Todoroki watched Iida test out his arm. "Starting to think I have a curse." He deadpanned. "Two fights involve my friends having broken limbs."
"Iruma-kun, keep a clear distance from Todoroki, you don't need broken bones." Hagakure spoke out, holding onto the boy in question, who only had a small bit of bandage for his leg and a recommendation to not walk too much.
"Toru it's fine, Shoto is a good person, he's our friend." The boy gave his grin at the group again.
"You seem to gather quite a few of them quickly for someone that never had any." Shoto accepted with a small groan. "Just try not to chase down any more killers in the future, Iida. I don't think you can count on Iruma's dumb luck to save you again."
"Once again, I can't apologize eno-"
"Iida stop it, we're friends. I'd help you as many times as it takes." Iruma's gave a bright smiled. "At this point we've been through so much we might as well be soulmates." There was a scratch of metal from Hagakure's direction.
"Ah...Iruma-kun, when you use the word soulmates...just exactly what do you mean by it?" He was certain Hagakure's eyes were twitching, but again, invisibility made it hard to tell.
"People who are friends even if their souls move on." The boy answered.
"I always thought it was friends who lasted even through reincarnation." Shoto decided to bring it up.
"What's reincarnation?"
"I don't know whether to be relieved or stupedified." Iida remarked.
"Yeah, same." Toru sighed. "We'll fill you in on the bigger details, but soulmates technically infer romantic feelings, specifically for ONE person that is special in your life, someone that you can't live without and will cherish forever…" She was weirdly invested in this.
"Oh." The boys nodded, looking at each other. "Then what's the next level after a friend?" Shoto asked.
"Oh, is it a super friend? Like superheroes?" Iruma asked excitedly.
Before they could get an answer the door opened to reveal Manual, Tsukauchi, and a dog looking man. "Everyone, I take it you're feeling better?" Manual asked the group, before turning to his interns. "Iida, Invisible Girl?"
"We're feeling much better, Manual-Sensei." Iida responded for his partner. "I apologize again for all the hardship I've no doubt put you through."
"Then you'll have to make it up to me with plenty of hard work." The man smiled. "Oh, Todoroki, your father needed to make a statement, so he's not going to arrive."
"That's fine. I haven't seen my father in years, so it's not like that's anything new." Everyone was staring at him funny, but it was the truth. The hero was not his father.
"Okay then, pin it for later." Tsukauchi seemed to hold back a smirk. "And when we told Miriko she'd make a commotion coming through the front her response was …"
"Hey everyone, Kit." The rabbit hero came into the room from the window. "Didn't want ya to forget about me too soon, there's still plenty of lessons I need to beat into you quickly since you've been laying here. A full day of kicks across your butt should more than make up for it."
"That's if you can touch me! I'm untouchable now!" The determination in Iruma seemed to have skyrocketed since the sports festival.
The hero just laughed. "I like that confidence, I'm gonna love breaking it down to dust." She made her way to a free bed and laid back in it.
"If pleasantries are out of the way, I believe it is my turn." The dog man made himself known. "I am Chief Tsuragamae of the police department. This case has become very sensitive due to your involvement." It's what? "Stain has been admitted to a hospital. His body is littered with broken bones, bruises, and burns, all of which were caused by you."
"I'm not sure if you're all aware of this." Detective Tsukauchi was pointing at Iruma as he said it. "But public Quirk usage is illegal. What you've all done last night is a serious crime."
"But Rabbit-sama said it's fine as long as I'm with her." The boy looked confused. "Wait, no, the brain man took me … oh no, I broke the law! I'm going to jail! I never learned how to survive jail!" Iruma spiraled.
"Let's run off together Iruma-kun! We'll live off the land and make a life in the woods!"
"Ah, but I really liked school! I don't want to live in the woods again!"
"This is absurd!" Shoto shouted. "If we hadn't stepped in, Native would have been killed, and Iruma saved everyone there! The rest of the heroes were occupied with the four Nomu! Are we supposed to just let people die on the sidelines!?"
"So as long as everything goes your way, breaking the law is fine?" … Fuck, he was right. There was no moral ground he could take.
"I thought it was just fine if you weren't caught." They all turned incredulously to Iruma. "That's what my parents always told me when they send me to jobs for them."
"Right … nice people …" The detective looked tired for some reason. "Hey chief, do you mind if I take five? I have a bit of a headache."
"Go ahead." The dog man let Tsukauchi leave the door. "As I was saying, we cannot condone acts of vigilantism, even if it did some good in the end. Since the age of Quirks, Police have taken a solemn oath to never use their quirks on the public to maintain the status quo. This in turn created the need for heroes to take on deadly quirk uses."
"Why did they need to do that?" Iruma asked. "Helping people should mean anything is fine, right?"
