Chapter 6
Inko and Izumi, after they showed proper identification, were rushed into the none descript building, passed armed guards, and into the back, being led down a maze of corridors; they eventually found themselves staring at Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye, who both looked like they should be confined to a bed themselves. The two heroes paid the two of them no mind as they stared through an observation window. Inko and Izumi hesitantly made their way to the window, unprepared for what they saw.
All-Might was in the middle of an extensive surgical procedure; the doctors were moving in what could only be considered controlled chaos. There was so much blood, and it was clear that the damage was extensive. In the middle, like a conductor for an orchestra, was Recovery Girl, directing the chaos with skill and composure though her face told a different story.
"What happened?" Inko managed.
Sir Nighteye, without taking his eyes off the happenings, "We tracked down the person responsible for your mother's death. We have been tracking him down for a long time, dismantling his vast network in hopes that it would lead us to him. That man was the most dangerous person on the planet; his evil and vile knew no bounds. We won, but we don't know if All-Might will survive." His voice was steady, hints of passion and anger seeping through his composure.
"That fool is too stubborn to die; if he doesn't, I will make sure to drag him back so I can beat that into him," Torino said, his voice heavy with fear.
Izumi just stood there, frozen as she bore witness to the scene. It moved in slow motion and, at times, like a time-lapse at other times. She offered every prayer she could remember to every spirit or deity she could think of.
Everything was just a blur for Izumi; she didn't answer her phone, which was blowing up with increasingly concerned messages from Momo and Kinoko. Eventually, it registered enough for her to respond that she was ok. Telling them that her Uncle Toshi had been in a terrible accident, and she was at the hospital with her mom as he was in emergency surgery.
The girls offered to come down and wait with her, but she had to refuse so as not to reveal her uncle's secret. Shortly after, she discovered that Aizawa and Midnight were also in the hospital, but their injuries were not life-threatening. Inko and Izumi visited them, with Aizawa at once bristling over Inko, fussing over him while enjoying her attention. Midnight, she contented herself with Izumi's fussing.
Thirty-eight hours later, Recovery Girl emerged completely exhausted, other doctors had rotated out, but she had been there the entire time.
Torino, Sir Nighteye, Inko, and Izumi sat with batted breath. "He is stable, but the damage is overwhelming; I don't know if he will be able to recover, and if he does, it will be at a fraction of what he was. He is awake and asking for everyone." Inko and Izumi walked right in as Recovery Girl held the heroes back. "He wants to pass it on to her; I got him to hold off for now."
"I understand; he wants to return to the Shimura line. I think the girl may not be ready, but I won't go against his wishes, he has been training her for the last few years, and her dedication is admirable. I worry about her trauma, though." Sir Nighteye said.
"The zygote will be great, her desire to protect is possibly even stronger than his, and she will be an amazing hero." Torino said, "Besides, we will help her along."
"That we will," Nighteye added before they stepped inside the room.
-Toshinori Yagi-
No one expects to be in this position; no one believes they will ever be here. Yet here he was he watched as Inko and Izumi came to his bedside, Inko's eyes filled with worry and Izumi's so terrified. Like the extraordinary people he knew they were, they smiled for him. Inko immediately scolded him for getting hurt, and Izumi held his hand smiling. He could feel their love; it warmed him; they cared for the man, not the hero. The difference was what mattered to him.
"I will be all right; this is a flesh wound." He said with a sly smile directed at Izumi, who giggled for him. "There it is, Sweet Izumi. There is no need to fret; the road to recovery is still long, but it will be one that I conquer. Though I believe my time as the number one hero will be ending."
"Shh, don't say that, Uncle Toshi,"
"There was a time where I foolishly believed that I could continue forever; such is the folly of youth. But tonight, though I was injured, I avenged your grandmother. The man that took her has been removed. But with that, I want to ask you something."
"Anything." She replied, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
"I want you to inherit my quirk, the same quirk I inherited from Nana and the one she inherited from her mentor. And one day, you will pass it on to whom you deem worthy."
"How is it possible to pass on a quirk, Toshi?" Inko asked, worried he was becoming delusional.
"My quirk is called One for All and has been passed down since the earliest days of quirks. The vile creature that I did battle with once had a brother, one he thought was quirkless; it angered and bothered him as he could steal people's quirks and give them to others. He forced a quirk upon his brother, a stockpiling quirk; little did he know his brother did have a quirk, the ability to transfer power to other people, and One for All was born. A quirk that couldn't be stolen but could only be given freely and with the intent to do so. Thus began a long journey of One for All that now resides within me, and I now want to pass on to you."
"Am I worthy?"
"You have come so far in the years I have known you, and you will go even farther. You have overcome and continue to face your obstacles and traumas. You once told me that you wanted to be a hero for all those who needed someone to be there, to listen and help those that felt help was beyond them. Has that changed?"
"Of course not; nothing could change that!"
"Will you also step in to protect all those in danger?"
"Yes!"
"Then, my sweet Izumi, you are worthy," the hero said with a smile. "The world needs to know that even if I am gone, there is a hero that will step up and say…."
"I am here," she whispered. They need to know that everything will be all right; All-Might wants me to carry on his legacy not as the number one hero but to let people know everything will be all right. "Ok, I will do it."
"Good girl, we will discuss it later, but please excuse me, ladies. I need to talk to Sir Nighteye and Torino." Inko and Izumi leaned down and kissed the hero's cheeks before leaving the room.
