Chapter Thirteen

After Toshinori had finished relaying the story, Togata's expression was a curious mixture of shocked, sympathetic and revulsed. "Yagi-sensei, I'm so sorry that happened to you, I had no idea," said the blond earnestly. Sir Nighteye's own face was contorted darkly. Reliving his former superior's past was never a light affair even if he'd heard the story several times before.

Toshinori gave a weak smile. "It is no problem, Young Togata. Now, as to the matter of my Quirk, One for All."

Togata sunk into his chair with a deep sigh. "It's a lot to take in," he admitted. "I mean, that your Quirk isn't anything more than an endless wellspring of strength that only gets deeper and more powerful as you pass it on? And you want to pass it to me? Frankly, Yagi-sensei, I don't know what to think."

Toshinori waited. Nighteye peered at his protégé with just the barest wrinkle of anticipation in his otherwise inscrutable face. Togata looked uncomfortable- no doubt having the expectations of two people he esteemed greatly weigh down upon him wasn't doing him much good.

"Young Togata?" prompted Toshinori gently, when the boy made no sign of coming forth.

Togata squared his shoulders, looking at Toshinori with a sudden bout of determination. "Yagi-sensei. While words cannot comprehend how honoured I am by this offering of yours…I-I can't just…I mean…"

"You don't want it?" asked Toshinori calmly. In sharp contrast, Sir Nighteye had almost leapt out of his chair in shock. "Mirio," he reprimanded, sounding scandalized.

Togata shrunk in his seat slightly. "It's just that…well, I've come so far with just this Quirk, right? All the hard work I've put in to make this Quirk mine…it would all be invalidated if I accepted One for All."

"Do not entertain such silly notions, Mirio," commanded Nighteye reproachfully, but Toshinori held up a hand, locking eyes with his former sidekick. "He can make his own decisions, Nighteye," he said calmly. "He is not a child."

The bespectacled man sunk back in his chair, looking angry and hurt.

"It isn't just that." Togata licked his lips slightly. "I just can't help but think, you know? The only reason Yagi-sensei is entertaining the idea of passing his Quirk on to me is because of Sir's recommendation. If I hadn't had any ties to his former sidekick, would he have picked me, over the other two hundred of my batchmates? Or even the second-and-first-years?"

"Do not be asinine, Mirio," said Sir coolly. "All Might has made his decision after keeping note of your achievements throughout your time at U.A. From your scores to your time with me and every other hero you have worked with. Do not sell yourself short this way. With or without my recommendation, you are a prime candidate for One for All; dare I say, the only candidate in U.A worthy of its power."

Togata shook his head. "That's fine!" he exclaimed. "All of that is fine…but what I'm trying to say is, does Yagi-sensei want to pass it on at all? Doesn't that mean he's effectively declaring that his peak as All Might is over? Does Yagi-sensei really want that?"

"My peak as the Symbol of Peace is over," pointed out Toshinori. "It was over the moment my true form was publicised."

"But this is different," argued Togata. "This almost feels like you're giving up. Like you're admitting that this power of yours has to be cultivated in another person. And what's worse is that I don't even know you besides your hero identity."

"Does that mean you are saying you'd be more comfortable receiving All Might's power if you knew him on a personal level?" asked Nighteye.

"I think I'd be more open to the idea, at least." Togata shot Toshinori a nervous smile. "I still want to debut as Lemillion with my own Quirk that I'd toiled for these past few years to make strong. But maybe, if Yagi-sensei gets to know me and still thinks that I'm worthy, then…"

Toshinori smiled. His sidekick had picked a fantastic intern. "Very well, Young Togata," he said, standing up and swelling to his muscular state, ignoring the sharp stab in his gut. It was time for the medal presentation for the first years. "I will keep looking for more successors. But expect to see more of me from now on. Remember, while I am searching for others, you are still One for All's top candidate."

Togata sunk into a bow. "I'm honoured you and Sir believe so."

As Kyosuke stood upon the podium in second place, he couldn't help but feel a definite sense of lacking.

After he had woken up in the infirmary- again- Recovery Girl had berated him once more before telling him of the concussion he'd sustained by hitting his head against the rubble mid-air and binding his head up to treat the resultant injury. Then, he'd been chivvied along quickly for the medal ceremony, to an underground podium which then rose up to reveal himself in second, Bakugou in first, and Kendou in third. He was still incapable of looking at her without feeling massive waves of guilt and was grateful that Bakugou was between them.

Had he been without the Omnitrix…no, he couldn't let himself be led upon this train of thought now. He shook his head to clear it. All Might was approaching them, with the tray of medals held by Midnight beside him. Already, he was garlanding Kendou with the bronze medal while giving her advice. He couldn't see her but he could hear her thanking All Might with a cheerful lilt to her voice. That relieved him slightly- perhaps she was back to her usual self.

Now, All Might was in front of him, and Kyosuke bent slightly to receive the silver medal. "Congratulations, Young Kirihara," beamed the Number One Hero. "What do you think you could have done better?"

Kyosuke thought for a bit. "I'm not sure," he responded honestly.

All Might grinned at him. "Here's a little tip," he leaned forward slightly. "Start building more confidence in yourself. It is as Young Kirishima said. The Omnitrix is your power, even if it is not a Quirk you were born with."

Kyosuke looked down. And how, he thought slightly belligerently to himself, was he supposed to do that? The Omnitrix wasn't his by any means. Anyone could wield it to the same extent as he could, maybe even better than he could. Knowing that, how could he just- use it like he normally did, as if he hadn't just gotten lucky getting it from Gyakusetsu-sensei?

Bakugou glared at him silently from up above, gold medal around his neck. His palms were looking far better now after a round of Recovery Girl's healing, but they were still wrapped in bandages and ointment considering the extent of the damage he had done to them after blowing up the stadium. Well, that was what you got when you detonated nitroglycerin within a block of ice…which, in retrospect, shouldn't have been possible. Nitroglycerin froze at 13°C. Maybe it was Bakugou's core body temperature that played a part in igniting his sweat, not the external temperature.

All Might turned to the throng of students standing in front of them and smiled. "Well, these are your winners!" he said, gesturing towards them and getting a cheer from the audience in response. "However, I want every student here to know that all of you have the potential to be standing here! As you all witnessed, as every U.A student here pushes one other to succeed in the names of competition and encouragement, the sprouts of today will grow into the seeds of tomorrow!"

"In that spirit, let us have one more cheer! Say it with me- three, two, one-!"

"PLUS ULTRA!" roared the crowd.

"Thanks for the hard work!" roared All Might, discombobulating everyone there. Silence reigned for a moment or so, then;

"Boo! It was supposed to be Plus Ultra, All Might!" complained the crowd in unison. Some students had also joined in the hooting, much to Kyosuke's amusement.

"W-Well," stammered All Might, "I thought that everyone here had worked hard…"

"It's the school motto, what else were we going to say?" mumbled Bakugou from beside Kyosuke, the latter of whom snorted with laughter once more.

