Chapter 55: Burden of the Fourth
Lunch is a simple sandwich with fruit. It's delicious and Izuku wolfs it down in less than a minute because he's absolutely starving. He also eats half of what's in the break room fridge and a liter of water. Firefighting, apparently, is ridiculously calorie-consuming. That or he's getting another growth spurt, which is a horrifying notion because he's tall enough alright, thank you very much. No one stops him from eating, though. In fact, the whole agency seems to be in recovery mode. Heroes lounge in the lobby, half in their costumes. Someone disconnected the phone at the front desk, which is probably a crime in some way, but everyone's too tired to do anything anyway.
Well, Izuku's not tired. Not a whole lot, anyways. He knows he's a little fatigued from the heat and lack of oxygen, but he volunteers to go for a coffee run so there's stuff for people to drink. Ingenium stops him, though.
"Paperwork," the man says, gently yet firmly guiding Izuku by the shoulder to an office room. "You're not getting out of it. You went Plus Ultra, now you go Paperwork Ultra."
"But isn't coffee important?" Izuku tries, looking back at the door to the agency.
"It is," Ingenium agrees, opening the door and letting Izuku in the office. "But Eraserhead would want you to do the paperwork. I want you to do the paperwork. And, uh, my brother Tenya wants to meet you. I wouldn't call him a fan per se, but he admires you."
"Alright," Izuku agrees, sitting down at the desk. "Where do we start?"
Ingenium smiles, but it's hollow. His eyes seem almost sunken in. He walks out of the room and wheels in a cart with a stack of papers a meter and a half tall. He takes off his ash-stained gloves and grabs a few centimeters of paper. He sets them on the table and grabs an entire box of pens. "With Quirk usage. You know about that stuff, right?"
"Yeah. We have to list when and why we used our Quirks. But…" Izuku slides a sheet over and looks at it. He'll need at least ten to himself. Probably more. He feels something inside him break and he slumps down in his chair. "I think I know why you wanted me to help with this."
Ingenium chuckles. "I know I'm pretty cruel, but doing it alone is way worse. It's why the agency does theirs together or in groups. My advice is to do a chunk, take a break, and then resume. Let's get started."
Izuku's fingers start to ache a few minutes in. He knows it's just because he really doesn't want to be doing paperwork, though—he writes for way longer at school daily. Like Ingenium suggested, Izuku takes a short break and stretches a little. He checks his phone, makes sure he's not trending again, and then gets right back to work. He's yet to receive any messages, probably because his friends, mother, and All Might are all at work. But that's a good thing, the more he thinks about it. It means they won't be worried and they'll call or text him as soon as they know. It also means he can focus on his paperwork, which isn't an upside, really, but it's solid practice for when he has his own agency.
A few minutes into his second chunk of paperwork, Izuku hears rapid footsteps coming down the hall. He looks up. Ingenium has set his pens and papers aside in favor of watching the closed door with a smile. Moments later, the door to the room swings open, and a rather tall teen with blue hair and square glasses walks inside.
"Tensei! Mother told me about what happened! Is everything alright?"
"Hey, Tenya," Ingenium says, pushing a chair out for his brother. "Everything's fine. It's good to see you. How's school?"
"As good as always," Tenya says, sitting down in the chair and accepting the pen Ingenium hands him like it's second nature. "I've been bumped down to second place in the class rankings. However, I'm sure I can reclaim the top spot if I continue to study rigorously!"
"That's great!" Ingenium slides a sheet of paper over to Tenya and looks over to Izuku. He winks, and his brother starts to scribble on the form without a second thought. "But don't worry about working so hard. You've already got the credentials needed to make it into UA. If I were you, I'd be more worried about the practical."
"Yes, but academic excellence is still a requirement to enter UA!" Tenya continues to write, but his other hand starts to move up and down sharply. Izuku watches as it keeps perfect time, the younger boy's jacket sleeve swaying as it does. "And the statistics show that at least sixty people per year earn enough points in the practical to be accepted. That category of people is then sorted through, and the top forty are allowed in. I cannot rely on the practical to carry me!"
"Fair enough," Ingenium says, grabbing a new paper to fill out. "But wouldn't it be better to ask a person who took the test?"
"Tensei, you graduated almost twenty years ago," Tenya says, looking over to Ingenium, who looks like he's having an existential crisis. "The material has certainly changed since then!"
"... Maybe don't remind me that I've been an adult for that long," the man says, setting down his pen. "But I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about him." Ingenium points to Izuku who waves.
"Hi."
"Ah! You are Midoriya Izuku, correct?" Tenya asks, standing up and leaning across the desk.
"That's my name," Izuku says, awkwardly shooting Tenya the finger guns. "You're Iida Tenya, right?"
Tenya nods. "Ingenium is my older brother, as you probably know. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've been interested in your abilities since I watched the Sports Festival." Tenya extends a hand to shake. Izuku takes it.
"Thanks," Izuku says, releasing Tenya's hand. "I get that a lot, I guess. You're applying to UA?"
"Yes, of course! It's only the best school for heroics in the country."
Ingenium chuckles. "There's Shiketsu, too, but you won't find anyone here who'll disagree. Midoriya, is it alright if Tenya asks a few questions?"
"Sure," Izuku says, pushing away the paperwork in front of him. He's always happy to talk about his school. "It's not the first time I've been asked about UA. What do you want to know?"
"What was your training regimen like leading up to the exam?" Tenya asks. "And I would also like to know how the two scores were weighted."
"Like if one was worth more than the other?" Izuku asks. Tenya nods. "I don't know, and if I did, I might not be able to tell you. I do know that I scored high on the written portion. Actually, now that I think about it, I had someone tell me that UA cares more about your actions in the practical."
"So the practical score is more important, then," Tenya says, stroking his chin. "Interesting. But what do they do if people have the same scores? It wouldn't be an issue for the top ten, but if places fifteen and under all score the same…"
"Oh, they've got ways of sorting through everyone," Izuku assures. "The written is probably one of them, but there's one that makes a huge difference."
"I see. And what might that be?"
"Can't tell you," Izuku says, smiling sheepishly. "It would directly affect your actions during the test, which would defeat the purpose of the system. If I were you, I'd go in aiming to be the best hero possible."
"Alright, you've given me a lot to think about." Tenya grabs a blank sheet of paper and scribbles a few things down. "Thank you for that. But I would still like to know how you trained before UA."
"Active combat training is probably the best thing to focus on for the practical," Izuku starts. "I wouldn't worry about much beyond that since UA will take care of everything else. Sparring with your brother is probably the easiest. Um, and I lifted weights and ran a lot, but that's just me."
"Hmm. Perhaps a workout regimen would be beneficial," Tenya says, pushing up his glasses. "I do a lot of cardio training already and I have some experience with my Quirk. But lifting weights has been shown to improve overall health and athleticism."
"I can help you get started with that," Ingenium says. "We'll talk to Mom and Dad about making some time. And you're always welcome to spar here if you'd like. The sidekicks will take it easy on you, so no worries about that. Midoriya might even go a round with you."
Tenya looks at Izuku. "It would be an honor."
