"A PHONE CALL IS HERE! A PHONE CALL IS HERE! A PHONE CALL IS HERE!" Toshinori is interrupted from the work he is doing in his desk upon receiving a call on his phone.
The Symbol reaches for his phone while doing his best to ignore the judgmental stares from his colleagues for not putting his phone on mute to not disrupt the others, but more so because they can't believe that he picked himself as his ringtone.
"Glory hound," As usual, Aizawa was the only one with the balls to talk down to All Might for every shred of stupidity he brings into their lives.
Hurt but not yet discouraged, Toshinori answers the phone with the hopes that whoever is calling will get him out of the embarrassing atmosphere.
"Again UA faces scrutiny, and you're unsuccessful in handling the disaster," The voice of the caller was no better, but Toshinori still felt more energized than he had all day.
"Mirai?" Toshinori almost bit his tongue from the surprise of hearing the voice of his former sidekick.
"And of course, you didn't bother to examine the number before you answered. That kind of blunder is exactly why I had to bail you out of getting scammed twelve times for over two years," The Pro-Hero continued with his slander. "It's not like either of us has changed our numbers for a decade."
'And suddenly Aizawa's slanders feel like a treat,' Toshinori thought bitterly about being reminded of the stroke of bad luck he used to have in a certain period of his Silver Age.
Wanting this discussion to be private, he takes his leave from the Administration Office and rushes to his private office.
"I had expected you to call sooner," Toshinori said, now walking through a corridor.
"You're not the only one walking through a landmine with no way to turn back in these past few days,"
"Yes, Tsukauchi told me about your investigation into the Shie Hassaikai," Toshinori said while whispering in that last part so no one would hear him, even though he is currently alone. "I was sure that those creeps of the Yakuza were gone for good after what Webjack did to them. Do you need—"
"That's not why I called, and don't think you can escape from this," Mirai warned. The intensity of his voice was so raw that his own Sidekick, Bubble Girl, got petrified despite being outside of his office.
"Sorry…" Toshinori sighed as he rushed to his office, locked the door as soon as he entered it, and sat comfortably on the couch.
"Thank you. Now on to business, I won't bother reprimanding you for your inaction in the festival since it was better safe than sorry in guarding the stadium and arresting the Vigilante, which benefits the Commission more than us. After we discovered Lady Nagant's true fate, we can't allow them to do as they please," Mirai began. "What I am calling about is how this blunder affects you and the future of IT."
"Sometimes I wish I had kept you in the dark about that as I did with David. Your interest in the power of my forerunners has always been a cause for concern," Toshinori frowned. Even before the two had their falling out, Sir Nighteye was too concerned with the potential risk of losing One For All and what it could mean if All For One managed to defeat All Might and take it.
"Believe me, I wish you hadn't been so forthcoming with me either, but you know how it is with my life. I always need to know as much as possible. It's how an "unflashy" man like myself has managed to survive this long as a Hero," Mirai said discouragingly. "And just because that Demon is gone doesn't mean his Legacy has also perished."
"You are also of the belief that the League of Villains is being led by All For One's underlings?" Toshinori said, troubled.
"Or they are being led by All For One himself. With his despicable Quirk, the possibilities are endless," Mirai said, addressing the real issue All Might has been refusing to accept. The danger and lengths Tomura and his henchmen are willing to go to have their way remind him too much of his Nemesis to have not noticed the resemblance.
"I don't want to believe that to be the case," Toshinori admitted with shaking hands and trembling feet.
"Then don't. What you should believe is that Hero Society is crumbling apart. Has been for a long time, but it was only now that we began to realize how inefficient we have all been in its protection. On that, I can give the Wallcrawler some credit for exposing the cracks," Mirai said with bemusement. "I have some ideas on how to approach the matter, but I'm more interested in how you mean to spearhead this crisis now that War is in our future, and I don't need my Foresight to have seen it coming."
"Nezu and I have come up with some ideas, but the one that seems the simplest to undertake is to hold a press conference and explain to the people my side of things," Toshinori explained.
"But the fact that you haven't means that you have reservations about that backfiring," Mirai concluded. "I am opposed to it myself and think you should keep your lips sealed."
"Even though keeping quiet will surely make the people more nervous and distrustful?" Toshinori questioned.
"If you or Nezu step up and explain to the country your reasoning, you'll one way or another be forced to confess that UA is on the side of the people who wish to put Webjack under the Reclamation Initiative, which will lead to the University starting a Cold War with the Commission," Mirai brought up the real problem and how cornered they really are, not just with the people losing faith in their Heroes.
Toshinori was caught off guard that Mirai knew about UA's plans for Webjack, but then remembered that he and Nezu had been in contact for a week now.
"We have too many enemies, from outside and within our side, therefore we can't engage with either unless we have a trump card of our own."
"You mean, before we do anything that will be seen as an affront to the Commission, we need someone who knows them better than we do. Like Lady Nagant," Toshinori concluded.
"Precisely. I don't have a clue where she might be, but I believe I know one criminal organization that she has made contact with. We get to them, we could find her," Mirai informed, but didn't sound so confident in the plan, and Toshinori couldn't blame him.
Trying to find a former assassin like Lady Nagant will be like finding a needle in a haystack, but first, they need to find the haystack, at the bottom of the ocean.
"Wish we could have Naomasa to help us, but his hands remain full trying to find Webjack," Toshinori sighed, pitying his good friend in the Police Force, who has not had a good few months. "I had some hope that the kid would've been interested in the Initiative himself, but thus far he remains elusive."
"He is wise to be wary of accepting the Initiative. Any Vigilante in Japan would be a fool to accept. Our government isn't as accepting of Lawbreakers like Russia or the United Kingdom," Mirai stated. "And for a while longer, he should remain at large. He may serve us well."
