Chapter 4
"You seem like a very bright young man." The headmaster finally says. "I am assuming you want to try out for our Support Course, in the future?"
"Well, I have another year to figure that out." Izuku shrugs.
Though I-Island Academy is the only other school he has considered, besides UA. I-Island is very tempting and briefly, he entertained the thought of going there, of meeting other people with passions like his and the urge to create that can't be ignored.
Very briefly he allows himself to dream, and then he dismisses it. He had once fallen into the trap of creating support items for heroes in hopes they would accept him as one of them.
The Avengers had lived cost-free at his expense for years. No rent, no cost for food, and all the gadgets they could dream of. He would never again be reduced to that. He will still help people but he is done being taken for granted.
Beside I-Island is a floating island, cruising the seas. Going to their academy will mean leaving his mom behind and he can't do that to her. She cares for him, and he cares for her and honestly, even in this life his father is a massive no-show, so he can't leave her by herself.
And they are expensive. Travel fees alone… So yes, while I-Island is nice afor a visit or something... UA is the better option. The school is one of the best in Japan and he can easily commute there every day.
"Oh, are you considering another school?" Nezu asks with a frown.
"Not really, I am just not sure about what course I want to enroll into." He shrugs, not sure if he should be vaguer. Maybe they'll make him an offer?
"What other course are you hesitating about?" Tsukauchi asks curiously.
"Hero course, and support course. I know I can be a hero if I want to be, quirkless or not. I can make my own support items. As you can see, I am very good at making things."
The two exchange a look before they turn back towards him.
"As quirkless, you would be at a big disadvantage in the hero course," Nezu says casually as if trying to gauge Izuku's reaction to what he just said, "but there is no rule against quirkless students. If you get in, you get in."
"Yeah, I just need to survive your giant robots in the entrance exam," Izuku says sarcastically, "which I can't do without the right gear and I am not allowed to bring any, if I could even make something durable enough to be of use because only support equipment that is certified for quirk-usage is allowed to be brought to the exam."
There is no way he's going to try making an arc reactor here in their little apartment. He can (he proved that in Afghanistan) but it just isn't safe enough. One moment of lost concentration and the whole building could be destroyed.
"Maybe going to visit a support company will help you make your final decision. Either way, we would be very happy to have you as a student at our school." The headmaster suggests.
There is an undertone in the principal's voice that piques Izuku's interest.
He grimaces though, feeling strangely nervous about meeting other people like him? Is that the best way to describe him/them?
Maybe he'll go and do that... It might be nice. Meeting some people he can talk to, and who understand him… Then again, he has that summer camp thing coming on in a few months so… he might not need to? Maybe that will be enough?
"So what does this mean?" Mom rubs her hands together anxiously. "Will you press charges?"
"Well, Tsukauchi-san? What do you think?" Nezu asks with a smile.
"Seeing as Midoriya-kun hasn't lied to us today, I am sure a warning can be enough." The detective says.
"Well, I could have lied, if I had wanted to, but there really is no need." Izuku shrugs.
"Chief, please don't challenge the people who can throw you in jail." Tadashi chimes in.
"Oh hush, I am a minor. They can't just throw me in jail." He laughs.
"No one got hurt, and our students' and teachers' privacy wasn't harmed. That is the most important." Nezu says amused. "Please refrain from doing this again, Midoriya-kun. I'd hate to have to come back to reprimand you." There is a mischievous twinkle in the guy's eye.
Izuku grins. "You can come by whenever you feel like it. No need to wait for an invitation."
"Izuku!" his mom moans in despair but the principal only laughs out loud. Even the detective looks amused now.
Izuku grins. He can't help it.
Today is a good day. Barely midday and he already has been able to show off Tadashi.
--
"Izuku, can we talk?" His mom stands in the doorway. Izuku looks up from his latest project. "Um, sure mom." She looks determined.
He gets up and follows her into the kitchen.
She wrings her hands, unsure of where to begin. It makes him nervous as well. "Are you… No, you are not alright. What happened? What has you so down?"
He shrugs, not wanting to talk about it.
"I just... I wondered what you are planning for high school. After that visit from UA's faculty... Do you plan on applying there?"
"I think so. UA is the most prestigious high school around. In Japan, at least. It isn't far, I can easily commute. I'm just... Not sure which course to try out for." He admits.
She blinks at him. "Which are you considering?"
"The Support course or the Hero course. I like support, but I don't see myself making gear for heroes my whole life. I want to make my own gear."
He silently wonders why he has to repeat himself though. Hadn't she been around when he explained most of this to the Detective and Nezu? In fact, he wonders ... has he never told her of his plans before? He can't recall, but surely he has?
Why on earth would he not have told her before now?
"Well, you still have some time to decide."
He snorts. "Maybe, but the choice is actually a simple one. Like I told Nezu and the detective before, Tadashi found out what the entrance exams for the Hero course is, and realistically there is no way I can get in on my own, without any gear. I am not made to fight giant robots with my bare hands. So... The choice should be simple."
His mom pales when she hears this. "Yes, that would be... Very reckless. You are very smart Izuku and I don't doubt you can do anything you set your mind to. Could you still become a hero if you graduate from the support course?"
He stares at her, unsure why hasn't thought off that. "I... am not sure?"
"Actually, it turns out to be possible. The Hero license exams are not exclusive to hero course students. Schools with hero course students get priority, but anyone can apply." Tadashi chimes in.
"Really?" Izuku looks up in wonder. This world is so focused on the Hero carriers and going to school to become one. He hadn't considered doing both in this way. He could apply to the support course and just take the Hero exams in his own time. That could work...? In fact, that can be very helpful. It gives him time to create the Iron Man suit he will be really happy with, not just an advanced suit to fit this backwards world.
That, and he isn't comfortable with the whole child soldiers thing. There is a reason he first insisted Peter didn't get involved with the Avengers. Somewhat,... He had taken the kid to Germany, but still...
Boy, he really is a hypocrite sometimes...
If only that double mayor was possible... That would make this choice much easier.
"Well, you still have some time." Mom says. "Maybe you'll be able to choose after your summer camp. That will give you a better idea about the support course."
Summer camp. The dreaded words are there again. He is so glad (when he isn't panicking) that he already made his decision and that neither Shinsou-sensei or his mom have let him change that decision. He'd have canceled and re-entered tons of times by now.
