Clear red eyes watched, transfixed, at the back that busied itself within the kitchen. Small dainty hands were placed on top of her lap as she sat behind a marble top kitchen island. Eri watched as the person who had taken her in - who had saved her - prepared a dish using the fish he had bought earlier in the day. Watching the green haired young man's back, a warmth originating from her chest spread towards her entirety. What is this feeling, she thought as a hand was placed on her chest and a puzzled look appeared on her face.

"Eri-chan?"

Hearing him call out to her, she looked up and saw his worried expression. She felt a painful twinge from inside her chest, and she didn't know what it was. All that Eri knew was that she didn't like him wearing that expression. Wiping his hands on a towel that was in his apron's pocket, her savior walked towards her and kneeled to place them at the same height.

"Is something the matter Eri-chan? Does something hurt?," he asked as he brushed her fringe with his fingers.

It tickles, was what she thought as she felt her chest warm and flutter. Seeing her cheeks pink while a light shined in her eyes, Izuku felt his worries fade. A warm smile spread on his lips as he laid a hand on top of her head and lightly tousled her hair.

"What~ it seems that there was nothing wrong after all?"

"Ehehe," unfamiliar muscles twitched on her face as her lips stretched into foreign lengths. "Stop it, it tickles and your messing my hair."

Izuku's smile widened as brilliant white teeth were exposed. His eyes crinkled in delight as he stood up after seeing the expression on her face. She was smiling, he thought. She was smiling! Since the first time he saw her inside that mini truck container - that already seemed so long ago even if it happened just this morning - he had never seen her smile. If he were to tell the truth, he had been worried as her expression remained blank even as he brought her into the estate. But now, seeing that pure but inexperienced expression, he felt relief that his worries remained unjustified.

The little one will be fine, he sighed in relief. She is strong. She will be fine. He knew how traumatic it was to go through their childhoods without someone to support you. Even if Eri had not talked about it, he was able to make some conjectures on what happened to her if only based on the scars that were present on her arms beneath her bandages. He knew how hard it was to display positive emotions after such experiences as they were usually the first to disappear from the mind, and so the fact that she was able to smile meant that she could recover - that she would recover.

Eri tried to fix her messy hair but had found herself carried in Izuku's arms; instinctively wrapping her hands around his shoulders so as not to fall. Her brows knit in confusion, she looked at his face and saw the peculiar light that lay within his eyes. It was a soft light - it was warm to her senses, and whenever she saw it when he turned to her, Eri felt safe. She felt as if she was wrapped in a warm blanket, and that nobody would be able to harm her, to touch her. It felt as if all the world could try and hurt her and she would be kept safe without fail.

Izuku felt small hands place themselves on his cheeks as their owner looked at him with a cute, confused expression. Chuckling he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Ne, Izuku, what's that?"

"What's what?" It was his turn to be confused as he didn't know what it was his young charge had been referring to. A small pout formed on Eri's face as he was unable to comprehend her question.

"That!," she exclaimed. "There's something on your face. When you look at me, it's always there and-and, when I see it, I feel warm... like when you give me hugs! ... I like hugs."

He watched with amusement as his young - What is she to me?, he thought. Is she a friend? A sister, perhaps? A daughter, maybe? No, no. That's not it. I can't seem to be able to put a proper label on this, so perhaps, I will call her my friend. Yes, a friend... for now. - friend, tried to describe what she saw. It was amusing to see her wave her arms frantically in an effort to illustrate just what it was she saw, but for Izuku, to hear that whatever it was, he was showing it everytime he turned to Eri, it was enough for him to figure it out. How could he not know what it was? Even now, as he was looking at his rescued charge, he felt that feeling permeate his body and relaxed his stoic demeanor.

"I think I know what you're trying to say, sweetie." A smirk was on his lips as he went back to the kitchen with Eri still in his arms.

"Can you tell me what it was?," was her curious question.

Izuku shook his head and told her that she would be able to understand one day. Eri puffed her cheeks but didn't say anymore, not wanting to upset her savior. So cute, puffed cheeks and pouty lips, Izuku couldn't help but gush inwardly at this adorable vision. Pulling a tall stool that was near the kitchen island, he set it down and allowed Eri to stand on it.

"Now," he said as he turned to her. "Breakfast is done cooking, so why don't you help me prepare Eri-chan?"

Eri leaned over the kitchen counter and saw three pairs of long, rectangular, golden-brown pieces of deep fried food. She didn't know what it was as this was the first time she had seen something like this. A small frown crossed her lips as she remembered that although her previous Caretakers tried to keep her healthy, all they ever fed her was a mysterious and tasteless slop and gruel she was informed was filled with all the necessary nutrients to keep her hale.

But... this smell, this sight... although she had not tasted what it was Izuku had made yet, she could already tell it was delicious. Eri gulped down the saliva that gathered in her mouth after one sniff of the mouthwatering scent but a small bit of drool still escaped her lips. Izuku noticed this and withheld the desire to laugh at her appearance, deeming it to be rude, and merely smiled as he wiped the drool off of her face.

"These are my Char-Okakiage coated with Kaki seed batter. The young mistress wanted fish for today's breakfast so this is what I have prepared for her. Usually a servant would not be allowed to eat at the same table as their mistress, but she had practically ordered me to dine with her and made it clear that she would accept nothing but a yes. That's why you can see three pairs; the other two are for us."

