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Saturday, May 16th

Filling a document to join a club required two signatures: The first one from the new member, of course, and the other from the club advisor.

Hitomi hadn't considered as important to ask Izuku who the advisor of his club was. But now that they were in front of the headmaster's office, she understood that was a mistake.

Izuku should have mentioned that little detail...

"Come in, come in!" answered a friendly low-pitched voice from the inside of the room, after Izuku knocked.

The door opened by itself, and she saw the only occupant of the office: A white Quirked rat-like creature sitting by the desk.

It was probably the animal (?) with most influence in the country, if not the planet; UA Headmaster, Nezu.

"Good morning, Nezu-san!" Izuku bowed and she imitated him, not sure of what would be the less rude course of action in this situation; staring at the headmaster openly or averting her eyes from his.

If it weren't for the scar on his eye -and its implications- he would look as harmless as a cereal mascot. Add to that his position on the school, and the fact he was like ten times smarter than Izuku and her combined, and Nezu was quite a frightening existence.

"Good morning to you too, Midoriya-kun! Do you have the report ready?"

"Yeah!" He took an absurdly thick folder out of his bag and put it over the desk.

"Perfect. And you must be Hitomi Shinso from class 1-C." She tried not to show her surprise that the headmaster even knew who she was... It wouldn't be surprising if he knew the name of all UA students.

"Yes, sir."

"So what motive brings you today to my office?"

Izuku put the club document over the desk. "Shinso-san wishes to join the Quirk Research Club, headmaster. And I consider she would make a great addition." Izuku's voice was clear, without any sign of doubts or nervousness. She already knew Izuku had this more confident side, but in this kind of situation, it felt a bit off for some reason.

"Hmm." Nezu send a thoughtful gaze in her direction and then turned at Izuku again. "Would you bet your permanence on the academy on that, Midoriya-kun?" She flinched at the calmness of his tone despite the outrageous thing he had said.

'What the fuck...?'

"Yes!" answered Midoriya, as confident as before.

'WHAT THE FUCK?!'

The headmaster dived his paw in ink and imprinted it over the space for his signature. Then put the school stamp over it, and saved the document on his desk cabinet. "Done. Something else?"

"No. That would be everything. Thanks, Nezu-san." Izuku smiled brightly, while she was still trying to process the situation and failing to do so.

"Oh, almost forgot, do you think you could give me a little presentation of your report right now?"

"Ah, of course!" he said and send a look at her. "But could you give me just a moment, please, Nezu-san?" The headmaster nodded and they exited the room.

Just the moment the door closed: "What the heck was that?" she asked, keeping her voice the lowest possible.

"Eh, what about it?"

"He threatened to expel you."

"A-Ah, that. Nezu-san does it all the time," he explained, as if it was normal.

"He does?"

"Yeah, he is just joking... I think."

"Okay, I'm very confused right now." She massaged her temple, feeling the start of a headache. "First, why do you call the headmaster by his name like that? It makes you sound as if you were his chess pal or something."

"But I am," Izuku answered, no sign of lying.

Things were getting more absurd by the second.

"And how did that exactly happened?"

"How? I mean, it's natural, considering that he… Oh." He blinked in realization, and his expression turned nervous. "D-did I mention he is my mentor? Like, he was the p-person that recommended me."

And there it was, a headache.

"No, you didn't," she grunted, glaring at him.

"Ahaha, s-sorry." He lifted his palms in sign of surrender. "I kinda forgot about it." Izuku took something out his pocket. "As an apology, I t-think you should take this."

The object was an All Might´s keychain, which hold a silver key on it.

"What is this?" She took it and looked at it with curiosity.

"It's the club´s key." He smiled. "Like I said yesterday, now y-you are the Vice-President. So you should have your own key, just in c-case you need it." He shrugged, as if trying to pass the situation as something of little importance.

But Hitomi knew that was hardly the case.

Izuku himself say it, his club was an important part of his life. So giving her a key meant a lot.

"Okay. I'll take care of it," she said, while securing it to her school-bag.

"Perfect! See you t-tomorrow, Shinso-san!" He tried to go back to the Headmaster office, but she stopped him.

"Wait, am I not supposed to be there too?"

"Uh?" He seemed not to comprehend what she was saying.

"I'm your right-hand now. So I should be there, right...?" Even if the only thing she could do for now was to give him moral support.

Izuku opened his eyes wide and shook his head desperately. "N-NO, YOU CAN'T!"

"Why?" She lifted an eyebrow.

"Ah… See, t-the report I made is about the Sports Festival. And you t-took part of it, so it wouldn't be, um, professional if you were in the same room w-while I present it..."

She processed her explanation, and understood from where he was coming from. However...

"You are just too embarrassed about the things you are going to say about me, aren't you?"

"P-pretty much," he nodded.

"Okay. Then I'll spare you the suffering, and just wait for you on the club room."