"That is a nice sentiment, but we require heroes to go to hero schools for a reason. There was once a case of a civilian who could make anything nonliving turn elastic. Pretty reliable quirk in the right hands, except he wasn't a hero. He attempted to save a man who fell out a window, and his interference in doing so hospitalized both the man and the hero trying to save him."
"That had to hurt." He could agree.
"However, as far as I'm aware, other than Endeavor, who is making a statement, and Stain, who is unresponsive, no one else other than those in this room is aware of the truth, correct?" The man asked.
"Actu-" Iruma was cut off by a gloved hand.
"No one, sir. We haven't told anyone." Toru was lucky Tsukauchi wasn't in the room to confirm. "It was just us in that alley."
"Then your records will be kept clean. However, the credit for the Hero Killer's capture will solely go to Endeavor." Todoroki took a deep breath, and exhaled a mix of hot and cold air that literally froze and burnt the chair in front of him. He motioned for the man to continue. "I don't wish to ruin the potential of such promising heroes, so all I can give you is my thanks for your service."
"Wait, why isn't Miriko getting any credit?" Iida asked, and for a small second, Shoto felt a small smidgen of hope. "She was there as well that night."
"She's getting credit for taking on four Nomu. We're lucky we managed to hide the bodies as it is so no one can see the scorch marks."
"Eh, let Endy have the stabby maniac. It's going to be hella funny to rub it in his face knowing he didn't do a damn thing to stop him." Oh, THIS was a woman he could get along with. He wondered how weird it would be to have two mothers.
"I feel bad though." Yes Iruma, Endeavor getting credit was a bit annoying. "I really wanted to try reasoning with Nomu. Just because they can't talk doesn't mean they aren't people."
"Actually … I trust you'll all keep what I'm about to say secret." The group nodded. They were already keeping one after all. "The Nomu have been analyzed … they're brain dead."
"WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING ZOMBIES THE WHOLE TIME!?" Iruma was pale, jumping in his bed.
"Iruma-kun, don't be crazy, it's gotta be something more reasonable than the walking dead." Hagakure tried to calm him down.
"No, they're made out of multiple corpses. None of them can feel or think of their own volition." Multiple corpses … if it was just one or two it could be attributed to a quirk, but a hybrid abomination like this was beyond the normal scale.
"Oh, so they're more like Frankenstein than Zombies." … How was he even aware of that if he never knew what heroes were in detail? "That's a little less scary. Now they won't eat our brains."
"They'll still kill us."
"Yeah, but I won't turn into one of them if I'm bit."
"Your priorities are reasonable, if concerning." Iida stated, looking pale as well. Probably reaching the same conclusion as him, that these things had to be made intentionally due to the complexity of their existence.
"Ha! You kids are crazy!" Miriko ruffled Iruma's hair. "I knew sending you that offer would've been something else, Kit." Seemed like a very fun woman, especially with how the boy leaned into her. If only Hagakure wasn't emitting that negative aura.
==
Mandalay sat down with Kaminari. "Now then, there is a hostage situation. You have the option to call for help, go into the building through the side, or negotiate."
"Let's see...negotiate! I'm keeping the villains attention while allowing time to form a plan..is that right?"
"Depends, how do you negotiate, or keep his attention?" She pressed on.
"I would … um … try to understand his backstory … and ask about his home life?"
"What, no-who would do that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Sorry, one of my classmates actually DID talk down a villain during the USJ attack doing just that, the guy that was leading the whole thing too." The boy groaned. "He's about as smart as me and yet he can still keep up with the best of the best. He was involved in something recent too and … AH" He banged his head against the desk. "The class gap is just getting bigger … Koda is becoming king of the forest."
She glanced over at the boy, who was petting a bear. Dear served him fresh berries while a mountain lion served as his throne. Koda mainly needed to work on confidence, so tons of progress was shown on that front. "While I won't argue about the amount of growth, I'm not here to appease vanity, I'm here to help you grow into a better hero. You want my advice, stop thinking about the gap for the rest of the internship."
The boy shook his head, slapping his own face. "Got it, what's the next scenario?" He asked with determined eyes. He was very motivated. Kaminari probably didn't know that's what inspired Koda to progress so rapidly. The kid was growing in ways he wasn't even aware of.
==
"So you're fine then?" Ochako asked. "We got really worried when you hung up."
"Yeah, it turns out you need to charge phones. Who knew?"
"Everybody knows, Iruma. Everyone knows." She couldn't help but laugh. He was just so earnest in his confusion that she couldn't help but chuckle. "I can tell you all about your phone once we come back to school. I have a few moves I'd like to try on you too. I might be able to counter your dodging now."
"Oh, I'd love to see that! Except Rabbit-Sama basically kicked combat into my head for the past week, so you probably won't get the chance to touch me now. I'm untouchable now!" So giddy, so excitable, so genuinely happy and positive no matter the situation. Just talking to him made Ochako want to smile more.
