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A Hero's World
CH 046 - Tomorrow's Problems, Today's Tests
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- CAFÉ WILDKAT, MUSUTAFU, MONDAY MORNING -

The scent of freshly made green tea tickled Toshinori's nostrils. Hints of lemon and honey further enticed the emaciated man to take a much needed sip of the beverage in his hands. Before he did, however, Toshinori felt it right to savor the scent of the drink before doing so. Ever since the loss of his stomach, he had missed the simplicity of simply enjoying a drink without the need to worry if his body could handle it.

After his first visit to Café Wildkat with Nezu, before his decision to pass the torch along to Izuku, Toshinori had believed he had stumbled upon a hidden secret of the universe. Mr. H, the seemingly enigmatic café owner, had performed a miracle.

Making a cup of tea that energized Toshinori's body after the first sip. Even One for All seemed stronger for it.

Because of this, Toshinori had made it a daily habit to visit the café every morning, for both the delicious beverage andthe excellent company of his new friend.

"You know, you have to drink the tea in order to fully enjoy it," came the amused voice of Mr. H. The coffee maker was currently leaning on his counter, opposite Toshinori, thoroughly enjoying the sight of the gaunt man treating his drink like it was a gateway to nirvana.

Toshinori couldn't help but smile at the man's remark. "I’ve come to learn that sight and smell are the first steps to enjoying a meal or drink. I'm simply taking my time to reach step two; drinking my beverage and enjoying its taste."

Mr. H nodded sagely. "Wise words." He dipped his head low, looking over the rim of his shades directly at Toshinori's bright blue eyes. "And something you borrowed."

After taking an appreciative sip of his tea and releasing a pleased hum, Toshinori responded. "Learned, Hanekoma. I learned it from something I read."

Mr. H shrugged his shoulders. "Same thing." Grabbing his own drink, Mr. H took a sip while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere in the café.

Aside from him and Toshinori, the Kats had come back to visit while his mentees and their friends were in their classes. The only exception was BK, who diligently stayed by Eri's side while she was slowly but surely coming out of her shell.

A sigh from Toshinori drew Mr. H's attention to him. He noted the tension in the blonde hero's shoulders, the weariness in his eyes. Not wanting to see his newest friend in such a state, Mr. H decided being blunt with the man was the best course of action. "What's got you all..." Mr. H gestured at all of Toshinori, earning a small pout from him. "This?"

"You gestured to all of me," Toshinori remarked.

"No, I gestured to your upper body," Mr. H replied cheekily. "Can't see your legs under the counter, obviously."

That earned a hearty chuckle from Toshinori. "Fair," he replied before returning to his drink. Mr. H watched and waited patiently as Toshinori took a moment to gather his thoughts, something Toshinori appreciated. Staring deeply into his cup, the blonde hero finally spoke up, "The upcoming finals for the first years are going to be tough. Nezu has changed things up, and I can't help but worry about how young Midoriya and the others will do."

"Well, tests are supposed to be like that. It's all to see if our students have learned and grown," Mr. H remarked. "Put your trust in Phones and the others. We both know they'll pull through."

Toshinori gave the man a half-hearted smile. He did have faith in his successor. It was what Izuku would face during the exams that had Toshinori worried. His smile slowly dipped the more he thought about it. “My old sidekick has voiced his displeasure with young Midoriya being my successor,” he stated, gaining Mr. H’s attention. “Mirai’s gone so far as to join the final exams in order to face young Midoriya.”

"Who?" the coffee maker asked.

"You would know him as Sir Nighteye," Toshinori replied.

"Right... Sir Nighteye," Mr. H remarked as he brought a hand to his scruffy chin. After several seconds, he snapped his fingers, a sudden realization hitting him like a speeding train. "Ah. Mister, 'I can see the future'. Yeah, Phones has told me all about Sir Nighteye and his Quirk. He even tried to make a Psych based on it."

"He did?" That surprised Toshinori. It sounded like a very useful Psych to have.

"Mmhm," Mr. H hummed as he took a sip of his coffee. "He understood the concept well enough after having to think about it for a few months. Phones thoroughly studied Nighteye's Quirk; all the times he applied it during hero operations, all its drawbacks, the works. When the time came, Phones just couldn't really nail it down and pushed the project aside."

Mr. H set his drink down on the counter and peered into Toshinori's eyes. "Knowing the future is a pain in the ass. From what I first understood about Nighteye's Quirk, it seems like he sees the true future, something that one-hundred percent was going to happen. That sound about right?"

Toshinori gave the man a sharp, affirmative nod.

"Izuku thinks there's more to it than that," Mr. H continued to explain. Looking around the counter for a moment before moving to grab a jar of coffee roast. "Let's have some visuals to go with this. Now." Mr. H clapped his hands together and gestured to the left of the jar. "This is the past. The past is set in stone. The coffee starts as a tree, which turns into a fruit, which then turns into a bean. That's the past and you can't change it."

He then moved to the jar of roast. "The present is in the moment. The beans become the roast we determine. It's affected by the past, but choices made regarding it today affect the future."

Mr. H then reached for an empty coffee cup and set it to the right of the jar. "The future is just a series of open possibilities. This roast can be turned into the House Blend, or mixed with something else. The future is what we make of it."

Toshinori followed along easily enough. Mirai had explained how his Quirk worked, and Mr. H's explanation went counter to his. While that was at the top of his mind, one question hung at the tip of his tongue. "While I appreciate the aides, where di-"

"Phones was the one to use this method to explain it to me," Mr. H quickly remarked, cutting Toshinori off. "He has an odd habit of explaining things like this if he needs to. Been a while since the last time he did, though." Toshinori could hear the humor and slight longing in Hr. H's voice, causing him to imagine Izuku going through the same explanation, only with a little more enthusiasm. From what he already knew about the young man, he took Quirks very seriously.

Getting back on track, Mr. H held up the empty coffee cup. “Here is Phones’ theory. Nighteye doesn’t see the future. He sees the most likely future. To keep to our little theme here, most likely, our daily roast will be made into the House Blend because that is the balance I made in this jar.”

Toshinori's brows furrowed in thought as his smile quickly turned into a frown. "But Mirai's accuracy..."

“Is scary, but it has its flaws,” Mr. H said, cutting Toshinori off. “Phones found some cases with anomalies in Nighteye’s Quirk. While yes, he sees the most definitive future, there are subtle bumps that change the path he takes to get there.” The coffee maker set the empty cup back on the counter. “What I think is that Nighteye, along with his Quirk, can just get a good read on people and figure out the best probable future based on that. Or, he sees what he thinks is the true future.”

Toshinori’s eyes drifted down to the counter, focusing on the empty coffee cup. Flashes of a sterile hospital overtook him, the feeling of bandages clinging tightly to his body. His hand drifted to his side, feeling a twinge of pain from his wound as the words of a frantic and worried Mirai filled his ears. The fear in his former sidekick’s words, the bitter anger Toshinori felt when told about his future death.

It made him wonder if Mr. H's thoughts were true. If Mirai truly saw what he wanted to see or simply saw the most probable future. Death, after all, was one of life's only certainties. You don't need to see the future to predict that someone will die at some point in their life.

Mirai, however, saw how Toshinori would die, crossing personal boundaries when he did.

"It may not even be Nighteye doing it." Mr. H's words broke Toshinori from his thoughts. Confusion apparent on his face, Mr. H elaborated. "You already know that Phones has a mind for Quirks. One thing he theorized is that Nighteye's Quirk focuses on the most probable future, and that Nighteye has no say over it. After all, Phones' Quirk has its own rules he had to discover. Nighteye's could have some hidden rules that the man hasn't discovered."

Toshinori hummed in response. “Mirai did say that using his Quirk was like watching a person’s future from a third-person perspective, like a movie.”

Mr. H's lips formed a thin line as he stared off into space. "Well, one thing to always keep in mind is that Quirks are fallible. After all, if Nighteye's Quirk was always one-hundred percent accurate, wouldn't the government keep him under lock and key?" Toshinori shuddered at the thought. "I'm probably projecting. I don't think the future is set in stone. At least not in the way Nighteye sees it. We all make little choices that affect how we meet the future."

A smile found its way onto his face as he looked at the emaciated hero across from him. "And if there is anyone who can figure out a way to beat a Quirk like Mirai's, I'm a hundred percent sure Phones can. He is something of a Quirk nerd." Mr. H picked up his cup of coffee, his smile never fading from his face. "So don't worry about our little mentee. Have some faith. You chose him for a reason."

The corners of Toshinori's mouth tugged upward. "Right. I suppose I just let my worries get the better of me. I told Mirai that I would be there to watch young Midoriya and his team pass their exams, after all."

Mr. H raised his coffee cup. "See? Keep up the faith. You believed in Phones when you first came here to learn about him, don't stop now. It always helps that he has us in his corner."

Toshinori raised his cup, and the two men clinked them together in a show of solidarity. Toshinori would do as Mr. H suggested and have faith in his successor.

All this talk about the future did have Toshinori wondering, though. There was still a small pit in his non-existent stomach that made it churn. The prophetic words Mirai spoke all those years ago, the absolute certainty in them. Toshinori knew he would die. If Mirai's words were true, then maybe so were Mr. H's.

When the end came for Toshinori, more importantly, for the hero All Might, then Toshinori would take those little actions Mr. H talked about and face death with a smile still on his face.

- The HERO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION BUILDING, TOKYO -

A flurry of clacking keystrokes filled the air within the sunlit office of Kiryu Joshua. His computer monitor was littered with digital documents and pictures, each telling its own story as Joshua put together pieces that only he, and a few others, knew existed. He had plenty of work to catch up on after he lost consciousness during the Shibuya Incident. A week in the hospital was rather bothersome, but necessary since the whole ward was saved thanks in part to his, Midoriya’s, and Yaoyorozu’s actions.

He paused his work and took a moment to pull up the full report of said incident. He didn't focus on the bigger picture. His agents did a splendid job doing so already when they shared the report with him. No, Joshua's focus was on Midoriya Izuku, Yaoyorozu Momo, and Minamimoto Sho.

A smile formed on his face as he remembered seeing several social media posts talking about the incident and the fight between Izuku and Minamimoto. Already, the young hero student was making a splash. It made Joshua wonder if Izuku was even aware of his developing fan base and moniker. That smile faded when he pulled up a new report regarding the hero student.

Switching tabs, Joshua was met with several pictures of a little girl with long, messy white hair. The first ones showed the damage done to her by her captor, the scars, both physical and mental, that littered her body and spirit. Following those, the next few pictures were follow-ups from Recovery Girl and Hound Dog reporting her improving health. The final ones were a few snuck in by Midnight, a large mixture of Izuku with Eri, or ones with Izuku, Eri, and all his friends, most notably Shoka and Momo.

'He probably hasn't had the time to see anything regarding him, let alone think about it,' Joshua thought as he gazed at the photos. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't recognize the door to his office opening.

"Hey, boss? The Wicked Witch is on her way." Joshua held back the annoyed sigh forming in his throat as he tilted his head towards the door to his office. He saw the constrained look on Kariya's face as he broke the news. "What's the plan?"

Joshua regarded his agent for a moment before turning back to his computer and continuing the work he was doing. "Let her in, obviously. I'm just surprised she waited this long to voice her displeasure. I've been back for an entire week since the Shibuya Indecent and it seems as though she has gone out of her way to avoid me." He stopped and turned back to look at Kariya with an amused smile on his face. "I'm almost flattered."

Kariya looked ready to respond, but took a second to shake his head and waited outside the door. As soon as the orange-haired man disappeared, Joshua's smile formed into a frown. He had been expecting this talk for a while now. For once, he wasn't so sure of the president's motives.

Standing up from his desk, Joshua made his way over to the small bar set up nearby the lounge chairs situated in the middle of his office. With practiced ease, the ashen-haired man made two drinks. One for him and the other for his incoming guest. As he finished, he heard a small click, followed by the shuffling of several pairs of shoes. Looking over his shoulder, Joshua spotted Hawks open the door for the president of the HPSC, who strode in as if she owned the room. Hawks followed in after her, with Kariya and Uzuki trailing behind them.

"Madam President," Joshua greeted with a small nod as he moved to join his guest.

"Vice-President," she replied coolly as she took her seat.

Joshua handed the President her drink and took the seat across from her. Neither spoke after that, instead choosing to have a brief and intense stare-down. Joshua's violet eyes studied the woman before him.

Her appearance was immaculate, as usual for her. From her ash-blonde hair neatly combed backward to her firm and collected face, lightly wrinkled due to the stress of her job, to the dark suit that was tailored for her. Everything about the woman told the world she was in control of herself and the world around her.

A long silence hung in the air, one that seemed to go on for hours. It was the President who finally broke it. Her stern voice betrayed little emotion, though Joshua knew her well enough to know she was quite annoyed. “You broke protocol, Kiryu.”

Joshua gave her an impassive stare. "Did I? I don't seem to recall." He snapped his fingers as a playful smile formed on his face. "Ah, yes. I suppose I did. I forgot to bring back a doctor's note for my absence."

"I did not come here to entertain your stand-up routine," the president responded before taking a sip of her drink. "You know as well as I do that there are rules in place for your Quirk."

Joshua hummed into his glass. "And who says I broke them? Someone would have to have witnessed me using it, yes?" He turned his head to look at Uzuki and Kariya. "Did either of you see me use my Quirk?"

"Can't say I did, boss," Kariya answered with a smirk. "I was worried when you suddenly collapsed on us, but I figured the stress of the situation got to you."

Joshua gave the man a look of mock-hurt. "My dear Kariya, I'll have you know I am made of much sterner stuff. I work in politics, after all."

"If anything, sir, I would say seeing the place you call home end up like it did because of Minamimoto would cause anyone to worry as much as you did," Uzuki remarked with a straight face.

Joshua turned his attention back to the president. "See? If my two closest agents saw nothing, and an entire crowd saw nothing, who’s to say I used my Quirk?"

The woman across from him wasn't amused in the slightest if her expression was anything to go by. Joshua spotted a brief, amused smirk that crossed Hawk's usually casual face for a moment before he schooled his features again.

"You left the fate of Shibuya in the hands of a pair of students," the President remarked matter-of-factly.

Joshua swirled his glass nonchalantly. "No, I left the fate of Shibuya in the capable hands of heroes who were already there."

"Students who were under the influence of Minamimoto's Quirk," the woman across from him shot back quickly. "From all accounts and reports, they should not have been able to break free of that control. Stop bullshitting me, Kiryu. You're dancing around the issue."

Joshua stopped moving his hand and narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Speaking freely?" The President nodded, allowing him to say his piece. "You would have had me use my Quirk anyway. I simply chose how it was applied instead of waiting for a majority to dictate it for me."

“We needed to control the situation,” came her reply. “We cannot be seen as weak or unable to handle situations like this. Allowing students to handle it sets a dangerous precedent that the populace may try to replicate. With this League suddenly appearing as our number one hero is slowly removing himself from the spotlight, we must ensure our image is maintained and the narrative running. You know who is still out there.”

Joshua had expected that. That didn't stop him from rolling his eyes at the underlying reasons behind the reply. Control mattered, but it was the degree of control he had issues with. As someone who had a Quirk that was all about control, he had learned many lessons on how easy it is for control to either slip from your fingers, or for that control to turn you into someone you could hardly recognize in a mirror.

"And if your predecessor cared so much about dealing with monsters in the dark as he should have been, he would still be alive..." Joshua's eyes peered into the president's turquoise ones. The woman stared back unflinchingly, that Joshua noticed the subtle stiffening in her shoulders at the mention of the former president. "And you wouldn't have had a disillusioned hero thrown into our own little pit of hell just to keep up a lie. Besides, you and I both know that if it came to it, you would do anything, even placing those students you are harping on about, right on the front lines."

The President of the HPSC didn't respond. Breaking eye contact and taking a sip from the drink Joshua had made for her, she spent another moment gathering her thoughts.

Joshua waited patiently. While he didn't fully condone her methods or approaches, he at least respected the President's drive and commitment to the people of Japan. This argument was just one of many they had since he became her Vice.

"We are not in the line of work that allows us easy choices," she remarked. Joshua had to agree with that and did so with a nod. "But the peace afforded to us by All Might is now fragile. The number one Hero University brazenly attacked, a former vigilante turning killer, and one man taking control of an entire district are causes for concern. When All Might finally retires, we will have to pick up the pieces."

Joshua ruminated on her words. Once more, he agreed with her. All Might was going to leave some rather large shoes to fill in his place. For years he had cast an enormous shadow over both heroes and villains alike, and that shadow only grew with each year. Heroes struggled to make a name of their own without being compared to him, and villains feared ever facing him.

It's why Joshua acted how he did. While the President and her faction cared for maintaining their order, he wanted to usher in a new one. The HPSC had become boogeymen in their own right, with laws and restrictions being pushed by them right through parliament that limited more and more freedoms. It was creating a bubble that, when it finally burst, would create shockwaves.

The President finished her drink, set it down on the table between her and Joshua, and stood up from her chair. "I don't agree with your actions, Kiryu. You leave too much to chance."

"And I don't agree with yours. I believe that people can handle things if you give them enough trust." Joshua responded with an indifferent shrug. "It's something someone close told me long ago. Advice I now hold near and dear to my calculative heart."

"People tend to fall into idiocy when left to their own devices," she remarked. "Just look at how they flock to the hero ratings. Something we did to give them some semblance of hope and inspiration has turned into a mockery. They’re easily distracted by bread and circuses. They want idols, Kiryu, not heroes."

A thoughtful expression appeared on Joshua's face. "I suppose you're right. All the more reason we should ensure those ratings show the truth of the matter. That our heroes are like them. Simply human."

He turned his gaze to Hawks. The man was the epitome of a government-crafted hero. Clean, black and gold combat shirt, a well-maintained tan bomber jacket over top of that with a matching pair of baggy pants to go with it. Wild hair and a handsome face that would drive anyone who appreciated his looks, and a casual, devil-may-care attitude that drew others in.

Yes, Hawks was the perfect example of a hero crafted to be a hero.

Joshua just hoped that the man wasn't pushed to a point he finally broke. He rather liked the Wing Hero.

The President hummed in response before turning to leave, immediately shadowed by Hawks, who gave Joshua a respectful nod. Joshua could hear the quiet, relieved sighs coming from his agents as the President neared the door.