"Never took you for a supporter of Vigilantes," Toshinori noted.
"I'm not. But I've come to be more appreciative of results rather than legality in recent days. More than once, you've made me act outside of the Law just to save a single life," Mirai said, now feeling nostalgic for better times. "Whatever he does next, we must exploit it, even if it doesn't benefit us at all—no, the benefits themselves aren't as important in making sure he doesn't go overboard."
"He is a promising youth whose potential seems limitless," Toshinori mused, still bewildered at how skilled and strong Webjack is. And his heart is one of gold, who's proven to care more about saving lives, going as far as to help the needy more times than any Pro. When they cross paths again, he has to get him to talk about why he became a Vigilante, try to understand what would compel someone who can give the world so much to choose to waste away his life the way he's been doing.
"Speaking of limitless potential," The intensity of Sir Nighteye rose to new heights as he finally got to the real reason why he called, and Toshinori was amazed that he took this long to bring it up. "Have you finally concluded?"
The Symbol sighed at the outcome and knew he had to make a swift response. "You know that this isn't an easy decision for me. Choosing someone else to take on my mantle and the risk that comes with it, especially if THAT man is still alive,"
"I know. I may sound inconsiderate and uncaring whenever I address this, but you're running out of time," Mirai reminded. "Your body has done well to avoid decreasing the amount of time you can use One For All. Hero work for just three hours a day has proven more than enough for five years in a row, but the fact remains that you can't keep this up. You're not a God, Yagi, and somehow, the one person in the world who's the most blind to this reality seems to be you."
"That's going out of line." Now, Toshinori got mad at the mere implication of him being so deluded by such aspirations. Granted, he is more than aware that a lot of people and fans have put him on such a pedestal that has always seemed unenviable in his eyes, but he sure as hell never wanted it. "And even if at any point in my life I was ever that foolish, All For One gave me the perfect reminder that I'll always be human."
"Then why the delay? If you're scared about putting too much burden on a student, then the easiest way to take off the weight on their shoulders is to pick one who's already prepared to be a true Pro,"
"Again with Young Togata. If it wasn't for Centipeder and Bubble Girl teasing you behind your back and assuring me that you truly care for the young man, I'd be more upset with you, always giving me the impression that Mirio was nothing but a suitable vessel in your eyes," Toshinori said, displeased.
"And you would've denied him just to spite me. You would be doing your duty as a Hero if that were the truth," Mirai said a lot more gently, and the tension between them suddenly vanished and was replaced with a more tranquil one.
"I keep bringing this up because it's for your own good. For all of us. It's time to leave things for the new generation, and I believe with all my heart that Mirio will be the face of that generation. I've seen it," He said with more conviction and sincerity that the Symbol of Peace almost felt startled, having forgotten how passionate his former Sidekick can really be when he puts his heart and soul into something he believes to be of great importance.
And to be fair, All Might finding a worthy successor is very important in more ways than the rest of the world could possibly understand.
It's why he became a teacher for the university that helped mold him into a Hero in the first place, but instead, he ended up in an uncomfortable roadblock, and he's not sure he can get out of it without any more regrets.
'It's more than just having too many to choose from. I'm missing something. A spark that keeps eluding me, but I don't even know what it is. So what am I really supposed to do?'
"I'm telling you, Yokono, this country is about to go to Hell. Villains everywhere, Heroes bailing because of the added pressure, and us law-abiding citizens will be forced to arm ourselves with Support Gears and use our Quirks freely to defend ourselves, just like the golden age of vigilantism," Declares a gruff man in a business suit, walking through the street with his best friend at his side, a half-eaten donut with sprinkles on his hand, and his phone on the other as he reads the same news of the aftermath of the Sports Festival.
"Dokuro, you have got to stop watching those conspiracy theories online. Your brain was already fried enough without them," Said friend retorted unamused, also on his phone but preoccupied with sending a report concerning the latest project they are working on.
Despite both men locking eyes with their phones, they are good at multitasking, able to be cautious of where they're going without bumping into anyone or getting run over.
"Laugh it up, but you know I'm right. The Heroes are slacking off and only because they're expecting more compensation for just one measly rescue," Dokuro huffed.
"Even if that's true, what are we supposed to do? Our profession is a far cry from something more exciting, like giving out speeding tickets. We've never seen a Support Gear up close before, and our Quirks are too mediocre without maybe some Trigger that we might as well have been born Quirkless," Yokono said so nonchalantly, really wanting this day to be over with.
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't prepare ourselves in case the worst does happen," Dokuro persisted.
"And pray tell what's your brilliant plan this time?" Yokono doesn't want to hear it, but he knows it's better to let Dokuro blow off some steam to make the rest of the day more bearable. It's already bad enough that he has to wait until Seven to go home; he does not need his partner's incisive rambling right now.
"I have a cousin in the military, Okuma, who has a connection in Detnerat. I give him a call, and he will smuggle some Support Gears for us. They won't be the best or the latest, but having any is better than none at all."
"Do you ever think before you talk?" Yokono reprimanded while sparing a glance at anyone who could have eavesdropped, but he really shouldn't have worried since everyone around them is preoccupied with discussions of their own, so engrossed are they that it's a wonder no one is getting run over by a vehicle.
It's the same in the last two streets they walked by; people are so focused on what's been going on with the Heroes, growing more scared and ignorant by the day. It isn't a stretch to say that they are of a similar mind to Dokuro.
Everyone's afraid, and they don't feel safe anymore, though some, like Yokomo, know better than to panic and are keeping their heads down. Some because they still have faith in the Heroes, while others just want to avoid danger for as long as possible. Yokomo is not sure where he qualifies; both reasons are irrelevant if neither can provide for his family.
