章 2023: 42
Powerloader just looked tired as he looked at Izuku and Mei, who were standing in front of his desk, "Seriously. I don't know what to do with you two anymore."
Izuku shuffled his feet nervously, "Is this because of the tunnels? Because we had Nedzu's permission and…"
"It's not because of the tunnels." Powerloader groaned. "Although that is an entire headache in and of itself. I don't think I've ever seen Nedzu this delighted and it will live in my nightmares forever."
Izuku and Mei shared a look. She was used to being called up to talk to the teacher, although admittedly that was usually because she'd blown something up, but for Izuku, getting a teacher's attention had never been a good thing. He knew that Powerloader probably wasn't actually mad at him, but he couldn't shake the feeling he'd been bad somehow, even if he couldn't remember what he'd done.
"Um, sir?" Izuku cleared his throat. "If it's not about the tunnels, what is it about?"
Powerloader sighed, "Internships."
"Internships?" Mei repeated.
"Internships." Powerloader droned.
"Um…" Izuku furrowed his brow. "Aren't those just for hero students?"
"Not technically." Powerloader said, pulling a file out from under a mountain of paperwork on his desk. "Support students usually intern with local companies in the afternoons during internship week, so classes still continue as normal, unlike the hero course, which cancels their classes for the week. You two, however…"
He plopped the folder down in front of them and opened it up, revealing a glossy brochure and a pile of permission forms. Mei and Izuku looked at him suspiciously before leaning over and picking up the brochure. As soon as she realized what it was for, Mei yanked it out of Izuku's hands with a gasp and he let her, too shocked to do anything.
Powerloader sighed again, "You've been invited to intern at I-island."
"So, Shinso, who are you gonna intern with?" Uraraka asked. "You got offers, right?"
Hitoshi nodded, "Yeah...I actually got quite a few. It's a little unbelievable."
"You deserve it." Yoamomo said kindly. "You were very impressive at the sports festival."
"Yeah!" Mina said. "Especially since you activate your quirk by…'
She smiled hopefully, but Hitoshi just rolled his eyes, "Nice try, Mina, but no,I'm still not telling you how my quirk works."
"Aww!" Mina pouted. "But the curiosity is killing me! You're going to be responsible for my death, Hitoshi Shinso."
Hitoshi kept a completely straight face as he responded, "Then die."
"If you're really that curious, why don't you just go ask some of his old classmates?" Jiro suggested. "I'm sure someone in class 1H knows how Shinso's quirk works, since it was probably Midoriya's idea to hide the activation requirements."
"I already tried that!" Mina groaned and collapsed onto her desk. "But they're all too scared of the wall gremlins to say anything!"
"Yeah, that makes sense." Tsu said. "I can see those two threatening Shinso's old classmates."
"That's the best part." Hitoshi laughed. "Mei and Izuku never actually threatened them. I don't think the idea even occurred to them. They just saw my kidnappers often enough that they realized being scared was just common sense."
"Maybe that's because you call them your kidnappers." Uraraka pointed out. "And they're not that bad. Sure, they're a bit high energy, but.."
"They are literally the definition of mad scientists." Hitoshi deadpanned.
Everyone laughed and Hitoshi found himself smiling as well. The girls were nice and they seemed to genuinely like having him around. He got the feeling that they'd still talk to him even if they knew how his quirk worked. It was nice, especially considering his current living situation.
"So, internships?" Uraraka asked again. " I'm thinking about going with gunhead, but I don't know yet."
"I was actually looking at him too." Hitoshi said. "I've got a pretty good handle on my quirk, thanks to Izuku's training, but with a mental quirk, I don't think it's possible to have too much combat training."
"Hmm, maybe I should go with a combat hero as well…" Yaomomo interjected thoughtfully. "I was leaning towards Uwabami, simply because she looks so effortlessly confident, but some hand to hand training would be helpful. Just because I can create weapons doesn't mean I always know how to use them."
"Do it!" Mina yelled. "We need more badass female combat heroes!"