-Izumi-
Inko left her daughter as she went to check on Aizawa again. Izumi made her way to a courtyard and sat under the shade of a tree before pulling out her phone.
Three Musketeers Group Chat
Izumi: He will be ok, not great, but he will live.
Momo: Thank goodness, Izumi. I was so worried.
Kinoko: I was. Also, I know you and him are close.
Momo: Are you and Inko ok? Do you need anything?
Kinoko: Momo, you took the words right out of my mouth.
Izumi: No, now that we know he will be all right, we will head home to sleep and recharge.
Kinoko: If you need a hug or talk, hit me anytime.
Izumi: I wouldn't want to interrupt your date with Rikido. *Winky Face Emoji*
Kinoko: Really, you are going to start teasing me?
Izumi: It tells me everything is right with the world.
Kinoko: He has a friend I could introduce you to.
Momo: Unless it's Caliban, I am not interested.
Izumi: Nah, I'm good; how was your ball, Momo?
Momo: Fine, much like I anticipated, there was no spark with this one either, he was polite, but I will wait for my true love.
Kinoko: Are there going to be any more?
Momo: I don't think so; Mother was talking to Father, and she seemed to have convinced him to stop pressing the matter and let me decide.
Izumi: Thank goodness, I guess. I know you didn't like these matchmaking balls.
Momo: I did not; I felt pressured to connect even if there weren't.
Izumi: I am going to head back in. Thanks for chatting with me; it was nice. Should be back in school on Monday.
Momo: Kinoko, what do you say we visit Izumi to help her with all the assignments she has due?
Kinoko: That sounds good; Rikido is busy this weekend anyways at his parent's bakery; they have a bunch of weddings.
Izumi: Saturday? 9?
Momo & Kinoko: We will be there.
Izumi closed her phone and stared at the trees; her mind wandered to what Uncle Toshi had told her. She sat thinking about One for All and whether to share the truth with her friends. No hero ever stood alone. Toshi had Sir and Torino. She had Kinoko and Momo; for some reason, she missed the raven-haired girl the most; she just wanted her around. Something about knowing she was near.
-I-Island-
She screamed, and inventions flew through the air. Her Uncle Might was hurt; her Uncle Might, the symbol of peace, the man that told her she could do anything, had been critically injured and almost died. Her father had said to her that he wouldn't make a full recovery. That his time as a hero would be ending. Melissa Shield sat staring at a destroyed room, her heart racing, her mind suddenly becoming clear.
Someone had to step up, and someone had to carry on Uncle Might's legacy. She would do just that; quirkless or not, the world would know the name Melissa Shield, the quirkless hero. A new obsession formed, a new fire burned, she had a new purpose, and she would not be denied.
-Recovery-
Toshinori Yagi was never what one was to be considered patient; he tended to live his life in a Plus Ultra state. But being injured as he was and confined to the hospital was almost complete torture. Somehow, they would always catch him when he wasn't supposed to be doing something. Whether it was Recovery Girl, Inko, or the absolute worse was Izumi.
He had been out of bed just doing a few push-ups when the girl walked in, and her scolding had him sitting in bed, arms crossed, pouting. His feeble attempts to rebut her attacks or defend himself were skillfully dismantled in a way that hurt his head. A doctor had come in, heard a fraction of it, and walked back out. When she was done, she threatened to hold him in bed with her shielding if he didn't stop.
For six months, he was in the hospital, and for six months, the questions of his absence swirled. Thankfully, a friend from the U.S. announced that All-Might was on a particular assignment. He remembered to send her a thank you. His dear friend David along with his niece Melissa came to visit him so David could deliver some synthetic organs to help All-Might be able to leave the hospital. Melissa was more difficult to calm as the blonde girl cried and held on to him, afraid he might disappear. It took the arrival of Izumi to calm her finally. Ultimately, Izumi and Melissa seemed to bond over their love of heroes and Uncle Might. When Melissa revealed that she was quirkless, she expected Izumi to react negatively, but when the green-haired girl instead showed nothing but support, Melissa felt relieved. After hearing from Izumi how it took until she was ten for her quirk to manifest and the circumstances involved, Melissa realized that Izumi had gotten to experience some of the pain of being quirkless. While Melissa had been sheltered from the more brutal aspects due to her father's position and growing up on I-Island, it was a shared experience from which they could build.
The two girls bonded during Melissa's visit, with Melissa even meeting Momo and Kinoko. Melissa had led a sheltered life, so the concept of being able to make friends even if they were far away it was appealing. Also, with her hidden mission to become a quirkless hero, it would behoove her to make some contacts with possible classmates.
-Shota and Inko-
One Month after he had been admitted, Inko sat on the edge of Shota Aizawa's bed, feeding him some apples; while the man grumbled about being able to feed himself, he only did so half-heartedly. Inko sat there patiently, waiting for him to open his mouth before she could feed him another slice.
"The doctor says I can go home tomorrow," he said.
"Yes, he told me," Inko said. "I already had Nemuri give me the spare key to your apartment so I can come to cook for you."
"I am fully capable of cooking for myself, you know?"
"Are you saying you don't like my cooking?"
"No, I never said that. But why would you do such a thing?"
"Because I take care of what is mine," Inko said.
Shota sat there, his mouth slightly agape; he saw Inko flick her hand upward and his mouth close; before anything else, she leaned over and lightly kissed his lips. She then stood and walked out the door. She was there every day, cooking for him, and at the end of the day, she would walk over and kiss him again. "See you tomorrow," she would say and then leave.
