Going past the beach, they walked further into the city for Midoriya to show Uraraka other areas of the neighborhood. He even told her which alleys she could use for shortcuts and which ones she should actively avoid, bringing an embarrassed blush to her face but she was thankful regardless.
As they walked in comfortable silence, Uraraka decided to strike up another conversation with her guide. Midoriya had been sweet and friendly since meeting him, and she wanted to get to know him better.
"Hey, Midoriya-san."
"Yes, Uraraka-san?" He turned to her.
"I was wondering if you'd tell me more about yourself." Uraraka smiled. "You've been giving me such a wonderful tour so far, but you haven't said much outside of that."
"Oh… well, there isn't much to say…" He replied bashfully.
She shook her head in denial. "I don't believe that." Her smile brightened. "You said you lived in America most of your life, right? Why don't yah tell me about that? What was it like living abroad?"
"Let's see…" He paused momentarily to collect his thoughts, trying to be careful in how he responded, "My mom and I lived in a town called Fresno in the State of California; 4 hours away from Los Angeles. She moved there because the cost of living was a bit cheaper. We didn't have a whole lot of money growing up, but it was still nice nonetheless."
'I see… kind of like me…' Uraraka thought.
"See? I'm already interested. What was it like there? Did you have many friends? How about your mom? Is she still in Fresno while you're attending school here?" She eagerly asked.
Midoriya's expression faltered as his shoulder slumped and looked at the ground.
"Hey, what's the matter?" Uraraka noticed his mood change and became worried. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry if I did."
"Huh? Oh, no." He gave her a sad smile, shaking his head. "It's fine, it's just… well… I didn't have many friends growing up. Actually, I only had one, and they're no longer around." He looked down again, his smile fading. "As for my mom… well…"
Uraraka wasn't sure what Midoriya was trying to say, but knew it was apparently very distressing for him.
'Strange. How could he not have many friends? He seems like a cool guy. And what about his mom and his friend? Did something really bad happen?' She worriedly thought.
She placed her hand gently on the young man's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Disappointed that her attempt at conversation had made her new friend sad, she apologized, "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."
"It's alright. You didn't know." He let out a sorrowful sigh. "I guess… I'm still learning to move on."
The zero-gravity girl wanted to help the verdette boy but didn't want to push him into talking about something uncomfortable. After all, she had only just met him yesterday, it wouldn't be fair. So, she instead reached up and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, causing him to look back at her face and she smiled at him.
"Hey, it's okay, Midoriya-san. You don't have to talk about it, but if you ever do, I'm all ears. Okay?"
Midoriya's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Uraraka was very kind. It reminded him of her, in a way. "Thank you… Uraraka-san."
"No problem. And you can just call me Uraraka, if you want." She gave him a warm smile. "I mean, what are friends for?"
"F-Friends?" He was taken a bit off guard.
She chuckled. "Of course! I mean, I know we just met yesterday, but… I'd like it if we could be friends. What about you?"
'Friends…' Midoriya briefly closed his eyes and a handful of people immediately came to mind; people that he would trust with his life, and most of them were not alive anymore. It made him want to tear up, but he stopped himself - not wanting to worry the brunette any further. 'It would be nice to have that again…'
He opened his eyes and gave Uraraka a smile. "Yeah, I'd like that… and… you can call me Midoriya, if you want."
Uraraka smiled back at him, glad she'd made him happy and that they were comfortable enough to drop suffixes around each other. Before she could respond, both of their phones vibrated in their pockets. Pulling them out, they saw that Yaoyorozu had messaged them both in a group text.
Yaoyorozu: Hey, this is Yaoyorozu from yesterday. If both of you are still interested, we could meet up at the same library this coming Saturday afternoon? Let me know if this time doesn't work for you.
Uraraka looked back to Midoriya and smiled. "I think Yaoyorozu-san wouldn't mind being your friend too."
'Two pretty girls wanting to be my friend? Things certainly have changed.' Midoriya inwardly mused.
Uraraka: Hey Yaoyorozu! I'm free then!
Midoriya: I'm free that afternoon 2.
Yaoyorozu: Excellent! I look forward to seeing you both again! Thank you again!
Midoriya and Uraraka both smiled at that. As they put their phones away, he noticed that Uraraka's phone was a pink, older model smartphone, several models behind the latest.
Even though it was the year 2196, cellphone technology had not changed much in the last 150 years. Midoriya discovered that many technologies not Quirk-related had not progressed hardly any since his time. On one hand, it made the technological aspect of his transition for this era more manageable; on the other hand, it was disappointing to learn humanity's technological progress had stagnated, for the most part.
"It's strange… but I don't think Yaoyorozu-san has many friends." Uraraka mentioned with a small frown, and then waved her hands frantically. "Of course, I could be totally off base with that assessment!"
"Well," Midoriya smiled, "we should try to fix that when we see her. Shouldn't we?"
"Yeah!" Uraraka pumped a fist in excitement.
The verdette and brunette walked around a corner and saw an elderly couple having some difficulty walking across a crosswalk. Midoriya quickly stepped in to guide them and, after a moment's hesitation, Uraraka lent her aid as well.
When both were guided to the other side, they thanked the pair before going their way.
"That was nice of you, Midoriya-san." Uraraka waved at the couple, inwardly gushing at how adorable they were together.
He smiled while watching the elderly pair leave. "Well, being a hero is more than just catching flashy Villains. Just lending a helping hand can be enough."
Uraraka looked at Midoriya momentarily before adopting a bright smile. "You're right!"
"HEY! Stop that guy!" a woman shouted in the distance. "He stole my purse!"
Glancing behind him, Midoriya spotted a purse snatcher racing toward him from around the corner.
"Oh no!" Uraraka grabbed her friend's arm, trying to pull him away. "Hey, Midoriya, we should get out of the way! I don't see any Heroes around."
Midoriya wasn't listening; his gaze focused on the purse snatcher. A man with pitbull facial features, gray fur, and a black spiked collar around his neck. The pitbull-man was heading towards them, and he could tell the man had tunnel vision. He was panicking, not paying much attention to his surroundings as he pushed past several bystanders and not looking both ways running across the street as he attempted to flee the scene.
"Hey! Aren't you listening?!" Uraraka tried to pull him, but he wouldn't budge. "He's coming this way!" She was tempted to touch him with all five fingers and float him out of the way.
"I know. It'll be okay." he said calmly.
"Huh?"
Pulling away from her, he turned to act inconspicuous and as the thief passed by him, he stuck out his leg to trip him, causing him to drop the purse while tumbling to the sidewalk.
"What the?!" Pitbull-man turned to look up at Midoriya, smirking down at him. "Why you!?"
"Midoriya, watch out!" Uraraka cried.
The thief pushed himself up and swung a wild punch at the verdette, but the blow never landed as the man was suddenly ensnared in a web of branches.
"LACQUERED CHAIN PRISON!" Kaumi Woods suddenly swung onto the scene from high up, landing by the thief. "Purse snatching and attempted assault?! You are the incarnation of ev - Uh? It's you!" His eyes widened when noticing Midoriya standing by.
"Good to see you again too, Kamui." Midoriya waved casually. "Thanks for that save."
'Sweet! Got to see his special move up close!' He inwardly cheered. 'Gotta write this down when I get back.'
"Hold on…that's Kamui Woods!" Uraraka lightly gasped. "I've only seen him on the internet!"