Summer comes quicker than he imagines, and the closer it comes, the more nervous he becomes. It's subtle at first, especially since he's learned to recognize it easily now. Most days he can distract himself easily enough. It's the evenings that are hell. The moment he decides to finally go to bed especially. The staring at nothing, not able to sleep because his mind is racing. Racing from one thought into the next, and suddenly the anxiety is gripping him by his lungs, almost as if the feeling can crush his chest. It isn't nice, and sleeping becomes even worse than before.
Showers are hell as well. Everything that allows for mindless movement sets his mind free. He starts multiple projects at the same time, everything to keep his mind as busy as possible.
He finishes his smartphone, and while it isn't as sleek as a manufactured Stark model, it is pretty, and very functional. Tadashi has access to it, of course. It is a very basic Stark phone, but still miles better than what is out on the markets today. He spends months creating small projects. From Natasha's old Widow bites, a nice earpiece to always be in contact with Tadashi, to some better appliances for his mom. She is ridiculously proud of him when he presents her with her own smartphone.
Right now, he is recreating the hologram tech that had powered his entire workshop, once upon a time.
Still, thanks to the anxiety, he spends very little time sleeping and he gets used to feeling exhausted. He is tired all the time.
He just wants this to be over already. Let's just get it over with.
His mom takes him to the doctor again, at Shinsou-sensei's recommendation. His therapist worries he might be having a vitamin deficiency on top of his other issues.
He turns out to be right. He lacks iron and vitamin D mostly, and those can be fixed with supplements. He starts feeling a bit better after taking them. He certainly has more energy, but he never really feels... not-tired.
So, the stress continues and he just wants it to be over now.
When it finally gets to the day he is leaving, he is so exhausted by everything that he barely feels anything but relief.
His mom is so enthusiastic, she almost shoves him out of the door. There are waterworks involved when she drops him off at the bus stop. She briefly talks to the driver (mostly to be sure it is the right bus) and then it is time to say goodbye.
Wait, bus? His confusion is big enough that he stops his own crying – he is not embarrassed about that! So what if they are early and none of the other kids are here yet! The Midoriya's are criers all right!
"Mom? Weren't you going to drop me off at camp?"
"I am?" She tilts her head, a bit confused as well. Then her confusion cleared and she giggles –actually giggles! – at him. "Oh, baby, did you not read up on camp? Do you have any idea where it takes place? Or did you simple forget? I am sure it was mentioned when Shinsou-sensei first brought it up?"
"It's just camp right?" What on earth has he gotten into?
While true, he hadn't looked up any extra information, that had been done on purpose, alright. To not go into a research binge and find out every little detail about where he is going, and worry about it in advance.
"I guess not." Mom giggles again. "Well, I won't ruin the surprise then, but I think you'll be very happy."
He frowns at her, feeling very unsure suddenly.
"Oh, Izuku, you will be just fine. You will enjoy this week and when things get to much, we can always video talk thanks to the phones you made us. Don't hesitate to message me if you want to or need to. I will always pick up, and I really want to know what you will be up to." Mom's smile is shaky.
This will be the first time he will be away from home. He's never slept anywhere but his own bed. He gives her another big hug. "Cuddle Kitt-E for me, alright? "
"Of course baby. He will be waiting for you to get back but I'll take good care of him."
"Finally!!!" A loud voice exclaims a bit further away. They release their hug to watch what is happening.
It's a girl. She is wearing goggles and has bright pink hair in a dreadlock kind of hairstyle. Or is her hair just very thick? She is vibrating with energy and watches the bus with stars in her eyes.
The people behind her – her parents he assumes – are each holding one of her shoulders. Like they are stopping her from running off.
She looks the complete opposite of how he feels, but those goggles on her head look interesting.
Mom pulls him into another hug. "You be good now, have fun and try to get at least five hours of sleep a night, alright?"
"I'll try" is all he can say.
He is done making promises he can't keep.
She releases him and gently pushes him towards the bus.
"Have fun, Izuku!" She calls out as he is halfway towards the bus. He only waves at her but doesn't look back. Mostly because he fears if he does, he won't ever get on that bus.
He makes it though. He makes it inside the bus and drops his stuff in the compartment above the seat he's chosen. He is the first one here, so he can choose freely. He chooses a seat in the front. Hopefully, sitting here will give him some more time before he needs to socialize. Kids don't like to sit in the front. That is where the 'responsible adult' sits, right?
"I am so excited!" The pink-haired girl squeals as she walks inside.
She throws her bag next to his and sits down next to him, hard. The whole seat moves with her.
Izuku clutches at the seat before him and grimaces. Of course. The universe can't give him a break. Why would he get some more social free time?
This week will be hell. He is calling it already. He's been calling it for months now. Not that anyone listens.
Well, he hasn't really been saying it. Not out loud, anyway. "Hi, I am Hatsume Mei! I can't wait to get going!"
"Really now, I never would have guessed." He can't help but reply sarcastically. She bursts out laughing, in delight?
He frowns at her. That is not the reaction he is used to. Though to be honest, he would never reply to his mom like that, and Takeshi is still too young and precious.
Huh, strange that this is the first real time he allows himself to be... What people would have called Tony Fucking Stark; his sassy and sarcastic old self.
It feels strangely like coming home. He hadn't realized until now that he had missed this.
"What's your name?" She simply asks.
"Midoriya Izuku."
"Cool, you done much inventing? Or just here because you are curious?"
"Both, actually, but yeah, I tinker around." He admits.
Tinker around... yeah, that is putting it lightly.
The girl keeps talking as the bus fills up. There are more kids here than he had thought.
He nods and hums in agreement in what he thinks are the right places, but he isn't really listening to what she is saying. Finally the bus closes up and they are on their way for a whole week of fun and science.
He can only hope.
"So,... where exactly is it we are going?" he asks as the bus leaves the city center and makes its way toward the highway.
Hatsume doesn't answer but keeps squealing. Something about babies. Like, what?
"Oh boy, this will be good!" Hatsume cheers next to him a while later as several screens in the bus are lowered and a small little clip starts to play.
...
Why are they talking about I-Island? What?
"I-Island? We are going to I-Island? Isn't that like... super exclusive?"
I-Island. Home to over 10,000 scientists. A man-made Island, never staying long in the same place, supposedly to keep villains out, but they also sell tickets and put their travel planning online?
Built to house the world's brightest minds, to research quirks, and develop new hero support items.
