So I did it again. I wrote a chapter that is worth three, maybe even four, chapters, and I tried to split it, but nothing made sense after I split them. So…grab a snack and a drink. This one is long.

Also FYI, I took a vacation, so that's why this took so long. I don't write on vacation to avoid burnout.

---

"I would say we are making incredible progress! You are very resilient for someone so young who has endured so much. It's common for a patient to be aware of their feelings as much as they are not, but it is truly rare for someone to understand them but to seek further guidance to find peace. I admire your wisdom to find it. You could have dismissed these sessions and tried to discover peace on your own, and I wouldn't blame you for taking that path, but storytelling tells that take too often where people mix it with reality. The main character finds his peace and is forever happy, but that is fiction. It's supposed to be a happy ending. The truth is, finding inner peace is more than a journey; it's a lifelong battle with yourself. Tranquility is today, but turmoil is tomorrow. How does tranquility return for the day after? That is the question."

"How about we start from the beginning one more time? Tell me your story."

"Okay…let's do this one more time."

"My name is Izuku Midoriya. My dream is to be a pro hero like my idol, The Number One Hero, The Symbol of Peace: All Might. A dream I conjured at four, but with that dream came my first lesson in life. Not everyone is created equal. I was told I was quirkless, and my childhood fell apart. My best friend made me his punching bag, my mom dodged the most important question of my life, my peers shunned me for being something worse than a mutated quirk by racial standards. I felt alone, lost, and misplaced. In a world where everyone had something special, I had the special privilege of having nothing. It caused me to be obsessed with becoming a pro hero because…"

"It's okay. You aren't selfish for feeling that way."

"...Because as much as I wanted to save people with a smile, I wanted to fit in."

Midoriya watched as the metro train left the station. Smiling to himself, Midoriya stretched his legs, his hips, and his arms. Midoriya ignored the looks he was getting from the public, but some people knew what he was doing.

"Think you can outrun the train this time?" A male classmate of his asked.

Midoriya looked back at his classmate with a thumbs up. "This'll be my day!"

"Just be careful young man," an older man, who was feeding some birds on a nearby bench, said. "You don't want to cause a ruckus again."

Midoriya sheepishly grinned, "I'll remember to watch out for the cabbage man! I can still hear his wails about his cabbages being ruined."

"You better get going," a female classmate pointed with a flushed look. "It's got a pretty good head start."

Midoriya finished his stretching and balled up a fist in front of him. "I'll have the project done tonight! Don't worry! We're gonna ace this!"

"I hope so!" The male classmate waved, "We're waiting on you, Midoriya!"

"Take care!" The female exclaimed and waved too.

Midoriya turned to the sidewalk and ran past several people, dodging everyone swiftly and effortlessly. Although Midoriya was causing a bit of fuss, it was only briefly before he turned a corner and ran into an open public field with no foot traffic.

"How did your obsession with becoming a pro hero affect you long-term?"

"Positively, it saved my life. Had I not made that my life's goal, I know I wouldn't be here. Whether that be in this room or on this plane of existence."

"I'm glad to see you, but I know some important people see you every day and are thrilled."

"And I am grateful for them. However…the negatives were vicious. I refused to hear any other career path. I had little to almost no knowledge in jobs that fit for me, I ignored great advice that could have served me well, I became a little too attached to positive praise from strangers, but most importantly, I deluded myself into believing I can make a miracle happen. I became the laughingstock of my peers. No one took me seriously; not my classmates, not my teachers, not my mom. I was the desperate, delusional kid, and they were right. Had I gone through with it all and tried to fight a villain, I'd probably die."

"But you didn't. When the moment arrived, you saved a pair of sisters, almost at the cost of your own life."

"It is only through luck that All Might arrive. Had he not…it doesn't matter."

Midoriya sprinted down the patchy wild grass and past several unsuspecting civilians. It was a scenic route that had him go past the underbridge, where everything changed. The slime villain, Laura and Eri, All Might, and Midnight. Midoriya's life changed forever in ways he could never have imagined.

Midoriya smiled as he ran past the bridge and continued on his path, finding himself at a fun hurdle. A flight of stairs that went down with a handrail in between. Izuku jumped onto the rail and slid down perfectly balanced, with his arms stretched out and knees bent.

"As if Kami smiled on you for your sacrifice, you received your Quirk Awakening as a reward."

"A powerhouse quirk that nearly destroyed me when I first used it. I wrecked my hand, but luckily, it left no permanent damage. And because of its power, I won't use it until my body is physically strong enough to handle it."

Midoriya jumped off the rail and continued his run without a slip. Midoriya panted. That rail slide was a quick breather, but the minor efforts of jumping and landing required more power to be used, and that drained his energy. Midoriya had hoped his body would be adjusted by now since it was routine, but more training is required.

"And you were given another surprise. Something you hadn't had in a very long time."

"A friend. I didn't know Laura Kayama, the older sister, would transfer to my school and join my class. We have a wonderful friendship today; one I hold near to my heart just as much as I do with my friendship with her little sister, Eri. Truly, if Kami is real, then I am eternally grateful for their kindness."

"And how did the sudden arrival of Kayama affect your relationship with Bakugo?"

"It forced me to open my eyes to the reality of my life. My relationship with Bakugo was anything but real. It was all my imagination; a disease I couldn't quite see until the layers of it peeled away. The fights, my scar, the lawsuit, and transferring of schools. Kayama's arrival undid everything. Had it not been for her, I would still be in the cycle of abuse I once called 'normal.'"

"What about the feelings you held during your time with Bakugo? The feelings you described as 'dread?' Was it dreadful for what Bakugo could do to you, of losing Kayama as a friend, or was it something more internal?"

"The feelings of dread I held were for myself. Deep down, I knew it was bad, but how does one admit to being a victim after ten years of justifying? I feared what Bakugo would do to me, but I was more afraid of losing Kayama because she was the first real friend I had since Bakugo. Not to mention the impact it would have on the relationship with my mom. Accepting Bakugo's bullying as that would also mean telling my mom I lied to her for ten years. I love her, and she loves me, but our trust was fragile and could easily break."

Midoriya felt his hand vibrating and looked at his wrist. His mother had bought them a pair of smart watches with the money they earned from the lawsuit. A small picture opened of Laura standing in front of a dressing room in a dark maroon shirt with slightly rolled sleeves that had the word 'ANOK' on it in bold white letters, black leather skin-tight shorts, black leggings that stopped at her lowers thighs and left revealed skin between the leggings and her shorts, had on spiked high platform shoes. Loosely held over her right shoulder was a black shoulder bag. On her left wrist was a black wristband, crossed over spiked wristbands on her right wrist, and a black hat to top it all off.

"Doesn't she look cute?! I think she does! Look at her face. She's flustered!"

Midoriya looked closer at the photo, and indeed, Kayama was embarrassed but also seething a little. Midoriya thought Kayama looked cute, but he wouldn't tell her.

"What has been a highlight since transferring to Yavin High?"

"Hagakure! She has been the major highlight for Kayama and myself. Hagakure immediately made us feel welcomed, showed us around, answered our questions, and so forth. Even after guiding us everywhere, she would check in on us from time to time when we ran into her. Eventually, Kayama and I hung out with Hagakure during lunch and that grew into another wonderful friendship. We even saw each other after school or on our days off."

"Kayama says that I am overwhelming her with 'girly things,' but this girl doesn't even have a feminine bone in her body!" Hagakure said in the text message, then quickly sent another message.

"She says she hates this, but I know she doesn't, cuz if she did, Kayama would have walked off already. I don't know her as much as you, but I know Kayama is the type to not budge if she really dislikes something. Anyway, hope your run is going well, and Kayama says hi. Did I mention you two are just adorable together?"

Midoriya flushed red and refocused back on his running. During their hangouts, Hagakure asked if they were dating. While Midoriya was hacking and coughing, trying to get an answer out, Kayama didn't even know what that meant and had asked Hagakure what she was talking about! Hagakure was speechless and tried to explain what dating was, but was quickly shot down when Midoriya regained his breath, told Hagakure that they were not, and switched the subject. Since then, Hagakure has been hinting at Midoriya to ask Kayama out because 'it's more romantic when the man does it.'

What humors Midoriya is Hagakure's insistence on helping 'feminize' Kayama. When Hagakure was asking Kayama basic questions about her hair, makeup, clothing, and other beauty questions, Kayama's inability to respond immediately had Hagakure declare she will help Kayama find her inner girl. This explains why Hagakure continues to drag Kayama to the mall and other places. Befriending Hagakure was a blessing because it'll do Kayama some good to have a female friend, and from what Midoriya can see, Kayama needs that.