And thus, ended the biggest event of the year. As Kyosuke walked off the podium, making his way back to class, footsteps behind him grew louder and louder, until a hand grasped his arm. Kyosuke turned, only to see Kendou, looking furious and determined with the bronze medal hanging around her neck. "Kirihara-kun. We need to talk."

Kyosuke gulped. "Yes. Yes, of course."

Without waiting for him to say anything else, Kendou started dragging him to a hallway free of any approaching U.A students. Kyosuke thought he saw Aizawa-sensei looking at them expressionlessly, but dismissed it once Kirishima and Ashido joined them.

A few seconds later, Kendou had dumped him on a bench, with Kirishima and Ashido either side of her, looking like a triad of judges eyeing him with stony gazes. "Explain," ground out the orange-haired girl, sounding livid.

Kyosuke couldn't meet her gaze. There was too much guilt, too much loathing. But he knew that if he tried to dismiss their concern for him once more; if he left their questions unanswered…the connection that he'd forged with them would rust, if not shatter completely.

But how could he vocalize something like this? All of the insecurity that he hadn't realized was there was now straining against his flesh, gouging numb holes into it- how could he tell them something like that?

"Kirihara," said Kirishima, sounding sad. "When I told you that the Omnitrix was your power during your fight with Bakugou, did you think I was lying so that you could fight back?"

Kyosuke felt a lump grow in his throat. He shook his head and said nothing.

"When you convinced Todoroki to start using his left side, you had told him something similar, right?" asked Kendou, now more gently. "That it was his power? Do you think the same doesn't apply to you?"

Kyosuke nodded silently.

Ashido took over, her voice betraying the fact that she was about to cry. "It's because the Omnitrix isn't a Quirk, right? It isn't something you were born with and you don't think it's something you've made your own yet, especially since that professor you mentioned so long ago was the one who gave it to you."

Again, the white-haired boy nodded silently. Even though they didn't know about the Plumbers- Max having sworn him and the heroes to secrecy- he had told them about Gyakusetsu-sensei before their term at U.A had started. Apparently, they knew Kyosuke well enough to connect the dots themselves.

Kendou reached out and gripped his shoulders. "Are you trying to say that you think you don't deserve the power the Omnitrix gives you?" she asked carefully.

Hit the nail on the head. Kyosuke nodded once more, never taking his eyes off the ground.

"Oh, Kirihara-kun-" said Kendou sympathetically, kneeling down and encasing him gently in an embrace. He leaned into her shoulder, trying not to cry. He could hear Ashido sobbing beside him and it was upsetting, to say the least. "Why would you think that?" she continued.

And it was enough. The dam finally broke, his silence finally cracked-

"All of you, all of you have been training for so long, making your Quirks more powerful for years," he croaked. "I've had the Omnitrix for only eleven months. And- and it makes me sound arrogant as hell but I'm the top freshman, bar Bakugou. And it made me think, you know? It made me think if Gyakusetsu had given the Omnitrix to anyone else, where would I be? Would I have even made it into U.A? Am I even worthy of such a power?"

Kendou stilled, even as her hold on him tightened significantly. "Kirihara-kun, listen to me."

Kyosuke listened.

"Don't you think that goes for all of us, here?" asked his friend. "Don't you think that all of us got our Quirks by the genetic lottery? The three of us, as well as Uraraka's Zero Gravity, Bakugou's Explosion, Todoroki's Half-Cold Half-Hot; we all received those Quirks by luck. And we trained themselves, made ourselves better so that we could stand among the best at U.A. Just like you."

"Do you think just anybody could have done that? Do you think any random person with an Omnitrix, or sweat made of nitroglycerin, or the ability to produce ice and fire could have made it into U.A?"

Kyosuke stilled. Because that was precisely how he'd been feeling for so many hours and- albeit, unknowingly- for so many weeks.

"Maybe you trained yourself for less time. But I refuse to believe that you did absolutely nothing to achieve your goals before getting the watch. You learned how to fight. You worked hard. You did your best, just like all of us here. And getting the watch doesn't change anything. You were amazing then and you're amazing now."

Tears slid down Kyosuke's cheeks. He gritted his teeth, the lump growing almost painful.

"Pondering over what would have happened had you not gotten the Omnitrix is meaningless. You have it now and nothing will change that. However, even if you hadn't gotten the Omnitrix, you would have become a hero, because what makes a hero isn't their Quirk. It's so much more than that."

"It's your power, Kirihara-kun. Yours and nobody else's."

It was fortunate that Kyosuke was a quiet crier. His tears soaked Kendou's shoulder and didn't stop coming for quite some time.

"Thank you…thank you."

A few metres away, watching silently from the shadows, Shouta Aizawa nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave, giving the quartet some privacy.

A day passed.

Kyosuke and his friends went to watch a movie and the white-haired boy paid without complaining, waving away his companions' offers of monetary compensation. While the movie wasn't all that good and his finances took a huge dent from the tickets and food, it was still an enjoyable experience, made even more enjoyable by Ashido mimicking the main character's breakdancing moves- right in front of the audience- Kirishima pigging out on popcorn and Kendou using her Quirk as a serving tray for all of their food.

However, when Kyosuke got home that day and picked up the newspaper for a quiet read along with a nice cup of coffee, his eyes roved over the headline and stopped short.

His coffee fell from his hands, the cup shattering over the floor and shards spilling everywhere. Ignoring the expostulations from his guardian, he folded up the newspaper and rushed to his room, locking the door and opening his laptop.

TURBO HERO INGENIUM IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER ATTACK BY MASS MURDERER

Kyosuke typed feverishly. No wonder Iida had had to leave that day- he as well as the rest of the class knew that Ingenium was Iida's older brother. But for a top-class hero like Ingenium to be injured to this extent? What was the meaning of this? Was his attacker really that dangerous? Why had he never been shown on the news before?

Hero Killer Stain. According to the articles he had just read from bloggers who had actually bothered to write about the man, he cut a menacing figure with a white eye-mask, a blood-red scarf and several blades, including katanas, bowie knives and daggers. No information about his private life or his Quirk but several articles about the heroes he'd attacked.

While his victims were all low-level heroes ranking in the triple digits, the sheer number of them was astounding. Forty heroes, with Ingenium making it forty-one, and thirteen of them had died from their injuries. The Turbo Hero was as of now the highest-profile hero that had been attacked by him and according to several media outlets, the damage was severe.

Kyosuke felt his jaw clench in sympathy. How must Iida feel, knowing his brother might never be a hero again?

With Stain's presence as a high-class villain now cemented, his case was now being passed over to Endeavour, who had the highest number of villain cases solved and was thus the best man for the job. At the thought of the Flame Hero, his fists clenched in unconscious anger.

They were letting him handle the case now that it had more publicity? The hero politics behind the decision angered him further but he pushed it down. Anger would only distract him. He needed to focus.