Just as Hawks reached for the handle to open the door, Joshua spoke up, causing the leaving pair to stop. "Be careful with your order of lies, Madam President. While the two go surprisingly hand in hand, an order built on top of lies will collapse rather spectacularly, and the illusion you and yours have spent so long crafting will reveal something far, far worse than what you tried to keep hidden."

The President stared back at Joshua before turning away and leaving his office. Once the door closed, Uzuki and Kariya visibly deflated, the stiff shoulders slumping as if a weight had suddenly dropped from them.

"Gotta say, Boss, it's always scary watching you poke a lion like that," Kariya said as he rubbed his neck.

Joshua smiled and stood up from his chair. "Please. As always, I have it handled." He moved back over to his desk with his two agents following behind him. "Besides, we keep each other honest."

"And how long until she decides to follow in the former president's footsteps and figures you aren't worth keeping around to keep her honest?" Uzuki asked. Joshua could hear the unspoken part of that question.

Us included?

"Then we better hope I can change the rhythm of things before our part in this orchestra comes to an end," he replied casually, waving off his pink-haired agent's concern.

Uzuki fought back an angry frown while Kariya released a puff of air before pulling a lollipop from his pocket.

"Now then," Joshua said. His tone of voice changed immediately. The playfulness in his voice all but gone, replaced with a serious air that made his agents match his intensity. "How goes our investigation? Any new leads?"

Uzuki stood at attention and delivered her report. "Nothing concrete, sir. We know that All for One spirited away Minamimoto, but none of our contacts have a location to work with. We have still been searching for Giren, but since Ms. Komachi's earlier report alongside Mr. Susuki's statements, he has pretty much gone off the grid."

Kariya spoke up next. "Megumi told me that there's been some movement too. After the League came out with its little recruitment video, people from all over have been talking about it. Some regulars at his club have voiced their agreement with it, so that's concerning."

Joshua steepled his fingers in front of his mouth as he took in his agents' words. "Regarding Giren, it's more than likely that All for One is still masking his movements. As for the video, unfortunately, people talk and ideas spread. Unless we censor everything in life, people are free to do so. Stain was already making waves. The League just capitalized on it."

Uzuki nodded. "That's what we figured. With their recruitment video being shared all over, Giren might be looking for quality over quantity this time to pump up their numbers." She paused, looking hesitant to bring up something else. Joshua simply gestured to her, urging her to continue. "We've also lost track of Kubo, sir."

That caused Joshua some pause. Uzuki looked ashamed of herself, while Kariya had the decency to do the same. They could see the flash of annoyance in Joshua's expression before it was back to being stoic. "I see. Then we must double our efforts in finding him again. If he ends up with the League..."

His words hung heavily in the air. Uzuki and Kariya could only nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Joshua turned to look at his computer. On the screen was a picture of Eri and a distant one of Overhaul with several members of his inner-circle. "My other agents report that Chisaki has gone dark. No doubt in response to the loss of little Eri here."

Kariya idly twirled his lollipop. "My bet is he is sending out feelers looking for her."

"And what about their Trigger trade?" Uzuki asked him. "Half the stuff trafficked on the streets supports the Shie Hassaiki. No way Chisaki will just cut his losses there."

"Didn't say he stopped. He's probably just making sure to keep things contained. Trying not to draw too much attention to himself than he already has," Kariya answered smoothly.

"That is a reasonable deduction," remarked Joshua. "But until the police and heroes have evidence to support that and his current location, they can't arrest him."

Kariya grimaced at that. "Even with the kiddo's testimony backed by Tsukauchi's Quirk?"

Joshua nodded grimly. "Even with that. Until he is found, everyone needs to be careful with their moves. If we appear too heavy-handed, he'll get spooked, causing him to hide in an even deeper hole, or even flee the country."

"Or," Uzuki interjected as a shiver ran down her spine, "he gets driven into the hands of All for One."

“All the more reason to handle this carefully,” Joshua stated plainly. “We have a group of villains on the rise, a yakuza member larping as a plague doctor and experimenting on an innocent child, and an ancient villain with a vendetta and god-complex.” He closed his eyes, humor lacing his tone as he completed his thoughts. “Trying times, indeed.”

The room grew silent as the midday sun beamed through the semi-covered windows. Uzuki and Kariya shared a look, silently debating who should speak up. A lackadaisical shrug from Kariya earned a groan from his pain-haired partner.

"What's our next move then?" She asked her boss.

Joshua opened his eyes and turned his attention back to his computer as he answered her. "Simple. Leave Overhaul to the police and heroes for now. Sir Nighteye will come to us for resources when he feels the need for them. We, however, will continue our search for the League, on top of Kubo."

"And where should we pick things up?" questioned Kariya.

“From within.” Joshua’s answers caught the pair off guard. Their looks of shock and surprise caused Joshua to chuckle internally as he explained further. “All for One no doubt has spies everywhere. Some knowing what they are and some without a single clue. Now that he is making moves, those connected to him will be doing so as well.”

His eyes narrowed, his next words filled with absolution as he gave his agents their next order. "Look within our ranks. Find discrepancies, dig through histories, leave nothing unturned. Do not engage with any suspects until you are absolutely sure about something or give away this investigation. If All for One learns of this, he may reclaim his assets or cut his losses. He can afford to do so. We can not."

Uzuki gave him a quick bow while Kariya gave him a lazy salute before turning to leave.

"We should look into the cabinet members of the former president," Uzuki said as they reached the door.

"Good call. I remember us having to visit that Suzuki guy's place a year ago," Kariya remarked. "Way too nice for a guy who was only in politics for a few years."

As his agents left the room, Joshua remained alone with his thoughts. The earlier, albeit brief, talk with his superior clung to his mind. Yes, his methods differed from hers, but they both were working towards the good of Japan. At one point in his life, he had fully agreed with her logic.

Working within the system changed things. Politics is a dirty business, and there was a darkness within the hero community that many either ignored or didn’t even know about. Nothing was ever just black and white.

Certain people in his life helped change his perspective. The future wasn't one he could set and determine so coldly, not when others would fight back against unwanted change.

"You have to put some trust in people," Joshua said with an unshakable tone. "They may just surprise you when you do..."

Joshua returned to his work, pushing aside his heavy thoughts for later. After several more hours of checking documents and appointments, going over future presentations and meetings, he pushed back his chair and stood up, grateful to be done for the day.

'Well. Time to check in on one of our biggest mistakes.' He donned his jacket and headed towards the door. 'I doubt Tsusumi will hold it against me for missing our last appointment. She knows how messy this business is.'

- The LEAGUE of VILLAINS HIDEOUT, TUESDAY NIGHT -

Minamimoto struggled to ignore the noisy chatter happening around him. The bar All for One had moved him to after his apparent rescue was now bustling with activity. Several new faces had joined them over the last few days, and Minamimoto was already sick of them.

All except for one of them, at least.

His golden eyes glanced around the room, noting each new member of the League.

The first was some guy named Mustard. He didn't give Minamimoto much with his looks. Mustard wore a green gas mask that completely covered his face, with its cords connected to two oxygen tanks on his back. The rest of his head was covered with a matching green military helmet and a white cloth underneath that. The black gakuran definitely seemed out of place with a unique headset like that.

At least his personality was tolerable. Aside from Mustard's inherent dislike of Minamimoto, specifically his Quirk, that is.

The next was someone Minamimoto already had to beat into submission simply because the man grated his nerves and their disgusting desire to consume his flesh. Moonfish was certifiably insane, and the man's looks didn't help his case. He wore a black full bodysuit, complete with restraints that held his arms in place, and a hood that covered everything but his gnashing teeth. The hooks tugging his lips back were just the icing on the cake.

The final person that Minamimoto disliked greatly was the scarred mass of muscle keeping to himself at the far side of the room. Muscular. A simple enough name for a simple-minded killer, in Minamimoto's opinion. A tight, maroon-colored muscle shirt that showcased his bulky physique, dark-green coveralls with the sleeves wrapped around his front tucked into a pair of heavy-duty boots. Simple, but it seemed to work for the blonde serial killer.

Every time his scarred face moved to look at Minamimoto, the math genius gave him a glare in return.

Those were the three Minamimoto wondered what recruiting standards his new ally even had. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that Shigaraki was even affiliated with the Symbol of Evil, let alone that symbol feigning some sort of familial affection with the man. It was like trying to get to varying different numbers to fill in an equation in order to get a determined outcome.

"Don't you dare question my resolve to continue Stain's work! My uniform is a show of that resolve!"

The Taboo Villain's attention turned to one of the new members he didn't outright hate, though still found them to be greatly annoying.

Sitting at a table was Spinner, a man with a Mutation Quirk that turned his body to resemble that of a green, bipedal lizard man with long purple hair. Just as he said, Spinner was one of the only ones here that was truly devoted to Stain and his ideology. His outfit resembled that of the now-arrested Hero Killer, with some minor differences. Instead of a serrated katana and several knives, Spinner wielded a rather bulky sword strapped to his back and a much smaller one-handed blade resting horizontally on his lower back.

While Minamimoto understood the man's devotion, it had gotten old real fast in the last few days.

"No, no! I'm just saying that you pull it off."

"Yeah! You fucking try-hard!"

Next to Spinner was the person he was arguing with. Dressed in a black bodysuit with gray trimmings that covered him head to toe, matching gray boots, a gray mask covering the upper half of his face, and a pair of red bracelets with green bands in the middle, Twice was an oddball. When he spoke, he did so conveying one thought, only to contradict himself immediately after. After learning about what his Quirk was, Minamimoto considered the idea that something happened with it to cause Twice to act this way.

Not that he could really take Twice's word for it if he asked. Minamimoto was sure would get two answers and would stop bothering to care once he did.

Up next in the lineup was Magne. While Muscular and Moonfish were certifiable killers, Magne had shown to be much more in control of herself. She was tall, with large, bulky muscles due to carrying her preferred weapon around all the time, and wore unassuming clothes like a white V-neck underneath an unbuttoned dark orange shirt and a pair of comfortable jeans and brown espadrilles on her feet. Her face threw him for a loop at first, with her square jaw, thick lips, and thin facial hair, all framed by her shoulder-length red hair.

Once that misunderstanding was cleared up, Minamimoto respected her enough and left it alone.

"How much do you wanna bet things break out into a fist-fight again?" Minamimoto turned to the voice next to him.

Dabi, the heavily burned and scarred man that Minamimoto could say he actually liked to a degree. He was tall with a hidden musculature underneath his frayed navy-blue jacket and deep-cut white V-neck. His slim pants clung to his legs, stopped just under his calves, revealing even more burned skin. Staples dotted his body, connecting his burnt skin to his unmarred skin, with the most notable sections being around his turquoise eyes, partially hidden underneath his spiky black hair and his entire jaw and neckline between his cheeks and chest being completely burnt and held in place by medical staples.

Rage, resentment, and drive were wonderful motivators for fighting through the pain his burns must have carried. That, and some experimental regenerative tissue, according to Dabi.

"That, my scarred friend, is a fool's wager."

Minamimoto looked to his other side. Next to him was a masked showman, complete with a tall top-hat to complete the image. His head and face were covered up completely, hidden behind a balaclava and his signature mask, according to his own words. He wore a long-sleeve dark orange shirt underneath a black waistcoat, a pair of black slacks tucked into a pair of white boots that had black toe tips, a pair of silky red gloves and an oval-shaped azure brooch hanging around his neck.

Mr. Compress was the name he gave when Giren first brought him to the hideout, and had shown to be the most stable addition, as well as the most skilled and experienced. Something Minamimoto appreciated.

"Eh, probably right," Dabi replied with a shrug. Looking over at the bar, he pointed at Shigaraki, watching their leader ignore everyone else in the bar. "What's our great leader waiting for? I thought everyone was here now."

Minamimoto spared his co-leader a glance. "Giren said he got in contact with someone he knew. We’re getting more variables added to our growing team."

“Late arrivals? This close to showtime?” Mr. Compress asked, surprised by the knowledge of sudden additions to their growing crew.

“The guy said these upcoming additions would be great,” Minamimoto replied with a snort. “Considering all these irrationals,” he said, gesturing to the room, “I’m not going to hold my breath.”

Dabi and Mr. Compress shared a look when the door to the bar suddenly opened. In walked a man in a pristine purple suit, a clean white shirt with the top buttons undone, with a golden tube-like necklace hidden under a fluffy scarf wrapped around his neck. Dark shades hid his eyes well-enough, and his gray hair was clean and styled in a way that had his bangs hanging above his eyes. His smarmy smile always annoyed Minamimoto, though he held his tongue for the most part.

No reason to anger the person supplying you with both numbers and information.

"Hello again, Shigaraki," Giren said as he moved to the bar counter and slid onto the stool next to Shigaraki.

The messy-haired villain lazily turned to look at the broker. "You're late," he said, agitation apparent in his voice.

Giren ignored it and gave the young man a small, apologetic bow. "Sorry for that. My old friend and associate decided to be a good guest and bring an additional gift to celebrate his joining your crew. We were held up while picking it up."

Shigaraki hummed, appreciating the gesture. "And who's your friend?"

"That would be me." All eyes turned to the door as a new face entered the room.

If Giren was smarmy, then this new man who walked in was smug condensation personified. The man wore a light gray suit jacket over a white V-neck, a pair of textured black pants, and black shoes with gold buckles on them. His outfit did little to hide the muscular and athletic form beneath. Just like his clothes, his overall appearance was clean-cut and impressive. Olive complexion, spiky dark brown hair swept to the side, and a well-maintained goatee showed he took great care of his appearance. His cocky smirk just made it all punchable to Minamimoto, with the man’s noticeable nose being the easiest target.

The man strode across the room, briefly glancing at the members of the league. When his brown eyes landed on Minamimoto, the math enthusiast felt a growl build up in his throat.

"Well, well, well. Quite the menagerie ya got goin' on here," the man said with a smirk. "The name's Kubo Tanzo." He leaned in closer to Shigaraki, though Minamimoto noticed he kept out of his cohort's reach. "I would shake yer hand, buuuuut I'm not a fan of dust, so you'll hafta forgive me on that end."

Shigaraki felt one of his eyes twitch at the poor excuse of a joke and the disrespect shown to him. "You're already annoying."

The smirk never left Kubo's face. "Well, that's your opinion, an' you're entitled to it." Straightening his back, Kubo continued to speak. "As my friend Giren told ya, I'm here to join up with yer little crew."

"And why should we accept you?" Minamimoto asked. He ignored the glare Shigaraki sent his way, keeping his focus entirely on Kubo.

Kubo kept smirking. If anything, his smirk grew when he locked eyes with Minamimoto. "Well well well, if it ain't the Mad Mathematician of Shibuya. Big fan. Really loved what ya did to the ward. Not so much with how ya fucked it up at the end, but hey, shit happens. Nyeheh!" Kubo finished with a shrug.

Before Minamimoto could retort, Kubo turned his attention back to a madly grinning Shigaraki. "Hey, don't think yer safe from review either. Bum rushing UA an' getting spanked by a bunch of college fishies don't look so good for ya if I'm bein' honest."

The grin on Shigaraki's face faded instantly, replaced by an irritated frown. His red eyes narrowed onto Kubo, who still wore his condescending smirk. The rest of the bar watched tensely, waiting for the well-dressed man to be dusted on the spot. Even Giren looked a little worried. Whether it was for his friend or his standing with the league was anyone's guess, though the safe bet was the latter.

Kubo noticed the slight twitch in Shigaraki's injured hand and spoke up. "Yer buddy asked why you should accept me. Here's why. You group of misfits need a brain. Now, no disrespect to the big man in charge, but I'm bettin' he's got bigger fish to fry at the moment. He can't be lookin' over yer shoulder all the time. Nah nah nah. He's expectin' ya to spread yer wings an' fly."

Kubo hunched over, one eye opening wide as he stared at Shigaraki. "I'm here to help with that. Yer not just gonna fly, yer gonna soar, kid. I'll be the honest voice that is willin' to tell ya if an idea is shitty or not, an' then help ya turn a lump o' coal into a bright, shiny diamond."

Shigaraki stared impassively at the man, waiting for the rest of the sales pitch. Seeing that he had the young man hooked, Kubo continued. "I'm also good at spreadin' discord. My Quirk is particularly useful for that. Need a quick army to keep those heroes busy? I got ya covered."

A curious hum escaped Shigaraki as he listened to Kubo's explanation. He wasn't completely sold, however, and expressed his skepticism. "And how do trash mobs help us?"

"Ah, a gamer, eh? To put it in terms you'd appreciate, my Quirk takes all that pesky, negative noise in people's hearts and minds, and gives it life," Kubo explained. He straightened his back and spread his arms out wide. "I would give ya a demonstration, but..." Kubo then gestured to Moonfish and Muscular. "Those cheery bastards over there are puttin' out some real nasty feelings that I don't think you'd appreciate runnin' rampant in yer bar."

Minamimoto considered Kubo’s words. If the man were to be believed, and at the moment, neither Minamimoto nor Shigaraki had reason to think otherwise, the man’s Quirk would give their growing League a certain numbers advantage. When Minamimoto looked over at Shigaraki, his cohort seemed to be in agreement if the thoughtful look on his pale face was anything to go by.

Giren took that moment to give his input on the matter. "I can speak of my associate's Quirk and his skills in managing a crew like yours." Seeing the questioning look on Shigaraki's face that told him to elaborate, he did, but not before looking at Kubo for permission. "He made sure that the 'Reapers of Shinjuku' were functional before things fell apart."

That name stirred something within Kurogiri, who was silently watching the whole interaction as he manned the bar. "I feel as though I know that name..."

"It was a small-time group abouta make some big waves," Kubo explained with an irritated growl. The smirk plastered on his face was finally gone, replaced by a look of boiling anger.

Seeing his chance to bite back at the man, Minamimoto smiled. "And how did you fuck up that formula?"

Kubo's glowering eyes snapped to Minamimoto. The math genius didn't falter under Kubo's glare, returning it with a challenging one of his own. After their intense staredown, Kubo turned to look at the corkboard hanging near the bar. His eyes scanned the board, taking note of the pictures of the 1-A students Shigaraki had posted on it and zeroed in on two in particular. Making his way over to the board, he stretched out his arm and pointed to the two targets of his ire.

"Sakurane Shoka," he said with a growl. "The little kitty cat was a stray member of the crew who just wasn't into how things were going and decided to up an' leave us, unknowingly ruinin' everything. Because of that, her sister went after her, then we lost our muscle, an' THEN our leader's bestie convinced him to leave everything behind." Kubo pointed at Shoka's picture before moving over to Izuku's. "All because of some meet-cute, online friendship with this shrub-headed goodie two-shoes got to her head an' made her get all retrospective."

