Chapter Text
Midoriya POV:
I took quick, ragged breaths. I was drenched in sweat, I was exhausted, and I had scrapes and bruises covering every inch of my body. My team, Bakugo, Kirishima, Todoroki, Kaminari, and Shinso looked no better. This was supposed to be a simple mission. At least, that’s what All Might said:
Two days ago:
“There have been more reports of Nomu activity in nearby cities. Seeing as the pro heroes can’t be everywhere at once, Mr. Aizawa and I figured this would be a great training exercise. We’ll also have some students from Class 1-B join you .” All Might said with a big smile. Personally, I thought this was a bad idea, but I also knew that ever since we got our provisional hero license, the whole class was itching for some action. After all, what was the point of them if we can’t use them, right?
“We’ll be splitting you up into teams of six. The teams are not under debate.” Mr. Aizawa said in his deep voice. He went on, “The teams are as follows: Team one will consist of Momo, Jiro, Ochaco , Mina, Shoji, and Ojiro. Team two is Koda, Iida, Aoyama, Sato, Tokoyami, and Sero. Team three is Hagakure, Mineta, Asui, Kendo, Tetsutetsu, and Monoma. The last team is Midoriya, Kirishima, Kaminari,” the three of us exchanged high fives, “Todoroki,” I nodded and smiled encouragingly toward him, he wasn’t much of a people person, which I found endearing, “Shinso,” I silently cheered, he had recently joined our class, and Kaminari told me of his attraction to him. I looked over at him a gave a discreet thumbs-up, which he returned. I had immediately introduced him to our friend group, and soon Shinso became closely integrated in our group, especially after Mr. Aizawa pulled the two of aside and told us we were actually brothers. Ever since, Shinso and I called each other by our first names, Hitoshi and Izuku. Kaminari nodded toward Todoroki and winked, and I flushed red. Todoroki noticed, and raised a brow in concern and question. I shook my head, telling him I was fine. Mr. Aizawa told us the last member of the team, “and Bakugo.”
Kacchan ?! Well, our team was already doomed. He hates me, and he doesn’t know what teamwork is. I sighed, this was going to be a long couple days.
“Here are the cities that have reported Nomu activity. The one circled is where you and your team are headed.” Mr. Aizawa announced, handing out a sheet of paper, one for each team. I took the sheet with a “Thank you.” and looked down at the list: our city was Hosu. I nodded, at least I would know my way around there, as will Todoroki.
“All right, change into your costumes and meet back here. We’ll debrief you more after.” All Might said, and we all exited the room and changed. As I was pulling on my boots, I tried to come up with a way to effectively take down the Nomu. I wouldn’t know for certain what we would be up against, but my team was very powerful, even on their own. Hitoshi, who could brainwash you after you answered a question from him, Kaminari, who could send out powerful watts of electricity toward his enemies. Kirishima, who could harden his body to become nearly indestructible, his boyfriend, Kacchan, who had asked Kirishima out a month ago, not one to bottle his emotions, has the ability to make and project explosions from his hands. Todoroki, who can control ice with his right side and fire with his left side of his body, and me, using One for All. My quirk manifested to become green lighting, increasing my strength and speed. All of us were very powerful on our own, and together, we made an almost unstoppable team. I kept coming up with plans, not noticing that I was muttering to myself, which was a habit of mine, until Todoroki whispered to me,
“Are you okay, Midoriya? You seem more on edge than usual.” I jerked my head up, and found Todoroki staring at me. Most people would see his expression as indifference, but I've come to be able to read his subtleties like an open book, and I knew that he was concerned. I shook my head.
“I’m just trying to figure out a plan, which is hard because I have no idea what kind of Nomu we’ll be facing, and Kacchan will probably not listen anyway.” I told him, standing up and walking out the door back to Class 1-A's classroom. Todoroki kept pace with me, slightly narrowing his eyes, making him seem more aggressive, but I knew it was his thoughtful expression.
“I don’t know, Bakugo has mellowed out some, and he seems to go along with your plans more.” he said. That was true, Kacchan has mellowed considerably with his social life, though he was still aggressive as ever during training. I smiled, knowing that Kirishima was responsible for the change.