Kamui swiftly pulled out a pair of cuffs from his belt and restrained the criminal, still keeping a few branches wrapped around him.
Midoriya then reached down to pick the purse off the ground, handing it to the Pro Hero with a sly grin. "I hope I wasn't interfering with your business."
Kamui Woods momentarily stared at the verdette before shaking his head. "No. Thank you for the assistance."
Midoriya shrugged and smiled. "Anytime."
Kamui then gave him a serious glare. "This doesn't change anything. Remember what I told you."
"I know. I know." Midoriya replied easily. "I remember clearly."
Kamui nodded and glanced over to Uraraka, standing close to Midoriya. "A friend of yours?"
"Y-yeah. I am." She nodded, still surprised.
"Keep an eye on him." Kamui warned the brunette. "He's a good kid, but he can be quite reckless."
With that, Kamui returned the stolen purse and swung away with the criminal in tow - taking him to the nearest police station for processing.
"That was a little uncalled for." Midoriya frowned, watching the hero swing away. "I haven't gotten into any trouble since that day."
"Uh…" Uraraka blinked in confusion. "Am I missing something?"
"Oh, yeah…" Midoriya rubbed his neck sheepishly, "funny story actually."
As the pair continued down the sidewalk, Midoriya retold the Sludge Villain incident while leaving out his encounter with All Might.
After he finished, Uraraka punched him in the arm. "What was that for?"
"No wonder Kamui warned me to keep an eye on you!" She puffed her cheeks out in frustration. "Why would you endanger yourself like that? You could've been arrested, or worse, killed by that Villain!"
"Well," he looked away with his hand on the nape of his neck, "my body moved on its own. I couldn't just stand there and watch that guy die."
Uraraka paused and stared at Midoriya. He risked his life to save someone he didn't know from a dangerous Villain and didn't hesitate to save her and Yaoyorozu from those perverted creeps yesterday. He wasn't arrogant or bragging about it either; he seemed to be humble and down-to-earth. This guy just continued to surprise her.
"Are you okay, Uraraka?" He asked, noticing she went silent and was staring at him hard. Did he have something on his face?
"Um, y-yeah," Uraraka lightly stammered, her blush marks turning a shade darker. "I'm fine. It's just… you're really cool, Midoriya."
"Oh, uh… thank you." He blushed lightly. Where'd that come from?
"Hey! Why don't we head to the arcade before we head back?" Uraraka eagerly suggested. "Get a little more fun in before doing more schoolwork?"
Midoriya nodded. "Yeah, I'm down with that. I haven't had a chance to go though, so I likely won't know any of the games."
'That and pretty much every video game from my era is gone or in a museum somewhere.' Midoriya internally commented.
"That's okay! I'll show you how to play them." Uraraka grabbed his hand and pulled, making sure to keep her pinky lifted. "I think it was a couple blocks this way, right?"
"Y-yeah," Midoriya replied, allowing himself to be guided by the cute brunette.
Midoriya looked at Uraraka pulling him down the sidewalk; her excitement was infectious as a warm smile appeared on his face. 'Well, part of my mission is to make friends close to my age. So, this is a good start, right?'
Fresno, CA - June 2042
"Let's see… casual clothes? Check. Footwear? Check. Toiletries? Check. Personal documents? Check." Izuku went down a list while shuffling through his duffle bag. "Medicine bag? Check."
The day had finally come. He was leaving to start US Army bootcamp. He was both excited and extremely nervous. So much that his heart rate and breathing had slightly increased, and a bit of sweat accumulated on his temple.
The encounter with Dr. Hatsume at the Innovation Expo seven weeks prior was still fresh on his mind. He really couldn't believe this was happening. He was finally getting a chance at the Armed Forces! It was an opportunity he was determined not to squander.
Izuku went through his bag a second time and after confirming he had all the necessary items on the list he had been given, he finally zipped it up. Pulling the bag's strap over his shoulder, he stepped out of his small bedroom and into the living room. He then stepped up to a small table with an urn and a picture of his mother, Inko.
"Hey, mom. The day's finally here. I… I'm leaving for bootcamp today. It's not a normal bootcamp though. The program Dr. Hatsume signed me up for seems pretty top-secret given how little info they've given me. Hopefully I'll get some answers today." He paused to collect his thoughts, twiddling his thumbs. "I know you and Peg-chan aren't exactly thrilled with this decision, but…" He clenched his fists in determination, "... But I promise I'll give it my all and then some. I won't let you down."
Upon saying his peace, he bowed to the picture and urn. "I love you. I'll see you when I get back."
With that, Izuku stepped out of the apartment and locked it. Going down the stairs, he stepped outside out of his apartment complex and into the parking lot. It was early in the morning around 4:30 AM (04:30), and the sun had yet to peak over the horizon. Streetlamps provided enough lighting outside the building though.
"HEY! Kid!" a familiar voice shouted.
Izuku looked ahead to see Dr. Hatsume standing by a red sedan, waving her hands to get his attention. He smiled and walked over to her.
"Hey, doctor! It's good to see you again." He greeted, holding out his hand to which she eagerly shook.
Despite the bags around her eyes, she seemed very energetic. "Likewise, Fresno! Hope you've been well! Nice shirt by the way."
His current attire consisted of al black t-shirt with a gray Superman logo, olive cargo pants, and his red shoes.
"T-thank you." He replied shyly.
"Bet you're glad to be done with boring high school?" She asked.
"Y-yeah… you could say that." Izuku chuckled lightly.
"Well, put your bag in the trunk and hop on in." Dr. Hatsume pulled her door open. "Your bus to the fort leaves at 6, and we got quite a drive to the pickup spot."
Izuku nodded and, after placing his duffle bag in the trunk, he sat in the passenger seat. "Thanks again for the lift, doctor." He closed the door and buckled up. "I… don't have a ride… and the buses aren't running this early in Fresno, so-"
"Think nothing of it! I'm happy to do it!" The redhead smiled widely. 'After all, it's a freaking miracle I met you after Yamamoto's rejection.'
"By the way, you can just call me Teruko if yah want. No need for formalities." She cheerfully stated.
"A-Are you sure?" Izuku blinked, dumbfounded by how casual she was acting.
"Of course! Of course!" She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, and onto the main road. "By the way, you're friends with Corporal Yamamoto, right?"
"Yeah… Peg-chan and I are childhood friends, actually." Izuku replied.
"Peg-chan? Aw… that's cute!" Teruko gushed. "That's like, what, the foundation of many love stories, right?"
"W-what?" Izuku stammered, feeling his face get hotter. "I-It isn't like that! We're just friends!"
Teruko slyly smirked. "That's how it begins."
"I-I t-think you're r-reading too much into it, doctor…" he stuttered.
"Teruko." She corrected him. "Also, you told her you were accepted, yeah? How'd she take it?" Upon eavesdropping on Izuku and Peggy's conversation at the convention center, it sounded like the latter didn't want her friend anywhere near the military. She could only imagine her reaction.
"Well…" Izuku looked away, scratching his cheek sheepishly.
Izuku was standing outside his apartment complex with Peggy sitting on her motorcycle, with her duffle bag securely strapped to the back. Her helmet resting in her lap.
"It was nice seeing you again, Peg-chan." Izuku said. "Even if it was just for a week…"
Peggy nodded. "Same here, Izu-kun. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. But, duty calls, yah know."
Izuku nodded. "Yeah, I get it." He smiled hopefully. "Maybe after I get through bootcamp, we can meet up again? That's if we can both get time-off at the same time."