"Mistress?," Eri, who was not familiar with the term, turned to him with a silent request for an explanation.

Picking up a pair of the Char-Okakiage with his hashi, Izuku placed them on top of a black lacquered plate loaded on a wooden, brown tray as he explained, "A mistress is someone I serve. She is someone I work for."

"Is she important, Izuku?"

"Very," he nodded as an affectionate expression crossed his face. "Now, you see that small bowl to your right? That's called a condiment bowl. Please pass that here and I'll show you..."

Izuku's attention had been wholly preoccupied with his new charge that he wasn't able to see the smiling figure that was leaning on the door frame. Hair as dark as the deepest night flowed down her back like a curtain of black. Her legs were bare of any covering, displaying milky white skin that was uncovered by the thigh-length red silk robe that she opted to wear above her nightwear. Onyx, cat-like eyes stared fixedly upon her most precious companion and the little girl he was with all the while unaware of the soft, longing smile on her lips.

Momo crossed her arms under her sizable chest as she quietly watched the two happy people in her kitchen. From the corner of her eye, she saw one of the mansion's maids approach her with soft steps. One of the newer maids perhaps?, Momo knew the names of all the servants in her family's employ and the fact that this one was unfamiliar to her meant that this was probably one of the newer trainees that Izuku had accepted under his wing.

"Milady," the unfamiliar maid called only to stop as her mistress raised a slender finger to her lips and asked her to be quiet.

Curling her forefinger, Momo beckoned the cat-eared maid closer to her position and whispered, "Do you know who that little girl is, maid-san?"

"My apologies, milady, but I am unfamiliar with the girl," the maid whispered back as she bowed in apology. "From what I have heard from the other servants, Midoriya-sama had brought her into the mansion and bathed her personally. Initially, he had instructed some of the present maids to cleanse her but the little girl didn't want to let go and so he was forced to attend to her."

"I see."

Although Izuku didn't notice, Momo had been standing in the same spot for a few minutes. Her usually attentive Butler had his full attention occupied by the waif he was with and had thus given her the rare opportunity to observe Izuku other than in her presence. He looks very happy, she noted as her warm gaze watched her attendant compliment the celebrating young one after their plating was done.

Already, she had forgotten the existence of the maid who had been waiting for further instruction by her side and approached the nescient duo. Pink fuzzy bunny slippers sheltered her dainty feet from the cold white marble floor as well as muffle the sound of her footsteps.

Izuku had been completely absorbed in adding the garnishes and showing how it was done to Eri that he had not been alerted by an approaching presence at all. Although he was usually alert and mildly paranoid, within the walls of the mansion, surrounded by loyal servants - some of which he had personally trained - he had let down his guard. As such, when he felt arms around his waist and locking themselves at his front, fight or flight instincts blared to life.

... No, that was a lie. To say that there had been an option in his mind to flee would be an entirely erroneous notion. Dozens of plans had been made and discarded within a single instant. Izuku was ready to act but immediately calmed down after realizing who had embraced him from behind.

"That was dangerous, you know?," he sighed as he lowered the knife that was suddenly in his hand held in a backhand grip; he had been ready to stab whoever it was that was behind him. "There is a reason why I don't allow anyone to approach my back when I have my guard down - especially if they were friendly."

A chin rested on his shoulder and he lightly shivered when he felt her breath on his ear as she lightly giggled.

"I know," she whispered in a smug tone, happy that she was able to surprise him. "But I knew and trusted that you won't hurt me. You are my precious Butler after all."

Izuku sighed once again as he entrusted his back and leaned into his capricious mistress's embrace. In the long years that they had been in each other's company, rare were the times that his mistress displayed her more mischievous side. Relaxing, Izuku continued to work on the breakfast before him even as the arms around his waist tightened.

Placing a small bowl containing fresh salad with carrot ginger dressing on the brown tray together with the other dishes, Izuku was about to load the three trays on to the cart when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking to his right, he was able to see his charge's bowed head and shy expression and realized that she did not know his mistress.

Softly stroking Eri's hair, he asked, "Is something the matter, Eri-chan?"

"Izuku, who is she?"

Her voice was soft, tinged with shyness and a slight bit of anxiety as she looked up behind her hair at the woman behind her savior. She held his sleeve with a shaking hand and clutched his arm close; as if it would hide her from his mistress's curious gaze. Tapping the hands on his waist, Izuku silently asked his lady to release him and when she did, he picked Eri up in his arms again. Turning, he faced Momo and introduced her to his new ward.

"Remember what we were talking about earlier?" he asked as he tried to maintain a soothing tone as he could see that Eri was getting anxious. "This is the person you asked if she was important - and to me, she is. This is my mistress, Momo Yaoyorozu. Go on, you can say 'Hi'."

Taking that as her cue, Momo approached the wary girl and was careful not to touch her. Leaning down slightly to look into her eyes, she softly said, "Hi, my name is Momo. What's yours?"

"... Eri."

"Eri-chan, was it?" although the little girl's reply was no more than a whisper, her ears heard it clearly; Momo tested her name upon her tongue under her breath and decided that she liked it. "You have very pretty hair."