Midoriya didn't have a father figure to look up to, and it was up to him to find out what it means to connect with his masculine side. Nemuri recently adopted Laura and Eri if Midoriya's assumption is correct, and Laura never expressed much femininity, so Hagakure is a gateway for her to connect with that side of herself. If Hagakure's influence is good enough, it'll go past appearances.

"Your family won the lawsuit against Aldera Junior High, and if I recall, you said it was the most stressful part of your life but also the most easing. Why is that?"

I faced a choice. Do I hold on to the familiar pain that I can manage and continue the tragic life I know, or do I welcome fresh pain that I don't know if I can handle but can give me a chance at finding a life I cherish? I chose the latter. I told my mom the truth; I told the courtroom the truth… I told myself the truth. I hated my life, and I was tired of waiting for a miracle! Those sleepless nights brought me my most peaceful dreams. For years when I woke up, I smiled, but always felt like I was lying to myself. Now, when I wake up, I feel…"

"You feel what?"

Midoriya leapt from a ledge and touched down on the concrete below right as the train pulled up. Midoriya pumped his fist in the air proudly.

"Happy."

Midoriya walked through the crowd and down the street towards his home. Walking past his apartment, Midoriya headed toward the beach a short distance away, as that was where he was going. Midoriya felt lucky that his apartment was near the beach that All Might chose for his training. Sometimes Midoriya would forget that his apartment is beachside property, but because of the lack of people going to it, the price of the apartment lowered dramatically in value. There's no value in beachside property if the 'beach' aspect isn't worth a yen.

"Huh," Midoriya thought aloud, "Cleaning this beach is going to make the property value skyrocket when people realize it is clean. Glad we won that lawsuit."

Midoriya made his way to his destination and undressed himself. Midoriya was careful to treat his uniform with respect as he took it off and put it away in his backpack. Underneath his clothes were his workout clothes. Midoriya figured he'd wear it to save time and hassle trying to find a place to change every time. Midoriya would change at school, but he'd be breaking a rule regardless if classes were over.

"Young Midoriya," came an older, mature voice. Midoriya turned to the voice with a smile. Standing before Midoriya was his mentor in his 'real' form. Toshinori wore a plain white shirt, green baggy pants, and a black belt with silver All Might belt buckle. "Ready for another day of training?" Toshinori asked, holding a large retro style boombox in his left hand, lightly crouching and placing the item on the floor.

"Yes, sir!" Midoriya beamed with his hands in the air. "I'm just happy to be on a regular schedule now. These past few months have been intense!"

Toshinori nodded, "Indeed they have. I knew there would be obstacles in the way of our training, but I didn't expect a lawsuit or you transferring schools. Guess I should add that to the possible 'what if' scenarios for the next trainee." Midoriya blinked at Toshinori's statement, but Toshinori chuckled and held up his hand. "I'm playing around. I'm not taking another trainee after you. It wouldn't benefit them in the way it benefits you." Toshinori leaned slightly forward. "You are keeping One for All hidden, right? You haven't used it yet, have you?"

"Haven't even thought of it," Midoriya replied and looked to his hand, "Although I can feel the power of it surge through my body from time to time. It's like goosebumps that feel like electricity flowing through your body, but stronger and makes the heart race a bit."

"I would have given it to you after the training, but…" Toshinori's brow furrowed.

"I know," Midoriya nodded, "It's better this way. It keeps it alive after what you told me when you pulled out a…hair string." Midoriya gagged, remembering having to swallow a string of Toshinori's hair to gain One for All.

"It was the quickest and least vile way of giving you my quirk." Toshinori rolled his eyes at Midoriya's gag. "My old master did the same technique as her master before." Toshinori refocused on his pupil. "How are you feeling? Haven't thought about that Bakugo kid, haven't you?"

Midoriya shook his head. "No. I've been seeing a therapist for a while now. I saw him last Saturday, and he said I am making incredible progress. Talking to him has really allowed me to reflect on my life and understand just how cruel my life was and how I accepted it as that." Midoriya looked down mournfully, "Even now I still have some trouble accepting that Kach…Bakugo never saw me as a friend. No matter how much I fooled myself into believing I was saving him from a world that twisted him into seeing his actions were good, I should have known better. But I let my idolization of his 'strength' blind me, and I put my personal wellbeing and my mother's trust below it. Had I just gone to my mom and told her the truth, I'd still have my friend…"

"Do you see yourself ever befriending Bakugo again?" Toshinori asked. Toshinori, like Midoriya, believes that Bakugo was nurtured to be a monster, and that if a responsible adult intervened, Bakugo could have been different.

Toshinori waited for Midoriya's response, curious about whether Midoriya still hoped to repair their broken friendship. Yet…Midoriya never responded. Long, quiet, agonizing seconds went by before Toshinori caught onto Midoriya's feelings.

Deciding that this topic was still fresh, Toshinori went onto another equally fresh but more friendly topic. "How about your mother? How are things with her?"

Midoriya perked up, glad to move on from Bakugo. "Our relationship is rough. We say good morning and talk, but I can still feel the pain between us. We're working through it, and I think we're making good progress." Midoriya looked back toward his apartment. "We're looking at houses though. The apartment doesn't feel right anymore. It's where everything fell apart for us individually, and we feel like if we're going to rebuild ourselves, we have to move out to get away from it all. A full, fresh start." Midoriya took a deep breath and smiled at Toshinori, "On the bright side, we saw a commercial about the public grand opening of I-Island in about a year and a half's time. My mom bought us early VIP tickets thinking it can be a nice place for us to vacation and bond at."

Toshinori smiled back at Midoriya. "That's nice to hear. Funny enough, I have a family friend who works at I-Island. Maybe I should introduce you two, but that's for a different time." Toshinori continued. "For now, I want to congratulate you on your progress. Despite everything that has happened, you kept up on your training and made up for lost time, such as the metro train race. I am very impressed with your quick thinking of how to balance your personal life with the training. I know it must be hard sometimes because of the circumstances, but your willingness to do the work is a small but notable reason you have me convinced you are my successor."

Midoriya's smile grew and his eyes watered. "W..wow! Thank you, All Might! That means so much coming from you!" Midoriya wiped his eyes over and over, trying to clear his tears, but they kept coming.

Toshinori waited for Midoriya to calm down, but before he could talk, Midoriya spoke, "Um…I have something to admit, though." Midoriya rubbed an index finger over his scar. "I've been training with Kayama as well. One time Kayama snuck up on me, and she pointed out how I have terrible senses. That left me thinking I should improve on my awareness, and I've been training with Kayama during our lunch breaks or days off when I am not here." Midoriya chuckles, recalling how many times Kayama has chastised him for being terrible at sensing her. "Sometimes we spar too. It helps me relax."

Toshinori raised a brow with a short snicker after seeing the glint in Midoriya's eyes, "You must enjoy having a strong woman companion."

"Hmm?" Midoriya stopped his daydreaming and nodded with a smile. "Yeah! I am very fond of Kayama's strength! Her strength is the type I truly admire!"

"This kid…" Toshinori internally balked at how Midoriya let that go over his head, but Toshinori had bigger things to get to right now, "If Kayama's strength is the type you admire, then it should push you further to achieve that kind of power. You tell me she fights for her little sister. Well, let me see you put in the work today to get that kind of power to protect others."

Midoriya's smile grew confident, and he balled up his right fist in front of his chest, "Right! I'm ready, All Might!" Midoriya immediately ran onto the beach and began his training. Today Midoriya was going to be working on his upper body, so Midoriya found heavier items that he could lift and move, push, or pull. Toshinori watched on from the side, ready to intervene with advice or save Midoriya if an unforeseen event occurred like collapsing debris, or an oversight by Midoriya that put him in danger.

The training only got into an hour before a surprising yell interrupted the duo.

"IZUKU!"

Midoriya and Toshinori paused and looked behind them to see Eri running onto the beach and hugging Izuku by the legs. "Izuku! Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Eri looked up to Midoriya with the brightest smile.

"Eri?" Midoriya, who was holding onto a gigantic washing machine, confused but happy, replied, "What are you doing here?"

"To see you," Kayama, who jumped down from the steps, glanced at Toshinori then at Midoriya, "Just wanting to see if you wanted to train, but I see you're doing some other training." Kayama eyed the washing machine in Midoriya's hands.

Midoriya looked at the machine, then to Kayama. "Give me a second." Midoriya crouched down and carefully put the machine on the floor before wiping his hands on his shirt. "It's not as heavy as you think."

Curious, Kayama went to the machine and tried to lift it, but struggled to do so, "I thought you said it wasn't heavy…!" Kayama said, her voice strained as she barely lifted the machine off the ground before dropping it and panting.