"I'd like to as well," Izuku agrees. "Oh, and one last tip I think would help you: Precision over power, always. It depends more on where the hit lands than how much force is behind it most of the time. And heroes especially need to have an intimate understanding of their Quirks. Focus on the small stuff like turns!" Izuku looks at Tenya's arms. "Er, you do have a Quirk like your brother's, right?"
"Yes. The engines are in my calves rather than my arms, however." Tenya writes a few more things down on the paper. "Thank you, Midoriya. I hope to be your underclassman in a few months."
"I hope you get in, too," Izuku says. "I think you've got a good shot already!"
"Thank you!" Tenya says, sharply chopping his arm through the air. "But we should continue working! All of this paperwork has a deadline!"
They work for a while longer, occasionally stopping for breaks or to do other things around the agency. A few other pros stop by to check in with Ingenium. They leave with assigned duties or orders to rest. Everyone seems to be in high spirits. The lack of casualties lifts the mood, and smiles are everywhere. Izuku can even hear a radio playing in the lobby and someone singing as they do their work.
While the phone at the front desk never rings, Izuku's does. He's in the middle of writing an arrest report when it starts. The thing buzzes like a bee gone mad, shaking in his pocket as several notifications play at once.
"A phone call—a text—email—tw—a phone—a text is here!"
Izuku excuses himself from the room and heads down the hall, hitting Accept Call and pressing his phone to his cheek as he does.
"Izuku, my baby!"
He didn't check the contact before picking up, but he doesn't have to guess with that opening line. "Hey, Mom. How's it going?"
"I should be asking you that! Are you alright? Were you hurt? The news reports say everything's fine, but I'm still worried. This was supposed to be a relaxing thing to ease you back in! But now you're on TV again!"
"I'm perfectly fine, Mom," Izuku says, leaning against the wall. "The worst I got was a little dehydration. There isn't a scratch on me. And, uh, I didn't intend to get on TV. People were in danger, I happened to be in danger, and, well…"
"I understand," his mother says, her worry draining from her voice. "Just be careful for me, alright? I almost had a heart attack when I heard your name come from the TV in the break room."
"Are you off work soon?" Izuku asks.
"In about a half-hour," his mother replies. "What about you? When will you be home for dinner?"
"Uh, I'm not entirely sure," Izuku says, thinking of the mountain of paperwork that remains. "There's some stuff I need to finish up here first, but maybe I can work on it tomorrow? Or on my next shift? I'll ask Ingenium and then tell you."
"Alright, but the sooner the better, you hear?" On the other end of the line, his mother picks something up and then sets it in a container. It's probably a pen or maybe a snack. "I want to see you! You'll have to tell me all about your first day before the big fight."
"Will do, Mom," Izuku says. "I'll try my best to be home. Talk to you later?"
"Yes, talk to you later. I love you."
"Love you too."
Izuku hangs up and starts to walk back to the office. He starts to clear his notifications since most of them are from Twitter. He stops when he sees a few missed calls from Nejire. He quickly calls her back, nervously tapping his foot as his phone rings. He feels his stomach turn over, and his palms start to sweat. He shouldn't be nervous. It's just Nejire. But that just makes it worse.
"Hey, Izuku!"
"H-hi, Nejire," Izuku greets, tapping his fingertips on his thigh. "Uh. Why'd you call me?"
"So I could say congrats and make sure you're alright."
"Oh. Well, I'm alright," Izuku says. "No one was hurt. The worst thing about it all is filing all the paperwork."
Nejire sucks in a breath like she's been struck. "Ooh, yeah, all of that property damage and the fact that it was a national bank… Have fun dealing with that."
"I won't."
Nejire laughs. "I figured. But other than the paperwork, how was your first day back on patrol?"
"Good," Izuku says, "great, even. Ingenium is an amazing hero, and I can tell I'm going to learn a lot from him. You're also working right now, right?"
"Yep. Well, technically no. Ryukyu has me on call so I'm just hanging out in the office. I get paid to do nothing, basically. The only reason I didn't call you earlier was because I was sparring with one of the heroes here."
"It sucks that you're not on active duty," Izuku says, resting his back against the wall.
"A little, yeah," Nejire admits. "But the rest of the week, I'll be on the streets. Er, in the sky, actually, but you get the picture. Did you know as students we can only work so many hours of active duty a month?"
"I think I remember reading something like that in the terms of the license but I couldn't tell you what the number was," Izuku says, slowly sliding down against the wall until his knees are tucked into his chest and his rear is on the floor.
"Well, the limit is one hundred hours just so you know." On the other end of the line, Izuku can hear Nejire sit down in a chair. "But that's only patrol hours. You can be on call as much as you'd like."
"So you're doing nothing in hopes of getting called in?"
"Yep. That way I won't waste my hours. Pretty smart, huh?"
"Yeah. I might use that, actually. If I'm allowed to work that much," Izuku says, a little bummed. He's technically still on a mental health break of sorts. Hound Dog and Eraserhead want him to take it easy even if he feels great.
"Hey, don't get pouty. You've been doing so good lately. I'm sure Aizawa will notice and let you work as much as you can soon!"
"Maybe," Izuku says with a sigh. "I should be happy to be working as it is, but I still want more. I don't like being inactive."
"I know," Nejire assures. "But you'll make it through. Just a couple of weeks, right?"
"Something like that."
Nejire hums, and Izuku can clearly see her thoughtful expression even if she's tens of kilometers away. She's probably tapping her chin. "Oh! I know! My old middle school is having a cultural festival on Friday! Do you wanna go with me?"
Izuku blinks. "Your middle school throws a cultural festival?"
"Uh, yeah," Nejire says, sounding a little sheepish. "Erm, it's a… a private academy, so."
"Oh." Nejire's probably rich. Interesting. "Yeah, I'd like to go. What time?"
"I'll text you where and when to pick me up," Nejire says. "It starts at four, but everything fun happens after dark."
"Sounds good! Is it…" Izuku clears his throat and looks around the hallway. It's completely empty. "Is it a date?" he whispers into the mic.
Nejire giggles. "You betcha. See you Friday?"
"Definitely," Izuku says, a wide smile slipping onto his face.
"Perfect. I gotta go. You better get back to work, though! Don't let a hot date distract you, Deku!"
"And the same to you, Nejire-chan."
The other line goes dead with a laugh and Izuku relaxes against the wall. He lets his legs lay flat. That wasn't so bad. All of his nerves dropped the second they started talking. It was pleasant. Not as good as being with her in person, but a nice substitute. And, he thinks, it got him a date. A date that he actually knows is a date. It's a little embarrassing to consider that an accomplishment, but Izuku doesn't care. It's going to be great.
Standing, he slips his phone into his pocket. He walks back to the door and pushes it open. "Hey, guys, sorry about that. I just had a phone call, and… what are you doing?"
Ingenium takes his boots off of the table and lowers the newspaper he got from… somewhere. "So," he says, stroking his chin and trying to look scholarly. Beside him, Tenya looks tired of it all. "Nejire -chan?"
Izuku feels himself go scarlet. "That's her hero name," he defends.
"Fair enough," Ingenium says, cracking a smile. He tosses the newspaper in the wastebasket and turns to his brother. "And that, Tenya, is another reason for you to go to UA."
"Tensei, I already want to go to UA," Tenya says, trying to resume his paperwork. "I don't need another reason."