Black wisps of smoke emanated from Kubo's body the more he spoke. The sound of static filled the air, causing the group of villains to grimace as the well-dressed man's irritated growl turned into a menacing rumble. "Years of plannin' thrown out the fuckin' window. Her leavin' was like a domino knockin' over the next one, an' the one after that an' so on."

The oppressive static dissipated, allowing everyone to breathe a bit easier. The black smoke evaporated as Kubo calmed down and adjusted his clothes, making sure he was presentable again. "Needless to say, I ain't offering to join ya for nothing. I'll help youse, and youse help me." He looked back at the board, focusing on the picture of Izuku and reading the mad scribbles that singled him out among his fellow hero students. "Ya got issues with shrub-boy, and so do I. Ya help get me the stray and make her life miserable, I'll get youse the shrub for whatever it is you an' yer master have planned."

Kubo leaned closer to Shigaraki once more, his smirk returned as the two stared into each other's eyes. "I see it as an absolute win-win. So? Whaddya say, boss?"

Minamimoto felt something was off with Kubo. He wanted to tell the man to fuck off, to take whatever he was planning and do it on his own. He recognized a manipulator when he saw one. Kubo had his own objectives. Ones that Minamimoto had no doubt could get in the way of his own.

The issue was Shigaraki.

Minamimoto saw the subtle twitch at the corners of Shigaraki’s mouth, at the mad gleam forming in his sullen red eyes. Even if Minamimoto voiced his concerns, even if All for One expected him to help Shigaraki with their endeavors, he knew Shigaraki fully bought Kubo’s sales pitch. For now, Minamimoto would have to bide his time before he could make his own moves, all while keeping a careful eye on Kubo.

As Minamimoto planned for the future, Shigaraki held out his pinkyless right hand towards Kubo. His chapped lips stretched into a mad grin as he maintained eye contact with Kubo. “Welcome to the guild.” As Kubo reached out and took Shigaraki’s hand into his own, the young villain brought his other hand out and hovered it close to Kubo’s. “Just remember one thing. You get in the way of my goals and you’ll be dust in the wind.”

Kubo tightened his grip, his smirk never wavering. “Nyeheh! Smart man.” The two released their handshake, and Kubo stood up straight again. “And to celebrate my joining, I brought you a gift.” He turned to the door, brought a hand to his mouth, and called out. “Yer up big guy!”

The door handle clicked open at Kubo’s call. The bar watched as the door opened slowly, everyone's eyes widening as a man just a few inches shorter than the already giant Muscular entered the room. Long, brown dread-locks cascaded down his chiseled face, hiding half of it in shadows. Thick corded muscles stretched out the urban-camo jacket and tight black shirt underneath it, with an intricate silver necklace dangling around his thick neck. His dark, baggy jeans were held up by a belt with a large ram-shaped belt buckle proudly displayed in the center. On his feet were a pair of black and neon-green sneakers that caused the floor to creak and bend with each step.

"Everyone," Kubo began speaking as if promoting a top of the line car, "Allow me to introduce ya to Higashizawa Yodai. Also known to both heroes and villains as, 'The Ram'."

When Higashizawa spoke, he did so gruffly, his voice reverberating with a deep baritone as he looked at every member of the league with interest. "Interesting. Many unique ingredients that can make quite the delectable concoction. I've worked with much worse." He turned his attention to Shigaraki. "As Kubo already announced, I am Higashizawa Yodai. I would like to offer my talents. Allow me to create an infusion of chaos that will leave you hungry for more."

- SHIE HASSAIKAI HIDDEN UNDERGROUND FACILITY -

As the League of Villains' numbers grew and readied themselves for their next plan of attack, the Shie Hassaikai dealt with the growing ire of their current leader. Eri's escape had already put Chisaki in a bad mood, but the subsequent failures with locating her had caused his mood to spiral further. For the last couple of weeks, everyone had kept clear of their leader for fear of ending up like the two who lost Eri.

They were still cleaning blood off the walls from all the times Chisaki used his Quirk that day.

Within his laboratory, Chisaki, alongside his right hand, Kurono Hari, also known as Chronostasis among the lesser ranks of the Shie Hassaikai, were experimenting with the last of Eri’s blood they had on hand. The yakuza leader had already kept a good portion reserved in fear of running out. The amount he and Kurono were working with was from the dwindling stock Overhaul had set aside for experimentation. If he had to, he was willing to dip into the reserves, but only if necessary. In his mind, recovering Eri was an absolute priority.

“The vaccine has failed to take effect,” Kurono reported as he read from his tablet. “The Quirk remains active. Subject's Emitter Resonance is stable again.”

Chisaki listened to his friend's report as he studied the incoming data. A failure still provided results. All Chisaki had to do was find the right answers hidden within.

“Should we risk another test? Perhaps a new bonding reagent is required?” Kurono’s questions rang in Chisaki's ears. There were just too many variables to work with, all of them unknown. Unfortunately, they were rather limited at the current moment.

Chisaki had made great strides with his work ever since Eri was dropped into their leader’s care. She was the key to everything, and Chisaki knew they were close. While a small part of him felt torn about abusing the trust of the man who saved him and gave him a new life by experimenting on his granddaughter, his goal was too important. Every monstrous action Chisaki took was met by an adamant resolve to cleanse the world of Quirks. He would walk a path of blood and strife if it meant recreating the world, one that would see the revival of the Shie Hissaikai. A new world that his leader and father-figure would see with fresh eyes once he was healed from the coma Chisaki put him in.

Chisaki resolved himself to ask for forgiveness, even if a part of him knew his sins would never be absolved. As long as he repaid even a fraction of the kindness he was given, he would live with the monster he became.

“We’ll put our research on pause at the moment,” Chisaki said with a resigned irritation lacing his words. “Until we find Eri, we can’t risk it.” His eyes remained on the body lying on the medical table between him and Kurono.

Currently strapped to the table was Dai, one of the subordinates in charge of watching Eri that fateful day. His arms and legs were bound at his wrists and ankles, while a thick strip wrapped around his forehead held him in place. His eyes were completely blank, as the dwindling embers of life had expired several days ago. Clinical lacerations and incisions dotted nearly every inch of his body, dark reminders of his failure to do his job.

Chisaki removed one of his medical gloves as his impassive gaze turned into a soft glare. “Congratulations, Dai. You’ve finally paid for your mistakes,” he said to a comatose Dai. “Rest assured, your contributions will be remembered.” Chisaki placed a hand on the man, and a second later the bed and the floor below were stained a visceral red.

Surprisingly, not even a speck of red landed on Chisaki’s body.

Quickly turning on his heel, Chisaki made his way to the door leading out of the medical theatre, followed closely behind by Kurono. Stripping their medical gowns and discarding them as soon as they left the room, the two donned their usual clothes. As Chisaki tied his white tie, Kurono slid on his long white hooded cloak before readjusting his black plague doctor mask.

“Have any reports come in through the usual channels?” Chisaki asked as he put on his green coat.

“No. Our contacts haven’t reported any sighting of Eri in person or in their systems,” Kurono answered him. As Chisaki began moving again, Kurono fell into step beside him. “The heroes haven’t brought her in either.”

“She’s grown to distrust heroes, so that’s to be expected,” Chisaki remarked. He grew quiet for a moment as a flurry of ideas came rushing to him. “Find someone with a Quirk that can help them dig further into the government’s systems. We know a hero is investigating us, so it’s possible they will have learned about Eri if one of their own picked her up.”

Kurono nodded before noting Chisaki’s suggestion on the tablet in his hands. “I’ll see if our usual contacts have someone who can be discreet."

After a long walk through the twisting corridors of their underground facility, the pair came to a single door along a lonely hallway. Before using his credentials to enter the room, he looked at Kurono. “Keep our men mobile. Spread out our distribution, but do so quietly. Tell them to go off the grid once they make a sale, and then choose a new spot at random to start again. Don’t give our nosy busy-bodies a pattern to follow.”

“Of course, Kai,” Kurono said as he bowed his head.

As his friend and colleague continued down the hall, Chisaki opened the door, stepping past the threshold into a dark room. When the door closed, the darkness grew, with only the lights from the various medical machines crowding around a single bed that was flush against the far wall, creating just enough light to see. Chisaki crossed the room and came to a stop at the side of the bed. His eyes lingered on the unconscious form of his savior and father-figure.

The elderly man had lost several more pounds since Chisaki’s last visit. His once strong facial features had lost some of their edge, the wrinkles around his eyes growing more prominent as his cheeks grew gaunter by the day. His silvery hair had grown as well, gaining several more inches. Chisaki would have to order a haircut done during the next cleaning.

As he stood at the side of the bed, Chisaki didn’t speak. The rhythmic beeping of the EKG machine filled the room, drowning out the shallow breaths the old man in the bed produced, hinted at only by the small mist appearing along the inside of his breathing mask.

“Hey, Pops,” Chisaki said in a shaky voice. “I wanted to let you know my progress, even if you don’t agree with my methods…”

- U.A. UNIVERSITY, TRAINING GROUNDS COMMAND CENTER, WEDNESDAY -

The electrified air stirred as the students of 1-A and 1-B waited for their practical exams to begin. Small groups had formed between the two, as friendly chatter filled the air. While most were excited for the exams to come to a close, others worried about their earlier written tests.

“Dude, I swear, if it wasn’t for the joint study group, I would have bombed our math test,” Denki said, half-relieved, half-exhausted.

“Same,” replied Sero. “That science test nearly kicked my ass.”

“I’m just glad we went back over some of the reading material Cementoss-sensei gave us a while ago,” Tsuburaba remarked with a smile on his face. “What did you guys put down for the open-ended questions at the end?”

With another group consisting of the pumped-up pair of Kirishima and Tetsutetsu, and those unfortunate enough to be near them, they were more focused on hyping themselves up for the practical.

“Tetsubro, you ready?” Kirishima asked his steely friend.

“Always, Kiribro!” Tetsutetsu replied with a feral grin. “You better not lose, ya hear?”

“Like I’m gonna let you be the only one to kick their exam’s ass!” Kirishima hardened his arm, an action mimicked by Tetsutetsu. With a resounding clap, the two slammed their hands together, gripping each other tightly as their muscles flexed.

“Truly, they are brothers separated at birth,” Tokoyami remarked as he watched the entire scene unfold before him.

“Quite,” replied Yanagi. “Perhaps they are part of the cycle of reincarnation and have only now reunited?”

“Eh, who cares? I think they’re a freakin’ riot,” Dark Shadow remarked with a chuckle.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the other groups, Izuku stood alongside his friends and girlfriends. Shoka casually messed with her roster on Hero Scramble while Momo entertained Eri. Izuku spotted the buxom heiress hand the little girl a bag, though he wasn’t able to see what was inside. Shinso was lazily sitting on the floor, with Himiko playfully leaning against him with her chin resting in his messy indigo locks. Iida checked over his hero costume for the fifth time, once again finding nothing wrong with it.

Izuku expected him to perform one last check in a few more minutes.

Kyoka bobbed her head to the fast-pace rhythm of the song playing in her headphones, obviously using her music to get in the right mindset while doing her best to shake off her nerves. Izuku was tempted to do the same. Next to Izuku was Shoto, who stood comfortably silent as they waited for the exams to begin.

As time slowed to an unfortunate crawl, Izuku was left alone with his thoughts, at least until the vestiges spoke up.

“Do you feel ready, Izuku?” Nana asked, both excited and worried for the ninth wielder of One for All.

“Are you kiddin’? Niner’s got this,” Banjo remarked confidently.

“Agreed. We’re rooting for you, rookie,” En spoke up next.

Even the spectral vestige of All Might expressed his confidence in Izuku as the young man felt an encompassing warmth coming from his Quirk.

‘Thanks for the vote of confidence, everyone. I appreciate it,’ Izuku replied.

“Just remember, just like your team-up session with 1-B last week, we’ll be going silent while you do your thing,” Yoichi explained once more. It had been agreed upon earlier, but he felt it necessary to remind everyone. “Once you finish, we’ll each give you our thoughts on your performance, so knock ‘em dead, Nine.”

‘Right. I’ll do my best,’ Izuku thought firmly, his confidence spiking as he did.

“That’s all we ask.” Izuku could practically feel the smile Yoichi gave him before he felt the presence of the vestiges fade away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Wanting to pass the time, Izuku checked on his Psychs and planned out his set. As he equipped Excalibur and Orbit to their usual slots in his gloves, a text came through as an alert appeared on his visor’s HUD. A smile tugged at his lips as he saw who the message was from.

Aegis: Good luck, you three!

Aegis: I’ll be cheering you on from my lab.

‘Well, now I really can’t afford to fail here,’ Izuku thought.

As he finished his last checks, the doors of the command center opened, revealing Aizawa, Vlad King, and Nezu. As soon as their teachers and dean entered the room, everyone went quiet, some growing just a bit stiffer as the men and chimera passed them by to the monitor station further into the room.

“Greetings, future heroes,” Nezu chirped excitedly as he hopped onto the central chair. “Welcome to the practical portion of your exams. I’m sure many of you are either dreading this part or confidently welcoming it, or maybe even a mix of the two.” His beady eyes scanned the room, noting which students felt the emotions he listed. “I’m also quite sure many have hoped to learn from their upperclassmen exactly what this part of your exams entails.”

Several students nervously looked away from the white-furred chimera, finding the walls and ceiling of the room suddenly much more interesting than him.

“Unfortunately, they are in the same boat as you.” Nezu said, as an evil chuckle escaped him. “Yes. I have decided that for you and your upperclassmen, things will be different this year, as many of you have faced trials we had not foreseen.”

The atmosphere grew heavy at his words. Several students of 1-B looked to their sister class, many of them worried about their friends. The students of 1-A, however, while shuddering at the reminder of the attack at the USJ, felt their resolve strengthened. Many of them turned to look at the Wildkat Crew, as most of them had already fought and taken down powerful and dangerous villains.

In their minds, if their friends could overcome their own challenges, then so could they.

Pride swelled within Nezu’s chest at the sight. After giving them another minute to gather themselves, Nezu clapped his paws, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. “Yes. Many of you have certainly gone above and beyond our expectations. You have exemplified our university’s motto, going plus ultra in the face of adversity. As such, as your instructors, we should do the same.”

Aizawa turned and began typing away at the central console as Vlad King picked things up from there. “As you should remember, you will be doing the practical in teams of four: two from 1-A and two from 1-B. Right now, I want every team to form up.”

The group of students looked at one another before shuffling around to form their assigned teams. Izuku gave a small smile and wave to Shoka and Momo as they joined up with their teammates. Eri trotted over to him, the bag Momo gave her still in her tiny hands as Pony, Awase, and Bakugo joined him. There was still some lingering tension within Team E, but after a few group training sessions the last two days, three of them felt confident they could succeed while the last kept their opinions to themselves.

“The three of us,” continued Vlad as he gestured to himself, Aizawa, and Nezu, “came up with different scenarios for those teams to undergo. What we didn’t tell you was who your opponents would be in those scenarios.”

The doors opened once more. As the students turned to see who entered the room, all their eyes widened in surprise and worry as they spotted their teachers and several Pro Heroes. Immediately, Izuku spotted a familiar pair of blondes. Beat strode in as confidently as ever, while Rhyme followed behind at a more natural pace with her head held high. When their blue eyes landed on him, Beat’s face broke out into a toothy smile. Rhyme simply gave Izuku a friendly wave, though the small smile on her face was just as warm as her brother’s.

They weren’t the only familiar faces Izuku recognized. Gran Torino followed behind the blonde pair, earning several confused looks from his coursemates. Only he, Shoka, Momo, and Shinso felt a slight shiver down their spines as he passed them by. Suddenly, the room felt several degrees hotter as Endeavor strode in without so much as a glance at the students, outside of a brief look shared between him and Shoto. As the heroes made their way to the front, Izuku’s eyes landed on the form of Sir Nighteye, who was among the group.

The hero seemed to know someone’s eyes were on him as his head immediately snapped to Izuku. As his fellow students voiced their thoughts, his thoughts were elsewhere as he and the vestiges had a sudden meeting among themselves.

“Shit. Who invited Four-eyes?” Banjo growled out.

“Maybe it won’t be that bad,” Yoichi commented, hoping to settle Izuku’s growing nerves.

“No. It will be worse,” commented Two.

“Thank you, Captain Pessimist,” groused Nana.

“No, Two is right,” Three remarked coolly. “Nighteye has his issues with how Toshinori ignored his concerns regarding One for All. And since Eight essentially snubbed his recommendation for a successor…”

‘I’m even further on his shit-list,’ Izuku finished Three’s observation. Sir Nighteye’s sharp, impassive gaze narrowed, causing a small shiver to run down his spine. Mustering up his courage, Izuku returned Sir Nighteye’s gaze with a shaky, confident look of his own. ‘I think I already know who one of my team’s opponents will be…’

The two maintained their staredown for what felt like hours. Sir Nighteye was the first to break eye contact, turning his attention to Eri. Izuku didn’t expect the Pro Hero’s expression to soften as he seemed to check over the little girl as she hid behind Izuku’s leg. Izuku figured that Nighteye had been keeping a close eye on Eri’s condition as part of his investigation. Izuku was further surprised when Nighteye looked back at him and gave him a small, approving nod before turning his attention to the rest of the room.

As Izuku reeled from the constant shift of emotions he felt, Aizawa spoke up. “Your teams will each be facing two heroes, who will play the role of villains in your scenarios. Rest assured, we’ll be limiting ourselves, but don’t expect things to be a cakewalk. We’ve already been paired up and assigned to a specific scenario designed to test your limits as individuals and as members of a team. Now, it’s time for you to learn about what you’re facing.”

The main monitor of the command center flashed UA’s logo briefly before switching to a graphic displaying the first scenario. “For Team A,” Nezu began explaining, “You have been given the task of protection. Your scenario consists of protecting a VIP from a villain attack, with Edgeshot and Snipe being your opponents. You pass if both villains are captured or you successfully protect your VIP when the timer runs out. The case of failure should be fairly obvious.”

As the two heroes nodded at their opponents, Izuku spared Momo a glance. He noticed her body grew tense for a moment before she took a second to calm her nerves. He smiled as a look of determination flashed across her face before she huddled her team together, no doubt already devising several plans of action.