Stain's base of operations was Hosu City, to the west of Tokyo and accessible via shinkansen. Accessible via shinkansen…Kyosuke paled. What if- what if Iida tried something stupid like- but would he? Surely he wasn't that idiotic- but what if? What if? They'd be starting work studies after this- what if he picked an agency in Hosu just so-

Lurching towards his phone, he picked it up and dialled a certain number.

If Iida ended up acting like Kyosuke feared he would…then he would have to stop it, no matter what.

Aizawa answered on the third ring. "You'd better have a good reason for interrupting my nap time, Kirihara-"

"Aizawa-sensei." Kyosuke's voice was thick, breathless. "Please don't let Iida intern in an agency in Hosu."

There was silence at the other end of the line. "Exactly what do you mean, Kirihara?" asked the Pro Hero, voice carefully controlled.

"Ingenium was attacked by Stain when he was patrolling in Hosu, right?" asked Kyosuke, talking fast. "Stain's base of operations is in that area! And if Iida tries to go there during his work-study week, to try and exact revenge-!"

"Do you think Iida capable of doing such a thing?" asked Aizawa. "I find it hard to believe that he would go to Hosu simply because of his own motivations."

"Aizawa-sensei, the man Iida looks up to- his brother- was nearly murdered. I know what's it's like to want to take revenge for something like that!" Kyosuke was almost shouting now. "It'll eat away at him from the inside- he won't be able to think of anything else! When- when my parents died, I wanted to do the same to the drunk driver who killed them. Only I didn't, because I got my head straight in time."

Aizawa was silent, prompting Kyosuke to continue.

"Please, Aizawa-sensei." Kyosuke took a deep breath. "I'd like to trust Iida on this but I can't just leave this to chance- I can't just stand by and do nothing. Please, remove every agency in Hosu that might want him to intern with them."

"…all right." Aizawa sighed. "I'll go along with you this once. Besides, I was thinking of doing the same thing; really, you've only spurred me to act sooner, Problem Child."

Kyosuke ignored the nickname. "Thank you so much, Aizawa-sensei."

"Don't thank me, kid." The white-haired boy could almost hear the sardonic grin on the man's face. "Good job looking out for your classmate. Leave the rest to your teacher."

Click.

Kyosuke removed the phone from his ear and sighed. Hopefully, Iida got his head straight in time so that the move he'd made would be unnecessary…but he couldn't leave that to chance. He wouldn't risk something like that and let his classmate potentially be consumed by revenge like Kyosuke himself had been. He knew what it was like. And he wouldn't let Iida turn himself into a monster for the sake of a warped desire.

Now, it was four in the evening and he was bored- nothing a little working out couldn't fix, he reflected as he began to stretch.

In a darkened bar in Kamino Ward, the three villains making up the core of the fledgeling League of Villains stood. Tomura Shigaraki, Kurogiri and Vulkanus. Before them stood the Hero Killer Stain, sporting a murderous expression on his face and carrying all manner of bladed weaponry.

"What is your business with me, Shigaraki?" snarled the Hero Killer, clutching the katana strapped to his back.

Shigaraki stepped forward. He was wearing a black jumpsuit, over which was the cast keeping his ribs in place. The dismembered hand he referred to as Father was still over his face, acting as a mask, though his other hands were not on his person.

"We need a carry, after the U.S.J incident," the pale man spoke carelessly. Vulkanus winced inwardly; he already knew what the meeting was going to devolve into. "We'd like you to join us so that we may get one."

Stain leered at him. His face was nought but skin stretched over a skull and had Vulkanus not possessed a gruesome visage himself, he would have been quite frightened by it. "You bastards raided U.A, huh…and now you want me in your little gang."

"That's right," Shigaraki confirmed lazily. "O great Hero Killer."

"And what do you hope to accomplish by adding me to your ranks?" asked Stain quietly.

Shigaraki grinned. "We want to kill All Might. I hate him and I want him to die along with the society he's built in his image. Also, I want this little fucker's head." He flicked a photo of a boy with flame-like white hair and grey eyes; the second-place finisher of the first-year Sports Festival. "He broke my fucking ribs and I want him dead for that. You can put those blades to good use chopping him up."

Stain snarled. "I see…it was foolish of me to be interested." He hunched forward, even more, a predatory glint in his eyes. "You are nought but a man-child with a hollow conviction. Scum of the kind that I hate the most."

Shigaraki looked at him. "What was that?" he asked in a bored sort of tone.

"A brat who wants to flaunt his strength, a childish temper-tantrum that brings forth nothing useful; that's the kind of person you are now." Stain unsheathed his sword. "What is the use of mindless violence, of bloodlust without a creed to back it up? You're nothing more than the trash of society that must be culled!"

Vulkanus eyed the man's katana. Battle worn and chipped, it had clearly seen much action. Kurogiri asked in a worried tone, "Sensei, is this really okay?"

"It's fine, it's fine!" came a voice from the TV, sounding more amused than anything. "This person is one that shall help Tomura grow. What is the point of telling him the answers? A true teacher lets his student figure out the answers for himself, so his growth may be stimulated. To gain success, he must first think over his failings and come to his own conclusions."

Kurogiri and Vulkanus only watched as Stain lunged at Shigaraki, katana poised to take his life.

The next morning, Kyosuke awoke to a grey, rainy day. It was five in the morning and the sight of the dark cloud fringing the sky did not help to improve his mood, which- as always after waking up- was less than cheerful.

As he had exercised the previous evening, he restricted himself to light stretches, before barricading himself in the bathroom for fifteen minutes and emerging fully dressed in school uniform, his fingers deftly doing up his tie around his neck.

His guardian had already left to do…whatever he did that constituted as work. Kyosuke honestly wasn't sure; he'd lost interest after the man's tenth explanation. Something about being an undersecretary to some low-grade firm that didn't yield enough money to fund Kyosuke's education; hence, some governmental help had been necessary. As long as he wasn't doing anything illegal, Kyosuke was comfortable with it.

He set about making his bento and eating some fruits and yoghurt as breakfast. Stirring up three eggs in a bowl, he mixed in some milk and vegetables before laying it out on a hot pan greased with olive oil to make a basic diner-style omelette. It wasn't anything special but it was good as far nutritional content was concerned. That, along with some rice, made for his mid-morning meal.

Throwing in an apple just in case, Kyosuke slipped on his bag and shoes, collected his key card and an umbrella and headed out. "I'm off," he mumbled to no one, momentarily remembering the time someone would have responded to that with a "Be safe out there," or "See you soon."

Shaking his head to rid himself of such thoughts, he set out on his usual route to U.A after holding his umbrella above him. The rain provided a steady, constant hum in tandem with his steps. He lived about twenty minutes' walk from U.A, and he had taken almost an hour and a half to finish up all that he had set out to do since his waking up. It was six-thirty, and at this rate, he would reach at around seven; well before the final bell at eight. It was unusual for Kyosuke to be so early but he normally worked out in the morning or slept until six. Considering he had not done either of those today, he had a lot of time on his hands.

Minutes passed. The rain slowly petered out. And Kyosuke reached the campus well on time, just as he'd predicted.