"Yeah, but you also have Shiketsu as a backup school," Ingenium points out. "You should change that."
"Why?" Tenya asks. "Why would I possibly want to exclude the second-best school in Japan from my list of applications?"
"They ban romantic relationships," Ingenium explains. "And that's not to say that not trying to date in high school is a bad thing. It's your choice—which is what I'm getting at. You should have the choice if you want to."
"I don't feel inclined to try that sort of thing out at the moment," Tenya says, "and frankly, I don't think I will until I'm an adult with a stable job."
"Cool, but you could change your mind." Ingenium leans back in his chair with his hands on the back of his head. "I was like that going into UA, you know. Then halfway through the second semester, I had a change of heart. They say your teens are the time to experiment, and boy did I experiment."
"I… you… pardon… can't…" Izuku watches as Tenya goes through the five stages of grief in three seconds. But instead of reaching acceptance, he settles on utter disbelief. His mouth moves in perfect sync with his hand chops, but no sound comes out. He turns to Izuku for support but finds that the other boy is busy hiding his smile. He makes a sound akin to a dying animal. Poor Tenya only finds solace in the paperwork. Izuku would comfort him, but he's too busy laughing.
Not bad for a workday.
[x]
"Danger Sense, huh?"
Izuku sets down his mug of tea and watches the steam curl as it rises. Nedzu's office is pleasantly warm and, most importantly, private. He's been in office rooms with the principal before, but not his actual office. The room is built like a bunker with security to match and everything a rat/mouse/bear/dog could need. And tea. Lots and lots of tea.
"I'm completely sure that it was," Izuku says, locking eyes with each of his teachers in turn. Gran is as gruff as always. All Might looks proud. Nedzu looks fascinated. "I felt… sick, almost, before the initial explosion. Sick and on edge. I wanted to move really, really badly. And then when I was searching the building, I somehow knew that Ingenium was gradually overheating. My gut didn't sit right then either."
"Interesting. I've been curious about that particular Quirk ever since I heard of it." Nedzu swirls his own mug of tea around, stirring up a wisp of steam. "It's a very vague name and description. 'Danger Sense. Allows the user to sense danger around them,'" he quotes.
"But that only gives me more questions," Nedzu continues. "Does the danger have to be active? Or can it be potential? What qualifies as around the user? What qualifies as danger?"
"I don't know," Izuku says.
"And we don't either," All Might adds. "Four was secretive in his nature. We know that from Izuku's dream and what little we've gathered about his history."
"Whatever it is, it's probably way stronger than what it was when he was alive," Izuku says. "All Might added so much power to One for All. Five and Seven both told me that. Danger Sense was probably strong back in the day. It'll only be more useful now."
"Imagine if you knew where all the danger was when you were just starting out, Toshinori," Gran says, smirking. "You'd run yourself ragged, stamping out all the crime you could. It would've made your climb to the top quicker."
"It'll be an amazing ability should he master it," Nedzu agrees. "But you'll have to be careful, Midoriya."
"How come?"
"If you reveal that you can sense danger in any form, people will become suspicious." Nedzu takes a sip of his tea. "The Hero Commission is already wary of you for suddenly gaining a triple aspect Quirk. It'll only get worse if you gain another. All for One is dead, but your life overlaps with his. To them, it's feasible that you're a former… project of his."
"I understand," Izuku says, "but I can't not use it. It's too powerful, too useful to ignore."
"Which is why we're going to train the hell out of you. Again." Gran Torino straightens in his seat. "You'll get the ability down pat, and then we'll work on how to hide the fact that you're using it. It'll take time, but that's a resource we have."
"Indeed," All Might agrees. "There's really no worry. We'll help you every step of the way. The first of which is activating it."
"You say that like we're going to try it out right now," Izuku says. "Are we?"
"I don't see why not." Nedzu pushes a button on his desk, causing a door to slide open. "We're under the school. Nothing bad will happen. Well, from the outside at least, but Yagi is plenty strong enough if you go out of control."
Izuku quickly takes another drink of tea and stands. "Alright. Lead the way."
If Nedzu's office is a bunker, then Nedzu's private training facility is a nuclear shelter. It's big, brightly lit, and the architecture is obviously made to withstand massive impacts. Izuku doesn't want to think about how expensive it must've been to make. The material definitely isn't concrete, but rather something much stronger. The scale of it all makes Izuku feel insignificant and nervous rather than safe and secure. Probably because it's completely empty.
"UA was a military school, you know," Nedzu says casually. "And, before that, a weapons storage facility. Rockets were stored right here, and in the event of war, they would've been hauled to the silo—which is a kilometer or so north—and loaded."
"They had nuclear warheads down here?" Izuku asks, shocked.
Nedzu shrugs. "Japan never had many of those. They only produced them for five or so years before the collapse. But yes, probably. More likely the warheads would've been napalm, highly explosive, bunker-busting, or chemical. But let's not dilly-dally!" Nedzu raises his mug. "Get to work! This'll be a fascinating experiment."
Izuku hears Gran scoff as he walks a few paces away from his teachers. "You can't just throw him a tidbit like that and expect him to get on with it. That stuff's too interesting and complicated to be glossed over."
"I'll answer all of his questions later," Nedzu says. "You may begin when ready, Midoriya!"
"Alright," Izuku calls back, now a fair distance away. "But, uh, I'm not sure how to start!"
"Blackwhip and Float had triggers!" All Might calls, cupping his hands around his mouth. "You said you wanted to protect the people on the street and watch Ingenium's back when Danger Sense activated! Find something to protect!"
Izuku nods and tries to concentrate. There's nothing to protect in a literal nuclear bunker. The only people he can see are his teachers. But maybe he doesn't have to see them. He wasn't looking at the people in the street when the explosion went off, but he still felt them being in danger. He looks up at the ceiling. There's plenty of people on campus. Someone's probably in danger. If he had to guess, he'd say it's a Support student in the workshop.
Closing his eyes, Izuku activates One for All. He lets the lighting dance for a moment, enjoying the warmth the power brings. Back at the start of the year, it felt like an ocean. Deep, wide, and impossibly large. Alien, too, like he didn't quite belong. But now he knows it like the back of his hand. The waves are his—most of them, anyway. And now, since the appearance of Danger Sense, the ocean has become smaller in perspective.
Izuku creates an image of U.A in his mind. He views it from the air like a bird. The skyscrapers of the fake cities gleam, and the streets and courtyards are filled with life. There are people laughing and smiling while on break. Beside them are people rushing to class. In the classrooms, there are students trying to learn. It's pleasant and warm. It feels like home. He pictures himself as a shield and lets his protectiveness come to the forefront of his mind. He feels the Quirk activate and feels a brief moment of satisfaction. But it doesn't last.
One of the students has cancer. Another is going hungry. There's a pot of molten metal in the forge about to tip over. The security guard at the front gate is sleeping on the job. Half the business course is running on nothing but caffeine, and a fourth of them are going to crash soon. One of the third years is trying out a risky move that'll surely break their arm. The buildings in fake city number five are much too old; they'll collapse soon. The electric generators under the school haven't been used in fifty years and will blow up if turned on.