“Up next, Team B will be on the defensive,” Nezu chirped as the next scenario appeared on the screen. “Your goal will be to defend your base from the villainous pair of Eraser Head and CodeR. You must either wait out the clock, or capture both Eraser Head and CodeR to stop the attack. You fail if either villain captures and holds your base’s zone for a full minute.”

“Don’t think for a second that you guys will have it easy with us,” CodeR said cheerily. “As an alumnus and your sempai, it’s my job to make you work hard to pass.” Despite her size and friendly demeanor, Shoka and the rest of Team B felt a slight chill run down their spines.

The intense, lazy stare coming from Eraser Head only further compounded the idea that Team B was in for a fight.

Smiling at the byplay, Nezu continued on. “Team C will focus on capture. Your goal is simply to capt-”

“Catch me and gramps here, yo!” Beat excitedly jumped in, cutting Nezu off. He received a swift whack to his shin from Gran Torino’s cane for his rudeness.

“Let Nezu finish explaining, you oaf!” Gran Torino growled, chiding the Thrasher Hero.

As Beat hopped on his other leg while rubbing the sore spot on his shin, Nezu sent Gran Torino a grateful nod. “My thanks, Torino.” He turned his attention back to Team C and returned to his explanation. “As Beat stated, your goal is to capture both him and his partner, Gran Torino. You only need to worry about the time limit. If I were you, I would prepare for an endurance run.”

Izuku felt Shinso’s eyes on him. An unspoken conversation happened between the two. After giving his best friend a nod, Shinso turned away and spoke with his team.

“For Team D…” As Nezu explained the next scenario, Izuku’s attention drifted to Sir Nighteye.

He couldn't help but feel anxious. It was obvious why the Pro Hero was here. Izuku didn't even need to hear that Nighteye would be one of his team's opponents. It was simply a given. That knowledge only made planning ahead difficult.

“Don't let your head get all clouded, Izuku,” Nana said soothingly. “We can see all the thought and research you put into Nighteye and his Quirk.”

“Seven is right,” came the surprisingly supportive voice of Two. “You already fought half the battle. No Quirk is unbeatable. Work with your team, keep a level head, and you’ll succeed.”

“... That’s surprising. Two’s actually rooting for our boy Niner,” Banjo remarked, completely taken aback by Two’s sudden show of support.

“He probably just wants to see Sir Nighteye get punched in the face,” Hikage said in a serious, flat tone.

“Really fucking hard,” Two added quickly before his presence faded from the group before anyone else could comment.

As if sensing the growing worries within Izuku, Eri was quick to help him the best way she could. Wrapping her arms around his leg, Eri hugged him tightly, causing him to look down at her. A smile found its way onto Izuku’s face, thankful for Eri’s kind gesture. He reached down and gently rubbed the top of her head. Eri gave his leg one last squeeze, craning her neck and looking up at him with her round, ruby-red eyes.

In the back of his mind, Izuku swore he saw the corner of Eri’s lips tug just a bit higher at that moment.

“Next, Team E,” Nezu’s sudden address grabbed Izuku’s attention. Next to him, Pony and Awase stood up straighter, while Bakugo seemed ready to go. “You four will be performing a rescue. You are to either rescue and escort your VIP to an exit point or capture your villains before your time runs out. If your villains recapture the VIP, or prevent your escape, you fail.”

Nezu turned his head to the right, his beady eyes landing on two heroes in particular, silently ushering them forward. Izuku didn’t need to look to his sides to see Pony and Awase growing nervous, and he was sure Bakugo was growing more excited by the second. Izuku, however, forced down his growing nerves as the imposing figures of both Sir Nighteye and Endeavor loomed over his team.

“We will be your opponents today,” said Sir Nighteye as he adjusted his glasses.

Endeavor crossed his arms in front of his muscular chest, the fires on his body burning hotter as he asserted himself alongside his new partner. “Don’t disappoint us. You all are supposedly the future of heroics, and I hope to see it for myself, firsthand.”

The two rejoined their fellow heroes as Nezu continued to list off teams and their assigned scenarios. As he finished up Team F’s part, Izuku’s teammates began talking among themselves.

“So, we screwed, right? The Number Two Hero and All Might’s old sidekick working together seems like we’re set up to fail,” Awase commented as he kept his eyes on their opponents.

Pony nodded along. “Yeah. It feels like he loaded the wrong wagon.” Seeing her three teammates give her curious looks, Pony realized she had slipped in a southern phrase, confusing them. “Sorry. I mean that we got a problem on our hands.”

Izuku took an uneasy, deep breath. “Right. It won’t be easy. Endeavor is a powerful hero, and Sir Nighteye is highly intelligent. His Quirk gives the two an advantage.” He brought his hand up to his chin, his mind racing a mile a minute as he attempted to work out the problem before him. “Aizawa-sensei said that they’re limiting themselves, so maybe Sir Nighteye will only be able to use his Quirk for a few minutes.”

“Even if he does, that’s still enough for Four-eyes to get one over us,” Bakugo remarked, joining the conversation. “He probably looked into the future already.”

“It looks like it,” Izuku stated as he noticed that Nighteye and Endeavor were deep in their own discussion.

Endeavor’s eyes had moved from member to member on Team E, nodding along to whatever it was Nighteye was telling him. Nighteye himself had his back turned to the group, not letting anyone on Team E catch a glimpse of his face.

Pony chewed on her bottom lip as Awase clicked his tongue. “What’s the play then?” he asked.

Izuku didn’t answer right away. He was still going through everything he knew about Sir Nighteye’s Quirk through his research and Psych development. He knew there was an exploit in the hero’s Quirk. The issue was finding it in time to use it.

That’s to say if Izuku or his team could even use an exploit if he found one.

Breaking away from his thoughts, Izuku felt it best to at least have a plan of attack to work with, even if their opponents would know about it going in. “We should work in pairs. One pair should focus on Endeavor, while the other goes for Sir Nighteye. While Sir Nighteye can fight, I’ll bet he is going to play support for Endeavor, letting his partner go on the offensive while not getting in his way.”

Izuku looked to his left. “Bakugo?” he asked, gaining the ash-blonde’s attention. “How do you feel about facing the Number Two Hero?”

Bakugo gave Izuku a cocky smirk. “You actually had to ask?”

“Just wanted to be sure,” Izuku explained. He looked over at Awase and Pony. “I’ll be going for Sir Nighteye. I think I might be able to find a counter to his Quirk.” Whatever confidence Izuku hoped he had turned shakier by the second. “It’s up to you two to see who you want to go with. While Bakugo and I can hold our own, it may be best if you two played support. Pony would be best to help evacuate the VIP, where Awase can help with capturing Endeavor or Nighteye.”

Awase and Pony shared a look between each other, silently debating among themselves who should go with whom. After a moment, the two broke up their two-person huddle, with Awase speaking for them both. “I’ll go with you, Midoriya. If you’re going for Nighteye, you may need me to catch him when you find your counter.”

Izuku blinked in surprise at the level of confidence Awase had in him. Seeing the silent question on the tip of Izuku’s tongue, Awase held up a hand and elaborated, “Your plan during our joint-session helped us win. I’m willing to go all in with you.”

Pony bounced on her hooves as she looked at Bakugo, a fiery determination burning within her Prussian-blue eyes as she talked to him. “That means I’m ridin’ with you, Bakugo!” She pumped her arm in the air, her hand curled into a tight fist as she continued. “Let’s show Endeavor we can run with the big dogs!”

Bakugo barked out a laugh at the sudden enthusiasm Pony displayed. “Alright, Ponygirl. Just don’t slow me down.”

With his team’s confidence growing, Izuku couldn’t help but match their energy. Ego responded in kind, its hum turning into a powerful ballad in his heart. Because of this, Izuku missed the sudden tension in Sir Nighteye’s shoulders.

Looking over at the group of students, Sir Nighteye couldn’t stop himself from focusing on Izuku. There was a subtle shift in the air, something he couldn’t quite explain. The seer didn’t realize how long he was staring at the hero student until he found a pair of emerald-green eyes staring back at him.

“Now that every team has been given their scenarios, I will explain a few more things before we begin!” Nezu happily chirped, unknowingly breaking up the staredown happening between Izuku and Sir Nighteye. “Every scenario will have a time-limit of thirty minutes, with two teams undergoing them at a time. Each team will be given ten minutes to either set up their defenses and or bases, or plan their attack strategies. We have already determined which training ground your scenarios will take place in, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the area you find yourselves in.”

As Nezu finished explaining, his beady gaze swept across the room, taking one more look at his students. He brought his paws together, steepling his fingers as he leaned back into his chair. “Now then. Let’s begin.”

A Hero's World - Chapters

Fawkes MHA TWEWY Crossover Story AHW

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Fawkes_Draws

Oct 19, 2025 12:58 am

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A Hero's World
Ch 044 - Red Flags, Blue Flags, Green Flags Galore
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- TRAINING GROUND BETA OBSERVATION ROOM, FRIDAY -

“Listen up, students!” All Might’s loud shout pulled both 1-A and 1-B’s attention to him. Once all eyes were on him he pulled out a clicker, pressing a button as an image appeared on the main monitor behind him. “Today will be the first joint-training exercise between your classes! As such, your instructors, Dean Nezu, and I have prepared something special for you all!”

The hero students focused on the screen as “CTF” appeared in bright, flashy graphics. Some students were intrigued, some were worried, while the rest seemed confused or simply remained quiet, waiting for further instruction.

“Capture the flag!” All Might exclaimed. “No heroes versus villains today. It’s simply two teams trying to capture the opposing team’s flag and returning to their base for victory!” The Pro Hero held out a hand, with his pointer and middle finger forming a “V” sign, all while wearing his trademark smile.

Aizawa stepped up next, taking the clicker out of All Might's hand and continued from there, moving to the next slide with several rules for the match on display. "The rules are simple enough. Each match will be twenty minutes long. You win by returning your opponent's flag to your set base." His tired eyes scanned the room, making sure each student was following along. "However, your flag must be set at your base for the capture to count."

Pressing the clicker again, a map of the training ground appeared on the screen, with two teams of four appearing at the top. The only major thing of note was that most of the city was grayed out with only a small section remaining highlighted. The highlighted section gave the students a sixteen by nine block area to work with. Aizawa continued the explanation from there. “Each team will have four students each. Your base-” Aizawa clicked the button again, and the teams moved to different parts of the highlighted training ground, with a color-coded circle appearing near them. “Is wherever you decide within the designated combat zone.”

Vlad King spoke up next, his gruff voice filling the air as all the students looked at him. "Your flag must be visible. No using your Quirks to hide it inside the atomic structure of something, no hiding it within your Quirk, and no placing it in a place we deem impossible to reach." He stared at several students, keenly aware of the limits and capabilities of their Quirks. "As long as it's visible and possible to reach, it's legal."

One student, someone Izuku recognized as Nirengeki Shoda, raised their hand. Getting a nod from Vlad King, the rather portly student asked his question. "How are teams chosen? Is it random chance like our other exercises?"

All Might gave him a nod. "Indeed, young Nirengeki. However, we have something special in mind."

Aizawa pressed a button on the clicker once more, and the screen changed to show eight silhouettes, four colored red and the other four colored blue, with each set of four on one side of the screen. The silhouettes then moved around, with two red and two blue switching sides.

"MIXED TEAMS!" All Might proudly declared.

The students of 1-A and 1-B all shared an unsure look with one another, though some were curious about how well they could work together.

Iida raised his hand next, though he didn't wait for one of their instructors to address him. "Is this another lesson in random chances that occur during a patrol or operation?"

Vlad King quickly answered the blue-haired speedster. "Sorta. There's another element to it that we'll explain at the end of class."

With a grateful nod, Iida lowered his hand and waited for the three heroes to continue.

Aizawa turned to the screen. "We've already determined your teams last night through random chance." He turned to face the group of students, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he spoke. "So there will be no complaining, understood?"

“”"Yes, sensei!""" 1-A answered quickly and stiffly, much to the surprise of 1-B, who followed up with a much more subdued response.

With a nod, Aizawa pressed a button on the clicker, and the first team appeared. “Yaoyorozu, Koda.” His two students perked up as he addressed them. “You’re teamed with Fukidashi and Tetsutetsu. Congrats, you’re Team A.”

Koda nervously joined up with Momo, who was quick to put her fellow 1-A team member at ease as they moved over to Fukidashi and Tetsutetsu, but not before Momo gave a friendly wave to Eri. Seeing the nervousness of Koda, Tetsutetsu gave the animal-loving student a friendly smile while Fukidashi shifted his head to display a smiling emoticon.

The screen changed again. This time, Vlad King spoke up, calling on the next team. "Kendo, you and Tsuburaba are on a team with Sakurane and Todoroki. You all are Team B."

Like Momo, Shoka gave a small wave to Eri before making her way over to Itsuka and Tsuburaba with Shoto right behind her. Once they joined their 1-B teammates, Itsuka held up her hand, hoping that one of them would give her a high-five in return. Shoka snorted playfully before returning the gesture.

Aizawa called the next team, going on a rotation with his coworker. "Sero, Shinso, you're grouped with Monoma and Komori. You all are Team C."

"Shishida and Kuroiro, you two are with Tokoyami and Iida, making up Team D."

The next group received a few surprised looks from several members of 1-A. "Midoriya, Bakugo, you're with Awase and Tsunotori. You're Team E."

Izuku and Bakugo shared a tense look, the two of them measuring each other up silently. Neither gave a sign of approval or disapproval with the grouping, instead keeping their attention on their instructors. Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku spotted Tsunotori and Awase making their way over to them.

Izuku took a moment to observe his new teammates. Tsunotori, he recognized. He remembered that she battled his team near the end of the Scramble Slam during the sports festival. He also remembered her launching her horns from her head and manipulating them, something that made his Quirk Nerd side excited to learn more about. Already his mind was working with ideas based on her Quirk, though he would need to talk with her and learn more about it.

Her hero costume was unique, if not thematic. The main body of the costume resembled a horse jockey uniform, consisting of an orange skin-tight that draped down to her mid-thighs, with long sleeves that were tucked into a pair of tan fingerless gloves, and a tan-colored collar and stripe running down her stomach. Underneath her shirt were a pair of tan pants, tucked into a pair of orange boots that protected her shins and hooves.

The most notable features of the costume were the horse's halter on her head, and several belts wrapped around her arms, lower torso, and boots, complete with a pair of stirrups attached to the belts on her boots.

It made Izuku wonder how functional her costume was. Just another question for later.

His eyes then moved to Awase. Izuku knew nothing about the guy, so it would be up to him to fix that. If they were going to be teammates, everyone needed to be on the same page.

Moving his thoughts along, Izuku took in Awase's appearance. The young man wore a burgundy, baggy full-body suit, with a large collar that covered his chin. A three-layered, chest-piece covered his torso, made of dark-tinted glass and metal, and a pair of dark-brown pads protected his shoulders with matching arm-guards. On his feet were a pair of white, knee-high boots that had dark-brown accents at his knees, and two light-blue cases on his right and left hips. Izuku assumed that, like the soft-cases on his belt, Awase's must have something within them pertaining to his Quirk.

"Howdy!" Tsunotori said as she sidled up next to the group. Izuku, Bakugo, and Eri blinked in response, surprised by the thick accent coming from the blonde hero student.

It took a second, but Izuku and Bakugo recognized the phrase, with Izuku returning the friendly greeting with his own. "Hello. It looks like we'll be a team today. I'm Midoriya Izuku, but feel free to just call me Izuku."

Pony beamed at the returned greeting, happy that someone outside her class understood her native language and spoke it rather well.

Seeing Izuku interact with the blonde gave Eri an understanding as well, with her giving a small wave to Tsunotori and Awase. "H-hi, I'm Eri."

"Well, hi there! My name's Tsunotori Pony, but just call me Pony," the blonde replied, switching back to Japanese, though Izuku and Bakugo noticed her accent was still rather thick despite her fluency.

Eri stared at the girl, wide-eyed, getting lost in Pony's rather large, Prussian-blue orbs before her gaze turned upwards towards Pony's horns. Eri raised a hand to her own horn, rubbing it while looking over at Mina, and then back at Pony. Noticing where Eri's eyes landed, Pony smiled and brought her hands up to her own jagged horns, holding out her index fingers to emphasize the long protrusions.

"It's nice to meet ya, Eri. Didn't expect to see a unicorn today," Pony said happily.

Eri mirrored Pony's actions, bringing her right hand up and holding out a tiny finger to emphasize her sharp, curved horn.

As Eri and Pony continued to interact, Awase spoke to Izuku in a sharp tone. "I'm surprised you speak English that good. Pony sometimes slips back into it at times, and only a few of us actually understand her."

Izuku sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as he replied. “Ah. Well, I watched a lot of All Might’s early interviews from his time in America, and I really wanted to know what he was saying outside of dubs and subs.”

Bakugo snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. "Still a fu-" He turned to look at Eri. Even though her attention was on Pony, he still held back his swear, remembering some of Best Jeanist's critiques. "Still a freakin' nerd."

Izuku shot Bakugo a blank look. "I also remember you watching those same interviews for the same reason I did," he said, causing the ash-blonde to choke on his spit. He pointed at himself and then at Bakugo. "Hi Pot. It's me, Kettle. Been a while since we last talked."

One of Bakugo's red eyes twitched as his lips curling into an annoyed scowl. Before Bakugo could retort, Aizawa spoke up as he, Vlad King, and All Might finished dividing up the students into their teams.

"All right. We'll run the computer and let it determine the match-ups," the Underground Hero stated as he interacted with the main computer.

All eyes were on the screen as a thick black bar ran right down the middle, dividing it as the two new sides rolled through each team randomly. It didn't take long for the first match-up to appear, with one side displaying Team G facing off against Team A. The process moved on immediately, with Izuku's Team E up next.

Facing off against Team B.

Izuku’s eyes met Shoka’s gray pools. He gave her a friendly smile, one that had a challenging edge to it. Shoka bobbed her head from side to side, all with a confident smirk on her face. She raised her hand, holding out her pointer finger and curled it several times, telling him in her own way to bring it.

As the match-ups continued to be determined, Eri grew concerned. She looked up at Izuku, tugging on his coat while keeping her voice low. "I-Izuku? Are you and Ms. Shoka going to fight? You won't hurt each other, right?"

Izuku took a moment to think about how to answer Eri to help her understand the situation better. "We might fight, but that's okay here. We're both trying to be better heroes, so we need to take things seriously. So don't worry. We won't be mad at each other after this or try to hurt the other too badly."

