Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Third POV

A clear blue sky expanded endlessly above him, the sun shining down its light so blatantly that it was almost cruel. The light made all his bruises and burns all the more noticeable, but if there was anyone around to notice, no one showed to care. Why would they for the evolutionary failure that he was?

One moment, he was having fun in the park, or at least as much fun as he could have when he was by himself, alone, as always. The next thing he knew, he was standing up for a young boy his age from a pair of bullies he knew all too well: Bakugo and his lackeys. It felt weird to call him so, by his actual last name, but his nickname for him, Kacchan, had long since lost its friendly meaning. Or was it only recently?

Regardless, he stood up for the boy against these bullies, these boys who wanted to be Heroes but acted more like Villains. He stood against them with no power of his own, and his fragile, weak, ordinary body. Or was he the unordinary one because of how different being ordinary was in a world where the unordinary was the ordinary?

Despite this, he stood his ground and tried to fight them off. It was pointless, useless, like he always was. The bullies beat him to a pulp and left him lying down under the sun's harsh gaze, casting a spotlight on his failures.

The boy he defended wasn't there either. He didn't hear him leave, but he must have at some point, maybe when they were beating him up, or after? Another person would have seen this as ungrateful, but to him, in a way, he achieved victory, didn't he? If the boy had managed to escape the bullies' notice, so much that the bullies left without harming him, or the boy managed to flee without getting hurt worse, wasn't that what he wanted to do in the first place? Did he not win despite losing? Was that not all that mattered?

'All in a day's work,' He thought through the pain.

The boy stared at the endless heavens with his tired, painful, yet hopeful, emerald eyes. He saw something in the sky, something bright and shining, like a star in the middle of the day. A green star, like him. He reached out his young left hand for it, begging to call for it, in hopes it might achieve his dream. No matter how pointless everyone said it was.

'My dream...All that I want...All I hope to be...is a Hero...'

Then the star shifted course from its path in the sky toward him, sailing toward his broken body, and...

*HONK!*

Izuku snapped out of his dream, panting. Quickly, his hands seized upon his body, inspecting himself for bruises or any star-shaped hole in his body. Thankfully, it was all there, his skinny, thin, weak, ordinary body.

"Izuku?" The boy heard and looked to his right to see his mother peering at him from the driver's seat, her worried gaze shifting back and forth between him and the road to keep from crashing. "Are you alright, sweetie?"

Still panting, the world and its reality came flooding back to Izuku as he remembered who and where he was. "Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine, Mom," Izuku said, looking at his reflection in the side-view mirror, sadly. "I'm fine."

Izuku Midoriya. That was who he was. He would be described as the plainest boy you could ever see. Big emerald eyes, diamond-shaped freckles below his eyes, and wild, messy dark and green hair. And those were the features that people would likely find 'noticeable'. The rest of him? Not so much. Plain round face, a short stature of 5'5", skinny enough that almost every piece of clothing he had looked baggy on him, including what he was wearing. A plain white T-shirt with the black kanji of 'T-Shirt' in the middle of a green horizontal bar, dark green shorts, and his signature red shoes with black laces. If there was something to be said about him, other than the 'obvious', it was that his fashion sense was said to be horrendous.

"Are you sure?" His mother, Inko Midoriya, asked again. She was a woman who, if she were a little younger, could pass off as his twin more than his mother. She had the same round face as him, the same green eyes, and her hair color was similar to his, if not lighter. He always took after her more than Dad, something she was often smug about against his father, to both of their amusement. She was short like him but had a more appealing, generally speaking, body than his skinny self.

She was slim enough to be healthy, with curves and features people claimed were supermodel material, but Mom always said that profession was a little too shallow for her. She wore a red blouse underneath her black and green jacket and had on a pair of white shorts and some white sneakers. Her hair was done in her usual manner, straight and flowing down to her shoulders on her sides, while a small ponytail was styled at the back. There was a time when his mother had put on some weight due to stress, but some words between him and Dad talked her into getting more in shape for her health. There were still remnants of the weight she had put on, but they were barely noticeable. His Mom was still beautiful, a heavenly angel, one of the only lights in his world, and one of the only beings on this planet who showed him love and compassion. Izuku would always be grateful for her.

"It looked like you were having a bad dream?" His Mom asked further, clearly worried. "Is it about...recent events?"

Despite her careful wording, Izuku still flinched and turned away, out the window and to the passing cars and structures around them. "No, it was just a dream," Izuku said, a finality in his voice that expressed his desire not to talk anymore.

"O-Okay," Inko stuttered and sighed, looking back to the road, conflicted but ultimately compliant with her son's unspoken request. "Just let me know if there's anything I can do, okay?"

Izuku only gave the shortest of nods as an answer and left it at that. Inko sighed again, worried for her son, hoping that this trip would do him some good, especially recently.

Izuku continued staring out the window, muttering, "Just a dream."

In the world Izuku Midoriya lived in, it was one where the Extraordinary became the Ordinary. The stories and tales of things found in the pages of comic books became Reality. A World of Superpowers. A World of Quirks.

It all began on that fateful day, 200 years ago, in a city in China. A baby was born that radiated light, clearly something extraordinary. Then, as if it had triggered a cascade of chain reactions, more and more people across the globe revealed other amazing, fantastical abilities. Producing fire or ice from their hands, moving things with their minds, absorbing energy, or gaining a pair of extra arms. More and more, these metaphysical abilities, Quirks as they call them, began appearing and changing the face of their planet forever.

At first, this Dawning of Quirks was a time of chaos and uncertainty. Brother turned against brother, people treated each other with mistrust, fear, and hatred for these 'mutants' or 'freaks'; 'aliens' even was tossed out. It only grew worse when some of those with these extraordinary gifts began using them for their own selfish purposes. Robbery, theft, revenge, bribery, even murder, these labeled 'Villains' threatened the innocents and cast a bad light on these gifted individuals.

However, where Darkness reigns, Light rises to face it, and so Heroes came to be. Amazing, courageous people who used their Quirks in the service of others, to protect the innocents, and defeat the Villains that threatened their way of life. These Heroes took center stage in the worldview and eased the chaos. Heroes became a profession, the most famous, popular job ever, and the Heroes gave the citizens peace and comfort against the terrors of the Dark.

But there was one Hero who stood out among all the others, one Hero who rose through the ranks to be the strongest, mightiest Symbol of Peace and Justice: All Might.

A large behemoth of a man, a towering figure of pure muscle and Heroism. Blonde hair mostly slicked back, except for two tufts of hair that stuck out high, eyes that normally were shadowed under his brows, but some could see the burning sky-blue eyes that radiated power, and most memorable of all, his wide, ever-constant smile.

He first appeared on the scene in the United States but was born and raised in Japan. After a few years overseas, he returned to his homeland and took the Hero world by storm. His debut video, Izuku had seen it so many times, that he was probably responsible for a third of the video's millions of views. It was a horrible accident that had a building crumble, and its remains were a fiery ruin, and yet despite the chaos and, what his mom would say, scary nature, All Might showed up and brought everyone's spirits up. Fear turned to awe, worry to hope, and the Hero had saved about 100 people in just a few short minutes and was still going. He was like an unstoppable force of nature.

And when he smiled and turned to the crowd, his words engraved themselves in the hearts of billions, including Izuku's: "Fear Not, Citizens! Hope has Arrived! Because I Am Here!"

The man was Izuku's idol, a second father figure, his room full of All Might memorabilia. He was Izuku's greatest Hero, and his greatest source of inspiration, the man who inspired his dream to be a Hero, too.

How did all that change in one day?

The car stopped in the gravel-dirt of the camping parking space. Izuku and Inko got out to inspect the area that was Endor Forest.

Lush, large trees, clearings a few miles out, with plains of lush, healthy grass and flowers. Izuku had forgotten the last time he was here on a trip with his Mom. As beautiful as this place was, it was often overshadowed by the painful memories that began here.

Helping unpack the gear, Izuku and his mom began their trek to their usual camping site, a space away from most of the usual camping sites, their own little slice of the woods to themselves. Sometimes, Izuku wished they could stay there, away from the city and the people...well, certain people, at least.

His mother and father discovered this place when they were both young, or so his Mom and Dad said, and it became a place where they could relax from the craziness of their world, a place where they could be themselves and speak freely. Izuku just thought they were talking about adult stuff, like maybe sex, much to his blushing embarrassment, but at times, he wondered if there was something more to what they meant than he first imagined.

Either way, this quickly became the Midoriya family camping spot, a place to come for celebrations if not just to get away for a while. His Mom and Dad went here on vacation, during their honeymoon, when he was born, and... that fateful day. Izuku could see why his mother and father loved this place; it was quiet, peaceful, and contrary to what most camping haters would imagine, the insects here were not as annoying or intrusive as one would fear. In fact, there were very few bugs here now that he realized. Strange.

They reached the main site. The logs for benches were still there and sturdy, now with a bit more moss and grass growing on the sides. Three logs circled the spot for a campfire, one for each of the Midoriya family. The area was clear of trees in a wide circle, so no chance a fire could spread, and when night came, the stars would be out and clear for the three of them to see. And if it ever rained, the trees nearby were the perfect cover, including a small cave a little ways away. Izuku could always swear that he heard a faint humming inside that cave, but his mother and father just assured him it was probably crickets or some other bugs. Izuku had no reason not to believe them. This was where the three of the Midoriya family could rest in peace.

Now, however, there were only two of them for today.

"I'm sorry that your dad couldn't come today, Izuku," Inko apologized as they set up the camp. "Believe me, he wanted to be here, it's just-"

"I get it, Mom," Izuku cut her off, but flinched at how harsh and snappish it sounded. Sighing, he continued. "I understand. Dad's work in America is busier than ever. International flights are costly these days. It's just..." Izuku stopped himself, not having the energy to mention the last few days.

"I know, sweetie. I know," Inko sadly said, the two continuing to set up the camp in silence.

Yet despite not wanting to, Izuku's mind took him back to the events of these last few days, the worst days of his life.

Flashback, a few days ago...

That day had started like any other. Izuku got up, ready for the first few days of his last year at Aldera High School. The 17-year-old was a bit more optimistic because of that, one more year to suffer through, one more year to prepare for U.A. University, the best Hero college in Japan, if not the world.

He had gotten ready, dressed himself in his black Aldera uniform, thankfully one without any burn marks, and left for school. He stopped halfway to see the commotion that occurred, a Villain attack. A Villain with a size-shifting Quirk had gotten caught trying to snatch a purse and ended up transforming to a gigantic size to fight off the police and Heroes. Izuku was in the crowd as the Heroes fought against the Villain, excitement on his face to see the Heroes fight and write down more about their Quirks.

Izuku always had a knack for being a fanboy, for both Heroes and Quirks. Not just Hero Quirks, any Quirk fascinated him, no matter how deemed useless it might be. Even the Quirk of the old man next to him in the crowd, one that gave him star-shaped protrusions on the side of his head, was interesting to him. Any Quirk was interesting than none...

The Punching Hero: Death Arms was there to clear away the debris and keep the civilians from falling debris from the Villain's rampage, while the Rescue Hero: Backdraft used his Hydrokinetic Quirk to hold back the crowd from the danger. The Hero who was confronting the Villain was a new face rising through the ranks in popularity: Kamui Woods, who seemed to use a Quirk that morphed and shifted his hands and other body parts, their structure resembling the arbor material of a tree, into different shapes. He was cool and definitely popular with the ladies, though he was a bit cliché and dramatic in Izuku's tastes, especially when he called the simple purse snatcher and his obstruction of traffic and destruction of property 'the very incarnation of evil'. Then again, he practically worshipped All Might, one of the most flashy and dramatic of Heroes, so who was he to judge?

Before Kamui Woods could use his special technique: The Preemptive Binding Lacquered Chain Prison (probably needs a shorter name), a new Hero showed up and kicked the Villain out for the count, and by kick, Izuku means slamming their entire giant body into the Villain in a surprise dropkick. The new arrival was another new and up-and-coming Hero, a female one this time, a rather attractive one too, by the name of Mount Lady. She certainly used her 'feminine wiles' to gain popularity, which was for damn sure, even Izuku wasn't exactly immune to her charms when she showed off her literal mountain-sized pair of ass cheeks in all their admitted perfection and hugged tightly by the white material of her costume.

However, despite her flirty, heroic nature, Izuku could sense something greedy and self-serving hiding behind her facade. He also didn't approve of how everyone started cheering and praising her, leaving Kamui Woods like an afterthought. He felt bad for the man left pouting on top of the stopped train while Mount Lady hid a devious smile on her face. Izuku sighed but made a note of it. Despite this age of peace they were all in, there were more Heroes now than they frankly needed or knew what to do with, and so if one wanted to get ahead, they needed to be willing to step over the competition. Izuku didn't want to be like that. He didn't want to hog the spotlight. He could even do without it. He just wanted to be a Hero, just like all of them. Just like All Might.

When the old man saw him writing and muttering like the fanboy he was, he called him out on it, deduced that he wanted to be a Hero, but then wished him luck. Izuku found him nice and thanked him for the support, but a part of him reasoned that if he knew the truth about him, he would say the exact opposite.

In a world of superpowers and the extraordinary, Izuku Midoriya was one of the very few who were ordinary, with no power of his own: Quirkless. By the 2210s, 80% of the population had unique Quirks of their own. The remaining 20% were Quirkless, possessing no metaphysical abilities at all. In a drastic, ironic change from the past, it was those who were Quirkless who were seen as 'freaks', including himself. 'Freaks' to be ostracized, looked down on, mistreated, and discriminated for something out of their control.

Kids usually manifest their Quirks when they are either born or when they turn 4, with a few late exceptions. After almost a year after he turned 4, his mother took him to a doctor to find out what was wrong. The man simply said that he should give up on his dream, and that was the first of many cracks that shattered his world. The doctor then began his spiel, that because he still had one extra toe joint compared to the slimmer, more evolved rest of humanity, which only had one toe joint, he was doomed never to manifest a Quirk, and since then, the doctor was painfully right.

No Quirk ever manifested, not even a late one. Izuku was devastated. All the friends he had before left and abandoned him, not wanting to deal with the Quirkless freak or catch whatever disease he had that would make them Quirkless, as if it were contagious. All the adults who knew him looked at him with pity or disgust, and some of those stares translated to his parents, only adding guilt to his conscious. And on that same day, he had watched All Might's debut video again and again, and with tears in his eyes, he asked Mom if he could be a Hero too.

Her only response was that she was sorry, that she wished things were different. His father had little to say that wasn't the same as his Mom. That wasn't what Izuku wanted to hear, and his heart broke only further that even his parents didn't believe in him. Izuku felt like the world hated him for no real reason.

And no worse place seems to hate Quirkless people like him than Aldera High School.

Izuku eventually arrived at the school, minutes before the bell, and was still treated as if he had gotten there late. That was just the first domino in a chain reaction that wiped away any good mood he would have for today and the rest of the days to come.

When homeroom officially started, their teacher began the class by pulling out some papers that he said were meant to gauge what we wanted for our future. They were the same ones they had filled out when they first started Aldera, and he pulled them out to see their progress in their goals. The teacher then just tossed the papers into the air and called them pointless, saying every single one of them wanted to be in the Hero Course. Afterward, everyone started showing off their individual Quirks, such as Girl with Fire for a Hand or Stretchy Eyeballs Man. Izuku was an optimistic person, and he could see that some of these Quirks could, in fact, be useful and good, the Stretchy Eyeballs could even be useful for spying and espionage kind of missions, but a realistic part of him also acknowledged that most of them wouldn't achieve the same level of fame or prestige as someone like All Might or Endeavor like they wanted. Where was the appeal of only turning your hand on fire when they have a Hero whose whole body is covered in fire?

Then, of course, it had gotten worse by the actions of one person, the very bane of his existence: Katsuki Bakugo, his former childhood friend, or, as he used to call him, Kacchan.

Bakugo began to brag that he was better than all the rest of the 'extras' as he liked to call everyone, that everyone else would be lucky if they became sidekicks to a low D-lister of a Hero. At first, the class was for once angry with him, but that quickly drained away when even the teacher seemed to believe Bakugo could make it big as a Hero at U.A. University.

Explosion. That was Bakugo's Quirk. He sweats nitroglycerin that he heats with his palms, ignites the sweat, and then produces explosions. It was an amazing Quirk. Izuku could not lie about that; incredibly versatile and powerful. That only served to fuel Kacchan's ego, when everyone told him that his Quirk was amazing, that he was destined to be a great Hero, no one ever truly humbled him or could humble him, and that turned Izuku's once childhood friend into a disgusting arrogant brat of a person who openly bragged that he would be the richest, most famous Hero of all time, even more than All Might.

'Idiot,' Izuku had thought back then. 'True Heroes don't care about fame or money, and they certainly don't brag and be boastful like this. Even All Might as standards.'

Then, as if the universe wanted to punish him for his thoughts, the teacher revealed that he also wanted to attend U.A. and be a Hero, and that caused everyone to laugh at him. Izuku remembered how weakly and pathetically he defended himself against the jeers of his classmates, how he pointed out that they removed the Quirkless restriction to enter the Hero Course, and how he could be the first one. Bakugo did not like that. Just as soon as he said that, Izuku's desk was blown to bits, and his back was up against a wall. He still remembered Bakugo's taunts and how he and his classmates looked like demons and monsters more than teens.

"Deku! You're even worse than the rest of these rejects! You're nothing more than a pebble on my road to success! You're Quirkless! This school is already crappy, you really want to embarrass it more by failing so hard!"

Deku. That's the name that Bakugo always called Izuku. It was derived from the kanji in his name, meaning 'useless', and it stuck, especially after he was revealed as Quirkless. He was forever to everyone Deku, weak, useless, defenseless, little Deku.

Of course, the teacher blamed and punished Deku for the disturbance and loss of school property because, after all, no one would ever blame Kacchan or risk ruining his future when they could ride his coattails instead. But it only got worse after class.

Bakugo cornered him before he could leave and destroyed the same Hero Notebook he wrote in this morning with an explosion, tossing the burning remains out the window like garbage. He then went on how he was destined for greatness and that he wasn't arrogant, just truthful, and Izuku and Bakugo's lackeys knew that was the biggest lie of the 23rd century. Then he proceeded to threaten him not to apply for U.A., or else. That was bad enough; a beatdown from Kacchan was already an eventuality, but this seemed like he would make extra sure to leave him within an inch of his life.

But, just as Izuku thought it couldn't get any worse, Bakugo had to open his damn mouth.

"You know, if you really want to be a Hero, there might actually be a way. Pray for a Quirk in your next life, and take a swan dive off the roof of the building!"

...That broke Izuku's heart. For almost 13 years, Izuku held on to the hope that Kacchan's attitude was just a phase, that he could change, be better, and be his friend once more. But when he said that, when he said those words, that was when Izuku stopped calling Bakugo 'Kacchan'. For once, Izuku gave up on a person, and it was 13 years too late.

Izuku had walked out of the school, already feeling dead inside. He retrieved what remained of his notebook from the fish trying to eat it, and began walking home. Attempting not to see Bakugo again, he tried taking a different route. Boy, was that his mistake.

Inside a tunnel, underneath a bridge, Izuku was attacked by a Sludge Villain who wanted to use his body as a 'meat puppet' to hide and escape from a Hero on his tail. Izuku had struggled and tried to escape, but the Sludge Villain's liquid body made it impossible for him to grab onto something. Izuku thought he was going to die, he didn't want to die, he didn't want to follow Bakugo's words, he didn't want to abandon his Mom and Dad, he wanted to live. He wanted to live and be a Hero.

And that's when he was saved by the greatest of them all. All Might saved him. After getting his autograph and freaking out, All Might collected the unconscious, scattered remains of the Villain's liquid body up in a bottle and prepared to leave. Izuku didn't want him to leave. He still had to ask All Might his question, so he hopped on the Hero just as he took off into the air. He almost fell off, but All Might managed to land them on the roof of a nearby building. He was about to leave again, but Izuku stopped him once more when he asked him his question.

"CAN I BE A HERO JUST LIKE YOU EVEN WITHOUT A QUIRK?!"

What happened after was somewhat muted for Izuku, mainly due to the pain. He remembered how All Might deflated and revealed his true form, a man who looked like the perfect definition of 'skin and bones'. Izuku promised not to tell anyone, and the Hero revealed that he suffered a terrible wound from a Villain 5 years ago, how the wounds limited his time being All Might to only a few hours. All Might then proceeded to shatter Izuku's world with the truths he had to share.

"I'm the guy who's always smiling, right? I'm the Symbol of Peace. People everywhere think I'm never afraid, but honestly, kid, I smile to hide the fear inside."

"This job ain't easy, and Villains will do whatever they can to win and destroy lives, so no, I don't think you can be a Hero without a Quirk."

Izuku's world was torn apart. His greatest Idol, his favorite Hero, just told him no, not even he believed in him. The man who spouted how anyone with the right will and training can be a Hero told him no. Izuku remembered falling to his knees, faintly hearing All Might leave while telling him to look for another profession and dream, something more realistic.

'Realistic?' Izuku thought back to it with anger. 'Does he even know what he's saying? What job could a Quirkless person like me take that's realistic? A Policeman? A firefighter? Even they wouldn't take me without a Quirk! I would be lucky to get a job as a janitor!'

At that moment, something changed in Izuku, something broke. Other Izuku's would have just wallowed in their pain, others would have taken the easy way out and jumped off the roof he was standing on, but him? Izuku felt angry. 13 years of pent-up anger, frustration, envy, guilt, sadness, grief, and misplaced hope all welled up into a cascade of pain and rage. All that emotion was directed toward the world, toward Bakugo, even toward All Might.

But as painful as it was, Izuku bit it down and welled the pain and anger back up, again. He had been an expert at keeping hold of his feelings; why stop now? If his own parents couldn't believe in his dream, what chance did the Symbol of Peace, who might as well have been a stranger to him, have to say differently? Maybe because All Might saw the best in everyone, but then was Izuku so worthless that All Might couldn't see any potential in him?

Then he heard the explosion and looked out to see a pillar of smoke a few blocks away. A part of him carried him over there. Even being weighed down by all of the day's pain and misery, something inside Izuku Midoriya fueled him to run over to that site. When he got there, he saw the Sludge Villain again. He had attacked another person, and that person was using their Quirk to fire off explosions randomly that were setting the whole place on fire. Death Arms and other Heroes couldn't do anything against the Villain's liquid body. Backdraft was too busy putting out fires, Kamui Woods was saving civilians, and Mount Lady couldn't get inside the alleyway the Sludge Villain was in because it was too narrow.

Izuku quickly realized what had happened. He must have escaped from the bottle, the bottle that must have dropped from All Might's pants, the same ones he clung onto. The Sludge Villain was out, and he had attacked, trying to take over another person, because of him. It was his fault.

Then he saw the eyes of the person the Sludge Villain attacked. His panicked, ruby-red eyes. Bakugo.

His notebook had dropped to the ground, and Izuku Midoriya began running toward Bakugou, his body moving before he could even think.

Despite the pleas of the nearby Heroes, Izuku continued to run at the Villain and his former friend. He didn't even know why he was running to save Bakugou of all people, but he just couldn't stand aside and do nothing. He used his schoolbag and items to blind the Villain, figuring out that his eyes and teeth were solid and thus could be hurt and blinded, giving him time to get his other eye and punch it with all he had. The Sludge Villain roared in pain, and his grip on Bakugou loosened, enough for Izuku to pull his tormentor out of the Villain. Only it was Bakugou who ruined everything. Despite Izuku's attempts to get him away from the Villain, Bakugo wouldn't have it; he said he would rather die than get saved by a Quirkless weakling like Deku.

The recovered Sludge Villain nearly made that a reality and tried to attack them again, only for All Might to appear and save the two of them, punching the Sludge Villain so hard his punch caused a mini-tornado to change the weather. The Sludge Villain was defeated and captured. All Might saved the day, and Bakugo was saved. And for Izuku, he was in trouble.

The Heroes had chastised him for running in and putting himself in danger, doing something that he had no right or reason to do. Their words became more muted to me with every chastisement, at the gall of these...these hypocrites.

'No right? No reason? Nothing I could do?!' Izuku's thoughts raged like a hurricane as he began his walk home, repeating everything he wanted to say to them in that instant. 'You all were doing nothing! You all were Heroes, and you did absolutely nothing to stop that Villain! You said you wanted to wait and hang back until a Hero with the 'right Quirk' showed up. What kind of Heroes think that way?! I'm Quirkless, I had no Quirk, and I still did a better job than you!'

Thankfully, he got off easy thanks to All Might. Kamui Woods and Mount Lady also vouched for him, which was surprising, but Izuku didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Kamui Woods said that he didn't use a Quirk, so he technically didn't break any Quirk law. Mount Lady at least supported Midoriya, saying he at least got Bakugo out of the Sludge Villain, which Izuku found the most surprising from her, but then she did look guilty. Did she realize her mistakes and regret them?

In the end, Izuku got off with a slap on the wrist, but so did Bakugo, and that only made Midoriya even angrier with how the Heroes were praising him; Praising him! Even though it was Bakugo's Quirk that was causing the fires, occupying Backdraft's attention and keeping him from helping against the Villain. Praising Bakugo's Quirk, the cause of all the property damage and injured civilians. Bakugo, who had illegally used his Quirk on his own accord, was getting praised and offered sidekick positions by the Heroes, while Izuku was scorned.

In the end, Bakugo was praised for his Quirk, and Izuku was the one who was punished and chastised. It was just more of the same, and Izuku hated it.

Before he could delve deeper into this, Bakugo stopped him on his way home. Izuku expected a beatdown for 'saving him from the Sludge Villain', yet all Bakugo did was tell him off, call him useless, that he did absolutely nothing, and that he didn't need to thank him for shit.

If Izuku hadn't gotten Bakugo out of the Sludge Villain, he would have accepted that. If he hadn't blinded and hurt the Villain, where Bakugo and the Heroes did nothing, he would have accepted that too. However, he did blind and hurt the Villain. He did pull Bakugo out. They only needed to be saved because Bakugo stopped him to appease his ego. No, Izuku wouldn't accept that. Not one bit.

"Bakugo!" Izuku had yelled, freezing the blonde in his tracks. When Bakugo turned to face him, eyes wide and surprised, they met the challenging glare of Izuku Midoriya. "You're welcome."

Bakugo said nothing, but with how red his face was becoming, how his eyes glared with intense fury, Izuku was sure that he had pushed him too far. But Bakugo huffed and marched away, only hearing the faintest explosion of anger come from the teen.

Izuku sighed, the adrenaline that pumped through him going out as his hands fell to his knees. Izuku panted in disbelief that he managed to tell Bakugo off, even if only a little bit. He felt...proud of himself? A strange change of pace.

After a few moments to recollect himself, Izuku was about to turn around and head back home. Only to get stopped by another familiar face.

"I AM HERE!"

All Might had arrived and stopped him in his tracks, before deflating back to his true form. He said that he wanted to speak with him, but Izuku didn't want to. Already today was the worst in his life. He was attacked by a Villain, twice, nearly died, twice, and was told to kill himself by his former childhood friend, who was praised yet again, and had his dreams crushed by his idol, on top of getting chastised by Heroes for doing what they should have been doing. Izuku just wanted to get out of there and get some rest at home.

But All Might wouldn't have it. He said he couldn't let him leave without first thanking him. When Izuku was confused by what he meant, All Might stated that he was originally in the crowd with the rest of the civilians, doing nothing. With his time limit out, All Might was but a bystander, letting it all happen. It was only through the actions of Izuku that All Might was spurred into action; he, a Quirkless teenager, did more to save Bakugo than every Hero with a Quirk.

All Might then proceeded to say that it didn't have to be like that, which confused Izuku. All Might revealed that the source of his power, his Quirk, was called One For All, and that with it was a Quirk that was passed on from generation to generation, growing stronger as it was passed on, until it finally reached him, its 8th wielder, a Quirk that didn't originally belong to him. A Quirk, All Might decided that, for his brave actions, he was considered worthy of it. Worthy to have this Quirk passed down to Izuku.

At first, Izuku wanted to take it. Every well-rational thought screamed that this was his chance to be a Hero, to see his dream come true.

...Except, something in All Might's words threw Izuku off. When Izuku asked if One For All was not his Quirk originally, then what was, All Might was surprised, not expecting that answer. Reluctantly, All Might admitted that he didn't have a Quirk before One For All.

The dam that Izuku had constructed, the well that hid all his pain and anger, finally erupted.

"Y-YOU...YOU GODDAMN HYPOCRITE!" Izuku had roared with so much venom and hatred that he thought he had finally learned something from Bakugo. "All this time...all this time you started off Quirkless, and yet you said no? You knew of a way to get a Quirk, you knew that I could become a Hero, and YOU SAID NO?!"

All Might was, of course, stunned but couldn't say anything as Izuku continued.

"Do You Even Remember What It Means to Be Quirkless?!" Izuku shouted at him, tears welling up in his eyes. "How it feels to have every door slammed shut in your face? To have everyone treat you like you're a walking disease? Like you're a lost cause over something you have no control over? For being something you wished you could change, if only to stop the pain, but couldn't, no matter how hard you tried?! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE HATED FOR NOT BEING AS SPECIAL AS EVERYONE?! You could have stood up for us, helped change, and stopped the world from treating people like us like monsters, but you didn't. Why? WHY DIDN'T YOU STAND UP AND BE THERE FOR US, ALL MIGHT?!"

All Might said nothing, his eyes hidden by the shadows of the sunset behind him, his frown and slumped head full of shame. Or at least Izuku thought, hoped it was shame. Izuku didn't want to imagine boredom or disinterest coming out of All Might, but then, when has the world ever been kind to him and given him what he worked for? Now? Too little, too late.

When All Might said nothing, Izuku's shoulders slumped. "You didn't know, or you didn't care. That's all, it could be," Izuku muttered, his tone laced with disgust, bitterness, or resignation. "You either forgot and abandoned us, or you never cared to do anything about it. You, the Symbol of Peace, the Number 1 Hero, did nothing to help." Izuku scoffed bitterly. "Some Hero you are."

Izuku found the strength to move his legs once more and began to walk, past All Might, past his idol, past perhaps his only chance of ever gaining a Quirk, of being a Hero with a Quirk. And Izuku was fine with it.

"You can keep your stupid Quirk, and shove it down some other fool's throat. Please, give it to Bakugo for all I care! Lord knows he would do anything for a Quirk like yours or whoever it first belonged to," Izuku said, stopping in his tracks, his back towards All Might and where Bakugo ran off to. He was done! He was done chasing after people who only disappointed him. "I don't need it. I don't want that crutch that would make me forget everything I've been through, everything I worked hard for, to get a Quirk handed down like a pair of jeans. To be 'gifted' something I didn't need to do the job you and the other Pros should have done."

Izuku sighed, letting go of some of his anger briefly. "With respect to everything you've done for me, for saving me from the Sludge Villain, I won't tell anyone about your Quirk. I owe you that much," Izuku offered. "But in return, I want you never to offer me your Quirk again. I won't need it. Whether you believe in me or not, I'm going to be a Hero without a Quirk, and I won't let anyone stop me from being the best damn Hero I can be!... Goodbye, All Might."

And with that, Izuku walked away, leaving behind a broken man, one Izuku didn't even know he broke with his words, a man who felt the shadow of his predecessor look at him with disappointment, felt the weight of shame and guilt upon his shoulders for the people he left to rot. Neither of them knew that deep within the Number 1 Hero's very Quirk, the Quirk that he wanted to give to this worthy contender, that the Quirk itself longed for Izuku Midoriya to return, to reconsider. But what was the point of ghosts talking if no one could hear them?

While Izuku marched on into a future of his own making, All Might would be left behind. "Dammit," All Might had said, but it was too late for Izuku to hear and too late for the Number 1 Hero to take back what he said.

Present...

Izuku sighed, finishing up the last of his tent just as he finished recalling the day's events.

He remembered afterward that Aldera had given Izuku and Bakugo a week off from school after the events of the Sludge Villain. Though Izuku didn't know whether to interpret their sudden 'generosity' as a sign of human compassion or if they didn't want Izuku, the greatest evidence of their abuse of power, to be around and potentially bring with him more eyes to Aldera than needed. It was a wild theory, but Izuku enjoyed making wild theories and ideas from such possibilities. Just look at his Hero notebooks.

Whether it was done with self-serving or generous intent, Inko decided to take the opportunity for some time off work and school and to go to their Midoriya camping spot. Despite her attempts to reach him, however, Inko was unable to get Izuku's dad, Hisashi Midoriya, to come to the trip, so for now, it was only mother and son. Not that it would be for the first time.

Izuku had long accepted and understood his father's duties to his work as his way of supporting the family, but it didn't mean it didn't come with its fair share of bitterness. What son would not want to spend further time connecting and bonding with their father? You know, unless they don't have the best of relationships, but Izuku and Hisashi Midoriya did have a good one. Or as good as they could get with Hisashi's frequent and long trips to America for work, but the man still gave the time he had to call his wife and son as best he could. It was in these calls that Hisashi would even dispense some fatherly advice for Izuku to stand up for himself against his bullies, like Bakugo. Perhaps it was thanks to him that he likewise stood his ground against All Might and his offer.

During the couple of days it took for Inko to get time off from work for the trip, Izuku stayed in his room, contemplating all that had happened to him that day, and began to make changes to his life. For one, his All Might merchandise. His room, once a shrine to All Might, had now quickly been rendered bare, Izuku unable to stand the smiles of his idol, smiles that once stood for Hope and Encouragement now unveiled in their hypocrisy and taunting rejection.

His mother was first alarmed when she saw her son tear down his All Might posters, believing someone had impersonated her son at first. Izuku quickly dispelled such notions and gave the simple and weak excuse that he had 'moved on' from the All Might fanboying. The excuse failed to ease his mother's worry, displayed obviously during their car ride to the camp. They still had all the memorabilia in the house. Despite Izuku's newfound bitterness for the Symbol of Peace, he wasn't an idiot to not realize that the money he spent on them could be regained by selling them. If not for himself, then for a cause for Quirkless people. If the Symbol of Peace wouldn't do anything for them, then he would with the man's own visage.

Another draw of the 17-year-old's attention was his Hero Notebooks. Throughout the years, he had made over a dozen of these notebooks, analyzing, detailing, and writing down everything he could about various Heroes, their Quirks, their strengths, Support Gear, and even weaknesses. If he were to be a Hero and ally with these champions of peace, then perhaps he could help them by offering an outside perspective on their abilities and informing them on how best to aid or defend themselves should they be caught off guard, weakened, or how to evolve or expand the reach of their abilities. Izuku wanted to be more than just a Hero for civilians; he also wanted to do his part in saving other Heroes, too.

However, the biggest reason for his Notebooks was to utilize these strengths and skills for himself, to implement and add their knowledge to Izuku's own skillset, to make him the best Hero possible. Midoriya used his knowledge of Kamui Woods in his efforts to blind the Sludge Villain and Rabbit Hero: Miruko to further strike at the Villain's other weak spot while the Villain was down, further crippling his strength. So, Izuku poured over his notebooks, to try and find a way for him to be a Hero without the means of a Quirk, be it through the use of Support Items, Martial Arts, or various other skills. By the time it came for his and his mother's trip, the green-haired teen had already exhausted himself with ideas, deciding that it might be best to hold off until he got back, that perhaps some time in this place could help clear Izuku's head from all the stress and trauma that the fateful day had dealt him.

There were times between then and now that Izuku had also contemplated reconsidering his decision and taking up All Might's offer of inheriting this One For All Quirk. But very quickly, he would brush them aside. Even if he did decide to agree to take up All Might's Quirk, it was already too little too late. Izuku said his piece against the Symbol of Peace and told him off vehemently. The chances for All Might to forgive him and grant him his Quirk were low. And even if he would still give him the Quirk, how could Izuku contact him? They didn't exchange contact information or a place to meet up, so unless he found him again in an absolute miracle, All Might and his Quirk were now lost to Izuku.

But then, that was if Izuku reconsidered and wanted the Quirk at all. Izuku had meant what he said to All Might back then, that he wasn't going to take the Symbol of Peace's Quirk, that he wouldn't need it or a Quirk to be a Hero. When All Might said that he didn't have to be Quirkless to be a Hero like he did when he saved Bakugo, he made it sound like it was an inconvenience, a hardship that Izuku didn't have to struggle with, rather than congratulating him for doing that which full-fledged Pro Heroes with Quirks couldn't do. It sounded dismissive of his efforts rather than rewarding, that he was giving One For All out of pity rather than achievement.

And, most prominent of all, Izuku didn't want to be like All Might anymore. He wanted to be a Hero still, yes, but not the same kind as All Might. He didn't want to give up being Quirkless anymore, to see his Quirklessness as a curse anymore, because it wasn't. He had done the job of a Hero without one, and inspired a Hero to take action without one; he could be a Hero without a Quirk. And what's more, he didn't want to forget who he was, like All Might did. He didn't want to suddenly turn his back on all his hard work and determination to throw it away for a hand-me-down Quirk, no matter how powerful it may be.

But that still left Izuku at an impasse, one that he has been in since he walked away from All Might that sunset: 'What do I do now?' Izuku thought.

"Izuku, could you come for a sec?" His Mom called out to him from outside the tent.

Curious and a dutiful son, Izuku first finished removing his previous shirt and put on a black T-shirt, and then stepped out of the contemplative solitude of his tent to find his mother waiting for him, a box wrapped in gift-wrapping fabrics. 'Weird, my birthday's not more than three months from now?' Izuku questioned, wondering if his mother had pulled out an early birthday present because of the Sludge Villain incident.

"I know that you have been having a hard time recently, and I know your birthday is still months away, but your cousins sent you a present from America," His Mom revealed. "So, here."

His cousins, that's right. His Dad wasn't the only family he had in the States. While they technically weren't related, the Tennysons were as much a family to the Midoriyas as if they were related. The grandfather of the Tennyson family, Max Tennyson, was an old, retired friend of his father's line of work and a friend of his mother, too. That friendship meant that Izuku was pen pals, friends, and surrogate cousins with the youngest of the Tennyson children. Ken Tennyson was the eldest, and older by a few years, so it was harder to get to know him. Lucy Hale was a cousin-in-law of the Tennysons through marriage, and while Izuku knew and grew to be friends with her, too, they only met and talked via emails, texts, and video calls.

However, Ken's studious little sister, Gwendolyn Tennyson, or Gwen, Izuku was much closer to, as well as her more immature yet loveable twin cousin, Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, or Ben for short. They were the closest he had to best friends, though their long distance between countries meant that very few people believed they existed when he talked about them. Bakugo was only convinced when his mother confirmed their existence.

Gwen was the studious, responsible cousin, while Ben was the more adventurous, fun-loving one. The two often got on each other's nerves, especially in their earlier years, yet Izuku forged a friendship with both that tied the three of them together. Gwen and Izuku bonded with their love of studying, analysis, and fascination with the occult, magic, and mythology. Ben and Izuku mostly discussed Heroes, comic books, and video games. It was by proxy that he hung out with Ben more when they played video games online, and Gwen through her laptop.

Izuku had only met them in person the one time. His father took him on a trip to the States for a week when he was 10, but the three of them had hit it off so grandly that they promised to be best friends for life. Cousins, even if not by blood. Thus, a gift from the two was something that perked and lifted Izuku's mood.

Receiving the gift in hand, Izuku smiled lovingly at his mother. "Thanks, Mom, I really appreciate this," Izuku said. "I also got to thank Gwen and Ben next time I chat with them."

"I love you, Izuku, and I want what is best for you," Inko cupped his cheek, smiling at him with motherly love.

"I love you, too, Mom," Izuku sniffled back before the tears came.

"Now, go on, open it," Inko urged him on.

And so Izuku did, opening the package. He saw that it was a set of three gifts, likely one from each of the two cousins, and one together. The first was a primarily green jacket. Lifting and looking over it, it had a short green collar that would at most cover his whole neck. It was an emerald green color, with sleeves that would roll down to his wrists, two black circular stripes around the bicep of the right sleeve, and a single black stripe that ran down from the left shoulder down the left front of the jacket, with a black circle with a green '10' by the heart.

"A jacket?" Izuku muttered, finding there was a note attached to the jacket. Opening it up, it read, "Heard you were having a hard time of late, cuz. That Bakugo guy still treating you pretty nastily, huh? Hey, you know if you ever need me, I'll fly on over there and give him a piece of my mind. We Quirkless guys have to stick together. Plus, you know, you're my favorite cousin and everything. Don't tell Gwen, though. So, I got one of my favorite jackets and sent it to you. A little piece of Bellwood and your bestest cousin. Remember, I'm with you all the way, Zuku. Love, Ben."

Another reason why he was so angry at All Might for seemingly abandoning Quirkless people like him. In Izuku's mind, All Might also abandoned Ben. While Quirkless discrimination is incredibly less apparent in the States, at least compared to Japan, Ben still had his fair share of bullying from being Quirkless, something that both of them confided the true extent of their pain to each other. Ben also had the dream of being a Hero, too, but likewise suffered the same rejection and mockery as he did at the idea of a Quirkless Hero. At some point, Ben decided to give up the dream, but Izuku wouldn't, and in his words, 'keep going for the both of them', to which Ben always gave his undying support.

Wiping away a tear, Izuku decided to put on the jacket, finding it fit well enough; anything always looked baggy under his skinny frame, but he would treasure this gift from his cousin.

Moving to the second gift, it was a necklace. Black silvery chains, and in the centerpiece, a stone-like gem that looked more like a rune. It was red like a ruby and had engravings on it; a black line running down the circular middle and then spreading up the sides like a smile, and two black lines coming up and down, stopping before they reached the middle.

Seeing that there was a note beside it as well, Izuku opened it to read, too. It read, "Hey, Izuku, your mom said that you've been having a hard time lately at school. I still don't know why you even go to that disgrace of a school anyway. Surely, going to another high school isn't that hard, right? Well, anyway, if it's a matter of money, don't be afraid to ask for help from us. Our grandpa has a ton of money he has lying around that he would be happy to gift, no charge or obligation. Although the same could be said about you. I know you, Izuku, and I know that you must be suffering under all the bullying and mockery, especially from Bakugo. If no one in Aldera will help, that doesn't mean the police won't. I know that Bakugo was your friend at one point, but you don't need to defend him; you owe him nothing. Just think about it, no pressure, just support. I'll be rooting for you always, and so I decided to send this over to you. I found it in a weird occult shop during one of Grandpa Max's road trips in that RV of his. I was told it was like a good luck charm. I hope it brings you luck in your dream as well. Love always, Gwen."

Wiping away another tear before it could go down his cheeks, Izuku put the necklace on. Izuku couldn't explain it, but it did feel like he was wrapped in one of Gwen's signature hugs; it felt comforting, enchanting, really. 'Do I have the best cousins in the world, or what?' Izuku thought.

Finally, the third gift was the simplest yet most heartfelt: a picture, in a wooden frame. It was 10-year-old him, Gwen, and Ben making silly faces, Grandpa Max and his dad off cooking up one of their disgusting meals, Max's RV parked behind them. The words on the frames read 'Best Cousins Forever'.

It was times like this that he felt blessed and loved, reasons why Bakugo's bait was all the more abhorrent to him. For all the pain and hardships of his life, he wouldn't trade it one bit, not when he had two friends and cousins like Ben and Gwen. 'Yep, Best Cousins ever.'

Standing up and handing the photo over to his Mom, he said, "Mom, I-uh-I'm going to take a walk. Alone. I-I just need some time by myself, okay?" Izuku asked.

His Mom was surprised by the sudden request but nodded.

With that, Izuku proceeded to walk off into the woods in search of one particular spot: the spot for him and his dad.

Meanwhile, high above in space above Earth's orbit...

High above, just beyond the notice of any stargazers, masked from Earth's various satellites, a lone green and slender ship raced across the stretch of space for its occupants' lives. Just behind it, chasing after in mad pursuit, was a massive dreadnaught of a spaceship, long and dark grey and black in color, with bulges of what looked like red, black-splotched energy on the sides and the tips of the long, gaping maw of the ship, where electricity sparked between the lower and upper sects of this ship's metaphorical maw. Finally, the ship's helm rested atop and at the near back of this massive ship.

The larger ship was firing a constant stream of lasers and missiles at the smaller ship. The green and blue ship fired back in defense, its green lasers clashing with either the larger ship's red ones or destroying the missiles before they reached it.

Finally, and unexpectedly, as the electricity of the larger ship started to crackle and condense into a sphere of energy, a roar seemed to echo, even in the vacuum of space. This roar of defiance seemed to break the laws of physics and would be followed by a massive explosion at the ship's helm, engulfing it in flames. Pieces of debris started flying off into the vacuum of space. The sphere of energy from the larger ship fired outward and struck the tinier ship, obliterating it in an instant.

However, two objects appeared to have flown out of the ship safely, one a large pod and the other a smaller one. The two traveled in unison, but as they entered Earth's atmosphere, one of the debris from the ships crashed into the larger one, sending it spiraling out of control. While the larger one veered off course and towards the northern part of the Earth, the smaller one proceeded down its path, unimpeded, its fiery green trail just about to fly over Japan.

Back on Earth...

After a few moments, and as the sun set and night and the stars took their place in the sky, Izuku managed to find his and his Dad's spot.

It was just about outside the cave, a small stream of water running down beside it, the clearing large enough to gaze upon the stars by the small hill down to the stream. Even though it had been a few years since the last time he and his father were here, Izuku could still see the scorch marks from his father's Quirk.

It was in this place that Izuku and his father would often spend time alone, the patriarch of the Midoriya household taking the time to listen to his son's worries, while occasionally expressing his anger by firing a fireball from his mouth. It actually cheered Izuku up quite a bit. The two of them often imagine those flames striking at Bakugo enough to have him running around in a comical panic, or one of his stupid teachers or classmates. The area was always moist enough so that no fire would ever spread from his father's Quirk, and it was a good way to blow off steam.

It wasn't much, but it was special to him and his Dad, a place for Izuku to clear his mind. He just wished his Dad was there for him to talk to. 'Though what could I even tell him about that day?' Izuku pondered. He kept his promises seriously and promised he wouldn't tell about One For All or his meeting with All Might to anyone, even if his greatest idol had failed to live up to the dream. 'Never meet your Heroes,' His dad might say in a corny fashion.

Lying down on the grass by the hill, Izuku spread himself out across the grass, looking up at the stars above. He had always wondered if there was more out there in the universe than just Quirks and Heroes, if there might be intelligent life out there among the stars. A popular theory suggested that if Quirks hadn't emerged over 200 years ago, humanity might have already mastered space travel—or at least progressed enough to reach nearby planets like Mars, Venus, or even the distant gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn.

Maybe they could have answered the lifelong question about whether there were Martians? He and his dad like to make believe about what kind of aliens might be out there in the cosmos. His dad would always come up with the most imaginative ideas, like an alien that was half-man, half-angler fish with a mermaid tail, or maybe large, angry cat people that liked to call people by their full names and titles. That last one always gave him chuckles when he 'reenacted' what they might sound like.

But in truth, his curiosity with the stars and possible extraterrestrial life stemmed from the question: 'Would aliens have Quirks?' That question would then follow down a similar trail of questions and theories. 'What if Quirks are so unique that only humans experience them?' 'Would those aliens have other abilities that make them stand out compared to humans?' 'If so, would that mean that every member of their species has them? Would they treat each other more equally, too?' And most interestingly: 'Do they dream about things that others say can't come true?'

Rubbing his lucky charm necklace from Gwen, Izuku raised his left hand out to the stars, as if he could reach out and touch them, reach out and perhaps be the first human to travel through space and find alien life. Would that make him important? Would that make him matter in a world where he seemed not to?

Izuku's eyes gazed upon what looked like a shooting star, its trail a green glow and scar across the black of night. Well, he might as well. If he can't find his wishes to come true down here on Earth, he might as well take a crack at the stars.

"All I want, all I wish, is just a chance," Izuku muttered out loud, his hands reaching out to cup the comet in his grasp. "A chance to be someone's Hero."

Suddenly, the comet shifted course. Izuku blinked in surprise, his eyes widening as he noticed the comet getting closer and closer. 'I-It's COMING THIS WAY!' Izuku thought with panic, hopping from his place in the grass and turning away.

The light was getting closer and closer as Izuku began to run. With instincts screaming at him, Izuku jumped forward as the comet crashed into the ground where he once stood.

BOOM!

Izuku groggily got up, shaking his head. 'Okay, it's official. Someone up there must hate me,' Izuku thought to himself after escaping a collision with a comet.

Speaking of which, after finally clearing his head and stopping himself from seeing doubles, Izuku turned back to the sight of the crash, a large crater where he and his dad once sat, a green glow emitting from the crater. Instincts once more screamed at Izuku to turn away, walk in the other direction, and get help, his mom, a Hero, or someone, but then something else said differently. He didn't know whether it was his gut, his heart, or some act of fate pushing forward, but Izuku walked toward the crater.

Upon reaching the edge, he looked down to see a smoking object coming from the center of the impact, the crater almost reminding him of All Might's wound. As the smoke cleared, the green glowing object became clearer: a silvery pod of some kind.

"I-Is that a satellite or something?" Izuku muttered to himself. The green-haired teen took another step forward, only to remember at that moment that he was already on the edge. With a sudden cry, Izuku tumbled down the crater before finally stopping just before the pod. Grumbling something about his new lucky charm not being so lucky after all, Izuku got up, looking right at the pod in front of him.

Izuku did a short, startled hop as he realized how close he was to the object. He didn't know whether it was a bomb that might blow up in his face. He tanked all of Bakugo's explosions, but Izuku didn't believe he could survive an actual missile exploding in his face.

Rather than an explosion, a beam of light shot out of a sudden camera from the pod. Izuku attempted to cover his face, yet the light scanned over the boy's body again and again. Realizing that nothing bad was happening, Izuku removed his hands from in front of his face and noticed the pod produce a confirming beep of sorts. The pod then opened, revealing its contents: a watch.

"A watch? From outer space?" Izuku questioned.

The watch didn't look like anything he had ever seen. The strap of the watch was a white unknown strip down the middle, surrounded by two lines of emerald, green down the sides, converging on the square-shaped watch, white along the edges with three stripes of green on each side and a line of green that crossed diagonally down toward the black middle screen of the watch the converging lines forming an almost hourglass shape. It was...beautiful.

Izuku reached out with his left hand to touch it; however, it would touch him instead. The watch seemed to spring to life, launching itself out from the pod and latching onto his left wrist.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Izuku gave out a startled yell, shaking his hand and wrist around frantically and panicked, trying to fling whatever was latched onto his wrist off of him. "NO! NO! NO! WHAT IS THIS?! GET OFF! GET OFF!" Izuku tried pulling the watch off his wrist, only to be met with pain, like he was pulling at his own skin. Eventually, he stumbled back onto the ground.

Shaking himself off and seeing the watch still attached to his left wrist, Izuku got up onto his feet and crawled out of the crater, not wanting to test his luck and see if other things inside the pod, if there were any, wanted to attach to him, as well.

When Midoriya climbed out of the crater, he turned his attention back to the thing on his wrist. Panic filled his body again as he continued to pull and yank on the watch to get it off of him. Every single attempt was met with failure and pain.

Finally, after a few minutes of needless struggling, Midoriya fell to his knees, panting with exhaustion. As he breathed in and out, time passed, and Izuku noticed that nothing else was happening to him. He wasn't being consumed; nothing was entering his body like the Sludge Villain, just silence. With a breath, Izuku looked back down at his left wrist to see the thing that had attached itself to him.

The watch appeared as it had before, unchanged, other than it now wrapped around his wrist. Feeling it, Izuku felt smooth, cold metal and rubber. When Izuku looked around the band to find a lock, a connection where he could easily remove it, he found nothing. It was as if the two ends of the watch's straps had melded together. Pulling on the watch with a more experimental tug garnered no new results; the watch simply clung onto him like a fanatic eel or leech, but Izuku didn't feel anything drain out of his body as a leech would. He still felt normal, still him, just with a new, seemingly clingy accessory.

Izuku looked down at the faceplate of the watch, the green hourglass-like shape, and his own reflection in the black metal. "What are you?" Izuku asked the watch, almost feeling silly in doing so. But if it moved on its own and latched itself to him, could it be sentient or maybe following some pre-programmed orders?

A moment after he spoke, the green of the watch glowed, a positive beeping hum ringing that startled Izuku a bit. 'Was that a response?' Izuku questioned himself, wondering if the watch had listened to his words. But as he waited, the watch made no sound or movement.

Patience slipping and curiosity prevailing, Izuku carefully inched his right hand over the face of the watch. His fingers glided over the smooth metal, testing the strength and what metal it might be made out of. Eventually, his fingers and his thumb rubbed against the green lines by the side of the watch, and instantly the watch came alive once more.

Izuku's eyes widened as a holographic circle appeared over the face of the watch. "Woah," Izuku gasped, looked in between the circle and the watch, and saw no visible point from where the light was coming from. Izuku quickly surmised that there must be some invisible lens or light projected from the other side of the faceplate or through the green lines that formed the hourglass. On the circle, Izuku could see five body shapes, each one completely different. Along the green circle, the one in the middle was seemingly highlighted over a darker green square. Half of the circle was blank in a darker green color, as if it were censored.

"What is this?" Izuku muttered as he hovered his hand over the circle, wondering if he could interact with it. Interact with it, he did. While he couldn't feel a solid object in the circle, a shift of his fingers caused the circle to respond and move the body shapes, the one at the farthest right disappearing into the dark green half of the circle, and on the left, a new shape emerged, one different from the others. Izuku also saw that the one left of the middle shape had now taken its place, highlighted in the dark green square. Experimentally, Izuku moved his finger in the opposite direction, and sure enough, the old body shape returned, the new one disappeared back inside the darker green half, and the original middle one was highlighted again.

"Cool," Izuku chuckled, the thrill and excitement of this discovery now taking root in his mind. He continued experimenting, drifting the circle left and right to see what other icons there were. When he noticed one of them reappear on the other side, Izuku eventually figured out there were only ten different icons, with just five showing at the top at any given time, and the center one being the selected icon.

The icons only showed the shape of the figure, like the shape of a man or a woman, when directing someone to the restroom of their specific gender. The shapes were also vastly different from each other. One shape was that of a wide figure with four arms, another a thinner, slimmer figure with a wider, more bulbous head shaped like a bulbed triangle, and another looked to be covered in a cloak that masked most of the shape's features, other than long, thin fingers.

Finally, one caught Izuku's attention above the rest: an icon of a humanoid figure with large hands and what appeared to be fire for hair. Fire, like his dad's fire-breathing Quirk. In that moment, a sudden wave of sadness washed over Izuku as he caught sight, out of the corner of his eye, of the spot he and his dad once shared, now taken over by some pod from outer space. 'I wish Dad were here,' Izuku thought sadly, a faint hope in his heart that his father might know what to do about this new development.

A hum drew Izuku's attention back to the watch, the green-haired teen not realizing that in his stupor, he had drifted the fiery figure into the select slot, and with an upward shift of his finger, he must have finalized his selection. The circle disappeared, and the watch moved again, the faceplate suddenly sliding backward, and in its place, a new structure shot up. The sides of the new protrusion were black with intersecting, digital-like lines of green rising vertically up to the head. A ring of grey held inside a green hourglass, with the sides black in color.

Apprehension filled Izuku, a small part of him telling him to stop, but his curiosity got the better of him. Drawn in wide-eyed and mesmerized, Izuku pressed his finger on the hourglass. When nothing happened, Izuku added a little more force, and the protrusion was pushed down in response. As it reached the end, a ring would sound, and a flash of green light engulfed Izuku.

To Izuku, it all happened in an instant, but a part of his subconscious could feel his body changing drastically. His body felt warmer, his skin began to shift from skin to a rocky crust, and he felt himself getting taller, stronger, more alive.

When the light subsided, he looked down at his hands, his glowing, yellow, magma hands. When he opened his mouth to scream, another voice came out:

"AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!"

Chapter Text

Third POV

Endor Forest. A nice and tranquil forest, a very popular location for those in the camping spirit, for the people of the nearby prefectures. It is famous in Japan for its high trees, serene woods and fields, beautiful fox shrines, and even a small waterfall. It was a place to relax and be at one with nature.

One individual was not relaxing. It was understandable, though, when this person suddenly became a walking bonfire.

"AAAGGHHH! I'M ON FIRE! I'M ON FIRE!" The person who was once Izuku Midoriya yelled in horror, waving his new, longer, rockier arms around. "STOP, DROP, AND ROLL! STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!" The newly transformed teenager dove down the small hill, rolling down and around in a vain attempt to put his entire body out. Thankfully, with the area so close to the river, the ground was moister; it was another secure reason why Izuku's father, Hisashi, could use his fire-breathing Quirk without accidentally setting the whole forest ablaze.

After rolling around in the dirt for a while, Izuku paused as he realized something. He was on fire, yes, but he wasn't in pain. For a moment, he was worried he had burned all his nerves off by now, but flexing his newly rocky fingers, he could still feel the pebbles and dirt, or at least, what he could feel of them from these new fingers.

"I'm...I'm on fire," Izuku said more calmly as the realization settled in his mind, getting up to his knees. "And I'm okay?" Izuku's mind was still running wild. None of this made sense. Izuku had to be dreaming. The comet must have hit him or launched him, and he hit his head, and now he was having a very crazy dream. That had to be it.

But as Izuku breathed, he could tell he wasn't dreaming. None of what he was feeling made sense, but he could feel it all vividly. Really. The once green-haired, skinny kid looked down at his new body, this time more carefully and calmly. He definitely didn't look like himself anymore. Hell, if this wasn't a time of Quirks that could make humans look like anything like having a Lego for a head, Izuku would think he wasn't human anymore.

He was taller and wider, perhaps a good 5'9" or even 6'0". His arms and hands were larger too, now sporting four fingers instead of five, but he didn't feel any pain or discomfort from the missing digit; he felt like it was just a part of him. It was the same with his feet. His feet, instead of resembling human ones, looked more like a bird's talons—longer, with two sharp toes and a shorter, claw-like protrusion at the heel. Oh, and did Izuku mention he was on fire?

'More like covered in magma, really,' Izuku thought as he inspected his new body. His whole body was made of reddish-black rocks, segmented around his body like magma armor of some kind. Between the crust-like exoskeleton, the rest of his body was a light yellow, his body luminescent and easily bright in the darkness of night.

"What happened to me?" Izuku spoke again, perking up as his hands reached over to his throat, now noticing how much deeper and graver it sounded in comparison. When he touched where his neck was, he could feel the magma-like rock around his neck like a collar before he went further and felt the actual throat. Hearing the sound of the river, Izuku looked over to it and crawled, slowly and steadily, toward the stream. As he reached it, Izuku carefully inched his head over the river to his reflection. What he saw almost made him jump up back onto his feet. What he could see of his face looked more like a mask in a facsimile of a human face's shape. And his head actually appeared as if on fire. A mane of yellow fire rose up and around his head and face, and his eyes and the inside of his mouth were lit in white light. Touching his face, he could tell there was a more solid head under the flames, also rocky in feeling. The flames along with his collar made his head look like a fire coming out of an active volcano or something.

"Woah," Izuku gasped out, touching his face again. In the area under his eyes, Izuku felt four indented cracks or holes in his rocky face, the sensation shaped like his diamond-shaped freckles, which he found oddly comforting in its familiarity. "I guess I'm literally hot now." Izuku groaned at the poor joke. 'Dad's corny jokes are a bad influence.'

Looking at this watery reflection and his glowing hands, Izuku tried an experiment. His finger inching toward the water, he dipped the glowing digit into the stream, a resulting hiss and steam occurring as Izuku predicted. He hadn't anticipated the tingling sensation. Izuku removed the finger from the water to see that the plasma-like glow around the finger had gone out, revealing the digit as a darker color than his reddish-black rocks. Quickly, though, flexing the digit, the plasma glow spread up from the rest of his hand to the finger, returning to normal. Or what qualified as normal currently.

"Weird," Izuku muttered. He leaned more of his new body over the river to see more of his reflection, consequently spotting the green hourglass on his chest.

Blinking, metaphorically speaking, because Izuku couldn't tell if he could blink without any eyelids, Izuku looked down to notice the object on his chest. A ring of silver metal protruded from his chest, showing the watch's green and black hourglass symbol. Izuku tried to grab and pull the thing out, but much like the watch was to his wrist, the protrusion was stuck on his chest and was still painful to pull at.

"Dammit," Izuku cursed, unable to get the thing off his chest before resuming looking at his new body. "How did this happen? This isn't possible. I don't have a Quirk. I never did. And yet, it's like I suddenly manifested something like Dad's-"

Izuku paused as an idea sprang up from the memory of his father. Looking back to the stream of water, his father's main target, the transformed teen looked at his plasma-glowing hand. "I wonder..." He muttered, stretching the hand before turning back to the water.

Taking a ready stance, his legs spread wide and dug into the soil, Izuku readied his shoulders, raising his arms to his sides. "Well, here goes nothing," Izuku said, racking his mind for whether he could perform what he was attempting and how to do it. And thus, when he wondered how, it came to him. Almost like second nature to him, the process, the feel, and flow of energy coursed through his plasma-like body, coalescing in his hand and further into his finger. As he felt the energy gather in his finger, Izuku thrust it out toward the water, a fireball shooting off the finger, sailing through the air before crashing into the stream. The water shot up and steamed from the fireball's impact and heat, and even a flame remained in the water for a brief moment before the elements did their job, the water extinguishing the fire.

"I-It worked. Just like Dad described it," Izuku muttered, eyes wide in wanderlust. His newfound instincts were helpful, but Izuku also drew on his father's advice about how his Quirk worked and the sensation of firing it. It would have been more accurate if he had breathed the fireball out of his mouth, something Izuku assumed he also could do, but this worked too.

"And the way I knew how to do it, it felt like I had been doing it all my life, and just let the energy ride. Like I had a Quirk my whole life," Izuku said, looking at his hands. "But that can't be it. I never had a Quirk. I never would get a Quirk. Even when Mom and Dad took me to another doctor to verify, I didn't have any Alpha factors to produce or ever produce a Quirk. But what if the adrenaline and energy I used throughout these days must have changed things? Could it be that my Quirk just needed a kickstart?"

What proceeded were minutes of Izuku pacing around the area, muttering up a stream of his own: a stream of word vomit that would have disturbed anyone nearby to hear it. As if going from a regular teenage boy to a 6-foot living volcano wasn't disturbing enough for some. As he paced around, Izuku did not notice that his body temperature likewise rose with his rising, unchecked emotions. His pacing led him even to the part of the grass that wasn't as moist or fire-resistant as the ones by the stream. Grass that began to smoke.

"No, no, even if somehow Bakugo's years of using his Quirk on me transferred that heat into me, it wouldn't have built up like I was gaining a Quirk from him. Though I'm sure he would be livid if that were the case," Izuku slightly chuckled at how enraged the blonde Pomeranian would be if he found out that all his bullying and illegal Quirk practice on him had given fruit to his most hated person receiving a Quirk after all.

However, Izuku made another discovery: even without a nose, he could still smell, and he smelled smoke. Looking down at his feet, he saw the smoking grass and his feet and body brighter than before. "Oh...OH SHIT!" Izuku cursed as he jumped, alarmed at what he was doing. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Uh...Go out. Go Out!" Izuku had resorted to stomping his foot on the smoking grass; however, that made things worse, and the smoking grass finally caught fire.

"Oh, no, no, no, no! This is bad!" Izuku cupped his head on the sides with his hands, panicked. There was a reason that his dad always fired down onto the stream and barely even tried it with the grass nearby, and it was happening before him. Izuku's imaginative mind conjured up the worst-case scenarios of what this could lead to. The fire spreading uncontrolled throughout Endor Forest and harming and killing hundreds of wildlife, the fire possibly spreading to the camping site miles away and harming civilians, Heroes and the fire department will show up and deal with the mess but also trace it back to him and he goes to jail for setting a forest on fire, and, worse of all, it could lead up to his and his Mom's camping site and trap Mom in a ring of fire.

Driven by the urge to prevent those outcomes, particularly the last one, Izuku let instinct once again guide him, letting his body do what it needed to do. As if on autopilot, Izuku stuck his hands out, palm out, towards the ever-rising fire, but instead of letting his inner energy flow out through his hands, he focused on the energy of the fire itself. He reached out to the energy that the fire emitted, feeling its heat, even its taste, and drew upon it, beckoning it to him. The fire reacted and reached out toward Izuku as if it had gained sentience and was reaching toward its creator. Wisps of heat and fire trailed from the source like a river of fire and energy and flowed toward and into Izuku's outstretched hands. Izuku could feel the flow of energy into him, feeling the energy he expunged from the fireball already replaced and then some. Within seconds, the last of the energy seeped into Izuku's hands, and the fire he accidentally started died out.

Izuku looked back at his hands and what he had done, a look of awe on his face. "Amazing," Izuku muttered. In his gaze, his eyes shifted back down to the green hourglass on his chest. Even if a lightbulb did appear over his head, it would be rather redundant to Izuku's flaming head. "The Watch," Izuku gasped out, feeling both realization and self-shame that he didn't immediately conclude this sooner. "It's what transformed me. It has to be. Is it a Support Item of some sort? But that's impossible. I've never heard of a Quirk inside a Support Item, or a Support Item that could use its owner's Quirk by another. I mean, just two days ago, did I find out that there was a Quirk that could be Transferred!" Another realization suddenly sparked in Izuku's mind. "Unless...it's not a Quirk at all?"

It made the most logical of sense. As he said himself, never has there been any strides or success in artificially creating Quirks, let alone inserting Quirks into an object like a Support Item. Support Items can work in tandem and enhance a person's Quirk, but only when they're specifically keyed to the Quirk's Alpha Factors and activated by the user's own Quirk, something only the user can do, not anyone else. More so than that was that Izuku never heard of a Quirk that could turn someone into a bonfire of a man, and, if the icons on the watch were anything to go by, then all those icons meant different forms with likely different powers. Even the Watch itself didn't compute with the reality of his world. Whilst technology had progressed and reached a level where items could seemingly pop up out of almost nothing, the Watch looked centuries ahead of what human technology was at. From all he could gather, for now, the Watch didn't fit the definition of a Support Item.

'It doesn't even feel like it's of Earth,' Izuku thought with sudden clarity. Looking over to the pod it came from, remembering that it seemed to be a comet, Izuku could tell that it didn't originate from or was launched from another part of Earth. It came from space, maybe even beyond the space of their planet. It was... alien. It had to be. And himself...

"D-Did the Watch...turn me into an alien?" Izuku said aloud in ever-growing dread. While the discovery of alien life and technology, if the Watch and what he had turned into was alien in origin, was something that would have delighted Izuku and be seen as a discovery of a lifetime, something of an Earth-shattering revelation like the Dawning of Quirks, the fact that Izuku had been transformed into an alien with no indication of being able to turn back...it horrified him.

"A-Am I going to be stuck like this forever?" Izuku pondered, horrified. Izuku didn't want that. For all his desire to gain a Quirk, he didn't want to spend the rest of his life at risk of setting everything around him in flames. What about his mom? Would she even believe him if he came to her and told her that he was her son? Izuku liked to imagine she would, but his mind did like to conjure up some dark possibilities, maybe as an ill effect of having to expect the worst from Bakugo and years of bullying. Izuku could easily imagine him being arrested and blamed for his disappearance. After all, Izuku Midoriya didn't have a Quirk; he couldn't turn into a tall charcoal man, and Izuku wasn't blind to how not only were Quirkless people mistreated and were part of the new discriminated minority of this world full of Quirks, but that people with mutant Quirks were the main poster child of discrimination now.

Quirks came under different types of classification depending on their nature and abilities. Emitter, or Operative, Quirks were mainly the ability to generate, emit, and/or control certain elements or things, like Bakugo's Quirk, Explosion, that could generate explosive sweat and produce the heat to ignite it and create explosions, or the Flame Hero: Endeavor and his Quirk, Hellfire, that could emit vast amounts of fire and heat, almost like Izuku's transformation. Then there were Transformation Quirks, or Composite Quirks, which temporarily alter a person's body, transforming them into something else. While Izuku had transformed into this body, if he couldn't turn back, then it would be classified as the third type: a Mutant Quirk.

Mutant, or Heteromorphic, Quirks were those that permanently altered a person's biology and structure into something 'abnormal' compared to the regular Homo Sapiens biology and form. While no less different in Izuku's eyes compared to the other Quirks or humans, those with these Quirks, Heteromorphics, had replaced race and ethnicity as the new main subject of discrimination. Yeah, there were still remnants of the past that still viewed differing races and sexualities as 'abhorrently wicked', but those were almost extinct compared to how many anti-Mutant agendas and groups there were, like the reviled Creature Rejection Clan. But even if they were despised in public, just like the racism of the past, most instances happened in the shadows and in subtle ways, and being Quirkless, another subject of discrimination, Izuku had taken both the subtle and blatant forms.

Now, if he were stuck in this form forever, and even mistaken for another person altogether, he could be targeted unfairly and seen as a 'wicked Mutant Villain' who stole or even murdered Izuku Midoriya. He could be chucked into jail and never have his pleas heard or listened. Hell, could a polygraph even work when your body was made of magma and rock?

However, just as Izuku began to have a panic attack, the green hourglass on his chest began to beep. Looking at it, the green of the hourglass turned red, beeping rapidly, its pace becoming faster quickly. Before Izuku could do anything, the beeping turned to a whine, and he was covered once more in light, a red light this time. And as the light faded and Izuku could see again, he looked down at his body to find it had returned to normal. His skin, clothes, and even Gwen's lucky charm and Ben's jacket were all still there. He was himself again!

