Quirk Society's 'Shenanigans'

by FunXOXze

Summary:

(Three teen friends. One, a hero in training. One, a vigilante. One, a villain. How do they live on as friends in this hero/villain & quirk based society? What will it take to separate them? A tiny mistake? Or One mistake so big, that they go their own ways?

 

OR
Asuka Akazane did not have a proper childhood. But that's certainly not stopping her from chasing her dreams and making friends.

Notes:

All chapters may have different POVS and confusing connections and as well as some possible cringey stuff. You have been warned! Also, this story focuses after the great war. Best read Chapter 430 MHA manga if you wanna understand some stuff here.

Chapter 1: Prologue

18 years.

 

18 years have passed since the great war against the notorious villain, All for One and Shigaraki Tomura.

 

But have things really gotten better? Perhaps, for a few. But not for everyone. Asuka looked over Kamino, the lights of the city were beautiful. It wasn't like how they were described in the books. Accordingly, before the League of Villains, it was way more...peaceful? quiet? Well, one thing is for sure, there wasn't as much tourism and advanced technology. A loud buzzer sounded.

 

It's nothing. Just a large villain alert. For civilians to escape. But for Asuka, this buzzer meant an opportunity. The opportunity to watch Pro heroes fight villains. She grabbed her messenger bag with her red scaled tail and stretched her crimson red wings. Pulling her mask up and her red visors down, she took off into the air. She remembered watching old videos on a former No.2 Hero, Hawks. Or now better known as HPSC's head director, Keigo Takami, who was now quirkless due to the great war that went down years ago. She remembered watching how fast the hero flew in the videos.  How quickly he solved mysteries and stopped robberies. How stealthy and fast he was during fights with villains. Sure, she knew a lot about him before and after he became quirkless. But he wasn't really her favorite. Close, but no.

 

Asuka landed on a company's roof. Namely, Lightly Lab. She sat down quietly, and carefully as loud booms and crashes sounded beneath her. Asuka looked over the edge. Let's see who we have tonight....

 

Explosion Murder God 'Dynamight', Currently ranked 11.


Red Riot, Currently ranked 12.

 

Chargebolt, Currently ranked 44.

 

Shoto, currently ranked 2.

 

and....

 

 

Deku.

 

Asuka's eyes widened as she immediately reached for her notebook. Finally...she got to see pro hero Deku in action again! Sure..she heard a lot about him from Kanji, but seeing him up close is another thing. She scribbled and wrote in her notebook, her writing getting more frantic and quick by the second. This was natural for her. Learning all she can about pro heroes, especially Deku, who was a quirkless hero. Not that she didn't want to use her quirk, she thought maybe she should enhance her physical power, since she can't rely on the 'self defense' excuse every time, waiting for the villain to attack her first. And obviously, those small little alley ways are sometimes not the most ideal place to use her fire, not to mention-

Snap

 

The pencil broke. Asuka stared at the pencil blankly. …She overdid it again..She sighed quietly and pulled out a new pencil. That’s the 3rd one this week. She looked back down at the now cuffed villain. The Air Conditioning Hero slowly melting the ice away while talking to the Explosive Hero. The Stun Gun Hero jumped about with the Sturdy Hero while The One For All Hero watched them with a small smile on his face.

 

Asuka stared. Funny ain’t it? The world’s greatest hero and youngest hero in history, quirkless. And yet, so many people respect him. What about her? Everyone assumed the discrimination on quirkless and mutant people lessened after the great war. And it’s true. The discrimination against mutants and quirkless people did lessen. But it was never truly gone. Those caught up with the few people who still hate quirkless and mutant people have it worse than ever nowadays.

It’s not just taunting, bullying and abusing anymore. It’s slavery, human trafficking, suicide-baiting, murder and even r@ping. Society…It’s just that cruel. Humanity will never change no matter what happens. May it be the release of the League of Villain’s story or Pro Hero Deku’s Feats. Because that’s how humanity is. Ruthless. Stubborn. Arrogant.

 

Asuka sighed and stood up, leaving the villain site before any hero spotted her. It’d be troublesome if the infamous vigilante; Hoshi, was caught sneaking and taking analysis notes on heroes. She flew off the building, making sure to fly inside the clouds to hide her appearance. After all, she wouldn’t want any heroes like The Tentacle Hero: Tentacole to spot her. It’s troublesome. It’s a good thing no heroes noticed her earlier..

Or did they?

 

 

 

 

‘You saw that right?’

 

‘...yeah. On top of the roof.’

 

‘Do you think that was a Villain?'

 

'Not sure. But there is a possibility.'

 

'I SHOULD'VE WENT UP THERE AND CATCH THE LITTLE BRAT'

 

'Kacchan no..'

 

'I think it's best we investigate first.'

 

'Of course. Let's ask detective Tsukauchi about this.'

Chapter 2: Dragons, Fire and Spiders

Summary:

Introduction to Asuka and her two best friends! Who will be the quote on quote main characters for this book!

Asuka landed on a balcony and opened the glass door quietly. The apartment was quiet and dark. She went in quietly and closed the glass door gently. 

 

‘Asuka.’

 

Asuka flinched and turned around quickly. 

 

‘...uhm..hi?’

 

A boy, about 5’8 with neat black hair and crimson red eyes glanced at Asuka. He was wearing a black suit with a purple tie. Next to him, another boy about 5’6 with wild yellowish-orange hair and calming blue eyes. He wore a orange dynamight sweater with blue jeans.

 

Kazaki, the black haired boy, walked over to Asuka and knocked her head. ‘Ow!’ Kazaki crossed his arms. ‘Ow is right. Why’d you sneak out again? Did you go to the fight scene? What if a hero catches you?’ Asuka sighed ‘I’m very careful. They didn’t see me..’ Kanji, the yellow haired boy, scowled. ‘Yeah yeah, just like how careful you were with that Depressed Cat Lover.’ Asuka glared at Kanji. ‘His name is Eraserhead and that was one time!’ ‘It still happened.’

 

Asuka went for a shower while Kazaki heated up the food he left for her. Kanji went to sleep almost immediately. A few minutes later, Asuka went to sit at the breakfast counter, her head plopped down on the table. Kazaki looked at Asuka. Asuka looked back and blinked, which got a sigh out of Kazaki.

 

A bowl of warm udon was placed in front of Asuka. As she dug in, she observed Kazaki. He’s always the quiet one among the three. It’s kinda reasonable. Considering his….Job.

 

A sharp pain hit Asuka in the back of her head. ‘Quit daydreaming and eat your udon.’ Asuka turned to look at Kanji. ‘Whatever. You didn’t need to karate chop my head, also, weren't you sleeping?!’ ‘I got thirsty.’

 

The noise in the apartment continued. But it didn’t affect anyone in the building. Everyone knew the three were always like this. Superb energetic during both day and night, except Kazaki of course. And Kanji if he had a long training. In everyone’s eyes, Kazaki was a tired older brother of the two who took care of them day and night. Kanji was the active and ambitious 1st year hero-in-training while Asuka was the cheeky little sister. At least, that’s how everyone sees it. Nothing is ever as it seems. And well, I bet you all know the sayings ‘Wolf in Sheep’s clothing’ and ‘Never judge a book by its cover.’ After all, no one would expect a hero-in-training, a famous vigilante and a villain to live together under one roof. Yeah you heard me. Three completely different people living together in one house.

 

Kanji’s quirk was an Emitter Quirk called ‘Magma’. A quirk that allowed him to generate magma from a part of his body. Problem is, he doesn’t really have full resistance to it. Kazaki’s quirk was a transformation quirk he named ‘Spider Beast’, which allowed him to turn into a spider or just transform part of his body into specific spider parts. Asuka’s quirk was a mutant quirk named ‘Dragonair’, which as the name suggests, means she is half dragon.

 

But yeah, you’ve seen their interactions, they are getting along well. So what’s so bad about it?

 

Everything.

 

All they need is for each other to make one small mistake, and all three of them are doomed. You read it right, doomed. All it’ll take is for Kanji to accidentally let slip that Asuka is a vigilante and Kazaki is a villain and an entire hero squad will be knocking on their doors with the police. If Kazaki’s villain friends knew about Kanji and Asuka, it would put both of them in danger of being kidnapped by other villains. 

 

If there are so many risks, why do they even bother staying together? That, my friends, is a story for another day. For now, i would like to start talking about their little trauma-filled chaotic adventure that happens a few weeks after what had happened in the previous chapter and this chapter. This is going to be a longgggg story. 

 

Alright I'll begin now.

‘18 years ago, there was a great war that happened between the hero and villains. It was treacherous, cities were in ruins and people were afraid and fighting each other. In the middle of this chaos lies 4 main “characters”.......’

Notes:

I'm sorry this is such a short chapter. I was busy and i had multiple writer's block.

Chapter 3: Story Time

Summary:

[This is just speaking about my version of what happened during and after the final war. NON CANONICAL DEATH OF CHARACTER. I’m sorry guys, I had to kill some of them off.]

Also wow, I'm early! hehe.

18 years ago, during the great war between the heroes and the League of Villains, many civilians suffered from the increasing crime rates and destroyed cities. Villains on the other hand, flourished and suffered at the same time. Tartarus and many other prison’s inmates were broken out, these inmates included Lady Nagant, Muscular, Overhaul, Moonfish and All For One. The villains raided the cities, stealing and causing chaos for the civilians and refugees. And since the number of heroes have decreased greatly due to the Paranormal Liberation Front War, Heroes-in-Training and Foreign heroes had to be assigned to help out. 

 

Izuku Midoriya was one of these Heroes-in-training. But he wasn’t just there to help out. He was a valuable asset. One of the keys to help the heroes win the war against the League of Villains. Nowadays, people talk about these few ‘keys’ as legends in the war. Bakugo Katsuki, now known as Pro Hero Murder God Explosion Dynamite, the one who has experienced death and returned alive. Monoma Neito, now known as Pro hero Phantom Thief, the one who played the main supporting role of transporting the heroes to their rendezvous points and stopping shigaraki from using his quirk. Todoroki Shoto, now known as..uhm still shoto, the one who stopped dabi from causing a large explosion and bringing him down. Ochaco Uraraka, the one who stood with and against Toga, ultimately stopping her from using ‘Sad man’s parade’ from causing more chaos.

 

And then there’s deku. I dont mean to say it like he didn’t do anything but he was amazing. The best. The pillar for new heroes to lean and look up to. Even if he wasn’t the symbol of peace. He defeated Shigaraki Tomura, never backing up even when severely injured. He was also known to have defeated Valdo Gollini - Dark Might, Kai Chisaki - Overhaul and Nine - the ultimate Noumu experiment of Doctor Garaki, etc. 

 

During this war, many..unexpected things happened. There were over 100 deaths on the side of heroes and almost complete annihilation of the villains. Alive League of Villains members included Mr.Compress, Dabi and Spinner. All other recorded LOV members are dead. Toga Himiko sacrificed her blood for Uraraka to live.  Jin Bubaigawara was killed during the paranormal liberation war by Hawks. While Shigaraki Tomura, or should I say, Tenko Shimura, was recorded as ‘terminated’ during the end of the Final war. Spinner and Mr.Compress were already released from their captivities after about 15 years of rehabilitation. Dabi, on the other hand, was recovering slowly. Though the burns he acquired during the war were severe enough to lead him to death, he managed to pull through but was still in rehab.

 

Other than that, a few other famous pro heroes of that time had also……passed. These heroes were Ryukyu the Dragoon Hero, Former No.10, Crust the Shield Hero, Former No.6 Hero, Midnight the R-rated Hero, Former Teacher in UA, Present Mic the Voice Hero, also Former Teacher in UA and a few more. However, the most..tragic death was Toshinori Yagi. All Might. Former No.1 hero and Former Symbol of Peace. Records say that his body couldn’t withstand the strength and pressure anymore after the fight ended. And passed peacefully in the hospital a few months after. 

 

…..Tragic ain’t it? I bet a lot of people cried for him. A lot of people admired him, looked up to him, some students he taught before even considered him a father. But it couldn’t be helped. That is the law of nature. Nevertheless, the future generation now have new heroes to look up to. Heroes that fought in the great war and survived. Like Current No.1 Hero, Lemillion, Also known as Togata Mirio, the one who bought time and distracted shigaraki during the war, also the one who supported Midoriya Izuku behind the scenes. And Current No.2, Shoto. As said earlier, was one of the main keys of the war. 

 

Of course, with no surprise most of the heroes-in-training who had joined the LOV war had become great heroes. Expect Grape Juice of course. No one likes him. (Hmmmmm well deserved. Though his character development was great, I’d prefer not being around someone like him)

 

And With All For One and One for All completely gone, It is believed that the future will be better. That whatever happened 18 years ago would never happen again. That the future generation can live in peace. 

Unfortunately for them, Asuka existed.

Chapter 4: Kamino Ward

Summary:

Asuka accepts a request from Eraserhead and decides to face her fears a little.

Kamino was as noisy as it ever was. The heroes patrolling through the streets, the civilians asking for autographs and pictures, villains sneaking through the alleys and blending in through the crowds, not leaving out the vigilantes who jump and run about the city. The glorious statue of All Might stood where it used to be the scene when All Might battled All for One for the second time.

 

A little girl, about 7 or 8 years old with bull horns sticking out of her head ran to the statue, fantasizing over the great hero while her mother came behind her. ‘Ew, mutants? Keep away from us, your frantic animal behaviour might put us in danger!’ came a voice from the crowd. The little girl flinched and lowered her head, her mother instinctively rebutting the person’s comment. But to no avail, it only caused more commotion. 

 

‘Stay out of the city!’

 

‘You don’t belong here, freaks.’

 

‘Don’t go near people like them, Sunji.’

 

‘Ok Mom.’

 

‘What a pitiful child..to be born looking like that..’

 

The girl’s eyes filled with tears. There were no great heroes around. Heroes like Tentacole or sidekicks like Anima. Mutant heroes who would have shut these rude civilian’s mouths in seconds. But it’s okay, most mutants have gotten used to this. When the cat isn’t around, the mice come to play. For most part, they just have to ignore the insults and leave. 

 

The girl ran to her mother, in which they turned to leave. A man looked at them angrily ‘Where do you think you’re going, you freaks? Are you going to hurt us?!’ His hand raised high, as if he were about to hit them. The hand came down, the little girl closed her eyes, bracing for the impact. Then, there was a noise. But, the land never hit?

 

‘Who gave you the right to go around hitting people like that?’

 

The girl opened her eyes to be greeted by the sight of a tall woman. Her hair was silver white, she wore a yellow scarf around her neck, her sweater, a lighter shade of yellow, dark blue platform shoes. She also had white-red horns and a red scaled tail. The girl looked up at her in awe, she had caught the man’s hand and stopped him from hitting her!

 

The man looked at the woman angrily ‘Hey! Let go, freak!’ The woman didn’t respond, instead she hit him in the head. The man made a pained noise and retreated when she let go of his hand. ‘Is it fun?’ she asked. The man looked up, ‘...what?’ She looked up, Crimson red eyes piercing through the man’s soul. ‘I asked if you thought it was fun to get hit.’ ‘Are you crazy?! Who would-’ ‘Exactly. You were about to hit a child. For existing. I think i can sue you for child abuse if i were to have let you hit her and recorded the scene. But that wouldn’t be very righteous would it?’ The girl felt her mother’s arms on her shoulders as she looked at the dragon woman. Who was she? She’s so cool..

 

The dragon woman turned to the crowd. ‘Do you think this is fun? To gossip about mutants? To watch them get tortured? Even though we all have our beloved few mutant pro heroes?’ Whispers and murmurs were heard in the large crowd, as many started leaving the scene, agreeing to the woman’s logic and stopped bothering the girl and her mother. The man was dazed, lost in thought, not noticing the dragon woman approaching him. ‘...You’re lucky I was the one who found you here today. At this hour.’ Her voice turned into a whisper not even the little girl could hear, but she knew it was probably something very scary because the man immediately flinched and turned to get away. 

 

The crowd surrounding them cleared and everything was back to normal. The dragon woman approached the little girl and kneeled down to her level. ‘Hey there kiddo. You alright?’ The little girl nodded her head ‘mhm! …ah uhm…My name is Isobe Ryoko! Thank you for saving me and my mommy!’ The dragon woman chuckled softly ‘Bright Child.’ ‘What?’ ‘Your name. It means bright child. I think it's a wonderful name. It suits you. You seem like a giant ball of energy.’ Isobe laughed softly. This is the first time anyone has said that to her. ‘Thank you…uhm..What’s your name miss?’ A small but pretty and warm smile greeted Isobe as the dragon woman replied. ‘Hoshi. Call me Hoshi.’