"Not really. I mean, sure it is expensive to visit, but camps like these are important." She shrugs, a frown on her face as she gets serious. "The number of people applying to support courses in Japan is dwindling, and fast. Mom is the CEO to one of the bigger support companies in Japan and no one has applied for an internship in at least five years. It's why they organize these summer camps. Major companies sponsor them."
"Really? I know people are all about heroes these days, but..."
"Yeah, support licenses are becoming rare. I think UA's class this year counts exactly four people." she grimaces.
"Damn."
"Wait, you really had no idea where we were going?" she asks with wide eyes.
Her eyes are almost golden yellow, with strange markings. Must be her quirk. Huh, he hadn't noticed before now...
"Not really." he shrugs, but doesn't explain himself.
They don't actually stay long on the bus. They have barely stopped talking and the bus slows down already.
At an airport. Because, of course, I-Island is an island so they can't get there by bus. Still, he had half expected the bus to ride onto a boat or something. Not some sort of semi-private jet.
It's smaller than a commercial plane but bigger than the ones Tony was used to.
It's about big enough for their group. There aren't really that many seats left over and Izuku resigns himself to listening (sort of) to Hatsume, as the girl drags him to a seat.
"No security?" he mutters. They have barely arrived and are already being loaded onto the plane. He has barely seen the inside of the airport.
"This is an I-Island plane. There are scanners inside and more once we get to the island." Hatsume says cheerfully.
"You sure are well informed." He says. She doesn't reply, only widens her smile.
The plane ride is not that different from the bus ride. It takes about an hour and Hatsume keeps on chattering.
He can see the round island as they fly lower. The huge walls, the triangular design inside, and he can't help but wonder why the strange shapes.
Their plane lands and Izuku feels himself getting excited.
They enter the Island via a tunnel with an automatic floor. They simply stand on it and it carries them forward, like in some very long corridors in airports. The wall is a huge screen on either side of them and their ID appears. So, they scan who comes in.
"The immigration inspection is complete."
Huh, he likes this a lot more than security checks at the airport.
They arrive in a big terminal which is strangely empty. It takes a while to retrieve their bags even if there is no one else around. Mei is bouncing next to him, and Izuku has to stop himself from mirroring her.
He stares as they get out of the building into the open air. Because, really? Trees? Plants?
Before he dismisses the thought. Honestly, this is so over the top and yet exactly what Tony would have done; make a completely man-made island in the middle of nowhere, and build a giant garden on it. He doesn't want to know what it has cost to ship in all the Earth alone. Never mind all the personnel required to keep it this well-maintained. Nope.
There is a man waiting for them, together with a girl. She looks only a few years older than them, which he likes. She is pretty, very pretty, and her being older gives him hope he won't feel exhausted or bored talking to her.
"Welcome, to I-Island." the man greets them with a heavy accent. "I am Shield David. I am an American, so pardon my accent. This is my daughter Melissa, who will join you this coming week for your Support Summer Camp!"
Oh boy, he can hear the capital letters in that name. People are so dramatic....
He loves it!
Izuku grins.
"But first, let's get you all settled in, and we will meet afterward for a brief introduction to your camp during lunch!" The man continues on, with a bright smile on his face.
The man leads them away and the group starts following him.
"Hi, you are Midoriya Izuku, right?" Izuku turns. It's the blonde girl with the glasses from earlier.
"Um... Y-yes?" he says while keeping walking. He has to turn back a bit until she catches up to him and Izuku needs to be careful not to fall over his bag while doing so.
"I am Melissa Shield, or Shield Melissa like you say here." She smiles at him.
Mei, who is still walking next to him, starts talking as well. Maybe she feels a bit left out. "And I am Hatsume Mei! Call me Mei."
"It's very nice to meet you both." The girl smiles at them both, but keeps her gaze on Izuku. "Please call me Melissa."
They keep walking and Izuku starts feeling very uncomfortable, especially since no one says anything else.
"So, how did you know my name?" he asks.
"Oh, I guess this must be very weird to you. Sorry about that." She apologizes with a smile. "My dad runs this program. And he mentioned you to me."
"Why?" Izuku asks, not understanding.
"He thought it might be nice, for both of us. You don't meet a lot of quirkless people these days, especially our age."
Izuku falters.
He has never had problems (not since remembering) with being quirkless. In fact, he rather enjoys it, but it is indeed rare to find another person like him, especially someone the same age.
Quirkless people make up about 20% of the population, but with each generation the amount of quirkless people diminished. So yes, while 20% of people out there don't have a quirk, most of those people are way older than him. There aren't a lot of quirkless kids, which is why the ones that are (like him) tend to get bullied a lot. There are also high suicide rates, especially for quirkless kids, which doesn't help.
"So, you as well, huh?" he asks instead of saying all this.
"Yep." She smiles, clearly as unbothered as him.
The group halts before a big building, made up almost entirely of windows.
"These are I-Academy's dorms. During the year, this building houses all our students. These next two weeks, you will be staying in empty dorm rooms of our recently graduated students." Shield-san explains as he holds up a list. Together with the guy at the reception desk, he starts going over the list and handing out keys.
Izuku gets a room on the fifth floor and they all get released to drop their stuff off. He drops his bag a soon as he steps inside and falls face-first onto the bed. He sighs deeply and takes out his phone.
No new messages. He sighs again.
"Tadashi, please let mom know I've arrived."
"Of course, chief."
His phone lights up as Tadashi does what he must.
Damn he loves that AI.
He sighs again, and turns to lay on his back.
A whole week… He hopes he is ready.
Chapter 5
Summer camp turns out to be more than okay. Sure, he misses his mom and Kitt-E (a lot, but who is keeping track, he only calls home once a day alright. That is not too much!), but being here is actually, dare he say it... fun?
He is learning a lot less than he had hoped though, which is disappointing, but he finally has some… dare he say it? Friends his own age? Maybe? They do talk a lot and hang out all the time. Well, it's more like Melissa and especially Mei don't seem to leave him alone. They are nice, and he loves talking shop with them, even if they can be a bit clingy.
It is fine though.
There are seminar-type classes, where they listen to scientists talk and they get to choose which ones they attend. It feels like a very mature way to treat teenagers, but Izuku is very glad for it. It is interesting to see what these people have focused on for years, seeing as most scientific fields have become almost non-existent.
The one about patents has been particularly enlightening.
Filing patents is how people make money after all. You invent something, put a patent on it (a trademark) and you own it. Anyone else who wants to use what you made (even just as a piece of something bigger) owes you money.
