hero, make lots of money, and then support them as best I can!"
"That is a very responsible way to look at the situation," said Ida with a nod. "I'm sure that if your parents are as hardworking as you claim they are, then their efforts will be noticed by those who hired them. Then more business shall come to them as a reward."
Uraraka gave a soft smile. "I hope so. They really deserve it," she said before shaking her head a little. "Can we change the subject? I really don't want us spending our entire lunch break talking about my family. It's not fair to any of you."
At first, Izuku wanted to say not to worry about it. That he enjoyed having Uraraka share in her family's good fortune. But, a voice inside him made the teen think better of it. He could see that, while her hopes had risen, Uraraka didn't want them to get too high. Also, in the time he had known her, Izuku had come to understand that she was the type who was always thinking of others. So it would bother her if she felt like she had made everything about her. And, after glancing at his two other friends, they seemed to agree that if Uraraka wanted to change the subject they should do it.
"Alright," said Izuku at last. "How about we talk about our Heroic lesson this afternoon? Does anyone have any idea what it's going to be like?" At that, everyone turned to look at Ida as he was the only one at the table who came from a family of heroes.
Ida seemed to take the hint that they were all expecting something from him, clearing his throat before speaking. "To be blunt…I have no idea," he began. "My brother never really went into too much detail about what it was like during his first heroic class."
"Did he say why?" asked Uraraka while Yoarashi took a big bite of his sandwich.
"Yes, he did in fact," replied Ida with a nod. "When I was younger I used to pester him all the time, asking about it. Eventually, he explained that he didn't want to color my expectations in any manner. According to him, he learned that every school with a top-tier heroics program has their own idea on what to prioritize, with no two being the same. And with U.A. being the best as well as having the most freedom out of all of them makes it difficult to craft a plausible theory on what we will be doing. Though, if I am being honest, I would have thought that we would have done something similar to Mr. Aizawa quirk apprehension test. Perhaps whoever our instructor is shall have us repeat the process, only this time with our costumes and support gear."
"Nah," said Yoarashi as he finished his sandwich. He then quickly and loudly, cleaned off each of his fingers by sticking them in his mouth. "That would be too rigid and too 'been there, done that'. I'm hoping that we're going to be doing something to show what we can do when we're allowed to cut loose."
"You mean like an obstacle course?" asked Uraraka.
"Wouldn't put it past this place," replied Yoarashi with a shrug and ignoring the disapproving stare that Ida was giving him directed at the wind user's fingers. "We did something similar during the early part recommendation exam. Had us all going through a maze with all sorts of traps littered around it. Stuff like pitfalls, some sort of quick dry glue, nets that zapped you with electricity, and even flamethrowers. Said they wanted to see how well we could react to sudden dangers and the like." A smile then appeared on his face. "Or, you know, they could just have us duke it out in one of the training facilities."
Izuku let out a hum as he brought his utensils to his lips while also looking up at the ceiling. "Both ideas do sound like a good place to start," said Izuku as he taps his lips softly while remembering his early training days with Ryoko.
"I don't know," said Uraraka nervously. "Shouldn't they start us off with something simple? Like how to do patrols or something so we can work our way up from there?"
Izuku, as much as he hated to do so, shook his head at Uraraka's words. "Since we only have three years here at U.A., they need to know what we are capable of," replied the green-haired teen. "Mr. Aizawa showed us what we are capable of when we combine our quirks with our physical abilities. Now we can have a good starting point and work on improving to reach higher goals. The same should go towards combat. Whoever will be teaching us will need to know who has a firm grasp on fighting and who will need additional assistance. Maybe he or she will offer after-school lessons to those who need it or will try to find additional help. The sooner we start, the sooner we can begin making strides to improve."