"Wow…You are very strong, Izuku," Eri cooed.

"Ahem…" Toshinori cleared his throat and walked up to the girls with his hand stretched out, "Toshinori Yagi. I assume you are the Kayama's Young Midoriya has been talking about?"

"I don't talk about them all the time…" Midoriya mumbled, flustered and with a small blush, but quickly regained himself, "But yes, you are right Kayama, I am training, and this is my mentor. Kayama, this is Toshinori Yagi."

Just as their hands were about to touch, Kayama withdrew hers. Kayama smelled something familiar…something too unique. Kayama slowly walked around Toshinori, taking his scent as Midoriya and Eri watched on in confusion with Toshinori being very embarrassed by this sudden reaction from Kayama.

"Is…something wrong?" Toshinori asked, unsure of what to really say, until the sniffing got louder and more aggressive. "Miss…I am not comfortable with whatever you are doing. Can you please-?"

"You're All Might." Kayama stared up at him without as much of a facial change.

Toshinori and Midoriya were taken aback, with Toshinori spitting up blood.

Avoiding the blood, Kayama jumped back, horrified and disgusted. "What the hell?! And you call me disgusting?!"

"Did he just cough up blood?" Eri's head tilted to the left, "Is that part of his quirk or is All Might hurt?"

"He is not All Might!" Midoriya hastily said, glancing at his friends, "All Might is big and muscular! Toshinori, no offense, is as skinny as a twig!"

"Geez, thanks…" Toshinori glared at Midoriya. Midoriya laughed cautiously.

"No, he is All Might," Kayama said conclusively and arms crossed. "They share the same scent."

"These are the same clothes I wore when All Might saved me not too long ago when that villain with the drilling quirk attacked not too long ago," Toshinori pulled at his shirt, "His scent must have stayed on it."

Kayama shook her head. "No. It's more than that. I know it because when I first got All Might's scent, I noticed his was unique compared to others. I didn't notice at first, but there was a missing chemical that all humans have…except his." Kayama tapped her nose, "My ability to pick up on smells is more than just a tracker, I can pick up on chemicals too no matter how drowned out it is."

This news shocked and fascinated Toshinori, while Midoriya was quickly writing this down…somehow.

"The missing chemical was stomach acid." Kayama disclosed her findings, "All Might is missing his, and so are you. Unless two people living in the same city share the same exclusive injury of missing a stomach, then you are All Might." Kayama declared.

Toshinori and Kayama had a stare down at Midoriya, now putting his notebook away, and watched with Eri. Eri was in awe with how her sister deduced this case like Sherlock Holmes, while Midoriya was uneasy and frantically thinking of an excuse.

Toshinori closed his eyes and let out a sigh, "That's an impressive quirk, and detective work. I've seen many quirks in my life that could have exposed me, but none as silent or precise as this one. Yes, you are correct, I am All Might." Toshinori's physique quickly grew into that of All Might's, with his shirt and pants growing into his body's shape perfectly. "But you must never tell a soul! Either of you!" All Might looked at Eri and Kayama sternly, "If anyone found out my secret identity, many lives will be in danger, including Midoriya's, and by extension, yours and Nemuri." The revelation surprised Eri and Kayama, but All Might continued, "Anyone connected to Toshinori will become a target, and Nemuri has Toshinori marked down as one of your emergency contacts in case anything were to happen to her! That data can get stolen and used against her! Trust me, villains are more sneaky than they let on!"

Kayama and Eri nodded. "We promise!" Eri said for them.

All Might gave his signature smile before a cloud of smoke appeared, and with a cough, Toshinori had returned. "Thank you." Toshinori eyed Midoriya. "You sure know how to pick your friends."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kayama leaned forward with slitted eyes.

Toshinori chortled. "It's a compliment. If Young Midoriya is to become a pro hero, then having capable companions by his side is great. From what he tells me, you are versatile in quirks. Metal claws, that incredible sense of smell, and your healing factor." Toshinori hummed to himself and rubbed his chin. Why did that specific combination of quirks feel familiar to him?

"Yeah…" Kayama looked at her hand and popped out her claws. "Lucky me." Kayama retracted them and continued, "I won't tell anyone, as thanks for giving Midoriya a quirk."

"PFFFFFTTTTT!"

Both Midoriya and Toshinori spat out blood/spit at that response.

"HOW DO YOU-"

"This is going to sound weird but…" Kayama looked down, feeling secondhand embarrassment for what she was going to say next, "I picked up the faintest scent of your DNA inside Midoriya. I thought maybe it was because you were his dad or whatever, but that made little sense to me when I thought about it. I'll spare you the details on why it doesn't. It was only when I saw Midoriya use his quirk that I connected the two dots."

"Using his…" Toshinori's head snapped to Midoriya, "I thought you said you never used it!"

Midoriya put his hands up in defense, "I didn't! …Well…" Midoriya looked to the side with a bead of sweat falling down his face, "Except this one time by accident…"

"Accident?" Toshinori's voice lowered, disappointed to hear that Midoriya used OFA, accident or not.

"I…uh…sneezed and blew a shed down…" Midoriya got onto his knees and placed his hands in a praying position. "I'm sorry! It was an accident! Kayama and I were training here, and I had to sneeze, and when I did I accidentally activated One-I mean-my quirk and blew the shed down!"

"That explains why there are small pieces of wood everywhere suddenly…" Toshinori looked around at what had once been a shed. "More importantly, how did you survive that?" Toshinori asked, now feeling petrified that Midoriya almost died by sneezing!

"I don't know, but I thank Kami I didn't die!" Midoriya shouted and peaked up at Toshinori, "I'll be more careful, I promise!"

Toshinori pinched his nose and held his head high. Kayama was too good at changing Midoriya's life. Now Toshinori doesn't have a choice but to involve her somehow and not mention the little girl who overheard everything!

Speaking of the 'little girl,' Eri was having a giggling fit thinking of Midoriya sneezing the wooden shed down, "He'll huff, and he'll puff, and he'll blow your house down, villains!" Eri giggled at her own joke.

Midoriya and Kayama had a light laugh at Eri's joke while Toshinori relaxed himself. There was no point in stressing over this development. All Toshinori could do was adapt to it. What impresses yet concerns Toshinori is Kayama's superior skill set.

"How can someone so young be able to decipher my biggest secrets?" Toshinori thought to himself, looking forward to the young children but focusing on Kayama, "Even with her quirk, Kayama should not have been able to solve this as precisely as she should have. Not even HE could find out All Might was Toshinori until that fateful battle." Toshinori's eyes squinted and his focus only grew more on Kayama and Eri. "This girl is more than the victim I once saw her as. Who was she and her sister truly running from that day? Who were the people in the bushes?"

"Who are they?"

"How are your studies coming along?" Toshinori asked Kayama, repositioning himself back to a neutral stance. "Nemuri is pushing for you to enter the U.A Entrance Exam, right? You have the skills, that is obvious, but do you have the education that is required?"

Kayama let out a frustrated sigh and scoffed to the side. "It would be easier if I had a tutor. I'm playing catch up with the years I missed at school. Nemuri was helping me, but since she is back to working full time, I don't have a full-time aid to help me." Kayama then chopped Midoriya on his head, causing the green-haired child to recoil and hiss, "And this bub hasn't been much help either! He wants to train more than study!"

"Ouch!" Midoriya rubbed his head briskly. "You should've said so! I would've helped you!"

"You should know this already!" Kayama shouted back, "I told you this when we started!"

"And you never brought it up again!" Midoriya stated his hands now in front of him, "I thought you and Hagakure were studying together! She said you girls were!"

"And you thought it was educational studying?!" Kayama gawked and threw her arms up. "Hagakure would rather study how pastel colors look on me than teach me how to solve quadratic equations!"

Eri looked at you, annoyed. "My mature idols, everyone."

Toshinori, feeling irritated by the antics, raised his voice, "Enough!" Kayama, Midoriya, and Eri all focused on Toshinori. Toshinori lowered his voice but spoke sternly, "I can fit you in, Kayama. I can tutor you while Young Midoriya trains here at the beach. Midoriya is cleaning up the beach as his training, building up muscle and increasing his stamina. You being here wouldn't change much other than dividing my focus between the two of you." Toshinori looked down to Eri, speaking softly, "You can come along, but I wouldn't have you helping Midoriya at all. It's his training, and every little piece of trash on that beach matters. I could help you with your homework if you want, or you can do whatever you want as long as you're being safe."

The three children looked at one another with a nod and grin. They liked this idea. Midoriya and Kayama get the training they need together, and Eri can be around her hero more often.

"Deal," Kayama agreed, "But I would like to continue training with Midoriya." Kayama added, "Has he told you about his senses being terrible?"

