Chapter Seven: Colleagues and Costumes
"Completely ineffective?"
"From what I've seen, at least." Aizawa confirmed as he typed away at his computer, the exhaustion that sagged within his eyes now more palpable than ever in the light of the computer screen. "His Quirk didn't falter or even stutter. It remained the same throughout. It certainly could be a variety of heteromorphic Quirk, though I can't say for sure."
"Very interesting!" The pleasant voice of Principal Nezu echoed in the phone console speakers. "This Quirk that young Fenton possesses certainly holds interesting factors within!"
"And nothing dangerous," Aizawa added. "He seems to have full control of his Quirk and has little issue with the output of his energy, from my own observations. There's no outlying concerns there."
"I shall inform Officer Tsukauchi of the good news!" The principal relayed. "But what of your opinion, Aizawa? How is Fenton within the class?"
Aizawa sighed. If he was being honest, he would have preferred the conversation to end there. Anything that wasn't business or getting him home sooner wasn't his forte. But, being that he knew Nezu probably wouldn't let up about this, the teacher relented.
"His Quirk has gotten him a lot of attention. As far as his popularity is concerned, it should be of no concern, given how many people had stuck around him in addition to his two friends. There's definitely aggressive tension between him and Bakugou already, but nothing serious for now. I'll keep an eye on that and keep you updated. As for his personality…" He sighed again. "Still arrogant to a degree, like I had said before. But a definite heart as well. He's determined to pour everything he has into any given situation. Which is a double-edged sword in my opinion, but can be worked on while he's here. Overall, he doesn't seem to be a danger to himself or anyone here. Fenton has some aspects of his power usage he needs to work on, but he does have a lot of potential."
"Splendid!" Nezu replied. "My goodness, there's so much potential in the 1-A class! I look forward to seeing what heroes they become once they settle comfortably and begin to explore what UA has to offer!"
"There's certainly a drive to all of them," Aizawa agreed sleepily as he continued his typing on his computer. "Enough so that I doubt any of them will be getting stagnantly comfortable anytime soon."
Jeez, I felt like a scarecrow before, but this is ridiculous.
Danny frowned as he rebuttoned his uniform jacket, all the while looking to the absurd amount of muscle on every person around him. They were honestly built enough to make Dash jealous, with six packs on their six packs and with some, like Shoji and Bakugo, with arms built like linebackers.
Danny looked to his own arms and felt baffled. What kind of roided regiment were these guys on? And the halfa half-wondered if they could get him on it as well.
He wasn't looking to be some muscle massed giant, but he definitely wouldn't have been that heartbroken to get rid of his small stature somewhat.
"So Fenton, should we just get back to you in a few hours, when you're done checking yourself out?"
Danny's wandering mind refocused as he turned to see the currently dressing faces of both Sero and Kirishima staring back at him expectantly and trying not to laugh.
Apparently, he had missed something.
Trying to cover up his own embarrassment at that fact, he shot them both a look as he finished up with his uniform.
"First off, I wasn't checking myself out. As long as I know I'm still better looking than you, Sero, I'm fine." That drew some chuckles, which made Danny glad he hadn't brought up to Sero the countless times he had posed in front of mirrors early on when he first got his powers. That would not have worked wonders on his credibility here. "That being said, no, I didn't get your question if you asked one."
Sero laughed. "Well, I'm not surprised, with the ogling you just did to yourself. I asked if you planned to keep the white hair as your main thing?"
Sero's jab aside, Danny raised an eyebrow. "Main thing?"
"Yeah, man!" Kirishima smiled. "When you become a pro hero, is that white hair going to be your signature look? Because it is a pretty badass look!"
"Like… keep it white when I'm flying out fighting crime and stuff?" He smirked as he ran a hand through his now black hair. "I mean, that was always going to be the plan."
"But if you do that, you wouldn't be able to be recognized in public when you do the whole black hair thing," Sero pointed out. "Which isn't bad for some people, but I figured you'd want to shoot for that fame when you become a pro. And, honestly, it doesn't sound bad to be recognized on the streets! Look how popular some of the pros are. They're the biggest celebrities in the world."
Danny considered. "So you're saying do the hero thing while keeping my black hair and blue eyes?"
"Won't look as cool," Kirishima replied as he closed his locker. "That white hair is pretty sick. But it will get you recognized more easily. Everybody loves a public hero, after all!"
"A public hero." The halfa repeated a bit wistfully as he closed his own locker. "Honestly, that kind of thing never really crossed my mind till now. I… never really thought about it too much."
It had crossed his mind many times before that the heroes here were WAY more public then what he was used to. And it did give him thoughts about just how much freedom he had now compared to what he had before.
He was still trying to process the fact and idea that he could fly around the city all he wanted out in the open and no one would even give him a strange glance.
But, as for the idea of actually becoming, not only a hero again, but a FAMOUS hero… that was something else entirely.
After a moment, the ghost boy smiled. "Well, a public hero definitely doesn't sound too bad. It sounds nice to actually have a fanbase. And, if I were to choose…" He ran his hand through his hair again in exaggerated fashion. "I would definitely keep the white. Really has the 'mysterious hero' look going for me."
"Mysterious?" The blonde guy, Kaminari, wondered aloud as he buttoned up his own uniform. "I don't know if that energy you were shooting off is good for a 'mysterious' thing. It was pretty loud for a silent hero."
"Trust me, I can be silent if I want to be," Fenton replied. "Plus, it actually stands out in this world of messy black hair I've apparently surrounded myself in."
He shot a pointed look towards Sero, who shrugged and smiled. "Think what you want. I still stand by what I said before: you look old."
Fenton gave a mock frown at his words and was about to retort when another, more quiet and dark voice called out to them. Or, more specifically, him.
"Fenton, correct?"