"You keep rambling like that, someone is going to come, and I don't even want to think just how screwed you really are," Yokomo warned.
"Right, like I'm not screwed enough already," Dokuro scoffed with indignation. "At this point, I'd rather die fighting than just sit around and wait for the inevitable."
That was more or less the last straw for Yokomo as he put down his phone and waved his hand over to Dokuro's chest to halt his march and looked him straight in the eye before speaking more firmly.
"Dokuro, how are you doing, really?" His question was more of a demand, but the sincerity and concern disguised the commanding tone.
Dokuro got offended all the same and wanted to retort more harshly, but hesitated, not even mustering the strength to whisper, and stood still contemplating his next words. It took only seconds, but to both of them it felt much longer, and for a moment, the more stubborn of the two felt almost lost in a fog before the way became clear enough to feel more honest with his feelings.
"The doctor, he… he says that it's likely that Tanifuji may never wake up," Dokuro confessed, finally addressing the matter of his comatose wife.
"Oh, Dokuro," Yokomo now has a more sympathetic expression. He knew the issue for a while, but he never took the time to learn more and see how his friend was coping. "Now I really don't know what to say."
"I still don't know what is more surreal, that it happened or that it could've been prevented if we had a real hero among us," Dokuro said, his anger returning but still kept in check. "It was a good thing we had for three years. Tanifuji and I always bragged about how good it was to have a real Pro for a neighbor. Our part of the city never felt safer. The punks who hung out in the alleys selling drugs stopped coming out of fear of being caught. Tani and the other neighbors would happily cook and clean up for him so that every time he came back from work, he would have a spotless apartment to go back to and rest. We treated him like our King, and we were proud of it."
The nostalgia almost made him forget, but there was no way the pain was ever going away.
"Then, when it really matters. When we truly needed his protection, that bastard chose to save his own skin, and then all of that happened, and the worst part is, the city bought his half-ass story, omitting the truth on how he really fucked up. Fucked us all," His rage and bitterness are now more prominent, but a simple touch from Yokomo's hand on his shoulder was enough to stall it.
"And how is Hoshino taking it?"
"Not well, obviously. His fire is all but gone. And how could it not? He was the first to find his mother nearly beaten to death. He's practically given up on living his life. My little firecracker," Dokuro broke down, about to cry.
Not wanting things to feel awkward with a crowd and wanting to give his friend space to be more open, Yokomo took him to a nearby alleyway that was thankfully empty, with just them.
"Sugano never told me how Hoshino's been behaving at school," Yokomo said as their respective sons inherited the friendship between their fathers.
"He tries to hide it when I'm not around or when he's alone at home. The teachers and his therapist say he's trying too hard to pretend he's unbothered by what happened. Wanting to maintain the image of the toughest kid in school and look after the little guys like Sugano. You know, like a "True" Hero is supposed to do. But that's not good for him to keep running away from reality," Dokuro muttered with distress.
"Damn," Yokomo took the time to ponder this news and tried to come up with a solution, and only one made some sense. "How about this? Why don't you let Hoshino stay in my place for a while?"
"What?" Dokuro uttered, caught off guard by the offer.
"Yeah, I mean. With you needing to work, he ends up alone at home most of the time, even before Tanifuji was hospitalized, since she also worked late hours, so being by himself is not good for him right now."
"Yeah, the therapist said much the same, but I'm not on speaking terms with my folks and siblings, so I don't feel like asking them for anything," Dokuro shrugged.
"Got to think outside the box, just like the Boss always said. Kayumi likes having Hoshino around, and Susano won't say no to letting the bigger kid who shields him from the bullies share a room with him when he's the one who needs help," Yokomo insisted.
"I guess that would be better for us. Thanks, Yokomo," Dokuro said with more sincerity and gratitude.
"Anytime, buddy," He replied with a smile.
The tender moment between friends is ruined when the back door of the left building behind them is smashed open, and someone is sent crashing into the wall of the building next to it.
"Holy fuck!" Dokuro shouted in shock. The two men are stunned at the violent display. They've seen tons of action between Heroes and Villains practically every day of their lives, but it still catches them off guard whenever it happens up close.
"They say that the more dangerous villains operate in the shadows while only dumb ones act out in the open," Yokomo muttered.
"Yeah," Dokuro replied.
"So what does that make this masked guy?"
Neither wanted to get any closer, but curiosity got the better of them, and one glance was all Dokuro needed before dragging his friend away.
"Shit, shit! It's a villain from the Creature Rejection Clan!" He cursed, recognizing the black robe and skull-like mask.
"The villainous group that hates Heteromorph folks and assaults them with religious prejudice," Yokomo gulped. "Oh man, my cousin lost her oldest son to these freaks. What are they doing in Musutafu?"
Webjack then leaps out of the door he smashed open, as he was the one who took out the cultist. He crawls on the wall, now above the cultist, upside down and below him, extending his hand to the criminal's robe and picks up a phone.
"Wish you had been more cooperative, friend, because this did not have to get dirty," Webjack lectured the villain before reaching for his utility belt and pulling out a device similar to a Spider-Tracer, but the shape more resembled the spider logo on his chest and was colored blue.
He placed the spider on the back of the phone he took, and it attached itself with a strong magnet on the back. Upon making contact, the phone turned on with the passcode needed to access it disabled, and all the data within the phone was scanned and added into the mask's HUD.
"Nothing again but more reasons why you guys are the freaks and not those you hunt down," Webjack groaned, crushing the phone to pieces out of disgust, after removing his new invention, of course. The information he just gathered would've given him nightmares if he weren't already accustomed to the ugly side of humanity.
"You bastard!" Shouted another cultist of the CRC, who came out of the smashed door to attack Webjack for assaulting his comrade, his hands morphed into stone hammers because of his Quirk.