Peggy frowned and looked away. Izuku's smile dropped as he asked, "Is something wrong?"
"I'm being reassigned, Izu-kun. I can't give any details since it's classified, but I have no idea when I'll be free again." She answered.
Izuku was disappointed to hear that but nodded in understanding. "I - I get it. Duty comes first."
Peggy was silent for a moment. She was still in disbelief that Izuku had been accepted into the Army. He never should've passed the physical exam. It made her wonder if the recruiter at that station in San Fran was desperate to fill a quota and just passed him. She was very tempted to report him to the higher-ups, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
She looked back to her friend. "Hey, Izu-kun… bootcamp is going to be hell for you. You know that, right?" she said bluntly.
He knew better than anyone his physical ailments would affect him the most out of all the recruits, but he didn't care. He was driven.
Izuku simply nodded. "I know."
"So… you know there's no shame if you fail, right? If you do, can you move on and accept that you gave it your best shot?" She asked hopefully.
Izuku knew Peg-chan wasn't a fan of him joining the Armed Forces, but it sounded like she was inwardly hoping he'd fail. "Peg-chan, if my best isn't enough… then yeah, I'll accept that. But," he adopted a determined expression, "I'm gonna push myself beyond my limit before that happens. I'm not gonna squander this one chance I have."
Peggy stared hard at Izuku for a moment and then sighed deeply. Surprisingly, her lips shifted upward into a warm smile. "You can be really cool sometimes. You know that Izu-kun?"
"I-I… thank you," He lightly stammered. He hadn't expected that response.
"Well, I still don't think you should be in the military, but you do deserve a chance." She held out her hand. "Good luck to you."
Izuku blinked and smiled before accepting the handshake. "Thank you, Peg-chan."
After retelling the event, Izuku ended by saying, "She surprisingly took it better than I expected. She still doesn't approve of me being in the military, but she wished me luck nonetheless."
"I see…" Teruko replied, taking in all she heard. 'Yamamoto is a classic Tsundere without knowing it.' She inwardly giggled.
"Shockingly though, my former friend didn't take the news too well." Izuku continued.
"Former friend?" Teruko side-eyed the teen in confusion, still keeping her attention on the road.
"Yeah. We used to be friends when we were younger, but…"
Izuku sighed happily as he closed his locker for the final time, spending the last several minutes emptying its contents into his yellow backpack. Most of her peers had already finished and had cleared out of the hallway.
"Finally. Last day is over." He started walking away but didn't make it a few steps before his ex-friend and bully stepped in front of him.
Zak looked at him with a condescending smirk. "Midori, got a minute?"
Izuku frowned. "Powers, please don't start anything. Remember, Peg-chan has that video of you-"
"I'm not here to cause trouble! On the contrary, I'm here to make an offer to you." He declared.
"Offer?" Izuku blinked, confused.
Zak grinned while pulling out a piece of folded paper from his letterman jacket pocket and handed it to the Asian-American. Izuku cautiously took it and unfolded it, quickly reading its contents. His eyes then shot open in shock. "Y-You're going to the Dodgers!?"
"That's right." Zak smirked, rubbing his knuckles on his chest proudly. "As soon as I win the State Championship next week, I'm heading straight for LA." He made that statement with no sign of hesitation; he was fully confident in his personal abilities.
'Zak… it takes a team to win.' Izuku thought dryly.
"Zak… that's great. But what about USC? Your scholarship?"
"Turned them down. Who needs it?" Zak waved off dismissively. "Why bother with college when I can go straight to the big leagues and cash in?"
"I guess, but-"
Izuku was cut off when Zak put an arm around his shoulders in a "friendly" manner. "But I'll cut to the chase… since I'm going Pro, I'll be making A LOT of money in no time." He smirked down at the smaller teen. "I could use a manager. Someone to manage finances, my daily schedule, track my stats, keep the house clean and all. A partner in my success, if you will. First person I thought of was you. What do you say?"
Izuku was dumbfounded. Where the heck did this come from? "W-what?"
"I get it. You're shocked. I gave you crap the last few years. Well," Zak smiled (but Izuku could tell it wasn't genuine), "I say we put that all behind us and let bygones be bygones. If you accept, I'll make it worth your while. I'll give you say… 3% of my earnings? I could bump it up to 5 if you play your cards correctly. Think about it. When I get the richest contract in MLB history, that'll be a good chunk of change for you."
Izuku wasn't sure what to think at the moment. Zak had physically and verbally abused him since junior high, and never seemed to show any remorse for it. Heck, even now he still wasn't apologizing. Why would he extend such a generous offer to him? He didn't have to ponder that thought long before deducing an answer.
"I only have one condition." Zak continued. "Tell your girlfriend to delete that video she took. If she does, I'll make you rich. Sounds like a fair deal, no?"
Yep. That's the reason.
Izuku inwardly sighed in disappointment, not even reacting to the fact Zak had referred to Peggy as his girlfriend. 'He's not sorry for anything.'
The onyx-haired teen pulled away from Zak. "That's a nice offer, Zak. But even if I wanted to accept (which I don't), I can't." He turned to the brunet indifferently. "I was accepted into the Army. I have to report to bootcamp next month."
Zak's smirk immediately vanished as his jaw nearly hit the ground; shock was plastered on his expression. "W-what the? That's impossible! YOU?!"
"I-It's the truth!" Izuku defended. "I got my acceptance letter in the mail just a few days ago."
"That must be a mistake!" Zak shouted. "You can't even run 50 yards without running out of breath! How in the hell could you have been accepted?! Did you cheat on their test or something?!"
Ignoring his accusation, Izuku furrowed his brows. "A-All I can say Zak is I was accepted. I have to report in June. Sorry… but you'll have to find someone else to be your 'partner'." He spat out the last word sardonically.
"What the hell's with you?!" Zak demanded, taking a step toward the smaller boy. "I'm offering you a chance to share in my rewards, but you'd rather try out for the Army? What's the point?! You're gonna flunk out anyway!"
Izuku hardened his gaze. "You don't know that…"
"Retard! Anyone with a f***ing brain cell knows you'll flunk out!" He snapped. "Look at you!"
Izuku narrowed his eyes and quietly retorted, "I didn't know your meta-ability also allowed you to see the future."
Zak grabbed Izuku by the shirt and directed a piercing glare at him, making the short teen fearfully flinch. "What did you say?"
"Y-You heard me." Izuku squeaked. In his panic, he dropped his backpack to the floor.
"How long have you known?" Zak growled through clenched teeth.
"Since junior high." Izuku replied, with nervous sweat racing down his face. "It didn't take me long to figure out."
"Who all have you told?" Zak hissed, keeping his voice low in case anyone was nearby.
"N-No one." Izuku truthfully answered. Peggy figured out the truth on her own at the same time as Izuku.
"H-How…?" Zak was visibly trembling in anger. It took every spec of self-control to keep himself from beating the crap out of Izuku.
"Zak, you can throw 115 mph fastballs for a whole game without breaking a sweat. That's physically impossible. You could definitely throw faster but you choose to hold back to protect your secret." He explained evenly.
"You knew this whole time and never ratted me out?" Zak cocked a brow, confused.
Izuku shook his head. "No. I couldn't do that. Even to you."
Zak glared at Izuku for a moment before releasing his hold on him.
"And I don't plan on telling anyone." Izuku continued. "I wish you all the best with your future, Zak… but this is where we part ways." He extended his hand for a shake.