The halfa turned and found himself facing the now uniformed feathered and beaked expression of one of the other students who had been testing alongside them. And someone who Danny had been keeping a keen eye on, though not for just the reason of him having a bird head (though Danny had to admit, it was still jarring to see).
Throughout the exams, the ghost boy had noticed a bit of underlying power that he couldn't quite nail down. During the fifty-meter dash, he had run normal and hadn't given Danny the impression of anything on that first exam.
Yet, as the exams progressed, there was a visible shift in just how much power this guy had.
When it came to the grip challenge, there was a change to the air around him. And, even more telling, a change to the color.
Shadows seemingly danced around his palm as he pressed, giving his score a much needed boost as he carried on like nothing had happened.
The rest of the events were the same, with the shadow that seemed to encapsulate around him appearing everytime he needed a boost to his strength or skill.
And Danny couldn't decide if that was the freakiest or coolest thing he has seen throughout the tests. Maybe both.
It reminded the halfa almost of Johnny 13 and his shadow abilities. And Danny found himself wondering to what extent this guy could use his shadows.
It was definitely a cool power to see, that much was certain to the halfa. But, seeing how the avian didn't seem very sociable, Danny had opted to keep his distance for the time being.
That apparently wasn't a shared agenda. Not that Danny minded.
"Yeah, that's me." He replied as the student stopped a couple feet away from him. The halfa gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, I didn't get the chance to introduce myself during the exercises. Your name is?"
Up close and personal, Danny was able to now get a good look at the piercing and analyzing gaze that the feathered individual held. He felt like a mouse under watch, about to be picked off at any given moment.
But, while intense, there was no hostility in his eyes. Instead, there was almost a curiosity to him as he bowed his head slightly.
"Tokoyami. Tokoyami Fumikage."
Danny felt his mind focus back on the scoreboard of the exercises, where the name Tokoyami stood sixth on the board.
In other words, this guy is pretty strong.
"Well," The halfa continued a bit awkwardly. "It's nice to meet you formally, Tokoyami."
"Your Quirk… it seems stooped in night's shadow."
Danny blanked. "Shadow?"
It was at this time that Tokoyami looked back up at him, his analyzing gaze taking up an even more intense stare as he continued. "Throughout the examination and the course of seeing your Quirk in action, I've noticed that you warp the shadow within your body as well, using it to create flight and energy. You've certainly mastered a way of using this revelry." The dark feathered closed his eyes, as if in thought. "I had yet to meet another dark Quirk user until now. Your abilities let you walk the path of shadow, much like myself. And it's clear you've made that path very much your own in a short period of time."
"Well… in a way, yeah, our powers are similar." Danny replied with a bit of uncertainty. He definitely didn't expect this kind of conversation. Nor a comparison of his abilities to another. Were his powers that similar to the ghost energy Danny had? "But my powers… Quirk is definitely not on the level you've managed it! You've got more of the shadow angle and manipulation than I have. And that alone is pretty cool"
Danny hoped Tokoyami didn't think he was only saying that to make him feel better. Honestly, it was the truth in the halfa's eyes. While his powers had more of a flexibility to them, it was clear that Tokoyami's powers were a focus on a certain subject of shadow (one Danny's own powers couldn't quite focus on) and he worked to define that, in a way. That was working out well for him, based on what Danny had seen in the exercises.
Tokoyami nodded. "You are kind. I've worked hard to get control over the Quirk granted to me and keep my shadow under control." His stoic expression never wavered. "It is also abundantly clear to me as well that, while we walk the same, we have dedicated ourselves to different elements of that path. And it intrigues me how differently we manage that control."
The halfa felt it was a bad time to say how 'control' was hardly the word he would say about his powers. Thinking back to the phasing down the floor and how his powers could sometimes activate without him even thinking, he would definitely more say 'handling'.
But that wasn't the immediate thought to the ghost boy. His thought currently was if he had upset Tokoyami in some unintentional way. The conversation path they were taking was leading Danny to believe he might be obtaining another rival.
"Hey, if I ever came across like I had more control over my power in a gloating way, I didn't mean it that way." Danny began. "I was just trying to keep up with-."
"I was not saying that your Quirk is better trained than mine." Tokoyami replied honestly. "And I hold no ill will towards you, Fenton. In fact, what I hold towards you and your Quirk is a curiosity more than anything. Like I've said before, we've both taken different routes with our power. And I look forward to what we can learn from each other and how we can evolve our own strategies when it comes to our dark enhanced abilities."
"When it comes to control?" Danny asked, feeling his own surprise at what Tokoyami was saying. He's hoping to learn off of me?
The black feathered boy nodded. "Each of us has a center in which we control the shadows. To master the darkness around us. Improvement is a guarantee once we both see what we are capable of further down the line. And I hope to work with you in the exploration of that improvement as we see who has the more capable control."
Danny, after a moment of relief at the confirmation that Tokoyami was looking for a fight, took in the exchanged words.
He had expected questions and such in regards to his powers, but a shadow user looking to him for advice? Honestly, he wasn't sure how much he could offer. The halfa knew his powers were bound to be very much different than that of the bird boy. Plus, he was still in the process of trying to fully learn them himself.
But, that being said, Danny didn't want to say no to the idea. Who knew what he could learn from people with powers like this. And he DID come to UA to learn more, after all.
After a moment, he nodded and smiled as well. "I'm always down to learn more about shadow control, Tokoyami. I look forward to seeing what tricks you have as well. You know, once I learn how you're so good at controlling your own shadows."
And, in an instant and in mid-smile, the halfa faltered as he suddenly felt his chest go cold. Immediately, he felt himself exhale, the culmination of a whisper and cold spike he hadn't felt in a long time exiting his mouth.
My… ghost sense?
And he felt himself focus back on Tokoyami, only not exactly on him. It was almost like something else was watching him. Something with just as much curiosity as Tokoyami.
The bird headed hero smiled. "We both have our ways, Fenton. And I look forward to seeing how you wield yours. From one shadow user to another."
