Chapter 176 - 2

Chapter 2

"Teachers Open The Doors, But You Must Enter By Yourself."

- Chinese Proverb

San Francisco, CA - April 2042

Peggy cut off her motorcycle's engine and pushed out the kickstand. Pulling off her black helmet, her glossy black hair fell down to her shoulder blades. She wore a black zipped biker jacket, tight blue jeans, and black boots.

"Alright, finally here." Peggy dismounted the bike, relieved to finally stand after a four-hour road trip. Traffic to San Fran was a pain!

Izuku dismounted the bike and took off his white helmet. He wore a dark emerald jacket with black trim over a red t-shirt, dark gray pants, and his red hightops. Strapped to his back was a yellow knapsack.

"Oh wow! We're actually here!" His eyes sparkled with excitement at the massive convention center across the large parking lot.

"We're not even in the building yet and you're already this excited?" Peggy couldn't help but laugh, ruffling Izuku's messy hair.

"I can't help it!" Izuku pulled away. "The Innovation Expo is the biggest STEM event of the year! The world's best and newest inventions and scientific theories are showcased here!"

"STEM?" Peggy cocked a brow in bewilderment as she put their helmets away in the bike's saddle boxes. "Like on a plant?"

"Oh, it's an acronym for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics." Izuku clarified.

"I-I knew that! Just testing you…" Peggy sheepishly chuckled, quickly grabbing Izuku's left wrist before she started pulling him forward. "Now c'mon! Let's go see if they have any giant robots or mecha-suits!"

"That would be cool! But, uh… Peg-chan… can you loosen your grip?" Izuku asked. "It's pretty strong…"

"Oh! Sorry about that, Izu-kun!" Peggy immediately loosened her hold, a tinge of pink on her face. "Got a little too excited."

"No sweat! Let's go see the expo already!" Izuku said excitedly.

After ten minutes of walking, the duo finally made it to one of the convention center's main gates. The name of the multi-storied building was the "Andoria Convention Center" according to the various signs they passed. Lines of people were lined up by the entrance with security personnel checking people for passes and for any potential weapons via a metal detector.

As they approached closer to the gate, Peggy reached into her jacket pocket and handed Izuku a paper slip. "Here's your pass, Izu-kun."

"Oh, thanks. Where'd you get these passes anyway, Peg-chan?" Izuku inquired. "I figured they would've been sold out on such short notice."

"Just a friend from work." Peggy shrugged nonchalantly.

"Are they in the Marines too?"

"Nah, but she does work for the military. Nice… but kind of eccentric."

"Still, that was nice of her."

"Yeah, I guess so," Peggy turned forward with a thoughtful look. 'Definitely has ulterior motives though…'

After scanning their passes and being checked over, Peggy and Izuku were finally allowed to enter the convention center.

Izuku looked around with a wide smile, barely able to contain his glee from the exhibits he could see on the first floor.

The Innovation Expo featured showcases from major companies across the world. Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Toyota, Honda, SpaceX, Google, and Apple were only a few of those being featured. There were also many other smaller startups eager to showcase their products in hopes of gaining investors. It truly was an amalgamation of different people showcasing their inventions, products, and theories to improve lifestyle, enhance human knowledge, and better humanity as a whole… and make profit, of course.

The last one was certainly the big driving factor for many.

"This is really amazing!" Izuku exclaimed. "Oh! I better record all this!" He took off his knapsack to quickly pull out a new notebook and pencil, titling it 2042 Innovation Expo Analysis.

"Still an avid notetaker, huh?" Peggy smiled. "No wonder you get straight As."

"Well, it's fun… especially when it revolves around topics that peak my interest." Izuku commented. "Also, never know when they may come in handy."

The duo found a sign detailing the building's layout. The bigger exhibits for larger, mechanical-based products, such as cars and robotics, would be reserved for the first floor while the rest were set up on the second, third, and fourth floors. The second floor displayed the latest cutting edge computer technology while the third floor featured anything space, physics, agriculture, environmental, and energy related. The fourth floor, which Izuku was really excited to see, was fully dedicated to Meta-Abilities.

"Wow…" Peggy whistled, impressed by the expo's massive scale. "This is way bigger than I thought… Where do you think we should start, Izu-kun?"

"So many exhibits to choose… Although I am excited to see the advancements made in robotic technology and the newest discoveries in Meta-Ability research, it'd probably be best to reserve those for the end." He muttered to himself. "So, with that being said, we should check out the second and third floors first; however, Peg-chan is mostly interested in robotics so I have to take her wants into consideration too. Perhaps if we split the middle and-"

Peg-chan groaned in exasperation as Izuku continued to mumble, making several people passing by uncomfortable. 'There he goes again…'

"Hey, Izu-kun!" the Marine woman snapped her fingers in front of Izuku's face, snapping the teen out of his mumbling trance.

"Huh? W-what?" Izuku blinked. "Were you saying something, Peg-chan?"

"Let's check out the second and third floors first. We can save the more exciting stuff for later, deal?" She offered with a small smile.

Izuku returned the smile and nodded. "Sounds good!"

The pair found a set of escalators that took them up to the second floor, which was packed with people. Most of the exhibits featured future models for desktops, laptops, smartphones, and various devices. The most popular booth was showcasing prototype hologram technology, much to the pair's amazement. Though the hologram itself was transparent and not well detailed, it was still cool nonetheless! Izuku took many notes and sketches detailing the prototype hologram projector.

Satisfied they had seen enough of the computer floor, Peggy and Izuku went to the third floor. Much to their surprise, there were not many people present on the floor in spite of the major exhibits.

NASA and SpaceX had exhibits to showcase the latest development in nuclear-powered thrusters that could, in theory, get humans to Mars and the outer solar system in relatively quick time.

Oil-Gas companies like Exxon-Mobil and BP were demonstrating new efficient methods for creating biofuels.

Energy companies proudly featured cutting-edge technology for nuclear, windmill, and solar panel efficiency.

One exhibit was a mechanical engineer displaying his idea for a floating, artificial city that included an elaborate scaled model. In theory, according to him, these city-islands would be self-sustaining communities on the oceans, each capable of moving to avoid devastating storms and remain in temperate weather for most of the year. Izuku found the concept interesting, believing it could be a solution to overpopulation in some countries; however, it was doubtful that anyone would ever invest in such an expensive idea.

Izuku did dedicate a page in his notebook for the artificial island concept though.

The most interesting exhibit, however, came from a new energy startup company named Howard Shield Inc.

On display was a tractor tire-sized circular tube surrounded with wires and complex devices placed haphazardly around the perimeter, making a low humming noise. What really garnered attention was the brilliant blue energy sparkling inside the tube.

"What you see here is the future of energy, people! Please, gather around!" A well-groomed, flamboyant man exclaimed. "The prototype reactor I've designed, dubbed the Arc Reactor, has the capability of producing all the clean, free energy the world needs! Introducing just a few joules kick-starts a chain reaction that, in theory, produces GIGAJOULES of energy!"

"Woah…" Izuku was impressed as he swiftly sketched out the device and jotted down notes.

"Is that a lot?" Peggy whispered to Izuku.

"A ton! The biggest power plants in the world can only produce a fraction of that kind of power." Izuku replied hastily.

"Seems a little too far-fetched, if you ask me." One viewer commented.

"How is that even possible?" Another questioned.

"Oh? Doubters? Don't believe me?" the man smirked. "Well, kind sirs, direct your attention to the electrical meter to the side." The crowd turned to a LED screen displaying the reactor's energy output in bold, green numbers. "The reactor is hooked up straight to this meter. As you can see, this prototype is producing a noteworthy 500 joules already. Impressive, right? A bigger one would be able to produce so much more with minimal upkeep."

"You said this device could produce gigajoules of power 'in theory', correct?" another spectator, a businesswoman, questioned with a non-nonsense manner. "What are you basing this claim on?"

"My math, sweetie." The man grinned roguishly. "And my math is never wrong."

Without warning, the circular reactor started sparking and a gray haze wafted off the device. The humming noise stopped as the blue light disappeared. As a result, the electrical output meter promptly dropped to zero.

The woman furrowed her brows, unimpressed.

Several people, including Peggy, couldn't suppress their laughter at the blunder.

"Well… I did say it was a prototype." The man chuckled, sweating in embarrassment. He then quickly resumed his confident aura. "So! Who would like to invest in the energy of the future!?"

The crowd was now unenthused and started walking away.

'That's a shame… if the guy was a bit more professional he could attract more investors. He could really have something with this.' Izuku thought while finishing his notes on the Arc Reactor.

Upon viewing all the third floor's exhibits, the pair proceeded toward the escalators.

"That was some pretty interesting stuff, minus the blunder from the last guy. Wonder why there aren't many people up here?" Peggy wondered.

"Unfortunately, with the rise of human superpowers, the public's interest in things like space exploration and global energy-production is waning." Izuku frowned, finishing his notes on the third-level exhibits. "Meaning most funding, public or private, is being directed into Meta-Ability research instead."