As Tony Stark he had never needed to worry about that. He had teams of people who did all the heavy lifting for him. Now though, those patents can mean early money for him and his mom.
Well, it turns out, not really. Applying for patents can only be done if one has a support license. Which… What?
No wonder people don't bother inventing stuff! Whose bright idea had that been?!
All patents, not just concerning hero stuff, but for anything.
Support students can file for their trademarks while studying, and most do this through their school, but they'll only cash in once they get their license. This both annoys him and seems like a reasonable compromise because while he won't get the money immediately, it also prevents others from 'stealing' his ideas and filing the patents before he can.
Patents had been the only reason no one had succeeded in taking the Ironman armor from him. Even the military had to bow down to that one.
He will just need to be patient. But, this also means that he does need a support license. He needs to.
He wants to patent his things, from the AI software to the Ironman armor, to his advanced but still touch-screen-free smartphone. They belong to him, and he won't have someone else profit from his work.
In time, he wants to start a company to sell some of what he makes. Not everything of course – no way was anyone getting their hand on AI basis software or even his armor, or the arc reactor – but he does want to make some nice money. Enough for him to not count every yen he spends, and to give a bit back to his mother. She has been working very hard for years to finance all his fancies. It is the least he can do. He can't do that right now. Manufacturing costs alone are…
So support course studies it is. That is fine. He likes the lab time he will get.
This really is a camp to promote these studies. All schools get a thorough review and they get prepared for what to expect. They do promote their own Academy here on the Island the most, which is logical; why overly promote your own competitors? Still, it gives a pretty good overview.
He'll have to either convince Nezu to make an exception for him and allow him to do both support and hero courses at the same time, or he'll have to wait until he gets his support license and then go for the hero thing.
Either way, he needs that support license and he won't wait. He is bad at waiting patiently. Honestly, a support license has priority over his hero license anyway.
After all, even if he does something that people might call heroic, it's not like he can ever be labeled a vigilante.
Also, hero course students, it turns out get free gear as long as they are in the hero course because everything they get is designed and produced by the students in the support course. To keep the costs down as much as possible, apparently. The support course students don't get paid, except in experience. Like EX points in a game...
Really?
Apparently newly graduated heroes mostly stop using support gear after they debut. Most heroes only really used their costumes, largely because of the sudden cost of their gear, both manufacturing, and maintenance.
Izuku can't say he is surprised.
It actually explains a lot about society. Heroes are pampered as hell! What is it with all these privileges? Paid for the work, free gear for many years, and treated as celebrities (and yes, if anyone knows how that can change people, it is Tony Stark)...
Honestly, is all that necessary?
The organizers of the camp have given them free access to the labs set aside for students and he spends most of his free time there, to be honest.
Mei sticks to his side. It is both annoying and nice. She is smart and it's refreshing to brainstorm with her about lots of stuff, but he isn't used to being around people like this. Not anymore, so at times, it feels almost claustrophobic. Talking shop with her is fun though. Mei is clearly very smart, she is just so eccentric.
It is something he can't quite understand, just inventing things for the fun of it. It feels like two lifetimes ago since he did that. Just tinkering, not really needing anything. Mei clearly doesn't design her invention for specific reasons. She just makes and keeps on making stuff, hoping to ever need them. Izuku makes stuff because he has a problem that needs solving, or specifically, a world that needs to catch up because it is so far behind it isn't funny anymore.
Melissa is nice. Very nice. Almost too nice. She is very pretty as well. And smart. Though he spends less time with her compared to Mei.
Mostly because she is older than they are. She is already a first-year in high school and enrolled here at the Academy on the Island, so she doesn't need most introduction lessons.
Also, maybe because she is older, it feels to Izuku… And maybe this is just him, maybe he is just imagining it, but… well, it feels like she treats him as if he is younger and less experienced?
Which, in 'normal' circumstances, you know, would be understandable, but to Izuku, who has spent two lifetimes now being (and being treated like) a genius and like he is older than he actually is? It gets on his nerves. Just a bit.
She is lucky she is so smart and pretty. Sort of.
Not that he judges her for being a girl (or pretty). Far from it. Natasha and Pepper were prime examples of why you shouldn't underestimate a woman. He had learned that lesson the hard way, as Tony. He will never underestimate women again, or even think of them as less capable.
Still being treated like a little brother by such a pretty girl? Not cool…
She is very nice though, and he doesn't think she is aware she is doing it. If she is, he can't imagine she does it with bad intentions.
After their first night, for example, she came to pick him up at his room, before taking him with her to pick up Mei, and taking them to the food place – the lunch room or whatever you want to call it. She goes through the trouble of explaining the schedule to them.
"The Red slots are actually practical application lessons. You'll get to tinker away there. The Blue slots are theoretical lessons, but they aren't anything like what you are used to in school. It's more like in college, a lecture if you will. You just listen and take notes mostly. The labs are open all day and so is the cafeteria."
See? Very nice. However, their schedule is color-coded and the explanation is included. He had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something. He can read, you know.
**
Being here, on an island full of prodigies, shows again how brilliant Izuku is. He hasn't really been paying much attention until now. Sure, he knows he is smart, he has always known. But he had hoped the rest of the world wasn't too far behind. Science might be hyper-focused on hero support, but he had hoped... Nope, while some hero gadgets he sees on the island are... Well, handy. There isn't anything he can really name innovative.
After he is bored to death in his first two theoretical lessons, he doesn't bother attending any more of them. He has better things to do. Well, he spends most of his time in the labs, to which they have free access. That and a few practical lessons.
Speaking of which, one of their first practical exercises is inside a tall central building. Izuku is very excited until he hears what exactly the exercise is.
It is a mock villain with a hostage situation. The villains are holding people hostage in the big reception-like room, while other villains take over the tower to get inside the vault on the top floor.
They were here to come up with ideas and tech to help the Hero team who stand nearby, ready to storm the building. They actually provided people to play out the roles as well. All in all a very solid exercise.
But it pisses Izuku off either way.
Honestly, by the time he has designed something to help out a hero, he can easier think of at least three ways to do the job himself.
He takes out his cell phone as soon as they get their hour to work and plugs it into the computer he got to work with.
"Are you there, Tadashi?" He asks with a frown.
"Always, chief. Please tell me you have something to do for me, I am bored out of my mind." Tadashi's voice sounds from his phone.
Izuku chuckles.