All of that and more slams into his brain at once. Izuku stumbles and clutches his forehead. It feels like a nail is being driven into his skull. He feels blood dripping down his cheeks and lips. His stomach turns in knots. His knees give out and he hits the floor. The pain and pressure continue to build. There are so many people in danger. There are too many people who need help. He rolls over and looks at the ceiling. He tries to see through the rock, but it's impossible. He needs to help them somehow. He can't just lie here.
Izuku tries to stand. He falls down again. Someone grabs his arm but he pushes them away. "I… I…" He tries to say something, anything. But he can't. The words won't come out. And the danger won't stop. A bitter taste forms in the back of his throat. With one final attempt to move, Izuku vomits and passes out.
"You're supposed to be smarter than this." A whisper, hoarse and rough. Izuku pushes against the sand and opens his eyes. Nine suns greet him. He blinks rapidly and looks around. A figure stands a few meters away, hunched over. They're tall, only a few inches shorter than Eight. Izuku stands and runs over to them.
"Four!" he greets. "What happened? Everything hurt, and… well I'm here, so I must've passed out."
"You're supposed to be smarter than this," Four repeats.
"I'm sorry?" Izuku says. He takes a step back. Four sighs.
"You're clever. Brilliant, even. You're a natural with Quirks too. It's why I decided to let you give it a try. But you didn't figure it out."
"Didn't figure what out?" Izuku asks, trying to get a look at him. But Four keeps his cowl on right, and the only feature Izuku can see is a sharp chin.
"That Danger Sense has a danger of its own."
"I… what?" Izuku cocks his head to one side, curious. "I mean, all Quirks have some risk, right? Is Danger Sense different somehow?"
"Yes," Four says. "The strain is mental, not physical. The brain only has so much processing power. Danger Sense allows the user to take in more stimuli than the brain can handle."
"Then I'll work on it," Izuku says. "I'll start small and work up until I can handle all of it."
"That's impossible."
"How do you know?"
"Because I tried the same thing." Four looks up and takes off his hood. Izuku tries to hide his discomfort, because one half of his face droops down sharply. "I had a stroke at thirty-five and never recovered. I was getting seizures at twenty-two. I nearly died of a brain hemorrhage. I probably would've if All for One didn't do me in at forty."
Izuku swallows. "You… you tried to do what I did with my muscles with your mind. And it failed."
"Yes. The brain is an organ, not a muscle. It can be improved and strengthened, but repeated wear cannot be treated like exercise of the body." Four draws himself back up in his cloak, but he holds Izuku's gaze with steady confidence. "If you do what you did back there repeatedly, you will die young. Your brain told you to vomit because it thought there was something attacking it from the inside. Considering how the Quirk works, it's probably right."
"But why?" Izuku asks. "Quirks are… they're part of us. They put strain on us, sure, but trying to improve them shouldn't kill us!"
Four blinks, one eye doing so at half the speed of the other. "You live in the modern era. Quirks are streamlined. Efficient. Extensions of the body. I am a first-generation meta-human. My Quirk is rough and raw, like the first planes. It'll fly, but not well or sustainably. My master's is the same way. And so is Two's."
"So I can't use it to its fullest extent?"
"Not unless you're willing to die painfully and depressingly young," Four confirms. "It's an amazing ability even as it is. But as time passes, I've discovered that it simply takes the stimuli—meaning the threats to the protected—and shoves them in your head. There is no filtering, no protection, and no way for your brain to know what's going on. You simply know what's happening or going to happen. Neither you nor I have a sturdier brain than the average person, so we bear it all. It's quite literally a sensory overload."
"How did you use it, then?" Izuku asks. "Safely, I mean."
"On myself," Four says. "I thought of myself as someone to be protected and used it to sense my enemies' moves in combat. I found that three or four people is the safe limit to keep an eye on without experiencing any strain. You might be able to do more or less since all brains are different."
"Thank you," Izuku says, "for letting me use your power."
Four smiles thinly. It feels bitter due to the droop, even if his eyes glow with life. "Don't thank me yet, young one. Thank me when my power saves your life."
"I will."
"Good." Four looks up at the sky, staring longingly at the red sun. "I think it's best if we part now, Nine. I wish you luck and safety on your journey."
"Thank you," Izuku says, also looking at the sky. His eyes are drawn to the Ninth sun. It's small, but only partially formed. It shines like a quarter moon beside Eight's. "I hope I see you again."
"And I as well. Goodbye, Nine. And please, stay out of mine and my master's memories."
The beach fades along with the suns. Izuku finds himself lying awake in a familiar place: A U.A hospital bed.
Chapter 56: Lights, Camera, Pose!
"This is getting old, kid."
"Mr. Aizawa! Um, ah, it's good to see you?"
"No, it's not."
Izuku laughs nervously, scratching his neck and trying to look anywhere but his teacher's eyes. "Yeah, the circumstances could be better. Um… how was your most recent patrol?"
"You're awful at diverting the conversation," Aizawa says. From the corner of his eye, Izuku can see him lean back in his chair. It's just them in the room for the time being. He feels fine, if a little tired. All is well. "Why did Nedzu and Torino have to carry you up to Recovery Girl from the basement?" Ah, that. Not all is well.
"... We were trying an experiment," Izuku begins, keeping his words slow and deliberate as he tries to think of a good story. "And I got a little bit hurt, which is why I'm here."
"Alright," Aizawa says, crossing his arms. "What was the experiment?"
"Pardon?"
"Nedzu also said that you were hurt in an experiment. What was the experiment?"
"Well, Nedzu told you, so you don't need to hear it from me."
"Humor your teacher," Aizawa says, though it feels like an order. "What was going on in the basement?"
Izuku clears his throat and straightens in bed. He looks Aizawa in the eye. "We… were… trying to see if I could hold my Quirk at one hundred percent!" Izuku says, trying to hide the relief he has from coming up with something plausible. "It, ah—I couldn't do it. So I passed out, and that's all I remember."
Aizawa holds his gaze for a moment. "Why wasn't I present?"
"We didn't want to disturb your nap."
"You got lucky this time," Aizawa says, scowling. Izuku tries not to compare it to a sulking cat. "Your story lines up with the principal's."
"What story? What I said actually happened."
"Sure." Aizawa stands and stretches. "The next time you decide to test your upper limit, make sure I'm there to shut it down in case of danger."
"Yes, sir!" Izuku says, watching him step through the door. Aizawa gives him one last critical look before ducking out. Izuku holds perfectly still for a moment before sighing in relief. He wipes his brow with the back of his hand. He was sweating a lot, and his pulse is still really fast. Lying is scary. Who would've thought?
"I see that the crisis has been averted." Izuku looks over to see Nedzu standing in the frame of the door. "May we come in?"
"Sure."
Nedzu, All Might, Gran Torino, and Recovery Girl all take a seat around his bed. One of them shuts the door, and Nedzu cranks the air-conditioning unit up to its max. "White noise," he explains. "Aizawa is much too curious for his own good. It's best if we keep the group as small as possible, no?"
"It probably is," Izuku agrees. "Uh, I suppose I should explain what happened."
"When you're ready," All Might encourages.