Peggy nodded in understanding. "Makes sense, I suppose."

"Shame though. I was hoping we'd reach Mars in my lifetime." Izuku shrugged. "Don't know if that's gonna happen now…"

'Yeah, with everything that's happening in the world… and everything that could happen… people could care less about going to space or clean energy.' Peggy mentally lamented.

Peggy and Izuku rode the escalator to the fourth floor and were shocked by the huge crowd. There had to have been at least three times as many people present here than the lower three floors combined!

Meta-Abilities were certainly the rage these days.

Peggy could've sworn Izuku was about to burst from excitement. 'He's really into this stuff, huh?'

From there, the pair viewed every exhibit they could despite the growing crowd. Most booths were research teams showcasing their findings on the nuisances on the mechanics of Meta-Abilities. It was fascinating stuff for Izuku, who was scribbling down notes so fast Peggy was worried that his notebook might burst into flames, while Peggy herself was only half-listening. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else.

Something that garnered both their interests was an exhibit featuring a prototype for Meta-Ability suppression cuffs. To demonstrate, the speaker introduced his colleague - who had the ability to produce an icy mist off her arms. The display freaked out some people in the crowd but the speaker was quick to assure them that she was harmless. He placed the bulky cuffs on her and the icy mist promptly disappeared. She tried to activate her Meta-Ability but admitted she was unable to do so.

The crowd was very impressed as multiple cameras went off. Izuku spotted groups of people in expensive suits approaching the meta-cuff team, speculating that they were potential investors.

"That could definitely be useful for law enforcement." Peggy noted. "They need to be developing more stuff like this."

"Right?" Izuku sketched the cuffs and wrote lines of notes. "This could make containment for crazed meta-users much more doable for authorities rather than just tranquilizing them… or worse."

Peggy felt her thigh vibrate and pulled out her phone.

Sorry for being late! Traffic was hectic… On the first floor. You here?

Peggy signed and replied. Yeah. On top floor with friend. Will be down soon.

Great! Standing by east gate.

Putting her phone away, the onyx-haired young woman turned her attention back to her friend. "Hey, Izu-kun. Why don't we head down to the first floor? We can come back up when there's less people."

"Yeah… it is getting pretty crowded." Izuku commented, realizing how little space they had to move.

Peggy and Izuku carefully maneuvered their way out of the crowd and back to the escalators. Moments later, the pair finally made it back to the first floor which was thankfully more spaced out.

"I'm gonna head to the restroom, Izu-kun. You go on ahead. I'll catch up." Peggy said.

"Alright." Izuku nodded. "I'll be by the mechs."

Peggy nodded and the duo walked away. The Marine went past the restrooms and around the facility until arriving at the building's eastside entrance. She looked around the crowd of people and spotted her target standing close by the entrance.

Approaching her target, who was looking away and unaware of her presence, she spoke up. "Doctor."

"WHOA!" The 'doctor' jumped and turned to face Peggy, startled. "D-don't sneak up on people like that!"

The doctor was a young woman standing at five-foot-five (167 cm), had smooth pale skin, and was of Asian descent judging by her facial structure. She had ruby-red hair tied into a ponytail by a black hair tie hanging off her left shoulder. A pair of thin glasses rested on her face and, if one looked closely, they would notice three light-yellow rings around her pupils contained within her emerald irises.

She wore a light purple shirt under a long white lab coat, black pants, and black slip-on shoes. Dangling from her neck was a red lanyard with her ID card attached. A gray satchel loosely hung from her right shoulder.

Overall, despite some wrinkles around her eyes presumably from overwork, she was fairly attractive and had a bubbly aura around her.

Peggy remained stoic as she waited for the shorter woman to calm down.

"Well, anyways," the doctor sighed, "I'm glad you could meet me here, Yamamoto-san… or should I say Corporal Yamamoto?" She smirked.

"Corporal is fine, doctor." Peggy replied plainly.

"So serious… In any case have you been enjoying the expo so far, Corporal? Would've been here to meet you sooner, but traffic is pretty crazy in this town, yah know…"

Peggy nodded, keeping a straight face. "Yes. Thank you for the passes. My friend is basically in heaven right now. He can't get enough of this stuff."

"He?" The doctor cocked an eyebrow, a teasing grin formed on her face. "Could it be that the Iron Woman has a secret boyfriend?"

"It's not like that!" Peggy quickly denied, trying to hide a light blush. She straightened herself and resumed her professional attitude. "Can we just get to the point of this discussion?"

"Straight to business, huh? Okay." She motioned to the doors. "Follow me outside. We can talk somewhere a little more private."

Peggy nodded and followed the redhead out of the building.

Meanwhile, Izuku was in awe of the robotics exhibit. He could feel his hand hurting from how fast he was jotting down notes and sketching things out, but he pushed on anyway.

There were full-body mech suits that pilots could operate for moving much heavier objects weighing up to several tons. There were even exhibits showcasing the latest developments on robotic prosthetics for amputees. One amputee, a retired veteran who had lost his left leg in battle, had a prototype hooked up to demonstrate. The veteran, and everyone else, were impressed by how responsive the prosthetic seemed to be. It was almost as if it were the real appendage!

"So fascinating…" Izuku mumbled while writing. "So many applications for those mech-suits. They could be used in warehouses, construction sites, and even in the military! The prosthetics are also a major leap forward in medical technology…"

Izuku mindlessly walked to the side to get out of other people's way while continuing to fill his notebook. He stopped by the glass panels lining the wall. Satisfied with the notes he had taken, the dark-haired teen closed the book and placed it back in his knapsack for now.

Looking around, he just realized Peggy had not returned yet. He took out his phone and didn't see any texts from her.

"It's been over…10 minutes." Izuku was mildly surprised by how much time had passed since they separated. "Maybe I should go look-"

He stopped when he spotted something out of his peripheral vision through the glass panels. Across the street, he saw American flag banners hanging around a building. Looking closely, he realized it was a military recruitment office and, judging by the signs, it was for the US Army. The lights were still on so maybe the office was still open?

Izuku's expression hardened, deciding on what he needed to do.

Meanwhile, Peggy and the doctor were sitting on opposite sides at a park bench in the convention center's gardening square. They were in a relatively secluded spot with tall green hedges around them and, more importantly, no people within earshot. It was late evening as an orange glow was cast over the city as the sun began its descent in the west.

"So, have you considered the offer I made?" The doctor inquired in a serious tone.

Peggy did not respond immediately. A short moment passed as she lowered her head, exhaling deeply.

"I have..."

"And…?" The doctor pressed.

"I'm honored that out of all the candidates, you chose me." She shut her eyes and shook her head. "But I have to respectfully decline, doctor."

"Huh? M-May I ask why, Corporal?" She sounded surprised. Clearly this wasn't the answer she was expecting.

"I dunno… maybe cause I don't want to be mutated into a monster… or something along those lines." Peggy dryly responded.

"C-Corporal?" The redhead stammered. "I can assure you that-"

"That what? I won't be mutated? I won't die?" Peggy challenged. "You said it yourself, doctor. The project in itself is risky and practically untested. I'd essentially be your guinea pig."

"Corporal, I wouldn't ask for human test subjects unless I was 95% sure it'd be successful." The doctor asserted.

Such a statistic did not alleviate Peggy's concerns one bit as she turned to the doctor incredulously. "Only 95%, huh? And the other 5%?"

"Well…" The doctor tapped her index fingers together timidly, "...that is reserved for the unexpectedcircumstances that even I can't account for. DNA is crazy complex, yah know." She shook her head and adopted a determined look. "But it will be successful! I've perfected the formula this time, I'm sure!"

"Maybe you have, but honestly the whole idea behind the A.M.P. is dangerous and too risky for my tastes." Peggy responded. "I'm sorry, Doctor Hatsume. But my decision is final. You'll have to find someone else to test your formula on."

"I…" Dr. Hatsume frowned, disappointed. "... I understand. Thank you for your time, Corporal."

"Again, thank you for the passes." Peggy nodded and stood up to leave. "Good luck to you, doctor."

"Yeah… same to you." Dr. Hatsume replied, disheartened.

As the Marine walked away, Dr. Hatsume slumped her shoulders and practically deflated. "Shoot!" She exclaimed to herself. "I was positive she'd accept… and Corporal Yamamoto was the perfect candidate too. Darn it!"

She collapsed back on the bench and groaned in frustration.

'At this rate, I'll have to choose one of those stuck-up jerks the Colonel keeps recommending.' She internally lamented. 'Idiot doesn't even understand how the formula works. Give it to those muscleheads and you'll practically be creating supervillains.'

The red-haired doctor stood up and collected her satchel. 'Too depressed to even see the expo now. Might as well just head on back… try to rethink my strategy for acquiring candidates.'

She was about to walk until she overheard something. It sounded like Corporal Yamamoto was arguing with someone around the corner. She couldn't see her since a tall hedge was blocking the view. Curious, the doctor quietly walked closer and poked her head around the corner.