And, with that, Tokoyami turned and made his way out of the boys locker room, the presence seemingly following him out.
"Damn. You are making some interesting friends left and right, Fenton," Sero said as he looked on at the doors the bird student had left out of. "I mean, I figured it would be that way with you being first in everything so far, but I didn't expect so MANY people to put you on their radar."
"At least he's not being a jerk about it," Kirishima offered with a smile. "Seems like he's just kind of curious about ya and your Quirks being almost the same! Seems to be pretty manly all around!"
Sero nodded. "True. Fenton already has Bakugo to deal with." He looked to the halfa as they all began to walk towards the exit. "I think the last thing you need is someone else to keep you on your toes."
Danny nodded. "Yeah… I agree there." But his mind was jumbled at those words and his own reaction.
His ghost sense only activated to tell him when there was someone, or something, that could match him at a certain level.
The fact that Tokoyami triggered it at a certain point made the halfa too curious about the powers he possessed.
And, more importantly, how exactly he was able to use them.
What curiosity would have clouded the ghost boy's thoughts, it was quickly forgotten by the voice of Kirishima beside him as they left the boy's locker room.
"But man! I definitely need to train more for all of this!" The shark toothed boy smiled as they made their way down the main hall. "That expelling thing really scared the crap out of me! I just need to be a man and be prepared for anything that UA throws at me!"
Danny shifted his thoughts and regarded the red haired boy, feeling an incredulous smirk on his expression.
"Prepared for that? I don't think any of us could be. Sero studied that pamphlet cover to the end and they sure didn't mention anything about THIS."
"No they didn't." Sero heartedly agreed. "I wasn't expecting a UA teaching experience like that. The tests? Yeah. A heart attack? No."
"Which is why we need to be on alert!" Kirishima retorted with a smile. "Now that we know that UA is willing to do things like that to help us learn, we have to be more on the lookout for them! And, more importantly, we have to become stronger from them!"
He emphasized those words with the fierce activation of his Quirk, sending sparks out as his hand cracked and became like solid stone.
It was said with a lot more bravado then Danny would have brought to the table, but the halfa did get the point of the shark toothed students words.
"Stronger is right," Danny agreed. "UA's definitely not following the norm when it comes to schools. We're going to have to be ready right off the bat in the future."
Sero sighed. "So all that study of the pamphlet was really just a big waste of time then."
Danny shrugged. "I wouldn't say that. Got us both stronger, didn't it?" The ghost boy smiled. "Well, some more than others."
"You're really just asking for a rematch, aren't you?!"
As Sero batted away at the laughing halfa's arm as they entered the stairwell, Kirsihima's smile only got fiercer.
"Don't worry about it, Sero!" He slammed his hardened fists together, creating another shower of sparks. "We learned the hard way, like men are supposed to! Now the next step is to come to UA prepared for whatever they throw at us! And tank through it like true heroes!"
Danny chuckled as he shoved away from Sero. "I REALLY like the way you think, Kirishima." The ghost found himself very much reminded how he was when he first started using his powers: eager and ready for anything. "But also I think there's more to it than just tanking their lessons. If the Entrance Exam and what happened today taught me anything, it's that UA's teachers are looking for people who can sidestep what they throw."
"What do you mean?" Kirishima asked, confused.
"He means that the whole 'tough guy charge' thing isn't going to work forever here! You gotta change it up, Kirishima!"
The bubbly and energetic voice of Ashido echoed through the hall at the same moment she ruffled the shark toothed boy's hair with a laugh. Beside her, the slouched yet smiling green haired form of Tsu.
"Ashido! Tsu!" Sero greeted as Kirishima quickly retreated from the ruffling by the pink skinned student. "What's up?"
"Nothing in particular." Tsu responded with a friendly smile to her expression. "Kero. We were actually hoping to walk with all of you as we left campus."
THAT shocked Danny to hear. He had gotten somewhat used to the popularity that had centered on him when he first entered UA, but it was still so odd to hear. Since when did he become part of this large of a walking group for school?
"Well… yeah, of course! The more, the merrier." Danny replied with a smile. And, with that, Ashido and Tsu fell into step beside the large group. "I gotta say I'm surprised. I thought you two would be jumping at the chance to talk with new people."
"Well, the only person we've really met so far is Uraraka," Ashido relayed. "And she was in a rush to go find and check on Midoryia." She smiled. "You should have seen how fast she left the girls locker room to find him! It was so cute!"
"Actually, Iida was in a rush to find Midoryia too." Sero added. Then he laughed. "I guess that strength enhanced Quirk really does leave an impression."
"Right?!" Ashido exclaimed. "But yeah! Uraraka was in a hurry and the rest of the girls were already heading out, so we figured that we would find you guys! We're still pretty new to each other, after all!"
"Kero." Tsu nodded in agreement. "Plus, given that you're currently top of our class, Fenton, I'm interested in how you can use your Quirk so effectively and flexibly."
"That makes two of us!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"Make that three!" Ashido called.
"I don't think there's anything I can say that you guys already don't know." The ghost boy replied.
Ashido matched the ghost boy's step until she was side-by-side to Danny and playfully leaning towards him. "Come oonnnnn. What's one secret to the success of the current number one in the class?"
Slight embarrassment aside, Danny briefly mulled. At first, he didn't know how exactly to word a response to that. He couldn't exactly say that he had honed it all in by fighting ghosts a good amount in his off time. But it was obvious that his classmates were looking for some type of advice from him, so he gave away the first thing that came to his mind when it came to how he used his powers.
"It's… just about breathing, really," Danny answered truthfully as they made their way out the front doors of UA. "When it comes to managing what my powers can do, I always take the time to take a deep breath and think before I dive in. It always helps clear my mind on what move to go to next. I move so fast all of the time, I really have to keep what I'll do next at the top of my thoughts. And keeping yourself from breathing too much at once also keeps you from using too much energy at one time. It's simple, but it's always worked for me."