Toshinori chuckled, "He did just before you arrived with your sister. I'll see what I can do to have you two training together with the addition of my experience further honing your skills. Kayama, you have untapped, raw potential, and I look forward to seeing you use that talent for good."

Kayama clenched her jaw and her knuckles tightened to a white color. The last person to tell her that became the person she would kill without a second thought.

"I look forward to that," Kayama forced out and released her tension.

"Good," Toshinori looked around the area, "Then let's get started. Now, we have almost one year before the U.A Entrance Exam begins, and because the author doesn't want to spend anymore time on non-U.A Arcs, we're going to have to speed through this."

"What?" Midoriya blinked several times, confused.

"Which means we're going to need to do a montage," Toshinori said, walking towards the boombox and kicking it. "By the way, this will be the last time-skip of the story. Everything after this will follow canon with altercations, of course."

"Ha!"

An uptempo, catchy beat, and piano melody played from the boombox. It put Midoriya off, but he laughed because this was exactly what Toshinori would play. Kayama instantly became infuriated with it. It was so stupid!

Toshinori pointed to the beach, "Well go train, Midoriya!" Midoriya jumped and ran onto the beach while Kayama, begrudgingly, pulled out her phone and opened Canvas, an app her school uses for online work, to show what problems she needed help with.

Eri, though, slowly sidestepped out of sight and walked around metal debris that hid her from everyone.

"The hour's approaching to give it your best

And you've got to reach your prime

That's when you need to put yourself to the test

And show us a passage of time"

Midoriya ran through the farthest side of the beach, collecting as many heavy objects as possible. He made it a challenge to himself to beat a personal record each day of how much trash he binned. Day by day, slowly but surely, the waves swallowed less trash into the sea before the waves couldn't touch the debris anymore, and Midoriya was working his way towards the pier.

Kayama, now bringing a laptop with her, sat on a chair, missing the back piece with the laptop on her lap. Toshinori would stand behind her, guiding her through the problems to the best of his abilities. If he didn't know, Toshinori would have Kayama go to websites that told her how to solve the problems step by step. For hero academics, however, Toshinori was almost as knowledgeable as Midoriya.

Toshinori often had to calm Kayama down when her anger at being unable to understand questions rose. This led Toshinori to provide Kayama with new techniques for controlling her rage. It was difficult at first, but Kayama was growing into it and subdued her frustrations, which aided her in answering questions faster and accurately.

Meanwhile, during his training, Midoriya would catch Eri at least once doing something odd with the scraps he was cleaning up. Midoriya passed it off, figuring that Eri was playing some kind of game with him, but was curious why some debris that Eri was specifically around looked newer than the rest of the trash around the beach. Maybe Eri was finding cleaner items and placing them in Midoriya's path?

"We're gonna need a montage (Montage!)

Ooh, it takes a montage (Montage!)"

"Eri!" Midoriya yelled out when he crashed into the washing machine and heard Eri yelping behind it. Eri ran into view, startled, but okay, "Please don't get in the way! I don't want to hurt you!" Midoriya whispered, "Your sister will gut me like a fish!"

Kayama growled and sped walked towards Eri who shrank at the sight of her sister, "Stand next to All Might, and don't even think of leaving!" Kayama snapped at Eri before lifting Midoriya up, "Get into your stance! We're not done sparring!"

Both Eri and Midoriya immediately did what Kayama demanded, with Midoriya getting ready for another sparring session while Eri ran to Toshinori and stood next to him. Toshinori looked down at the deflated Eri and lightly patted her on the head.

"You're lucky to have an older sister who loves you as much as she does," Toshinori said, watching Midoriya putting up an admirable effort against Kayama, but only for a short time before Kayama threw him into the washing machine again.

Eri sighed and nodded her head. She was sad that Laura was mad at her, but understood that Laura didn't want her hurt because she was nearby. Eri glanced to the side and did a double take, seeing several pieces of metal scattered.

Toshinori, watching Eri and knowing her thoughts, said, "As long as I'm watching you, I don't think she'll mind. But only that far. Go any further and I'm calling you back." Eri looked up to Toshinori and nodded before heading off. Toshinori wondered what Eri was doing, but when he heard Midoriya wail in pain, his focus went to his pupil.

Toshinori saw Kayama had Midoriya in a standing guillotine choke with her back to the washing machine. "Just lift me and slam me! Ram me into it! Do something! Overpower me, damn it!" Kayama barked at Midoriya with Midoriya refusing to tap out but also losing oxygen quickly.

"Show a lot of things happenin' at once

Remind everyone of what's goin' on (What's going on)

And with every shot, show a little improvement

To show that it all would take too long"

"I bought this a while back, but I never ended up using it. I thought I could pull it off, but I'm not menacing enough for it." Hagakure pushed a brown leather biker jacket at Kayama as the two were hanging out at lunch. "Try it on!" Kayama groaned and put the jacket on. Hagakure gasped and took a photo of Kayama. "Woah! You look tough in that! You should keep it!" Hagakure airdropped the photo to Kayama before turning around to see Midoriya struggling with his tie.

"Really, Midoriya? Again?! How do you do this all the time?!" Hagakure stomped over to Midoriya, peeved, and adjusted his tie, saying, "If you're too lazy to learn how to tie a tie properly, just wear a clip-on tie!"

Kayama chuckled watching Hagakure chew into Midoriya while Midoriya could only rub the back of his head, a bit disappointed in himself. Kayama looked at the photo of herself in the jacket and felt…secured. She looked good in that jacket. Kayama opened up her camera and looked at herself. Kayama posed a little. Normally Kayama would feel stupid doing poses when Hagakure had her doing some, but now she felt assured.

Maybe sending a few pictures to Midoriya wouldn't be so bad…

'Aren't you a little badass?'

Kayama's body jolted, hearing her father's voice speak in her head. Kayama quickly went back to the picture and imagined her father wearing the jacket. A moment in time flashed through her memory as she recalled a time when her father was riding a motorcycle wearing a similar jacket to this one.

Kayama smiled to herself and put her phone away. Kayama was keeping it.

"That's called a montage (Montage!)

Ooh, we want a montage (Montage!)

In anything, if you want to go

From just a beginner to a pro

You need a montage (Montage!)

Even Rocky had a montage (Montage!)"

Nemuri scrambled to get breakfast ready! It was a hectic day yesterday grading papers and handling last-minute business decisions from Principal Nezu that Nemuri stayed until 2:30AM!

Nemuri woke up 30 minutes past her alarm and quickly had to get ready while hurrying the girls as well. They weren't pleased and quite cranky about it!

"Oh, no!" Nemuri cried out, watching as her plate of eggs, hash browns, and vegetables fell to the floor. The hilt of her flogger accidentally hit the plate and knocked it over. Luckily, Eri's and Laura's plates were fine.

Eggs and hash browns for Eri, while Laura had eggs mixed with spinach and bell peppers, and a side of buttered toast. Random, but efficient.

Nemuri groaned and put the kid's plate on the table before going to grab a broom and clean up her food. "It's going to be one of those days…" Nemuri mumbled to herself, feeling like today would not be great.

Laura and Eri walked in, both dressed for the day, and saw Nemuri cleaning up her food while theirs was on the table. Laura and Eri looked at each other and nodded.

Eri went to the table while Laura sneaked towards the cabinets where the plates were. Laura quietly grabbed an extra plate and went back to the table. Laura set the plate down, and Eri had already split her and Laura's food up. Eri gave up half of her hash browns to Nemuri, while Laura gave up half her eggs and a piece of toast.

Nemuri scooped up the food and threw it away with a sigh. When Nemuri turned around, she gasped, seeing a plate of food for her on the table.

Eri smiled while Laura looked to her left. Nemuri's attitude shifted immediately, and before the girls knew it, Nemuri's arms enveloped them in a big hug. Eri hugged back with a giggle while Laura shifted awkwardly, but hugged Nemuri back.

"(Montage!)

(Montage!)"

"Shhhh…" Osore silenced Eri and pointed to a leaning tower of books next to their classmates. Why was there a pile of books Eri did not know, but what Eri knew was that she was going to laugh.

Osore, with a wave of her hand, dropped the books and startled her classmates. Like a sniveling cartoon character, Osore snickered while Eri put her hands over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter. The two felt a presence behind them and turned to see Heiwa had been watching the two.

Heiwa sighed and placed her hand on her head, "Girls…this is your final warning or I'm calling both of your parents." Heiwa walked off to her students to check on them.

Osore and Eri looked at one another and both shrugged with a smile on their faces.

"Oooo, I'm so scared," Osore mocked and pretended to be scared before dismissively waving her hands.