Corporal Yamamoto was standing in front of a shorter, Asian-American boy. The doctor guessed he must've been in his late teens. It seemed the corporal was angry with the younger man if her posture and tone of voice was any indication. Dr. Hatsume knew she shouldn't eavesdrop on others' private affairs, but she couldn't help but be a little nosy.

Was this the friend Yamamoto had mentioned? She remained hidden, quietly listening in. What was the worst that could happen?

Moments prior, Izuku was walking out of Andoria Convention Center's east gate. Taking the shortest route, he walked down the path leading through the garden square. The recruitment office would then be directly across the street.

He pulled out his phone to text Peggy in case she was looking for him, but was confused to see her walking out from a perpendicular sidewalk up ahead.

"Peg-chan? What're you doing out here?" Izuku asked, bemused. "Restrooms are that way." He pointed back to the main building.

"Izu-kun?" Peggy was mildly surprised to see Izuku outside. She was sure he'd be enraptured with the robotics exhibit long enough for her to sneak back in unnoticed. Did he get concerned and start looking for her? "I could ask the same for you…"

"I asked first." Izuku retorted.

Peggy sighed, seeing no point in trying to lie. "I was just talking to a friend from work. No big deal."

Izuku cocked a brow. "The same one who gave you the passes?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"You could've just told me. You didn't have to lie." Izuku lightly scolded.

"I know, I know. I apologize." Peggy replied, hanging her head low. "Should have been forthcoming."

"Did they already leave?"

"Yeah. It was a brief conversation honestly." Peggy replied.

"Had to be important for you to ditch me like that." He deadpanned.

"It's confidential. Can't get into it." Peggy rubbed her neck apologetically. "Hope you can understand."

Izuku nodded. Although he didn't approve of her lying, he understood Peg-chan was in the military and couldn't share sensitive information with others; including close friends and family.

"So, what are you doing out here? Come to look for me?" Peggy questioned.

"Well," Izuku fidgeted slightly, knowing she wouldn't be happy. "I… spotted a recruitment center across the street."

Peggy was indeed not pleased by his response, and directed a stern frown toward her friend. "Izu-kun…" she growled, "you were already denied."

"I'll try out for the Army! Or the Navy! National Guard. Heck, even the Coast Guard! Their physical requirements aren't as intense." Izuku stated. "I won't know if I don't try, right?"

"Izu-kun…"

"I've been really working hard, Peg-chan. Exercising and dieting. I just need another chance." Izuku argued.

"Izuku! Just stop!" She shouted, startling her friend.

Taking a moment to collect herself, she sighed heavily and shook her head. "I'm sorry Izu-kun… I'm your friend, so I won't lie… you really should reevaluate your options."

Izuku felt his heart drop at that response. He knew Peg-chan was never thrilled about him wanting to join the military, but she had always been supportive regardless. Until now, that is.

Unbeknownst to the childhood friends, Dr. Hatsume was now observing them from behind a large hedge.

Peggy laid a supportive hand on his shoulder. "You're a brilliant guy, Izu-kun. You can do so much more with your life! You can go to college. Become a teacher. Study meta-abilities. Anything! You're just not cut out for the military."

Izuku lowered his head, a shadow casting over his eyes. "I… I want to enlist, Peg-chan."

"Izu-kun, you don't have to join because of me. You can do whatever you want!" She further urged.

"I'm not joining because you did." Izuku lifted his head to reveal his determined gaze. "People are scared, Peg-chan. You know it and I know it. I can't just pretend that everything is okay. Society is edging closer to collapse. I need to try and help… people need someone who's at least willing to help them these days."

Dr. Hatsume cocked a brow in intrigue. 'Oh…?'

"Izu-kun… that's all well and good, but you're not fit for service. For any branch. Besides, even if you were somehow accepted, with your conditions you'll die in bootcamp!" Peggy strongly retorted. "I'm sorry, but I can't support this."

"That's a shame… but it doesn't change my decision." Izuku affirmed.

Peggy grabbed Izuku by his jacket and pulled him closer, her expression contorting into frustration. "What are you trying to prove?! Who cares what jerks like Zak say! Or anyone else for that matter. You don't need to prove anything to them. Follow your own dreams, Izuku!"

"Y-you got it wrong… it's not about proving anything to anyone! It's about doing what is right!" he loudly declared.

"At the expense of your life? Even if you die without ever even stepping foot on the battlefield? Without saving anyone? What kind of hero is that?" Peggy demanded.

Izuku narrowed his gaze. "A hero doesn't have to win, Peg-chan… they inspire."

Peggy was momentarily surprised by that reply. "Izuku…"

Izuku continued. "There are people risking their lives, Peg-chan. It doesn't matter if I'm small or frail, I have no right to do any less than them. It's not about me… and that's what you don't understand."

Dr. Hatsume lightly gasped as her eyes widened. The conviction in his words and in his expression. Who was this kid?

Peggy loosened her grip and let go of Izuku, exhaling deeply. "I… can't convince you, can I?"

"No." He shook his head.

"So damn stubborn… Fine. Just," She looked at her friend with a small feigned smile, "try not to do anything stupid, okay?"

Izuku chuckled lightly. "I'll try not to. Thank you, Peg-chan."

"I'll be by the mech exhibits." Peggy walked forward, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets. "When you're done, come find me. Text me if you can't."

"I will." He nodded.

With that, the two childhood friends parted ways as Peggy headed back to the convention center as Izuku proceeded down the path. Peggy briefly glanced back at Izuku with a worried expression and then continued forward with a heavy heart.

'Izu-kun… you stubborn fool… why don't you understand?'Peggy lamented. 'You're better off at home where I know you're safe.'

As Izuku passed by, Dr. Hatsume stepped out from behind the hedge with her eyes locked onto him. A small smirk graced her face as she started following the young boy to the recruitment office.

Musutafu, Japan - April 2196

With a couple clicks, a door lock was disengaged and a door was pushed open. Midoriya stepped into the dark room with an unconscious Yagi limply dangling from his right shoulder. His shield case was on his back with his yellow satchel hanging from his left shoulder. Using his free hand, he flipped a switch on the wall to turn on the main overhead light.

The room was revealed to be a small studio apartment. There was a small organized desk with paper, folders, writing tools, and a computer setup. There was a three-tiered bookshelf full of books off to the side. In addition, there was a living room area connected to a small kitchen with a full-sized bed in the far corner and two more doors, one for a small closet and the other for the bathroom.

Overall, it was a simple living space.

Midoriya approached the living room area and carefully laid Yagi down on his small couch, his feet dangling off the side. He took off his case and rested it by Yagi while placing his satchel on his work desk.

He sighed heavily while rubbing the back of his head. "What a day…"

Today had certainly been a doozy. He was grateful that none of the other building's tenants had seen him carry All Might to his room. That would've been awkward to explain.

Of course Midoriya suspected that SHIELD had undercover agents living in the complex, so the cat may already be out of the bag for all he knew.

Midoriya leaned down to check All Might's pulse, and was relieved to know it was normal. Seemed the guy had truly passed out from shock.

'Guess I can't blame him. I'd probably be stunned too if I were in his shoes.' Midoriya mused. 'Should I call Coulson on this? … No, I don't want to risk giving away All Might's secret if they don't already know. Hopefully he wakes up soon.'

He stepped into the kitchen. 'Guess I'll try to fix some tea till he wakes up… oh wait… he doesn't have a stomach. Can he even drink tea?'

As Midoriya fiddled around in the kitchen, Yagi groaned as consciousness returned. His eyes fluttered open as his bleary vision steadily refocused to a plain, eggshell-white ceiling.

Seeing that he was in an unfamiliar place, Yagi immediately sat up from the couch and looked around alert.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"Easy there, All Might." Midoriya calmly said, stepping out of the kitchen. "It's alright. It's just me."

Yagi was momentarily confused as to why he was here until it suddenly occurred to him. He lowered his head into his palms, and groaned in embarrassment, "I… passed out, didn't I?"

"Yeah…" Midoriya lightly chortled. "Brought you to my apartment since it was already close by. By the way, your skinny form was a bit heavier than I expected. Not that I'm calling you overweight or anything!" He frantically waved, worried his words may be misinterpreted.

Yagi looked at Midoriya apologetically. "Apologies… I didn't mean to inconvenience you."

"Don't sweat over it." Midoriya looked at All Might in mild concern. "Are you feeling okay? I was worried you might have lost too much blood or something…"

"Y-yeah…I'm fine now." Yagi briefly looked around the room. He took note of the brown circular case by his feet. "M-may I?"

Midoriya smiled and nodded. "Go ahead. Try to resist throwing it though." He teased. "It's not a toy."

Yagi chuckled a bit as he unzipped the case, pulling out the American-themed disk. He flipped it forward and back and stared in wonder. The sound it made was… unique. It was reminiscent of a tuning fork.

'This is really light… yet it's so strong.' All Might mused.

History had never divulged what Cap's shield was made of. One of the biggest mysteries in Pro Hero history that not even the biggest Hero Support companies were able to answer.

Curious, Yagi figured there'd be no harm in asking, "What's this thing made of?"