The halfa, to his own surprise, ended up diving deeper than he thought to the way he did things. And, with a start, he realized it was because he had never actually TALKED to anyone about the techniques he had used before. At least, not in this detail.
But his classmates were seemingly thinking on his words as Kirishima raised his hardened fist and regarded it. "Breathing helps you concentrate on your Quirk? Badass! Almost feels like a samurai thing!"
"When it comes to concentrating on aspects of a Quirk," Tsu pointed out. "It makes sense. Kero. You can't concentrate on every part at once, so you need to divert your focus on what you can. And, with how extensive Fenton's Quirk is, breathing and concentrating is probably the best route for him."
"I'm not surprised," Sero added. "With so much packed into his Quirk, the first thing Fenton would need is concentration. It's probably what helped him keep up so much at Kaizen, now that I think about it. Even with his late start."
Danny tried to mask his own surprise at the speed they were getting what he had relayed. Then again, he really didn't have actual heroes in training to talk to before.
"Breathing helped you in school?" Ashido asked with biting curiosity. "Wow. I REALLY need you to teach me that one!"
"You don't have the best grades either?" Sero asked. As Ashido shook her head with an embarrassed laugh, the tape user laughed as well. "Good. I'm not the only one here who can use a boost then."
"It seems like we can all learn from each other in one way or another." Tsu pointed out as they finally made their way to the main gates of UA and on the sidewalk that traced around the wall of the campus. She looked at the group with a bit of a shine to her eyes. "Kero. If it's okay with all of you, the idea of grouping up outside of school and exchanging ideas sounds very fun!"
Danny looked at her in surprise. "What, like a UA Study group?"
"Yes." Tsu confirmed with a nod and a croak.
"Dude! That would be so cool!" Kirishima opted in. "I'm down for that! Get through UA as a team!"
"Heck yeah!" Ashido clenched her fists, her smile wider than ever. "Teamwork makes the dream work! Let's do it!"
"It would also be good to hang out as friends and process what we learn at UA. Kero. Going through school would be a lot easier alongside friends."
Danny let the idea of that sink in. His day hadn't even fully ended at UA, yet he was already surrounded by a larger group of friends then he would have thought possible back at Casper High. Friends who not only wanted to know him for him, but knew fully about his powers and worked towards making him better with it. And they all aspired to be what he wanted to be.
Something within Danny's chest that had sat there ever since he had arrived to this world, since he had settled into this society, broke away. He had always been afraid he would find himself as another outcast, especially at UA.
But now, surrounded by these new people, his new classmates, Danny felt himself nod and smile to the idea of expanding that further.
"Yeah, it would be," The halfa replied to the frog girl before turning back to the rest of the group. "I'm down for it! Sero?"
"Heck, I'm down. Seeing as how you wouldn't be here without my skill," Sero began with an impish chuckle. "I can't say no to leaving you alone now, can I? You'd be helpless without me."
"You and I apparently have VERY different thoughts about the word 'helpless'."
"If we're learning from each other," Their spike-toothed friend spoke up once more. "Then I'm for sure going to teach you and Fenton physical stances I know!" He spread his feet and raised his arms in a defensive standpoint, mimicking dodges as he walked. "It's all about keeping yourself defended, after all! And it keeps you ready for the next villain attack! Just like Crimson Riot!"
"Not everybody can afford to go up close and personal like you, Kirishima," Asui pointed out. "If anything, that would be more your specialty. Kero. But, if you're offering, it would be nice to learn how to defend myself if a villain gets too close."
"I would definitely want to learn to throw a punch like you can, Kirishima," Danny chimed in. "The way you went in today with the tests and at the Entrance Exam… you definitely have a science to it."
"I'll teach you, bro!" Kirishima agreed in an instant, seemingly completely forgetting about his stances in favor for his punches. "It's all about the lean in! That's what really brings your full force around it!"
"It's not just about training!" Ashido called out. "It's also about de stressing from school and doing something we can all do! And I know just the way to do that!" She clapped her hands together and pointed to the group. "Karoke!"
"No."
In almost perfect synchronized union, the halfa and the tape user shut it down instantly.
Mina pouted. "What? Boo! Why not?"
"Trust me, I'm saving all of you," Danny assured. "My singing voice would probably put the most damaging sonic Quirk to shame."
It was a harsh truth Danny had come to accept, especially after Sam commented on both him and Tucker when it came to singing, saying they were "practically in the same range."
And he had heard Tucker's singing voice before, so he would say he got the hint.
"I'm not much better," Sero replied. "You want me to swing between buildings? Fine. Singing? I think you're better off listening to a fire siren for three minutes for a better experience."
Ashido shot them a smirk. "You know that doesn't make me want to hear it any less, right? If anything, that makes me want to hear you guys sing even more!"
"Ashido…" Fenton warned, but he felt her hands on both his shoulder and Sero's as she shook him with excitement while exclaiming.
"Come on! Just once and done! I promise!"
"You say that, but trust me, you're going to end up regretting it!"
"We shouldn't force them into it if they don't want to sing," Tsu said, bringing a small bit of hope to the halfa's embarrassed mind. But, just as quickly, her tune changed. "But, that being said, I am very curious as to how Fenton and Sero are at singing in general."
"You're NOT helping this situation, Asui!" Sero called out in a frustrated tone.
"I told you to call me Tsu."
But, as the group argued, laughter slipped in between their words as they continued their discussion.
For a brief moment, Danny remembered back to his first few months in this world, looking at a group of friends and students, wondering if he could ever get something like that again. Especially after what he had failed to do. Failed to save.
Did he even deserve that?
Now, looking back on it, it really was a stupid doubtful thought.
Danny had rejected it without even realizing how much he would miss this kind of dynamic.
And, if this was the group he would be going to UA with, he couldn't wait to see what the next day would bring.