"I wanna intern somewhere stealth based, " Hagakure said. "I may as well specialize in what I'm good at, right?"
"Same here." Tsu said. "I've got an offer from Selkie, so I'll probably go there."
"Wouldn't it be awesome if we ended up at Gunhead agency together, Shindig?" Uraraka looked excited. " I wonder if he takes multiple interns.."
Hitoshi shrugged. It would be nice to have a familiar face around, but he didn't want to hold Uraraka back at all. Even after all the training he'd done, he was still a new addition to the hero course and had a lot to catch up on. He was just hoping his internship would be enough to help him close the gap.
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to bring!" Mei yelled, throwing a wrench across the room. "Am I supposed to bring all my tools or will they have tools there that we can use? Oh my goodness, I bet their tools are like, top of the line! Who am I kidding, of course they're the top of the line, it's I-Island!"
Hitoshi shook his head as he dodged another projectile, "I'm sure you'll be fine, Mei. You're the top invention student in the school and Izuku is the only analysis student. Besides, you've already impressed them."
"That's what makes it so bad, Extra-Credit-Kun!" Mei's eyes were rapidly zooming in and out as she looked around the lab, trying to decide what to pack. "They already have high expectations and what if I don't live up to him."
Izuku came up and gently put a hand on her arm, "You'll be fine, Mei-chan. They'll love both you and your babies, I know it. Going to I-Island may be a lot of pressure, but we've done high pressure before, remember? We've helped fight actual villains, Mei-chan, so a few high class inventors should be a piece of cake!"
Mei groaned and her shoulders slumped as the panicked energy finally started ebbing away, "Yeah, we can do this. We'll be fine. We'll be fine!"
"Why are you guys even packing anyway?" Hitoshi asked. "Internships don't start until next week."
Izuku shrugged, "Mei-chan was nervous."
"Ah." Hitoshi nodded. "That makes sense."
"Hey!" Mei pouted. "Don't put this all on me, Izu-kun!"
Izuku just gave her a cheeky smile and shrugged, making her pout harder, before turning back to Hitoshi, "You don't have to help us pack you know. School ended two hours ago, so your family's probably wondering where you are by now."
"I'm, uh…" Hitoshi grimaced. "I'm kinda avoiding going home right now."
Izuku tilted his head in confusion, "What? Why?"
"Well, it's kinda complicated." Hitoshi explained. "I've been in the foster system for a while, which whatever, it is what it is, but when I got into the hero course, apparently Nedzu wanted the teachers to keep a closer eye on me? Probably because I'm gonna be getting more dangerous training now, I guess. Anyway, I'm living with Eraserhead and Present Mic now."
Izuku and Mei just blinked at him, processing what he said for a long moment before Izuku spoke up quietly, "What do you mean keep an eye on you?"
Hitoshi shrugged, "You know, keep me from going villain and stuff."
"What?!?!"
Ochako followed the directions the email had given her carefully, triple checking them when she realized that the beach park she'd been told to go to was actually a dump. Her mind whiled with questions. First of all, why would All Might insist on having a private meeting with her? Second of all, why not have that meeting on campus like a teacher normally would? And last of all, if they couldn't meet on campus, why meet at a dump?!
She didn't even know where in the dump she was supposed to meet him. For some reason, she thought he'd just be there, but now that she was here, she couldn't see him anywhere. Maybe she'd gotten the wrong address after all? She picked her way around the trash piles for a few minutes, wondering whether she should just give up and email him an apology for missing their meeting. She had to be in the wrong place, right?
Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her, "I am here!"
Ochako jumped and fell on her butt, scrambling away as quickly as she could before her brain caught up that it was just All Might. She blushed and cringed as she slowly got to her feet and started brushing sand off her pants, "S-sorry, All Might. I, uh...you snuck up on me, I guess."
"It's alright, Young Uraraka! I'm glad to see you found the beach alright!" All Might coughed softly. "Or, well, what's left of it anyways."