Shota sat at lunch with Nemuri and Hizashi, teasing the underground hero mercilessly as he described what Inko was doing.
"For the love of god, Shota, please tell me you are kissing her back?" Hizashi said as Nemuri clutched her side.
"Well, yes, but…"
"But what, you blockhead," Nemuri said.
"I… think I should tell her that while I appreciate her cooking…."
"And cleaning," Nemuri said.
"And doing your laundry," added Hizashi.
"Did you know she even feeds his cat?" Nemuri said to Hizashi.
"You mean Princess likes her?" he said as he looked at Shota, to which their friend could only nod. Hizashi rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Let me get this straight; you have a beautiful woman like Inko coming over and playing house with you, and all she seems to ask for is a kiss when she leaves?" Shota nodded. "And she has been doing this for over a month now?" Nod. "Listen, you idiot, if you don't snatch her up, I will steal her."
Shota thought about it, and his blood boiled; Hizashi was his best friend, and he realized he would fight him tooth and nail for Inko. "What do I do?"
"Oh, I don't know, you idiot, ask her to dinner, kiss her first, tell her to stay," Nemuri said.
"Isn't that a bit much?"
"I could talk to Inko and probably tell her to wait in your bed if you need it any clearer. She wants a relationship with you, to get back into the world, and to be with you, dumb ass. And if you even say she should say something, I will hurt you badly."
"What if I go too fast or too far? Or I hurt her?" Shota said, looking down at his tea.
"You let her set the pace," Hizashi said. "She is the drummer of the band. She controls the beat. Start with dinner or kiss her first and see what happens; when she wants more, she will say so, or if she needs to slow down, let her say so. If you want this, Shota, then stop being so scared and take a risk."
The next day, he did just that when she arrived; before he sat to eat, he kissed her first, which she responded to. "Now, eat breakfast; what time do you return from patrol tonight?"
"About 5 am."
"I will ensure your food is ready so you can eat and go straight to bed. Just leave your hero costume outside your door so I can wash it."
"Ok, hey Inko," he said, suddenly feeling nervous.
"Yes, Shota?"
"Are you available for dinner Thursday?"
"Are you asking me on a date, Shota?"
"Yes, I am."
Her smile almost melted him, "I would love to go to dinner Thursday. Now eat your food before it gets cold."
Izumi was incredibly happy for her mother but also a little worried. But the happiness won out.
-The Transfer-
Izumi and Toshi stood in the medical center of U.A. as Recovery Girl drew a vial of blood from the pro before turning to the young girl.
"This is your chance to say no, Izumi," Toshi said.
"Not on your life," Izumi replied, extending her arm. Recovery Girl gently inserted the needle and pressed the plunger. "What now?"
"We should head to training ground beta; Sir Nighteye and Torino are waiting for us. As soon as you feel anything, say something immediately."
Recovery Girl quickly attached a few electrodes, "So I can monitor your vital remotely for anything."
The two walked in silence to the training area. Soon they came to where the other two pros were waiting.
"Anything yet?" Torino asked as Izumi shook her head. "Well then, why don't you warm up to get the blood flowing." Izumi immediately did as instructed; she didn't notice anything.
Not knowing what else to do, they started with a light spar of having Izumi create a shield to deflect Torino's attacks while Nighteye launched tennis balls at her from another angle which she had to dodge physically. After about an hour, Izumi threw the sign to stop, and everyone froze. Her face squinched up as Recovery Girl said that Izumi's pulse and blood pressure had increased.
"How do I call it forth, Uncle Toshi?" she asked.
"You have to feel it. I never had to think about it," he replied truthfully. To which Torino sighed, and Nighteye rubbed his forehead.
"When you create a shield, you describe it as pushing the energy out and into what shape you desire instead of spreading it to your body." Sir Nighteye said, stepping forward.
Izumi nodded and did as asked; she closed her eyes and concentrated on spreading it inside of her instead of releasing it from the outside around her, the mental image of her body forming her stopping point. Toshi smiled broadly as the girl closed her eyes as dancing white lights appeared under her skin, spreading out till her body gave a white glow, they saw the glow get brighter and brighter, and they heard Izumi grunt in pain.
"You are unleashing too much, girlie, dial it back some," Torino yelled. Izumi seemed about to protest, but she remembered how she had promised her mom that she would listen to her Uncles today. As she dialed it down, she adjusted it till she felt comfortable. Slowly she opened her eyes, noticing the glow coming from her body.
"Cool!" she said, smiling. "Is it supposed to do that?"
"It is different for everyone?" Toshi said, stepping forward and smiling broadly. She really would be a beacon of light. He thought.
"Can you move?" Torino said, Izumi moved slowly. It felt good, excellent.
"Yes,"
"How about creating a shield?" Nighteye said.
Izumi thought momentarily, "Oh yea," she said with a wicked grin. Izumi's shields were hard to see most times, depending on their intensity. This time it exploded from her in a brilliant green hue, the heroes braced to be struck, but it passed around them before they were encompassed. "It feels different like you told me that grandma's was called float, then she could suddenly fly."
"Can you retract it and expand it?" Nighteye asked.
"Definitely," she said, and they watched her push it farther and even surround them with a few buildings, then pull it around her tightly. "I could go bigger and stronger if needed, but he feels pretty strong. I think it's more like a barrier than a shield."
"But can you move?" Torino said. They watched her blur from her spot and appear before the hero.
"What do you think, old man?" she said with a smirk.