However, all it took was a flick from Webjack's finger to the man's forehead to destroy the mask and blow the criminal back inside the building.
"Alright, who's next? I've been at this all day and I ain't tired at all," Webjack asked with an edge to his quippy tone as he got back inside.
What followed was a series of screams, broken bones, walls torn down, glass shattering, tables being smashed, and multiple Emitter Quirks aimed at the Vigilante, only to be proven ineffective at best and, at worst, used to harm fellow Cultists. And the whole street overheard everything when Webjack lost the element of surprise.
"This could've been handled more peacefully if you'd let me borrow your phones when I asked nicely," Webjack lectured.
"And we told you it'd be a cold day in Hell before we let a freak like you lay a finger on all that is sacred to us," One of the Cultists howled.
"Sacred? Half of this stuff can be bought on eBay for a lower price," Webjack mocked. "Those scrolls you're so proud of could pass off for good toilet paper."
"Fuck you!"
"And another thing. How are you guys able to afford hiding in six different buildings in the city, but can't get yourself good customer service? These beds you're sleeping on aren't comfortable in the slightest," Webjack taunted. "You guys are poorer than I was before I sold every single one of the Hero collectibles I owned."
"How does that help you escape poverty, and how many collectables did you use to have?!"
"I'm not here to talk about my problems but see that you all answer for yours,"
"I'll unmask you and expose your hideous mutant face to the world!"
"Sticks, stones, and explosions may break my bones, but as long as my Mom loves me, I'll always be a winner,"
The banter comes to an end, and multiple CRC members are sent flying out of the building through the windows while strapped to webs that keep them suspended upside down and all unmasked.
Webjack jumps again and gets closer to one of the cultists, who remains conscious.
"Hey, I noticed that your leader, the one with the more decorated robe and cooler skull mask, wasn't present during our dance. I understand if he got cold feet since I'm not good at dancing either, like you saw, but at least I showed, and him bailing like that is really disheartening," Webjack muttered, feigning the feeling of rejection. "So if I could just talk to him and clear the air, that would be great."
The Wallcrawler would get his response as the sound of an engine turned on in a hurry, with a van speeding away from the scene with haste, and the faint sounds of the citizens who mentioned the driver wearing a skull mask rushed into his ears.
"Never mind. Give my love to my fans in the slammer," Webjack mused, swinging after the cult leader, leaving everyone in stunned silence at the bizarre turn of events, most of all the two men who were the first to witness the craziness.
"So how soon can your cousin get us those items?" Yokomo asked, changing his mind about the Support Gears.
"Depends on how quickly his fat ass can answer the phone," Dokuro replied, already making the desperate call.
The UA students wasted no time with their fun activities, though instead of eating first they decided to wait out and enjoy the rest of the mall, splitting into groups between boys and girls, the former entering the arcade and while the latter went to see if there were some things worth purchasing, though the dynamic wasn't as straightforward since some like Kendo wasn't into girly things and joined the boys, while Shoto, not much of a gamer and not sure what to do ended up joining the rest of the girls without even realizing where he was going.
People mistook the son of Endeavor for a Harem King, and he will have a talk with his sister when he gets back home, and a seething Mineta when they go back to UA.
The only one who did not seem to enjoy himself was Monoma, who kept trying to start something with 1-A, which makes it a godsend that Kendo was there to set him straight every time he opened his mouth, though no one from 1-A was really bothered by his behavior, seeing him as more comedic.
Truthfully, Monoma isn't as spiteful as he seems, having seen the footage from the USJ Attack and witnessing how close 1-B's sister class was close to death, he is softer than he otherwise could have been but still has this urge to be competitive and his classmates put the blame largely on Vlad King, though it was obvious that the loudmouth blonde has a severe inferiority complex that he thankfully doesn't take out on them.
Two blondes in UA who can't handle a loss, some like Denki and Kyoka, have made some jokes about it, sometimes at Denki's expense, despite not being a sore loser.
"Man, I can't believe nobody recognized me. I did great in the Calvary Battle," Sero muttered about not receiving any recognition for the UA Sports Festival, as everyone in the Mall recognized most of the students and praised them, mainly the ones who made it to the Fighting Tournament.
"I didn't even know you made it to the Calvary," Neito seized the chance to mock 1-A.
"How could you? You were too busy licking your burn wounds after provoking Bakugo one too many times," Yosetsu Awase reprimanded, remembering how badly Monoma had it in the second round when he made the mistake of starting an altercation with the angry pomeranian.
"Traitor!" The Copycat snapped in outrage, but he was ignored.
"Is all he ever does is blow hot air?" Sato asked. "We get enough of that from our own blonde loudmouth."
"And somehow Bakugo is more bearable," Ojiro added, and he can't believe he said so.
"Again, we beg you to be patient with our friend," Jurota Shishida begged solemnly.
"I'm getting hungry. I say it's high time we regroup with the girls," Ken Kaibara suggested.
"I second that," Hanta agreed with his stomach beginning to growl.
"Oh, good, I was beginning to think that you boys started munching on some delicious sweets." The voice of Setsuna sounded from behind Hanta, but when the Tape Quirk-user turned around to see her, the only part of her that was present was her head floating in mid-air. "Hey."
The screams of most of the 1-A boys were heard across the mall as they were horrified by the horrific sight of a talking, floating head, Hanta, most of all, since she was right in front of him and fell to the floor.
"Setsuna! Have you lost your mind?!" Kendo chastised angrily at the floating head that was now laughing manically, making the scene even worse for everyone watching. Some people have started to run away in fright.
"Clearly she has," Monoma noted while he and his classmates were unaffected by Setsuna's stunt since this was old news to them.