Seeing the little girl was still worried, Izuku thought up another way to explain it. "Just think of it like a game. Shoka and I are just on different teams for today. After we're done, we'll be back on the same team."

From the crowd, Himiko spoke up in a sing-song manner as she watched the interaction. "Such a Papa Bear~." Izuku, still unused to such an idea, rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, though he didn't exactly deny it.

"We're always on the same team, Izzy," Shoka called out, ignoring Himiko's remark -and missing the intense stares that Shoto, Iida, and Kyoka were sending the bun-haired young woman, who simply gave them a Cheshire grin. "That doesn't mean you better take it easy on me. I play to win, ya know?" She turned her head and gave her boyfriend a flirty wink. "And I expect a good prize when I do."

Bakugo, in his usual abrasive manner, made his annoyance known. "Will you two stop flirting already! Save it for when I don't have to listen to it." That earned him dirty looks from Izuku, Shoka, andMomo, though he couldn't care less and ignored them.

As the matches were set, Aizawa gave a single nod and motioned for the first two teams to come up to the front. "Now. Team A, Team G, pick your flag color, grab your radios, and move out. You'll have five minutes to prepare your zone."

Izuku turned to look at Momo, watching her as she donned a determined expression, the gears turning in her head as a plan formed. While she spoke with her teammates and selected their flag, Izuku turned his attention to her opponents.

Tsuyu and Aoyama were paired up with Shiozaki Ibara and Rin Hiryu. Based on the team make-up, Momo and her team were dealing with a good ranged-based team. Shiozaki also provided the means to capture anyone with her vines. On top of that, she and Tsuyu could even act as perfect ambushers. Aoyama provided excellent range, and his lasers were difficult to deal with, though Izuku figured Momo could use mirrors or something else that could reflect the concentrated beams to counter him. Even Tetsutetsu could do so as well if his Quirk made him reflective enough. Izuku didn’t have enough information on Manga or Hiryu, but this match would give him enough to work with.

“Um, Izuku?” Pony’s voice broke Izuku out of his thoughts. He turned to look at her, confusion apparent on his face. She pointed down, drawing his attention to a journal that -in her and Awase’s eyes- materialized out of nowhere. “I feel like I gotta ask where that came from, but I’m afraid of the answer.”

Bakugo snorted. "That's just what he does. Trust me, after years of that freaky habit, I've learned it's unbreakable. Same with that da-" He stopped himself again, checking to see if Eri was paying attention to them. Seeing that she was too engrossed with Izuku's journal, he continued, unabated and unwilling to censor himself, though he kept his voice low as he spoke. "That damn muttering he always does when he starts acting like a nerd."

Izuku shot Bakugo a dirty look and took a deep, calming breath before clarifying. "It's just an old hobby I started because of my dad. I like studying Quirks, and since mine was difficult to figure out initially, I thought I could learn from others and just recorded each and every one I came across."

"And the muttering?" Awase asked.

Izuku donned a flat expression, realizing that he had verbalized his thoughts aloud. Shaking it off, he looked at Awase and explained, a fond smile breaking out across his face at the memory of his first creative session with Mr. H. “Using my mentor’s own words, ‘My mind is thinking faster than it can process.’” Izuku shrugged his shoulders as he continued explaining. “I used to be a lot worse. I can keep it pretty contained in the middle of action, but when everything is calm, it just sorta spills out.”

Awase let out a hum. "Weird. But you do you, man."

Pony jabbed him in the side with her elbow, earning her an annoyed look from the headband-wearing hero student.

Eri's eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked at the page that had a well-made and detailed drawing of Momo in her current hero costume on it. She tugged on his battlecoat and pointed at the page. "You drew Ms. Momo!" She looked back up at him, her large red eyes gazing into his. "Did you draw Ms. Shoka too?"

Izuku smiled and flipped to the previous page, displaying Shoka in all her glory. Pony made an awed noise while Awase let out an impressed whistle. He then looked at the notes on the page next to the image, getting lost in all the little details Izuku had written.

"You did this for everyone in your group?" He asked as he looked around at all the 1-A students in the room.

"Yeah, I did," Izuku replied as if it was no big deal.

Bakugo spoke up next, nudging his head towards the monitors. "The nerd was thinking about what his ponytail girlfriend and her team would do against the other extras." On display were Momo and her team, setting up their flag as Momo used her Quirk to create a dozen more flags and stands.

Izuku blinked owlishly at the ash-blonde. Pony and Awase could practically see the shutdown and reboot of his brain in real time. After a moment of awkward silence, Izuku managed to find his voice. "You... actually understood me?"

Bakugo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, scoffing at Izuku's question. "You ran that motor-mouth so much I frickin' had to, nerd. Trust me, I sure as hell didn't want to."

Izuku looked thoughtful at that unexpected fact. "So? How does my assessment sound?" He asked, curious to hear Bakugo's opinion.

Bakugo didn't answer right away. He simply stared silently at the two teams in question as they continued to set up their bases. "Knowing you, you're probably right. The animal lover might mess things up for them if someone gets up in his face. Anchorman can bring some muscle, at least. Don't know about Panel-Head, though."

Izuku looked back at Momo's group and saw them huddled together as they formulated a plan of attack. He saw Koda nod at something Momo said, stood up, cupped his hands around his mouth, and called out into the air.

He turned his head to look at his two 1-B teammates. "Oi! Pony-girl. Headband. The nerd needs info on your friends."

Awase scowled at the basic nickname and fired back. "And there goes any cred you might have had, Sparky. Those names must have cost you the last two brain cells you had to come up with something as basic as those."

"OI!" barked Bakugo.

Izuku, Pony, and Eri just ignored the arguing teammates and focused on Izuku's notebook. Pony leaned in close, her face next to Izuku's as she peered over his shoulder. "What are y'all needin'?" She asked.

Izuku flipped to a fresh page, skipping past several members of 1-B he already had entries for. A pencil appeared in his hand, much to Pony's shock and Eri's enjoyment, and he looked at the blonde American. "Just some basic info about Manga's and Hiryu's Quirks."

Pony straightened her back and brought a finger to her chin, thinking of how to explain her coursemates' Quirks. "Well, Manga's Quirk is called 'Comic', and it lets him make an onomatopoeia." The young woman became animated as she gave her simple explanation. "So, like, he says the word boom, then he makes a sound effect and then based on what kind of boom he wants, it happens," she finished as she balled her fists before quickly opening them to emphasize her point.

The horned-blonde then moved her arms out in front of her, her excitement apparent as she struck a pose similar to one Izuku would use for Buster Shot. “For Rin, his Quirk is called Scaled. He can make scales on his body and launch them at targets, but he mostly uses his arms for that.” She crossed her arms as if to brace herself as she explained her next point. “They are pretty handy for defense! It helps that he’s pretty good at martial arts, too.”

She looked back at Izuku, who had already filled out one page with a quick -yet detailed- sketch of Hiryu and on the page next to it were notes on what she just described. It amazed her how fast he worked, and it just occurred to her that Izuku most likely had already made a similar entry for Manga.

Before she could comment on Izuku's quick hands, a voice from the front caught their attention.

"Vlad-sensei? Why is Yaoyorozu getting away with making multiple flags?" Monoma asked.

Vlad King turned his head, but kept his eyes on the monitors as both teams began their match. “The rules stated that the flag must be obtainable. We never said anything about having multiple flags. Yaoyorozu seemed to be merciful if you take a closer look.”

Izuku, like everybody else, focused on Team A's base and noticed an odd detail about the flags. They all had a white star on them. Their actual flag, however, had only five points instead of the six points like the others. It was a such a small detail that it was completely possible to miss if you didn't pay attention.

"As long as the other team recognizes Yaoyorozu's trick, it's fine," Aizawa said with a grumble.

"A logical ruse," Shinso commented dryly, earning a giggle from Himiko and a chuckle from Sero while their teammates looked at them curiously.

As the match was underway, Izuku watched on and brought his hand to his chin. Bakugo, out of the corner of his eye, recognized the gesture. "Of course you already have a plan in mind, nerd."

“Just the bare bones of one,” Izuku replied. He looked around the room, seeing who could paying attention to him and his team and listening in on them. Just because everyone was supposed to watch the match doesn’t mean they couldn’t start making plans for their own match.

That also meant they could listen in on other people’s plans since they knew who their opponents were beforehand if they were smart enough.

With that in mind, Izuku looked over to Shoka and her team. While she was paying attention to the match, he knew she could easily listen in on him if he wasn't careful. His words to Eri held weight.

They were playing a game. In fact, they were already playing it now. This was a chance to get an edge if he was careful about it. Izuku knew his girlfriends very well, Shoka and Momo knew him just as well.

"Awase. Pony." The two 1-B students turned to look at him, noting the serious look on his face. "I have a plan, but I think we need to switch to English." He said, nudging his head towards Shoka. Having Pony on the team gave them a certain edge, and he would capitalize on it.

Bakugo gave a begrudging nod to Izuku, agreeing with his green-haired teammate. It was still strange to him that the former-fearful nerd he knew had turned into a much more confident person, but he could respect the dedication and drive Izuku put into being a hero, even in these small moments.

He could also respect that Izuku and Shoka would bring their A-game, even if they were dating and were on different teams.

While Bakugo focused on the match, Izuku had one concern about this idea. Awase inadvertently revealed that his grasp of the English language wasn’t as strong as Bakugo’s or his own. Awase, picking up on Izuku's worries washed away any concerns Izuku had with a simple wave of his hand. “You guys talk to Pony about the plan. You can tell me about it when it’s our turn. I’ll keep an eye on the other team.”

Izuku nodded appreciatively at Awase. Pony leaned in, ready to help out as best she could, while Bakugo still kept a comfortable distance from the others, though Izuku knew he was listening. "Alright. Before we begin, how quick on your feet are you, Pony?"

As Izuku discussed the plan with his group, Shoka smirked. She had used her Quirk earlier to see how her boyfriend was doing with his team and picked up on what he was doing before he switched over to English. In a weird way, she was touched that Izuku considered her a potential threat. It just meant that he took her seriously.

"Izzy's cooking up a plan," she stated confidently to her team.

Itsuka and Tsuburaba looked at her, confused by her words, while Shoto understood her completely. "We should be worried," he stated plainly.

Shoka rolled her eyes. "Duh. Both Izzy and Momo are wicked smart, but Izzy knows Quirks. He knows our Quirks. He's probably making a plan for his team to work with and then fine tune it to combat us."

"Plus, his Quirk gives him an edge. I remember his match with Monoma," Itsuka said with a thoughtful expression. "He certainly has the versatility."

"That, and he's the one who beat that Minamimoto guy in Shibuya. And Bakugo is no pushover either," Tsuburaba added.

Itsuka conceded Tsuburaba's point with a slight tilt of her head before turning her attention to her other two teammates. "So... expect to work for the win." An excited grin found its way onto Itsuka's face. "Good. I want to earn it."

Shoka bobbed her head in agreement, pumped by the martial artist's energy and turned her attention back to the current match. On one of the screens, Tetsutetsu had just engaged Aoyama and Hiryu. She smirked when she noticed that Tetsutetsu seemed to be shinier than normal, her mind filling in the gaps. As Aoyama fired a laser from his belt, the beam reflected off of the steel-coated student, who angled his arms back at his two opponents.

"I swear, those two are on the same wavelength most of the time," she commented as she remembered Momo had given something to Tetsutetsu earlier in the match that must have been a polish of some kind, proving Izuku's earlier muttering accurate.

As the match continued, Shoka's group turned their attention to a different monitor that had Tsuyu leap into the enemy base. It was difficult to tell at first, but the 1-A students could tell from the minor shift in her flat expression that she was flipping between disbelief and annoyance at what Momo had done. On the next building over, Momo watched Tsuyu from a distance, ready to intercept the frog-girl if she discovered the ploy.

On another screen, Ibara kept her eyes peeled, most notably towards the sky. There were several birds circling the area, and Ibara had noticed them earlier. At the animals' odd behavior, Ibara dug her vines into the ground, ready to strike should they get too close. It was apparent that either Tsuyu or Aoyama must have given her a heads up about Koda and his Quirk. The observers inside the control room watched as something startled her, redirecting her attention to her left. Her vines reacted, breaching the ground in an attempt to capture what Ibara thought was a bird, only to grab nothing.

"What spooked Shiozaki?" Kaminari asked.

“Probably Fukidashi’s Quirk. He must have created a sound that made her worry that someone might have snuck up on her,” Yanagi answered.

Izuku studied the monitors, taking in all the information he could. Each action and every word was recorded in his journals while his mind filed away certain points for later.

After taking a few moments to put two and two together, Izuku smiled. "Fukidashi and Koda are pulling off a move," he stated confidently.

Eri craned her head up, her wide eyes staring at him expectantly. "What do you mean, Izuku?" She asked.

Her question drew the attention of several nearby students, who wanted to hear Izuku’s explanation just as much as Eri did.

Looking down at the little girl in his lap, Izuku was more than happy to explain. "Momo's team probably came up with an idea of how Fukidashi and Koda could work together. Remember how Pony said he can make sounds-" He pointed his thumb at Pony and then pointed to Yanagi. "and Yanagi confirmed it?" Eri nodded. "Well, Koda can speak to and command animals."

He looked back at the monitors that displayed Ibara, who reacted to another sound. It was quick, but he noticed a bird descend, getting closer and closer to the flag, only to have Ibara react and shoo it away. "Fukidashi is probably making chirps and other bird sounds with his Quirk to keep Ibara on her toes while Koda commands his birds to sneak in to grab the flag."

"And it worked!" All Might exclaimed. Everyone focused on the monitor as a separate bird used the distraction caused by its friend and Fukidashi's onomatopoeia, and stole the flag. "An excellent use of Team A's combined Quirks and ingenuity. Now, they must return Team G's flag to their base."

"It looks like Tsu figured out which flag is Momo's!" Ochaco said excitedly, bouncing on her heels as she pointed to the monitor Tsuyu was on.

"That's not going to help much now that Momo knows that," Shoka remarked as Momo used a grapple gun to soar over Tsuyu, dropping a cluster of Matryoshka dolls in her wake. Several of the dolls exploded in a flash of light, while others seemed to generate a loud bang, disorienting Tsuyu.

The end of the match turned into a mad dash, as Team G was forced to either advance into Team A’s base or capture the bird Koda had under his command. Ibara slowed down the bird’s flight, focusing entirely on it as she used her vines to chase after it. Aoyama moved to intercept, while Hiryu kept Tetsutetsu preoccupied.

In the middle of the skirmish, Fukidashi appeared, generating a new onomatopoeia. Tetsutetsu, noticing his teammate behind Hiryu. Knowing what was about to happen, he closed his eyes and covered his face. Hiryu assumed that his fellow 1-B coursemate was simply defending himself until a bright flash overtook his vision. Tetsutetsu used the opportunity to rush the Chinese hero student, slamming a steel-coated boot into his gut, and sending him rolling across the ground.

As the bird holding Team G's flag flew in a sporadic pattern to avoid Ibara's vines, a bright beam of light shot in front of it. This caused the bird to suddenly stop and squawk in surprise. This momentary pause allowed Ibara's pursuing vines to finally catch it. As the bird struggled, it dropped the flag, letting it flutter down to the ground.

Eri gasped at the sight and hid her eyes behind her tiny fingers. "The poor birdie," she said with a concerned frown.

Izuku was quick to alleviate her worries. "Don't worry, Eri. I don't think Ibara wants to hurt the bird. See?"

Eri peaked at the monitors in time to see a worried Ibara reel in her vines until they brought the bird to her. Once the bird was in her hands, she cradled it and gently stroking its head with her fingers. Despite there being no sound, everyone could guess that she was frantically trying to calm the little creature down. Once she felt her work was done, she held up her hands and the bird fly off as rays of heavenly light beamed down on her.

The observation room went quiet. No one really knew what to say regarding the odd scene. That was until Yanagi and Tokoyami spoke up in their own special manner.

"The Maiden of Light shines brightly once more."

"Even the birds of the air recognize her radiance."

To the group's surprise, even All Might made a comment. "I believe that was an Oriental Turtle-dove."

Aizawa let out a tired sigh. He didn't want to ask how the No. 1 Hero knew that, but the observation was something he never expected to hear from his colleague. His curiosity won out in the end, and Aizawa asked what was on everyone's minds. "How?"

All Might turned to Aizawa and gave him a wide, beaming smile as he answered. "You pick up a thing or two when soaring through the air as I do, Aizawa!"

The ever-tired hero simply stared at All Might, completely dumbfounded by his remark. Despite that, Aizawa still somewhat impressed All Might found some sort of hobby or interest in his work like that. Before he could comment on it any further, Vlad King drew his attention to the monitors. “And it looks like they’re about to finish this.”

On the screen, Momo was artfully dodging a series of kicks, leaps, and tongue lashings from Tsuyu, simultaneously weaving through her created flag posts with tremendous grace. Tsuyu didn't make it easy, however. Whatever other tricks Momo had, Tsuyu was quick to pick up on them.

Flashbangs? Tsuyu would leap into the air, right out of the effective zone. Glue grenades? Tsuyu could keep her distance and hop to a safe area.

That wasn't to say Momo was outclassed. Her time training with Edgeshot made her reactive, using more unorthodox tricks to catch Tsuyu off guard. Add on her skill with a bo staff, and Tsuyu had struggled to even land a clean hit on the raven-haired heiress.

As the group of hero students watched on completely engrossed in the small skirmish, they saw a victorious smirk grace Momo's lips. Placing her right hand at the side of her thigh, Momo used her Quirk to create a quick-fire grapple gun and immediately took aim at Tsuyu and fired. The frog-girl leaped to the side, easily dodging the open claw and watched it sail past her.

Her normally expressionless eyes widened just a fraction as the claw grabbed her team’s flag and was already being retracted. In a desperate move, Tsuyu launched her tongue at the closed claw, hoping to retrieve her flag before Momo could claim victory. Before Tsuyu’s tongue could catch the flag, Momo slammed her left forearm into the retracting grapple line, causing it to move off its course before the reeling line course-corrected itself.

When the claw returned, Momo claimed the flag, resulting in a victory chime blaring through the klaxons placed throughout the training ground.

All Might leaned in close to the main console and gently gripped the microphone. "Team A has captured Team G's flag! Victory is theirs! Everyone, return to the monitoring room for your after-action reports."

Aizawa turned to the next two teams, his voice sharp as he addressed them. "Teams B and E, get ready to go."