It turns out, the next day would bring a lot more normal classes into the mix, which was both a surprise and not a surprise at the same time for Danny.
On one hand, he had expected a straight dive back into hero drills and scenarios. UA certainly didn't seem shy when it came to throwing those around. Also, if he was being honest with himself, he was kind of looking forward to see what else they could teach him when it came to using his powers and how he could still react to certain situations.
On the other hand, it was still a school. As much as he hated to admit it, he could understand why they still needed to teach English and math to help future heroes learn.
It didn't mean that he didn't have to be slightly annoyed by that fact, though.
Present Mic and his english-language course was the first thing on the UA agenda for the day, which the halfa was fine with. English class, he could handle.
What he wasn't prepared to handle was the pressing questions towards him about the curriculum from just about his entire friend group.
He knew he shouldn't have been surprised. Everyone knew he was from America and everyone knew he spoke the language in general, so obviously the questions would go to him.
But he wasn't much of a teacher to begin with. And that was more apparent than ever as he tried his best to explain the different annunciations and emphasis within certain words.
He never really thought of learning English from an outside perspective until he was caught in the tricky situation of explaining why there were so many ways to say "their" (which he couldn't fully explain anyway. He may have spoke the language, but he was far from an expert on why in English certain words were so emphasized over others.)
After that, lunchtime hit, which gave Danny another chance to indulge himself in the food of Japan.
He had to admit, he still actively missed American food. Say what you want about it shortening your health, there was nothing more satisfying to him then the grease and juice of a nice fat burger and fries. Or a decked out hot dog with all the works. Or a pizza topped with every kind of pepperoni and cheese known to man.
Seicho had dipped his hand in making burgers a few times, which gave Danny the rush of nostalgia he was looking for. It was a kick that would never stop for him.
But, even he had to admit, Japanese food was something else entirely when it came to taste. Especially the way Lunch Rush made it.
Fresh white rice, grilled fish, boiled meat and finely sliced and cooked vegetables. All slapped into one tray of pretty much a perfectly balanced meal.
A league above anything that Danny had tasted in Amity Park and TEN leagues above anything they served at Casper High. And the halfa wasn't afraid to admit that he had pretty much solidified UA as the best place to go for food because of all that.
He was here to become a hero, first and foremost, but this was a nice perk to have.
Not only that, but it also gave the ghost boy the chance he had been looking for to properly check on Midoriya, who was in the middle of both eating and furiously jotting down notes near the edge of an empty table.
The green haired boy was so engrossed in what he was writing, he didn't even notice when Danny sat beside him, the halfa noting that the hand he was now fully writing with once had a broken finger.
Broken bones too? Recovery Girl's power really is amazing.
"I see the hand is doing better now, Midoriya." Danny commented, causing the once concentrated student to nearly jump out of his seat.
Midoryia quickly whirled around in response and took a breath as he realized who was sitting next to him. "Fenton! I'm sorry! I-I didn't really expect anyone to be sitting by me!" He quickly shifted to close his notebook and kind of right his space. "N-not that I'm mad that you chose to sit next to me! I'm just…" He smiled nervously. "Not used to it."
"Trust me, I've been there," Danny replied almost without thinking, which caused Midoryia to give him a curious glance.
"You…have? I-I figured with how powerful your ghost quirk is, you would have been just as popular in your other schools as you are here."
Danny recognized his mistake in wording, but, at the same moment, he realized that he didn't want to really lie about his own experiences.
He knew he had to keep his true origins a secret, but he still wanted some form of truth behind him.
"Well, let's just say that people can still be mean and cruel to you, regardless of how powerful you feel at times," The halfa replied with a slight sigh. "You can be good at one thing and still bad in their eyes at something else. It's just… people, you know?"
"Oh! I-I'm sorry to hear that." Midoryia stayed silent for a moment. "There's a lot of people like that, from what I've seen."
"There are," Danny agreed, the lingering memories of even Dash making his mood linger. "But, regardless of them, what matters is how you focus on yourself, right? And how you can reach your goals. That's how I kept moving and that's how I plan to keep moving."
Midoryia smiled at that and nodded. "Right! It doesn't matter what people say, as long as you reach your goal, it'll be okay in the end! Like All Might says!"
"It's the best way of thinking, in my opinion," Danny said with a laugh as he began to eat. He was just glad to hear that Midoriya held such strong convictions already, like he thought. To deal with someone like Bakugo, who seemed to make a personal target of the green haired boy, he would need a lot of conviction going forward.
And it looked like he had plenty to spare.
"Anyway," The halfa said in between bites. "I didn't mean to start talks this way! I came to check on that broken finger of yours. It looks like it's all healed."
Midoryia reactively lifted the hand in question before he excitedly nodded. "Yup! Recovery Girl fixed it right up yesterday! Her Quirk is extraordinarily powerful, so it shouldn't come as a surprise! She's the main reason UA is able to host events like the Entrance Exam, so broken bones were no problem for her!" He laughed nervously. "Though she did tell me not to make a habit of it."
"I kind of hope you wouldn't," Danny replied. "Is it that hard to control your strength? It looks pretty strong, but I thought you would have a way to control it."
"W-Well, it's… it's only become this strong recently," Midoryia replied nervously as he unconsciously shifted forward to make room for advancing individuals. "I didn't have a lot of time to train with it… like it is now." He looked down to his hand and clenched it into a fist. "But I'm not giving up. I understand how powerful my Quirk is and the limits of how I can use it. I just have to plan around that."
Danny could see the turmoil within the freckled boy as his thoughts affixed to what he could do with his power. It reminded him too much of himself when he first got his powers.
And, as he shifted over to make room for another person beside him, the ghost boy opted to try and help where he could. Especially with the one problem that persisted on him when he first got his powers.
"Can I give you some advice, Midoryia?"
Midoryia looked up in surprise. "Advice? Y-Yeah, of course."