________________________________

Finally. Away from the crowds. It’s a good thing she stopped that man quickly..otherwise that little girl… Asuka sighed, hopefully that little threat can stop him from repeating what he did today. ‘If you were to meet me at night, you wouldn’t even be alive. I’m letting you live now. If I see you do something like this again… get ready to meet your great grandparents.’ She had told him. Was that too threatening or scary? Probably..the man looked like he’d seen a ghost. 

 

She walked through the alley way, the mice glancing and running away from her. Kazaki leaned against the wall and looked at her. ‘Could never let any mutant hater go hm?’ ‘How can I?’ He pushed himself off the wall, and gestured to her to follow. ‘You’re lucky I know these routes like the back of my hand. Otherwise, you’d be more than lost.’ Asuka internally rolled her eyes as she walked next to Kazaki. ‘Mhm. And I’m lucky you’re such a great informant, big brother.’ Kazaki sighed ‘When are you going to stop calling me that?’ ‘Never’ 

 

What was the girl’s name again? ..Right, Isobe Ryoko. That’s a nice name. Not that her’s was not. Asuka Akazane was a nice name. Alright, maybe “Akazane” sounds a little weird as a family name, but it is what it is. In her name, “Asu” meant Bird. “Ka” meant flying. “Aka” was Red. While “Kazane” was Wind and Tranquility/Peace/Calmness. It wasn’t a bad name at all. The only reason she disliked it was because of how few people would say. The people she hated with her life. The people who she made saw red. 

 

Putting that aside, she had to focus back on following Kazaki around the dark underground villain world. Vigilante duty calls, and she isn’t going to fail Eraserhead since he had trusted her just to the point to ask her for this favor.

~Flashback to a few days ago~

 

‘Remember when you told me you had a friend who was a villain?’

 

Asuka blinked, That’s weird. Eraserhead usually doesn’t like talking about this when he's feeling friendly…unless..

 

‘Erm..yeah? Why?’

 

‘...This may be a little weird. But I need a favor.’

 

Asuka almost fell from the edge of the roof, because DID ERASERHEAD JUST ASKED FOR A FAVOR?! Eraserhead looked at her and sighed.

 

‘Calm down kiddo. It’s just a small favor. Nothing too big. Maybe you can start building back up some of the trust you lost for hitting that civilian.’

 

‘I thought he was a villain!’

 

‘You gotta look careful at what he wears.’

 

‘He was literally wearing a black jumpsuit with multiple pockets, a gas mask on his belt and holding a briefcase! He’s suspicious in every way!!’

 

‘And what was in his briefcase were cleaning supplies.’

 

‘AND BLOOD!’

 

‘He’s a crime scene cleaner, Hoshi.’

 

Asuka was never always on good terms with Eraserhead. The opportunity to talk to the sad lonely underground hero only comes once in a while. Sometimes he wouldn’t show up on his patrol days due to his students in UA. Sometimes, he just felt like it and decided he wanted to try to arrest her and get her to do rehab. It's a good thing she decided to hide her identity. 

 

‘Just listen,’ Eraserhead said after another tired sigh ‘I need you to get your villain friend to gather information on this specific villain’ Asuka nodded ‘Oh I see. That should be no problem. He’s always available to help me. Who is this specific villain?’ ‘Zenith.’

 

Zenith? As in the Zenith? Zenith as in Kodama Yuu? One of All For One’s Henchmen? The one who helped him organise the Underground Masquerade and started the gruesome Underground Marketplace of Musutafu? That’s…going to be a little hard. But it’s okay. It’s just getting some information right? So, she accepted his request.

 

 

~End of Flashback~

 

Actually now that she thinks about it, it was a stupid idea to agree. Maybe she should have just said no and maybe respond to why by dancing around the actual reason. It’s too late now. She felt a small nudge directed at her arm and snapped back to reality. Kazaki looked at her with a raised eyebrow. ‘Are sure you can do this? I mean, I know you technically begged me to help you with this, but you do remember this man-’ ‘I remember. And I’m sure of it. I just need information.’ ‘....Alright. But if anything happens, we’re getting out. Immediately.’

 

Asuka nodded. Fair enough. Kazaki is right to worry. After all, even with how brave and strong Asuka is now, Kodama Yuu, Zenith, was her greatest nightmare.

Notes:

OMG, i finally was able to write a longer chapter. I'm more active now because i just finished my exams. I'll probably draw how Asuka, Kanji and Kazaki look. I'm not quite sure how to post them in AO3, so when I'm done, I'll just post it in my Tiktok. (Search Up "FunXOXze") And in case you're wondering what happened to the suspicions of Shoto, Deku and Bakugou, I'll write about that in my next chapter.

Chapter 5: The Unknown Vigilante

Summary:

A little bit of continuation, Aizawa's POV, Midoriya's POV, Todoroki's POV, and lore about Asuka and Kodamma Yuu (zenith)! Yeah sorry for being late, i was stuck, for weeks. Also, small detail, yes, instead of All might, Bakugou gave Izuku his suit (Because ALL MIGHT is ded)

Asuka walked in the Marketplace, following closely behind Kazaki. Kazaki was wearing his usual black filter gas mask that covered his mouth and nose, while she wore her usual vigilante face mask. She couldn’t help but notice how the place never changed. It was still the same old smelly, rotten and corrupted place. The stalls on the left, piled with cages filled with mutant quirked individuals, stalls on the right selling illegal drugs like trigger. The shouts of villains cheering on their….pawns? Bets? Simply said, the children in the cage fight. You heard me, children in cage fights. 

 

The Underground Marketplace was famous in the villain world for this. Villains and criminals would capture their preferred individuals. Kids with powerful quirks, Mutant kids, or just any other kid they want to see get injured and hopefully die. It’s cruel, as I’ve already said, Society is just cruel.

 

Asuka felt a hand on her shoulder. Kazaki looked at her and passed her a Volto Venetian Mask. She took it without question. Kazaki sighed ‘Can't have anyone recognise you, just using your face mask alone isn’t enough…You good?’ Asuka nodded as she put the mask on ‘m’fine.’ 

She isn’t. 

They walked deeper into the Underground Maze, eventually stopping a large concrete reception. The man behind the tiny cage glared out, a rough voice asking ‘Who the hell are you.’ Kazaki looked back at the man and gave a nonchalant response. ‘I have an appointment with Zenith.’ ‘Oh. Arachnor?’ ‘In the flesh.’ The Iron door that blended in and hid beside the reception opened as Asuka followed Kazaki in slowly. 

 

‘I just need to stand there right?’

 

‘Yea. He won’t question me. Don’t do anything suspicious, like flinching or glaring.’

 

‘I won’t. For your information, I have a sense of self-preservation.’

 

‘Good to know.’

__________________________________

 

Time skip, 3 days later. Change of POVS!

 

__________________________________

Aizawa walked into his office and sighed as he dropped into his chair. Midoriya, smiling and waving to him. ‘Good Morning Sensei!’ ‘Stop calling me sensei, Midoriya. We’re colleagues.’ ‘Oh- right..It’s well, just a habit.’ Aizawa sigh and sat up straight, the boy graduated 15 years ago and he was still calling him sensei. He opened his drawer and found a small package with a note. “I got the Info you asked for! - Hoshi” 

Aizawa groaned quietly, of course she just had to somehow be able to get into UA and put the package in his drawer. Midoriya looked at the package. ‘..Who’s Hoshi?... insert midoriya’s dramatic gasp here ..Are you moving on from Mic sensei?!’ Aizawa had to resist the urge to just wrap Midoriya up in his capture weapon and leave him there for the rest of the day, but he couldn't. So he hit that little messy green boy- man? hard in the head instead. ‘No. It’s just some information I asked someone to get me.’ Midoriya massaged the area he got hit. ‘Oh…who’s it on?’ ‘Ever heard of Zenith?’ Midoriya blinked to himself for a few seconds and shook his head. ‘Can you tell me about him?’ Aizawa looked at Midoriya as he tried to do that trick with his eyes again. …..sigh..Why is he still such a problem child even though he’s in his thirties now? ‘..why not?’

 

‘A few years ago, there was this small event that All For One would host. This event was called the Underground Masquerade. It was an illegal event that organizes guerilla fighting tournaments where pit fighters fight each other and run the books for the betting audience. Quirks, Weapons and Drugs are allowed to be used, so it’s as if there are no rules at all. There actually is a rule, only one, and it’s that all attendees must wear a mask that covers their face. However, it was then brought down by Pro Heroes Mirko and O’Clock, as well as the assistance of a police officer. All For One doesn’t host the event personally, so he has his other trusted followers to host it. The one that assists All For One in this event is a man who goes by the name Kodamma Yuu, also known as “Zenith”. After the incident that happened in the Underground Masquerade, Zenith opened up a new Underground Facility for the Villains, called The Underground Marketplace. Similar to The Underground Masquerade, all who enter must wear a mask covering some part of their face that makes them unrecognizable. However the difference is that this facility is available 24/7, 365 days. Criminals and Villains buy licenses from Zenith to sell drugs or perform Human trafficking. Drugs like Trigger and the Quirk Erasing one from last time are rare drugs they sell there. Not to mention, they have their very own..everyday cage fight. Victims, mostly children between ages 7 to 18 are put in a cage and forced to fight each other. Those who don’t fight, are terminated. Killed on the spot for the audience’s satisfaction. An Annual Auction also happens, auctioning stolen artifacts, jewels, equipment, or sometimes, individuals who have mutant or powerful quirks. The existence of this Underground Marketplace was not known until a few years ago, when someone tipped off its existence to the police and the police started interrogating the criminals for information.’ 

 

Midoriya as he listened in ‘That’s a…very big load of information.’ Aizawa nodded ‘Don’t get yourself involved in this kid. I don’t think I need to treat you like how I did back when you were a student.’ ‘Sensei…’ ‘Till the end of my life, you’re still such a problem child.’ 

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Later on…

 

As Midoriya walked out of the school, bidding goodbye to a few students, notably Ryuu and his friend, Kanji. Todoroki greeted him at the school gates. ‘Izuku. How was today?’ Midoriya chuckled ‘It was fine as usual. Where’s Kacchan?’ ‘He had some emergency at the agency.’ ‘Of course he did.’ Todoroki blinked, lost in thought for a good while as they walked back to their shared apartment. ‘..Remember that supposed that we saw a few weeks ago?’ ‘Oh, the one that perched itself on Hatsume’s precious baby building?’ ‘...Yeah that one.’ ‘Okay..What about them?’ ‘I think they are a vigilante, not a villain, we just need to go find Mr.Tsukauchi to confirm it.’ 

 

Midoriya nodded. Of course. Mr Tsukauchi had been the one to keep track of almost all the vigilantes, always asking Aizawa-sensei to catch up and follow them, try to get them in rehab or just entirely stop them from committing vigilantism. They didn’t even know the vigilante’s name yet. There were quite a number of vigilantes in Japan, and the three pro heroes hadn’t caught any eye catching detail about the particular vigilante they were looking for. So looking for them would be tough. Then again,

 

‘Midoriya, you’re muttering again.’

 

Midoriya flinched, did he think his thoughts out loud?

 

‘Ah! Sorry todoroki-kun..’ 

 

‘It’s fine. And you’re right. We didn’t really catch anything standing out about the vigilante, since they were standing far away, which does make them harder to find. Or, we can just scout out the vigilante at night.’

 

Midoriya sighed, ‘I don’t have a quirk? And I’d be too tired for that…’

 

‘Yeah but you still have that suit Bakugou gave you, no?’

 

‘That won’t help me with my low energy levels todoroki-kun..’

 

‘....I’ll get you coffee.’

 

‘...fine.’

Chapter 6: The Police Station

Summary:

Hohoho The origin of Hoshi's name has been revealed! I wonder what's her deal with Haruto!

A little bit about Haruto, is that yes, he is Momo's child. The father is Iida. No getting angry at mah ships pleaseeee :)

Midoriya POV:

 

We stepped into the police station in our civilian outfits. The air was thick with the scent of coffee, old paper, and a hint of sweat from long shifts. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a harsh white glow over the worn linoleum floor. A uniformed officer with the name tag ‘Kurima Jirai’ at the front desk glances up, his expression unreadable, dark circles around his eyes. 

 

“..How can I help you folks?”

 

Shoto nodded, “We’re here to see Head Officer Tsukauchi.” The man stared at us for a while, perhaps unsure whether or not to trust us. After all, there have been a few cases where villains have tried to assassinate Officer Tsukauchi. Not sure why. 

 

“....ID.”

 

Me and Shoto handed over our IDs, but just as the officer was about to take them, a gruff voice came from behind us. “No need for that Jirai. I know them.” The officer quickly stood up straight, showing a respectable salute and a strong “Yes, Sir.” He then sat back down and levitated a mug over to him. Levitate? That must be his quirk. Could it be something like an attraction quirk? Or is it telekinesis like my mom’s? It doesn’t seem like the case though.. Attraction can only have the object come to yourself, while telekinesis can move objects outward, inward, left and right. Or maybe it’s a manipulation of a specific material. That mug is made of glass, so can he outright just manipulate glass? Or perhaps it’s even more specific? What if he can just control cups in general? Or maybe-

 

My thoughts were cut off by a hand that placed itself gently on my shoulder. “Midoriya, you’re spacing out again.” I turned my head and smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry Todoroki-kun..I got distracted.” Shoto sighed at my response before pulling me along. “It’s fine, come on, We’ve got a vigilante to catch.”

I followed Shoto closely as he strode down the dimly lit hallway behind Officer Tsukauchi, the steady click of his shoes and mine against the linoleum floor cutting through the low hum of conversation and ringing phones. Sharp shadows along the walls lined with case files pinned to cork boards—faces of missing people, villains, crime scene photos, red string tracing connections only a few could decipher. Passing Officers gave us a small nod before continuing, others rushing past. Officer Tsukauchi opened the door to his office. It wasn’t big, but it certainly wasn’t small either. It was a totally normal Police Officer’s Office. Excluding the giant corkboard opposite of the window, filled to the brim with photos, long detailed documents, cases, pins and strings. Not to mention the frantic scribbles and circles made with red marker.

Tsukauchi sat down in his chair with a heavy sigh. “I’ve seen what you’ve texted me Todoroki, and based on your description, I’ll assume you’re talking about Hoshi.”

I blinked. “Hoshi? Who’s that?” I can’t believe my eyes and ears let such a seemingly important vigilante go around making a ruckus without my knowledge. I definitely need to start taking notes on them...

Officer Tsukauchi looked at me and responded “Hoshi is a night time vigilante that had been roaming around Kamino Ward and Musutafu, taking out thugs, drug dealers, trafficking rings and providing police anonymous information. She made her debut about a year ago, when she rescued a child from a kidnapper. We have little to no information about her and even though we have an idea on what her quirk is, it doesn’t seem to show up on Japan’s population database.”

Our eyes widened. That’s practically impossible isn’t it? Every citizen has their information registered on the database from the moment they were born, even if they were considered deceased, any information on it would have still appeared. However…Another question lingered in my mind. “....Why Hoshi?” I asked. “Excuse me?” “Hoshi means star no? Why that name? Vigilantes usually get their names because they have a signature something that civilians see and recognise. So why Hoshi?” Tsukauchi looked at me with a bit of bewilderment, as if he weren’t expecting me to ask that question. It’s reasonable, but one thing about what I’ve learnt is that Aliases can be pretty useful in getting some info. 

 

“Well..you see, when Hoshi first debuted, civilians called her ‘Noctra’. As in you know, Nocturnal, but fancier? Then there was one night when she rescued this particular family, The Yaoyorozu Family, and during an interview with the Family, a child of the family commented that the vigilante looked like a star, ‘Hoshi’. The news wrote that in and I guess people liked how it sounded and started calling her that.” Shoto blinked “The Yaoyorozu Family? That means…the ‘child’ you mentioned must be Haruto.” I nodded. “Judging by the fact that Haruto described this vigilante as a star, he must have viewed her as his hero..” Tsukauchi looked at us blankly, “Please don’t tell me you’re about to interrogate a 14 (and a half) year old kid about a vigilante.” We looked back at him, speechless. Well, to be honest, I was speechless, Shoto was going all out. “I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘interrogate'. More like an intense and potentially compelling conversation.” I internally facepalmed as Shoto added another sentence. “With Snack Breaks of course.”