Izuku and Shoka shared one last look, giving each other an affectionate smile while excitement danced within their eyes. An unspoken challenge was shared between them, and both of them wanted to win.

----------

As soon as Momo returned to the control room, Eri immediately made a B-line to the young heiress, all the while congratulating her on her victory. Momo blushed at the little girl's words and continued to do so even after Eri had climbed up into her lap as soon as she sat down. Now, though, Eri's focus was elsewhere. Her body was stiff with apprehension as she kept her eyes on the monitors in front of her. Despite Izuku’s words, she was still worried about him and Shoka fighting each other.

Momo could clearly see the minor distress on the little girl’s face. Momo gave Eri a gentle squeeze, causing Eri to turn her attention to the raven-haired heiress. “Don’t worry, Eri,” Momo said calmly, hoping to alleviate the little girl’s worries. “Zuzu and Shoka will be fine. It’s only training.”

Eri gave the heiress a tentative nod. "I-I know. I just don't want them to get hurt."

Momo smiled, hugging the little girl on her lap. "And that's a very sweet sentiment, Eri. Just remember, they may get a little rough with each other while training, but it's so they can be better heroes."

Momo's ears twitched at the sound of several footsteps coming closer to her and Eri. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Shinso and Himiko standing behind her. She gave the pair a nod and turned her attention back to the screens, watching as Izuku and Shoka's teams made their way into the training ground.

"How do you think they will do?" Momo asked.

Shinso studied the screens, watching his friends and their teams already discussing plans as they determined their base zone. "It'll be a fair game," he said. "Aizawa had the three of us spar with each other regularly before we got accepted, so Izuku and Shoka have a good read on each other." He shot Momo a knowing look. "Pretty sure you know all about that, yeah? Maybe joined in on the fun?"

Momo outed cutely at Shinso's words, already covering Eri's ears, much to the little girl's confusion. "Shinso!"

Himiko giggled at the reaction while Shinso ignored the pointed stare sent his way. "I'm just being honest," he said with a lazy shrug. "Jokes aside, Izuku can easily come up with a plan, but Shoka's an adaptive fighter. I think it will come down to how much friction him and Bakugo still have."

Momo looked over at the screen displaying Izuku's team with a worried face. Izuku's team had set up within a small park area within the training ground. The spot was rather open, with several roads leading to its center, where a green flag stood at the foot of a fountain. There were several tall buildings around the area, something she expected Izuku and his team to take advantage of.

It made her wonder what her boyfriend was thinking.

As she continued to watch, Momo saw Izuku had taken off his battlecoat and started making several surgical cuts just under the arm slots. She couldn’t help but smile and feel flattered as she realized what his initial plan was. As he cut his coat into multiple triangles, similar to his team’s flag, he turned to speak with Bakugo.

A frown appeared on Momo's face as she saw the lingering tension shared between her boyfriend and his former-friend. In her mind, Shinso's statement was accurate. Izuku and Bakugo still had issues, even if most of those had faded after the sports festival. It was rather apparent as Izuku and Bakugo both displayed some slight frustration with each other, though they managed to calm themselves down after taking a second to breathe.

Bakugo moved back a bit and began rolling his shoulders before switching things up and swinging his arms around while flexing his hands and muscles.

"Bakugo seems to be building up his reserves," she observed. "With Todoroki on the other team, Izuku must be worried that he may create thicker ice structures. Bakugo might be their initial ace if that happens."

Shinso nodded along, thinking the same thing. "At least we don't have to worry about structural damage this time around. Todoroki is free to drop a glacier if he feels like it." He turned to look at the other screens, noting that Todoroki seemed to be preparing himself for something big as Itsuka set up her team's flag.

"What's Izuku doing now?" Himiko asked, drawing their attention to the other screen.

They watched as Izuku and Awase assembled several more flag stands with the latter's Quirk before Izuku took them and stood at the edge of the park and held out an arm. Green and black tendrils shot out from his arm and hand, launching themselves at the edge of one of the taller buildings that surrounded the park. He flew through the air, holding his makeshift flags tightly in his other hand as he crested the building's rooftop edge.

Eri pointed at the screen, a sliver of excitement in her voice as she recognized what Izuku had done. "That's the pin Izuku and me drew!"

Momo chuckled at the little girl's jubilation. "I see. Did you help him with this new Psych of his?" She asked.

Eri looked up at Momo and nodded. "Mhm. He was showing me how to draw bunnies like he does." A thoughtful look crossed Eri's face as she tried to remember what the pin looked like. "Um... His bunny was green. And fluffy!" Eri then made circles with her hands and held them over her eyes. "And it had these yellow goggles on its face. Then, it had those things that came out of Izuku's arms coming out of the bunny's hands. Then-"

Eri then brought her hands and stared at them, counting her fingers to make sure she had the right number in mind. Holding up an open hand, she continued describing Izuku's pin. "And then Izuku said he put the word 'five' on it."

Momo smiled brightly at the red-eyed girl on her lap, trying her best not to bounce in her chair at how animated Eri was. "Is that right?"

Shinso couldn't help but comment on the whole thing. "And now he has an ace up his sleeve. Wonder how Shoka will handle it?"

"Like she does with everything else. With snark and grace," Momo said with a fond smile. She continued to watch the screens in front of her, her onyx-colored eyes switching back and forth between her boyfriend and girlfriend.

----------

Izuku cupped his chin in his hand, tapping a finger against it as he stared out into the fake city in front of him. On his left, Awase was checking his equipment, making sure he had plenty of materials to work with for the match. Bakugo stood further back, checking his gauntlets and ensuring he produced enough sweat for a powerful blast or two. Pony was on his right, stretching her legs while humming a happy tune.

"So. You think Todoroki is going to freeze the whole place?" Awase asked.

"It's possible," Izuku responded. "If anything, he may create a thick-enough block of ice to protect his team's flag."

Bakugo spoke up from there, continuing the conversation. "Which is where I come in. Whatever Icy-Hot makes, I'll blast it to hell."

Izuku bobbed his head and gestured at the ash-blonde. "What he said."

Awase looked at the two 1-A students and then at Pony. "And you think this plan is gonna work?"

Pony trotted over to the group, a wide smile on her face as she patted Izuku on the back. "Yep! I believe in Izuku!"

Awase let out a snort and rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. He made you the key player in all this."

Pony turned to her fellow coursemate and playfully stuck her tongue out at him. While it was true Izuku made it a point she would be the key to their plan, internally, she was worried she would mess things up and disappoint her team. Despite that, Izuku put his faith in her, Awase trusted her, and even Bakugo's blunt "Don't fuck it up" could be translated to a rough "you got this". With that being said, Pony felt she could pull off the win for her team.

It all came down to how the other team would act if they caught on to Izuku's plan quickly enough.

----------

Shoka crossed her arms as she stood next to Shoto, glad that her coat could handle the biting cold Shoto was emitting. Her lips formed a thin pout as she looked out at the fake city. She figured that by now, Izuku had already established a plan, refined it with his team, and was now mimicking her -or she him, though that was arguing semantics- as they waited for the match to start.

"So," Itsuka said as she joined the raven-haired girl, "you think Midoriya will try to trick us?"

"Most def," Shoka replied with a firm nod. "Izzy makes plans, just like Momo. It's what they do."

Itsuka nodded at that. With how the last match went, she saw how effective Momo was at planning. If Izuku was the same as her, Itsuka and her team would have their work cut out for them. Both Shoka and Shoto alleviated her concerns, however, with both of them going through what plans Izuku might have thought of, how Bakugo would possibly act, and what they could do to either slow down the both of them, or -if by some miracle- stop them completely.

Itsuka would just need to worry about capturing the flag, as Shoka and Tsuburaba would back her up and act accordingly, while Shoto would play defense. It was a solid enough formation that allowed for quick thinking and reaction based on what they learn of the other team's plan while on the go.

"While I would prefer a clean victory, a tie against Izuku and Bakugo is fine with me," Shoto stated plainly.

"Yeah, that could work," Tsuburaba said, joining the conversation. "But I really wanna win. I'm sure Awase and Pony won't hold it against us if we do."

Shoka smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "And I won't mind seeing Sparky Sparky Boom Boom blow his top if we do." Her smirk faded as she looked at Itsuka. "Do you really think Awase and Pony will play into Izuku's plan like you think they will?"

A thoughtful look crossed Itsuka's face as she thought about the question. "Maybe. Awase's Quirk makes him the perfect trapper, so we just need to avoid cramped spaces or letting him meld anything with his Quirk. Pony can either play the role of an attacker or runner. Those horns are no joke and can be a pain to deal with, so watch out for those."

"Tell me about it. I still cringe whenever I remember how they almost pierced my air walls," Tsuburaba stated.

Shoka hummed in thought before looking back at the city. "We'll just play it by ear if we have to."

[Thirty seconds.]

----------

"You ready for this, Niner?" Banjo asked as Izuku Blinked to the rooftop of a building in front of their zone.

'Yeah. Thanks for staying to help me with the new Psych,' Izuku replied as he heard a pair of explosions follow after him as Bakugo crested the rooftop edge right after him.

"Ain't a problem, Niner. There ain't nothing wrong with me giving you some pointers with this new Psych of yours," Banjo remarked. "Just remember, we ain't here to hold your hand. Training is something you gotta deal with. You can expect us to give you our thoughts when all is said an done, though."

'Right. I remember,' Izuku replied as he stared at the pin set in his left glove.

Abyss Fiber, the Psych made to emulate Black Whip. While it resembled Black Whip visually to a large degree, according to Banjo, it acted differently than its originator, albeit slightly. While emotions did fuel the Psych, anger and rage didn't cause it to spiral out of control. It may be limiting, much like the effective timer and number of threads Izuku could muster at the moment -which was currently four- but it was enough to get a baseline started as the Psych had room to grow.

There was the added benefit that the past users could aid him by using his Psychs to a degree. Banjo had quickly claimed that only he could help Izuku with Abyss Fiber since that was his Psych, and the others immediately claimed their future Psychs. Yoichi had proven that he could reactively use Resolute without Izuku’s input, giving the hero student an automatic defense while he focused on using his other Psychs.

The only downside was the effective shield wasn't as strong as when Izuku used it.

"Well, it's an honor to work alongside ya, Niner." Izuku smiled at Banjo's confidence and trust in him.

[Fifteen seconds.]

"You ready?" Banjo asked. While he couldn't see it, Izuku could tell the past user was smiling.

After checking his set Psychs, Izuku mentally nodded. He turned to look at Bakugo, catching his teammate’s eyes. The two said nothing to each other. They simply gave each other a quick nod, acknowledging the other, and turned to look forward as the countdown neared its end.

[Five.]

Izuku felt his muscles coil up like springs as he readied himself to move.

[Four.]

The scent of caramel wafted through the air as Bakugo released a series of small pops from his palms.

[Three.]

Pony's hooves clopped against the street as she took up a runner's stance, her large Prussian-blue eyes focusing on the road ahead of her.

[Two.]

Awase locked his fingers together and popped them before wiggling them as he moved them to his satchels.

[One.]

Izuku channeled his energy through his body as lightning danced across his form. His set Psychs all reached out to him, ready for use.

[START!]

Izuku and Bakugo launched themselves from their perch, moving together as sped through the air in search of Team B's zone.

Bringing up a hand to his headset, Izuku spoke into the mic, calling out to his teammates. "Rocketti. We'll let you know when we reach Team B's zone. For now, maintain a brisk pace. Don't tire yourself out and stay out of sight."

"Can do, Link!"

"Welder checking in. I finished setting up the first lane. I'm going to start patrolling the area."

"Understood. Everyone, report any movement you see." With that, Izuku focused on keeping up with Bakugo as the ash-blonde expertly weaved through the towering cityscape.

Wanting to get some more experience with Abyss Fiber, Izuku held out his left hand as his body fell towards the ground. Focusing his energy towards his palm, a thick black and green whip of energy shot out and latched onto the edge of a roof. At the angle he hit, his body flew in an arch, his feet nearly scraping the ground. He winced internally at how close he was to fumbling, but the euphoria of soaring through the air immediately replaced any worries he had.

The wind rushed past his hood-covered head, his floppy bunny ears whipping about wildly as a wide smile broke out on his face. Not even Banjo could hold back his joy at the freedom of movement Izuku was currently experiencing.

"Never gets old," the fifth-wielder said with a fond tone.

"Just wait until Izuku can fly. Now that's freedom," Nana said before cutting off her connection. As much as she wanted to help Izuku out with his training, she agreed with Two and Three's remarks that while in a safe environment, Izuku had to learn on his own.

They would give their two-cents after training, though, just to make sure he could glean some more experience from them and how they would have handled this session.

As Izuku used his newest Psych for a few more swings, he switched up his movement, relying on his free-running skills as he traversed the rooftops. He kept his head on a swivel, looking to spot even the slightest movement that would give away Team B's position or their members.

"Your girlfriend must have read you like a damn book, nerd," Bakugo remarked as he rolled up beside Izuku. "Icy-Hot was probably told to keep from alerting us where their flag is. Make us waste as much of our damn time as they can."

Izuku agreed with his teammate's assessment. It was a smart play on Team E's part. "We'll just have to split up to cover more ground. We're still in the early game, and they shouldn't learn about our trick too soon if we're lucky."

“You’re really banking on Pony-girl to pull it off.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, and one that Izuku could tell Bakugo still wasn’t entirely a hundred percent on. He took several minutes before the match started just to convince Bakugo that the plan would work.

The fact Izuku had to play into his former-friend's pride helped, even if Bakugo knew he was being played.

"I trust my team to pull through," Izuku replied resolutely. He glanced at Bakugo, his emerald green eyes meeting the bomber's feral red ones. "Even you, Bakugo."

Bakugo held Izuku's gaze for a moment before silently turning his head away.

"Fine," he said gruffly. "I'll take the left." With that, Bakugo rocketed away, blasting through the air and leaving Izuku alone on the rooftop.

Izuku watched his teammate for a moment before turning his attention to the other half of the city. "Then the right side is mine."

----------

Shoka leaped onto the wall of a building and scaled it as Itsuka and Tsuburaba ran down the street below her. They were nearing the area she would stop at and act as an interceptor should they spot anyone from Izuku’s team. So far, after only two minutes in, there had been no sightings of her boyfriend or Bakugo.

It worried her greatly.

Bakugo would be easy to notice. Either you would see an explosion or hear it. So far, they hadn't, nor had Shoto radioed in to alert them. Izuku was another matter, as his teleporting -while a pain she could deal with- was much more difficult to spot, even with the size of the area they were using for their training exercise.

The only upside Shoka saw was that, unlike Momo, Izuku had to rely on his team's sight and ability to share information. Momo lucked out with Koda being on her team, as he could turn the entire animal kingdom into a spy network.

A call from Itsuka broke Shoka out of her thoughts as her radio crackled to life. "Shokat. We're going to move ahead and look for their base from here on out."

"Got it, boss," Shoka replied as she lazily waved at the pair of 1-B students.

As the two sprinted down the road, Shoka's Quirked ears picked up a sound she was looking for. She turned her head right, noticing a series of brief, sequential explosions trailing through the air. They were too fast for her to catch up without giving herself away, but what worried her was how close they were to her team's zone.

The lenses of her mask narrowed as she scanned the skyline for any sign of a green bunny. Bringing a hand up to her radio, she hit the call button and spoke into her mic. "Shoto. Nitros is getting close to you. Get ready to freeze his ass."

"Understood." Shoka chuckled at the curt reply, though she can't say she didn't expect it from Shoto.

Lowering herself to the rooftop’s gravelly surface, Shoka pounced forward, clearing a sizeable gap between her starting point and her destination. She moved swiftly from there, keeping a lookout for any spot of green. If Bakugo was close to their base, Izuku wasn’t far behind.

She figured he was expecting Shoto to guard the flag. It’s why she brought up the idea for Shoto to hold off on freezing their zone. Doing it at the start would just give Izuku an idea of where to go. If his team was going to make her team waste time searching for their flag, then they would do the same.

Turnabout was fair play, after all.

As Shoka leaped onto the side of another building, her Quirk nails digging into the concrete facade, she spied a flash of green in her peripheral vision. Moving quickly, she climbed the building and scanned the area, catching sight of her boyfriend as he searched for her team's flag. Capitalizing on her advantage, she silently stalked up to him.

She came to a sudden stop and hung off the edge of the building when Izuku's head turned in her direction. Carefully, inch by inch, Shoka shimmied along the wall, making sure to keep her noise to a minimum as she moved closer to Izuku. Her Quirked ears twitched as she heard Izuku's radio crackle to life. She could easily recognize Bakugo's abrasive voice on the other end.

The issue was the language he and Izuku were speaking. She pouted at her boyfriend's continued use of English as he made it difficult for her to understand the whole conversation. What she could pick up made her realize that Bakugo had found Shoto.

A chilling breeze suddenly blew through the city streets, confirming that fact.

"Subtle, Shoto. Real subtle," she heard Izuku remark dryly.

Seizing her chance, Shoka climbed up to the roof and pounced. Claws extended, she was inches away from Izuku when he suddenly Blinked away. Right as she landed, she was forced to roll out of the way as Izuku appeared above her, slashing down at her with an Excalibur energy blade.

"Sup, Link," Shoka said as she stopped rolling and stood up. Despite the casual greeting, her body was tense, her Quirked tail flicking behind her as she kept her eyes on her boyfriend.

“Hey, Shokat,” Izuku returned the greeting with a smile. “You nearly got me there.” Shoka could see that even he wasn’t letting his guard down despite the friendly banter. Green arcs of lightning danced randomly across his body, alerting her to the fact that he was using All as One.

"Yeah. But you just had to use your teleport cheat on me," she said with a playful pout. "Kinda ruined my plans to pounce that cute butt of yours." With a shrug of her shoulders, she lowered her stance, holding her claws out in front of her. "Oh well. Guess I'll just have to play with my meal for a bit. I wanna savor my win when it happens."

Izuku chuckled at her words. "Honestly, I was expecting a chase or something."

"We can still do that if you really want." Shoka then swayed her hips, causing Izuku's focus to shift for only a second onto her body. "Just let me nab your flag and you can chase me all the way back to my base. I score the win and then score some more after the match. Kinda like our little race we had before our internships~."

Izuku's face lit up at the reminder of that day. Shoka couldn't help but chuckle as the sporadic lightning had grown even wilder as he struggled to keep a straight face. "R-right. M-maybe next time. I want to win just as bad as you do." A dry chuckle escaped his lips as he regained his focus. "Plus, unlike you, I have a Bakugo on my team. If we lose, I'll never hear the end of it."