"When it comes to big moves like that, you don't have to use all of your energy," Damny pointed to his healing hand. "I don't know much about how your Quirk works, but it really seems like you put your all into every move you make, which might be why you're… you know… breaking."
Midoryia clutched his healing hand. "But… the whole class is putting their all when they use their Quirks. If I want to keep with you and the others, I need to put everything I can into what I can do."
"I get that," Danny replied without missing a beat. "But putting everything you can into one attack is not going to be that effective in the long run. I agree that it's your signature attack and more effective. In fact, I think the ball you threw probably broke the sound barrier three times while it was up there. But, when it comes down to it, more than one move is a lot better than using one bone-breaking move."
Midoryia looked a bit unsure, but curious nonetheless. "How would you start with small moves with a Quirk like mine?"
The halfa gave Midoryia a confident look. "Next time you're in a fight, think about what else that strength of yours could do besides a punch. Breathe and try to put a little of that burst into that move."
"Breathe…" Midoryia repeated. The green haired boy looked back to his open palm for a moment, his green eyes flitting with a sparked curiosity and intrigue. He then clenched and nodded. "I'll put that advice to good use! Thank you, Fenton!"
"Hey, anything to help you stop from breaking your arm and fingers," Danny replied. "I get why and everything, but I'd prefer to see a friend use his powers without, you know, hurting himself like that."
Midoriya looked embarrassed. "Y-yeah. I'll see what I can do about that."
"Such a cordial exchange of information! I expect nothing less from the students of UA!"
The green haired boy jumped once more and turned towards the bespectacled individual across the table from him. "Iida! When did you…"
And Midoryia paused as he realized the MULTITUDE of people around the table now. Danny soon felt that shock as he realized that his own side of the table was also no longer empty.
Uraraka, Iida and Asui sat on the right near Midoriya, laughing and talking with each other with the same enthusiasm as Sero, Kirishima and Ashido had to the left side of the table near Danny.
There was no one really listening to the conversation at hand except for Iida. It seemed the others were content to let them talk and just enjoy not only the company of the others, but both Danny and Midoryia's as well.
"When… Did our table get so popular?" Danny wondered aloud as Midoryia, red faced after realizing Uraraka was sitting right next to him, looked at a complete loss for words. And air.
"You've both been friendly and kind, optimal examples of what heroes should be!" Iida replied without hesitation. "It's only natural that we return that favor and join you for lunch! After all, it would be rude to leave friends without companionship!"
"… I can see that!" Danny looked back back around the table, taking in pretty much the largest grouping of classmates had had around him in… since he could remember. And he smiled. "Elite AND probably the friendliest school I've ever been to."
With some exceptions. His train of thought briefly went to Bakugou, but didn't stay there.
There was SO MUCH occurring around and to him at this school already. And it wasn't even the end of the second day.
The ghost boy wondered just how much this school could surprise him further.
As it turned out, he would only have to wait till next class to get an answer to that question.
"I HAVE COME THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE NORMAL!"
Excitement was palpable across the group of heroes-in-training as the tall, heroic and muscled form of the number one hero, All Might, leaned out of the doorway of the classroom and shot his signature and heroic smile to the class as a whole.
Murmurs and excited exclamations peppered throughout the grouping, all beyond surprised that All Might would REALLY be their teacher this year.
"It's All Might!" Kaminari called out in excitement.
A couple seats ahead of Danny, he heard Kirishima let out an equally excited laugh. "He really is going to be our teacher!"
Danny couldn't blame them for their reactions. He felt excitement pick at his own heart and mind at the red and white glow of Japan's top hero. The ghost boy had seen SO many videos and news feeds since he came to this world. Every heroic deed the man had done throughout his entire career in Japan.
He was DEFINITELY what Danny had always imagined when he thought of the word "superhero". It already put the halfa in an excited mood to know he would be learning from probably the VERY best this world had to offer.
And, to top it all off…
"Isn't that his Silver Age costume?"
With cape adorned and flapping, the red and white of his prime age costume shining off the classroom lights, he looked more hero than ever before. It was a defining step in what they would learn in this class.
On the seat to his right, Uraraka clenched her palms in excitement, the ever-present blush in her cheeks heightening. "He looks so cool! I can't believe we're going to learn from All Might!"
Up ahead, Sero looked back, his smile both excited and bragging in a way, almost like "Check out what I got you involved in! Cool, right?!"
And, for once, Danny didn't have a retort to that.
All Might continued his confident stride until he reached the front desk, whereupon he let out a haughty laugh that echoed across the room itself.
With a flex, the number one Hero began to speak to his eager listeners.
"HERO BASIC TRAINING!" All Might happily called out. "The class that'll put you through all sorts of special training to mold you into HEROES!" He gave a thumbs up. "It also gets you a TON of credits!"
Danny smiled. This was the class he had been waiting for. And, based on the class reactions, he hadn't been the only one.
Whether through sensing the palpable energy in the room or not, All Might's grin got larger and he stood up straighter.
"No time to dally! Today's activity… IS THIS!" He enthusiastically held out a large card with the bolded and printed words of 'BATTLE' glowing across it. With a hearty chuckle, All Might confirmed what the students of the room almost jumped out of their seats to ask. "BATTLE TRAINING!"
Almost instantly, the atmosphere across the room shifted once more as many of the students, Danny included, stood a little straighter in their chairs.
Training was one thing. Battle training… Danny knew enough about his own tactics. He was eager to see what he could pick up from the others.
Across the way, he could see Bakugou smile with such predatory intent, the halfa was surprised he couldn't hear him audibly growl. It was obvious that the blonde LIVED for this kind of thing, which really didn't shock Danny if the beginning tests were anything to judge on.
Midoryia did look more nervous than excited, fidgeting in his chair as he slightly paled. The halfa could guess it was because combat wouldn't be an easy time with the Quirk he had. And he made it a point to try and boost the guy's confidence before the actual battles began.