______________________________

Twitter POV [Lol why not.]

 

GrandpaJoe:

[3 Photos Attached]

Guess who I saw jumping about the roofs of Musutafu!! She’s so nice, she even waved back!

#hoshi #hoshimusutafu #vigilantehoshi #hoshistansarise #hoshibestvigilante

 

Comments: 3,671                         Likes: 4,821                Views: 6,993

 

 

Wacky_Tacky 🦉> GrandpaJoe:

Lucky you..I haven’t got the chance to meet her yet…

 

Doublemints_yum > GrandpaJoe:

Wanna see something better? 

[Gif of Hoshi running away from Police Officers with a bag of Mcdonalds in one hand and a mouthful of fries]

 

Yezhhowastaken9 > Doublemint_yum:

NO WAY…..WHERE’D YOU GET THAT? I NEED IT.

 

Kitty_Apple🍎 > Yezhhowastaken9

You can find it all under the account @magma-lava💖. He has all the clips and photos of that vigilante. 

__________________________

Chapter 7: The Dragon and The Stoat

Summary:

A small flashback, Asuka obtains the information she needed and sneaks into UA to hand it to Aizawa, only to be caught red handed by none other than....Principal Nedzu!

Flashback to a few minutes after the events happened in the start of chapter 5:

 

Asuka followed behind Kazaki. In order to fit her in, her yellow sweater and scarf were switched with a black suit and red tie, her loose messy silver white hair tied into a neat bun. Her shoes were now the modern formal black shoes, that still were kinda platformers, giving her some height. She also wore the black-white volto venetian mask that Kazaki gave her. It was pretty good to be honest, it covered her entire face like how a normal mask would. Y’know, kinda like those masks that are used to symbolise ‘theatre’ and ‘drama’ but…fancier?

Anyhow, back on task, the surroundings of the corridor were…clean. Understatement, the cleanest, most sanitary, most bright white place in the entire dark underground. Compared to where she’d been earlier, the smelly, dark, dirty place contrasted with this…clean, hospital like area. Actually, for a better envisionment, just imagine the clean white SCP foundation halls. Asuka looked at Kazaki. Anyone could tell that he was disturbed by the amount of…well, white, there was. Not that he wasn’t used to it already, since he comes regularly. Kazaki despises the color, and Asuka knew that well. She’s just surprised he hadn’t ‘painted’ the walls yet.

At the end of the hallway, there was a solid metal door that looked like a vault in a bank. Kazaki turned the handle and opened the door slightly. “Mr Yuu. It’s me.” A low incomprehensible voice responded. The only obvious words were “In” and “Kazaki”. Asuka walked over to the door and opened it for Kazaki, after all, she was playing as his ‘Bodyguard’ for now. 

The room they entered was dimly lit, a harsh contrast to the sterile corridor outside. The floor was smooth marble, but stained with rust red blotches that hinted at the room's true purpose. The walls were lined with tall metal filing cabinets and monitors streaming footage from various locations in the Marketplace - cages, auction rooms, labs. And there, seated in a high-backed leather chair with his fingers tented in front of his masked face, was Zenith.

His mask hadn’t changed. It was sleek and bird-like, shaped like a plague doctor’s mask, Overhaul wannabe if you must, glossy black with silver accents, covering every inch of his face. His long coat brushed the floor, pristine white, as if mocking everything around him. His fingers were gloved, tapping slowly as his covered gaze locked onto Kazaki then shifted to Asuka. A cold jolt ran through her. Zenith didn’t move. He didn’t speak. He just… watched. Kazaki walked forward with the same cocky calm he always wore, hands in his pockets like he owned the place. “Zenith,” he said smoothly, “you’ve been quiet lately. No big announcements? No parades of blood and broken bodies?”

A beat of silence passed. Then a low, distorted voice crackled out through a small speaker embedded in the desk. "Kazaki. You brought company." Kazaki looked at Asuka and shrugged. “You said one person. I brought a bodyguard. She doesn’t talk, doesn’t move unless I say so. You know how it is. The underground’s been messy lately. Zenith’s mask tilted ever so slightly. “Hmm.”

Asuka stood still. Perfectly still. Back straight, hands behind her back, like a soldier. Inside, though? Her heart was hammering in her ears, it was so loud, so distracting, one mistake would be all it’d take. 

Zenith stood. He was tall. Too tall. Towering. His presence filled the room with something rotten, like the silence before an explosion. He stepped closer, slow and deliberate, circling Kazaki like a hawk. Then he turned, walking toward Asuka. Her spine tensed, every instinct screaming at her to move, to attack, to run. But she didn’t flinch. Zenith stopped just a few feet from her. His mask stared into hers.

 

“…I like this one,” he said. “You’ve chosen well. Loyal?”

Kazaki blinked and responded. “Like a trained dog.”

Zenith chuckled, “Good.”

He turned his back on her, satisfied. Zenith returned to his seat and waved a gloved hand toward one of the chairs. “You’re here for information.” Kazaki sat casually, one leg crossed over the other. “Something big’s coming. I want to know if you’ve heard the whispers.” Zenith was quiet for a moment then sighed before responding.

“…Whispers. Screams. Same difference, these days. Someone’s gathering the fractured cells. Ex-league followers, rogue mercs, failed Nomu projects. There’s a name floating around— Paladin . Not much else. But something’s stirring.”

Asuka’s breath caught. Paladin ? That wasn’t a name she’d heard before. Kazaki raised an eyebrow. “And you trust the source?” “I trust the blood they left behind,” Zenith said. “Something violent is coming. You should be careful who you play with, Kazaki. Some blades don’t just cut. They burn.” Kazaki stood, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeves. “Then it’s a good thing I’m fireproof.” Zenith chuckled again. “Careful then. Even fire can be extinguished.”

Asuka and Kazaki turned to leave. She opened the door for him again, saying nothing. Just as they passed through, Zenith’s voice echoed behind them. “Tell your bodyguard… She has sharp eyes. Too sharp.” The door shut behind them with a loud clang .

Asuka exhaled shakily once they were back in the corridor. Kazaki muttered, “I think he knows.” Asuka glanced at him nervously. “If he did, he would never let me walk out of that room.” But it didn’t matter. They got what they came for. She’d stepped back into hell and walked out. Thankfully, in one piece.

_____________________________________

The moment Asuka got back to their apartment, she ran into her room and started scribbling information about the Paladin Guy. Sure, Kodamma had only told them the guy’s name and actions in the Underground world, but a name is very valuable. And with movements as gory and scary as the Paladin’s, there’s gotta be loads of gossip in the Underground World. Thanks to a…special app she had access to, she had conversations with underground communities and several villain friends she had made when she helped Kazaki. 

By the time midnight struck, Asuka had more than enough information to give Eraserhead. The only problem now is..how to give it to him without meeting him. Sure, being able to go to Eraserhead after that hell of a ride straight to the doorstep of the only man who could break her mentally, she’d rather take a few days off. Besides, through online reports in the police stations she’d hacked into, she found out that there were apparently a few select higher ranking daylight pro heroes after her, she’ll have to be more careful now. 

The next day, she walked over to UA, wearing the ‘obviously standing out’ black hoodie, with the hood over her head, hiding her hair and dragon horns, her black gloves to avoid fingerprints, a mask to prevent god knows what kind of facial recognition or facial scan UA’s personal rat god has at the ready. Kanji sighed. “...Do I have to?” Asuka nodded. “Duh. What do you want me to do? Sneak in there myself?” ….There was a long silence between the 2. 

…

 

 

 

Within 30 minutes, Asuka was wearing a UA 1st Year uniform, along with a name tag that obviously wasn’t hers. As she walked through the halls behind Kanji, the few other students waved at her, thinking of her as one of the general course, business course or support course students. And though she was younger than Kanji, her height really made her look like a 15 year old. Kanji looked at Asuka. “Quit hiding, this is working surprisingly well.” “Easy for you to say. You never know what will happen.”

And so began the little operation of ‘Put the secret package that looks like a bomb in Eraserhead’s desk while avoiding leaving genetic evidence like fingerprints or hair and leave in one piece.’ Asuka blinked, looking at the door to the teacher’s office. “....You know what I can’t, you go.” She said as she pushed the package into Kanji’s hands. “Hey! Oh you don’t get to do that! We’re already this close!” “Exactly, and I’ll have you know, anxiety is a thing.”

“Yes, yes! You shouldn’t push a girl to do things they don't want to, Kanji-kun!”A squeaky voice said. Asuka nodded along, “Exactly what Principal Nedzu said!” “That’s not fair, you can’t say that because UA’s principal is-” …. Realization hit both of them. Hard. The mouse-bear creature chuckled “Why the sudden silence? It’s as if you two have seen a ghost!” Asuka gulped “Our deal still stands...right? You won't tell anyone? To see the chaos??” Nedzu thought for a moment then smiled one of his signature menacing smiles “Of course our deal is still in motion! Why don’t you hand that over to me and I’ll leave it in Aizawa-kun’s drawer for you?” Kanji sighed in relief. “Thank you principal-, wait what deal?"

Kanji looked at Asuka, who looked guilty. Of course…of course something had happened previously and Asuka didn't tell him or Kazaki. Asuka chuckled nervously "You don't happen to know how to fix this...Situation? Principal Nedzu?"

 

The world-dominating stoat chuckled. 

Notes:

Hohoho...I'm slowly dying inside guys...don't mind me.

Chapter 8: The Red Spider Nebula

Summary:

Kazaki's POV and his little journey. As well as some friendly bonding time with Kanji and Asuka, not to mention, the nice lady next door who likes to make cookies for them!!!!

Notes:

And this chapter is how i realised, I had a lot to write about Kazaki. Didn't actually go to school today, so i stayed home watching episode 1 of the BNHA Vigilantes, and let me just tell you, the ideas, came SPRINTING in.

Walking through dark creepy places was nice. It provided a weird sense of comfort for Kazaki.
He didn’t know if it was the silence, the shadows, or just the familiarity of the stench that clung to rotting wood and blood-stained tiles—but he liked it. These were the places people avoided, places where he can have some alone time, places where he could let out his gradually increasing stress, places where the air was heavy with wrongness. The Underground Marketplace was just one part of the vast villainous ecosystem and besides, Kazaki had been to far worse places.

His boots echoed against the concrete as he descended an old stairwell hidden behind a ramen shop’s fridge door. The place reeked of oil, rust, and sweat. A scent Kazaki associated with opportunity. Down here, in the Vein Lanes, as he liked to call it, is a web of forgotten tunnels and semi-active villain enclaves, was where the worst of the worst lived, trained, traded, or just... existed.

Kazaki adjusted the filter gas mask over his mouth and nose, the tinted lenses of his goggles glowing faintly as his vision shifted modes—infrared. No need to be surprised by things hiding in the dark. He wasn't in the mood to kill unless it was necessary. He just wanted information. He walked past a broken cage still stained with dried blood. On the far wall, a slogan had been smeared in red:

"FREEDOM IS POWER."

Kazaki rolled his eyes.“Right,” he muttered. “Freedom, sure. That’s why you all sell children and consume Trigger like it’s candy.” He didn’t believe in the villain-hero binary. Never had, Never will. He lived in the gray. That’s why he worked with people like Zenith... and kept people like Kanji and Asuka close. Even if they were on opposite sides of the chessboard, they played the same game. Besides, they’ve known each other for quite a while now. If it’s a matter of trust, Kazaki would only trust them.

As he turned a corner, the hallway widened into a circular atrium, one of the many meeting hubs for the underworld. Makeshift stalls lined the walls, lit by hanging bulbs and glowing quirk-light crystals. Villains sold black-market tech, forged licenses, banned support gear, and drugs banned decades ago. One or two even sold artificial quirks, obtained using the old technology of All For One's right hand doctor, Kyudai Garaki. Kazaki didn’t stop at any of the stalls. He just walked, weaving between villains who eyed him with suspicion. Most recognized him.

Arachnor.

 

The Spider Beast.

 

Zenith’s errand boy.

They didn’t say it out loud. But he saw the recognition in their eyes and their body language. The way they stepped just slightly out of his path as they quickly avoided eye contact. Good. He hated talking to idiots. “Arachnor~” A sweet voice cooed from one of the upper levels. A medium-brown skinned woman with six arms and a white painted-on smile on her mask leaned over the balcony railing. “Looking for something? Or someone maybe~ ?" Kazaki didn’t stop walking nor did he look at her. “Yeah, I'm looking for someone with a quirk that can shut you up for good.” A chorus of laughter broke out behind him. The woman rolled her eyes and groaned.

Eventually, he reached the back of the atrium where a steel door stood crooked on its hinges. He kicked it open. Inside, the lights were flickering and the walls were covered in moving, inky black veins, thanks to the quirk of its occupant.

“You should learn to knock.” a raspy voice slithered from the back.

Sitting on a metal desk surrounded by mismatched monitors was Tsuji Tadao, a quirk analyser, hacker and informant. His skin was grayish-purple, and he had no mouth. His mutant quirk wasn’t that much useful to his job, helps keep out eavesdroppers though. Looking back now, his mouth was a vertical slit across his face that pulsed as he talked. 

“You owe me,” Tadao croaked. “Last time I sold you info, you promised me protection from the LoV’s corrupted followers. They came by two days ago” “Well, I’m here now,” Kazaki replied, closing the door behind him and removing his gas mask. His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dim light. “That’s better than nothing. Now talk.” Tadao hesitated, then nodded with a sigh. “There’s been movement in the Eastern Ducts. Someone’s building something big. I don’t know who, but they’re buying every prototype and drug sample they can get their hands on. Paid in platinum cards, not cash. That’s All-For-One-level funding.” Kazaki narrowed his eyes. “Paladin?” “Could be. But whoever it is, they’re not sloppy. No trace, no loose ends. The bodies are showing up, but only those who ask too much.” Kazaki reached into his coat and tossed a sleek black vial onto the desk. “This is a sample from the lab that went dark last week. Had three old Nomu projects inside. I checked the models and designs of the Nomus. It dates back to during the LoV war.” Tadao picked it up with shaking hands. “You’re playing dangerous games.” Kazaki’s expression darkened. “That’s all there is anymore.” He turned to leave. “Oh, one more thing,” Mire rasped. “You should watch your back. People are starting to notice your ties to Zenith... and to that girl.”

 

Kazaki paused.

 

“You mean Asuka?”

 

Tadao didn’t answer. Just tapped at his screen. A blurry surveillance image popped up—Asuka walking through the Marketplace with Kazaki in full costume beside her. Even masked, even changed, the eyes were hers. Too sharp, Zenith had said. Kazaki stared at the image for a moment. Then nodded. “I’ll handle it.” He slipped his mask back on, pulled up his hood, and left the room. Back in the Vein Lanes, he moved faster now, his pace more urgent. Not from fear. From certainty. The cracks were forming. Asuka’s cover wouldn’t last forever. Kanji’s position in the hero world would slowly become unstable. And him? Well, Kazaki was never stable to begin with. … Not that anyone he knew was at this point.

He emerged from the underground just as the sky above turned a deep red-orange. The city skyline loomed in the distance, full of clean glass buildings and ignorant people who had no idea what happened beneath their feet. He stepped out of the alley and into the street. Slipped the gas mask off and tucked it away. Adjusted his purple tie. Time to go home. To the weird little apartment he shared with a hero-in-training and a half-reformed vigilante. To people who knew exactly what he was… and didn’t care. Kazaki walked off, hands in his pockets, the scent of blood and rust still clinging to his coat. “...perhaps we should eat katsudon tonight. We haven’t eaten that in a while.” he muttered to himself.

_________________________________

 

The apartment complex he called home wasn’t in the best part of town, but it was cozy. Worn down, sure. But the neighbors smiled. The kids laughed. And the old lady next door baked cookies for everyone on Fridays. And sometimes, that freaked him out more than all the black markets and villain-infested illegal locations did.

He reached the fourth floor and unlocked the apartment with a soft click . The moment the door creaked open, the warm scent of cinnamon hit him. Of course.

“Welcome home, Kazaaaaakiiiii!” a cheery voice chirped from inside.