Izuku recounts what he saw in the dream. He spares no detail, and watches as his teachers go from interested, to hopeful, to disappointed. It's clear that everyone wants him to be able to use the frankly ridiculous full potential of Danger Sense, but the full story sucks any positivity out of the air.
"... And he said that if I kept trying to use more than I could stand, I'd die young." Izuku twiddles his thumbs and looks down at his lap. "But he also gave me some pointers. It's safe to use on three or four people in close proximity, which will still be an amazing asset in the field. I just can't try to do what I did downstairs ever again."
"Unfortunate," Nedzu says, "but not exactly surprising. The Quirks in the old days were rather brutal and gruesome. It makes sense that the Fourth would have had some trouble. And the Second and Third as well, from what little information we have on them."
"Yes, I also wonder about what their Quirks might be," All Might says. "I suppose the only way to know is for you to keep training. The risk Danger Sense presents is a setback, but we can still progress. Perhaps we should increase the volume of training?"
"You do that and that Aizawa fella will get suspicious," Gran says. "He already knows that something's up. If Midoriya starts training hard right after something dark and mysterious happens downstairs, he'll only redouble his efforts to figure out what's what."
"We could edit my weight training schedule," Izuku suggests. "If I do more intense workouts less frequently, I'll be able to use my rest days to work on Danger Sense. It'll look like nothing's changed, but I'll still be able to train."
"Clever, simple, and doable. What an excellent idea." Nedzu raises his mug of tea in a salute. "That shall be our plan for the time being. Chiyo, do you have anything to add?"
Recovery Girl remains silent for a moment, looking deep into Izuku's eyes. She doesn't look angry, or annoyed, or spiteful. Instead, she looks worried, something that scares Izuku like nothing else could.
"Brain injuries are no joke, young man," she says, lacing her gloved fingers together. "The Fourth user was right to shock it into your system, but I will reiterate what he said. You do not mess with the brain. At all. The thing is so delicate, and even if we know a lot about it and have access to the best healing Quirks in the world, nothing can undo a brain hemorrhage. Or remove the risk of seizures. Or fix any damage to your memory. We can help a little, but it's impossible to have a do-over with your brain. And there's often not enough time to try for one, anyways. Hemorrhages can kill you quickly. The brain can also outright fail to work. There's no escaping that once it sets in. Do. Not. Push your limits. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. I never want to see you in here for anything head-related other than maybe a concussion. And even that's pushing it." Recovery Girl hops down from her chair and begins to leave. "And none of you should encourage him," she adds, glaring at each of his teachers in turn. "I like the idea of an All Might who knows about all of the danger all of the time as anyone would, but it's not worth it."
She leaves before anyone can reply. The rest of them sit there in somber silence. The world has already lost a Symbol in its prime. It will not lose another before it's finished growing.
[x]
Izuku forgets about the photoshoot until he's half in his costume at the agency, ready to head out. But then Ingenium walks in, casually tells him that they're two minutes behind schedule, and tells him to hurry up and get ready. They end up going for the studio on foot, or rather on Quirk since it's faster than any train. It should technically be a crime, but since they're in costume, carrying their licenses, and report the patrol route to the HPSC, no one can do anything to stop them. They walk in the front doors exactly on time, sweaty, out of breath, and ready to get to work. The person at the desk looks at them like they just killed a man and has them ushered away to get cleaned up.
It's not all that surprising, really. Izuku's never had photos taken professionally other than for school, and neither has Ingenium. And from the way Izuku's… makeup artist? Beautician? Stylist? Whatever the woman is, she talks his ear off about how bad his whole group is at looking professional. It's because they're all small-time heroes, Izuku thinks. He knows who'll be in the shoot, and none of them have had significant media appearances before. They're all in the same boat as him when it comes to this sort of thing. And that boat appears to be sinking.
Izuku has to shower because he's all sweaty and gross. Then, after he's dried off, the stylist washes his hair for him, dries it, and puts some kind of product in. He gets a manicure next, and the woman has a heart attack upon looking at his nails. Izuku tries to explain that wearing gloves all day is the cause, but she remains convinced that he intentionally messed them up to make her job harder. Izuku keeps his mouth shut, even though he's pretty sure no one will be looking at his hands.
Then comes the makeup. Unlike Midnight, they actually put some on. Izuku hates it. The stuff feels weird on his skin, alters his skin tone, edits the look of his facial structure, and completely hides his freckles. Then, as though to add insult to injury, the woman takes a brush, puts some kind of powder on it, and runs her thumb along the bristles. Right in front of Izuku's cheeks and nose. They (because by that point, the woman had a small team) give him fake freckles when he has real ones already. And they don't stop with his face.
They have him stand and fix his posture. They check his teeth to make sure they're straight and white. They give him implants for his shoes so he's taller even though it's completely unnecessary. And they even take measurements, complaining all the while that he didn't come in for a fitting earlier. By the time he's herded into a waiting room, he's annoyed. But Ingenium changes that. Because they dyed his hair.
"Don't say a word," Ingenium orders, shutting off his phone and slipping it into his pocket. Izuku's eyes stay locked on his hair which is one solid color unlike before where there were some darker spots among the lighter.
"It looks alright," Izuku says, fighting off the obscene amount of puns that come to mind. It's all Mirio's doing. He's been spending too much time around him. "But why'd they dye it?"
"Shading or whatever," Ingenium says. "I didn't listen to what they said because it sounded like a lie."
"Well, the shirts are blue," Izuku says. "Maybe that's why?"
"There's also red and white ones, too," Ingenium points out. "And even if I had to wear a blue shirt, it's not like it'd be the end of the world. I think the people here just hate us."
"Hate is a… strong word," Izuku says, finding a seat. "But, ah, we're technically not paying the company, so they're probably not happy with us. I mean, they gave me fake freckles."
"I thought you looked a little weird." Ingenium relaxes in his chair. "You've got this weird glow to you. Like a girl on prom night."
"Prom?" Izuku asks, not familiar with the term.
"Oh, that's right, you're just a first year student." Ingenium taps his fingers on the armrest of his chair, thinking for a moment. "It's just a big dance. Schools have them every year in America. All Might sponsors one for UA, and the third years get all fancy and party for a night. It drives the teachers nuts, but it's really fun."
"That's interesting."
"Yep. It's kind of a secret thing, though. No one other than UA alums really know." Ingenium chuckles, clearing remembering something funny. "It's such a secret that the staff has to explain the whole concept every year. And, uh, since everyone there's an awkward teenager, and there's only so many chaperones, and since UA is massive…" Ingenium trails off, looking to the side. "Look, if you ever have to pick between death and sitting through a lesson on safe sex beside Midnight and Eraserhead given by Recovery Girl, pick the less painful option."
Izuku recoils, cringing as he brings his hand to his mouth in shock and disgust. "That sounds awful."
"It was. Not that Mic would know. The lucky bastard faked sick that morning 'cause he knew what was coming." Ingenium laughs as he speaks, though, so he's not mad or anything like that. In fact, he almost looks fond. "You'll have to suffer through that, too."
"Can I just skip the dance entirely?" Izuku asks.
"Midoriya, you'll be going to the dance," Ingenium says, completely sure of himself. "If you don't ask someone to it, you'll be asked to it, and I feel like you're the type who'll say yes so as not to hurt anyone's feelings. Hero students are always popular at UA, so you'll be swimming in offers."