"The same goes with dealing with unexpected surprises," added Ida. "If we do something like a maze full of traps, it will help us develop various skills." As Kyo nodded in agreement, Ida brought up a hand and began raising a finger with each point he made. "It will assist in our situational awareness. Increase our response to sudden and dangerous situations. Improve how quickly we can process the events and formulate plans It might even help us gain a cool head in stressful situations." At that Uraraka looked at Ida with a sort of nervous excitement.
"Guess you both have a point," she said before gulping, showing just how nervous she was. Then her hands, which were laying almost completely flat on the table save for her pinky which was curled, balled into fists. "If I want to be the sort of hero I need to be then I can't back down. I'll go Plus Ultra!"
"That's the spirit!" laughed Yoarashi as he threw back his head.
"And don't worry," added Izuku. "I checked the schedule and it seems we have heroic lessons with our heroics instructor every other day with Mr. Aizawa filling in the rest of the time. So he might go over the lessons we had the previous day with a fine-toothed comb to make sure we know where we went wrong. Or he might want to take over lessons like patrols and the like." Hearing that, Uraraka seemed to be a bit more at ease.
"That would make sense," said Ida before finishing his drink. "While I am not fond of the trick he played on us yesterday, he would seem like the sort to take patrols more seriously than others." He then looked at Izuku, a small hint of competitive fire in his eyes now. "Patrolling the streets to ensure that people are safe is a vital part of heroism. That said, there is a part of me that wishes to compete with you Midoriya. I would like to put the skills that my brother as well as the rest of my family have instilled in me to the test against those your older sister entrusted to you."
Izuku laughed at that, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. However, Midoriya was interrupted by a loud slamming sound directly behind him. This was quickly followed by the sound of a chair being pushed back to the point where Izuku was surprised it hadn't been knocked over. But what caught Izuku's attention was the looks from Yoarashi and Ida, who were staring at something behind him with wide eyes. Figuring out what was about to happen, Izuku tensed as Bakugo appeared standing next to their table besides the green-haired teen.
"What the fuck did I just hear?" demanded Kacchan, his red eyes fixed on the emerald teen.. As he spoke, the fur on Kyo stood up as he got on all fours to hiss at the intruder.
"Bakugo, this is a private conversation," began Ida, but was interrupted as Bakugo slammed his palm on the table with so much force that Kyo's carrots were airborne for a moment. Thankfully, the force he used was not enough to knock any of the dishes onto the floor. Nor did he unleash a small amount of his quirk for the additional intimidation effect like he would have at their previous schools.
Bakugo then glanced at Ida. "You just said Deku has an older sister," spat Bakugo before turning his heated gaze at Midoriya. "But I know for a fact that's a lie."
Uraraka and Ida exchanged a confused look. "No, Deku has a sister," said the brunette.
"Bullshit!" barked Bakugo, nostrils flaring as spit shot from his mouth. "I've known this shitty nerd my entire life! So I know for a fact he doesn't have a sister! Let alone an older one! Don't you dare lie to my face and say you have one! So tell everyone the fucking truth you freak!"
As Izuku sat there, he felt at war with himself on how to deal with the situation. His first instinct was to calm the situation down, explaining that Ryoko was more of a sister figure before going more into detail. However, anger he had not felt towards the blonde since the day his middle school class found out he got accepted into U.A. returned with a vengeance. Izuku didn't need to look around to see that people were watching them. Bakugo was making a scene over something that wasn't any of his business. Besides, Ryoko was…
"I have a sister," said Izuku firmly as he looked up at Bakugo from his seat, a fiery determination in his eyes. No, it didn't matter if they weren't related by blood or how she had come into the family. Because, in the end, Ryoko was his sister. That's all that mattered and he had no reason to give Bakugo any explanation!
"Stop you're lying you piece of-" roared Bakugo, getting angrier by this preserved defiance.
"You've met her once before," interrupted Izuku, causing his former childhood friend to stop so suddenly with a look on his face as if he had been suddenly slapped. "And so has your mom. She met her when they took my mom out shopping after she lost weight. So don't go blaming me because you weren't paying attention."
