Chapter 27 - 10-11

Chapter IX

When Nine-Tailed Midoriya made it to the station the next day, he was ready to drop dead. It had been almost impossible to get out of bed, much less leave the appartment. Maybe he would take a page out of Aizawa's book and carry a sleeping bag. Sadly, if he wanted to win the Sports Festival and beat Bakugo, he had to train, and with the Nine-Tailed form. A pity he spent too much time with Recovery Girl. Not that that was a bad thing but the Three-Tails was not going to do him any favours in a competition of raw power.

To think I managed to stay as the Three-Tails yesterday and did not have a panic attack afterwards, Izuku mused.

If Midoriya was being honest with himself, he had to concede that Aizawa had made a good point just like his mother… and his psychiatrist… and his quirk doctor… and his quirk counsellor… yeah, maybe they were onto something.

Yawning, Midoriya put his clawed hands in his pockets and waited for the train. He just needed to survive, keep his thoughts straight and control his actions. He could do it. He knew he could. One day, he would manage to control all of his ridiculous forms and avoid their quirky personality. Who knew? Maybe he could become a great hero in the process. Unfortunately, at the moment, he had forgotten about something – or rather, someone.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Fox Tranny"

Midoriya glared at Rabbit Girl, who smirked back at him. Strangely enough, however, Midoriya's annoyance was short-lived. He actually found himself smiling back at her. It was certainly an odd thing. After all, he had thought the Nine-Tails had quite the temper issues.

"How original, and here I thought you liked me" he huffed, amused.

"Huh, so the human-looking you is nerdy and wimpy and this form is aloof and hip?" Rabbit Girl mused, grinning all the way.

"I am neither of those things" grunted Midoriya. He sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry about yesterday morning…" a smile threatened to stretch on his face. "I just couldn't help pulling that joke on you".

"I'll admit, you really got me" Rabbit Girl laughed. "So this is your quirk… you can change into different people with different quirks?"

Midoriya wondered how many times he would have to explain his quirk.

"No, I change forms. No matter the form I take, I remain Izuku Midoriya" he promptly stated. "However, each form has its unique…" he paused, searching for the correct word "…drives and desires".

"Really? What about this form? You act really different from the girl from yesterday or the whiny loser from the day before" Rabbit girl remarked.

Izuku squinted dangerously at her.

"Don't call me a whiny loser" he growled. Rabbit Girl stepped back, taken aback by the ferocity behind Midoriya's words. Realizing what he had done, Izuku's eyes widened. "S-sorry, I-I didn't-"

"Wow, I really like this form of yours" Rabbit Girl declared with a wide grin. "I liked you as Fox Girl, but I think this form is way better".

Midoriya blinked at her, baffled. And here he expected her to get mad or remain apprehensive of the angry Fox-Boy. Then again… this was Rumi Usagiyama.

She frowned, tilting her head. "So your forms... do they have different likes? That must be weird. Like, does each form have a different favourite dish?"

Izuku's eyes almost popped out their sockets for a moment, before he leaned back and started laughing.

"Oy, what's so funny?" Rabbit girl irritably huffed.

"Sorry, it is just that – you are the first person to ask me that" Izuku chuckled. "No, as far as I know, I like Katsudon no matter the form, just like I like All Might".

"Pfft, who doesn't like All Might? Villains aside, of course" scoffed Rabbit Girl.

The train finally arrived and the duo walked in. Midoriya was a tad surprised when he chose to sit next to Rabbit Girl, not that she minded. In fact, she haughtily smiled at him (or rather smirked).

"Still, there are a few differences" Midoriya told her as the train lurched forward. "When I have Zero-Tails I become an absolute fanboy about All Might".

"And what about now? What's your opinion about our newest teacher?" Rabbit Girl inquired.

"I respect him… and of course maintain a degree of admiration… but I understand that perhaps he isn't the best role model out there" Midoriya admitted.

"Yeah, he is a bit... I don't know... oblivious? Still though, does having extra tails make you more sophisticated or what?" Rabbit Girl chuckled, amused. "You sound like you are disappointed with the man".

Midoriya instantly thought back to Recovery Girl and Aizawa. They had both told him pretty much the same thing as his mother.

"Well, I admire him, alright? But I can't be like him. I don't think anyone can. He possesses an extraordinary quirk" Midoriya sighed. "I see that now… in this form… that maybe I've allowed my admiration for All Might cloud my actions".

"You wouldn't be the first. Do you know how many enrol in UA just to be like All Might? I for one say screw it! If you want to be the best, beat the shit out of anything that gets in your way" proclaimed Rabbit Girl. "You do you to the best you can do".

Midoriya snickered at that, alongside an amused Rabbit girl.

"That's the thing, my quirk isn't like yours" chuckled Midoriya. "Oh, I can fight alright, but my true strength comes from my forms and cunning". With a saddened smile, he added "I just can't be the same type of hero as All Might".

"So what? Just be yourself – whatever self you want to be at the time, that is" Rabbit Girl scoffed with a shrug. "We don't have to all be the next Symbol of Peace, you know?"

The arrived at the first station and more people poured in. This time, thankfully, there were enough seats for everyone. It was as the train lurched forward for the second time that both Rabbit Girl and Midoriya received the same notification. Confused, they glanced at each other, before looking at their phones.

"Kamui Woods is fighting right now?!" The two teenagers exclaimed with equal enthusiasm.

They snapped their heads at each other, blinking, before breaking into laughter.

"You have the Hero Watcher app!" Midoriya chuckled.

"Oy, I told you, I love seeing fights!" Rabbit Girl pointed out. She looked at the station they had departed from. "Pity we wouldn't make it back to UA in time".

"Yeah… I remember when I made it thirty minutes late because of Mount Lady's debut" Midoriya recalled. He forced a smile at the memory. "Boy was that disappointing…"

"You saw that crap too?" A bitter Rabbit Girl scoffed. "I was there, y'know. Most ridiculous shit I've seen".

"Yeah, she came in just as Kamui Woods was about to make its ultimate move" Midoriya remembered. "And don't get me started on those poses she did afterward".

"That is because Kamui was a moron and didn't finish the fight fast enough. That's a rookie mistake" Rabbit Girl rebutted. "Although, that's what heroes live for, right?" She angrily scoffed. "Most crave attention. Pathetic. If they spent have their time doing real hero work, helping their local communities, instead of spouting stupid monologues or doing ridiculous poses they wouldn't have to worry about making it to the top".

"I agree" Midoriya nodded, equally annoyed. "Many heroes might have fine moves but they have become so self-absorbed…" he grimaced, an image of Bakugo flashed across his mind. "Not that I have been any better" he realized. "I haven't really thought about being better than them… to actually be the sort of hero that bothers more about the people near him than the impression he leaves on people. Maybe-".

SMACK. Midoriya flinched back as a fist gently smacked the top of his head.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Midoriya growled, scratching his head.

"You were going all whiny for a moment there, Fox Boy" Rabbit girl stated with a smirk. "If we want to be better heroes, we act. We don't do whiny contemplative nonsense. Am I clear Fox Boy?"

Midoriya frowned, thinking about her words. While he agreed with the general sentiment... he really would have preferred not to receive a bonk on the head for it. Then again, maybe that was what he needed from time to time.

"I have to think about it…" he said.

"Just don't think too much, Fox Boy" Rabbit Girl mused, nudging him. "There's a life to live, y'know".

Midoriya sighed. She did have a point, didn't she? He glanced at her. She yawned and busied herself with the cell phone. For a moment, Midoriya thought of just minding his own business and ignore the Rabbit Girl. At the same time, he liked the idea of befriending someone like her. However, that meant doing something that would require some guts: try to start a conversation with an attractive girl.

Come on, Midoriya, you've spoke to Uraraka. Just think of something to say, Midoriya thought. He quickly dismissed the thought. What in the world could I discuss with her, anyway? I am just a hero nerd... and yet, as he thought that, an idea suddenly popped into his mind.

"So, did you see yesterday's fight between Golden Eagle and White Jaws?" Midoriya blurted out.

You idiot! Why would she care about American heroes?!Midoriya mentally berated himself. Of all the things you had to pick, it had to be a fight that happened overseas?!

"You saw that too?" Rabbit Girl suddenly asked, wide-eyed and grinning.

Huh? Holy Fox God, that worked?! I'm a genius! Midoriya mentally laughed.

"It was pretty intense, although Golden Eagle is lucky White Jaws is such a brute. A bit more finesse and that pompous hero would have gotten his ass handed to him" Rabbit Girl said.

"White Jaws could have been smarter when fighting someone with air superiority" Midoriya commented.

"That too" Rabbit Girl conceded. "Hey, I didn't think you were into international hero fights".

That's my line, Midoriya thought.

"Well, of course I am. I have notebooks to fill with hero analysis, after all" Midoriya joked.

Why am I such a dork? That's the best thing I could come up with? Midoriya mentally bemoaned.

"You are such a nerd, Fox Boy" Rabbit Girl chuckled, nudging a relieved Midoriya. She raised a challenging eyebrow, grinning excitedly. "What about European heroes? Do you also follow them?"

Oh-ho, maybe this talking-to-girls thing is easier than I had first thought, Midoriya mentally chuckled.

So that was how the rest of the journey went: talking heroes. It felt so strange for Midoriya that at times he wondered if he wasn't dreaming. Back at Aldera Middle School no one cared much about Heroes or Quirks. That and Midoriya had never had the confidence to ever get to know any of his classmates. Thankfully, the two got so immersed in their talk, to the point Midoriya forgot he was in the Nine-Tailed form.

Of course, Midoriya did find that Usagiyama's interest in the more physical aspects of hero fights (from the punches to martial arts employed) greatly eluded him. He was, after all, much more fascinated by quirks and their many uses. Still, both appeared awfully enthusiastic about heroes as a whole. Still, what were the odds of meeting someone with a similarly weird hobby to his?