The cloakroom was empty. The absence of any shoes, umbrellas or raincoats told Kyosuke that he was the first one there. He left his umbrella near his locker and wore his indoor shoes, leaving his outdoor ones to dry. He quietly went up the stairs, entered his classroom- which was empty, like he'd predicted- and sat down with bag in hand.

Kyosuke wasn't sure what to do, considering no one was present. Do some homework? He'd finished it all already. Read a book? He hadn't brought any with him. Mess with the Omnitrix? Aizawa-sensei would kill him if he caught Kyosuke using his watch without letting him know first.

The sound of footsteps entering alerted Kyosuke to someone else's presence. Iida bowed to him slightly. "Good morning, Kirihara-kun," he said stoically.

"Good morning, Iida," nodded Kyosuke. "Although it isn't," he continued a little sourly, watching the rain slowly dwindle.

Iida chuckled but Kyosuke could see the deep sorrow in his eyes, the worry lines on his face that hadn't been there two days ago as he took his seat a row away from Kyosuke. "Yes, it would seem so. I must say, Kirihara-kun, I'm glad that I am not the only student to take lateness seriously. To find you here so early is a delight."

Kyosuke laughed. "Iida, has anyone ever told you that you need to loosen up?"

"Mostly Uraraka-kun," answered Iida seriously. "She is a good friend. I regret not answering her-" he cut himself off abruptly and pushed up his glasses.

Kyosuke was no fool. He understood perfectly well why Iida had cut himself off. "She's concerned for you," he said softly. "Just like we all are."

"While it is appreciated, you need not be," said Iida, looking away from him. "It is…distressing to see my brother in a hospital bed but I have been informed that his survival is guaranteed. No one needs to worry."

"Really?" asked Kyosuke, arching an eyebrow. "Then can you promise me something, Iida?"

Iida met his gaze. "What is it, Kirihara-kun?"

Kyosuke looked him in the eyes. Felt his sorrow and hate as if it was something tangible. "Promise me that if an agency from Hosu wants you to intern with them, you will refuse the offer."

Iida's eyes widened, jaw slackened slightly- and Kyosuke knew that he'd pinned the other boy's intentions exactly. He looked away, clenching his jaw. "I cannot promise you that, Kirihara-kun."

"Why?" Kyosuke leaned forward, eyeing him. "Some agency over there interest you?"

"Yes. The Normal Hero, Manual." Iida's hands were trembling. "He...he would provide me with a balanced work environment in an urban landscape. Like I would need to get used to when I inherit the Idaten Agency."

'Liar,' thought Kyosuke to himself, but did not voice it just yet. "I'm sure a third-place medallist would get better offers than that."

"Maybe so. But the circuit I have chosen to focus on is of rescue. There aren't many heroes with speed-type Quirks like mine in rescue, except my brother. An agency like Manual's is the next best option."

His voice was flat and devoid of emotion but Kyosuke could feel the hatred throb from him at the mention of Ingenium. As if he wanted to lay waste to whoever had done this to him.

And he knew then that he could take it no longer. Yes, he had made Aizawa-sensei remove any agencies from Hosu from Iida's intern list but he couldn't just stand by and let him do this to himself.

"Liar." The accusation was hot, thick and angry. Iida stared at him in shock. "Liar. You want to go to Hosu because you want to hunt the Hero Killer down for what he did to your brother."

Rage flashed in Iida's eyes. "Do not accuse me of that, Kirihara-kun."

"Then look me in the eye and tell me I'm mistaken," snarled Kyosuke.

Iida got up from his chair abruptly, his stance rigid and furious. "Am I wrong to want such a thing?" he growled. "He took my brother's ability to help people. The thing he got out of bed every morning for. The thing he devoted his life to! How can I just- stand by and do nothing when Stain is still out there, spreading his noxious influence everywhere?"

Kyosuke rose from his chair as well. "Let me tell you something, Iida," he said calmly. "Revenge is a poison. Revenge is for fools and madmen. Satisfying it will do you nothing."

"Oh? And you know this how?" snapped Iida.

Anger permeated Kyosuke's body like a hot fog. "Because I watched my parents die in front of me, killed by a drunk driver," he snarled. This was a slight exaggeration, because he had fallen unconscious at the time, but it did the trick.

Iida's anger fled, replaced by shock. "I-I…" he stammered.

Kyosuke waved a hand, silencing him.

"I'll spare you the details," he said, voice calm once more. "But suffice it to say I was lucky to have been strapped in the backseat. My parents weren't. And do you know what I realized later when I saw my parent's murderer for the first time, released from jail, ready to kill him for what he'd done to them?"

"I saw a man. That's it. Not a monster or a youkai or some sort of devil with horns sprouting from his temples. Just a man like any other. And I knew then that killing him wouldn't bring me any satisfaction. It wouldn't bring my parents back. All it would give me was a time in juvenile prison. A long time, considering murder isn't exactly a small crime. Exacting revenge does nothing useful."

"What I'm trying to say here, Iida-" and here Kyosuke took a deep breath- "is that Stain is just a man too. No matter the twisted creed he follows, or how many heroes he's killed, he's not a monster. He's just a man like you and me. And when he's caught- when, not if- he'll be tried in front of a court and sent to prison just like any other criminal. Tartarus, most likely."

Kyosuke sat back down, looking away from Iida and out the window. "Don't exact your revenge, Iida," he said. "It'll only bring you more grief. And besides, killing like that is against the ways of a hero. Think of your brother and how he could have died. But he didn't. Be grateful for that small mercy. I know I would've been."

Iida was silent. Then, after a deep breath, he spoke once more. "I…I'm sorry you had to relive that, Kirihara-kun. But I'm sorry…I just- I just can't-"

Kyosuke's heart sank. "Well, I tried," he said sardonically. And Iida's revenge wouldn't come to fruition anyway. Since he'd made Aizawa-sensei remove any Hosu agencies from his intern list.

Right? The hero Iida ended up interning with would prevent him from going to Hosu, right?

Iida wouldn't end up going down that road, right?

He was spared from his internal worry when a bunch of students- Kaminari, Uraraka, Kendou, Tokoyami, Asui and Kouda- entered the class. Kaminari seemed to be chatting up Uraraka, who simply looked confused at the flirtation. Tokoyami, Asui and Kouda were talking amongst themselves. Only Kendou made her way towards him, smiling. "Good morning, Kirihara-kun."

"Good morning, Kendou," he said, grinning softly. Since his breakdown in the hallway, things had become…well, they hadn't changed, exactly. It just seemed as if some strain that had been there all along had gone away. Things were now softer and more relaxed between them- including Kirishima and Ashido.

"How was your holiday?" asked Kendou, sitting beside him. Kyosuke snorted. "You should know. You were there for most of it."

"Fair enough," she laughed slightly. "Honestly, the way Ashido was breakdancing that day…who knew she had such moves?"

"Yeah," agreed Kyosuke. "At least we have our dance routine for the Cultural Festival sorted."