The tall brunet didn't even acknowledge the hand as he stared hard at Izuku, scrutinizing him keenly. "Why…?"
Izuku cocked a brow. "Why what?"
"You weren't even born in this country. Why are you so determined to join the military? What, you think people'll treat you better if they know you're in the military?" Zak questioned indignantly. "Well, you're wrong. You're still Asian and people won't care if you're a soldier or not."
Izuku sighed and shook his head. "That has nothing to do with it… and not everyone discriminates like you. I want to serve because I want to help others. Simple as that."
Zak cocked a brow. "That's why you're giving up the chance to make millions of dollars?" He clenched his teeth angrily. "You're just a scrawny, little weakling who'll be lucky to live past 30! You'll die in bootcamp. Even if by some miracle you don't, why are you gonna throw your life away for people you don't even know?"
Though Izuku was nervous, his eyes remained strong as he met Zak's gaze with unwavering conviction. No words needed to be exchanged.
After a moment, Zak scoffed and began stomping off, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. "Whatever then. Enjoy what little life you have left then, nerd."
Izuku sighed in relief, grateful Zak hadn't beaten him up. Guess the blackmail Peggy had on him was enough to get him to consider his actions.
He turned to watch Zak stomp down the hallway. "Life isn't all about money. I hope one day you'll realize that Zak."
He picked up his backpack and resumed heading toward the school exit. However, thanks to his encounter with Zak, he missed his bus ride home.
"Guess I'm walking home…" he bemoaned. "Really wish I had a motorcycle."
Teruko was momentarily speechless after Izuku finished recounting his last encounter with his bully. Unbeknownst to her, he intentionally left out the parts regarding Zak's meta-ability.
"Wait… he wanted you to be his manager after years of treating you like trash?" She blinked twice. "That makes no sense."
"Yeah…" Izuku rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I was confused for a while too. But, after thinking about it, the only reason he'd do that is because that was his own way of apologizing without actually saying it. Zak's pretty petty and prideful like that. I dunno though, I may be thinking too much into it." He confessed.
"Well, I wouldn't worry about it. He's wrong anyway." Teruko stated resolutely with a firm expression. "What you're doing isn't a waste. Trust me on that, Midoriya."
Dr. Hatsume's words made Izuku inwardly happy but turned to her with a questioning gaze. "About that… you never told me what exactly this project is. A.M.P? S.S.R? I've never heard of either. Also, why's this bootcamp not at Fort Benning?"
Fort Benning near Columbus, Georgia was the US Army facility where the vast majority of new army recruits served their time in bootcamp. To Izuku, it was unusual he wasn't being shipped there.
"In reverse order," Teruko responded, "because this project is top-secret, which requires a secret location not disclosed to the public. SSR, the Strategic Scientific Reserve, is a new division of the US Army. As for A.M.P, well…" she smiled roguishly, "you'll see very soon what that's all about."
Izuku was a bit unnerved by her smile but nodded. 'A new top-secret military division, huh? What exactly did I get myself into?'
Musutafu, Japan - November 2196
Midoriya wiped some sweat from his brow, tightened his grip on his shield's leather straps, and charged in for another attack. First, a feint to the left, then an uppercut from the bottom. The hulking blonde was still nimble enough to dodge and sidestep his blows, but only barely. When he tried to aim a right haymaker at Midoriya's face, it was too easy for the verdette to grab hold of his opponent's arm with both arms and vault him over his head.
He was hoping to toss him out of the drawn ring in the dirt, securing a victory. However, the Number One Pro shifted his body midair to land on his feet facing away with Midoriya still latched onto his right arm.
"Oklahoma Smash!" He shouted and began spinning in place.
A miniature-twister was created around him as Midoriya was pulled off his feet and spun around at rapid speeds. Being forced to release his hold, Midoriya was sent flying out of the ring and toward the debris littering the area.
"WHHOOAAA!" Midoriya flipped his body around and managed to bring his shield underneath him just in time as he crashed onto the roof of an old car. The roof caved in and crumbled from both the indestructible shield and its user's weight.
"Ugh…" A pained groan escaped Midoriya's throat as he pushed himself off the car. 'Lost again…'
"Seriously, Toshinori? A twister? That's you holding back?" He looked ahead at the hulking blonde standing ten meters (32 feet) away that had sent him flying.
"HA-HA-HA!" All Might cackled boisterously. "Apologies, Captain! It seems even with these suppressor cuffs, it's still difficult for me to hold back my strength. HA-HA-HA!" Sure enough, locked onto Yagi's wrists and ankles were bulky, silver cuffs that were designed to suppress his amazing strength.
After Midoriya's last college class had ended for the day, Yagi had arrived at the campus to pick him up in his truck. Since Takoba beach was clean and an attraction for locals, the pair could no longer use it for training together without risking their respective secrets. Instead, Yagi brought them to the outskirts of Musutafu to an old scrapyard. After negotiating with the owner to allow them to use the yard for training from prying eyes, the pair engaged in several rounds of sparring.
Even with All Might giving himself a handicap with the suppressor cuffs, Midoriya had still lost every match so far. The Number One Hero's strength and speed was no joke.
Midoriya grunted as he slid off the car and back to the ground. He was wearing his red combat boots, black military pants, and a long-sleeve camo shirt with several new tears in the fabric. Looked like he would need another new shirt. Meanwhile, All Might wore his usual pair of olive-green cargo pants, white t-shirt, and boots.
As he walked back to their makeshift ring, the verdette took a deep breath as the pain from colliding with the car faded away. "Honestly, I can only imagine how hard it is for you to fight opponents that are weaker than you without accidentally killing them, or worse getting civilians caught up in those whirlwinds your attacks create." Midoriya commented.
Still smiling, All Might adopted a serious look in his eyes. "Yes. It is certainly a challenge but with decades of practice, I've learned when to pull my punches, so to speak."
"Living in a world made of cardboard." Midoriya remarked. His gaze then shifted to Yagi's left side. 'Yet someone still managed to give him such a gruesome injury…'
"You know, perhaps you may have better success if you removed those weights?" All Might mentioned.
Midoriya was still wearing the 200 kg (441 lb.) bands on his wrists and ankles from the beach training. He hadn't removed them except when he took showers.
The verdette shook his head. "No can do, All Might. These stay on till I take the practical portion of the entrance exam."
All Might nodded in understanding. "I understand. Do you need a break then, Captain?" He inquired. "We've been at it for an hour now. If you need a short rest to regain your bearings, I understand."
Midoriya laughed wryly. "Are you kidding? I can do this all day." He stepped back into the makeshift ring and got into a fighting stance with his unpainted shield held out in front. "Are you sure you're not the one who needs a break?"
All Might laughed. "I love your spirit! Tell you what, how about we change things up for this round? Let's forget about the ring for now and use the environment to our advantage.
Midoriya glanced around at the various junky items surrounding him, being reminded of the state Takoba beach was in before he had cleaned it. He imagined some of the junk had been transferred here, actually.
'Even with those cuffs on, he can still send me flying just from the air pressure of his attacks alone. I would stand a much better chance using the scrapyard as opposed to trying to fight him in the open ring.' Midoriya quickly deduced.
"I can agree to that." He nodded.
"Excellent! If you're ready, then let's get started!" With that, All Might rushed forward bringing up his hands in a x-shaped position. "Carolina Smash!"
'Right off the bat!?' Midoriya inwardly shouted.