Shoka rolled her eyes but understood him completely. "Fair," she replied, conceding his point.

She watched as Izuku's left hand twitched and opened up. She expected him to use Verdant Orbit or maybe Buster Shot, but then she noticed that Orbit wasn't in its usual spot. Instead, Izuku had pinned that Psych to the cuff of his left glove. The sight made her look over the rest of him. Buster Shot was pinned to the cuff on his right glove, while his belt had Resolute, Blink, Vitali-Tea, Scratch Rhapsody, and Breaker Force pinned to it.

Taking a better look at his left glove, Shoka finally noticed his newest Psych. From that alone, she knew Izuku wouldn't make it easy for her.

There was something else that gave her pause. Her eyes widened, an action mimicked by her mask's lenses as she realized she could spot all of Izuku's Psychs.

She knew she had to alert her team, but Izuku moved too quickly for her to do so. Two black tendrils of energy shot out from his left hand and raced towards her. She adjusted her body, slipping through a gap as they threatened to wrap around her. As she skidded across the rooftop, the tendrils of energy went slack and reeled back to Izuku's hand.

Shoka broke off into a sprint, rushing Izuku before he could make his next move. Planting her foot down, she spun on her heel, lashing out her other foot as she sent a high kick at Izuku’s face. Izuku dodged the attack, bending over backward while quickly whipping his left arm up. The tendrils that whipped out from his arm forced Shoka to dodge the sudden lashing, pushing her away from him.

Keeping up her momentum, the cat-themed hero student dropped to all fours and dashed around Izuku, keeping her movements sporadic to keep him from guessing her pattern. Shoka feinted an opening and watched as he used Blink to avoid the feint. Using her senses, she picked up on his sudden reappearance and spun around in time to swipe away his hands as he attempted another slash with Excalibur.

Shoka could have capitalized on the opening she created. Instead, she decided to play around with her boyfriend. Pushing into Izuku’s personal space, her lips pressed against his for a brief, yet intense kiss before she leaped away.

----------

"See, Eri," Momo said to the little girl in her lap. "Zuzu and Shoka are fine. Even if this is training, they're still friendly with and care for each other."

Eri didn’t reply right away. Instead, she just gazed at the screen, watching the subtle smiles forming on Izuku and Shoka’s faces.

She had seen Izuku, Shoka, and Momo share a small kiss now and then when they thought she wasn’t paying attention, and it always happened when they were all feeling happy. Seeing it happen now helped wash away some of her worries.

"Get it, Shoka!" Mina cheered playfully from her spot.

"Geez. They really can't help themselves, can they?" Kyoka muttered good-naturedly.

At the front of the room, All Might chuckled at the sight, his smile broadening at the surprised look on his successor's face.

Right next to him, Aizawa grumbled about his Problem Children, making All Might chuckle even more.

----------

With the little time she gave herself with her actions, she quickly called out to her teammates. "Link made decoy flags, just like I thought he would."

Before she could share anymore information, Izuku lashed out with a punch, forcing her to block the head-on attack with her arms. She hissed as the force of the attack sent her skidding back.

'Crap. I actually felt that one,' Shoka mentally groused. She focused her attention back on Izuku, who was already on the move. 'And that's him having to hold back...'

Despite that, Shoka smiled, ready to battle her freckled boyfriend.

----------

Itsuka brought a hand to her ear and tapped the call button on her radio. "Yeah, we noticed," she remarked as she and Tsuburaba spotted several flags dotting the park. Shoka hadn't called back, so she assumed her teammate was currently fighting Izuku.

"Do you remember what their flag looked like?" Tsuburaba asked.

Itsuka shook her head. "No, but I'm going to assume that it must have something on it that stands out. Like Yaoyorozu's flag had a star with five points instead of six." She looked around, trying to find something off with the flags, only to see them all be the same flat, green color with no other discernible markings.

Her instincts flared as she looked around the park. She and Tsuburaba hadn’t run into anyone from Team E, but the path they took was littered with blockages. Now, they had to figure out which flag was the right one, meaning they could be wasting time and allow someone from the other team to ambush them.

Teal eyes scanned the grounds as shadows seemed to dance within her vision. It made Itsuka worried that someone was just waiting to pop out of them. She kept her body tense, but loose enough to react quickly if she had to. Tsuburaba seemed to notice, but before he could comment on it, Itsuka spoke up. "Let's move. We need to find their flag."

She subtly pointed her finger upward, motioning towards the various alleyways along the borders of the park before pointing out the makeshift covers dotting the park. Giving her a nod, Tsuburaba followed behind her as they entered the small park, in search of Team E's real flag. Before they could even begin, Awase popped up from behind a makeshift pillar, his hands blurring as he pulled out various pieces of metal from the satchels at his side.

Tsuburaba reacted and inhaled deeply, and exhaled, generating a large wall of air that effectively blocked Awase's surprise attack.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Awase retreated as Itsuka gave chase for a moment before stopping herself, realizing that her fellow 1-B coursemate was leading her into a trap. "Not going to be that easy, Welder," she called out as she took up a guarded stance.

From behind his cover, Awase let out a heavy huff. "Yeah. Figured that much out on my own, Prez." He wanted to catch one of them off guard, to capture either of them and make things easier on himself. Sliding a hand into his satchel, he checked to see how much metal he had left. His mental count told him he had plenty, but he needed to make it last now.

If he couldn't capture them, he needed to keep them occupied.

Awase peeked behind his cover, watching as Tsuburaba slowly encroached on his position while Itsuka maintained hers while looking around the area. His eyes quickly glanced over at the fountain several meters away and let out a relieved sigh at Itsuka hadn't noticed the empty flagpole.

So far, their plan was working. Awase just hoped Itsuka and Tsuburaba wouldn't notice until the big reveal until his team could steal Itsuka's flag.

----------

Izuku winced as he heard Shoka’s heel collide with a reinforced corner of the building he moved away from. He didn’t worry that she had hurt herself, no. He was concerned and grateful he had dodged in time as the sounds he heard from behind him were of destruction and a rather annoyed Shoka.

He turned his body around, keeping his eyes trained on Shoka as he did. He gulped at the sight of small concrete chunks as they dropped to the ground like a rocky waterfall. As Shoka stood up straight, striking a pose as she peered at him from over her shoulder. The lenses of her mask narrowing ever-so-slightly as she locked eyes with him.

In Izuku's opinion, it was both an intimidating and rather sexy sight.

'And now I know why I had a crush on Mirko,' he thought, seeing a faint image of the Rabbit Hero overlaying itself onto Shoka.

"Had?" Banjo asked. "Keep telling yourself that, Niner. You still have it bad for that badass bunny. And now you're girlfriend had a chance to learn from her."

Izuku ignored the vestige, keeping his attention on Shoka as she spoke up. "You know, Link. You got me thinking about something."

Izuku froze at her words. Slowly, he shifted his body, ready to move to intercept if Shoka tried anything. Deciding to buy his team more time, he replied to her, keeping the conversation going. It would also give him a second to catch his breath. They had been fighting nonstop for a couple of minutes now, and they were going tit-for-tat the entire time.

It made him miss the spars they used to have at Takobah Beach.

“Oh? And what were you thinking about? Is it a prize if your team somehow wins?” he asked her.

“Nah,” Shoka replied cheerily. “Thanks for the reminder, though. I could use a really deep massage after we win. Your hands are pretty magical, after all.” Her playfulness left her at that moment, replaced instantly by an air of seriousness around her. “No. I just remembered that while you like to take on the risks for your team, you also like to make sure everyone gets a chance to shine.”

Shoka lowered her body, placing a clawed hand onto the pavement as her tail twitched wildly. A second passed, then another, as Shoka and Izuku stared each other down. After a tense moment, Shoka's cat ears twitched, with one of them tracking something off in the distance. "Clever, Link."

As soon as she moved, Izuku shot out his arm, summoning four whips of Abyss Fiber instead of two. It would drain the Psych faster, but he needed to catch Shoka before she could get away from him. The first missed Shoka as she bounded onto the building behind her. Two other whips lashed at her, forming a corkscrew as they encircled her. Shoka once more displayed her flexibility as she effortlessly slipped through the gap, maintaining her speed as she ascended the building.

Izuku clicked his tongue and made sure his last whip anchored itself along the roof's edge, reeling himself in as he chased after Shoka. He flew past Shoka and hovered in the air for a moment as he called out to his team. "Rocketti! Shokat knows where you are!"

He felt his stomach drop as Shoka called out to him as she moved towards the iced-over area of the fake city. "Nope! But thanks for telling me what your plan is. Love ya, Link!"

'My girlfriend just played me,' he mentally chided himself.

"And that's on you, Nine," came the disappointed voice of the second user of One for All. "We'll be sure to bring that point up once this exercise is done."

Ignoring the vestige, Izuku held out both of his hands, aiming them past Shoka at the building in front of her. Two tendrils of energy shot out, and anchored themselves into the concrete rim of the roof. Izuku felt his power surge as green arcs of lightning danced across his body, and he pulled, effectively sling-shotting himself towards Shoka.

Sensing danger, Shoka looked over her shoulder, her lenses widening in surprise as she ducked under a green bolt that sailed over her. The force behind Izuku's movements caused the air around Shoka to stir, creating a small jet stream that nearly made her lose her footing. Shoka was quick on her feet, however, and used the gust of air to her advantage as she leaped onto the next building, using the boost to easily clear the gap.

Izuku had caught up with her, using All as One to close the distance. As soon as he was close enough, he lunged. He expected Shoka to dodge, which she did, and Izuku used Blink to course-correct and caught her mid-Blink. Shoka struggled and grunted as she tried to escape his grasp, though that only forced Izuku to wrap his arms tighter around her.

"Not the time to get all handsy with me, Link," she said. While Izuku could pick up on the annoyance she had for her situation, he could still hear some amusement in her tone. "If we need to, we can dip somewhere the cameras won't see us."

"Maybe next time," he replied with a grunt.

"Shame." Despite his firm grip, amplified by his Quirk, Shoka's Quirk aided her efforts to escape him. Much like a slender cat, she slipped out of his arms with some effort and flipped Izuku onto his back.

The next thing Izuku saw was a claw dangerously close to swiping his face. Reacting quickly, Izuku used Blink to appear a few meters away, just in time to see Shoka already on the move again. Izuku sprinted after her, using a combination of his physical boost with the remaining jumps with Blink to catch up with her. His ears picked up the sound of explosions as an intense shiver ran down his spine.

Ahead of him and Shoka loomed a large, broken structure of ice. Jagged towers surrounded a thick dome, some half melted while others were marred with cracks and holes. The dome suffered only minor damage, a testament to how durable Shoto made it.

Before either student could comment on it, another loud explosion rocked the area, right as a wall of ice emerged on the streets below.

"GOD DAMN IT, ICY-HOT!"

"Keep wasting time, Bakugo. My ice will hold while my fire keeps you away."

Shoka ignored the byplay happening below her. Instead, her ears twitched as she scanned the area. Her right ear suddenly twitched rapidly, and she smiled. As Izuku rushed her, Shoka was already leaping off the building and racing across the streets towards an orange blur in the distance.

As she raced down the street, her radio flared to life with Itsuka's voice coming through the receiver. "Shokat! Shoto! Team E's flag isn't here! They must have pulled a trick on us."

Shoka turned the corner and caught sight of Pony. As the American girl raced down the road, Shoka spotted a fluttering green flag with a white star in its center on her person. After blindly dodging an energy bullet from Izuku, Shoka increased her speed as she chased after Pony, answering Itsuka's call as she did. "Rocketti's got it. I'm on her, and Link's on me, so hurry up, turn Blasty into a boomsicle and help me out, Shoto!"

Several paces behind her, Izuku quickly alerted his own team. "They've caught on to our plan! Rocketti, Shokat's on you, but I've got you covered. Nitros! You ne-"

"I know, nerd!"

----------

A deep scowl formed on Bakugo’s face as he took in the surrounding destruction. He and Shoto had been going at it for several minutes, and neither powerhouse was even close to slowing down. At least, that’s what Bakugo was telling himself.

He was already down one of his stored charges because of Shoto nearly freezing him on the spot. His arms were shaking sporadically, a telltale sign that the recoil of his explosions were getting to him.

Despite it all, he was loving the fight. To be pushed against someone who could give as much as they could take. As much as he knew he needed to retrieve the flag for his team, a part of him enjoyed taking a little extra time doing so.

That being said, Bakugo wanted to win.

He was going to win.

"Just don't worry about it, nerd. We'll have the flag, so Pony-girl better be ready," Bakugo said into his mic.

His gaze turned to the ice structure behind Shoto. The holes and gaps he created were slowly reforming, but the ones that remained were large enough for him to see the flag he needed to reach. The issue he faced was the fact that the ice fortress’s walls were thick, meaning it would take a series of explosions to even break through them. Another issue was Shoto himself, who constantly repaired the damage Bakugo did to the structure while also keeping him from doing too much damage.

Bakugo shook his arms, working out the kinks that had developed in them from the fight. He glanced down at his gauntlets, eyeing the meters around the metal cuffs. His left gauntlet was full, primed and ready to release a powerful blast. His right gauntlet was slowly refilling thanks to the constant fighting, though he wouldn’t be able to use it for its intended purpose. A fail-safe added by the Support Department to keep him from ruining the internal mechanisms from multiple blasts.

As Bakugo worked on a plan, a chill ran across his body, all the way to his bones. His eyes widened slightly as a spark was lit in his mind.

Several small explosions popped within the palm of Bakugo's hand as his red eyes narrowed on Shoto. He saw the slight shift in the Shoto's stance, how his right foot raised on his toes slightly. Within a beat, Bakugo launched himself upward as Shoto generated a pillar of ice that raced across the road and underneath Bakugo's feet. His instincts flaring, Bakugo released another blast from his left hand, narrowing avoiding a flat spike that shot out from the side of the large ice pillar.

"Fuckin' weak, Icy-Hot!" Bakugo declared as he maintained his momentum.

Pointing his hands back, Bakugo rocketed towards Shoto with a series of searing explosions. Shoto reacted by raising his left arm, summoning a jet stream of fire that shot out at Bakugo. With a feral grin on his face, Bakugo deftly dodged the attack, launching himself at an angle as he continued onward.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Bakugo." Not giving ash-blonde a chance to breathe, Shoto swiped his right hand across the ground and created a wave of ice that threatened to overtake Bakugo.

Undeterred, Bakugo course-corrected and launched himself upwards, following up with another series of explosions as he sailed over Shoto.

As Bakugo landed in front of the icy fortress, he pressed a button on his right gauntlet and swiped his arm at the chilling wall in front of him. Nitroglycerin stained part of the wall, but before Bakugo could make his next move, he picked up the sounds of crackling ice forming behind him.

Spinning on his heel, Bakugo held up both his arms and released a series of explosions, countering Shoto's attack. Bakugo was more careful than usual, trying his best to contain his explosions directly in front of him.

Shoto was just as relentless, pouring more and more power behind his attack to overwhelm the ash-blonde bomber. After several seconds of continuous ice generation, Shoto had to slow down his output as he focused on reheating his body with his fire.

Right as he was about to generate a wave of ice, Shoto heard Bakugo speak up. "You know, your damn ice is a real pain in the ass."

Shoto narrowed his eyes as smoke and steam wafted through the air, breaking away as a chilling breeze blew through the air, revealing the cocky smirk on Bakugo's face.

"Wanna know something about nitroglycerin? Even when it's cold, it still can blow up," Bakugo stated plainly as he raised his left arm up. "But cold nitroglycerin is more explosive than normal."

Shoto’s body went still as his eyes landed on the odd stains on the ice wall of his defensive structure. His mind raced, his body moving on its own as he poured as much ice as he could onto the ground, sending it towards the wall that prevented Bakugo from reaching his team’s flag. Shoto hoped to reinforce it as much as he could before Bakugo could break through. He just hoped Bakugo was bluffing about the volatile nature of his explosive secretions.

After all, it wouldn't be wise for Bakugo to tank such an explosion up close.

Unfortunately for him, Bakugo was more than willing to take such a risk. Angling his right arm behind himself, Bakugo launched forward and spun around in mid-air. He took aim with his left arm, while his right hand reached for the pin in his gauntlet. With a feral smile, Bakugo pulled the pin, and an intense heat bloomed.

"Boom!"

----------

Izuku, Shoka, and Pony felt the fake city tremble as an explosion rocked the streets. Pony nearly stumbled from the aftershock, giving Shoka a chance to lunge at her and her team's flag on her hip.

Before Shoka's claws could tear the flag away, Izuku Blinked between them with Resolute forming a large shield that blocked Shoka.

"Getting real tired of that, Izzy," Shoka declared as she was knocked back.

"Thanks for the save, Link!" Pony remarked as she continued racing down the street.

Green arcs of lightning danced across Izuku's form as he fell into step behind Pony, using a safe level of All as One to provide her cover. "No problem, Rocketti. Start making your way to their base and get that flag," he said to her.

Pony kept her focus on the path ahead. The glacial fortress that loomed over the city was in ruins, with an enormous chunk of the front completely gone. A dark tower of smoke rose into the air, giving her a pretty good idea of how strong the explosion Bakugo created was.

As she continued running down the street, past the chunks of ice and debris that littered the road, she could hear the continuous back-and-forth fighting/flirting happening between Izuku and Shoka.

"Watch those claws, Shokat!"

"Aw, but you're just so damn cute. I just can't keep my hands off you~."

Any other time, Pony might have laughed, but she needed to stay focused. As she neared the broken ice structure, her eyes landed on the flag that still stood proudly amidst the chaos. Bakugo and Shoto were busy fighting each other and hadn't noticed their arrival yet, giving her a clear shot at the flag. Coming to a halt, Pony dropped to a knee and held her hands up to her head and pointed out both her index fingers.

Her tongue slipped past her lips as she took aim. Izuku and Shoka were getting closer to her, meaning she had to work fast. Willing her horns to move, Pony felt a sliver of detachment before a new pair of horns sprouted from her head and erased that phantom feeling. The two that she had launched quickly sailed through the air like a pair of bullets as they raced towards Team B’s flag. As soon as they made contact, Pony directed them back to her.