"Adamantium-Vibranium alloy."

Yagi blinked, dumbfounded.

"They're uber-rare metals." Midoriya explained. "Super-strong and lightweight."

"Guess I wouldn't be able to get one then, huh?" Yagi joked.

Midoriya smiled and shook his head, "Nope, she's one of a kind. How's it feel to hold it?"

"It feels…" Yagi paused as he admired the symbol of the First Hero. He couldn't believe he was actually holding it! "... like it should be in a museum."

Midoriya chuckled. "That's a fair point."

Yagi placed the shield down by his feet, leaning it against the couch. "Gotta say," he looked around, "I certainly wasn't expecting Captain America to live in a studio apartment."

Midoriya shrugged. "I prefer it, actually. Helps me keep a minimalist mindset. Do you want any water? I'd offer tea… but I wasn't sure with your condition and all."

"Tea is fine, actually." Yagi assured. "It's just coffee and most solid foods I can't really consume anymore."

Midoriya nodded and walked back into the kitchen. As the verdette prepared to put on a pot of tea, Yagi's eyes slowly widened in realization. This was real! He was actually talking to the First Hero himself, the man he had admired and based his own Pro Hero career on.

It was so surreal. Talking to an historic figure that should've been dead over a century ago. Over tea no less! He was wondering if overexerting himself against that Sludge Villain was affecting his mind.

He stopped to look at Midoriya. The few written accounts that had survived the Third War described Captain America as an Asian-American; Japanese, according to some writings. Of course, nothing was ever officially confirmed, and the truth had remained a mystery.

Until now, that is.

"So… you're really him, huh? You're the Captain America?"

"Yeah." Midoriya glanced back, smiling nervously. "Please don't pass out again..."

"I… I don't…" Yagi stammered in disbelief. "H-how? How're you still alive?"

"Well, that's a long story actually. Some of it I can't really get into." With the tea on, Midoriya stepped away and leaned on the countertop. "But the short story is that I got into an altercation, and it resulted in me being frozen in the Arctic."

"Wait… frozen?" Yagi blinked. "S-shouldn't you be dead then?"

Midoriya nodded, keeping an even look. "Yeah, I should… but I guess fate had other plans."

'Altercation? Not exactly specific.' Yagi wracked his brain for any clues based on his past extensive study into Captain America's hero tenure. He had been to many places across the globe; according to history, the last place he had been spotted by the public eye was…

"Wait… did this happen during your time in Norway?"

Midoriya glanced back with a mildly surprised look. "You know your stuff, huh? Yeah… it was actually."

"What happened? According to eyewitnesses, Oslo was the last place you were seen before you disappeared."

Midoriya lowered his head, shifting uncomfortably. "Sorry… I can't really get into that part of it. Maybe another time."

Yagi was a bit disappointed; however, out of respect, he didn't pry any further on the matter.

After the tea was finished, Midoriya carefully brought it over to the couch and placed it on a small coffee table. As All Might took a sip, he tried to keep a straight face despite the bitterness biting his tongue.

'Definitely needs work…' He inwardly commented. He didn't want to dare call out his hero for making bitter tea.

Midoriya noticed as he took a seat in a chair across the table. "Sorry if the tea isn't to your liking. Still learning." He chuckled awkwardly.

Not commenting, Yagi sat the cup down and looked at the verdette seriously, "... I've got some questions."

"I can imagine," Midoriya noted. "How much time yah got?"

"Plenty."

"Can't promise to answer all of them… at least, not yet. But fire away!" Midoriya extended his index finger and thumb to mimic a pistol, but then immediately panicked. "Oh wait! Ugh, pointing is rude in Japan, right? Sorry about that!"

"No, no! Don't worry about it!" Yagi placated, reassuring the verdette. 'Guess he wasn't lying when he said he grew up in America. But that does beg the question…'

"Why are you in Japan?" All Might inquired.

"SHIELD," he simply replied.

Yagi cocked a eyebrow in bewilderment. SHIELD? He knew they were a counterterrorism/intelligence agency headquartered in America. They had influence both nationally and globally; essentially, the old American CIA on steroids.

He personally knew a few people who worked in high places with them; a couple of them even knew his secret. But what did they have to do with this? He connected the dots and it occurred to him.

"They're the ones who found you, right? In the Arctic?"

Midoriya nodded in confirmation. "Several months ago, a research crew found me. SHIELD came in and carefully thawed me out, helped me recover while filling me in on my situation."

There were many questions running through All Might's head. For starters, why would SHIELD send Cap to Japan? Shouldn't he be back in America? Furthermore, was he telling the truth in his plan to attend UA University? Why did he even want to attend a hero university? Also, how the heck could someone survive in ice for over 150 years?!

He was curious about what questions to ask until he remembered an important detail from their first encounter.

"You said you were Quirkless. But… that doesn't add up. The historical records say Captain America was born with an augmentation-type Quirk that enhanced his physical and mental capabilities."

"That's a lie." Midoriya said flatly, surprising All Might. "At least the 'born with a Quirk' part."

"What do you mean by that?" Yagi was very intrigued.

"The higher-ups spun that story because they thought the masses should believe their Sentinel of Liberty was a natural-born hero. But the truth is, I'm not. I wasn't born with any abilities; I was given them." He revealed.

Yagi's eyes shot open in shock. 'What…?!'

"I know… sounds ridiculous, right? I mean, the idea of a person being given a superpower? Sounds like something straight out of a comic book." Midoriya chuckled ruefully. "But it's the truth."

It took every ounce of Yagi's self-control to stay silent. Captain America, the man who defied the odds and bested formidable foes with nothing but his strength, wits, sheer determination, and a shield… the one who had started the tradition of Pro Heroes wearing costumes…the world's First Hero… was born Quirkless?!

'How could he be Quirkless yet superhuman at the same time?'

Yagi couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was tempted to interject that he did understand but stopped himself. No. Now was not the time to reveal that secret.

"This stays secret between us. Can I trust you, All Might?" Midoriya requested.

Yagi nodded, determined. "Yes. I know how to keep secrets."

'After all, I have plenty of my own.' He dryly noted.

"I'm a Super-Soldier." Midoriya plainly stated.

Yagi blinked and looked at the verdette bewildered. "Super-Soldier?"

"I'll keep it brief… I'm essentially a test subject for a U.S. military project to create artificial meta-users trained to be highly-effective soldiers; hence the name: Super-Soldier."

Yagi's eyes widened in shocked disbelief. He was about to interject that it sounded ludicrous but remembered his own origins and the source of his own power. He remained silent and listened.

"I wasn't born strong. In fact, I used to be just a small, scrawny sick kid. But… I was determined to help out in any way I could. Through fate or chance encounter, however you want to spin it, I was selected to be a part of America's top-secret super-soldier project." Midoriya explained.

Now, this tidbit of information certainly threw Yagi Toshinori for a loop. One of the most muscular, masculine heroes in history was once a frail and scrawny man? The press would have a field day with that information. He couldn't help but feel empathetic toward Midoriya - given his own backstory and current weakened condition.

"I was given a serum that enhanced not just my physical body, but my mental capacities and psychological traits as well. With a few other side-effects… In short, my abilities aren't really considered a Quirk as I don't have the genes to classify it that way. That's why I refer to myself as Quirkless."

Yagi was speechless. Artificial Quirks were possible? Now he could understand why the higher-ups at the time were determined to keep Captain America's true origins a secret. He could think of one man in particular that would love to know that superpowers could be manufactured. The atrocities he could've committed with that knowledge…

He shook his head at that thought. 'No… he's gone. I bashed his head in. He won't recover from that…' All Might tried to assure himself, but a hint of doubt remained.

"Hey, All Might."

Yagi was snapped out of his musings by Midoriya, who was looking at him in concern. "Huh… yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah… it's just… I certainly wasn't expecting that story, is all." Yagi played off.

Midoriya nodded and deflated slightly. "Never meet your heroes, I guess…" He took a sip of his tea, which had cooled down enough, and grimaced. "EEGH… too bitter!"

Yagi couldn't help but chuckle. "I could teach you how to make a really good pot of tea if you want?"

"Might take you up on that offer sometime." Midoriya smiled.

Midoriya took the opportunity to take his failed attempt at tea and dump it down the sink. He prepared glasses of water instead while also reaching into a cabinet to pull out several wrapped bars with no label on them. He unwrapped one to reveal an energy bar, which he promptly consumed.

"Thanks," As Yagi took the glass, another thought occurred to him. "I'm curious about something though."

Midoriya took a few gulps of water before unwrapping another energy bar to take a few bites. "I can imagine… what's up?"

"On the rooftop, why did you ask me what it means to be a hero? You already knew that for yourself… so why try to ask me?" Yagi questioned, curious.

He chuckled wryly. "Fair question."

Midoriya was silent for a moment as he collected his thoughts. "When I learned that being a superhero was an actual career in this era, the fanboy in me was stoked. I mean, I was in a world of actual superheroes and supervillains! Straight out of a comic book! I was eager to study them and took down as many notes as I could."