"Oh, you betcha." He cracks his fingers together in anticipation. "Let's show them how it's done."
"This will give me some nice experience." Tadashi agrees with an eager tilt to his voice.
Izuku grins. Bring it.
Tadashi hacks into the I-Island mainframe with embarrassing ease. Really, and these people were the best and brightest? It worries him, because doesn't this island have the same security system as Japan's most guarded prison, which holds the most notorious villains?
How worried should he be, that it takes his little 'Dashi barely a few minutes to get inside and take control?
No one says anything about it, no alarms go off, and it's as if they haven't even noticed yet… which is even more worrying.
Or Tadashi is just that good?
Either way, he feels both proud enough to burst and ready to move his mother to another country.
He distracts himself quickly, before his mind is allowed to dwell too much on that.
Seeing what the other kids come up with is very interesting. Mei is by far the most noteworthy. Her design is quite bulky, so he doesn't immediately clue into what it actually is.
"It creates large Shockwaves that disturb electrical systems!" she explains enthusiastically.
Not bad. It isn't something Izuku has actually thought of. Mostly, probably, because that will mess with his own tech.
Huh, he jolts down a note about that on his phone. He will need to find a way to counter that.
"Um, Midoriya-san?" The man leading the exercise says. Izuku hasn't bothered remembering his name. "Why aren't you making anything? Is this exercise too hard, maybe?"
"Nope, too easy." Izuku shrugs. "I found a way to solve the problem myself – no heroes required." The man blinks at him, stunned.
Izuku sighs. Best and brightest, huh?
He really hopes not. He starts explaining what he planned. The man's eyes only grow wider.
"Midoriya-kun, while it is... very helpful of you to point out these obvious flaws in our system, we are not heroes. We are here to support heroes, to create things that help them out."
"Why not?"
"Excuse me?" If his eyes grow any wider, they will pop out of the guy's head, at some point.
"Why couldn't we be heroes? I mean, sure, that is a personal choice, but you talk as if it is impossible. Of course, we can be heroes. We are more than smart enough. You speak as if support and heroes can't be combined. Why not? Because in the end, we know our inventions best, right? If anyone can draw out their full potential, it is us." Izuku says with a frown.
The man stares at him as if he has never seen a child before, and is now frowning. Izuku huffs.
"So, you hacked into our system and made this plan?" The man tries to follow the steps Izuku found obvious.
"Well technically Tadashi hacked, but yeah, it was my plan." Izuku replies with a shrug.
"Tadashi? Who is Tadashi?"
Izuku grins. "Why don't you say hello, Shi-kun?"
"Hello." Tadashi says dryly.
The man actually jumps back. "What is that?!"
"Excuse me, how rude can you be?!" Izuku frowns at the man.
Even if he is startled, there is no need to be so rude. Honestly. That? Urgh.
"Your phone just spoke! It responded to you!" Mei cheers with wide eyes. "Is it alive?"
"That or he is calling someone who is in on the prank." The man from before says warily.
"Oh come on, just because no one else has ever made an AI. It's really not that hard!" Izuku says with a whine.
He didn't mean to whine. He really didn't.
And it isn't hard to do. Not really. Not for him anyway. It just takes some time and resources.
Why do people always underestimate kids? It's like they think all kids are stupid. So what if most were? Izuku isn't. He never has been. Why let kids operate electrical tools if you think they will hurt themselves with it? It doesn't make any sense.
"Tadashi. Show him what you can do please."
"It would be my pleasure, chief." Even Tadashi sounds as grim as Izuku is feeling.
Yeah, neither of them likes being underestimated. Especially since this is a program for… well, not gifted, but at least not-stupid children.
At once all the lights turn off and the door locks loudly.
People startle and some shouting is heard before the lights turn on again, and Tadashi commandeers the big screens on the wall and starts playing Izuku's favorite Disney film. Just because he can.
"Aww." He places a hand on his heart and coos at Tadashi.
"This is epic!" Mei cheers in the background.
It takes a while for anyone to believe Tadashi is not just someone on the other side of the phone. Which, come on! This is just ridiculous!
"Tadashi is an AI, an artificial intelligence." He feels the need to explain. "He is still young and learning, so I thought this might be a good opportunity for him, but honestly, it wasn't much of a challenge. He is the one who hacked your system." Izuku shrugs again.
"An AI? You created a real, autonomous learning AI?" the man asks stunned.
"Yes, I did." Izuku frowns, feeling a bit insulted at the man's shock.
"Midori! You have to tell me all about it!" Mei screeches as she jumps his back and throws her arms around his neck. "And introduce me!!"
"Arck" is the only sound Izuku can make as he tries to keep standing and regain his breath. Mei sure has a tight grip on his neck. She is stronger than she looks.
Her eyes are shining, like when she talks about her own inventions. Her babies. Izuku laughs. He is looking forward to talk some more shop with her.
The teacher (if he can be called that at this point) just ends up skipping him in the demonstration, after asking him to disconnect Tadashi from everything that isn't Izuku's phone.
Which is rude!! Maybe you shouldn't make it so easy for Izuku's baby to get into your system then! Put some effort into it, you genius!
If only it was that easy to get rid of Mei afterward. She insists on, as she calls it, properly meeting Tadashi, and part of Izuku is delighted because she is immediately treating Tadashi as an intelligent being. She doesn't just assume he is a computer that learned to respond. He can count on one hand the people who did that in both lifetimes.
They end up spending the next few hours in the lab, just tinkering away while Mei interrogates both Izuku and Tadashi.
"There you two are! I couldn't find you anywhere in the lunch hall." Melissa cries out as she enters the lab.
Izuku blinks and looks up as she nudges his shoulder. He has completely lost focus. "What are you doing here? Come to join us and show us what you can do?"
"Babies, babies, babies everywhere!" Mei chants in some weird way, like a song.
Melissa blinks at them and then starts frowning. "Um... How long have you two been here? You did eat lunch right?"
"Eh, lunch, smunch. This is way more important! Look, I made hover shoes!!!!" Mei bursts out in victory as she holds up her invention. "I can't wait to start UA! They let you play with even more materials, even the really expensive ones. Less than a year now!!"
And yes, it is both exciting and a tiny bit nerve-wracking to think about. Almost time to start at UA. Finally. He's been waiting to start there for ages, and now it is almost time.
"I can't wait." He grins at her.
"We are going to take that school by storm and show everyone how awesome we are!!" Mei cheers loudly.