"B-But how?!" Izuku exclaimed, his hands going to his throat at the hearing of his own, regular voice. Then he noticed the Watch again. There was a low whine to it, with the watch's green color replaced with red. "D-Did it run out of energy or something? Was that what was keeping me transformed into that alien?"

Despite his wariness, Izuku decided to touch the sides of the watch, the same three lines on each side that had activated that green holographic circle. The lines were also red, and touching them didn't bring the circle up; a lighter whine was only produced. "It must have run out of juice over time," Izuku realized. Thinking back to how long it had been since he had been transformed, Izuku failed to find out for sure. In combination with his panicking, muttering, and experiments with the transformation, Izuku lost track of time. "If I had to guess, since the night hasn't changed much, and with how long I had been gone before the pod crashed, and Mom hasn't called out to me yet, I must have not been transformed longer than a few minutes, maybe 10?" Izuku didn't know for sure, but he was already antsy to find out later.

Find out later. That sparked a bit of realization in Izuku. Later. What was he to do later? In the time he had failed to realize, his entire world had once more shattered to pieces, his very understanding of the universe was shaken, and now, still had this presumed alien watch stuck to his wrist, a watch that, if it still worked, could transform him into probably not just one alien, but 10 of them. Maybe more? And if the watch isn't of Earth, then, realistically, there wasn't anyone he had to give the watch to, not that he could if he wanted to. The Watch, for all intents and purposes, was his. It was part of him. Like a-

"Like a Quirk," Izuku stared down at the Watch.

But before he could think of anything else, he heard his mom's voice call out from the woods. "Izuku! Are you there?! Dinner is ready!"

"Oh, crap! Mom!" Izuku realized, finally. In all his thoughts about what to do, he almost forgot about his mother. Izuku looked around to see the area that was once his and his dad's special place. Smoked grass, sooty footprints, and, of course, the crater with a space pod inside!

"Izuku!" He heard his mom call out again. Izuku panicked, fear and worry gripped his heart as he struggled to figure out what to do. A sudden and quick decision came to his mind that his mom could not find out about this. He had to keep her away until he could sort out this mess.

"U-Uh Coming, Mom!" Izuku called back out and quickly ran to where he heard her voice, ensuring that he would meet her and divert her back to their camp before she could see the signs of the crash. As he ran, he looked back down at his new watch, the red still in place of the green. Izuku stretched his jacket from Ben further out and covered the alien device underneath its green sleeve.

Musutafu...

In a hotel room, a thin and lanky figure sat at the foot of his new bed. He was looking out the window of his terrace to see the nightlife of Musutafu play out before him. A whine of a police siren sounded off, and, for a moment, it looked as if the figure would rise from the bed and chase after it. Before he could, as the sounds began to fade out, the man spotted the subtle figure of another man running and jumping on the rooftops, his appearance very familiar to him. The man sat back down, deflated once more, his spirit more than just his body.

The man was all but skin and bones, his arms and legs like twigs, his white shirt baggy and its neckline drooped down enough to see more of his bony chest. He was wearing moss green pants whose color only served to make the man's mood worse. His neck was skinny too, leading up to a gaunt face that looked drained of life. His cheeks were sunken, a dark shadow covered his eyes, but there would be little life in them if someone could see, and finally, his blonde hair was messy, two large bangs framing his head while the rest was a mane that shot up behind him.

This man was Toshinori Yagi, but people knew him by a different, more recognizable name: All Might, Number 1 Hero of Japan, The World's Symbol of Peace and Justice. And right now, he felt like a failure.

"I'm an idiot," All Might muttered bitterly, his spirit as sunken in as his eyes, especially after his 'research'.

For the past couple of days, the World's Symbol of Peace felt like a broken man in search of redemption. The events of that very day, the day he chased after the Sludge Villain, the day he saved that young man's life, the day he crushed the boy's very heart and soul, it all left Toshinori Yagi feeling like it was one of the worst days of his life, and given his life, that was saying something.

He remembered it started no differently than usual. Toshinori had just arrived in Musutafu on the advice of Nezu, the principal of U.A. University, his alma mater. He had arrived to meet a candidate, one he would test and see if he was worthy of inheriting his biggest secret: One For All. This Mirio Togata was interesting, given what All Might had read and heard of him. Good grades, strong, a useful and powerful Quirk, and was full of glowing reviews from all those who knew him, be they teachers, students, or Heroes he worked under.

And the one Mirio interned under All Might knew well: Mirai Sasaki, aka Sir Nighteye. He was All Might's sidekick. Was being the keyword there. Back in the day, he had sidekicks that worked directly under him. Until it all changed five years ago, ever since that titanic battle with that monster, the very monster that was his greatest enemy, who left him the crater-shaped scar on his side and reduced him to this. Ever since, his body had deteriorated, not helped by his desire to continue being a Hero despite his injuries, only worsening them in time. Now, he can only stay in his buffed state for less than 3 hours; any time afterward, either fighting or even maintaining that form, risks lowering his time limit. Just like two days ago...

Anyway, All Might had originally arrived in Musutafu to eventually meet with Mirio Togata under Nezu's and Nighteye's request, mostly the latter. His former sidekick, despite the breaking of their partnership over differences in his approach after that scarring battle, had advocated that Mirio would be the perfect successor of One For All. Very few knew of the truth behind his Quirk, his former mentor, the doctor who operated on him and has served as U.A.'s nurse, Principal Nezu, his friend in the police force, and Nighteye. 'Well, now someone else knows...'

Toshinori was hesitant to take the offer of meeting this young man, especially given Mirai's... obsessive fervor in personally deciding who was best to inherit His Quirk; Nezu, however, had stepped in moderation and agreed that Mirio was a fine choice. The young man was among the Big 3 Escalon of U.A.'s Hero Course, was loved by his classmates, and was said to have a disposition and personality that frankly mirrored Yagi's. So, with the assurances of the university's principal, All Might had agreed to meet the boy and see for himself.

Then, as he was getting groceries, he came across the Sludge Villain. Other Heroes were in pursuit, but being who he was, All Might couldn't step aside and let this ruffian go when he could do something to help, so he transformed into the All Might everyone knew best and chased after the Villain. He made it just in time to save the young man from the Sludge Villain, shattering the Villain's liquid form with a punch so strong that the blast of wind blew it apart and knocked the Villain out cold. The boy, however, also collapsed after the near-fatal ordeal.

Toshinori stayed with the boy until he woke up, even looking at the boy's dropped notebook. It was clear the boy was a deep and true fan of Heroes; the notes he had taken about some Heroes and their Quirks were remarkably well-detailed. All Might wondered if the boy had an analytical or intelligence-based Quirk of some kind, like Nezu's. Or at least what All Might could read of the notebook. It had been heavily damaged, seemingly from fire and water damage, and from the smell of ash, it was recent. All Might had assumed that the book must have caught fire, whether from an outside influence or the boy's fault by accident, and the water doused the flames, but still ruined much of the book. The title of the book read 'Hero Analysis for the Future N.13'. All Might was impressed; if the other 12 were as well researched as this one, then the boy could go places.

When the boy had woken up and All Might made sure he was alright, he intended to leave with the Villain as he felt his limit about to be reached. He knew the boy was a big fan of his, but he didn't intend for him to latch onto him as he jumped and nearly fell off of him, and he didn't intend for the boy's question to strike a chord in him enough to freeze.

"CAN I BE A HERO JUST LIKE YOU EVEN WITHOUT A QUIRK?!"

Toshinori's shoulders slumped further. If he had known what he did now, he would have surely said yes, but, as he said, he was an idiot.

The boy's question froze him enough that he was forced to revert to his true form, forced to reveal the extent of his injuries, on the assurances that the boy wouldn't blab about it to anyone. If Villains knew that the very Symbol of Peace that had them hiding in the shadows was weaker and could only be a Hero for so long, then they wouldn't hide for much longer. The boy had shown his fervor and knowledge of the Hero world to know about his rough battle with Toxic Chainsaw to assume that he was the villain he had fought 5 years ago, but All Might denied that it was him, and that was all he inclined to say about that day.

And then he would say the words that would shatter a young man's heart, ones he would come to regret deeply. Bitterness, pain, and loss clouded his judgment, made him forget about his very origins, and thus, despite the hypocrisy he would be blatantly accused of later, he said no, that he didn't believe that the young man could be a Hero without a Quirk. Toshinori already had felt guilty enough when he saw the broken, sad look on the boy's face, how his bright green eyes seemed to dim, and he tried to keep that light alive for all he could by suggesting he take up a job with the police or something. With his notebooks as evidence, the boy had the smarts to make a great detective like his friend, Tsukauchi. But he had to keep talking and make it worse by telling him to find a more realistic dream. He would pay for those words, too.

His path to the police station was abruptly ended when he realized he didn't have the bottle containing the Sludge Villain, and the following explosion a few blocks down didn't need a genius to know that he had struck again. This time, the Sludge Villain was attempting to possess a boy with a powerful Explosion Quirk, Katsuki Bakugo, whom he would later find out, and despite his desires, All Might couldn't do anything. His time limit was up; he couldn't risk losing more of his power and losing at all in front of so many people. The Symbol of Peace had to look unbeatable, infallible.

Then the same young man he had denied had proved him fallible, both in body and word. This young man, with no power of his own, had rushed in to save a boy that he would later deduce he didn't even like or had a good relationship with. He could tell that the boy's body moved before his mind did: a true sign of a Hero. The boy even managed to dislodge Bakugo from the Sludge Villain. The boy would have succeeded in getting them away from the Villain if the victim of the attack hadn't argued against his savior. But as the Sludge Villain recovered and attacked them, so too did his fighting spirit, and All Might rushed in to save the day, protecting the two boys and defeating the Sludge Villain, no matter the pain of going past his limits.

At first, reporters kept Yagi back, but when he saw the Heroes scolding the young man for rushing in, he, along with Kamui Woods and Mount Lady, stepped up to defend him. They insisted the boy hadn't broken any Quirk laws and that his actions in rescuing Bakugo spoke for themselves, so he was let off the hook. Later, Toshinori tracked the boy down, convinced in his gut that this was the perfect candidate to inherit One For All. Izuku Midoriya—he would be his successor… until the boy turned him down.

It was his own fault. Toshinori's choice of words at the moment, fueled by desperation and bitterness, his previous words coming back to bite him, and the admittance of his Quirkless past, caused this kind young man to explode in a fury that left him stunned. Midoriya told him off for his hypocrisy, his lack of candor, his abandonment, and his lack of speaking for the Quirkless population he was once a part of, a group of people that were unfairly treated for something not truly in their control. All Might could see that this young man had a well of hatred that he kept back, and only now did his strength falter after so many years and under the failures of his idol. Izuku Midoriya agreed never to reveal his Quirk to anyone, but he refused to take up the Quirk, refused to be his successor, and refused to 'need a crutch' as he said.

Despite the boy's refusal and his condition to keep his secret if he never bothered him again, All Might did his best to track the boy down, to make him reconsider. He was pushed on by the feeling of needing to redeem himself to this boy he had failed so utterly, but also an almost desperate need from within, like the Quirk itself wanted Izuku Midoriya.

It was easy to find him. Izuku Midoriya, 17, a senior at Aldera High School, lived in a nearby apartment complex with his mother; his father was out of town on a business trip in America. But what confused the Symbol of Peace was the boy's record. Loads of black marks and infractions from Aldera, claiming him to be a disruptive and unruly presence in the classroom, constantly harassed his classmates, and attempted to file ill-willed lies and false reports of bullying from his peers, especially Katsuki Bakugo, who was seemingly the perfect student. But it was all so wrong, so opposite from what he had seen from both of the boys.

From what Toshinori saw of Bakugo, he was prideful, wouldn't even allow Midoriya to rescue him, and even bad-mouthed his savior just after pulling him out of the Sludge Villain and leading him to safety, so he wasn't as courteous, kind, or selfless as the reports said. And with how he was with reporters and Heroes attempting to give him internship options, he was snappish and disrespectful. And Midoriya, despite his rage directed at him, the boy prior was so kind, gentle, and meek that he looked like he couldn't hurt a fly if it personally insulted him. Even when Toshinori first rejected him, Midoriya didn't explode at him and only offered a few kind words. Something was wrong; All Might needed to find out what, and he would get it by talking to the boy, just after he convinces him to reconsider his offer.

But when he came to the Midoriya residence, the boy and his mother were gone. A neighbor said that they were off on a camping trip for the week, and thus, All Might failed again to find the boy. Toshinori inwardly agreed that maybe a trip with his mother would do the boy well, calm his senses, and make him see reason. However, the alternative could likewise end up true, and the boy's resolve would stand firm and reject any offers of the Quirk. All Might didn't give those school reports any credit, but Midoriya's condition of secrecy could very well turn into a veiled threat if All Might pushed the boy too hard.

And so, All Might returned to his hotel in failure but decided that he could use the time he had to research what the boy had said in his rant, about him abandoning Quirkless people, and never speaking up about the discrimination they all suffered. Contrary to what Midoriya accused, Toshinori Yagi did experience his fair share of people looking down on his Quirkless nature, yet what the boy described of how people like him were treated sounded like things only got worse. But they shouldn't have. He was the Symbol of Peace; his time and example should have brought a Golden Age of peace for nearly everyone.

And then he did his research. His reaction needed to be flushed down the toilet, leaving his mouth with a horrible taste.

It mortified the Symbol of Peace. Rises in depression, low job rates, and very high mortality rates, most prominently from suicide, Toshinori uncovered all of them as horrible issues that plagued the Quirkless population of the world, especially in Japan.

And when digging into this new rabbit hole of information, All Might was disgusted to see that Mutant-type Quirk users also experienced a similar degree of hate and discrimination. Toshinori wasn't going to try comparing them; they each had their own similar yet differing issues. After all, one side at least had Quirks of their own, giving them a slight degree of acceptance in their world, but the other could easily blend in and hide among the crowd if no one knew about them, less noticed and thus less likely to get looked at like a freak.

And the suicides, dear God! While both suffered under a high number of those who committed such a tragic action, Quirkless individuals had a low chance of making it to 16 before attempting, and often succeeding, in taking their own lives. It was a miracle in itself that Izuku Midoriya had lived this long. If the boy hadn't made it clear he intended to live on and accomplish his dream of being a Hero without a Quirk, then Yagi would have been extra worried and desperate to find Izuku Midoriya. Not just to save his potential successor, but also a young man whom he had failed in nearly every way.

This excursion was as humbling to All Might as it was mortifying. All Might had long accepted that, despite his power, he couldn't be everywhere at once; he couldn't save everyone, so he had to focus on those he could save. But to think that so many people had been out there, suffering in silence and from the disinterest of the public at large, people that he could have reached out to with his influence and fame as the Number 1 Hero, and yet all this time, he didn't. Toshinori figured that he was just another sheep in the herd, so focused on the flashiness of fighting crime, rather than saving those who huddled in the shadows and away from the limelight.

He had to make things right. This wasn't even about convincing Izuku Midoriya to reconsider taking One For All. After seeing and hearing everything, turning away from it now would only make him complicit in their suffering, well, more than he did already. For as much as he failed, Toshinori Yagi was still All Might, the Number 1 Hero, and as a Hero, his job is to save people, to be there for them, to give them hope, and to tell them everything will be alright.

"Because I am Here," All Might declared, proclaiming to himself that he had to make things right.

Toshinori took out his phone and began typing. He had some calls to make.

Back in Endor Forest...

Izuku and Inko Midoriya sat around the campfire, the darkness of the night pushed away by the luminous flames of their fire. Izuku couldn't help but drift his eyes occasionally toward the flames, for obvious, recent reasons.

When Izuku met his mother halfway, it took a bit to assure her that he was fine. His mom had said that during her cooking, she could have sworn she had heard loud noises coming from where he was. Izuku had done his best to keep his face from paling and explained that he was just letting off some steam. Izuku pressured her to return to their camp and eat before her hard work was ruined. Inko agreed, but Izuku could tell that she wasn't convinced, either that the noise she heard was solely from him or the animals in the woods, or that he was alright.

When they arrived, Izuku could see that the food his mom had made was a mix of steak and Katsudon, his favorite. While Izuku said that this was all unnecessary, his mom had proven, as usual, to be as stubborn as he was when set on a goal. It was the strength and stubbornness that had apparently attracted his father to her, and Izuku had always felt inspired by it. However, it also presented an issue, with her constant prodding and worry over him, bringing more anxiety in attempting to hide his recent accessory.

Izuku and Inko sat on opposite logs to the fire as they ate. It was quiet between them, the only sounds being their eating, the crackling of the flames, and the ambient sounds of the wilderness. It was the last two reasons that made this spot so special to the Midoriyas—free from the noise of the crowded campsite, yet close enough that dangerous animals would stay away, giving them both privacy and safety.

It was a shame that what could have been a calm and peaceful moment was spoiled by the anxiety of the green-haired mother and son. As they ate, Izuku's eyes drifted between either the fire, his mind constantly reminding him of the human version of this campfire that he was not a few minutes ago, his left wrist where the Watch was hidden under his new jacket's green sleeve, and his mother, eyes darting for a brief second to see if she was watching him or noticed the mysterious object that now attached itself to her son.

Izuku's reasons for hiding the Watch from his mother were the same as all the reasons why he hid things from her: Guilt. Ever since he was found out as Quirkless, it wasn't just Izuku who suffered under this new revelation; his parents also did. Friends that the Midoriya parents once had were now alienated from them, as instead of the lovable goofballs that Inko and Hisashi Midoriya were to them had now been replaced as the parents who gave birth to a Quirkless boy.

One relationship in particular that took a hit was the one between Midoriyas and the Bakugos. Mitsuki Bakugo had always been his mother's best friend, and Masaru Bakugo had become good friends with his father thanks to the association between their wives. The four had been friends for years, but then there were the differences between their sons, Izuku and Katsuki. At first, there was hope that the two could become friends, almost brothers, and carry on their Midoriya-Bakugo friendship, yet Katsuki's growing arrogance and Izuku's meekness made the younger Bakugo see the younger Midoriya as pathetic. It only grew worse when Bakugou's Quirk manifested, and Izuku's didn't.

After that day, the bullying began, and a schism seemed to form unsaid between the Midoriyas and the Bakugos. Hisashi and Masaru couldn't meet each other's eyes without feeling anger or shame, whether at the other or themselves, and Inko and Mitsuki wanted to keep the two boys away from each other, for all their sakes. The four parents could never truly hate each other, but for Izuku's and Katsuki's sake, they had to 'see less of each other for a while'. Izuku always felt deeply guilty knowing that his strained relationship with Katsuki had indirectly caused his parents to lose their closest friends. It was one of the main reasons he kept trying to patch things up or rekindle their friendship, hoping to restore his parents' lost connections. But that never happened, and while the Midoriyas and Bakugos still meet on occasion, it was decidedly less often and more awkward than before.

It was only a miracle that his parents' work wasn't affected. His mother's job as a nurse only left her with a few odd looks from her colleagues, and his father's job was in America, a place with far greater tolerance for Quirkless people. The question of why they didn't just move to the States always came up, but Izuku turned it down every time. This was their home, and he wasn't about to have them uproot their lives just to please him—or at least, that's what he believed. If his parents can still work and make a living, then there is no reason why Izuku couldn't just take the pain and turn the other cheek. But no matter how self-sacrificing Izuku was willing to be, it did nothing to stop the guilt that would form in whatever treatment his parents got. Nor the stress it inflicted on his mother.

While he appreciated the care and love she always tried to give him, Izuku didn't like how it was negatively affecting his mother's health, causing her to gain weight, sleep less, and experience more anxiety, especially if Izuku came back home late. He and his dad had to hold an intervention and force the Midoriya matriarch to take better care of herself, something that finally broke through her stubbornness and had done as they wished, for her sake. Again, Izuku would always love and appreciate his mother for her love and care, but another part of him, a more bitter side that emerged after she all but denied believing in his dream to be a Hero, often thought that this influx of care, attention, and worry put onto him was her treating him like he was made of glass, fragile, because he was Quirkless. It angered him a bit at his mother, but mostly he just felt guilt again, and thus did everything he could to make sure she didn't need to worry about him so much.

So that's what he did. Even if it meant hiding most of the bruises and burns he got from Bakugo's 'roughhousing', keeping quiet about his school's piss-poor treatment of him, or keeping in his feelings and thoughts, Izuku worked hard to try and make sure none of this reached his parents' ears. But as time went on and the grievances and feelings welled up, Izuku felt like a ticking time bomb, one getting worse. He worried when the truth was revealed, and it always does, that the magnitude would be cataclysmic between them.

And now, the Watch was another thing to add to the list of things to hide from her, at least for now. How else does he believe that informing his mother about nearly getting squashed by a falling space pod and getting an alien watch from outer space permanently attached to his arm is going to go? At best, she has a mini panic attack, and at worst, she could try everything she could to get the thing off of him. And a part of Izuku now didn't want the thing off of him, not yet, or maybe even ever. It felt greedy of him, but Izuku didn't know what else to feel at the moment.

Finally, one of them had to break the veil of silence between them.

"How is it?" Inko asked.

"Hmm?" Izuku blinked at the surprise question.

"The food? How is it, Izuku?" His mom asked again. "I know I didn't have many of the things to make the Katsudon as I do at home, but-"

"No, no, it's okay, it's good. Really good," Izuku ceased his mother's words, smiling at her, comfortingly. "It's as great as it always is."

"Thank you, Izuku," Inko smiled lovingly back at him.

"Besides, anything is better than Dad's cooking," Izuku attempted to liven the mood with their mother-son special joke.

"True," Inko giggled, her eyes staring at the fire with a mix of fondness and love. "How that man could be so bad at cooking with the ability to breathe fire is beyond me."

"Grandpa Max, I'm afraid," Izuku answered.

"Oh yes, now, I remember," Inko chuckled, shaking her head. "How I curse that man's name that he taught my husband how to cook, infecting him with his 'unique' sense of taste."

"You mean like the grub meal worm stew he tried making last time?" Izuku brought up. The mother and son laughed and shivered in disgust at the memory of Hisashi Midoriya's latest cooking monstrosity, which Max Tennyson taught him. Both Izuku and Inko did their best to try and discreetly toss their food into the fire while doing their bare minimum to eat their disgusting food and not starve themselves. They loved their father and husband, respectively, yet after the first few years of attempting to poison them with his creations, it was decided that Inko would take up cooking in the Midoriya household, no exceptions. Inko even did her best to try to fatten up Hisashi with her food so that he could forget about Max Tennyson's teachings. It didn't work, but at least made it so Hisashi couldn't complain about this dynamic, nor did Inko, since she had come to love cooking for her husband and son.

The two Midoriyas looked over to the empty log that stood at the head of the campfire between them, a log reserved for Hisashi Midoriya, one that had been unfortunately empty for today.

"I miss him," Izuku said.

"I know, sweetie. Me too," Inko replied. "As you said, I know his time away to work to support us is his way of loving and caring for us, but-"

"But we still want him around more," Izuku finished her sentence. Inko nodded, agreeing. "I'm just glad that he can still call us in his spare time. You know, checking in, saying he loves us-"

"Giving helpful advice," Inko finished for him this time.

A silence drew back between them. Izuku took a deep breath, knowing what she was trying to steer the conversation to. "Really, Mom, I'm fine," Izuku repeated himself for what felt like the umpteenth time. "I know you have been worrying about me lately because of... what happened, but I'm fine now."

"You say that again and again, but I know you, Izuku," His mom continued. "It was one thing to get attacked by a Villain, but for you to then remove all your All Might merchandise, that isn't like you."

Izuku shook his head, dismissively, almost scoffing at the notion that she truly knew him. 'How long have I been hiding what I truly have been feeling?' Izuku thought to himself before addressing her. "As I said, I just think it was time to get over all the fanboy stuff. I'm 17 years old, and I'm still sleeping on All Might sheets, staring up at All Might posters, and wearing All Might undies. It's embarrassing at some point."

"But that has never stopped you before, and it shouldn't now," Inko argued. "You shouldn't do anything because you felt pressured into it."

"I'm not being pressured into doing anything," Izuku grumbled, trying to keep his rising anger from coming up.

"Was it the kids at school? Did they tease you about it?" Inko continued prodding at him.

"Mom," Izuku shook his head, his mood and patience only worsening.

"Was it Kacchan-"

"Don't Call Him That!" Izuku snapped, slamming his right fist into his knee.

As soon as he did that, Izuku regretted it. Anger quickly washed away when he saw the look of surprise and hurt on his mother's face for snapping at her. Izuku sighed deeply, guilt only rising once more. "I-I'm sorry, Mom, I shouldn't have done that," Izuku apologized. "I-It's just that-"

"Just what, sweetie?" Inko asked further. "Please, you can tell me anything."

After a few moments of contemplation, Izuku finally caved. "He told me to kill myself," Izuku revealed, looking at the flames, not bothering to face his mother's face, but hearing the gasp that came out of her throat. "Kac-Bakugo threatened me about applying to go to U.A. He destroyed one of my notebooks, and when he was leaving, he told me that I could get a Quirk and be a Hero if I prayed for one in the next life and jumped off the roof."

No sooner did he finish those words did his mother appeared in front of him and hugged him with the strength of the mama bear she was. Izuku tried to keep it down, but the hiccups and sobs couldn't stop themselves from coming out, and he hugged her back, head slumped against her shoulder.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," Inko tearfully apologized to him.

"You don't need to apologize, Mom; it isn't your fault he became how he is," Izuku replied.

"But how could he?" Inko separated the two and looked at Izuku with sad, desperate eyes. "I thought you said that you and he were starting to get along?"

Izuku slumped his head down in shame. "I-I lied," Izuku admitted. "I lied about that because I didn't want you to worry. I didn't want your friendship with Auntie Mitsuki to get any worse because of all the things Katsuki did."

"What things did Katsuki do?" Inko asked. When Izuku clammed up instinctively, Inko grabbed Izuku by his cheeks and made him look at his desperate eyes. "Izuku, what did Katsuki do?"

Izuku couldn't hold it in. He couldn't hold the tears, the years of pain and betrayal that his once best friend had turned into his greatest tormentor. "He bullied me, okay?! Is that what you want to hear?! He bullied me! Ever since that day, he fell into the stream when we came here with his lackeys. Ever since I tried to help him up, he's been bullying me! Mocking and laughing at me in school, turning all the students and teachers against me, taking me aside after school to beat me up, and using me as 'target practice' for his Quirk! For nearly 13 Goddamn years, he has been treating me like his personal punching bag, and no one ever stepped in and stopped him, and anytime I tried to stand up for myself, it just got worse! I can't even tell the teachers, or else I would get in trouble for trying to 'ruin Katsuki's future'! Two days ago, the day he got attacked by the Sludge Villain, he told me to kill myself so that I could get a Quirk. Then I pulled him out of the Sludge Villain because he needed help, and all I got in return was him yelling that he didn't need my help, the Heroes chastising me for doing their goddamn job, and Bakugo praised all because of his goddamn Quirk that everybody only cares about!"

Inko took it all in silence as Izuku spilled years' worth of truth to her. While outside, she did her best to appear sad and understanding, inside, she was fuming. To think she ever saw that demon child as a nephew, to imagine that this is what became of her goddamn godson! She and Mitsuki were going to have very strong words; damn their friendship if it went wrong. And when Izuku brought up the Heroes and their response to her son going above and beyond and saving Bakugo, they dared chastise him?! He may have gone in there against their wishes and common sense, especially given that it was all for someone who baited him into committing suicide, but what her son did should have been respected and praised, not this!

"Oh, sweetie," Inko brought him into another hug. "Why? Why didn't you tell me all about this?"

"Because I didn't want to worry you," Izuku said. "I saw how much you worry about me because ever since we found out I was Quirkless, how you were destroying yourself, I didn't want you to go through that again."

"A-And your father? Does he know?" Inko asked.

"No," Izuku shook his head. "No, he doesn't. I was worried that he would have told you anyway, and I didn't want to make him lie to you either. Plus-"

"What?" Inko pressed on.

"Plus... I didn't want him to know because I feared that he would have moved us to the States," Izuku revealed one of his biggest fears. "I still want to go to U.A., but I couldn't if we went to America. I know I might have been treated better there, I know I would have Gwen and Ben there, but I didn't want to miss out on my dream school. I didn't want us to lose our home because of me."

Inko almost said that wouldn't happen, but stopped herself. It did seem something that her husband would do, right after a day's worth of coaxing him not to burn down Aldera and the Bakugos to the ground. He probably would use their connections to move them to the States; hell, anywhere, even, no matter if Izuku hated it or him in the process. That was just Hisashi's nature, doing whatever he could for his family, even if it hurt him. It was the same self-sacrificing nature that Izuku inherited from him. But something confused Inko about all this, something that didn't add up.

"Sweetie, I understand why you didn't want to tell about Katsuki, but what does this have to do with taking down your All Might stuff?" Inko asked again. "I know the two of you love All Might, but are you getting rid of them just to distance yourself from him?"

After another moment's hesitation and finding the right words without spilling some very sensitive information, Izuku said, "After school, I saw him. All Might. Before the Sludge Villain attacked Bakugo and saved us, I saw him and asked him if I could be a Hero without a Quirk."

Inko flinched. It was always one of her biggest regrets that she only said sorry to her son when he asked her that question. At the time, she thought she was trying to keep her son from getting himself killed, but as he grew up, as his spirit and dream never died, and he showed his mettle in saving Bakugo's life, she realized her mistake.

"And?" Inko asked.

"...He said no," Izuku revealed, eyes shadowed by his hair as tears once more welled down his face, tears that held not just sadness but also rage at what was once his idol. "That I should look for something more realistic."

Inko once more wrapped her son in a tight hug, partly to comfort him, partly to keep the utter rage from showing on her face. She had seen Izuku idolize the man for so long, and this is what he gets in return? Inko swore to any and all gods or higher beings that she would see this suffering and injustice done to her son repaid. Starting with a change in scenery.

"Izuku, when we get back home, I'm pulling you out of Aldera and into another school, into online learning if I have to," Inko revealed.

"What?! No, Mom, that's not-"

"Don't! This is not something you can debate with me, young man!" Inko's voice shifted into a stern, authoritative one that she only got when she was mad. "I love you with all my heart, and I will not see you suffer so needlessly anymore. I know that you have held this back for my sake, and I love you for it, but this ends here. No more Aldera, no more bullying, no more Bakugo. Money is of no issue to us if that's what you are also worried about. You need a change in scenery, somewhere that will treat you better. You are my world, Izuku, and I would do anything and everything for you. Okay?"

"...Okay," Izuku almost slumped his head against her shoulder again, a weight suddenly lifted from his shoulders, and he felt so light and exhausted because of it. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, sweetie. More than you can ever know," Inko hugged her son back, the two of them sitting, crying and draining their feelings away. Inko peeked a glance at the empty log and sighed. 'I wish you were here, Hisashi. Your son needs you. I need you.'

Above Earth's orbit...

Drifting aimlessly across the space above the blue planet, the same large ship sailed by, though with much more noticeable damage. The ship's helm was full of sparks and destroyed pieces, dozens of figures floating outside, wired to the ship's side as they made their repairs with all haste. The main command station of the helm was already mostly sealed off, though noticeable holes in the hull were still present, including the burn marks from the explosion.

Inside the ship's darkly lit halls, the lighting had a fiery orange hue. The circular main station of the helm was full of individuals, either working on repairs of the ship or typing commands on the advanced computers. These individuals all looked similar, in black and orange gear, with large packs on their backs that forced them to slouch, a red circle on their shoulders, and helmets with six yellow eyes and a red-lined protrusion on the back of the head. Upon closer inspection, these helmets were not helmets, and the attire of the crew was more plainly metal, revealing them all to be robots rather than people.

The doors to the room slid open, and inside walked, or rather glided, a tall, humanoid figure. The creature was thin, almost skeletal in structure, with long arms ending in four razor-sharp claws and a sharp spike protruding from its wrist. Similarly long and thin legs, most of which were covered beneath a long black, armored skirt with a red loincloth-like front. Two large metal pauldrons on his shoulders, which connected to a rectangular design on his bony chest with three red squares underneath. His black attire fit like a second skin on the creature's upper body, with metal bolts running down its forearms. Four more bolts were on the creature's neck, two on either side, and two final ones on its clavicle. The creature's face was terrifying, with ghostly white skin, a pronounced chin that displayed his razor-sharp teeth, piercing red eyes with snake-like pupils, black markings trailing down from his eyes, and a large shark-like fin marked in black jutting from his forehead.

Upon his entrance, one robot greeted him with a bow. "Psyphon, sir," The robot greeted with its robotic tone.

"Progress report, bioid," Psyphon ordered in a shrill, menacing tone, his hand clasped behind his back like a noble.

"Damage to the ship's hull was extensive; however, life support systems are fully operational, and damage to the rest of the ship is minimal," The Bioid reported.

"Good, and the Plumber and his ship?" Psyphon continued ordering as he gestured for the Bioid to move aside and follow him, the alien creature floating through the air, his feet never reaching the ground.

"Eviscerated in the blast," The Bioid reported. "The blast wave seems to have incinerated all his remains. No other signs of life appear to have been on the ship and its wreckage."

"What about our Lord?" Psyphon said, standing in the middle of the room. In the center of the helm stood a large, black, oval-like structure with a single orange triangle. Upon the Bioid pressing commands on its tablet, the black metal of the structure receded, revealing an orange-glowing tank of bubbling liquid. Inside a large being or what remained of it, floated down, covered in organic-looking wires. The new creature's right arm was the most stable, but was burned in many places, while all that remained of the right leg was the creature's thigh and hip, the rest of the limb a burnt and destroyed mess. The left arm and leg were completely gone; all that remained was the skeletal structure of what appeared to be the creature's shoulder bone. Most of the organic wires and tubes connected to the large chest of the alien creature. Its head was the most alien about the mostly humanoid figure. Pale green skin, a bald head, pure red eyes closed, green sacs on the sides of its head, a respirator over the creature's mouth, and long green and spotted tentacles running down the sides of the creature's head.

"Lord Vilgax was at the epicenter of the blast and has experienced a tremendous amount of damage as a result," The Bioid reported. "It was a miracle that he survived the blast. His wounds are being treated in the Medi-Tube, and vital scans showed brainwave function; however, he has been unresponsive to us yet."

"Our mighty master is resilient, and yet to believe he was brought to so low like this," Psyphon's claw-like fingers drifted along the tank. Feeling a surge of ambition, he tipped his claw over the tube and scratched along the side, creating a horrible grating sound—not that the bioids noticed or cared for the noise. To believe that if he willed it, he could strike down his master and end his life so easily. Psyphon sighed. 'Alas, my loyalty is absolute. For now.' The almost treacherous henchmen pulled his hand away. "And our master's quarry?"

"Scans show the device jettisoned from the ship just before impact," The Bioid reported again. "The device entered the planet's atmosphere and made an abrupt change in direction toward the Earth nation of Japan before it escaped our sensors."

"Hmm. And the local law enforcement?" Psyphon questioned.

"Scans on Earth communications show that the device's entry into the planet has seemingly gone unnoticed, though the planet's police force and 'Heroes' do pose a significant threat," The Bioid warned. "However, the last location of the device and its trajectory points to a wooded area, far away from the local enforcement."

"Excellent," Psyphon grinned wide and menacing. "Send a Mechadroid to retrieve the Omnitrix. Ensure it is not spotted upon entry into the planet."

"The planet's technology makes detection a more likely possibility," The Bioid warned. "The droid's entry and landing will have to be slightly slower than usual to accommodate."

"It is a little consequence," Psyphon dismissed the warning yet gestured to proceed. "Soon, our master shall have his grand prize, and the universe will be his for taking."

Immediately, a large pod was fired from the large ship and began its descent down to Earth, its heading: Endor Forest.

The next morning...

After waking up and having a quick breakfast, Izuku told his mom that he was going for a walk on his own to clear his head after their talk last night. Izuku was a little suspicious when she immediately agreed, but he wouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth, not with what he needed to do.

After walking a fair distance away, Izuku pulled back his jacket's sleeve to reveal the Watch again, the green color long since returned. After touching the sides, Izuku was met once again with the holographic circle.

"Looks like this does recharge over time naturally," Izuku concluded, almost worried that he had left some charger or something in the pod.

Looking around to make sure he wasn't being seen, Izuku began to move the circle around, shifting between the various icons of the 'alien forms' that Izuku had coined for now, pondering which one to choose this time. He passed by the icon of the one he had turned to before, likewise reminding himself to coin a name for each of the aliens when he had the chance. Izuku didn't want another repeat scare of accidentally burning the forest down.

Finally, he settled on one icon in particular. From what the icon could show, it was slimmer than the fire guy, almost more similar to himself, though various distinctions were shown, such as the spiky-like protrusions coming out of the forearm and a more weirdly shaped head. Crossing his fingers, Izuku pressed deeper to select the form, the circle disappearing like before, and the faceplate sliding back to reveal the hourglass trigger. With a final deep breath, Izuku pressed his palm down on the trigger, a green flash of light consuming him.

Again, the transformation was instantaneous, though his subconscious felt himself grow slightly taller, his muscles and bones strengthening, fur growing around his body, his nails growing longer on his toes and hands, and even his teeth growing into fangs, while his ears likewise grew. As the light faded, Izuku looked at his new form. His torso, arms down to his biceps, and legs down to his knees were covered in a black and green, skin-tight jumpsuit, silver-white lining separating the green and black colors; the symbol of the Watch rested in the middle of his chest, just like the magma alien.

However, instead of fire or magma now part of his body, it was fur, blue, rugged, yet warmly comfortable. His hands had become more like claws, and, feeling the grass between his toes, he looked down to see his bare feet, possessing only three sharp-nailed toes, yet his feet felt oddly stronger. He looked to the side and saw a pack by the tree that he had placed down previously. Digging in, he pulled out a mirror and took a look at his face. The fur on his face was a mix of blue and black, with the fur around his sharp-toothed mouth, triangular nose, and the bridge between his eyes being blue. The rest of his head was covered in black fur, from his furry chin and jawline to where his hair once was, still keeping some of the rugged, wildness he always had, and along his large, feline-like ears. His eyes were pure green, and his trademark, diamond-shaped freckles remained as spots of black fur below his eyes.

"Woah, this guy is so different from the other one," Izuku spoke, his voice now way lighter, almost squeaky in comparison. "Huh, new voice, too. I wonder what this guy can do. Oh, what is this...excitement? Yeah, I can feel it." Izuku felt more energetic than he ever had, almost buzzing with energy, but not the kind that he could expel, more like adrenaline and the need to run.

"Urgh, I can't contain myself, I just gotta-" Izuku cut himself off as he took a running start and sped down the clear path. And boy, did he mean sped down. The world seemed to slow to a crawl around him as he ran, his blood pumping and wild, happy to finally let loose and run. "WOOHOO!" Izuku exclaimed as he ran around the woods, a blue and black blur to anything that spotted him. "This is awesome! Now, how do I slow down?"

Izuku's eyes widened as, in his haste to run, he forgot that he was supposed to be practicing and testing out this new form, and he just ran before he could truly walk in this new body. Suddenly growing unsteady in his desire to slow down, Izuku tripped on a tree root, sailing through the air as he yelled. He tumbled and rolled down a hill before finally crashing into the trunk of a tree with a loud thud. Izuku now found the world upside down, his head on the grass while his upside-down body lay by the tree's trunk. "Well, that definitely could have gone better," He groaned.

Meanwhile, at the same time...

Inko walked toward the area that was mainly Izuku's and Hisashi's spot, where he must have come from last night... and where she heard all the commotion.

Inko could tell something was off and that the sudden feeling of the ground shaking from last night was not from a herd of deer or a minor quake; it felt like an impact. That immediately caught Inko's attention, as there wasn't supposed to be anything out here strong enough to cause a shake like that. They were far enough away from the other camping sites that a person's Quirk would probably not register this far out. She also could have sworn that a red light had shone beyond the trees when she went looking for Izuku for dinner, but it was so brief she thought it was just a trick of the moonlight.

Now, with Izuku gone on his walk, Inko could go and investigate the area by herself. She felt a tad guilty deceiving Izuku, going behind his back, but then again, she could tell he was hiding something from her, and it wasn't what he told her about last night with Bakugo and All Might.

Inko once more felt the rage surge in her body at the thought of those two and what they had done to her son. All Might had been her son's idol and favorite hero. He was the one Izuku turned to after that horrible day they found out he was Quirkless; his inspiration to continue with his dream of being a Hero. 'I suppose the saying 'Don't meet your heroes' is truer than I thought,' Inko thought bitterly.

Inko had to give All Might some credit, though. The man and Izuku were strangers to each other, and Izuku was always a skinny child. Logically, it would make sense why he wouldn't have the confidence to say that Izuku was fit enough to be a Hero, Quirk or not. However, to hear it come from the Symbol of Peace himself, the man who believed and proclaimed anyone could be a Hero, say that you were the only one he didn't believe in must have been heartbreaking for her son, and Inko did not feel like she could forgive the Number 1 Hero for that.

She remembered the times when Izuku tried to gain more muscle by going to the gym, but after a few attempts, he suddenly gave up. Now, looking back at what she now knew, it was safe to bet that Bakugo or some other bullies ruined any attempt of her son to train himself up, whether by their mocking or even beating him up enough that getting fit enough to gain muscles was an impossibility.

With her thoughts now turned to her surrogate nephew... yeah, that wasn't going to be the case anymore. She could be loving and understanding, or so her husband and son said, but Inko Midoriya was also a very vengeful person, especially to those who harmed her loved ones, and 13 years' worth of harm done to her son was enough for her to disinherit any affection or love she may have had for her best friend's son. And that was what hurt all the worse, that this all came from the son of her best friend, Mitsuki, the same girl with whom she had been friends since high school; she was as much Izuku's surrogate aunt as she was with Katsuki, and that made this betrayal all the more painful.

Inko knew this wasn't Mitsuki's fault. She fully believed that her best friend would never be capable of teaching her son to bully hers, nor Masaru, but she knew both of the Bakugo parents' flaws, and she could see where things may have gone wrong. Mitsuki had always had a temper about her. Inko fondly remembered how she was snappish with any guy who tried to ask her out, like a guard dog, including Hisashi. Inko could see that Katsuki had inherited his temper from his mother, yet he didn't accept Izuku as a friend to balance his attitude with her son's niceness. Masaru was also a very non-confrontational kind of person, quiet and peaceful, the complete opposite of Mitsuki, yet they worked well together. However, it could be that Masaru wasn't a strong enough influence to temper his son's behavior or attitude. Coupled with the praise the boy always got throughout the years, Inko could see how Katsuki Bakugo became the way he was.

That still didn't mean she would forgive and forget just because she understood how it ended up like this. There are only so many excuses, including 'He's just a child' or 'He's coming into his own', that one could make before his attitude and issues become one's own fault, and with Katsuki soon to turn 18, that time had long since passed. There might still be a part of her that won't report him for unlawful Quirk usage and assault, but that part was the part where she couldn't destroy the life of her friend's son, but that didn't mean she was going to allow her boy to remain within a 10-foot radius of Katsuki Bakugo ever again, not if she could help it.

Inko wondered how Hisashi would react when he uncovered all this. She may have to use her Quirk on her husband to keep him inside their apartment and from burning down the Bakugo home in a rampage; she couldn't have her husband and her son's father shipped off to Tartaros for murder. She only hoped that he would return soon from his business trip.

Inko sighed, the weight of secrecy once more falling on her. 'Should we really keep who we are a secret from him any longer?' Inko thought to herself. 'I know Izuku could be brought into the fold without saying a word to anyone, but if he finds out the truth about what we do, the truth about our universe...' Inko knew that Izuku would take the chance to 'join the family business' when he found out, probably seeing it as his way of being a Hero and that once more worried her. Just like when she only said sorry for his dream of being a Hero, the same motherly desire to keep her baby safe welled up at the idea of Izuku following in hers and Hisashi's footsteps. Their job was a dangerous one, and the thought of Izuku in any more danger terrified her to her core.

'But Izuku isn't a baby anymore, is he?' Inko reminded herself. Izuku had long since passed 16 years of age, the age of legality in Japan, and was soon to turn 18, the age of legality in a broader range. He can make his own decisions, even if they will keep her up at night. Yes, Izuku had the right to know, and she will tell him... after she deals with a few more pressing issues.

One such issue now presented itself to her. Inko stared wide-eyed and alarmed at the crash site before her, the space pod that sat at the center of the crater, and the pod's emptiness. She recognized the make and model of the pod almost immediately, and her mind connected the thoughts. The crash, the flash of light, Izuku's caginess and anxiety, his secrecy, the way he often hid his left arm from her sight.

Inko's widened eyes gained a new flavor of horror. "No," She gasped.

But before she could think any further about this revelation, a rumble in the sky alerted her. She looked up to see the clouds part from an unknown, unseeable object, but Inko had plenty of experience with cloaked objects to know that a big one was about to land near her location. Thinking quickly, Inko booked it to the cave, hiding behind the rising spire of rock by the cave's side. A few seconds later, a large crash sounded outside the cave, shaking the cave and her soul. The sounds of robotic gears and whirring were heard outside, and Inko peered out to see what the object was. And now she could add another flavor of fear and dread at the sight before her.

The cloaking of the robot had cleared away with its landing, revealing its orange, red, and grey parts in all its 40-foot-tall monstrosity. Its arms popped out of the sides, with steel-like pipe arms that led to large orange, red, and black-lined gauntlets for hands, four razor-sharp claws, and a tube on the bottom half of the claw. Three insectoid legs extended from the bottom of the robot, resembling the back half of a bee or hornet. The dark grey metal legs ended in blades for feet, lined with orange, red, and black. Two protrusions jutted out from its shoulders, and finally, the head emerged, revealing insect-like red eyes and a neck made of wires and metal.

'A Mechadroid?!' Inko realized with a horrible realization.

The Midoriya matriarch ducked behind the cave as the robot began to scan the area. Its red sensors picked up on the crash site and the pod in the center. Swiftly, the Mechadroid raised its claw, pointing the tube toward the pod as the end glowed and gathered energy. A powerful orange laser fired out of the tube and blasted the pod to pieces. Inko could only hear the destruction, feel its rumbling impact, but did her best to keep her breathing and heartbeat to a minimum, despite the sweat rolling down her brow.

The Mechadroid stomped over and scanned the site again, and what remained of the pod. Finding no signs of its quarry, the Mechadroid shifted its gaze toward any signs of life and spotted a trail of footprints from the woods. With an alien robotic dialect spoken, the two protrusions on the larger robot's shoulders shot out before activating, revealing them to be smaller flying droids. The droids picked up on the trails and hovered across the woods to find their prey.

Meanwhile, back with the original, larger robot, it scanned the area once more, craning its head around while relying on its scanners. When its footsteps were getting closer, Inko pressed her hand onto the side of the wall. As the Mechadroid shifted its gaze to where the cave was, it found no cave but a wall of rock that its scanners couldn't see through. The Mechadroid continued its search, its scanners finally locating the site where a fireball of alien makeup and energy was fired. Following the lead, the Mechadroid began marching its way down the path where the fireball was fired, assuming its prey went in that very direction.

As its footsteps grew more distant, the wall of rock shimmered away to reveal the cave once more. Inko removed her hand from the wall, revealing it to be a metal panel rather than simple rock. Inko sighed in relief that the robot had gone away, but did pick up on the sounds of other robots as well. Inko figured the Mechadroid must have had smaller droids on its person, so to speak, and sent them out in another direction.

It didn't take long for Inko to realize where the droids were going, while her eyes widened again. "Izuku!" She gasped.

Back with Midoriya, at the same time this was all happening, he was speeding through the forest.

After his previous crash, Midoriya had opted for a slower and more careful approach, even if his instincts begged for him to go faster. It was strange, Midoriya realized, these instincts coming to him. They were similar, and yet so different from the fiery alien he was. Back then, he felt no urge or drive in that form, and it was only when he chose to tap into its abilities that instinct kicked in, letting Izuku wield them as if they were second nature. Now, as this faster, furrier creature, it felt like speed was his nature. To go as fast as he could felt like it was his very purpose and reason to live, and to purposefully go slow was as aching to him as it was not to analyze every new Quirk he saw; it felt restrictive, painful even.

Izuku quickly realized that in this new form, he wasn't just fast—he was agile and acrobatic, too. He would jump from tree to tree, swing on branches, and somersault into another run like he was an expert gymnast, and his enhanced reflexes also made it easier for Izuku to react to incoming obstacles and prevent a repeat of his crash onto the tree. Izuku was having the time of his life, so much so that he forgot how long it had been since he had transformed and how far he had run from the Midoriya camping site.

Another thing Izuku discovered in this form was the strength of his senses. His hearing and smell were incredible; he could hear the sounds of the forest all around him, smell out so many different scents, and place where the corresponding sound or smell was from, like a pair of birds being fed by their mama, or the fox that scurried into a hole. Or the sounds of robotic humming that were headed right toward him.

Blinking as he did a double take on that information, Izuku turned to where the robots were coming from, and no sooner than he did, the robots arrived, hovering above him. They looked like small orange, red, and black UFOs, disc-shaped with what looked like the heads popping out from the center of the top, shifting their red, organic-looking sensors onto him.

Izuku quickly picked up that these weren't from Earth either and briefly wondered if they were from the alien that the Watch belonged to. He also pondered if these were strictly robots or some kind of robot-alien cyborgs.

"Ummm, I come in peace?" Izuku raised his hands slightly over his head in peaceful surrender.

As the drones locked their sensors onto the green hourglass on Izuku's chest, the bottom half opened up to reveal a series of claws. The robots aimed them at him as they began to charge up their lasers.

"Oh, crap!" Izuku cursed before booking it, evading two laser blasts that destroyed the ground he was standing on. Izuku, in his haste, crashed into a tree by his side. Slightly groaning at the impact, Izuku quickly shook it off, looking back at the robots and widening his eyes. He evaded again as the robots blasted the tree's trunk to pieces.

"Hey, hey, look, if you want the Watch, you could ask nicely!" Izuku exclaimed, waving his arms for them to stop. "I'm sorry, but it just stuck onto me-Oh shit!" As he evaded another blast of laser fire, Izuku could see that reason and diplomacy weren't going to work. "Okay, Plan B: Run!"

Izuku ran through the forest with the robots giving chase. The two drones weaved and flew around the trees and branches while aiming and firing at Izuku. Thankfully, Izuku was able to use his ears to pick up the trajectory and angle of their firing, and thus dodged accordingly. The laser fire blasted either the ground or the trees.

'Okay, this is bad, I'm being shot at by God knows what, I have no idea how long I've got left in this form before I turn back, and there are no Heroes around to help,' Izuku analyzed as he continued evading and running, making sure not to trip or crash into anything. 'And at this rate, I have no idea how long their firepower sets something on fire, and I'm pretty sure this guy isn't exactly that great at putting out fires.' With no chance of getting help, the encroaching possibility of reverting to his weak, powerless human self any second, and the chance that these things might bring harm to the forest, or worse, his mother, Izuku had come up with no remaining option: 'Fight.'

"Alright, you bolt buckets, you want me, come and get me!" Izuku yelled out, increasing his speed, zigzagging around the trees and bushes to attempt to throw off their aim or flight, but the drones were quick and evasive. As they managed to get him in their line of sight, Izuku ducked into a crouch, the lasers sailing overhead and striking the ground a few yards away. Izuku shifted directions again while the drones followed.

Spotting a series of close-together trees off past him, Izuku came up with an idea. 'Hero Analysis N.10. Ingenium,' Izuku imagined the notes he took on the speedster hero, most prominently, how he used his speed and engines to jump from wall to wall acrobatically. 'I might not have the engines, but I do have the speed. Here goes!'

Turning back around, he slowed to ensure the drones stayed on him. Likewise, channeling some trash-talking from Bakugo, Izuku called out, "Hey, Disc Jockeys! You keeping up or what?!" Izuku didn't know if trash-talking was necessary; could robots even be insulted? Probably not, and it wasn't likely to throw them off their game, but Izuku couldn't help but feel more relaxed as he mocked the drones. Was this why Bakugo always mocked people, because he felt so insecure that that trash-talking helped mask his insecurities? Maybe, but it could just be because he was an asshole. Either way, Izuku decided to go for the more self-calming method of trash-talking.

Izuku evaded another series of laser blasts before turning right once more, adding some more zigzags to make it seem less noticeable what he was doing. "What, that's the best aim you got?!" Izuku ducked under another laser blast. "Oh, how Lady Nagant would laugh and weep at your sorry asses if she weren't in jail! Wait, do you guys even have asses?! Do those bottom discs count?!"

Finally, Izuku turned again and could see the trees within his path. Realizing that even if he did what he was planning he could still get shot at and probably get hit easier, Izuku looked around and found the greatest resource he could need: leaves. Zig-zagging around, gathering as many leaves as he could while evading death from above, Izuku stopped before the rows of trees and wagged his furry ass at them. "You're too slow!" Izuku mocked, remembering the taunt from an old video game character.

Izuku imagined that if the robots could feel, they would have comical angry tick marks over their heads before firing another rapid series of laser blasts at him. Izuku evaded and proceeded to put his plan into motion. Running around the trees and the robots, Izuku dropped the leaves as he ran, the resulting wind and momentum carrying the leaves and creating a mini tornado of leaves around the drones. The drones spun their 360-degree sensors and claws around, attempting to pick up their target again, but the leaves blocked their sensors.

Disengaging from the mini-tornado of leaves he formed, Izuku leaped toward the trees, relying on his alien form's acrobatic skills and speed to easily climb the tall structure of nature. As he reached a decent height, Izuku vaulted from the trees and headed toward the drones. As the tornado of leaves was starting to falter, Izuku flew in and slashed, slicing through one of the claws of the drone clean off. Landing by the side of another tree, Izuku leaped and grabbed the falling metal limb from the air before grabbing onto a tree branch with his other hand and vaulting up to the higher branches of another tree.

Peering down to see the drones attempting to find him again, Izuku leaped toward them again. However, one of the drones managed to find him again, realigning itself and its remaining claws to fire at him. Thinking quickly, Izuku shifted and spun his body in mid-air, the lasers sailing past him so closely they singed the tips of his blue fur. As he reached the drone, Izuku slammed his claws with a yell into the head's sensors, clawing straight through, and grabbing onto some wires. "I don't think you need these, do you?!" Izuku tugged the wires out and ripped them clean off the drone, which started sparking and veering around wildly without its eyesight.

The other drone noticed this and aimed at Izuku, who leaped and somersaulted off the drone he was on as the laser struck the drone he was on and then landed on the offending second one. "Ooh, Friendly Fire!" Izuku laughed as the struck drone fell to the ground and exploded in a shower of sparks and metal.

Meanwhile, the drone began to resume flying around, shifting its head around in an attempt to shake him off. Izuku clung on tight, using both his claws and the claw of the other drone he still had. "Woah! Easy there, Bolt-for-Brains, this rodeo is cool and all, but I'll have to flag this ride as kind of dangerous for kids under 18!" Izuku laughed, stabilizing himself before reading his makeshift weapon. "I'm going to have to put the brakes on this ride!"

Suddenly, the Watch's symbol began to beep red. "Oh no!" Izuku groaned and exclaimed, before a flash of red left regular Izuku Midoriya, now clinging for his life. "WAAAAAGGGHHH!" Izuku yelled as the drone flew around the forest, attempting to shake off its unwanted passenger.

"Crap, crap, of all the times it had to die out on me!" Izuku complained as he clung to the robot and his weapon as best as he could without falling to his death. Finally taking action, one of the drone's claws reoriented its aim to point straight at Izuku and began charging up. Panicking for a split second, Izuku remembered his weapon and, with a yell, swung it at the claw. Luckily, it was enough to smack the claw away as it fired, the beam sailing harmlessly into the air, and leaving the claw sparking and twitching. Izuku grinned; however, taking a look at his weapon, he noticed the claw dangling off its stem before falling off. "Oh."

The drone, getting frantic, spun around again, and Izuku was forced to drop the weapon to cling on. As it stopped and looked ready to attempt another attack, Izuku looked at the twitching claw that was spewing random blasts. The green-haired teen got an idea. Steadying himself on the drone, Izuku grabbed the twitching claw and, with all his might, shoved it into the sensors of the drone, the claw piercing through and deep into its center. Izuku noticed that they were heading towards the side of a cliff and that the claw was beginning to power up another blast, one that was so close it might destroy the drone.

With no choice, Izuku leaped off the drone while it sailed and collided with the rocky wall, exploding in a great burst of fire and metal. Izuku yelled as he fell, but, through perhaps sheer luck, grabbed onto a large enough branch, dangling on the saving branch. Izuku looked back to see his work and how the drone's remains smoked, likewise destroyed, and the threat ended. Izuku sighed in relief. "Izuku-2. Drones-0."

Later...

It took a while for Izuku to climb down from the tree, enough so that the sun was starting to set. Thankfully, despite the explosive end to the robots, no fires started up from their wreckage. 'You're welcome, Mother Earth,' Izuku thought to himself as he finally got to a safe enough distance to jump off the trunk of the tree, landing in a pile of bushes.

Getting off the bushes with a groan and shaking his hair off any twigs or leaves stuck on his wild hair, Izuku was glad for the ordeal to be over. However, with the drones now destroyed, it brought up an important question. 'What were those things?' Izuku questioned himself, staring at the wrecked remains of one of the drones. 'I know they were robots, advanced ones at that, but I've never seen any Support Companies or inventors use them. The robots they use in U.A. look far less advanced than this. This looked almost alien.'

Izuku looked at the Watch. 'Were they after the Watch? It's no coincidence that they showed up the day after this thing crashed, and I found it. Izuku could also tell that they didn't immediately attack him and had first scanned him before raining fire on him. They must have picked up on something about him to know he was who they were looking for, perhaps the symbol of the Watch. 'Were they sent by the owner of the Watch, who was trying to get it back, or were they trying to take it for themselves?' Advanced piece of technology or not, the drones were quick to shoot first and ask questions never. 'Whoever sent them was willing to kill to get the Watch, and owner or not, those don't sound like the best hands to have this thing with.'

Izuku shook his head, chastising himself as if he had any right to decide who the Watch should belong to either. He simply found the thing and had it stuck on his wrist. Who was he to judge? If anything, shouldn't his judgment be questionable because of who he was? He was Quirkless; he'd spent his whole life without power of his own, and now that he had it stuck on his wrist, the rush and excitement of it made him fail to realize the small amount of greed that sprouted in his heart, the desire to keep the Watch for himself, to finally have power to call his own. Wasn't it wrong to feel that? This Watch belonged to someone, and here he was planning on using it for himself.

'But what do I do now? If those things were coming for the Watch and it belongs to them, then they don't seem keen on letting me live or negotiate. And if they didn't belong to the Watch's owner, then that means other people are looking for it for themselves, and that makes me a target,' Izuku thought, realizing the danger of death looming over his shoulders again, almost like the Sludge Villain was about to pounce on him again. Izuku shuddered at the thought. 'But what's worse is if I'm a target, that means everyone around me is also in danger, including Mom and Dad. Can I really keep this with the possibility of putting others in danger?'

As Izuku continued pondering what to do with the Watch, whether to find a way to get rid of it or keep it, he heard his mother's voice. "IZUKU!"

The green-haired teen looked in the direction of her voice to see her running toward him, panting and clearly exhausted from running who knows how many miles through the woods. "Mom?" Izuku said, confused. "Why are you-"

He was cut off as his mother tackled him into a hug with the force of a freight train, knocking the wind out of him. "Are you okay?! Are you hurt?! What happened?! Where are the drones?! Did they attack you?! Did you escape?! Did-"

"Mom!" Izuku snapped Inko out of her flood of questions. "I'm fine. I'm not hurt, well, I think anyway." Izuku pulled out another twig from his ear. "But what are you doing here? Actually... how did you know about the drones?"

"Izuku," Inko started, immediately gaining Izuku's attention from how serious her tone was. "I know, Izuku. I know about the crash and what you found."

Izuku paled, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. "W-What?" Izuku gasped, inwardly panicking about how she could have figured it out, only for the obvious answer to come up that she went to the crash site while he left. Still, Izuku tried a last-ditch effort to play dumb. "I-I don't know what you-"

"Izuku, I'm not stupid. I went to the crash site, where you and your father go, I saw the pod," Inko interrupted her son, her gaze burning into his skull at the level of seriousness that Izuku had never seen before in his kind and nice mother. "I know you got the O-"

"The Watch," Izuku caved in, finding no point in hiding the secret anymore.

Inko blinked in surprise, a brief second of contemplation in her eyes barely shown. "Y-Yes, the Watch," Inko said, nodding while swallowing the words she was about to say before. "D-Do you have it on you?"

"Pretty much," Izuku admitted, rolling up his sleeve to reveal the alien watch to her eyes. "Two drones attacked me over it, but I managed to destroy them before they could set the place on fire."

Inko's eyes widened in horror and loss, the hope that it didn't choose him dying as she saw the device latched onto her son's wrist. "C-Can you-"

"Get it off? No, it's stuck on my wrist," Izuku answered.

"W-Why? Why didn't you tell me about it?" Inko asked.

Izuku shook his head, scoffing. "You wouldn't understand," Izuku muttered.

"Sweetie, I can't if you don't tell me," Inko begged her son for answers. "Look, if this is about what Bakugo and All Might said-"

"Of Course, it's about what they said!" Izuku finally snapped, brushing his mother's hands and stomping around, unable to stay put under the flow of emotions that Izuku couldn't keep back. "And about you and me!"

"Me?" Inko blinked, shocked and slightly hurt at the sudden accusation. "What do you-"

"Ever since that day, ever since I found out I was Quirkless, I've been begging to find a way to be a Hero," Izuku cut her off, his fists clenched so tightly, they grew pale under his grip. "I tried training my body, my mind, I tried to stand up for others, and everything I do gets cast aside and dismissed, all because I don't have power of my own. My first friend turned on me and made me responsible for the split between my parents and their best friends, my guilt over causing you and dad so much hardship kept what Bakugo and our schools let happen to me, and even my idol, my most favorite hero and the greatest one of all time, dismissed me and my efforts because of something I had no control over!"

"And what hurts the most was not the beatings, not the unfair punishments, not the guilt that ate me from inside, but because no one ever said I could be a Hero! Not even you!" Izuku yelled, smashing his fist into the side of the tree, damaging his fist more than the tree, and it only fueled his anger. "You couldn't even look me in the eye and say the one thing I wanted to hear. Even if you lied, it still would have hurt less than all you could say was that you were sorry!"

Inko flinched, ducking her head in shame as her hand gripped over her heart.

"Bakugo, All Might, you, not even Dad, none of you thought I could do anything. None of you believed in me at all or gave me a chance to prove myself. You all said no because I didn't have a GODDAMN QUIRK!" Izuku roared out his anger for all the woods to hear. A brief silence took over the land as neither a chirp, shift, nor buzz could be heard around them, as if the very forest kept itself quiet under Izuku's fury. "And then the Watch came along. Suddenly, it chose me, and I finally got the power I've always wanted, the power that I could use to save people, to be a Hero like I've always wanted, and I can't make up my mind on what to do!"

Tears welled down Izuku's cheeks. "I know the Watch doesn't belong to me; it belongs to someone else, and I feared that if I told you, you would help get rid of it, and I know it would be the responsible thing to do, the right thing to give it back to whoever made it. So why can't I stop feeling greedy over it?" Izuku's body shook as his eyes looked desperate and lost. "Why, if I know it's the right thing to do, do I want to keep it for myself to accomplish the sake of my own dream? Why is it that I can't feel even a little selfish without hating myself for it? Why, when I finally get my wish to come true, do I have to give it up? Why?! Why?"

Izuku didn't just mean the Watch. He also thought of how he had the opportunity to get everything he ever wanted with All Might's Quirk, and he turned it down. He was torn between his pride and his desires, his sense of right and wrong conflicting with each other. He gave up that chance to inherit All Might's Quirk because it didn't feel right to him. Now, here he was again, power in the Watch in his hands, and his moral compass was torn between what he wanted and what propriety said was right. He just wanted to say, 'screw it' and keep the Watch, to use it to make his dream a reality, but he couldn't do it knowing he was stealing it from another. And the one person beside him, he felt, couldn't help because she never did truly support the one thing he always wanted to do. How could she understand what he was feeling if she ever truly understood him?

"Izuku," Inko's voice broke through the silence between them. Tears fell from her shame-filled eyes, gazing at her broken, conflicted son that she only now realized she had all but abandoned her support of since that day. In her fear for his safety, she broke her son's heart and couldn't trust her with his biggest secrets until he was forced to. Inko could see every reason why Izuku hid his years of pain, his truest feelings from her, because she had broken the trust between them. She failed to support her son when he needed it the most, and now she was paying for it.

Inko reached out to grab hold of her son, only for an explosion to occur at a distance. The two swiftly turned, shocked to see a pillar of smoke and fire rise close by. As they registered the screams of people, it was clear to both of them what had happened. 'Something's attacking the campsite!' They both thought.

Inko immediately knew that with the smaller drones destroyed, it could only have been the larger Mechadroid from before. 'It must have gone to the camp in search of the device,' Inko realized. A rush of movement alerted her from her thoughts as she saw her son already running at full sprint towards the camp.

"Izuku!" Inko yelled as she ran after her son. "Wait!"

But Izuku didn't listen. Whether out of purposeful dismissal of her wishes or the heroic spirit to chase after the screams of the people, Izuku's body had taken off toward the danger once again without thinking, and even as he did, he couldn't stop. He just couldn't.

Eventually, as night fell on the woods, son and mother arrived at the outskirts of the camp, overlooking the site by a hill, and looked in horror at the sight. Campers, tents, and wooden buildings were all destroyed or set ablaze as civilians ran for their lives. Amidst the destruction, the 40-foot-tall Mechadroid stomped around, shifting its red gaze throughout the camp in search of something. If an object, such as an RV or a building, stood in its way, it fired its laser and destroyed it in seconds, scanned the area that remained, and moved on in its search.

"What is that?" Izuku gasped out, horrified.

"A Mechadroid," Inko revealed, panting as she caught up with Izuku. "The drones that chased you earlier came from it. They came looking for the Watch. It must believe that you are hiding in the camp."

Izuku's fists clenched, his teeth grating together, and he stepped forward toward the camp. "Izuku! Don't!" Inko reached out and grabbed onto Izuku's wrist, trying to pull him away from the destruction.

"Mom! That thing is destroying the camp, looking for me!" Izuku pointed out, looking at her with wide and desperate eyes.

"All the more reason you should stay hidden," Inko argued. "Look! Some of the campers are calling for the police and Heroes! They can handle it!"

"We're miles away from the city!" Izuku argued back, fiercely looking back at his mother. "And if they get here, how much more destruction will that thing cause? How many more people could get hurt or even killed?!"

"Izuku, you aren't a Hero! You are just a boy, my boy!" Inko snapped and yelled at her son, desperately. "If something happened to you because I couldn't stop you, I'd-I'd..."

Izuku's anger ceased as he registered his mother's tears and fear for him. Guilt and uncertainty pooled on his face. Then he heard the wail of a little girl. He looked back to see a little girl standing in the middle of the destruction, crying alone and lost while the droid loomed ever closer. Her cries tugged at his heart, his eyes widening as his mind drifted back to All Might's debut video. The destruction, the fire, the fear in the people's faces. He remembered All Might's bitter frown and his failure to be there for him, and others liked them. No one was around to help; no one except him.

"Mom, I understand that you are afraid and worried for me. I understand that you care so much for me, but I can't," Izuku turned back to his mother, fierce conviction burning once more in his eyes. "Those people are in danger, all of them, because that thing is out searching for the Watch, searching for me. Those people are in danger because of me. There aren't any Heroes to help save us, so someone has to, and it has to be me."

"Izuku, if this is because of your dream-"

"Screw the dream, mother!" Izuku's yell cut her off. "People are in danger, that's no dream, that's reality. Someone has to help, and if I have the power to help, then it's my responsibility to do so." Izuku raised the arm that Inko gripped. "You have to let me go."

Inko stared wide-eyed at the boy-no, the man in front of her. He wasn't the sad, desperate, fragile boy she feared to lose. Before stood a young man willing to step into the fire for others, for little to no reward other than their safety, a boy who would bear the weight of the world on his shoulders for them. She saw the little boy who gazed at All Might's debut video without fear or dread but with inspiration and Hope. For the first time, Inko felt she truly saw her baby boy for who he was at heart: a true Hero.

She looked at her hand, gripping his wrist, how she held him back, like always. She had to let him go free.

"Alright," Inko let go, freeing Izuku's wrist from her grasp. "I trust you, Izuku. Just...be careful."

Izuku stared at his mother, shocked. The sides of his mouth curved into a smirk, confident and full of strength and life. "Always," Izuku promised. Izuku turned to face the robot and save the camp...

"Wait!" Only for his mother to shout out once more.

Izuku almost stumbled down the hill in surprise. "What?!" Izuku asked, confused and maybe slightly exasperated.

"Before you go in, you need a plan," Inko's more serious side took over, staring at the sight like a general might look at a battlefield. It was awe-inspiring to Izuku, in truth. "You cannot simply march on in and expect to lure it away."

"Y-You're right," Izuku stuttered before regaining his fire. Izuku lifted his wrist to show the Watch. "But I've only used two forms out of the ten, and only one of them I think could have the firepower to take it down."