A blur of silver and black shot out from the kitchen and pounced on him like a cat. Kazaki didn’t flinch. Just sighed and held a steady grip on the doorframe as Asuka tackled him with her usual bone-crushing hug. Well she was definitely more active today…

“You reek,” she said with a wrinkle of her nose. “Thanks. You’re still heavy.” was his response. She grinned. “Rude.” He ‘peeled’ her off gently, shutting the door behind him as he kicked off his shoes. From the living room, Kanji peeked his head around the corner, munching on a pockey. His, Kazaki’s pockey, if you must. His bright eyes lit up when he saw Kazaki.

“Hey! You're actually home before midnight. Did someone die?” Kazaki raised a brow. “Probably.” Kanji blinked. “Wait, for real?” “Don’t ask,” Kazaki cut in, heading to the bathroom to wash the grime off his hands. Asuka followed him like a puppy, peppering him with questions.

“Did you go to the Underground again? Or did you go meet Mr Tadao? Did you get into a fight? Did you win?” He wiped his hands on a towel, then flicked a drop of water at her forehead. “None of your business.” “I’ll take that as a yes!” she beamed, skipping away to the couch.

Kazaki finally relaxed once he dropped onto the old couch next to Kanji, who offered him the rest of the pockey. Again, it was Kazaki’s pockey, so naturally, he took it wordlessly. “So...” Kanji leaned in with a grin. “I heard that the old ramen shop down the street has katsudon now.” Kazaki glanced over, chewing slowly, clearly unamused. “Did Asuka tell you to say that?”

“She may have. I might’ve agreed.” The three of them looked at each other in silence for a beat. Then they were all on their feet, grabbing jackets and wallets and shoving each other toward the door.

Outside, the air had cooled, and the sun dipped just below the horizon, casting a soft glow on the neighborhood. “Oh Hello there! Kazaki!” a voice called from the stairwell. He turned to see Mrs. Ogiwara, the sweet, elderly quirkless woman who lived next to them, waving from her doorway with a basket in hand. “I baked those matcha cookies you like! You better come get some before that rascal Kanji eats them all!”

“I’m not a rascal!” Kanji shouted back, already halfway down the stairs. “I’m a hero in training!” Mrs. Ogiwara just laughed softly. “Same thing!” Kazaki gave her a nod and took the basket gently. “Thank you. You didn’t have to.” “Nonsense, dear. You always help bring in my groceries and check my mail. You’re a good boy.” Kazaki blinked, then looked away.

Good boy. Right.

He wasn’t going to argue with a sweet grandma. Even if she was very, very wrong. Asuka looped her arm through his, smirking. “Aw, she likes you.” “She likes everyone,” Kazaki grumbled, but he didn’t shake her off.

As they walked toward the ramen shop, more neighbors waved hello. A few called out their names. Someone’s kid even ran up to Asuka to give her a flower. Kanji helped an old man with his walker. It was normal. Too normal. Kazaki didn’t know why they all trusted him so easily. Why they smiled at him. Why they let their kids wave and call out his name like he was some kind of role model. He had blood under his fingernails they didn’t see. He knew how to kill someone in thirty different ways without touching a gun. He wasn’t a hero. And yet…

“Oi,” Kanji nudged him. “You good?” Kazaki blinked. He’d stopped walking. The lights of the ramen shop glowed just up ahead. “…Yeah,” he murmured, then forced a smile. “Let’s see if their katsudon’s any good.”

The shop was small, a hole in the wall with mismatched chairs and faded posters, but it smelled like heaven. The owner, a bulky man with a kind face and a scar down his cheek, greeted them like old friends. “You brought the whole gang today! Kazaki! Aira! Kanji! What’ll it be?” “Three katsudon bowls,” Kanji said. “Make his extra meat,” Asuka added, pointing to Kazaki. “He’s had a rough week.” The man laughed. “You got it!”

When the katsudon arrived, steaming and perfectly crisp, Kanji and Asuka dug in like starving wolves. By the time they walked home again, the stars were out. Asuka had a to-go box of leftovers. Kanji carried the cookie basket. Kazaki walked a little behind them, eyes flicking toward the sky. He didn’t deserve this. This peace. This home. These people. But maybe… just maybe… he could protect it. Even if it meant walking back into the dark every night. Even if it meant hiding what he really was. Because the cozy little apartment, the stupid little arguments, and the two people waiting for him at the end of every day?

 

They were worth it.

 

Every single time.

Notes:

GUYS I THINK THIS IS MY LONGEST CHAPTER SO FAR. OMG YAY. THAT MEANS MY MOTIVATION IS COMING BACK.
Not that it was ever here in the first place...

Chapter 9: The Man Behind the Mask

Summary:

Asuka's past as a nightmare and Zenith - Kodamma Yuu's Point of View.

Notes:

Hoho...feeling alive then dead again..Time to read other fics..

The cold was the first thing she felt.

Not the crisp chill of a winter night, not even the uncomfortable sting of a too-cold bath. No, this was the bone-deep cold that seeped through her skin and into her ribs, one that made her fingers tremble and her jaw lock as she gasped awake-
Except she wasn’t awake.

Not yet.

Her heels scraped against the damp stone floor as she was dragged, her small wrists bruised beneath metal cuffs. She was young again. Too small to fight. But they made her anyway.

“Stop sniveling,” one of the guards growled, jerking her forward. “You cry again in the pit, and they’ll take your tongue next.” She bit her lip so hard it bled.

They shoved her into the prep room, where the walls were stained red and the stink of sweat and rot lingered like smoke. The other kids were there, some older, some younger. None of them spoke. They never did. They were too broken. Too scared. She trembled in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest. Then came the voice. Cold. Sharp. Familiar.

“Next up…”

She flinched.

No. Not him. Please not him.

He stepped into the room, his polished shoes not touching a speck of blood. His white gloves were spotless, the gold embroidery on his jacket glinting under the dim overhead light. His eyes were the worst, silver and glassy, like he wasn’t human at all.

“You don’t get to hide today, little beast,” he said.

A hand clamped around her throat and yanked her up. She gasped as her feet lifted off the ground. A mask was shoved onto her face, a dragon-shaped thing, red and gold and cruel. It burned against her skin.

“Round 6. Pit B. Kill or be killed.”

She tried to scream, but the moment her lips parted, a blade, rusty and too big for her tiny grip was shoved into her hand. Her feet hit the floor, and suddenly the doors were opening, and the roaring crowd swallowed her whole. Stumbling into the arena, blinking against the lights. They watched from above. Rich men. Drunk women. Businessmen. Villains. Some cheered. Others sneered. All of them wore masks.

In the pit, a boy waited for her. He couldn’t have been older than eight. His eyes were wide. Terrified. He had a bruise across his cheek and a dagger in his hand. They didn’t speak. They weren’t allowed to.

“Begin!” a voice boomed.

The ground rumbled. The air turned cold. She raised her blade and the boy lunged. Suddenly, the world twisted. Memory blurred. Blood. Screams. Pain. Hands grabbing her hair. A whip against her back. Knees scraped raw. Her own voice screaming behind a gag as she was dragged away again, too slow, too weak, too soft.

“You smile next time, or I’ll carve one for you,” someone hissed, raising his hand as he-

________________________

 

Asuka’s eyes snapped open. Her heart was hammering so hard it echoed in her ears. She was sweating, her sheets tangled around her legs like shackles. Hands gripped her shoulders, warm, grounding.

“It’s me. You’re safe. You’re here,” someone, no, Kazaki? said quietly. “It’s alright… Can you tell me five things you see?”

Asuka tried to catch her breath, why was it so dark? “I-i see my blanket…your arms..a..a blinding light? …m-myself..and you.” Kazaki nodded. “Now four things you hear?” “I can hear…your voice…my-...my own voice…some kind of…loud banging noise? …A-and…the wind.” Kazaki nodded.

“Good..three things you can touch?” “....my blanket..something…wet? And…your hands..they’re cold…” Kazaki gave a soft sigh, “Two things you smell?” “I can smell…that..weird..honey perfume..that Kanji always wears…and noodles.” Kazaki patted her hand gently, “Lastly, One thing you taste.” “...Something sour? …bitter? …is it vomit? Did-did I puke?” Kazaki nodded, “Yeah..you did. Maybe you shouldn't have went to sleep so early after dinner, but It’s okay, I’ve been planning to do the laundry tomorrow anyway.”

Meanwhile, Kanji hovered in the doorway, concern etched across his face. “I heard you scream,” he said softly. “Are you-.....Is she okay Zaki?” Kazaki gave a small nod. “It’s fine. I’ve got her.” Asuka pressed her forehead against Kazaki’s shoulder. Her voice came out hoarse, but better than earlier. “I… I was back there…” “I know,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. “I know.”

Kanji stepped inside, quiet as a mouse, and offered her a bottle of water. “You’re okay now,” he said. “We’ve got you.” For a while, they just sat there. On the edge of her bed, the three of them. No big speeches. No false reassurances. Just presence. Real and solid. Their respective pasts may never leave them, but neither would they.

On the other hand….

______________________

 

Failure again.

Sometimes people don’t remember this simple concept in life. Monsters and Villains aren’t born. They were made. And who else to be the Creator of these Monsters and villains with All For One and Doctor Garaki’s absence except yours truly? 

The Nomu’s body twitches violently on the table, black fluid bubbling from its mouth like tar. It had survived just three minutes longer than the last one before its heart burst. That made three hundred and forty six total attempts. Zenith adjusted his gloves, peeling the blood-slicked fabric off his fingers with a cold sigh. The light above him flickered. The lab was filled with the hum of machines, the sharp scent of antiseptic, and the faint sizzle of quirk reactions gone wrong.

“Data: irrelevant,” he muttered into the recorder embedded in his collar. “Subject 3-46 displayed potential for reflex mimicry, but failed neural stability in Phase Two. Initiate clean-up.” The robotic assistant, a spider-like contraption made of glistening chrome and needle tips, skittered across the tile and began to disassemble the corpse with expert precision. Zenith didn’t bother watching. He’d seen it all before. Every time.

He turned back to his screens, scanning the vitals, the quirk compatibility charts, the mutation logs. Rows and rows of red lines. Warnings. Discrepancies.

All for One would’ve been disappointed. But then again, All for One was dead. Buried under more than 6 feet of dirt and forgotten fear. Zenith had outlived him. And now? Now he was building something better. Stronger. A perfect vessel, better and more perfect than Shigaraki. One that couldn’t just fight and destroy, but evolve.

And yet…

His fingers hovered over the keyboard as a familiar file opened again. Footage. Old, grainy, but detailed.  A little girl. Silver hair matted with blood, eyes wide behind a cracked dragon mask. Her claws were soaked in crimson, her body trembling as she stood over another child’s broken corpse.

Asuka.

The one that got away. He leaned in closer, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. Every movement of hers was calculated chaos. Every reaction in the pit, even under sedation, showed adaptability far beyond anyone her age. Quirk evolution layered with brutal training. Nature and nurture had molded her into something horrifying. And now she is gone. 

No, not gone. Free.

Zenith didn’t believe in sins being washed away. You were what you were born to be. And Asuka was born for carnage. “She should’ve broken by now,” he muttered. “Any lesser creature would have.”

“I made you,” Zenith whispered to the screen. “You don’t get to escape me.” He turned to the suspended pod on the far wall. Inside, Subject 3-47 floated. Female frame. Silver hair. Artificial horns. The closest replica yet. But her eyes…Her eyes were all wrong. Blank. Empty. Asuka’s eyes had always been alive, even when begging for death.

Zenith clenched his jaw. “Begin growth cycle three-forty-seven. Start bio-implant conditioning. And for god’s sake, get me the neural override.” The assistant clicked in response. He stood back and watched as the machine whirred to life, tubes glowing, synthetic muscle twitching under pale skin. “You’ll come back to me, little beast,” Zenith whispered to the glass. “Even if I have to carve you from scratch.”

The Nomu opened its mouth in a silent scream.

Notes:

I'm thinking of doing a crossover Midoriya AO3 fic. Like, just multiple Midoriyas' from different AUs. Villain Izuku, Viridian: The Green Guide, Viridian, Undying, Bloom in Winter, ETC. Yeah. But I'm too dead at the moment.

Chapter 10: Stars burn out, but not that easily.

Summary:

Hoshi encounters a violent Aizawa today. I wonder why.

Notes:

A lot of people have asked me about making art for this fic, I have made some art myself and posted it on tiktok a few days ago (User: FunXOXze) Anyhow, you're free to make whatever art you want, if you want to tag me, go ahead. Or if you wanna make art under commission, you're free to come to me on discord. (Yeah, all my accounts are FunXOXze.)

Roaming Musutafu at night was...strangely calming. The neon lights flickered low in the distance, painting the foggy streets in diluted shades of pink and blue. The smell of rain on pavement filled the air. Cold. Empty. The way Asuka liked it. 

She crouched low on the rooftop ledge, hands stuffed into the pockets of her loose black hoodie. Her vigilante mask, painted in black and silver with tiny white stars, covered her entire face, except for the glint of her sharp silver eyes behind the slits. 

It had been oddly quiet tonight. No muggings. No shady back-alley deals. For a few seconds, she thought she might actually be able to make it back before Kazaki or Kanji could whine about her being reckless and late for dinner again. Then again, there was that deal she made with Nezu…god why did she agree to that?

Then, she heard it. A footstep behind her. Light, but heavy enough to know the person didn’t care about being silent. Asuka didn't turn around. She chuckled, “Yo Eraser! Getting old or something? Oh right, you're almost 50! Hahahahahh!”

The response was immediate and not amused. “You’re still as much of a pain in the ass as ever.”

Aizawa Shouta.

Hero name: Eraserhead.

Current mood: Very Pissed off.

Asuka glanced over her shoulder. Eraserhead stood tall and tired like usual, scarf billowing slightly in the nighttime breeze. His now shorter hair was messier than normal, and his capture weapon was already loosely uncoiled around his shoulders.

“What? Not in the mood to talk today? Did Nice-Eraser get left behind in school?” Asuka teased lightly, rocking on her heels. Aizawa’s eyes narrowed. The faintest glow of his quirk activation flashed for a second. “ I came to drag you back before you get yourself or someone else killed, Hoshi.”

Asuka’s grin faltered slightly. Oh. It’s that kind of night. “Oh come on Eraser! I just had a horrible nightmare, save me the chase a little. You know I’m not interested,” she said, standing up fully now. Her boots crunched lightly against the gravel from the plants on the roof as she backed up. “You don’t have a choice,” Aizawa muttered, already stepping closer. “You keep doing this vigilante crap, we’re going to have a real problem.”

“And if I don't want to live in a cage pretending I’m broken when I’m not?” His voice was low in his response, almost tired now. "Then you’re just proving you’re not ready."

There was no more warning.

The scarf shot forward, a blur of grey aiming for her wrists. Asuka jumped back instinctively, flipping herself off the ledge. Her foot caught the edge for a second, launching herself downward like a falling star. She hit the ground in a smooth roll, bolting down the alley. Flying was not an option tonight…Not when she already accidentally exposed her existence to a few other pro heroes the other night.

Behind her, Aizawa was already leaping down after her.

Shit shit shit—

He was fast. What was she thinking? Of course he was fast. Being about 50 years old or something wouldn't stop Eraserhead from being fast.

Asuka darted through the narrow alleyways, the swoosh of the capture weapon sliced through the air just inches from her hoodie. One loop brushed against her shoulder. She twisted violently to the side, slamming into a dumpster and scrambling over it.

"You can't keep running, Hoshi!" Aizawa barked.

"I’m not running!" Asuka snapped back, ducking into an abandoned parking lot. "I'm tactically evacuating!!"

Another flick of the scarf. It snagged the strap of her backpack. Asuka jumped, ditching the bag completely and kicking it into a puddle. It’s fine. Not that anything too important was in it anyway.. Aizawa yanked it back with a grunt, but it gave her the few seconds she needed to bolt again.

This wasn’t going to work forever. She knew it. Aizawa wasn’t like the others she ditched before. He was persistent. And he cared. In the worst way possible.

Finally, Asuka skidded to a stop on a dead-end street. Concrete wall. No ladder. No stairs. And the place was definitely too small for her to fly up, if she did, she’d injure herself. Behind her, the heavy footsteps slowed. Calm. Certain. A predator that knew the prey was cornered. Aizawa’s voice was calm now, but no less sharp.