Kicking off the ground, Pony sprinted forward and nabbed the flag. Her luck ran out as a trail of ice appeared under her feet, causing her to slip and lose her footing. She nearly would have been captured by the ice had it not been for Izuku Blinking behind her and wrapping his arms around her, and Blinking away as Bakugo rushed Shoto.

As soon as she and Izuku reappeared, Bakugo called out to her. "PONY-GIRL! MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASS, NOW!"

Not needing to be told twice, Pony kicked it into high gear as Izuku and Bakugo covered her flanks as the three of them rushed down the road towards their base. As they turned at an intersection, she felt the biting chill of Shoto's ice as a massive wave threatened to overtake them.

Izuku moved to intercept with haste as four black and green tendrils emerged from his arm and spiraled together. Acting on quick instinct and some help from Banjo, Izuku called on Abyss Fiber, Excalibur, and Verdant Orbit for a new attack, which was further amplified by All as One.

One that Yoichi was more than happy to provide the name and inspiration for.

"Psychronization! Heavenly Piercer!"

The four tendrils of energy coalesced and formed a large drill that slammed into Shoto's ice. The frozen wave stood no chance as Izuku's Psychronization tore through it with ease. A familiar energy swelled within Izuku as soon as his attack ended and he felt his Psychs lose the connection to Ego as they started to recharge. Looking over at Bakugo, Izuku called out to him. "Bakugo! Tag in!"

The light puck shot out from Izuku straight to Bakugo. The ash-blonde felt the connection form between them as his body felt like a reactor was suddenly pumping all its energy into him. His body felt lighter. Stronger.

Most importantly, his Quirk was boosted beyond its limits.

Bakugo remembered the last time he had felt such a surge in power. Back when he and Izuku fought the Nomu at the USJ with Shoto and Susukichi. This time was different as the boost seemed much stronger that before.

Failing to hold back a smirk, he turned his attention to their pursuers. "DIE!"

Shoka realized what had happened between Izuku and Bakugo, and quickly changed her direction as Bakugo took aim and a burning orange orb appeared in the cups of his palms. Shoto followed her example, and as she climbed the building to their left, he used his fire to jettison himself to the building to the right. A powerful explosion rocked the street and caused the nearby buildings to shake.

Bakugo's smile broadened at the power behind his attack. As the smoke billowed, he turned around to catch up with Izuku and Pony, noting that Shoka and Shoto were still hot on their heels.

"Hey! Nerd!" Bakugo called out to Izuku. "Your Quirk isn't as useless as I once thought."

"Yeah, well. We have to restart the puck since you missed," Izuku remarked. "How could you miss? They were, like, three feet in front of you."

Bakugo felt his eye twitch at that. He didn't even realize that the boost he received had faded already. "OI! FUCK YOU, YOU NERD!"

Pony decided right then to interject. “Boys! We still gotta reach our base!” A streak of fire that shot past her and charred the road punctuated her urgency.

Izuku turned and fired out several Energy Rounds at Shoto, forcing the heterochromatic hero student to create an ice shield for cover. As Shoto launched himself into the air with his fire, he formed an ice slide underneath him, gaining speed as he chased after the trio.

Using Izuku and Bakugo's focus on Shoto, Shoka slinked in through the shadows of an alleyway ahead of Pony. It caught the blonde American completely by surprise as Shoka ran on all fours to meet her. Before Pony needed to react, Bakugo soared over her, roaring like an angry dragon as he engaged Shoka.

Pony rushed past the two, narrowly avoiding both an explosion from Bakugo and a swipe from Shoka. She barely made it two meters before Shoto's ice encroached on her, only for Izuku to appear in her peripherals in time to stop the attack with a Spread Shot.

All this fighting did was remind Pony that 1-A had some scary powerhouses within their ranks if all four of them could fight each other while on the move.

As Pony rounded the next street corner, Izuku knew they were getting close to his team's base. While he and Bakugo could keep Shoka and Shoto occupied, their teammates were still an issue, and Awase hadn't called in to report.

Izuku brought a hand to his headset and checked in on his other teammate while still engaging Shoto. "Welder? Pony's nearing the base? We're just a few blocks away. What's the situation over there?"

His radio was silent for a few seconds before Awase's voice came through the receiver. "I'm keeping Tsuburaba occupied, but Battle Fist slipped away. She's probably on her way to catch Rocketti."

That made sense to Izuku. It just meant another problem to keep an eye out for. Focusing on the current moment, Izuku thought up an amendment to the plan. He looked over at Bakugo, his mind going back to when the puck passed over to the ash-blonde.

'That could work,' Izuku thought. Now, he just needed Bakugo to help build up enough energy with the puck to make it work.

Turning to look at Shoto, Izuku came to a stop as green arcs of electricity built up around his body. Shoto grew wary and readied to defend himself. In a flash, Izuku Blinked in front of Shoto, who reactively generated a pillar of fire in front of him. Izuku hissed as the flames grazed his hero suit, singeing the durable material as he used his boosted speed to appear at Shoto's side.

He launched a punch into Shoto’s side, knocking the wind out of the scarred hero student. Izuku continued his assault, blitzing Shoto and preventing him from retaliating. Shoto was resilient, however, and created a thick wall of ice that cracked after tanking one of Izuku’s punches. That action gave Shoto enough time to create a vortex of flames around him for his next attack.

Izuku countered it with Excalibur as soon as the Psych completely reset. He spun on his heel in the opposite direction, causing Shoto's fire to spin and dissipate safely around him. Kicking off the ground, Izuku lunged at Shoto, chaining together a combo of slashes and physical hits and knocking Shoto around. Feeling the light puck build up within him, Izuku Blinked once more in front of Shoto and performed a mule kick that connected with Shoto's chest, knocking him down the street.

Moving with urgency, Izuku called out to Bakugo, explaining his plan as quickly as he could while hoping Bakugo would follow through. "Nitros! Build up the puck and pass it to Rocketti!" With his plan set, the green light puck soared from Izuku to his teammate.

Feeling the boost once more, Bakugo understood what Izuku meant for him to do. Shoka didn't make it easy for him, however, as she understood the mechanics of Izuku's puck and would make things difficult for Bakugo.

Bakugo rocketed himself forward and used his Quirk to generate enough momentum to spin like a top. Shoka ducked under the spinning kick Bakugo lashed out with and pushed off the ground, lashing out with a kick of her own. With two consecutive blasts from his hands, Bakugo dodged Shoka’s attack. Following up with another series of explosions, Bakugo soared in an arc and slammed the heel of his boot into Shoka’s stomach.

The speed and force of Bakugo's wheel kick sent Shoka careening back to the hard pavement. The cat-theme girl bounced off the road, releasing a pained grunt as she did. Rolling to the side, Shoka ignored Bakugo in order to catch up to Pony.

"Don't fucking ignore me!" Bakugo screeched as he chased after her.

Shoka held back from rolling her eyes. “Kinda hard not to, Nitrogremlin!” Keeping her sights set on Pony, Shoka noticed a silhouette up in the distance and smirked. Matching Pony’s speed, she moved behind the blonde American and waited for her chance to strike.

As Bakugo kept on her heels, he noted that the boost his Quirk received had receded, causing him to slow down. Frustrated, he yelled out to Izuku, who moved to catch up with them with Shoto not far behind. “OI! Nerd! Your little boost is wearing off!”

Izuku grimaced. He only knew the puck could be stopped if something broke the combo chain. This was an entirely new situation. “It must have a soft time lim-“ Izuku’s emerald green eyes widened in surprise. “ROCKETTI!”

"HANGIN' RIGHT!" Pony called out as she turned down another intersection as a chunk of concrete crashed into her original path. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a smirking Itsuka before the orange-haired martial artist ducked back into the shadows.

Before Pony could go any further, a massive wall of ice cut her off once more, forcing her down another street. By then, Shoka had caught up to her by running along the sides of the buildings overlooking the street. Pony skidded to a halt, surprised by Shoka's sudden appearance. Pony could see the hooded-girl's white claws flex open as Shoka reached for the pair of flags on her hips.

The next thing Pony knew was that there were a pair of arms wrapping around her and then she was suddenly several meters away from where she once stood. She was all the more thankful, too, as after she gained awareness of her surroundings, she turned in time to see Shoka pulling her claws free from the concrete.

As well as the several small new trenches those claws had just carved into the surface.

"Rocketti! Get to the base! Now!" Pony jolted at Izuku's voice, but immediately sprinted down the street as ordered.

As Pony got some distance from him, Izuku reading himself, though he wasn’t quick enough as Shoka pounced him and brought him to the ground. He grunted in pain as his back slammed against the hard, unforgiving pavement, wincing from the force Shoka used to knock him down.

"Stay down, Link," Shoka commanded in a firm voice.

Izuku then felt a shift on top of him and saw through strained eyes Shoka chasing after Pony. Rolling onto his stomach, Izuku pushed himself up and stumbled into a run.

He needed to catch up and keep Shoka off Pony's tail, as well as providing defense from Itsuka, wherever she was. Blink was out of the question, as using it to move both him and Pony caused it to drain itself, forcing it to recharge.

'Now's the time to go beyond, Izuku.' The bunny-hooded hero student trudged forward, one step after the next. Green arcs of lightning danced across his form, the smell of ozone filling the air around him as his pace increased. With one last step, Izuku moved.

Shoka’s Quirked ears twitched, her nose tingled at the growing scent of lightning, alerting her to the approaching danger coming from behind her. As she turned her head, she saw Izuku blur past her. Her eyes widened in momentary surprise. Pushing her Quirk as far as she could, the dark shades of her battlecoat lightened and she felt a surge of power in her limbs. Shoka blitzed forward, catching up to Izuku. She then sprung onto her hands, kicked out her legs, and twisted her body.

Izuku brought up his arm in time to block the spinning kick from Shoka and winced at the power behind it. His arm felt numb, but with a quick application of Vitali-Tea, he resolved that immediate issue and pushed on, engaging Shoka as they trailed behind Pony.

The two fell into a mobile dance, each trading blows as they raced down the street, one protecting their team's claim to victory, and the other seeking to deny them such a win.

Thinking outside the box, Izuku poured his energy into Excalibur and Resolute, and broke out into a sprint before performing a baseball slide at Shoka. Resolute provided him the ability to slide across the ground with little friction, while a creative use of Excalibur through his feet created a wave of energy that threatened to cut down Shoka.

The gray-eyed hero student lowered her body and executed a well-timed dodge that saw her soaring over Izuku's attack.

Now having traded positions, the two continued to fight as they -and Pony- turned the corner and kept running. Off in the distance was the park, only several blocks away.

The only issue now was the debris that littered the street and one orange-haired martial artist in the middle of it all. The sounds of shattering ice and explosions were heading towards them, as well, letting Izuku know that Bakugo and Shoto had been fighting just like he and Shoka were.

Izuku worried that any momentum lost wouldn't be regained. They needed to get the flags through to the park, and Izuku had just the plan to make it happen.

"Rocketti. Don't stop moving!" He called out to his blonde teammate.

Pony had slowed down enough to risk looking back at him, confusion and worry apparent on her face. When she saw Izuku's determined expression, however, she felt a connection form between them. Pony replied to him with a nod and a determined look of her own. "Don't y'all worry. I'll be as fast as greased lightnin'!"

"Don't count your chickens, cowgirl," Shoka remarked as she bounded to Pony's left side.

Before she could take a swipe at the blonde, Izuku blitzed her, slamming his palm into her stomach and firing off a spread shot that knocked her away. Not letting up his assault, Izuku pressed on, pouring his energy into Excalibur and readied a slash.

Shoka recovered quickly and met Izuku’s attack with her claws. The two attacks canceled each other out, but Izuku and Shoka pressed on, weaving through a series of blade and claw slashes. It was then that Izuku got the drop on her when he used the momentum of one of his slashes to spin around and swing several Abyss tendrils right at her. The surprise attack caught Shoka off guard, and she found herself wrapped up and subsequently tossed down the street.

Feeling the surge of energy from Ego, Izuku turned to Pony, holding out an open hand as a green ball of energy passed from him to her. "Now's your chance, Rocketti!"

The effect was electrifying. Pony’s eyes widened at the feeling of power that flooded her entire being. Keeping her eyes forward, she could see the determined and aggressive look her fellow 1-B student gave her, but Pony wasn’t the slightest bit worried. She simply kept her eyes on the prize, on the park that was only a few blocks away now.

As her hooves and calloused hands hit the pavement, Pony sped off like a bullet. Itsuka, who believed she could stop, or at the very least, slow down her friend, was left in the dust as Pony rocketed past her, weaving through the debris field Itsuka left with little care or worry.

Pony didn't slow down. It was now a race to the finish, and when the goal is in sight, you push as hard as you can to cross that line. Two blocks left to go. Pony maintained her speed, though she could feel the boost of energy that Izuku shared with her already waning. Even then, she pushed herself to go faster.

When she neared the last block, the ground quickly frosted over as a wall of ice appeared ahead of her. Her heart sank at the sight, and she worried about letting her team down at the worst moment after coming so far. As she slowed down, the abrasive sound of explosions rang in her ears as Bakugo rocketed past her, rotating at a rapid rate in a dark cloud of smoke.

"MAKE IT COUNT, PONY-GIRL!" She heard him through the deafening din. "HOWITZER IMPACT!"

With one powerful explosion, Bakugo blew away the ice wall, creating a large hole that Pony could easily rush through. With determination swelling within her, Pony continued on, breaking off into another sprint as she passed the last block.

She had a clear shot at the park now. With nothing in her way, Pony rushed past the towering buildings, leaving behind her two powerhouse teammates to cover her as she entered the park. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Awase keeping Tsuburaba occupied. Her spiky-haired teammate smiled as she appeared and gave her a nod before keeping his attention on Tsuburaba.

The fountain their flagpole in front was only meters away. With one last push, Pony 's legs carried her to the end. With one cheerful cry, she claimed victory for her team as she gripped her team's flagpole.

"TOUCHDOWN!" In the middle of her jubilation as the siren sounded, Pony jumped down from the fountain, ripped the flags from her hips, and them onto the ground, causing them to curl and wrinkle. Letting out a whoop, Pony held out her arms and began to run around the flags, switching between pointing out to an invisible crowd and blowing them excited kisses.

As she continued her celebration, Awase joined her, adding on to the victorious air they were creating. As Izuku and Bakugo reached the park, Izuku couldn't help but chuckle at the sight while Bakugo rolled his eyes.

He didn't know how or when it happened, but soon, Izuku found himself arm-in-arm with Awase and Pony as they continued to celebrate their victory. They had tried to rope Bakugo in with them, but the glare he sent them made them reconsider it.

----------

As the training had come to a close, Aizawa, Vlad, and All Might looked around the room. Many of their students were haggard from their matches, even if they were the winners. Some were a little dejected from their loss, but the other hero students were quick to lift their spirits.

At first, Aizawa didn’t think he would see any form of camaraderie between the two classes, but today surprised him. Even though the teams were evenly split, both 1-A and 1-B students found a way to work together. It was something that impressed him.

“Alright, everyone, quiet down,” Aizawa said, getting the room’s attention. Glad that he didn’t have to use his Quirk, he continued speaking. “We already went over where your teams did well and where they could improve. Next Monday, Vlad and I will pass out more notes we may have after we rewatch the footage of today’s training.”

Vlad picked things up from there. "Which brings us to our next point. The teams that were formed today are the teams you will have when your Heroics finals happen. I suggest you use the time between then and now to work out any kinks you may have with your teamwork so you all will pass."

Both hero teachers saw the mixture of emotions that flooded the room just then. Some were concerned, others were happy with their team formations, and others thought about how they could improve themselves in such a short time.

One student, Kinoko, raised her hand with a question on her mind. Seeing Vlad King nod at her, she spoke. "What will our finals be like, sensei?"

"Nezu has decided to do something different this time since the teams are as large as they are," Vlad answered. "Each team will have its own objective, and while some might be similar, they are each unique. You won't know what those objectives are until the day of."

Aizawa brought up the next point, one that was most important. “The physical half of your exams will play a role in what happens to you during the summer. If your team fails the objective completely, and your final grades on the written exam are lacking, then you will have remedial classes.” His eyes narrowed dangerously as he scanned the room, his gaze meeting every student. “You don’t want that.”

Several students gulped loudly at that statement and started sweating at the threatening undertone.

"That being said, class dismissed. Aside from training, I suggest you get to studying if you want to avoid those remedial classes," Aizawa stated before leaving the room.

Vlad sighed at his coworker's dismissive attitude and looked to alleviate any fears the students had. "If today is anything to go by, I think you all are going to do fine. Find the right rhythm, study up, and you all will do fine."

With a confident smile, Vlad left the room, leaving only All Might left with the students. The No. 1 Hero smiled brightly as he addressed the room. "As Vlad King said, based on today's example of your teamwork, I know you all will be... ALL MIGHT!"

While most of the students groaned at the joke, some appreciated the pun.

From her seat on Shoka's lap, Eri craned her head upward, looking for clarification from the gray-eyed young woman. "What does he mean by that, Ms. Shoka?"

Shoka snorted and ran her fingers through Eri's hair, gently combing them through Eri's snow-white waves. "He's just being silly, Eri. He means that we'll be alright, but he made a joke with his name. All right. All Might." She looked Eri in the eye and tilted her head to the side. "Think you get it?"

Eri ran through the phrase several times in her head before understanding it completely, with her mouth forming a silent "Oh" as she nodded along.

All Might continued to speak, grabbing Eri's attention back to him. "That being said, study hard, my young students!"

As he left the room, Izuku and Momo were already in the middle of planning a group study session with their class when Itsuka and Nirengeki made their way over to them. "Itsuka, Nirengeki," Izuku said to them with a nod. "What can we do for you?"

"Well, Shoda and I were talking, and since our classes are already mixed for the finals, we were thinking what better way to work on strengthening the bond between our classes than to have one big study group going," Itsuka explained. "I couldn't help but overhear you and Yaoyorozu already talking about one for your class, so might as well make it one big group thing, you know?"

“That being said, we need a place we can all study at that can accommodate such large numbers,” Nirengeki added while scratching his cheek. “I’m worried that some students in our year may take up the other study halls, however.”

Izuku thought about that point and had to agree with Nirengeki. That wasn't even mentioning their upperclassmen. The more he thought about it, the clearer the choice became. With a smile on his face, he knew where to go.

"How does this Sunday sound?"

A Hero's World - Chapters

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A Hero's World
CH 046 - Tomorrow's Problems, Today's Tests
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Ch 044 - Red Flags, Blue Flags, Green Flags Galore
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