"Show me," Inko ordered.

Izuku did, lifting the Watch back up. As if to adhere to his mother's command, the Watch glowed and beeped to life, ready and waiting. Rubbing at the sides, the holographic circle popped up with the icons of the alien forms. After scrolling around, displaying their various forms to her, Inko spoke. "Wait, that one," Inko pointed at the icon currently being selected. The icon displayed a wide figure with twin spikes peeking up the shoulders.

"H-How do you know that-"

"Izuku, trust me, it will work," Inko interrupted him, giving him a pleading, earnest look.

Izuku froze at her pleading look. 'Trust goes both ways, and there's no time to lose,' Izuku thought to himself, before nodding. Selecting the form, the faceplate shifted back, revealing the trigger. "It's Hero Time," Izuku muttered. Without a moment's hesitation, Izuku slammed his palm down on the trigger.

A lone little girl cried as she stood around the chaos that suddenly sprang up around the once peaceful camp. The girl was small with blue skin and pure white eyes, her black 'hair' was hard and had a sheen that reflected the light of the fires around her. She had three claw-like fingers for hands and wore a large pink and white jacket with a comically large zipper. Her feet and tail stuck out the bottom of her pink skirt, a blue, striped tail, and tiny blue raptor-like feet that stood steady on black spheres.

One moment, the little blue girl was playing with her friends in the camp, while her mother waved at her, and then the next, the camp was suddenly in chaos. Fires and explosions occurred everywhere. Her friends and she, in their panic, fled, but in the chaos and madness of people running around, she got separated, not just from her friends but also from her mother. Now, lost, and with fire and madness occurring around her, the little girl could not take the pressure and started to cry and wail for her friends and mommy to find and save her.

Suddenly, the loud sounds and rumbles that shook the earth stopped her, a large shadow looming over her entire body. The little girl glanced over her shoulder at the owner of the looming shadow. The Mechadroid stared at her menacingly, its red-eyed sensors scanning her, determining her species and viability of possessing 'the device'. The Mechadroid raised its claw hand toward the girl, charging up energy in its cannon to fire. The little girl saw her short life flash before her eyes as the light increased.

However, sailing through the air, diamond spikes appeared and struck true on the Mechadroid's head, bouncing off or embedding themselves in the metal, but enough to cease its actions and tilt back against the force of the attacks. The little girl blinked, staring in surprise at the action that saved her life.

"Hey, Large, Tall, and Ugly," A deep voice sounded, turning the girl and the watching bystanders to the new arrival with wide-eyed awe.

Standing tall and wide, the new figure wore a black and green jumpsuit with mostly black pants. Green lined his feet, his wide, hard torso covered in a black and green, vertically striped shirt, the green in the middle and black at the sides. His arms were large and bulky, made entirely out of pale green/blue diamond-like crystals. His shoulders and forearms leading up to his hands were very girthy in width. Large twin spikes popped out of the back of his shoulders, two smaller ones down the sides of his back, and around his waist was a green and white striped belt with the symbol of the Watch in the middle. The being's head was squarely shaped with a large jaw, pure green eyes, and a sharp protrusion running down the back of his head. While one of his hands appeared normal, with four crystal fingers, the other looked like a spire collection of spikes sticking out and aimed at the Mechadroid.

"Looking for me?" Izuku called out to the robot, tauntingly.

The little girl stared at her savior, frozen in awe. She was snapped out of her stupor by hands on her shoulders. "Mommy," She instinctively called out, only to turn and see it was a green-haired lady with a kind face.

"Sweetie, are you alright? Are you looking for your mama?" Inko asked gently. As the little girl nodded, Inko smiled warmly and kindly. "Come, let's get out of here and find her."

"Get her and the others out of here," Izuku ordered, staring at his mother.

"Yes, Iz-I mean-Diamond-headed-guy, sir," Inko stuttered and corrected before she revealed her son's name.

"Diamond...head, huh? I like it. Now, go!" Izuku smirked before ordering out loud again. Inko nodded, picking up the little girl and leading them away from the fight to ensue.

Turning back to face the giant robot, Izuku narrowed his pure green eyes at it. "So, looks like you've been giving these people quite a hard time," Izuku started, raising his other fist close to his head. "Time I showed you what it means to have a Hard Time." Izuku's fist clenched before it morphed and shifted into a blade of diamond.

The robot did not reply verbally, simply scanning the new arrival with its red sensors. Its vision circled and landed on the symbol of the Watch on Izuku's waist. Its sensors beeping at its found target, the robot turned its full attention on Izuku.

All was still, save for the flames of the camp, the sounds of crackling fire and smoke, the only thing heard. Izuku brought his bladed hand down to his side at the ready, while the robot stretched its claws out, a sickening, sharp sound as it extended its bladed fingers.

Finally, the robot struck first, launching its left palm out and firing a laser blast at Izuku. Izuku leaped out of the way as it crashed onto the ground, rolling and recovering to a stand as he fired his diamond shards out of his other hand like a Gatling gun. The Mechadroid raised its other hand over its head in defense of the shards, some sticking onto the metal chassis. The Mechadroid retaliated with two more laser blasts from both hands. Izuku leaped sideways to avoid the first and then rolled forward to evade the second before firing shards again and running toward the robot in a sprint.

As Izuku ran towards the robot, the two evaded and blocked each other's attacks, the Mechadroid raising its arms to defend its more vital parts from the diamond shards, while Izuku leaped, side-stepped, and rolled away from the energy beams. Finally, as Izuku reached the droid, Izuku roared, raising his bladed hand to swipe at the robot's leg. However, with a surprising speed for its size and bulk, the Mechadroid jumped into the air, evading the slash from Izuku's diamond blade. Izuku looked up in surprise at how high it jumped, watching as it reached the maximum height of its jump, its three insectoid legs spun around like a drill before ceasing and beginning its descent down onto Izuku.

"Uh oh," Izuku jumped out of the way as the robot crashed violently onto the ground, sending a wave of dust and earth around it. Izuku evaded it for the most part and settled into a crouch. "Whelp, I guess I'm the one going to have a hard time here, huh?" Izuku didn't bother to acknowledge his own bad puns as he continued firing shards, from both hands this time, at the Mechadroid.

As the two traded and evaded attacks, Inko ran around the camp with the little girl, who said her name was ML-E, looking for her mother. After looking for a few seconds, they heard a woman's voice cry out. "ML-E!" The green-haired mother and the little girl turned to see an older version of the little girl race towards her. The woman wore a light and grass-green dress and a pointed headscarf. The woman's tail was longer and more striped than the little girl and she wore black and white leggings and a pair of white gloves.

"Mommy!" ML-E cried out, and she and Inko rushed over to meet the girl's mother. Inko gave the girl back to her mother, who embraced her daughter fiercely, the two crying while the mother kissed her daughter's head over and over.

Inko smiled warmly at the sight before returning her attention to her own baby boy. Izuku jumped and evaded a downward slash from the Mechadroid, landing on its arm and began running up it, slashing down with one arm as he ran up and firing shards on the other, the shards meeting their mark on the head or torso of the robot. As Izuku leaped up to slash at its head, the Mechadroid raised its other arm and backhanded Izuku, swatting him out of the air like a fly.

"GAH!" Izuku groaned as he sailed, a few pieces of diamond-like body chipping out as he sailed and crashed onto the remains of an RV, the force sending both sliding and crashing by the side of a tree.

The Mechadroid did not let up, raising its claw again, firing another energy beam. Izuku dived out of the way; however, the beam struck the tree's side, cutting through the trunk, and the tree began to topple down onto her and the mother-daughter pair. Inko's eyes widened, and she began leading the mother and daughter away. As Izuku recovered, he saw the tree about to fall on the three women and rushed over quickly. As the tree began to near the three, Inko and the mother hugged themselves over ML-E, bracing themselves to save the child. However, with a large slash and the crashing sounds around them, Inko and the mother realized that they weren't crushed. Opening their eyes, they saw that the tree was seemingly split in two around them, and Izuku stood before them, a large spire of diamonds protruding from his back, the cause of the tree's dissection and their safety.

"Diamondhead!" ML-E exclaimed with childlike awe at his rescue of them while her mother and Inko stared, the latter in surprise.

"You're a-" The mother gasped but couldn't speak the next words before Izuku cut her off.

"You all okay?" Diamondhead asked.

"Yes," Inko nodded, smiling proudly at her son.

"Good," Izuku nodded and smiled back. The smile dropped as he heard the sound of movement behind them. "Uh oh." Registering that Mechadroid was right behind him, Izuku turned to the three and yelled. "Get out of here!" The robot's clawed hand grabbed onto his body from behind. "GO!" He yelled again before he was lifted off the ground.

Fear gripped Inko's heart, but trusting her son, she followed his orders and led the mother and daughter away to the rest of the crowd.

Diamondhead struggled against the robot's grasp. "Hey! I don't appreciate being picked up like a teddy bear here!" He yelled in protest. Feeling the rising heat and light behind him, Izuku instantly knew what was happening. "Oh, crap. GAH!" He exclaimed as he was fired off the robot's hand, a beam of energy fired at his back, sending him flying.

Inko led the two to the crowd who stared at the fight between the giant robot and the man made of diamonds, some even recording the event before them like starstruck tourists.

"Dude! This is nuts! It's a giant ass robot!"

"Yeah, but who's that guy? A Hero?"

"I've never seen him around him before. Is he new?"

"Not sure, but this fight's awesome! The guy's Quirk is so cool!"

"I don't know. He seems like he's struggling against the thing. Should we be worried?"

Hearing the multiple comments of the crowd, Inko broke through with her loud voice. "Everyone! This place isn't safe. Iz-I mean-the Hero can't fight with his best if all just stand around gaping like idiots!" Inko yelled at the crowd. "Let's move farther away!"

"Yeah! Let Diamondhead beat that giant mean robot to the ground!" ML-E yelled in agreement.

With a mix of Inko's authoritative voice and persuaded by the cries of the little girl, the crowd eventually agreed and began to move back, farther from the fight. As they did, Inko looked back at Izuku as he continued fighting against the robot.

Izuku rolled away from another laser blast as he fired back in turn. "I gotta figure out how to beat this guy before more civilians get hurt in the crossfire," Diamondhead muttered.

The Mechadroid didn't leave him any room for thought as it fired another laser blast. Unable to evade in time, Izuku raised his bladed arms and shielded the blast. The laser reflected off the arms, splitting in two, one that struck the robot's shoulder and the other that hit a tree beside it.

Lowering his slightly smoking arms and seeing the results, Izuku said, "Reflection. Of course." An idea popped into Izuku's head as he grinned.

Putting his plan into motion, Izuku rushed over toward the camp, specifically towards some of the ruined cars. The Mechadroid calculated his path and fired at the ground in front of him. Izuku leaped over the beam, rolled on the ground, and reached a wrecked, but mostly intact car. "Hope this guy's got insurance!" Diamondhead quipped as he ripped the hood off the car, revealing its engine. With careful aim, Diamondhead tossed the hood like a discus over at the Mechadroid, who stared at the oncoming object. As it did, Diamondhead carefully ripped the engine out of the car and rushed toward the robot.

The Mechadroid swatted the car hood away and aimed for another blast of energy. As it did, Diamondhead chucked the engine like a shot put. The robot fired and struck the engine in mid-air, resulting in a large explosion that covered the area in front of it in smoke. Obscured by the smoke, the Mechadroid could not see as Izuku ran up one of its legs, slashing at it and destabilizing the droid. As it shook unsteadily with the loss of one leg, Izuku leaped out of the smoke and sailed toward the Mechadroid, only to get caught in its right hand's grasp.

The crowd gasped as they saw their Hero get caught in the giant robot's grasp. Inko's and ML-E's eyes widened in fear and worry. However, large spikes of diamonds began to grow out of the robot's hand, going through it until the arm exploded into pieces, and out of it, Diamondhead flew out and onto the Mechadroid's head. The crowd cheered for Izuku, including ML-E, while Inko clasped her hands together in safe prayer for her son.

Izuku's hands morphed and shifted into hammers, beginning to wail blow after blow onto the robot's head, smacking its head back and forth, left and right, up and down. Having enough, Izuku morphed one of the hammers into a spiked mace. "You don't need this, do you?!" With a yell, Izuku plunged and smashed through its right eye. The Mechadroid freaked out and attempted to swat Izuku off, but the diamond-made alien jumped off first, landing with a safe roll and facing the half-destroyed robot as it faced him, using its last eye and sensors to aim at him.

"Come on! Put one in here!" Diamondhead taunted, pointing at his chest.

The Mechadroid obliged, charging up a massive amount of energy in its remaining claw, enough that even the robot began sparking electricity from the overload.

Filled with worry, ML-E beat Inko to the punch and yelled out to Izuku. "Move! Get out of there!"

Without looking, Diamondhead stood before the light and flames of the camp, tall and proud. "Don't worry! Everything's going to be alright!" Izuku called out, turning his head to the side to stare at the ML-E, who stared back with awe. With the flames and light framing his face, Izuku grinned. "Because I Am Here!"

Inko gasped as she saw in that moment All Might's debut video, the same way he smiled amidst the fire and destruction. Inko could finally see what Izuku saw in All Might back then. 'Izuku. When did you get so cool?'

Turning back to face the robot, Izuku readied and ran towards the robot. The Mechadroid finished charging and fired a massive beam of energy at the Hero.

As the beam reached him, Izuku slid to a stop, braced himself, and struck his hands out to catch the beam. The beam of energy ceased and maintained itself in Diamondhead's hands. While his hands felt hot, Izuku did not feel pain and could feel the energy balling up. "What comes around, goes around," Izuku quipped. "Let's see how you like this, you Techno-Freak!"

Diamondhead's hands morphed together to form a flower-like formation of crystals that scattered the reflected lasers. "DIAMOND REFLECTOR!"

The crystals converged closer, coalescing the beam of energy right back at the Mechadroid. The laser blasted into the Mechadroid, lifting it into the air before slashing the robot clean in two. The two pieces sparked before exploding into a million pieces.

The crowd gazed, jaws dropped, amazed at the climactic finish. Tears sprang from Inko's eyes at her son's victory. Finally, with his arms returned to normal, Izuku raised his left fist in victory. ML-E was the first to break the silence with a gasp, her face full of awe and childlike amazement. Like a chain reaction, the whole crowd erupted in cheers for their savior, their Hero.

"Dude! That was Awesome! Did you see that last final attack?!"

"Yeah, he reflected that robot's blast right at him!"

"He refracted its energy with his crystal body and coalesced into a single powerful beam. Guy's got some brains on him!"

"Yeah. Did that kid say his name was Diamondhead? I've got to look him up after this!"

"He's so strong and brave! And kind of handsome, too. You think he's single?!"

Izuku could hear the cheers of the people, and, while he did blush, or blush as best he could being made of out of some silicon-based crystal, Izuku could feel the admiration, praise, and thanks of the citizens he saved. 'Is this what being accepted feels like?' Izuku thought in wonder. 'How it feels to be a Hero?' Izuku smiled warmly. 'I like it.'

The moment was cut short as the sounds of sirens began to blare in the distance. The police were arriving, and with them, Heroes... Police and Heroes who might not be too keen on Izuku fighting the robot without a Hero License. Peering over, he could see Inko, silently telling Izuku to run.

"Well, I think my job is done," Diamondhead said, his fists by his waist as he stared triumphantly at the night sky... before immediately booking it, almost comically, into the forest. "THANKSFORTHELOVEANDTHANKSBUTI'VEGOTTOGO! SEEYALATER!"

Even as the crowd exclaimed in surprise at his exit, Diamondhead ran into the woods, doing his best to get as far away from the people and incoming police and Heroes as possible. Hiding behind a large boulder, Izuku looked at himself with expectation. "Come on! Come on! Time out already!" Izuku panicked as he could hear voices and footsteps in the distance. Izuku resorted to tapping along his body as if looking for a power button or switch. "Come on, you stupid watch! If there's one time I wanted you to turn me back, it would be right now!" As he said that, his palm touched the symbol of the watch, and a flash of green light engulfed him.

Stumbling and falling into a bush, Izuku found himself looking at his regular human body. "Huh, so I can turn back whenever I want just by pressing the Watch's symbol?" Izuku looked at the Watch and noticed it was still in the green. "Can I transform again? Maybe if I transform back and forth between my human and alien forms, I can switch to another alien afterward. Could I change from one alien form to another, too?"

"Hello? Is anybody out there?" Izuku heard a man call out. Izuku figured he must have been a cop or Hero looking for him, or rather Diamondhead (Izuku did find the name catchy).

Deciding it best to play the part of a civilian, Izuku called out, "Over here!"

Within moments, a man came around the corner, shining a light and pointing a gun toward him and his raised hands. As Izuku adjusted his eyes, he could see that the man was wearing a cowboy hat, a respirator mask, and a hero suit that resembled a modern-armored cowboy. It was The Gunslinger Hero: Snipe. Realizing he was just a teen in a bush, the Hero put the gun away and shone the light away from him. "Oh! You're just a kid. What're you doing in there?"

"I got scared of the robot destroying the camp, and so I hid behind this boulder," Izuku lied. "I tripped and landed in this bush until you came by. Is it safe?"

"Well, not to worry, kid. The robot's been taken care of. Let me get you out of that bush," The Gunslinger Hero helped pull Izuku out of the bush and patted some of the leaves off of him.

"Wait, you're the Gunslinger Hero: Snipe?! You're one of the most accurate sharpshooters in the world and one of the Pros that also teach at U.A.!" Izuku exclaimed, half playing into a fanboy while actually fanboying. "I'm such a fan!"

"Ah! That's mighty kind of ya, kid," Snipe replied, slightly humbled before going back to business. "You didn't happen to see anyone come by here? Tall, big guy, looked like he's made out of diamonds?"

"I don't know, it was a bit dark and hard to tell," Izuku lied, faking like he was scratching his head, trying to recollect something. "Though I thought I heard someone big and clunky run off in that direction."

"That's some good info, kid. Thanks a lot," Snipe tipped his cowboy hat at Izuku, putting his finger on what must be his coms. "Target headed northwest. Got a civilian from the camp here. Going to take him back."

"Um, Mr. Snipe," Snipe looked back to Izuku, who stared at him with comically innocent eyes and with a notebook and pen in hand. "Can I get your autograph, please?!"

'Where'd the kid even pull that out of?' Snipe thought, a comical sweat drop on his head. "S-Sure, kid. And let's get you back to the camp. Folks must be worried sick."

"Y-Yeah, thank you, sir!" Izuku stuttered, doing a victory jig in his head as the Gunslinger Hero escorted him back toward the camp. 'Fought and destroyed a giant robot, saved a camp full of people like a Hero, and got an autograph from a Pro Hero teacher at U.A. Best day ever!'

Later...

After returning to the camp and reuniting with his mother, Izuku and Inko were grilled alongside the campers about what had occurred before the police and Heroes arrived. Izuku and his mom did their best to speak as truthfully as they could without giving away that the strange Hero the campers, mostly due to ML-E, called 'Diamondhead' was Izuku. They informed how the man defeated the giant robot and then fled from the scene as the police and Heroes were heard coming.

Afterward, Izuku and Inko returned to their camping site to find it was, thankfully, unnoticed by the Mechadroid and the smaller ones. They decided they would pack their things and return home, not wanting to stay around in case the Mechadroid had reinforcements. Izuku asked if they should hide the pod that the Watch came from, but Inko revealed its destruction by the Mechadroid.

As they packed, Izuku began to finally notice something that slipped his mind in all the action and adrenaline. His mother knew about Mechadroid, enough to call it by name, and when choosing the alien to transform into, she knew that 'Diamondhead' would be the perfect choice, as if aware of what he would turn into from just the icon alone. But after everything that had happened, Izuku decided to let it slide, for now at least. After a whole day of action, drama, and certain death, Izuku was tuckered out for the night, and maybe a few more nights to come.

However, it turned out his mother had something more to say. "Izuku, about earlier, when you spoke about why you didn't trust me enough to tell me about the... the Watch," Inko brought up.

"Yeah?" Izuku turned and nodded.

Tears fell from his mother's eyes, and she lowered her head in shame. "I'm so sorry, Izuku," Inko apologized to her son. "Back then, when I didn't say you could be a Hero when you asked, I did it because I wanted you to be safe." Izuku's eyes widened. "I was so afraid after you were revealed to be Quirkless, that if you tried to continue being a Hero, you would get yourself hurt, or even worse. I didn't want that for you. I didn't want to lose you, so I tried to destroy your dream when my little boy wanted his mother's support. For that, I failed as a mother. In trying to keep you safe, I broke your trust in me and pushed you away. For that, I will never be sorry enough.

"Mom," Izuku said, his voice shaky.

"I never gave you the chance to prove to me or anyone that you could become a Hero, and for years I treated you like you were made of glass, fragile, weak," Inko continued, tears rolling down like rivers, but she raised her eyes to meet his, how they shimmered with sadness, but also love and pride. "But today, you proved how I was wrong. You were smart, resourceful, brave, strong, selfless, and kind. When power presented itself to you, power you could have for yourself, you thought of others and their needs before your own. You had beaten yourself for feeling selfish, but to admit you felt selfish and felt guilty over it is the most true act of selflessness and a good heart I can imagine."

Inko reached Izuku and held up his hands, rolling down his sleeve to show the Watch. "I know this Watch came to you by accident, and how it may belong to someone out there in the stars, I know you feel guilty for thinking of keeping it for your own, but it is your own," Inko said. "In some way, the Watch chose you; it flew to you and attached itself to you above every person in the world. And when presented with it, you wanted to use this power to achieve your dream. Some would call it selfish, yes, but when your dream and the power you would use it for are in the service of others, to help and protect the innocent, to recognize the great power and responsibility it bears, that is far from selfish. And today, you used this Watch to save a whole camp of people, helped save a little girl, and inspired them all with Hope and Peace, all for no reward of your own. And above all, when you saw there was a crisis, when you saw people were in danger, I saw you move toward it, without hesitation. You moved before you even had time to think, didn't you? That is the most Heroic feature that I can think of."

Izuku's body gave out tiny spasms, his lips shook as tiny whimpers came out, and tears began to roll down his cheeks from his watery green eyes.

"Izuku Midoriya, my son, I believe you can become a Hero."

Izuku's legs gave out, whimpers turned to full sobs, and his eyes spilled over a dam full of watery tears. Inko fell to her knees with her son and embraced him, letting their tears fall on each other, consecrating this moment of bonding and mending between mother and son. "It's okay, sweetie, cry," Inko soothed her baby boy, the Hero. "Even Heroes deserve to cry."

And so Izuku did. He cried, years of pain and mistrust finally released and healed, the words he wanted to hear finally told to him, but the person he cared for most in this world, after so long.

Mother and son were bathed in the moonlight as they cried tears of pain and joy. There would be many trials to come for both of them, wounds yet unamended, pains yet to bear their full weight on them, terrors and darkness ready to strike and consume them, but this was the first step of a long journey for both of them and for many others.

Oh, by the way, this was the first step of another fact: The first chapter of a story, the story of how Izuku Midoriya became not just the World's Hero, but the whole Universe's Greatest Hero.

Meanwhile, out in space...

The large ship continued to drift across the vacuum of space, the previously wrecked ship still under repair by dozens of Bioids. However, even the depths of space could not keep the furious voice that rang out of the ship's helm.

"WHAT?!" Psyphon tossed aside one poor Bioid unfortunate to get in his way. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE MECHADROID WAS DESTROYED?!"

"Sensors and reports indicated that all three droids were destroyed in battle with the one that now possesses the Omnitrix," The Bioid reported, clicking a few commands on his pad and displaying the images that the three droids had captured. They only revealed images of two alien forms that the new bearer of the Omnitrix used: a Citrakayah and a Petrosapien, the Omnitrix's symbol on their person.

"Well, and the human's true form?!" Psyphon ordered.

"Reports from one of the droids before its demise reported that the wielder of the Omnitrix had transformed into their human form but was unable to capture an image of the human, having lost its vision shortly afterward," The Bioid revealed.

"Then send another Mechadroid. ALL OF THEM IF NEED BE!" Psyphon demanded.

"That is ill-advised, sir," The Bioid lowered his head. "With the direct reveal and attack that Mechadroid unleashed on a population of earthlings, it has likewise drawn the attention of the local law enforcement. Further attempts to send a droid could spark our notice from the Plumbers and jeopardize our-"

That was as far as the Bioid went before a flash of red occurred, and the Bioid's robotic remains were not a steaming pile of pieces on the floor.

"Useless, cowardly junk!" Psyphon raged, his red eyes pure and steaming.

"*Gasp* It is for the best," A raspy voice sounded behind Psyphon that sent shivers down his spine.

Psyphon gasped, turning around to the source. "Master? Lord Vilgax! You're alive! You speak!" He rejoiced.

"Of course, I am alive, idiot!" The raspy voice came from the Medi-Tank, where Lord Vilgax now stared at his second-in-command. "Did you believe the act of a lowly Plumber would be enough to destroy me?!"

"O-Of course not, my Lord," Psyphon fell to his knees and bowed in subservience to his master. "I-It is just that you were unresponsive. It was said it would take months before you would even awaken consciousness."

"My strength and will are too vast to make light of," Vilgax proclaimed.

"Y-Yes, as you say, Oh Mighty Lord Vilgax," Psyphon bowed lower. "Shall I send more Mechadroids to retrieve the Omnitrix?"

"No," Vilgax replied.

"N-No?" Psyphon repeated, confused.

"Are you questioning my Command?!" Vilgax roared before it proceeded into a fit of gasping and coughing.

"No, no, no, my Lord! Of course not! Your wisdom and word are law! It is known!" Psyphon continued prostrating himself spinelessly.

"The Earthlings' Heroes and the Plumbers are too grave threats to take lightly, and more droids will only hinder and expose ourselves to our enemies," Vilgax reasoned. "Time is what we need. Time to recover and build strength."

"B-But sir, surely the one who wields your grand prize shall likewise grow in strength the longer he bears the Omnitrix," Psyphon pointed out. "Surely it would be wise to remove this threat before it grows like a weed."

"If the human is to become a weed in my plans, I shall tear him, root and stem," Vilgax boasted, his red eyes narrowing with glowing, unbound hatred. "The human may rest easy for now, but soon, he will fall to my magnitude, and soon the Universe will bend before the might of Vilgax!"

Chapter Text

Third POV

Dawn broke across Musutafu, the darkness of night parting slowly before the rising sunlight. Just as the sun marked the rise of a new day, so too did it mark the beginning of a new journey for others. Particularly, one 17-year-old boy, currently jogging down the street.

In a light green and white tracksuit, Izuku Midoriya ran down the streets of Musutafu, Japan, with a determined, energized expression despite the early hours of the day. Yet to Izuku, the boy seemed as though he was fully alive and ready for the challenges to come.

'It's only been a few days, but everything feels different,' Izuku thought, panting lightly as he ran down the sidewalk to his destination. 'No more gaslighting myself into wanting to be friends with Bakugou. No more idolizing All Might... Rejecting One For All.'

The reminder of the Quirk that broke his previously established view of Quirks nearly made him falter and trip. Izuku ceased the embarrassing fall milliseconds from occurring, pausing for breath, hands on his knees. It still rattled Izuku to his core the decision he made to reject All Might and One For All. The chance to have a Quirk, the very thing he was bullied, scorned, and mistreated for lacking. One For All felt like a dream come true, it would have been if he were any younger and less embittered, Izuku imagined. Even now, the choice felt like a scar on his very being, like the universe itself was recoiling from a choice he wasn't supposed to have made.

'What's done is done,' Izuku reminded himself. 'Besides, it doesn't matter now. Not with this: my second chance.'

Izuku stared at the newest, seemingly permanent addition to his life, clasped just as permanently to his wrist. The Watch, as Izuku had called it, had only been part of him for a few days, and yet it seemed that ever since its arrival in his life, things had been finally looking up for the Midoriya teen.

"It says a lot about my messed-up life if fighting for my life against alien robots is a step up," Izuku muttered to himself, proceeding to walk the rest of the way to his nearby destination.

The past few days of Midoriya's life replayed in rapid-fire. Getting told to kill himself by his once childhood friend, nearly dying twice to a villain made of sludge, getting rejected by his idol, rejecting his idol's offer to be the next bearer of his generationally passed Quirk, finding an alien transforming watch from outer space, after it almost crushed him, turning into a fire monster, a furry speedster, and a man made of diamonds, all the while the fighting alien robots looking for the watch, and finally coming clean to his mother about his past troubles.

"For some reason, that last one was perhaps the hardest of them all," Izuku chuckled to himself, a small smile blooming on his face as he remembered his mother finally declaring her undying support and belief in his ability to be a Hero. A part of him still felt guilty about wearing an alien watch that likely belonged to someone, but Izuku believed in his mother when she said that he seemed destined to have the Watch. "If Dad were here, he'd probably call it divine karma for everything the universe threw my way."

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt as he finally arrived at his desired location: Dagobah Municipal Beach.

'Or at least it used to be a beach,' Izuku thought sadly.

Izuku regarded the hills of garbage, discarded metals and machinery, and so on that loomed in front of him. The piles stacked so high it blocked the sun's rising light and stretched across for miles from left to right. His mother told him about the place, how she and Dad used to go on dates here back when it was an actual beach of sand that twinkled in the sunlight, lapping waves of cerulean blue, and the fresh ocean breeze.

Now, it stood as a testament of human laziness, decay, and neglect. Over time, this place became a dumping ground for anyone who wanted to dispose of their trash without hassle. People dumped their trash here illegally, to the point where no one cared, and it became a legal grey area. Cops would look the other way if they spotted someone tossing a couch here, because who's gonna care to dump useless, discarded things in a place where they belong?

"I imagine Bakugou would have a colorful tale about me belonging to this place," Izuku muttered, his joyless wit at least softening the blow of depressing sadness. 'Or at least, that's what Ben says.'

If there was something his surrogate cousin, Ben Tennyson, taught him, and his dad helped influence, it was that humor can be a shield, jokes and sarcasm as armor. It wouldn't rid him of the pain entirely, but it would at least dull it, make it more bearable. It was perhaps what kept Izuku standing for so long. He shuddered to imagine if he would have ever made it to 17 years of age if it weren't for Ben's life-saving advice.

"I should call him and Gwen soon, just to see how they are doing," Izuku decided, already smiling more warmly at the thought of talking with two of his favorite people in the world. Well, right behind his Mom and Dad, of course. There was a time even All Might would have been among their numbers, even if he hadn't met the man before, but not now.

Shaking his head before he could delve back into bad memories, Izuku stared at his personal project for the next year. 'Clean all of this...in 10 months...before the U.A. Entrance Exams,' Izuku recounted as he stared blankly at the mountains of trash. '...I think I have bitten off more than I can chew.'

It was then that Izuku's mind took him back to when he and his mom first returned home and fully discussed where they went from there.

Flashback...

The ride back home for the Midoriya family was mostly silent, the green-haired mom and son still emotionally processing the events that occurred hours ago, from an alien watch latching onto Izuku's arm and fighting alien robots to reconciling years of pain and trauma between them. The two silently decided to spend the ride home to collect themselves before tackling the dreaded question that everyone on the planet had to at some point: What next?

As they returned home and unpacked all their luggage, the two Midoriyas now sat across from each other at the dinner table. Izuku had just finished recounting everything that Inko found relevantly important in the last week, which took a while since it included Bakugou, All Might, the Sludge Villain, The Watch, and the forms that Izuku had thus far transformed into.

Inko had almost suffocated her son after he told her about his near-fatal encounter with the Sludge Villain before Bakugou, and then had to be appeased from finding and pulling All Might apart, atom by atom, when Izuku told her his exact response to his infamous question. Izuku did his best to omit All Might's true form, his injury, and One For All. Despite much of his current bitterness toward the Symbol of Peace coming from the truth that All Might was once Quirkless and seemingly abandoned others like him by never speaking up, Izuku was a man of his word. He refused to reveal the Number 1 Hero's greatest secret. He owed that much to the man, at least, for being his inspiration and idol, as well as the services he did to the world at large.

After revealing all that Bakugou and his cronies had done, and Aldera allowed, Izuku wasn't surprised by what Inko would say in response. "I'm pulling you out of Aldera and transferring you to another school. No, to an online learning course. I don't trust any other school to be different," Inko had reaffirmed her decision.

Izuku knew from the way she muttered that the last part was supposed to be private and in her head. 'Like Mother like Son,' Izuku shrugged, deciding not to reveal that he heard her lack of trust in Japan's education system.

As for pulling him out of Aldera, Izuku knew he couldn't talk her out of it and, honestly, he didn't have the energy or drive to refute her. There was nothing in Aldera for him other than pain and isolation. He had no friends there, none in the students or the teachers, and he sure as Hell didn't have fond memories of the place. Kac-Bakugou had made it clear that day that whatever chance to be friends had long since gone, and whatever he had become was not worthy to grovel or beg to be friends with.

Hell, the only reason Izuku could think of to still go to Aldera was so when he gets accepted into the U.A. Hero Course, he would ruin the blonde teen's goal of being the only person to graduate from that shitty school to U.A., but that petty thought would have to mean enduring more bullying and neglect, so it wasn't worth it, especially if it was for Bakugou's sake.

Truthfully, Izuku could tell the real reason his mom wanted him as far away from Aldera was mainly to get Izuku as far away from Bakugou as possible. It seemed the woman was adamant about cutting all ties with Bakugou, which made Izuku worry about what that would mean for Auntie Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru. Still, Izuku knew that once his mother set his mind to something, nothing would change it. It was something that he figured he got from her, as well.

Though, by the logic of wanting to stay as far away from Bakugou as possible, that would ultimately mean the same for U.A. The university was as much Bakugou's dream college as it was Izuku's, and as horrible as he was, his Quirk was still powerful, and the boy was skilled in using it, so his chances of getting into U.A. were high. Inko would have then decided that Izuku would not set foot 10 feet from the university; however, the mother had already disappointed her son enough and promised to support him as much as she could, so if U.A. was still where he was set to go, Inko could not, in good conscience, rob that from Izuku, too.

Then they discussed everything that Inko wasn't aware of or present for when Izuku retrieved the Watch, his first transformations, and his fight against the drones.

"So, you can only transform into 10 alien forms?" Inko questioned.

"Looks like it," Izuku brought out the Watch and scrolled through the playlist again. "These 10 shapes are the only ones that show no matter how many times I scroll through or bring the wheel up." After a ton of discreet meddling, Izuku found that pressing on the sides of the Watch, the same sides that would bring up the playlist wheel, could likewise turn it off. "But what makes you sure that the forms are aliens? I only thought so because the Watch seemed like it was alien in origin."

"F-For the same reasons, Izuku," Inko quickly answered. "From what you've said about it coming down from space and how advanced it is, they can't be anything but aliens."

Izuku could tell from the look in his mom's eyes, eyes that screamed recognition, that she knew more than she was letting on. "Mom-" Izuku started.

"I know, Izuku. I know that you might think I'm hiding something, and I'll admit there are things I know that you aren't ready to hear, but please, I ask you to trust me on this. I will tell you all I can when I'm ready to. Soon. Please, Izuku?" His mom pleaded.

Izuku looked into his mother's eyes, pleading eyes that almost looked like his own. He wondered if this was what his mother saw when he asked her that question so long ago. Choosing to put his faith in her, just as she did with him, Izuku sighed and nodded.

"Thank you, sweetie," Inko smiled. "Now, with that out of the way, you know what we need to discuss."

'Where do we go from here?' Izuku thought out the same question in both their minds. "We can't tell the truth about the Watch, can we?"

"No, we can't," Inko nodded. "For one, you can understand how insane such a claim would be, right?" Izuku nodded. Despite the assurances and evidence they had, they knew people's first inclination to understanding anything would be skepticism. "And even if anyone did believe us, can you imagine the ramifications?"

Izuku could; his analytical mind was great at figuring out all sorts of possibilities, outcomes, and avenues. Usually, his interest turned to mentally dissecting a Quirk and its strengths and weaknesses, or a Hero's traits, Support Gear, agency, sidekicks, history, and popularity. Still, he let his mind wander to a more far-reaching kind of thinking: What would the world make of the Watch's discovery?

First off, the discovery of alien life. If the world believed him and realized that there was alien life out in the stars, it would be earth-shattering. Izuku was talking about world-shifting changes in beliefs, ideology, and chaos that could rival the Dawning of Quirks. There would be panic, fear, riots, an influx of interest, and concern over anything extraterrestrial, including the Watch permanently attached to his arm. The world could see Izuku as any number of things, both good and bad...Probably mostly bad. A security risk, a secret invader, a spy, all of which could get countries, including his own, after him, probably wanting to lock him, or even worse, kill him.

And that was just the response Izuku figured would happen from humanity's fear of the unknown. Other human responses could sprout out and influence how people see or respond to him. Pride, Anger, Greed, Lust, and even Envy. Many of these deadly sins Izuku had witnessed throughout his childhood. Bakugou's overwhelming pride and the wraith and vindictiveness he would display toward anyone opposed to his ideology and goals, especially Izuku. The greed and lust that teachers and students would display for Bakugou and others with powerful Quirks, the students and teacher greedily wanting to be close to Bakugou so they could have a taste of the fame and fortune he would get when he was a pro, and the lust, either romantic-based or for power, that most would have by riding Bakugou's coat tails, either from being his best friend/lackey, his favorite teacher, or even his partner.

Even Izuku had felt the sin of Envy many times, mainly from himself. How else would one think when everyone had something special, be it money, Quirks, or acceptance, and you were the only one who didn't have it?

This is all to say that Izuku could understand human nature and see very clearly what could happen when people find out about the alien-transforming Watch attached to him. People would look at him enviously or greedily and try to take the Watch from him, whether they knew it was stuck to him or not. Izuku could even say that there would be some individuals who would stop at nothing to get their hands on it from him, dead or alive; he witnessed that with the Mechadroids.

Izuku could become the subject of a new kind of hatred and fear: xenophobia. If he was already hated and looked down on for being Quirkless, Izuku imagined that being feared and hated for being able to transform into alien lifeforms would be just as, if not more, horrendous. There were already those who discriminated against metamorphic Quirks; his alien forms would not be so different from receiving that hatred, but it would be compounded with the people's fear of unknown alien life.

Izuku could go on and on about how horrible it might be if the Watch was made public knowledge, how dangerous it would be for Izuku and those close to him, like Mom and Dad. But that then presented a problem in how Izuku would explain the Watch and his ability to transform. The answer was surprisingly simple and yet complicated.

"You want to disguise the Watch and my alien forms as my Quirk," Izuku stated, not as a question, but as the answer.

"Late blooming Quirks do occur, and we can explain that the complexity of your Quirk and your ability to transform into so many different forms made the awakening take so long," Inko nodded. "And with the Watch, we could disguise it as a Support Item that allows you to use your Quirk and stabilize you."

"That does make sense. Support Items have been made for civilians to adjust and contain their Quirks," Izuku nodded, remembering some Support Companies specializing in this field, like Deternat. "But then, who will we get to take credit for it? People will want to know who created the Watch."

"I...have a friend who could help," Inko cryptically answered. Izuku's questioning look was met with his mother giving him the same pleading look, begging him to trust her and not ask further. It was starting to get aggravating to Izuku, all this secrecy. He almost thought this was his mother's punishment for keeping her in the dark about Bakugou and Aldera. Reluctantly, Izuku nodded. "He's smart and intelligent enough to be able to take credit for the Watch. I can contact him and call in a favor from the old days."

"Old days? Wait, was he in the same line of work as you, Dad, and Grandpa Max?" Izuku asked.

Inko gave him that look again, and Izuku bit his tongue at the slip-up. "You could say that," Inko was willing to admit. "It has been a while, but he can help, at least until we can get a better cover story. My biggest worry, however, is what we will do about your recent actions?"

Izuku knew what his mother was referring to: his battle with the Mechadroid. Good intentions or not, he fought against a giant robot, acted like a Hero without a license, and committed an act of Vigilantism. There were multiple witnesses to Izuku's actions, and he figured that it would be in the news right about now, about the Vigilante 'Diamondhead' and who he could be.

This was only the second time Izuku had acted without a license. He already skated by saving Bakugou from the Sludge Villain, thanks to All Might, Kamui Woods, and Mount Lady vouching for him and the fact that he didn't use a Quirk. Technically, he still didn't use a Quirk, and no one knew that Izuku was Diamondhead, but if they wanted to disguise his transformations as his Quirk, that excuse goes out the window.

"I could just not transform into Diamondhead," Izuku offered. "I have 9 other forms, and they probably have just as good abilities as him."

"Izuku, we both know that as much as we want, reality doesn't give us the best of circumstances," Inko apologetically smiled at him.

Izuku sighed. He knew she was right. As much as the choice seemed simple not to transform into Diamondhead, the reality is that there may come a time when he might need to transform into the silicon-based transformation. It could be by accident or necessity, but Diamondhead may be revealed as Izuku sooner or later, and the consequences would follow.

Plus, as ironic as it sounded, Izuku didn't want to alienate Diamondhead as an optional transformation. Despite only turning into him once, Izuku felt that the transformation was part of him now. It felt amazing to be the diamond-covered alien. He didn't want to lose him because he did the right thing.

'But then how am I going to skate by another act of Vigilantism, and this time without All Might or other pros vouching for me?' Izuku thought. It was silent as the two racked their brains.

Finally, Izuku's eyes widened. "I Got It!" Izuku stood up, hands planted on the table, and a wide smile on his face.

"Really?" Inko blinked, surprised. "Then what is it?"

"I know how we can make sure I don't get in trouble for Vigilantism: U.A.!" Izuku revealed.

"U.A.?" Inko repeated, confused.

"Yeah, U.A. is the best Hero University in the country, maybe even the world, and that gives it a lot of special privileges," Izuku explained. "I've heard that the teachers can run the school however they want and don't have to follow the same curriculum as other universities. The place is almost like a sovereign nation with how much they can get away with, and U.A. would have ultimate authority over its students before the HPSC. If I get into U.A. and do well enough, they could get those charges off my back, or at least grant me protection till I graduate and become a fully-fledged Pro."

Inko stared at Izuku with shock. Frankly, it was ironic that Izuku mentioned U.A.'s influence and degree of autonomy, for she knew very well about how they played by a different set of rules, especially their principal.

"It's a long shot," Inko tried to hide what she knew and offer skepticism of her son's plan.

"It's worth a shot and already follows through with our plans and my goal," Izuku countered. "I just need to enroll in U.A.'s Hero Course, disguise the Watch and its abilities as my Quirk and Support Item, and graduate and become a Pro Hero. The entrance exam is in 10 months, so I have that long to figure out how to control the Watch and my alien forms. How hard can it be?"

Flashback over...

Izuku was regretting ever saying that.

'But now that I'm here, there's no turning back,' Izuku thought with finality.

He and his mom had made a deal about how Izuku was to train and prepare to get into U.A. University by the end of the year, and it started with a win-win cleaning and clearing the entirety of Dagobah Beach in less than 10 months!

This was supposed to be a threefold goal, as his Mom put it. Goal one: to use the beach as a secret training ground for the Watch and to learn all of his abilities from across his 10 alien forms, as well as to make notes and learn about all of the Watch's abilities and limits.

Goal number 2 was to train his main physical body. Izuku was still a bit short for his age and quite skinny. Both Midoriyas realized that with the Watch's time limit, there would be instances where Izuku would run out of time and be left powerless against criminals and Villains, but that didn't mean he should be entirely defenseless, so he would also clear the beach with his own main body to work out his muscles.

The final goal was to reaffirm the kind of Hero Izuku wanted to be. His mom told him that if Izuku wanted to be a Hero and make a difference in people's lives, he needed to start small. Focus on helping the community through acts of civil service, things that were seen as righteous and heroic back before Quirks became mainstream. To clean the beach would be an act of service to the people of the city, to revitalize the beauty that was stained and destroyed by their careless dumping of trash, and to better preserve such simple jewels, in turn, extending and passing on that kindness to others.

It was simple in a way, a task made to train his body, mind, and soul for the grueling goal of becoming a Hero. Looking at the first obstacle in his way nearly made Izuku drop to his knees in defeat. Nearly.

After reaching deep into the heart of this unofficial garbage dump, Izuku pulled back his sleeve, revealing the Watch. Pressing on the sides, he pulled up the playlist wheel and began to scroll to see which alien to start with.

He moved past the walking bonfire of an alien and the fast furry one. 'Gotta come up with codenames for them, too,' Izuku thought, finding those summaries for names not exactly ideal. None of them would be suitable to start cleaning the beach now. Setting the whole place on fire was not ideal for the environment or discretion, and the place was too piled with garbage for such a speedy form, at least for now.

'Plus, I don't want to test whether getting a piece of metal impaled through my foot can translate to when I turn back to normal.' Izuku imagined that scenario and shuddered.

Finally, he stopped turning the wheel as his eyes gazed upon one of the forms he hadn't turned to yet: another large and wide icon, but what seemed like two pairs of arms rather than one. "Might as well," Izuku muttered to himself before selecting the icon and slamming down the trigger.

In a flash of green light, Izuku felt himself enlarge, his muscles and veins bulging, his vision split, and two arms shooting out and forming on his sides. Just like the others, the transformation was instantaneous, practically painless, if not a bit disorienting at first.

As the light faded, Izuku examined his latest form. He was tall, that was obvious, and red—oh, and he had four arms! His tough, rough skin was crimson red, and his muscular figure was covered in muscles; combined with his large size, Izuku thought he was as big and physically impressive as All Might in his buffed-up state. His new form also wore clothing, much like two of his other forms (did that mean the fire guy was naked?). It consisted of a black and green tank top that fit snugly against his torso, showing off his impressive, defined six-pack. A green belt with white lines circled his waist, with the Watch's symbol on the front like a buckle, and his legs were covered in black leggings down to his feet.

Speaking of which, his lengthy feet only had two digits as toes, while he had three fingers and a thumb on each of his four large hands. Oh yeah, the most notable feature of this form was also the extra limbs he received. Now he had four arms, muscles bulging with every stretch and movement. His wrists had green thin bracers, and his hands were covered in black fingerless gloves. Looking at his reflection in a piece of metal, his head was a bit rectangular, his jawline chiseled and large with a thick black goatee, and he also possessed four green eyes to match his arms. Various spikes protruded out of his body, mainly some on the top of his head, on his shoulders, and forearms.

"Forearms. Four Arms," Izuku finalized the name for this form, his voice gravely and echoing. "Not the most creative name, I'll admit, but let's roll with it."

Izuku, now Four Arms, began testing out the large red alien, moving around, swinging his abnormal number of arms with no issue, like he had been doing it all his life. "There's that feeling again," Four Arms muttered as he registered the feeling of normalcy in this form despite it being his first time. "Just like with the others. Seems that along with turning into these aliens, I somehow gain their instincts and mannerisms. I'm not just shifting into their shapes and sizes, I am becoming them fully, like I'm truly stepping into their shoes and experiencing what they normally feel."

Izuku went into a short muttering session again. It was only so short because his head began to throb from a lot of brain activity, like his form wasn't used to his analytical tendencies. "Okay, add thought process into the mix," Four Arms rubbed his head, feeling the rough, coarse skin. He didn't feel like he was a full-on, stereotypical muscle head, but simpler and pragmatic, and Izuku's muttering streams were agony in this form.

Finally, Izuku began to test what this form could do. Turning over to a looming pile of garbage and checking that he wasn't facing where the road along the entrance to the dump would be, Four Arms reared his arms back, readying both of his right hands, knuckles cracking, and swung forward. He cut through the wind with his speed and strength, and as he collided with the mound of trash, Izuku would realize just how much power this form packed.

BOOOOOM!

The mound of trash practically exploded under the force, the car hood that he punched bent like paper under his fists and shot through the trash mound, along with all the trash around it, enough to form a hole through the mound if the rest of it didn't collapse or get blasted backward from Four Arms's power. As the trash kept collapsing with various sounds of crumbling objects and clanging metal, Four Arms cringed and flinched, each louder clanging of metal bringing his hands and arms up to his sides with awkward nervousness.

"Oops," Four Arms muttered, mentally scolding himself for letting loose like that without a little restraint. In hindsight, he should have known that this form would have a large degree of super strength. He didn't know if it was truly All Might-level strength, but it certainly felt as if it would outclass most strength-based Heroes like Death Arms by a country mile.

Finally, as the dust of the collapsing trash mound settled, sunlight peeked out and began to bathe Four Arm's crimson form. Squinting his four eyes, the dust fully settled and bestowed upon him quite the view. The sun rose slowly over the horizon, bathing the sky and sea with its life-giving light; the water sparkled and glittered as if thousands of sparkling pearls were on the surface of the waves. It was beautiful.

"Huh, I see what Mom was so sad about losing, that's quite the view," Four Arms muttered, amazed. And this was only a glimpse of the beauty that the mound obscured. There were still miles of other trash mounds blocking the view on all sides, and behind him, the full spectacle would surely be breathtaking.

This is what his mom and Dad lost to the lazy whims of people who could have cared less about beautiful views or the environment. It wasn't just laziness or indifference; it was outright carelessness. 'If they can be so careless about such a beautiful place like this, what's that to say about our society as a whole, right?' Izuku thought socially. Izuku wasn't bitter or prideful enough to believe that all those who turned a blind eye to his suffering under Bakugou, in Aldera, or elsewhere, were complicitly supportive of Bakugou's actions or even saw him and figured 'Ah, a Quirkless, he deserves it'. No, some, maybe most, only saw the bullying and brushed it aside, claiming it wasn't their problem or responsibility. 'Did they figure that a Hero would have come to save the day?'

Before he could wax philosophically about the state of his society, he was cut off by a loud "HEY!" The yell was followed by a can landing on the back of his head.

"Ow!" Izuku winced, rubbing the back of his head. It didn't hurt as much as it would have if he were normal; he could classify that as evidence of greater durability as well, but a metal can to the back of the head would be painful to any species, if not annoying.

Four Arms turned to see who the culprit behind the Can to the Back of the Head Incident might have been, his four eyes landing on a beauty just as stunning as the sunrise.

Standing above a shorter mound of trash was a girl, a teenager, 17 to 18 at first glance, wearing a black, striped tank top that seemed to struggle to contain the large mounds on her chest, making the already crimson-red skin of Four Arms only redden even further, if possible. The mystery girl sported oversized baggy pants resembling coveralls, with the shoulder straps casually tied around her waist, paired with black sneakers and long black socks pulled up over her heels. A pair of black gloves covered her hands, and a tool belt was also strapped to her waist. Her bare arms were pale-skinned but fairly muscular, adding to her attractiveness. Her salmon-pink hair was styled in very thick dreadlocks, tied into a ponytail, while a large, unique piece of headwear was pulled up to her forehead, revealing her amber eyes that resembled the lens of a scope.

In the sunlight, stains were visible around her body, especially her bare arms and shoulders, but the messiness added a rugged charm to her that made her only more attractive.

"The Hell you think you're doing?!" The girl yelled out to him, her scope-like eyes zooming in on him with anger. "Those were some perfectly good babies you just flattened!"

'H-Huh?!' Was the only thing Izuku's bluescreening brain could muster as a thought.

The girl slid down the mound of trash effortlessly, landing softly before marching toward him. "Who'd you think you are?! Coming into my scavenging yard and start knocking down piles of sweet, innocent babies?!" The girl stomped right in front of him, stamping her foot down while glaring up at him with her wrists by her hips. The angle did nothing to hide the valley of cleavage that was presented to him, which only worsened as his stupid analyzing brain caught the sight and fall of sweat down her large mounds.

"I-I-I-I-S-Sorry?" Izuku finally managed to stutter out, his four hands raised in surrender. "I-I-I didn't realize anyone else was here! I-I-I meant no offense!"

"Oh! Really?" The girl pulled a 180, switching from furious to curious realization. After her eyes zoomed in on him once more, her mood changed again. "Okay! Apology accepted!" The once furious girl was now the epitome of perkiness, smiling widely and flashing a dazzling white smile.

"Eh?" Izuku sounded out, utterly perplexed, but that perplexity only turned to shocking, blushing realization. 'Holy Shit! I-I actually talked to a cute girl!' If Izuku were his normal self, he would likely be covering his burning red face and shaking like a leaf in the wind. "T-Thank you?"

"No sweat! Sorry, I accused you of murdering my babies so maliciously," The girl patted his muscular arm, her smile still wide and sparkling.

"W-Wait, BABIES?!" Izuku's brain finally registered what the pink-haired girl was saying. Not only was it burning red at the thought that this girl, who seemed the same age as him, had babies, plural, but that he might have accidentally murdered sweet, innocent infants!

"Oh, right! Mom told me to be more specific, or people will get the wrong idea," The girl muttered, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I don't mean flesh-and-blood-babies."

"Say what?" Four Arms questioned.

"Yep, that's what I call my inventions, or any kind of machine or invention, really," The girl gestured to the collapsed assortment of machines and bobbles that Four Arms punched down.

"O-Oh," Izuku let out a deep sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! S-Sorry again."

"No worries! Water under the bridge!" The pink-haired girl backward patted Four Arm's chest, before a look of delight and curiosity sparkled in her unique eyes. "Ooh! That's quite the muscles you got there, big guy! So big and hard, it's like a brick wall!"

Izuku worried that he might be going thermonuclear with how red he was blushing in his already red form when the attractive girl began fondling, groping, and overall touching his entire body. It didn't help that with the proximity, her large breasts were rubbing against him.

Despite wanting to explode in embarrassment, another part of him felt...satisfied? Proud? It was weird, as if a primal instinct in his mind recognized the girl's attention and compliments with satisfaction, like a warrior taking delight in the fawning of maidens.

That was definitely not normal Izuku behavior. Izuku had barely been able to interact with the girls in his school, much less ones that didn't have them looking at him like he wasn't a worthless bug, and almost nonexistent. Finding manly pride in such attention from a girl was a paradoxical outcome for Izuku Midoriya. Izuku felt almost disgusted with himself at the emotions he felt. It felt too much like Bakugou whenever he basked in the praise of their peers. It was unlike him, unlike Izuku.

'Is this because of Four Arms?' Izuku thought, realizing a similar degree of change to his personality, much like how his fast, furry transformation was more energetic, braggish, and quippish than he normally was. That was another interesting observation: some transformations can even alter his behavior and thought process. 'Are these the kind of traits normally present in their species, or just personally, if I were one of them?'

"Hmm, four arms, ooh, some rough and hard skin, and quite the power behind those muscles," The girl murmured as she inspected Four Arms's body. "Quite the Mutant Quirk."

"A-Actually, this isn't a Mutant Quirk," Izuku clarified/lied. "This isn't my normal form."

"Ooh! Transformative Quirk, then? Or some fusion of the two?! Would make for quite the difficult baby to make," The pink-haired girl perked up with further interest. "Can you transform back and forth on command?"

"Y-Yeah," Izuku nodded.

"Show me," The girl insisted.

"W-Woah, wait, no offense, b-but I barely know you," Izuku tried to curb the girl's enthusiasm.

"Oh! Right, I haven't introduced you to the future prodigy in front of you," The girl rubbed the back of her neck humbly as if she hadn't just made a huge brag.

'Future prodigy?' Izuku thought, a comical sweat drop over his head at this girl's attitude.

"Ahem! Hey! The name is Mei Hatsume! Future greatest Support Item Inventor!" The girl, now revealed to be Mei, introduced herself boisterously and proudly.

"Support Iten Inventor?" Izuku repeated, surprised.

"Yep! I am a prodigy, a genius inventor in the making if I do so myself!" Mei puffed her chest up, making her large mounds wobble, and Izuku blushed once more. "That's what I was doing here. This is Hatsume's personal junkyard where I get all the parts for my wonderous babies!"

"O-Oh, I see. That makes sense," Four Arms rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry again for wrecking your place. I didn't think anyone would mind."

"Nah, no worries, you didn't know," Mei brushed off the apology. "Although you could make it up to me by showing me how you transform. How about that?"

"Fair enough," Izuku sighed and did as she bade. Looking at the Watch's symbol on his belt, Izuku recounted how he transformed back to his normal form from Diamondhead. He had imagined his normal self, felt that desire to change back, and pressed on the Watch's symbol. Repeating the process, lightly tapping the Watch with his palm, a bright green flash covered Four Arm's whole body, the light blinding enough for Mei to squint. When it died down, Izuku was back to normal. "T-Ta-Da."

Mei blinked, surprised. "Woah! I didn't expect such a big and strong form to have you be so skinny and plain-looking!" Mei replied brightly.

"You don't have to be so blunt about it," Izuku slumped, comically depressed, being called that by the cute girl.

Not registering her words as rude, Mei's gaze whirled to the Watch, her scope-like gaze zeroing in with absolute interest. "Oooh! Look at That!" Mei was on Izuku immediately, seizing his arm.

"H-Hey!" Izuku blushed at his regular form being touched by the girl, surprised by the abnormal strength the girl had

"This baby is a marvel! The sleek metal, the craft, this was done by one Hell of a pro!" Mei examined the Watch with increasing amazement as she looked it over. "Where did you get it from?! Is it your Support Item?! Can I borrow it?!" As she said that, she started pulling on the Watch, unaware of the pain Izuku was feeling.

"O-Ow! H-Hey! Wait a moment and let me explain! Please!" Izuku wailed, struggling against the manic strength and fervor of his newly formed acquaintance.

Meanwhile...

Inko sighed, wondering what she ever did to the universe to end up in this situation.

The green-haired woman sat on a lone park bench, feeling the spring breeze wash over her while she patiently waited. As she did, the Midoriya mother had contemplated all that had occurred in nearly a week, and what a week it had been.

First, her Quirkless son nearly died a couple of times from a Villain attack, saved his former childhood friend, now-revealed years-long bully, from said Villain, finally confessed said bullying and painful words given to him by her former surrogate nephew and her boy's idol, had an alien watch that could transform him into several different aliens permanently attach itself to his wrist, attacked by Mechadroids, finally reconcile years of trauma and emotional and mental damage, and supporting her son's dream of becoming a Hero with the Watch as his power.

Just the stuff with Bakugou and All Might was enough to keep her up at night with stress; now with the Watch, Mechadroids, and aliens, she wouldn't be surprised if she started forming grey hairs by now.

In any case, the important thing was that she and her son were starting to get on the same page after so long. After they had gotten back from their trip, she pulled some strings and got Izuku out of Aldera immediately. Getting him out of Aldera was fairly easy. Those deplorable Quirkists couldn't care less about what happened to her son and seemed relieved to be rid of him; Inko would make sure that their glee would turn to ash in their mouths soon enough.

The alternative was the difficult part. Inko pulled some strings she had saved up and managed to set up an online course that would speedrun her son to an early high school diploma. Inko also made sure that Izuku would retest some of the coursework he already done, not trusting Aldera not to have meddled with her son's grades.

During the night-long process that kept her up, Inko had second thoughts, wondering if she could instead have Izuku enroll in another school, specifically Somei High School. They were a prestigious private school and were more tolerant of students of all backgrounds, including Mutant Quirks and Quirkless students; however, the hassle and difficulties presented made the option null and void. Enrolling her son, who was on the news for Vigilante-esque actions by pulling Bakugou from the Sludge Villain, and the black marks he had unfairly received from Aldera would not make him stand out fine, even for his last year of high school.

Plus, Inko meant what she unknowingly muttered; she didn't trust that even a school as supposedly prestigious as Somei would stem the discrimination Izuku might receive for being Quirkless. Aldera likewise peddled an accepting and prestigious background, and look how that turned out. Her son had suffered enough, and he would surely suffer with the path he was on, and the danger she felt was still coming.

Thankfully, if all went well and Inko had it her way, those marks against her son would disappear for good. Additionally, Izuku's online learning would ensure she could keep an eye on Izuku more closely and that her son's personal project could be more easily done.

Now, her list of goals started to border on the more complicated side of things, one of those being changing her son's Quirk registry to mask the Watch as her son's Quirk. Changing Quirk registries was actually very simple. Many previously documented Quirks had to be changed due to an evolution or awakening of one's Quirk. The only issues that would occur would be if one tried to change their registry multiple times; it would look suspicious, and while late-blooming Quirks were a thing, one suddenly appearing just as they were reaching their 18th birthday in a couple of months was unheard of.

The true problem, however, was the Watch itself. Support Items needed to be listed and registered, especially those given to civilians, even if they were ultimately more for comfort than use. They still needed to be checked for any offensive uses and to ensure they could be tracked if involved in future potential crimes. The more advanced and complex the Support Item, the more attention it would attract. The Watch was advanced and complicated, and attention was the last thing she and Izuku needed.

Inko had to hope that her old friend could smooth things over. But that was for later. Right now-

"Inko!" A voice spoke out.

She had a far more awkward conversation to complete.

Inko turned her gaze to where the voice came from, spotting a familiar blonde-haired woman making her way toward her. Her spiky, ash-blonde hair was similar to her son's, though longer, reaching to her shoulders. Her eyes also held the same ruby-red that her son inherited; there was much the woman's son inherited from her side, including her temper and explosive rage. The woman wore a lavender cardigan over a white blouse, a short black skirt, and matching black heels while carrying a lavender purse slung over her shoulder.

Mitsuki Bakugou, wife of Masaru Bakugou, mother of Katsuki Bakugou, and her lifelong best friend, waved at her with a happy, wide smile. That smile was a guilty dagger to her heart, knowing that smile would fall to pieces in a short time.

"Mitsuki," Inko rose from her seat and nodded to her once-best friend.

"Hey! What did I say about that name?! I said you could only call me 'Suki!" Mitsuki displayed the Bakugou family's infamous temper as she barked at her, and, for a moment, Inko wondered if this was what Izuku had to face with Katsuki all those years, with none of the familiarity, kindness, or restraint that held Mitsuki back.

"S-Sorry," Inko stuttered, losing her composure for a moment as old fond memories resurfaced and made her nerves slip.

"Bah! I can't stay mad at you, Inki! Urgh, if only Masaru had given me a girl, then I could have hooked her and Izuku up, and we would really be sisters in every sense of the word!" Mitsuki wrapped Inko in a one-armed hug and laughed.

Though unintended, Mitsuki's words only made the situation more painful and awkward for Inko, something Mitsuki would notice.

"Hey, you alright?" Mitsuki asked, her mood switching up to concern.

"Mitsuki...you might want to sit down for this," Inko sighed and gestured to the bench she had previously sat on.

"O-Okay?" Mitsuki blinked, surprised to see Inko so formal. Granted, Inko had always been kind and courteous as far as Mitsuki knew her, but this was different, more serious.

The two sat down on the bench, Inko failing to meet Mitsuki in the eye, her gaze falling to her clenched fists over her lap. "I-I know that this was sudden and early for a meetup, and I do apologize for that, Mitsuki, but what I have to say is important and needed privacy for the two of us," Inko formally started.

"Inko, what's the matter? You're scaring me a bit," Mitsuki asked, her worry only increasing.

"It's about our sons, Izuku and Katsuki," Inko revealed.

"Urgh, what did the brat do now?!" Mitsuki growled, her temper flaring back up as her annoyance at her son came back up. "Did he tease and make fun of him again? Call him that stupid name?"

"Y-You knew about it?" Inko looked at Mitsuki with horrifying worry and fear.

"You mean about him teasing and calling Izuku names? Yeah, I know all about that," Mitsuki pinched the bridge between her eyes at those migraines her son gave her. "Can't go even one family dinner without my idiot son calling him 'Deku', no matter how many times I scold him not to do so. Then there are those friends of his that he brings to the house, and how I catch them saying something about what they did to Izuku. I managed to squeeze out from him that they horse around and called Izuku some names, and I always ground him for it, but he never learns."

As Mitsuki recounted all the infractions she believed her son had committed, Inko almost let out a sigh of relief, but her rising fury only increased, though. Mitsuki seemed to know the bare minimum, and that was generous at best. Her best friend didn't seem to know the true extent of what her son had been doing to hers. It brought comfort, in a way, to know her best friend was not complicit in her son's suffering, and if Inko knew Masaru well, then neither of the Bakugou parents was at fault for their son's actions, at least explicitly.

But then that only made Inko's fury at her former godson rise. The boy hid the truth of his actions from Mitsuki and never told her the true extent of what he and his lackeys had done to her baby boy. It painted Katsuki Bakugou's actions in a more sinister light. The boy must have recognized that such actions of his would be met with disapproval by his parents and by her, and yet he continued anyway, lying to their faces. This lack of concern and care for his actions toward her son was that of a borderline sociopath! Inko didn't want to think of her friend as an incompetent parent or put the blame for this on her, but it seemed she was either too negligent in her son's development or blind to the monster she was raising.

"So, you didn't know," Inko muttered out loud.

"Huh? Know what?" Mitsuki stopped her rant about her son to look questioningly at her best friend.

Inko took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say, and perhaps destroy. "I don't know any way to say this other than the full truth, Mitsuki," Inko stated, looking her friend in the eye, remorsefully and seriously. "Your son has been lying to you, or at least hiding what he has truly been doing."

"W-What?" Mitsuki blinked, aghast.

"Katsuki hasn't just been teasing or making fun of Izuku. He's been bullying him, harshly," Inko's voice whimpered as memories of the past began to make sense of what she knew now. All those bruises that Izuku claimed were from simple things like falling down the stairs. "He's been beating him to a pulp for what I can assume has been every day." All those burn marks, soot stains, and holes in his uniforms that had to be stitched up or replaced. "He's been using my son as target practice for his Quirk, burning and blasting him whenever he feels that my son has been getting in his way, or threatening and beating him for whatever horrible reason." She remembered how broken and sad her son looked when he recounted all that Bakugou had done to him. "He's been doing this for 13 years, bullying my son, ganging up on him with his 'friends' in putting him down because he is Quirkless."

Mitsuki's flawless skin paled drastically, her beautiful face the picture of horror, tears glistening in the corners of her ruby eyes. "W-W-What?" Mitsuki stuttered out, her voice even more broken than Inko's as the words her best friends had just told her started painting horrible images in her brain, of her son inflicting and torturing Izuku, her surrogate nephew and goddamn godson, to an inch of his life! Questions, dismissals, assurances, pleas, and begging flooded her mind as she struggled with whether to accept or deny this accusation. For all the brattish nature of his, Katsuki was still her son, her only child. "N-No..."

"Izuku told me all about it," Inko sadly continued, the dagger to her heart only twisting as she saw her friend breaking apart before her. "He did his best to keep it a secret from me for all this time, but after the Sludge Villain, he couldn't hold it back anymore. Katsuki threatened to beat him to a pulp if he continued to apply for U.A. the same day."

"N-No. No, h-he couldn't. H-He wouldn't..." Any refusal that Mitsuki started to say died before it could leave her mouth. Of course, her son could. Katsuki had the temper, the rage, the pride, and vanity, and all those teachers and 'friends' that he surrounded himself with were of no help in humbling him.

Of course, he would; her son had made it no secret of his grudge toward Izuku ever since that day when they were four. Even the possibility of Izuku lying was so far-fetched she dismissed it without a second thought. Izuku was far too kind, honest, and loyal to say something like this unless it were the truth, and that loyalty to her son, to her, and Masaru must have kept him from telling anyone of this for so long.

"And the worst thing was, on the same day my son saved yours from the Sludge Villain, Katsuki told my son to pray for a Quirk in the next life and to jump off the roof for it," Inko brought the final hammer of truth down onto the last of Mitsuki's reservations.

Mitsuki collapsed utterly into tears, painful wails of horror and sadness shaking her form, her soul shattering in utter despair and failure. She knew that was the truth; she could feel it. It was the absolute worst thing that her son could have done, save for landing the killing blow himself, and Mitsuki felt like a failure of a mother. How else could her son have turned out like this if she wasn't strict and disciplinary enough?

Inko brought Mitsuki into a hug, doing her best to keep back her own tears and comforting her best friend. Her heart broke when learning all that Katsuki did to her son. Now she had to be there for her friend before Mitsuki fell apart completely. The two sat there and comforted one another for a while. A few morning joggers noticed them and did their best to speed away, hoping not to get in between whatever drama they passed by.

"I-Inko, I-I'm so-"

"No, don't apologize," Inko stopped Mitsuki's apology in its tracks. "This isn't your fault. None of it is."

"Of course, it is!" Mitsuki wailed, her makeup a complete mess, running black mascara staining her cheeks. "How could it not be?! I raised the boy! Masaru and I! How could it not be our fault when it's our job as parents to raise our children right?! I'm a horrible woman and a horrible mother who infected my son with my worst traits!"

"I know you, 'Suki, and I know that you would never teach him to do that," Inko insisted. "It was those bastards at Aldera, the other schools, from the teachers to the students. They told your son he was destined for greatness, fed into his pride, nurtured his darkest impulses, and praised them as good."

"And Masaru and I should have noticed. We should have said something! Scolded and punished him enough to get him to stop," Mitsuki shook her head, refusing to deny her place among the blamed. "We should have seen the signs, pressed the truth out of him, told the teachers off for what they were doing. We should have made him see Izuku as a brother, not this! I failed my godson as much as I failed my own."

"Then I failed as a mother and godmother for the same reasons," Inko replied to Mitsuki's shock. "I should have seen the signs, too. All the bruises, burns, and emotional pains that my son was going through. Hisashi and I should have stopped Katsuki, gone to the authorities, something, anything, but we did nothing. I was too meek and useless, too used to treating Izuku like a fragile piece of glass than my son. We left our son to suffer in silence for so long. You're no more a horrible mother than I am."