“That’s true. Anyway, I just want to make sure we all get back home in one piece.” I said, running a hand through my green hair.
“Its not all on you, you know. We each have to pull our own weight.” Todoroki whispered to me.
“I know. It's just that everyone expects me to have a plan, because I do. I just want to be prepared.” I said to him. Todoroki's eyes softened and he nodded in understanding. Everyone knew that making plans was my thing, as I was able to quickly catalog everyone’s quirk and use them to our advantage.
“Oi, Deku!” Kacchan called from behind me. I stopped and turned, seeing him and Kirishima holding hands. The couple caught up to me and Todoroki, and Kacchan said,
“I heard what you were talking about. So, for the sake of nobody dying, I'll go along with your plan. I guess. Whatever.” I looked at him, surprised. I looked at Kirishima.
“What did you do to him?” I asked teasingly. Kirishima laughed, and Kacchan growled, though there wasn’t any heat behind it, not really. Kaminari and Hitoshi had also caught up to us, and we all walked together toward Class 1-A.
After everyone had arrived, Mr. Aizawa told us we were to stay in our cities for a week, collecting any information on the League of Villains. He told us that the locals had only reported one Nomu for each city, which was a relief. He gave the teams the addresses of the hotels we’ll be staying at, one room for each team. Then we were whisked away to the train, each of us going our separate ways. The ride to Hosu City took a few hours, and I looked out the window, eyeing the rapidly passing landscape. The train ride was quiet, everyone lost in their own worlds. We finally reached Hosu around midnight.
“Okay. There's no use in trying to find the Nomu now, or asking around for any information. I say we check into our hotel, and get some sleep. We can start our search later today.” I suggested, and everyone nodded, too tired to object. We grabbed our bags and headed toward the hotel. After giving our civilian names to the receptionist, we headed up two flights of stairs and into the room. Inside was two beds, only big enough to fit two people, a flatscreen, a sofa, a small kitchenet, and a bathroom. We all freshened up, taking showers and bushing our teeth, before meeting again. Kacchan and Kirishima wordlessly claimed one bed and fell asleep, and no objected, they looked so cute together cuddling against each other. Kaminari flopped onto the other bed.
“Budge over Sparky.” I told him, and he scooted over, making room for me. I landed face-first onto the pillow, and I heard a chuckle. I turned my head just enough to see Todoroki smile fondly at me. I returned it as best I could, seeing as half my face was against a pillow.
“Sparky?” I heard Hitoshi ask. I nodded sluggishly.
“Yeah. I call him that whenever I'm too lazy to say his full name.”
“Do you have a nickname for Izuku, Kaminari?” Hitoshi asked with a small smile.
“Yep. Now shut up so Broccoli and I can sleep.” Kaminari muttered. I saw the two boys laugh, and in unison, Kaminari and I raised the middle finger.
“Wow, I didn’t know you knew what that meant, Midoriya.” Todoroki said to me.
“I told you, Deku isn’t so innocent.” Kacchan muttered, briefly opening his eyes, “Now shut up Half and Half and Washing Machine. I’m trying to sleep.” and with that, he closed his eyes.
“Yeah, what he said.” Kaminari said.
“I’ll sleep on the floor.” Todoroki suggested, and I was distantly aware that Hitoshi dropped onto the couch, muttering his thanks. Todoroki turned out the small lamp, and we all fell asleep.
Todoroki's POV:
I woke up from my spot on the floor. I brought my head up slightly, looking around. I was the only one awake. I sat up and stretched, raising my arms above my head. I stood up and went to the small kitchen to make some tea. I looked over to my team with a certain fondness. I cared about all of them, even Bakugo. And even though Shinso joined more recently, I've come to consider him a friend. Bakugo and Kirishima were still cuddling, Kirishima’s head resting on Bakugo’s chest. I looked over at Midoriya and Kaminari, and my jaw dropped. I had to wake Shinso for this. I nudged the purple haired boy awake, and he sat up and rubbed his eyes, opening his mouth. I shook my head, putting a finger over my lips. Shinso nodded, and I pointed to Midoriya and Kaminari. He looked over and covered his mouth, face turning slightly red.