"Oh yeah, how is Miriko by the way? Is she a cool bunny teacher?" She snorted at the class inside-joke.
"She's great! I can dodge better and she gives great hugs! Calls me Kit too for some reason." Aww, she was doting on the boy like a mommy. Parental instincts were always a win. "How's your internship, is he nice?"
"Oh very, he's less scary than his costume makes him out to be, also gives me and Mina lots of advice on how to handle villains. We should definitely think about teaming up when we go pro, I think our skills really match each other now."
"That's super cool. I can't wait to go pro with everyone." She could hear his smile. "Oh, I've gotta go now, the cafeteria just opened up and we get free food! Later!" And with that the conversation ended.
"Crushes, am I right?"
"Absolutely right, what would the ship name be?"
Ochako turned to her partner and teacher gosping, next to her. "I'm going for Iruchako or Ochuma, it's split between that." Mina wasn't even bothering to be subtle about it.
"It's not like that! It's not!" She tried to hide her blushing face, and made herself float as a result. Why did feelings suck so much!
==
"Iruma?" The grape haired boy asked, dusting the room. "He's super innocent and helpful really. A bit naive about the world though." The diminutive boy sneezed as she herself had multiple dusters and brooms in her hair's grasp.
It helped create the necessary skills for multitasking, but she couldn't shrug off the feeling Mt. Lady was taking advantage of the situation. "How so? I certainly believe him to be innocent, but naive in what way?"
"He's never been to pre-school, Karaoke, normal school outings, and according to Ochako, he didn't even know pro heroes made money." Alright there was innocent and then there was … graciously uninformed. "It's not his fault really, he mentions his parents from time to time...and they sound like, and pardon my language here, fucking assholes."
"None taken." She spoke. "Those that deserve damnation deserve the language. Such as the Devil within your classroom."
"Toru isn't that bad you know."
"I was speaking about Bakugo."
"Okay, you got me there." The diminutive hero rolled his eyes as he grabbed his mop. "Doesn't it bother you that we're glorified servants at the moment?"
"Yes, it does. However, it is simply a test from the lord. What am I willing to strive through in order to learn about my angel. What tasks will I walk through to achieve my dream? How will I survive this upcoming war? In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, amen."
"For once, I'm not too jealous of a guy getting so much ladies' attention."
"Then it seems your time here has taught you much and drawn you closer to the path of righteousness."
"Thanks...I think. Could you put a good word in for me with the girls in 1-B?" Absolutely not, however, she would nod all the same. Please forgive her father in heaven.
==
Jeanist sighed as the trainee scared off a FIFTH group of kids … today. Seriously, this was getting ridiculous, ever since a few days ago the boy had lost it whenever they took patrol, searching everywhere critical and trying to involve himself in battles. He also had this restless energy whenever they were at base.
"Enough Bakugo. Not everything you do as a hero involves fighting." It was getting irritating at the best of times and loathsome at the worst. "What makes you so frustrated that you can't even look at anyone without growling at them?"
"So far all you've done is prance me around and dress me up, when every other classmate has already dealt with live situations!" He shouted. "Even rescue based ones! I'll take anything at this point other than sitting and walking!"
"If there was a situation requiring rescue right now, you would scare the civilians and most likely put them in even more danger."
"Who the fuck cares if civilians are scared or not as long as they're safe!?" The boy continued screaming.
"Everyone, it's a hero's job to reassure people and give them a sense of safety." There was a certain logic to the kid's mentality, but he was too volatile to actually put it to good use. "I take it you, like many, are inspired by All Might?"
"Who wouldn't be, the man is the number one hero. He never loses and never falters."
"And you know why that is? How he became the hero 'that saves everyone with a smile'." Those words actually made Bakugo freeze up, he even looked a bit pale. "He reassures them, he has the trust of the world that he'll protect them. You're undeniably talented, Bakugo, but you don't have that reassurance."
The boy just growled, stalking off into a different room. The kid was barely taking any of these lessons to heart. At some point he would snap, and the results would not be pretty.
==
Toga finished draining a cute boy she found of his blood, but it wasn't enough. This would just fill the craving, not the desire she had. Right now she wants Stain. His bloody body, his grunt expression, his lovely demeanor. She wants to cut him up and become him, joining his quest to purge fake heroes.
There wasn't a single person in all of Japan, maybe even the world, that DIDN'T know about the infamous killer now. A man of strength, conviction, and sheer determination to change how the world works, and he drank BLOOD to do so! Someone with a quirk like hers could actually make the world better!
She wanted nothing more than to run up to the man, learn everything about him, and stab him in the gut and drink every ounce of his sweet life juices. She couldn't imagine what his skin would feel like when it became her own. Loving him, becoming him, becoming everything he ever was and taking his crusade on her own. She'll make sure everyone knows her sweet Stainy's name!