Eri laughed too, but it slowly faded, imagining Nemuri being upset with her. "Yeah…scary." Eri looked away and grimaced.

"In anything, if you want to go

From just a beginner to a pro

You need a montage (Montage!)

Ooh, it takes a montage (Montage!)"

Kayama's face contorted to rage, looking up from her laptop, and staring daggers at Toshinori, "Rrrrgggaaaaah! Change this stupid song!"

Toshinori, startled by Kayama's outburst, kicked the boombox.

"We won't back down

We won't (Yeah, yo)"

Toshinori and Eri stood atop the pier, the sun shining bright in the sky, watching Kayama and Midoriya standing several feet away on a debris free beach. This was the last day of training. Midoriya had wrapped up cleaning the beach yesterday, and Kayama had finished all her lessons too. Toshinori made a deal that if the two finish their training a day early, they can spend the final day doing one last sparring session.

Midoriya hopped in place briefly with a smirk. Gripping at his right shoulder and rolling it, Midoriya got into his fighting stance. "I knew we were going to win that bet, and I've been waiting for this day to arrive!" Midoriya shouted, eagerness in his voice and excitement coursing through him.

Kayama, cracking her knuckles and popping her neck, smirked as well. "I never seen someone looking forward to getting their ass kicked again. It's like an addiction to you."

"The only obsession I have is being the next Symbol of Peace!" Midoriya declared and tightened his pose. "It saved my life time and time again! Every hardship I endured was for that reason alone, and that drive blessed me to be honored to be All Might's successor!"

Kayama closed her eyes and got into her stance. "It was also that drive that pushed you to save Eri's life and mine. Without your need to be a hero and do it at a moment's notice, I'm not sure one of us or either of us would be alive today. And for that, I am forever grateful for you, and even more to call you my closest friend…Izuku."

Izuku's eyes widened at hearing Kayama call her by his first name. Were they that close in her eyes? So close to where Kayama felt okay calling him by his forename.

Izuku felt his heart swell and his eyes glisten. It meant the world to Izuku to hear Kayama call him 'Izuku.' Izuku wiped his tears with his sleeve and steadied his breath. "Ready whenever you are…Laura."

"I'm here to go beyond my limit

Not to compromise

And you can tell me if I mean it

Lookin' in my eyes

'Cause I've been waitin' for my moment to strike

So come close

Let me show you what it's like, yeah"

"You can try to stand in my path

But you're gonna regret it

I'll be the one who laughs last

While I'm makin' my exit"

Izuku and Laura ran to each other with Laura jumping into the air, arms extended, ready for a takedown. Rolling underneath Laura, Izuku let her fly past. Izuku got onto his feet, swiftly turning to see Laura landing on her feet and turning to him. Izuku threw his right fist, Laura threw her left, and both clashed with each other in a hard crunch.

Izuku grimaced while Laura's smirk grew wider. Izuku knew Laura was enjoying this. Pain wasn't an issue for Laura, but it was for Izuku. In order for Izuku to win, he had to subdue Laura, or somehow get her to give up. Dreaming on his part.

"'Cause this is only for the strong of heart

Nod if you get it

And no matter what the outcome

You better accept it"

Izuku blocked several quick punches to his face with his forearms and waited for an opening. When Laura reeled her arm back for a harder blow, Izuku took advantage by ducking and giving her a body shot to her stomach. Laura curled inward, coughing out saliva and backing up whilst holding her stomach. Izuku elbowed Laura in the face and was about to continue his onslaught with an uppercut, but Laura caught him with a snarl.

"I can cut right through steel

I can bury the pain

So don't doubt for a second

Just gеt out of my way (Out of my way)"

"You cheat and you steal

I'm not letting it go

So takе this as a lesson

'Cause it's all that we know"

Laura drove her foot upwards at Izuku's chin, knocking him back, and continued with a spinning kick to the head. Izuku stumbled back, grabbing at his head and readjusting his jaw. Looking back at Laura, Izuku hastily jumped to his left to avoid getting tackled into the floor. Laura landed on the sand, slid for a moment, but easily spun around onto her knees and jumped to her feet.

Izuku couldn't help but smile and laugh a little, rubbing his chin with his forearm. "I'll be honest…I prefer fighting you than him."

Laura lowered her head and let out a single loud laugh before looking up and moving hair out of her face, "You sound like a masochist. Is there something you want to tell me, Izuku?" Laura teased and leaned forward, putting a hand to her ear.

Izuku chuckled and leaned forward. "You're my best friend, and I couldn't imagine my life now without you."

Laura froze, looking at Izuku with a blush on her cheeks, "I…huh?" Laura had to regroup quickly as Izuku charged her, and the two got into a wrestling lockup.

"Will the whole world know your name

When we dance with destiny?

I've been there, and I've seen it

I'm never gonna stop believing

You'll find your flame

Oh, we can save the day

(The day!)"

"We won't back down

We won't (Yeah, alright)"

Toshinori and Eri watched on as Izuku and Laura continued to duke it out with Laura having the clear flexibility and speed advantage while Izuku had reach and power. As long as Laura could keep herself from getting overpowered and subdued, she would win like she always does. Izuku, however, had no chance at winning by knockout because every attempt to do so has failed. The only way for Izuku to win is by restraining her.

Toshinori still found it awe-inspiring that he discovered not one, but two potential successors to pass the torch, too. Obviously, Midoriya would be his primary successor, but Laura would serve as his equal, keeping the peace alongside him for as long as the two remained Pro Heroes.

"It's like I'm seein' double vision

Take a seat, I'm on a mission

We got everything to gain (Everything to gain, yeah)

"All Might," Eri spoke, looking up to her elder, "Do you think Laura and Izuku will always be friends?" Eri learned in school from the stories she had read that not all friends remained together forever, and she feared that maybe Izuku and Laura might stop being friends.

Toshinori looked down at the child with a reassuring smile. "I believe they'll be friends for life." Toshinori went back to watching the two spar. "Maybe even something more. Something much more powerful."

"More than friends…" Eri mumbled to herself, but smiled. The answer she got was contentful. It did come from All Might after all; the hero that Izuku looked up to.

"To become everything you're not

You just give it all you got

And take the pleasure with the pain, yeah"

A kick removed Izuku's right leg from underneath him, causing him to fall onto his back. Laura jumped onto him with her legs at his sides and wailed at him. Izuku blocked his face momentarily before gripping Laura by the waist and rolled them to where Izuku was now on top.

Laura's smile grew even larger, finding gratification in the fight. "Well, look at you! For once, you're finally on top!"

Izuku, panting, pressed his hand down just above Laura's chest, "Had to happen eventually. Gotta say…I'm embarrassed it took this long."

"Don't be. This should embarrass you." Laura pulled her legs in and kicked Izuku right off of her. As Laura was getting up, she paused, seeing Izuku had landed on his feet.

Toshinori, Eri, and Laura watched Izuku crouch and tense up as if he was struggling. To their surprise, Izuku's body released blue sparks that turned into electricity!

"I can feel my fire awaken

No time for being complacent

If there's a dream on the horizon

You know we gotta chase it

And when we get to where we're going

Then we start the invasion

"Best me? Nah, you must be mistaken

Hey!"

Izuku released his tension and had a greenish hue to him. His eyes glowed brighter, blue electricity surrounded him, and his skin had pinkish markings all over him.

"I know All Might said not to use it until he gave his blessing but…" Izuku crossed his arms over his chest before throwing them to his sides and puffing out his chest, "I can't help myself now! I know how to use One for All…at least 5% of it, that is!"

Laura's pupils grew seeing Izuku finally use the quirk that All Might had given him. She wondered when Izuku would ever use it and felt like maybe the quirk was out of his reach because of his body's limitations. But seeing Izuku awaken a bit of it and not injuring himself filled Laura's heart with pride.

"God damn, you're awesome…" Laura mumbled with a toothy grin and got ready for another round.

"You know I'll turn you into rust

Grind you right down to dust

You thought you were the best

Well, you haven't met us!

I'll bring the fire and rain

Call me the hurricane

I'm not letting it go

'Cause it's all that I know"

Toshinori and Eri had their mouths agape, especially Toshinori!

"Y-Young Midoriya!" Toshinori shouted before suddenly transforming into All Might with the biggest smile on his face, "How truly magnificent! You've got a handle on One for All, all on your own! Hahahahaha!"

"Go Izuku!" Eri shouted from the crowd, throwing her hands up and jumping excitedly, "I'm so happy for you!"

With Eri's voice being their bell, Izuku and Laura resumed their spar for the final time. Izuku's speed surprised Laura, and she had to block his punch, which pushed her back several inches. His increase in power surprised her even more! For the first time, Laura felt like she was the underdog in this fight!