If that was to offer any comfort to them both, it didn't.

"T-Then what do we do?" Mitsuki asked, completely lost.

"I already pulled Izuku out of Aldera and into an online learning course, and I suggest you find another school for Katsuki as well. Aldera is no safe place to teach our children anything," Inko replied, keeping to herself what she was planning to really do to that school. "A-And...I need some space, Mitsuki."

"W-What?! I-Inko, please..."

"It's not you, 'Suki. Believe me, it's not you, or Masaru," Inko stopped her friend again, shutting her eyes from looking at her friend. For all she said, she could still see Katsuki in her friend. "I just... I need time to sort things out in how I feel. Every time I think about Katsuki, I want to strangle him for what he did to my son, and then I remember who he is, and I can't take it. But above all, I need to ensure that Katsuki stays as far away from my son, by any means. Even if it means staying away from you."

Mitsuki understood. While it broke her heart to admit that, she truly understood what Inko meant. If the situation were reversed, she would likely have done and felt the same thing. More so, Izuku was the most faultless in all of this, the most innocent, and she had to keep her son away from Izuku, if not for both of their sakes. Her son had already ruined so much; she couldn't bear it if he destroyed anything more.

Little did the blonde mother know that Inko planned to do so much more, and she partly hated herself for it.

"I-I understand," Mitsuki sobbed.

"This is not forever, 'Suki," Inko brought Mitsuki back into a hug. "Know that despite everything, I can never hate or blame you, my first and true friend."

"Inki," Mitsuki sobbed harder and clung to Inko like a lifeline, knowing by the end of this meeting, they wouldn't see each other for a long time, and she never feared and hated anything more than that. But there was one last thing she needed to know. "W-What should I do...about Katsuki?"

Inko was silent in their hug, but Mitsuki could tell the rage that her friend was barely keeping back from how her hands clutched at her cardigan. Inko thought of hundreds of answers she could give to Mitsuki, each one a punishment worse than the last. Inko wanted him to pay; she wanted Katsuki to pay for all that he had done to her boy, for the unforgivable betrayal he committed against both her son and herself, but she couldn't say any of what she thought. Inko couldn't hurt her best friend any more than she already did. Their friendship would already be in danger of collapsing with what she had planned.

"Whatever you want," Inko muttered, eyes cold. "I don't care anymore."

Mitsuki shed more tears; that was the best and worst thing Inko could have said.

"So, a friend of your mom created that Watch as a Support Item for you and your Quirk, which only recently awakened and caused you to transform erratically, so the Watch helps to control and stabilize your Quirk?" Mei asked.

"P-Pretty much," Izuku scratched his cheeks, doing his best to keep his eyes from staring at Hatsume's.

He spent the last half hour telling Hatsume the lie that he and his mom had constructed to explain the Watch and his newfound 'Quirk'. Truthfully, hearing Hatsume summarize the whole of it in that one sentence did make it all sound far-fetched.

"And you can't tell me who this mystery creator is because the Watch is a top-secret prototype he made as a favor to your mom and would be accused of favoritism if he were found out to have made it?" Mei continued summarizing all Izuku had explained to her.

Izuku nodded. 'Dammit. I bet she doesn't believe me at all. It sounds ridiculous even to me,' Izuku groaned internally. 'I wonder if she's going to search up any Support Item company and try and track them down and-'

"Okay, I believe you," Mei suddenly said.

Izuku's brain had to do a double-take after hearing that. "S-Sorry, what?"

"I said I believe you," Mei said again, smiling nonchalantly like she didn't hear one of the most ridiculous and made-up lies he ever tried to make.

"R-Really?" Izuku questioned, surprised.

"Yeah, I mean, you don't really seem like the type to lie," Mei said, her gaze staring off at the sky for a moment, conveniently missing Izuku's guilty flinch. "Plus, that sounds so wild and complicated, it would be too crazy to be a lie."

"...Y-Yeah, I guess it would have," Izuku muttered. 'Man, she's either too naive, or she's got zero social skills.'

"Man, that still sucks, though," Mei pouted, crossing her arms. "I really wanted to see just how that watch ticks, but it would be pretty sucky if you just kept transforming at random and in great pain."

Izuku turned away to keep from seeing Mei's mounds perk up from her crossed arms. 'What am I, a pervert? Or am I this inexperienced with talking to a pretty girl?' Izuku thought. Or at least, he assumed he did.

"Heh, thanks, guy," Mei smiled, pleased, grabbing her breasts for emphasis. "These girls are usually so cumbersome when I make my babies, so it's nice to hear that they are appealing."

Izuku blushed crimson. "I-I muttered all that out loud, didn't I?" Izuku asked.

"Yep," Mei nodded.

"S-Sorry," Izuku covered his bright red face in shame and embarrassment.

"Nah, don't worry. Plus, if you really were a pervert, you wouldn't be so guilty about it," Mei brushed off his apology.

"O-Oh. T-Thanks, I guess," Izuku replied, surprised that she didn't take so much as even a little offense at him ogling her.

"No problem, and I get it. Others used to call me that because I don't know the concept of 'personal space'," Mei said in mock quotations. "I just wanted to see how well my babies would fit on them."

'Yeah, zero social skills,' Izuku sweatdropped, making sure that he didn't mutter that out loud, too. Izuku let out a bitter smile. 'But then, I guess we are quite alike.'

He was often called a creep by his peers for analyzing their Quirks and muttering about them out loud, including Bakugou. Izuku didn't mean to be creepy; he was just so fascinated by Quirks and how they worked that he couldn't help but be curious about them and, by proxy, their users, too. 'Must be the same with her and her inventions. Or babies.' That still felt weird to say regarding her inventions.

"So, your inventions-sorry, 'babies'-you make them from stuff around here?" Izuku asked.

Mei's mood quickly improved, and she smiled widely. "Yep! I sure do!" Mei gestured widely to the junkyard around them. "Ever since people started throwing their trash around here, it's been a gold mine for me. Plenty of machines and spare parts to fix up or incorporate into my babies."

"One man's trash is another man's treasure," Izuku quoted.

"Exactly!" Mei exclaimed, picking up a robot toy that was standing a few feet away. It had a broken arm and leg and looked worthless, but Mei held it gently, like an actual baby. "People throw their stuff away thinking they don't work or they're useless, but I give them a shot. I see the worth they have yet to give. I don't give up on things so easily."

Izuku stared at Hatsume with wonder, his heart touched by her words. 'That's why she was so upset about me punching that mound. I saw it as trash to get rid of and for training, yet she saw it as me destroying something precious to her.' For so long, he was treated no better than all the garbage around them by his peers, but here stood someone who saw junk and saw the treasure in them. 'I wonder... if she would have seen the same in me if we met earlier?' Izuku pondered.

"You're not a creep either," Mei perked up and looked back at Izuku as he spoke, looking at her with a small yet warm smile. "What you said, about those people calling you creepy or a pervert, you're not. You're really a kind and passionate person. Unique. It's better to be unique than just like everyone else."

Mei's mouth dropped a little, feeling her heart skip a bit at his words and smile. It looked so precious and cute, whereas before he normally looked plain and unassuming. Mei didn't care much for the names or words people used to call her, but this boy's words affected her in a way she had never been affected by another person. It was... nice.

"You're quite unique yourself, guy," Mei smiled. "What's your name by the way? Didn't get it in that explanation of yours?"

"Izuku. Izuku Midoriya," Izuku finally introduced himself. "And I'm sorry, again, about coming in and wrecking your place."

"Oh, yeah, why did you come here?" Mei asked, interested. "Nobody usually comes here except to toss out their trash."

"Because of my Quirk," Izuku brought up the Watch and looked at it. "I only recently received it, and I wanted a place to train it, in hopes that I get to be a Hero."

"A Hero?" Mei blinked, surprised.

"Yeah, it's been my dream ever since I can remember," Izuku explained with a sad smile. "But for so long I was thought to be Quirkless, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't match up to my peers. When my Quirk arrived, I saw a chance to see that dream of mine come true. I finally had a chance to be a Hero. But to do that, I needed to train my Quirk and myself. I want to get into U.A., but I am so far behind everyone else and barely know how to control my Quirk. So, my mom and I came up with a plan for me to clean up the beach with my Quirk to get ready without drawing attention."

"Why the beach? There are plenty of areas where you could train your Quirk without anyone noticing and places to work out your scrawny body," Mei pointed out.

"My mom said that to be a Hero, I needed to figure out what kind I wanted to be," Izuku continued, looking back at the sun and sea of the beach. "I always wanted to help people, in any way I can, like... like All Might, a Hero that saves everyone with a smile on his face. And to start small, we decided to clean the beach where she and my dad used to hang out. When she told me about the beach and how everyone turned it into a dump, I thought it was sad that a special place my mom and dad had was ruined and taken away from them. I wanted to clean the beach because, after everything we went through, I wanted to make her smile again."

Mei listened in with complete interest, something that many people who knew her would say was so unlike her, but there was something about this boy's dream and passion that was so much like her own; she couldn't help but feel invested. Mei looked around her personal paradise, where Midoriya had punched down the mound, revealing the beautiful sun and waves hidden behind it. She felt guilty that where there was an Eden for her, it was a disservice to someone else, to a lot of people, perhaps.

"But that was before I realized you liked it here, and it meant so much to you," Izuku stood up and bowed his head at her. "I'm sorry again for disturbing you. I'll find another place to train."

Izuku began to walk away, but was stopped by a hand, Mei's hand, tugging at his tracksuit. "Wait," Mei said. Izuku turned to look at her and saw a brief spark of conflict in her eyes before they resolved to a determined fire. "How about a compromise?"

"C-Compromise?" Izuku blinked, surprised.

"I-I'm willing to let you clean the beach and help you learn how to control your Quirk," Mei revealed.

"What?!" Izuku exclaimed, flabbergasted. "B-But this place, your b-babies, what about them?! I thought you said you liked it like this?!"

"Yeah, well, that was before I learned that people missed the beach as it was," Mei shrugged before pointing at the sun and waves. "And that view, I can't say I blame them. Would feel rather crappy to keep this paradise to myself when it's a Municipal Beach, too."

"But what about all the parts and machines you wanted?" Izuku asked.

Mei pulled out her phone and showed it to Izuku. "See that?" Mei gestured to the picture. Izuku looked at it, recognizing it as a rather empty part of the main junkyard on the other side of town. Its far-off location is why people resorted to dumping trash here for a shorter trip. "That place is where I used to get my parts for my babies before I found this place. It's only a bit away in comparison to here, but I can make the sacrifice, with your help."

"My help?" Izuku questioned, confused.

"Yep! Listen here, Muscles! I'll help you clean this beach to its former glory and help work out that work of yours, but for a price!" Mei exclaimed, pointing at Izuku. "In exchange, you'll help me redirect all the scraps and parts worth using to that site and allow me to be your personal Support Item inventor when we both get into U.A.!"

Izuku's eyes widened. "W-Wait, you're also going to U.A.?!" Izuku questioned.

"Yep! The Support Course!" Mei nodded, giving a wide smile. "And if I'm your personal Support Item inventor, then I'll surely get closer to whoever created that beautiful baby on your wrist, or at the very least work to make something just as amazing!"

"B-But you saw how my Quirk works. I don't keep anything on me when I transform. That would include any other Support items I have on," Izuku pointed out the flaw in this plan. "I would make your hard work a waste of time."

"Ah, but you said that your transformations have a time limit, yeah?" Mei pointed out herself.

"Yeah?" Izuku nodded, remembering when he said that in his explanation earlier about the Watch and his 'Quirk'.

"Well, then what happens if you run out of time while in battle? No offense, but with as scrawny as you are now, you'll be Villain chow in seconds," Mei poked at his ribs.

Izuku didn't think too far into that, actually. He recalled running out of time when fighting the drones in the forest. He almost got blasted if he hadn't used the claw arm from the other drone. Izuku got lucky back then, but that wouldn't last forever.

"So, that's where my babies and I come in!" Mei gestured to herself with pride. "You'll need a good Hero suit when you're in your normal self and some badass babies to use to help you survive, and with how cool and versatile your Quirk is, you'll get popular real quick, and I, as your personal inventor, will get popular too!"

'T-That actually makes sense,' Izuku thought in reviewing Mei's grand long-term plan. It would really benefit both of them to team up like this, and as blunt Mei put it, he appreciated how honest she was. It was a nice change of pace from the two-faced lackeys and suck-ups he was used to following Bakugou around.

"So, how about it?" Mei raised her hand for him to shake. "Deal?"

Izuku looked at the hand, the full weight of this partnership finally crashing down on him. He wasn't opposed to him, not at all, but there was something Izuku wanted more, as greedily as it sounded.

"Deal, but with one more condition," Izuku said.

"Hmm?" Mei tilted her head in curiosity, unaware of how cute it made her look.

"C-Can we, um, be friends?" Izuku blushed as he asked, tilting his head down so his eyes were covered by his hair and the shadow of the sun. Fear and trepidation gripped his heart. He had never asked this in a long time. The last friend he had was Bakugou, and that didn't end well. Any friends he tried to make afterward ended in mocking laughter or swift and brutal rejection. But now, facing this girl who seemed so similar to him, so passionate and kind enough to compromise her once paradise for the sake of him, his mother, and others, so willing to help him, he wanted to be her friend. He wanted this fresh start.

"Are we not already?" Mei asked, smiling widely and brightly. "Let's do our best, Midoriya!"

A small blush decorated Izuku's stunned face, a small rising, his eyes wetting and sparkling under the sunlight. "Yeah! Let's do our best!" Izuku grasped her hand and shook it. "And please, call me Izuku."

"Sure! As long as you call me Mei!" Mei grinned back.

"Deal," Izuku nodded.

The two stood there, basking in the sunlight, as if the world was casting a spotlight on this momentous occasion for both of them, the beginning of a long and passionate friendship between two oddballs who got each other.

Truthfully, the two found a greater treasure in this dump than either of them could have predicted.

Later that night...

Inko sat on the couch in her home, silent and patient. It had been a few hours since Izuku came down and ate dinner, where he told her all about the events of the day. His new transformation, his new partnership and deal with the pink-haired inventor he told her about, and how this girl, Mei, as Izuku called her, had accepted his hand in friendship.

Inko had grabbed her son into a bone-crushing hug and nearly flooded their apartment in her infamous Midoriya tears. She couldn't have been happier for her son in finally finding a friend after so long. Inko had become suspicious after the shock and happiness wore off; however, her son was confident in Mei's intentions and honesty, how she was so much like him in how passionate they were in pursuit of their goals, that Izuku found no malice or treachery in her. Inko was glad, and her fears were lowered, but they were still there and likely would remain forever.

The news was a happy change of pace from the day she had. After they finished hugging each other to death, Inko and Mitsuki went their separate ways, and they likely wouldn't see each other for a while. It pained Inko to say goodbye to her longest and dearest friend, but she had to do it. Inko had to get Izuku as far away from Katsuki as possible, at least for now. If Izuku was to get stronger with his newfound power, more independent, and begin to move on from the pain and trauma of the past, he needed to be away from that bully who was once his friend, and her godson and nephew.

Plus, now that Izuku had the Watch and the Mechadroids had tried to find it, she had to get Mitsuki and Masaru as far away from Izuku and her as possible, for their sake. If those droids were sent by whom she thought they were, no one close to them would be safe.

Speaking of, Inko worried about Hisashi. She still hadn't been able to contact him for a week. The last she heard of her husband, he was deep in a mission that required radio silence, an important mission, and with how things had turned out right now, it wasn't a coincidence. None of this was. The Watch. The Mechadroids. Hisashi's silence. Something was off, Inko could feel it in her gut.

Inko contemplated contacting Max, hoping he might have an idea of what was going on, but there was someone else who could, someone who had a better handle on what was happening. Plus, she already needed to report to him anyway.

Ensuring the blinds were closed, Izuku was asleep, and no one would overhear her, Inko walked over to a frame on the wall—a family picture of herself, a young 4-year-old Izuku, and her husband, Hisashi Midoriya. The man had a rugged appearance, a five-o'clock shadow, messy, untamable black hair that resembled Izuku's, his amber-gold eyes, like a dragon's, an obsidian-black tall, and a strong physique from years of their work.

Steeling past her heartache and worry, Inko took down the picture to reveal a blank white wall... that was, until she pressed down on random sections of the wall, the hidden tiles sinking in slightly. After pressing the combination, the blank white wall section slid open, revealing a safe with a scanner. She pressed her hand to the scanner and waited. With a soft click, the safe swung open, revealing a disk marked with a symbol identical to the one on Izuku's Watch.

Chapter Text

Third POV

It was night in Musutafu. The inner center of the province was as bustling as always, with Kamui Woods and a certain scarf-wearing insomniac patrolling the streets for any would-be evildoers. The outer sections were quieter, more peaceful, including the large campus that stood out as the province's crown jewel: U.A. University.

The campus stretched for miles across into a private section of woods and a large lake that fed into the sea, large, looming stone walls that guarded the main surroundings, walls that at first seemed unassuming despite their size, but hid behind them metal frames and equipment that was only fitting for the best Hero school in the country, if not the world. Several buildings and structures comprised the facilities, dorms, and training grounds, but the largest was the main building that stood at the end of it all. The building was large and shaped almost like an H from all sides. Four large, rectangular buildings, whose windows reflected the night sky, connected by bridges down the center and a shorter building that was the entrance, which felt dwarfed under the shadow of the buildings on all four corners.

Once it was more of a High School rather than a university, but as the ages went by, and a spike of younger Heroes ended up in retirement or dead a decade ago, stricter laws were passed, forcing the next generation of Heroes to be older and more developed than kids fresh out of high school. So, U.A. was forced to progress with the times and become the university it is now. However, it wasn't as much of a detriment as some first believed.

As the laws wished, graduating students became more experienced, emotionally stable, and mature Heroes. Weeds were found and picked away more easily, and U.A.'s upgrade to a university saw more funding and support than a high school would normally get, even U.A. The only issue was the subsequent rise in its student population. U.A. was proclaimed the best for a reason, and thus, very few managed to enter its halls, with an acceptance rate of 4% for the Hero Course. More students, however, meant a stricter overview of their applicants, more security, and thus more scrutiny.

These were headaches the staff was forced to deal with, and none dealt with it more prominently than its dean: Nezu.

"Interesting," The principal said as he stared out the window to his office. "Quite the bold and progressive decision, All Might."

Sitting across from the U.A. Dean's desk in his chair was the Symbol of Peace, All Might, currently in his civilian disguise as Toshinori Yagi. The man wore a baggy suit several sizes too large for his thin form, one better suited for his buffed state, and it was. Toshinori had found it better to wear baggier, looser clothing, so if he were ever needed to buff up to All Might, he wouldn't risk tearing through his clothes. He may be the World's Symbol of Peace, but even he would be subject to scrutiny if he suddenly buffed up and tore through all his clothes, leaving him in the buff for all to see.

"I think so too, sir," Toshinori replied to the dean.

"I must admit, I too had been meaning to make a stance against our society's discriminatory views. I even revoked the Quirkless restriction of applicants wishing to join the Hero Course Program," Nezu continued, catching All Might's flinch through the reflection in the window. "Though this is an unusual stance for you, Yagi-san. Normally, you would seek to see the best in people and elevate people with kind words and inspirational quotes. Demean and harsh criticism, even for vile actions, isn't your style."

"It is something that I should have done a long time ago," Toshinori replied, his shame-filled eyes looking down at his bony fingers. "I was just like them once. I should have known how they would suffer worse as more and more of the population gained Quirks, but I turned a blind eye to it all."

"In fairness, you had other priorities on your mind back then," Nezu pointed out, darkly.

"Still, it doesn't excuse that I should have been more helpful with my words as much as I did with my fists," All Might remarked.

"My words are not to excuse your lack of attention to those suffering from Quirkless or Mutant Discrimination, just a reminder to ease the guilty weight you have on your shoulders," Nezu pointed out.

"Heh, nothing gets by you, does it, sir?" Toshinori stated more as a statement than a question.

"What can I say, I have a nose for these kinds of things," Nezu said as he turned his seat to face his former student, revealing his form.

Rather than the man most would assume, Nezu was an animal, literally. The being was a mammal, but no one knew what specific kind. Most guesses ranged from mouse, bear, dog, or some kind of marsupial like koala; whatever the answer, Nezu was not one to reveal. He was short, around 3 feet tall, and wore a black double-breasted waistcoat over a white dress shirt and dark red tie, black dress pants, and orange, white-lined sneakers. Those were the most human aspects of Principal Nezu, other than being able to talk, think, feel, and walk bipedally. His white-furred head was similar to that of a mouse with an elongated muzzle, rectangular ears, and beady black eyes, a scar running through the right one. His paws looked more like those of a dog, and he had the thin, furry tail of a cat.

Nezu was one of the rare cases of an animal able to manifest a Quirk. Whatever chimera Nezu was, he was thought to be a creation of experimentation, perhaps one that included human genes that produced his Quirk; however, Nezu was adamant that he possessed no human genes in his genetic makeup. His Quirk was High Specs, an intelligence-based Quirk. This granted Nezu unparalleled perception, comprehension, and intellect, even more than a normal human could possess. This intellect not only allowed him to be recognized as a sentient being in the eyes of the law but also as a key influential figure in Hero politics and workings, and the most qualified individual to run the country's most prominent Hero school.

"Yet this sudden revelation is intriguing to me," Nezu admitted, taking a sip of tea. "What caused you to finally seek to shed light on the dark crevices of our Age of Peace?"

"A boy, Izuku Midoriya," All Might revealed, and if he bothered to look Nezu in the eye with his full shame, he would have noticed how Nezu's ever-constant smile morphed into a frown for a split second. "I had met him during the day of the Sludge Villain Incident. The Villain attacked him before the Bakugou boy and was the one to pull the boy out of the Villain before I intervened."

"Ah, yes, I heard about that. Quite the brave and upstanding young man to risk himself to save another from such a fate," Nezu nodded.

"Yes, well, I thought so too," Toshinori smiled sadly as he recalled Young Midoriya rushing in toward the Sludge Villain. "Even with Heroes around and me on the sidelines, he ran in while the rest of us did nothing. No Quirk, no power of his own, yet still rushed in to save someone that didn't even want his help. It was the true makings of a Hero."

"You wish for this boy to be your successor?" Nezu asked, sensing the admiration in All Might's tone to be a dead giveaway to his intentions.

"I had sought him out after the incident to offer the Quirk to him," Toshinori revealed.

"I assume things didn't go so well if you are like this," Nezu suggested.

Toshinori nodded, the shame rolling back down at him. "After I had saved him from the Sludge Villain, the first time, the boy asked me if he could be a Hero without a Quirk. In my bitterness, I said no and tried to tell him to find a more realistic dream," Toshinori explained.

"Oh dear," Nezu sighed, closing his eyes. While the rodent dean appeared calm and understanding, anger burned in his small body toward All Might for the idiocy of his words. Not only were they hypocritical, given who he was, but to tell a Quirkless boy to find a more realistic dream was to rub salt in the fresh wounds. There was more, but Nezu opted to stay professional in this regard rather than fall to his biases.

"And then I found him after the Sludge Villain and told him that he proved me wrong, that he was worthy of One For All, but I blew it," All Might groaned.

"He said no," Nezu stated.

"I was stupid and desperate. I said the wrong words and made him think that what he did was still somehow wrong, that gaining a Quirk was the only way to be a Hero despite what he did," Toshinori ranted at himself, his clasped, bony fingers trembling in their grip. "The boy blew up at me and made me realize that the discrimination and suffering of Quirkless people had only increased under my tenure as the Symbol of Peace; Mutant Quirks, too. I had turned a blind eye to my very origins, abandoned them, he said."

"So, you wish to speak out in hopes of making amends and have the boy reconsider your offer?" Nezu asked.

"It doesn't matter anymore about making him reconsider. I have a bad feeling that I have lost him for good, and no coaxing or redemption will make him change his mind," All Might sighed. "I still seek to make amends to all the people I had abandoned and forsook, not just Young Midoriya. People are suffering that are within my reach; it's my responsibility as a Hero, the Number 1 Hero, to help as much as I can."

Nezu's mouth shifted from a thin line to a small smirk. "While the words you said to the boy were indeed cruel and unnecessary, it is perhaps for the better that they happened as they did," Nezu said. "You've chosen to look beyond your achievements, take responsibility for your faults, and seek to better yourself and the lives of others in this redemptive journey. I am sure that your predecessor would be most proud of you."

"Hmph, after smashing my head in, you mean?" All Might gave a light-hearted scoff.

Nezu chuckled, agreeing that Shimura would likely do just that. "Then I suppose if Midoriya is no longer an option, you will pursue Mirio Togata?" Nezu inquired.

"Perhaps," Toshinori said, still incredibly reluctant to move on from Midoriya as a potential successor. "I'll meet with the boy and gain my assessment on him. If I like what I find, I'll consider it. I'll wait a few months to see if I can run into Young Midoriya again and see if he has reconsidered. If he hasn't, then I'll choose Togata, if I find him worthy."

Nezu nodded, finding the terms of this decision reasonable. 'Will spare me the headache from a call from Nighteye, too,' Nezu thought, but kept to himself. If All Might were to find out about the true extent of his former sidekick's incessant sponsoring, it might drive All Might away from Mirio as a possibility. In truth, Mirio would be a fine successor of One For All, and the choice will make things less personally conflicting than Midoriya.

"Very well. Now, if that is all," Nezu quirked an eyebrow. All Might nodded. "Excellent. I cannot wait to see what your interview will entail, even more, what will come of it."

Toshinori Yagi nodded once last time before bowing and excusing himself to leave. As the Symbol of Peace left his office, Nezu sighed.

'From one difficult conversation to another, I assume,' Nezu thought, turning to one of his desk drawers, the very one that produced a noise so faint that only Nezu could hear it. Tapping the secret lock for the drawer, Nezu opened it to reveal a disk-like device with the symbol of the Watch, the same as its caller.

Placing the object on his desk and tapping it, out shone a green light from the device, displaying a miniature hologram of Inko Midoriya. "Ah, Agent Midoriya, what a surprise," Nezu smiled fondly.

"From what I know of you, rat, no, it isn't," Inko snarked back, yet a similar fond smile was on her face. "And how many times must I ask you to call me by just Inko? I'm not the only agent who goes by Agent Midoriya."

"Yes, I understand that would be vexing. Not as much, though, I'd imagine, for you to go by rank and address me by Magister Nezu," Nezu commented.

"You're stalling, even if true," Inko noted with a roll of her eyes. "How'd you know I'd be calling you?"

"I just had a conversation with our beloved Symbol of Peace about recent events, including one about your son," Nezu explained.

"Oh," Inko's frown was enough for Nezu to know she wasn't fond of hearing the Number 1 Hero, a given if Izuku Midoriya told her of the same events. "Anything I should be worried about?"

"Not at all," Nezu shook his head. "If anything, our Number 1 Hero is adamant in his desire to right the wrongs he made against your son with his words and actions. I'd stay in tune with the news soon."

"Good to know," Inko perked her eyebrows, suspicious yet intrigued. "Anyway, I'm calling for several reasons."

"If one of those is the whereabouts of your husband, I'm afraid I'm of no help," Nezu shook his head again. "While I am aware he was sent on an important mission, even I was not entrusted with the specifics of what his mission pertained to, where he has gone, and how long before his return."

Inko's face turned at the news, yet soldiered on. "Alright, well, in that case, I have some big news to inform you, and a favor to ask," Inko revealed.

Nezu perked up his ears. It was unlike Inko to ask for favors; technically, it would be cashing in a favor, but the Midoriyas were not ones to accept being owed favors for 'doing their jobs'. 'I wonder if the same applies to their son,' Nezu thought for a split second before resuming full attention to his agent.

"Oh? What sort of news and favor?" Nezu asked, interested.

Toshinori Yagi had reached the ground floor of the U.A. main building, having taken the stairs rather than the elevator. If anyone were to ask the man why, he would have said, 'It helped give him time to think and contemplate.' Though that response would be true enough at this moment, Toshinori couldn't deny a more personal reason.

'It feels apropos to my current situation,' Toshinori thought shamefully. The last time he had walked downstairs this way, Toshinori had just finished destroying Young Midoriya's soul with his words. Cruel and hypocritical. Those were the words that Dean Nezu had to describe the ones Toshinori gave to Izuku Midoriya, and the dean, as usual, was right. 'Walking down these flights of stairs, the painful throbbing in my feet, it's but a fraction of the pain I gave to that boy.'

Toshinori wasn't so melodramatic as to believe this 'Walk of Shame' was a just punishment he could inflict on himself and gain some karmic sense of redemption. No, but it did give the Symbol of Peace time to contemplate his thoughts, figure out the words he needed to convey his message to the world. As the Symbol of Peace and Japan's Number 1 Hero, everything he said would be taken with scrutiny or treated as gospel, and one wrong word could bring more harm than good. It was because of this that All Might preferred to let his actions and fists do the talking, but recent events showed him that wasn't good enough anymore.

But perhaps, in a way, this slow descent was his way to buy time, to prolong and stretch the flow of the world before he had to make a tough choice he might regret later on.

'It's almost like the Quirk itself wants the boy,' All Might acknowledged, registering the almost desperate pulse of One For All to have him seek out and find Izuku Midoriya, get him to reconsider, and take up the Quirk he was worthy to wield. It was a strange development he found, one that only deepened his shame. 'In a way, I failed One For All. I failed my Master. All because I couldn't speak the right damn words.'

All Might knew, despite whatever he might feel from the Quirk, that it was pointless. Izuku Midoriya had made his stance perfectly clear.

"You can keep your stupid Quirk, and shove it down some other fool's throat... I don't need."

"Whether or not you believe in me or not, I'm going to be a Hero without a Quirk, and I won't let anyone stop me from being the best damn Hero I can be!"

Blind hope and desperation still clawed onto him, believing it was all simply the emotional outburst of a young man who didn't know what he was saying. All Might thought time would smolder that righteous fire and make him see reason. But then Toshinori knew that would be doing the young man a disservice. 'I already trampled and spat on his dreams as unrealistic. Should I repeat my mistakes and call his words foolish, too?' Toshinori thought sarcastically and mockingly toward himself. No, All Might knew the boy meant those words. The chances of Izuku Midoriya reconsidering were abysmally low.

'That just leaves the other,' Yagi thought about his other option, the one boy he originally came to Musutafu to meet, the one first considered to take up his Quirk.

Mirio Togata. Current 2nd Year Hero Student of U.A. University. On track to become the newest member of U.A.'s premier group of top students: the Big Three, the three strongest students in all the school. The boy was optimistic, radiant, a smiling ball of enthusiasm, encouragement, and positivity. Everyone who knew the boy said that he was 'a joy to be around,' 'an exemplary model of Heroism and fortitude,' and, most amusingly, 'a terrible comedian.'

His Quirk, Permeation, allowed him to phase through all objects, be it matter, sound, or even light, highly inconvenient, dangerous even; in last year's Sports Festival, he made a stir by phasing through his clothes in front of thousands of viewing eyes. Yet, despite the inconveniences and hurdles of his Quirk, Mirio persevered through all of them. He mastered his Quirk, learned how to control it, and use it effectively; the boy's power and strength weren't granted to him by a Quirk, but by his own raw physique and training. By all accounts, he was the perfect candidate.

But one account stood out to him above all, the one recommendation that not even Nezu could hide from him: Sir Nighteye.

Mirai Sasaki, his former sidekick, codename: Sir Nighteye. Back in his prime, before the day when he received his scar and became the shell of the man he was, Nighteye was the only true sidekick he ever had. There was his partner during his time in America, David Shield, a close friend he still keeps in contact with, but in Japan, the only one competent to stand by his side was Sir Nighteye. His Quirk allowed him to read a person's future upon contact and only for a given amount of time, usually 24 hours, and this gave the man a cynical and deterministic personality. Still, the man was a competent sidekick, loyal to a fault, and quite the comedian, though most would never know by meeting him.

But then that day happened, and everything changed. Nighteye used his Quirk on him, looked further into his future than he ever had, and foretold that he would meet his end horribly, with the time of this prediction in the coming years. Nighteye was one of the only people he told about One For All, and his friend pleaded with him to retire and to find a successor. All Might was stubborn back then and refused to retire, believing the people still needed their unbeatable Symbol of Peace. The 5 years that passed since then, All Might pushed his body to where he is now, and Nighteye quit, refusing to indulge a man too stubborn to run toward his end.

Now, Nighteye was the one who advocated for Mirio the most. All Might wasn't as oafish as everyone thought. He had done his research on the boy and his connection to Nighteye. Currently, the boy was working as a work study intern under Nighteye, earlier than most 2nd Years. Mirio may have succeeded in mastering his Quirk, but it was clear Nighteye had helped in the background. And then All Might noticed just why Mirio Togata looked so familiar. Blonde hair, muscular physique, constant smile; the boy was practically a copy of Toshinori. Nighteye was training his would-be replacement, grooming him to become the next wielder of One For All.

The stubborn side of him wanted to reject the boy altogether because of that fact. A furious part of him wanted to yell at Sasaki, demanding to know if he had told the boy about One For All already and trained the boy's expectations to one day receive All Might's Quirk.

Toshinori shook off the anger and paranoia and found that he was being a bit too unreasonable. For as stubborn and controlling as he could be, Mirai was, above all, a fan of his. He practically worshipped the ground All Might stood. Toshinori remembered awkwardly seeing him purchase every limited edition All Might poster and figurine as soon as he could; the man was a real fanboy, and Toshinori knew that fanboy would never betray his trust and tell someone about his greatest secret without permission.

As for Mirio, despite the similarities, All Might could not deny the boy's progress or his traits. Enough research showed the boy was like this before he ever met Nighteye, and it was unfair of him to judge the boy based on who helped him, no matter the intent behind it. Mirio Togata was still a viable candidate to inherit One For All, and right now, viable may be what All Might had left to cling to.

All Might's limit was worsening. He pushed past his limit when he saved Midoriya and Bakugou from the Sludge Villain, and shortened his time limit. At this pace, he would be forced to retire in two years, maybe even less. He was running out of time; he needed a successor to train up and take his place as the Symbol of Peace before it was too late.

The only two options seemed to loom before Toshinori Yagi: Meet with, get to know, and give One For All to Mirio Togata, or find Izuku Midoriya, beg for his forgiveness and a second chance, and train the boy to inherit his power.

"...I won't tell anyone about your Quirk. I owe you that much," Izuku Midoriya's words once more repeated in his head. "But in return, I want you never to offer me your Quirk again."

That was another promise that Midoriya made, and just like before, All Might was sure that the boy meant it. Finding and hounding Izuku to reconsider could be a recipe for disaster. As kind and selfless as the boy showed himself to be, everyone had a breaking point, and if Toshinori pushed too far, he shuddered to imagine what a vengeful Midoriya could do with his darkest secret.

Toshinori sighed as he stepped out of the doors to U.A., beginning his trek down the smaller flight of stairs to the courtyard below and then exiting from the entrance to the campus. Suddenly, his phone began to ring.

"A Phone Call is Here! A Phone Call is Here! A Phone Call is Here!" His ringtone rang.

"Hello?" All Might answered.

"Ah, All Might, I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time," Nezu spoke through the other end.

"No, Dean Nezu, sir, I was just about to leave the campus," Toshinori replied. "Why? Is there something you forgot to mention?"

"Less forgot, more conveniently informed," Nezu answered cryptically. "How would you like a final chance to fix your mistake?"

"..." All Might said nothing, the weight of Nezu's words coursing through him, breaking past suspicion, disbelief, and landing somewhere hopeful in his soul. "I'll be right up."

All Might hung up the call and bolted back inside the building, this time choosing the elevator.

The next morning...

"Alright, alright, that sounds great," Inko paused in cleaning the morning dishes as she spied on her son talking on the phone. The sight alone was alien enough; her son never called anyone other than her when he called to say he was coming home late or picking up the groceries. That was until yesterday.

"And you're sure your uncle doesn't mind transporting the scrap and parts?" Izuku asked the caller on the other end. "Yes, yes, your baby-making materials."

Inko was quick to catch the plate that nearly slipped from her hand. Izuku warned her about Hatsume's 'eccentricities,' but she was still getting used to it. How else was someone supposed to interpret those words without the proper context or familiarity?

"Okay, that's great to hear! I'll head down to the beach as soon as I can," Izuku said. The green-haired boy's face suddenly turned crimson. "Mei! Don't call it like that! People will get the wrong idea-Hello?" Izuku removed the phone from his ear to see that the call had already ended. Izuku sighed tiredly. "My first real friend in so long. Whelp, beggars can't be choosers." Izuku turned to look at his mother, who was staring at him silently. "What?"

"Oh, nothing, sweetie!" Inko apologized, a mischievous smirk on her face. "I didn't mean to overhear you planning your date." That was a complete lie.

Izuku's blush returned with a vengeance. "IT'S NOT A DATE!" Izuku sputtered and denied, as red as Four Arms. "Urgh, whatever. I need to go. I'll see you later, Mom."

"Wait, Izuku!" Inko's call stopped Izuku from heading out the door. "There's something I need to talk to you about." Izuku visibly tensed, yet nodded slowly, redirecting himself back toward the couch, meeting his mother from across the table.

"What is it, Mom?" Izuku asked, his face furrowing in concern. "Did you get in contact with your 'friend from the old days'?" Izuku said the last part in air quotes.

Inko gave her son a slight look of exasperation before sighing. "Yes, I did," Inko nodded. "He has agreed to act as the Watch's creator until we know more."

"That's great," Izuku sighed in relief, yet his smile waned as she saw the uncertain look on her face. "I sense there is a 'but' coming up."

Inko nodded. "After I pulled you out of Aldera, I started making some calls to see what to do about making them pay for what happened," Inko began.

"Mom," Izuku shook his head.

"No, you listen here, Izuku Midoriya." Inko silenced her son before he could start. "I know you want to let go of the past, and I am so proud of you for wanting to be the better man, but this is not something you should forget and move on like it was nothing. They hurt you, Izuku. They did more than let Bakugou hurt you physically; they altered your grades, forced you to lower yourself to appease Bakugou's ego and theirs, and painted you as a Villain in the making. Do you believe that if U.A. sees those black marks, they won't turn you away immediately?"

Izuku said nothing, avoiding his mother's gaze to the coffee table between them. Izuku knew that his mother had a point; others had been turned away from lesser Hero universities for less than what Aldera portrayed him as. Disruptive in class, violent and aggressive toward other students, vandalizer and destroyer of school property, envious and harmfully jealous of his peers. Ironically, every infraction they put on him could actually be pointed accurately at Bakugou. Izuku had gotten detentions for disrupting classes when Bakugou would shove him off his chair or blast him across the room. In his earlier years, when he tried to report Bakugou for his bullying actions, he would receive punishment instead for 'trying to sabotage his upstanding better's future'. Izuku had learn to keep his head down and remain quiet as a way to survive, or at the very least, lessen the punishment.

"You want to be a Hero, don't you, Izuku?" Inko asked, forcing Midoriya to look back at his mother in the eyes. "A true Hero doesn't look the other way when an injustice is committed just because he is scared. They don't let Villains commit crimes and walk away because they'll call you names. They hurt you, Izuku, and I won't let them get away with it, and neither should you."

Izuku sniffled, tears breaking free from his eyes. He hated it. He hated them, all of them. Bakugou, the teachers, the students, every one of those bastards that hurt him and smiled because they knew they would get away with it. But most of all, he hated that instinctive feeling in his chest, that reflex to do nothing, to do anything to protect Bakugou, his 'friend', because he could be a great Hero. Just like Aldera wanted him and everyone else to believe. And that instinct they-no-he had built, since they were kids, was still there, and he hated it.

"I-I just want this to be over," Izuku said, his voice cracking and broken, tears falling like rivers. "I know a Hero should never act out of hate or revenge, and I can't help but feel selfish for wanting to do just that."

Inko cried silently with her son, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "This doesn't have to be about revenge," Inko told him. "It's about justice, and my job as a mother is to get that justice for my baby boy. But I can't do this without you, Izuku. Will you help me, Izuku?"

Izuku stared at her, stunned, gulping heavily. After a few tense, silent moments, Izuku nodded. "Okay," Izuku said. "What do I have to do?"

Inko smiled softly and proudly. "In a couple of days, a couple of men are going to come by to take your statement," Inko explained. "One is a detective and... the other is an assistant and liaison of a Pro Hero agency."

Izuku saw the way she tensed and paused at the mention of the latter. "Which agency?" Izuku asked, even as a feeling of knowing dread already had the answer.

"Might Tower," Inko revealed.

Izuku's reaction was instant and worrying. His hand clenched so tightly it turned paper white, his brows furrowed tightly into an expression of rage she had never seen in her son. The sigh that escaped his son was sharp and annoyed. "All Might," Izuku growled out, the tone completely the opposite of the previous reverence and respect the green-haired boy once had for the Number 1 Hero.

"I know you don't like him anymore, Izuku, maybe even hate him, but my friend knows All Might, and he says he wants to help," Inko insisted. "To make things right."

'Make things right? Yeah, I know how,' Izuku thought, remembering the offer he rejected. "And you're okay with this? Letting him, of all people, help? After everything I told you about him?"

"If it means getting the justice you deserve, yes," Inko stated. "I don't like him anymore than you do either, but he is still All Might, the Number 1 Hero, and if he helps bring Aldera's crimes to light-"

"People will listen," Izuku finished bitterly, and the words tasted sour in his mouth. 'People would have listened if he had spoken up for people like me, yet he didn't, and it only feels like he's helping just to get me to say yes.' Izuku pinched the bridge between his eyes, annoyed. 'But, if this is what it takes to end this chapter of my past... so be it.'

"Alright, I'll do it," Izuku said. "I'm not happy about this, but I'll do it. As long as we can make those bastards get what they deserve."

"Thank you, sweetie," Inko clasped both of her hands over Izuku's, smiling widely. "I promise, when this is all over, I will make it up to you. I promise."

Seeing her happy smile, Izuku's rage and annoyance faded, his brows relaxed, his eyes softened, and a small smile rose from the corner of his lips. Izuku placed his other hand over his mother's hand and squeezed in support.

Inko sniffled and let go as Izuku did, wiping away her tears. "Now, don't let me keep you any longer," Inko smiled. "Your girlfriend is waiting for you."

"She's not my girlfriend," Izuku groaned, getting up from the couch and booking it to the door.

"Just be sure not to move too fast with her, young man," Inko called out. "I don't want actual grandbabies until you've graduated."

"BYE, MOM!" Izuku yelled out as he all but ran out of the house with a burning blush.

Inko chuckled, sighing as the weight on her shoulders lessened somewhat. A spike of guilt flared up, criticizing her for her actions, but Inko held firm, willing to do anything and everything to ensure her son's future... even if she had to destroy the future of her best friend's son.

A couple of days later...

Izuku tapped his foot nervously as he sat on the couch in his living room.

"Izuku, you tap your foot any harder, you're gonna put a hole in the floor," Inko warned motherly, fixing her pearl earring for what seemed like the hundredth time. The green-haired mother wore a nice, thin sweater and skirt, dressed to receive their guests yet to arrive.

Izuku likewise wore something nice: a green and black checkered dress shirt and baggy dark jeans. It was perhaps the nicest thing he owned, which was why he rarely ever wore it out, too afraid that Bakugou would ruin it with a burn mark at best and a burnt hole at worst.

"I know, sorry," Izuku apologized, ceasing his nervous tick. He looked down at the Watch for a second, realization washing over him a second later. 'Right. Alien-transforming watch can't actually tell the time,' Izuku remembered embarrassingly. The green-haired teen felt the urge to fiddle with the Watch, perhaps look over the icons of his alien forms for the thousandth time, but elected not to, finding it would be inconvenient if he were to transform accidentally while their guests were arriving. While he could always transform back, the loud flash of green light probably wouldn't look good to the detective. 'Plus, if I turn into Heatblast, with how nervous I am, I might end up burning the house down. Not a good look either.'

When thinking about their guests, Izuku frowned once more about the other of the two they were about to invite, the one from All Might's agency. Even after over a week, Izuku was still bitter thinking about the so-called Symbol of Peace. He hadn't looked up anything about the Number 1 Hero after their encounter; his room, once a shrine to the greatest Hero in the world, was now desolate and barren, a burning reminder of how much of his life he spent idolizing the man above any other Hero. He had a poster and figurine or two of a few heroes, namely Miruko, Endeavor, and Best Jeanist, but he might as well have dressed them in red and white striped shirts and play 'Where's Waldo' in a sea of All Might memorabilia.

Now, that was all gone, all his All Might merch, either boxed away or sold off. Izuku had wanted to escape All Might's shadow, everything that might tie him back to that naive boy who idolized the hero who was always there to save the day, and now he was about to let someone who worked under All Might into his home and remind him of what he was trying to run away from.

'Gah, this is stupid,' Izuku shook his head. 'Run away? That's not me. I never ran away from anything, no matter how scary or impossible the odds.' Izuku recalled every time Bakugou and his lackeys would pick on a random kid and how Izuku rushed in to take the brunt of their venom, never running from them even when they outnumbered him, were stronger or taller than him. Izuku thought about how many times he could have run away from Bakugou when he tried to corner him for a beatdown, but didn't. Not just because he knew they would catch him eventually, or beat him down harder the next time, but because running would be cowardice, prove that he was scared of Bakugou, that he was weak.

'I'm not a coward. I'm not weak, not anymore,' Izuku thought, his hand with the Watch on his wrist clenching tightly. 'I didn't run from that jerk, and I won't run from him either.' For as much as All Might failed him, much of the hero represented wasn't suddenly in vain, and one of the lessons he learned from the hero: Heroes don't give up, and neither would he.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Izuku and Inko looked at each other, trepidation high, yet the two nodded, steeling their resolve. The two got up, Inko rushing to get the door while Izuku stood off to the side, attentive. Quickly, Izuku tucked his shirt's sleeve down, doing his best to cover the Watch from their guests.

But as soon as his mother opened the door, Izuku felt the overwhelming urge to run and hide in his barren room.

There at the door was a tall man in a khaki-colored trench coat and hat, the detective, Izuku guessed correctly, but it was the man beside him who made every nerve in his body flare up: All Might.

The hero was disguised in his true form, so gaunt that his picture would be the dictionary example of the phrase 'skin and bones'. He wore a black suit and dress pants, a red tie around his skinny neck, and a white dress shirt, all a few sizes too large. 'Smart,' Izuku admitted. 'Knowing what I know about him, he obviously wears sizes meant for his buffed state, so when he transforms, he doesn't pop right out of them.'

As for the man himself, Izuku resisted the urge to flinch when his analytical gaze met his face. His cheeks were sunken, his lips thin, the slick blonde hair with twin tuffs that his posters and figures would always have was a ragged, messy mane, those twin tuffs of hair now framing his gaunt face. His eyes were so sunken in that the bright blue eyes he had appeared like two small circles.

When their eyes met, everything froze. His mother, the detective, even the Watch on his wrist, they all faded into the background, leaving only the two of them. For a moment, Izuku was that kid again, that bright, happy 4-year-old kid, beaming with awe at All Might's debut video, proclaiming that he would be just like him. Now, as reality came back with a vengeance, everything he learned about the man came back to him. The bottom of the bridge where the Sludge Villain attacked him, the roof where he learned All Might's true form, and the words he spouted that crushed his dreams and soul to pieces.

"This job ain't easy, and Villain will do whatever they can to win and destroy lives, so no, I don't think you can be a Hero without a Quirk."

"It's okay to have dreams, young man, just... make sure your dreams are obtainable. Realistic."

Izuku glared venomously at his former idol. Unbeknownst to him, the Watch hummed and glowed subtly.

All Might flinched. 'This isn't going to be easy.'

The four individuals moved into the living room. Izuku and Inko took a seat on the couch while All Might and the detective sat across from them at the arranged seats.

The detective revealed himself to be Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi of the Japanese Private Police Force, a special division made to oversee a wide number of cases across all of Japan. Without the trench coat and hat, Tsukauchi's short black hair was visible, alongside a similarly dark suit that fitted his frame better than All Might's, though with a dark blue tie rather than All Might's red one. His round eyes were black and held a comforting, cordial gleam that put Izuku more at ease, which was a godsend at this moment.

As for All Might, he introduced himself as Toshinori Yagi, an assistant of All Might's that he sent while he was 'indisposed'. Izuku pondered to himself if this was All Might's true civilian identity or a cover name of some kind.

'Is he that gullible to think I wouldn't reveal his true name if he pushed me too far?' Izuku thought vindictively before pushing those feelings down.

"Now, I hate to cut the pleasantries short, but I'm afraid with the matter at hand, discretion might need to be tabled, and urgency needed," Tsukauchi stated, the kindness of his eyes dimming to a more serious, business-minded look.

"Agreed," Inko nodded, her cordial smile falling to reveal the frown she kept back.

"Our mutual acquaintance brought up the matter to me and All Might a couple of days ago," Tsukauchi started, pulling a small notepad. "The matter revolves around Aldera High School and its unjust treatment of your son, Izuku Midoriya."

"That is correct," Inko Midoriya nodded, her tone calm and restrained.

"And how long has this treatment lasted exactly?" Tsukauchi asked, pen at the ready.

Inko flinched guiltily, turning to look at Izuku, still glaring at Toshinori with a venom that was entirely foreign to the green-haired boy she knew and was used to. Finally, Izuku tore his glare away from All Might. "Since I first started," Izuku revealed. "Over two years of my high school education, and 3 years in Aldera's Junior High division."

Toshinori's hands clenched by his knees, his face flinching shamefully as he looked down. Even Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes, keeping back the slight twitch of anger that was beginning to rise in him.

"And what exactly was the nature of this treatment?" Tsukauchi asked further. "Please, answer as precisely and as well-detailed as you can, and take your time."

Izuku nodded, his gaze falling to his hands and knees. 'I can never forget everything they did to me, or allowed them to do,' Izuku thought. He glanced at how his hands started to shake. 'Really? Jitters, now? I thought I said I wasn't weak?' Izuku tried to take a deep breath, finding the air suddenly so thin as flashes of pain and trauma began to rise to the surface. His vision began to blur, and Izuku thought he was starting to get sick.

A hand brought him out of his stupor. Izuku saw his mother's hand over his own, smiling lovingly and understandingly, nodding to him with silent meaning only the two of them knew. Finally, Izuku managed to take a deep breath in and out. In and out. In and out.

After finally getting his bearings, Izuku remembered where he was, why he was here, and what he had to do. He refused to look up and see All Might's reaction to his mini-panic attack. Taking one last breath, Izuku opened his mouth, and years' worth of trauma began to flood forth.

Hours seemed to have passed for all in the room as Izuku detailed every injustice, every malicious act, and every unjust punishment he was subjected to by both the students and staff of Aldera. Every day, something would happen to ruin his day, small or large. Mocking and jeering that evolved from light jokes at his expense to groups of evilly smiling students hurling cruel insults and laughing mockingly at him, demeaning him as nothing more than a weak, defenseless, Quirkless Deku who couldn't do anything right. The subject of most pranks of any kind was delivered to him. False love letters that led to a group of people laughing at him while he was soaked in ice-cold water, or stink bombs in his lockers. Light roughhousing, like pushes and shoulder checks, gradually worsened to outright dragging him to a corner of the room and turning his body into a punching bag to let loose their aggression and tempers. Every week or two, Izuku would be shoved down the stairs or lie broken, bruised, and bloody on a corner or outside the building. And that was just the students.

The teachers would often catch or stumble upon many of these cruel acts, but because he was the Quirkless loser, 'the evolutionary dead end', Izuku recalled, they would act like it never happened and move on, or punish Izuku instead when he would attempt to complain about it. Nurses gave him the bare minimum of attention, sent him off just as fast, and those who tried to be compassionate saw themselves out of a job the next day. He remembered one kind nurse, a fox Heteromorph, her ears and fluffy tail made her look like a kitsune. She was the nicest one, who tried her best to treat him away from prying eyes, always gave him the slightest bit of encouragement to keep going. But one day, she got careless, and the principal caught her treating him. Izuku never saw her in that nurse's room again.

The horrors kept coming one by one: lowered grades, answers marked incorrect, whereas another student's would be right, detentions rolled out for any disruptive behavior he was automatically blamed for. But they were nothing compared to the ringleader of his torment, the architect of his suffering: Katsuki Bakugou.

Every act the students did, Bakugou did it the most, and the most brutally. Bakugou didn't stop at punches or kicks; he used Midoriya as his personal Quirk training dummy, lobbing explosions after explosions onto him to 'test how far one light or medium blast could send a weakling Villain'. Whenever Izuku had the misfortune to stand up or another rare, mistreated kid or talk back in any way, Bakugou decided to punish him accordingly with a burn mark on his body, heating his hands with his Quirk to the point Izuku screamed bloody murder at the heat. This treatment would follow him outside of school, chasing Izuku off from every gym he attempted to join, catching him at every jog Izuku tried to run, and leaving a bloodied Izuku in an alleyway, throwing up his lunch, making it impossible for him to gain any muscle, all to 'put him back in his place'. The suicide baiting was just the rotten cherry on top.

Izuku kept his head down, unable to look at the adults around him, but if he did, he would see increasing expressions of disgust, horror, and anger.

All Might looked like he was one horrible incident away from running to the nearest bathroom and throwing up blood. Shame permeated the man's face. When Tsukauchi, reluctantly, asked if there was any evidence of his wounds, the green-haired boy reluctantly complied, opening up his dress shirt to reveal the leftover scars and fading bruises that littered his body. All Might felt the scar on his side throb angrily, almost mocking him for the horror he let this innocent boy suffer. After all, he didn't speak out against such nonsensical cruelty, and it left Toshinori wondering how many others were left just as abandoned, and how many lost the will to live because they weren't as durable or 'lucky' as Midoriya was.

Tsukauchi almost regretted asking Midoriya to reveal his scars, the patchwork of cuts, burns, and bruises so numerous and severe that he could only think of a few pros and officers that could dare compare to Midoriya's, including the man sitting next to him. Tsukauchi took photos of the scars as evidence, which at this point was only the frosting of this cake of misery he had made with all the notes he wrote down. What was the worst thing of all? Every word the boy had said was the absolute truth. No lie, no exaggeration, he knew, he could tell, and Tsukauchi knew he was not going to have a pleasant night's rest for a long while.

One phrase caught the detective's particular attention. 'An evolutionary dead-end,' Tsukauchi repeated, the phrase familiar to him, and not in a good way.

Inko had broken down in tears halfway through. She had tried to stay strong so that Izuku didn't have to worry for her or feel guilty about letting out his pain, but she just couldn't take it. Inko silently cursed every and all gods, deities, Celestialsapiens, and kind of divine entity out there, questioning why her son had to endure such torment, such evil, and did nothing more than be born different. At that moment, Inko had lost all sense of love, respect, or compassion for Katsuki Bakugou and would not feel guilty for what came next.

After Izuku finished his tale, the room was silent as the grave. Izuku sat hunched on the couch, the weight finally lifted from his shoulders, but he felt so weak and tired, it took everything in him not to collapse.

"I think we have everything we need," Tsukauchi said, almost sighing in relief that it ended.

"Just like that?" Inko blinked, surprised. "You believe us? Truly?"

Tsukauchi frowned sadly at the suspicion on the mother's face, understanding why she would have that reaction. "My Quirk, Lie Detector, allows me to sense when a person is lying or hiding something," Tsukauchi revealed to the Midoriyas.

Izuku perked up at the mention of the Quirk. "A lie-detector Quirk?" Izuku muttered. "So, can you tell when I lie or speak the truth? Like a polygraph?"

"Not exactly, that's more my sister's thing," Tsukauchi chuckled, a small smile rising at the positive shift in the boy's attitude. "I can just sense the impression of whether someone is lying about something. Comes in handy in cases like these."

"Why not tell us this before?" Inko asked, curious.

"Most people would cage up and try to work around my Quirk if they knew about it beforehand," Tsukauchi bowed slightly. "I apologize if it was considered intrusive and not forward of me, but I wanted to be sure that you were being 100% truthful. You were and, if I can be completely honest, am both glad and angry that you were."

"Angry? Why?" Izuku inquired.

"Because some really bad people have been getting away with something inhumane, and I have the great urge to see them brought to justice," Tsukauchi stated, his blank eyes somehow more devastating than if he were glaring.

Izuku nodded slowly, his eyes lowering to the coffee table again. "And Bakugou?" he asked anxiously.

"With the extent of his actions, including non-licensed Quirk usage in assault, non-Quirk-based assault, acts that would frankly qualify as torture, and suicide baiting, Katsuki Bakugou will be heavily tried," Tsukauchi explained. "His actions will likely be reviewed and weighed over how much was his own actions, and how much his parents and the school were responsible for influencing him."

Izuku's heart jumped in chest. "No," Izuku said.

Tsukauchi blinked, shocked. "No?"

"Bakugou's parents. Mitsuki and Masaru," Izuku clarified. "They're innocent. They didn't do anything wrong."

"Are you sure, Young Midoriya?" Toshinori asked, concerned. "Many kids often carry over traits or behavioral patterns from their parents."

Izuku looked up, glaring at Toshinori challengingly. "I'm sure," Izuku nearly growled. "Before Bakugou made it his mission to ruin my life, his parents were like my godparents. Aunt Mitsuki was a childhood friend of my mother, and she and her husband treated me like a son, too. They wouldn't ever condone or influence Bakugou into acting that way."

Toshinori gulped at the strong glare from the young man, but couldn't help but feel awed at the protective and selfless spirit of the boy. Most in his position would gladly let the desire for revenge cloud their judgment and paint anyone associated with the guilty party as guilty, too. Still, Young Midoriya truly cared only about justice, willing to let the guilty stand trial for their actions while preserving the innocent.

Toshinori and Tsukauchi gazed at Inko, silently asking if her son's words were accurate. Even if the latter could tell no falsehood from Midoriya, Tsukauchi knew that perspectives can be skewed.

"Izuku is correct," Inko nodded, patting and rubbing her son's shoulder. "Before this, I met with Mitsuki, told her all about this. She had no idea. Mitsuki might have a temper, but she swore that she never knew or condoned her son's actions. Her husband, Masaru, is not the kind of man to endorse such actions either."

"So you are aware, the results of a lawsuit could lead to monetary compensation, a healthy sum, I imagine," Tsukauchi pointed out. "Yet this can be amended on your request. Are you sure that you don't wish for any monetary compensation from the Bakugou's?"

Izuku and Inko shared a look and nodded. "Yes, I am sure," Inko declared. "I want to see the people responsible brought to justice, but not them. Never them."

Tsukauchi frowned, nodding understandingly. The detective didn't have the heart to inform her that once word of this got out to the public, the Bakugous would still face the fallout of their son's decisions.

"Very well," Tsukauchi said, making a note of Inko Midoriya's wishes. "My officers and I will start looking into Aldera as extensively as we can. To ensure a successful operation, we will keep your lawsuit as secret as we can, and once we have all the evidence we can gather, we'll strike. Given the high stakes and profile of this venture, this process will likely take a month to complete, and that is before the trial and verdict. Is this acceptable?"

Inko nodded, giving her silent approval.

"Understood," Tsukauchi nodded. "You have my word, Mrs. Midoriya, Izuku, we will see justice delivered to the highest extent of the law."

"Same here," Toshinori spoke, immediately tensing Izuku. "Rest assured, All Might, when he hears of this, will stop at nothing to correct this injustice."

"Forgive me, Yagi-san, I mean no offense to you when I say this, but it is quite hard to believe you," Inko glared lightly at the skinny man.

Toshinori gulped at the motherly rage he could sense from the green-haired woman. "I am aware that All Might has wronged your son in the past-" Toshinori started.

"Wronged?" Inko growled out the world with such venom. "Wronged doesn't begin to describe it. Your boss saved my son's life twice, and I'll be grateful for that, but he dismissed my boy's dreams with such callousness. Do you recall what he said to him?"

Toshinori lowered his head, his blue eyes hidden shamefully within the sunken eye sockets. He nodded shamefully.

"He told my son to find a more 'realistic dream.'" Inko's growl became more venomous. "Can you imagine how humiliating such a statement sounds after how he's been treated for being Quirkless? That very same day, his worst bully, his former childhood friend, and my former godson/nephew told my boy to jump off a roof for a better life and Quirk. And where did your Number 1 Hero leave him?"

"I... He didn't know," Toshinori caught himself before he slipped.

"My son told him he was Quirkless beforehand. Did any of you know how Quirkless people have been treated? What most are driven to do? Or did you not care?" Inko questioned critically.

Inko Midoriya's words like sledgehammers to his chest. 'She's right,' Toshinori thought dejectedly. He truly did not know how Quirkless people had been treated these days. Back when he was Quirkless, he was looked down on, yes, but not to the same extent as Midoriya was. The worst Toshinori experienced was pitiful looks and mocking laughter about his dream to be a Hero and the Symbol of Peace. All Might foolishly thought that things would improve as he became the Number 1 Hero, that his shining example would bring a more just and peaceful society. The reality he saw was a cold slap to the face.

Izuku finally stood up from the couch, eyes unseen by the shadow of his hair. "Can I please speak to Mr. Yagi? Alone?" Izuku asked.

The request brought surprised looks from the adults, All Might especially.

"Sweetie, are you sure?" Inko asked, concerned.

Izuku nodded silently, his hard gaze on the hidden Number 1 Hero.

Reluctantly, Inko nodded her approval, and after a nod from All Might, Izuku wordlessly gestured for the hidden hero to follow him.

All Might entered Izuku's room, surprised by how empty it was. Other than a bed, a desk with a chair, a laptop, a row of notebooks, and a few posters of Best Jeanist and Miruko, alongside their figurines and Endeavor's, the room was fairly barren.

"Not what you were expecting?" Izuku asked when he entered the room after him, closing the door behind him.

"Heh, with how much you said you were a fan of mine, I expected some posters or figurines," All Might chuckled honestly.

Izuku's frown deepened. "I did. Before that day, this room was littered with posters and figurines of you, special edition," Izuku revealed, gesturing to the room. "This is all that remains."

The silence and lack of anything All Might spoke for itself. "Oh," All Might simply said, unsure of how to respond.

"What are you doing here, All Might?" Izuku asked tiredly.

Toshinori was silent for a moment, weighing what he could possibly say. The hero came up with, "What I always say: I'm here to help."

Izuku gave a humorless chuckle. "Yeah? You have quite the timing," Izuku spat out.

"Listen, Young Midoriya-"

"Did you forget what I warned you?" Izuku stopped All Might cold, glaring at him threateningly. "Or did you conveniently forget about it, like being Quirkless?"

All Might remained silent, mouth in a firm line as he nodded.

"And yet you still risked coming here," Izuku said, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because I meant what I said," All Might stated. "I'm here to make things right, and right now, that is helping you."

Izuku said nothing, inspecting the Symbol of Peace for any sign of a lie or treachery, and finding nothing. For a moment, Izuku regretted not having the detective come along with his lie detector Quirk to verify. 'Then again, who's to say he wouldn't lie to me either?' Izuku thought, realizing that All Might and the detective must have been acquainted in some capacity.

"And this isn't about your Quirk?" Izuku questioned, narrowing his eyes. "You mean to tell me that you being here isn't some desperate attempt to get me to reconsider?"

All Might gave his own humorless chuckle. "Would you believe me if I said no?" All Might asked pointedly.

Izuku let out a sigh through his nose, granting the Symbol of Peace a bit of credit. "No, I wouldn't," Izuku admitted.

All Might turned away, gazing at the blank walls, wondering how many posters of his smiling face and encouraging words there must have been in this room, how long the young man must have looked to them and seen hope, only to have it crushed by the man himself because he was too bitter and stupid. Toshinori understood; if he were in the same position, he'd likely do the same.

"You still haven't reconsidered," All Might said, more an answer than a question.

"No," Izuku said, his left fist clenching tightly on his desk. "And you're okay with that?"

"One For All is a Quirk that is meant to be given willingly, not forced onto someone," All Might explained. "I meant what I said back then. You are worthy to inherit it, but if it is not what you want, I can't and won't force it onto you."

"Good," Izuku nodded, doing his best not to look too relieved.

"And you are still willing to pursue this path without a Quirk?" All Might took his turn to ask.

All Might barely caught the faintest twitch in Midoriya's features, his emerald eyes glancing at his left wrist for a split second.

"Yes," Izuku answered. "I've found my own way to be a Hero, and I'm doing it my way." Izuku stared at the man who was his greatest idol and example of a Hero. He thought about Bakugou, his former childhood, for a long time, being his Symbol of Victory. No more. "I'll be my own Hero and surpass you, whether you like it or not."

All Might sighed, pushing back the defiant, desperate call of One For All itself, and accepted the answer. "I understand, and I believe you," All Might said, gazing at the young man he failed in every sense of the word. He knew there was no rewriting the past, and the Symbol of Peace had to accept it and move on, just like Izuku Midoriya did.

Izuku sat up from his desk, reaching for the row of notebooks, grabbing the only one set on top of them. All Might recognized it immediately: it was Midoriya's 'How to be a Hero' Journal #13. "Unlucky number. I should have seen it coming," Izuku muttered to himself as he gazed at the notebook and its burn marks. Izuku turned to All Might and reached out. "Take it."

All Might gaped in surprise, staring between Midoriya and the journal. "B-But, Young Midoriya, it's your-"

"I already replaced it. I don't need it anymore," Izuku revealed, gesturing to the row of notebooks, and, sure enough, there were still 13 left, the latest one, fresh, clean, and unburnt. "Take it. Think of it as a gift, a memento, or something to punish you for the rest of your days. That's up to you."

Silently, All Might nodded and took the book. Staring down at the book, Toshinori noticed something he had overlooked. The way the book was burnt did not look like it was set on fire: there were blast marks.

"Did he-" All Might paused, already knowing the answer to who destroyed the book.

"Use it as evidence in the case, if it'll help," Izuku shrugged. "I'm done letting the past hold me back. You did."

All Might knew what Midoriya meant, but the boy couldn't be more wrong if he tried. Still, the hero said nothing, turning around and opening the door to leave. Before he did, Toshinori Yagi looked back one last time. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I don't want it," Izuku said, likewise turning his back on All Might as he gazed out the window. "Be better."

All Might nodded, and without another word, he stepped out and shut the door.

Alone in his room, Izuku finally let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, a single tear falling from his cheek.

'As they say, the past is prologue,' Izuku thought, walking toward his desk again, opening a drawer to reveal another notebook. Fresh, untitled, and new. Izuku raised his arm, pulling back his sleeve to look at the Watch, gleaming green and expecting. 'This is where my story starts.'

Time skip...

1 month later...

Katsuki Bakugou was fuming. Scratch that, he was livid, and has been so since the Sludge Villain Incident.

Ever since that day, things started going wrong for Bakugou one day after another. First, the obvious Incident that gained him notoriety that he didn't want. Of course, if things were normal, Bakugou would eat up the attention and fame as something to further his tale as the next Number 1 Hero, another arc in his 'rise to riches' tale he'll write about when he surpasses All Might.

However, when that attention was about his biggest failure, it was aggravating rather than desirable. It was one thing to be captured and nearly killed by a Villain, despite Bakugou's powerful, unstoppable Quirk. The incident he would have digested better if it were only All Might that saved him, but no, he had to be saved by shitty Deku of all people. Shitty, Quirkless Deku somehow managed to pull him out of the Sludge Villain, where he and other Pros failed, where Bakugou nearly died, and that was one blow to his pride he didn't like at all.

What was worse was that his extras for classmates and lackeys caught wind of this and couldn't stop haranguing his ear about it when he wanted to ignore it. They tried pestering him to see if it was true that Deku pulled him out, wondering, hoping really, it was perhaps a lie the media or Deku orchestrated to make the useless nerd look good. Bakugou wished that were the case, but the shitty nerd couldn't be capable of doing that, neither having the power nor the pull to make such a mass lie possible or tell a lie, period. Unless that lie was something Bakugou forced him to say.

This wasn't the only annoying and infuriating question the extras asked him. They ranged from asking if he fought back as bravely as the news thought, how he felt back then, and a ton of other questions he couldn't give a shit about remembering. One girl even had the nerve to ask if Deku looked cool when he pulled him out of the Sludge Villain! Bakugou was tempted to blast her pretty face off, maybe get his lackeys to make that girl's life hell till she apologized, but thought better of it. Making a big deal out of that question would only fan the flames, make him seem afraid or his pride wounded, and Bakugou was never afraid, and he sure as hell wasn't butthurt about it. He wasn't! He wasn't...

The next thing that went wrong was at home, more specifically, with his mother. He had come home one day after hanging out with some of his lackeys. He hadn't been able to go hang out with them for that week because his shitty school gave both him and Deku one week of a break to 'cope with the trauma'. Bakugou adamantly refused to accept it, not wanting to seem weak, but he had no choice and was thus stuck mostly at home because his hag of a mother wouldn't let him leave the house alone after the Incident.

Then on that day, he found his mother crying on the sofa while his weak-ass father was comforting her. He was confused, shocked, even. His mother never cried; she was always so strong-willed. It was something he respected about her, no matter how annoying she could get. When his parents noticed him, Bakugou only got more confused. His mother only started crying worse while his father actually glared at him. Katsuki knew it was about him, but he couldn't make heads or tails of why. He didn't get into any trouble, he didn't commit a crime; Katsuki Bakugou did nothing wrong.