When the two parted ways at UA, Midoriya was grinning and wagging his tails enthusiastically. For once, he felt confident about the day that was ahead. Maybe being a Fox Boy wasn't such a thing… especially when an attractive girl called her that. So, with his chest puffed up and a devious smile, he went to his classroom.

Midoriya's classmates didn't make much of a scene when he arrived in the Nine-Tailed form, except Mina Ashido, who whined about preferring Midoriya in the Three-Tailed form. Other than that, classes went by as usual. Aizawa scared them a bit before English Class and the day carried on at a boring pace. For the second time in a long while, Midoriya forgot about his quirk, his forms and all that mess, and focused on his class just as he tried to avoid thinking too much about a particular Rabbit Girl…

Lunch time was always an odd experience. This time around, however, Midoriya found himself annoyed by the large lunch hall. How could he not? People were being so loud that particular noon. That or it was just his keen fox ears…

"Today there sure are a lot of people" Uraraka said as she followed Midoriya and Iida with a tray on her hands.

"Indeed! It does not help that the inefficient distribution of students across the tables have left little space for us" Iida hummed, looking around.

"Guys, I think we have a table there" Midoriya told them, leading the way.

"Are you sure? There is someone already there" Uraraka said, only to notice Midoriya's swaying tails. Was it her or did he look a tad enthusiastic?

The trio made their way across the busy lunch room, straight to an almost empty table. There, staring at her cell phone, was none other than Rumi Usagiyama. There was a half-eaten bowl of vegetables and rice at a side, and a couple of carrots.

"Is that Big Croc against Batman?" Midoriya asked. "That's a classic!"

"Ah, Fox Boy!" Rumi called, grinning. "Yeah, I like going retro from time to time".

"Excuse us, fellow student. You would not mind if-"

"Hey, I remember you Stiff Boy" Rumi interrupted with a grin. "Yeah, yeah, sit down if you want".

"That really is an old fight" Midoriya hummed, leaning over to watch the the video.

Rumi leaned to a side and placed the phone between them, much to the surprise of Uraraka and Iida. Iida in particular couldn't believe Midoriya had managed to befriend the Rabbit Girl.

"Speaking of fighting" Iida cleared his throat. "Midoriya, we might have a… situation in our hands".

"What do you mean?" Midoriya asked, blinking at the bespectacled boy.

"Well… do you remember that Uraraka and I both set off to U.A. training facilities, be it the gym for basic muscular enhancement or the battle grounds to train quirks, while you were taken by Recovery Girl" Iida started.

"Oh right, how did it go?" Midoriya wondered.

His two friends shared morose faces.

"That's the thing" Uraraka sheepishly chuckled. "Every facility is booked until the Sports Festival".

"They are what?!" Rumi and Midoriya chorused.

"I am afraid to say most upperclassmen left little to no available spots in the quirk training grounds. There are not many supervising teachers available and we were too slow, apparently, to secure a reservation. Moreover, I suggest against attending the local gym. They were overflowing with students yesterday" Iida explained.

"This is bad" Midoriya sighed. "I don't think I can afford a gym…"

"Yeah, me neither" grunted Rumi.

"Ehm… Midoriya, perhaps introductions should be in order" Iida said.

"Ah, right. Rumi Usagiyama: Iida Tenya and Uraraka Ochaco. Guys, Rumi Usagiyama".

"Ah-ha! I thought you looked familiar" Rumi exclaimed. "You are related to Ingenium, aren't you?"

"Why yes, he is my brother" Iida proudly boasted.

"Sweet. Tell him to learn how to kick next time you see him" Rumi said, earning a squawk of indignation from Iida.

"My brother is more than capable at kicking! He has trained and push his body through rigorous -" Iida angrily spouted, karate-chopping the air.

"Oh yeah?" Rumi interrupted. "That bat villain that escaped him last week probably thinks otherwise".

Iida spluttered, indignant, as he tried to formulate a coherent response. Uraraka and Midoriya, on their part, chuckled at their friend's expense.

"That was mere happenstance" Iida muttered.

"So there is no place to train?" Midoriya swiftly cut in, addressing Uraraka. "What are you guys going to do?"

"I don't know… before U.A. I trained with my parents by moving construction materials and equipment. That's how I increased my quirk limit to three tons" Uraraka replied.

"You were violating the law?!" Gasped Iida.

"It was the only way to increase my quirk's power" Uraraka mumbled, red-faced and guilt-ridden.

"But there are multiple places that could have served as sufficient training facilities, such as specialized gyms and dedicated quirk specialists. For instance, I had the opportunity to train with my family's equipment and under their guidance" Iida stated.

"Oy, Four Eyes, we can't all afford fancy special equipment or quirk analysts" indignantly huffed Rumi. "I'm self taught, y'know? My family just doesn't have the money".

"I might have had the chance to use gear during my rehab- I mean, for a time – but for most of it I had to train by myself" Midoriya shared. He did not tell them, however, it had been mostly because he didn't want to be seen in any other form publicly.

"Quirk laws are stupid. Why can't we just be free to use our quirks however we want?" Rumi grumbled.

"Outrageous!" Iida exclaimed. "I thought it was common understanding we require such laws to maintain the peace! If people were given the opportunity to exploit their abilities, it would create vast inequality and societal mayhem. Just look at our history!"

"But Iida, the Dark Age of Heroes happened mostly because quirks were starting to show and no one knew how to react to them" Midoriya pointed out.

"It was a really crazy time, wasn't it?" Uraraka commented, shuddering. "Those with quirks thinking they were superior and the future of human kind, the quirkless who wanted to eradicate those with quirks…" She shook her head. "So, what are you going to do Midoriya?"

"About the training for the Sports Festival?" Midoriya asked. He sighed, unsure. "I guess I'll have to practice with what I can." He looked at the ceiling, thoughtful. "With Recovery Girl we came up with a basic plan to increase my core energy".

"Energy?" The other three asked at the same time.

"Yes. It is like my fuel" Midoriya chuckled. "I spend some of it each time I transform or when use each form's power". He frowned, scratching his head. "I really I don't know how to call it..."

"Ah, so it is like chakra" Rumi suggested.

"Uh, I know! You mean you are like a mage with mana?" Uraraka, with sparkling eyes, wondered.

"Perhaps a more apt name would be Qi or Chi" Iida suggested.

"I rather just stick to energy, alright?" Midoriya chuckled.

"You are so lame, Fox Boy" Rumi teased with a wide grin, nudging him.

"In any case, I suppose I'll have to find some way of increasing my strength. Maybe daily number of push-ups, pull-ups and the kind" Midoriya said.

"You should have already been doing that, Fox Boy" Rumi chided. "Really, do you need people to tell how to do everything?"

"I could do that too" Uraraka hummed, only to grimace. "It is going to be tough, isn't it? The Sports Festival is so far… yet we are all going nuts about it."

"Well, considering every freshman student will be trying to win…" Midoriya trailed off.

"You should watch out for the General Studies kids. Each year there is one or two of them who really want to make it to the Hero Department and will do anything to achieve that" Rumi told them.

"Hold on, so those from General Studies can be transferred to the Hero Department?" Uraraka asked.

"Of course! You don't think the school is just going to waste any free spots in the Hero Department, do you? I mean, 2-A is made entirely of General Studies kids that impressed the teachers during the last Sports Festival" Rumi informed the three.

Midoriya had forgotten Aizawa had expelled an entire class (sans Rabbit Girl) the previous year. It seemed that another Pro-Hero became class 2-A homeroom teacher.

"Say, Rabbit Girl, the attention of how many agencies did you catch last year?" Midoriya tentatively inquired.

"From Pro-Hero Agencies? Like ten" Rumi grunted, annoyed. "From modelling agencies? Three hundred".

Midoriya's eyebrows shot up his forehead, surprised. He wasn't the only one. Ten Pro-Hero agencies? Considering Rumi's looks and performance, they had all assumed she had gotten ten times that number.

"Really? But you ended up third, right?" Uraraka asked. "Or were you fourth?"

"Third, and Pro-Hero agencies take other things into account than your performance" Rumi muttered. "The guy that ended fourth had a thousand requests, for instance, while the first and second places all had more than two thousand each".

"But why did you…?" Iida started asking, only to trail off, unsure if it was a pertinent question.

Feeling a bit awkward, Iida decided to take a drink. Midoriya and Uraraka, entrapped by the conversation, started eating. They all stared at Rumi, waiting for an explanation. After all, perhaps they could learn what to do.

"It's my quirk. One of the side effects is increased sexual drive."

The reaction was instantaneous. Uraraka started choking, some rice going down the wrong pipe. Iida spew the water he had been drinking, showering a nearby table. Midoriya had it worse. He broke into incoherent spluttering, tomato-faced. Rumi, for her part, broke into full blown laughter.

"Y-you are jesting, aren't you?" Iida inquired with pleading eyes.

"Oh no, it's what it is" Rumi admitted with a shrug. "So yeah, I really, really want to get laid all the time. So are you up for it, Fox Boy?" She nudged Midoriya, who remained petrified and red-faced. That made Rumi burst out laughing once again.

"But what does that have to do with agencies wanting to have you as interns or as potential recruits?" Uraraka asked.

"Everything" sighed Rumi. "Some Pro-Hero agencies have a zero tolerance policy towards internal relationships and others might believe I am just a scandal waiting to happen. You know tabloids. They would love to have a hero that allegedly has increased sex drive. Most, though, probably believe that I'll get knocked up in no time so I am not worth the effort".

"That's horrible!" Uraraka gasped. "Aren't there anti-discrimination laws or something?"