“Stop fighting. You’re not alone. You don't have to keep clawing at the world.” Asuka turned to face him, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "Are you feeling pity for me?" she said with a nervous smile. "It's not pity." He took another step forward, scarf uncoiling again like a serpent. "It's a chance."

Asuka stared at him for a long moment. Rain started to drizzle, soft and cold. “You know, you remind me of the many people I care around me. Especially the people I failed to save.” Aizawa noted as he walked towards Asuka. “I won’t fail again.”

 

No.

 

Not yet.

 

Asuka shoved her foot hard against a nearby trash bin, knocking it into Aizawa’s path.

He easily dodged it, but the distraction gave her just enough time to scramble up the side of the wall, gripping onto the jagged bricks with her nails. The rain made it slippery, but she was lighter and faster.

She hauled herself up, slipping once but catching herself, and disappeared over the edge of the roof. By the time Aizawa reached it, she was already several rooftops away, running like the devil himself was nipping at her heels.

Notes:

Sorry for the short chapter, I kinda ran out of ideas? Also I'm going hiatus, I have exams to finish. Byee.

Chapter 11: Days and Nights of Fun

Summary:

Izuku goes on about work in the day while Shoto covers a Nightshift

Izuku Midoriya rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and adjusted his green tie with a quick glance at the mirror. The sunlight barely filtered in through the blinds of their apartment, casting lazy shadows over the breakfast table where Katsuki had already left out tea and grilled fish - quiet proof that he’d been up before either of them.

“I packed you lunch,” Bakugou had muttered before leaving for his own patrol shift at dawn. “Don’t forget it again, nerd.”

Izuku smiled at the memory, grabbing the neatly wrapped bento before heading to the door. From the hallway, he peeked into their bedroom, where Shoto was still half-asleep, eyes open but unfocused, his red and white hair a wild mess against the pillow.

“You’ve got patrol tonight, remember?” Izuku said softly. “I left coffee on the counter.”

Shoto nodded, not fully responsive, but Izuku knew he heard him. One of Shoto’s sidekicks had caught the flu and the schedule shift wasn’t ideal, but he’d manage, as he always did.

_____________________________

U.A. High School - Morning - 7.20AM

Izuku walked through the open school gates, waving to a few early birds from other classes. The corridors buzzed softly as students filtered in, voices and footsteps echoing against the polished floors. He greeted Aizawa-sensei at the gates, then Cementoss, who was animatedly arguing with Vlad King about some new training schedule.

“Morning, Midoriya!” Tenya Iida called out from a distance, still as upright and polished as ever, even years after graduating. His son, Haruto, was walking beside him, nervously adjusting his glasses and muttering formulas under his breath.

“Morning Iida-kun! Haruto, that essay on strategy evaluation was fantastic,” Izuku said warmly. “Good depth and detail.” Haruto flushed pink, offering a small bow before disappearing into the huge building.

A while later, Izuku stepped into Class 1-A, greeted by the familiar sight of desks, notebooks, and a whole new generation of heroes-in-training who still believed, wholeheartedly, in the world they could change.

“Alright, Good Morning kids, take your seats,” he said with his usual cheerful tone, though his voice carried the authority he’d grown into over the years.

“Good Morning, Deku-Sensei!” the class chorused.

Looking around, Izuku noticed Ryuu sitting near the window, idly spinning a water droplet between his fingers, his tail flicking in rhythmic motion. And Kanji, who was two seats away, slouched and groaning something about “roommates and neighbours” while half-smiling at something Ryuu said under his breath. As well as Haruto, who sat between the two, telling them to quiet down.

Izuku’s eyes lingered on them for a beat longer than necessary.

The three, Kanji, Ryuu, and Haruto, reminded him of his old trio. Not because they matched perfectly in personality, but because of how naturally they bonded. They had a perfect rhythm going on. Something unspoken that passed between them in their shared glances, their subtle jokes. Something that reminded him of quieter days with Uraraka and Iida, or of chaotic ones with Kacchan and Shoto.

________________________________

Noon - Staff Lounge - 12PM

Izuku ate lunch alone in the teacher’s lounge, half his mind on the essays he needed to grade and the other half on the Sports Festival. Specifically for the Sport's Festival next academic year, it may seem early, but one cannot be unprepared for suck an important event that may determine the student's future. Aizawa-sensei, as usual would be the commentator, accompanied by Jirou. While Nedzu, with all his chaotic stoat-ness, wanted Midoriya to decide the 1st and 2nd game for the sports festival since he wanted to do something new this time around.

On the other hand, there was also Hoshi’s vigilante case. Aizawa-sensei had come back irritated from a recent patrol. Apparently, he’d crossed paths with Hoshi again and things didn’t go well.

“I offered rehab. She ran. Again,” Aizawa muttered, tossing the report aside.

Izuku tapped his chopsticks together.

“…You think she’s scared?”

“She’s dangerous,” Aizawa answered bluntly. The hesitation in his voice however was impossible to ignore since Aizawa-sensei hardly hesitates. “But… yeah. Probably.”

That stuck with him.

_________________________________________

Evening - Home Again - 5~6pm

The apartment was quiet when Izuku got home. Shoto had already left for his night patrol, leaving a note on the fridge in his neat handwriting.

“Dinner’s in the fridge. You were right about the laundry needing rewashing. Love you. – S.”

Izuku chuckled softly and ran his hand through his curls. He heated up the food, sat down, and clicked on the news. More minor villain attack downtown. Some mysterious vigilante reports near the old part of Musutafu.

He clicked it off before the report ended.

__________________________________________

Later that night, he sat by the window with a cup of tea, watching the city lights blink like lazy stars. His phone buzzed.

[Kacchan]: “I’m staying at shitty hair’s place today so get some damn sleep. You’ve got class again tomorrow.”

He smiled.

[Midoriya]: “Yeah… just making sure Sho gets back safe.”

[Kacchan]: “He’s fine, Nerd. He always is.”

Izuku stared at the city a moment longer.

He had given up everything to save this place. His quirk. His power. His body hadn’t recovered fully from it, he sometimes had phantom pain in his limbs. Or sometimes, he’d forget he didn’t have a quirk anymore. Not Float. Not Smokescreen. Not blackwhip. Not One For All. But he could still teach. He could still be here. To protect the ones coming next.

And that was enough for him. 

___________________________________________________________________________

Shoto’s POV

The cold night air in Musutafu nipped at Shoto’s cheeks as he landed lightly on a rooftop, his breath curling in the moonlight. The city glittered below, alive, bustling, but uneasy. It always was, these days, even with his friends going around Japan and the gradually decreasing villains. But that only means stronger villains were the one hiding. He glanced down at the streets, scanning for trouble with the practiced ease of a pro hero. He had patrol tonight, as one of his sidekicks, Yoshino, caught the flu, and rather than pushing it on the others, Shoto had volunteered to take over the area alone.

It didn’t bother him. Solitude never did, not even after all these years being together with his friends.

He adjusted his earpiece and stepped forward, scanning the alleyways when he saw it. Just a flicker of movement. A blur of black, white, and a touch of silver. A figure moving impossibly fast across a rooftop opposite his.

He narrowed his eyes.

A Vigilante.

Hoshi.

He’d seen the reports. The mysterious figure causing chaos and miracles in equal measure. The one Tsukauchi was obsessed with catching. The one Aizawa called “a pain in the ass with too much flair.” And the one Izuku couldn’t stop analyzing like she was an unsolvable equation.

This was the first time Shoto saw her up close.

She was standing on a ledge now, crouched slightly, overlooking a quiet backstreet like a gargoyle. The wind tugged at her black jacket, silver belts glinting under the streetlights. Her white hair, so distinct, fluttered against the night like a banner. And her mask… a smile painted in ghostly white and stars.

Shoto reached for the comm. “I’ve found her,” he murmured.

But before he could speak again, she turned around.

She had heard him.

Hoshi straightened, one hand raised in mock greeting. “Yo! I was wondering who was tailing me. To be honest, you’re shorter in person! Those videos make you look impossibly tall.” she said with a teasing grin in her voice.

Shoto raised a brow, stepping off his rooftop and landing soundlessly a few feet away from her. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“And you’re not supposed to be fun, but life’s full of surprises,” she replied, cocking her head. “Hey, aren’t you that hardening guy? I thought you were on vaca- wait. Never mind. You’re the hot-cold sandwich guy.”

“I prefer ‘Shoto,’” he said dryly.

“Oh, right. Sorry. I don’t really have the habit of calling Pro heroes by their actual name” she shot back. She was bleeding slightly from her shoulder, a recent wound, not deep. And yet, she acted like she was untouchable.

Shoto’s eyes narrowed. “You’re injured.”

“Yeah, I walked into a doorknob. Twice. Super sharp one. Real tragedy.”

He stepped forward. “You need medical attention. And to stop interfering with hero work.”

Hoshi’s posture shifted, just slightly. The joking veneer remained, but her weight subtly changed, ready to run. Or fight. “I think you’re confusing ‘interfering’ with ‘doing your job better than you guys do.’”

“I won’t ask again,” Shoto said, voice now like steel. “Turn yourself in. We have rehabilitation programs-”

“No,” she said. Flat. Immediate. And for a second, there was no grin.

Shoto took another step. “Why not? You’d get help. Resources. You clearly have training-”

“Because you don’t fix people like me,” she said sharply. “You patch up what you can see and leave the rest to rot. I know how your system works.”

A pause. Then her voice lightened again. “Besides, I’ve got a hot date with some cheese buldak later. Can’t miss that.”

“I’m not letting you go.”

She sighed dramatically, shaking her head. “Man, you really don’t know how to take a hint. No wonder you don’t really understand metaphors”

Then she moved.

A blur of motion, graceful, precise, clever. She bolted, vaulting over the edge of the rooftop like it was nothing.

Shoto followed. Ice shot out beneath his feet, propelling him forward, freezing over the obstacles she threw his way. She darted between alleys, using the architecture like it was part of her body, ducking and flipping with terrifying familiarity.

She wasn’t trying to fight.

She was just trying to lose him.

And for the first time in a long while, Shoto realized he might not catch her tonight.

But he kept up, chasing the ghost of a girl with silver hair and a paper grin, who laughed even as blood ran down her arm.

‘Hey! Say Hi to Deku for me!’ she yelled before smoke seemed to cover their surroundings.

He didn’t know who she was. But she knew about him. A lot.

This vigilante wasn’t some reckless wannabe.

She was dangerous.

And she was very, very good at not getting caught.

Notes:

Finally, I'm more free now. Everytime i came back from exams i just went ahead to write a few words. I think it's enough. Also, thanks to reading other people's fan fiction, I have changed this chapter's format by just a little.. And yes, I ship Tododeku. There might be some Bakudeku interactions in future, but canonically in this book, it's Tododeku.

Chapter 12: Notebooks and Gizmos

Summary:

Aizawa investigates some items while Asuka visits everyone's favourite little informant.

Notes:

HAHAHA MOTIVATION HAS SUCCESSFULLY RETURNED.

The living room was quiet, lit only by the faint glow of a single desk lamp. Aizawa sat slouched on his couch, hair damp from a recent shower. The bag sat on the coffee table before him, untouched for over a day.

He grabbed it mid-chase the other day. She’d bolted when he pressed too hard about rehab. Typical. But this time, she’d left behind something. When he tried to grab her with his capture weapon, it latched onto her bag instead, and surprisingly, she left the bag behind. 

He hadn’t opened it until now.

Not because he wanted to respect her privacy, no. If she wanted to dance on the line between hero and villain, then she doesn’t get to complain when someone peeked behind the curtain. But…something about it felt personal. Like tearing open someone’s journal.

Regardless of the feeling, curiosity kills the cat. So he unzipped the bag carefully. No alarms. No traps. Good sign. But she didn’t seem like the booby-trapping type, heck what was he thinking? Thinking she might booby trap her own bag. She wasn’t stupid, just a little reckless.

Inside: a tangle of vigilante survival.

• A broken utility knife wrapped in electrical tape. Doesn’t seem secure, but it works.
• Three compressed smoke bombs. Where did she get these?
• A packet of expired fruit gummies. Of course, typical.
• A pocket-sized flashlight shaped like a cat. An oddly specific shape… 
• Two protein bars. A cheap brand, one of them was half-eaten.
• A small, rusted multitool. A little out-dated, but for Hoshi to have it and use it surprises him.

And at the bottom: a thick, stuffed, dog-eared notebook, held together with a rubber band and sheer spite. There were stickers on the cover. Some peeled and half-ripped. One in particular stood out. It was of a little cartoon ghost with a speech bubble that read " Boo, bitch. "

He sighed and muttered to himself as he opened the book. “You’ve got attitude, I’ll give you that.”

Page one:
“If you’re reading this and you’re not me, PUT IT BACK.”
Below it was a poorly doodled middle finger.

He snorted. Of course. Then opened it anyway.

The first few pages were notes. Detailed villain analysis; abilities, movement patterns, known territory. Names scribbled in bold, like “Komadou - Knife Quirk, can turn his fingers into little butter knives - Favors right side” and “Junji the Gas Leaker - can generate gas as long as there’s sufficient water- near Kamino sewer grates. Real creep.”

Then came a section labeled: “Pros I’ve Seen In Action.”

Lemillion - Dangerous with a surprisingly big ego. Should NOT be approached alone. Little Jokester, the kind that yaps a lot while fighting or chasing.

Deku - Actually very cool. His ‘shooter’ style’s pretty sick. Might try copying it (and break a rib).

Mt. Lady - Media hog. Broke a Building into 3 pieces and didn’t clean it up. Boo. I pity her manager.

Eraserhead -

He froze

Her note under his name was long:

“Doesn’t miss. Totally Unfair. Cold stare. Sharp, tired. Haunted. Kinda like a sad alley cat. Persistent. Stupidly good at his job.Could probably win a staring competition with death. Pretty nice sometimes. Like Jelly Pouches, specifically the Lychee Flavoured one, maybe I’ll get him some and bribe him.”

Aizawa closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. Not sure if he should feel insulted or complicated with this. Looking at it again, there was also a little doodle of a tired cat in the corner of the page with yellow goggles and a scarf.

He flipped forward.

“Reminders”

• “Replace smoke bombs. Last one was trash.”
  
  
• “Don't take the alley near 3rd again. Trap door.”
  
  
• “I still owe Tadao takoyaki. (The one near Fatgum’s agency, he’s picky)”
  
  
• “Zaki finally fixed my mini rock launcher. Should be able to test range this weekend.”
  
  
• “Kanji and his class have patrol practice, so avoid UA blocks till 6.”

His brows furrowed at that one. “Kanji.” He’d heard that name, Midoriya mentioned him once. Bright, magma-type. Does Hoshi know his schedule? If she did, was she keeping track of UA’s schedules? How?

‘Zaki’, that might be a short form for someone’s full name. Whoever they are, they’re helping her fix her little gizmos. And ‘Tadao’. Now that’s a name he can work with. He’s vaguely heard of him from villains and thugs he’s encountered before. An Informant.

Whatever the case, this notebook proves something about Hoshi. That she isn’t just being reckless or playing around as a vigilante. She’s watching heroes and villains. Gathering data.

And now, Aizawa stood, notebook in hand as he muttered quietly to the empty room:

“…What are you really after, Hoshi?”

____________________________________________________

Asuka sneezed. Was someone talking about her? Perhaps Kanji is just bad mouthing her again. Meh, she’ll just steal his Ikayaki when she gets back. Going back on task, she’s almost at her destination.

The tunnel was wet. ‘Wet’ as in the kind of wet that clings to your skin and makes everything stink like mold and rusted metal. Musutafu’s underground was mostly forgotten, filled with broken train tracks, leaking pipes, and people society didn’t want to look at.

Perfect for a vigilante.

Light flickered unnaturally ahead, no, not flickered. Twitched. Shadows pulsed and rippled like ink across the concrete walls, shifting in time with a heartbeat that wasn’t hers.

“Asuka.”

She froze, blinking once under her visor before stepping out of the dark.

“Don’t call me that down here, I have a new ID by the name ‘Aira Furukawa’,” she grumbled, voice muffled slightly by her hood. “Also, it’s Hoshi when I’m dressed like this.”

From the far side of the corridor, a wall peeled back like breathing skin. The vertical slit of a mouth pulsed open with a low buzz.

Tsuji Tadao’s voice came out warped, vibrating through his mutated face.

“You’ve been showing up too often. People might start thinking I actually like you.”