“Cute.” he whispered, pulling out his phone and taking a picture of the two. They were sleeping, arms thrown around each other, Midoriya tucked into Kaminari’s chest, with his head resting on top of Midoriya’s.
“Send that to me please.” I told him. I saw my phone light up, and I looked at the screen. A message from Shinso. I nodded my thanks, and got two mugs. I poured us some tea and handed him a mug. He took it between his hands. I looked at the time: it was 7:30 in the morning. I huffed a breath and looked at Shinso.
“Should we wake them up?” I asked. Shinso took a sip a tea, and nodded.
“Let me use the bathroom first though.”
“Good idea.” I said. After we had both used the bathroom, I went to wake up Midoriya, who had disentangled himself from Kaminari, now lying in his stomach, his shirt riding up to show the muscles on his back. I tried not to notice. I tapped him gently on the head, and he opened his eyes and turned his head.
“Todoroki- kun ?” he slurred with sleep. I smiled, thinking it was cute how he said my name.
“Yeah. It's time to get up.” I told him.
“ M’kay .” he mumbled, sitting up and yawning. He shook his head and wiped his eyes. He stumbled, still half-asleep, towards the bathroom, and I turned to wake Kaminari. I lightly shoved his shoulder until he opened his eyes.
“C’mon, time to get up.” I said. Kaminari nodded, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. Shinso woke up the lovebirds, Bakugo grumbling angrily, spouting a few curses as he sat up. Kirishima was a lot brighter, chirping a, “Good morning.” to all of us. Midoriya came out of the bathroom, looking more awake.
“Good morning everyone.” he said, dragging a hand through his hair. He looked hot, but not temperature-wise. Midoriya went to the kitchen, and seeing the leftover tea, poured himself some.
After we all went to the bathroom, we changed into our costumes, not bothering to take turns changing in the bathroom. I watched as Midoriya pulled his shirt over his head, showing off his well defined abs. He’s gotten a lot stronger over the past few months, both with his quirk and in overall fitness. I imagined we all had gotten more fit thanks to the rigorous training of U.A , but Midoriya certainly showed the most improvement. I discreetly trailed my eyes down his chest, following the thin trail of hair from his chest down to his navel. I shook my head, now was not the time to ogle my crush. We were here on a mission. I took off my own shirt, turning away and grabbing my costume and putting it on.
“Okay, I say we grab some breakfast on the go and start asking around.” Midoriya told us.
“What’s your plan?” Kirishima asked, pulling on his boots.
“We’ll go in pairs around the city, starting with the police and the local hero agency and going around to big stores, restaurants, and parks, and asking those we see on the street if they’ve seen the Nomu and where. We'll write down the locations, then cross reference with everyone else, ruling out the unlikely options and getting at least five options that look to be where the League of Villains could be keeping the Nomu . If any of us see the Nomu , send your location, and the rest of us will come help.” Midoriya explained. It was a solid plan, and it would save more time rather than all of us check every location we come across for the Nomu .
“Sounds like a manly plan.” Kirishima said. “C’mon partner.” he grabbed Bakugo’s hand.
“We’ll ask around in the retail stores.” Bakugo called over his shoulder before Kirishima pulled him out the door and out-of-sight.
“Well,” Kaminari said, “that happened. Shinso and I can check the restaurants and the parks.”
“Sounds good. Todoroki and I can stop by the police and the agency.” Midoriya said, looking at me for conformation. I nodded, and he smiled brightly, his brilliant green eyes shining.
“Now that that’s settled,” Shinso said, grabbing an apple from the mini-fridge and washing it before taking a bite, “Let’s get going.” the four of us nodded and started down the stairs, going our separate ways at the door. Midoriya and I went right, and Shinso and Kaminari went left. We walked towards the police station in a comfortable silence, our shoulders occasionally brushing into each other. Midoriya had gotten slightly taller over the past few months, still shorter than me, but not by much, the top of his head brushing my chin now. We reached the police station. I held open the door for Midoriya, who smiled in thanks.