"Old man is it, Magomusume? (granddaughter) You are going to regret that,"
"Bring it, Ojīsan(Grandfather)."
They disappeared from their spot into the city. Toshi watched and smiled as they began to battle, Izumi's speed wasn't on par with Torino, and she couldn't move like him, but she was learning, and her shield creation was quicker and didn't break. In the end, Izumi was down to a knee panting, but her shield around herself was holding. She smiled as Torino came at her, and suddenly he stopped violently, encased in another shield. All-Might couldn't help himself and leaped in, yelling, "DETROIT SMASH!" Suddenly bulking up, a third shield suddenly manifested, and it didn't break. It was cracked, but it held. All-Might could also see the cracks shrinking.
"WONDERFUL, MY GIRL, WONDERFUL,"
All the shields dropped as Izumi stumbled forward, a broad smile on her face; she collapsed into All-Might's arms, "I did good, didn't I, Otōsan (dad)" she said as she passed out.
"That you did, Aisuru Musume (beloved daughter)."
Sir Nighteye and Torino smiled as Toshi carried Izumi in his arms, grinning like a dope; Recovery Girl did scold them for pushing Izumi so hard but told them she had over-exerted herself, and there were no evident injuries.
When Izumi awoke, she looked at the group around her in the medical wing, "FEED ME SEYMORE!" she yelled. "No, seriously, I need food asap; I am starving."
"What would you like to eat?" Nighteye said, pulling out his phone.
Izumi thought for a second and placed an order similar to what she had seen Momo eat. Nighteye said nothing and placed the order while Recovery Girl handed her some protein bars. It took the edge off her hunger pains. "I want to tell Momo and Kinoko." She told Toshi, "They are my most precious friend, and we are all going for U.A. You know them; you have trained them."
Torino went to speak, but Toshi held his hand to stop him. "I understand, Izumi, and I expected as much you may tell them; I know how dear they are to you, and it would be almost impossible for you to lie to them."
Torino stayed silent, the disagreed but he knew his Magomusume, and he didn't want her to be alone again; it was a small group, and if they knew, they could support her and stand by her side.
"Can I continue training with them?"
"Of course. Now how was it?"
"Magical, absolutely magical."
*Authors Note*
This feels like a good space to end this.
What follows is what I had written initially, but I stopped and stepped back before I went a different direction, so this is an Alternate Universe thing, I guess. Let me know what you think either way. The AU part is rough as I just stopped writing and didn't return to do edits—just a warning.
-Toshinori Yagi-
No one expects to be in this position; no one believes they will ever be here. Yet here he was he watched as Inko and Izumi came to his bedside, Inko's eyes filled with worry and Izumi's so terrified. Like the extraordinary people he knew they were, they smiled for him. Inko immediately told him that everything was going to be all right. Izumi told him he was too strong to let this beat him. He smiled, but inside he knew the truth. It had become apparent to him when Nana appeared at the foot of his bed.
"Izumi come here," he whispered. The girl came closer, leaning over him; he heard her whisper back that it would be ok because she was there, doing her best to smile like he had taught her. A horse laugh escaped his lips. "Listen, Izumi, I don't think I am going to be able to finish teaching you, but there is something that I need you to do."
"Uncle Toshi don't say that; I need you to be there. You are supposed to give me away when I get married and give the speech when I graduate from U.A."
"I wish I could, Izumi. I wish I could, but I need you to listen now. I was born quirkless, and your grandmother bestowed upon me her quirk. I know you have questions, but I need you to listen. She saw the potential in me and allowed me the chance to become the hero I am now; please take up my legacy and the legacy of your grandmother. The world still needs a hero to stand up and protect those who can't protect themselves. Sir Nighteye and Torino will train you; I promise. I know you can do it; can you do that for me? Izumi, can you be a hero that protects others, not for the money or fame but because it is right?"
"Uncle Toshi, I don't understand, but I promise I will always protect those who can't defend themselves and everyone I can."
"Recovery Girl," the hero said. The heroine walked over and drew some blood. "You need some of my D.N.A. to inherit my power, Izumi; this is your last chance. Do you agree?"
Izumi's head was in a panic; she didn't understand what was going on; she only knew that if he was dying, this was the most important thing to him. She nodded, "I will do it, Uncle Toshi; I will take up your legacy."
Recovery Girl injected the blood into her; Izumi saw her Uncle smile. He turned to the heroes. "Torino, Nighteye, train her, shepherd her, make sure when the time comes that she is ready. Inko, I am sorry I won't be there but know Hisashi will never bother you two ever again. Izumi, I love you. I wish that if I ever had a daughter, she would be as wonderful as you."
Izumi couldn't stop the tears as Recovery Girl ran to grab help, "I'll make you proud, I promise. Now hang on, don't go anywhere."
"I did it, Nana; it's home where it belongs," he muttered; he extended his hand to the space at the foot of his bed, and he smiled; it was the smile that had sheltered the world for decades that had brought hope and peace to so many, that had become a symbol. His hand fell limply to the bed as his last breath escaped him. At 3:36 pm on October 2nd, the symbol of peace died.
-Katsuki Bakugo-
The emergency broadcast alert rang across every phone, television, and radio. The students in his school all froze and looked at the television monitor in the hall. The Prime Minister came walking onto a stage, obviously shaken, the stood at the podium with tears falling.
"People of Japan, I have come before with a heavy heart. Today at 3:36 pm, the greatest hero the world has ever known All-Might, has died."