"What part of not using our Quirks publicly before getting our licenses wasn't clear when we joined the University!" Kendo continued to chastise while grabbing a hold of Setsuna's head.
"Relax. I know the Mall's Supervisor, so I'm all good," Setsuna said cheekily. This only serves to aggravate 1-B's Rep because she summoned a tiny portion of the enhanced strength her Quirk grants her to apply pressure to Setsuna's face as a form of punishment. "OUCH! THIS HURTS A LOT, YOU BITCH!"
"We're gonna have to stop and buy some new underwear and pants for 1-A because most of them pissed themselves," Togaru said, noticing how wet Hanta's pants are now. And the smell was bad enough to make Jurota cover his nose because of his enhanced sense of smell.
"Is she a demon from the Abyss?" Fumikage asked while his face was headfirst into a wall to hide his new depression.
"Worse. She's the new Midnight," Kuroiro deadpanned.
After that embarrassment and Setsuna getting shooed out by the Mall's Supervisor but still walking out with a slap on the wrist, the students gathered to eat.
"Those aren't the pants you were wearing when we got here, are they?" Toru asked Ojiro, noticing that his clothing had changed a bit, the same with some of the boys in their class.
"Please don't ask," The Martial Artist begged. If anything else happens that could damage his self-esteem today, he is quitting UA.
"Meal time!" Mina cheered as everyone managed to get most of the tables and started eating whatever fast food they wanted.
"Setsuna aside, I'd say today went pretty well," Kyoka said, though she has a rare amount of pity for what the boys went through since Setsuna pulled something to a lesser degree on her before, and she does not appreciate being on the receiving end of a jump scare.
"Yeah. Was very happy all of you," Pony said cheerfully. Still struggling to speak right, but 1-A and 1-B understood well enough to have a real conversation.
"I be lying if I said this was a bad idea," Denki added, already forgiving Setsuna once he stops to think that it was a damn good jump scare.
"Alright, alright. I'll be the first to admit that you, 1-A hooligans aren't as bad as you seemed at first," Monoma declared, as though he was the best judge of character. "Then again, the worst among you aren't here, so it was obvious."
"Okay, that's fair. I admit that Bakubro can be a real stick in the mud and has no appreciation for bonding time," Kirishima relented.
"And the less said about Mineta, the better," Aoyama added.
"Still, no one can deny when it's time to throw down, Bakugo knows how to solve things like a man," Tetsutetsu praised, considering his match with Katsuki was one to remember, even if his attitude is in desperate need of adjustment.
"That's what I've been trying to tell everyone! See, Mina. Someone else gets it," Kirishima grinned and did a fist bump with Tetsutetsu.
"Your long-lost brother doesn't count, Kiri!" Mina scoffed.
"We're not that alike!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu shouted in denial at the same time, unintentionally proving Ashido's point.
"When the dormitories are finally made, I will never set foot into either of your rooms," Toru mocked.
"Today wasn't boring… I suppose," Shoto said weakly, still not sure what to make of this day and what it feels like to have real connections with people.
"No, this wasn't boring at all," Yui Kodai, who is equally as aloof and silent, agreed with Shoto.
"Today was nice," The other aloof girl of 1-B, Reiko Yanagi, replied. Both girls have been staying close to Shoto since they all share the uncertainty of agreeing to join.
"Weirdest love triangle I have ever seen," Hiryu Rin commented.
"At least he seems happier for once," Momo noted, having noticed subtle signs that Shoto is enjoying himself.
Things are going better than Mina hoped when she and Setsuna set this up, and while it is a bit of a bummer that 1-A has the low numbers, she can't complain with the results, especially since it's only a matter of time before they become whole before or after they begin their Interviews with Pro-Heroes.
The only thing that was off was that Ochaco seemed like her mind was elsewhere. The first time Mina interacted with her was when word spread that she was caught in a convenience store heist and was saved by Webjack, and she got recognition because of it.
The pink-skinned aspiring heroine sought her out to learn if it was true, receiving confirmation of webs and electricity being used, though the whole turning invisible was new to Mina. Ochaco was too cute to ignore and she made it a point to talk to her more, and after the Sports Festival where she made it all the way to the semi-finals, after managing to beat Kirishima and Iida, mostly because Eijiro let his guard down since he didn't want to hurt a girl too badly and Tenya also wanted to end the fight too swiftly with a fast push, resulting in both of them getting touched by Ochaco and got himself levitated out of bounds.
In contrast, Shinso's performance was more questionable, as he played dirty throughout all three events of the Festival with his Brainwashing Quirk. Mina is of the opinion that no Quirk is inherently evil, but she can't deny the dread of losing control of your mind to someone else. Luckily, she's very open-minded and would try to give Shinso the benefit of the doubt.
Ochaco and Hitoshi are stars now, with everyone in agreement that they should be in the Hero Course effective immediately.
Ochaco has been as chipper as everybody else about this activity, but despite this happiness, she was more focused on her phone, almost like she was waiting for a call or at least a message. This got Mina to think back about their initial talk about Hitoshi.
"Oh, so that's what this is about," Mina grinned, leaning closer to the Zero Gravity Girl. "What was his name again?"
"Huh?" Ochaco got caught up.
"Midoriya? Yes, I believe that's it. Is he handsome? I bet he is, since you keep hoping he would call you already," Mina teased.
"N-No… no-no-no-no! It's not what you think. I'm worried," Ochaco tried to avoid the subject with little avail.
"Worried that he's cheating on you, or worried that he's getting himself into trouble?"
"Please stop trying to put words in my mouth," The gravity girl pleaded.
"Mina, please stop pressuring her. We're trying to help her feel welcomed into the Hero Course," Momo lectured.
"That's right! This misconduct of yours serves only to vilify and invite doubt! Cease this at once!" Tenya forced himself into an argument not involving him, yet again.