"Both of you will be going to UA?" Melissa pouts a bit. "I had hoped you might want to apply here, to the Academy on the Island."
"Nope." Mei grins brightly.
"UA for me too." Izuku says, not feeling up to explaining it.
"That's a shame. I would have liked having you two here. I would have been fun." Melissa sighs, but quickly smiles at them again. "We'll just have to make the most of summer camp then."
Izuku snorts at that, and Mei bursts out laughing.
"What?"
Which leads to Mei explaining what happened earlier.
"You really made a functioning AI?" Melissa asks with big eyes.
"Yep." Izuku says as he pops the word. He is tired of repeating himself.
"Have you started the paperwork yet?"
"Paperwork?"
"For the patent. This is some very exciting news, and the community will be all abuzz when they find out." She bounces slightly, just as excited as Mei had been before.
"We can't yet, right? They explained it in one of the classes. Only support course students can apply." Izuku shrugs, still bummed about that.
"Well, technically yes, unless you find a sponsor who will stand for you in the meantime. Besides, you can start filling out the paperwork the same day you apply to school."
Izuku's eyes widen. Now that is interesting...
"Not right now though!" She says cheerfully. "I have other plans for now!"
Izuku eyes Melissa warily and she shoots him a teasing smile.
Melissa drags them out of the lab whenever she can. It turns out to be the easiest way to get both Izuku and Mei to leave it. Still, getting the two to leave isn't easy. At all.
She has just found the easiest way. Grabbing an ear from each of them, pulling and refusing to let go.
It works wonders.
Izuku is a bit annoyed at her for it, but as long as she doesn't share that technique with anyone, he is content.
Melissa often drags them around the island to explore. Well, mostly to show them everything there is to see. It is a shame they aren't allowed on the team park-like attractions that are made for heroes. Mostly so they can test gear, and a little bit so they can test themselves.
Today though, she seems content just to watch them work. At least, after she insists they eat the sandwich she brought them.
It is one of their exploration trips that Izuku suddenly thinks about something.
"Hey, Melissa, there wouldn't be some sort of Hadron collider on the Island, would there?"
"A Hadron collider?" she asks confused.
"Yeah, you know, to create particles and new elements and stuff. To study the creation of the universe? That sort of thing."
"Well, I think there is actually."
"Great! Can you take me there?"
"Even if I wanted to, I can't. I don't have access to that part of the Island. I only went there once and I think I saw what you are talking about, but I only got in because of papa."
"A minor setback. Can we go see him? Your father? To ask him about it?"
"Um, I am not sure he'll let you go, but sure. We can ask."
She doesn't move. "Can we go then?"
"Now?" She asks, clearly not expecting it.
"Well, yeah. Camp is almost over."
They are about three days in, so just about halfway, but knowing his luck, it'll take some time to convince an adult he knows what he is talking about. If his instructor before was any indication...
While walking, he thinks about how to best plead his case.
He knows what he wants to make; Starkanium. The element he had invented in his last life. He had help from his deceased dad, true, but Tony had been the one to make it.
He knows the atom structure and the way to make it by heart now. If he managed to convince Shield-san to allow him to make this... No need for Palladium anymore. Though, it would be weird to call it Starkanium this time around... Midorinium?
Anyway.
Melissa takes them into a building they aren't technically allowed in, but she has a pass and no one says anything when they walk past.
David Shield is deep in one of the labs that even Melissa doesn't have access to. She has to be beeped in with the intercom.
"Melissa, is something wrong?" The man sounds worried. Huh, a worried dad. That is new. Maybe he is the only one with malfunctioning dads?
Izuku hadn't paid much attention the first day here, but damn, hearing that heavy American accent feels like a blessing. A whole new life of only speaking Japanese... And Tony had always been multilingual. He had even spoken some basic Japanese in his original life.
So this makes him feel a bit homesick. He isn't sure which home he is aching for though and he quickly dismisses the feeling.
"Dad, I brought my friends. Midoriya-kun had a... question for you." she says hesitantly.
Izuku frowns briefly at her before he wipes all emotion from his face and faces the man, who eyes him curiously now.
"I have been messing around for a few years now and I made something. I ran all kinds of virtual simulations and those have proven my point, but I have no means of actually making it though."
"You are speaking very vaguely. Why weren't you able to make what you wanted at home? Is it that big?" The man frowns at him.
"Well, I could have if I really wanted to, but I don't think the landlord would have appreciated the remodel of our apartment building... And mom wouldn't let me." Izuku says with an arched eyebrow.
"What on earth are you trying to make?" The man's eyes are huge.
"A new element. " Izuku grins broadly.
Chapter 6
Speaking to Shield and convincing him to go along with Izuku's idea is honestly a lot harder than it should have been.
It takes a whole day of pestering the man before Shield will even let Izuku show him what exactly he wants to create.
It is frustrating and, in the end, it is only because Melissa speaks up for him that the man allows him back into his lab.
Seriously, how much can anyone underestimate him? The man doesn't even seem interested. Just so skeptical he won't even allow for scientific curiosity!
If Izuku didn't really want to try and make his... Midorinium element to recreate his arc reactor he would have walked away, affronted.
It is insulting beyond belief.
By the time the man decides he is willing to listen, and only listen, Izuku is just about done.
He is very glad though that Shield asked Melissa not to come and to keep Mei away. Not that he doesn't like both girls, but… well, he is annoyed enough already without having to deal with Mei's over-enthusiasm.
"Alright." Shield sighs, as if Izuku is a misbehaving toddler. "Show me what you have and then we'll see."
Part of him, the very childish part, wants to turn around and leave. The more mature part of him wants to throw his element under the man's nose and gloat.
Being who he is, he does exactly that. "Tadashi, show him."
"With pleasure, chief."
Tadashi commandeers every screen in the room and shows off the molecular composition of what was once known as Starkanium.
And yes, just to be sure, he has the paperwork for his patent (this one and others) ready to go. Shield's eyes grow wide as he realizes what he is seeing and Izuku smirks. He can't help it.
"You... came up with this?"
Izuku isn't sure what that sounds like. Amazement? Shock? A combination of both?
"Yes, a few years ago, actually." He can't stop himself from saying it with a grin. Technically, he isn't even lying.
"I ran every simulation on it I could think of but I don't have the means, yet, to produce it. I thought, if anywhere, here might be a great place to try. If anyone will take me seriously, that is."