"Will the whole world know your name (Know your name)

When we dance with destiny? (Destiny, yeah!)

I've been there, and I've seen it

I'm never gonna stop believing

You'll find your flame"

"Now here we go, it's the end of the show

Hear them? They're calling your name

'Cause in the end

It's you and your friends

You'll find your flame (Go!)"

Laura was on the back foot, having to dodge Izuku's barrage of attacks. This increase in speed made it difficult for Laura to find a clear opening in Izuku's offense. She had to wait for the perfect moment to strike.

"Ha!" Izuku shouted, throwing a right hook at Laura that connected with her cheek. Laura spiraled onto the floor and onto her back. Izuku knew it was now or never. Izuku quickly got to Laura and tried to end it, but Laura surprised Izuku by throwing her legs up and wrapping them around his waist. Laura pulled herself up and head-butted Izuku!

Izuku stumbled back, feeling lightheaded from the desperate headbutt. Laura gripped Izuku by his torso, swung her body around him until her stomach was flat on his back with her left leg under his left leg, her lower right leg just underneath his neck, and her arms gripping his right arm and painfully pulling on it in the opposite bending direction all the while her right leg was choking him.

Izuku attempted to pull his right arm out of the submission hold, but Izuku stopped when he felt his body quickly tiring out due to him not being able to fully withstand the effects of One for All. One for All vanished from Izuku as he reverted to normal and he fell onto a knee, trying desperately to hold on, but Laura only pulled harder on his arm and squeezed his neck tighter.

Left with no other choice, Izuku, with his free hand, found Laura's left knee and tapped out. Laura relinquished the hold and fell onto the ground next to Izuku, both panting heavily.

"Shit…" Laura groaned, trying to catch her breath, "You were rough…"

"Heh…" Izuku chuckled and glanced at Laura, "You got…you know you liked it…I saw your excitement…"

"Tch…" Laura tried to pass it off, but she couldn't. Her mouth betrayed her, and she smiled at Izuku, with Izuku returning it.

"Now here we go, it's the end of the show

Hear them? They're calling your name

'Cause in the end"

Izuku held out his fist, Laura did the same, and the two fist bumped.

"It's you and your friends

You'll find your flame"

"Amaaaazing!" All Might shouted, jumping onto the beach and landing next to the duo, "I could not be anymore proud of the both of you! Such power, skill, reflexes! A battle with a climatic finish!" All Might laughed as Eri slid off of All Might's back and stumbled a bit.

"Imma dizzy…" Eri grabbed her head and swirled around in place, then shook her head. Eri's smile beamed brightly, and she ran over to hug Laura. Laura sat up and took in Eri's hug.

"Did you have fun?" Laura asked, pecking Eri on the cheek.

"Lots of it!" Eri then focused on Izuku with sparkles in her eyes, "Izuku, you were shooting electricity! It was blue and cool and awesome! Could you always do that?!"

"Indeed, Young Midoriya," All Might walked to Izuku and held out his hand, "How long have you been keeping that a secret?"

Izuku grabbed All Might's hand with All Might, hoisting Izuku onto his feet. Izuku patted himself off and feverishly ran his hands through his hair to get the sand off. "For about a couple of weeks now." Izuku answered, "I found out how to properly tap into it properly before bed, and I have been practicing alone to understand how to do it subconsciously. It's still a work in progress, but I've got to at least 5% by my calculations comparing its power to yours, All Might."

"How did you figure out that power gap?" Laura asked, now on her feet.

Izuku pointed behind him. A wave crashed onto the shore but when it went back into the ocean, a large pool of water stayed in a hole. "I snuck out one night and punched the sand. I had nothing else to work with that wouldn't leave a noticeable impression."

"What did you use to compare?" All Might questioned.

"I found a video of you online punching the villain Ranchor into the sand," Izuku explained. "It was also on the beach, so I took that and calculated my punch vs yours."

Izuku's feat would impress Laura if it wasn't a regular thing by now. "No surprise it was that easy." Laura felt now was as good of a time as ever to ask a question she had for a while, "If you don't mind me asking…when did you get your quirk, Izuku?"

The mood shifted and the three children looked to All Might's whose aura was the cause behind it. All Might became serious, making the girls nervous or on edge. "It was the day when Young Midoriya saved you and Eri from the slime monster." All Might answered, "I found Young Midoriya later that day and gave him my quirk. My quirk is One for All; it's been passed down through generations, each user enhancing its power. It's a stockpiling quirk. That is why I was adamant about Young Midoriya not using One for All until I felt he was ready. The power of One for All is tremendous, and any slight hiccup can destroy him. Maybe even kill him."

Laura and Eri sucked in a breath, thinking about it. Izuku was entrusted with the overwhelming power of One for All, despite the real life-threatening risks.

"The idea was to give Midoriya One for All after his training when his body was strong enough to handle it without killing him or at least injuring him." All Might glanced at Midoriya and gave him a thumbs up, "And Midoriya here proved he can handle it, and even surprised me by showing me he knows how to use it."

"But why change the plan?" Laura asked, curiously, "If the original intention was to give One for All to Izuku later, why pass it down immediately?"

All Might's face contorted into a troubled look and his thumbs up turned into a fist. "There was a shift in the criminal underworld. One that was too monumental for me to overlook." All Might turned his body towards the city, watching the quiet area and feeling the pressure of it all. "I'm part of an investigation that is looking into a string of crimes where people with quirks are suddenly quirkless, with no sign of harm. The consequences of forced quirklessness are always life-changing, with everyone having to come to terms of being without something that identifies them as an individual. It's like losing part of your soul, and people take drastic measures to either regain it or to numb that feeling of loss." All Might placed a hand over his face, shuddering at the many reports of people falling into a dark place mentally and what they did. "And that's just the lucky people, if you want to call it that. Some can't even comprehend what happened and become brain dead."

Laura and Eri felt suspended, Eri more so than Laura. Laura had to force herself to move, to lift Eri into her arms and hold her tightly for her and for herself. Izuku, already knowing this, could only return Laura's gaze with sorrow.

"But that's not why All Might gave me One for All," Izuku softly said, feeling remorse for the victims he didn't know.

"No," All Might continued, removing his hand from his face. "It was a recent development that forced my hand. Something that could harm me and I wouldn't even know. For as fast and guarded as I am, even I can fall victim to sudden incidents." All Might looked back to Laura and Eri, "A new victim report came in. Same result as always. A quirk stripped away. But a few key differences were that this victim was a hero, and they had suffered physical damage. Someone shot them."

Eri and Laura's hearts fell into their stomachs, and they stopped moving completely. The information they received dilated their eyes, stalled their breathing, and shattered their minds.

Could it be? Did he…no…no he couldn't be active now! Not without them! There is no possibility he changed plans and enacted his promise! He didn't have enough of their blood! Laura sabotaged it before they left!

"Laura? Eri?" Izuku reached out to them. Laura and Eri jumped back with a scream, causing Izuku to recoil! Eri hyperventilated while Laura suddenly became guardful, holding Eri tightly and looking at Izuku like a feral beast!

"Laura! Eri!" Izuku put his hands up as All Might got next to Izuku, equally shocked and ready. "Please! Calm down! It's okay!" Izuku spoke before calming himself, slowly lowering his hands to his chest and walking towards them.

"Girls…it's okay," All Might gently said, staying back, knowing Izuku was closer to them than he was. "I didn't mean to scare you." All Might noted how the girls reacted to the information.

Laura and Eri remained on guard, with Izuku still slowly closing the gap between them. Laura watched Izuku intensely, while Eri dug her head into Laura's neck. Feeling this, Laura sneered and backed away, too overtaken by her instincts and emotions to think clearly.

Izuku stopped momentarily, paralyzed by what he was seeing before him. They behaved erratically, as if traumatized. When Izuku first met them, he knew they were hurt, but believed the slime villain had injured them. This was different, and their reactions towards hearing about the bullets seemed to have activated a trigger.

Izuku brushed the thoughts away. That didn't matter now. His friends needed him!

"Laura…Eri…" Izuku remained calm and pushed forward slightly, "It's okay. It's me, Izuku. Your friend." Izuku looked at Eri. "Your hero." Izuku didn't feel great using that word, but it was what connected him and Eri. Her view of him being her hero. "I promise, whatever is making you feel threatened, it won't hurt you. I won't let them hurt you." Izuku took each step slowly to not make Laura and Eri feel anymore endangered as they did now.

Laura continued to sneer and give Izuku warnings through her actions, but Izuku continued to push forward. Izuku was almost close to Laura until…

SNIKT!