He motioned to his desk, which had over a dozen notebooks stacked to the side. After briefly reading and signing Midoriya's 13th book, All Might surmised the other twelve were filled with detailed information about many other Pro Heroes and Villains as well. He was stunned by how much information regarding their Quirks and fighting moves Midoriya was able to record in a relatively short amount of time.

Midoriya's expression became downcast. "But… then I started to notice how commercialized everything was. Heroes constantly trying to one-up each other and the shameless advertising… I dunno, it was pretty disheartening. Because if that's what it takes to be a modern hero… well… I just don't have the stomach for it. Then, I heard about you." He smiled.

Yagi was intrigued yet remained silent to listen.

"Though you are popular and have a ton of merchandise, you still put what's important first. You help and rescue people with a fearless smile and unreal strength. You're basically a living Superman!" Midoriya exclaimed excitedly.

"Who?" Yagi asked, cocking a brow.

Midoriya looked at All Might in mild shock that had never heard of the most famous fictional superhero. 'Guess comics really are dead in this time period…'

"Forget it. Not important." He waved off before continuing. "Anyway, with your strength and charisma, and the fact that crime rates dropped to historical lows since your debut, I could see why people called you the Symbol of Peace. It's who you are. So, I wanted to hear your personal stance on heroism, and what it means to you."

Yagi turned away in shame. "Then… I let you down. Didn't I?"

"Well, yeah… but don't take it too hard. I understand why you felt that way." Midoriya reassured. "What, with your three-hour limit and that injury and all. I get you were just trying to protect a Quirkless boy with a half-baked dream."

Despite Midoriya's consolation, Yagi still didn't feel much better. "No. It was wrong either way. Even if you weren't Cap and were just a Quirkless boy, it wasn't right for me to say those things to you." He countered. "Power doesn't make a hero."

All Might then looked back at Cap seriously. "Be honest with me," his gaze turned serious. "After our talk on the roof, were you considering giving up?" He needed to know even if the response pained him to his core.

Midoriya was momentarily silent as he pondered the question. "It was certainly discouraging… I won't lie. But give up? No… I don't think I could even if I tried."

Yagi's eyes widened in mild surprise.

"Besides, there are others that do support me and what I stand for… so it's not like I would've been completely alone in this."

"SHIELD."

"Yeah. At least some people in it." Midoriya remarked.

"If you're involved with SHIELD, then why are you here in Japan studying for UA Academy? Couldn't they just give you a Pro Hero License with their pull in the U.S. government?" Yagi inquired further.

"Well, at first SHIELD was adamant that after I recovered, I was put back in the field in secret. At least the Director was." Midoriya answered.

"In secret? You mean like an underground hero then…"

"Something like that." Midoriya nodded. "They don't want the world to know that I'm still alive nor my true origins, remember?"

"Right… so, why didn't you accept?" Yagi was genuinely curious.

"Honestly, I wasn't really interested in jumping right back into the fray." He frowned sadly. "I mean…I was in a new world. Everything I knew and loved was gone."

'Also, not sure if I can fully trust SHIELD or not.' Midoriya mused.

Yagi nodded in understanding. 'He needed time to grieve…to adjust… makes sense.'

"Plus, the idea of just being given a Hero License while nearly all the other Pros had to work years to earn theirs just didn't sit well with me," the verdette confessed. "I'd rather earn it than just be handed one."

Yagi could admire Cap's earnest desire to earn a license; nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel Cap had already earned it with his past exploits. Did the Captain not see it that way?

"Then, they decided on another idea."

"UA Academy." Yagi realized, starting to connect the dots.

Midoriya nodded. "It was decided the best way to get me reaccumulated to the world while getting me up to speed on modern heroics was to send me to hero school… with real people… all around my age." He answered. "UA University is the best hero academy in Japan; possibly in all of Asia. I thought it'd be a great experience to learn from the best of the best and reconnect with my heritage and all."

"I suppose that makes sense… wait, how old are you?"

"21. 22 in July."

Yagi was surprised. 'So young?! All the surviving records said he was in his early 30s. Did the US government lie about that too? Figures.'

"So, yeah that's why I'm here." Izuku smiled sheepishly. "It'd be a nice way to help me readjust to the world while also giving me time to catch up on everything and the time to retrain my body."

"Train?" Yagi cocked a brow ridge, confused. "You seem fit already though?"

Izuku rubbed his neck in a sheepish manner. "Yeah… my muscles are still atrophied from being on ice for so long."

Yagi's eyes slightly widened as an idea occurred to him. He was planning on enrolling as a UA faculty member in hopes of finding a worthy successor to One For All. But sitting in front of him was the legendary hero himself: Captain America! He was also young and a UA student hopeful.

He'd be the perfect candidate! The prospect of Captain America himself being the next wielder of One For All really excited Yagi Toshinori.

Then, Yagi stopped that train of thought, remembering Midoriya's reasons for attending UA Academy.

"Honestly, I wasn't really interested in jumping right back into the fray…I mean…I was in a new world. Everything I knew and love was gone."

'He has so much on his plate right now. It wouldn't be fair to spring something as big as One For All on him.' He thought and came up with another idea. 'But that doesn't mean I can't help him…'

"I have an idea then. Perhaps I can help train you?" Yagi eagerly suggested. "Get your body back into fighting shape!"

Midoriya blinked, taken off guard by the offer. "You'd do that? I mean, you're a busy hero… so I wouldn't want to interfere with your work."

"Nonsense!" Yagi waved off. "Between you and me, I'm planning on joining UA as a teacher next semester, so I'm in town for quite a while getting ready for it."

"Really? Is that why you were in Musutafu today instead of your agency back in Tokyo?" Midoriya asked.

"Yeah… partially." Yagi replied. "I can get into that another time. But, if you're willing, I'd be more than happy to help you!"

Midoriya thought about it and the idea certainly appealed to him. How many people could say they received training from the world's Number One Hero? But he did have his studies to keep in mind.

"That sounds great, but I do have my studies at the local college." Midoriya mentioned. "Could we work our schedule around that?"

"Of course. Actually, I have a plan in mind that takes all of that into consideration." Yagi explained. "After all, if you're going to get into UA, you'll have to pass the written and practical exams."

Midoriya nodded in satisfaction, not seeing any reason to decline. "Well…" He stood up and stretched his hand out, "I certainly won't turn down help from the Number One Pro if he's willingly offering it."

Yagi stood up and shook Midoriya's hand in return. "You won't be disappointed, Cap."

"Midoriya Izuku," he introduced, "pleased to meet you, All Might."

Yagi smiled, excited to finally know the Captain's real name. "Yagi Toshinori. The pleasure's all mine."

Nearly an hour later, Yagi stepped out of the Endor Apartments complex and onto the sidewalk. Nighttime had arrived as streetlamps illuminated the city streets.

"Can't believe this is all real…" he exhaled, still internally trying to come to terms with everything that had happened tonight.

'I better get back soon to at least get a head start on writing up Cap's plan.' Yagi pulled out his phone to look at the notepad app, momentarily studying the info Midoriya had given him on his body specifics and diet.

Who would've thought those energy bars he was eating were 3000 calories each! His metabolism was crazy high! He'd just have to factor that into the plan. He hoped Midoriya would have a sizable food budget though.

Yagi then switched to the GPS app. 'The truck's parked over a few miles away. Maybe I should call a cab? Although I guess a little walking won't hurt…'

Taking a deep breath of the brisk night air, Yagi walked down the street. However, he didn't make it far before a vehicle suddenly drove up beside him and stopped. Much to his surprise, it was a 1962 resto-mod, cherry-red Chevrolet Corvette convertible with a red cloth roof up, bearing California license plate numbers 381-PCE.

Yagi's eyes widened as he only knew one person who owned and drove a piece of automotive history like this. The right-side window slid down, revealing the driver on the left-side and confirming the car was left-hand drive, as well as the identity of the driver.

The driver was an American-looking Caucasian man 182 cm (6'0") tall with a muscular build and short brown hair. He wore a black suit with a white buttoned shirt with a silver pennant of an eagle on his jacket and black shades over his eyes.

All in all, the man's appearance practically screamed 'government agent'.

"Need a lift, stranger?" He asked in fluent Japanese. "You look like you could use one."

"Phil?" Yagi walked to the car with a small smile. "It's been a while!"

"Hop in." Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD gave a wry smile. "Let's go for a drive, Toshinori."

After today's events, Yagi was feeling pretty exhausted. So, Coulson saving him from walking several miles was a welcome relief. Yagi pulled open the door and slid into the passenger seat while internally admitting it felt odd to be riding in a left-hand drive vehicle after so long.

That brought up another question in All Might's mind, how was he even allowed to drive this car in Japan?

As soon as All Might closed the door, the car jerked forward rapidly enough to leave a skid mark in the pavement; nevertheless, Agent Coulson stayed under the speed limit.

"I thought the whole point of a secret agent was to be inconspicuous." Yagi commented lightheartedly.