After that, Katsuki didn't hear anything else; the world became mute as students and teachers cried. He heard yells that it had to be a prank and that this had to be a lie. But Katsuki knew it wasn't.
-Momo-
She stood in front of the television, shaking her head. All-Might was dead. The Symbol of Peace was no more.
-Kinoko-
As she gazed at her boyfriend, he stood silently, not saying a word as tears cascaded down his cheeks. Their bag of groceries tumbled from his grasp; they had been on the way back to his house to bake up some sweets. Now they just held each other; neither could speak.
Please, god, let this be a cruel joke. She thought.
-Unknown Location-
"Did you hear that, master? He is dead." A doctor said to a body floating in a strange tank. He saw the hand twitch.
"Yes, master, I understand. We must find out if it died with him."
-The Hero Commission-
"Ladies and Gentlemen, All-Might is dead. Now is the time for us to move forward and secure the seat at the head of this country. The hero community will be looking for guidance, and we will be the ones that guide them. Nezu wanted a war. Now he will get one; there is nothing and no one to challenge us. FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"
"FOR THE GREATER GOOD!" the room shouted back.
-U.A-
Nezu reached into his desk and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and two glasses; after filling them, he slid one over to Lady Nagant.
"To All-Might," she said, raising her glass.
"To All-Might," Nezu echoed as they drained their glasses. "The commission is going to come for us full bore now. We have to hold on till the next generation takes the wheel."
"What if they aren't ready?" she countered.
"Then we hold till they are."
-Todoroki Household-
It didn't matter anymore; none of it mattered anymore. All the training, all the sacrifice, it just didn't matter anymore. He was supposed to see his greatest creation rise and take the ranking of number one hero from All-Might. Not have it given, but to snatch it away. Toya's death, Shoto's training, it wasn't worth anything now. Endeavor crawled into a bottle.
-I-Island-
She screamed, and inventions flew through the air. Her Uncle Might was dead, her Uncle Might, the symbol of peace, the man that told her she could do anything, was DEAD. A void in her heart formed similar to the one that had formed when her mother died. Melissa Shield raged against everything, raged against the loss, the hurt, whatever crossed her path.
Someone had to step up, and someone had to carry on Uncle Might's legacy. She would do just that; quirkless or not, the world would know the name Melissa Shield, the quirkless hero. A new obsession formed, a new fire burned, she had a new purpose, and she would not be denied.
-Goodbye-
The funeral for All-Might was a week-long affair as millions paid their respects, heroes from all over the world converged on Japan, and crime stopped just from the sheer presence of so many heroes. The villains hid, wanting to make sure it was true, that he was dead. On the final day, all across the country, at 3:36 pm, silence was held, and everyone stopped.
On the other side of the city, a small funeral was held with only a handful of attendees; Toshinori Yagi was laid to rest next to Nana Shimura; there were no long flowery speeches, just tears. As the attendees laid flowers, they spoke to their hero, friend, uncle, teammate, and student. Momo was there to support her friend. She knew how close Izumi was to her uncle and how much she looked up to All-Might. Izumi's uncle had been caught up in the destruction of All-Might's final battle. The last mourner, a blonde girl stood there with her hand on the marker; she seemed to be making an oath to the fallen man.
-Opening Salvos-
It started with a daytime robbery by a low-level gang of Villains. When they succeeded, it emboldened the others out there. Soon more and more began to come out of the darkness. They had been held there by the threat of All-Might, but now that threat was gone. Sure, there were heroes out there, but even the heroes had become lax.
Gangs began to form, first in the back alleys, before they surged onto the streets. People waited for a hero to come to save them. Unfortunately, they had to keep waiting. The Hero Commission started to send their soldiers onto the streets, rules of violence were loosened, and steps had to be taken to secure the safety of the people.
The Hero Commission training facility opened, promising to train the next generation to take back Japan—the security of a brighter tomorrow. They pressured the regular Hero Schools to put students on the streets paired with a hero commission officer. That this extraordinary time called for exceptional measures. When the schools fought back, they appealed directly to the students. Didn't they want to step up when the world needed them? Didn't they want to be the ones to turn the tide?
Hero Commission Heroes opened their agencies and supported the propaganda being spread, that it was time for those that could do so. They would sober Endeavor up long enough to trot him out; the new number one would smile and wave. Read the script and take out the villains who were unfortunate to cross his path; the people looked past the deaths. It was either them or the villains.
The mugging was stopped one night; when the witness was questioned, they said it was a person in an All-Might mask. Then it happened again. On the web, sightings began to appear across the country.
Chapter 7
Momo and Kinoko sat there flabbergasted as Izumi sat before them, terrified. She had just dropped a revelation on them that turned their ideas of quirks and parts of the world on its head. A few mushrooms sprouted around Kinoko, who took one and handed another to Momo.
"These should counter any hallucinogenic that we may have been exposed to," the girl said flatly as she popped the mushroom in her mouth; Momo, without questioning, did the same.
"How long?" was the only thing she said.
"5 minutes, maybe sooner due to your metabolism."
"Good, Izumi, please sit and say nothing for 5 minutes," Momo said.
Izumi did just that, taking a seat and experiencing the true menace of life waiting. Her mind whirled with irrational thoughts of being abandoned. She worried about losing her friends, that they would see her as a monster, curse and toss her aside. That she was indeed unworthy. As she fought back, tears were lost in her mind; she felt two sets of arms wrapped around her.
"Stupid, nothing could drive me away from you," Momo whispered, holding Izumi.