All Might, continuing on with his display, pointed a small remote towards the side wall. "And for battle training and exercises… YOU'LL NEED THESE!"
With the click of the small button in his massive palm, the class looked on as sections of the wall popped outwards and slid forward, revealing a number of holding compartments. They each contained a black case, complemented with the bright green glow of numbers that shined even within the well-lit classroom.
Almost instinctively, Danny was on his feet with the rest of the class. He knew exactly what they were.
"In accordance with the 'Quirk registry' and the special request forms you filled out before being admitted…" All Might posed. "COSTUMES! After you change, come out in ranking order to Ground Beta!"
"YEAH!"
With that, the number one hero spun and strided out of the room, cape cracking behind him as the speed of his run caused it to spin at the same velocity.
He definitely knew how to make both a heroic entrance and exit. The entirety of the room quickly surged forward to the cases, not wasting any time in their excitement and complete joy at having their own customized hero costumes.
It was really the one time Danny regretted being seated near the back of the room, since he was in the back of the mass of people moving towards the cases. Luckily, he wasn't the only person in the back of the line.
"Dude," Kirishima started with a smile. "My costume is pretty badass! It'll really show off the skill I have with my Quirk!"
"It helps you show off your hardening ability?" Danny asked as they slowly approached the holding shelf. "Like, the suit changes with you?"
"Doesn't need to," Kirishima clarified with a smile. "It has enough breathing room to let me show off just how hard I can hit!" He personified this by slamming his hardened fists together once more.
"I don't think you need any help in that department," Danny relayed with a laugh. "Even you punching WITHOUT a costume is pretty intimidating. I can't imagine how it'll look in your costume."
"Just wait and see!" The spike toothed classmate replied as he strided forward to reach his case.
Danny moved a step forward as well, at the same moment he heard a voice pipe up from beside him.
"Kirishima's definitely not going to be the only one showing off," Kaminari commented as he sent a few flares of electricity through his hair. He gave a smirk. "I'm pretty sure all of our costumes boost our Quirks to a whole other level! I don't think any of us had the tech to help us out before. Now… it's a whole other story!" The electric boy gave two thumbs up. "I'm definitely going to show off how powerful and shocking I can be!"
"Hey, don't put me to the side just yet," Danny retorted, feeling his own competitive side shine through. "I'm planning to show off a fair bit too."
"After seeing what you could do at those tests, I don't think you need to show off at all!" Kaminari laughed as he picked his case from the holdings. "You showed off exactly how you got first place in the Entrance Exam in my opinion. Nothing else needs to be said there."
"I mean, movement wise, yeah," The halfa agreed before showing off a balled fist. "But fighting, that's where I can use the improvement. And that's where I plan to show off now."
"Like I said," Kaminari threw an impish smile to the ghost boy as he slung his case over his shoulder. "You won't be the only one showing off. That being said, do me a favor and try not to go too hard if we end up fighting, okay? Especially if your costume helps boost your moves. I like showing off as much as the next guy, but I'd also rather keep all my teeth."
The ghost boy smirked as picked up his own case. "Don't have to worry about that. I'm not that intense when it comes to fighting. Besides…" The halfa held up his case, 011, and gave it a once over. "That's not the way my costume is designed, apparently."
"You… already made a costume for me?"
"… I was expecting more excitement. That kind of hurts, Danny."
Danny shot a look at Seicho, who had just set out the filled out UA costume designs on the other side of the table.
The look wasn't only because of his guardian's response. It wasn't until recently that he had started referring to Danny on a first name basis, given that they had lived together for almost a year now.
The halfa was sure it was because Seicho wanted him to feel comfortable, but it still felt very odd to Danny. After months of being referred to as "Fenton", one tends to get used to that referral, like it or not.
"It's not like I'm disappointed. I'm just surprised." Danny pointed out. "I already kind of have a costume, after all."
"You need a physical costume, Danny," Seicho clarified with another point to the pages. "I get that you can make your own costume appear, but that'll look suspicious that you just have that prepared on the go like that. Same reason why you had a uniform in the Entrance Exam."
Danny sighed. "Yeah, but I figured being at UA, it wouldn't have been as weird of a sight since EVERYONE has been working on costumes."
"Trust me on this, this is safer when it comes down to it. Better to have nobody suspect a thing as opposed to someone asking a question."
Danny mulled for a moment, then relented. He definitely didn't want to be questioned too much at UA. Especially about vigilantism.
Seicho smiled. "Besides, I've been working hard to have your costume sync well with your ghost energy. Don't put all my sweat, blood and money to waste. Especially since we don't have much of any of that."
"Sync with my energy?" The ghost boy asked, intrigued. He reached over, slid the page from the grasp of Seicho and read it over himself. And he felt his expression change in surprise. "First of all, where did you get the idea for this design? And color?"
"I told you, I pay attention more then you know," His guardian replied with a proud smile. "To both your stories AND to the way you look when you use your full ghost form. I know your preference when it comes to design. A lot more black and white then I would have thought, you noir nut."
"First of all, I didn't choose those colors. They just happened and happened to look REALLY cool on me. Second, Detnerat energy fiber?"
Seicho nodded enthusiastically. "An alloy used in suits to keep energy contained and concentrated. I think it'll definitely help take a step in the right direction for control of your energy. Helps out a lot of patients at the hospital who can't fully control their energy. I figured it could help you out too."
The black haired teenager considered that information. He was definitely not where he once was when it came to his ghost energy. And, honestly, if this fiber could help him to the point he once was at, he definitely didn't see a problem with that.
"So, it keeps my energy in check and keeps it from overflowing?" Danny wondered as he continued to look over the proposed design.
"That's the idea, at least," Seicho confirmed. "With focus points along certain areas to further enhance any attacks that might occur. But, seeing as how you're pretty good at keeping pace with your energy beams and whatnot, the suit will mainly be to help you keep your energy supply steady."