"Bah, it's their loss" Rumi huffed, only to grin and wave a defiant fist. "Once I go Pro I'll scrap their stupid agencies off the charts and make them regret their decision".

Midoriya had to admit, Rumi's dauntless attitude and fearless personality sure was admirable.

"But that is unacceptable!" Iida proclaimed. "You are being discriminated against based on something outside your control, something defined by pure chance!"

"Newsflash, Four Eyes, there are agencies choose based solely on your quirk" Rumi stated. "Heck, it is becoming more common to marry people based on quirks".

"Well, yeah, you kind of want to marry someone with a compatible quirk, right?" Uraraka commented with a dismissive shrug.

"How preposterous!" Iida exclaimed, looking horrified. "I expected better from you, Uraraka!"

"D-did I say something wrong?" Uraraka timidly wondered.

"Wait, really? You of all people are surprised?" Rumi asked Iida, confused. "Four Eyes, everybody knows Hero families like yours are very selective on their partners. I mean, how do you think you've got three generations of Iida Pro-Heroes all with similar quirks".

"Th-that – that is different" Iida stated.

Midoriya, on his part, was truly uncomfortable about all their current subject. His parents, after all, had married out of love instead of the increasingly more popular quirk partnering. That, however, hadn't stopped his mother from worrying her son would have a hard time finding a girlfriend when he was quirkless. Of course, once she discovered that that wasn't the case, Midoriya was made aware of such fear of hers.

"Aren't quirk marriages illegal?" Midoriya inquired.

"Technically" Iida replied. "It is frowned upon given the close resemblance to eugenics. However, it is impossible to regulate. After all, how can you tell when a marriage is performed out of love and when it is entirely based on the quirks involved?"

"Could we talk about something else?" Uraraka asked.

"Maybe we should focus our energies on eating" Iida hummed, checking the time. "We don't have much of lunch break left".

Thankfully, that was the end of that discussion. It did, however, make Midoriya feel self-conscious. Could Usagiyama be interested in him, driven by her quirk? That thought made him shiver. However, he quickly dismissed the thought. Who would ever be interested in him like that? He was a wimpy loser and a nerd, not to mention a coward still trying to get a grip on his own quirk. Besides, he wasn't about to assume Rabbit Girl just wanted to jump someone for sex. She probably had that urge under control or she was exaggerating… right?

She does have eight siblings, Midoriya remembered.

They didn't talk much after that. They had food to finish and more to discuss regarding their training. The rest of the day went by without a hitch. Well, until the end of class, when once again a teacher came for Midoriya.

"Hello guys, have you seen Midoriya?" Nemuri Kayama, also known as Pro-Hero Midnight, called walking into Class 1-A.

All heads turned to a panicking Midoriya, who once again looked at the window. He jumped towards the glass, ready to embrace freedom, when a whip coiled around him and, once again, he found himself dragged across the ground.

"Now, now Midoriya, we have a lot to talk about" Midnight cheerfully said as she carried away a tied up Fox Boy, one who clawed at the ground again.

"H-help!" Midoriya pleaded.

"Come on, little fox, no need to put so much of a struggle" Midnight laughed. To the staring shocked students, she added. "It is for his own good".

"Ehm… why are you taking him?" Uraraka tentatively asked. Meanwhile, Iida's lecture about propriety and human rights abuses was ignored in the background.

"Aizawa and his mother want me to talk some sense into this naughty fox and help him design a new costume" Midnight purred. "And I for one agree!"

"You can't keep me tied!" Midoriya roared before he rabidly thrashed around.

"How cute! You actually think you can escape from me" Midnight laughed, only to walk out and drag the poor Fox Boy with him.

The class stared, dumbfounded. Was this supposed to be a common occurrence with Midoriya now?

"I worry about Midoriya at times" Uraraka told Iida.

"I am certain that they will maintain a professional and healthy teacher-student conversation" Iida replied.

In the background, Mineta Minoru gritted his teeth and angrily balled his fits as he cried tears of jealousy.

Chapter X

It was a warm sunny Saturday in the peaceful Mustafu District. People everywhere enjoyed the day near the sea, spending time with loved ones or merely relaxing. One notable exception, however, was a panting green-haired boy. Matter of fact was Midoriya couldn't rest. Three weeks… he had three weeks until the Sports Festival started. He had to improve with the Nine-Tailed form while working on extending the capabilities of his other ones. That and he had homework, including Midnight's extracurricular task.

Annoyed, Zero-Tailed Midoriya stopped running, taking in a familiar sight: the municipal beach. He had seen it so many times before during his preparations for U.A. but he had never bothered to do anything. Once a beautiful place, the beach was filled with garbage washed up from the sea. People saw it all happen… and promptly ignored it, praying for some brave soul to do something while carrying on with their lives. Or worse, some actively dumped their own garbage.

It is always like that, Midoriya realized. We always wait for someone else to deal with our problems…

Midoriya balled his fists, glaring at the mountains of trash. It was disgusting to conceive how people could allow beauty to be tarnished through mere inaction. Suddenly, he blinked and looked down at his hands. He had claws. The boy sighed, shaking his head, and returned to his real form, his human non-weird form. Not matter what Aizawa or others said, the Zero Tails was his true form…

I'm starting to slip more often, he realized, a knot forming in his gut.

He was not, however, surprised. The more comfortable he became when using his fox forms, the harder it was to retain his true self. The problem wasn't entirely physical. Slowly, Midoriya had started to notice the personality of his other forms sip into his real form. It was something that had become more frequent since he started training his quirk… but Midoriya got the impression the use of his other forms were pushing him away from his normal self.

Right, the beach, Midoriya returned his attention to the rusted metal across the sand. I should do something, he mused. However, he knew he wasn't brave enough to actually do anything. Or rather, he knew he wouldn't make much of a difference… he was Deku, after all. What could one pathetic teenager do against so much mountains of garbage? One man can't change the world, especially not him.

Sighing, Midoriya walked away. He imagined, however, a better Midoriya, one that would boldly grin while cleaning up the beach by himself. How he wished he could be someone like that…

Rumi Usagiyama's words popped into his head, making him stop. She was right, wasn't she? It was time he stopped thinking and started doing. Did he want to get that beach cleaned? Then he had to start and do it!

Absentmindedly, he rubbed his head. He could very well imagine the Rabbit Girl giving him a smack on the head for being so hesitant. Midoriya turned and looked back at the beach, clenching his fists. Could he do it? Could he achieve such ambitious goal?

With the Nine-Tailed Form, I am sure I could clean it before the Sports Festival, Midoriya thought. Hesitantly, he pondered if that was wise. But if I spend so much time in that form I- No! Enough of being a coward, Izuku. I need to work on that form and others even if it- it means slipping away from my real self…

However, a second thought made him hesitate.

I still need to do my homework and search for what Midnight asked of me. Alright, so I'll finish my run, do my homework today and then ask mom about cleaning the beach. I'll have to take the garbage somewhere, right? And the local municipality will want to impose conditions…

Izuku sighed. It was going to be a lot harder than he first thought, wasn't it? No matter. He would do it.

Maybe I could tell Rabbit Girl. She probably wouldn't mind helping or using the entire thing as some kind of training exercise. If Uraraka could use construction materials and equipment to train her quirk, we could use this garbage for our own training. That and the place is secluded enough. Not many people would see us using our quirks, Midoriya thought.

He blushed at the thought of being entirely alone with Rabbit Girl. Confused, he snapped his head backwards, only to find nine fox tails wagging excitedly behind him. To his horror, he had slipped into the Nine-Tails again.

"S-stop you traitors!" Midoriya exclaimed at his tails. It was futile, though. Those damnable tails were insistent on conveying his eagerness to train with Rumi alone.

He snapped his head to a side, noticing he was being stared at by other runners. Thoroughly embarrassed, Midoriya sheepishly smiled and carried running.

Oh God, why did this forms have to be so embarrassing? Come on, Izuku, control your body, Midoriya thought, feeling utterly embarrassed. He felt naked. Come on, you idiot, you did this yesterday! You didn't panic then!

Well, I did have Rabbit Girl to talk to, he reminded himself, only to turn to his traitorous wagging tails. "Stop it back there!"

"What a weirdo" Midoriya heard across the street.

Midoriya went back to his human form, remaining utterly red-faced for the rest of his trek. He just had to slip, didn't he? He shook his head, clenching his fists. Enough of doing nothing! I have plan: I'll clean this beach with my own hands – eh – or rather claws… Or maybe tails… urgh... whatever.

Midoriya arrived at the platform early on Monday with a grin in his face and a spring in his step. The usual travelers were there, bored and tired, staring either at their phones or nothing in particular. Amidst the small crowd, Nine-Tailed Midoriya made out a familiar pair of white rabbit ears. He smirked and prowled his way towards Rumi.

The green-haired boy went to stand behind a familiar pair of suited men and, with Rabbit Girl in the corner of his eyes, sent one of his tails across the ground. It snaked its way towards an oblivious Rumi, only to rear back behind her.

Just as Rabbit Girl checked her phone for the umpteenth time, she felt someone poking her right shoulder. She leisurely turned in that direction, only to find no one. She frowned and looked around. There was no one standing close to her. Confused, she decided to dismiss what had transpired. She looked down on her phone, only to feel something poking his left shoulder. She snapped her head to the left. However, just like before, she found no one. An eyebrow twitched with annoyance. Rumi slowly looked back at her phone… and - wouldn't you know it? - she was poked in the right shoulder again.

Rumi cussed and turned around, ready to hunt the bastard that was annoying her. This time, however, there was someone, a certain someone who broke into guffaws.

"God damn it, Fox Boy!" Rumi exclaimed, only to grin.

"Nice to see you too, Rabbit Girl. Sorry about that" Midoriya apologized, moving to her side.