Blushing under the compliment, Eri hid her red face within Izuku's chest as her hands clutched his white button-up shirt. So adorable, Izuku chuckled. It was a thought that his mistress mirrored if her shining eyes, pink cheeks and adoring smile indicated anything. Looking at Momo who barely controlled her urge to squeal, he tried to silently convey a question.

Can she stay?, he pleaded. He wanted this waif to stay. For her who had gone through something similar to what happened to him, he wanted to give her something that he didn't have at that time - something he now had. Izuku wanted to be her support. He wanted to be the pillar she can lean on. He wanted to be the friend she wished she could have had. He wanted to be her brother. He wanted to be her father. He wanted to giver her everything that she never had before, to let her experience things she never had before.

Izuku wanted to give her a life she deserved. It may have been a presumptuous thought to think that he, a child of no more than fourteen, could provide for an even younger child, but Izuku Midoriya had never been ordinary. This girl he held in his arms, he resolved to give her everything he had never had at that age and more.

Perhaps I am projecting the wants that I had when I was her age unto Eri, but it doesn't change the fact that doing so will be good for her.

Momo, who knew him the most, who knew him as much as she knew herself, understood his wishes. Her butler wished to give her a life he never had. It was a desire she could understand; something she approved of. Nodding her head, she gave a tender smile that was quickly eclipsed by his bright, blinding expression. She would have done anything for him if she could see that expression on his face everyday.

A gentle hand was petting her hair, snapping Eri out of the daze she was in after feeling her guardian's warmth and listening to his heartbeat. She looked to her back and saw soft, onyx eyes that showed a light that she had only ever seen in Izuku.

Strawberry-pink lips smiled in a manner that had only ever been reserved for one person, but now had included another. Momo looked into shimmering ruby reds and said, "Eri-chan, welcome to the family."

Eyes widened and glistened like polished silver under a bright light, but none could deny the surprised and hopeful expression on Eri's face.

"From now on, you are part of this family," her savior's voice reached her ears with a tone that was both hopeful and understanding. Her thoughts were all but audible in his ears as he could understand the disbelief that she must have felt.

Her body trembled not out of sadness but from the hopeful happiness that wanted to burst out of her chest. Was she... ?, looking up, she saw the same teary but happy expression on Izuku's face and she could not help but let her tears fall. Her very first memory - one that had haunted her dreams and nightmares - had been of cold tables and blinding lights. She could remember a cold voice speaking to her as a beak-masked face appeared before her eyes.

... You are a disaster, a curse waiting to harm this world. Your hands will always bring misfortune to all you grasp. This is the only place where you can be of use, where your gifts will be the cornerstone for the salvation of humanity; for if you go outside, no one will hold you. No one will accept you. No one will love you. For you are the bane to the existences that plague the world behind these walls...

He was wrong. He was wrong! The warmth that she could feel under her clenched hands, the steady beat she could hear, the gentleness upon her head, they were real! That man with dead eyes and beaked mask was wrong, she had been accepted. Somebody had held her when she needed it most. Somebody was willing to hold her in their arms in affection even when she did not ask for it. Surely, this body which contained a curse... this identity who had been deemed as unneeded... surely it had been accepted.

She was loved. Yes, this feeling in her chest, those lights in their eyes, the warmth of their smile... surely, this was love. Emerald and Onyx looked upon her with familiar warmth that she could only associate with them. Eyes narrowed in happiness, they said, "Welcome home... Eri-chan."

"Umu, I-I'm home," she replied with the brightest, watery smile she had.

As the three of them enjoyed this moment, they remained unaware of the warm gazes that were directed to them. Hidden by the kitchen door, were the various maids of the estate who had happened upon this scene. Cheeks pink upon witnessing this heartwarming moment, Momo and Izuku were thoroughly clueless of the thoughts that had ran through their heads.

... Later that day, mistress and butler were puzzled upon the sudden squeals that would resound throughout the mansion.

(-)

It was rare that he had some time to himself. Lately, everything had been so busy that he was unable to find the time to relax and unwind. Truly, if he had been unable to deal with his stress, he would have gone insane long ago... or was he already insane to begin with? After all, he had joined a rather criminal group of people. Drawn in by their message, by their goals, by their drive, he had been seduced into this motley crew of so-called 'Villains'.

Purplish-black misty flames wavered as he shook his head and resolved himself from thinking on such matters. It was in the past, and he was in no position to question his station. The people he worked for, they were not someone you wanted to cross and he would rather not do so on the grounds of treason; he didn't want to disappear after all as he very much wanted to live.

Right now, while everything was slow, it was a time for relaxation - and Kurogiri would relieve his stress even if it was the last thing he would do. Misty hands glided over a smooth, varnished wooden surface as he surveyed the antique jukebox that stood in the corner of his beloved bar.

The Hideout, as he called it, was his most precious possession. It was a banal name, he knew. He had been told so by his various comrades before, but he had no intention of changing the name anytime soon.