"Midoriya!" All Might shouted and almost rushed to save his pupil from being attacked, but his vision was quicker than his body and he paused just in time.

Izuku had closed the gap between them, holding Laura and Eri in his arms. Laura extended her free hand, claws extended, but she didn't graze Izuku.

Izuku held onto the girls, holding them gently and securely. "It's okay." Izuku mumbled. "I promise I won't let them hurt you." Izuku hadn't a clue who or what he was protecting them from, but whatever it was, Izuku was determined to keep them safe, no matter what.

Laura and Eri's breathing continued to be rapid, but slowly, Laura's hand fell to her side and her claws retracted into her skin. Laura's head gently fell and rested on Izuku's shoulder, with Eri gradually peeking her head out. Izuku smiled tenderly when Eri's eyes met his and moved a hand to Eri's cheek, lightly cupping it. Eri whined softly and pressed her head further into Izuku's hand, feeling safer while Laura was feeling an old sense of security that she longed for since before…

Laura slowly looked up to Izuku, watching him tend to Eri. Laura's pupils grew now, seeing Izuku more clearly for the first time. Izuku was calm, careful, and soft with her and Eri. It was as if nothing wrong could happen with him around; that anyone who came to harm them wouldn't get past him.

For a year, Laura knew Izuku, and within that year, Laura wasn't very nice to him. She was cruel to her words, harsh with her actions, and even feral like right now. Laura knew she swung her claws at him, trying to hurt him. Laura didn't mean to, but she was suffocating and thinking irrationally, and Laura wouldn't blame Izuku for thinking she was dangerous. But instead of running away or being scared, Izuku took a leap and held onto them, trying to chase away the fears and anxieties that held Eri and herself, even at the risk of getting mutilated.

Laura recalled being annoyed by Izuku when he approached her when she was under the tree. She only let him sit next to her because Laura felt she was intruding on his space, but Laura was going to leave after she thanked him for rescuing herself and Eri. It was only Bakugo and his goonies arriving that stopped her from doing so, and Laura was feeling lucky she didn't walk away from him then and called out to Izuku to follow her.

Since then, no matter how vicious or merciless Laura was, even to the point of making Izuku breakdown twice, Izuku stayed with her and still had the valor to say he couldn't imagine life now without her!

"Why is my heart beating?" Laura pondered to herself, "It feels like it's fluttering. I want to let go, but…I don't want this to end. What is going on with me?!"

Izuku, looking down at Laura with his soft, charming smile, kindly asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Laura responded instantly, feeling her heart flutter and gulping lightly, unable to take her eyes off Izuku.

All Might stood to the side, wary of Kayama. When Midoriya went for his hug, Kayama's eyes flickered. To the average human, they may miss it if they aren't looking carefully, but for All Might, a moment in time is a minute to him. The moment before Kayama swung her claws at Midoriya, a flash of red filled her eyes. Something in All Might stirred. A hazy memory surfaced: a man with those same red eyes charging him with an animalistic roar that sent shivers down his spine.

All Might remembered the emotion he felt when that man lunged at him: Fear.

"Are you two okay?" All Might asked and walked to the trio questioning if he should allow Midoriya to stay with Kayama.

Laura, Eri, and Izuku glanced at All Might with Laura looking back and forth between Izuku and herself. Laura realized she was leaning onto Izuku and suddenly pushed off of him when her body quickly heated up.

"Yes…" Laura looked to Eri, who was suddenly longing for Izuku's touch. "Yeah, we're good." Laura set Eri down as Eri ran to Izuku. Izuku scooped Eri into his arms and laughed. Laura smiled lightly and refocused on All Might with a guilty expression. "Sorry…it was a lot to take in."

"No, it was my fault." All Might sighed, "I shouldn't have said all of that. As I was explaining everything, it slipped my mind that you and Eri have your traumas."

"We do," Laura replied honestly, "And…"

"No, that's not for me to hear," All Might stopped Laura, "Open yourself to someone you trust. What I told you and Eri, I said in confidence because you, Kayama, had already figured it out. My secret identity and Young Midoriya gaining a quirk through suspicious means, I thought it would be best to tell you rather than keep you in the dark. You would have found out eventually, and like you said, you were already connecting the dots. All you needed was confirmation."

Laura nodded her head. "Thank you. And I still uphold my promise. I never spoke about it to anyone, even to Izuku, and he is the walking secret."

"For now," Izuku piped in while stroking Eri's hair, "Did I ever mention your hair is as soft as a cloud?"

Eri giggled and stroked Izuku's hair, "All the time. And yours is puffy like a cloud!"

Izuku smiled more and set Eri down on her feet. "I'm glad to see you two are doing okay now." Izuku looked at the girls, making sure they were okay, before speaking. "But to get back to the topic of why do I have One for All this early?" Izuku looked at his hand and felt a surge of power coursing through it. "All Might feared that because a bullet could take away One for All at a moment's notice when he's saving people it was too risky to keep it to himself."

"And Young Midoriya here has the perfect cover." All Might grinned, "As far as anyone knows, Midoriya is quirkless. It says so on his files, through the people he knows, etcetera. He is as safe as possible."

"What stops them from targeting Izuku at random?" Laura questioned with a hand on her hip, "Most of the population has a quirk. They can be as random as they want."

"That's where the most interesting part about these crimes comes into play," All Might held up a finger, expecting this line of thinking. "All the people targeted had powerful quirks. If it were random, then it would be a mix bag of strong, weak, and mutated quirks. However, all the quirks that were stripped away were powerful quirks, with only a select few being mutated. This tells me that whoever is doing this knows who they are targeting beforehand. Which gives Young Midoriya the perfect cover."

"For once it paid to be quirkless," Izuku laughed to himself, feeling proud of his quirkless status for the first time.

The answer satisfied Laura. As long as Izuku was safe, that's all that mattered to her. Laura suddenly peaked up when a thought crossed her mind, "But how did you get a grasp on One for All?"

"Well, at first all the power went to one place," Izuku held his index finger up, showing it glowing brightly with red markings glowing everywhere, "I could feel it here but I knew that if I used it, I would risk permanently damaging myself forever. At least that's what I figured. I don't know how putting all my power in one place would affect me now, but I wouldn't want to risk it now that I have the advantage." The glowing red markings surrounding Izuku's finger traced back down to his hand and became pink as it flashed across his arms, legs, and face. "I was thinking about how I could use it without hurting myself." Izuku smiled once again and pointed to Laura, "And that's where you helped me."

Laura pointed to herself, stunned, "Me?"

Izuku nodded, "Yup! I remember our fights and watching you be so in sync with yourself. Your body moved as one. I used to believe it took so much effort out of you to pull some of the crazy tricks you did, but then I realized you spread your power throughout your body. You flow so perfectly because you don't hold all the power in one area. Instead, you allow it to flow through you. Like a taiyaki in a microwave."

"I liked this compliment, but that just ruined it…" Laura gave Izuku a stoned face look over his microwave comment.

Izuku laughed a little and would have continued talking, but all Izuku could do was laugh. More and more Izuku laughed joyfully, his hand over his face and his body curling slightly inward. Eri joined Izuku's laughter, while Laura and All Might watched in confusion. Thatgot Laura and All Might to laugh, albeit a little awkwardly.

"W-why are we laughing?" Eri asked in between her laughs.

Izuku stood up tall and headed towards the beach getting his laughter situated, "Be-because I have never felt better!" Izuku shouted and spun on his heels to look at his friends, "Just a year ago, I was a walking mess! Every day, I wondered if I deserved to be where I am at; if I even deserve the privilege of obtaining One for All and being told I can be a hero!" Izuku looked at Laura, "I told you, remember? That even after All Might said I could be a hero, that I didn't feel any different at all? That I was still miserable on the inside?" Laura nodded her head and walked towards Izuku, with Eri following behind her. Izuku, now backpedaling onto the beach, continued, "When that didn't make me feel better, I thought nothing will!"

Izuku spun around once again, now looking at the beach, "But look at me now!" Izuku shouted at the top of his lungs, "I have a quirk! I have friends that are proud of me! My idol is my mentor! I have a better relationship with my mother!" Izuku laughed once again yet kept going, "I even got rid of the poison that rotted my core, and made me believe I wasn't enough as a human being to be standing on the same grounds as he did!"

Izuku suddenly took off his shirt and flung it to the side, "I don't need you!" Izuku howled, pointing toward the shirt, which was aimed at the city, "I haven't thought of how much I miss you, I haven't thought about if you were right about me, I haven't thought about the pain you inflicted on me mentally and physically! I! Don't! Think! About! You!" Izuku had a wide open smile with the tip of his tongue sticking out.