Izuku laughs nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah… maybe not this one?"
"Hm?" Ingenium cocks his head for the side. "Why—"
"—share a room? I can't even imagine! Don't you know who I am?"
"Ma'am, we had an unexpected booking that took priority over yours. I'm sorry for the inconveniences, but they'll only last a short while. It's only a one-day shoot."
"Only," a tall, wealthy-looking woman scoffs. The moment she walks through the door, Izuku straightens his posture and brushes some invisible dust off of his jeans. "One day is eight to ten business hours. I booked twenty for my daughter's shoot. Half of my time is going to be wasted!"
"I apologize," her usher says again. Izuku can't see them because they're on the other side of the woman and the door, but they sound tired of dealing with the woman. "We can reimburse—"
"Don't try to make it up to me with money," the woman sneers. "I make more in a day than this company makes in a month. Give me priority time over your other customers and I might consider using your business again."
"I'll be sure to let my manager know," the usher says. "In the meantime, please wait. You'll be alone in a few moments."
The woman sticks up her nose and walks further inside. She looks at Izuku and Ingenium but not rudely. Both of them are dressed in sweatpants and shirts provided by the company, so it's obvious that they're models. But she does look angry, almost livid. She looks over her shoulder and jerks her head. "Come in, Momo. We shouldn't be here for long."
Izuku shares a look with Ingenium. He moves seats to give the mother and her daughter—who looks about the same as her minus the earrings and a few centimeters of height—some more room. He awkwardly looks away from them as they sit down, stealing a look at the clock on the wall. Not that it does anything. As far as he knows, there isn't a schedule for him. He decides to look at his phone at the same time Ingenium does. Izuku settles on reading a few news articles, and Ingenium shamelessly starts a game of Tetris with the sound on. Izuku can feel the woman glare at him, but he does his best to ignore it.
But he can't. He takes a glance up and sees that the daughter is staring at him. He waves to her, forcing a smile. She freezes for a moment but quickly looks down at the floor, cheeks pink. Izuku looks at the clock again before continuing to look at his phone. Not ten seconds later, he feels her looking at him again. Izuku shuts his phone off and slips it into his pocket. He stretches his legs out and crosses his arms. He looks the girl in the eye. Green meets grey. She coughs and looks down.
A short while later, another usher comes by to take him and Ingenium. Izuku waves to the girl as he walks out, catching her wave and blush as he ducks out the door. "Collecting girls now, are we?" Ingenium teases as they round a corner.
"I just waved to her?" Izuku says, watching the usher stop and press the call button by a set of elevator doors. "She's probably a fan or something. And I'm single, so, like… Wait, can you even collect people?"
Ingenium laughs. "You're almost as bad as Tenya. That kid is almost impossible to tease. What you saw on your first day was a lucky break from me."
"Thanks?"
"You're welcome," Ingenium says, stepping into the elevator car. Izuku follows him. The usher enters last and hits the button for the top floor. "Being hard to tease can be a good thing. Means you won't embarrass yourself."
"Yeah. I guess I do that enough already," Izuku says with a thin smile. Ingenium hums but doesn't reply. The elevator ride is silent except for the music. It's in English, so Izuku only picks up that it's about getting caught in the rain.
The doors open after a minute and they all step out. Izuku expects to enter a hallway, but instead there's just a massive room, sort of like the film set back at U.A. There are false walls, lights, changing stations, staff cameras, and, most importantly, models. Heroes is a more accurate term for them, though. They mingle with each other, pointing to cameras and telling jokes. Each and every one of them is completely different from the last. Except for their smiles. All of them smile brightly and look absolutely ecstatic to be here.
"Follow me," their usher says, cutting off Izuku's train of thought. They don't even check to make sure that they were heard before walking off towards a director's chair sitting on a raised platform.
"You go ahead and do that, Mister Influencer," Ingenium says, clapping Izuku on the back. "I see a few old underclassmen I need to make fun of. See you in a sec!"
Izuku watches as Ingenium hurries across the room and greets one of the heroes with a slap on the butt. He gets one back in return along with a halfhearted jab to the face. The whole group of people laughs. Izuku looks back at the director's chair. He starts to walk over, slowing down as he does. It's weird seeing heroes out of costume, even more so when he can't tell who they are. He thinks he recognizes Hammerhead, a hero who specializes in aquatic combat, but it's too hard to tell without seeing his trademarked (but not really trademarked since he's never been ranked) pointed smile.
"Ah, he's here!" Izuku looks up at the director's chair which has swiveled to reveal a woman in her late thirties or early forties. She wears a simple black v-neck and jeans, but her hair is a wild, spiky blonde. Her eyes are red and her smile is almost predatory. She hops off of her chair and extends a hand. "Midoriya Izuku, right?"
"Yeah," Izuku says, taking the hand. "And you are?"
"Just call me Mitsuki," she says, her smile growing. He releases his hand. "Mind if I get a picture with you? My son's a big fan and I wanna make him jealous."
"Sure."
"Perfect, perfect." Mitsuki moves so she's standing right next to Izuku. She loops an arm around his shoulders and holds up her phone. Izuku smiles and tries not to think about the last time he took a picture with a fan. "Selfie!"
"I can write an autograph for him, too," Izuku says as Mitsuki types on her phone.
"Nah, that's alright." She slips it into her pocket. "The little shit got caught sneaking out of the house, so he's grounded. Getting him an autograph would defeat the purpose of his punishment."
"Oh. Okay." Izuku fidgets for a second. "So, when do we start?"
"Right now." Mitsuki cups her hands around her mouth and shouts, "Get set! We were supposed to start ten minutes ago!" Everyone freezes at once, and the staff starts to grab random heroes to drag off to sets. Izuku watches as a man with a camera guides Ingenium over to a set with a bench and shoves him behind a nearby curtain to change.
"You'll have time to socialize later," Mitsuki says, pointing to a set of three walls. "That'll be your first station: full body shots. One of our gals has a case with all of your outfits. Just put them on and do as you're told. Alright?"
"Alright."
"Good. Now scram!"
Izuku puts the clothes on and does exactly what the cameraman says. But the clothes are too tight. To a stupid degree. The definition of his chest shows through and he's pretty sure the thing is way too short since it just barely reaches his belt. And the pants—there's no way real people can wear pants like that. They're practically a second skin. And they're jeans, too, which doesn't help. They even make him take off his necklace which should be a minor inconvenience, but it ends up throwing his ability to focus out the window.
"Now tilt your head down. A little more. A little more. Too far. Now to the right. Good. Smile. Not like that! That's the smile you give villains. Smile like you wanna have fun. Okay, don't smile."
All of the stations go like that. Izuku has his makeup reapplied what feels like a hundred times, and he's coached on how to smile a hundred more. He resists the urge to tell everyone that he wouldn't have a problem smiling if he were actually happy, and he keeps that thought and all the others like it to himself. He sucks it up and tries to enjoy the way the merch looks because it's all really cool.
There are long sleeves with hero names across the back, tank tops with slogans, sweatpants with costume motifs, and t-shirts with heroes in dynamic poses. There are even scarves and hats, all of which have Plus Ultra written on them in bold white lettering.