"You guys suck the fun out of everything," Mina pouted in defeat.
"Thanks," Ochaco said with gratitude for Momo and Tenya. Speaking of Tenya. "And again, sorry for sending you flying and crashing headfirst into concrete back in the festival."
"Apologies are unnecessary. We were both competing for the same goal, and I was proven to be the inferior Hero in Training. A valuable lesson that, despite being accepted into the Hero Course from the beginning, I must continue with my training and education if I am ever to live up to the expectations of my family," Tenya said compassionately and diligently.
"That's nice to hear," Ochaco smiled. "And… how is your brother, Ingenium? I can't imagine that he is doing so well because of what happened in Hosu."
"Not well, I'm afraid," Tenya said, now developing a somber tone but one he tried to shake off. "Even still, this sort of tragedy is one that was always bound to happen with Hero Work. Though he has lost many comrades, the people of Hosu still need Ingenium, which is why he won't let this destroy him."
"I've heard nothing but great things about Ingenium. It would be a shame if he let his loss against Stain get to him," Kendo commented.
"A reality that is nonexistent, thankfully," Tenya said, looking more at ease.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but for the sake of evading this somber topic, I have a question," Toru intervened.
"The floor is yours," Tenya insisted, also wanting to drop the subject.
"Out of curiosity, when you meant Midoriya," Toru began, making Ochaco lament about possibly getting embarrassed again. "—Did you mean Izuku Midoriya?"
"Y-Yes. Why, do you know him?" Ochaco was surprised that anyone else from UA would know anything about Izuku.
"Not personally, but that's the name of the guy who came up with the plans for my new costume," Toru said more chipperly. She is still wearing her Chameleon suit, which is hidden underneath her casual clothing. It thankfully doesn't feel uncomfortable to wear it since it's not a whole lot, so she has it easier than other Heroes who have to hide a full-body costume underneath clothing. "I can't turn my Invisibility Quirk off on my own, and I didn't know what I looked like until I put it on, and now I feel like I've been freed from a cage I've been stuck in all my life."
"I-Is that so?" Ochaco said in wonderment. Izuku mentioned that a lot of his work was praised and accepted by UA's head of Support Course, Power Loader, but he never said anything about making costumes for anyone, let alone girls who are prettier than her.
'Wait! Where did that come from?' Ochaco uttered, not believing what she just thought of, something that Mina picked up on.
'Thank you, Toru,'
"Oh, so you're the Invisigirl that used to waltz around the university with floating clothes everywhere," Setsuna realized. "Can't believe I never noticed."
"Yeah, even with clothes on, no one ever paid any attention to me, so I'm used to it," Toru shrugged. "Aizawa, the meany teacher that he is, only mentioned his name in passing and wouldn't disclose any more, other than the fact that he attends Kogane."
"Huh, my older sister is a teacher there, maybe she gives lessons to him," Setsuna said.
"Izuku?" Kirishima said, getting a thought in his head that he can't seem to figure out.
"What's up, Kiribro?" Tetsutetsu asked, noticing his counterpart's look of contemplation.
"Nothing much, Tetsubro,"
"You guys are killing us," Denki cringed.
"—But I can't help but feel like I've heard the name Izuku before. Can't seem to remember where, though," Kirishima muttered.
"Someone from your old high school who didn't give much of an impression," Tetsutetsu suggested.
"Nah. I can't remember everyone from my previous school, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't someone I've ever met, rather someone who was mentioned more than once by a classmate," Kirishima explained. "I don't get why it's getting to me, but I think this guy is important somehow."
"I'd think I remember you talking about or hanging out with someone called Izuku. Then again, your friendship circle wasn't as extensive as mine since Bakugo kept scaring everyone away," Mina mentioned.
"That's it! I remember now. Midoriya is someone whom Bakugo knew in middle school, and whenever he got especially irritated, he would mention him," Kirishima finally recalls.
"Are you sure? Midoriya isn't the type of person who would get on anyone's nerves," Ochaco said, having a difficult time imagining Izuku getting under anyone's skin.
"Knowing Bakugo, this Midoriya was someone who stood up to him, or as he would like to cry out "looked down on him," wanting nothing to do with his crap and made a lasting impression," Mina said with irritation. She barely interacted with Katsuki back in high school, but still had to bear his presence because Kirishima kept insisting that the explosive pomeranian was anything other than a bully.
"Yeah, but Bakubro also referred to him by a different name. It was De—"
The redhead could not finish what he was going to say as the loud sound of cars crashing into each other was heard outside the mall. Immediately, everyone either got up with trepidation or was stunned silent, making the obvious conclusion that another Hero/Villain showdown was taking place.
"This is good," Tetsutetsu said, being among the first to rush outside.
"Halt! Where do you think you are going?" Tenya demanded, appalled that fellow students from UA would even consider going near a fight engaged by a Pro-Hero.
"Just because we aren't allowed to engage Villains yet doesn't mean we can't spectate like the citizens do every day," The Steel Quirked argued.
"Man gets me. He just does," Kirishima smirked, of a similar mind. And to make it worse for Tenya, Shoto also left without warning.
"It's this kind of attitude that's going to get us expelled one of these days," The Engine Metahuman cried indignantly, but ultimately joined his colleagues in the spectacle.
Though by the time they made it outside, the show had already reached its conclusion with a black van being tossed into the air and landing on a large green, glowing cobweb placed onto the wall of the mall, leaving the van dangling upside down.
"Webjack!" Mina cheered with excitement as they all watched the Vigilante make his way to the van, sitting on the top of it while also upside down.
"So, now that I've left you dangling…" Webjack began just as the one man inside the van got out, trying to jump away, only to be caught by the leg and tossed straight into the cobweb, sticking him in it as well. "Can we talk now?"