“Hello, I'm Deku, and this is my partner, Shoto.” Midoriya said, using our hero names. The chief of police greeted us and held out his hand. After we both shook it, he lead us to his office. He sat down behind the desk and started pulling out files and laying them in front of us.
“It’s nice to see you two again. This isn’t much, but these are the credible eye witness accounts of the Nomu . Some even managed to get a picture.” we looked through the reports.
“Construction sites and warehouses? Those places don’t have people there all the time, why would the Nomu go there?” I asked, and Midoriya tapped his chin with his forefinger.
“I have a hunch, but I don’t know for sure. Can we make copies of these to pick up later?” he questioned. The chief nodded and called in another officer to make copies.
“The Nomu looks similar to one that attacked the USJ. If this one is anything like that, we have a big problem.” I told Midoriya. He nodded.
“We can check out these locations later. For now, let’s cross reference these locations with the agency.” he said, standing and holding out his hand.
“Thank you for your time sir.” Midoriya said as the dog-man shook his hand.
“No problem. I'm glad you are doing things inside the law this time.” he said, looking back and forth between us. I nodded curtly, not saying anything. I don’t like this guy, dog, whatever he is. He rubs me the wrong way.
“C’mon Deku, we have a lot of work to do.” I said, standing up and heading toward the door. I heard the distinct sound of Midoriya’s footsteps following me. As we left the police station, Midoriya side eyed me.
“Still mad at him, huh?” he remarked, smirking at me and nudging my shoulder. I rolled my eyes.
“That obvious, huh?” I responded, huffing out a breath.
“Just a little.” Midoriya said lightly, his eyes glinting with amusement. I shook my head.
“Should we get a taxi?” I asked, looking around in search for one.
“Probably. The agency is kind of far from here.” Midoriya acknowledged, pulling up a map on his phone. I spotted a taxi and waved it down. I told the driver where we were going, and he gave me the cost. I told him to put it on Endeavor’s tab, and then we were on our way to the hero agency, meeting with the pro hero Manual.
“Hello Manual.” Deku greeted. Manual shook his hand, then mine.
“Hello boys. What can I do for you?” Manual asked, leading inside the building. It looked like a regular police station, except with pro-heroes roaming about, chattering amongst themselves, turning when we walked past them.
“We’re here to help with the Nomu incidences.” Midoriya told him. “Apparently our teachers thought it would be good training.” he shrugged.
“Do you think it would be good training?” Manual questioned.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s a good idea. However, it’s necessary.” Midoriya responded, staring Manual down, almost daring him to challenge his opinion. Midoriya has gotten more confident, leaving that timid, shy, insecure boy in the past where he belongs, now a confident, empathetic, kind leader, and even more so to his friends, being gentle and patient and understanding that everyone has their own internal demons, and doing his best to help. And he is merciful, even to villains, knowing that it isn’t his place to kill them. I swelled with pride, glad that I'm his friend, and glad that I get to work with an amazing hero.
Manual, wisely, didn’t pry any further, instead leading us to a room at the back of the building. He pulled opened a computer and pulled up incidents of the Nomu and where he was spotted.
“This is weird,” Midoriya narrowed his eyes in concentration, staring intently at the screen.
“The Nomu isn’t wreaking any destruction. It just... shows up long enough for someone to see it, then leaves.” he says, frowning at the screen.
“Almost like it wants to be seen, like it’s bait for the pro-heroes.” I finished for him, scanning the report, finding one constant: the Nomu leaves without destroying anything.
“The locations match what the files at the police station said.” I continued.
“I’ll let the team know that we need to meet up when they can.” Midoriya said pulling out his phone. I felt my phone buzz, and I pulled it out, seeing it was just Midoriya’s message.
“Is there anything else?” I asked, looking at Manual. He shook his head sadly. I sighed, rubbing my face.
“All right, if that’s it, let’s get going Deku. We can ask around, see if anyone has seen anything suspicious.” I told him. My best friend nodded, standing and thanking Manual for his time. I stood behind him, not saying anything. I'd rather let Midoriya do all the talking, not only because I just don’t like talking to people, but I also like hearing Midoriya’s voice, especially when he talks about the things he loves.