"Hiding in plain sight," Coulson mentioned. "Nobody would expect a government agent to be driving a flashy sports car."

"James Bond?" All Might retorted.

Coulson laughed a little. "Only in the movies."

"I don't even wanna guess how you're allowed to drive Lola in Japan." Yagi shook his head.

"SHIELD has its ways." Agent Coulson replied.

Ah, SHIELD. Yagi suspected there would be more to this ride than two old friends simply catching up and didn't need his old sidekick's Quirk to foresee what the crux of this conversation would be about.

Deciding to skip the pleasantries, Yagi asked, "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what're you doing here? I haven't seen you in five years, not since-"

"Since your accident." Coulson finished, making Yagi slightly flinch, and then briefly glanced at his passenger. "I'm here on assignment… also looking for any old Pro Hero memorabilia I can find. Japan is a treasure trove for those kinds of things."

"Still trying to grow your collection, huh?"

"Always," Coulson smirked.

Yagi lightly chuckled and shook his head. 'Coulson… still a hero fanboy.'

"But we're not here to discuss me or my admittedly impressive Hero merchandise collection," Coulson continued, "even though I'd like to."

"Young Midoriya." Yagi stated rather than asked.

"Not sure if 'young' is an accurate description or not… but yes."

"I take it you're his overseer then?"

"Liaison, to be specific."

Coulson came to a stop at a traffic light, allowing pedestrians to cross. Several bystanders openly gawked at the red convertible. It made sense; after all, Coulson's car was over 200 years old. How he was able to acquire such a relic and resto-mod it, Yagi still had no idea. He didn't give out much (if any) details on Lola's history.

"I already promised Midoriya I wouldn't tell a soul of his identity, Phil." Yagi sighed. "You don't have to swear me into secrecy or anything like that. You know me."

"I know that. Not concerned about it." Coulson turned to Yagi with a serious look. "I just want to know what happened today."

Yagi didn't respond, only looking at the agent curiously.

"We spotted Cap carrying your unconscious body into his apartment, so naturally I'm curious." Coulson elaborated.

The traffic light turned green, and Coulson resumed driving down the street.

"Wait… you were spying on us?!" Yagi slumped his shoulders while placing his right hand on his forehead, exasperated. "Right. Of course you were… forgot who I was talking to."

'If they saw Midoriya taking me to his apartment, did they also see my transformation in that street? Crap…' Yagi inwardly lamented, fearing the entire spy organization would soon know his secret.

"It's our business to make sure nothing happens to Cap. If it makes you feel any better, the agents reported only seeing him carrying you, nothing before that. So your identity is safe." Coulson assured.

Yagi sighed, feeling a huge weight off his shoulders. "That's good to hear. You're the only one I can trust in your organization… uh, no offense to the Director and everyone else."

"You know Director Fury would die before giving away your secret to anyone." Coulson pensively mentioned. "He knows how important it is."

"I know… it's just well…" Yagi wasn't sure how to say how he felt about the enigmatic director without coming off as too aggressive.

"His secrets have secrets?"

"That's actually a good way of putting it." Yagi admitted.

"Fury's secrets aside," Coulson switched topics away from his boss and friend, "Cap went off his usual route today and our undercover agents lost track of him. Then the whole thing with the Sludge Villain went down." He glanced over to Yagi, pulling his shades off. "He knows your secret, doesn't he?"

Yagi sighed. "He knows I'm All Might, yes."

"If it isn't too much trouble, can you please share what happened today, Toshinori? How did you and Midoriya meet?" Coulson asked politely.

Yagi spent the next several minutes explaining to Coulson the circumstances behind his encounter with Midoriya. Starting from his pursuit of the Sludge Villain, saving Midoriya from said criminal, Midoriya hitching a ride on his leg, his secret being revealed on the rooftop, how the villain escaped, and finally witnessing Midoriya's heroic actions against the Sludge Villain. He then explained how his second meetup with Midoriya unfolded, and finally learned the legendary Captain's true identity.

Coulson had taken the story in stride, but his visage darkened upon hearing how Midoriya was almost killed by the Sludge Villain. It seemed he would need to have a long, unpleasant discussion with those Level 3 agents tasked with watching Cap.

As soon as Yagi finished, the Level 7 agent nodded. "I see. Explains why Cap didn't want to give details earlier. He didn't want to risk giving away your identity and condition."

"I suppose I should let him know that at least you and the Director know of my condition and there's no need to hide it from you." Yagi noted.

"Thank you, Toshinori. I assure you that today's blunder on our end won't happen again. I'll make sure of it…" Coulson's tone was dead serious, making Yagi a tad nervous. He hoped Coulson wouldn't be too hard on whatever agents were tasked with overseeing Cap.

"Also… did you really pass out?" Coulson teased.

Yagi visibly sweated. "Let's not dwell on that!" He shouted in embarrassment.

From there, Yagi mentioned he would be helping Midoriya train to get him in shape for UA University's entrance exam. In addition, he pointed out Midoriya's food budget would likely need to be increased to compensate for the extra food he'd be consuming. Coulson was very understanding of it all.

After receiving directions from Yagi, they finally arrived at the location of his parked white pickup truck.

"Thanks again for the lift, Phil," Yagi said while climbing out of the car.

"Anytime. One more thing Toshinori… you were planning to make him your successor, weren't you?" Coulson inquired seriously.

Yagi lightly gasped in surprise. "H-how did you…?"

"Wasn't hard to figure out, and honestly, I can't blame you for considering him. Did you ask him?"

"No." Yagi shook his head. "It wouldn't be right. Not now."

"Keep in mind, your time is running out. I don't think I need to stress how important the Symbol of Peace is to society."

Yagi remained silent. Of course he knew that. He knew his time as a Pro Hero was coming to a close soon. It was the reason he was attending UA next semester in the first place. To find a worthy successor.

"With that said, don't wait too long to at least ask him." Coulson stated. "I'm sure Cap'll understand if you explain everything to him."

Yagi did not respond as he lowered his head in rumination.

"We'll be keeping our distance. Train him however you see fit, just remember though - his studies are also important." Coulson firmly stated.

"I know that. Good seeing you again, Phil." Yagi closed the door and turned to face his truck. An idea then came to him. "By the way, you, Tsukauchi, and I ought to catch up sometime-"

He looked back and was stunned to see Lola and Coulson were already gone. How'd he leave without making a noise?!

He sighed, mildly frustrated. "How does he keep doing that?"

San Francisco, CA - April 2042

Izuku stepped into the military recruitment office and walked through the small lounge area to the front desk. There was a sole recruiter on duty wearing his standard-issue camo combat uniform, sitting at the desk playing Solitaire on his desktop. He was simply waiting to clock out and was pleasantly surprised to see someone walking into the office only 15 minutes till closing time.

Doing his duty, he stood up and greeted the guest. "Welcome to the Andoria Army Recruiting Station. My name is Staff Sergeant-"

He paused when he finally took notice of Izuku. Izuku remained oblivious to his stare and stepped up to the desk. "Good evening, sir. I want to enlist for the Army. I've already taken the ASVAB test, and my information should already be on file, if that helps."

"I see." the recruiter nodded, seeing that his job should be easier. "Have you enlisted for any other military branches, son?"

Izuku frowned. "Yes… the Marines. I was rejected."

"Mind giving me your social security number so that I can bring up your records?" The recruiter took a seat back at his desk.

After giving the recruiter his information, Izuku's file was brought up on the desktop screen. The Staff Sergeant made sure not to visibly wince at the boy's poor PFT results. Unfortunately, with his physical and medical conditions, there'd be no way he could be accepted in any military branch.

He was about to break the bad news to him until the bell at the door rang, signaling that another person walked in. It had been dead for most of the evening, and now people were starting to walk in so close to closing time? Typical.

"Welcome to the Andoria Army Recruiting Station. If you could take a seat, I'll be with you-" The recruiter was cut off when the new person, an Asian-American woman wearing a lab coat, walked past Izuku and up to the desk.

"At ease, Staff Sergeant Ted Grey," Dr. Hatsume said while pointing to Izuku. "I'm with him."

Izuku blinked dumbly. Who was this woman? He didn't know her. He stared at her closely and, aside from her being quite beautiful, something seemed familiar about her.

Dr. Hatsume pulled out an ID card from her satchel, handing it to the recruiter. Staff Sergeant Ted Grey's eyes widened slightly as he read it. What was someone with her kind of military clearance doing in his recruiting station?!

He glanced over to Izuku, who seemed equally confused.

"If it's all the same with you, Staff Sergeant, I'd like to supervise this young man's physical test." Dr. Hatsume requested.

"Huh?" Izuku was left further dumbfounded. Who was she?

"Hmm… according to his records, he's already taken and failed the physical test for the Marine Corp just earlier this week. So, I don't see why-"

"It's the Marines, Staff Sergeant! You know how brutal their physicals are. Doesn't hurt to give this young man another chance, now does it?" Dr. Hatsume smiled.

Staff Sergeant Grey pondered for a moment and conceded. It was late and there'd likely be no one else coming in tonight anyways. Might as well get it over with now.

