“Message delivered, sir. Our agent will follow the lead and report back,” the cool female voice on the phone finished followed by a click as the line went dead.
All for One smiled as he placed the receiver down on the table, his mood high, despite the recent setbacks.
“I do so love it when a plan comes together,” he said in a low voice, lightly rubbing his chin, the scarred skin rough and unpleasant to his sensitive fingers. “Wouldn’t you agree, Doctor?” he asked over his shoulder.
The doctor looked up from his datapad and over to the man in his high-back leather chair, the countless hoses and tubes connected to his body giving him a ghastly look. It was all the doctor could do to keep All for One alive at this stage in the recovery. His fight with All Might five years prior had left him massively disfigured, his eyes missing, the skin growing over his face in massive scarred patches, among the many internal injuries that required dozens of surgeries.
The doctor turned away from the dozen fluid-filled glass tanks in the back of the room and strode over to All for One’s large leather-covered, wood-backed chair, following what would be the man’s line of sight to a massive wall, a map of Japan stretching from floor to ceiling, with red pegs placed in seemingly random areas all across the map.
He regarded the map for a second, before looking down at the man funding his work, and adjusted one of the dials on the life-sustaining equipment, smiling wide as the machine did its job.
“I would indeed. When the cogs and wheels spin together perfectly, there’s hardly anything better,” the doctor said before turning back to the tanks, glancing at each of the bodies floating in the fluid.
“Let’s just hope the first prototype holds up well enough. I’m eager to get moving on Phase Two,” he said, looking at the first tank, drained and empty, it’s automated cleaning system scrubbing out remnants of slimy green residue.
All for One’s smile widened, and he focused his Infrared Sight on one of the pegs located in Musutafu. “Patience, Doctor. Good things to those who wait,” he said with a smile.
“Again, Uraraka,” Enji Todoroki directed, motioning with his fists in a swift punch. “You need to focus on pushing more power into the follow-through. Hit with decisive action, like you mean it.”
He watched on as Ochako and Shoko reset their positions, Shoko pulling her padded hands up, ready for Ochako to strike. Their near-constant training over the last ten years had made them lean and strong, easily surpassing their peers in athleticism alone. Both girls watched each other carefully; the many years of working together had trained their eyes and minds to see the smallest of details.
Ochako breathed deeply, centering herself, before kicking up with her right leg, slamming into Shoko’s glove with a high kick that sounded out with a heavy hit. She dropped her leg and kicked up again, and again, and again, putting more power into the hits with each successive kick, each one making Shoko move back and readjust for the next.
“Good, that last one was much better. Now, keep doing that and push beyond it,” Enji said, before looking at his daughter. “Shoko, do you see what Uraraka is doing when she kicks her leg up? The pivot on her heel?”
Shoko dropped her glove and nodded, “Yes, Sensei. Her foot doesn’t spin first.”
Enji nodded, a small smile on his face, “Good. You were paying attention. Be sure to replicate that when you switch.”
Shoko nodded and pulled up her padded gloves again as Ochako got back into position. A heavy grunt from the other side of the dojo made her glance over to the left. A glimpse of Izuku lifting a fifty-gallon drum up and over his head had her face flushing slightly before she threw up her gloves to catch Ochako’s incoming foot.
“Focus, Shoko! Pay attention!” Enji called out, his smile gone.
“Sorry, Sensei,” she muttered, jerking her attention back to her friend, who had a small smile on her face. Ochako gave Shoko a wink and kicked up again. Shoko sighed internally, mad at herself for getting distracted, turning her focus back to the training at hand and catching Ochako’s foot.
Meanwhile, Katsuki was spotting Izuku as he hefted the fifty-gallon drum up over his head again, watching as his friend lifted the drum as if it was nothing, Shoto watching from the side as he worked on bicep curls.
“You know, I think we need to add more weight. That’s too easy for you already,” Katsuki said, chuckling lightly as Izuku gently set the drum down again. Izuku studied the drum and nodded.
“Yeah, the lead is getting too easy,” Izuku said as he leaned over to roll the drum back into its resting place, a large ‘2300 kg’ written in red down the cylinder.
“Yo, Uncle Toshi, what else do we have?” Katsuki shot over his shoulder at the man watching them.
Toshinori stepped forward, his frail and thin frame a shadow of his former size, looking thoughtful as he looked at the drum. “I might be able to find something for you, Izuku. Let me call up a contact of mine. For now, weight training is pointless, so focus on your forms and stances.”
Izuku and Katsuki both nodded and bowed slightly.
“Yes, Sensei.”
“Yes, Sensei.”
They walked over to the other sparring mat, Katsuki rolling his shoulders and flexing before jumping into the ring. Izuku was about to step in when a high yell caught his attention. He looked over at the girls as they sparred, and watched as Ochako lashed out with a powerful kick and sent Shoko flying into the padded wall of the ring, a determined smile on her face that morphed into concern as she bounced forward to help Shoko up, both girls laughing.
“Oy, Izuku, you trying to catch flies? Stop staring,” Katsuki said to Izuku’s right, prompting Izuku to snap his mouth shut, a sheepish grin sliding onto his face.
“Sorry, Kacchan,” Izuku said as he stepped into the ring.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever, just don’t hold back. No distractions!” he said as he launched into a series of furious blows directed at Izuku’s chest and face.
Izuku’s smile changed to a confident smirk as he slapped or deflected each blow until motion caught his eye again. Ochako had bent over, her tight shorts pulling up showing off her long, meaty thighs right up to the underside of her butt. His brain shorted for a second and he didn’t move, his focus dragged away by Ochako. Even when Katsuki noticed his friend’s focus was pulled away and he telegraphed an obvious move, Izuku took the hit, only snapping out of his staring when he felt Katsuki’s hand impact his cheek and a crack echoed out.
“Goddamnit, Izuku!” Katsuki said, holding his hand, the impact spot already growing red. Izuku looked down at his friend’s hand, nonplussed and confused for a split second. Then Izuku saw the injury.
“Oh. Oh! Shit, sorry, Kacchan!” Izuku said, worry taking over. He turned and saw Toshinori holding an ice pack, an exasperated look on his face. He ran over and grabbed the pack, a regretful look on his face as he saw Toshinori shaking his head, chuckling softly.