As we left the police station, I side-eyed Midoriya. He looked exhausted, slouching and pale, and he kept muttering to himself. I looked around and saw a café across the street, and I grabbed Midoriya’s wrist, dragging him behind me. He spluttered and stumbled, but he trusted me enough to not resist. I crossed the street and entered the café, shushing him when he protested. I pointed to a booth at the back, out of sight of everyone, and Midoriya sighed, going to sit. I nodded, and went to order us some muffins and tea. With the order secured, I headed towards the booth, sitting across from Midoriya and sliding tea and a muffin towards him. He raised a brow, and when I didn’t answer, he cautiously took a bite of the food. His eyes widened, and he took another bite, then another, then another. After he was halfway through, I picked up my own and started eating.
“Thank you, Todoroki- kun . But why did you bring us here?” Midoriya asked around a mouth full of muffin. I took a sip of tea.
“Because you’re doing that thing again.” I said.
“What thing?”
“That thing where you run yourself ragged trying to make sure everyone is okay without taking care of yourself. It's been going on for weeks, you’re always helping others, but you never help yourself. It’s my turn to help you.” I explained, looking at him. Midoriya’s eyes flashed with emotion, then he looked down at his hands. His left hand was normal, however, after our fight at the Sports Festival, his right hand became crooked and scarred. I wince slightly, guilty because it was my fault his hand was like that, though Midoriya made sure to tell me that it was his own supposed stupidity that gave him those injuries. Though Midoriya was far from stupid, in fact, he is one of the smartest people I know.
“Thank you.” Midoriya said. He looked up, and I smiled, making sure to let the fondness I normally keep reserved show in my eyes. I doubt most people would recognize the difference, but Midoriya’s eyes softened, and he returned the smile.
“Of course, Midoriya. You're my best friend, and as such I'm allowed to drag you somewhere to make sure you eat something.” I said teasingly. Midoriya laughed, his face brightening. I enjoyed being the cause of that sound. I drained the last of the tea, then stood up and offered my hand.
“You ready to go?” I asked. He nodded, taking my hand. I hauled him up and tugged him behind me and out the door. His hands were so small compared to mine, but I knew that size meant nothing, especially since I've been on the receiving end of his punches more than once. I didn’t let go until we had crossed the street, finally dropping his hand as I felt my phone buzz. I pulled it out, and the text was from Shinso:
ChAoTiC gAyS
Lemme fucking sleep 💤 🛌: Any developments?
💧 IcyThot 🔥: Yeah, we found out some interesting things. What about you?
Lemme fucking sleep 💤 🛌: Yeah. Meet up back @ the hotel?
💧 IcyThot 🔥: Sounds good.
💥 BoOmBoOmBiTcH 💥 : Meet you there nerds
⚡ ZapZapBitch ⚡: See you all there!
🦈 Manly Shark: We’ll be there in 15
💪 Small-Might 💪: See you there.
“Race you there?” Midoriya asked, waggling his eyebrows.
“No. However,” I said, looking over, “how about you carry me? It'll be faster anyways.”
Midoriya laughed. “Okay, I suppose I owe you for buying me breakfast. Hop on.” he stopped, bending his knees slightly and holding out his arms. I can’t believe I asked that question, I thought. Oh well, no going back now. I jumped onto his back, wrapping my limbs around him. His hands went around the back of my knees, holding me up. He shifted me a little.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yeah.” I said, tightening my hold on him. he chuckled, and I felt his sturdy body move underneath me. No, no, no. Don’t think about that! This was a bad idea. Think about anything else! Think about Endeavor or All Might! Whew. Crisis averted. As Midoriya’s quirk started to show, I felt the slight crackle of electricity. His quirk was so pretty, the green matched his eyes.
“Hold on tight!” he exclaimed, then he started running.
“Holy shit!” I screamed. Midoriya laughed, running so fast that the people around us turned into a blur. We reached the hotel within five minutes, zipping through the door, up the stairs, and into the room. We were the last ones there, everyone else making lunch or comparing locations. When we burst into the room, everyone looked up and stared at us.