"Even if you hated mushrooms, I wouldn't abandon you," Kinoko added.
Izumi realized that she had voiced all her fears while waiting, but she couldn't complain in the embrace of his friends. Instead, she just hugged them back as they all processed everything getting themselves under control.
"So, your Uncle Toshi is All-Might, and his quirk is called One for All; it is a transferable quirk that dates back long ago, and he has given it to you after avenging your grandmother's death. Who gave the quirk to him?" Momo said, working it out as she spoke.
"Your Uncles and Aunt are all pro heroes as well?" Kinoko chimed in. "Is Aunty Inko some secret hero as well?"
"No, though she and Uncle Aizawa are dating."
"NO DISTRACTIONS!" Momo said. Izumi looked down sheepishly, hoping to change the subject.
"Yes, Uncle Toshi is All-Might."
"You now have two quirks?" Kinoko pondered out loud.
"No, but kind of?" Izumi said. "My quirk has fused with One for All and gotten stronger, but it also makes me stronger."
"Explain," Momo said.
Izumi thought about it and instead just stood up and activated One for All. The glow surrounded her, and she tossed Momo over her shoulder and Kinoko under her arm and walked outside carrying the two girls like nothing. Once they reached outside, she wrapped them in a barrier, shot them high above Momo's house, and rapidly brought them down safely.
"IZUMI!" Momo chastised her friend, partly because of the surprise, but it made Momo feel something she still didn't understand, which bothered her more.
"I figured a demonstration would be easier," she said, then she smiled so brightly at Momo, adding to the poor girl's confusion, "My shield stopped a Detroit Smash!"
"Are you serious!" Momo exclaimed. "Like full-on stopped it."
"My shield cracked, but it didn't break."
"Izumi, that is so fucking awesome," Kinoko yelled. "You stopped an attack from All-Might, but wait, doesn't he have his quirk anymore."
"He says he has embers, which will allow him to keep doing some hero work, but he will be stepping back. He said it could be for years as my grandmother had all her abilities for a bit after she passed the quirk to him."
"How does it make your quirk stronger then?"
Izumi thought about it for a minute, "Your quirk Momo is limited by the lipids you have available to fuel it." Momo nodded. "Mine draws on an energy pool. Imagine you have an ocean of energy or a giant fuel tank of lipids that you can tap into. My grandmother's quirk was Float, and she could," she shrugged, "well float, but after, she could fly."
"Are there any drawbacks?" Kinoko asked.
"Well, I can't use it at full power. It will break something; I get wicked hungry, may be able to eat Momo out, and am terrified. I fear you guys will leave me, and I won't be good enough. I won't be able to live up to the legacy."
"Izumi Shimura, your fear is unfounded, and while you may need to train more to harness this new ability, you will more than live up to the legacy, and we will be with you every step of the way if you think we are just going to walk away from you then you are sorely mistaken. We are together forever." Momo said.
"Even if you suddenly were allergic to mushrooms, I wouldn't leave you, Izumi, don't you get we love you," Kinoko added. Hugging the greenette tight, "Besides, we all have to train harder."
"Uncle Toshi said you can train with us if you want." She said, hugging Kinoko; taking one hand, she tugged at Momo to bring her into the group hug.
"Well then, of course," Momo said, joining in.
It turned out that Izumi could not out-eat Momo after training, but she could seriously make a run at it. It was that simple the three girls stood united and wouldn't let anything tear them apart. Their new training started to pay off physically as the girl's muscle tone developed even further, giving them impressive abs and well-defined muscles. For quirk training, Momo and Kinoko found themselves in the hands of Sir Nighteye a lot of the time. Though the pro hero was busy, he would always prepare lesson plans for them, and Torino would guide them through the steps; Toshi would pout as he remembered how harsh Torino was on him, and by comparison, he was a dotting grandfather on the girls.
In truth, he was just as strict but didn't feel the need to bop them on the head as much as they rarely repeated the same mistake and had much better heads on their shoulders than Toshi ever did. While they were all maturing into beautiful young women, Izumi's body changed the most as she was now on a rich diet, and all the years of repression seemed to finally fall off with the addition of One for All to her life. Her bust increased as did her posterior, giving a generous curve, and her waist seemed to tape in even more as all the baby fat was gone. Izumi had developed into a knockout and was utterly oblivious to it.
Kinoko was very pretty and had curves, and she knew that, and she would use it to tease her boyfriend of the past year and 1/2. Momo was still on that goddess tier; her bust was more significant than Izumi, and her waist-to-hip ratio was enough to give her an hourglass and add height; she was a model. The three of them turned heads whenever they went out together, Izumi would be oblivious to this instead of just bouncing around having fun, and she did bounce.
A flurry of their sweet 16s was each affair to remember. Izumi's was quiet and more private, with just her two friends joining her family on a trip to an amusement park; that alone was enough for the girl, but all her aunts and uncles had made sure to take the day off to be there. Inko and Aizawa even held hands during the trip and may have snuck a kiss here and there.
The Ferris wheel was an event. Somehow Momo and Izumi ended up alone with the others in different cars, and Kinoko opted to stay on the ground and visit a shop. Momo couldn't help but look over her friend as she excitedly bounced around; Momo took the opportunity to give Izumi her present. Izumi started crying was a beautiful necklace that had Izumi, Kinoko, and Momo's birthstones all together; Momo revealed that she had one for herself made and one for Kinoko as well.