"You filthy freak of nature! You won't get away with this!" The Cult Leader avowed, the hatred in his voice evident.
"Fine, be a rude neighbor, makes me less guilty about this," The Vigilante pouted, reaching for the man's robe and taking his phone and using his device on it like he did with the previous ones.
"Is that guy with the CRC?" Kyoka asked, recognizing the robe from some concerning news online.
"Yeah, they're real campers," Kirishima said with disgust, getting in front of Mina in case the Cult Leader managed to escape and attack her because she looks inhuman. Others had the same idea, keeping their Heteromorph classmates behind them.
"Come on, come on," Webjack begged, getting all the data from the phone he hijacked in the hopes of getting the information he wanted, and finally, after so much searching, he got the info he desired.
"YES! I found you!" The Vigilante cheered, extending his arms to the ground in triumph. Next turned back to the Cult Leader. "Well, I wish I could say it was fun, because it wasn't. You guys suck. But I'm grateful for the assistance; you'd been a big help."
"You… spent this whole day attacking all our strongholds in Musutafu, decimated our whole operation, just so you could get some information we had," The Cult Leader realized.
"Yeah… sorry/not sorry. I'll make sure my #1 fan, Detective Tsukauchi, gets the rest of the data I've gathered. You guys are done," Webjack declared, and at the nick of time, police sirens could be heard in the distance. "And there's your new ride."
"Hold up. Did I hear him right? A whole bunch of the CRC have been hiding out in our city, and Webjack took them all down in a single day," Sato said in disbelief.
"Bonté. I believe so," Aoyama uttered.
"Now that's just showing off," Monoma groaned.
"But no less impressive and gratifying, kero," Tsuyu said, happy to hear it, given the danger the Creature Rejection Clan poses to all Heteromorphs.
Izuku was about to make a quick leave before the cops got here, but got caught off guard when he noticed Ochaco amongst the crowd, and couldn't help but gaze at her for a bit. He also recognized the 1-A students beside her.
'Mom mentioned that Uraraka made it all the way to the semi-finals, meaning she must be eligible to join the Hero Course and is trying to get acquainted with them before officially joining,' He thought with a hidden smile. 'Good for you, Uraraka, I'll be sure to call and congratulate you personally.'
'Is he staring at me?' Ochaco thought, confused by what could have halted his attempt to escape.
"Hey! HEY! Jackie! Over here!" Mina shouted, getting Izuku's attention, and her voice was loud enough to sting Kyoka's sensitive ears.
"Bitch!"
"Remember me?" Mina carried on.
"Oh? Hey, you're the Alien Girl," Webjack replied. How could he forget her after such a daring rescue attempt? "Good to see you're all doing alright."
"That's Alien Queen to you," Mina corrected with a grin.
"That's what you want your Hero Name to be?" Setsuna asked, liking the sound of that.
"Damn right!"
"Well then," Webjack began before jumping out of his cobweb and landing right in front of Mina, bowing like a knight in the presence of his queen. "Consider me humbled and dazzled, Your Majesty."
"Oh, you," Mina giggled with a heavy blush, liking this feeling, and on impulse, extended her hand to him to continue the charade of a queen and her knight, which Izuku played along with.
'She's actually flirting with him!' All of them and some of the other bystanders shouted in their heads at the awkward scene.
This might've continued, but to Mina's chagrin, the police finally arrived.
"And the buzzkills show up," Webjack lamented.
"I hate buzzkills," Mina hissed.
"See ya! And hope to mingle another day," Webjack bid farewell and swung away with some of the Police turning around to chase him while the rest stayed to apprehend the Cult Leader.
It finally paid off. He knew that the Creature Rejection Clan had been operating in secrecy at Musutafu for weeks but did not act sooner because he was sure that the Police Force would handle them but because of his new predicament, he had no choice but to act because the one he is looking for has formed a partnership with these scoundrels, as such he snuck into each base, hoping any cell and computer he scanned could lead him to her. It took taking down every hideout and messing up the police operation, but it was worth it.
'I just hope Tsukauchi doesn't get too upset because of this,' Izuku thought hopefully.
"It's a date!" Mina cheered, waving the Vigilante goodbye.
"Please tell us you're joking," Momo muttered.
"Momo, my friend, when you find the perfect man, their place in society doesn't mean squat," Mina smirked and sighed dreamily.
"Amen to that, sister," Setsuna grinned, and her words earned her a glare from Ibara.
"It's a shame we didn't get to see him in action up close," Shoto lamented.
"What, you want to receive the same humiliation as your old man?" Kamakiri questioned.
"Hardly, but Pro or not, we can always learn something by watching someone with more experience in action, and if even my old man has trouble catching him, it's hard not to see the value in him."
"Does that mean you're with the crowd that wants to make Jackie a Pro?" Sero asked.
"Better than half the ones that are Pros if you ask me," Shoto said before taking his leave, having had enough with today.
"He's not wrong, though," Kyoka said.
"Either way, I say that's enough fun for one successful day, wouldn't you all say?" Setsuna clapped her hands.
"It sure was," Mina giggled, now more giddy.
"Dazzled. Dazzled," Aoyama repeated as his mind started to think of something.
"What's gotten your head all wrapped up?" Shoji asked.
"Just a thought that's got me thinking, and I think I've come up with an idée brillante," The flamboyant boy thought with excitement.
"What?" Sato asked in confusion.
"He means he has a good idea," Momo translated, knowing a bit of French.
"Then just say it like that. Quit acting like you're actually French."
"Jamais!"
"Momo?"
"I'm not a walking translator!"
In a dimly lit laboratory, Kyudai Garaki meticulously examined the vial containing Izuku's irradiated blood. His eyes gleamed with a mix of scientific curiosity and an unsettling eagerness.