“Aw, you wound me,” Asuka joked as she walked up, flipping her hood back. “You didn’t even offer snacks this time.”

“You want snacks, go to a konbini. You want specialized throwing blades that can ricochet off steel beams and still come back in one piece? Sit your ass down.”

Tadao’s hideout was as chaotic as ever. Wires spilling like vines from broken monitors, half-finished drones dangling from the ceiling, and a shelf full of questionable “prototypes” that probably violated a dozen safety regulations. And yet, it felt familiar. Safe, in its own weird way.

Asuka swung her legs onto a stool, removing a cracked smoke bomb from her belt and tossing it to the desk. “That thing busted mid-fight. Can you make me something better? Smaller too. I almost blew my own foot off.”

Tadao caught it without looking. “You wanna die young and pretty, you’re on the right path.”

“You think I’m pretty?” she smirked, leaning back lazily.

“You think I can’t remove your vocal cords with a spoon?”

“You can? Teach me.”

“Nah. Arachnor will blow my head off.”

The mutant cracked the bomb open and started scanning its casing with a jittery, handheld device. “Same specs?”

“Actually,” she said, leaning forward now with a spark in her eye, “I need some upgrades. I got into a little... argument with a certain Underground Hero recently.”

Tadao stopped scanning.

“...Eraserhead?”

“Mmhm.”

“You’re trying to die.”

“He started it,” she shrugged. “Tried to make me go back to rehab. ‘Oh Hoshi! Our rehab will help you, just stop this vigilante crap!’ Psh- as if. Also, I’m not about that life anymore.”

Tadao sighed through his weird pulsing mouth-slit and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You keep poking bears and expect to get honey. You need to stop showing your face to Heroes. In future, you might accidentally alert Pro Heroes.”

“Too late. Shoto saw me yesterday.”

“You- who what?!”

“He didn’t catch me! Just… saw me.” She grinned proudly. “And I might’ve waved. And talked.  A little.”

Tadao dropped the broken bomb like it was cursed. “You’re a menace.”

“And you’re not wrong, squid face.”

“Fine,” he muttered, opening one of his bottom drawers and pulling out a sleek, metallic capsule. “Here. Smoke bombs with randomized gas patterns, compact shock darts, and this.”

He held up a thin silver wristband.

“What’s that?”

“Something Kazaki definitely wouldn’t approve of, so don’t tell him. It’s a short-range distortion emitter. If someone tries to grab you, it messes with their spatial perception. Makes it feel like you’re three steps to the left. Might buy you two seconds. Three if they’re stupid.”

Asuka took it gently, eyes wide. “You spoil me, Tadao.”

“I regret it every time.”

She buckled the band on with practiced ease, the silver gleam catching the flickering lights. Her eyes glimmered behind the mask.

“You’re not gonna tell Kazaki, right?”

Tadao didn’t answer at first. He just looked at her, like, really looked at her. At the faint bruises peeking out from under her sleeve. At the quick way her fingers danced with each gadget. At the way she was always moving, always distracting, like stopping even for a moment would let something terrible catch up.

He sighed.

“No promises.”

“Hmph. Snitch.”

“Brat.”

She stood, stretching. “Alright. Next time I’ll bring you takoyaki.”

“It better be from that stand near Fatgum’s old agency in Esuha City. The other one’s trash.”

“You’re picky for a mutant hacker who lives in a flesh-wall basement.”

“I have standards.”

Asuka turned to leave, then paused.

“...Thanks, Tadao.”

He waved her off. “Just try not to die. You still owe me that USB drive full of villain market access points.”

She grinned. “I’ll get it to you next week.”

Chapter 13: The part where Hoshi is about to have a crazy night

Summary:

Nothing to say really, read the chapter title

The staff room at UA was quiet for once.

Aizawa leaned back in his chair, cup of hot tea warming his hand, but his mind was elsewhere. Flipping through pages, memories, instincts. The bag he’d snagged still sat at home, zipped shut. But the notebook from inside it? That was why he was here.

The door clicked open.

“Morning, Aizawa-sensei!” Midoriya said brightly, already halfway through taking off his scarf.

“Midoriya.” Aizawa’s voice was as unreadable as ever, but there was a sharpness to it today.

Midoriya blinked. “...Did I forget to hand in the patrol debrief again?”

“No. Sit.”

Midoriya hesitated, then sat across from him. “What’s wrong?”

Aizawa studied him for a long moment before sliding the notebook across the table.

Midoriya’s expression twisted in surprise. “Wait… this..this isn't mine so this must be from… Hoshi, right?”

“You knew?”

“I’ve heard rumors. And… Todoroki saw her last night, said she wasn’t hostile. Just fast and agile. But this…?” He skimmed a few pages and stopped dead at one line. His brow furrowed. “Kanji and his class have patrol practice, so avoid UA blocks till 6?”

“Exactly.”

Midoriya looked up slowly.

“You know what I’m going to ask,” Aizawa said.

“How does she know UA’s student test patrol schedules?” Midoriya murmured. “It’s not even public among the rest of the hero courses.”

“Either someone’s leaking information… or she has access.”

Midoriya frowned, tapping his fingers against his knee. “No student in 1-A would tell a vigilante anything like this. Not on purpose. And Kanji’s a good kid, but,”

“She’s watching someone,” Aizawa interrupted. “Kanji, Haruto, Ryuu, could be anyone in your class.”

Midoriya's face darkened in quiet thought. “She knew to avoid patrol hours. That’s not just observation. That’s familiarity.”

“Exactly.”

Midoriya flipped a few more pages and raised an eyebrow at a doodle of Aizawa, titled ‘Would win a staring contest with Death’ .

He coughed, hiding a chuckle. “She’s… kinda funny.”

Aizawa grunted.

“But she’s not trying to hurt anyone, right?” Midoriya asked, hesitant. “Her notes are tactical. Smart. I mean, snarky, sure, but she’s tracking real threats. She’s working against villains.”

“She’s still a vigilante,” Aizawa said flatly. “And she ran when I tried to help. Offered her resources. A safe place. She refused.”

Midoriya looked troubled. “Maybe she can’t risk it. Or thinks she can’t. We don’t know her past.”

“We might,” Aizawa said quietly. “Soon.”

That made Midoriya look up.

“I don’t believe in coincidence, Midoriya. Not when it’s this precise. Her timing. Her awareness of student routes. Her caution about being seen during patrols.”

Midoriya leaned forward. “Do you think she’s…?”

“Connected to someone here?” Aizawa finished. “Yes.”

They both sat in silence.

Then Midoriya said, “If she’s watching Kanji… maybe he knows more than he lets on.”

“Or maybe he’s being protected,” Aizawa said. “Either way, she’s close.”

Midoriya hesitated, then offered, “You want me to… keep an eye out?”

Aizawa looked at him, and for once, the tiredness behind his eyes eased.

“I want you to stay observant. But don’t confront her if you see her. Just let me know. If she’s connected to our students, I want to know why. And I want to know who she really is.”

Midoriya nodded slowly. “Got it.”

As he stood to leave, he glanced once more at the notebook.

“Y’know… whoever she is, she’s smart. But also lonely. You can feel it, right?” he said softly.

Aizawa didn’t answer, but his gaze lingered on the page Midoriya had left open, a scrawled drawing of a dragon-like figure curled up on a rooftop, looking small under the moon.

He closed the notebook.

“She doesn't have to be.”

________________________________

Musutafu’s night air was always a little colder when Eraserhead was around. Maybe it was the silence he carried like a second cloak, or maybe it was the way the shadows seemed to straighten under his presence.

From her perch on the rooftop edge, Asuka could feel his presence before she saw him. The familiar drag of his steps, the subtle swish of his capture weapon. No rush tonight. No tension. No pursuit.

Good.
She was too tired to run. For once.

So when she dropped down silently behind him—just enough to be heard, not startled—she offered her greeting like a smirk made of smoke.

“Heya, Scarf-sensei.”

Aizawa didn’t turn, didn’t flinch. Just kept walking along the rooftop’s edge, eyes forward.

“Scarf-sensei? Where’d you get that nickname?” he said.

“My creativity goes beyond bounds” she teased, walking beside him now with the ease of a shadow that belonged there.

“And here I was wondering if you’d be smart enough to approach me again,” he responded dryly.

“Ouch,” she replied, mock-clutching her heart. “With the amount we’ve spent together, I thought we were bonding.”

He finally glanced at her, briefly, unreadable.

“You read my notebook,” she said suddenly, hands tucked into her jacket pockets. Her goggles reflected the soft city lights.

“No, I read what you left behind when you ran like a coward.”

“That’s harsh,” she said with a grin. “I like to think of it as tactical evasion.”

“You’ve got a lot of notes on my students.”

She shrugged, tilting her head. “They’re interesting.”

“You’ve got no business knowing that Kanji’s class had patrol until six.”

“No,” she agreed. “I don’t.”

A beat of silence stretched.

Aizawa sighed, stopping near the edge of the building and handing her notebook back. “You’ve got skill. Observation. Strategy. You're wasting it running rooftops and ducking the law.”

“I’m not ducking. I’m moonwalking. Very different.”

His look said try me.

She smiled again, softer this time as her notebook went into her new bag. “I don't think I’m ready for your rehab offer, Scarf-sensei. I’m not built for... safe environments. I’m built for the places the heroes can’t see.”

“Bullshit,” he muttered. “You’ve got a support network. Someone fixes and builds your gear. Providing information you should not have. You’re not alone.”

She didn’t answer that. Her tail flicked behind her coat, tapping the concrete lightly.

“Besides,” she added after a pause, “if you really wanted to catch me, you would’ve by now. But here we are. Another rooftop. Another chat.”

Aizawa looked over at her, hair swaying gently in the night breeze. “You remind me of someone.”

“Oh no,” she said with a grin. “Is this the part where you say I’m like your dead best friend and then I start crying?”

He didn't blink. “Her name was Nemuri.”

Oh.

The joke died in her throat, and for once, she didn’t speak.

“I’m tired of losing people who could’ve been saved,” he said, not looking at her. “You’re on that edge.”

She looked away. Her fingers curled around the edge of her glove.

“I’m not her,” she said.

“I know. She’d have tied you to a lamppost for the things you’ve done.”

A breath of laughter escaped her. “Now that’s the kind of funeral I want.”

A moment passed between them. Neither enemy, not quite allies. Just tired people playing a game of roles.

Aizawa finally sighed. “You’ve got five minutes before I pretend I don’t see you again.”

“Generous,” she said, already backing away. “Maybe next time, I’ll bring coffee.”

“Bring answers.”

“I’m full of those. Just gotta ask the right questions.”

She saluted lazily, and with a blur of motion, vaulted off the rooftop into the wind, disappearing between buildings like a breeze that chose to take form only for him.

Aizawa stood in silence, listening to the distant patter of her leap. Then he turned back to the city. Still gray, still awake, still full of questions.

He whispered into his comm.

“She's close to your position.”

Chapter 14: A Bad Night

Summary:

Poor Hoshi. 3 Pro heroes versus 1 vigilante, who wins?

If she had known Shoto Todoroki was still in Musutafu doing cleanup rounds after his sidekick fell ill, she might’ve kept her mouth shut with Aizawa and taken the longer route home.

But no.

She just had to take the shortcut through the neon-lit underpass two blocks from UA. The one with flickering lights and enough graffiti to host an art exhibit.

The air shifted, colder by just a little but enough to know. She turned just in time to see a thin trail of steam cut through the night and a single word shout from behind her.

“Hoshi!”

Well. Shit.

“Not tonight, Elsa”

Her boots scraped the ground as she twisted, scarf flaring, and took off down the alley, heart already kicking against her ribs. Todoroki’s footsteps echoed close behind.

“You need to stop running!”

She laughed breathlessly over her shoulder. “And miss our quality bonding time?”

He was faster than last time. Had he been training to chase her or something?

The alley split. She juked left toward the narrow scaffold staircases that hugged the side of an old office building. She knew this street. Knew where the railing bent, where the step squeaked.

But Todoroki was smarter than she gave him credit for.

A blast of ice slammed into the base of the fire escape just as she vaulted off the fifth step. It shattered, and she tumbled, hitting the ground hard and rolling to her feet with a hiss.

“Nice aim,” she grunted, staggering up. “Wanna try fire next? Make it fair?”

“I don’t want to fight you,” he called out, his voice low, firm. Closer.

“You chased me down an alley,” she shot back. “Could’ve fooled me!”

“People are getting hurt. You don’t belong out here.”

“Oh, that’s rich. Says the guy who shot ice at a teenage girl.”

“You’re a teen then? Thanks for the information.” he replied, stepping into view now, the steam from his breath curling in the cold. “Unfortunately, You’re a vigilante. You know that means you’re on thin ice-”

“Bit ironic, coming from you,” she joked, then used that second of reaction delay to bolt.

A flick of her wrist, a flash bomb smoke pellet thrown low.

The alley hissed, light exploded in a white cloud, and she shot straight upward using the nearby fire escape, ignoring the protesting burn in her thighs. By the time Todoroki cleared the smoke, she was gone again.
______________________________________

On a nearby rooftop, crouched behind a billboard, Hoshi pulled her goggles down and exhaled.

“Why is everyone in Musutafu so damn fast?”

She stayed crouched for another minute, listening. No footsteps. No ice. No fire. Phew.

But just as Hoshi was about to slip down the other side when a voice slid out from the shadows behind her.

“Rough night?”

She knew that voice.

“Oh come on…” she groaned, pivoting mid-crouch to find herself staring straight at Nighthide, also known as Shinsou Hitoshi, perched on the rusted AC unit like a bored gargoyle. His capture weapon fluttered slightly with the breeze, violet eyes gleamed under the low light of the rooftop.

“Don’t suppose you’d answer a few questions?” he asked, cool and even, not quite smug but close. Totally expected of Eraser’s personal student. “You know, I already turned down one moody underground hero and outran another limelight one tonight. Didn’t plan on speed-running the full set.”

“I’m not Aizawa,” Nighthide said, standing now. “I don’t get tired as easily as he does” Then he spoke again, asking a question this time.

“Why don’t you tell me what you’re really after out here?”

Well dang it.

She almost answered.

Almost.

“…Nighthide, you glorious underground hero. You really think I haven’t trained for this?”

She bit the inside of her cheek, drew blood, and stayed silent.

He blinked, recognizing what she did and let out a breath through his nose. “Figured. It was worth a shot though.” Then he lunged.

“Ugh, not again!” she shouted, bolting upright and twisting over the side of the rooftop. This time, she didn’t aim for stealth. She sprinted across the streetlight-washed roofs, vaulting over fences, skipping between gaps like a cat with a personal grudge against gravity.

Nighthide followed. Annoyingly persistent. He wasn’t like Todoroki with blasts or Aizawa with brute speed. No, he was patient. He shadowed her steps like her own damn reflection, keeping up just enough to apply pressure.

“I’m really starting to hate rooftops!” she snapped mid-leap.

“Then stop jumping across them.”

“Sassy . I’m putting that in my notebook.”

He threw his capture scarf. She dove under it, skidded across gravel, popped smoke, and took off again, coated in bruises, panting, grinning like a maniac.

This was fun. Stupid, risky, possibly-get-arrested fun. But fun.

By the time she finally ditched Nighthide near an old train yard, diving into a pile of stacked crates and waiting for five long minutes, her lungs were burning, her boots were scraped, and her hoodie was slashed from scarf friction.

She panted, muttering to herself.

“…three heroes in one night. That’s got to be a personal record.” She laid on her back between the crates, staring up at the patch of cloudy sky above.

“…I need more flash bombs.”

_______________________________________________

She was done.

So done.

Dragging her feet through a quiet, neon-lit backstreet near the edge of Musutafu’s central district, Hoshi let out a long groan as she pulled her hood lower over her face. Her boots were soaked from cutting through the canal. Her shoulder ached from Nighthide’s stupid scarf, and she was fairly sure Shoto had frozen half of the items in her bag. She just wanted to find a vending machine that sold melon soda and sit on a rooftop where no pro hero could sniff her out like some kind of overworked bloodhound.

But of course, trouble had a way of finding her.

“Excuse me.”

That voice was way too nice, way too polite, and laced with a distinct edge of tired curiosity.

She turned her head slowly.

And there he was, standing just a few feet away in full pro hero uniform, hands crossed in front of his chest, green curls tousled by the wind and glowing green eyes that narrowed slightly with concern:

Izuku Midoriya.

Aka Deku.