When Izumi had Momo put it on for her, those strange feelings came over Momo again. She noticed herself keenly aware of Izumi and even found herself distracted by her friend's dress or undress, depending on the situation. In the light of the Ferris Wheel, she suddenly thought of kissing Izumi; this shocked Momo and yanked her back. When Izumi hugged her, though, she felt a warmth that wasn't like before and she didn't understand. Thankfully they started moving again so Momo could distract herself.
Momo's was an affair to remember; Momo's mother was not taking no for an answer when she dressed her daughter and friends in elegant gowns with rather generous necklines. The whole affair was this grand ball attended by a stunning amount of young men and women from the upper crust of society. Izumi and Kinoko, not from this circle, drew much attention from some young men. Izumi managed to keep her fear in check, not to lock herself in a barrier when one would come to talk to her. Instead, she became very adept at making reasons to leave the conversation, sticking close to Momo and Kinoko when she could. Kinoko was having fun but made sure to let each boy know that she was taken. One particular young man who had been in hot pursuit of Izumi had finally outmaneuvered the poor girl, and she found herself on the dance floor about to have a panic attack when Momo tapped him on the shoulder and asked to cut in.
Of course, Momo led as they continued to dance. "Whatever am I going to do with you, Izumi, I leave you alone for five minutes, and you are out on the dancefloor about to freak out."
"Oh, thank you for saving me, Momo, I don't know what happened, but I much rather dance with you."
Momo felt her heart thump when Izumi said that. "Don't worry; I'll always dance with you."
Izumi smiled and laid her head on her friend's shoulder; one of those times, Izumi was keenly aware of Momo; she felt happy that Momo would always dance with her; something about it comforted her and warmed her. When the dance ended, Izumi felt she missed her friend's warmth. At the night's end, Izumi gave Momo a gold bracelet with the simple inscription "To My Momo, together forever. Love Izumi".
The bracelet promptly became a permanent part of Momo's everyday dress.
Kinoko's celebration was what one would consider a typical teenage party; there were people from school, and her boyfriend even invited some friends. It was almost a mixer but without forced conversation or adult supervision. Kinoko cried when she received her best friend's necklace to match Izumi and Momo's. She also received a bracelet from Izuku that read, "To my best friend, Kinoko, From Izumi." That inscription made Momo happy, and she couldn't understand why.
The party was lovely, and between Momo's and Kinoko's party, Izumi was finding it easier to be around boys; they weren't causing her the emotional distress that they usually did, and it may have also helped that her barrier had managed to withstand a full for "Manchester Smash." She had even managed to punch Toshi through a building. With Izumi reaching control of 25%, their lives were going great.
Momo's confusion found a new level when she witnessed Izumi talking to a boy; not only was she talking to him, she was doing so off to the side. Something about Izumi doing this and laughing at some joke triggered an unfamiliar feeling to go with all the others that Momo was battling with. She honestly contemplated creating a dart gun to shoot the boy with. Fortunately for Momo and disappointment of the boy Izumi ended the conversation and walked away; Momo was not pleased with how he looked at Izumi as she did.
"Who was that?" Momo asked, trying to sound casual.
"Oh, his name is Denki. He is going to apply to U.A. as well." Izumi responded.
"So, are you going to talk to him more?"
"Maybe he was funny, though he kept looking at my chest, which I didn't like, but all the boys here keep doing it except Kinoko's boyfriend, which is fantastic. I like him even more now."
"Well then, have fun," Momo said and walked away, going to talk to some other guests. She wasn't sure why she said that or why she was doing what she was doing.
Izumi felt hurt that Momo had walked away from her, and she didn't like it. Fortunately, the two girls soon found themselves next to each other again, realizing they liked it better that way. The night soon ended, and the two girls found themselves helping Kinoko clean up after the last of the guests had left, and they provided their friend some cover to make out with her boyfriend. As the girls snuggled down for bed, Momo felt that warmth and tingle rerun through her as Izumi snuggled up for bed. It wasn't unusual, but it made Momo feel weird over time, but not in a way she wanted it to end.
As the year turned, they focused on the actual goal U.A. and the entrance exam. With only a few months left, they doubled down and entered full preparation mode with more intense training and studying. Fortunately, while Kinoko and Izumi were not stupid, they were not on Momo's level; the heiress could help them in any subject. She had been invited to take the recommended exam, which she was about to decline until Izumi and Kinoko made such a fuss about its honor that she reluctantly agreed.
-Katsuki Bakugo-
He had spent two years in the ward; when he emerged, he was on a better path and had picked up a sister. Two of them, to be exact, a one-year-old named Mizuki and one his age named Himiko Bakugo, formally Toga, but that was in the past.
He and Himiko had become friends in the asylum, and she was on her way to a life outside the law like him. At first, they clashed like cats and dogs, but soon they could find some common ground.
Like how the system needed to be changed while she was more a victim due to her parents neglecting her need for blood due to her quirk, and he was a product of that system that had told him he could do no wrong because his quirk was so incredible. The system needed to be changed; that quirk discrimination was terrible both ways. He saw another version of Izumi in her, kicked down by those who were supposed to care for her and discarded by society for not fitting in; he was not about to let that slide again.
He knew this still wouldn't atone for his crimes, but this was a start to being the hero he wanted to be. Once his parents started to visit him, he told them about Himiko, what she had gone through, and what he wanted. At first, his parents were reluctant, but as soon as Mitsuki met Himiko, she knew she couldn't leave her behind, thus beginning the process. It was a long process that took the better part of two years before Himiko came to live with them, and about a year after that, she became Himiko Bakugo.