"Someone is in a good mood today" Rabbit Girl pointed out. "Alright, spill it you nerd fox, did you see an awesome hero fight?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you" Midoriya said. "I think I found a good place to train".

"Oh, I'm all ears" Rabbit Girl eagerly replied, leaning closer.

"Have you ever been to Dagobah beach?" He wondered.

"Huh? That dump? What does that – oh!" Rabbit Girl's face radiated with glee. "It's perfect! Why didn't I think about it before?!"

"Actually, I was thinking about doing more than just trainining" Midoriya said. "I want to clean it".

"Oh-ho, when did you grow a spine, Fox Boy?" Rabbit Girl asked, sounding awfully excited. "Community service AND training in one package? I'm in!"

Midoriya had suspected as much. The train arrived and the pair got in. They found a seat for them and continued their talk, ignoring the curious glances from the other passengers.

"We have to speak with the municipality, though" Rumi hummed, thoughtful.

"I've already did" Izuku shared with a smirk. "They gave me the green light and a few instructions to deal with all the garbage".

"Not bad, Fox Boy" Rumi said with a nod of approval.

Izuku found his chest swelling with pride at that. Thankfully, being seated, his tails didn't start moving on their own to embarrass him. That would have been a tad too embarrassing.

"I'll have to ask my parents first" Rumi grunted, scowling.

Izuku was a bit surprised by that. He had gotten the impression was not the kind to put much thought on her parents' command. Then again, it wasn't like he knew her that much.

"I'll give them a call during lunch, see if we could hit the beach right after school. In any case, give me your number. You never know, right?" Rumi decided, pulling her phone.

Midoriya was momentarily dumbfounded by that.

"You listening?" Rumi said, giving him a nudge.

"S-sorry, I was thinking about something" Midoriya spluttered, before pulling his phone.

In the span of second, they exchanged numbers. While Rumi was nonchalant about it, Izuku was having a hard time concealing his amazement. He had the phone number of Rabbit Girl. Life truly had progressed since the previous year, hadn't it?

"Changing topics" Rumi suddenly said. "How were your classes with All Might?"

"Ah, n-not bad. The first class was a battle trial, which I won" Izuku wanted to berate himself for being too eager to share that last fact. "The second one All Might was missing and we had the class with Aizawa, and we went over infiltration".

"So you didn't have All Might on Thursday either" Rumi hummed. "That's odd… we had him once, and the next class left halfway through. I've got no idea why".

"Maybe it was an urgency. I mean, it is All Might we are talking about" Izuku said. "He has a thing about saving the world and being the Symbol of Peace…"

"But that is what I don't get" Rumi frowned, stroking her chin. "You would expect to find a good fight or be inundated with notifications in the Hero Watcher App but I've found – well – nothing. Like, it's All Might! You'd expect him to be all over the news if he just sneezed in public".

"Now that you mention it, I have noticed the number of his sightings has decreased over the years" Midoriya said. "But then again, crime has fallen drastically - mostly because of him - and whenever he shows up, all signs of villains just – well – vanish. Who would want to go up against the likes of All Might? That and maybe he has other… ehm… stuff going? He must have a private life, right?"

"It makes you wonder, doesn't it?" Rumi sighed, shaking her head. "What's going to be like when he finally retires?"

Midoriya grimaced. "I guess… it will be peaceful for a few years but… crime will inevitably skyrocket" he murmured, the fear of such a day seeping into his bones.

"That means we'll have to get way stronger, eh Fox Boy?" Rumi laughed, nudging Izuku.

"First I'm going to need a costume" he sheepishly admitted.

"Huh? Really? Just get a jumpsuit and be done with it" Rumi scoffed. "Look at me! All I asked for was a leotard and that's it".

Izuku eyed Rumi, only to blush. It was hard not imagine how she would look like with a skin-tight costume, and boy was Izuku thankful he was seated, because he could feel his tails demanding to wag excitedly. Accursed stupid tailed forms... Izuku had never had to deal with such rebellious tails before!

"Well, my first costume was a jumpsuit but… eh… it was a bit childish and I've been asked to change it into something – you know – that really shows who I am" Izuku confessed. "Thing is… when you can change into different personas, it gets hard to pick the right theme".

"Pfft, it's obvious what you should go for" Rumi said, grinning.

"Huh?"

"A Shinto priest! Come on, don't tell me you didn't think about it before now" Rumi laughed. "I can totally see you, you know, with their robes and all".

Izuku was not about to base his costume on a religion. However, the mention of Shinto Priests did bring forth another idea, something of the Japanese feudal era. Maybe Rumi's suggestion wasn't so off the mark after all. Still, he would think about that later. Right now, he had to deal with one hell of a Rabbit Girl.

"Sweet carrots, this place is worse than I remember!" Rumi exclaimed, surprised.

Standing at the feet of small mountains of rusted fridges, microwaves, ovens, dishwashers and God-knows-what else, Rabbit girl studied the monumental task ahead of them. Izuku too felt a bit apprehensive about what they had agreed to do. Up close, the mountains of trash seemed bigger. Perhaps they had bitten more than what they could chew. However, they wouldn't quit, not now.

"Secluded and with tons of stuff to lift, push and carry. Not bad…" Rumi hummed, conveying her approval. "Better yet, we can make out in peace".

"W-what?!" Izuku squeaked, shocked.

Rumi burst out laughing, patting the nine-tailed boy.

"Please, never change Fox Boy" she guffawed.

Izuku, though, felt his face heat up at the mere thought of doing such a thing with Rabbit Girl. Now that she was only clad with a plain white sweatshirt and shorts, Izuku felt a bit nervous about being alone with her. Differently from her, he had his usual green tracksuit, although he wondered if he wouldn't come to require something akin to Rumi's attire.

"Before we begin, what about a warm-up?" Rumi asked, smirking at Izuku.

"Eh – w-what do you have in mind?" A blushing Izuku asked. Keep your mind out of the gutter, Midoriya, he told himself.

"A spar" Rabbit Girl's smile was terrifying.

Izuku felt his face clear of its flustered shade of crimson and turn cold white.

"You and me, right here" Rabbit Girl grinned. "I've been dying to fight you! So come on!"

"You are going to beat me" Midoriya grunted. "You have the experience, the speed, the strength, the-" SMACK "-Ouch!"

Rumi glared at him, waving the angry fist she had used to interrupt Midoriya. The poor boy could only look, worried, as he caressed his hurting head.

"Come on, Fox Boy! Do you want to be a Pro-Hero? No excuses! We go all out, alright?" Rabbit Girl dared. "Just do your best!"

Izuku looked around. Could he make a run for it? He shook his head. What was he thinking? He couldn't just run! He had to fight. Still, as much as he wanted to prove he was no coward, he knew he couldn't win.

She's going to wreck me! I don't even know how to punch!Izuku frantically thought, only to take in his surroundings. Then again… I don't need to, do I?

Izuku found himself smirking at Rumi, something that made the Rabbit Girl hop around with excitement.

"We fight until one calls for surrender or can't continue fighting, alright?" Izuku decided. He checked his watch. "Five minutes, then we start cleaning the beach".

"Pffft, this will be quick then!" Rumi laughed. "Alright Fox Boy, we'll do it your way, but I don't want to hear you whining afterwards".

Izuku, however, surprised her by grinning, baring those sharp canine teeth of his. She squinted at him, suspicious. Why did he look so confident all of a sudden? He was up to something, wasn't he?

"You stole the words from my mouth" Midoriya chuckled, a devious glint shining in those feral eyes. He leaned forward, stretching his claws.

"Alright then" Rumi grinned. Boy was she excited already.

The two jumped backwards, standing amidst tall piles of metal trash. With only a few feet between them, they stared at each other. They didn't move. Instead, they studied the other. Rumi found Midoriya's stance flawed, while Midoriya braced himself. And then, the battle began.

Rumi was on Midoriya in the blink of an eye, as fast as a bullet, and ready to deliver a finishing punch. Midoriya, though, was ready. She swung her fist, expecting to hit flesh. Instead, she hit thin air and flew past a cloud of white smoke. Rumi landed on the sand ten feet away and snapped her body towards Midoriya, thrilled to see the boy using his weird quirk. She was not prepared by what she saw.

A green fox grinned at her and shot off… in the other direction. Rumi blinked, confused, only to see the fox dive into the garbage.

"Oy, what the hell?! I'm here you coward!" Rumi yelled.

"Afraid of getting dirty, little rabbit?" A mocking voice replied. "Or afraid I can beat you?"

Of course, Rabbit Girl accepted the challenge with a grin. She was going to teach Fox Boy a lesson.

"Over here, little rabbit" the fox, in his strangely calm tone, taunted from within the pile of garbage.

Rumi grinned and shot straight to the fox. Her legs gave her a deadly acceleration, to the point that the kick she delivered brought down the entire pile of garbage. The thunderous noise of collapse of all that garbage was masked under the clash of the waves. Rumi managed to avoid the garbage by jumping backwards.

"Ready to quit, Fox Boy?" She laughed.

No reply.

"Fox Boy?" Rumi asked, confused. She adjusted her ears towards the pile of tires, rust and God-Knows-What. There was no sound of movement. Oh crap, had she killed Fox Boy? "Yeah, yeah, real funny" she said, only to frown. "Fox Boy…" tentatively, she approached the pile.

"Come on, Fox Boy" Rumi said, moving the trash.

She was about to move a tire out of her way, when all of a sudden a small child like hand shot off a pile of tin cans and grabbed her nose. Rumi, to her shock, found herself staring at a small child Midoriya, grinning with glee.

"Got your nose, bunny!" He giggled, only to disappear back into the garbage.

Rumi's relief was quickly replaced with anger.

"The fuck?!" Rumi yelled. "I was worried, you idiot!"