The silence lasted approximately five seconds.
“OH MY GOD!” Kaminari screamed, laughing and taking a picture of us. Bakugo and Kirishima were rolling around laughing, and Shinso fumbled with a bowl of soup, choking on his laughter. I dropped down from Midoriya, flushing a deep red. Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck.
“Shut up. It was faster than walking.” he defended.
“Yeah, ok Deku. Anyways,” Bakugo said, “what was so important?”
“Oh yeah,” Midoriya shook himself, “so me and Todoroki found out that the Nomu isn’t actually... doing anything.”
“What do you mean, it’s not doing anything?” Kirishima asked.
“Well,” I interjected, “according to the police and the agency, the Nomu isn’t causing any damage. It just shows up near abandoned warehouses or construction sites, waits for someone to see it, then just leaves. It doesn’t cause any damage.” Bakugo hummed.
“When me and Shitty-Hair asked around-”
“More like I asked around and you stood there intimidating everyone. And don’t call me that!” Kirishima interrupted .
“Anyways,” Bakugo continued, “when we were asking around, most people didn’t even realize that anything suspicious was happening.”
“Yeah,” Kaminari spoke up, “some people told us that they had seen a Nomu around the outskirts of town, but nowhere else.
“When we went to the police and the agency, they said that some civilians had managed to get a picture of the Nomu . From what we saw, it looks similar to the one that attacked the USJ.” I said. Midoriya started to pace, muttering to himself. We all stopped talking, turning and watching him.
“Okay,” he said after a few minutes, stopping and facing the group, “this is what we’ll do: we go to the outskirts of town and check out the warehouses there. On the train ride into the city, I saw a factory that was closed down, it looked like it had been that way for years. Let's go check it out, and see if we can find the Nomu .” a grim expression had set over Midoriya’s face, and we all nodded.
Midoriya’s POV:
They all nodded at me. I took a deep breath.
“Then let’s get going.” I said, going to the door.
On the train heading outside town, a somber atmosphere had settled over the six of us. Bakugo and Kirishima were holding hands tightly, staring at each other like they were trying to commit the others face to memory. Todoroki and I sat next to each other, not saying anything, but just enjoying each others company. I felt my phone buzz, and I pulled it out, seeing it was a private message from Kaminari.
Cinnamon Rolls
⚡ Sparky ⚡ : I’m gonna tell Shinso.
Broccoli 💚 : Are you sure?
⚡ Sparky ⚡ : This may be the only chance I get. I have to go for it
Broccoli 💚 : I support your decision. Good luck! Lmk how it goes
⚡ Sparky ⚡ : Thanks, I will
I put my phone away, nervous and excited for Kaminari. I looked over at Kaminari and Hitoshi, who were sitting next to each other, as Kaminari leaned over, saying something too low for my ears to pick up. Hitoshi turned red, and I guess it’s because Kaminari told him. I saw Hitoshi’s lips move, and it looked like he was saying, Me too . Kaminari flushed furiously, then leaned over, grabbed Hitoshi by the collar, and kissed him. Hitoshi stiffened slightly, then relaxed into the kiss and closed his eyes. The rest of the team looked over and saw, Kirishima and I smiling hugely, Bakugo and Todoroki also smiling softly.
“Congrats guys!” Kirishima exclaimed. Kaminari and Hitoshi broke apart, each becoming the color of a tomato.
“I’m happy for you guys.” Todoroki said sincerely, nodding at them.
“Good job confessing, Spark-Plug.” Bakugo said, leaning against Kirishima.
“Wait, why do assume Kaminari confessed to me first? How’d you even know I liked him?” Hitoshi exclaimed, incredulous.
“Because Hitoshi,” I put in, “all of us know that you’re to shy to confess, and as for us knowing, you aren’t subtle about it. We all knew that Kaminari was going to confess, it was just a matter of when he would do it.”
“Yeah, like your subtle about your crush Izuku.” Hitoshi grumbled.
“I’m not, its just that my crush is a little dense.” I replied smoothly, looking at Hitoshi. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Todoroki tilt his head.