She began sipping the blood like it was a smoothie, making her way out of the warehouse. "Hey there Doll, have I got a deal for you." She aimed a knife at the voice's throat before she even thought about it, but didn't pierce him. She looked at his direction and saw … a man? Probably, it was hard to tell. It might have been androgenous, and that hair might be brown, or grey, or polka dot. He had a suit on, maybe? "Woh now, let's not get an itchy finger." He was calm, she knew he was calm.
"You don't look cute, but I'll still stab you!" She gleefully cheered. "Just a little blood across the forehead and neck will make you look just a tad bit better."
"Now I can't complain about my appearance, never could, but I can offer you something better than stabbing the little old me." The man spoke up.
"Oh really, you're gonna offer me something cute?" Toga smiled, holding the knife closer to his throat.
"Better, I'm offering you friends to help you cut people up." Oh really? "You know about Stain? These are the guys behind him."
"You're with the league!?" She lowered the knife, holding a cute pose. Everyone said the league was involved with Stain due to them attacking the same city. If he could get her a spot everyone who loved Stain just as much as her would be together! "And you're saying I can join?"
"Trust me when I say you'll fit right in."
==
Miriko watched her little Kit pack up his bag. "Are you sure I can keep all this food?"
"I've seen the way you eat, take it." She was loaded, she could get more. "You're a tough little badass Kit. You managed to dodge two thirds of my kicks near the end. I say that's progress."
"Thank you, I promise to live up to your expectations!" The boy bowed down.
"Now, who are you!" She shouted.
"Oh, did I not say my name before now?" Right, the kid was a four year old in a fifteen year old body. "I'm Iruma Suzuki!"
"No, no you little dummy, who are you? When you're out saving lives, what name will everyone be cheering for?"
"Oh, I'm Kettei!" He shouted out loud. "I'm the determined assisting hero!"
"Good, now keep that determination, and don't back down for anyone! And if someone says you can't, murder them!"
"You should have taken Bakugo, he would have really loved it here."
"I bet he would've." She remembered the festival, she knew it would've taken the entire internship for her to beat anything practical in that stubborn head of his. It would've been fun. "I'm glad I got you instead, Kit. It's been fun having you around."
"Glad you enjoyed my company. I hope I can come back soon." Yeah, she did too. "Well, I guess I'll head out now." Right, back to UA, back home...where he slept outside….
"Uh, wait..Why don't I walk you back to the trains at least. In fact, we can ride on top of them one last time. Hopefully without Nomu taking you hostage."
"Oh, that sounds nice." The kit innocently grinned. "Train ride, train ride, train ride." He chanted as he made his way to the station. Great, now that was gonna grit on her. Hopefully someone there was looking out for her Kit...she might have to smash some skulls in otherwise.
==
"I got the shit nearly beat out of me by a walking corpse?" Toshinori asked his life long partner in the police force.
"Correction, multiple corpses that, as Suzuki put, were 'frankensteined' together." Tsukauchi explained, rubbing his head as he took an aspirin. "All of them, from what DNA has been able to tell us, are reported missing persons over the years, mostly petty crimes to their names."
"Multiple bodies stitched together like this … it would take an impressive scientist to make it work." There weren't many biologists that could do it. Quirk surgeries were still in the hypothetical stages after all. "Do you have checks running for doctors?"
"We have, but it's been getting difficult. There've been quite a few firings over the past year, so it's been hard to keep track of who's who or where most of the unemployed live now. There's this one woman who completely disappeared from the face of the earth, her kid too."
"Woman and kid … I doubt it would be them doing it, no mother would do that to a son." Whoever did would be beyond redemption. "What concerns me more is how programmed it was. The USJ one is still unresponsive despite, you know, being alive?"
"As alive as it can be. The kids mentioned it only listened to Shigaraki, and only started attacking them when they got in the way of it's orders to kill any hero that arrived." Tsukauchi sighed. "I know this might not be what you want to hear, but when I hear multiple quirks, I can't help but think about... him. "
"That's impossible." Toshinori stated clearly. "I knocked the top part of his skull off and it didn't come back. There was no chance of survival."
"The man has been around for over a hundred years. You're saying, with absolute certainty, he wouldn't have a trick or two to get around that?" That was difficult to argue with. The man probably had a whole stockpile of regeneration quirks just waiting to be used.
"I can't..It wasn't supposed to be like this." Toshinori sighed. "I found a successor so that he could let OFA thrive in a peaceful world, not so he could fight a centuries old grudge! He's not ready for something like this!"
"I don't think he'll have a choice, Toshi." Tsukauchi spoke truthfully. "Have you even told him about All For One?"
"Never thought i'd need to … so much darkness for such an innocent boy …" He sighed. "It's time I told him the truth then, time that he learns the history … of One For All."