"Fine." He conceded. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a clipboard with some paper to hand to the doctor. "There's a room in the back. You can take Mr. Midoriya there. Try to be quick though, doctor, we're going to be closing soon."

Taking the clipboard, Dr. Hatsume gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks, Staff Sergeant! You're the best!" She motioned for Izuku to follow her. He complied but was still bewildered over the situation.

Dr. Hatsume and Izuku stepped into a room with a treadmill and exercise mats positioned across the floor and US Army motivation posters on the white walls.

"Alright, Mr. Midoriya… or do you prefer Midoriya-san?" Dr. Hatsume asked, a Japanese accent present in her voice.

"Um, Izuku is fine." He replied.

"You from around here, Izuku?"

"Well, I was born in Japan. But my Mom and I moved to Fresno when I was three." Izuku explained. "I am an American citizen, if you're wondering."

'Good thing you guys moved from Japan when you did…' Dr. Hatsume grimly thought before refocusing.

"Um, sorry if I sound rude, but who are you?" Izuku asked, confused. "Up there at the desk, you acted like you knew me. But I don't believe I've ever met you."

"Oh! Silly me! Where are my manners?" She laughed awkwardly. Composing herself, she held out her hand. "Dr. Teruko Hatsume."

Izuku shook her hand. "Izuku Midoriya. Pleasure to meet you, doctor."

He paused when he noticed, behind her glasses, three light-yellow rings in Dr. Hatsume's eyes around her green irises. He didn't want to be insensitive, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Doctor, what are those circles in your eyes?"

"Oh? It's part of my Meta-Ability." She adopted an expression of slight concern. "Does this bother you?"

"N-no! I think it's fascinating!" Izuku asserted, grinning. "If you don't mind, could you tell me what your ability is?"

Dr. Hatsume closed her eyes and grinned proudly. "I call it Micro-Insight. It allows me to zoom in on objects at the microscopic level and provides me a solid understanding of that object's inner workings, whether it's organic or not. Pretty cool, right?"

Opening her eyes, she was taken aback to see Izuku briskly scribbling notes down in a notebook. "Fascinating… a Meta-Ability like that is perfect for the science field. I wonder what the limit is on how far you can zoom in on something. How long can you zoom in? Does it cause eye strain if you use it too long? How much knowledge do you gain from the object? Do you acquire more insight the longer you look at it? Is it possible to gain absolute knowledge on it?" He continued to murmur.

Dr. Hatsume blinked twice, sweat-dropping. 'Whoa… this kid sure is analytical. I'd be impressed if it wasn't kind of creepy. Also, where'd he get that notebook?' She internally mused.

Izuku suddenly gasped as his eyes widened in realization. "Wait! Hold on, you're the Dr. Teruko Hatsume!?"

"You've heard of me?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Have I?!" His eyes sparkled in amazement. "You're one of the world's most renowned scientists when it comes to the study and understanding of meta-abilities! I've read both volumes of your book. I'm actually getting started on Volume 3 soon!"

"And you… understand it?" She was definitely surprised that a teen was able to understand her writings. It certainly wasn't directed at the average reader.

"Of course! You've proven that not all meta-abilities are the same even if they share similarities. They're unique to each individual. And each ability stems from a Quirk Factor, as you dubbed it, encoded in a person's genes. It's very fascinating stuff!" He exclaimed excitedly. "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you in the flesh!"

He then groaned and facepalmed in frustration. "Shoot! If only I brought my books for you to sign!"

Putting aside his muttering, Dr. Hatsume was impressed by Izuku's intellect. She glanced at Izuku's notebook in curiosity.

"Are those your notes on Meta-Abilities?" When Izuku nodded, she asked, "Mind if I take a look?"

"Sure. Nothing too special though. I just like to take notes on them since it's a hobby of mine." Izuku commented while handing her his notes.

Dr. Hatsume flipped through the notebook and was stupefied. He had pages dedicated to different people detailing their Meta-Ability's strengths and weaknesses and how they could be implemented. The latest page was a quick full-body sketch of her with notes of her own Meta-Ability and its practical uses listed by it.

She was amazed as some of her own colleagues couldn't write notes this detailed! And he only did this as a hobby?!

"Not gonna lie, this is some impressive stuff, kid." She stated, handing the notebook back to Izuku. "I'd kill to have an assistant like you."

He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck from the unexpected praise. "O-oh… t-thanks! That means a lot coming from you." He stammered bashfully.

"Oh!" Hatsume's eyes widened. "Right! The exercises! Let's get started so the Staff Sergeant can come home soon, yeah?"

Izuku nodded in determination. "Right!"

From there, Dr. Hatsume gave Izuku the Army's Physical Fitness Test which consisted of the following exercises: 2 minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a two-mile timed run. Applicants had to pass with at least a score of 60 on each event and overall score of at least 180 points.

The ruby-haired doctor didn't think it was too big of a deal. After all, Izuku was young. Surely he could do these exercises in a timely fashion even if he was on the scrawny side.

15 minutes later, Dr. Hatsume was left speechless. To say Izuku did badly would be an understatement. He could barely do 10 push-ups and sit-ups and was forced to stop in the middle of his run on the treadmill to take multiple puffs from his inhaler.

She tailed up his score and visibly winced. 70 overall.

'This kid shouldn't be anywhere near the military. His asthma alone is a big disqualifier. And yet…' She glanced up from his clipboard to see him leaning down with his hands on his knees, panting hard and sweating heavily.

"There are people risking their lives, Peg-chan. It doesn't matter if I'm small or frail, I have no right to do any less than them. It's not about me… and that's what you don't understand."

Finding a couple folding chairs off to the side, Dr. Hatsume placed them in the center of the room. Izuku took a seat as Dr. Hatsume sat across from him with her legs crossed and looking at the clipboard.

"I… I failed, didn't I?" Izuku said, sounding disheartened.

"Yep. Badly." Dr. Hatsume saw no point in sugar coating it. "Honestly, I didn't think it was possible for someone your age to get a score this low. So, congrats on surprising me."

"Oh…" Izuku lowered his head in disappointment.

Dr. Hatsume lowered the clipboard and looked Izuku straight in the eye. "Tell me, why?"

"Huh?" Izuku looked back at her.

"Why do you want to enlist so badly?" She elaborated. "To be frank, you don't belong in the military… like at all. So, what is it? Family tradition? Pride? Do you just want to kill meta-terrorists or something?"

Izuku was momentarily taken aback and quickly responded, "N-no! I don't want to kill anyone."

Hatsume cocked a brow, bemused. "You want to join the military and you're not prepared to kill?"

Izuku shook his head. "I didn't say that. I will if there's no other option, but I would just prefer not to. I want to save and protect people, like a hero should."

"A hero?"

"Yeah." Izuku smiled wistfully. "It may sound idealistic… and silly to some, but I think the coolest and noblest thing a person can do is risk their lives to save others, wanting nothing in return." He clenched his fist. "I know I'm weak and frail, but I'm determined to help in any way I can…"

Dr. Hatsume grinned widely, barely able to contain her excitement. 'This kid!'

She closed her eyes and looked away, keeping her composure. "You're right. That is pretty idealistic… and old-fashioned if I'm being honest. But," she turned her gaze back to him, "people these days may just need a little bit of old-fashioned heroism. Wouldn't you say?"

"Huh…" Izuku was unsure of what to make of her statement at first but nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

"Hmph… I can offer you a chance. However," She reached into her satchel bag and pulled out several papers, "it's on the condition that you join this program."

Izuku took the papers and quickly looked over them. From what he could gather, these were waiver and consent forms to participate in a military project. A.M.P.? He couldn't find the words for the acronym anywhere on the pages.

"You're not 18 yet, right?"

"No… I will be in July. I already have my father's consent though. He doesn't care either way." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Dr. Hatsume nodded. Her intuition told her there was a story there but opted not to pry. Maybe another time. "Okay, just have him sign this and fax or email it here." She handed Izuku a detailed form for parental consent.

"Just know that if you are brought onboard, you'll be sworn into secrecy." Dr. Hatsume explained, sounding serious. "This is a very important project and, I won't lie, we need worthy and willing candidates badly."

'I wonder what this is for exactly?' Izuku internally wondered. 'It sounds like a big deal… Is this supposed to be dangerous or something?'

"I can't give you more details until all your paperwork is signed and you're sworn in. But honestly kid… this is gonna be your only chance to get enlisted. So, if you're willing to-"

"I'll do it!" Izuku quickly responded, adopting a determined expression.

Dr. Hatsume smirked. "No hesitation. I like you, kid!"

Izuku spent the next few minutes signing the papers before handing them back to Hatsume, who placed them in her bag.

"Once all your paperwork goes through, you'll get an acceptance letter in the mail. It'll detail the time and place for us to meet up again." Dr. Hatsume explained as she stood up. "Get you sworn in and all that jazz."

Izuku was trying to keep his composure but couldn't hold back a few tears. "T-thank you, Doctor Hatsume! I promise… I won't let you down!"