"Yet?" the man asks weakly, not taking his eyes off the computer screen.
"Well, mom would never forgive me for building the needed equipment out of scrap. I mean, I probably could, but I'd need to take down quite a few walls as well and our landlord would not approve of that. So..." he trails off.
"I... Well, I'd need to run some simulations of my own first, of course, but, this is... Brilliant."
"I know." Izuku grins. "People need to stop underestimating me."
"Why? Why would you want to create something like this? Why now? And how did you even think about making this?" Shield asks.
"I have a project in mind and it needs a good battery to run on." Izuku shrugs.
That has always been the reason behind the creation of this element. It is the most stable core for his arc reactors. Less explosive danger if anything became damaged. Palladium has a high explosion possibility, after all, not to mention it was toxic.
"You want to create a new element to turn it into a battery?" Shield asks weakly, finally taking his eyes off the screen.
"Just as a part of the battery, yes." Izuku shrugs." I technically could use something else, but this is… easier, in the long run. "
"Creating a new element is... easier?"
"Yep, so can we do this?" Izuku asks eagerly. "I don't need a lot of it. Just a bit, to start. "
The man stares at him.
"Look, I want a support license. I have tons of stuff ready, waiting for me to start making them, to help people. I have the completed blueprints, I have tons of ideas, and I have a realistic way of making everything. For now though, all I want is to make this element, so I can start creating my suit and prove to the world that smart or quirkless people can be heroes too. "
"You... Wait, you want to be a quirkless hero? Like an underground hero?" Shield asks him.
Izuku sighs. "Underground, as if... No, no, I want everyone to know what I can do. I want every child out there who is deemed worthless or not good enough to know that they matter and that they can become whatever they want, if they put enough effort in."
"And you still want to make things? Invent stuff?" Shield has a strange look in his eyes as he asks this.
"Well, I am not naive enough to think I can make it simply by being me. If I wanted to be a small-time, underground hero, sure, I could easily pull that off, but not if I want to help better this society. No, I will make my own gear, my own costume as they call it, and I will show everyone what I can do. Plus I can make some money at the same time because honestly, why is that phone you carry around still the size of a brick? Why am I seemingly the only one who thinks it might be a good idea to keep improving all the time?!" Izuku rants, a bit fed up.
"Show me." Shield says, ignoring most of what Izuku said. "You say you have the blueprints already. Show me your costume."
Izuku eyes him warily, but complies. "Tadashi, go ahead."
Shield stares at the plans on the screens with wide eyes, but very focused. "This is..."
"Still very basic. I plan on making more models, each with different specifics and such." Izuku eyes the man warily.
"You call this basic? This is… I have never seen anything like this." Shield breathes in awe, and Izuku finally allows himself to relax a bit.
"And this element you want to create... Where does that play into all this?" The adult breathes.
"It's to help create the power source of my suit. Now come on, you can run whatever scans you want on it and let's get cracking! You already kept me waiting for long enough. Summer camp is almost over."
"You are... something else, kid."
"I know" and he isn't bragging when he says that. It is the truth, after all. Even in this world with quirks, reincarnation is the stuff of fairytales and religion.
"You are either a genius or batcrap crazy." Shield says.
"Well, it's not my fault people keep underestimating me." Izuku grins again.
"So you have said." Shield says weakly, but with a smile.
Summer camp ends two days later. It feels strange to have to say goodbye to Mei and Melissa, but the girls promise (rather ominously) to keep in touch. And he will see Mei in UA, so he won't have to miss her long. And yes, he just might miss her (he probably will).
Melissa pulls them both into a tight hug, and it is with a wide grin that Izuku waves goodbye to her as they check-in for their flight away from the island.
After all, this has turned out to be a very fruitful camp. Shield offered to sponsor his patent for Midiorinium, meaning that it is already being processed. Shield being his sponsor means that Izuku doesn't have to wait to claim his creation until school starts. Shield insisted (wanting to see what else could be done with the new element), and Izuku hadn't wanted to wait either.
So here he is, leaving. With a nice sizeable piece of Midorinium in his bag, plus all the needed paperwork.
He sleeps mostly on the flight back, and on the bus (thank Mei for waking him when necessary and dragging him further), and before he knows it, Mom is standing before him.
"Did you have fun, sweetie?" She smiles at him with tears in her eyes.
He smiles at her, tears gathering in his own eyes. Damn her genetics for making him a crybaby. He falls into her arms, suppresses the tears, and relaxes into her hug.
"I'm home."
"See you later, Midori!!" Mei screams from where she is standing with her own parents. Izuku doesn't let go of his mom, but he does raise a hand to wave at her.
She laughs, loudly.
Kitt-E is sulking when he gets home and he has to convince the kitten via treats to forgive him. As soon as his back is turned, Kitt-E does attack his bag and scratches it wildly. Izuku watches with wide eyes, glad it isn't him the kitten decided to take his anger out on.
An hour or so later, Kitt-E is laying cuddled up in his arms, spinning away.
On TV they show the latest hero intervention. Some giant shark guy had stolen a purse and tree-man had called him what?
The incarnation of evil?
Izuku ends up snorting his water up through his nose from laughter. Seriously, is the guy new on the job? He's obviously never fought any real villains before. How dramatic are these people?!
Mom makes him Katsudon, and Izuku relaxes. Summer camp was fun but nothing beats home, and this is the first time in forever - in both lives - he can ever remember really coming home like this.
It's nice. He might have to leave more often, just to feel like this when he comes back. Nothing beats coming home.
--
The rest of the summer passes quickly. Shield-san calls him every day for at least a few hours, and because of that Izuku finally invested some time in making a basic hologram interface, just for their calls. This way he can see and hear the man while he simply keeps working.
At first, they just talk shop but the man also keeps him on his toes. In the middle of a conversation, he would bring up a hypothetical bad-case scenario and ask Izuku how he would solve it. From quirks that caused damage (to the user themselves, others, or even surroundings), to natural disasters and Villain attacks. It is challenging and Izuku likes it a lot.
Sometimes Melissa is there as well, but he usually keeps his talks to his two new friends separated. He has lots of fun discussing things, and going into debates with both girls and even Shield.
It is a lot of fun, and very relaxing as well.
Though it is weird their last name is Shield (Not Mei's, the other two's). It takes him some getting used to. Shield does bring up a whole lot of memories though. Some bad, some good. Mostly of a one-eyed pirate-looking guy. Fury is quite memorable. Not so easily forgotten.