Two arching whirlwinds were produced that stirred up the dust in the air and were strong enough to send Midoriya flying off his feet once more. He flipped acrobatically in midair and nimbly landed on his feet next to some debris.
All Might didn't stop as he casually grabbed a broken AC unit one-handed and tossed it at his opponent. Midoriya swiftly jumped to the side as the unit smashed into the scrap behind him. All Might continued picking up debris around him and threw them at Midoriya, who dodged and deflected them with his shield. All Might knew he didn't need to throw anything at him, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to emulate something a strong or telekinetic Villain would do.
'He's making me focus solely on defense before he rushes at me again.' Midoriya realized. 'I won't give him that chance!'
After sidestepping a microwave that came within an inch of hitting his head, he twisted his body and tossed the shield away without looking. The shield ricocheted off several items around the area and All Might's eyes followed it, preparing to dodge or knock it away when it came close. However, this small momentary distraction was enough for Midoriya to quickly close the distance and send a roundhouse kick into All Might's jaw.
Right as All Might recovered and was about to counter, the shield came flying and slammed into his mid-back area. He winced from the hard impact and nearly stumbled before quickly regaining his bearings. In that time, the shield bounced off a nearby car and back into Midoriya's hands.
Pushing the offensive, Midoriya rushed forward to hit his opponent with the shield's edge. All Might, however, dodged the swing and pulled back his right arm for a powerful punch. Midoriya reacted immediately by holding up the shield and crouching low with his right leg back to anchor himself.
DIIIIINNNNGG!
A small shockwave with the sound of a large bell resonated across the scrapyard; the ground underneath Midoriya cracked around him. The super-soldier though maintained his ground as he held up the quaking shield.
'Crap… Toshinori's power really is no joke…' Midoriya was reminded once more of the massive power-gap between him and the Number One Pro.
Yagi, meanwhile, tried not to visibly grimace from the pain flaring up his right hand and the ringing in his ears. He didn't look but guessed there was bloody bruising on his knuckles. 'The shield really is no joke, isn't it?' He thought. 'I don't believe I could break it even if I wanted to.'
Shaking off his surprise, All Might continued to push forward. The blonde giant and the verdette super-soldier were locked in with both parrying and dodging the other's blows. The shield rang as Midoriya blocked his opponent's hits and swiped it at them. Despite his best efforts, Midoriya was forced into a corner between large scrap items.
"Backed into a corner, Captain!" All Might kept up his broad smile. "What shall you do now?"
Midoriya smirked, an idea occurring to him. "How about I throw my mighty shield?" He quipped.
He threw the disk to the right as it bounced off a couple items before heading straight for All Might's left side. The smiling blonde swiped his arm to the side, creating a small whirlwind that was enough to knock the shield off course. It hit the ground and rolled far out of Midoriya's reach.
"That was predictable. You have to be more creative than that." All Might stated matter-of-factly before rushing forward with his right fist raised back.
'Good. He bought it.' Midoriya feigned surprise from his failed attack as the distance between him and All Might closed.
Quickly calculating the speed of All Might's incoming punch, Midoriya reacted by ducking and sidestepping in time for the punch to swing past him and into a large industrial freezer. With his arm temporarily lodged inside it, Midoriya immediately turned to deliver his strongest kick into All Might's exposed left side.
"BLRAGGHH!"
All Might's eyes shot open from the intense pain, unable to stop the torrent of blood spraying out of his mouth. Still locked into the fight, Midoriya stood up to deliver a strong neck chop. The Number One Hero couldn't stop himself from falling to his right knee.
Unable to hold his form, All Might transformed back to his scrawny state in a cloud of steam. He gasped heavily with blood leaking from the corners of his mouth, too stunned from the pain to counter.
Midoriya's eyes shot open in panic, realizing what he had done. "H-hey! Are you alright!?" He shouted.
"Y-yeah…had… worse…" He panted heavily. "Just… give me… a moment…"
Kneeling by his side, Midoriya looked away and frowned. "I'm sorry, Toshinori. I shouldn't have done that. I just got caught up in the spar and then-"
"It's fine… No need to-"
"Please! Don't talk!" Midoriya cut him off, noting the blood coming out as he talked. "You can't lose any more blood!"
It took a few moments for Yagi to regain control of his breathing and for the flaring pain to steadily subside. With Midoriya's help, he shakily returned to his feet and helped guide him to an old oven for him to sit on.
"Please, I'm really sorry." Midoriya apologized, regret written over his face. "I… I didn't mean to hurt you like that."
"HA!" Yagi laughed without any blood spewing from his mouth thankfully. "Seriously, I'm fine. No need to apologize! I had that coming. I got too cocky there."
"Still, I-"
"I said we should treat this sparring seriously." Yagi interrupted. "You saw an opening and took it. You treated it like a real match and took advantage of an opponent's weakness. So, I'm not mad. That's on me for getting too cocky and leaving myself open like that."
"If you say so…" Midoriya wasn't convinced. It didn't feel right to attack Toshinori's weak spot like that in a sparring match. This wasn't a real fight or a warzone, he reminded himself.
"Still though…" Yagi sweat-dropped. "Maybe we'll tone it down a bit after today and focus on technique a little more going forward."
"That might be for the best." Midoriya said awkwardly.
After fully recovering from the painful blow, Yagi decided to call it a day. It was getting late and offered Midoriya a ride home, which he gladly accepted. On the drive back, the verdette glanced at the haggard blonde driving across from him; specifically, his left side.
"Hey, Toshinori… I know it may not be any of my business, but have you considered wearing a protective vest?" Midoriya inquired.
"A what?" Yagi glanced at him while keeping his full attention on the road.
"Yah know, just some gear with thick padding or better yet maybe something shock-absorbent?" Midoriya elaborated. "It wouldn't hurt to have something there to protect your side."
Yagi sighed. "I… never really needed support items in my career. I had some gauntlets for a while when I was younger, but those didn't work out. Didn't need them or anything else."
"With all due respect, you're not in your prime anymore, All Might. You have a pretty glaring weak spot that could knock you out of a battle if a Villain gets lucky and hits it, or worse, finds out and intentionally targets it." Midoriya mentioned pensively.
He didn't reply immediately. "I'll… take that into consideration, young Midoriya." A thoughtful expression on his face.
"No shame in trying to cover up your vulnerable areas." Midoriya continued. "I mean, that's part of the reason why I use the shield." He pointed to the leather circular case by his legs. "I'm not bulletproof so it's a lifesaver having something I can use to defend myself from gunfire."
"Speaking of the shield," Yagi spoke up, "I noticed in our matches that when it gets knocked out of your reach, you're always moving to reclaim it whenever you can. That is a weakness that can be exploited."
Midoriya nodded in agreement. "Yeah. That's why I train so hard in throwing it… make sure it always returns to me or at least near my location. But," he looked away as he remembered the shield earlier being blown away by All Might's attacks, "that's not always foolproof, I'll admit."
"Perhaps take that into consideration when designing a costume?" Yagi suggested. "Support companies employ brilliant engineers and designers. I'm sure they could figure out something to help."
Yagi then blinked as something occurred to him. "By the way, when you get into UA, what will your costume look like? You can't go back to being Captain America. At least… maybe not for a while, right?"
"I…" Midoriya turned away to look at the passing buildings illuminated by the dim streetlamps, with an introspective look. "I'm not entirely sure about all that. Guess I'm still figuring it out."