Then he found out the truth: his parents had found out the truth about him bullying Deku. All of his and his lackeys' actions against the nerd, and even what he said at school the day of the Sludge Villain, his suicide baiting, they knew. Deku fucking blabbed! His mother said she found out from Auntie Inko. That took a bit of wind off his sails. The lie he had ready to refute everything that Deku said as false, dying on his tongue. There was no way that his mom would claim Auntie Inko was a liar; there was no getting out of this.

His parents were livid with his actions, as if they weren't justified. The nerd was spitting on the name of Heroes! Looking down on him, him! Thinking his weak, Quirkless ass could ever be one of them. As if he were on the same level as the great Katsuki Bakugou, if not greater! Katsuki knew it the moment useless Deku held his hand up to him after he fell into that river. It wasn't big, he wasn't hurt, nothing could keep him down, but Deku still raised his hand, asking if he was hurt with those worried emerald eyes. This weakling Deku, who couldn't do anything right, was trying to play the Hero, trying to help him, his better, and Bakugou couldn't let that stand.

That was the start of his side-quest: to prove Deku wrong. Katsuki Bakugou wasn't as weak as Deku thought he was. He didn't need the help Deku thought he needed. Deku wasn't better than him; he was better! It didn't matter if Bakugou roughed Deku up, showing him his place as a pebble on his road to glory, something weak and pathetic he could kick around to his liking, stopping him from even trying to become anything more than the useless failure he was. It was Deku's fault for being born Quirkless, for ruining Auntie Inko and Uncle Hisashi's lives with his disgraceful genetic failure. It was Deku's fault for being born wrong.

For as annoying as they were, all the extras and the teachers agreed with Katsuki and his beliefs. They praised him when he showed the nerd his place; they worshipped the ground he stepped on, as they should, and when the nerd tried to go against the natural order, he was stomped down. This was how things were supposed to be. His parents didn't see that. They saw his actions as those of a heartless bully, a Villain, a monster. Katsuki would have raged at anyone calling him a villain, but his parents calling him a monster hit far harder than he cared to admit or expected.

He was effectively grounded for the entire year, forbidden from hanging out with his lackeys, going to the arcade, the movies, anywhere, or even using his Quirk outside of whatever training they deemed acceptable. Any toe stepped out of line, they'll make sure they won't support his application to U.A., financially or otherwise. Katsuki was even forbidden from stepping so much as a foot anywhere near the Midoriyas or their residence, in fear that he would attack Deku. It was ridiculous! Because of fucking Deku opening his fucking mouth, he was basically under house arrest outside of going to school, his parents threatening to keep him from his dream school, and even hindering his training by limiting it. It was complete bullshit!

Bakugou saw red since then. He was actively salivating at the thought of going back to school and seeing Deku again. He was willing to look away, give the nerd a freebie, and not bother him for the rest of the year; he was merciful like that. But after all of this, the nerd will be lucky to be breathing when he is done with him! He wasn't afraid of his parents finding out; the school and the extras for all their shitty-ness would never rat him out and spoil their chance to bask in the light of his glory, like they ever will. 'Deku must think he's hot shit, thinking he saved me. Thinks he can get away with going against his betters. I'll make sure to remind that worthless freak his fucking place!' Bakugou thought back then.

Unfortunately, the object of his revenge wasn't at his desk. Bakugou first thought that Deku ran like the coward he was and was willing to ditch school to avoid facing him, but then the teacher informed them that Deku had transferred out of school! All his plans on how he would torture the bastard went up in flames.

The class celebrated being rid of the freak, but Bakugou was fuming. Now, he couldn't put Deku in his place, and he didn't know where he went. His parents, if they knew, wouldn't tell him, and he couldn't go to Auntie Inko or Uncle Hisashi to explain himself, let alone let him see Deku or tell him what school he transferred to. The thought of seeing Auntie Inko or Uncle Hisashi's disgusted faces turned something inside him. They were always nice to him, better than his hag mother, and Deku's dad actually had a spine. Often, Bakugou wondered if he and Deku traded dads; his meek, timid, weakling of a father fit with Deku more than him.

Without Deku around to satisfy his desire to rough him up and let off steam, he had only been getting angrier and angrier, desperately looking for any way to find a new worthless pawn to rough up or find Deku and make him pay.

And here Bakugou was, stewing in rage at his desk, barely paying attention to his suck-up teacher when a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Urgh, who could that be?" The teacher muttered, annoyed. He marched over to the door and opened it, revealing a man in a trench coat and hat, flanked by two police officers. His teacher and the whole class were surprised, including Bakugou. "C-Can I help you, officers?"

"Are you Mr. Nikushimi?" The man in the trench coat asked.

"Y-Yes, I am," His teacher said, flustered. "W-What's this all about?"

"And is one Katsuki Bakugou a student in this classroom?" The man asked further.

This time, it was Bakugou who was shocked, freezing up.

As his teacher nodded, sweat dropping like bullets down his bald brow, the man inquired further, "Can you point him out to us?"

Even if his teacher hadn't pointed him out, the eyes of his extras-for-classmates all looking at him would have given him away.

"My name is Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, and I'm placing you both under arrest," The detective flashed his badge before directing the officers beside him. "Take him."

"What?! T-This is preposterous!" Nikushimi was grabbed by the cops and roughly pinned against his desk. His hands were grabbed and cuffed with Quirk Suppressant cuffs, something he learned the police didn't bust for any normal arrest, only the serious ones. The students were all frozen at what was happening. "On what charges?!"

"Illegal tampering of records, gambling, perverse handling of disciplinary authority, conspiracy, and attempted cult-like influencing of adolescents," Tsukauchi listed coldly as he entered the room. "This entire school district and all its teachers are Meta Liberation Army supporters, and we're shutting you all down."

"W-WHAT?!" Nikushimi exclaimed, wide-eyed, terrified, and enraged. "T-That's All A LIE!"

"You're lying," Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes at him. "My Quirk can tell if you are lying, and you are."

Nikushimi's eyes lost their anger, and he paled horribly.

Tsukauchi scoffed and turned away in disgust at him. His gaze fell upon Bakugou. "And you, Katsuki Bakugou, for illegal Quirk usage, on a person no less, assault, and torture," Tsukauchi brought out his cuffs. "Don't resist or run, or resisting arrest will be added."

Everything froze, the world turned upside down, and reality crumbled around him. Katsuki Bakugou felt like he was living a nightmare, but no matter how hard he pinched himself, he couldn't wake up. 'No, this isn't happening. It can't be happening!' Bakugou suddenly found it hard to breathe. Subconsciously, Bakugou turned around, expecting to see Deku there to back him up, to do what he always did and take the fall for him.

Except there was no green-haired student, only the frozen, wide-eyed horror of another extra whose name he didn't know. Something inside Bakugou broke, and for the first time in forever, he was missing the nerd he couldn't shake off.

Turning back to the cops, another figure made himself known: All Might.

The Number 1 Hero ducked and squirmed his way into the room, past the officers, dressed in his Golden Age suit, the ever constant smile on his face as he radiated power with his very presence.

Bakugou's hope surged; his mouth widened into a smile. 'Yes! He's Here! All Might will set things right! He'll tell these idiot cops that they are making a mistake!'

His hopes were dashed when All Might saw him and that smile, for the first time, fell into a snarling frown. "Do not resist, young man!" All Might declared, his booming voice practically growling with venom. His burning blue eyes were glaring daggers at him like he was the worst Villain alive. "I Am Here to see your crimes brought to justice!"

There was only one thing that Katsuki Bakugou could think of at that moment: 'Fuck.'

Chapter Text

Third POV

2 Months Later...

July 15, 20XX

"It's about time you called."

"Well, I guess that's a unique way of saying Happy Birthday."

"All I'm saying is it took you this long to call your favorite cousin?"

"Yeah, yeah, I miss you, cuz," Izuku said, rolling his eyes at his screen.

On the screen of his laptop was none other than one of his surrogate cousins from America: Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, or Ben.

The 18-year-old young man on the screen looked exactly like the last time Izuku had called him: messy brown hair, a healthy shade of white skin, and vibrant green eyes that, coincidentally, matched his own. From where Ben sat, Izuku could see that he wore a white hoodie over a green shirt, a bright green zipper running down the middle, green stripes along the biceps, and green wrapped around the sleeves and waist. It hid them well, but Izuku could tell the healthy bit of slender muscle Ben had underneath the hoodie.

"Damn, cuz, do I need glasses, or does that look like muscle?" Ben narrowed his eyes at him, a smirk rising on his lips.

"Hehe, no, you're not seeing things," Izuku chuckled, slightly embarrassed as he rolled up the sleeves of Ben's gifted jacket to reveal the beginnings of muscle on his usually scrawny arms. "I've been working out a lot lately. Clearly not as much as you, Ben."

"Yeah, well, Grandpa Max's training routine is hell on literally anywhere, but the results speak for themselves," Ben bragged, flexing his arms. "But don't worry, cuz, you'll get there soon."

"Thanks, Ben," Izuku smiled widely.

"So, how're things going over there?" Ben asked, his smile wiped away into an uncharacteristically serious look. "Grandpa and Gwen were a little slim on the details."

Izuku sighed before coming clean, revealing to Ben all that had happened starting three months ago, from getting attacked by the Sludge Villain, his meeting with All Might, sans any mention of his true form or One For All, and Bakugou's infamous piece of 'advice'. Needless to say, Ben's uncharacteristic look morphed into one of pure venom.

"That sick son of bitch!" Ben cursed loudly.

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson! Language!" Izuku and Ben cringed as they heard a woman's yell somewhere on Ben's end.

"Sorry, Mom!" Ben apologized loudly. Ben sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry, Izuku. I know that jerk's mom isn't a bad person from what you told me of her."

"It's alright, Ben," Izuku brushed off the apology. "I get it."

"Yeah, well, I still don't get how you stuck around that asshole for so long," Ben grumbled, his voice lower to avoid angering his mother again. "If it were me, I'd slug him right in his smug face!"

"You don't have to worry about him, Ben. None of us do," Izuku replied, eyes glazed with recent memories.

"Oh, right, Grandpa said you and Aunt Inko sued that crappy school of yours," Ben muttered in remembrance. The brown-haired teen blinked as he registered the small grin on Izuku's face. "Wait, you got Baka-douche, too?!"

"It's a long story," Izuku said.

"Well, story away," Ben gestured eagerly for Izuku to continue. "Beats sitting on the couch with Mom watching those God-awful romantic comedies. Bleh!"

Izuku chuckled at Ben's exaggerated gagging. Seeing no reason to refuse, Izuku began detailing the events of the past couple of months.

Flashback...the past 2 months...

The systematic destruction of Aldera and Bakugou took a couple of months of courtroom sessions and interviews for Izuku and Inko Midoriya, but the results were worth it.

Most of Aldera's staff and faculty were arrested, along with Katsuki Bakugou and a few other senior students who ranked among Bakugou's most well-known lackeys, supporters, and collaborators in Izuku Midoriya's suffering. A number of them attempted to resist arrest, threatening to use their connections, even, but once they saw All Might's scowling face, they gave in rather quickly. The rest of the student body had been forced to participate in various interviews about the true nature of Aldera, and thus to admit either their own actions or lack thereof.

The days were filled with trials that lasted far longer than Izuku and Inko wished, the latter suspecting that these 'connections' that the Aldera staff possessed were interfering, but with Tsukauchi's reputation as a trusted detective, the evidence, and All Might himself aiding the investigation, whatever influence Aldera's staff held was quickly dismissed.

Izuku's truthful testimony and photographic evidence of his scars were already damning on their own. Still, the testimonies garnered from the various students of Aldera, after repeated warnings of the consequences of lying, only dug the staff's grave deeper and deeper. However, the final damning revelation that sealed their fate was their connection to the Meta Liberation Army.

The group was considered a terrorist cell that posed a grave political and societal threat back in the early days of the Dawning of Quirks. Formed and led by Destro, considered one of the most infamous Villains of Japan's history, they protested society's rules and views on Quirks, calling them Meta-Abilities, and championing the right of a person to use their Quirk freely and without consequence.

Their protests started peacefully enough, but over time, radicals and embittered emotions turned a once idealistic reformist faction into violent criminals and dangerous terrorists. Over the years, after their public disbandment, their ideals were only further corrupted into far more radical and extreme ones, ranging from a barbaric sentiment that the strongest, most complex Quirks were in some way superior and deserve the right to lead and rule to the belief that Quirks were the next stage of human evolution and all those who didn't possess them, i.e. the Quirkless, were relics of a bygone era, pitiful fossils abandoned by evolution and destined to perish at best and walking cancers at worst, believed by their number to be dismissed and wiped out as karmic retribution for the acts of their hateful ancestors.

What Destro's views and opinions on these changes were lost to time, varying tellings of his past and actions, and his own death. Destro would write his gospel in his cell before taking his life: The Meta Liberation War. The book was controversial, but that didn't stop its influence from spreading. While possessing the book was by no means a crime, the rabbit hole that Tsukauchi and All Might found in their investigation revealed Aldera to be a sect of a hidden, still-operating Meta Liberation Army, and the school district doubling as an MLA recruitment center, tasked with warping the minds of impressionable youth to believe in the cause and spread the group's influence.

Upon hearing this, even the HPSC, the Heroic Public Safety Commission, stepped up to act. They were the agency tasked with managing Heroes, their various agencies, and their interactions with society, and they were clearly displeased at the notion of the old terrorist group reforming under their noses. Under their orders, the investigation was kept as quiet as possible, much to Inko Midoriya's displeasure, yet there was very little she could do, and the benefits she and Izuku stood to gain from following their lead were enough for Inko to play alone, for now.

Very quickly, all guilty members of Aldera's staff and faculty were found guilty and sentenced to varying years in prison. The Midoriya family would be compensated monetarily, equivalent to the amount Inko Midoriya spent on her son's education during Aldera's sphere of influence, both in Junior High and High School, with interest, and the extra money spent on replacing Midoriya's dozens of ruined uniforms, earning the Midoriya family a small fortune.

Izuku and Inko didn't care much for the money. For Izuku, he was just relieved to be free of this dark chapter in his life, and that others wouldn't suffer Aldera's cruelty, as he did. For Inko, however, the looks of rage, fear, and despair from the Aldera staff were all the payment she could have ever wanted.

The truly complicated factor in all this was Katsuki Bakugou.

The explosive teen attempted to portray the act of an innocent young man, unfairly treated and set up by his bitter, jealous, Quirkless classmate. Izuku had seen the act before, whenever Bakugou was caught bullying him by an adult who Bakugou deduced would take offense to his actions, regardless of whether Izuku was Quirkless or not. Izuku had seen it work so many times, even on his parents, that, in various moments during the testimonies, he feared Bakugou would get away with it again.

Bakugou's parents were his undoing. When Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugou confessed to the true horrid behavior of their son, and the comments they would pick up from the boy and his lackeys, Bakugou's facade broke, and he immediately lashed out verbally against his own parents and, to his grave mistake, Deku. When the jury, judge, and audience witness firsthand Bakugou's verbal abuse toward Midoriya, along with the promise to 'make sure he regretted snitching on him', Bakugou's fate was sealed.

However, the HPSC pulled its strings again; Inko was sure of it. It was concluded that Bakugou and the other students were likewise victims of Aldera's corruption, and thus their punishments were altered. Lessened though they were, the punishments were still harsh. Every student in Aldera, save for Midoriya and a lucky few who were merely helpless bystanders, would be banned from ever attending a Hero University. To Izuku's schoolmates, who all dreamed of becoming Heroes, their dreams collapsed into pieces. The most complicit in Izuku Midoriya's suffering would also either be subjected to restraining orders, forbidden from stepping anywhere near their former victim in case of retribution, or outright sent to juvenile detention centers. All other Aldera Junior High and High School students would be effectively transferred to other schools.

Bakugou's fate was the most obvious to have been interfered with. While their classmates had been outright banned from any and all Hero Universities, Bakugou had only received a 10-year ban. Instead of being sent to juvie -or prison in Inko Midoriya's opinion- the blonde was sentenced to an equally long house arrest, a tracking ankle monitor primed to keep the boy within the confines of his house, only permitted to leave in case of emergencies or required anger management courses, with any other subsequent times requiring permission from the HPSC itself. Any change to Bakugou's sentencing, whether it's a reduction or extension, would depend on his behavior.

Izuku's mother was furious at the clear favoritism shown toward Bakugou, and Izuku, for the most part, agreed, and he knew why.

'His Quirk,' Izuku deduced. It was the same reason why Bakugou was so favored in Aldera, why everyone groveled and bent the knee to him, and the HPSC were no different, given how Bakugou's Quirk was favorable to them. 'Explosion is a powerful Quirk, and Bakugou is a prodigy with it. It would be a waste if it were misused via neglect or turned to Villainy.' That was what Izuku imagined the HPSC higher-ups might have thought, and it was nearly verbatim why Aldera treated Bakugou like a prince. 'Or, more accurately, a prized pony they could ride the coattails of.'

Despite the anger and bitterness that burned within Izuku, the desire to yell out defiantly and expose this blatant agenda, the green-haired teen knew not to push his luck. As favorable as things had turned out ever since the Watch found him, Izuku had a feeling that he shouldn't test it. Luck, Izuku's experience, was rather fleeting and fragile.

Izuku was allowed one final courtesy: the end of his testimony. Izuku was given the chance to say any last words to Bakugou after his testimony, a way to say goodbye to his former tormentor. Izuku didn't think he had it in him to say anything, and, by the looks of everyone else, including the jury that had to listen and digest every bit of torture and injustice done to him that he described in detail -Izuku thought he saw one of the guys in the jury nearly hurl his lunch out- Izuku found the strength to do so.

Izuku looked into the furious, ruby eyes of his greatest tormentor, but in them, Izuku saw something he thought he had already let go: the Katsuki Bakugou that was his friend. Before his Quirk came in, Katsuki Bakugou was the closest thing Izuku had to a brother. Their moms were friends, practically sisters; the boys grew up together, played together, dreamt about being Heroes together. They both shared an admiration for All Might. Where Izuku saw a Hero who could save everyone with a smile on his face, Bakugou saw an unstoppable force of nature in human form. They both developed their definitions of a Hero around those views. Sure, Katsuki was a selfish and testy brat even in those younger years, but Izuku thought that was just one of the things about having a friend and brother.

But after Bakugou got his Quirk and that fateful day by the stream, Izuku knew that version of Katsuki had died, replaced by something else. And, on that podium, Izuku finally let the Katsuki that remained know it.

"I never looked down on you," Izuku had said. "I know you thought I did ever since that day I reached out to you. You thought I saw you as weak, but it was the complete opposite. I respected you, looked up to you, almost as much as I looked up to All Might. You were strong, capable, you could do anything you let your mind to, and I wanted to be just like you. I chased after you because I wanted to be just like you. All Might may have been the Symbol of Peace, but you, Katsuki Bakugou, were my Symbol of Victory. More than that, you were my friend, my brother, and I loved you like one."

"But now I see, the boy I respected didn't come out of that creek. Not really. Instead, someone else took his place. Someone who thought being strong was the only thing that mattered, that strength alone was what made a Hero, and decided that everyone beneath him was somehow worthless. Aldera may have agreed with you, your lackeys may have backed you up, but we both know you believed every word they said. And that's the big tragedy here, isn't it? That no matter how much I tried, no matter how much I wanted to be like All Might, a Hero who could save everyone, I couldn't save you from yourself. And in a way, you got your wish, didn't you? The Deku I was, the Deku you believed couldn't do anything, the one that still saw you as a friend, I buried him that day. He took your advice, and I'll never be him again."

"I'm sorry, but not to you, to the Katsuki I let die by his own pride and hate," Izuku finished. "Goodbye, Kacchan, my brother, and goodbye, Katsuki Bakugou. I hope you can find peace, wherever in this new life."

As Izuku left the podium, he caught Bakugou's shocked eyes. For a fleeting moment, Izuku thought he may have seen something within those eyes: regret?

As the hate and venom returned in those blood-red eyes, Izuku sighed and shook his head, convinced he was just seeing things he wanted to come true. Izuku wouldn't know where Katsuki Bakugou's life would take him after this, or whether they would see each other again. Izuku wouldn't know whether his final words were what saved Katsuki Bakugou from a harsher sentence, and, if Izuku was honest, he didn't care.

Flashback over...

Back to the present...

"Damn. Like... damn," Ben whistled, at a loss for words. "You good, man?"

"I'm fine, Ben," Izuku nodded, smiling. "I'm finally free of Aldera and Bakugou, I got my Quirk, I'm forging a path of my own-"

"Woah, woah, woah! Roll that back! You got your what?!" Ben exclaimed, his green eyes widened.

"Yeah, um, turns out I did have a Quirk the whole time," Izuku said, wincing as he lied to his cousin. "Turns out it was dormant for so long because, without the right way to harness and access it, my DNA would warp and become messed up, changing me into different forms at random and painfully. My mom's friend managed to make a Support Item for me to stabilize my DNA."

"...You have it on you, don't you?" Ben asked, and if Izuku had dared to look closer, he could see the fear and worry in his cousin's eyes.

"Uh, yeah," Izuku rolled up the left sleeve of his jacket, revealing the Watch to Ben. When he did, Izuku could have sworn he heard Ben hiss and curse under his breath. "Ben? Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, yeah, I'm good, cuz!" Ben snapped out of whatever shock he was in, chuckling nervously. "It's just... woah. This is crazy."

"Uh-huh," Izuku nodded, not convinced.

"I mean, that Quirk of yours sure took its damn time," Ben continued, chuckling, rubbing the back of his neck. "Showing up after all the stuff you went through without it. Forcing you to be treated like me, and have only me as your friend."

A dagger of guilt stabbed into Izuku's heart, feeling horrible for lying to Ben. Izuku realized that Ben must be feeling abandoned, believing that he was the only one among him, Izuku, and Gwen to be Quirkless.

"Hey! I wasn't forced to be friends with you, Ben!" Izuku exclaimed, surprising Ben. "I didn't become friends with you because you and I were Quirkless. I became friends and cousins with you and Gwen because you treated me like a human being and not a walking disease. Playing games, pulling pranks on Gwen, surviving my Dad's and Grandpa Max's cooking-" Izuku and Ben both shuddered at the memory of the two men's Grub Worm Meal. Their shared disgust of their old men's cooking had them both laughing. "As far as I'm concerned, nothing's changed between us. You're still my friend, my cousin in all but blood, and no Watch or Quirk will ever change that."

Ben smiled warmly and nodded. "Yeah, you're damn right about that, cuz," Ben agreed. "So, does this mean you're still going for it?"

"Yeah," Izuku nodded, looking down at the Watch. "Even when I gave up on All Might, I didn't give up on my goal. Quirk or not, I'm going to be a Hero and be the Hero All Might couldn't be. Someone who saves and cares about everyone. No matter if they have a Quirk or not. No matter who our society overlooks. I'll be everyone's Hero."

"You'll always have my support, cuz, Quirk or not," Ben nodded, a proud smirk on his face. His smirk fell into a contemplative frown. "Just one thing: you aren't going to use my jacket as part of your Hero outfit, right?"

Izuku's cheeks grew red. "W-Well, I mean, it's a symbol of your support, so I thought-" Izuku cut himself off, burning red with embarrassment as Ben face-palmed.

"Dude, I gave you that jacket so you could have some cooler clothes than those stupid T-shirts, not so that you can scuff it up!" Ben chastised his cousin.

"Okay, okay, I get it! Casual use only!" Izuku waved his hands in surrender. "I guess I can have Mei make a version of it fit for combat. Maybe with padded armor. Oh, and maybe some of that stealth tech we've been working on. Maybe a button on the 10 to switch it from predominantly green to black for nightly missions... *mutter, mutter, mutter*."

"And there he goes again," Ben shook his head, his smile fond and amused. Suddenly, the brown-haired teen's brain caught up to Izuku's words. His eyes snapped open. "Wait a damn second! Who's Mei?"

Izuku snapped out of his muttering, his cheeks flaring up again. "Oh, right, well, because I got my Quirk, now, Mom and I thought it would be great practice to clean up Dagobah Municipal Beach," Izuku began explaining. "It's full of mounds of trash, so it would be great for hiding my Quirk and training with it, as well as building up some muscle and doing the community a service. When I went there the first time, I-" Izuku's cheeks began burning hotter. "I-I met a girl."

"A girl? Like an actual girl?!" Ben inquired insistently, his teasing grin rising with every word. "You didn't just make one out of the garbage, right?"

"Mei actually did that, as training dummies," Izuku scratched at his blushing cheeks. "She wants to go to U.A. to be a Support Item inventor, and so we formed a p-partnership. I help her preserve most of the junk for her inventions, which she calls 'b-babes', and let her be my personal inventor, and she helps me out with my training."

"Oooh! Someone's got a girlfriend!" Ben exclaimed with an exaggerated squeaky voice.

"S-Shut up! No, she isn't!" Izuku yelled, his whole face bright red. "She's just a friend!"

"Yeah? So, why does your head resemble a strawberry right now?" Ben teasingly pointed out. In truth, with his messy green hair and diamond-shaped freckles, Izuku's head did look like a strawberry.

Izuku groaned, slamming his head on the desk. "This is payback for Gwen and me poking fun at you and Ester, isn't it?" Izuku grumbled, knowingly.

"Payback is a B-I-T-C-H, isn't it?" Ben laughed, spelling out the word instead of risking his mother overhearing him. "Come on, show Cousin Ben what she looks like."

"Fine," Izuku groaned, pulling out his phone and showing a picture of the salmon-haired girl, specifically of her smiling in her black, form-fitting tank top, after fixing up one of her new 'babies', black smudges on her cheeks and bare shoulders.

"Jeez, dude! You sure hit the jackpot, there!" Ben whistled appreciatively, eyeing the busty girl. "You'd better man up and snag her up before someone else does."

"Mei isn't a prize to be fought over. She can go out with whoever she wants," Izuku frowned defensively at his cousin. "Do I need to call Gwen to give Ester the heads up about her boyfriend eyeing another girl?"

"Don't you dare!" Ben yelled, yet behind the anger was a deep well of panic and fear. The two cousins quickly broke down in laughter again. "Hahaha, oh man, but no, seriously, I guess we're still more alike than we think. Pink hair, Ester's pink hair and skin." Ben weighed the two imaginary girls in his hands, like on a scale.

"You're not wrong there," Izuku sighed, fussing with his hair. "She's coming over for the party. Just don't say anything. She's my first friend here since Bakugou. My first real friend, really, and I..." Izuku didn't finish, but Ben got the message.

"You don't want to risk losing her. I get it, man," Ben nodded sympathetically. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed."

"Thanks, cuz," Izuku smiled gratefully. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "Oh, that must be her!"

"Well, what are you sitting around for?! Get to it! Move! Move! Move!" Ben yelled at Izuku, waving his arms.

"Alright, Captain Tennyson!" Izuku scoffed, grabbing his laptop and rushing out of his room.

"I prefer Lieutenant Tennyson, thank you very much," Ben declared.

One day later...

"Come on, Muscles! Push with your legs! Really dig in and push!"

"Urgh, no offense, Mei, but I think I'm tired to the point that encouragement feels more biting than silence," Izuku groaned.

"Good! Anger and annoyance can be great motivators if you can use them wisely," Mei stated, grinning. "Just don't try to push too hard. I don't want to fall off just yet. I'm almost done with the blueprints for your Hero suit."

"Then why not sit by the bench and not on top of the fridge?" Izuku questioned as he panted.

True to his words, Mei sat on top of the large fridge that Izuku had been pushing up the beach's sandy shores. In the past three months, Izuku had cleared a good-sized portion of the beach, which Mei calculated was perhaps a fourth of the junk. The progress was enough that the beach's sandy ground was visible from where the waves hit to halfway to the rocky wall and stairs that were by the entrance. The piles of trash were no longer as mountainous as before, and the beach was slowly recovering to its former glory.

In fairness, the progress made was not solely due to Izuku manually clearing the beach. Mei contributed in a small part by collecting some junk, even the ones he hadn't moved, anything she desired for her babies, sometimes in such a daze that it reminded Izuku of when he fell into a muttering phase analyzing a Quirk or Hero; the green-haired teen even had to snap Mei out of her fervor and remind her that he was supposed to be moving the trash and her moving and taking it defeated the purpose. The experience was as enlightening as it was humbling to imagine how put off others might feel when he muttered. Izuku resolved himself to train that impulse out of him, or at the very least, tone it down.

Another factor in the beach's clearing was thanks to Izuku's transformations. As Izuku mentioned to Ben a day prior, Mei would often turn some piles of scrap and junk into makeshift training dummies to train his aliens, usually as targets, either stationary or swinging on ropes and pulleys that Mei set up. One alien of his in particular made discarding the junk rather effective; almost too effective that Mei had to scold him for going overboard in his own hungry fervor.

Still, the sight of the beach growing cleaner and more pristine filled Izuku with pride and the fire to continue. Feeling that fire again, Izuku began pushing again.

"The rumbling and bumps help stimulate my brain," Mei answered his question. "Plus, every bit of additional weight helps build your muscles faster."

"You're not that heavy, Mei," Izuku muttered with a blush. It wasn't just a compliment to her either. With his progress, Izuku didn't have any trouble lifting the salmon-haired girl anymore, and he had lots of practice dragging her unaware ass off and away from a piece of junk she sat on to tell the difference.

"Aww, thanks, Muscles! That's sweet!" Mei cooed. With her tone, Izuku assumed she was as unfazed as she normally was, but the obscuring angle from where he pushed kept him from seeing the genuine blush on her cheeks or how she twirled one of her salmon dreadlocks in such a girlish way she never thought she'd do.

Eventually, Izuku laid the bridge by the rocky wall next to the stairs, resolving to push the fridge up at an angle later.

"Nice job, Muscles!" Mei stated, jumping off the fridge to land beside him.

"You know, I still don't know why you even call me that. Izuku is just fine," Izuku muttered, wiping his brow of sweat.

"Didn't I tell you already? Remember how I met you as Four Arms?" Mei pointed out. "Quite the first impression."

"Yeah, well, the real me wasn't exactly as impressive," Izuku muttered self-deprecatingly. He had gotten more confident in recent months, but old habits were hard to break.

"Pretty much," Mei shrugged nonchalantly, making Izuku feel as if a comical weight fell on his head. Still, Izuku nervously chuckled at Mei's signature brand of perky, blunt honesty. "But hey, look at you now!" Mei patted the back of her hand onto Izuku's harder abdomen. "Finally put some meat on those bones! By the time we're done here, you'll be more muscular than me."

Izuku had definitely filled out noticeably from his scrawnier state. His once twig-like arms had thickened and grown with muscle, the same with his legs. His flat abdomen started to form the faintest lines of abs. Izuku even grew a full inch!

"Sounds like you're almost jealous," Izuku quipped back, smirking more confidentially. Izuku took the chance to gaze at Mei's arm muscles. Subtle, feminine, but no less impressive and attractive. "Afraid my future, awesome six-pack will leave you drooling?"

"Yep, and make me want to see if I can grate cheese on them," Mei replied, grinning widely.

Izuku chuckled, looking away to hide his blush from her. No matter how much progress he's made talking to girls, Mei is still an enigma to the green-haired teen. He couldn't tell half the time if the girl was serious or joking when her expressions rarely changed from that gosh-darned lovely smile.

"A-Anyway, with this fridge, I figured you might salvage the cooling system or use it for extra storage," Izuku gestured to the fridge, stuttering.

"Aww, Muscles, you know me so well!" Mei chuckled and slapped Midoriya's back in appreciation. Izuku gritted his teeth to keep the grunt from coming out of his mouth. No matter how strong he was getting, Mei's hands could pack a heavy blow, likely from all her engineering. "Maybe we'll get so close, we'll start finishing each other's sentences!"

"I doubt that, you maniac inventor," Izuku muttered.

"Oh, hush you!" Mei blew a raspberry at him. "Anyway, ready to start reviewing our journal entries?" Mei brought out an electronic pad and a film camera.

Izuku smiled, reminiscing over the blossoming friendship between him and Mei. The two had stuck to their agreement since their meeting here three months ago. Izuku helped move the trash to Mei's personal junkyard, thanks in part to her uncle's truck, and Mei would help him train with his aliens, using whatever junk she decided to build to build the obstacles, dummies, and equipment needed to test their individual abilities.

Another development was their documentation of Izuku's alien forms. Izuku had shown Mei his journals and the pink-haired girl loved them, even going over them with a level of analysis and speed that she managed to catch all his mutterings when he explained them further; it was something that made Izuku's heart clench in something he still feared to label, afraid to wake up from this life that still felt like a dream and be even more devastated.

Regardless of the continued disbelief of his current life, Mei agreed to help him document and analyze his alien forms, their abilities, stats, and weaknesses, something that, if Izuku had done so alone, would have wasted valuable transformation time. Mei also came up with the idea of creating a video-style archive of his abilities for visual aids and examples, alongside his written journal-based entries. They would likewise serve as good backups in case of losing a journal, as Hero Journal #13 showed him.

Izuku dubbed this new analysis series the Alien Archives. Mei was at first confused by the term 'alien' when referring to his transformations, but Izuku managed to lie his way through, explaining he called his transformations 'aliens' as a sort of brand and theme for when he becomes a Hero. Mei quickly agreed, seeing the style as a good marketing plan, even dubbing him the 'Galaxy Hero'. Izuku found the title a bit too dramatic, but said nothing, not wanting to spoil Mei's enthusiasm, at least since it wasn't putting him in grave bodily harm.

For the past three months, Izuku and Mei have made an entry for all 10 of his alien forms. Starting with:

Izuku's POV (Narration)

Alien Archive: Entry 1

Title: Fast & Furry

Codename: Fasttrack

Alien Transformation, Codename: Fasttrack, was one of the first aliens I transformed into in Endor Forest, as well as the fastest (thus far).

Its appearance is that of a feline humanoid with black and blue fur, razor-sharp nails and teeth, glowing green eyes, and black fur dotting underneath the eyes in the same diamond shape as my freckles. This transformation is clothed in a green-and-black-colored jumpsuit of sorts with the Watch's symbol on its chest. After further investigation, we've found that several of my transformations wear similar clothing, often in a green-and-black color scheme, with a few remaining completely bare. (Personal Note: It is unknown whether this means that those few alien species, should they exist outside the Watch, likewise live without articles of clothing, and if that is a custom that isn't regarded with shame as humans do.)

I decided to label each transformation with a codename to better distinguish them, both for my notes and for other individuals. Mei and I likewise agreed that this would be a good marketing strategy for when I go Pro, but fame and marketing are the least of my concerns or aims. The name Fasttrack was chosen after seeing this year's Sports Festival and watching the First Event, a sort of race across a track outside the stadium. Hearing my mom claim some of the students were particularly fast helped me light the metaphorical lightbulb in my head and come up with the name.

Mom noted that the name, along with a few others, sounded cheesy and something Dad would come up with. I choose to see the remark as a compliment, connecting me to Dad rather than an insult.

Regardless, Fasttrack's main abilities seem to include a dramatic increase in my thermal homeostasis and an accelerated metabolism. In layman's terms, he's really, really fast.

In this form, I can run at extreme levels of speed, along with agility, reflexes, and senses necessary for me to handle and respond to my speed without accidentally crashing all the time. I reason that this form must have some form of high metabolism that converts energy at such a rate to sustain my ability to run, think, and react fast; however, me and Mei have observed that I don't display any need for food proportional to how much energy I used in the transformation-which is a godsend, since according to Mei's calculations I would need to consume about hundreds upon hundreds of calories for Fasttrack alone.

Mei and I haven't been able to determine accurately just how fast Fasttrack can go. The piles of trash that still litter much of Dagobah Beach, as well as the beach's sandy terrain, slow down my traction, and the beach's limited space means the confines of this location hinder my speed more than anything. Mei suggested using the road beside Dagobah Beach, but after my unhindered speed caused actual damage to the road, the idea was scrapped.

Third POV

"Fasttrack Speed Test #6. Environment: City Road. Test 1!" Mei's voice announced behind the camera, holding up a whiteboard in front of the camera, her stated words written in dark blue markers.

Lowering the whiteboard, the camera adjusted on Izuku, now transformed as Fasttrack, stretching his legs in the middle of the road.

"Ready, Speedy Muscles?!" Mei called out.

"Born ready!" Fasttrack declared, short hopping in place.

"Alright," Mei said, lifting her hand to the camera frame, revealing a stopwatch. Fasttrack got into a runner's starting stance. "Three. Two. One. Go!"

Just as Mei clicked on the stopwatch, Fasttrack vanished from his position in a blue blur and kicked up dust and road. Mei could be heard coughing as the dust cloud obscured the camera.

A couple of seconds later, a roaring rush of wind sounded Fasttrack's return, clearing some of the dust. "So, how'd I do, Mei? I'm sure I was pretty fast, huh?" Fasttrack asked.

Mei's coughing as his response.

"Mei?" Fasttrack asked, slightly worried, slightly impatient. Looking down at his feet and seeing the torn-up road, first-hand, Fasttrack's ears dropped like a cat's. "Oh, shit."

Mei and I have observed that Fasttrack's speed is leagues above nearly all active pros, with the closest speeds comparable to Fasttrack being Turbo Hero: Ingenium, Rabbit Hero: Miruko, and All Might himself. We have surmised that Fasttrack's speed may become faster with the right conditions and training.

Accompanying factors that help with Fasttrack's speed include his senses and fur. The fur on Fasttrack's arms and legs seems to help stabilize my aerodynamics while running, keeping me balanced during long jumps or other acrobatic feats. On the flip side, though, his hair can cause trouble if tampered with. After I gave in and let Mei trim a few hairs—where she, basically, almost shaved most of my arms—I noticed my balance was off and had to slow down to adjust… right after I crashed into a pile of junk.

Third POV

The video came on with a shot of a grumpy Fasttrack, arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently on the sandy shore of Dagobah Beach, the fur on his right arm shaven off to reveal the dark skin underneath.

"Can we get this over with already?" Fasttrack grumbled.

"Alright, alright! Fasttrack Speed Test #9. Experiment: Shaved Fur. Test 1!" Mei declared, showing the written whiteboard briefly to the camera before dropping it, revealing Fasttrack bending his legs, ready to run.

"Alright, great, can we do this now?" Fasttrack grumbled, his tone testier and more impatient.

"Note: Subject as Fasttrack can be as grumpy and testy as a cat, too," Mei muttered.

"Mei!" Fasttrack yelled.

"Okay! Give me a moment!" Mei whined, her voice muffling as she put on a gas mask, a precaution they had heard start to wear after he got tired of coughing up dust and sand. "Ready? Three. Two. One. Go!"

Fasttrack took off, but not a second or two passed before she heard the speedy alien yell out, "Woah! Woah! WOAH!"

Mei hissed as she saw Fasttrack crash onto a pile of junk in the distance. The footage cut to Mei running down the beach toward where Fasttrack crashed. The footage cut again to Mei arriving on the scene, finding the blue-furred alien lying under a pile of junk, groaning.

"Muscles! What happened?! Did you slip on another banana peel or something?" Mei questioned.

"Urgh," Fasttrack only groaned in response, raising his shaved right arm before it fell slack.

With the hairs that Mei collected, we found that even when I transform back to normal, the hairs remained, meaning any part of my alien's physiology that is separated before I transform back may likewise remain. Mei found that, like most fur, it is flammable but only to high levels of heat and fire. I theorized that this quality helps resist the wind speeds and friction that Fasttrack would face at such speeds. In short, keep Fasttrack far from Fire or Heat-based Quirks. Additionally, we found, through evading projectiles launched from one of Mei's 'babies', that Fasttrack's fur can grant me a level of accurate spatial awareness.

Speaking of senses, Fasttrack also possesses a great deal of these, which helps not only with running but also with evasion and tracking. When training at night, we found that Fasttrack's eyes glowed in the dark and that I could see things clearly where I normally struggled. Mei found that Fasttrack's eyes have a special form of tapetum lucidum, the layer of tissue that allows animals to see in the dark by reflecting light; even the smallest amounts of light can be picked up by Fasttrack's eyes.

And if sight wasn't enough, Fasttrack's sense of smell and hearing were just as, if not more impressive. Fasttrack's ears can turn almost a full 360 degrees and are so sensitive that they can pick up sounds from as far as five thousand feet away! I theorized they might work even better in places where sound echoes, like caves or underground spaces. Unfortunately, this also means that loud, high-frequency noises are pure torture for Fasttrack.

Fasttrack's physical capabilities reveal that close-quarters combat is best. His razor-sharp claws are useful and can slash through metal with relative ease, though Fasttrack also has great physical strength, able to lift large amounts of weight with little issue. His leg strength is also amazing, which in retrospect sounds obvious. A single kick from Fasttrack can pierce a hole through a duffel bag, and his jumping abilities, especially while running, enable him to leap the largest piles of trash with ease.

Mei and I have also been focusing on a training method to use Fasttrack's speed, senses, and physical strength to make him a danger in close-quarters combat by evading, reacting, and countering against some of her more combat-oriented babies. (Personal note: It seems as if breaking Mei's inventions through testing and training is the best way to destroy them and not have her get mad. It rather makes her all the more determined to make them better or more durable. Scary!)

Fasttrack's most glaring weakness seems to be momentum, poor traction, and slippery surfaces. While testing my running capabilities on the beach, I found it very easy to slip and fall in the water, and other slippery substances Mei brought likewise made me slip and sent me flying, particularly if I was already running very fast. And while Fasttrack is clearly my fastest alien form, it is hard to slow down quickly enough, and the faster I go as him, the harder it gets to stop.

Plus, it's also within Fasttrack's nature to keep going, a factor not present in my other alien forms, only adding to problems when needing to stop when my own senses and instincts want me to go faster. It is something I made a note to keep practicing.

Another thing to be aware of about all Alien Forms is injury. As I have found many times with my crashes as Fasttrack, some injuries I obtain whilst in my alien form can be translated to my regular form. A bruise I got on my shoulder while transformed as Fasttrack remained when I returned to normal; however, the injury was less serious than I would have gotten it if I had received it in human form. This possible explanation could be that the pain and injuries are only translated to how damaging it would be in the respective alien form. And I am under no illusions to guess that fatal injuries are ill-advised, no matter what form I'm in.

In conclusion, Fasttrack is all about speed and senses and would be a perfect form for rescue operations from getting to a disaster zone, maneuvering acrobatically, sensing and tracking trapped and hidden civilians, and removing rubble with his enhanced strength; he would also be useful in transporting critically injured individuals to a hospital, though advisement in lessening my speed is required, as even with Mei's good eyes, she was still somewhat dizzy and ill after a test ride. Fasttrack would also be useful in tracking criminals and Villains, especially at night, and if they attempt to hide, his speed, reflexes, and proposed combat effectiveness would make him a good asset in taking the evil-doers down.

Alien Archive: Entry 2

Title: Armed & Dangerous

Codename: Four Arms

Alien Transformation, Codenamed: Four Arms, was the first alien I transformed when I met Mei and garnered the nickname 'Muscles' from that encounter, and has quickly made himself prominent as my strongest physical form.

His form is that of an enormous, crimson-skinned humanoid, with rough skin dotted by short spikes, including four small ones on each cheek arranged in a diamond formation beneath his four green eyes, much like my freckles. This form comes with clothing scaled to his size and build—a black-and-green tank top, bracers, gloves for each hand, and a belt bearing the Watch's symbol. Out of curiosity, I found the clothing can be removed, except for the belt, which seems permanently attached to Four Arms' body, much like the Watch is to my wrist. I concluded this is connected to the Watch's symbol and its function as a mechanism to revert to human form or transform into another alien—more on this later.

The trait that earned this transformation his name is his four powerful, muscular arms.

(Personal Note: I also discovered that each alien form has its own unique genitalia. Remarkably, all my alien forms seem to possess a member that is incredibly similar to a human male penis, with differences in them from each alien form, Four Arm's main unique differences being, that much like my number of limbs doubled, aside from my legs, so too does the genitalia for Four Arm's species compared to humans, both in number and size. Out of embarrassment, I have not experimented or tested any of their member's effectiveness, whether in production, use, or reproductive effectiveness, and don't plan to. Ever.)

Aside from multiple limbs and astonishing size and physique, Four Arms's main attributes are strength and power. Four Arms possesses immense strength and is capable of lifting not only multiple objects, thanks to his number of arms, but incredibly large and heavy ones at that. Currently, there stands nothing on Dagobah Beach that Four Arms can't lift, including a car or truck. Personally, if I were to use Four Arms exclusively to clean the beach, and factoring in how long I have before I would transform back and the Watch's recharge time, I could probably have cleaned up the beach already!

Four Arms's strength is more than just lifting; he's also great at punching. Every single material Mei has brought me, Four Arms has been able to crumble apart with a single punch or tear! Mei reckoned that titanium may be the only thing that could withstand a blow from Four Arms with only so much as a dent, though neither of us has the means to obtain some to test that. Four Arms's strength can also be used in many powerful ways, which threatens to expose our training sessions many times.

Third POV

"Alright, Four Arms Weightlifting and Hurling Test #2! Subject: Car," Mei announced, the marker on the whiteboard now in red. Lowering the board, it showed Four Arms standing in front of the busted-up-looking car, a look of apprehension on his face. "So? Ready to see how strong Big Red is, Muscles?!"

"I don't know, Mei. Isn't this a bit much?" Four Arms questioned. "I can lift the thing, no problem, but tossing a car seems a bit risky."

"Don't worry about, Muscles! I dismantled and removed anything in it that could blow up," Mei stated. "...Probably."

"What was that?" Four Arms perked his head up.

"Nothing! Now, lift, Muscles! Lift!" Mei commanded.

"Alright, don't say I didn't warn you," Four Arms muttered, cracking his four knuckles. Marching over to the car, Four Arms grabbed the car from the bottom with all four limbs and lifted, with very little effort. "Aha!" Four Arms raised the car over his head, smiling triumphantly and proudly.

"Woo! Go, Muscles! I knew you could do it!" Mei cheered. "Oh! Try it with just two arms!"

"You read my mind," Four Arms grinned, removing his lower two arms from the car, the four-armed, red alien still holding the car with little issue. "Ha! This is easy! I wonder if I can juggle it, too!"

"Okay, enough showboating. Now, toss the sucker!" Mei demanded enthusiastically.

"Alright, here goes!" Four Arms steadied himself, taking a few steps before chucking the car over his head. Mei directed the camera to see the vehicle sailing through the air. Both Mei and Four Arms laughed and chuckled... until the car comically whistled as it fell into a pile of junk at the far end of the beach. A loud crash resounded as the car crashed through the junk pile, and it toppled over, making even more noise.

Four Arms and Mei were both silent, staring at each other and the mess they had made. "Run," Four Arms simply said, and the two ran in the opposite direction, the footage cutting off with the panicked panting of both Mei and Izuku.

With his level of strength, Four Arms is capable of creating shockwaves, either from punching the ground and sending everything around me flying, or even by clapping my hands together to generate a powerful Sonic Clap, as I dubbed it, that was able to effectively part the water of the beach when directed at the waves. Again, because of the loud, destructive impact of these abilities, it had drawn the attention of law enforcement and Heroes to the beach, prompting Mei and me to make a quick exit.

Going hand in hand, fittingly enough, Four Arms's strength is paired with great physical endurance and resistance. Mei tested striking at me with multiple different kinds of weapons, ranging from baseball bats, crowbars, and even rubber bullets. While I may sound off the occasional groan or grunt, I barely receive any bruises, and only receive them after multiple and compounding physical damage. The thorns that sprout from my tough skin also provide a physical deterrent for anyone to strike there and make physical attacks that result in bare contact, often leaving the offender with a bruised and scraped hand.

Mei and I also tested many different environmental factors with each alien form and found that Four Arms was resistant to both extremely hot and cold temperatures and strong winds. It is in this record that I stated that Mei has absolutely no boundaries regarding how far she will go to test a theory or limit, save for lethal methods, and even that is often because others told her not to and snapped her out of her fervor.

That being said, Mei helped test Four Arms's resistance to heat and cold in very concerning ways. For cold, she locked me as Four Arms in a very cold freezer until I timed out, and we both found that I did not react other than an occasional shiver. Vice versa, when testing for heat resistance, my work cleaning the beach with him was already evidence enough, given that, as Four Arms, I don't even work up a sweat, even with carrying multiple heavy objects. The true, and very dangerous way to reveal this form's heat resistance was when Mei opted to push the boundaries by firing a literal flamethrower and laser at me!

Thankfully, I survived with little more than being covered in soot, and, as it turns out, my clothes as Four Arms are likewise fireproof and, to some extent, even laser-proof. When my mom heard about this, she went ballistic and gave both Mei and me a stern dressing down, Mei for 'antics' and me for letting her. Afterward, Mei had gotten better at showing restraint, even apologizing for going too far.

It's only with extremely sharp objects that Four Arms's durability is tested and found not invincible, but thankfully, Mei hasn't gone too far and tried to stab me with a chipped pipe... so far.

We also tested how Four Arms could traverse, and found some more strengths, but likewise some weaknesses. Starting with strength, Four Arms's jumping and leaping abilities were even greater than Fasttrack's, able to leap incredibly high, high enough to leap over a building, even to its roof, thankfully one strong enough to withstand the four-armed guy's heavy weight. Four Arms's fingers were also strong enough to make holes to grip onto and allow me to climb up walls, and his heavyweight made it so that strong winds from a large fan didn't so much as make me move an inch.

However, Four Arms's shortcomings, or rather, large-comings, then came. Thanks to Four Arms's large size and build, we quickly discovered that tight and small spaces weren't ideal for Four Arms to be in, and despite moving faster than you would expect, especially in his leaping capabilities, Four Arms was not a fast alien. His bulk made running harder, and while he has great reflexes, theorized to be thanks to the four eyes, his bulk made evasion lackluster and more likely to be hit by something than not. This means Four Arms's specialty drifts more to tanking and administering brute force with size, strength, and durability, so it's personally advised to keep any deadly abilities that Four Arms would not naturally be resistant to away by not selecting and chancing it with him. Specifically, electricity, which Mei and I, dreadfully, found that Four Arms really doesn't like.

When it comes to personality traits that Four Arms specifically alters in me, there isn't much. Other than a simpler-loving mind and pride when my strength is shown or appreciated, Four Arms barely alters my personality the same way that Fasttrack does.

Finally, with all of Four Arms's abilities listed, I find that Four Arms is a great all-arounder, but he excels in combat. With his strength and durability, Four Arms could potentially give All Might a serious match, and coupled with his heat resistance, he could tank most of Bakugou's largest explosions, though it's not like I'll have a chance to test that out nowadays, not that I would want to.

Four Arms would be perfect for taking on all manner of thugs and Villains, save for any electrical Quirks or even seriously damaging Quirks like perhaps necrotic effects or toxins. He would also be useful in rescue operations by lifting heavy debris and rubble, multitasking, and perhaps even using his large size as leverage to hold up any rapidly crumbling surface.

Alien Archive: Entry 3

Title: Small Size, Big Head

Codename: Grey Matter

Grey Matter is an Alien Transformation that is definitely more brains and less brawn.

Grey Matter is by far my shortest transformation, standing at over 6 inches, or, more precisely, 15.25 centimeters! His appearance is that of a humanoid frog or amphibious species, which might explain the size issue. Like Four Arms and Fasttrack, this transformation also wears clothes, specifically a black-and-green jumpsuit that covers my torso, shoulders, arms, legs, and ankles down to the tendon, and fingerless gloves. Weirdly, the Watch's symbol was on Grey Matter's back, but it was thankfully large enough for me to reach in case I needed to transform again.

Grey Matter's exposed skin was gray, with three long fingers and one thumb on each hand and three frog-like toes on each foot. A thin neck led to the head of Grey Matter, which might as well have been one-third of the transformation's height. The big amphibious head was grey, too, shaped like a rounded upside-down triangle with two large green eyes at the ends, black rectangular pupils, and eyelids that blinked horizontally. A black stripe ran down the forehead of the transformation to the middle of its head, and two slits below the large eyes were quickly discovered to be gills. Next to the gills and below each large eye were black freckles shaped, again, like diamonds. (Personal note: I find it interesting that out of all the things that seem to translate from me to my forms, the most consistent is the same color scheme of green and black, and my freckles.)

Easily, this form was discovered not to be a fighter, but rather a thinker—and oh boy, quite the thinker this form made me. Grey Matter's most prominent ability was his advanced intelligence and great calculative and technical expertise. Whatever 'baby' Mei brought to Grey Matter, I could fix and improve in seconds to short minutes, whatever calculations or equations, instantly solved, and what was weird was that when I returned to normal, anything I said, explained, or did as Grey Matter was almost imperceivable to me.

This form quickly became Mei's favorite as we fixed, improved, and made, in a technical, engineering sense, more of her 'babies', so much so that she begged and begged until I agreed to turn into Grey Matter once every day for 'Baby-making', as horribly out-of-context as that sounded.

Additionally, another fun fact about Grey Matter's intelligence was that he served as a universal translator for pretty much anything he was given, be it Russian, Mandarin, or even Latin. Any language Grey Matter was given that I couldn't make heads or tails of, he did so perfectly. I even used Grey Matter to help me with my Japanese and English. Whilst English became a more universally accepted language in the years after the Dawning of Quirks, it was still a help when it came to writing and grammar. (Personal Note: If anybody other than me or Mei is allowed to read this, don't tell Mom.)

Grey Matter, though, possessed more abilities than just super intelligence. Like a frog, Grey Matter can leap and hop like one, climb up walls using microscopic pads on his skin, breathe underwater with his gills, and even has a long and prehensile tongue—as well as a knack for bugs whenever I was hungry whilst transformed as him. Thanks to Mei smartly asking questions about this form whilst in it, Grey Matter helpfully explained that he had two brains: one to house his knowledge and skills, and the other dealing with basic activities and bodily functions.

Grey Matter may not be strong by any means, other than the surprising strength of being able to tear, fix, and handle large enough machinery nearly the same size as him, but his size can count for something. With his small size, I determined that he would be able to cross and enter hard-to-reach areas that my other forms and I would find impossible, and Grey Matter has some sharp teeth, as Mei can attest when I got annoyed and bit her finger.

When it comes to weaknesses, it's no surprise that the alien's small size and fragile body make fighting nearly impossible and make capture likely if spotted and grabbed. Grey Matter is also vulnerable to electricity, likely due to its amphibious biology.

And when it came to any personality changes, Grey Matter's made me, in my opinion, snobbish, proud, and rude even. It felt like my intelligence made me see everything and everyone around me, even Mei, look stupid. It was only when Mei displayed her smarts that I, as Grey Matter, began to regard her as an intellectual equal, or at least someone worth conversing with. Grey Matter also made me speak with an eloquent, sophisticated kind of vocabulary. Overall, I didn't like the change and had to actively remind myself when in that form to be as nice and caring as I normally was.

Grey Matter may be the physically weakest of my alien forms, but his size would be useful in some rescue and hostage situations. His small size, wall-crawling, and intellect are a good combo to sneak into any Villain hideout, a collapsed area in a disaster zone, or an active hostage situation, to which he could get behind the Villain and assess the Villain's defenses and patrol patterns, use his sharp teeth to tear apart a hostage's bindings, or even his intellect to disable the Villains with the technology around him.

Plus, Grey Matter would excel in international conversations, acting as a translator, a Support Item creator, as attested by Mei, and even reworking, updating, and obtaining more info for my Hero Journals and Alien Archives.

Alien Archive: Entry 4

Title: Sounds To My Lycan

Codename: Blitzwolf

When I first transformed into this Alien Transformation, which I would dub 'Blitzwolf', I thought that I was in a horror movie and had been bitten by a werewolf. Thankfully, that wasn't the case, and my mom and Mei did not have to buy silver bullets or lock me in a dungeon every full moon.

This alien transformation was basically an alien werewolf in all but name and curse-applying bite. His form consisted of a canine humanoid with grey fur covering most of his body, and darker, black fur on the creature's head, mane, and long furry tail. The alien's physique appeared more built and larger in its upper half than its lower half, with long, muscular arms with spiked shoulders and elbows, a fit, lean torso, and three razor-sharp claws for fingers. His legs were weirdly bent at the kneecaps, like a velociraptor, with its feet consisting of two claws at the front and a third talon at the back of the foot. His head was the most wolf-like aspect of the transformation, with a long snout, sloping triangular forehead, green eyes, sharp fangs, long pointed ears, and a black mane that ran down his backside to his tail. My diamond-shaped freckles were there too, though this time in grey fur underneath the eyes. This form also obtained clothing: a green, black, and white jumpsuit that covered my torso to my crotch, with the Watch's symbol on Blitzwolf's stomach.

When testing and figuring out what Blitzwolf could do, Mei and I first started down the obvious traits one would find in a wolf. First, the claws and teeth, which we found could slash through metal easily or tear apart with his powerful bite. His claws could tear into walls, allowing him to climb effectively, and when I was climbing up a mound of trash, I accidentally knocked over a pipe that was going to land on Mei. I acted instinctively, grabbing the pipe with my feet, showing that Blitzwolf's back claws could be prehensile.

Blitzwolf was shown to possess superhuman agility and speed, making any combat scenario with him surely dangerous for the opponent, as Mei's combat 'babies' could attest, as well as super strength and durability. If I had to compare Blitzwolf to any existing Pro with his skills, attributes, and strengths, then the Pro Heroes Hound Dog and Shishido come to mind.

Blitzwolf also possesses amazing senses, even greater than those of Fasttrack. When testing at night, we found Blitzwolf had extraordinary night vision like the Citrakayah, as well as a great sense of smell and hearing. The first of the latter two also made Blitzwolf an expert tracker. I had Mei hide a particular object deep in the junkyard while I was blindfolded and muted. She then came back, holding a bandanna that carried the object's scent, and when I transformed into the werewolf-like alien, I easily found it in minutes.

However, Blitzwolf's most notable ability was actually discovered by accident. Turned out, Blitzwolf's canine-like features extended into personality traits, and my desire to howl came up under a full moon. When I did so, I accidentally activated Blitzwolf's main projectile ability: his Sonic Howl.

Blitzwolf's mouth can split into four, revealing the insides of my mouth, and can fire out green ultrasonic waves in the sound of a howl. The howl almost knocked over another trash pile and nearly deafened Mei. With the knowledge of this ability, and the proper precautions, like earmuffs for Mei, we found that Blitzwolf's sonic howl was powerful, capable of breaking stone, glass, and even metal with the strength of its ultrasonic frequency. A shocking discovery was made when we tested Blitzwolf's howl on some of Diamondhead's crystals, which shattered into pieces. We even found it useful for reflecting projectiles launched at me, and as a form of propulsion when I fired it down at my feet and ended up flying to the top of a trash mound.

Third POV

"Blitzwolf Combat Course #4," Mei said, the markers of the board in purple, filming from a higher position, looking down at Izuku transformed into Blitzwolf.

Blitzwolf raised a clawed finger as his form of a thumbs-up.

Mei nodded, raising a gavel. They found that whistles, even dog whistles, were not a viable option for Izuku's most canine transformation. After a few seconds, Mei struck the gavel onto a stray piece of junk, and Blitzwolf was off.

The werewolf-like alien swiftly ran quadrupedally down their constructed training course. Mei worked as fast as she could to activate her babies as Blitzwolf made his way. With a pull of a lever, various training dummies sprang up along the course. Izuku went to work, leaping and slashing through the dummies with his sharp claws, even biting one of them and hurling its body into another, farther one. Blitzwolf jumped onto and off a wall toward another dummy and slashed it in half before continuing.

Behind the camera, Mei grinned and pressed a button on her remote. Instantly, several more dummies sprouted up and started firing tennis balls at Blitzwolf. The werewolf-like transformation dodged and rolled around the fire, getting hit with a stray ball once or twice. Blitzwolf grabbed a piece of stray metal with his prehensile feet and chucked it as he rolled, striking and decapitating it, shutting it down.

Leaping out of his roll, Blitzwolf's maw unhinged and opened up, before unleashing his Sonic Howl. Green, ultraviolet sonic waves fired out, blasting a few dummies to pieces. Blitzwolf canceled his howl to duck and roll under another volley of tennis balls. Blitzwolf howled again, this time louder, blasting away the tennis balls from him and striking at his targets.

Just as it seemed that all the targets were down, Blitzwolf's ears twitched. The canine transformation suddenly fired his sonic howl below him, launching him into the sky and evading a surprise secret dummy's fired tennis ball. Blitzwolf acrobatically twisted and rolled his body in mid-air till he leaped toward the dummy, the full moon behind him making him look super cool, in Mei's opinion.

In a split second, Blitzwolf stood behind the dummy, claws sharp, and a second later, the dummy collapsed into pieces. Blitzwolf raised his head to the sky and howled in victory; normally, this time.

However, despite this ability to nearly deafen anyone hit by it if I wasn't careful, Blitzwolf's hearing was, ironically, a weakness of his, as they were highly susceptible to loud noises. My own Sonic Howl was an exception. We theorized that perhaps when using my Sonic Howl, my ear canals could instinctively shut to withstand his own howl. And when Mei closed my mouth in a muzzle, I found it impossible to use my Sonic Howl without getting rid of it.

Additionally, remember when I said that Blitzwolf had the instinct to howl at the moon? Well, that wasn't the only dog-like trait that carried over every time I used this transformation. Similar canine-like attributes included a particular fondness for being rubbed on top of the head or behind the ear, something Mei would not stop mentioning to my embarrassment. Blitzwolf also had a particular disdain for mailmen or squirrels when mentioned.

But the weirdest trait I found about Blitzwolf, I referred to as its fondness for 'marking his territory'. Not literally like 'mark' a territory like a dog would, but I did find that when transformed into Blitzwolf, whenever Mei mentioned a guy from her class, I felt irrationally irritated, growling even. Mom joked that I must have unintentionally 'marked' Mei as mine, or part of my pack, and that I was jealous. I dismiss this notion as having anything to do with my own feelings about Mei and deny that there is any correlation existing outside Blitzwolf... yeah.

Ignoring weird mating habits, Blitzwolf appears to be an effective fighter with his claws, teeth, strength, and sonic howl, all of which would be useful in taking down enemies, and his tracking skills would make chasing and finding runaway enemies or tracking their hideouts or even secret passageways easy. When it comes to rescue operations, his tracking skills and strength would be of great help, and his sonic howl could clear debris effectively, as long as there was no one in the way or they preemptively shut their ears.

Alien Archive: Entry 5

Title: Excuse Me

Codename: Upchuck

Alien Transformation, Codename: Upchuck, is one of the most unique among my transformations, and that's because out of all of them, I have two Upchucks rather than one. Let me explain.

When I scrolled through the playlist and landed on Upchuck for the first time, a feature appeared that was not available for the other forms. When the selection landed on him, it took me to a second selection wheel where I was asked to choose between two options, both with nearly identical icons, one with larger protrusions that I would later know as sprout-like growths.

When I chose the one with the larger growths, the form I transformed into I would later dub 'Murk Upchuck'. This alien form was a vaguely humanoid amoeba-like creature, my second-shortest transformation behind Grey Matter. His skin was a swampy green color, with black-green spots all over the form's short, chubby arms, forehead, short tail, and backside, along with those six sprout-like growths by the back of his head. His belly, where the Watch's symbol rested, and most of his face were a tanner color, with whisker-like lines on the sides of his head, green eyes, and a large mouth with two teeth protruding up his mouth in an underbite manner. My freckles were there in their diamond shape, the same color as the black-green spots on this Upchuck's back and sides.

Later, after testing out some of his abilities and waiting for the Watch to recharge, I chose him again, but this time chose the latter option. When I did, the form I chose was clearly the same species as Upchuck but looked different, to what I would refer to as 'Perk Upchuck'. This version of the same form was green too, but a more broccoli green rather than swampy green, and the color of the belly and face was a lighter green than the tan color of the Murk version. This Upchuck still had the same stubby toes and chubby arms, each limb with three claws for fingers, Watch Symbol on the belly, whisker-like lines, protruding teeth, tail, green eyes, and sprout-like growths, however this one's tail had more of a curve to it at the end, the growths were the same light green as the front, the black of the eyes was more visible, and the protruding teeth went down from the upper side of his mouth. The freckles were also there in this form, though in broccoli-green this time.

It was weird at first, but I concluded that these versions were different races of the species. Despite the distinctions not having much of a difference toward the form's abilities in whatever form I chose, I did find it cool to change how my alien form looked from time to time. I wondered, though, if there was another reason this form out of the ten had this specific feature.

Regardless of whatever form he was in, both Upchucks had the same abilities. Mei and I would find that Upchuck could extend his three very strong, adhesive tongues from his mouth and stretch them out to great lengths, where they could latch onto objects, reel them in, and allow Upchuck to swallow them. It didn't matter how big the object was; it could even be larger and wider than Upchuck's size, and yet the object would disappear down my throat and be consumed almost instantly. No bulging of his stomach, no discomfort; it was just gone.

And then, the inclination to burp came out, and out from my mouth a glowing green ball of liquid, possibly vomit, shot out and exploded one of Mei's piles to pieces. Mei was not happy.

After the anger subsided and the weirdness settled, Mei and I repeated this process, without destroying more of Mei's 'babies', and reasoned that Upchuck possesses the ability to rapidly consume any material and fire the digestive liquid vomit into explosive orbs, with the explosive power we found to be different every so often. We tested various sizes, materials, and even chemical compositions, determining that depending on the chemicals of the object's composition, how large the consumed object was, and the number of objects eaten, the more powerful or weaker these 'loogies' could be, and how frequently I could fire them without needing to eat more. And after further training, I found I could likewise spit out acidic and very slippery slime.

In testing Upchuck, we checked how big the object would have to be for me to have difficulty swallowing—and yes, I am aware of how that sounds, I hate it just as much as anyone reading this might find it funny.

In short, while Upchuck's mouth can expand to a large degree and objects larger than Upchuck can be swallowed, excessive eating without vomiting out the loogies would render my form slower and fatter, or even immobile, forcing me to fire more and more loogies to return to normal. We also found an ingestion limit with large pieces, though most of those issues were resolved by Upchuck's strong teeth, which could break apart any material that got in his mouth.

Except for food. For whatever reason, Upchuck could eat stone, metal, or plastic of any kind, but regular food causes me to throw it back up, and not just an explosive loogie, but as it was, just covered in saliva. Mei wondered if that meant anything living would have the same result, and I shut down that idea before she could even start planning on luring and capturing stray cats for 'testing'.

Coupled with enhanced durability and jumping prowess, augmented further by a loogie propulsion, Upchuck's abilities, regardless of version, were the weirdest set of the ten alien forms. Transforming into this alien also came with an endless, unquenching hunger and change of taste, where I found the junkpile I was cleaning to be suddenly appetizing, so much so that it became another mental discipline I had to manage to keep from eating the whole junkyard.

Mei disliked this form the most after I accidentally ate one of her babies, and made me promise to curb my hunger before I ate all her 'baby-making' materials.

Overall, Upchuck's abilities and forms present a useful asset among my forms. His ability to eat anything metallic or stone-wise would be useful in consuming debris in a rescue operation, and the loogies, if lessened in their strength, can also destroy more rubble rather than simply moving it away, a neat disposal system.

This ability also presented rather humorous possibilities for taking down criminals and Villains. While I wasn't 100% assured, I could eat bullets fired at me fast enough, I could imagine grabbing a criminal's gun with my tongue and eating it, permanently removing a dangerous weapon, and, depending on the criminal's resilience, burp his weapon back at him. I wonder if I could consume even energy-based attacks like lasers and such? I wonder if I'm crazy enough to have Mei fire another laser at me to test that out?

Alien Archive: Entry 6

Title: Shine Bright Like a Diamond (Mom's idea, not mine)

Codename: Diamondhead

Diamondhead was the Alien Transformation I used to destroy the Mechadroid at the Endor Forest Camp, and what I used to save that girl, her mother, and the campers. Despite the greater secrecy I need to use with this form now, Diamondhead had quickly become one of my favorite transformations.

The alien form is a humanoid-looking alien whose body is entirely composed of a silicon-based material resembling diamonds. The color of the diamonds across Diamondhead's body was a pale blue-green with large, bulky arms, long, hard legs, a wide torso, and two large diamond spikes protruding from his back. Diamondhead's, well, diamond-like head, is blocky and rectangular, with a large chin and jawline, green eyes, and a protruding spike behind his head. His body is clothed in a green-and-black jumpsuit, with matching lined boots, and a belt similar to Four Arms where the Watch's symbol lies. Interestingly, this was one of the only forms that didn't have my trademark diamond-shaped freckles, likely due to its crystal-like body.

It turned out that my actions at Endor Forest camp did spread like wildfire, as my mom and I feared, or at least enough that Mei heard about it. When she looked up the story, she was more interested in the giant robot terrorizing the campsite, but she quickly realized that I, as Diamondhead, was the vigilante who destroyed the robot. Needless to say, Mei had words with me about that, mainly about how I could destroy the robot completely and not recover any useful parts for her, never mind that we didn't even know about each other back then. I decided to omit the two smaller drones I faced as Fasttrack before then.

(Personal Note: Mei found out. She was not happy about that, either...)

When learning about all of Diamondhead's abilities, like Heatblast and Fasttrack, I had already experienced using his powers in the field. I already knew that Diamondhead had greater physiology from my fight with the Mechadroid. His enhanced strength could easily rip apart a car's hood and engine and launch the latter like a shot put. His enhanced jumping allowed me to reach the robot's head, and his great durability helped me withstand the giant robot's blows. Mei's further testing revealed that Diamondhead's body was nearly indestructible to anything she could get her hands on, including heat, fire, and even the acidic slime from Upchuck that she gathered.