All For One, observing from the shadows, had just arrived after receiving an urgent call about a great discovery. "Well, Doctor? I am surprised to hear that you already found something new about our arachnid compatriot."
Kyudai began with an air of enthusiasm, "It's extraordinary, Master. It's beyond our initial predictions. This boy is unlike any other metahuman we've encountered. As we expected, his powers are not a result of a Quirk; they are something else entirely. I mentioned before that his blood carries traces of radiation, but I never could have foreseen this."
He continued, pacing the room as he spoke, "Now, the fascinating aspect is that this radiation has triggered a unique transformation within his DNA. It's as if his genetic code has rewritten itself in an effort to adapt to whatever caused this influence. Yet, there's no Quirk gene involved, making it a phenomenon beyond the conventional understanding of Meta Ability."
"Fascinating," The Symbol of Evil spoke calmly and focused as ever, doing well to conceal a growing concern. "And are you sure that whatever caused this boy to be this way was an external source and not some genetic mutation?"
"Without question. The first few tests I conducted assured me that something foreign was the cause of Webjack becoming what he is now. Something that by all logic should not exist. A New Element! What's more, this transformation happened this year! Not the one before, or after," Kyudai's excitement grew as he delved deeper into the explanation, "Everything down to the smallest cells is enhanced. All the abilities he's displayed are both a superb version of a Spider's ability, mixed in with extra powers. He has enough Bioelectricity in his body to power a facility as big as UA by himself and can do so much more with it.
"And yet his primary ability are constructs of psychic energy,"
"Well, we discuss this before, how Psychokinesis and Electrokinesis are one and the same only used differently. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed, as such psionic energy is really converted electric energy," Garaki clarified, a bit giddy. "The best Meta Abilities are the ones that blend fairly well with scientific facts."
All For One, though intrigued, maintained a composed demeanor. "What can we exploit from this discovery?"
Kyudai grinned, his demeanor taking a more maniacal turn, "The real question you should be asking, Master, is what can't we exploit with this discovery? I have to make a few adjustments, but I am certain I can use the technology to duplicate Quirks to replicate Webjack's DNA, not only making our beloved Nomu more powerful than ever but giving them life!" Kyudai raised his arms up, as though he was declaring a challenge to Heaven itself. "Forget making an army out of the corpses of fallen Heroes and Villains, we finally have the means to show God that he is not the only one who can create life. This is no petty breakthrough in biotechnology; the applications are limitless."
As Kyudai rambled on about the potential applications, All For One contemplated the broader implications. The blurred line between science and the supernatural left an unsettling feeling in the air.
"This radiation…" Kyudai continued, "Acts as a catalyst for a new breed of metahuman. It will be a lot of hard work, but I know I can manipulate the genetic structure, creating soldiers with superior ability. No need to rely on stolen Quirks anymore."
All For One nodded, absorbing the information. "But how do we ensure this process is successful?"
Kyudai's eyes sparkled with a mad scientist's glee. "Ideally, we'll need more samples, more data. So we need to capture the boy for real this time. BUT! We may not need him anymore because, with the right Blood Quirk, we can expand the sample we already have, giving ourselves a larger supply. I'm sure we won't need any other body parts of his for now, though I would love to have a peek at his brain. I need to make more tests with what we already have."
As the two delved into the possibilities, the room echoed with a blend of scientific jargon and maniacal laughter. The realization that Webjack's blood held the potential to redefine the very nature of superhuman abilities sent shivers down All For One's spine, even as he considered the immense power it could grant him in the world he sought to control. The path to exploiting this newfound knowledge had just begun, and the repercussions for the hero society would be profound.
For so long, his reign and his dominance depended largely on Quirks; if he followed through with this, he might have to give up one Power System for another he may not be able to control. After all, the progenitor of this hypothetical new race of Superhumans is but a child hiding behind a mask, trying to prove himself to his nemesis. Of Webjack's true motives, he has no doubts.
He knew it was only a matter of time before he encountered a man who could be his true equal. A soul born to defy all expectations just by existing. Capable enough to claim what is rightfully his. Cunning enough to stare death in the eye and driven to challenge the champions of the World and have a chance to usurp them. It matters not that he was not born with this power. All For One knows that Webjack is the equal he's been dreading deep down in the black hole that is his heart.
This is a dangerous gamble and one where they could not accurately predict future events. The only good advantage he might have is that the boy must know that he is not like everyone else, let alone that he doesn't have a Quirk despite what those around him might—
A realization dawned on the Symbol of Evil, one that was so obvious he could have never discovered it if not for this occasion.
"Powerful and clever. Reminds me of myself,"
"Pardon?" Kyudai asked, his euphoria pausing for a moment.
"The blood samples we have on him wouldn't allow us to find him because the files of his true identity aren't in the Quirk Registration. How could they when the Spider is not normal?" All For One concluded, causing the Doctor to flinch, inwardly reprimanding himself for also not reaching this conclusion sooner.
"That clever little runt! He has more than one disguise at his disposal," Kyudai groaned with begrudging respect, rushing to his computer and quickly accessing the database for the Quirkless Registration.
Each country keeps a list of data for every citizen through their Quirks for security reasons and less than noble ones, and for those who don't have Quirks, they are kept in a different file away from all the "normal" folks. A less-than-subtle kind of prejudice, and one that Izuku exploited shamelessly.
"There you are," Garaki grinned, finding a match for Webjack's DNA, and his true face was displayed on All For One's monitor. "Izuku Midoriya. No wonder it's taken this long to track him down. No one would suspect a Quirkless to hide such power."
"So that's his face," All For One sneered while Kyudai began to gather all the info they could get on the boy. "My, what a plain-looking boy. A more convincing mask than the one we're accustomed to."