"Well, it wouldn't hurt to start giving it some thought. Get a head start on it, yah know." Yagi said.
Midoriya then realized that Toshinori had used when instead of if pertaining to getting accepted into the famous Hero college. He understood that the Pro Hero was likely just confident in his abilities, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to address something that had been bugging him lately.
"Toshinori, you're about to be a teacher at UA. Does that mean you'll be one of the judges in the practical portion of the entrance exam?"
The haggard man shook his head. "I'll be monitoring the exam, yes, but no, I won't be a judge." He looked at him with a smile as if he had read the verdette's mind. "Rest assured, I won't pull any favors or anything like that. I want you to earn your spot on your own as much as you do."
Midoriya smiled, feeling relieved. "Thanks. That… is a load off my mind."
'Now, I just have to hope SHIELD doesn't try anything.' Midoriya dryly thought.
Five days had passed, and it was Saturday afternoon. Midoriya and Uraraka walked together to meet up with Yaoyorozu outside the same library the girls had met.
Midoriya's attire consisted of his pair of red boots, dark blue pants, and a red-and-white plaid shirt with his brown leather jacket; his yellow satchel bag slung over his shoulder. Uraraka wore white shoes, black jeans, a white shirt with a pink Saturn in the center, and a pink zip-up hoodie with the sleeves rolled to her forearms; her hair tied into a messy ponytail. Yaoyorozu's casual wear emphasized her wealth as she wore expensive branded black shoes, tight black leggings with baggy pink shorts and a black belt, and a white short-sleeved button-up shirt; her hair tied up in a spiky ponytail.
The heiress had booked a private study room on the top floor that included a table with desk chairs and dry erase boards on all of the walls, with space for a window and the door.
The trio discussed which topics they needed to personally focus to better prepare themselves for the exam. For Midoriya it was history and Japanese calligraphy, and for Uraraka it was English and Math; meanwhile, Yaoyorozu herself seemed very knowledgeable in every subject. The three lended help to each other when it was needed.
It might have been Midoriya's imagination, but it seemed like Yaoyorozu was simply happy to socialize with them. He was reminded of Uraraka saying that the ravenette possibly didn't have many friends. Perhaps that assessment had been spot on.
After a couple hours of studying, the trio decided to take a snack break and relax for a bit.
"Ugh… my brain hurts." Uraraka leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples with four fingers. Midoriya had noticed the brunette didn't use all of her fingers to touch anything. He wondered if she was intentionally doing it, or if it was a subconscious thing. "Why does English have to be so hard…"
Midoriya smirked at her. "People who speak English would say the same thing about Japanese, yah know."
"Not all of us grow up in America, Midoriya," Uraraka retorted.
"To be fair, English is considered the hardest foreign language to learn." Yaoyorozu chimed in. "So it can be difficult learning for the first time."
"You seem to speak English quite fluently, Yaoyorozu-san. From what I've heard so far, at least."
"That doesn't count!" Uraraka sternly countered. "Yaoyorozu-san's a genius."
"Yeah, that's true," He conceded.
"Oh… you both are too kind." Yaoyorozu looked away shyly. "I wouldn't say I'm a genius."
"I would." Midoriya stated plainly. "I already know you're very smart, and I've only known you a week now."
"T-thank you, Midoriya-san." She blushed lightly.
Uraraka felt a slight twinge inside her chest at that interaction. She wasn't sure what it was but shook her head to forget about it. "Yeah. Is there any subject you're not good at, Yaoyorozu?"
"Growing up, I had the privilege to receive tutoring from very intelligent people on multiple subjects." Yaoyorozu said modestly. "So, I can't take all the credit for everything I know."
'She's really humble about it.' Midoriya inwardly complimented.
"I'm really impressed though with how well you've learned Japanese, Midoriya-san." the ravenette pointed out. "Especially in a relatively short amount of time. You moved to Japan in January, correct?"
"That's right. And what can I say," He shrugged, "I'm a fast learner."
'Having an enhanced brain and eidetic memory helps too.' He mentally remarked.
"I've noticed though when you're studying history, you seem to be focusing mostly on events in the last century or so. At least, so far this afternoon." Yaoyorozu pointed out. "Is that on purpose?"
'Wow… she's very observant.' Midoriya was impressed.
"Uh, yeah. I like to focus on different time periods in my history studies. Just to make sure I'm getting good exposure across the past." He half-lied. "Today I'm focusing on the time after the Third War."
"I see. That does make sense." Yaoyorozu paused to reach into her designer bag to pull out a book. "Have you read this? I'd recommend the first few chapters. They summarize that period fairly well without lacking too many crucial details."
"Oh, thank you." Midoriya gladly accepted the book.
"You're welcome." She smiled.
As the trio continued their studies, Midoriya read through the first several chapters of the history book. It was primarily covering the aftermath of World War III and the "Advent of Quirks", as it's called; particularly, the Quirk-related laws passed and the superhero groups that were formed worldwide to combat the rise of crime and chaos.
It was also during this point of history, the Dark Times (as it's called), that SHIELD had been formed. Initially meant to be a governing force for America's first Heroes before eventually evolving into the worldwide espionage organization it was today.
At the moment, Midoriya was focusing on the laws passed to manage the meta-human crisis.
'Hmm… so most of these Quirk Restriction Laws in the world were put in place during the Dark Times following the Third War. Their purpose was to initially reestablish order.' Midoriya inwardly noted while reading the book. 'I can understand their reasoning given the time, but once a semblance of order was reestablished by the Heroes, they should've gone back and re-worked some of these laws to be more reasonable. A lot of these laws nowadays don't make a lick of sense… I mean, people can't use their abilities whatsoever in public unless they get a license or in self-defense? There has to be a better way to handle this.'
"You okay, Midoriya-san?"
"Huh?" He snapped out of his musings to turn to Yaoyorozu, who was looking at him curiously.
"You had a very intense look on your face. Was something in the book confusing you?" She inquired.
"Oh… uh, no. I was…" He trailed off. 'Come on, just play it off, soldier.'
"It's just… pretty sad to read how bad things were in the Dark Times. How scary and violent it all was." He responded. "For both Quirk users and Quirkless."
Yaoyorozu frowned slightly and nodded. "Yes. It makes you appreciate what our ancestors had to endure in those times, and the hard work and sacrifices past Pro Heroes had to do to get us to this point of relative peace we're in now."
"It really does." Uraraka spoke up. "Believe it or not, my great-grandparents on my dad's side were in the meta-concentration camps. My dad showed me an old journal that has been passed down in our family. It…" she frowned despondently, "... it's just really horrible to read what they went through…just for being different."
Midoriya lowered his head, frowning at the memory of those inhumane facilities set up across various nations, not just in Japan.
"Did… did their journals say if they made it out alive?" Yaoyorozu asked, concerned. "Many early Quirk users in Japan were killed in those awful camps."
Uraraka nodded, a wistful smile appearing on her face. "Yes. Thankfully, they were both saved by Captain America and the Howling Commandos."
Midoriya's eyes widened slightly. "R-Really?"
Uraraka replied happily. "Yeah! When I was little, sometimes before bed, my dad would read some of the entries to me. They simplified it for me and skipped over the graphic stuff, of course. But my great-great-grandparents were going to be gassed in the chambers."
She paused momentarily to collect her thoughts, continuing, "They thought they were going to surely die. Then, at the last second, Captain America and his team stormed the camp and liberated everyone."