It would be easier to call them by their first name, of course, but unless given permission that is really not done in Japan, and the man never mentions it. So Izuku tries his best to forget about it. Which is strange. Tony wouldn't have cared. In fact, Tony would have made a point not to care. It just goes to prove he is not just Tony anymore. He is more than that.
Though he does start saying David multiple times in their English-spoken conversations.
Izuku had barely noticed they had changed language halfway through the conversation. He had been wrestling with an uncooperative piece and had only realized when their call had already ended.
"Izuku, what studies are you planning on?" The man asks one day after having watched Izuku and his mom do their daily fight about showers.
"Huh?" Izuku looks up from his welder.
An almost completed arc reactor sits before him. He has maybe another ten minutes left of work on it before he can try and turn it on.
"Melissa said you plan on applying to UA? Which course will you go to?"
"Support. I really want to get that license. After that, I'll try out for some other hero course, maybe via apprenticeships at an agency or something." He mutters, his mind still mostly focused on the reactor in his hand.
"You'll be bored out of your mind," Shield says, "or you'll graduate after a week there."
Izuku falters, makes a wrong move, and curses. He turns off his welder and shakes off his glove. His hand is alright but there are burn marks on his glove.
"Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" Shield asks him worried.
"Fine, fine. Mom isn't going to be happy though. I'll need new gloves." Izuku frowns at the glove, before moving his gaze to the hologram. "What was that you were talking about?"
"UA and the support course. You are obviously more advanced already. They won't be able to teach you much of anything. It would be a waste of time." the man says honestly.
"I need to though. I won't be able to get a license otherwise."
"About that... That isn't technically true." the man says, studying Izuku. "It hasn't been done in years though - the support course is a lot less popular than other courses - but apprenticeships are also possible in our field."
"What?" Izuku frowns at the man. "Is this your way of saying you'll take me as your apprentice? Like, you'll officially sponsor me. Not just for that one time?"
"Actually yes. I'll even do more than that. I plan to teach you. You know a lot already, but I am sure I can still teach you something, even if it is just how to sell and start marketing your services and inventions."
Izuku snorts, before he realizes he… has never actually done that before? Not really, that kind of paperwork had always been Pepper's responsibility. Tony had always just shown up when necessary.
Huh.
"You really are smart." The man smiles again. "You are very gifted. And I won't need to do much to prepare you for any exams to get that support license." The man shrugs.
"Honest." He can appreciate that.
"I try to be. What do you say? If you agree, I did plan to speak to the principal about you. I wanted to recommend you for the hero course. You talk about wanting to be a hero often enough and I think you could really be something. The plans you showed me are very promising and somehow... I believe you can do it. I don't know why but... something about you kid, just gives me faith in that. "
"What? You want to recommend me?" Izuku asks, stunned.
"Oh, I definitely want to. I even started talks to make it happen but turns out, sure I can try to recommend you, but only heroes can recommend people. The only recommendation students UA takes on are hero course students and seeing as I am no hero, they won't officially let me. The paperwork wouldn't pass."
Izuku snorts. "Another example of how hero-centric this society actually is. Are you telling me kids can only be recommended to the hero course? Not support, general or business course?"
"Yes." Shield frowned very unhappily. "I'd still like to take you on as an apprentice if you are willing though, and I do plan on talking to the principal to see if you can't combine support and hero course. It would be a waste not to let you use your brain to help people. Even if you don't succeed to become a limelight hero, even simply as a support hero, like Nezu himself, you could do a lot of good."
"You are making me blush." Izuku mutters looking away, feeling uncomfortable. Shield eyes him with a thoughtful look.
"Damn kid, sometimes you change moods faster than my girl changes clothes."
"Hey!" Izuku cries out indignantly.
"Would you like to come with me, when I reach out to the school?" Shield changes the subject again.
"Yes, I'd appreciate that." Izuku says.
"Good, I'll let you know when that will be."
New plans flash through his mind faster than he could follow. "How would it work though? I assume we continue talking and working like this, through the internet? I can't be at UA and I-Island at the same time. That Island does travel around the world."
"That is what I had in mind. We'll see how accommodating UA will be though. May I take it you accept my offer? There is paperwork to fill out before I can get in touch with UA."
"Send it over. I'll take a look at it. I should probably discuss this with mom too." he adds.
"I'll do that immediately. Can you try and give me an answer by the end of the week?" Shield asks. "That gives me enough time to arrange everything on my end."
"Sure, that should be fine." Izuku says.
"The papers have arrived, chief. I'll take a look at them first." Tadashi suddenly says.
"Thanks, Shi-kun." Izuku replies with a grin.
"I still can't believe you made him." Shield says softly, almost as if Izuku is not supposed to hear, or he didn't mean to say it out loud.
Either way, it only makes Izuku's grin grow wider. It is nice to finally have someone around who realizes what a miracle Tadashi actually is. Most people are in awe, but they have no notion about what kind of technological marvel he really is.
"You done with that? I want to see you turn it on." Shield says, changing the subject.
Izuku snorts again before correcting the man. "You just want to see if it blows up in my face."
"That too." The man grins. "I want to see if I'll even have an apprentice by tomorrow."
"I haven't signed anything yet."
Shield only smiles, and hums softly.
"But yeah, I am about done. Just need to add the Midorinium and jump-start the reactor." He replies.
"What are you waiting for then?"
Izuku grins. He really likes this man, and he honestly can't wait to keep on working with him.
He makes the last preparations, inserts the 'new' element in place, takes a deep breath, and slowly turns the bottom that supplies the start-up power for the reactor.
It shines green. Huh?
It had a blue glow in his last life.
He looks at the screen, reading the diagnostics Tadashi is running right now. Everything seems to be the way it was supposed to be. Everything seems just fine, so no harm done.
"Congratulations. You actually did it." The man sounds breathless.
"You really doubted me?" Izuku grins, and turns the bottom up completely.
Something sparks and suddenly everything electric stops working. For a brief second, he can't see anything.
Then the reactor glows brightly, sustaining its own energy. "Izuku!! What did you do?" His mom yells from the kitchen. "Oops."
He can't stop grinning though, as he uncouples the reactor and holds it in his hand.
It's just the building's electricity network being overworked. He just needs to turn the main switch back on.
He has a working arc reactor now.
He can finally start making his suit. Bit by bit. It's a small step forward, but he is moving at least.
He'll get there.