“Oh, brother.” he said.
“I’m right here?” I said, tilting my head. Hitoshi spluttered, floundering for an answer, and we all laughed at his dumbfounded expression, the somber atmosphere breaking. The train pulled into the station, and we got off, Kaminari and Hitoshi holding hands.
“Now Denki Kaminari,” I said, using his full name, looking completely serious, “as Hitoshi’s brother, I am obligated to say this.”
“Oh God, please don’t.” Hitoshi pleaded.
“Please do Midoriya.” Todoroki countered, smirking.
“Izuku, no!” Hitoshi begged.
“Midoriya, yes!” Kirishima exclaimed.
“I want to see this.” Bakugo said, smiling sadistically. I cleared my throat.
“As I was saying, as Hitoshi’s brother, I need to tell you that if you hurt him in any way, I will Detroit-Smash your ass all the way into next year. Got it?” I let my lighting manifest slightly. I saw Kaminari swallow hard, and he nodded fast, paling slightly.
“Damn, Deku can be intimidating?” Bakugo muttered. I let my lightning die down, and I smiled.
“Good! I'm happy for you guys!” I exclaimed.
“Am I the only one slightly scared of this Midoriya?” Kirishima questioned. Todoroki raised his hand in agreement, as did Kaminari. We walked towards the factory: It looked enormous, with huge columns and at least three stories, it looked dark and desolate, and it was in serious need of repairs.
“This is the perfect place to hide a Nomu .” I muttered. Todoroki nodded. I tried the door. It was locked, and it seemed like something was blocking it.
“ Kacchan , give me a hand with this door. It looks like something is blocking it from the inside.” I demanded, and Kacchan stepped up beside me.
“Try not to use too much of your quirk. We don’t want to alert anyone.” I grunted, and Kacchan nodded. I let One for All course through me, giving me strength as I shoved against the door. I heard Kacchan growl, pushing his weight against the door. I increased my output to 5%. The door finally gave away, squealing on rusty hinges. Kacchan and I stood there for a second, then I lead the way in, motioning for the others to wait. I looked back, and Todoroki looked like he wanted to follow, but I shook my head. After a visible effort, he stopped and stared at me, his message perfectly clear : You had better get back safely. I nodded, then turned and walked further into the factory, senses on high alert. It was pitch black in here, but I used the small light my quirk was currently giving off to see. My footsteps were near silent against the hard floor, but I still winced with every sound they made. I looked around, trying to find anything that could point me in the direction of the Nomu .
I sensed the attack a moment before it happened.
The Nomu came charging out of the shadows, and though I managed to block the brunt of it, the back of the Nomu’s arm clipped my side, sending me flying into a stack of crates. A chorus of “Izuku!”, “Deku!”, and “Midoriya!” reached my ears, and I allowed my lighting to grow, the light casting everything within a five foot radius green with its glow as I stood. Someone hit a light switch, and I heard the building buzz before the lights flickered on weakly. I'm surprised the building still had power after who-knows-how-long its been vacant. With the fluorescent lights weakly lighting up the space, I was able to get a look at the Nomu : It was big, bigger than All Might, it was all black, and it had wings. On the side of its mouth, two large fangs protruded, too big to fit inside its mouth. I saw a blast of fire, then Todoroki was at my side, teeth bared threateningly. Bakugo and Kaminari attacked the Nomu from the right, while Kirishima and Hitoshi hacked away from its left.
“Todoroki, give me a boost!” I exclaimed. Todoroki made a foothold, and once I put my foot down, he threw me upwards like I weighed nothing. I used my body to steer myself towards the Nomu’s face, kicking his jaw at 45%. His head snapped to the side, and he grabbed my leg, using me body as like a bat and hitting Hitoshi and Kirishima.
“SORRY!” I yelled as I was spun around. The Nomu let go, and once again I was thrown, only this time I hit a glass tube that was 30 feet tall. My back hit it and I felt the glass shatter from the force. My back arched, and I went through the tube, hitting the floor and sliding and flipping from the speed. I groaned, feeling blood coming from my forehead and mouth. I stood again, running towards the Nomu , kicking it in the side. My foot connected, sunk inward, then popped back out, sending me sliding backwards. The Nomu hit Hitoshi, and he flew backwards, hitting the wall.