Speaking of resistances, Diamondhead's biggest one was toward lasers and energy-based beams. As observed in my fight with the Mechadroid, Diamondhead's body was like a walking, living prism, allowing for easy energy deflection and redirection, and, later, through some of Mei's tests, absorption. Mei had quite a fun time testing her homemade laser on my crystalline body, even if one deflection almost took her head off. We also found that Diamondhead was capable of absorbing and storing the energy and firing it later with great accuracy.

However, there are limits to Diamondhead's resistance and durability. It took a while—so much so that I almost timed out—but Mei was finally able to make a crack in Diamondhead's body, something that I experienced to be similar to a small cut. So, while incredibly durable, Diamondhead isn't invincible, and it seems his body is particularly damaged by sonic vibrations like Blitzwolf's howl, as demonstrated through some of his leftover shards when testing the werewolf-like alien's abilities.

Though the crystals, when separated from Diamondhead, showed weaker durability than those attached to his person. The sonic vibrations could be less impactful than I imagined; however, further inquiry with Grey Matter confirmed our initial theory that Diamondhead and sonic vibrations don't mix well.

Even then, Diamondhead also possesses great regenerative capabilities, as that aforementioned crack in his body was quickly sealed back up as if it was never there. The limit to this regenerative factor is unknown, as it would require greater strength and power to test Diamondhead against, power outside the Watch, and my alien forms that we don't have the means to replicate or obtain, outside of actual combat against Villains, or Heroes, should they desire to capture the new Vigilante known as Diamondhead.

Other than energy refraction, Diamondhead's main selling point is his shapeshifting capabilities. In my battle with the Mechadroid, I was able to morph my arms and body into different shapes and weapons. When Mei asked how I did it, I answered that it was much like the abilities I found through my other aliens: instinct. I could see the very blueprints of my body and morph and shift the design and structure to my liking. Such shapes and weapons I managed to perform included morphing my arms and hands into blades, hammers, a spiked mace, and protruding a great spire of diamond from my back, sharp enough to cut a full-grown tree clean in half. Thus, Diamondhead's body can morph into sharp weaponry capable of easily piercing metal or blunt, less-lethal weapons to incapacitate criminals safely. Robots are one thing, but I'm no killer.

Diamondhead can also project diamonds out of his body. I have been training to fire them more accurately via test dummies Mei set up on a moving track, swinging tires and duffel bags, and even fired softballs. I'm proud to say that I've been getting good at it very quickly. As stated previously, crystals separated from Diamondhead are not as strong or durable as those attached to my person, and the crystals I fired were evidence of that conclusion. Some crystals were capable of piercing through metals easily, others broke apart, either because of the angle at which they impacted the object, the greater durability of the object, or a denser object, like stone.

The final ability we have thus far discovered with Diamondhead is what we refer to as Crystallokinesis. It's in a way similar to Geokinetic-like Quirks, though relegated only to crystals I summon and control. Diamondhead can generate and summon more crystals from the earth around him, likely shifting and reconstructing the earth's atomic structure to harden and form these crystals. With this ability, I have been able to form barriers and walls of crystals, erupt spires and pillars at training dummies, and even telekinetically move crystal boulders through the air; however, this latter ability is far more taxing and one I'm less experienced with, so further training would have to be done to master this ability or discover just how versatile it can be.

Diamondhead is by far one of the most versatile aliens I possess, and that is likely the reason why I have such a fondness for him compared to some. I don't like to play favorites among my alien forms; they may not have displayed any form of sentience outside my own, but one can see that I often flip back and forth in these entries between referring to them as myself or as their own person. They feel like separate entities that I should show respect to, but at the same time, as parts of myself, the latter of which is harder to show respect and admiration toward. (Personal note: Yes, I am going to therapy, but it's slow progress)

Anyway, Diamondhead's versatility makes me an asset in nearly all kinds of possible Hero scenarios. His shapeshifting, durability, strength, and Crystallokinesis would mean that I could generate almost any kind of weapon to defend or attack criminals or Villains, and any damage that I may sustain in this form could be easily regenerated, making him a near-unbreakable wall. If Fasttrack is a speedy fighter, and Four Arms is pure strength, then Diamondhead is a defensive, shapeshifting tank.

His abilities could also be useful for removing debris and rubble from a disaster zone. If I can fully master Crystallokinesis, I could perhaps erect barriers, domes, or walls around hostages, preventing criminals and Villains from attacking them, giving them time to run. The one thing that Diamondhead may not be suitable for is stealth, as he is quite large and hard to maneuver in tight spaces, especially the crystals on his back, and, as he is made of crystals, every movement he makes is almost constantly audible.

Alien Archive: Entry 7

Title: Seafood Splasher

Codename: Water Hazard

Previous alien forms I have classified as assets in certain specialties, like Fasttrack for speed and Blitzwolf for tracking, but the Alien Transformation I would dub Water Hazard has proven to be my most prominent expert in waterpower.

Water Hazard's appearance takes on a humanoid-like crustacean or mollusk. His body consists of a lean black body covered in a red and grey exoskeleton that covers most of it, with red armored gauntlets with grey spikes and four claws for fingers, red armored legs with several black spots decorating their sides, and grey spikes protruding out his calves and his foot, a red and grey armored and bulky torso with circular shoulder guards and a red hood-like armor over its mollusk-like head, with green eyes and a perpetually open mouth. The Watch's symbol rests at the center of the chest, and the only parts of Water Hazard where the exoskeleton did not cover were the biceps of the arms and its waist. Black dots representing tiny holes were arranged in a diamond shape under each eye.

Water Hazard's exoskeleton is incredibly durable, almost as hard as Diamondhead's, withstanding almost anything Mei tried to hit it with. At one point, when she wanted to test how my head would take a hit, I instinctively pulled down my hood-like shell to cover my head before it retracted back. Unfortunately, while durable against most physical attacks, energy and heat-based ones seem to cause him intense pain. It was agonizing when Mei struck me with that laser blast, and Mei looked really guilty.

I told her it wasn't her fault, and we both couldn't have known how damaging it would be for Water Hazard. I reminded her that this was the point of all our testing, to see what can harm me and what my forms are good at, and what can't, and that I wouldn't have let her do all these tests on me if I didn't trust her. (Personal note: Mei became incredibly fond of physical gestures of affection like hugs and cuddles after that. I think my words did the trick.)

As stated before, Water Hazard quickly proved to be a powerful fighter in the water, and with it as his power. Water Hazard possesses holes in the palm of his hand that allow him to fire pressurized blasts of water with enough force and accuracy to pierce through metal. The crustacean transformation could also use water as propulsion, like a jetpack. (Personal note: Mei joked that the way I fired my water blasts to attack, and fly was similar to a Pre-Quirk age comic hero that could fire energy beams from his palms. Personally, the real subject of inspiration for this move was currently under house arrest for the next 10 years.)

Upon further testing, I learned Water Hazard could do more than expel water. With added control and training, I learned I could manipulate different sources of water, regardless of their chemical composition, and morph and shape them at will. I could even transform solid ice back into water and use it for my own.

With this control over water, Water Hazard could shape it into a variety of forms, such as high-pressure streams, controlled, condensed whips, a bubble-like shield of protective, dense water, or even a surfable board of water. I mostly used the beach's water for this, and it has been a great help in removing polluted water and trash from the coast, or cleaning hard stains on the walls by the beach. Other abilities we found were Water Hazard's ability to absorb water and moisture from objects, and change the temperature of the water he expelled, which I can turn into either boiling or freezing.

(Personal note: I wonder if this ability would mean that I could absorb the sweat from Bakugou's hands to keep him from igniting it, or use freezing cold water to make it harder for him to sweat or ignite it. However, that did bring up what could happen if I try to absorb the moisture and water from inside a person's or animal's blood like a deadly leech... Best to stop this train of thought before it gets too gruesome.)

And of course, Water Hazard can breathe and survive underwater, and possesses enough enhanced strength to punch through concrete with ease and dent metal.

With all these abilities, Water Hazard would make for the perfect Hero in the water or nearby water sources like rivers. I could use water sources within a city, such as fire hydrants, pipes, and the sewer, but I worry about how it would affect industrial costs and repairs, as well as present sanitation issues. Regardless, while Water Hazard may hate intense heat, his pressurized water would be good for putting out fires, clearing hard debris, and being an alien riot hose against hordes of criminals. Water Hazard's abilities would also make him an asset against Water or Ice-based Quirks, able to absorb and redirect their powers against them, and a perfect Hero in sea-based crimes and pirates, like Pro Hero: Selkie or Wash.

Alien Archive: Entry 8

Title: A Ghostly Chill

Codename: Big Chill

By far the coldest of my alien forms (sans Grey Matter's personality), and the most aerial too, Big Chill is what I would end up calling him. (Personal Note: Mei suggested something like Frost Moth, but I was worried I would get into copyright issues.)

Big Chill is an insectoid-humanoid creature with a tall, lanky figure, green eyes with dark spots that make them resemble a bug's eyes, an ever-opened mouth that reveals its bluish teeth, and black markings on the face similar to those of a Y, with blue dots in a diamond formation underneath each of its eyes. When I first transformed into this form, Mei assumed that the navy blue and black-lined cloak was part of an outfit the Watch gave this alien, but as I took to the air, the 'cloak' spread out to reveal that they really were: my alien's moth-like wings.

Mei measured Big Chill's wingspan at around 13 feet, and as the wings spread, the alien's whole body was more visible. His body was pitch black with a patch of blue on his chest, where the Watch's symbol lay, as well as along the sides of his shoulders and neck, forearms, thighs, and ankles. Cyan patterns that resemble chunks of ice lined the blue side patches. Big Chill's spread-out 'cloak' was in fact four moth-like wings with similar cyan patterns on the back side, and what was considered a hood likewise spread out to appear like antennas, revealing Big Chill's bald head. His hands were bone thin with four long fingers, and his feet held two long talons up front and a third talon at the back.

Big Chill's wings allow for easy flight, while his claws and teeth can rip through metal easily, and weirdly enough, any metal that I did accidentally consume, Big Chill was perfectly fine—I was also thankful that the metal didn't exactly stay in my human form's digestive system. Despite his lanky physique, Big Chill possesses enhanced strength capable of breaking and crushing metal, as well as decent durability. He can breathe underwater, too, but later tests of his ability had Mei and me decide not to continue using him so recklessly on the water.

The reason was because of Big Chill's Cryokinetic abilities, or, in other words, Ice Powers. Big Chill is capable of breathing out a Freezing Breath of sorts that can rapidly decline the temperature of the target till it is frozen in ice; this ability can likewise be lessened to only produce a strong, yet still cold, breath of wind that can push lighter objects and people, like a strong fan. Big Chill can even fire cryokinetic energy rays from his palms and manipulate the generated ice. Further training is required to make this ability more accurate and the constructs made with it more intricate before its fast solidification, as once fully solidified, it cannot be changed.

But what shines as Big Chill's most unique ability, on par with Flight and Cryokinesis, is Intangibility. Big Chill can essentially turn his whole body intangible, even invisible if one isn't paying attention, and able to pass through solid objects. A result that arose from testing this ability was that anything that passed Big Chill's intangible body was instantly frozen solid. Mei deduced that Big Chill's body is so cold that when he passes through objects while intangible, they instantly flash freeze.

When Mei suggested trying this on a living being, I shut that down immediately. While the lessening of my Freezing Breath to Wind Breath means I could manage the temperature of my attacks and body to be less cold, and subsequently less dangerous, I was not going to use my best and first female friend—outside of my cousins Gwen and Lucy—as a test subject like that. (Personal Note: Mei was rather jealous when I pointed out that Gwen and Ben were my best female and male friends. At first, she made some claims about wishing to 'establish dominance', but after I mentioned that they were more like cousins to me, she quickly calmed down. I could have heard her mutter something about 'she doesn't count', but I didn't know what she meant by that.)

While Big Chill's intangibility proved a great asset for evading enemy attacks, some issues did arise during testing. When I was about to pass through one junk pile, Mei surprised me by blasting her voice through a megaphone. The action caught me by surprise, and I ended up deactivating my intangibility and smacking face-first into the junk pile. Turns out that unless I am fully concentrating and on guard, my intangibility will not hold.

Additionally, other weaknesses that arose were a weakness to electricity, though only when tangible, and that highly heated objects were harder to freeze with my breath. Mei also proposed what would happen if I were to collide with another intangible individual. It was an interesting question, though, given the rarity of such a power, I didn't know if it would ever be answered.

Yet, I can't stay invisible indefinitely—it's kind of like holding my breath underwater. I figured my intangibility also prevents me from breathing in air molecules, though sound and light were still present factors even when I go intangible; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to see or hear anything. This means that sound and light-based Quirks and weapons could still harm Big Chill in this state. Luckily, it seems Big Chill can store a lot of air inside his body, even while intangible, allowing me to remain invisible far longer than my underwater comparison, but it is still a risk.

Other than an inclination to talk more cryptically, not much came in the way of Big Chill affecting my personality. I did sense a small tingling sensation in the back of my mind around a certain period in the summer, though nothing came of it. Additionally, not only was I able to consume metal with Big Chill, but I also found it appetizing, much like Upchuck.

Big Chill is the transformation with the longest and most stable form of flight, thus making him a huge aid in aerial combat or surveillance. His intangibility not only makes infiltrating a Villain's base or hostage location easy, but if one doesn't notice the vague shape of Big Chill's form when intangible, he can be almost invisible. I'm still unsure about using my intangibility on regular people, worried it might cause dangerous levels of hypothermia or frostbite; however, if I could use it safely and effectively, I'd be nearly impossible to hit, and my Freezing Breath, Wind Breath, and Cryokinesis would be perfect for subduing and restraining villains—except for those with heat or fire-based Quirks.

Finally, the ability to phase through objects could be useful for locating and freeing trapped civilians in a rescue operation, even if my intangibility remains solely limited to myself.

Alien Archive: Entry 9

Title: Booger Man (Mei's First Naming Attempt)

Codename: Goop

If I thought that Diamondhead was the master of shapeshifting among my alien forms, then the alien transformation I dubbed as Goop takes the crown.

Goop is also the most physically unique among my alien forms, given what Mei and I found out about how Goop is made and shaped. At first glance, Goop appears to be a humanoid mass of green slime with a long and thin torso, large globular feet, and long arms connected to large palms with four fingers, and a rising glob of slime with two distinct green eyes to make up its head. Goop was another one of the only forms that didn't possess a feature that highlighted my freckles.

The most peculiar thing about this alien is the UFO-like drone that hovers around everywhere I go as Goop. The white drone looks like a stereotypical UFO from old pre-Quirk-era movies, with the Watch's symbol at the top, and the way Goop's slime body rises toward it, it appears the drone is responsible for Goop's appearance.

This theory was proven correct when Mei snatched the drone from Goop's slime body with a strong electromagnet. As soon as the drone was swiftly removed, the slimy body of Goop collapsed into a useless puddle. Only when Mei deactivated the magnet was I able to move again, but not as the slime, but as the drone. I went back to the slime and reawakened it, shaping it back into Goop's first appearance. Mei and I quickly realized that when it came to this alien, I was more the drone than the slime.

That helped to get better used to Goop. Admittedly, Goop was one of the hardest aliens for me to use and get used to. It wasn't because of Goop's unique physiology and abilities; rather, the form brought a sense of panic when I first turned into him. It felt like I was back in the grasp of the Sludge Villain, trying to suffocate and take control of my body. It's to my shame that the small panic attack I had was not pretty for Mei to see, but it was she who helped to rationalize that, even in this new form, I was still me. Mei's words, and the subsequent discovery of my true body as the drone, were what got me out of that funk.

Moving on to Goop's abilities, the most obvious ability we found with Goop was his shapeshifting capabilities. With the drone me acting as some sort of Anti-gravity projector, I could move my Goop-self around like a human body, and even beyond that of a regular human's capability, such as flight by lifting the drone and the slime body by proxy into the air, but this was limited, as if I move the drone too much, I could lose hold of the slime body and have it fall to the ground—it took forever to collect all the pieces of me and to profusely apologize to Mei when a part of my slime got onto her hair.

Then came the shapeshifting abilities, where I could manipulate and change Goop's body into various shapes and forms; the only limits were the amount of Goop's slime body and my imagination. Through evasion practice, I could shift and change my body in all sorts of ways to avoid the projectiles launched by Mei's 'babies', even forming holes in my body, so the objects could pass through. Even those projectiles that I didn't dodge didn't do much, as they merely passed through Goop's body or were slowed and stopped inside of him, to which my slime body would regenerate the lost mass or spit the objects back out, revealing the slime body's regeneration and invulnerability.

We tested Goop's invulnerability with one of Mei's lasers, and sure enough, it went through Goop's slime body, which felt ticklish to me, and reformed, though it took longer due to the larger size of the resulting hole. We theorized that though Goop could regenerate, the wider the attack's impact and resulting cavity, the longer it would take to repair. I concluded that despite this invulnerability, I should still avoid as much as possible through my use of shapeshifting. Every second could count in the field, and if I were to let myself get lazy, it could cost lives.

I could also change the density and elasticity of my slime. Via the latter option, I could allow my slime body to be thicker and more rubbery rather than liquid. Mei and I tested this out by using my slime body as a trampoline as she jumped from a far trash mound—there was a backup mattress in place—and combined with my shapeshifting, my elasticity could grab and hold onto multiple targets and objects, with more multipurpose use than even Four Arms. And on par with Goop's enhanced strength and durability, it made lifting heavy objects easy. I could even change the size of Goop's entire body to mimic the Sludge Villain. While I will never be like that Villain, the knowledge of how to use his Quirk could be useful in training this form, using such power for good rather than evil as he did.

I discovered that I could also make Goop's body pH, turning his slime acidic. Changing it enough, and I could cause anything that comes into contact with my slime body to melt in seconds—thank God, I didn't do that when I first fell apart and landed on Mei. Goop's slime could also be flung and shot out of my body at my command. These glob-like projectiles could be hardened to make dense orbs to stun and knock down enemies, adhesive goop to trap, trip up, or blind foes, or fire off acidic slime to burn through barriers or defenses—and hopefully, not people.

I could also turn my slime body into liquid again, making it slippery, which would be useful in tripping up escaping criminals. With how Goop's body could increase in size and shape, I figured I could maneuver the slime body through small spaces like Grey Matter, as long as the Anti-Gravity Drone could control it. Hell, even the drone could be useful as a weapon, as the disc of the drone was sharp to the touch, which could be used to slash apart bindings.

With the wide variety of uses that Goop's body and powers give, so too are his uses in Hero work. With his elasticity, shapeshifting, strength, and density manipulation, I could restrain and combat multiple criminals at once, and, with his endurance, invulnerability, and regeneration, I could survive and fight back against nearly anything thrown at me and use any information from such attacks to counter a Villain's Quirk better. With his speed, flight, and both sticky and slippery abilities, evading criminals would be a breeze, as would capturing them, infiltrating a villain's hideout, or resolving a hostage situation by sliding my slime through small crevices and keeping my drone out of sight. Additionally, the latter use could be helpful in rescue operations, along with lifting multiple pieces of debris, acting as a cushion or trampoline for falling civilians, melting through debris, or even putting out fires.

Goop may be the weirdest, most volatile, and difficult alien for me to master, but I strive to make this form my own and seek to use this power for good despite my bad memories.

Alien Archive: Entry 10

Title: Totally Hot

Codename: Heatblast

This was the first alien I transformed into when I obtained the Watch and started this new journey, and I will always remember the thrill, fear, and awe born out of that first transformation, one I chose because the form's fire reminded me of Dad.

Heatblast is what I repeatedly referred to as a humanoid bonfire or a walking magma man. His body is composed partly of dark red volcanic-like rocks and partly of glowing magma-like energy crackling through it. Two toes were on his glowing feet and four large fingers on his hands, the symbol of the Watch rested on the rock at his chest, and his mask-like rocky face was covered in an ever-constant fire. Four indented holes in Heatblast's mask-like face were found under each of his eye holes, these holes leaking a tiny yellow light.

Just like Diamondhead and Fasttrack, I had a leg up on figuring out Heatblast's abilities, having tested a couple on that fateful day. The most prominent ability, and one that would inspire this transformation's name, was his Pyrokinesis. As I had tried before, Heatblast could generate fireballs of intense heat and, well, fire, or streams or concentrated beams of fire and energy, the last of which, if precise, could pierce and cut through metal like a laser. With training, I found more ways to use this firepower than just firing it from my hands and fingers. Such fruits of my labor included breathing and projecting flames from my mouth, shaping the fire into large explosive orbs that would detonate like bombs, and even disks and spears made of fire.

Another ability I had used back when I first turned into Heatblast was the ability to absorb fire and generate heat. The latter I had done by accident during one of my muttering sessions, where, looking back on it, I accidentally increased my own heat gradually to cause that grass to ignite. Now, trying it out intentionally, I could raise my heat to the point I could turn metal into molten slag, and the sand where I stepped turned into glass. And any fires I would cause, I could absorb quickly, just like I did the grass I ignited.

During my training with Heatblast, I made sure to keep him away from the trash to avoid accidentally starting a dumpster fire. Instead, I stayed closer to the water, aiming most of my firepower at the sea so the flames would be extinguished and cause no lasting harm. Plus, if I ever get too hot without a quick way to dispel or lessen the heat, I could always dive into the water and put myself out.

Obviously, as a walking volcano man, Heatblast was immune to both fire, magma, and any form of heat, as well as cold and ice. Heatblast also possesses enhanced strength and durability, where the former was shown with how I could rip out a car door, and the latter where I managed to survive my own explosions that went terribly awry—Bakugou made it look easier than I thought. I also discovered that I could infuse my fists and legs with my energy, enhancing my physical attacks for extra striking power. I took this even further by condensing that energy into a dagger and whip made of flames. Using this technique on my legs, however, would reveal another ability of Heatblast, one that made me nearly blow my cover.

While Big Chill can easily fly with his wings, I found that Heatblast could also take to the sky by using his firepower as propulsion. I tried many avenues to get the hang of it, including using my hands for propulsion like Water Hazard, or even making a surfboard of fire: a fire board, though, as of yet, I am still trying.

Where the previous ability took me to the sky, this next ability made me look to the earth for power. After some testing and pure luck, Mei and I found that Heatblast can also utilize a form of Terrakinesis, Earth Manipulation, by injecting his fire and energy into the ground and telekinetically controlling it from there. This has allowed me to move and erect barriers of magma or boulders to ignite and hurl at enemies.

Update: I've done it! By combining Heatblast's Terrakinesis with the trick I used to create my Fire Board, I could telekinetically lift and control a chunk of earth beneath me by infusing it with fire, effectively turning that fiery slab into a surfboard, or in this case, a floating platform, for smoother, easier flight. Of course, I am still working on my propulsion-based flight and Fire Board flight, but having different avenues to fly would be great, especially when this new method implies ripping concrete and earth out of the ground and taking off with it, which I don't imagine the city would appreciate when I go Pro.

Of course, the only seeming weakness of Heatblast is extinguishment. If I'm not prepared, it can come from large amounts of water. I could heat the water to turn it into steam, but if caught off guard, it could extinguish my flames and take me a while to heat back up, depending on how damp Heatblast was. Dirt and earth dumped onto me could also work, like smothering a campfire, and, of course, a fire extinguisher. Mei loved to use this on me whenever I make bad puns as Heatblast—I don't know if it's a me thing or something about Heatblast's species, but I do love making cheesy fire puns like Dad in this form.

Heatblast is quickly turning out to be quite a versatile alien form, and I'm still working on figuring out more avenues on how to use Heatblast's abilities—I am currently turning to my notes on Flame Hero: Endeavor as a reference—and the possibilities of how I can use Heatblast as a Hero are just as wide. If I can master Heatblast's flight, I'd have another way to reach a crime scene or rescue operation quickly, patrol the skies faster, and fire projectiles with greater accuracy and effectiveness than even Big Chill.

Heatblast would be an effective fighter against criminals and Villains if I could mitigate the flames to be less deadly and destructive, and his Terrakinesis and ability to burn and melt through metal could be useful in rescue operations, too. Warnings when using Heatblast include not fighting other Fire-based Quirks that can absorb fire and heat, Water-based Quirks, Wind-based Quirks, and fighting on rainy and/or windy days.

Third POV

"You know, your analytical prowess amazes even me, Muscles, and that's saying something," Mei muttered as they reviewed the combined efforts of the notes in Izuku's journals and the recorded training sessions and evidence of his alien forms and their abilities in Mei's digitally secured files.

"Jeez, if that's the case, I definitely need to be put into the loony bin," Izuku muttered, deadpanning.

"Ha! Nice to see you acting so confident after all this time," Mei chuckled. "A few months ago, if I had said that, you would be stuttering and blushing to no end. Can't I scan your brain to see what goes on in there?"

"Mei, I've come to know and trust you more than I ever thought possible after so long, even against my judgment, skewed and paranoid as it was, and I can confidently say: I'm not letting you anywhere near my brain," Izuku scooted away a tad from Mei, adding to the comedy of his words.

Izuku was unaware that Mei's blushing pout wasn't a result of disappointment in being denied—okay, partly it was, but that wasn't the point—but that Izuku's words always made an impact on her that she could never explain. The sincerity in his words cut through the curtain of willful ignorance to such things she would otherwise not care for, like friendship or romance.

Izuku Midoriya was her first-ever friend who didn't run for the hills after spending so much time around her, someone who withstood all her 'quirks', you could say, as intense and over-the-top as they might be to others, and accepted them all. He grew fond of them, of her, understood her, and became so close to her.

It was all so confusing to Mei. The feelings that sprang up in her chest when he said those things to her, when he so much as smiled so brightly at her, confused Mei to no end. Logically, she knew it wasn't because of his Quirk or his Support Item, but then why? Why did Izuku Midoriya make her feel this way? And what even was this feeling called?

Sighing as she failed to understand this frustrating puzzle of her own heart, Mei looked back at their Alien Archives. "What about the Watch?" Mei asked. "Find anything else new about it?" The way Mei leaned in with an expectant look carried an unspoken question: 'Who created the Watch?'

Izuku sighed as he looked back on the notes he had taken for the Watch, the first-ever entry:

Izuku POV

Alien Archive: Entry 0

Title: An 'Alien' Device and What It Did

Codename: The Watch

I always wondered if, ever since that day, the day I 'obtained' the Watch, if maybe I truly did follow Bakugou's advice after all. I prayed, something fell from above, and my 'Quirk' came to be, along with a new life. After all this time, obtaining the Watch, learning my new power, and making a new friend, I wondered if the old Izuku Midoriya truly died that day, and someone else came out. I ask that every time I look down at the Watch.

Mom won't tell me much of what she knows about the Watch, its creator, its origins, or why she won't even tell me, at least yet, whatever that means. However, the gist is that the Watch is unlike any 'Support Item' ever made and that its inventor is a true genius, perhaps the smartest mind in the whole universe. It's easy to see from just looking at the Watch, or so Mei says.

The Watch, as I dubbed it for lack of any other name, is only a watch in that it looks like one and is attached to my wrist; otherwise, it is the furthest thing from a watch there is. It can't tell time, it can't connect to any of my devices, oh, and it can't be removed. The thing is attached to my wrist like it's become one with my own body. Any attempt to pull it out—and Mei has tried a lot—only causes extreme pain, and Mom says it's for the best right now that it doesn't leave my wrist, saying it would be dangerous. (Personal Note: To everyone, it is under the assumption that removing the Watch would cause my Quirk to go into chaos and transform randomly, but the truth is, I don't think even Mom knows how to remove it, or if removing it from me is even possible.)

The Watch acts as a selection device to access my 'Quirk's' energy and choose which form I wish to turn into. Its activation requires rubbing its sides on three green lines, which Mei believes must have some sensor underneath, and deactivating the Watch requires repeating the process. When activated, the device's front will display a green holographic, interactable wheel, showcasing the icons that are the silhouettes of my transformations. Only five will appear at the top, while the other five will be censored in the bottom half of the wheel, and the one in the middle of the top will be highlighted as the current selected choice. Rotating the wheel required me to slide it in the direction I wanted, and the wheel would respond by replacing one icon with another.

Upon choosing a form, I have to press down; the wheel will flash, beep affirmatively, and disappear. The Watch's front will then slide back to reveal a trigger with the same symbol that I have to press down, and the transformation will begin. The transformation process to the outside world is instant. My body is covered in a flash of green light before it dies down and reveals my chosen alien, but to me, it's different.

I can feel that the process is simultaneous, and I don't experience any negative side effects or discomfort during my transformations, even when they range from growing new limbs to shrinking, growing rapidly, or my entire body being turned into crystals, molten magma, or living slime. I can feel some of the transformation, even visualize it in my head, but never negatively; the transformation is flawless and even invigorating in that way.

Mei asked how my 'alien' forms came to be, and I really don't have an answer for her. The best explanation I could give her, and others who may ask similarly, is that my unstable genetic code spliced and redeveloped itself to create these new transformations and their abilities. The Watch recognizes them and adds them to the playlist. Mei wondered if the transformations were created via my imagination, subconsciously piecing together images and memories of different Heroes and their Quirks, and then my Quirk brings them to life. (Personal Note: I don't see any way to refute her theory without going down a rabbit hole that I couldn't explain without the whole truth, so I just rolled with her idea.)

Regardless of what form I take, it doesn't last forever. After a period of 10 or so minutes, the Watch's insignia, which will appear attached to the person of my selected alien, will begin to blink a red light and give out a warning-like beeping, and after it reaches a certain long whine, my body will be covered in a red flash, and I transform back to normal. Once this occurs, the Watch turns red and requires recharge time—usually at least 10 minutes. However, certain actions, like repeated transformations or using too much energy, can reduce my transformation's time limit and even extend the recharge time.

The recharging process is automatic and doesn't require any outside influence, battery or otherwise. Mei attempted to connect the Watch to a generator, and not only was the resulting backlash enough to blow her away, making her hair stand on end, but it also destroyed the generator. We both don't know what the Watch uses as an energy source, whether it is something outward like sunlight or something inward like my vitality or the 'energy of my Quirk'. I notice that if I do too many transformations even after it recharges, I can feel sluggish and tired after a while, so a resting period is advised even after the Watch recharges.

As previously stated, I can transform multiple times without having to wait till I time out and wait for the Watch to recharge. Simply slamming the Watch's symbol whilst thinking so can transform me back to normal or even into another alien if I think so clearly. The latter option I discovered accidentally when, as Grey Matter, I tapped the Watch's symbol while thinking of Four Arms, and, lo and behold, I transformed from the tiny frog-like genius into the four-armed, crimson goliath—subsequently destroying the workbench I was on and nearly squashing Mei.

After multiple exhausting tries, we found that I could only transform from alien to alien four times before the Watch began to time out, with three transformations at least giving me a minute to do anything in that final form. It appeared that transforming between alien forms drained the Watch's battery by a third with every transformation. When I looked at the Watch after transforming back to a human after only one transformation, I saw the Watch's green light segmented by bars of ten. If I were only in one transformation for 2 minutes doing nothing, I had drained two bars, and it took roughly 2 minutes for the Watch to be back to full charge.

Mei and I have been pondering plans and strategies to keep track of my time with a transformation and weigh the pros and cons on the fly, whether to transform back to normal, then into another alien, or transform right away from the current alien form to the next one.

Other than the ability to transform, I haven't unlocked any new features of the Watch that it might possess. Currently, it only seems able to transform me into my alien forms, and I have no idea whether these 10 are the only ones, if there are more, or if there is any way to extend the Watch's time limit or shorten its recharge time.

Third POV

"No, no idea," Izuku replied, looking away to keep his guilty face from Mei's observant eyes.

As much as people think he wouldn't be so good at it, Izuku was good at lying, and he hated it. He spent 13 years lying to his mother, his father, and his surrogate aunt and uncle about Bakugou's bullying, managing to hide most of the injuries he received from the explosive blonde, and it was only when he lost his admiration for his idol and said bully had suicide baited him that he finally came clean.

Now, Izuku was forced to lie again, but this time to his friend, Mei, and to his cousins, Ben and Gwen, about the true nature of the Watch and his powers. His mom made it clear that no one should find out the truth about the Watch except for her and her 'special friend', the same one who was covering for them as the Watch's creator. He knew the stakes that this new secret held. This wasn't hiding years of abuse and torture from his family to misguidedly protect his bully/former childhood friend; this was an earth-shaking revelation that could garner the attention of the entire world on him and his loved ones, both for good and bad—mostly bad—and it needed to be kept secret.

Mei was his first real friend since Bakugou and the Tennysons, and lying to her was an extra sort of pain Izuku inflicted on his conscience. She understood him better than anyone at this point, save for Gwen and Ben, almost as much as his mom and dad, and she had been by his side this whole time as they figured out the secrets of the Watch and his alien forms. Sure, Mei could be eccentric, personal space was often not in her vocabulary, and she's as blunt and honest as a hammer, but he also knew that Mei would never rat him out. Pissed that he kept it from her for so long, sure, but she knew he was the vigilante that destroyed the Mechadroid, knew he was brazenly violating Quirk laws by training his Quirk without a license, and, after all this time, said nothing. The longer it went on that Izuku hid the truth about the Watch from her, the more it ate at him.

And then there was Ben and Gwen. Izuku wasn't naive, and he knew how irresponsible Ben could be, even experiencing that irresponsibility firsthand in America. However, this was Ben he was talking about, the guy who knew what it meant to be treated like a fragile piece of glass for being Quirkless. They shared their deepest secrets. Izuku told him everything about Bakugou, and, given that his dad had never heard it from Grandpa Max and incinerated the Bakugou home, it meant Ben had kept it secret all this time. He could keep a secret, so why was he lying to him about this one? Lying to Ben, making him believe he wasn't Quirkless anymore, even though Izuku technically still was, made the green-haired teen feel like he was abandoning Ben. It made Izuku feel like a hypocrite; no different than All Might.

As for Gwen, she was an even bigger no-brainer. Izuku never shared the same secrets with her as he did Ben, worried that Gwen's responsible streak and her admiration for authority, especially in her younger years, would have her blabbing to his dad and Grandpa Max. Yet in the years they both grew up, Gwen became less of the know-it-all, morally righteous dweeb, as Ben would call her, and became a more deeply understanding and caring person. Izuku never told her about Bakugou, but she could always tell there was something off, yet it was clear she kept it secret, too, and never bothered him to tell her the truth. If Izuku were to tell her about an alien-transforming watch from outer space permanently stuck to his arm, she would listen, she would understand the gravity of the situation, and she wouldn't spill. So, why not tell her?

'Can they be trusted with the truth?' Izuku asked himself. Most of him wanted to say outright yes, they could, but his paranoia and his mom's words held him back and made him see the facts. He had only known Mei for months at this point, and it would be foolish, no matter how friendly or kind she was, to tell month-long friends a secret that could very well have him locked in a lab if the wrong person found out.

He hated believing that Mei would outright betray him like that, but if there was anything he learned trying to be friends with Katsuki Bakugou, it was never to be so naive and trusting like that again. It was a lesson Izuku learned the hard way, and he wasn't eager to test his luck this time.

But above, beyond the bitter mistrust or the excuses to justify his secrecy, there was one thing that had Izuku follow his mom's orders for this long: 'I don't want them to get hurt,' Izuku admitted truthfully. He knew if he told them the truth, they'd get dragged into this mess, one way or another. If people started to figure out the truth behind the Watch and aliens, then anyone Izuku loved could get caught in the crossfire, and he would rather die than see his loved ones suffering because of him.

"Darn," Mei pouted, seeing nothing out of the ordinary with her best friend. It still was mind-blowing to the pink-haired girl to think that she actually had a best friend at all, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Anyway, want to start training? I made some new babies that can absolutely track and tag Fasttrack this time!"

Izuku smiled at Mei's self-assurance and enthusiasm. "Yeah, let's get to it," Izuku replied, getting up from the bench and walking over to a wide-open area for him to transform into the fast and furry alien. Izuku turned on the Watch, selected the alien, and pressed down on the trigger, consuming his body in a green light.

Immediately, Izuku knew something was wrong as he changed.

As Mei set up her babies while Izuku transformed, she saw the flash of green light that signaled Izuku's transformation. "W-Woah!" The pink-haired inventor paused as she heard the deep, reverberating voice behind her, before a loud thud sounded. 'That didn't sound like Fasttrack,' Mei registered.

Mei turned to see that the obscuring cloud of sand that had been kicked up from Izuku crashing to the ground. Fasttrack also wasn't heavy enough to kick up this much sand. "Muscles? You good?" Mei asked, making her way closer, her eyes zooming in, trying to make out her friend's body through the sand.

"W-What happened to me?" That same deep voice, Izuku's most assuredly, spoke. The cloud of sand faded enough for Mei to stare wide-eyed at the figure on the ground.

What lay on the ground was one large and wide form that looked completely different from any transformation Izuku had turned into before. Its figure was hulking and wide, its head, or what approximated one, blended with its torso and broad shoulders, with no such thing as a neck to this creature. It had a wide and large mouth, lips black, and, when opened, revealed razor-sharp teeth, separated like the teeth of a snake rather than bridged together like a human's. Its body was mostly milky white, the Watch's symbol residing on the closest thing to a chest.

Shocked, confused green eyes were separated by a stripe of black that blended with the top of its head-body-whatever, and lined around yellow, rounded, armor-like plates residing on its shoulders, the back of its large, blobby hands, which contained four claws for fingers and a thumb, and the sides of its short, stubby legs. A black stripe rose from the form's crotch and upward till it passed around the Watch's symbol. As the creature, who was clearly Izuku, struggled to move and free himself from the small hole he made, Mei could see more of the black-lined, yellow plates armoring most of the alien's back.

'Izuku has never turned into this guy before,' Mei's thoughts analyzed past her stunned stupor. 'An 11th form?'

Izuku looked at his large hands and his whole body. "W-What am I?"

Chapter Text

Third POV

1 Month Later...

Hero Time Misadventures Tape #1

The video flared to life, beginning its recording with a shot of Izuku Midoriya's changed room. Where before it was somewhat barren, stripped clean of nearly all his Hero merch, mostly anything All Might-related, the room now had a bit more decorations to it, from framed photos of the Tennysons, Izuku's parents, or his training sessions with Mei, taped up notes with details about certain alien forms, and even some news articles.

Finally, Izuku Midoriya stepped into the frame, sitting down on a chair before the camera. The green-haired teen was wearing his green 10 jacket from Ben over a black t-shirt with kanji for the word 'freak' written in green, and baggy jeans that looked less loose on the ever-growing boy.

"Hey, so, um, I get that this might be a little weird to do," Izuku started, giving the camera an awkward grin. "You know, detailing my oh-so heroic acts of Vigilantism, but who knows, maybe this will be something to look back on and laugh when I'm finally a Pro. Or maybe I just want to record this for sentimental reasons. Remind myself of the good deeds I did, or might do, and the people I helped? Maybe as some kind of way to remind myself that I'm not that same useless Deku I thought I was?"

Izuku paused, looking down for a moment, breathing deeply, and sighing. "Well, whatever the case, hey, I'm Izuku Midoriya, and a few months ago, I got quite the unexpected gift from the heavens, so to speak." Izuku pulled back his sleeve to reveal the Watch. "I don't know where it came from, or even what it's called, so I just took to calling it the Watch. Since this thing decided to make itself a permanent resident of my wrist, my 'Quirk' was revealed, and my whole life changed." Izuku made air quotes when referring to these new powers.

"Among these changes included a drastic spike in trouble finding its way to me; the first of which was alien robots trying to find and kill me," Izuku revealed, messing with his already messy hair. "I wonder if this is the universe's way of balancing itself. Now that Bakugou and all those jerks from Aldera are gone, Izuku Midoriya can't have a moment of peace for too long, so let's toss onto him all manner of danger and mischief so that he can risk his dreams trying to be a Hero without a license."

"Well, technically I'm not breaking any Quirk laws, but- ugh, unimportant," Izuku shook his head, stopping whatever mumble train he was about to spew out. "Point is, I guess this is the start of my confessional for all the bad guys I helped take down. So, why not begin with the first Villain I managed to defeat... if you don't count my help with the Sludge Villain, the killer alien robots, or Bakugou and Aldera in general... anyway, why not begin with the great heralding tale of-"

"DR. ALOYSIUS JAMES ANIMO!"

Civilians screamed and ran from Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall and the major disturbance situated at its center. Most got out of the mall or hid within the stores to avoid detection, but those who didn't were either cornered or blocked from escaping by the Villain's henchmen.

The strange part about these henchmen was that they were abnormally large, mutated-looking animals. One appeared to be a giant hamster, its paws now stretched outward with sharp claws, tusks protruding from its lower jaw, and multiple red dots around its large, angry-red eyes, which were either extra eyes or abnormal pigmentation. Another was a giant parrot with a sharp beak, protruding bone spikes on its wings, and a narrow red glare. There was even a two-headed, red-eyed giraffe. The final animal was a giant frog with twin horns protruding from the sides of its head, four red eyes, and multiple red spots along its back. The frog stood in the center of the ruins of what had once been a fountain.

However, the man at the center of it all was a middle-aged man laughing maniacally while riding atop the large frog. The man's skin was an unhealthy shade of pale green, and he wore a dark grey, sleeveless shirt, brown baggy pants, black boots, and black, fingerless gloves that reached up to his elbows, revealing his long, gnarled fingers with long, unclipped fingernails. The man's wrinkled face was just as pale green, his yellow-stained teeth grinning, a mane of white hair flowed down his back, and red-lensed goggles obscured his eyes.

But what was most peculiar about the man was what he was wearing besides his clothes. Strapped along his torso by brown stripes was a dark grey circular device on a vest, with red, glowing accents along its rim, and wires attaching it to two other devices on his belt and head. The one on his belt was rectangular with several buttons, while the one strapped to his head looked like it was primarily made from a Spaghetti Straightener with twin horns that resembled antennas and red LED lights on the ends.

"IT IS FINISHED! WITNESS THE GENIUS I HAVE FINALLY COMPLETED!" The man roared, gesturing around to the captured, gathered civilians and the large, mutated animals. "Finally, after years of being unjustly held back by this backwards society, I, the ingenious Dr. Aloysius James Animo, have finally completed my life's work: The Transmodulator!" Animo gestured to his helmet and vest.

"As you all can see, my animals have evolved, perfected by the genius of my invention!" Animo declared. "With my Transmodulator, I can supercharge the Quirk factors within their DNA to accelerate their evolution, awakening within them their fullest potential! In short, I have harnessed the power to awaken the Quirks and true power of the animal kingdom for me to command!" Animo gestured toward a cage containing a pair of regular hamsters. "Observe."

Animo turned the dial of his vest, the red lights on both the device and the horns' tips glowing. Finally, with a whir, two streaks of energy blasted the hamsters. With pained squeals, the hamsters within began to grow abnormally large and fast, eventually breaking out of the cage due to their sheer size, and transforming into giant mutated hamsters like the one from before.

"A new age of evolution has begun! And I, the genius Dr. Animo, shall lead us all into this glorious future!" Animo proclaimed. "But that was but the first Phase of what my Transmodulator can do. If we are to step into the future, I shall need a volunteer to try out Phase 2: a guanine pig." Animo observed the gathered, terrified civilians before locking eyes with his target. "Or perhaps, more fittingly, a frog!"

Animo pressed a button on the device on his belt, and his frog steed obeyed, shooting its tongue out toward a specific target: a wide man in a white dress shirt, black pants, a navy blue tie, and with the head of a frog with short-cropped black hair. The tongue stuck to his chest and reeled him in away from his group of five, his family of similarly frog-like Heteromorphs. "FATHER!" The eldest of the man's children, a certain green-haired girl of 17, cried out for her captured father while her mother wrapped her arms around her frightened, crying children.

"Ah, Ganma, my old friend and colleague. What a wonderfully ironic turn this is! Using a frog to catch a frog!" Animo cackled maniacally. "Tell me, if I had Jiraiya, here-" Animo patted his frog mount. "-Put you into his mouth, would that still be a frog in his throat? Or is it the other way around? AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"James! Don't do this!" The now-named Ganma yelled, struggling as the mutated frog wrapped its tongue around him, restraining the frog man. "This isn't you!"

"Urgh, what a drearily cliché thing to say! Then again, you weren't much in the way of originality, Ganma Asui," Animo mocked. "Even your betrayal was as predictable as it was unjust!"

"Betrayal?! What are you talking about?!" Ganma momentarily ceased his struggles and questioned the mad scientist. "I always supported your pursuits in Quirk factor research within animals."

"UNTIL YOU STOLE THE TROPHY THAT WAS RIGHTFULLY MINE AND CUT MY FUNDING!" Animo shouted, the anger visible through his goggles and his spittle landing on Ganma's face, to his disgust. Getting control of himself, Animo reeled back, coughing. "Ahem, yes, not only did your inferior research grant you the prize that was rightfully mine, but you stabbed me in the back, cut my funds, and discontinued my research. What a friend you were."

"I had no choice! You were using inhumane, illegal experimentation on animals," Ganma responded, glaring at his former colleague. "They went against the Lab Rat Experimentation Humanization Act!"

"Ah, yes, that idiotic, backwards law proposed by that sensitive rodent that believes himself no different than a man," Animo rolled his head exaggeratedly, contempt in his voice. "Don't worry, Nezu will get his due after you. Perhaps we'll see how human he believes himself to be after a taste of what my Transmodulator can do to him. But let us not get too ahead of ourselves here. If my research is to continue, I can think of no perfect experiment than a frog Heteromorph like you; the perfect line between man and animal!"

"I know this world has been hard on you, James. How unfairly you were treated for your Quirklessness," Ganma shook his head in sad disappointment. "But for you to become so hateful-"

"IT'S DR. ANIMO TO YOU!" Animo snapped again, correcting his former friend. "But you misunderstand me, Ganma, I don't despise or look down on you being a Heteromorph. No, no, no, quite the opposite. I admire it! Your kind are the perfect blend between mankind's sapience and ingenuity and the animal kingdom's raw instinct and perseverance. It is you all who will help our ascension, all thanks to my Transmodulator's Phase 2."

"Phase 2?" Ganma repeated, face paling.

"Yes, accelerating and mutating animals is but a fraction of what my Transmodulator can do," Animo cackled proudly. "With Phase 2, I can do the same with the animal-based DNA within your Quirks, awakening your full potential till you reach the lauded Quirk Singularity! I shall expedite the process till the Quirk Doomsday Singularity is upon us, and a new world order shall rise from the ashes of the old, flawed, hateful society, and I, Dr. Animo, as its rightful overlord!"

"But every road to glory must be paved with a single stone. Congratulations, Ganma Asui, you shall be this world's first stepping stone to a new world order," Dr. Animo began turning the dial on his device.

"ANIMO! DON'T DO THIS!" Ganma roared and struggled desperately. "NOT IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY!"

"Consider this my mercy and forgiveness for your betrayal," Dr. Animo grinned maniacally, the glow of his antennas brightening, ready to fire.

However, before they could, a tongue suddenly lashed out at the distracted doctor, striking him with an uppercut. "GAH!" Animo cried out, rearing his head back. As he did, the horns blasted their streams of energy, missing Ganma by a hair and striking the various walls and stores of the mall, shattering crystal and burning gashes into the walls.

"WHO DARES DISRUPT THE GENIUS OF DR-"

"Let him go!" Animo paused, turning to the source of the voice and finding it: the same 17-year-old girl of Ganma's family, now meters away from them. The girl was crouched, ready to pounce as she reeled her long tongue back, glaring at him. "Let my father go, now! Kero!"

"Ahh, Ganma's pride and joy!" Dr. Animo made a noise of recognition. "I had a feeling that Ganma's little girl with aspirations toward heroism would not sit idly by."

"Tsuyu! Get out of here!" Ganma cried out, struggling more, only to cease as the frog tightened its tongue's grip over him. "Don't get involved!"

"Well, girl, if you insist. As a frog Heteromorph yourself, I can think of no better revenge than turning Ganma's little girl into my first test subject!" Dr. Animo declared, turning the dial of his Transmodulator, the red glow of his horns beginning to brighten.

Meanwhile, during the action, nobody noticed the green flash of light in the corner of one of the mall's stores.

"Tsuyu! Animo! Don't Do This!" Ganma wailed, tears streaking down his face. "Take me instead! Not My Girl!"

"Prepare, girl, for the new world order!" Animo declared, the horns glowing brighter. Asui tensed, ready to dodge and attack to save her family.

Suddenly, a blue blur came rushing toward the chaos, leaping onto the side of the mutated parrot's head, slamming his furred feet onto it. The mutated bird cawed out in pain at the force and speed of the attack, beginning to fall, angled away from the civilians. As it did, the blue blur leaped again, using the bird's head as a springboard, and sailed toward Animo. Both Animo and Asui could barely notice and turn their heads to notice before sharp claws tore through the former's straps on both his helmet and vest, tearing them off the mad scientist.

"NO! MY TRANSMODULATOR!" Dr. Animo, now helmet-less and revealing his yellowish eyes and receding white hairline.

The blue blur landed and slowed, making him clearly visible to everyone, from his blue fur to his green, black, and white jumpsuit, and the Watch's logo on his chest. "You know, for calling out the cliche of Mr. Asui's words, don't you think it's a little hypocritical coming from you?" Fasttrack quipped, grinning widely while the red glow of the horns began to fade. "You know, with the villain monologue, telling me exactly how to beat you?"

"WHO DARES TO INSULT THE GREAT DR-"

Animo's questioning was cut short as Fasttrack hurled the helmet and vest to the ground and slammed his foot, rapidly and swiftly, onto them, destroying them to pieces.

"NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Animo wailed in horror.

A red wave of energy shot out of the dying Transmodulator, sweeping over the whole area. As it did, Dr. Animo's mutated animals remained glowing red, crying out as they suddenly and slowly reverted to normal, including Jiraiya, Animo's mount. As the mutated frog reverted to normal, Ganma and Animo began to fall.

"Father!" Tsuyu yelled, about to shoot out her tongue again to catch her father.

Before she could, Fasttrack rushed in, leaping into the air and catching the frog man, carrying him in his arms as he landed in a slide. Meanwhile, Animo yelled as he fell into the pool of the destroyed fountain, shallow enough to soften his landing.

"You okay, sir?" Fasttrack asked, steadying the man back onto his feet.

"Y-Yes, I believe so," Ganma muttered, rubbing his head from the sudden events and speed. Ganma turned to look at his furry savior. "W-Who are-"

"Nuh, uh, uh, no time for questions," Fasttrack grinned mischievously, gesturing behind him. "I think you got a family to comfort incoming."

"Father!" On cue, Tsuyu crashed into her father, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Ganma recovered quickly to hug his daughter back tightly, the two croaking in relief. It didn't take long for the rest of the Asui family to rush in and join in hugging the father and husband.

"Urgh," Fasttrack's ears perked, turning to notice animo struggling to climb out of the fountain pool. Jiraiya, the now normal frog, hopped out easily.

"Oh no, you don't," Fasttrack muttered, zooming up and snatching Animo, pinning the mad doctor onto a pillar. The doctor barely had a chance to grunt before Fasttrack sped around the fountain, grabbing the remaining rope used to block off the shallow fountain and wrapping it around Animo and the pillar. In a swirl of blue, Animo was tied to the pillar.

"That should keep you nice and ready for the police," Fasttrack grinned, arms crossed, satisfied. Pausing and sniffing the air, Fasttrack gagged, pinching his nose. "Oof, some advice when you get to prison: a shower."

"YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! I AM DR. ALOYSIUS JAMES ANI-"

Animo's outraged declaration was cut short as Fasttrack sped once again and worked his magic. In a flash, Animo's goggles were now wrapped around his mouth, gagging him.

"And that should spare everyone's ears from your ranting," Fasttrack grinned. "And their noses from your breath. Rank!"

The civilians finally came to their senses and began to cheer for the blue speedster. Fasttrack blinked, surprised at the sudden and positive attention, still not used to it, and smiled softly. Noticing something, Fasttrack sped around once more, tying some leftover rope onto the neck of the de-mutated giraffe, currently distracted by chewing on the leaves of a nearby plant, to another pillar. He likewise grabbed a couple of cages from the pet store, grabbing and placing the hamsters and frog in separate cages and the parrot in a bird cage.

"There we go! Wouldn't want these little critters to run amok, now, would we?" Fasttrack asked rhetorically toward the animals. Hearing the bleat from the giraffe, Fasttrack chuckled. "And you too, big gal!"

Fasttrack's ears perked, and he looked down to see the youngest girl of the Asui family before him, staring up at him with wide, awe-filled eyes. Smiling as softly as he could, Fasttrack crouched down to meet the young girl's eye level. "Hey, little one," Fasttrack greeted with a wide, friendly smile.

"H-Hi," The littlest Asui greeted hesitantly, the speedster's smile making her smile, too.

Fasttrack patted the cages beside him. "You seem like a responsible little girl. I gotta bounce, but can you make sure to take these little guys back to the pet store?" Fasttrack asked, lowering his voice to an exaggerated whisper. "The owner, Mr. Katakana, would be very angry if he didn't get his pets back from the bad doctor."

Satsuki Asui giggled and nodded. "Uh-huh, I will," The girl nodded, hesitating before wrapping Fasttrack in a hug. "Thank you for saving my Daddy!"

Fasttrack froze, hesitating on what to do, before patting the girl's head. "No problem, little one," Fasttrack replied, smiling.

After removing the girl carefully from him, Fasttrack stood up to see the rest of the Asui family before him.

"Thank you for saving my life and the life of my daughter," Ganma bowed, and the rest of the Asui family followed suit. "We can never repay you enough."

"Bah, no repayment needed!" Fasttrack shrugged off with a wave and a relaxed shrug. "It's just what Heroes do."

Ganma rose from his bow and quirked his head. "Actually, I'm not familiar with you," Ganma noted with a croak. "Are you a new-"

"Oh! Would you look at the time!" Fasttrack interrupted, checking on his wrist for a watch that wasn't there. "I gotta... You know... be somewhere not here... Whelp, glad to see you're safe! I gotta dash!"

"Wait!" Fasttrack paused, looking back at the Asui family and saw the eldest daughter, Tsuyu, Fasttrack recalled, approaching him. The girl hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Thank you again for saving my father."

Red began to poke out of Fasttrack's fur at the sight of the cute girl and her equally cute smile. "U-Uh, it was no big deal!" Fasttrack stuttered out humbly, rubbing the back of his furry neck. "Good job, by the way, on that tongue uppercut back there! You saved your father's life, too, and before I got here."

"Thank you," Asui nodded, her cheeks pink at the compliment. "Can you at least tell me your name? I'd like to know the man who saved my father."

Fasttrack froze, his eyes darting around, looking at nowhere in particular as his brain pondered. He knew he shouldn't answer. Answering truthfully would probably condemn him if the Heroes and police, who would be here any minute, figure out who he is. Finally, he made his choice.

"Fasttrack," The speedster alien revealed, grinning confidently.

Asui's pink cheeks began to brighten further.

Finally, before anyone could ask any more questions, Fasttrack turned and sped away, leaving nothing but a blue blur and kicking up dust.

The Asui's and civilians watched him go, amazed at the speed of the hero(?). Meanwhile, Tsuyu's mind was still stuck on his smile, his vibrant, pure-green eyes, his sudden stuttering, and how sweetly he acted with her sister.

"Fasttrack," Tsuyu Asui muttered the name again, the red blush on her cheeks still there.

"I managed to get out of there before the Heroes arrived and the police busted in," Izuku finished retelling the event of the Mall Invasion. "Animo was arrested, everyone was alright, and they moved the giraffe back to the zoo Animo stole her from."

Izuku's brows furrowed. "To be honest, though, that was certainly a match-up that left a bitter taste in my mouth," Izuku confessed. "Not the 'saving people' part, but rather Animo himself." Izuku raised his hand, inspecting it like he was seeing something more. "He is just like me: Quirkless, looked down, ridiculed by his peers; he did so much in his research, could have done so much more, but he let his ego and wounded pride twist and corrupt him into something else, something worse. Makes me wonder if I could have ended up like him... Maybe I did? Would the past Izuku Midoriya, the one who never gave up on anybody, do what I did to Bakugou and Aldera?"

Izuku remained silent for a full minute, the video capturing every contemplative shift in his eyes, a curl or a bite of his lips, and idly brushing his fingers on the Watch. "No, there is a difference between what Animo and I did," Izuku shook his head. "Animo chose to let himself drown in his hate, to act out of jealousy, and attacked innocent people to prove a point. I didn't. I didn't blame Mr. and Mrs. Bakugou for what their son did, or the parents of his lackeys. Whatever wrong they did to me, I didn't out them to get back at them... at least not fully, I did it so that no one else had to suffer their bullshit... so I can let go of the past, and look to the future."

"Animo chose to become the Villain, to hurt people; I chose to save them, to be a Hero, even if I shouldn't have," Izuku stated to the camera, his eyes taking a confident gleam but with a soft smile. "I'm not sorry I did. To know that I helped save a family and their happiness, I can never be sorry about that."

Izuku smirked at the camera before reaching over to press the stop button.

Video Cut

2 Months Later...

Hero Time Misadventures Tape #6

The video came on, this time with Izuku Midoriya already sitting down in the chair before the camera, and dressed differently.

"Hey! Happy Halloween!" Izuku exclaimed, dressed like a vampire. He wore a white dress shirt with a popped-up white silk collar and popped-up wrists, black, silky dress pants, black dress shoes, and a black cape that popped out around his collar and was red on the inside. His face and eyes had a tinge of fading, run white and grey makeup, the red paint trailing down his mouth was also fading, and his messy green hair was longer, the back pooling at his neck. Wrapped around his neck was Gwen's lucky charm amulet. Izuku basically looked like green-haired Dracula.

"Who am I even saying this to? Myself? My future prosecutors?" Izuku scoffed, muttering critically, before shaking his head. "Doesn't matter! Anyway, yep, another one of these. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment and don't know how to keep myself from a life-threatening situation for five minutes. Is this why I never got a Quirk? Has the universe, all this time, tried to spare me from the chaos that awaited me the minute I got a Quirk?" Izuku wiped a hand over his face, smudging up more of his already fading makeup. "Well, if that's so, then sorry, universe; I will remember to be careful of what I wish for."

"Anyway, this little adventure into fighting Villains without a license actually happened a few hours ago, and thankfully, no witnesses this time... because they were all unconscious... I think," Izuku muttered, an unsure expression on his face. "Not because of me, obviously, but it's probably for the best that no one saw me when I fought this particular Villain." Izuku winced in shame. "I-It's not one of my finest moments, and it actually involves one of my newer, unlocked aliens."

"You see, I never really celebrated Halloween before, at least that I remember," Izuku began, his unsure expression still retaining as he tried digging through his memories. "Mom says that she and Aunt Mitsuki took baby Bakugou and me out trick-or-treating, but you can imagine why my desire to trick-or-treat kind of died after my Quirk decided to be a no-show." Izuku frowned at the painful memories of the one time he did try trick-or-treating after he declared Quirkless. "Yeah, I guess when you are treated like a sub-human piece of trash, you either get scraps or have the good candy you like get stolen or beaten out of you."

"But things were different this year, mainly because I had a friend to hang out with this time," Izuku smiled, a pink blush on his cheeks. "Though, since Mei and I were a little too old to go trick-or-treating, we decided to go to this new traveling carnival that came over from the States: Zombozo's Traveling Circus of Laughs."

"Yep, I'm starting to see why Ben and Bakugou have a fear of clowns," Izuku muttered as he wandered around a maze of mirrors while images of the clown Villain's face kept popping up from one mirror to another. "Even if the latter would never admit it."

"Oh, really? Someone doesn't like clowns?!" A voice projected over the loudspeakers of the maze, though Izuku could have sworn one of the clown heads in the mirrors was moving. "Well, I guess good old Zombozo may have to pay the kid a visit. Give a nice, long, last laugh!" The clown began to laugh maniacally.

'How did I even get in this situation?' Izuku questioned himself, fighting off the urge to shudder at the unknown yet frighteningly close presence of the clown Villain. 'Oh, right, Mei.'

Mei and Izuku had decided to go to the circus for Halloween to see the special arrival of this spookily dressed clown, Zombozo, and his band of 'Circus Freaks,' which Izuku found weird and even felt slightly offended on the part of the Circus Freaks, wondering what kind of Quirks the performers had to be labeled as such.

While Izuku dressed like Dracula, and looked quite handsome according to his mother, Mei went as Frankenstein's monster... if Frankenstein's monster was also a busty girl in a tank top. Mei's costume effort basically boiled down to her regular attire but painting herself green with blotches of black and brown—likely just oil and grease stains, Izuku guessed—then wrapping her arms snugly in wires with taped-on lines for a patchwork effect, and sticking two screws onto the sides of her usual goggle-headset gear.

When Izuku asked why she didn't just go as Dr. Frankenstein, since he was the creator and inventor, Mei replied she had already done so last year and cycles between the two year after year. Izuku couldn't exactly fault her for sticking to something she was comfortable with.

There at the circus, Izuku and Mei met the so-called Circus Freaks: Thumbskull, Fright Wig, and Acid Breath.

Thumbskull was a goliath of a man, strong muscles and heavy build that reminded Izuku of Death Arms, but whereas the Punching Hero was brightly dressed, Thumbskull was darker and gothic. He wore a black jumpsuit that reached his wrists and lower legs, with stripes of pale purple along his muscular arms and one larger one around his waist, black shoes, and black nail polish on his fingernails. Speaking of fingernails, Thumbskull's most prominent feature was the large toenail-like protrusion on the top of his bald forehead. Before Izuku could make any guesses as to what it contributed to his Quirk, the large man easily showed his super strength by bending a steel pipe over his thick neck like a noodle.

Where Thumbskull was large and bulky, Fright Wig was curvaceous and slim. The only woman of the bunch, she had skin as pale as bone and wore a black jumpsuit that covered her neck, arms, torso, and legs down to her ankles, but left her shoulders bare. She wore black shoes and nail polish like her larger colleague, but she also had black lipstick, the stripes along her arms were yellow, and her cheeks and the back of her head were painted black, so much so that Izuku mistook them as part of her jumpsuit. Finally, she had five thick, red tendrils for hair with black orbs at the ends, and she could control them like an octopus's tentacles to bend and shape a steel pipe with enough strength and precision into a more intricate shape.

The final member of the Circus Freaks was the thinnest and most grotesque-looking of the bunch: Acid Breath. His wrinkly skin was as pale as the others', and his black jumpsuit covered him from neck to ankle, with sleeves that rolled all the way down to cover half of his hands and orange stripes along his arms. He was nearly as bald as Thumbskull, with only a few, thin black strands of hair, and possessed tired, slack red eyes and a gas mask over his mouth. Upon taking it off, his horrible-looking mouth, full of green gums and few teeth, was revealed, and his breath truly lived up to his name and melted that steel pipe, and the stand it lay on, into a puddle.

But then there was the clown himself, the one who truly got under Izuku's skin by appearance alone: Zombozo. The gothic clown wore a black, grey, and bluish-grey clown suit, with bluish-grey pants, a grey top with three black rubber balls, and a black show jacket with a popped-up collar, bluish-grey stripes and blue crystal orbs along the arms, black gloves, red styled hair, a black top hot with another blue crystal orb on the front, and his face had grey makeup, black eyeliner around his devious yellow eyes, and blue lipstick with a yellow-toothed, sinister smile.

Izuku never got to see whatever act Zombozo had done because Mei dragged him outside after spotting the Circus Freaks escaping through the sides. It wasn't long before they found them trying to rob an ATM. There were no heroes and cops in sight, mainly because they were all inside the tent with Zombozo. The green-haired, vampire-dressed boy barely had the opportunity to plan something out before Mei decided for him, resolving to see what Zombozo was up to while Izuku took care of the Circus Freaks.

Izuku resolved to split the Circus Freaks up one at a time and deal with them individually. Goop was the optimal choice, covering the ground in slippery acid, making Thumbskull, who apparently was as bright as he stereotypically looked, slip and slide to where Izuku knocked him out with noxious fumes, restraining Fright Wig's hair around her body with stickier goop, and resisting Acid Breath's signature attack by being already made of goop before shutting his mouth closed and knocking him out.

After dealing with the Freaks, Izuku had gotten a call from Mei, informing him about Zombozo's plan: using his Laughter Quirk, empowered by some machine, to suck the vitality and happiness out of his victims, their souls, the clown stated, through laughter. Before Izuku could tell her to get out of there, Zombozo could be heard finding and capturing her and goading Izuku to meet him, already knowing that he had dealt with his goons. Izuku cursed, wondering if Fright Wig, the one Circus Freak he didn't knock out fully, had somehow informed her boss with a radio earpiece.

This took him to where he was now, following where Zombozo said to meet him. Izuku didn't like playing along with the Villain's wishes, but he couldn't leave Mei in the hands of the zombie-themed clown.

"Where are you?" Izuku called out to Zombozo, still within the maze of mirrors. "I already called the police and Heroes. They will be here any minute."

"Nice try, kid, but do you think I'm as thick as my henchmen?" Zombozo's voice projected all across the room. "I got the Heroes and coppers right here, laughing themselves to a nice, long sleep. And you were too quick to get here to make a call. Worried about your little girlfriend?"

Izuku's knuckles cracked. "Give her back, and I may only knock you out gently enough for you to wake up in handcuffs," Izuku growled, fear and anger coursing through his veins.

"Aww, but where's the fun in that? How 'bout I show ya some?!" Zombozo laughed as the floor beneath Izuku gave way to a trap door.

Izuku yelped as he tumbled through the darkness. Instinct had the green-haired boy reach for the Watch, only for him to land on something bouncy, launching forward. In his tumbling and bouncing, Izuku could see that he was bouncing on giant heads resembling Zombozo's with bouncy tops.

"I actually caught some of your act against my Freaks, the way you turned into that walking pile of slime," Zombozo cackled as Izuku bounced uncontrollably through the darkness. "Hey! I got a swell idea! You could become one of us Freaks, too! You'd make quite the star!"

"I'm not a Freak!" Izuku yelled, growling at the term given to him throughout his life. Finally, Izuku stopped bouncing, landing on what appeared to be a giant spider web.

"Ohohoho! That clearly stung your nerves, didn't it?!" Zombozo laughed. Izuku looked up to see a giant spider with Zombozo's face crawling down the web to him.

'Mei said that his Quirk is some kind of Laughter-based Quirk, so how is he doing all this?' Izuku ignored Zombozo's taunting or the pang of terror at seeing the giant spider with the Clown Villain's face. 'Could this all be animatronics and machinery he's using?' Izuku tested the webs and struggled against them, trying to reach the Watch.

"You know, you remind me of another pair of goody two-shoes back home," Zombozo's spider-drone, or what Izuku assumed was a drone, said as he came up beside him. "A couple of kids who were just a pair of spoil-sports! Especially that one guy. Kid couldn't muster up a chuckle when he saw me. Just like you." Zombozo raised a sharp spider leg close to Izuku's face, the green-haired teen doing his best not to flinch and keep glaring at him. "Looked like he was about to cream his pants instead. What about you, Drac? You about to piss blood in your silk pants? Hehehehehe!"

Izuku ignored the sense of familiarity in Zombozo's description of the kid he referred to and continued struggling, glaring daggers at Zombozo's spider-drone. "Let go of Mei, now!" Izuku yelled.

"Ooh, touchy, touchy! Since when does a vampire have a thing for Frankenstein, huh?" Zombozo laughed in Izuku's face. "You gotta liven up a little, kid? Laugh some more! It's what keeps me goin'!" Suddenly, Spider Zombozo reared its spider legs and slashed the webs Izuku was on. Instantly, Izuku began to fall once more, landing in a tumble.

Groaning, Izuku got back up on his hands and knees just as a spotlight shone down on him. Izuku blinked his eyes at the sudden light and looked around him. The green-haired teen realized that he was in the middle of the circus tent's center stage. Surrounding him in a circle of stands were dozens of civilians, cops, and even a few pros, Mount Lady, Death Arms, and Kamui Woods included, lying down in various positions in their seats or on the floor boards, occasionally letting out a weak chuckle or groan, most of them pale and almost lifeless.

Izuku spotted a young, beautiful girl around his age with long raven-black hair, most of it tied in a spiky ponytail with a large strand framing the right side of her face, wearing a similar vampire-like costume to his, leaning on her more formally dressed parents. The two parents were unconscious, leaning onto their daughter, while the girl herself was leaning similarly onto her father.

The girl barely opened her eyes, weak, onyx-black orbs staring at him with tired desperation. "Hehe, please... help..." The girl pleaded before closing her eyes, falling unconscious too.

Izuku's heart started to sink, dreading that she had just died in front of him. Another groan got his attention on the other side of the stands, this time another girl around his age, with short, pale silver hair covering one of her eyes, wearing a white gown stained in fake blood, and holding a fake kitchen knife. The girl was leaning atop the dividing circle between the stands and the center stage, groggily raising her head; her uncovered eye, half-lidded and tired, stared at him.

"T-Too... spooky..." The girl groaned softly before passing out, her fake kitchen knife slipping out of her hands and landing on the floor.

Izuku panted and gasped for breath, his emerald eyes widening with terror and hopelessness. 'No, no, no, no! Please don't be dead! Please don't be dead!' Izuku thought pleadingly, panic and guilt gripping his heart. 'You cannot die. I... I cannot have failed... did I?'