"Speaking of…" Ochako asked hesitantly. "Why meet here, of all places. Why not meet on campus?"
All Might coughed again, "Well, um, at UA, you never know quite who's listening, you know? I'm sure you've heard that phrase, the walls have ears?"
Uraraka giggled and nodded, "Or crazy support students."
All Might nodded in relieved agreement, "Or crazy support students. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about some things I didn't want Ch...well, some things that Powerloader's gremlins don't necessarily need to know. Dangerous secrets that should be kept in the hands of heroes and all that, I'm sure you understand."
"Kinda?" Uraraka said. "But, um, no offense, but if they're that dangerous, why are you telling me? I'm just a first year."
"Yes." All Might coughed again, this time spewing out a little blood. "Well, um...shit, I thought I had a little more time. I guess I shouldn't have stopped that bus robbery after school...Um, I apologize young Uraraka, but please don't freak out."
Ochako was about to ask what that meant when all of a sudden, All Might started steaming, then deflated with a sudden poof, leaving only a skeletal man who honestly looked like a drug addict behind. It took all her self control to follow All Might's orders and not freak out, but she managed it, barely...at least on the outside.
"Oh…" she said slowly. "I guess that's one of the secrets?"
All Might, if she could even call him that in this form, nodded tiredly, "Yes, unfortunately. I was injured in a battle a few years ago and now...well, now this is what I look like. I can only hold my muscle form for a few hours at a time, and soon enough, I will lose my quirk entirely. That is why I wanted to talk to you."
All Might looked at his hand as he clenched it into a fist, "My quirk is a sacred power that has been passed from generation to generation. I received it from my mentor, who received it from hers, and before I die, I need to pass it onto a worthy successor who can take my place as the symbol of peace and lead the world into the future bravely and selflessly."
Uraraka's head spun. A quirk that could be passed on from generation to generation? Was that even possible? And the next symbol of peace? Uraraka thought through her classmates, but she wasn't sure she could think of anyone who was ready to live up to such high expectations. All of this sounded unbelievable, but since All Might was the one telling it, it must be true. Which again brought up the question of why he was telling her, of all people?
"And that, of course, leads us back to your question." All Might continued. "I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you all this, and the truth is that you impressed me. When you faced down Bakugo at the sports festival, you kept going even when it became clear you had no chance of winning. You pulled a bold strategy that, if you'd just had a bit more power, could have won you the match. The world needs that kind of tenacity, young lady, and that's why I've chosen you as my successor. Uraraka, will you inherit my quirk and become the next symbol of peace?"
Hitoshi wasn't sure what exactly he'd said wrong, but it must have been something because he was currently being dragged to the principal's office by not one, but two enraged kidnappers. They hadn't even said anything to him, or to each other, but apparently they hadn't needed to, because it wasn't like the two of them were dragging him in opposite directions or anything. Nope, by some unspoken signal, both Mei and Izuku had somehow decided to physically drag Hitoshi to Nedzu's door before he'd even had the chance to protest, not that he was brave enough to. What the hell was even going on?!
The door opened before they had the chance to knock, but for some reason Hitoshi got the idea that they wouldn't have knocked before barging in anyway. Izuku finally let go of Hitoshi's arm and stormed up to Nedzu's desk, "I can't believe you!"
If Nedzu was confused, he was very good at hiding it, "Ah, hello! I was honestly expecting young Hatsume to come through the wall the next time she came, not the door, but oh well. What can I help you three with today?"
Izuku's face was red and he looked like he was about to explode, "You can explain why you thought someone needed to keep an eye on my friend! Hitoshi isn't dangerous! You, of all people, should know that's just discrimination and I thought you were better than that! Why did you put Hitoshi under hero custody like you're waiting for him to go off the rails or something?! What gives you the right?!"
Nedzu's eyes widened and if Hitoshi didn't know any better, he would say that the principal was surprised as he turned to look at him. Hitoshi immediately shuffled under his stare and felt his face growing hot as he looked at the floor. He appreciated that Izuku was apparently protective, but he couldn't help the sinking feeling that this was just going to make things worse.