#4 Pro Hero.

Class 1-A’s homeroom teacher.

Her worst luck incarnate.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me,” she whispered under her breath.

He took a step forward, not threatening, just... deliberate. Careful.

“I’m not looking for a fight,” he said gently, though his eyes didn’t leave her silhouette. “I just want to talk.” “Oh sure, because that’s gone so well tonight,” she muttered. “What’s next, Dynamight dropping out of the sky with a grenade?”

“I heard there was movement near the old train yard.” His voice lowered. “I thought you might’ve been there. You look... tired.” Hoshi raised a hand. “Listen, you’ve got about five seconds to turn around before I hit my limit and become the weird cryptid of the month.”

Deku tilted his head just slightly. “You’re not dangerous.”

“…What?”

“I’ve been following up with all sorts of vigilantes for years,” he continued. “I’ve seen the damage they can do. Reckless, violent, desperate. But you? You’re careful. You record. You avoid civilians. You don’t just go around punching others and that tells me something.”

He paused.

“You’re not the enemy.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. For a moment, it almost felt like he was looking right through her, like he could see the secrets she kept under the hoodie, the trembling hands she kept in her pockets.

But that wasn’t possible. He didn’t know. Couldn’t know.

“…You sound like a teacher,” she said eventually.

“I am.”

She laughed.

“I almost forgot. Then you should know. Some students just never come back.”

Deku’s eyes flickered, like a hit had landed. “I don’t believe that,” he said quietly. “Not until they’re really gone.”

She stared at him. He didn’t move. She didn’t either. And then..

FLASH!

She dropped a small blinding pellet, smoke bursting between them as she bolted, slipping through the alley’s tight shadows.

“Sorry, sensei!” she called out behind her. “Class is dismissed!”

Deku blinked through the smoke, coughing once, then smiled faintly as it cleared.

“...She’s fast. I didn’t even see her hand move.”

Chapter 15: A very Tired Dragon

Summary:

I just realized i hadn't posted in a long time. I also don't know what much to write, so this chapter is short.

The apartment door creaked open at 2:47 AM.

Asuka stumbled in, hoodie still half-on, face mask shoved under her chin, one of her boots missing a sole. She didn’t even bother taking the shoes off, just collapsed face-first onto the couch with a groan that sounded like it came from the depths of hell. From the kitchen, a bag of potato chips froze midair. Kanji, bleary-eyed in an oversized Dynamight hoodie and plaid pajama pants, blinked at her like he’d seen a ghost. “…You look like roadkill.” She raised a hand weakly from where her face was squashed into the couch cushion and flipped him off. He nodded solemnly. “Fair.”

“Where’s Kazaki?” she mumbled, voice muffled. A door slammed from down the hall. “You tell me,” came Kazaki’s dry voice, as he stepped into the living room in black sweatpants and a tank top, rubbing his temple. “We’ve been texting you for the past three hours.” “I was a little busy,” Asuka groaned, dragging herself upright and practically peeling the hoodie off. Her shirt underneath was soaked, smudged with dirt, and stained with alley water. “Y’know, running from Emo scarf man, Fire Elsa, sleep demon, and the nation’s cinnamon roll.”

“…You ran into 4 Pro Heroes ? ” Kanji asked, eyes wide. “Yep,” she sighed, flopping onto her back. “Deku called me ‘not dangerous’, which is either the nicest compliment or the biggest red flag of my life.” Kazaki folded his arms, lips pressed into a thin line. “Sit up,” he said.

“No.”

“Now.”

She groaned, but obeyed, dragging herself upright on the couch like a half-dead cat. “I’m fine,” she muttered. “You’re not fine,” he snapped. “You smell like a sewer, and you’re limping. Again.” Kanji hovered behind him awkwardly, holding a bandage roll in one hand and an ice pack in the other. “I made tea,” he offered. “But it’s cold now.” “I’ll microwave it.” Kazaki’s eyes narrowed. “Asuka. This has to stop.” Her shoulders tensed. “Not tonight, Arachnor.” He scowled. “Don’t call me that.” “Don’t lecture me then.”

Kazaki stood, exasperated, running a hand through his hair. “You’re pushing your luck. Every time you go out there, it’s closer and closer to the edge. What happens when someone catches you? What happens when they finally find out your identity and find out you’re not dead?”

Kanji winced.

“…You can’t keep walking this line forever, Asuka. Eventually, it’ll collapse under you.” She didn’t respond. She just pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them, staring at the floor. “Let me have this,” she whispered. Kazaki sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You can’t fight the world forever, Asuka.” “Watch me.” Kanji quietly set the ice pack down beside her and the reheated mug of tea on the coffee table. Finally, Kazaki sighed and gave up on convincing her “I’ll make katsudon in the morning,” a small silence followed. “Extra pork please.” “Alright.” They left her alone after that.

 After writing a bit in her notebook, She curled up on the couch, hoodie thrown over herself like a blanket, she finally let her body crash. Sleep came fast. Faster than the guilt that usually followed.

Chapter 16: Asuka's Diary Pt.1

Summary:

I'm getting motivated recently and I'm about to start college! So even if there are not many views, I'm going to continue this story and trust the process. I don't really have a full plan laid out for the story so I guess I'll just have to go wherever my creativity takes me. On another note, I'm going to start doing little mini memes in the end notes of my chapters.

-FunXOXze

2nd November 23XX

3.37.A.M.

Diary Entry #82:

___________________________

I encountered Eraserhead again. But he’s all dad mode. I guess he didn’t feel like chasing me after a whole day spent in UA going through the final exams. It’s going to be the new year soon, I think I might want to apply to UA. Perhaps the General course or Support course? I can’t make nearly enough money as a vigilante. On the other hand, Deku and Eraserhead both work in UA, and according to Kanji, Shoto frequently helps out in UA. This might expose my identity, but I guess that’s why I have a fake ID and everything. Being a 14 year old sucks. Especially when you have lessons online.

I mean, just look at Ryuu, he’s literally the same age as me but he's smart enough to skip a grade and start studying in UA earlier. I swear I’m totally more powerful than him. Anyhow, back to business, I just found out Nighthide is snarkier than Eraserhead! Probably not a good thing since I’ll get distracted during chases but who am I to say that?

Actually, I might just take both the Support Course and Hero Course exam just for the fun of it. I mean, in all technicality, I heard the Hero course exam is fun and I can always just underperform. Not like Nedzu can do anything about it. He may be Principal for now and I may have made a death deal with him, but he's just emailed me this morning about the fact that he’ll be retiring soon and allowing Aizawa (of all people) to take his place as Principal. And actually though, who would’ve expected that? Not me, and definitely not Eraserhead himseldf.

 

Anyhow, I won’t be going on patrol tomorrow. Today was just so god dang TIRING. Cuz, have you ever seen a vigilante get chased by 4 pro heroes who have been to war with a villain who destroys anything with a touch of his 5 fingers? It’s a first for sure. Not even famous vigilantes like The Crawler or Knuckleduster had been chased by that many Pro Heroes of that level! At most, it was just Eraserhead in his prime.

On a totally unrelated note, Eraserhead mentioned ‘Nemuri’ AKA Midnight (God bless her soul) as his old friend. I did not expect that. She was a pretty cool hero from what I heard and the videos I’ve seen. And for a R-rated hero, no one would expect her to be close friends with the gloomy sad underground hero. I should really actually do some research on him, because the only things I know about him are that he was the teacher of the class 1-A that defeated the war against Shigaraki and that he essentially played a big role in everything. 

Besides, this should give me a reason to stay home. Kazaki is probably going to ground me and make me stay at home for the next week anyway. I can feel it. He’s like a total ‘Dad’ even though he’s only 2 years older than Kanji. 

Alright, enough talking I’m going to sleep.

 

Signing out,

Asuka.

Notes:

Asuka: Lord bless me, let me lead a peaceful life as both civilian and chaotic gremlin vigilante

The Entire MHA cast: Still exist.

Asuka: ....Fuck.

_______________________________

Kazaki: I just don't think being a vigilante is good for you

Asuka: How do you know it's not good for me?!

Kazaki: IT'S MY OPINION!

Kanji: ...this is fine.

Chapter 17: Principal Eraserhead

Summary:

SURPRISE! I just realized that Toshinori (All might) was supposed to be the new principal thanks to the manga..and i also made a realization that All Might is DEAD in this story. So uhm, next most smartest move and person to be principal is.....ERASERHEAD! AKA GLOOMY AND 100 TIMES MORE DEPRESSED AIZAWA SHOUTA! (Who is in his mid 50s)

3 DAYS AFTER CHASING HOSHI

9.A.M. - UA HIGH

The UA staff lounge was ‘louder’ than usual.

Momo Yaoyorozu sat at the center table, sipping matcha from her personal thermos with all the poise of someone who absolutely had insider knowledge. Across from her, Midoriya was pacing with that high-speed nervous energy he never quite outgrew. Beside him, Shoto Todoroki (who is happily off patrol duty for the week) leaned silently against the far wall, arms folded. On the couch, Jirou strummed her bass guitar quietly, earbuds looped around her earlobes, but she was very much listening. 

Thirteen was seated next to Power Loader, who was mid-rant about cement particles clogging his support lab’s ventilation. Cementoss occasionally chimed in with dry sarcasm, his version of entertainment. Snipe cleaned his guns near the windowsill, occasionally chuckling to himself like he knew something not many other people did. Which, to be fair, he did.

The moment Aizawa walked in, the room fell suspiciously silent. He stopped in the doorway, eyes scanning the room with suspicion. “...What.” “Oh hey, Aizawa!” Power Loader grinned. “Or should we call you ‘Boss’ now?” Aizawa blinked once. “Excuse me?” Momo looked up, smile perfectly polite. “Congratulations on the promotion, Sensei. Or should we call you Principal now?” “…You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered. “Nedzu told me this morning. AT 6 FUCKING AM. And you’re all acting like this is old news.”

 

 

FLASHBACK

________________________

UA HIGH - 6.00.A.M.

 

Aizawa stood across from the small rodent principal, watching as Nedzu carefully slid a manila folder toward him across the desk. Nedzu smiled politely. "I hope you're well, Aizawa-san." He narrowed his eyes. "You didn’t ask me here for small talk." "Very true," Nedzu said, folding his paws neatly over each other. "Let’s not waste time, then. I’ll get straight to the point: I plan to step down from my position as principal of UA High."  Aizawa blinked slowly. "...You're kidding." "No," Nedzu said cheerfully. "Not in the slightest. And the staff board, along with myself, have unanimously decided on a successor."

A pause. A slow dawning horror.

"You," Nedzu finished, pointing one clawed finger in his direction. "You are the next principal of UA." There was a sharp, stunned silence in the room, broken only by the steady hum of the ventilation system. "...Why me?" Aizawa finally asked, arms crossed, his tone more gruff than usual. "Because," Nedzu said, voice warm but with a hint of steel, "You’re one of the last few standing. You’re highly respected. You care for all the students here. You know every corner of this school and nearly every quirk of every student who’s walked through it. You are, for better or worse, the heart of UA."

Aizawa didn’t look proud. He looked haunted. "And that’s supposed to be a good reason?" he muttered. "I’m not the heart. I’m just the one who didn’t die." Nedzu’s ears flicked back slightly. “Toshinori made his choice. So did Yamada. They gave everything they had. You’ve given just as much but you’re still here. And that means something, Eraserhead."

Aizawa stared down at the folder in front of him. He didn’t open it. Not yet. "So that’s it? I’m to become a bureaucrat now? I spend my days writing budgets and listening to angry parents?" "You’ll still teach," Nedzu said. "If you want. I’ll ensure that. But the school needs more than a figurehead. It needs someone who sees the cracks before they break. Someone who’s already been holding this place together."

"You keep making it sound like I have a choice." "You do," Nedzu said gently. "You always did. But if you say no, I’ll have to go with Plan B."

Aizawa looked up sharply. "Which is?"

Nedzu’s smile grew disturbingly wide. “Midoriya.”

"...Okay. Fine. I’ll consider it."

Nedzu chuckled, unbothered. "That’s all I needed to hear."

Aizawa finally took the folder and flipped it open. Pages of transfer summaries, student trends, surveillance updates, and confidential incident reports spilled out. At the very back, a slip of paper labeled Contingency - Vigilantes, with three names underlined. One name caught his eye. "...You're tracking Hoshi this closely?" "Wouldn’t you?" Nedzu asked with a small smile as he sipped his tea. "A vigilante running around Musutafu and Kamino Ward, drawing attention from limelight top pro heroes, underground pro heroes and still evading capture? It’s impressive." Aizawa closed the folder slowly. "She’s not just another punk playing hero. There’s history."

"And yet she keeps dancing just outside your reach."

"She’s smart."

"She’s terrified," Nedzu corrected gently. “Smart and Bright, yes. But mostly scared. And trying very hard to pretend otherwise.” Aizawa leaned back in the chair and scrubbed a hand over his face. “From your tone and what you just said, I think it’s reasonable for me to say that you know more than you let on.”

"Of course I do. I am the principal of UA. For now."

A long silence passed. Then, "...Will you at least keep an eye on things after you’re gone?" Aizawa asked, sounding far more human than he liked to admit. Nedzu smiled, this time a little softer. “I may step down from the title, Aizawa-san. But I never truly leave my school.”

There was nothing more to say. Aizawa picked up the folder, tucked it under one arm, and stood.

“...Fine. I’ll read this. But I’m not wearing a tie.”

Nedzu’s grin returned in full force. “Noted.”

 

 

FLASHBACK END

__________________________________________________

BACK TO PRESENT TIME, 

 

Shoto tilted his head. “You didn’t know?” Midoriya froze mid-step, eyes wide. “You- you mean we weren’t supposed to know yet?” Aizawa squinted at him.

 

“Midoriya.”

 

“Sensei?”

 

“…How long have you known?”

 

Midoriya coughed. “Um. Two weeks?”

Aizawa turned to Jirou. She shrugged, still plucking strings. “Four days,” she said. “I’m not a snitch.” “You literally just admitted it,” Aizawa deadpanned. “I’m not the one who told the others.” Momo raised her hand. “That may have been me, sensei. I only told Todoroki. And Jirou. And Midoriya. …And the entire UA faculty. But only because we needed a contingency plan in case of emergency leadership restructuring.”

Aizawa groaned. “This isn’t a military coup.” “Yet,” muttered Cementoss. “But who knows with Nedzu.” Snipe laughed. “It was in the official staff documents weeks ago. Nedzu signed it and everything. Didn’t you read the last three memos?” “I delete Nedzu’s emails,” Aizawa said, with no shame. “They’re either riddles or worse, invitations. Most specifically to any existing Pro Hero Gala that happens in the month.” Thirteen hid a laugh as she spoke. “We assumed you were playing the long game. Y’know, acting cool and brooding about your ‘inevitable fate’ and all.”

“I was not acting anything,” he snapped, rubbing his eyes. “I genuinely had no idea until tis morning.” “Oh!” Midoriya shot up. “So all those times I asked if you wanted to test-run the principal chair in the committee meetings-”

“I thought you were being weird again.”

“I’m always being weird again,” Midoriya agreed sheepishly.

Shoto quietly added, “We did vote for you unanimously.” “Wait.” Aizawa stared at him. “You were on the vote?” “They asked the senior heroes to consult,” Yaoyorozu explained. “And frankly, it was either you, Midoriya or Power Loader. But Power Loader rejected the role and Midoriya cried when he saw his name on the list.” “I-i didn’t cry…I just..didn’t expect my name to be up there! And I don’t think I’m ready for such an important position…” Midoriya said. (And though it may be half a truth, he did indeed cry) 

Jirou leaned forward, strumming a single discordant note. “You know, for someone who teaches kids to be prepared for hero work, you’re really bad at noticing your own setup.” “That's it. I’m requesting a transfer to General Studies,” Aizawa grunted, heading to the coffee machine. “Too late!” Snipe hollered after him. “We already changed your desk plaque.” “And your parking spot,” Yaoyorozu added with a small polite smile. “We also got you your own personal coffee machine. For ‘stress.’”

“I don’t get stressed.”

“You will,” Cementoss said, without looking up. As Aizawa poured himself an aggressively full cup of coffee and turned back to face the room of traitors he once called colleagues and students, he sighed long and deep.

“Next time something important happens,” he said, voice dry as desert sand, “someone please tell me before the school mascot does.” Jirou grinned. “Can’t promise anything, Aizawa sensei- Oops, sorry, I mean, Principal Aizawa.”