Rolling a one hundred yen coin on his gaseous, yet somehow, solid fingers, he inserted it inside the coin slot. Pressing a button among many others, he then watched the dated mechanisms of the machine pull out a vinyl correspondent to his selection. As the mechanical arm placed the delicate vinyl record on the turntable, he moved back behind his front bar and waited for the music to start. As the stylus was placed on the record, dulcet tones flooded the bar from the jukebox's powerful speakers.

"Haah," Kurogiri sighed in delight as music from the Pre-Quirk era filled his senses - to be more specific, it was a music from the 70's of the twentieth century. It was a classic.

"Why~ do~ birds, suddenly appear~? Hmhmhm~ hmhmhm~,"

He hummed as he grabbed a clean dish cloth and a glass off the counter and began to polish it. This was how he relaxed. Music, a lack of rambunctious customers and criminals who couldn't respect the sanctity of his bar - treating it as if the place were their's - and of course, his beloved bar. This, was the culmination of his dreams and hard work; he would not allow anyone to disrespect it.

"Clo~se to you~," of course, it also had some very good acoustics. As his baritone voice resounded in the bar, he had to pat himself on the back for the good decision to add the acoustics to his bar, even if the fee to do so was overpriced. After all, one wouldn't be able to do a good band night if the acoustics were bad, he nodded to himself. This, is truly relaxing.

Of course, just as he was able to relax his tense shoulders, it had to be ruined.

"GAAAAAAHHHHH! NONONO, PLEASE DON' - AAAAHHHHHHH!"

How annoying, he thought as a forlorn sigh escaped his lips. The pleas for mercy were ruining the music and the mood which led to a much more irritable Kurogiri. It was his time to relax, his time to unwind, why did they have to ruin it - such thoughts ran around his head as he tried to control his temper.

"I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SOOOORRRYYY! STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! *CRUNCH* HIIIIII! HII - HIIIII! 'LESH 'LESH 'M TCH'RY 'M TCH'RY!"

With the ease of experience, Kurogiri ignored the tortured wails coming from the door behind him. He continued to polish his glasses with his the cloth in hand while listening to the tracks in his jukebox but his peace had already been disturbed by the ongoing screams of pain from behind him.

"Really now," he said. "What's the use of the soundproofing if they won't even switch it on?"

"Now, now. I'm sure that Tomura did not mean it," a voice filled with static called out, making Kurogiri turn around in shock as he stared at the mounted television whose screen was showed nothing but darkness. "I'm sure that he must have just forgotten."

Kurogiri fought off the light shiver that ran through his body as he recognized the voice that replied to him. It sounded like an adult and yet was also a child; like a man, yet also a woman; like a saint, and yet also a criminal. It contained a mass of conflict that was disconcerting to his senses but held in harmony like it was only natural for it to be this way. A desecration of natural law, this thought flashed through his mind before he could even be aware of it.

Immediately, he kneeled even as no one was present to see his gesture and yet he had the feeling that the person beyond the dark screen had seen him as he greeted, "Good evening, my master."

Once. Only once had he ever seen the person beyond the dark veil. The Emperor had wielded a presence incomparable to any other he had felt - as if his very existence had pressed a weight on to the physical world. His charisma was a force that could be felt akin the wind that blew through his misty flames. Even now, when The Emperor should have been leagues away from him - only present in the form of a blank television - and yet Kurogiri felt like he was in the same room, standing right in front of him.

"Stand, Kurogiri. There is no need to kneel in front of a television."

"Yes, my Lord," he replied as he stood in haste, not wishing to incur the wrath of his Lord all the while repressing the desire to express his discomfiture over his master's unsettling voice.

He could sense the vague air of amusement of his master - how he did this was a mystery even to himself - as he stood in attention. Unwilling to display any sign of weakness to the person whose strength could decide should he live or die in less than the time one needs to blink, he had entered a tunnel vision with his full attention being directed towards the mounted television. Already, the painful squeals and maddened howls from the soundproofed room were completely rendered non-existent in his mind, so great was his focus.

Tension was heavy and thick in the air that a knife could have cut it. Its weight was heavy on his shoulders, yet Kurogiri dared not to say anything. It was impolite and rude to speak before his superior gave the word.

"Relax, Kurogiri," his master sighed in an exasperated manner. "I am merely checking in to see how our precious Tomura is doing."

Reluctantly, the man of misty black forced his body to relax from its tense and subservient posture. He didn't want to do so, as he knew that it would certainly be disrespectful to his superior but to ignore a direct order was even worse.

"How is he, Kurogiri?"

"To say that the young master is currently upset would be an understatement, my master," Kurogiri spoke as another tortured scream tore through the air. "Giran's failure and the loss of one of our dummy corporations has hit our current finances hard. The young master has been hard at work trying to recoup our losses."

"That is good. It is quite regretful to know that Giran had failed to return a satisfying result but it is still within expectations." The delight in his master's voice made him all the more uncomfortable as the disconcerting violation to nature became all the more evident.

"One does not make an enemy out of one of the world's most powerful plutocrats and not expect a chance of failure."

Kurogiri nodded at his master's wisdom as he contemplated. The Yaoyorozu Conglomerate, although it had only been in existence for the better part of three decades, had accrued an intimidating amount of influence in both local and foreign governments. It was a massive beast whose strength could not be so easily resisted. Placing these considerations in the forefront of his thoughts, Kurogiri could not deny that failure was perhaps somewhat inevitable.