“Shinso!” Kaminari screamed. I ran over to him. Hitoshi was still conscious, and I helped him stand.
“Hitoshi, are you okay?” I asked, frantic with worry.
“I’m okay.” he answered. “What about you? I saw you hit the glass tube.”
“I’ll be fine.” I said.
“Howitzer Impact!” I heard Kacchan scream, flying towards the Nomu and landing a direct hit. The Nomu stumbled back a step, but that was it. Todoroki set it on fire, the flames coursing up the Nomu’s body.
Nothing.
Kaminari tried electrocuting it. The Nomu threw his head and shrieked, but otherwise didn’t look hurt.
“All for One, Full-Cowling!” I hollered, sending myself towards the Nomu at the speed of a bullet. That did something. It sent the Nomu flying towards the opposite wall, thudding against it. The whole building shook as the Nomu’s body made contact with the wall, hitting it so hard that the stone cracked. The Nomu fell, and Todoroki encased it in ice. We stood there, panting.
“Anyone else think that was way too easy?” Kirishima voiced.
“Yeah, it took All-Might all his strength to take down a Nomu , and even then, All-Might got seriously injured.” Kacchan muttered.
“That’s because this was bait. I’m glad you took it.”
I knew that voice.
“All for One!”
He stepped out of the shadows, his navy blue suit looking crisp. His mask hid his face, with wires sticking out from it and connecting the front and back together.
“Hello, Izuku Midoriya.” I he said in a deep, raspy voice. I stiffened, backing up a step.
“Oi! How do you know Deku’s name?” Kacchan asked, going up to him.
“Ground Zero, no!” Kirishima said holding him back.
“ MindJack ... where’s Chargebolt ?” Shoto asked. Hitoshi searched frantically.
“Oh, you mean him?” All for One questioned. He snapped his fingers, and Kaminari appeared at his side, with All for One’s hand around his throat.
“Let him go! Or are you going to use him as a shield because you’re too weak?” Hitoshi screamed. C'mon All for One, answer the question.
“As if.” All for One said. He froze, and I saw Hitoshi staring intently the man.
“Drop Chargebolt .” he demanded. All for One let go of Kaminari, and he ran towards us, stopping beside me.
“What the-” All for One said, and Hitoshi paled, “oh. I see, brainwashing. That quirk may be worth stealing.”
“You won’t be stealing anyone’s quirk, All for One!” I screamed with 100% bravado.
I took deep, ragged breaths. I was drenched in sweat, I was exhausted, and I had bruises and scrapes covering every inch of my body. My team, Bakugo, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Shinso looked no better. This was supposed to be a simple mission. At least, that’s what All Might said. But what was a simple mission turned into a life-or-death situation. Standing here, facing off with All for One, I suddenly regretted not telling Todoroki my feelings. I apologized to my mom, she had no idea I was here, telling her I'm sorry for breaking my promise to be safe. I apologized to All Might, saying I'm sorry that he chose unworthy successor for One for All. I shook my head. No, All Might made the right choice in choosing me. I had to get us out of here. NOW!
“Hmm, yes, you’re right. Thank you for bringing me back on track, Midoriya.” All for One snapped his fingers, and behind us, a portal opened. I turned, expecting the League of Villains to show up. But no one came through. I felt wind press up against me, and I started sliding backwards. I look back towards my team, and they weren’t moving. A look of horror passed over their faces, and Todoroki was the first to move, grabbing my hand and planting his feet down. Hitoshi grabbed on to Todoroki, then Bakugo, then Kaminari, then Kirishima.
But it was no use.
The wind swept up the six of us, hurling us through the portal. All for One laughed manically. We landed in a heap as the portal closed. I groaned, everyone was on top of me. I wiggled my way out from under everyone, standing up and taking in our surroundings. It looked like we were teleported into a high-school ...gym?
“Who are you guys?” a voice said.
I turned.