"So you do care"

Rumi snapped her head to a side. There, standing on another pile of garbage was the very same child Fox Boy that had grabbed her nose. She looked at the trash in front and then to the side. When had he gotten up there?

"Catch me if you can, bunny!" The child giggled, waving at her before jumping into the pile of trash.

"Oy, come here and fight me!" Rumi roared.

CLANK.

She winced as was hit by a tin can. She snapped her head behind her, only to find child Midoriya there. Rumi frowned, red-eyes fixated on the fox brat. Could Midoriya teleport in that form? Did he have super-speed?

"Bunny is slow today" giggled the insolent brat.

"Come here, you little shit!" Rumi yelled, jumping towards the fox brat.

Child-Midoriya, remained unfazed. Laughing in that childish voice of his, the fox-child quickly dove into the garbage. Rumi, out of frustration, brought down another pile of garbage with a furious kick.

"Oy, this isn't a fight!" Rumi shouted.

CLANK.

Rumi felt she was losing her mind when Child-Midoriya appeared atop a rusted barrel, twenty feet behind her. She looked down at the tin can she had been hit in the head with.

"Bunny doesn't like the rules?" Fox Brat cooed, only to giggle and vanish into another mountain of trash.

"Oy, the idea is to come out here and try to beat me!" Rumi scoffed.

"Wrong!" The Fox Brat squealed, poking Rumi on her stomach only to fall back into piles of broken ovens.

Rumi stepped back from the mountains of trash. CLANK. Yet another trashed tin can hit her head. She snapped her head behind her and – why was she surprised still? – Fox Brat was giggling there.

"Remember bunny: we fight until one of us gives up or can't keep going" Fox Brat impishly cackled.

Rumi jumped towards Fox Brat. However, he was ready and jumped into a pile of shattered televisions. She had been close, though, her hand grazing the fur by an inch. As she landed on the sand, she swore. Fox Boy had played her.

"So that's how you are going to fight?!" Rumi yelled.

"I'm playing to my strengths, lady" a childish voice said on her left, somewhere hidden in the trash.

"It's cowardly!" Rumi roared.

"You make it sound as if villains will play by the rules" the same haunting voice exclaimed on her right.

Rabbit Girl clenched her fists, furious. Midoriya was toying with her. At the same time, as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Not all fights would be in the open or like she wanted. However, she didn't like this kind of fighting and she would be damned if she admitted it aloud.

She squinted at the trash, ears perked up. Only the sound of the sea filled the area. Then, she heard it. Grinning, she jumped straight ahead and delivered a crushing blow, destroying piles of fridges, tins, barrels and microwaves.

"Not even close!"

Rumi, shocked, snapped her head behind her. He stood there, looking bored, and that incensed the rabbit girl.

"You do what you want! I am going to catch you and make a pair of slippers, Fox Boy!"

"Try it, bunny!" Fox Brat laughed before he blew a raspberry at her.

Rumi roared in anger and charged at the garbage. Sadly, that appeared to be how the fight would play out. Midoriya would appear somewhere and taunt her and she would try to catch him. However, he always slipped in the garbage only to appear somewhere else. Before she knew it, four minutes had passed and she was already sweating. Worse, though, she was growing frustrated.

In the end, she just drop to the ground, terribly annoyed, and shook her head.

"Fuck it. What's the point of this shit if you aren't going to fight?" she muttered.

"Are you giving up?"

Rumi felt an eyebrow twitch as she turned to her left. There, kicking the air while comfortably lying on a rusted car, was Midoriya.

"I don't give up!" Rumi growled.

"No, you just waste time and energy" child Midoriya said. "Y'know, maybe you should think a bit before you act".

"Shut it, Fox Boy" Rumi spat, shaking her head. "I don't do Cat-and-Mouse!"

"Even if it means saving people?" Child Midoriya wondered.

Rumi scowled, but said nothing.

"Rabbit Girl, I know you like to fight and you want to punch people… but not all enemies are so straightforward, y'know? Some are sneaky, others just can't be punched" Fox Boy stated.

Rumi fully agreed with him. However, she was not about to admit it. In fact, she was not about to admit that perhaps she was impatient and rushed into action like an idiot. She hated just standing still. Thinking things through wasn't her forte.

"Maybe we should start cleaning" hummed Fox Midoriya, checking his watch.

Rumi smirked and took the opportunity. In an instant, she was right over Midoriya and, swiftly, grabbed the boy. She felt elated as the fox-boy was finally in her grasp. However, that mischievous smile of his told her she had been tricked.

"You know, you should first try understand an opponent, like his quirk, before rushing in" Fox Brat said with a grin.

Rumi frowned only to discover what the boy had meant. One moment she was holding him, the next he disappeared behind a cloud of smoke. She stared, ready to curse, when she felt something wrap around her torso. Her eyes widened as three furry tails suddenly hoisted her into the air.

"ARGH!" Rumi screamed, flailing around. Unfortunately, she couldn't do anything. She tried to pry the tails from her, but they were as hard as steel. That and two tails poked at her stomach, purposely tickling her.

"S-stop it!" Rumi laughed, struggling against the tentacle-like tails.

Below her, keeping a good six feet away from her, stood a very familiar Fox Boy.

"I can't believe you dropped your guard like that" Nine-Tailed Midoriya laughed.

"You son of a bitch!" Rumi yelled. "How did-?"

"If you had taken a moment to study the movement of my Two-Tails form, you would have realized that I didn't have teleportation or warping" Midoriya smugly explained.

"Two tails?" Rumi asked, baffled. "But you had one tail…?" Unless… her eyes widened with realization.

"I duplicate in that form" Midoriya said. "Funny thing is, I can transform into my other forms from any of the two, making the other tail vanish. Perfect for a diversion. For instance, just now, I managed to crawl right behind you, all while you were distracted by my second tail".

"That was underhanded and cowardly" growled Rumi. "This doesn't count as a victory!"

Midoriya's smile dropped at that and his shoulders fell. Rumi felt a pang of guilt strike her heart. However, she just couldn't bring herself to admit her own flaws.

"Rabbit Girl, like I said before, you can't expect all villains to be pathetic or dumb. But I guess…" he said, surrounded by an air of defeat. "I'm sorry about it…" he sighed, shaking his head. "I guess you are right and I am a coward…"

Rumi frowned as she was gently lowered. She was thankful to be back on her feet, but as she looked at the downtrodden Fox Boy the young woman felt awful. In fact, Rumi felt miserable. She grimaced, knowing exactly what she had to do.

"Nah, you fought smart, Fox Boy. I was just being a sore loser" Rumi said, nudging Midoriya. "You are right… I should be a bit more patient. You aren't the first to tell me what you did". She turned towards the trash. "So… shall we get down to business now?"

Midoriya smiled at her, and Rumi felt her guilt ebb away. She grinned at him.

"Yes, I guess that is what we were here for" Midoriya chuckled. "Right, so we need to take garbage up to the parking lot" he pointed up the small hill. "I've been told someone else will take the trash to a proper junkyard in the morning".

"How about a competition?" Rumi asked.

"One defeat isn't bad enough?" Taunted Midoriya.

"Har-har" Rumi scoffed. "I'm going to make you eat those words. Whoever moves the biggest pile of trash in the next hour and a half to the parking lot wins".

Midoriya looked at her, hesitant.

"What is it? Afraid Fox Boy?" Rumi chuckled.

"No!" Midoriya hastily said, puffing his chest. "You are on, Rabbit Girl!" He smirked at her, defiant.

Rumi laughed. Poor hopeless Fox Boy, just because he had won one round didn't mean she was out of the game.

"Are you ready, Rabbit Girl?" Midoriya taunted. "On the count of three?"

Side-by-side, they leaned forward, grinning. They readied for the ensuing race.

"One…" Midoriya said.

"Two…" Rumi counted.

"Three!" The duo shouted.

Rumi jumped straight to the garbage and took hold of a refrigerator. To Midoriya's surprise, she was able to lift it. Yeah, she struggled a bit, but it was still impressive.

"Ha, can you beat that?" Rumi dared, only to see Midoriya lift a broken oven and a rusted dishwasher with his nine tails. Her jaw dropped.

"P-Piece of cake!" Midoriya muttered through gritted teeth. He trotted across the sand, towards the stairs.

"In your dreams, Fox Boy!" Rumi shouted. Gritting her teeth, she looked at the stairs… and smirked.

Midoriya felt confident. After all, regardless how strong Rabbit Girl was with her arms, he had the strength of nine powerful tails. It was hard and he wasn't sure he could keep it up for a long pace. Just a few extra ovens and the kind and it would be impossible for Rabbit Girl to beat him. Why was he so crazy about winning? Midoriya wasn't sure, but he had never felt so exhilarated in his life.

That was until Rumi landed a good distance in front and smirked back at him. How was it he had forgotten about her powerful leg strength? He had written it down on his notebook for God's sake!

"You are going down, Fox Boy!" Rumi laughed, before running up the stairs with the fridge in her arms.

Midoriya gritted his teeth. He would not lose. He had to win!

And so, they carried on their little game. Rumi couldn't lift as many or as heavy garbage as Midoriya, but she was faster. Midoriya, on the other hand, was the opposite. They traded jabs whenever they crossed path, each time breathing harder and their faces turning redder with exhaustion. They wouldn't stop, though. They were determined to beat the other.

Of course, both knew who would win the challenge from the onset. Thus, one hour and a half later, a victorious Rabbit Girl stood over a nigh unconscious Fox Boy on the parking lot. Whereas Izuku had create a decent pile of trash on the parking lot, Rumi had managed five times the size of garbage and wasn't on the ground, panting like crazy. She was sweaty and tired, her clothes sticking to her body, but she sure wasn't doing as badly as Midoriya.