Kendou snorted once more. "That'd be a sight to see; breakdancing in a Cultural Festival."

"Adds a new flavour to things, doesn't it?" chuckled Kyosuke. "You come in, expecting tea and carnival games…"

"Only to see this pink girl jackhammering to DJ Pilizhao." The two of them burst into laughter.

"Did someone mention pink girls?" Ashido came up in front of them with a smirk, leaning on Kendou's head with one arm and ruffling Kyosuke's hair with the other. "Morning!"

"Hi, Ashido," Kyosuke squeezed his eyes shut as her fingers ran through the flame-like mess on his scalp. He knew that it would spring back to normal after a few minutes, so he didn't protest.

"We were just discussing your dance moves during the movie," Kendou informed her.

Ashido laughed, removing her hand from Kyosuke's hair. "Yeah, well, when you've been dancing for so long you just kind of go with the urge when it comes, you know?"

"I guess." Kyosuke shrugged slightly.

"Mm-hmm! The reason I was so fit even before coming to U.A was my dancing," Ashido told them. "The two of you should join me sometime! Especially Kirihara. You need to loosen up."

Kyosuke choked on air. "A-Ashido," he coughed slightly, "it would be in everyone's best interest if I was kept away from the stage. I can't dance."

"Silly, that's only because you didn't have me teaching you." Ashido jerked a thumb in her direction. "Give me a few days with you and you'll be setting the stage on fire!"

"Now that is something I'd like to see," smiled Kendou.

The appearance of Kirishima was swift but as Kyosuke had seen him come- along with most if not all of the other students- he wasn't surprised. "Then just let him use Swampfire." He grinned at Kendou and Ashido's groans in tandem.

Kyosuke laughed, holding out his hand for Kirishima to fist-bump. "I knew I could count on you, dude! But seriously, Ashido, if you're fine with teaching a guy with the dynamism of a turtle, I'll hit you up one weekend."

Kendou raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't have the dynamism of a turtle."

"True. But on the dance floor, it's a different story." Kyosuke shuddered, recalling the one time he'd tried to pick up dance in middle school for Orudera's Annual Day. He couldn't sing or act- and as had been proven that day, couldn't dance either. Apparently, his flexibility and ease of movement were less than ideal for dancing unless it was restricted to the most basic steps. It had only soiled his reputation further.

The final bell rang and with it came Aizawa, bandages completely off and sleeping bag in his grip. In a split second, everyone was in their seats, completely silent and still.

The homeroom teacher grunted in satisfaction. "Good. It took you all 0.3 seconds to quiet down. Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Aizawa-sensei," chorused the students, with Tsuyu adding a beat later, "It's good to see that you've healed completely, Aizawa-sensei."

"Yes," agreed Aizawa, rubbing a new scar underneath his eye. "The old lady's doctoring is excessive. But never mind that. Today, we're having a very important Hero Informatics class- a special one at that."

Kyosuke tensed. Hero Informatics was typically one of his better subjects but he'd neglected the newspapers as of late. If Aizawa-sensei quizzed them of recent happenings bar the Stain incident, he'd be totally blank.

"You'll all be coming up with your Hero Names." And collectively, the tension dissolved and the classroom cheered- before Aizawa-sensei quietened them with a single glare.

A Hero Name? Kyosuke leaned back in his chair, thinking quietly. While he'd come up with names for every alien he could turn into, he hadn't given much thought towards the name he wanted for himself. He knew that Kirishima would probably take his name from Crimson Riot's and that Kendou would come up with something related to her fists. Ashido would probably wrangle in acid (duh) and maybe even aliens if she could. What about him?

"But before that, it's time for your Pro Draft Picks." Aizawa brought out a sheaf of papers in one hand and a remote in another. "As I mentioned, the Sports Festival was a way for all of you to show your abilities to the world and build connections with Pro Heroes who might think you ready to join their agencies after two or three years of experience. In short, it's a way for them to show interest in your futures."

"That being said," Aizawa held up the remote to the board and pushed a few buttons. Instantly, a set of bar graphs arose on the board, titled 'Class 1-A Draft Pick Totals'.

Unsurprisingly, Bakugou's name was at the top with a whopping 3,700. Kyosuke's eyes widened at his own name, which had 3,560; just a hundred and forty less than Bakugou. Then came Todoroki and Iida with far less at 1800 and 360 respectively, after whom were Kendou with 354 and Yaoyorozu at 245. Lastly were Uraraka, Kirishima, Hagakure, Tokoyami and Shouji with 100 or so each.

"Sheesh," said Jirou, sounding half-resigned, half-amused. "Couldn't the top two have left any for us?"

"Normally, it's more distributed. But this time, Kirihara and Bakugou stole the glut of attention," said Aizawa calmly.

"Er, sorry," said Kyosuke sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. He honestly hadn't expected so many considering how badly he'd done against Bakugou and his mistakes in the Cavalry Battle but here he was. Jirou only grinned at him, waving a languid hand. "I'm just kidding, don't take it seriously."

"Whoa, we actually got offers!" yelled Uraraka tearfully, shaking Iida's shoulders. "Yes, yes," said the robotic boy in response.

"It is surprising." Tokoyami's voice was quiet. "I did not advance to the third round, yet there are some heroes who have taken an interest in me? While I am surprised- nay, shocked, even- I am honoured as well. I will not waste the opportunities handed to me."

"Congratulations, Todoroki-san," said Yaoyorozu gently to the half-and-half boy, who only grunted in response, shaking his head. "This is only due to my father's influence. I would've earned far less had he not been so well-established."

Ashido slammed a palm on her desk in frustration. "Damn! And I thought I'd done okay, too, even if I hadn't made it to the third round! Stupid adults…" Kyosuke made a mental note to cheer her up later.

"That being said," said Aizawa a little sharply, quelling the students in an instant, "those of you whose names aren't up there still have a chance to work with some Pros. There's a list of forty agencies you lot can pick from and you will have us review your choice first, which must be submitted this weekend."

"It's true insofar that you guys have already seen more action than most in terms of real Pro work but it will still be a worthwhile experience." Unbidden, a flash of Shigaraki's face, covered by its grisly mask, made Kyosuke shiver slightly. "So, I want all of you to take it seriously. This is also where your aliases come in." This was met with roaring approval from the class.

"All of you'd better pick your names seriously, otherwise-"

"-YOU'LL LIVE TO REGRET IT!"

The door burst open, heralding the appearance of the one and only 18+ Hero, Midnight. Swaying her hips suggestively, she entered the classroom, glasses framed on her forehead. "The name you pick right now might be the name you'll be associated with forever! That's happened to a lot of Pros out there, so do take this seriously, kiddos!"

"Yes, that," confirmed Aizawa-sensei lazily, picking up his sleeping bag. "Midnight will be assessing your names from here on out, considering I'm no good at that. The names you pick shall henceforth be seen as a reflection of what you want to become; the kind of hero you want to be in the future. People will look at you and judge your character by the kind of name you pick. Like, for example, All Might."