“Don’t let her distract you, son. She will be there after training,” Toshinori said quietly to Izuku, who nodded and hustled over to his friend, helping nurse his fractured hand.
Toshinori watched Izuku perform his first aid and then turned to look at Ochako and Shoko as they continued their training, both girls occasionally glancing at Izuku as they moved.
‘Poor boy has no idea what’s in store for him. Gonna have to talk to Enji and Omoitsu before too long,’ Toshinori thought to himself, a small shiver going down his spine. ‘Inko’s gonna be over the moon…’ he thought with a smile.
“Hey Momo, wait up!” Eiko Kirishima called out, her shoulder-length black hair whipping in the morning air as she ran to catch up with her friend. A couple of meters ahead of her, Momo Yaoyorozu stopped and looked back, smiling brightly as her long-time childhood friend ran to catch up.
“You were almost late, Eiko. We don’t want to miss the train,” Momo said, letting a small smirk cross her face as Eiko approached.
Eiko put on a pout and huffed, “Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure I had everything. I need to make sure I get the lines for the play down right.” She gave a sideways glance to Momo, “Not having all of my lines copied and memorized isn’t manly,” she threw up a hand as Momo was about to interject, “and I know you’d help me, but I need to be responsible.”
Momo regarded her friend with appraising eyes, “It’s good that you are taking it seriously, even with your previous misgivings.”
Eiko blushed and looked away from Momo bashfully, “Well, I still don’t think it’s fair that they picked me for Romeo just because I’m tall. You’re taller than me!” she said, turning to look up at the dark-haired beauty walking beside her.
Momo glanced down at her for a second, before focusing on the way to the station, a light blush dusting her cheeks, “Yes, well...You do make a good fit. Chivalrous, kind, and energetic. Very admirable traits, especially for one of the lead roles.”
Eiko blushed at the praise and huffed again, “I’m glad you think so, but that still doesn’t change the fact that if I’m Romeo…” She drifted off, not really wanting to say what she was going to say.
“If you’re Romeo, and I’m playing Juliet, then we’ll have to kiss. Is that what you are worried about?” Momo said, her blush flushing a couple shades darker, glancing sideways at Eiko’s red face. They were close to the station now, and Eiko got closer to Momo as she always did in large crowds, the smaller girl worried about bumping into people with her sharp quirk.
Eiko glanced up at Momo nervously and then focused on her phone as they swiped through the stiles to enter the station. “Well… yes,” she muttered, “I’m just worried that I won’t be able to do it right. I mean, just that I’ve never really kissed anyone before and that I really don’t have any idea what I’m doing and that there’s a chance I might do something wrong, like look at my teeth, they’re really sharp, what if I bite you? Not that I want to bite you, I just have no idea what a kiss is even supposed to be, do we just touch lips and then that’s that? Is that all there is and now I’m rambling and you’re not saying anything you’re just standing there smiling. Say something!”
She took a deep breath and flapped her arms to the side, waiting for Momo to say something. “Well?”
Momo burst out in a girlish giggle and reached over to hug her friend, pulling Eiko into her warm arms.
“You worry too much. You’ll do fine. You’ll see,” she said softly, patting Eiko on the back of the head gently, sending shivers down the smaller girl’s spine. Momo pulled back as the train entered the station, and turned to watch as the doors opened. As the passengers departed, she leaned over a little.
“But you know, if you’re that nervous about it... we can practice,” she said softly, her blush in full effect now.
“P-Practice?” she stammered. Eiko blinked, Momo’s words not quite registering. Her head whipped up to see Momo’s smile.
“Given that we’ve been friends for so long, who else would we practice with?”
‘Eiko.exe has crashed.’
Momo laughed at her friend’s blank expression, Eiko’s blush glowing neon. “Come on, Eiko,” she said, pulling her catatonic friend onto the train.
“That fight this morning was a great intro for Mt. Lady. She is going to be a really big hit. Heh, ‘big’ hit. But I really wish I could have seen Kamui's super move up close. I wonder what the upper limit is. He was so close...”
“Deku, shush,” Ochako whispered back from the seat in front of him.
“Midoriya, if you aren’t going to pay attention, at least be quiet. I know you already know this, but please have respect for your fellow students,” his homeroom teacher called out. Izuku looked up from his notebook with a sheepish grin, his teacher’s eyes staring at him exasperatedly.
“Sorry, Sensei,” Izuku said, bowing slightly.
Ochako glanced back at Izuku and smiled, giggling softly before turning back to her notes. Izuku glanced over and saw Shoko and Katsuki smirking at him, and he returned their smiles before turning back to his notebook, going over his notes from the action this morning with Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods.
‘I wonder what Mt. Lady’s upper size limit is...Oh! I wonder if she can shrink smaller! That’d be really handy...’ He continued to ponder, poring over his notes as he thought to himself. His exercises with quirk dynamics were a constant thing for him, fostered from an early age by his father, All Might’s many fights being the subject of his attention for years.
His gaze drifted up as he thought aimlessly, coming to rest on Ochako’s long brown hair. He stared for a couple of seconds before shifting his gaze out the window, watching the wind whip leaves and petals past. His thoughts drifted to his own hero suit, its basic design forming in his mind.
He knew that his quirk allowed him to absorb energy; with the help of Katsuki, Shoto, and the girls, they had found he could absorb just about anything, from punches, to heat, even sunlight as it struck his skin. But coming up with a design that let him maximize that absorption was proving difficult.
Izuku turned back to his notebook and scribbled a note about Kamui’s wood strength before flipping through the older pages, glancing at the data he had been collecting. The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and he flipped the book closed.
“Alright, class dismissed, be sure to finish your homework and have it ready tomorrow morning,” his teacher called out as the rest of the class packed up to leave. Shoto and Katsuki walked over as Izuku packed up his bag, closely followed by Shoko, who stretched languidly.
“You’re going to get in trouble if you keep muttering like that, Izuku,” Shoto said bluntly, watching Izuku handle his notebook.
Izuku shot him a smirk and shrugged. “You know how I get when I get an idea.”