"You don't need to wait for me, Shinso-san," he spoke softly.

"I know. I just want to. Don't forget you are not only my President but also my guinea pig."

Hitomi smirked, enjoying not only Izuku's reaction, but the fact he didn't negate what she had said.

(…)

When Hitomi walked into the hallway where the club room was, she saw someone standing in front of the door. Like the previous times, it was someone from Class 1-A. A tall guy with black hair and glasses.

Her old instincts were telling her to turn around and go away before the guy noticed her. But she didn't.

When she joined the club she made a compromise, so she intended to follow her duties properly. Or at least try to do so.

"Hey, are you looking for Midoriya?" she asked as she approached him.

The guy looked at her lazily. "Yeah. My name is Tenya Iida... It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hitomi Shinso. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm the club´s Vice-President," she explained, as she opened the door. "Izuku is busy right now, but you can wait for him inside if you want. Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to help you before he comes back."

"Okay." He followed her inside dragging his feet.

Their short exchange seemed normal, but she knew there was something weird about the guy... Besides his robot-like behavior, which was natural in him.

Based on what she remembered about him from the Sports Festival, Tenya was an earnest person; the kind that puts a lot energy in all he does, but now he seemed unnaturally apathic and somewhat nervous.

"Take a seat. Do you want tea?" The guy mumbled a yes, and she approached the teapot. It was already filled. "Lucky you. Midoriya prepared some tea before he left." She sat opposite to him and served him a cup. But the guy seemed more interested on staring at the table with a thoughtful expression instead of actually drinking his tea. "So, what do you need help with?"

Tenya didn't answer for a couple of seconds as if looking for the exact words to use. "I would like to know about the Hero Killer´s weaknesses."

That simple phrase confirmed all the red alarms she was having about him.

She stared at Tenya, waiting for him to elaborate in his request, but when he remained silent despite the drops of sweat sliding down his nervous face, she had to ask, "Why?"

"It's for schoolwork," he answered, his expression more rigid than before. He was possibly the worst liar she had seen since Izuku.

So that's how it's going to be.

"All right. Wait a sec." She stood up and walked to the shelf with Izuku´s analysis notebooks.

If Izuku were here, he would be able to find the right one immediately. Fortunately, for convenience´s sake, he added an index on each book, so it only take her a couple of minutes to find the one with the Hero Killer´s info.

She returned to her seat and extended the book to Tenya. "Here it is."

Then she saw it; that hope on his eyes mixed with something dark as he stared at the notebook. He hungered for it and its content. He needed it.

Sadly for him, he was treating with her.

"NOT." She retracted her hand, his hand only grasping the air. He seemed confused for a moment, and that only annoyed her further. "Tsk. Really? Do you believe me that stupid?"

"W-what?"

"I'm not a walking hero encyclopedia like Izuku but I still watch the TV. The day of the Sports Festival, the pro-hero Ingenium got attacked by the Hero Killer on Hosu." Tenya flinched. "And now, only two days before the Hero Course students start their internships, you -Ingenium´s brother- are here asking me about how to defeat that guy. I'm not a genius, but I still have a goddamn brain to put the pieces together."

"N-no, you are wrong! Like I said-"

"Was Ingenium that weak?" she asked out of the sudden, interrupting Tenya.

"What?" he uttered, forcing himself to suppress the anger her words had raised on him.

"I asked, if YOU think your brother was that weak?"

The guy stood up. "How you dare?! My brother is one of the strongest and bravest heroes there are!"

"Then, what makes you think you can deal with a villain he couldn't?" It was an easy question. One she knew he wouldn't be able to answer. "Do you consider yourself that superior to him? Or was he simply that weak?"

He backed up, shock in his face. "N-no! That's not it! I just-!"

"You just wanted to get vengeance." She snorted in derision.

"No! It's justice! I just wanted to be like Tensei, worthy of the name Ingenium! But how can I be, if I let the man who almost killed him roam free without punishment?!"

"It's not your problem."

"Of course it is! Aren't you listening?! The Hero Killer-!"

"It's a villain, and you are not a pro-hero, but a student. So no, is NOT your problem!" she hissed. "You don't have the experience to go against a monster like him and survive. Or what, do you think your brother will be proud of your braveness if you end up in a morgue for trying to avenge him?!" Tenya paled. "You don't even have a hero license, for god's sake, so you would be breaking the law. Or are you just lying to me, and that's actually the kind of hero you want to be?"

Left speechless, Tenya´s anger died down and he returned to his seat. His head was on his hands, and a pained expression on his face, as if he was about to cry not knowing what else to do.

He was like a puppet with its strings cut.

And she didn't like it, not even one bit. Someone in that state of mind was dangerous. Unpredictable. He could get himself or someone else killed during his internship if she just left him go like that.

Even if she did the right thing by scolding him. Now it was the time to make some amends.