Bakugou's laughing jeers echoed in his mind, mixing with Zombozo's mocking laughter and the fellow jeers of his former Aldera classmates.

"You some kinda Freak?!"

"Stupid Deku!"

"You're a Freak!"

"Your muttering is super creepy!"

"You'll never be a Hero! Give up!"

"Pray for a Quirk in your next life, and take a swan dive off the roof of the building!"

'Shut up, shut up, shut up!' Izuku howled in his mind, gripping his head in agony. 'That's not who I am anymore! Why is this coming back to me right now?!'

"Ahh, it's been a while since I saw this side of my Quirk!" Izuku heard Zombozo's voice echoing around the circus tent. "Sad Clown! Those who find me funny, I suck up their happiness, their joyful vitality, their souls, and just eat them up! Those who don't, well, if all you can be in front of a clown is be a miserable, sad sack, then that's all you should feel!"

"W-Where's-" Izuku groaned through the painful agony in his mind.

"M-Muscles?" Izuku's eyes snapped open, raising his head to see Mei across the center field. Even with her paint, Izuku could see she was pale, chuckling weakly while she reached her hand out to him. "Hehe, sorry, I-Izuku. He was just... too funny... hehehe..."

Izuku's eyes froze on Mei, ignoring Zombozo floating down in front of him, hanging on via a tube connected to his back. Behind Mei, a large machine stood, multiple pipes releasing steam up top, while the same blue orbs that were on Zombozo's outfit were on them, larger and glowing with energy, and what Izuku, through his peripheral vision, could make out as ghostly wailing shapes. The ones on Zombozo's orbs likewise glowed with those ghostly shapes, and the one on his top hat had a giggling, gaunt-looking version of Mei.

"W-Why are you doing this?" Izuku weakly muttered, eyes still locked on Mei.

"Only what every clown worth his floppy shoes wants: to make people laugh!" Zombozo declared, waggling his clown shoes before rushing toward Izuku and flashing a deranged smile, his voice echoing and altering. "THEN DRAIN THEIR POSITIVE ENERGY, LIKE A SPONGE IN A POOL PARTY! Is that so wrong?" Zombozo shrugged, his voice altering back to normal.

"And the machine?" Izuku questioned further, a low growl leaking out as his fingers scraped the floor into a clenched grip.

"I call it the Psyclown! Clever, eh?!" Zombozo revealed. "With this, all that stored-up power, I can take my act to the big cities! Let the Heroes notice! By the time they catch on to my act, I'll be stronger! Invincible even! Not even All Might can stand up to me! I'll make that big chump smile so wide, he'll split his face in half! LITERALLY! HEHEHEHEHEHE!"

"Izuku..." Mei closed her eyes, her outstretched hand falling slack.

Izuku's fists clenched fully, knuckles cracking. His emerald eyes narrowed, and all the laughing voices in his head faded, forgotten, unimportant. Izuku rose, standing on his feet.

"Eh? Y-You're standing?" Zombozo questioned, surprised.

"Yeah, and I've got to admit, what you just said, you standing up to All Might, might be your greatest joke yet," Izuku said, shuffling through his alien icons. "You're a pretty funny guy, but I'm the one who's gonna get the Last Laugh." Before Zombozo could rush him, Izuku slammed the trigger, and a bright flash of green enveloped him, blinding the clown momentarily.

A bright green flash lit up the silver-haired girl, making her squint. She slowly opened her eyes.

Blinking his eyes, Zombozo focused his vision and recognized the figure floating in front of him. Floating off the ground, as tall as the clown Villain, the figure appeared like the textbook definition of a phantom or ghost: grey skin, ovalish head and body, thin arms with rigid elbows, and four-fingered hands, legs replaced by a cracked, wisp-like shape, and black cracks spread throughout the body. The Watch's symbol poked out of the crack running over where a human's heart would be, while a single purple eye poked out of the crack running across the head.

Zombozo blinked his eyes again, making sure he wasn't seeing things. "Nice try, kid!" Zombozo smiled, shaking his head. "But I saw you turn into that green slime thing. I sell the tricks, I don't buy 'em."

"I have to thank you," Zombozo froze as the ghostly creature spoke in a gravely, echoed voice that gave him pause.

"You helped me to see what I'm most afraid of." As the creature spoke, the purple eye ran down the crack across his head, sending chills up his spine.

Suddenly, the new alien reared his arm back and struck Zombozo across the face with surprising strength.

Zombozo spun in the air, his hat flying off and revealing his balding head. The tube connected to his back wrapped around himself, till he stopped. "W-What the fuck?" Zombozo muttered, spinning himself around to unwind the tube around him. The Clown Villain looked around but could see no sign of the phantom-like alien.

"Losing the ones I love... especially to some goofball vampire," The ghost alien's voice echoed hauntingly throughout the circus tent, chilling Zombozo to the bone.

"W-What the hell kina freak are ya?!" Zombozo questioned, his voice quivering under his own fright.

"In other words," The freakish alien spoke again, behind him, as he came out of his invisibility. Zombozo swiftly turned around, fist ready to clock the freak, only for the alien's fist to meet his face, squashing his rubber nose flat against his face. Zombozo shook off the daze, ignoring the painful soreness of his face, and whipped his gaze back forward, only for the ghostly monster to have disappeared again. "You're going down, Clown!"

Zombozo growled, mashing his frustrated teeth together. "WHERE ARE YA, YOU FREAK?!" Zombozo howled, as furious as he was terrified. "SHOW YARSELF!"

"Peekaboo," The ghost alien whispered right in his ear, his purple, narrow-slitted eye right behind him.

Zombozo squeaked like a kitten, turning around to receive a brutal right hook to the face. And then a left one, followed by an uppercut, and then a hammer strike that rattled Zombozo's brain and nearly made his eyes pop out of his socket. The ghost alien wrapped its lower half around Zombozo's neck tightly, choking the clown Villain. As the clown villain struggles against the tight hold around his neck, the ghostly freak starts raining brutal punches on Zombozo's face, rage and pleasure in his one purple eye.

Finally, the transformed Midoriya hurled Zombozo with his ghostly tail into the Psyclown, the gothic clown crashing through the glass orb. Explosions burst out of the machine. Zombozo wailed in pain as the stolen vitality escaped from his body and the machine, forming into numerous wisps of energy. The wisps flew all over the circus tent before each wisp of vitality flew into their respective home bodies, from Mei, the silver-haired girl, the raven-haired girl, and her parents, to the Heroes and everyone else. The unconscious civilians and heroes groaned for a moment, indicating they were still alive, before their faces relaxed, yet they were still asleep.

Zombozo, alive, yet his face covered in bloody cuts and a bleeding nose, crawled out of his destroyed machine as the ghostly alien floated down before him. "I-I-I'm w-warning you t-t-to b-back off!" Zombozo stuttered, his attempted growl coming out as a whimper.

"You wanna see something REALLY Scary?!" The ghost alien asked, raising his hands to grab at the cracked lines, his fingers digging in. With a pull, the grey skin of the alien's body pulled back like a blanket, and out released a bed of black-and-white-striped tendrils, swirling and writhing chaotically, all for Zombozo to witness in sheer horror.

Utterly terrified, Zombozo floated back swiftly, accidentally crashing into the side of his destroyed Psyclown, the tube connecting him to the machine breaking off. Zombozo fell onto the ground with a pained groan. The Clown Villain looked up and immediately crawled backwards, curling up into a fetal position by the machine's legs, quivering like a frightened kitten before the monstrous alien.

"Oh? Now, don't tell me you're afraid of old Ghostfreak?!" Ghostfreak taunted, floating down menacingly toward Zombozo.

"P-Please! No More!" Zombozo begged, holding his hand up in surrender.

"BOO!" Ghostfreak spooked the clown, one last time.

Zombozo's eyes rolled up to the back of his head, and he slumped to the ground, passed out.

"Hehehe, Happy Halloween," Ghostfreak laughed, his hand, shaky and hesitant, slammed the symbol of the Watch, and in a flash of green light, Izuku Midoriya transformed back.

Immediately, Izuku collapsed onto his hands and knees, panting desperately as sweat poured down his brow. 'W-What was that?!' Izuku questioned himself internally. 'That ferocity, that rage, it was so... different. So, unlike me.'

Hearing the groans of a familiar voice, fatigue and fright became the least of Izuku Midoriya's concerns. Turning swiftly and rushing toward Mei, Izuku knelt and lifted Mei's head onto his lap. "Mei, are you there?" Izuku whispered, almost desperately.

At first, Mei said nothing, but then her brows moved, her lip curled, and then she groaned. "Muscles," Mei whined, peeking her eyes open, meeting Izuku's tearful, joyous eyes. "Let's just go trick-or-treating next time. No age excuses."

Izuku let out a chuckle before bringing Mei's head closer into a relieved hug. The salmon-haired girl's eyes widened before smiling softly and wrapping her arms around Izuku's head and arm.

Meanwhile, after the two got up and hobbled their way out of the tent just as everyone was starting to wake up, the silver-haired girl stared at them as they left, physically too tired to move, but her eyes wide and alert, witnessing everything, from beating the ghostly creature inflicted on Zombozo to his transformation back to a handsome green-haired young man in a dashing vampire garb.

"Spooky," The silver-haired girl muttered.

"Mei and I came home in time to watch the news cover the aftermath," Izuku continued, taking off his vampire cloak and wiping the last of his face makeup. "The Heroes and police woke up and realized what Zombozo was doing with his Quirk and the Psyclown, and later found the Circus Freaks with the money they tried to steal. Needless to say, they were quickly arrested, and, other than some lingering fatigue, everyone was fine. Thank God."

Izuku's eyes grew grim and heavy, his hands raised, and sliding across his face tiredly. "I nearly failed," Izuku muttered. "Zombozo was right. I didn't call the Heroes or the police when I went after him. I thought... I could handle it on my own, that I couldn't count on anyone else to save Mei but me, and I nearly failed. Mei wouldn't have been in danger if I had put my foot down and kept her out of it." Izuku gripped his hair. "And what's worse, I nearly let myself get overwhelmed by Zombozo's Quirk, nearly let myself wallow in self-misery while Mei and everyone else suffered. I-I can't let that happen again."

Izuku scoffed, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair, his arm placed across his face, leaning and raised toward the ceiling. "And if that weren't enough, I got a new alien: Ghostfreak," Izuku said, testing the name on his lips, which curled in distaste. "A ghost-like alien with similar intangibility to Big Chill, without the ice powers, and even greater invisibility, superhuman strength, and... whatever the hell I did to spook Zombozo."

At the mention of how he tormented the clown Villain, Izuku growled, a sob breaking out. "What I did to him... the beating, scaring him, how I took pleasure in it... I acted just like him," Izuku hissed through his clenched teeth, unsure, even to himself, who he really meant. "He was a Villain, he hurt people, he hurt Mei, but what I did... that wasn't me, that's not who I want to be."

Izuku raised his arm from his face, gazing at the Watch on his wrist with a contemplative look. "Ghostfreak," Izuku muttered again. "None of my other aliens were as brutal or sadistic as he was, or their personalities as drastically different. But was it really all Ghostfreak's fault, or do I truly have such darkness inside me, just waiting for a chance or excuse to let it out?"

That Watch gave no answer, not even a reflection, but Izuku's brows still furrowed, and his fist clenched. "I can't let it happen again; any of it," Izuku stated in a whisper. "I cannot let that darkness consume again. I can't make those same mistakes again." Mei's tired smile flashed in Izuku's mind, making him grit his teeth and a single tear roll down his face. "I can't let the ones I love get hurt like that, ever again."

The Bearer of the Watch adjusted himself, sitting straight and staring directly at the camera. "If I'm going to be the Hero who saves and cares for everyone, the one who can protect the ones he loves, I have to train harder, control my forms better; I have to get stronger," Izuku declared.

With that final statement, Izuku reached for the power button, ending his recording.

Video Cut

2 Months Later...

Hero Time Misadventures Tape #10

The recording began with Izuku once again in his chair before the camera in normal attire, only this time he was slouched forward, elbows pressed against his knees, his hands ruffling his hair, which had now grown long enough to tickle the back of his neck.

"Whelp, if I thought I messed things up in Halloween, or if I came close to incriminating myself, this one... this one I barely scraped by... and almost died," Izuku chuckled weakly, raising his head to the camera as he leaned against the chair. "And here I was hoping to have a Christmas where I didn't almost get killed in an alleyway." Izuku scoffed, shaking his head. "Okay, maybe that's a bit too melodramatic. Bakugou only left me bleeding, vomiting, and unconscious in a cold alleyway where anyone could have come by and finished the job. This guy actually did almost kill me."

"And if that weren't enough, I got an early Christmas present this year: a daughter," Izuku revealed, moving the camera to where it showed his bed, and the white-haired girl with a horn on her head sleeping contentedly in his bed. "Yeah, that deserves quite the explanation."

"See, it all began when I went out to get groceries, of all things," Izuku began with a chuckle. "I was trying to find a good Christmas present for Mom, Mei, and the Tennysons. But then, everything changed when I turned a corner and walked beside that alleyway."

Izuku heard the bare footsteps against the pavement before he felt the impact.

The green-haired teen felt a small body collide with his side, nearly causing him to stumble, while he heard a small groan and a thud sound beside him. Izuku turned to see who had crashed into him, his eyes widening at who it was: a little girl.

The girl looked no older than 5, and though she sat on the ground, dazed after crashing into him, he could tell she was around half his height now. The girl had long, messy white hair, natural, rather than from age, given how young she was, and a small yellow horn protruding from her forehead. What gave Izuku pause was the state she was in: a plain, pale-tan-colored, short-sleeved dress, dirty and unwashed, and her arms and legs covered in bandages.

The girl groaned, rubbing her head from when she crashed into him, and opened her eyes, slow and squinting. Her bright red eyes, tired and dull, locked onto his, where they widened and shone with what Izuku could only describe as desperate hope.

"Woah, I'm sorry. A-Are you okay?" Izuku asked, crouching down. "You took quite the tumble there."

Izuku raised his hand toward her, but as he did, the girl let out a tiny gasp, her ruby eyes shaky and full of terror. Izuku paused, his eyes widening with recognition. 'Those eyes, full of fear, trauma, pain,' Izuku registered, suddenly seeing his own emerald eyes in hers, especially in the younger years, when he was cornered by Bakugou and his lackeys, how, despite how he stood his ground against them, his eyes could never hide the fear he had toward his friend-turned-bully.

In that moment, Izuku knew that something was horribly wrong.

Glancing at his hand, Izuku turned it around, where instead of reaching out to grab at her, what she must have seen, he held it out to her, palm facing the sky, and for her to take.

"It's okay," Izuku said softly, small on his face. "I'm not mad. I just want to know if you're okay."

The girl's eyes widened to the size of saucers, her gaze switching from the unfamiliar gesture to the soft smile, and those green eyes. 'So green and bright,' The girl thought, and, above all, she saw in them one thing that broke through her guard: 'So kind.'

Hesitantly, the girl reached out and took his hand.

Izuku opened his mouth, revealing his teeth in a small, yet blinding grin. "What's your name?" Izuku asked gently.

"E-Eri," The girl replied, her voice quiet and fragile, as if she would break if she spoke any louder.

Izuku held back the worried frown that threatened to worm its way to the surface. "What are you doing out here, Eri?" Izuku asked, concerned. "Where are your parents?"

Eri froze, her mouth curling into a frown, looking about half a second away from crying. "G-" she stuttered out, her voice falling to a barely perceivable whisper.

"Right here."

Izuku and Eri froze, the white-haired girl's eyes widening in terror, her body shaking as she turned back to see the man emerging from the shadows of the alleyway.

Standing at 5'10", the man wore a pair of black dress pants and a shirt with a white tie, white shoes, and a green jacket over the latter. The newcomer's hands were covered in white gloves, purple feathers rimmed the jacket's collar, and, perhaps the most visually disturbing element, the man wore a magenta-and golden gas mask in the shape of a bird's beak over the lower half of his face, like a plague doctor's mask. The man had short, dark brown hair and piercing golden eyes.

"Y-You're this girl's father?" Izuku asked, pushing through the bad vibes he felt coming off this man.

"That's right," The man nodded, his closed eyes giving the impression he was smiling kindly underneath his mask. "Please, forgive my daughter. I don't know what to do with her. Always playing rough, bumping into things."

"...Right," Izuku muttered, doing his best to keep a neutral expression, yet the corner of his lip threatened to fall into a frown. "I suppose that's the reason for the bandages, right? Playing rough?"

"...Exactly," The bird-masked man nodded, yet Izuku could see the sharpness in his eyes. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to take my daughter off your hands. I wouldn't want to bother you any further."

"O-Okay-"

Izuku was cut off as Eri slammed herself into him, her hands clutching at his clothes in a death grip. Izuku's eyes widened, glancing down at Eri's tearing eyes. "P-Please," Eri whimpered. "Please don't go."

Izuku's kind eyes faded, giving way to a glare that made his emerald eyes glow dangerously. Izuku decided, then and there, to throw all subtlety and safety for this girl, calling out for help. No matter the cost.

"I'm sorry, but you see, I don't trust you," Izuku stated.

Eri gasped, gazing up at Izuku in shock.

The bird-masked man's eyes narrowed. "Oh?" he voiced.

"As a concerned citizen, you can imagine how sketchy all this is, don't you?" Izuku asked, keeping his glaring gaze at the man while a strained smile grew wide. "A little frightened girl running from a dark alleyway where a man stalked out of. Doesn't seem like the kind of place a girl like her should be in." Izuku raised his hands till his left patted Eri's head while the other froze near Eri's shoulder, his finger twitching.

The Watch slipped out of his sleeve, visible to the suspicious man, who tensed. 'That Watch. Doesn't look like the kind a random nobody would wear, and he doesn't look rich, either,' the man deduced. 'Is he some kind of undercover Hero?'

"She likes to venture out, explore places without my permission," The man said, his annoyance bleeding out in a growl, while his left hand inched closer toward his right.

Eri noticed, eyes widening, her fear spiking as her trembling grew. The little girl felt the urge to break out of the kind man's embrace and go back to Kai, so that Kai wouldn't kill the nice man.

Then she felt the green-haired man's hand stroking her hand, slowly, carefully, and, above all, calmly. Eri froze; the warmth and care she felt from it felt foreign to her, something she couldn't quite remember ever feeling in a long time. It flowed throughout her body, her trembling slowed, and her heart stopped beating as frantically.

"So you say, but you know what you also said? You lied when you said you were her parent," Izuku pointed out.

Despite how quietly Eri said it right before the man showed up, Izuku heard her. "Gone," Eri had said.

"A sketchy man that came out of a dark alleyway, claiming he's this girl's father, while she said otherwise," Izuku listed down.

"That's profiling, kid," Kai growled. "Besides, you'd believe a little girl over a grown adult? She's lying because she's afraid of being scolded."

"Maybe so, but she had no reason to lie to me before you showed up," Izuku retorted. "I can tell she isn't lying. This fear, her trembling, it isn't fear of being scolded, it's fear of you."

Kai glared back at the observant green-haired brat, assured he was some kind of undercover pro or an upstart intern from a nearby agency. Glancing around, he could see that the street was empty; no cars, no bystanders, no witnesses.

'I'd rather settle this inside the alleyway, much easier to hide the blood, but something tells me this kid won't be stupid enough to trust me at my word,' Kai Chisaki deduced. 'Guess I'll have to do this the hard way.'

"Tell me: what are you doing to this girl?" Izuku demanded.

Tears fell more from Eri's eyes as she stared up at the green-haired man's determined glare, yet comforting presence. He cared for her, held her, like a-.

"...I didn't want to come to this," Kai Chisaki stated, sliding his glove off his hand. "Remember that when you reach the other side."

Izuku rapidly tapped the side of the Watch.

Suddenly, Kai Chisaki lunged forward, hand outstretched. Eri's eyes widened in horror as she saw Kai's hand inch closer and closer to the green-haired man's face in slow motion. Izuku's glare narrowed, and his right hand slammed down the trigger. A bright flash of light enveloped them all.

SPLAT!

Eri blinked her eyes open, and they widened in horror at what she saw.

The walls, the ground, Kai's hand, herself, everywhere was covered in... green blood?

"Urgh, disgusting," Kai growled, furiously wiping his hand of the viscous green liquid. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he wasn't a Hero. Just a stubborn brat with green blood for a Quirk. Well, whatever, the nuisance is gone. Another sick Quirk-infected hero-wannabe gone."

Kai turned his gaze toward Eri, who whimpered at his glare. "See? This is what happens when you disobey me, Eri," Kai stated, reaching out toward Eri. "Now, let's get back to Hassaikai. There I'll carve this lesson into you till you never run off again."

Eri shut her eyes, guilty tears burning down her cheeks as Kai's hand neared. 'It's my fault. It's my fault! It's-'

"Woah! That felt weird!" A voice echoed all around them.

Eri gasped.

Kai ceased his motion, switching into a startled, readied stance. "Who said that?" Kai questioned, whirling his gaze around the area, but found nothing. "Where are you?!"

"Above you," The voice said.

Kai whirled his gaze upwards to see... a tiny UFO?

"And beneath you," The voice said again.

Kai looked down in time to see a green, slimy fist race toward him. The fist made of green slime struck Kai across the face. Both Eri's and Kai's eyes widened, though the latter coughed out a groan. Finally, time ceased running in slow motion, and Kai was sent flying back into the shadows of the alleyway, landing in a groan.

Eri blinked her eyes multiple times, trying to make sense of what she saw. A stretchy green arm shot out of the pile of green and punched Kai away. Hearing a whirring sound, Eri looked up to see the tiny disc that was above Kai descend toward her. Before Eri could let out a whimper, the floating disc floated past her, and the green liquid that covered her floated off of her.

Eri watched in amazement as the disc zipped around the area, gathering all the green slime and forming into another shape: a man. Or what looked like a man. The shape formed a tall man made of the green liquid with long arms and hands with four fingers, large, toe-less feet, and green eyes of a different color formed around the head, while the tiny floating disc hovered above it. "GOOP!" The transformation cried out.

"Huh?" Eri squeaked out, super confused.

The slime-based alien turned toward Eri, who squeaked in fear, backing away fearfully from the unknown person in front of her. "Don't worry, Eri," Goop spoke, his voice echoing and bubbly, like someone was speaking through water. Eri paused, eyes widening at how the monster knew her name. "I'm not gonna let him hurt you." Eri's eyes widened a smidge. "Because I Am Here!" Goop's eyes curved into what seemed like a smile.

Eri gasped. 'It's him!' Eri realized, seeing the green-haired person from before within the slime monster. 'The kind man!'

Kai's groan snapped the two to attention back at the alleyway. The bird-masked man got up, his eyes wide and pupils shaky and unhinged. "Filthy," Kai growled, his uncovered hand hovering shakily by his face, now sporting hives. "YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SHIT!"

Kai removed his other glove and slammed both of his hands onto the ground. Goop tensed, instinct taking over, and rushed toward Eri. The ground began to break apart and reform into spikes and spires, forming and traveling toward the two.

Eri yelped as she was suddenly lifted by the green, slimy man's hands. The horned girl gasped as she saw the spikes Kai had created piercing through the man's limy body. Her fear and guilt lessened as she saw the slimy man's head turn and look at her. "Are you okay?" Goop asked her.

"Y-Yes," Eri nodded, eyes wide in awe of someone not afraid or hurt by Kai.

Goop nodded and glared back at the alleyway. "Watch it, buddy!" Goop yelled at Kai. "You almost hit Eri."

"As if that would matter," Kai said coldly, rose, hunched, and ready. "If she breaks, I can always fix her."

"What?!" Goop growled, his eyes narrowing with rising anger.

"Doesn't matter," Kai said, leaning and pressing his right hand on the wall beside him. "Now, die."

The wall beside him exploded before reforming into a large spire of stone rocketing toward him. Goop reacted quickly, curling his body and the arms holding Eri over the spike as it pierced the ground behind him. Goop lifted one of his legs and fired it off toward Chisaki in a stream of slime. Kai responded by slamming his left hand onto the alleyway's other wall, which exploded and reshaped in front of Kai, blocking the slime from striking at him.

'What kind of Quirk is this?' Goop pondered analytically. 'He's shaping the ground and walls into whatever he wants. Some kind of Geokinetic Quirk?'

Behind the constructed wall, Chisaki slammed his hands upon it. "Give Eri Back!" Kai roared as spikes shot out of the wall and shot toward Goop.

Goop jumped out of the way, stretching his arm that was carrying Eri further away. Kai noticed and fired another constructed spike of wall out toward Eri. Goop widened his eyes and stretched his arm higher. Eri yelped as she rose higher into the air, the spike slashing through where she would have been and cutting off the slimy arm's wrist.

"Shit!" Goop cursed launched himself forward, evading and shifting around more launched spikes launched at him till he was a stream of goop flying toward the falling girl. He reached and curled himself into a ramp just in time for Eri to slide on. The white-haired girl slid down the slimy ramp into Goop's arms at the end as he constructed himself back to normal.

"I gotcha," Goop said calmly to Eri before glaring back at the alleyway where Chisaki strode out. "She could have gotten hurt from that! Do you really not care for your 'daughter'?"

"I told you. It doesn't matter," Kai declared, striding menacingly toward the two. "She's cursed."

"Cursed?" Goop repeated, confused and offended.

"Yes, like you and me, and the rest of this infected society," Kai stated, spreading his hands apart. "Infected by these diseased Quirks!" Kai slammed both hands into the ground, the pavement on either side of him, exploding out into twin, large spires launching toward Goop.

Goop flattened into a wave of Goop, holding and sliding Eri forward, ducking the spires of pavement, maneuvering himself around Chisaki. The plague mask Villain launched toward them, leaping forward to reach out toward Eri. The white-haired girl looked on in terror at the incoming hand that would hurt her, only for her to rise again, Kai's hand missing. Goop launched an arm and shot a blast of goop out of his body. Kai swiped his hand across the arm, breaking it down into droplets, yet could only widen his eyes at the stream of goop that struck him, sending him across the street and splattering against the side of a wall, his torso stuck between the wall and the sticky goop.

'There it happened again. No, that isn't some Geokinetic Quirk,' Goop deduced, reforming back into a humanoid form with Eri cradled in one arm while the other launched out and gathered his scattered fragments across the torn street. 'If it were, nothing would have happened when he touched my body.'

Goop recalled the couple of seconds that occurred when Chisaki tried to grab him. He remembered how he tapped the Watch's side three times quickly, causing the alien device to blink and release the trigger without the selection wheel. Izuku then slammed the trigger and became Goop just as Kai touched him, and then felt himself get pulled apart and splatter all across the area.

'If I were any other alien, I would have been a greasy smear on the pavement. Thank God for the Randomizer Function choosing the right alien for the job,' Goop thought, praying out thanks to whomever up high was watching out for him. 'Then again, I could have gone as Ghostfreak or Big Chill and phased right through it, though I doubt I would have been fast enough to do it, and who knows what would have happened if he touched Eri instead.'

Goop's eyes widened in sudden realization. 'Actually, that's weird. For someone who wants Eri back, he doesn't care about hurting her. Some of his attacks were specifically targeting her,' Goop remembered.

"As if that would matter," Goop recalled Kai's cold words. "If she breaks, I can always fix her."

'Fix her,' Goop repeated Kai's words, adding Kai's other abilities together. Goop's eyes widened, whirling his gaze back toward the trapped Kai. As he predicted, Kai pressed his hands against the goop and watched as it broke apart and scattered across the pavement. Kai fell to the ground and slammed his hands onto it, creating another trail of spikes toward Goop and Eri.

After successfully evading the spikes, Goop slid to a stop. "I know your Quirk," Goop shouted, surprising Eri and freezing Kai still. "You can break down and reconstruct anything you touch into what you want, and then revert it to normal if you want."

"...Impressive, or an infected hero-wannabe," Chisaki growled in reluctant admittance.

"That's why you are willing to hurt Eri," Goop growled, his mass of slime bubbling in fury. "So that you can repair her back to normal afterward. You are sick!"

"Me? Sick?!" Kai's pupils shrank, glaring venomously at Goop. "I AM THE ONLY SANE ONE IN THIS WORLD!" Kai slammed his hands on the pavement, breaking down the street into four large spires and hurling them all toward Goop and Eri.

"Hold on!" Goop warned, wrapping a cord of slime around Eri, holding her against his main humanoid body. The horned girl complied and gripped the solid-feeling cord. Goop stretched his legs out and fired a stream of highly corrosive acid on the spires above the one he stretched over. The acid burned through the spire, allowing Goop to slide his reconstructed feet down the spire. Another snaked up to strike from above, only for Goop to blast it with a stream of acid again, using his other arm to form an umbrella over Eri to keep her from the leftover acid and debris. Goop jumped off the spire he rode on and jumped toward the fourth spire, blasting both streams of acid through the spire, forming a hole to fall through and land in a slide back on the road.

"The only ones sick here are you!" Chisaki growled, scratching at his arms that now sported more hives. "You are your diseased mindsets!"

"Have you looked in the mirror, guy?!" Goop called out. "What mindset can be even sicker than torturing an innocent little girl?!"

"That girl is far from innocent!" Kai yelled, pointing accusingly at Eri.

Eri whimpered at Kai's mad rage, burying her face into Goop's chest.

"What are you talking about?!" Goop growled, his formed eyes narrowing into daggers.

"You, her, your Quirks, all that this diseased society worships, they are but a plague upon us all!" Kai ranted, slashing his hands wildly through the air as he monologued. "Warping the minds of all in it, twisting them into believing Quirks are all that matters."

Goop's eyes flinched, not-so-pleasant memories of his past rearing back, ones that, as the psychopath stated, had kids and adults treat him like trash for not having a Quirk like them.

"You Heroes, Villains, all following your twisted, sick minds influenced by your Quirks, letting you play at being gods while destroying yourselves for glory and recognition, and casting out anyone that doesn't fit your mold!" Chisaki continued. "But she can fix everything." Kai pointed again at Eri. "Her Quirk can rewind us back to normal! Return us to what we were before the Dawning of Quirks! Clean, purified, Quirkless!"

Goop's eyes widened. 'H-He wants to wipe out all Quirks using Eri's?!' Goop summarized, glancing briefly down at Eri, wondering what kind of Quirk could this little girl possibly have to fulfill Chisaki's ambitions.

"Give her back to me, and we can rid you of your disease! Reset everything back to the way it was!" Chisaki pleaded. "No more glory-hungry Heroes, no more sick, monstrous Villains; Humanity restored and cleansed to normal!"

Goop's eyes fell, silent in contemplation. For a moment, both Chisaki and Eri believed Goop was considering it, to the former's hope and the latter's fear. That was until they heard him laugh.

"Hehehe, HEHEHAHAHAHAHAH!" Goop threw his constructed head back and bellowed out gurgling laughter that irked Chisaki and made Eri blink, confused.

"Something funny? Chisaki growled.

"Actually, yeah, there is, but you wouldn't get it," Goop chuckled, shaking his head. "It's just... hehehe... oh, how ironic this whole thing is."

"Ironic?" Kai repeated, blinking, confused.

"Yeah, I get what you are thinking. You think I'm only helping Eri because my Quirk is influencing me to act this way," Goop explained Kai's belief. "I can't say anything for the rest of the world, but I'm not acting out of any 'sickness' or influence you think I'm under. You know why?"

"Oh, please, enlighten me, then?" Chisaki asked, inching his closer to the raised, small spire of pavement he formed behind him, ready to activate his Quirk.

"This, right here," Goop began, gesturing to himself with his thumb. "This isn't a Quirk. I'm as Quirkless and pure of mind as you believe so!"

Eri and Kai gasped, the latter so caught off guard that his hand had missed the spire.

"You think I'm acting like a Hero because I want fame, glory, or whatever, but you're wrong; I'm simply doing what I think is right," Goop stated, raising his arms to block Eri from Chisaki. "And that right now, is protecting a little girl who asked for my help. Cursed or not, whatever you say, she is still Eri, and she is worth protecting! Because that is what true Heroes do!"

Eri's eyes watered with tears, her heart pounding rapidly as she whimpered and cried silently in her hero's arms.

Kai growled, fists clenched painfully. "Not a Quirk? Worth protecting? Your sickness is incurable!" Kai growled, raising his glaring golden eyes back at Goop. "If you choose to stand in my way, I'll purge you and your precious 'not-a-Quirk' from this planet!" Kai raised his hands to strike. Goop readied to fight.

However, before they could do anything, they heard sirens. Chisaki whirled his gaze behind him, noticing the flashing lights of police cars in the distance. 'Police. And Heroes, too, most likely,' Chisaki cursed, not realizing how much time he wasted and the noticeable destruction he caused. 'I got to end this now!'

But as Kai turned, his eyes widened. Goop similarly raised his arms, firing out from his hands a wave of corrosive acid sailing toward him. Kai reacted instantly, forming a large, wide wall to shield him from the acid, even backing away to be safe.

As the acid ate at the wall, forming a blanketing wall of gas, Goop hurriedly switched Eri from the strap around his chest to cradling her in his left arm. Goop lowered his Anti-Gravity UFO and slammed the Watch's symbol. Eri winced at the bright green light and felt the body holding her shifting into something... fluffy?

Eri blinked her eyes open to see that her hero transformed again from the goopy man to a blue-and-black furry creature. As he glanced toward her, Eri knew it was still him. 'He has the same kind, green eyes,' Eri thought.

"Hang on, Eri-chan! It's about to get bumpy!" Fasttrack exclaimed, cradling her head with his other hand, and sped off in the opposite direction from Kai.

Eventually, a glaring Kai lowered his constructed wall, expecting to find the diseased-minded brat about to attack again. His eyes widened as he saw that they were both gone, and as he whirled his gaze from side to side, he found no brat and no Eri.

"GGGRRRAAAAHHHHHH!" Kai let out a roar of pure rage. When he finished, Kai stood there, panting, pupils shrunken to pricks of pure golden venom. Shaking himself to his senses, Kai turned back to see the ever-approaching police and Heroes. Kai returned his glare to the direction where Eri and the brat must have run off.

"This isn't over," Kai Chisaki growled out his promise before running into the alleyway, disappearing into the shadows.

Eventually, reaching about a few blocks from his house, Fasttrack ran into another empty alleyway before sliding to a stop.

Fasttrack panted, looking back to see if anybody noticed him running in. When no one seemed to pay any attention to him, Fasttrack sighed in relief.

"Phew, I guess with the right motivation, Fasttrack can be as perceivable as a gust of wind," Fasttrack chuckled. Quickly, he switched his attention to the child in his arms. "Hey, you okay, Eri-chan?"

Eri whimpered, blinking her eyes repeatedly, her vision refocusing on her furry savior. Hesitantly, she nodded.

Fasttrack sighed again. "I'm glad. You have no idea how stressful that was, little one," Fasttrack chuckled anxiously. "If I weren't so focused on getting you away from that psycho, I would have given him a final hook to the face!"

At the reminder of Kai, seeing his furious glare in her mind, Eri whimpered and shook in Fasttrack's arms.

"Oh, crap! Uh, I mean, I'm sorry I didn't mean to remind you of him!" Fasttrack exclaimed, panicked at the sight of the little girl about to cry. "Um, I-"

As the emotions of all that had happened became too much, her horn began to glow, and with a grunt, a short blast of energy struck Fasttrack. Eri's eyes widened at what she had done, and Fasttrack's over what was happening.

Suddenly, a flash of green light enveloped Fasttrack, and when it receded, Eri was back in the arms of Goop. Goop blinked, looking down at himself. "What the-!" Goop exclaimed, raising his free hand to inspect it. "I-I'm Goop, again?"

Before he could fully process this, Goop was covered in another aura of yellow light, yet it appeared dimmer than before. Goop was covered once more in a green flash of light, and when it went away, the one Eri was in the arms of was Izuku Midoriya himself.

Izuku raised his right hand again, inspecting his human fingers as well as the rest of his normal body. "Huh? I'm now me?" Izuku asked, confused. Izuku squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to transform again suddenly, but after a while, he peeked one eye open and saw that he was still himself, Eri still cradled in his left arm.

"Oookay," Izuku voiced, utterly confused. "I guess whatever happened just finished."

After a few seconds to verify that he wouldn't transform into anything, Izuku set Eri down gently, the white-haired girl looking at him in surprise, like he wasn't supposed to have survived that.

"Hey, that was you, wasn't it?" Izuku asked Eri, crouching closer to her level. "The whole yellow aura thing?"

Eri nodded meekly, clasping her hands together, fiddling with her fingers. "W-When I get too e-excited, things around me g-go away," Eri explained.

Izuku blinked, surprised. "Like, as in they disappear from view, or gone-gone?" Izuku asked further.

Eri clasped a hand over her horn, her mouth quivering. "Gone-Gone," Eri whimpered out.

Izuku's eyes widened as Chisaki's words began to make sense despite his mad ranting.

"But she can fix everything." Kai pointed again at Eri. "Her Quirk can rewind us back to normal! Return us to what we were before the Dawning of Quirks! Clean, purified, Quirkless!"

"Give her back to me, and we can rid you of your disease! Reset everything back to the way it was!"

'That light from her horn must have been her horn, and when it hit me, I reverted to Goop and then to myself, like I was rewinded back from transformations,' Izuku realized. Looking down at the Watch, checking its energy, Izuku found it was back up to full charge, as if he had never transformed in the first place. 'No, my time limit rewound to full charge. That must be Eri's Quirk: the ability to rewind things. That's what that psychopath wanted Eri for.'

Izuku gazed back up to Eri, still cradling her horn, which had noticeably shrunk an inch or two. 'Her horn must be what holds her Quirk's energy and grows the more energy she has and shrinks depending on how much she uses,' Izuku analyzed. 'If she used it when I was normal, I probably would age backwards to a certain point, and if she used all or enough of her Quirk on someone...'

Izuku shook his head, deciding that he could analyze her Quirk at another time. Right now, there is a little girl who needs support.

"Hey," Izuku said, gaining her attention. "Don't listen to him. You are not cursed. I don't believe any Quirk can be considered a curse, not as long as you know how to control it, and I'm willing to help you till you no longer need me."

Izuku raised his inviting hand toward her, smiling softly. "Till then, I'll always be there for you, Eri-chan," Izuku declared.

Eri stared up at him with awe-filled eyes that clouded with tears. With lips quivering, Eri rushed Izuku into a hug, crying out her pain, her howls muffled by his shirt. Izuku's eyes widened a smidge, his mind taken back to when he found out he was Quirkless, watching All Might's debut video, and asking his mom whether he could be a hero, too. Ultimately, she could only give him apologies back then. Here, Izuku felt as if he had given Eri what his mom didn't, and a part of his soul felt mended.

Izuku regained his soft smile, wrapping his arms gently around Eri. "It's okay, Eri, cry all you want," Izuku whispered gently, a tear of his own rolling down his cheek. "Even the bravest Heroes have to cry sometimes."

"After that, I took Eri to Mom, and we went to the hospital," Izuku continued, explaining the events that led to now, doing his best to keep his tone whispered as Eri slept peacefully on his bed. A grim, haunted look settled on Izuku's face as he remembered all they discovered and endured at the hospital. "We discovered that a lot of her body was full of scars, all done onto her by the man who experimented on her, Kai Chisaki."

Izuku's fists clenched at the mention of the name. "We, of course, had to take this to the police and Mom's 'friend'," Izuku chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "I still cannot believe that Mom knew U.A.'s Dean, Nezu, of all people, or that he was willing to cover for me as the Watch's creator. He also helped us out a lot with Eri's situation afterward."

"I told the police all about my encounter with Chisaki, with the slight omission that the slime-Quirk Vigilante that fought Chisaki off in time for me to get Eri away just so happened to be me," Izuku admitted, rubbing his neck guiltily. "With the description of him and his Quirk, they found out who he is: Kai Chisaki, the new head of the Shie Hassaikai, one of the only Yakuza groups still around to this day. They became nearly obsolete when Quirks started coming in, but they survived long enough till the last boss was... Eri's grandfather."

"When the police and Heroes raided the Hassaikai compound, they didn't find Chisaki or most of the Hassaikai, only a skeleton group, and a few remnants of what they were working on, but nothing concrete to make heads or tails of what it was," Izuku revealed. "They did find the old boss of the Hassaikai, Eri's grandfather, in a hospital bed, trapped in a coma. From the records they found, they revealed that Eri was dumped onto her grandfather by her mother after her Quirk, Rewind, manifested and accidentally rewound Eri's father to a point before his birth, basically out of existence."

Izuku glanced back to check if Eri was still awake. "Eri knows nothing about it, and we haven't told her anything about it," Izuku whispered, a guilty look on his face. "We figured it was for the best. After everything Chisaki did to her, we feared it would break her beyond repair. So, we're keeping it secret until Eri's old enough to understand and can control her Quirk."

"Speaking of which, when the Commission heard about her Quirk, they were eager to take her into their custody, but Dean Nezu and my mother wouldn't hear of it, and neither would Eri," Izuku said, his worried expression melting into touched affection. "She would barely leave my side. I stayed with her through all her tests, and when Eri was told who she wanted to be with, she chose me: her Papa."

Izuku wiped the tears from his eyes and coughed. "B-But, even if I were a legal adult, which I am, I still am technically currently taking my high school education and trying out for U.A. University, giving me no time to raise Eri on my own, so we found a compromise," Izuku stated. "Because Eri would only accept Mom and me as her guardians, Mom took legal custody of Eri as her guardian till I completed my U.A. education and could provide for her on my own, with the stipulation that Eri come to U.A. or the hospital for repeated check-ups and tests to better control her Quirk, supervised by a certain hero in case anything bad happens." At the mention of this certain hero, Izuku's lips curled in distaste.

"But, anyway, since Chisaki and the Hassaikai are still at large, hiding somewhere, and likely wanting to reclaim Eri, it was best to give her a new name to hide her identity," Izuku said, holding up a framed document with Eri's new legal name. "Eris Midoriya, adopted daughter of Izuku Midoriya. So, technically speaking, I am a father now."

Izuku let out a chuckle mixed with joy and disbelief. "I guess I couldn't fulfill Mom's wish of not giving her grandchildren until after college, after all," Izuku grinned. "Ben and Gwen lost their minds over it. Had to explain to them why we don't do middle names here in Japan, so neither of them could war over whose name would be her middle one. They are still warring over who gets to be her godparent, a fight that will end today: Eri's first birthday with us."

"Mmm, Papa?" Eri murmured as she awoke, rubbing her eyes.

"Morning, Eri!" Izuku greeted, smiling widely. "No nightmares, last night?"

"Nuh-Uh," Eri shook her head, fiddling with the blank with a small blush on her face. "I-I don't get them when I sleep next to you."

Izuku chuckled, pushing his moving chair across the room till he sat beside Eri on the bed. "I'm glad I can help you make the bad dreams go away, at least for now," Izuku said, patting and stroking her hair. "One day, you'll get there, and you'll no longer need me to be there. I-I mean, not that I'm bothered by it if that's what you're worried about. J-Just that people will think it'll be weird the older you get."

"Hmm? Why?" Eri quirked her head, curious. "Why would it be weird if I sleep with my Papa?"

Izuku's cheeks burned red at how the little girl phrased the question. "I-It's just a thing!" Izuku yelped out, his voice an octave too high, before shaking his head. "Anyway, I hope you're well rested, because today is a very special day."

"Oh? What is it?" Eri asked again, a spark of excitement flickering in her usually sad eyes.

"Nuh-uh-uh, that would be spoilers," Izuku shook his head back and forth, a finger over his mouth.

"Spoilers?" Eri repeated the unfamiliar word.

"It means something special that is ruined if someone tells you beforehand," Izuku explained, pouting adorably. "And we wouldn't want to do that, would we?"

"No, no, no!" Eri said, shaking her head.

"Alright, well, get freshened up, and I'll see you downstairs, 'kay?" Izuku said.

"'Kay!" Eri nodded, hopping off the bed and putting on her unicorn slippers before running over to the bathroom.

Izuku pushed himself back toward the camera, reaching over. "Sorry, Ben," Izuku whispered apologetically. "Nezu called dibs on Godfather."

With a final apologetic smile, Izuku ceased the recording.

Video Cut...

Chapter Text

Third POV

Months later...

"This is it; this is really it."

"Yep, sure is."

"I mean, it's really happening. I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"Nope. Pinched you five times already. Not a dream."

"It just-it's been a dream of mine to walk through those gates. Oh my god, I think I might not start hyperventilating-"

"Muscles!"

Izuku snapped out of his half-stupor to turn and face Mei, pouting at him while snapping her fingers. 'How can she snap so well with her gloves like that?' Izuku thought curiously while staring at Mei's large, puffy gloves. 'Was she able to after doing that so many times toward me?'

"Hey! No, daydream mumbling, Muscles!" Mei's yell snapped him out of his inner muttering, again. "I'm not going to let my future business partner screw up his chance to be a Pro because he was too busy losing his shit!"

"S-Sorry," Izuku apologized, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Same old, Muscles," Mei sighed with a mix of mild annoyance and fondness. "You never change, no matter what shape and size you are in, huh?"

"Are you still salty that I won't endorse that stupid slogan?" Izuku raised an eyebrow at her.

"Come on! It's perfect!" Mei exclaimed. "With all your transformations, it would be the perfect slogan. The 'Every Shape and Size' Hero!"

"That's still a mouthful, Mei," Izuku pointed out. "Why not the 'Everything Hero'?"

"That just sounds like you're cocky," Mei argued with a flat look.

"Well, if Mei Hatsume is saying something sounds too cocky, then it must be true," Izuku replied, shrugging while a teasing grin was on his face.

"You know, I sometimes miss when you were too nervous around me to quip back," Mei huffed and looked away, with quite the adorable pout on her, if Izuku was honest with himself.

Izuku chuckled at his closest friend. The two of them have been conversing while walking down the street toward their destination, now in front of them. An influx of young teens and adults walked toward the same high, looming entrance, flanked by high brick walls, with a golden U and A at the top of the blue arch above the entrance, and a large building shaped somewhat like an H looming beyond the gate. Those gates, the ones Izuku had been dreaming of passing through for so long, were the U.A. Main Entrance and, beyond it, the main building of U.A. University.

After months and months of training, Izuku was finally here, ready to take his first steps into being a U.A. Hero student, to being a Hero. 'After 10 months of training and cleaning the beach, I'm finally here,' Izuku smiled softly. 'So much has changed in the last year, I can barely believe how different my life has been since that day.' Izuku looked down at the Watch, still on his wrist as ever. 'And that day, too.'

Mei must have noticed his silence because she started snapping at his face again, thinking he had gone into another thoughtful trance, which he admitted he was close to. Still, it didn't mean that Izuku wouldn't give her an exasperated, flat look that made Mei smile proudly and innocently.

"So, any other new forms to speak?" Mei asked, gesturing toward the Watch.

"No, not since two weeks ago," Izuku answered, shaking his head.

"You've been getting more quickly than before," Mei muttered, recalling all the new transformations Izuku had unlocked in the months since his first new form. "How many has that made? 20?"

"Counting the original 10? 19," Izuku answered.

More than half a year ago, Izuku's and Mei's theory was proven correct: Izuku did have more alien forms. Back then, after he had transformed back to normal, Izuku and Mei investigated the discovery and found another silhouette of the new alien form. With some trial and error, they found that the new 11th alien form had replaced one of the 10 shapes Izuku had been familiar with for over three months. Izuku was at first worried that he had lost Goop when he couldn't find it, but after turning the playlist wheel on and off, he found Goop's shape again, this time with another alien transformation replaced by the new one.

After doing this multiple times, Izuku and Mei had concluded that with the introduction of this 11th alien, the playlist wheel couldn't hold all 11 transformations and thus would select the shown 10 at random, one that the playlist would change every time Izuku turned off the playlist wheel or swiping across the wheel quickly, resetting the wheel like refreshing a tab on a phone, which was found out by complete accident. Izuku was just glad that this meant all his training with the first 10 aliens wasn't wasted and that these different transformations that he had become quite fond of didn't suddenly vanish.

This presented a new conundrum, though, for both of the U.A. hopefuls. If one new transformation could appear, then there were likely to be more in the future, and for the past months since this day, more and more new transformations have been revealed, such as Ghostfreak in October. By this point, Izuku's choice of alien forms has nearly doubled, with 19 different aliens, all with unique move sets and powers. Some were similar to others, but always with their own twist or spin that made these alien forms their own, and some had completely different powers than his original 10, giving Izuku a whole new set of abilities to master and add to his increasingly versatile roster.

However, every new alien presented a problem for Izuku, as Mei pointed out. If he gets more and more transformations without any defining limit, what will happen if he gets 40 aliens and tries to look for a specific transformation, but it won't appear in the first few playlists? He could waste away precious time, standing there like an idiot, or worse, a vulnerable target, looking for the right form among dozens of options at the wheel at random.

Thankfully, they didn't have to worry long. After some more fidgeting with the Watch, they found that by swiping up or down, they could bring up a whole new playlist, filled with the previous missing alien transformations. However, Mei's concern still held weight, and Izuku had been doing his best to tinker with the Watch, as safely as he could, to find a method that could give him the right alien he needed almost instantly. He has yet to find a solution to this problem.

Another concern arose when he reached his 11th transformation, which Izuku had opted to call Cannonbolt. The problem was that he had chosen to transform into Fasttrack and became a whole different alien he didn't even know he had, much less wanted to turn into. That was something that Izuku never faced any problems with back then, and it was worrying to imagine that he could turn into a completely undesirable alien in a specific situation.

While it only occurred thus far with every new transformation making its first random appearance, this prompted Izuku and Mei to develop a new training method, one where Izuku had to transform into the first alien he got on the playlist without so much as looking and adapt to the situation at hand. It has led to many stressful and exhilarating outcomes, but Izuku figured that this is what he will have to face when he goes Pro.

Then came the discovery of a new feature of the Watch: The Randomizer Function. By tapping the Watch's side three times quickly instead of swiping his fingers, it would cause the device to blink and release the trigger without the selection wheel, randomly choosing an alien for Izuku to transform into. Izuku's most prominent use of the feature was when he saved his now-adoptive daughter, Eri, from Chisaki and saved himself from instant death by turning into the perfect alien to counter Chisaki's Quirk. Izuku still didn't know if the Watch knew to turn him into Goop specifically or if it was just the luck of the universe, but he didn't complain about the results.

Thinking about this adoptive daughter brought a smile to Izuku's face, remembering how he, Mom, and Mei celebrated Eri's first birthday with them, how the adorable unicorn cried her eyes out and let out her first, true smile. It was an image that would forever cement itself in Izuku's mind, one he vowed to protect with his very being.

"So, any of the new guys you gonna use for the Practical Exam?" Mei asked, curious, once more snapping Izuku from his daydreams.

"No, I haven't had enough time to train with the latest ones," Izuku shook his head, determined. "I'll stick to most of the first 10 for the Exam."

"Most?" Mei quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm not too confident in using Diamondhead in public yet," Izuku frowned. "It's been 10 months since I destroyed the Mechadroid with him, but I'm not sure if people haven't yet forgotten about him. For all I know, Snipe's gonna be observing the practical portion of the exam, and he'll definitely notice if that same large diamond vigilante were to pop up. I can't afford to jeopardize my chances of getting into U.A."

"Shame," Mei shrugged. "The guy's quite versatile. He would have been useful. But what about Fasttrack? You used him publicly, too, back with that Anima guy."

"Animo," Izuku corrected. "And yeah, that's true. But no one took any pictures of him, and I was there and gone before any Pros or police could see him. They'll only know his description from the civilians, at least."

"Fair enough," Mei shrugged.

"The others will do fine," Izuku reassured her. "And I can make any last-minute changes to my plan depending on the Practical portion of the exam."

"Knowing U.A., it can be anything from fighting robots to a simple fitness test with Quirks," Mei pondered. "And if that's the case, you should have it in the bag, Muscles." Mei patted Izuku's stomach. "Especially since you definitely have the muscles for the job, now."

Another development that arose in the months leading up to the present was the change in Izuku's regular body—months of training and moving trash from Dagobah Beach had paid off in transforming Izuku from the skinny, small, unimposing teen that he was into the hunk that he was now, or at least as Mei attested. His once twig-like arms and legs were now decently built, caked with muscles, the scrawny torso he had before he got the Watch now packed an eye-catching six pack, meat put on the bones till he had a body that Mei described as that of a lean, athletic swimmer or the makings of a Greek demigod. Izuku felt that she was exaggerating. What Mei couldn't let him deny was that he had also grown in size by three inches. Three Goddamn inches!

'Honestly, how can someone hit puberty twice?!' Izuku recalled what Mei said multiple times. However, she did bring up an interesting question. Even with all his training, he did change quite drastically. Muscles were one thing, but growing as much as he did was something else. Hell, even his face had gotten some developments. His once roundish, unassuming face was sharper and more chiseled. Not 'gigachad' levels of sculpted, but enough that anyone who had first met Izuku before his change would think he was his elder, more attractive brother. Hell, his voice was even a little deeper, no longer so squeaky.

His mother said he was coming into his own, showing a lot more of his father, but Izuku couldn't help but wonder if this development in his body was not simply from 10 months of training, but because of the Watch itself. 'Has it been changing and altering my body as well?'

His hair had likewise changed, though it was more out of choice than any suspicious genetic change. Izuku had grown his hair out more to the point that he tied his would-be mullet into a ponytail, yet with his hair as messy and spiky as it was, it was more like a wolf-tail, hanging by the back of his shoulder blades. The band he used was the same red color as his shoes, one that Mei had made sometime in the winter months. He did shave half of his sides, not particularly liking it when the hair tickled in the insides of his ears, but left the rest of his hair mostly intact, with the only other change being his leaning more forward than all over the place.

"I suppose that must be your consolation prize now that you have to look up at me more," Izuku quipped back at his friend. True to his word, Izuku was now at 5'8 & 1/2", noticeably taller than Mei's 5'5".

"Hey! Don't start getting a big head there, Muscles!" Mei poked at his side, only blushing lightly at feeling his hard sides. "You're already a prick as Grey Matter. We don't need you to be the same."

"As you wish, My Intellectual Assistant," Izuku chuckled with the best Grey Matter voice he could muster.

Izuku only chuckled harder when Mei landed a light punch to his arm.

"Actually, are you sure you don't want to head back and work on your babies?" Izuku questioned. "I'm good right here. And didn't the Support Course exams happen already?"

"Yep, three days ago, and I'm sure I passed with flying colors," Mei not-so-humbly bragged. "And why so insistent on getting rid of me already, Muscles? Don't want me to embarrass you or something?"

"You'd never be an embarrassment to me, Mei," Izuku stated, gazing at her with unmatched sincerity.

Mei's cheeks went as pink as her hair. "W-Whatever," Mei stuttered, looking away with a pout. "I'll just want to leave my future client at the gates like a good business partner and ensure our agreement is still intact."

"I don't know. I mean, we didn't sign a blood oath or anything," Izuku hummed out loud with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Hey, don't start weaseling out on me, Watch Boy!" Mei pointed at him, accusingly.

"Never, my Pink Maniac. I'm a man of my word," Izuku chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.

And of course, the biggest change of all to Izuku's whole life: Mei. For most of his life, Izuku had only known loneliness. Even with Bakugou as a friend, and Izuku used that term loosely, back before they were four, Izuku now had the hindsight to see that the blonde was still rude and arrogant back then. Everything came so easily to him, and the boy would always let it get to his head. What's more, he was dismissive of Izuku even before their Quirks came in, or lack thereof in his case.

When Izuku messed up and failed to be as skilled as Bakugou would, his supposed friend didn't pick him up or encourage him to do better. He scoffed at Izuku's failed attempts, called him weak, and even gave him the accursed name of 'Deku'. Maybe that was supposed to be normal for young boys, to pick on each other, and for the longest time, that is what Izuku assumed, but not once did Bakugou let up or offer any encouraging advice that wasn't to give up or jump off a roof.

Katsuki Bakugou was not a good friend if he ever had been one to Izuku, and all the while, the green-haired boy still followed him, admired Bakugou for his strength, and saw it as a sign that there was something good in Kacchan. Izuku recently pondered if that admiration of Bakugou's strength was but another symptom of Hero Society that he had fallen for, or if he was just that naive an idiot.

Then Izuku became friends with Mei, and she showed him what a friend truly was supposed to be. They were people who had your back and you theirs, people who supported and encouraged each other, and who would tell you the truth because they wanted to be honest and forthcoming rather than put you down. Yeah, they may pick on you and make fun of you at times, but if at the end of the day, if they still supported and liked you, there was no harm.

Where Bakugou put him down, Mei was honest. Bluntly honest, but honest nonetheless because she cared for him as a person. Izuku and Mei supported each other in their goals: Izuku to become a Pro Hero and Mei to promote and demonstrate her inventions through him. In all honesty, to Izuku, it wasn't even for whatever deal they promised to each other in the beginning; Izuku would have done so anyway.

But more so than anything, it was the fact that Mei had his back and he hers. Mei helped him train with the Watch and his transformation, and he helped with her 'babies' as himself or Grey Matter. Even though she put herself in danger, Mei still helped him with Zombozo, showed him that the Circus Freaks were criminals, and warned him about Zombozo's machine and Quirk. When Mei was in danger, it made Izuku quit holding back and do whatever it took to put that mad clown down to save her.

Bakugou only ever cared about himself and always put Izuku down to get him to quit, either because he didn't want the two of them to stand as equals or, as Mei put it, was too insecure and worried that Izuku would outshine him. Izuku didn't know if he could have outshone Bakugou, but then that wasn't something to think about nowadays.

His new confidence, his physique, his training; he owed it all to Mei. 'They are a better treasure in my life than even the Watch,' Izuku thought, Eri's smile placed beside Mei's. 'And I found them in a junkyard and alleyway.'

"Here we are," Mei said, she and Izuku now before the gates of U.A.

Izuku still stared in awe at the gates like he was standing at the very gates of Eden itself.

"Whelp, good luck in there, Muscles," Mei patted Izuku's back with a wide and bright smile. "Not that you'll need it."

"Thanks, Mei," Izuku smiled back, gratefully. Izuku breathed in deeply before exhaling. 'This is it. All that training and preparation, for this day. My first step into becoming a Pro. I won't let all of their support down.'

As Izuku took his first steps through the gates, he tripped on practically nothing. 'Or I could just die.'

Before Izuku's face could kiss the ground and preemptively end the story, he felt a hand touch his body. After a few seconds of nothing hitting anything, Izuku slowly squinted, gazing at the ground in front of him, yet his feet were not touching anything either. Blinking open his eyes and taking in everything, he realized that he was floating in the air and practically weightless. He noticed Mei behind him, hand outstretched to grab him, but she didn't; instead, she looked surprised.

Izuku was confused about what was going on until another voice spoke up. "Are you okay?"

Izuku turned to look in the direction of the voice, his eyes widening. His eyes met the round auburn ones of a girl close to his age. Her face was round with pale cheeks, each bearing a perpetual pink blush, and her hair was framed by chestnut brown hair. The girl wore a high school uniform mixed with light winter clothes. The girl had a light smile mixed with concern that Izuku found so positively cute, he was almost at a loss for words. Almost.

"U-Uh, y-yeah. A-Are you-" Izuku stuttered out, his cheeks red.

The girl blinked, awakening back to reality after momentarily getting lost in the boy's emerald-green eyes. "Yeah, sorry, I used my Quirk on you without permission, but I didn't think you wanted to be so eager to kiss the ground," The girl apologized sweetly.

"N-No, it's alright. Thank you," Izuku waved his weightless arms.

The girl giggled, finding his waving and stuttering rather cute. "Here. Let's get you on your feet," The girl said as she moved Izuku's body to where he would be standing on his feet. Feeling his torso, the girl's eyes widen in surprise. 'Woah. His baggy clothes don't do him justice. I didn't think he was so toned.' The girl's blush got brighter as she realized the train of her thoughts and shook them out.

With Izuku's feet touching the ground and the boy upright, the girl pressed her fingertips together. Izuku realized they had round pink beads like a cat's. "And, Release," The girl said, the pads glowing a bright pink.

Instantly, Izuku felt his weight return to him. "Woah," Izuku breathed out, testing his weight with a short hop and moving his arms. "Was that your Quirk?"

"Yep, it's called Zero Gravity," The girl nodded, smiling. "Cancels out a person's gravity and leaves them weightless and floating."

"T-That sounds so awesome!" Izuku exclaimed, instantly in front of the girl with stars in his eyes.

"E-Eh?!" The girl jumped in surprise, her blush rising at the proximity of the cute boy.

"So, you can cancel the gravity of anything and anyone just by touching them?" Izuku questioned, bringing out a notebook and scribbling and writing in a blur. "Is it by the touch of just a finger, or does it have to be the whole hand? Does it have to do with those beads on your hands? They must be, since you pressed them together to cancel the gravity by that pink glow. Is there a weight limit to how much you can make weightless, or is it defined by a certain number of objects specifically?"

Meanwhile, as Izuku muttered up a storm about his savior's quirk, Mei stared blankly at the scene in front of her, her brain registering all that had happened in the past minute or so. When she saw Izuku starting to fall, she reached out to catch him before he hurt himself, but then this girl came out of nowhere and did the deed herself with her Quirk. She was too stunned by the random new arrival and her Quirk to register her presence, and it seemed that Izuku's... Izuku-ness was acting up again, unintentionally forgetting that she was right here.

Normally, Mei would be interested in the girl's Quirk, too, and ponder the possibilities of the kinds of babies she could make that would complement her Quirk, but this was different. Mei felt annoyed, irritated, an ugly feeling twisting in her chest that made her expressionless eyes flinch.

Finally, having had enough, Mei coughed loudly to announce her presence. That worked to snap both Izuku out of his analytical muttering and alert the girl to her.

"You done scaring the poor girl?" Mei raised an eyebrow at him.

Realizing his mistake, Izuku did a weird mix of paling with shame and blushing with embarrassment. "S-Sorry about that!" Izuku bowed low in apology to the girl. "I just really find Quirks of all kinds interesting."

"H-Hey, it's no problem really, I understand," The girl waved away the apology, before turning to the pink-haired girl. "Oh, and you are?"

"Mei Hatsume," Mei introduced herself.

"And I'm Izuku Midoriya," Izuku stood straight and walked to stand beside Mei. "She's a friend of mine. Sorry, I started that without even introducing myself."

"Oh, it's okay," The girl smiled, understandably. "I'm Ochaco Uraraka. It's nice to meet you two. And you don't need to apologize so much."

"It's useless," Mei shrugged. "I've tried, but I couldn't get him to stop."

Izuku pouted sadly at Mei while Ochaco burst out giggling.

"So, are you both here for the Hero Course Entrance Exam?" Ochaco asked, politely.

"He is," Mei gestured to Izuku with a shoulder tap. "I'm just here to see him off. Knowing the trouble magnet he is, he would have gotten in the middle of a Villain attack."

"I'm not that much of a trouble magnet," Izuku muttered, pointedly avoiding Mei's 'Really' look, wordlessly mentioning the Sludge Villain Incident, the Mechadroid, Animo, Zombozo, Chisaki, and all the troubles they nearly got into with his aliens. Izuku coughed to continue. "Mei here is trying out for the Support Course."

"Oh, really? Wasn't that a few days ago?" Ochaco asked.

"Yep, and I'm sure I got in," Mei crossed her arms and bragged again. "I just need this trouble magnet to do well on the Hero Course."

"Oh, you're trying for Hero Course, too?" Ochaco asked again.

"Yeah. I guess I tripped from my own nervousness," Izuku rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, that's totally understandable," Ochaco waved off his worries. "I'm a little nervous myself. Okay, a lot nervous."

"Well, with a Quirk like that and those reflexes you used on me, I'm sure you'll do great," Izuku complimented, sincerely. "We just have to do our best, and I'm sure everything will turn out okay."

"T-Thank you, Midoriya-san," Ochaco said, blushing at the compliment and its sincerity.

"Ahem," Mei fake coughed again. "Not to be a buzzkill here, but you guys might want to attend the Exams if you want to get in."

Izuku and Ochaco perked up in realization. "Oh, y-yeah, you're right!" Izuku exclaimed, patting Mei on the shoulder. "Thanks for accompanying me, Mei. Come on, Uraraka-san! Let's get going!" And with that, Izuku jogged lightly toward the main building's doors.

"O-Okay," Ochaco nodded, bowing lightly to Mei again. "Thank you again. It was nice knowing you. Hope to see you in school!" Ochaco took off after Izuku and toward the Exam.

"Yeah, you too," Mei muttered quietly, waving both Izuku and Ochaco off. As they faded from view, Mei's small smile fell to an uncertain frown, and a clenched hand pressed against her chest.

Mei knew what this feeling was; she had felt a slight version of it whenever Izuku talked about Ben and Gwen as his first friends, or mentioned Lucy, a cousin-in-law of the Tennysons, which by proxy made her a cousin of Izuku's, too. Mei told herself they didn't count if Izuku saw them as cousins, but this was different than that. Something more personal and deep.

'I'm not really jealous, am I?' Mei thought, her mind flooded with confusion, annoyance, and so many brain-rattling emotions. Finally, huffing in irritation, Mei walked away, muttering about working on her babies to clear her mind.

Later...

Izuku and Ochaco entered the main building and encountered a couple of Pro Heroes who also worked at U.A.: Cementoss and Snipe. After getting over his fanboying and getting the other Pros he hadn't met to sign his notebook, something Ochaco found adorable and what finally had Snipe recognize him, the two were directed to their separate testing areas for the written portion of the exam. Wishing each other luck, the two separated and entered their respective rooms.

Izuku didn't find anyone from Aldera in his room. While a majority of the former school populace was banned from attending any Hero University, the ban officially only applied to attending as a Hero Course student. The other courses, like Business, Support, and General Courses, were still available. However, it seemed like no one from Aldera showed up.

Izuku felt a tiny bit of instinctive guilt well up, especially for those students who hadn't done anything to him and were simply helpless bystanders, but the now 18-year-old young man swallowed it down and focused when the exam started.

The written exam would last over an hour, but Izuku finished the exam in half that time. Izuku would have had a higher GPA if Aldera hadn't mucked with his grades, and a year of a specially-designed online course only helped so much, yet Izuku didn't let all that stop him from answering to the best of his ability. When he had finished, even Ectoplasm, the Pro tasked with looking over them, was surprised by how quickly he finished, asking if he was sure he was finished. After affirming that he was being truthful, possibly sniffing out any suspicious, cheater behavior, Ectoplasm allowed him to leave, telling him to wait at the auditorium at his assigned seat.

With a nod, Izuku left the room, doing his best to ignore the stares, both surprised and the glares. Izuku was used to people staring at him unfavorably and only felt a tad annoyed that they were wasting time glaring at him rather than focusing on the exam at hand. Izuku hoped they wouldn't use him as fuel to finish the exam more hastily, which would likely cause more problems for them, but that was all Izuku could do and wish for them.

Heading inside the auditorium, Izuku spotted very few already inside, but, again, none of Aldera's former students among them.

Izuku looked at his assigned seat and found it among the middle rows of the large auditorium. Beside his seat, another candidate was seated. The boy was tall, that much Izuku could tell even with him seated, and had a wide frame, with short dark blue hair, parted to the right side, and a small patch completely shaved near the base of the head, partially similar to what Izuku had done with his sides. He wore glasses with rectangular lenses over his square-shaped blue eyes, and his eyebrows, long, thin, and the same color as his hair, pointed inwards, giving him a rather perpetually serious expression.

The boy's uniform was not one he recognized. 'Maybe since I'm the only former Aldera person here, they sat me with those from a different school,' Izuku thought.

"Um, excuse me, is this Seat 7110?" Izuku asked as he reached the blue-haired teen.

"Hmm? Ah, yes, it is!" The boy stood, showing his seat number, 7111, taped right where the boy's spine would have covered it. "I must confess I had trouble finding my own, too. I expected a university as prestigious as U.A. to have the seat numbers be more visible." The boy blinked as he finally noticed Izuku's casual clothes. "You're not wearing your school uniform?"

"O-Oh, yeah, well, because of unique circumstances, I was told I didn't need to wear mine," Izuku said, not wanting to specify that he no longer had his Aldera uniform, both because the school district no longer existed and because his mother took cathartic rage in burning the last of them.

"Hmm, I see, and I suppose since I don't recognize you, you must be from another school, too?" The boy asked.

"You could say that," Izuku sweatdropped.

"Very well. I suppose these things can't be helped," The boy nodded and bowed. "I'm Tenya Iida, from Somei Private Academy. It's a pleasure to be taking this exam with you!"

"O-Oh, right. I'm Izuku Midoriya. It's a pleasure to meet you, too!" Izuku greeted and bowed back.

Iida raised a brow at not hearing Midoriya mention what school he went to, even feeling a nagging in the back of his head to ask for more details about Midoriya's unique circumstances. The blue-haired young man then remembered Tensei's parting words before they arrived to be more respectful and considerate, so Iida didn't probe.

The two spent the next half an hour or so conversing with each other, looking over the packet they were given over the practical portion of the exam, which appeared to be about facing robots made by U.A. As more and more began to come in, Izuku looked around curiously to see if he could find Uraraka, eventually finding her and waving hello, something she returned. Iida was curious about the exchange with the unknown girl. Izuku would tell him about their interaction outside, to which Iida nodded and praised the girl for her selfless and helpful behavior, as well as Izuku for easing her worry. Izuku acted like it wasn't that big of a deal, but to Iida's slight surprise.