Ochako leaned back and glanced at the book in Izuku’s hands as he put it into his bag, and giggled softly as she stood and stretched, “Number fourteen already? Weren’t you on thirteen just a couple of days ago?” she said, watching Izuku pack away the book.
“Damn nerd is always watching for any quirks, you know that,” Katsuki said, shooting Izuku a taunting look, “He’s always gonna be a fanboy.” The whole group chuckled as Izuku rubbed the back of his head self-consciously, smiling just the same.
“Yeah, well…” Izuku muttered, standing up to leave. “We all need our hobbies,” he said as they started heading home. “I nerd out over quirks, Shoto likes to cook, Ochako likes tea.” He glanced at Katsuki, a smirk on his face, “And Kacchan likes to suck at video games.”
Katsuki looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel, his angry expression making the rest of them burst out laughing. “That was one time, Deku! You got a lucky hit!” he shouted, as they walked down the hall, renewing the group’s laughter.
“Anyway, I’m gonna go hang out with those two losers, Long-Fingers and Whats-His-Face. They keep bugging me about doing something,” Katsuki said as he relaxed, turning away from the group as they reached an intersection in the hallways, waving as he left.
“I thought Katsuki hated those guys,” Shoko said, watching their friend go. “Didn’t you guys catch them perving on Ochako?” she asked Izuku, looking up at him.
A dark look crossed Ochako’s face and she turned away, blushing heavily. Izuku nodded slowly, a frown on his face. “Yeah, but Katsuki and I, uh...had words with them,” he said as he glanced at Ochako who flashed him a weak smile.
“By words, he means punting them in the balls and blasting them into a tree,” Ochako said quietly, giggling a little. “It was an awesome sight.”
“I wonder why Katsuki’s hanging out with them, then,” Shoto said, before turning towards the exit. “Come on, Shoko, Dad’s waiting.”
“Wait, you guys aren’t going to walk home with us?” Ochako asked curiously, following closely as the group walked after Shoto.
“Nah, Dad’s got some appointment for us. Some test for our quirk or something like that,” Shoko said, flicking her long, dual-toned ponytail over her shoulder. “Sorry,” she said, giving Ochako an apologetic smile.
Izuku caught up to Shoto and started asking about the test, and Shoko took advantage of the brief privacy. Leaning in close to Ochako, she whispered, “It’s good though. You get him all to yourself for a whole hour. I’m jealous.”
Ochako’s blush went radiant, and her eyes wide as she stared up at Izuku as he and Shoto talked. Her head whipped to look at Shoko, who was smirking like a know-it-all. Ochako’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
“Go ahead, tell me I’m wrong,” Shoko whispered, before turning away and bouncing forward to catch up to her brother as they exited the building.
Ochako squeaked softly as Shoko took off. Her blush didn’t fade until they got outside and walked the twins to their dad’s car. She stood next to Izuku, waving to the twins as they climbed into Enji’s car. They waved and bowed to their sensei who gave a short bow back. The car pulled off, leaving Izuku and Ochako by themselves on the sidewalk.
Izuku turned to look at Ochako, a bright smile on his face as he looked at her, “So, you ready?” he asked, using his thumb to point over his shoulder, “We’ve got the whole walk home to talk!”
Ochako blinked and a wide smile broke on her face, her bright brown eyes sparkling with excitement as she stepped up to follow him, “Yup! Let’s go, Deku!” she said, walking past him, tying her long brown hair up in a ponytail.
“So what kind of notes did you get on Mt. Lady this morning? I saw you gawking up at her like the rest of the men around when she pulled her pose,” Ochako said slyly, sideways glancing at Izuku as they walked on, leaving the school grounds. Izuku stared at her incredulously for a second, and then caught her smirk, and shook his head.
Izuku chuckled, “‘Chako, come on. That’s mean.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, “But yeah, she does have the sex appeal going for her.” A blush formed on his cheeks, and Ochako felt a pang of jealousy.
“So what about her do you find so interestin’?” she asked, leaning in, giving Izuku a quizzical stare. She was really pushing hard now, searching for a chink in the armor. Izuku’s blush deepened, and he started to sputter. “W-Well, I mean, she’s got the body and the looks to be really popular as a hero.”
Ochako quirked an eyebrow up, “Yeah, but what about her body? You seemed awful focused on her butt. Or maybe it was her skin-tight suit?”
Izuku’s blush was getting more red with every word and was getting more flustered the closer Ochako got. “I- Uh- Well, I-I guess it’s kind of all of it?” he managed to stammer out as they walked under one of the road bridges that was on their way home.
Right as Ochako was about to respond, the hairs on the back of Izuku’s neck stood on end, and he felt a surging presence behind them. Almost instinctively, he kicked off with his left foot, and wrapped his arms around Ochako, pulling her to the side, her eyes swinging to his as they moved.
There was a loud clang, and Izuku turned around to see a manhole cover to the sewers falling to the side and a mass of green and brown slime hurtling past them, right to where they had just been. Both Ochako and Izuku’s eyes went wide as the sludge retreated back into the massive blob pulling itself out of the sewers.
“Perfect! Two new skinsuits, and one with fast reflexes! You’ll be perfect camouflage! I didn’t know he was in the city, but my job’s almost complete. Really not sorry about this!” The slime’s voice sounded wet, angry, and downright terrifying. A large tendril of slime lashed out towards Ochako and Izuku, the slime villain moving quickly to capture his latest prey.
Time slowed for Izuku as he watched the slime get closer, the tendril closing in on them rapidly. Suddenly, he felt a boiling heat rising inside of him and he grabbed onto the energy tight. With a swift shift of his body and stance and ten years of practice woven into his muscles, he turned on the spot to lash out with a punch, hoping to intercept the tendril to prevent it from touching Ochako.
But instead of connecting with the sludge and feeling the gross stickiness of it, Izuku felt the heat inside of him rise up and surge out of his fist. There was a sudden shockwave followed by a blast of air and green light as he unleashed a punch right into the sludge villain, splattering the tendril across the wall of the tunnel. Izuku stared incredulously at the sludge, before glancing down at his fist.
“What the-” the villain called out. Izuku blinked in surprise before another odd pulse got his attention. He quickly grabbed Ochako and lept aside, dodging a second tendril that was racing for them. He made sure to keep himself between Ochako and the sludge, turning their bodies as they jumped.