The two siblings sat at the coffee table while Katsuki reviewed Himi's practice exam.
"You only scored a 70; retake it if you want that ice cream," he said.
"But Katsuki…"
"Himi, the exam is not that far away, and I thought you wanted to go to U.A. with me so we could graduate and improve things."
"Fine, but after I pass this, you better give me my ice cream, and we are bringing some anime after Mizuki goes to bed."
"Ok, but only six episodes tonight; I had a hard enough time waking you up for school last time."
"If I score a 90, can we do eight?"
"Yes, but hurry up, or you won't be able to bathe with Mizuki."
Himi pouted at him before taking the exam and focusing as she had definite prizes in mind. "Hey, bro?"
"Yea."
"Are you hoping she will be there?"
"I know she will, but yea," he said.
"Just so you know, even if she isn't, I am proud of who you are; I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you," Himi said before turning her attention back to her test.
Katsuki smiled at his sister and looked towards the ceiling, wondering what Izumi was doing.
-Momo and Izumi-
"Back scratches!" Izumi demanded with a pout plopping in front of her best friend.
"Izumi, where is your shirt," Momo responded.
"It feels better with bare skin, we just took a bath, and there is no way I am putting on a bra to go to sleep." The girl countered.
"Fine, but only five minutes this time."
"If you do ten, I will give you a back rub?"
"I should curse Nemuri for teaching you how to do those, but they feel so good, fine 10 minutes, and I get a full back rub."
"Deal," Izumi exclaimed, "Now scratch."
Izumi was true to her word, grabbing some of Momo's oils and giving her friend a thorough rub. As Izumi sat staddling Momo's back and rubbing in the oil, she felt warm and didn't understand why. With every moan that Momo would let slip, she felt warmer.
Momo was enjoying her back rub immensely as she could feel Izumi's hand sliding up and down her back, making Momo let loose little moans of pleasure; it was when Izumi began to rub Momo's legs that something else began to happen. Momo felt herself beginning to feel an ache build inside of her, nothing she had ever felt before, and when Izumi stopped, it didn't leave a lasting warmth. And when they went to bed, and Izumi cuddled up next to her, the ache began again.
Momo's mind raced as she could feel her arousal growing; looking at her sleeping friend beside her, she felt her gaze linger on Izumi's lips and the top of her chest. As Izumi was wearing just a tank top to bed, it provided a lovely view. Thoughts very unbecoming of a lady began to run through Momo's mind, ideas that she had only read about her romance novels under the bed. Once the realization that Momo was lusting after her friend, it snapped Momo back to reality.
She felt terrible for objectifying Izumi in this way; she closed her eyes and realized she could call so many memories of Izumi in undress or naked from the times they had bathed together. While she could remember Kinoko this way, those memories were unclear or failed to make her feel the way Izumi did.
Am I a lesbian? Is Izumi? I want to kiss her and be touched in ways I shouldn't think of. No man has ever inspired these thoughts, not even her flights of fancy about her celebrity crush Caliban. She wanted him to sing to her and dote on her. She thought of kissing him and other thoughts she had just been entertaining about Izumi and nothing. She wanted to pull away from her friend but also hold her close. It was a very confusing feeling. Who can I talk to? Does Izumi get the same feeling? Does she like girls or boys and is afraid of them right now? Do I like girls? Do I like Izumi?
The thoughts and worries were almost enough to keep Momo up all night; it wasn't until Izumi snuggled in closer, and her rhythmic breathing lulled Momo to sleep.
To say things were awkward, at least on Momo's end, would be to put it lightly; Izumi either didn't notice or chose not to. What Izumi did notice was that there was a wall between her and Momo that wasn't there before; Kinoko noticed something as well going as far as to pull Momo aside and talk to her privately; Momo was able to dissuade Kinoko by blaming the upcoming entrance exams with Momo taking the recommended exam while Kinoko and Izumi were taking the regular exam. In truth, Momo was confused and trying to figure it out; when she caught a look of pain on Izumi's face after she had made up an excuse to spend time away from her friend, she realized that she was hurting her friend.
Momo understood that Izumi was afraid of abandonment and left to the side. While Izumi respected Momo when she said she needed to do something, it had become such a regular occurrence that Izumi was beginning to feel like Momo was leaving her.
Izumi knew it was her insecurities; she talked to her therapist about it, her aunt Nemuri. She didn't like it. Kinoko had a boyfriend that took much of her friend's time, but she didn't feel like Kinoko was pulling away; the mushroom girl would always make time for their training and to hang out. In Kinoko's absence, Momo and Izumi had become even closer than they already were; now, Momo was pulling away for some reason.
Momo knew her answers wouldn't manifest out of anywhere, or by pushing Izumi away, I would make them come even easier. She missed her friend, and once she realized she was hurting her, she knew it wasn't right for her to continue doing so. The next day when Kinoko and Izumi were talking, Momo came up behind Izumi and wrapped her in a big hug.
"Want to spend the weekend at my house?" Momo asked.
"That would be nice," Izumi replied.
The two girls looked at Kinoko, "Do you think your boyfriend can spare you for at least one night?" Momo said, her head resting on Izumi's shoulder, looking up at Kinoko. Izumi's hands held onto the ones Momo had wrapped around her, smiling. Kinoko had a wild thought about how much Momo and Izumi looked almost like a couple that way.
"For my two girls, I am sure he will understand," she said as Momo and Izumi opened their arms to pull her into a group hug.