By the time he's done modeling, Izuku feels a bit better. A few of the older pros wave to him and talk about how cool his moves are. He gets lots of high-fives, and there are even a couple of shots of Izuku posing with them. He holds some of the smaller heroes over his head, fake-arm-wrestles with one of the bigger guys, and does a handstand with a hero known for their gymnastics.
"All right, all right!" Mitsuki calls, waving her hands over her head from on top of the platform. "Nice work, everyone! Those should all be edited and finished within the week! But I've been told by your… particular benefactor that there is to be one final shot. Who here is the strongest?" There are some mutters in the crowd of pros, and few arguments break out over who can kick whose ass.
"Physically, I mean," Mitsuki corrects. "I don't care about skill right now. I need, like, three of you to lift the rest of you guys up for a stunt."
"Oh, that's easy," Ingenium says. "Deku and Piledriver can do that easily."
"I don't know about that," a large, dark-skinned man says with a laugh. "How much do you guys weigh?"
"That's a rather rude question to ask a bunch of ladies," one of the heroines says.
Piledriver raises an eyebrow. "Then it's a good thing there aren't any around."
"Oh, shit!"
"Alright, settle down," Mitsuki orders before laughter can break out. "Can you two do it or not?"
Piledriver looks at Izuku. "The kid could probably do it himself."
"Yeah, but that'd look pretentious and make him seem egotistical," Mitsuki says. "That's not what we're going for. We want badass. You two should stretch or whatever to get ready. Everyone else to that corner. The platform will be here in a moment."
The group disperses, leaving Izuku alone with Piledriver and a few workers. The older man wastes no time and starts to stretch by crossing his arm over his chest. Izuku stands on one foot and grabs his ankle, pulling the heel of his foot to his butt. A small current of One for All can technically do everything stretching can in a fraction of the time, but it would be awkward to just stand while Piledriver stretches.
"How old are you?" Piledriver asks, switching to his other arm.
"Sixteen," Izuku says, switching to his other leg.
"Sixteen? Jeez." Piledriver shakes his head in disbelief. "You're good for that age. When I was a first year, I was awful. My Quirk was alright, but I was bad at using it."
"What is your Quirk?" Izuku asks.
"Ground King," Piledriver replies. "The amount of strength I have is equal to the amount of force the object I'm standing on can take without breaking."
"Wait, but if you were touching solid earth, wouldn't you be unstoppable?"
"Nope. I'd be as strong as the dirt. Or the stone. Or the cement." Piledriver rolls his shoulders and leans to one side. "Anyways, what's yours?"
"I, uh… it's complicated?" Izuku says, crossing one leg over the other and bending down to touch his toes.
"I'm just messing with you. I know what you can do. We all do, really." Piledriver cracks his neck and shakes out each of his legs. "You ready to go?"
"Sure," Izuku says, standing.
"Nice." Piledriver starts to walk over to the group of people who are all huddled around a large barbell with platforms on either side. Izuku tries not to think of how small he is next to the man—he only comes up to Piledriver's shoulder. "I like your makeup, by the way."
"Thanks. I don't."
Piledriver chuckles. "Yeah, that's a common sentiment here. But one I don't have."
"Do you like yours?" Izuku asks.
"I don't actually have any on. Thanks for complimenting my flawless skin," Piledriver says with a smirk. "The stylists here didn't have any that matched my skin tone, so I lucked out. Oh, man, you should've seen the look on my stylist's face when she tried to figure out what to do with my hair!"
"They washed mine and loaded it with product," Izuku says, tugging at a strand. "It feels wrong."
"We'll be outta here in a sec," Piledriver says as they start to cut through the crowd of people to get to the bar. "I'm sure everything will wash out easy."
"Yeah."
"Okay, everybody! Here's our plan." Mitsuki holds one arm out in front of her as she stands before the crowd of heroes. "Half of you on this side of me, half on the other. Ideally, the weight on each half should be equal. You may get on when you're ready."
It takes a minute or so, but everyone steps on one of the two platforms. Except for the lifters.
"Good! Now, you two"—Mitsuki points to Izuku and Piledriver—"get set. You'll lift when I say go."
"Got it!" Izuku calls, stepping over the bar so it's between him and Mitsuki. Piledriver joins him and bends down to pick up the bar.
"This won't work," he says. "You're too short and I'm too tall. It'll look weird, especially if we try to put it over our heads. I'll be doing all the work."
Izuku thinks for a moment. With barely a thought, he starts to float in the air. Piledriver stands and finds that they're at eye level with each other. "Go for a clean and jerk," Izuku says. "A smooth one, though. We don't want to scare them. I'll keep off the ground but I'll still be lifting weight. Ready?"
Piledriver smiles. "Ready. Remember to smile!"
They lift the bar up to their hips, then to their shoulders, and finally above their heads. Cameras flash, catching every second of the pose. They hold at the top for a while before gently setting the bar back down. Everyone cheers after that, crowding around them and offering pats on the back. There are smiles all around.
Someone mentions getting lunch. Most of the heroes agree, so they completely book a nearby bar. Everyone takes their makeup off before going, and most wear their costumes for the hell of it. The waitstaff works double-time trying to keep all forty-two of them fed and watered, and the TVs in the dining room are constantly changing. Someone starts an arm-wrestling tournament which Izuku places fourth in. There are also drinking games which he avoids, but plenty of people joke about him being the designated flyer.
Everything calms down after a few hours and people start to trickle out. But not everyone. Five or so, plus Izuku and Ingenium, settle down in a booth and talk. Most of it's nonsense about work or family life, but as time goes on, and the adults gradually get more and more inebriated, the stories get wilder and wilder.
"Yeah, I cheated on my final first year. The practical, not the written. I actually got an award for it because no one figured me out until the start of second year. I still have the plaque on the wall."
"That's nothing. You guys remember that week where the communicators played Never Gonna Give You Up at random intervals? That was me and Hood."
"I call bullshit. There is no way you were smart enough to rig something like that up at fifteen."
"Sixteen, actually, and, uh… I Googled how to do it. There's a WikiHow article, you know."
"WikiHow got me through first aid class."
"Same. Recovery Girl was a good teacher, but I was an awful student."
"I think most of us here were. Expect Iida."
"That's because I actually studied. Unlike some people."
"I studied. Just for the wrong classes. Doing hero exercises every day was hard, so I was always worn out. I got better by second year."
"Oh, man, our second year was way better than the first."
"That's how it is for everybody. The first year's always boring and focused on conditioning. Second year, you actually get to have fun."
"Yeah, but second year was when me, Aki, Kai, and Xiu were all in school together. The shit we pulled…"
"We rigged the voting for the beauty pageant that year."
"Wait, wait, wait… that would've been my third year, which is the year I placed last in the pageant. I remember crying because I lost to a first year support student."
"How mad would you be if you found out that I had a crush on that first year?"
"I would be livid."
"Yeah, then I thought she was ugly."
"You're all awful people."
"Nah, we're heroes! Cheers?"
"Sure! Cheers!"
Glass clink together, and even Izuku joins in with his glass of ice water. Everyone drinks, some more than others. The glasses are set down with cheerful smiles.
"What about you?" one of them asks Izuku. "You're a first year student, but I'll bet you've got some cool UA stories."