Ochako’s heart was pounding fiercely; the threat of the sludge villain bearing down on them was way different than anything Endeavor or All Might had taught them, and she doubted her martial arts were going to be effective against this sludge villain. Would her quirk even work on him?
She clung to Izuku tightly as they tumbled to the side, and a familiar feeling kicked in, the years of practice and training with Izuku and Shoko made her muscles move on their own. As they rolled in the air, she let go of Izuku and with practiced ease, spinning her body to cushion her landing, landing lithely, almost cat-like, on her feet a couple of feet behind Izuku, who had mimicked her motions. Her gaze shifted to the fallen man-hole cover a couple of feet away, and a smile crossed her face.
He glanced back at Ochako over his shoulder. Her eyes snapped to him, and she nodded confidently. With his fists raised, feet spread in a steady stance, he nodded back and turned to look at the villain again. He was already throwing more slime at them, moving his whole body closer, his wild eyes and massive crazed smile bearing down on them intensely.
In a split second, Izuku shifted his stance and felt the heat again, pulling hard and throwing a heavy left hook at the incoming slime. There was another large shockwave and burst of air and light from his fist, and several tendrils and part of the villain’s main body was thrown back, splattering forcefully against the opposite wall.
The slime villain hesitated for a second before smiling widely again, “Such power...You’ll be perfect. COME HERE, BOY!” he shouted as he launched his whole body towards Izuku, the great mass of slime hauling across the concrete. Izuku glanced back at Ochako as he heard her kick off, launching herself towards the manhole cover. She tucked her arms in tight, jumping over a tendril of slime, and reached out to touch the metal plate. She grabbed the edge firmly with all five fingers as she somersaulted over it, and landed back on her feet, a pink glow covering the large metal disc as she cocked her arm back.
“Go back to the sewer!” she called out, slingshotting the disc right at the villain’s face, releasing the gravity as it flew at its target. Ochako kept her focus on the disc, forcing more power into it, increasing its mass, going for a harder hit. Izuku watched the villain carefully, and waited for the right moment when the villain was distracted, taking note of the exhaustion that was building within him.
The villain’s gaze turned to Ochako and the approaching manhole cover, and Izuku pushed power into his fist, twisting and shifting on the spot. He launched another shockwave, the blast of air forcing the villain back several feet and hitting the metal plate, sending it right into the sludge, slicing through it, sending large chunks of his sludge splattering against the ground. The villain recovered from the recoil and writhed angrily as he gathered the wayward sludge, bulging out his size as he became whole again. Izuku took a step back as he watched the villain pull himself together.
‘What is it gonna take to stop this guy!?’ his internal dialogue screamed.
“You little shit! I’m gonna kill you and take your girlfriend instead!” The sludge villain shouted, rearing back more tendrils, preparing to strike. But before he could make another move, the sound of heavy footfalls reverberated against the walls of the tunnel.
“Sorry I’m late. Everything is fine now. I am here.”
All Might stepped out of the sewer, his trademark smile contorted by anger.
“ALL MIGHT!!”
All three shouted in unison as he stepped forward. Izuku and Ochako’s faces lit up into excited smiles, while the slime contorted around and tried to start running away. All Might cocked his fist back, and his smile changed from angry to triumphant.
“TEXAS...” he called out, throwing his fist forward, a shockwave forming in front of it. “SMASH!!” he finished, unleashing a massive whirlwind of air pressure, blasting the slime villain entirely across the floor, walls, and ceiling of the bridge. The wind pressure kicked up and blasted right past Izuku and Ochako, ruffling their clothes and hair.
All Might turned to look down at Izuku and Ochako and glanced around, checking for prying eyes. “Are you two okay?” he asked quietly, before deflating into his true form, the familiar skeletal frame his injuries left him with. “Sorry for taking so long. The sewer system is a maze,” he said, jerking his thumb over at the sewer as he knelt down and poked the sludge on the ground, the semi-liquid form of the villain not moving at all, his eyes wide and unfocused. Toshinori pulled out two soda bottles he had in a bag, glancing up at his son and passing the bottles to his young pupils, who took them gratefully.
Izuku and Ochako both nodded, “We’re fine. Spooked, but fine,” Izuku said, letting his exhaustion hit him as he sat down on the ground, chugging down the soda quickly and breathing heavily as the adrenaline faded. Ochako sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder after chugging her own soda. Toshinori took the bottles after they had finished and while they came down from the excitement and adrenaline, he handled the villain, scooping him up into the bottles.
Once Toshinori was done collecting the villain, he walked over and squatted in front of them, giving them a once over. “You did very well, Izuku. You defended yourself and Ochako wonderfully.” He glanced at Ochako, “Ochako, thank you for backing up Izuku. You two make a good team.” She smiled up at him and nodded.
Izuku looked down at his hands, turning them over, studying them closely. “Dad, I think my quirk is different than we thought.” He looked up at his father, the man giving him a curious look. “When the villain first attacked us, I threw a punch to try to stop the sludge, but… well, it felt like heat rose out of me and exploded out of my fist, almost like one of your smashes.” He glanced at Ochako, who was looking at his fist too.
She noticed his gaze and looked up at him, nodding in agreement. “There was a green burst of light, and then the air just exploded away from his fist,” she recalled, looking up at Toshinori.
Toshinori looked pensive, before standing up, “Well, it almost sounds like my quirk. I’d say that we need to do more training. We’ll explore it. But for now... I need to be off. Gotta get this guy to the police!” he said as he inflated into his muscle form again, patting the bottles in his pockets. He turned to leap away, “You two be safe getting home!” he said, before jumping into the sky with a rush of wind.
Izuku and Ochako watched him go for a couple of seconds. It wasn’t until All Might was out of sight that Ochako realized that she was gripping Izuku’s warm hand tightly. Blushing furiously, she slipped her hand out of his and spun around to grab her bag from the ground in a huff.
Izuku looked back down from the sky at Ochako in curiosity as she stood back up, brushing off the dirt on her bag.
“You really okay?” Izuku asked softly, as she walked back over.