Midoriya remained silent and listened intently. 'There were several rescue ops in Japan… but I think I remember what mission this was…'
"That's amazing that your family has such a big part of Quirk history as an heirloom, Uraraka-san!" Yaoyorozu said excitedly. "You wouldn't happen to know which camp they were in, would you?"
Uraraka nodded. "It was in the Osaka Prefecture camp."
'Osaka!' Midoriya immediately recalled that night. He remembered it vividly.
"If I remember correctly, they were liberated on-"
"September 24, 2044." Midoriya instantly responded. "At 20:00 hours. It took approximately 30 minutes to take the camp and free the prisoners. Another hour to guide them all to safety and set up medical and food stations in secure locations before the JPDF reinforcements moved in."
Both Uraraka and Yaoyorozu looked at Midoriya in surprise, who was staring at the tabletop in a trance.
"Uh," Uraraka blinked twice, "yeah, that's right. H-How did you…?"
The verdette's eyes widened, realizing his error. "Oh! Uh, I'm…" he rubbed his neck awkwardly trying to quickly think up an explanation, "a big fan of Captain America. I studied his hero career extensively while I was living in America. I remember reading up on the Osaka meta-concentration camp liberation. That's all."
'Please buy it!' He inwardly hoped. 'It's believable, right?'
"I suppose that makes sense." Yaoyorozu nodded, looking at him dumbfounded. "Although, I'm impressed you were able to state all of that based on the limited info Uraraka gave."
"Seriously!" Uraraka grinned. "You must be a huge Captain America-otaku, huh?"
Midoriya laughed nervously. "Y-yeah…something like that."
'Dodged a bullet there.' He internally sighed in relief.
"Hey, it's okay." Uraraka patted his back supportively. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Truthfully, Yaoyorozu-san and I are both Captain America-otakus too. Right?"
Yaoyorozu nodded with a small blush. "Y-yes… admittedly, I am."
'Wait, what?!'
This really dumbfounded Midoriya. Although he was globally acknowledged as the First Pro Hero (something he didn't agree with), he had noticed it was mostly Americans that still loved Captain America; not surprisingly. Sure, there were people across the world that liked him and appreciated what he accomplished, but most countries primarily supported their own national Heroes, past and present. Nothing wrong with that, he thought.
Needless to say, the super-soldier was quite flummoxed over already meeting three people in Japan that were fans of his old hero identity with All Might, Uraraka, and now Yaoyorozu. He honestly wasn't expecting anyone in Japan to know Captain America outside the name alone when he initially moved to the country.
"Is something wrong, Midoriya-san?" Yaoyorozu inquired.
"Huh…?" Midoriya snapped out of his musings, looking at the ravenette. "N-no, why?"
"Well, it looked like you were thinking hard about something." She mentioned.
"Oh…uh, I was actually curious about something," He calmly said, "Why do you like Captain America, Yaoyorozu-san? I mean, it makes sense for Uraraka, and I grew up in America so I had more exposure to him growing up then any of you would. Honestly, I didn't think anyone in Japan would know who he is outside the name."
Uraraka turned to Yaoyorozu, equally curious.
"Well…" She lowered her head, seemingly contemplating how to answer. "My family has always been fans of the Captain, I suppose. One of my ancestors apparently knew him and was good friends with him if their personal writings are any indication.
"And, aside from his cheesy Hero name," she chuckled lightly before continuing, "I think Captain America was what all heroes should strive to be, regardless of race or nationality. He was selfless, courageous, intelligent, and held strong conviction in doing the right thing. It's no coincidence the first generation of Pro Heroes and Vigilantes after his mysterious disappearance were inspired by him. Dressing up in colorful uniforms with hero names to help make people feel safe.
"He didn't care about popularity polls or becoming number one. He wanted to save and protect people. He was a true hero."
Midoriya and Uraraka were speechless. Realizing they were both staring at her, Yaoyorozu blushed heavily in embarrassment. "I mean… t-that's just what I think. S-Sorry if it doesn't make sense…"
Uraraka shook her head, smiling brightly. "No, that's a great reason, Yaoyorozu-san!"
"That… was pretty deep." Midoriya commented, but a thought then crossed his mind. 'She said one of her ancestors knew me? I don't recall anyone by the name Yaoyorozu… Must've had a different surname maybe?' He pondered. 'Who could it be?'
"T-Thank you." Yaoyorozu blushed cutely.
"I don't know if I could ever be like the Captain, but I do want to rescue people like him and Thirteen do." Uraraka stated, adopting a determined smile. "Rescuing is what I want to focus on in Hero work!"
'Thirteen, huh?' Midoriya glanced at Uraraka's bag and noticed two Chibi-like accessories hanging from it; one was Thirteen the Space Hero and the other was Captain America. How did he not notice that before?
If he remembered correctly, Thirteen was a Pro Hero that specialized in rescue operations and disaster relief. Her Quirk 'Black Hole' was a powerful ability that he'd admit he had a healthy fear of. He was thankful the space-themed heroine was not a Villain, inwardly shuddering at the wide scale damage she could cause.
"Rescuing is the main job of a hero." It was then that a thought occurred to Midoriya. "By the way, what are your Quirks? Uh… that is if you're comfortable sharing." He quickly said, remembering that some people were sensitive about their meta-abilities.
Thankfully, neither Uraraka or Yaoyorozu looked offended or uncomfortable with the question.
"Oh! I just realized I never told you!" Uraraka smiled. "Mine's called Zero Gravity. If I touch an object with all my fingers on my hand, I can make it weightless."
Midoriya's eyes widened in astonishment. "Oh wow! That's an amazing ability!" Without realizing it, he pulled out a notebook from his bag and proceeded to jot down notes on a section for the gravity girl. "All the applications it can be used for… wow! If you get the proper training, you can be an amazing hero, Uraraka!"
Uraraka blushed as scratched the back of her head bashfully. "Aw, thanks. Yaoyorozu-san actually said the same thing, so that means a lot."
"Well, it's true." Midoriya grinned. "Poor Issaac Newton would be rolling in his grave though if he heard about you."
Uraraka couldn't help but chuckle at that comment.
Midoriya flipped over a couple pages, looking at Yaoyorozu expectantly. "And you, Yaoyorozu-san?"
"My Quirk is Creation." She answered. "I can convert the lipids of my body to create any inorganic material, so long as I know the molecular makeup of said item and I have enough lipids to make it."
Midoriya's eyes widened further, jotting down notes at lightning speeds for her dedicated section. "That's… incredible. So many applications… such a versatile ability! With the right training, you could become an expert in rescue operations and combat! You could make medical supplies, tools, battle armor, and any weapon you wanted… Amazing…"
'The variety of meta-abilities these days never ceases to surprise me.' Midoriya thought excitedly. 'They both have awesome abilities.'
Yaoyorozu and Uraraka both looked at the verdette, wide-eyed. The way he was mumbling under his breath and writing notes so fast was both impressive and kind of creepy.
"Uh… Midoriya?" Uraraka weakly smiled.
Hearing his name, the super-soldier broke from his trance and looked up from his book to see the girls looking at him, dumbfounded.
He blinked and felt his face flushed in embarrassment. "I… was muttering, was I?"
They both nodded.
"S-Sorry about that." He sheepishly replied, "I… I'm really fascinated by Quirks, especially Heroes and sometimes Villains. I can't help but make entries whenever I hear or come across one that's very interesting."