So she opened the notebook on the Hero Killer´s analysis.

"Don't fight him alone," she muttered and Tenya looked up at her. "That's what the notebook says. If you find the Hero Killer and you are by yourself, escape immediately. Only fight him if you are accompanied by two or more capable people." Before Tenya could say anything, she continued, "The Hero Killer has been operating for at least a decade, and has already about two dozen of confirmed kills under his sleeve. There's nothing known for sure about his identity or his Quirk, but Izuku was able to make a theory about the latter." She took a moment to re-read the next part, trying to find the way to make it sound a bit less creepy. "According to the forms of the bodies´ injuries, and the rests of steel found on them, the Hero Killer used different types of cutting weapons like knives, daggers, and swords to finish his victims."

"H-he didn't use his Quirk...?" Tenya was paler than before.

"Not directly. Izuku theorize the Hero Killer possess some kind of dishabilitating Quirk?"

"Dishabilitating?"

"Like a paralysis Quirk, for example. That would explain how he managed to kill so many people with only two or three hits."

"He did w-what?!" Tenya seemed horrified. It was understandable. By the details on the notebook, this villain was a complete monster.

"Yeah. You see, his Modus Operandi is something like this: First, he stalks his prey, waiting for them to be alone and in an isolated place like an alley. Then he attacks with the only purpose of cutting his opponent once. But nothing big, only a small shallow cut is enough. Because it's through this one that he somehow activates his Quirk. Then, once his opponent is completely defenseless, he can strike easily to their vitals, dealing fatal damage."

"And that's it...?" Tenya asked, shuddering and grinding his teeth in both fear and rage respectively. "That's what he did to my brother? Used a cheap tactic like that to spit on all his years of experience saving innocents and fighting villains, only to back-stab him and leave him to bleed out on the street like an animal!"

"I know, it's awful. But don't forget he is a villain. Cheap tactics or not, a villain doesn't manage to kill so many heroes without being caught just by being lucky. He must be strong. So even knowing what he may try to do, you should avoid him."

Tenya calmed, and looked at her in confusion.

"Wait. Why are you helping me?" he asked. "You said the truth before! As much as it pains me, what I intended to do was wrong! I left my anger control me. So why are you telling me all this now?"

That was a complicated question with an easy answer.

"Because you want to be a hero." He looked even more confused, so she decided to elaborate. "Which means, you are an idiot." Just like me. "So I know that despite my warnings, even if it is only by accident, you're still going to end up crossing paths with the Hero Killer anyway... Or am I wrong?"

Tenya shook his head, ashamed, "I'll intern with the pro-hero Manual, on Hosu. So it could happen."

"It will happen," she predicted, with an unimpressed expression. "You guys from Class 1-A were attacked by villains during your first week. You are cursed. So PLEASE use the info I gave you however you can to keep your angular head still stuck to your body."

"I w-will, ma'am!" exclaimed the guy, looking a bit more animated. That's better.

"Really. Don't make me regret this." Especially because she would feel like crap if the guy actually died.

But she wasn't too worried. Idiots like him -them- were hard to kill.

(…)

Meanwhile, on the Headmaster's office.

"Well. I think that's enough for today, Midoriya-kun. An amazing job like always," said the tiny white creature.

"Thanks, Nezu-san!" answered Izuku with a smile.

"You can leave. Have a very nice weekend."

"The same! See you next week!" The boy bowed and left the room.

Nezu smiled, feeling both proud and amused.

The boy´s mind was incredible, and considering his recommendation of transferring Hitomi Shinso to the Hero Course, he was also amazing at pinpointing a talent that could be developed for good.

He would be a perfect replacement in the future.

But about the present...

"So what do you think? Is it Hitomi Shinso the more deserving of being transferred to the Hero Course, Aizawa-kun?"

Suddenly, the curtains moved and the shaggy-looking teacher and pro-hero, Eraserhead, appeared from behind them.

He had been in there the whole time, but none of students had realized.

"I don't think is logical to take a decision like that so fast, Headmaster."

"Is that everything, Aizawa-kun? I feel you want to say more."

The underground hero narrowed his eyes. "Is that boy´s judgment really that reliable, Headmaster? The way I look at it, he is only blindly supporting his club-mate -someone he appreciates. But he is not being objective."

The headmaster giggled at Eraserhead's response. "Oh, Aizawa-kun, being passionate about his duties doesn't make Midoriya-kun less objective than you or me. His explanation and his report made clear which are Hitomi Shinso´s pros and cons. So the question remains, is it she or not?"

The tired teacher sighed. "I guess we'll know it soon."

(…)

(…)

Hitomi: If you are having fun, time past faster. Is that right?

Izuku: It's relative, I suppose. It d-depends on your perception.

Next Chapter - Time flies. Especially when you are having fun.

Hitomi: Izuku, help me skip this whole week.