She looked up at him and her blush grew, “Well, yeah, I mean, it was scary. But then you jumped into action so quickly… I… I dunno…” she said, before going quiet, looking off to the side. “I guess, it made me feel safer knowing that you jumped in, and I wanted to be there to help,” she finished quietly.
Izuku smiled gently, “I was scared too, you know. I moved because I needed to. It wasn’t a choice. And you did help. Without you backing me up, I don’t know how quickly that fight would have been over.” Izuku said confidently as Ochako looked up at him in surprise.
“Now, come on, let’s get home before Mom and Auntie get upset,” Izuku said, chuckling as he turned back onto the path home. Ochako snapped out of her surprise with a smile and jogged the couple of steps to catch up.
“Yeah, okay, but what should we tell them?” Ochako asked when she got to his side, looking up at him curiously.
Izuku chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head, “Yeah, on second thought, best not to say anything at all.”
They continued on, tossing ideas back and forth, trying to come up with something to tell their mothers that wouldn’t scare them too much.
Toshinori sighed with relief as he landed on the roof of a five-story building gently, stumbling as he found his footing. He wiped the blood from his cheek, and cleaned his hand in a handkerchief, before sitting down and resting, relaxing his form. Steam billowed off of him as he released the tension in his body.
“Down to 7 hours already. Only a couple more minutes left for the day,” he muttered to himself as he rested. His gaze turned to the sky, and a smile crept onto his gaunt face.
“Izuku’s first true fight. And he held his own,” he said softly, his heart bursting with pride. “Can’t wait to see what he does next. Sorry, pal, just not your day, huh?” he said, patting the side pocket of his pants where he had put the bottles containing the sludge villain.
Or at least, that’s where they were supposed to be.
“Oh fuck.”
Katsuki grimaced as he walked through a back alley, barely listening to the two other teens behind him.
“Bunch of fucking losers,” he grumbled under his breath as he finished off his canned soda, glancing back at ‘Long-Fingers’ as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, eyeing both of the boys with contempt.
Long-Fingers started to pull out a cigarette as he spoke up, “So Bakugo, what do you want to do? We could hit up the arcade, or maybe check out one of the local bars? I bet we can find some nic-”
“You idiots!” Bakugo shouted back at them, “If we get caught,” he spun in place and swiped the cigarettes from Long-Finger’s hand and launched them at a nearby trash can with a small explosion, “then my chances of getting into UA are shot!” He turned to stare at both of them, “And I’m not letting anyone get in my way!”
Both boys leaned back in fear as Katsuki’s anger radiated out from him. He eyed them angrily, before spinning again, kicking a soda bottle down the alley, where it hit a wall and exploded in a shower of green goo.
All three of them stood in surprise and fear as the sludge villain rose up, tendrils waving in the air as his huge eyes focused on the blonde haired boy in front of him.
“Another body with such a powerful quirk!” the villain's voice gurgled out.
Izuku and Ochako continued on their walk home, chatting animatedly about the day’s events, the both of them immersed in their conversation as they turned a corner, walking onto one of the main streets through Musutafu.
But when a young man in professional attire bumped into them as he ran, both were alerted that something wasn’t quite right. A large group of people standing around the entrance to an alleyway market ahead drew their attention as the man uttered his apologies and took off again.
“Hey,” Ochako said, grabbing onto Izuku’s sleeve as a large explosion burst out from a nearby alley. Izuku glanced down at her hand, up to her face, a look of concern painted on her face, and then he turned to the crowd.
“Let’s check it out. Could be some good hero action,” Izuku said with a smile, walking forward steadily.
They approached the rear of the crowd, Izuku’s height giving him plenty of clearance to see Death Arms, Kamui Woods, and Backdraft in the thick of a fight with green sludge as more explosions went off, setting fire to the street.
“Wait… That’s the sludge villain! But...,” he said in a low voice, his eyes going wide.
“But where’s All Might?” Ochako asked, looking around, her eyes full of worry, “He didn’t…”
“No. There’s no way. He’ll show up.” Izuku said, shaking his head, watching the fight with concern. If his dad lost the villain, then something must have happened.
“Weak.”
“Pathetic.”
“Useless.”
Toshinori muttered to himself as he loped down the street, following the sounds of the explosions and calls from the bystanders. He clutched his chest, gripping his shirt as his body fought against his will, the pain inside boiling up within him.
He approached the rear of the crowd, wheezing as his breath grew short, grabbing onto a light post to support himself. As he caught his breath, he looked up and horror struck him as he saw the sludge villain fighting against the three heroes in the alley.
‘Stupid, pathetic. GET UP AND FIGHT!’ he screamed to himself in his mind, willing his body to fight longer, but the steam wouldn’t come.
“Useless,” he said weakly, hanging his head in shame.
Izuku watched on as the explosions got bigger and more frequent, until Death Arms called back, “He’s got a hostage! Everyone stay back! We need a different hero to help!”
Izuku’s gaze turned from the muscular hero back to the villain, the manic grin and wild eyes of the sludge spreading wide as another explosion burst out of the body of goo.
‘Wait a minute. Out of the sludge? Not from…’
Izuku’s eyes went wide with realization. His gaze fell on a familiar mop of blonde hair and a set of red eyes, a terrified look in them. A chill ran down his spine.
“No,” Izuku said, his fists clenched by his side.
The next thing he felt was unbridled rage and uncontrollable heat rising within him, and he leapt forward, passing above the crowd with a blast of air behind him. Ochako covered her eyes from the blast and reached out after him, calling out, “Deku, no!!” but he was already out of her reach.
As he crossed the distance to the villain, the fire rose to its new master, Izuku’s body sucking in the heat and energy as he extended his fist, a ring of green light building around his bicep.
Toshinori turned in surprise as he watched his son launch himself forward, the fire in the streets leaping towards Izuku, wrapping around his body as it devoured the energy. Surprise turned to awe and horror as Izuku got closer.
“Pathetic, Toshi,” he muttered under his breath, as steam began to flow from his body, his frail form filling out slowly. “Now, save the boys!”
“YOU CAN’T HAVE HIM!” Izuku shouted as he rapidly approached the villain, his power reaching its limit, a thick green ring around his arm flashing brightly.
He landed a meter from the sludge villain with an almighty crash and thrust his fist forward as the villain turned to look at Izuku.