"Kurogiri," snapping out of his thoughts, he focused his attention towards the dark screen before him. Old, but young; criminal, yet saintly; masculine but feminine; his master's entirely serious tone sent a shiver of fear through his spine. "Once Tomura is done with his plaything, have him Restore Giran to an acceptable state. After he's done, get him to resume training and assist him with planning."

"Planning, my master?"

"Yes," he could hear the sinister tones within their reply and Kurogiri couldn't help but wonder if it was too late to abandon his post. Of course it is, he ruefully thought.

"The U.A. entrance exams are merely ten months away and school starts merely a month after. Another generation of heroes will be processed by such a prestigious institution; another generation of lies to be presented to society... as responsible and functional members of society, isn't it our duty to celebrate the arrival of our new guardians?"

They spoke in a flighty tone as if they were merely casually touching upon the subject but he could feel the malicious intent even as far as his master was from him. Kurogiri could only wonder why it was that his master held such animosity for heroes. Not that I could say anything seeing as I am one of their so-called villains, he laughed from within the privacy of his mind.

"Tell Tomura, it's almost time for him to appear on stage. Another generation rises, and the time for he curtains to rise are at hand so he must prepare. Plan and plot your schemes, and present to the world a wonderful debut - regale to all the tale of his League of Villains, tell them... "

A scornful, malicious intent echoed in their voice as they spoke, "'I am Here'!"

(-)

While taking a gulp of iced milk coffee and enjoying the mellow fragrance as he slowly swallowed, Suzuki Yaoyorozu quietly smiled to himself. He was watching a vague scene of colorful umbrellas passing by through the old-fashioned glass window. He disliked the rain, but sitting on the table seat in this coffee shop - which was like a back-alley hideout - and watching the gray view of the damp streets of New York couldn't get him in a bad mood. The furniture of the shop showed no indication of technology, and a nostalgic scent from the back of the counter gave him an illusion, as if he had fallen into the border between dreams and reality. It was as if the meeting he had with his corporate lawyers an hour ago was from a different life; a different world.

"It falls quite a bit, doesn't it?"

It took a while for him to realize that the baritone voice with the accent distinctive to all who had been born in this city had been directed at him. Of course, if he thought about it, he would've known as he was the only customer inside the cafe.

Directing his gaze towards the cafe au lait colored master, who was currently polishing a glass with a white tea towel, Suzuki replied: "Yes, it is the rainy season after all. It seems that it will continue to rain until tomorrow."

"I'm certain that this is the Weather Wizard's actions."

The scary faced giant issued words with a big grin on his red face. Suzuki let out a polite smile at the obscure reference of a pre-quirk fictional character as the master inadvertently made a bitter smile.

"... When you tell a joke, it will lose its effect if you make a face like that, Mike."

"Geh... "

This was the scene inside the coffee shop and bar, Stellaris Cafe & Bar, where the cafe's shopkeeper Mike Wozawscki was groping his face and brows for 'making a face like that'. Watching the man whose fierce face could make children immediately start to cry grope about in a puzzled manner, Suzuki lightly laughed out. He then quickly raised the cup in his hands to his lips and gulped down some of the coffee.

How should he react to Suzuki's laugh? Right after, the bell on the door frame rang as the entrance opened and another customer came in. Suzuki watched as Mike placed the glass and towel on the counter and grab a pen and notepad. Turning back to the window, he watched the streets once more and ignored the conversation between the shopkeeper and the new customer.

It had been more or less two months since he had landed here in New York and it was filled with nothing but stress. It had been a grueling fight against HeavyArms Industries filled with much wet work and mildly illegal actions, but in the end they had won. He sighed to himself as he remembered all those sleepless nights he and Hiyori had to pull in order to successfully acquire the hostile company. In fact, it was because of one of those sleepless nights that had led him and his wife to this little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop. Laughter entered his ears, as he glanced towards the counter to the back, he saw Mike and a black haired young man build a rapport with some jokes. He hid a grin behind his glass as he saw the giant of a man subtly check out his companion with an appreciative eye. Good for him, he had thought as he went back and minded his business.

Looking out the window, Suzuki continued his people watching and amused himself with the antics of those that he had seen. It was incredible what people do when they think no one is looking at them. He laughed as he saw a woman slap her boyfriend after catching him looking at another woman with leering eyes. Catching a glimpse of long black hair in the corner of his eye while nursing his coffee, he sighed as the thought of his wife entered his mind. Usually, both of them would enter the cafe together and relax while spending some time in each other's company, but with the recent issues they had discovered after the acquisition, Hiyori had to stay behind to handle the fallout.

"Tch... "

He clicked his tongue as a scowl crossed his lips as he thought about the clusterfuck they had found after three days of perusing through the various records of HeavyArms.

"We really hit the mother lode didn't we?" he muttered underneath his breath.

A hidden safe had been discovered by one of the clerks he had sent to their recently acquired company's headquarters to collect all relevant documents in the company archives. Within that safe were documents that heavily implicated HeavyArms Industries in extensive money laundering, hostile takeovers, backroom deals, and direct connections to one of the most terrifying villains that the world had ever known; one that through extensive and deadly investigations, had been known to exist since the Dawn of the Quirk Era.