He pulled out a drawer, revealing several small whiteboards and markers which were quickly passed on to all the class. Some, like Bakugou and Kirishima, started writing instantly. Some, like Kendou and Kouda, didn't. Kyosuke himself was at a loss. What should he call himself?

Maybe something that had to do with his watch…hmm, okay. Watch Boy? Nah, that sounded stupid. Every-Man? Oh Lord, that just made him sound like some sort of sex worker.

Some more things to do with his watch…he was at a loss. Black Triangle? That was plain asinine. Dial? That sounded cool but some instinct was warning Kyosuke not to use that name. Something about…copyright infringement? Kyosuke shook his head in confusion.

Fifteen minutes passed. Then Midnight called out, "Okay, most of you must be done by now. Come up here and present your names, please!"

Kyosuke jerked in surprise? "We…we have to present our names to the class?"

"But of course!" Midnight waved an elegant hand, smirking at him. "If you can't stand in front of your own classmates and teacher and declare your hero name proudly, how are you going to do it when the world has its eyes on you?"

"That's fair," reasoned Kyosuke.

"Would you like to go first?" asked his teacher.

"Oh, I haven't come up with mine yet," demurred the boy.

"Alright then, how about…Aoyama, yes!" declared Midnight, pointing at the blond boy, who merely smirked and carried himself to the front.

His name was weird. 'I Cannot Stop Twinkling,' slightly abridged to 'Can't Stop Twinkling'. Kyosuke raised a deadpan eyebrow. It only went up higher when Ashido presented hers; 'Alien Queen.'

'I think Ridley Scott would have sued somebody had Midnight allowed that,' thought Kyosuke to himself as Ashido slumped back to her chair.

Tsuyu's 'Froppy' was the first well-accepted name. From there, it was a roll of successful admissions. Kirishima's was 'Red Riot,' just as Kyosuke had predicted. Still cool, though. Then came Jirou's 'Earphone Jack' and Shouji's 'Tentacole.'

Sero followed with 'Cellophane,' which was kind of weird considering he produced tape, not cellophane, but Midnight was happy with it. 'Tailman' was next and then followed Kendou's 'Battle Fist,' which was awesome. Ashido rebounded quickly enough with 'Pinky,' which was somewhat unimaginative but fitting.

The list went on and on. Todoroki and Iida each went with their first names. He wasn't surprised.

Only Bakugou's 'King Explosion Murder' was rejected. Kyosuke snorted, before reaching out and tugging at Bakugou's sleeve as he stalked back to his seat.

He turned around. "Whaddya want?" he snarled. Unfazed, Kyosuke smiled slightly. "I was thinking, why don't you go with something less- um- 'murder-y'? Say Salamander or Nitro?"

Bakugou paused. Then, "Salamander sounds fucking amazing," he growled with a dangerous smirk on his face, jogging back to his seat to write it out in all caps; 'The Explosion Hero, Salamander.'

Kirishima reached out to tap his shoulder. "Buddy, while I'm glad you're tryin' to make peace with Baku-bro and all, what about your name?"

"That's just the thing," sighed Kyosuke. "I've no idea what to write."

"Well, hurry up, bro. You're the only one left aside from Bakugou, who's comin' up right now," reminded his friend. Kyosuke cursed inwardly. Most of the class was eyeing him subtly, as was Midnight.

Kyosuke ran a hand through his hair. Something to do with how he could do anything, like with Yaoyorozu's 'Creati'? The Omnitrix gave him a whole host of abilities, so maybe something about how…his eyes widened. Something about how he could switch between them, perhaps?

What had Present Mic described him as, in the Sports Festival? A shapeshifter? Yes, maybe something along those lines…

He tapped the board with his marker, fresh ideas spinning in his head. A person who could do anything. A hero who would adapt to any situation to produce the best possible result. A hero who could save anyone, win any fight and resolve any situation.

All it took was a press of a watch.

He picked up his marker and wrote, before coming up to the front of the class and stating his name.

"Changeling," he pronounced confidently.

Midnight instantly put two thumbs up. "Very good! Clean and catchy! I like it!" Most of the class seemed pleased as well. He could see Kendou nodding, Kirishima grinning and Ashido flashing a thumbs-up in mimicry of Midnight.

Kyosuke smiled. From now, he would be working to make himself embody this name, as he now had something to call himself, something he could proudly declare to the world when the time came. Changeling would stand tall amongst the host of aliens he could turn into, as the hero who could do anything.

He could almost imagine two figures at the back of the class, each of them looking upon him with all the love they had.

The previous evening, in an abandoned bar in Kamino Ward

Vulkanus slumped to the ground, all feeling stolen from his body. No doubt a virtue of the Hero Killer's Quirk. He could only watch as Stain jabbed a dagger through Shigaraki's shoulder, another held at his throat.

"To accomplish one's goals, a creed is necessary," growled Stain, digging the knife in further. "You have nothing but infantile whims and a cowardly streak. It is only natural that you have lost to me."

Shigaraki was visibly wincing underneath his mask. "Hahaha…argh, you're strong…send this guy away, Kurogiri!"

"Don't bother," rasped Vulkanus, before his friend could oblige Shigaraki. "The Hero Killer has immobilized both of us with his Quirk. Neither of us can move."

"That's right," leered Stain. "Your allies cannot help you, which only lets me see you even more clearly. You're nothing but a faker masquerading as a villain, throwing your power this way and that for the sake of your own childish fantasy. The kind of person I hate the most. You will die here, today, by my sword."

"Fuck you," spat Shigaraki, grabbing hold of the knife suddenly. Vulkanus watched as it crumbled to dust. "You talk of creeds and convictions as if you're some sort of big shot but you forget. You need your blades to kill me. I only need a hand."

Stain flipped back as Shigaraki lunged at him, agile as a cat despite his injury. "That really hurt. My wounds from the U.S.J haven't healed completely yet, you know? But let me tell you something. I don't need anything as lofty as a conviction. I only want to kill All Might and the society he's built up around himself. That's my goal and I'll accomplish it no matter what."

The Hero Killer watched, considering the half-decayed knife in his palm. Then, he sheathed his katana and relaxed his stance. "Hm, it seems I wasn't completely right about you. I can see something in your eyes. A twisted sort of ambition, ready to take root. Will it grow or will it wither? I'm not sure. At the very least, both of us have something in common in that we want to tear down the society of today."

"Oh, screw off." Shigaraki held a hand to his shoulder. "Didn't you say I'm the type you hate the most?"

"Yes. You're not ready yet." Stain was uncompromising, his words giving no quarter. "But you might be, one day. I think I'll save killing you until after that can be ascertained." He turned to Kurogiri, who had overcome his immobilisation as well, though Vulkanus had not, yet. "I'll ally myself with your little gang. But for now, send me back to Hosu. I have things I need to accomplish there still."