“You again!?” he called out. “Stop getting in my way!”
Izuku’s fist made contact and the bright green ring flashed down to his fist, exploding into the villain’s body. A titanic shockwave erupted from Izuku’s fist, punching a massive hole right through the villain, freeing Katsuki’s arm as the villain fought against the massive amount of wind pressure.
Izuku grabbed his friend’s outstretched arm, and yelled, “NOW, KACCHAN!”, spinning on his heel. Katsuki’s eyes shut as he focused and unleashed his biggest explosion yet, the bright fireball erupting within the green sludge, bulging it out like a balloon. It popped and sent huge chunks of slime and sludge across the alleyway as Izuku finished his spin and shut his eyes, pulling Katsuki with him, shielding him from the incoming deluge.
“YOU FUCKING BRATS ARE GONNA DIE!” the villain screamed as he pulled himself together.
Izuku’s eyes snapped open as he felt the energy of the slime behind them coalesce and reform, fear bolting through him as the villain was made whole, unharmed by either of the boys’ attacks.
“NOT ON MY WATCH!!”
There was a heavy thud to Izuku and Katsuki’s left, prompting them to glance at the sound, All Might stood between them and the villain, his head down, fists clenched tightly.
“FUCK YOU, ALL MIGHT!” the sludge villain shouted, his sludge rising up, “I’ll take you on, right now!”
“You’ll lose. Again,” All Might said, a wide smile on his face as he pulled back his right fist.
The villain’s face changed from angry and determined to terrified in a heartbeat.
“DETROIT SMASH!!” All Might called out as he swung his fist into a finishing move, swatting the villain across the entire alleyway with a colossal blast of wind that ripped through the alley like a monsoon.
There was a shocked pause as everyone around processed what just happened. The sky grew dark, and a light pattering of rain began to fall.
“Eiko, just breathe,” Momo said calmly, giving her long time friend a friendly smile, trying her hardest to help Eiko relax. If she was this nervous with just the idea of practicing then it was for the best that they did practice. Her bedroom was a safe space for them, Momo’s parents were gone on a business trip, and the family waitstaff was tending to dinner a floor or two below.
“We’re alone here, no one is watching us, no one is going to judge us and you’re not going to bite my face off,” Momo stated, brushing her hair out with a large silver brush, before placing it on her bedside table.
“Ehh! But it’s a kiss! It’s my first kiss! It’s your first ki- I think it’s your first kiss? Is it your first kiss? Did you have a boyfriend without me knowing?” Eiko’s cheeks were a vibrant shade of red, matching her bright eyes.
“For a tomboy, you sure are fickle about kisses.” Momo laughed and scooted closer to Eiko on the bed, her soft, pillowy mattress making even the slightest movement that much more noticeable. “But, no, I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
“Then aren’t you worried about your first kiss? Like, that’s important or something right?”
Momo just rolled her eyes and reached out to touch Eiko’s cheek. It was rough, much like Eiko herself, but also warm. “This won’t be my first kiss though. And it won’t be yours.”
“Ehhhh?” Eiko’s eyes went wide and she leaned back so far she nearly fell off the bed, recoiling from the shock of Momo’s touch. Panicked, she tucked and rolled off the bed, looking up at Momo from the floor with wide red eyes. “I kissed someone before? Who? When? Why?”
“I want you to think about that question.” Momo flopped down onto the bed in front of Eiko and poked her on the forehead. She smiled at her friend and then let out a long sigh as Eiko’s face only grew more perplexed. Momo expected as much; she was stretching the truth after all, but only so that Eiko would feel better. “Us.”
“Us?” Eiko asked, blinking rapidly.
It was so much fun watching her normally well put together friend freak out over something so small. It was just a kiss. “Yes. Us. We’ve kissed before. A few times in fact.”
Eiko’s brow furrowed, her fingers gripping the edge of Momo’s sheets while she looked lost in thought. “We did?”
“Yes, it was back when we played princess and knight all the time. I’m surprised you don’t remember.” Momo smiled. It wasn’t lying per se, so much as it was motivational storytelling. “I remember you rescuing me and then giving me a big kiss on the lips saying that it was your ‘knightly’ reward.”
Eiko blinked, then her face lit up. “Really?”
“Yes, really. So you see, it’s no big deal if we kiss.” Momo moved her hand down to Eiko’s chin and lifted the girl’s head up. She scooted closer towards the edge of the bed, nearly falling off, to bring her head level with Eiko’s. “Now, we’re just practicing okay, so there’s no need to worry, right?”
“Right!” Eiko returned, her head tilting to the side as she let Momo pull her in. “We’ve done this before. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Nothing at all.
Their lips met.
A jolt shot through Momo that forced her eyes to open wide. All at once, Eiko went from her best friend in the whole wide world to the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world. She was stunning, beautiful, kind, loving, amazing, and just so many wonderful things all rolled into the woman she called her best friend. Her best friend that she was now kissing.
Her best friend that she now very much enjoyed kissing.
How long had she been this way? Why? She thought she liked guys. She had never been attracted to a woman before. But she had never kissed one before either.
They parted. Far too soon for Momo’s liking. Far, far too soon. She wanted nothing more than to go back in and keep kissing her friend. Her very straight friend.
“See?” Momo asked, trying to keep it together in front of Eiko. The girl didn’t need to worry more. “Nothing to it.”
“Yeah,” Eiko muttered, her cheeks a light pink. “Nothing to it.”
Silence lingered between them, Momo’s fingers still holding onto Eiko’s chin.
“So, I think we should do it like in the play a few times. Just to make sure we’re comfortable with it, right?” Eiko asked, standing up.
More kissing? “Oh, umm, well sure. If you think you need more practice.”
It took everything Momo had to contain herself.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ochako asked Izuku for the fourth time as they finished walking home, brushing off some dirt from the shoulder of Izuku’s jacket. She had watched as he freed Katsuki, leaping into the fight without a second thought. She had watched as the Heroes berated him for jumping recklessly into the fight, though she was happy that All Might stopped them.
“He is a bigger hero than most of us today, jumping into the fight to save his friend,” All Might had said, before escorting Izuku to the paramedics and talking to the press. Izuku was released shortly after, and silently met up with Ochako.