Stifling a groan that built up from within his throat, Suzuki allowed the cool glass rest upon his forehead to numb his throbbing headache. Hiyori, his precious Hiyori, had been busy all morning cooperating with various government agencies to deal with this sudden discovery. Blank eyes, unseeing as they were focused on past events, fixed into a point in space as he thought, Who would have thought that those documents were such a big deal?

Feeling a buzz in his pocket, Suzuki was brought out of his daze, and ran a finger at the back of his right ear. He traced the slight curve of his mastoid, touching upon a strip of silvery metal, tightly adhered to his skin by a bio-adhesive, which dimly glowed a whitish-blue light. As he did so, the buzzing in his pocket stopped, and - unseen to all but him - a group of icons lined up to the left of his sight just as a white, translucent window appeared at the center of his attention.

This strip of silvery metal, was one of the most recent innovations by Avalon Tech., a subsidiary of his corporation. It was a recent product that was just announced last month and was supposed to be available by May next year. This strip of metal, an inch long and .005 mm thick, was their safer alternative to neural implants: The Newtype Communication System, or otherwise known as, the NT-C. It connects to a person's brainwave pattern and provides an augmented reality vision by connecting to a personal terminal, or their DDR and allows them to use their functions through thought operation. As the head and owner of Avalon's parent company, Suzuki had received a prototype for the beta-test.

Focusing his attention on the translucent screen in front of him, it suddenly grew opaque and presented him with a picture, a name and a phone number, and an 'Accept' or 'Decline' option. Golden pupils slightly widened in surprise as he saw the name of the person who had called him. With a quick thought, he accepted the call, and the screen was highlighted in green.

Taking a matching silver wireless earpiece from his pocket, Suzuki placed it in his ear and said, "Alfred, is something the matter?"

In front of him, framed by a green bordered screen, was a man well past his prime and was approaching the latter part of his fifties with receding black hair. Wrinkles were scarce on his kindly face, atypical for one of his age while laugh lines were deep in the corner of his eyes. Although Suzuki could only see his top half, he could tell that the man was dressed as impeccable as ever in his swallowtail suit.

"Good afternoon, Master Suzuki - or is it evening already?"

A slight smile deepened his wrinkles as his kindly servant offered his greetings. Alfred Copperprice, although occupying the same job as that of Izuku Midoriya, was different from his daughter's personal servant. Alfred was the head butler of the Yaoyorozu household and served the family as a whole, as a result, his loyalty was mainly to the head of the family; in this case, it was to Suzuki, himself. While Izuku strives to fulfill his daughter's needs and wants, Alfred's duty was to the preservation of the estate and the service to the family.

"It is already the evening, Alfred." He smiled as he said, "While it is good to hear from you old friend, why did you call me?"

Alfred only called him once a week as he trusted the old butler to do his job. Alfred had already contacted him two days ago to give his weekly report, and as such, he did not expect him to call him again. Most of the time, he and his wife only received regular calls from his daughter, and sometimes, Izuku, who would tell them of what they had missed while they are away from home.

"Did something happen, Alfred?"

"Yes, something did happen, Master Suzuki." Alfred started with a patient and stoic tone, but then immediately showed a small amused grin at the sight of his master's panicked face. Feeling that it might be bad if the head of the household fell into incoherent worrying, he immediately added: "Though it is nothing bad or something to worry about."

Worried heart beating hard in his chest, Suzuki fell back into his seat in relief. Although this wasn't the longest he and his wife spent away from home for business trips, it still didn't change the fact that he worried for his household. Momo may be his daughter, Izuku may be the son he had never had, and the other servants in his estate were all as if family to him; it was how he had treated them even before his wealth had grown to what it currently was.

"What happened Alfred?" he asked after taking a deep breath.

"It is nothing so worrying, Master Suzuki,"

Alfred demurred with a shallow bow of apology. A small amount of regret was evident on his face for the fact that he had added to the worry that his master had felt. After serving the head of the Yaoyorozu Ichizoku for two decades and a half, he could tell that the master had constantly thought of those who were under his house. This character trait, was one of the reasons why the servants and employees were so loyal to the Yaoyorozu. They were a family that genuinely cared and protected their own, and so, Alfred immediately began to explain:

"Although unusual, the young master had caused a surprising stir this morning."

Suzuki sighed in relief after hearing that it was nothing worrying, and glared into the video image of his faithful servant shown to him through augmented reality, " - This morning? And? What did Izuku do?"

Young Master. Though Izuku may be a servant to his daughter, his status among the estate's servants couldn't be any higher. Young master, they call him behind his back - a title they had given him in great respect. His daughter's butler may be young, but his work ethic, his loyalty, his care; those traits touched their hearts. Hiyori who had heard the young man's newly earned title one day had squealed so loud that she had alerted the guards who were standing by the gates seven hundred fifty meters away.

We won't be waiting long until we get a son!, she said with glittering eyes and a wide smile. Remembering that eccentric reaction from his usually placid wife, he couldn't help but sigh in fond exasperation.

"The young master has picked up a stray," was his servant's stolid reply.

"A stray?"