"It's not that bad." He muttered. "I'm used to it, Izuku, so just drop it. It makes sense, ok? I'm fine."
"None of this is fine, Toshi-kun." Mei growled. "And if the rat thinks that he can get away with treating you like this, just because of a quirk, then he'd better say goodbye to all four of his walls. And his tail."
"Ah, I believe I understand what is happening." Nedzu said calmly, not even responding to Mei's threat as he leaned over and activated the intercom. "Aizawa, Yamada, please come to my office immediately, thank you."
If anything, that just made his kidnappers even angrier and Hitoshi flinced as Mei's grip on his arm got tighter, "If you're calling the heroes to hurt Toshi-kun…"
"I assure you that I would never do anything to hurt young Shinso." Nedzu raised his paws consolingly. "I'm afraid that there has been a rather unfortunate understanding, one that I must admit I am at least partially responsible for. I ask that you be patient for just a bit longer and that you trust all will be explained momentarily."
Izuku looked at him suspiciously, "And why should we trust you?"
Nedzu looked him in the eyes as he responded seriously, "Because Shinso is not the one we meant to lie to."
That calmed Izuku and Mei down, at least for the moment. Hitoshi was still confused and embarrassed, but he wasn't in trouble at least. At least, he didn't think so, but was Nedzu implying that he had meant to lie to someone? And what was the lie?
They stood in tense silence for another minute or so before Aizawa and Mic walked through the door, immediately tensing up in response to the atmosphere in the room. Aizawa in particular looked like he was getting ready to fight if needed as his eyes flitted around the room, taking in every detail of the scene, "Nedzu. Shinso. What's going on here?"
"Aizawa." Nedzu said simply. "Would you mind explaining why you and Yamada took custody of young Shinso here?"
Aizawa huffed, "Because his old foster parents were assholes who didn't let him talk at home and he didn't deserve to live in a place like that. In addition to simply being a terrible environment for any growing teen, it wasn't conducive to his training as a hero. Is that all?"
Nedzu nodded and turned back to Izuku and Mei, "I had thought the ruse was obvious, but in hindsight, I suppose we underestimated the depth and severity of young Shinso's past treatment and how that must have affected how he would see the situation. Due to a few legal limitations, we needed the permission of his previous guardians to remove Shinso from their care, and the easiest way to get that was to play into their own fears and biases. I assure you that we never intended to harm him in any way."
Mei looked between Nedzu, Aizawa, and Mic suspiciously, "So you didn't take custody of him because you thought he was going to snap and turn into a villain?"
"Heavens no!" Mic yelled, losing control of his quirk and making Aizawa activate his quirk for a split second to prevent them all from going deaf. "Sorry, but there's no way we'd ever treat the little listener like that! We were trying to get him out of that situation, not make it worse!"
Hitoshi didn't know how he was supposed to feel. They didn't hate him. They didn't think he was just a villain in the making. They...they thought he deserved better than to be treated with suspicion and were doing their best to protect him despite their limitations, just like Mei and Izuku were doing. He felt relieved, but also... he was an idiot!
"Oh…" Izuku turned red and both he and Mei looked embarrassed as the rage finally left them. "Um, sorry. I guess we overreacted a little."
"Just a little?" Hitoshi elbowed Mei in the side, "Mei?"
"Sorry for barging into your office." Mei grumbled.
Hitoshi raised an eyebrow, "And?"
She sighed, "And sorry for threatening to destroy your office...and other things."
Nedzu smiled gently, "No offense taken. I am wonderfully impressed by how protective you are of young Shinso. He needs friends like you."
Hitoshi almost smiled and he felt like he was about to pass out as all the stress finally left him, "I, uh, I think I'm ready to go home now...Is that alright?"
Aizawa and Yamada both exchanged a look before Aizawa looked him straight in the eye and responded, "Yeah, kid, that's alright. Let's get you home."
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