He nodded for the fourth time, giving her no other answer, a simple smile on his face as they walked home.
“Okay, it’s just you’ve been quiet this whole time,” Ochako said, poking Izuku on the arm.
He blinked and looked over at her, his smile never fading, “Sorry, ‘Chako. Just lots on my mind. Dad said that he would catch up with us. He has something to tell me.”
Ochako looked surprised, “Why couldn’t he just say it when you get home? We’re almost there,” she said, looking up towards their apartment complex rising above the rest of the buildings around them.
Izuku shrugged, giving her an unknowing smirk. “All I know is that it’s important. I just hope I’m not in too much trouble,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, his fluffy green hair dancing in the wind. He stiffened as he felt his father’s familiar energy approaching from behind them.
“Here he comes,” Izuku said, stopping and looking back. “Let’s hope it’s nothing too bad.”
Ochako looked up at Izuku and back, and saw the tall figure of All Might rushing towards them down the street. He came to a stop right in front of them, panting slightly, before a cough rose up within him, bringing blood with it. He exploded in a burst of steam, coughing as he sank to his knees. Izuku rushed forward to catch him, but Toshinori held up his hand, stopping him.
“I’m fine, just exhausted. I really pushed it today,” Toshinori said, clambering to his feet. He glanced between Ochako and Izuku, smiling softly.
“You two did wonderfully today. I’m proud of you both.” Both of the teens beamed at Toshinori as he turned to Izuku. “But, you were reckless. I can appreciate what you did, but you need to understand that you can’t just run into a fight like that.”
Izuku hung his head and nodded solemnly. Ochako’s smile faded, and she opened her mouth to speak, but a hand motion from Toshinori stopped her.
“But what I’m curious about, is why you jumped in. What were you thinking?” Toshinori finished, eyeing Izuku curiously.
Izuku looked at his father and thought about the question.
“I...I guess I wasn’t. I just moved. I needed to save Kacchan,” Izuku said firmly.
Toshinori smiled broadly. “I thought it might be something like that. That settles it then.”
“Settles what, sir?” Ochako asked, her head cocked to the side.
“There is something Izuku and I need to talk about, Young Ochako,” Toshinori said, patting her on the shoulder with his large hand. “Go ahead and go home, and I’m sure Izuku will fill you in later.”
She blinked and nodded, bowing to her sensei, and turned to leave, giving Izuku a warm smile, before walking towards their apartment complex. Izuku watched her turn the corner, and felt out with his quirk, watching her energy fade as she passed beyond his range.
“Walk with me, son,” Toshinori said, turning away from the apartments, gesturing for Izuku to follow. “We have a great many things to discuss.”
Izuku nodded and caught up to his father, both men taking long steps, their height allowing them to travel quickly.
“Before I start, I want you to know. No matter what, everything that is said between us is right now a secret.” Toshinori said, head high as they walked along the empty street. Izuku didn’t respond, just nodding as he walked with his father.
“I also need you to know that I love you more than anything, and I would do anything in my power to keep you and your mother safe,” Toshinori said, looking at his son, his sincerity coming through his piercing gaze.
Izuku smiled softly and nodded. “Love you too, Dad.”
Toshinori smiled and turned back to focus on the road they were walking. “What I’m about to tell you will change the way you view hero society and quirks.”
Izuku’s eyes went wide, but he said nothing else, his excitement and curiosity focusing his attention fully.
“I wasn’t born with my power. I was quirkless, a statistical anomaly,” Toshinori said, glancing at Izuku’s shocked expression. He chuckled lightly. “My power was passed down to me from another. It is a sacred torch, handed down from Hero to Hero.” He held out a hand in front of him, both men glancing at it as small sparks of golden light and steam emanated from his palm.
“My quirk is called One For All,” Toshinori continued, before looking up at the beach they had been walking towards. They approached the hand rails and Toshinori leaned against the railing, resting his frame, sighing as he sagged against the cool metal. He looked across the pungent and disgusting trash heap, and an idea came to his mind. He smiled and filed it away for later.
He looked up at Izuku, a surprised and thoughtful look on his face. Izuku pondered the information for a second longer. “So, when you said your power is stockpiling power? But then, how did my quirk become this? I can absorb energy and redirect it, but nothing like that… and I’ve never heard of a quirk that can be passed down, how does that even work?”
“Izuku, stop,” Toshinori said softly, placing a hand on his son’s shoulder, breaking him out of the mutter storm.
“You will have to accept this. But the important thing you need to know is that I’m now passing this torch to you,” Toshinori said, pointing to Izuku’s chest. “You proved yourself a true hero by throwing all thoughts of your own safety to the side to save another. A true Hero has an unbendable, unbreakable will to save those that need it most, the strength to carry the burdens of those who cannot bear them themselves, and above all, a heart stronger than the toughest of metals, an unwavering conviction to do the right thing.”
Toshinori lowered his arms and regarded his son, who was staring at him with rapt attention. “Now, Izuku Midoriya, I offer to you my power. One for All, a crystallization of power, passed down from generation to generation. In this case, quite literally.” Toshinori said with a chuckle.
Izuku’s face broke out into a wide smile. “I accept,” he said shortly, bowing slightly to his master and father.
“No hesitation. Good.” Toshinori smirked. “Now, you are almost ready to get my power. We just need to do a quick test of that new ability of yours, and then we’ll decide what to do.”
Izuku nodded, getting excited to explore his power more. Toshinori gestured for him to follow, and walked down the stairs to the sand, Izuku right behind him after setting his backpack on the ground.
“It’s such a shame. This beach used to be beautiful. I used to bring your mother here. But it’s fallen into such a dump,” Toshinori said as he kicked a can aside. “Part of your training for my power will be cleaning this beach,” he said to Izuku, who was looking around at all of the junk with surprise.
“What kind of training?” Izuku asked, his head snapping to his father.
“Discipline and control,” Toshinori said, smiling broadly. “My power will enhance your own, so you will need to learn to control everything properly. I have a feeling that with your quirk already being part One For All, when the rest is added, it will supercharge your abilities beyond anything we can imagine. And with that, you will need to learn to totally command your power.”