"He's telling the truth. We met her last night," explained Ida who only got a brief, wide-eyed glance from Bakugo before his attention seemed to wander. For a moment, it looked like the explosive teen was busy searching his memories. No doubt prioritizing the moments he was with Izuku to see if he had, in fact, met Ryoko. Then, after Kyo let out another loud hiss, baring his fangs at Bakugo, the blonde finally looked down at it. As soon as he did, the teen's eyes widened even more while his expression told Izuku that he had finally connected the dots after recognising a Cabbit. That the person who had interrupted his threat the day before the entrance exam was his sister.
Then, the realization turned to anger as he grit his teeth. "You mean to say that b-" began Bakugo, only to be interrupted before he could cross any more boundaries by a gloved hand landing on his shoulder. Izuku had to blink in surprise as Lunch Rush had seemed to suddenly appear right behind Bakugo!
"Now what seems to be the trouble over here?" asked Lunch Rush, doing his best to keep his voice pleasant and upbeat. But Izuku could tell there was an underlying threat to it as the cooking hero kept his focus on Bakugo. And he knew that his former childhood friend knew that as well.
"Nothing," grumbled Bakugo as he pulled his shoulder free. Or, rather, he tried to but Lunch Rush kept a firm grasp on him.
"Really?" questioned Lunch Rush. "Because the entire room could hear you yelling. And my station is right over there so I happened to see the entire thing go down. So, I'll ask again: what seems to be the trouble over here?" This time, Izuku could feel the pro hero's attention shift from Bakugo to the table. Like he was checking to see if any of their dishes had been knocked over when Bakugo slammed his palms on the table or the like. When he saw that nothing was wrong, Lunch Rush seemed to eye everyone there. Starting at Ida and finishing on Izuku.
As he sat there under the gaze of the pro hero, another war raged within Izuku. One side wanted to do what he normally did: deescalate the situation. To just say it was no big deal and that there was no reason for the pro hero to get involved. To make whatever excuse he had to ensuring that no one got in trouble. But that anger he had wouldn't let him. Partly because he had a feeling he knew what Bakugo was about to call Ryoko. And while she was a lot of things, calling her 'that' would have been going too far!
Thankfully, someone else at the table didn't have that issue.
"Sir, I can explain," said Uraraka, gaining Lunch Rush's attention. "We were just sitting here, having a private conversation, when Bakugo just came over to start swearing at Deku and calling him a liar ."
"I see. Is that what happened?" Lunch Rush asked the rest of the table. Izuku nodded along with Yoarashi and Ida causing the pro hero to let out a sigh. "Pretty much what I figured." He then turned his head to look at Bakugo before speaking in an extremely serious tone. "Go back to your seat and finish your lunch. This is going to be your only warning from me: if I catch you bothering anyone else in my cafeteria or causing a scene again, I will bring you to see the Principal. But, don't think you're getting off so easily. I'm speaking to your homeroom teacher about this."
Izuku watched Bakugo carefully. He could see the irritation in the teen's eyes as his teeth clenched even tighter. And he could guess the reason why. As far back as he could remember, Izuku had witnessed Bakugo being able to yell and scream wherever he pleased. He could still recall that day back at Aldera when Bakugo had stood on his desk, loudly proclaiming how he was going to be the only one in the class to make it as a hero and getting into U.A. Nor could he forget how the blond had reacted when the teacher had mentioned that Izuku was also applying for U.A. How Bakugo had exploded, blasting Izuku out of his seat before grabbing his uniform while screaming his lungs out. That, sadly, had been the norm for both of them. It seemed like that was just how things were and would always be.
Until now.
Thankfully, Bakugo didn't argue with Lunch Rush nor did he make a scene. Instead, the teen made a clicking noise with his tongue before storming back to his seat. From there, most of the students were able to finish their meals in peace. Most of them as, in the case of Izuku Midoriya, he kept looking over his shoulder noticing that Bakugo was watching him out of the corner of his eye.