"Don't thank me just yet, kid," She shot him a roguish smirk, "you haven't entered the Crucible yet."

'The what?' Izuku blinked in bewilderment.

"But, in any case," she smiled, "welcome to the Army, soldier."

Izuku felt a sudden rush of emotions at that sentence. He couldn't contain the bright smile from his face and the waterworks flowing down it. He had accomplished the first step toward his goal!

Musutafu, Japan - April 2196

It was breaking dawn at Takoba Municipal Beach Park, 4:45 (4:45 AM) to be exact. The sun's yellow rays peeked over the eastern horizon across the ocean, providing a magnificent orange sheet of glean against the blue darkness of the concrete jungle. The waves crashed against the sandy beach, depositing several empty metal soda cans. The cans, however, were lost amongst the mountains of garbage and scrap piled across the coastline.

It was essentially a scrapyard with an oceanfront view.

Yagi Toshinori pulled up in his white pickup truck and parked in front of the beach. He stepped out wearing baggy black sweatpants, a loose blue shirt, and white shoes with a black backpack slung over his shoulder.

Looking out at the heaps of junk, he whistled in amazement. The pictures online didn't do the scale of the garbage on this beach any justice.

'Yes. This will do splendidly for Cap's training.' He nodded in satisfaction.

He proceeded down the sidewalk toward the stairway that went down to the beach and was surprised to already find Midoriya by the stairs doing military-style pushups.

"Ca - I mean, Young Midoriya?" He corrected himself, not wanting to risk blowing Midoriya's identity.

"Good morning, Yagi-san!" Midoriya replied in English, finishing a few more pushups before jumping to his feet.

He wore a black sleeveless workout shirt with the US Army logo in the center, dark green sweatpants, and red work boots with black laces and heels. A pair of dog tags hung around his neck. To Yagi's perspective, Midoriya's muscles appeared to be fairly well-toned even though he was technically experiencing muscle atrophy. He could only imagine what he'd look like after he had gotten back in shape.

"Please, Toshinori is fine. You're certainly early. Meet up time is 5:00." Yagi pointed out, replying in English as well.

He shook his head and smirked. "US Army rule: If you're not 15 minutes early, you're late. I got here at 4:30 though and decided to do some light workouts till you arrived."

Yagi nodded in approval at Midoriya's punctuality. "Well, glad to know I won't have to worry about you being late then." He chuckled.

Yagi and Midoriya walked together down the seawall's stairway to the beach. Next to the stairway was a small ramp for vehicles to get on the beach; not that it was currently in use.

"What is this place, by the way?" Midoriya looked around in shocked disgust at the garbage mounds. "Did the city convert this beach into a landfill or something?"

Two days had passed since his encounter with All Might. After agreeing to let All Might train him, they agreed to meet at this beach early on Saturday morning. At the time, Midoriya assumed he would be doing beach workouts and swimming. So, he was naturally taken aback to see mountains of garbage when he first arrived here.

"This is Takoba Municipal Beach Park." Yagi answered. "From my research, it used to be a beautiful place. But over the last few years, it's become a total mess."

"How come?" Midoriya cocked a brow in bemusement.

Stepping onto the sand, Midoriya followed Yagi through a path in-between the trash heaps, walking closer to the coastline.

"From my understanding, the ocean currents wash up anything dropped in the water within 100 miles off coast to this specific area of the beach." Yagi continued. "Unfortunately, people take advantage of that fact and illegally dump their trash here."

"Which further compounds the problem," Midoriya realized. "I'm confused though…"

He looked around, shocked by the wide variety of trash present. There were far more than just standard everyday trash items; there was a plethora of junky appliances such as AC units, water heaters, fridges, microwaves, stoves, etcetera. Much to his shock, there were also a few abandoned vehicles too and… was that a freaking bulldozer hidden under that pile?!

"How come the city hasn't tried to clean this place up? Or even any of the local hero agencies?" The verdette inquired. "I mean, this would be a great community service project."

"The city doesn't feel it's their responsibility to spend public funds on a massive cleanup project like this." Yagi frowned slightly. "As for the hero agencies, well, most Pros these days are focused on showing off and catching flashy Villains. Because of that, projects like these go mostly unnoticed or flat out ignored."

Midoriya frowned at that, feeling annoyed. 'Right… makes sense. Not really much money or any glory to gain from doing a massive cleanup project like this.' He understood Pros needed to be paid like anyone else, but the criteria for earning higher wages was really bugging Midoriya. Catching criminals wasn't the only thing that mattered in heroism, after all.

All Might's body expanded into his muscle form, his clothes fitting him perfectly. "Until today that is! Your mission, soldier, is to clean up the beach and restore the coastline to its former glory!" He placed his hand atop a nearby industrial fridge and pushed down, easily crushing it like a soda can. The sun's early morning rays shone through the opening in the heap. "That'll be your first step into becoming a modern Hero, Captain!"

"I get it," Midoriya looked around at the landfill in realization. "Moving all the heavy debris and garbage will help re-strengthen my muscles. It'll also be great community service too." He smiled.

All Might smirked and gave him a thumbs-up. "Exactly! You'll get more out of this than just lifting weights in a gym. Real world muscle growth. Community service is very important too! It's good to get back to the basics of heroism, even if it is kind of boring."

"Still… with just me, this won't be an easy mission." Midoriya pointed out. "I've got my work cut out for me."

"Yes, but you want to get into UA University, right, Cap? Well, UA has the toughest hero course to get into. You'll need to be at your absolute best in order to stand out!"

"Right," Midoriya gained a determined look. "I've missed so much time already. I'll have to work so much harder than anyone else… and I've only got 10 months until the entrance exam."

"Not to worry, Cap!" All Might pulled out sheets of paper from his pocket. "I've got you covered with my 'Aim to Pass: American Dream Plan'. Follow this to the letter and the beach will be cleaned up just in time."

Midoriya took the paper and quickly read over the proposed plan and, needless to say, he was quite impressed. All Might had put a lot of thought and consideration into it. He had meticulously scheduled his college and study time, proper diet and mealtime, time working on the beach, and reserving a recovery day on Sunday every week.

"Wow, you even got my sleep scheduled too." He noted. "Nice work."

"Thank you! Also, no offense, but your Japanese is shaky at best. For now on, you and I will only be conversing in Japanese going forward!" All Might placed his hands on his hips. "After all, the best way to learn a language is to be constantly immersed in it."

Midoriya nodded in understanding. He was in Japan, so if he was going to live here long term, he needed to speak and write the language like it was second nature. The best way to do that was to speak it constantly.

"Right. Understood." He replied in Japanese.

"I won't lie, this is going to be super-hard. I may not need to ask this, but I will anyway… Are you up to it?" All Might asked in Japanese.

A confident smirk grew on Midoriya's face. "I was in the Army, All Might. Practically live on plans like these. I got this!" He clenched his fist.

All Might nodded in satisfaction and smiled brightly. "Well then, let's get started!"

Later in the morning, Midoriya was hard at work in his first step to clean Takoba Municipal Beach Park. He pulled at ropes that were wrapped around the base of a large industrial refrigerator before squatting down and sliding his arms through the rope loops and tightening them against his shoulders. With a deep breath, he pulled hard against the ropes.

All Might, while in his muscle form, watched Midoriya drag the refrigerator nearly 50 meters across the sandy beach as he casually sat atop it. Reaching the seawall, with several grunts of exertion, Midoriya pulled the fridge up the concrete rampway and to the street at the back of All Might's truck before stopping.

The ropes went slack as he fell to a knee, breathing heavily with sweat dripping down his face.

All Might jumped off the fridge and clicked a stopwatch in his left hand. "2 minutes and 35 seconds. 10 seconds slower than your last run." He informed while glancing over at the multiple items stacked by his truck that included another fridge, several industrial AC units, and a couple stoves. 'Still, he's doing very well for someone experiencing atrophy.'

"Well," he panted, "extra 600 pounds… with you sitting on top."

"274 kilograms (604 lbs)," Yagi corrected using the metric system, "and I've actually lost weight. I'm down to 255 kilos these days (562 lbs)… in this form at least."

Midoriya sweat-dropped. "Right… much better."

"Anyways," All Might started neatly stacking the items into the back of his truck, "I'll haul these items off for proper disposal. You take a ten-minute break and resume carrying trash to this spot until I get back. Sound good?"

"Yes sir!" Midoriya straightened up and gave a salute.

All Might laughed heartily at that response. After loading up his truck (and making sure there was no one around) he reverted back to his skinny form and drove away.

Midoriya walked to the top of the stairway, taking a moment to gaze at the mountains of trash that remained. Despite the two hours of hard labor, he hadn't made a dent in it!

Instead of getting discouraged, Midoriya clenched his fists and adopted a resolute expression. 'The most worthwhile things in life are always the hardest. I'll finish cleaning this beach with time to spare! さらに先へ.'

With that resolution, Midoriya Izuku rushed down the steps to get back to work, fully motivated to accomplish his goal.