Toshinori turned to a pile and picked out a dented and broken toaster, and handed it to Izuku. "We've known that you can take in energy. We now know that you can also release it. I want you to focus on pushing energy into this, but in a controlled manner so it doesn't explode," Toshinori directed, stepping back as Izuku grasped the toaster with both hands.
Izuku studied it for a second, before focusing on the heat he felt inside of him. He tugged on the heat gently, and it listened, flowing up into his arms, into his hands, small rings of light pulsing down his arms as the toaster started to warm up. The plastic melted, dripping off of the toaster as the heat rose. Smoke started to rise next, the electronics inside the device melting and oxidizing. Finally, the chrome exterior started to glow, the heat pulsing into it, overwhelming the thermal capacity of the device, chrome steel glowing red, then orange. Past yellow, to white hot, and finally dripping out of Izuku’s hands onto the sand, sizzling in the moist grit.
Toshinori watched in awe as Izuku slagged the toaster in front of him. “Very good, son. Energy control, check.” He turned and looked around and spotted a large fridge. He smirked and pointed, “Pick up the fridge and let’s move it to the waterfront,” he ordered.
Izuku nodded, and jogged over to the rusted fridge, picking it up easily.
Toshinori smiled, “I figured that fridge would be easy for you, considering your current weight limit.”
Izuku grinned over his shoulder at Toshinori and lifted the fridge onto his shoulder with one arm. “This is nothing compared to the lead drum.”
Toshinori chuckled, “Set it down near the water, and we’ll do one more test.”
They navigated the maze of trash until they reached the water, where Izuku set the fridge on the sand with a heavy thud, the heavy appliance sinking in the damp beach slightly.
“Now, I want you to recreate that punch you threw at the sludge villain. I saw it for myself, and I think you and Ochako are right. It’s very similar to my own punches, but yours is definitely different,” Toshinori said, pointing at Izuku’s fists. Izuku brought them up and examined them closely. “Your arm channeled power into your fist, which then exploded out. So,” he turned to look at the fridge, “Do it again, Izuku.” Toshinori finished in his teaching voice, pointing at the fridge.
“Yes Sensei,” Izuku said, bowing slightly before moving into position, squaring up to the fridge.
“Remember to focus on the feeling of your power, and your emotions when you acted. Your emotions guide you and your power. Mastering your emotions will lead to greater control of your power,” Toshinori said as he stepped back again, pulling out his phone to record what was about to happen.
Izuku nodded, and closed his eyes, focusing deep. He searched for the heat inside of him and poked it gently. It responded in kind, rising up rapidly. With his power at hand, he focused on his emotions.
‘When I fired the punch, what did I feel?’ He thought to himself.
The answer came to him easier than he thought.
‘Courage… Anger… Fear.’
He opened his eyes at the last one and took another breath, shaking the idea from his head, before closing his eyes again.
‘What did I feel? I was scared. Of losing Kacchan. Of failing.’
“Of not being able to save someone?” Toshinori said softly, beside him.
Izuku looked up at his father and nodded slowly.
“You know, son, when I took this hit,” Toshinori said, gently rubbing his injury, “I was worried for a while. What if I was unable to save you or your mother if something were to happen? What if I couldn’t save anyone else? What then?”
Toshinori sighed and smiled, “But then I saw something later that banished my doubt. Do you know what it was?”
Izuku shook his head, his eyes never wavering from his father. He had never heard his father talk about this. It was never brought up at home.
Toshinori looked Izuku straight in the eyes, smiling as he saw the fire behind the sparkling green irises, so much like his beloved Inko’s. His son’s strength shined through them fiercely.
“When I woke up and you and your mother were visiting, you had this fear about you, like you were scared to lose me. But then I told you that I would always back you up, and that you being strong for your mom is what I needed to get stronger. Do you remember that?” Toshinori said, grasping his son’s shoulder tightly.
Izuku nodded, a couple of tears sliding down his face as the memory hit him hard.
“That fire in your eyes, that determination is what got me back up. You showed me that I didn’t have anything to worry about. You chased my doubts away and showed me that I wasn’t alone. You showed me that you and your mother would be safe.”
His father’s words hit Izuku like a truck, a tight feeling rising up from his throat, the tears flowing freely now, a heavy sob racking his body. Toshinori wiped his eyes as he pulled his son into a tight hug as they shared the moment, patting Izuku’s back as the fatherly pride and joy flowed through him, his feelings for Izuku being made clear.
Izuku’s breathing slowed as he caught his breath, and he pulled back, wiping his eyes.
“Thanks, Dad,” he said, settling his body, taking a deep breath.
“You are my pride and joy, Izuku. Now, show me what you can do. Give me that determination.” Toshinori said, stepping back once more.
Izuku nodded, and mind clear now, he focused, pulling on the power.
‘Determination.’ He focused on his determination to succeed.
He pushed the power up and loaded it into his arm. He opened his eyes, the fires behind them blazing brightly, and tensed his stance, shifting his feet in the sand.
He took a breath and kicked off, taking three long strides in a flash, swinging his fist back. The bright green ring burst into existence on his bicep as he rushed at the fridge. He swung his fist forward with a shout, and then flesh met metal. The ring of light burst down his arm in a split second and exploded out his fist into a huge shockwave.
In slow motion, the heat and pressure from his burst of power pushed on the metal, warping it in an expanding circle, forcing it away from his fist. The metal plates of the fridge buckled, each one pushing on its neighbors in a cascade of pressure and heat. The pressure created a ripple in the metal that echoed around it as the fridge began to move away from its assailant.
The fridge kicked up a tail of sand as it sailed through the air, landing on the water in the bay, skipping twice before slamming into the water, finally sinking a football field away from the shore.
Izuku and Toshinori stared in awe as the fridge hit the water with a tremendous splash. Izuku blinked and glanced back at his father, “So...uh...do I need to go get it?”
Toshinori looked at Izuku and laughed, “Ha ha, no my boy. That was excellent. Now I know where we stand. But before I give you One for All, we need to rest.”
He turned away from the water and waved, “Come, Izuku. Tomorrow is going to be a big day,” he said over his shoulder, “Let’s hope your mother made something hearty for dinner.”
Izuku smiled as he ran after Toshinori. It was going to be a long night of waiting; the excitement was already building.