"You really thought you could defeat me, Fox Boy?" Rumi laughed. She plopped down next Izuku, taking a moment to relax. "Still… not bad" she patted the boy.

"I think… I'm going to vomit…" Izuku grumbled.

"Don't you dare do that on me, Fox Boy" Rumi scoffed.

She leaned back. The day was already ending, and the two remained there, catching their breath.

"You need to put some more muscle" Rumi chuckled, poking the boy with a finger.

"And… y-you… need to… think more" Midoriya wheezed.

"Maybe" Rumi replied, shrugging. She studied the trash they had managed to move. "Well, now is time to stretch! Move your arse, Fox Boy".

"Just end my suffering…" muttered a limp Izuku.

"Oy, I am not done playing with you yet, Fox Boy" Rumi declared. She lightly kicked Izuku. "Come on, move it, or you'll regret it tomorrow".

"And to think this is just day one…" Izuku sighed. Just what had he been thinking?

Still, even if he was closer to death than anything, Izuku felt truly happy – and fatigued. It was going to hurt the following morning, wasn't it?

Chapter XI

The U.A. Sports Festival was one of the most important events in Japan. That was an undeniable and undisputed fact. It consisted of three days of unadulterated action where powerful teenagers went all out with their quirks in pursuit of the gold medal. Even Izuku's classmates back in Aldera Middle School watched it and talked about it for weeks. Thus, whenever the Sports Festival approached, people tended to be excited and elated, dying for the fast approaching entertainment. That was not the case within the corridors U.A.

Instead of excitement, a tense mood had fallen within the hallways of the prestigious school. Lunch times, for example, became increasingly subdued. Students, once boisterous, become more desperate and determined. Stress and nervousness became palpable in the air and Izuku could have sworn he felt it ooze from everyone. It was thus not surprising that tensions began to rise.

School department against school department, classes against classes, classmates against classmates… it didn't matter. Quarrel and spats were becoming a common occurrence. Each break time, Izuku witnessed students yelling at each other, or breaking down into tears within the confines of the bathrooms. The pressure was mounting, and there over three weeks left until the start of the Sports Festival.

Support students were rushing to build something worthwhile, Management students were on a race to come up with the best venture enterprise for the game and General Studies were looking forward to usurping a place from the Hero Course. Yes, everyone was suffering the pressure, but none like those in the Hero Course, who felt the need to excel. They had to shine in the Sports Festival for their future depended on it.

It was thus a surprise when Izuku realized one Thursday, three days since he began cleaning Dagobah beach with Rabbit Girl, that he wasn't either nervous or pressured. In fact, he was amazed to discover he had mostly ignored all the tension. The same couldn't be said for his friends.

"Absolutely outrageous!" Iida exclaimed during lunch time in his usual exaggerated manner. "The fighting taking place in the corridors is unbecoming of such prestigious institution!"

Uraraka and Izuku sweatdropped behind their enthusiastic friend as they waited in line, empty trays on their hands. The lunch hall was starting to fill up and the chatter, although subdued, had bouts of laughter and ease.

"He has been throwing more lectures than usual" Uraraka whispered to Izuku.

Indeed, Iida had started to rant more often. In fact, he had already started a long lecture about food and vitamins to no one in particular.

"I guess he is falling under the pressure" Izuku shrugged.

"Aren't you?" Uraraka said with a grimace. "It's insane! I know we all want to win but… geez, why do we have to die from anxiety before we even start the games?"

She looked nervous, and uncertain. Izuku hated seeing other like that.

"I am giving my best to train so – well – I feel confident" Izuku shrugged with a bright grin on his face.

"Huh…" Uraraka tilted her head. She stared straight at him, fixated on his visage. It was a tad unnerving.

"Eh… is there something on my face?" Izuku wondered. "I didn't slip to my Fox form, did I?"

"Oh no, you just look…" Uraraka trailed off, averting her eyes. "It- it is nothing. You just look…" was Izuku imagining things or was Uraraka blushing? "Confident".

Izuku frowned at that. Him? Confident? Uraraka must have been imagining things…

"What's going to be today, Fox Boy?" Lunch Rush, the school cook and a famous Pro-Hero, called on the other side of the menu.

Izuku, however, was focused on the food before his very eyes, or rather, the meat sections. His attention was broken by a giggling Uraraka. Confused, he looked at her.

"You are drooling" Uraraka chuckled.

It was much to his embarrassment that Izuku discovered that, indeed, he had been drooling like a famished animal. Izuku rubbed his mouth with the back of his arm, only to discover he had claws. Not only that, but his tails were wagging excitedly at the mere prospect of meat.

"Here you go!" Lunch Rush laughed. He handed over a large place that included all kinds of meat. "You aren't the first mutant type to salivate over my food!"

A blushing Midoriya kept her head bowed, miserable, as Uraraka followed after him, laughing. Iida, on his part, solemnly accompanied them. The three calmly walked towards their chosen table, venturing across the gaps of crowded tables and ignoring the growing hubbub.

"It is no laughing matter, Uraraka!" Iida admonished.

"Sorry, I just think he looks cute when he slips like that" she giggled, only to choke and hide her face, flustered.

A Nine-Tailed Midoriya, though, didn't find it funny. He had just made a fool of himself and all because he can't properly control his animalistic urges.

"Our friend is attempting to adapt to his quirk. As his friends and fellow classmates we must support his efforts and encourage him to push further" Iida huffed.

Unfortunately, as they passed by a table, they quickly discovered not everyone was going to let Midoriya's little incident go.

"Oy, Fox Boy, could you stop drooling all over the place? Some of us prefer their food spit-free!" A random student shouted from a crowded table.

"Watch it, that guy is supposed to be in the hero department" chuckled someone from the same table. "Let's hope he got his rabies shot, right?"

"Guess we'll just need some steak to beat him in the games" another student joked.

The group of students burst into laughter. The three, on their part, kept walking and trying to ignore those comments. Other students, however, eyed Midoriya and whispered between them. Some even snickered or chuckled. Midoriya felt anger bubbling in his gut accompanied with a deep desire to sink his claws and teeth on flesh.

"The gall of those ruffians!" Iida growled, mechanically waving an angry fist.

"It is alright, Iida" Midoriya calmly stated. He offered a smile at the class representative. Iida, though, remained incensed.

"Are you sure?" Uraraka asked, worried.

Had he been the Zero-Tails, Midoriya knew he would have reacted differently. However, as much as it hurt, he knew he could take it. That and he was already used to name-calling, at least a bit. He had been called worse. Still, it troubled him the manner in which he had slipped. His quirk was truly embarrassing…

"You alright there, Fox Boy?"

And just like that, Midoriya had forgotten all about his problems and instead grinned with newfound joy, tails wagging behind him.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be, Rabbit Girl?" He replied, sitting next to her.

Uraraka and Iida exchanged baffled expressions before finding their usual spot opposite Rumi and Izuku. It had become a thing since the previous Friday to sit together. At the moment, Rumi was going through her salad accompanied by carrots, cell phone playing a hero-villain fight only Izuku could recognize.

"Good, or else I would have to beat your whiny ass" harrumphed Rumi, only to grin back at Izuku. She turned to the other two. "So what happened? Some arse throwing colourful comments?"

"Yep" Uraraka muttered, glaring at the perpetrators across the hall. "People sure are getting meaner these days".

"Just you wait until we near the Festival. That is when it gets intense!" Laughed Rumi, as if thrilled about it. "Don't let those envious whiners get on your nerves" she added, nudging Izuku. "It's all bark and no bite. Most of those losers won't make it past the first event".

"Regardless, one would expect they would behave!" Iida huffed.

"What do you expect? They are General Studies, Stiff Boy" Rumi grunted. "Most of them are sticking around U.A. just waiting for one of us to drop dead."

"It can't be that bad… right?" Ochaco wondered, paling.

"Well... Last year wasn't that bad" Rumi hummed, reminiscent. "I mean, an entire twenty seats had been made available so General Studies were really gunning at each other more than the Hero kids. Still, just keep your cool. Don't let them goad you into doing something stupid. If you are going to beat them, do it outside the school".

"That is not a proper response!" Iida exclaimed. "In U.A. we should inform a teacher! Not take matters in our hands".

"Whatever Stiff Boy" Rumi huffed.

She lazily took a carrot and started nibbling on it. As she turned the phone off and moved to start talking with her newfound lunchmates, Rumi spotted something. Whatever it was, it must have been one hell of a shock because she immediately chocked, only to spew carrot bites all over Midoriya.

"The fuck is that arsehole here?!" Rumi exclaimed, glaring intently at someone.

"Language!" Iida exclaimed, only to turn towards the source of Rumi's indignation. "Oh, that would be Bakugo. You know him?"

Midoriya frowned, confused, as he watched a rather bored looking Bakugo traversing the hall, tray on his hand and visibly dismissive of his surroundings. Had Rumi and Bakugo crossed paths before? Now that he thought about it, that was possible. All three were from the same district, after all.

"Know him? Of course I know that bastard! He and his minions terrorized half the children of Mustafu!" Rumi exclaimed, glaring daggers at Bakugo.

Midoriya felt a knot form in the pit of his gut. Of course that was how anyone would remember Bakugo... why did he feel so incensed all of a sudden?

"Wow, I knew he was a jerk but was he really that bad?" Uraraka gasped.

"A jerk? The bastard is a villain in the making! He went around beating anyone that dared look him wrong or just annoyed him!" Rumi growled, voice dripping with venom.

"Is that true, Midoriya?" Uraraka, horrified, asked.

"How could he have been allowed to enter such a prestigious institution?!" Iida gasped, distraught.

Midoriya really wanted to keep calm and rationalize Bakugo's actions, like he would have done as the Zero-Tails. However, he was in the Nine-Tailed form. Thus, he was shaken by a wave of rage flooding in his guts and unbidden memories flashing across his mind.