"I see. So, it's like a hobby for you?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Something like that," he nodded.
"Does that mean you just made entries for both me and Yaoyorozu-san?" Uraraka enquired.
"Um, yes. Is that okay?" He asked hesitantly.
"I-I don't mind. Do you think you could show me?"
"Well," Midoriya looked away uneasily, "it's not done yet. I'd like to get some more info down as well as some ideas for practical application before showing it."
Yaoyorozu nodded. "I understand. Feel free to ask me any questions pertaining to my Quirk whenever you want." She leaned forward. "When you're done, I'd be interested to see what you wrote."
"Same here!" Uraraka added excitedly. "Maybe hearing from a different perspective on my Quirk can give me ideas on how to use it better."
"S-Sure, I… I will." Midoriya nodded dumbly. "I'll… make sure they're very well thought out."
Nodding in response, Uraraka then asked out of curiosity, "Do you have an entry on Thirteen, perhaps?"
"Oh… yeah, actually." He reached into his bag to pull out his Modern Hero Analysis Book No.12 from his bag, handing it to the brunette. "It's on the 13th page… and no, that was not on purpose."
Uraraka took the notebook and flipped to the designated page. There was only curiosity in her gaze. He was half-expecting her to laugh at him, but her warm auburn eyes roamed over the page. "Oh wow… Thirteen's my favorite Pro and I never knew that! Yaoyorozu look at this!" She handed the book to the ravenette.
Taking the offered book, Yaoyorozu looked over the pages, taking note of the care and effort with ink and crinkled sections. "I… this is impressive, Midoriya-san… you put so much care in organizing and detailing your notes. You must do well in school, yes?"
"Well," He rubbed his neck bashfully, "I do try my best."
'He must have a very analytical mind to note so many details regarding all these Pro Heroes.' Yaoyorozu inwardly noted. 'If he applies that mind to battle scenarios against criminals and Villains, he'd make an excellent strategist in the Hero field.'
"If you're okay with it, I'd like to see more of your notes in the future, if it's alright?" She shyly requested.
"Uh… s-sure." Midoriya blinked, confused. 'Dr. Hatsume was the only one who ever cared to look at my notes. They're both really interested to see them?'
"We should get back to studying." Yaoyorozu pointed out, handing the notebook back to the verdette. "We only have this room for another two hours."
Midoriya and Uraraka nodded.
"Um, is it okay if we start on Math now?" Uraraka questioned.
"I don't see why not. I can help you with that, Uraraka-san." Yaoyorozu offered, and then looked at Midoriya. "Are you alright with that, Midoriya-san?"
Midoriya shrugged nonchalantly. "Doesn't bother me."
"By the way, Yaoyorozu-san," Uraraka turned to the ravenette, "if you want, is it okay if we drop suffixes when we're around each other? I mean, we're all friends now, right?"
"R-really?" Yaoyorozu sputtered in surprise.
"Yeah. Is that okay?" She tilted her head.
Yaoyorozu looked between Midoriya and Uraraka for a moment in shock before smiling brightly; her eyes practically shining. "Yes! I'd like that."
"Awesome!" Uraraka cheered, pumping a fist.
The black-haired heiress felt a warm feeling swell inside her. She had many acquaintances in her life, but never friends who actually wanted to get to know her aside from the fact that her family was wealthy. However, both Uraraka and Midoriya never once inquired about her financial status so far. They genuinely wanted to be friends with her.
She couldn't be any happier. 'I haven't even been accepted into UA yet and I already have two friends? This is certainly a welcomed surprise.'
Midoriya simply smiled, happy to have made another friend; especially over the fact they were all UA-hopefuls and aspiring Pro Heroes.
His thoughts then drifted to their reasonings for admiring his hero identity. His actions resonated through time to inspire Uraraka and Yaoyorozu, and even made it possible for the former to be born. It was an eye-opening experience for the super-soldier. He'd never thought he'd meet anyone in modern times that had been impacted directly by his past exploits.
'Really brings things into perspective…' He inwardly marveled. 'All the people we rescued from those camps… make sense some of their descendants would be around today.' He smiled at the pair. 'Definitely makes all the sacrifice worth it.'
Uraraka noticed the smile, and asked, "Something on your mind, Midoriya?"
"Oh…" Realizing he was unintentionally staring, he waved his hands frantically, "nothing! Let's get started on those math problems! Shall we?" He replied, pulling out blank sheets of paper.
Yaoyorozu took note of Midoriya's peculiar behavior and simply shelved it away. Everyone had their own idiosyncrasies, perhaps this was just part of who Midoriya was? A matter to ponder on another time, she supposed.
Musutafu, Japan - February 2197
It was early in the morning and dawn had yet to arise. Midoriya was awake and currently in the process of packing his yellow bag with essential items and placing the shield in its case. After that, he pulled out a hearty breakfast from the fridge he had prepared the night before in order to save time.
While it was warming up, he walked over to his work desk. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a notebook with the title 'Reports' written on the front in English. Flipping it open he turned to a blank page and grabbed a pen to start writing in English.
FROM: CAPTAIN AMERICA
TO: COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
PROTOCOL: ACTIVITY REPORT
FEBRUARY 26TH, THE DAY OF JP'S UA UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM HAS ARRIVED. I HAVE TRAINED AND STUDIED THE LAST 14 MONTHS FOR THIS DAY. THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF MY MISSION HINGES ON TODAY.
I AM FULLY CONFIDENT IN MY ABILITIES TO PASS BOTH WRITTEN AND PRACTICAL PORTIONS. THE EFFORTS OF THOSE WHO HELPED GET ME TO THIS POINT ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
HOWEVER, SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHING THIS MISSION WILL NOT JUST DEPEND ON ME, BUT HOW THE PANEL OF JUDGES AT UA PERCEIVE MY ABILITIES. IT IS POSSIBLE THEY MAY GLOSS OVER ME FOR CANDIDATES THEY DEEM MORE QUALIFIED - WHATEVER THOSE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE.
NEVERTHELESS, I INTEND TO MAKE MY COUNTRY PROUD!
MY NEXT REPORT WILL OUTLINE THE RESULTS OF THE EXAM AND DETERMINE NEXT STEPS.
Finishing his report, he closed the book and placed it back in the drawer.
Two hours later, Midoriya walked out of his apartment and locked the door. He wore his red boots, faded blue jeans, and button-up green-and-yellow plaid shirt with his usual brown jacket over it. His shield case was strapped to his back with his yellow satchel hanging from his left shoulder.
Placing his keys away, he looked down the corridor to see Uraraka stepping out of her apartment. The recently turned eighteen-year-old was wearing her high school uniform with a thick brown jacket over it, and her black school bag was strapped to her back.
"You ready, Uraraka-chan?" Midoriya asked.
Stepping away from her door and down the hall toward him, she smiled brightly. "Ready, Midori-kun!"
Midoriya couldn't help but smile at the nickname. Uraraka had decided to give it to him after Christmas, and even Yaoyorozu (or Yaomomo, as Uraraka now called her) was even calling him by it. He didn't mind, however. It felt good to have people who sincerely cared about him.
"Not gonna lie though," She fidgeted slightly, "I'm a bit nervous."
Midoriya chortled. "Join the club. But it'll be okay. We've studied and trained hard for this."
"Right!" Uraraka pumped her right fist in determination. "Let's both do our best!"
Midoriya nodded before they walked together down the stairs, ready to take the test that would determine their futures.