"Very well," acquiesced Kurogiri, opening up a portal and watching Stain walk through it. After he left, Shigaraki let out a scream of rage, taking up a barstool and flinging it as hard as he could at the area Stain had disappeared, even as the stool disintegrated. Kurogiri sighed tolerantly and Vulkanus watched stoically, a sense of mobility returning to his nerves in a single flash. "That psycho- Hero Killer, he says, as if a halfway decent hero wouldn't kick his ass in a fight- that- he-"

"Shigaraki, if we add him to our ranks, our offensive strength will swell tremendously," said Kurogiri placatingly. The pale man huffed, walking away from his associate. "Hero Killer…what a joke," he sneered. "He says he's going to reform society but he hasn't had the guts to go after anyone but small potatoes."

'And you say you're going to kill All Might but run away the instant your prime servant is defeated,' thought Vulkanus, wisely not voicing it out loud.

"Shigaraki, the work Stain is doing has actually caused a rise in the heroes' awareness in Hosu," Kurogiri informed him. "More heroes are acting instead of standing by. Crime rates in Hosu have dropped marginally."

"Oh wow," mocked Shigaraki. "Crime rates have dropped? So much for Hero Killer; more like Hero Breeder!"

He lifted a hand to scratch at his neck. "No one stabs me and gets away with it. I'm sending a Nomu after him the instant Animo gets them ready. If he wants to flip this society on its head, I'm gonna do him one better. I'm gonna grind his self-worth and pride into dust! He'll learn that if I wanna kill him, I'll just kill him!"

"That bastard won't live to see the light of day once I'm done with him!"

Kyosuke reviewed the list in front of him one more time, his eyes narrowing.

Throughout the week, he did nothing but take note of the various agencies that had offered to take him in. Some he dismissed, some he kept note of. His classmates were also equally keen, having obsessed over their choices and whether they would be a good fit for them- much like Kyosuke himself. Ashido had gone as far as to start a conference video chat involving Kendou, Kirishima and himself the evening they'd gotten their offers, saying something about how they should discuss each one of their lists because four heads were better than one.

They'd done Ashido first. Considering she wanted to be a rescue hero, using her acid to melt rubble and so on, they'd focused on the rescue agencies among the forty Aizawa had given them. After reviewing for a while, they'd all agreed on Thirteen as the best choice. Ashido was happy with that, as she liked Thirteen and admired their work.

Then came Kirishima, who had already decided on Fourth Kind. While Kyosuke didn't know much about him, he knew that Fourth Kind was very disciplined and stern, something which Kirishima would probably benefit from.

Kendou's was slightly more complicated. She had initially wanted to intern with Uwabami, wanting to get a feel for the publicity part of being a hero. Kyosuke had disliked the idea, pointing out that Uwabami would likely teach her nothing worthwhile as she worked mostly in photoshoots and commercials, neither of which Kendou was interested in.

"Well, I was thinking then maybe to work with a hero that can help me overcome brute force," said Kendou. "My Quirk isn't very good with handling people that can overwhelm me with raw power, kinda like when I couldn't do anything to stop Rath when he was taking me seriously."

Kyosuke flinched slightly but Kendou held up a hand. "Kirihara-kun, if you apologize again I will never forgive you…but my point is that when I try going all out, my hands become too heavy and I lose speed. When I try and reduce their size, I lose power. Breaking my limits and trying to get accustomed to the added weight to conserve speed isn't going to work for a long time. Someone that can help me toe that line between power and speed…someone who emphasizes control and precision, maybe…"

"Then how about Kamui Woods?" asked Kirishima, pointing at her list, which indeed did show the up-and-coming star's name. Kendou nodded, considering the idea. "Hmm…he does seem like a good option. His use of his Quirk rivals Best Jeanist in terms of fine control."

Then came Kyosuke himself. Considering he had by far the largest number of offers, his took the longest to trawl through. After almost thirty minutes, they narrowed it down to six offers, the highest-ranked being Best Jeanist. While Kyosuke admired the Fibre Hero, he couldn't see how an emphasis on precision would help him like it would Kendou. Then was Edgeshot. Again, Edgeshot's Quirk was precise- though unlike Jeanist's it was precise by nature, not by technique. But he didn't think it would help him either. He wanted someone who could help him train every one of his aliens from the ground-up because he himself wasn't sure where he needed improvement. Training himself- pushing himself to the limits- that would show him his weaknesses, he was sure of it.

"Ooo, then how about the Rabbit Hero, Miruko?" asked Ashido, pointing to the agency in question. Kyosuke pondered the idea. Miruko was certainly the tough-and-tarty type and as she took no sidekicks (it had, therefore, come as a bit of a shock when she had displayed an interest in him) he would be busy enough in the field. Pushing him to his limits was definitely something Miruko could do.

"I'll write her down," promised Kyosuke, doing so. "Next up is the Shield Hero, Crust."

"I don't know much about this guy," said Kendou with a slight frown on her face. "He seems kind of plain, especially compared to heroes like Jeanist and Miruko…"

"Kendou, he's the Number Six Hero," said Kirishima, sounding scandalized. "While his Quirk isn't very flashy, he's still awesome."

"I don't know, man," sighed Kyosuke. "He's kind of orthodox and plain, you know. My powers are anything but." He wrote Crust down anyway.

The last two heroes were Ryukyuu and Gang Orca. While Kyosuke had heard of both heroes before, he didn't think they would be able to help him the way Miruko or Crust presumably could. When Kendou pointed out that he could learn endurance and self-control from Orca, who had it down to art from the amount of time he spent on dry land, Kirishima rebutted with the (accurate) statement that it was only because of his Quirk that he needed such endurance. That sort of thing was specific to Orca, not something that could be picked up by anybody. Besides, someone like Bakugou would benefit more from learning self-control than Kyosuke.

The next school day, no one had been able to focus on their classes. Present Mic had yelled at them all at the top of his voice and Midnight, in a similar vein, had cracked her whip during class to try and get them to pay attention but their efforts were for nought. Cementoss and Ectoplasm had been a little more accommodating, teaching slightly less quickly and going over less material so that they could be a little more at ease. Even students like Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami, who seemed highly self-assured, were going over their lists with noticeable strain on their faces.

By the lunch bell, Kyosuke found himself being pulled aside by quite a few students to talk about where he was going for his internship. After his usual non-committal reply of Miruko or Crust (though the former was the far likelier option), the student talking to him would go on about the agencies that had offered them the chance to intern and their respective pros and cons followed by a healthy dollop of indecisiveness. Kendou, being the Class Rep, was also approached in this way by quite a few students. Kyosuke tried his best to hear out whoever was talking to him and advise them as best as he could. However, it was taxing.

"Kaminari, if you wanna learn how to target people more effectively with your Quirk, why not the Bright Hero, Licht? He's Musutafu's newest Pro Hero and has a light-based Quirk that allows him to shoot beams of energy at his target. A Quirk like that probably took ages for him to refine. Why not go there?"

"Yeah, that's what Sero's also been sayin'…okay, why not? Thanks, dude!"

"Tokoyami, if Hawks has invited you, why are you even hesitating? Go for it! Both of you are birds with unique Quirks. Not to mention he never asks anyone to intern with him."