"Uh, I kicked All Might in the crotch and made him swear in English," Izuku says. "But I don't know if that's what you're looking for."
The person that asked raises their hands in surrender. "Alright, that's it. We're done for the night. The little guy had the best story. Sorry everyone, do your drinking at home for the rest of the night."
Izuku laughs along with the rest of the table. "Thanks. It's really fun listening to you guys talk."
"You're getting five—no, shit, ten year old gossip," one of them says. "It's only funny 'cause we're all acting like idiots."
"They say that great minds are greater when they're together," one chimes in. "That also means that stupid people are even stupider when in large groups."
"You've had too much to drink, man. Cool it with the sake."
"Yeah, yeah, gotta keep my liver intact 'n all."
"Anyways, how do you like UA so far?"
"Oh, uh, it's great," Izuku says, taking a second to realize that it's him they're talking to. "I'm learning a lot, and everyone there with me is really awesome."
"I bet," one of them says, nodding. "Enjoy it while it lasts. High school won't be the best time of your life, but it shouldn't be the worst. Just try to relax and have fun. You're in one of the best schools ever, hanging out with future top pros on the daily. Don't worry about the exams."
"This's coming from the guy who almost failed homeroom."
"That was one year! One year! And I was working forty hours on top of school!"
There's a round of laughter and the conversation starts to die down. Everyone leaves a few minutes later. There are lots of reminders to call in sick for work the next morning and to text someone when they get home. Izuku is thanked by all of them for setting up the photoshoot and the gathering. He and Ingenium leave last, taking the bus back to the agency.
Izuku gets home at ten that night feeling tired but refreshed at the same time. He tells his mother all about the shoot before he eats, showers, and knits until he falls asleep. He doesn't dream at all. Just how he likes it.
[x]
"Jin, would you care to explain why your friend is passed out on my floor?"
Twice clears his throat and looks away from All for One. "Y'see, she, ah… was a tad—the girl didn't want to come with, so I—" Twice mimes swinging a baseball bat and whistles. "And then I dragged her here. She's kinda heavy."
"Charming." All for One rises from his seat, dragging dozens of medical tubes with him. Twice takes a step back but keeps his posture strong. He's subservient to All for One, but he's not afraid. It's the perfect way for an underling to view an overlord, and All for One takes no small amount of pleasure in having a loyal, competent worker under his thumb. "Well, she's not dead or concussed—a small miracle considering the lump on her head." All for One stands up and removes his hand from the girl's forehead.
"I, uh, didn't hit her as hard as I could've. I didn't want to kill my friend. Just knock her out, y'know?"
"Yes," All for One says, calmly sending a message to the doctor with the keypad on his armrest. "Jin, would you mind leaving us alone? I'd like to talk to her. I'll call you back in a few minutes."
"She's out cold—do you like talking to corpses or something? How disgusting."
"Corpses are almost never entertaining. Almost." All for One gestures to the door. "I have ways of waking her, Jin. You've seen me in action."
"Right, right. I'll be back in a jiff. Go fuck yourself!" Twice walks out of the door but not down the hall. He presses his ear up against the metal of the door. But All for One doesn't care much.
"Young Toga," All for One says, testing the name. "Or perhaps Himiko would be better… let's see, shall we?"
A bright yellow tendril extends from his index finger. It shoots across the room and stabs into the girl's neck. Her eyes open with a gasp, and All for One retracts the line. "Where am I?" She jumps up and crouches low. Her hands pat her clothes down, searching for a weapon. Her eyes inevitably land on him and his chair, and she flares. "Who are you?"
"In good time," All for One says, raising a hand to calm her down. "I will tell you soon. Just know that you are safe here."
Himiko's eyes narrow. She clearly doesn't believe him, which is a shame. She really is safe here. No one short of All Might would be able to break in, and their location is very unsuspecting. "Tell me who you are and where I am. Now."
"No."
The girl flicks a knife out of her sleeve and rushes him. All for One smiles and lets the knife hit his throat. It shatters on impact, and one of the bits of metal cuts Himiko's cheek. All for One stands. He grabs her by the throat and holds her aloft.
"You are safe here. Just not from me. If you try to kill anyone I consider an ally, I will kill you. Understand?" Himiko freezes and finds that she is unable to answer. All for One lets go and watches her collapse onto the floor.
She coughs, scratching at her throat. "What do you want?"
"You, my dear."
Himiko crinkles her nose in disgust. "Try anything and I'll slit your throat in your sleep. I don't care that you have unbreakable skin, I'll find a way."
All for One laughs, sitting back down in his chair with a smile. "No, no, you misunderstood. I want you to work for me. I offer full health benefits, two month's paid vacation, one month's sick time, and handsome pay."
"If I wanted to sell my soul to a bastard, I'd go work at the supermarket downtown," Himiko spits. "Now let me go—"
"Or what?" All for One asks. "You can't kill me. You can't escape. Your only option is to work for me."
"I'll run off on my first job."
"No, you won't. Would you like to know why?" Himiko glares. All for One takes it as a signal to continue. "This is why," he says, waving a hand out in front of him. On cue, a screen slides down from the ceiling. It blinks on and begins to play a slideshow. Each and every picture is of Midoriya Izuku. Most are basic ones taken by fans or for school, but a few catch him in action. Villains lay bound in Blackwhip, a battle-hungry smile playing on his face, and One for All leaks off of him in the form of green electricity. The screen changes to show him in a crowd, head thrown back in pain and blood pouring out of his stomach. Himiko's breath hitches.
"H-how…"
"I can give him to you," All for One says. "Unless you don't want him?"
"No!" Himiko flinches at the volume of her own voice. "I… I don't know."
"Are you sure?" The screen changes to show Midoriya drenched in blood on the roof of a hospital. He's smiling.
"No…"
"That's alright. You have time to think. But just know," All for One says, spreading his arms, "that if you work for me, he'll be yours once I'm finished with him."
"I don't like to share."
"And you won't. I care not for his body, mind, or spirit. Only for his Quirk. Once I have that, he is yours."
"I-I-I'm sorry, but I can't help you." Himiko starts to shake, her eyes welling up. "I… he can't be mine. He wouldn't… he wouldn't love me for who I am. I… I'm not his type!"
"Oh, my girl." All for One stands as Himiko collapses into a sobbing mess. He approaches her slowly and kneels down in front of her, cupping her chin with one hand. "I can help you with that. You won't have to worry about not being his type if you follow me."
"Y-you promise?"
"I do."
Himiko leaves in the arms of Twice a few minutes later. In her place, the doctor walks in.
"Eavesdropping again?"
"I was far from the only one, my lord."
"Ah, but I was at least aware of Twice. You, however, listened in without my consent or knowledge."
"Of course, my apologies?"
"You may live to see another day."
"Hm." There's a pause. "You were soft on her."
"I was soft on Twice and Tomura."
"No. You were reasonable with them. You promised to hold her hand the whole way through her part in our plans."
"Young Himiko needs it. She lacks the experience or know-how to be a proper villain."
"I think that you're biased."
"Why, Doctor," All for One says with a laugh. "Of course I am! You'll have to forgive a man for wanting to spoil his granddaughter…"