Notes:

Nedzu: I'm Retiring!

Aizawa: So?

Nedzu: ..... :)

Aizawa: ....oh. ... OH.

________________________________________

The entire UA faculty 2 weeks ago: Eraser is about to become principal!

Aizawa 2 weeks ago: ....Y'all are weird.

_______________________________________

Nedzu: If you don't become Principal, We're going with the other plan.

Aizawa: Then go with the other plan, it's not that bad.

Nedzu: Midoriya will be principal!

Aizawa: ....I'm becoming principal.

Chapter 18: Flaming Cats

Summary:

What do you do when you're out shopping and you meet the Pro Hero who's been chasing you as a vigilante? Create a diversion and escape. Or in this case, Your cats are on fire and you're off the save them.

Also ft Principal Nedzu because Asuka's Fake identity is officially Toasted.

Asuka, under the very unfortunate alias Aira Furukawa , had planned for a peaceful, uneventful outing.

Black-dyed hair? Check.
Oversized hoodie and glasses? Check.
Scarf to cover her mouth if needed? Absolutely.
Emotional stability after being grounded by her infuriating handler/fake-dad-older-brother Kazaki?

Not even close.

Kazaki had looked her in the eyes just three days ago and declared, “You’re grounded for one week. No Hoshi work. You show up in costume and I take the suit, the gear, and your privileges. You become a civilian with consequences.” Criminal. Tyrannical. And Absolutely Unfair.

And now she was wandering around the city pretending to enjoy the fresh air while on internal high alert, scowling at pigeons like they personally wronged her. But things got worse when she looked up and saw Kanji and Kazaki, previously walking far apart one another, now walking ahead of her, casually chatting.

And when ‘casually chatting’ is mentioned, she means like a pair of characters out of a romantic slice-of-life anime, walking side by side. One all sunshine, wide gestures, excited rambling… the other a silent, broody wall of quiet judgment sipping a strawberry smoothie Kanji had bought him.

"You're kidding me," Asuka whispered under her breath. "I’m being emotionally tortured in public." Kanji threw a hand over Kazaki’s shoulder and leaned in close to whisper something. Kazaki’s ears turned red. Kazaki. Fucking Kazaki Katakana Blushed.

She whipped out her phone.

📸 Insta-hero Photo
📝 Caption: “Caught my handler in 4K being romanced by a golden retriever. My life is a joke.”

And that would’ve been enough pain for one day, but fate wasn’t done with her yet. Because the moment she turned away to walk faster and avoid combusting from secondhand awkwardness, she bumped into someone.

"Ah, sorry—!" she started, glancing up—

Freckles. Green hair. Wide, kind eyes. Grocery bag. Deku. In Civilian wear. Not in hero gear. Shopping.   And Asuka was in her very lazy civilian disguise. No mask. No gloves. Just "Aira." A girl who totally wasn’t a vigilante who’d been dodging the very same pro hero for months.

His gaze narrowed, polite but cautious. "Oh no, I’m sorry, are you alright?"

She was already sweating.

"Yeah! Haha! I’m fine, totally fine, just, you know, walking. Outside. Existing."

"Do I... know you?" Midoriya tilted his head. "You look... familiar."

Her brain was completely short-circuited.

Abort mission. Run. Scream. Fake a phone call. Say you’re from another city. Say something a normal person who’s totally not a vigilante would say. 

"Uh—I get that a lot!" she blurted. "I’ve got a super average face! Very forgettable! You’ve probably seen me in, uh, a textbook. On sidewalk safety."

You Absolute Fool.

"I’m gonna throw myself into traffic," she mumbled under her breath.

Midoriya squinted. "Are you sure we haven't - "

“I HAVE TO GO!” she yelled far too loudly. "MY...CATS... ARE UH… ON FIRE!"

She ran.

Literally ran through the traffic, into an alley and up a fire escape in 3.2 seconds.

Only when she was on the rooftop, panting and dramatically flopping onto the ground, did she finally groan and cover her face. Her phone buzzed.

Group chat name: Cliche Trio

Lava boy: Where’d you go @Draconic???

Draconic: Up a roof and ready to jump.

SpidermanTM: I heard what you said. About to extend your Grounded Period.

Draconic: I hate you.

______________________________________________

 

Midoriya Izuku blinked.

Twice.

The strange girl, black hair, glasses, dragon horns & tail and chaotic squirrel energy was gone, having bolted down the street at about 50km/h. “…Cats on fire?” he repeated aloud, still holding his grocery bag like it would offer answers. “Sidewalk safety?” he added, more to the wind than to anyone else.

“Hey,” came a calm voice from behind him, “you look like you saw a ghost.”

Midoriya turned to see Todoroki, sipping bubble tea in one hand while the other held a small bag. “Oh, hey, Shoto,” Midoriya mumbled, distracted. “Did you… see that girl just now?” Todoroki raised an eyebrow. “What girl?”

“She bumped into me. Said I looked familiar. Then said I’d seen her in a sidewalk safety textbook . ”

“…Okay.”

“And then she shouted, ‘MY CATS ARE ON FIRE,’ and sprinted away through the traffic.”

Todoroki blinked slowly. “…Are her cats actually on fire?” he asked. “I don’t think so?? It could be a lie?” Midoriya said helplessly. Todoroki sipped his drink thoughtfully. “Makes sense. You say weird things when you lie.”

“I—hey!”

“You once told Endeavor that your favorite food was burnt toast because you panicked.”

Midoriya opened his mouth, closed it again, then frowned. “That was years ago.” Todoroki shrugged “It still haunts me”

Midoriya groaned. “Whatever, come on, we gotta get home.” Todoroki nodded “I agree. Maybe our cats are on fire.”

“Shoto, my beautiful husband, We don’t have cats. ”

________________________________________________

Asuka sat in the plush leather chair with the stiffness of someone bracing for both impact and paperwork.

Nedzu’s “home,” if one could even call it that, looked suspiciously like a high-end executive’s office: walls of books, elegant furniture, too many clocks, and the faint smell of roasted coffee and printer toner. A place where dreams died politely.

She tapped her claws on the armrest. Her black hair dye was already fading at the roots. Her tail flicked behind her chair in annoyance.

“I yelled, ‘my cats are on fire’, Nedzu.”

The principal of U.A. looked up from the file on his desk with the tiniest twitch of amusement. “Yes, I heard.”

“I was panicking!”

“So I gathered.”

“And now I can’t use Aira Furukawa anymore because Aira Furukawa apparently screams about sidewalk safety and flaming cats at Pro Hero Midoriya like an escaped mental patient.”

“Indeed.”

She slumped forward. “So I need a new identity. Again.”

Nedzu neatly closed the folder, folded his paws on the desk, and smiled like someone about to make things worse on purpose. “Correct. Your previous alias is now, how should I put it… compromised. I believe young Midoriya and Todoroki described you as ‘a cryptid with incredible cardio and good skin.’”

Asuka groaned. “Oh my god.”

“Your horns, tail, and general... dragon-ness complicates things,” Nedzu continued, his tone clinical. “Your wings, thankfully, are retractable, which helps. But there are only a handful of known mutant quirks like yours on record. And none of them screamed at Midoriya this week.” She buried her face in her hands. “I hate myself.” Nedzu’s smile widened.

“You did make a deal,” he reminded her cheerfully. “As long as you attend U.A. and do not break any of the rules on the contract, your identity as Hoshi remains confidential.” Her tail whipped in frustration. “You’re blackmailing me again.” “No!” he chirped. “I’m helping you navigate the unfortunate consequences of your extremely poor decision-making under social pressure.”

Asuka narrowed her eyes on him. “You seriously enjoy ruining my week don’t you?”

“Immensely.”

She inhaled sharply. “Fine. Give me a new identity. But I’m not painting my horns or cutting off my tail. I like my tail.” Nedzu raised a paw. “No one is asking you to mutilate yourself, Miss Hoshi. Though I would recommend you don’t wear the same jacket you use when punching criminals in the face.”

She glared. “Noted.”

Nedzu pulled a new folder from the drawer labelled ‘Backup Identities for Weird Situations’. “Let’s see... How do you feel about the name Rin Okabe?”

“…Sounds like someone who drinks black coffee and punches printers.”

“Fitting, don’t you think?”

“…Okay. That’s actually not bad.”

“You’ll be listed as a private transfer student under a quarantine-level mutation license. Full clearance. Extremely limited contact tracing. You’ll even get your own dorm room, should you need it.”

“…You mean a glorified jail cell?”

“A Safe haven,” he corrected sweetly.

Asuka sighed. “If I scream about burning cats again, are you gonna assign me a therapist too?”

“Oh, absolutely. I already have three on standby.”

“…You suck.”

“I know.”

Asuka groaned, glaring at Principal Nedzu. “So…I register for the General course right?” Nedzu chuckled “Oh don’t bother! I already helped you register!” “What? When? Didn’t I just get my new fake identification?” Nedzu grinned a grin that screams ‘I’m about to dominate the world’ “Bold of you to assume I didn’t register all your personas into the exam early on.”

Asuka narrowed her eyes. “Of course you did.” She stood, pushing the chair back in its place “Well, thanks again Nedzu. I’ll be off.” Nedzu nodded with a smile. 

“See you in the Entrance Exams, Miss Okabe.”

Notes:

Midoriya: Have we met before?

Asuka: Uhm. Ye- I mean No- I mean, My cats are on fire and i gotta go, bye!

*Proceeds to run through the traffic*

__________________________________________________________

Todoroki: *sips bubble tea* Cats are on fire.

Midoriya: No cats are on fire Shoto..

Todoroki: You never know.

___________________________________________________

Nedzu: Your new name will be Rin Okabe!

Asuka: Did you just give me a given name based on a vocaloid?

Nedzu: Why Not? :D

_________________________________________

yeah, i had this chapter saved in my Google docs for some time now. I forgot this book existed. :P

Chapter 19: Dreams and Nightmares

Summary:

It's Aizawa's turn for a nightmare where we explore what had happened back in the war and his current mental health.

Meanwhile...

Asuka's has dream about what her life could've been if she was still with her family.

__________________________________________

I was going to write it solely on Aizawa's nightmare, but then i thought it was too short. So I added Asuka's dream in the front. Anyhow, it all still seems short. Im not that good at writing good dreams.

The sunlight slipped lazily across the apartment walls, cutting thin golden lines between the blinds. A kettle whistled faintly from the kitchen, and Asuka padded across the wooden floor in socks, hair slightly messy from sleep.

“You’re gonna be late if you keep moving like an old lady,” Ryuu called from the couch, a red dragon plush propped lazily against his shoulder. He was already in his UA uniform, tie crooked, eyes gleaming with that “I dare you to fix it” challenge.

She clicked her tongue and tossed him an apple. “You’re lucky I don’t put hot sauce on your breakfast.”

He caught it with a smile. “And yet, you love me enough not to.”

Their morning was ordinary. Too ordinary. She packed her bag. Her mother made her and Ryuu cute little dragon bentos. Her father was sipping his coffee on the table. And on the way to school, Asuka grumbled about Kanji’s ridiculous habit of leaving his hero costume sketches all over the table. While Ryuu grabbed his skateboard, ready to race her down the street again.

By the time they reached UA, the gates loomed tall and familiar. She and Ryuu walked side by side, blending into the flood of students. The air buzzed with energy, the kind only a school full of heroes-in-training could have.

Classmates waved, laughing about training drills, homework, and who was caught sleeping in Eraserhead’s class again. Somewhere in the mix, Ryuu slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Told you life could be easy if we weren’t running from stuff.”

She smiled without thinking. “Yeah. Guess so.”

And for the rest of the day, things were exactly as they should be. Lectures, sparring practice, lunch under the cherry blossom tree. No shadows chasing them, no debts, no hiding. Just her, Ryuu, and the life they should’ve had.

But when she stepped back into the house that evening, the sound of the kettle started whistling again. It grew distant. Muffled. And suddenly, the lights dimmed like the sun was being swallowed whole. She blinked-

-and her eyes opened to the familiar, dimly lit ceiling of the cramped apartment she actually lived in with Kanji and Kazaki.

The street outside was quiet. No schoolbag at the door. No Family smiling at her, no Ryuu. Just the small hum from the air conditioner, and the weight on her chest.

Her hand tightened around the pillow. “Tch… damn it.”

_____________________________________________

The front door clicked open with a soft creak as Aizawa stepped into the apartment, the familiar scent of tea and cat fur immediately grounding him. It was quiet. Too quiet, if he were being honest, but then a familiar, chipper voice called from the kitchen:

“Shoutaaaa~!”

Aizawa exhaled a soft breath, letting the tension ease from his shoulders as he slid off his boots. His scarf trailed loosely behind him like a forgotten thread. Still half-lost in thought, he rounded the corner just in time for a blur of blond to throw itself at him with an excited, “You did it, Principal Aizawa!!”

Yamada’s arms were warm around him, solid and comforting. He smelled like coffee and honey shampoo. His laughter vibrated in Aizawa’s chest like a familiar song.

“...You knew? Who told you?” Aizawa mumbled, voice raspier than usual.

“Your wonderful problem child did, you gloomy bastard!” Yamada grinned, looking up at him “I knew you’d take the job. I’m proud of you, Sho.”

Aizawa didn’t respond. He couldn’t. The warmth was wrong. The lighting was wrong.

And the apartment…

The apartment was too clean.

Too untouched.

That lamp in the corner… It looked weird.

His eye twitched.

And then the world cracked.

_______________________________________________

The sky was dark and grey, a million drops of water fell. Explosions shouted in the distance, ash fell like snow.

Aizawa stood atop the platform with Monoma, Manual and the others. The coffin in the sky where Shigaraki had been taken to was a mess. Best Jeanist and the others fought below like ants in fire, the noise of quirks and screams of constant thunder.

And then a portal tore open above him.

Twice clones. Toga.

“DIE!” one of them howled, and a dozen clones following him surged out like a swarm. The structure cracked under their weight. Aizawa barely had time to react before the ground beneath him crumbled. Steel shrieked. His foot slipped.

And then he fell.

The air ripped past him.

His stomach dropped.

“SHOUTA!”

Yamada’s voice.

His hand reached out like instinct, Yamada tried to grab it.

But then another portal opened. Kurogi- Oboro’s portal, a ripple of violet, like smoke eating the world. They were falling into it. Oboro was trying to save him. Trying to overcome the Kurogiri side of himself who tried to close it. There was shouting, confused screams and more explosions but in the chaos, in the blood, in the terror, the portal closed too early.

Yamada was halfway through. And then he wasn’t.

There was a sound Aizawa would never forget. Like a wet rope snapping. Flesh giving way. A horrible, horrible silence. And then he landed. On the cold metal floor somewhere in the city.

And Yamada…

Was gone.

Half of him lay next to Aizawa, eyes still open in shock. The rest of him had never made it through.

Aizawa was covered in him.

Blood seeped into his uniform. Into his hair. His scarf. His skin.

He didn’t scream. He didn’t move.

He just knelt there, holding what was left.

 

________________________________________________

Aizawa bolted upright in bed, gasping like he’d been drowning. His lungs burned. His throat was dry. Moonlight filtered through the curtains, soft and blue. The apartment was silent. The dream still clung to him, like Yamada’s blood was still on his hands.

“...meow”

A tiny sound near his foot made him glance down. Sushi, his tabby cat, was pawing gently at his leg, green eyes wide with concern. Right behind her was Cloudy, his Scottish Fold, who leapt up onto the bed and tucked himself right against Aizawa’s side, rumbling with a low, steady purr.

Aizawa let out a shaky breath. One hand reached down, trembling, and stroked Sushi’s head slowly. “I’m okay,” he whispered.

It wasn’t true.

Not really.

But the cats stayed anyway.

Maybe they knew.

Maybe Yamada would’ve said something dumb and encouraging. Maybe he would've held him and laughed it off, pretended he wasn’t scared too. Maybe he'd have made tea and hummed while it steeped. But Yamada was gone.

And Aizawa was left alone in their apartment.

The clock ticked softly.

He didn’t go back to sleep.

Notes:

Asuka: *has a good dream* *wakes up*

Asuka: ...FUCK YOU SANDMAN, LET ME GO BACK.

______________________________

Aizawa: *has a nightmare* *wakes up*

Aizawa: ....yeah this is the last time I'll ever sleep again.