"Because everyone looked the other way" spat Midoriya. "Ever since he got his quirk, everyone praised the ground he walked on. Everyone knew he had a powerful quirk and in our world, that generally means success as a Pro-Hero…"

"Don't fucking tell me he is in the Hero Course" Rumi said with a scowl.

"Ehm… well… yeah?" Uraraka timidly said.

"Are you shitting me? That son of a bitch is in the Hero Course?!" Rumi gasped.

"He bullied your brothers, didn't he?" Midoriya guessed.

"Pffft, bully? He terrorized my brothers" Rumi looked stricken with terrible memories. "One of my sisters once tripped on him… what did the bastard do? He shouted at her, made her cry and then proceeded to singe her ears! The bastard… I tried to teach him a lesson but…"

A face of utter defeat cross her face, shocking Midoriya. Rumi had been defeated by Bakugo? Midoriya knew Bakugo was a monster when it came to fighting, but to actually beat Rumi? Instead of surprise, however, Midoriya felt righteous fury raging in his gut. He wasn't the only one. Just remembering what must have been a sour experience made Rumi ball her fists in anger.

"Rabbit ears don't do well with his explosions" Rumi muttered. "Since that day, my sister has been afraid to go to the park…" she raised a fist, glaring at it as if she was holding Bakugo's heart "…and I promised I would never lose another fight. No one would ever bully my siblings like that ever again. I would make it to the top as a Pro-Hero and beat the shit out of the likes of that son of a bitch".

Midoriya stared at her, a deep sense of admiration washing away all the anger and resentment he felt. How many times had he wished he could have said the same thing?

"It didn't matter if I was just a stupid cute bunny girl to everyone else: I decided that I would be the strongest out there" Rumi said, grinning at the others. "And look at me? People thought a rabbit quirk was useless, that a rabbit couldn't make it far. Yet here I am, ready to kick ass! You should have seen the faces of everyone I knew back from Jaku Middle School! Wiped those smirks out of their faces."

"Wow, that is so cool!" Uraraka said, stars sparkling on her eyes and a blush on her face.

"Most inspiring and heroic!" Iida agreed, vehemently shaking a fist.

Midoriya couldn't help but compare himself to her, and fell a nauseous sense of guilt and self-hatred. When he had been beaten by Bakugo, he had just lowered his head and accepted his suffering. Worse, he had allowed Bakugo to trample over his dreams and over him. What had Rumi done? She hadn't just stood back up and carried on. No, she had pushed herself.

"People really thought you wouldn't make it?" Midoriya tentatively asked, remembering what people used to tell him.

Rumi released a long winded sigh and, with a lot of utmost contempt, took her phone.

"Oh, you tell me" she grumbled, swiping a finger on the screen of her device. "When you look like this, do you think of a hero?"

And then she turned her phone and revealed a picture to her companions. Rumi averted her face, looking as red as a tomato. Intrigued, Izuku and friends leaned over, and their jaws immediately dropped. There, on the phone, was a young girl, no older than ten, smiling at the camera with a bright wide grin. With the oversized rabbit ears and large eyes, Izuku had to admit she was awfully adorable and cute, almost like an actual rabbit. Were it not for the white hair and scarlet eyes, Izuku would have never guessed that that was Rumi, particularly due to her rather pale complexion and innocent demeanor.

There was a strange light in those eyes, filled with innocence and naivety so unlike the girl Izuku had come to know. Had Bakugo hardened Rumi to what she became later on? Or had Rumi always been on that path, catalyzed by her encounter with Bakugo? That girl on the screen was not a battle-lusting Rabbit Girl, at least not the same one Izuku knew.

"Oh, you look so cute. You were adorable as a child!" Uraraka cooed, only to quickly amend with "n-not that you aren't a bit adorable now". She added with a blush.

"I think you are very adorable too, Cute Face, and hot" Rumi teased, winking at the brunette.

Uraraka spluttered incoherently, face exploding into a glowing shade of scarlet. Rumi burst out in laughter.

"So you see what I mean. Everyone looked at me and they were all like: 'no, you can't be a hero! You are too cute and fluffy to fight'" Rumi said. "Ha, that will teach them!"

Midoriya felt a pang of jealousy at that. How he wished he had been like her, fighting on against the weight of public opinion… he truly was pathetic, huh?

"You went through similar circumstances Midoriya, did you not ?" Iida pointed out.

Midoriya felt his face burn. Of course he had to be put him in the spotlight.

"Huh? What does Stiff Boy mean by that?" Rumi wondered.

"I wasn't always… well… Fox Boy. For most of my life I lived in my Zero-Tailed form" Midoriya tentatively said. He offered a lopsided smile. "I- I actually thought I was quirkless".

"Hold on, you didn't manifest your tailed forms?" Rumi wondered, confused. "Wasn't your quirk a mutation type?"

Midoriya had never actually clarified that to anyone. Matter of fact, he generally preferred people to assume he was actually an emitter type instead. This was the moment of truth: would he lie or would he finally speak the truth?

"Y-yeah, I'm a mutation type" Midoriya confessed. Iida and Uraraka stared at him, surprised. "But I kind of… stuck to the Zero Tails without knowing any better". Better to explain it that way.

"Huh, so people thought you were quirkless. Guess you had it worse than me" Rumi chuckled, nudging him. "I guess once you got a quirk you decided to be a hero, right?"

"Actually…" Midoriya sheepishly trailed off, unsure how to tackle that topic. "I have always wanted to be a hero".

Rumi just stared at him. Midoriya took a deep breath and sighed. Here it came: how he had been an idiot wanting to be a hero when he was quirkless, how he had chased after an impossible dream and how he was lucky he actually had a quirk in the end…

"But… why didn't you train, then?" Rumi asked, confused. She was studying him, tilting her head. Midoriya might have found her cute like that, were it not for his current confusion.

"W-what?"

"I saw your quirkless form and it is so… well… pathetic. If you wanted to be a hero you must have started training harder than anyone else, right?" Rumi wondered.

"Hold you, you think a quirkless person can be a hero?" Midoriya asked, shocked.

SMACK.

"OUCH!" Midoriya cried out, a hand caressing his head. He glared at Rumi, baring his sharp teeth. "Why did you hit me?!"

"Because you are an idiot, that's why!" Rumi angrily replied. "Of course a quirkless guy can be a hero! However, he got to actually work for it!"

Iida and Uraraka kept staring, unsure if they had to intervene. Instead, they watched, entertained by the pair in front of them, while eating their lunch.

"Look at you! You don't even know how to fight and you don't have any real muscle on you – or at least, you didn't" Rumi said, sneering at him. "What did you expect to happen, Fox Boy? That some hero could hand over her quirk to you?"

Midoriya grimaced, fully admonished. She was right. He had been so pathetic, doing nothing. He had wanted people to acknowledge his dream, to even encourage him… and yet, he never actually did anything to deserve it. Rumi had been right to hit him.

"God damn it, Fox Boy!" Rumi groaned and pulled her hair with visible frustration.

She gently tapped him on the head again, but this time he didn't complain. He knew he deserved it.

"Look, if you wanted to be a hero, the only person who could make the final decision, was you. The world is a shitty place with shitty people. Just look at the government. If you let the world decide, you'll find your life turn into a shithole" She summarized.

"Y-yeah, I know, I was pathetic and-" Midoriya was saying, shoulders slumped, when Rumi decided to interrupt. BONK. "Ouch! Will you stop that?!" Midoriya growled, leaning back.

"Make me" Rabbit Girl retorted, smirking. "Enough chit-chat, Fox Boy. You are a sorry ass loser. Big deal. We all start somewhere. What's inexcusable is never bothering to change. So, what are you going to do now?"

She was right. He had no excuse now. He had to push forward. He tightened his fists, chest swelling with determination.

"I'll go beyond" Midoriya declared. "I'll go plus ultra".

"You are God damn right, Fox Boy!" Rumi proclaimed. She turned to a curious-looking Iida and a blushing Uraraka. "The same goes to you two".

"Are you alright, Uraraka?" Izuku asked, baffled.

"Y-yeah…" stammered a flustered brunette.

"Uraraka is a mouthful" huffed Rumi. She stroked her chin, thoughtful. "But what could I call you instead?"

"What about Infinity Girl? She did throw a softball out of orbit scoring infinity" Midoriya stated, making Uraraka avert her face and blush with embarrassment.

"I like it: Infinity Girl and Stiff Boy" Rumi hummed with approval.

"May I be properly addressed by my surname instead of such demeaning pseudonymous as Stiff Boy?" An indignant Iida grumbled.

"Nah, it's Stiff Boy" Rumi dismissively replied.

"Could I at least get another pseudonymous?" Iida pleaded, indignant.

"Fine, I hereby name thee Robot Boy" Rumi lazily said.

While Iida bemoaned his new nickname, much to Uraraka's amusement, Midoriya thought over what Rumi had said. She was, once again, correct. If he wanted to achieve his dream, he had to really stop whining so much and actually do something. It wasn't enough to just tolerate his quirk. As much as he had progressed against his Mental Repression, he knew he was still holding himself back. Well, no more.

He too would rise to the challenge and, God help him, he was going to go beyond that as well. With that thought, and everything it entailed, he was surprised to discover he wasn't exactly reluctant to the idea. Rather, a mischievous smirk spread across his face. He eyed the unsuspecting Iida, Uraraka and Rumi. Perhaps it was finally time to make peace with his most embarrassing form yet.

Friday Morning felt no different than any other day, at least not to Rumi Usagiyama a.k.a. Rabbit Girl. Then again, Rumi would have been lying if she didn't feel more excited about her mornings at the station, if only ever so slightly. After all, Fox Boy was an interesting chap.