All Might was amused by Midoriya's explosiveness of elation and sincerity, but wondered if Midoriya's friends influenced this newly apparent open honesty, or if it was always a part of him, lying dormant until now.

Eri was happy overall with Izuku. Eri has seen Izuku's struggles for the past year from nearly dying trying to save her life, to the scar, to the courtrooms. Everything! It pained Eri every time she saw Izuku in pain because of the endless turmoil that surrounded him. Yet, Izuku never gave up! He may have faltered, but he got right back up and fought back! For his friends, for his dreams, but most importantly, for himself! And Eri could not be anymore prouder to call Izuku her hero!

Laura, meanwhile, was having trouble thinking straight. If Laura was in a trance earlier about Izuku's heart, then this was hypnotic. Laura stared at Izuku, watching his every move, gazing at his body. There was something internal making it difficult for Laura to look away. It reminded her of when Izuku was staring at her several months ago when they were playing sakkā but now she was the one looking at him!

It didn't help that the waves had made an enormous crash and provided a majestic background for Izuku. The water splashing everywhere, drops of it landing on Izuku, pelting his body, and sliding down the lines that gave Izuku's muscle definition. Laura's admiration furthered when Izuku turned his body towards Laura, revealing his bare chest and abdomen structure.

"This is not the weak idiot I knew back then! Who the hell is this?!" Laura pondered, feeling her cheeks and body heating again. Laura nearly let out a squeak when Izuku slicked his hair back to get rid of the water that landed on him. Of course, his hair remained its normal shaggy self, but it was the mental picture of Izuku that burned into Laura's mind.

Laura was cursing a storm in her head, trying to get a grip on herself and frustratedly wondering what was going on with her! Laura, in an act of desperation, punched herself!

Laura rocked her head, sucking in air, and regained control over herself. Laura looked forward; luckily, Eri and All Might watched Izuku, whose eyes were closed as he enjoyed the weather.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid…" Laura muttered angrily to herself. How could she lose control over herself because Izuku was hypnotic suddenly? Is this part of his quirk? Didn't it say that All Might say it was a compounding quirk? Did one of the previous users have hypnosis? There had to be a reason for this!

Taking a few more moments to recuperate, Laura walked to Izuku, standing just in front of him. "A man reborn. Laura, confidently and proudly, smiled. "You fought like hell to get what you wanted. You're damn right when you say you deserved this!" Laura punched Izuku playfully on his arm, causing him to chuckle, "And tomorrow, the fruits of your labor will be yours! We will go to that exam, we will ace it, and we will get into U.A!" Laura hailed, holding out her hand for a dap.

Izuku dapped Laura, a loud clap echoing across the beach, "And we will be the next Symbols of Peace!"

All Might boomed with laughter seeing the two declare their intentions to be accepted into U.A, and in Izuku's words, become the next Symbols of Peace. "That is what I like to hear! I am excited to witness your individual journeys into becoming Pro Heroes!" All Might looked to Midoriya, "A quirkless child that no one believed in…" All Might turned to Kayama, albeit with mixed feelings, "A victim of a crime who some believed was too unstable for society…" All Might placed his hand on top of the children's dap, "Coming together to form, one unstoppable, dominant duo who have the power to take on any obstacle that stands in their way! I will share with you U.A's motto, and I hope you will soon say this loud and proud! Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!"

"HAAAAA!" Izuku and Laura shouted, swinging their hands down and feeling energized!

"Look out, Japan…" Laura spoke with a smirk, crouching with her claws out and touching the floor.

Izuku stood behind Laura with his right forearm in front of him and his left hand gripping it, "Because your new heroes are coming!"

"YEAH!"

…

"I'm surprised they didn't notice," Eri thought to herself, walking in between two wooden boards that led into a large structure gap of a building. "I know they will soon, but…" Eri looked down to her hand, "I need to do this one more time."

Eri took a couple more steps before stopping at a large metal frame. The metal frame was completely detached from the building. Time and weather broke it off, and the building remained standing. Eri made sure of this several times to not cause any harm to anyone that called the apartment's home.

Eri held her hand and touched the metal, feeling the cold steel run up her warm hand and send shivers down her body. Eri closed her eyes and focused, feeling the surge of energy run through her. Before it felt unstable, like a lightning storm striking at anything it touched. Now…that wasn't the case anymore.

"...Kesu…" Eri murmured, putting all of her power into her hand. Eri's horn glowed a vibrant emerald yellow color as did the metal sheet. Eri opened her eyes and pressed her hand further onto the metal, watching the rust retract and the shine returning the metal to its once purest state. Eri pulled her hand back before slamming it onto the metal and watching the metal break down piece by piece until there was one small scrap piece left. Eri swiped her hand to the side, and the metal reacted by turning into dust.

"Well, at first all the power went to one place," Izuku held his index finger up, showing it glowing brightly with red markings glowing everywhere.

"Thank you, Izuku," Eri smiled graciously. "Now I understand how to use my curse. I let it flow through me, but I could never get it to do what I wanted it to do. It would momentarily rewind something I touched, but never completely. But I get it. I should have done the opposite of you! Put all my energy into one place!" Eri laughed wholeheartedly!

After years of feeling like she was a walking bomb, Eri finally did what was once impossible for her!

Eri gained control over her curse! Now Laura didn't have to worry anymore! Eri didn't have to fear herself anymore! They can live with Nemuri forever now without Eri…making the same mistake again.

Eri closed her eyes and bowed her head. The guilt carried with her every day. She overheard Laura so many times in her dreams saying it wasn't her fault. That their dad disappearing wasn't Eri's fault. That she was a baby, and no one knew her curse could erase a person from existence.

Eri may be young, but she understands one lesson in life.

Not everyone is created equal.

Eri's curse is stronger than anyone has ever seen. He said it so many times despite how powerful his quirk is! They are very similar, but Eri's is flexible and can do things not even his quirk can do!

She was born too powerful, and her and Laura's life were miserable because of it.

Eri growled under her breath and gritted her teeth. The curse wasn't her fault! Eri didn't ask for it, and yet it ruined her and Laura's life! If it wasn't for Eri's curse, they would have their lives. She wouldn't have to hear Laura cry nearly every night. They wouldn't have to be tortured for years without a break!

They would have their father back!

Eri opened her eyes and stared at her hands. They were shaking as fast as Eri's heart was pacing. Eri's breathing became ragged, nearly similar to Laura's. Eri felt many growls escape her throat and looked up.

Eri was back inside that hallway. She was in hell again.

But this time…Eri was the demon. The one to inflict pain. The one to end it all!

Eri walked down the empty dark hallway, hearing the screams and wails of those who called Him their leader from the walls. Eri, her focus unbroken, her rage ablaze, and her mind silent, walked into that room. In that chair, strapped down as she and Laura once were, was HIM!

"Eri…" He choked out, unable to move. His arms, legs, and head tied down to the chair. "Eri, don't do this!"

Eri didn't answer. He didn't deserve her voice. Eri walked towards him, her curse turbulent inside, screaming to be set free. Eri's horn blinded the room with an eerie buzzing noise emanating from it; her hands sparking and crackling like lightning. Eri floated towards him, her hands stretched out.

"Don't! Don't do this!" He pleaded and struggled violently against his straps to no avail. "I did it to make the world pure! To cure it! Don't keep it infected! Eri!"

Eri floated above him, looking down at the monster, now whimpering for his life like a helpless child.

How poetic.

"Kesu," Eri's voice thundered through the room, slamming her hands on him and watching his body convulse disturbingly as he rapidly de-aged, then disappeared.

Eri's rage was boiling, overflowing with her curse threatening to spiral out of her control.

Eri blinked and fell onto the sand. Her fury vanished, and so did her vision. Eri picked herself up, holding her head. She was back in the gap and to reality.

"Heh…" Eri chuckled quietly, "Laura, Izuku, Nemuri…all of you promised to never let someone hurt me. I promise to never let someone hurt any of you too." Eri gazed at her hands and laughed louder, "Because if someone hurts the people I love…I…will…erase them!"

Those who lived inside the building, living out their normal lives, were suddenly confused and frightened by what was a little girl laughing hysterically through the walls.

Eri, her hands clutching her head with the images of all of those she hates, cackled freely. Her horn glowed a bright, vibrant yellow.

But slowly, the natural yellow that shined of life faded away. A flicker of a dark crimson mask kindled. Just as Eri's laugh grew shallow and quiet, the light that was once bright with life burned into a scorching inferno red.

---

Songs:

Life and Training - Montage - Team America: World Police

Izuku vs Laura Part 1 - Find Your Flame - Tomoya Ohtani (Sonic Frontiers OST)

Eri's Cursed Vow - Pain and Anger - Henry Jackman (X-Men: First Class)