Suzuki furrowed his brows in confusion. How was that surprising?, he thought. Although it was unusual, it was not rare for Izuku to sometimes bring back stray animals that he sometimes picked up. In fact, from what he could remember, most of the animals that freely roamed the estate were animals that his daughter's butler had found wounded or abandoned.

"What's so unusual about a stray? Izuku brings back animals he finds, Alfred, everyone knows that," his tone was quite puzzled as he said that. A memory of black and white entered his mind and he startled as a possible reason revealed itself.

" - Don't tell me...?! Did that child bring back another unusual animal?!" His mind conjured an image of a gaping maw, filled with teeth so sharp that they sheared through metal, of claws so powerful, that they left tremors upon each step. He remembered rippling muscle beneath fine black and white fur, and a body that towered over most men.

"Did he bring back another Tama?!"

Though the name seemed like it should belong to a harmless house cat, Alfred could certainly say that the one this name belonged to was no tame pet. A twitching brow was the only tell that Alfred showed as he heard the fading roar that came from the mountains at the back of the estate. Truly, the young master has... interesting... tastes, in pets, he thought as another echoing roar was heard. As one of the only examples of Mutata Animalis, Tama, a white Bengal Tiger the young master had rescued from abuse in a zoo during one of the family's trips in Africa, stood over three meters tall and four meters from head to tail. Possessing the quirk 'Light Speed', Tama was one of the fastest - if not the fastest - living creatures in the world.

... And that monstrosity was utterly loyal to no one but its savior: Izuku Midoriya. Alfred could only admire the sheer nerve his fellow servant displayed in the face of that creature.

"No, I am afraid it is something worse, Master Suzuki."

Worse, Suzuki creased his brows in confusion as he wondered what could possibly worse than 660 kilograms worth of muscle that could pounce on you in light speed?

"The young master has adopted a child."

... ... Eh?...

" - And the young mistress had adopted her too. Though, it may not be an official adoption, it would seem that the both of them had become greatly attached to the waif."

... What?...

"Currently, the both of them are shopping for clothes for whom the maids had begun to call as 'Eri hime-sama'. I must say, congratulations are in order, Master Suzuki. You and the Mistress are now grandparents. It is a joyous occasion, is it not?"

Deeply, his servant bowed to him while smiling wide in joy. The family line will continue!, such thoughts must certainly be within the aging servant's mind. All those who had lived within the walls of the Yaoyorozu estate had been witness to the growing relationship between the young mistress and her butler. They had all seen their interactions and perhaps, with this sudden adoption of a child, it wouldn't be long before the young master officially became the Young Master. If they were to be engaged before high school ends, I will finally win that bet! Alfred's devious thoughts were contrary to the innocent expression on his face. Plots and plans ran within the, surprisingly, mischievous servant's mind all the while the Master of the Household only had one thought:

... WHAT?!...

(-)

"Thank you for coming! Please come again!"

The cheerful voice of the young cashier entered his ears, yet it was not something he paid any mind. Seemingly frail and skinny hands swung as it carried a single bag filled with his purchase. Shadowed and glowing blue eyes looked into the streets; alert and sharp. He saw a pair - a young mother and son - as they passed by him. As the mother glanced at his direction, he noticed how she tried to hide the twisting of her features and her hurried gait as she pulled her son along; disappearing into the crowd.

He sighed. He knew why she had reacted that way. He knew, but it didn't lessen the hurt any. The disgust he saw on her face was a common sight that he had experienced everyday for the past five years and he could fully understand why they would react that way, but, it still made him question whether what he was doing was still worth it.

He was unpleasant to look at. That was the truth of the matter.

Blonde hair that once shined like the sun but now could only be described as dry with the color of straw, fell down over his head in a long, scruffy mess. His features were gaunt as skin stretched over bones giving him an overall ghastly appearance as an oversized white shirt and pants - that seemed as if it was at least four sizes bigger - laid over his overly thin body. Although he was tall, his ever-present slouch made him look so much smaller; something that only added to his desolate appearance. In all truth, he looked like a dying man.

How far I have fallen, Toshinori Yagi thought as he lamented his unkind fate.

A sharp throb originating from the left side of his chest made him gasp lowly and instinctively grasp it with a hand. Pain tore through his mind, and even though it had been his constant companion for the last five years, this feeling had never gotten duller. It was only the soothing energies of his quirk that had kept him going and had diluted most of the pain as otherwise, he wouldn't be able to move at all. Pulling out a bottle of soda, he opened it and drank as he discretely wiped a drop of blood from his lips.

If Toshinori were to be honest, he was honestly tired.

Pausing by a store window, he looked at his reflection, and remembered better times that had passed him by. He could still remember when his hair was as bright as the sun, when his face did not resemble that of a skeleton, when his body was not so emasculated and was actually full with muscles that could - and had - carried mountains on his shoulders. He remembered when he did not look like death had been leading him by his hand.

He remembered when he was still All Might, The Symbol of Peace.

Now... he was only a shadow of his former self; a feeble husk whose waning strength could only keep up the illusion for so long. The fight he had five years ago had started his decline and lowered his strength. His hold on One for All was getting weaker and with his control of his quirk weakening, his time as a hero was on a countdown. His time as the Symbol of Peace, was over.