"Yes…only I am not sure whether I shall even learn anything from him. He gives off the air of something who is flighty and unapproachable. Friendly, yet too fast to make any meaningful contact with."

"Yes, well, he's displayed some interest in you, right? If you've caught the attention of the Number Three, it's going to be for something you've shown in the Sports Festival. Although, in the end, it's your call."

"Yaoyorozu, I've already mentioned this to Kendou but I'm pretty sure Uwabami's only popular with the media because of all the photoshoots and commercials she does. If you wanna go in that direction, then go with Uwabami. But if not, hasn't Fat Gum asked you to intern with him? Both of you have Quirks based on lipid content, so even if you don't learn anything new in terms of combat, you'll at least get a better idea about regulating your fats."

"You might be right. Thank you for your input, Kirihara-san."

Iida was quiet, frantically flipping through his list at his lunch table. Kyosuke knew what he was looking for. The name he was looking for. The name he wouldn't find. He could see the bespectacled boy mumbling to himself quietly. "Manual…Manual…where is it? Surely he asked me to intern with him? No one else in the Hero Course has his invite…"

Uraraka, who had decided to go with Gunhead, surprisingly (something about how she wanted to be more effective in close-quarters combat instead of relying on her Quirk all the time), looked at him in worry from her seat in front of him. Kyosuke decided to go up to him and spare him the trouble. "Iida," he called, walking up to the boy and abandoning his lunch tray, attracting Uraraka's attention. "Don't waste your time looking for any agency in Hosu. You won't find any."

Iida looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, Kirihara-kun?"

"I mean that no one here is going to have any offers from Hosu," said Kyosuke quietly, ignoring Uraraka's mouth opening in shock as she realized what was going on. Iida seemed confused for a moment before realization- followed by a seething mass of rage- began to settle on his face. "You didn't."

"I did," confirmed Kyosuke coldly.

Iida snarled in anger, lunging at him. However, he was ready. Ducking the boy's clumsy punch, he shot out a hand, catching Iida's arm and holding it in a half-nelson before encircling his shoulder with his other arm. "Listen to me- hey, listen to me," hissed Kyosuke, ignoring Iida's seething expression and Uraraka getting up, hands covering her mouth in shock. "If I can't convince you to drop your revenge quest, I will make you. If there is any way I can prevent you from going to Hosu, I will make it happen. You will not touch the Hero Killer. Not like this. Do you understand?"

"Both of you, stop!" yelled Yaoyorozu, separating the two of them with a wooden staff. "That is enough. Iida-san, please sit down. Kirihara-san, come with me!"

Giving Iida one last icy look, Kyosuke followed the black-haired beauty to a secluded corner of the lunchroom. Kendou was not present, having gone to the staff room to submit her internship choice. Kirishima had finished his lunch and Ashido was in the bathroom. He was alone.

"What had that been about?" asked Yaoyorozu, fixing him with a clear onyx gaze.

Kyosuke sighed. "It's a long story. Suffice it to say that Iida's feeling distressed about what's happened to his brother. And about how no one seems to have received any offers from Hosu City."

Yaoyorozu wasn't a genius for nothing. After a moment, her eyes widened in horror. "Surely you're not suggesting-?"

"That is exactly what I'm suggesting," confirmed Kyosuke quietly. "Iida's out on a revenge quest. He's trying to use his internship opportunity to try and hunt Stain down. I predicted it would happen and convinced Aizawa-sensei earlier this week to remove any agencies in Hosu from Iida's offer list. It looks like he's done so for all of us. No doubt they don't want any U.A students in the same city as a serial killer."

"Wait a minute. How do you even know this?" asked Yaoyorozu intently. "It doesn't seem like Iida-san would do such a thing. How did you guess- correctly- that he would try to enter Hosu during his work-study? I would understand if it had been Uraraka-san who'd guessed it. But..."

Kyosuke sighed once more. "Yaoyorozu, please take my- er- parental situation into account when you ask that."

Her jaw dropped in horror once more. Before she could start apologizing, Kyosuke pressed on. "I told Iida that revenge is a poison. That it was for fools and madmen. I tried to convince him to drop his idea of paying Stain back because I of all people know that revenge leads to nothing. Only he didn't listen to me. That fool shall get himself killed or worse if U.A posts him in Hosu. That's why I interfered."

"I see," said Yaoyorozu softly. Silence reigned for a few moments before she lightly rubbed her eyes and put her staff away. "I won't report this to Aizawa-sensei. However, I do agree that Iida-san is behaving in an irrational manner. I shall speak with him regarding the situation."

He dipped his head slightly. "Thank you, Vice Class Rep."

And so, the day passed. After submitting his internship choice, which was met by approval from All Might and Aizawa, Kyosuke researched the Rabbit Hero as much as he could. As she was a Top Ten Hero, there was much information about her, where her agency was located, where her greatest victories had occurred…it went on and on.

'I say agency,' thought Kyosuke to himself, 'but Miruko doesn't have an agency, not really. She's a one-man army with no sidekicks or workers to aid her. She probably has a secretary and doctor under her employ at the very least, though.'

She stayed in an unassuming brick villa located in Fukuoka City, almost five hours away from Musutafu by shinkansen and costing almost 22,000 yen. Kyosuke almost fainted at the sight; no way would he be able to pay that much for a train ride. Thank God U.A was covering transport costs, he thought. Also interesting was the fact that Hawks also stayed in Fukuoka. Maybe he would run into Tokoyami during their respective internships. That would be pretty cool.

(He also found the occasional…er…off-brand material; rule 34 was enforcing itself with impunity. Not unexpected but thoroughly unwelcome. Blushing as he caught sight of a link whose name left little to the imagination, he closed the tab and called it a night. Did he look like he wanted to read porn about the highest-ranked female hero? No. He didn't.)

After the weekend, where he spent a highly enjoyable time at the arcade with his friends and got wrecked by Kirishima at Street Fighter, Monday arrived.

Kyosuke shouldered his bag, walking toward the shinkansen with his friends in front of him.

It was time to learn, he reflected as he climbed into the train waving goodbye to his friends, what it truly meant to be a Hero.

And he was ready.

X

The copyright infringement line comes from the Marvel/Ben 10 SI crossover fanfic Dial, by DesertChocolate. It's awesome and really long, so it's something you can do while staying at home all day. As you've probably guessed, the hero's codename is Dial. Hence, copyright infringement.

"Revenge is a poison. Revenge is for fools and madmen."- Patrick Jane, The Mentalist. It's an excellent show available on Amazon Prime and something else you can watch during the quarantine if you have the membership. Hey, maybe not going out will help you save enough to start paying for Amazon Prime!

Speaking of, please quarantine yourselves and stay safe. Keep yourself inside your homes so you can live to go outside and do what you want another day.

On a slightly happier note, it's April the second, Kirihara's birthday today! Please wish him if you can.

Read and review; I love receiving appreciation and feedback so I may go about improving the story.

See you soon!