Danny was impressed, to say the least. It all sounded so… formal. It was odd to go from someone who had to keep a steady lock and key on their powers to someone who was designing a specific suit around them.
"Well, you do make a convincing argument about how cool this will all be." The halfa admitted with a laugh.
"Why, thank you!" Seicho smiled. "Experience as a nurse really trains you for the pitch meeting of Quirk specific suits, you know?" Suddenly, his expression lit up. "Oh! In order to really make this work, I need something else: a lock of your hair."
Danny thought he was joking and turned to him with an exasperated smile. But Seicho didn't return it. Instead, he gave an expecting look.
"… Wait, you're serious?" Danny asked incredulously. "What the heck do they need my hair for?"
"You want the suit to transform with you, don't you?" The nurse asked. "They need a sample in order to make that happen. They did the same thing with a second year last year in order to make his suit work with his Quirk. It's pretty much the same here."
Danny still gave him a VERY confused stare, but he reached up and, with a slight wince, pulled out a strand of black hair. "You better not be cloning me."
Seicho scoffed as he took the hair. "I'm having enough trouble with ONE Fenton Danny. Why would I want a second?"
The halfa scoffed right back. "I'm just saying that usually a hair thing like that is a recipe for cloning. Or some kind of weird thing to it. Oh no. I'm not going to end up in some weird full hair suit, am I?"
"Tempting," His guardian responded. "But no. I've got a very stylish look to your suit that will work well with the involving alloy and one that I think will fit your whole personality very well."
"Style, huh?" The ghost boy thought back to the Kamui Woods shower curtains. "Your style or my style? There's going to be a LARGE difference in either case."
"Your style," The adaption power user smiled. "And, believe me or not, I think you'll really like the look."
The first thing that popped into Danny's head when he looked in the mirror?
The unholy cross of both appreciation about how the costume looked and how much it sucked he would have to tell his guardian that he was completely right.
"Dang it. It does look cool."
Looking back at him through the mirror was a white haired, green-eyed boy decked out in a black-and-white form fitting costume, complemented with a sigil upon the chest and a hood hung loosely behind the neck (in case of a need to get away and hide the white hair, according to Seicho.)
The top half of his costume, hood included, was decked out in a shining white color that stretched across the top of his collar and the top part of the chest, ending in arcing lines on his sides that connected to the white belt-like pattern around the hips of his suit. Almost like an extension on what he previously had before.
His hands were held within these shining white gloves of fabric that stuck to the finer points of his fingers, seemingly settling on the center points for his ghost energy. They were lined with barely seen curves within the fabric that seemed to center and spread from knuckles to fingers like an expansive spider-web of collection.
On top of all that, the bottom of his suit was tightened around his legs and balanced around his shoes, which were so light it felt like he wasn't wearing any at all. It was all giving him an amount of mobility he hadn't thought would be possible in a uniform or suit. The halfa felt light on his feet and ready for action.
All while sporting a superhero look that he had always thought would be something that would remain in comic books.
A part of him, somewhere deep within, made him hesitate for a moment. He felt that his happiness was undeserved. Why should he be happy when he left everything that made him happy originally behind?
Do you think you're deserving of any of this?
Danny felt his fists clench and his expression harden. No. No I don't. But they, above all else, wanted me to become who I wanted to be. And THIS…
The halfa flipped his hood on and flashed a smile back at his reflection before making his way back outside.
THIS is who I want to be.
His mind cleared for the moment, allowing him to feel excitement once more as he stepped into the line of advancing aspiring heroes as they exited the stretching tunnel.
And, as they walked, he felt his friends get a good look at his new uniform.
"Wow, Fenton." Sero commented as he adjusted the hookups to his own costume. "I didn't expect the hooded alleyway vigilante look for your hero costume. But I have to say the look works pretty well with your Quirk! You look like a grim reaper."
Kirishima nodded. "Hell yeah, man! That teched out suit looks like it would kick some serious ass! You looked powered up just walking out here, man!"
Danny felt his cheeks heat. He was just glad to hear that his style carried over well into this world. He didn't know what other colors really blended with him besides black and white, if he was being honest.
"Thanks, you guys," Danny replied honestly, flipping his new hood down so he could freely speak to them. "If I'm being honest, it's definitely not a design I would have gone with before, but looking at it now…" He smiled. "I'm definitely feeling it. What about you guys?"
Sero smiled and showed off the built in tape connectors based on the shoulders of his yellow and black skintight suit and masked costume. "I definitely feel like I can accomplish a lot more with my Quirk right now! Whoever built my suit definitely didn't waste any notes about what I can do with my Quirk!"
"Same!" Kirishima called out as he flexed in his new hero suit as well, a concoction of baggy black pants and a half cape with a ripped hem. His entire chest was bare except for a wired mask that Kirishima wore tightly across his expression (though that didn't stop a smile of pure excitement from coming through). "This is exactly how I wanted the design to be! Now I can show off exactly who I want to be! Crimson Riot style!"
Sero laughed. "Starting one-hundred percent right from the start? I wouldn't expect anything else from you, Kirishima!"
Danny nodded and clenched his palm into a fist, egging energy forward and producing a powerful spark of green flame-like ghost energy that tingled along his covered fingers. "This is our time to show off. And in front of the number one hero in Japan. I'd say it's the perfect time to show how well we can use our powers. And how fast we can learn."
Both of his friends nodded eagerly.
"You definitely don't get many chances to train with All Might," Sero added with a smile as the end of the tunnel began to appear, an eagerness shooting around every classmate around them. "And I'm ready to show him why UA made the right choice with me and you!"
"Yeah," Danny said as they exited the tunnel. "I am too."
And, as the entirety of Class 1-A stepped out onto the training grounds, the bellowing voice of All Might called out to them in excitement. "YOU ALL LOOK SO COOL!"