Finally, once the auditorium appeared full, all the U.A. hopefuls would pay attention to the stage where another Pro would appear.

"WHAT UP, ALL YOU CRAZY KIDS?! ARE YOU EXCITED TO ROCK OUT?! LET ME HERE YA SAY 'HEY'!" Voice Hero: Present Mic declared with his loud, enthusiastic voice.

Despite his loud cry, he was met only with stone-cold silence in return. "Alright, keeping it cool and mellow. I get ya!" Present Mic bounced back from the awkward silence.

"Wow, it's the Voice Hero: Present Mic!" Izuku gasped and muttered excitedly. "I listen to his radio talk show every morning!"

"Shh, quiet!" Iida shushed him.

"Anyway, let's skip past some verses and get straight to the chorus, ya dig?!" Present Mic continued. "For the practical part of your exam, we'll be dividing you, rocking contestants into specific battle centers." Per the Hero's words, a projector displayed boxes, letters ranging from A-G. "In the packets you received as you finished your written exam, you should have also been given a nice card showing you what super-hip urban city you'll be participating in 10-minute mock battles. Sound good?!"

True to his words, Izuku and Iida looked at their cards. "I see," Iida muttered, looking between his and Izuku's cards. "They are splitting us up based on what schools we go to."

"Yeah," Izuku nodded, affirmatively. "We have our numbers one after the other, but ours are the same centers. Could be because we don't go to the same school, but the others could be different, to keep us from teaming up with students we already know and make us unprepared for what Quirks the other examinees have."

"I would expect nothing less from U.A.," Iida nodded, before frowning. "However-"

Izuku blinked, confused at what was getting at.

"And now, for your goal, it'll be quite the robo-showdown! And here are your targets!" Mic pointed and posed to the projector screen showing three dark silhouettes of their robotic opponents. One had a more humanoid appearance on their upper half, yet their lower half had one wheel and two blaster arms. The second appeared like a robotic scorpion, with a large stinger for a tail and pincer-like legs and arms. The third looked like a large, hulking robot with wide shoulders and smaller shapes protruding out of them.

'Missiles, probably?' Izuku thought as he inspected the shape. Each one had a number marked next to a 'P'. The robot with a wheel had 1P marked on it, the scorpion bot had 2P, and the third and largest one had 3P.

"Your task: use your Quirks, skills, and brains to beat these dastardly bots!" Mic explained. "Every bot raises your score based on which ones you take down." The projector showed a chibi model of Mic taking down one bot after another, and his point total rose in proportion to the ones he took down. "You can go ham all you want on these bots, but attacking other examinees is a big no-no for us. Try to harm your fellow testers, and you're automatically disqualified! Ya Hear?!"

'So, one of Mei's predictions was right, it is fighting robots,' Izuku analyzed, months of self-conditioning helpfully ensuring that it was not muttered out loud. 'This is meant to test how effectively we can use our Quirks, how strong they are, and our skills in finding and quickly defeating these faux Villains in such a limited time. This exam must also test our willingness to fight against our rationality of what kind of foes we can fight. The higher the points, the better, but if a tester can't beat those stronger bots as easily, that could harm their scores. Meanwhile, the lower-point robots may be easier to destroy but are likely scattered or grouped up depending on the situation. Unfortunately, this test seems more suited for combative-oriented Quirks, but I'd imagine there must be some way for the non-combative Quirks; otherwise, it would be too blatantly biased in favor of-'

"Excuse me, sir, but I have a question!" Iida spoke as he stood, surprising Izuku out of his thoughts.

"Hit me!" Present Mic exclaimed, pointing toward Iida, a spotlight shining on the blue-haired man. The blatant spotlight was something Izuku wanted to avoid for now and thus scooted as far from the light as possible.

"On the packet, you listed five types of targets, not three," Iida declared, pointing to the packet where the robots were and showing that there were indeed two other bots next to the three previously stated bots. "With all due respect, if this is an error on U.A.'s part, it is shameful! We, as exemplary students who came to participate in this exam of Japan's most notable and prestigious college, should not accept such a blatant mistake!"

'Damn... this guy's quite the stickler for the rules, huh,' Izuku commented to himself. While the discrepancy was notable, Izuku felt that Iida may have jumped the gun in pointing it out in front of everybody. If those two bots were uniquely special, it would make sense why they weren't stated in the same vein as the first three. 'Bakugou would likely say that Iida has a stick up his ass. Ben, too, actually.'

"Ah, Examinee 7111, thanks for calling in your request!" Mix gave Iida a thumbs-up and gestured to the screen, now showing the fourth villain type, a large, wide target with zero points marked above it. "The fourth villain type is worth zero points! This guy is just an obstacle we'll be throwing your way, one for every Battle Center. Zero points don't mean it's unbeatable; there is just no point fighting it. As for the fifth bot, it isn't a target at all!" The Zero-Pointer's shape faded, revealing a robot with a more humanoid appearance than even the One-Pointer. "This here is a Civilian Bot! It's also worth no points and is not to be targeted. These represent poor innocent civilians and will be attacked by other bots, but if you destroy these poor shmucks, then you are out of here too! We, Heroes, are meant to save people, not blow them to bits!"

'You'd be surprised how many don't seem to know that,' Izuku bitterly thought, recalling one certain explosive blonde who didn't get the memo.

"Thank you very much for the clarification," Iida bowed. "You may continue, please."

"Thanks again for the call!" Mix responded. "Well, that's about everything I have for ya! I'll sign off with a little inspirational quote from the annals of history, where superpowers and Heroes first began. As a certain wall-crawler's uncle once said: With great power, must also come great responsibility. Mmm, let that little nugget roll around in your heads for a bit. Now, are you all ready to party?! Let me hear you say PLUS ULTRA!"

Once again, The Voice Hero received only silence, even if one overeager examinee was kept quiet by his taller, stricter examinee.

'Man, tough crowd. I swear, you'd think that whatever stick Aizawa has up his butt is contagious,' Mic thought with a sweat drop.

Izuku, currently, sat on a bus that was taking him to his assigned Battle Center. After Present Mic finished his speech, Izuku and Iida walked to the locker rooms to change into more comfortable and appropriate attire for the Practical Exam. Izuku had opted to wait before most others left, not because he was still insecure about his body, but for a more tactical reason. Iida had finished before him, yet they met back on the bus.

Now, Izuku wore a white-and-green tracksuit, large enough to appear baggy on him, the Watch resting comfortably on his wrist, and out of sight from the other examinees. Speaking of which, Izuku looked around to see any familiar faces among the group, or any that stood to be hard contenders to avoid. The most notable ones he found included Uraraka, a rather flamboyant blonde with a fancy belt around his waist, a girl with short purple hair with what looked like jacks dangling and wiggling from her earlobes, and a large teen with snow-white hair, a blue mask over his mouth, and six arms.

Izuku almost did a double-take, not because he found the examinee's appearance frightening or repulsive, but because he thought he was seeing Four Arms's more gifted cousin. 'I wonder if he has the same kind of super strength as him,' Izuku had pondered, as he likewise inspected the rest of the examinees to see if he could gauge anything outwardly about what their Quirks are.

True to what he expected, some of the more arrogant-looking examinees looked at him with smugness and dismissal, thinking he wasn't anything special. That was what Izuku wanted.

'Give them a false sense of security to leave them in the dust by their own arrogance,' Izuku had planned. A part of him felt he was being ruthless and deceitful in this strategy, no better than a fame-hungry pro like Mount Lady when he first saw her, but it couldn't be helped here. Everyone here was competition, with their reasons for being here or wanting to succeed, but so was he, and he had to focus on it, if not for himself, then for his mother, father, Eri, Mei, and all the support they had given him. 'I won't let it go to waste.'

Still, when catching Uraraka's gaze and waving hello to her, Izuku at least found one person he would gladly help, given how nice she was before.

They had arrived at their Battle Center in short order, standing outside large, looming stone walls keeping them from the mock city inside. Everyone was spread out in front of the large, closed gates that would be their entrance into the city. Present Mic stood atop a watchtower overlooking them, the pro itching to get the test underway.

Izuku spent his time stretching and mentally preparing his plans for the exam. 'A city-wide hunt for robots of varying points, civilian robots to not attack, a potential Zero-Pointer to avoid, and a 10-minute time limit,' Izuku recounted the exam's factors. 'Given how large and expansive this mock city is, I'll need speed, acrobatics, and tracking skills to find the robots quickly and use powerful enough force to destroy them quickly and efficiently. Fasttrack and Blitzwolf will be perfect for all these categories, but I'll need to start with speed to outpace the other examinees and find more targets faster before I track the rest of the remaining robots down.'

Izuku did some squats and leg stretches while analyzing the other examinees, including Uraraka, who appeared to be copying him, and the flamboyant blonde who was only posing. 'Depending on how powerful these robots can be, I'll either stick to them or switch to a bigger powerhouse with great enough speed. Upchuck and Goop are good offensively but too slow, and Big Chill is a good aerial option but might lack the physical power to deal with the bots and may be too slow as well. The same goes for Ghostfreak, and I'm not sure I want to test his willingness to harm others in an exam where I could get disqualified for that. Water Hazard may be useful if the faux city has water somewhere, but that's a gamble, and I don't know how much of a punch the Three-Pointers missiles could have, or if all the bots fire lasers. Heatblast would be great for speed, flight, and firepower, and Four Arms can destroy them easily, but I'll have to know the lay of the land to know where to leap toward.'

Izuku looked up toward Present Mic and spotted a camera pointed at them, most definitely monitoring the examinees to ensure no one sneaks in any illegal items or cheats. 'As I said before, I can't afford to use Diamondhead. If the Pro Hero teachers are watching through those cameras, they might be all over the city. Grey Matter may be able to dismantle some of the bots, but it will take time to figure out how they work. Plus, he's too slow to keep up, and the others are too green to use without further training. I'm not sure if accidentally bumping into them as Cannonbolt would count as an attack.'

Izuku snuck a peek at his Watch to see how it was. 'Watch is fully charged and ready, and with the time limit for the exam being 10 minutes, and the Watch's upgraded time limit, I'll have plenty of time to transform into 3 different aliens evenly before I run out of juice.'

There was one last development that Izuku and Mei had deduced over the last few months: the added time limit. At some point, Izuku's transformation time limit extended from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Izuku didn't know whether this was a natural upgrade to the Watch or if his greater base stamina and physique had changed the time limit to match. Regardless, Izuku had plenty of time to use one transformation throughout the entire exam, but then where would the fun be in using only one?

'Why not give the teachers a true show of what I'm made of?' Izuku decided with a rare cheeky smirk. 'Ben will be so proud.' In memory of his cousins, Izuku rubbed Gwen's charm necklace, hidden underneath his tracksuit, for good luck.

"Look alive, kiddos! The exam's just about to start!" Present Mic announced, snapping Izuku and others from their preparations or conversations. The crowd of examinees gathered up as best they could without crowding each other too much, as far front as possible behind the white line. Izuku, however, chose to back up, as stealthily as he could without arousing suspicion.

As the gates began to shift, Izuku pulled back his sleeve and activated the Watch's playlist, scrolling till he found the right form and selecting it, the trigger ready to press. Izuku went into a running start, a determined smirk on his face. 'It's Hero Time.'

As the gates fully opened, Izuku began to run while slamming down the trigger. The examinees were taken aback by the bright green light shining behind them, some turning to see what it was. As the blinding light began to dull, they felt something pass over them, followed by a shadow sailing over them. They turned in time to see Fasttrack vaulting over them all, landing in front of them before taking off in a blue blur, literally leaving the rest in the dust.

The examinees coughed and wiped away the dust that followed from the blue-furred alien's takeoff, looking confused as to why the examinee they had never seen on the bus suddenly took off preemptively. Iida blinked his eyes repeatedly, utterly shocked. 'That speed! I've never seen any like it other than from All Might or Tensei!' The bespectacled young man exclaimed in his mind.

Many began to mutter and even snicker that the guy would be disqualified until Present Mic called out. "Hey! What are you little listeners doing!?" The examinees looked up to Present Mic as he gestured for them to go. "That guy had the right idea! There are no countdowns in real life! Move it!"

Instantly, all the examinees took off, running as fast as they could to keep up with the speedster alien, all the while some were cursing at themselves for their poor judgment.

Meanwhile, with Fasttrack, as he raced through the mock city streets, he never felt more exhilarated. In the past 10 months, Izuku had done his best to test Fasttrack's speed without causing property damage, but limited himself to more enclosed or limited spaces, such as the beach and its sandy or wet terrain, or the floor of the mall during Animo's rampage. He was never able to utilize the limits of his fastest alien's speed until now. Now, with all the room to run, Izuku, or rather Fasttrack, or perhaps bother, never felt more alive.

Quickly, smushing down this excitement, Fasttrack used his senses to pick up that he was reaching his destination, a group of large, loud, and clunky-sounding individuals: the robots. All around him, the world was in slow motion compared to him, and he spotted the bots before they could barely notice the cloud of picked-up track behind him. Using this to his advantage, Fasttrack picked up the pace, speeding toward the largest of the group of five bots, the 2-Pointer.

With the grace of an athlete, Fasttrack leaped forward and again into a handstand before launching himself at high speeds with his legs extended out toward the 2-pointer."TRACK-KICK!" Fasttrack announced as he slammed feet first into the 2-Pointer, bracing himself for how durable the U.A. robots would be.

Instead, Fasttrack tore straight through the 2-Pointer like it was made of paper, surprising both the group of remaining 1-Pointers and Fasttrack himself.

Fasttrack landed with a slide as he noticed the carnage and broken pieces that were once the 2-Pointer scattered across the area. "Huh. That was easier than I thought," Fasttrack muttered. Just as the robots began to turn toward him to engage, Fasttrack grinned savagely and sped off toward them.

Instantly, the speedster transformation was on one of the four in the blink of an eye. Fasttrack had reared his clawed arms and swiped across the 1-Pointer's torso, instantly slashing it in two. Fasttrack kept his momentum going and onto the next 1-Pointer to his left, delivering a flurry of punches to its metal frame, the speed and strength behind the alien's blows crushing the metal into useless, bent chunks. The remaining two got wise to his attack and tried to fire red bolts of energy at him, which Fasttrack easily evaded.

He reappeared behind one of the two bots and slashed three times, removing the bot's right arm, head, and torso. Grabbing what remained of the third bot's body, he spun around and chucked it at the fourth that fired on him. The lasers struck the torso but didn't destroy it before the tossed frame crashed into the last bot, slightly damaging it, but leaving it stunned enough for Fasttrack to perform a flying kick through both the tossed frame and the final bot of the group.

Fasttrack beheld his work with a sense of satisfaction before switching gears to the task at hand. "Five bots. One 2-Pointer. Four 1-Pointers. 6 Points," Fasttrack muttered. "Good start, but just the start." Fasttrack shut his eyes and focused on his ears, the appendages shifting 360 degrees till they perked up and found his next target. "Gotcha!" Fasttrack took off in that direction.

Speeding across the fake city, Fasttrack spotted the group and quickly picked up on five more bots, but this was different. Two of them were 2-Pointers, the others were 1-Pointers, but the third type did not sound like either of them or large enough to be a 3-Pointer. 'Must be a Civilian Bot,' Fasttrack reasoned and changed his battle plans. 'The Civilian comes first.'

Fasttrack hopped over to the wall of the alleyway he was in before jumping to the other wall, parkouring up the sides till he was decently high enough to survey the faux villains and the civilian bot, his claws digging into the side. One of the 2-Pointers moved to attack the faux civilian, and Fasttrack acted. Jumping down from his barely 2-second perch, Fasttrack descended onto the 2-Pointer's back feet first. "TRACK-KICK!" He announced again as he tore through the 2-Pointer's tail and slammed into the 2-Pointer's backside, surprising all the bots, but the attacking 2-Pointer was still active. Ensuring the 2-Pointer would stay down, Fasttrack grabbed the still-in-the-air tail of the 2-Pointer and slammed it down on the bot's head, destroying it for good.

Before the other bots could do anything, Fasttrack raced off the destroyed 2-Pointer toward the civilian bot, picked him up, cradling his head as if it were an actual civilian, and sped off, depositing the Civilian Bot in an empty alleyway, doing a quick once-over for serious injuries before heading off to fight the rest of the Villain bots.

The Villain bots noticed where he had gone and his approach and fired upon him. Fasttrack smirked as he evaded the lasers, running in zigzags and obscuring the area behind him with his blue blur. Reaching the bots, Fasttrack sped in a circle around them, a mini tornado of blue blur blinding the bots around them, the faux looking around in confusion. Suddenly, out of the blurring surroundings, Fasttrack slammed a high-speed punch across the 2-Pointer's head, bending its frame much, before another punch from the opposite direction did the same to its other side, the force finally decapitating the 2-Pointer.

"Too slow!" Fasttrack quipped, sliding to a stop with the 2-Pointer's head in his hand. Tossing it up, Fasttrack spun around swiftly before delivering a kick to the head. "Heads Up!" The robot's head was sent flying toward the head of one of the 1-Pointers, the two heads exploding in bursts of flame and metal.

"Compared to those Mechadroid drones," Fasttrack began before speeding off, evading the laser fire from the 1-Pointer, tearing off the twitching tail of the 2-Pointer, speeding to the 1-Pointer, slashing off one of its arms down to its wires, and stabbing the stinger of the 2-Pointer's tail into the 1-Pointer's head, the bot falling lifeless. "These are too easy!"

Surveying that all the bots were destroyed, and quickly adding up the points in his head, Fasttrack sped off to where he had left the civilian bot in the alleyway, still slumped against the wall. Finally taking a real look at the civilian bot, it looked like a robotic facsimile of a little boy, pipes for arms, metal hands, red sneaker shoes (huh, how about that), a yellow and red-striped shirt, and a grey sphere for a head with a screen lit up in red with a crying face on it.

"Um, hey, are you okay, citizen?" Fasttrack attempted to act like how All Might would, asking the robot about its condition.

The face and color of the screen changed to a blue-green color and neutral face, lifting its right leg to show that it was dangling and broken. Its face was then replaced with a map of the city, highlighting its current location and another zone that read 'Rescued Zone'.

"You want me to take you there to get help?" Fasttrack guessed, to which the robot boy nodded. Fasttrack smiled reassuringly at the robot. "Alright. I'll get you there in no time flat. This might hurt a little bit, okay? And sorry about this." Fasttrack tore off the robot kid's shirt, speeding off and grabbing destroyed planks and wires of the robots, wrapping them around the broken leg in a makeshift, temporary cast, as quickly and painlessly as he could.

Gently picking up the robot child, cradling its head and gently picking him up while easing the broken robot leg, now tied in a cast, his hand over both, and gently. "Hold on tight, little one," Fasttrack ordered, and the robot child wrapped his robot arms around Fasttrack's neck. With a breath and running start, Fasttrack raced off toward the designated zone. As he ran, his hand remained on the kid's head, as if keeping it steady from the whiplash a normal human child would experience. He notably passed by other examinees who had caught up and were fighting other faux villains, noticing him run by in confusion and surprise.

In a few seconds, they arrived at the destination, where Fasttrack found a large yellow circle. Inside it, a set of mats on the ground and a few robots that looked like nurses, police, and firefighters. A sign read 'Rescued Zone'. 'Man, U.A. sure thinks of everything,' Izuku thought.

Lying the kid gently on one of the beds, Fasttrack asked while kneeling, "You good, little one?"

The robot kid's screen face turned to a green smiley face, made a small 'congratulations' noise, and gave a thumbs up.

Fasttrack snickered. "Good," Fasttrack nodded. "These nice folks will get you... patched up. If you need anything, ask the policemen for help." Fasttrack stood up. "Stay safe, and if you need me again, don't worry. I'll be back in a flash!" And with that, Fasttrack took off back to the faux city.

As he passed by other examinees, he had picked up the arm of a destroyed one-pointer, the arm and Fasttrack gone in a blue blur.

Meanwhile...

In a dark room, several figures were seated, facing multiple screens displaying live footage of several examinees and areas around the battle centers.

Among the lineup of individuals included many previously seen Pros, such as Cementoss, Snipe, and Ectoplasm. By the end of the line, Nezu sat, the rodent principal staring at the screen with an ever-constant smile, and All Might, currently in his true form and dressed in a baggy navy-blue suit and white shirt.

"The examinees have no idea how many Villains are present in the city, or their locations," Nezu began to say. "They have limited time, must cover a wide area, and hunt down every target they can find while avoiding attacking each other or the robot civilians." On one monitor, the large, masked, six-armed student spread his arms like a bat atop the roof of a building. "Some use information-gathering abilities to plan out their strategies." Another screen showed Iida racing through the streets at super-fast speeds, air shooting from the exhausts on his large calves.

"Of course, remaining calm under pressure can be advantageous in a stressful situation." A monitor showed the flashy boy posing while a sparkling blue laser fired from the gem on his belt, slicing through a 1-Pointer. "As can raw power, defense, and combat ability." Another monitor showed a black-haired, shark-toothed examinee smashing through robots with hardened-looking limbs while likewise defending himself from projectiles from the robots.

"The most successful of students employ a mixture of all these tactics and attributes," Nezu finished. "These are the qualities that make a worthwhile future Pro."

"The principal's expositing again," Snipe whispered to Cementoss, who quietly chuckled.

"Power Loader," Nezu pointedly ignored the two and looked toward a short and shirtless man with gloves, short jeans, and a large yellow helmet. "How goes the implementation of our new additions to the exam?"

"The Civilian Bots?" Power Loader pressed a few buttons, bringing up footage captured by the bots. "Well, so far. Only 3 were destroyed by examinees and were immediately disqualified."

"Hmph, good," A gruff, tired-looking man with long black hair and a grey scarf around his neck grunted. "Makes weeding out the weak and selfish from the worthy easier."

"Oh, and looks like someone's already rescued one and delivered them to the Rescued Zone!" Power Loader jumped in his seat as he noticed the ping from one of the bots.

"Impossible!" A large man in a red and black suit, with white spiky hair and noticeable fangs, exclaimed. "The Exam just started. The civilian bots should be at the further ends of the cities."

"They are," Power Loader said, typing a few commands before bringing up footage of the event. One of the civilian robots took footage of Fasttrack's actions from his swift takedown of the nearly-attacking 2-Pointer, the civilian being suddenly moved in a blur to an empty alleyway before the examinee who saved him went back to the robots. The civilian robot managed to peek out to capture the rest of Fasttrack's fight against the faux Villains. Though calling it a fight was generous, it was more like a slaughter, swift and brutal.

"Jesus," Snipe hissed, seeing Fasttrack rip out the 2-Pointer's twitching tail and slam its end in the head of the remaining 1-Pointer. "The speed on that kid's nuts."

Nezu smiled knowingly, gazing at the noticeable symbol on the Citrakayah's chest. 'There he is.'

The viewing judges watched as Fasttrack made his swift way back to the robot civilian, where they heard Fasttrack inquiring about the robot's condition. Seeing the broken leg and being informed of the 'Rescued Zone', Fasttrack quickly understood and directed his assurances to the civilian, using the robot's shirt and the parts of the faux Villains to make a cast.

"Smart," Ectoplasm nodded, impressed. "Even if the civilian is a robot, the examinee is treating them like a Hero would treat an actual injured civilian.

All Might witnessed this and smiled, pleasantly impressed by the kindness of this examinee, though he frowned as he found something about the Hero Course-hopeful familiar. Particularly the kind gaze, his stuttering, and those black dots below his bright green eyes, like freckles.

The judges then witnessed Fasttrack pick up the civilian, told it to hang on, and watched as the footage of the robot was almost a blur as Fasttrack sped across the faux city and other examinees to reach the Rescued Zone in seconds!

"What the-What just happened?!" The fanged Hero blinked in surprise and astonishment.

"Incredible," Power Loader gasped, typing some commands to replay the scene in slow motion, and even then, it was almost like seeing camera footage from a high-speed car. "Kid's speed is off the charts, and reports from the robot show that it didn't experience any whiplash. The examinee held the head back from it."

"Damn," Snipe cursed. "Have you guys ever seen speed like that?"

"No, not even Ingenium is that fast," A woman with raven-black hair and in a dominatrix-like outfit answered, eyes wide, before looking toward All Might. "I'd say he's probably as fast as you, All Might."

All Might nodded, his face stunned. "Yeah," The Symbol of Peace muttered. "Maybe faster."

The tired-looking man gazed at the civilian's footage of Fasttrack, asking if it was okay, addressing it like a person, before taking off in a blur once more. The man grunted in acknowledgment. "Who is the examinee?" He asked.

"That would be one Izuku Midoriya," Nezu answered.

The tired-looking man and All Might whirled their heads toward Nezu with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Wha-"

Before All Might could finish, Nezu pulled up footage from just before the exam started, showing Izuku Midoriya backing away from the group, fidgeting with an advanced-looking watch, and slamming it down. A bright green light consumed the young man, and out of that light was the blue furry speedster.

"Interesting," Cementoss muttered. "A transformation Quirk?"

"Not one I've ever seen," Snipe said. "The turn was not only so bright but quick too. Barely lasted a second or two."

"And that Watch, he was fiddling with it before he transformed," Power Loader zoomed the footage to the alien device itself. "Incredible. I've never seen a Support Item like that."

"Are you sure it is a Support Item?" Cementoss questioned.

"It has to be," Ectoplasm said. "The boy used it as his Quirk activated. Though I've never heard of one like this before."

"Do any of you have any idea who built it?" Snipe asked, suspicious.

"I do," Nezu stated, garnering their attention. "However, I believe this is a topic best saved for later. Currently, we have more pressing concerns. Besides, it appears the boy is about to do something else." Nezu gestured to the screen.

All the judges looked toward the monitor where Izuku, in his transformation, had parkoured his way up to the roof of a building, the arm of a 1-Pointer in hand.

Back with Izuku...

After successfully reaching the top of the building, Fasttrack looked around below and around him. Down below, he could see Hero Course Examinees fighting the faux Villains, some of them rescuing and helping the robot civilians. Off to the side, Fasttrack noticed the large, six-armed guy on another roof next to his, who likewise noticed him.

'Too many people here are dealing with the bots, and I need more points without anyone attempting to kill steal,' Izuku thought, referring to a gaming term he learned from Ben. Looking at the acquired robot arm, Fasttrack smirked. "Time for a change up," he said, unaware of the viewing eyes monitoring him.

Thinking about who to choose, Fasttrack slammed his palm over the Watch's symbol and was encased in a bright green light. To Izuku, he almost felt like he returned to normal, only to transform again into his next alien. In an instant, he felt his arms extending, his fingers morphing to claws, spikes shooting out of his shoulders, fur growing everywhere, a thick black tail forming by his tailbone, his feet bending and morphing painlessly, and his face extending and morphing into a splitting maw, his canines sharpening as he growled.

"BLITZWOOOOOLF!" The transformed teen howled.

The large, six-armed teen gazed at the transformation with wide, shocked eyes, in complete disbelief.

Blitzwolf turned to the robot arm in his claws and sniffed at it. Focusing on his senses, Blitzwolf could hear the fighting on the ground clearly, while in his mind's space, a green wispy scent flowed from the arm down to the ground and spread everywhere toward the robots, all bearing the same scent of its make and creation. Choosing to ignore the ones nearby, Blitzwolf focused on the ones directed away from the fighting and noticed four off in the corner, in an alleyway. Opening his eyes, Blitzwolf took off, running on all fours as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop till he reached his destination.

Down below, Blitzwolf spotted a civilian bot trapped between a trio of 2-Pointers, closing on it. Acting quickly, Blitzwolf jumped down, slowing his descent by embedding his claws into the walls, carving through, while hopping from wall to wall. The robots noticed the slashing sound but were too slow to look up before Blitzwolf landed on the centermost 2-Pointer with a growl, slamming his claws down onto the robot, tearing through the metal frame and wire like a knife through hot butter. Blitzwolf was quick to press on his attack, slashing off the 2-Pointers tail and directing his onslaught onto the 2-Pointers. The werewolf-like transformation slashed, clawed, bit, and tore through the 2-Pointers like a hungry beast, till nothing remained of the aggressors except ripped pieces.

Sniffing out the civilian robot from his hiding place behind a dumpster, Blitzwolf approached the robot as carefully and innocently as he could, knowing his appearance could be frightening. "Are you hurt?" Blitzwolf asked.

The robot didn't move at first. Blitzwolf made a low, understanding hum before smiling. "Do not fret, citizen, help has arrived. For I Am Here." Slowly, the robot peeked out and looked at Blitzwolf sitting there like a dog while tilting his head at the robot. "Are you injured or hurt? Do you need to be escorted to the Rescued Zone?"

The robot stepped out, its frightened red face turning into a green smiley one, shaking its head, and giving a thumbs-up.

Blitzwolf hummed and nodded. "Good," The werewolf alien said. "If you know the way to the Rescued Zone, then go as quickly and safely as you can. You hear anything destructive or dangerous, run the other way and hide. If you feel you're best safe here, stay, hide, and contact the police. They'll escort you to safety. Okay?"

The robot nodded, the smile on the screen wider. Blitzwolf took this to mean he approached the situation well. "Stay safe, and howl if you need help!" Blitzwolf said before leaping to the alleyway wall, climbing quickly up to the roof, and vaulting away to find more robots to fight and civilians to save.

Back at the control room...

The teachers sat in stunned silence at the events that they witnessed.

"What the hell just happened?!" Snipe exclaimed, shocked. "The kid transformed from that blue speedster creature into a fricking werewolf!"

"Such a Quirk," Cementoss gasped. "Is it some animal-based transformation Quirk?"

"Regardless of what power he possesses, his actions are commendable," The fanged Hero grunted out. "In that form, he must have somehow found the faux Villains that we had hiding in the alleyways and tore them apart quickly, efficiently, and made note of the bot's condition and status before leaving."

"He must have used some enhanced sense of smell to pick up my scent on the robots and tracked them down," Power Loader guessed.

"And he acted so bravely, patiently, and even acted like an adorable dog to get the civilian's trust and ease." The dominatrix-looking woman licked her lips seductively. "What a kind and understanding boy."

"Control yourself, woman," the insomniac-looking man growled out.

"Still, he deserves a high score for those feats," A womanly voice sounded off from a puffy astronaut suit with large eyes on the helmet. "We can decide and tally it up later, but let us get back to the rest of the examinees."

With nods, the teachers did just that, while three were noticeably more interested in Izuku Midoriya than the others.

Nezu grinned almost maniacally at the results he witnessed on screen. 'The boy has trained well these past 10 months,' Nezu analyzed all that he had seen of Inko Midoriya's son, the bearer of the Omnitrix. 'He has learned much of his aliens' abilities, learned how to transform from form to form, and acts as selflessly and kindly as his mother described him to be. He is not only a worthy wielder but truly the son of Inko and Hisashi. The two of them would be proud to see this.' Nezu's grin became slightly more sinister as he imagined all the fun tests and trials he would personally like to throw toward the Midoriyas' son to see just how great a Hero the boy would be, the World's first ever Quirkless Hero, technically.

The tired-looking man narrowed his gaze back to the screen. 'Midoriya,' the man tested the name again and conjured the mental image of a green-haired brat glaring at him after their tense first meeting in December. The tired man scoffed, choosing to focus his attention back to another overzealous examinee, who didn't notice the civilian bot he wrecked in his rampage, and immediately disqualified him.

However, with All Might, his mind was rattled with confusion and suspicion. 'How? How did he get a Quirk?' All Might pondered with shock and dread. 'I know that is the same boy, Midoriya. The same name, same appearance from the footage, and even his mannerisms are the same. But the boy said he was Quirkless. He screamed it as much to me. None of that was a lie, I could tell. So, then, how?'

A frightening possibility came up, one that filled him with dread and horror. He almost jumped out of his seat, itching to tell the teachers to cancel the Exams; however, Midoriya, in that werewolf form, had calmed the civilian robot down, his actions and words all done with kindness and understanding, even from his otherwise growling voice. Then he heard those words, how Midoriya emulated his famous words, even smiled as best as his wolf form allowed, and he knew that possibility was impossible.

'No agent of that man would act like that. The sincerity, the heart, none of that was a lie or a trick,' All Might concluded, assuredly. 'This does not answer my question, though. How did he get a Quirk?' Toshinori continued to ponder the possibilities, thankful that he wasn't a judge who needed to monitor the screens, allowing himself all the time he needed to figure out what was going on.

With Izuku...

Blitzwolf spent the next few minutes continuing to run from rooftop to rooftop, oftentimes on the ground or crawling and vaulting himself from wall to wall with his sharp claws, tracking and finding more robots to destroy and occasionally saving a civilian robot or even another examinee.

By this point, if he kept track correctly, Izuku must have earned 47 points. A good score, but the current werewolf alien had no idea just how high the qualifying score was, considering it was U.A. he was applying to, so he kept at it.

Eventually, Blitzwolf reached a new area with some 1-Pointers, only for them to be cut in half by the posing blonde, who shot sparking blue lasers out of his belt. Izuku's thirst for Quirk knowledge nearly distracted him from the slight rumbling coming from around the corner. While the flamboyant blonde was too busy posing and laser robots in half, he was unaware of the 3-Pointer behind him. It aimed at the blonde and fired missiles.

"You! Duck and Cover your Ears!" Blitzwolf roared out.

Hearing the sound of missiles and seeing the werewolf individual running at him and yelling at him, the boy, gripped by fear, obeyed and ducked, covering his ears, allowing Blitzwolf to see the missiles clearly. Blitzwolf's maw split into four. "SONIC HOWL!" A stream of green soundwaves fired out of the open maw, sailing over the blonde and striking the missiles, which exploded in a puff of pink smoke.

'Fakes,' Blitzwolf noted. 'At least, U.A. isn't too crazy to launch actual missiles at its students. Just lasers and rubber bullets.'

Still, though, the 3-Pointer was intact and advancing. Blitzwolf rushed in and jumped over the blonde, sailing toward the 3-Pointer before firing another, more powerful Sonic Howl. The more powerful howl washed over the 3-Pointer, the metal frame crumbling under the force behind the attack till it collapsed into pieces and exploded.

Blitzwolf landed, inspecting the destroyed bot while the blonde finally arose, looking back to see what had happened. Blitzwolf, convinced the robot was 100% destroyed, turned to the boy and asked, "Are you okay?"

"O-Oui, Mon Ami," The boy nodded, his smile going from strained and fearful to pleasant and overjoyed. "Thank you for saving me. And might I say, how impressive your Quirk is."

"T-Thanks," Blitzwolf nodded, a little taken aback by the sudden compliment and French words. "Just watch out for your flank next time."

"Oui, best of luck to you, Mon Ami." The boy bowed in thanks.

"You as well," Blitzwolf nodded back before taking off for more faux Villains, leaving the boy to watch him leave while his smile fell to a frown.

At the control room...

For the next few minutes, the teachers all watched the various examinees perform to the best of their caliber. More potential students reveal their inadequacies, either physically or morally. Some rebuked saving the civilian robots, not bothering to save them from the few, simple 1-Pointers attacking them or escorting them to the Rescued Zone, because it was a waste of time with no Villain points to be scored in it. Others were so lost in their own ability to reign free with their Quirks that they didn't notice the civilian robot they killed till the remaining head reported that they failed and were disqualified.

Thankfully, this proved to be only a small number compared to the rest. Some simply had Quirks they never trained well enough, or rather, the skill, training, or nerves needed to succeed and be Hero hopefuls. The tired-looking man even saw a young man with indigo-colored hair and tired eyes like his standing by the entrance to one of the Battle Centers, refusing to go in. He didn't walk away, but he just stood there by himself, doing nothing. Suspicious, the tired man pulled up the kid's file. When he noticed the boy's Quirk, suspicion turned to understanding. He understood the teen, but that made his disapproval only more apparent.

"Something caught your eye, Aizawa?" Midnight, the dominatrix-looking Heroine, asked him, a curious, teasing glance always on her face.

Aizawa turned away from the indigo teen, who continued to stay there, doing nothing, wasting everyone's time. "No," Aizawa replied. His gaze drifted back toward the ones that did catch his eye, from the girl that was causing faux Villains to float into the air and fall, the pink girl tossing wads of acid, even the subtle, hard-to-catch sight of an invisible girl turning off the robots from the hidden button on their frames. Yet the one that caught his eye the most was the green-haired boy with the Watch, the one who had transformed into a furry creature capable of running faster than All Might, perhaps, to a werewolf-like form. The one he knew would get in, but be a major headache. But like Hell, he would admit it. "None at all."

Midnight scoffed, amused and totally not buying the insomniac's blatant lie.

"Well, last few minutes left, boss," Power Loader stated, checking the time remaining on the exam. "Now?"

Nezu smiled and nodded. "Let us see what these Hero hopefuls will do against such a 'pointless' threat," the rodent principal said.

Power Loader nodded and pressed the large red button.

Back at Battle Center A...

Blitzwolf tore apart another 1-Pointer before slamming the Watch's symbol on his chest, turning back into Izuku Midoriya. "60," Izuku breathed out, counting off his latest score thus far. He checked the watch, seeing it had at least a few more minutes of energy left. After a transformation from Fasttrack to Blitzwolf and then spending so long as the latter hunting faux Villains, the actions had done much toward the time limit, but it was enough.

'I didn't even need to transform into Heatblast or Four Arms,' Izuku thought, almost a little underwhelmed by how much less these robots were compared to the ones he fought in Endor Forest. 'Then again, those were the real deal, so I shouldn't be so disappointed.' Izuku rechecked the Watch's energy and looked off to the right.'Blitzwolf sniffed out some more, but it's far off to the east. I probably won't get there and sense them out in time unless I turn into Fasttrack.'

But just before Izuku made to activate the Watch, the ground began to rumble, more than even the 3-Pointers did. No, this was big. He only felt this level of rumble one time, and even that wasn't as hard as this. Then he heard the screaming. Izuku looked down the street and saw examinees running away in the opposite direction. The green-haired teen looked further at where they were running from, and, boy, did he pale too.

The thing was massive, taller than even the Mechadroid, and definitely wider. The metal behemoth was a large monstrosity of metal with large arms and fingers, rolling wheels for feet, and a large rectangular head swept across the area, its menacing red light shining from its eye.

'That is the Zero-Pointer?!' Izuku exclaimed inwardly. The Zero-Pointer swiped its arm, destroying a building easily under the weight and size of its metal limb.

"Uh, was it supposed to do that?" Snipe questioned, worriedly, as the judges looked at the Zero-Pointer wreaking havoc while the examinees ran for their lives.

"No, it's not!" Power Loader yelled, furiously typing commands, verifying what was wrong with the Zero-Pointer in Battle Center A.

Nezu went from amused to serious incredibly quickly. "Shut it down, now!" Nezu ordered.

"I'm trying, boss!" Power Loader shook his head. "The whole system on that thing's fried. I can't get a response, and any attempt to hack into it is being met with some kind of firewall."

'I don't think it should be doing that,' Izuku thought as he witnessed the Zero-Pointer wildly swinging at anything around it while examinees ran past him in a hurry. Izuku looked around with uncertainty while an inkling of fear wormed its way into his heart. 'There aren't any civilian bots to rescue here, and this thing doesn't offer any points. It's best to retreat and save the rest of my energy for the faux Villains afar.'

Izuku turned to run away, too. That was until he heard her voice.

"Ouch!"

Izuku froze in place, craning his head with a horrified look as he saw Ochaco further down the street, pinned underneath rubble that caught onto her foot. It must have fallen from one of the buildings destroyed by the Zero-Pointer. Ochaco, who looked tired and sickly, was trying her best to remove the rubble but failing, and the Zero Pointer was making its way toward her quickly, without stopping.

"Are you okay?" Izuku recalled Ochaco's words back at the entrance, how she helped him, and her cute smile. "Sorry, I used my Quirk on you without permission, but I didn't think you wanted to be so eager to kiss the ground."

Izuku felt it again. That feeling, that burning drive in his core. He felt it when he saw Bakugou's pleading eyes when he heard the Mechadroid's rampage, when Mr. Asui and his family were in danger, when Mei and all those people were in danger, when Eri pleaded for help, and now, here again. His eyes widened while, unaware to him, the Watch began to hum and glow.

"Shut it down, Power Loader!" Midnight exclaimed again, rising from her seat, and pointing at the screen. "That thing isn't stopping, and we've got a poor girl about to be crushed by that thing!"

"I'm trying, but nothing is working!" Power Loader yelled back, practically slamming his hands on the control console at this point. "It's almost like the bot's been hijacked!"

"Okay, that is it!" All Might rose from his seat, transforming into his buffed state. "Cancel the Exam! Evacuate the area! I'll deal with the bot myself!"

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary, All Might." Nezu's words stopped All Might before he could speed off.

"What?!" Vlad King growled out. "Have you finally lost your mind, Nezu?! Why won't you-"

Nezu answered simply by pointing at the screen. The teachers looked back at the screen to see what he was seeing, their eyes widening.

Izuku's body began to move without thinking.

Running past surprised examinees, Izuku raced toward Ochaco and the Zero-Pointer, his mind and body running on pure adrenaline. Pulling back his sleeve, Izuku activated the Watch while he ran. "Come on, come on!" Izuku quickly scrolled through the playlist till he found Four Arms's icon. "Here goes nothing!" Selecting the form, Izuku slammed his palm on the trigger.

In the bright green light, Izuku felt himself change. He felt his body widen and grow, muscles and bones increasing, the bones feeling heavier and more metallic, rivets of metal emerging from his body, two large protrusions sticking out of his shoulders, and electricity humming through his body. When the bright green light faded, he was still running, but he wasn't Four Arms.

"What in the world?!" Izuku spoke in his newly deep voice, inspecting himself quickly as he continued running. He was large and wide like Four Arms, but lacking the red skin and extra limbs of the Tetramand. His skin was mostly a deep grey and visible on his shirtless body, revealing a wide musculature with iron-like rivets, the top ends glowing green, sticking out of his body, three in a triangular shape in the middle of his pecs, and two he could feel on his neck, one on each side. Two more were on each of his mostly bare arms, one on his shoulder and the other by his forearm.

Black lines seemed to segment his shoulder, bicep, and forearm, with scars that looked like stitched-up sutures randomly on each arm. The skin below it was a lighter grey, making him look like some patchworked creation. His abdomen to his feet were covered in black, form-fitting pants, the Watch's symbol by the waist in a belt of white, with silver metal wrapped around his thighs and ankles, and his feet were likewise covered in the black material with three glowing lines by his toes and lined in the same silver metal. Most of his forearms down to his palms were covered in the silver metal as a gauntlet, his three gray fingers and thumb, each with black fingernails, open and free. His hair felt longer and darker, flowing down his back like a mullet and down the sides of his face in thick mutton chop style, and he could feel another suture-like scar down his forehead to his left eye. But the most notable part of this new transformation was the two Tesla-like coils jutting from his shoulders, both made of the same green silver and topped with three gray rings and green bulbs at the ends.

"A new alien? Now?!" Izuku growled in annoyance yet refocused on his mission as he just passed Ochaco and reached the Zero-Pointer. "Fine! Hope this guy can jump!"

As he bent his legs, Izuku felt the energy around him and inside him. Electricity flowed through his very body. His Tesla coils extended and began to spark with green electricity. Electricity from nearby electronics began to sizzle and shoot out toward Izuku's coils, flowing more energy through him, down his body, to his hands and feet. With a mighty jump, streams of electricity fired out of his legs and hands, propelling Izuku as he flew like a missile up toward the Zero-Pointer, barely passing between its large metal fingers.

Ochaco and the other nearby examinees watched with wide, awe-filled eyes. As the transformed teen shot up toward the Zero-Pointer, arcs of electricity traveled with him, the scene before them resembling something out of the pages of a comic book.

All Might smiled widely as he and the teachers watched this unfold, Nezu even bouncing in his seat in excitement.

"That's it, Young Midoriya," All Might muttered as he saw the same boy he originally wanted as his successor act like the Hero he wanted to be. "Go, and yell this from the depths of your heart!"

Izuku cocked his gauntlet-armored fist, gathering all the electricity he gathered in his right fist, covering the whole fist with green, crackling energy.

"SMASH!" Izuku roared.

His fist struck true at the Zero-Pointer's head, breaking through the frame instantly. In slow motion, the electricity flowed out and blasted into the robot, combining with the force of the punch, causing it to stumble and fall back. As the Zero-Pointer was about to fall fully, the energy exploded out, and, like the crash of a bolt of lightning, the Zero-Pointer's head exploded, multiple smaller explosions of flame and metal occurring across its body. The rest of its destroyed body fell to the ground, lifeless.

Ochaco and the examinees were left wide-eyed and speechless.

"That is the true mark of a Hero," All Might said back in the control room, smiling proudly. "Nothing is more noble than self-sacrifice."

Passing through the black smoke of the Zero-Pointer, Izuku sailed slowly through the air, his fist cocked forward, almost posing like a real superhero. As he did, Izuku registered the Zero-Pointer's destruction. 'I-I did it. I really did it,' Izuku's gaze drifted down to see Ochaco's wide eyes and slacked jaw. 'I saved her. Like All Might would. Like a Hero would.'

His mind felt like it was going a million miles an hour, possibly due to the electricity he gathered into his body, Izuku theorized. With this allotted faster processing speed, Izuku fully looked over his body. 'Guess this new guy was the right one for the job,' Izuku inwardly chuckled, finding it almost fortuitous. 'Maybe the Watch chose this new guy on purpose.' Looking over himself, Izuku found that with the metal, the Tesla coils, and the patchwork skin, he felt like a cooler, more amped version of Frankenstein's monster, with electrical powers. 'Enough to make me strike like a lightning bolt.'

As if he had enough energy in his head, a metaphorical lightbulb clicked inside. 'Frankenste-strike. Frankenstrike,' Izuku came up with the new alien's name. 'Welcome to the team, Frankenstrike. Now, hopefully, he has a way for me to get down safely.'

As if on cue, the Watch began to beep red.

"Oh-*BWOO*-crap!" Izuku transformed back to normal. His eyes widened comically before he began falling.

"AAAAAGGGHHH!" Izuku yelled as he fell from the sky, his hair blown back by the wind. "Crap! Crap! Crap! Of all the times for you to power down!" Izuku looked at the Watch rebukingly. The Watch only glowed red and hummed lowly. As Izuku tried to activate it again, the same low hum sounded, unresponsive. 'Dammit! Transforming into the new guy and using all that power must have drained the battery!'

Izuku looked fearfully at the ground that was rapidly approaching. 'No, I can't let it end here! I can't die now! And not like this! I won't let Bakugou have the last laugh!' Izuku fervidly denied, trying again and again to activate the Watch to no avail.' Come on, Izuku! Think of something!' An idea popped into his mind. Not a good one, but it was all he had. 'At the last moment before I hit the ground, I have to tuck my body in and try to roll some of the impact away. I don't need Grey Matter to know the odds are abysmally low, and survival would mean broken bones and excruciating pain, but I've got to try!'

Just as the ground was upon him and Izuku attempted his half-baked plan, he felt a hand slap him across the face. Ochaco had freed herself from the rumble and slapped her hand across his face, her fingertips glowing pink. Suddenly, instead of falling, Izuku began to float up from the ground, slowly. The green-haired teen blinked in confusion, pondering what just happened. He looked around, spotting Ochaco, who appeared to be struggling and looked ill.

"R-Release!" Ochaco declared, pressing her fingertips together.

Just as quickly, Izuku felt his sense of gravity come back to him and landed on the ground with a small thud.

Izuku groaned as he got up on his hands and knees, shaking and rubbing his head. Realizing he was still breathing in one piece, Izuku patted his body to double-check. 'No bruises. No bloody gashes. No broken bones. Yep, I'm still alive,' Izuku sighed in relief, his hand brushing against Gwen's lucky charm. charm. 'Seriously, if this thing actually works, I'm gonna have to go all out for Gwen's next birthday present.'

The events that led to his survival finally processed in his mind as his eyes widened. 'But it was Ochaco who saved me, and just as I was making it up to her for earlier,' Izuku thought, turning to look at his savior to thank her... but it looked like she was occupied.

"BLEEEUUUGGGHHH!" Izuku sweatdropped as he spotted Ochaco's barfing up... rainbows?

'Could it be a part of her Quirk, or am I seeing things?' Izuku questioned, but did his best not to mutter that out for Ochaco to hear. 'Either way, this must be some backlash of her Quirk. She did look a little weak beforehand, but I thought it was just regular tiredness or nerves. Maybe she does have a limit on how many times she can zero something's gravity before she gets nauseous, or does it relate to how heavy the object is, or even both?'

Izuku's eyes widened again in sudden clarity. 'Wait, the exam! It's still going-'

A loud siren sounded throughout the city. "AAAAANNNNDDDD THAT'S A WRAP, EVERYBODY!" Present Mic's voice projected over the comms. "THE PRACTICAL EXAM IS OVER!"

Izuku sighed, disappointed. 'Oh, well, I guess that's it,' Izuku conceded, looking down at the Watch. 'Still, even if the exam had continued for a minute more, it's not like I would have been able to do much. That last transformation and attack took up the last of the Watch's charge.' Izuku sighed again, anxiety filling his heart. 'I hope I did well enough to pass the exam. 60 points may be a lot, but who knows how many a school as prestigious and hard as U.A. expects out of its applicants. I might have just barely made it, for all I know.'

"*Sigh*These Entrance Exams get more dangerous every year, it seems," Izuku heard a voice coming up from his side, turning to see a short woman walking past all the surprised examinees to get to him and Ochaco. "I'm going to have words with that rat after this."

Izuku's eyes widened as he recognized the new arrival. She was incredibly short and old, like a caricature of someone's sweet, old grandma, with grey hair slicked back into a high bun topped off with a syringe as the pin. She wore a white doctor's coat over a white-and-orange costume, pink boots, a pink open-topped helmet with a blue visor over her seemingly closed eyes, a wide wrinkly smile, yellow gloves, and walked with a large syringe as a cane.

"Y-You're Recovery Girl?!" Izuku exclaimed in surprise, eyes wide. "The Healing Hero and U.A.'s expert nurse!"

"Ohoho, you've heard of me, dearie? How sweet to meet a fan," Recovery Girl smiled as she reached Izuku. "Are you okay, though? You barely escaped quite a dangerous fall."

"Oh no, I'm okay, just a little tired," Izuku answered, rubbing the back of his neck as he stood on his knees. "But that girl, Ochaco, I think she might have sprained her ankle."

"If you're sure," Recovery Girl nodded, digging into her coat pocket and holding it out for Izuku to take. Holding out his hand, Recovery Girl dropped a few pairs of gummies onto his palm. "These will help you with the tiredness, but do not hesitate to swing by my office if you feel anything else, alright, dearie?"

"Yes, ma'am," Izuku nodded, eating the gummies while Recovery Girl walked up to Ochaco, who had finished barfing and sliding herself gently down to the ground.

After the two talked about Ochaco's injuries, Recovery Girl's mouth seemed to stretch inhumanly long, and she planted a kiss on top of Uraraka's head, startling the watching examinees.

"Huh? Is she like her granny or something?" One of the examinees questioned. "And how is her mouth doing that?"

"Is it her Quirk?" Another examinee asked.

"That is Youthful Heroine," Recovery Girl," The French-speaking blonde, that Izuku had saved prior, walked up and answered the confused examinees. "U.A.'s top nurse with the Quirk to heal injuries at a rapid pace. Just look." The examinees saw Ochaco's body covered in a light green glow, her sprained ankle mending, appearing normal after a few seconds. "She's saving her days of recovery. She's the reason why U.A. can have such crazy, dangerous tests like these."

"Huh, that's cool, I guess," One examinee shrugged. "Still, what a way to end the exam."

"I know, right?! Did you see what that green-haired kid turned into?" Another examinee exclaimed. "I think he was also the one who turned into that blue furry guy that ran so fast."

"No way! He just turned back from that werewolf guy before the giant bot came," A third examinee refuted. "I saw it with my own two eyes!"

"Maybe that's his Quirk? Talk about tricking us with that nervous, unassuming act," One of the examinees scoffed.

The examinees watched as Izuku walked up to Recovery Girl and the previously injured girl. They looked on with wide eyes as the green-haired kid bit and ripped off one of his tracksuit's sleeves, revealing the surprisingly buff, muscled arm.

"W-Woah. Talk about hardcore," The girl with the earlobe jacks blushed at the sight, her blush only furthering as she and the others watched the green-haired young adult tie the sleeve of his tracksuit onto the girl's ankle.

"Damn, dude's got quite the workout," The black-haired teen with shark-like teeth grinned. "Not to mention a cool Quirk, and did that to help her back. Damn, so Manly!"

Their praise for the transforming kid quickly halted into comical sweatdrops over their heads as they saw the guy do a complete 180, acting nervous in front of Recovery Girl, handing the Youthful Heroine a notebook and pen to sign. 'Where did he pull that out?' They all thought.

One week later...

Izuku now ate alongside his mother back at their home in silence, though for Izuku the silence was marred by his ever-growing anxiety.

It had been a whole week since the Entrance Exams, and every day, Izuku's anxiety grew worse as he waited for his results. The whole time, Izuku tried to distract himself by exercising, hanging out with Mei, or playing with Eri, asking the former if she got their results yet. Mei got hers a few days earlier.

The good news was that the salmon-haired inventor got in with flying colors, enough to get a near-full-ride scholarship for the next three years. Izuku had no doubts that his friend would make it in. For as manic and eccentric as she was, and half of her so-called babies often exploding in hers and his faces, his first real friend in a long time was still a genius, one that got even Grey Matter's approval, and that was saying something with how arrogant he got when becoming the short alien.

The bad news was that Mei's acceptance only made him all the more anxious, worsening with each passing day. Izuku knew he shouldn't feel worried; he did the best he could, and his mom assured him that he would be fine. Still, Izuku hoped that he did well enough for a full-ride like Mei. While he and his mother didn't lack for money, mainly from her and Dad's jobs, and the Aldera case earned them a small fortune, they weren't exactly rich either, and managed with an apartment and a decent living. Yet college was expensive, especially U.A. Izuku had almost contemplated using the money he got from selling all his All Might merch to pay his way through college, but then groaned when he remembered he had already used most of it donating to All Might's new Quirkless-Metamorphic Charity.

'Damn my bleeding heart,' Izuku half-heartedly cursed himself.

Another thing Izuku spent his time on was his investigations with the Watch. While the transformation was fitting in the end, the fact that Izuku transformed into the wrong alien, more so a new alien at that, in the middle of the fight, was concerning. Izuku still did not know how these new transformations came to be, whether they were always inside the Watch and just were unlocked at random, if they required certain scenarios and progress in his makeshift training, or if they were somehow wirelessly updated from wherever the Watch came from out in the stars.

'How many aliens am I going to get, too?' Izuku had asked himself as he scrolled to the now two full sets of playlists of aliens, the 10 originals and the 10 new additions he had gotten over the past 10 months. It was one thing to transform into the wrong alien at the most inconvenient of times, but it was another to have so many that it would be a chore to go through all of them mid-combat. Still, it was nice to have another form with his own set of powers. Of the 20 transformations, Frankenstrike seemed like the only one with electrical powers, which would be quite a useful ability to have. 'First, a werewolf-like alien, ghosts, and now a Frankenstein one. What's next, a mummy, an undead skeleton? Hell, what if there's a vampire alien somewhere inside the Watch?'

He vaguely heard his mom saying that she was going to check the mail. Izuku nodded absentmindedly, still lost in his thoughts and worries, idly sitting on the couch while Eri tried out his gaming console with wide, amazed eyes.

A final person on his mind was Ochaco. He hadn't seen her after the Entrance Exam, and in the craziness of it all, they failed to get each other's info to keep in touch. Izuku hoped that she made it in. Not only was her Quirk incredibly useful, but she saved his life, powering past her limits to save his ass before it became a bloody pancake in the faux city streets.

'If there's anyone I know that deserves to get into the Hero Course, it's her,' Izuku thought, assuredly and guiltily. 'I just hope that saving me didn't cost her everything.'

"IZUKU!" The green-haired, 18-year-old snapped out of his funk and Eri to yelp, accidentally causing her daughter to fall off the ledge. Eri pouted a bit while Izuku turned to see his mom barging inside their apartment with a letter in her hands. "IT'S A LETTER FROM U.A.!"

Izuku stared at the envelope in shock, and before he knew it, he had snatched it from his mother's hand and locked himself in his room.

'This is it. This is really it,' Izuku thought to himself as he stared at the envelope that would define his future from here on out. Somehow, having it before him was even more nerve-racking than waiting for it. Just opening it could either make his dream come true or break it into tiny pieces.

Izuku shook his head, smacking his cheeks. 'No! This is stupid!' Izuku exclaimed mentally. 'Just open the thing for God's sake!'

Finally, pushing past his worries, Izuku ripped the envelope open, and a circular disk fell out. 'A projection disk?' Izuku blinked, surprised.

Before he knew it, a light lit up in the disk and shot out a projection of a screen. "BOOYAH! I AM HERE AS A PROJECTION!" All Might's up-close and smiling face appeared before him.

"GAH!" Izuku yelped in surprise, stumbling back till he fell off his chair and to the ground. "A-All Might?!"

"AHAHAHA! Greetings once again, Young Midoriya! I know it's been a while, both since our last encounter and this message, but turns out that with great power comes a great amount of paperwork!" All Might laughed heartily.

Izuku was unsure what to make of this. On one hand, his idol for the longest time was here again, and on the other, this was the same idol that hypocritically and ruthlessly tore his dream apart with his words of denial, the one he dismissed and rejected his Quirk. All Might may have tried to make amends with his charity and helping to burn Aldera to the ground, but Izuku was still unsure of how to handle seeing the idol he had since moved on from.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to finally say what I have been wishing to say ever since that day one year ago," All Might suddenly turned serious, his ever-constant smile even dropping to a sad frown. "I owe you quite a large apology, Young Midoriya. Ever since our final talk, I've been mulling over what you said to me, how I have been neglectful in my duties as the Symbol of Peace to speak out against injustice, the kind that we both are familiar with. Your words, as harsh and biting as they were, were right. I cannot begin to describe my regret, nor do I feel there will ever be a way for me to make up for it, both for the sake of those people I carelessly abandoned and overlooked, and to you, whom I disappointed and failed spectacularly."

Izuku stared uncertainly at All Might, the events back then that he thought he had gotten over replaying again in his mind. Bitterness and anger started to boil over, but Izuku couldn't deny the heartfelt sincerity in the Symbol of Peace's words and how truly regretful they sounded. All Might even frowned, and All Might never frowned, at least when he was like this.

"Know that my words I truly regret, and that I hope that you have caught my interviews and campaigns over my charities to uplift and help Quirkless and Metamorphic individuals to obtain jobs and stable livelihoods," All Might declared. "Know that this isn't some attempt on my part to convince you to take up what we had discussed; it appears that you have already found your own way, and what we've said cannot be undone. My only wish is for me to make up for my mistakes and prove to you my commitment by being the best Symbol of Peace I can be, humbled by the words of a Quirkless boy who did more than even a group of Heroes did, including myself."

Izuku's lips quivered, and he couldn't help the tears that were welling up in his eyes. He furiously tried to wipe them away, refusing to act like the crybaby he once was.

"And to prove this, it is with a humble and joyous heart that I announce that you are looking upon the newest member of U.A. University's Faculty!" All Might announced with his wide smile restored.

Izuku's eyes widened to comical proportions. 'A-All Might...a teacher...at U.A.?!' Izuku thought, utterly in disbelief at this sudden news.

"Hmm?" All Might turned to the side to see someone outside the camera's view waving his finger around in a circle. "Wrap it up? What do you mean by showboating?! Can't you see I'm trying to right some wrongs here? W-Wait, I have to do how many of these things?!" All Might's smile became nervous and worried. "URGH! Alright! Ahem! Moving on!"

'I guess he's still as goofy as always,' Izuku deadpanned, staring at the screen, finally getting up and sitting back on his chair.

"Anyway, I'm also here to announce your results in the Entrance Exam!" All Might announced. "For the written portion of the test, you excelled with flying colors! 97% right, and that alone would give you a 50% scholarship to any course you would take, not just the Hero Course."

Izuku's gaping mouth slowly began to morph into a smile.

"But before I announce how well you did in the Practical portion, I had a short clip, exclusive for your viewing pleasure!" All Might pulled out a remote and stepped away from the screen behind him. "Take a look!" With a press of a button, the screen showed Uraraka.

"U-Uraraka?!" Izuku blinked in surprise.

"She arrived after the exam to talk about you, young man!" All Might informed him. "Let's take a listen and find out what she was to say!"

"Hey, um, you know about that boy with the messy hair and the freckles?" Ochaco Uraraka asked an unknown individual. "The one who transformed, green eyes, kinda cute in a plain sort of way? Izuku Midoriya was his name."

Izuku's face burned red at how a girl remembered his name and being called cute by such a pretty girl at that... even if she did call him plain-looking.

"Um, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to give him some of my points from the exam?" Uraraka asked.

"W-What?!" Izuku stuttered out, shocked.

"He would have gotten a better score if he hadn't stopped to help me," Uraraka muttered, looking down sadly.

"You'd never be able to hang with the best of the best!" Izuku recalled Bakugou's cruel words on that fateful day. "Weak, defenseless Deku!"

"He saved me! And didn't ask for anything or was angry," Ochaco said more vehemently. "He even helped me out afterward just because he could."

"There was absolutely no reason for you to put yourself in danger like that!" Death Arms's words after he saved Bakugou had come up, too.

"Please, sir!" Ochaco Uraraka bowed, eyes shut tight and lips quivering. "Can't you give him some of my points?! I owe it to him! He was My Hero! I Want to Help Him"

"-So no, I don't think you can be a Hero without a Quirk," All Might's words on the roof came up as tears began to leak down Izuku's cheeks.

The video paused while All Might came back into the frame. "It would seem you have proved me wrong in more ways than one, Young Midoriya," All Might stated. "I once said you couldn't be a Hero without a Quirk, and you proved me wrong that day by saving the life of a boy you didn't like and brushing away the darkness of ignorance I was too busy wallowing bitterly in. And now you sacrificed everything, even your own life, to save someone you only met. She was right to say you were a Hero. Her Hero."

"There are stories of every great Hero, and one thing holds true and constant for them all. Their bodies move before they can even think. That is what happened to you then, and that is what happened to you now. It is what you are."

Izuku's gaze fell as he remembered the day of the Sludge Villain and how he pulled Bakugou from the Villain with no Quirk of his own, only skill and will. He remembered when he first got the Watch, how he defeated the flying droids with Fasttrack and as himself, how he stopped the Mechadroid's rampage and saved the lives of all those campers, especially that little girl. He even remembered how he became friends with Mei, how he bonded with her, became friends when no one else would, and how he did the same for her, helping each other.

He remembered Mr. Asui being embraced by his family, and his eldest daughter smiling and thanking him. Izuku recalled the people in Zombozo's carnival, including the white-haired and raven-haired girls, appearing healthier as he stopped Zombozo, and Mei's tired smile in his arms. Izuku remembered Eri, how she clung to him for dear life, pleading for him not to leave, saving her from Chisaki, her crying on him, and when she first called him her Papa.

And now, the events of the Entrance Exam came up in his mind, how he helped those robot civilians, saved the flamboyant blonde, and his final gambit protecting Uraraka from the Zero-Pointer.

"Which is why I Am Here to announce that there was more to the practical exam than just fighting villains!" All Might announced, Izuku's head whirling back up so fast he almost gave himself whiplash

"Thanks for coming to the station with your request," The man Ochaco was talking to, who was clearly Present Mic, said as he patted her head. "But there's no need to give him your points. The kid's charting well on his own." Ochaco blinked in surprise and looked up at Mic with surprise.

The video paused again. "How can Hero Course not reward someone who is committed to saving others, no matter the consequences to himself?! After all, that is what makes a Hero. And that's what my Alma Mater is All About! Training those who risk their lives for the Greater Good of All!" All Might smiled proudly at Izuku.

"And that is why we have RESCUE POINTS!" All Might gestured dramatically toward the screen, which showed his last words in a bold yellow font. "A panel of judges watches, reviews, and awards points for heroic acts beyond just fighting Villains!" The screen showed video evidence of Izuku saving the blonde boy, as well as his actions in saving and helping the civilian bots and saving Uraraka.

Izuku's eyes widened, completely speechless.

"IZUKU MIDORIYA! 60 VILLAIN POINTS AND 120 RESCUE POINTS! A NEW ALL-TIME RECORD OF 180 POINTS! 1ST PLACE! AND WITH IT A FULL 100% SCHOLARSHIP TO THE HERO COURSE FOR THE WHOLE THREE YEARS!"

Izuku felt his eyes widen again, feeling as if they widened any further, they would pop out of his skull.

"AND OCHACO URARAKA! 41 RESCUE POINTS AND 35 VILLAIN POINTS! 3RD PLACE WITH 76 POINTS! AN 80% SCHOLARSHIP FOR THREE YEARS AT U.A.'S HERO COURSE! YOU BOTH PASSED!"

Tears flowed like rivers down Izuku's cheeks, one drop landing on the Watch as it almost seemed to hum lowly.

All Might turned to Izuku, holding out his hand proudly. "Welcome, Izuku Midoriya!" Izuku teared up more, hearing All Might say his name with pride and acknowledgment, the kind he wanted to hear back then.

"You've made it! This is Your HERO ACADEMIA!"

And with that, the screen vanished, and the device turned off, leaving Izuku Midoriya in the darkness of his room and the glow of the Watch. Wordlessly, Izuku rose from his chair and walked to the door. Opening it, he found his mother and daughter waiting outside, pacing back and forth, only stopping upon noticing him.

Without saying anything, Izuku smiled brightly and tearfully at her.

Inko knew the answer, and her ears likewise teared up, hands over her mouth. "MY BABY!" Inko wailed as he tackled Izuku into a hug, one that Eri joined in, as well, and the three Midoriyas cried the night away as a boy's dream was finally coming true.

Unknown location...

In a hidden, dark alleyway at night, a lone figure in a black cloak glided deeper down the path.

"Hey! Stop right there!" The figure stopped as a group of three human thugs marched up to him. One was taller than the rest, the leader, stalked toward him with a menacing grin on his disgusting face, while his two lackeys walked beside their leader, armed with primitive Earth weapons. "You know that this alley belongs to us, don't ya? And we don't take kindly to strangers in cloaks just walking in without permission."

"Hehe, yeah, I mean, who knows? They could be some shifty scoundrel or Villain on the run," One of the lackeys giggled.

"Yeah, it would be a crying shame if we didn't do our civic duty to report such a mysterious individual, or better yet, take the matter into our own hands," The other one, this one who had an aquatic creature for a head, snarled as he licked his razor-sharp teeth.

"That's right, boys. However," The main thug wrapped an arm around the cloaked figure, grinning down menacingly. "We can always turn the other way if we are given some kind of recompense, if you know what I mean?" The main's other hand grew razor-sharp, venomous-looking stingers. "Capisce?"

From the dark cloak, red burning eyes glowed with absolute hatred. The figure's claws hissed as they extended.

SSHLLICK!

The thug's eyes widened, his mouth open wide and gagging, his hands reaching up to his slashed throat as it spilled blood.

"What the-No, no, no!" The other thugs' wails echoed out of the alleyway as the sounds of screams, slashed skin, and sizzling flesh mixed with red light flashing from the darkness.

The cloaked figure looked down at his work at the thugs, or what few bits remained of them, kicking away a severed hand with disgust. "Filthy human blood," The figure threw off his blood-splattered cloak to reveal Psyphon. A beeping sound came from his wrist, and the minion lifted his wrist and pressed the button. A projection of a closed-up pod was revealed with glowing red, evil eyes peering out of the triangular hole.

"Report, Psyphon," The voice growled.

"My Lord Vilgax," Psyphon gave a short bow. "I have tracked the Omnitrix's signal to the Earth province of Musutafu, Japan. I successfully hacked into the facility known as U.A. University and hijacked one of its robots to wreak havoc and lure the bearer of the Omnitrix. Sure enough, I captured this footage of the event." With a few presses of the buttons on his wrist, Psyphon relayed the video of Frankenstrike destroying the hijacked Zero-Pointer and transforming back into a certain green-haired protagonist.

Vilgax growled at the video, his red eyes burning with unparalleled hatred and familiarity with the boy's appearance. "And the name?"

"Infinite apologies, my Lord, but I could not obtain the name," Psyphon bowed, subserviently. "Their systems were too complex and difficult to penetrate. I could barely take control of their robot before I was detected and forced to withdraw, lest risk discovery."

Vilgax's immense displeasure was evident in his growl. "Fine. We now know the appearance of the Omnitrix's bearer, and we know that he has grown strong in our absence," Vilgax surmised.

"He must be seeking asylum in this U.A.'s halls," Psyphon figured. "It is a school full of these humans with their so-called 'Quirks', both student and their Heroes. An assault on their grounds would be difficult, but we can-"

"NO!" Vilgax's roar frightened Psyphon into another meek bow. "We cannot risk exposure yet, and I will not dare face the might of these Heroes and the Plumbers without my full strength. We will proceed with a more sophisticated method. Send word to our allies in Earth's criminal Underworld. We will use them to obtain what we know of the boy and their defenses and take the Omnitrix before we strike."

"Yes, of course," Psyphon nodded. "By your infinite grace and wisdom, my Master."

"This boy will not evade my grasp forever," Vilgax growled, eyes burning red. "Soon, I will claim my prize, even if I must pry it from the boy's cold, dead flesh!"