Once more, Toshinori sighed to himself. He struggled to keep a neutral expression on his face as truthfully, he wanted to scream - to cry out in frustration. Five years of dealing with this desire had not numbed it nor had it tempered any.

If Toshinori were to be honest, he wanted to give up. He wanted to sit in a corner and mourn. He had lost a lot of things in his life. He was left behind by a lot of people important to him. He wanted to give up and say 'I have done enough' and rest. He wanted to join all those who meant the most to him.

- But, he still couldn't. Not now, not when he still had so much to do.

... A flash of black hair...

... A streak of black and white and yellow...

... A smile so wide and full of hope...

... The feeling of a hand on his head, ruffling it in motherly affection...

... ... ... ... "Toshinori," A bloodied smile directed at him as they raised their fist and pointed at him. Their eyes glowed as powerful as ever with will so great. "It's your turn... "... ... ... ...

No, he couldn't give up now. Not when things still had to be done! If he were to do so, Nana would be very disappointed in him. She would never forgive him. Shaking his head, he emptied his bottle with vigor.

"Right," he said to himself with a hoarse whisper. Willing his damaged heart to beat with enthusiasm, "I still have around forty to fifty minutes of time left, so I better make it count. I have a job to do after all."

Toshinori Yagi was a man filled with regrets. He was a man who had experienced many tragedies; things that would have a lesser man fall to his knees. But not him - no, he was not a lesser man. If there was one thing that was true for Toshinori Yagi, whether it was this one or the others in multiple kaleidoscopic worlds, it was that he was a fool.

He was the fool that dared to dream. He was the fool that decided that the world needed a symbol, one that could be looked up to, one that would deter those with malign interests. He was the fool that wanted to save everyone he could see. He was the fool that dared to be the pillar of this tumultuous society. Toshinori Yagi was an utter fool...

... But he was also a Hero and heroes never give up!

"HELP! HELP! THIEF!"

A sharp scream tore through the air, stunning all who could hear it. Glowing blue eyes darted to the left just as something passed him by. Eyes that were once lowered in desolation, sharpened not unlike the edge of a katana.

"Hahaha! Fool, you'll never catch me!"

His lips thinned as he saw a woman in threadbare clothes desperately chase after a man who was either made of slime or mud. Either way, Toshinori could say that the man looked repulsive. That was to say nothing of the villain's character as he threw insults towards his victim as Toshinori could see his visible delight in the face of her desparation.

"Hey, shouldn't anyone stop that?" he heard one of the civilians around him ask.

"Nah, the heroes will take care of it."

"Where are the heroes anyway?"

"I heard that there was an incident near the train station."

"People like that are really annoying! When are the heroes going to show up?"

He wanted to glare at them. He wanted to release his frustration at them for those words. He wanted to do so much to let them know of his displeasure for those thoughts, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. Although he was no longer as great as he once was, Toshinori Yagi was a hero and heroes would not do such things. As his desire to glare at them lessened, all that he could think of them was, How... disappointing. Was this really how the populace thinks when a crime happens right in their faces? Would they truly do nothing?

True Heroes... they are a dying breed indeed.

"Time for work," he sighed as he closed his eyes.

... As he did so, light, transparent steam rose from his body as his mind came to a place - a visualization of the legacy he had been handed by the person he had once valued the most. He could see it, the vast pillar that stretched to connect the skies, the lands and the seas. Damaged heart beat to the rhythm of the multitude of colors that were reflected unto its surface...

... It was a Symbol of Infinity; an Anchor that tethered reality. A container whose sole purpose was to store and process that which moves ever onward. It was the representation of the Linear Axis. The proof of the desire for salvation. It was the Illusion of Salvation for All made manifest. Light burst in a kaleidoscopic multitude from the sky as it descended in unprecedented speed. This was his power, this was his legacy... this was his history. This, is ONE FOR ALL...

Power. Power filled his being as if there was nothing in this world or beyond that can stand up to his might. It was a heady feeling, Toshinori could admit, and it was not something he liked to dwell in for long lest he fall into the sweet whispers of temptation. Time reversed as he returned to how he once was. Skin stretched over bone, stretched once more as his physique filled out underneath his oversized shirt with muscles that could split the skies. His gaunt face changed as he no longer looked like death warmed over; handsome features returning once more to how he was before while a large smile made its way on to his lips. Hair that had once lost its color - its life - gleamed under the noonday sun. Passing a hand through them, they settled into his signature cut.

A booming laughter caught all that could hear's attention. It was boisterous, it was loud. It was also extremely familiar. Turning towards their source, eyes widened at the extremely recognizable existence among them. He was a giant among ants, and some would even say that he was a God among men. None of those who see him would ever mistake him for another.

"Have no fear...,"

He was an existence that stood out at the top with none that could rival him. None could compare with him, whether it was through power, wealth, or influence; he was a King unequaled by all. His name is...

"I am Here!"

All Might.

(-)

Newest chapter is out! Sorry for the long delay. Things got busy at work and I didn't have much time to work on the chapter. I actually had over half of the chapter done and I was planning to release it on the 27th of July but then work picked up and suddenly, I had no more time for this. Still, its better late than never right?

Anyway, the Entrance Exam Arc is almost here and I'll do my best to flesh out a satisfying story. Peace out!