Rumi Usagiyama was not someone who got curious or excited about people. However, when you come across someone with an interesting quirk like Fox Boy's, it was hard not to feel intrigued. Those tails, those claws, that ferocity, the cunning and slyness… he even got Aizawa's stamp of approval. She had expected to get bored with such a boy after the novelty wore off, especially someone who preferred sneaking to actually fighting, but perhaps it was that opposite nature to her that intrigued Rumi the most… for Rumi could only be intrigued with Fox Boy, right?

So he could change into a fox girl, a wimpy quirkless boy, an actual fox, two fox brats… and a ferocious nine-tailed fox… and yet he had other forms? Was she imagining things or did he have an overpowered quirk? Rumi really wanted to see those other forms of Fox Boy. Could they be stronger or have some dangerous power? Like sword-like claws for one form or maybe super-strength with another? Just imagining it made Rumi excited. Of course, she suspected that Fox Boy had his reasons to keep them hidden. Maybe he was keeping them secrets as trump cards? Or were they just lame?

Speaking of which… where was Fox Boy? She looked around for messy dark-green hair or fox tails. However, she couldn't find him in the waiting crowd.

Should I call him or something? Rumi thought. She frowned at that. Fox Boy wasn't one of her siblings, so she wasn't exactly meant to be concerned by him. Yet she was. Odd how being intrigued by someone worked, for Rumi was 100% she only felt that: intrigue.

Rumi checked her phone. Just as she wondered just why Fox Boy was getting late, she saw all heads around her turn towards a side. Far more surprising, was the shock written on their faces. Rumi, raising an eyebrow, leisurely followed their eyes – and immediately felt her jaw go slack and eyes nearly pop out their sockets.

"Like what you see, Rabbit Girl?" A sultry voice purred.

Rumi blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Hell, she just kept on blinking. She had to be dreaming.

"Fox Boy?" She blurted out.

There, winking at her, was a very attractive green-haired woman. With long curls covering her left eye and draping behind her, she was definitely pretty. However, it was the rather short skirt and half-unbuttoned shirt that made Rumi ogle with disbelief. After all, those four long fox tails and those fox ears meant that this was none other than Fox Boy.

"The one and only!" The woman giggled. She turned to the people, coyly blushing "p-please… don't stare like that…" she added.

The surrounding people immediately looked away, perhaps ashamed by being caught red handed with all the staring. Rumi, on the other hand, kept her eyes on the Fox Woman. Was it just her or was Fox Woman more than two heads taller now? Ah, so this was Fox Boy's Fox Woman form with Fox Girl's uniform… boy this was bound to get confusing at some point.

"What the hell, Fox Boy? Since when can you turn into…?" Rumi trailed off, unsure how to call Fox Boy. "This really is one of your forms?"

"Yep!" Midoriya nodded with a bright smile. "I am giving it a try. I am generally so embarrassed with this form…" she sighed, a hand on a cheek and almost posing before Rumi "…people stare at me and make me feel so nervous".

"I wonder why" Rumi grumbled, blood rushing to her face.

Come on, Rumi, don't let Fox Boy get to you! She angrily berated herself.

"So… eh… a hot chick, huh?" She scratched her head. Come on, come on, think about something to say! She muttered to herself, exasperated. "Hey, Fox Boy, how do you deal with the underwear?"

Rumi felt like slapping herself. Of all the things to ask, it just had to be that.

"Oh my, we aren't even dating and you want to know about my underwear?" dramatically gasped Midoriya. "What a naughty Rabbit Girl" she purred.

"I – you – I…" spluttered Rumi, red-faced. Then she noticed that playful smirk on the woman's face. "Oy, just answer already! I didn't mean it like that!" She exclaimed, waving an angry fist.

"You are so cute when you are flustered" Midoriya giggled, entertained.

The train, in the meantime, rolled in and people slowly approached it, eager to get to a seat.

"To answer your question, I've got special underwear that adjusts to my form – pretty expensive and specialized, but nothing my family's Quirk insurance couldn't cover" Midoriya explained. "Adapts to the form and to the tails. It is amazing just how far technology has gone".

The doors of the train slid open and the crowd made its way inside. Rumi and Midoriya found a seat at the back of the wagon. The rabbit girl eyed her companion, surprised by her extremely ladylike behavior and demeanor as she sat down. Well, that was until the train lurched forward and she suddenly found a smirking fox dramatically falling all over her, as if the train had moved to violently.

Sweet Carrots, sh has giant melons! Rumi, face burning with embarrassment, thought.

"Sorry about that" murmured Midoriya, her lips gracing Rumi's rabbit ears.

Rumi felt a shiver run down her spine, her rabbit tail standing in full attention. At the moment, Rumi wasn't entirely sure if she was suffering a terrible fate or absolutely enjoying it. She really hoped it was the former.

"Why is it that each form acts so differently?" Rumi wondered, fighting her embarrassment. "I get that they have their own personality, but geez they really are so different from each other!"

Just keep your thoughts on that, Rumi, and don't stare at those humongous… crap, too late, the young rabbit girl thought.

"Sincerely? I have no idea" Midoriya said with a dismissive shrug. "My psychologist believed each form is a fraction of my core persona, the Nine-Tails". She rolled her eyes at that. "Thing is, I sure do not know how to interpret forms such as these. I do fear what my other forms will be like".

That caught Rumi's attention. "Hold on, you have forms to manifest?" She asked.

"It is mostly guesswork, but if my true form is the Nine-Tails, I have been Zero-Tails for most of my life, and thus far I have managed to sequentially manifest from one tail to a four-tailed form… it stands to reason there is room for four new forms" Midoriya explained.

Rumi wasn't sure why, but she sure enjoyed whenever Fox Boy explained something.

"Huh, maybe you should focus on unlocking those forms? Who knows, maybe they make you stronger" Rumi suggested.

"I have decided to try" Midoriya told her with a smile before she gently raised a hand, as if to stop Rumi from doing something. "There's no need to smack me, love, I know I've been acting silly. Truth of the matter is, I am still adjusting to my quirk. I've been the Zero-Tails for so long…" she gave a sad smile "…my forms, even the one supposed to be my real one, still feel alien to me at times. But it doesn't matter. Like I said yesterday, I'll go beyond".

A mischievous smirk crossed her face and Rumi immediately felt the urge to flee.

"It is a good thing I have such a great friend to help me, right Rabbit Girl?" Midoriya purred.

Before Rumi could escape, strong arms wrapped around her and she was suddenly caught in a hug. Worse part, her head was buried between two cushioned masses that Rumi rather not think about.

"En-enough of-of all the-the touching!" Rumi spluttered, red-faced, as she tried to pry herself from Midoriya.

Midoriya released the poor rabbit, giggling at the expense of her prey's pride.

"If you say so…" Midoriya pouted, earning a scowl from the rabbit girl. "Fine, so, before we reach the final station, why don't you tell me what you think of the costume I've come up with?"

Rumi appreciated the much needed change of subject and something else to focus on. Unfortunately, this form of Fox Boy seemed to relish on the embarrassment of others. All Rumi could think was that her face felt like it was ready to burst from blood overflow. Thankfully, Fox Boy was still in there, inside that attractive woman, and thus when it came to heroes even the Four-Tail forms acted like the nerd he really was.

Rumi wasn't sure what to think of Fox Boy. He had a quirk that pretty much made him explore a roller-coaster of experiences and feelings. She guessed that the problem arose when he remembered what he had done from another different form. No wonder the Zero Tailed form was so awkward about his quirk. From the perspective of a quirkless boy, his forms probably were shit-crazy or outright embarrassing.

Rabbit Girl was thankful when they reached the last station and started their walk towards the school. The fresh air was a nice change. Sadly, Four-Tailed Midoriya insisted on breaking into her personal space… not that Rumi minded that much.

Rumi was by no means vindictive. However, she did feel it was time to get back at Fox Boy. But how? Rumi had to think of something quickly before they parted ways. She looked at the seductive form. An idea came into her head and she smirked. With any luck, it wasn't going to backfire.

Alright, Fox Boy, two can play the same game, the rabbit girl mentally cackled.

"Say, Fox Boy, did I ever tell you what a nice fur you have?" Rumi commented.

"Really, Rabbit Girl?" Midoriya wondered with an amused smile, only for her eyes to widen and jaw to drop. "EEP!" She squeaked as she felt Rumi's hand caress one of her tails.

The rabbit girl laughed and nudged the girl, showing that she had been teasing. However, unbeknownst to poor Rumi, this form of Midoriya was not like the others. Once Rumi started to walk away, towards her classroom (or just walk around to avoid his classmates until it was time), she felt a pair of cushioned things press against her back and arms wrap around her stomach.

"EEP!" It was Rumi's to go as stiff as a board and as red-faced as a tomato.

"Careful little rabbit" Rumi shuddered at the soft whispering voice murmuring right next to her rabbit ear. "Or this fox might bite…"

And to Rumi's horror, she felt plump lips kiss her cheek. It was no simple peck, either. She was so shocked and mortified by what had happened, she missed when Fox Boy broke off, cackling in triumph, and made her escape. Rumi stood there, petrified. Had Fox Boy just kissed her? A hand went to her cheek, disbelieving. Yep, he had.

Of course it had to backfire. The risk was calculated… but boy am I awful at math, Rumi thought. Dumbfounded, she stared at the school, her hand still rubbing her cheek. A grin slowly formed on her face.

"Totally worth it" she chuckled.

At the same time, little did Rumi know just how Midoriya was taking his latest action. In a bathroom, locked in a toilet, a red-faced Midoriya was slapping her face.

"I can't believe I did that!" She squealed, horrified. It was going to be worse once he returned to his zero-Tailed form.